Becoming a primary school teacher - best route..

My daughter finishes her Arts degree hopefully next month. Her plan was always to become a primary school teacher so right now she is looking at applying to St Pat's / Marion / Clonliffe Road for teacher training courses in October and if successful she would start early in 2010.

I know there is big demand for these course and while she thinks she will have a good degree it's by no means certain she will get in. So she's also looking at Hibernia as an alternative.

My question is - based on experience are there any alternatives people would recommend? Or, in the event that all options are open to her, what woud be the best option in terms of career (including taking the UK route)?

Any advice would be much appreiciated.....

Roger

I presume your daughter is looking to get onto the 18 month diploma course? If not she could apply for another 3 years to do her BEd degree. The competition for the 18 month course is tough, its has far many more applicants than places, and there are 2 interviews one in English and one in Irish. When I did this course it was a pre-requisite to have an honour in honours Irish in the Leaving Cert.
I work with 2 teachers who trained with Hibernia college and they found the course good.
The route through England is also popular but you have 'restricted recognition' when you are finished and then have to do your Irish exam when back in Ireland.
Best option is to get onto the 18 month graduate course in one of the training colleges as its definitely the quickest route.

I know several people who have done the 1 year postgrad in wales or england and came back and got jobs. Just check the ones that have full recognition. I think Aberysthwyth (spelling?) in Wales is one and is meant to be easily accessible, very nice and lots of Irish there. It would be worth her while applying for all options. The jobs market here is going to be tough/non existant for the next few years thanks to our anti-education government

Thanks di & John, I appreciate the advise. She would indeed be hoping to go the 18 month diploma route and we have heard it is tough - do you know if an honours degree is pretty standard for applicants or if it would give her a better chance should she achieve that (fingers crossed)? Pretty sure she has the honour in Irish from teh Leaving Cert.

That's encouraging about Hibernia being recommended. Sounds like the English route could be an option if she could get on one of the ones with full recognition - I'll certainly check out the Aberyswyth option - so thanks for that!

Its frustrating alright, like so many more in the country. I know a few who have got into the 18month postgrad after 2-3 goes at it, the thing at the moment is that it may not keep going ahead with the lack of jobs, as it was created initially to fill a shortage of positions.
But from a parental point of view, the best you can do is prepare her to be patient and relentless with it and that she will get there in the end. It is rare these days for people to leave college and walk into their dream job. It usually takes time and stepping stones and working the system.

So some other things she could be working on too towards that end would be to get a diploma in Irish, I think some of the unis do a nightcourse in it and I think (not at all sure) that with that she may not have the do the irish exam if she went to the UK, she should definately work on her oral irish for the interview, that is the breaking point of most in the interview, get a few days experience in schools, coach summer camps and get some basic sports coaching qualifications if she has any inclination in that area. If she didnt get in for September she could look at using the year to get an Special Needs asst cert &/or a TEFL cert. Id imagine they would all stand to her.
You should also check out, as regards training in the UK, if the bursary still exists. I think teaching students get a £5/6000 bursary over there.

So best of luck to her and do emphasize patience and working strategically. She is perfectly right to chase the dream, life is too short and Fianna Fail wont be in power for ever (hopefully)

our family experiences of 18mth conversion etc

Sister in law

went to a Gaelscoil so excellent Irish, 1st class hons science hons degree from trinity and a post grad in science

it took her 2 attempts to get the 18mth conversion course.


Brother

2.1 degree in english and geography
hons irish in leaving
didnt get conversion course but got hibernia the following year


Myself

hons irish
2.1 degree
6mth subsititute teaching experience
didnt get on first attempt at conversion course and ended up doing secondary school


competition is very tough. also they give preference to people who apply more than once as it shows continued interest - this is what i was told when i rang to find out why i didnt get it and was there anything i could improve.

so it could be a long road but not impossible by any means.

Thanks very much for all the advice folks - it's much appreciated. Sounds like it's going to be a long road but hopefully worth it.

Roger

The bursary for the UK still exists but it has been reduced in the last year. Now it just about covers the fees for the PGCE. There is no hope of a place on a course in Ireland without a good result in an honours degree. Check university ratings for UK PGCEs carefully, for example St Mary's in Strawberry Hill (where lots of Irish traditionally went) is not rated as well as it used to be. My sister went to Brunel and found it good - it's rated as very good and is very near Heathrow. UK colleges are finding it difficult to place PGCE students for placements though. Best do the course in Ireland for her own sake if at all possible as she will cover the teaching of Irish properly. Good luck!

Would definitely recommend one of the Irish 18 month courses first. With the downturn, competition for jobs is going to be greater so I suspect Hibernia graduates will find it more difficult than others, to find employment, unless they have alot of subbing experience built up in a particular school.

Hibernia is an Irish course too. Have friends who have been to Mary I, Hibernia and England and they found it just as difficult/easy to get jobs as each other.
There are loads of debates and info on all courses on www.educationposts.ie That would probably be the best place to get some more information on the courses excluding the college websites.