"An cigire" gives top marks to Athlone's education system

A teacher by trade, it was Noel Huston's decision to become a school inspector that brought him to Athlone in 1982. Originally from Mohill in Co Leitrim, Noel went to teaching college in Rathmines in the early 1970s, then spent seven years in a school in Rathgar where he became vice-principal. The career was in the Huston family's blood; six out of the eight siblings became teachers. However, when his own inspector advised him to go for the school inspector's job, Noel decided it was the right move for a number of reasons. "You'd like to think there was an element in helping other teachers, but the bread and butter aspect was that it was a promotion. It was also an opportunity to move out of Dublin," he said. "My wife Gillian is from Dublin and there were vacancies in Athlone, Carrick on Shannon and Donegal. My preference was Athlone because it was easy to commute to Dublin and also close enough to my own family in Mohill. I've had no desire to move since that." Noel, who lives in The Pigeons with Gillian, is now enjoying his third week of early retirement after 27 years as a school inspector, and plans to spend quality time with his family and focus on his varied hobbies. He is a well-known face in schools around Athlone, as well as Tubberclair, Drumraney and Ard na Grath. He covered anything from 60 up to 100 schools as part of his beat. As well as schools around Athlone, the surrounds and County Westmeath, he also inspected in Roscommon, East Galway and Offaly. When Noel first became an inspector, there was also a civil service recruitment embargo and cutbacks in education, it's clear that history does repeat itself. "No cuts can be of benefit, but it appears to me that with the Greens' intervention, the government has conceded to a few. I don't think the school system will be the biggest of the losers in terms of cutbacks, however it's the ancillary support that's under threat," he said. He joined the inspectorate at a changing time within the school system. "In 1982, some older teachers were cautious and on their guard because their wages were based on inspector's reports. But our task is for the benefit of teachers," said Noel. "The inspector's role is to encourage and support them, or acknowledge them. A great benefit is that every inspector is a teacher, you have that experience, you see hundreds of schools and hundreds of teachers and you can pass on tips to other teachers." Noel thinks there is a great attitude to teaching here in Athlone. "There was a great openness among teachers who were willing and able to show and tell me what they do with the pupils in their normal day, they didn't put on a show. There's a great involvement by teachers in the Athlone Education Centre and they want to upskill. Teachers here are very eager to upskill and update on modern approaches. Local teachers also see fit to become inspectors,"he said. He remembers how in the early 1980s, one rural school in Athlone won a national environmental award from Bistro, and points out that all the schools now are very dedicated to environmental causes. He said there is local pride in schools and teachers are passionate about their pupils, class projects and extra curricular activities such as sport and the community. Having spent over three decades in education, Noel said that teachers nowadays are "far more professional" when it comes to training and that the curriculum is much broader for kids. "The special needs support has improved immensely... Now teachers have a greater capacity to deal with mixed abilities and children with special needs. Teachers have to adapt to different levels." His work as a school inspector used to include duties such as assessing whether schools needed an extension, providing an in-service for teachers, monitoring Leaving Cert oral exams and enforcing the enrolment of Traveller children, but now inspectors only have the reporting and probation responsibilities. "You're missing out on some incidental visits, now you only visit with a special job. You're not as readily free to visit. It's not as easy to call out, you don't have the freedom or the time. Work is more streamlined now," he mused. Noel has no regrets about leaving teaching, as he still had the chance to interact with pupils every day, but when it came to writing up reports while under pressure, he'd rather correct homework! But there's no more deadlines for Noel in his new life and he is relishing the chance for quality family time. His five children all attended Athlone Mixed NS and then the Bower or Athlone Community College. Jenny the eldest, is a dentist in Kilkenny, Heather graduated this year as a teacher and works in Killiney, Harry is an accountant in Dublin, Mervin is studying dentistry also in Dublin while the youngest Melanie is repeating the Leaving Cert. Although a qualified nurse, his wife Gillian also caught the education bug and is now a special needs assistant in St Peter's NS. Noel also hopes to spend more time pursuing his hobbies. He is a member of the Old Athlone Society, has a love of vintage tractors and machinery and enjoys local musicals and plays as well as helping out in the annual Feile Cheoil. "I'll spend time with the family here and I'll also now get to go back to Leitrim more," he added with a smile. Right now, he has to finish off his retirement party celebrations with some other recently-retired colleagues.