The purpose of these discussions is to make people more proactive about caring for all aspects of their own health - Physical, Emotional, Psychological and Spiritual. The emphasis is on prevention rather than cure.
Day 1: Physical Health - How can we best look after our physical health. What checks do we need.
Day 2: Mental Health - How we protect our mental health. How we deal with worry and stress.
Day 3: Emotional Wellbeing - Understanding our emotions. Coping with positive and negative emotions in a healthy way.
Day 4: Self Esteem - Valuing ourselves

Protecting your Voice

This course will look at voice management for professional voice users such as teachers. It will identify possible areas of weakness and strategies for good voice management.

Managing Anger

This introductory meeting introduces the principles and assumptions on which the programme to manage abusive behaviour is based - ideas and techniques on how to manage anger.

Film Festival

The aim of the film making project is to train teachers and pupils in the art of film making and film editing using the basic family camcorder and a basic pc. Each teacher on the course will be guided through the process of producing a 10 minute film with his/her class or school. The film will be shown in a local cinema at a special celebration day in June 2012. Every school taking part will receive a special certificate.
Full training and support will be provided to teachers through two initial two hour courses in the Education Centre and then by follow up workshops in the spring and early summer.
Equipment needed: A Digital Video Camera (Camcorder) and access to a PC.

iPod Touch

Following discussions with Apple Ireland, and an exploratory visit to an English Primary School early in 2010, four Primary Schools, supported by Sligo, Kilkenny and Co Wexford Education Centres, decided to explore the educational use and potential of hand-held learning devices in the classroom.
Participating schools were: Ramsboro NS, Sligo principal, Siobhan Clarke, teacher, Damien Quinn.
St Colman's NS, Clara, Co Kilkenny, principal, Padraig Moran, teacher, Richard Mulrooney.
The Faythe PS, Wexford. principal, Sr Marie Jones, teacher, Ursula Kelly O'Connor.
St Aidan's PS, Enniscorthy, principal, Peter Creedon, teachers Sarah Maher & Colm Gallagher.
Purpose of the Project:
To make schools/teachers aware of the learning potential of hand held devices inside and outside the classroom and to encourage teachers to explore the use of hand held learning devices with their students.
The three education centres purchased 140 Apple iPod Touch devices to loan to three schools, one school purchased their own. The Education Centres sought interested schools and teachers. Apple funded a trip to a UK primary school to see the hand held devices in operation within a learning environment.

Technical support for the Irish participating schools was sought and made available from Ciaran Mc Cormack. Schools decided to use the devices in their classrooms for a period of two months. During this time teachers were in contact with each other sharing their learning experiences, supporting and encouraging one another.
In the Classroom….
All iPod Touches are numbered and have their place in the docking station. Each child in the class has access to his/her own I Pod Touch. An Apple Mac Book both syncs and charges the devices. Classes have internet access and an Airport Station in the classroom to boost the connectivity speed. The I Pod Touches internet access goes through the school filtering system so the children can surf in safety. On each I Pod Touch the teacher downloaded a number of educational apps (software applications)that cover areas of the curriculum. These apps are continuously added to as different and better apps are discovered. The children quickly began to source apps from family and friends. The I Pod Touches are used daily in class for varying amounts of time depending on the subject areas being covered.

Using the iPod Touch

The uses of the iPod Touches are infinite and varied. They are an invaluable tool in almost every curricular area from Maths to Visual Arts. They are almost replacing text books in some subject areas with books proving only secondary sources of information. The children quickly became very adept at using the internet to source data about given topics. They quickly learned to filter their searches to find information appropriate to their own level. They have learned to summarise and extract what they need from the information they find. These skills are incredibly difficult to teach independently, but children are learning them with ease by using the iPod Touches.

Using these devices in the classroom has put the learning into the child's hands. Learning is teacher directed but it is child driven. Children are active participants and are taking ownership of their own learning.
This project has generated much interest in education circles. At present the DES are meeting schools involved in the project to discuss outcomes.

Samba Drumming

Samba drumming is a collective drumming style so simple that everyone can join in the party!
This workshop introduces the drums and the techniques used to play them, which you will find easy and fun to pass on to your students. On completion of this course schools may borrow a set of Samba drums

Something Fishy

Once again the Co. Wexford Education Centre is promoting the "Something Fishy" Programme in Primary Schools.
'Something Fishy' is an education resource produced by the Central Fisheries Board in conjunction with Blackrock Education Centre. The Project is aimed at fifth and sixth classes in Primary School and it explores different aspects of fish life, e.g. water, fish, the life cycle of a salmon, fish stocks, angling, conservation of our rivers and lakes, and fish as part of the food chain.
The Something Fishy project is a dream project for schools.
For the Teacher the series of eight lessons is based on the SESE Curriculum. It is an integrated programme which includes many teaching and learning experiences emanating from the Strands and Strand Units of Geography, History and Science in the new Curriculum. Notes for the teacher are included and they give the relevant background information and guidelines on working through the lessons. The pack is available in Irish and English.
For the Pupil the project is an invitation to virtually leave the classroom in pursuit of learning, excitement, enjoyment and fun. The lessons transport the child's mind to the waters of Ireland to discover the History, Geography and Science elements of the curriculum. And then there is the opportunity to experience and question these new ideas and to reinforce the learning with various games, quizzes and demonstrations which are included in the special website, www.somethingfishy.ie.
The interactive website, www.somethingfishy.ie. supports the project. This online resource contains all the information included in the pack, as well as other interactive games, quizzes and activities which can help to reinforce the lessons learnt in class. These two educational facilities ( Pack and Website ) are two very important tools to help educate children about the importance of the river environment with special emphasis on anti-pollution and anti-litter. They introduce the pupils to different fish species in our rivers and explain how we can work together to ensure water quality and conservation of fish and fishing in Ireland.
To complete their involvement in 'Something Fishy' the pupils are invited to take part in a Competition based on any aspect of their learning and experiences from the programme. This Class Project can be presented on CD ROM or DVD, or in an A3 or A4 Folder containing not more than forty pages. Local and National prizes will be awarded.

Excellence Award for Primary Schools

Primary Schools will be invited to join the Project by forming a team of teachers to examine, instigate or evaluate Classroom Management (specifically Team Teaching and Co-Operative Learning) in their school. Schools with fewer than ten teachers will nominate 2 to 3 teachers per team, schools with more than ten may nominate 4 to 5 teachers per team.

These school teams will attend the Education Centre 4 to 5 times during the year and will be guided, supported and encouraged throughout the process by an experienced facilitator.

The School of Education, Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) has come on board with us for the project. The College will issue a Special Excellence Award for teachers/schools who successfully complete the programme. It can be used by any of your teachers for accreditation purposes for Post Graduate Studies (one 10 Credit Module) or it can simply be an award that the school receives for its involvement. A formal awards ceremony will take place for schools who have successfully participated in the Project.

Team Teaching

This talk looks at the different types of team teaching in schools outlining the strengths and challenges of each. The steps necessary to implement team teaching in the classroom are discussed in relation to different schools.

Co-operative learning

This talk will look at how to implement co-operative strategies in the classroom and outline a literacy intervention using a co-operative grouping approach.

Learning in Everyday Activities

A planned approach which marries the Primary Curriculum with everyday learning opportunities which parents can re-enforce and support in the home. Infant teachers are introduced to the activities which encompass all the infant Curriculum and are familiarized with the approach.
Infant Teachers then present to parents. Both work with children re-enforcing language and activities.