It's all a cruel joke, but some teachers never learn [Independent.ie]
- Published: 26 May 2010
'Why do the Tories hate the Conservatives so much?" No, not a question put by a wide-eyed innocent first year, but by a fully paid-up member of staff -- Kurt Moobs, who else, the holder of a master's degree in science. The fault lies in his education -- a first in his master's in science degree that handicapped him with no knowledge of the real world.
The other day it seemed that the summer madness had spread from the kids, who are going to be wired from now until June and God help us now that it's spread to the staff. Before I launch into detailing the sins of this rogue, I would like to point out that although he pleases himself when it comes to the finer points of actually teaching, Mr Moobs is a very rare species of brass-necked teacher. A one-off (unless you have one in your school).
Study finds major gap in Leaving Cert results between social groups [Independent.ie]
- Published: 25 May 2010
CHILDREN of professionals get an average of 90 points more in their Leaving Certificate than those born to manual workers, new research reveals.
The major new research is the first time the differences in performance between pupils from different social groups has been precisely measured -- and it underlines the gap in Leaving Cert scores between richer and poorer students.
The research -- which tracked how thousands of students did in their Leaving Cert -- shows that:
- Children of professional fathers get, on average, 90 points more than those whose father is a manual worker.
- Children of other 'white collar' workers get on average 50 points more.
- Students whose father is disabled get about 50 points less than the average.
- Children whose father is unemployed get 30 points less.
University lecturers reject Croke Park deal [Independent.ie]
- Published: 25 May 2010
UNIVERSITY lecturers yesterday became the latest educational union to reject the new deal on public sector pay.
The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) voted 67.68pc against, with 32.32pc in favour.
Two post-primary teacher unions, the ASTI and TUI, have already voted against the deal -- but it has been accepted by the INTO.
The outcome of the overall ballot depends largely on two big unions, SIPTU and IMPACT, whose executives have recommended a yes vote.
The public services committee will meet in mid-June to discuss the outcome.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Coughlan should act on Oir Report [finegael.org]
- Published: 25 May 2010
One in six ‘forgotten children’ drop out before Leaving Cert
Speaking following the launch of the first Joint Oireachtas Report (see here) on preventing early school leaving, Fine Gael Senator Fidelma Healy Eames, who is the rappateur for the Report, said the Minister for Education, Mary Coughlan, should heed its findings if she is serious about tackling the crisis of early school leaving in Ireland.
The Report entitled ‘Staying in Education: A New Way Forward - School & Out-of-School Factors Protecting Against Early School Leaving’ took more than 18 months to collate, interviewed 41 early school leavers from 'at risk' groups and convened a 25 member Expert Group of practitioners and researchers.
Speaking following the launch of the Report, Senator Healy Eames said:
“This major body of work is a significant step in identifying the difficulties and needs of our young people who do not wish to stay in school. It makes a number of recommendations to support parents, points to ways the school must change to engage pupils who disengage and experience failure early and also points to recreational and leisure supports needed in the community. If heeded by Government, the findings will go a considerable distance to eliminating the obstacles experienced by our early school leavers.
Full Story: www.finegael.org
‘One size fits’ all approach to education a major factor in early school leaving Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Science [oireachtas.ie]
- Published: 25 May 2010
The ‘one size fits all’ instruction and assessment approach in Ireland’s current school system is fundamentally wrong, does not facilitate many young people to grow or demonstrate and realize their full range of talents and skills and is a major contributory factor in early school leaving, particularly among boys, according to a new report by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Science.
Early school leaving and its related problems of poverty, deprivation and exclusion should be understood in a holistic context that is much broader than the education system, the report Staying in Education: A New Way Forward – School and out of School Factors Protecting Against Early School Leaving says.
The Department of Education and Skills needs to develop policy that strongly discourages streaming, or separating students along purely academic lines, at least in the first and second years, it found. Policy should be targeted particularly at schools in disadvantaged communities and all schools where boys are enrolled, according to the report which carried out 41 interviews with individuals and groups dealing with early school leaving and which had input from a 25-member expert group of practitioners and researchers.
Full Story: www.oireachtas.ie
