THE WORK of teachers in second-level schools in Ireland is rarely evaluated when compared to other OECD states, according to a new report.
Only 44 per cent of teachers in Ireland worked in schools in which a school self-evaluation had taken place in the last five years, compared to a 70 per cent average across the OECD.
Only 43 per cent of teachers worked in schools which had been subject to an external evaluation in the last five years. The corresponding figure for many other countries was much higher, including Belgium (90 per cent) and Poland (86 per cent).
In Ireland, 75 per cent of teachers said they had received an appraisal and/or feedback on their work from the school principal, from another teacher in their school or from an external person or body in their current school. This was much lower than the survey average of 87 per cent.
These are the main findings from the OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (Talis) National Report for Ireland Release – a survey of teaching conditions and learning environments in lower-secondary schools in 24 countries. The report for Ireland was published yesterday by the Educational Research Centre at St Patrick’s College.
Other findings include:
- Teachers in Ireland completed an average of six days of professional development compared with 15 days across the countries surveyed;
- Teachers in Ireland report strong levels of confidence in their ability, they are also positive about classroom discipline and teacher-student relations;
- Student-orientated practices, such as students working in groups and on project work, are less common in Ireland.