TUTORIAL PAPER TEMPLATE

ID of Student: G00396329
Article/Reading: “Why would teachers stay in Ireland to endure poverty and disrespect?”. Liz
Dunphy, Irish Examiner.

1. CONCISE SUMMARY OF READING

The rise of educated professionals leaving this country for prospects far ashore is alarming and needs to be
critically examined before it leads to a population of under skilled, under qualified professionals. The document
that I have chosen to examine is the article, “Why would teachers stay in Ireland to endure poverty and
disrespect?”, Liz Dunphy, Irish Examiner. The reason that I have chosen to examine this article is because I feel
strongly about the quality of life that young teachers in Ireland have currently.
The article details current issues facing Irish teachers and it aims to find solutions to these problems. Job
insecurity, low pay, lack of career opportunities and disrespect within the teaching profession are ongoing
problems that are addressed in the article. The main aim of the article is to improve the conditions for teaching
in Ireland. The article highlights the need for urgent action to improve conditions and retain skilled educators.
One of the key points addressed in the article is job security. The author discusses the lack of full time contracts
available to teachers who have entered the profession in recent years, with just 35% of them receiving full time
contracts. The author describes this as a "scandalous statistic in the teeth of a recruitment crisis". One solution
that the author has suggested to this issue is to give graduates full time contracts from “day one to have any hope
of keeping them as teachers”. Furthermore the author states that “of post-2011 teachers who entered the
profession only 12% were offered a permanent position; 88% were not”. This alarming statistic was published
through a TUI survey, and they also found that 20% took 3 years to get full time contracts and 34% took even
longer.
Another key point put forward by the author is the concerns for the quality of education received by students in
secondary schools. The author details how the students are suffering with the failure to have relevant subject
teachers or any teachers to teach the class “our children suffer because of the failure of the relevant departments
to engage with reality. They do not have subject teachers — sometimes any teacher — in front of them, subjects
are lost, life opportunities dwindle”, This is in reference to the struggle to find subject teachers for some schools.
As a result they have to find another teacher or student teachers to fill in. This is alarming for the growth of
subjects in schools and the education provided to students.
The article concludes by saying how important it is to fix these issues quickly, to retain high quality educators,
so students do better in school, and to see education improve overall in Ireland. It also says that working
together and acting now is key to making real changes happen.

2. CRITICAL REFLECTION

The article does a good job of explaining why it’s crucial to fix the challenges teachers face in Ireland. It talks
about how important it is to keep skilled, educated teachers in Ireland and make sure students get a high quality
education.

The article’s strengths lie in its clear explanations and suggestions for improvement. It talks about specific

© ATU Dept. of Creative Education 2023-2024

 problems like part-time jobs for new teachers and how that can make it hard for them to stay in teaching. The
call for more respect and recognition for teachers is also important because feeling valued can make a big
difference in job satisfaction. Mahmoud et.al (2023) list other requirements for job satisfaction including a “safe
environment of the school, colleagues' cooperation, parents' involvement, and educational materials”. These
factors also influence the Irish secondary school with low funding, direct teacher- parent contact through
educational apps and phone calls and a more threatening school environment.

The article is logically structured, starting with the problems teachers face and then suggesting solutions like
full-time contracts and union amalgamation. However, it could benefit from more specific examples or case
studies to make the arguments even stronger.
The arguments put forward in the article are convincing because they are backed up by facts and statistics from
surveys. Also the relevance and timing of the article is scary for a soon to be NQT and it worries me about the
future of the sustainability of the profession. Teachers facing job insecurity and disrespect is a widespread issue,
so addressing these problems are necessary. Landers et.al (2011) list some examples of disrespect that teachers
receive including “verbal abuse, truancy, tardiness, fighting, harassment, and general classroom disruption”.
These acts of disrespect have been show to teachers that I have worked with and in the case of classroom
disrespect, I have experienced in School Placement. This is attributed to the profession itself and the negative
connotations that come with it can influence teachers to find work elsewhere.

Research from organisations like OECD supports the article’s claims about the importance of supportive
working conditions in retaining good teachers. Studies show that when teachers feel valued and supported, they
are more likely to stay in their jobs and perform better, ultimately benefiting students. Kolleck et.al (2021)
suggest that “teachers around the world have been increasingly confronted with various expectations concerning
the improvement of their classroom practices and school activities”. From reading this article, I’ve learned how
vital it is to advocate for fair working conditions and respect within the teaching profession. As a soon to be
teacher, I can see the implications for my own teaching practice, feeling supported and valued will not only keep
me motivated but also improve my ability to help students succeed.

The contents of the article directly relate to my School Placement experience because I’ve seen firsthand how
teachers job satisfaction can impact the classroom environment. I’ve also observed the struggle that young
teachers have in acquiring and retaining jobs. Being offered below average hours and the expectations of
covering class, coaching teams, as well and teaching and planning can have a huge impact of the quality of life.
This article is highly relevant for professional development as a teacher because it highlights broader
systemic issues that affect the profession as a whole. Understanding these challenges and advocating
for change can contribute to a better working environment for teachers and better educational
outcomes for students.

3. LIST OF REFERENCES

 Mahmoud, E., Belbase, S., & Alsheikh, N. (2023). Academic Chairs’ Leadership Styles and Teachers’
Job Satisfaction in Higher Education Institutions in UAE. European Journal of Educational
Management, 6(2), 119–135
 Landers, E., Servilio, K. L., Alter, P., & Haydon, T. (2011). Defining Disrespect: A Rural Teacher’s
Perspective. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 30(2), 13–18.
https://doi.org/10.1177/875687051103000203
 Kolleck, N., Schuster, J., Hartmann, U., & Gräsel, C. (2021). Teachers’ professional collaboration and
trust relationships: An inferential social network analysis of teacher teams. Research in Education,
111(1), 89-107. https://doi.org/10.1177/00345237211031585

© ATU Dept. of Creative Education 2023-2024