#gaelscoil

[burnitalldownism]

‘It’s weird’: SDLP councillor condemns protest banner against proposed Gaelscoil in East Belfast

Séamas de Faoite said it’s ‘weird to have such an obsession around a school’.

Colonisers gonna colonise.

“An Irish school in Ireland?!? Not on our watch!”

[yeahitcouldmeannothing]

btw my years of gaelscoil trauma (literally still in a gaelscoil/gaelcholáiste send help) were all cured by de selby pt 1 thank you hozier i love you i love you i love you

is breá liom tú

[yeahitcouldmeannothing]

guys im gonna die we were looking at a christmas carol during english and i accidentally audibly said

"she eben on my nezer till i scrooge"

what is wrong with me.

[tinacalder]

First Sod Cut On £7.2 Million New Build For Gaelscoil Ui Dhochartaigh

First Sod Cut On £7.2 Million New Build For Gaelscoil Ui Dhochartaigh @Education_NI #educationni #irishlanguage #irish #Gaelscoil

Construction has officially started on the new £7.2million Gaelscoil Ui Dhochartaigh for young people being educated through the medium of Irish in Strabane. The investment from the Department of Education’s Major Capital Works Programme, will provide a modern, seven class primary school and single nursery accommodating 170 pupils. Welcoming the start of the project at a sod cutting ceremony,…

View On WordPress

[mothmanonthemoon]

Shit I forgot it’s Saint Patrick’s day.

GREEN TIME FELLAS.

Also if one (1) American calls it Saint Paddy’s day I will throw myself into the sea via Inch beach lads. Anyway Lá Fhéile Páidrig shonna, gach duine! Níl a fhois agam gur litreadh mé é shin I gceart mar an huair dhearnach a caithfidh mé scríobh as gaeilge bhí me sa bhunn scoil.

[whatdeyecallit]

I AM FUCKING DONE WITH THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

You know what really fucks me off; the fact that I am working with a 4 year old girl who has a plethora of health conditions but isn't recognised as 'special needs'. The fact that despite this girl suffering from epilepsy, cerebral palsy, benign brain tumours, seriously diminished eye sight, possible autism (definite traits of ASD) and sporadic vomiting attacks she will not receive the full level of care she is entitled to because she is not recognised as having 'special needs'. Both her parents and her epilepsy nurse have told us that had she attended an English language school she would most likely have ended up going to a Special needs school and they are so glad that hasn't had to happen (for the sake of her social and emotional development). What this means is that I am classed as a general classroom assistant rather than an SEN assistant and am subsequently paid less for the same work. Don't get me wrong here, I am happy to do the work for less money because I want to help her, but my work is not that of a general assistant. I toilet her, I massage her sore limbs, I have to physically move her hand when we're writing, I lift her when she falls, I speak for her when she won't talk to other grown ups, I have to develop a serious level of understanding with this wee girl. I love my job but it is HARD WORK, for me and her. It just fucks me off that neither of us are getting the recognition we deserve

[1tric]

When two worlds collide.

Love the Irish language or hate it?

I live in Ireland. I, like almost everyone else in this country, speak English, but Irish is considered our national language. I’m sure you’ve often heard not to mention politics or religion if you want to avoid controversy, well over here you can add the Irish language to that. The mere mention of it sends blood boiling in so many, in different directions. The Irish language, Gaeilge,  is a…

View On WordPress

[timetoplanttears]

Irish language public schools - unnecessary AND discriminatory

Ireland's public school system is mediocre at best. Instead of there being a clear standard that all state schools achieve, so much depends on catchment areas. Basically, if you live in a middle class area where there's a public school, the chances of you getting into university are far higher than those who attend public schools in disadvantaged areas.

While inequality in public education due to socio-economic background is regrettable, it's not a problem caused entirely by the Irish public education system. It is the result of that public education system existing in a society where economic inequality is entrenched. Instead, one of the worst problems as a result of the Irish public education system is the existence of public schools which are also 'Gaelscoils' - schools which teach solely through the medium of Irish.

The vast majority of Gaelscoils are public schools, funded almost exclusively by the state. Thus, besides the fact that there are no secular schools in Ireland, the Irish government is further entrenching social division in by supporting this exclusive form of education. They discourage poor families, foreign nationals, families with children with learning disabilities and families from the Travelling Community from attending them. 

For the four social groups mentioned above, enrolling in a Gaelscoil is not a realistic opportunity. Foreign nationals who speak no Irish will be discouraged from sending their child, for whom English is probably a second language, to a school where they will be taught solely in Irish. The parents of children with learning disabilities are unlikely to see any real benefit in attempting to get their child to learn through a second language, considering that many children with learning disabilities already face significant obstacles to receiving a satisfactory education. Traveller children already face massive discrimination in enrolling in schools already, and face further disincentives from enrolling in a school which teaches through a language very few Travellers speak. Finally, the simple but unfortunate realities of poverty mean that children from lower socio-economic backgrounds are far less to go to Irish language schools. Their parents are statistically less likely to have a high standard of Irish, and ultimately have less time and resources to invest in learning Irish so that they can aid their child with their education.

The end result of this is that Irish language public schools disproportionately favour enrolment from white, middle-class, settled Irish parents. Irish language public schools are therefore exclusive. Despite being funded by taxpayer money, they are only accessible to some people in society. What that means is worse education for minority groups, because in areas where one public school is a Gaelscoil and another isn't, the students in the latter school will always be worse off as the Gaelscoil will be attended by middle-class Irish kids, while the English language school will be attended by minority groups. Recognise that the students of poorer parents, Travellers and foreign nationals often require increased attention in schools. Many children with learning disabilities will require a special needs assistant, and possibly a resource teacher to help with English and Maths. The vast majority of these students will end up in the non-Irish language public school. Their education will suffer as a result, while the predominantly middle-class children who attend the Gaelscoil will get another leg up in life; they will receive a superior education because their teachers won't have to help many students for whom school can be difficult. 

Through Irish language public schools, the Irish government fuels discrimination, inequality and social polarisation. The status quo is intolerable, and should be actively fought against. However, in reality, too many Irish politicians are too happy to kow-tow to the Irish language lobby. The inequality will continue because for Irish politicians, votes and campaign contributions are more important than ensuring a child with autism gets a good education.