Teaching in a DEIS School

• Teacher – “I feel that I would have benefited greatly from having done a course like this one sooner in my teaching career… I will definitely approach this coming school year with additional knowledge and resources to glean from and I will be able to know more about issues at planning and staff meetings and hopefully be able to contribute more constructively to these discussions… Overall, I think that this course has been one of the most interesting and useful ones that I have ever done.”

• School Principal – “All the downloadable resources will be invaluable to me in the future. A wealth of information has been provided, and for this I am grateful.”

• NQT Teacher – “Just got a permanent position yesterday and I’m sure some of the info covered in the course got me over the line in the interview! Thank you!”

• Teacher - “I have learned more from this course in the past few days than I have learned in the past year of being in a school with new DEIS status. There are many more supports available to the children and families in our school community than I was aware of… I have downloaded and saved almost every single document to refer back to over the coming months and indeed years.”

• New Home School Community Liaison – “This course has been a lifesaver when it comes to starting out as a HSCL in September. While I had some idea of the work involved I didn’t know the ins and outs of everything… This will be my first time being very involved in the DEIS plan. The sample plans and ideas I got here will be so helpful with all aspects of the DEIS plan. It will be great to be able to go to meetings with ideas that my school could adopt… Over all this course has been the best and most practical of all courses I have done and without doubt one that I will take with me going forward.”

• School Principal – "A course like this just brings us back to what it's all about… I thank you for organising this course as I have found it interesting, reiterates the good in our DEIS system and brings it home to us how wonderful our DEIS schools are."

• Teacher -  "I've worked in a DEIS school for many years but have still learned so much on this course. I think this course should be used by the Department not just as Summer CPD but made available to all DEIS schools so that NQT's can access it. "

• Teacher -  “Fantastic course with excellent information presented in a variety of engaging ways. The discussion forums and assignments were practical and thought provoking and the resources practical and ready to use. Many thanks to all other participants for your sharing of experiences and ideas, it’s what make a summer course enjoyable and useful.”

• School Principal -  “The course content was truly fantastic, and as a principal of a DEIS school with years of teaching experience in such an environment, I have gained invaluable learning from this course. It has provided me with a much deeper understanding of the often misunderstood role of HSCL (Home School Community Liaison) and the significance of SCP (School Completion Programme). The sections dedicated to DEIS planning and SSE updates were particularly helpful, and I found the exploration of Meitheal intriguing since it is an area we haven't been extensively involved with until now.”

In this module we will explore what ‘Disadvantage’ actually means. We will delve into the origin & history of DEIS. The practical features of DEIS School Supports will be examined and we will see how and why some schools get DEIS status and others do not.

• To better understand socioeconomic and educational disadvantage in an Irish context

• To familiarise yourself with the Delivering Equality of Opportunity In Schools programme

• To comprehend how these DEIS supports can help teaching and learning in school

This module highlights the work of the newly named Tusla Education Support Services (TESS) and why it's important for teachers to understand their supports. It also details the expansive role of the Home School Community Liaison Coordinator which is a temporary (5 year) job carried out by teachers who are released from classroom duties.

• To explore the various education welfare services which support schools

• To understand the role of the HSCL and how he/she supports teachers, parents and pupils

This module explores the work of organisations trying to improve school attendance, participation and progression. It outlines supports available to families who are struggling and focusses on the Meitheal process which is often led by the teacher.

• To explore the School Completion Programme and its remit

• To evaluate the law in respect of Education Welfare, particularly the statutory role of the Education Welfare Officer in the Irish education system

• To identify the supports available to families in crisis from Tusla Family Support Services

• To examine the teacher’s role in the Meitheal process

Module 4 examines the main DEIS Themes that schools should be keeping at the core of all their teaching and learning. We explore DEIS Planning and how it relates to School Self Evaluation with practical examples and templates.

• To define the main focus areas of DEIS in schools’ teaching and learning

• To review the DEIS planning process

• To appraise SSE in a DEIS school

Module 5 delves into the phenomenon of childhood trauma, especially as it relates to the disadvantaged child. We see the impact of transitions to and from school have on a child and examine practical initiatives that schools can learn from to build partnerships with parents.

• To classify common Adverse Childhood Experiences of children in disadvantaged settings

• To critique how trauma and experiences of disadvantage take effect in the classroom setting

• To evaluate the importance of building partnerships with parents

• To explore the nature of transitions