Do French Teachers have better prospects than others?

ViveLaVie

Hi,

I'm in my first year out after the dip. I am an English and French teacher. I also have a Master's in English. I didn't think I'd get any work this year really considering the current situation for teachers. I applied for loads of jobs last summer and to my surprise I got called for about 8 interviews. Most of these were for French or French and English together as a combo.

I didn't get any interviews for English only posts.

Anyway I secured a maternity leave from August to midterm on 18 hrs and included was Senior Cycle English, JC French etc.

Following that I secured a post for sick leave on 22 hrs til the end of May teaching both my subjects at all levels including Leaving Cert. Higher.

I am feeling much happier about my prospects for next year. I have heard people say there is work there for French Teachers and that it's one of the more employable subjects to have atm aside from Maths and Irish.

At the same time I suppose I could just have been lucky this year.

So I'd like to hear from others? Am I in a stronger position as an NQT with French rather than Geography and History?

evolving_doors

Yes... just going by how difficult it is for our school to get qualified lang.. and from what I read here.

Naoko

Absolutely. I have a master's in English too and I've been lucky enough with work over the last few years considering the way things are, but I didn't get my 'own hours' because they just weren't available. I was always being asked to teach French because I had some French credits in my degree (the shortage of French teachers is at a crazy level) so I did a postgrad in French this year to improve my ability and prospects and I have interviews for French jobs lined up already. I don't think you have much to worry about.

ViveLaVie

Naoko wrote: »

Absolutely. I have a master's in English too and I've been lucky enough with work over the last few years considering the way things are, but I didn't get my 'own hours' because they just weren't available. I was always being asked to teach French because I had some French credits in my degree (the shortage of French teachers is at a crazy level) so I did a postgrad in French this year to improve my ability and prospects and I have interviews for French jobs lined up already. I don't think you have much to worry about.

That's brilliant to hear, thanks Naoko! I am feeling more positive about things now - it can be easy to get sucked into a 'doom and gloom' attitude so it's fantastic to hear cases like yourself. So there is definitely a shortage of French Teachers? May I ask how long you've been teaching?

spurious

There is certainly not nationwide a 'shortage of French teachers'. They might not be, or willing/able to travel to, where some jobs are, but there isn't any shortage.

mirrorwall14

Agreed here, no nationwide shortage that Ive heard. My own school is oversubscribed on French teachers for example.

However I would say more demand than for things like history/geography

Naoko

ViveLaVie wrote: »

That's brilliant to hear, thanks Naoko! I am feeling more positive about things now - it can be easy to get sucked into a 'doom and gloom' attitude so it's fantastic to hear cases like yourself. So there is definitely a shortage of French Teachers? May I ask how long you've been teaching?

Six years. I was asked to teach French during my Dip placement (in Dublin) as they were so badly stuck. In my first two years teaching, I was given French again in two different schools in another part of the country. After that, I subbed in several schools in Dublin because I had experience of teaching French and qualified French teachers couldn't be found.

spurious wrote: »

There is certainly not nationwide a 'shortage of French teachers'. They might not be, or willing/able to travel to, where some jobs are, but there isn't any shortage.

I'm surprised to hear that since Dublin schools had bother finding French subs over the last three years (when I was called on in emergencies) and in other areas, principals were having to give French hours for the whole year to teachers without 54 ECTS credits of French. For anybody with French who is, as you say, willing and able to move around the country, I really wouldn't foresee a problem finding work.

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Agreed here, no nationwide shortage that Ive heard. My own school is oversubscribed on French teachers for example.

However I would say more demand than for things like history/geography

My experience has been different.

I'm not particularly worried about finding hours myself and I don't think the OP has cause for concern.

ViveLaVie

Could you give some more info Spurious? Is it a good subject to have under your belt all the same?

Thanks for that mirrorwall14. I realise schools on an individual basis may be different but I have had people tell me French subs are hard to get so I would be hoping it is a good subject to have in general.

Naoko, your experience is similar to that of a friend of mine. She too did French only in first year and yet taught it all through her dip year and is also teaching it up to fifth year level in her current school as they were stuck.

I also know somebody who taught it to sixth years for six weeks despite having only Leaving Cert level himself because the Principal couldn't find a sub. Two Principals have told me they are hard to find.

I was hoping to come on here and have my hopes bolstered tbh because NQTs do get told it's all doom and gloom out there at the moment and that is hugely demoralising and disillusioning.

I feel that my own experiences this year have been supportive too. I have managed to secure work all year primarily because I have French I think.

Anyone else who would like to weigh in, please do! I would like to know the lay of the land.

Naoko

ViveLaVie wrote: »

Naoko, your experience is similar to that of a friend of mine. She too did French only in first year and yet taught it all through her dip year and is also teaching it up to fifth year level in her current school as they were stuck.

I also know somebody who taught it to sixth years for six weeks despite having only Leaving Cert level himself because the Principal couldn't find a sub. Two Principals have told me they are hard to find.

Over the years I have developed the habit of asking principals for advice and they've invariably said 'top up your French'.

ejak1

Vivelavie

Just another perspective on availability of French teachers. Maybe it's just in some parts of the country that there is a shortage. I'm in the North Muster area and we have so many French teachers on our staff that we all have very few classes and teach our second subject mainly. Especially at senior level the uptake of French and German has fallen considerably since many universities and Institutes of Technology no longer require another language apart from English or Irish. We are worried about language uptake in our school at the moment. There is never a shortage of subs either in our school for long term or short term absences.
Good luck in your career.

gaeilgebeo

ViveLaVie wrote: »

I was hoping to come on here and have my hopes bolstered tbh because NQTs do get told it's all doom and gloom out there at the moment and that is hugely demoralising and disillusioning.
.

I don't think anyone is trying to demoralise you with their posts.
They are more so trying to give you a realistic picture.
I think it would be naive of you to think there will be an abundance of French jobs available based on the subbing you have done this year.
There is a huge difference in subbing and getting your OWN hours.
Getting 22 hours is like hitting the teaching jackpot at the minute.
Many many schools have teachers who are qualified 7+++ years who are on part time hours and are fighting for any extra hours going.
I work in a large ETB and I know that if we needed a teacher in our school for any subject at all, that teacher would be redeployed from within the ETB scheme.

I am not basing any of the above on the subject alone, more so on the job situation at the minute.

unknowngirl!!

I'm based in the midlands and there would appear to be a huge shortage of french teachers. I graduated three years ago and have always had a job. I'm in my second year in a school, on my own full hours, and hope to get my CID next year.

11 french hours came up in our school over the Summer and management had huge difficulties filling the position. Also, the first school I worked in had difficulties filling a maternity position this year. It must differ from region to region!

TheDriver

11 hours in certain subjects will always be hard to fill. Try finding a home ec teacher for a mat leave

vamos!

My experience as a French teacher is that I have never been out of work. I have had year-long contracts for the most part and have gotten most of the jobs I interviewed for and for the last few years I have picked the jobs I wanted to apply for and have avoided 11 hour mat leaves. All good except for the fact that quite a few years later I'm only due my CID this year. French is not a ticket to an instant permanent job but I suppose it probably offers more employment prospects than English and History for example. A lot of it comes down to luck and being in the right school when someone decides to leave or retire.

acequion

I'm reading this thread with interest as these are my subjects and though I've been permanent for a long time,I teach much more English as uptake in French has dropped in recent years and we have a surplus of French teachers in our school. That said,it is very difficult to find subs with French.

I really am curious though how so many highly qualified young people still want to be teachers,considering how pay and conditions have hugely deteriorated and you certainly won't be paid a wage in line with your worth when /if you eventually get settled in the job.

Sorry to be so discouraging but teaching as a profession and a career doesn't hold too many prospects any more and if I were in your shoes I'd be setting my sights elsewhere.

Just being honest.Good luck.