Plans for DIP-Need help?

zeebre12 · 31-12-2018 9:57am #1

I started my DIP teaching 2nd/3rd class before Christmas. I'm really struggling with the planning . I'm the only teacher doing the DIP in the school and as the rest of the teachers are a lot older they hardly know what the DIP is about and I can't really ask for help. You'd hear about other teachers who are doing the DIP in other schools and they have other NQTs doing the DIP to help them out. I feel all this planning is so vague and I'm not sure if I'm doing things right at all. I applied for the DIP and got an email back saying they would get back in touch in a few weeks and that's all. I dont know what im meant to be doing. I'm currently trying to do long term plans but it's all so vague. I know you have to do weekly/long term plans that about all I know. Are there termlies as well or are they the long term plans? Could someone please upload a long term plan so I have an idea of what's required? None of my friends have done it yet so there is no one to help really. And don't get me started on the new curriculum.

strawberrie · 31-12-2018 10:31am

Visit...www.teacherinduction.ie there is lots of help there with planning and starting to teach whether you are being probated (DIP) or doing Droichead and sample plans.
Contact your local education centre for details of the NQT workshops. They take place after school. You have to complete a certain number as part of your probation and one of them is all about planning.
You have to do long term planning (termly/yearly) and short term weekly plans as well as an end of month report (cuntas míosúil)on what you have taught.
Start somewhere easy...maths for me..lay it out by theme and as you teach change your plans around to suit the class.
On the first visit, (You generally have two inspector visits, can be more) the inspector will have a look at your plans and tell you what they expect. Could be different to what you are doing anyway.
Don't worry too much, just start, use a template from www.teacherinduction.ie and get going. Best of luck!

zeebre12 wrote: »

I started my DIP teaching 2nd/3rd class before Christmas. I'm really struggling with the planning . I'm the only teacher doing the DIP in the school and as the rest of the teachers are a lot older they hardly know what the DIP is about and I can't really ask for help. You'd hear about other teachers who are doing the DIP in other schools and they have other NQTs doing the DIP to help them out. I feel all this planning is so vague and I'm not sure if I'm doing things right at all. I applied for the DIP and got an email back saying they would get back in touch in a few weeks and that's all. I dont know what im meant to be doing. I'm currently trying to do long term plans but it's all so vague. I know you have to do weekly/long term plans that about all I know. Are there termlies as well or are they the long term plans? Could someone please upload a long term plan so I have an idea of what's required? None of my friends have done it yet so there is no one to help really. And don't get me started on the new curriculum.

2011abc · 01-01-2019 9:18am

25 page planning ‘toolkit ‘ to be implemented for EVERY class a teacher has ?! Jesus wept! Sick of whatever the latest round of BS ( sold by some self serving, high charging , exiled from their own system , imported ‘expert’ )is being rammed down our throats .Reflective practice ,differentiation , AfL ( dont forget the ‘little’ f ) , literacy and numeracy , active learning, socialization, what went well , in order to achieve ... etc etc etc etc ( and the latest trend for ticking ALL those boxes in one 40 minute class !)
Will yis ever just let us get on with it !Happy New Year and God help any teacher not within grasping distance of retirement .Being 2019 we should see pay packets rise by a euro or two due to generous revenue concessions .Go Celtic Phoenix !

Ray Donovan · 07-01-2019 10:23pm

Excellent Post. My sentiments exactly and I’m 28.5 years to retirement.

Advice to anyone who’ll listen - avoid the primary teaching profession like the plague. You won’t be a teacher, you’re only a secretary. Happy typing for the rest of your days!

jimbobaloobob · 08-01-2019 9:02pm

Ray Donovan wrote: »

Excellent Post. My sentiments exactly and I’m 28.5 years to retirement.

Advice to anyone who’ll listen - avoid the primary teaching profession like the plague. You won’t be a teacher, you’re only a secretary. Happy typing for the rest of your days!

A long 28.5 years with that outlook

downthemiddle · 16-01-2019 8:38pm

zeebre12 wrote: »

I started my DIP teaching 2nd/3rd class before Christmas. I'm really struggling with the planning . I'm the only teacher doing the DIP in the school and as the rest of the teachers are a lot older they hardly know what the DIP is about and I can't really ask for help. You'd hear about other teachers who are doing the DIP in other schools and they have other NQTs doing the DIP to help them out. I feel all this planning is so vague and I'm not sure if I'm doing things right at all. I applied for the DIP and got an email back saying they would get back in touch in a few weeks and that's all. I dont know what im meant to be doing. I'm currently trying to do long term plans but it's all so vague. I know you have to do weekly/long term plans that about all I know. Are there termlies as well or are they the long term plans? Could someone please upload a long term plan so I have an idea of what's required? None of my friends have done it yet so there is no one to help really. And don't get me started on the new curriculum.

You need to be clear in your own mind who you are planning for and why you are planning. Your planning needs to be sustainable. It should accurately reflect the teaching and learning in your classroom. Do not write reams for the sake of it.
As an NQT you should not be expected to have all the answers. Your inspector will advise you after the first visit. Take the advice on board and implement in preparation for the second visit.Ask your principal if there is anyone on staff who would be prepared to mentor you.
Your termlies are your long term plans.

zeebre12 · 23-01-2019 12:56am

I got an email from them the in December and they said they would email me with more details in the coming weeks. It's now the 23rd of January and I got no more information. Could an inspector arrive any day or do I have to be given more details about what's actually involved in doing the DIP/inspector etc?

Ainegrainne · 29-01-2019 8:03pm

Remember that your objectives are literally copied and pasted from the curriculum and you plan your activities around that. Some people buy one or two plans online to get them going from sites like Mash etc. While I don't recommend this, if there are no teachers in your school (or friends you were in college with) to support you or show you examples, then buying plans could get you started.

Fishdoodle · 29-01-2019 8:35pm

I wonder where you were trained? -Surprising - the lack of knowledge on long term/short term planning, didn't you cover all that during your TP?

Long Term Plans: Option of planning your Aims either over the year OR Term (recommend Term)
Focus on English, Gaeilge, Maths .... and work through planning one subj. at a time ...then onto the others
Start With The Curriculum its pretty text- heavy, but its quite good -again focus on One subj. at a time

NCCA website is helpful for planning material:
https://www.ncca.ie/media/1863/represented_primary_school_curriculum.pdf (for ex).

Look at any textbooks you are using (the Teacher Book) -Will include Aims/Strands/ for the topics in the content.
Use PDFs of The Curriculum to copy and paste Aims/Strands and adapt to your own planning

If you've in any way a decent principal, he/she should have templates for the format they use in school. Don't be afraid to ask for help. The principal is responsible for management and a particular responsibility to support NQT's. Also, they should have a record of the short-term plans from previous years. You could always ask for plans submitted (for the same class level) the previous year ...and adapt the content. This is vital for subjects such as science where teachers agree among themselves what strands they will cover (as not all strands need be covered in a particular year).

Not sure if you're new out of college ...but you do have 5 years (last I checked) to apply for your DIP. It's surprising how many NQTs launch themselves into New School, learning the ropes, getting to grips with specific content for class levels for the first time, developing classroom management skills .... and doing the DIP on top of this ...just to get it out of the way!

If you got the same class level next year, you'd be far more au fait with what you're doing. With teaching you really learn on the job and college will bring you only so far.

It's stressful to say the least and unfortunately ... stress has become the norm in education.

Angliru · 30-01-2019 12:42pm

You've three years to do your DIP unless you get an extension. You'd be crazy not to get it out of the way ASAP, having your DIP done is a huge thing in securing a solid job.