Career Investigation Primary Teacher

Career Investigate of Primary Teaching

Description of career:
Primary teachers are involved in the social, physical and intellectual development of the pupils in their class. Typical responsibilities include planning and preparing classes, running extra-curricular activities and checking pupils work. They also have to be informed about the aims and curriculum of the area being taught.

Skills and Qualities:
Primary teachers must have great communication skills with parents and students, good classroom management and organisational skills, and also creative skills. They must also have a passion for children and teaching, an engaging personality, a positive attitude, leadership and motivation.

Qualifications and Training:
Pathway one:
Institution:
St Patrick's College,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9.
Basic Entry Requirements:
Age limits for entry, applicants must be at least sixteen years of age January fifteenth the year of entry. Minimum entry requirements in the Leaving Certificate are a Grade C3 Higher level in at least three subjects, Grade D3 in three other subjects, a Grade C3 in Higher Irish, a Grade C3 in Ordinary English or D3 in Higher, and a Grade D3 in Mathematics in Ordinary or Higher level.
Course Duration:
Four year course full time
Qualification:
Honours Bachelor Degree

Pathway two:
Institution:
Colaiste Mhuire Marino,
Marino Institute of Education,
Griffith Avenue.
Basic Entry Requirements:
Entry Requirements in the Leaving Certificate are Grade C3 Higher Level in at least three subjects and at least a Grade D3 in three other subjects. The College does not award points for Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme Link Modules in place of a sixth subject.
Course Duration:
Four year course full time.
Qualifications:
Honours Bachelor Degree

Evaluation of my selected career in light of my personal aptitude, interests and choice of Leaving Certificate subjects:
I did an aptitude test which indicated that my top interests were social and creative which does correspond with what is required in my chosen career.
I am interested in teaching and in childcare. I did work experience in both a primary school and a play school during transition year and enjoyed both working with children and teaching them.
Two subjects that I am studying in my Leaving Certificate that are most relevant to this career are English and Maths. They are relevant as they are two of the three core subjects and are taught in all schools, both Primary and Secondary. It can be applied to the career as the subjects are part of the primary curriculum.

Work Experience:
I did work experience in St. Marys National School, Blessington and had a role as both a class supervisor and teachers assistant. I discovered there is a lot of preparation involved in every class and that you need to have a passion for what you’re doing. I enjoyed the work experience, it showed me that teaching is the career I wanted.

Evaluation:
Insight gained:
Having completed this career investigation, I believe that I will pursue a career in primary school teaching.
This investigation has helped me realize my own skills and qualities and how they can contribute to my chosen career. I learned how work experience is important to a career investigation because it gives more insight to the chosen career. I know now how to investigate any career comprehensively.
Skills developed:
This Career Investigation has helped me expand my research skills as I had to find the details of courses and just what exactly the job required, as well as my organisational skills as I had to keep my work based on the chosen career and have it done on time.

Sources:
careersportal.ie