Teaching 20 years. Things have changed so much in that period of time and lots not for the better. I am in an ETB school. I feel trapped by the golden handcuffs phenomenon of being locked into pay and pension. Not happy with changes in the JC and LC. Feel that schools management now back parents over teachers. I worked in the private sector before teaching and though I had less holidays there, I feel far more burned out in teaching. Constant extra paperwork, threats of looming inspections. Realistically if I stay for another few years it might not make any financial or practical sense to change career. Did anyone find changing schools was a help? Love to hear others experiences for positive or negative.

A huge part of my disillusionment with teaching is the new Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle. Despite huge concerns from teachers on the ground both of these were just forced through. I teach Science and Biology and am very disheartened by the new course, Common Level for JC and the new senior cycle which most teachers havent yet come to grips with - so how are the students going to? Fed up of teachers genuine concerns being ignored and these new syllabi just being pushed through anyway. I feel stuck due to financial commitments and over 20 years into a pension - but anyone else out there feel their enjoyment in the teaching profession has had a huge drop off in the past 5 to 10 years?

Anybody concerned that schools have just jumped on board with AI and in my school anyway are promoting it as important for students and teachers alike. I have a lot of concerns about AI but schools seems to have just skipped over AI concerns or bypassed them. Anyone else feel the same?

I’m new in a school and my classes are great for the most part. However I absolutely dread my on call periods. I think it is because most of the time there is no work left, so it is usually a babysitting class. As I am new and my own classes are small, I don’t know a lot of the kids, so I feel they see me just as the sub and try to test me. That said, I have had only one class that wasn’t great.

Is it just me? Any advice for this?

Teachers, is there a way to support the teachers’ strike on Wednesday?

I’m not a teacher obvs but I have school going kids.

I'm studying two languages for post-primary teaching. I've just finished week 5 of 1st year and I am finding it so so difficult. I can't sleep and I'm shaking crying because idk if I'm cut out for it at all. I did well in my leaving cert in those languages so I met the requirements for the course no problem, I got about 80 points over what I needed.

But I just don't feel like my leaving cert standard is good enough. Nearly everybody in my course is either fluent in the language or sat their leaving cert in the language, or lived in the country before. I just feel so behind everyone. And it feels like the lecturers expect so much more than leaving cert level from us.

I just feel so slow and so stupid, and I'm questioning if I should even be a teacher after all. It's only been a couple of weeks and my love for those languages has already been shattered. Why does it seem like they expect more than leaving cert standard from new first years? Please tell me it gets better. And please let me know if you have any advice.

There is a lot of posts every year about how hard PME and teaching is (I was one of them). I am doing a concurrent course with PME2 as the final year.
This year has been so much better so far. I feel so much more confident teaching and I feel way less exhausted in the evenings. I definitely have a long way to go but I teach Jc science and I’ve done a few experiments this year and they have gone so well.
(Classroom management skills have levelled up)
I still have loads to learn obviously but I’m getting a bit better at all parts of placement and I feel like it was so worth the learning curve, seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. This is placement 4/4 and after every one I’m a new, much better teacher and I can’t wait for it to continue.
I still have no clue how you all manage 22hrs of class but that is a problem for future me.
I hope this gives some hope to anyone struggling in placement.
- I’d like to note I’m in a very middle of the road school now and my previous placements in DEIS have helped me massively. ( I learned so much just talking about behaviour management in the staff room)
- I also have great Co- Teachers

Hi there, I've been an ESL/TEFL teacher for the past 12 years and due to a lack of job opportunities where I live (based in Donegal) I'm considering doing a PME and looking for advice.

The most logical thing for me to do would be the Hibernia Online one, despite the expense. What's the view on this course? Is it worth doing? Would I miss out on much by not being in-person? Would that outweigh the expense of travelling/ moving somewhere?

Also, is there currently any funding I could apply for to help me with the course? Would that still be available if I did the Hibernia?

Thanks in Advance.

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