October 2019 | Issue No 190 | ISSN 1393-4813 (print) | ISSN 2009-6887 (online) Breast health drive #AwarenessSavesLives Supporting effective educators New procedures in Northern Ireland General Secretary’s Message Strengthening our resolve As another school year began last month, I support they need to continue their incredible reflected on the fact that, since I was in junior work, starting with Budget 2020. infants in 1969, it was the first September in fifty In recent months, many of our members years that I had not been attached directly to a have been subjected to very unfair criticism school. My mind wandered to all of the times regarding difficulties experienced by children that I looked forward with anticipation to the with additional needs accessing appropriate school year ahead. The main reason I always school places. Teachers and schools have been loved September was that I knew that I would blamed for the total failure of government to have a great experience in an Irish primary provide the resources required to implement school, because Irish primary teachers have fully inclusive school programmes for our most precious pupils. Rather than blaming those at the front line in schools, it’s time for those in It’s time for those in positions of power to positions of power to take responsibility, and to show how much they care, by investing in the take responsibility, and to show how primary education system. As we reach the end of a difficult decade, we much they care, by investing in the must strengthen our resolve to end the era of overcrowded classrooms, over-burdened primary education system school leaders and under-funded schools. If we are to attract and retain the best teachers and principals we need to treat them with always been amazing – achieving the best that respect by ending the wait for equal pay for they possibly could despite years of under 2011-2014 entrants and for the payment of the investment in the system. Secondly, I always felt 2007 award to school leaders. a deep sense of pride when I saw so many And we need to make sure that, from 2020, primary teachers representing their counties in every child with additional needs in our schools All-Ireland finals at Croke Park. I salute all of our has the modern facilities, additional care, members who reached the pinnacle of their teaching and therapeutic support needed to sports this summer. The dedication of these thrive. teachers to Gaelic games, and the commitment From now on, gratitude and praise, rather of so many more of our members to sporting than unfair criticism, should be among our and cultural pursuits, ensures that future nation’s abundant renewable resources for generations of Irish children have wonderful fuelling the success of our teachers and role models every day at school. Our profession students holds the future of our communities and our nation in its hand. That’s the main reason we must invest for the best education system. Have no doubt about it, Irish teachers are the single most important people in our pupils’ educational journey. We are the spark that ignites a student’s learning. By communicating our passion for teaching we touch children’s John Boyle minds and children’s hearts. Government must INTO General Secretary make sure that our teachers have all of the INTOUCH 3 OCTOBER 2019 General Secretary: John Boyle Editor: David Geary Deputy Editor: Síne Friel Editorial Assistants: Karen Francis, Aida González, Yvonne Kenny 16 Advertising: Mary Bird Smyth Design: David Cooke Photography: Moya Nolan, Shutterstock Correspondence to: The Editor An t-Eagarthóir, InTouch, InTouch Vere Foster House, Áras Vere Foster, 35 Parnell Square, 35 Cearnóg Parnell, Dublin 1 Baile Átha Cliath 1 Tel: 01 804 7700 Email: [email protected] Website: www.into.ie 13 InTouch is published by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation and distributed to members and educational institutions. InTouch is the most widely circulated education magazine in Ireland. Articles published in InTouch are also 7 available on our website www.into.ie The views expressed in this journal are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the INTO. While every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this publication is up to date and correct, no responsibility will be taken by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation for any error which might occur. Except where the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation has formally negotiated agreements as part of its services to members, inclusion of an advertisement does not imply any form of recommendation. While every effort is made to ensure the reliability of advertisers, the INTO cannot accept liability for the quality of goods and services offered. INTOUCH 4 OCTOBER 2019 October 2019 Contents 54 l7 News l31 PE Xpo l59 Reviews l9 Free mortgage seminars l32 Northern l61 Finishing Touches l13 INTO Learning courses News l20 Teaching Council news l37 Advice l21 Cumann na mBunscol l39 Your INTO l23 Trade union voices INTO’s Feargal Brougham l41 Wellbeing l43 Teaching matters l43 Volunteering in Africa l44 Losing a baby l46 Supporting grieving children 44 l47 Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) l51 Chess in the classroom l53 Inclusion in physical education l54 Dolphins and 26 dark skies l55 Autumn poems l57 The Daily Mile 51 l58 Gaeilge 53 10 things you should know Breast health education campaign Your post-Brexit consumer rights. 1 launched. Page 16 6 Page 37 Illness benefit procedures have Navigating your October INTO 2 changed. Page 9 7 meeting. Page 39 Homelessness resource launched Dealing with parental complaints. 3 by INTO and Focus Ireland. Page 7 8 Page 38 School secretaries protest. #MySchool competition winner. 4 Page 10 9 Page 15 News from our Northern Office. NCCA seeking feedback on RSE 5 Page 31 10 curriculum. Page 49 INTOUCH 5 OCTOBER 2019 News Supporting homeless children in the classroom The INTO and Focus Ireland have was an alien one decades ago, it is a produced a new guidance resource for repugnant reality today. primary school teachers and principals This resource is both practical and who are supporting students and families accessible. The teacher’s voice comes who are homeless or at risk. This through. Their demand? Not only to assist document aims to highlight the reality of in making school a haven for their homelessness and its impact on children’s pupils, but also in education as well as offering some helping to put an practical suggestions about how schools end to this stain on can support pupils and share some good our republic. I call practices already happening in schools. on the department The new resource was launched at St to end its inertia on Joseph’s National School, Bonnybrook, this topic and give Dublin 17 and can be found here schools the extra http://bit.ly/INTOFocusIreland. ring-fenced The most recent figures issued by the resources and Department of Housing show that 3,778 guidance they children are currently homeless which is a demand and need. jump of over 400% in just five years. The in four primary schools The suggestions latest regional figures also show that the across the State have contained within this crisis has now sadly spread to many cities children who are school resource will nationwide with over 500 families, and homeless and suffering not suit every school 1,000 children, homeless outside of from anxiety, poor self- context and may need Dublin. Focus Ireland has called for the esteem, and exhaustion. to be adjusted to government to review its policies dealing Speaking at the launch of the resource, respond to the with child homelessness and stated that INTO President Feargal Brougham said, individual pupils in your school given such a review must examine very carefully “As a newly qualified teacher working your unique context. Additionally, the how children are being treated in the here 30 years ago, I could never have document is supplemented with an homeless crisis. foreseen that one day I would be online resource that sets out some of the A recent survey of more than 1,000 launching a resource on primary school external agencies and supports which are principals by the Irish Primary Principals’ children’s homelessness. The idea that available for families who are Network (IPPN) found that more than one almost 4,000 children would be homeless experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.” Branch and district officers’ briefing On 11 September, INTO branch and to politicians across the country. district officers convened in Croke Park to discuss the key issues facing the Head Office staff presented on union in the coming months. Members changes to pay and pensions, were updated on the pay equality recruitment, promotions, and campaign and the INTO's pre-Budget workload issues as well as the INTO's campaign, with a rallying call for new website and database and plans members to help get our message out to improve member engagement. INTOUCH 7 OCTOBER 2019 News Claiming illness benefit – new policy The Department of Education and Skills PRSI class A contributors. from the DEASP. They will receive their (DES) has issued an information note on DES salary minus the sum of illness revised procedures for claiming illness What is the change? benefit paid by the DEASP. benefit for class A PRSI contributors, From 1 September 2019, where a teacher effective from 1 September 2019. is absent on sick leave for more than six How is this different? successive days (excluding Sunday), they Prior to 1 September 2019, teachers were Who is this applicable to? are required to submit a form IB1 and a required to submit these forms to the PRSI class A contributors absent on sick form Med1 directly to the Department of Department of Education and Skills (DES).