Chatterbox

Whats the talk of education?

Possible legal challenge to cut in teachers’ salaries

The INTO, TUI and ASTI are considering legal action against the cut in the salaries of new teachers on the grounds that these teachers are younger than longer-established colleagues. The INTO is preparing to take a case to the Equality Tribunal . . . Obviously, the union bigwigs are waking up to the concerns of younger members. – davidcameron, politics.ie

Good for the union for challenging this. Sticking up for the vulnerable is what unions are supposed to do rather than representing the best paid and strongest which became their role during the reign of “Socialist” Bertie. – Raketemensch, politics.ie

Easy way to solve it: cut the salaries of all teachers. They’re hugely overpaid compared with other countries and get paid extra for stewarding exams etc, that could be done as well by people without jobs. – Keith-M, politics.ie

Junior Cert reform delay

Good news, we couldn’t have teachers getting all stressed out coming up to midterm break – Martin Mc Cormack, thejournal.ie

I am shocked that history was even considered to be wiped off the JC. We can go way too overboard focusing on literacy numeracy – simonmlewis, Twitter

I don’t understand why they can’t take a more phasing-in approach to this topic. Obviously, 11+ subjects is far too much and I personally think that eight is too few. Why not place a limit of 11 Junior Cert subjects for those starting in 2012 or 2013, thereby eliminating the 13 subject madness? No sudden changes or loss in subjects and personnel. – implausible, boards.ie

Instead of reducing the Junior Cert curriculum to eight subjects why not reduce the syllabus content of every subject? In this way teachers and students will be able to delve deeper into topics on the reduced syllabus and explore/study them in more depth – what the NCCA want to see happening! Why not do it this way? It makes much more sense and will allow students to continue to flavour a multitude of subjects such as history, geography, business studies, religion, home econ, woodwork, German etc, as opposed to the all or nothing suggested (eight subjects) approach whereby they will just gain an in-depth exposure to a limited range of subjects, thereby possibly denying them the opportunity of ever studying certain subjects and consequently limiting their future opportunities/choices – andee, boards.ie

The deficit in foreign language skills

I have been saying this for years, foreign languages need to be taught in primary schools, with a focus on an actual ability to converse in the language and people will have no problem finding a job. I work for a multinational and would be on big bucks if I had a second language. – Sarah Murphy, thejournal.ie

But a sensible evaluation of language teaching in primary school would lead to Irish being dropped from the curriculum (or the classroom time spent on it significantly reduced) and we couldn’t be having such progressive moves in Ireland so we couldn’t…[sarcasm] – Eoin Grace, thejournal.ie

This year I graduated from commerce international in UCC. You choose on of either French, Italian, German or Irish. we are all now pretty much fluent in our chosen language. And whats better is that 80-90 per cent of our year is now in full-time employment. Those who looked for it, got it. This was definitely helped by our international view and foreign language. In this day and age it is so important to have this ability. – Cormac Cahill, thejournal.ie