Latest in Cassidy's Comments: A Former Head's Views on Current Educational Issues

Cassidy's Comments: A Former Head's Views on Current Educational Issues

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Features

Dyslexia support in our schools. Are we getting it right?

Posted in: Cassidy's Comments on 21/10/2024 On October 14th Robbie Meredith, BBC News NI Education Correspondent, reported on problems with the support for pupils with dyslexia in Northern Ireland schools, with the EA revealing that almost 200 children are currently on a waiting list for "direct intervention". This mirrors the current situat...
This article is listed under the following topics:
Education (for Schools and Colleges)
Features

Racism in Northern Ireland. Can schools help?

Posted in: Cassidy's Comments on 05/09/2024 Given the appalling rise in racially motivated hate crime in Northern Ireland in recent weeks, it is vital that we ensure that newcomer members of society and indeed established ethnic minority groups feel welcome and are fully integrated into communities. A good place to start is to look at the ex...
This article is listed under the following topics:
Education (for Schools and Colleges)
Features

Therapy Dogs in our Schools – A Very Good News Story

Posted in: Cassidy's Comments on 09/05/2024 BBC N Ireland recently brought us the story of Caleb White, a 16-year-old pupil from Harberton Special School in Belfast who has a number of complex special needs, including autism, ADHD and OCD. He hiked up Divis and Black Mountain in one day to raise the £7,000 needed to pay for a new mental heal...
This article is listed under the following topics:
Discrimination Education (for Schools and Colleges)
Features

Facing up to the Problem of Mobile Phones in Schools

Posted in: Cassidy's Comments on 11/03/2024 Over recent weeks media outlets have been highlighting the issue of the misuse of mobile phones in schools and the current government response encapsulated in their press release; “Government launches crackdown on mobile phones in schools”. When faced with new difficulties like this, it is temptin...
This article is listed under the following topics:
Education (for Schools and Colleges)
Features

What Needs to Change in our Schools in the New Year?

Posted in: Cassidy's Comments on 25/01/2024 In the run-up to Christmas the long- awaited Independent Review of Education in Northern Ireland was released. It had been commissioned as part of commitments contained in the New Decade New Approach deal, which restored the Northern Ireland Executive in January 2020. Its scope is very wide ranging...
This article is listed under the following topics:
Education (for Schools and Colleges)
Features

Why is School Attendance, Here in Northern Ireland, the Worst on Record?

Posted in: Cassidy's Comments on 09/11/2023 School attendance levels in Northern Ireland are getting much worse. Statistics provided by the Department of Education (DE) since 2021 show that 30% of pupils had absence rates which were classed as "chronic" or "severe chronic". This means that a pupil has been absent for over 10% of school days ...
This article is listed under the following topics:
Policies and Procedures
Features

Cyberbullying – a Real and Present Danger to our Young People

Posted in: Cassidy's Comments on 27/09/2023 Brian O'Donovan, RTE’s work and technology correspondent has flagged up a concern expressed by online safety charity, Cyber Safe Kids. The CEO, Alex Cooney, has warned that online safety for children remains a critical issue that is not being sufficiently addressed in our schools or by the social m...
This article is listed under the following topics:
Education (for Schools and Colleges)
Features

Overuse of Technology in the Classroom?

Posted in: Cassidy's Comments on 04/09/2023 Emma O Kelly, RTÉ’s Education correspondent, has highlighted a concern about possible over-reliance on technology to support learning in schools. She points to a recent UNESCO report which has advised caution about the use of laptops and tablets in the classroom. They suggest that the assumed advan...
This article is listed under the following topics:
Education (for Schools and Colleges)
Features

Should our Children Read More and Look at Screens Less?

Posted in: Cassidy's Comments on 30/05/2023 BBC Northern Ireland Education Correspondent Robbie Meredith has recently highlighted a report into children’s reading habits by the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) which was administered by the NFER in 2021 for the Department of Education. This international study used dat...
This article is listed under the following topics:
Education (for Schools and Colleges)
Features

The Andrew Tate Effect. Who is Shaping the Values for School Boys?

Posted in: Cassidy's Comments on 02/05/2023 According to the Guardian newspaper in February 2023, Andrew Tate the social influencer has become very popular among British teenage boys. They apparently copy his phrases and philosophy. Parents and schoolteachers have expressed concern that he is influencing boys to exhibit misogynistic and aggr...
This article is listed under the following topics:
Policies and Procedures Wellbeing