Graduate Diploma in Education - QUT (Qld)

[mytwobabies]

I'm posting this in two different areas as I am not sure which is most relevant!

I'm thinking of applying for this course for next year, probably for primary school but I'm also considering senior school as well. I already have a degree and this looks to be the fastest way to a teaching qualification. I was wondering if anyone had any experiences with this and if you could help me out with a few questions I have:

- is the course hard?
- did you have any problems finding work as a teacher after you graduated?
- did you have to do contract work for awhile before getting a permanent position?
- are you considered any less of a teacher if you haven't done the full 4yr education degree (despite already having another full degree)?

I would appreciate hearing any experiences you have (or that someone you know has had) about this degree. Thank you!

[amandaw]

I can't be of complete help as I didn't do it myself, but one of my student teachers (who then took my maternity leave contract) came in this way.

a) I wouldn't imagine that it's any harder than your usual course....can be a bit difficult to get into the secondary area (ie somone I know is an ex member of the Queensland Ballet, but was unable to get into the Secondary Teaching (with Dance as a subject area) because of a lack of a 2nd teaching area)

b and c) Will depend entirely on what teaching area you go into. Any primary teachers who want to stay in the SE corner have buckley's chance of permanent positions at the moment - lots of competition. In the case of secondary, you only go through the course with one teaching area (due to the 18month-2year nature of the course), and unless it is a 'hot' teaching area (man arts, sciences, maths) you are less 'useful' to a school if you only have one teaching area (may not be the case in all schools/teaching areas though - a bit of luck of the draw involved as to who is leaving/retiring etc as you go to enter the profession). My ex student teacher, who is very qualified outside of the school setting, was doing a 1 day a week contract with a school for her first year, picked up my maternity contract for most of last year and is still little chance of going permanent in the forseeable future

d) no-one has to know (and have never come across anyone who held that opinion!!) In my experience, I think the post grad robs you of some opportunity to develop as a teacher (in that you have less range of subjects and all the pracs are pushed one on top of each other, so there's less time to really get a feel for it all),

As muh as this all sounds a bit negative (as I read over it :o) it's a wonderful profession to be in and I wish you every success if you go down that path!

[Miss_N]

Hey! :)

I havent personally done the Grad Dip in Edu but finished a Ba of Edu (Early Childhood) at the end of last year.

During my 3rd Yr Pracs I was in a Team Teaching Yr 1 class (2 teachers with 2 classrooms) for Prac and worked with another Prac student (we team taught) who was doing the Grad Dip in Edu.

He said (and I have heard this from MANY ppl) that it is a VERY full on and intensive Dip. The uni I was at (USQ) structured it over a 12month period and in that time 3 lots of 30day pracs were to be completed whilst also studying fulltime and completing assignments. Of course you can study it part time which would make it easier but I was shocked to hear the intensity of the course as during our Pracs it was faculty policy to ensure we had NO assessments due.

As a graduate I was EXTREMELY worried about not getting a job! We were told early on by Education Queensland (EQ) the there were simply too many teachers and not enough jobs!

Out of about 40 Early Childhood Grads only 3 of us have fulltime positions with EQ. I am only on a 12month maternity leave contract and the other 2 were given permanancy. 1 girl got a job with Catholic Edu and one with an Independent School.

I am living 3 hrs away from my DP to be employed. I went to uni in Toowoomba and there is NO WAY Graduates get jobs in regional areas!

There is DEF a bigger demand for secondary than primary but I believe to be a good teacher you should choose the age group YOU want to teach, not the age group with more jobs!

I dont think you are looked down upon for not having a undergraduate education degree. I know a 2nd Yr teacher who did Psychology then a Grad Dip in Edu and was offered 12month contract in Special Edu. There are lots of jobs in Special Edu if you are willing to teach in that area!

Hope I dont sound too negative! But this is the harsh reality! I wish someone had told me this before I commenced my degree! I went in assuming I would be automatically handed a job at the other end!

If this is you passion DO IT! We need teachers who are passionate! :yes:

HTH!

[arty1]

Hi there,

Q1) "Is the course hard"
From what I have heard about all Grad Dip Eds is that they are VERY INTENSIVE. They do require alot of time and effort. And yes, doing your pracs while studying and if you have a job too is very full on.

Q2) "did you have any problems finding work as a teacher after you graduated?"
Well that depends on if you want to stay in the city or not. Alot of people who refuse to go remote/semi-remote and want to stay in the citys have less chance of scoring a permanent contract. And people who have been remote and are wanting to come back to the city have more of a chance before a newbie getting a job because they have done they 'stint'.
(DH graduated from a full 4yr education degree and got posted to Cairns -which is considered remote -yeay for us, as we moved from brissie and couldn't have asked for a better posting.)

Depends on the state as well. As Education Queensland works with points. Major cities -so South East QLD is considered 1 point. Cairns is 2 points and somewhere like Mt Isa is between 4-7 points? Thursday Island 7points. Now the more points you have the better chance of getting a transfer. Minimum stay when you get a transfer is 3yrs as an 'unspoken contract' for them paying for costs of moving you. We have been here now going into our 5th year. After the 3rd year asked for transfer -no luck. Hoping to move back next year. Depends on if we get the transfer.

Q3) "did you have to do contract work for awhile before getting a permanent position?"
DH's friend who stayed in the city has had only contract work since graduating (5years) and therefore you don't get paid during xmas break.

Q4) "are you considered any less of a teacher if you haven't done the full 4yr education degree (despite already having another full degree)?"
Certainly not...I don't know of anyone who thinks that...if anything people think you are more qualified as you have a degree in something and that is totally hooned in on a specific area/skill.

I don't know if the schools don't look so favourably on Grad Dip Ed graduates, but you would think if they did than they wouldn't provide this type of degree if they weren't going to hire someone with it.

I too am looking at the Grad Dip Ed road...I am making sure though that I am choosing "a second teaching area" subject when I choose my electives for uni. E.g. I am studying a Visual Arts course (which has Business core) but have choosen that I want English as my second teaching area as I want to teach high school art. You do need to investigate with the potential uni which pre-requisites they require for you to qualify for a Grad Dip Ed in secondary or (do as I am doing) P-10 that way I could teach middle high school.

Good luck. But dont consider this anything less than what it is. You will work your butt off and you would have graduated from 2 qualifications! :yes:

[pinkvanilla]

I am actually thinking of doing this course too! I am about to finish my degree in accounting and thinking of getting into teaching. At this stage I am thinking QUT as well :)