John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

227. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department ever evaluated the Montessori teaching method and the subsequent education outcomes of this method for children at national school level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31958/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the professional regulator and standards body for teaching in Ireland. Its functions are set out in the Teaching Council Act, 2001. In accordance with Section 38 of that Act, the Council reviews and, where appropriate, accredits programmes of initial teacher education (ITE). The Council's criteria for accreditation are set out under a range of headings including Programme Inputs, Processes and Outcomes. Under the heading “Programme Inputs”, programme providers seeking accreditation are required to detail, inter alia, the way in which methodologies, pedagogical content knowledge and studies in relation to philosophy of education are integrated into their programmes.

In carrying out its statutory accreditation role, the Teaching Council seeks to ensure a level of consistency across all ITE programmes provided in Ireland. This does not imply uniformity, and it is open to providers of ITE programmes to incorporate different philosophies of education, including Montessori education, into their programmes of Initial Teacher Education. As such, there is considerable variety across programmes, and the Teaching Council welcomes this.

The Teaching Council has considered how Montessori education can be best positioned in the continuum of teacher education, and has consulted and recently met with Montessori teacher educators with the ultimate aim of supporting students' learning. It understands that a provider is currently considering a redesign to its programme so that it might meet the Teaching Council's ITE criteria, and its graduates could be eligible to register as primary teachers. The Council is happy to engage further with the provider in question, and awaits a submission applying for accreditation.