Teaching Council - Mandatory NQT Workshops?

Lord TSC

So my brother completed his signing with the Teaching Council and got his letter confirming this back this morning.

Part of the letter was the information that apparently all NQTs now have to participate in 10 workshops over their first year after qualifying? I checked out the information online and found it detailed here...

http://www.teachingcouncil.ie/teacher-education/induction-and-probation.192.html

I've moaned about the Teaching Council on here before but I was just wondering what prompted these workshops? I'd wonder what it is they think will be covered in 10 two hour workshops that wasn't covered in the PDE that has just been completed. I don't see anything about how much they cost; am I stupid to think and presume they are free given that the NQT has just paid registration with the TC and now they are forcing the workshops on him?

Also, when we check out where the centers are, it links to...

http://www.ateci.ie/

Now are the workshops he has to do the ones listed on the homepage? The ones being promoted to NQTs teaching outside Ireland and wanting to register? Or are there a different set of workshops he'll need to do?

Sorry for the questions. It's just that this is something I didn't have to do 3 years ago so don't really know what exactly is going on and want to know more to help him out.

Crazyteacher

It's compulsory for all nqt's. Just get them done. The two hours goes very fast even though its extremely repetitive. If he's in Ireland he needs to do the weekday ones unfortunately . Thank his lucky stars it's ten not twelve:)

http://teacherinduction.ie/Downloads/General/NIPT%20Workshop%20Overview.pdf

Just do ten . Register with his nearest ed centre and they'll give you specific dates.

These workshops were actually available prior to them being made compulsory. Teachers choose to them. In my opinion they were made compulsory to follow the UK system of nqt induction and probably to act as a support for new teachers,

sarahb82

Hey the courses are free. As Crazyteacher said it is a new thing. I think they brought it in last year. I have just completed all 12 of them even though they did tell us we only had to do ten. They are very repetitive and I didnt really learn anything that I didnt learn during my PDE.

I think what they are doing are trying to hold some courses in a block for students who graduated last year but had to leave Ireland in order to gain employment.

Just get them done and get the tick in the box.

ytareh

sarahb82 wrote: »

Hey the courses are free. As Crazyteacher said it is a new thing. I think they brought it in last year. I have just completed all 12 of them even though they did tell us we only had to do ten. They are very repetitive and I didnt really learn anything that I didnt learn during my PDE.

I think what they are doing are trying to hold some courses in a block for students who graduated last year but had to leave Ireland in order to gain employment.

Just get them done and get the tick in the box.

A very stoic attitude for someone who has wasted 24 hours of her life .Id be mad as hell but hey maybe youll live longer with the relaxed outlook.Trouble is if we teachers bend over backwards for everyone pretty soon we're gonna be tied up in a knot!

sarahb82

ytareh wrote: »

A very stoic attitude for someone who has wasted 24 hours of her life .Id be mad as hell but hey maybe youll live longer with the relaxed outlook.Trouble is if we teachers bend over backwards for everyone pretty soon we're gonna be tied up in a knot!

oh believe me I was mad as hell going into the courses and dreaded it when we had to go. We had to fill in a feedback form at the end of every one and They certainly got how angry I was at having to be there. I think these feedback forms are why they reduced the number from 12 to 10 cause they knew none of us wanted to be there.

If they improved them and made them more relevant and not just pretty much exactly what we studied the previous year it might not be too bad.

DeeDee89

If you complete your induction or NQT year with a school in the UK, you are exempt from the Irish Workshops which is why so many people are going to England!!

Alqua

I have heard nothing but awful stories from people who have attended these workshops. Isn't it an insult to the 3rd level colleges that the TC see the need to re-hash all of the material covered in the Dip? Insult to the intelligence of NQTs too. It really seems like the TC are just putting these on to be seen to be doing something with their bank balance...

Crazyteacher

Some of the things mentioned in the workshops were an insult to our intelligences, don't forget to switch off your phone in class and wear appropriate teacher clothes springs to mind:( I took great satisfaction in filling out those feedback sheets, I'm sure I wasn't the only one.

kkellygalway

Hi,

Yeah they have made them compulsory. This year was tge first year. You can do them throughout Ireland and am sure tgey were free although they will probably change this, and am guessing this us why they have made them compulsory.

They were not useful, more of a hindrance actually .

kkellygalway

Hi,

Yeah they have made them compulsory. This year was tge first year. You can do them throughout Ireland and am sure tgey were free although they will probably change this, and am guessing this us why they have made them compulsory.

They were not useful, more of a hindrance actually .

thefasteriwalk

I did them when they weren't compulsory: I was in a new area and knew nobody, so decided I'd do them to get to know people. They were dreadful. We (post-primary) were lumped in with primary teachers - for whom they were compulsory - and most of the focus went on them. We spent half an hour one evening being lectured about the importance of being on time. We had to get into groups and brainstorm various reasons for the importance of time-keeping in a professional environment. They got nothing but scathing attacks from me on the feedback forms. I think this is disappointing as they have the potential to be incredibly worthwhile for beginning teachers if done well. Less theory, more practical classroom/student issues would have been helpful. Instead it played out like a PGDE revision course.

Bananatop

I found them quite good to be honest. Now a lot of the information was a re-hash of knowledge already acquired, but some were good for me in that they reminded me of strategies I could use in class. Once or twice when I was having some trouble teaching children certain topics, the NQT course helped me out in those cases. I looked on it as a refresher because god knows the amount of information which is thrown at you when you're training, not possible to take it all in.

Bananatop

Crazyteacher wrote: »

Some of the things mentioned in the workshops were an insult to our intelligences, don't forget to switch off your phone in class and wear appropriate teacher clothes springs to mind:( I took great satisfaction in filling out those feedback sheets, I'm sure I wasn't the only one.

I had the misfortune to sit beside someone at an NQT course who insisted on talking all the way through the two hours, very disrespectful towards the facilitator and hypocritical too because as a teacher, she would've come down like a ton of bricks if a child in her own class did the same. I also used to see teachers looking up their phones while the facilitator was talking. Again, this would not be tolerated in class and students would get into trouble if they even have their phones on. So I can see why announcements like the above would be made at the start of a session (although I do find the bit about clothes bizarre!)

Crazyteacher

Well I don't even bring my mobile phone to school with me for a start . Everyone was very attentive in our group anyway.

doctorwhogirl

I am going to be facilitating the primary end of some of these courses next year. I can understand people's frustrations at "having" to attend but ultimately, I can see the merit in them and I could see the merit in them before I became part of it. Actually, one of the main reasons I accepted the position was because I felt that, for the most part, NQTs could gain support from them.

For me it's about sharing good practice and revising basic principles when they have now become suddenly relevant to you. When you're in college the classroom is very much in the distance and everything is theory, asides from TP. When you're actually in the thick of it that's when things like behaviour management etc... become very real. The idea, I suppose, is to give NQTs somewhere where they can get questions answered if they are feeling overwhelmed. It also provides a place of support for those NQTS not lucky enough to be in a school where other teachers are forthcoming with advice and support.

There are still things that need to be tweaked in the programme but rest assured every feedback sheet, from what I can tell, is dealt with very seriously and the advice and suggestions taken on board. They are constantly tweaking the content based on the response of NQTs and from facilitators in order to make it as useful an experience as possible.

I sound like I'm really towing the party line up there but I stand by it as a scheme

Bananatop

doctorwhogirl wrote: »

When you're actually in the thick of it that's when things like behaviour management etc... become very real. The idea, I suppose, is to give NQTs somewhere where they can get questions answered if they are feeling overwhelmed.

I found this part of it helpful too, probably gained more from talking to other teachers really!

Bananatop

Crazyteacher wrote: »

Well I don't even bring my mobile phone to school with me for a start . Everyone was very attentive in our group anyway.

You were lucky compared to me, a few in the group I was in were openly rude to the facilitator ie talking, looking at phones etc

blue star

hello Guys,

just wondering does anyone know if I have to complete these NQT courses. I did my PGCE in London 2011-2012. and taught in an English school all last year and completed and passed my induction year! I attended all the NQT courses in my borough. do I have to attend the NQT courses here in Ireland. ??? as I am back home now about to start the scg course and am in the process of registering with the teaching council.

thanks in advance

Crazyteacher

I think it was from 2012 onwards that you need to complete the induction workshops.

http://www.teachingcouncil.ie/teacher-education/induction-and-probation.192.html

TheBody

blue star wrote: »

hello Guys,

just wondering does anyone know if I have to complete these NQT courses. I did my PGCE in London 2011-2012. and taught in an English school all last year and completed and passed my induction year! I attended all the NQT courses in my borough. do I have to attend the NQT courses here in Ireland. ??? as I am back home now about to start the scg course and am in the process of registering with the teaching council.

thanks in advance

If you did your induction abroad then you will NOT have to do it here. You will have to provide evidence that you compleated it abroad though.

See FAQ 6 here:

http://www.teachingcouncil.ie/induction-and-probation/frequently-asked-questions.1338.html

blue star

TheBody..thanks for that info

rainbowtrout

Crazyteacher wrote: »

Some of the things mentioned in the workshops were an insult to our intelligences, don't forget to switch off your phone in class and wear appropriate teacher clothes springs to mind:( I took great satisfaction in filling out those feedback sheets, I'm sure I wasn't the only one.

You'd be surprised, those things are expected in schools and are completely normal requirements for most people, but some have to be told.

We had a sub in a couple of years ago and you couldn't sit within 5 feet of her she smelled so bad, clearly never had a shower or washed clothes. A friend of mine was working with a girl who thought it was appropriate to come into work in a pair of tracksuit bottoms (not a PE teacher) that dragged along the ground and had 'Juicy' written across the arse. Another friend told me about the dip student she had for science who on the day of one of her inspections had no lesson plan, and was standing at the top of the room texting on her phone and chewing gum as the class and inspector arrived in.

Some people might have the intelligence to get through a degree etc, but are extremely immature and don't have an ounce of common sense. I think it's more an indictment of a minority of people who want to go into teaching that behave like this that the facilitator has to say things like this rather than the facilitator being insulting.

While most teachers behave professionally there are some NQTs who think it's more important to be cool and get down with the kids. They will not survive in teaching in the current climate.

Crazyteacher

I've come from training in Northern Ireland so I probably have very high expectations of standards (suits were a must) , still teachers using mobile phones in class, that's outrageous. And no plans for TP ! Shocking.

rainbowtrout

Crazyteacher wrote: »

I've come from training in Northern Ireland so I probably have very high expectations of standards (suits were a must) , still teachers using mobile phones in class, that's outrageous. And no plans for TP ! Shocking.

It's not everyone, but like every other job there are still a minority who aren't up to scratch.

Alqua

rainbowtrout wrote: »

A friend of mine was working with a girl who thought it was appropriate to come into work in a pair of tracksuit bottoms (not a PE teacher) that dragged along the ground and had 'Juicy' written across the arse. Another friend told me about the dip student she had for science who on the day of one of her inspections had no lesson plan, and was standing at the top of the room texting on her phone and chewing gum as the class and inspector arrived in.

Some people might have the intelligence to get through a degree etc, but are extremely immature and don't have an ounce of common sense. I think it's more an indictment of a minority of people who want to go into teaching that behave like this that the facilitator has to say things like this rather than the facilitator being insulting.

Wow. What's worse is the fact that these people get through the dip in the first place to make it to the workshops! Those things shouldn't have to be said - in the sense that, you should not be able to qualify if so obviously unsuited to teaching IMO.

thefasteriwalk

rainbowtrout wrote: »

We had a sub in a couple of years ago and you couldn't sit within 5 feet of her she smelled so bad, clearly never had a shower or washed clothes. A friend of mine was working with a girl who thought it was appropriate to come into work in a pair of tracksuit bottoms (not a PE teacher) that dragged along the ground and had 'Juicy' written across the arse. Another friend told me about the dip student she had for science who on the day of one of her inspections had no lesson plan, and was standing at the top of the room texting on her phone and chewing gum as the class and inspector arrived in.

Wow.

teach88

I'm not complaining just for the sake of it but, to be honest, I found the workshops totally useless. They were a total rehash of the Dip and I didn't find much of the material particularly relevant to my experiences in school.

For example, what I needed was advice on how to motivate a 3rd year class who had a woeful teacher for the two previous years and had totally lost any interest in my subject. Unfortunately, the wonders of the "fishbone" planning template, mock-PTMs and playing ship-sea-shore style games didn't really help.

spurious

I'm amazed any pre Teaching Council staff managed to teach without the benefit of these useful workshops. I must enrol on one.

Alqua

Does anyone know what the story is with workshops clashing with staff/PT meetings? I have heard of people having to miss them for this reason. Does this mean they have to be made up the following year?! Disgrace if so! Kind of defeats the purpose if they are clashing with school!

TheBody

Alqua wrote: »

Does anyone know what the story is with workshops clashing with staff/PT meetings? I have heard of people having to miss them for this reason. Does this mean they have to be made up the following year?! Disgrace if so! Kind of defeats the purpose if they are clashing with school!

You only have to do 10 out of 12 and they can be done over 3 years. Surely you will be able to get them done. (For what it's worth, I think they are a waste of time too.)

Alqua

@TheBody - I know you have 3 years to do them, but it's difficult for someone trying to get them done in 1 year if they clash with meetings. 5.30 is early for a lot of people! I have not done them, just heard a lot of stories from those who have.

TheBody

Alqua wrote: »

@TheBody - I know you have 3 years to do them, but it's difficult for someone trying to get them done in 1 year if they clash with meetings. 5.30 is early for a lot of people! I have not done them, just heard a lot of stories from those who have.

They don't start at the same time in every centre. They run from 7-9 in Mullingar for example. Perhaps there is a different centre that will suit you better.