Is Teaching for me?

daviecronin

Before any wants to answer this question I know it get's asked all the time but I'm sorry! Its a question that is running through my mind recently! Especially the question would I be better at teaching Primary or Secondary!
Before I go any further I should state I'm a 16 Year old male!
I'm currently in Ty and after having an 'academic' Transition Year I am well on my way to the leaving cert. I completed a week of Work experience in a primary school and I genuinely loved it! I loved working with the kids ( I was in the resource room for a lot of it.) I loved helping them figure things out and loved seeing them progress. But where my dilemma in many ways start is that I have doubts. My parents have been saying for a long while that I would be a great Primary school teacher and I would have time patience etc.

I suppose I can agree with them, personally I could never raise my voice to a kid only be firm, if you understand me? I know people say job prospects almost don't exist, but I think you cant base a job you want to do on the job prospects! Another problem for my would be Honours Irish, ( Just to say I got a B in Honours Irish and English and An A in Honours Maths at JC level!) I Love Irish, I love our culture an I love speaking the language etc! But I just think at honours leaving cert Level Irish is such a workload, I mean I can feel it already building up!

I also have concerns about the way once you have a job that's it, there's no real progression and I want to live a life with excitement, don't get me wrong I know everyday in the classroom is different, but I also have massive interests in Business and Music, Currently sitting grades at grade 6 (8 is the highest) in Solo singing, Solo acting and Piano which I feel could be a great bonus to me with regards to teaching, But I suppose I could run a business outside of my school time? And I could be acting or directing during the summer?

Anyway sorry for ranting on and sorry for the billions of questions! Thank ye all in advance for answering!

evolving_doors

Seems like you've had a taste of primary school life so you have an idea there. If you think about the secondary side of things you would have to ask yourself what 2 subjects you would specialise in?
You could put all your acting/singing efforts into evening hobbies (local drama groups,choirs, musical groups etc) and from my own experiences those groups usually have a good few teachers in them too so it would be good for networking a bit. Drama and music competitions also take place in secondary and primary so you needn;t wait till the summer for that to happen.

As regards career progression you're right ...every class is different and has it's own challenges, so you might not even be too concerned about 'climbing the greasy pole' while you're worried about sorting out a teaching or learning issue every day. Then again if you are the type that would like to move into management then CPD (doing further studies whilst working) is the way to go...

It might be a bit early for you to discount the honours Irish just yet, give it at least another year before you jump into ordinary. It seems the Honours Maths might also be a necessity after Ruairi Quinn's recent 'announcements' so if teaching is going to be on the CAO then They're the ones to keep a close eye on, pester your subject teachers a bit about your progress and let them know you have teaching in mind (this might curry favour a bit more!)...

Meanwhile keep up the grades if you can as it's very difficult to return to them after you've left secondary. Once you get past Gr. 6 then the end is in sight, most students give up around gr 5. If you do get a chance in college try and suss out the Drama socs.

daviecronin

Armelodie wrote: »

Seems like you've had a taste of primary school life so you have an idea there. If you think about the secondary side of things you would have to ask yourself what 2 subjects you would specialise in?
You could put all your acting/singing efforts into evening hobbies (local drama groups,choirs, musical groups etc) and from my own experiences those groups usually have a good few teachers in them too so it would be good for networking a bit. Drama and music competitions also take place in secondary and primary so you needn;t wait till the summer for that to happen.

As regards career progression you're right ...every class is different and has it's own challenges, so you might not even be too concerned about 'climbing the greasy pole' while you're worried about sorting out a teaching or learning issue every day. Then again if you are the type that would like to move into management then CPD (doing further studies whilst working) is the way to go...

It might be a bit early for you to discount the honours Irish just yet, give it at least another year before you jump into ordinary. It seems the Honours Maths might also be a necessity after Ruairi Quinn's recent 'announcements' so if teaching is going to be on the CAO then They're the ones to keep a close eye on, pester your subject teachers a bit about your progress and let them know you have teaching in mind (this might curry favour a bit more!)...

Meanwhile keep up the grades if you can as it's very difficult to return to them after you've left secondary. Once you get past Gr. 6 then the end is in sight, most students give up around gr 5. If you do get a chance in college try and suss out the Drama socs.

Wow thank you for your lengthy reply! I suppose maths and music I would be interested in teaching at secondary level, nothing against primary school teacher but I could imagine primary school teaching could be a lot less stressful? In many way I don't want to get involved in the life long 'rat race' I want to try my hand at many aspects but then again I would imagine teaching could be flexible enough for me to do it! Thanks again!

sitstill

daviecronin wrote: »

Wow thank you for your lengthy reply! I suppose maths and music I would be interested in teaching at secondary level, nothing against primary school teacher but I could imagine primary school teaching could be a lot less stressful? In many way I don't want to get involved in the life long 'rat race' I want to try my hand at many aspects but then again I would imagine teaching could be flexible enough for me to do it! Thanks again!

Both primary and secondary teaching would have their own stresses (like any job really).

Maths & music wouldn't be the best combination in terms of jobs at second level.

Windorah

Hi Davie,

Im not sure anyone can tell u what career u are or are not suited for but it sounds from your post that u are veering towards secondary.

You say u are worried about lack of progression but there are plenty of avenues in education. I was (am!) a primary school teacher and then did a masters in special education. As soon as i get my residency status in Australia I will go back to college, here in Australia, and study educational psychology.

You mentioned working in Resource which is for children with Special needs so possibly special Ed. might be something u are interested in.

As regards no excitement in the job I wouldn't agree with that either! I genuinely enjoy my job and actually find it "exciting" to figure out ways to teach different subjects that will appeal to all levels in the class (such a nerd!) I have also taught in different countries as teaching is a universal degree. Some teachers have no choice but to travel due to no job prospects but it never did me any harm!

Music is a great one to have for primary teaching. Communion, confirmations and all the different plays.

Best of luck with your decision!

daviecronin

@Windorah Hello and thanks for the reply, I think to be honest I'm closer at going into primary school teaching, its really hard to know..... Like I feel I just need a bit of spice in my life, because some many people work a 9-5 job or whatever and hate it, My mother for example, hates her job loved it for what It was at the start and now its all insurance and forms etc (She's a nurse.) And I always tell her to seize the day lifes too short, like open a business, doing something with fashion, life is too short to be stuck in a job you hate. But I feel primary school teaching would give me the option to be flexible with what I do?

byhookorbycrook

How do you mean "flexible?" As a foundation degree or within the classroom?

daviecronin

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

How do you mean "flexible?" As a foundation degree or within the classroom?

Well in the classroom and during the year I suppose. I mean the day ends at three and you will have corrections a lot of nights but still you will still have time for activities at night and especially during the 2 summer months!

Moody_mona

I'm not trying to put words in your mouth, but it's not a part time job. Depends on what kind of activities you mean afte the school. Anyone can make time for hobbies. I play sports twice a week with accountants and nurses etc who work later hours than me but still manage to fit it in. If you mean further study, I don't know if I personally would have the time or energy. I've been teaching three years and I'm zonked most days after work!

I know you didn't say we finish at two and that's it done for the day, I'm just trying to offer my experiences. You're right to suss it out before you've to make a decision, keep the questions coming!

byhookorbycrook

Autonomy is being seriously eroded under RQ, flexibility in the classroom as to what you teach is narrowing all the time. I think you need to think more about teaching as your posts seem to me to focus more on outside the classroom than within. Jobs are extremely hard to come by, even subbing, so you could well spend many evening travelling to your next day's subbing. The amount of paperwork in primary school is incredible and only increasing year on year.

poolsandles

daviecronin wrote: »

Well in the classroom and during the year I suppose. I mean the day ends at three and you will have corrections a lot of nights but still you will still have time for activities at night and especially during the 2 summer months!

The day does not end at three. You don't just have corrections, there is a massive amount of paperwork in primary that is required and it's increasing year on year. I do at least 3 hours every day during the week after work and more at the weekends. Again, you do not get 2 months in the summer off. In alot of schools teachers come back before the students for croke park days and you will also have paperwork to do for the new school year.

As byhookerbycrook also pointed out to you there are practically no jobs at the moment. Hopefully this will change, but they have never been as bleak as they are now.

daviecronin

Thanks everyone for yer replies, I understand where ye are coming from! I'm not just concentrating on whats outside of the class! I understand there is extra work involved! As someone was mentioning about energy, I understand where you were coming from, but even in my secondary school life I'm non-stop exams left right and centre. In and outside of school, keeping busy has always worked for me its what I like.