Anseo.net - If I were the Minister for Education

Episodes

• 
  Interview 39: Removing Diagnosis for Special Education with Debbie O’Neill 16.10.2026 54m

  In this episode, I speak with Debbie O’Neill, principal of Scoil Eoin in Crumlin about Department-level proposals to remove diagnosis as a criterion for access to special classes and special schools, replacing it with a needs-based model relying on school-written reports assessed by an unnamed independent body. We discuss the context of a reported 257% rise in children requiring classroom support alongside only a 7% increase in SET hours since 2017, and the implications for resourcing systems linked to diagnosis (SERC). We compare international examples cited in documents (Portugal, New Zealand, Denmark and England), contrasting wraparound in-school clinical supports abroad with limited Irish provision, and warning of New Brunswick’s failed rapid inclusion approach. We outline actions for teachers and principals through unions and patrons, and long-term requirements including smaller class sizes and adequate clinical staffing.00:00 Podcast Intro00:33 Support Needs Surge01:47 Debbie Joins02:43 Removing Diagnosis05:18 How It Works Now06:24 New Needs Model09:34 Resource Reality Check11:37 SERC Allocation Risks13:50 Full Inclusion Push16:36 New Brunswick Fallout19:14 Portugal Done Right23:24 Wraparound Services Gap25:49 In School Therapy Myth29:00 Why Now Money Motive30:47 Inclusion Driven by Money33:04 Patrons Sold a Story34:20 UK Model Falling Apart35:27 Denmark Numbers and Resources38:26 New Zealand Framework Lessons41:52 What Teachers Can Do Now46:20 Making Inclusion Work Long Term49:56 Final Call to Action This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  A Very Alternative Budget 2027 03.10.2026 48m

  In this week’s podcast I focus on Budget 2027, outlining an alternative primary education budget and arguing that annual measures like capitation increases, extra teachers, and more SNAs prop up a flawed system rather than changing it. After summarising Sinn Féin’s proposals (additional teachers, special education staff, SNAs, higher capitation and allowances) and the Social Democrats’ plans (free education measures, lower ratios, counselling access, prefab phase-out, meals expansion), I propose a 15-year transformation towards a publicly managed system built around local education authorities, removing patron bodies. Key ideas include the State paying schools’ utilities, insurance, cleaning and procurement; moving to maximum class sizes; reforming school meals through localised, simplified, on-site preparation; embedding wraparound services in schools (counsellors, social workers, nurses, therapists) via expanded training; ensuring public capital spending creates public assets by increasing State ownership of school buildings; funding implementation of the primary school survey; piloting the model in one county; and properly paying all education staff while aiming for two adults per classroom.00:00 Welcome and Subscribe01:39 Budget 2027 Preview02:33 Beyond the Usual Budget Questions03:56 Opposition Education Pledges06:53 A 15 Year Transformation Plan07:38 Local Education Authorities Vision09:20 State Pays School Bills15:54 Fixing Class Size Rules20:02 Rethinking School Meals25:07 Rethinking School Meals26:11 Wraparound Support Teams28:41 Training the Workforce30:30 Who Owns School Buildings34:07 Funding Survey Changes37:13 Pilot Local Authorities40:04 Scaling the New Model43:09 Pay and Classroom Assistants44:15 Stop Piecemeal Fixes45:34 15 Year Vision Wrap Up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Unconvention: Patronage Report Stage 1 06.09.2026 29m

  In this first report on patronage, I introduce my Unconvention fringe to the Convention on Education, where I gather public responses and research (using AI to help collate and draft) into reports and podcast episodes; this second report focuses on school patronage. I explain that patronage is not merely historical but gives patrons major power over boards of management and school ethos, including faith formation during the school day, within a system where 88.3% of primary schools are Catholic and only 5.5% are multi-denominational. I explore how admission reform since 2018 does not resolve unequal daily experiences for children of other faiths or none, and I challenge “parental choice” as unrealistic and often prioritised over children’s rights, especially in rural areas with one school. Emerging recommendations include separating admission from ethos reform, defining a minimum entitlement for every child, measuring children’s experiences, testing a state-run local school model with optional after-school faith formation, and explaining patronage clearly; I end with key unanswered questions about opting out, consistency, pupil views, survey choices, and protecting minority faith rights.00:00 Convention Kickoff00:57 Podcast Format Explained02:38 Patronage Question Raised05:35 What Patronage Means07:24 How Schools Operate11:27 Parental Choice Debate15:29 Rights Over Whims17:13 Reframing The Debate21:29 AI Recommendations26:45 Unanswered Key Questions28:47 Wrap Up And Next Steps This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Interview 38: Ciara O'Connor Walsh 17.08.2026 42m

  In this episode, I speak with Ciara O’Connor Walsh, Creative Director at youth mental health charity A Lust For Life, about the transition from primary to secondary school. We discuss how practical worries (lockers, timetables, getting lost) often mask deeper concerns about belonging, relationships, peer judgement, bullying, puberty and identity, especially in the move from small primary schools to larger secondary schools. Ciara outlines signs a young person may be struggling, including headaches, tummy pains, sleep issues, tearfulness, irritability, withdrawal, defiance and difficulty concentrating, and stresses noticing early changes and starting honest conversations. We explore what schools can do to build safety and belonging, and Ciara introduces Rising Minds, a 10-lesson first-year programme using evidence-based approaches and skills for emotions, self-compassion, relationships and loneliness, alongside calls for protected wellbeing time and better support pathways.00:00 Back to School Feelings01:47 Meet Ciara O’Connor Walsh03:57 Why Transition Is Huge07:06 Big Schools Big Impact08:12 Common First Year Worries11:13 Spotting Struggle Signs18:01 How Schools Build Belonging21:41 Resilience Not Sink Swim24:47 Rising Minds Explained29:11 Loneliness And Social Skills31:42 Minister For A Day36:46 Support Pathways And CAMHS38:47 Where To Find Resources40:09 Wrap Up And Unconvention This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Interview 37: Noel Davidson 11.08.2026 35m

  I welcome Noel Davidson to the podcast to discuss entrepreneurship education and practical problem-solving in Irish schools. Noel shares his own education and career journey from horticulture into starting businesses and becoming Head of Training and Strategic Partnerships at the Entrepreneurs Academy, arguing that programmes like the Junior Entrepreneur Program (primary) and the Student Enterprise Program (post-primary) build confidence and life skills such as creativity, communication, resilience and learning from failure. We discuss why these human skills matter even more alongside AI, which Noel frames as a tool that should save time but cannot replace empathy or leadership. Noel highlights student success stories, including Anthony’s Wooden Crafts, and introduces First Bell (firstbell.ie), a new Irish app launching this September to help schools source substitute teachers more efficiently than phone calls or WhatsApp, with location-based matching, cascading preferences and GDPR-aware design. I close by inviting listeners to anseo.net’s Unconvention.We’ve developed a course that makes sense of the revised primary curriculum and shows you how to enact it over the next two years and beyond. As a thank you for being a member, you are welcome to use it for free if you pay an annual licence. Simply get in touch with your details and we’ll get you signed up. (schoolpolicy.ie/cpd) Are you interested in making sense of the revised primary curriculum and enacting your whole school plans over the next two years? We’ve developed a course to do just that. More information on schoolpolicy.ie/cpd or upgrade your account for free access.00:00 Welcome and Purpose01:16 Meet Noel Davidson03:07 Noel’s Education Journey05:13 Mentors and First Business08:02 What JEP and SEP Teach10:00 Entrepreneurship in the AI Era13:02 Student Success Stories15:59 First Spell Origin Story19:46 How First Spell Works22:03 WhatsApp Limits and GDPR25:32 Launch Details and Access26:53 Minister for a Day29:29 Failure and Ken Robinson33:40 Wrap Up and Unconvention This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Interview 36: Grace Brennan 07.07.2026 32m

  In this episode of If I Were the Minister for Education, I speak with Grace Brennan, founder of Higgle, about process-driven visual arts and creative thinking in primary classrooms. Grace shares her education journey from County Wexford to art and design studies and entrepreneurship supported by Enterprise Ireland and local programmes, and reflects on how third-level art opened her mind to experimentation and careers. We discuss how art can become outcome-focused “cookie cutter” work influenced by social media, often because teachers lack training and time to explore materials, and why this can harm children’s creativity and confidence. Grace explains Higgle as a digital prompt generator that supports open-ended, cross-curricular art problems adaptable to available materials and diverse classroom needs, and she outlines her EPV courses for teachers.00:00 Welcome and Art Chat01:24 Grace Brennan Journey03:35 Simon Art Teaching Roots04:56 Mentors and Creativity07:57 Leaving Cert Art Reality09:03 Fixing Cookie Cutter Art16:31 Why Art Foundations Matter20:00 STEAM and New Curriculum22:55 What Is Higgle24:47 Inside the Prompt Generator26:12 Pencil and Paper Challenge27:45 Minister for a Day30:32 Where to Find Higgle31:52 Final Thanks and Wrap This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
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  Interview 35: Eithne Walsh 27.06.2026 45m

  I was delighted to meet Eithne Walsh, CEO of Féach Vision Support Services, to talk about improving supports for blind and visually impaired children in Irish mainstream schools. Eithne shares how her two children gradually lost their sight and how low expectations and limited expertise in schools pushed her to advocate for practical planning, expanded core curriculum skills, and assistive technology so her children could become independent learners. She explains Féach’s evolution from parent peer support into a charity offering school guides, webinars, SNA and teacher training, low vision awareness workshops, and VR immersive training, now supporting hundreds of schools. They discuss slow policy change, gaps in AT training, key recommendations from Féach’s access reports, and why braille remains essential for literacy alongside modern technology.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:24 Eithne Story and Diagnosis03:00 School Expectations Shift05:13 Building Independence Skills06:28 Why Féach Exists07:32 Féach Services and Training10:47 Mainstream Progress and Gaps13:20 Assistive Tech Push17:49 Why Policy Moves Slowly23:08 Toolkits for Teachers24:16 Age-Appropriate Tech Skills24:36 Typing Progression Plan25:36 Audit Tools and Live Resources26:55 North-South Training Collaboration30:13 Annual Report Key Recommendations33:07 AI and Accessible Tech Advances35:55 Why Braille Still Matters38:58 Big Questions for Education41:42 How to Contact Feach43:09 Closing Thanks and Wrap-Up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Education Unconvention: Reading 1 14.06.2026 45m

  Education Unconvention: Big Questions About ReadingI introduce the Education Unconvention as a fringe-style, discussion-based subset of my podcast, designed to complement and sometimes challenge the Convention on Education by sharing progress and inviting contributions online. The first theme is reading, explored through debates about Reading Recovery, UFLI, and dyslexia, alongside reading schools and reading classes. I describe tensions between research evidence and teachers’ lived experience, including questions about independent Irish evaluation of Reading Recovery and what should replace it if flaws are found. Teachers praise UFLI’s structure and results, while others caution against treating any programme as a silver bullet. On dyslexia, contributors argue for either specialists, stronger teacher knowledge, or expanded specialist provision, raising wider questions about inclusion. Across all topics, recurring themes include time, resources, workload, training, disadvantage, home literacy, and defining what success in literacy should look like.00:00 Welcome to Unconvention02:20 Why Reading Matters05:05 Reading Recovery Debate07:43 Research Versus Experience10:37 What Counts as Evidence15:12 UFLI Takes Off18:07 Program Hype Cycle23:33 Dyslexia Mainstream Reality25:36 Mainstream or Specialist26:54 Highest Need Critique27:36 Expertise Without Roles29:13 Every Teacher Dyslexia30:51 Reading Classes Debate31:54 Inclusion What Means34:14 Bigger System Questions36:10 Curriculum Time Squeeze38:19 Home Factors Screen Time40:09 Unconvention Ethos Wrap This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Interview 34: Patty McGee 24.05.2026 31m

  In this episode of If I Were the Minister for Education, I speak with US educator, consultant and author Patty McGee about transforming grammar teaching away from dry worksheets and red-pen correction towards inquiry, curiosity and delight, connected to real writing. Patty explains how traditional grammar instruction can create discomfort and inequity, and reframes grammar as a tool for communicating with clarity and connection, noting differences between spoken, book and standard grammar and how grammar evolves. She shares practical classroom experiences: brief, frequent sessions using talk in partnerships, comparing concepts (such as simple and compound sentences), explicit instruction with accessible language (like FANBOYS), hands-on manipulatives for playful practice, and reflection to consolidate learning. We also discuss Ireland’s evolving curriculum, trust in teachers, and Patty’s wish to bring literacy practices to schools, as well as her view that literacy should be defined as meaning-making and sharing voice.00:00 Welcome and Teaser01:22 Meet Patty McGee02:24 Ireland Connection03:17 Why Grammar Gets Hated05:54 Beyond Grammar Police08:00 Teachers and Discrete Grammar11:46 Three Buckets of Grammar14:09 Playful Grammar Experiences19:23 Irish Curriculum Reflections21:30 Workshops and School Support24:50 Trust and Respect in Education26:51 Minister for a Day29:26 Where to Find Patty30:44 Final Thanks and Sign Off This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Interview 33: Gavin Doyle 25.04.2026 50m

  In this episode of “If I were the Minister for Education”, I interview Gavin Doyle, a Dublin secondary teacher and founder of Examinaite, about AI and technology in education. Gavin describes his path from teaching and high-level basketball to software development after time in San Francisco, and explains Examinaite’s aim to reduce teacher workload through a bank of 25,000 Leaving Cert past questions with AI-supported marking, feedback, progress tracking, and generation of new differentiated mock questions, with potential for printable resources. They discuss using AI to tailor learning to pupils’ interests, varying tech access in primary schools, and tools like NotebookLM and Claude for turning long texts into podcasts and creating engaging resources. They address concerns about AI cheating, limits of AI detection, assessment changes, and suggest more in-person exams, oral work, and teaching responsible, gradual AI use. Gavin also outlines “Craicathon”, a Gaeilge-focused hackathon at Dogpatch Labs with projects like Irish sign language translation, Irish-friendly venue maps with phrases, and an Irish-event rating app, and shares views on AI driving more personalised education and the importance of grit, resilience, and open-mindedness.00:00 Welcome and Subscribe00:47 Meet Gavin Doyle01:51 Gavin’s Teaching and Tech Journey04:15 AI for Teachers Explained06:33 Cutting Admin and Corrections07:41 Examinaite for Leaving Cert Prep11:12 Primary Tech Reality Check12:04 Personalised Learning and New Questions16:13 AI Makes Coding Accessible18:28 Irish Language Tech Hackathon25:25 Creative Classroom AI Tools26:35 AI for Learning Styles27:09 NotebookLM Classroom Magic28:02 Claude Quizzes and Websites29:42 Cheating and Detection Limits32:25 AI Proof Assessment Ideas33:30 Teaching Responsible AI Use35:15 Internet to AI Parallels37:09 Personalisation and COVID Shift38:30 Alpha School Future Model42:23 Minister for Education Vision44:36 Future Skills Grit Resilience48:16 Wrap Up and Contact Info49:34 Host Closing Reflections This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Lies, Damn Lies and School Patronage 13.04.2026 43m

  In this episode of If I were the Minister for Education, I unpack the Department of Education’s primary school survey and the headline claim that 40% of parents in denominational primary schools would prefer their school to be multidenominational. I admit I was wrong to assume parents would simply vote for the status quo, and I argue this figure is a remarkable tipping point, especially given how quickly some commentators tried to minimise it by claiming it represents only 16% overall. I question why only partial statistics were released, warn how narratives harden before full data emerges, and describe how “cultural Catholics”, church bodies and the state all benefit from a system driven as much by convenience and control as belief. If I were Minister, I’d publish all the data fast and remove patronage as the dividing line to build one inclusive system. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
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  Interview 32: Dr. Ross Greene and Ruth Eadie 28.03.2026 44m

  In this episode of If I Were the Minister for Education, I explore how behaviour support in Irish primary schools has shifted from corporal punishment to rewards and consequences, and now toward restorative practice, nurture spaces, and Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS). I’m joined by Dr. Ross Greene, founder of Lives in the Balance and author of The Explosive Child, Lost at School, and The Kids Who Aren’t OK, and by Ruth Edie, principal in Dublin 18 and a certified CPS trainer. We discuss CPS’s focus on solving the unsolved problems behind concerning behaviour through proactive, collaborative Plan B conversations, including the ASEP process and practical “drilling” strategies. We also compare CPS with restorative practice, address concerns about time and “letting kids off,” and share resources (livesinthebalance.org/ireland). I dedicate the episode to my late deputy principal Emer and HSE psychologist Toby.00:00 Welcome and Overview00:39 Behavior Shifts in Schools01:59 Discovering CPS03:10 Dedication and Intro03:48 Meet Ross and Ruth05:18 Ross Green Background06:26 Ruth Eadie Journey10:05 What Is CPS13:14 ASEP and Unsolved Problems15:06 Plan B Conversation19:47 Drilling Strategies21:09 When CPS Starts22:49 Handling I Don’t Know24:33 Ireland Context Setup25:17 Piloting CPS in Ireland25:50 Tribute to Toby and Emer27:12 Restorative Practice vs CPS29:16 What CPS Adds for Teachers30:18 Finding Time for CPS32:48 Common Pushback and Myths35:56 Where to Learn CPS38:05 Minister for a Day41:48 Final Resources and Farewell This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
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  Interview 31: Deirdre O'Toole 14.03.2026 49m

  Deirdre O’Toole is one of Ireland’s best known educators. She started her well-known Instagram page in 2018 - the Playful Classroom, which explored early infant education - but had since become heavily involved in teaching and learning reading. She took it upon herself to bring the Right to Read conference to Ireland and this will take place next weekend, 21st March 2026. All 400 tickets sold out in under 90 minutes.Deirdre and I have never met in real life (that’s going to happen at the INTO Congress this year) but we first came across each other over 20 years ago on the Education Posts Forum, where many teachers of our vintage got their first taste of online discussions.You can find Dee on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook and keep an eye out for resources from the Right to Read Conference. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  A Pause for Thought on SNA Allocations 25.02.2026 36m

  In this episode of If I were the Minister for Education, I break down what happened after projected SNA allocations for the 2026/27 school year showed roughly 200 schools set to lose at least one Special Needs Assistant: not due to cuts or clerical error, but because of how the national redistribution model works under a capped total. I explain the background to the current situation, including the long period where schools largely held on to allocations since around 2017, the return of NCSE-led reviews from 2023 onward, and how this year’s broader round of reviews led to some schools being told they had more SNAs than the model allowed. I talk through the predictable political cycle that followed: schools and parents mobilised, pressure built, the Minister “paused” the process, additional funding was announced (€19 million), and the government confirmed no school would lose an SNA this year. While I’m relieved for schools, principals and SNAs facing uncertainty, I argue that pausing-and-funding responses don’t fix the underlying pattern and that we’re likely to repeat the same crisis again. I also say I feel sorry for the NCSE in this instance because they became the visible face of a policy they were implementing, and I argue the real issue sits higher up the chain. I then outline what I see as the structural problem: Ireland’s primary schools are publicly funded but privately managed individual entities competing for enrolment, staff and survival, while staffing supports (SNA posts and SET hours) are allocated through a national, projection-based redistribution model. I describe how redistribution creates concentrated losers and dispersed winners, making it politically fragile, and I connect this to the annual “cluster games” around SET allocations. Finally, I set out the kind of structural change I think is needed: moving away from competition as the organising principle by exploring regional employment and local coordination through education authorities, because I don’t believe repeated annual firefighting counts as planning. I also reference additional writing and commentary, including an Irish Independent piece by Fionnan Sheahan and analysis by Ciara Reilly, and I point listeners toward my Substack articles for more.00:00 Welcome and Subscribe00:47 SNA Allocations Fallout02:30 How the SNA Model Works04:28 From Freeze to Reviews07:59 Backlash and the Pause09:11 Predictable Crisis Cycle10:03 Relief and Real Stakes12:19 Why NCSE Took the Heat14:06 Schools Compete to Survive17:09 Redistribution vs Competition18:25 SET Cluster Games Parallel22:42 Politics and Concentrated Anger29:29 What Would Actually Change33:16 Final Thoughts and Goodbye This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  The Story of the Primary Language Curriculum 02.02.2026 27m

  In this episode of ‘If I Were the Minister for Education,’ I discuss the tumultuous journey of the Irish Primary Language Curriculum since its inception in 2016. I explain the confusing and unworkable nature of the curriculum, which stemmed from panic-induced reforms after a minor dip in Ireland’s PISA scores in 2009. I highlight the chaotic development process plagued by bullying allegations and mass resignations within the NCCA. I describe the practical challenges teachers faced with the original curriculum’s complex and unmanageable format, likening it to an accordion. Despite efforts by the PDST to provide clarity, the curriculum remains inadequately understood and halfway implemented a decade later. I underscore the recurring patterns of vagueness and panic-driven educational reforms in Ireland, leaving teachers to navigate and adapt to these changes on their own.00:00 Introduction to the Podcast00:47 The Primary Language Curriculum: A Decade of Confusion02:15 The Roots of the Curriculum Chaos05:07 The PISA Panic and Its Aftermath09:56 The Chaotic Development Process15:13 The Unmanageable Curriculum Rollout21:13 Teachers’ Struggles and Adaptations23:55 Reflections and Future Concerns27:08 Conclusion and Farewell This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
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  The most boring podcast you'll ever hear 14.01.2026 40m

  I couldn’t think of a better title to this week’s podcast which is all about admin work. Unfortunately, the biggest change to my job in the last decade or two is the crazy increase in administrative work and constant additions to my workload. My brain physically can’t hold it all so I decided to make it my aim to outsource my brain. This episode goes through some techy tools to help with admin. If nothing else, it will make a good sleeping aid. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
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  The Anseo.net Review of 2025 27.12.2025 48m

  In this episode I offer a comprehensive review of Irish primary education for the year 2025. I cover various educational policies, initiatives, and challenges, spanning teacher shortages, special education crises, the hot meal scheme, religious influences in schools, and the controversial snow days. I discuss new policies introduced by the government, the effectiveness of the Department of Education, and the impact of external events like the conflict in Gaza on school environments. Despite the challenges, I’m, as always, cautiously optimistic for 2026!00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview00:50 Annual Review of the Primary School Year02:49 January: Snow Days and New Government07:09 February: Controversies and Challenges11:08 March: The Cluster Games and Special Education16:37 April: Teacher Burnout and Financial Crisis22:52 May: Religion in Schools Debate26:45 June: End of School Year and ICT Grant27:52 July: Teacher Shortages and National Convention31:24 August: Secretary and Caretaker Strikes34:44 September: Strike Lessons and Hot Meal Scheme37:34 October: School Census and Budget39:59 November: IPPN Conference and New Minister41:44 December: Reflections and Looking Forward This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
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  AI Explains the 2025 School Year 23.12.2025 15m

  Every time I open Google’s NotebookLM, it gets better and better. The graphic above was created using the app and I think it did a good job of summarising the year in a single graphic.The podcast didn’t do a bad job either though it fell into temptation a couple of times referring to issues at second level. However, all in all, I’m pretty pleased with it, and I’d love to know what you think. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
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  Interview 30: Amanda Jolliffe, Lead Microsoft Dream Space 06.12.2025 46m

  In this episode of 'If I were the Minister for Education', I delve into the integration of AI in the Irish Primary Education System joined by Amanda Jolliffe, the lead of Microsoft Ireland's Dream Space, to discuss the influence of AI on education and the various innovative tools and programs offered by Dream Space. We explore how AI can assist both teachers and students, from lesson planning to creative learning activities. The discussion covers not only the benefits and applications of AI but also the importance of critical thinking, ethical use, and equitable access to technology in schools. The episode also highlights the significance of professional learning for teachers and forthcoming initiatives like a new Dream Space hub focused on skilling and cloud operation infrastructure.More about Dream Space: https://dreamspace.microsoft.com/en-us/dreamspace/irelandOide AI Hub: https://www.oidetechnologyineducation.ie/ai-hub/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe
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  What's the point of the Primary Ethos Survey? 22.11.2025 29m

  In this episode of ‘If I Were the Minister for Education,’ I explore the recent survey conducted by the Irish Department of Education concerning primary school patronage. I also discuss the legacy left by former Minister Helen McEntee and give my initial thoughts on the new Minister Hildegarde Naughton. I raise questions about the survey’s efficacy, its democratic value, and its alignment with the constitutional rights of children. I provide a historical context on the secular roots of Irish primary education and argue for state-run, multi-denominational schools. 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast00:31 A New Minister for Education01:37 Legacy of Helen McEntee02:30 The Primary School Ethos Survey03:53 Survey Questions and Parental Choices06:25 Critique of the Survey’s Purpose09:08 Human Rights and Education23:52 Historical Context of Religious Schools26:25 Conclusion: The Need for Genuine Reform This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe