Education BRINGING YOU NEWS FR OM the NORTHERN IRELAND Summer 2013 COUNCIL for INTEGRAT ED EDUCATION
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Integrated Education BRINGING YOU NEWS FR OM THE NORTHERN IRELAND Summer 2013 COUNCIL FOR INTEGRAT ED EDUCATION... Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama visit Enniskillen IPS Inside this issue... Macedonia Visitors Enniskillen Integrated Primary got the European Teacher shock of their lives when Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack visit Obama came for a visit at the school APTIS while attending the G8 summit. Teaching a decade of When speaking with reporters Adele Kerr mentioned “We knew something Anniversaries but didn’t know what, when we heard it G8 quilt signed by the President and was Mr Obama and Mr Cameron I just Prime Minister SC:DL laughed, I didn’t think it could be true. outside the lines but it was Mr Cameron NICIE Communities When I realised it was happening, I told who received praise for finishing first. the staff and the pupils. They couldn’t The leaders then signed a G8-themed School Jotter, News believe it either. Mr Cameron and Mr quilt. Obama wrote ‘Dream Big Dreams’ Obama met each other and shook while Cameron added ‘ With thanks for from around the hands. I stretched my hand out to wel- all you do’. come them but Mr Obama threw his schools arms around me, hugged me and kissed me. Then Mr Cameron said that if the Sporting News from President got a hug from me that he Integrated Schools would have to get one too” During the 45 minute visit, the President and Prime Minister helped some pupils paint a mural. Mr Obama was soon The visitor book signed by the special admitting he was in trouble for going guests Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education www.nicie.org [email protected] 25 College Gardens, Belfast, BT9 6BS Tel. 02890 972910 Fax. 02890 972919 1 At the end of May, NICIE were privileged to receive a visit from colleagues involved in developing integrated education in Macedonia. NICIE CEO, Noreen Campbell, summed up the importance of the visit: “Last year NICIE inaugurated the International Peace Education Global Network. This initiative introduced us to and connected us with those involved A highlight of the visit was a seminar, presented by in Integrated Education in divided societies around the leaders of the Nansen Dialogue Centre in Skopje, world. We are delighted that one outcome of this which took place in the Canada room at QUB. Invited initiative has been our partnership with the Nansen guests included some of the founders and supporters Dialogue Centre in Skopje, Macedonia” of integrated education in Northern Ireland, university professors, directors of education bodies and repre- Visits to integrated schools, included Rowandale IPS, sentatives of the Department of Education. NDC Hazelwood IPS and Crumlin IPS, facilitating a deeper Skopje presented its achievements in the field of insight into the integrated ethos, formed an integral integrated education as well as the development path element of the visit. Sasho Stojkovski, Director of the of the Nansen model for integrated education and the Nansen Dialogue Centre said: “We are delighted to be training centre. Invited guests heard about the here in Northern Ireland building an on-going challenges faced in developing integrated education partnership with NICIE. The model of Integrated in a country emerging from conflict where, as well as Education developed here in Northern Ireland has ethnic and religious differences, there are also three been an inspiration to us in Macedonia. We have recognised languages. An overview of the current enjoyed visiting integrated schools here and we look situation in the field of integrated education in forward to building strong links between both Macedonia and the efforts undertaken by NDC Skopje countries going forward.” was also given by Dr. Claire McGlynn, Professor at the Queen’s University in Belfast. The visit was inspiring and mutually beneficial to both organisations, as Noreen Campbell acknowledged: ‘We have a lot to learn from each other, we can provide support to each other and we can connect schools and children, building links between our countries.’ PAGE 2 2 Thirteen educators from Germany, Romania and Finland spent a full week with NICIE in mid-May in order to gain an insight into the integrated ethos with its emphasis on all-ability, co-educational education which has been developed as a contribution towards peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. impressed and appreciated the opportunity to sample ideas and practice which they had not experienced before.’ On the final day of their study trip, after a visit to Parkhall Integrated College, the visitors were The first few days of their visit were spent gaining an fortunate to spend their final hours in Northern Ire- insight into the history and development of integrated land at the Giant’s Causeway and savoured the sun- education, set in the context of a society shine as the bus weaved its way along the coastal experiencing division and conflict. Having heard road back to Belfast. The group’s evaluation of the about the integrated ethos in theory, the visiting week was extremely positive and plans are already teachers were then inspired to experience the underway for a further visit, with a new group of edu- anti-bias approach in practice in schools such as cators, in May 2014. Oakgrove Integrated Primary and Post-Primary in L/Derry and Shimna Integrated College and All Children’s Integrated Primary School in Newcastle. Paula McIlwaine from NICIE said ‘NICIE is so grateful to all the participating schools for being so open and welcoming in their reception of our European visitors. The visitors were extremely PAGE 3 3 Congratulations to APTIS on the A series of very informative work- successful 2013 NICIE / APTIS shops were facilitated by serving Conference which took place in the and retired integrated school princi- Dunsilly Hotel on 16th & pals. The themes of these work- 17th April. The Conference shops ranged from a focus on the opened with Crumlin IPS choir pro- inspection process to the develop- voking thought through their choice ment of nurture rooms in primary of song. The packed programme schools and APTIS were extremely centred on the theme of ‘bridging grateful to Sam McCready & Ken and bonding’. APTIS were inspired Harland for sharing the findings of to hear from keynote speakers Alan their recent research on ‘Taking McBride and Norman Richardson Boys Seriously’. Power-points from and appreciated the Minister of Ed- the various workshops are availa- Clare Bailey, Green Party; Ulf Hansson, ucation, John O’Dowd taking time ble below. UNESCO Centre University of Ulster; Noreen out of his busy schedule to address Campbell, NICIE CEO and Chris Lyttle of the Alliance Party Principals of integrated schools. A lively debate also took place on the topic of ‘2020 Vision: Education in Northern Ireland in 7 years’. A Many thanks to everyone who par- range of thoughts were expressed ticipated in this year’s Spring Con- by invited panel members Clare ference for making it a success. Bailey, Green Party; Ulf Hansson, UNESCO Centre University of Ul- Resources from the Spring Confer- ster; Noreen Campbell, NICIE CEO ence can be found on the NICIE and Chris Lyttle of the Alliance website under APTIS. Party. Alan McBride with Patricia Murtagh Following the recent information session “Teaching the Commemoration of Significant Events 100 Years On”, at the APTIS conference in April 2013, we are in a position to offer other kinds of support to schools considering development in this area. We are able to offer the following services to schools during the Autumn 2013 term: In-school support for the PDMU coordinator or Head of History who may wish to develop links to C.R.E.D /thematic units/or subject links. Whole school awareness raising sessions with the emphasis on cross curricular links and whole school issues on Staff Development Days. Heads of History forum, with workshops on facilitation strategies. Date and venue will be confirmed for the start of the new academic year. A flyer with relevant infor- mation will be sent to schools in August with further details. If you, or any member of your staff, would like to avail of these services please contact: Sheelagh Dean Project officer at [email protected] Denise Morgan NICIE Development Officer at [email protected] Tel: 028 9097 2910 PAGE 4 4 Since you last had an update about “Sharing Class- tions. The question, 'Has anyone ever had anything rooms: Deepening Learning” here’s what we’ve been said to them personally about their religion?' yielded doing! interesting insights about young people’s experiences 2 days training for over 50 teachers from 17 Area and their willingness to share them with each other. Learning Communities during the worst pre- East- New learning about each other’s traditions elicited er weather ever! surprise and comments that in towns that are seen to Entitlement Framework coordinators work with be “mainly Protestant or mainly Catholic” it must be SCDL facilitators to develop a common induction difficult to be “the other”. programme for all schools in the Newry and Mourne Area Learning Community Students continued preparations for their trip by con- Fleming Fulton and Glenveagh Special Schools sidering what they would hold “Come Dine with Me” shared events write on the "Peace Walls" in Ballynahinch schools enjoy joint Cultural visit day Belfast the following week. to Peace Walls and Murals in Belfast Here’s a sample of what they Whole staff training days on collaboration and re- said: lationship building