Teacher's Pet [IrishTimes]
- Published: 17 November 2009
An insider’s guide to education
- The Catholic bishops are engaged in a “cat and mouse” game with the Department over the handover of Catholic schools.
It is almost two years since Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said the Church was ready to divest control of some Catholic schools. He envisaged a scenario where, say, one-in-four schools in some Dublin areas could be transferred to other patrons.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
O'Keeffe in strike plea to teachers [Herald.ie]
- Published: 17 November 2009
Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe has appealed to teachers and their unions to think of the consequences before they go out on strike on November 24.
Mr O'Keeffe said people needed to look at the national interest instead of their sectional interests.
He said teachers' unions always have had the interest of students at heart, but added the proposed action this month is not in the interest of students or parents.
Full Story: www.herald.ie
Up to 100 schools deploy maths and science classroom ICT aid [SiliconRepublic]
- Published: 17 November 2009
Some 100 schools across the country have deployed new software that boosts the teaching of maths and sciences in the classroom.
The schools have deployed the new yTeach software that opens students up to the wonders of science via quizzes and video experiments.
Jail has better teacher ratio than schools [herald.ie]
- Published: 17 November 2009
Inmates in education at an Irish prison are benefiting from class sizes that are less than a fifth of the average at the country's primary schools.
Prisoners at Portlaoise jail are enjoying a student-teacher ratio of just five to one, compared with average class sizes of 28 in primary and 19 in post-primary education.
The hugely disproportionate figures have been described as "indefensible and wrong" by a Fine Gael councillor.
Full Story: www.herald.ie
O'Keefe calls on teachers to 'think again' [Irish Examiner]
- Published: 16 November 2009
All three teachers' unions have voted in favour of the November 24 stoppage in protest and proposed cuts to the sector in the upcoming Budget.
