­Issue­No­164
October­2016
ISSN­1393-4813­(Print)
ISSN­2009-6887­(Online)
Progress on pay
equality
Keeping InTouch
9 Interactive dialogue with members, and key news items 0
John­Boyle,­INTO­Vice­President,­Noel­Ward,
Deputy­General­Secretary/General
Treasurer,­Rosena­Jordan,­INTO­President
and­Sheila­Nunan,­General­Secretary,­at­the
Branch­and­District­Officers’­Conference­in
September
Breakthrough…
The agreement on fully restoring qualification allowance
payments to every teacher who started since February 2012 is
a significant step forward towards pay equality. It is a positive
outcome from talks over the summer between the INTO and
government departments that resolves the equality issue
between post-2012 entrants and their immediate
predecessors in 2011.
This substantial breakthrough secured under the
Lansdowne Road Agreement was acknowledged by INTO
branch and district officers from all parts of the country when
they met last month. It builds on the partial restoration
secured by the INTO under the Haddington Road Agreement
and effectively restores the allowance in full.
In the long term the agreement adds substantially to the
career earnings of post-February 2012 entrants. In the short
term, not counting incremental and other LRA increases, this
settlement alone increases the first point of the 2012 scale by
6.3% or €2,001 over the coming 16 months and earnings in
years one to five, again through this agreement alone, will rise
by almost €6,000.
InTouch­General­Editor: Sheila Nunan
Editor: Peter Mullan
Assistant­Editor: Lori Kealy
Editorial­Assistants:­Selina Campbell, Karen
Francis, Roisin O’Flaherty
Advertising:­Mary Bird Smyth
Design:­David Cooke
Photography:­Moya Nolan, Shutterstock
Correspondence­to: The Editor, InTouch,
INTO Head Office, Vere Foster House,
35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Telephone: 01 804 7700
Fax: 01 872 2462
LoCall: 1850 708 708
Email:­[email protected]
Website: www.into.ie/m.into.ie
The agreement builds on effective work done to date by the
INTO. But it is by no means the end of the road in the pursuit
of full equality. This will continue alongside the union’s pursuit of
further pay restoration for all members, improved promotional
opportunities for all teachers along with the payment of the
outstanding benchmarking award for school leaders.
In the coming weeks I urge all members to engage actively
with the INTO’s Budget 2017 campaign to improve the funding
and staffing of primary education. Relative to other levels of
education in Ireland, primary is under-staffed and underfunded. In comparison to similar EU countries primary
education also fares poorly in terms of government inputs.
Budget 2017 will show if the government’s plan for
education will be backed by the necessary staffing and
funding. INTO members in every constituency should make
public representatives aware of that.
InTouch is published by the Irish National
Teachers’ Organisation and distributed to
members and educational institutions.
InTouch is the most widely circulated
education magazine in Ireland. Articles
published in InTouch are also available on our
website www.into.ie
The views expressed in this journal are
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3
those of the individual authors and are not
necessarily endorsed by the INTO.
While every care has been taken to ensure
that the information contained in this
publication is up to date and correct, no
responsibility will be taken by the Irish
National Teachers’ Organisation for any error
which might occur.
OC TOber 2016
Except where the Irish National Teachers’
Organisation has formally negotiated
agreements as part of its services to members,
inclusion of an advertisement does not imply
any form of recommendation. While every
effort is made to ensure the reliability of
advertisers, the INTO cannot accept liability
for the quality of goods and services offered.
CONTENTS
17 Teaching Council
Pictured left are
members of the NQT
Pay Equality Project
Team: Patrick
O’Sullivan (Co Cork),
Louise Curtis (Dublin)
and Catherine Dooley
(Co Meath)
Investigating complaints against teachers
Our cover this month
features Shane Daly
(Dublin), Joanne
McAndrew (Dublin)
and Tomás O’Reilly
(Co Roscommon) who
are also members of
the NQT Project Team
Members pay tribute to deceased
colleagues
Carecall
Free and confidential service for members,
24/7, 365 days a year.
19 Retirements
Pictures from branch and district retirement
functions
21 Tributes
norThern news
23 Pay impasse continues
INTO back at the negotiating table
24 Academic selection
Controversy over sudden policy
change
24
12
Keeping inTouch
3 Editorial
Breakthrough on new entrant pay
l
l
l
7 Letters
Teachers’ pay
Budget 2017
Cancer awareness
inTo Advice
10 things you should know
9 Branch and District Officers’
Conference
Officers briefed on current issues
l
l
10 Budget 2017
27 Newly qualified teachers
l
10
l
28 Maternity leave
Two pages of answers to frequently asked
questions
Email your local TD – it takes less than a
minute
INTO submission to Public Service Pay
Commission
Agreement on new entrant allowance
INTO meets Teaching
Council
INTO concerns about workload
9
Membership renewal
Reasons to be part of the INTO
12 Progress on pay equality
14 School inspection
Leading curriculum consultation
Interested in facilitating discussion groups?
INTO would like to hear from you.
15 Meet the CEC
InTouch profiles district representatives
Want to be a staff rep?
Here’s how
16 Action plan for action
INTO gives plan the thumbs down
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30 Salary protection
Working for members
31 Your rights online
Shopping online? Useful advice from
Consumerhelp
28
October 2016
34
Finishing Touches
34 Brendan Maher talks to InTouch
61 Noticeboard
INTO member, Tipperary hurler and this
year’s All-Ireland winning captain
Upcoming events
35 Protecting pupils and teachers
from Radon
l
What should your school be doing?
37 Cumann na mBunscol
62 The Source
l
Comhar Linn Draw Winners
Crossword
63 Scoilnet Panel
Preparing for the 2o17 Cornmarket Awards
39 Chess for learning
newsdesK
Your move – the benefits of teaching chess
33 Education at a Glance
TMS announce 2017 production
Facts and figures from latest OECD report
TeAching MATTers
41 Intent on learning
Annie Asgard spent three weeks in La
Liniere Refugee Camp, Dunkirk, this
summer
46 Dyspraxia/DCD
October is Dyspraxia/DCD Awareness
month
55
47 1946 teachers’ strike
Seventy years on: the teachers’ strike of
1946
55 Land of fire and ice
48 Masquerade
Michael O’Reilly explores the
history of masks at Halloween
48
51 Bees are buzzing
47
Síne Friel on becoming a beekeeper
52 Mindfulness at school
A health and wellbeing project by the PDST
Ciara McNally gives members some handy
tips for Iceland
56 All Together Now!
A pilot project tackling homophobic and
transphobic bullying in primary schools
58 Irish resources
Tips from COGG
59 Book reviews
Rugby, Ruaille Buaille and Kerry in 1916
41
56
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Keeping­in­touch
Letters
Teachers’ pay
A Chara,
I am heartened by the success of the INTO
in securing a restoration of the
allowances for NQTs which had been
shamefully removed by a previous
Government administration.
This is one important step towards full
equalisation of pay scales for all teachers.
I note, however, that the long overdue
Benchmarking award to principals and
deputy principals has still not been
secured.
Also, due to the severe cutbacks of
recent years there has been very little
opportunity for teachers to progress in
career and financial terms due to the
suppression of posts of responsibility.
I understand that the INTO has secured
some modest gains for members as FEMPI
legislation is being slowly unwound.
However, I wonder is it too much to ask
that whatever ‘Road’ we travel on next –
following Haddington and Lansdowne –
will bring something new that many
members have never seen and the rest of
us long forgotten – a pay rise for teachers.
Aidan Gaughran
Clonmel Branch
Budget 2017
Dear Editor,
As an INTO member and school principal
Tell us what you think
currently on career break I will look
closely at next week’s budget (11 Oct) to
see whether:
There has been an increase in
capitation. All principals will agree that it
has become enormously stressful,
frustrating and embarrassing trying to
run schools with diminished funds.
I shall scream if the Budget includes only
big announcements about ‘capital
funding’ for new schools and new
extensions. What about old schools and
very old, small and damp classrooms?
Will I be able to return with pride and
dignity?
In-school management structures have
been restored. Will there be funding for a
team of dedicated teachers to progress
the new language curriculum, the antibullying strategy, health and wellbeing in
school, parental involvement, SSE (if and
when the directive is lifted!), the DEIS
strategy and the various ‘flags’ that greatly
enhance pupil learning and school life.
Shall I be able to return at all, at all?
Anne McCluskey
Dublin South West Branch
Cancer awareness
Dear Editor,
Sunny Days Melanoma Cancer Awareness
launched a school sun hat campaign last
year. Initial reports are that students are
This letters page is designed for members to have their
say about something you have read in InTouch or want
to communicate with other INTO members.
€50 voucher draw each month for letter writers.
Winner September: Ann Marie Kenrick, Monkstown
Educate Together NS.
very open to wearing sun hats in school.
Most of us teachers have grown up
unaware of the dangers of the sun and
healthy safety habits. As a qualified
primary school teacher, now retired on
medical grounds and a patient living with
advanced melanoma, my message to
fellow teachers is to please consider
pupils’ safety in the school yard, especially
during the summer months next year.
Now is the time to raise awareness of
sun safety because inevitably, come
April/May 2017, most schools will be too
busy to implement new and last-minute
ideas. Sunny Days website
www.sunnydaysmelanomacancerawaren
ess.ie shows what has already been done
by some primary schools. Contact Sunny
Days on [email protected]
Action now could help
lower the incidence of
Read Anne’s article
melanoma which is
increasing rapidly in
in the June 2016 issue of
Ireland. The best
InTouch at www.into.ie/
treatment is
ROI/Publications/InTouch/
prevention such as
2016/June2016/
wearing protective
hats and making
children aware of the
dangers of the sun.
Best wishes to all for the school year.
Anne O’Leary
Retired INTO member
Email: [email protected] or write to: The Editor, InTouch,
INTO, Vere Foster House, 35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.
Mark all such communications ‘InTouch letters’ and
give a contact telephone number and your INTO
membership number for verification. Long letters may
be edited.
things you should know
1
2
3
4
Significant progress on
pay equality. Pages 12/13
Email TDs in advance
of Budget 2017. Page 10
Carecall – there for INTO
members. Page 17
Radon – should you be
worried? Page 35
Everything you need to
know about maternity
leave. Pages 28/29
5
8
6
7
9
10
Dyspraxia – an overview
for teachers. Page 46
Pay equality rally – more
to do. 27 October 2016,
Molesworth St at 4.30 p.m.
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7
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Support from INTO for
staff representatives.
Page 15
Salary protection for
INTO members. Page 30
OECD. Education at a
Glance – how does
Ireland compare? Page 33
INTO News
5 e Irish National Teachers’ Organisation … who’s who, what’s new, and what’s happening 6
Branch and District Officers’ Conference
Detailed briefing given on current issues
Delegates­at­the­recent­conference
Last month, the INTO president Rosena
Jordan welcomed officers from INTO
districts in the Republic to the INTO
Branch and District Officers’ Conference.
The General Secretary, Sheila Nunan,
provided officers with details of the
settlement reached with government on
restoring qualification allowances to
teachers who started since February 2012.
The settlement’s value was
acknowledged by the INTO branch and
district officers present. Pay issues for
other members were also raised.
This progress for 2012 entrants was set
firmly in the overall work of the INTO
towards pay restoration for all teachers,
full pay equality for all recent entrants and
the realisation of the outstanding
Benchmarking award to primary
principals and deputy principals. These
she placed in the context of the new
Public Service Pay Commission and a
successor agreement to LRA.
A detailed briefing on the INTO’s
Budget 2017 campaign was given by Noel
Ward, Deputy General Secretary. He
outlined regional meetings with INTO
members at local level that had taken
place, planned lobbying of TDs in each
constituency, the national lobby of
parliamentarians by the INTO and the
email campaign for members to contact
their TDs.
A comprehensive briefing on the
‘Fitness to Teach’ provisions of the
Teaching Council Act was provided by
Deirdre O’Connor, Assistant General
Sheila­Nunan,­Noel­Ward­and­Deirdre­O’Connor­briefing­delegates­at­conference
Secretary. She brought officers up to date
on the commencement, in July, of Part 5
of the Teaching Council Act by the
Minister for Education and Skills which
relates to the Council’s role in
investigating complaints against teachers.
The Teaching Council will not be able to
consider complaints about events which
took place before the commencement of
Part 5. Exceptions to this include a criminal
conviction, or conduct that would have
constituted a criminal offence at the time
it occurred and is of such a nature as to
reasonably give rise to a real risk of harm
to a child or vulnerable person.
She outlined how, in preparation for
individual representation of members, the
INTO had liaised with other unions, held
discussions with legal representatives and
was in a process of upskilling of officials
and staff and monitoring the workload
and resources required.
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I­dteagmháil
Budget 2017 email campaign
In advance of Budget 2017 on 11 October,
INTO members can email their own TDs
using a link on the INTO website to
make the case for primary education. e
CEC is urging all members to use this
facility to let TDs know what are the key
issues for primary teachers.
It takes less than a minute to complete.
Select your constituency and the TDs
you wish to email, fill in your details
(needed to confirm to TDs that you are a
registered voter) and send the email.
A prepared email is then sent to the
TDs you selected.
e email asks TDs to ensure
provision in Budget 2017 to:
l reduce class size towards the EU
average;
l restore lost promoted posts, increase
release time for teaching principals and
fund the overdue pay parity award for
primary principals;
l increase funding for ongoing teacher
development; and
l fully fund school running costs.
On equal pay for new entrant teachers
the email acknowledges that last month’s
settlement addresses a big part of pay
inequality but stresses that a further step
to full equal pay for teachers is required.
Visit www.
into.ie/ROI/
Budget2017/
to lobby your
local TDs
Some budgetary costings…
l REDuCE CLASS SIzE: A reduction
of one at all points of the staffing
schedule is estimated to cost
€18million in a full year.
l RESTORE LOST POSTS/ SuPPORT
PRINCIPALS: Each assistant
principal post lost was valued at
€8,520 and each special duties
€1million. Cost of parity award
(via Public Service Pay
Commission) is estimated at
€8million.
l INCREASE TEACHER CPD
FuNDINg: Currently, €46million
is spent on CPD activities.
Increase to support more CPD
post at €3,769. At least 800 and
3,000 of these posts,
respectively, have been lost. Cost
of recovering even 20% in 2017
would total €3.7million. Cost of
adding two further day’s release
time per teaching principal is a
substitution cost of under
based on teacher needs
estimated at €5million.
l FuND SCHOOL RuNNINg COSTS:
To restore primary school
capitation grants from €170 now
to their previous level of €200 as
a first step would cost an
estimated €15million.
INTO to make submission to Public Service Pay Commission
In July, the Minister for Public Expenditure
and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD
announced his intention to establish a
Public Service Pay Commission to examine
pay levels across the public service.
A public consultation was carried out
about the role and methodology of the
Commission. The Public Services
Committee of Congress made a
submission to the Minister regarding the
composition and methodology of the
proposed Commission. The submission
included the following points;
l the need to have a qualified and
independent chair with a deep
knowledge of public sector pay
determination and related issues;
l that the Commission have a balanced
membership;
l the importance of using a ‘fair
comparison’ approach to pay of public
servants by appropriate reference to
workers in the private sector and not
just crude averages;
l the need to take into account cost of living
in any international pay comparisons;
l the recognition of the huge changes to
pensions since 2004;
l the implications of lower entry levels of
pay in the Public Service;
l the need to facilitate the orderly repeal
of FEMPI legislation.
It is expected that the Commission will be
established after the Budget with a view to
reporting to Government in late spring
next year.
The INTO will make a full submission to
the Public Service Pay Commission on
behalf of members.
INTO­secures­commitment­from­Teaching­Council­to­pursue­a­resolution­of­concerns
Following the issuing of the INTO Directive on
Droichead, the INTO sought a meeting with the
Teaching Council to set out the concerns of
members about the Droichead process. This
meeting was held last month.
The issues raised by the INTO included the need
for greater resourcing and support for the
induction process, the additional workload on
schools and the need for visibility and support for
external aspects of Droichead.
The INTO called for an extension of the
timeframes set out by the Teaching Council and
the need to re-examine the processes around the
completion of induction. The INTO also reiterated
its concerns about the SEN aspects of the Council’s
policy in this area.
The Teaching Council indicated that there was
an on-going internal review of the Droichead
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10
OC TOber 2016
process due to be completed by the end of the
calendar year. In that context, there was a
commitment to further engagement with INTO
towards a resolution.
It was agreed that further meetings will take
place between the INTO and the Teaching Council.
The INTO also called for an engagement
between the INTO, the Teaching Council and the
DES to progress the matter.
Nuacht­CMÉ
Agreement (September 2016)
There will be revised pay scales for all
post 1 February 2012 entrants. The
equivalent of an honours primary degree
allowance (€4,918) will be incorporated
into a new scale for these teachers. This
will equalise the pay scale of post 1
February 2012 entrants with the pay
scales of 2011 entrants.
Increases for post February 2012
entrants will vary, depending on scale
point, and average around €1,200 in early
career and almost €3,000 per point across
the pay scale. This change will increase
the projected career earnings for a postFebruary 2012 entrant by over €130,000
compared to the current position.
The new scale will also be paid to 2011
entrants. The structure of their pay will
change but the level of payment will
remain the same except for those who
had a pass degree allowance who will
now benefit from incorporation of the
honours allowance into the scale.
by two unions made a
breakthrough with
government on agreement in
principle to the restoration of
their rent allowance which,
like the qualification
allowance, had been paid to
everybody in the service
before 2012 (ie it was a
universal allowance). Two
conditions were placed on
the firefighter arrangement;
that the unions were within
the LRA and that reform
measures would be part of
any settlement.
INTO used the firefighter
precedent to make progress
in a series of meetings over
summer 2016.
Ad 5
TIMEFRAME FOR IMPLEMENTATION
Teachers who entered since 1 February
2012 will move to the revised scale in two
equal payment phases. Fifty per cent will
be restored on 1 January 2017 and fifty
per cent on 1 January 2018.
BENEFIT FOR 2012 + ENTRANTS AND FuTuRE
TEACHERS
This change benefits approximately 3,500
primary teachers who entered teaching
effeCT ON salary Of TeaCHer
wHO sTarTed TeaCHINg IN
September 2012
September 2013
December 2014
December 2015
September 2016
January 2017
March 2017
September 2017
January 2018
NOT THE END OF THE ROAD FOR PAy
EQuALITy
Although this is a significant
step towards pay equality
Peter­O’Toole­(Co­Kildare),­Alison­Hayes­(Dublin)­ and concludes one specific
and­Michael­McConigley­(Co­Kildare)­are­members­of­the­ issue, it is clearly not the end
INTO­Project­Team­on­Pay­Equality of the road for pay equality.
For the first time, entrants
since 2012 will have the
qualification allowance restored and will
from 1 February 2012. This will also benefit
merge onto the salary scale of other
all future new entrants.
teachers and will reach the same
maximum point of salary scale.
BACKgROuND TO THE SETTLEMENT
So while acknowledging this is
Earlier this year, firefighters represented
2012
effeCT ON salary Of TeaCHer
wHO sTarTed TeaCHINg IN
Point 1
€30,702 (+S&S €1,592)
= €32,294
Point 2
€33,168
Point 3
€33,950
Point 4
€36,576
HRA/LRA (+€796 S&S)
€37,372
LRA (post-Feb. 2012 entrants phase 1) €37,529
Point 5
€38,673
LRA (+€1,796: €796 S&S and €1,000
on scale)
€40,469
LRA (post-Feb.2012 entrants phase 2) €40,551
September 2013
September 2014
December 2015
September 2016
December 2016
January 2017
September 2017
December 2017
January 2018
2013
Point 1
€30,702
Point 2
€33,168
Point 3
€33,950
HRA/LRA (+€796 S&S)
€34,746
Point 4
€37,372
LRA (post-Feb. 2012 entrants phase 1) €37,529
LRA (+€1,796: €796 S&S and €1,000 on scale)€39,325
Point 5
€40,469
LRA (post-Feb.2012 entrants phase 2) €40,551
Difference September 2016 – January 2018 = €5,805 (16.7%)
Difference September 2016 – January 2018 = €3,179 (8.5%)
Figures in all cases (in order to show actual earnings at each date) include the LRA payment totalling €1,796 due on 1 September 2017 and take account
of increments (and incremental pauses for 2012, 2013 and 2014 entrants) as they become due.
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12
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INTO­news
) on new entrant allowance
effeCT ON salary Of TeaCHer
wHO sTarTed TeaCHINg IN
September 2014
September 2015
September 2016
December 2016
January 2017
September 2017
December 2017
January 2018
2014
effeCT ON salary Of TeaCHer
wHO sTarTed TeaCHINg IN
Point 1
€30,702
Point 2
€33,168
HRA/LRA (+€796 S&S)
€33,964
Point 3
€34,746
(post-Feb. 2012 entrants phase 1)
€35,837
LRA (+€1,796: €796 S&S and €1,000 on scale)€37,633
Point 4
€39,325
LRA (post-Feb.2012 entrants phase 2) €39,482
September 2015
September 2016
January 2017
September 2017
€37,633
January 2018
2015
Point 1
€30,702
Point 2 +HRA/LRA (+€796 S&S)
€33,964
LRA (post-Feb. 2012 entrants phase 1) €34,614
Point 3 +LRA (€1,796; €796 S&S and €1,000 on scale)
LRA (post-Feb.2012 entrants phase 2) €38,723
Difference September 2016 – January 2018 = €4,759 (14%)
Difference September 2016 – January 2018 = €5,518 (16.3%)
significant progress achieved by the INTO
there are remaining new entrant pay
issues to be resolved. The INTO will
continue to work to achieve full pay
equalisation between pre-2011 and post2011 entrants.
FuTuRE PROgRESS ON PAy FOR ALL MEMBERS
Agreed LRA restorations on supervision
and substitution, on earnings over
€65,000 and the €1,000 increase for all
teachers are being implemented
between now and 1 January 2018.
The Government has established a
Public Service Pay Commission. INTO will
use this opportunity to raise outstanding
pay issues including full equalisation and
the outstanding Benchmarking award to
Principals and Deputy Principals.
The pay talks anticipated in 2017 will
provide the main opportunity to
negotiate pay progression for all INTO
members.
REFORM MEASuRES
A review will take place regarding posts
of responsibility in the context of the
restoration of posts. This will include
effeCT ON salary Of TeaCHer
wHO sTarTed TeaCHINg
September 2016
January 2017
September 2017
€36,410
January 2018
revised wording around a school
leadership team, accountability of post
holders, flexibility, appeals processes and
the phased introduction of open
recruitment to the position of deputy
principal, initially in larger schools.
Selection criteria for posts of
responsibility are to be revised with a
view to phasing out length of service as a
standalone criterion
while still reflecting the
value of experience
within the marking
system.
In the context of post
restoration, there is a
commitment to cooperate with school self
evaluation which will
have an implication for
a directive issued by the
CEC earlier this year
with a view to seeking
restoration of posts.
There is to be a timebound process to
resolve the current
issues regarding the
2016
Point 1
€31,805
LRA (post-Feb. 2012 entrants phase 1) €32,806
Point 2 + LRA (+€1,796: €796 S&S and €1,000 on scale)
LRA (post-Feb.2012 entrants phase 2) €37,059
Difference September 2016 – January 2018 =€5,254 (16.5%)
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13
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teacher induction process (Droichead)
which is currently the subject of an INTO
directive. Since the directive was put in
place, INTO has met with the Teaching
Council which has set up a process to
review Droichead; this review will be
concluded by year end.
Join­the­rally­on­Thursday,­27­October­at­4.30­pm
Nuacht­CMÉ
School inspection workload
Last year and this year the INTO met with
the DES on proposed changes to school
inspection and to school self-evaluation.
The union’s contribution to this process
was informed by research showing
significantly increased workload stress in
primary teaching. This research identifies
a number of stressors including demands
by DES inspectors, increased paperwork
requirements and the continued
moratorium on promotion in primary
schools.
The INTO argued that evaluation
procedures must be seen to be fair and
reasonable, be carried out in an objective
manner and have the confidence of those
being evaluated. Evaluation practices and
policies must take account of the wider
environment in which schools operate
including resourcing, government
policies and local circumstances. In
particular, evaluation policy and
procedures must take account of overall
workload of teachers and demands made
on teachers in schools from a variety of
sources. Evaluation policies cannot be
constructed and transacted in a vacuum.
School self evaluation
The INTO expressed serious concern about
the workload implications of plans to
escalate requirements on schools and
teachers in the absence of promoted posts
and without consideration of other demands
being made of schools at this time.
The CEC subsequently directed members
not to participate in SSE which remains in
place notwithstanding the publication of
Circular 39/2016.
School inspection
While accepting that inspection policies
and methods need to be reviewed
periodically, the INTO argued that a key
component of confidence in a system of
inspection is ensuring that practices and
policies are consistent and understood.
This becomes increasingly difficult when
there is regular change such as has been
the case in the last decade.
The INTO’s view was that the variety of
existing inspection models was confusing
and unnecessary and that the types of
inspection should be reduced rather than
increased.
It has been DES policy in recent years to
align aspects of school evaluation across
primary and post-primary. The INTO argued
that significant differences exist between
schools at primary and post primary
including size, organisation, staffing, the
roles of the principal and deputy principal
teacher and requirements for written
preparation. All of these need to be taken
into account when designing models of
school evaluation.
term and short term (fortnightly) plans
across all subjects as well as completing a
cuntas míosúil. Therefore, the process of
aligning evaluation across both levels is
unfair and unreasonable. As a consequence
the INTO stated that the notification
period of five weeks should be retained
for notified evaluations at primary level.
The INTO also argued that open-ended
demands for documentation increase
paperwork in schools and allow
individual inspectors to make different
demands for paperwork on schools which
is undermining teachers’ confidence in
the process of inspection.
ne w noTice TiMeFr AMes
Incidental Evaluations
No advance notice given
Curriculum Evaluation
Five working days by email
Evaluation of Provision for Pupils with SEN
Ten days by email
DEIS Evaluation of Action Planning
Ten days written notice
WSE - Management, Leadership and Learning
Ten days written notice
Whole-School Evaluation
Ten days written notice
The vast majority of primary schools are
led by a principal teacher with full-time
teaching duties. The INTO’s expressed
view was and remains that it is
unreasonable in the extreme to shorten
notification periods and expect a principal
teacher to complete a comprehensive
Information Form, prepare specified
policies for presentation and evaluation,
prepare school self-evaluation reports
and school improvement plans for
evaluation, prepare assessment records
for inspection, provide details of teachers’
timetables and relevant monthly progress
records, distribute and collect parent
questionnaires while, at the same time,
teaching a class full time, dealing with the
typical exacting task of the day to day
running of the school and ensuring that
their own classroom preparation and
practice is prepared for evaluation.
Significant differences exist between
primary and post primary in terms of
teachers’ written preparation. Primary
teachers are required to compile long
It is unacceptable to the INTO that
inspection policy actively contributes to:
l increasing workload stress in primary
teaching and
l increased paperwork requirements
that detract from teaching and
learning.
The NTO reiterates its view that in order
to be fair, evaluations must examine and
report on the context in which schools
operate. It is unacceptable that inspection
policy and inspectors continue to ignore:
the impact of the moratorium on:
l in-school management posts on
schools;
l inadequate funding and unsafe
accommodation in some schools; and
l insufficient resources to support the
implementation of the primary school
curriculum.
Failure to acknowledge, fairly evaluate
and accurately report on issues such as
these in schools erodes trust and
confidence in the school inspection
policy and processes.
LeaDing curricuLum conSuLtation
It­is­vital­that­the­INTO­be­central­to­any
discussions­on­proposed­changes­to­the
curriculum.­Over­the­next­few­years
work­will­commence­on­revising­the
maths­curriculum,­developing­a
Members­interested­in­facilitating
consultation­sessions­with­other­INTO
members­on­curriculum­developments
can­contact­Claire­Garvey­in­INTO­Head
Office­[email protected].­
curriculum­for­ERB­and­ethics,­and
continuing­the­language­curriculum
from­third­to­sixth­class.­In­addition,­the
structure­of­the­curriculum­and­time
allocation­will­be­considered.­
INTOUCH
14
OC TOber 2016
It­is­proposed­to­bring­together­a
number­of­interested­teachers­to­receive
training­in­leading­and­facilitating
consultation­groups­so­that­the­teachers’
voices­are­reflected­in­discussions.
INTO news
Meet the CEC
Continuing our series of introductions to district representatives, this month we feature
two more CEC members. All district representatives on the CEC are serving primary
teachers. Members wishing to contact their district representatives by phone should not
do so during school time except in the most urgent of cases. Contact details for all CEC
representatives are in the INTO members’ diary.
Mary Magner – District 16 Pat Crowe – District 14
Pat Crowe represents
District 14 on the INTO
Executive. e district
covers part of Dublin’s
northside and north
Kildare, comprising the
branches of Dublin North
City, Dublin Tolka,
Dublin North Bay, West
Liffey and Dublin Tolka.
Mary Magner represents
District 16 (Cork City and
North Cork, stretching
from Youghal to
Millstreet).
Mary, a native of
Castletownroche and
living in nearby
Killavullen, graduated
from St Patrick’s College,
Drumcondra, in 1982. She
began her teaching
career in inner city Dublin
teaching in St Gabriel’s
School in Aughrim Street.
Mary’s first
introduction to the INTO
was as a member of
Dublin City North Branch where she became an active supporter,
participating in a three day strike action in the early 80s for
teachers’ rights to employment and decent salaries.
Returning to Co Cork, she taught in many urban and rural
schools before securing a position in St Patrick’s BNS, Mallow, in
1995.
Mary pursued a M.Ed. in ICT in Education in MIC and further
studied a post-graduate diploma in SEN in UCC She became both
an acting teaching principal and an administrative principal in St
Patrick’s BNS and is currently administrative principal in Scoil
Chroí Íosa, Blarney. Mary has served as leas-cathaoirleach and
cathaoirleach of Mallow Branch and as district secretary of
District 16.
She was elected to the CEC in 2011 and represents the INTO on
the NCCA Early Childhood Board and Primary. A strong advocate
of young teachers, she is a member of the Project Team on Pay
Equality.
Pat teaches in the North
Kildare Educate Together
School in Celbridge in Co
Kildare. A native of
Dublin, he graduated
from Carysfort College in
1986 where he had been
president of the students’ union and began his teaching career
in St Joseph’s BNS in Clondalkin. He taught in France for two
years and in 1996 moved to Celbridge.
He first got involved in the INTO in the Dublin West Branch as
a branch committee member, campaigning for panel rights for
non-permanent teachers.
After joining the West Liffey Branch in the mid-1990s he took
up a number of positions including branch organiser and
cathaoirleach and district cathaoirleach and secretary. He has
been a regular delegate to Annual Congress where he proposed
motions on issues such as unqualified personnel in the classroom
and the Work Placement Programme which preceded JobBridge.
He was elected to the CEC to represent the members of
District 14 in 2012.
Are you considering becoming an INTO staff rep?
Many staffs at this time of year decide
on who will be their INTO staff
representative for the next school year.
In some cases there may be an election
among interested staff members. Staff
reps can put themselves forward to
continue on in the role.
As a staff rep, you have three key
responsibilities:
1. Recruiting members.
2. Informing members.
3. Supporting members.
If you would like to know more about
INTOUCH
15
OC TOBER 2016
this role the INTO has a free online
module on e Role of the Staff Rep
that you can access to check out the
role, responsibilities and supports.
If you would like to log onto the
module please email [email protected] and
we will forward you the details.
Nuacht­CMÉ
ThuMBS DOwN fOR
ACTION PlAN ON EDuCATION
The INTO has strongly criticised the
government’s Action Plan for Education
launched last month. Sheila Nunan,
General Secretary, said it lacked a timeline
for resources, labelling it short on the
detail of how objectives will be met.
Ms Nunan described the plan as littered
with phrases such as “when resources
permit” or “when resources allow”.
“Schools cannot plan on the basis that
resources might or might not be
available,” she said. “Teachers want to see
what resources will be available to
support each element in the plan.”
The plan sets out what it calls hundreds
of actions and sub-actions to be
implemented across 2016-2019 with
particular focus on disadvantage, skills,
and continuous improvement within the
education service. It also provides for
quarterly progress reports and an
updated plan to be published at the start
of each year.
Facilitation
skills
The INTO is currently
looking for members who
would be interested in
attending training to
develop facilitation
skills. The aim is to build
a national panel of
trained facilitators who
would then be available
to work with groups of
teachers in relation to
ongoing consultations.
It is envisaged that the
next round of
consultations and focus
group research will take
place over this coming
academic year.
If you are interested in
putting your name
forward, please email
Claire Garvey
[email protected]
Among the actions
proposed in the plan are:
l a new DEIS plan
published by end-2016;
l rolling out coding to
primary schools from
2018;
l the implementation of
wellbeing guidelines
to all primary schools;
l developing a Parents’
and Learners’ Charter;
l measures to tackle the
costs of schools for parents;
l extra funding for book rental schemes
as resources permit;
l mentoring for new principals/ coaching
for existing principals;
l a school excellence fund to support
innovation;
l a new Inclusion Support Service to
support children with special
educational needs;
l 300 extensions and 14 new
schools by 2021; and to
l publish and implement an
education strategy for the
Gaeltacht.
Ms Nunan said INTO
members as professionals
working in schools every day
were ambitious for primary
education. “However,” she
said “the days of fobbing off
teachers with un-costed
plans for the education
system are gone.”
“On the one hand the DES demands
that teachers provide inspectors with
minute detail in their planning
documentation of the resources used to
deliver educational objectives in a
classroom. On the other hand the DES
itself goes and produces a major planning
document with hundreds of objectives
without a single resource commitment.”
INTO meets with National Disability Authority
Minister of State for Disabilities, Finian McGrath
TD is pictured during a recent meeting with the
National Disability Authority. Also pictured are
Authority members Helen Guinan, who is the
chairperson of the Authority, and Deirdre
O’Connor INTO Assistant General Secretary.
Helen retired from her post as principal in St
Paul’s School in Cork and she has been closely
INTOUCH
16
OC TOber 2016
involved over many years in policy development
and implementation at national level with a
number of organisations, including the National
Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the
National Council for Special Education and the
National Federation of Voluntary Bodies.
Deirdre was the chair of the ICTU Disability
Committee from 2007 to 2014.
INTO news
1800 411 057
Teaching Council members
prepare for complaints against
teachers
Autumn savings from
Membership Plus
The Investigating Committee of the Teaching Council decides if an inquiry
into the fitness to teach of a registered teacher is warranted. The
Investigating Committee comprises 11 Teaching Council members including
six teacher members, three of whom are elected primary teacher members –
Karen Devine, Catherine Doolan and Seán McMahon who chairs the
committee.
The committee has received training in relation to the committee’s terms
of reference and code of practice, the code of professional conduct for
teachers, the case management system, fair procedures, grounds for
complaints and reasoned decision-making. Members of the committee also
travelled to Wales to examine the Fitness to Teach provisions in operation
there.
All deliberations of the Investigating Committee take place in private and
are not subject to appeal.
The committee has considered a number of complaints submitted to the
Council since 25 July, but relating to events prior to 25 July. Future meetings
will consider complaints made to the Council since 25 July 2016 relating to
events which occurred after that date.
Such complaints will first be filtered by the director of the Council who
may refuse them if they are not properly made or are deemed to be
frivolous, vexatious, made in bad faith or an abuse of process.
Complaints not refused by the director will be considered by the
Investigating Committee who must decide whether there is a prima facie
case to be referred to the Disciplinary Committee for a hearing.
If the Investigating Committee decides there is no prima facie case, the
complaint is at an end.
INTOUCH
17
OC TOBER 2016
Membership Plus is the benefits programme
for members of the INTO entitling you to up
to 50% discount at over 1,500 restaurants,
shops, gyms, golf clubs, days out venues and
much more!
See how much you can save this autumn
from just a small selection of the offers
available to cardholders.
Venue
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Carraig Donn
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New outfit for the
autumn
€19.60
Prices/venues correct at time of press. Member
Saving:
€125.92
Visit www.membershipplus.ie/teachers
INTO­news
Retirements
curry Branch
Back­row­L­to­R:­Bernadette­Ryan,­Chairperson,­District­4;­David
McVeigh,­Branch­Chairperson;­Nanette­McDonagh,­Branch­Secretary.­­
Front­row,­L­to­R:­Sr­Mary­Richardson;­Jim­Higgins,­INTO­President
2010/11­and­Frank­McGee.
Pictures from branch and district
functions to honour retiring members
District 15
A­function­was­held­in­May­to­honour­retiring­members­in­District­14.
District 9
n­June.
Rosena­Jordan,­INTO­President­is­pictured­with­retirees­from­District­9­pictured­at­a­function­i
raphoe
convoy
Branch
L­to­R:­Kathleen­Coyle,
Donal­Coyle­(Retiree)
and­­John­Boyle,­INTO
Vice­President­.
INTOUCH
19
May 2016
District 13
Tim­O’Sullivan,­District­Secretary,­makes­a
presentation­to­Ger­Doyle.­Ger­represented­the
district­on­the­Accounts­Committee­for­27­years
until­his­recent­retirement.
Tributes
Tributes
darragH laNIgaN
Darragh Lanigan first joined our staff in
Scoil Ide in September 2009.
His unassuming and laid back nature
was quickly evident and he
was soon very popular
with children, staff and
parents.
Darragh taught first and
second classes in the school
and later became a learning
support teacher with special
responsibility for third class.
He was incredibly kind and
patient with all the children
in his care.
His flexibility as a teacher
was unrivalled, his enthusiasm for the
job was infectious and his attitude to his
work was first class. Darragh never made
a fuss; he would do
anything for anyone.
Darragh was heavily
involved in the extracurricular life of the
school. He loved sport
and contributed hugely
to the success of rugby
and football in the
school.
Darragh was an
exceptional friend – loyal,
sincere, generous of his
time, kind hearted, sincere and
obliging.
Darragh battled illness with the same
strong will, positivity and determination
with which he approached everything in
life.
While Darragh’s passing is a great loss
to his friends, colleagues and the whole
school community, it is within his family
that this loss is greatest. To his wife
Louise, his parents and family we extend
our heartfelt and deepest sympathy.
Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann.
soul with gratitude for all the good in
her life. She gave totally of herself to
others, always supporting people their
hour of need. She
exuded love and
warmth. She cooked,
baked, arranged flowers.
She walked, sang and
danced. Her radiant
smile lit up all around
her. Nothing was ever
too much for Fiona.
Regardless of how she
may have been feeling
physically, she
embraced every
occasion with joy and boundless energy.
She made everyone around her feel
special.
But Fiona was the truly
special one. She was taken
much too young but, through
her life, inspired so many. She
touched many lives. Her
beautiful spirit lives on and
will guide and console all those
who are broken-hearted
mourning her loss.
Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a
hanam dílís.
Not only did we wonder that ‘one small
head could carry all she knew’, but that
she could consistently generate such a
phenomenal strength and determination,
entirely focused on
improving learning
outcomes for children.
She brought a sense of
enthusiasm and fun to
every class and imbued
her adult relationships
with a mischievous
humour and an unerring
frankness. No slave to
convention, Ger was
always true to herself first
and foremost.
Ger’s sense of fashion added colour and
style to our working environment. She
was expressive, expansive and had a
unique charm, humour and warmth to her
personality that she succeeded in
retaining despite the challenges of illness.
Ger was a much loved teacher, friend
and colleague and our school community
continues to feel the loss of her warmth,
courage and spirit.
Ger died peacefully in April 2016.
Our sincere sympathy goes to her
beloved husband Colm, her family and
friends.
May she rest in peace.
From his friends and colleagues in Scoil Íde,
Corbally, Limerick
fIONa lee (Neé gardINer)
In August 2016, this world lost a truly
inspirational woman. Fiona Lee (neé
Gardiner) was a devoted wife and
mother to Connell, Bláthnaid, Darragh,
Oisín and Fergus. She was a beloved
sister to Freda, Adrian and Fergus. A
treasured friend to many, a very special
colleague to the staff of Ransboro NS,
Sligo, and a dedicated, talented and
inspiring teacher to all who have been
fortunate enough to have been taught by
Fiona.
Fiona fought a battle against illness for
many years, but certainly did not allow
her illness to define her life in any way.
She lived each day to the full, filling her
Siobhán Clarke, Ransboro NS, Sligo
geraldINe MUrpHy
Ger Murphy joined our staff in Scoil
Mhuire Banríon, Mayfield, Cork, in 1999
and brought with her a sharp intellect, an
enthusiasm and commitment to her work
which she sustained all her
working life.
Our school community was
fortunate to have Ger as a
colleague, friend and teacher
for over 16 years.
Her intellectual and
academic strengths and
experience ensured that Ger
was the go-to-person for up
to the minute information on
every aspect of learning
support in the school.
INTOUCH
21
OC TOber 2016
Staff of Scoil Mhuire Banrion, Mayfield, Cork
Northern News
7 News from the world of education and trade unionism in Northern Ireland8
2015/16 pay impasse continues
The Department of Education, following
pressure from the INTO, has announced
its intention to process incremental pay
increases for all eligible teachers. The
decision will affect around 10% of
Northern Ireland’s teaching workforce in
controlled, maintained, grant-maintained,
voluntary grammar and the integrated
sector schools from September 2016. This
announcement is important given that
last year’s stalled pay negotiations
balanced on this very issue.
The INTO raised its concerns early in
the 2015/16 pay negotiations following
the announcement that affected public
bodies must put forward proposals to
end automatic time-served progression
before submitting 2015/16 pay remit
documentation. Ending automatic timeserved progression would mean that
teachers not already at the top of their
scale would not receive their yearly pay
increases and future advancement along
the main scale would depend on teachers
completing a performance review and
staff development type scheme.
The decision to automatically grant
incremental pay this September mirrors
the Department’s action of this time last
year when, as part of the pay round of
2015/16, it authorised the payment of
incremental pay to all qualifying teachers.
During the pay negotiations that
followed, management presented this
payment of incremental credit as
constituting 1.13% of the 2015/16 pay
claim and offered a further 1.37% to bring
the total management pay offer, as they
saw it, up to 2.5%.
The INTO firmly rejected this 2.5% offer.
In presenting their reasons for rejections
the INTO argued that, while the 2014/15
pay settlement was based on the premise
that INTO would negotiate an alternative
to automatic time-served pay progression,
the INTO, through their participation, had
fulfilled their obligation to negotiate pay
progression, regardless of the outcome.
Rejecting management’s offer, the
INTO suggested a revision to the 2015/16
pay claim. This was adopted and
presented by Northern Ireland Teachers’
Council to management as:
l 3% uplift to all pay scales.
l Removal of M1 which meant that
newly qualified teachers would begin
on M2.
l Extending ISR ranges for principals/
vice principals by two points.
This claim was dismissed by management
who restated their original proposal.
Making it clear that this offer was based
on the agreed removal of automatic timeserved progression.
The INTO could not agree to the removal
of automatic pay progression for a 0.37%
pay rise, the effective figure considering
that 1% was the basic cost of living award
imposed on all public servants.
Despite many meetings throughout the
academic year, between management
and teachers, an impasse was reached.
Management appeared to understand
the importance associated with the
removal of an aspect of teachers’ pay
INTO­finds­itself
back­at­the
negotiating­table
with­last­year’s
pay­claim­still
unresolved
INTOUCH
23
OC TOber 2016
which the INTO viewed as a contractual,
therefore legal, entitlement.
In an effort to overcome the impasse,
both sides agreed to attend a meeting in
early June 2016. Following negotiation
between all representative unions, a
revised NITC pay claim was submitted to
management. In return for a 3% cost of
living increase to all grades, backdated to
September 2015, along with a genuine
commitment from management to strive
for full restoration of teachers’ pay during
the lifetime of the new assembly, NITC
would engage positively in work to
establish a new method, after September
2016, for incremental progression on the
main scale.
This NITC proposal was declined by
management and, as a result, the INTO
finds itself back at the negotiating table
with last year’s pay claim still unresolved.
While INTO members are acutely aware
that, in net terms, their take-home salary
has decreased since 2010, the one
positive from this new starting point for
the upcoming negotiations is that the
automatic incremental element of pay
progression will
already have
been paid.
Nuacht­CMÉ
Academic selection - Minister
controversy over sudden policy change
The Education Minister has announced
Departmental support for academic
selection. Peter Weir MLA added it is “in
the best interest of pupils to be
supported by their primary schools
through the process of transfer.”
“Schools,” he said, “are now afforded the
freedom to facilitate test arrangements by
supplying support materials, preparation
during core teaching hours, coaching in
exam technique and providing
familiarisation with the testing
environment.”
The announcement has re-ignited the
controversial issue of school selection.
The infamous 11–plus exam was used to
determine school selection until it was
abolished in 2002 although ‘unofficial
tests’ have been used by some second
level schools.
Renewed momentum to abolish
academic selection, in place since 1947,
began in September 2000, when the
Department of Education published the
findings of a survey on its effects. The
findings showed that preparation for
transfer tests narrowed the primary
curriculum and, as a consequence, pupils
were not receiving the broad and
balanced education that was expected. In
addition, it had the potential to impact
negatively on the teaching and learning
styles adopted by teachers in Primary 6
and Primary 7.
The survey also indicated that,
following the introduction of open
enrolment in 1990, the proportion of
pupils attending grammar schools had
increased, and that this was causing
instability in the size of intake, and the
academic make-up of the pupils
attending non selective post primary
schools. In addition to this, teachers
indicated that the majority of pupils in
The Minister has
sought to
characterise his
decision as a device
to promote equality.
This view is not
reflected in
the facts.
INTOUCH
24
OC TOber 2016
non-selective schools arrived with a sense
of failure, and time was needed to rebuild
the pupils’ self-esteem.
Post primary teachers indicated that
there was limited curriculum continuity
between primary and post primary and
that, despite the increased proportion of
pupils at grammar schools, there was
limited evidence of change in the
curriculum or teaching styles to reflect
the changing demographic of the intake.
Disturbingly, the survey quoted
teachers as saying;
“In part due to parental pressure for
‘good’ results, primary teachers say that
the final years of primary school are
organised around the demands of the
transfer tests. Pupils are often categorised
on the basis of their likely test
performance. Teachers often have low or
modest expectations of pupils who are
not entered for the tests and there is
some suggestion that less consistent
attention is devoted to their education
needs.”
In 2002, the then Minister for
Education, Martin McGuinness, took the
decision to move away from academic
selection at 11, and to instead allow pupils
to transfer to their nearest post-primary
schools. In 2008 the transfer test, as
prepared by CCEA, was abolished. In a bid
to maintain academic selection, grammar
Northern­news
backs school selection tests
schools instead began to use the results
of unregulated tests, from AQA and GL
Assessment, as a criteria for determining
entrance to their school.
The outworking of this is that many
parents have put their children through
up to five tests in November of a child’s
Primary 7 Year.
At INTO Northern Conference in March
2016, and at other teacher union
conferences, the then Education Minister,
John O’Dowd, admonished the unions for
not doing enough to rid the North of
academic selection. This was refuted by
the INTO who argued that it was inaction
by the Department in relation to schools
who were preparing pupils for the
unregulated test, which allowed
academic selection and all its subsequent
inequalities to continue.
On 7 September 2016, Minister Peter
Weir went further than any other
Education Minister, either from the
devolved administration or under direct
rule, by informing primary schools that
they can now teach to these unregulated
tests. He has offered school leaders no
guidance on how schools might enact
this policy reversal, allowing schools to
devote core teaching time to test
preparation for 10 and 11 year olds,
without an explanation of how to meet
the schools commitment to deliver a skills
based curriculum. No account has been
taken of the effect this change will have
on vastly underfunded school budgets.
In comparison to the grammar sector,
non-selective post primary schools have
currently about three times as many
pupils in receipt of free school meals. The
bulk of research into the effects of
academic selection on social mobility
contradicts the Minister’s position. It can
be argued convincingly that the Minister
was delivering on a primarily political
commitment and rather than being
guided by a desire to improve the
educational opportunities of all children.
The manner in which the Minister
made his announcement, through a
newspaper column, showed scant regard
for any of the other education
stakeholders. Principals and teachers
became aware of the decision as they
journeyed to school, receiving the news
at the same time as parents.
This is a poor way for any Minister to do
business and it reflects a lack of respect
for teachers and principals, and indeed
the other members of the Executive. Any
change in education policy should be
properly discussed, negotiated and
formulated. Proper consultation with
teachers and their representative should
have taken place. It is clear that, in this
instance, none has taken place.
What is needed is a proper and open
debate on the way forward for education
in the north. Such a debate should reflect
on the current educational and socioeconomic research, should enable us to
create a system which will allow every
child to reach their full potential, rather
than returning our young people to a
discredited, divisive and stressful system
which has continued to fail the majority
of our young people.
inTo responds to solo run on selection
e Northern Secretary has written to
all MLAs pointing out that the
decision will have a negative impact
across the system. Mr Murphy’s letter
pointed out that the new guidance had
the potential to move teaching, in the
last two years of a child’s primary
school education, away from the
current skills-based curriculum to a
content based model. “is will lead to
a narrowing of the curriculum as
schools concentrate on literacy and
numeracy at the expense of exposing
children to the full breadth of the
excellent broad based and skills
focused curriculum available to our
children and young people.”
He told MLAs that INTO members,
already struggling to deliver a world
class education in circumstances of
chronic underfunding and weighed
down by unreasonable workloads
across the system, will view Mr Weir’s
decision as contributing to a further
worsening of their terms and
conditions.
He also took aim at the manner in
which the change was arrived at and
communicated saying the education
stakeholders were not consulted in
advance. Neither were schools
informed before the change was
announced in the Belfast Telegraph.
“is is a very poor way to conduct
business as it strongly implies a lack of
respect for the views of INTO
members and undermines the progress
made in recent years to establish a
culture of collaborative working across
all the education stakeholders.”
Mr Murphy said the INTO would
have expected the Minister to bring
forward an alternative, nondiscriminatory method to facilitate the
transference of pupils from primary to
post-primary, rather than to simply
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25
OC TOber 2016
reinforce a regressive procedure based
solely on academic ability.
e INTO strongly remains of the
view that academic selection is wrong
on a variety of levels and should be
consigned to history. Mr Weir’s
decision in providing a support to a
minority of schools at the expense of
the majority needs to be challenged.
Mr Murphy urged public
representatives who, he said, were best
placed to challenge the decision to do
so.
He said we needed to arrive at a
resolution to the issue of how we
manage the transference of pupils
from primary to post-primary level. It
is the case that society and the
politicians are divided on the issue and
consequently it is wrong for the
Minister of Education to pronounce,
with such certainty, that selection is
here to stay.
INTO Advice
7 INTO advice for members on issues of importance 8
Your INTO membership renewal
Notice for substitute and temporary (fixed-term) teachers
Each year the INTO deals with a
number of teachers who believe
they are members and are taken
aback to find their membership has
lapsed. These reminders about
membership renewal should help
ensure you retain your rights.
Substitute teachers
Substitute teachers join INTO for one
school year at a time. Membership
dates from the time of joining
(usually in the summer/autumn) to
31 August of the following year (e.g.
if a teacher joins INTO as a substitute
in either summer or autumn of 2016
that membership expires on 31
August 2017).
Substitute teachers pay an INTO
covered by substitute membership.
When that teacher joins with
deduction from salary we will
refund the substitute subscription if
this happens before 1 January 2017).
Once in a temporary/fixed-term
position, teachers join as ordinary
members of INTO; it is not necessary
after that to renew membership
while in either a fixed term or a
permanent (CID) contract.
subscription directly (it is not
deducted from salary), so it is
necessary to renew this membership
for each school year.
Temporary/fixed-term
teachers
Where a teacher transitions to a
fixed-term/temporary contract, it is
necessary to sign a form to provide
for deduction of INTO subscription
from salary. A member should be in
the correct category of INTO
membership to benefit from advice
and services (e.g. a person who joins
as a substitute member in
September but gets a temporary
position in November for the
remainder of the school year is not
4 good reasons 1
to be part
of INTO
Membership rates
The INTO operates a strongly
discounted rate for substitute
teachers. The standard discounted
rate for substitute membership is
€85 per annum. Substitute teachers
who have qualified in the previous
three years have a promotional rate
of €25 per annum. The €25 applies to
joiners in 2016 who qualified as
teachers in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Temporary (fixed-term) and
permanent teachers are paid on
incremental scales and a common
subscription of €13.35 (by deduction
each fortnight) applies. However, on
first joining through deduction from
salary, teachers on temporary/
permanent contracts have three
months’ free membership before
deductions commence.
If any queries arise please contact
our Membership Section at INTO
Head Office by emailing
[email protected] or
[email protected]
Advice, support and legal backing
Handling thousands of queries and requests for support, we deal
with the Department of Education and Skills, the Teaching Council and
Management, providing legal advice/support as necessary. The INTO has a
strong reputation for representing members and has secured agreements
about handling complaints, combating bullying and promoting positive
workplaces – plus, for NQTs, an easing of probation conditions.
2
Up to date information
You have access to accurate information via the INTO website,
weekly enewsletters, the InTouch magazine and through local branches
and representatives like the INTO’s elected Central Executive Committee
(CEC) members, all full-time teachers.
3
Salary protection, insurance, credit union,
discounts
You can protect earnings against the risk of serious illness through the
INTO Salary Protection Scheme. The INTO also has a credit union,
approved AVC and car insurance schemes and a money-saving discount
card, Membership Plus.
4
Pay and conditions
The INTO campaigns for professional salaries and conditions of
service. Over challenging years since 2008, the INTO won greater
security for fixed-term teachers, fought off attempts to raise class sizes
generally, and negotiated a start of pay equalisation and restoration.
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INTO­advice
Maternity entitlements
The INTO queryline answers
a large proportion of queries
from members regarding
maternity leave, unpaid
leave, maternity benefit
application forms, etc. In
light of this we are
publishing this Q & A of the
most frequently asked
questions which we hope
you will find useful.
What are my maternity leave
entitlements?
Teachers are entitled to:
• Maternity leave (26 weeks).
• Any statutory additional unpaid
maternity leave (maximum of 16
weeks). Teachers applying for this
unpaid leave must take it immediately
following their paid maternity/adoptive
leave without a break. Apply at least six
weeks prior to the commencement of
such leave, to facilitate salary
adjustment, with the ‘Application Form
for Maternity Leave Entitlement’
attached to Circular 9/2013.
• Non-statutory additional unpaid
maternity leave to end of school year,
i.e. 31 August.
What is the earliest date I can
commence maternity leave?
You can commence maternity leave once
you reach your 24th week of pregnancy.
What is the latest date I can
commence maternity leave?
If you plan to take the minimum period of
maternity leave prior to the birth of the
baby, you should commence maternity
leave on the Monday prior to the week in
which the baby is due.
This is the example on the maternity
benefit application form for the
Department of Social Protection (DSP):
“If the due date is Wednesday
12/10/2016, the latest date the employee
should commence maternity leave is
Monday 03/10/2016.”
The INTO website has a ‘Maternity
Calculator’ to help you calculate your
dates.
What happens if my baby arrives early?
If your baby is born prematurely (before
your maternity leave is due to begin), you
must send a letter from your doctor or
hospital to the Maternity Benefit Section
of the Department of Social Protection.
The letter should confirm the date the
baby was born and that the baby was
born prematurely. You also have to notify
your school who will notify the
Department of Education and Skills.
Am I entitled to statutory annual
leave and public holidays?
In practical terms, the DES has cut leave in
lieu to the absolute minimum in line with
the requirements of the Organisation of
Working Time Act.
Paragraph eight of Circular 0009/2013
sets out the arrangements in relation to
statutory annual leave/public holiday
entitlements. This paragraph can be
summarised as follows:
• The leave year for teachers means the
period 1 September to 31 August.
• The statutory entitlement in respect of
full time employees is 20 days’ annual
leave.
• Full-time employees are also entitled to
nine public holidays per year.
• A teacher's entitlement to 20 days
annual leave and nine public holidays is
not affected by her absence on
maternity leave.
• However, the circular provides that, if in
a leave year, a teacher on maternity
leave has reached the statutory
minimum of 20 days’ annual leave and
any public holiday entitlements due,
either before and/or after her maternity
leave, then she has achieved her
statutory entitlements and there is no
leave in lieu accruing.
• In circumstances where, in a leave year,
a teacher’s pattern of maternity leave
does not provide her with 20 days
annual leave, and compensation for
any public holidays occurring while on
maternity leave, she must take any
such days immediately before the
commencement of her maternity leave
as they are effectively lost if carried
forward to the next leave year.
• The school must apply in writing to the
DES for the number of days in lieu
accrued by the teacher to be added on
to their leave before maternity leave
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28
OC TOber 2016
commences. They must provide the
start date and end date of the teacher’s
maternity leave and the total number
of days accrued.
A similar arrangement applies in respect
of adoptive leave.
Am I entitled to attend ante natal
appointments and ante natal classes?
Pregnant teachers are entitled to time off
work, without loss of pay, to attend
medical appointments related to ante
natal care. There is substitute cover for
these days and evidence of appointment
should be provided to the board of
management. It is recorded on the OLCS
under category ‘family leave’, sub
category ‘ante natal visits’.
Section eight of the Maternity
Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 allows
pregnant women to take paid time off
work to attend one set of ante natal
classes (but not the last three of the series
of classes as these would normally occur
after maternity leave has started).
Under the Maternity Protection (Time
off for Ante Natal Classes) Regulations
2004 expectant fathers have a once-off
right to paid time off work to attend the
two ante natal classes immediately prior
to the birth.
How do I apply for maternity leave
from my school?
Submit the ‘Application Form for
Maternity Leave Entitlements’ to your
board of management. This is at
Appendix A in Circular 9/2013.
The procedure relating to the recording
of maternity leave on the OLCS is in
Appendix B of Circular 9/2013.
What are the pay arrangements when
I am on maternity leave?
PRSI contributors in Class D
Under DSP regulations, Class D have no
entitlement to maternity benefit. They
remain on their ordinary rate of pay, paid
by the DES as normal, with no deduction
applied.
PRSI Contributors at the full rate Class A
Teachers who pay Class A are entitled to
maternity benefit and their maternity pay
will be made up of their salary, paid by the
DES, less the amount of maternity benefit
due, which will be paid directly by the DSP.
INTO­advice
for teachers Q&A
Maternity
calculator
Teachers must complete their section of
the Maternity Benefit form, and ensure that
the school enters the maternity/adoptive
leave absence record on the OnLine Claim
System (OLCS) and complete the employer’s
portion of the form, at least six weeks before
the claim is due. Failure to submit the form
to the DSP six weeks in advance of the
teacher going on maternity/adoptive leave
may result in a delay in payment of the
benefit to the claimant.
The deduction of the equivalent
maternity/adoptive leave benefit will be
made fortnightly during the period of
paid leave up to a maximum of 26 weeks
for maternity leave and 24 weeks for
adoptive leave.
How do I apply for maternity benefit?
The application form MB10 has recently
been updated by the DSP.
By post
To apply by post, complete section MB1 &
MB2 of the Application Form for Maternity
Benefit and post it to: Maternity Benefit
Section, Freepost, Department of Social
Protection, McCarter’s Road, Ardarvan,
Buncrana, Co Donegal
Online
You can now apply for Maternity Benefit
online at www.mywelfare.ie. You will need
to set up a MyGovID account, and have a
Public Services Card, which you can get
from your local social welfare office or
The­‘Maternity­Calculator’­was
designed­to­help­members­and­is
available­on­the­INTO­website.­By
using­the­calculator­you­can­now
simply­work­out­your­dates­as­required
for­informing­your­employer­(the
board­of­management)­and­the
Department­of­Social­Protection.
Intreo centre. You have to contact your
local office to set up an appointment,
which usually takes about 15 minutes to
complete.
For more information about the Public
Services Card, visit
https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/3919_W
hen-and-how-do-I-apply.aspx
How is the maternity benefit
payment made?
Maternity benefit is paid directly into your
bank account each week in advance. A
deduction from salary equivalent to the
maximum weekly rate of maternity
benefit (€230) payable to the teachers
who are liable for Class A PRSI
contributions will be applied by the DES
when your salary is paid every second
week.
How does unpaid maternity leave
affect my PRSI contributions?
If you choose to take any additional
unpaid leave, you must apply to the
Maternity Benefit Section of the DSP to
have credits added to your record for
the period of this unpaid leave
(up to a maximum of 16
weeks) after you
return to work.
Submit SW11 form
to the DSP to
apply for the
credits
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29
OC TOber 2016
www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/sw11.pdf.
useful information
Circular 9/2013 ‘Maternity Protection
Entitlements for Registered Teachers’
Circular 0009/2013.
The Application Form for Maternity
Benefit has replaced the MB10 form.
Teachers fill in parts MB1 and MB2.
The Citizens Information website
always has useful up to date information
regarding leave and benefit entitlements.
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employm
ent/employment_rights_and_conditions/
leave_and_holidays/maternity_leave.html.
INTO­advice
INTO salary protection
Working for members!
The Salary Protection Scheme (SPS) for
INTO members is designed to protect
salary against the impact of illness or
disability. It provides a replacement
income should a member fall ill and
become unable to work. It is exclusively
available to INTO members, meaning
that the security and benefits of this
scheme are not available anywhere else.
At the time of writing, over 16,000 INTO
members are already covered through
the scheme.
2015 – percentage of claims paid by category
Cancer 17%
Mental health problems 19%
Musculoskeletal 7%
Pregnancy related 12%
Other 45%
Key benefits
l A replacement income of up to 75% of
salary in the event of being unable to
work through illness.
l Life cover of typically twice annual
salary.
l A separate once-off lump sum in the
event of suffering one of 36 specified
illnesses (please check out the policy
booklet for a definition of each illness
and its pre-existing conditions).
l Tax relief on contributions paid.
Review process
The scheme is consistently under review
by the CEC, and INTO officials regularly
meet with Cornmarket to review member
cases and to check in on the overall
performance of the scheme which is
insured through Irish Life. These meetings
complement the much more formal
review process that takes place every four
years.
The latest published performance
report shows that 95% of claims are being
paid (Source: Irish Life, August 16), and on
further examination, since 2012, 94% of all
claims submitted have been paid, and
since 2014, the percentage of claims paid
is 95%. The message is that the INTO
scheme is doing what it is supposed to
do, and is paying claims at a consistently
strong level. The total benefit being paid
to INTO members amounts to
approximately €6,000,000 annually.
Meeting claims
As with all insurance based schemes, there
are occasions that members’ claims are
not paid. Cornmarket’s in-house dedicated
Salary Protection Claims Team will represent
members and guide them through the
relevant appeals process. The INTO will
also investigate claims and members who
wish to bring a claim to the attention of
officials at Head Office may do so, by
contacting the INTO Queryline.
One of the most common reasons for a
claim not being paid is as a result of a
‘non-disclosure’ or the omission of a preexisting condition at the time of taking
out the policy. Another reason for a claim
not being successful is due to insufficient
medical evidence or, on occasion, a
difference in medical opinion between the
treating doctor and the Independent
Medical Examiner (IME). Robust appeals
procedures are in place to deal with such
occasions, but as with any insurance
policy, one should never treat the cover as
a ‘guarantee’. The claims will be paid once
the ‘medical evidence’ supports the claim.
There has been a significant increase in
claims due to the changes to Public
Sector sick pay arrangements in 2014. As a
result, the benefits that the INTO Salary
Protection Scheme provides are more vital
than ever before. Looking at the type of
illnesses being claimed for in the past
four years, there is a notable difference in
the type of claims involved. Cancer,
mental health problems, and
musculoskeletal conditions are still the
most common type of illness claimed for.
However, pregnancy related and other
less severe conditions (e.g. injuries,
fractures, infections, etc.) are growing
significantly, reflecting the reduction in
paid leave periods under the DES sick
leave provisions.
New short-term claim process
In response to the sick pay changes, the
INTO and Cornmarket took the
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30
OC TOber 2016
opportunity at the last scheme review to
redesign it to link in with the revised sick
leave arrangements. As a result, the
scheme covers short-term claims, such as
when a teacher moves from full-pay to
half-pay or TRR. Recently, the INTO was
alerted that some members were
experiencing delays in receiving payment
for short absences. Following talks and a
review of operations, the INTO is happy to
announce that a new process has been
agreed which will result in short term
claims being turned around much faster,
with minimal paperwork requirements.
The INTO scheme is the first scheme for
which the new short term claim process is
being rolled out. Cornmarket and the
insurer, Irish Life, is committed to the new
process and making it work for the INTO
scheme.
Overall, the INTO Salary Protection
Scheme is performing strongly compared
to other similar schemes, following the
new sick pay arrangements. Some of
these schemes have received premium
increases of 40%. There are two factors
which have a strong influence on a
schemes health; (1) average age of the
insured members and (2) membership
uptake.
Continued take up of cover by INTO
members and engagement by the CEC
and INTO officials will help ensure the
scheme will continue to provide much
needed assistance to members when
needed.
INTO­advice
Buying online? Know your rights
Do you know what your options are if something you buy online turns out to be faulty,
or if you simply change your mind about your purchase?
Firstly it’s important to know that you
have very strong rights when shopping
online from a business based in the EU.
Follow the Competition and Consumer
Protection Commission’s (CCPC) guide to
find out exactly what your rights are
when you buy from an EU based website:
Check the site before you buy
You do not have the same protections if
you buy from a website outside of the EU
so make sure you know where the site is
located. Just because the website has an
.ie or .co.uk domain does not always
mean it’s an EU site. Make sure that you
check the retailer’s geographic address on
the website. If the site you buy from is
within the EU, the seller must give you
specific information before you complete
an online purchase including: the price,
any taxes, any delivery costs, details of
what to do if you change your mind and a
copy of the cancellation form for
returning goods. Don’t give bank details
to a company you don’t know without
doing some research on them first. Search
the company online to see if there are any
negative reviews before you buy.
If you bought something that is
faulty
If you bought something and it is faulty,
the same rights apply as if you had
bought it in a
shop. You
should
contact the retailer by phone or email
immediately and ask for a refund or
replacement. Where a refund has been
agreed, the seller must refund you your
money within 14 days and they should
pay for any return shipping costs.
When you change your mind about
something you bought online
For most products and services, if you
change your mind, for any reason, about
something you bought you have the right
to cancel up to 14 days from when your
purchase is delivered. Before the end of
the 14 days, you can return the item and
get a refund. But you may have to pay for
the cost of returning it.
In some circumstances you do not have
the right to cancel if you buy:
• Goods that are customised especially
for you. For example, this could be a
piece of jewellery that you have had
engraved or clothing made to your
specific design and size.
• Sealed goods that are not suitable for
return for health protection and
hygiene reasons and were unsealed
after delivery. This may include
cosmetics, earrings, swimwear or
underwear, which normally arrive in
sealed packaging. In these instances,
once the product packaging is opened,
the right to cancel no longer applies,
even if these items are
unworn or unused.
When your goods are not delivered
If you bought goods online from a
website within the EU, it should be
delivered within 30 days unless you
agreed otherwise with the seller. If your
goods are not delivered you have the
right to a refund. The retailer may have
included a notification on their site of a
last day to order to guarantee delivery of
goods before Christmas. If you ordered
goods by this stated deadline and the
goods don’t arrive by the guaranteed
date then you are entitled to cancel the
contract and seek a refund (even if the
period is within 30 days).
If you bought something online from
another consumer, your consumer
rights do not apply
If you bought something from an
individual, either directly or through a
website, consumer rights legislation does
not apply. Be aware that:
• Items bought from an online auction
where the seller was another consumer
are not covered by consumer law, so
you can’t avail of the right to cancel.
• Auction sites usually take no
responsibility for the quality of the
items for sale, or accuracy of the
listings. When buying from an auction
website always check the terms and
conditions before making a bid. Many
sites are self-regulated and use a star
system to rate users so check the
comments on a user’s profile before
you buy from them to ensure they are
reputable.
For more information on your rights when
buying online visit the CCPC’s consumer
website www.consumerhelp.ie
If you bought something and it is
faulty, the same rights apply as if
you had bought it in a shop
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Newsdesk
{ News from the world of education and trade unionism, at home and abroad }
Education at a Glance 2016
Education at a Glance 2016, published by
the OECD, is a source of information on
the state of education around the world.
It provides data on the structure, finances
and performance of education systems in
the 35 OECD countries as well as in a
number of other countries.
Ireland
Overall expenditure per student on
education from primary to third level is
lower in Ireland than in the OECD average
and has fallen between 2008 and 2013 as
student numbers have increased.
Irish teachers are younger than average
and earn more than colleagues in some
other OECD countries after 15 years’
experience. However teachers’ statutory
starting salaries are lower in Ireland than
the OECD average.
Ireland invests less in early childhood
education than most other OECD
countries and has one of the lowest
enrolment rates of three year olds in early
childhood education.
Ireland spends more per student than
the OECD average at second level. At
primary level, Ireland’s annual
expenditure per student is below average.
In 2013 expenditure per student had
fallen by 7% in Ireland compared to 2008
levels while on average across the OECD
expenditure per student increased by 8%
over the same period.
Teaching hours in Ireland are
significantly longer than the OECD
average at 915 hours per year at primary
level compared to the EU 22 average of
757 hours.
Ireland has a relatively young primary
level teaching work force in contrast to
the general picture across the OECD. In
Ireland 60% of teachers are under the age
of 40 compared to 40% on average across
the OECD.
On average a primary teacher in Ireland
earns 80% of the annual salary of a
similarly qualified worker outside
teaching.
In the teaching workforce across the
OECD women are over represented in
teaching but as teachers rise in successive
levels of education the percentage levels
of women shrinks and salaries rise.
Principal teachers are less likely to be
women.
INTO reaction
Speaking following the publication of
Education at a Glance, Sheila Nunan, INTO
General Secretary, strongly criticised what
she called the unfair funding of Irish
primary education. She pointed out that
in Ireland for every €8 spent on a primary
pupil €11 is spent at second level and €14
at third level. Ms Nunan said it was
unacceptable that other levels of
education are better funded and she
called for unequal funding to be
addressed in Budget 2017.
In OECD countries expenditure per
student averages 22% of per capita GDP
at primary level in Ireland the proportion
is 17% at primary level.
Ms Nunan said the report showed
clearly that Irish primary teachers are
among the most productive in any
education system. They teach more pupils
than teachers in other
countries. The
average class size in
Irish primary schools
is 25 compared to
the EU 22 average of
20 pupils per class.
Teaching time
ireland
weeks
teaching
weeks in
school year
ireland
hours
37
915
eu 22 average
weeks
eu 22 average
hours
37
754
ireland
days
number of
teaching days
in school year
number
of teaching
hours
ireland
hours
183
1225
eu 22 average
days
eu 22 average
hours
182
1107
INTOUCH
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OC TOber 2016
Working
time required
at school
Ócáidí­nuachta
In touch with Brendan Maher …
INTO member, Tipperary hurler and this year’s All-Ireland
Hurling winning captain
Brendan Maher is a primary teacher in
Clonmore NS in Co Tipperary better
known as the man who captained
Tipperary hurlers to victory in Croke Park
last month.
Brendan first played inter-county
hurling at the age of 16 on the Tipperary
minor team winning All-Irelands in 2006
and 2007 as captain. He joined the senior
team in 2009 and won an All-Ireland in
2010 when he was named Young Hurler of
the Year. Last month he became only the
fifth player in GAA history to captain both
a minor and senior hurling team to AllIreland victory, matching an achievement
of former INTO member and Kilkenny
manager Brian Cody.
He trained as a primary teacher in Mary
Immaculate College in Limerick from
2006 - 2009 where he also won a Ryan
Cup medal. After several years of
substitute and temporary teaching he
now teaches in an ASD unit in Clonmore
NS, a small, vibrant, rural school in the
village of Clonmore, near Templemore in
Co Tipperary.
After coming down to earth Brendan
took the InTouch rapid response quiz.
Left:­Tipperary­captain
Brendan­Maher­lifts­the
Liam­McCarthy­cup­after
the­GAA­Hurling­AllIreland­Senior
Championship­Final­2016.
(Photo:­Mcmanus/
Sportsfile)
Below:­Brendan­pictured
with­Templemore­branch
members­at­a­recent
lobbying­meeting­with
Jackie­Cahill­T.D.
L-R:­Brian­Kenny­(Branch
Chairperson­and
principal­of­Clonmore
NS),­Jackie­Cahill­TD,­John
Meagher­(NQT,
Loughmore­NS),­Brendan
Maher­(Loughmore­NS)
and­Angela­Dunne
(principal­of­Loughmore
NS).
What songs would be on the soundtrack
of your life? Don’t look back in anger.
(Oasis) and Highway to hell! (AC/DC)
What’s your favourite stress buster?
A night out with friends.
What is your most prized possession?
My phone!
What’s your all-time favourite TV show?
Friends.
What subject did you like best or least
when you were in school? My best
was geography. My least favourite
was science.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Still teaching in Loughmore NS and
running a gym.
year? A few more songs.
What is your best advice for children
in the area of sport? Practise the
skills of the game first.
Who was your biggest inspiration
growing up? My brothers and parents.
Who was the toughest opponent you
ever played against? Eddie Brennan of
Kilkenny.
What’s the app you just can’t live without
at the moment? Twitter!
What was the children’s reaction to this
year’s All-Ireland win? They were all very
excited. It was nice to bring the cup to
the school after the disappointment of
2014.
What’s your guilty pleasure? Keeping up
with the Kardashians (my girlfriend is a
big fan!)
What is your work/ hurling life balance
like? It’s tough going, not much free time
but I love it.
Name one thing you’d like to learn this
What’s your favourite class level to teach?
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34
OC TOber 2016
I’m teaching in an ASD unit and it has
been an unbelievable experience so far.
What’s your favourite thing about
teaching? When you see a child succeed
at something.
When you’re thirsty what’s the remedy?
Water!
Who was the most influential teacher in
your life? Clare Hanley – principal in
Barnane NS at present.
Where’s your favourite holiday place?
Zell Am See, Austria. Ski resort.
Choices – Apple or Android; red or white
wine; brown or white bread? Apple, red
wine, brown bread!
Newsdesk
Protecting
teachers and
pupils from radon
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? WHAT IS BEINg DONE?
WHAT SHOuLD My SCHOOL BE DOINg?
All indoor spaces in Ireland have radon,
but in some buildings this can accumulate
to unacceptable levels posing a health risk
to the occupants. Schools are no different.
WHAT IS RADON AND WHy MIgHT IT BE A HEALTH
RISK IN SCHOOLS?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive
gas with no taste, colour or smell. Radon
has been categorised by the World Health
Organisation as a carcinogen and, in
Ireland, up to 250 cases of lung cancer
each year are linked to exposure to radon.
It is formed in the ground by the
radioactive decay of uranium which is
present in all rocks and soils. It seeps up
through the foundations of buildings and
can accumulate to unacceptable levels.
There is a synergistic effect between
radon and tobacco smoke. This means
that smokers are at much greater risk of
developing radon related lung cancer
than non-smokers.
IS My SCHOOL AT RISK?
Some parts of the country are more
likely to have a radon problem than
others. These parts of the country are
called High Radon Areas. You can check
the interactive map at
www.epa.ie/radiation/radonmap to see
whether your school is in a High Radon
Area.
HAS My SCHOOL BEEN TESTED FOR RADON?
Between 1998 and 2004 all schools were
invited to be tested for radon. 38,531
ground floor classrooms and offices were
tested in this survey. All schools with
radon levels above the reference level
were remediated. Reports of the results
were issued to each school at the time.
For more information on the results of
this survey read the full report at
www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/radiation/
radoninschools2004.html. The Department
of Education and Science’s commissioning
of this work was ground-breaking at the
time. In fact, many European countries are
only beginning to address radon in schools.
At present, all newly built schools have
radon preventive measures installed and
are tested for radon within five months of
completion. Where radon exceeds the
reference level, work is carried to reduce
these levels.
WHAT LEVEL OF RADON IS ACCEPTABLE IN A
SCHOOL?
As schools are workplaces, the legally
binding reference level for radon in
workplaces of 400 becquerels per cubic
metre (Bq/m3) applies. However, in 1998,
the DES set an advisory reference level of
200 Bq/m3 for schools in order to ensure
that the level of protection from radon in
schools is the same as that in homes. The
reference level is the level above which
action to reduce radon is advised.
HOW IS RADON TESTED?
A radon test is carried out by placing a
small detector, about the size of a
matchbox, in every occupied ground floor
classroom and office for
three months. After
three months, when
the detectors are
posted back to the
laboratory, they
are analysed to
see how much
radon they have
been exposed to. A
copy of the results is then
sent to both your school and the DES.
Where radon levels are above 200 Bq/m3,
remedial work should be carried out.
For a radon test or re-test to be carried
out in your school, please contact the
Devolved and Rental Payments Section of
the DES who will fund any testing and
remediation work required.
HOW ARE RADON LEVELS REDuCED?
When your school was tested, if the
results for one or more of the rooms in
the school were above 400 Bq/m3, it is
likely that the school was remediated
through the installation of an active sump
system. In this case, it is recommended
that the school is retested every five years
and that the fan used with this system is
serviced in accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions (usually every
five years).
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35
OC TOber 2016
When your school was tested, if the
results for one or more of the rooms in
the school were between 200 and 400
Bq/m3, it is likely that these rooms were
remediated by fitting air vents to improve
ventilation. In this case, retesting is not
required; however, vents should be
checked on a regular basis to ensure that
they have not been blocked up or
damaged and fans on sumps should be
maintained.
STEPHANIE LONg (Environmental Protection
Agency) and JACKy HyNES (Department of
Education and Skills).
Find out more
about radon at
www.radon.ie,
call 1800 300
600 or email
[email protected]
Newsdesk
Cornmarket Cumann na mBunscol Awards 2017
Fail to Prepare… Prepare to Fail. How
often how we trotted out this old adage
in our classrooms and staffrooms? is
year, the Coiste Náisiunta of Cumann na
mBunscol hopes that, by giving plenty of
time to prepare, there will be a record
number of entries for the Cornmarket
Cumann na mBunscol Awards.
“ese awards have been growing in
popularity over the last decade,”
according to Bernadette Ryan,
Cathaoirleach of Allianz Cumann na
mBunscol. “In recent years, we have
held the Awards night on the Friday
night preceding the AGM and
this has been a great success. It
is a chance to celebrate
excellence and to meet up with
friends, both old and new.”
e AGM and awards banquet
are scheduled for the Killyhevlin
Hotel, Fermanagh in 2017. e awards
banquet on Friday 10 March and the
AGM on Saturday 11 March.
e School of the Year Awards
attracts a large number of entries. ere
are two categories: Small School Award
for schools of fewer than 150 pupils and
Large School Award for schools with
more than 150 pupils on roll. Kilcoole
NS were winners of the Large School
Category at the 2016 Cumann na
mBunscol Awards while Dualla NS
scooped first prize in the Small School of
the Year category in 2016. A visit to
GAA Headquarters was part of the prize
for the winning schools.
e 2017 awards reflect feedback An
Coiste Náisiunta has received from units
throughout the country.
Categories for the 2017 awards
1 Pat Trainor Hall of Fame Award
(awarded for lifetime contribution to
Gaelic games in primary school). is
award recognises a teacher who has
given outstanding service to the
promotion of Gaelic games at primary
school level. County and provincial
Coistí are invited to nominate suitable
candidates. Entries will explain in no
more than 1,000 words why their
nominee is worthy of this award.
2 Public Relations. Entries in this
category highlight coverage of Cumann
na mBunscol affairs in a county or
province. Scrapbooks, ring binders etc.
featuring examples of press coverage of
Cumann na mBunscol activities in 2016
are ideal for this category. Websites
Above:­INTO
President,­Rosena
Jordan­is­pictured
with­GAA
President,­Aogán­Ó
Fearghaíl,­at­Croke
Park.
Happy­groups­from­(1)­Sciath­na­Scol­after­accepting­their­award,­and­(2)­Cumann­na
mBunscol­Chill­Chainnigh­after­receiving­their­award­in­the­Best­Publication­Section­of
the­2016­Cornmarket­Awards,­at­the­2016­Cumann­na­mBunscol­Awards­sponsored­by
Cornmarket­Financial­Services
may be included but cannot replace
newspaper coverage.
3 County Publication. County
histories, magazines, fixtures booklets
for 2016 may be submitted for
inclusion in this category.
4 Promotion of Gaelic Games and
Culture – county and provincial
committees. Committees are asked to
show innovative work in promoting
Gaelic games and culture.
5 Promotion of Gaelic Games –
individual schools. As Category 4.
Submissions in these categories will
consist of
l Document outlining details of the
promotion (500 words approx).
l Photographic evidence.
l Entries may focus on a single area
or a number of areas such as
coaching initiatives, table quizzes,
promotion of handball, rounders,
camogie etc.
6 School of the Year (150 pupils or less)
7 School of the Year (More than 150
pupils)
Entries in categories 6 and 7 will show
how Gaelic games and culture are
promoted in the school. e project may
consist of articles, photographs and/or
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37
OC TOber 2016
examples of children’s work.
l e winning schools in categories 6
and 7 will be invited to Croke Park.
l 30 pupils from each school will enjoy a
stadium and museum tour.
l €500 per school to cover bus transport
to Croke Park.
l 30 pupils and three staff from each
school will have lunch in Croke Park.
Entries to the following members of An
Coiste Náisiúnta:
Connacht: Bernadette Ryan, Holy
Family NS, Tobbercurry, Co Sligo.
Leinster: Jim Fennelly, Churchill NS,
Cuffes Grange, Co Kilkenny.
Ulster: Gary Farrell, 75 Annvale Road,
Keady, Co Armagh.
Munster: Joe Lyons, Ballybrown NS,
Clarina, Co Limerick.
Along with a trophy, the winning entry
in categories 2, 3, 4 and 5 will receive a
prize of €700. Second prize is €600 and
third prize €500. Closing date:
Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Further updates will be posted on the
website www.cnmbnaisiunta.com and
on Twitter @cnambnaisiunta.
JOE LyONS, PRO An Coiste Náisiunta
Newsdesk
Your move – Chess for Learning
The idea of Chess for Learning came out
of an Erasmus + project with a number of
Eastern European countries where chess
is as common as GAA is in Ireland. It is
based on the idea of using chess to
improve logical thinking, numeracy,
problem solving and entrepreneurial
skills.
However, the benefits of teaching chess
go well beyond this. Chess improves
attention span and provides a challenge
for children with exceptional ability. There
are attractions for certain children with
special needs and it is inclusive especially
for non-sporting pupils. Many pupils who
find language a challenge can find an
outlet through chess.
Non-competitive and self-directed
learning strategies allow a teacher to
introduce the game simply. Use of paired
learning and ICT make learning chess
easy. Pawn Wars, Knight Attacks and
Bishops Battle all are short games to keep
it simple, interesting and, most important
Full details
of this initiative from
John Conlan, St Clare’s
Primary School, Sligo.
John can be contacted on
[email protected]
or 083 4473875.
Sponsored­by­Comhar­Linn
INTO­Credit­Union,­the
credit­union­for­INTO
members­and­their
families.
for class timetables or lunchtimes, …short.
Wet break times are no concern in
classrooms where children are engrossed
with finding the right move.
A nice incentive is the visit to another
classroom, another school nearby or a trip
to a big chess event. The CFL events are
different in that although every child
plays five games, the event is over in
approximately one hour.
This year it is hoped to bring CFL to as
many classrooms as possible nationwide.
TMS to put on Sweeney Todd
The Teachers’ Musical Society is
proud to announce their new show
for 2017 Sweeney Todd The Demon
Barber of Fleet Street.
This dark and dramatic thriller with
music and lyrics by Stephen
Sondheim will surely be a fantastic
and memorable production.
Auditions will be held on Sunday,
9 October. If you are interested in
auditioning then please email
[email protected] for times,
location, and audition materials.
TMS is a great way to make new
friends and be part of an amazing
professional show. New members
are welcome so don’t be afraid to
come and try out!
For all TMS updates follow
Facebook @teachersms and
Instagram @teachersmusical.
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Teaching matters
3 Articles and opinions on primary teaching, with tips and ideas for the classroom 4
Intent on
learning…
La Liniere Refugee Camp, Dunkirk
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41
OC TOber 2016
Cúrsaí­teagaisc
life of
chaos
Almost a year ago, a young toddler washed up on a
beach in Greece, his short life ripped from his small
body, so near the end of what must have been a
harrowing trip. He was a small Syrian boy named
Aylan Kurdi who had, with his family, made the long
journey from Syria to Europe in search of safety. is
photo was jarring. None of us wanted to look at it.
But it resonated in many of us because he was so
much like our own children, dressed in a colourful
t-shirt and shorts, clothing we might have bought.
At the time, I put it in the nice tidy box where we
all compartmentalise difficult things we don’t want
to face, but it stuck with me. Sometime in the
spring, I started to research ways in which I might
help children like Aylan. I finally settled on going to
the La Liniere Camp in northern France, outside
the small city of Dunkirk, just down the road from
the camp in Calais, known as e Jungle. e
Dunkirk camp – originally of tents and mud – had,
at the beginning of 2016, been relocated. MSF
(Medicins san Frontiere: www.msf.ie) built it at the
new location, the first officially built refugee camp
to meet international humanitarian standards.
e camp was being run by MSF and an NGO
called Utopia56. I wrote to them and was referred
on to the Edlumino School. e Edlumino School
was founded by a former English principal named
Dr Rory Fox and only accepted qualified teachers as
volunteers. My plan was to work in the school for
three weeks during the summer holidays.
Galway teacher’s experience at
La Liniere Refugee Camp,
Dunkirk
Not the most welcoming of places
When the day finally arrived, I was filled with
trepidation and quite frankly fear at what I’d face in
the camp. e entrance to the camp is through a
slip road off a roundabout populated by the French
police in large riot trucks. Not the most welcoming
of places! Located between a large motorway and a
train line, it is a long sliver of gravel and rocks – not
a single blade of grass grows there. As I entered and
registered, I could hear a jumble of many languages,
French, English, Sorani Kurdish, German and, to my
pleasure, Farsi (the language of Iran) which is my
native language. Never before had having Farsi as my
first language been of any use but when I told the
co-ordinators that I could speak Farsi, their eyes lit up!
Working in the school
located between a large motorway
and a train line, it is a long sliver of
gravel and rocks – not a single blade
of grass grows there
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42
For the next three weeks, I worked as a teacher in
the school, interpreted for refugees who spoke Farsi
(Iranians, some Kurds and Afghanis) and helped
clean up after the evening meal. It was busy!
Working in the school was different to any other
teaching I’d ever done. Each child was given
individualised instruction in English and maths but
their attendance was optional. is was a major
challenge as many of the children were not even
awake until after 10 a.m. as they’d spent the
previous evening, with their parents, trying to get
onto a lorry to make the crossing to England. I
made a lot of efforts to gain the trust of the parents
OC TOber 2016
Teaching­matters
…many of the children were not even awake until after 10 a.m. as
they’d spent the previous evening, with their parents, trying to get
onto a lorry to make the crossing to England.
and get their support in making sure the
children attended school daily. is
involved walking to the residents’ houses,
knocking on the door, introducing
myself and asking if the children were
ready for school. After a few days, many of
the residents became familiar with me and
encouraged the children to go to school.
e menacing presence of gangs of
smugglers who infiltrated the camps was
always one of the children’s main worries.
ey play acted scenes of smuggling,
knives and threatening behaviour which
was tragic to see. e smuggling gangs
were constantly intimidating the
residents to force them to pay exorbitant
prices to bring them across to the UK.
e school’s only objective was to, as
much as possible, normalise life for the
children for a few hours each day.
Many of the children had been in the
camp for more than six months and a few
were there for a year! As you can see from
the photos, the families are housed in
poorly built sheds with no electricity or
heating. ey have to use outdoor
communal toilet and shower facilities.
ey are given ingredients for which they
had to queue daily to cook for themselves
in community kitchens. ere was a ‘snack
shack’ where they could get rice and beans
for most meals with salad occasionally.
Children were given fresh fruit most days
as well. Since the large increase in numbers
in Calais and Dunkirk camps, the food
stores have decreased considerably.
This is a girl from Iraq, with whom
I could speak Farsi as her dad was
a Kurd who had lived in Iran. I
worked with her most days,
though she was hesitant at first.
Her news was dictated to me as
she had only learned basic English
at the previous camp she was in
and could not read or write
independently. It tells the story of
her journey to get to France.
Several days after this news was
written she and her family made
an unsuccessful attempt to cross
to the uK. They were then held in
a detention centre in another part
of France for several days, released and then had to make their own way back to Dunkirk.
These tales were so difficult to listen to as I reflected on the comfort and security my own
children have living in Ireland.
The future
As of September 2016, the Edlumino*
School at La Liniere Camp has closed so
that the children at the camp can attend
local public French schools. is is far
better for their development and will
bring them a few hours of relief from
being on the camp. Many of the families
were reticent to send the children to the
French schools as they had no intention
of staying in France.
is is the only chance these children
will have to be children. eir lives are
chaotic at best and full of fear of police,
smugglers and tear gas. is is not the
way any child should have to live,
particularly in the European Union.
I wish I could end this piece with some
good or hopeful news but, if you’ve been
reading the news, you’ll know that the
problem is getting worse, not better for
people seeking refuge in Europe. As I sit
here on a wet afternoon in Galway in early
September, trying to get my head around
new pupils, lesson plans and resources, my
three weeks of volunteering at La Liniere
Refugee Camp in Dunkirk seems a million
miles away. But, I am so glad I went.
ANNIE ASgARD, EAL teacher, Claddagh NS, galway
City.
If you are interested in volunteering in refugee camps in greece, Annie is considering bringing a group of
Irish teachers there during the Easter holidays in April. Fundraising needs to begin as soon as possible, so
please get in touch with Annie by email at [email protected] if you are interested in finding out more.
Annie writes, “I was fortunate to receive a contribution from the INTO Solidarity Fund. I’m very grateful to
the Solidarity Fund and all those who contribute towards it who supported my trip.” Find out more about
the INTO Solidarity Fund at www.into.ie/ROI/INTOSolidarityFund
*Edlumino is a UK-based group with charity status who have begun working in camps in Greece as well as on projects
to provide education to unaccompanied minors in the UK. You can find out more about them on www.edlumino.org
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Cúrsaí­teagaisc
Managing Dyspraxia in the classroom
What is Dyspraxia/
Developmental
Coordination disorder
(DCD)?
l Working in groups can
help develop their ability to
work with others. Teach
social skills explicitly if
behaviour is inappropriate.
Dyspraxia/DCD describes
children who present with
significant problems of motor
function. As it occurs in about 56% of the population, there
may potentially be a child with
Dyspraxia/DCD in every class in
Ireland.
Room arrangements
Indicators of Dyspraxia/DCD
…in the pre-school child
Indicators may include:
l History of lateness reaching
milestones.
l May not be able to run, hop
or jump.
l Appears not to be able to learn
anything instinctively but
must be taught skills.
l Poor at dressing.
l Slow and hesitant in most actions.
l Poor pencil grip.
l Cannot do jigsaw or sorting games.
l Art work is very immature.
l Has no understanding of in/on/behind/
in front of etc.
l Unable to kick or catch a ball.
l Place the pupil near the
front where they have less
distraction. They also benefit
from having a seat they can
easily access to limit
manoeuvring around
objects, which may prevent
injuries to themselves and
others.
l Reduce the amount of
distracting visual stimuli
close to the child’s desk.
Allow the child to keep only
needed items on the desk.
l For modelling purposes,
seat the child next to an organised,
productive peer.
l Ensure the child is sitting in the correct
position on their chair. A ‘move and sit’
cushion and slope board can support
writing.
l Try to avoid sitting them under very
bright lights or next to noise. Many
pupils have sensory issues and are
particularly sensitive to light and sound.
Awareness month
D
C
/D
ia
x
ra
sp
y
D
is
r
Octobe
…in the school-age child
Indicators may include:
l Physical education is avoided.
l The child does badly in class but
significantly better on a one-to-one
basis.
l Attention span is poor and the child
may react to stimuli without
discrimination.
l May have trouble with maths, copying
from the blackboard.
l Writing is laborious and immature.
l Unable to remember and/or follow
instruction.
l Generally poorly organised.
l Commonly anxious and distractible.
l Finds it difficult to keep friends or
judge how to behave in company.
l Difficulty sitting for long periods.
General classroom support strategies
for pupils with Dyspraxia /DCD
l Try to understand the nature of the
difficulty. Give genuine praise for all
efforts rather than a focus on the end
product.
l Modify your responses – reassure
rather than criticise. Be patient – Pupils
may look like they are being lazy or
uncooperative but this is not the case.
l Be consistent and structured when
teaching a task. Where possible, use
multi-sensory approaches. Remember,
pupils can struggle during transitions
and self-directed activity where they
have to organise/sequence and
monitor their teacher and classmates.
l A buddy system may help to build selfesteem and improve social skills.
l Use a reward system in conjunction
with home and agree with parents a
reasonable time commitment for
homework.
Organisation
l Encourage the child to do as much as
they can for themselves. Encourage
goal setting, self-monitoring and
problem solving.
l Encourage pupils to use this four-step
strategy to approach their work:
STOP – What am I going to do?
PLAN – How am I going to do it?
DO – Go ahead and do it and
CHECK – How did my plan go? Could I
have done it better? (You could use red
for stop/amber for think and plan and
green for do as a visual cue)
l Provide organisational support around
homework – recording and bringing
the right books home.
l Try using an egg timer/stopwatch for
pacing and getting tasks completed in
a certain amount of time.
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46
OC TOber 2016
Curriculum modification
l In PE allow lots of time to practice a new
skill, use larger balls/equipment to
support. Encourage pupils to verbalise
how they are performing. Participation,
not competition is the key.
l Plan the most challenging activities in
the morning.
l Teach pupils in manageable steps and
break steps down using clear short
instructions. Pupils need lots of
repetition and overlearning with
reinforcement opportunities.
l Allow the pupil extra time to get work
completed. Focus on quality rather
than quantity. At the start of new
learning experiences, allow for a lower
accuracy rate but gradually increase
expectations with time.
l Use ICT to increase motivation.
JENNy FINNAN, B.A. (Psych), B. ED., Dip SEN,
MSEN, is a resource teacher in Rathdrum and is on
the board of Dyspraxia/DCD Ireland. More
information on Dyspraxia/ DCD can be found on
their website: www.dyspraxia.ie
Teaching­matters
Seventy years on
the teachers’ strike of 1946
Anniversary
Seventy years ago this month saw the
end of the INTO strike of 1946. For
more than seven months, Dublin
teachers had sustained a dispute to win
pay demands from government.
But after 30 weeks – during which
they were paid at 90 per cent of salary
funded mainly through a levy on members
outside the capital – the strikers
returned to work empty-handed. ey
did so at the request of their powerful
ally, the Archbishop of Dublin John
Charles McQuaid.
… rarely do strikes end
in total victory or defeat;
the immediate failure of
1946 has to be balanced
against subsequent
linked achievements
Why is 1946 commemorated?
If this strike failed to deliver on INTO
demands, why is it still remembered,
even celebrated, and referenced in
debates?
Many unions assess their histories
through the lens of great struggles and
strikes. e strike remains the ultimate
weapon in a union’s arsenal but can also
represent a failure of negotiation. And
rarely do strikes end in total victory or
defeat; the immediate failure of 1946 has
to be balanced against subsequent linked
achievements.
Historically, key INTO advances –
achieving redeployment panels and
gender-equal pay scales are examples –
were achieved through negotiation. But
1946 is still recalled with pride; it has to
be acknowledged that sustaining an
indefinite strike (which ultimately lasted
from March to October) required deep
reserves of solidarity, stamina and
support.
e dispute is the
subject of a book by
Eugene McCormick
(available to
download as an
INTO publication
from 2006).
And John
Mac Gahern
set his short
story
Crossing the
Line in the
aftermath of
the dispute.
“Desperation has lent them courage”
e dispute had long roots. Pay cuts in
the early years of the Irish Free State
were contrasted with a marker pay
settlement of 1920. An economic
downturn in the 1930s was followed by
the rationing and inflation of the world
war years, teachers noting better
treatment for other public servants.
As the strike began, INTO President
Kathleen Clarke (also quoted in the
heading above) characterised it as a
culmination: “And now the patient
waiting of years has come to a head… It
is going to be a fight to a finish.”
Features of the strike
e 1946 events were of their time in
that some aspects are unimaginable now
while others show the value of innovation.
Among the outstanding features were:
l Press support: is was almost
unequivocal, the Irish Independent,
Times, provincial and Catholic papers
backing the strikers, and even the
government-supporting Irish Press
distancing itself from the Fianna Fáil
administration.
l Church backing: e redoubtable
Archbishop of Dublin was clearly on
the teachers’ side, the Presbyterian
General Assembly for Dublin
endorsed INTO demands, and a wellattended public rally of support was
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47
OC TOber 2016
addressed by a Methodist clergyman.
l Maintaining visibility: e INTO
throughout adopted innovative
publicity strategies, from the use of
newspaper advertising to holding
public meetings, to a demonstration at
the All-Ireland football final.
Looking back to learn
Scarcely any INTO strikers from 1946
are still with us. But a number gathered
in the 1990s in the Teachers’ Club to
commemorate the events. ey recalled
the difficulty of sustaining the dispute,
the devastation of its failure to achieve
immediate gains but also the emergence
of a new generation of leaders and
eventual progress on demands regarding
pay scales and negotiating machinery.
In INTO debates of the late 1970s,
younger activists expressed frustration
at a harking back to the supposed glories
of 1946 and demanded focus on current
challenges. We have plenty of the latter
today but perhaps through a 70-year
time lens we can both commemorate
and assess the contribution of our
forebears who lived in such straitened
times. ey were part of a marker event
in an INTO story that now extends to a
century and a half.
NOEL WARD, INTO Deputy general
Secretary/general Treasurer
Cúrsaí­teagaisc
Masquerade
Since early times in nearly all human
cultures masks have been worn, for a
wide variety of reasons. Around the
globe they have been, and continue
to be, worn as forms of disguise and
by actors in performances, as part of
religious ceremonies
and as symbols
of
Carnival­Mask
membership in secret societies or in
celebration of holidays, festivals and
carnivals.
We are all very familiar with the
ancient Egyptian masks used as part
of burial ceremonies. Possibly the
most famous mask of all is the gold
funerary mask of the pharaoh
Tutankhamun. These
masks, placed
upon the faces
of the
deceased,
often
contained
spells
intended to
protect the
spirit on
its
journey
into the
afterlife.
In many
African cultures
masks are used as part
of religious
ceremonies, as
well as being
part of ceremonial
costume. They often
represent the spirits of
ancestors or of local
deities. Often the dancer
wearing the mask was
sometimes thought to be
possessed by the spirit
represented by the mask
being worn. Native American
masks were used in a similar
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manner to the masks in Africa but, in
addition to its spiritual function, the
Native American mask was
sometimes used for entertainment or
for medicinal purposes
In many parts of Asia, masks also
had religious purposes but are also a
vital part of traditional theatre. Many
of these masks are influenced by
Buddhist, Hindu and Indian literature,
and were inspirations for many
European modernist artists such as
Picasso.
Chinese­Theatre­Mask
The dual symbol of the comedy and
the tragedy mask has come to
represent theatre in western art.
These masks were first developed in
ancient Greece and yet again had
both an entertainment and religious
function. A similar tradition is that of
the masked fool. The figure of the
masked fool is found throughout
many cultures and on many
continents. The masked fool’s
purpose in theatre was to keep order.
The fool kept children from being
unruly and distracted the audience
from the dressing room or scene
changes. In society, the fool
questioned the status quo without
the repercussions others might have
faced. Many famous monarchs
such as Henry VIII and Mary
Queen of Scots employed a
masked fool at court.
In medieval Europe, a
punishment often
meted out was that of
forcing the criminal to
wear a shame mask.
Wrong doers were made
to wear these metal
constructions in public
displays and types included
the ‘swine mask’ for a man who
Teaching­matters
explore the history of masks at Halloween
had mistreated a woman or the ‘hood of
shame’ for a student who had
performed poorly. In later centuries
masked balls were popular with the
aristocracy and today we can get some
idea of the elaborate masks worn by
looking at modern-day Venetian masks.
The tradition of Halloween masks and
Halloween costumes has its origins in
our own Celtic culture. Disguises were
used to confuse the ghosts that came
out on Samhain, a festival at the end of
the harvest season, later claimed by the
Christian tradition as the day of the
dead or all souls day. Frightening masks
were often used because these were
believed to scare away malicious spirits.
Try out some of the following mask
making techniques with your class at
Halloween.
Paper Bag Masks are probably the
simplest mask form to explore at any
class level. Various sizes of bags can be
used, small ones that cover the head
only or even giant ones to cover the
whole body. The bags can be decorated
simply with drawing and painting or can
be added to by sticking on paper cutout shapes, bits of fabric or even sewing
construction materials to them (buttons,
beads, foam pieces, etc.).
PROJECT IDEA
With a senior class, give each group a paragraph from
this brief history of masks as a starting point. ask the
group to research the type of
mask/s mentioned, to compile
a report for presentation to
the class and to construct a
sample mask for display.
pictures of native or tribal masks from
various cultures.
Box Masks are a great way to explore
themes such as robots or monsters.
Simply select boxes that fit snugly over
the head, mark and cut out eye-holes,
cover the boxes with plain paper and
decorate them with all types of art
material e.g. pipe cleaners and
polystyrene balls for antennae on aliens,
tin foil for robots, wool for hair, let the
children’s own imaginations run wild.
Blank­mask­form
Vaseline/oil,
small strips of
bandaging are soaked
in water and layered onto the mask.
Only two to three layers are needed. The
masks dry very quickly and the plastic
Clay Masks can be created by molding
clay over a basic mask shape and
decorating it with coils and pellets of
clay (using slip to attach these firmly).
Vaseline,­modroc­strips­and­water
A­teacher­at­CPD­course.­Kildare­Education
Centre
Dame Edna Glasses are very easy to
construct. Blank spectacle shapes
are cut from card and these are
decorated with a variety of
small construction /fabric
items such as beads, buttons,
ribbons, wool, feathers, etc.
Card Masks or 2D card
constructions can be constructed
by the children as a response to
Above:­Clay­masks.
Below:­Box­masks
Modroc Masks are the
antidote to the masks
made with paper
mache and balloons
that we struggled
with for years.
Modroc is the art
name for plaster-ofparis bandaging. Blank
plastic masks are coated
with a thin layer of
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49
OC TOber 2016
mask mould is
removed to reveal
a strong, durable
mask that can be
very successfully
decorated with
poster paint. Again
various other
construction items can
be added to great
effect.
Clown­figure­created­with
Modroc­­
MICHAEL O’REILLy, a retired
teacher, has worked with the
NCCA and PCSP on the design implementation of
the arts curricula. He has worked in a wide variety
of schools and other educational settings and is
currently working with Scoilnet as a subject
expert, continuing to update the I Am An Artist
website. Michael also developed, with INTO, a new
online summer course ‘Intouch with Visual Arts’.
Teaching­matters
Bees are buzzing
want to become a beekeeper? here’s how…
Becoming a beekeeper is like joining a
secret society; there are people quietly
keeping bees in backyards and on bits of
land up and down the country. It was only
when I started keeping my own bees that
I discovered that beekeepers are
everywhere! It seems nearly everyone has
a father, husband, aunt or neighbour with
a hive or two on the go. Who knew?
I had a mild curiosity about bees for a
while. I had heard that bees were in
decline, I liked honey and was entertained
by the idea of dressing up in a white
space suit. Then I thought no more about
it until last year when I discovered the
Federation of Irish Beekeepers’
Associations (FIBKA) were running a
week-long beekeeping summer course in
Gormanston, Co Meath, at the end of July.
So I signed up, packed my bags and went
off to become a proper beekeeper.
FIBKA have been running beekeeping
summer courses for the last 70 years and
the Franciscan College in Gormanston has
been home to the course since 1961. Over
600 people attended this year, from
newbies, like myself, to OABs (Old Aged
Beekeepers) who have been going to
Gormanston for years. There are three
streams of lectures running at any time
including a full beginners’ course,
complete with guided practical sessions
and optional exams at the end of the
week.
Over the course of the week I went
from knowing next to nothing about the
inner workings of a hive to confidently
handling and inspecting the contents of
one. I learned to recognise the different
types of bees, to spot eggs a fraction of
the size of a grain of rice and to pick out
the queen bee hiding among thousands
of workers.
I left the course last year eager to get
started. I went to my local beekeeping
association meetings throughout the
winter and, this spring, got started with
two hives of my own. I went back to
Gormanston in July this year and
attended intermediate lectures on topics
such as record-keeping and management
of bee diseases. The learning never stops!
The summer is the busiest time in the
beekeeping year but, even then, the time
commitment is manageable. I inspect my
bees about once a fortnight through the
warmer times of year. Over the winter, I’ll
leave them undisturbed other than to
feed them some sugar syrup or fondant if
they haven’t enough of their own stores
to keep them going. I’ve made lots of
mistakes so far but thankfully my bees are
a very forgiving lot and they even gave
me a crop of honey at the end of this
summer.
I highly recommend beekeeping as a
hobby but, be warned, it sucks you in!
You’ll find yourself looking at every plant
you pass and considering how useful it
will be for your bees. Or you’ll start to
check the weather, not to see if you need
to wear a jacket, but to assess the
likelihood of your bees getting out to
forage. You’ll find yourself talking about
bees to anyone who’ll listen but, in doing
so, you’ll discover there are a lot more
people into bees than you’d ever have
imagined…
Prices for the FIBKA Annual Summer
You’ll find yourself talking about bees to anyone
who’ll listen but, in doing so, you’ll discover
there are a lot more people into bees than
you’d ever have imagined…
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Beekeeping Course vary from €25 per day
for lectures only to €485 for a week’s
meals, lectures and accommodation in an
en-suite room. More information at
www.irishbeekeeping.ie
Facts about bees:
l Each bee will only produce about 1/12th
of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.
l There are three castes of bees in a hive;
the queen bee, workers and drones.
The queen and workers are female. The
drones are male.
l Drones don’t have a sting.
l A worker bee dies after stinging.
l Bees do a ‘waggle’ dance to share the
location and distance of nectar and
pollen sources with other bees in the
hive.
l There are 101 different species of bees
in Ireland. Ireland has only one native
species of honey bee and about 19
species of bumble bee. Most of the
other 81 species of bees are solitary
bees.
l Bumble bees and solitary bees produce
little or no honey.
SÍNE FRIEL, Letterkenny Branch,
INTO
Cúrsaí­teagaisc
Mindfulness at school
A health and wellbeing project by the professional
aimed to explore the benefits of
introducing mindfulness at school and to
enable teachers to lead a mindfulness
programme in their own schools.
Professional development provision for
health and wellbeing is a national priority
area within the work of the Professional
Development Service for Teachers (PDST)
and spans a broad range of areas
including physical education, SPHE, child
protection, anti-bullying, RSE, mental
health and teacher wellbeing. Each year,
PDST advisors collaborate with education
centres on a range of local projects to
provide unique learning and support
opportunities for teachers.
‘Mindfulness at School’ is a project
undertaken by Ciara Delaney – PDST
Advisor for Health and Wellbeing – in
collaboration with Athlone Education
Centre and the Mullingar School
Completion Programme. The project
WHAT IS MINDFuLNESS AND WHERE DOES IT FIT
INTO SCHOOL LIFE?
Mindfulness means paying attention to
what’s happening in the present moment
in the mind, body and external
environment with an attitude of curiosity
and kindness. It is typically cultivated by a
range of simple meditation practices,
which aim to bring a greater awareness of
thinking, feeling and behaviour patterns,
and to develop the capacity to manage
these with greater skill and compassion.
This is found to lead to an expansion of
choice and capacity in how to meet and
respond to life’s challenges and therefore
live with greater wellbeing, mental clarity
and care for yourself and others. (Mindful
Nation UK, The Mindfulness Institute).
The purpose of teaching mindfulness at
school is to give children skills to develop
an awareness of their inner and outer
experiences, to understand how
emotions manifest in their bodies, to
recognise when their attention has
wandered, and to provide tools for
impulse control. In short, it helps with
emotional regulation and cognitive focus.
It has been proven that negative and
destructive emotions inhibit our ability to
learn and hold information. It is therefore
Mindful children
•
•
•
•
•
•
are better able to focus and concentrate
experience increased calm
experience decreased stress and anxiety
experience improved impulse control
Have increased self-awareness
find skilful ways to respond to difficult
emotions
• are empathetic and understanding of
others
• Have natural conflict resolution skills
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invaluable to teach children the ability to
navigate and manage their emotional
lives. Mindful children are better able to
concentrate, experience increased calm
and are more empathetic and
understanding of others.
Mindfulness creates space, thereby
changing impulsive reactions to
thoughtful responses.
Mindfulness compliments the work of
the SPHE curriculum by helping students
cultivate awareness of themselves, others,
and the world around them and develop
a range of important life skills to enable
them to lead happy, healthy lives.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROVISION
This project promoted a cross-sectoral
approach to mindfulness and invited
participants from both the primary and
post-primary sectors. At the introductory
workshop, teachers were shown how to
introduce mindfulness to children
through a suite of mindfulness activities –
meditation, breathing, art, story and
movement. A resource pack was provided
Teaching­matters
development service for Teachers
TAKE 5
Becoming aware of your breath
JuST A MINuTE
and learning to control it is an essential
Mindfulness is noticing our
component of mindfulness that allows children to
thoughts, what our body feels like,
gain composure, develop correct posture, relax, and to
what our ears are hearing, and
bring about a calm mind. Simply count silently to five as you
anything else that is around us and
breathe in and count silently to eight as you breathe out.
happening right now. A minute is made up
POCKET PEBBLE
Counting helps to keep your mind on the simple act of
of many experiences; sights, sounds,
When we get worried, angry
breathing. Importantly, the technique naturally
lights, shadow, temperature, sensation.
or upset during the day, it can be difficult
brings about a longer out-breath. Children can
Invite the children to notice these
to remember to stop and breathe. Keep a
use the breath to deal with anxiety, anger and
experiences, to connect to what is
pebble in your pocket and take it with you
tension. They can be taught how to apply an
happening in their body and
wherever you go. When something happens
awareness of breath to stressful situations
around them, settling into
during the day that makes you unhappy or angry,
such as dealing with exams, spelling and
that one minute, becoming
put your hand in your pocket, take hold of the pebble
table tests, conflicts, being bullied,
still as they do.
and breathe deeply, saying ‘Breathing in, I
tension, headaches and anger, as well as
know I am (angry). Breathing out, I
for performing or presenting to their
am taking good care of my
peers and parents.
MINDFuL COLOuRINg
(anger)’, until you feel
MIND JAR
calm again.
Concentrating on colouring an
Mind jars are easy to make and
image
can facilitate the replacement of
are a great sensory experience for
negative
thoughts and images with
children. The glitter inside the jar represents
pleasant ones. Opportunities for mindful
your feelings, thoughts and emotions. Shake the
colouring could be distinguished from other
jar when you are feeling agitated, frustrated, angry
periods of colouring during the day by playing
or upset. Place the jar on a flat surface and
soothing background music or lighting a
gently watch the glitter settle to the
scented candle, and
bottom of the jar. As the glitter
inviting the children
settles, so do your emotions,
to colour in
leading you to feel calm and
FIvE SIMPLE WAyS TO PRACTISE
silence.
ready to learn, or ready to
MINDFuLNESS IN yOuR CLASSROOM
face your challenges with
Mindfulness can be seamlessly integrated into the daily
awareness and
activities of school and classroom life. Above are a few
consideration.
suggestions for developing a ‘mindful classroom’.
and the teachers were invited to put the
programme into practice for six weeks in
their own school. A follow up workshop
concluded the project and teachers were
invited to evaluate the experience by
completing a questionnaire. Responses
were overwhelmingly positive and all
participants agreed to continue to make
mindfulness a daily part of their
classroom life.
“I was nervous the first time as I didn't
know how students would react but I
grew increasingly confident and positive
as it continued. The children were giddy
at first when mindful breathing was
introduced but very quickly adapted to it
and said that they found it very relaxing. It
was a very positive experience for both
myself and my class.”
In addition to exploring the concept of
mindfulness with their students, teachers
were also invited to engage with a
personal mindfulness practice over the
course of the project. This would help
them to build a strong foundation and to
enable them to authentically share the
practice with others. As a result of
developing this personal practice,
teachers reported feeling more at ease,
focused, calm, and organised at school, as
well as sleeping better, coping better with
stress and anxiety, and experiencing a
greater sense of gratitude and
appreciation.
“Just getting a chance to breath and be
calm is extremely beneficial, so I end up
feeling less worried, more relaxed and
more productive.”
Teachers even highlighted the benefits
of practising mindfulness in the car on
the way to school!
“I found my mind wasn’t racing as
much by the time I arrived at school, and
it has allowed me to focus more, to take
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time out and to bring my thoughts back
to the present.”
All respondents reported participation
in the project to be a positive experience.
“I have enjoyed the process and so
have my class. Over all it has been very
beneficial and it is easy to fit in moments
of mindfulness during a busy day once
you are exposed to this philosophy.”
If you would like to find out about
other collaborative projects presented by
the PDST, contact your local education
centre. To apply for in-school support in
all aspects of health and wellbeing, visit
http://dmsnew.pdst.ie/school/register.
You will need your school roll number
and the password schoolsupport2016. We
look forward to working with you!
CIARA DELANEy is a Health and Wellbeing Advisor
with the PDST, providing support to schools in all
areas of health and wellbeing.
Teaching­matters
The land of fire and ice
Hallgrimskirkja­Church­
Iceland is expensive so doing some
research before you go is worthwhile. Hotels
are pricey so it’s worth looking online for
deals. While not being a vegan
myself I loved Glo, a
vegetarian/ vegan casual
restaurant hidden off the
main street at Laugavegur
20b where the food was
delicious and reasonable.
The app ‘Appy Hour’ helps
you to make the most of any
drinks deals in local bars as
alcohol is not cheap.
A highlight of the visit was
the snowy landscape of
Þingvellir National Park, the start of the
Golden Circle Tour. Þingvellir National
Park is the site of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
crest and the boundary between North
American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Not only that but it is the location of the
first national parliament and the largest
natural lake in Iceland. It’s kind of a big
deal!
A stop at Gullfoss waterfall for some
‘Instagramable’ photos is a must. But, a
word of warning, I foolishly took my
gloves off for a minute to photograph the
falls and spent the rest of the stop trying
to get feeling back into them! On to the
Haukadalur valley and Strokkur, the
faithfully erupting geyser. The larger
geyser hasn’t erupted for a number of
years now due to silica build up but
Strokkur is on cue every five to ten
minutes. It’s a fairly
spectacular reminder of the
power of nature.
The unforgettable part of
the visit for me was an
excursion to see the
Northern Lights. The lights
cannot be guaranteed but
we were treated to the
faintest of glimmers turning
into long streams of dancing
green light. The vivid green
ribbons edged with pink
tinges stretching across the sky above us
are a memory I know I will always cherish.
The next day we explored the city and
took in an exhibit at the modern, glass
concert hall at the harbour.
An­Iceland­waterfall
We also paid a visit to the famous Blue
Lagoon. The basic entry deal of €40 included
a towel and silica face mask. The cloudy
Bathing­in­the­Blue­Lagoon
The cloudy blue waters and stunning views
made this a fantastic experience
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blue waters and stunning views made this
a fantastic experience before it was time
to towel off and head back to the airport.
Iceland has sights and adventures for
all! November to March is the aurora
season and is very cold. Pack plenty of
layers and shoes with a good grip. And
gloves. Don’t forget your gloves!
We booked a three night package with
www.traveldepartment.ie in March. When
you have so much to see and do in such a
short space of time a package option,
though expensive, can be the best deal. If
you want to research booking everything
separately be flexible with your holiday
dates for better deals. At the moment
return flights in November are priced at
about €350 return and €295 in January
with wowair.
CIARA McNALLy teaches in greystones you can
read more about Iceland on Ciara’s travel blog at
https://mysuitcasediariesorg.wordpress.com
Constantin­Stanciu­/­Shutterstock.com
RnDmS­/­Shutterstock.com
A short two hour and fifteen minute flight
from Dublin and I was disembarking at
Reykjavik airport. The journey to the
lovely Grand Hotel in Iceland’s capital city
took in the iconic Hallgrimskirkja church,
stunning glacier views, historical sites and
the harbour area. The hotel, a 35 minute
walk from the city centre, provided a free
shuttle bus into town.
Cúrsaí­teagaisc
In June 2015, a team of consultants (Dr
Bernie Collins, Dr Seline Keating and Prof
Mark Morgan) was appointed by BeLonG
To Youth Services to develop materials to
target bullying behaviours and attitudes
based on actual or perceived sexual
orientation or gender in primary schools.
This article describes the pilot project on
homophobic and transphobic bullying in
fifth and sixth classes that was
undertaken in a sample of Irish primary
school classrooms. The name chosen for
the initiative was All Together Now!
Why now?
Teachers and school principals are well
aware of the taunting that goes on in
classrooms and school yards where the
word ‘gay’ is frequently used in a
derogatory way. Farrelly’s research found
that 70% of his respondents (primary
school principals) were aware of children
using homophobic language to label a
peer’s behaviour (see InTouch September
2015). The most recent study of Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex
(LGBTI) lives (Higgins et al. 2016) suggests
that schools are not the safe spaces they
should be. This study highlights that 12 is
the most common age for awareness of
one’s LGBTI identity which places the
work undertaken firmly within the
primary school arena. This study also
identifies a higher than usual risk of selfharm and suicide ideation and attempts
among LGBTI young people.
From a policy perspective, this pilot
project addressed an imperative from the
DES to tackle homophobic and
transphobic bullying outlined in Circular
0045/2013 and the revised Anti-bullying
Procedures for Primary and Post-primary
Schools (2013). The latter clearly states that
schools are now obliged not only to name
homophobic and transphobic bullying in
their anti-bullying policies but to: “…
explicitly address the issues of cyberbullying and identity-based bullying
including in particular, homophobic and
transphobic bullying...” (p.18)
The importance of school climate is
also highlighted:
“A cornerstone in the prevention of
bullying is a positive school culture and
climate that is welcoming of difference and
diversity and is based on inclusivity and
respect.” (p.21)
We were aware of the INTO LGBT
Teachers’ Group materials (Different
Families Same Love) and the GLEN/INTO
resource Respect, both of which can be
accessed through the INTO website. The
pilot project sought to build on existing
resources in this area by developing
specific lessons for use in fifth and sixth
classes in primary schools.
underpinning principles
A human rights and equality approach
was adopted which referenced legal
instruments [such as the Equality Act
(2004) and the Gender Recognition Act
(2015)] and also the United Nations
Convention on Human Rights and The
Charter of Children’s Rights.
The pilot project
Prior to piloting, a training module was
facilitated in Dublin, Wexford and
Donegal with participating principals and
class teachers. Parents were also asked for
permission for their children to
participate in the lessons. In all, 27 class
teachers piloted the lessons and provided
detailed feedback on their own and the
children’s responses to the materials. This
was invaluable in refining the lessons and
we are grateful to the schools, teachers
and pupils who participated in this
ground-breaking project.
A taster of the materials
The consultants developed four key
lessons for piloting with the assistance of
the Advisory Group*. The following
samples give a flavour of the content and
approaches that were deemed ageappropriate and engaging for children.
*The­Advisory­Group­for­this­project­­included­the­INTO.
Lesson 1: Human rights (sample)
Activity 1: The Charter of Children’s Rights
The teacher writes the words ‘Rights’ on
the board to stimulate discussion.
Key questions
Does anyone know what a right is?
Who decides what a right is?
Have you ever heard of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights?
What does universal mean?
Does that apply to Ireland then?
the summary sheet: Children’s Rights can
be displayed or distributed. Emphasis is
placed on the right to be safe; to be
treated equally in spite of any
differences; to express yourself (for
example).
What about The Charter of Children’s
Rights – do you know anything about
this?
The teacher provides background
information to the pupils about The
Charter of Children’s Rights (information
provided for teachers).
A poster can be displayed and discussed
– see link under ‘Resources’. In addition,
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Key questions
What is your favourite right of those
highlighted?
56
OC TOber 2016
Is there anything not there that you think
should be there?
Whole class discussion can follow on how
we may sometimes talk about things we
want/need (e.g. I want/need a new
playstation) as if they are a right – it’s a
good idea to know the difference
between wants and rights!
Teaching matters
All Together Now!
Pilot project tackles homophobic and transphobic bullying
in primary schools
Lesson 2: Bullying
(sample)
Lesson 4: All Together
Now! (Sample)
Lesson 2: Activity 3 Resource
Sheet Hurt Scale
Activity 4: Rainbows
Children rate a range of behaviours in relation
to what effect they might have on an
individual.
Lesson 3: Responding to
bullying (sample)
Activity 2: Scenario Placemats
The class are divided into groups of five. Each pupil is
allocated a number between one and five with a
colour. A3 placemat scenarios are dispersed on desks
around the classroom. The groups of five rotate
clockwise from table to table where they read the
scenario and write their personal response in their
numbered and coloured box.
Feedback from piloting teachers
Feedback was sought from principals,
teachers and members of the Advisory
Group*. All commented very favourably
on the training, resources and overall
management of the project. Included here
are some examples of the teacher feedback:
“…where we thought they would giggle,
they didn’t even blink an eye! It seems that
when things are just explained to them,
they are not taboo and it’s not as likely that
they will use those words to tease someone
especially at school.” (Sixth class teacher)
“I liked that we were told to refer to the
school’s anti-bullying policy and it gave us
an opportunity to explain what it is and why
it’s in place” (Fourth/fifth class teacher)
“The children came out of the lesson with
a hugely positive attitude towards making a
stand against bullying and to me that was a
success.” (Sixth class teacher)
The main criticism of the lessons was
the length of time it took to complete
each one. In some instances this was
because of the reaction of the children:
“I don’t think there is any part of this
lesson that didn’t go well. Personally, I timed
it quite wrong. The children became so
involved that I found I went way over time
and had to continue this lesson the next
day.” (sixth class teacher)
The issue of the length of the lessons
and all other feedback has been
addressed in the revised materials, and
we are confident that teachers will find
the All Together Now! classroom materials
an invaluable resource to tackle all kinds
of bullying in schools and, in particular,
homophobic and transphobic bullying.
The lessons will be available to download
after the launch on 17 October at
www.belongto.org (see ‘Primary School
Project’ under ‘Resources’). It is hoped that
teacher training can take place for those
who are interested in this area, and plans
are afoot to offer training in a variety of
formats. Teachers interested in training or
hearing more about the project can
contact: [email protected].
57
Key questions
Where have you seen the rainbow symbol
displayed?
What does it mean to be an ally?
Denise Tyrrell, Sixth Class, St Senan’s PS,
Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
Dr BERNIE COLLINS, Dr SELINE KEATING and Prof
MARK MORGAN
Access to the lessons
INTOUCH
The teacher displays and introduces the symbol
of the rainbow. Its significance is explained to
the pupils in terms of the range of colours
(diversity) that together form a beautiful
phenomenon in the sky on a rainy day. Other
places where rainbow symbols are seen are also
explored. Its significance for the LGBT
community is discussed. The pupils are shown
some pictures of people wearing/using the
symbol who are not LGBT – but who are LGBT
allies. The concept of an ally can be explored.
The whiteboard could be used to display some
of these images to the children (see for example
belongto.org for posters/video clips).
OC TOBER 2016
References
Farrelly, G. (2014). Homophobic bullying in Irish primary schools.
Unpublished Doctoral Thesis, St Patrick’s College, Dublin.
Higgins, A., Doyle, L., Downes, C., Murphy, R., Sharek, D., DeVries, J.,
Begley, T., McCann, E., Sheerin, F., and Smyth, S. (2016). The LGBTIreland
report: national study of the mental health and well-being of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender and intersex people in Ireland. Dublin: GLEN and
BelonG To.
Ireland, Department of Education and Skills (2013). Action Plan on Bullying.
Dublin:.
Ireland, Department of Education and Skills, (2013). Circular 0045/2013.
Dublin.
Cúrsaí­teagaisc
ClEITE
An Clár Luathléitheoireachta
Is iontach go bhfuil Banda 3 de CLEITE
ón Áisaonad (le maoiniú ó COGG) ar
fáil anois. Clár struchtúrtha atá in
CLEITE a chabhraíonn agus a
fhorbraíonn scileanna léitheoireachta.
60 leabhar atá ann agus fágann sé sin go
bhfuil 180 leabhar ann san iomlán anois.
Tá idir fhicsean agus neamhfhicsean sna
leabhair tharraingteacha seo, rud a
thugann taithí leathan don túsléitheoir
agus cleachtadh ar éagsúlacht téacs agus
seánraí. Tá béim ar spriocfhocail agus
spriocfhrásaí áirithe agus láimhsítear
focail fuaime agus focail suime go
comhthreomhar. Tá sé mar aidhm
scileanna tuisceana agus scileanna
díchódaithe a fhorbairt le chéile chun
léitheoireacht neamhspleách a
spreagadh. Tá béim ar athrá agus
athúsáid frásaí tríd síos, rud a chuidíonn
le hathchleachtadh, sealbhú agus
daingniú teanga. Tá na leabhair maisithe
go gleoite, cuid le grianghraif agus cuid
eile le pictiúir. Tá neart ábhar plé sna
pictiúir mar shíneadh ar an téacs. Tá
treoracha ar chlúdach cúil/tosaigh gach
leabhair maidir le conas na leabhair a
úsáid. Tá dhá leagan de na leabhair ar
fáil, leagan Ultach agus leagan
deisceartach le freastal ar na difríochtaí
teanga atá ann. Ina theannta sin tá
greamáin ar fáil do roinnt leabhar agus is
féidir an leagan mí-oiriúnach a chlúdach
agus an leagan is oiriúnaí a thaispeáint,
m.sh. féach/amhairc, go tapa/go gasta,
ag cabhrú/ag cuidiú. Tá comhad do gach
banda le háiseanna tacaíochta agus
gníomhachtaí ar fáil go leictreonach.
Chomh maith leis sin tá nótaí breise
múinteora ar fáil ar shuíomh an
Áisaonaid – www.aisaonad.org. Cé go
bhfuil CLEITE dírithe ar thús na
léitheoireachta sa chóras tumoideachais
tá go leor féidearthachtaí ann na leabhair
a úsáid sna bunranganna in aon scoil.
Úsáid sa rang
l Bain úsáid as cur chuige léitheoireacht
faoi threoir. Bíodh 4-6 páistí i ngrúpa
léitheoireachta agus leabhar ag gach
páiste. Roinn na páistí ina ngrúpaí de
réir a gcumas léitheoireachta nuair atá
an seisiúin faoi threoir a eagrú. Caith
10-15 nóiméad leis an ngrúpa faoi threoir.
l Úsáid na leathnaigh mheasúnaithe atá
ar fáil leis na háiseanna tacaíochta le
leibhéal léitheoireachta na bpáistí a
mheas.
l Eagraigh na grúpaí eile le bheith ag
obair ar ghníomhaíochtaí réamhphleanáilte bunaithe ar leabhair atá
léite cheana. Bain leas as an ábhar
tacaíochta ar líne le cúnamh ó
mhúinteoir tacaíochta agus/nó
cúntóir ranga.
l Bíodh ionchur teanga soiléir agus
sonrach déanta ag tús an cheachta
chun a chinntiú go bhfuil an teanga
atá de dhíth chun na leabhair a léamh
sealbhaithe ag na páistí.
l Spreag spéis na bpáistí ag an tús le
l
l
l
l
l
ceisteanna
agus le comhrá ginearálta.
Téigh ar shiúlóid tríd an leabhar.
Pléigh na pictiúir agus an foclóir a
bhaineann leo. Treoraigh na páistí le
focail suime a léamh ag úsáid
pictiúrleide agus de réir a chéile,
leideanna eile téacs ar nós comhthéacs.
Léigh an leabhar os ard le páistí chun
nósanna léitheoireachta a eiseamlárú,
ansin spreag iad leis an téacs a léamh
go neamhspléach nó le cara.
Úsáid pictiúir eile mar ábhar plé chun
teanga nua a mhúineadh, a
chleachtadh agus a dhaingniú.
Iarr ar na páistí an scéal a athinsint ina
bhfocail féin.
Dírigh aird na bpáistí ar úsáid
poncaíochta chun léamh le rithim
agus le mothú.
Ar fáil ón Áisaonad [email protected].
Curtha le chéile ag MáIRE NIC AN RÍ
faoi choimirce COgg
www.seideansi.ie
Ábhar tacaíochta do Ranganna
na Naíonán – Rang 2
Cleachtaí, cluichí agus craic!
INTOUCH
58
OC TOber 2016
Teaching­matters
Reviews
A clash of
loyalties
Rugby Flyer is the fourth
in the Eoin Madden
series of books by Gerard
Siggins. Eoin, a loyal Munster supporter, is
a boarder at a Dublin secondary school,
who faces a dilemma when he is invited to
attend a Leinster Rugby Youth Academy
summer school. Eoin’s best friend from
home, Dylan, ironically, receives a similar
invitation from the Munster Rugby Youth
Academy. If both are good enough to be
selected to represent their respective
provinces, they could end up opposing
each other in a European Youths’
Challenge Cup in Twickenham!
Not only is Eoin facing a clash of
loyalties, but is there some ghostly
connection between the old abandoned
house near his home and the great rugby
stadium in London where he, a Munster
teenager, might yet play in the blue of
Leinster, before the end of the summer?
This action-packed novel moves at the
speed of top class rugby. It would appeal to
pupils in senior classes, especially those with
an interest in sport, and in particular rugby.
Training sessions, coaching and matches
become real in this fast-paced narrative. A
must read for all young rugby fans!
O’Brien Press, ISBN: 978-1-84717-819-0,
Cost: €8.99
Reviewed by CIARáN ByRNE, Rathdrum, Co
Wicklow
Kerry 1916 : histories and
Legacies of the easter rising
In April, I accompanied students from CBS
Primary, Tralee, to the impressive State
Commemoration of the centenary of the
unsuccessful attempt by Roger Casement
and his colleagues to land arms at Banna
Strand, Co Kerry. With An t-Uachtaran,
Michael D. Higgins in attendance, this was
a most impressive commemoration
interspersed with military inspections,
music, poetry and a re-enactment of
Casement’s speech from the Dock and, to
conclude, a fly past by the Air Corps.
On the bus to Banna, chatting to the
driver, he told me about various family
connections as well as local history
relating to the period. “How about
yourself?” he enquired. “Nah, I replied, “but
my Aunt May did see Casement being
brought into the old RIC Barracks in Tralee.”
The driver indicated he had heard that
there were children playing outside at the
time and that Casement called over one
of the group, gave him two shillings and
asked him to buy chocolate and return.
The young boy did so and on his return
was allowed enter the Barracks where
Casement kept one bar and instructed
the boy to share the rest with the other
children outside.
The boy was no other that my own
wife’s father who, on a Good Friday
morning, was able to procure the request
at his father’s shop, McCann’s of Castle St.
ruaille Buaille
Leabhar taitneamhach atá anseo againn. Meascán
cliste ealaíonta de scéalta, nua agus seanaimseartha atá ann. Tá sé deacair, ar an ábhar sin,
aon scéal a roghú amach. Thaitin gach uile scéal
leis an léirmheastóir seo. Tá moladh speisialta ag
dul do Mhuireann Lalor a rinne an dearadh don
leabhar. Rinne sí éacht oibre ar na léaráidí, agus
cuireann a cuid oibre go mór leis an téacs. Is féidir
le páiste na scéalta seo a thuiscint fiú amháin,
beag beann ar an téacs. Sa scéal Saoirse agus An
Phluais Mhistéireach, buaileann beirt pháistí lena
chéile agus tugann siad aghaidh ar phluais
draíochta. Bíonn turas mistéireach tríd an bpluais
ag na leanaí. Bíonn an léitheoir ar tinneall agus é
ag faire orthu agus iad ag dul suas síos ’sna tolláin
faoin talamh. Ach baineann siad na cosa leo as an
gcruachás ina rabhadar i ndeireadh thiar thall.
Bhain an léitheoir seo an-taitneamh as an scéal
La na ngairmeacha. Lá amháin chuaigh buachaill
óg chuig taispeántas gairmeacha. Chonaic an
buachaill an-chuid daoine a bhí éirimiúil agus
gairmiúil, ach faraor dóite níor thaitin aon cheann
de na postanna a bhí acu leis. Bheadh an scéal seo
an-suimiúil do dhéagóirí sa mheánscoil ach go
háirithe. Ach mo léan cráite, níor cuireadh
clabhsúr ceart leis an scéal dár liom. Tháinig scéal
eile, nó b’fhéidir cuid de scéal eile salach air, ach ní
fhaca an léirmheastóir seo aon cheangal idir an dá
scéal. Is cosúil gur fágadh leathanaigh áirithe ar
lár as an dá scéal. Is mór an trua é seo mar is
leabhar gleoite é. Tá súil agam go gcuirfear
leigheas ar an bhfadhb seo níos déanaí. Bheadh
Ruaille Buaille oiriúnach do na ranganna
sínsearacha sa bhunscoil ach go háirithe.
Comicí gael, ISBN: 978-0-9934873-0-9, €8.00
Reviewed by DONALL O’FIONNAIN, Coláiste
Hibernia.
INTOUCH
59
OC TOber 2016
I only hope he passed
some chocolate on to my
Aunt May.
My apologies to
Bridget Mc Auliffe, Mary
Mc Auliffe and Owen
O’Shea, joint editors of Kerry
1916 – Histories and Legacies of the Easter
Rising, for using so much space with the
above anecdote in reviewing this most
valuable and engrossing book. The book
has an impressive list of contributors,
including the above mentioned editors,
Ryle T Dwyer, J. Anthony Gaughan,
Gordon Revington, eyewitness Pat
‘Aeroplane’ O’Shea and many more.
The reader will be both educated and
enthused by the variety of essays and the
topics explored. These include an overview
of the social and political life of the period,
the role of women in the Rising, as well as
that of the GAA and, of course, detail on
the many Volunteers including Roger
Casement, Austin Stack, Thomas Ashe,
Fionán Lynch and many others.
The essays will be of interest and value
not just to Kerry readers, but to all readers
interested in the story of the Rising and its
aftermath. Kerry was central to the
planning of the Rising and this book helps
us understand the how and the why of
what happened nationwide ‘In their own
words’ (p207-222) details first-hand
accounts of the tumultuous events by a
variety of eyewitnesses giving the reader
a unique insight into what motivated the
volunteers and how events transpired.
Kerry 1916 is, in this reader’s opinion, a
very important record.
A review such as this could never do
justice to the meticulous research, the
balanced accounts of the contributors,
the quality and variety of photographs
but, most especially, to the integrity and
valour of the many men and women
volunteers who were the catalysts for
change in Ireland in the early 20th
century.
Irish Historical
Publications, ISBN: 978-09927487-8-4, Cost: €25
Reviewed by PAT COSTELLO, CBS,
Tralee, Co Kerry.
Finishing Touches
x Resources for teachers, noticeboard of upcoming events and the Comhar Linn Crossword x
Noticeboard
into StSg events
copy date
sidered
Copy you wish to have con
ber
for publication in the Novem
in
ve
issue of InTouch should arri
er.
tob
Head Office by 10 Oc
ber
The deadline for the Decem
.
ber
vem
issue is 14 No
er
Away meeting – 14 - 16 Octob
lway.
Venue: Ardilaun Hotel, Ga
14 Oct
on
.
p.m
Check in from 2.30
p.m.
7.30
at
ht
nig
t
and dinner tha
a.m.
11
at
er
tob
Oc
15
Sat
Meeting:
in
er
Dinner on Saturday 15 Octob
.
p.m
7.30
at
the Galleon Restaurant
AGM – 19 November
teachers against
Bullying helpline
The Teachers against Bullying
helpline aims to help teachers and
principals who have been, or are
being bullied by member/s of school
staff and/or inspectors and/or BOM.
Contact Teresa McMahon at 01
2883062 (7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday and
Wednesday only).
ber 2016.
Date: Saturday, 19 Novem
rs’ Club,
che
Tea
ue:
Ven
.
Time: 7 p.m
Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Club.
Followed by supper in the
owed,
wid
ed,
Separated, divorc
I, TUI
AST
O,
INT
m
lone parents fro
l
nua
An
.
me
lco
and IFUT we
r
subscription €20. For furthe
Moloney
kie
Jac
t:
tac
con
n
atio
inform
lt
Iseu
or
9
01 6247476/087-975284
9.
206
516
01Bourke, 085-2394661/
World’s largest lesson
Take part in the World’s largest
lesson this October. Teach one
lesson about the Global Goals for
Sustainable Development between
5 and 17 October 2016.
Weblink:
https://www.into.ie/ROI/GlobalCitiz
enshipSchool/Lessonplansotherreso
urces/GCS_Lessons.pdf or see
details in last month’s InTouch.
reunions
Final call-out to the Carysfort
class of 86
cork teachers’ golf So
ciety
ay, 15 October 2016.
. Macroom Golf Club. Saturd
First outing of new season
official club
(no
ers particularly welcome
Tee: 11.45 - 12.45. New memb
.net/~ctgs
om
eirc
ge.
info visit: http://homepa
handicap necessary). For
30 year reunion on 12 Novem
ber in
the Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan. For
booking details, get your em
ail
address to carysfort86@gma
il.com
Hurry Get in touch!! Time is run
ning
out!!
Reunion – St Pat’s Class of
1986
Venue: Club na Múinteoirí
Date: Saturday 26 November
at 7.30pm
Meet friends for drinks,
finger food and a chat.
Contact:
[email protected]
or St Pats Reunion Eightysix
on Facebook
navan theatre group present the
Plough and the Stars
This year Navan Theatre Group presents The Plough
and the Stars by Seán O’Casey, directed by Caitríona
Heslin. It will run from Wed 23 November to Sun 27
November. Details and booking:
www.solsticeartscentre.ie
The production commemorates the centenary of
the 1916 Rising and also celebrates Navan Theatre
Group’s 25th Anniversary.
Many members of our group are INTO members.
INTOUCH
61
OC TOber 2016
Nótaí­deiridh
Two pages with Comhar linn prizewinners, Crossword, resources for the classroom …
from training courses to helpful hints and useful links
comhar Linn draw winners
JUly
Left:­June­Draw­car­winner,
Mairead­Whelan,­St Aidan’s
Parish School, Enniscorthy,
Co Wexford.
Car – Toyota Auris
Áine Bn Uí Dhuinn, Sutton, Dublin 13.
Weekends for Two plus two All
Ireland Football Final tickets
aUgUsT
Car – Toyota Auris
Muriel Weekes, Scoil Chiaráin, Baile Átha
Cliath 5.
Weekends for Two in Jury’s Inn
Mairéad Burke, Scoil Naomh Éanna,
Carraroe, Co. Sligo.
Seán O’Cearnaigh, Gaelscoil na Lochanna,
Blessington, Co. Wicklow
Deirdre O’Connor, Castleshane,
Co. Monaghan.
Sinéad Duffy, Castleblayney Convent
School, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.
Right:­July­car­winner,
Áine­Bn­Uí­Dhuinn,­Sutton,
Dublin­13­
Cash – € 750
Sinéad O’Meara, Belmayne ETNS,
Belmayne North, Dublin 13.
Cash – € 1500
Michael McCabe, Raheny, Dublin 5.
Comhar Linn Crossword no 175
A draw for 2 x €100 will be made from all correct entries.
Simply complete the crossword and send it to ‘InTouch Crossword’, INTO, 35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1, before Monday 31st October 2016
1
2
3
4
8
5
6
7
9
10
11
13
12
14
15
16
17
18
19
21
24
26
20
22
23
25
27
NaMe:
ACROSS
DOWN
1. Little­Dorothy­in­Morse­code.­(3)
3. This­number­is­fractionally­lower!­(11)
8. Horse­noise­that­is­more­gorse-like?­(6)
9. It­trades­up­-­that's­the­latest.­(8)
10. Card­game­by­the­fire.­(5)
11. Parts­of­a­tree­running­on­out­through
soil,­initially.­(5)
13. The­trainee­acted­strangely.­(5)
15. Make­a­GI­calm­like­this?­How
enchanting?­(7)
16. Counsellor­who­provides­commercial
eye-protection.­(7)
20. Being­virile,­quite­a­few­surround­the
novice.­(5)
21. One­understands­these­are­small
branches.­(5)
23. The­canine­mother­provides­the­creed.
(5)
24. Many­repeat,­although­being­wellread.­(8)
25. Bottle­which­has­a­right­to­be­in­a­3
down.­(6)
26. Will­this­tell­you­how­long­the­cassette
is?­(4,7)
27. Addition­sum­for­a­little­child.­(3)
1. A­deposit­-­of­feathers?­(4,7)
­­­2,­4d­&­6d.­When­not­in­the­penalty­area,
­­­­­­­using­your­head­is­the­essence­of
­­­­­­­innovation.­(8,7,3,3)
3. One­who­is­eating­in­red­set-up.­(5)
4. See­2­down.
5. The­lowest­point­of­the­broken­drain.
(5)
6. See­2­down.
7. Turn­up­a­rock?­Nonsense!­(3)
12. But­in­public­does­the­spy­appear­as­a
lady?­(6,5)
13. Allege­one­is­stuck­in­a­scallop.­(5)
14. Drink­is­divine­with­a­plaything
around.­(5)
17. Rank­achieved­by­a­material­worker.
(8)
18. Les­rang­up­some­fishermen.­(7)
19. Circus­tent­that­creates­huge­spin?­(3,3)
22. The­saint­has­a­strange­way­of­playing
the­guitar.­(5)
23. Will­he­duck­the­article­in­'Doctor
Kildare'?­(5)
24. Permit­the­dramatic­prince,­in­the­end.
(3)
Crossword no 174 Solutions
choir 13. Spade 14. Valid 17. Spider 19. Worst
20. Radon 28. Rehab 30. Axel 31. Arch 32. Whoa
35. Lit
Across Paradise Lost 7. Aid 9. Clot 10. Danube
11. Hoki 14. Vegan 15. Recap 16. Espy 18. Lower
22. Adieu 23. Eider 24. Male 25. Ovens 26. Scart lead
33. Mother 34. Half 36. She 37. Learn by heart
Down 1. Pal 2. Rite 3. Dido 4. Singe 5. Libya 6. Taco
8. Do-it-yourself 9. Cirrocumulus cloud 12. School
address:
INTOUCH
62
OC TOber 2016
Winners of Crossword no 174 will be announced
in the next InTouch issue due to print deadlines
preceding crossword deadlines.
Finishing­touches
COMPETITION
The­most­viewed­links­for­the­first­two
weeks­of­September
School­Essay­Competition­for­5&6­classes
1
Irish Christmas Tree Growers are inviting pupils from the
32 counties to take part in an essay competition “A­real­Irish
Christmas­Tree­– Simply­the­Best!” where they will give the
reasons why they would like a real Irish Christmas tree for
Christmas.
MÉ FÉIN BINgO
scoilnet.ie/uploads/resources/12887/12524.
docx
Cluiche bingo bunaithe ar an téama darbh ainm
Mé Féin.
2
MÉ FÉIN SCEAL
scoilnet.ie/uploads/resources/6230/6039.
pdf
Liosta de thearmai a bheadh usáideach d’aisti a
scríobh.
3
MOTHER TERESA: OuR MODERN DAy SAINT
scoilnet.ie/uploads/resources/17104/16781.
pptx
PowerPoint presentation on the life of the saint.
4
MÉ FEIN 2
stmarys-belfast.ac.uk/aisaonad/iosloid/
Me_fein2.pdf
Leabhar oibre ar lámha, ar ghruaig agus ar
shúile le hIoslódáil.
5
IRISH LESSONS FROM IS FÉIDIR LIOM
isfeidirliom.ie/lessons/lesson1
Set of 10 free Irish lessons by Seamus O’Neill.
6
COuNTIES OF IRELAND
toporopa.eu/en/uk_ireland_counties.html
Interactive point and click game.
7
SCIENCE HOOKS
www.sciencehooks.scoilnet.ie
Science videos – Primary – recently added.
8
SALMON OF KNOWLEDgE
resources.teachnet.ie/pcoleman/mark2/
pages/readsalmon.htm
Teacher-created resource.
9
A HISTORy OF IRELAND IN 100 OBJECTS
100objects.ie
Online version of the book by Fintan O’Toole
How to take part (Only ONE Entry Per School)
T Pupils of 5&6 classes are invited to write an essay individually, or
as a collaborative exercise of up to 4 pupils maximum
T All participating schools will pick an overall winner and submit
their entry to [email protected]
T This exercise challenges pupils in key areas such as:
English/Literacy Development, Geography, Enterprise
Ed./Commerce, Science, I T Skills, Environmental Ed.,
T Please visit www.christmastreesireland.com for teacher
resources, research topics, links to useful sites, and more …
ST PATRICK’S NS, CHARLSTON, CO
MAyO
http://www.cloonlyonns.ie
Website of a school that is very
digitally active. Contains lots of
short pieces of information
with multiple images and
videos.
ONes TO waTCH
The prizes
l 32 County Winners, will each receive a Christmas Tree (€60.00)
for both family and school
l National Winner awarded €150.00
l Four Provincial Winners awarded €50.
Deadline Friday 4th November 2016
email entries to [email protected]
Mell NS Students Collaborate for National Essay Success
Four Sixth Class students at St
Joseph’s NS, Mell, Co. Louth,
worked together to research and
present their entry in the Irish
‘Christmas­ Tree­ Growers’
(ICTG) Essay Competition. Patrick
Keane, Best Ahcin and Antonio
Ofodile were joined by Luka
Suraityte, the only girl in the
group, to give a really international blás to the collaboration, involving
Nigeria, Lithuania and Ireland. Their teacher, Paula Galavan, was delighted
with the win, as the students really did produce a great deal of research to
explain why: “All I Want for Christmas is a Real Irish Christmas Tree”.
On December 4 at Government Buildings, the Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny,
accompanied by Joe Flynn ICTG, Coordinator, presented them with their
award. They had great fun in deciding how to spend the €150, eventually
agreeing to purchase a wide selection of books in Waterstones for the school
library. In addition, each of the four families and the school received a Real
Irish Christmas Tree from local producer, John White. The prize fund is
sponsored by the growers, allowing for each of the 32 County Winners to
secure a Christmas Tree for both their family and school – a prize fund valued
in excess of €4,000.
PEAR DECK
peardeck.com
Create presentations with
student interaction and
responses monitored.
EDPuzzLE
edpuzzle.com­
Engage students in videos by
embedding questions to
answer.
EDMODO
edmodo.com
A virtual classroom to store
resources, assignments,
quizzes and polls.
INTOUCH
63
OC TOber 2016
10 VERBS AS gAEILgE
weandus.ie/files/br_cut_outs.pdf
Covers first conjugation; second conjugation
and irregular verbs.