@specialedteacherireland

This Instagram account, run by ASD Class Teacher Angela O’Connor, offers resources for Primary school children and children with ASD and additional needs, including how to make visual timetables for home. 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Resource Material

Click here to view a folder containing resource materials for students with ASD.

An Chomhairle um Oideachais Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG)

Is féidir cuardach a dhéanamh ar líne do na háiseanna atá ar fáil do theagasc na Gaeilge nó don teagasc trí Ghaeilge.

Cúla4 

This website from TG4 is aimed at two groups; under-sixes (Cúla4 na nÓg) and older children (Cúla4). Aside from television programmes there are games and creativity sections.

eBooks

A number of eBook and educational content providers have made their materials freely available, such as CJ Fallon, Edco, Folens (to access FolensOnline, use the following codes when registering: Primary School Resources: Prim20 or Secondary School Resources: Sec20​) and Gill Education.

Google G Suite for Education

For any teachers struggling to get to grips with Google classroom, there are updated tips and tricks here on how to keep your lessons going remotely.

Google Teach From Home Hub

Google have created a Teach From Home hub which is a suite of information and tools to help teachers teaching from home.

Happiness and Wellbeing Skills for Post Primary Schools

The Happiness and Wellbeing Skills website offers a number of wellbeing tasks and short guided meditations for Post Primary schools. Additional wellbeing skills will be added regularly.

iRevise

iRevise are providing free study resources to all students for one month, along with some live online Maths tutorials.

Libraries Ireland

Libraries Ireland have various online services available. For example, you can join the library online and get eBooks, audiobooks, online magazines and newspapers for free straight away.

Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Teams

Many schools are familiar with Microsoft software to provide remote learning but many teachers might not be aware of what it can do. This website gives advice on how to ramp up online learning quickly with Microsoft.

Middletown Centre for Autism Webinar Series

Middletown Centre for Autism are offering a series of twice weekly live webinars (with a break for Easter). These sessions will feature members their own multi-disciplinary team and international speakers on a series of themes.

myON eBook Library and myON News Service from Renaissance Learning

With the aim of helping to support teachers, students and parents/guardians to 'keep Ireland reading', Renaissance Learning are offering access to thousands of free eBooks through myON Library and free daily news articles through myON News.

National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE)

NATE have provided a number of resources focused on teaching the English curriculum to Primary and Post Primary school students on their website.

National Council for Special Education (NCSE)

NCSE are providing online resources for children with Special Educational Needs developed by Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists. There are resources for parents and teachers.

National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)

DES NEPS psychologists have developed advice and resources for children and young people to manage and stay well when schools are closed, along with guidance for parents supporting children and young people to create new routines at home. 

National Parents Council (Primary)

Over the next few weeks, the National Parents Council will be publishing a daily edition of useful information, tips and fun activities on their website for parents of Early Years and Primary School children.

Online Creative Writing Pack for Primary Schools

Deirbhile Graham of WriteWords has created a creative writing pack for parents and teachers of Primary school students. 

Online Mindfulness Events

Dee Hennessy of Mindfulness Facilitation will be hosting three free online mindfulness events via Zoom in the coming days. Further details can be found here.

Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) Distance Learning Platform

PDST has created a page of curated content which has been developed to support schools and teachers engaged in distance learning in order to provide continuity to students. This platform, which is being updated regularly, can be accessed here.

Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) Primary Wellbeing Online Resource Portal

The PDST Primary Health and Wellbeing Team have collated a comprehensive collection of SPHE and PE resources that can be used to support distance learning. This resource portal can be accessed here.

Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) Technology in Education

The PDST Technology in Education Team have developed a new course, Teaching Online for Primary and Post Primary Teachers. This course, open to all teachers, aims to help them continue to teach and support their students' learning online. This course can be accessed here.

Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) and the Teaching Council Learning for All Webinar Series

PDST and the Teaching Council are hosting a series of live webinars for teachers commencing on Tuesday 31^st March 2020. These webinars will address the experiences and concerns of school leaders and teachers at this time in the spirit of support, reassurance and enablement. Through live panels and live links, representatives from the profession and the field will engage in conversations about the realities currently being faced by teachers and school leaders, as well as highlighting the wonderful efforts they are making in maintaining continuity in learning for students. Further details can be found here.

Resource Pack for Primary School Principals and Teachers

Simon Lewis, Principal in Carlow Educate Together N.S., has created a collaborative Google Doc designed to share any ideas that might be useful for online learning. Even more Primary school resources can be found here.

Revision Resources for Post Primary Students

Various revision websites for Post Primary school students can be found here.

SEN Teacher

The SEN Teacher website has free SEN teaching resources and learning materials.

Scoilnet

Scoilnet has a number of home usage supports which teachers and students alike can benefit from. These supports are free and do not require registration.

Scratch

Visit the Scratch website to learn how to program interactive games, stories and animations.

TeacherCPD.ie

TeacherCPD.ie provide a number of short online courses in the area of digital technologies which teachers can access to upskill and gain ideas for distance learning.

Twinkl

Twinkl Ireland has created a variety of weekly learning resource packs for children from Junior Infants to Sixth Class. Resource packs, created by teachers, contain fun, interactive, exciting and challenging work and English, Maths, Gaeilge, History, Geography, Science, Art and STEM activities so children can continue their learning at home.

Useful Links

Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools

Barnardos - link to supports for parents

Department of Education and Skills   

Education and Training Boards Ireland

Joint Managerial Body (JMB)

Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT)      

The Teaching Council

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) - link to a sizeable list of distance learning apps, platforms and resources

Creative Clusters is a pilot initiative of the Department of Education and Skills, led by and in partnership with the 21 full-time Teacher Education Centres (Education Support Centres Ireland, or ESCI) and funded through the Schools Excellence Fund – Creative Clusters Initiative.

Creative Clusters is an initiative of Creative Youth – A Plan to Enable the Creative Potential of Every Child and Young Person, which was published in December 2017 as part of the Creative Ireland Programme. The Creative Youth Plan aims to give every child practical access to tuition, experience and participation in art, music, drama and coding by 2022.

A Creative Cluster will typically consist of between three and five schools collaborating on the design, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of an innovative arts and creative learning project which supports them to address a common issue or challenge.

How to Apply

Schools can apply as part of a cluster which may be an existing network of schools or a potential cluster. Each cluster must nominate a lead school and a Creative Cluster Co-Ordinator.

Kilkenny Education Centre will have a key role in identifying and supporting a Creative Cluster for this area.

Applications should be sent to the Centre. The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 15^th May 2020.

Kilkenny Education Centre will then inform the identified cluster in their area. Unsuccessful applicants will also be notified.

Creative Cluster applications will be assessed by the Centre. Applications will be assessed and scored against the following criteria:

• The rationale for the application,
• Benefits to teaching and learning,
• Capacity and commitment of all the schools in the cluster to participate,
• Children and Young Peoples Voice,
• Further details on the criteria are available in the Guidelines document.

 Further details can be found on the Department of Education and Skills website.

Attachments:

Creative Clusters - Cluster Application	[ ]	69 kB
Creative Clusters - Guidelines	[ ]	729 kB

Deirdre McGillicuddy, lecturer in University College Dublin, working in the School of Education and a former primary school teacher, is interested in how children's rights and the UNCRC are perceived and implemented in education.

Deirdre has prepared an online questionnaire survey to try and capture teacher perspectives.

To access the CEARTA study survey link please click here.

Kilkenny Education Centre Primary, Post Primary and PDSTTiE Spring Courses 2020 are live on our website!

Booking is essential and online only so be sure to book your place/s early to avoid disappointment!