Adult education. Best route to being a resource/language support teacher -2 obstacles

buttonbaby

Hi there.
I am 35 with 3 kids and thought I was done with college etc but my current job has really given me the desire to go back to education.
I would love to be a resourse/language support teacher. I have worked with children with special needs for years and really enjoy it so much.
I have two obstacles. I have only a 3rd class degree in social science and I did pass Irish iin my leaving cert.
I sometime regret sitting my exam and getting a 3rd class degree as I feel stuck, if I didn’t finish maybe I could get support doing a qualification as a mature student but that option is out for me now.

I have worked with children with autism for 8 years (was on maternity leave for some of that time), I did a relevant postgraduate qualification for that in ABA. After having my 3rd child the distance (an hours commute each way) and the hours were too much and (moving was not an option due to my husbands job), so I took a job as an SNA in an ASD unit attached to a primary school as it was so close to home, the hours were great meaning I was still doing a job I enjoyed but had time for my children and most of all it was in an area I enjoyed working in(education, children with special needs).
However working there has been so enjoyable and also made me want more and after speaking to the support and resourse teachers there I would love to qualify to do that at primary level.
I don’t know what my options are?
What qualifications would I need?
Would I need irish?
Right now part time is my only option, would the following course give me the qualification I need?
http://www.snmci.ie/HETAC-bachelor-arts-montessori-education-ACCS-mode.html

It is 5 years which is a lot but are there other options for me?
As I have a 3rd class degree is there any postgraduate option I could take(would my postgraduate qualification help override my 3rd class degree-it had continuous assessmnt in which you need 80% to pass plus a big exam at the end with the same requirement which I did get and pass first time)
Also even if experience and postgraduate qualification might help me towards getting another postgraduate diploma would I need irish?
Any advise would be much appreciated!

byhookorbycrook

Language support is for children who do not have English as a first language and is almost slashed out of existence.

To be a resource teacher you must be a qualified primary teacher. No-one can be "just " a resource teacher as if your post were to be supressed/principal decided to move you you'd be going into the mainstream classroon.

There was a time where you might be able to get resource subbing, but there are so many fully qualified teachers unemployed that this will probably never happen again.

I'm not sure how you'd go about post-grad, perhaps someone more up to speed on this would help you here.

Finally, the really bad news, resource has been cut by 15% already-so the job market is really, really grim.

buttonbaby

Thansk for the info. I guess Im still wondering what my best route is to beign a qualified teacher is then wiht the hope fo getting into a resourse position or into teaching in an ASD unit?

buttonbaby

Would the he part-time degree with St Nicholas College not be a good option then?
Ma
ny thanks in advance?

byhookorbycrook

Not au fait enough to help you and don't want to steer you wrong. Could you commit to a full time course?You'll need Irish anyhow so start brushing up, either to get on a postgrad or back into a college of education-but be aware both the postgrad and B.Ed course will now be longer.
Perhaps it would be best to ring one of the colleges like Hibernia (partly done online) or St. Pats in Drumcondra/Mary Immaculate in Limerick.

buttonbaby

Thanks byhookorbycrook. I really wish full time was an option but then Id have to give up my job and pay for the course..I could maybe afford a course if I kept working.

I never thought of ringing the colleges for advise.

I feel stuck in a rut as having a degree and post grad means I cant get back to education but psrt timr doesnt seem to be an option and with no job I cant afford to do a course!

byhookorbycrook

Hibernia is kind of part time-as in you don't attend full time,not cheap though and you'd need time off for teaching practice.

buttonbaby

Yeah true but Id need irish and a 2nd class honours degree! You see in the ABA school I was in the structure was different and I was an ABA class teacher/tutor (So in charge of the class) in my previous job and I loved it and have such a desire to be the teacher rather than the assistant again, although I am really enjoying my current job!

byhookorbycrook

The DES seems to be determined to squash ABA schools:(
You will need Irish to be a primary teacher,whatever way you approach it.
Best of luck to you.

buttonbaby

Yes byhookorbycrook they really do Feel like Im starting all over again when I had found something I loved!