Applying to ETB Schools

When applying for ETB teaching vacancies, there are many things to consider. Your application must be typed and you must provide two copies of the application; one of these to be the original. Job advertisements are published on ETB county websites, in professional, academic journals, in newspapers and on social media. Here are a few things for you to consider when applying for ETB positions.

Final year initial teacher training applicants

If you are in your final year of training, you are still eligible to apply for ETB positions advertised. If you are successful and you are offered the position, it will be pending the receipt of your final results. NQTs who can provide proof of recognised qualifications and proof of application to the Teaching Council are eligible to be considered for shortlisting for advertised vacancies. This proof of application must be in written or email format ( from the TC ) Your Garda Vetting letter is not proof of application and will not be considered as such.

Professional Knowledge

You must be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge and an understanding of both the subject discipline and pedagogy indicators including strong knowledge of the subject matter and an awareness and understanding of the specific requirements of the course and syllabus. You will keep up to date with the subject matter and syllabus changes. You will be able to participate in and contribute to educational planning and development within the school.

Professional Practice

The recruiter will be looking for your understanding of the nature of high-quality teaching and learning and will be able to demonstrate the skills and competencies to illustrate these. You should be able to demonstrate your planning skills and how to provide the best materials and lessons possible to effectively transmit knowledge to your students.

Teaching and Learning

You will show your awareness of the factors that contribute to an effective learning environment. You will be expected to have the skills to maintain standards of behaviour in the classroom and you may be asked to give examples of some of the classroom management techniques you would use. Techniques to create and maintain a good level of student engagement are very important also.

Assessment

You will be expected to communicate your capabilities and strategies for monitoring student progress, giving constructive criticism in the classroom and the range of assessment strategies you would use to evaluate student learning. The results of these strategies will influence your planning of lessons to make your teaching more effective.

Communication and Relationship Building

A potential employer will be looking for a person who fosters positive and effective working relationships with management, colleagues, students, parents and the wider school community. If there are extra-curricular activities that you can contribute to, it is a good idea to communicate this. If you are a person with good conflict resolution skills and you would be a positive contribution to the school, be sure to communicate this as well.

Self-awareness and Self-Management

You should demonstrate your will to continuously improve your effectiveness as a teacher and the skills you use to do so. It is important to have the confidence to keep your composure in challenging situations. An awareness of the importance of discretion, privacy and secrecy is very important. Can you think of a situation where you were challenged but managed to bring the event to a satisfactory conclusion? It is worth making note of situations like these that you can draw on if asked to provide examples.

The above is by no means an exhaustive list of the requirements you will need to consider when applying for ETB positions, but it is a good start. Each job posting will provide you with the guidelines and expectations for applicants.

If you would like to learn more about applying for jobs and how to make the best application possible, book a clarity call with me here.