[Pat Brennan]

Hi Alan,

Welcome to the course. I also like the “Sell Me This Rubbish” activity. It’s a fun and engaging way to develop persuasive writing skills while encouraging pupils to think creatively and justify their ideas.

One suggestion might be to let the class vote for the most convincing pitch at the end. This would encourage pupils to listen carefully to each other and identify the persuasive techniques being used.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Aisling,

Needless to say, access to education can shape a child’s opportunities and future, and as you’ve outlined, this is evident in Ireland and abroad. I also like how you’ve linked the topic to SDG 4 and suggested practical ways for pupils to develop empathy and a broader understanding of inequality.

One simple idea here might be to include a simple comparison activity where pupils explore and illustrate what a typical school day looks like for children in different parts of the world. This could help make the issue more real and encourage deeper discussion around fairness, opportunity and access to education.

Again, as you reference, there is also a strong connection to SSE, particularly around equality, inclusion and global citizenship.

[Pat Brennan]

You’ve highlighted a great example in your station teaching of how gender stereotypes can emerge at an early age and indeed how everyday classroom situations can become valuable learning opportunities. The discussion around the bracelet and knitting station is a timely reminder that children often absorb gender assumptions from society, and as teachers we need challenge these in a positive and supportive way.

I also agree that DE on has an important role to play in promoting equality, inclusion and respect for diversity and as mooted using stories, discussion and collaborative activities can encourage pupils to think critically about stereotypes and other persoectives . As you noted, linking this work to SSE priorities around wellbeing and inclusion can help ensure it becomes a whole-school approach, which I firmly believe is essential for meaningful and consistent DE.

[Pat Brennan]

Couldn’t agree with you more and it needs to be much more than one off webinar or workshop. Teacher professional learning around generative AI needs to be scaffolded and continuous

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Barbara,

Welcome to the course, and I’m delighted to hear you’ve enjoyed Module 1, I agree that GenAI has enormous potential to support teaching and learning, particularly around teacher efficiency in planning, resource creation, research and assessment. As you referenced, bots like ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini can be valuable supports when used thoughtfully and purposefully.

However, probably most important, you’ve recognised the importance of using these tools (Both teachers and students)critically and responsibly. While AI offers many opportunities, professional judgement remains essential to ensure content is accurate, appropriate and used ethically in the classroom. The teacher must always be at the centre.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Mark,

Welcome to the course, I couldn’t agree with you more GenAI has huge potential to support teaching by saving time and helping to create differentiated resources and learning activities. However, as you’ve mooted out, it’s important that teachers critically review AI-generated content, as accuracy and quality can vary instead of taking any output as verbatim. The ‘Human in the loop’ adage.

I particularly like your emphasis on keeping pupils as the thinkers in the learning process. Encouraging children to question, discuss and evaluate AI-generated content is central to responsible GenAI, criticality  and digital literacy will only grow in importance as GenAI becomes more and more ubiquitous in our society.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Marian,

Welcome to the course. Absolutely, Development Education gives children the knowledge, skills and values needed to better understand the world around them and their place within it. I particularly like your focus on cross-curricular learning, as this helps make global issues more relevant and meaningful. Also, this is a key message to get across to colleagues who may see DE as an additional area to cover, they just need to be mindful of where it can fit.

The examples you’ve listed , such as Green Schools, Fairtrade initiatives and themed weeks, are great ways of bringing DE to life across the school community. A joined up, whole-school approach is mission critical I believe.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Sinead,

Welcome to the course. Agreed, Development Education helps students make sense of the world around them while developing empathy, critical thinking, and a sense of responsibility. I particularly like your point about using real-life examples and discussion, as these are often the most effective ways to help children connect global issues to their own lives. It’s ineffective when in the abtract.

On SSE, . embedding DE within priorities such as inclusion, wellbeing, and active citizenship can help ensure it becomes a more meaningful part of everyday teaching and as you alluded to, collaboration among colleagues and whole-school initiatives can play an important role in making this happen.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi again Emer,

You’ve highlighted the importance of collaboration not only in the classroom but across the wider school community. Granted, as a walking principal you may not be directly teaching pupils, however, you’ve outlined clearly how you model good collaborative practice through your work with staff, pupils, parents, the BOM and external professionals. As with all changes to approaches/work  practices it’s essential that the senior leadership team lead by example to ensure buy in from all staff. Your emphasis on shared ownership and decision-making is particularly valuable and indeed refreshing. Anecdotally, whilst there’s quite a lot made of distributed leadership, in reality this isn’t always reflected on the ground, from my experience so it’s  great to see your commitment to making it meaningful.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Eileen,

I agree, climate action is something pupils should be aware of from an early age. As you mentioned, early awareness helps build lifelong responsibility for the planet. In fairness, this is something we already do quite well in primary schools in Ireland. Activities such as recycling, composting, water conservation and gardening are widely promoted and supported by An Taisce’s excellent Green Flag initiative. These efforts also align with SD to 2030 Priority Action Area 5, benefiting both the local community and local authorities.

To finish, I hadn’t come across Picker Pals before, but I’ll be bookmarking it. It looks like a great way to educate children and families about litter, while improving local environments through pupil-led action.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Clodagh,

It looks like your response may have been generated with the help of an AI tool. While AI can be helpful for drafting ideas or exploring different ways to express your thinking, it is important that your forum post reflects your own understanding and engagement with the course content.
We would appreciate if you could take a moment to revisit your post and revise as needed.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Alex,

Thanks for sharing your Google Form. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to access it which is most likely due to permissions but from your description, it sounds like a good practical example of how Forms can be used for assessment, specifically to capture pupils’ water usage and broader awareness. I’ve always been an admirer of an Taisce’s Green-Schools initiative, as it promotes sustainability in such a practical way while fostering pupil agency and leadership skills.

More broadly, you’ve highlighted some great strategies for strengthening AfL, such as clarifying success criteria and providing feedback that supports next steps. As you mentioned, introducing peer and self-assessment could further enhance agency and reflection. I also agree that Two Stars and a Wish is a great template for peer feedback that works equally well for teacher–pupil feedback.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Grace,

It looks like your response may have been generated with the help of an AI tool. While AI can be helpful for drafting ideas or exploring different ways to express your thinking, it is important that your forum post reflects your own understanding and engagement with the course content.
We would appreciate if you could take a moment to revisit your post and revise as needed.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Robin,

Your point about visual timetables and the broader definition of low-tech AT is a valid one and must admit I had similar reservations myself. That said, these classifications were first outlined in an earlier version of the course by Ann Jackson, who was Principal at the CRC and  widely regarded as an authority in this area. So I’ve pretty much deferred to her expertise on that but very much accept it remains an ongoing debate.

Separately, your link to Standard 3.3 of the DLF is well made. Embedding AT into our teaching supports inclusive and differentiated approaches. As you and others have noted  here, combining the SETT Framework with School Support Plans also promotes consistency and aligns closely with NEPS and NCSE guidance.

[Pat Brennan]

Hi Emma,

Good to hear you found this module informative, with plenty of practical ideas to take forward. I agree Reading Coach (indeed, the entire suite of Learning Accelerators) is a really useful tool to support and personalise learning, Particularly, as mooted,  its ability to assess fluency and highlight tricky words, which can be hard to manage consistently in a hectic classroom.

Gamma too, promises  real time-saving when it comes to creating lesson materials. Indeed anything that helps reduce planning time and allows us to focus more on pupils learning is definitely worth exploring. I agree too that the potential of GenAI is huge in education but we need to be mindful too of some of the negative impacts, it’s all about getting the balance right in your classroom and in the school as a whole

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