NSW Secondary trained teacher...options
Aug 21st 2010, 9:45 am
#1
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NSW Secondary trained teacher...options
Is it possible to do teacher aide? How do I do that? I have young kids and would prefere to do a less stressful job without parents evenings etc... I have been approved by the DET as a secondary teacher....
Another q, can I work in primary schools? Even as a relief teacher...? Seeing as I am trained in secondary>
Any other career options open to me? (apart from a Masters in Teacher librarianship....) Anyone done one btw?
Another q, can I work in primary schools? Even as a relief teacher...? Seeing as I am trained in secondary>
Any other career options open to me? (apart from a Masters in Teacher librarianship....) Anyone done one btw?
Aug 26th 2010, 8:58 am
#2
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Re: NSW Secondary trained teacher...options
Hi - I'm secondary trained and will finish my Masters in Teacher Librarianship. You sound like me a few years ago!
I have worked as a relief teacher in primary in the UK and in Qld. No troubles with it in Qld on day to day supply. I also had some temp contracts (few weeks, term or semester length) offered to me but this was in my local area (where I grew up) so you may find it more difficult when you don't have any existing contacts who know you and have observed your teaching. Still worth trying as it can be an entirely different experience to secondary and you may find it more rewarding than the older kids.
I have not tried teacher aide work but have just moved to NZ and as I am waiting (and waiting...) for my teacher reg to come through it is something I am looking into - particularly if it is library aide work.
I have had one semester volunteering in a school library and one semester employed as a TL in a P - 12 school. I absolutely, positively love it. The only negative side (which I should've been prepared for having been a teacher myself and after hearing the advice of people in my course) is the perception of the role, and indeed the role of the library by management AND other staff. It came as a big shock and almost put me off working in school libraries altogether - some of it was unbelievable - people arguing that library budget should be canned and redistributed to buy more toys for early childhood, others arguing that I should be farmed out as in school relief as 'what do you do all day in there anyway?"
ah, sidetracked lol. My Masters will qualify me to work in public/uni libraries as well so I am trying that at the moment. Be warned tho - although there is always talk of a lack of school librarians, jobs can be few and far between and VERY competitive! Particularly in public libraries. I just applied for 8 library assistant positions with a local council and did not get an interview - they had over 300 applications AND they were less interested in qualifications and more interested in customer service experience...
What about job share? Middle schools (more time with one class so more rewarding and less 'paperwork'?) I've also worked as an education officer before in a power station and waste facility. There are other roles, but the biggest thing to remember is that it's likely they will not pay as well as teaching.
If you're keen on trying primary - try to get some experience with that age group? After school care (although bad hours when you have kids although I've seen ads for some that welcome you to bring your kids along). Tutoring etc - or back to aide work.
Good luck!
I have worked as a relief teacher in primary in the UK and in Qld. No troubles with it in Qld on day to day supply. I also had some temp contracts (few weeks, term or semester length) offered to me but this was in my local area (where I grew up) so you may find it more difficult when you don't have any existing contacts who know you and have observed your teaching. Still worth trying as it can be an entirely different experience to secondary and you may find it more rewarding than the older kids.
I have not tried teacher aide work but have just moved to NZ and as I am waiting (and waiting...) for my teacher reg to come through it is something I am looking into - particularly if it is library aide work.
I have had one semester volunteering in a school library and one semester employed as a TL in a P - 12 school. I absolutely, positively love it. The only negative side (which I should've been prepared for having been a teacher myself and after hearing the advice of people in my course) is the perception of the role, and indeed the role of the library by management AND other staff. It came as a big shock and almost put me off working in school libraries altogether - some of it was unbelievable - people arguing that library budget should be canned and redistributed to buy more toys for early childhood, others arguing that I should be farmed out as in school relief as 'what do you do all day in there anyway?"
ah, sidetracked lol. My Masters will qualify me to work in public/uni libraries as well so I am trying that at the moment. Be warned tho - although there is always talk of a lack of school librarians, jobs can be few and far between and VERY competitive! Particularly in public libraries. I just applied for 8 library assistant positions with a local council and did not get an interview - they had over 300 applications AND they were less interested in qualifications and more interested in customer service experience...
What about job share? Middle schools (more time with one class so more rewarding and less 'paperwork'?) I've also worked as an education officer before in a power station and waste facility. There are other roles, but the biggest thing to remember is that it's likely they will not pay as well as teaching.
If you're keen on trying primary - try to get some experience with that age group? After school care (although bad hours when you have kids although I've seen ads for some that welcome you to bring your kids along). Tutoring etc - or back to aide work.
Good luck!
Aug 26th 2010, 9:35 am
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Re: NSW Secondary trained teacher...options
Cheers for the reply, I will look into volunteering in the libraries near me... (school ones) Just visited a school today for my daughter and the library was AMAZING and well stocked indeed, might ask there!
How are you doing the masters? And with whom? How much study does it involve? What is the pay like and have you any advice? Lots of questions.....
Will approach the local school too for some supply when I have energy...I really miss working with other people that are NOT my own kids
You say there is a lack of librarians (teacher ones) and I have heard that , then why the competition, something doesn't stack up there!!! In NSW they PAy for you to do the Masters if you work in a school library as they are SOOOO desperate but I think I might try to do it myself an get a job on my own terms...or possibly volunteer and knock some old bird off her pedesstal when the time arises..
Aaaaaaanyway must put the bairns to bed...
X
How are you doing the masters? And with whom? How much study does it involve? What is the pay like and have you any advice? Lots of questions.....
Will approach the local school too for some supply when I have energy...I really miss working with other people that are NOT my own kids
You say there is a lack of librarians (teacher ones) and I have heard that , then why the competition, something doesn't stack up there!!! In NSW they PAy for you to do the Masters if you work in a school library as they are SOOOO desperate but I think I might try to do it myself an get a job on my own terms...or possibly volunteer and knock some old bird off her pedesstal when the time arises
..Aaaaaaanyway must put the bairns to bed...
X
Aug 27th 2010, 7:49 am
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Re: NSW Secondary trained teacher...options
i think you hit the nail on the head with the old birds on pedestals. I did some volunteering in local schools as I started the course and it was SO frustrating to be getting all this up to the minute stuff on the one hand via the course and then volunteering in libraries with staff who had no idea/didn't WANT to know as they could see retirement looming (albeit in 5 or 6 years - TOOOOO long for me to wait!) and didn't see the point in mastering new skills.
Not all older librarians are like that, but it can be pretty frustrating. Likewise when I moved to NZ and started using the local public library (where I'd applied for 8 library assistant positions - under my qual level but wanting to get my foot in the door in the public sector) and bore the brunt on several occasions of LOUSY customer service, only to be rejected BEFORE the interview stage ON THE GROUNDS that they weren't interested in library quals, they wanted people with great customer service...
lol I'm over it, I promise!!! If you do the library course you'll definitely start to pay more attention to library staff!!!
I wish I'd known about the NSW TL training before I started my course. I'm studying with QUT (Brisbane) wholly online and pretty expensive, but most frustrating is studying great stuff but not actually being in a library setting to put it into practice. If you're in NSW I think it'd be worth looking into the DET course - there's SO much about the role that is 'hands-on'.
I am also mystified at the shortage of TL thing as I'm not the only one on my course without a TL role or who has found it difficult - I think it sounds a heck of a lot like the "every teacher will get a job" drivel they fed us at uni in 1st year, telling us of all the baby boomers who were set to retire when we completed our 4 years - yet 12 years later and those baby boomers still haven't gone anywhere!!
The QUT Masters is in Education, majoring in Teacher Librarianship. It's wholly coursework and available online or on campus. There are 8 modules. Some of them are specific to libraries and well worth it, a couple of them have been doozies. I think Charles Sturt are one of the other big unis offering postgrad library courses, and maybe Edith Cowan in WA? If you go to the ALIA website they have a link to all the courses in Oz to give you more idea.
I studied first semester full time (doing some supply) and knocked over 4 units. Right now it was a great idea but at the time... I'm on my last 2 units and can't wait to finish! Have an interview for a uni library next week which is progress on the Council who didn't even want to interview! Possibly the uni values qualifications/education experience over customer service...
Not all older librarians are like that, but it can be pretty frustrating. Likewise when I moved to NZ and started using the local public library (where I'd applied for 8 library assistant positions - under my qual level but wanting to get my foot in the door in the public sector) and bore the brunt on several occasions of LOUSY customer service, only to be rejected BEFORE the interview stage ON THE GROUNDS that they weren't interested in library quals, they wanted people with great customer service...
lol I'm over it, I promise!!! If you do the library course you'll definitely start to pay more attention to library staff!!!
I wish I'd known about the NSW TL training before I started my course. I'm studying with QUT (Brisbane) wholly online and pretty expensive, but most frustrating is studying great stuff but not actually being in a library setting to put it into practice. If you're in NSW I think it'd be worth looking into the DET course - there's SO much about the role that is 'hands-on'.
I am also mystified at the shortage of TL thing as I'm not the only one on my course without a TL role or who has found it difficult - I think it sounds a heck of a lot like the "every teacher will get a job" drivel they fed us at uni in 1st year, telling us of all the baby boomers who were set to retire when we completed our 4 years - yet 12 years later and those baby boomers still haven't gone anywhere!!
The QUT Masters is in Education, majoring in Teacher Librarianship. It's wholly coursework and available online or on campus. There are 8 modules. Some of them are specific to libraries and well worth it, a couple of them have been doozies. I think Charles Sturt are one of the other big unis offering postgrad library courses, and maybe Edith Cowan in WA? If you go to the ALIA website they have a link to all the courses in Oz to give you more idea.
I studied first semester full time (doing some supply) and knocked over 4 units. Right now it was a great idea but at the time...
I'm on my last 2 units and can't wait to finish! Have an interview for a uni library next week which is progress on the Council who didn't even want to interview! Possibly the uni values qualifications/education experience over customer service...
