InTouch June 2016 - Irish National Teachers' Organisation [PDF]

Issue No 162 June 2016 ISSN 1393-4813 (Print) ISSN 2009-6887 (Online)

Programme for government – can it deliver for primary?

Keeping InTouch • Interactive dialogue with members, and key news items •

Sheila Nunan, General Secretary and Rosena Jordan, INTO President discuss the Programme for Government

Programme for Government – long on promises, short on funding estimates that it would not meet the cost of one of the promises above and concludes that without raising taxes in one form or another government has not got a chance of meeting its ambitions. Leaving aside specific commitments in the programme for government that will test teachers and unfinished business like the payment of Benchmarking it is clear that there are major challenges ahead for the INTO in securing a fair deal for primary teachers and the primary education sector. The minister has indicated his intention to consult with stakeholders including trade unions on issues such as disadvantage, diversity, early years and special education and wider community use of education assets. The INTO will engage on these issues bringing the voice of teachers to the table. We will also ensure that at all times government is fully aware of members’ concerns and advocate for enough funding to turn these into reality. In the meantime I thank sincerely those members who supported the union this year and wish all members a peaceful and well deserved summer vacation.

Government priorities for the immediate future have been set out in the recently published Programme for Government. The Nevin Economic Institute which has examined the programme has delivered the verdict that it is long on aspiration and light on detail and questioned whether the numbers add up. In terms of overall public expenditure it is unlikely that the planned increases will go anywhere near meeting the needs of a growing population, cost inflation in public services and reversing even some of the austerity cuts of recent years. This is especially clear in education where the programme commits to investing an additional €500m in education by 2021. It then goes on to state that this additional €100m per year will fund childcare subventions, a 25 per cent increase in both speech and language therapists, NEPs psychologists, reducing the ptr in junior and senior infants, annual increases in school funding, more teacher CPD, a school excellence fund, LRA pay commitments and extra third level investment. This one per cent per annum increase will go nowhere near meeting the costs of these commitments. NERI InTouch General Editor: Sheila Nunan Editor: Peter Mullan Assistant Editor: Lori Kealy Editorial Assistants: Selina Campbell, Karen Francis, Roisin O’Flaherty Advertising: Mary Bird Smyth, Roisin O’Flaherty Design: David Cooke

Photography: Moya Nolan, Shutterstock Correspondence to: The Editor, InTouch, INTO Head Office, Vere Foster House, 35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1 Telephone: 01 804 7700 Fax: 01 872 2462 LoCall: 1850 708 708 Email: [email protected]

Website: www.into.ie/m.into.ie InTouch is published by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation and distributed to members and educational institutions. InTouch is the most widely circulated education magazine in Ireland. Articles published in InTouch are also available on our website www.into.ie

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The views expressed in this journal are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the INTO. While every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this publication is up to date and correct, no responsibility will be taken by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation for any error which might occur.

Except where the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation has formally negotiated agreements as part of its services to members, inclusion of an advertisement does not imply any form of recommendation. While every effort is made to ensure the reliability of advertisers, the INTO cannot accept liability for the quality of goods and services offered.

CONTENTS 21 INTO Learning l

Find a summer course to suit you

23 Around the branches l l l

Margaret Skinnider honoured in Monaghan Town Glenville NS, Co Cork – new building opened INTO President visits Our Lady of the Wayside NS in Dublin’s Bluebell

24 Benefits and discounts Check out the latest offers with Membership Plus, discounted health screening with CharterMedical

25 Retirements Pictures from functions honouring retiring members

16 KEEPING INTOUCH 3 Editorial The Programme for Government

7 Stay informed Letters Language curriculum, equality in schools, Dublin Pride Parade

10 thing you should know INTO NEWS 9 Primary teachers’ sick leave Recently released figures show that primary teachers’ sick leave is among the lowest in the public service

New entrants’ allowances Firefighters set a precedent

10 2015 Tax refund You could be due a refund for ‘Fortnight 27’

INTO ADVICE 27 School leadership courses

Incorrect second increment freeze for some teachers Are you earning under €35,000? Ensure you are on the correct point of the scale

JobBridge to go Croke Park hours Increased flexibility secured

28 Mythbuster Consumerhelp clears up the myths with regard to consumer rights

NEWSDESK

Equality conference 2016

29 New Minister for Education

13 INTO seminar discusses new school placement arrangements

Introducing Richard Bruton

Programme for Government

Report from seminar held in Limerick

Commitments in education

DCU/INTO 1916 centenary lecture ‘Pearse and Education’

31 Education Passport

14 Pay Equality – the fight goes on Update from INTO Project Team

Supporting children’s transition from primary to post primary school

Competitions

16 INTO/An Post Handwriting Competition 1,300 schools participate this year

17 Vetting Vetting requirements for school authorities

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19 CEC resolution on refugee crisis CEC voices their serious concern

UK parliament passes anti trade union legislation The Trade Union Act 2016 became law in the UK last month

20 Going on career break? Reduced rate for INTO membership

Want to be a staff rep?

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PDST courses for principals and deputy principals

We tell you how

Annual Members’ Draw

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win a midweek family break in the Sh eraton Hotel Athlone (page 56) or a €2,000 Wild At lantic getaway (page 60)

June 2016 33 Showing Racism the Red Card

CPSMA new general secretary

Craigtown NS win anti racism award

Creative business idea from Scoil Mhuire, Broadford Award winning business idea from pupils

Remembering 1916 Scoil Naomh Cualán celebrates Proclamation Day

41 Teaching Council Registration Renewing registration

Transfer of patronage

38 Cumann na mBunscol news Plus Gaelic Games summer courses

Resource hours

39 News in brief l

€30m for summer works projects Workers’ Memorial Day 2016

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Community national schools Allocation for 2016/17 school year published

FINISHING TOUCHES

34 What do graduates do?

61 Noticeboard

Insights into the first destination of Irish graduates

Upcoming events

37 DES announces consultation process High level of trust in teachers Are you retiring this year?

62 Comhar Linn Crossword Plus Comhar Linn draw winners

63 Finishing touches l l l

Scoilnet panel Global Citizenship School resources Family stories of 1916

TEACHING MATTERS 43 Professional information online

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How to find tips and tools online – PDST

44 Geo-literacy Children led decision making

46 Bullying, self-harm and suicide LGBTIreland Report on Irish young people’s mental health

50 Arts in Education Arts in Education National Day – celebration in IMMA

53 Melanoma – so much more than ‘just a mole’ Following a personal experience with melanoma, Anne O’Leary is raising awareness about the importance of sun safety

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54 Maths for fun

Carol Lannin on partnership with parents in a HSCL numeracy initiative

57 Yellow Flag Awards An intercultural programme for schools

58 An Léitheoireacht Irish resources from COGG

59 Reviews l l

A memoir from Patrick Deeley – The Hurley Maker’s Son. Swashbuckling but serious – a revolutionary revealed – Fergus Whelan’s biography of Archibald Hamilton Rowan

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57 Principal Rory Darcy, teachers and students from St Oliver’s NS, Killarney Co Kerry being presented with their Yellow Flag. Pic: Tommy Clancy

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Keeping in touch

Letters Language curriculum Dear Editor, I am writing in response to the NCCA article by Deirdre Murphy which featured in the May edition of InTouch. In her article Ms Murphy states: “teachers asked for a less crowded curriculum and the NCCA took note.” She goes on to say “the new curriculum has just 94 learning outcomes compared to the 269 content objectives for English medium schools”. I must admit this sounds wonderful, thank you NCCA. However, I am just wondering why she has forgotten to mention the 232 Progression Steps which appear in the curriculum? Not quite the reduction she would have us believe! She has also said that the progression milestones are not “designed for tracking children”. I would like to ask Ms Murphy if she could possibly explain how a teacher will know what Progression Milestone children are on or how many Progression Steps they have mastered unless we track children individually? So that seems to be another inconsistency in Ms Murphy’s article. She goes on to say that the continua or milestones ”are not intended for reporting.

Teachers will not be expected to report on how many or where children are on the continua.” I would just like to point out that teachers were not expected to submit test scores to the DES three years ago. Things can change very quickly it seems. Eoin McDonnell, Maynooth Educate Together NS

Equality in primary schools Dear Editor I wish to respond to reported remarks of Diarmuid Ferriter at INTO Congress (InTouch April 2016). Inclusion cannot be reduced to the single issue of religion but must also take nationality, ethnicity, socio-economic background and ability into consideration. When these five criteria are taken into consideration I challenge anyone to tell me that Catholic primary schools are not as inclusive as any other type of school. Interestingly, 80% of the children attending non-Catholic primary schools have parents in the top income bracket. Just 20% of children attending Catholic schools come from the top income families. The numbers of children with disabilities and learning difficulties enrolled in Catholic schools are significantly higher than in other school types. One of the more remarkable features of the

letters page is designed for members to have their Tell us what you think This say about something you have read in InTouch or want to communicate with other INTO members. €50 voucher draw each month for letter writers. Winner May: Colin Quigley, Co na Mí.

current debate on inclusion is that it not only seems to be focussed on denomination but seems to be intent on declaring Catholic schools to be non-inclusive. Perhaps it might be more balanced to acknowledge the work that Catholic schools and the teachers who work therein are doing to tackle disadvantage, promote inclusion and contribute towards the common good rather than to characterise their work and the ethos of such schools as a “dark stain on the national conscience” despite the catchy headline? To omit and ignore this reference is to do an injustice to the historical record, the schools themselves and the teachers who work there. Rev Dr Tom Deenihan, General Secretary, CPSMA

Pride parade Dear Editor The INTO LGBT Teachers’ Group invites all INTO members to march with them and INTO President Rosena Jordan in the Dublin Pride parade on Saturday, 25 June at 1 p.m. If you would like to meet members of the group before the parade please email [email protected]. LGBT Teachers’ Group www.into.ie/lgbt/

Email: [email protected] or write to: The Editor, InTouch, INTO, Vere Foster House, 35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. Mark all such communications ‘InTouch letters’ and give a contact telephone number and your INTO membership number for verification. Long letters may be edited.

things you should know

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Pay parity – potential progress after helpful development for firefighters. Page 14

Going on career break? Maintain your INTO membership at a reduced rate. Page 20

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New vetting arrangements – key information for teachers and school leaders. Page 17

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Croke Park hours – more flexibility for members negotiated by INTO. Page 10

What are the key points for teachers and schools in the Programme for Government. Page 29 Are you due a tax refund from 2015? Find out on page 10

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All details of INTO summer courses on page 21 Which graduates are getting employment and at what salary. Page 34.

Bullying, self-harm and suicide among young people. Page 46.

Primary teachers’ sick leave – best in class. Page 9

INTO News • The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation … who’s who, what’s new, and what’s happening •

Public Service Pay – new entrant allowances The INTO views the potential progress on the firefighters’ pay scales as significant. Last month the union contacted the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to express the view that this reported progress is a helpful precedent that can assist in the resolution of new entrant teacher pay. The INTO has welcomed the agreement in principle with the firefighters to restore their universal allowance saying it offered the potential to end the two tiered pay system which is now affecting ten per cent of all teachers. Sheila Nunan said teachers are the largest group affected by the imposition of lower pay for new entrants. “It is sapping morale, depleting goodwill and, in the long term, it will damage the education system,” she said. “Teachers

deserve to be paid fairly for the work they do. Young workers, be they teachers, gardai or prison officers should never have been surcharged to help to pay for the lunacy of the banks.” The INTO has written to the new Minister for Education to seek a meeting to table the issue as a priority and seek a resolution. In this the INTO has the support of ICTU. The general secretary of Congress Patricia King told delegates at INTO Congress that the trade union movement had to make clear to government that different pay rates for the same work was untenable. “Following on from the Lansdowne Road Agreement I believe we have to be exceptionally clear to the incoming Government that, apart from the necessity to accelerate the timescales for

income restoration [unwinding of the FEMPI Legislation], it is vital that they fully comprehend that multiplicity of pay rates for same work is untenable on an ongoing basis. It is a regressive concept, imposed by Government over the last number of years.” She said it led to inbuilt inequality between workers and was fundamentally unfair. “It leads to industrial disharmony and it leads to resentment within workplaces.” “We now need to construct a formula for salary scale consolidation which removes these disparities and provides equitable solutions.” The union has established a Project Team to work on the issue and to advise the CEC (InTouch December 2015). The work of this team is on-going (See Pages 14 and 15).

Primary teachers’ sick leave among the lowest in public service Sick leave figures recently released by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform show that across the public service, primary teachers have one of the lowest rates of sick leave. In the education sector in the calendar year 2014, the most recent data provided, shows primary teachers took, on average, 5.8 days per year. An average of 8.7 days sick leave was taken across the public service as a whole representing 245,000 public service full time equivalents. The figure does not include the majority of non-commercial state agencies or third level institutions. In the civil service an average of 10.1 sick days were taken by staff while comparative figures were 9.7 days in the local government sector, 9.6 in the health sector and 7.7 in the Gardaí. In the education sector, pay for self-

certified teachers’ sick leave cost €3.7m (primary and post primary) based on the average teacher salary of €56,000 per annum. Pay for certified sick leave for teachers totalled €52.7m across primary and post primary. However, it should be noted that the

Public Service Sick Leave Scheme applied from 1 September 2014 before which teachers had no access to sick leave at half pay or TRR. The report als sets out that in 2014 88.79% of sick leave was at full pay, 0.35% at half pay, 0.83% on TRR and at 10.03% on unpaid sick pay.

PUBLIC SERVICE SICK LEAVE STATISTICS AND TRENDS 2013-2014 Sector Public Service Civil Service Defence Forces Education (Teachers) Education (SNAs) Local Government Health Sector Gardaí

Self-certified cost (m) 30.0 3.6 0.5 3.7 0.7 4.4 16.1 0.8

Certified cost (m) 289.3 40.1 5.4 52.7 6.7 35.5 134.2 12.4

Total Lost time cost (m) rate  319.3 4.0% 43.7 4.4% 5.9 2.8% 56.4 3.2% (P), 3.7% (PP) 7.4 4.9% (P), 3.2% (PP) 39.9 4.3% 150.3 4.3% 13.2 3.4%

Average days lost per FTE* 8.7 10.1 6.4 5.8 (P), 6.2 (PP) 9.0 (P), 5.3 (PP) 9.7 9.6 7.7 *Full Time Equivalents

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I dteagmháil

2015 tax refund? make the necessary adjustment for ‘Fortnight 27’. This could result in a tax refund up to €200. If not requested, it could result in an incorrect tax payment of between €200 and €500. Members seeking assistance with an annual tax return can contact Irish Tax Support through the Members’ Area of the website www.into.ie/ROI/Benefits/IrishTaxSupport/

Most primary teachers had 27 pay days rather than the usual 26 in the 2015 tax year. This ‘Fortnight 27’ was because 31 December was a pay day. An extra fortnight’s tax credit and rate band was added to avoid emergency tax for this pay date. Teachers should request a P21 Balancing Statement from Revenue or file an Annual Tax Return and request Revenue to

Increment freezes: one or two? Clarification re incorrect second freeze for teachers earning under €35,000 It has come to the INTO’s attention that the DES had been applying a second three month increment freeze to teachers earning below €35,000 whose latest increment brought them into the €35,000 to €65,000 earnings bracket. This had been done in error. A teacher earning under €35,000 should not be subject to a second three month freeze. Typical example A typical example of this concerns a teacher who started their career in

September 2012 on the February 2012 pay scale and who has worked continuously since then. This teacher received their first increment in September 2013 and was then subject to one three month increment freeze in September 2014. This freeze deferred (to December 2014) their move to point three of the scale. Due to the fact that this teacher was still earning under €35,000 12 months after this increment, they should have received their next increment (move to scale point four) in December 2015. This does not

appear to have happened at the correct time and these teachers were subject to a second three month freeze in error. Following INTO intervention prior to Easter, the DES has accepted that these teachers should have their move to point four backdated to December 2015 with appropriate arrears paid. Any teacher in this situation who did not receive their increment when expected should contact INTO’s Queryline or the DES Primary Payroll directly to rectify the issue.

DIARY DATE

JobBridge to go

INTO Consultative Conference on Equality 

The Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar announced last month that the JobBridge scheme will be discontinued in September.

The Consultative Conference on Equality will take place in the Clayton Hotel, Galway, on Friday 30 September and Saturday 1 October. The conference will commence at 3 p.m. on Friday with registration from 2.30 p.m. The conference will conclude no

The INTO which has opposed JobBridge since its inception with a directive against participation in the scheme welcomed the announcement. Earlier this school year the INTO advised new primary teachers looking for work not to do so under the JobBridge scheme. It described JobBridge as exploitative of workers and said it provided no guarantee of future work.

Croke Park hours Increased flexibility secured

The INTO has reached agreement with the DES to increase to eight (from the current five) the number of ‘Croke Park’ hours that do not have to be done on a whole school basis from September 2016.

On top of not paying the standard rate for a teacher, work under the scheme did not count towards permanent employment or pensions and teachers who took up the scheme cut themselves off from real employment opportunities.

These eight hours can be done in blocks of a minimum of 30 (as opposed to 60) minutes.

The INTO issued a directive to its members in December 2011 not to take part in JobBridge.

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later than 1.45 p.m. on Saturday. The theme of the conference is ‘The effect of gender on career progression in primary teaching’. Branch and district committees are invited to nominate delegates to the conference

In the 2017/18 school year, the number of hours that will not have to be done on a whole school basis will increase from eight to ten.

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INTO news

School placement seminar held in Limerick In April, the INTO held a seminar on school placement in collaboration with Mary Immaculate College. The seminar was addressed by the INTO Director of Education and Research Deirbhile NicCraith who noted that next September will see the first graduates from the extended teacher education programmes. “As students, these teachers will have experienced the new arrangements for school placement throughout their years in college,” she said. “Schools will also have hosted students from first year to fourth year of the new courses.” She said the purpose of the seminar was to hear about the experiences of school placement from the perspectives of students, host schools, teachers and the colleges now that we have experienced the new school placement arrangements across all years of the new teacher education programmes. Estimating that there are some 5,500 student teachers in the system she said there was some concern about the lack of consistency between colleges and the different approaches colleges take to school placement. Pointing out that it is optional for schools and individual teachers to host students she said on the other hand colleges struggle to find sufficient school placement places. The INTO’s demand for the recognition of class teachers’ contribution to student teachers’ learning about teaching was reiterated. “Our current system of school

Pictured attending the INTO & MIC joint seminar on school placement were L-R: Deirbhile Nic Craith, Director of Education and Research, INTO; Prof Michael A Hayes, President of MIC; Rosena Jordan, President INTO; Prof Teresa O’Doherty, Dean of Education, MIC and Neil Ó Conaill, Director of School Placement, MIC. placement relies on the goodwill of schools and teachers, which is always forthcoming, in the good tradition of primary schools, but cannot be exploited,” she said. “Therefore, we need to ensure that whatever supports are required are identified and put in place.” Since 1993 the INTO has argued for an extended school experience as part of initial teacher education. The INTO argued that teachers should have a structured role as mentors to student teachers during school placement but said this requires investment. Ms Nic Craith also said there was a need to enhance communication between colleges and schools regarding processes and expectations. “Colleges don’t seem to have sufficient resources to build relationships with schools and teachers

are not always clear about what is expected of them.” She called for professional development for class teachers hosting student teachers that would clarify expectations and enhance teachers’ skills in observing and giving feedback. She also said there was a need to recognise teachers who host students in terms of career progression. She also said there was a need to tackle barriers to hosting student teachers, such as WSEs and standardised tests. She concluded that school placement was an essential part of the pathway to becoming a teacher but she said what school placement should be and how it should be supported is open to discussion and dialogue.

Pearse and Education: a 1916 centenary lecture ‘Pearse and Education’, a 1916 centenary lecture by Professor John Coolahan, was recently hosted by the DCU Institute of Education and the INTO. The venue was the Seamus Heaney Lecture Theatre in DCU. The event was chaired by Sheila Nunan, General Secretary, and also featured a response from Professor Daire Keogh, Deputy President Designate, DCU. The lecture contextualised Pearse’s educational thought and examined his influence on contemporary educational policy. It drew attention to differences between his earlier educational writings and his later work, as reflected in The Murder Machine. The lecture also dealt with Pearse’s work as an educational innovator and practitioner.

Pictured at the lecture were: Prof Brian MacCraith, DCU President; Rosena Jordan, INTO President; Sheila Nunan, INTO General Secretary; Prof John Coolahan; Deirbhile NicCraith, INTO Director of Education and Research; Prof Fionnuala Waldron, Dean, Faculty of Education at SPD and Prof Daire Keogh, President SPD and Deputy President Designate, DCU. INTOUCH

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Nuacht CMÉ

Pay equality – the fight Claire Keegan – are appealing this decision to the Labour Court. It is expected that the Labour Court will hear the appeal and issue a decision by the autumn. The CEC has welcomed the appeal in the case and has paid tribute to the determination of the members concerned in pursuing this important issue.

Did You Know? • Some 6,700 teachers have been affected by new entrant pay reductions since 2011. • A 2011 entrant over a 40-year career on the reduced rates will earn €100,000 less than a 2010 entrant; a 2012 entrant will earn over €127,000 less than a 2011 entrant. • In her first four years of teaching, one 2012 graduate estimates that she has lost out on over €23,000 in earnings. • While the Haddington Road Agreement in 2013 cut inequalities for new entrants, gaps with earlier entrants still apply especially in mid-career years where differences can be almost €9,000 per annum. • Equality matters to every member; we are all diminished while there is a structure of unequal pay.

A number of meetings on pay equality were held throughout the country. Above: members at meeting in Cork.

Firefighters’ precedent Developments in May regarding

agreement in principle to address new entrant pay issues for firefighters were welcomed by INTO. These developments amount to a helpful precedent which can assist in the resolution of new entrant teacher pay inequalities, a key priority for INTO.

Pay discrimination claim to Labour Court A case taken to the Equality Tribunal by two members, backed by the INTO, was the subject of a decision published in April that the pay cuts for 2011 entrants did not amount to age discrimination. With the assistance of INTO, the two members – Tomás Horgan and

(Left) Peter O’Toole and (right) Joanne McAndrew presenting a Project Team progress report at Congress 2016.

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Lady Justice at Dublin Castle

The INTO Project Team on Pay Equality meets for the fifth time in June. The team comprises INTO Head Office and CEC personnel in addition to more than ten newer entrants who are directly affected by pay inequality. The CEC, in co-operation with the project team, intends to organise a rally to raise further awareness about the pay equality issue in the new school year. It is proposed that the rally coincide with a political lobbying and campaigning exercise. Meanwhile, the INTO President and Project Team members are providing a briefing on pay equality for TDs and senators in Leinster House on 8 June.

INTO news

goes on MAYO PAY EQUALITY MEETING Mayo Pay Equality meeting. Back row (l-r): Eva O'Neill, Isobel Creane, Rachael Duffy, Ailish Finnerty, Grace Fox, Michelle Bonner (Branch Secretary), Catherine Cosgrave, Christina McDonnell Front row (l-r): Sonya Munnelly, Joanne McAndrew, Rosena Jordan (INTO President), Máire Marle and Anne Garvin.

Last month the INTO in Mayo, through Michelle Bonner (Ballina Branch Secretary) and Vincent Duffy (District Secretary), organised a Pay Equality meeting in Ballina. About 40 teachers attended to discuss pay inequality in teaching – now affecting one in ten teachers. All the teachers at the meeting demanded a resolution to this problem. Present at the meeting were INTO President, Rosena Jordan and other members of the INTO Project Team on pay equality. The meeting highlighted how emigration, prevalent over the past few years in the west, was contributing to a loss of skilled workers and hurting education.

The meeting was told that many trained teachers have left Ireland and are going to continue to leave, for countries where Irish teachers are in high demand. Their education and training was at the expense of the tax payer. This brain drain from education is similar to junior doctors and nurses going abroad for more attractive work and remuneration. The meeting highlighted that post

2011 entrants to teaching do the same work as their colleagues but earn a significantly lower starting salary and have no prospect of matching their earnings over their career. The meeting heard that the INTO is working with other public service unions and welcomed the news that a deal has been agreed, in principle, on equalising pay scales for firefighters.

Tomas O’Reilly, Pay Equality Project Team member, outlines the pay disparity between pre- and post2011 entrants to teaching to members in Mayo.

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An Post/INTO Handwriting Competition 2016 national winners witness history at GPO The 2016 An Post/INTO Handwriting Competition attracted entries from all ages and continues to be competitive among primary school children. With 1,300 schools participating, strong support from teachers and principals is the key to the consistently large number and very high standard of entries. The theme for this year’s competition was the 1916 Centenary with a special focus on the GPO and on the effect of Easter Week 1916 on children who were caught up in the events of the Rising. The competition asked children to explore these topics on the An Post website, www.anpostschoolbag.ie. Classes worked together to create a written account of what they learned and to enter their best handwriting as the final output of their work. An Post invited the national winners to be among the first schools in the country to visit GPO Witness History, the new immersive audio-visual experience, which puts visitors right at the heart of Easter

Week. The winners were treated to a VIP trip with a guided tour including special effects, interactive exhibits and stories of real people in extraordinary circumstances. Congratulating the winners, INTO President Rosena Jordan said the competition shows the art and skill of handwriting was flourishing in Ireland. “The INTO has a long association with the teaching of handwriting. This competition is a wonderful celebration of the work of children and their teachers. It’s great to see teachers and parents across the country encouraging their students and children to enter this competition and ultimately ensure they have good handwriting as they move into adult life.” Speaking to the winning students An Post Chief Executive, Donal Connell, said

communications were at the heart of the 1916 Rising during the conflict of Easter Week. “That is why the GPO was such an important building and this message is captured very clearly by GPO Witness History. An Post is delighted to award students’ efforts.” The winners of the 2016 An Post/INTO Handwriting Competition are: • Madeleine O’Dwyer, St Brendan’s NS, Ballyfoyle, Co Kilkenny. • Roibeárd Ó Maoilmhín, Gaelscoil Naomh Pádraig, Leamhcán, Co Átha Cliath. • Lucy Keohane, Cloghroe NS, Cloghroe, Co Cork. • Ella Corrigan, Scoil Treasa, Firhouse, Dublin 24. • Andra Tekoriute, Bunscoil Lughaidh Naofa, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. • Nikita O’Sullivan, Scoil Chaitríona Cailíní, Coolock, Dublin 5. • Johnathon Kelleher, Scoil Naomh Eoin, Leamlara, Co Cork.

INTO President Rosena Jordan and An Post Chief Executive Donal Connell present Lucy Keohane, Cloghroe NS, with her prize.

Nikita O’Sullivan, Scoil Chaitríona Cailíní, receives her prize from INTO President Rosena Jordan and An Post Chief Executive Donal Connell.

Scoil Chaitríona Cailíni (top) and Cloghroe NS enjoyed their VIP guided tour of the GPO Witness History exhibition. (Photos: Maxwells) INTOUCH

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INTO news

Vetting requirements From 29 April 2016, the Vetting Act places statutory vetting obligations on school authorities. The DES published Circular 31/2016 Commencement of Statutory Requirements for Garda Vetting outlining the statutory requirements that now apply to school authorities along with arrangements to support statutory vetting. This article should be read in conjunction with Circular 31/2016. The National Vetting Bureau The Vetting Act established the National Vetting Bureau to replace the Garda Central Vetting Unit. The National Vetting Bureau is now responsible for issuing vetting disclosures under the Act’s statutory vetting arrangements. In addition to a check for criminal records, statutory vetting now includes a check for any relevant ‘soft information’. ‘Soft information’ referred to as ‘specified information’ in the Vetting Act, is information other than criminal convictions held by An Garda Síochána that leads to a bona-fide belief that a person poses a threat to children or vulnerable persons. Vetting disclosures Since 29 April 2016, it is a criminal offence, other than in certain limited circumstances, for a school authority to commence the employment of an employee without first obtaining a vetting disclosure from the National Vetting Bureau in respect of that person. It is not necessary under the Vetting Act to obtain a vetting disclosure from the National Vetting Bureau prior to employing a teacher as a substitute where the school authority has, prior to 29 April 2016, received a copy of the Teaching Council vetting letter in respect of that teacher. However, in such cases, school authorities must take into account the wider duty of care considerations set out in Circular 31/2016. It is now a criminal offence, other than in certain limited circumstances, for a school authority to contract, permit or place a person such as a contractor, volunteer, sports coach etc. to undertake relevant work or activities with children or vulnerable persons, without first

obtaining a vetting disclosure from the Bureau in respect of that person. There is no immediate requirement to obtain vetting disclosures in respect of existing employees, volunteers and sports coaches etc. who undertake relevant work or activities in the school under contracts of employment or other arrangements that were in place prior to 29 April 2016. Existing employees, volunteers, sports coaches etc. will however be required to be vetted in due course under sections 21 and 20 of the Vetting Act respectively. The Department will issue further guidance in this regard. Changes to procedures The practice of the Teaching Council providing teachers with a vetting letter has, since 29 April 2016, been discontinued. From 29 April vetting disclosures received by the Teaching Council from the Bureau will, subject to the teacher’s consent, be made available electronically to the relevant school authority. In cases where no statutory vetting obligation exists (see sections 5.3 and 6.4 of Circular 31) or where the school authority has met its statutory obligation by receiving a vetting disclosure that has been issued by the Bureau in the past (i.e. not immediately prior to the person commencing the relevant work or activities in the school), a school authority must consider, having regard to its duty of care to its pupils, whether it should seek an up to date vetting disclosure in respect of the person. (See Section 9 of Circular 31) Thorough recruitment procedures,

including the checking of references and any gaps in career history, are an essential element of child protection practice. Statutory vetting should not take the place of good recruitment procedures but must be used as part of those procedures. As an additional safeguard a Statutory Declaration and Form of Undertaking must be completed and provided to the school authority prior to making a teaching or non-teaching appointment of any duration. Substitute teachers Substitute teachers are reminded that since the commencement of the National Vetting Bureau Act on 29 April 2016, they may not commence employment in a school without providing a vetting disclosure from the National Vetting Bureau. Vetting received from the Garda Central Vetting Unit/a Teaching Council vetting letter will not be sufficient. Schools are no longer permitted to appoint teachers pending vetting. Where a school has, prior to 29 April, received a copy of the Teaching Council vetting letter in respect of a teacher it is not necessary to obtain a vetting disclosure from the NVB prior to employing that teacher as a substitute. To enable a school to obtain a disclosure from the National Vetting Bureau a substitute teacher must apply for vetting through the Teaching Council, and have received an email from the Teaching Council containing a link to their vetting disclosure, which can be accessed by potential employers.

Are you going on teacher exchange/inter school job sharing in September? Teachers who are taking up a post with a new employer in September are reminded that they are required to have a vetting disclosure from the National Vetting Bureau (NVB) before they commence employment in their new school. This includes teachers who are going on teacher exchange or starting an inter-schools job share in a new school, and teachers who are taking up a post in a new school from a panel. Teaching Council vetting letters issued pre 29 April 2016 will not suffice. Applications for vetting must be made through the Teaching Council website www.teachingcouncil.ie/en/Vetting/-Vetting-Invitation/. This should be done as soon as possible.

For full details of the vetting process see www.into.ie/ROI/InfoforTeachers/GardaVetting INTOUCH

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INTO news

CEC resolution on refugee crisis April 2016 The world is in the middle of the most serious refugee crisis for many decades. Millions of people have been forced to flee conflict, disaster and poverty. Thousands have died in attempts to reach safety, while EU ministers hold endless meetings to discuss the migration crisis. Civil society must demand that they act decisively to save lives. The ’refugee crisis’ is often spoken of as though it is a burden or an inconvenience for Ireland and Europe. That is simply not true. The real crisis belongs to those who are fleeing. Ordinary people forced to risk their lives and leave everything behind. Europe and Ireland have the resources to help these people, but the political will appears to be lacking in many places. Given the plight of lone children in particular, already in French and Italian ports in their hundreds and gravely exposed to poverty, victimisation abuse and lost education, the CEC called on the Ministers of Justice and Equality, Foreign Affairs and Trade, Children and Youth Affairs and Education and Skills to instruct their departments to work in cooperation and with other EU governments, but, specifically in cooperation/partnership with the British Government and Irish and British NGOs, to participate proactively with Lone Children rescue programmes in Calais. This coming September, Ireland will co-

Eidomeni refugee camp, Greece, March 2015. dinosmichail / Shutterstock.com chair a UN summit on migration. Ahead of this summit, the CEC called on the Government to voice serious concerns, both at this event and at EU level in the intervening period, in relation to the current arrangement with the Turkish Government on the transit of people designated as ‘refugees’ or ‘economic migrants’. On many occasions in the past, Ireland stood as a voice for people in conflict and disaster zones. While many EU and other governments worldwide seem to focus entirely on economic and security issues to the neglect of people, Ireland must use

its position and history as a nation, having had to contend with economic migration, to speak out for those who are seeking a new and safer life for themselves and their families. The CEC noted the decision of the Minister for Defence to send the LÉ Róisín to the Mediterranean on a three month humanitarian mission. The meeting recorded its appreciation of the members of the Irish naval service for their aid to migrants fleeing conflict and war.

UK parliament passes new anti trade union legislation The Trade Union Act 2016 became law in the UK last month almost a year after it was presented to parliament in the wake of the Conservative Party election win. Under the new law from the end of 2016 all ballots for industrial action will require a majority of members to cast ballots. Previously there was no minimum turnout threshold. In ‘essential’ public services (including education) at least 40% of those entitled to vote must back the action. A non voter will be counted as a no voter. A six month limit will be imposed on mandates for action after which a re-ballot will be required for more action. The notice period to inform employers of any action will be

doubled to two weeks and there will be new rules about picketing and increased opportunities for employers to apply for injunctions to prevent or delay strikes. Nevertheless, the law is significantly different from the initial version. The TUC persuaded members of the House of Lords to put forward amendments which were accepted by government wanting to gain trade union support for the ‘remain side’ in the EU referendum this month. Among the changes are no abolition of the check off facility to deduct union subscriptions from salary, no limits on time off for union representatives to carry out union duties, no forcible opt in to paying the INTOUCH

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political levy for existing members and the retention of the ban on employers being able to hire agency staff to break strikes. Measures such as giving employers detailed plans for pickets/social media campaigns two weeks in advance or making everyone on a picket line show their personal data have been dropped. Unions welcomed the concessions but reiterated their opposition to the Bill. Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the TUC said; while she was pleased the movement had secured significant changes to the Trade Union Bill, it remained a very bad and divisive bill. The Labour party has committed to repealing the legislation should it be in government after the next election.

Nuacht CMÉ

Going on career break? Importance of INTO membership – reduced rate applies Members who are going on career break are strongly advised to take out career break membership of the INTO. This entitles you to the benefits and facilities available to INTO members generally. For members who are in the INTO Salary Protection Scheme (SPS) it is especially important to retain career break membership. SALARY PROTECTION SCHEME OPTIONS WHILE ON CAREER BREAK Under the terms of the Salary Protection Scheme (SPS) negotiated through Cornmarket Brokers, it is necessary to be a member of the INTO to benefit. There are options ranging from (i) retention of full cover to (ii) partial cover to (iii) retention of

the medical immunity provision (which applies on re-entry to teaching with SPS resumption without need for a medical) while on career break. A member’s choice of a particular option should be arranged with Cornmarket in advance of going on career break. An alternative is to allow cover under the SPS to lapse entirely which will entail a member applying in full as a new applicant for SPS on resumption. In order to retain full or partial SPS cover while on career break, it is essential to be a member of the INTO during each year of your break. REDUCED RATE OF CAREER BREAK MEMBERSHIP The annual rate payable by career break

INTO Annual Members’ Draw Please support INTO’s charity partner – The Children’s Medical & Research Foundation at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin Fantastic prizes for a fantastic cause – additional prizes added for INTO staff representatives.

1st prize – Toyota Auris 2nd prize – €4,000 3rd & 4th prizes – €2,000 5th & 6th prizes – €1,500 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th prizes – €1,000 5 x €100 prizes for staff representatives

medical equipment and provide ongoing training for the staff. The proceeds from the 2016 draw will go towards purchasing a much needed steam steriliser unit. Thank you for your ongoing support. If you have any queries regarding this draw or you require additional tickets, please contact Georgina Glackin at [email protected] or (01) 8047745.

The tickets have been posted to INTO staff representatives and cost €10 each. All monies and ticket counterfoils should be returned to Head Office by Thursday 16 June 2016. The draw will take place on Friday 17 June 2016. This draw is open to INTO members only.

members has been re-examined and reduced by the CEC. Up until the current school year, this rate has, for many years, stood at €48 per school year. In order to encourage the greatest possible number of members to avail of career break membership, including the option to retain SPS cover, the CEC has decided to reduce the cost of such membership per year from 2016/2017. The reduced cost is €30 per school year. Members wishing to take out career break membership should contact the membership section directly at INTO Head Office by ringing (01) 8047780 or (01) 8047790 or by emailing [email protected] or [email protected]

Are you considering becoming an INTO staff rep? Many staffs at this time of year decide on who will be their INTO staff representative for the next school year. In some cases there may be an election among interested staff members. Staff reps can put themselves forward to continue on in the role. As a staff rep, you have three key responsibilities: 1. Recruiting members. 2. Informing members. 3. Supporting members. If you would like to know more about this role the INTO has a free online module on The Role of the Staff Rep that you can access to check out the role, responsibilities and supports. If you would like to log onto the module please email [email protected] and we will forward you the details.

Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital treats approximately 100,000 children every year. In order to provide these children with the best possible care, the hospital needs to constantly update the INTOUCH

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INTO news

INTO Learning Summer Programme 2016 There is still time to register for an INTO course this summer. INTO members can choose from a wide and varied range of summer courses for 2016.

Face to face courses We have expanded the range of face to face courses on offer this year. • Linguistic Diversity: Benefits for All Learners in Multilingual Environments: Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 • Physical Activity and Sport Education – a cross curricular approach to PE: Athlone, Co Westmeath • Inclusive schools: Combating Homophobic, Transphobic and Cyber Bullying: INTO Learning Centre • Write to Read – An Introduction to the Write to Read Balanced Literacy Framework: (two venues – Rush Co Dublin and Knocklyon, Dublin 16) • Planning and Implementing a Playbased Curriculum in the Infant Classroom: Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 • Supporting School Leaders: INTO Learning Centre • Comhrá, Ceol agus Craic: (Mullagh, Co Clare) • Cumarsáid, Comhluadar & Craic: Summer course/school (Dún Chaoin, Co Chiarraí)

• Equal Eyes: Social Justice and Equality Issues in the Classroom There are two online courses on mindfulness and well-being this summer: • Mindfulness Matters: Developing Mindfulness and Well-Being in Primary School Children • ChillOut Ireland: Well-Being, Self-Care and Mindfulness for the Primary Teacher Outside the Box in collaboration with INTO Learning is also offering a course on well-being in addition to three other courses: • Using Positive Psychology to Support Well-Being in School • Managing Behaviour: Stop, Think, Do! • Autism: Inclusion in Mainstream • SALF: Self-Assessment and Learning Made Easy Marino Institute of Education in collaboration with INTO Learning is offering the following courses: • Teaching and Learning in the Early

Childhood Setting • Innovative Assessment for Literacy and Numeracy • Literacy in the Junior Classes • Teaching Reading and Writing in the Early Primary Years • Making the Grade: Mathematics in the Primary School Beyond 2020: Using Technology in the Primary Classroom (supported by PDST Technology in Education) still has places available for the August course. (€25) All online and face to face courses cost €75 with the exception of the PDST supported course and the summer course/school in Dún Chaoin (€100). For further information on courses visit: www.intolearning.ie or for specific queries contact 01-8047700 or [email protected] To register on a course go to moodle.intolearning.ie

All face to face courses run from 4 to 8 July.

Online courses July 4-22 and August 8-26 The online courses on offer for summer 2016 are: • Digital Technologies in the Primary school • Oral Language in the Primary Classroom: Let’s Get Talking • InTouch with Visual Arts • Multi-class Teaching: Management, Literacy and Numeracy Issues • Learning Through Play • Maths Problem-Solving: A Process, not a Product! • Promoting and Supporting Positive Behaviour in the Primary School • Moving from Mainstream to LS/RT • Key Skills for Good School Leadership

See the wide range of INTO summer courses on offer at www.intolearning.ie or see the poster which was delivered to all schools with April InTouch INTOUCH

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INTO news

Margaret Skinnider honoured in Monaghan Town INTO President Rosena Jordan was a guest of honour at a ceremony in Monaghan town on 30 April which saw a roundabout in the town named in honour of Margaret Skinnider. The ceremony was attended by Skinnider family members, local councillors, members of the Margaret Skinnider Appreciation Society and current and retired INTO members. At the ceremony, Margaret Skinnider’s Monaghan connections were recalled. Her father came from the Tydavnet area and she visited Monaghan as a child for summer holidays. An account was given of her active service in 1916 and her subsequent tour of America, lecturing and raising money for the republican cause. In her speech the president referred to Margaret Skinnider’s dedication to education and the promotion of equality for women, particularly in relation to pay. She spoke of her contribution to the 1946 Strike Committee and her presidency of the INTO in 1956. She said that she was proud to be present in her own district at such an occasion. Retired INTO member, and member of the Margaret Skinnider Appreciation Society, Nora MacCinna, spoke of the appropriate location of the roundabout, at the heart of the history of education in

the INTO President, Rosena Jordan was a guest of honour at the ceremony honouring Margaret Skinnider in Monaghan town.

Monaghan town. The roundabout is adjacent to the present primary schools, but also close to where, from the 1860s,

Cork school finally opens new building Pictured at the opening of a new building for Glenville NS, Co Cork, this term are Noel Ward (Deputy General Secretary), Michael O’Donnell (Principal) and Mary Magner (District CEC Representative). The provision of proper facilities for the children and staff of Glenville NS was the subject of a protracted campaign over 15 years, with the school featuring regularly in press reports of substandard accommodation. With more than 200 pupils on roll, the opening of the new school marks the success of a lengthy and often difficult struggle by teachers, parents and the local community. The opening celebrations saw the active involvement of pupils, staff, and board members past and present.

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Christian Brothers and the St Louis nuns had established schools for the children of Monaghan.

President visits Bluebell school

Among the early school visits undertaken by INTO President Rosena Jordan was one to Our Lady of the Wayside NS in Dublin’s Bluebell where she heard pupils’ songs, stories and interpretations of the 1916 Proclamation. Photographed are Mary Upton (Chair of Management Board), Rosena Jordan and Anne McCluskey (Principal).

Nuacht CMÉ

SAVE THIS SUMMER WITH YOUR INTO MEMBERSHIP PLUS CARD As summer quickly approaches, we bring you some of the fantastic days out offers you can enjoy with your family. From bowling to soft play, museums to farms, cinemas to racing, your INTO Membership Plus card brings you savings of up to 50%. Visit the Thank you to everyone who entered our Membership Plus website for details competition to win an ove rnight break with on these offers and many more. the Treacys Hotel

And the winner is…

Group. The answer to the question ‘Where are the locations of the hotels within the Treacys Hotel Group?’ was ‘Enniscorthy , Waterford and Ennis’. Con gratulations to Oonagh Kirwan, Co Dublin who was picked at random fro m all the correct entries. Do n’t worry if you didn’t win this time, you can stil l enjoy 10% off your next stay with the Treacy s Hotel Group.

Great days out offers from Membership Plus Aillwee Cave, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare 2 for 1 Aqua Dome, Tralee, Co Kerry 20 Discount Aviva Stadium Tours, Dublin 4 2 for 1 Belleek Castle, Ballina, Co Mayo 2 for 1 Brigit’s Garden, Roscahill Co Galway 20 Discount Chuckies Play Zone, Wilton, Co Cork 2 for 1 City Bowl, Oranmore, Co Galway 25 Discount Crag Cave, Castleisland, Co Kerry 2 for 1 Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show Special Offer* Eclipse Cinemas, Lifford, Co Donegal 2 for 1 Fun Factory, Naas, Co Kildare 25 Discount Glendeer Pet Farm, Athlone, Co Westmeath 25 Discount Guinness Storehouse, Dublin 8 20 Discount Hook Lighthouse & Heritage Centre, Co Wexford 2 for 1 Irish Greyhound Board, Countrywide 2 for 1 Irish National Stud, Kildare, Co Kildare 2 for 1 Loughwell Farm Play, Moycullen, Co Galway 2 for 1 Monkeys Paradise Soft Play, Tralee, Co Kerry 2 for 1 Movie Junction Drive In, Carrightwohill, Co Cork Special Offer National Sea Life Centre, Bray, Co Wicklow 2 for 1 Red Mountain Open Farm, Drogheda, Co Meath 2 for 1 The Jameson Experience, Midleton, Co Cork 10 Discount The Reel Picture, Blackpool, Co Cork Special Offer Trabolgan Holiday Village, Midleton, Co Cork 20 Discount Waterford & Suir Valley Railway, Kilmeadan, Co Waterford 20 Discount Wicklow’s Historic Gaol, Wicklow, Co Wicklow Up to 25 Discount *Offer valid until 30 June 2016.

The Dublin Horse Show which takes place from 20 to 24 July 2016 promises to be a great day out. Enjoy a pair of General Admission Tickets plus free seating in the Main Arena for two adults for only €44 instead of €70. Visit the Membership Plus website for more details and to avail of this offer.

For more details on these offers and hundreds more, visit www.membershipplus/ie/teachers or download the Membership Plus App for iOS and Android.

Discounted health screening with The INTO are delighted to partner with the Charter Medical Group which offers a health-screening service. These days we all know the importance of a healthy lifestyle and that good habits reduce risks. However, even if you eat the perfect diet and have an ideal exercise regime it is still important to monitor your health. INTOUCH

Charter Medical based in Smithfield, Dublin 7, offers the most comprehensive health-screening packages available; with a thorough set of tests and evaluations to help identify any potential health issues. Visit www.into.ie/ROI/Benefits/CharterMedical for information on discounted services for INTO members. 24

JUNE 2016

Nuacht CMÉ

Retirements

Pictures from branch and district functions to honour retiring members

Galway

Back row l to r: Sheila Phelan, Dan McInerney, Lourda Murphy, Maurice Whelan, Maire Ni Choistealbha, Jean Geraghty, Eddie Walsh and Orla Keegan, Branch Cathaoirleach. Front row l to r: Michael Gallagher, Branch Secretary; Martina Johnson, Emma Dineen, President INTO 2015/16; Maire Ni Chuinneagain, and Joe Killeen, CEC rep.

North Carlow

Headford

L to r: Fran Moloney, Branch Secretary; Cathy Holmes, Eddie Corcoran, Carol Hayden, Marie Hennessy, Terence Hayden, Amelia McElligott, Breda Heffernan, Marian Fitzgerald, Patricia Wall and Sarah Whelan, Chairperson.

Vice President John Boyle and Headford Cathaoirleach Ursula Walsh present retiree Bernie Biggins with bláthanna.

Kanturk

Monaghan s Grundy, Branch Back row l to r: Niamh Coyle, Branch Secretary; Seamu to r: Eamonn Curran, l row Front Rep. CEC an, Chairperson; Catherine Flanag ss and Helen Clerkin. Lawle Anne ent; Presid INTO , Jordan a Frances McQuaid, Rosen INTOUCH

L to r: Mary Finn, Branch Secretary; Mary Magner CEC rep; Mary Fitzpatrick, Kanturk Convent NS; Margaret O'Connor, Ballyhass NS; and Kathlee n Murphy, Branch Chairperson. 25

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INTO Advice • INTO advice for members on issues of importance •

PDST SCHOOL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMMES 2016-17 Misneach Forbairt (newly appointed principals or (principal and deputy acting principals) principal) Misneach is a two-year programme for newly appointed or acting principals in their first year in the role. It consists of five two day residential learning blocks; three residential blocks taking place in Year 1 of the programme with the remaining two residential blocks taking place in Year 2. Further regionalised leadership seminars will be offered during the year with priority placing for Misneach participants. All modules are rooted in the core dimensions of leadership; The Self as Leader, Leading Teaching and Learning, Leading People, Leading the Community, Leading the School as an Organisation and Leading Change.

Tánaiste summer course (deputy principals) 4 – 8 July

Tánaiste is a leadership summer course designed specifically for deputy principals Forbairt is a capacity building programme and acting deputy principals. The course for school leadership teams (experienced provides opportunities for participants to explore their leadership role in order to principals with their deputy principal). It lead high quality teaching and learning in is constructed on an action learning model and is designed to further develop their school while also focusing on the interpersonal dimension of their the leadership skills and knowledge needed to respond to the challenges and leadership role. The course has an emphasis on complexities of school life. effective communication and conflict The Forbairt programme consists of a management strategies, on the principal series of seven seminar days (two residential blocks, each lasting two days, and deputy principal as a leadership team, distributed leadership as well and three single day seminars). The leading change and positively impacting programme also includes three locally based evening clusters with other school on the school’s learning culture. The venues for this free summer course leaders on the programme. These are Blackrock Education Centre, Sligo professional learning communities Education Centre, Donegal Education (Action Learning Groups) use an actionCentre, Cork Education Support Centre, oriented, collaborative learning Kilkenny Education Centre, Clare approach. Inherent to the programme is a school-based project, which focuses on Education Centre, Navan Education Centre, Waterford Teachers’ Centre and the development of leadership skills. Limerick Education Centre. Full substitution cover is available to deputy principals with four days’ substitution cover available to teaching principals.

For further information on the programmes please refer to www.pdst.ie

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INTO advice

Mythbuster It can be easy to get confused about what your consumer rights are and what exactly you are entitled to. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s (CCPC) mythbuster can help clear things up.

Myth

Fact

I paid a deposit but I’ve changed my mind, I can still get my deposit back.

Deposits are usually non refundable. By paying a deposit, you are entering into a contract to buy the product or service. If you then change your mind the supplier or seller does not have to return your deposit. It will depend on the terms agreed between you at the time you bought (written or verbal).

If I lose a gift voucher or let it go out of date I can just contact the shop and get a replacement.

If you lose a gift voucher, the shop doesn’t have to replace it. It’s just like losing cash, so always keep the voucher somewhere safe. But if the voucher was made out to you specifically and is not transferable to another person, contact the shop and see if they will issue you a new one and cancel the original voucher. Likewise, if the voucher has expired before you use it, the shop does not have to honour it, but again it’s worth contacting them to see if they will honour it as a gesture of goodwill.

I have the same rights if I buy something from another individual as I do from a business.

If you buy something from an individual, either directly or through for example an auction or personal ads website, consumer rights’ legislation does not apply. For example, if you buy a car, your rights will vary depending on whether you buy from a dealer or directly from an individual. If you buy from a dealer, you are protected under consumer law. However, if you buy from another consumer, you do not have the same consumer rights because the person selling the car is not acting as a business. This means that if something goes wrong it will be much more difficult for you to put it right.

If I buy something on sale in store and it is faulty I do not have any rights.

If you bought something in the sales and it is faulty the same rights apply as if you had bought it at full price. You have the right to a repair, replacement or refund. You have the same rights shopping in the sales as you do at any other time of the year.

The item I bought in a shop is faulty, but the shop says that I will need to return it to the manufacturer as it is up to them to fix it.

Your contract is with the retailer or supplier who sold you the product so if there is a fault, it is up to them to fix it.

A shop always has to provide me with a receipt when I buy something.

There is no obligation on shops to give you a receipt for the goods you buy. However, you should always ask for one. Receipts are an important and easy way to prove you bought a product in a particular store. Remember too that bank or credit card statements can also be used as proof of purchase.

I have no protection if I buy something online and there is a problem.

If you buy something from a website in the EU and it turns out to be faulty, you have the same rights as when you buy something in a shop. You are entitled to a repair, replacement or refund. You also actually have enhanced rights, you can return the item, if you simply change your mind. Just make sure that you notify the trader within 14 days of receiving it. You then have a further 14 days to send it back. INTOUCH

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Newsdesk { News from the world of education and trade unionism, at home and abroad }

Minister for Education and Skills: Richard Bruton TD On 9 May 2016 An Taoiseach Enda Kenny appointed Richard Bruton as Minister for Education and Skills. Richard Bruton has been a TD for North Dublin since 1982. He was previously Minister for Enterprise and Employment from 1994 to 1997 and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation from 2011 to 2016. Born in Dublin in 1953 he grew up in Dunboyne, Co Meath. He was educated at Belvedere College, Clongowes Wood, UCD and Oxford. An economist by profession he worked at the ESRI, the tobacco company P.J. Carroll and CRH. He was elected to Seanad Éireann in 1981 on the Agricultural Panel and in February 1982 was elected to the Dáil. From 1986 to 1987, he served as Minister of State at the Department of Industry and Commerce. From 2002 he was Deputy Leader of Fine Gael and the

party’s spokesperson on Finance, posts he maintained until 2010. A strong critic of the first benchmarking awards in 2003 he proposed a motion that the payment of the remaining phases of benchmarking

be suspended pending further changes in public services. In June 2010 Bruton was sacked by Enda Kenny after a failed leadership challenge. However, the following month he was appointed party spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. He has wide experience having acted as policy director for Fine Gael and authored numerous policy papers on finance, education, employment, and the public service, including Fine Gael’s Reinventing Government to reform politics and reinvent the public service. The younger brother of former Taoiseach John Bruton he is married to Susan Meehan and they have four children, two sons and two daughters. He enjoys running, swimming, cycling, cooking and music. His signature dish is Chicken Balti and his favourite music is Leonard Cohen.

Programme for a Partnership Government The programme for government was published last month following protracted talks between politicians elected to the 32nd Dail. It recognises that Ireland has a strong education system, with a well-trained and committed teaching profession and that investment in education is a prime way to grow our society and economy in tandem. Among the specific commitments in the education chapter of the programme are: • annual increases in capitation rates set out on a rolling three-year basis with decision making power to BOMs to allocate resources including to posts of responsibility; • reducing PTR in junior and senior infants and primary school class sizes; • support for additional teacher CPD; • full implementation of the LRA in

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accordance with the timelines agreed; a second preschool year raising the school starting age to five years and mandatory schooling to age 17; a new model of in-school speech and language therapy and providing additional NEPs psychologists; a new school completion strategy and an updated action plan for educational inclusion; increase non-denominational and multi-denominational schools to 400 by 2030; publish school admissions legislation for the start of 2017–18; ensure that no small school closes against the wish of parents and review teacher appointment thresholds for three and four-teacher schools; review options for standardised testing; INTOUCH

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• introduce a statutory complaints procedure and commence the Fitness to Teach provisions of the Teaching Council Act; • establish a Schools Excellence Fund; • newly appointed school principals will take a preparation course in advance of taking up their role and measures to assist teaching principals will be examined;. • new subjects such as the arts, entrepreneurial education, and mental health awareness will be introduced; • capital investment programme for extensions/refurbishments, additional school places, eliminating the use of prefabs, Minor Works and Summer Works schemes and funding for safety measures such as car parks and bus lay-bys; and • additional capitation funding linked to afterschool care where demand exists.

Newsdesk

What is the purpose of the Education Passport? The Education Passport attempts to bring a level of consistency to the information shared between primary schools and post-primary schools throughout Ireland. All primary schools are now required to use the Education Passport materials when sharing information about children’s learning with post-primary schools (Circular 0045/2014). The Education Passport includes: • 6th Class Report Card • My Profile • My Child’s Profile Where can I find the Education Passport materials? The updated materials are now available at www.ncca.ie/transfer. In completing the 6th Class Report Card, primary schools have two options: the 6th Class Report Card template at www.ncca.ie/transfer or; the report card creator tool and select the 6th Class Report card option at www.reportcard.ncca.ie/. What steps should schools take in transferring Education Passport materials? The process of transferring children’s information from 6th class to postprimary school involves a number of steps. The table on the right outlines the phases of transfer in the process, roles, key actions and a suggested timeframe. Where can I get more information? More information can be found at www.ncca.ie/transfer. Here you will find useful FAQs and teacher guides to support you with the process. TRACY CURRAN is Education Officer working on primary mathematics and assessment with the NCCA.

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EDUC Mortgages – Exclusive offer for INTO Members EDUC Mortgages is delighted to partner with the INTO to offer members expert mortgage advice and exclusive offers EDUC MORTGAGE ADVICE

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Self build applications are treated the same as purchasers under the Central Bank Rules for deposits. So you need a deposit of 10% up to €220,000 and 20% for any amount in excess of €220,000. In addition, second time buyers need a 20% deposit on the loan amount. Banks will take the site value as your deposit so in most cases you will get 100% of the build cost. Top tips for getting mortgage approval l l l

l

Pay your credit card each month. Do not go overdrawn on your bank account. Never miss a direct debit, loan or credit card payment. Save regular amounts each month. Reduce the amount of bank accounts you have to a maximum of 3. The more bank accounts you have the more questions and delays you can experience with your application. The easier your accounts are to follow the faster you will get your approval.

Check out our switch and save calculator.

Pay your rent by direct debit. Save regular amounts each month. Do not withdraw cash on your credit card.

SEÁN COUCH, QFA, Director, EDUC Mortgages

For further information visit educmortgages.ie or call 01–2995020 and 086–3555240 The INTO is not a Qualified Financial Advisor (QFA). Therefore, any materials in relation to mortgage brokerage services do not constitute or comprise INTO advice and are

provided for general information purposes only. The company EDUC Mortgages operates independently of INTO through QFAs regulated by the Central Bank. Terms and

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conditions apply in respect of all financial services and the arrangement of any mortgage brokering services rests between the individual member and the service provider.

Newsdesk

Showing Racism the Red Card Two hundred young people from youth groups, primary and secondary schools attended Show Racism the Red Card’s annual awards on 11 May at the Aviva Stadium. This creative competition award called on young people to develop creative messages about racism and integration using written, visual and audiovisual means. Prizes were awarded for entries ranging from songs and raps to posters, videos and social media campaigns. The primary school award went to Craigtown NS, Co Donegal. The ceremony was MCed by sports presenter Tommy Martin. Special guests included Steve Guppy, coach, Ireland football team; Cllr Cieran Perry, Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin; John Boyle, INTO Vice-President and Razan Ibraheem, a Syrian journalist based in Ireland. Show Racism the Red Card is an anti-

racism charity that uses sports and the high profile of sportspeople to tackle racism. More information at vwww.theredcard.ie

Above: John Boyle, INTO Vice-President, presenting Craigtown NS with their award at the Show Racism the Red Card’s annual awards ceremony.

Scoil Mhuire NS, Broadford, wins BizFactor 2016 award

Críona Ní Dhálaigh, Lord Mayor of Dublin presented the school with their cheque for €500. Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne

‘Mind and Body’, a business idea from pupils from Scoil Mhuire NS, Broadford, was awarded Enterprise of the Year at the annual BizFactor competition in April. The creative business idea is a board game that aims to give both the mind and body a workout. BizWorld Ireland is a not-for-profit organisation that delivers free enterprise workshops in primary schools. All participating schools are encouraged to enter the competition, where individual projects compete to win the overall award. The other seven finalists this year included: Scoil Mhuire, Shankill, Dublin 18; St Michael’s NS, Castlepollard, Westmeath; SN Chreachmhaoil, Craughwell, Galway; Our Lady Queen of Peace, Janesboro, Limerick; Gaelscoil Sáirséal, Limerick; St Mary’s College JNS, Dublin 6 and Our Lady’s Grove PS, Dublin 14. For more information visit bizworldireland.org

Scoil Naomh Cualán remembers 1916 Scoil Naomh Cualán, Borrisoleigh, Co Tipperary, celebrating Proclamation Day. Every pupil in the school features in this aerial photograph, a source of pride to the entire school community as they remembered the events of 1916.

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Ócáidí nuachta

Education graduates and Employment opportunities for Irish graduates improved last year, according to a report published last month by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). What do graduates do? is published each year by the HEA and provides insights into the first destination of Irish graduates nine months after graduation. The latest report looks at how 2014 graduates fared in relation to employment and further education. It shows that employment rates for Honours Bachelor Degree graduates have risen from 45 per cent in 2009 to 58

per cent in 2014. It also shows that in terms of field of study, education graduates have the highest level of employment. Other key findings include: • Sixty-five per cent of all graduates are in employment, with 82 per cent in Ireland. • Over half of Honours Bachelor Degree grads earn €25,000 or over. • Dublin has the most employment opportunities for graduates. The report’s findings are based on 18,500 survey responses, representing 69 per cent of Level 8-10 graduates from Ireland’s universities and colleges of education. Education

Honours B.Ed (Primary) Only 4% of graduates were in permanent whole time teaching in Ireland, with the same proportion of males (4%) and females (4%) gaining permanent contracts. Those employed as temporary, substitute or part-time teachers in Ireland stood at 78%. A further 9% of graduates were teaching abroad. 1% were engaged in other work in Ireland, while 6% were engaged in further study or training. Furthermore, 2% of such graduates are seeking employment. The following table shows trends over the last five years for Honours

Source: What do graduates do? The Class of 2014. HEA

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B.Ed (Primary) graduates.

Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Teaching The report contains figures for the first destinations of Postgraduate Diploma in primary teaching graduates but the response rate was relatively low. Seven per cent of post graduates gaining employment were engaged in permanent whole time teaching in Ireland, with 14% of males and 5% of females gaining permanent contracts.

What do graduates earn? There is a correlation between education and salary – as education increases so does salary. Almost half of Honours Bachelor Degree graduates (49%) earn under €25,000. This drops to 9% among doctorate graduates. The opposite is also true. 31% of doctorate graduates report earning over €45,000 compared to 2% of Honours Bachelor Degree graduates. The table on opposite page shows the most commonly reported initial salaries of Honours Bachelor Degree graduates by field of study. The most common salary band for those who graduated from education is €21,000-€24,999 with 25% of graduates indicating this salary bracket. Arts and humanities graduates are the least well paid, with 25% earning less than €12,999. Overall, computer science/ICT graduates are the highest

Newsdesk

levels of employment

Source: What do graduates do? The Class of 2014. HEA

earners, with 37% of such graduates earning €33,000 or over. The report, which is available on www.hea.ie, covers graduates of Dublin City University, University of Limerick, Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, University College Dublin, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland Galway, Dublin Institute of Technology, St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, St Angela’s College, Sligo, Mater Dei Institute of Education and Marino Institute of Education Source: What do graduates do? The Class of 2014. HEA INTOUCH

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Newsdesk

High levels of trust in the teaching profession Research published by the Medical Council conducted by Amarach Research among the general public shows very high levels of trust in teachers. The public displays a high level of trust in the medical profession with 91 per cent of people, the highest of all professions surveyed, saying they trust a doctor to tell the truth. Teachers earned an 85 per cent trust rating

second to doctors with 85 per cent of those surveyed saying they trusted teachers to tell the truth. Judges were trusted by 75 per cent of people and business leaders by 40 per cent. The lowest levels of trust were in journalists (39 per cent) and TDs (18 per cent). www.medicalcouncil.ie/News-andPublications/Reports/Trust-in-profession.pdf

Are you retiring this year? The RTAI will give you a warm welcome The Retired Teachers’ Association of Ireland (RTAI) is an active and vibrant association with over 9,500 retired primary teachers, organised in 32 branches throughout the Republic of Ireland, as members. The RTAI has offices located in the INTO buildings in Parnell Square, Dublin 1 where its fulltime staff of Billy Sheehan (General Secretary) and Siobhan Desmond (Office Administrator) are available to assist members on a broad range of topics and issues that are important to retired members. At present our advocacy focus is on the reversal of cuts to public service pensions and the maintenance of pension parity.

Regular updates are contained in the Association’s journal Comhnasc. The Association’s branches hold regular meetings and organise a broad range of social events and activities that provide a strong supportive network for former colleagues. The Association would be stronger with you as a member. Please join us ! Application form: The DES will kindly include an RTAI Membership Application Form in the information pack issued to retiring teachers. Application Forms are also available from: RTAI, 35, Parnell Square, Dublin 1; [email protected] or tel: 01 245 4130 Completed forms must be returned to RTAI, 35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

CPSMA new general secretary The new general secretary of the CPSMA is Seamus Mulconry. He will take up his appointment on 20 June 2016. Seamus was educated at St Joseph’s Convent of Mercy, Kilkee and St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra. He is married to primary school teacher Bernadette O’Byrne who teaches in St Patrick’s NS, Wicklow. Seamus is a former policy advisor to Damien English TD, Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills and the

Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the last Government. Seamus is also a former Executive Director of Philanthropy Ireland, the Association for Trusts and Foundations in Ireland and former Director of Public Affairs with Edelman PR. The INTO General Secretary Sheila Nunan wished him well in his new role saying she looked forward to constructive engagement with him on issues of concern to primary education. INTOUCH

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DES announces consultation process The DES has announced a consultation process relating to developing a new Strategy for Education and Skills 2016-2018. The strategy will be informed by the programme for government. Input into the new strategy has been invited and a framework for submitting views is available on the DES website. According to the DES the programme for government sets out sets out the following eight areas of priority: • Prioritising early years • Tackling disadvantage • Diversity and choice for parents • Promoting excellence and innovation in schools • Promoting creativity and entrepreneurial capacity in students • Making better use of educational assets within communities • Special needs education • Meeting the skills needs of the future Those making submissions on the above areas are asked to comment on the approach contained in the programme for government, how should progress be measured and what are the priority actions and outcomes in this area. The closing date for submissions is Wednesday 8 June 2016 and submissions should be returned to [email protected]. The INTO will engage with the consultation process. However, the union is adamant that the process cannot be used to downplay the importance of other issues in primary education. Sheila Nunan said primary schools are under severe pressure after years of austerity. “Schools are under-funded, under-staffed and under-resourced. Basic educational tools like broadband and indoor PE facilities are not available in all schools,” she said. “Any strategy that comes out of this process must address all pressing issues.”

Ócáidí nuachta

Dualla NS and Kilcoole NS sample the Field of Dreams On Thursday, 28 April the pupils and teachers of Rang 3-6 from Dualla NS, Co Tipperary, set off for Croke Park on a school tour with a difference. They were joined in Croke Park by a group of children and their teachers from Kilcoole NS in Co Wicklow. Kilcoole NS were winners of the Large School category at the Cumann na mBunscol Awards in Ballincollig, Co Cork, while Dualla NS scooped first prize in the Small School of the Year category at the 2016 Awards, sponsored by Cornmarket Financial Services. A visit to GAA Headquarters was part of the prize for the winning schools. The Kilcoole NS party was led by school principal Joanne McDonagh and teachers Clare Frawley, Emer Fahy and Pamela McDermott – Cumann na mBunscol activists all. Joanne’s father, the late Mattie McDonagh, was a legendary Galway footballer who won four All Ireland medals and was a member of the Erin’s Hope team that won the Dublin senior football title in 1956. John Manly, principal of Dualla NS was accompanied by colleagues Mary McElligott and Anne Marie Devane. Dualla is an area steeped in GAA lore. In the closing decade of the 19th century Tubberdora from the parish of Boherlahan/Dualla won three All-Ireland senior hurling titles. Indeed, Tipperary adopted the Tubberdora colours of blue and gold as their county colours in 1925. The school groups were greeted on arrival by Gerry O’Meara, a member of An Coiste Náisiúnta of Cumann na mBunscol. The Cúl Heroes mascots were also on hand and each child received a packet of newly-launched GAA player trading cards. The children also got a lovely surprise when Kilkenny hurler TJ Reid and Dublin footballer James McCarthy stopped by to pose for a

Above: Dualla NS with president Aogán Ó Fearghail Left: Kilcoole NS pupils with GAA president Aogán Ó Fearghail

Kilcoole NS visit the Croke Park dressing rooms

group photograph with them. Next up was an access all areas stadium tour which was superbly facilitated by tour guides Martin and Christy. The children visited the dressingrooms and warm-up areas and also enjoyed the chance to run out onto the pitch itself. The day

concluded with lunch in a private box with GAA President Aogán Ó Fearghaíl, a primary teacher himself. Aogán mixed freely with all the children as a memorable day came to an end. JOE LYONS, PRO Cumann na mBunscol.

Gaelic Games summer course for teachers Pat Culhane, National Child Games Development Co-ordinator of the GAA, advises that summer courses for primary teachers are going ahead all over the country. This GAA Teacher

hours on online modules are to be completed thereafter. Beidh cúrsa aghaidh ar aghaidh trí mheán na Gaeilge ar siúl in Institiúid Oideachais Marino, Baile Átha Cliath, ó

Summer Course is a new blended course using the Association’s new Learning and Development Community Portal. The face-to-face element runs over three days and approximately eight INTOUCH

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22ú-26ú Lúnasa. Mar chuid den chúrsa tabharfar iad siúd a bheidh páirteach go Páirc an Chrócaigh, saor in aisce. Details on: learning.gaa.ie/ TeacherSummerCourses

Newsdesk

€30m sanctioned for summer works projects In April the DES announced that 135 primary schools would receive funding for summer works projects this year. €30m has been allocated for gas and electrical works in schools. The majority of the works will be carried out in schools over the summer months. The INTO was concerned that the late announcement of grants this year would lead to pressure in schools in relation to organising works. A press release issued on 20 April calling on the minister to make an immediate announcement. Sheila Nunan, General Secretary, said: “It was vital that sanction for projects be

given in time to allow for proper planning by schools. Arrangements need to be made now for tendering and the appointment of contractors. This cannot be done successfully unless government gives an immediate green light to the scheme.” Schools approved for grant aid for 2016 can access further details and instructions online using the Esinet Portal. An information article on the Summer Works Scheme was published on page 27 of the December 2013 issue of InTouch (available in the Publications section of the INTO website). The April

2014 InTouch contained a supplement with useful information for schools commencing devolved schemes such as the SWS. This information is also available on the INTO website at www.into.ie/ROI/InfoforTeachers/Schoo lAccommodation/PlanningaSchoolProje ct/PlanningAProject.pdf. The June 2015 issue of InTouch contained useful information on the removal of asbestos from schools. The INTO also called on the DES to announce details of devolved grants for schools for 2016 under the Additional Accommodation Scheme.

WORKERS’ MEMORIAL DAY 2016 Ireland’s second annual Workers’ Memorial Day was formally observed on Thursday 28 April 2016 at a special ceremony in the Royal Hibernian Academy involving the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Ibec, the Construction Industry Federation and the Health and Safety Authority. 28 April is the date every year when trade union and employer groups worldwide, as well as individual organisations, remember people killed or injured in work-related accidents. Workers’ Memorial Day Ireland remembers workers lost and injured and highlights the importance of health, safety and welfare at work. The theme of the commemorative event this year was ‘Remembering the past for a safe and healthy future’. A flag bearing party from the Defence Forces presented the tricolour at the event, on behalf of the State. In Ireland in the ten year period

Deirdre O’Connor, AGS, and Rosena Jordan, President, pictured at the Workers’ Memorial Day event.

between 2006 and 2015, 526 people were killed in work-related accidents and many thousands more severely injured. Last year alone, 56 people were killed.

Rosena Jordan, President, Sheila Nunan, General Secretary, and Deirdre O’Connor, Assistant General Secretary, represented the INTO at this event.

Ravelóid postponed The board of directors of Ravelóid have announced the postponement of Ravelóid which will not now take place in 2016. The festival was originally planned for 10-11 June 2016 in Ardgillan Castle, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, and has been postponed.

Ravelóid apologies for any disappointment caused and will ensure that everyone who purchased tickets receives full refunds. The goodwill shown to Ravelóid among the general public, especially over the last few weeks, both nationally and internationally, has

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proven that there is a strong demand for a contemporary Irish language music festival. The board will be working in the coming months on an alternative date. For further information: Tomaí Ó Conghaile Cathaoirleach Ravelóid 0044 7759837019.

Newsdesk

Teaching Council registration Renewing registration during the summer holiday period Approximately 21,000 teachers at both primary and post primary level will be due to renew their registration during the summer months. The Council will remove a teacher who does not renew from the Register which has serious implications for pay. Teachers can check their renewal date through the teacher login facility on the Council’s website. Should a teacher wish to renew in advance of receiving a renewal notice

they can contact the Council by phone and ask to have their registration renewed in advance.

Registration following a leave of absence or career break Teachers returning from a leave of absence or a career break are advised to ensure that they are fully registered in accordance with Circular 0010/2011. Nonregistration has serious implications for pay. A teacher who has allowed registration to lapse whilst on career break/leave of

absence must apply for registration and vetting to the Council and allow sufficient time for processing prior to resuming teaching. Under the law, applications for registration must go through the full application process and may take up to 12 weeks. Further information is available on these issues from the Teaching Council on 01 651 7900/1890 224 224 (Monday to Friday 09.00 and 17.00) or by email to [email protected]

Teaching Council Regulation 3 (Montessori and other categories) Teaching Council clarifies proposed changes do not affect the registration of any teacher currently on the Register of Teachers. The Teaching Council last month issued a statement in relation to the impact of the re-designation of Regulation 3 (Montessori and other categories). The key points to note are: 1. If you are currently registered under Regulation 3, the new regulations will not change that registration status.

Even if you lapse off the Register at any point in the future, under the proposed revised regulations, you will be entitled to apply for the route to registration which applied when you first registered. In other words, the principle of ‘what you have, you hold’, will apply for teachers who are currently registered under Regulation 3. 2. If you are currently studying a level 8 qualification in Montessori education, you can apply for registration under

Transfer of patronage of Community National Schools to Education and Training Boards Last month the DES announced 1 September 2016 as the planned date for the transfer of patronage of Community National Schools to the relevant Education and Training Boards. The transfer will facilitate elections for a board of management in each school. It is envisaged that boards will be established by November 2016. There are 11 Community National Schools. The schools, and their relevant Education and Training Board are:

Citywest & Saggart CNS, Citywest, Dublin 24. Lucan CNS, Lucan. Scoil Aoife, Tallaght.

Kildare/Wicklow ETB Naas CNS, Naas, Co Kildare. Greystones CNS, Greystones, Co Wicklow.

Louth/Meath ETB Scoil Ard Rí, Navan, Co Meath.

Dublin/Dun Laoghaire ETB

Cork ETB

Scoil Choilm, Dublin 15. Scoil Ghrainne, Dublin 15. Scoil Chormaic, Balbriggan, Co Dublin.

Scoil Aonghusa, Mallow, Co Cork. Scoil Chliodhna, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork.

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Regulation 3 up to 31 December 2021. This will also apply for those who commence this programme on or before 1 October 2016. 3. Within the parameters of circulars from the Department of Education and Skills, these changes to the regulations do not affect the employment or promotion prospects of teachers who are registered under Regulation 3. The full statement is available on the Teaching Council website.

Resource hours for September 2016 allocated to schools At the end of April the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) published the allocations of resource teaching hours to schools for the start of the 2016/2017 school year. There will be 4,014 posts in primary schools compared to 3,965 last October, an increase of 49 posts or just over one per cent. The NCSE has also announced a second round of posts in October (422 posts across primary and post primary) to provide for newly diagnosed pupils who may move schools between now and the new school year. Full details of each school’s allocation are on the INTO website.

Teaching matters • Articles and opinions on primary teaching, with tips and ideas for the classroom •

Professional information online Tips and opportunities The Internet is a rich source of teaching tips, tools and applications with potential for use in the classroom. As professionals in the classroom, teachers decide what sites/applications will be used to enhance teaching and learning. Scoilnet is our national portal at www.scoilnet.ie and is a great source of links to sites aligned with curricular objectives. We also source information to enhance teaching and learning outside of Scoilnet from a limited number of websites/blogs initially and so information management is not an issue. Sites and blogs can be bookmarked in the browser you are using for reference later.

New folders can be created and named. All links relating to this topic can then be collated neatly and visually within the folder.

Managing popular digital storytelling creation sites

Flipboard at www.flipboard.com (iOS, Android, Windows app as well as website) facilitates the curation of all preferred information feeds to one location for easy access on a daily basis. This can be likened to the creation of your personal magazine bringing together all your favourite sources of articles.

Adding a bookmark from the Chrome browser

Another option is to subscribe to blogs of interest by email. You will receive updates from the blog in question to your email account. www.flipboard.com

Subscribing to a blog

After subscribing to a number of blogs, the inbox of your email account can be quickly populated with a deluge of postings from your blogs of interest. One of the most popular applications for managing web links is Symbaloo whereby popular sites can be managed by on-screen folders and visual ‘tiles’.

The articles are easy to read from this interface and associated pictures/ images are included in the preview. A further advantage of Flipboard is the ability to follow Twitter hashtags and accounts. No teacher should feel they are living in professional isolation. There are ample opportunities to gather ideas from like-minded professionals. For anyone with an interest in the applications of ICT in education, the appropriate INTO/IPPN/CESI mailing lists are a must. INTOUCH

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There are also a number of subject/methodology related groups on Edmodo (the online platform for teachers). Twitter is also a great way to make connections with organisations and individuals. Knowing who to follow is key, otherwise you can find yourself wading through a lot of diverse information in the hope of finding the nuggets of golden information hoped for at the outset. In this era of information abundance at our disposal, we have an array of fantastic tools to assist us. A good place to pick up even more ideas and to form communities of practice in relation to the use of ICT in the classroom is at a PDST Technology in Education face to face summer course facilitated through your local education centre. We are delighted to offer nine face to face ICT summer courses for summer 2016. Contact your local education centre to see the PDST Technology in Education courses they are offering and the venues for same. A core component of all courses is the maintenance of a learning log/ePortfolio of your work, which will incorporate learning from the course to help you appreciate the benefits of an ePortfolio for student led, self-directed learning. Seán Gallagher, PDST/ PDST Technology in Education.

Cúrsaí teagaisc

Geo-literacy: children–led Working as town planners provides children with a unique set of skills. The site of the school building provides a good starting point. Children can assess the advantages and disadvantages of their current school site as well as its unique selling points. Why was a decision made to build a school on this site? This may lead to the consideration of other suitable sites in the area. What makes a good site for a new school? To investigate questions such as these, children need to look at various data including: maps of the local area; Google Earth and Google Maps; local development plans; aerial views and images of the area. The children should look for patterns, think critically and assess the advantages and disadvantages of various options. Opportunities to analyse data using interviews, questionnaires, maps and visual aids can be provided. Presentations on the ideal site can then be made by the children working as planners. Through this process they are making connections between various curricular areas including maths, literacy and geography. More importantly children are developing essential geo-literacy skills. Scoil Íde (Corbally, Limerick) has developed a whole school programme in

geo-literacy, in response to an overloaded curriculum, declining literacy levels among children beginning school, and government requirements to increase the amount of time spent on literacy and numeracy. Literacy experts acknowledge the importance of literacy being taught through a range of curricular areas, including geography. Geo-literacy incorporates an approach to literacy whereby children develop literacy skills through a selection of local and global geographical topics and themes. Geo-literacy is the ability to use geographic understanding and reasoning to make decisions. Whether we are making decisions about where to live, what precautions to take for natural hazards, or understanding human and natural systems, we are all called upon to make decisions that require geo-literacy throughout our lives. Geo-literacy can be used to integrate literacy into other subject areas, to improve learning outcomes in reading, and ease time pressure on curriculum implementation. Three central aspects of geoliteracy are commonly referred to as the three Is: Interactions (How our world works); Interconnections (How our world is connected); Implications (How to make wellreasoned decisions). Each geo-literacy lesson is

rates an Geo-literacy incorpo whereby approach to literacy eracy skills lit p lo e v e d n re ild h c l and global a c lo f o e g n ra a h g throu and themes. s ic p to l a ic h p ra g o e g INTOUCH

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constructed around these three concepts. Anecdotal evidence from schools suggest a deficit in children’s oral language is due to multiple reasons such as increased time spent on screens, working parents and fewer opportunities to engage in conversations at home. An emphasis on oral language is a central part of geo-literacy whereby teachers identify key words for each geo-literacy lesson and strategies for their correct use in the classroom. Deficiencies in oral language raise issues for other parts of the literacy programme including reading, writing, comprehension and background knowledge in other curricular areas. Geo-literacy lessons enhance children’s background knowledge and this has a positive impact on reading levels. The other unique feature of a geo-literacy lesson is the element of children’s participation. At least 80% of the lesson is child led and child directed. In the sample geo-literacy lesson cited here, the children work as town planners, make important decisions, and present their work to an interested audience. According to principal Peter Long, “geo-literacy has brought geography back to life for children as a subject that is of real relevance to their everyday lives and as such draws on and helps develop all their core skills in the language area.” Sample: Lesson Plan: Town planning (accommodating diverse needs of community members)

Lesson introduction Read the following lesson to your class Dear Second and Third Class The Town Council of Irish Town would like you to work as town planners on a new project. We have recently acquired a new plot of land and we are planning to build a new town. We will provide funding for 20 buildings but you must decide which buildings we might fund. You should also provide reasons for your decisions. Once you have decided on your buildings, provide a draft map indicating the layout of your buildings. Please present your map and any other relevant documentation to the town council in two weeks’ time. Yours sincerely Lady Mayor O’Brien

Teaching matters

decision making Development Children brainstorm various buildings necessary for a new town. On the board categorise their answers under different headings such as residential, commercial, industrial and municipal. Assess which buildings are essential for the early stages of a town and which buildings can be introduced later.

Other discussion points about the choice of buildings 1. Where will people work? 2. What facilities do we need for children e.g. crèche, schools etc. 3. What kind of healthcare do we need for the first stage of a town e.g. doctor’s surgery, health care centre or a hospital? 4. What kind of shopping facilities are needed? 5. What kind of buildings do we need for the older citizens in our town? 6. Do we need offices for our town council?

Discussion points about layout and mapping 1. Discuss the importance of layout and green areas. 2. Does it make sense to locate schools far away from residential areas? 3. Should a shopping centre be located in a small village? 4. Where is the best place to locate a crèche and playground? 5. How will the people travel within the town and between this and other towns? In groups the children will work as

Commercial /Services

Small Shop Large Shop Supermarket

Residential

House Detached Semi-detached Terraced Apartments

Industrial

Factory

Municipal

Offices

Leisure

Museum

construction companies. They should determine which buildings they will provide for year one and reasons for their choice. Using graph paper, the groups can draw plans for their new town. These can be presented to the mayor (teacher) and town council (group of children from another class) for approval. The town council will provide feedback on all plans and select one for approval. Alternatively, the class can vote on their favourite plan.

Key vocabulary See table below left. Follow-on work

The groups can provide plans for year two and year three. Discuss the concept of growth in terms of population, industry and services. What is the projected size of this town in five years and in the future? What Public House (Pub) Health Care Centre factors will Restaurant Dentist influence growth? Hairdresser Doctor Ask the children Post Office to identify businesses with Place of religious Education/Child Care potential which worship Crèche they would like Church Primary to locate in their Mosque Secondary town. Consider Adult Education issues such as sources of Source of energy Industrial Park employment, the identification of Recycling system Information Centre goods and services which Parks and Green Library would be in Areas INTOUCH

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demand and marketing. What happens if a major employer leaves the town? Suggested student assessment In groups children can work on a map of their local area and assess the strengths and weakness of planning in their area. Related activities Invite a local town planner or councillor to talk to your class and to assess the children’s work. Explore the location of towns and cities in local county, Ireland and in other countries. Discuss the geographical reasons for their location. Scoil Íde is currently working with Mary Immaculate College where an elective option in geo-literacy is available for third year B.Ed. students. During this elective, students have an opportunity to observe and teach geo-literacy lessons in Scoil Íde. The Arizona Geographic Alliance developed the geo-literacy concept in an attempt to keep geography in primary schools. Geo-literacy lesson plans are available on geoalliance.asu.edu/ lessons/ geoliteracy Geo-literacy provides a unique opportunity to improve geographical knowledge while addressing core literacy requirements. IAIN BURNS is a teacher in Scoil Íde and Dr ANNE DOLAN is a lecturer in primary geography at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Special thanks to second class children in Scoil Íde and their teachers Nicola Greensmyth and Amie Clancy for their inspiring work.

Cúrsaí teagaisc

Bullying, self-harm and suicide Report paints worrying picture of Irish young people’s mental health well-being and self-esteem in general, discussed problems particular to young people and problems particular to LGBT people. Participants were also asked what impact, if any, their LGBT identity had on their mental health. A similar project, the My World Survey: A study of youth mental health in Ireland was released by the group Headstrong in 2012. The My World study was based on all Irish youth, gay and straight, and when the results are compared, they illustrate that anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide are considerably more prevalent among LGBT youth than among the general population.

Is this an issue for primary schools? Many reading these statistics will rightly be shocked, but may also be wondering if this is actually an issue for primary schools. After all, isn’t sexuality the domain of teenagers and adults? Earlier this year, former president Dr Mary MacAleese launched the LGBTIreland Report, the most comprehensive study of the mental health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) young people ever conducted in Ireland. The statistics on homophobia, bullying, self-harm and suicide revealed in this report shocked professionals and academics alike and should be of concern to anyone working in mental health, education or anyone responsible for caring for young people. Personal stories shared by young respondents give glimpses of isolation, self-loathing, fear of being themselves and worries about rejection which are

very much in contrast with the joyful and colourful images from Dublin Castle the day the Marriage Referendum passed. This research poses serious questions as to how equal Irish society truly is and what we as educators and caregivers can do to improve this situation.

The research The research was led by Professor Agnes Higgins from Trinity College Dublin School of Nursing & Midwifery and was funded by the National Office for Suicide Prevention. The results of the report are based on interviews with 2,264 LGBT people, 47% of whom were aged 14-25. Participants were interviewed about their

Key Findings Levels of depression were four times higher among LGBT youth

47% of LGBT youth experienced depression

56% of LGBT youth aged 14-18 had self-harmed

43% of LGBT youth aged 19-25 had self-harmed

70% of LGBT youth aged 14-18 had seriously thought about ending their own lives

62% of LGBT youth aged 19-25 had seriously thought about ending their own lives

One in three LGBT youths aged 14-18 had actually attempted suicide

One in five LGBT youth aged 19-25 had actually attempted suicide

Incidences of self-harm were two times higher among LGBT youth

Suicide attempts were three times higher among LGBT youth

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Being lesbian, gay or bisexual is about whom a person is physically attracted to and, as such, people usually discover this when they experience puberty and begin to have feelings of attraction towards others. According to the participants in the LGBTIreland study the most common age to discover one’s LGB identity was 12, which would correspond to the average age of onset of puberty. Teachers of fifth and sixth class may encounter pupils who are struggling with discovering and accepting their LGB identity and, of course, some children will experience these feelings at an even younger age. Being transgender is different. Transgender people feel that their true gender is not the one assigned to them at birth. It has nothing to do with puberty or sexuality. In its very simple sense, being transgender means the person you are on the inside is a different gender to the one everyone else sees. Therefore, children can struggle with their gender identity from a very young age and it is possible a junior infant teacher could one day meet a transgender child in their classroom.

Teaching matters INTO Summer Cour se

Homophobic bullying certainly does occur in our primary schools, regardless of the age at which LGBT children may discover their identities and children can be victims of homophobic bullying whether they are LGBT or not. Schools and teachers often feel they do not have the required experience or knowledge to deal with such sensitive situations which can be extremely confusing and difficult for both children and parents. The INTO has provided resources and training courses which will help in this regard and are detailed below.

Inclusive Schoo ls: Combating Hom ophobic, Transphobic & Cy ber Bullying, 4-8 July 2016. INTO Learning Centre, 38, Parnell Square , Dublin 1. Cost: €75

Different Families: Same Love poster

What can we do to help? The Department of Education’s 2013 AntiBullying Procedures for Primary and Postprimary Schools requires that all schools must now have anti-bullying policies and that they must proactively address cyberbullying, homophobic bullying and transphobic bullying. Addressing bullying should not be reactive, the best antibullying strategies deal with bullying before it ever happens by creating a positive school and classroom atmosphere which is respectful and inclusive of everyone. We could not tackle racism without highlighting and valuing ethnic diversity, so can we expect to tackle homophobia without acknowledging the existence of LGBT people? The INTO’s LGBT Teachers’ Group has produced a teaching resource for primary school teachers which aims to do this in a simple and age-appropriate way. The poster Different Families: Same Love, which was distributed in this magazine in October 2015, recommends teachers discuss LGBT people in the context of the family. Children already know that some of their classmates live with ‘just mam’ or ‘just dad’ or with their grandparents rather than in a traditional nuclear family; the poster simply expands that to say that some children live with two mams or two dads. There are lots of ideas for exploring and valuing family diversity, based on the strands and strand units of the SPHE curriculum and helpful age-appropriate definitions and explanations which may help teachers answer questions from pupils. An online

version of the poster is also available for the Interactive Whiteboard, the link to which is available at the end of the article INTO Learning is also running a face-toface summer course, Inclusive Schools: Combating Homophobic, Transphobic & Cyber Bullying, in Dublin this year. This course will be delivered by primary school teachers and will be a worthwhile learning experience for teachers and principals. In addition to useful suggestions about combating cyber bullying, the course will explain the impacts of homophobic language and how to discuss homophobia and transphobia with children in an age-appropriate way. One of the biggest issues faced by LGBT people as children is the silence about LGBT people. In the past, many LGBT people grew up without role models; upon discovering their LGBT identity many thought they were the only one, or that there was something wrong with them. Thankfully, society has changed and become more inclusive and children have LGBT role models in the worlds of entertainment and sports. Schools however, are often still silent when it comes to LGBT issues. Changing this silence may be the biggest and most important step we can take in tackling homophobia and ensuring that all of our pupils feel valued.

What about religious ethos? For the vast majority of teachers, ensuring our pupils’ emotional well-being in the INTOUCH

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classroom is as important as their educational attainment. Yet some teachers employed by schools under religious patronage may feel unsure about whether they may offend the ‘ethos’ of their school in discussing LGBT issues in the classroom. It should reassure teachers to know that the Different Families: Same Love poster was launched by the Minister for Education and is one of PDST’s recommended resources for SPHE and RSE. If discussing sexuality in the classroom makes us feel uncomfortable, it is worth remembering the statistics revealed in the LGBTIreland Report. The reality is that children are struggling with depression, harming themselves and trying to end their lives. Most upsetting is to consider the children whose voices are not included in that report because they succeeded in a suicide attempt. Protecting children from bullying, of any type, is a child protection issue and should take precedence above any other consideration. The DES’s own Anti-bullying Procedures can be considered to be the final word in this regard: The prevention of bullying must be an integral part of the written anti-bullying policy of all primary and post-primary schools. Every school must document in its antibullying policy the specific education and prevention strategies that the school will implement. This must include documenting the measures being taken by the school to explicitly address the issues of cyber-bullying and identitybased bullying including in particular, homophobic and transphobic bullying. (DES, 2013, p. 25)

Links LGBTIreland report: http://www.glen.ie/ attachments/The_LGBTIreland_Report.pdf My World study: https://www. headstrong.ie/research/my-world-survey Different Families: Same Love poster: www.into.ie/lgbt/EducationalResources NIALL CALLAN, INTO LGBT Teachers’ Group www.INTO.ie/lgbt, Email: [email protected] Tel: 087 6952839

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Arts in Education Professor John Coolahan giving the opening address at the Arts in Education National Day ceremony in the IMMA

Arts in Education National Day was celebrated in the Irish Museum of Modern Art recently with an extensive programme of presentations, workshops, demonstrations and discussion sessions across a range of the arts – drama, art, photography, music, film, singing and architecture.

A national culture change Opening the event which also celebrated Ireland’s first Arts in Education Portal, launched a year ago, Professor John Coolahan told those attending that what was afoot in the last number of years was the forging of a national culture change. Through this, he said, a new era was opening up for the universal integration of the arts as a core dimension of young Irish people’s holistic education. He told the gathering that about a million of our citizens are attending statesupported schools in Ireland. They are at formative, impressionable and inquiring stages of their development. Their curiosity, inventiveness, creativity, imagination and aesthetic development needs to be fostered through engagement with the arts, as receivers and as practitioners, both in-and-out of school. It is unwise to emphasise the so-called STEM subjects at the expense of the Arts Humanities. Experience of, and in the arts is central to the holistic development of contemporary citizens, and has a vital role in fostering the characteristics just mentioned. In the past, arts in education suffered from fragmentation and compartmentalisation as well as under-resourcing. A key feature of the new era is the extent of co-operation, collaboration, networking, and partnership which is becoming operative.

Renewed energy and activity There is evidence of renewed energy and activity in the many children’s arts organisations throughout the country. These agencies have built up important experience and expertise in arts-ineducation and provide a valuable national asset which deserves more public recognition and support. The work of these agencies will be incorporated in the Arts in Education Portal in due course.

“It is unwise to emphasise the so-called STEM subjects at the expense of the Arts Humanities: Experience of, and in the arts is central to the holistic development of contemporary citizens” The Portal, the key national digital recourse for arts in education in Ireland is proving to be a great success. A threeyear plan for the Arts in Education Portal is now being put in place.

More focussed attention A major new development is the more focussed attention to helping artists and teachers to develop their understanding, expertise and creative pitch for arts in education work for children at different age levels. The ARK, Cultural Centre for Children, as well as other established agencies, have been promoting this work and providing opportunities for artists to work with and for children of different ages, and to work with teachers. During the period September 2014 to January 2015, six in-school arts projects took place in six primary schools across Ireland. A total of 20 hours duration was allocated to each project; six of those hours were allocated for ongoing project planning. The projects were in a variety of INTOUCH

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art forms: visual art (2), dance, drama, music and literature (language arts). Research was integral to this teacherartist partnership initiative from its inception. The learning presented in the research report conducted during phases 1 and 2 and based on the experience of the teacher-artist partnerships examined was intended to inform the design of future partnership initiatives and to contribute to the development and sustainability of each partnerships in schools.

Training programme In summer 2016, this training programme on Teacher/Artist Partnership as a Model of CPD for Enhancing and Supporting Arts Education in our School Communities will engage 21 teachers and 21 artists in collaborative learning processes. The training will be extended further in the autumn when the teacher/artist pairs, who have participated in the Training of

Teaching matters

National Day

presentation on the project at the Arts in Education Portal National Day. Finding Our Way also recently featured as a project/partnership on the Portal: artsineducation.ie/en/project/finding-our-way/. Eric Molimard Bigger Picture Photography

Finding our Way is a collaborative dance artist in residence programme, co-ordinated by the Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education. The project took place with second class pupils from Gaelscoil Uí Fhiaich, Co Kildare and their teacher Tracey Kirrane in 2015. Dance artist in resident Lisa Cahill and residency co-ordinator Triona Stokes, Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education, gave a

Trainer programme, will be facilitated to undertake a residency programme in respective teachers’ schools. At the event a presentation was given on the CPD model ‘Creative Building’ by one of the lead teacher/artist pairs supported by other colleague facilitators. It is intended that each education centre will have the capacity to implement this model locally and regionally into the future through strategic planning involving collaboration and co-operation with the various art organisations, educational institutions and school communities.

Involvement of higher education institutions Higher education institutions, particularly colleges of education, have been extending their offerings of arts-ineducation courses and experience for student teachers. The provision of a set of artists-in-residency bursaries, by the Arts Council, for such institutions has been a major input to this work. It is also relevant to note, in this context, that the Arts

100 Year History project – Teacher Conor Doyle and pupils investigate local history at Lisnafunchin NS, Co Kilkenny. The 100 Year History Project is a creative commemoration project, engaging children and teachers from 12 schools in Ireland and Northern Ireland with the Decade of Commemorations, through child-led research and creative activity alongside a professional artist and writer. The project explores the wider political events of the decade 1912-22 through the lens of local and family histories and will result in a children’s history book to be published in autumn 2016. The 100 History Project is produced in partnership with Kids’ Own, the Kilkenny Education Centre and the Belfast Education and Library Board. The project will be featured as the July Project/Partnership on the Arts in Education Portal.

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Council is reviewing the Artists – School Guidelines, of 2006, in consultation with partners.

Technology and the Arts in Education Portal A major facilitating factor for the arts-in-education culture change is the availability and general distribution of a variety of new technologies. They open up unprecedented opportunities for incorporating arts in education as a normal and regular feature of educational experience, in and out of school. The Arts in Education Portal is a good example of this. This is the first generation when it has been generally feasible to draw universally on this remarkable resource. More information on the portalartsineducation.ie

Teaching matters

Melanoma, just like breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer etc can spread fast throughout the body and can kill. According to Dr Derek Power, Medical Oncologist, Cork University Hospital, each year, around 721 cases of melanoma are diagnosed in Ireland. Melanoma is caused, in most cases, by excessive ultra violet radiation from the sun. The good news is that the majority of melanoma cases can be prevented. Protection from overexposure to the sun reduces the risk of developing melanoma. This is particularly important for children and young people whose skin is more delicate and easily damaged. In 2012 I noticed a tiny scratch on a freckle on my thigh. It was harmless looking, but even so, it seemed to be calling for my attention, constantly. It was stubborn and was not healing. After a few weeks, the scratch developed into a blister. I had an appointment to see my GP and, to be truthful, I was embarrassed to show her the little blister for fear that she would think I was wasting her time. She immediately referred me to a dermatologist in my local hospital. After only a three week wait I had what was by then a 7mm, hard, mole-like lesion excised. It transpired that the little scratch on my thigh had been, in fact, malignant melanoma. It was nodular melanoma, the most aggressive type – cancer. I was told that it had already spread to my lymph nodes. I was shocked. No one had ever told me that melanoma was a big deal. I never knew… I had the lymph nodes removed from my groin in January, 2013. I was months recovering from it… I was told that I wouldn’t be able to stand for any period longer than 20 minutes, ever again. If I was ever to return to teaching I was advised that I elevate my leg every 20 minutes. Imagine having that luxury as a

classroom teacher! Things were getting better. I was almost one year free of melanoma when it made another appearance in 2013, in the form of a lump deep in my thigh. I had more surgery and, since then, I have had numerous recurrences in my groin and thigh. Dr Derek Power recently told me that I am the first and only patient that he has come across to have had so many recurrences and surgeries and for the disease still not to have spread. A bit of luck has been thrown my way – and I will take it gladly. In writing all of this, I am in no way meaning to be pitiful and gloomy. I want to use this story as an opportunity to turn my experience into something positive for others. I want to raise awareness and help prevent what is happening to me from happening to others in the future. The good news – in most cases, melanoma can be prevented! Educated sun protection choices are the way forward for the prevention of melanoma. Being a teacher, and fascinated by the minds of children, I recently started to make primary school children, and the adults who care for them, more aware of UV rays and of the importance of sun protection. Many primary schools in Ireland are exposed to the elements on a daily basis. Few of them provide shade for pupils and teachers while outdoors. Blistering sunburns in early childhood increase the risk of skin cancer , including melanoma. Through the Facebook Page: Sunny Days Melanoma Cancer Awareness, and a website: www.sunnydaysmelanomacancer awareness.ie, I have been able to share my ideas and findings. School sun hats Following research I found that the UV

index is at its highest from April through to the end of September. In Australia, every school has a ‘No Hat, No Play’ policy. Many schools in the UK are ‘Sun Safe’ schools. In these schools, shade is provided where possible in school yards and children must wear sun hats from April to October. I set about sourcing appropriate sun hats for children and discovered that sunsmart hats protect the neck, ears, temples and sides of the face. Broad brimmed, bucket and legionnaire hats all offer protection to these vulnerable areas. (www.cancer.org) Baseball caps do not. Following a pilot sun hat project with four primary schools, three in Cork and one in Killarney very positive feedback was received from teachers and parents. There were mixed reports from children! However, all children were much more aware of the importance of sun safety as a result of the project. Sun safety information was sent home to every household through the children. Dr Catherine Gleeson, dermatologist, visited the schools involved to teach children about sun safety. Information about sun hats, the pilot project, posters and other resources is available on www. sunnydaysmelanomacancerawareness.ie

Melanoma – so much more than ‘just a mole’

ANNE O’LEARY, Cork

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Cúrsaí teagaisc

Maths for Fun Partnership with parents in a HSCL numeracy initiative The National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy, Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life “acknowledges that the education system alone cannot deliver better literacy and numeracy and it envisages a central role for parents and communities in supporting and encouraging children and young people to learn to use and understand literacy and numeracy in their lives” (Department of Education and Skills, 2011, 4). Maths for Fun involves parents and teachers playing maths games with the children in the classroom, learning together in a fun way. The publication Effective literacy and numeracy practices in DEIS schools highlights good practice in eight DEIS primary schools and notes that “the schools have created real opportunities for parents to work with the teachers and children in the classrooms and they have enabled the parents to support their children’s learning at home in ways that bring extra success and positive outcomes for each child.” (Department of Education and Science, 2009, 97). Using concrete learning resources through maths games involves a handson approach that is essential to the understanding of mathematical concepts. Maths for Fun as a learning activity embodies the active, collaborative, discovery and discursive principles of the Primary School Curriculum (1999) and also covers all strands of the maths curriculum. A main strength of the Maths for Fun approach is that it helps to develop positive attitudes to maths among both parents and children by bringing fun and variety into maths activities. Parents of third, fourth and fifth class pupils commented: “It’s a great help for me because I was never any good at maths at school myself” and “I don’t want my children to be as useless as me”. Parents also noted children’s motivation to engage in activities and their enjoyment of the games: “The motivation is so high to win the game – they don’t get it that it’s maths”; “They enjoyed the craic and the fun”. Children agreed that: “Sometimes maths is hard but in the groups it was fun.” By engaging in Maths for Fun parents also become familiar with the maths language used in school in a non-

threatening and fun way and they learn how to play games using the same language used in the classroom. It also provides an opportunity to introduce or revise maths concepts that are important for parents in understanding their child’s learning: “I remember the (number) line being on the desk at school. I never knew what it was for. Now I know,” and “It made me remember what I had forgot about.” Maths for Fun is also an invaluable activity to involve parents as partners in teaching and learning of maths skills and develops parents’ confidence in their role of supporting their child’s home learning: “It made me able to help my child with her homework. It has made my life easier. A lot less arguments at homework time.” From the pupils’ perspective, Maths for Fun also provides “valuable opportunities for pupils to develop and apply their mathematical skills in an enjoyable, social manner” (Department of Education and Science 2009, 49). Parents noted the benefits of collaborative and discovery learning: “It brings children together to work in teams,” and “It helps them think quickly”. Children agreed that “It was a fun way to learn,” and “It was nice to meet people’s parents” and they enjoyed some of the games so much that they even played them in the yard during break. Some activities also provided opportunities to compete with older siblings at home in the evenings. Teachers also reported increased learning and concentration on maths topics when parents were in the classrooms. Whole school planning Whole-school planning for mathematics ensures that there is a common approach to identifying priorities. In planning Maths for Fun, specific curriculum content of the maths games can be scheduled by class teachers at the particular class levels in accordance with the school’s overall maths plan. The agreed maths language to be used across the school is also incorporated into this planning process. Class teacher planning The HSCL coordinator liaises with the class teacher to address organisational issues such as timing. Sessions are usually run either at the start or the end of the school day to correspond with school INTOUCH

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opening times and to accommodate parents dropping off or collecting children. The specific games to be played and resources needed are agreed and sourced and games may be purchased from HSCL funding or from school funds. Timing and duration Maths for Fun sessions last from 30-45 minutes and are usually held in the classroom once a week for a 4-6 week period. During events such as Maths Week a gigantic session of Maths for Fun could be held in the school hall with stations manned by parents and class groups taking turns to come and play the games. Resources Board games, card games and concrete materials (e.g. number lines, counters) appropriate to the curricular content and the skills targeted as outlined in the strand/s of the curriculum being addressed. Usually four maths games are played in each Maths for Fun session but it’s important to have extra games ready as some groups may finish the games very quickly. Choose games that both parents and children will enjoy and provide clear instructions on how to play each game. Inviting parents A general invitation to participate is sent out to all parents in the class. The HSCL co-ordinator may visit homes and personally invite parents, offering support in particular to parents who may be apprehensive about coming in to the classroom at all and especially to play maths games! Introductory session for parents This is an opportunity for parents to examine and familiarise themselves with the games. Parents may play the games themselves and some may wish to take them home to practice. Often, parents have excellent suggestions on how to vary the games or on how to develop them further. Ideas are shared and then parents choose the game they prefer. It is important that parents have adequate time to familiarise themselves with the games so that they will be confident in explaining them to the children and in managing them in the classroom.

Teaching matters

Sa

tter to mple le

parents

with third nts, ths for Fun a n M f o s k Dear pare e e s games o start six w our of math h n a lf We plan to a h e will involv .45a.m. and class. This m 9.15 to 9 o fr s g ese games in rn through th t m Friday mo o lo fr a lp rn e a n le ed h e really ne Children ca W ames . g so e g th r in e o hile d l go ov have fun w ke this work. We wil ma art. parents to efore we st ase sign ts’ room b n help us, ple re a to p in e e m in th co to er. willing ild’s teach If you are to your ch rn tu re d below an Fun. Maths for ke part in ta to e k li ld Yes, I wou _ _______ _______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ arent: _______ Name of p _______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ : ____ Contact No _______ _ _ _ : ild Name of ch

In the classroom The class teacher organises the class into groups. The teacher may decide on mixed-ability grouping or may arrange games and groups to suit particular ability levels.

The games are set out at workstations in the classroom and the teacher explains the routine for moving. It is important to ensure that parents get an opportunity to have their own child in their group at some stage. Each parent manages one game. The parent explains the game to the children, ensures that every child gets a turn and engages with the children to support the relevant learning. Prompt cards may be used to outline the rules of the games and these are also useful as a reminder of the agreed maths language for different class levels e.g. 1 + 6 = 7 One and six is seven 5 – 3 = 2 Five take three is two 4 X 3 = 12 Four threes are twelve After an agreed time (10-15 minutes) playing the game, at a given signal, the children move to the next station.

A main strength of the Maths for Fun approach is that it helps to develop positive attitudes to maths among both parents and children by bringing fun and variety into maths activities Comments and photographs: Scoil Ursula, Blackrock, Cork INTOUCH

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Review After the Maths for Fun session, it’s time to head to the parents’ room for a cup of tea. This is a valuable opportunity to celebrate successes and to discuss concerns. The Maths for Fun session is reviewed and amendments can be suggested. References Department of Education and Science (2009). Effective literacy and numeracy practices in DEIS schools. Inspectorate Good Practice Guides. Dublin. Department of Education and Science. Department of Education and Skills (2011). The National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy, Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life. Summary. Dublin. Department of Education and Skills.

CAROL LANNIN, Regional Coordinator, HSCL (2006-2013). A more detailed chapter on Maths for Fun will be included in a new book on working in partnership with families written by Carol and Sandra Ryan, Mary Immaculate College. The book is due to be published later this year and is funded by the TED Project, CDU, MIC.

Teaching matters

Interested in equality, diversity, inclusion, interculturalism and challenging identity bullying? The Yellow Flag Programme is an eight step intercultural programme for both primary and secondary schools. It focuses on promoting inclusion, anti-racism and celebrating diversity in schools. On successful completion of the programme each school receives a Yellow Flag in recognition of their work in promoting diversity and inclusion. Pioneered and co-ordinated by the Irish Traveller Movement, the multi-level programme for pupils, teachers, parents and the wider community was established seven years ago to help support schools create cross-cultural understanding, racial harmony and equal recognition of religious and ethnic traditions which would reflect Ireland’s diversity with school populations comprising over 200 different cultures. In April 2016 at the annual Yellow Flag Awards 11 primary schools were presented with their Yellow Flag. Speaking at the awards, Ombudsman for Children Niall Muldoon said; “I am delighted to support this hugely important initiative whereby schools, young people and whole communities are encouraged to understand and fight discrimination. The Yellow Flag programme, which promotes integration and diversity, goes a long way to helping all children and young people to realise their human rights.” According to Paula Madden, Yellow Flag Co-ordinator; “In the context of global events, including the refugee crisis, it’s more important than ever for children to see diversity normalised and that young people learn to relate to each other across cultural, religious and ethnic identities. We are delighted to have been involved in leading a programme that, to date, has supported over 21,350 young people in 60 schools with students from over 83 different nationalities and cultures.” Musician and Voice of Ireland coach Bressie addressed the children who attended the colourful and multicultural ceremony of visual, musical and narrative presentations, some in colourful costumes representing their national dress. The ceremony was jointly hosted by broadcaster, author and former RTE children’s Elev8 presenter Diana Bunici and Dil Wickremasinghe, broadcaster, actor and social activist.

Niall Breslin (Bressie) and students from St Pauls & St Johns National School in Drogheda at the Yellow Flag Awards . Pic Tommy Clancy Speaking at the awards; Elizabeth Daniel, a pupil of St John’s NS, Drogheda, and resident of Mosney direct provision centre said “We organised the trip to Mosney because lots of children in our school live there and we thought it would be fun to invite our friends to our home. It was so exciting for me to have my friends come to visit for the first time. When the buses arrived I just ran over and hugged them! We did lots of fun things that day. We drew pictures. We played with the parachute, we played basketball, football and we even had a disco! We had lovely food too. My Mom helped to bake lots of nice things for our visitors to eat. I didn’t want the day to end because it was one of my favourite days ever!” The programme was also welcomed by teachers and principals. Attending the event Rory D’Arcy of St Oliver’s NS, Killarney, said; “I have been teaching for nearly 30 years and the Yellow Flag Programme is one of the most enjoyable and change making initiatives I have come across. Our school celebrates diversity, inclusion and difference. The need for understanding and empathy in our world has never been greater. The YF programme encourages us all to be proud of where we come from and celebrate our unity in cherishing each INTOUCH

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other. A powerful message from our school, town, county and country.” The locations of recipient schools included Louth, Cork, Dublin, Meath, Kerry, Wicklow and Kildare. • St John’s JNS, Rathmullen, Drogheda, Co Louth. • St Paul’s SNS, Rathmullen, Drogheda, Co Louth. • Adamstown Castle ETNS, Adamstown, Co Dublin, SDCC. • Sacred Heart NS, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15. • Central Model Senior NS, Marlborough St, Dublin 1. • Muire na Mainistreach, Killarney, Co Kerry. • St Oliver’s NS, Killarney, Co Kerry. • St Fiach’s NS, Ballinacree, Co Meath. • Glasheen BNS, Cork City. • St Philomena’s, Bray, Co Wicklow. • St Ronan’s NS. Clondalkin. Interested in finding out more? To find out more about the Yellow Flag Programme check out yellowflag.ie or contact the Yellow Flag Team by emailing yellowflagprogramme@ gmail.com or tel 01 6796577

Cúrsaí teagaisc

AN LÉITHEOIREACHT Próiseas casta uile chineálach atá sa léitheoireacht ina bhfaigheann an páiste léargas eile ar an saol agus is cuid an-tábhachtach den eispéaras foghlama í. Is foinse luachmhar teanga í an léitheoireacht don chainteoir dúchais agus don fhoghlaimeoir teanga araon. Tugann an léitheoireacht eolas, pléisiúr agus taitneamh don léitheoir. Tosaíonn próiseas foghlamtha na léitheoireachta go luath i saol an pháiste, próiseas forbartha atá i gceist ach ní gníomh nadurtha í an léitheoireacht ar nós labhairt – ní fhoghlaimíonn páistí conas léamh gan na scileanna riachtanacha a bheith múinte roimh ré. Mar sin léitheoireacht neamhfhoirmiúil a bhíonn i gceist sna ranganna sóisearacha go mbíonn na scileanna cuí ar nós díchódú, eolas ar chóras fuaimeanna agus fónaic na Gaeilge sealbhaithe agus bunús teanga ag na páistí. Déantar forbairt ar an léitheoireacht ansin sna meán agus ard ranganna. Ar ndóigh ní leor cumas léitheoireachta ann féin muna bhfuil dúil sa léitheoireacht Ghaeilge ag páistí agus réimse leathan ábhar suimiúil le léamh acu. Ní mór dúinn mar mhúinteoirí féachaint chuige go bhfuil réimse leathan d’ábhar léitheoireachta ar fáil i dtimpeallacht an tseomra ranga agus chun meon dearfach a chothú agus páistí a spreagadh chun léitheoireacht neamhspléach a dhéanamh. Má bhíonn drogall ar an bpáiste ní bhainfidh sé taitneamh as an bpróiseas léitheoireachta agus ní thiocfaidh feabhas air. Anois níos mó ná riamh tá rogha leathan ábhar léitheoireachta ar fáil chun freastal ar raon cumais na bpáistí. Cur chuige ranga

Múinteoir ag léamh: Is mór is fiú éisteacht leis an múinteoir mar dhealéitheoir go rialta. Nuair a bhíonn an múinteoir ag léamh déantar forbairt ar scil na héisteachta i measc páistí agus cothaítear dearcadh dearfach mar gur

féidir le páistí díriú ar aonaid bhrí seachas dhíchódú a dhéanamh ar an téacs. Cuidíonn seo le sealbhú agus saibhriú foclóra chomh maith le líofacht léitheoireachta a fhorbairt. Léitheoireacht i gComhpháirt: I léitheoireacht chomhpháirteach bíonn an múinteoir agus grúpa páistí ag léamh agus ag athléamh téacsanna le chéile. Tá na leabhair mhóra an-éifeachtach chuige seo mar gur féidir leis na páistí an téacs a fheiceáil go soiléir. Léitheoireacht faoi Threoir: Grúpáil na páistí de réir riachtanais chomónta nó leibhéil teagaisc léitheoireachta. Slí éifeachtach atá ann chun difreálú a dhéanamh ar an teagasc. Úsáideann gach grúpa téacs atá oiriúnach agus ábhartha. Taoiléitheoireacht: Seisiún léitheoireachta ciúin atá i gceist anseo. Cabhróidh an léitheoireacht aonair chiúin le forbairt na bhfoscileanna agus le dúil sa léitheoireacht a chothú. Moltar deiseanna léitheoireachta ar son taitnimh a thabhairt do pháistí gach lá. Tá rath ag baint le ceadú do pháistí a gcuid leabhar féin a roghnú agus a léamh as a stuaim féin ar son taitnimh amháin. Fíor leabhair: Is fiú go mór f íor leabhair, gearrscéalta nó úrscéal ranga a léamh leis na páistí. Bíonn cóip ag gach páiste INTOUCH

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nó cóip idir gach beirt agus dírítear ar an leabhar ar feadh tréimhse ama ag brath ar fhaid an scéil. Moltar ceacht nó dhó in aghaidh na seachtaine a bhunú ar an úrscéal ach gan leanúint ar aghaidh ró-fhada leis. Cad atá ar fáil?

E Leathanach: Nuachtlitir leictreonach sheachtainiúil shaor in aisce ó Choláiste Froebel le scéilíní nuachta a mbeadh suim ag daoine óga iontu. Dialann Dúradáin: (aistriúchán ar Diary of a Wimpy Kid!) Laoch neamhghnách atá ag dul i ngleic le saol nua na meánscoile. www.futafata.ie. Orla Uan: Uainín beag gleoite atá ábalta labhairt i nGaeilge is ea Orla Uan. www.oidhreacht.ie. Hata Zú Mhamó: Tá plean ag Mamó éalú amach as an teach altranais agus a hata zú a chaitheamh sa zú féin. www.coislife.ie. Lá leis na Lochlannaigh: Scéal faoi bheirt pháiste Cormac agus Brídín a bhogann go draíochtúil tríd an am go dtí aimsir na Lochlannach. www.coislife.ie. An Cúigear Cróga: Leagan Gaeilge de leabhair eachtraíochta an tsraith cháiliúil The Famous Five le Enid Blyton. www.cic.ie. Curtha le chéile ag MÁIRE NIC AN RÍ faoi choimirce COGG.

Teaching matters

Reviews

Poetically written, with love and respect – a remarkable memoir In The Hurley Maker’s Son, Patrick Deeley has given us a memoir that chronicles the lives of his people through a period of 60 years. This remarkable memoir captures the stark reality of lives lived through hard work and very limited financial reward. There is, however, a cultural and emotional richness outlined in the book, and there is also a respect for characters and their way of life which at times sets the writer at odds with his own people, their beliefs and traditions, their faults – always human – and their virtues. Patrick gives us a detailed and beautiful portrait of the place in which he grew up, and the placenames of his beloved Callows ring out like chiming bells and flickering stars. We get a wonderful recall throughout the book of the tender and lasting love of his parents – glimpsed especially if aslant through decades of working farm and timber in their unspoken objective of providing a life for their children that would see each of them realise their fullest potential. Deeley’s exquisite use of language provides us with pictures of family, friends, neighbours and even passing

acquaintances that are both exact and endearing. We can hear them speak and see them move in their own individual and unique way, in witty and incisive stories woven through the pages. There is also a steeliness in Deeley’s writing that mirrors his own toughness when the need arose to stand his ground against bullyboys who would try to humiliate and subdue him. His straightforward and nononsense recounting of coming to sexual awareness is bold and unapologetic. His descriptions of workshop and sawmill – signalled by the beautiful cover photograph – are rich in colour, in detail, and in their ability to evoke the sound and music of singing bandsaw and crooning plane. His love of teaching and his especial care for the boys of his beloved Ballyfermot school shine out like rays of golden sunlight. Patrick Deeley uses words with care and abandon. He moulds them and

planes them to their particular use in every sentence and paragraph. In this, he is like his father, who worked and shaped wood of all kinds to create a range of tools and artefacts such as cartwheels, spade handles and his beloved camáns. But it is Deeley’s song of the Callows – with its sounds of water, of wildlife, of birdsong and of foxes barking in the long nights, that will remain in the reader’s mind long after he or she has closed this beautiful book – that and the author’s eternal and enduring love for his mother, his father and siblings. Published in paperback and hardback in the UK and Ireland by Doubleday Ireland, an imprint of Transworld Publishers. ISBN: 978-1-78162-033-5. €17.99 Reviewed by PROINSIAS O’DONOGHUE, a writer from Gleann Fleisce whose books include A Harvest of Memories and A Stack of Stories.

Swashbuckling but serious – a revolutionary revealed Fergus Whelan follows his 2010 book Dissent Into Treason with a biography of one of the Dissenters and United Irishmen featured there. The God-Provoking Democrat of the title – Archibald Hamilton Rowan (1751-1834) – had an ancestral home at Killyleagh in Co Down but rejected the aristocracy of his family, joining instead in the radical democratic movements of his day. Following a Cambridge education, Rowan lived from 1784 in Kildare and at a family house in Dublin’s Dominick Street. Numerous examples are cited of his support of the poor of Dublin which led to recognition and popularity. Joining the United Irishmen in 1791, he suffered arrest, trial and imprisonment during a crackdown on reformers. Avoiding the fate of colleagues like Tone and Edward Fitzgerald, Rowan fled

to revolutionary France and then the USA where his contacts included three future presidents. His exile continued in Germany before his return to Ireland in 1805 where he had to plead the King’s pardon rather than face execution for treason. In later years, Rowan supported Catholic emancipation, moving between Dublin and Down. When the Presbyterian minister at Killyleagh resigned, Rowan became embroiled in a bitter battle with the successor Rev Henry Cooke (scourge of free-thinking radicalism, commemorated in a Central Belfast statue). To the end, Rowan was hugely popular in Dublin, a committed INTOUCH

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reformer and polemicist. He died in the city and is buried at St Mary’s Church (now a pub/restaurant). Fergus Whelan’s atmospheric biography is both admiring and wellargued in its view of Rowan. It is a further fine addition to works which illustrate the complexity of our history and the risks which forebears of many persuasions took in the cause of genuine democracy. New Island Books, 2015. ISBN 978-184840-460-1. €14.99 NOEL WARD, Deputy General Secretary/General Treasurer, INTO.

Nuacht CMÉ

INTO member launches her second collection of stories for the Aoife Beary Trust Fund

Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd are offering members a chance to win a luxury Wild Atlantic getaway. To enter visit bit.ly/1rJxyUQ. Deadline is 22 July 2016.

Presidential Dinner 2016 District V invites you to the INTO Presidential Dinner 2016 to celebrate the election of Rosena Jordan as President of the INTO. Saturday, 12 November 2016 Cabra Castle Hotel, Kingscourt, Co Cavan Ticket information from Mary Callan Brady Tel: 086 4088985 or email: [email protected] To book accommodation please contact Cabra Castle on 042 9667030 and ask for the special INTO rate.

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Kathryn Crowley, principal of St Louise de Marillac in Ballyfermot will launch her second collection of stories in June. Room for One More: Memories and Make-Believe depicts snapshots of the author’s childhood in Killarney, her time in a boarding school in Co Cork, her college years in Dublin and her subsequent travels. The short stories that these memoirs inspire range from an emigrant’s Christmas in Australia in ‘Waiting for Christmas’, a drama in a nursing home in ‘Returning Home’ and a sinister feud in an Argentine village in the prize-winning story ‘And Then Came the War’. Kathryn will launch her collection in Ballyboden St Enda’s GAA clubhouse on 30 June at 8 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Profits from the sale of the book will be donated to the Aoife Beary Trust Fund. Aoife Beary was celebrating her 21st birthday in Berkeley, California last June when a balcony collapsed, killing many of her friends and leaving herself and others with life-changing injuries. Aoife is the daughter of Angela Beary, an INTO member who is deputy principal of Dalkey School Project NS. Room for One More: Memories and Make-Believe will be available for sale at www.emuink.ie from 30 June. More information at www.kathryncrowley.com and the Friends of Aoife Beary Facebook page.

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Finishing Touches • Resources for teachers, noticeboard of upcoming events and the Comhar Linn Crossword •

Noticeboard Copy date

sidered Copy you wish to have con ber tem Sep the for publication in in ve arri uld sho issue of InTouch 6. 201 t gus Au 8 by ce Head Offi The copy deadline for the ber. October issue is 12 Septem

INTO STSG events

Re-unions

Date: Saturday, 18 June 2016 Venue: Teachers’ Club, Parnell Square. Time: 12 noon. Talk with founder member Fiona Poole. 3 p.m. ‘Beyond Barricades’ bus tour. 5.30 p.m. Dinner in ‘Toscana’ restaurant, Dame Street.

St Patrick’s College – Class of 1976-1979 Venue: Club na Múinteoirí, Parnell Square. Date: Saturday, 12 November 2016. Drinks, finger food and craic! Contact: Maeve Brew at mbrew@ stmarysbns.ie. Spread the word!

September meeting:

The Irish School Weekly 1916 Souvenir Copy To mark the centenary of 1916 the INTO commissioned a souvenir edition of the Easter 1916 Irish School Weekly (ISW) and provided a copy to every delegate at Congress 2016. The INTO has a limited number of this publication available to members. Members who would like a copy should contact Georgina Glackin in INTO Head Office at 01 8047745 or [email protected]

Date: Saturday, 17 September 2016. Time: 11 a.m. Venue: Teachers’ Club, Parnell Sq. Followed by a talk on the Power of Attorney. Separated, divorced, widowed, lone parents from INTO, ASTI, TUI and IFUT welcome. Annual subscription €20. For further information contact: Jackie Moloney 01 6247476/087-9752849 or Iseult Bourke, 085-2394661/01-5162069.

eb IATSE – new w

School Year Wallplanner The INTO school year wallplanner was distributed with the May InTouch – one copy for each INTO member plus one for the school staffroom. Wallplanners for new members will be distributed with new members’ packs in September. Copies are not available for non members. However, the wallplanner is available as a free download from the INTO website.

site

Association of IATSE, the Irish s ial Education ha Teachers in Spec at e sit eb w new just launched a ie e. lin on iatse-

St Patrick’s College – Classes of 1980/81/82 Date: Saturday 8 October 2016 Venue: Club na Muinteoirí Time: 7 p.m. Very informal. Chat, drinks and finger food. If interested please email [email protected] St Patrick’s College – Class of 1996 20 year reunion. All B.Eds and B.As Date: Saturday 10 September Venue: St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra If interested please email: [email protected] All details will be forwarded on to you. Mary Immaculate College – Reunion 2016. Save the date: Saturday, 1 October 2016 For details: [email protected] or tel 061 774786

Teachers against Bullying helpline Head Office summer closure INTO Head Office will close for summer vacation at 5 p.m. on Friday, 22 July and re-open at 9 a.m. on Monday, 8 August, 2016.

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The Teachers against Bullying helpline aims to help teachers and principals who have been, or are being bullied by member/s of school staff and/or inspectors and/or BOM. Contact Teresa McMahon at 01 288 3062 (7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday and Wednesday only).

Nótaí deiridh

The Source

Two pages of resources for the classroom, from training courses to helpful hints and useful links … and your Comhar Linn Crossword!

Comhar linn April draw winners Car – Toyota Auris – Ruth O’Connor, St Patrick’s BNS, Ballyhooley Road, Cork. Cash 1,500 – Cara Garrahy, Corofin, Co Clare. Weekends for two in Jury’s Inn – Mathew Prendergast, Holy Cross School, Ballycarnane, Tramore, Co Waterford.

Valerie Kane, St Brigids Mixed NS, Beechpark Lawn, Castleknock, Dublin 15. Marian Curtin, Cahirciveen, Co Kerry, winner of a Toyota Auris in the March Comhar Linn draw

Comhar Linn Crossword no 173 A draw for 2 x £100 will be made from all correct entries. Simply complete the crossword and send it to InTouch, 35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1, before Friday 19th August 2

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1. Put money on a footballer from Green Bay finding an Australian hitchhiker. (10) 6. The little devils have a part in 'The Simpsons'. (4) 10. The Stones pay tribute to one buried here. (5) 11. Is Romania to be relocated to the Middle East? (4,5) 12. Remodels a clergymen with current measures. (7) 15. No imperial weight? That's out of the question! (3,2) 17. Hooligan involved in recent Huguenot riots. (4) 18. Viking god of silence? (4) 19. Guide the bullock. (5) 21. Right inside a disc or rectangle. (7) 23. That infernal poet! (5) 24. Word has it 32 down was removed from Beethoven's Sixth. (4) 25. Right – Spanish cheer is what the actor tries for. (4) 26. Intended to find me a worker. (5) 28. Touchy cattle I redirect. (7) 33. Ethnic oil spill? How primitive! (9) 34. That's the last Greek character you'd expect to see in a home game! (5) 35. Takes a seat with one among the saints. (4) 36. What one is wished before eating a tiptop bean stew. (3,7)

1. Male rabbit worth having in America. (4) 2. By which standard of judgment one may have a nicer riot! (9) 3. Did Columbus sail it in spilt paint? (5) 4. Dish to give a little tournament winner? (5) 5. Initiate existing protocols in containing a saga. (4) 7. An impressionist? My, and French with it! (5) 8. Season a bread product to provide a tasty morsel. (6,4) 9. Surrounded wild nags, Tom? (7) 13. County that gave 7 down a start. (4) 14. The latter's about to become a young actress. (7) 16. Crush the second mint for adding final flavour to your food. (10) 20. How many pupils in total? Perhaps ten, Mr Noel. (9) 21. Might I recant? Sure. (7) 22. It's a fashionable part of Zurich, I can see. (4) 27. One can find gore frequently in the air. (5) 29. For a small amount, an artist can depict an African capital. (5) 30. Group of soldiers get stuck into the Metro operators. (5) 31. American state of historic (if odd) origins. (4) 32. It's beyond father to get to the street. (4)

May Crossword no 172 Solutions are Across: 1. Off the mark 6. Wand 10. Riser 11. Corduroys 12. General 15. Lands 17. Olga 18. Ohms 19. Sewer 21. Yankees 23. Dingo 24. Baku 25. Unit 26. Light 28. Streams 33. Comically 34. Rakes 35. So-so 36. Fertiliser Down: 1. Ogre 2. Fishermen 3. Horse 4. Mecca 5. RORO 7. Acorn 8. Disastrous 9. Cutlass 13. Rota 14. Lockets 16. Goldilocks 20. What

makes you tick 22. Emir 27. Games 29. Tryst 30. Enrol 31. Blue 32. Tsar

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Winners of Crossword no 171 Una Regan, Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath and Geraldine Buckley, Tullamore, Co. Offaly Winners of Crossword no 172 will be announced in the next InTouch issue

Finishing touches

First class and the global goals Check out our latest video in the resources section of: www.into.ie (Global Citizenship School) The video is just two minutes long, it’s entertaining and shows how Human Rights’ education can be taught to young children. Visit https://vimeo.com/163263749 The most viewed links during May

ST PATRICK’S NS, SLANE www.slanens.ie Modern looking site with a responsive design. Packed full of school information and pupil activities. Highly visual.

ONES TO WATCH

Family stories of 1916 INTO members’ Family Stories from 1916 is a project recently set up by the INTO and will take the form of an eBook on the INTO website. Members are invited to share family stories connected to the events of the 1916 Rising. There are many accounts that members have of ancestors that have never had their voices heard or their stories told. This project hopes to add to the picture of the brave men and women of 1916. Did the events of 1916 impact on your family? If so, and you would like to share your story you can email it to [email protected]

STORIES FROM STATISTICS: LIFE IN 1916 IRELAND scoilnet.ie/post-primary/decade-ofcentenaries/life-in-1916 Central Statistics Office publication. Many aspects will be relevant to primary. INTERACTIVE SITE FOR LEARNING MUSIC interactivesites.weebly.com/musicfun.html Collection of engaging music animations. MATHS BRAINTEASER mathplayground.com/logicgames/lo gic_40x_escape.swf Daily puzzles and challenges. Puts fun into maths.

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SEVEN DAYS IN HISTORY resources.teachnet.ie/dhorgan/2004/ Teacher-created resource on Easter Rising.

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CSO– CENSUS LESSON PLANS www.census.ie/and-communities/censusin-schools/#primary Specific lessons to support the Census. Curriculum-focused.

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EASTER RISING POWERPOINT PRESENTATION Scoilnet.ie/uploads/resources/15068/14708 .ppt Slides showing the causes, the leaders and the events. Teacher-created.

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SCOILNET MAPS maps.scoilnet.ie OSi maps and tools for schools.

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AN AIMSIR nicurriculum.org.uk/microsite/pl/irish/wh atever_the_weather/word_bank Pictiúir idirghníomhacha faoin aimsir.

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RAINN AGUS AMHRAIN resources.teachnet.ie/clane/2008 Songs and rhymes based on curriculum topics.

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BIA AGUS SPRAOI resources.teachnet.ie/mmorrin/2004 Tá acmhainní foghlama don ábhar ‘Bia’ sa suíomh seo.

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ITALY FACTS AND PICTURES Kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/fin d/italy Images, facts and more from the National Geographic.

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TELLING THE TIME mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/116 /telling Links to worksheets on time.

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VIKING AND MEDIEVAL DUBLIN dublinia.ie/online-learning Animations and videos from Dublinia.