My letter in today’s @irishtimes.com on behalf of the @irishsciteach.bsky.social. Delay to English & Accounting makes sense (let’s get it right folks) but a delay to the AACs in senior science also makes sense.

Breda O’Brien is spot on in her article in today’s @irishtimes.com - the Department have decided that bullying teachers into reform is easier than actually funding or supporting it properly.

I’m not sure where to begin with this one … #edchatIE Leaving Cert examiners offer €100,000 contract to research how AI can be used to correct papers jrnl.ie/6671133

Finally, there are vacancies for #edchatie on May 5th and May 19th: host your preferred subject. Get in touch! www.juliangirdham.com/blog/edchati...

What does the new LC biology speciricstion mean to teachers and students? www.gilleducation.ie/blog/what-do...

The recording from our webinar on navigating the new Leaving Certificate Biology specification is now available. Many thanks to all who checked in on the night and for your lovely feedback. youtu.be/oi26d4FsV-I @yvehigginsvallely.bsky.social

You can now view a sample unit from ‘Evolution’ on the @GillEducation website. Our new book is organised into a series of thematic units of learning and Unit 1: The Living Science can now be viewed here: online.flippingbook.com/view/2836403... @yvehigginsvallely.bsky.social

I will be hosting a webinar with my ‘Evolution’ co-author @yvehigginsvallely.bsky.social on Monday, March 25th at 7pm on ‘Navigating the New Leaving Cert Biology Specification’. Register here to take part: register.gotowebinar.com/register/443...

Many thanks to @joerolston.bsky.social for moderating tonight's #edchatie. Interesting discussion as always.

I think teaching and learning needs to be much higher on the agenda. It’s hard to know the national picture but we don’t get many opportunities to discuss pedagogy. I’d like more. #edchatie

Craig Skerritt showed how flawed LAOS in practical terms in his paper: www.juliangirdham.com/blog/looking... #edchatie

I think there may be a different conversation to be had. Instead of looking at school leadership - is it time to look at the demands on schools. What was the old phrase, "when society itches, schools must scratch"? The pressure to manage the multiple and conflicting demands is immense #edchatie

You can now see sample ‘Evolution’ resources on the @GillEducation website including a sample PowerPoint, a digital quiz, audio pronunciations of keywords, sample experiment video and a sample scheme for the new #LeavingCert Biology course. t.co/Ez2gw8dAD4 #edchatIE @yvehigginsvallely.bsky.social

@brucenextlevel.bsky.social new book finally arrived. Looking forward to reading it. #edchatie #iteachchem #iteachbio

Schools nationwide encouraged to apply for Solar for Schools Programme. Read more: grantsandfunding.ie/schools-nati... #solarenergy #solarschools #renewableenergy #solarpvfunding #Irishschools #edchatie

Such a fascinating #edchatIE tonight - choosing to read more than type but learning so much. A question … how are schools sharing best practice in this area or are schools generally left in isolation?

Watershed moment for AI in Irish Ed 🇮🇪: AI Advisory Council delivers clear roadmap It’s 4 key recommendations to transform Irish education: Clear guidelines, teacher training, equitable access & national dialogue. enterprise.gov.ie/en/publicati... #edchatie #aieducation #edtech

Schools told to prepare for AI in class as detection methods ‘will not work’ #edchatie www.irishtimes.com/ireland/educ...

Got there … #halfterm

Discovery learning works for experts in a domain, but the knowledge has to be there to ‘think with’ first. #EdChatIE

I’ve tried ChatGPT’s latest tool “Deep Research”. It’s an amazing research tool but … To this point I’ve always convinced myself as a pretty proficient AI user I’d spot a student using AI for project work- now I’m not so sure #edchatie #aieducation @humphreyjones.bsky.social @conorsmurf.bsky.social

👇🏼 #edchatie

Thanks Michelle. I really enjoyed it too … lovely to meet people in a room and chat teaching.

Next Monday, the 5th session of the rebooted #edchatie is on cognitive science in Irish education, hosted by @patjburke.bsky.social

Next session of #edchatie is on: February 10th - with host patjburke.bsky.social The topic will be Cognitive Science in Irish Education

Next Monday, #edchatie returns here from 8.30 to 9.30pm with a discussion on one of the hot issues of the moment, 'AI in Irish education', hosted by @john-hurley.bsky.social.

An analysis of the Education section of the new Programme For Government, for what it's worth. #edchatie

'In the real world...' for teachers, a particularly condescending and ignorant cliché: www.juliangirdham.com/blog/in-the-...

Thanks to the many contributors to the excellent discussion on teacher recruitment and retention last night for #edchatie, expertly marshalled by @humphreyjones.bsky.social. The Irish education community is positive, thoughtful and well-informed. Details of future sessions on next post.

Change in itself is great. But change without deep thought is nonsense. And this is political. The motivation for change is to win votes. Not to help children learn. That’s my problem with it.

Rest of this term's #edchatie sessions are in the graphic. An opening for the final one on April 7th: PM me if you'd like to volunteer with a choice of topic or via this: www.juliangirdham.com/blog/edchati...

#edchatie gang on 🔥

The students every single time. I never harboured any ambitions to become a teacher & twenty something year old me would have laughed at you if you had mentioned teaching as a potential career. No regrets doing HDip Ed in MFL & MA in French in UL as a mature student all those years ago. #edchatie

While you're all here, here's my blog on AI in the English classroom. (I was watching Palm Springs, so didn't interact!) #edchatie thevideotrolley.blogspot.com/2025/01/how-...

Two weeks today, January 27th: one of the hot topics of the moment - 'AI in Irish education' hosted by @john-hurley.bsky.social #edchatie

There should be schemes to support and encourage all forms of diversity, in my view. There has been zero effort from the DoE on this. #edchatie

That's the end of tonight's #edchatIE. Thanks to everyone who contributed to a lively discussion that I think looked at many of the barriers to teacher recruitment and retention; it's a complex area and not easily fixed. Feel free to keep posting but I'll sign off now.

Despite everything, schools are great places to be. School staff are incredible. Constantly making so much with so little. The feeling of community is amazing - especially for those of us who had to be adopted by new counties (10 years ago when you couldn’t get a job 😆) #edchatie

The only people who look at you funny are the non teachers. They don't know how we do it! Facing into hundreds of students everyday. #edchatie

I never wanted to be a teacher, thought it was a joke of a job. I was wrong. Can't think of a better job helping students realise their potential, watching them gain confidence in who they are, in what they say, in how they say it. I love my job. #edchatie

Love this ... #edchatIE

First mention of the holidays! Ten points for Gryffindor. #edchatIE

Some people look at me funny when I say that I love my job. But I do! Yes, there are frustrations, but in the main I love going into school and working with loads of different teenagers, very many of whom are fabulous. Yes there are frustrations, but where isn't there? #edchatie

And yet our profession is one that constantly is in flux, in dealing with change. We are such an adaptable profession. I think morale is impacted when we know that proposed changes will only do a disservice to our education system. #EdChatIE

Let's finish on a positive note ... why do you enjoy your job? #edchatIE

😅