Lots of primary choices

The employment situation for primary teachers is excellent with schools all over the State crying out for staff. The response to this over the past few years has been to increase the intake into the five teacher-training colleges.

In 1992, there were 453 graduates, compared with 672 in 1997. This September, up to 1,000 first-year places were available on BEd courses in the colleges of education. St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin, and Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, both have some 400 places with about 100 places in Marino, 60 in Froebel and 30 in the Church of Ireland college.

The increase in the number of places available only led to a marginal drop in the cut-off points as teaching is an extremely popular option with school leavers.

There are two main routes into primary teaching - a bachelor of education degree or an 18-month postgraduate course. The postgraduate route is not a permanent offering but is made available as needs demand.

The latest Higher Education survey of graduate destinations shows that of the 546 respondents (1997 graduates), 120 obtained permanent whole-time teaching positions in Ireland. A further 376 got temporary, substitute or part-time teaching positions. So, in all, 91 per cent of respondents were in teaching positions of some description in Ireland. Only two graduates were seeking employment at the time of the survey.

If you are interested in teacher training, you must fulfil certain subject requirements as meeting the points requirements. All five teacher training colleges require students to have a minimum of a higher-level C3 in Leaving Cert Irish and an ordinary-level C3 in Leaving Cert English.

It is the policy of the Department of Education and Science to reserve 10 per cent of places on undergraduate teacher-training courses for Gaeltacht applicants. This means there two separate CAO application codes for teacher training in four colleges.

The points requirements is invariably lower for students using the Gaeltacht code - for instance, this year, the second-round cut-off for St Pat's, Drumcondra was 460 as compared with 420 for Gaeltacht applicants while general applicants looking to Mary Immaculate needed 445 points as opposed to 420 for Gealtacht applicants.

Second-level students looking to teaching as a career may be wondering if they are suited to the job or if it would suit them. Dr Pauric Travers, president of St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, says: "I don't think that there is any single identikit that would constitute the ideal teacher. Obviously, you have to be fairly bright but, by definition, most of those who get the points, are. I think, above all, you have to be interested in people and kids and their problems."

He says it is a pity that the interview for teaching was abandoned as there are issues of personality and suitability which need to be addressed. But, he says, there is a reasonable element of self-selection in that students usually confer with guidance counsellors and parents about their career choices.

"I think it would be fair to say that there was a slightly depressed feel about the role and status of teachers in the 1970s and 1980s. Now there is a real buzz, a sense that things are happening," says Travers.

THE INTRODUCTION of a new primary school curriculum, over the next three to five years, means it is an exciting time to enter primary teaching. New subjects include educational drama and science. "There is a sense of optimism and possibility," he adds.

Secretary general of the INTO Senator Joe O'Toole, says the job is very challenging, never boring, but it is also difficult. "When you see a child read or write his first sentence or watch them coping with maths projects, it is very satisfying. The frustrations can be classes which are too large or a lack of resources."

As to career progression, he says five years ago the situation was bad but it is improving. There are a lot of new options for primary teachers. More than half of all primary teachers are promoted and there are options outside of schools - in curriculum development, in-service, the inspectorate, the INTO, the colleges of education.