How do I obtain a third teaching subject having already qualified?

SDowling wrote: »

I'm qualified to teach English and Classical Studies, 3 year joint major at undergrad and studied in P.G.D.E. I am unsure of which additional subject to add. History, Religion and Geography have all been recommended to me. I am also looking into IT on the side. I definitely need an extra subject as Classics is really holding me back. Thank you for your reply

Computers is not a subject in post-primary schools and would be insignificant in terms of initial employability I'd say. Of the other subjects you have mentioned Geography is by quite a distance the most popular at Leaving Cert level - it has almost twice as many sits as History. That fact might be worth considering in any pursuit of an extra subject. But if you want just a one-year course you will be severely restricted.

SDowling wrote: »

Thank you both for your replies. I have emailed teaching council regarding a list of recognised courses as I can't find any information online. I think I must complete a Higher Diploma in Arts for chosen additional subject? Information is sketchy though. I definitely think there is a shift/focus on IT in schools right now so I am eager to that on the side along with additional subject as I think it will add weight to C.V. . It's just quite frustrating as I'm struggling to get a job but I know a lot more are in the same boat. Do you know if it is the Higher Diploma in Arts that I need to complete? Thanks a mil

Have you tried the "open university"? I don't know if they'd have what your looking for, but it's worth a try.

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Oscail.ie (DCU).

Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate.

Dante, Inferno

Chris68 wrote: »

Computers is currently a compulsory core subject in the Leaving Cert Applied. It is also possible to do ICT as a specialist subject in LCA. The new JC (assuming it goes ahead) will also have a computer course. Some schools are currently piloting it.

In fairness I don't think any of this changes the significance of IT in terms of employability. In my own school (which incidentally is a pilot school for the new JC - and computers has not merited mention yet) any IT is done by an existing teacher with some skills in that area. It would never be significant in employing anyone specifically as far as I am aware. That's why I would not advise someone to pursue it as distinct from an alternative subject. But after all that maybe it's the way to go.

Chris68 wrote: »

I never recommended that OP pursue IT. I was just correcting some misinformation given. I myself have 5 recognised subjects (including IT) and still I've made the decision to get out of teaching due to lack of job opportunities. I'm not about to recommend anyone go into teaching. Sad as that may be.

To be honest I think in the context of the thread it was fairly clear that the question was recommendation of a worthwhile extra subject. From that perspective highlighting IT as a subject in the LCA was in itself misleading. Certainly in any school I worked in or am familiar with it would be an irrelevance to employment prospects and LCA is far from being universally provided. I would not necessarily recommend against people trying to get into teaching, but if they are counting the like of IT as one of their subjects then they might as well disregard it. That was the basis of my 'misinformation'.

Chris68 wrote: »

The misinformation I was referring to was your statement that Computers is NOT a subject - when it is. OP has expressed an interest in teaching IT. You misinformed her.

I am aware of the misinformation you are talking about - there was no clarification necessary.

The point I was making is that this utterly misses the point and that in the context of employability IT is about as useful as a chocolate fireguard. Pedantic observations about an extreme minority pursuit such as the LCA (less than 2 per cent of LC students) which also potentially includes 'hair and beauty' - not exactly a big seller as a teaching subject but as you would no doubt point out is a Leaving Cert subject- as a module are grand as far as they go i.e. being right irrespective of the context.

But to state, without qualification or context, that IT is a Leaving Cert subject as if it has parity with Maths or Geography is also to misinform, I would respectfully suggest. Anyone who acquires an extra subject on no more solid a basis that that it is a module in the LCA might as well head for the dole queue as apply for a job. As someone with five registered subjects yourself who is not teaching I'd have thought you'd have been especially wary of cavalier advice about extra subjects.

spurious wrote: »

Regardless of people's opinions about LCA and its availability, IT is a subject offered in some Irish schools. Not enough to go looking for a permanent post in, but a subject nonetheless.

That needed to be corrected in case anyone uses this thread as a reference in the future.

It may have needed to be corrected but it is disingenuous not to put that observation in context. It's rather like the 'fact' - pointed out by people occasionally when it suits an argument - that Maths is not compulsory. Technically it is not compulsory but it would be disingenuous not to acknowledge that it will be offered as a non-option subject in probably every school. I think the context that the LCA is a minority pursuit is just as important to point out precisely because people (looking for employment) might use the thread as a reference in the future. Nuances are often more important than dry facts.

Incidentally (and your claim on this is the main reason I replied to your post) I offered no opinion on the LCA. The course is offered in my school and it seems to be good for the students doing it. But I can offer no informed specific opinion on the content of the course other than that observation. On the whole it has certainly helped with discipline of some of the students who created havoc in previous times but seem happier in LCA. But I certainly did not denigrate it. My reference to the 'hair and beauty' module was to emphasise how outside the mainstream LCA modules can be and as such how misleading references to it in terms of emplyment can be.

I did comment on the small numbers countrywide doing it (ref. - examinations.ie) because again that was for the benefit of anyone that might use this thread as a reference in the future as it is important that people are aware that spending time pursuing an IT course with a view to securing employment teaching computers to an LCA class might be time more beneficially spent studying a more mainstream subject. However, my reference to the numbers doing LCA are documented fact and not opinion.

My school is in its second year offering LCA and not one extra teacher was employed (even on 'hours' - forget 'permanent') as a consequence so I am acutely conscious of that when I am trying to put IT in context as a teaching option. There are already too many people with at least one unviable subject who seek to rememdy that by studying another unviable subject. They are entitled to honesty and not just 'facts' I think.

seavill wrote: »

I don't really want to get into it with you as your long replies contradicting everyone are getting repetitive however in "SOME" schools IT is offered to more than just LCA's.
Before you jump down my throat as well, I am not for one second saying that IT will create thousands of jobs etc. I am simply pointing out the fact that in some schools IT is taught to more than just LCA's.
In my school IT is taught to all first years for the entire year (5 class groups), along with TYs 5th years and 6th years (Non LCA students). They can get extra marks for a particular college for doing it for LC.

Not sure why you are taking such a needlessly defensive tone. Incidentally I replied to two people - not 'everyone'. And am I not entitled to contradict people....................???

But let's get to the bottom line here for once - would you advise the OP to pursue IT as an extra teaching subject or not? It doesn't really matter at the end of the day what your school or my school does - some schools will teach Latin, others won't. None of that makes the OP more employable.

P.S. It was Chris68 who made the reference to IT being offered to LCAs - not me. So your correction is aimed at the wrong person.

seavill wrote: »

Yes as you will see with my last post above I am not saying this would make a person employable as an IT teacher full time, that is not what the OP was saying if people read back to their 2nd post.
It would be helpful to have on the CV if it was an additional option. Obviously the other subject is what you will be applying for a job with but it is certainly an extra that many won't have.

im simply making the point that even though ict is offered in my school as a subject that does not mean that we are hiring ict teachers.

im not interested in getting into a back and forth just giving the facts from my perspective.

re the new JC being heavy on ICT i don't buy it for a minute. The will be plenty of googling and wording and printing but that's about it for the majority of students in my view.

the talk about coding etc is all fine but if you put it up there as an optional short course you will have very few students picking it - its Latin declension for the 21st century. You love it or hate it. It will only be compulsory in schools that use it as a selling point and it is on This point that it will be unsuccessful in my view.