Our beautiful son broken by school bullying [Independent.ie]
- Published: 05 May 2011
YOUR article on teenage suicide by Edel O'Connell (Irish Independent, April 28) has at last compelled me to contribute to this sad topic.
For the past 10 years, we have kept silent on the subject of school bullying but I feel it is time to draw more attention to our plight.
For all those years past, my wife and I pleaded with both primary and secondary school teachers, principals, boards of management, chaplains, doctors, gardai and the Department of Education as well as the Minister for Education in relation to the deplorable bullying of our son, who was a very quiet, shy, vulnerable type of child.
I could not possibly put on paper what physical and psychological sufferings this child endured at the hands of the bullies.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Children receiving up to €500 in Communion gifts [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 05 May 2011
Children making their First Communion are receiving an average of almost €500 in gifts, according to a new survey.
A new survey by the Irish League of Credit Unions has found the average amount a child receives is €471.
The average amount received for a Confirmation is €455, the survey found.
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
Phoebe's last text: 'It would be easier if they handed me a noose' [Independent.ie]
- Published: 05 May 2011
The mother of Phoebe Prince, the 15-year-old Irish schoolgirl who took her own life after a campaign of bullying, spoke yesterday of how the death had crushed her.
Addressing a packed US courtroom in Northampton, Massachusetts, Anne O'Brien said: "There is a dead weight that now sits permanently in my chest. It will stay with me until my own death."
Her voice shaking with emotion, Ms O'Brien recalled her "beautiful, intelligent, gregarious" daughter and revealed that one of the last text messages on Phoebe's mobile phone had read: "It would be easier if they had handed me a noose."
She was speaking at the court hearings for Sean Mulveyhill and Kayla Narey, both of whom pleaded guilty to criminal harassment as part of a plea deal which saw more serious charges dropped. Both must serve a year of probation and perform 100 hours of community service.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Remarks by President McAleese at 'Children: Their Lives, Their Learning' Conference, Marino Institute of Education, Dublin 9, 4th May 2011 [president.ie]
- Published: 04 May 2011
Dia dhíbh a chairde, tá an-áthas orm a bheith in bhúr láthair inniu ag an gcomhdháil speisialta seo: 'Children, their lives, their learning'. Is ábhar fiorthábhachtach é ó thaobh leasa agus todhchaí ár bpáistí agus sochaí na hÉireann de. I'd like to thank Dr. Anne O'Gara, President of Marino Institute of Education and Dr. Anne Looney, Chief Executive of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment for their kind invitation to address you today.
My grandmother who had eleven children and sixty grand children used to remark "what's learnt in childhood is engraved on stone." I didn't get the full import of her words until a tiny misspelling on my grandfather's granite headstone led to a conversation with the stone mason as to whether it could be easily corrected. He said "no" the only way the problem could be corrected was to take the faulty headstone down and put up a new one. Those of us who are the engravers on the unwitting lives of innocent children do not get that option. We get one go around - one chance to get it right so that we engrave well, scrupulously, carefully and leave an imprint that does not skew a lift or blight a life long after childhood has passed. It is a solemn responsibility, a sacred trust and it is right that at a conference like this we should reflect on those precious, all-important childhood years and ask in particular what primary education must bring to their lives.
It's an important time in our country's educational history for debates are afoot which have the capacity to radically change the structure and the experience of primary education.
Those who are the engravers on childrens' lives need to be deeply implicated in those debates to ensure that primary education which is the very bedrock of our educational system is customized to the needs of our children. Five hundred years ago Erasmus observed that the main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of its youth. It was true then and it is true now.
Full Story: www.president.ie
Online learning bridges the gap from class to the digital world [Independent.ie]
- Published: 04 May 2011
When Anna* dropped out of school at 14 suffering from anxiety due to bullying, she felt she would be left behind with no chance of getting a job. However, she was referred to iScoil, a new online learning initiative where she was able to continue her education, grow in confidence and gain qualifications that enabled her to find work.
Anna is one of a growing number of second-level students who are unable to continue in school. The reasons for this vary from behavioural issues, bullying, inability of the system to engage all students, to medical conditions and family situation.
iScoil is Ireland's first virtual school. All the teaching and learning happens online. Students are assigned a mentor who identifies the student's interests, facilitates their learning and helps them to work towards FETAC accreditation.
iScoil is born of the belief that all young people want to learn but not all are 'school shaped'. With iScoil, there is an emerging model of learning, facilitated by technology, that is addressing the barriers to learning, be they personal, social, medical or systemic.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
