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Returning to teaching after 5 year career break

  • 22-04-2015 10:45am
    #1
    dart1980
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23 ✭


    I graduated as a Physics, Biology and Agricultural Science teacher in 2009, completed my MSc in 2010, and since then due to family health issues i have been unable to work in my field. I am now in the position to try and get my career going again but have lost confidence
    in my subject knowledge and teaching. I am looking for some positive advice, or has anyone been in a similar position to this. Where there is a will there is a way!!


Comments

  • #2
    evolving_doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    dart1980 wrote: »
    I graduated as a Physics, Biology and Agricultural Science teacher in 2009, completed my MSc in 2010, and since then due to family health issues i have been unable to work in my field. I am now in the position to try and get my career going again but have lost confidence
    in my subject knowledge and teaching. I am looking for some positive advice, or has anyone been in a similar position to this. Where there is a will there is a way!!

    Regarding the confidence issue: I think we all get the 'Sunday night Fear' esp after a long break. But once your in the flow and 'going forward' through the course it becomes second nature. Volunteering grinds through charities might help too! Dunno if StVdeP looks for volunteer teachers.

    I would assume you'll be looking for sub work to get yourself going. I would think your expectations surrounding this should be different than if you started off on your own contract in September with your own classes.

    Had you been teaching since graduating? How did the teaching practice go?

    As regards keeping in touch with the subject maybe dont jump straight into exam papers.
    look at examiners reports, revision books (less stress more success etc), also subject inspection and WSE reports can frame your thinking (esp for interviews). Has the curriculum changed? Go to some subject association conferences....

    Ask questions here about the subject too, there might be a teacher with similar subjects etc.

    That any help?


  • #3
    dart1980
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23 ✭dart1980


    Thanks Gebgbegb, My teaching practices went fairly well, but still had and have alot of work to do to get to a level i am happy with. I wil try to get some sub work, also thanks for the tips on updating my subject knowledge, greatly appreaciated


  • #4
    pinkbear
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 176 ✭✭pinkbear


    I suggest you try to get some home tutoring and grinds experience for a year, as well as a bit of sub work. It would be very difficult to go into a school full time, but grinds and tutoring are a great way of getting your teaching skills back to scratch in a more relaxed atmosphere.


  • #5
    gaiscioch
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭gaiscioch


    dart1980 wrote: »
    I graduated as a Physics, Biology and Agricultural Science teacher in 2009, completed my MSc in 2010, and since then due to family health issues i have been unable to work in my field. I am now in the position to try and get my career going again but have lost confidence in my subject knowledge and teaching. I am looking for some positive advice, or has anyone been in a similar position to this. Where there is a will there is a way!!

    I agree with Gebgbegb thoroughly about the Sunday night feeling - and I'm glad to see I'm not alone with it, and that it is worse when you've been a way for a while - end of August *shiver*.

    I definitely think it's worse you have all this time to think about it. I'd be fairly certain if you had to start teaching in the morning you'd be much better by the end of the day as you'd have a better idea of where you stand (i.e. you'd realise you still know more than any of your students) and you'd be up to speed on the knowledge side of things in the first month of things (having said that, every day I'm learning more about my own subjects and I'm never ashamed to say to students I do know and check it online in front of them). I'd imagine your real problem will be the same for all of us, namely establishing yourself in a new class with new students. Jump in at the deep end - don't think about, act like you're an old hand and you'll be grand.


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