Why Thomas Meagher was a visionary
Ireland needs educationalists of action and vision, says
The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals was delighted to be involved with the Thomas F. Meagher Foundation last year and with the response from our second level schools nationwide that participated so willingly in ensuring that National Flag is seen as a symbol of peace. In 2016, the state recognised those that had given their lives to bring about our freedom. Their sacrifice was celebrated and acknowledged. This year we are placing the emphasis on defining the meaning of what it means to be Irish in the 21st century. Not only to include our own language and culture but to respect all languages and culture. This year Flag Day seeks to encourage the young people of our nation, irrespective of ethnicity, creed or gender to work together to proclaim and live the message of peace and unity under the Irish Tricolour. Our schools must be beacons of hope and promise where our students choose to live for Ireland in a way that celebrates our Irishness in its broadest sense.
There is a real love of education in Ireland going back to the time when Ireland was known as the land of saints and scholars. Our new Irish bring the richness of cultural diversity and a longing for education, which when matched with the traditional grá we Irish have for education has the possibility of making Ireland an educational powerhouse for generations to come.
Unfortunate commentary from across the Atlantic seeks to portray immigrants in a negative light. Feedback from my colleagues emphasise that while initially, immigrants may have language difficulties, within a short time theirs is a very positive contribution to school life particularly in the area of languages and the STEM subjects. The celebration of national identity whereby the wearing of national costumes, cooking of national recipes, flying of national flags to show the diversity of different nationalities in our schools has become a key feature of school life showing a welcoming and inclusive side to Irish hospitality and culture.
NAPD sponsors the Best School in Ireland Competition in the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition and the contribution of the new Irish by way of projects and prize winners is amazing. So our education system has a key role to play in supporting newcomers, in making them feel welcome in our schools, in including them in our language, in our sports and extracurricular activities, in identifying, recognising and celebrating the talents they bring to Ireland and acknowledging their willingness to share these with us to make our country greater. As a nation we cannot waste our talented students or our passionate and professional teachers! Our Education Department policy is to have inclusive schools (and it’s very difficult to argue with this concept) but if we’re honest, inclusive schools are for “other people’s kids” – I want my kids to go to the best school. But how do we characterise the best, how do we adapt to make our system the best for all students.
It’s such a pity that the Junior Cycle reform debate has been reduced to a row over assessment with insufficient discussion about learning and teaching styles. At the heart of the reform is the devolution of greater autonomy to schools to develop and resource a curriculum which meets their particular students’ needs and context. The changes to teaching and learning which will come about as a result of Junior Cycle reform will enhance the high satisfaction levels expressed by the Irish public in our education system in a recent OECD reports. Thomas Francis Meagher was a man of action and of vision keen to promote all that is good in the new generations. What we need are educationalists of action and of vision, individuals who can spot but also harness the tremendous talent latent in our youth and enable it to grow, to flourish and to prosper.
Agus sinn i lár seachtain na Gaeilge tá sé an fheiceálach an obair atá á dhéanamh ar ár dteanga agus an slí ina féidir í a úsáid ar bhonn dearfach chun cur le ár sochaí agus cur le ilteangachas agus le forbairt ár bpobal uile.
Flag Day, which falls today just before our national holiday, can be the day when this message of peace and unity as well as the abiding hope for our future as a multicultural, inclusive society of all the talents is celebrated. Gach rath orainn ar fad.