What are teachers for?
Michelle McBride writes about healthy eating in schools in her article called “It is not teachers who sneak chocolate in kids’ lunchboxes.” in the Independent on the 21st October 2015. I agree with her that not every new social concern can be foisted on to the teacher’s desk but there are some issues within her […]
Killing Primary Education
Back in October, The Irish Times ran a feature outlining the most influential people involved in education in Ireland. Eight months later towards the end of the school year, I thought I’d have a look at the man at the top of the list, Ruairi Quinn. The list itself was rather interesting in that it […]
Something to think about Ruairi Quinn (Part 1)
After attending the BETT conference in the UK, I experienced Michael Gove for the first time. For those of you who don’t know who he is, this is the education secretary in the UK who seems intent in driving everyone out of the teaching profession. Last week he announced that headteachers could now fire teachers […]
Have we witnessed the death knell for primary education in Ireland?
The long awaited plan for Literacy and Numeracy was published by the Department of Education this week. It was in reaction to Ireland’s slide in the latest PISA report, which saw Ireland drop down their league tables in both literacy and numeracy. The newest Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn, promised reform in our education system, […]
Thoughts on Ruairí Quinn's Plan for Literacy and Numeracy
Ruairí Quinn has figured out how we can improve literacy and numeracy standards in primary schools across the country. Since the PISA reports damned our education system in late 2010, a number of solutions were offered to our Minister. Many organisations suggested that we train up teachers and trainee-teachers in more modern teaching methodologies. Some […]
5 Must Have Pieces of Educational Software
Few people may know that my first venture into teaching started in a school in Killinarden, Tallaght. There was a huge shortage of teachers at the time and although I was unqualified, I was given my first teaching job. Of all the schools in the country to have gone to, it happened to contain a […]