The primary school mathematics curriculum in Ireland is based upon a constructivist philosophy of learning. As constructivism is a theory of learning and not teaching, implementing a constructivist approach in the classroom requires teachers to identify the implications and applications of constructivist philosophy for teaching. In this research,…

Background: Extra-curricular sport is an important aspect of life in Irish primary schools. Team invasion games hold a dominant position and, within this category, Gaelic games are extremely popular. Teachers have, historically, played a significant role in the promotion of Gaelic games through the organization of inter-school competitions. The…

This paper begins by outlining and discussing the fundamental elements of the process, child-centred model of curriculum, which has informed the two most recent Irish primary school curricula "Curaclam na Bunscoile" (1971 to 1999) and the "Primary School Curriculum" (1999 to date). The specific ways in which both Irish…

Multivariate analyses of questionnaires and standardized test data indicated that performance at age eight could be predicted with considerable accuracy by a combination of teachers' ratings of home and personal characteristics at age five. (Author/PN)

Surveyed the knowledge, attitudes, and perspectives of 119 Irish parents and 142 primary school teachers concerning children's grief and the concept of death education. Found high levels of understanding of the nature of children's grief, strong support for discussing death with children before they encounter it, and general support for inclusion…

An experimental design was employed to assess the impact of standardized tests on 47 second grade Irish teachers' judgments of their 1,566 students. Teachers receiving test results showed greater shifts in their ratings of students than teachers not receiving test results. However, these shifts tended to be in the positive direction and for only a…

Describes a study that examined the potential of a short inservice course (one week) with the teaching of experimental science in the primary school. Results indicated that participation in the course resulted in an increase in the amount of classroom time devoted to experimental science by the teachers involved (N=31). (ML)

A demographic questionnaire was used to analyze personal, educational, and geographical characteristics of the 1977 recruits to teacher education programs in Ireland. In addition, their attitudes toward educational issues were investigated using the Survey of Opinions about Education and a newly-developed scale, Attitudes to Primary Education.…