Goodbye Mr - and Mrs - Chips

Four teachers, set to retire on the last day of February, look back on their decades in the classroom and give their views of the Irish education system

ON AND AROUND February 29th this year, 1,600 teachers will retire from Irish schools. The Public Service Pay Agreement means that if they leave by this deadline, their lump sum payment will reflect their salaries prior to the public sector pay cuts that came into force on January 1st, 2011.

As a result, many teachers within five to 10 years of retirement age are leaving now, rather than after March 1st. The lump sum difference for a teacher with, for example, 36 years of service, is more than €3,000.

As it stands, that sum is untaxed. However, teachers and other public servants have expressed anxiety, unfounded for now, about that tax-free status into the future. They’re not taking any chances.

The timing has drawn criticism, especially from those with children in exam classes who stand to lose their teachers mid-stream. In response, Minister for Education and Skills Rúairí Quinn has announced that schools may re-hire retired teachers in exam classes until the end of the school year, despite a circular sent to schools last year to the effect that schools should not re-hire retired staff.

There is public disquiet about the move – why should teachers retiring on good pensions be allowed to return to schools to earn another salary? What’s more; each will take up a position that would otherwise go to one of the hundreds of unemployed teaching graduates currently combing schools for jobs.

The teachers who choose to stay on, and unions have suggested that hundreds will, come in at the new basic pay grade of €27,814, down from €30,904 in 2010. They will be expected to leave schools for good in May 2012. The panic around mid-year staff attrition has been assuaged for now. However, in a broader sense, schools are losing a rich slice of institutional memory and experience.

These are the teachers who faced classes of 50 in freezing classrooms in the 1970s, who worked out of cheap prefabs and played sports on school rooftops throughout the impoverished 1980s. They have taught through the demise of church influence, the mainstreaming of children with special needs, changing curricula and two recessions. Cultural shift, social upheaval and the reshaping of the Irish family have all played out before their eyes in the microcosmic classroom. We asked four retiring teachers for a long view of the Irish education system as they head into their final month in the classroom.

MICK DALY

PRINCIPAL, COLÁISTE EOIN, HACKETSTOWN, CARLOW. RETIRING AFTER 34 YEARS

Why now?I had been considering retiring in the next couple of years – the Croke Park Agreement determined the day.

Career highlight?The improvement in student retention rates since the 1970s. When I started, staying on until the Leaving Cert was the exception. Now it is the rule.

Career low point?The changes in pupil teacher ratios in the 1980s and now again in this latest recession. Education is about people. If you take them out of the system you erode expertise and knowledge and do serious damage. You have to be very careful.

Most significant change in Irish education during your career?The growth in further education and opening up of access to education to more people, with different needs.

Most significant improvement in resources?When I started teaching we were in prefabs. They were all over the country. There was no such thing as a school gym – at least not in any school I taught in. Also, we now have so many more supports – psychological services, welfare services – young teachers take these things for granted.

What's better today?Parental involvement and the democratisation of education. When I started, parents would come to the school in trepidation. Now we work with families in partnership.

What's worse today?There was no points race when I started. It's a very blunt instrument and it's there in the background all the time. I wish we could put the points back on the sporting field.

How has the role of the church changed?Personally, I've always had a very positive experience with the church. I work in a vocational school, so it is not church-managed, but the Church of Ireland and Catholic chaplains have been a great help.

Are you sorry to be leaving the classroom?Yes. Young people are much-maligned. I've always found them to be positive, not cynical; full of hope and humour. They expect honesty. I'll miss the smart remarks.

Will you return?No. I'm not in favour of retired teachers subbing when newly-qualified teachers are looking for work. However, as a principal, I realise that it can be hard to fill a post mid-term and principals have a responsibility to the pupils.

MAURA ROBERTS

FORMER TEACHER, ST MAOLRUAIN’S NATIONAL SCHOOL, TALLAGHT. RETIRING AFTER 40 YEARS

Why now?Tháinig mo lá.

Career highlight?The highest point was when I received a letter from a former pupil in her forties, who is now teaching in America. She said that I was an inspiration to her and that I had greatly influenced her choice of career. My success in the Supreme Court tax case in 1980, when I took a legal challenge against legislation which discriminated against working married women, was a high point for all female teachers and other working women, especially PAYE workers.

Career low point?We lost two SNAs from our school this year. We've built such a fantastic system and now, bit by bit, it's being withdrawn. I'm fearful of what's happening. But the lowest moment in my career was the death of a colleague and the deaths of former students, especially those who died by suicide.

Most significant change in Irish education during your career?Mainstreaming and support for children with different needs.

Most significant improvement in resources?We used to do PE classes on the roof! As a result we didn't do PE too often. Most schools have gym halls now.

What's better today?When I started teaching in 1971 I walked into a classroom of 54 children. The inspector came in to assess me and I didn't even see him. I've no idea how any of them learned anything.

What's worse today?There are too many subjects on the primary curriculum. It's not PC to say it, but we need to focus on the basics. If children don't have good literacy and numeracy skills their opportunities are limited.

How has the role of the church changed?The priest used to prepare the children for the sacraments. Now 95 per cent of the work is done by the teacher. It takes a huge amount of time and, increasingly, you have children who are not Catholic sitting at the back of the class doing nothing. It should be moved out of the schools altogether.

Are you sorry to be leaving the classroom?Yes. Children make you laugh. But the time is right.

Will you return?No. I think it's morally wrong for pensioned teachers to take work from young graduates with no jobs.

PJ O’REILLY

TEACHER, ST PATRICK’S CLASSICAL SCHOOL, NAVAN. RETIRING AFTER 38 YEARS

Why now?The Croke Park Agreement presented an opportunity.

Career highlight?The Leaving Cert results every year. I teach maths and it's great to see students realise their potential.

Career low point?When the ASTI threatened to boycott exams in 2001. I was very annoyed – I left the union for 18 months. Overall, however, the union has been a positive force.

Most significant change in Irish education during your career?Project maths is a great development. It's more practical – students can apply it to everyday life.

Most significant improvement in resources?Counselling services for students. We have more students from dysfunctional families, more discipline problems, bullying, greater need for psychological support. There's much more to teaching than teaching now.

What's better today?Education is more child-centred. There's more active learning. Also, corporal punishment is gone. Students are more assertive and can stand up for their rights.

What's worse today?Teaching is increasingly being quantified in industrial terms. The language used in PISA reports – benchmarking, outputs. The role of the teacher is diminished by this terminology.

How has the role of the church changed?When I started at St Pat's there were five priests teaching in the school. Now there are none. There are very few mass-going students now. I still say a prayer at the start of every class, though. It settles them and it gives me a chance to make reference to people who are ill or need to be in our thoughts.

Are you sorry to be leaving the classroom?Yes. I've done a good job and have a good rapport with the students. I would have stayed the 40 years, but it's not to be. There are two other teachers leaving on the same day.

Will you return?I will stay on, on the minimum teaching wage, to finish with my exam students. I'd do it for nothing. I'd say a majority of teachers with exam students will do the same. After May, though, I won't be back. I think it's unethical to take work from a young graduate.

FRANK HOGAN

PRINCIPAL, SCOIL SAN TREASA, MOUNT MERRION, CO DUBLIN. RETIRING AFTER 40 YEARS

Why now?The time is right to give somebody else the opportunity. There are many unemployed young teachers out there. The retirements will provide them with some hope of employment. For me, the Croke Park Agreement is a push in the right direction.

Career highlight?The widening understanding of the importance and the value of the role of the primary school principal.

Career low point?A refusal by the department to sanction an application for disability access for the school a decade ago. A few months after the refusal letter, a brochure arrived from the then minister for National Disability Year. I sent it back with a copy of the refusal letter.

Most significant change in Irish education during your career?The phased introduction of the revised curriculum from 1999, with in-service for teachers, the development of special education in mainstream schools, the development of the use of ICT in teaching and learning, the reduction in class size in the middle of the last decade.

Most significant improvement in resources?My first school in Co Galway was built in the 1840s, before the famine. It had turf fires and outdoor toilets. The inspector wore a rug over his knees when he came to visit for my diploma! All classes in Scoil San Treasa are equipped with interactive whiteboards and access to the school network and the internet.

What's better today?Inclusion, integration of pupils with special needs and the upskilling of the teaching profession in the area of special education

What's worse today?Grammatical standards in written English and Gaeilge have declined a little but I'm not one of the PISA enthusiasts who think general literacy and numeracy standards have deteriorated significantly.

How has the role of the church changed?During my first year of teaching, the Bishop of Clonfert visited the school to examine the pupils in fifth and sixth class before Confirmation. On being asked, "what is the church", one pupil gave the answer, "it's a place we go to Mass". The bishop was disappointed that the child failed to provide the catechism answer. I think Dr Diarmuid Martin would be happy that the pupil was speaking from experience!

Are you sorry to be leaving the classroom?I always loved teaching and have enjoyed the principalship. I'd possibly have stayed a few more years if the incentive to leave (or the disincentive to stay) hadn't arisen. My father, who was a teaching principal in Caltra for most of his life, was disappointed when the department discontinued the three-year extension provision, thus forcing his retirement at the age of 66 after one year's extension. He went on to enjoy a happy and productive retirement.

Will you do subs work?No, definitely not, while there are so many unemployed teachers out there.

If you leave me now

Teachers who retire before March 1st, 2012 will enjoy lump sum payments and pensions that reflect their salaries before the public service pay cuts in January 2010.

According to Asti, in the case of a post primary teacher with 36 years of service on a current salary of €61,683, who was on a salary of €65,807 in 2009, the pension is calculated on the ‘pre-cut’ salary and 36 years of service (even though the teacher would only have completed 34/35 years at that point).

Pension pre-February 29th 2012: €28,387

Pension post-February 29th (one year later): €28,528

Lump sum pre-February 29th: €88,839 Lump sum post-February 29th (one year later): €85,585

A teacher who retires and then returns to the school to complete his/her exam year class will return on the new entry point teaching salary of €27,814 per annum, or roughly €2,300 per month until May, on top of their monthly pension payments and lump sum.