An insider's guide to education
- Will ASTImembers defy their executive and vote in favour of the Croke Park deal? That was the question concentrating minds at the conference of some 400 school leaders in Kilkenny at the weekend.
Members of the Joint Managerial Board said the collapse of the Greek economy is building support for the deal. School managers report growing resentment in staff rooms about the lack of real debate on the issue at the recent ASTI conference . There is also anger about a bulletin sent to ASTI members which gives only the downside of the Croke Park deal.
That said, how could ASTI promote a deal which was rejected by its conference with no dissent? Minister for Education, Mary Coughlan, below, is hoping to build on the groundswell of support for the deal by issuing clarifications on key issues like the revision of the teacher contract over the next week.
So will ASTI members back the deal? We find it hard to believe that members will defy their own leadership. But the vote could be close and there is still all to play for.
- Transition Year(TY) has been a much admired part of Irish education but, suddenly, attitudes appear to be changing. Last week, child psychiatrist Dr Keith Holmes said the imposition of the transition year means 15- and 16-year-olds are given too much freedom too quickly – only to be shoved back a step during fifth and sixth year when they are expected to study harder and obey parents and teachers.
TY is also under more scrutiny from the many parents who can ill afford the various trips and expeditions in the current climate.
- The nominationof Pat King as the next general secretary of the ASTI has been warmly welcomed across the education spectrum. King is talented, personable and vastly experienced. His appointment will be confirmed by the ASTI central executive this weekend. King's vision of a revitalised ASTI impressed the 10 members of the selection board. In all, four candidates – two internal and two external – were interviewed for the post.
With 1,000 members retiring this year, King wants a reshaped union where young teachers are active and engaged. His other priority? To scale down ASTI’s cumbersome Politburo-style decision making process. At present, the union’s 23-member standing committee is augmented by a 180-member central executive.
- The decisionto relocate Froebel College to a new facility at NUI Maynooth from 2013 is a clever move by both parties. In the current climate, the threat to a small teacher training college such as Froebel is very real, especially after the McCarthy report targeted colleges of education last year. The move is also a considerable coup for NUI Maynooth; it will be the only Irish university offering the full spectrum of teacher education on campus.
- Interesting tosee Mike Jennings' Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) back a motion to remove compulsory religious courses on teacher education programmes at its recent annual conference.
Labour’s Ruairí Quinn also wants a Freedom of Conscience provision for students and staff at State financed teacher training colleges. Isn’t it extraordinary that trainee primary teachers must take compulsory religious education modules, regardless of their own religious beliefs?
- In hiscolumn last week, Brian Mooney raises an interesting question – how come our largely Catholic education system failed to deliver better values in our business world?
It’s a very pertinent question especially for those religious congregations who educate the rich in fee paying schools. Religious orders says this helps to ensure the leaders of tomorrow have a strong moral and ethical base. But where’s the evidence that Ireland’s top business people – most of them privately educated – have these values in abundance.
- UCD deservescredit for tackling an increasing and worrying trend where venerable academics won't dirty their hands by teaching humble first year undergraduates. Under the new strategic plan, all professors will be obliged to teach first year students. Other colleges please copy!
teacherspet@irishtimes.com
