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.

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/

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