With all of the focus on teachers' industrial relations problems, you could be forgiven for having forgotten what teaching is really about.
A glance at the website of the Subject Association Representative Group, which represents subject and teachers associations in the State, will soon put you right (www.sarg.ie).
The homepage of this site lists 28 subject associations, from art to CSPE to business, gaeilge, English, guidance counsellors, home economics and physical education. A word of warning: the quality of the material on each of these sites varies, with some excellent sites and others still under construction.
The Business Studies Teachers' Association of Ireland has a bright attractive site (www.bstai.ie) that includes the syllabus along with a breakdown of higher and ordinary-level Leaving Certificate papers.
The Post-Primary Music Teachers Association also has a well-designed site, where you click on a clef to access information on the association's aims, news, and conference as well as exams and conference information. In news, a talk by Professor Jeanne Bamburger, who teaches music theory and cognition at MIT, is flagged. The title: "Action and symbol: do they relate?" We are told that Bamburger's recent books include "The mind behind the musical ear". Unfortunately, the talk took place on September 10th, and the text of her speech is not posted on the website. The examinations section is more useful, including a table of the numbers of students opting for each higher elective (performing/listening/composing) at Leaving Cert.
Clicking on the Sarg link to the Association of Teachers of Teachers merely produces an e-mail link to ATE. In contrast, the Art Teachers of Ireland, ATAI, has a substantial presence on the web (www.artteachers.ie), detailing its work. The ATA holds meetings in Dublin four times each school year, and all members are welcome, however, members who wish to attend regional meetings only are reassured that representatives of these groups will bring all relevant issues to the attention of the committee.
The CSPE Teachers' website (www.actonline.ie) includes its constitution. The aims of the association are to "support teachers of civic, social and political education; to represent teachers of CSPE; to promote civic, social and political education". There are details, and short reviews, of useful websites including an "attractively designed site from Pavee Point Travellers' Centre which should be familiar to many CSPE teachers for their relevant human rights work." Listed also is "Transform Conflict", a Northern Ireland-based website intended to support teachers working in the area of citizenship and human rights education with a particular focus on a cross-Border context.
Dumb Laws is a US website that "might be of use to teachers wanting to introduce the study of law in a cheerful and innovative manner. The title speaks for itself. Ignore the plethora of ads."
When it comes to websites, all three teacher unions - the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) and the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) - are comprehensively represented.
The INTO website (www.into.ie) is probably the most innovative. It includes a teacher-to-teacher section, as well as professional development section, an information and publications section and, naturally, details of union business.
There are chatrooms, mailing lists, and discussion forums in the teacher-to-teacher section. Under information, look for the "Tips for Parents" booklet (English/Gaeilge 2001), as well as frequently-asked questions, Radio INTO and INTO publications. The union section includes general information and advice, conditions of employment, and video footage of the annual principals' conference.
Click on the Santa icon on the top right-hand corner of the homepage for information on the "My Wish for Christmas" project which aims to "foster a selfless perspective through creative writing and is suitable for all primary-school classes".
Teachers interested in stress management and prevention might look at the TUI website (www.tui.ie) which has details on a project to create a healthy teaching environment. This pilot project will train teachers in the use of a "specially-designed teacher stress prevention methodology", provide a panel of experienced teachers who will serve as facilitators in participating schools and develop a website to support the teachers involved in this project.
Science teachers and others with an interest in the teaching of science at second level should turn to the TUI's submission to the Government taskforce on physical sciences. It deals with issues such as the "unacceptably large discrepancy between graded awarded in Leaving Certificate physics and chemistry and those for other Leaving Cert subjects".
The frequently-asked questions section on the ASTI website (www.asti.ie) ranges widely from adoptive leave to bullying to ASTI policy on class size to qualifications required to become a teacher. Policy documents, members' services and benefits, campaigns, press releases and the latest union news are all posted on this substantial site.
