The current Think About Teaching Foundation Cert students recently engaged in a very successful school placement experience in a number of our partner second level schools, namely, St John’s College, Ballyfermot; Clogher Road Community College; Coláiste Bríde, Clondalkin and Caratas College, Ballyfermot.
A key dimension to the placement experience was the mentoring provided by the Rising Leaders (Phil Kennedy, Lesley Byrne, Lisa Howell, Avril Harris, Karl Mulvey and Kim Barrett), the programme's team of teacher-mentors who are committed to the diversification of teaching profession. The Rising Leaders and the wider school communities provided the Foundation Cert students with a wealth of opportunities to observe experienced teachers, participate in supported teaching activities, and engage with the wider school community.
The placement experience was a holistic one as the students and Rising Leaders came together for both pre and post placement workshops that provided space for critical reflection on the students’ emerging ideas around the role of the teacher, and how the placement experience had influenced these ideas.
This model of partnership is reflective of the vibrancy and work of Turn to Teaching’s evolving and multi-dimensional community of practice which is committed to equality, diversity and widening participation in education and teaching.
