In this week’s Third Degree Column, Paul Bradley speaks with Kieran McTaggart about his role as Director at Donegal Education Support Centre.
Hi Kieran, could you tell us a little bit about yourself please?
I’m from Glencar Irish, Letterkenny, from a family of six children. I went to Scoil Cholmcille (then known as the ‘Boys school’) and St. Eunan’s College. I went to third level college in the Mater Dei Institute of Education in Drumcondra and studied Theology, History and Education. The course was very interesting, especially in Education: theory and practice were concurrent so I began my teaching practice in first year and I really enjoyed that. It was a specialised teacher training college and today it is part of DCU.
After finishing college, I secured a teaching job in Loreto College (now Loreto Community School) in Milford. I still wanted to do further study, so I completed a Master’s in Education in the National University of Galway. This really enhanced my professional development and specialised knowledge into education, particularly in areas of educational research, leadership, school culture and ethos.
You’re the Director of the Donegal Education Support Centre. What does the DESC do?
The overarching objective of the Donegal Education Support Centre is to provide continuing professional development (CPD) and support for teachers, school leaders, SNAs and the wider education community throughout Donegal. The centre also offers professional training programmes, workshops, and online resources to enhance teaching practices and support national educational priorities. We also foster partnerships with schools and the Department of Education & Youth and promote lifelong learning and innovation within the education sector.
We work in close collaboration with several stakeholders, such as Oide (a new national support service for teachers) in rolling out the new primary curriculum and the new senior cycle curriculum. Other educational partners include NEPS, ETB, ATU, NUI Maynooth and Galway, etc.
The Centre is also a meeting venue for shared learning and reflection on professional practice and we also emphasise developing local expertise in facilitation and delivery. We are very fortunate in Donegal to have a great cohort of facilitators (teachers, artists, etc) who offer their services and share their skills and knowledge to teachers all over the county.
How is the new centre going?
The new location is very busy and great to see it. We have on average of eight to nine face-to-face events every week, alongside the many webinars and other initiatives that we offer.
We’ve had a very positive response and feedback from the principals, teachers and SNAs who have already attended the centre for a course. The new centre is currently serving as a modern, welcoming hub where principals, teachers, and SNAs can access high-quality professional learning courses and resources using fibre broadband. The DESC is seen as a progressive centre, supporting innovation and growth.
For which things do teachers and principals need support/training?
For school management, leading a school in today’s world is a challenging task, and principals continue to require ongoing support in carrying out their duties and responsibilities. The essential training is in leadership and management, to ensure that they can effectively manage their role and maintain focus on student learning.
Professional support programmes are essential for school principals and to ensure that they are offered opportunities for networking and coaching, frameworks for improving leadership, and strategies for managing their workload and stress.
For teachers it is important that they receive high-quality professional development and support, to help them provide the best possible education for their students.
The biggest demand is always in the area of managing behaviour, special needs education, AI & Chat GDP or something subject specific.
If the DESC is there to help teachers/schools, is there anyone who helps the DESC?
Yes, we receive great support and advice from the Department of Education & Youth and ESCI (Education Support Centres Ireland). At the directors’ monthly meeting we receive input from various professional groups such as Oide, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NEPS, etc. and this is always of great support. We are also invited to attend the annual conferences of the NAPD (National Association of Principals and Deputies) and IPPN (Irish Primary Principals Network).
You have been a teacher and Assistant Principal yourself. I presume that’s important experience for your DESC, but was there something new in the DESC that meant you were happy to move away from that, or do you actually continue to work as teacher/AP as well?
There is no doubt that many years of experience in the classroom and my role as an Assistant Principal has helped me now in my role as Director. However, I was also very active and had gained great professional experience in many areas outside school, and that too was of great benefit.
I worked as a JCT (Junior Cycle for Teachers) Associate, delivering professional courses for teachers, and as a School Placement Tutor for DCU where I was responsible for co-ordinating and providing professional support and assessment for student teachers. I also got the opportunity to engage and work with the Teaching Council of Ireland and was a member of the Teacher Recruitment Forum with the Department of Education.
As a former member and Chairperson of the management committee of the Donegal Education Support Centre, I was very familiar with the governance and operations of the centre, and this was of great benefit to me when I became Director in September 2023.
Do you have young children – and do they have entirely different views on schools and teachers?
Yes, I have two young children who attend a large primary school in Letterkenny and my wife is a primary school teacher, so education and learning are very important to me too at a personal level.
Observing my own children and paying attention to how they observe and engage in schoolwork and activities can reveal a lot about their learning styles. As a father (not as a Director) I am very fortunate that I can provide hands-on experiences and engage with them in their learning activities that align with their strengths such as helping them with homework, reading stories, listening to their stories, visiting places and encouraging them to ask questions.
Do you have any spare time away from education, and how do you like to fill it?
I like to travel both in Ireland and abroad and going on holidays with my family. I play tennis and like walking on the beautiful beaches in Donegal. With two young children, I am busy bringing them to their activities, training and of course the birthday parties!!
If anyone else would like to take part in this interview, to raise a profile or an issue, please contact Paul at Dnthirddegree@gmail.com
