ISSUE 56 ● APRIL 2010
+ Leadership THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF PRINCIPALS
A Vision for Shared Leadership: Creating Deputy Capacity The Principal and The Board Tips for Success Child Protection in Primary Schools
Leading by Example We have had moratoriums, pay cuts, work to rule directives and talks of strike action, yet Principals and Deputy Principals continue to lead by example…
With thanks to
Sponsor of IPPN Publications
Principal’s Information Management System (PIMS) Deputy Principals’ Conference 2010 Kung Fu Panda meets the Teaching of Mathematics
Hibernia College M.A. in Teaching & Learning - Online Key Facts
Overview Hibernia College’s M.A. in Teaching & Learning provides today’s primary and post-primary teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to deal with current issues in the modern classroom. Specific areas covered include additional learning needs; diversity, development and disadvantage; i-learning and contemporary issues in education. Delivered by experienced educators with a focus on application in the Irish classroom, the programme provides the tools and knowledge to enable teachers bring the latest innovations and best practice into the class setting. Because the content is based on strategies and techniques (rather than a particular classroom curriculum) graduates from the programme will be able to apply their new skills regardless of the age of the students with whom they work.
x Deals with current issues faced by today’s teachers x Focus on application in the Irish classroom x HETAC accredited to Level 9 of the National Framework of Qualifications (www.nfq.ie) x Delivered by experienced educators x Assessed through written submitted reports and continuous assessment tasks that apply to classroom practice x Modules can be completed as stand alone continuing professional development courses
x Next class: September 2010 x Duration: 2 years taught plus thesis
The programme consists of 14 modules plus a thesis. Each module represents 5 ECTS credits, is completed online and consists of 10 weeks of downloadable multimedia lectures and live online tutorials. A unique aspect of this programme is that each module can also be completed as a stand alone continuing professional development course.
Modular delivery Hibernia College's online Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning is designed to be completed in a modular fashion. Three modules combine to form one of four certificates in: x Additional learning needs x Diversity, development and disadvantage x i-Learning x Contemporary issues in education On completion of these four certificates, the student is awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning. If the student wishes to progress to the Master's award, they must then complete two modules in research methods and submit a thesis.
For more information including application form visit
www.hiberniacollege.net/MATL Hibernia College is a HETAC accredited online college offering quality assured blended and online education programmes Hibernia College, 2 Clare Street, Dublin 2 www.hiberniacollege.net academicaffairs@hiberniacollege.net (01) 661 0168
Leading by Example by SeĂĄn Cottrell and Pat Goff ‘Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others – it is the only means’ (Albert Einstein). We have had moratoriums, pay cuts, work to rule directives and talks of strike action, yet Principals and Deputy Principals continue to lead by example. It has been an extremely difficult year to date but, as professionals, we have minimised the impact of these challenges on our pupils.We have tried to ensure that children do not pay for this recession; we are doing this with fewer resources while trying to maintain staff and parent morale. As school leaders we recognise the importance of being proactive in our leadership and of actively supporting our staff. For the 300 newlyappointed principals in 2009, it has been a real baptism of fire. Regrettably, they may be the last cohort of new Principals to benefit from the Misneach programme provided by Leadership Development for Schools (LDS). From 1994 to 2002 IPPN lobbied the DES to provide a leadership programme specifically for Principals. LDS finally became a reality in 2002. Many of us have benefited enormously from LDS’s programmes: Misneach - new Principals; Forbairt - experienced Principals; CothĂş - special schools; CumusĂş - disadvantaged schools; TĂĄnaiste - Deputy Principals and ToraĂocht - aspiring school leaders. Paddy Flood must be wholeheartedly congratulated for his leadership of this service. The mixture of full-time personnel and associates who planned and delivered the various modules were professional and, equally important, were credible as they themselves were practitioners at the ‘coalface’. School leadership has definitely benefited as a consequence of these programmes. However, the Department of Education’s Teacher Education Section (TES) has recently ‘re-conceptualised’ its provision for school support and teacher professional development in the context of current ‘financial constraints’.This ‘re-conceptualisation’ will result in the dismantling of most of the existing national support programmes (including LDS, PPDS, Stay Safe, Substance Misuse Prevention,Walk Tall etc) and the establishment of a single, integrated primary and post-primary support service from Director: SeĂĄn Cottrell director@ippn.ie President: Pat Goff president@ippn.ie Editor: Damian White editor@ippn.ie Assistant Editor: Brendan McCabe Assistant Director:Virginia O’Mahony Advertising: adverts@ippn.ie
September 2010. LDS as we know it is gone. The new support programme, Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), will be organised through the six education centre regions. Each region will be made up of teams representing the aforementioned national programmes.We are told that these regional teams will provide a service to schools based on the professional development needs identified in each region. These regional teams will also be responsible for specific needs arising from Wholeschool Evaluations and Section 24 procedures (new disciplinary actions, Circular 60/2009). These same teams must deliver cross sectorally to both primary and secondary teachers and principals.We know from ten years of the Revised Curriculum in-service programme that the credibility of individual facilitators is paramount. A major concern for Principals and Deputy Principals is that, while these teams will include competent educationalists, there is no guarantee that each team will have even one experienced Principal on their staff. On the same basis, there is no assurance that each team will have staff from primary level. Both issues will create significant credibility issues for primary school leaders. All of the literature and all of the practice on the ground tells us that good schools are dependent on good school leaders. There has been an unprecedented number of new principals appointed in the last two years and that pattern is likely to continue with increasing uptake of early retirement and many Principals opting to ‘step back’ to teaching. The ‘current constraints’ are putting enormous pressure on schools and in particularly on school leaders. IPPN is disappointed that dedicated support for leadership appears to be deprioritised by the TES. In response, we have sought a meeting with the DES to highlight the need for a dedicated service providing continuing professional development for Principals and Deputy Principals. Due to the ever-changing nature of the Principal’s role, the supports and services required change too. As always, we invite your feedback and advice as to the best way IPPN can support Irish Primary Principals’ Network, Glounthaune, Co Cork T: 353 21 452 4925 F: 353 21 435 5648 The opinions expressed in Leadership+ do not necessarily reflect the official policy or views of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network ISSN: 1649 -5888 Design: Brosna Press • 090 6454327 • info@brosnapress.ie
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you as leader of your school. Priority will be given to supporting the new Principals that will be appointed this year. Since 2004, IPPN has offered a ‘leadership recovery’ service to Principals experiencing professional and/or personal difficulty. As it is a discreet and confidential service, you won’t have heard about these specific cases and quite rightly so, you just need to know that the service is available if you need it. The coming months will no doubt bring more uncertainty, yet we will endeavour to remain optimistic. One thing that Principals can be certain of is the continued support of IPPN.The real strength of our network is that it is driven by Principals for Principals. There is a unique bond of professionalism and trust among Principals because of this network and, through it, we will do everything we can to support each other and overcome whatever challenges lie ahead.
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A Vision for Shared Leadership: Creating Deputy Capacity An extract from IPPN publication Giorraíonn Beirt Bóthar: Distributed Leadership – Deputy Principals Knowing what makes for leadership excellence, and finding it difficult to respond appropriately in order to provide for what Fullan describes as the ‘capacity building’ in schools, must leave the leadership unit of Principal and Deputy Principal somewhat disillusioned. It is a tribute to Deputy Principals that they have identified so many of the key requisites that make for excellence in leadership, although they have had little opportunity to realise the full potential of their own leadership role. As they grapple to keep their head above water, it may appear inappropriate to now look beyond the horizon and imagine what could be realised if only . . . Regardless of any resource issues, supports structures, or policy developments, there are improvements that will only be made if Deputy Principals and Principals respond to the leadership within…that which only as a consequence of effective leadership allows schools to move from being good schools to being great schools. What follows as leadership prompts for Deputy Principals and their Principals are not drawn down as challenges, but are a compilation of some of the aspirations voiced by Deputy Principals. Leadership is not something you do ‘to’ people – it is something you do ‘with’ people The management culture in most workplaces has moved from being one of individual responsibility to shared responsibilities. The role of Deputy Principal can only be effective when the Principal and Deputy Principal begin to work and plan together. Shared leadership requires openness on the part of Principals, and willingness on the part of Deputy Principals, to co-lead and to distribute leadership responsibility in a manner that encourages and supports partnership. Shared leadership requires a shared vision Principals and Deputy Principals need to have an agreed shared vision not only for the school, but for their co-leadership role. There is a responsibility on both Deputy Principals and Principals to establish a shared understanding of what they are about and how they intend to get there. Without a clear vision for the school, and for the leadership of the school, everybody’s position becomes less clear and more challenging.
Effective leadership cannot be realised in the absence of good communication Deputy Principals have expressed their concern about lack of clarity on their own role, and an absence of effective communication with them as significant partners in leading and managing the school. Principals and Deputy Principals need to become more aware of the information-gaps that only they can fill. Communication to, from and between Principal,Deputy Principal, staff and management is an essential prerequisite for providing good leadership and well-managed schools. Leadership positions in essence are about leading Deputy Principals have a responsibility – regardless of any lack of clarity that may exist in relation to their role – to respond to the leadership position to which they have been appointed and to become active agents in co-leading and managing the school.This assumes all of the above – a shared vision, good communication, and a partnership with the Principal. Principals also need to share the leadership role, to agree leadership responsibilities with the Deputy Principal. and then to support, rather than supervise, the Deputy Principal in fulfilling the role. Leadership involves management and more Effective leadership is at the heart of good management. An effective leadership role for Deputy Principals presumes that they are wellinformed on policies and practices, and that they have the competence and confidence to manage the organisational/ operational issues that are required for the day-to-day management of the school. This knowledge and confidence is a twoway process. Deputy Principals need to have knowledge and to seek knowledge. Principals and management need to include Deputy Principals in the knowledge loop. Principals and Deputy Principals need to look to the ‘added value’ that sharing knowledge can bring to effectiveness in the management process. Leadership requires a team The school team is a ‘leadership +’ issue. This includes all members of staff, including the appointed in-school management team. The effectiveness of Principal and/or Deputy Principal can best be realised when each member of staff is valued and supported not only as a teacher but as a leader, and is encouraged to exercise a leadership PAG E 4
role within the school. Schools need to develop a leadership culture which is inclusive of all staff. The leadership-relationship of Principal and Deputy Principal will impact on the leadership culture of the entire school. Effective leadership involves role review, appraisal, affirmation Deputy Principals and Principals can begin to support each other through dialogue, discussion and review of the role of Deputy Principal in particular, but also of Principal. Peer appraisal is a valuable way for both Principals and Deputy Principals to explore, develop, challenge and enrich each other’s contribution to leadership.This will require some professional development support, but regular informal communication between both parties will provide an informal base for role-review and appraisal. Principals and Deputy Principals have referred to their feeling of isolation in their posts. Deputy Principals have clearly indicated their need to be affirmed in their posts. Principals also need affirmation. Affirmation can have a very positive impact on self-confidence and self-esteem. Leadership assumes relationship Leadership requires others to be there – to colead, team-lead, or to follow.The leadership role in any situation requires a relationship with every member of the team / staff / community.The role of Deputy Principal assumes a relationship with the Principal. This does not always happen. The concept of leadership between Deputy Principals and Principals is becoming less dependent on power and position and more dependent on the interpersonal relationship between Deputy and Principal. Both leaders have a responsibility to develop the leadership-relationship between themselves, and between the leadership duo and the wider staff and school community. Leadership involves what Daniel Goleman refers to as ’excelling in the art of relationship’. The suggestions above – drawn from Deputy Principals’ own reflections – do not require any significant external supports.They are intended as points of reflection for Principals and Deputy Principals. They attempt to allow both parties to look beyond the horizon, to see what is possible, and to move forward in partnership to respond effectively to their leadership positions in schools.
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The Principal and The Board Tips for Success By Damian White From the largest urban school to the smallest rural school in this country, there are a number of things in common. Probably the most significant of these is the composition of the Board of Management where the staff, parents and patron body each nominate 2 persons, who then get together and agree on 2 more from the wider community. Regardless of school size, the responsibilities attaching to the position are the same. With occasional exceptions, all these people will do their utmost to perform their duties to the best of their abilities, supporting the school and its ethos. Complaints are occasionally levelled that the Board system is too unwieldy, perhaps it meets too infrequently, or occasionally has a person with their own separate agenda at the table. The treasurer may be difficult to get hold of, money may be scarce. However, most if not all issues may be overcome with the right approach. THE PRINCIPAL As Secretary to the Board of Management, the Principal has the key role at the table. Adapting a system of minute-taking involving a grid system with these headings would be helpful – ‘Topic’; ‘Action/Decision’; ‘To be carried out by’. As the Principal usually ends up doing the majority of talking at the meetings, such a system is sufficient to record all decisions, without losing the flow.
representative on the Board before the meeting would help make the Principal aware of any issues. If these can't be resolved before the meeting, at least the Principal won't be surprised when they are raised. As Principals we naturally like to take the lead in matters school-related. However, issues of a non-teaching nature – oil pricing, school repairs, parking issues etc can be dealt with by a willing and able board member. Most are honoured to be asked. The agreed report at the end of a BoM meeting is vitally important. It leaves no member in any doubt as to what should and shouldn't be reported from the meeting. If there is any issue which the Principal has a concern about reporting, he/she should seek to have it left out of the agreed report. Finally, it is a good idea for the Board of Management to have at least one social evening during the term of office, as well as at the board's termination. If this seems difficult, consider asking a caterer to bring along food for the end of a meeting which could be set at an earlier time to facilitate. Such occasions are invaluable in fostering collegiality amongst those charged with the onerous responsibility of running a school.
Ideally the Principal and the Chairman should have the agenda set well in advance of the meeting and members informed of the issues to be discussed. Sending the agenda by email to everyone at least 10 days before the meeting shows efficiency. Having the BoM mobile numbers set up on the TextaParent.ie system is useful for reminders. Including them in the 'send to all' group list means that every text circulated to the whole school also reaches them. This helps alleviate issues where Board members complain that they aren't informed from meeting to meeting of what happens in the school. Make sure they get copies of the patron body’s circulars and school newsletters. Make sure the newsletter frequently thanks the Board members for work carried out - a pat on the back is only 6 inches from a kick in the tail!
Ideally the Principal and the Chairman should have the agenda set well in advance of the meeting and members informed of the issues to be discussed. Before BoM meetings, meet with the other teacher representative; other staff members may have asked them to bring some issue up at the next meeting. The Principal should be aware of the issue before the meeting. Perhaps the issue may be resolved without taking it as far as the Board Meeting. It is important that the Principal and teacher representative are not seen to disagree as it may spread notions of school disharmony amongst the other board members where such is not the case. Occasionally the parents reporting to the Board can bring up an unexpected issue, maybe even criticism of the school. Meeting with the parent PAG E 6
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Internet Awards Potential for powerful personal learning by Seaghan Moriarty One of the most effective approaches to facilitating learning is project-based learning. One motivational strategy effectively used in many schools is the leveraging of technology to inspire, create and publish. Although we as teachers know that it is the ‘process’ that enables learning – the target of applying for an award can also encourage and motivate. There are a number of internet awards that schools can apply to – we’re going to focus on just one, as it is focused specifically on the junior level and it is Irish based.
Teacher Feedback We’ve spoken to a number of teachers who won an award last year and here they describe their experience of the Awards: St Eithne's Edenmore: Janet “These children, all of whom were girls, have no experience with IT at home.To see them at the awards, chatting confidently with the CEO of Intel was great! Nowhere to be seen was their socio-economic disadvantage, low literacy and low numeracy abilities. These type of collaborative projects prepare us for the future - it is the future of learning”
The judging process will be completely independent and impartial and will be carried out by a group of prestigious and well-recognised leaders in the wider educational sector. A nomination/application form will be issued to schools and students can enter themselves for each relevant category. Once nominees are confirmed, entries will be validated in detail before the winners are selected. The Event The awards ceremony itself will be held in December at The Helix in Dublin. Finalists, sponsors, representatives from schools, institutions, associations, media and government will attend. CATEGORIES
Background Since 1996 the eircom Golden Spider Awards programme has been honouring Irish individuals, communities and organisations for their innovation and creativity online and celebrates the successes of the Irish internet and digital media. Business & Finance has now established a parallel programme for the next generation entitled ‘The eircom Junior Spider Awards’. This programme aims to promote and encourage the use of the internet across Irish schools and recognize & reward primary & secondary school students and promote the use of the internet as part of their daily lives. Learning Outcomes The number of strands and strand units that can be linked to ICT project-based learning are many. In addition, the potential for cross-curricular integration is limitless. The ‘objectives’ cited by business are often end-product and skills-oriented – but I think this is a limitation in nomenclature and not necessarily limiting what happens in the classroom – e.g. objectives cited by eircom Golden Spider Awards:
Gaelscoil na Ríthe, Domhnach Seachnaill: Maria ní Chumhaill, Muinteoir Ranga & Ann Kinsella, Cúnteoir Oide “D’eirigh leis na páistí taithí a fháil ar web cam, micreafón, ceamra digiteach, agus ríomhaire a úsáid sa rang. Chonaic said cé chomh héasca is atá sé suíomh idirlíón a chur le chéile. Tá siad anois ag cur a suíomh fein le chéile! Tá siad níos compordaíl leis an teicneolaíocht nua seo go léir. Tá an t-eolas anois faoi Shaolré an Fhéilecáin le fáil ar an idirlíon agus is foinse maith teagaisc é do mhúinteoirí agus dhaltaí” St. Laurence O'Toole's CBS: Mark Candon, Principal “Our school website is like our online diary. It's essentially an eportfolio in which various school activities are planned and recorded. From science projects to Seachtain na Gaeilge - from Valentine's poems to our final in Croker - it's all documented for posterity and more importantly, it serves as an engaging and stimulating platform for pupil learning.”
The aim of these awards is to independently and impartially recognize the success and innovation amongst internet users in schools and to encourage other students to commence using the web to further develop their education and technology skills. The awards programme also aims to provide a benchmark of excellence in schools and to encourage and promote best practice amongst students.
The Process The awards were launched in mid-April 2010. Sponsors, representatives from schools, institutions, associations, media and government attended the launch. PAG E 7
Mega Spiders – Primary ● School project (on curriculum) ● Best School Blog ● Best School Website ● Grand Prix winner. There are separate categories for post primary level. PARTNERSHIPS The following partners have supported the awards by marketing the event through their networks, publications, newsletters and websites: ● NCTE – National Council for Technology in Education ● ASTI – Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland ● CESI – Computer Education Society of Ireland ● INTO – Irish National Teachers’ Organisation ● IPPN – Irish Primary Principals’ Network ● Primary Times.
Are you planning to retire in 2010? If you have made the decision to retire in the coming weeks or months of 2010 we wish you every happiness and fulfilment in the future. IPPN acknowledges the importance of providing every possible support for Newly Appointed Principals and aims to contact them as soon as they are appointed. However, the greatest challenge we face is to find out the names of these Newly Appointed Principals as early as possible. To assist the work being done in the IPPN Support Office could you please let us know of your impending retirement and also the name of the Newly Appointed Principal as soon as that decision has been made? This would be of enormous help to us and I know would be very much appreciated by the Newly Appointed Principal. Any information that you can provide can be emailed or mailed to Jackie at the IPPN Support Office
support3@ippn.ie
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Bluekop now provide a full range of Interactive Whiteboard Systems, Projectors, Visualisers, Class Learning Systems and New Laptop/Desktop Computers to complement our existing range of refurbished computers. Call Bluekop for a quote and get the best value for your ICT budget/grant. To mark the launch of our new product range we are holding an exclusive competition for IPPN Members for a free Short Throw Projector including mounting kit, installation and delivery. Register your entry for this competition by simply calling Bluekop on 01-4800560. Entries close Monday 31st May 2010. We are also extending our special offer on Refurbished Laptop and Desktop Computers to the end of June 2010.
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Latest News MEETINGS / TRAINING HELD OR ATTENDED BY IPPN ● DES Teacher Education Section - online professional development for Summer 2010 ● INTO – clarification on union work-to-rule directives ● IPPN County Network meetings – Donegal, Cork, Longford, Sligo,Westmeath, Monaghan, Carlow ● IPPN/LDS Mentor Training – Drumcondra, Dublin West and Blackrock Education Centres ● Misneach 2 and 4 - Ennis, Kilkenny, Monaghan, Portlaoise ● Spreagadh 1, 2, 3 and 4 – Galway,Waterford, Cavan, Laois, Offaly, Portlaoise ● IPPN Executive Committee Meeting ● IPPN National Committee Meeting ● NAPD (association for second-level principals) - Symposium - Turning Challenges to Opportunities – Developing a wider view of educational achievement ● International Confederation of Principals ● NAHT (NI) AGM – UK association for second-level principals ● NCCA – Reviewing the ‘Revised Curriculum’ ● Your School & The Law seminars in Limerick and Kilkenny FORTHCOMING EVENTS ● Deputy Principals’ Conference 2010 from Thursday & Friday 13th-14th May at Citywest Hotel & Conference Centre. See page 19 for further details. ● Froebel College - final year students presentation ● IPPN Executive Committee Meeting – Friday 11th June
● IPPN National Committee Meeting – Saturday 12th June. OTHER NEWS/PROJECTS UNDERWAY ● Haiti Children & Schools – IPPN Fundraiser Over €46,000 has been fundraised by primary schools across the country to provide relief for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. IPPN has already distributed over €40k of these funds to Trócaire, the Dr. Louise Ivers Fund and to the Haven Project. The money will be used by these organisations to assist children and to re-build and equip primary schools that were devastated by the earthquake. This is an incredible gesture of generosity - of spirit as well as of wallet - on the part of the teachers, pupils and school communities across the country who organised and contributed to the many and varied fundraising activities in their schools. Cheques continue to arrive at our support office from schools and we will continue to allocate your donations until the end of this school year. ● We are currently reviewing TextaParent.ie with a view to improving the service to schools as well as to update its look and feel. If you would be interested in working with IPPN on this redevelopment project – for example to provide input to design and/or ‘end user testing’ – please contact Geraldine at the Support Office by phone or by emailing project@ippn.ie. ● Look out for several new Frequently-asked Questions which will be placed on ippn.ie in the next few weeks in the Principal Advice section.These ‘FAQs’ provide answers to many of your queries to the Support Office in
Ministerial Change Minister Mary Coughlan has moved from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the newly named Department of Education and Skills. She retains the position of Tánaiste. She has previously served as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Minister for Social and Family Affairs. She has also served as Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Culture, Gaeltacht and The Islands. Mary Coughlan is a fluent Irish speaker. She lives with her husband David Charlton and their two children in the village of Frosses, close to Donegal town. IPPN wishes every success to Minister Coughlan in her new and challenging role. Good wishes are extended also to Minister Batt O’Keeffe who moves to the Ministry of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation.
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recent months and are always a useful first port of call if you have a query. ● SNA Review - Survey Results - A survey of 850 mainstream and special schools was carried out by IPPN to identify the effects of the ongoing review of special needs allocation in our members’ schools. Findings indicate a 10% reduction in the provision of Special Needs Assistants. Please refer to recent e-scéal for the breakdown of these results. ● ‘Supporting Each Other – a guide to best practice for the effective partnership between Principals and Parent Associations’ was recently launched by IPPN and the National Parents’ Council (Primary).The publication supports an ethos of openness and transparency between all members of the school community. It is hoped that it will support both Principals and Parents as they work together to ensure that their school provides the best possible education for all of the children that pass through its door.Two copies were sent to every primary school and an electronic copy is also available to download from the Resources-Publications section of www.ippn.ie. ● Retiring/ Newly-appointed Principals - 55 vacancies have been advertised since 1st January 2010 for the post of Principal. Of these, 27 are still posts waiting to be filled.
Fixed-term and Specific Purpose Contracts in plain English by David Ruddy, BL Q1. Why all the fuss about fixedterm/specific contracts?
Q5. What has unfair dismissal to do with all of this?
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In the past teachers were employed by some Boards of Management (BoM) on a temporary basis to fill what were permanent posts. The idea was that the temporary teacher could be let go at the end of the school year, or indeed years, if the BoM were not happy with the temporary teacher’s performance. It was a matter of schools hedging their bets. In recent years, employment legislation has outlawed this practice and gives more protection to teachers. If a school employs a teacher on a temporary basis it must be explained in the contract why the post is temporary in nature and why the Unfair Dismissals Act does not apply to the teacher. Temporary posts are now referred to as ‘fixed-term’ or ‘specific purpose’ contracts.
A.
A Fixed-term contract applies where a teacher is employed on a temporary basis to replace a teacher engaged in a jobsharing, career break or secondment arrangement. In each case, the date that the contract finishes is known to all in advance.
A waiver clause states that the Unfair Dismissal Act does not apply to the contract as, for example, the teacher on the fixed-term contract is replacing a teacher on authorised leave and the post cannot be filled on a permanent basis, or the post is, for example, a language support role which is allocated to the school on a temporary basis.
Q3. What is a specific purpose contract?
Q8. Why have a written contract?
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A specific purpose contract is usually for a shorter period of time than a fixed-term contract and the end date is not known or is uncertain. This type of contract covers maternity/adoptive leave, sick leave, parental leave and unpaid leave – the list is not exhaustive. In this case, it is the nature or purpose of the contract that gives rise t o a vacancy that determines when the contract ends.
Q4. What is a ‘contract of indefinite duration’? A.
A contract of indefinite duration (CID) is similar to a permanent contract. If a teacher is employed for a period of four consecutive years by a school and there is no specific purpose for the employment given then he/she may be entitled to a CID.
A.
Q7. What is a waiver clause?
Q2. What is a fixed-term contract? A.
Unfair Dismissal legislation, subject to a few exceptions, will only apply to employees who have at least 52 weeks’ continuous teaching service. Claims of unfair dismissal do not apply where the only reason for the contract terminating is: (a) The expiry of the fixed-term contract of employment which might be, for example, the conclusion of a career break (b) The purpose of the fixed-term contract no longer exists i.e. the maternity leave has concluded. Contracts which are not subject to unfair dismissal legislation should state so and contain a waiver clause.
Q10. In a situation where there are a number of teachers on fixed-term contracts and the BoM has fewer fixed-term posts to fill in the following year, what process should the BoM use to decide which teacher(s) should be offered the new fixed-term contracts?
Q11. Can a BoM advertise new a fixedterm vacancy even if there is a teacher currently employed on a fixed-term contract who is available to take up the new contract? A.
A contract is an agreement reached between a teacher and the BoM. Each teacher employed for a month or more of continuous service must have a written contract. The contract must be signed by the teacher and the Chairperson of the BoM.
Q9. If a teacher on a fixed-term contract for one year is available for a subsequent year and if it happens there are some new fixed-term posts available in the school for the subsequent year, is this teacher entitled to one of these posts? A. No. There is nothing in the legislation which requires a BoM to offer this teacher a second or subsequent contract just because the BoM has an ongoing requirement for a fixed-term teacher.
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It is open to the BoM to fill fixed-term contracts by whatever methodology it thinks appropriate. This includes public advertising, short-listing and interviewing and assessment of suitability based on predetermined criteria. The school is entitled to appoint such teachers as it thinks appropriate for such posts. The mere fact that a teacher has been employed by the BoM under a fixed-term contract in the past, or is currently working under such a contract, gives him or her no rights whatsoever wider than the population as a whole.
Yes, the BoM is fully entitled to advertise any vacancy that arises in the school. Other than short-term vacancies requiring a substitute teacher, recruitment best practice should be followed in all cases i.e. public advertising, agreed selection criteria, shortlisting, interview and appointment on merit. It is important to note that in the event of the vacancy being advertised publicly, the advert should also be prominently displayed in the staffroom and imparted personally to any fixed-term teacher in the school, including those on leave.
Q12. Is there such a concept as ‘notional seniority’ in relation to teachers on fixed-term or specific purpose contracts? A.
No. The concept of seniority applies to permanent contracts only.There is nothing in legislation which gives rise to the concept of seniority, notional or otherwise, for fixed-term or specific purpose contracts.
Legal Diary by David Ruddy, B.L.
School sports/the teaching of physical education Solicitors and barristers speak of how enormously difficult it is to win a case against a school for an injury suffered by a pupil in the course of a school sporting event. The judicial tide appears to have to some extent turned against the plaintiff generally, in the context of school sports. The courts will inevitably be mindful of the fact that schools operate for the overall benefit of pupils and within limited resource structures. Sport is of inestimable benefit for pupils, and the courts are reluctant to provide a disincentive to schools to offer as varied and effective a sports programme as possible. The courts will not lightly impose legal obligations on schools that will exceed their resource capacity in the context of sports.
Where a case is taken by a child against a school, the school’s insurance company will be well aware of the near impossibility of recovering legal costs from the child in the event of his/her case being lost. CONCERNS OF TEACHERS Where a case is taken by a child against a school, the school’s insurance company will be well aware of the near impossibility of recovering legal costs from the child in the event of his/her case being lost. Courts tend not to give judgements against schools unless there is clear negligence.This means the option of settling the case, with or without an admission of liability, is a financially attractive one. Better to settle for €10,000 rather than to win and have to pay your own legal costs of €20,000. However, the teacher may well feel that she has behaved perfectly reasonably, that the reasonableness of this action should be defended, and that it would be morally indefensible not to do so.The teacher may feel that if a child has been awarded a considerable sum of money in respect of that teacher’s actions, that a shadow will be cast over her professionalism. This can lead to demoralization and a reluctance for that teacher
to allow herself be put in a position in the future where the same thing can happen again. Hence the incentive against school sports that the courts would seek to prevent is maintained in a loud and clear fashion. THE LEVEL OF CARE THAT IS REQUIRED OF TEACHER All that is required of teachers is to uphold a level of care which is reasonable in the circumstances from the standpoint of a reasonable and prudent parent. This level of care depends on the foreseeability of harm arising out of the manner in which schools sports are conducted, the severity of the consequences if such foreseeable harm should eventuate and the extent to which it is reasonable to expect the injured party to have assumed the risk that led to the injury. The more dangerous the activity and the more vulnerable the person undertaking the activity, the more care that must be taken by the teacher. Younger children can act in unpredictable ways, and hence they may be incapable of safely engaging in an activity that presents no problems whatsoever to adults or older children. WARM-UP EXERCISES Many sporting activities need a preparatory warm-up routine. Steps may need to be taken to prepare for it. Failure to engage in some stretching exercises before a vigorous sporting exercise can lead to the risk of muscular injury and hence could constitute negligence. The following illustrative case is ironic in that it dealt with a case taken by a teacher. Hill V Durham County Council (England) – 2000, Court of Appeal Staff in-service The school organised a physical education demonstration concerning the teaching of Dance for 5-7 yr olds.The expert coordinator of the session required the teachers to begin the session by traversing the gymnasium using longjump/hopscotch movements, during the course of which a teacher suffered a rupture to the
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Achilles tendon. She sued the school on the basis that the exercise was excessively vigorous and that the expert should have prescribed a more gentle form of warm up.The court accepted that the lack of some form of warm-up would have been negligent. However, the court dismissed the claim on the basis that the hopscotch activity had amounted to such a warm-up and the injury suffered was simply bad luck which could not have been blamed on anyone.
The more dangerous the activity and the more vulnerable the person undertaking the activity, the more care that must be taken by the teacher. RUGBY Sports such as rugby can pose difficulties in primary schools. An example of a particular manoeuvre which is an inherently dangerous one (the rugby tackle) would prompt a school to ensure that a modified version of the sport is played, where there is no need for this manoeuvre to be practiced. Tag/tip rugby with no tackles or scrums would be acceptable particularly where the participants are incapable of participating safely in the unmodified game owing to their age or any other factor. ENSURING THAT A PUPIL IS FIT TO ENGAGE IN SPORTING ACTIVITY Schools should never ask a pupil to engage in a sporting activity if the pupil is unwell or carrying an injury as such participation would be likely to cause harm. A player who is injured on the pitch cannot sue another player who injures him, or a school for which he is playing, because all players on the pitch can be taken to have consented to the ordinary risks associated with the game in which they were participating. But what about a student who does not want to play sport, and who has told the teacher this? More significantly still, what of a student who, owing to his/her build or other factors, may be incapable of playing?
MANDATORY PARTICIPATION There is merit in requiring compulsory participation in school sport - especially for pupils who, by reason of their habitually sedentary nature, frankly need the exercise. It seems likely that the Irish courts would have sympathy with a school policy that required participation in sport, provided that it was sufficiently flexible to allow exemptions for pupils who were manifestly physically incapable of participation. An example could be of an asthmatic pupil whose participation might have unhappy consequences.
to each other and about 3 metres apart. Two of the children collided with each other; one who was injured sued the school. The court held that this was a safe exercise and that the teacher was not negligent in not keeping his eyes focused on the children all the time.
A school is entitled to have a mandatory participation clause in the sports policy. However it should be sensitive to individual situations.
Affutu v Clarke – 1994, High Court This case involved a rugby coach participating in a practice game. In the course of tackling one of the players on the opposing team, the player’s back was broken.The court held that the teacher was negligent for failing to take into account the foreseeable consequences of the fact that he was considerably heavier than the boys on the other team.
A school is entitled to have a mandatory participation clause in the sports policy. However it should be sensitive to individual situations. There could be an option for pupils who cannot take part in a boisterous game of football to engage in a more gentle form of exercise. The school policy could request a medical certificate of pupils who claim that they cannot participate in certain sports.
TEACHERS’ REFEREEING/COACHING QUALIFICATIONS Teachers who referee games must apply the rules to the needs of pupils. Teachers must ensure that refereeing duties do not get in the way of supervision. In an ideal situation teachers should attend courses run by bodies like the FAI, GAA and IRFU.This ensures best practice is noted and would also serve as a useful defence in any possible negligence action. One of the obligations of the Health & Safety Act 2005 is to ensure that all employees receive adequate training and instruction. Given the scarce availability of resources it would be invaluable for sports teachers to attend specific courses.
Ward V Donegal Vocational Committee – 1998, High Court It is important that players are evenly matched in terms of size, skill and experience as much as possible. In this case, a larger boy collided with a smaller boy resulting in a serious injury to the smaller boy.The teacher and school were sued on the basis that they were negligent in failing to match players of equal size. The action was dismissed on the grounds of voluntary assumption of risk. The boy had consented to play and, while he was small, his size in relation to other players did not constitute an unwarranted risk. Delaney V O Dowd – 1997, Circuit Court This case concerned a handball exercise in the course of which two children had to run parallel
TEACHER/COACH JOINING IN A GAME/TRAINING SESSION This poses the twin risks that the teacher will not be in a position to adequately supervise the game, and secondly that the teacher might injure a much smaller player.
EQUIPMENT There should be regular checks of equipment. This should entail the Special Duties teacher with responsibility for sporting equipment checking on a regular basis. All pupils playing camogie, hockey, and hurling should wear protective headgear. A school policy should make it clear that pupils without such gear do not participate in the game. GOALPOSTS Four children have been killed in Ireland in PAG E 1 3
recent years as a result of unsafe goalposts. In December 2005, the parents of a 10 year-old boy who was killed when a temporary goalpost was caught in a gust of wind and collided with him, were awarded €33,000 in a Circuit Court action. SUPERVISION IN SCHOOL SPORTS In order for an injured pupil to succeed in a negligence action he must show that the negligence actually caused the harm complained of. If the injury suffered could not have been prevented by greater supervision, then the teacher and school will not be liable.
All pupils playing camogie, hockey, and hurling should wear protective headgear. A school policy should make it clear that pupils without such gear do not participate in the game. APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF SUPERVISION IN RELATION TO THE AGE AND EXPERIENCE OF THE PUPILS Mulligan V Doherty – 1966, Supreme Court A gymnastics teacher of 17 year-old girls had demonstrated a particular exercise (involving a descent down wall bars) for students and had then supervised one girl in the exercise, before moving to another part of the gym to instruct another class. One particular girl attempted the exercise, but claimed that she did not remember what the teacher had done in the demonstration.The girl managed to let go of the bars and fell, injuring her back. She alleged that the teacher was negligent in that she should have supervised the entire class, so that all students would know the correct means of descent. The Supreme Court held that the teacher and the school were not negligent. The exercise, according to the court, was an easy one and the technique needed to complete it successfully was obvious.Thus in the context of 17 year olds, there was no need for constant supervision.The injured plaintiff had substituted her own patently risky mode of descent. However, in a telling comment, the Supreme Court stated that
if such an exercise involved younger children, such supervision might well have been required. In A (A Minor) V Leeds City Council - 1999 An 11 year-old girl was enjoying her first PE class in her new school’s sports hall. The girls were given a talk on safety in the room next to the sports hall, and were then brought into the hall and told to move around the hall and to touch the four walls of the hall. The exercise was unstructured and somewhat competitive, and with a certain degree of inevitability the twenty five children, who were keen to please a new teacher, and were in unfamiliar circumstances and with peers whom they did not know, ran extremely vigorously in a variety of directions. There was some doubt as to whether they were supposed to run but the Court accepted that that was the point of the exercise.Their paths crossed. The injured girl collided with another girl and fell, breaking her wrist. She sued the school and was awarded £4000.
have been clearly visible from the staff room. It was school policy that such full-size footballs would not be permitted to be allowed on school property. This was communicated to teachers in writing and orally to students. The ban was not enforced. There were a number of reported incidents of pupils being hit by such balls. This was due to the fact that the ban on large footballs was not enforced. The High Court held that the school was negligent in not enforcing a policy which it had recognised as necessary to prevent injury to students. All that was needed in the Court’s view were random spot checks with confiscation of offending footballs and the pupils would have recognised that the policy was to be taken seriously.
All schools should have a policy on student participation in sport.
class. An accident occurred during a PE lesson during which a game of “dodge ball” was played. The school played a particular variation of the game. During the game the girl had to traverse the width of the room and had to avoid being hit by any of the sponge balls being thrown by three classmates. The plaintiff was the last successful pupil not hit whilst crossing the room, and had to make one more successful crossing to finish the game. In making the final crossing, she was ducking and weaving and either stumbled or tripped over her own legs and fell to the ground on her left arm. She suffered a fracture of the ulna and radius. Two operations later, the girl has extensive scars on her forearm. Significantly, there was no issue as to the suitability of the floor surface or indeed the premises itself. It was also acknowledged that there was no issue in relation to supervision. (1)
APPROPRIATE SPORTS FACILITIES (2)
APPROPRIATE SUPERVISION IN RELATION TO THE ACTIVITY Gibbs v Barking Health Authority 1936 An 11 year-old pupil suffered injury during gymnastic training when he jumped off a vaulting horse and landed in a stumble. The teacher had not made any efforts to have anyone assist him in the landing. The court held that the teacher was negligent in that the activity was sufficiently dangerous that the absence of assistance posed a foreseeable risk to the boy. Wright v Cheshire County Council 1952 During a gymnastics class, students were participating in a variety of exercises, with the teacher moving from group to group, giving supervision as he moved along. One exercise involved a vaulting horse, where the students took it in turns to vault.They were aided by a group of boys (standbys) whose job was to ensure that the vaulter landed safely. Unfortunately one such standby ran off on hearing the school bell and the student who was in mid-vault was unable to land properly as a result and suffered serious injuries. The injured boy’s parents sued the school. The court dismissed the action on the basis that the procedures followed, in allowing 11-12 year old boys who were fairly well-trained in the area to look after each other, had been approved for years and had operated safely. The teacher in question had a scheme of work to prove this point. THE KICK-ABOUT BEFORE SCHOOL COMMENCES Kearn–Price V Kent County Council – 2003, High Court A 14 year-old student was hit in the eye by a fullsize leather football on school property and was seriously injured. The incident occurred at 8.45am about five minutes before the school was due to be opened. There were a number of teachers in the staff room at the time, but the point at which the incident occurred would not
Flynn V O Reilly 1999 (Supreme Court) This case involved an 11 year-old girl running in a “backwards race”. She caught her foot in a depression or indentation, fell on her wrist and fractured it. She claimed the field was unsuitable for the event in question, and hence the school was negligent in allowing the event to take place. The Court dismissed the claim concluding that, while the field was not Lansdowne Road or Croke Park, it was adequate to meet the needs of the students. The playing surface was suitable for simple games and sports. This was evidenced by the fact that there had been no previously recorded incidents of injuries of this nature. CONCLUSION All schools should have a policy on student participation in sport. It should give consideration to some of the following points: (1) First aid in the event of injury or illness (2) Qualification necessary for visitor coaches (3) Pupil/teacher contact, the extent to which a teacher can be alone with a pupil. The extent to which teachers can physically touch pupils in demonstrating exercises. (4) Safety checks on equipment and premises (5) Supervision (6) Younger/smaller players (7) Extent to which sport is compulsory. Further reading “Sports and the Law” by Dr Neville Cox BL & Alex Schuster BL, published by “First Law”. CAROLAN V BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OF ST CIARAN’S NATIONAL SCHOOL HARTSTOWN DUBLIN 15 July 2006 Mr. Justice Feeney (High Court) July 2006 The plaintiff was a 12 year-old girl attending 6th
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(3)
The plaintiff claimed it was her first time to play the game The plaintiff claimed there was no independent warm up An independent expert on behalf of the plaintiff claimed that the school variation of “dodge ball” used was unsafe in that it resulted in the risk of jerking of the head with the risk of a participant losing balance and tripping and falling.
The School claimed that (1) the game was played over a period of 2 years by the girl and was not her 1st time to play it. The judge accepted the teacher’s evidence. (2) there was an independent warm up (3) this was a simple, straight-forward game, suitable for 12 year-old pupils with no significant risk of injury over and above the risk inherent in physical activity where a trip or fall can occur. (4) this particular game was in use in the school over a twenty year period without any previous accident history (5) Dr Joe Lennon (County Down All Ireland senior football final medallist) gave evidence to support the theory that it was a safe game. Mr. Justice Feeney found that this was an accident which can arise during any physical activity. Whilst all physical activity carries some risks, the Court was satisfied that the chosen activity did not unreasonably or unsafely create a risk. The game was properly chosen for use and appropriately considered by the teachers, both as to use and format. There is a risk in any moving game. The risk is incidental and not inherent. Physical activity is both appropriate and vital part of the school curriculum and the activity chosen here was a simple, straight-forward game that could be safely played. The Court was fully satisfied that there was no negligence or lack of care on the part of the defendant and therefore dismissed the plaintiff ’s claim.
The Reshuffle By Damian White The Boss grimaced as he contemplated the list of fiefdoms and the list of candidates he must juggle. This is a testing time of the year. Pressure has been mounting lately as the local public have voiced their displeasure at the performance of the current line up. Some of the members themselves have shown signs of fatigue and a lack of money to help dissuade mutiny has been a problem. There has been criticism lately over the current infrastructure. Broadband speed, the poor standard of the Irish language and how justice is dispensed. Sport has gotten a rattle too with the team's failure to quality for the final and the poor facilities for gymnastics and swimming. The Boss, groaning with advancing years and the thoughts of working until sixty eight candles have been extinguished, dips into the briefcase for a refill pad and pencil – experience tells him that a reshuffle should always be done with a pencil, one with a rubber on the top. The job of Tánaiste will stay the same - a trusted, long-serving friend in the first mate’s position. Criticism for his role in the justice portfolio has been unfair but nonetheless constant, and a move to a less demanding portfolio – a nice middle class with responsibility for Arts and Crafts, Sport and
Culture might suit. His experience could be just the ticket following the Cumann na mBunscol semi-final debacle. Communications could get a boost with the moving of the junior firebrand to a senior end position. He'd surely get the technological revolution going. Social inclusion starts in Junior Infants and the cabinet member with the big heart and endless patience can return there, following a period in Foreign Affairs where in the course of each working week they had provided support for children in 5 different schools. Foreign Affairs in turn can go to the member who travels from the other end of the parish anyway.
The Boss looks at what's left and sighs. 'Finance will remain under my control' he cautions to himself. 'I couldn't trust what some of the others would do if they got their hands on it'. Defence too – last year taught us to be ready in case of attack at all times and always to have enough ammo of your own. Education is a big one and it needs some innovation thrown in. 'Holy Mary' prayed the Boss and the problem was solved. Health shouldn't be as big an issue with the Swine Flu and the voting machines all locked away together.Whenever the HSE demand a room 20 feet long with no radiators buzzing – we’ll sort them out from head office.
'They were the easy ones' the old Boss mumbled to no one in particular. 'The rest is why they pay me so little'.The powerful Green Schools lobby is pushing hard for a second green flag to wave triumphantly at the crowd down the road. 'Perhaps we could start a super junior in the infants and change the mindsets early.The cost of energy might also come down with their lobbying of colleagues to be more frugal, taking away further pressure'. The responsibility for the promotion of all things Gaeilge goes to the young enthusiastic member from Kerry. The older member from Galway will provide valuable assistance from a Learning Support perspective.
So the cabinet remains the same essentially. A side ways move here, a crowbar-assisted move there. The public can have their say but, for a year at least, the Boss is as safe as a high street bank. 'I hope none of my Ministers retire this year' he opines with foreboding. For if they do, I can't replace them. 'I'll have even more portfolios myself'. It's almost summer - the storm clouds are never far away, and the horizon seems to get a little closer every year.
www.ippn.ie Resources - School Policies The following is an alphabetical list of school policy templates/exemplars currently available to download from www.ippn.ie. Once logged in with your username and password, click on Principal Advice, then click on School Policies and scroll down and/or page down to find the resource you wish to view. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Administration of Medication Policy Anti-Bullying Policy Anti-Bullying Policy II Anti-Racist Statement and Policy Assessment Policy Attendance Policy Attendance Policy II Brief Absences Policy Bus Safety Policy Career Breaks Policy Checklist for Code of Behaviour Child Protection Policy Access Rights to Children in Schools; Notes for Principals Class Allocation Policy - Multigrade classes Class and Classroom Allocation Policy Code of Behaviour Code of Discipline Policy
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Commercialism Policy Critical Incident Policy Custody & Separation Policy Data Protection & Record Retention Policy Disadvantage Policy Emergency Closures Policy English as an Additional Language (EAL) Policy Enrolment Policy for Autism Unit Enrolment Policy III - multiple schools in parish Equal Opportunity & Gender Equity Policy Exceptional Ability & Giftedness Policy Exemption from Irish Policy Fire Drill & Evacuation Policy Garda Vetting Policy Hire and Use of School Premises by Outside Groups - Policy Home School Community Liaison Scheme - Goals, Strategies & KPIs Inclusion Policy Induction of New and Infant Pupils Policy In-School Management Policy Intimate Care & Toileting Policy Job Sharing Policy Library Policy Litter Control Policy PAG E 1 5
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Medical Policy Mobile Phone & Electronic Games Policy Multi-Culturalist Policy Phone Policy - Staff and Children Polasai Oibre - Work Experience/Teaching Practice Policy Policy on Splitting Classes Policy on Use or Hire of School Premises by Outside Groups Reception Assembly & Dismissal of Pupils Policy Reconstitution of Classes Roedean School (South Africa) - Critical Incident Policy School Accident/Injury Policy School Tours & Excursion Policy I School Tours & Excursions Policy II Sexual Harassment & Adult Bullying Policy Staff EPV Days Policy Staff Meeting Policy Supervision Policy Swimming Policy Swimming Policy II Teacher In-Service Policy When Disaster Hits The School (Netherlands)
Child Protection in Primary Schools Summary of a research project undertaken in January 2009 By Dr. Helen Buckley and Dr. Kathryn McGarry CHILD PROTECTION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS The role of the school in the protection and welfare of children is regarded as significant for a number of reasons, principally because of the length of time that children spend in the classroom, and the many opportunities available, particularly to primary school teachers, to monitor children in a range of situations – at work, at play, and with their parents on arrival and departure from school. Young children willingly disclose ‘news’ and information about life at home, their emotional and physical wellbeing is readily observable, and their trust in teachers as caring figures is often secure. It is all the more important therefore that schools are ready and willing to identify and act on any concerns they may have about the protection and welfare of their pupils. Both the Department of Education and the INTO have been issuing guidelines and directives to schools since 1991, and for the past ten years schools have been obliged to have child protection policies in place, including the appointment of a Designated Liaison Person in each school to carry overall responsibility and coordinate relevant practice.
Both the Department of Education and the INTO have been issuing guidelines and directives to schools since 1991, and for the past ten years schools have been obliged to have child protection policies in place… This paper reports on a study conducted in January 2009, only days after the Roscommon case (where school-aged children were found to have suffered abuse at home over a long period) was reported in the media. Because of the large amount of publicity about the case, it was speculated that teachers might have a heightened sense of awareness about child abuse, particularly child neglect, and of their own official responsibilities in identifying and reporting it. The research sought to ascertain the degree to which newly qualified primary teachers, in their first six months of full-time teaching, understood
their formal child protection responsibilities.The impetus to undertake the research came from the authors’ experience of lecturing newly qualified teachers in their first year of teaching, where it became apparent that their knowledge of the national child protection procedures was weaker and less consistent than might be expected. The study was undertaken by means of a questionnaire survey and conducted with participants in the Bachelor of Education course in Trinity College Dublin. The participants were 103 qualified primary teachers in full-time teaching jobs in 103 different schools. Eighty nine percent of the schools were in Dublin, the remainder in surrounding counties, and 78% were Catholic, 18% Church of Ireland and 4% multidenominational. The specific objectives were to establish, from individual teachers: ● whether or not they were aware of the DES child protection guidelines ● whether they had seen and read the DES child protection guidelines ● how they had heard about the DES child protection guidelines ● whether their school had a child protection policy and the degree in which it had been disseminated ● their knowledge about their school’s Designated Liaison Person ● the number of hours of child protection training undertaken by the teacher in their teacher education courses ● whether or not they had been inducted into their school’s child protection policy on taking up their teaching position there ● their current level of confidence in their ability to identify and report child abuse. THE KEY FINDINGS WERE AS FOLLOWS: 1. Knowledge of DES child protection guidelines ● Just over a quarter (28%) of the newly qualified primary school teachers surveyed claimed that they had never heard of the DES child protection guidelines ● When asked if they had seen the guidelines only 24% of the total sample replied in the affirmative ● When asked if they had read the guidelines only 16% responded that they had done so PAG E 1 6
● When asked how they found out about the DES guidelines, only 14% of the total number of respondents found out about them in their schools. 2. School child protection policies ● When asked if their school had a child protection policy, half of the respondents (50%) were unaware whether or not this was the case ● Of those who were aware that their school did have a policy, 49% had not read it ● Only 44% of the respondents in this study knew if there was a DLP (Designated Liaison Person) in their school ● A small proportion (14%) of the 44 respondents who reported the presence of DLP in their school was unable to identify which staff member held the post.
The research sought to ascertain the degree to which newly qualified primary teachers, in their first six months of full-time teaching, understood their formal child protection responsibilities… 3. Child protection training ● 48% responded that they had a child protection input into their teacher training ● 21% reported that they did not have a child protection input in their training ● 31% claimed that they could not remember. 4. Induction in current schools ● Only 17% of respondents said there was a child protection component in their induction to their current school ● 83% reported that there was no child protection component in their induction to their current school. 5. Confidence in ability to identify abuse or suspected abuse ● The majority (57%) indicated uncertainty or lack of confidence to identify or reasonably suspect that a child is being harmed or at risk of being harmed.
CONCLUSION The results of this survey of newly qualified teachers from 103 primary schools is limited by the small sample size, and the fact that the majority of participants had been in full-time teaching jobs for less than a year. It might be assumed that further experience would familiarise staff with the schools’ policies, and it is also of course possible that the schools represented by these teachers did have policies in place and that they were just not known to the teachers concerned. However, given the INTO directive to ensure that new staff are introduced to child protection procedures and policies, this study demonstrates fairly significant breaches of that official requirement for schools. The fact that so many new teachers were unaware of the correct steps to take or who to approach if they suspected child abuse indicates that child protection does not have a high place on the educational agenda, despite what we have learned of its importance. The very slight profile of child
protection as a subject in teacher education courses further illustrates the lowly position occupied by this topic.
The fact that so many new teachers were unaware of the correct steps to take or who to approach if they suspected child abuse indicates that child protection does not have a high place on the educational agenda… Child protection presents challenges to all professionals who engage with children. Far from being an area that is amenable to rational or simple intervention, it is fraught with complexity, particularly where issues like child neglect are
concerned. While formal knowledge is only one of a number of influences on teachers' willingness to report child abuse, it is also the case that schools which have clearly articulated policies and action plans that are consistently and regularly transmitted to staff are more likely to engender an ethos where actual or potential harm to children may be identified and children may feel confident to seek help. Dr. Helen Buckley is a senior lecturer in the School of Social Work and Social Policy at TCD, where she coordinates the Postgraduate Diploma in Child Protection and Welfare. Dr. Kathryn McGarry is a researcher on the youth research programme,Applied Social Studies Department, NUIM. She lectures part-time on the Postgraduate Diploma on Child Protection and Welfare,TCD If you would like to contact the authors, please email hbuckley@tcd.ie and kathryn.mcgarry@nuim.ie.
2010 ONLINE SUMMER COURSE Ciall Ceannaithe Ciall Ceannaithe - the Online Summer Course, has been developed to provide a greater understanding of the innovative solutions to challenges facing Principals. A highly practical step-by-step course built on the collective wisdom and experience of seasoned Principals, the course is designed to professionally support Newly Appointed Principals through the first day, first week, first month and first year of their principalship. It is also a very suitable refresher course for experienced Principals who wish to reflect on their current practice. Ciall Ceannaithe will run for the month of July 2010 at a cost of €95. • EPV days allowable on completion of course (subject to DES Terms & Conditions)
Modules include:
Course includes:
Registration:
• • • •
• 10 modules (20 hours of study) • Fully interactive online lessons with audio/visual • Discussion forum with expert moderators & facilitators • Online reflective learning log • Innovative technology-enhanced learning
• To enrol, visit www.ippn.ie • Course Fee is €95 – early booking advised • Access to broadband is necessary • Courses can be completed in a four week period (1st to 31st July) • Last date for Course Commencement is 24th July
Getting started in your role What to Do ... What not to Do! Scheduling priorities Good practice & timetabling for Teaching Principals • Accessing professional supports & key resources
Principal’s Information Management System (PIMS) Why use it? Professional effectiveness is a healthy balance between effective Workload Management (engaging in long-term planning, prioritising and delegating) and Personal Time Management (appointment scheduling, attending to the important over the urgent, avoiding distractions and staying on track). Successful time management allows us to: ● be prepared for meetings ● refuse excessive workloads ● monitor project progress ● allocate resource (time) appropriate to a task’s importance ● ensure that long-term projects are not neglected ● plan each day and week efficiently and to do this calmly and with self-discipline. With this in mind, PIMS was specifically designed by Principals as a desk diary to be shared between the Principal, the Deputy Principal and the School Secretary and as such is not intended to be removed from the school. GUIDELINES FOR USE OF PIMS The PIMS folder has 20 sections. Each section provides an easily accessible area in which you can make notes in preparation for meetings etc. Ideally there should only be one page in each section which is updated periodically. The following are a few of the many useful elements of PIMS: Today’s Priorities (section 1) Prepare a Today’s Priorities list by identifying the key tasks resulting from any key events, deadlines and appointments and by prioritising the most important tasks. A 'Priorities' list is an aidememoire; it can be rewritten daily if tasks are completed quickly, or it can be something that is much more long-term and is worked through gradually. Monthly Planning Prompts (section 2) This is a pre-populated monthly overview of activities relating to specific school work in the particular month: planning, administration, events, teaching and learning, Board of Management and In-School Management. There is space to add your own planned activities.
Monthly and Annual Calendars (section 2) Use the monthly and annual calendars to plan for key dates and events. Events and key dates noted in your Appointments Diary should also be referred to in these calendars.
PIMS was specifically designed by Principals as a desk diary to be shared between the Principal, the Deputy Principal and the School Secretary and as such is not intended to be removed from the school. Appointments Diary (section 3) The Nótaí section reflects the overview of that day. Any additional events / key dates added to the monthly calendar will also need to be added here.The diary is broken into time bands allowing for the scheduling of appointments, meetings, correspondence and uninterrupted preparation time for meetings etc. Teaching Principals should also refer to Teaching Principals: a possible approach to Timetabling at the back of Section 3. USEFUL INSERTS Contacts (section 4) All of the key DES, education agency and management body contacts are listed here together with phone and email information for each. There is space to add your school’s contacts list also. Supplier Listing (section 4) There is a useful list of suppliers by category in Section 4 (Contacts) with up-to-date information on products and contact details. PAG E 1 8
Grants Details (section 20) This is an up-to-date list (as at April 2010) of the available primary school-related grants and contact information within the DES for each. Other useful inserts ● Teacher/SNA absence overview form (section 5) ● Professional development (section 8) ● Pupil information form (section 12) ● Information pack for parents of new pupils (section 14) ● Principal’s Report to the BoM template (section 17) ● List of inserts for a new staff information pack (section 18). YOUR SCHOOL’S COPY OF PIMS We will notify you shortly by email and text message in relation to your school’s copy of PIMS 2010/2011.
Deputy Principals’ Conference 2010 Stepping up to Leadership IPPN’s sixth Annual Deputy Principals’ Conference takes place at Citywest Hotel, Dublin from 5pm Thursday, May 13th until 3.30pm Friday, May 14th. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Stepping up to Leadership’. Particular focus will be placed on the leadership & management role of the Deputy Principal. Principals are also invited to attend as long as their Deputy Principal is attending.The Department of Education & Skills has provided sub cover for Friday, 14th May for Deputy Principals only. Sub Cover is not available for Principals on this occasion. KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: ● Pat Goff ● Seán Cottrell ● Anne Looney (NCCA) ● Professor John Coolahan ● Deirdre Mathews (Assistant Chief Inspector)
WORKSHOPS ● Walking on Eggshells - Assertiveness Patrick Sutton, Director, Gaiety School of Acting ● Current Legal Issues incl. Supervision & Health & Safety - David Ruddy, BL ● New Codes of Behaviour 2010 – Assisting Schools - Clare Ryan ● Teachers’ Health & Welfare – Fitness to Work / Medmark Service – Dr Robert Ryan BOOKING To book your place, please download the online application form from the homepage of www.ippn.ie or complete the hardcopy form enclosed in this issue of Leadership+. ACCOMMODATION Accommodation is available at a preferential rate of €88 B&B per room. Citywest will honour this rate for any attendees wish to stay on Friday night, May 14th. Book directly with the hotel on 01 4010500 or visit www.citywesthotel.com to view other accommodation offers.
TIMETABLE THURSDAY, 13TH MAY - DAY 1 17.00 – 18.30
Registration & Expo
18.30 – 19.00
Plenary Session I
19.00 – 19.30
Drinks Reception
19.30
Conference Dinner Entertainment with Oliver Callan!
FRIDAY, 14TH MAY - DAY 2 08.30 – 09.00
Registration & Expo
09.00 – 09.45
Conference Opening & Plenary
09.45 – 11.00
Workshop Session 1
11.00 – 11.30
Break & Expo
11.30 – 12.45
Workshop Session 2
12.45 – 14.00
Lunch & Expo
14.00 – 15.30
Plenary Session with Q&A Panel
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Too Much Broth By Dan Daly, Principal of Robinstown NS, Navan, Co Meath
A recent survey found that men are as good as women at multitasking. This was a “eureka” moment for me, for my wife spent a great deal of our time together reminding me that while she could cook the dinner, clean the windows, hoover the living room and talk to her mother on the phone at the same time, I should stick to peeling the spuds, painting the wall, digging the garden or whatever single, simple task I was given. When I’m not performing the above divinely ordained tasks I earn my living as a Teaching Principal. I have been in this position since Popes had a yen for visiting Ireland. I have had to teach up to four classes at the same time. I have suspected for a long time that men were as good or as bad as women at multitasking and I could have been the author of such a report given a little more prescience and time. I discovered many years ago that when I stepped into school a strange thing occurred. I morphed into a dynamic multitasking dynamo, number 9918645T.
I have suspected for a long time that men were as good or as bad as women at multitasking and I could have been the author of such a report given a little more prescience and time. When I had four classes I had four textbooks for some subjects, two books with other subjects where combining classes was possible. And of course there was the small matter of running the school. I now consider myself fortunate to have two classes and not more than two books for any subject. So while teaching two classes, the principal may have to cogitate on a problem that came to attention that morning while also trying to recollect where the BoM minute book had been left and whether Mrs. Moran’s swimming money had been thrown in the rubbish bin. This confluence of many ideas and activities can have unfortunate consequences though at times
they can be a tad hilarious. There can be so much going on, that one activity can run seamlessly if erroneously into another. Recently while doing decimals with sixth standard and long division with fifth (I know I should have streamlined the lessons but it’s a long story) I inadvertently found myself teaching decimals to fifth. The class soon realized that it wasn’t long division and told me so with a self righteous relish. No harm done you might say. But the next day in the midst of a long division sum, I asked fifth class what to do next. I was waiting for a “bring down the next number”. Mary’s hand shot up. “Yes Mary, go ahead”. “Move the decimal point two places to the left”. Her friend tittered. Mary laughed. I felt like crying. It was time for the break. Another aspect of multitasking can be seen in extracurricular matters. One afternoon you’re on the sideline, managing the school’s Gaelic football team, walking up and down with a gravitas that would make Jack O Connor look like a smirking schoolboy.You have to watch the match, analyze the ebb and flow of the play, ring the changes and keep the parents off the field. You wonder how you are going to muster up the passion for the half time team talk and alter the tactics to reduce the fifteen point deficit. “Hold onto the ball”, roars a parent on my right. “Will you get rid of it”, shouts another. In the spirit of universal involvement an army of subs hover in your shadow, waiting to be sprung and change the course of the game. One wet dull afternoon while being pulverized by Ballinlough, something struck me just behind the knee. I looked around to see my dozen subs in the neighbouring vegetable garden having a spud fight. It was war on two fronts. A study by Professor Earl Miller, neuroscientist of the world renowned Massachusett’s Institute of Technology found that “multitasking has a negative physical effect, prompting the release of stress hormones and adrenaline”. So that explains my subsequent outburst that had the subs looking at spuds in a different light for many a dinner. The day is still remembered as “Lá na bPrátai” and may one day be the central theme for a festival in Robinstown. But seriously Dr. Alan Keen, a behavioural scientist
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at Australia’s Central Queensland University believes multitasking is a significant reason why we are witnessing epidemics of rage. The following week would find you on another sideline, this time managing the soccer team, subconsciously striking a different pose. There might be a hurling match the next week, a game I played to a great level of humiliation. There was a cricket club in Robinstown for much of the twentieth century so we started a cricket team in the school having acquired the services of a very fine coach. It was nice to see the grand children of old cricketers grace the crease again. Our fondness for cricket arouses curiosity and not a little amusement. “How’s the cricket going?” “We have no problem with the cricket; it’s the cucumber sandwiches we can’t manage”. Add in the athletics, swimming, orienteering, rounder’s, Olympic handball and you wonder why Alex Ferguson is paid millions for concentrating on just one sport.
But seriously, Dr. Alan Keen, a behavioural scientist at Australia’s Central Queensland University believes multitasking is a significant reason why we are witnessing epidemics of rage. The Education Act recommended that there be a student representative body. We established a Dáil na Scoile composed of eight elected children. So now we have a Dáil, a Board of Management and a Parents’ Association not to mention the various cabals and fringe movements at the school gate. I realize that this is stretching the concept of multitasking a little and I should add that while I’m writing this I’m also wondering about updating the discipline policy.The Dáil helps but at times it does create difficulties. Jack, the Dáil reporter went into a meeting one day to find the teachta dála scoiles eating the sweets and chocolate that had been put aside for their fundraising raffle. He began writing an account of this abuse of power but
the Taoiseach told him to stop, that this wouldn’t look good and if he continued he would be thrown out of the meeting. Jack persisted and wrote a scathing attack on the Dáil. When I managed to quell the civil war, our talks on reconciliation led to very interesting discussions on censorship, free speech, democracy and public relations. Similar issues have arisen with the other organizations but lack of space (thankfully for me and publisher) prevents further elaboration. Research has shown that beyond a fairly low level of multitasking, everyone’s performance breaks down. People can walk and chew gum at the same time but not walk, chew gum, juggle a ball and solve calculus problems at the same time. George A Miller of Harvard University called this the informational bottleneck and in light of that I wonder how effective I have been over the past month. I had to prepare the class for Confirmation, tutor and re-assure the children about second level assessment tests, deal with enrolment week, reconcile the fifteen thousand euro IT bill with the seven thousand IT grant, meet the architect and inform him that he’s putting the new pre-fab in the wrong place not to mention the planned ten metre path that’s jutting out into the already restricted playing field and the countless other incidental tasks as well as the little matter of teaching two classes and writing this article as requested. And Mrs. Grey wants to see me in the morning. It must
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have been the Holy Spirit that got me through for at the end of the month all seemed to go well and everyone appears to be happy except the architect and Mrs. Grey.
Alec Guinness played eight members of the D’Ascoyne family in the film “Kind Hearts and Coronets”. It should be recommended viewing for the next Misneach or Forbairt course if there is one. Alec Guinness played eight members of the D’Ascoyne family in the film “Kind Hearts and Coronets”. It should be recommended viewing for the next Misneach or Forbairt course if there is one. A principal can never be accused of being two faced.They have many more than that.They have the enthusiastic educator’s face, the businesslike administrator’s face, the listener’s countenance, the stern judge’s glare, the enlightened coach’s aura, the motivational speaker’s self-assurance and the soothing presence of a nurse to name but a few. The caring nurse’s skill was severely tested recently during the vomiting epidemic when an ashenfaced Adam came towards me with something
very obvious welling up inside. I rushed at him with a plastic basin just in time. The term multitasking has only been in use since 1966 and since I started teaching in 1974 I think I could be described as a sort of “ lab rat” with regard to this issue. In 2005 Dr. Glen Wilson discovered that the average worker’s functioning IQ dropped ten points when multitasking. The same person would suffer a four point drop if they were smoking marijuana according to the doctor. I humbly offer a little advice do deal with the issues arising from multitasking. The obvious answer is to mono task but this isn’t possible in our case. We have to multitask and we should consider the following: don’t multitask in the afternoon (early opening?), meditate and practice multitasking with simple tasks. So at the end of the day when I’ve done as much as I can, I lock the door and walk away. I take a deep breath of fresh air, the fog lifts and a peace descends. But then I see a bag left at the gate and I remember that other job I forgot to do. I sometimes wonder has 9918645T been a superman or a deluded country master. Professor Earl Miller said that “people can’t multitask very well and when they say they can, they’re deluding themselves. The brain is very good at deluding itself ”. Perhaps it’s a case that too many broths spoil the cook.
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The Blarney Golf Resort & Spa, Co. Cork is offering IPPN members exclusive rates on breaks and the opportunity to win a two night break in every edition of Leadership+ this year. The Blarney Golf Resort & Spa facilities include: • 62 Luxurious Hotel Bedrooms • 56 Self Catering Lodges which include 2 En-Suite Bedrooms, fully serviced, Large Living room and full integrated kitchen • State of the art gymnasium
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Kung Fu Panda meets the Teaching of Mathematics: Prepare for Awesomeness By Dr Dolores Corcoran The Kung Fu Panda (2008) animated film by DreamWorks is a heart-warming story of the fascination of the naive and ungainly Po, son of a busy noodle maker, with the great martial art of kung fu and how he achieved his dream to become the Golden Warrior who saves his people from the depredations of the fearsome Tai Lung. The aspirations of the unlikely hero resonated with my findings from research into student teachers’ engagement with the teaching of mathematics. I had begun with two questions: 1. What mathematics do prospective teachers bring to teacher education, i.e. how has the Leaving Certificate mathematics course prepared them to teach primary mathematics? 2. How does knowledge of mathematics actually play out in the teaching of mathematics? These two led to a third question: how can mathematical knowledge for teaching be developed? The study was begun in 2005 and, over the school year 2006-2007, six student teachers volunteered to engage with me in an elective course: Learning to Teach Primary Mathematics Using Japanese Lesson Study (Corcoran, 2008). It was while trying to theorise the learning of mathematics and of teaching that took place for all of us during the three cycles of lesson study that Kung Fu Panda and his achievements first came to my attention. Perhaps it was because of the saliencies between the far eastern and exotic settings for kung fu and Japanese lesson study that I was prepared to empathise with Po’s struggles and began to connect his story with that of the burgeoning lesson study community. Kung Fu Panda grows into the role I met Po again when I came across two books in the ‘I Can Read’ series. In Meet the Masters, by Catherine Hapka and published by Harper Collins Children’s Books, readers are introduced to the community of kung fu warriors the unlikely hero aspired to join. The furious five, Tigress, Crane, Monkey Viper and Mantis were a heterogeneous bunch, with markedly diverse talents, under the ‘tough’ instructional leadership of Master Shifu. In Po’s Crash Course (by the same author and publisher) readers are told of Po’s valiant efforts to be accepted by the five and to
acquire the intricate skills expected of a kung fu master worthy of the title of Dragon Warrior. Po’s skill in making his father’s Secret Ingredient Soup endeared him to his new housemates who were impressed that, despite his obvious limitations, he could do something really well. Such were the connections I was beginning to make between Po’s induction into the kung fu fraternity and the lesson study community of practice that I bought the DVD and settled down to be mildly entertained by a children’s cartoon. The parallels were surprisingly illuminating.
It is not necessary for children (or teachers) to have innate mathematical ability in order to learn (or teach) mathematics. Learning by Doing in the Company of Experts First I was struck by identification with Master Shifu as a school principal. My initial reaction to the wily Shifu was one of sympathy. Early in the story, he is constrained by his responsibility to the “wisest creature in all of China” the benevolent but apparently bumbling Master Oogway. There are shades here of authority figures who make wise pronouncements about how this or that should be done and then leave the hard pressed principal to work out the details and take the consequences. In this story, Master Oogway selected Po, regardless of his suitability, declaring, “there are no accidents.” Master Shifu’s task was to lick him into shape by guiding, nurturing and believing in him, while relinquishing “the illusion of control”. Such was Shifu’s dedication to the great art of kung fu and the impossibility of training Po to the highest standards of which he was master that he tried at first to force Po to renounce his destiny and leave the Jade Palace. Notions of mathematics as difficult discipline that only clever pupils are worthy of being taught suggested themselves as I watched Shifu disparage Po’s attempts at some elementary kung fu moves. However, there was a telling moment in the movie where Shifu recognised potential in the clumsy Po’s ability to climb seven feet and perform a perfect split while seeking cookies for
consolatory eating. Noticing of what the learner could do as opposed to dwelling on his many limitations was a ‘way in’ for Shifu in enabling Po to achieve an amazingly high standard of athleticism. There is no Secret Ingredient A second telling event in Po’s journey to success as the Golden Warrior was his realisation that “there is no secret ingredient”, neither in the Dragon Scroll –source of the Dragon Warrior’s power -nor in Mr Ping’s soup. “It’s just you!” Apropos the teaching of mathematics, that realisation is also important - “to make something special you just have to believe it’s special”. It is not necessary for children (or teachers) to have innate mathematical ability in order to learn (or teach) mathematics. Self-belief, a desire to achieve and a dedication to learning by doing, by repeated effort, within a community of practice are the necessary elements in becoming good at mathematics and good at teaching. The demanding and ultimately encouraging presence of Shifu as kung fu master was the cornerstone of Po’s achievements. Last year Ms Nuala Corcoran, Principal of St Gabriel’s NS, Cowper St., believed enough in the power of lesson study to encourage her staff to embrace the process as part fulfilment of their DEIS goals.They continue working to unravel “the mysteries of harmony and focus” in teaching primary mathematics by studying children’s responses during ‘research lessons’. Were all principals to adopt a similarly facilitative approach towards groups of staff members engaging in lesson study then Irish society could also “prepare for awesomeness!” If you would like to read more on my research, please refer to my PhD thesis (University of Cambridge) entitled ‘Developing mathematical knowledge for teaching: a three-tiered study of Irish pre-service primary teachers.’’. Dr Dolores Corcoran is a lecturer in Mathematics Education in St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra. She spent much of her career as a primary school teacher and was a Teaching Principal for eleven years. Current research interests focus on using lesson study with students, teachers and colleagues, to develop the teaching of mathematics.
Citywest Competition Winner The winner of the draw in the IPPN Conference 2010 evaluation form is Adrienne Darby of St Andrews NS, Ashbourne, Co. Meath. Adrienne wins one night’s B&B, dinner at the Bistro and a round of golf for two people at the Citywest Hotel & Golf Resort in Saggart, Co. Dublin. Congratulations,Adrienne! PAG E 2 3
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Principal in Profile: Cepta Stephens Teaching Principal of a Small School 1. Where did you do your teacher training and when? I trained in Carysfort College of Education, Blackrock, Dublin from 1982-1985. 2. What attracted you to the role of Principal in the first place? Being Principal afforded me the possibility of leading our school along the path which I personally prefer, namely a school where every opportunity is given to all children regardless of academic ability to develop to the best of their ability.This can be achieved by catering for various learning styles such as musical and artistic ability. Also, to give all fellow teachers an opportunity to develop their talents and encourage the sharing of those talents with pupils and staff. 3. How long have you been Principal? Since September 2004. 4. What do you particularly enjoy about the role? What I have particularly enjoyed since my appointment is the sense of collegiality and teamspirit shared with my staff. This harmony and cohesion is essential, especially in a small school and particularly for a busy teaching principal who has to rely on positive staff relations for the efficient day-to-day running of a primary school. Introducing new programmes such as Comenius, IT project work and involvement in whole-school projects has given me great job satisfaction. “Ar scáth a cheile a mhaireann na daoine” a deirtear agus sin é go díreach mar ba chóir go mbeadh sé sna scoileanna beaga. 5. If you had to pick 3 things that you would say to a new Principal to get them on the right track in their school, what would they be? I have to pick four! a. Take small steps – “De réir a chéile a thógtar na caisleáin!” N.B. Delegate duties. b. Nurture good healthy staff/pupil/the whole school community especially with your BoM Chairperson. Involve parents as much as possible, after all we are in “loco parentis” emphasising their role as co-educators! c. Join IPPN, get a mentor and join a principals’ support group- not necessarily a very local one! d. Appoint a secretary- the backbone of every school, especially a small school! 6. What steps did you put in place to optimise the effectiveness of your Inschool Management team? ● Regular formal/informal discussions and meetings ● Clarify roles of team ● Highlight the need for collective
responsibility and ownership of roles while laying emphasis on delegated duties being carried out without your constant input - so delegate, delegate!! ● Effective leadership cannot be realised in the absence of good communication.
Personally, I think it is important to remember that we are teachers first and foremost, not managers, and the main focus should always be on our pupils. 7. How have you achieved a successful relationship with your Board of Management/Patron? In my opinion this is very important and paramount to your job satisfaction as a Teaching Principal and I am glad to have achieved this. A good Chairperson is very important as you work very closely with them. Indeed, having their support is essential - again fostering openness and a sense of collective responsibility is key. 8. What strategies have you put in place in working with your school’s Parents’ Association and the parent body generally? ● Follow guidelines in the publication ‘Working Efficiently as a Parents’ Association’ and also the new IPPN/NPC publication ‘Supporting Each Other’ ● Clarify the role of the association, emphasising that all issues and events have to be approved by the BoM ● Regularly attend their meeting to keep in touch but only stay for short while - give them their own space! 9. Any career highlights to date? Involvement in the Léargas Comenius Project which has opened our small 3-teacher school to our European neighbours - something that has really enriched our whole school community. 10. What has been your greatest challenge to date and how did you manage to turn it around? To be honest it would be prioritising my role ultimately as a teacher and secondly as a principal. Personally, I think it is important to remember that we are teachers first and foremost, not managers, and the main focus should always be on our pupils. So by delegating, prioritising and remembering that “Rome wasn’t built in a day” I’ve managed to deal as effectively as I can with the dual role of teacher and principal. 11. Which professional or personal development programmes or events PAG E 2 5
have you valued the most in relation to your role as Principal? Why? Misneach, IPPN and Principals’ Support Groups have really been the main support structures which supported my role as teaching Principal. Furthermore, I have found the IPPN Annual Conference an excellent source of networking and means of sharing best practice and ideas.The networking emailing list is also a great support when not overloaded with repetitive emails and queries! 12. What problems are unique to Principals in smaller schools? How do you deal with them? The problems as I see them are: ● differentiating between the role of teacher versus “Manager” ● too much paperwork/administration ● curriculum overload ● the lack of a full-time secretary ● having to deal with all the various agencies and bodies involved in the running of a school. Therefore, I delegate, I use all administrative days, I appreciate good team-work and I prioritise. As a Teaching Principal I have found it essential to integrate and link subjects and use a thematic approach as far as possible. A positive attitude is essential. It is essential to have balance in our lives.The key to positive work/life balance lies in one’s attitude.Working under stress will hamper judgement and lead to flawed decisions. 13. What makes smaller schools special? The family spirit or ethos that is felt particularly where every member of the school community is respected. This is also evident in the caring relationships among pupils. The collective responsibility that exists- “Giorraíonn beirt bóthar!” Staff selection is extremely important and good staff relations are essential for any school. For me, this has been one of the factors that influenced my role as Teaching Principal. The support and collegiality I have always felt from, particularly, my fellow teacher has been instrumental. In fact, our whole staff possess this collective responsibility to help create a happy, caring atmosphere essential to bring out the best in everyone. Mar fhocail scoir, creidim go láidir sa ráiteas thíos agus sin é an rud a choinníonn ag imeacht mé uaireanta: “We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude…..I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with us all ...We are in charge of our ATTITUDES” Charles Swindoll
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Leadership in Action: Finding a Balance Life as a Primary Principal and Sports Coach By Ciaran Conlan, Principal of Ballapousta NS, Drogheda, Co. Louth Waiting for the bus to collect the children at three o’ clock, but more usually half three, I find myself getting the bus queue involved in pumping up footballs and basketballs for the PE store. This is usually when my mind finds time to turn to the coaching which will feature today. Is it athletics in Navan Athletics or football with Magheracloone Mitchells from Monaghan, tutoring the PE syllabus for Hibernia College or correcting assignments for the online course of Setanta College Strength and Conditioning diploma?
Having gone through many coaching courses I found that my teaching skills transferred directly across to sports. I always had a keen interest in sport while growing up in the 60s and 70s in the Dublin suburb of Drimnagh, which was producing its first generation of sportmen like Eamonn Coghlan, Kevin Moran and many others too numerous to mention. Going to Drimnagh Castle CBS it was only natural that any pupil had such heroes to look up to. Saturday morning was soccer, hurling in the afternoon and Sunday morning was athletics. We were lucky to have had great coaches from among the Brothers and lay staff and in athletics Paddy Whelan, who competed well into his eighties. Jacky Saunders, a Golden Gloves boxer also prepared us to compete. Maybe it was falling under the influence of these coaches and the great Br. John Dooley awakened a desire in me to someday, long in the future, become an athletics coach. Having graduated from Coláiste Mhuire, Marino in 1982, I began my teaching career in third class in St. Oliver Plunkett’s National School under the watchful eye of John Howard, Principal at the time. Many famous Meath footballers passed through “Ollies”, like Hank Traynor and Colm Brady, All-Ireland winners, but in those days I was too busy competing as an athlete to claim to have influenced their football careers. Having competed at 400m and 800m as well as 400m hurdles, I was moderately successful. Many athletes have to be single-minded about their training and competition and my Principal John Howard encouraged me and made it possible for
me to compete abroad when the chances arose. I was encouraged to start my coaching career by the Polish Coach Dr. Zbigniew Orywal, who became my mentor, neighbour and friend. This man influenced many coaches and athletes in Ireland when he came here from Poland, probably the first of the Poles to come and work in Ireland full-time. His legacy continues to this day in the coach education structures of Athletics Ireland and among the athletes and coaches he influenced. Having gone through many coaching courses I found that my teaching skills transferred directly across to sports. Many coaches in Ireland come from the teaching profession and it’s not only because of the “short days and long holidays” we are constantly told about! I have worked with athletes at club, county, national and international level since 1988. The skills and knowledge which teaching and coaching athletics gave me came in very useful when Padraig Nolan asked me to work with the Offaly senior footballers and subsequently with the Kildare senior and Under 21 squads for three years. My school life had changed in this period also. I left ‘Ollies’ in 1995 to take up the position of Principal in Ballapousta National School, outside Ardee in Co. Louth. I became a Teaching Principal and, like many new Principals, I struggled to find the balance between teaching, the responsibilities of Principal and a demanding coaching career.We were a 5-teacher rural school with around 140 children. These days, I am an Administrative Principal with 8 class teachers, 2 LST/Resource and 237 children. I still find it difficult to find the balance. I have pursued my coaching interests since I reached the famous day when the body said, “Ciarán, it’s time to stop running and smell the flowers” i.e. coach full-time. A sports coach is a teacher of sports skills. Look at Brian Cody or Micky Harte, both teachers and famous and successful coaches and managers. Coaching is similar to teaching in that we see the success, we encourage the development, we facilitate the growth of the children without always getting the credit which all primary teachers in Ireland deserve. My interest in sports and teaching led to a
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fanatical interest in physical education and, when I was asked to become involved in the new Hibernia College post graduate programme, I jumped at the chance to influence young teachers. I have met many fantastic and enthusiastic student teachers as I travelled the country during Spring mid-term and Easter holidays tutoring the athletics strand for Hibernia. I particularly enjoy imparting some of my enthusiasm for PE in the primary school and I try to encourage the student teachers to give the subject more than the measly and insufficient 60 minutes per week which the DES recommends.
My interest in sports and teaching led to a fanatical interest in physical education and, when I was asked to become involved in the new Hibernia College post graduate programme, I jumped at the chance to influence young teachers. 2009 was a turning point for me. One evening I felt a pressure in my chest at football training and, after advice from the lovely wife and also from my Deputy Principal, I went to visit the GP who immediately sent me to hospital for a check-up. Racing around the country, coaching all hours, teaching and administrating had caught up with me. A few days later I had cardiac surgery which was repeated in the summer. During my enforced break from school and coaching I read, walked and eventually started to cycle to regain fitness and good health. Life has been good to me and I have had a warning shot across the bows. Now I try to balance my responsibilities in school with home life, some athletics coaching and football coaching. I look at colleagues and friends hoping they will get the opportunity to change their lives, because most of us in the teaching profession give too much of ourselves to the job. It has been inspiring to read about the busy Principals in ‘Leadership in Action’ but it’s time for all of us to step back and reevaluate our roles and how much of ourselves is left for families and for us at the end of the week.
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