Eimear Kelly, Learn Together Advisor and teacher in North Bay ETNS
You know that feeling you get after you’ve spent an hour or so having a coffee and chat with a friend?… Invigorated? Enthused? Happy? Well those are the same feelings you get when you come away from one of the Learn Together Community of Practice Meetups. Last week we began the first of these meetings in my own school North Bay ETNS and I have to say I came away from it with those same feelings and already looking forward to the next one.
On the day, we hosted a fantastic group of teachers from various Educate Together schools around North Dublin, including Stapolin, Belmayne, Broombridge and Gracepark. The teachers brought with them a huge amount of experience and expertise and there was a rich exchange of ideas. We talked about how we were finding teaching the new curriculum and the opportunities for integrating Global Citizenship Education that it presents. We shared our own experiences and discussed topical issues pertinent to Learn Together and Global Citizenship and we shared some resources and ideas that we felt worked well for us. We compiled a document with any ideas, links, recommendations or resources that were discussed and shared it with the group. Ní neart go cur le chéile!
The meetings are a wonderful opportunity to network with other Educate Together Teachers and talk all things Learn Together. Whether you are seeking advice, sharing experiences and resources or offering encouragement to a colleague, the meetings are so helpful in navigating the Learn Together curriculum. And with the newly revised curriculum, now, more than ever is the time to give one a try.
With our schools and education ever changing this network helps us to evolve as practitioners and move with the times. Staying abreast of what is going on in other schools helps us to learn and grow. The social aspect of it is also fun and what’s more, there’s sandwiches too! The support system is really invaluable and with like-minded individuals who know the challenges of teaching, you can be sure you’re in the right place. The saying is true, “one of the best resources we have is each other”.
So why not get involved in the next meeting of this community of practice and see what you think for yourself? To find out how to join in get in touch directly with Vera … and I look forward to seeing you there!
Educate Together is grateful for the support of Irish Aid in providing funding for the Communities of Practice. You can read more about Irish Aid’s Global Citizenship Strategy here.
