An insider's guide to education

So how muchdid the one-day strike (or the shopping trip to Sainsbury's in Newry) cost teachers?

The average teacher in the State earns €62,000 at primary level and €67,000 at post-primary level, according to Department of Education figures. That’s between €170 and €180 per day. So that one-day action cost the average teacher around €100 after tax.

The teacher unions say average pay is lower than estimated by the Department, but still concede members lost at least €70.

Will schools close again next Thursday? Don’t bet on it. As we write, talks are continuing between the Government and the unions. Our hunch is that some compromise will be worked out.

Our profile of youngDublin teacher Kate Divilly drew a huge response from readers of both the print and online version of this newspaper last week.

Amid all the gloom, readers liked the positive, upbeat message about the joy of teaching from Kate.

Many also wondered why teachers tend to come across so poorly in the media and why everyone is not as media-friendly as Kate Divilly?

For the answer, consider last week’s edition of TV3’s Tonight with Vincent Browne, where our hero interviewed teachers, nurses and civil servants on the picket line. While the nurses and the civil servants came across as sensible and measured, some (if by no means all) of the teachers interviewed adopted that hectoring, lecturing tone that grates with the general public.

Two formidable womenhave teamed up in a new venture offering talks to parents and parent associations.

Marie Louise O’Donnell of DCU’s School of Communications and Caroline Murphy, the accomplished RTÉ broadcaster, are offering talks to parents on life, learning and education. Sounds interesting. Details from W3talks@gmail.com

What is the most-watched YouTube clip among teachers (and pupils) this week?

Yes, it’s that classic Roy Keane Ipswich FC press conference clip. In full flow, Keane glowers at a reporter who had the temerity to leave his mobile phone switched on.

One teacher tells us the Keane Technique even works with recalcitrant teenagers in schools.

It cannot be true – can it ?

Some new figureswere published last week about the number of foreign students studying in Ireland – and paying those hugely expensive fees for the privilege.

But hold back on the champagne. The low numbers involved are quite shocking, underlining how Ireland is punching well below its weight on international education.

Despite all those junkets to China, Ireland Inc has succeeded in attracting just over 1,000 Chinese students and (literally) a handful from Taiwan. There are also fewer than 500 from India and only 291 from Italy.

What’s going on? Ireland and the Irish enjoy a font of goodwill abroad. We have two universities inside the world top 100 and an education system that is widely admired.

There is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow here for Irish education. So why are we underperforming?

Some interesting newfigures about teacher retirements.

The average number of primary, secondary and community and comprehensive teachers retiring annually between 2000 and 2008 was 1,080.

Already this year, there have been 1,945 applications for retirement. A total of 850 primary teachers and 738 second-level teachers have retired on pension this year.

Within the overall total, 253 principals have retired from primary schools, while 68 principals have retired from secondary, community and comprehensive schools.

Deputy principal retirements total 260, of which 208 were primary and 52 were from secondary, community and comprehensive schools.

• E-mail us, in confidence, at teacherspet@irishtimes.com