A new training programme for teachers of maths has been announced by the Minister of State for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock TD.
The programme forms part of the Government’s overall strategy to improve the teaching and learning of maths in schools.
It will provide unqualified maths teachers with the opportunity to upskill their knowledge of mathematics and study the strategies best suited to the new Project Maths syllabuses.
The Department is developing a competitive process to select provider/s to deliver training in this area.
Tenders will be invited shortly for the programme which will combine on-line learning with lectures provided on a regional basis.
The training will benefit the cohort of teachers that has been identified in a recent survey by the Teaching Council as not having maths qualifications.
The Minister noted the results of the survey which shows that out of a total of 2,045 teachers teaching maths in 258 schools, 1,400 teachers are fully qualified[1] to do so, 596 teachers have undergone some studies in maths[2] and only 49 have no third level qualifications/studies in maths.
Commenting on the survey, Minister Sherlock said: "I want to get to a situation where all teachers of maths have a maths qualification and the training programme I am announcing today will help to achieve that.
"This survey is part of on-going work by the Teaching Council which was established on a statutory basis in March 2006 to promote the professional development of teachers and to regulate standards in the profession.
"The survey helps us to get a clearer picture of what is actually happening on the ground in these schools and the data allows us to plan to meet the training needs of teachers over the coming years," said Minister Sherlock.
The Minister also noted that an earlier study shows that few, if any unqualified teachers were teaching higher level maths to final year Leaving Certificate students.
This was indicated in an earlier study entitled "Out of Field Teaching in Post Primary Mathematics Education", published by the National Centre for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning. Minister Sherlock said that the upskilling of those without qualifications is an important issue.
"The rollout of Project Maths and having teachers with the right skills and knowledge will help us to achieve a real change in the way maths is taught in our schools," he added.
Implementation of the revised maths syllabuses which began in all schools in September 2010 is supported by a major programme of investment in professional development for teachers, which includes a series of national workshops for all maths teachers, supplementary evening courses on content and ICT for maths, and a wide range of teaching and learning resources.
The provision of this training programme will address the following recommendation of the Report of the Project Maths Implementation Support Group: "The Department of Education and Skills should work towards ensuring that all post primary students at all levels are taught mathematics solely by teachers who hold a qualification in mathematics by 2018. Post graduate courses for existing teachers should be provided on a scale and level commensurate with this objective."