I feel my school isn’t doing a good job with discipline but I don’t think I’m in a position to speak up about it. It seems that some students get away with certain behaviours and teachers are not supported and then other students get a hard time over minor issues. We have had cases of students verbally and physically attacking teachers and SNAs but because they have needs there are no repercussions. I understand that some students because of their diagnosis struggle with authority but I don’t think it’s fair that they get away with absolutely everything. I’m not even talking about a detention or suspension but they have not even had to apologise. I equally believe that we are not rewarding the good students. We have no real system of commending those we are well behaved and work hard. Our principal got rid of the awards night over fears that students and parents would be upset if they didn’t get an award. I find this ridiculous to be honest, especially as it wasn’t just for academic or sporting achievements. I feel we are failing as a school because the good students don’t get anything for being good and the students who are causing trouble don’t have any repercussions. I’m not in a leadership role and I don’t feel I have the confidence to speak up as when I have in the past I felt fobbed off. We have an acting principal at the minute and I feel they don’t deal with issues from staff that well. I’m hoping our principal does come back and I can speak to them but it’s not looking likely at the minute.

Genuinely curious, just finished my first day and it was all well and good, but my god is it boring. Today wasn’t too bad but I feel like it’ll only get more boring. Any tips?

Edit: I don’t know what kind of answers I was expecting tbh, but this is about as good as any!

There's been a good few posts the last few days about interview prep and practice and paying lads €70 to do a mock interview.

I'm not a guru, I understand interview nerves as I get them.

If anyone wants to run through questions or answers they can DM me. I'm not going to charge anyone. People just need a break. In my experience, it's people aren't spoofing or wanting to spoof, they just don't know what's a good answer or how to approach something. After a few practices on your own, do a few mock interviews with a friend or doing an interview you know you won't get the confidence in yourself is there.

I'm teaching 9 years, have had CID twice and have a post. I've reams of questions as I always write them down after any interview I've done.

I just want to check I have this right for superintendent! For exams including aural (irish, spanish, french etc) they get 2 hrs total, involving aural and written. Start with aural, test CD for volume, then let play the entire way through without pausing. Once completed, take up aural papers and hand out written papers, they spend the rest of the time on written. Is tis correct? Or is it one entire booklet for them?

I overheard someone saying time is added on for aural exams, but I’m the only new superintendent in my school and other staff aren’t so open to new staff unfortunately

Have I left it too late to find PME placement ? I wasn’t sure about committing to the PME and with full time work and other commitments I have only started applying to schools in the last week.

Has anyone started a PME in September without placement secured ?

Hello,

Hoping someone can help. I have an undergrad degree (180ects) in Applied Languages but only 36ects from Spanish modules, 12 ects from Final Year Project (on Spanish lit.) and 30ects from co-op (work placement in Spanish-speaking country). For Teaching Council approval you need 60ects in a language from a 180 ect degree.

Has anybody had Final Year Project credits and/or work placement abroad credits approved in registering their main subject with the teaching council?

I also did an MA in Modern Language Studies (Spanish) - 36ects from Spanish modules & 30ects from my dissertation (again Spanish lit. & film).

In total, from undergrad & postgrad I have 144ects so thought I was sorted for the subject requirements - this would be my ONLY subject as a secondary school teacher. I planned on doing other modules in Irish after the PME to bring that up to 60ects to have a second subject (I'm way off in that only 36ects in total). But I've since heard that all credits for your first/main teaching subject need to come from an undergrad degree :( Does anyone know if this is true?

I have been placed 1st on a ETB panel for a fixed-term teaching position. The letter states that a formal offer can only be made once the redeployment process is complete and says this is expected to happen in early-mid June.

Does anyone know when ETB redeployment typically finishes and when formal offers usually start being issued?

Just trying to get a sense of the timeline from people who have been through the process before.

A place for teachers to share and discuss what's going on in their day. Feel free to vent, ask a question or just share your thoughts.

Please keep all comments respectful, have a great day.

I’m not generally a conspiracy theorist but literally everyone in our school and that I spoke to was voting no.

84% is astonishingly high given the bullshit non-changes. For the sake of one or two people in a school getting a post and 4 more hours personal CP time. Absolute fail

I took a few years out after college but have been teaching in a school this year in my first teaching job. The position has come up again for next year and I plan to apply.

Would it be appropriate to ask my current principal if I could use them as a reference, even though they will likely be the one assessing my application? If not, what would be the best approach?

When I applied for the job last year, I only had one reference (due to my employment gap), and that reference wasn't particularly relevant as they weren't a principal or anyone connected with my teaching experience so my options are limited.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks

Does anyone know when you are supposed to return the locked box, stationary box and hand truck to the SEC? I understand it’s after the exams finish, but is there a particular day you’re supposed to go over? I haven’t heard anything about it

Hey guys,

I’ll beginning my PME this autumn in business and accounting.

I’m thinking of advertising for grinds, just wondering, will I get any? I understand people would be apprehensive considering I’m a student teacher

Thank you

Has anyone ever booked ask the teacher for 1:1 interview prep? Considering it, would love to hear if it was beneficial!

Hi everyone,

Just finishing up my pme here and I’ve done 3 interviews, I knew the first one just from the vibe that I hadn’t gotten the job. I had one last week I thought went well and I got a very good vibe off the panel and they seemed receptive to me. I’ve just done another one just now where I’m not 100% sure. Is there any signs to look out for that might tell you the outcome?

Thank you!

I realise this may be a how long is a piece of string sort of question, but I am an NQT and have my first interview this week and wondering how long I should spend prepping? Don’t want to go in under prepared but don’t want to spend every waking minute thinking about it either.

A place for teachers to share and discuss what's going on in their day. Feel free to vent, ask a question or just share your thoughts.

Please keep all comments respectful, have a great day.

Hi, I've begun to attend my local INTO meetings in the last 2-3 years and I've noticed that branch activity is very low.

We do two meetings a year, an AGM and a summer meeting, and both meetings are attended by the CEC rep. The meeting is 90% the CEC rep reading out his report and a Q&A. There's no "branch business", so to speak.

The District AGM is apparently coming up in a few weeks time and there was never any discussion of us submitting motions or nominating members. Going by last year, all the District positions will be filled by the same two branches.

I know the answer to this is to get involved myself, take a branch officer role, etc. But I'm mainly asking: is this a common experience in INTO branches? Going through the motions with no actual business? Or is my branch unusual?

Crossposting for OP since I am genuinely not sure myself.

Hi all. I’m an NQT and applying for jobs. I know by now that if you have at least one subject and not the other to apply for the job.

I’m a little thrown off on one job application as it says in the description, “applicants must be registered to teach English and Irish” in bold. I was considering throwing in an application anyways but would that be considered cheeky or ignoring the request? I presume limiting applicants to teach only the specified subjects would greatly reduce applicants but maybe that’s what they want.

A place for teachers to share and discuss what's going on in their day. Feel free to vent, ask a question or just share your thoughts.

Please keep all comments respectful, have a great day.

First time doing it and there seems to be a lot to it.

Just interested in this as my application for DF&TS is now 6 weeks in. Was anyone successful in having accreditation in the new subject accepted? I should meet all the criteria as set out, my degree is in Theatre and Film Studies and I taught GCSE and BTEC Drama in the UK for 15 years. Thanks for any input.