Teaching courses may widen entry requirements
August 24, 2012
Primary teaching courses could revert to using interviews or aptitude tests as well as Leaving Certificate results to identify suitable students, under changes being considered by the profession.
There are already proposals to increase the standards needed in Irish, English and maths to be selected for the bachelor of education (BEd) programmes.
But as the inclusion of additional assessments to choose college entrants comes under consideration by third-level bosses, similar plans are already being examined for entry to teacher-training courses.
The Irish Examiner highlighted this week how the better performance of girls and their greater likelihood to study English and Irish at higher level could push the profession further beyond the reach of men.
However, the Teaching Council, which made the proposals last year, said consultations on those suggested changes have yet to begin.
The consultation period will start later this year, and there would be enough lead-in time for any changes to entry requirements to allow students make appropriate choices.
But as well as minimum Leaving Certificate grades, another Teaching Council policy document on teacher-training suggests a review of entry requirements span more than subject levels.
“Selection procedures for initial teacher education should assess, in so far as possible, the broad range of factors which may impact on the applicant’s suitability for entry to the profession,” it says.
It suggests a review of entry requirements and selection procedures, to consider the use of:
- Aptitude tests;
- Structured interviews;
- Significance of previous relevant experience;
- Subject quotas;
- Standard of academic achievement.
The proposals will follow the extension from next year of the BEd from a three to a four-year programme, in line with increased teaching qualification requirements under Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s literacy and numeracy strategy.
A Teaching Council spokesperson said it will be for the minister to set any new entry requirements, based on consultation and advice from the council.
The developments are being considered as third level chiefs also look at widening selection methods for degrees and other courses, to include measurements other than Leaving Certificate performance. The Irish Universities Association is to report by the end of the year on its plans and the timescale for changes, which it is hoped could take effect in 2015.
In a report to Mr Quinn this week they recommended more general entry courses instead of students picking specialist degrees before starting college, and the option of widening bonus points for subjects other than maths.
www.irishexaminer.com
Maths bonus points cost me college place
August 22, 2012
As a Leaving Cert student I believe that the introduction of bonus points for higher level maths has not only affected students who wish to study in the areas of science and maths, it has manipulated the entire points system.
On receiving my CAO offer, I learned that I had been denied my first choice, Law and Irish. Although I achieved 525 points in my Leaving Cert, I was out by a mere 5 points. Having worked consistently for two years I was understandably devastated, as the course had risen by a huge 30 points. However, my situation is not unusual as university courses, be it in the areas of science or even linguistics, have risen astronomically due to the new points system.
Where students should rightfully be tested on their personal skills and talents, the system is instead based on students’ abilities to retain information and perform under severe pressure in exam situations.
Having obtained an A2 in higher level Irish I feel that this should influence my suitability for my chosen course in some way. However, as a result of a lack of mathematical ability, I, along with many others, have been deprived of a course that has very little relevance to maths or science.
While it may be too late for me, I sincerely hope that Ruairí Quinn and his wise colleagues realise that the ideological decision to award 25 bonus points to all honours maths Leaving Cert pupils was unjust and unfair to many hardworking students. This system will exclude more students than it will create jobs for.
Aoife O’Connor
Dingle
Co Kerry
www.irishexaminer.com
Shane leads roll of honour at gaelscoil
August 16, 2012
Shane Kelly led the first roll of honour at Gaelcholáiste Luimní with 8 As.
He and 30 others were the first Leaving Cert graduates at the all-Irish school, which opened at Sir Harry’s Mall in 2006.
In Bruff the celebrations were tinged with sadness as Sr Geraldine Lennon had the task of locking up at the FCJ Ard Schoil Mhuire, which has been the core of education in Co Limerick for more than 150 years.
But there was one binding emotion at both schools: the satisfaction of a job well done.
Shane Kelly, 17, who lives at Old Cratloe Road, said: “I plan to do medicine at UCC. I skipped transition year and my younger brother Richard, 12, starts here in first year on Friday. The education we got here was second to none and the principal, Donncha Ó Treasaigh was the most dedicated man and fantastic school principal. We feel very honoured to be the first group of Leaving Cert students to graduate.”
Deputy principal Sinéad Ní Chiardha said they were absolutely delighted with their results. She said: “We could not have asked for more. A huge percentage got over 450 points and eight received over 500 points. They are a very unique group in that they put their trust in us when the school opened in 2006 without knowing what the future would hold and they have today been very well rewarded.
“All the time and commitment of our 34 teaching staff and the students has paid off.”
http://www.irishexaminer.com/
Áthas for principal and pupils as gaelscoil nua gets go-ahead
August 9, 2012
The principal of a Co Cork gaelscoil says she is delighted that An Bord Pleanála has granted permission for a new school, which she has been seeking for the past 18 years.
Carmel Nic Airt said that since Gaelscoil Chloch na gCoillte was founded in 1994, with 20 pupils and her as the sole teacher, it has been housed in various rented buildings around Clonakilty.
“This is a great and historic day for the pupils, parents, and staff of an gaelscoil,” she said after the announcement yesterday. “At last we can proceed with the building of a proper purpose-built school that will be suitable for the needs of the children and staff with all the facilities that they should have had years ago as a right.
“I want to pay tribute and say a sincere go raibh maith agat to the families who, through the many hard years, supported our school when we had far from ideal conditions for their children.”
The school has expanded since and now has almost 250 pupils and more than 20 staff.
“It is ironic today that there are young students enrolled in our school whose parents were here in the early years. “We also have one teacher on our staff who attended here as a pupil.”
She said there had been a number of false dawns, particularly around election times, when political candidates made various promises to build a new school. “We are now moving forward as we prepare to commence the building of An Gaelscoil Nua at the site at Fernhill Rd.”
“The taxpayers of the country will be relieved to know that their money will no longer to expended on rented private properties, thankful through we are to have had those over the years.”
The mayor of Clonakilty, Cllr Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin, also welcomed the news, and paid tribute to Ms Nic Airt’s perseverance, “Seven years ago the Department of Education secured a site at Fernhill Rd, but it is only now, at long last, that the building is about to start,” he said.
www.examiner.ie
Educating students for the real world
July 23, 2012
With the latest announcement of jobs in PayPal, and the fact half of the number are imported people with language skills, I would like to ask the teachers running our Dáil why we are not teaching kids these languages by now?
This jobs for the boys/girls culture, has cost us again.
Teaching Irish and religion benefits no-one, and we are the only tiny country in the world speaking Irish and barely practising religion.
Let Irish be an option, let the Catholic Church teach religion.
Let’s educate the children about stuff that makes a difference — German, French, Spanish, how to drive, environmental studies.
Instead of buying tablets for TDs, let them do a bit of work.
They are all paid way more than they’re worth and there are too many of them.
They should get in touch with the real world.
Emmet Murphy
Kanturk
Co Cork
www.irishexaminer.com
Raidió RíRá
June 26, 2012
A new 24-hour Irish language radio station for young people has been given the green light by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Raidió RíRá will broadcast on the digital platform and will aim to get young people using Irish on a daily basis. The station will be run by Raidió X Teoranta.
www.irishexaminer.com
Sports themes feature strongly in Irish exams
June 13, 2012
For Leaving Certificate students of Irish, sports themes featured strongly at both levels on their Paper 2 exams.
Robbie Cronin, subject spokesperson for ASTI, said the higher level exam opened with an interesting article about Jim Thorpe, an Irish-American double-gold winner at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm.
Although most questions were fair, he thought an opinion question about the mindsets of the American people and the International Olympic Council was too demanding.
He identified difficult vocabulary in a second piece, an excerpt from journalist Alex Hijmans’ novel Favela, such as words for “natives” and “guardian angels”. He thought the final question was unfairly difficult.
Mr Cronin said the comprehension passages for ordinary level Irish about sports journalist Evanne Ní Chuilinn and tennis player Dáithí Ó hEithir were interesting and the related questions were fair.
For Biology students, the ordinary level Leaving Certificate exam was considered quite fair by TUI subject spokeswoman Margaret O’Neill. She thought the language was a bit more technical than might be expected at this level.
ASTI’s Biology spokes-woman Ciara O’Shea said most higher level students would have been pleased. She thought part of an ecology question about introducing an exotic species to a new environment was quite challenging, as was the interpretation of a graph in relation to photosynthesis, but a full question on the nervous system was welcome.
Business studies was examined in the morning for Junior Certificate students, with those choosing higher level facing a second paper in the afternoon.
TUI Business Studies representative Ivan O’Callaghan said both morning exams were challenging enough.
ASTI subject spokesperson Pat Morris said yesterday afternoon’s exam was probably no trouble for higher level candidates with their work well done, saying it included an interesting question on credit sales and bad debts.
www.irishexaminer.com
Smiles all round as Irish higher-level is plain sailing
June 8, 2012
Students at the all-Irish Coláiste Daibhéid in Cork City were pleased with the first Junior Certificate Irish papers.
All 40 of the city centre school’s Junior Certificate candidates took yesterday’s higher-level exam, said deputy principal Richel Ní Longaigh.
Bronagh Ní Tornáil from Blarney said Paper 1 in the morning was “grand”, and thought the listening test at the beginning was particularly easy.
“I was nervous going in but it was grand afterwards, once you get in there everything is fine,” said Bronagh.
Her classmate, Aoife Nic Ruairí from Douglas, was also pleased with the morning’s higher-level exam, but felt Paper 2 in the afternoon might be a bit more stressful.
“It’s going to be harder alright, but it should be okay because we’ve been learning through Irish.
“It definitely gives us an advantage on other students,” she said.
So much so, in fact, she thought Irish Paper 1 was easier than the equivalent English exam on the first day of the Junior Certificate 24 hours earlier. One exam she was not looking forward to, however, is history next week.
“There’s so much writing and learning involved,” she said.
For Dean Ó Torpa, yesterday morning’s Irish Paper 1 was also plain sailing “There’s more pressure in the afternoon. The poetry particularly is harder,” he said.
But the teenager from Mahon was glad to have the first couple of exams behind him. “I thought English was okay as well.”
After all the pressure and build-up, said Bronagh, starting the Junior Certificate was like sitting any summer tests.
“There’s so much pressure on us to do well in the Junior Cert but when you get there, it’s just like another test,” agreed Dean.
Both he and Aoife must wait until the music exam on Wednesday week, June 20, before the Junior Certificate is over.
But Bronagh has a much quicker sweep, as she finishes next Thursday after her science exam.
All three have 11 subjects to take exams in, but students starting the Junior Certificate course in two years should have no more than eight exam subjects, an idea that this group welcomes.
“It’s a better idea, then after Junior Cert you can choose your other subjects for the Leaving,” said Bronagh.
A more immediate change, taking effect this year, is the allocation of 40% of marks for Leaving Certificate Irish to the oral test, instead of the 25% previously given to it.
“We’re learning everything through Irish already so we’ll hopefully have an advantage over everyone,” said Dean.
www.irishexaminer.com
Withdrawal of teachers disadvantaging rural schools
April 16, 2012
We write in relation to the withdrawal of teaching posts from 16 rural disadvantaged schools from Sep 2012.
Minister Quinn apologised for targeting disadvantaged schools earlier this year and announced a review of these cuts.
While urban disadvantaged schools were invited to participate in this review, we in rural disadvantaged schools were afforded no such opportunity.
There was simply a blanket cut made to all of our concessionary teachers.
The loss of these teachers at one of the most difficult times our economy has ever faced is going to add to the level of disadvantage that children in deprived rural communities already face.
Many of us work in communities ravaged by unemployment of up to 35%, with more of their population on the live register.
This is over twice the national average.
Many are single parent families — research indicates that these children are at risk of consistent poverty.
The concessionary teaching posts have enhanced the life chances of targeted children, resulted in improvements in literacy and numeracy standards.
They have and ensured that children at risk of early school leaving have made successful transition to second-level schools.
We urge the minister to consider the consequences of removing concessionary teachers — a retrograde step which may result in falling standards and a breakdown in the social cohesion within our communities.
At this time, with our country facing huge challenges, we need to harness the potential of all our children and maintain current education standards.
Hugh Lafferty, principal. Scoil Adhamhnain, Raphoe, Lifford, Co. Donegal; James McHugh, principal, SN An Chaiseal, Glencolmcille, Co. Donegal; Ann Marie Meehan, principal, SN Baoithin, St. Johnson, Lifford, Co. Donegal; Mairead Mhic Dhonnacha, principal, SN Mhic Dara, Carraroe, Co. Galway; Fionnuala Kirk, principal, St. Conleth’s NS, Derrinturn, Co. Kildare; Treasa Uí Mhuirithe, principal, SN Eachleime, Ballina, Co. Mayo; Gabriel Meehan, principal. An t-Ath Eamonn Ó Gallchoir, chairperson, BOM, Scoil Chartha Naofa, Kilcar, Co. Donegal; Mary Meaney, principal. Maureen Maloney, chairperson, BOM, Scoil Mhuire, Clifden, Co. Galway; Mary Harkin, principal, Rev.Peter Devlin, chairperson, BOM, Scoil Cholmcille, Malin, Lifford, Co. Donegal; Siobhan Ferry, principal, Fr. Charlie Byrne, chairperson, BOM, Scoil Cholmcille, Carrigart, Co. Donegal; Barbara Boyle, principal, Rev. Patrick Prendergast, chairperson, BOM, Scoil Mhuire, Glenties, Co. Donegal; Gabriel Keane, principal, Fr. Jim McCormack, chairperson, BOM, St. Joseph’s NS, Hacketstown, Co. Carlow; Anita Healy, principal, Maire O’Malley, chairperson, BOM, SN Ros Dumhach, Ballina, Co. Mayo; Shane O’Donnell, principal, Fr. Ronan chairperson, BOM, Glenealy 1 NS, Glenealy, Co. Wicklow; Miriam Cahill, principal, Fr. D. Nolan, chairperson, BOM, SN Naomh Iosaf, Rathnew, Co. Wicklow; Pat McDermot, principal, Mary Woolley, chairperson, BOM St. Ernan’s BNS, Rathew, Co. Wicklow.
www.irishexaminer.com
50 towns to see handover of school patronage
April 10, 2012
Nearly 50 communities around the country have been identified as the sites where the Catholic Church should first hand over control of primary schools.
This is one of the key recommendations in the long-awaited report of the advisory group to Education Minister Ruairí Quinn’s Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector.
Following almost a year of consultations, it also calls for changes to how denominational schools in areas where choice remains limited, cater for an increasingly diverse pupil population.
This should lead to new protocols to promote inclusiveness around issues such as the teaching of religion, display of religious artifacts, and other issues which cause tensions in some communities where non-Catholic children have no choice but to attend a school under the patronage of the local Catholic bishop.
The group was chaired by John Coolahan, a former NUI Maynooth professor of education. The other two members are former National Parents’ Council-Primary chief executive Fionnuala Kilfeather and ex-University College Dublin deputy president Caroline Hussey.
Their draft report was submitted to the minister before Christmas and Mr Quinn is expected to largely support the recommendations when he gives his official response next month.
The 43 towns and the four areas of Dublin singled out for the first phase of divestment were identified by the department in 2010. That came after a request from Catholic bishops who wanted to know where there was likely to be most demand for greater choice of schools among parents, but where populations were not likely to rise enough to warrant a new school.
They include more than 30 communities with no multi-denominational school, some where there are already up to six or seven primary schools.
“There is urgency for action on divesting. But a ‘big bang’ or radical upheaval approach is not advisable. In this context, change of patronage should happen in a phased, incremental way,” the report says.
The advisory group said groups which expressed views to its consultation process accepted it was unrealistic to expect patronage transfer to happen without costs.
However, its report said some spending would appear eminently justifiable.
Mr Quinn says he is mindful that changes should be cost-neutral where possible, given the demands on resources available for primary education. However, he says parental choice remains the main concern.
“Over recent decades, Irish society has been undergoing major political, social, economic, cultural, demographic and educational change. Primary school provision needs to reflect this changed society and provide for increased diversity.”
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, which first called for a forum on patronage over a decade ago, welcomed the report. However, it said this was the start of the process and the real work would now begin at local school level.
The advisory group also considered the question of Irish-medium primary schools, and has recommended piloting a concept of “satellite” schools linked to well-established parent all-Irish schools.
www.examiner.ie
