Anseo.net - If I were the Minister for Education

Simon Lewis
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Anseo.net - If I were the Minister for Education

How many times have you said to yourself, "If I were the Minister for Education…?" Well I do! Rather than grumble to myself, I decided to podcast my thoughts on ways I'd change the primary education system in Ireland. Every episode I'll take on a different theme, give some background and hopefully come to some conclusions by the end.

  1. A Love Letter to the new Minister for Education

    FEB 4

    A Love Letter to the new Minister for Education

    Despite my detective work, it looks like I was completely wrong about who the next Minister for Education was going to be and it's Helen McEntee who is our education minister. Join me as I write a letter telling Helen McEntee what I would love to see happening in the education system as she takes over from a depressing almost-decade of neglect.

    29 min
  2. Interview 23: Muireann Sadlier

    JAN 21

    Interview 23: Muireann Sadlier

    In this podcast episode, I interview Muireann Sadlier, the Director of Cyber Smarties Ireland, discussing the importance of keeping children safe online while teaching them to use the internet positively. Sadlier shares her extensive background in education, focusing on wellbeing and behaviour, and introduces Cyber Smarties, an app designed for primary schools that supports children's social skills and online safety. We explore alarming statistics on children's online experiences, the challenges of managing screen time, and the need for proactive strategies to teach children responsible online behavior. Cyber Smarties offers a monitored environment for children to interact safely and learn positive social interactions. The discussion also touches on broader themes of technology's role in education and parenting, and the potential benefits of using apps like Cyber Smarties as part of a comprehensive approach to digital literacy and well-being. You can find our more about Cyber Smarties Ireland here: https://cybersmarties.ie/

    56 min
  3. 10 Reasons to Be Hopeful for Education in 2025

    JAN 4

    10 Reasons to Be Hopeful for Education in 2025

    In this episode I reflect on the challenges faced by the primary education system in 2024 and offer ten reasons for possible optimism in 2025. Topics include improvements in special education, the potential of artificial intelligence in classrooms, the evolving role of patronage in schools, the impact of new educational technology, and the hope for a competent new Minister for Education. I also discuss the significance of the new primary maths curriculum, the extension of the primary language curriculum to include foreign languages, and the importance of embracing teacher diversity. I conclude with a call to return the focus of education to pedagogy rather than reducing schools to childminding services. Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:33 Reflecting on 2024 and Looking Ahead 01:48 Special Education: Challenges and Hopes 07:06 The Exciting Future of Technology in Education 13:04 The Patronage System in Schools 18:11 Hopes for a New Minister of Education 20:36 The Shift from Twitter to Instagram for Educators 25:03 Social Media Exodus: From Twitter to Instagram 26:13 New Primary Maths Curriculum: Hopeful Changes 28:48 School Meals Program: Pros and Cons 34:49 Primary Language Curriculum: Modern Foreign Languages 36:19 Teacher Diversity and the Baptism Barrier 43:10 Looking Forward to 2025: A Call to Action

    46 min
  4. Review of the Year 2024 - July to December

    12/24/2024

    Review of the Year 2024 - July to December

    If you have been listening to the first half of this episode where I covered the education stories from January to June, you'll notice that the first half of 2024 in schools was not exactly filled with hope. With special education slowly but surely been stripped away and the world falling apart with war. Could the second half of the year, bring some hope? Let see...

    36 min
  5. Review of the Year 2024 - January to June

    12/21/2024

    Review of the Year 2024 - January to June

    If there's nothing else you can say about the Minister for Education, Norma Foley. When we look back at 2024, it's likely she will feature heavily. Whether it was her crisis opportunity during the general election campaign or her 9 million Euro phone pouches, in this episode, join me as I look back on a year where the Department of Education were more interested in smartphones than teacher shortages and where all of the problems in the education system seemed to be defended by throwing free school books and free school lunches at parents. So without further ado, let's review the year from January to June.

    27 min
  6. Who will be the next Minister for Education?

    12/10/2024

    Who will be the next Minister for Education?

    In this episode, I count down who I believe are the top ten front-runners to being the next Minister for Education. What position with Norma Foley come? Who do I tip to be the next Donagh O'Malley? Find out in an episode that's like to age very badly!

    44 min
  7. My Election Manifesto

    11/17/2024

    My Election Manifesto

    Don't worry, I'm not running in the General Election! You already have enough of me. However, theoretically, if I got to write a Manifesto, there are 4 main areas I would focus on: PatronageSpecial EducationFundingTeacher Shortage You might be surprised by the first one... listen on your favourite podcast platform

    33 min
  8. Access Undone: The Collapse of Special Education [Episode 6]

    11/16/2024

    Access Undone: The Collapse of Special Education [Episode 6]

    In this final episode of Access Undone, I try to outline the ways I would reverse the damage that has been caused in the last decade by the Department of Education and NCSE. I explore three solutions and argue that if all three were implemented, it would save the agencies from being part of the 21st century's greatest education scandal and, even possibly put them in the same definition of Ireland's most famous minister, Donagh O'Malley.

    22 min
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About

How many times have you said to yourself, "If I were the Minister for Education…?" Well I do! Rather than grumble to myself, I decided to podcast my thoughts on ways I'd change the primary education system in Ireland. Every episode I'll take on a different theme, give some background and hopefully come to some conclusions by the end.

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