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Sub Teaching.

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  • 27-06-2020 8:32pm
    #1
    eddie73
    Registered Users Posts: 647 ✭✭✭


    Dear forum viewers,

    I am registering as a substitute 2ndary school teacher with the intention of working from September onward. Before then, I need to get up to speed with my subjects, Music and Geography. I would like to know what books I should be reading and familiarizing myself with between now and then so I will be up to speed with the subjects. I assume most schools use the same standard text books. If so, which are the best ones? Many thanks in advance.


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    #2
    mtoutlemonde
    Registered Users Posts: 2,120 ✭✭✭mtoutlemonde


    eddie73 wrote: »
    Dear forum viewers,

    I am registering as a substitute 2ndary school teacher with the intention of working from September onward. Before then, I need to get up to speed with my subjects, Music and Geography. I would like to know what books I should be reading and familiarizing myself with between now and then so I will be up to speed with the subjects. I assume most schools use the same standard text books. If so, which are the best ones? Many thanks in advance.

    Have you a teaching dip? It’s not the textbook that you work from, it’s the curriculum (lc) and specification (jc), you decide how you deliver that material to students.


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    #3
    eddie73
    Registered Users Posts: 647 ✭✭✭eddie73


    I have not a teaching dip but there is route 3 option. I have degrees in both aforementioned subjects.


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    #4
    eddie73
    Registered Users Posts: 647 ✭✭✭eddie73


    A preferred textbook would be helpful thanks...


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    #5
    r93kaey5p2izun
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,962 ✭✭✭r93kaey5p2izun


    With those subjects and no qualification you will almost certainly just be supervising casually. It's highly unlikely you would even be in a specific class with your subjects the majority of the time, it will just be a matter of being a body to stand in the room at a time of shortages. Are you in the Dublin area?


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    #6
    eddie73
    Registered Users Posts: 647 ✭✭✭eddie73


    No I am not in the Dublin area.

    Can you recommend the favored text books at leaving cert level regardless of my experience please. Thanks.


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    #7
    Ninesell
    Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭Ninesell


    For the junior cycle, my daughter has Cyclone (Gill) for geography and Sounds Good 1 (Ed Co) on her booklist.
    Some online shops such as opening minds have book lists uploaded that you could check.


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    #8
    eddie73
    Registered Users Posts: 647 ✭✭✭eddie73


    Thats very decent of you, thanks.


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    #9
    mtoutlemonde
    Registered Users Posts: 2,120 ✭✭✭mtoutlemonde


    eddie73 wrote: »
    No I am not in the Dublin area.

    Can you recommend the favored text books at leaving cert level regardless of my experience please. Thanks.

    Every school chooses their preferred textbooks. Look at the Easons website for your subjects. You need to look up the curriculum/specification.

    As said above, you won't be able to become permanent without a teaching dip. You may pick up sick/maternity leaves but only if a qualified person can't be found. It will day to day unqualified. Subbing isn't easy.


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    #10
    eddie73
    Registered Users Posts: 647 ✭✭✭eddie73


    mtoutlemonde wrote: »
    Every school chooses their preferred textbooks. Look at the Easons website for your subjects. You need to look up the curriculum/specification.

    As said above, you won't be able to become permanent without a teaching dip. You may pick up sick/maternity leaves but only if a qualified person can't be found. It will day to day unqualified. Subbing isn't easy.

    I am aware of this, thanks for the heads up.

    Teaching dip is planned, but it wont be until next year. I would like to get some experience first before I start studying full time again.

    I am also aware of the curriculum, but am trying to narrow the field down as without experience it is too big to try and cover everything, hence the request for reading list.

    I have experience teaching, so not a complete green horn.


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    #11
    mtoutlemonde
    Registered Users Posts: 2,120 ✭✭✭mtoutlemonde


    eddie73 wrote: »
    I am aware of this, thanks for the heads up.

    Teaching dip is planned, but it wont be until next year. I would like to get some experience first before I start studying full time again.

    I am also aware of the curriculum, but am trying to narrow the field down as without experience it is too big to try and cover everything, hence the request for reading list.

    I have experience teaching, so not a complete green horn.

    It is a good idea but don't know if it happens as much nowadays as there are many qualified teachers looking for sub work.

    Due to the covid pandemic, all book companies have opened up their ebooks so check those.


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    #12
    mtoutlemonde
    Registered Users Posts: 2,120 ✭✭✭mtoutlemonde


    eddie73 wrote: »
    I am aware of this, thanks for the heads up.

    Teaching dip is planned, but it wont be until next year. I would like to get some experience first before I start studying full time again.

    I am also aware of the curriculum, but am trying to narrow the field down as without experience it is too big to try and cover everything, hence the request for reading list.

    I have experience teaching, so not a complete green horn.

    It is a good idea but don't know if it happens as much nowadays as there are many qualified teachers looking for sub work.

    Due to the covid pandemic, all book companies have opened up their ebooks so check those.


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    #13
    Postgrad10
    Registered Users Posts: 2,792 ✭✭✭Postgrad10


    New complete Geography for Junior Cycle is used in quite a few schools I’ve been in. No harm picking up a few texts for preparation for starting your PME.
    The specifications aren’t too arduous to read.

    https://curriculumonline.ie/getmedia/2a7a8d03-00e6-4980-bf20-f58def95688f/JC_Geography-en.pdf

    https://www.curriculumonline.ie/getmedia/67981d9d-8b9d-44c9-8518-fa168c95163c/16226-NCCA-Specification-for-Junior-Cycle-Music_v3.pdf

    Be aware that subbing can be tough to get in to especially when you are not qualified and there are qualified teachers that will get called in ahead of you.


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    #14
    eddie73
    Registered Users Posts: 647 ✭✭✭eddie73


    Thanks for all of your answers.


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    #15
    sullivlo
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,994 Mod ✭✭✭✭sullivlo


    eddie73 wrote: »
    I have not a teaching dip but there is route 3 option. I have degrees in both aforementioned subjects.
    I’m not sure if the route 3 option is still open. If I remember correctly m the TC were talking about closing the loopholes that allowed unqualified teachers to teach second level.

    Speaking from experience, without the PME you will struggle to get casual subbing work.

    Also, if you do get hours, you will get paid at the unqualified rate.

    There are many, many, many registered teachers or PME students who do casual subbing in schools - more often than not, work is left for the students and you just supervise them. If you’re asked to teach, it will be based off the book the school uses.

    There are many many books for each subject.


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    #16
    TheDriver
    Registered Users Posts: 12,393 ✭✭✭✭TheDriver


    WIth Music and Geog, you prob won't get any focused sub work. Route 3 is only an option if we can't get a route 2 person. With geog and music, there's usually route 2 people available.
    If you are not starting the Dip for another year, you're prob better off just getting a job elsewhere until you start the dip. It would be a guaranteed income for the year.


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    #17
    ulsen
    Registered Users Posts: 55 ✭✭ulsen


    Eddie 73 have you a sub position already lined up?


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    #18
    eddie73
    Registered Users Posts: 647 ✭✭✭eddie73


    Nothing lined up. Advised to put my C.V out and be prepared.


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    #19
    sullivlo
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,994 Mod ✭✭✭✭sullivlo


    eddie73 wrote: »
    Nothing lined up. Advised to put my C.V out and be prepared.

    Best of luck. I know teachers all over the country who have the dip who can't get subbing hours - it's a strange thing for someone to advise you. Not a very stable income and high enough expenses if you're driving everywhere for an hour or two a day.

    Especially currently, or in September, nobody knows what is going to happen with Covid and classrooms. Casual subbing may be forbidden - going from one school to another in a short space of time could be a recipe for disaster. It's how it spread in nursing homes after all.

    Furthermore, I know a few music teachers who have zero music hours in their school because it's a small enough subject. And to top it off, geography is a subject that there are rarely any jobs going in because so many people have geography as a subject.


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    #20
    ulsen
    Registered Users Posts: 55 ✭✭ulsen


    sullivlo wrote: »
    Casual subbing may be forbidden - going from one school to another in a short space of time could be a recipe for disaster. It's how it spread in nursing homes after all.

    I heard this recently, how will they work around this, especially as more staff might be out sick, having to take time off due to coughs/colds etc- where they normally wouldn't.


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    #21
    sullivlo
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,994 Mod ✭✭✭✭sullivlo


    ulsen wrote: »
    I heard this recently, how will they work around this, especially as more staff might be out sick, having to take time off due to coughs/colds etc- where they normally wouldn't.

    Who knows. I don't envy school management over the coming months.


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    #22
    Postgrad10
    Registered Users Posts: 2,792 ✭✭✭Postgrad10


    ulsen wrote: »
    I heard this recently, how will they work around this, especially as more staff might be out sick, having to take time off due to coughs/colds etc- where they normally wouldn't.

    I was wondering about this too. Sub assigned to one particular school only?


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    #23
    Blush_01
    Registered Users Posts: 5,016 ✭✭✭Blush_01


    It's going to make TP interesting for anyone studying for a PME.


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    #24
    fed_u
    Registered Users Posts: 90 ✭✭fed_u


    It might be best to approach a handful of schools in your area for work experience more so than subbing initially - explaining you have route 3 registration and your intentions to progress to PME.
    Check the schools websites for booklists for your subject to see what they are using. In various schools I've used New Geography in Action & Cyclone - JC and Today's World, Earth & Horizons - LC


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    #25
    TheDriver
    Registered Users Posts: 12,393 ✭✭✭✭TheDriver


    sullivlo wrote: »
    Who knows. I don't envy school management over the coming months.

    Except it will affect us all. If you can't get a sub, you go to S&S even if there is funding there. Subs can't magically be created and it can be very difficult to secure them.


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    #26
    Treppen
    Registered Users Posts: 4,555 ✭✭✭Treppen


    Postgrad10 wrote: »
    I was wondering about this too. Sub assigned to one particular school only?

    Too messy giving any sort of attention to subs from a department perspective.

    I'd say they'll just require every sub to sign up to contact tracing program and away you go.


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    #27
    happyoutscan
    Registered Users Posts: 5,958 ✭✭✭happyoutscan


    sullivlo wrote: »
    Speaking from experience, without the PME you will struggle to get casual subbing work.

    Also, if you do get hours, you will get paid at the unqualified rate.

    There are many, many, many registered teachers or PME students who do casual subbing in schools - more often than not, work is left for the students and you just supervise them.

    I went down the Route 3 last October, and everything you have stated here is 100%.

    I was extremely busy until the lockdown, but it was primarily supervising students doing work that was left for them. I found this great, as although I have a degree and masters I'm not qualified to teach. I concentrated on learning how to deal with the students, keeping them 'onside', dealing with issues arising etc.

    Work that was left for them to do, I made them do. I think most of the teachers appreciated that. Obviously a few hiccups here and there but it is a learning process for me. Learnt a good bit about the well-being of the students etc.

    Hopefully this time next year I will be looking to further my education to continue. However, I would only have 1 core teaching subject. Might just keep at the S and S as a career, it is enjoyable.

    Definitely not for everyone though.


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    #28
    joeharte123
    Registered Users Posts: 111 ✭✭joeharte123


    happyoutscan wrote: »
    I went down the Route 3 last October, and everything you have stated here is 100%.

    I was extremely busy until the lockdown, but it was primarily supervising students doing work that was left for them. I found this great, as although I have a degree and masters I'm not qualified to teach. I concentrated on learning how to deal with the students, keeping them 'onside', dealing with issues arising etc.

    Work that was left for them to do, I made them do. I think most of the teachers appreciated that. Obviously a few hiccups here and there but it is a learning process for me. Learnt a good bit about the well-being of the students etc.

    Hopefully this time next year I will be looking to further my education to continue. However, I would only have 1 core teaching subject. Might just keep at the S and S as a career, it is enjoyable.

    Definitely not for everyone though.

    It has come a long way regarding regulations. Still not fully there with anyone with a degree essentially being able to sit in a study hall with students.

    I remember few student’s had their mothers coming in and doing a few days subbing when our school was short a sub - and this wasn’t all that long ago!


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