A meeting re Gaelcholaiste an Phiarsaigh to be held soon
November 14, 2013
The Management Committee of Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh will be holding a meeting with parents before Christmas. We have invited the Department of Education to the meeting to share their plans for the school location with us. Further information will be made available as soon as possible.
Fáilte isteach i mo Shaol
November 14, 2013
Seoladh Rith 2014
November 14, 2013
Minister Quinn moves to cut school uniform costs
November 14, 2013
Schools to ballot parents on school uniform policy
The Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn T.D. has moved to tackle the cost of school uniforms by strengthening the role of parents in how schools decide their policies on uniforms.
The education partners will now be invited to engage with Department officials on how to implement this change which will include compiling a template questionnaire that schools can use to consult with parents on uniforms.
All schools that have uniform policies, or are contemplating one, will use this template questionnaire to conduct a ballot among parents to allow them to decide the type of uniform – if any – they want for the 2014/15 school year.
It is envisaged that parents will be asked to vote on a series of options such as:
Do they want a school uniform or not? If they opt for a uniform do they want trousers, jumpers, blouses, shirts and skirts in colours/shades available in the large retail chains? Do they want a school blazer, a school crest on garments and what type?
Minister Quinn believes that empowering parents to determine school uniform policy is the most effective way to tackle back to school costs. The Department is also working on developing a Parents Charter that will further strengthen the position of parents generally within the school system.
“Specifically I want all schools that currently operate a uniform policy, or contemplate introducing one, to ballot parents during the current school year before deciding on the policy to be adopted for the 2014/15 school year,” said Minister Quinn.
“I have consistently said that schools should listen to the parents on this matter since it is parents who incur the costs arising from the decisions that schools make. Balloting all parents should ensure that a school fully captures the views of its parent body,” the Minister added.
The Department will issue the template questionnaire to schools by the end of this month. Schools are expected to complete the ballots by the end of February. This will give Boards of Management adequate time to consider the parents’ wishes and to determine the schools uniform policy for the next school year.
www.education.ie
Cruinneas agus Scríobh na Gaeilge
November 14, 2013
Más suim leat go bhfreagrófaí nó go bpléifí cúpla cruacheist a bhaineann le Cruinneas na Teanga nó fiú tabhairt fé chúpla alt/fógra a aistriú ó Bhéarla go Gaeilge, seo do sheans. Reáchtálfar Gearrchúrsa Cruinnis sa Ghaeilge i Músaem Bhaile an Fheirtéaraigh ón 14ú-15ú Feabhra 2014 mar chuid de Chlár Gaeilge 2014 ag Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne. Díreofar ar chúrsaí foghraíochta agus ar struchtúir na teanga chomh maith leis na botúin is comónta a dheintear sa Ghaeilge scríofa. Agus ina theannta sin díreofar ar na háiseanna is ar na hacmhainní atá anois ann do theagascóirí Gaeilge is do lucht an aistriúcháin. Ní mór dosna rannpháirtithe a bheith líofa go maith sa Ghaeilge cheana féin agus beidh fáilte is fiche roimis na rannpháirtithe moltaí fé ábhar an chúrsa a chur i scríbhinn chugainn roimhré.
Beir leat foclóir ar bith atá agat. €100 costas an chúrsa seo.
Le haghaidh a thuileadh eolais fén gcúrsa seo téir go dtí suíomh Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne ag www.oidhreacht.ie nó cuir fón orainn ag 066 91 56 100 nó cuir ríomhphost chugainn ag eolas@cfcd.ie.
Tuilleadh eolas:
Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne
Baile an Fheirtéaraigh, Trá Lí, Co. Chiarraí.
Fón: 066 91 56 100
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Snaschúrsa Gaeilge do Mhúinteoirí
November 14, 2013
Pupils from Gaelscoil Shliabh Rua with the Sam Maguire
November 14, 2013
Exhibitors at Comhdháil Oideachais 2013
November 13, 2013
The conference will take place the 22nd and 23rd November 2013 in the Johnstown House Hotel in Enfield, Co, Meath, and below is a list of the organisations and companies that will have exhibition stands at the conference – make sure to visit them! We will have a great opportunity for celebration this year at the Annual Conference as Gaelscoileanna Teo. marks its 40th year. We are delighted to announce that the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, will be attending. We expect a large attendance. You can register to attend here. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
Clár na Comhdhála Oideachais 2013 (Conference programme)
Exhibitors at Comhdháil Oideachais 2013:
- 4Schools.ie
- Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge
- Aladdin Schools
- An Gúm
- An tÁisaonad
- Ceol Ireland
- Cló Iar Chonnacht
- Coiscéim
- Coláiste Íde
- Coláiste na bhFiann
- Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge
- Conradh na Gaeilge
- Databiz Solutions
- EMS Copiers (Services) Ltd
- Fiontar
- Foras na Gaeilge
- Forbairt Naíonraí Teo.
- Futa Fata
- Gaelchultúr
- Gathanna Gréine teo.
- GDK Systems Ltd.
- Gill & Macmillan
- Glanmore Foods
- Graffiti Theatre Company
- Kildare Puzzles
- Leabhar Breac
- Nexus TEC Ltd
- ScoilFM
- Smarty Cat Games
- Sona Sásta
- Spraoi!
- TG4
- Virtual Classroom LTD
Cruinniú Cinn Bhliana Chomhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge
November 13, 2013
With the right programme, teachers can make learning Irish a pleasure
November 13, 2013
Not for the first time schools inspectors recently identified some weaknesses in the teaching of Irish in both primary and post- primary schools.
Should this finding take us by surprise? At primary level we have had a new curriculum since 1999, so what’s missing? What is really needed to support the teaching of Irish in primary schools is a structured teaching programme to support the curriculum. We have them in other subject areas. Programmes such as Maths Recovery and Literacy Lift Off are having an impact in schools in disadvantaged areas (DEIS schools) in maths and English literacy.
A structured teaching programme in Irish should be designed for all class levels that would bring together all aspects of Irish – listening, reading, writing and oral language. Such a programme could spell out clearly the expectations for learning at every stage from junior infants to sixth class. And it should be modern, colourful, attractive and relevant to children’s lives in the 21st century. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. There are some excellent resources available to support the teaching of Irish, but what is lacking is a coherent structure. Teachers’ time is better spent teaching instead of searching for and assessing the suitability of resources for different aspects of the Irish curriculum. A structured language teaching programme for the 21st Century will need to use the most up-to-date technology and reflect the interests of today’s children. Irish can be really cool as we saw from the success of Aifric, a TV programme for teenagers.
If the Department of Education were to free up a small team of experienced teachers to design the programme and a coordinator to oversee the project this work could be completed quickly and inexpensively. Lessons can be learnt from the design of Séideán Sí, an integrated Irish language teaching programme for Gaeltacht schools and gaelscoileanna – certainly a success story. But there is no point in having a state-of-the-art programme unless it is supported by professional development for teachers. Lessons can be learnt here too from the School Support Programme in DEIS schools. Professional development for teachers makes a difference. No matter how good a programme, without professional development, its impact will be less than optimum. If we’re serious about supporting the teaching of Irish in our primary schools, let’s give teachers the tools and the confidence to bring the pleasure of language learning to their pupils. With the right curriculum, the right programme and the right on-going support, teaching and learning Irish will be fun.
The department has failed to give this support to teachers for 30 years. It’s no wonder there’s a problem. Giving teachers the teaching programme they need is the answer.
Deirbhile NicCraith is Education Officer in the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO)
www.irishindependent.ie
