Sir, – Anne McCluskey (Letters, April 29th) presents a list of practical difficulties associated with teaching young children but fails to mention the one hurdle we have all experienced in many subjects, namely poor quality of teaching. Ms McCluskey is so busy, as she says, putting out bins and unblocking toilets she probably has no time to do her annual staff appraisals. In every profession there are the successful, the less successful and the unsuccessful, and it is this last group which requires the closest monitoring, and if necessary advice and counselling about a career change. Yours, etc,
MIKE CORMACK.
Ardagh Close,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin
Sir, – Higher level or ordinary level leaving certificate maths for prospective primary teachers is not the question. The question is how one adult can choreograph meaningful learning experiences for 30-plus children whose problems may include ADHD, dyslexia, autism and general learning difficulties (this is not an exaggeration) as well as handling the usual mixed range of abilities. Excellent new approaches to numeracy have been developed, approaches which would enable any teacher to be an effective maths teacher and which would break the tyranny of bad textbooks, but quality teaching and learning in maths can only become the norm if teachers have smaller classes and children with special needs have more support. Yours, etc,
CLARE SHERIDAN,
Ardmore Park,
Bray
Sir, – Ruairí Quinn’s comment that honours maths should be required for primary teachers was on a par with Sheila Nunan’s assertion that it was boys doing honours maths that caused the crash – both seem fairly nonsensical. Yours, etc,
TOM FARRELL,
Forest Road,
Swords,
Co Dublin