Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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454. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans to provide clinical supervision to primary school teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51577/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that the Deputy is referring to a process of professional support and learning which enables individual teachers to develop knowledge and competence as part of a life-long process.

With this understanding in mind, coaching and mentoring approaches as part of teachers’ initial and continuing professional development are relevant.

My Department provides a wide range of supports for primary school teachers which ensures professional support and learning, enabling teachers to develop knowledge and competence as part of their life-long process.

Below outlines relevant supports spanning initial teacher education, the early and established phase of teachers’ careers including at leadership levels.

Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

Céim, the Teaching Council policy on standards for programmes of ITE, sets out the requirements all programmes of qualification for teaching in Ireland must meet in order to gain accreditation from the Teaching Council. All new and existing ITE programmes have been aligned with Céim for first year student teachers. There are seven core elements to Céim one of which is Professional Identity and Agency.

Professional Identity and Agency includes support for the development of the teacher as a self-reflective autonomous professional and newly qualified teachers are expected to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of continuum of teacher educations and be committed to lifelong personal and professional learning which reflects the approach taken to their work.

School Placement/Treoraithe

School placement is a central feature of initial teacher education, where student teachers are welcomed and supported by Higher Education Institution (HEI) tutors, school principals, class teachers and the school community.

Student teachers can observe experienced teachers teaching and develop their knowledge, skills, competences and professional dispositions. Also, Treoraithe, formerly known as co-operating teachers, are afforded the opportunity to share their professional expertise and to observe and be informed about a variety of approaches to teaching and learning through engagement with student teachers and HEIs.

NIPT

The National Induction Programme for Teachers (NIPT) is a Department funded service that supports the induction of newly qualified teachers (NQTs), both primary and post-primary, into the teaching profession in Ireland.

The Droichead process is an integrated professional induction framework for newly qualified teachers and supports the professional learning of the NQTs during the induction phase, thus laying the foundations for subsequent professional growth and learning for the next phase of their career. Droichead is fundamentally about the NQT’s professional journey and the process of their induction. The first strand is a school-based induction through which the NQT is supported by experienced colleagues. The second strand is made up of additional professional learning activities which involves attendance at NQT cluster meetings, and one other professional learning activity, related to the needs of the NQT. A key part of the Droicheadprocess is an NQT’s engagement with more experienced colleagues, and reflection on the professional conversations that take place on their own professional learning and practice.

PDST

The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) is a Department funded national teacher-support service offering high quality and relevant continuing professional development to teachers and school leaders in a range of pedagogical, curricular and educational areas. The aim of the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) is to provide high-quality professional development and support that empowers teachers and schools to provide the best possible education for all pupils/students supporting teachers as reflective practitioners by providing a range of professional development opportunities and supports that facilitate teacher learning, collaboration and evidence-based practice with an emphasis on:

- Curriculum and Pedagogy;

- Learning and Teaching Methodologies;

- School Improvement and School Self-evaluation;

- School Leadership, Culture and Leading Learning;

- Pupil/Student and Teacher Welfare;

- Information and Communications Technology.

Collaboratives for teachers form an integral part of the professional development and aim to support and promote effective collaborative communities of practice using a tailored continuing professional development (CPD) approach. These provide opportunities for professional sharing, modelling practice, collaboration and a solution-focussed approach to teaching, learning and assessment in the classroom.

CSL

In terms of supporting Primary Teachers the Centre for School Leadership (CSL) provides Professional Executive Coaching to Principals - many of whom are full time teachers (Teaching Principals) in primary schools and to primary teachers who are part of the school leadership team as well as bespoke mentoring to teaching principals both in their first year in the role and more sustained mentoring for those experiencing professional challenge.

Cosán: Framework for Teachers’ Learning

Cosán, which was published by the Teaching Council, is the national framework for teachers’ learning.Cosán means pathway and this name was chosen to reflect the fact that teachers’ learning is a journey. It marks the continuation of a journey that teachers undertake from Initial Teacher Education, through Induction via the Droichead model, and this professional learning should continue across the duration of a teacher’s career.

Central to Cosán is a vision of teachers as professionals who are intrinsically motivated to take ownership of their professional learning and development. Through Cosán, the Teaching Council is seeking to foster a culture of professional learning based on teachers’ active engagement in their own learning, for their benefit and that of their students.

Cosán acknowledges the many ways in which teachers have told the Teaching Council that they learn. It thus provides a clear and accessible framework for teachers’ ongoing professional learning to be recognised, in the context of their status as registered professionals.

Cosán also recognises the fact that professional learning is “part and parcel of a teacher’s working life”.