Providing so much more than lessons, educators serve as influential mentors, creative thinkers, and inspirational figures for countless children they encounter daily, reinforcing the critical role they play in our society. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), over recent years, has unveiled numerous research demonstrating the remarkable value of teachers.
A 2021 report by the governmental research body documented schools as having a more significant influence on young people’s actions than their local communities. The ESRI, acting on behalf of the Teaching Council, discovered in a 2023 study that 98% of Irish primary teachers and 93% of head teachers enjoyed their work, even though 45% of the teachers and 70% of headteachers reported having work-related stress.
Charlotte Holland, the Deputy Head of DCU’s Institute of Education, asserts that educational experience stretches beyond schools, reaching into homes and communities worldwide. Educators working in a formal setting are uniquely positioned to stimulate students’ cognitive, social, and emotional growth, while instilling competencies for their empowerment and creating paths towards more peaceful and sustainable futures, she noted. Holland emphasised how effective teachers spark students’ self-awareness, personal development, creativity and nourishment of values like empathy, resilience, and integrity.
However, the profession of teaching is not universal, as it involves various levels, including primary and secondary school teaching, early years education, and teaching for pupils with specific needs. Accordingly, the variety of teaching levels result in multiple career paths for education aspirants, the most common being classroom instruction.
According to Holland, those who’ve studied education can focus on early childhood education, instruct primary or secondary pupils, or even venture into adult education. She added that, in Ireland, the majority of those who complete their teaching qualifications find employment within the education sector. Experienced teachers can eventually join professional learning support teams, undertake advanced studies to take on school administration roles or to evaluate school performance for the Department of Education or the Inspectorate.
Additionally, Holland revealed that there is also an opportunity to teach internationally, as other countries highly regard Irish teaching qualifications.
Urgent appeals have been made for recognising the overseas services of Irish teachers to mitigate the steadily worsening shortage of education professionals. Educators are not just serving within the education sector but have also found success in non-profit organisations, development agencies and even in large global businesses. For instance, corporations around the world have hired teacher graduates as instructional designers or subject experts for education-based software.
The current remuneration for an entry-level primary school teacher stands at €40,635 as per a 2023 directive by the Education Department. The 27-step pay structure denotes that this compensation can be raised to €75,871. Meanwhile, secondary school teachers start earning at €40,512, which can escalate up to €72,950 according to the 25-level pay scale.
Individuals considering a career in teaching have a plethora of avenues to explore in the field. Entry into the profession does not strictly depend on obtaining high grades or substantial points in the final school examinations. Prospective primary school teachers can either complete a four-year Bachelor of Education course at a suitable university or college or choose to study a non-teaching Level 8 undergraduate degree followed by a Professional Master of Education (PME) in Primary Teaching. Applicants for these primary teaching courses are required to display proficiency in Irish, English, and maths.
For those leaning towards secondary school teaching, proficiency in Irish is not mandatory unless one intends to teach the language. Eligible candidates can embark on a four-year teacher training degree comprising their selected subjects. Another career progression pathway includes completing a Level 8 undergraduate degree in curriculum subjects, which should meet at least one criterion for curricular subjects set by the Teaching Council to qualify as a post-primary teacher. Furthermore, special access courses are also available in various colleges and universities across Ireland, encouraging enrolments in Initial Teacher Education courses.
To opt for primary or secondary education teaching as a profession, one needs to understand their inherent disparities, even though their common goal is educating young minds.
According to Ms Holland, elementary and high school teachers possess a profound understanding of child development theories and utilise a variety of methods to encourage learning. Elementary teachers are adept at interweaving multiple academic areas into their teaching practices, giving them an advanced interdisciplinary knowledge base. High school teachers, on the other hand, typically have a comprehensive understanding of two or three specific subjects.
However, studying to become a teacher goes beyond just mastering the curriculum. It also involves developing the ability to form beneficial relationships with students and colleagues, uphold ethical standards, foster creativity, and innovate. Ms Holland noted that some of the transferable skills that teachers should possess are not limited to communication and collaboration, critical and innovative thinking, global and environmental consciousness, future-oriented literacy, digital proficiency, and research competence.
These competencies are nurtured through various disciplines such as child and teenager psychology, the philosophy and history of education, sociology, curriculum formulation, performance assessment, educational regulations, digital education, global citizenship, ethical academics, inclusive learning, research, and work placements in educational environments.
Teacher training programmes can also include specialisation in certain languages, like Gaeilge, or deep knowledge in broad disciplinary areas like natural sciences, humanities, arts, and social sciences. Therefore, choosing to study education provides more than just the opportunity to learn the subjects one intends to teach, it opens up a world of broader learning possibilities, asserts Ms Holland.