Annual Report 1999
Laois Education Centre: Director’s Report 1999
The past year has been a year of major development and change in the Centre. The continued commitment of teachers, the partnerships we entered into locally, nationally and internationally have contributed to the success of our work.
In the past year approximately 10,596 teachers have attended courses and seminars organised by Laois Education Centre, with a total contact hours of 53,438.
Local:
At local level we are grateful to the teachers who shared their knowledge, insight and skills. We are conscious of the commitment of our partners, Laois County Council, Midland Health Board, Laois Enterprise Board, Laois Leader Board, Laois Education Supplies, etc with whom we have worked and are continuing to work in joint projects, e.g. Authors visiting schools, Intergenerational Project, Web site design project, etc.
Regional:
At regional level we have co-operated with Centres in Athlone and Carrick on Shannon on the Midland Health Boards School Project and the Intergenerational Project. We further developed our co-operation with and expanded the number of Centres we work with on Special Needs Seminars.
National:
Our video on Experiential Learning (launched in February) was produced with the support of Teachers, Pupils, Transition Year Support Team, Laois Enterprise Board and the Department of Education, etc.
We wish to thank the Gender Equality Tutors who worked with us again this year in presenting the Gender Equality Seminars and also Ms. Hilda McHugh and Ms. Emer Egan, Department of Education and Science.
The Leaving Certificate English Revised Syllabus has involved a major commitment from the Centre, in this its second year. We are very happy to be involved in such an exciting initiative.
Building:
"I wish to pay tribute to the Management Committees’ work over the years. Your work has resulted in this outstanding resource – this fine building. This purpose built Centre is the first outside of Dublin and the second in Ireland."
Micheál Martin, T.D.,
Minister for Education and Science
Since the official opening of the Centre by Micheál Martin, Minister for Education and Science on 20th May, 1999 the Centre has hosted a large variety of groups. It has been open on many days from 9.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m., on many weekends and also on a small number of Sundays.
While most of the work on the building has been completed there are still a number of outstanding issues to be dealt with.
Thanks to all who have been involved, in particular, the Minister, Noel Montayne, Shay Cleary and Mark Elliot, Architects and their design team, Thomas Kelly and Company, the Midland Health Board and Laois County Council.
During 1999 some of our provisions included:
Nationally:
Northern Ireland:
We are currently working, in association with Laois County Council
and Colleagues in Education Centres, on a project with Northern Ireland.
Internationally:
Local:
National:
Special Needs:
Pupils / Community
New Developments at National level include:
New Developments at Local level include:
Further development of professional expertise locally
Staffing:
(a) Administrative
(b) Catering
(c) Caretaking, etc.
Taxation
Safety Statement
I wish to thank the members of our Management Committee, our sub committees, especially our officers, John Mulhare, Liam O’Neill and Norma Booth for the commitment and dedication in the past year.
I wish also to thank Aine, Yvonne and Rosemary for their commitment, their team work and their unfailing good humour.
I would like to welcome Mr. Jim Enright, our ICT Advisor, and Margaret Dunne who have both joined us in the past year.
Thanks are also due to Marion and David Weston for cleaning and caretaking in the Centre, and also to Sheila Maher and her team for the catering she has provided in the past year.
Tony Mahon Director
6-3 2000
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting 1998
Attendance:
Catherine Dwyer
Mary Mahon
Breda Fitzpatrick
Paddy Bates
Anne Curtin
Anne Donnelly
Dinah Kingsley
Mary Murphy
Norma Booth
John Mulhare
Joan White
Sr. Breda Wall
Liam O’Neill
John Courtney
Apologies from: Joe Hickey
The meeting was chaired by Chairperson, John Mulhare.
John thanked the Committee for their help and support in the past year.
He also expressed thanks to the Staff of the Centre.
John spoke of the very successful and exciting year and the progress being made on the near completed building and also on the wide range of courses being offered.
He wished the incoming committee a successful year.
Director’s Report:
The Director’s report detailed the courses, seminars and awards organised in the past year and outlined the plans for the future. The report outlined the expanded role of the Centres, the role of the Management Committee and its Legal Status, the balance between local and system needs.
Thanks were extended to the Committee and Staff of the Centre.
The report was adopted on the proposal of Catherine Dwyer and seconded
by Ann Young.
Treasurer’s and Auditor’s Report:
This report, presented by treasurer Norma Booth, outlined income and expenditure for the year, as audited by Bardon Molumby and Co. The treasurer presented the Report in detail, commenting on the increase in income due to the larger number of courses organised. The treasurer reported on the internal audit unit report. She thanked the members of the Committee for their help and advice during the year. The report was adopted on the proposal of Liam O’Neill and seconded by Dinah Kingsley.
Election of Committee:
Having been duly nominated the following members were elected to the Management Committee.
John Mulhare: Chairperson
Liam O’Neill
Norma Booth
Ann Young
Anne Donnelly
Dinah Kingsley
Mary Mahon
Joe Hickey
Ann Curtin
Breda Fitzpatrick
John Courtney
Joan White
Paddy Bates
Anne Curtin
Catherine Dwyer
Chairperson John Mulhare thanked the committee and said he looked forward to the work in the coming year.
This concluded the business of the meeting.
Management Committee 1999
John Mulhare Clough N.S., Clough, Portlaoise.
Chairperson
Liam O’Neill Trumera N.S., Trumera, Mountrath.
Norma Booth Scoil Chriost Rí, Portlaoise.
Ann Young Scoil Chriost Rí, Portlaoise.
Dinah Kingsley Maryborough N.S., Portlaoise.
Mary Mahon Scoil Chriost Rí, Portlaoise.
Joe Hickey Rath N.S., Ballybrittas.
Breda Fitzpatrick Barnashrone N.S., Mountmellick.
Joan White Scoil Mhuire, Portlaoise.
Paddy Bates Coolderry N.S., Brosna, Birr.
Catherine Dwyer Ballyroan G.N.S., Ballyroan
Ann Curtin, The Heath N.S., Portlaoise.
John Courtney Mountmellick Community School
Anne Donnelly Scoil Bhride, Mountrath.
Sub-Committees include:
Once again this year, in co-operation with the Department of Education and Science, Hilda McHugh and Emer Egan, Inspectorate, six seminars on ‘Current Research on Equality’ were organised by Laois Education Centre. The seminars were held in the following centres:
Saturday 24th April: Doughcloyne Hotel, Cork.
Saturday 15th May: Blackrock Education Centre
Saturday 29th May: Blackrock Education Centre
Saturday 29th May: Kilkenny Education Centre
Saturday 19th June: Clare Education Centre
Saturday 29th June: Sligo Education Centre
The following trainers facilitated this year’s seminars:
Noreen McSweeney
Patricia Boyle
Mary O’Shea
Mary Comer
Colm Cregan
Paul Murphy
Anne Marie Hogan
Mary Mullany
97 participants in total attended the seminars.
We wish to thank Hilda McHugh and Emer Egan, Senior Inspectorate with the Department of Education and Science.
We wish to thank also the Education Centres who co-operated with us in the planning and running of seminars.
Thanks are also due to the facilitators for their professionalism and co-operation, most of who have worked with us for the last number of years.
Contact hours: 291 hours
Summer Courses 1999
The following summer courses were organised by Laois Education Centre for 1999.
1. Teach Programme
2. Visual Arts in Primary Education
3. Managing Stress in the Classroom
4. Improving outcomes for Students with Literacy Problems
5. Our Environmental Heritage
6. I.T. Phase 1 Primary
We wish to thank anyone who helped in any way in organising or facilitating
courses.
The total number of contact hours for this years summer courses were
3,960.00, with a total participant number of 146.
Visual Arts in Primary Education
Aims:
1. Understanding / appreciating the value of the Visual Arts in the
Primary School Curriculum
2. Becoming familiar with a wide range of visual arts materials and
techniques, and exploring applications of it.
3. Compiling a comprehensive yearly programme in visual arts.
Dates: 5th – 9th July, 1999.
Venue: St. Francis School, Portlaoise.
Facilitator: Tempy Cummins
Attendance: A total of 20 people attended.
Female: 20 Male 0
Contact: 450 hours.
TEACCH PROGRAMME
Fundamental training in TEACCH principles
The TEACCH Programme was initiated by Mr. Paddy O’Dwyer, InCareer Development Unit, Department of Education and Science and was co-ordinated by Laois Education Centre.
Facilitator: Judy Pope, Clinical Director, Wilmington Teacch Centre,
Wilmington, North Carolina.
Therapists: Ellen Glenn Osborne Fields and Allison Butwinski, Teacch
Centre, Greensboro, North Carolina.
Content: 4 Day Fundamental Training Seminar in TEACCH principles using
Scenarios to provide hands-on practice in using the strategies.
1 Day exploring application of TEACCH in the content
of Irish Schools.
Venue: Church of Ireland College, Rathmines, Dublin.
Dates: 5th July – 9th July, 1999.
We received a total of 70 applications for places and were able to offer
40,
37 of which were filled.
Total Participants: 37 Male 3 Female 34
Contact Hours: 1,408 hours
We wish to thank Judy for all her help and co-operation in organising this programme, which was so successful and from which the evaluations were very positive.
We wish also to thank Mr. Paddy O’Dwyer, I.C.D.U. for this help with this project.
We would like to mention also Mr. Michael Connelly, Ms. Anne Keating , Mr. Kieron Sheedy and Mr. Finian O’Shea who made contributions to the programme.
A special word of thanks to Mr. Sydney Blane and Mr. Tim Keating, Church
of Ireland College of Education, Rathmines, who were so co-operative and
ensured the smooth running of the programme in the College.
…
Managing Stress in the Classroom
Content: What is Stress - Signs - symptoms ?
Managing Stress – Relaxation Techniques
Personal Development – Self- Esteem and the Child
Communication Skills - Gender Equality
Dates: 1st July – 7th July, 1999
Venue: Phoenix Arms, Tullamore.
Facilitator: Donna Good and Janet Carey
Attendance: A total of 17 people attended
Female 17 Male 0
Contact Hours: 400 hours
Improving Outcomes for Students with Literacy Problems
Content 1. Reading: The Reading Process, Conventions of
Print,
Phonological and Visual Processing, Assessment and Teaching Strategies.
2. The Writing and Spelling Process, Text Types, Developing Writing,
Assessment and Teaching Strategies, Classroom Organisation and Role of
Support Teacher
Dates: 1st July – 7th July, 1999.
Facilitator: Anita Prunty
Venue: Laois Education Centre
Attendance: A total of 24 people attended
Female 22 Male 2
Contact Hours: 600 hours
Our Environmental Heritage
Content: A continuation of previous years, it included field trips and visit to sites of historical and geographical and environmental interest.
Venue: Visited the following areas:
Roscrea Castle, Damer House, Monaincha, Mount St. Joseph’s, Roscrea,
Portlaoise.
Dates: 1st July – 7th July, 1999.
Facilitators: John Mulhare, Catherine Dwyer, Mick Dowling, Mary Lalor, Paul Redmond
Attendance: A total of 48 people participated.
Contact Hours: 840.00
Female 34 Male 14
I.T. Phase 1
Course content:
Facilitator: Liam O’Neill
Dates: 1st July – 7th July, 1999.
Attendance: A total of 15 people attended.
Contact Hours: 262 hours
Moving on
A Conference on Travellers and Post Primary Education
‘Moving on’ was initiated by the National Education Officer for Travellers and the Visiting Teacher Service with the assistance of the InCareer Development Unit of the Department of Education and Science and Laois Education Centre.
Dates: Thursday 14th and Friday 15th October, 1999.
Venue: Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise.
Co-Ordinators: Maugie Francis, National Education Officer for Travellers and Eimear Berry.
Facilitators / Speakers:
We wish to thank all of the above for their presentations and for
their co-operation in ensuring the smooth running of the seminar.
A special word of thanks to Maugie Francis and Eimear Berry for their
endless dedication and hard work in ensuring the successful outcome of
the project.
Attendance: A total of 120 people participated.
Contact Hours: 1,440 hours
Primary School Curriculum
The New Primary School Curriculum was launched in September, 1999 and the introductory two day seminars commenced in October.
Topics include:
An overview of the curriculum
Children’s learning styles and the role of the teacher
Teaching principles and methodologies
Planning for school implementation of the curriculum
A total of 475 teachers had attended InService training by end of December.
Female: 386 Male: 89
Total Contact hours: 2375
The Tutors who have worked with us are:
Paudie O’Neill
Joan Boland
Lucy O’Meara
Dorethy Morrissey.
We wish to thank Ms. Aine Lawlor, National Co-ordinator and Mr. Pádraig Ó Duibhir for their help and co-operation in ensuring the smooth co-ordination of the programme, and look forward to working with them in 2000.
Information Technology
We are very pleased to welcome Mr. Jim Enright, ICT Advisor. Jim has taken over responsibility for ICT needs in this area.
Some of the projects Jim has undertaken since he commenced here in September
are:
Jim has visited with all teachers who have attended their Primary
InService Training days, explaining his role and the services, which will
be provided.
Jim’s priority is to get all schools up and running on both e.mail
and Internet.
Tutor Training:
We ran a comprehensive tutor training and professional development programme beginning in December, offering tutor training in First Line Maintenance, Hyperstudio, Creating a School Website. A tutor support group has been established and it is envisaged that we will meet once a month for the rest of the school year.
We wish to thank all tutors who participated, co-operated or helped in any way in running of ICT Courses and look forward to working with them in 2000.
We ran a tutor training programme jointly with Kildare Education Centre. Kildare undertook Primary Training and we hosted the Post Primary training for new Post Primary Phase 1 and 2 trainers.
In total 9 extra post primary tutors have been trained, 3 extra primary tutors, 15 Hyperstudio, 15 trainers in ‘Creating a Website’ and 19 trainers in Hyperstudio.
I.C.T. Courses Spring 1999.
5 Phase 1 Primary
1 Website Design Contact Hours:
1,630 hours
1 Hyperstudio Attendance: 95
Revised English Syllabus for the Leaving Certificate Examination
The introduction of the New Leaving Certificate English Syllabus continued throughout the year, with 200 full-day cluster meetings taking place between January and March. 3,386 teachers attended in all. 219 half day cluster meetings took place between the middle of March and the end of May, attended by 3,637 teachers. School visits commenced in September, with 519 schools having received a visit by the end of December.
Satisfaction level with the inservice has been high, with 77% of teachers finding the school visits very helpful. School principals have also been very positive about the school visits, with 91% finding them worthwhile.
Teachers of English have warmly welcomed the amendments to the syllabus which have resulted from consultation with them.
The inservice programme has been extended for a third year to give continuing support to teachers in their preparation for the Leaving Certificate exam in 2001.
An invitation has been received from Scoilnet for the trainers to put up resource materials for teachers of LC English.
Margaret Dunne has joined with Yvonne and Rosemary to assist in the administration of this programme.
Attendance: 9,313
Male: 3,049 Female: 6,264
Contact Hours: January – December 1999: 38,067
Bealtaine Festival
Authors in Schools
Once again this year we have co-operated with Laois Education Supplies in making arrangements for 20 Authors to visits schools for half days.
A total of 29 schools were catered for, with classes ranging from 1st to 6th classes, and also 1st to 6th years.
We wish to thank John McNamee for his co-operation with this project.
Substance Misuse Prevention Education Programme
Walk Tall
This programme was developed by the Department of Education and Science, and is co-ordinated by Dublin West Education Centre, in co-operation with other Centres throughout the country.
The main themes of the programme are: self – esteem, feelings, influences, decision making and drug awareness.
We have had two information evenings, one here in the Centre and the other in Birr. Approximately 70 schools have applied to attend day seminars, which will be offered to whole school staff in 2000.
Midland Health Board Schools’ Project
Course Title: (1) An Introduction to Social, Personal and
Health Education for Primary Schools
Content:
Tutor: Ms. Christine Connolly
Venue: Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise.
Dates: Feb 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th and March 4th.
Times: 7.00p.m. – 9.30p.m.
A total of 13 teachers participated.
Female 13 Male 0
Contact Hours: 162.5 hours
Developing Prosocial Behaviour in Children and Adolescents
For Primary and Post Primary Teachers
Facilitator: Anita Prunty
Content::
ü Why teach Prosocial Behaviour / Social Skills?
ü An Integrative approach to teaching Social Skills
ü Classroom games and activities for teaching Social Skills
ü Teaching Social Skills through co-operative group work
ü Bullying in schools and what to do about it
ü Teaching Social Skills to students with Aspergers Syndrome
Dates: Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th March
Times: 4.45p.m. – 9.00p.m.
Venue: Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise.
A total of 32 participants attended
Female: 31 Male 1
Contact Hours: 256 hours
Transition Year
Experiential Learning in the Classroom
The video on experiential learning in the classroom was launched on 26th February in County Hall, Portlaoise.
In attendance were:
The video ‘Experiential Learning in the Classroom’: Students managing
learning in Transition Year, shows examples of alternative teaching and
learning strategies in Irish Schools.
The Schools involved in the video are: Ardscoil Rís, Limerick, Coláiste Iognáid, Galway, Brigidine Convent, Mountrath, St. John The Baptist Community School, Hospital, Limerick, Portumna community School, Galway, and Meánscoil na mBráithre Criostaí, Aonach, Tipperary.
Introductions by: Dermot Quish, Transition Year Support Team and Maria Callinan, C.E.O. Laois County Enterprise Board.
Design, Scripting and Editing: Bridie Corkery, Dermot Quish, Bill Reidy and Geraldine Simmie.
Produced by: Fogarty TV and Video Productions, Nenagh.
The Transition Year Support Team, co-funded by the InCareer Development Unit, Department of Education and Science, The European Social Fund and Laois County Enterprise Board in co-operation with Laois Education Centre and Blackrock Education Centre.
We wish to thank everyone who contributed in any way to making this initiative a success.
The video can be purchased at Laois Education Centre.
Leaving Certificate French
Laois Education Centre in association with Kildare Education Centre hosted a seminar on the Épreuve Orale’ and the ‘Tests de Production Écrite’ in Laois Education Centre on Saturday 4th December ’99
Facilitators: Ms. Joan Manning
Ms. Joan Dobbyn
Attendance: A total of 34 teachers attended the seminar
Female: 32 Male 2
Contact Hours: 85 hours
Review of 1999 Junior and Leaving Certificate Exams
Venue: Laois Education Centre
Date: Wednesday 3rd November, 1999.
Facilitator: Ms. Joan Williams, French Inspector.
Attendance: A total of 60 teachers attended.
Female: 51 Male: 9
Contact Hours: 120 hours
We wish to thank Mary Mahon and Rosemary Day for their help and co-operation in
Leaving Certificate Business Studies
Tutors: Seamus Robinson and Matthew Hynes
Venue: Bridge House, Tullamore
Date: 18th March, 1999
Attendance: 21 in total attended
Contact Hours: 42 hours
The Training Needs of Resource Teachers in Second Level Education
Church of Ireland College
In Association with
Laois Education Centre
The study examined the models of resource training in use in second level schools with a view to producing a frame work of proposals for the training of resource teachers. A management committee was established to oversee the study.
Methodology
Four main sources of information were used for the report, which will be finalised shortly. The report will include proposals on: Training needs of Resource Teachers, proposals re: delivery of training and models of good practice.
The four main sources of information are:
1. Official records from the Department of Education and Science were accessed. A list of second level schools with resource posts for 1998-99 was compiled. Where the post was assigned to a particular teacher, the name of the teacher was included.
2. A questionnaire relating to special needs at second level and the role of the resource teacher was circulated to all schools holding resource posts. 66% of these schools returned the questionnaire.
3. A series of regional cluster meetings were held around the country.
4. Thirty seven of those schools (30%) holding resource posts were visited. A structured interview was held with the Principal in each school and the resource teacher was included in the case of thirty schools.
In addition, contact was made with other relevant agencies.
A.T.T.P.
In association with
Laois Education Centre
Conference: Travelling Through the Curriculum
Dates: Friday 19th and Saturday 20th November, 99
Venue: Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise
Theme: Revised Primary School Curriculum as it relates to Traveller
Education.
Workshops include:
The role of music in early childhood education
Practical approaches to mathematics education
The role of folklore in education
The role of resource teachers for travellers
Ideas in education from the ARK
Literacy education to suit all children
Substance Abuse Prevention Programme
Introductory Course in Social, Personal and Health Education
For Post Primary Teachers
Trainer: Sean Wynne
Venue: Laois Education Centre
Dates/Times: This course which will run over 14 sessions commenced in October last and will be completed in January 2000.
Attendance: 15 Post Primary Teachers are participating and we expect the contact hours to be approximately 1020.
We wish to thank Marino Institute of Education for their co-operation and Sean Wynne, whom we have worked with on this project and other projects in the Centre.
Leaving Certificate Accounting
Date: 24th March, 1999
Venue: Bridge House, Tullamore
Tutor: Mr. Willie Stawkard
Attendance: A total of 15 teachers participated
Contact Hours: 30 hours
Transition Year Support Team
Laois Education Centre continues to support the Transition Year Support
Team and are pleased to have been involved with the Experiential Learning
in the Classroom Video, which was launched in February,99, and which is
available here in the Centre.
Circus and Fairground
This Centre continues to support the Gold Card Pilot Project.
The Gold Card project for circus and fairground children provides continuity
of record keeping between base school, parents and support teachers while
child/children are on tour. We wish to thank the teachers who
are continuing to support this project.
Visiting Teacher for Travellers.
We are continuing to support the visiting teacher for Travellers, Ms. Jean Farrell in her role of supporting teachers with travelling children in their classroom.
Social
Golf Outing:
Once again Mountrath Golf Club hosted our annual golf outing.
We would like to thank Carmel and John Duffy, Mountrath Golf Club, John
McNamee, Laois Education Supplies, Derek McDermott, Educational Company
and also our Social Committee under the effective leadership of John Mulhare.