Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector begins three day public working sessions [education.ie]
- Published: 22 June 2011
The Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector is holding a three day open working session from today, Wednesday 22nd to Friday 24th June, in the Department of Education and Skills in Dublin.
Since the launch of the Forum on 19th of April 2011, some 200 written submissions on the issue of patronage and pluralism in the primary sector have been received. Chairperson of the group, Professor John Coolahan had sought written submission from fourteen main stakeholders, including the Department of Education and Skills, but also invited interested parties to make submissions.These documents are available on the Department’s website, www.education.ie.
The Advisory Group, which consists of Prof Coolahan, Dr Caroline Hussey and Fionnuala Kilfeather will now analyse and evaluate all the submissions received, along with examining research and practices on patronage and pluralism in schools in other countries.
The purpose of the three day working session is to allow the Advisory Group the opportunity to engage in discussion with the main stakeholders, including officials from the Department of Education and Skills, based on their written submissions.
Full Story: www.education.ie
Young film-makers screen their movies [Independent.ie]
- Published: 21 June 2011
THE 2011 'Fís Film Festival' took place in St. Michael's Theatre in New Ross last Thursday.
The Film Festival is an annual event for schools and it is co-ordinated by Principal of New Ross CBS Primary School, Brian MacMahon. The New Ross school has won two national film-making awards during the past five years.
Participating schools in the 'Fís Film Festival' receive training in the Wexford Education Centre in Enniscorthy on aspects of film making and film editing.
Teachers then organise their classes to write a film script, to shoot a film and to edit the finished product to make it ready for viewing in a cinema.
' Through making their own film, pupils gain an appreciation of many aspects of film making including script writing, story boarding, directing, camera work, sound recording, editing techniques, sound tracks and special effects,' said Mr McMahon.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Schools gearing up for big cycle [Independent.ie]
- Published: 21 June 2011
STUDENTS IN Ballon National School are busy oiling their chains and checking their brakes in preparation for Cycle on Wednesday's day as part of National Bike Week.
Ballon NS held a fun cycle and teddy bears picnic is being held last Saturday. The event was organised by the Ballon NS Parents Association and the Ballon Improvement Group.
'As part of their Green-Schools Programme, Ballon NS is realising the positives that the bicycle can bring to their local community' says Chiara Hanrahan, An Taisce's Travel Education Officer.
This is the first year, as part of National Bike Week, that National COW (Cycle on Wednesdays) and Cycle to Work Day will be happening on the same day.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Teacher Unions Oppose Front Line Staffing Cuts [into.ie]
- Published: 21 June 2011
Press Release
Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland,
Irish National Teachers’ Organisation,
Teachers’ Union of Ireland
The three teacher unions today expressed their united opposition to further cuts in frontline school staffing. The unions made their call as talks with the Department of Education and Skills on school staffing began this afternoon (Tuesday 21 June).
The talks getting underway today result from the four year national recovery plan published last November which signalled further cutbacks in teacher numbers from September 2012. The plan committed the Department to consult the education partners to provide them with a chance to identify a range of cost cutting measures for government to consider. However it clearly stated that if “alternative feasible measures to deliver these savings cannot be identified, appropriate increases in the classroom teacher allocation schedule will be introduced”.
Sheila Nunan, General Secretary of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, said Irish class sizes at primary level were the second highest in the EU. She said there was no room to increase class sizes in primary schools, most of which are overcrowded. “More than 100,000 pupils are in classes of more than 30 pupils while the average class size at primary level across the EU is 22,” she said. “There is no scope to further increase class sizes.”
Full Story: www.into.ie
Traveller education cutbacks [IrishTimes]
- Published: 21 June 2011
Madam, – A sad week indeed for education with the abolition of the Visiting Teacher Service for Travellers! At a farewell gathering for one such teacher in Ballyfermot’s Labre Park halting site, one of Dublin’s most neglected Traveller communities, a Leaving Cert student spoke of the many times she wanted to leave school but was bullied, persuaded, cajoled into going back by the Visiting Teacher who wouldn’t take No for an answer. She told how proud she is of the achievement of getting her Leaving Cert, but also of her fears for younger children, many of whom face too many obstacles to get there without that support.
It was not just the students these teachers wouldn’t take No from; many schools were challenged to accept their responsibility to Traveller pupils by this small service of some 40 teachers.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
