Study reveals the social pressures facing young children [IrishTimes]
- Published: 23 September 2011
NINE year olds are a happy-go-lucky lot who are comfortable with their appearance but who recognise that society can place a lot of significance on looks.
In the latest findings of an ongoing study of the lives of 9 year olds in Ireland, children identified height and size as potentially important for boys and "being pretty and having light skin colour" as potentially significant for girls — and that a lack of these attributes could lead to bullying.
The authors of the Growing Up In Ireland study, who, as part of the latest research, interviewed 120 children and families, said it became evident throughout "that a person’s physical attributes could make them a target for bullying and name-calling".
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
Children's positive outlook on life revealed [IrishTimes]
- Published: 23 September 2011
BULLYING IS prevalent among nine-year-olds growing up in Ireland but children of this age still have a largely positive view of their lives, according to new research.
The report, which involved in-depth studies of 120 nine-year-olds and their families, found some children had troubled attitudes to food and to their own weight.
Parental separation had a considerable impact on children’s routines, making it difficult for children to sustain a relationship with a non-resident parent, the study found, and some children worried about moving to secondary school. Others were concerned about the future, including climate change and war.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Points system 'harming education', says Minister [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 23 September 2011
The points system administered by the Central Applications Office (CAO) for determining university admissions is harmful to the country's education system.
This is according to the Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn, who made the claim at a conference held this week to discuss reforming the process of transitioning from the second to third level, the Irish Times reports.
He suggested the current procedure "may be undermining those very qualities we value in our students in higher education - their ability to think for themselves, to create and innovate, to initiate and to question".
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
School boards decide who to hire and fire, says Sherlock [IrishTimes]
- Published: 23 September 2011
THE DEPARTMENT of Education cannot prevent schools employing unqualified maths teachers, Minister of State Sean Sherlock has said.
He was replying to Fianna Fáil education spokesman Brendan Smith, who asked if he would be in a position to do this when the results of a survey under way became available.
“To give the deputy a straight answer, I am not in a position to do that,” said Mr Sherlock. “As he is well aware, the boards of management of schools have autonomy in respect of who they hire and who they fire.”
Mr Sherlock said he would be cautious regarding the department exercising control over decisions made by individual schools.
Asking Mr Smith to “have faith”, he said his department would analyse the results of the survey and then proceed cautiously. “There must be an outcome which ensures that teachers are properly qualified and that students obtain good results in their examinations,” he added.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
1,000 primary teachers out of work due to cutbacks, says INTO [IrishTimes]
- Published: 23 September 2011
More than 1,000 qualified primary teachers are without work due to education cutbacks, according to the INTO.
Yesterday, more than 100 unemployed primary teachers attended a specially convened meeting in Dublin organised by the union. The meeting was the first of a series throughout the country for teachers without work.
Addressing the meeting Sheila Nunan, general secretary of the INTO, gave details of the union’s recent directive to all 32,000 members not to work with unqualified people employed in a teaching capacity in a primary school. She said the directive was aimed at maximising the employment chances of new teachers.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
