Teachers seem to be slow learners

First year post-primary students around the country braved huge changes in their lives this week; the move to a new school, separation from siblings, 15+ new/mostly new subjects, 15 or so new teachers, new fellow students, new books, new rules, new procedures, new times, longer days, more homework, tiredness, separation from friends now in other schools, all in the space of a week or less and all without special training, attention or experience.

Five-year-old toddlers likewise in their first week at school. Teachers, however, embrace change more slowly, just one familiar subject (English), one full year to do, and all with much training, prompting and handholding, and not without some considerable whinging and whining.

Kevin T Finn