Have you ever thought about becoming a teacher? Maybe that could be at primary or secondary level? No matter what level you’d like to work at, one thing is for sure in all cases, teaching brings with it a number of terrific benefits that make it one of the most rewarding and fulfilling jobs. If you’ve ever though about pursuing teaching as a career, read on as we take a look at 5 reasons why you may enjoy becoming a teacher.
Becoming a Teacher
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Inspire
Teachers inspire and change lives. We’ve all had a teacher who helped shape our direction in life, encouraged us to follow a certain path, gave us confidence in our abilities, pushed us to be our best. Being a teacher means that you can be the one who makes a difference. You can be the one who helps shape lives and play a part in someone’s life that will never be forgotten.
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Share Your Passion
What could be better than teaching something you are passionate about to the next generation and passing on that passion to them. It’s amazing to see how a teacher’s passion for their subject rubs off on their students and getting students excited about learning is a sure fire winner when it comes to great teaching. Plus when you are teaching something you are passionate about you will constantly be learning yourself as you strive to know more and more about your subject. and in doing so become a better teacher.
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Career
Teaching is a secure career and a good teacher will never be out of a job. Ireland is always in need of qualified and enthusiastic teachers. This also means you’ll soon get a job after graduation. There’s also the fact that being a teacher frees your movement and you have transferable skills that can take you anywhere in the country – and even abroad should you want to; so should a change of scenery ever become a desirable option in your life, teaching will help you facilitate it
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Holidays
What other job can offer you the Summer off with paid holidays every year? What an opportunity to travel, to pursue your hobbies, to work on other passion projects or just to get a well deserved rest! Granted, you work hard during the year and often work more than your fair share of hours but with this comes the reward of a Summer’s break to do with what you please. It also gives you a great opportunity to prepare for the school year ahead and keep you at the top of your game!
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Every Day is Different
Teaching is nothing like a 9-5 in which you repeat the same tasks everyday. Teaching requires reacting to the endless permutations and working with different students and their responses to the subject at hand. You’ll be constantly challenged and thinking on your feet as you work to bring out the best in your students and make the curriculum as relevant as you can to your students. The curriculum may stay the same but you’ll always be discovering new things to teach and new methods of teaching every year. Each day will be different to the previous and will throw up something new that you can thrive on.
How to Become a Teacher
In Ireland, initial teacher education programmes for primary and post-primary teachers are facilitated through a range of concurrent (undergraduate) and consecutive (postgraduate) programmes. Minimum entry requirements for programmes of initial teacher education are set by the Minister for Education, in consultation with the Teaching Council.
Becoming a Primary School Teacher
If you already have a degree and want to be a primary teacher you can do a two-year Professional Master of Education (PME) (Primary Teaching) programme. A full list of accredited ITE programmes can be found here.
Minimum requirements in mathematics, English and Irish at Leaving Cert. level are required for primary teaching.
The procedures for application to Dublin City University, Mary Immaculate College (Limerick), Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education (Maynooth University), Hibernia College and Marino Institute of Education, Dublin.
Becoming a Post-Primary School Teacher
You can train to be a post-primary teacher either by doing an undergraduate degree or a two-year postgraduate Professional Master of Education (PME). A full list of accredited ITE programmes can be found here.
If you are applying for the PME you should have at least one subject from the post-primary schools’ curriculum for the Leaving Certificate programme as part of your degree.
Post-primary teachers do not need to have a qualification in the Irish language unless they are employed by a Gaeltacht school or a Gaelcholáiste where teachers teach through Irish.
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