When did/are schools returning?

doc_17

Hope you all enjoyed the summer.

Just wondering if any schools (second level) returned today in order to take the ling weekend in March? Our school decided against it as we believed 23rd was too early to go back. I think we’ll regret it in March!

dory

One year group and their class teachers went back today. Rest of us in on Monday for a meeting and school Tuesday. Not particularly fair on that one year group and the teachers. They're taking one for the team.

Pang

All staff and first years were back today.



I have a few school teacher friends that were back yesterday and Wednesday. We seem to go back earlier and earlier every year.

Moody_mona

We sacrificed the long weekend and are going back Monday.

r93kaey5p2izun

I'll be doing a couple of weeks subbing to keep the old pension. The school aren't back until Tuesday.

CraftySue

Went back yesterday, the 22nd

Postgrad10

A local school went back yesterday , the 21st.

Postgrad10

Sorry the 22nd !

Blaizes

Pang wrote: »

All staff and first years were back today.



I have a few school teacher friends that were back yesterday and Wednesday. We seem to go back earlier and earlier every year.

Just thinking the same earlier and earlier each year. Summer barely over.

Benicetomonty

Back Monday. Wife also a 2nd level teacher, she was back yesterday.

Treppen

9 1/2 weeks left

appledrop

Back yesterday.

Postgrad10

Until?

appledrop

October midterm break

Beaulieu

Back yesterday - 22nd

doc_17

dory wrote: »

One year group and their class teachers went back today. Rest of us in on Monday for a meeting and school Tuesday. Not particularly fair on that one year group and the teachers. They're taking one for the team.

That’s awful. Aren’t the ones back today pissed off?

dory

doc_17 wrote: »

That’s awful. Aren’t the ones back today pissed off?

Yeah probably! I don't know why but it's always been done that way. They don't teach, just games and stuff for 1st years. But it still means 5/6 teachers back a day before the rest of us.

spurious

dory wrote: »

Yeah probably! I don't know why but it's always been done that way. They don't teach, just games and stuff for 1st years. But it still means 5/6 teachers back a day before the rest of us.

Sure isn't it a vocation....

Liberal_irony

So we're starting Monday but my contract doesn't start til 1st of September. Not sure how this works out pay wise

solerina

We went back yesterday, we voted to get two spare days off (one the day before Paddy’s day)....I voted against it, this is always the longest hardest term, I can cope with the Feb-Easter term but this one kills me, so I like to go back as late as possible.

pandoraj09

Back Wednesday 21rst. Way too early for me but suited the majority of the staff.

dory

Liberal_irony wrote: »

So we're starting Monday but my contract doesn't start til 1st of September. Not sure how this works out pay wise

We've all been there. It's better to not get paid for this week than to get paid for the exact days you work (as in, not get paid for the summer). It'll be a fair stretch though til your first pay check.

alroley

Back tomorrow and not getting the long weekend in March.

Liberal_irony wrote: »

So we're starting Monday but my contract doesn't start til 1st of September. Not sure how this works out pay wise

I'm the same. Had been covering a maternity leave last year, but on my own hours this year so not paid for the first week

km79

solerina wrote: »

We went back yesterday, we voted to get two spare days off (one the day before Paddy’s day)....I voted against it, this is always the longest hardest term, I can cope with the Feb-Easter term but this one kills me, so I like to go back as late as possible.

We are our own worst enemy
I’m with you
Anyone voting to shorten our summer holidays needs their head checked

When we are back we are back. I don’t need any extra days off during the working year . But I want my summer holidays .
I also think it is a pain in the ass for parents when random days are taken mid year .
Also by coming back last Thursday or Friday you are not coming back one or two days early you are coming back three or four. The weekend counts too.........
And really the whole of last week would be gone Cos you are thinking About it all week..........

Anyway we are back Tuesday

TheValeyard

I take it the schools back Wednesday were using up most of the Croke Park hours.

Moody_mona

TheValeyard wrote: »

I take it the schools back Wednesday were using up most of the Croke Park hours.

I'd imagine so too, four days is a lot to take during the year. I had always been a fan of front loading Croke Park hours, but we had an inspection last year and it was great to be able to use some planning hours for prep. Obviously plenty had to be done outside of that too but we would have really felt it if all our hours were gone.

Treppen

It seems to be a new thing with all the mini long weekends and random cpd whole staff days arising before and after Easter. I get the sense that students and parents are getting a bit annoyed, also lump in sick days, school occasions.

I'd rather the extra week in August rather than dotting days off into the calendar. But I don't mind getting them when they happen!

Teach30

km79 wrote: »

We are our own worst enemy
I’m with you
Anyone voting to shorten our summer holidays needs their head checked

When we are back we are back. I don’t need any extra days off during the working year . But I want my summer holidays .
I also think it is a pain in the ass for parents when random days are taken mid year .
Also by coming back last Thursday or Friday you are not coming back one or two days early you are coming back three or four. The weekend counts too.........
And really the whole of last week would be gone Cos you are thinking About it all week..........

Anyway we are back Tuesday

I voted to come back early as I much prefer to have a few days of planning before students are in.
I didn’t worry about it last week and I look forward to having days off in lieu during the term.

Depends on how schools utilise the days but we will have had 2-3 dept meetings and a chance to set up classroom, check equipment etc before seeing any students so in my mind it helps prep for the year ahead.

Anyone who wants to launch straight into teaching in my opinion needs their head checked.

Moody_mona

Teach30 wrote: »

I voted to come back early as I much prefer to have a few days of planning before students are in.
I didn’t worry about it last week and I look forward to having days off in lieu during the term.

Depends on how schools utilise the days but we will have had 2-3 dept meetings and a chance to set up classroom, check equipment etc before seeing any students so in my mind it helps prep for the year ahead.

Anyone who wants to launch straight into teaching in my opinion needs their head checked.

I think the discretionary Croke Park hours should be utilised here. A department could agree up come in a day early, do some planning, organise their rooms, but eople who choose not to don't have to.

solerina

Teach30 wrote: »

I voted to come back early as I much prefer to have a few days of planning before students are in.
I didn’t worry about it last week and I look forward to having days off in lieu during the term.

Depends on how schools utilise the days but we will have had 2-3 dept meetings and a chance to set up classroom, check equipment etc before seeing any students so in my mind it helps prep for the year ahead.

Anyone who wants to launch straight into teaching in my opinion needs their head checked.

Just wondering...you mentioned before seeing students, we had students in on Friday, only first years, but we had all bar TY in today...surely ye must have had students in for the days to count ?? Otherwise they are CP days and can’t count towards a day off later in the year...or so our P tells us.

Teach30

solerina wrote: »

Just wondering...you mentioned before seeing students, we had students in on Friday, only first years, but we had all bar TY in today...surely ye must have had students in for the days to count ?? Otherwise they are CP days and can’t count towards a day off later in the year...or so our P tells us.

Students in gradually for about 2 hours each day for admin - lockers/timetables etc but no teaching yet... all above board as we get away with nothing!

Postgrad10

When did all this 2 hours here and there come from I wonder? In my day it was in on the 1st of September , full timetable from day one. We still had our year assembly , half an hour with the principal, year head and tutors. Then on to class.

TheValeyard

Postgrad10 wrote: »

When did all this 2 hours here and there come from I wonder? In my day it was in on the 1st of September , full timetable from day one. We still had our year assembly , half an hour with the principal, year head and tutors. Then on to class.

Could all depend on school size also.

Postgrad10

Very small schools are doing this too.

solerina

Postgrad10 wrote: »

When did all this 2 hours here and there come from I wonder? In my day it was in on the 1st of September , full timetable from day one. We still had our year assembly , half an hour with the principal, year head and tutors. Then on to class.

Not in my school, we had first years in Friday all day, rest have come back in since, all in tomorrow, teaching since Monday....having 2 hours here and there sounds like a very nice way to start...and still getting to count the days !!

byhookorbycrook

Primary here- we had a full day of CP today (28th) and the children are all in tomorrow.

acequion

I actually think it's worrying to see schools back as early as 22nd/23rd. The earliest I ever went back was 25th and this year it was Monday 26th. We had meetings and planning on 26th, 27th and then students came back on a phased basis so we won't have the full whack until next Monday. A good way to do it imo.

However I'm very much with those who argue that we must protect our summer holidays. With all the changes over the past decade and the worsening of our working conditions, one thing has remained almost unchanged and that's the summer break. Personally I prefer to come back later than have days off throughout the year and in fairness all we might get would be maybe 2 days. Not worth tinkering with the summer break for that!

ethical

Rumour has it that the Failed Teachers Assoc. (the Inspectorate of the Dept.) want ALL students to start back on the same day.This year many schools were back on the 22 August!!!!.Infact I experienced myself that quite a few students have not come back yet as they are on family holidays!!!!! (but who cares as long as the teachers are back)
The major problem in Ireland is that we cannot seem to take a mid term after 6 weeks like they do in other countries. We seem to have to work til the Hallowee'eeN break which used to be about 7 weeks from the start of the school year ,it is now nearing 10-11 weeks away from the start of the school year!
Teaching is in a HUGE mess and the Unions are standing idly by doing sweet f.a.
There is a need for a complete audit of all second level education providers in Ireland as there are great inequalities on how teacher are treated but do not hold your breath!

acequion

ethical wrote: »

Rumour has it that the Failed Teachers Assoc. (the Inspectorate of the Dept.) want ALL students to start back on the same day.

Yes I heard exactly that and it's worrying as it's yet another worsening of the working conditions by stealth.

But what teachers have to do here is badger the unions about it en masse. But will they?? Grand to say unions are useless, everyone is useless if not kept on their toes. No point in just moaning about it!

deiseindublin

ethical wrote: »

Rumour has it that the Failed Teachers Assoc. (the Inspectorate of the Dept.) want ALL students to start back on the same day.

Do you mean they want:
every student in X school start back on the same date or
they want every school in the country back on the same date, like standardised school year?

acequion

deiseindublin wrote: »

Do you mean they want:
every student in X school start back on the same date or
they want every school in the country back on the same date, like standardised school year?

I think ehtical means they want all students in each school to start back at the same time. Probably pandering to parents. But whatever the reason, it would be horrendous on teachers. Full day meetings as early as 21st or 22nd and then hit the ground running with a full timetable from the off. :eek: