Classroom Central

Social media algorithms causing ‘profound damage’ to young people - Stephen Donnelly

Minister for Health says it is time to ‘get behind the curtain’ of how tech firms operate to be better able to protect children and adolescents

‘The level of anxiety we’re facing in schools is unprecedented’

Primary schools in Greystones and Delgany join forces to recruit a play therapist for pupils

My son’s school has no guidance counsellor. How can I help him choose the right Leaving Cert subjects?

There are practical steps you can take to identify what he needs to study for his courses of interest

Higher Options and Worldskills Ireland events to run side-by-side in RDS next September

Move will create largest ever concentration of career and study information for school leavers

The Secret Teacher: A ‘thank you’ from a grateful student never fails to melt my heart

Missing obvious opportunities for gratitude is a mistake we cannot afford to make if we truly value our education system

Leaving Cert students who suffer medical emergencies during exams to be allowed resit

Move follows criticism from student who was not offered opportunity to resit exam after epileptic seizure

From school principal to GAA chief: ‘I’m not against integrated education, but I am for Catholic education’

Former Armagh captain and GAA president-elect Jarlath Burns runs one of the most over-subscribed schools in Northern Ireland. What makes it so popular?

Toilets, uniforms and pronouns have been the subject of debate. The school curriculum may be next

New sex education curriculum for Junior Cycle includes focus on gender identity

New Junior Cycle curriculum will oblige schools to teach about gender identity

Move follows research which found sex education is out of date, too focused on biology and does not reflect the reality of young people’s lives

Junior Cycle reforms lead to ‘positive’ shift in learning but concern voiced over student stress

Pupils struggle to balance homework, classroom-based assessments and study for exams

Overseas schools target Irish teachers with salaries of up to €70,000

Number of teachers on career breaks climbs to record high

The Secret Teacher: Children who do not experience much kindness often experience it in abundance at school

Being available to students in varying ways can be very challenging. It’s why work life never really stops for a teacher during the academic year

Lego, martial arts and dance classes: how one school tackled school absenteeism

Challenges facing schools in Dublin’s northeast inner city were once considered insurmountable. A pilot project is helping to change this

‘My son has no problem mixing with girls but has difficulty interacting with other boys’

Ask the Expert: My son, who is 12, has spoken about feeling his life is not worth living and can be very negative in outlook

Union criticises ‘insensitive’ opposition to teaching of gender identity in primary schools

INTO welcomes ‘timely review’ of relationships and sexuality education, with new curriculum due in 2025

Is teaching still an attractive profession?

We asked delegates at teachers’ unions annual gatherings in Killarney, Cork and Wexford

Foley pledges to begin restoring thousands of senior school posts to ease teacher burnout

Thousands of schools without assistant principal posts due to austerity-era spending cuts

Secondary school teachers say there is no rationale for moving English and Irish exams

ASTI members call for stronger teacher involvement in curriculum reforms

‘I don’t see any sign of things getting better’: Soaring rents and living costs take toll on teachers

As Easter conferences get under way, issues such as teacher supply look set to dominate

‘Teaching is an expression of self’: 10 reasons why I’m a teacher

Teaching demands an ability to think on your feet and respond to challenges and opportunities

Housing crisis adversely affecting lives of students, say 75% of TUI teachers

Union survey says cost-of-living issues are worsening the challenges of recruiting and retaining teachers

Teachers’ union to seek pay increases to tackle soaring inflation

INTO general secretary says pay award needed early in 2024 to make up for losses

Too many young teachers are back in their childhood bedrooms — if they are fortunate to have this safety net

Opinion: A severe recruitment crisis must be tackled, along with worsening retention problems

‘It is an anxious, frustrating time’: Schools struggle to find qualified teachers for vacant posts

As teachers’ conferences get under way, supply, retention and pay rates look set to dominate

‘Highly sexual’ book to be removed from students’ sex education resource

Campaigners say publication is inappropriate for 12-15 year olds

Work to resume on almost 60 stalled new school buildings

Construction delays linked to high inflation had sparked protests from schools affected

Unfilled teaching posts in almost half of second-level schools, survey finds

About 80% of principals said they had employed at least one unqualified teacher this school year

The Secret Teacher: ‘We cannot talk diversity and inclusion and then limit choice’

We simply cannot get away with one rule for our students and a different one for ourselves

Free school meals for all primary school children by 2028, promises Government

‘This is a priority for me,’ says Minister for Social Protection

Free school meals: Are they a good idea?

All Deis pupils are soon to get free hot meals, with the State strongly pledging meals for all schools by 2030. But what some see as a game changer, others see as a shocking waste of food

‘Left out of birthday parties and sports’: Autism a barrier to making friends in school, study finds

Autism charity says findings highlight barriers facing people who want the same chance chances as others

I feel burnt out after just four years of working as school principal. What can I do?

While there are supports out there, the growing number of roles and responsibilities involved in leading a school are increasingly unsustainable

Lack of accredited teachers limiting expansion of computer science, report says

University of Galway report finds only 34 accredited computer science teachers at start of school year in 2022

More than 600 extra primary school teacher training places announced

Places to be provided over the next two years as part of efforts to boost the supply of teachers

Only quarter of computer science teachers at Leaving Cert level accredited

University of Galway report says there is a ‘low level of understanding of the importance of the subject’

Foley ‘confident’ €96 per pupil will be ‘sufficient’ to make free schoolbooks available to all

Minister for Education says pilot scheme in 100 Deis schools found books cost €85 per pupil on average

Free schoolbooks: Primary schools to get €96 per child and not to ask for parental contribution

Schools may purchase texts and copybooks from any bookshop under guidance

‘He breaks the silence after I give the class a telling off: “You’re on fire today, aren’t you?”'

In the context of happiness and the quality of relationships, youngsters like Jack are a godsend

My child’s Catholic primary school is considering becoming multidenominational. What might change?

While the curriculum would be broadly the same, there are implications for ethos and religious education

‘I didn’t talk. I was very institutionalised... I didn’t see much of a future’

Alternative education services are giving students like Lizzie Coen a chance to meet their full potential

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