'I didn't like school either' says Judge [wexfordpeople.ie]
- Published: 28 September 2011
JUDGE JOHN Coughlan sympathised at Wexford District Court with a teenage girl who hates school.
'I had a lot of problems at school. I didn't like school,' said the Judge.
The mother of the girl who is now 15 and in 3rd year, was prosecuted by the National Educational Welfare Board for failing to ensure that her daughter attends school.
Caitriona Walsh, solicitor for the Board, said the girl attended for two days out of 167 in the school year 2009/2010 and last year, she did not attend at all.
Her mother told the court that her daughter said she got panic attacks in school.
She accepted it was her fault that she didn't get in touch with the school to explain.
Full Story: www.wexfordpeople.ie
Louth schools 'among most overcrowded' [drogheda-independent.ie]
- Published: 28 September 2011
PRIMARY SCHOOLS in Louth among the most overcrowded in country.
Over 90% of primary pupils in the county are in classes greater than the EU average.
New figures published this week show that 91% of pupils in schools in the county are in classes of 20 or more.
Nearly a fifth (19%) are in classes of more than 30 children.
The figures are the latest available official figures on Irish class sizes.
The general secretary of the INTO Sheila Nunan described the figures as shocking and said the government was not tackling the problem of overcrowded classes which was getting worse particularly in urban areas and commuter are the counties.
Full Story: www.drogheda-independent.ie
Wicklow schools have worst overcrowding [wicklowpeople.ie]
- Published: 28 September 2011
WICKLOW has the most overcrowded classrooms in the country according to figures released by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation.
28.2 per cent of pupils in Wicklow are in classes with 30 students or more, while only 9 per cent are in classes of 20 or lower.
The official pupil-teacher ratio in Ireland is set to rise from 29 to 30 under Government plans.
INTO General Secretary Sheila Nunan says the Government are failing to act in an effort to tackle the problem of overcrowding in the classroom.
'When class numbers are reasonable, modern teaching methods are possible and there is more teacher time for children. If we want to improve education outcomes for children the last thing that should be done is increase class sizes.'
Full Story: www.wicklowpeople.ie
Irish class sizes 'among largest in Europe' [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 28 September 2011
Primary schools in Ireland have some of the largest class sizes in Europe, according to new figures revealed this week.
The official Department of Education statistics, released by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), show that 85 per cent of children at this level are taught in lessons of 20 or more, while 20 per cent of classes have at least 30 students.
INTO described the figures as a "wake-up call" for parents, as they show that Ireland's classrooms are the second most overcrowded in Europe.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
Facebook and texting guidelines part of new teachers’ code [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 28 September 2011
RULES on inappropriate Facebook contact or texting of students are to be added to the professional code of conduct for teachers.
But anyone who breaches proposed new standards can not yet be disciplined by the Teaching Council as it still has no legal powers to investigate complaints or strike a teacher off its register.
The code of professional conduct for teachers has been reviewed and a more detailed set of standards in relation to behaviour, teaching practice and professional development is about to go out for consultation. A council spokesperson said that, while the revisions are subject to possible changes, it is significant for the profession and the wider education community.
The new code will be far more specific about the kind of behaviour expected of the 70,000 primary and second-level teachers as well as the teaching standards required of them.
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
