Another year Ends

Our new executive has spent some time 
together over the last few months reflecting 
on the coming three years. The very clear
central theme emerging in our discussions
is the role and morale of the classroom
teacher. It is evident that the teacher's 
status in our society is not what it was. 
The unprecedented range of challenges 
facing the teacher requires a robust yet 
constructive response. The central place 
of the teacher in the life of the school 
community needs to be recaptured and 
rearticulated.The unquantifiable, yet
indispensable influence of the teacher 
on the student needs to be celebrated 
anew. In the midst of important 
negotiations around pay and conditions,
the heart of the role must not be 
forgotten - indeed it is integral to 
charting a sustainable and relevant
future for the profession.

 In response to this identified need, iapce
is devoting it's next conference in Maynooth
to the role of the teacher. So mark your 
diaries for November 18, 2000. As we
prepare the programme we would be 
delighted to have your ideas about issues 
to be examined and possible speakers to 
address us.

 Another most exciting upcoming event for
iapce is the launch on May 15 of a major
programme called Living with Change &
Loss by Michael Ryan. We are happy to 
have brought together a partnership of the 
Dublin Lions Club, the Samaritans and the
Transition Year Curriculum Support Team 
to bring this project to the stage of publication.
The project begun as a result of iapue's
 Suicide, Bereavement and Loss conference 
in 1998. The programme will be available to
 schools on completion of a two day 
facilitators' workshop. It will be available 
in a phased manner from September 2000.

 
We are happy also to have completed the first 
Certificate in  Pastoral Care in conjunction
with Kilkenny Education Centre and National
University of Ireland, Maynooth. It has been a
marvellous experience to work with the 24 teachers 
involved over the course of the year in what was a
most varied programme. iapce has carried out an 
extensive review of the programme and it is our
intention to offer the course on a bi-annual basis.
There are a number of other Education Centres 
interested in the programme as well as Kilkenny 
who wish to continue their involvement - so we
might be attempting bi-location!! We send our
congratulations to our first group of teachers and 
wish them well in their future

 We had two very successful days recently in Limerick 
and Carrick-on-Shannon. West Limerick Resources 
sponsored a day on pastoral structures. Over 50
teachers participated and a great day was had by all 
- good contacts were made and we were delighted 
with our first iapce visit to Limerick. Another first 
was to the Carrick-on-Shannon Education Centre 
where an equally warm welcome was afforded us.
Here 60 teachers braved a cold March Saturday
and gave themselves enthusiastically to the day 
on the Year Head.

 We are at present reviewing the range of services 
and courses that we can offer in the coming year. 
In particular we are attempting to increase the 
number of facilitators we can offer to schools for various
topics as the demand continues to increase
These are some of the challenges and opportunities 
of the next phase in the life of the association and it
is with confidence that I look forward to us making 
our continued contribution.

Luke Monahan 

National Co-ordinator