Teacher initial education, induction and probation

If the findings of the DES report on the quality of teaching practice in a sample of final year students are accurate and reflective of the overall picture, then we would expect that up to one in three newly qualified teachers in their first year of probation would "fail" their probation. How many teachers in 2004, 05, 06 have not been probated? In this first year, significant support and expertise by principals and senior teachers goes to helping new teachers hone their craft. Principals put significant time and resources into helping newly qualified teachers. In 7 out of 10 cases, this is an additional responsibility on top of a full class teaching day.

Principals are concerned at the timing of this report in the context of other moves. It would appear that there is a steady and persistent move towards shifting the responsibility for induction and probation away from the DES and the Inspectorate and on to BOM's and Principals. This was traditionally an area of responsibility and competency for Inspectors. Now apparent that schools - and this means principals - expected to shoulder more and more responsibility in this matter.

It looks like the pilot programme on teacher induction might be extended fully. This is a very intensive and formalised programme of what is informal good practice by principals. It could be considered as replacing the proposed 4^th year of the initial B.Ed. course. This is yet another responsibility being handed on to schools without any corresponding recognition of additional resources needed to do so. 7 out of 10 principals also teach a full class day. How can they be expected to take on formal teacher induction and probation matters as well?

ends