Mayo Education Support Centre

This course supports primary teachers in developing the knowledge, skills, and professional competence required to effectively integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into teaching, learning and assessment. It is aligned with key policy frameworks, including the UNESCO AI Competency Framework for Teachers, the Digital Learning Framework, and the School Self-Evaluation Process.

Participants will engage in a range of structured, professionally relevant learning experiences, including analysis of classroom practice, collaborative professional dialogue, and the design of AI-supported lessons across the primary curriculum. The course places a strong emphasis on enhancing pupil learning outcomes through effective use of digital technologies, including differentiation, formative assessment, and pupil engagement.

The School Self-Evaluation (SSE) process is embedded throughout, supporting teachers to identify areas for improvement, implement targeted strategies, and reflect on impact. The course also promotes inclusive and ethical practice, with particular attention to issues such as bias, accessibility, and responsible AI use.

Participation in this course will support teachers’ ongoing professional learning in line with the Cosán Framework and enhance their capacity to respond to evolving educational priorities

Learning Outcomes

• To follow

Supporting Learning Through Regulation and Connection, While Maintaining Clear Boundaries and Accountability

As former teachers, we understand the complexity and intensity of the classroom. Balancing regulation, behaviour, learning, relationships, and curriculum demands can be extremely challenging. A clear, consistent, and developmentally informed framework is essential in the school environment.

The F.I.R.M.® Approach - Fair, Intentional, Regulated, and Modelling - provides educators with a structured, research-informed framework that supports both pupil wellbeing and effective teaching and learning. Grounded in educational and therapeutic practice, and aligned with relational, developmentally informed frameworks such as RELATE, it supports teachers in responding to children in a way that strengthens connection, supports regulation, and maintains firm limits and accountability.

Participants will explore how children’s behaviour may reflect underlying emotional, developmental, or sensory needs, and consider how the adult’s response influences classroom dynamics. The course offers practical, inclusive strategies suitable for a wide range of classroom contexts and pupil profiles, including neurodivergent learners.

The F.I.R.M.® Approach provides a consistent anchor for teachers, supporting calm and measured responses, reducing reliance on reactive practices, and contributing to sustained, positive change within the classroom environment.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Apply the F.I.R.M.® Approach as a clear, practical framework to respond effectively in both everyday and challenging classroom situations
• Use developmentally informed, relational strategies to support pupil regulation, connection, and engagement, without reliance on shouting, rewards or shame-based approaches
• Implement consistent, fair, simple and inclusive practices that support all learners, including neurodivergent pupils, while maintaining FIRM boundaries and promoting positive, sustainable classroom environments

This engaging, reflective and practical course aims to enhance teaching and learning in mainstream primary classrooms by developing teachers’ understanding of ADHD and how it presents in diverse learners, including important differences between girls and boys.

Pupils engage with learning in different ways, and ADHD can impact attention, executive functioning, emotional regulation and motivation. This course develops teachers’ understanding of ADHD and its influence on learning, concentration and regulation, supporting more informed and inclusive classroom practice.

Participants will explore ADHD as a difference, using a strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming approach. Teachers will develop their ability to recognise ADHD, especially in less visible presentations such as inattentive ADHD across both girls and boys.

The course provides practical, evidence-informed strategies to support focus, organisation, self-regulation and engagement across whole-class teaching, group work and independent tasks. Teachers will also explore Universal Design for Learning (UDL), flexible assessment practices and flexible learning environments.

This course is practical, relevant and empowering, supporting inclusive environments that promote wellbeing and positive learning outcomes for all pupils.

Learning Outcomes

• Enhanced knowledge of ADHD, including differences between girls and boys
• Improved understanding of how ADHD impacts attention, executive functioning, emotional regulation, motivation and learning
• Clear understanding of teacher role in identifying ADHD
• Increased confidence in applying inclusive approaches to teaching and assessment, including UDL principles, to support engagement and learning
• Critically reflect on current classroom practice and identify ways to create more inclusive, supportive learning environments for all pupils

Supporting Learning Through Regulation and Connection, While Maintaining Clear Boundaries and Accountability

As former teachers, we understand the complexity and intensity of the classroom. Balancing regulation, behaviour, learning, relationships, and curriculum demands can be extremely challenging. A clear, consistent, and developmentally informed framework is essential in the school environment.

The F.I.R.M.® Approach - Fair, Intentional, Regulated, and Modelling - provides educators with a structured, research-informed framework that supports both pupil wellbeing and effective teaching and learning. Grounded in educational and therapeutic practice, and aligned with relational, developmentally informed frameworks such as RELATE, it supports teachers in responding to children in a way that strengthens connection, supports regulation, and maintains firm limits and accountability.

Participants will explore how children’s behaviour may reflect underlying emotional, developmental, or sensory needs, and consider how the adult’s response influences classroom dynamics. The course offers practical, inclusive strategies suitable for a wide range of classroom contexts and pupil profiles, including neurodivergent learners.

The F.I.R.M.® Approach provides a consistent anchor for teachers, supporting calm and measured responses, reducing reliance on reactive practices, and contributing to sustained, positive change within the classroom environment.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Apply the F.I.R.M.® Approach as a clear, practical framework to respond effectively in both everyday and challenging classroom situations
• Use developmentally informed, relational strategies to support pupil regulation, connection, and engagement, without reliance on shouting, rewards or shame-based approaches
• Implement consistent, fair, simple and inclusive practices that support all learners, including neurodivergent pupils, while maintaining FIRM boundaries and promoting positive, sustainable classroom environments

Are you a school leader, aspiring leader, ISM member or teacher wishing to consider what is involved in leadership in education? Then this course is for you. Learn about theory and practice with lots of ideas and suggestions on leadership practice for your classroom or school. Various facets of leadership will be discussed with practical ideas to implement. In addition, reference will be made to various circulars, and DES guidelines for leadership and management in schools. This course will also suit teachers who may be considering applying for posts in schools or those who wish to understand what school leadership entails.

Teaching reading is rocket science! Providing effective research-based literacy instruction that meets the diverse learning needs of all students in middle and senior classes is incredibly challenging. In this course, teachers will consider the fundamentals of literacy instruction for older students and explore how to align classroom practices and instruction with the science of reading.  Participants will explore models of reading and consider how this aligns to the Primary Language Curriculum in a practical manner. Through a blend of knowledge and practical implementation, teachers will learn how to establish routines and procedures which elevate student voice and engagement across all curricular areas.  Topics include comprehension instruction, vocabulary, morphology, differentiated instruction, spelling, writing and cultivating a joyful reading community. In all areas, participants will examine both research and practice, while also availing of high quality resources to aid in implementation in middle and senior classes.  At the end of this course, participants will be more confident in cohesively planning effective instruction that aligns with the science of reading and most importantly meets the needs of all students.

Learning Outcomes

·        Identify and explore research-validated elements of literacy instruction in the middle and senior classes.

·        Develop an understanding of an effective programme of literacy development for middle and senior class pupils and the instructional implications for informing the whole school self-evaluation process.

·        Identify and examine approaches to develop students’ oral language and vocabulary both formally and informally. 

·        Develop an knowledge of the explicit nature of Comprehension Strategy Instruction across a variety of text genres and examine its use in all curricular areas.

·        Understand how explicit writing instruction can advance thinking across all subject areas.

Consider how assessment data can be used to inform literacy instruction and identify misconceptions.

Discover how play and relationships shape wellbeing in both teaching and learning. This engaging course explores how child-led play can be used in all class settings to foster wellbeing, social inclusion and nurture creativity. This course delves into social and emotional development, the nervous system and attachment—offering insights into how these elements shape our interactions, experiences and relationships. This course aims to support teachers in reconnecting with their own playful side while gaining value insights to support their own personal development. Finally, participants will be supported in devising a framework for creating a whole school plan based on Experiential Wellbeing to enhance social inclusion and in line with the Department of Educations 'Wellbeing Policy Statement & Framework for Practice.'

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the value of child-led play through the lens of wellbeing, social & emotional development and social inclusion.
• Explore how the nervous system works and learn to identify and understand the ‘Language of the Nervous System’.
• Identify the skills necessary to nurture a supportive teacher-pupil relationship underpinned by an understanding of attachment theory.
• Look specifically at ordinary everyday interactions to foster connection, emotional balance, resilience, insight and empathy.
• Support teachers in reconnecting with their own innate playfulness to foster social inclusion.
• Explore creating a whole school plan to promote experiential wellbeing in line with the Department of Education’s ‘Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice’, based around play and relationships (informed by educational neuroscience) in line with SSE.

The Explorers Education Programme online course aims to provide engaging activities, resources, and support for teachers to incorporate Marine Content through Science, Math’s, English, Geography, and the Arts into the class curriculum.

Launched in 2006, the Explorers Education Programme, funded and supported by the Marine Institute promotes ocean awareness, knowledge, and engagement, as well as supports ocean literacy and marine education in primary schools in Ireland.

By learning about the ocean literacy concepts; enabling us to understand the influence of the ocean on us and our influence on the ocean; as well as supporting engagement with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 12 and 14, teachers will be able to incorporate marine themes with a range of primary subjects and learning methodologies. Through a series of seashore focuses videos and activities participants will explore

• Biodiversity, and adaptation to the life on the shore,
• Sustainability fisheries and future of our coastal ecosystems
• Environmental awareness and care, and design and make
• Outdoor learning and planning fieldwork
• Using ICT to bring the Ocean into the classroom
• Methods for SSE and exploring work samples and self-reflection tools

The course provides teachers the opportunity to develop their individual and collective skills through the delivery of ocean literacy concepts and learning about the seashore online as well as through nature. The teachers will become proactive in:

• Assessing their own abilities as well as positively contributing to understanding the importance of the ocean
• Being able to communicate about the ocean in a meaningful way
• Using these skills to make informed and responsible decisions regarding the ocean and its resources in line with SDG14

Based over 5 modules, participants will use a range of pre-recorded video content, teacher resources, workbooks, and lesson plans to complete tasks. On completion participants can request a pack of Explorers Educational Resources to be sent to their school.

For more information see www.explorers.ie

Learning outcomes

• A broad range of cross curricular activities where they will develop their skills, ability and competency in active engagement
• Inclusive discussion and opportunities for facilitating challenging conversations though online platforms moderated by e-tutors and course director

This course will provide teachers with a bank of games and digital resources which they can use in their classrooms to support the teaching of Gaeilge and the facilitation of the new Primary Language Curriculum. The course will give teachers the confidence to plan and create meaningful activities around the needs of their pupils with a focus on fun, child-led learning through games and digital technologies. Teachers will be enabled to set clear objectives for their games/ICT lessons and also equipped with the skills to adapt and assess these activities. The assignment aspects of this course will be hands-on and give teachers the opportunity to practice and demonstrate their new learning. The course will provide teachers with a renewed energy and approach towards the teaching of Gaeilge, which will support them in creating a classroom where a love for the language is fostered.#

Participants will be enabled to:

• Reflect on their current practice of teaching Gaeilge
• Identify the benefits and potential of using cluichí in their teaching
• Set clear game objectives for their class using assessment and the Primary Language Curriculum as a support
• Effectively adapt a variety of games to suit their Gaeilge theme, class level, pupil needs and differentiation
• Create their own card games, board games, oral language games and physical games
• Acquire a bank of games to use upon their return to the classroom (adaptable for all classes)
• Increase their confidence around the use of cluichí  in the classroom
• Develop an excitement and positivity around the planning for Gaeilge next year through the incorporation of cluichí
• Explore a variety of online resources which support the teaching and learning of Gaeilge

This course will provide teachers with a bank of games and digital resources which they can use in their classrooms to support the teaching of Gaeilge and the facilitation of the new Primary Language Curriculum. The course will give teachers the confidence to plan and create meaningful activities around the needs of their pupils with a focus on fun, child-led learning through games and digital technologies. Teachers will be enabled to set clear objectives for their games/ICT lessons and also equipped with the skills to adapt and assess these activities. The assignment aspects of this course will be hands-on and give teachers the opportunity to practice and demonstrate their new learning. The course will provide teachers with a renewed energy and approach towards the teaching of Gaeilge, which will support them in creating a classroom where a love for the language is fostered.#

Participants will be enabled to:

• Reflect on their current practice of teaching Gaeilge
• Identify the benefits and potential of using cluichí in their teaching
• Set clear game objectives for their class using assessment and the Primary Language Curriculum as a support
• Effectively adapt a variety of games to suit their Gaeilge theme, class level, pupil needs and differentiation
• Create their own card games, board games, oral language games and physical games
• Acquire a bank of games to use upon their return to the classroom (adaptable for all classes)
• Increase their confidence around the use of cluichí  in the classroom
• Develop an excitement and positivity around the planning for Gaeilge next year through the incorporation of cluichí
• Explore a variety of online resources which support the teaching and learning of Gaeilge

The course aims to equip primary teachers with the knowledge, skills, and strategies to effectively identify, support, and challenge exceptionally able and gifted learners within primary schools. It will explore best practices in meeting the needs and interests of exceptionally able and gifted learners in mainstream contexts and provide opportunity for participants to deepen their professional knowledge, understanding and skills to create sufficiently challenging learning experiences for these learners. It will include the use of a range of pedagogical approaches and resources that facilitate differentiation, enrichment, and inclusion whilst promoting project-based and interdisciplinary learning. The course will also provide opportunity for participants to critically reflect on whole-school policies and practices that address the holistic needs of all gifted and exceptionally able learners including learners with double/ triple exceptionality with particular emphasis on supporting the development of positive wellbeing and social and emotional needs. The course will also examine ways in which teachers’ individual and collective practice can support parents and gifted and exceptionally able learners during periods of transitions.

Specific skills and practices to be developed include:

• Differentiation Approaches including curriculum compacting, acceleration, enrichment and in-class cluster models
• Universal Design for Learning
• Teacher- Learner interaction techniques to optimise challenge in learning experience
• Using digital technologies as part of a suite of enrichment activities
• Activating agency of exceptionally able and gifted learners
• Reflection on whole-school policies and practices that support holistic development of gifted and exceptionally able learners

Water Safety Ireland's Summer Course aims to give teachers the toolkit to confidently teach PAWS (Primary Aquatics Water Safety) programme. The course also supports the teaching of water safety as part of the Strand Myself, Strand Unit Safety and Protection (Personal Safety) in the SPHE programme.  It aims to increase teachers’ knowledge and awareness of water safety at sea, on inland waterways, on the farm, in swimming pools and at home, through the use of factual information and local  evidence of water safety incidents.  Teachers  will explore lesson content exemplars and teaching methodologies and provide a variety of resources suitable for teaching and discussing water safety.  Learn how water safety lessons can be evaluated and assessed and how it may be situated within the context of the school self-evaluation process. The course will also enable teachers to enhance their awareness of their own safety when in, on and near water

This new and innovative course will highlight and discuss the neuroscience behind why movement, sensory, brain breaks and drama games need to be an integral part of the school day. The information provided will enhance teaching and learning in the classroom and provide knowledge of how breaks can enable children to maintain focus, integrate learning across both of the brain's hemispheres, decrease challenging behaviour, build relationships and avoid feelings of overwhelm.

Participants will gain an in-depth insight into the difference between movement, sensory and brain breaks and be provided with a bank of resources to bring with them into the new academic year. Each module is motivating, relevant and child-centred and designed specifically with the constraints of classroom life in mind.

This experiential, reflective course is inclusive and suitable for ALL class levels including SEN. It is fun and exciting and packed with ideas, tools, actionable resources and strategies, that will empower your own teaching and learning.

Learning Outcomes

·        Participants will obtain basic knowledge on the underpinning neuroscience behind reaching the learning brain & why breaks should be an integral part of classroom life.

·        Participants will be learn about a variety of simple and effective ways to increase attendance in learning and will be given a bank of resources to utilise in the new academic year.

·        Enhance knowledge of the importance of movement, sensory & brain breaks to encourage class cohesion, enhance social and emotional skills, which will lead to children flourishing in the classroom environment.

·        Participants will critically reflect on their current practice and plan to incorporate change in their teaching methodologies in the new academic year.

This new and innovative course will highlight and discuss the neuroscience behind why movement, sensory, brain breaks and drama games need to be an integral part of the school day. The information provided will enhance teaching and learning in the classroom and provide knowledge of how breaks can enable children to maintain focus, integrate learning across both of the brain's hemispheres, decrease challenging behaviour, build relationships and avoid feelings of overwhelm.

Participants will gain an in-depth insight into the difference between movement, sensory and brain breaks and be provided with a bank of resources to bring with them into the new academic year. Each module is motivating, relevant and child-centred and designed specifically with the constraints of classroom life in mind.

This experiential, reflective course is inclusive and suitable for ALL class levels including SEN. It is fun and exciting and packed with ideas, tools, actionable resources and strategies, that will empower your own teaching and learning.

Learning Outcomes

·        Participants will obtain basic knowledge on the underpinning neuroscience behind reaching the learning brain & why breaks should be an integral part of classroom life.

·        Participants will be learn about a variety of simple and effective ways to increase attendance in learning and will be given a bank of resources to utilise in the new academic year.

·        Enhance knowledge of the importance of movement, sensory & brain breaks to encourage class cohesion, enhance social and emotional skills, which will lead to children flourishing in the classroom environment.

·        Participants will critically reflect on their current practice and plan to incorporate change in their teaching methodologies in the new academic year.

This course aims to ...

This course aims to ...

This course aims to ...

This course aims to ...

This course aims to support you in enhancing your own wellbeing, by learning how to nourish your body and mind with delicious, easy and nutritious recipes. It will support your teaching of Nutrition in SPHE and the promotion of wellbeing in your school. In Nutrition for Wellbeing, we will explore the science behind nutrition and how to use food to enhance your mood and energy levels. We will explore a variety of resources and initiatives that will support you in teaching children about nutrition and healthy eating through the SPHE curriculum, which will equip them with key skills and knowledge to enable them to confidently make healthier life choices. You will learn how to support children in growing and preparing food at school and how to prepare a Healthy Eating Policy for your school. We will also explore a wide range of healthy lunch recipes for the busy teacher, and you will be invited to make some delicious, nutritious high energy snacks to bring with you to school!