Shorter days, longer holidays and the feeling that you are making a difference to young people's lives - more people are swapping the office for the classroom, as applications for teaching posts reach record levels, writes Gráinne Faller

A girl with coloured clips in her hair is writing away diligently. The boy beside her swings back on his chair and stretches. He leans in to chat to his neighbour and she happily chats back. Within a few seconds, teacher is over. She explains again what has to be done and when the talkers start working again she quietly moves on to the next child who needs help.

The surrounding walls are a record of class activities. A jungle scene of tigers and monkeys hangs in one corner. A small greenhouse with parsley and mustard seedlings stands on the other side of the room. A maths table holds 3-D shapes made by the class. Noticeboards for English, Gaeilge and other subjects show off children's work and learning aids.

Susan Naughton is in her second year of teaching in St Colmcille's SNS in Knocklyon, Co Dublin, and this is her class.

"I think you are either suited for teaching or you're not," she says. "You really know yourself within a very short space of time."

It seems that more and more people believe that teaching is for them. Naughton trained in St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, where applications are up by almost 25 per cent this year. The increase in demand for teaching stretches across the board; overall applications have gone up by 27 per cent. While there was a drop in applications last year, the current number of first preferences is the highest it has been since 2001.

Dr Pauric Travers, president of St Patrick's College, is pleasantly surprised by the surge. He acknowledges there may be a link between the state of the economy and the applications for stable jobs such as teaching. When things are on a downturn, people are searching for a job that is less vulnerable to economic jitters. Nonetheless, Dr Travers believes that people's reasons for wanting to teach are more complex than a simple yearning for stability. He would contend that the booming economy has led to some people reassessing their priorities.

"I think people are beginning to see time as being more important than a big salary," Dr Travers explains. "The work-life balance has become more and more important." This point is illustrated by the phenomenal demand for the postgraduate qualification in primary education which has seen people from all walks of life retrain as primary school teachers.

Sr Darina Hosey, president of Froebel College of Education, says: "In my own experience of people coming in and applying for our H Dip [ Primary] it seems that often they are very successful in their own careers, but they have decided that they want to make a difference to others. There seems to be a gap there that they are looking to fill."

People's motivations in applying for the Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) for secondary school teachers are largely similar to those in the primary sector, according to Dr Tom Mullins, head of the Education Department in UCC.

"I'm always struck by the idealism of students," he says. "How long that idealism lasts is a matter for debate but I think there is something meaningful in what teaching offers."

Applications for the PGDE have fallen recently, possibly because the prospects at second level aren't as promising as those at primary level, but demand for places still far outstrips supply. Entry is competitive as teaching continues to attract high achievers. Postgraduate qualifications usually require a higher honours degree at the very least, while the undergraduate degrees continue taking students from the top quarter of the Leaving Cert crop. In addition, the courses are far from easy, with long hours, continual assignments and teaching practice as standard.

So why is it worth it? Favourable hours and the caring nature of the job itself are the reasons that arise time and time again when talking to students and newly qualified teachers.

Julie Corcoran, a first-year student in St Patrick's College Drumcondra, says: "My dad always worked long hours and I really didn't want that. I actually did a year in college studying commerce but I decided to do this instead. I worked in an office for a summer. There was nothing I brought to it. So many people could have done that job, whereas in teaching, it's all about the effort you put in and the difference you make."

Susan Naughton agrees. "It's definitely an important job," she says. "The children are just starting off in life and school makes up such a large portion of their days. Your influence as a teacher can be very significant."

All the same, teaching as a profession has become extremely challenging in the past few years. Discipline issues, increased reports of bullying, and difficulties presented by the range of language skills among newcomer children are just scraping the surface when it comes to the challenges of the job. Are people considering these issues, or are they distracted by the two- or three-month holidays?

"Students are often somewhat traumatised by the difficulties that children face," says Sr Hosey. "But they make huge demands on us as a college to equip them with the skills to help those children. I think that the H Dip students in particular are normally very focused and realise what's involved."

Back in Naughton's class, lunchboxes are out and break time is in full flow. She is keeping an eye on everyone. "It can be tiring," she says. "You're thinking about every single one of those children all of the time. It's challenging but it's very rewarding. During college I had always wondered if there was something else I'd like to do, but actually I'm very happy as I am."