The SENCO Forum aims to continue to bring together online a network of teachers working in inclusive/special education in Kerry Primary schools. The network aims to provide professional learning, support and networking opportunities for teachers. Margaret Egan will facilitate the network and will support its development over time. If you are a Principal, Special Education Teacher, Special Class Teacher or SEN Co-Ordinator in a primary school in Kerry and would like to engage in the network, please join us.

The fourth meeting of the SENCO CoP will focus on Bridge Back to School for All with a focus on Children with ASD

Dr. Margaret Egan is a Lecturer in the Dept. of Educational Psychology, Inclusive and Special Education at Mary Immaculate College.  She was a Deputy Principal and SEN Co-ordinator for many years before joining the Faculty of Education at MIC.  Margaret is Course Leader of the Post Graduate Diploma in Special Education, which is a cross-sectoral, Level 9 programme for qualified teachers in practice.  She teaches at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels. Margaret is actively engaged in Communities of Practice with a number of schools.  Her interests are in Inclusion Policy and Practice; Language and Literacy for students with additional needs; Social and Emotional Learning, for all students, including those with Autistic Spectrum Difference (ASD) and Positive Behaviour Support for students with attention and behaviour needs. Margaret is currently supervising a number of Master and PhD students in these fields. Two of her doctoral students, in Educational Psychology (DEPsych), graduated in October 2019.

Maria Dervan (B.Ed M.Ed) has experience working as a mainstream teacher, SET and special class teacher. She has worked as both an Advisor and an Associate with the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) since 2014. She completed a Master’s in Special Education in MIC in 2015 and has worked with Department of Educational Psychology, Inclusive and Special Education since then. She is currently undertaking a PhD within the department under the supervision of Dr. Margaret Egan and Professor Emer Ring. She has won many awards for her research to date including a bursary from the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) to pursue the research. She has presented and had her research published nationally.  She has a keen interest in language development, Autism Spectrum Difference (ASD), Inclusion and Special Education and using evidence-based practices in teaching which has been the focus of her research to date.

Bridge Back to School

Bridge Back to School is the result of a team collaboration between Mary Immaculate College and AsIAm autism charity. Maria Dervan, as Editor, will take the CoP through the book, which is designed as a learning resource toolkit to support autistic students in their return to school.  From the outset, the resource introduces a gender-neutral character, Alex who students may self-identify with throughout. The toolkit is underpinned by evidence-based research. It provides advice, support and activities, which are focused on the identified needs of autistic students. It also shares top tips with professionals who are supporting student transition back to school and indeed, engaging their strengths to address needs, throughout the year. It has sample activity worksheets and QR codes that can be scanned to bring the reader to additional supports and references available on the AsIAm website. The booklet is sponsored by SuperValu and is free in stores throughout the country.

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Jacinta Kitt Webinar Series

Webinar 1:  Proactive caring for yourself - Tuesday, 15th September 2020

TIME:          4.15pm to 5.15pm 

VENUE:      Online via Zoom

Webinar 1:  Proactive caring for yourself 

This Webinar suggests that we have a role to play in caring for ourselves and that it involves accurate self-assessment of what you can and cannot do, it also involves communicating assertively, managing stress and improving our self awareness.

Jacinta M. Kitt

Jacinta is a Lecturer\Researcher and an Organisational Advisor. She is a former primary teacher. She lectures part-time in Trinity College on the M.Ed. programme, in Marino Institute of Education on the B.Sc. and B.Ed. programmes and provides guest lectures for other colleges. She also provides professional development training and presentations for schools, colleges and various other public and private organisations. The focus of much of this work is the characteristics, skills and benefits of creating and maintaining a positive/effective work environment. 

Her Masters thesis had workplace bullying in schools as its theme and she is an acknowledged expert on that subject. She conducts awareness sessions on bullying in schools and workplaces. Her focus is on prevention and minimisation of negative and inappropriate workplace behaviours and on the links between organisational culture and climate and the prevalence of those behaviours. Providing strategies for improving how we communicate/ interact with each other in every environment is the theme of much of her work. She regularly works with school principals on the impact of their behaviours, relationships and emotions on school effectiveness.  

She frequently speaks at conferences and seminars on workplace environment related topics. She provides expert witness reports to tribunals and court cases relating to employment law. She is the author of a recently published book entitled “Positive Behaviours, Emotions and Relationships…. The Heart of Leadership in a School”.

The Irish Primary PE Association was founded in 2002 by and for primary teachers who were particularly interested in the subject of Physical Education. The IPPEA is an association dedicated to heightening awareness of Physical Education issues in primary schools and it aims to represent and support the needs of primary teachers involved in Physical Education.

The IPPEA have  published a guidance document (August 2020) for the teaching of Physical Education  in response to Returning to school: Curriculum guidance for primary school leaders and teachers (July 2020). Physical Education, as part of children’s overall Well-Being, has been identified as a key focus area in the initial re-entry to school.

Susan Marron (Lecturer, DCU) and Caitriona Cosgrave (Primary Teacher, Raheny) Co-Chairs of the IPPEA, will present a webinar to:

(1) share this IPPEA guidance document

(2) provide helpful examples to support you, and your planning and teaching of Physical Education while observing public health advice

(3) explore and address queries teachers may have in relation to Physical Education during Covid -19

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This course will outline how to help keep pupils engaged and motivated while online learning by providing useful and meaningful feedback. This will include giving feedback on SeeSaw, and other ideas for peer and group feedback while distance learning. Some assessment strategies will also be outlined in the course, for example the use of Kahoot, Socrative and Mentimeter. This course will help participants to become more confident in the use of ICT for feedback and assessment. 

Biography of Presenter

Originally a Kerryman, Paul O'Callaghan is Deputy Principal of a 1:1 iPad school in Lucan, Co. Dublin. A regular tutor with the PDST and part-time lecturer, Paul facilitates courses with the PDST Technology in Education team. Paul is passionate about creativity, inclusion and smart technology integration in education.

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