Yes, good choice of course but, if the last NEC is anything to go by, the choice of Secretary General is of more consequence (in that case, John Coolahan RIP). Maybe the plan is to have Anne Looney fill both roles.

Maybe they think that not everything important in an education system can be measured.

So far, I have seen no evidence that wellbeing 'classes' actually produce positive outcomes. Teachers are not mental health professionals. It seems to me this is just a gesture to cover-up the inadequacy of the level of resources provided to support services for schools.

Indeed; I explored those events in ' Irish Education and catholic Emancipation: The campaigns of Bishop Doyle and Daniel O'Connell' ( published by Peter Lang, 2017). They were two really formidable leaders, one well remembered the other almost forgotten.

If you change mind it would be an enthralling read.

Incredibly relevant to the times we live in

This issue has faced NAPD in the past and maybe still do for all I know. The real question is whether there is a sufficient proportion of school leaders willing to join and support, financially and otherwise, a new union (or, more likely, a distinct branch of an existing one).

A welcome development. Best of luck.

With a proper approach to leadership that can work fine.

The previous experience suggests that a strong independent Secretariat is an essential ingredient. When that is announced we will know whether it's a serious endeavour or not.

As a principal, I worked with many truly splendid colleagues in admin. As we were VEC/ETB, all had proper terms & conditions (though not at a remuneration that reflected their vital role). The same should apply to all in education irrespective of sector (primary & post-p).

2nd level teaching jobs on educationposts=286 5 perm 94 fixed term 60 mat leave 33 RPT (not all full hours & don’t always lead to CID either) 16 Pro-Rata (not all full hours & don’t always lead to CID) 23 parental leave 14 sick leave 12 sub 7 career break 6 jobshare #edchatie 🤷🏻‍♀️

English ed system tries to get to grips with AI by investigating its usefulness in marking exams & speeding up delivery of results. Meanwhile in Ireland, Dept of Ed ploughs ahead allowing AI use in LC AACs worth 40% with teachers still waiting on AI guidance promised MONTHS ago.

As compared to my time, principals are buried in more paperwork nowadays. We live at a time where everything of importance is presumed to be measurable & therefore auditable. It is the 'quality of your records not your deeds' (Power) that is paramount in such a situation.

No surprise there. To justify their existence or to be fair to them more accurately the model of inspection they are applying they must have 'evidence' in the form of paper, policies, procedures etc. The best way to judge a teachers performance is the evidence of ones own eyes.

Indeed, Declan. Measurable is the word that 'gets' me. If the pandemic should have taught us anything it is that those who work schools play a huge and vital role in the lives of our citizens in many ways that are certainly not measurable.

You're dead right, Ciara. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable and insightful but he has a gift for encapsuling both in how he presents his observations. All books and articles by Andy Hargreaves are well worth a read.

At the end of this fine piece Breda, calls for teachers to be treated seriously as professionals. Were we ever ??? From expecting teachers to revive the language in 1920s &30s though most were not qualified to teach it to the current tchr supply debacle the evidence is damning.

#edchatie We need to highlight the casualisation of 2nd level teaching in Ireland. Temporary, non-permanent, short-term contracts won’t encourage the return of Irish teachers working overseas nor will it entice teachers to work in areas where the teacher shortage is most acute.