Is Norma Foley a visionary?

She needs to vision a new hairdresser!!

No, she doesn't. People spend so much time talking about her hair and clothing choices. That they hardly talk about the state of schools at the moment.

If she succeeds in doing it...maybe it is a good idea...

If the system offers zero consequences for those that will insist on breaking the rules ...how workable will this be on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being not workable at all and 10 **** yeah yes sir! I'd put it at a zero

Another Minister tries to make a name/legacy ...but achieves the sum total of **** all.....actually that would be an improvement on the last guy who damaged it.

/Thread

Lets see, a new law, which is impossible to enforce, and therefore will not be enforced after a couple of weeks of hassle. Norma Foley keeps her seat or leaves with a golden handshake.

Sounds like all their other measures.

School Meal Programme has been rolled out to thousands of extra schools.

Free book scheme rolled out to secondary now

I think she will go down as one of the better ministers in this government

It's about 10 years too late from the oldest of Generation Z, but it is a welcome development. Huberman doesn't have many donkeys on and Haidt is well worth listening to.

My son's primary school recently had a talk with an Ennis based health professional who is leading the charge in terms of getting smart phones and technology in general out of the hands of primary school children and even older.

Schools can't do this on their own and it requires parents to be educated on the dangers and effects and for buy in for most of parents so keeping kids exposure to social media at a minimum until they are old enough.

Thanks for the link, will check it out.

Can you give me some info on who in Ireland is discussing the health impacts of technology on children please, I'd like to hear more about what they're saying?

Was it Dr. Siofra Harrington by any chance? As far as I know she is from Ennis, she is an Optometrist who has done some excellent research on the affects of too much screen time on children's eye health. The results are shocking.

Below is an ophthalmologist taking a wider look at the some of the science behind this, it's a long video and goes into a lot of different areas, how we're getting over exposed to blue light and lacking non visible light exposure (infra red and UV), and how it impacts people.

The consequences for young people are much more severe, so we should be limiting screen time where possible.

My phone fell in water so I don't currenty have access to school app where I have all the details. Drop me a pm in a few days if I haven't posted her details here. I was a bit unmotivated heading in to her talk but found her brilliant. She used to write reports for sex offenders for court hearing, so she is acutely aware as to who may be on the other end of your child's phone

The woman in question has lectured to circa 200 schools trying to implement safety policies around technology. We can't wait for the department or anyone else to do this, it really is a matter for parents to get informed and to protect their children.

In a nutshell the cure seems to next to no social media/gaming until after puberty, then shared phone use with a parent. In tandem we need to give them more freedom in the real world to make mistakes takes risks etc and develop naturally.

Will do, thanks.

There's a big conversation needed about technology and children, both in and out of schools, and most parents and children are completely uniformed of what the risks are.

Yes election "banter" to prove she can spoof with the best

Not only is it a good idea, it is a very necessary step. It's going to happen everywhere eventually.

Them school dinners are junk food

fine in poor areas

People should make more effort and send them in with a sandwidge and then feed them a proper dinner when they get home

Some wagon of the fiona o'looney ilk was giving out about the free book scheme on newstalk there...

It's five years too late and they should be giving them free ipads....govt completely out of touch with the reality in Ed now she says

It's hard to please de people I tells ya...

Sorry for that bit of.....miserabilism?

Dr Maureen Griffin.

https://www.mgmstraining.ie/

There are many things I could call Norma Foley-- 'visionary' is not one of them. There is an impending election and tis the season to be jolly busy launching stuff and claiming credit.

As regards free meals and free books, this is part of the predictable Government pitch to the middle class average tax paying voter ahead of November. As to how these initiatives actually work or the success criteria, that's entirely up to the school leaders and teachers ie the credit for any success is due to the schools implementing the measures. As regards phones, she's just repeating what dozens of previous commentators in the space have been saying for ages and is seizing the moment, what with potential EU legislation and sanctions re: social media gaining pace. So no, she ain't no visionary, but yes she can read a prepared speech with all the buzzwords very effectively

I think in the era of on the fly content creation and instant access to social media that schools need to come down hard on phones across the board.

There is no need for anyone to have a phone on their person in school.

Problem is they can't come down hard on continuous behaviour way worse than just bringing a phone to school.

my school could in the mid 2000’s - schools have gone a bit soft and parents have gone even softer (from my limited observation).

Phone in the bag, silent, not ever out until afterschool - we all played the game, very few would chance the odd text in class. It’s very simple - I think good old confiscation is the way to go - but I suppose some knobber parents would kick up about their little angels 1100 euro iPhone being taken.

Do you not like her barcode fringe?

A solution might be to provide lockers for kids like are in many second level schools across the world, also in many businesses and workplaces…FOB wristband to open them so you are not worried about lost keys etc…wristband lost, just reprogram a new one and charge a fiver or whatever cost.

The challenge would as I see it be twofold….the cost of the lockers, also the logistics of attaining space in already overcrowded and also many small antiquated buildings across the country ….

Norma Foley is a terrible minister, no visionary, and not inspiring, needs to be cast into the ether.

VVery scary concept that the parents are not taking the responsibility to not only but supervise the nutrition of their kids. Also meal times are important for learning social etiquetteitte and manners from family. Teaches kids the state is responsible for their food.

I think we'll look back on smartphone use the same way as underage smoking, and people saying it's unenforceable probably have a horse in the race, as the little screen is keeping their "angle" occupied.