Cowgirl- come hither, I have questions to ask you???

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

OzAurora

Refugee
Joined
Nov 2, 2000
Messages
1,612
Location
The Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Hello there fabulous Billy luurva,

thanks for telling me about the Cleo mag and the only store that I went into yesterday did not have a copy of it- so I will try and see if I can get a copy of it today, but anyway to the questions that I would like to ask- I heard you post something in another thread about doing work for school tomorrow, so does this mean that you are a teacher??? if you are, please tell me all as I am thinking about doing this, I really want to be an adult literacy teacher, but I have been looking at maybe doing a 2year post grad education degree (I already have a BA) as I thought that being a high school english teacher would be cool, so anyway what is it that you do???:)
 
why was this thread viewed 11 times?
did you think maybe you are Cowgirl?

there are some really strange people over here
 
Those are the weirdest responses to any thread ever methinks.
OK, back to you Oz. Yes the cowgirl is actually a primary school teacher.
I am a casual teacher at the moment, so on any day I could teach Kinder to Grade 6.
Teaching is NOT easy. Its a very very draining, demanding and emotionally challenging job. To be honest, I have major doubts about it constantly. Im pretty sure there is something else out there for me but for now, its what I am.
It can be very rewarding and some days I love it. When you get through to just one kid, if you can see that look of accomplishment on their faces, it can be a wonderfully enriching life experience. It can be a great deal of fun and working with kids is a very interesting way to spend your day.
However a lot of the time, you are faced with all the problems in the world wrapped up in 30 + little people starved for attention, wanting you to give them all of you.
You become their mother, their carer, their fitness instructor, their mentor, their doctor, their counsellor, peace maker, banker, cleaner, dietician, inspirator, and so much more just in one day. Then there's all the teaching and learning part!

Its an eye opener and in the last year I've seen some things I never thought as a bright eyed university education student, were possible from such young children.
This is actually Education Week and this year's focus is on teachers.
If you really want to do it, then go for it, but I do warn you that it is exhausting, very very challenging and you must learn patience and understanding and to learn how to think on your feet very quickly.Its also a job that never ends, theres always somethign else you have to do or prepare and its a take home job. People complain we get too many holidays but I cant think of any teachers I know who wouldn't work through that time.

Adult literacy would be a lot less stressful than working in a high school I imagine. Behaviour management is a huge part of it and with kids, it can either make or break you.
There are quite a few people here whom are also teachers, so you might want to chat with them about high school. Although the systems overseas differ greatly obviously.

Go for it if you really want to, but talk to lots of teachers first. its definitely something you must love and be dedicated to.
 
thanks for the info cowgirl but what I want to know, and I guess I should of asked these questions to begin with is what was your degree like- structure and all and what did you do since finishing??? like from what I have heard about here in Queensland is that Education QLD makes new teachers spend some time in a woop woop school first to begin with- did that happen to you at all???:)
 
OK, well, Im a primary teacher so my degree is different to what you'd want to do for high school teaching.
I have a Bachelor of Education which is 4 years of ALL education/Teaching related subjects. Its different to what I'd imagine you'd have to do.
Most people just do a Bachelor of Teaching which is 3 years, but I did the extra year to get my Bachelor of Education.
The Dip. Ed. here is only one year not two like you say.
I imagine you'd have to write a 6 or so week prgogram in that time and then probably teach it in a practicum at a school. You may start out doing microteaching with perhaps one day a week in schools learning the ropes.
I really can't say as all universities are different and QLD has a diff school system completely to NSW too.
Since finishing, I went straight into casual teaching. There is a waiting list for permanent positions and its pretty much a long wait straight out of uni. I dont know if you have this in QLD, but we have the Targeted Graduate Program where on sitting your Department interview, if they are impressed enough, you will be put into a permanent position straight away. Being targeted is pretty rare however. Only one of my friends was.
So yeah you do casual until your number comes up on the list. The more casual days you do, the further up the list you move.
My 2nd year, I got a job for a year teaching on a class in a catholic school. They arent part of the Department so they make their own rules and hire their own teachers. No waiting lists.
Last year I went back to casual and did some travelling. This year Im casual with 2 days permanent.
Casual is hard going but i think it builds u and makes u a very flexible and quick thinking teacher.
So yeah thats me, don't expect to walk into a job in the sort after districts either.
In NSW if u say u are willing to work out in the bush or in the Western Suburbs, you are far more likely to get a position, than if you only elect to work in Port jackson and Sutherland Shire districts. You will be waiting for an eternity!
The plus of taking a position in a hicksville school...you earn points which work up to getting you a transfer to a school in the area you want to work in. If u do that for 3 yrs, you then have a much better chance of working close to home than someone who elected to just teach in good districts.
Oh and yes, im working in the western suburbs which can be pretty scary at times. However I ALWAYS get work there, 5 days a week because they can't get casual teachers to come to them.
If u can stand the rough schools, u will get plenty of work.
 
thanks cowgirl- I am getting all of my stuff together right now as the closing dates for next years applications is the end of Sept- I hope to get into something that is teaching related and I am sure with my determination taht I will get into the adult literacy field, I wish I knew what I know now back in 96 when I started my first degree, back then I didnt really know what I wanted to do and in this day and age you cant get by on an arts degree- they teach you heaps but dont gurantee a job at all as they are not specific enough, anywya thanks for your info:)
 
Back
Top Bottom