Coughlan unveils reforms to improve teaching [Independent.ie]
- Published: 22 July 2010
NEWLY qualified teachers at both primary and post-primary levels will have to undergo a new induction and probationary programme.
The reform, which will be announced today by Education Minister Mary Coughlan, is to be phased in from September.
Aimed at improving teacher quality, it will involve more rigorous assessment and inspection in the nation's classrooms.
Ms Coughlan will outline details of the new programme at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal.
She believes that Ireland has significant weaknesses in helping newly qualified teachers to take charge of a classroom.
Ms Coughlan says that a teacher's first months and year in a post are critical.
She says that at the moment, induction support for teachers at primary level is limited.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Schools lack help to stop bullying - expert [IrishTimes]
- Published: 22 July 2010
SCHOOLS ARE losing morale in the fight against bullying because of a lack of official support, according to a leading expert.
Anti-bullying programmes in Ireland experienced resistance compared to other countries, according to Prof Mona O’Moore of the school of education in Trinity College, and the results of the last national programme were disappointing.
This was despite the proven effectiveness of anti-bullying programmes in reducing the incidence of bullying in schools, she told the annual conference of the International School Psychology Association in Dublin yesterday.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Address by the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Mary Coughlan TD, at the 'Education - Reform and Innovation Required?' debate of the 30th MacGill Summer School [education.ie]
- Published: 22 July 2010
The process of change and reform across our education system must be constant, but well considered.
The nature of the system is such that implementation of reform and the measurement of its impact can take considerable time.
The impact of a change we make today may not be fully realised for many years.
The prime example is in the area of curriculum and programme changes - will a student emerge with an enhanced level of knowledge, understanding and skill to better realise their potential as a result of that change?
One cannot be fully certain until later in their lives.
The stakes are therefore high.
Remember here that the most important people that any reform will impact on are our young.
The consequences of failed or bad reform can be detrimental to their educational attainment.
Full Story: www.education.ie
Labour calls for full evaluation of ABA schools [labour.ie]
- Published: 21 July 2010
Services provided to autistic children in ABA schools are under serious threat, and families are now fearful that many of these schools now face closure.
I believe that any move against ABA schools would be retrograde and would be unjustifiable.
There seems to be a sense in the Department of Education that all children who have been diagnosed with Autism should be schooled exclusively in mainstream schools. Mainstreaming works very well in a lot of cases, and where it works well it should be encouraged, but there are other situations where ABA is a more appropriate.
Providing education and support services for children with autism is not a matter of 'One size fits all'. There should be a diversity of approaches, just as there is a diversity of challenges that these children and their families face.
Full Story: www.labour.ie
Half of schools accept autism plans [IrishTimes]
- Published: 21 July 2010
AT LEAST half of the schools which specialise in providing Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) to children with autism have signed up to controversial proposals from the Department of Education to recognise them as special schools.
The department sent out letters to 12 pilot ABA schools giving them a fortnight to vote on proposals which would see them officially recognised as special schools with access to permanent State funding.
The schools’ boards of management have been given until the end of this week to decide whether to accept the offer.At least six have voted to accept the deal.
The department’s letter of offer states that ABA should be provided as part of a wider array of other teaching methods – also known as the eclectic approach – which also uses picture exchange communication system, social stories and developmentally based approaches.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
