Creative teachers help pupils get the most out of learning – O’Dowd

Creative teachers stimulate, motivate and inspire pupils, empowering them to get the most out of their learning careers.
~ Thursday, 11 October 2012

That was the message from Education Minister, John O’Dowd, as he opened the tenth annual standing conference on teacher education north and south in County Cavan today, along with southern Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn TD.

Speaking as he addressed delegates, Minister O’Dowd said: “Education is central to the life of our community and should enable our young people to grow and develop as individuals. It should provide young people with the skills they need to play a significant role in the workforce and ensure they can contribute to economic growth and share in society’s prosperity on an equal basis.

“I strongly believe that the role teachers play in this process cannot be overstated. Teachers are the focal point of a child’s engagement in school, and the more dynamic and creative the teacher is, the more the child will absorb and be drawn in to the information they are hearing.

“Within the ‘Being Creative’ strand of the curriculum in the north, all teachers are encouraged to provide opportunities in their subjects for pupils to discover how to learn from and value other people’s ideas, value the unexpected or surprising, see opportunities in mistakes and failures, and take risks for learning.

“I see creativity as pivotal in driving forward the key aim of improving standards for all young people and it is vital that teachers are equipped to invest creativity within young people. This conference provides an excellent opportunity for teachers from right across Ireland to share ideas and best practice on this and other themes. I welcome the opportunity to encourage all involved and emphasise that this is important work that will deliver real benefits for learners into the future.”