.......... My concern was not about the quality of special needs education, though that of course is a very important issue. I would think that some comments to the effect that all is well are complacent.
Irish language teachers are demonstrably not doing their jobs properly, yet there is no public outcry.
My concern is that we are failing to support third level education. .......... Strange priorities I think.
1. If our Special Needs Assistants fall down on the job the progressive effects can be catastrophic to the education for everybody in the classroom. Furthermore, this manifests itself outside of school hours. SNAs are probably the most important contact in schools to parents of the special needs child. If this were not the case, do the parents of the special needs child (a) Give complete trust to the teacher (b) Give complete trust to the principal (c) Give any kind of trust to the education system? Take the SNA out of the situation and look at what is left. Hint:- For a start it is likely we would have one parent working instead of two. Repeat:- And that's only for a start.
2. (a)Our teachers don't educate. Forget about whatever they call it, or you call it, or what the students call it etc. Our teachers are there to assist on the maximum amount of points a student can achieve for entry to university. If you believe anything else you are deluded. And if you think you're not deluded, then you are in a worse state than I am suggesting.
(b) Despite our years in school, we are not all fluent in Irish. So what! At least we know Irish is an option if we want. History, Geography, English, Maths, French, Spanish, German are also options. If as Cremeegg says teachers are doing their jobs, then we would all be making fortunes on The Chase or Tipping Point. I'm thinking points for university again.
3. What do all schools have nowadays? Answer:- Masters Degrees in this and that. When did anybody ever attend an Information Night about schools. The amount of teachers with Masters Degrees are advertised like they should be working in NASA moonshots. Universities advertise Masters Programmes like chainstores advertise at Christmas.
I'm rambling on and on . . . .but take the Special Needs Assistant out of the system . . . . . then look at what is left. Oh! the least paid person in the education system is the Special Needs Assistant. What does this say? Answers on a postcard please . . . .