Leadership+ Issue 77 November 2013

ISSUE 77 â—? NOVEMBER 2013

+ Leadership THE PROFESSIONAL VOICE OF PRINCIPALS

How can ICT support teachers using different teaching approaches?

New approach to tackle the scourge of bullying Many children suffer the trauma of bullying. It can be a devastating experience with long-lasting consequences.

Too many children have opted to end their own lives as the ultimate solution to the misery of bullying.

Employing Ancillary Staff Digital Schools of Distinction The Anti-Bullying Campaign Programme A New Approach to Bullying Prevention

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New approach to tackle the scourge of bullying

By SeĂĄn Cottrell and Brendan McCabe Many children suffer the trauma of bullying. It can be a devastating experience with long-lasting consequences. Too many children have opted to end their own lives as the ultimate solution to the misery of bullying.The helplessness and fear in the eyes of parents whose children cry their way to school and home again is simply heart-breaking.

Many adults harbour memories of being bullied in childhood, and the fact that those memories are still quite vivid for a lot of people is proof of their negative impact.

Principals and teachers are all too aware of the seriousness of bullying and are conscious of the need for vigilance to minimise the likelihood of its occurrence.

The recently published Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools are an attempt to address this important issue.The purpose of these procedures is to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school staff in the prevention and counteraction of school-based bullying.They also aim to deal with the knock-on effects within school of bullying behaviour that takes place outside school.They require all schools to formally adopt and implement an anti-bullying policy that fully complies with the procedures.

The traditional approach of investigating and punishing bullying behaviour in some cases simply does not work and can make a situation even worse. The new reform-based approach within the new procedures challenges the behaviour and not the person, allowing those involved to understand the consequences and put the bullying behind them.

Principals and teachers are all too aware of the Editor: Seån Cottrell Deputy Editor: Geraldine D'Arcy Assistant Editor: Brendan McCabe Comments and articles to editor@ippn.ie Advertising: Louise O’Brien louise.obrien@ippn.ie Irish Primary Principals’ Network, Glounthaune, Co Cork 1890 21 22 23 | www.ippn.ie

seriousness of bullying and are conscious of the need for vigilance to minimise the likelihood of its occurrence. Unfortunately though, like the infections which seem to invade our hospitals, bullying is very difficult to completely eliminate from schools. Intimidation of one child by another can be as subtle as just a look or an unspoken gesture.

is in a position to do something about it that bullying can really be tackled. Children must be taught the difference between ‘horseplay’ and ‘messing’ on the one hand and repeated, targeted hurtful or upsetting behaviour on the other – which is the new definition of bullying behaviour.

Schools must continue to promote the concept of speaking out and always saying ‘No’ to bullying.

Principals find it particularly difficult to deal with bullying incidents which occur completely outside of the school, whether through direct contact or through text messaging, facebook, twitter, ask.fm and so on. Sensibly, the new procedures do not require the school to investigate such incidents other than when their effects spill into the school.

Retired teacher Seån Fallon has developed a comprehensive, teacher-friendly Anti-Bullying Programme that has been tried and tested in many schools across the country.The programme is free of charge and teacher-led and fully compliant with the new procedures. It can be accessed from the homepage of ippn.ie and also from antibullyingcampaign.ie. Please refer to Seån’s article on page 16 of this issue.

Children must be taught the difference between ‘horseplay’ and ‘messing’ on the one hand and repeated, targeted hurtful or upsetting behaviour on the other Experience suggests that bullying is a learned behaviour; in most cases it is a behaviour that is not learned in school. While the new guidelines place teachers and principals in a challenging role, failing to address bullying appropriately is not an option.The procedures are not just another set of procedures from the DES.They require a process which involves parents, children and teachers in the refining of your school’s existing policy. The key purpose of the process is not for ‘process sake’ but is to communicate and implement a new approach, which is ‘to reform, not to blame’.

The best anti-bullying policies are those which promote the culture of ‘Tell’. It is only when children realise that they must tell some adult who The opinions expressed in Leadership+ do not necessarily reflect the official policy or views of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network ISSN: 1649 -5888 Design: Brosna Press 090 6454327 • info@brosnapress.ie

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Legal Diary

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

School Principal successfully thwarts Board of Management attempt to demote her in Landmark Section 24 case A Principal v A Board of Management High Court 2013 (J O’Malley) The Board of the School decided to demote the principal to the grade of ‘mainstream’ or ordinary teacher. The decision was made on the basis that she was guilty of ‘serious misconduct’. The Board held an investigation under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 which involved hearings over four nights.

When the Board communicated its decision to the principal, she exercised her entitlement to appeal the decision to the Teachers’ Disciplinary Appeals Board (TDAB). The appeal was largely successful from the Principal’s viewpoint. It recommended that the disciplinary process should recommence at the informal stage of the procedure and that the Board of Management should warn the applicant as to her conduct and should ask her for an apology for her behaviour. However, the Board of Management did not accept this recommendation and affirmed its original decision.

The principal applied for a Judicial Review of the Board’s decision on two grounds; firstly that the decision breached the terms of the DES circular 60/2009 entitled ‘Revised Procedures for Dismissal and Suspension of Principal’s Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998’ in that fairness of procedures and natural justice were breached. Secondly that the sanction imposed was disproportionate.

BACKGROUND The principal had taught in the school for the past 32 years and had been principal for the last 6 years. The school had fewer than 100

pupils and was the subject of a positive Whole School Evaluation (WSE). The dispute between the Principal and the Board concerned an unqualified teacher who was awarded permanent status by the Board despite trenchant opposition from the school principal and the rest of the teaching staff. Teacher X had a teaching qualification from an English university.

the Chairperson of the Board instructed the Principal to prepare a fixed-term contract for a replacement for Teacher X who would be unavailable for the whole year. The principal refused on the basis that an unqualified teacher such as Teacher X could not be replaced by a fixed-term teacher. It was this refusal to carry out a legitimate instruction that was at the heart of the disciplinary action.

The dispute between the Principal and the Board concerned an unqualified teacher who was awarded permanent status by the Board despite trenchant opposition from the school principal and the rest of the teaching staff.

The Board submitted that the pupils were at a disadvantage by having only four teachers when the sanctioned DES full compliment was five. The Principal turned away a teacher who had been sent to the school by the Chairperson. The Principal was of the view that the vacancy could only be filled on a substitute basis rather than a fixed-term one.

The Board alleged that the Principal was ‘extremely difficult, dictatorial and closed to the views of others’. The Board claimed that some members and the Chairperson of the Parents Association had resigned in previous years as a result of the Principal’s behaviour.

The difficulty was that, despite giving an undertaking, he never bothered to acquire the necessary qualification in Irish and was not eligible to teach a mainstream class. The situation was somewhat alleviated for the school by virtue of the fact that he was assigned to the ‘Principal Release Day’ scheme.

A few short months later, in December 2009, he went on long term sick leave with his employment finally being terminated in January 2013. There was a good deal of unhappiness on the part of the other teachers in the school, due to the knock-on effects on the entitlements and job security of the more junior staff members.

The dispute crystallised in August 2012 when

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SECTION 24 HEARING School principals can be the subject of disciplinary procedures which fall under two headings 1. professional competence issues (deals with teaching only) 2. Other disciplinary issues.

The Board proceeded to deal with the Principal under the second heading.

There are five possible stages: 1. Informal 2. Formal 3. Final written warning 4. Formal hearing of the Board 5. Appeal to the TDAB.

The Board initiated proceedings at Stage 4.

After the hearing, the sanction of demotion was conveyed with an accompanying direction that the principal could never attend a future BoM meeting as a teacher representative. The later direction was withdrawn when it was explained that such a condition was contrary to the rules governing membership of Boards.

The TDAP held that the agreed procedures set out in the circular were not followed, and that the sanction was disproportionate.

STAGE 5 APPEAL TO THE TEACHERS DISCIPLINARY APPEAL PANEL This is an advisory appeal process, with the final decision being reserved to the Board as employer.

The purpose was not for a rehearing but to establish if the procedures in the circular had been adhered to.Whilst there has been no data collated, it is estimated that to date there have been hundreds of Section 24 proceedings initiated.

There have only been 15 stage 5 appeals as of June 2012.These have resulted in 6 dismissals, 5 suspensions without pay, and 1 demotion.

The TDAP held that the agreed procedures set out in the circular were not followed, and that the sanction was disproportionate. It recommended that the Board recommence the disciplinary procedures at stage 1 (informal), and should set a timescale for the principal to reach the standards of behaviour required and that she would behave with more courtesy and civility when interacting with the Board. The Principal accepted the recommendation but the Board rejected it and stood by its original decision to demote the Principal. On foot of this decision, the Principal initiated the judicial review proceedings.

JUDGEMENT Judge O Malley quashed the decision of the Board to demote the principal. She stated that ‘The TDAB is a body of the sort to which the courts generally display a high level of deference on issues within its area of expertise. Its recommendations

should, accordingly, carry very substantial weight with Boards of Management.While a Board is not bound to carry out its recommendation, it should in my view depart from it only for very good reasons.’

compiling the guidelines along with accompanying templates. It is important to state that the new guidelines do not impose any extra legal responsibilities on schools.

The judge continued ‘There is no doubt that the Principal’s preoccupation with the issues led her to forget her duty of respect to the Board. It is clear that this led to increasing levels of frustration amongst Board members. However, rather than confront her, the attitude was to suffer in silence in the apparent hope that she would change.

In terms of management, this was a recipe for disaster.’

Education Centres will be hosting a two hour in-service for school principals and one other member of staff. Attendance at the in-service is necessary in order to avail of hard copies of the templates. Whilst reading the documents is time-consuming, it is worthwhile as there are lots of excellent tips on how to improve health and safety and in particular the quality of a safety statement. Some of the areas highlighted include pupils with challenging behaviour, assaults on staff, work related stress and bullying.

OBSERVATION This is the first High Court challenge regarding the workings of the Section 24 procedures in relation to teacher discipline. Parties to disciplinary proceedings should be slow to disregard the recommendations of the TDAB on foot of this judgement. Boards of Management should commence proceedings, if at all possible, at the initial stages unless the breach of discipline is of a very serious nature.

Equally, principals dealing with questions of professional competence of teachers should commence proceedings at the initial stages.The finding that the demotion of the principal was disproportionate reflects an earlier High Court decision in the Cathy McSorley case. In 2012, a Court ruled that the proposed dismissal of a post-primary principal was disproportionate (See Legal Diary in Leadership+ Issue 70, September 2012).

It is important to state that the new guidelines do not impose any extra legal responsibilities on schools.

NEW HEALTH AND SAFETY TEMPLATES FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS The Health and Safety Authority, in collaboration with the Department of Education and Skills, are launching new guidelines for primary schools. Kilkenny Education Centre has facilitated the work on PAG E 5

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How can ICT support teachers using different teaching approaches?

By Tom Lonergan, National Coordinator for Technology Integration, PDST Technology in Education In primary classrooms throughout the country teachers use a range of teaching approaches to support, enhance and transform the process of learning. These teaching methodologies range from a more traditional or teacher-led approach on one hand to a range of student-centred, active, constructivist, or inquiry/problem-based approaches on the other. Many teachers use a combination or blend of these approaches as there is ‘no one best approach’ that covers all situations.

they would have more opportunities to be ‘creators’ themselves. In a more active learning model, children would be encouraged to be more self-directed and have more control over their own learning. Some more examples of children constructively using ICT while engaging in active learning include: I

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Similarly, there is a diversity of children’s capabilities and learning styles, with each child having their own unique combination of attributes. Different backgrounds and situations influence children’s pre-disposition towards how a particular teaching approach might ‘connect’ with their learning style. Every teacher also brings their own unique combination of teaching style, skills and personal characteristics to the teaching process. Again, a diversity of approaches rather than any one ‘best’ model is required for different situations.

Though these technologies can be used to support a range of different teaching methodologies, how they are used may differ significantly.

ICT SUPPORTING TEACHERS Teaching computers, digital projectors, interactive whiteboards and visualisers are currently used extensively in Irish primary classrooms to support learning. Many schools also integrate the use of video and still images into their learning. Though these technologies can be used to support a range of different teaching methodologies, how they are used may differ significantly. Where a teacher-led methodology is used, the natural tendency is to use ICT to support that approach.

An example might be a teacher who uses an interactive whiteboard (IWB) or a visualiser in ways that help the teacher manage the classroom in a particular way. Alternatively, in a more student-centred approach, the children could have a more active role in using the IWB where

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Using ‘Scratch’ visual programming applications to support literacy or numeracy Children collaboratively planning, filming and editing a short film Children creating their own online content using blogs Children engaging in peer assessment of each others’ work.

TABLETS IN PRIMARY CLASSROOMS In the last two to three years, tablets are being introduced by increasing numbers of primary schools. Tablets offer new capabilities and possibilities for learning and teaching, mainly in terms of their flexibility, mobile capabilities, ease of use and range of educational ‘apps’.Their ‘instanton’ capability facilitates the possibility of ‘anytime, anywhere’ learning for short periods in classrooms or outdoor learning situations. They can also be used in situations where ICT might not have been considered before, due to limited battery life and longer start-up times on laptops.

Tablets offer schools options to provide children with a portable learning device which can support independent and differentiated learning throughout the school day. Research indicates that, where children have access to computing devices in classrooms, the balance of ‘learner control’ tends to shift from the teacher to the child.This in turn can facilitate higher levels of self-direction, motivation, engagement and introduce more fun into learning.

Tablets can be introduced in different ways by schools, whereby: I tablets are purchased initially for teachers I a set of tablets are shared and rotated among different classes I children bring their own devices (referred to as BYOD) to school.

While the BYOD approach may seem daunting to many, and presents a range of challenges for schools and parents, it may become the PA PA GG E E6 6

predominant model in the future, especially as tablets become more common in homes and become more accepted as bona fide learning devices.

Tablets offer schools options to provide children with a portable learning device which can support independent and differentiated learning throughout the school day.

Tablets have the potential to generate a significant paradigm shift in learning as they can support diverse and flexible learning approaches both within and beyond the classroom walls. In a wider context, the combination of tablet devices, cloud computing-based applications, along with wireless and broadband connectivity, is a potential ‘game-changer’. These combined technologies are helping to create an enhanced range of flexible and fit-for-purpose learning environments which can more effectively support diverse teaching approaches.

The PDST Technology in Education website includes a range of excellent ‘Good Practice Videos’ where teachers illustrate how they are using ICT in primary schools to support more effective teaching and learning using a range of different methodologies. These videos can be accessed at www.pdsttechnologyineducation.ie/ GoodPractice/Videos/Primary.

IN CONCLUSION Solutions don’t lie in the technology itself, but rather in its appropriate use in teaching and learning.

Technology should always be seen in a ‘supporting actor’ role to learning, rather than being an end it itself. A combination of fit-forpurpose ICT tools has the potential to support, enhance or even transform learning across a range of different teaching and learning methodologies.

Tom has been working with schools for over 10 years, advising on all aspects of ICT infrastructure. He also has responsibility for the Schools Broadband Programme in PDST.

Employing Ancillary Staff

By Caroline O’Dea Given the diversity of schools, their size, location and needs; there is no one-size fits all when it comes to recruitment. There are no formal procedures issued to schools on the recruitment of ancillary support staff.That being said; there is employment law, there are simple guidelines; and there is a lot of information and expertise available to assist you in getting the right person to join your team. In engaging with the recruitment process, Boards of Management (BoM) should refer to the Employment Equality Act of 1998.

Discuss & collate with the chairperson of your BoM and/or other members of your board and staff to determine a comprehensive list of tasks/work areas.

The information below in non-directive and is provided in an attempt to assist schools in identifying their specific ancillary support needs and then matching a skill-set and experience to meet these needs.

WHAT ARE THE ANCILLARY SUPPORT NEEDS IN YOUR SCHOOL? Discuss & collate with the chairperson of your BoM and/or other members of your board and staff to determine a comprehensive list of tasks/work areas.

Determine from your BoM the budget you have for salary. There are a number of financial considerations; employee PRSI, employers PRSI – the number of available hours of work v social welfare benefits (if applicable); this might be a factor if there were very few hours of employment available to potential employees. If accounting skills are not on your BoM, engage the expertise of a Senior or HR manager in a local business that might assist you.

In determining what constitutes a fair salary for a school secretary or caretaker, please refer to Seán Cottrell’s article in Leadership+, Issue 59 ‘Establishing a system of fair pay for Secretaries and Caretakers in primary schools’.

Once you have determined a rate and the number of hours you can afford - prioritise the task lists under headings for each area of support required – Administration / Cleaning / Maintenance etc.

DETERMINING THE SKILL SET Historically, ancillary support staff may have had responsibility for; and indeed the skills required to carry out no more than very basic duties. Today, this skill set needs to be a lot more comprehensive to truly support principal teachers and their schools.

It is also recommend that when schools are recruiting for a specific role in administration support/ maintenance/ cleaning etc; to request someone with experience in the relevant area to join your recruitment panel. These contacts can provide a good insight into the skills & experience to look for on a CV, and indeed to ask the right technical questions during interviews.

Availing of this expertise during the recruitment process applies whether recruiting a part-time role with very few hours or a fulltime role. It could be argued that their contribution might be more important if weekly ancillary support hours are very few.

ADVERTISING We often get queries in relation to whether schools need to advertise vacancies for ancillary staff roles, where to advertise the vacancy and how long a position needs to be advertised for.

The best practice is for all vacancies in a school to be advertised. Vacancies for ancillary staff can be advertised in a parish newsletter, parish notice board, a local newspaper or a local online vacancy advertising website. The advertising time line is at the discretion of the BoM as the DES do not provide recruitment guidelines for ancillary staff.

CONTRACTS Always ensure employees are provided with a contract that specifically includes the following key aspects: 1. Role Description and Working Hours a. Do you need support during July & August along with other school breaks?

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b. Will you require work to be carried out - outside of regular school hours, c. Will you require work to be carried in the evening or at weekends? Will this be regularly or on occasion?

Once you have determined a rate and the number of hours you can afford prioritise the task lists under headings for each area of support required – Administration / Cleaning / Maintenance etc.

2. Salary and payments How often are payments made and what method of payment is used? Cheque, Bank transfer etc 3. Annual Leave and Payment A very specific formula is used to calculate annual leave for part-time staff depending on their hours of work. Pay is normally calculated to include holiday pay to avoid the need for additional payments.

4. Sick Leave 5. Probation Period and Contract Duration 6. Termination of Employment The post maybe linked to continuous funding being received – this may run out.

State this in the contract of employment and make it known at interview stage.

Note: The BoM is the employer of all ancillary staff, with the Principal Teacher the day to day manager of the school and its staff. Employee remuneration, tax or PRSI deductions are the responsibility of the Treasurer of the BoM (as outlined in the Constitution of Boards & Rules of procedure 2011 (DES) If you have specific queries in relation to the employment of ancillary staff, please feel free to e-mail info@ippn.ie with your query.

The Tale of the Dog

By Damian White, Principal of Scoil Shinchill, Killeigh, Co. Offaly

I drive through my local village of Mountbolus several times most days and each time the same 3-legged dog chases me down the road, barking his opprobrium at the latest car to invade his territory. Each time I have the same silent conversation with him, the polite version of which is ‘You silly little dog. Will you ever learn?’

Over the past few weeks a few of us hardy annuals have travelled the highways and byways to IPPN meetings in each county to share what information we have and to take back the issues affecting principals and deputies in each area. For those of us in school, it usually involves a mad dash across the country with the woes of the day still ringing in our ears.

Over the past few weeks a few of us hardy annuals have travelled the highways and byways to IPPN meetings in each county to share what information we have and to take back the issues affecting principals and deputies in each area.

This year, following salary cuts and threats of every sort, I set off with more trepidation than usual. My 3-legged friend saw me through his dominion with his usual salute but my mind was elsewhere, trying to remember the issues I was to cover and the acronyms for each agency involved. Like Mr. Trapattoni, I have trouble with names, not people’s names mind you, but those 3 and 4-letter clusters whose decisions and whims occupy our every day and occasional sleepless night. Unlike the affable and defence-obsessed Italian, I had no Manuela by my side heading to Galway to translate what NEWB or SESS meant, nor had I a cheque from Denis O Brien for that matter.

Driving to Galway is always a pleasure, albeit a more rapid one with the motorway. Driving on such roads, however, does allow time for the mind to wander. At least the mind gets exercise when driving. As those acronyms floated around in my head I thought back to a daft game we played going to college each morning to stave off thoughts of double peannaireacht or the macabre pleasure of Sr. Redempta’s Roinn H.This was before the car registration plates changed to include county initials in 1987. Up to then, incongruous groups of 3 letters appeared on car plates. Our game involved pronouncing them together or, more pertinently, making up ridiculous organisations for those initials. For interest, a car registered as BZU would belong to the ‘Bearded Zombies Union’ while DNI would transport the ‘Drunk Nerds Institute’.You can see now why many of us were released after 3 years for good behaviour, armed with a pass degree.

Facing the prospect of outlining what a whole range of acronyms (or should that be organisations that cause acrimony!!) were planning for the year, I reverted to the bones of our old game to come up with some of my own to try and describe their effect on us as school leaders.

We have just become accustomed to WSE ‘Whole Shelf Emptying’ or perhaps ‘Wonderful Show of Enlightenment’. When MLL is introduced - ‘More Largesse for Leaders’? Thought not. ‘More Load for Leaders’? More likely. ‘More Leaders Leaving’ could represent the picture as June 2014 approaches. I found it impossible to rethink the acronym MLL without using the word ‘leader’.

Our big focus this year has been on SSE and Developing SIP. In theory, ‘Solid Statistical Evidence’ could lead to ‘Sensible, Sound Education’ becoming ‘Super-Intelligent Practice’. However ‘ Strangled, Stressed Educators’ coupled with ‘Stacks of Sizeable Extras’ could lead to ‘Seriously Inundated Principals’, so beware!

Induction is a welcome development and NIPT should lead to’ No Increased Principals’ PAG E 8

Turmoil.’ Heretofore it might have been ‘Naive Inexperienced Petrified Teacher’.

Happily those days are gone.

Our big focus this year has been on SSE and Developing SIP. In theory, ‘Solid Statistical Evidence’ could lead to ‘Sensible, Sound Education’ becoming ‘Super-Intelligent Practice’.

PDST have had more previous names than Cork-based League of Ireland teams. Starting out as PCSP, ‘Pre-Calamity Sailing Plainly’, they morphed into PPDS around the time of ‘Principals’ Pain Disaster Strike’. The present organisation, staffed with many of the same people, are seeking to ‘Provide Direction, Supporting Teachers’.

The motorway has me in Galway before I could say ‘Need Cash Commencing Aistear’.

The meeting, in spite of my anxieties, was very pleasant. Humour was of the gallows variety.

We reflected on how a ‘coach and four’ has been driven through Irish education in the past 5 years, dropping extra cargo on its way.

Driving home, John Creedon was playing the music of my generation and before.That, along with my inner thoughts on how proud I was to share a profession with the people I’d spoken with - people who have taken massive personal and professional hit - and how they still continue to focus on the welfare of their children and their schools.

Three miles from home and close to midnight, my 3-legged friend cut a forlorn figure. A short chase followed. Like my friend, any more additions to our burden will leave us without a leg to stand on.

Risk Management for Schools Flood-related Damage Sponsored by Allianz Every year, regardless of the severity of weather conditions, many schools end up with property loss or damage as a result of poor or non-existent maintenance. In many cases, schools could have prevented or limited these losses by implementing a structured maintenance and risk management plan, including regular inspection and repair of school property.

In this series, we set out some basic risk control/loss prevention measures that can be implemented with minimal cost but which can greatly reduce your susceptibility to loss or damage in the follow key areas: 1. Frost / Freeze / Storm – Issue 76 2. Flood – Issue 77 3. Fire – Issue 78 4. General Maintenance – Issue 79.

FLOOD PROTECTION There is not always time to prepare for a flood,

however if you do receive advance warning, there are a number of actions you can take to minimise the school’s risk of damage: I Raise to higher ground (upstairs or on worktops) furniture, appliances or other items that may be damaged by direct contact with water for an extended period I

Move vehicles, valuables or other items to safety

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Put sandbags or flood boards in place

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Plug sinks / baths and put sandbags in all toilet bowls to prevent backflow

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Clear blocked drains if it is safe to do so

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Turn off gas and electricity supplies (get expert help if necessary)

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Never unplug or disconnect electric appliances or try to turn off the electricity supply if you have to stand in water or on

a wet floor or surface to do so I

Don’t enter basements or any room if water covers electric cables that are plugged in or if water covers electric outlets

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Keep a flashlight and spare batteries in an accessible place

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Exit the property with care, as submerged debris could cause you to trip or fall

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When the flooding is over, ventilate the building.

Quick Checklist I Are gutters, down pipes and drains clear?

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Are roof slates and tiles secure?

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Are the grounds clear of loose materials and rubbish?

Resourcces to help Resources h p address ad address the targets tar arrgets g MHIRXM¿IH MR ]SYV 7GLSSP -QTVSZIQIRX 4PER M X IH MR ]SYV 7GLS MHIRXM¿IH S SP -QTVSZIQIR -QTV I RX 4PER 4

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Digital Schools of Distinction

By Robbie O’Leary, Principal of An Chroi Ro Naofa Senior, Killinarden, West Tallaght, Dublin September 25th 2013 marked the launch of the new Digital Schools of Distinction award scheme for primary schools. The scheme was formally launched by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn TD, supported by Cabinet colleague Mr. Pat Rabbitte TD and Minister of State Ciaran Cannon TD. Some of you will probably remember the launch of the original Digital Schools scheme as far back as 2006, when Mary Hanafin TD was Minister.There are a number of important differences between the original scheme and its latest incarnation: The new scheme is fully endorsed and supported by the DES, who have stated that it will play an integral role in its new (currently under development) ICT strategy for schools Following the demise of NCTE, the lead coordinating role is now under the control of Dublin West Education Centre and is chaired by its Director, Mr. Gerard McHugh Unlike the previous scheme, new schools in receipt of the award will receive a tangible reward (in addition to the plaque) in the form of a Digital Schools Classroom Kit, to include a HP laptop with Microsoft software including Windows 8, Office 365 and educational apps and access to education ICT specialists In addition to the original partners who support the programme (and have representation on the

steering committee) namely IPPN, INTO and CESI, PDST and DES are also represented along with industry partners and financial sponsors HP and Microsoft. These two companies have committed an investment of €300,000 to the scheme in the first year.

The scheme, however, is not entirely new: the original criteria and evaluation procedures are largely unchanged, as is its raison d’être: to promote, reward and encourage best practice use of technology in primary schools in Ireland. I would also like to state emphatically that this scheme has nothing to do with technology branding or counting computers: it is a fundamental principle of the programme that the essential role of technology in primary schools is as a resource for teaching and learning.

Like the Green Schools and Active Schools award schemes, the Digital Schools of Distinction initiative is optional. Schools can choose whether or not it would be beneficial to take part.This is not solely for those schools that are advanced in their integration of modern technology. I am well aware of the reality in many schools where they are struggling against massive odds to make progress in this area: the self assessment tools available on the web site offer, I believe, a very useful tool to help schools identify areas of strength and weakness, and some practical suggestions that may be useful.

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Clearly, major obstacles remain in place that militate strongly against schools being able to fully embrace the tools of the new digital age to benefit all pupils. Lack of funding and inadequate broadband capacity present massive obstacles to progress as does the moratorium on posts of responsibility.The launch of this scheme, however, has presented a valuable opportunity for such difficulties to be highlighted and I urge all principals to take advantage of it in order that as much attention as possible is focused on these problems. If they remain unresolved, it will blight the future prospects of all our pupils, as competing nations drive on, leaving Irish schools lagging further and further behind.

It’s well worth while visiting the web site www.digitalschools.ie and having a look at the award criteria. Perhaps you’ll find that your school ticks a lot more boxes than you thought...

I am delighted to be joined once again on the steering committee by fellow IPPN member Peter Coakley, Principal of Maynooth BNS, Co. Kildare.

Editor’s Note: IPPN would like to warmly congratulate Robbie O’Leary and his colleagues in An Chroi Ro Naofa Senior for winning a Digital Schools of Distinction 2013 award

Q&A with Tomás Ó Ruairc Director, The Teaching Council Explain the three main objectives of your organisation The Teaching Council is the professional standards body for teaching. It is responsible for promoting and regulating the profession of teaching, on behalf of the profession and in the interests of the public. It does this so as to maintain and enhance standards of teaching and learning, so that our children and young people are enabled to become themselves into the future.

To whom are you answerable?

As Director of the Teaching Council, I am answerable to the 37-member Council, 16 of whom are teachers are elected by registered teachers, 6 nominated by the teacher unions, 4 HEI nominees, 4 school management bodies, 2 parents’ representatives and 5 Ministerial nominees, one of whom is from IBEC, the other from ICTU. How many staff, both full-time and parttime, does your organisation employ?

The organisation has 32 part-time and full-time staff.

If principals need support or guidance from the Teaching Council, is there an easy and reliable way of accessing that support?

The Council has been working at enhancing our communications with all stakeholders, including principals, and we are always keen to hear how we can improve those efforts further and make information more accessible. Principals can access support and information in a number of ways: I I

I

I

I

By phoning the Council at 01 651 7900 If the principal has a query on section 30, they can phone the dedicated line at 01 651 7911, which is open 9 to 5, 5 days a week, or emailing section30@teachingcouncil.ie Many schools have a Teaching Council Contact Person. If a principal has such a member of staff in their school, that person can be an effective conduit for queries.

By visiting our website, teachingcouncil.ie.

As of 1st September, all registered teachers, including principals, have free access to the EBSCO on-line collection of education journals.They can access this collection through their registered teacher log-in on the website’s home page.There are also FAQs in a number of areas, and some video clips giving an overview of the Council’s work.

By following us on twitter @teachingcouncil.We have found this to be a very effective way of answering some of the most commonly asked queries from teachers in a way that makes the answer

accessible to all. It is a very good forum for direct communication.

If very busy school leaders had to prioritise the agencies they could afford time to engage with on the basis of the benefit to the children and the school, why should they prioritise yours?

Because all of the Council’s work is rooted in the idea of teachers leading each other, in ways that they know best, to make teaching and learning all that it could be for our children and young people. We are aware that many teachers and principals feel that the last 20 or 30 years has been a relentless series of changes imposed from the top down or the centre out.

The Council’s membership and work are offering the profession the chance to get into the driving seat of its own change. There will be other passengers in the ‘car’ – pupils and parents. But teachers themselves who looked for the Council, and the public through its representatives in the Oireachtas, have put the profession in a uniquely privileged position of being trusted to lead the process of change in schools and classrooms all over the country. That might seem like an overwhelming responsibility. But it is also replete with exciting opportunities.The extent to which those opportunities are fully realised will depend in large part on how teachers engage with the work of the Council.

We acknowledge that these are very challenging times for schools and for principals. But as FÉILTE showed on 5 October last, teachers are doing amazing, wonderful things every day that do not get the recognition they deserve. Nor do they have the greatest impact possible because the teachers do not get as much space and time as they would like to share their learning with their colleagues. The Council seeks to facilitate and enhance connections so that that sharing can be supported and enhanced. That is why it is in the interests of teachers and principals to work with us, so that the Council can support the profession of teaching in achieving the highest possible standards.

Who monitors the effectiveness of the programmes/services offered by the Teaching Council and how is this done?

The Teaching Council works on behalf of the teaching profession and in the interests of the public.We publish our annual report which is laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas each year.

The Council is funded by teachers’ registration fees, so we are not dependent on the Exchequer for resources. The Council engages with the Department of Education and Skills to coordinate its work programme with overall PAG E 1 1

national priorities.We also have attended sessions of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection to keep it updated on our work programme. Ultimately, as a body established in Statute, we are accountable to the general public.

How will the recent funding cuts affect the delivery of your services?

With effect from 1st January 2013, the Council reduced the renewal fee from €90 to €65, in recognition of the overall context in which teachers are working. This reduced fee is also allowable for tax purposes. We continue to monitor every aspect of our costs on a regular basis, to maximise value for money through regular tendering of various services.

What will the Teaching Council do to minimise the administrative burden on schools and principals?

We will continue to work closely with the Department of Education and Skills, including the NIPT and the Teacher Education Section, to give every support possible to schools and principals as we seek to realise all the opportunities of professionally-led regulation on behalf of the profession and in the interests of the public.

If you were Minister for Education, what single change would you most like to bring about in the Irish education system?

I would be keen to continue the progress that has been made towards professionally-led regulation in the last few years. I would love to see it become a common assumption that teaching is regarded highly, not just on the basis of our history and the sacrifices made by our ancestors so that their offspring could get an education. I would like to see teaching acknowledged for what it is now and will be into the future – the most important profession in society.

What three people would you most like to invite to dinner?

I Zubin Austin, from the Ontario College of Pharmacists, who said that the opposite of competency in any profession is not incompetency, but disengagement or disinterest, just as the opposite of love is not hate, but boredom.

I Marilyn Cochran-Smith, who believes that mistakes or failures are opportunities to learn I Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, where he emphasises the importance of people working together in communities to bring about real change for the better, because ‘a community creates belief.’

IPPN Annual Principals’

CONFERENCE

2014

Primary Education – Great Expectations Citywest Hotel & Convention Centre Thursday 23rd & Friday 24th January 2014 Our theme, Primary Education – Great Expectations, suggests many things – what do children, parents, the Department of Education expect of principal teachers? What expectations do we have of ourselves and of others in doing the best for the children in our schools? The theme can be interpreted in many ways and will no

doubt provide food for thought and debate at January’s conference.

Conference 2014 will once again deliver high quality professional development seminars, inspirational keynote speakers and a varied Education Expo. We look forward to welcoming the largest gathering of principal teachers to Citywest in January.

Attendees will have the option to choose from the full range of activities offered over the two days of the conference.

SEMINARS G Family Law and the School Principal - David Ruddy G From Managing Others to Managing Self - In Search of Equilibrium - Joe O’Connell G Workload Management for Teaching Principals - Gerard Ruane G Insurance issues: Enrolment and supervision - Pat Goff with Allianz Insurance G Be(com)ing a Digital School - Robbie O’Leary G Effective Boards of Management - What can principals learn from the banking crisis? Pat Gately and James Murray G Building a Resilient Workforce - John Conaghan, Carecall G Dealing Effectively with Bullying - Seán Fallon, National Anti-Bullying Campaign G Priorities For Principal Teachers - Tom McGann and Páiric Clerkin G Leading and Managing the Special Needs Assistant Working in the Primary School Environment - Mícheál O’Sullivan G Lifting the Lid: The Realities of Using Restrictive Practices and Physical Interventions in Schools - Siobhán Allen and Aileen Lyons G Is minic a bhain seangán greim as gearrán: Sealbhú agus foghlaim na Gaeilge i scoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta - Dr. Seán Mac Corraidh G Mindfulness and Wellbeing for Teachers - Ann Caulfield and Derval Dunford G Stress Management G Yoga G Pilates

FEATURED KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Dr. Yong Zhao, Presidential Chair and Director, College of Education, University of Oregon.

Dr. Yong Zhao is an internationally known scholar, author, and speaker. His works focus on the implications of globalization and technology on education. He has designed schools that cultivate global competence, developed computer games for language learning, and founded research and development institutions to explore innovative education models.

"The goal of education should be for every child to be better than they are now. We need to help identify their unique strengths and help them enhance their experience.

Education should be a personal experience."

Yong Zhao Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness is a retired Supreme Court judge, and has been president of the Law Reform Commission.

She was born in Belfast and educated in Belfast and Dublin (Alexandra College, TCD and the King's Inns). She was called to the Irish Bar in 1977. In 1989 she was called to the Inner Bar, and called to the Bar of New South Wales in 1993.

BOOK YOUR PLACE: From Friday November 8th you can reserve your place at Conference 2014 by visiting ippn.ie.

PLAN YOUR VISIT: The conference website has a wealth of information about seminars, keynote speakers, Education Expo, wellness activities and much more to help you plan in advance. Visit ippn.ie to access the conference website.

REGISTER AT CONFERENCE: On arrival at Citywest, visit the Registration Desk to receive your access badge, tickets, seminar details and more. The Registration Desk is open for Fast Track Check-in on Wednesday evening January 22nd.

Arrive early and avoid Thursday's queues.

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Mrs Justice McGuinness has served on An Bord Uchtála (the Adoption Board), the Voluntary Health Insurance Board, the National Economic and Social Council, the Second Commission on the Status of Women, and has chaired the National Social Services Board, the Board of National College of Art and Design, the Employment Equality Agency, the Kilkenny Incest Investigation and the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation.

EDUCATIONEXPO

2014

We look forward to once again welcoming more than 125 companies to exhibit at Education Expo. We recommend arriving early on Thursday to enjoy time in Education Expo, exploring the huge range of products and services on offer. Follow IPPN Education Expo on facebook and Twitter (@IPPNExpo #IPPNExpo14) for updates about Expo and news from exhibitors.

The following companies are confirmed to exhibit at Education Expo (correct at time of going to print): G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G

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3P Learning Ltd ABC School Supply Centre Aladdin Schools Allianz An Gúm BSmart Solutions Carambola Kidz CJ Fallon Clever Mind Toys Comhar Linn Credit Union Ltd Cornmarket Databiz Solutions DBC Group Declim Ltd Outside Classroom Boards Dogs Trust Easy Payments Plus EduBills Ltd. EDCO EMS Copiers Espon Ireland European Commission Examcraft (aka 4Schools.ie) Folens Publishers

G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G

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Food Dudes Forbes Furniture Forbo Ireland Gaelchultúr Teoranta GAA Museum & Croke Park Tour Gaelic Athletic Association GDK Network Systems Gill & Macmillan Publishers Glanmore Foods Go Play ICS Skills - ECDL Ireland Ille Paper Services Images Ltd IMEX Interactive Jaggo School Furniture Let's Go Summer Camps Mecon Water Management Memory Lane Photography Michael Doherty School Supplies Ltd National Centre for Leadership & Innovation (NCLI) National Learning Network Nexus TEC

G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G

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Outside the Box Playchimes Ireland Ltd Play Services Ireland Ltd Premier Stationery Prim-Ed Publishing Ltd Quill Ireland Direct Ltd Sanctuary Synthetics SDG Acoustic & Vibration Control Smarty Cat Games Sord Data Systems SOS Group Specialist Crafts Ireland Ltd. Spectrum Educational TCI Ireland The Ark, A Cultural Centre for Children The Jesse Box The Primary Planet Toomey Audio Visual Veritas Vhi Healthcare WESCO

And many more to follow...

IPPN Conference Sponsors and Partners

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Principal Advice Starting an Argument/ Escalating Conflict

By Angela Lynch, Principal Advice Manager

With a change of emphasis this time, I am concentrating on sure-fire tips to inadvertently escalate a conflict or argument: I Put off as long as possible dealing with an issue or situation I Refer to old battles and incidents from the past I Say something hurtful I Use words or phrases such as ‘You never...’, ‘You always...’,‘That’s typical of you...’, ‘You make me feel...’ in an argument I Walk away from the person. Blank them out I Bang doors or items on the table I Sigh and throw your eyes up to heaven I Use facial expressions gesturing contempt and disrespect I Use a sharp or sarcastic tone of voice I Talk over the other person I Lose control. When you lose your temper, you lose control of your words, judgement and actions I Threaten the person I Use labels – bully, selfish, a slob, lazy, stupid, mean, rude, obnoxious I And finally, the best of all - don’t listen!

Any combination of these actions will guarantee an escalation of a conflict.

In any argument, there is a constant struggle

between the need to be right and the need to preserve the relationship. Which is the most important to you?

If you decide that preserving the relationship is the most important, it may help to reflect on the following.

Remaining calm is vital in any challenging conversation. If someone is trying to provoke you, use language such as ‘Maybe.’, ‘Do you think so?’, ‘Is that so?’ This is language of a neutral stance and should be without an inherent attitude or tone of judgement.With self knowledge and an awareness of your triggers, you will know what really annoys you and causes you to lose your temper. Avoid these!

When you have to engage in a challenging conversation, my hope is that you will emerge from it with a ‘Win/Win’ situation where both parties can move forward with their relationship intact, having achieved agreement to work together on the issues that caused the argument or disagreement in the first place.

ourselves in difficulty. The Employee Assistance Scheme is available to all teachers, SNAs and their immediate families. Carecall provides a free 24-hour telephone support and structured faceto-face or telephone-based counselling.

It is advised that the contact details be posted in a prominent position in the staff room. Board members and staff should be regularly reminded of the scheme, particularly at the start of the school year. People will only engage with Carecall if they believe that the service is: I independent (paid for by DES but exists as an independent entity) I self-referred (only the person themselves can initiate the process) I confidential (no reports will be made to a body or agency) I free - 4 one-hour sessions (free to you and your immediate family).

Avail of free confidential and immediate support at 1800 411 057.

CARECALL - EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE SCHEME The hardest part when dealing with a very stressful or crisis situation is to ask for help. In the present climate, it is all too easy to find

Oscailt Forum – DEIS Schools

By Rena O’Shea, Principal of St. Munchin’s Girls’ and Infant Boys’ School, Ballynanty Rd, Limerick Every now and again in life we have the privilege of being part of something special, something that humbles us and makes us better practitioners and better theorists. My experience with the Oscailt Forum in Limerick City has been just such an experience.

always be central to the process. My colleagues will not be aghast to find that I have been disappointed on many occasions and in the most surprising of circumstances. It is, therefore, with the utmost of pleasure that I describe the Oscailt experience.

This is my sixth year as principal. I had some notion when I set out that good principles and integrity would prevail and the child would

In September 2008, as a response to the adverse situation that was prevalent in Limerick City at the time, twenty-two DEIS schools were

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invited to take part in a two year scheme which would facilitate them to open their schools for activities outside of school time. This scheme was funded through Dormant Accounts. The principals of the 22 DEIS schools in Limerick were brought together, initially so that information could be presented about the process for application for Dormant Account funding and the criteria for using the funding.

It was then decided that regular meetings

Transforming the grey of our lives into gold

By Christy Kenneally

‘But, you’re always telling us about rats running around the place,’ I protested. ‘Matter a damn,’ he said, ‘I work with great men and women.’ ‘They don’t pay you enough,’ I said, ‘and, you never go in late.’ ‘I have me pride, boy,’ he said. It was a fair précis of Maslow’s Pyramid.

As the Yanks say, ‘Three out of four ain’t bad.’

Money matters but it isn’t all that matters.Yes, I know about clawbacks and cutbacks and the thickest fella you taught now earning twice your salary in the multi-national up the road.

Look, to remint and immortal phrase, ‘We are where we are’ and as the old proverb goes, ‘If you cannot change the kingdom, change the King’ But, who does the changing? Can a principal actually motivate a staff member? There’s a strong case for saying that motivation works from the inside out; it can’t be provided by anyone outside ourselves. As the Jesuit said about their failed mission to Japan, ‘We provided a massive scratch for an itch that wasn’t there.’ Even if we take two out of the list above, there is still the challenge to provide the kind of training to keep minds challenged.

There is still the challenge to make the working environment as pleasant as is possible and a principal can be a supportive colleague.

Basically, Maslow, McGregor, Herzberg and Alderfer agree on the things that motivate us and give us job satisfaction: 1. When we find our work mentally challenging 2. When we feel we’re getting equitable reward for our work 3. When we have supportive working conditions 4. When we have supportive colleagues.

Parents are now tempted to fill their time with keeping the roof over their heads and food in the fridge. Principals can be seduced into thinking that ‘keeping the show on the road’ is all about juggling budgets, rosters and resources. It’s not ‘all about that’ and it shouldn’t ‘fill our time.’ It’s a well-worn cliché but it’s true that ‘there’s more to life’ and there’s more to us and surely that’s what we want to model for the children so that they

I never knew my father knew Maslow. My Dad was a widower, the lone parent of four children and worked in a shoe factory from the age of fourteen. I was seventeen, omniscient and meandering through fifth year when our religion teacher bowed to our disinterest in Rerum Novarum and started a debate about the world of work. Naturally, having never worked a day in my life, I was not short of theories. ‘Go home and ask your father why he goes to work,’ he said.

‘I have four good reasons,’ my father replied, ‘the four of ye.’

may emerge from this era with an appreciation of the essential values that family and school enshrine.

There is still time and space and opportunity for attentiveness, compassion, enthusiasm and the recognition of the small Everests children climb every day. If these values are not practised in the staffroom, they are unlikely to percolate to the classroom. There are deep wells of resources that can never be costed. We have experienced hard times before and survived. Through that effort, we have developed our resilience, the ‘bendability’ that allows us to sway and not break. We have the alchemy of humour that can transform the grey of our lives into gold and we have community. Now, more than ever, we need to develop a supportive network in the staffroom because caring colleagues can carry us through the darkest times.

Maslow knew that, but so did my Dad.

should take place to monitor the operation of the scheme. It was an interesting configuration from the beginning - a troika of sorts - a collection of 22 school leaders led by the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and facilitated by the Transforming Education through Dialogue project (TED) in Mary Immaculate College.We would have management from the DES, social and educational insight from TED and practical application from the schools, but in practice everyone became involved in the why, the how and the when. We would be called Oscailt; our schools would be open to all sorts of activities and we ourselves would be open to all sorts of possibilities. Our mission statement was that we were open for life, learning and leisure. It became clear that this was one of those rare situations where the whole became bigger than the sum of its parts;

there was a very high rate of attendance at meetings and a strong desire that the forum should continue after the funding ended.

Oscailt became a forum for sharing good practice, for sourcing expertise and for identifying any needs that might be addressed by the Forum moving forward. Five years later the Oscailt Forum continues. Many of the original principals have retired and while substantial expertise has been lost as a result, new principals have come to breathe energy and life into the forum.The involvement of the DES gives the forum necessary gravitas and the DES personnel have been particularly mindful of the practicalities that occur when ‘the rubber hits the road’. TED have provided us with research, expertise and superb facilitation.Their involvement has ensured that child, parent and

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Christy Kenneally is a Communications Training Consultant, author, poet and broadcaster. His most recent book ‘Say Yes to Life, Discover your pathways to happiness and well-being’ is co-authored with Dr. Linda Finnegan and published by Hachette. www.discovering pathways.com. Christy is available for staff training and lectures to parents. christykenn@eircom.net

community have remained central to Oscailt’s work.

As for my fellow principals, I am humbled by their continued commitment to respectful engagement and desire to do business in a spirit of inclusion and respect. I am humbled by my colleagues’ commitment of time, energy and resources and I am humbled by the generosity with which they are willing to share to benefit other schools. I refuse to become a cynic. It can be very difficult to keep morale up in the face of consistent adversity but I believe that our children deserve more and that will keep me going for now. The full Oscailt Report can be accessed at http://tinyurl.com/nm6vmoo.

You can contact Rena by sending an email to office.mainchin@iol.ie.

The Anti-Bullying Campaign Programme A New Approach to Bullying Prevention

By Seán Fallon, retired post-primary teacher and co-founder (in 2003) of the Anti-Bullying Campaign

The Anti-Bullying Campaign programme began in 2003 in Coláiste Éanna in Dublin, in response to a possible bullying situation. It proved extraordinarily effective, uncovering and resolving several previously unnoticed bullying situations, delivering ‘win-win’ outcomes for all those involved. Devised by two teachers in the school, Mary Kent and Seán Fallon, it far exceeded their expectations and fulfilled their most fervent hopes.

Following the death by suicide of Leanne Wolfe in Cork in March 2007 after years of unreported bullying, Mary and Seán made their programme available, free of charge, to all post-primary schools in Ireland through a website at www.antibullyingcampaign.ie.

Since bullying behaviour is found among children as young as six or seven years of age, Mary and Seán have recently developed an anti-bullying programme for primary schools and made it available, free of charge, in the primary schools’ section of the website.

Definition of Bullying The new Department of Education and Skills Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-

STRAND 1 CHANGES THE SCHOOL CULTURE Strand 1 uses an ongoing series of ready-to-use awareness-raising exercises from the Anti-Bullying Campaign website including: 1. carefully thought out worksheets 2. attention grabbing video clips and 3. focused anti-bullying competitions.

Using these works like an advertising campaign, providing ongoing anti-bullying messages that, over time, change the culture among pupils to one where bullying behaviour is Recognised, Rejected and Reported (the ‘three ‘R’s’).

Primary Schools, September 2013, gives the following definition of bullying: 2.1.1.

In the context of these procedures, bullying is defined as unwanted negative behaviour, verbal, psychological or physical conducted by an individual or group against another person (or persons) and which is repeated over time.

Essentially, then, bullying is repeated, targeted, hurtful or upsetting behaviour and, knowing this, pupils as well as teachers can distinguish between bullying and other kinds of behaviour they see like ‘horseplay’ or ‘messing’.

What teachers need to know To bring bullying to an end in schools, it is the behaviour of the bullying pupils that must change. To achieve this, teachers need to know two things: I I

They need to know about the bullying and They need to know what to do about the bullying.

This can be problematic.Teachers may not know about bullying behaviour due to the subtle nature

of bullying or pupils’ reluctance to report it.They may be unsure how to tackle bullying due to lack of training for teachers and a reliance on traditional, inadequate, reactive responses. These responses - involving blame, labelling and punishment - often lead to a negative selffulfilling prophecy rather than to reform, and can lead to the development of a ‘no ratting’ culture among pupils that makes matters worse.The AntiBullying Campaign, however, fully addresses both concerns. See Graphic 1 ‘Delivering a win-win outcome’ on page 17.

The Anti-Bullying Campaign’s two-strand approach The Anti-Bullying Campaign programme has two distinct but complementary strands: 1. Strand 1 raises pupils’ awareness and understanding about the nature and unacceptability of bullying, enabling them to Recognise, Reject and Report bullying when they see it.These ‘three 'R's’ are necessary if bullying is to be identified and dealt with, since bullying can be so subtle or hidden that it can be difficult even for vigilant teachers to detect it in busy classrooms or turbulent schoolyards without the help of pupils.

STRAND 2 DELIVERS A ‘WIN-WIN’ OUTCOME Strand 2 follows six easy steps to deliver a ‘win-win’ outcome in bullying situations: 1. Initial scant details or suspicion of an incident are recorded (e.g. time, date, pupils involved, other pupils present) and given, without judgement, to the designated teacher 2. The designated teacher makes enough copies of the ‘Regular Class Survey’ questionnaire to survey, if possible, at least sixty pupils. (In a big school this could involve the whole year-group, in a smaller school two or three year-groups, in a very small school maybe the entire pupil cohort who can write) 3. Before carrying out the survey, the designated teacher explains the ‘Reform, not Blame’ approach to each group of pupils, e.g.: a. a bullying problem may exist in the school even if pupils involved do not realise it b. everyone’s help is needed to try to resolve this problem quietly and without punishment c. anyone bullying who promises to stop and keeps that promise will not be punished d. keeping this promise can get a bullying pupil ‘out of trouble’ - the principal and parents/guardians no longer need to be told since the problem is resolved e. we need to know who to talk to, seeking this promise, so ‘will you please tell me in this survey if you know . . .’

4. The designated teacher carries out the ‘Regular Class Survey’ 5. The designated teacher interviews anyone identified repeatedly in the survey in a specially designed, positive, non-adversarial problem-solving interview 6. Any pupil for whom the bullying behaviour is verified signs a purely forward-focused ‘promise form’ (countersigned by the designated teacher) and gets a ‘clean sheet’ and no punishment as long as the promise is kept - and this is usually the end of the matter.

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2. Strand 2 offers a six-step approach to dealing effectively with alleged/suspected bullying situations. Central to this strand is the ‘Reform, not Blame’ approach, which replaces the biggest obstacle to reporting, i.e. punishment, with a more effective and acceptable alternative keeping a solemn promise. This approach overcomes the ‘no ratting’ culture, empowering pupils to report bullying without fear of any backlash, as well as empowering teachers to deal with bullying situations to achieve the desired ‘win-win’ outcome.

This two-strand approach is very effective in resolving bullying situations. See Graphic 2 – ‘Delivering a ‘win-win’ outcome’.

Only if this promise is broken do parents need to be informed. Only in the rare event that these steps fail twice, does the Principal need to become involved. See Graphic 3 – ‘The principal is rarely directly involved’.

Compatibility with the new DES Anti-Bullying Procedures The Anti-Bullying Campaign programme is fully compatible with the new DES AntiBullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools, September 2013. These procedures state, under the heading ‘Key Principles of Best Practice’: 6.5.2.

6.8.9.

Effective practice includes prevention and awareness raising measures across all aspects of bullying School authorities must ensure that the school has clear procedures for investigating and dealing with bullying… The school’s procedures must be consistent with the following approach: (i) The primary aim for the relevant teacher in investigating and dealing with bullying is to resolve any issues and to restore, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved (rather than to apportion blame).

This compatibility should not be a surprise as we had significant input into the National AntiBullying Forum (May, 2012) and the work of the Working Group that developed the Action Plan on Bullying (January, 2013) and the new Procedures (September 2013). What is more important from a school’s perspective, however, is that the Anti-Bullying Campaign programme fully satisfies these key principles.

ANTI-BULLYING CAMPAIGN - STRAND 2 Dealing with Incidents - Summary The Anti-Bullying Campaign response offers a ‘win-win’ resolution in almost all cases

Code of Behaviour Ladder of Referral

In a tiny number of cases second promise is broken Return to Ladder of Referral

Phase 2: In return for honesty and keeping 2nd promise pupil gets no confidentiality but no blame or sanction

Expulsion?

Suspension Almost all keep first or second promise and so avoid blame or sanction through ladder of referral

If Promise is broken parents/staff told but still no return to ladder of referral

Phase 1: In return for honesty and keeping 1st promise pupil gets confidentiality but no blame or sanction

Meeting(s) with parents Contact parents Principal?

Most keep first promise so by agreement parents & Principal do not need to know or act

Awareness Raising Strand Ongoing Throughout School

Deputy Principal?

Minor Sanction(s) Warning(s) Correction

Delivering a ‘win-win’ outcome

ANTI-BULLYING CAMPAIGN - OVERALL SUMMARY Bullying is repeated targeted hurtful behaviour reflecting a power imbalance between those invlolved In class bullying is secretive and when teachers on yard duty change every day they cannot see the Repetition that indicates ‘Bullying’

Pupils see all this behaviour so we need them to report it.

SO

BUT

Anti-Bullying Campaign – Strand 1

They don’t Recognise it, they don’t Understand it so they don’t Report it

Raising Awareness/Understanding Pupils now Recognise Bullying Pupils Now Reject Bullying

BUT

SO

Punishment is an Obstacle so they still don’t report it

Anti-Bullying Campaign – Strand 2

AND

A ‘Reform, not Blame’ Approach Pupils see this as Fair and Just Pupils Now Report the Bullying

There is No Resolution AND AND The bullying continues leading to misery, low self-esteem, depression, self-harm…

The principal is rarely directly involved

January Conference Seminars: The Anti-Bullying Campaign programme is available at www.antibullyingcampaign.ie. Seán Fallon will be providing three seminars at the IPPN Annual Conference in January - please register for one of these to find out more. If you have any queries in relation to the AntiBullying Campaign programme before then, Seán can be contacted by email at fallonsfamily@eircom.net.

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Our ‘Reform, Not Blame’ Response offers ‘win-win’ resolution for everyone invovlved

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eTwinning in Gaelscoil Mhuscraí

By Cáit Ní Shiúrtáin, Príomhoide and Mairéad Breathnach, Class Teacher & eTwinning Co-ordinator - Gaelscoil Mhuscraí, An Bhlárna, Co. Chorcaí

Gaelscoil Mhuscraí is a 5 teacher co-educational Gaelscoil situated in Blarney, Co.Cork. Our school has been involved in eTwinning projects since 2010. eTwinning is the community for schools in Europe and we, as a school, have maintained an active role in such a community through our work on eTwinning projects.

Numerous partnerships have been formed in the past three years with schools throughout Europe.

Particular close links have been formed between our eTwinning co-ordinator, Mairéad Breathnach and teachers in Nancy, France and Kilmarnock, Scotland. This partnership has formed the basis of collaborative project work between the three schools since the inception of eTwinning in Gaelscoil Mhuscraí.

eTwinning is the community for schools in Europe and we, as a school, have maintained an active role in such a community through our work on eTwinning projects.

Connecting with other teachers and their classes has proven to be very beneficial both for our own staff in the school and the student population. These connections lead to the sharing of ideas and knowledge that can form the basis of extensive project work or informal links being made. Project work can encompass many subject areas and facilitates easy integration into the primary school curriculum.

One of the projects undertaken in our school in the academic year 2012/2013 was conducted around Christmas time and explored how this special time of the year was celebrated in ten other countries across Europe. Powerpoint presentations were made and shared, videos of carol-singing were uploaded onto the ‘eTwinning Twinspace’, and Christmas cards were sent and received.

Subjects such as art, history, modern languages, music, literacy and geography were integrated with exceptional ease into this project in a very meaningful way.

Another project which captured the imagination of the school, and displayed the power of ICT in developing literacy, was a project entitled ‘Storytelling/1, 2, 3, Il était une fois…’.Third and fourth class came together with their partner classes in Scotland and France in creating an ebook entitled ‘Nancy and the Dragon’. This project motivated the students in their creative writing abilities and they looked forward to reading the chapters created by their counterparts abroad. A great sense of achievement was experienced when the finished ebook was published online.The book can be accessed on the school website. This project received a national quality label and won a prize in the national eTwinning awards in France. It was an excellent example of integrating ICT successfully into the literacy curriculum.

Our work on eTwinning projects is not confined to certain classrooms but utilises a wholeschool approach to promoting a European dimension throughout every class. Project work is displayed in the school hall and shared with other classes. We were delighted this year to receive the news that our school has been awarded

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a Blue Flag in recognition of the activities carried out as part of the Blue Star programme, which aims to promote all aspects of the EU. Our eTwinning projects formed an integral part of this scheme by cultivating an interest in and understanding of the culture, history and people of Europe. Our eTwinning work has received National Quality Labels and a European Quality Label. These labels, received by the pupils based on their partnership work, is testament to the quality of learning undertaken within this work.

Subjects such as art, history, modern languages, music, literacy and geography were integrated with exceptional ease into this project in a very meaningful way.

We live in a global society. Interacting and working together with people in other countries is an increasing reality of everyday life. Therefore, bringing an international dimension to children’s education is an excellent preparation for life in the 21st century. eTwinning enables this to happen through connecting online on projects of your own choice which can be readily integrated into the existing curriculum.eTwinning has had a very positive effect on the quality of teaching and learning in our school.

For more information, see www.etwinning.net, www.etwinning.ie (Léargas is the eTwinning National Support Service in Ireland) and www.gaelscoilmhuscrai.ie.

County Network Meetings 2013 An Overview

By Virginia O’Mahony, IPPN Assistant Director

In schools, September is the month of new beginnings. It is a time for planning and setting the tone for the year ahead. IPPN mirrors the same trend of planning and preparation for a new year which will inevitably bring many challenges to school leaders.

2. What is new for principals in 2013?

A number of new initiatives from agencies were outlined as follows:

In September and October, principals and deputy principals came together in large numbers in all 26 IPPN County Networks. As always it was an opportunity for members of the IPPN National Executive to engage directly with, and listen to, the voice of school leaders all around the country.

NCCA I The preparation of the updated 6th Class report card and the transition process from 6th class to first year will be complete in 2013.

I Information in relation to Aistear is available on www.ncca.ie

Some feedback about County Network meetings:

Sometimes I get a headache going to meetings after school. Today I had one before I even went. Is this September harder or is it just me? However, we were fortunate to have Pat Goff in Kildare for our meeting today and he was really excellent and so very practical.

Everyone left feeling so much better. This is the real value of an organisation like IPPN!

with the school community and a more long term look at the SSE plan up to 2016.

Carecall I The Employee Assistance Service, through Carecall, provides an independent confidential counselling service for all teachers experiencing personal or professional difficulties. It is easy to access the service, self referral is possible by calling 1800 411 057 and the employee and to their immediate family can avail of up to four hours of one-to-one structured counselling from a member of the 160 strong network of counsellors.

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PDST Updates were provided on the CPD available in relation to the the use of ICT in teaching and learning.

NIPT An outline of the five areas of support available to all Newly Qualified Teachers through the National Induction

There are a number of significant changes from the original WSE model with an increased emphasis on Learning, Teaching, Management, Pupil Well-being and School Self Evaluation. It is sensitive to the school context and the entire process is completed in 5 working days.

3. Principal Support Groups The Principal Support Group is at the heart of the origins of IPPN. Principals were encouraged to join existing local Principal Support Groups or indeed to form new support groups where none currently exist.

The role of the school principal is a lonely one especially when difficulties arise in school. The advantages of being a member of a Principals Support Group are well documented. It is an informal coming together of like-minded people to provide mutual support and objective advice to one another in a safe, confidential and respectful setting. The sharing of ideas and resources and the opportunity to hear alternative perspectives is an enriching professional experience for all members. Each county network has a Support Group organiser who will be happy to advise principals about joining a support group.

Identification of the professional needs/issues specific to each County Network Lively discussion followed on the issues as they impact on the teaching and learning in schools.

Members of the IPPN National Executive wish to thank all the principals and deputy principals who attended their county network meetings and for their contribution to an excellent informative discussion.

Mairead O Flynn, Principal, Scoil Mhuire, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare.

The agenda for County Network meetings in 2013 covered five main areas: 1. A presentation entitled ‘School Self Evaluation – a roadmap for the year ahead’ which looked at evidence gathering, collaborative planning with staff, the development of the three year School Improvement Plan, sharing the SSE report

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Programme for Teachers was provided.

The planning section of the NIPT website www.teacherinduction.ie has a very useful set of templates for long and short term planning and also for An Cuntas Míosúil.

DES Inspectorate Management, Leadership and Learning (MLL) is another model of WSE which has gone through its pilot phase and is now being introduced into schools.

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County Network Committees Five members were elected to the County Network Committee with the following roles: I Chairperson I Two representatives to the National Committee I Support Group Organiser I CPD Organiser You can access this years County Network presentation by visiting ippn.ie

What Can We Learn from Viktor Frankl’s Life and Works?

The Pursuit of Meaning in Challenging Times

By Dr Tony Hall, Lecturer in Educational Technology, School of Education, NUI Galway Viktor Emil Frankl was born in Vienna, Austria in 1905. He trained as a psychiatrist and was a student of two of the most important psychologists of the 20th Century: Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler.

Freud and Adler wrote respectively about the ‘Will to Pleasure’ and the ‘Will to Power’; that the pursuit of pleasure and empowerment are of central importance in human life. Frankl however was concerned with what he called the ‘Will to Meaning’, emphasising that while pleasure and power play a role, the principal goal of education and life is actually to find a meaning and purpose in life.

Freud and Adler wrote respectively about the ‘Will to Pleasure’ and the ‘Will to Power’; that the pursuit of pleasure and empowerment are of central importance in human life.

Frankl’s most famous work is his book, (1946).

The first half of the book recounts his experiences in death camps during World War Two. During his imprisonment in several of the worst concentration camps, including Auschwitz and Theresienstadt, Frankl suffered greatly, losing several family members, including his wife.

However, he survived and found meaning in trying to understand his experience, specifically why certain people in the camps were able to live purposefully, though faced with a seemingly hopeless fate, in the most depraved and horrific of circumstances.

The second half of the book is based on his analysis of his experiences during imprisonment in the death camps and his clinical research and practice, and outlines his educational and psychotherapeutic framework and methodology called Logotherapy.

According to Frankl, our central concern in life is to find meaning and purpose; and

existential crises result when our ‘will to meaning’ is frustrated. He furthermore outlines how the meaning of life is predominantly subjective – only the individual can uncover their own life’s true meaningfulness and significance. The purpose of education is to help provide the person with the concepts, skills and confidence to discover the very personal, special and unique meaning of their life. Frankl outlines three ways in which we can find meaning and purpose in life: 1. through accomplishment/ achievement – by completing creative, worthwhile tasks 2. through love – recognising another person’s unique potential and helping them to realise that potential 3. and perhaps most importantly, through the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering.

According to Frankl, life inevitably will have its painful and disappointing moments.

However, our unique gift is to choose our attitude to unavoidable loss or pain; and to realise that even when times are tough, there is meaning to be found in life.

Frankl’s works have contributed foundationally to the development of Humanistic Psychology /Psychotherapy, particularly ‘existential analysis’ – addressing specifically the crises people face in finding a meaning and purpose in their lives.

Frankl asserts that meaning is always there, even when such crises arise – meaning is omnipresent in our lives; a key part of the challenge is to see it and appreciate its significance.

He furthermore describes the important role that ‘super-meaning’ – faith, religion, spirituality – can play in meaningful and purposeful living.

A key tenet of his framework is what he calls the ‘paradox of self-actualisation’: selffulfilment is actually achieved through helping others – through self-transcendence.

Frankl concludes by stating how a sense of humour helps us to live a meaningful and purposeful life. He makes the case eloquently for ‘tragic optimism’ and the importance of PAG E 2 1

humour, even when we are faced with the most difficult and intractable of challenges.

One of Frankl’s elegant similes is that education is like flying a plane in a cross-wind.

In order to arrive at the destination point, the pilot must overestimate the landing spot.

Educators, teachers, parents, and students themselves must be idealistic, and have high expectations, particularly younger people who are at a formative stage in their lives.

Educators, teachers, parents, and students themselves must be idealistic, and have high expectations, particularly younger people who are at a formative stage in their lives. For then, by aiming high, we are more likely to realise our talents and become who we are supposed to become. If we underestimate our potential and talents, we are more likely to underachieve and land short of our destination.

The enduring power of Frankl’s work is that it provides a framework that helps to elucidate what education and life are fundamentally about: finding and, if needed, rediscovering the unique meaning of our lives, even when times are tough.

To conclude: Frankl contends that when we know the ‘why’ of something, we can bear with almost any ‘how’ – sagacious words in these challenging and complex times for education.

Dr Hall is also Editor of the ‘Education Matters Yearbook – The Professional Handbook of Educators in Ireland’. His research interests include ICT, English and PE, and the history and philosophy of education.

He is currently completing a book on the influence of Viktor Frankl’s life and works on education.

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

The following are the new resources available in the different sections of the website: RESOURCES School Policies ● Access Rights to Children (revised) ● Managing Chronic Health Conditions at School Staff Management ● In-School Management - Sample Task List Forms & Templates ● Appointment and Re-appointment Primary Teachers Form 2013/2014 ● Assistive Technology – Claim form for equipment ● Assistive Technology – Claim form for repairs ● Cycle to Work Scheme Application Form ● Home Tuition Application Form 2013/2014 ● Home Tuition Claim Form 2013/2014 ● IEP Planning/Review Sheet ● Irish Sign Language (ISL) - Application for Irish Sign Language (ISL) Tuition ● Irish Sign Language (ISL) - Application for the payment of an Educational Grant 2013/2014 ● Leabhar Tinrimh / Daily Attendance Book ● Parental Leave - Special Needs Assistants ● Parental Leave - Teachers ● Part-time Teaching Hours - Application for payment of grant aid for the provision of part time teaching hours ● Payment of travelling expenses to Rural BTC Coordinators, Learning Support and Resource Teachers

● Pension - Declaration Form S46 ● Pension - Declaration Form SPS/S51 ● Qualification Allowance - SEN Allowance (Registered Teachers) ● Qualification Allowance (Registered Teachers) ● Special Needs Assistant - Appointment Form School Year 2013/14 ● Special Needs Assistant - Notification of Leaving ● Special Needs Assistant SNA 15/05 Contract Form ● Supervision – 2012/2013 School Year Teachers who have opted out of supervision duties ● Typing Tuition - Application for the Refund of an Educational Grant DES Circulars 2013 ● 0046/2013 - Allocation to schools for books / Leithdháiltí ar Scoileanna i leith Leabhar ● 0045/2013 - Anti Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools/ Gnásanna Frithbhulaíochta Bunscoile agus Iarbhunscoile ● 0037/2013 - Cúntóirí Riachtanas Speisialta (CRSanna) - Socruithe Sannacháin Breise don scoilbhliain 2013/2014 ● 0035/2013 - Comhaontú na Seirbhíse Poiblí 2013 – 2016 (Comhaontú Bhóthar Haddington) agus an tAcht um Bearta Airgeadais Éigeandála ar Mhaithe le Leas an Phobail 2013 - Oifigigh Chléireachais agus Feighlithe fostaithe i Scoileanna Náisiúnta faoi Scéim 1978 ● 0034/2013 - Comhaontú na Seirbhíse Poiblí 2013 – 2016 (Comhaontú Bhóthar Haddington) agus an tAcht um Bearta Airgeadais Éigeandála ar Mhaithe le Leas an Phobail 2013 - Cúntóirí Riachtanas Speisialta ● 0033/2013 - Comhaontú na Seirbhíse Poiblí 2013 – 2016 (Comhaontú Bhóthar

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Haddington) - Scéim Mhaoirseachta i mBunscoileanna 0032/2013 - Comhaontú na Seirbhíse Poiblí 2013 – 2016 (Comhaontú Bhóthar Haddington) agus an tAcht um Bearta Airgeadais Éigeandála ar Mhaithe le Leas an Phobail 2013 0028/2013 - Socruithe simplithe ar mhaithe leis an gClárleabhar, an Leabhar Rolla agus an Leabhar Tinrimh Laethúil a choimeád 27/2013 - Teidlíochtaí Saoire Do Thuismitheoirí Do Chúntóirí Riachtanas Speicialta I mBunscoileanna Agus Iarbhunscoileanna Aitheanta 0026/2013 - Teidlíochtái Saoire Do Thuismitheoirí Do Mhúinteoirí Cláraithe I mBunscoileanna Agus In Iarbhunscoileanna Aitheanta 0025/2013 - Ceanglas go gcláróidh múinteoirí i scoileanna aitheanta leis an gcomhairle mhúinteoireachta

Resource Bundles ● School Improvement Plan - Resource Bundle SUPPORTS Leadership+ ● Leadership+ Issue 76 – September 2013.

ADVOCACY Press Releases ● 30 September 2013 - Restoration of Maintenance Grants Crucial To Schools’ Survival ● 2 September 2013 - IPPN Responds to Minister Quinn’s Draft Admission to Schools Bill Publications ● Leadership+ Issue 76 - Sep 2013

On your behalf

Since the last issue of Leadership+, IPPN has continued our advocacy role on behalf of principals, through meetings, events and submissions in relation to the following:

SEPTEMBER ● National Primary Education Alliance – Protect Primary Education ● Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) - Get Active! Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport for Children and Young People – A Guiding Framework ● National Council for Special Education (NCSE) - consultation group meeting to develop a new model for the allocation of additional teaching resources to mainstream schools ● IPPN Principals’ Professional Briefing Day 2013 ● National Children’s Strategy Implementation Group (NCSIG) - Children's Services Committee Networking Event ● Allianz ● Department of Education and Skills Development of a Primary Online Database ● Hibernia College: ‘What We Do and Why We Do It in This Way’ Seminar ● Education Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) Annual Congress

● Daire Keogh – President of St. Patricks College, Dublin ● Ag Éisteach – ‘How to Argue Better’ Launch A resource pack for working with parents in conflict ● Digital Schools Programme Launch ● Department of Education and Skills – Secretary General Seán Ó Foghlú ● Teaching Council - Section 30 stakeholder briefing meeting ● Special School Principals ● Teaching Council - Droichead Steering Committee

● SCoTENS 2013 – The Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South ● Teaching Council - Guidelines for School Placement Meeting ● Global Economic Forum 2013 ● National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education (NABMSE) - Annual Conference 2013 ● NAPD Conference ● Department of Education and Skills – Minister Seán Sherlock ● Prof. Michael Hayes, President of Mary Immaculate College, Limerick

OCTOBER ● Children's Mental Health Coalition – Mental Health Reform ● Review of operation of teacher redeployment process for 2013/14 school year ● IPPN County Network Autumn meetings ● Misneach for Newly Appointed Principals ● Department of Education and Skills – Inspector Michael Crowley ● IMI National Management Conference Game Changers for Growth

NOVEMBER ● IPPN National Committee AGM ● Comhdhál Gaelscoileanna Teo and Eagraíocht na Scoileanna Gaeltachta Teo

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JANUARY IPPN will host our Annual Principals’ Conference on 23rd and 24th January at the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre, Co. Dublin. See page 13 for details of speakers, seminars and online booking.

An Imperfect Storm

By Trióna Marren O’Grady, Pangur Bán and Editor of An Imperfect Storm Author and former school principal, Kevin Haugh, is direct in his approach, does not beat about the bush, and has, on occasion, referred to himself as a cranky git. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Immediately Kevin begins to speak, it becomes clear that he is a storyteller with an artist’s eye for detail who speaks with passion, colourful descriptions, and the witty turn of phrase that marks him as a man with roots in West Clare.

An Imperfect Storm, Kevin’s recently published book, opens on Haugh’s Strand, in Lisheencrona on the West Clare Peninsula. From there, Kevin takes us on a journey that is as bare and honest as it is beautiful. It is an almost interactive tour of Kevin’s life before, during and after he was unexpectedly diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The book portrays the changes that diagnosis imposed on his family, brought to his home and inflicted on his relationships. An Imperfect Storm is not a medical text book. Neither does it proclaim to be a self-help tome, or an advisory text on how to live with cancer.

Professor Rajnish Gupta, Consultant Medical Oncologist and Director of Cancer Services at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick, referred to it in both the book’s foreword and his speech at the launch as a valuable insight into the patient experience – an experience that many in

the medical profession, especially involved in cancer care, would learn from.

An Imperfect Storm is based on the diaries that Kevin kept as he was diagnosed with cancer and underwent extensive treatment. It is compelling reading for anyone, but particularly for those who have had a cancer diagnosis or who are close to someone who is unfortunate enough to suffer from the disease. Kevin gives the reader a closeup of what it is to fight cancer, how he used mental exercises and visualisation techniques to his advantage, and how he and his family handled his illness in everyday life. Kevin’s pragmatic approach no doubt helped him in his battle – he converted his anger into strength for combat.

A retired principal of Galvone NS in Limerick City since 2010, Kevin is now, amongst other things, a contract supervisor of teaching practice at Mary Immaculate College of Education, Limerick, and co-ordinator of the Clare and Limerick Education Centres’ Annual Education Research Conferences. He has had academic papers published before both in this country and abroad, but this is his first book.

Clare hurling supremo and former school principal himself, Ger Loughnane officially launched An Imperfect Storm. Often referred to as

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the Banner legend, Loughnane has triumphed in his own battle against leukaemia. He is of the opinion that while it’s good to be mindful,“If you get an illness and you are treated successfully for it, you can’t spend your time living in the shadow of it.” Kevin takes a similar view.

When asked what his next project might be, Kevin is philosophical. “I don’t have a bucket list, or a list of things to do in life. I am too busy living. I consider myself lucky – I was diagnosed in 2004 and was gifted so many additional years of life when I consider those who had a much shorter journey with cancer. If this book helps just one other person, it will all have been worth it.”

Published by Outside the Box Learning Resources, An Imperfect Storm is available in bookshops and on Amazon.co.uk. All author royalties from An Imperfect Storm go to the MidWestern Cancer Foundation, founded by Professor Gupta. To find out more, visit www.mwcf.ie.

Or contact Kevin at kevinmhaugh@gmail.com

When Kevin is taking a break from it all, he and Buddy, his loyal canine friend, can be seen strolling around Monaleen in Limerick or chilling out by the sea at Haugh’s Strand in the West Clare Peninsula, enjoying life as it comes.

The Network of Education Centres: Into the future

By Paula Carolan, Director of County Wexford Education Centre

The Association of Teacher/Education Support Centre of Ireland (ATECI) is the representative body of twenty one full-time and nine part-time Education Centres nationwide.The ATECI has as its aims: I to act for and on behalf of Member Centres on all matters of policy as agreed by Centres at AGM or EGM I to raise the profile of Education Centres I to be a partner, at national level, in the formulation of education policy I to provide advice and support to Management Committees and Directors of Centres.

The 1998 Education Act states: ‘the Minister will recognise places as Education Support Centres for the purpose of carrying out functions i.e the provision of services for schools, teachers, parents, boards and other relevant persons who support them in carrying out their function in respect of the provision of education.’

Education Support Centres have as their function: I To provide continuing professional development (CPD) and support for teachers and the wider education community, meeting locally-researched and identified teacher and school needs and also through involvement in national in-service programmes.

I To be involved, as a strategic resource within education, in a range of national and other projects , programmes and initiatives as may be decided by the Minister, following consultation and in partnership with the Centres, for implementation in the education system from time to time I To act as a resource and meeting centre for the local education community I To develop expertise in key areas as agreed by the Centres in consultation and partnership with the Department and to share such expertise throughout the Education Centre Network and the education system in general I To co-operate and engage with other Education Support Centres to ensure that an effective network of Centres is established I To provide other services and supports as may be requested by the Minister I To actively promote their role.

The Education Centre Network (The Network) continuously develops, evaluates and adjusts its

strategies in order to provide a comprehensive CPD programme for the educational community it serves.

The Network will continue to collaborate to assist the DES in the realisation of Teacher CPD within the context of the Policy on the Continuum of Teacher Education. The Network is currently represented at all consultative fora and at national programme level as appropriate.The Network will also continue to: I support the Education Community by responding to teachers’ expressed needs I promote a targeted and creative approach to programme and project development at Network level in conjunction with the delivery of the National Induction Programme for Teachers (NIPT) to Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) I engage with the key education partners such as the Teaching Council, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), the Inspectorate, third level institutions and others, as appropriate, working collaboratively to establish processes of engagement with regard to programme initiation, development, implementation and evaluation I strengthen and promote the Network’s national profile through partnerships and collaborative projects on the ATECI website I co-ordinate and administer all CPD in collaboration with relevant education bodies and services, facilitating access to CPD provision for all learners within the Education Centre Network I promote the Network as a hub for cooperation at local , regional and national levels I lead in the research of the life-long learning needs at local and national level I establish a national capacity building programme for the provision of CPD in consultation with key stakeholders I establish a Pathway of Development for trainers, tutors and facilitators I facilitate the monitoring, evaluation and quality assurance of the Network and its CPD provision.

At local and regional level, schools, principals and teachers interact with their local Education Centre for the delivery of relevant CPD. Centres continuously strive to provide schools with the optimum service that funding permits.

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COUNTY WEXFORD PRINCIPALS County Wexford Education Centre (the Centre) is one of the twenty one full-time Education Centres in the country. Our catchment area covers County Wexford, south County Wicklow and east County Carlow. The Centre strives to support principals in the challenging role they undertake and, similar to all Education Centres, reflects the role outlined by the ATECI in all its undertakings.

We support our principals as far as finance permits.

Each Centre receives funding from the Department of Education and Skills which enables all local and summer courses.We facilitate Principals’ Networking Groups in Enniscorthy (2 – one of which is for principals of schools with Autistic Units), New Ross, Wexford (2), Gorey and Bunclody. We also administer Carlow Part Time Centre Principal’s Group.Twice yearly all Principals are invited to join a networking group close to where they work or live. Attendees are registered with the Centre and texted a reminder of meetings. These groups meet monthly throughout the year with usually ten meetings yearly. Refreshments are provided courtesy of the Centre.

Twice yearly, we organise an afternoon where principals receive input on a topic of particular relevance to their position e.g.The School and the Law, Working with Special Educational Needs Organisers,Tax Issues for Schools.Topics are often nominated by a networking group. Principals work closely with the Director of the Centre in nominating teachers as prospective facilitators and also have input into course development.

Throughout the year the Centre invites principals to seek support for their schools during Croke Park hours, Summer Courses and local courses.

More information is available on www.ecwexford.ie.

Having completed a B. Soc. Sc. in U.C.D., Paula undertook the post graduate teaching diploma in St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, followed by an M. Ed. from the University of Texas, USA. Additional post graduate courses in Leadership and Management were taken through the Open University. Paula has taught in Jobstown, West Tallaght, Kilmuckridge PS and Kilmore PS in class, special needs, home school liaison, and as teaching principal and administrative principal.At present she is seconded from her principalship in Kilmore, Co Wexford. Her areas of specific educational interests include Special Needs and Parental Involvement in Education.

Walking on Fire

By Sé McCarthy, Principal of St Joseph’s NS, Rathwire, Co Westmeath ‘I would walk through fire for my kids!’ I’ve heard that a few times! Last May, walking on fire was a completely different experience for everyone at St. Joseph’s NS. It all started at our parents’AGM last September.With a new school and ASD unit being built in 2014, they wanted to raise money for the ‘extras’ required.

When ideas were suggested, my heart stopped for fear a parachute or bungee jump would come up, as both had been mooted at a previous Parents’ Association (PA) meeting. Fortunately, they suggested a sponsored walk. The only difference was we would be walking a distance of 3-4 metres over hot coals in our bare feet. My instant reaction was ‘Thank God it wasn’t a parachute jump’ and I instantly volunteered to take part. The die was cast…

The PA decided that an old-fashioned fête would draw the crowd, so traditional stalls such as a bring n’ buy cake sale, bric-a-brac, face painting and barbecue were the order of the day. Well, you would have to have a barbecue at a fire walk wouldn’t you?

The local community of Killucan really started to get behind us. Thirty people volunteered to take part in the fire walk. The butcher sponsored the burgers; the supermarket sponsored the ham for the sandwiches, and the take-away offered pizza and chips to the fire walkers. To create a community feel, it was suggested that parents and

neighbours could advertise their start up businesses or cottage industries at a ‘trade expo’.

As the day loomed, the actual walking over hot coals didn’t really dawn on me.Where will we put the banners? Who will do the interview with the local newspapers? Who will sell tickets for the racing bike? What is the weather forecast? All we need is good weather…

Second class got very excited at the thought of their principal, staff and parents walking over hot coals. Many volunteered to take part and were relieved that you had to be over eighteen. After a flurry of ‘You ask him. No, you ask him’, one brave soul asked the question of the year – ‘Mr McCarthy, if you die walking over the hot coals, will we get the day off school?’ I looked for anyone who may have been disgusted at that question, to no avail. My answer was that any principal who fell in the line of duty during a fundraising activity would cause the school to close for at least TWO days! In true midlands fashion, a chorus of “savage!” and “class!” filled the air.

hot coals was put to the back of my mind as we hung helium balloons, put up gazebos and finally opened the gates. The crowds flocked in and we were run off our feet.The army band taught us the difference between percussion and brass and played tunes for an hour.

The fire walkers were taken for training in mindover-matter and the power of positive thinking by our instructor, Stevie. As the wood was lit, the full gravity of the situation dawned upon us.What the hell were we thinking? We were led to the fire.

With one last blast of positive thinking, Stevie showed us how it was done. Then it was a tap on the shoulder and off you go…

There was much Facebook activity with photos and comments on Fire & Fete- Rathwire NS. Over €7,000 profit was made on the day, and much good will and positivity was created towards our school. Would I do it again? Absolutely, as long as I don’t have to do a parachute jump.

The week of the event, many meetings were held and the final pieces of the jigsaw fell into place.

The chairperson of the PA announced that the army band would perform on the day, as part of their education duties.

Finally the 25th May arrived. God indeed smiled on us with the weather. The idea of walking over

Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal

By Niall Barry, Executive Director of Team Hope A staggering 2.8 million needy children, in twenty-one countries, over the last fourteen years have received a Christmas Shoebox gift from Ireland!

Principals in primary schools in every county have encouraged their schools to participate, bringing smiles and laughter to needy children in Eastern Europe and Africa, many of whose families have to exist on less than a euro a day.

Their shoebox gift is the highlight of their year.

The Christmas Shoebox Appeal, now run by Irish charity Team Hope, is appealing to primary schools all over the country to get involved this year. New requests from organisations working with children in seven extra countries mean that even more boxes are needed this year, to give

many more children their best Christmas ever.

Children like eleven year old Siphosami from rural Swaziland. Her Dad is dead, and her Mum has left Siphosami and her one surviving brother.

She now lives with her Grandmother in a tworoomed mud house. Her day starts at 4.30, to get water from the river and prepare for her two hour walk to school, wearing what she told us was her favourite possession – her only pair of shoes. There are 800 children in her school, and 50 in her class. She owns one copy book, and no other schoolbooks. Life is hard for Siphosami, but her shoebox brought hope. ‘I haven’t been forgotten, someone knows about me, and is kind enough to send me this gift!’

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Appeal an easy project for a school to run – supplying leaflets, posters, teachers’ resource packs, DVDs and even visiting speakers, all available from www.teamhope.ie or from the Dublin office on (01) 294 0222. Don’t forget to ask for our new DVD, specifically for school principals, explaining the value of the project for children, both in Ireland and in the receiving countries.

School principals and staff, over the years, have made this project a success, making such a difference for so many children. And your participation this year will turn an ordinary day for a child who has very little in this life, into something very special. On their behalf, we say ‘Thank You’!

We Are Listening Optional Questions in the National School Annual Census

By Nicola Tickner, Statistician, Department of Education and Skills A number of optional questions were included for the first time in the 2010/2011 National School Annual Census. These questions gave schools the opportunity to provide feedback to the Department, report any difficulties in completing the census form and give suggestions for further improvements. Schools were also asked how long it took to complete the census form. These optional questions are now a permanent part of the census data collection.

In this year’s Census we have included an additional question on software packages. The replies to this question will be used in the process of the development of a Primary Online Database (more on this to follow in a separate article).

In the first year, over half of all schools responded to the optional questions. I would like to take the opportunity to thank these schools

for taking the time to provide this feedback.The feedback could be grouped into: I Issues with questions that were difficult to complete I Suggestions for improvement.

Schools highlighted two questions in particular that were difficult to answer. These were the questions on the: 1. Source of New Entrants 2. Nationality of Pupils.

As a result of the comments received, three of the response categories in the question on New Entrants were consolidated into one category and the instructions around the question on Nationality were reviewed and enhanced.

Schools provided suggestions for clarifying some questions, e.g. it should be made clear that the Irish Exemption question refers only to new exemptions and that existing ones need not be

re-entered. These comments were used to improve the instructions for the completion of the census form.

Two reports have been published on the analysis of your comments, including an analysis of how long it took to complete the census form. The average time taken for mainstream schools to complete their census forms decreased from 134 minutes in 2010/2011 to 110 minutes in 2012/2013. Special schools took on average 63 minutes. Further details are available on the DES website under Publications -> Statistics -> Statistical Reports.

Again, I would like to thank schools for taking the time to provide feedback. Following on from the helpful suggestions made, I would encourage schools to continue to provide feedback.As you can see from the above, we are listening.

Celebrating 50 years at Benincasa

By Diarmuid Delaney, Principal of Benincasa Special School, Blackrock, Co. Dublin At a staff meeting in September 2012, the forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations and the commissioning of a piece of commemorative artwork were raised. It was decided to form a committee to organise the event and the first task was to decide what artwork would best be suited to Benincasa and to narrow down the criteria.

A number of artists were contacted and invited to submit proposals, which were duly examined. It was decided that artist Claire Halpin appeared most suitable. Claire was invited to elaborate on what she had proposed before a final decision was made in her favour.

The committee and Claire discussed how she would collaborate with the children, whose work would form the basis of the artwork. Dates were set, a timeframe drawn up and several workshops were run involving all the children in the school.

From these workshops, Claire incorporated the students’ work into various ideas which she presented to the committee. From these proposed sketches, the committee decided which colours and sketches were preferred as well as the size and location for the piece. Claire completed

the work of art – a painting - and presented it to the committee.

The committee organised the 50th Anniversary Celebration.A plan of action was drawn up along with a cost estimate. Tasks were delegated and weekly meetings were held to check on how the preparations were progressing.As the date neared, the wider staff became more actively involved.

Staff members eagerly stepped up and performed their respective tasks wholeheartedly.The process moved smoothly and calmly towards the big day.

Invitations were sent well in advance and the list of invitees included local TDs, councillors, former principals and staff, parents and some past pupils.

On 23rd May last, the biggest day of the year for the school dawned. The staff, as diligent as ever, started to arrive from 6.45am to ensure that everything was in place with no last minute hitches. Following breakfast, staff set about last minute preparations. Parking spaces had been allocated and 2 staff donned fluorescent jackets and supervised traffic. The celebrations began with 10am Mass at our local church in Booterstown con-celebrated by Fr. Tom Jordan

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(the nephew of Nancy Jordan, the school’s founder), and Fr. Cormac McIlraith, followed by refreshments in the marquee hired for the occasion. Entertainment was provided by the children who performed ‘Oliver’. This was followed by speeches from the Chairperson, Sr. Maighread Ní Ghallchobhair, Sr Elizabeth Healy, Head of the Dominican Sisters in Ireland, and the Principal, Mr. Diarmuid Delaney. Claire Halpin also presented the commissioned artwork to the school community. The final word was given by the children with a beautiful rendition of ‘Miracles’.

BREAKDOWN OF COSTS: Materials

€700

Marquee Hire

€1067

Food & Equipment

€1550

Invitations

€270

Commissioned Art

€5000

Total

€8587

‘

And Finally…

QUOTATIONS

m. I left all I took a test in Existentialis 100. the answers blank and got

’

Woody Allen

STILTWALKER Before that day she looked up: to her sisters, her dad, the teachers.

Even mum, her friend was up there somewhere pointing out the giant rules of not running, not looking, not everything, not anything.

Then he came walking with his giraffe gait, on his spindle legs, she knew his wig was false, but bending down, he lifted her into the great parade.

The red-nosed clown tooted his whistle, waved an admonishing finger as they waltzed, the stuffed teddy-bears cried NO, the unicyclist hid his eyes, the dancers tapped faster but she held on. Dad’s hand was raised, his eyes large, his bald patch visible, mum’s mouth a startled O, her sisters, witch-nosed, both pouted.

But she clung on, up there, looking above the cloudy bar-room windows, into bedrooms, wardrobes with hatboxes stacked, the church steeple appeared

shorter, the parked cars all flat, the stiltwalker humming that silly tune, the crowd looking up until he lowered her back to her parents, back to her big sisters, down to earth, her family all cut down to size.

By James Martyn, retired principal, Scoil Sheamais, Bearna, Gaillimh

‘

QUOTATIONS

Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.

C.S. Lewis

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