Due to start the PDE but having doubts!

ByChance

I'm due to start the HDIP in a couple of weeks and although I've had some minor doubts before now, I'm entering panic mode now.

I've taught abroad for a few years now so art of the anxiety may be returning to Ireland. I have teaching experience of ESL with young children which I find enjoyable.

I'm aware the teaching situation in Ireland is very bleak at the minute. My plan was to get the degree and leave Ireland again. I was hoping to get decent jobs abroad with it but the Teaching Council requirements for NQT's may stop these plans if I were to leave right away.

I have zero experience teaching teenagers. I am dreading discipline problems from disrespectful teenagers.

I do love my subjects (English and History) but these are heavily oversubscribed as it is.

Has anyone experience of working abroad with their Irish teaching license?

A part of me is wondering if it's better to use the cash on a TEFL course and continue teaching ESL. When it's time to come home down the line, do something different. While teaching has always been on my mind, the fact that this year is the final chance do complete it in one year is the reason I am rushing into it now.

I've heard it's an awful tough year, so maybe all of this is just panic. Anyone in the same boat or can offer some helpful advice?

happywithlife

Didn't do the pdge as my course was concurrent and haven't taught abroad so can't offer advise on that one
What I would say though is to read a few of your methodology & classroom management books before heading into the classroom if discipline is your main worry. Also really familiarise yourself with the school's code of discipline prior to starting and ask your co-operating teacher to go any questions you have. I assume you'll have mainly first years so remember they're new to the whole thing too :-) I always have a folder of spare activity sheets with me to dish out if needs be - works better than lines etc as 'extra homework' - use puzzle maker etc to make out relevant quizzes that you can use at the drop of a hat if you underestimate your timing / content -.
Best of luck with it!

surewhoknows

If teaching young children is what you're sure you enjoy why not look into the postgrad in Montessori. I think its a one year course and prospects for work are better than second level. The discipline issues is very dependent on the school & area and can be so tough to deal with.

markievicz

ByChance wrote: »

I'm due to start the HDIP in a couple of weeks and although I've had some minor doubts before now, I'm entering panic mode now.

I've taught abroad for a few years now so art of the anxiety may be returning to Ireland. I have teaching experience of ESL with young children which I find enjoyable.

I'm aware the teaching situation in Ireland is very bleak at the minute. My plan was to get the degree and leave Ireland again. I was hoping to get decent jobs abroad with it but the Teaching Council requirements for NQT's may stop these plans if I were to leave right away.

I have zero experience teaching teenagers. I am dreading discipline problems from disrespectful teenagers.

I do love my subjects (English and History) but these are heavily oversubscribed as it is.

Has anyone experience of working abroad with their Irish teaching license?

A part of me is wondering if it's better to use the cash on a TEFL course and continue teaching ESL. When it's time to come home down the line, do something different. While teaching has always been on my mind, the fact that this year is the final chance do complete it in one year is the reason I am rushing into it now.

I've heard it's an awful tough year, so maybe all of this is just panic. Anyone in the same boat or can offer some helpful advice?

My first piece of advice for you is to relax, you will be fine. I finished my dip in NUIM around this time last year, I could have written your post this time two years ago! Like you I was incredibly nervous, I had zero teaching experience and I was completely doubting choosing to do the course. I was that bad with nerves that I had tears in my eyes going into teach on my first day, I soon got over it!

The course is tough, I'm not going to pretend its not but it is manageable. I had TP on Mon and Fri, lectures until 7 Tues & Weds, lectures until 2 on Thurs and I worked all weekend. It was tiring but it made me very organised and efficient and I had no choice but to work to fund my course! The content of the course itself is ok but there are a good few assignments to do over the year. Teaching wise, it's nerve wrecking on the first day or two but you'll soon settle into it and I've found that students are generally well behaved when you are new until they figure you out a bit. With students who are not so well behaved my advice would be to stay calm (in manner & in voice), possibly talk to the student in isolation (so that they don't have an audience to show off in front of) and to be fair but consistent. If they break a rule once give them a warning if they do it again you need to reprimand them in some way to prevent it happening again. The most lasting thing I learned in the dip was that as a teacher you are responsible for the education of 30 odd children in your class, if one is acting up deal with it swiftly and move on. Too many times I spent ten-fifteen minutes dealing with a student acting up when 29 others were suffering because of it.

Jobs wise; yes it's bad but there are jobs out there, you will have to move about a good bit before you can settle but if you are willing to do that you'll be ok. I've been in Kildare (during dip) Westmeath (this year) and Dublin in Sept. I'm not on full hours but I'm close enough. I forgot to say I'm an English teacher too. A lot of NQTs I know have been subbing over the past year, some others have gone into PLC teaching, adult education & literacy and numeracy teaching and there are some unemployed too. I know others who have gone abroad to teach with little to no issues.

The teaching council have changed the requirements for NQTs who are teaching abroad. From sept you can register to do the workshops on Saturdays ( I think it's over two days) and you can count hours abroad towards the PQE hours. So if you wanted to teach abroad you could still be fully qualified after a year the same as if you were teaching here.

I hope this helps and hasn't left you even more confused!

ByChance

The replies are helpful, thank you. Still confused as ever.

I'm not sure I want to teach long term. Maybe for a decade or so abroad. I'm worried that the course is too expensive and time consuming if I intend just to use it for this plan.

The Teaching Council requiremnts are really irritating. I want to leave Ireland next June but have to wait around til September for workshops (?) , it also puts pressure on me to find a teaching job with these subjects right away. My plan was travel, exploring different work, and teaching my subjects if and when oppurtunites arose or I felt inclined to. But I don't intend on being in Ireland or the UK for a long time. So I feel kind of trapped by this.

In addition, I suffered some bullying in school. The past is the past, but now that the course is approaching I feel anxiety and panic at going back to an enviroment I once hated. It's not easy being a teenager and I can't help but wonder will I be depressed being surrounded by them. I'm filled with dread at this point.

airneal

The teaching council does recognise a programme of induction from the UK. If you sent them an email, they'l reply and explain what is required in order to satisfy the induction. Basically the school in england provides the induction training, usually after school, I heard.

My Advice, relax and chill out. There's a lot more in the same boat as yourself
!!


"I was hoping to get decent jobs abroad with it but the Teaching Council requirements for NQT's may stop these plans if I were to leave right away."

2011abc

ByChance wrote: »

In addition, I suffered some bullying in school. The past is the past, but now that the course is approaching I feel anxiety and panic at going back to an enviroment I once hated. It's not easy being a teenager and I can't help but wonder will I be depressed being surrounded by them. I'm filled with dread at this point.

Some of the worst bullying in schools doesnt involve students at all....I guess it can (and does) occur in ANY work environment but by God teachers suffer more than their fair share from management , parents and often even colleagues.I read somewhere in last day or two that its quoted as one of main reasons for UK teacher burnout .
While Im not suggesting its the way to respond to a syringe wielding mugger sometimes standing up for yourself aggressively is the only language these people understand .They will often move on to the next poor unfortunate ...Life aint fair ...

airneal

Thats if you listen to it! A past boss whom no one had any respect for, once said to me "Play the Game"!!! Will never forget it, as its the best advice I ever recieved!;)

2011abc wrote: »

Some of the worst bullying in schools doesnt involve students at all....I guess it can (and does) occur in ANY work environment but by God teachers suffer more than their fair share from management , parents and often even colleagues.I read somewhere in last day or two that its quoted as one of main reasons for UK teacher burnout .
While Im not suggesting its the way to respond to a syringe wielding mugger sometimes standing up for yourself aggressively is the only language these people understand .They will often move on to the next poor unfortunate ...Life aint fair ...