Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

SLARS time?

Options
13»

Comments

  • Options
    #62
    evolving_doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    PureClareGold wrote: »
    At my cluster day the facilitator spoke how twitter is ONE was they pass on information. I signed up to their mailing list for my two subjects and receive information via email. Their website has any information that is put out via twitter so there are lots of ways they try to communicate with us.
    Also in relation to the timing of webinars. From looking at twitter or seems they run these from Education Centres. Don't think Ed centres stay open past 9pm so that could be part of it. Also the people delivering the webinars are human beings who have to travel home afterwards so perhaps that was also a consideration.

    They don't really need to be at the education centres to run the webinar. They could be at home in their jamys if they want. Perhaps if they're physically together they can confer and trash things out quicker if issues crop up.

    They're saving a fortune by not having teachers in different centres around the country during the daytime.
    Doesn't sit right with me doing inservices at home in the evening though, but I suppose we can catch up during school when we get or 40min allocation.


  • Options
    #63
    SligoBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭SligoBrewer


    Circular 24/2016 p. 21

    Since professional collaboration meetings can only be held when the relevant subject teachers can be present, a limited number of meetings may need to draw on teachers’ bundled time to run beyond normal school tuition hours for some of the duration of the meeting.
    Circular 15/2017 p. 26

    Since professional collaboration meetings can only be held when the relevant subject teachers can be present, a limited number of meetings may need to draw on teachers’ bundled time to run beyond normal school tuition hours for some of the duration of the meeting. A SLAR meeting should take place in one two-hour session

    The Department are quite clear on SLARs. They start inside the timetable, and can overrun. We use some of our timetabled time for this.

    The TUI took the view that the school day on a half day extends to the full day. Which is a crock of nonsense.


  • Options
    #64
    evolving_doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    SligoBrewer wrote: »
    The Department are quite clear on SLARs. They start inside the timetable, and can overrun. We use some of our timetabled time for this.

    The TUI took the view that the school day on a half day extends to the full day. Which is a crock of nonsense.

    Do ye get subs for the timetabled time?


  • Options
    #65
    SligoBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭SligoBrewer


    evolving_doors wrote: »
    Do ye get subs for the timetabled time?

    Beats me. We haven't had our SLARs yet.
    I'd imagine it will be S&S plus paid cover to subs/PMEs to cover the last class of the day, whatever day it is.


  • Options
    #66
    PureClareGold
    Registered Users Posts: 128 ✭✭PureClareGold


    SligoBrewer wrote: »
    Beats me. We haven't had our SLARs yet.
    I'd imagine it will be S&S plus paid cover to subs/PMEs to cover the last class of the day, whatever day it is.

    God that's great and people think junior cycle is a money saving exercise. We have 4 2nd year classes so that's a lot of money to cover our slar. Great for younger teachers.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #67
    Moody_mona
    Registered Users Posts: 1,107 ✭✭✭Moody_mona


    PureClareGold wrote: »
    God that's great and people think junior cycle is a money saving exercise. We have 4 2nd year classes so that's a lot of money to cover our slar. Great for younger teachers.

    Do you have a circular quote or a source for this? It would be greatly appreciated.


  • Options
    #68
    PureClareGold
    Registered Users Posts: 128 ✭✭PureClareGold


    Moody_mona wrote: »
    Do you have a circular quote or a source for this? It would be greatly appreciated.

    I don't. Just going on what Sligo Brewer wrote maybe they have a circular for it


  • Options
    #69
    Moody_mona
    Registered Users Posts: 1,107 ✭✭✭Moody_mona


    Sligobrewer said "imagine", it sounded a bit hopeful. Your post sounded more sure, my mistake.

    I really hope there is supervision provided even though I've seen no mention of it anywhere. I don't understand how the department can say it must be a two hour block, and it should start before school ends and run over, without covering a last class.


  • Options
    #70
    SligoBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭SligoBrewer


    Moody_mona wrote: »
    Sligobrewer said "imagine", it sounded a bit hopeful. Your post sounded more sure, my mistake.

    I really hope there is supervision provided even though I've seen no mention of it anywhere. I don't understand how the department can say it must be a two hour block, and it should start before school ends and run over, without covering a last class.

    S&S is S&S. I'd argue that this is what it is for, but as far as I'm aware this is all meant to be school level decision making within Department issued guidelines which I've stated above. Others have posted that ASTI have got clarification that having these outside of class time would contravene the agreement that the Department made with the unions.


  • Options
    #71
    PureClareGold
    Registered Users Posts: 128 ✭✭PureClareGold


    SligoBrewer wrote: »
    S&S is S&S. I'd argue that this is what it is for.

    I imagine it's that we don't take use our 40mins for the weeks before and after the SLAR and it happens outside school time. Once it's timetabled well in advance not an issue for me. My husband in the private sector has evening meetings from time to time but gets plenty notice so no problem for us.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #72
    Moody_mona
    Registered Users Posts: 1,107 ✭✭✭Moody_mona


    PureClareGold wrote: »
    I imagine it's that we don't take use our 40mins for the weeks before and after the SLAR and it happens outside school time. Once it's timetabled well in advance not an issue for me. My husband in the private sector has evening meetings from time to time but gets plenty notice so no problem for us.

    I'd actually understand if that was the case. What's confusing me is that isn't what the circulars say. May extend beyond tuition time? May need to draw on bundled time? And then the ASTI quote from them that says holding it completely outside of school time contravenes the agreement. It's just so vague and in my opinion quite unworkable. I'm organising my Science meeting in my dual union school and I'm very conscious of trying to organise it correctly so I do not set an unnecessary precedent.


  • Options
    #73
    PureClareGold
    Registered Users Posts: 128 ✭✭PureClareGold


    Moody_mona wrote: »
    I'd actually understand if that was the case. What's confusing me is that isn't what the circulars say. May extend beyond tuition time? May need to draw on bundled time? And then the ASTI quote from them that says holding it completely outside of school time contravenes the agreement. It's just so vague and in my opinion quite unworkable. I'm organising my Science meeting in my dual union school and I'm very conscious of trying to organise it correctly so I do not set an unnecessary precedent.

    All we can go on is circulars. If unions instruct us directly not to then that changes things. As it stands I think circular wins


  • Options
    #74
    SligoBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭SligoBrewer


    Apologies for the second post, but others point to the 22 hours that we've gotten from the Department to prepare for the new Junior Cycle. Again, this is not free time and I think that everyone has been using this in some shape or another to get things ready for the new course, especially those with 2nd year CBAs this year. It is not tea drinking time. It is for professional development that we all are doing. Just because it is not vouched for, accounted for or written up does not mean that it isn't happening. (Your school should not be making you account for it if they are.)

    This is a small concession that we have received (which isn't even free time as noted above) in the face of continuous added stresses which are currently in every teacher's timetable who have less than 15 years service. S&S going from being an additional add on of 2 hours (or 3 classes) a week to a necessary partial salary clawback of 3 hours (5 classes) a week has added untold stress to the working week and is not stated highly enough after the ASTI mess in October 2016.

    And again, some of this professional development time is being used for SLARs.

    The Department has stated the ways that SLARs should be run. 2 hours straight, starting inside school time and finishing outside. Schools should respect that and it's up to unions to fight the case for their members. IMO, if I was a TUI member (and I'm not) I'd be unhappy at the principle that my union sees my working day/week extending up until 4pm on a day of early closure. This is where the discrepancy arises between those schools that conducted SLARs last year and those starting them this year.


  • Options
    #75
    SligoBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭SligoBrewer


    PureClareGold wrote: »
    All we can go on is circulars. If unions instruct us directly not to then that changes things. As it stands I think circular wins

    The ASTI are very clear on this. They should start in school.


  • Options
    #76
    Moody_mona
    Registered Users Posts: 1,107 ✭✭✭Moody_mona


    OK, but even in the circular quote, the ambiguous language is unhelpful.

    Since professional collaboration meetings can only be held when the relevant subject teachers can be present, a limited number of meetings may need to draw on teachers’ bundled time to run beyond normal school tuition hours for some of the duration of the meeting.

    A limited number. May. Some. Are the meetings after school or aren't they? How much of the meeting should be within school hours and how much after? Should some subjects get in school priority this year and it be rotated? Is that what limited means? I just find the language ambiguous and misleading, I feel like it's pawning off the responsibility of organising these onto teachers and management rather than offering a clear direction.


  • Options
    #77
    SligoBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭SligoBrewer


    PureClareGold wrote: »
    I imagine it's that we don't take use our 40mins for the weeks before and after the SLAR and it happens outside school time.

    The first part of your sentence is correct, but the second is not. It starts in school time.
    Circular 24/2016 p. 21

    Since professional collaboration meetings can only be held when the relevant subject teachers can be present, a limited number of meetings may need to draw on teachers’ bundled time to run beyond normal school tuition hours for some of the duration of the meeting.


  • Options
    #78
    Moody_mona
    Registered Users Posts: 1,107 ✭✭✭Moody_mona


    I also think it'd be very easy to say OK look we'll do outside of school this year because it's so confusing and we can organise a proper procedure for the 2018/2019 academic year. I'd really urge teachers not to do this.


  • Options
    #79
    SligoBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭SligoBrewer


    Moody_mona wrote: »
    OK, but even in the circular quote, the ambiguous language is unhelpful.

    Since professional collaboration meetings can only be held when the relevant subject teachers can be present, a limited number of meetings may need to draw on teachers’ bundled time to run beyond normal school tuition hours for some of the duration of the meeting.

    A limited number. May. Some. Are the meetings after school or aren't they? How much of the meeting should be within school hours and how much after? Should some subjects get in school priority this year and it be rotated? Is that what limited means? I just find the language ambiguous and misleading, I feel like it's pawning off the responsibility of organising these onto teachers and management rather than offering a clear direction.

    Maybe they all should be in school time then and some overrun. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
    The circular states a worst case scenario and this is the least we as teachers should accept.


  • Options
    #80
    Mardy Bum
    Registered Users Posts: 3,674 ✭✭✭Mardy Bum


    SligoBrewer wrote: »
    Moody_mona wrote: »
    OK, but even in the circular quote, the ambiguous language is unhelpful.

    Since professional collaboration meetings can only be held when the relevant subject teachers can be present, a limited number of meetings may need to draw on teachers’ bundled time to run beyond normal school tuition hours for some of the duration of the meeting.

    A limited number. May. Some. Are the meetings after school or aren't they? How much of the meeting should be within school hours and how much after? Should some subjects get in school priority this year and it be rotated? Is that what limited means? I just find the language ambiguous and misleading, I feel like it's pawning off the responsibility of organising these onto teachers and management rather than offering a clear direction.

    Maybe they all should be in school time then and some overrun. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
    The circular states a worst case scenario and this is the least we as teachers should accept.
    Are you willing to do S&S for your colleagues when they are holding their Slar meetings if they cover yours?


  • Options
    #81
    SligoBrewer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,632 ✭✭✭SligoBrewer


    Mardy Bum wrote: »
    Are you willing to do S&S for your colleagues when they are holding their Slar meetings if they cover yours?

    Obviously.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #82
    judeboy101
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,246 ✭✭✭judeboy101


    Mardy Bum wrote: »
    SligoBrewer wrote: »
    Moody_mona wrote: »
    OK, but even in the circular quote, the ambiguous language is unhelpful.

    Since professional collaboration meetings can only be held when the relevant subject teachers can be present, a limited number of meetings may need to draw on teachers’ bundled time to run beyond normal school tuition hours for some of the duration of the meeting.

    A limited number. May. Some. Are the meetings after school or aren't they? How much of the meeting should be within school hours and how much after? Should some subjects get in school priority this year and it be rotated? Is that what limited means? I just find the language ambiguous and misleading, I feel like it's pawning off the responsibility of organising these onto teachers and management rather than offering a clear direction.

    Maybe they all should be in school time then and some overrun. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
    The circular states a worst case scenario and this is the least we as teachers should accept.
    Are you willing to do S&S for your colleagues when they are holding their Slar meetings if they cover yours?

    No I've opted out of s&s and paying for that privilege. School gets 1700 tax free, I don't take 1700 worth of days off a year so they can use my money to pay for my slar, nobody else's.


Advertisement