My Life

My

Careers

Investigation

By MaryBeth O’ Mahony

Investigation of Myself

My name is MaryBeth O’ Mahony. I attend Mercy Heights Secondary School in Skibbereen. I am 16 years old and will be 17 on July 25th. I live in Skibbereen town. I have one brother who’s in Leaving Cert at the moment.

In school I try to get involved as much as possible especially in TY. I am part of a group called Fitter For the Future. Our group is trying too promote fitness in our school. I feel very strongly about this project because fitness is a personal challenge for me. I work well with my group and give suggestions and ideas when needed. I work well with a team.

Also in school I would say I am a good student overall. I listen in class and usually have all my work done. I’m always getting involved in class with activities such as drama, plays, debates etc. I would consider myself to be very mannerly to my teachers and fellow pupils.

The subjects that I take in interest in the most would be Music, English and French. I love music because I play piano, have a great teacher, enjoy listening and learning about music. English is a great subject, I like all areas such as poetry, essay writing, novel reading and lots more. My teacher is also brilliant and has a massive influence on my love for English. Reading is a major hobby for me and it defintly helps me in English. I enjoy French because I like the country France ands its great culture. I also love learning the language. I would defiantly like to keep on those subjects for 5th year. Another subject that I would like take up again next year is History that I had to give up last year because of subject choices. I have a great interest in history and find it a very easy subject to study for.

My Interests

• Music

• Sports

• Fashion

• Fitness

• People

• History

• Healthy Eating

• Friends

• Social Life

• English

• Reading

• Singing

• Exercise

My Hobbies

Gym and Exercise: I love keeping fit. I go gym 4 to 5 times a week. I also go for a walk with my dog most nights.

Piano: I have piano once a week every Monday. I enjoy learning and playing piano because I would like to teach piano in the future.

Reading: I read almost every night and during the day. I love all types of books such as horror, humour, romance, mysteries and thrillers. One of my best reads is The Hunger Games.

Swimming: I adore swimming!. I learned from a very early age and have been swimming ever since. I go to Baltimore Pool a lot and sometimes attend lap training. In the Summer I would go to the beach swimming.

My Skills

• Communication

• Teamwork

• Planning

• Decision making

• Adaptability

• Strong work ethic

• Honesty and integrity

• Loyalty

• Consciousness

• Creativity

Work Experience

For my first week of work experience I worked in a place called Mayfield Arts. My aunt worked here so I went with her every morning. I absolutely loved the week I had there. There was five artists who worked their fulltime who I helped and worked with throughout the week. All the artists had some form of disability so it was challenging but I love a challenge so it was very enjoyable!. I also helped get an arts exhibition ready which was a great experience.

The second week of my work experience I went to the Boys National School in Skibbereen. This week was brilliant aswell. I got to work with junior infants, 3rd and 4th class and 2nd class. In class I did reading, painting, drawing, cutting out pictures I also sat with pupils who struggled more than others and helped them along with their work. At lunchtime I did yard duty and had to keep control of the pupils if they got too rough. I enjoyed this week so much I have decided to do my careers investigation on Primary School Teaching.

General Description

Primary School Teaching

Course code: M1005

College: Mary Immaculate College

Job description

Primary school teachers, also known as national school teachers, are involved in the social, intellectual, physical and moral development of pupils in their class. A teacher works with one single class for an entire academic year and is responsible for teaching a wide range of subjects on the National Curriculum. Depending on school size, teachers may have responsibility for more than one curriculum class group and as such will have to divide their time, presenting different material on different subjects to students at different levels within a single classroom.
A teacher plans and delivers lessons, sets and marks assignments, works as a team-member within the wider school staff, and, as required, liaises with parents.

Typical tasks undertaken in this profession:

• Teach basic skills such as colour, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills. • Establish and enforce rules for behaviour, and policies and procedures to maintain order among students. • Observe and evaluate children's performance, behaviour, social development, and physical health. • Instruct students individually and in groups, adapting teaching methods to meet students' varying needs and interests. • Read books to entire classes or to small groups. • Demonstrate activities to children. • Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play. • Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate. • Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counsellors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioural and academic problems. • Prepare children for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.

Typical Day on The Job
Usually school starts at around 20 past 9. All the children line up outside after playtime and head into class. The teacher would say the prayer and the class would sit. First lesson would be an hour long. During this lesson the teacher would answer questions, assign exercises, instruct students or demonstrate and activity. It could be maths English Irish ect. Then there would be small break of 15 minutes. After break there would be an hour and a half of lessons or P.E depends on day. Then would be lunch usually at around 12.30. Teacher would go to staff room and chat with fellow workmates. After lunch pupils line up again and go to class. The teacher would teach lessons for another 2 hours until home time at 3 O’ clock. The teacher makes sure that every pupil has handed up their work from the night previously before they go home.
Personal Skills and Qualities
What kind of person is suited to this kind of work?
A teacher must have the ability to communicate, inspire trust and confidence, and motivate students, as well as understand the students' educational and emotional needs. Teachers must be able to recognize and respond to individual and cultural differences in students and employ different teaching methods that will result in higher student achievement. They should be organized, dependable, patient, and creative. Teachers also must be able to work cooperatively and communicate effectively with other teachers, support staff, parents, and members of the community

Skills and Qualities you must have:

Positive - Thinks positively and enthusiastically about people and what they are capable of becoming. Sees the good in any situation and can move forward to make the most of difficult situations when confronted with obstacles. Encourages others to also be positive.
Communicative - Shares with others in a manner that encourages effective two-way communication. Communicates personal thoughts and feelings on a wide spectrum of issues and can listen to students in an empathetic manner, assuring each that conversations will be held in confidence.
Dependable - Honest and authentic in working with others. Consistently lives up to commitments to students and others. Works with them in an open, honest, and forthright manner.
Personable - Establishes and maintains positive mutual working relationships. Likes to be with others. Has many ways of getting to know students as persons while building trust and appreciation through personal interaction and involvement. Leadership - Students spend a great deal of time at school. You are in a leadership role, and your students see how you behave. Always be aware of what you say or do because students are watching and learning from you.

Organized - Makes efficient use of time and moves in a planned and systematic direction. Knows where he or she is heading and is able to help students in their own organization and planning. Can think in terms of how organization can be beneficial to those served.
Committed - Demonstrates commitment to students and the profession and is self-confident, poised and personally in control of situations. Has a healthy self-image. Encourages students to look at themselves in a positive manner, careful to honour the self-respect of the students, while encouraging them to develop a positive self-concept.
Motivational - Enthusiastic with standards and expectations for students and self. Understands the intrinsic motivations of individuals, and knows what it is that motivates students. Takes action in constructive ways.
Compassionate - Caring, empathetic and able to respond to people at a feeling level. Open with personal thoughts and feelings, encouraging others to do likewise. Knows and understands the feelings of students.
Flexible - Willing to alter plans and directions in a manner, which assists people in moving toward their goals. Seeks to reason out situations with students and staff in a manner that allows all people to move forward in a positive direction.
Individually Perceptive - Sees each student as a unique and valuable individual. Looks for the differences among students. Quickly diagnoses student difficulties and assists in the management of individual situations.
Value Based - Focuses upon the worth and dignity of human beings. Is sensitive to community values. Strives to work in an environment consistent with his or her belief system. Recognizes the importance and power of modelling constructive behaviour.
Knowledgeable - Is in a constant quest for knowledge. Keeps up in his or her specialty areas, and has the insight to integrate new knowledge. Takes knowledge and translates it to students in a way which is comprehensible to them, yet retains its originality.
Creative - Versatile, innovative, and open to new ideas. Strives to incorporate techniques and activities that enable students to have unique and meaningful new growth experiences.
Patient - Is deliberate in coming to conclusions. Strives to look at all aspects of the situation and remains highly fair and objective under most difficult circumstances. Believes that problems can be resolved if enough input and attention is given by people who are affected.
Sense of Humour - Knows how to take the tension out of tight situations. Uses humour, spontaneously, in a tasteful manner. Builds togetherness in the classroom, through the use of humour.

Entry Routes

For entry to this career you need a Bachelor of Education degree that is recognized by the Department of Education and Science. Up to 10% of the places may be reserved for candidates from the Gaeltacht. The teacher-training course is of three years duration. This degree is the minimum academic qualification necessary to pursue a career as a national school teacher.
Training
The three-year education course aims to prepare students for their academic and professional work as Primary School Teachers.
There is also a postgraduate course in primary school teaching available in a number of colleges to enable third level graduates train as primary teachers.
All successful students will be required to attend a course in the Gaeltacht at the end of their first year. This is a compulsory part of the training course.
Each of the three years includes work in the foundation education disciplines of history, physiology, philosophy, sociology, the study of school, classroom management, teaching and curriculum and substantial periods of practical teaching in schools.
Practical Training
Working with teachers and children in school is an integral part of the B.Ed. course. Over three years students spend an average of seventeen weeks on teaching practice, which varies from college to college. From the beginning of their practical teaching students are encouraged to implement the child-centred primary curriculum. During all teaching practices students are supervised by College staff. Whilst in schools they teach under the guidance of the classroom teacher. All students are expected to evaluate and reflect on their teaching experience in schools.

Description of course:
The course is in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. The duration of the course is 3 years. During the first year, students take education studies, Irish, and two academic subjects (English, history, French, mathematics, geography, music, German, or philosophy). In years 2 and 3, students take education (theory and teaching practice) along with one academic subject.

Entry Requirements

• Grade C3 on a Higher Level paper in not less than three subjects • Grade D3 in three other subjects (at Higher or Ordinary Level) in accordance with the Rules and Programmes for Secondary Schools.
: They must have the following minimum grades in:
1) Gaeilge: Grade C3 on the Higher Level Paper
2) English: Grade D3 on the Higher Level Paper or
Grade C3 on the Ordinary Level Paper
3) Mathematics: Grade D3 on the Higher or Ordinary Level Paper

Pay and Conditions

The main salary range is from £21,102 to £30,842 a year.
Teachers who reach the top of the main scale may apply to be assessed to progress to the upper pay scale. This ranges from £33,412 to £35,929.

Hours

You would teach 39 weeks a year. Teaching hours vary between schools, but are usually 9am to 3.30pm or 4pm.
You would also spend a lot of time outside these hours preparing lessons, marking and assessing work, and taking part in other activities such as outings, parents' evenings and in-service training.

Holidays: Mid-term break

Christmas

Easter Holidays

Summer Holidays

Benefits to the job?

Reasonable Hours

Job Security

Vacation Time

• Health benefits • Knowing that you're making a difference

Interview with someone in Primary Teaching

Questions I asked:

1. What do you like most about teaching?
2. Why did you decide to become a teacher?
3. If you had one piece of advice for any entering teacher, what would it be?
4. What have been the greatest rewards as a teacher? 5. How do you personalize teaching? 6. What is the hardest part of the day to keep your students on task?

Answers: 1. No two days are ever the same. 2. I had the most fantastic 6th class teacher and decided then that I wanted to be just like her. 3. Build relationships with students-it helps with classroom management and makes teaching rewarding also you must have a sense of humour and not take things personally. 4. Having a student say "Okay, it makes sense now. I finally understand it." And of course when a student says or does something to say "thanks!" 5. I try to put humour in to what I teach. I feel like if students can find something to catch their attention they may just learn something. 6. The end of the day...they are so ready to leave...and so am I. Also they tend to be more difficult to motivate from about 1 o'clock on.

Research Methods

To help me make this project complete here are some of the following websites and people that helped me along.

• www.careersportal.ie • www.qualifax.ie • www.cao.ie • www.careersdirections.ie

I also got to interview my cousin Steven O’ Brien who has just started out teaching and absolutely loves it!

Personal Learning

What have I learnt that appeals to me about this career?

Well, I’ve learnt that teaching is very rewarding, you also interact with people all day long, your holidays are great so you get to spend time with family and best of all you get to see a child develop and grow in all areas.

What have I learnt that doesn’t appeal to me about this career?

I’ve learnt that the job can be challenging at times with some students and also trying to keep students on task is hard.

What are the challenges going to be for you to succeed in my career choice?

I will have to work hard at school, listen in class more, work on my Irish especially. Also work extremely well for my Leaving Cert if I want to the points to become a teacher. Other challenges will be to work on my confidence and speaking in front of big groups of people.

Yes I am still interested in this career goal because I just recently spent a week in a primary school and love it even more. Why? I love working with children, helping them with problems, being more independent, seeing pupils succeed and having the respect from pupils also is a great benefit in teaching.

By Marybeth O’ Mahony Class 4a