About CASE
CASE aims to build a culture of good relations amongst children and young people in a school based setting. Delivery is through the provision of direct, sustained, curricular-based contact between children and teachers from all backgrounds.
Through working in partnership, the participating schools will promote community cohesion, enhance educational outcomes for all pupils and provide shared professional development. CASE is open to all schools in the six Border Counties of Ireland and schools in Northern Ireland which are not currently involved in the DSC Signature Project for Shared Education.
This project is supported by the European Union's PEACE Programme, managed by the Special EU Programme Body.
Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) programme
This consists of a suite of short courses covering a range of strategic areas to help develop collaborative working practices and support school improvement.
The provision of a Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) programme for school-based staff is a specific element of the CASE Project. Its aim is to provide teachers and school leaders with a clear learning framework that will enhance the skills, capacity and confidence needed to embed effective practice in Shared Education.
During 2019/20 up to 8 different CASE modules will be delivered each term; all suitable for audiences comprising NI teachers and ROI teachers.
The modules will take place over a 3 day period, 2 days back-to-back with a follow-up day approximately 4 -6 weeks later. As part of each module teachers will jointly undertake a short partnership-based learning exercise designed to enhance collaborative working and encourage professional dialogue. Each module is designed to reflect a blend of research-based theory and practical classroom content.
All teachers in schools involved in the CASE Project are eligible to participate in the TPL programme.
Registration for all courses will be released in early September and further details are available from school principals and CASE Link teachers.
News from around the partnerships
Extending Shared Education Activity in Dundalk School's Partnership
St Vincent’s Secondary School and Dundalk Grammar School have been collaborating in Shared Education for close to two years; sharing coding and music classes as well as taking on sign language. To reach a wider community both within and beyond the two schools, this year they decided to look at more current affairs and topical issues and incorporate the debating clubs in both schools.
Supported by their teachers and friends, on October 24 two debating teams each composed of pupils from both schools faced each other on a Brexit related topic. Pat McCormick from Dundalk Institute of Technology and President of Dundalk Chamber of Commerce chaired the debate. A follow up debate is planned in February on ‘Climate Change’ with the hope to elicit participation from other CASE schools.
SPOTLIGHT on STEM
On October 16, Rosemary Dunne of St Mura’s NS, Buncrana, presented at the National Literacy and Numeracy Forum in Farmleigh House on the work she and her partner school St Boden’s NS are doing through Shared Education.