Teacher of the Year Acceptance Speech

Inspector Coptoor

Evelyn O Connor speaking after winning the secondary school tea her of the year award 2012.

Really worth a watch/listen.

Highlights all the problems facing non-permanent teachers at the moment.


http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DB-gQbttw9Tg&v=B-gQbttw9Tg&gl=IE

Well done Evelyn.

galwaytt

Gripping, emotive stuff. We have far too much dross in the PS to allow talent like this to leave.

But there's the rub: where's the solidarity from those with tenure, for those without ?

You'd have better tenure working in Dunnes. That's not dissing Dunnes - but puts the attitudes of this State in perspective.

2011abc

What a terrific person !Well done !

2011abc

galwaytt wrote: »

We have far too much dross in the PS to allow talent like this to leave.

That sort of attitude is very counter productive .Post back in a decade or two when the challenges we face every day have worn YOU down !

implausible

She was on Newstalk this evening with Fergus Finlay - she's lucky it wasn't George Hook:eek:

Good to hear someone speak up for the PRPT teachers waiting on contracts and hours. She talked about something that is often forgotten - the school as a community and how hard it is to foster that with teachers' contracts not being renewed, redeployments and all the chopping and changing that ensues when hours are cut from the timetable.

Powerhouse

galwaytt wrote: »

Gripping, emotive stuff. We have far too much dross in the PS to allow talent like this to leave.

But there's the rub: where's the solidarity from those with tenure, for those without ?

You'd have better tenure working in Dunnes. That's not dissing Dunnes - but puts the attitudes of this State in perspective.

Just wondering what, in practice, this means?

gaeilgebeo

I thought her speech was excellent and the solidarity she showed for the plight of other teachers was commendable.
I agree with everything she said.
The only thing I didn't "like" about the speech was her references to redeployment and someone "parachuting" in to her job.
I felt she was speaking of the redeployed teacher as the enemy.
Nobody wants to be redeployed. Nobody likes it.
It is very difficult to be teaching in a school for years and years to be told you are moving to another school and starting from scratch.
There are no winners when it comes to being redeployed.

Rapunzels

gaeilgebeo wrote: »

I thought her speech was excellent and the solidarity she showed for the plight of other teachers was commendable.
I agree with everything she said.
The only thing I didn't "like" about the speech was her references to redeployment and someone "parachuting" in to her job.
I felt she was speaking of the redeployed teacher as the enemy.
Nobody wants to be redeployed. Nobody likes it.
It is very difficult to be teaching in a school for years and years to be told you are moving to another school and starting from scratch.
There are no winners when it comes to being redeployed.

She did say that it is often against their wishes.

implausible

gaeilgebeo wrote: »

I thought her speech was excellent and the solidarity she showed for the plight of other teachers was commendable.
I agree with everything she said.
The only thing I didn't "like" about the speech was her references to redeployment and someone "parachuting" in to her job.
I felt she was speaking of the redeployed teacher as the enemy.
Nobody wants to be redeployed. Nobody likes it.
It is very difficult to be teaching in a school for years and years to be told you are moving to another school and starting from scratch.
There are no winners when it comes to being redeployed.

That jumped out at me too. I suppose it is natural to be aggrieved at someone coming in and 'taking' your job and your chances of a CID, but she isn't doing herself any favours by making digs at redeployed teachers. However, in fairness to her, it's the whole system she is criticising - the cutbacks that affect her hours and that force someone to be moved around in redeployment. She could have put it better.

drvantramp

From the journal.ie....

Before that she had a permanent position in Ennis, but left there in 2009 to come home to Mayo to a school where she thought her skills might be needed.

implausible

drvantramp wrote: »

From the journal.ie....

Before that she had a permanent position in Ennis, but left there in 2009 to come home to Mayo to a school where she thought her skills might be needed.

True. But her having had a permanent position before does not negate what she has to say about the precarious position of PRPT teachers.

Inspector Coptoor

drvantramp wrote: »

From the journal.ie....

Before that she had a permanent position in Ennis, but left there in 2009 to come home to Mayo to a school where she thought her skills might be needed.

What's your point?

Her husband & extended family are from Mayo?

Should you have to settle in one place for life??

jimmycrackcorm

implausible wrote: »

True. But her having had a permanent position before does not negate what she has to say about the precarious position of PRPT teachers.

Totally negates her speech as she was primarily arguing about the lack of permanency.

Inspector Coptoor

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

implausible wrote: »

True. But her having had a permanent position before does not negate what she has to say about the precarious position of PRPT teachers.

Totally negates her speech as she was primarily arguing about the lack of permanency.

I do t see how.

Seeing as teachers are (for the most part) centrally paid by the DES, what difference would/should it make whether that position is in Clare or mayo or anywhere else?

This is not the issue here.

This is not what the focus should be.

The focus is on the denigration of the teaching profession.

Stick to the topic.

Or else open a tangential thread

jimmycrackcorm

The topic is her speech. If she was in a permanent teaching post then she wouldn't have made the points she spoke about. But I'd guess that only a teacher would make the point that the only value in teaching is in being able to be permanent for life in one school.

I personally find the sense of job entitlement bizarre - even the argument that a career is actually equivalent and achievable through being in one school.

There's very little about the denigration of the teaching profession in the video - it's just a rant. And the faux apology at the end about having to expend energy on fighting for a permanent position with the department instead of concentrating on the pupils must be really insulting for the pupils left behind in her permanent position in Ennis.

Denigration of the teaching profession deserves to be a tangential thread.

Inspector Coptoor

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

The topic is her speech. If she was in a permanent teaching post then she wouldn't have made the points she spoke about. But I'd guess that only a teacher would make the point that the only value in teaching is in being able to be permanent for life in one school.

I personally find the sense of job entitlement bizarre - even the argument that a career is actually equivalent and achievable through being in one school.

There's very little about the denigration of the teaching profession in the video - it's just a rant. And the faux apology at the end about having to expend energy on fighting for a permanent position with the department instead of concentrating on the pupils must be really insulting for the pupils left behind in her permanent position in Ennis.

Denigration of the teaching profession deserves to be a tangential thread.

If the topic is her speech, as you just claimed it was, then the fact that she had a permanent position at another time is t relevant as it wasnt in the speech.

By all means, feel free to create a thread on how ten teaching profession is being dragged through the mud, you seem very much note side of educators........

jimmycrackcorm

Inspector Coptoor wrote: »

If the topic is her speech, as you just claimed it was, then the fact that she had a permanent position at another time is t relevant as it wasnt in the speech.

By all means, feel free to create a thread on how ten teaching profession is being dragged through the mud, you seem very much note side of educators........

I don't understand this. Your OP was that this video:

Highlights all the problems facing non-permanent teachers at the moment.

The fact that the person in question had a permanent position but gave it up out of choice and then complains about system and the department being at fault because she can't get a permanent position where she chooses is simply ridiculous. Perhaps she is trying to say that it sucks to be a young teacher where you don't know if you'll be in the same job in the same school next year, but her argument is wiped out by the fact that she gave up something that even permanent private sector employees typically can't enjoy.

I don't understand your comment anyway -I can't interpret what you are trying to say re: "the note side of educators". I won't create a thread either about the teaching profession being dragged through the mud as I don't believe that to be the case.

Inspector Coptoor

Regardless of whether or not Eveylen ad a PWT job or not doesn't matter.

This whole thread, as I see it, is about how unfair the system is to teachers depending on:
1 The year they started working
2 whether that have a CID/PWT or not

drvantramp

100% agreed these are the key issues -
how unfair the system is to teachers depending on:
1 The year they started working
2 whether that have a CID/PWT or not


In this context it does matter
that the person in question had a permanent position but gave it up out of choice and then complains about system and the department being at fault because she can't get a permanent position where she chooses is simply ridiculous.


Should you have to settle in one place for life?? of course not

How many people give up/change permanent jobs and it doesn't work out for whatever reason?

mrboswell

Inspector Coptoor wrote: »

Should you have to settle in one place for life??

If you want job security the yes.

In the mean time wait it out until a position that suits you comes up.

People would bite your arm off for a permanent position

Inspector Coptoor

mrboswell wrote: »

Inspector Coptoor wrote: »

Should you have to settle in one place for life??

If you want job security the yes.

In the mean time wait it out until a position that suits you comes up.

People would bite your arm off for a permanent position

I wouldn't.

I'd rather wait to get a permanent contract than get one far away from my home/family.

mrboswell

Inspector Coptoor wrote: »

I wouldn't.

I'd rather wait to get a permanent contract than get one far away from my home/family.

In an ideal world...we all would love to wait. Unfortunately in the current climate you could be waiting on the dole Q.

Fact is that there a very few permanent positions coming up and if you give one up to be near your family then you have to accept that something has to give. We can't all have everything we want.

If you wanted to wait then there are sacrifices that have to be made like not knowing if you have any job let alone a permanent one.

I know many teachers that have permanent positions in Dublin that are biding their time until a permanent position comes up in their home place where they eventually want to settle.

Anyway holding out for a permanent position is a risky business but giving one up in my opinion is nuts.

None of this is ideal but now she has to live with her decision.

sullanefc

Fantastic. Well said that girl.

happywithlife

watching midweek and there is an interview now with evelyn ..
hope she gave that pompous git that was on in the first segment (missed the intro so didn't get his name) an ear bashing in the green room while she was waiting

doc_17

I see this girl is having a meeting with John (special advisor to Ruairi Quinn) next week.

Wonder why the story is behind this? Is this girl becoming a bit slobs celebrity?

flatbackfour

doc_17 wrote: »

I see this girl is having a meeting with John (special advisor to Ruairi Quinn) next week.

Wonder why the story is behind this? Is this girl becoming a bit slobs celebrity?

I for one wish the girl the best of look in that meeting. While her speech was a little high on emotion and a little transition year English essay esque, she still hit the nail on the head when it comes to the plight of part time teachers in Ireland.

So best wishes in that meeting teacher of the year. Your doing a great service for all those teachers in part time contracts.

doc_17

But I think the meeting is to do with LC reform or something. Nothing to do with PT teachers.

Do we have a celebrity teacher!

implausible

doc_17 wrote: »

I see this girl is having a meeting with John (special advisor to Ruairi Quinn) next week.

Wonder why the story is behind this? Is this girl becoming a bit slobs celebrity?

Where did you see this?

I don't know what to make of it to be honest. She started off complaining about the status of PRPT teachers and the injustice of the redeployment system (from her point of view). Then, I heard her last week on George Hook, complaining about the Leaving Cert, describing it as "a cruel and unusual punishment". She seems to have dropped one topic and has now moved onto the LC. But, what seems to be lacking is any concrete ideas on how to fix either.

doc_17

I saw it on her twitter page, think its @evelynoconnor.

I just hope this isn't some bs for the department, ie by talking to a high profile teacher. John Walsh might be better served talking to Subject Associations and canvassing their opinions.

I heard the hook interview and while her complaints about some aspects of the course were valid an extremely well made she did not seem to have many solutions.

But hopefully her meeting will go well. But the minister, nor his advisors, should assume that the opinion of one person represents the entire profession.

implausible

doc_17 wrote: »

I heard the hook interview and while her complaints about some aspects of the course were valid an extremely well made she did not seem to have many solutions.

But hopefully her meeting will go well. But the minister, nor his advisors, should assume that the opinion of one person represents the entire profession.

That's a bit worrying that if one teacher makes a bit of noise, she gets a meeting with the minister, by-passing the unions, subject associations and the SEC. The lack of solutions worries me, as do her views on redeployment.

flatbackfour

implausible wrote: »

That's a bit worrying that if one teacher makes a bit of noise, she gets a meeting with the minister, by-passing the unions, subject associations and the SEC. The lack of solutions worries me, as do her views on redeployment.

All fair comments above.

bdoo

I think we can all sympathise with the position of non permanent teachers, we work with them everyday.

I spent my day ensuring that a colleagues hours weren't cut as she hits her fourth contract so that she can get a full cid next year and I suggest that there are plenty more permanent teachers looking out for their colleague.

I know very little about this lady, or indeed this competition. But winning it does not confer a right for her to meet the minister or his aides.

I attended tui congress in wexford this year and saw a group of parents of special needs kids beg rurai Quinn for a meeting.

Teachers have unions to represent them and lobby the minister. I think this meeting is inappropriate, teachers have plenty of chance to voice their opinion. Rurai Quinn was at three teacher union conferences this year.

drvantramp

abc books? ya what? teacher of the year? since when?
A Trojan horse

doc_17

I see this morning on Twitter out Teacher of the Year (is TOTY offenive to anyone) posted a link to an anti-union story.

Maybe now it's not too surprising that John Walshe (formerly of the Irish Independent - real liberal lion there) wants to meet with her now. Is this girl being used?

I suspect the dark side at work here. Here's the story...

http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/unions-taxi-dispute-aaron-mckenna-571574-Aug2012/

dambarude

If it wasn't for her views on redeployment, she'd be a pretty credible voice (regardless of how she came to prominence, ignoring unions etc.). It's impossible to reconcile her views on giving teachers permanent status and then retaining that status when they're no longer needed in a school.

doc_17

I don't know that she is a credible voice. What are her reform poposals? I haven't heard any. George Hook challehged her but nothing concrete, feasible or interesting was forwarded in response.

dambarude

doc_17 wrote: »

I don't know that she is a credible voice. What are her reform poposals? I haven't heard any. George Hook challehged her but nothing concrete, feasible or interesting was forwarded in response.

Perhaps credible is a poor choice of word. I do think that the public in general would be better inclined towards her, or someone of her ilk, than a union head.

bdoo

dambarude wrote: »

doc_17 wrote: »

I don't know that she is a credible voice. What are her reform poposals? I haven't heard any. George Hook challehged her but nothing concrete, feasible or interesting was forwarded in response.

Perhaps credible is a poor choice of word. I do think that the public in general would be better inclined towards her, or someone of her ilk, than a union head.

Maybe so. But the whole teacher of the year thing is a bit difficult to take seriously. How is it judged etc? I'm not saying she isn't a great teacher but is she better than anyone else? It's on the basis of this award that she has come to prominence.

Anyone who teaches and has experience of the negative impact of cutbacks can speak with authority on issues affecting education

doc_17

I think the reason she is well known is due to her acceptance speech. It was passionate and emotional and struck a chord for people in her situation.

I think she would be brilliant for that. But i don't want anyone to think she a is a voice for me in terms of wider issues relatin to education.