As one chapter ends another begins

It's been a long time since I've actually posted anything on here, and selfishly that's simply because I was living my life. However as my year in London comes to an end I wanted to share with you all not only what I've learned and my experiences but also the person I have become. I'e been extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to come and work in the UK, and who knows I may even return some day, however for now the plan is to return to Ireland and to teach there, but i am most definitely NOT returning as the same person who left 10 months ago.

Why I left Ireland

As mentioned before, my whole life I wanted to be a teacher and so I worked hard (well not always) and achieved my goal. Once I had gotten my final results I began the intensive interview process in Ireland, that soul destroying routine of going for job after job that already belongs to someone else but you go anyway just so both your name and face are out there. I found this process particularly difficult, as a lot of people do, there's simply only so much rejection a person can handle. As a result I began to look into teaching in the UK, some of my friends were already going and had used the same agency I had contacted so I knew I was in good hands. It is also important to note that prior to this I was dead set against going to the UK, after all I had a life and a boyfriend in Ireland. However the beginning of the school year drew closer and my options were running out and so I made a decision for me and for my career, and I moved. 

Those of you who are familiar with being a newly qualified teacher will understand why I did this, especially considering I hold a degree in Irish. For those who aren't familiar, let me explain. When you qualify as a teacher in Ireland you are awarded NQT status, to become a fully registered teacher you must complete 300 teaching hours and teaching council workshops, you also have 3 years in which to complete this. This may seem quite achievable, and it is if you are lucky enough to secure a full time teaching position, but for those of us who weren't this can be quite a difficult task. For instance, I lie in a rural area in Ireland around which there are not many schools, therefore subbing opportunities are few, for me to increase my chances I would need to move location, which I could not afford to do without a full time job. You see where I'm going with this, the cycle continues! 

What did I achieve?

Coming to the UK, for me, meant that not only was I working in a full time position, albeit not teaching Irish, I was able to develop so many other essential skills that I would not have had the chance to while subbing. I also completed my 300 hours, well over and above that, and my workshops meaning that at the end of the school year I have completed my NQT induction and am now a fully qualified teacher. Unfortunately some of my friends who remained in Ireland have yet to do this.

It also meant that I met new people, in a new system and learned a lot about myself as an educator in the process. I learned the value of a good student teacher relationship and the importance of having classroom rules and sticking to them regardless of circumstance. I learned not to always take myself so seriously and that you can share a joke with your students and enjoy school too. Most importantly though, I learned what teaching means to me, what I am willing to tolerate and what I am most definitely not. I won't lie and say that it's all been plain sailing because it hasn't, but it has been an enjoyable experience and one that will stay with me for life.

What's the difference?

The Education system in the UK differs greatly from Ireland, the students sit fewer subjects at exam level, there's more than one exam board to choose from. The paper work is colossal and the expectations are crippling. The level of respect teachers are given is low and the level of resources teachers are expected to work with is even lower, and I know what you're thinking.....you're thinking why do it? I'll tell you why. The Kids.

The English School operates a tutor system, where each teacher is assigned a group of students whom they are responsible for throughout the year. Students from all different backgrounds who may or may not all get along, but for 25 minutes each morning are stuck together in a room with you whether they, or you, like it or not. At first I was wary of this set up, what on earth was I supposed to do with twenty two 13 year olds for half an hour each morning? Student's I didn't know a single thing about and in a situation that was becoming increasingly overwhelming by the minute - I call this first day syndrome! Weirdly enough though, this became my favorite part of the day, my time with my kids. This was the greatest learning experience of my life, a powerful tool for me as a new teacher and one that will continue to mold how I teach throughout my career.

So what now?

Now I return home to teach Irish and RE and to really use my degree to the fullest. I don't regret coming to the UK, nor do I regret coming home. I think you have to do what feels right for you and not overthink it too much. I'm looking forward to seeing what challenges await me in Ireland, but I'm also saddened to say goodbye to students who made such an impact on my first year of teaching and on me as a person. Goodbyes are never easy, but I imagine the first one is always the hardest and I will cherish the memories and experiences that I have shared with my students throughout the year, knowing that they will go on to become exceptional members of society and do both me and themselves proud.