Teaching posts for Mathematics Graduates

M

mathematics

Guest
Anyone know of any research/survey of the number of teaching posts available for Mathematics graduates who wish to teach Maths/applied maths in second level schools up to Higher Level Leaving Cert.

There are no full time Mathematics jobs in the newspapers or on the websites and this is the same year on year if one does an analysis of the positions advertised.

From experience over the last six/seven years the indications are that Boards of Management are not interested in such graduates. They want another subject plus Maths. For instance Maths graduates may be asked to teach junior cert Science even though they have not studied this to degree level but may have a very high grade in a Science subject at leaving certificate. In addition a Science graduate is being asked to teach Maths at higher level leaving certificate even though if they are lucky they have one year at third level university and/or a Business Studies graduate.

This is most odd as one does not find that a French graduate is asked to teach German or Spanish at junior level just because they have a high grade in the leaving certificate.

In order to gain experience one does not mind working for a few hours in the week teaching the subject one loves up to Higher Level Leaving Certificate with excellent results and which requires attendance in the place of work every day. However after a number of years doing this without any of the employment protection and/or pension or other benefits and annual salary similar to a person starting work at 18/20 years of age there has to be a time at which one calls stop. Peers all say 'forget about teaching one would be mad to do this'....

Experience also indicates that the voluntary Secondary Schools are like a small company with a Management Team running the school. From their perspective they have to deliver a service according to a timetable. Parents never ask about the teacher's degree 'level' of the subject being taught, most would assume that it would be up to Final Year Degree level but from experience this is not the case.

For Mathematics graduates this does not hold out much hope for the future and I would dare to say for any improvement in the standard of Mathematics.

So if anyone has any thoughts or ideas as to how to obtain a full time teaching job in second level system for Mathematics graduates teaching Maths would be helpful and/or even just to tell us to forget about it.
 
I agree with you when you're talking in general terms. Schools usually only have 1-2 honours maths teachers to LC level, and as you said for JC they will use teachers that have say a science or business back ground. But if they take on someone who only has one subject when there is someone else with two, well the person with two will make scheduling easier for them.

If you really want to be a teacher, then it's a question of making yourself more marketable. What about teaching ICT - it's typically ECDL or that sort of level.

By the way - Do you have your HDip? Or have you got any teaching experience. What I did was to do a lot of supervision in a school. I was going to do my HDip the following year. I did actually get my own class, so I did get some direct experience. You might find you don't like it! By the way - supervision is very well paid for hourly work. But there is absolutely no certainty of hours, etc...

Most teachers I worked with did have 2 subjects, minimum. It's a few years since I was teaching, but certainly then it was difficult for teachers to get a permanent post with the best of qualifications.
 
have all of the above

...but as you say the structure is such that need another curriculum subject in order to get permanent full time..

Talking to some friends in business and they said that industry/business would not 'exploit' their highly trained and talented human resource and they would be thinking outside the box in order to ensure high quality
 
hmm, I don't know... I've seen both sides of the fence. It all depends on the company. I've seen people with relevant MSc in technology doing the same role as people with a Diploma, and finding it difficult to progress just because of the structure of the company.

If you've done your H Dip and still want to be a teacher, then you must enjoy it. So what about going on studying with a view to trying to get a 3rd level teaching position?

Don't forget - you don't necessarily want to sell your soul to the corporate world, they may grind you down before you know it ;)
 
Thank you for your comments. My preference for teaching is at second level. Have taught every class level within the second level system.

But I need a full time job with full time hours not just part time 8-11 teaching hours which are spread over the 5 days in the week.

Looking at the newspapers again this morning there is nothing at second level. Most of the jobs advertised are primary. With schools closed over the summer there will be no activity till late August/early September.

Any research/survey carried out by anyone on this - know if the Department of Ed & Science and/or the Trade Unions? Or do they know that there are issues in this area.
 
Anyone know of research/surveys for jobs in this area? The newspaper and website are of limited value for second level school jobs - they are like small/independent firms.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top