The Student Voice in the Transition Year Programme A school based case study

I f Transition Year were a film, I would describe it as an action-comedy. There were plenty o f laughs and even more o f the other. Throughout the year, spirits were constantly high and there was always an air o f enthusiasm and excitement bubbling to the surface.... It was a brilliant experience but it was about so much more than school It was about getting to know each other, meeting people and gaining confidence.... And so, the fin a l scene oj our action- comedy is upon us and I think I echo everyone’s thoughts when Isay that the final day o f this school year will be a sad one, as it will represent the conclusion ofone o f the best years o f our lives. For it has given us the greatest gift o f all, and that is the power to believe in ourselves and the fa c t that i f we try hard enough and believe strong enough we can make it. (Transition Year Student Diary, May 2001) What follows are the results of a case study on the impact of the Transition Year programme. The key actors in this action-comedy are consulted in order to gain an insight into the factors contributing to the success of this course. Students transported the researcher into their world via their diaries. This view from within was then used to probe for a better understanding o f their experience. On analysis, the positive impact of the programme was highlighted. The student’s perceptions may provide teachers with a more accurate and relative understanding o f what the students perceive they are experiencing in the course. This information may assist teachers in providing more student-centred approaches that develop from known student perceptions

'Teachers against learning' sounds very like a new form of professional self-harm

It's hard to fathom the decision by the teacher unions to boycott and picket in-service education for teachers. 'Teachers against learning' sounds very like a new form of professional self-harm

Critical evaluation and design of mathematics tasks: pre-service teachers

This paper reports on a research project undertaken with a group (n=19) of Irish pre-service student teachers (PSTs) during the third year of a four-year undergraduate education course. A series of workshops were carried out on the critical evaluation and design of mathematics tasks. The research is presented as a case study using mixed methods to gather data. Through critically evaluating and designing mathematics tasks PSTs developed knowledge of cognitive demand, pedagogical design capacity and showed evidence of developing curriculum-making competences. The research highlights the need for PSTs to work together on evaluating and designing tasks

Covid-19 Practice in Primary Schools in Ireland Report: a Two-Month Follow-Up

This research report looks at leadership and wellbeing in Primary Schools two months after the COVID-19 school closures, in total 939 leaders completed the survey. It follows a previous report on practice in Primary Schools two weeks after school closures (Burke and Dempsey, 2020). It reports on the changes in communication, concerns and wellbeing from week two to month two after the COVID-19 school closure; the wellbeing of school leaders in the middle of the COVID-19 school closure; and, investigates the intricacies in wellbeing between teaching and administrative principals, given that their daily duties differ significantly. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS, and qualitative data was analysed using MAXQDA. It found that principals are adapting to the impact of the pandemic, both professionally and personally, however there have been significant challenges noted. It was noted that social wellbeing is the biggest challenge for principals, however seven out of 10 principals have taken specific actions to address this challenge during the lockdown. Lack of time was an issue for those principals who have not taken positive action regarding their wellbeing, with some fulfilling multiple professional and personal roles. While there have been challenges associated with the adaptation and implementation of new online practices, and some schools lack technology, there has been a positive move to online learning

Flourishing During COVID-19: Exploration of the Factors That Impacted the Wellbeing of School Leaders During the Pandemic in Ireland

The COVID-19 outbreak impacted the wellbeing of school communities worldwide. However, little is known about the factors that helped individuals maintain their wellbeing amid the pandemic. The current paper presented selected results from two surveys carried out with primary school leaders in the Republic of Ireland in relation to the factors that protected their wellbeing during the COVID-19 school closure. The first survey took place two months after the school closure (Time 1,N= 939); the second one, three months after the school re-opening (Time 2, N= 861). Participants’ wellbeing was assessed using the Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF). The findings showed that participants’ wellbeing decline from Time 1 to Time 2. Descriptive analysis showed that approximately half of the sample at both times experienced flourishing. Finally, qualitative analysis identified similarities among flourishing and non-flourishing leaders in relation to them becoming more health-conscious and seeking social connection. However, compared with flourishing leaders, non-flourishing leaders reported feeling overwhelmed and seeking help. Equally, flourishing leaders reported scheduling personal time, professional development and having a more positive outlook, which may have affected their wellbeing. Discussed are the implications of the current study that can inform the policy and practice of school leaders in Ireland and worldwide

Wellbeing in Post-Covid Schools: Primary School Leaders’ Reimagining of the Future.

It is time to focus on the future. Since March 2020, all the resources went into helping schools maintain teaching and learning during the worldwide emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic (UN, 2020). School Leaders in Ireland have moved swiftly along the stages of grief ranging from the shock of the pandemic, through to anger, despair and finally acceptance of the new reality of living and working in the midst of the coronavirus. The entire school community have shown a remarkable resilience in the way students, parents, teachers and leaders have come together and navigated through the maze of the Covid-education (J. Burke & Dempsey, 2020; Devitt, Bray, Banks, & Ni Chorcora, 2020; Fahy, Murphy, Fu, & Nguyen, 2020; Mohan et al., 2020; Quinn, McGilloway, & Burke, 2020). With the new vaccines, we are now hopefully reaching the end of the lockdowns. However, the havoc that the pandemic caused may be long-lasting. Pre-pandemic, primary school leaders’ role was already complex, “messy and demanding” (DES, 2016a; Stynes, McNamara, & O'Hara, 2018). They complained about the quantity of work, lack of time to focus on teaching and learning and resourcing needs (Reily, 2015). During the pandemic, their role has changed significantly. Apart from managing the day-to-day running of the school, leaders have also taken on additional duties associated with managing the Covid-19 safety, exacerbating the complexity of their role (Dempsey & Burke, 2020). It is now time to review leaders’ loaded role and identify ways in which it can be altered to positively impact on their wellbeing, ensure sustainability of the position, as well as ensure that they have the time and space to focus on rebuilding the ruptured school communities for a brighter post-Covid future. The impact Covid-19 had on the school community varied. Some children were at a disadvantage when their access to education was limited due to the Wi-Fi connection issues or access to computing devices (J. Burke & Dempsey, 2020; Dempsey & Burke, 2020; Doyle, 2020). Families complained about the negative impact the lockdown had on pupils who felt more isolated, anxious and began to experience maladaptive behaviours at home (O’Sullivan et al., 2021). This was particularly challenging for parents of children with special needs. A comprehensive analysis of young people’s mental health in Ireland found that indeed, many have experienced lower levels of wellbeing compared with students pre-pandemic, although some aspects of their wellbeing remained the same (Quinn et al., 2020). Similarly, many parents, teachers and leaders found it difficult to cope with Covid-19 adversity, which impacted on various aspects of school community’s wellbeing (Devitt et al., 2020; Fahy et al., 2020; L. E. Kim & Asbury, 2020). Wellbeing is “ a journey of promoting and improving individuals’ mental health and conditions, so that they can contribute to the school communities’ overall wellbeing, and vice versa.” (J. Burke, 2021). School leaders play an important role in promoting wellbeing and their leadership has a significant effect on their teaching staff, non-teaching staff and ultimately their students (Francisco, 2019; Serin & Akkaya, 2020; Wang, 2019). When individuals are not doing well, or when they withdraw psychologically from their role, it has a negative outcome on their performance (Erdemli, 2015). Thus, following the principles of “putting an oxygen mask first before assisting others”, it is crucial that primary school leaders’ wellbeing is considered to ensure the sustainability of their roles. Psychological wellbeing can be assessed using at least a hundred of possible measures (Linton, Dieppe, & Medina-Lara, 2016). In the current research, we reviewed it from four perspectives. Firstly, we examined leaders’ personal wellbeing using a Mental Health Continuum model (C.L.M. Keyes, 2009), which combines three main theories of wellbeing, i.e. psychological wellbeing (Ryff & Keyes, 1995), emotional/subjective wellbeing (Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999) and social wellbeing (Corey Lee M. Keyes, 1998). Then, we selected a model of illbeing which assesses participants’ symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. Thirdly, we reviewed their work-related wellbeing (Kern, 2014). Finally, we assessed their perceived stress levels and work-life balance during the first term of the school year 2020-2021. Therefore the current research offers a holistic view of Primary school leaders’ health. Wellbeing measures provided us with an outline of the impact of Covid-19 on leaders. However, what matters even more is what actions can all stakeholders take to create a better future for the entire school community with primary school leaders having the time and space to lead the change. This is what this report focused its attention on

Being able to do maths but yet feeling kind of free: using the flagway game to learn mathematics

Over a two-year period in 2016 and 2017 a team led by Bob Moses worked with teachers in Ireland on a project called The Algebra Project. This paper reports on the implementation of the Flagway Game in two primary schools in Ireland as part of this initiative. Data from teacher interviews and student focus groups are analysed using the theoretical framework of Engeström’s activity theory (1987). The findings show that both the physical and mental tools developed by Moses and colleagues do function to develop mathematical thinking and improve enjoyment in learning mathematics. Challenges exist in the form of rules that mitigate against devoting the time needed for this kind of engagement and physical infrastructure to support social learning through physical activity

Lessons Learned: The experiences of teachers in Ireland during the 2020 pandemic.

Lots of research has been published about the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on education. However, little is known about the challenges that teachers in Ireland faced during the first lockdown and after the schools reopened, which is what the current report aimed to address. A total of 404 teachers from primary and post-primary schools in Ireland were surveyed six months after the first national lockdown. The results indicated that teachers have had different challenges at various stage of working during the pandemic. Also, despite experiencing more stress and lower levels of wellbeing, 4 out of 5 teachers experienced a positive transformation, which may last post-Covid. The report provides details of the findings, as well as implications for educational practice in Ireland

Lessons Learned: The experiences of teachers in Ireland during the 2020 pandemic.

Lots of research has been published about the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on education. However, little is known about the challenges that teachers in Ireland faced during the first lockdown and after the schools reopened, which is what the current report aimed to address. A total of 404 teachers from primary and post-primary schools in Ireland were surveyed six months after the first national lockdown. The results indicated that teachers have had different challenges at various stage of working during the pandemic. Also, despite experiencing more stress and lower levels of wellbeing, 4 out of 5 teachers experienced a positive transformation, which may last post-Covid. The report provides details of the findings, as well as implications for educational practice in Ireland

One month before Covid-19 and one year after: An assessment of wellbeing of post-primary school leaders in Ireland

The impact of Covid-19 is widely discussed, however, little is known about the actual changes in participants’ wellbeing before and during the pandemic. The current report provides a unique perspective on the differences in post-primary school leaders’ wellbeing one month before the pandemic outbreak (Time 1) and one year later (Time 2). The participants comprised of 267 (Time 1) and 251 (Time 2) post-primary school leaders whose wellbeing was assessed using Mental Health Continuum Short-form (personal wellbeing) and Workplace PERMA profiler (work-related wellbeing), as well as a one-question measure of perceived stress. The results showed that while leaders’ stress levels increased during the pandemic, their personal wellbeing remained the same, whereas many aspects of their work-related wellbeing increased during the pandemic, such as meaning for work, engagement or accomplishment. In addition to the wellbeing, participants were asked about their experiences of Covid-19, school community strengths, challenges, as well as their views about changes required to improve education in Ireland post-Covid. These changes included Communication, Assessment, Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle reforms. The findings are discussed in the context of international research and recommendations are made across various levels impacting school communities in Ireland