Educational Disadvantage Centre, NPC and IPPN
Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) Attend Educational Disadvantage Centre’s B.Ed New Minor Specialism Run by National Parents’ Council Primary
The Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) have attended several of the sessions of the B.Ed new minor specialism established by the Institute of Education’s Educational Disadvantage Centre and run by the National Parents’ Council Primary. The IPPN works with NPC Primary in supporting parents to work in partnership with teachers and schools in relation to their child’s learning.
Grounded in strong research, this minor specialism explores the importance of parental involvement in their child’s learning. It also focuses on how working with parents to support their child’s learning, not just improves the educational outcomes for the child, but also positively supports the teachers, parents and the whole school community as well.
The minor specialism is delivered in a participatory way which includes exploration of theory and practical strategies as well as opportunities to meet parents from a range of backgrounds. Throughout the course student teachers are given the opportunity to develop their knowledge skills and attitudes around working with all parents in primary schools, with an emphasis on engaging with families from socio-economically marginalised backgrounds. The students use reflective learning tools to assess and evaluate their own practice when working with parents within the classroom and the whole school community. This course also provides opportunities to practice key communication skills which will support teachers in their future work in involving primary school parents in their child’s learning.
Pairic Clerkin CEO of the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN), see photo, attended several the course sessions recently and has since commented:
“It has been a great privilege to participate with the 3rd year B.Ed students in the minor specialism ‘Working with Parents to Support their Children’s Learning’ which is delivered by the National Parents’ Council Primary. The module is based on research which backs up the critical importance of parental involvement in their child’s learning. The students reflect upon their life experience to date. They subsequently consider their own expectations in terms of parental involvement in their future classrooms. Good communication which is critical to the promotion of a supportive partnership between home and school is a critical component of the module. I fully support the NPC view and indeed the feedback from the students that this module should form a core element of the B.Ed programme in all colleges of education.”
