Teacher Professional Development Partnership with Schools Project: Recognition of Achievement

A special celebratory seminar to mark the end of a two-year partnership project in teacher education between St. Patrick’s and ten primary schools was held in St. Patrick’s College on Wednesday, 30th May 2007.  In his address, Dr. Pauric Travers emphasised the importance of partnership in teacher education and the learnings which ensue when there is dialogue and reciprocal engagement by participants in the process.  He referred to the challenges facing beginning teachers and the opportunities which exist for new ways of thinking about teacher education based on partnership with various stakeholders, and in particular with schools.  Dr. Travers paid a special tribute to the ten schools and to the nineteen students in the project, and to the project team.  Led by Bernadette Ní Áingléis, the seminar provided an opportunity for the various project-participant voices to be heard.  Ray Ó Díomsaigh, Príomhoide Ghaelscoil Bhaile Munna, presented the perspective of the principal teachers, Maeve McCarthy, Class Teacher, Swords Educate Together NS presented the perspective of the class teachers, and Mary Ruane, BEd3, presented the students’ viewpoint.  The Teaching Council was represented at the seminar by Carmel Kearns, Communications/Education Officer.  Risteard Ó Broin, Divisional Inspector, DES, and Diarmuid Twomey also presented perspectives on partnership with schools. Bernadette Ní Áingléis referred to the four pillars of learning in Jacques Delors’s UNESCO report, ‘Learning:The Treasure Within’ – learning to do, learning to know, learning to be, learning to live together (through collaborative endeavour) – as both prerequisites and outcomes of the two-year partnership project.  The Delorian framework was deemed to have particular relevance for the next steps in partnership initiatives in teacher education.  The evening closed with a musical treat provided by college students, Gavan Ring, Cian Kearns, Brian Gilligan, and accompanied by Marion Doherty.  The teacher professional partnership project team comprise Seán Mac Conmara, Maireád Dunne, Dr. Catherine Maunsell, Denis Twomey, Paula Murphy and Bernadette Ní Áingléis (project coordinator). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Updated: Thursday June 07 2007