Leadership+ Issue 76 September 2013

ISSUE 76 ● SEPTEMBER 2013

+ Leadership THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF PRINCIPALS

Separated father fails in discrimination action against primary school

Attitude is key to resilience We are all too familiar with the term ‘The 3 Rs’. In recent times, as we discovered the importance of emotional intelligence, we added a fourth ‘R’ – relationships. It appears that it is now time to add a fifth ‘R’ – resilience.

The case for face-to-face communication Taking Aim: Starting out as a Principal ‘Risk Management for Schools: Weather Related Damage’

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Attitude is key to resilience

By Seán Cottrell and Brendan McCabe We are all too familiar with the term ‘The 3 Rs’. In recent times, as we discovered the importance of emotional intelligence, we added a fourth ‘R’ – relationships. It appears that it is now time to add a fifth ‘R’ – resilience.

Few principals would disagree with the statement that the last couple of years have been amongst the most challenging they have ever had. The crisis in our economy and related cutbacks have put everybody under pressure. The number of parents presenting in school with unreasonable demands and irrational behaviour is increasing steadily. This increase is in direct proportion to the pressure parents are facing at home as they struggle with basic living costs. Children who are hungry, poorly clothed and missing textbooks are now a common feature in schools in areas previously deemed middle class.

Few principals would disagree with the statement that the last couple of years have been amongst the most challenging they have ever had. The crisis in our economy and related cutbacks have put everybody under pressure.

In spite of the difficult conditions in which Brian Keenan was held captive, in his memoirs he wrote that he never allowed his captors ‘get inside his head’. School may not Beirut but it can feel like it sometimes! Our experience of life is 10% of what is done to us and 90% how we respond to it. Everyone has the power to choose which attitude to adopt in a given situation. For many, the default choice is to mirror the attitude of the person confronting you, which for principals means a lot of negativity and inner turmoil. This manifests itself as stress.

However, with some practice, it is possible to deliberately choose the attitude you wish to take.The first step towards building resilience is to separate you, the person, from your school leadership role. The second step is to acknowledge that you cannot change other people’s attitude. The third step is to listen and acknowledge what the parent is saying while not accepting responsibility for matters outside your own control. Resilience is not a newfangled idea. It has been around for generations – previously known as having a ‘thick skin’.This doesn’t make you a hard person but it does protect you from the slings and arrows that constantly fly in virtually every school.

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st Be a Century School

While the school is one of the few certainties in the lives of many families, it also provides a soft target for somebody who is hurting. Often, parents who make outrageous statements can have their anger traced back to some other non school-related stressor. For a principal to survive in this context requires considerable resilience.

This is the factor which enables a principal to take whatever is thrown at them and bounce back, without damage, to their professional or personal self esteem. Some principals are not naturally resilient. Every negative comment is another dent in their self confidence. Is resilience something that can be acquired or must you have it naturally? The answer is ‘yes’, it can be acquired, and it lies in the word ‘attitude’. Our attitude to what happens around us is one of the few things over which we have complete control.

Some principals are not naturally resilient.

Every negative comment is another dent in their self confidence. Is resilience something that can be acquired or must you have it naturally?

Editor: Seán Cottrell Deputy Editor: Geraldine D'Arcy Assistant Editor: Brendan McCabe Comments and articles to editor@ippn.ie Advertising: Louise O’Brien louise.obrien@ippn.ie

The opinions expressed in Leadership+ do not necessarily reflect the official policy or views of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network ISSN: 1649 -5888

Irish Primary Principals’ Network Glounthaune, Co Cork 1890 21 22 23 | www.ippn.ie

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Legal Diary

by David Ruddy BL, Principal of Talbot BNS, Clondalkin, Dublin 22

‘Separated father fails in discrimination action against primary school’ A Complainant (Separated father) V A Primary School (Equality Tribunal) BACKGROUND This dispute concerned a complaint of unlawful discrimination by the father of a pupil on the basis of his gender and marital status.The man is a separated, non-custodial father of two children.

Both parents are joint guardians of the children with the mother having been awarded custody by court order and the father having access rights some days from 3pm (when school ended). He claimed that the school had engaged in acts on-going discrimination against him throughout the entire duration of his children’s attendance at the school The father submitted that the school discriminated against him, by not replying to his queries, allowing his child to be collected from the school by his separated wife’s partner contrary to the school’s own policy, and by allowing his child to be enrolled in circumstances where his details were omitted from an enrolment form.The father had taken a previous action against the school when he alleged discrimination in that he was not allowed to attend a parent teacher meeting with his separated wife. This action failed as his wife did not wish to participate in such a joint enterprise.

FATHER’S CASE The father became aware that his daughter had been absent from school for a number of days in April 2010. As a legal guardian of his children, he believed that he ought to have the right to know more about these absences. The father wrote to the school requesting copies of his children’s attendance records for the entire duration of their stay in the school and for any notes that the children’s mother may have submitted in relation to these. As he did not receive a reply within two and a half weeks, the father sought the assistance of solicitor. He was subsequently advised that the school had sought legal advice in relation to data protection legislation and would revert in due course.The school refused to engage with the father’s

solicitor over the phone and advised the solicitor that he ought to contact the school’s solicitor.

The father submitted that such refusal to provide this information to a person acting on his behalf amounted to discrimination against him. While the father received a response from the school’s solicitors eventually, he was not provided with the requested notes.This, the father stated, was a further act of discrimination.

The father met with his son’s teacher about the fact that his wife was collecting him early from school on days when he was supposed to pick him up.

He told the teacher that he did not consent to his son being removed from the school early.

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MEN The father met with his son’s teacher about the fact that his wife was collecting him early from school on days when he was supposed to pick him up. He told the teacher that he did not consent to his son being removed from the school early. The father maintained that this breach of the school’s own policy was an act of discrimination because, on an earlier occasion, when the father had attempted to take out his own daughter in a similar fashion he had been prevented from doing so.

The father denied that he behaved in a threatening manner at this time or that it was this incident that was the reason why the school had a security system installed shortly afterwards.

He categorically denied that he assaulted or threatened the principal. He maintained that the school allowed this practice to have his son

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picked up early to continue.This would not have happened if a non-separated parent had given a similar instruction.

CONSENT FORMS He also indicated that the school has a practice of accepting parental consent from only one parent in relation to certain activities. He also pointed out that the practice of sending such forms to the home in the children’s school bags creates a possibility where the mother of a child may consent to certain activities without the knowledge of the father. He submitted that these forms indirectly discriminate against men as their right to act on behalf of their children can be undermined by the return of the signed form without their knowledge. He also submitted that the school‘s claim that such a practice would be impractical is unacceptable.

He submitted that his child did participate in activities relating to religious matters without his consent.

He further submitted that the school policy of accepting his daughter’s enrolment form without his address and contact details contrary to the custody/separation policy discriminated against him as a man because he believes that the enrolment sheet would not have been accepted without the contact details of the mother. He pointed out that as a result of this omission, had there been an emergency, the school would not have been able to contact him.

CASE FOR THE SCHOOL The school denied that it discriminated against the father on the grounds of gender and/or civil status in circumstances where he requested information about his children’s attendance.The school was performing its proper functions by informing the father about his daughter’s absences. On foot of receiving this information, the father, for his own reasons, chose not to accept the information contained in the letter, or otherwise chose to probe the matter further by requesting “notes received from [the children’s mother] for any of their absences.”The

school could not forward such notes to the father as this would have resulted in a breach of the Data Protection Acts, 1988 to 2003.

While the school accepted that the principal refused to divulge information to a person claiming to be the father’s solicitor over the phone, it was as an act of caution, not of discrimination. It was pointed out that the principal felt, and continues to feel, quite threatened by the father.

The school denied that it discriminated against the father on the grounds of gender and/or civil status in circumstances where he requested information about his children’s attendance.

The school does not accept that the fact that a person collected his daughter without a proper note amounts to discrimination in circumstances where the father argued that a similar breach was not allowed in relation to him. The children’s mother rang the school to inform them that she had arranged a named

individual to collect her children from the school at 2pm. In the course of the phone call she also indicated that would send a note of authorisation with the person collecting the children and that she would inform the complainant of this arrangement. On the basis of this phone call, the child was released into the care of the named individual, despite him not having a note. (It was subsequently received from the mother.) The school submitted that, as substantive permission was communicated to the school by the person with custody (the mother) until 3pm, the school had no option but to comply with the court order.

The existence of the court order is the reason why the school had requested the father to produce a letter from the mother (who had custody until 3pm) authorising him to collect the children earlier than 3pm. The father refused to comply with this request.

The school submitted that the complaints were both frivolous and vexatious.

DECISION The Tribunal found that there was no case of discrimination against the school on any of the grounds submitted.

OBSERVATION The school was vindicated in its actions in

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dealing with the requests of the father. The principal stuck rigidly to the custody and access policy of the school and sought appropriate advice. Above all, it seems that the school exercised good judgement. Our judgement rarely let us down.

If your school does not have a custody/separation/access policy you can access templates from the Resources/School Policies section of ippn.ie.

CHILD PROTECTION WATCHDOG CALLS FOR EXTENSION OF GUARDIANSHIP RIGHTS Government-appointed child protection watchdog Mr Geoffrey Shannon has just recommended that guardianship rights be extended automatically to unmarried fathers and grandparents looking after children on a day to day basis. Guardianship is the legal right to have a say in the upbringing of a child i.e. their religion, permission for a medical procedure or where the child lives. It is anticipated that legislation will be published shortly to make this a reality.This welcome development will impose additional obligations on schools to communicate with guardians in relation to parent/teacher meetings, preparation for sacraments, schools reports etc. However, there will be a corresponding onus on guardians to communicate contact details etc. to schools.

Taking Aim Starting Out as Principal

By Damian White, Principal of Scoil Shinchill, Killeigh, Co. Offaly ‘That’ll stop your caw-cawing’ chuckled the old Principal, moments after firing his shotgun out through an open classroom window. The subject of his opprobrium, a bush, discharged crows from all angles while floating feathers indicated his conquest was not without some success.

That this happened while his class looked on in bemused horror is disturbing, albeit was over 50 years ago. It probably had a positive effect on the standard of handwriting for a few days.

The tardiness of his assistant teacher may have improved for a week or two. All that was peripheral in his mind, I’m sure, to the main issue - the noise outside his classroom which would cease for now. Apart from the obvious consequences of children’s answers to the ‘How was school, Honey?’ question at home, with graphic accounts of how Sir had machinegunned a giant ostrich, the unforeseen effect concerned the crows, who mate for life. The heartbroken bird would morbidly return to the crime scene and ‘caoin’ like a mixture of Kate Bush and the ‘seanbhean bhocht’.

Had this Principal sought a quick fix? Yes. Had he employed emotional intelligence and peripheral vision? Probably not.

I‘m in my 20th year as principal. Supports for a newly-appointed principal are now in a different galaxy compared to when I first dipped my toe. It would be eight years more before IPPN was founded. There were no mentors or support agencies. An Administrative Principal was appointed on enrolment figures of 250 pupils. There were no school secretaries under that figure, few school computers, no SNAs, no posts. An office was a luxury. While not a rule of law, it was certainly a rule of thumb that principals didn’t share either their expertise or their difficulties with others. Class size was on its way down - from the 38 or so we had taught in the 1980s.

Soon after I was appointed, but not yet a keyholder, I walked around the building seized with fear. Will the new building be still standing after 12 months in my charge? Will I be the talk of the neighbouring parish for all the wrong reasons?

My first clue as to how I should proceed was

inside the front door. A photograph of the last day in the old school included all five of my new colleagues. Instinct proved correct as they helped see me through the formative years with a mixture of support and patience.

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Since then, I have borrowed a few thumbs and compiled a few rules to go with them.

Our school has grown but these little nuggets of what might pass for wisdom still pertain:

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Eat your lunch every day, preferably with the rest of the staff. While it’s not always possible, it should be your aim. Eating on your own or not eating at all - neither is a good idea.

Visit classrooms regularly. Always notice and compliment new work on display.

Children and staff both appreciate the affirmation. Remember – a pat on the back is just 6 inches above a kick in the tail!

Learn children’s names. In really big schools this may not be easy but it matters to a child to be addressed by their first name by the principal on the corridor or in the school yard.

Stand beside the bin/ shredder while opening post. Open those wearing a harp first! Ask yourself, will this letter improve teaching and learning in the school? Will it make my life better as a principal? If the answer to both is no, you know the rest!

Get a decent portable school phone.

Don’t always have to run back to the office to take calls. If you’re a teaching principal, a friendly but clear cut message that you are in class and cannot come to the phone right now and that you’ll call back if necessary should deflect some calls.

Treat visitors to the school kindly.You may have your tongue sharpened to deal with the next unsolicited caller but resist the temptation to growl at them. They are only trying to make a living - and they talk!

If you need to discuss a sensitive matter with a staff member, go to their work space to do so, preferably at the end of the day. Conflict is more likely if a person is summoned to the office.

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Emphasise the school’s ethos and refer to the school community at every assembly and other opportunity. Develop a sense of collective responsibility amongst everyone at the school for its reputation and wellbeing.

Know the locality even if you don’t live in the area.

Learn how to use the word ‘sorry’.You will sleep better.You may lose the odd battle but you will win the war!

I recently drove past the beautifullyrefurbished school where many years ago the principal took aim at the crows. He has gone to his reward but surrounding his former workplace are fine tall trees, laden with nests.

It seems that the crows have come home to roost.

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Principal Advice The case for face-to-face communication

By Angela Lynch, Principal Advice Manager

“Even when I work with computers with high technology I always try to put in the touch of the hand.”

Issey Miyake Having always been a lover of Issey Miyake fragrances, I was particularly struck by this comment of his. In spite of all our gains in technology which makes life more efficient and the speed with which we can communicate information, communication itself has become more difficult than ever before.We are so used to being protected by technology that to a large extent we are losing the skills of communicating face-toface. In a sense we are becoming isolated. Technology has made life so much more efficient but it cannot or must not replace getting together and enjoying that human connection with people. The key is to know which method to use in a conversation. The skilled communicator uses both.

It has been said that as much as 90% of how we communicate is through non verbal cues such as gestures and facial expressions.

email in relation to the following: I Communicating about important subjects I When there is an issue that requires a decision – a consensus is more likely to be achieved through face-to-face meetings I In relation to matters of a sensitive nature I Issues that require considerable give and take.

The personal touch of engaging in a conversation can form a bond, set the foundations for trust, as well as building and sustaining relationships.

IMPROVING FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATION I Listen more than you speak I Listen for the emotion underlying what the person is saying in order to gain understanding I Be clear in your mind as to what you are seeking to achieve I Prepare ahead of time I Pay attention to your body language and facial expressions. React to the non verbal clues you pick up from the person to whom you are speaking I Be interesting and watch for signs of inattention I Be yourself – Be authentic I Give and receive feedback. Communication is a 2-way process.

It has been said that as much as 90% of how we communicate is through non verbal cues such as gestures and facial expressions. We humans are wired for face-to face communication. Your body language, your smile, your eyes, your energy will shine through in a face-to-face communication even before you begin to speak. This can never be achieved by technology.Think of the smiley face we attach to our emails and texts or the numerous exclamation marks to emphasise a point or introduce some empathy, project trust or build relationships in electronic communications. Communication is not about what you say but how you say it. Face-to-face meetings enable greater understanding and are indispensible when it comes to building relationships.

“It is hard to say exactly what it is about face-to-face contact that makes deals happen, but whatever it is, it hasn’t yet been duplicated by technology.”

Paul Graham, computer programmer and founder of Viaweb.

Modern communication is wonderful but it has its limits. If you genuinely want to improve your communication, you might consider avoiding using

Should you wish to read more about this subject, a resource bundle entitled Communication may be accessed on www.ippn.ie.

As we begin the new school year, I appeal strongly to you to engage with your support group or to contact the Support Office with a view to becoming part of a support group. As one who was hugely sustained both personally and professionally by my own support group over the years, I cannot emphasise enough the benefits you and your fellow principals will receive by your participation. We need to keep talking to each other.

Ar scáth a chéile a mhairimid.

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Flying the flag for Irish Education

By Brian Goggins, Director, the European School, Mol, Belgium

I have just completed my first year as director of the European School in Mol. It has been a fantastic experience and a steep learning curve but it has also been exciting and extremely rewarding. I follow in a proud and strong tradition of Irish appointees to the European school system, including Michael Ryan, former secretary general of the European school system, Richard Galvin, teacher and director in the system for nearly 20 years and many other excellent teachers, directors and deputy directors who have built up the excellent reputation of seconded Irish staff.

In my school there are 800 students in four language sections - English, French, German and Dutch. This means that in each year group there are four different classes where the medium of instruction is primarily the language of the section.

The system was originally set up to provide a multilingual, co-ed education for the children of employees of the European Institutions. It allows for ease of transfer from one European school to another and allows transition from member states’ national systems and back again, enabling more mobility for parents employed by the EU. Currently there are 14 European schools across Europe – in Belgium (5), Luxembourg (2), the Netherlands (1), Germany (3), Spain (1), Italy (1) and the United Kingdom (1).

Students complete two years of nursery education from 4 to 6 years of age, five years of primary education from 6 to 11 years and seven years of secondary education, culminating in the examinations of the ‘European Baccalaureate’.

The Baccalaureate is recognised in all member states and in all universities in member states for matriculation. It is also recognised across many non-European countries including the US, Canada and Australia, to name but a few. The

curricula are set and validated by the Board of Inspectors which is made up of inspectors, one representing primary and one secondary, from each of the now 28 member states. They also inspect all the teachers in the system on a regular basis and provide in-service training across the system. Seconded staff can only remain in the system for a maximum of nine years after which they return to their national system.

In my school there are 800 students in four language sections - English, French, German and Dutch. This means that in each year group there are four different classes where the medium of instruction is primarily the language of the section. All students study a second language from year 1 of primary through to Baccalaureate and study a number of other subjects in that language from year 3 of secondary. Students also study a third language from year 2 in secondary and many students study a fourth and even a fifth language. In primary, students follow their mother tongue, a second language, Maths, Discovery of the World (Science, History and Geography), Art, Religion/Morale, PE and Music.

I was principal in a vocational school in Nobber in Co. Meath for the ten years prior to taking up this post in September 2012 and although that was a great training for the position of director, the roles are very different.The position is more akin to the role of Chief Executive.The day-to-day running of the school is largely handled by the two deputy directors - there is a principal for the primary and another for the secondary).

There is no post of responsibility/In-school Management structure as in Ireland.

Instead there is a bank of time which is distributed among teachers, allowing a reduction of their teaching time in exchange for responsibilities carried out.

The overall vision and direction of the school are my main responsibility. One of the first differences is that I am running a primary school for the first time. The nature of the conversations and interactions is

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very different to those of a secondary school. I really enjoy the variety that it adds to the position. Another major difference in this system is that is it part of my responsibility to visit teachers in the classes and to assess their classroom practice. National Inspectors also visit in the second and fifth years and, together with the director, complete the report that ultimately decides if the secondment is prolonged. So far this year I have visited about 15 teachers who teach in the various languages mentioned. It is very interesting to experience the wide variety of teaching methodologies and styles from across Europe. Apart from Irish and English, I have reasonable French and am currently learning Dutch, the local language.

My responsibilities also include managing a budget of over €12 million and reporting to both the Commission and representatives of the member states, who between them largely fund the schools. I have a teaching staff of close to 100, made up of over 70 seconded staff from across the member states with the remaining post filled by locally-recruited teachers of all nationalities. The administrative, secretarial and ancillary staff totals over 30 people and includes accountants, ICT, caretaking, canteen and medical staff. The management of this size of a staff is complicated by the fact that different nationalities have very different views of teaching and learning and the challenge is to harness the best of all the national systems into one cohesive vision shared by all, even where it goes against very strongly held beliefs from your home system. The cross fertilisation of ideas and practices is the most challenging and the most invigorating part of the role.

Risk Management for Schools Weather-related Damage Sponsored by Allianz Every year, regardless of the severity of weather conditions, many schools end up with property loss or damage as a result of poor or non-existent maintenance. Apart from the financial cost associated with such losses they also can seriously disrupt the day to day operation of the school and cause emotional distress to staff, pupils and the community the school serves.

In many cases, schools could have prevented or limited these losses by implementing a structured maintenance and risk management plan, including regular inspection and repair of school property. This plan would include: I Identification of risks and mitigating actions I Regular inspection of school property I Renewal and repair of school property as required I Review of controls and procedures.

Implementing such a plan will reduce the number and cost of claims which will ultimately have an impact on the school’s insurance premium.

In this new series, we set out some basic risk control/loss prevention measures that can be implemented with minimal cost but which can greatly reduce your susceptibility to loss or damage in the follow key areas: 1. Frost / Freeze / Storm 2. Flood 3. Fire 4. General Maintenance.

Frost / Freeze Protection During periods of severe or prolonged cold weather: I Maintain heat in the building I Fit frost thermostats and ensure that it is correctly set i.e. 35° F / 2° C if located indoors, or 32° F / 0° C if outdoors I If no frost thermostat fitted, responsibility for manually starting the heating system must be allocated to named responsible individuals.

I Protect your oil supply against freezing. This may happen if temperatures of 12° F or -9° C prevail. The oil supply pipe can be protected with weather-proof insulation and a tarpaulin cover will provide emergency protection to the tank.

I Leave internal doors open to protect unheated or poorly-heated areas - always subject to applicable fire safety rules and regulations. Make sure all radiators are on.

I Leave air vents in the boiler room sufficiently open to allow an adequate supply of air for combustion I If heat is not to be maintained then the water supply should be isolated and all sanitary and domestic water services drained I Make sure all exposed pipes are properly lagged / insulated I Make sure that all tanks and pipes in the roof space and all external vent or expansion pipes are well lagged / insulated.

Feedback from our members’ survey indicates that the preference is for the Annual Principals’ Conference to be held in Dublin on a Thursday and Friday in late January.

With this in mind we are pleased to announce the details of the 2014 Annual Principals' Conference:

IPPN Annual Principals’

CONFERENCE

2014

CITYWEST HOTEL & CONFERENCE CENTRE, DUBLIN

23rd & 24th January 2014 PAG E 9

Storm Protection The following measures will help to reduce the nature and extent of any storm-related damage to school property: I Clean out gutters and down pipes of leaves, dirt and debris on a regular basis I Keep tree branches trimmed to prevent them from overhanging buildings I Trees which are close enough to fall onto buildings or parking areas need to be checked regularly - where warranted, have trees trimmed or removed by a qualified tree removal service.

I Check for broken, damaged or loose tiles and have them repaired where necessary I Check the flashing around skylights, vent pipes and any other projections where a roof covering meets an adjoining surface I Repair any damaged gutters or down pipes and check their supports I Ensure grounds are kept clear of loose materials and rubbish that may blow about and cause damage.

Quick Checklist 1. Are your pipes and tanks properly lagged?

2. Do all your taps close tightly 3. Do you know where the main water stop cock / stop valve is?

4. Are you sure they are working?

5. Is electricity supply left on to ensure operation of frost thermostats?

6. Is heating maintained in the premises?

Software for the modern classroom

By Robbie O’Leary, Principal of An Chroi Ro Naofa Senior, Killinarden, West Tallaght, Dublin 42 Today’s primary classroom bears little resemblance to that in which we were educated ourselves. Teachers are now expected to cater for a vast and diverse range of abilities, backgrounds and learning styles. A typical class will probably be composed of a number of children for whom English is not their first language, children with a variety of special needs and cultural backgrounds, as well as children who will struggle with learning and those for whom learning comes easily. As many teaching principals will be aware, each classroom can have a number of different ages and grades. Careful planning, an abundance of resources and a focus on differentiation are essential if we are to have chance at all of ensuring that each and every individual can make optimum progress.

Latest figures suggest that approximately 78% of Irish homes now have broadband connectivity, not to mention a plethora of game consoles, smart phones, laptops, desktop and tablet computers.

For the vast majority of teachers, the use of modern technology is no longer seen as an unwelcome addition to the workload, but as an invaluable tool to enhance their teaching and the differentiated learning of pupils. One of the difficulties facing teachers, given the rapid state of change in technology, limited financial resources and an uneven development of ICTs in primary education, is having available the appropriate range of applications to deploy in order to do just that.

Latest figures suggest that approximately 78% of Irish homes now have broadband connectivity, not to mention a plethora of game consoles, smart phones, laptops, desktop and tablet computers. Indeed, many pupils live in homes that are far more up-to-date and connected than the school they attend...

Below is a description of some of the applications we have found to be effective and successful in a large DEIS Band 1 senior primary school with all of the characteristics outlined above.

with children between the ages of 7 and 13. Its companion programme, Reading Eggs is ideal for junior classes and provides a motivational, carefully structured approach to pre and early reading activities.

LITERACY ACTIVITY BUILDER Literacy Activity Builder (www.edtech.ie) is, in my opinion, one of the most powerful and versatile tools available for teachers to create their own customised digital activities for use on interactive whiteboards, PCs or even for web sites. The programme is completely wizard-driven, so no programming knowledge is required. In fact, I have seen pupils themselves using it to create quizzes and other activities based on projects they have been working on or for younger pupils in the school. Activities that can be produced include a variety of quizzes; matching, ordering and sorting games; word searches and cloze exercises. It can also be used to great effect for Irish lessons. An important feature is that the application need only be installed on the computer on which the games are produced once games are published, they can be used on any PC. Similar programmes, Numeracy Activity Builder and Science Activity Builder, are also available and equally effective in helping teachers quickly and easily create their own professional looking and individualised digital content. If a number of teachers in the school use these programmes, over a period of time a bank of resources can rapidly build up and be of use for years to come.

All of the applications referred to are attractive, easy to use and versatile tools that can be used by pupils of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

READING EGGSPRESS We encourage pupils and their parents to make more use of such home-based technologies to enhance and support the learning that is taking place in school. In this context we have found Reading Eggspress (www.readingeggs.co.uk) to be both popular and effective. It is an online, subscription-based application designed to develop pupils’ reading, vocabulary and comprehension abilities. We were initially impressed with its similarity to the First Steps approach to literacy development that we use in the school, and since its adoption a year ago, we have also been impressed with pupils’ enthusiasm for its use, not just in school, but at home also.The software is designed to be used

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MATHLETICS In a similar vein, we are happy to recommend another online, subscription-based application, Mathletics, for use in numeracy lessons at school, and like Reading Eggs, for use at home by pupils eager to develop their maths skills in an extremely motivational and stimulating way.

It has been very gratifying to observe pupils who are happy to continue their learning outside of school hours – voluntarily. Parents are also delighted that the technology available in the home can be put to positive and rewarding use.

TEXTEASE AND CLICKER Textease (www.textease.com), and Clicker (www.cricksoft.com) are just two examples of tools specifically designed for children to use in an educational context. In terms of levelling the playing field for pupils of all age groups and abilities to produce written work of high quality, and helping to provide a meaningful and colourful print-rich environment throughout the school, I believe such a tool is an essential component of an ICT infrastructure that will be of massive benefit to each and every pupil.

All of the applications referred to are attractive, easy to use and versatile tools that can be used by pupils of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

A good quality children’s word processor and a digital camera can also be highly stimulating for pupils to use.

Farewell to Gerry Welcome to Brendan & Maria

Farewell to Gerry Murphy – Past President of IPPN A true champion of the marginalised, during his term as IPPN President, Gerry focused much of his attention on helping schools who support children dealing with socio-economic disadvantage, special educational needs, mental health issues and poor nutrition.

New President of IPPN – Brendan McCabe Brendan, principal of St Colmcilles BNS in Kells, Co Meath, has assumed the presidency of IPPN for a period of two years. Born in Skerries, Co. Dublin, Brendan was one of the first lay students to train as an NT in Coláiste Mhuire, Marino.

He worked closely with the Department of Education & Skills, the HSE, Healthy Food for All, Archways (The Incredible Years Programme), the National Children’s Strategy Implementation Group and Louth Children’s Services Committee, among other agencies.

He supported the launch of Good Practise Guide for Breakfast Clubs, an initiative he is passionate about as he firmly believes that ‘children who are hungry going to school cannot properly access the curriculum’.

He subsequently graduated as a B.Ed. from the in-service course in St. Patrick’s, Drumcondra.Brendan taught for a year in St. Mary’s N.S., Rathfarnham, before taking on the role as principal teacher of Heronstown N.S. in Meath at age 20 - probably the youngest principal in Ireland at the time.

A proud Louth man, Gerry also led a number of cross-border initiatives during his time as a member of IPPN’s Executive Committee, furthering dialogue between school leaders North and South on leadership, management and governance-related matters. Gerry will continue to be involved with IPPN’s Executive Committee as Immediate Past President.

Having retired from St Joseph’s NS, Dundalk in 2012, Gerry can now spend a little more time lowering his golf handicap and indulging his passion for Gaeilge at Coláiste Bhríde, Rann na Feirste in the Donegal Gaeltacht, with which he has been involved for the past 38 years.We thank Gerry most sincerely for his drive, commitment, passion and energy over the past several years working with IPPN.

He spent twelve years there as a Teaching Principal before becoming principal of St. Colmcille’s School in Kells in 1988. Besides his interest in school leadership, he has been involved in professional development on topics such as School Planning, Bullying and Parent Associations. Brendan was elected to the Executive Committee of IPPN in 2007 and is Deputy Editor of Leadership+.

He is the Minister’s nominee to the Teaching Council. Married to Rosemary, he has four children, two girls and two boys and one grand-daughter.

During his presidency of IPPN, Brendan intends to focus on empowering principals, through improved availability of principalspecific CPD, to take ultimate responsibility for their own schools’ destiny.

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IPPN Deputy President / President Elect – Maria Doyle Maria graduated from Mary Immaculate College of Education with a B. Ed. and started her career as a class teacher at Holy Family Junior Mercy Primary School where she taught until 1995. That same year, she was appointed as the first lay principal at Our Lady of Mercy Senior Primary School in Waterford City, a DEIS band 2 senior girls’ school, where she continues to serve as principal.

Maria has been a member of IPPN’s Executive Committee since 2007 and is chairperson of the Waterford Principals’ County Network.

She is a facilitator for the Ciall Ceannaithe online course for newly-appointed principals and has delivered workshops on the topic of child protection at several IPPN principals’ conferences.

Maria represented IPPN on the consultative group revising the DES Child Protection Procedures for Primary & Post-Primary Schools (2010/2011) and also during the updating of the Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedure – DES (2011). Her brief on the IPPN Executive Committee is the Principal Advice support service as well as advocacy & representation projects.

Maria is the primary schools’ representative on the Waterford Children Services Committee. As Deputy President of IPPN, Maria aims to encourage, support and affirm school leaders ultimately providing for the best possible learning environment for the 21st century child.

School Placement for Student Teachers: A partnership approach by schools and colleges

By Virginia O’Mahony, IPPN Assistant Director

School placement (teaching practice) is a critical part of initial teacher education (ITE), allowing student teachers to experience teaching and school life in a variety of contexts, and in a structured and supported manner.

Based on existing good practice, the Teaching Council is preparing School Placement Guidelines in partnership with stakeholders, including IPPN. The Guidelines acknowledge the voluntary support provided by principals and teachers to student teachers. They provide a structure for the school placement and are aimed at promoting collaboration and balance of responsibility between colleges of education and schools.

The term “school placement” replaces the term “teaching practice” in the Guidelines to more accurately reflect the range of teaching and nonteaching activities involved.

Since 2012/2013, all undergraduate programmes of primary teacher education are now four years in duration, and from 2014, all postgraduate programmes will be two years long. Typically, a student teacher will spend 18 to 20 weeks in schools, and, in all cases, the second half of the programme must include one 10-week block placement.

Colleges are expected to consider the timing of the placement in the school calendar as well as the stage the student teacher is at on the ITE

programme. Non-teaching hours should include classroom observation, collaborative work with experienced staff, and engagement with the dayto-day life of the school.

Structured support for the student teacher is critical, and colleges will ensure that they are observed, supported and assessed for grading purposes by two or more placement tutors.

The Board of Management and principal decide on their school’s capacity to facilitate placements.

Principals have a pivotal role to play in leading and supporting a whole-school approach to school placement, in accordance with a policy formulated by the Board of Management. A template policy has been included in the Guidelines, but schools may prefer to devise their own policy. As heretofore, the principal also assigns student teachers to co-operating teachers.

Co-operating teachers are asked to work collaboratively with the student teacher, the placement tutor and the principal. Along with the principal, they provide structured support to student teachers but do not have a role in grading them. The Guidelines encourage the placement tutor and co-operating teacher to collaborate in relation to any advice given to student teachers.

Co-operating teachers should introduce the student teacher to the pupils; classroom; plan of

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work; rules and procedures; and, the roles of other staff involved with the pupils in the class.

They are encouraged to allow the student teacher observe their teaching. In turn, they observe the student teacher’s practice and provide them with feedback.

As the student teacher’s competence develops, the co-operating teacher should allow them to teach more independently and may avail of discretionary time during those times. This facilitates engagement with the student teacher at other times.

To ensure that student teachers experience a variety of teaching settings, it is desirable that all recognised schools are open to hosting student teachers, though it is acknowledged that this may not always be feasible.

From the school’s point of view, the benefits of placement are many. Schools can develop as learning communities. Co-operating teachers can observe and be informed about a variety of approaches to teaching and learning, and can avail of bespoke CPD programmes provided by some colleges in acknowledgement of their role in supporting the student teacher.

The Teaching Council’s School Placement Guidelines, along with a Quick Reference Guide for Schools, will be available shortly from www.ippn.ie and www.teachingcouncil.ie

St. Paul’s Strikes a Pose

By Anne Hartnett, Deputy Principal, St Paul’s Special School, Montenotte, Cork City St. Paul’s school caters for 97 children aged between 5 and 18 years with a moderate to severe/profound learning disability. Like most schools, we are short of funds so we decided to hold a fashion show – with our pupils as the models.And oh boy did the idea take off!! The ‘St. Paul’s Strikes a Pose’ Fashion Show took place on a Sunday afternoon last April. It was, I am so relieved to say, a resounding success.

Clothes were kindly supplied by Marks & Spencer, Dunnes Stores, Zara and Penneys. Silver Springs Moran Hotel in Cork gave us the use of their full conference centre and their catwalk free of charge. Everyone really pulled together - ramps were made, transport supplied, acrobats booked, choir assembled, staffing sorted, outfits designated and collected and that was just in the lead up to it!

On the day, we had beauticians, hairdressers, a photographer and a film production company who made DVDs of the show for us to sell to add to our fundraising efforts. Cork Prison Officers supplied our advertising posters, tickets and

programs and 4 Gardaí from the local station sold the raffle tickets for wonderful prizes supplied by parents and local companies. To top it all off, the Lord Mayor of Cork, John Buttimer, opened the show.

Needless to say, none of the above would have been thought of, organised or arranged without the staff, past and present, including the multidisciplinary team of St. Paul’s school. They were unwavering in their support, commitment, energy and enthusiasm. They gave up their time so willingly and were such a positive force throughout. The parents were equally enthusiastic

and contributed so much to so many aspects of the day.We just could not have done it without them.

Of course the true stars were the children themselves. They were quite simply outstanding.

They walked/ were wheeled down the catwalk with the broadest smiles and greatest twinkles in their eyes - it was so lovely to witness. Their extended families, friends and neighbours cheered them on like it was the Oscars and for everyone there, it was all that and more. The feel good factor was through the roof!

As everyone involved gave their time and services free of charge, the school made just under €5,000, which is badly needed to re-vamp our multisensory rooms. In reality we gained much more than that - this was really a case of our pupils, parents, staff and local community coming together and achieving something both memorable and remarkable. It has really lifted the spirit of the whole school and the wider community. I know any time I think of it, I smile!

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Don’t worry. Be happy!

By Brendan Mc Cabe, IPPN President

with children (as opposed to talk TO children), you quickly realise just what is really important and remember why you became a teacher.

‘I have noticed that happy people are constantly evaluating themselves and unhappy people are constantly evaluating others.’ (Dr. William Glasser) Being a principal could be bad for your health.

It can be a very stressful job. Principals put in long days, including evening and weekend hours.They are responsible for the well being of large numbers of students, each of whom has special abilities and needs. New initiatives are continually being imposed on already high expectations. Add to that lots of paperwork, meetings, queries and complaints from parents, playground and lunchtime duties, and you have the potential for a huge amount of stress.

If you are an administrative Principal, get out of the office and spend time with children as often as possible. I have always found the junior classes to be the most therapeutic.

I’m sure that you’ve noticed, despite September being a very busy month in school, there are rarely any major problems.Why is this? Could it be because everyone has returned refreshed after a nice summer holiday and fatigue, which is a major cause of stress, hasn’t yet set in?

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Take time to read every night, even if only for a few minutes. It takes your mind off the worries of the day and lets you relax enough to fall asleep quickly.

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Don’t take stress home with you. The best way to fight stress is to leave it at work.

Let your turning the key in the door and walking away be just that.

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Plan and manage time efficiently. Good planning can help eliminate stress. If you manage your time wisely, you can do a lot without crashing and burning.

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Do things with colleagues outside of school. Network with other principals, for example in a Local Principals’ Support Group. It’s consoling to know that others experience some of the same frustrations you do.

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Take a whole weekend off. Then tell the staff that you did. That way, you serve as a role model for taking care of yourself.

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Exercise. Even if it is just a brisk walk at lunchtime, you end up feeling calm and relaxed. Some people believe that they do their best thinking while exercising.

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Meditate. It’s not easy but once you perfect it, the results are amazing.

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Keep a positive attitude; it makes a world of difference. Changing your inner thoughts will change your outward expressions.

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Spend time with friends. Talking to a good listener is a great way to relieve stress.

Friends know that they can call each other anytime if they need a pep talk, a sounding board, or just a sympathetic ear.

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Communicate directly in stressful relationships. If an individual has caused you to stress out, I have learned that communicating with that person directly is

Is there anything we can do to make September last all year? Try these suggestions: Make time to laugh. Humour is a wonderful outlet for stress reduction. There is no better way to get your mind off the hamster wheel of worry.

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If you are an administrative Principal, get out of the office and spend time with children as often as possible. I have always found the junior classes to be the most therapeutic. When you take time to talk

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the best approach. Dealing with the situation sooner rather than later clears the air much faster than allowing it to fester.

Doesn’t it all seem so obvious when you take time to stop and consider? So let us make a conscious and deliberate decision to start this school year as we mean to go on. Let us realise that our health is our most important asset and that without it we are of little use to anybody.

Above all, take time to enjoy your successes and wake up each morning smelling the roses.

Dr Philip Riley, an Australian psychologist lecturing in Monash University, Melbourne, suggests that burnout is caused by: Passion (obsessive v. harmonious) Providing empathy to those around us, while not necessarily receiving the same in return Over-involvement, through unrealistic attitudes and expectations Isolation Personal stress.

He suggests that principals should try to develop mindfulness; the formal type through expanding awareness meditation (breathing exercises, body scan meditation and mindful movement) and the informal type through doing one thing at a time and stopping between activities to take a breath.

He believes firmly that multitasking is bad.

He also suggests that we can improve with age. We can increase gratitude, forgiveness (which boosts the immune system and lowers blood pressure) and humour. We can become lifelong learners. We can get excited by doing things we love to do. We can cultivate healthy relationships.

The Green Journey

By Siobhán Nally, Deputy Principal, Bunscoil Clochair Mhuire, Trim, Co. Meath

‘Ní neart go cur le chéile’ is a much-used Irish cliché but is an essential motto for any successful whole-school project. Any new concept needs to have dreamers and doers, idealists and realists, passionate and well-grounded people on board.

An eclectic mix seems to be the recipe for success as is a leader who allows ideas and energy to flow and provides support along the way. A framework giving structure and direction to the process; manageable, measurable goals and targets as well as a celebration of its success are crucial to any project.

The Green School Programme is very well structured, involving seven steps. An Taisce’s Educational Unit has teamed up with local authorities to provide support for schools. A thematic approach is used, lending itself to a wide variety of opportunities for integration. Whether the theme is Waste Management, Water, Energy or Travel, the cross-curricular links are limitless for all class levels. The Green School Website www.greenschoolsireland.org - is invaluable for teachers and the benefits of participating in the programme extend far beyond the school walls.

When St Mary’s set out on our green journey almost ten years ago, Ireland was thriving and not many people wanted to know about being ecofriendly or economical. Environmentalists and tree-huggers were viewed as ‘alternative’! We nevertheless ploughed ahead with our Green School Campaign and have had remarkable success over the years. In 2004 we established both Adult and Pupil Green Committees. Green areas were set up in each classroom and Gardaí Glasa, Water Watchers and Energy Squads were appointed. Pledges were composed, learned and recited regularly. An Taisce personnel visited faithfully and offered much-welcomed advice and encouragement.

Liaising with both our local Environmental Officer and Tidy Towns Facilitator was vital as both have afforded us great support, and even some funding through competitions and prizes, over the years. The Green Schools Coordinator acts as the ‘glue’ that keeps all the pieces together and submits a report of the actions taken over the year. Pupils, their families and staff are kept informed of developments or upcoming events through assemblies, staff meetings, imlitreacha and green notice boards.

Every day is a ‘Green Day’at St Mary’s.We have an extensive Green Area (An Ceantar Glas) in the heart of the school, with containers for recycled materials where children can be spotted daily adding their recyclables. A compost heap is being cultivated in anticipation of our upcoming theme, Biodiversity. In 2011, we installed three 10,000litre rainwater tanks - over 50% of our water now comes from rainwater. Annual bills have been reduced from €6,000 to €3,000. Classroom toilets are fitted with eco-flush buttons, minimising the water flushed. Classrooms have sensor-operated lighting so that lights switch off automatically when no activity is detected. Each classroom separates dry waste for recycling and organic waste for composting. School newsletters are sent electronically, cutting down dramatically on paper and ink.

Like many Irish schools, Walking on Wednesday (WOW) and Cycling on Wednesday (COW) have become part of the school calendar. Teachers dutifully meet up with cyclists or walkers every Wednesday and escort them safely to school.This has significantly reduced traffic congestion around the school. Some pupils have been very creative and even roller-blade, scoot or flicker to school!

Twice a year we hold our Siopa Glas selling old toys and books. The proceeds have funded solar

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panels in Rwandan and Zambian schools we are linked with. One green project funding another!

St Mary’s progressed through the various themes, action plans and challenges over the years and has been awarded five Green Flags.The Green Homes flag was by far the most challenging as it involved encouraging householders to embrace a new ecofriendly way of living, taking on board the key themes ofWaste, Energy,Water and Travel.A recent survey revealed that a significant majority have made changes since embarking upon the Green Homes Campaign.

While much thought and hard work has gone into the campaign, we have had some good laughs along the way.To commemorate the death of the Duke of Wellington, who has ties with our heritage town, hundreds of children and adults donned wellingtons and walked to school one September morning. Dressing up and even stripping off to make a green statement is not unusual for St Mary’s! At last year’s St Patrick’s Day parade, Mrs Brown made a dramatic conversion to Mrs Green in front of the dignitaries at the Town Hall when she removed her brown layers and slipped into something green! It was a very expressive message to the people of Trim!

Our five Green Flags fly proudly over our school, reminding us of what we have achieved to date but also calling us to be mindful of our green reputation which has culminated in our achieving the overall National 2013 Green Award for Green Schools/Colleges. Being green is a way of life for our pupils and their families. They deeply appreciate the need to protect our environment and conserve our natural resources. Together we can make a difference by ‘thinking globally and acting locally’. Níl ‘bratach’ go cur le chéile!

IPPN Financial Overview IPPN’s activities are geared towards supporting a key public sector role – that of principal teacher. Ensuring sustainability and managing the multiple risks facing all organisations are factors that take considerable management. As a registered charity, IPPN is in the non-profit sector. However, in reality IPPN has legal and financial obligations similar to any business in the private sector. The details below are taken from our audited annual accounts for the financial year ending December 31st 2012.

TOTAL INCOME 2012 €2,058,940 While IPPN is a member-driven organisation, we have endeavoured to reduce our dependence on membership fees by diversifying sources of income.

One third of our total income comes from membership fees. However IPPN’s overall running costs require us to generate additional income of double that amount.

If this strategy was not in place, we would have been forced to treble our membership fees to enable the growth in supports and services that has taken place since 2005. In fact, the annual membership fee for schools, covering both the principal and the deputy principal, has not been increased since 2007.

Sponsorship & Business Activites 14%

Web Services 16%

Advertising & Exhibitions 17%

CPD for Members 19%

Membership Fees 34%

TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2012 €1,801,437 As you know from your own school, the costs incurred in managing an organisation have increased significantly over the past decade. IPPN has invested significantly in providing the supports and services that you, our members, have identified through our annual consultation surveys. This includes our Principal Advice service and the more recent Leadership Recovery programme. We have also increased investment in our IT infrastructure to support both the organisation’s operational needs and the web-based services required by principals.

Advocacy & Representation 12%

Principal Advice & Leadership Recovery 35%

Web Services 12%

Operational Overheards 13%

Staffing 28% PAG E 1 6

Country Networks & Local Support Groups 8%

MEMBER SUPPORTS & SERVICES - EXPENDITURE €1,044,209 Principal Advice 21%

The breakdown of expenditure on members’ services and supports is outlined across.

QUERIES TO THE SUPPORT OFFICE There were 4,955 phone calls to the Support Office in 2012.This figure Leadership does not include other incoming correspondence – post, e-mail, web Recovery forms, mailing list moderation etc. This equates to roughly 100 calls 6% per week. A breakdown of these calls shows that over 2,000 were professional cases logged by members to the Support Office. Of these cases: Networking & other I 1,164 were factual queries dealt with in the Support Office mailing lists I 387 were Principal Advice cases dealt with in the Support Office 14% I 466 were cases referred to the Principal Advice Panel.

ippn.ie 8%

Leadership+ 24%

The following schematic shows the categories of members’ professional queries logged in the Support Office.

Newly-appointed Principals 8%

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Active School Flag

By Karen Cotter, ASF National Coordinator The Department of Education and Skills launched the Active School Flag (ASF) in 2009 in order to recognise schools that ‘strive to achieve a physically educated and physically active school community’. 285 schools have already been awarded the ASF and this number is expected to rise to over 500 by the end of the next school year.

In order to be awarded the Active School Flag, primary schools must provide all pupils with one hour of timetabled PE and teach a broad and balanced PE curriculum. The process requires schools to self-evaluate current provision across three areas: PE, Physical Activity and Community Links and thereafter to plan and implement improvements. Schools should work to their own time frame in order to implement changes that will have real and tangible benefits for their whole school community. The ASF is a whole school process and schools are encouraged to look towards

parents, the local community and outside agencies for their support.

Because of the similarities between the processes, many schools are now choosing PE as their third review area for the School SelfEvaluation process, utilising the work that they have undertaken for the ASF. The ASF website www.activeschoolflag.ie is a hub of resources and ideas for schools wishing to develop their PE programmes and to promote physical activity. It includes case study school presentations and links to many school programmes and resources from outside agencies including the HSE, local sports partnerships, national governing bodies of sport, the Irish Heart Foundation and Irish Water Safety.

Active School Week is an integral part of the ASF process and the website includes lots of ideas for schools to try out.This element of the PAG E 1 7

initiative is extremely popular with schools and many now include it as part of their annual school calendar regardless of whether or not they are working towards the flag.

ASF presentations will take place in many Education Centres during the autumn term and schools wishing to work towards the ASF are encouraged to attend.

The new version of the ASF flag includes the text ‘Active School’. Schools can complete all stages of the ASF process through Irish and an Irish version of the flag - ‘Scoil Ghníomhach’ is also available.

For more information please see the enclosed leaflet, e-mail eolas@activeschoolflag.ie or phone (094) 9020704.

The ASF is funded by the Teacher Education Section of the DES and is based in the Mayo Education Centre.

IPPN President’s Report 2012-2013 at a glance

By Gerry Murphy, IPPN Past President for ratification by the National Committee in Oct 2013, including:

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Principals’ Professional Briefing Day

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Executive Committee to be referred to as the Board of Directors or ‘Board’

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Teaching Principals Summer Course

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National Committee to be referred to as the National Council

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Ciall Ceannaithe Online Summer Course

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National Director to be referred to as Executive Director

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Leadership Recovery Programme initiated with 6 principals taking part, led by a trained group of retired principals

Workload increases for school leaders while more resources are withdrawn KEY MILESTONES, CHALLENGES, PROJECTS I Ongoing turnover of principals in schools – due to economic policy – resulting in further erosion of posts of responsibility (Assistant Principals and Special Duties teachers) and consequent increase in workload for principals and deputy principals I

PRESS RELEASES I 25th June 2013 - Reversal of special needs cut comes as ‘huge relief ’, I

19th June 2013 - Special needs cut ‘regressive and damaging to society’

Withdrawal of substitute cover for Principals and Deputy Principals for CPD events, including IPPN Annual Conferences – disproportionate knock-on effect for schools with teaching principals

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Priorities for Principal Teachers - research and report development

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24th April 2013 - IPPN calls for CAOstyle application process for school places

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Development of a new Teaching Principals Summer Course.

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31st Jan 2013 - Survey shows rise in emotional trauma among primary school children

Leadership Symposium attended by 24 business leaders – two themes explored

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29th Jan 2013 - School leaders welcome Government’s Action Plan on Bullying

Technology in Education

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Leadership vs Management role

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National Centre for Leadership and Innovation (NCLI) launch

25th Jan 2013 - IPPN convenes industry group to link primary education and enterprise

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Development of Recruitment, Communication and Deputy Principal Resource Bundles

25th Jan 2013 - Reduce red tape burden and back school leadership, IPPN tells Government

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Increase in the number of children coming to school hungry – conference attendees hear the results of IPPN questionnaire to membership in Jan 2013

CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Principals’ Conference 2013 Theme: The Future is Now Facilitator: Olivia O’Leary Venue: Citywest, Dublin Speakers: Ben Walden of Contender Charlie; Seán Ó Foghlú – Secretary General of the DES (for Minister for Education & Skills Ruairi Quinn who was unable to attend due to a family bereavement); President of Ireland Michael D Higgins; Fr Peter McVerry; James Whelton, co-founder of CoderDojo; Mark Patrick Hederman, Abbot of Glenstal Abbey; Gerry Murphy, Seán Cottrell, Brendan McCabe.

24th Jan 2013 - Rising food poverty hinders primary school pupils’ ability to learn - IPPN

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22nd Jan 2013 - Use technology to improve primary school teaching, IPPN tells ITLG summit

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5th Dec 2012 - Budget fails to tackle funding crisis in primary schools - IPPN

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28 Nov 2012 - Schools face bankruptcy unless capitation grant is restored - IPPN

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26 Nov 2012 - Chance for children to connect

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Nov 2012 - IPPN-industry report urges greater focus on pupils’ mental health

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Nov 2012 - IPPN calls for Yes vote in Children Referendum

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12th Oct 2012 - New rules on children’s ads will help fight obesity.

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Croke Park 2 tripped up, but stumbles on via Haddington Road compromise – “beware of the consequences of releasing genies from the bottle” IPPN’s call for national children’s database and electronic system to replace outmoded Roll Books and Registers meets with approval of Secretary General at Conference 2013 Development of video clips for online and other CPD Survey of Teaching Principals highlights G Children in crisis G Workload increase G CPD needs G Conference preferences Minister for Education & Skills Ruairi Quinn attends meeting of the IPPN Executive Committee in June 2013 Executive Committee agrees some changes to the IPPN Constitution – to be put up

Seminars by Maria Doyle (IPPN), the DES Inspectorate, eSafety.ie, PDST, Seán Delaney, SESS, Dr Joe O’Connell, Ena Morley and staff re. the Incredible Years Programme, Gene Mehigan of Marino Institute of Education, NCCA, Dr Martin Gleeson of Mary Immaculate College, Clare Ryan.

DEPUTY PRINCIPALS’ CONFERENCE 2013 Theme: Reimagining Education Venue: Killarney Convention centre, INEC Speakers: Joanne O’Riordan, Gary McDarby of Fifth Province Ventures and Camara, Brendan McCabe Seminars by Anna Mai Rooney (IPPN), Dr Joe O’Connell, NCCA, PDST, eSafety.ie, Karen Belshaw and Crannóg Financial Solutions.

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PUBLICATIONS I IPPN’s Leadership Development Plan 20132017: A Case for Support I

Leadership+ issues 70 to 75

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Principal’s Information Management System (PIMS).

ICT and Copier Equipment September Start Up - Best Practice Welcome back after what was a fantastic summer. In issue 75 we advised you as to best practice in securing your copiers and IT equipment for the summer.Now that you are back at your desk,you need to reverse the process we advised! Let’s go through things in the same order: PHOTOCOPIERS Our advice was to leave the units plugged in on ‘trickle charge’ which prevents the problems that often present themselves when September comes! If you followed the advice, all you need do is put the unit on full power, reload the paper and toner and away you go. Just make sure that you fully jog the paper before you pop it in the unit, making sure that no damp paper is used. When popping the toner cartridge back in the system, give it a sideways shake in case the toner may have settled over the summer – following these simple procedures should ensure that all is in order. If you did unplug the system then you should ensure that you power the system up in stages, powering up to ‘back up’ level initially, then going to full power after 15 minutes or so. Remove any paper in the unit and ensure that it is nice and dry as well as removing the toner cartridge and giving it a shake as described above. It may be advisable to get your

service provider to give the machines a quick check before the busy times begin.

COMPUTERS/DESKTOPS You should have powered your equipment down following the standard Windows shutdown procedure. If you did, then you can simply power up as normal. There are some simple house-keeping procedures you can follow that will ensure the smooth operation of your equipment: 1. Run a full virus scan 2. Perform a disc defragmentation exercise – this will free up space on your hard drive and maximise the performance of your unit 3. Give the dust vents on your equipment a quick rub of a brush before you power up – these vents attract an enormous amount of dust when in use which will cause problems if not corrected.

Note: The same applies to projectors and other similar equipment 4. Check for software updates – these generally improve the operation of your equipment 5. Many of these procedures can be performed as part of our unique Classroom Care Service – see below.

LAPTOPS/IPADS If these devices were fully charged you should not have too many problems. In the case of laptops,follow the house-keeping procedures outlined above.

SERVERS Your server should have been left on over the summer – if you did not run updates when closing the school, it is a good time to do so now before things get too busy.

IT EQUIPMENT If you do not currently have any level of classroom IT care / maintenance in place, it is an opportune time to consider it. EMS Copiers offer such a bespoke service.This involves an IT audit where we assess your current IT infrastructure and, having done so, we can offer IT Classroom Care packages tailored to meet your exact requirements and budget.

EMS COPIERS EMS Copiers are the preferred suppliers of copiers, printers and multi-function devices to IPPN’s National Support Office in Cork. You can contact EMS Copiers on 1890 770 770, by e-mail to info@emscopiers.ie or online at www.emscopiers.ie.

IPP P N PREFERRED SUPPLIER

oday for o your Free IT site survey and IT health check e ensure your IT network is properly set d d t l t t d EMS are pleased to offer the following exclusiveely to IPPN members:Free Print Audit - reduce print and copy costs colour printing from only 3c per page Free IT Health Check - ensure your IT network iss properly set up and ad dequately protected To avail of any of thesee facilities at no charge contact 1890 770 770

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Leading the Improvement of Literacy or Numeracy through Learning Communities

By Jenny Dooley-Ryan, Learning Support Teacher in the Salesian Primary School, Fernbank, Limerick In 2011/2012, while partaking in Tóraíocht, a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership, I undertook an action-research project in which I designed continuous professional development (CPD) to support school teams to lead staff in improving either an aspect of literacy or numeracy. This process involved staff working together as a learning community to facilitate school improvement by creating knowledge through action, reflection and feedback.

The primary aim of the project was to provide professional development in leadership and planning for teachers, including principals and deputy principals. Distributing leadership of learning among teachers can transform schools into learning communities and it is within this culture that Hargreaves and Fink argue, ‘the promise of sustainable success in education lies’.

This school improvement project had three phases including school selfevaluation and target-setting, planning and implementing change and thirdly, the evaluation of change.

Teams from four large urban primary schools partook in the project over an 18-month period.

I organised workshop sessions in Laois Education Centre and met with school teams individually between sessions. This school improvement project had three phases including school self-evaluation and target-setting, planning and implementing change and thirdly, the evaluation of change. It is particularly timely in light of recent educational policy requiring all schools to self-evaluate and plan for school improvements in literacy and numeracy.

THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF COLLABORATIVE PLANNING Planning and Leading School Improvement The majority of teachers agreed that they enjoyed participating in the project and reported positive leadership and planning experiences. A

lack of understanding of change management and leadership challenged participants, who rated their planning skills to be more effective than their leadership skills. Three quarters of teachers believed their effectiveness at leading planning had improved and that the practicebased knowledge developed about leading school improvement would guide their future practice.

When planning, participants considered themselves most effective in school selfevaluation and least effective in monitoring progress consistently. Failure to consult with staff regularly regarding implementation can result in participants becoming disengaged from the process. A key learning for schools was the value of evaluation. In the past, actions were ‘left hanging’, a pitfall that Stoll and Fink warn against.

One of the greatest challenges faced was gaining and maintaining the commitment of staff winning ‘the minds and hearts of teachers’ for the desired change. This may be impeded by leaders’ lack of conviction in the vision and content of proposed changes or lack of time for regular communication with staff, collaborative planning and preparation.

Distributed Leadership Teams led predominantly using democratic, coaching leadership styles and found them to have a greater impact than more authoritarian leadership styles. As teacher leaders they influenced staff by modelling, monitoring actions and use of dialogue. One participant learnt ‘that you can’t really tell people what to do as a leader, you need to try to work it out, evaluate it, discuss it... make decisions based on that’.

Teachers did not tend to perceive themselves as leaders, but instead as facilitators of professional collaboration to find more effective ways of working. This confirms Harris and Lambert’s belief that ‘teacher leadership is not a formal role... it is more a form of agency where teachers are empowered to lead development work that impacts directly on the quality of teaching and learning’.

Collaborative Practices It was apparent that key to successful change in schools is teachers working collaboratively rather

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than in isolation. Leaders deemed working together as a team to be very beneficial as sharing planning provided professional support and access to a range of expertise.This model of leading change as a team was new to schools. It was considered crucial to have teacher representatives spanning different class levels and with different levels of experience on the team.

One of the greatest challenges faced was gaining and maintaining the commitment of staff winning ‘the minds and hearts of teachers’ for the desired change.

Collaborative ‘learning community’ practices engaged in included staff sharing planning, resources, teaching and also visiting other schools.Three schools initiated co-teaching and perceived this collaboration as having improved professional relationships.

Change Teachers reported organisational, cultural and pedagogical changes including: I Changes to timetable and subject time allocations I Establishment of cultural norms which underpin successful school improvement such as collegiality, shared goals, lifelong learning, risk taking and shared responsibility for success I New pedagogy to improve teaching and learning. Teachers increased the use of hands-on activities, collaborative learning and talk and discussion. They assessed and differentiated learning and engaged in coteaching and reflection. Teachers agreed that working together improves one’s teaching ability.

Pupils’ Learning Outcomes Teachers deemed the greatest impact of their school improvement efforts to be improved pupil outcomes and attitudes. 93% agreed that pupil outcomes and/or attitudes had improved.

Pupils’ engagement with learning and confidence improved, in addition to discipline.

One school team reported that 57% of pupils from 1st to 6th class improved on their standardised mathematics test result from the previous year.

Teachers deemed the greatest impact of their school improvement efforts to be improved pupil outcomes and attitudes. 93% agreed that pupil outcomes and/or attitudes had improved.

Conclusion The creation of learning communities empowered and enabled teacher leaders to lead their fellow teachers in the implementation of effective pedagogical change as shown by evidence-based data.

The factors that helped teams when leading planning include: I Support of senior management to encourage distributed leadership I Establishment of organisational structures to facilitate planning I Fostering staff ownership of change through school self-evaluation I Engaging in collaborative practices as a project team and staff I Expertise in pedagogy to set a clear vision I Adopting democratic and coaching leadership styles I Access to continuous support from an external advisor, who provided differentiated support according to school needs.

Recommendations I To support distributed leadership of learning in schools, emphasis needs to be placed on I Developing teachers’ planning and leadership skills, including an understanding of change management principles I Fostering a team approach to leading learning I Encouraging teachers’ to start small, to establish collaborative practices and planning time, and to review and evaluate work I Establishing a shared responsibility among staff for implementing change I Encouraging reflection on teachers’ own leadership capacity I Establishing communities of practice between schools.

For further information about Jenny’s research project, please contact her by email at jdooleyryan@gmail.com.

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The N in IPPN One of the values that is central to IPPN’s success is the concept of ‘Network’.

IPPN operates as a network. When a primary school principal becomes a member of IPPN they are not just joining their professional body but are also connecting with a network of more than 6,000 primary school leaders throughout Ireland. This network offers each participant the opportunity to gain support and guidance from colleagues and offer their support and guidance in return.

undoubtedly connect with someone who has experienced what you are going through. Networking@ippn.ie is ideal for finding answers for routine management and administration queries as well as seeking guidance on procedures and other issues that arise in school.

The success of the IPPN mailing lists is a result of the goodwill, collegiality and professional integrity of the principals using them. Colleagues use this service with an expectation of confidentiality and collegial support.

‘Today I’m supporting you but tomorrow I may need support’ – by principals, for principals IPPN operates this network by putting school leaders in touch with each other in a variety of ways – Support Groups, County Network meetings, Annual Principals’ and Deputy Prinicpals’ Conferences and the virtual meeting place that is the networking@ippn.ie mailing list. The core function of these member services is to enable principals to meet, talk, share best practice and advice, support each other with challenges and pool their knowledge.

It is reminiscent of the Frankie Byrne catchphrase ‘It may not be your problem today, but it could be someday’. For this reason, many principals choose to archive many of the emails submitted to the mailing list, for future reference as it is easy to use email ‘search’ tools to find relevant topics.

Each member has different experience and insight to offer and your input is always valued. Whether in the form of a chat at a meeting or by offering an answer on the networking mailing list, you never know how you may be of assistance to a colleague by sharing your experience. In turn, this network is there to support and guide you when needed. There is no question or query too great or small. IPPN’s most vital services are devised and operated by fellow principals. Each service is designed with the principal in mind and led by your colleagues throughout the country. The Principal Advice call-back service is staffed, voluntarily, by working principals who offer a listening ear in times of difficulty. Their support is offered in a non-directive way and aims to enable you to discuss your options with a colleague who is outside the situation but who can empathise with you.

Details of how to subscribe to networking@ippn.ie are available on ippn.ie.

County Network Meetings: County Network meetings are regional CPD events organised by the local county committee. Meetings taking place once in each school term and are listed on ippn.ie within the Events/Forthcoming Events section. County Network meetings offer professional development opportunities as well as quality networking time with colleagues from your own area. See the back cover for a full outline of the schedule of County Network AGMs planned for September and October.

Find the answer you are looking for on ippn.ie Choose the Resources tab for: ■ School Policies ■ Curriculum and School Planning ■ Recruitment ■ Board of Management ■ Staff Management ■ Parents & Pupils ■ Forms and Templates ■ Resource Bundles ■ DES Circulars

THE 3 MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH YOUR NETWORK Support Groups: Local Principals’ Support Groups* have proven to be the most effective form of support available to principals. If there is a support group in operation in your locality that you have not joined, maybe consider making this a new school year resolution.(There are local Support Groups operating in your locality.You might consider joining a group and making this a priority for the new school year.) Local Principals’ Support Group meetings are the only meetings that will actually relieve your workload. You will have nothing to prepare before the meeting, you are not ‘performing’ at the meeting and you will not leave with a ‘To-do’ list. You will, however, leave the meeting feeling genuinely supported.

Choose the Supports tab for: ■ Mailing Lists ■ Principal Advice Callback Service ■ Leadership+ archive ■ Newly-Appointed Principals Choose the Advocacy tab for: ■ Publications ■ Submissions ■ Press Releases ■ Useful Links

If there is no Local Principals’ Support Group in operation in your area, why not consider taking the initiative and contact your local colleagues.Alternatively, please contact the IPPN National Support Office to express your interest and we will undertake (through your County Network) to establish a local group in your area.

Call the National Support Office on 1890 21 22 23 or email virginia.omahony@ippn.ie. *

Note: Deputy Principals do not normally attend support group meetings unless they are in an Acting Principal capacity. However, Deputy Principals may form their own Support Groups.

Networking@ippn.ie: The networking@ippn.ie mailing list is a valuable source of information for answers to many of those queries you encounter every day. By using the mailing list, you are tapping into the collective knowledge of thousands of colleagues with a wealth of advice, information and support to offer. There is no question too great or small and you will

Choose the Events tab for CPD including: ■ Principals Professional Briefing Day ■ County Network Meetings ■ Annual Principals’ Conference ■ Deputy Principals’ Conference Use the key links area on the right hand side of the homepage of ippn.ie for access to EducationPosts.ie,TextaParent.ie and OLCS.

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Supporting Pupils with Dyslexia in the Mainstream Classroom

By Dr Mary Nugent, Regional Director in NEPS, with particular responsibility for Literacy Many of our teachers are faced with the complex task of supporting children with dyslexia in their classrooms.The following advice from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) offers some simple guidelines and can be used as an aide memoir for teachers. This guidance incorporates many of the suggestions in the Report of the Task Force on Dyslexia (2001).

Be aware of I strengths as well as weaknesses I the need to establish a safe environment in which to make mistakes and ask for help I dyslexic children often have related difficulties, especially in remembering what they have heard, sequenced instructions, organisational skills, attention, concentration and co-ordination I issues of self-confidence and self-esteem I the need for regular constructive feedback to maintain motivational levels.

Classroom Management issues I Copying from the board or from text books needs to be kept to a minimum I Use coloured chalk and markers for board work, with different colours on alternate lines I Introduce cream coloured paper or yellow paper, rather than white I Be ready to plan differentiated homework and agree this with parents

I I I

Spelling and spelling tests- how will this be managed?

Avoid long statements, instructions and questions. Repeat as needed Allow for different reporting styles e.g. oral presentations/ drawings/ models.

Methods and Materials I A selection of audio-books and Hi/Lo reading materials I Paired Reading and Paired Writing opportunities I Introduce cursive handwriting from as early a stage as possible to aid spelling, speed, neatness and continuity I Focus on the nature of a student’s writing errors (quality) rather than the number of errors (quantity) I Provide assistance with elements of the writing process, such as the use of planning sheets and editing checklists I Provide support through the appropriate use of IT. Liaison/ Partnership I Timetable meetings between class teacher, LST and parents I Discuss the child’s strengths, targets, roles, and any adaptations for homework and spelling tests.

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Tracking Progress I Track progress in reading, maths, spelling using standardised tests and diagnostic tests I Be aware of the need for ongoing assessment as problems may emerge as the child progresses (progress in spelling & written expression may not match reading progress).

Avoid the following practices I Asking the student to read aloud in class, unless s/he wishes to do so and s/he has practised in advance I Penalising the student for not completing tasks within strict time limits I Marking or signalling too many obvious spelling errors in student’s written work or asking the student to rewrite work because of spelling errors I Asking a student to copy out corrections several times.

As well as this general advice for class teachers, a Good Practice Guide and accompanying Resource Pack - Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers - has been developed by NEPS. These resources are available to download from the DES website (click on Education Staff -> Information -> NEPS Literacy Resource) and are full of ideas for teachers who support struggling readers.

www.ippn.ie – Latest resources If your school has a policy or plan that is not available on ippn.ie, or which would supplement available resources, we would appreciate if you would submit it for review by email to rachel.brannigan@ippn.ie.

Special Needs Assistants/ Comhaontú na Seirbhíse Poiblí 2013 – 2016 (Comhaontú Bhóthar Haddington) agus an tAcht um Bearta Airgeadais Éigeandála ar Mhaithe le Leas an Phobail 2013 - Cúntóirí Riachtanas Speisialta

The following are the new resources available in the different sections of the website:

● 0033/2013 - Public Service Stability Agreement 2013 – 2016 (Haddington Road Agreement) - Supervision Scheme in Primary Schools/ Comhaontú na Seirbhíse Poiblí 2013 – 2016 (Comhaontú Bhóthar Haddington) - Scéim Mhaoirseachta i mBunscoileanna

RESOURCES School Policies ● Enrolment Policy (BoM Resource Pack) – updated ● Splitting Classes - updated Recruitment ● DES Panel Update 2013 - 28 June Teachers ● Primary Teacher Appointment & ReAppointment Form 2013/2014 Staff Management ● Deputy Principal - Sample Interview Questions ● In-School Management - Sample Task List Forms & Templates ● IEP Planning/Review Sheet ● Laptop Use Agreement DES Circulars 2013 ● 0037/2013 - Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) - Supplementary Assignment Arrangements for the 2013/2014 school year/ Cúntóirí Riachtanas Speisialta (CRSanna) - Socruithe Sannacháin Breise don scoilbhliain 2013/2014 ● 0034/2013 - Public Service Stability Agreement 2013 – 2016 (Haddington Road Agreement) and the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013 -

● 0032/2013 - Public Service Stability Agreement 2013 – 2016 (Haddington Road Agreement) and the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013 Teacher Salaries/ Comhaontú na Seirbhíse Poiblí 2013 – 2016 (Comhaontú Bhóthar Haddington) agus an tAcht um Bearta Airgeadais Éigeandála ar Mhaithe le Leas an Phobail 2013 ● 0027/2013 - Parental leave entitlements for Special Needs Assistants in recognised primary and post-primary schools

fheidhmiú i mbunscoileanna agus i meánscoileanna aitheanta ● 0019/2013 - Adoptive Leave Entitlements for Special Needs Assistants in primary and post primary schools / Teidlíochtaí Saoire Uchtála Do Chúntóirí Riachtanas Speisialta/ Teidlíochtaí Saoire Uchtála Do Chúntóirí Riachtanas Speisialta Curriculum & School Planning ● Scéim Coícíse / Fortnightly Plans – Second Class ● Scéim Coícíse / Fortnightly Plans - Junior & Senior Infants Suitable prayers, songs, hymns etc. ● Graduation Ceremony suggestion - Helping the Butterfly Story Board of Management ● Getting your BoM off to a good start Resource Bundles ● Communications Resource Bundle ● Deputy Principal Resource Bundle

● 0026/2013 - Parental Leave Entitlements For Registered Teachers In Recognised Primary And Post Primary Schools/ Teidlíochtái Saoire Do Thuismitheoirí Do Mhúinteoirí Cláraithe I mBunscoileanna Agus In Iarbhunscoileanna Aitheanta

SUPPORTS PIMS 2013/2014 ● Section 1 – Today’s Prioritie4s ● Section 2 – Monthly/Annual Calendar ● Section 3 – Appointments Diary

● 0025/2013 - Requirement For Teachers In Recognised Schools To Register With The Teaching Council

Leadership+ ● Leadership+ Issue 75 – June 2013.

● 0024/2013 - Operational Guidelines for Boards of Management and Staff designated to operate the On Line Claims System in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools / Treoirlínte oibríochta do bhoird bhainistíochta agus do bhaill foirne atá ainmnithe chun an córas éileamh ar line a

ADVOCACY Press Releases ● 25th June 2013 - Reversal of special needs cut comes as ‘huge relief ’ ● 19th June 2013 - Special needs cut ‘regressive and damaging to society’, says IPPN

On your behalf Since the last issue of Leadership+, IPPN has continued our advocacy role on behalf of principals, through meetings, events and submissions in relation to the following: JUNE ● Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht - Arts in Education: High Level Implementation Group meeting

JULY ● IPPN Teaching Principals Summer School, Athlone ● IPPN Executive Committee Meeting at the IPPN Support Office – 2013/2014 Programme of Work review ● Leadership+ planning

● Paypal Vice President, Louise Phelan

● DES Advisory Group Meeting - School Self Evaluation

● Healthy Food for All - Launch of Breakfast Club Pilot Programme

AUGUST

● Camara - official opening of computer refurbishment facility – President Michael D Higgins ● Mary Immaculate College, Joe McKenna, ● Teaching Council - Guidelines for School Placements

● Priorities for Principal Teachers – IPPN working group ● National Alliance for Primary Education ● IPPN Executive Committee meeting

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● Teaching Council School Placement Working Group Meeting ● Children's Mental Health Coalition re. mental health care

SEPTEMBER ● ESRI Growing Up in Ireland Conference Bullying in Children and their Health ● IPPN Principals' Professional Briefing Day ● IVEA Congress ● Meeting of Special School Principals

Rothar Africa - Join our Journey Cairo to Cape Town, by Bike, for Charity

By Kyle Petrie, Foireann Rothar Africa and co-founder of eSafety.ie In September 2013, four of us, two men and two women, will embark on the adventure of a lifetime, cycling from Cairo to Cape Town for charity. We aim to travel across 13 countries in 7 months with just our bikes & whatever we can attach to them!

We have called our journey Rothar Africa.

We have chosen to raise money for two causes close to our hearts, as educators and medics, to help provide basic human rights to some of those who have been deprived of theirs. Our chosen charities are Médicin Sans Frontiers - a medical NGO with whom two of the participants work - and Room to Read -a charity promoting literacy and access to books and education in developing contexts. We would love to have your school involved in our venture, to support us and our causes.

WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOUR SCHOOL? We have established a web resource through our site rotharafrica.org and aim to keep it updated throughout our travels. A school specific page provides: I information on the countries on our route I stories about people we meet and I how life differs for children in the countries we pass through.

We will interact with whatever classrooms wish to be involved. Children can ask us questions and we will attempt to answer through various media, schools blog, pictures and video.We hope to set up some Skype dates with interested classrooms.You can follow us on Twitter and keep up to date with all our latest news. We hope to be back in Ireland

by May 2014 and will be available to do school visits/talks throughout May/June.

WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR US? We are asking for your support and contact to encourage us in our venture. Your messages will give us the boost we may need to persevere during the more challenging times.

Any fundraising events, whether it be a book swap, non-uniform day, cycle or whatever your pupils dream up, would be acknowledged and much appreciated.

Any schools that are struggling to supply literacy resources could split any event proceeds between your school’s literacy campaign and our cause.We hope to promote literacy both at home and in the developing world.

All money donated on our website (rotharafrica.org) will go directly to our two named charities. We aim to fund emergency medical relief on the front lines in the Congo (through MSF) and the native production, publication and distribution of 9,000 copies of a local language book in Southern Africa (through Room to Read).

As Irish educators, teaching literacy primarily through English, we appreciate the wide variety of resources available to us. Funding may be a challenge but access generally is not. However, as teachers of the Irish language, we have some insight into the difficulties met by African educators who are attempting to teach literacy to children with very few, if any, resources in their native tongue.

We have two high targets, one physical and one financial. With your support we hope to be successful in both.

Go to rotharafrica.org to join our journey. See NCTE website for further info on using Twitter and Skype in the classroom.

Have you a passion for education and a thirst for adventure?

Volunteer with VSO! s^K ŝƐ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĚ ĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂůƐ ƚŽ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌ ŝŶ ϮϬϭϰ ĂŶĚ ŚĞůƉ ƵƐ ĞŶƐƵƌĞ ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƚŚĞ ŐůŽďĞ ŐĞƚ Ă ƋƵĂůŝƚLJ ĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ͘ /ƌŝƐŚ ƚĞĂĐŚĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ƉƌŝŶĐŝƉĂůƐ ĐĂŶ ƉůĂLJ Ă ƵŶŝƋƵĞ ƌŽůĞ ŝŶ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ͘ tŝůů LJŽƵ ďĞ ŽŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞŵ͍

Urgently Required: Teachers and Principals ©VSO/Ben Langdon

s^K ŝƐ ĂŶ ŝŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů ĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐĂƟŽŶ ƚŚĂƚ ǁŽƌŬƐ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌƐ ƚŽ ĮŐŚƚ ƉŽǀĞƌƚLJ͘ KƵƌ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌƐ ƐƉĞŶĚ ϭϮͲϮϰ ŵŽŶƚŚƐ ǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ŽŶ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďůĞ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚƐ ŝŶ ŽǀĞƌ ϯϬ ĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐ ƐŚĂƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƐŬŝůůƐ ĂŶĚ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ dŽ ĮŶĚ ŽƵƚ ŵŽƌĞ͕ ǀŝƐŝƚ ǀƐŽ͘ŝĞ Žƌ ĐĂůů ŽŶŶĂĐŚĂ ŽŶ Ϭϭ ϲϰϬ ϭϬϲϬ͘

s^K ŝƐ ĂŶ ĞƋƵĂů ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ĞŵƉůŽLJĞƌ͘

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Our World Irish Aid The Our World Irish Aid Awards is an exciting awards programme, established by Irish Aid in 2005, to increase primary pupils’ awareness and understanding of global development issues, in particular the Millennium Development Goals and the work of Irish Aid. It enables pupils from 4th to 6th classes to explore the links between their lives and the lives of children in developing countries. Real Nation has managed the Awards since 2005 on behalf of Irish Aid. Pupils explore a topic each year and develop a project which they share with their wider community. Projects can be produced and communicated in a variety of media, from dynamic multimedia formats, to parents’ days, school murals and more. The Our World Irish Aid Awards are an exciting and engaging programme for pupils to participate in, with the opportunity for the finalists to attend both regional exhibitions and a national final.

BRING THE WORLD INTO YOUR CLASSROOM! Students and their teachers are invited to ‘bring the world into their classroom’ by: 1. Exploring the theme 2. Choosing a topic 3. Getting creative in class 4. Sharing what was learned with the local community.

REGIONAL & NATIONAL FINAL AWARDS In May 2013, the first ever regional awards events took place in four locations around Ireland to showcase and reward the top 15 schools from each region. At each of these, the top 3 schools were announced to go on to the National Final in Dublin in June.

The National Final saw 350 pupils and teachers from the finalist schools attend the prestigious awards ceremony in Croke Park, where they were presented with an Award for Excellence by Nora Owen – former Minster for Justice and presenter of TV3’s programme ‘Midweek’ and ‘Junior Mastermind’.

GROWTH Recognising the exponential growth of the Our World Awards since 2005, with the ongoing participation from teachers and schools all over the country, Irish Aid has continued to support the Awards which have now established themselves as a national awards scheme for primary schools. Schools have recognised that the Awards programme can help to empower

children of different ages and abilities, while contributing to best practice pedagogy which is child-centred and encourages active learning.

The Awards also promote best practice in development education approaches which support “personal development, facilitating the development of critical thinking skills, analytical skills, and empathetic capacity…while fostering self-esteem, respect for others, openness, cooperation, creativity and analysis” (Tormey, 2003).

The resulting projects and exhibitions provide impressive evidence of the children’s learning in a very exciting and tangible way.

From 2013 onwards, the Our World Irish Aid Awards will continue to grow and work towards their goal of increasing understanding of global development issues in primary schools by bringing the world into the classrooms all over Ireland.

For further information see www.ourworldirishaidawards.ie or contact Our World Irish Aid by phone on (01) 5224834 or by email to ourworld@realyouth.ie.

Supported with online and hard copy classroom resources, teachers and their pupils choose their own topic related to the annual theme and develop their class project. Projects can include short stories, films, project books posters, murals, games, songs, raps etc. Curriculum-linked lesson plans on the annual theme are provided to raise pupils’ awareness of the problems facing children and their families in developing countries, and how world leaders and governments, including the Irish Government, are working to reduce poverty by 2015 through the eight Millennium Development Goals. The lessons are explicitly related to specific strands of the curriculum, especially SPHE, SESE, Art, Geography, and Religion, and have optional integrated literacy activities. They provide not only a relevant, but also fun, component in any busy classroom, with maximum opportunities for group work as well as individual learning.

At the launch of this year’s Our World Irish Aid awards with Minister for Trade & Development Joe Costello PAG E 2 6

And Finally…

‘

u do better.

When you know better yo

THE ONE-HAND CLOCK Local circumstances always come into play I think when looking at issues such as pupil punctuality. Our school is situated in an old housing estate. So, while there is some traffic on the roads, most pupils just walk to school.We are a vertical school so many are brought by adults. We are DEIS1 and I make a real effort to be seen to be Mr Positive - always encouraging and never giving out, even to guys who wander in after 9am. Maybe I should be stricter but I save my ammo for where it's needed. We had a big punctuality problem a few years back and it drove everyone mad. Here's what we did: I bought a huge big clock for about €10 – I think in Aldi - took out the glass and coloured the face in. I coloured from half to twenty to in red, from twenty to until ten to in green, from ten to until o'clock in yellow and from o'clock until ten past in red again. I cut off the hour hand with a pliers and all we had was the minute hand sweeping around through the various coloured sections. I hung out the one-armed clock every morning at 8.40am for months and took it in before small break came. At first it was a big joke but believe it or not, it worked. Everyone wanted to get in when the hand was in the green zone (8.40-8.50) - adults and kids alike. People were rushing in the yellow zone (8.50-9.00) and I told them that the new electronic locks were timed to close automatically at 9.00 and they would have to come to the front to be buzzed in. [This wasn't strictly true]. I also told them that if they arrived in the red zone (pre 8.40) that they were on their own and the yard isn't the safest place on the planet without us supervising it.

Amazingly, punctuality improved without any giving out. Now most kids are on time between 8.40 and 8.50.The teachers are in the rooms then anyway and have activities set. If a child is late he misses out on some of it and the parents get the grief. Very few, except the hard cases that I cannot give out to, and who are actually turning up in spite of it all, are late any more.

Martin Stynes, Principal of Scoil Fhursa, Dublin 5

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QUOTATIONS Maya Angelou

’

Principals Don’t Sleep Principals don’t sleep.

They lie awake and stare Into the dark abyss of night, Voices everywhere.

Did I lock the filing cabinet?

Are we running out of oil?

Did I put on the alarm?

Is there trouble on the boil?

No, Principals don’t sleep.

They close their eyes and worry, Thinking of scenarios, Mostly imaginary.

Is my RCT in order?

Should I do a Croke Park hour?

Am I ready for inspection?

Am I willing to empower?

Sure, Principals don’t sleep.

Why would they feel the need?

Their minds are like Mondello, Ideas travelling at full speed.

Will I find a sub tomorrow?

Will I manage if it snows?

If there isn’t any water Will I open? Will I close?

Oh no! Principals don’t sleep.

Insomniacs united!

If we were charged with sleeping Sure we couldn’t be indicted.

Maria O'Rourke, Grange NS, Co. Carlow

QUOTATIONS Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.

‘

Martin Luther King Jr.

IPPN County Networks 2013 September–October 2013 Kerry Westmeath

Wednesday 18 September, The Brehon, 4pm Wednesday 18 September, Mullingar Park Hotel, 4pm

Meath Louth

Thursday 19 September, Navan Education Centre, 4pm Thursday 19 September, The Fairways Hotel, Dundalk, 4pm

Wexford Carlow

Monday 23 September, Wexford Education Centre, 4pm Monday 23 September, The Dolmen Hotel, 4pm

Longford Wicklow

Tuesday 24 September, Longford Arms Hotel, 4pm Tuesday 24 September, The Glenview Hotel, 4pm

Tipperary Waterford

Wednesday 25 September, Anner Hotel, 4.30pm Wednesday 25 September, Waterford Teacher Centre, 4pm

Clare Roscommon

Thursday 26 September, Clare Education Centre, 4pm Thursday 26 September, Abbey Hotel, 4pm

Galway Sligo

Monday 30 September, Ardilaun Hotel, 7.30pm Monday 30 September, Clarion Hotel, 4pm

Cavan Leitrim

Tuesday 1 October, Hotel Kilmore, 4pm Tuesday 1 October, Carrick on Shannon Education Centre, 4pm

Kilkenny Kildare

Wednesday 2 October, Hotel Kilkenny, 4pm Wednesday 2 October, Kildare Education Centre, 4pm

Donegal Cork

Thursday 3 October, Clanree Hotel, Letterkenny, 4pm Thursday 3 October, Silver Springs Moran Hotel, 4pm

Monaghan Mayo

Monday 7 October, Monaghan Education Centre, 4pm Monday 7 October, Mayo Education Centre, 4pm

Offaly Laois

Tuesday 8 October, Tullamore Court Hotel, 4pm Tuesday 8 October, Laois Education Centre, 5pm

Limerick Dublin

Wednesday 9 October, Woodlands Hotel, 4pm Wednesday 9 October, Red Cow Hotel, 4pm