PME feasibility

Decemberist0 · 24-09-2023 1:13pm #1

Hi,

I am 27 and I am interested in commencing the PME in post primary education program in 2024 (leaning towards DCU) I hold a bachelors degree in history and sociology and a masters degree in history.

Since 2017, I have been working in insurance but I am now looking to make the move into teaching but I have some questions:

I am currently working 9 to 5 Monday to Friday and I am saving to live a comfortable lifestyle as I live in the East side of the country. I am worried as to whether or not I will be able to cope financially while studying the PME.

I understand the lectures are Tuesday and thursday evenings and there are direct teaching and placement related activities which make up a total of 8 hours a week, so I realise it would not be possible to continue to work 9-5. Do you know if it would be possible to do all of the teaching and placement hours over one day? eg a Monday or Friday, which would allow me to work 2 full days and 2 half days the rest of the week? Does this depend on the school?

I understand that most students sub but I don’t know if the hours will be enough. If you know an average indication of how many hours a week students work subbing that would be helpful?

I need to be reassured that I will be able to complete this course without major financial stresses. I have contacted DCU and other colleges and haven’t received a response answering my questions directly.

Many thanks

derb12 · 24-09-2023 6:27pm

Hi, just to answer one part of your post, you probably won’t be able to compress your teaching hours into one day as you would likely be given your own class groups and they can’t have all their classes on one day. Even if you could do work experience that way, the school day is only 6 hours long. If you want to get a teaching placement in a nice school, you’ll have to work around the school timetable.

I don’t know if it’s true but there has been talk on here about the PME going back to 1 year at some stage. If it did, that might influence the finances. I’m

Best of luck with your decision.

dory · 24-09-2023 8:25pm

There has been talk of that for a long time, I can't see it happening. MAYBE we might see a situation where the second year is paid, maybe.

It's highly unlikely that you could do the placement in one day. I presume it's second level teaching you're thinking about? Students could have history 3 days a week. They're not going to have it Mon/Tues and not again until the following Monday. The only that would work is if a family member were the principal and was doing you a huge favour.

The subbing will depend on if your subject is in demand, and if it's hard to find teachers in that area. Dublin has the worst teacher crisis, so I hear, so people tend to get good subbing there.

In reality, it will only work if you get your timetable first, then find a job that would work around that. You also need to talk to someone, maybe some principals, about your subject. Would they hire someone who only had one subject, and not a core subject? In the UK it's more common to only have one subject, so you could find work there (I would really not recommend it though!).

am_zarathustra · 24-09-2023 9:05pm

Financially, it depends on what you are earning now. If you are being paid 15eu an hour, then subbing is much better paid and makes sense...if you are on 30eu an hour maybe it doesn't make sense.

History is not the best subject but there really are so few teachers around Dublin that you would definitely pick up hours.

The 2 year timeframe is ridiculous, money grab for colleges and nothing else.

dory · 26-09-2023 10:12am

In the paper today that Micheál Martin is supporting going back to a one year PME. That would be great. Time to undo that disaster of a decision. Even if Year 2 were paid or something, an apprenticeship of sorts (if they insist on a 2 year training scheme). One year of fees to the colleges and let them do enough to train people in a year.

joebloggs32 · 27-09-2023 12:07am

The colleges have mined a lot of gold from a 2 year PME. They wont give it up easily.

On the OP as others have said, it would be near impossible to get that wish list for placements. Also, just having History can make it harder to obtain employment, so you would need yo be adaptable and teach SPHE snd CSPE