'It'll blow all the progress she's made' [Irish Examiner]
- Published: 01 April 2009
Source: Irish Examiner
A MOTHER has claimed she will keep her eight-year-old daughter out of school rather than let her return when her special needs class is axed next September.
Emma Nolan is in third class, but her reading and writing ability is at senior infants level, equivalent to a five-year-old. Since being diagnosed in senior infants as having mild general learning disability (MGLD) — previously known as mild mental handicap — she has now spent three school years in a special class at St Eithne's Girls National School in Edenmore, north Dublin.
"She wasn't keeping up and she was spending the day at the top of class with the teacher holding her hand until she moved to the special class. Since then, she has made her own progress and she's really happy, but she is still mainstreamed with her own age group for sports, for art and religion," explained mother Gillian Fitzpatrick.
She and parents of the six other girls in the MGLD class were devastated when it emerged in February that it and 127 other such classes in 119 primary schools were being cut next year.
Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe said the rules for forming such classes were that they needed to have nine or more pupils.
"He's been talking about mainstreaming children like Emma with their own age groups, but I know she will just go backwards if she goes into third class in the autumn. I'd rather keep her at home than let her see how different she is to the rest of the girls, it'll just blow her confidence and all the progress she's made," Ms Fitzpatrick said.
She and parents of many other children being affected by the changes at Dublin schools protested about the measure outside the Dáil yesterday, joined by Emma's teacher Eimear Heffernan.
"These girls have all come on enormously in the three years I've been with the class, but they will just go backwards in September if this goes ahead. The school has just two special needs staff working with 60 other children with more moderate difficulties and they will lose out if the girls don't have a special class," she said. Ms Heffernan has undertaken a diploma in special education course this year to help her work in the special class, but instead of getting to use it there, she will be back teaching a mainstream class in September meaning another school teacher loses their job.
Mr O'Keeffe's spokesperson said last night that the minimum of nine pupils needed to staff a special class has been in place since 1999 and the curriculum is flexible so that teachers can cater for the needs of children of different abilities.
However, Irish National Teachers' Organisation president Declan Kelleher said the minister's decision to close the classes for more than 600 vulnerable children is an act of educational vandalism which will negatively affect each of their futures.
Judge smells a rat in absent schoolgirl case [Limerick Leader]
- Published: 01 April 2009
Source: Limerick Leader
In her evidence the mother of the young girl, who can't be named, said the reason her child had missed so many days was due to a series of viral infections she had contracted due to the presence of rats in her local authority home. "She has always been sick a lot," she said, adding that it was hard to sleep at night due to the noise of rats "scurrying around the house."
When the case came before Judge Tom O'Donnell again last Thursday, a representative of the local authority said staff at the housing department had received six complaints about rodents at the house over the past two years and the court was told that each of the complains was dealt with on the same day.
The judge said he believed there had been a "veiled effort" to turn the case into a housing issue when, in fact, it was a prosecution in relation to the non-attendence of the young girl at school. Noting that there had been a "100 per cent improvement" since the last court date, the judge adjourned the matter for review in July.
Separately, he adjourned a similar prosecution which was initiated earlier this year against the mother of a nine-year-old girl from the Ballynanty area who has missed over 300 school days since 2005.
Judge O'Donnell was told the girl, who is attending third class, has missed 39 days in the current academic year ; only four of which were certified. That case will also be reviewed in July.
If convicted, the parents of the children could face up to a month in jail or a maximum fine of €634.
Primary teachers consider joining work-to-rule [independent.ie]
- Published: 01 April 2009
Source: independent.ie
By Katherine Donnelly
Wednesday April 01 2009
PRIMARY school teachers are considering joining their second-level colleagues in a work-to-rule to protest against education cuts.
The two second-level teacher unions -- the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland and the Teachers Union of Ireland -- introduced a work-to-rule from yesterday, refusing to attend certain meetings, including with parents, outside of school hours.
The Department of Education says the action is a breach of national agreements.
Now, the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO), which represents primary school teachers, is considering a work-to-rule.
Teacher unions and school managements have warned the latest cuts and the embargo on certain promotions will be devastating for schools.
INTO general secretary John Carr said the cuts were "a slash and burn of management structures".
- Katherine Donnelly
Minister for Education and Science Appoints Members to the Second Teaching Council [Teaching Council]
- Published: 31 March 2009
Source: Teaching Council
Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe appointed 37 members to the Teaching Council at a ceremony in Dublin today (31 March 2009). The Teaching Council was established on a statutory basis in March 2006 to promote teaching as a profession at primary and post-primary levels, to promote the professional development of teachers and to regulate standards in the profession. The term of office of the first Council finished on 28 March last.
Speaking today, Minister O'Keeffe said:
'The establishment of the first Teaching Council was a milestone in the history of the Irish education system. During its term, the first Teaching Council has made significant progress in advancing the objectives of the Council and establishing the role of the Council in the sector. The members I've appointed today represent teachers and all the partners in education and I've every confidence that, by pooling their expertise, the Council will continue to fulfill its responsibilities to society and to teaching. I wish them well as they take up their important roles at this very challenging time for our nation'.
Appointing the members, Minister O'Keeffe announced that he will be shortly commencing the sections of the Teaching Council Act, 2001 which relate to Fitness to Teach and the formal requirement for teachers to register with the Teaching Council. Welcoming the announcement, the Council's Chief Executive Officer, Áine Lawlor said:
"We welcome the announcement that these very important sections of the Act are being commenced and indeed, this has been formally requested by the Council some time ago. These sections of the Act are central to the Council's role in protecting the high standards of professional practice and conduct which prevail in teaching in Ireland. Through its Investigating and Disciplinary Committees the Council has been active in preparing for its role in the area of Fitness to Teach and has researched current practice in other professional bodies in Ireland and in Teaching Councils in other jurisdictions. I am confident that it will be ready to meet the challenge".
More than 64,000 teachers are now registered with the Teaching Council. The establishment of the Register of Teachers is one of the Teaching Council's most important functions and progress in this and other key areas is set out in the Council's second annual report which was published in recent days (26 March 2009).During the reporting year, more than 3,400 persons registered as teachers.
Speaking today, Áine Lawlor, Teaching Council Chief Executive Officer, said "each stage of the teaching career is characterised by high professional standards and, during the year, the Council continued its work to ensure those standards are upheld. It did this in the interest of young people and society and, also, for the purpose of maintaining and enhancing the reputation of the profession".
While the development of the Register was the main focus of the Council's work during the year, significant progress was also made across the range of the Council's functions.
The Council commissioned research on teacher education in Ireland and internationally and began a consultative process to inform its drafting of its Policy Paper on Teacher Education and its Strategy for the Review and Accreditation of Programmes of Initial Teacher Education. Both the Policy Paper and the Review and Accreditation Strategy are now at an advanced stage and it is anticipated that the Council will review a number of programmes on a pilot basis later this year.
Having regard to the importance of continuing professional development in the teaching profession, the Council launched a scheme of research bursaries to assist teachers who are undertaking research related to teaching, learning and assessment. Two further schemes have subsequently been implemented and, to date, the Council has awarded almost €250,000 in research bursaries.
In everything it does, the Council seeks to promote teaching as a profession and to create a culture where the role of teachers in preparing young people for life is acknowledged and valued. The Council's production of the DVD,"Croí na Múinteoireachta", marked an important step in an ongoing campaign to inform and enhance public perception of the teaching profession. A website dedicated to promoting teaching as a profession, www.teach.ie, is currently at planning stage.
Click here to view a photograph of Minister Batt O'Keeffe pictured with Áine Lawlor, CEO of the Teaching Council and the members of the Teaching Council who were appointed today (31 March 2009).
Cutbacks signal further increases in class sizes [INTO]
- Published: 30 March 2009
Source: INTO
The Executive of the INTO met today and unanimously condemned the government decision to cap teacher numbers and embargo promotion in primary schools.
Speaking after the meeting John Carr, General Secretary of the primary teachers' union, said the announcement, in the middle of social partnership talks, showed government's contempt for the talks. He said the decision should be withdrawn immediately. "Government has the option of tabling this proposal within the talks process if it wishes."
"Social partnership is a two way street," said Carr. "There cannot be the pretence of social partnership while one partner pursues a unilateral agenda."
He said the cap on numbers would probably mean even bigger classes in 2010 in primary schools. "There will be up to 10,000 additional pupils in schools next year without one extra teacher to teach them," said Carr. "Ireland's super-sized classes in primary schools could get even bigger."
The proposals are set to impact disproportionately on primary schools because of the larger pupil numbers.
Mr Carr said the moratorium on promotion would also have a real impact on schools. "There can't be a modernisation programme in schools if the personnel aren't there to deliver it," said Carr. "These are not peripheral or optional duties in schools. Teachers in these posts have real responsibilities for curriculum development and school planning, special education, the management of staff and pupils, ICT, the management of behaviour and home school links."
"If a modern school service is to be delivered to pupils and parents then these tasks are necessary," said Carr. "Over the years government has demanded new duties and responsibilities of schools. Now it unilaterally withdraws the mechanism for schools to deliver."
He described the proposal as a crude instrument and a slash and burn of management structures and responsibilities in schools that have taken years to build up.
The union said today that up to seven hundred such posts could be lost each year saving government somewhere between three and six million. "In overall terms this is a small sum of money," said Carr, "but the impact on schools will be significant especially as seventy percent of primary schools have a teaching principal".
The INTO has established a subcommittee of its executive to consider a work to rule in schools. A report from that subcommittee is expected next month.