Leadership+ Issue 44 April 2008

ISSUE 44 • APRIL 2008

FEATURES Airgead Bunscoile A Financial Package for Primary Schools Assistive Technology and Special Needs Children Communication and the Principal

SPECIAL EDUCATION DEMANDS SPECIAL RESOURCING A Phríomhoide agus a Phríomhoide Tháinistigh Principals of Special Schools and Special Classes tell us in no uncertain terms that no one single methodology can effectively address the needs of children with ASD. The perceived merits of the various teaching methodologies employed for ASD pale into insignificance as the priority issue when compared with three more fundamental concerns:

Emily Logan, Ombudsman for Children

● availability of multi-disciplinary support ● access to quality professional development for staff ● inadequate funding and resourcing.

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The evidence shows that almost 90% of children with ASD do not have access on a regular basis to essential professional interventions such as psychological assessment, occupational, speech & language, behavioural and play therapies. These specialist professional interventions are necessary to distinguish ‘special’ from mainstream education. However, the reality is that 9 out of 10 children with ASD are being denied these critical services and other than benefiting from lower pupil-teacher ratios, are effectively in ‘ordinary classrooms’ in ‘ordinary’ schools which are ‘special’ in name only. The Departments of Education and Health are abdicating their responsibilities by shifting the blame from one to the other. The survey evidence shows that based on experience to date, Principals have little or no confidence in the abilities of the Departments of Education and Health to provide, manage and coordinate educational and multi-disciplinary supports for children with ASD. There is now an urgent need to define who has overall responsibility for resourcing the

Director: Seán Cottrell director@ippn.ie President: Larry Fleming president@ippn.ie Editor: Damien White editor@ippn.ie Assistant Director: Virginia O’Mahony Advertising: marketing@ippn.ie Irish Primary Principals’ Network Glounthaune, Co Cork T: 353 21 452 4925 F: 353 21 435 5648 The opinions expressed in Leadership + do not necessarily reflect the official policy or views of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network ISSN: 1649 -5888 Design and print: Brosna Press 090 6454327 • info@brosnapress.ie

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educational and therapeutic needs of children with ASD. Whether that rests with Education, with Health or with a ‘cross-over’ independent agency, should be a priority for Government to decide.

As a vindication of the professional stance taken by Castleknock Educate Together and North Kildare Educate Together schools, nine out of ten Principals surveyed believe that Special Classes for children with ASD should not be opened without multi-disciplinary supports being already in place. As it is, only 28% of Special Schools and Classes have access to a dedicated NEPS psychologist.

Significantly, in relation to methodologies employed, three out of four Principals state that, based on their experience, the eclectic model provides the best educational intervention for children with ASD from age 4 upwards, while two out of three express the belief that the ABA approach works particularly well for children of pre-school age.

What is clearly emerging from the survey is that Special Schools and Special Classes for ASD must be serviced and resourced to reflect the actual needs of the children.

This includes employment of Primary teachers with recognised qualifications for core instruction, SNAs appointed on a needs basis and a level of grant aid which enables the Special Class to operate without being subsidised from mainstream funds. It is now time to back-up the concept of ‘Special’ education with ‘Special’ resources.

Is muidne le meas Larry Fleming Virginia O’Mahony Seán Cottrell President Assistant Director Director

CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

METHODOLOGY USED IS NOT THE ONLY ISSUE

BY LARRY FLEMING, IPPN PRESIDENT

There is minimal consensus amongst the so called experts in the field of Autism research as to the most effective methods of intervention for children with ASD. Principals of schools with Special Classes for Autism will tell you that no one approach can meet all the needs of the child and this is borne out by the recent IPPN survey on Autism provision where 97% of Principals favoured a combination of interventions.

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Tel: 1890 212223 email: info@ippn.ie, support@ippn.ie

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The survey did acknowledge A.B.A to be particularly appropriate for children up to the age of 5 with 65% of Principals rating it a highly effective intervention but, by and large, most Principals favour a policy whereby combinations of approaches are used to focus on the specific disabilities these children present with.

The primary finding of the survey of almost 300 Principals of schools with Special classes for Autism mainly reveals is that methodologies used come a distant second in terms of priority to other more fundamental issues such as the provision of multi-disciplinary supports to these classes, professional development for teachers, and the basic levels of funding provided to these Special Classes by the Department of Education and Science.

Many Principals are perplexed that the A.B.A vs the Eclectic approach has become the sole focus of debate in relation to Autism provision. In fact, many Principals and teachers, the true experts in the field of education provision, contend that both methodologies complement each other and provide tried and trusted interventions for children on the spectrum. The very fact that most children with Autism now have access to a variety of interventions must be considered an extremely positive development considering that less than 10 years ago, such a scenario was but a dream.

Has the Minister got it all wrong in relation to provision for Autism? As regards the specific merits of the most commonly used teaching approaches, 3 out of 4 Principals agree that the Minister’s championing of the Eclectic approach is the correct course to take. However, in relation to the funding and resourcing of these classes, the Minister is completely out of touch. Each child in a special class for Autism is funded to the tune of less than €800 per year and 48% of schools with Special Classes are currently fundraising amounts up to €20,000 just to stay afloat. More worrying is the fact that over 52% of schools are subsidising the Special Classes from mainstream funds that are already under pressure from

escalating operational costs. The survey also reveals that 75% of Principals favour qualified teachers being in place in Special Classes for children with Autism. True, the current teacher training programme does not provide all of the training required to implement ABA interventions, but the skills and strategies developed over the course of teacher training programmes are perfectly suitable for implementation in a class of children with ASD. To suggest that a tutor, holding a certificate in ABA strategies, and with no teacher training whatsoever, is the best person to provide educationally for the child with Autism, is akin to accepting that the staff nurse can perform open heart surgery as professionally as the surgeon.

Many Principals are perplexed that the A.B.A vs the Eclectic approach has become the sole focus of debate in relation to Autism provision.

The reality of providing for these children on a daily basis, however, goes far beyond the methodology used. Without proper resourcing, no methodology can achieve optimum outcomes.

That is why Principals, through survey feedback, are calling for all concerned to reorder their priorities. Lack of funding and professional therapies will seriously compromise the effectiveness of ABA, TEACCH, or whatever other approaches schools use regardless of the perceived merits of these approaches. Comparing methodologies is a luxury in the present climate of under-funding and acts as a smokescreen shielding the on-going problem of a dearth of proper multi-disciplinary therapies. According to the survey, almost 90% of children with ASD do not have access on a regular basis to professional interventions such as Occupational, Speech and Language, Behavioural, and Play Therapists. The recent revelation that the State has already spent PAGE 3

€5m in the courts fighting parents of children with Autism is distressing in the extreme. That figure would have allowed for an annual grant of €5,000 to be paid to schools with Special Classes for Autism in each of the last 5 years to enable them to fund these essential therapies.

A typical class of 6 children with Autism is allocated a qualified teacher and 2 Special Needs Assistants as per Department of Education and Science guidelines on staffing. This provision may increase if some children present with challenging behaviour or other identified additional disabilities. Many Principals feel that the time has now come to revise the staffing levels for Special Classes with almost 50% favouring a pupil /teacher ratio of either 4:1 or 2:6. The Capitation Grant provided to Special Classes is expected to cover all classroom activities including life skills as well as provide all classroom resources, in addition to covering the costs of heat, light, cleaning, insurance and maintenance. Principals report that renewing classroom equipment, providing life skills, field trips and travel is the greatest consumer of resources. Without adequate funding to meet these basic running costs, no methodology can work effectively.

Special classes for Autism must be funded according to the volume of service delivered. This is not happening. The IPPN survey provides compelling evidence that these classes are becoming a drain on the finances of the mainstream school to which they are attached.

Children and Teachers in mainstream are being starved of resources through finance being redirected to prop up impoverished Special Classes. If this situation is allowed to continue, what incentive is there in the future for a mainstream school, endeavouring to be inclusive, to take on such a unit with insolvency being an inevitable long term prospect? Principals report that fundraising initiatives are now becoming the norm and morale and outputs are being significantly lowered, due to a disproportionate amount of energy being channelled into noneducational activities.

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS

THE AUTISM DEBATE -

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS

EMILY LOGAN,OMBUDSMAN FOR CHILDREN

AIRGEAD BUNSCOILE A FINANCIAL PACKAGE FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

FINANCE

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

BY SEÁN Ó LAIMHÍN, IPPN ICT DEVELOPMENT SUB-COMMITTEE LEADER In 1998, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child called for the establishment in Ireland of an Ombudsman for Children accessible to children, with the power to deal with complaints and to provide solutions. This followed efforts by NGOs and others to establish such an Office to promote and protect children’s rights.

Emily Logan was appointed Ireland’s first Ombudsman for Children by President McAleese in December 2003, an appointment which was debated by the Houses of the Oireachtas following a rigorous recruitment and selection process that included interviews with 15 children and young people. The Ombudsman for Children’s Office has statutory responsibility for promoting children’s rights and welfare in Ireland. The role and the three main functions of the Ombudsman for Children’s Office are set out in primary legislation, the Ombudsman for Children Act, 2002, which came into effect in April 2004. These functions are: ● to conduct policy and research work ● to promote children’s rights including through participation and communication activities and ● to examine and investigate complaints against public bodies.

The complaints and investigations service is a core function of the Office.

The Act provides for an independent, impartial complaints handling service. Under the Act, the OCO can look into complaints about public organisations, schools or voluntary hospitals providing services to children under 18 years. The Ombudsman utilises this power in order to investigate

expressed to our Office have come directly from young people. In 2007, 44% of complaints received related to education issues.

The Office is aware of the increasingly complex and often difficult issues that Boards of Management are dealing with. In previous Annual Reports we have highlighted the need for Boards of Management to receive appropriate support and training in order to facilitate them in carrying out their role.

In light of this, in January 2008 the OCO sent out the recently published A Guide to Complaint Handling by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office to professionals working with children. The aim of this publication is to inform public bodies about the complaints function of the OCO and the expectations the OCO has of them when exercising this function. It is also to raise awareness and understanding of the OCO’s complaints handling role as well as helping professionals to support a child with a complaint.

More information about the Ombudsman for Children’s Office can be found by visiting our website www.oco.ie Copies of A Guide to Complaint Handling by the Ombudsman for Children’s

The Office is aware of the increasingly complex and often difficult issues that Boards of Management are dealing with.

There has been a very positive response from Principals who are using Airgead Bunscoile 2008 to record and track their school accounts. This is a new financial package built on the Excel version of Airgead Bunscoile which many schools may have used in the past.

In this new upgrade my purpose was to design a finance programme focused on the report which Principals and Treasurers like to have for Board of Management meetings, and which would provide an annual report listing the various incomes and expenses for the year. I wanted the calculations, format and layout to be automatic and at the same time allow some flexibility for schools to alter it to suit their requirements.

Apart from schools having different grants and expenses, they may group these under different headings and they can have different start dates for their financial year. However, I had to block some changes as they would interfere with the links between the pages. The older version had a ‘Treasurer’s Report’ which included budget forecasts but I think most people like to have a report which is as uncluttered as possible. This is simply a ‘Receipts and Payments’ Report (Fig. 1) It shows total income and expenses to date under various headings and also the Opening Balance and the Current Balance. The older report format with the budget forecast is still available as an option also, if that is what is preferred.

balance in the Bank Statement. It is not used for tracking itemised expenses in other accounts. It can of course show transfers between the main account and these other accounts.

My hope is that this programme could be used by the BOM treasurer and/or school secretary.

Ideally, these would be the “Data Input Persons” as we have with the OLCS. The Principal can keep control of how the accounts are set up as s/he is best placed to decide how the expenses should be analysed, which grants they relate to, and what information s/he needs access to as the year progresses.

The Office believes that the execution of the complaints function should be a constructive rather than an adversarial one in order to enable public bodies and organisations to improve their policies, practices and service provision so as to achieve the best possible outcomes for the child making the complaint and ultimately all children in contact with the public body.

In this respect, the complaints and investigations function is used as a catalyst to promote positive change and the implementation of models of good practice beyond the individual case under investigation. In making recommendations, the Ombudsman aims to find solutions that are fair, constructive and empowering for all parties. The Office is neither an advocate for the child nor an adversary to the public body.

Since the establishment of my Office, we have received over 1700 complaints. When it is not appropriate for the Ombudsman’s Office to investigate a complaint, we will refer the complainant to the appropriate redress mechanisms or the relevant organisation. In 2007, we dealt with a total of 781 complaints. To date, approximately 5% of concerns

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In the Receipts and Payments Report I tried to place Income and Expenditure for particular grant areas or funds directly opposite each other.

In this way one can see immediately if that grant or fund has been spent; whether there is an overspend or a balance remaining. This is very often one of the main things that Principals want to know. For now, the balance in these “accounts” is not calculated, but should be obvious from the juxtaposition of the two amounts.

The programme is designed to track and analyse the main Board of Management Account and therefore the current balance shown can always be verified by matching it to the corresponding

Finally, as stated before, there is the ‘Receipts and Payments’ one-page balance sheet which can be printed as a report for presentation to the Board of Management. (Fig. 1 above)

For those who have not yet looked at this package, I will describe it briefly.

individual complaints and to find solutions.

Complaints can be made directly by children, young people or by adults on their behalf. This service is free. The key criterion for any intervention is that a child has, or may have been negatively affected by the action or the inaction of a public body. It is often inaction which is at the root of complaints.

balance, the balance at the end of each month and a graph illustration. (Fig. 3)

The programme opens with a menu page (Fig.2) which has links to all the other pages. This page is ‘read-only’ and to enter data you must use the buttons to turn to the set-up pages. There are two set-up pages, one for school details and one to set up the accounts. Here you enter the month you wish to start with and your opening balance.

This page also allows some changes in the categories for income and expenses, and there are some blank slots to create new categories.

In the ‘Update Accounts’ section there are two main pages for entering lodgements and expenses and a third page which calculates a Bank Reconciliation for cheques which have not cleared. The ‘Enter Cheques/Expenditure Page’ now has a drop down menu where you can select the column you want, and so avoid having to scroll all the way across the spreadsheet to find a particular heading.

There are some read-only pages for information retrieval which show expenses analysis, current

There are two other pages which are a legacy from the earlier version of Airgead Bunscoile.

These are the Budget page and the Financial Report which includes this Budget. I left these in the programme although I am not convinced of the feasibility of doing a budget for every single category of income and expenditure. Some schools may wish to use it. The Financial report thus generated has six columns of figures which can provide useful information but I preferred the simpler layout of the ‘Receipts and Payments’ report.

I would like to thank the other members of the IT subcommittee who worked with me on this project. John Curran and Áine Stack reviewed the original Airgead Bunscoile, pointed me in the direction I needed to go and had many good ideas and suggestions. Geraldine D’Arcy coordinated the project from the IPPN office and Seaghan Moriarity provided invaluable technical support. Thanks also to the many Principals who got in touch with me and helped me debug the programme by pointing out problems and suggesting improvements. Some of these improvements are included in Version 1.1 which are available on the website now. The main change in this latest version is that rows can be added or deleted each month as required. There are still some problems to resolve and other improvements planned. Tá súil agam go mbeidh leagan Gaeilge ar fáil go luath freisin.

In Scotland, the Education Minister has advised school managers to have clear and effective guidelines about the use of mobile phones on

MOBILE /CAMERA PHONES AND BEBO In a recent paper delivered by Dr Ciaran Craven (Barrister and Medical Law expert), the issue of mobile phones and internet websites was addressed.

Most filming is done surreptitiously and posted on the site without the teacher’s knowledge, often alongside cutting remarks or innuendo…

Dr Craven restates the concept of “in loco parentis”.

This means that parents effectively delegate authority over their children to the teacher.

Teachers are entitled to have “reasonable discipline” over pupils in their care. A cause of serious concern to schools is the use of mobile and camera phones, their abuse and role in bullying, and the serious invasion of privacy for both pupils and teachers.

Some of the worst entries on the site include homophobic bullying: one video is prefaced “Big Gay Al getting abused”. Another shows long close-ups of a female teacher’s cleavage (“sexy high school teacher from a high point of view overlooking her breasts”) and one post titled “f*** off Mr Corrie” … shows secondary school children directing obscene gestures and

Unseen Moments Are No Longer Private The following extract from the Times Educational Supplement October 13th 2006 succinctly describes one of the issues: “Every teacher has classroom moments they’d rather forget. But imagine having your humiliations broadcast to an audience of thousands over the internet. This is the nightmare scenario endured by an unlucky minority of British teachers, who have had their lessons from hell posted on video website You Tube… the ubiquity of mobile phones with inbuilt cameras has meant that a small but growing number of teachers are finding themselves unwittingly targeted by malicious posters.

And while some clips are frivolous – teachers dancing or performing ill-advised vocal numbers in front of a baffled class – others are plain nasty.

Recordings show teachers being sworn at, mocked, imitated, and in one particularly embarrassing case a male teacher has his trousers pulled down while standing with his back to the class.

Every teacher has classroom moments they’d rather forget.

But imagine having your humiliations broadcast to an audience of thousands over the internet. insults at their geography teacher.

Other less serious postings are devoted to the age-old pastime of exposing teachers who attempt to get “down with the kids”.

Spare a thought for “Tozzer”, the singing RE teacher, with his unique educational ditty “get Socratic not erratic” (complete with dance moves), or a science teacher from Luton who thought it would be a good idea to make a song about electrons based on Abba’s “Waterloo” (“this teacher hasn’t got a clue” says one blogger).

But while such videos may seem like harmless in-jokes, most are posted online without teachers’ permission.

Blogger pimpom88, 18, who set footage of her middle-aged Latin teacher to Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding out for a hero”, told the TES: “He doesn’t know the video exists. I don’t think I’d like him to see it. We were bored one day after school and just did it as a distraction. I suppose you could say we were taking the Mickey somewhat, but we’re very fond of him, although he’s a little out of touch with the 21st century”.

Earlier this year the site Rate My Teachers also caused concern after pupils used it to complain their teachers were “pants “ and “power-hungry” while rating them for the quality of their lessons….

However it is not all bad news for teachers who find themselves bathing in the unwanted glow of YouTube celebrity. Some grateful students use the site to celebrate their favourite teachers.

Even the benighted Tozzer is not without his fans: one female blogger exclaimed: “We love Tozza! He was so blatantly the best teacher!” Other students have used the website to post fond farewells to favourite members of staff.

Although the practicalities of the problems that teachers encounter on a daily basis are clear, unfortunately, the response of the law has matched neither the roll out of the technology nor its ubiquitous use by very young people. In those circumstances, before some brief observations on the underlying legal issues, it merits noting that a defined response is not to hand. This is not to say that there can not be guidance or that, when the matter comes to be tested, it is to be anticipated that the courts will do something massively counter-intuitive. This has not been the curial response to school problems to date which has been characterised more by respect for and deference towards school autonomy in the disciplinary area.

Nun Awarded €8,500 After College Judged Her ‘Out Of Time’ A NUN was awarded €8,500 compensation for age discrimination after the Labour Court found a Limerick College regarded her as “a person from another era who was out of her time”. Sister Mary Loye told the court she was “shocked and very upset” when she heard that Mary Immaculate College was not making her permanent.

She felt she and other “older” academics were seen as “yesterday’s people” and “over the hill”.

A spokesman for the college said management were “quite shocked” by the decision of the Labour Court and that internal structures would be examined as a result.

Schools are entitled to provide for sanctions in their Codes of Discipline for attacks against the character of teachers and staff on BEBO websites.

In 2001, when Sister Mary Loye was 59, she applied for a full-time job having being a religious studies assistant lecturer on successive fixed-term contracts since 1995.

school premises. School Principals have been promised full support where discipline has been breached and sanctions need to be administered.

She had been the oldest applicant by 11 years and was 27 years older than the average age of the others.

However, it has been reported that British Ministers have been told that confiscating belongings such as phones could violate the right to “peaceful enjoyment of possessions” while escorting children out of lessons by the arm could flout their right to “privacy, dignity and physical integrity”. It is these matters that merit, at the very least, brief consideration. In this regard, it might be noted that, in the Irish Examiner 9th February 2008, the head of a second-level school in Limerick defended his school’s ban on mobile phones after a parent complained – on the basis that “school rules do not supersede the law” – to Gardaí after his son’s mobile was confiscated after it “beeped” in class. The Gardaí, however, declined to become involved. The local VEC also refused to get involved. The policy on mobile phones had been implemented following detailed consultation between teachers, parents and management. The Principal stated: “With this rule there are no exceptions. There are a number of issues with regard to mobile phones in schools. There is an issue of integrity and staff need to be protected as phones can be used to take pictures.”

Their policy allowed students to bring mobile phones to school but they were required to place them in their lockers before going into class; access during breaks was permitted. Breach of the rule resulted in confiscation, €26 being required for its return that day, four weeks confiscation in default.

Observation Schools should have a robust policy on the use of mobile/camera phones. Equally schools are entitled to provide for sanctions in their Codes of Discipline for attacks against the character of teachers and staff on BEBO websites.

She had an MA in philosophy, was studying for a PhD and also taught biblical studies at postgraduate level.

Seven long-term, part-time academics had applied to be made permanent and she was the only one who was unsuccessful.

As a result of being turned down, Sister Mary told the court she had to attend a doctor for a number of years because of stress and anxiety.

The whole process had a “hugely negative professional and emotional impact” on her. She said other applicants she had spoken to all seemed to have a much less hostile interview experience than she did.

Witnesses for the college denied discrimination, saying the interview process has been transparent and Sister Mary had failed to reach the accepted agreed standard.

After her failed application, she had been reappointed for a further six years until her retirement, and the college asked why she had been kept on if age was a factor?

The Labour Court said it had become clear during the hearing of evidence that the “thrust and ethos” of the interview was to change and modernise the institution.

It was to “appoint to permanency younger and more dynamic people, who would be able to meet the requirements of a younger and more dynamic head of department”.

The court said Sister Mary was a long-serving member of a religious order, schooled in a different ethos, and guided strongly by the virtue of obedience, both to those above and below.

“It is the view of the court that, unfortunately, her employers regarded her as a person from another era who was ‘out of her time’ and would not fit into the idea of a modern, 21st century institution which the college wished to establish”.

Sister Mary was awarded €3,500 because she was unable to get salary increments and in theory lost the chance to compete for full lecturer status. She got a further €5,000 for the effects of the discrimination.

The case was as a result of an appeal after an Equality Officer had found in favour of the educational institution.

“It is a disappointment from our point of view that it worked out that way, but obviously if the Labour Court felt we discriminated… we don’t intend to appeal it or take it any further; but we would certainly be reviewing our process in the light of the decision,” he said.

“If a decision goes against you, you have to look at what you are doing and see if you can do anything differently. This is the first case of this kind which has ever gone against the college. We take the whole thing very seriously.”

(Source – Irish Independent) Failure To Retain Interview Notes Proves Costly As Teacher Awarded €10,000 For Interview Age Bias A teacher who was asked why she had applied for a Principal’s post at “this time in her life” has been awarded €10,000 on age discrimination grounds.

Mary Frances O Conghaile was 58 when she went for the job in Mercy Mean Scoil Mhuire, Galway, 4 years ago. During the interview, she was asked what she believed to be an ageist question. She was unsuccessful in her application and the post went to a “considerably younger” candidate.

Her union, ASTI, backed her case which went before the Equality Tribunal. She claimed that she was asked why she was applying for the job “at this time in her life”. She believed this question implied she had to justify her interest in the job with regard to her age.

She was thrown by the question and “grappled” with her answer.

The school alleged the question asked was “can you offer the selection committee a brief outline as to why you feel at this stage in your career, that you are the most suitable candidate for the position of Principal?”. The school also said this question had been put to all candidates. But the equality officer ruled that: “while the respondent submitted that the same questions were asked of all candidates, the question could have had a different significance for each of the candidates, depending on the particular stage of their careers at which they found themselves.”

Ms O Conghaile told the tribunal she was not questioned on her experience or on the role of a Principal in the school. This, together with the agerelated question, led her to believe her age meant her application for the post was not being taken seriously.

In its response to this claim, Mercy Mean Scoil Mhuire told the tribunal that the interview records “demonstrate clearly that this is not accurate”. But ASTI argued that, as the school had failed to retain the interview notes taken and marks awarded at the interview, Ms O Conghaile was left in an impossible position in that she could not challenge marks or comments that were no longer in existence.

The equality officer agreed the “very limited notes” retained by the school made it difficult for the school to rebut her claim. As well as ordering the school to pay €10,000 in compensation, the Equality Officer ordered the Board of Management to adhere to good practice selection procedures in all future promotions and to retain notes.

(Source - John Walsh, “Irish Independent”)

LEGAL DIARY

Insofar as online posting of images is concerned, test cases on privacy and the internet and where the balance is to be struck between privacy and technology are awaited. The misuse of information and images online is an area with no real established legal principles, with most of the responsibility lying with the hosting websites to monitor content informally. In addition, the United States, where many websites, including You Tube, are based, operates a different privacy regime, such that instituting proceedings for breach of data protection or confidentiality can prove difficult.

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A PROGRAMME OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ASPIRING SCHOOL LEADERS MARIE DUNPHY, ASSISTANT NATIONAL COORDINATOR, LDS The Leadership Development for Schools team (LDS) is pleased to announce the forthcoming launch of a programme for development of teachers who aspire to positions of leadership in schools. The Tóraíocht Programme, leading to a post-graduate diploma in educational leadership, PGD (EL), will be offered jointly by LDS and NUI Maynooth.

Graduates from the programme may progress to a Masters Degree.

This programme aims to support teachers in developing their leadership knowledge, understanding, skills and competencies with a view to enhancing their current work and developing leaders for senior management and leadership positions in schools.

Why? The rationale for the programme emerges from the recognition that good leadership is a key characteristic of successful schools. It is an extension of the work of the LDS team in providing professional development for newly appointed and experienced school Principals, deputy Principals and post-holders at both primary and post-primary level and is in keeping with the LDS strategy as set out in “A framework for the Professional Development of Irish School Leaders” (2003). It recognises the concerns expressed by Principals regarding lack of advance preparation for their role and it also acknowledges the complexity of school leadership today and the need for leadership at many levels throughout the school.

A key feature of the Tóraíocht Programme is the requirement that participants develop and apply their leadership skills in their current schools.

group presentation and individual assignments related to the current work of participants.

Programme structure: ● ● ● ●

Summer and Easter schools Saturday and evening sessions Online learning Tutor contact / support

Criteria for selection will include:

Programme details: ● The programme will commence with a Summer School on 21st- 23rd August 2008. ● Number of places available: 160 in the pilot with a view to increased numbers in subsequent years ● Duration: Taught programme – one year, August to August. Final submission of school-related projects the following November. ● Course fee payable by participant (€1500)

Location In the first year, the programme will be offered at four different locations; NUI Maynooth, and Education Centres in Cork, Carrick-on-Shannon and Galway. Summer and Easter Schools will be held in NUI Maynooth. In subsequent years it is envisaged that the programme will be offered in other centres.

Please note: Participants will be responsible for their own travel arrangements to these venues.

Who should apply?

What?

The programme, Tóraíocht, (quest / journey) is designed, delivered and assessed by LDS and NUI Maynooth. It is an accredited course at postgraduate diploma, level 9. Using an action research, practically-orientated approach, the programme includes modules on the person: human and professional, education and the enterprise of schooling, leading people, learning and the organisation.

Assessment will include a school-based project,

statement will include reasons for applying, expectations and possible application of learning in current context, previous experience of leadership, formal or informal, membership of professional organisations and continuing professional development.

Any teacher, primary or post primary, who would like to develop their leadership skills with a view to applying for senior leadership and management positions in schools, is welcome to apply. There will be 100 places available to primary teachers in the first cohort.

Application is made online through the postgraduate application centre (PAC) system, accessible through www.lds21.ie and www.nuim.ie . Intending participants will complete an application form and Personal Statement, also available online. This personal PAGE 9

● ● ● ●

Personal Statement Primary – 100 places Post primary – 60 places Sectoral balance.

Supporting teachers on the Tóraíocht Programme A key feature of the Tóraíocht Programme is the requirement that participants develop and apply their leadership skills in their current schools. This will mean that participants may need to call on support or collaboration from colleagues or school leadership and management (e.g. Principal, Deputy Principal, Board of Management). This support may be provided in a number of ways, including for example: ● Enabling the participant to lead colleagues in a small-scale developmental project ● Allowing input at a staff meeting ● Facilitating relevant small-group meetings related to the school-based project ● Providing access, if required, to information such as minutes of staff meetings, subject group meetings or other meetings, as appropriate ● Co-operating in, or supporting, research and/or review activities ● Where possible, arranging a meeting between the participant and Principal or Deputy, to discuss roles and functions of senior management.

Note: Tóraíocht 2008-2009 is a Pilot Programme supported by the Department of Education and Science. In consultation with the participants and partners, the design and delivery teams will conduct a review of the operation of the pilot.

LDS

¬

TÓRAÍOCHT

PROFESSOR TOM COLLINS, HEAD OF EDUCATION, NUI MAYNOOTH

I have met a lot of teachers over the last couple of years since I took up this role (as Head of Education) in Maynooth and I am always interested in what teachers have to say. I speak to you with a degree of trepidation today. I thought I would give a general overview of the changing role of the Principal in modern Ireland which I have explored in different contexts: the modes of change have always interested me. If I had one core idea to present to you this morning, and it is to me the most striking change that has happened in the world of Primary teaching, it is the ‘gentling’ of the profession.

Over the years, a huge cultural change has happened in the world of primary education around this notion that it is something that was forcibly inflicted on our society. It was described dramatically in literature by Flan O’Brien when he talked about his first day in school being struck by an oar and being told his name was James O’Donnell and the idea of ‘school master’ is part of that tradition or heritage. The idea of the ‘school master’ left nothing open to nuance, he could be a benign despot or a malign despot but there was no doubt he was a despot. The idea of school mistress was a bit more nuanced.

The biggest changes that I see you dealing with is that the role is now predominantly about care and about safety.

Over the years, the Irish image of the leader of schooling has changed so dramatically from that image. The experience of schooling is now very different. It is not a focus on authority, nor on hierarchy, nor on a sense of domination. It is exactly the opposite. Primary schools and Primary Principals are now in the ‘cultural set’. I know there are variations but the mindset in Irish society now is that the Primary School and Primary School leadership is a gentle environment, it is an environment that is child-centred and it is an environment that is safe for children. I think above anything that is what your generation of teachers and Principals has managed to do with primary education. It has transformed it in the cultural mindset of the people. I think that is an extraordinary achievement. I am hugely struck in primary schools by the notion that children feel

safe and, in most cases, we should never necessarily take that as normal because there are many environments where they are not or cannot assume it. It is a profound change - that idea of the ‘gentling’ of the profession - and I think that applies regardless of the gender background.

The biggest changes that I see you dealing with is that the role is now predominantly about care and about safety. You are managing a profound cultural transformation in the context of Irish society that is being profoundly changed constantly. Some of these changes are most manifest in schools, the most obvious one of all being the multicultural one. I visited Colin Devlin’s school in Navan recently and it was one of the most truly uplifting experiences I have had in a very long time. You walk into the school yard which is like many of your school yards, and there are hundreds of children of every hue and background running around. I was so struck by the fact that these children came up to me in the yard.

One kid called Lasiandra told me he was from Brazil and he arrived in Ireland at Christmas in 2006, he had no English when he arrived, and he was now speaking perfect English. Occasionally he interacted with another child over lunch from Angola and they talked in Portuguese. There are 26 different nationalities in that school, the welcome sign on the door is in 15 languages. I heard a 6th class sing Silent Night, the first two lines in English, the second in Irish and the third two in Arabic, and then four of them told me they had just observed Ramadan: this is multiculturalism at its best. This is what you are actually dealing with - children arriving in Ireland literally from all over the world, they are coming into the first public space that Ireland presents to them and it is a place of welcome and safety and I think that you are managing to do that for all of PAGE 10

the other children who are out there.

CONSUMER CULTURE The other change that is happening for children is that in a consumer culture children’s lives are depleted. It is not just that they are encountering more dysfunction than they did formerly. They are certainly encountering much higher levels for example of alcohol consumption in their homes by adults than was ever the case. One of the characteristics about alcohol consumption formerly was that it tended to be outside of the home and in that sense was probably considered to be less normal than the normalisation of it within the home nowadays. The main part of this depletion is to do with the fact that the ambient environment for learning is no longer as rich as it was before. I am so struck by the fact that a family which only consumes and doesn’t produce is a context where little learning can be happening.

For example, if the evening meal is bought in the petrol station on the way home, the family is not producing an evening meal, so where is the learning for a child? Where is that learning now happening? In the past, children learned how to cooperate with another adult and with other children, they learned the responsibility of setting the table. Think about the learning of setting a table. They are learning about order, pairing the right things together, counting the number of plates. If there are two people less for dinner tonight there is subtraction going on in their heads. If there are two more there is addition going on in their heads. Also, the celebration of the meal, the concept of communal ritual; to what extent does ritual reinforce or support a child’s development?

You know as teachers the significance of ritual in your daily work in school, whether it is communal

Middle class parents are buying social distance from children of multi-cultural or special needs or poorer socio-economic backgrounds.

I think schools have to respond to this, they have to continuously create environments where children can construct their own learning because construction is not part of their outside school experience or increasingly less a part of it. Primary teachers are now telling me all the time that the six year old coming to school probably has to return to the learning of things like hand/eye coordination, I see schools introducing dance at primary, first and second class so that children can acquire rhythm and movement so that they can acquire balance. I often talk about children pushing a barrow of muck. What do they learn when the wheel barrow goes to one side and is about to topple over? They learn to adjust their bodies, to counter weight and to effect balance.

You are teachers primarily, Principals only secondly.

(I always remind Principals, that spelt with the ‘al’ it’s the adjective.) You are Principal Teachers. The task is in one sense to read the environment and to do what other learning environments are no longer doing. I am struck by the notion in all education of the imperative of teaching for the now, Froebel used to say that the best way to prepare a child for the next stage or for a future stage or learning was to deal most effectively with the current one.

Primary schooling has I think taken that so much on board. The first verb in the 1998 curriculum is the verb ‘to celebrate’, I think in the early years of primary school that the focus on the child now is huge. As we go through primary school, the spectre of second-level begins to emerge. The teachers in 5th and 6th begin to say, ‘we have to get you ready for first year’. The lack of seamlessness in that transition is over-whelming.

A contemporary issue in education and schooling is to do with privatising of schooling especially at second-level. This is less of an issue for primary schools although it could become and issue over time. The implications of segregation in schools are enormous. Middle class parents are buying social distance from children of multi-cultural or special needs or poorer socio-economic backgrounds. School selection needs to be

IPPN CONFERENCE 2008

addressed on a national basis and in an open way.

There are massive expectations falling on schools in terms of child development and child care as well as the traditional ones. Some of the new assessment tests are going to raise challenges at Primary level. I have always been of the belief that the elimination of the Primary cert was the beginning of the liberation of Primary education.

I have also been concerned with the ‘language of poverty’. Over 20 years ago in Ireland we persisted with an approach to investment in education on the basis that we have always been poor and will probably be poor again so it’s as best to stay poor.

With regard to the Department of Finance, which sets the culture of government expenditure, we had huge opportunities to rethink investment in education. I have always taken the view that we should set a target for investment in education at approximately 7% of GNP. If we do that this year’s budget in Education would be €2bn more than it is. That is roughly what the leading countries in OECD invest in education - €2 billion more in education. With approximately 1 million children in Irish schools between first, second and third level that would provide an additional €200 per child to your school. If you have 100 children in your school you would have €200,000 to play around with.

I think that as School Principals you are all leaders, and part of leading above everything is to vision.

There is always a challenge in leadership - the challenge between managing and leading.

Managing is the stuff you do that you hate doing - filling out forms, completing returns, completing what you might see as ritualistic, bureaucratic requirements. Leading is about imaging new places. To do that you have to make the familiar strange, you have to wonder about why what looks normal is normal. I saw a child sitting outside the Principal’s office in a secondary school a few years ago. She was sitting on a chair reading a book and there were hundreds of students walking up and down the corridor in front of her.

I asked my colleagues what was that girl doing there and I was told that she was on punishment.

I was so struck by this because in the Square in Kilbeggan they have stocks and they did exactly that, tied you up in the middle of the most public place possible and the community walked up and down and said you must have done something awful. This is not at all abnormal so I think you need to ask questions all the time about making the familiar strange. You have to imagine new ways of being leaders and I am always struck by the reliance on text books in Irish education.

I think for me the first thing I would try to do is construct a school experience without a textbook.

The challenge of the year would not be to cover the text book but to create a textbook. I have seen this happen in a community in a Steiner school in Kilkenny where the textbook starts with an A3 folder with nothing in it and the child at the end of the year brings it home completed. As Principal, you are the organisational leader and you know you must vision but not only that you are also the embodiment of your school. I worked a Director of the Dundalk Institute for five years and that is P A G E 11

exactly how I saw myself as director of the Institute, whether it was good or bad, whether people liked it or not for this period of five years I incarnated the public image of that place as you do in all of your schools. You are an instructional leader, you have managerial responsibility, you establish the overall climate and culture of the school and may be the only advocate for a student, especially for the student who is a disruptive student who causes annoyance for the teacher staff. Where does that disruptive student seek refuge? It is often with the Principal and that is a very difficult place for a Principal to be. To be between a teacher and a student is one of the fundamental challenges of leadership in a primary school. I know that IPPN and others have talked about why people are not applying for Principalship posts, I think that issue is one reason but I think there are others as well because the key issue with being the Principal is that you carry a reputation risk. If the school is flooded then that becomes your problem. On the Saturday before we returned from Christmas holidays, a cat walked into the electrical generator which served the entire campus in Dundalk; there was a very loud bang, the cat did not survive and I was left to deal with all the fallout from that! You are left deal with that type of fallout on a daily basis including the fallout of a parent coming in, dealing with at least six constituencies, students, the DES and all other external agencies. It’s a complex job managing all of those.

You are an instructional leader, you have managerial responsibility, you establish the overall climate and culture of the school and may be the only advocate for a student, In terms of School Governance and Management, there is a huge issue that Irish society is not addressing - it is the issue of school patronage. To put this in context, I attended a meeting last March in Dublin and the thing that struck me most forcibly was when four different parents stood up and made the statement that their children had been offered places in this school and these places had been withdrawn because they were ‘not Catholic’. How can we allocate public funding on the basis of religious affiliation? If you were sick and you needed access to a public bed, and if the hospital was under the management of a religious order and you were not of that religious persuasion, would you get a bed there? I have a great difficulty with that concept - that public funding is allocated on a basis other than the principles of equality and efficiency. They should be in my view the core principles which should underpin it, equality would ensure that the needs of minority groups were observed. We have to deal satisfactorily with the issue of the roles of Church and State in the provision of Education.

This is a huge issue that has to be addressed by all of us involved in education, we need to recognise that we are in a new era.

IPPN CONFERENCE 2008

A MODERN PRINCIPAL IN A MODERN IRELAND

prayer or sport or the school concert. These are the events that bind children together that give them a sense of ‘we-ness’ and gives them a sense of transcendence of their own being. Children in the home increasingly do not have that experience; I always ask children when I meet them around the country now, how many of them have televisions in their bedrooms and the great majority of second level students do have them.

Again it means they are merely consuming leisure.

Leisure is a hugely important part of the production process so if you are merely consuming it, the learning of production is gone.

CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

MANAGING THE CHALLENGING INTERFACE AIDAN J. HERRON

NOEL LOFTUS

This workshop set out to provide a forum at which Principals could name the specific blocks, barriers or obstacles they experience to their leadership within schools. After a short introduction, the Principals engaged interactively as a whole and within small groups and gave voice to the many situations in which they can be frustrated in carrying out their duties. The workshop concluded with a short discussion on the supports and strategies available to help Principals manage the challenging behaviours they encounter. The complete list of the issues recorded was collated at the conclusion of the conference and a sample cross-section is included in this report.

It is clear that many of the issues are routine, part of the daily experience of school life and, if given sufficient time for reflection, greater interpersonal skills and goodwill all round, can be managed satisfactorily.

However, some Principals experience appallingly unprofessional conduct in schools, making life difficult, if not downright impossible for them in their leadership role. Even more disturbing is Principals’ reported helplessness and isolation in the face of the more severe and provocative behaviours that were reported. Principals stated that such troublesome members of staff do not see their actions as others do; that they are blinkered to their own misbehaviour; that they see themselves as good teachers, loyal members of staff, righteous in their beliefs and custodians of professional standards. These teachers generally feel that schools are democracies and that the Principal is obliged to endorse the wishes of a majority of staff or a vocal minority. Believing the Principal to be the one at fault they lack the capacity to reflect on their own conduct and see it for what it is – a form of bullying.

Most Principals elect to endure silently – until now.

It was of course acknowledged within the discussion groups that Principals make mistakes, that they are not perfect and never will be. It was also noted that in the past some have abused their positions of authority and some may continue to do so. Members of staff have recourse to a grievance procedure when this occurs and are entitled to due process and the protection of a strong trade union.

But some Principals believe that access to due process and union protection, while an entitlement of every school Principal as a member of the INTO, is not equally available to them. Furthermore, it is clear from their statements that they do not see their Boards of Management, however wellintentioned they are, as being able to assist them to any great degree. Nor could they all depend on the support of the deputy Principal or other senior members of staff. In fact, some reported that it was these senior teachers who engaged in continuous criticism, intimidation and undermining of the Principal. While the motivation for such behaviour was often unclear, that it had a destructive effect on the school as well as a negative impact on the health and well-being of the Principal was beyond question. Equally beyond question was the fact that the leadership role of the Principal could be

MULTI-GRADE TEACHING: STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING PRINCIPALS

irretrievably compromised in these schools.

Principals reported cases where continuous challenging, criticism, undermining and negativity was witnessed by younger members of staff and was subsequently imitated. However, by contrast, Principals also reported the distress of younger teachers who witnessed such treatment of the Principal but felt that they could not stand up against the dominant teachers.

There was consensus in the groups that Principals need to develop their interpersonal skills in order to deal more effectively with situations as they arise and that they were entitled to their Boards’ support.

It was also acknowledged that Principals should speak out about the intimidation, harassment and unprofessional conduct that they experience from individual members of staff.

Some Principals experience appallingly unprofessional conduct in schools, making life difficult, if not downright impossible for them in their leadership role These sample instances appear as reported within the workshops: For 20 years, I felt that person was deliberately undermining me. That person is no longer there. No support ever offered by BOM. A different school now that that teacher is out.

Notifying Principal by text (at 4 a.m.) of proposed absence.

Post-holders not performing duties as per description and refusing to accept the Principal’s role in ensuring performance and accountability.

Meetings held in school during and after school hours in classrooms – Principal not informed / not invited. Does not know why or outcome.

Principal appointed from outside; disappointed inside candidate supported by staff. Things got very bad. Newly-appointed Principal had to take careerbreak. Came back. No change. Then left.

Bullying teacher warned Principal to be very carefulPAGE 12

that teacher is watching him and taking note of everything he does.

Teacher missed out on Special Ed. post. Blamed Principal; Principal tried to move things on but teacher took it out on Principal. Principal became worn down by this and subsequently left the school.

“Parked” resource teacher who refuses to move.

Advice from DES was to keep the underperforming teacher in resource department for the good of the whole school, i.e., ignore the underperformance and short-change the children.

Principal appointed from inside not accepted by staff. Ignored and isolated. No BOM support in dealing with the ongoing fallout. BOM and Inspector aware. Principal left to own devices. Threatened breakdown. Early retirement.

Principal wonders why parents aren’t responding to her letters sent home with children. Discovers bundles of letters still sitting in various classrooms.

Teachers refused to hand them out.

Teacher jeered and taunted Principal in staffroom and at BOM meetings. (incl. imitating Principal’s hand gestures). Refers to Principal as “Our nice (name)“, otherwise never greets him and ignores his presence (DP gets similar treatment).

Teacher who regularly goes out “sick” – takes almost 30 days every year (this type of behaviour recorded in each workshop).

It took courage for the participating Principals to reveal what they know is going on in some schools whether they were speaking about their own experience or that of another. So a process has started that must now gain momentum. Any Principal experiencing unjustified and unwarranted hardship in their school, from whatever source, must speak out and demand an intervention that meaningfully addresses unprofessional and unacceptable conduct. It is time that the various patrons, the DES and the INTO examine their role in providing support and intervention for Principals whose leadership is compromised. As a first step, the IPPN could facilitate a nationwide survey and make known the findings. Principals need to be able to focus on their proper role – providing leadership in their schools. Some Principals don’t seem to get the chance. This can no longer continue.

My aim at both 2007 and 2008 IPPN multi-grade workshops was to provide practical support that would address some of the more common challenges associated with the multi-grade teaching. These strategies arose from my own teaching experience across a range of multi-grade contexts and from ongoing related work during my secondment to School Development Planning Support Primary (SDPS).

The workshop was underpinned by an understanding that it was not an NCT for a WSE .All schools are unique and the challenges, and how they might be addressed, are a product of the school’s own context. While some suggested strategies can be implemented quickly with little fuss, others would require discussion at whole school level and possible medium to longterm implementation. The strategies are suggestions that can be adapted and implemented in keeping with the collaborative nature of development planning.

The 2008 workshop sought to build on last year’s content which explored a range of practical strategies that the multi-grade teacher might apply in regard to differentiation, integration, linkage, timetabling and the promotion of All schools are unique independent learner concept.

and the challenges, and how they might be addressed, are a product of the school’s own context.

The focus of this year’s workshop was an exploration of a variety of common challenges and a range of good practice identified in a selection of published WSE reports. These WSE reports related to schools with multi-grade classes. The challenges and accompanying samples of good practice were identified under the themes for school evaluation taken from Looking at Our Schools – an aid to self-evaluation in primary schools (DES, 2004).

A valuable brainstorming session drew on the shared experience of the participants in identifying additional practical strategies currently in use in their own schools.

Additional strategies were then mediated to the participants who were also made available to all on a CD-RoM.

The exploration of the extracts from the WSE reports was firmly set in the context of the purpose of a WSE. As educators we all share a common moral purpose: addressing issues towards improving the outcomes for the pupils. The quality of teaching and learning is at the core of the school’s activity and at the core of the WSE. Challenges identified in a WSE report feed into and strengthen the school’s review and planning process.

I am always very conscious that in facilitating these workshops that I am among the experts. I wish to thank the participants from the three separate sessions for their engaging contributions.

The particular needs in multi-grade settings and in small schools are beginning to be recognised and addressed. In this regard I want to acknowledge the IPPN and SDPS in identifying multi-grade as a priority issue.

Further research in this area is undoubtedly needed, especially in identifying and then disseminating the many excellent planning and instructional practices occurring daily in multi-grade classrooms in Ireland.

See www.ippn.ie for the materials used in the workshop. The CD-RoM was only available to the participants.

ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION HELEN HOURICAN, H-TRAINING ● The assertive communication workshop defined assertiveness as having the ability to solve the problem with another while keeping the relationship positive. ● It then distinguished assertive communication from submission and aggression and illustrated the difficulties that may arise for leaders when communication reverts to either of these classifications. ● The workshop went on to illustrate general assertiveness techniques such as Broken Record, Fogging, Negative Assertion and Negative Enquiry. The focus was on the Workable Compromise technique as this is the one considered most relevant to the management role.

The workshop demonstrated a 5-step approach to handling a difficult issue. This approach supports the leader in gaining balance between the logical and emotional issues and dealing with them in an assertive manner. An example was demonstrated for participants.

It was illustrated in the workshop that assertiveness is not a motor skill and that the techniques of assertiveness develop over an entire career. We will always be improving our assertive skills!

Main points raised by workshop participants The main points raised by participants were in relation to people management issues and the changing legal landscape in which school Principals now operate. Participants raised many and varied issues regarding difficult situations in which they were involved. Some of the issues involved members of staff not conforming to agreed procedures: being late for class and following breaks; not staying in the playground when on yard duty and not communicating with the Principal when an issue arises with parents or children in the classroom. Some participants role-played the skills and this enabled them to explore the benefit of the 5-step approach.

Some of the examples raised provided opportunity to clarify expression and word choice. Many comments identified the challenges that Principals are experiencing from the desire to both comply with the legal aspects of the role and at the same time not set precedent and allow things to drift from their leadership.

There is scope to use Assertive Communications skills in a broader context such as developing a positive culture for the school setting; using the skills of Assertiveness and particularly the workable compromise to negotiate with parents’ groups and other stakeholders.

PAGE 13

CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

THE PRINCIPAL AND THE SCHOOL:

ICT TIPS

AT tools that support children with Communication disabilities include: ● Speech recognition software

● Irlen Filters

● Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCAs)

ICT TIPS

● Reading and Writing Software ● Scanning pen ● Speaking Dictionary and Thesaurus

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

BY SEAGHAN MORIARTY What is Assistive Technology?

Assistive technology devices are mechanical aids that are used to increase or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Assistive technology helps bypass, work around, or compensate for an individual’s specific learning deficits and can be anything homemade, purchased off the shelf, modified, or commercially available The term assistive technology encompasses a broad range of devices from "low tech" (e.g., pencil grips, splints, paper stabilizers) to "high tech" (e.g. computers, voice synthesizers, braille readers).

● Accessibility Options in Windows

The use of technology to enhance learning is an effective approach for many children. A.T. doesn’t cure or eliminate learning difficulties, but it can help children reach their potential because it allows them to capitalize on their strengths and bypass areas of difficulty. The pupil's impairment should be accepted as normal to that person and the technology is an attempt to provide an alternative or compensatory approach that works around the impairment. In this regard, assistive technology is sometimes referred to as 'work-around' technology.

● Alternative Mice

An integral part of this process must be an acceptance that traditional ways of doing things may be creating unnecessary barriers for the pupil and assistive technology will be just one element in making schooling a more inclusive experience. For example, a student who struggles with reading but who has good listening skills might benefit from listening to books on tape.

A pupil who cannot speak may communicate through a portable device that will produce electronic speech and a pupil who does not have hand function can write with the aid of a computer and accessories. These simple examples demonstrate the enormous potential of available technologies, many of which are neither complicated nor expensive.

● Alternative Keyboards ● Head Controlled Pointers ● Eye-Tracking Systems ● Speech recognition software

There are currently A.T. tools to help students who struggle with a broad range of disabilities. They can be generally divided into technologies that help pupils who have: Physical impairment Sensory-Visual Impairment Sensory-Hearing Impairment Communication Impairment.

● Joystick Mice

● Portable Spellcheckers ● Portable Note-Takers

http://www.crc.ie/services_edu.shtml The CRC operates 2 schools in the Dublin area for students with physical disability, and has many other services besides. It operates a useful Assistive Educational Technology section.

Where Can I Get Help?

A first and essential step would be to contact your local S.E.N.O. (Special Educational Needs Organiser). These organisers have been put in place by the National Council for Special Education to help in planning and co-ordinating provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs.

One of their roles is to offer advice and examine applications from all schools for special equipment/assistive technology for pupils who have been assessed as having specific disabilities. Contact details for your local S.E.N.O. can be found at. http://www.ncse.ie/downloads.html The range of assistive technology devices, manufacturers and distributors is constantly changing and this article could not aspire to give adequate descriptions of all the available options. However, it is hoped that it will be a starting point and reference, and will provide enough basic information to help make informed decisions on how to proceed with finding the most appropriate solutions for individual pupils. With this in mind, the following websites could prove useful in finding out more about the various assistive

http://www.abledata.com/ ABLEDATA, an American site, provides objective information about assistive technology products and rehabilitation equipment available from international sources. http://www.easypc.ie/index.html EasyPC are based in Co. Clare and provide assistive technology and additional services. http://www.jacksontechnology.com/ Jackson Technology is based in Dublin and is a leading supplier of Assistive Technology in Ireland. http://www.gateway2at.org/ This excellent site contains information on assistive technology tools for students with disabilities and how these items can enable students with disabilities to access education. http://www.schwablearning.org/ A good assistive technology database

● Touchscreens ● Trackball or Rollerball Mice ● Word Prediction Software

www.ippn.ie Latest Resources

AT tools that support children with sensory visual disabilities include: ● Braille Displays

● Monocular

● Braille Embossers

● Optical character recognition (OCR) Scanning Software

● Braille Note-takers ● CCTV (Closed Circuit Television)

● Large Character Keytops ● Large Monitors

● PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) ● Scanners ● Screen readers ● Windows Display Options

● Magnifying software

AT tools that support children with sensory hearing disabilities include

The term Assistive Technology usually applies to computer hardware and software, as well as other electronic devices. AT tools that support children with physical disabilities include:

http://www.assistireland.ie/ This online resource provides information on assistive technology and a directory of products available from Irish suppliers.

● Switch Input Systems

Sensory Hearing Impairment

Physical Impairment.

● Windows Accessibility Options

Sensory Visual Impairment

● Dictaphones

Types of Learning Difficulties Addressed by Assistive Technology

● Mouse Emulation Software

http://www.enabletech.ie/ The Enabling Technologies website is intended as an overview of Assistive Technology (AT) in the education context and is aimed at those interested in exploiting the developing technologies for the benefit of pupils with unique needs.

● FM Systems

● Personal Amplifiers

● Induction Loops

● Telephone Systems.

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Recent additions to the website include the following resources and materials:

In the Resources/Publications section ● Leadership+ Issues 42 and 43

In the Resources/ Management Resources section ● Airgead Bunscoile 2008 1.1.xls – this is a revised version which fixes the problems in v 1.0 ● Critéir agus Scéim Marcála do Phost mar Phríomhoide ● Critéir don agallamh do phost mar Phríomhoide ● Revised Safety Statement

In the Resources/E-scéals section ● March 6th - Substitute Teachers Qualifications & Suitability ● March 6th - Keeping Banking Details Confidential ● March 5th - Education Provision for Children with Autism - Your Views ● February 29th - Benefits of switching to Energia ● February 28th - Please give your feedback on funding today to RTE's Prime Time ● February 20th - Mobile+ available to Deputy Principals until March 2008 ● February 7th - Parents' Survey on Fundraising for Schools ● 8th April - IBS – IPPN Preferred Supplier

In the Resources/ Organisational Policies section ● Enrolment Policy III – multiple schools in parish ● Before and After School Supervision

PAGE 15

● 8th April - Summer Works Scheme Survey ● 2nd April - DES consults Principals on Curriculum and SEN ● 10th March - Dail to Debate the crisis of Primary School Funding In the News & Views/Press Releases section ● 18 March – Autism provision – not so special ● 03 March - Tesco exploits seven years of neglect by Government of ICT funding for schools ● 28 February - The Myth of Free Education - Parents Speak Out ● 25 February - Autism Unit - unfair pressure on School Principal ● 20 February - Powerful savings for Primary School across Ireland

ICT TIPS

● Font Choices and Formatting Text

● Mind-mapping Software

1.

2.

3.

4.

technology options currently available and what they might offer the particular child in your care:

Communication Impairment

FEATURE ARTICLE

SPECIAL FEATURES

Barriers to communication The above are the nuts and bolts, and practical applications of written and verbal communication.

The most common barriers to communication as paraphrased from Rees are: 1. Listening problems: Not all Principals appreciate that they need to spend more time listening than talking and should not

COMMUNICATION AND THE PRINCIPAL COILÍN Ó COIGLIGH A primary school is a hub of human activity with many varied communication activities taking place. Parents, people from the community, outside agencies, government agencies, representatives of the patron, pupils, Special Needs Assistants, teaching and non-teaching staff, Boards of Management, Parents’ Association are just a few examples of those engaged in communicating with schools. In the centre of the hub is the Principal and a central part of his/her job is to relay information to the teachers from the many groups who have contact with the school.

Lunenberg and Ornstein (2004) describe communication as “the lifeblood of every school organisation” explaining it as “a process that links the individual, the group and the organisation”.

They refer to a study by Minzberg (1997) which found that administrators spend 80% of their time in interpersonal communication and they conclude that “school administrators therefore need a clear understanding of the process of communication”.

According to Whitaker et al., (1998): “…communication skills, in order to work effectively, …are all very necessary for the performance of the head’s job”. Rees (1998) states that “Communication in organisations is a great deal worse than most people realise” and therefore “… it is critical to communicate accurately”.

Essential Elements The main ways that a Principal communicates with teachers are written and verbal. The main written forms are: ● Memos ● Noticebaords ● Newsletters ● Staff room whiteboard ● Staff room calendar board ● Notices in post boxes

● E-mail ● Texts.

According to Rees, it is essential in using written communication that the Principal spends time and effort in ensuring that what s/he is writing is exactly what s/he intends to convey. Because “written communication is one way…the recipients have, for the time being at least, to rely on the writer’s accuracy of expression”. Rees also states that “accuracy in communication is usually much lower than is assumed”. Southworth (1998) states that it is best not to rely solely on verbal

We communicate as many messages non-verbally as we do verbally. communication, written communication “is important because otherwise too much may rest on memory”.

The main verbal forms are: ● Staff meetings ● ISM meetings ● Intercom system ● Informal consultations ● Formal consultations ● MBWA (Management By Wandering About).

All bar one of these involve face-to-face

PAGE 16

communication, which is “usually the most effective kind”. Giles and Proudfoot, (1990). Hoy and Miskel, (2005) add that this enables the receiver to “assess the accuracy of the other person’s message in order to be sure that they are both heading in the same direction”.

Non-verbal communication As well as written and verbal communication, we must not forget non-verbal communication. We communicate as many messages non-verbally as we do verbally. The way we look, how we stand or sit, whether we stand or sit, where we stand or sit, how we look at someone, whether or not our arms are folded or our legs are crossed, whether or not we make eye contact and so on, “conveys messages to others”. Lunenberg and Ornstein. We also “communicate by our manner of dress and appearance, the automobile we drive and the office we occupy”. They add: “You cannot not communicate. Everything that you do is a form of communication, verbal and non-verbal. The way you walk, your facial expression, and your silence are interpreted by others, so you might as well do it right”. Lunenberg and Ornstein.

So, although in schools the verbal and written communication (i.e. the formal lines of communication) often conveys the content, “the

Important factors in written communication are clarity, simplicity, avoiding the use of jargon presume that good communication is synonymous with the imparting of information and views…If everyone concentrates on imparting information and views, just who will be left to receive all these messages?

2. Lack of feedback: You cannot establish how successful your communication has been without feedback…Feedback will improve your communication, for the future.

3. Resistance to criticism: Sometimes managers get feedback but resist making the changes needed to improve, if this feedback turns out to be unfavourable...Managers get the communication they deserve.

In order to communicate effectively, Principals need to avoid the above traps, according to Rees.

They also need to listen more effectively; choose the time and place very carefully to encourage others to communicate with them; be careful in their choice of language (both written and verbal) and avoid jargon; recognise cultural barriers; be aware what their body language is communicating and give careful thought to the accuracy of the written word.

Overcoming Barriers to Communication Lunenburg and Ornstein identify five communication skills to overcome barriers to communication: 1. Repetition: This involves “sending the same message over and over again, using multiple channels”. They give examples of telephone call, face-to-face discussion, memorandum, or letters. If this is done, “failure is less likely to occur”. Hoy and Miskel agree that “using multiple commun-ication strategies increases the probability of shared understandings and new learning.”

2. Empathy: This is standing in the other person’s shoes and understanding their frame of reference. Having done this, Principals should “attempt to anticipate personal and situational factors that might influence the subordinate’s interpretation of the message”.

3. Understanding: This is transmitted in

communication as well as messages. “School administrators must encode messages in words and symbols that are understandable to the receiver”. Hoy and Miskel add that “For effective understanding, verbal and non-verbal messages must convey the same meaning.”

4. Feedback: This is crucial in establishing whether or not the message has been received and understood. Sending a memo does not guarantee that communication has taken place. Written messages provide “much less opportunity for feedback than does face-to-face communication”. Face-toface communication “allows the individuals communicating with each other to receive both verbal and non-verbal feedback”.

5. Listening: They estimate that over 30% of a Principal’s day is spent listening and that they only listen with 25% efficiency.

“Successful communication, therefore, requires effective listening on the part of both the sender and the receiver”. They mention ten ways of listening more effectively and identify “stop talking” as the most important way. The old adage that you have two ears and one mouth and that you should listen twice as much as you should talk, came to my mind while reading this advice!

Patton and McCalman (2001) add: 6. Set the appropriate tone Offence can often be caused if the tone has been perceived to be inappropriate, for example patronising, flippant, condescending or impudent. Think before you act and always remember that the whole body sends the message: dress, body language, medium and the words set the tone.

7. Set the example If you are asking others to respond to the communication… ensure that as the sender you have done as requested.

Be consistent and at all times practice what you preach!

8. Ensure penetration The medium selected to deal with the communication must be capable of achieving the required penetration within the organisation.

Hoy and Miskel state that: 9. Informal networks are closely related to formal networks. Both “…can be complementary, and are critical to the school organisation.” Lunenberg and Ornstein stress the importance and effectiveness of the grapevine.

10. Communication style is important also.

Fraze and Hetzel (1990) talk about “Management By Wandering Around” (MBWA) and Potter and Powel (1992) who identified the accessibility and visibility of the Principal as “essential ingredients of success”. The Head in their study became “committed to maintaining a presence around the school in corridors, classrooms and the staffroom”.

To become better communicators, Principals need PAGE 17

to spend more time on the interpersonal skills of listening, consistency, empathy, being aware of the tone of their message and the body language they use and to be accessible and visible around the school.

They need to ensure that written and verbal messages convey the same meaning and to use different methods of

They estimate that over 30% of a Principal’s day is spent listening and that they only listen with 25% efficiency. communication to convey the same message. Important factors in written communication are clarity, simplicity, avoiding the use of jargon and care in choosing the most appropriate means.

textasub.ie

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The fastest way to find a substitute teacher for your school.

Simply log on and upload the contact details of the school, the nature of the vacant class and the minimum duration for which the sub is required.

This information is then automatically sent by text message to all substitute teachers who have registered their mobile phone numbers with www.textasub.ie Hundreds of teachers, in all counties, registered to receive text-a-sub notifications Only the substitute teachers that are available will receive your text message.

The Principal / DP can offer a school, home or mobile number to receive a call from subs The Principal / DP then chooses from the most suitably experienced / qualified teachers that reply.

This service is totally free!

SPECIAL FEATURES

informal ones (non-verbal, previous perceptions etc.) convey the true intent”.

SPECIAL FEATURES

COMPUTERISED SCORING SYSTEM HELEN WOODS Assessment is the process of gathering, recording, interpreting, using, and reporting information about a child’s progress and achievement in developing knowledge, skills and attitudes.

(N.C.C.A. Assessment in the Primary School Curriculum – Guidelines for Schools, 2008)

DREAM PAT KEOGH

The unconscious mind is ever active organising our world for us. It operates best when the conscious mind is at rest.

While asleep and in a restful state the unconscious mind creates, plans, organises and sorts out problems and difficulties the conscious mind becomes embroiled in daily. Educators ought to set aside time to allow the mind freedom to rest and dream. The relaxed mind is creative.

Learn to Dream

Standardised testing is part of the continuum of this assessment process, with the MICRA-T and SIGMAT series of tests being widely used in our Primary schools to assess literacy and numeracy. The MICRAT tests enable teachers to compare the reading performance of their pupils with reading standards nationally, while the SIGMA-T tests provide teachers with detailed information on the mathematical achievement and progress of their pupils. SIGMA-T results are converted to Standard Scores, Percentiles and Stens. The results obtained by the pupils on the MICRA-T are converted to Standard Scores, Percentiles and Stens – both class-based and agebased – and Reading Ages, with separate norms for autumn and summer testing. In SIGMA-T, there are separate norms to cater for autumn and summer testing in the case of all test levels and additionally, mid-year norms are provided for 1st Class and 6th Class. At Levels 4 and 5, separate norms are also provided for Part 1 and Part 2 of the test. Verbal Descriptors; Reading Level Indicators - again both class-based and age-based - and Mathematics Level Indicators, can also be obtained for each pupil. With the help of the manual that accompanies the tests, these results can be calculated once the test has been corrected and a raw score obtained, by referring to the correct tables for the correct level at the time of the year the testing was carried out. In order to obtain the age-based information in the MICRA-T, each pupil’s chronological age on the day of the test has to be worked out by the tester.

This is where the MICRA-T & SIGMA-T Computerised Scoring System comes in. It has been developed to assist in, and simplify, the gathering and recording of results. This Windows application, when used as a whole-school system, is a comprehensive database of pupils’ scores and results from first to last MICRAT and SIGMA-T Test. The MICRA-T & SIGMA-T Computerised Scoring System also has a facility for users of the previous MICRA-T Computerised Scoring System to import their existing data into this new application, thus maintaining the records they have built up over the intervening years. A Help manual is included in the CD and help can also be obtained by pressing the Help button on each screen. On exiting the system, data is backed up and stored in a Backup folder.

Gathering and Recording The user enters school, teacher, class, and pupil information, including dates of birth, into the MICRA-T & SIGMA-T Computerised Scoring System.

Once tests have been administered and corrected, the results can be entered into the system in the Tests section, either in new MICRA-T or new SIGMA-T. The system then does the calculations, referring to the

appropriate tables, and displays the results. These class results can be sorted, previewed and printed according to the various criteria: for MICRA-T these are Overall Standard Score, Age-Based Standard Score, Chronological Age, Reading Age, First Name or Surname, in either ascending or descending order and with or without averages displayed. Teachers have the option to exclude certain categories of pupils, e.g. SEN from these average calculations.

When generating SIGMA-T test results, the user has the option to enter which sums the pupil got right.

This can be done for the whole class or for just for an individual or individuals. Again the results can be sorted, previewed and printed according to many criteria in a similar manner to the MICRA-T. If however, the user has entered these details, the percentage correct in each of the three skills and five strands can be viewed, both for individuals, and for the class, thus allowing not only assessment of learning, but assessment for learning.

Interpreting and Using Many reports, individual, class and whole school, can be generated in the Reports section, thus allowing the teacher to easily view, interpret and use results according to the criteria on which information is searched i.e. it is possible to identify pupils at or below a certain percentile in literacy/numeracy for Learning Support purposes. Results obtained by individual pupils, from their first to last MICRA-T or SIGMA-T, can be viewed in a grid format, by class, according to various criteria, in Class Tracking. This series of standardised test scores over time presents a comprehensive picture of a child’s performance.

Whole School Reports, on the other hand, analyse the whole school’s performance based on each pupil’s last MICRA-T and SIGMA-T results, and give the number of pupils in a particular band for each class level, according to selected criteria. This enables identification of areas of strengths / weaknesses – a useful feature for DEIS schools.

An individual pupil’s entire test history, or the test history for all pupils in a current class, in both literacy and numeracy, can be viewed and printed in Pupil History. In Pupils’ Last Tests, the most recent MICRA-T and SIGMA-T test results can be viewed and printed for an individual or for all pupils in a class – this is the report most often requested by parents for their 6th class pupils as Secondary schools often look for these results.

Reporting Standardised test results are only one facet of the assessment process and should therefore be PAGE 18

communicated to parents in conjunction with results of other types of assessment e.g. teacher observation.

The colour-coded Bell Curve as used by the PCSP is very useful when communicating standardised test results. Pointing out the average band on the graph and saying that for most things, most of us are average and would fit in this band, is a starting point.

Fig 1 - Source: PCSP seminar Standardised Testing

Most of our children are also in this average category in relation to reading / mathematics attainments.

This gives no cause for concern as long as this is in keeping with the child’s ability. In our senior school, the NRIT series of tests are administered to 3rd class pupils, thus enabling comparison between attainment, as measured by the pupil’s latest agebased MICRA-T results, and ability, as measured by the NRIT. Using the Bell Curve, a pupil’s attainments can be shown to the parent(s) with the explanation that a percentile of, say, 50, means that their child has performed as well, or better, than 50 out of 100 pupils who did that test at that particular time of year, not that he/she got 50 out of 100. Using High / Above Average, Average and Low / Below Average as verbal descriptors is also useful. However, it must be remembered that test results are just a snapshot of how a particular child performed on a particular test on a particular day. A child’s performance can be affected by test anxiety or illness. It is important that this is pointed out to the parent(s). What is important in a situation where a child has scored below expectation, is how the child is performing and faring in class.

Further information on the CD can be found on www.micra-t.ie and email support is provided on support@micra-t.ie The MICRA-T & SIGMA-T Computerised Scoring System is available from C. J. Fallon for €20 plus P. & P. Helen Woods has been a Remedial Teacher since 1985. She is Deputy Principal and IT Co-ordinator in Scoil Chaitríona Senior, Renmore in Galway and holds a Masters of Arts in Digital Media Development for Education from U.L. Helen is an IT tutor with the Galway Education Centre.

The enormous creative potential of the human mind is untapped, for the most part. In our contemporary world the material body is awarded unjustified priority. We need to devote more time and attention to the mental/spiritual aspect of the person. This aspect includes fostering creativity through dream time, and, tasks involving the use of the imagination.

Spiritual education liberates the mind and detaches it from preoccupation with the material world.

Analytical thinking ought to be incorporated in everyday teaching. This involves the mind actively participating in the learning process. The child needs time to learn to dream and also time to explore and discover.

In teacher-centred education the teacher teaches, the child listens. The traditional approach saw the teacher and the textbooks as the initiators and the conveyors of all that was taught. The inculcation and reinforcement of information was more important than analysis of presented data. A rigid teacherdriven didactic method of teaching is unacceptable but so too is progressive education in the Pragmatic sense where teaching and learning are of value only if practical and useful results are produced. Childcentred education necessitates that work programmes be arranged in order to benefit every child, taking account of each individual’s stage of development, ability level, skills and interests.

The Committed Teacher has a Dream The teacher who teaches with conviction and with an effective method will realise his/her goals.

Enthusiasm radiates from the teacher who believes in the subject matter being taught and the inherent worth of each child. It is important to analyse critically the content of all subjects taught. If a teacher believes strongly enough in the philosophy that s/he teaches then aspiring towards the ideals of that philosophy will become a dream, a dream that s/he will be keen to achieve. If a teacher is committed to imparting and analysing information and if s/he radiates enthusiasm students will absorb that commitment and learn better The child, though an individual, feels the need to belong to a group. We can channel this need and use it to the child’s advantage. During the early adolescent years, in particular, students will accept the authority of their own peers more readily than that of a teacher. They may not be interested in the teacher’s efforts to encourage a critical attitude to all they hear, see and learn. They may want to defy the adult world, follow a cult, a fashion or a peer-led linear way of thinking. The teacher need not be discouraged by this. Group project work, at this stage in the child’s life, will help to develop independence

as well as social interaction and co-operation. Childcentred, activity methods of education allow the child to become directly involved in his/her own learning.

The DREAM Method The key elements of this activity method of teaching are direction, research, experience, analysis and mediation (DREAM). Dream to learn. Group project work is most beneficial to the age bracket nine to fourteen years and the most suitable number of students involved in a project is five. A leader is appointed from among the group. The teacher, leader and group members discuss and decide on the role of each member in the project team.

Educators ought to set aside time to allow the mind freedom to rest and dream.

The relaxed mind is creative.

Selected or volunteering pupils from within the group may choose various tasks such as researching and collecting information. This information will be the data for the booklet with the results of surveys and statistics included where possible. One member might be given responsibility for typing or handwriting the booklet, another for the art-work and chart display, the leader edits the material in consultation with the group and helps to direct the research. The teacher encourages the group to conduct their own research and directs them towards finding relevant information. They research, explore, invent and discover. They experience success and sometimes failure. Learning to cope with failure is a valuable experience.

Critical analysis is the key to editing acquired information. The group leader, with direction from the teacher, will analyse the material collected from the group members and discard that which is irrelevant or of little significance.

The final stage involves a briefing or demonstration by the group to their colleagues on their project work. Classmates ought to be given the opportunity to respond, criticise and give their views on the presentation. A main spokesperson is appointed as the mediator of the group. However, each member will be expected to contribute during this presentation stage. The communication, discussion and demonstration of the work should improve pupils’ communicative skills, enlarge their vocabulary and develop clarity and accuracy of speech. It will also prepare them for public speaking or leadership roles in later life.

PAGE 19

Communicating with class colleagues in this way will reinforce for each individual what has been researched and it will improve attention, retention and recall. Through this oral communication and pupil participation students will learn to applaud achievement, tolerate the less successful and criticise constructively. This mediation dimension with its participative, analytical and critical approach is most valuable.

The completed project might contain a display chart or model display and an accompanying booklet. The chart or model display should be visually informative, similar to an advertising poster. Effective colouring, appropriate visual art work or photographs, large bold-faced writing, and, the layout may determine the pedagogical success of the project.

Heed the Mind Traditional, and many contemporary educators too, are mainly concerned with educating the child’s mind. Children sit in a classroom and are taught through text books. In the not-too-distant past educators held the view that doing complex exercises sharpens the mind, that difficult mathematical problems and rote learning keep the mind active and can be compared with how physical exercise strengthens the body.

In our contemporary world children are easy prey to a consumer-driven society. Some marketing strategies exploit the innocent. Educators have a responsibility to protect and alert children to the subtleties of promotional techniques. Teaching students to be critical and to analyze all information is one of the main objectives of good teaching. We teach to be critical, to observe and listen. Actively and voluntarily we train the senses and teach the brain. Passively and involuntarily we dream and imagine. Consequently, we need to stimulate the brain and senses on the one hand but to heed the mind on the other.

Pat Keogh, Principal teacher in Ard Mhuire, Belgard, Dublin 24. Pat holds an MA degree in Philosophy and a PhD degree in Education (‘Thinking Critically’) from UCD. He is keenly interested in philosophy, particularly in language/ thinking, and, in the mind / brain dualism controversy. He is interested in the evolution of intelligence, the enormous capacity and capability of the human brain and the formation of character and personality. He has done research work on conditioning, indoctrination and the thinking process. We can refuse to eat, drink, act etc. but we cannot refuse to think. We are condemned to think.

He believes that children should be taught to think critically, while in the primary school, and learn to become aware of marketing strategies and promotional subtleties. When it is possible it may be better to allow children to eat rather than to feed them.

SPECIAL FEATURES

MICRA-T & SIGMA-T

Dream The

s Code, afe Cros S e th d arne o.” k. You le ur kids will to o “It’s bac y w o n and &

AINE LYNCH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - NATIONAL PARENTS’ COUNCIL-PRIMARY

2. Where did you receive your Primary education? Malvern Wells, a small primary school in Worcestershire in England. There were 48 pupils.

3. Have you any abiding memories of your primary school days? They were just very happy days, carefree. The school was a very happy, positive place and everybody knew everybody.

4. What teacher had the greatest influence on you? Because it was a small school, all 3 teachers had equal influence but in different ways. Mrs. George probably was my favourite though.

5. Were you ever bullied in school? Yes and I’ll never forget it or the person who bullied me. It also taught me never to under-estimate the misery a child can go through, however trivial the bullying may seem.

6. Do you feel school days are better or more stimulating for children today? No I think they are just different. There are a lot of things that weren’t available to me in my primary education, like computers and technology, however children today have a lot more challenges and pressures.

7. Why do you think so few males are going into teaching? As a female I may not be qualified to comment on this, but I will try! I am sure that the reasons so few males are going into teaching are multi-faceted and range from historical roles to professional development and everything in between. However, men in the wider population certainly appear to feel more vulnerable to allegations of child abuse. This on a larger scale, I feel, is a challenge that society needs to address, as it will begin to impact on how children view men and on the role men play in children’s lives in general. If these concerns

are affecting men in the general public it follows that this may impact on a profession where adults are left for long periods unsupervised with children.

9. What was your first job, was it your original career choice? My first job was a trainee accountant. No, it wasn’t my original career choice.

10. Do you feel your schooling adequately prepared your for your subsequent career choice? Not really. I had a lot of career changes in my early working life.

11. If you had the resources to change one particular aspect of the education system what would you change? I would make sure that primary education was properly resourced allowing parents, teachers, Principals and Boards of Management the opportunity to put all their energies and skills into the primary education of children.

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PAGE 20

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SAFE CROSS CODE CAMPAIGN AND RINGTONE SHARON DUNLEAVY

The Safe Cross Code is now available as a ringtone for mobile phone users nationwide, thanks to the efforts of a group of road safety-conscious Mayo students.

The 5th/6th class pupils at Derrywash National School, Castlebar re-launched the 1970s song last Christmas and now people can text and call to the tune of the code.

Speaking at the launch, school Principal, Mrs Sharon Dunleavy, urged children and adults to download the song and spread the road safety message.

“We must raise awareness of the dangers young people face on the roads and highlight what they can do to keep themselves safe and alive. This campaign highlights how vulnerable our young people are on our roads.”

“We want every adult and child in the country to download the Safe Cross Code and use it as a ringtone to help enforce the message of pedestrian safety,” she added.

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Online Courses 2008

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THE OSS R C E SAF CODE

Q&A 1. Do you remember your first day at school?

No I don’t. I remember my early years though and I remember being very happy. My brother who was 22 months older than me (he’d like to say 2 years older but those 2 months are important in your status when you are 5), was also in the school and we used to meet up at break time-it was nice to see a familiar face.

22

The ringtone can be accessed by texting the word ‘safe’ to 53305 at a cost of 50c, plus the extra charges with associated network providers. All proceeds from the campaign will go to the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dun Laoghaire.

This latest venture follows the Christmas launch of the Safe Cross Code CD, which the pupils recorded with comedian Brendan Grace, and went on to reach number six in the Irish charts.

3. Government to implement standardised cycling programme in all primary schools, free of charge.

Our school was fortunate to have been the inaugural school in Mayo to avail of Mayo County Council’s Cycling Proficiency Programme. However, these are not available free to schools nationally, and no standardised national programme exists.

4. Government to make it compulsory to wear cycling helmet.

Our research shows substantial deaths and injuries to young cyclists. Other countries have implemented mandatory wearing of cycle helmets, and have seen a corresponding drop in head injuries as a result of cycling accidents.

5. Inclusion of substantial section on Road Safety in CSPE Junior Cert Programme.

Compulsory Road Safety question on Junior Cert paper. We found no mention of Road Safety in 2 CSPE Junior Cert text books, and only 1 question on Junior Cert CSPE papers in the past 5 years since the subject was introduced.

6. Sports companies to have reflective stripes/lettering on jerseys, baseball caps etc, making it ‘cool’ for young people to wear reflective clothing.

Our own opinions and attitudes indicate that more reflective clothing 7would be worn if it was incorporated into sports clothes, or if popular companies and teams logos were printed on reflective strips.

For further information contact Sharon Dunleavy, Principal at Derrywash National School, Castlebar, Co. Mayo on 094 9023819.

Pupils at Derrywash first came to prominence with their road safety project almost two years ago when a number of key recommendations made by them were adopted by the Road Safety Authority.

STOPPING THE CARNAGE: RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Bring back the original ‘Safe Cross Code’.

After surveying the pupils in our school, we discovered that even though most children reported that they had been taught to cross the road, they could not describe and did not use the essential steps from the Safe Cross Code that would ensure their safety.

2. Government to provide every school-going child with a reflective vest/arm-band.

As a result of our Road Safety Experiment, we discovered that a pedestrian is visible to a motorist 140m earlier when wearing a reflective vest. We were very surprised at how effective the reflective armband with flickering lights was. It could be seen at a distance of 143.7m. We feel that these should be made available at cost price in all late night shops, pubs and clubs so no one should have to walk home at night without reflective clothing. A reflective vest is the most effective form of reflective clothing to wear.

PAGE 21

SPECIAL FEATURES

SPECIAL FEATURES

1 Layout sters: _SCCPo 101436

SPECIAL FEATURES

5.

Wiggle the hurley up and down quickly with an almost straight arm (use other arm for balance).

Coach checks every child for correct grip and direction of bas (turned out).

6.

There are ten lines of five markers, 1m apart. You will need markers in 5 colours in every line. Do not have same colour beside each other in adjoining lines. Three children is the ideal number in a line.

Two is ok but might be too demanding. You will need at least 10 beanbags. The tetra shaped bag is the most suitable for small children (1st & 2nd class)

Fundo Hurling Programme PAUDIE BUTLER – NATIONAL HURLING COORDINATOR AND FORMER PRINCIPAL OF DRUM NATIONAL SCHOOL, CO. TIPPERARY

ABCs Agility: Moving in different directions

Balance: Soloing with beanbag

Moving off either foot

Keeping beanbag on hurley, speed while turning

Coordination Using hands and legs at the same time in an orderly, controlled fashion

7.

Running up and down the road wiggling hurley Coach demonstrates. On the whistle first person in every line runs down middle of the road (between cones) wiggling the hurley. Coach observes without stopping activity, gives feedback (positive), corrects grip. Children want to race, promise them races later, now we want control of the hurley.

S = Speed (feet, hands, eye, mind, reaction)

RJTs Running: Forward, Backward, Sideways

Jumping: Take off & Landing

Throwing: Distance, Trajectory

Variable speeds

-Off one foot -Off two feet

Accuracy, Timing

Acceleration and deceleration

Turning & Stopping

One-handed small ball bean bag

CPKS Catching: One-handed: Down Catch –Aggressive Up Catch – Passive

Passing: Throwing: One-handed

Striking: On the ground static large ball On the ground static small ball

Hurley flick pass

From the hand In the air

1.

The traditional way of introducing children to hurling seemed to me to be very unproductive. It isn’t that the ground hurling isn’t important but it’s too demanding for the young child. The coach and the player experience failure way too early. We know now that we must build from success and so this new programme evolved based on the work done by Terence McWilliams with his fundamental movement skills for young children. We have added the hurley and replaced the ball with a much more compliant bean bag.

2.

Everywhere I go coaches ask me how they can change players who have their weak hand on top.

The “sword-grip” and the “glove hurley” are very helpful and give a degree of success. But why should so much time and energy be spent on remedial work? As a result of wide consultation it is clear now that the length and weight of the hurley lies at the heart of the problem.

3.

In single-handed sports like tennis everyone uses PAGE 22

the dominant hand (90% right, 10% left) to gain full control of the racket and execute their best shots.

4.

In this programme we start with one-handed grip: dominant hand (writing hand) grips hurley well down the handle until child has total control (using thumb). This feeling of control is our first feeling about the game and it must be successful. By holding the hurley in the dominant hand we are confident that this will become the permanent grip.

12.

Catching As in point 10, children run down the middle of the road but at the end of the road they flick the bag up in the air and jump to catch. They then run back and give bag to partner. Coach Demonstrates. Initially all we want is the confidence to have a go.

Key teaching points: “Eagles Claw” hand shape It’s the aggressive down catch rather than passive up catch. As children improve encourage them to jump off one foot and leave the ground altogether (this takes time). As with every routine coach’s judgement of how long to spend is vital. Too long leads to boredom. Too short means no skill gain.

Rough guide – 10 chances for each child.

New Schools’ Programme: This new programme is designed for whole classes of mixed ability children,boys and girls. Special needs children are also getting immense satisfaction in being able to perform with their peers. This programme is designed to help teachers to introduce children to hurling in a child-friendly way with a high chance of success. There is a key link to health and fitness which is now of huge importance. The procurement of these new style hurleys and the use of bean bags ensures a safe environment and reduces teachers’ worries.

PHYSICAL LITERACY FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT SKILLS

Golden Rule: Dominant hand = hurley hand Other hand = Catching hand

8.

When children have mastered middle of the road we move to weaving in and out through lines of cones.

9.

Children now line up behind cones. Coach demonstrates weaving run while wiggling the hurley all the time.

Check: some children may be holding hurley too tightly and experience cramp in the hand - a firm gentle grip is best 10.

When they have gained mastery of that, it’s time to introduce the ‘Bean Bag’. Coach demonstrates middle of the road run with bean bag.

Key teaching point: if the bag falls to the ground the child collects it with the free hand or ball hand (the hurley hand stays) 11.

Don’t worry if bean bags fall off early. This is natural and picking bag off ground with free hand is a skill in itself. Don’t see this as failure.

13.

Weave run with bean bag Coach demonstrates. Coach is looking for a nice smooth run, nice balance easy control. Arm almost straight. For some children the arm bends and the hurley comes up near the face leading to an awkward running style. Key here is to relax drop down hand and hurley and run freely.

14.

Forward Circle on 3rd cone. [As in 13] Coach demonstrates. When player comes to the 3rd cone she must do a full circle facing forward all the time before continuing her weaving run Bag may fall off.

Key skills: acceleration, deceleration, complex footwork.

15.

One leg hopping in the middle of the road Out on one leg Return on the other.

16a.

Side Skipping Coach Demonstrates. Children face coach who stands at one side of play area holding a hurley over his head. Children are encouraged to watch the coach's hurley and still be aware of the beanbag while skipping sideways down the middle of the road and back again.

16b.

Catching Flicking the bag into the catching hand while moving can be added to almost any exercise when you feel the children are ready. This adds to the excitement and enjoyment.

17.

ZigZag

Zig to right, Zag to left etc. When they begin to glide over the ground you’ll know they have the skill. Coach may have to demonstrate again for some children. For the return cross to the other side and work the opposite cones.

18.

Racing Cars

Full speed racing (bag on hurley) Middle of the Road.

Out to 3 stop reverse to 2.

Out to 4 stop reverse to 3.

Out to 5 race home.

Key Skill: stopping, reversing, full speed.

19.

Rest Exercises It will not be possible for the children to keep moving all the time so when appropriate (every 10-15mins) the coach should introduce some less strenuous exercises.

A. Children work in pairs standing 2-3m apart facing each other eg.

Child places bag on hurley and flicks (silent) to her partner who catches it (down catch) places it on her hurley and flicks it back.

B. Flick bag into the air and “catch” it on the hurley (10 each).

C. Flick bag over your head, spin around and “catch” it on the hurley (10 each).

20.

Swallows Swallows is a game that tests all the skills we have practised so far. Swallows is a high risk game and the rules must be clear. The swallow is one of the most agile birds of the air able to fly at tremendous speed, twisting and turning, darting through narrow openings to feed the young and catching flies on the wing.

Their judgement is brilliant. Even at the highest speed they never collide.

The swallow is an ideal hurling model. The cones come in 5 colours so there will be five colours in every line. If we place the cones so that a given colour is in a different place in every line it will allow us to play swallows. e.g. Mary is in front of the yellow cone so on the whistle Mary solos to every yellow cone on the floor until whistle sounds again. She then returns to her “nest”.

Progressions: (a) Count the number of cones she passed e.g. 7 (b) Flick the ball from hurley to hand as she passes her colour: Count how many “flies” she has going back to her nest.

Coach Demonstrates Place left foot at cone on left side of the “road” PAGE 23

SPECIAL FEATURES

HAVE YOU BEAN HURLING IN SCHOOL?

MEMBER BENEFITS

MEMBER BENEFITS

IPPN - AZZURRI Along with: ● Reflective Trims ● Fold Away Lined Hood ● Internal Coin Pocket with key loop ● Micro Fibre Fleece Lined Front Pockets ● Elasticated Cuffs

The jacket, developed by IPPN in association with our sportswear partner Azzurri, is a superior quality jacket that will appeal to children as a piece of clothing whether as part of a uniform or not.

The jacket is of superior quality: ● Lightweight ● Waterproof ● Windproof ● Breathable

The is available in the following standard colours at the IPPN negotiated cost of €35 including school crest embroidery if desired:

It includes important safety design features: ● Internal Mobile Pocket (incorporating special radio frequency shielding fabric to block mobile phone radiation offering children significant protection.) ● Concealed Draw Cord in the Waist

Azzurri, Kilcohan, Waterford

Navy

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Contact Caron Duffy at 051 852688 for further details. www.azzurri.ie/ippn

Tel: 051 850066

Email: sales@azzurri.ie

Principals let ScoilTel – IPPN’s landline telephone service

Lead you to better savings and service ScoilTel delivers: - Unrivalled call costs providing overall average monthly Savings of 30% - A single bill covering your line rental and call costs - A ScoilTel service team dedicated to IPPN members Simply call the ScoilTel service team on 1890 701 801 to make the switch by phone. All you need is a copy of your current provider’s bill in front of you and the school's bank account details to set up the direct debit. The switch is seamless and will take approximately 14 days.

Testimonial: I can't believe how easy it was to switch to ScoilTel. It's great to see the end of a monopoly and the beginning of lower charges for hard pressed school budgets'. - Gerry Murphy, Principal, St. Josephs NS, Dundalk, Co. Louth.

ScoilTel, a quality service from IPPN. *ScoilTel is a landline telephone service negotiated and developed by IPPN on behalf of its members and facilitated by Pure Telecom. ScoilTel's purpose is to provide IPPN’s members, and Primary schools across Ireland, with a low cost quality telephony service which is regularly monitored to ensure its ongoing competitiveness and efficiency.

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

A NOVEL APPROACH While the recent water charges debate highlighted the difficulties schools face in meeting such costs, a new and novel method of saving on water usage has immerged with the development of the Mecon Water Saver.

Early risers may have heard a recent feature on Morning Ireland from Ballina N.S. in Co Tipperary, on the shores of Lough Derg. School Principal Margaret O Sullivan and Green Schools Co-ordinator Deirdre Moloney outlined how the fitting of these devices to each school toilet has significantly reduced the amount of water used as well as providing the children with a practical example of how they can contribute to a better environment.

MECON GREEN BUTTONS IN ALL OUR LOOS! MARGARET O’SULLIVAN The Green School Committee is very active in our school and comitted to our environment. Initially, in an application to the Department of Education and Science (Building Section), they sought unsuccessfully for ‘Lower Flush Toilets’ to be installed in our new school.

They then heard of the’MECON SYSTEM’ at a local Trade Fair. It is a very inexpensive system both to buy and install. MECON came to the school, demonstrated the ‘Green Buttons’ to the committee and explained its scientific principle. In consultation with our Local Environmental Officer, Aine McCarthy, North Tipperary County Council agreed to install and fund them in our school as a pilot project. We got great media coverage on Morning Ireland with reporter, Cian McCormack, and also in the Local Press.

IPPN - AZZURRI Along with: ● Reflective Trims ● Fold Away Lined Hood ● Internal Coin Pocket with key loop ● Micro Fibre Fleece Lined Front Pockets ● Elasticated Cuffs

The jacket, developed by IPPN in association with our sportswear partner Azzurri, is a superior quality jacket that will appeal to children as a piece of clothing whether as part of a uniform or not.

The jacket is of superior quality: ● Lightweight ● Waterproof ● Windproof ● Breathable

On a recent visit to the school by the Army Band of the Southern Brigade, the children composed and recorded our school ‘MECON SONG’ (to the air of BINGO)

The is available in the following standard colours at the IPPN negotiated cost of €35 including school crest embroidery if desired:

It includes important safety design features: ● Internal Mobile Pocket (incorporating special radio frequency shielding fabric to block mobile phone radiation offering children significant protection.) ● Concealed Draw Cord in the Waist

Azzurri, Kilcohan, Waterford

Navy

Black

Red

Contact Caron Duffy at 051 852688 for further details. www.azzurri.ie/ippn

Tel: 051 850066 PAGE 26

Royal Blue Bottle Green

Email: sales@azzurri.ie

‘IN OUR SCHOOL AND ON OUR LOOS THERE IS A MECON BUTTON MECON MECON MECON, PUSH IT AND SAVE WATER!’ The children are now fully aware of the amount of water they are saving in the school by using their ‘green buttons’ Some parents too expressed an interest in buying and installing them in their own homes.

PAGE 27

RECYCLING

MEMBER BENEFITS

WATER CONSERVATION

Bun go Barr is a major new series of Readers/Activity Books in Irish for primary schools.

The ten themes, as prescribed in the Revised Curriculum, are treated comprehensively with each one being visited twice during the course of each book. The language used has been carefully selected and is aimed at the appropriate levels. A detailed Súil Siar lesson follows every four chapters.

Each chapter opens with a highly-colourful two-page-spread which encourages all the necessary skills oral language comprehension vocabulary acquisition reading conversation/phrases writing

A CD, to encourage oral and aural skills, will be available for each class.

Each book has 144 pages, in full colour.

Books for Third to Sixth Classes will be published in 2008.

Books for Junior Infants to Second Class will be published in 2009.

Ceartlitriú is a series of five spelling books in Irish for each class from Second to Sixth.

In each book of 80 pages, the ten themes as prescribed in the Revised Curriculum feature twice and there is a revision lesson after each group of four chapters. Each new word is introduced pictorially through attractive, full-colour illustrations.

In Ceartlitriú 2, for Second Class, eight words are introduced each week, divided into four groups of two words per day.

In Ceartlitriú 3, 4, 5 and 6, for Third to Sixth Classes, twelve words are introduced each week, divided into four groups of three words per day.

Most of the words used in Ceartlitriú act as a revision of the vocabulary used in the Bun go Barr series.

Weekly and monthly revision tests may be recorded at the back of each book.

These books complete the very popular A Way with Words series published last year.

A Way with Words Junior Infants facilitates the development of oral language, reading readiness, prewriting and basic letter formation skills. Pupils will progress from the most fundamental of matching and drawing exercises to the introduction of simple, basic words.

Carefully-designed illustrations at the beginning of each chapter in A Way with Words Senior Infants foster oral language development and encourage classroom discussion. Relevant vocabulary appears in the form of captions, while each discussion page is followed by carefully-integrated, graded activities.

My First Schoolbook is an attractive and practical Activity Book for use during a child’s first few months at school.

It records his/her first tentative steps in this new and structured environment. In future years, it will be reviewed with fond memories by both pupils and parents alike.

In My First Schoolbook, the child is introduced to the primary colours, the four main geometric shapes, some major feasts and festivals, healthy foods etc.

CJ Fallon · Ground Floor – Block B · Liffey Valley Office Campus · Dublin 22 · Tel 01 616 6490