The Arts
Council recently collaborated with the Department of Education and Skills’
Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) in a pilot initiative to support teachers and
students to engage with the arts as an integrated part of the new junior cycle
in post-primary schools. In March 2014,
over 140 teachers attended continuing professional development (CPD) workshops in theatre and film in Junior Cycle English.
Teachers attended a minimum of two and maximum of four workshops which were
offered at various Education Centres across Ireland (there were 344 total
workshop engagements).
Workshops
were designed and delivered in collaboration with leading arts organisations
including the National Association for Youth Drama, the Abbey Theatre and the
Irish Film Institute and were led by professional artists/arts facilitators and
JCT English Advisers. Local and regional
arts offices and venues had an opportunity to share information about arts
programmes available to junior cycle students in the regions served.
The collaboration in design and delivery across
the agencies and partners involved led to an artistically and educationally
ambitious programme of workshops, which highlighted the capacity for the arts
(in this case theatre and film) to engage students creatively in learning in
junior cycle.
The pilot was guided by the principles which
underpin the Arts in Education Charter and the new Framework for Junior Cycle.
More information: www.artsinjuniorcycle.ie
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