Author: Eadaoin

In this interview, well known psychologist David Coleman talks to us about how the education system meets the psychological needs of children and teenagers and the various impacts entering the post primary school system has on teenagers.

David was at #FEILTE as part of the closing panel discussion which turned into an amazing discussion about schools and teaching and mental health and wellness

Interview by by Seán and Éadaoin de Búrca

And here’s David with the  YMT:

This interview with Caroline Sherlock from Walk In My Shoes was focused on the sensitive subject of mental health. ‘Walk in My Shoes’ is St. Patrick’s Mental Health Foundation’s leading awareness and fund-raising campaign. It aims to provide vulnerable young adults in Ireland with mental health services, and also to challenge the stigma associated with mental health. It provides downloadable mental health packs, a cyberbullying guide, as well as promoting the message to teachers and students ‘to seek help early’ with regards to mental health problems.

Interview by Seán and Éadaoin de Búrca

John McGabhann from the Teachers Union of Ireland was invited here today to #Feilte as a guest. Once upon a time, he was a teacher of English and Gaeilge, in Tallaght Community School. Today he took a great interest in Fintan O’Toole’s speech, particularly in how he talked about efficiency in education. John raised interesting points about how he thinks conferences like this should be held at a local level around the country, and involve parents in them so they can see how their children are progressing with knowledge, drama, art, etc. He believes parents and communities should be able to see the importance of the school in the community, and just how valuable it is. He thinks that technological advances in education are important but can never substitute for direct human interaction, and should instead supplement the needs of children.

Interview by Seán and Eadaoin de Búrca

Dissolving Boundaries uses Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to facilitate cross-cultural educational links between schools in the North and South of the boarder. It is jointly funded by the two Departments of Education.Once teachers have chosen the topic to work on, for e.g mapwork projects for geography,they present the idea to the pupils explaining that they collaborate with partner school who will do some of the work and that it will be project based using online interaction and video-conferencing.

Interview by Seán and Éadaoin de Búrca

Rozz Lewis loves writing and reading (and talking!). She has written articles for the Irish Times, Sunday Times, INTOuch magazine, writing.ie and co-edits and writes for Anseo.net. She left being a principal to become a teacher, as she wanted to be more involved with teaching and learning. She teaches English as a foreign language in Portlaoise, in the new Educate Together school, something which she finds very rewarding. She loves English, as well as SPHE and art.

Interview by Seán and Éadaoin de Burca.

Interview with Tomás O’Ruairc from the Teaching Council, here today to congratulate teachers. He gives his views on the role of technology in education and how teachers can use technological ideas without copying them exactly.

Interview by Seán and Éadaoin de Búrca

Fred Boss is an education officer with NCCA (National Council  for Curriculum and Assessment). This is a space that was built to house the weekly online chats (every Monday night 8.30 – 9.30pm) of Irish educators ( primary and post primary teachers and third level (college and university) lecturers) as they discuss all things education.  Despite there being a heat wave when he had his Leaving Certificate Art History examination, he went on to student Art at the National College of art and design, and progressed to becoming an art teacher.

Interview by Seán and Éadaoin de Búrca