!!!! CPD Opportunities for teachers across the ESCI network
Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI)
Dates: various
We have gathered together a selection of CPD courses for teachers offered through the Education Support Centres Ireland network. Highlights of courses available are as follows:
Collaborative Play with LEGO for Children with ASD & ADHD
Location & Dates:
Sligo EC, 2nd Sep, 7-8pm
Wexford ESC, 1 Oct, 7-8pm
Drumcondra EC, 2nd Oct, 7-8pm
Laois ESC, 7th Oct, 7-8pm
Collaborative Play, using Lego, is an effective form of therapy for children with a wide range of emotional and behavioural difficulties including depression, anxiety, aggression and social issues. The purpose of this course is to pique your interest in the process of setting up a Collaborative Play group in your classroom and/or a room in the school.
Establishing a School Library : Practical Tips to get Started
Location & Date: Wexford Education Centre, 5th September, 2024, 7-8pm
Raise literacy standards and promote reading for pleasure among the whole school community! This course will provide practical tips such as setting up a student leadership team, using a catalogue system, shelving, ordering and labelling. How to create a welcoming, diverse and safe space for students while giving them leadership roles and enhance their collaborative and organisational skills.
Local Voices
Location & Dates:
Dublin West EC, Laois ESC, Kildare ESC and Drumcondra EC, 9th September, 2024, 7-8pm
Local Voices is a bright new initiative in the teaching of history and geography with an emphasis on children’s voice/agency and citizenship-education. Through a process of interviewing interesting people from the locality, recording/transcribing the interviews, selecting excerpts from the interviews and taking photographs the children and teachers collect a rich and colourful snapshot-in-time of the recent-history and current-geography of their locality.
For futher information on these courses and to book, contact the relevant Education Support Centre or visit: https://www.esci.ie/cpd-courses.html
!!!! The Giggler Treatment
The Ark: Autumn Drama CPD for Teachers
Date: 19 Oct 2024
Let’s plan to have fun! This workshop will explore play, humour and movement in a drama lesson using content from ‘The Giggler Treatment’ by Roddy Doyle. It will provide a step by step approach to teaching an extended drama lesson. The session will also explore drama’s potential to be integrated with other areas of the curriculum and how planning for integration can reduce your workload.
Suitable for all levels of experience.
This CPD will support you if you wish to bring your class to see The Giggler Treatment, but will also stand alone and provide you with lots of ideas to bring drama into the classroom.
Tickets: €20/€18 (For ArkEd Members)*
Dates & Times: 19 Oct @ 10.30am-12.30pm
Priority Booking for ArkEd members opens 19 August. General booking opens on 26 August.
Duration: 2 hours
Facilitated by Dave Flynn
*ArkEd is free membership scheme for teachers, principals and parents homeschooling their children which enables you to enjoy a range of benefits throughout the year. Click here for more information and booking link: https://ark.ie/events/view/teachers-summer-course-visual-arts-2024-2.
!!!! Baboró Go See Fund
Baboró Internation Arts Festival for Children
Date: ongoing
Baboró offers a small Go See Fund to support artists and creatives to travel within Ireland to see work for children. The fund is designed for those who make or wish to make work for children and are looking for inspiration, new approaches to presentation, etc. To ensure this small fund can benefit as many individuals as possible, it will support the cost of event tickets and travel within the island of Ireland only, up to a maximum of €100 per application.
If you wish to apply for this funding, you need to please outline in 1-2 pages:
- Information about your practice
- Details of the work you wish to see (inc. title, artist/company, age range of audience, and the venue/festival at which it will be presented)
- Why you wish to see this particular piece of work
- How you think seeing it will benefit your practice
- A brief budget outlining the costs that the fund would cover
You can send completed applications to the Artist & Programme Coordinator at rachel@baboro.ie with the subject line ‘Go See Fund Application’. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis throughout the year. For further details, please visit: https://www.baboro.ie/artists/grow/go-see-fund.
!!!! A Visual Arts Approach in the Classroom @ The Ark
Teacher Training at The Ark
Dates: 12 – 16 August
Cultural Hub for kids, The Ark, is running this five day course over the summer from 12 – 16 August. Artist Jole Bortoli will deliver this hugely popular hands-on, creative course for teachers focusing on a visual arts approach to exploring narrative, literacy & other subjects.
This is a five-day Department of Education EPV-approved summer course for teachers. It runs from 10 am – 3 pm each day with breaks and is suitable for all levels of experience.
The aim of the course is to enable participants to start the new school year with an enhanced toolbox of skills and knowledge, in order to effectively deliver the visual arts curriculum in the classroom. Participants will be engaged ‘hands-on’ throughout this course so learning will be through doing. Working in teams and individually, participants will cover a range of curriculum strands including drawing, painting, print, 3D construction, fabric, and fibre.
A strong emphasis will be on building skills and creative confidence. The group will also explore how visual art can be used to link with other subjects, as well as to promote visual literacy. Time will also be given for individual reflection, school self-evaluation and group discussion.
This course will appeal to teachers of all levels of experience and will be facilitated by the visual arts and education specialist and founder of Art to Heart, Jole Bortoli. This is a continuing professional development opportunity
FEE: €100 NON-MEMBERS/€90 MEMBERS .
For information and booking see here
!!!! Performing Arts Forum Gathering 2024: a visit
Performing Arts Forum
Members of the Portal team recently ventured out to meet with colleagues, artists, theatre-makers and arts professionals who had convened in Sligo for Performing Arts Forum’s Annual Gathering. This was the first event to occur under the new name having recently re-branded from Theatre Forum. Their fully booked annual conference touched down in Sligo on Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th May with several hundred in attendance.
This Portal is managed by Kids’ Own Publishing based in Sligo so it was only a stroll across town to join proceedings.
Over the two days, the gathering explored many themes under the concept Where Connection Creates Change including freedom of expression, career viability and sustainability, advocacy, audience research and lots more. For the Portal it was an opportunity to hear from associate groups Theatre For Young Audiences (TYAI) and the Young Curators / Lasta Festival.
We connected with many individual artists, theatre makers, venue managers who make and present work, run outreach programmes, participate in TAP+/BLAST/Creative Clusters with young people.
There was a fantastic buzz with lots of opportunities for discussion, entertainment and discovery. More information on https://performingartsforum.ie/
!!!! Arts for transformative education: A guide for teachers from the UNESCO Associated Schools Network
UNESCO
This guide invites teachers to harness the transformative power of the arts through the research-informed Arts for Transformative Education model. This thinking tool for teachers was developed by analysing data from more than 600 teachers across 39 countries in the UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet).
The guide presents and explains the Arts for Transformative Education model – a thinking tool for understanding, planning and supporting transformative arts learning experiences. It also describes a curated collection of arts learning activities and projects from across the globe that may serve as inspiration for arts learning experiences suited to your own context.
This publication provides:
- 12 ‘learning experience descriptions’ illustrating how the Arts for Transformative Education model works in real-world learning.
- 12 ‘learning experience snapshots’ providing shorter additional examples.
- ‘Guidelines for teachers’ outlining a step-by-step process for activating arts learning to empower transformative education.
For more information and to download the guide please visit https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/arts-transformative-education-guide-teachers-unesco-associated-schools-network
!!!! I-TAP-PD: Research Reports
International Teacher-Artist Partnership (I-TAP-PD) PD
Research reports from the International Teacher-Artist Partnership (I-TAP-PD) PD project were published in June 2023. The project focus was on enabling teachers and artists to jointly develop their understanding, expertise and creativity in ‘arts in education’ work with children and young people in education, community and arts settings. It is funded under the Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnership for School Education initiative.
Consisting of a 5-day pre-service training course to prepare participants for their partnered engagement and a 20 hour in-situ residency in a primary school, the programme was piloted in four countries: Ireland, Serbia, Greece and the Netherlands.
I-TAP-PD focuses specifically on the partnership between a teacher and an artist, aiming to facilitate a strong foundation of relationship and inspiration before working together in the classroom. In co-creating this methodology a research group was organised to collect data about the impact of the programme and the residencies, and to monitor the development and finetuning of the training programme. The research team consists of representatives of each country.
Four residencies took place in Ireland during 2022, data from these, confirmed findings published internationally on TAP initiatives. In this case, sufficient allocation of time for residencies, whole school buy-in and political will and support were confirmed as the main enablers of TAP practices, whereas two residencies were hindered by a lack of support by school management. Key findings for the Irish research indicated that learning fell broadly into three categories: personal development, professional development and effective collaboration. The greatest areas of learning for teachers were in the collaborative sphere while artists reported significant personal development.
The research from each partner country is available to read on the I-TAP-PD website, including a short introduction and download link to each research reports from Ireland along with Greece, Serbia and the Netherlands. Read them all and explore how the programme and residencies were experienced and analysed within the different contexts.
!!!! Join Creative Futures Webinar on Creative Uses for Immersive Technology
Creative Futures Academy
Date: Wednesday, 10th May 2023
Creative Futures Academy at IADT invites you to join their upcoming webinar on creative uses for immersive technology.
Are you looking to explore how immersive technologies can be used to enhance learning and creativity? Join their upcoming webinar, Immersive Technologies Use Cases for Learning and Creativity.
Learn about the potential of these technologies and how they can be applied in education and creative activities. Their panel of experts will be showcasing their work in utilising immersive technologies. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to gain insight into the latest trends and innovations in immersive tech! Register now for their webinar.
Book your place now via Eventbrite or by emailing iadt@creativefutures.ie
Find out more about the speakers here: https://creativefuturesacademy.ie/events/webinar-immersive-technologies-use-cases-for-learning-and-creativity/
!!!! Mayo Education Centre: Creative Arts Session for Teachers
Mayo Education Centre
Date: 30th May 2023
Mayo Education Centre invites teachers to a free arts session that will inspire them to experiment and be creative with a variety of materials to create both two and three dimensional artworks. Led by artist Jennifer Hickey “Making the Season Creative with Art” is a practical face to face session, which will encourage participants to explore art making processes using a variety of materials and will deliver an imaginative learning experience that teachers can bring back to the classroom.
Participants will work with a variety of materials including; clay, inks, paint, card and materials from nature.
It is aimed at teachers of all levels of experience and is suitable for teachers in junior and senior classes.
Learning outcomes
• Learn new and easy ways to incorporate natural materials into the classroom.
• Gain knowledge on contemporary artists who explore their environment and use natural materials in their work.
• Explore hands on craft processes that will promote wellbeing and encourage the classroom to respond, explore and interpret the season in a visual and creative way.
Date: 30th May, 7pm – 9pm
Fee: Free
To Book: https://mayoeducationcentre.ie/
!!!! Creative Writing Workshops for Teachers with Arts in Junior Cycle
Arts In Junior Cycle
Date: Wed 3 May 2023
Time: 5:00pm – 6:30pm
Venue: Zoom
Arts in Junior Cycle are hosting a creative writing workshop for Teachers. Knights of the Borrowed Dark: Approaches to Story writing with award-winning author Dave Rudden.
Using his novel Knights of the Borrowed Dark – an indicative text for 1st year junior cycle English – Dave will share how he turns inspiration into a fully developed narrative. You will see the writing process from the inside and learn creative writing techniques you may wish to use in the classroom.
During this workshop participants will:
- use the Knights of the Borrowed Dark as a starting point, learn how to, craft ideas into stories and develop sustainable writing practices
- explore how to create and describe the characters and structure of a story
- develop a plan to write a ‘draft zero’ of your own novel or short story
- collaborate, share ideas, and reflect in a safe, supportive workshop space
- experience practical and creative methodologies that can be used / put to use in professional classroom practice.
Spaces are limited. A waiting list will apply. Register on www.artsinjuniorcycle.ie
!!!! Podcasts from Baboró’s 2022 Festival
Baboró International Arts Festival for Children
Baboró recorded three talks during the 2022 festival discussing early years arts education, sectoral sustainability and artist development, which they have now made available for streaming.
The Baboró podcast is available to listen on Spotify or Apple.
Opening Doors
In this discussion, a roundtable of makers, educators and thinkers explored models of practice to aid artists in the creation of work for very young audiences in early years education and crèche settings.
The panel featured Gaëtane Reginster (Théâtre de la Guimbarde, Belgium), Marc Mac Lochlainn (Branar, Ireland) and Dr. Rita Melia (Atlantic Technological University, Ireland). Chaired by Marianne Kennedy (University of Galway, Ireland).
Towards Sustainability
In partnership with Branar’s Meitheal Initiative, this panel discussion explored models of practice which support the sustainable development of career paths for independent artists making work for young audiences.
The panel featured Tony Reekie (Catherine Wheels, Scotland), Kate Cross (The Egg, England), Dan Colley and Matt Smyth (Creators of ‘The Man with Enormous Wings’ and formerly Collapsing Horse, Ireland), Emer McGowan (Draíocht, Ireland). Chaired by Linda Geraghty (Branar/Meitheal, Ireland).
Meitheal is a pilot creative support initiative committed to the development and presentation of performing arts for young audiences across Ireland. Devised by Branar, funded by the Arts Council.
Reflecting on LEAP
The participants and stakeholders of Baboró’s LEAP artist support programme discussed the pilot project’s development and execution.
The panel featured Rachel Baltz (Baboró, Ireland), Alexandra Craciun (LEAP Participant, Romania and Ireland), Fernanda Ferrari (LEAP Participant, Brazil and Ireland), Justyna Cwojdzińska (LEAP Participant, Poland and Ireland), Ionia Ní Chróinín (Moonfish, Ireland) Jo Cummins (Moonfish, Ireland) and Maeve Stone (Cracking Light Productions, Ireland). Chaired by Dr. Charlotte McIvor (Drama and Theatre Studies, University of Galway, Ireland).
Read more about Baboró’s Podcast Programme here: https://www.baboro.ie/news-events/podcasts-from-babor%C3%B3s-2022-delegate-programme.
!!!! CPD for Teachers: Fighting Words’ Creativity and Creative Writing in Education
Fighting Words
Fighting Words in partnership with DCU Institute of Education, has launched Creativity and Creative Writing in Education, an online course to equip educators with the methodologies, evidence and resources to build your understanding of the importance and benefits of creativity for learners, and to strengthen your confidence and interest in creative engagement and creative writing.
Presented in six 40-minute sessions, the course focuses on the Fighting Words creative writing model as an approach, looking at the associated development of communication skills, critical thinking, self-efficacy and resilience in the young people.
The online course is hosted on The Loop, DCU’s online teaching environment, full details on how to access and enrol for this free course can be found here:
https://www.fightingwords.ie/news/creativity-and-creative-writing-education-exciting-new-online-module-fighting-words-dcu.
Enrolment is open on an ongoing basis; participants can complete the course in their own time and a certificate of completion is provided from Fighting Words.
Collaboration between Fighting Words and the DCU Institute of Education started in the early days of Fighting Words and has only grown and expanded over the years. In 2018, the relationship evolved to a formal partnership between Fighting Words and Institute of Education, funded by the Department of Education. The purpose of the collaboration is to progress creative writing and creative engagement in education through teacher education and research.
!!!! CPD For Teachers: IMMA’s Intertwined Workshop Series
Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA)
Dates: 24 September, 1 October, 12 & 19 November 2022, 21 & 28 January 2023
Enjoy a Saturday morning on IMMA’s historic site, the Royal Hospital Kilmainham; experience exhibitions and creative processes in the museum studios.
The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) are delighted to welcome Primary School teachers to a new series of in-person CPD workshops exploring links to the visual art curriculum. Led by IMMA’s Assistant Curator, Mark Maguire and teacher, Eibhlin Campbell in this series of art workshops participants will explore links to the visual art curriculum, including “slow looking” practices in the galleries, displaying artwork (curation) and developing language talking about art.
Two practical workshops will be led by artists and educator Fiona Harrington in the IMMA studios in November, exploring fabric and fibre materials and processes. Fiona is interested in combining traditional processes with imagination and encouraging both children and adults to reconnect with creativity by exploring new materials, ideas, and techniques.
The purpose of these workshops is to restart in-person workshops in IMMA’s galleries and studios, emphasizing first-hand experience of artworks as well as studio-based, artist-led engagement with creative processes and art materials, and partnership between teachers and artists.
Duration: One/two day(s) per month, September to January.
Dates: 24 September, 1 October, 12 and 19 November 2022, 21 and 28 January 2023
Times: 10:00am – 12:30pm
No. of participants: 15
This workshop series is Free but booking essential. For more information or to book, email mark.maguire@imma.ie
!!!! Arts In Health & Education Postgraduate Courses
MTU Crawford College of Art & Design
Arts In Health & Education, MTU Crawford College of Art & Design are presently recruiting for their September course intake across the department. Choose from a number of innovative post-graduate, level 9 courses centred around the power of the Arts in supporting wellbeing, personal development and changemaking.
All courses take place at the CCAD Grand Parade campus in Cork City.
For more information on each course, see crawford.cit.ie/areas-of-study/
Arts & Engagement is a new two-year, part-time, 90 credit MA programme combining a number of CCAD’s Special Purpose Awards. Through research, reflection, group and practical work, participants will explore different ways of learning, investigating the transformational power of the arts in personal and societal activation or regulation through a broad scope of contemporary methodologies.
Through elective modules in year one, opportunities will be provided to broaden skill sets through Socially Engaged Theatre, Eco-Arts Practice or Art Therapy. In the second year, opportunity will be given for students to develop their ongoing arts practice informed by, and in relation to, one of two strands of engagement – Health & Wellbeing or Global Citizenship Education.
More info and apply: www.cit.ie/course/CRARAEN9
Closing date: 31st August
Contact: Avril.OBrien@mtu.ie
Creativity & Change is a part-time, 20 credit certificate at level 9 about creativity and its power to ignite empathy, passion and learning about our interconnected and interdependent world. Supported by Irish Aid, Department of Justice, it is about imagining more humane, just and viable ways to live in the world and to connect with how we think, live, and act in the world. This course explores how we can utilise the arts to live as connected global citizens, becoming part of the changes we want to see. It will be of interest to artists, activists, youth & community educators, volunteers and all those who are interested in collaboration and the transformative power of art.
This programme is offered as an elective within the MA Arts and Engagement. Participants on the course who are not already taking it as an elective within the MA can apply and progress to the MA Arts & Engagement, with 20 credits of the programme already completed.
More info and apply: www.cit.ie/course/CRACRCH9
Closing date: 31st August
Contact: Helen.OKeeffe@mtu.ie
Amplifying Voices Scholarships: We have a number of funded places available for those who have faced barriers to education in Ireland. See more information on the course application page.
Arts & Wellbeing is a new part-time. 20 credit Certificate at level 9. The course will be delivered through lectures and experiential workshops and provide participants with theory and approaches to arts and wellbeing that could be applied in a range of different contexts, making it attractive to teachers, therapists, arts in health practitioners, youth and community workers or artists looking to broaden the scope of their practice.
This programme is offered as an elective within the MA Arts and Engagement. Participants on the course who are not already taking it as an elective within the MA can apply and progress to the MA Arts & Engagement, with 20 credits of the programme already completed.
More info and apply: TBC – see www.cit.ie/courses/eveningweekendcourseslist/
Closing date: 15th September
Contact: Avril.OBrien@mtu.ie
Eco Arts Practice is a 10 credit, level 9 certificate. Through experiential learning, this course provides an opportunity to explore Eco Arts Practice theory and application within a group setting. The aim of the course is to provide participants with approaches to Eco Art Practice that could be applied in a range of different contexts, making it attractive to teachers, therapists, youth and community workers or artists looking to broaden the scope of their practice. Participants will explore nature and the environment within an art context, from ethical use of materials, to eco literacy through to the natural environment as a classroom, a therapeutic space and a material that can be worked with.
This programme is offered as an elective within the MA Arts and Engagement. Participants on the course who are not already taking it as an elective within the MA can apply and progress to the MA Arts & Engagement, with 10 credits of the programme already completed.
More info and apply: www.cit.ie/course/CRAEAPR9
Closing date: 15th September
Contact: ccad.enquiries@mtu.ie until August 21st, then Jessica.Carson@mtu.ie
!!!! Summer CPD for Teachers: Creative Music & Drama in the Classroom with The Ark
The Ark
Dates: 4 – 8 July 2022
The Ark are excited to present this really popular engaging arts summer course focusing on the two curriculum areas of Drama and Music.
This is a five day Department of Education and Skills and EPV-approved summer course for teachers.
Working with two outstanding creative practitioners, you will enjoy a week of experiential learning and development. Your confidence and skills in both music and drama will increase through highly participative and inspiring course content.
Using themes drawn from SPHE, English and other subjects, participants will explore a variety of imaginative approaches to integrated curriculum delivery. Teachers of all levels of experience will be able to fully engage in this rich week of professional development.
Course content and highlights will include:
- Developing confidence and skills to deliver all aspects of the primary school music and drama curricula
- Using music and drama to imaginatively respond to themes and concepts in other subjects
- Working in teams and individually to bring themes to life through a range of creative approaches
- Vocal development: both musical and dramatic voice use
- Imaginative approaches to literacy and empathy, using both music and drama
- Applying creative, reflective and evaluative practices used by musicians and theatre practitioners to teachers’ individual professional practices and to school self-evaluation.
Cost – €100/€90 (For ArkEd Members)
Dates & Times – Five day course, 4-8 June @ 10am – 3pm (with breaks) each day
For further information and bookings go to ark.ie/events/view/summer-cpd-for-teachers-creative-music-drama-in-the-classroom.