Scoil Mhuire Junior, Blakestown has been awarded €5,000 as part of the Féilte Bursary Scheme to collaborate with the Irish Museum of Modern Art and four schools* to form a professional learning community. This project aims to introduce the teachers to the all-inclusive teaching methodology of “Visual Thinking Strategies” (VTS), an all-inclusive practice designed to benefit students of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and learners of English as an additional language. VTS develops language by using carefully selected artworks and guided, open-ended questions to facilitate student-centred conversations that build critical thinking and communication skills. The project will strive to improve social and emotional wellbeing while developing empathy and respect for others, enhancing teacher capacity to use this teaching methodology across all curricular subjects.
*List of collaborating schools:
- St. Philip The Apostle Junior National School
- Blakestown Community School
- Rath Dara Community College
- Scoil Mhuire Senior, Blakestown
School's reflection
I had wanted to bring our children who are from very disadvantaged backgrounds to our local art gallery and for them to be able to have the confidence to go themselves with their parents to discuss art works. We find the parents and children sometimes do not feel confident accessing the arts, so by providing weekly opportunities where they discuss paintings at school using VTS they will develop a confidence. Within the Arts, there are not many opportunities to get trained outside of college so when I discussed my idea with other principals, they were very willing to get on board.
The Féilte Bursary scheme allowed six schools to come together in the Museum of Modern Art for two days of training.
I worked closely with Sheena Barrett who is head of Education and Research in IMMA to organise the training and logistics. We were able to get Liz Coman another facilitator, who is Head of Children and Young people’s Art with the Arts Council. Our final facilitator was Bridget Kildee who is both a primary school teacher in Dublin 1 but also a VTS trained facilitator. It was so beneficial to have her involved as she brought both the knowledge but also how it works in her school. It was wonderful to hear her stories of the positive benefits VTS has with children but also teachers. Her staff have noticed a huge improvement in oral language.
We spent two wonderful days in IMMA, we had time to speak about Arts/ Arts teaching within Dublin 15. We learned about the methodology, projects that had worked in schools with it. We watched the facilitators demonstrate the practise and then had time each day to practise the methodology ourselves. We had a beautiful lunch each day in the café as teachers we were all thrilled not to have to pack a lunch/ sandwich. We felt thoroughly nourished by the new practise, the food and the learning environment. Spending time immersed in art in the beautiful setting of IMMA in Kilmainham was invigorating it really inspired more learning.
Afterwards the teachers reflected on how good it was to learn something new but also to bring it back to our schools. I have found it so effective to allow discussion, to further develop an understanding of other’s ideas, which promotes empathy within our students.
I thoroughly enjoyed leading this project of professional development. I have learned that there is so much behind the scenes when such a project is happening. The logistics of getting people together was difficult. As this was not substitutable found it difficult to get away from school. I found some schools had to back out nearer the time due to unforeseen commitments and I had to find other schools. But after those small hurdles the rest was seamless.