Sir, - Congratulations to your columnist Breda O'Brien on her excellent article in last Saturday's edition. It was one of the most incisive and cogent articles that I have read about the ASTI's dispute since it began.
I would like to draw attention to one sentence in particular which mentions one of the major problems in teaching: "The nature of the stress is difficult to explain to someone who has only experienced school from the pupils' side of the desk.".
This was contextualised by Ms O'Brien's assertion at the start of the article that teaching had been "one consistent thread" in her erratic career. The point she makes might be reflected upon by critics in the media and elsewhere whose agenda, at times, seems to be the denigration of the teaching profession. - Yours, etc.,
John Cullen, Woodpark, Lusk, Co Dublin.
Sir, - Thank you so much for making my morning today with your front-page photograph (The Irish Times, December 6th). Perhaps it's just as well that particular teacher wasn't taking classes. And they have the cheek to ask for more money! What hope is there for the pupils if this is the standard of teaching? - Yours, etc.,
Lorraine Brennan, Liffey Way, Lucan, Co Dublin.