SLAR

acequion

PureClareGold wrote: »

Very generalised sensational statement like many made on the reform. Our principal is a very approachable person who believes in us as professionals and also supports the much needed changes in our education system.

I don't often have great reason to thank my lucky stars. But I sure am thanking them big time that I don't work with you lot.

Thank god for unions and for reasonable people who support workers and their rights.

PureClareGold

acequion wrote: »

I don't often have great reason to thank my lucky stars. But I sure am thanking them big time that I don't work with you lot.

Thank god for unions and for reasonable people who support workers and their rights.

I feel sorry for you. I work in a very innovative school, with great support from management. Teachers support each other professionally and challenge each other to improve our craft. And all of this for the benefit of the students we care for. I can tell you that by doing so our wellbeing is catered for in many many ways. Students respect us, some still challenge but the culture in our school doesn't allow this get out of hand and we are so supported by management. If we are struggling for whatever reasons they may take our last class to let us get home earlier. They care, we care and that is how we work together. We take on this job knowing the workload. If we thought we could keep doing the same thing every year for 30 plus years without having to change then we are deluded. I love my job and find it very fulfilling

evolving_doors

PureClareGold wrote: »

I feel sorry for you. I work in a very innovative school, with great support from management. Teachers support each other professionally and challenge each other to improve our craft. And all of this for the benefit of the students we care for. I can tell you that by doing so our wellbeing is catered for in many many ways. Students respect us, some still challenge but the culture in our school doesn't allow this get out of hand and we are so supported by management. If we are struggling for whatever reasons they may take our last class to let us get home earlier. They care, we care and that is how we work together. We take on this job knowing the workload. If we thought we could keep doing the same thing every year for 30 plus years without having to change then we are deluded. I love my job and find it very fulfilling

But if you were told that you had to do SLARs starting after school, and had kids to look after would you be ok with it. I.e. pay the extra childcare.
Also the given situation was that the teacher COULD do the SLARS during school time, but the principal was insisting that other parties with no involvement should attend so it would have to be after school.



The question also still remains unanswered . Is the school allocated extra sub cover for slars ?

Icsics

Extract from advice issued by JMB :

7. The Department is seeking to achieve an agreed position on the use
of teacher professional time for SLAR meetings with the teacher unions
and there is ongoing discussion and advocacy by the management bodies
in this regard. In the interim, as was the case last year, school
management will be required to employ scheduling arrangements which
may require, for example, drawing on the Supervision & Substitution
Scheme for one class period of the 2-hour SLAR meeting.

8. There may equally be time availability where, for example, house
examinations or other school events are underway. During these times,
SLAR meetings could be scheduled without impacting on class contact
time."

acequion

PureClareGold wrote: »

I feel sorry for you. I work in a very innovative school, with great support from management. Teachers support each other professionally and challenge each other to improve our craft. And all of this for the benefit of the students we care for. I can tell you that by doing so our wellbeing is catered for in many many ways. Students respect us, some still challenge but the culture in our school doesn't allow this get out of hand and we are so supported by management. If we are struggling for whatever reasons they may take our last class to let us get home earlier. They care, we care and that is how we work together. We take on this job knowing the workload. If we thought we could keep doing the same thing every year for 30 plus years without having to change then we are deluded. I love my job and find it very fulfilling

You know what PureClareGold, I'm highly suspicious about everything you post. It's just all too good to be true. It's like your whole school is an extended version of the Von Trapps with ye all odlaying through dewy mountains in some wonderful brave new world. Where is this utopia?

1. Nothing ever in your posts about the decade long barrage of attacks on teachers.
2. Nothing in your posts about our huge class sizes.
3. Nothing in your posts about how Irish teachers have the highest class contact hours in the EU.
4. And nothing in your posts about how these so called reforms were bulldozed through despite all of the above difficulties and despite a majority of teachers in the largest second level union not being on board with them.
5. Nothing in your posts about the disastrous implementation. Everything basically being made up as we go along,with, for example, the Dept deciding at the last minute this year to extend the English CBAs.
6. Nothing in your posts about the grossly inadequate training for your great new JC.
7. Nothing in your posts about the huge volume of older teachers retiring well before retirement age, basically cutting their losses and out the gap because they just can't cope with the unreasonable workload.
8. And nothing in your posts about the huge volume of extra work on teachers, from CP hours,to all these new initiatives and reforms.
9. Nothing in your posts about how many teachers are trying to juggle this with an extra curricular activity or two which they give for free to their students.
10. And nothing in your posts about low pay and inadequate sick leave in a job which is causing more and more people to be sick, not to mention the injustice to the NQTs

It is against this backdrop that the rest of us posters speak the truth about how difficult it has become to work in second levels schools in Ireland, yet still go in every day and do our very best because actually we also care very much about our students. Your school seems to be up there in the dewy mountains.

Feel sorry for me all you like, I could say the same about you!

PureClareGold

acequion wrote: »

You know what PureClareGold, I'm highly suspicious about everything you post. It's just all too good to be true. It's like your whole school is an extended version of the Von Trapps with ye all odlaying through dewy mountains in some wonderful brave new world. Where is this utopia?

1. Nothing ever in your posts about the decade long barrage of attacks on teachers.
2. Nothing in your posts about our huge class sizes.
3. Nothing in your posts about how Irish teachers have the highest class contact hours in the EU.
4. And nothing in your posts about how these so called reforms were bulldozed through despite all of the above difficulties and despite a majority of teachers in the largest second level union not being on board with them.
5. Nothing in your posts about the disastrous implementation. Everything basically being made up as we go along,with, for example, the Dept deciding at the last minute this year to extend the English CBAs.
6. Nothing in your posts about the grossly inadequate training for your great new JC.
7. Nothing in your posts about the huge volume of older teachers retiring well before retirement age, basically cutting their losses and out the gap because they just can't cope with the unreasonable workload.
8. And nothing in your posts about the huge volume of extra work on teachers, from CP hours,to all these new initiatives and reforms.
9. Nothing in your posts about how many teachers are trying to juggle this with an extra curricular activity or two which they give for free to their students.
10. And nothing in your posts about low pay and inadequate sick leave in a job which is causing more and more people to be sick, not to mention the injustice to the NQTs

It is against this backdrop that the rest of us posters speak the truth about how difficult it has become to work in second levels schools in Ireland, yet still go in every day and do our very best because actually we also care very much about our students. Your school seems to be up there in the dewy mountains.

Feel sorry for me all you like, I could say the same about you!

And if I went into work everyday thinking all those things I'd hate it. Luckily I don't and I'm happy. Nothing wrong with seeing the others point of view. There are a lot of issues in Irish education. I'm lucky where I am and appreciate it. Often feel bullied here for being positive and genuine about something I do find good. And as I teach the students you should never be afraid to stand up to bullies

amacca

PureClareGold wrote: »

And if I went into work everyday thinking all those things I'd hate it. Luckily I don't and I'm happy. Nothing wrong with seeing the others point of view. There are a lot of issues in Irish education. I'm lucky where I am and appreciate it. Often feel bullied here for being positive and genuine about something I do find good. And as I teach the students you should never be afraid to stand up to bullies

For god sake this is a forum for debate not a school yard.....posters are not bullying you...

Its simply that not many of them agree with your points of view and they are entitled to put theirs across without being accused of bullying imo

You might stop to consider why many of them don't seem to agree with your point of view and how damaging these reforms might be to the system given that most of the teachers that post here do not seem to agree with them. I would imagine its at least somewhat of a representative sample given conversations Ive had with colleagues that still work in the system etc

Being in the minority isn't being bullied......its an opportunity to stop, reflect and consider the possibility (no matter how hard you might find it to accept) that not everyone shares the same opinion as you and maybe just maybe they may have a valid point......that would be the positive, constructive thing to do......very much in line with the ethos of this new JC btw

PureClareGold

amacca wrote: »

For god sake this is a forum for debate not a school yard.....posters are not bullying you...

Its simply that not many of them agree with your points of view and they are entitled to put theirs across without being accused of bullying imo

You might stop to consider why many of them don't seem to agree with your point of view and how damaging these reforms might be to the system given that most of the teachers that post here do not seem to agree with them. I would imagine its at least somewhat of a representative sample given conversations Ive had with colleagues that still work in the system etc

Being in the minority isn't being bullied......its an opportunity to stop, reflect and consider the possibility (no matter how hard you might find it to accept) that not everyone shares the same opinion as you and maybe just maybe they may have a valid point......that would be the positive, constructive thing to do......very much in line with the ethos of this new JC btw

And if you turn all that around its makes the same sense. I accept that I'm in the minority but that doesn't make my beliefs any bit less. Maybe just maybe I have some valid points also

SligoBrewer

PureClareGold wrote: »

And if you turn all that around its makes the same sense. I accept that I'm in the minority but that doesn't make my beliefs any bit less. Maybe just maybe I have some valid points also

Maybe you don't.

I've been calling out your shtick for months, if not years and what is apparent is your rose tinted spectacle view of the Junior Cycle is ridiculous to the point where you want to do SLAR meetings outside of school time because you hate unions so much?

idk man, this course, the methods of assessment and the specification for my subject is a disaster and the knock on is that I genuinely can't be sure if my students will be able to take the LC subject that I teach. The vagueness of the specification is atrocious and will never be reviewed?

But look, i'm not looking to move up the chain in the NCCA/JCT/DES or internally so I can call this out for what it is, an utter disaster for Leaving Certificate and the learning of my students. My classroom was already a social constructivist one, I didn't need the DES and the NCCA to strip back my subject to the bare bones.

PureClareGold

SligoBrewer wrote: »

Maybe you don't.

I've been calling out your shtick for months, if not years and what is apparent is your rose tinted spectacle view of the Junior Cycle is ridiculous to the point where you want to do SLAR meetings outside of school time because you hate unions so much?

idk man, this course, the methods of assessment and the specification for my subject is a disaster and the knock on is that I genuinely can't be sure if my students will be able to take the LC subject that I teach. The vagueness of the specification is atrocious and will never be reviewed?

But look, i'm not looking to move up the chain in the NCCA/JCT/DES or internally so I can call this out for what it is, an utter disaster for Leaving Certificate and the learning of my students. My classroom was already a social constructivist one, I didn't need the DES and the NCCA to strip back my subject to the bare bones.

Such bitterness. The only reason someone could see good in the reform is if they want promotion!! We really need to look at ourselves and our bitterness towards people who see the good in this. No wonder no one ye know is willing to speak in favour of it. Imagine the backlash and derision they would receive from ye.

amacca

PureClareGold wrote: »

Such bitterness. The only reason someone could see good in the reform is if they want promotion!! We really need to look at ourselves and our bitterness towards people who see the good in this. No wonder no one ye know is willing to speak in favour of it. Imagine the backlash and derision they would receive from ye.

What bitterness?.....

PureClareGold

amacca wrote: »

What bitterness?.....

Bitterness and bile towards people who are actually embracing the reform

TheDriver

Time to stop the bickering. This thread is for advice and chat about SLARs ONLY and nothing else to do with junior cycle. Warning/cards etc will be given to any poster who decides to engage in anything else.

amacca

Not completely slar related just responding to poster.

fall

Hi all. Just from a management perspective here there have been no hours allocated to schools to cover the SLAR meeting. It is to come out of s and s. The whole situation is a shambles as the initial agreement had them completely outside school time. All of a sudden a concession was made to the ASTI last year and they said for last year they were to start inside. At every management conference we go to we are told this was only temporary and that the 40 minutes professional time was to be bundled and used after school. The TUI do not seem to be saying much about it. Just something else people night not be aware of schools have not been compensated fully in their allocation for the 40 minute professional time. We are expected to work magic with limited resources. I do my utmost to support my staff and I know how hard they work.

PureClareGold

fall wrote: »

Hi all. Just from a management perspective here there have been no hours allocated to schools to cover the SLAR meeting. It is to come out of s and s. The whole situation is a shambles as the initial agreement had them completely outside school time. All of a sudden a concession was made to the ASTI last year and they said for last year they were to start inside. At every management conference we go to we are told this was only temporary and that the 40 minutes professional time was to be bundled and used after school. The TUI do not seem to be saying much about it. Just something else people night not be aware of schools have not been compensated fully in their allocation for the 40 minute professional time. We are expected to work magic with limited resources. I do my utmost to support my staff and I know how hard they work.

Thanks for that clarity. So in my department there are 3 of us who are engaged with SLAR twice this year. So 40 mins taken from s+s by 3 equals 2hours s+s gone multiplied by 2 equals 4 hours s+s taken so that we can do our slar. That's the equivalent of one teacher going out to cover one match.
So we've received a reduction of 40 minutes per week, that's one full week of class contact time a year and we're not willing to stay behind for 2 hours of professional development? It's the students losing out again.

evolving_doors

PureClareGold wrote: »

Thanks for that clarity. So in my department there are 3 of us who are engaged with SLAR twice this year. So 40 mins taken from s+s by 3 equals 2hours s+s gone multiplied by 2 equals 4 hours s+s taken so that we can do our slar. That's the equivalent of one teacher going out to cover one match.
So we've received a reduction of 40 minutes per week, that's one full week of class contact time a year and we're not willing to stay behind for 2 hours of professional development? It's the students losing out again.

Would you agree with the OP's Principal who says they must do it after school, when they can do it within school hours without loss of teaching time?

PureClareGold

evolving_doors wrote: »

Would you agree with the OP's Principal who says they must do it after school, when they can do it within school hours without loss of teaching time?

No wouldn't agree with that at all. Flexibility is key to.good working relations. If teachers have the ability to do it withing the normal school day then they should be allowed.

SligoBrewer

fall wrote: »

Hi all. Just from a management perspective here there have been no hours allocated to schools to cover the SLAR meeting. It is to come out of s and s. The whole situation is a shambles as the initial agreement had them completely outside school time. All of a sudden a concession was made to the ASTI last year and they said for last year they were to start inside. At every management conference we go to we are told this was only temporary and that the 40 minutes professional time was to be bundled and used after school. The TUI do not seem to be saying much about it. Just something else people night not be aware of schools have not been compensated fully in their allocation for the 40 minute professional time. We are expected to work magic with limited resources. I do my utmost to support my staff and I know how hard they work.

A small point to note, concessions weren’t made to the ASTI, they just followed the 2015 circular. The TUI and JMB didn’t.

evolving_doors

SligoBrewer wrote: »

A small point to note, concessions weren’t made to the ASTI, they just followed the 2015 circular. The TUI and JMB didn’t.

If memory serves me it was the remainder of the short day ( usually Wednesdays or Fridays when students go home for half day) that TUI viewed as inside school time. I reckon that was the camels nose point.

deiseindublin

TUI outdid themselves as usual and showed an exemplar timetable of SLARs being done on Wednesday half days, however, not all TUI school have a half day. They had no answer to the question when asked where it should be timetabled and seem to begrudge the question been even asked. More head in the sand stuff.

acequion

Personally I'm happy with the half in, half out arrangement. All in would make for a very intensive day plus the loss of tuition, while all out would be a nightmare for parents of young children,people who do extra curricular or indeed anybody with a life to live outside school. We must bear in mind that in the future teachers will have up to four of these every year!

SligoBrewer

evolving_doors wrote: »

If memory serves me it was the remainder of the short day ( usually Wednesdays or Fridays when students go home for half day) that TUI viewed as inside school time. I reckon that was the camels nose point.

Yeah, that was it. I’m not sure do they expect teachers to be in the staffroom twiddling their thumbs every week at 2-4.