Post primary teachers work with adolescents from twelve to eighteen years of age through first year to sixth year of secondary school. It is a challenging and highly rewarding career calling for good organisation, time management and planning skills. You are responsible for delivering stimulating lessons on your specialist subjects to instill a love of learning and help students prepare for school and state examinations. As well as lesson planning, setting and marking assignments, often outside school hours, you may get involved with extra-curricular activities such as competitions, fundraising, clubs, music, drama, sports and school trips.

Excellent listening and communications skills are vital to engage your students and liaise with school management, form tutors, year heads, the guidance counsellor and special education teachers. You also need to effectively connect with parents/guardians and attend parent-teacher meetings to discuss a student’s progress.

As classrooms become more diverse you will be working with students with different needs, abilities and backgrounds. With a timetable of twenty two class contact hours per week you will teach different lessons to students from both the junior and senior school. Giving student’s feedback on their work, setting high expectations, encouraging participation and positive behaviour are all integral aspects of teaching. The whole school has a vital role to play in promoting the positive mental health and well being of their students. As well as supporting your students academically you may help them through personal challenges. You may take on the role as a form tutor or refer them to the pastoral care team for sensitive issues that require the intervention of an educational psychologist or other professional.

You should be passionate about your specialist subjects, enjoy keeping up to date with new developments, teaching methodologies and technology. Teaching is a vocation and a career as a post primary teacher is hugely satisfying. Not only will you continue to enhance your own career with continuous professional development but you will play an important role in educating the next generation and shaping the lives of the young people under your direction.

There are two routes to qualify as a post primary teacher - concurrent and consecutive. The four year Bachelor of Education in Post Primary Teaching combines the study of one of more subjects, professional teacher education and school placement. Alternatively you can complete an undergraduate degree in at least one Curricular subject followed by a two year Professional Masters in Post Primary Education (PME). There are also options through blended learning at PME in Post-Primary Education. Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) must be garda vetted, register with the Teaching Council, complete a one year induction programme and three hundred hours of teaching experience in a recognised post primary school. Many NQTs are employed on a temporary basis in different schools prior to securing a permanent teaching post.

Further information on entry requirements and the different routes to qualify as a post primary teacher is available here and from the Teaching Council.