IPPN

Published: 20 December 2005

"Beginning to Teach: Newly Qualified Teachers in Irish Primary Schools"
A new report published today "Beginning to Teach", shows the vast majority of probationary primary teachers expressed a sense of personal and professional satisfaction about their teaching experience in the first year.
The report published by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science, is based on research conducted in 2004 and presents the findings of a postal survey of 354 newly qualified teachers from the five colleges of education in the State. The publication also draws on an analysis of more than 250 reports on the work of newly qualified teachers submitted to the Department by inspectors.
Of the probationary teachers surveyed, a large proportion felt they were well prepared for teaching Physical Education (95%) and English (88%), but a smaller proportion felt they were well prepared for teaching Music (55%), Drama (68%) and Mathematics (72%). Inspectors found that the quality of newly qualified teachers' work was very good and the report cites many examples of good practice in the newly qualified teachers' work. It also highlights the importance of professional support from principals and other teachers in enabling newly qualified teachers to achieve their potential.
Evidence from newly qualified teachers and inspectors suggests that some aspects of teaching require further attention, for example the ability to use a range of teaching approaches, multi-grade teaching and the ability to manage the learning needs of pupils with special educational needs. Also, inspectors expressed concern about the teaching of Irish in a significant minority of instances.
The Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin, TD, welcomed the report saying "this report underlines the quality and the commitment of our new primary teachers. The insights provided by the report is a tribute to them and to the excellent work done by our colleges of education in preparing new teachers for a challenging career. From personal experience, I know that the transition from being a student to being a teacher is a big challenge and it is encouraging to learn that new teachers receive great support from principals and other teachers."
Ends
20th December 2005

Main findings
° In April 2004, there were 1,245 probationary teachers in primary schools.
° The teachers rated the support of fellow teachers and principal teachers very highly (96%) and the support provided by inspectors also received a high rating (86%).
° Support provided by Education Centres received a lower rating (58%) and an even lower rating was accorded to support provided by induction courses (30%), largely because induction courses were unavailable

Among the main challenges / difficulties faced in their first year, probationary teachers mentioned
° lack of confidence with regard to classroom organisation
° lack of preparation for managing challenging behaviour
° lack of training in practical school matters

With regard to preparedness to teach the primary curriculum, teachers felt they were best prepared to teach Physical Education (95%), followed by English (88%) and Science (86%). At the other end of the spectrum 45% said they felt poorly prepared to teach Music, followed by Drama (32%) and Mathematics (28%). Only 16% per cent felt they were poorly prepared to teach Irish.
° Where inspectors commented on the teaching curriculum areas, they found that one-third of teachers had some difficulties in teaching of Irish, compared to one-sixth in the teaching of English
° Inspectors found that only 1% of teachers were experiencing serious difficulties in their teaching, but that there was scope for development in the case of 34% of teachers.
° In 2004, less than 6% of teachers had their period of probation extended due to insufficient progress in developing their teaching skills
° Only 3 teachers, all of whom were on probation for their second year, were rated as 'not satisfactory.'
° The most common reason for extending the probation period was teachers' inability to maintain classroom discipline.

Main recommendations of the report
° Boards of management and principals should ensure that supports in school are available for newly qualified teachers

° Where possible, an experienced teacher should mentor a beginning teacher

° Internet-based supports and a national system of induction and continuing professional development should be introduced