Physical Education Association of Ireland Conference

the Gulick Medal, the most prestigious award given by the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.. He has spear headed the development of Adapted Physical

Physical Education Association of Ireland Conference & Annual General Meeting,

Conference Programme and Speaker Details

University of Illinois, Chicago

Don Hellison is a professor in the Departments of Educational

Psychology and Kinesiology at UIC This role involves program development, delivery, and evaluation for underserved youth as well

as the professional preparation of pre-service and in-service teachers and youth workers who work in these programs These programs use taking responsibility as a framework for teaching physical activities

in in-school and after-school programs Since the broad goals of this approach - e.g., respect for the rights and feelings of others, self-motivation, cooperation, self-direction, and helping others (e.g., leadership) - are relevant for working with kids in many settings, workshops also have been requested by teachers and youth workers who do not work with physical activities Processes and outcomes of this work are disseminated in publications, presentations, and

workshops across the country and in several other countries The TPSR Alliance, co-directed with Gloria Balague, is the center for these activities (tprs-alliance.org) Don spent 16 years doing this work on the west coast and has been at UIC for the past 20 years He has been recognized for this work most recently (2008) by receiving

the Gulick Medal, the most prestigious award given by the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance He has also been the recipient of the International Olympic Committee President’s Prize and five other national awards His latest book is

Teaching responsibility through physical activity, published in 2003

Pat Flanagan is a member of the Kerry Senior Football

Backroom team on a consultancy basis, previously the physical trainer, he is now in charge of the team’s weight programmes Patwas in charge of the team’s fitness during their winning periods

of 2004 and 2006, where the team enjoyed particular success

Pat, a Waterford native is a former Irish sprint champion; with Waterford Athletics club, he saw national and international

success He is a lecturer at the Institute of Technology, Tralee, & previous to this spent 12 years teaching PE in the Presentation School in Waterford He has spear headed the development of

Adapted Physical Activity (APA) as an academic subject in the Department of Health & Leisure Studies at ITT and there

conceived the development of the CARA Centre, with the

support of the Irish Sports Council, which provides guidance,

support & training for APA provision throughout Ireland

Pat will present on EIPET a new European Inclusive Physical

Education Training resource pack, which has been developed

to assist teachers with the inclusion of people with disabilities

into mainstream education and continued physical education

teacher training to deal with same

11.15 – 12.15 Coffee & PEAI AGM

12.15 – 1.15 Parallel Sessions A

1 Diversity Challenges in Physical Education

Fiona McGovern, Paddy O’Reilly, John Creagh

Fiona McGovern always knew the career she wanted to

follow, and entered Thomond College in September 1984, where she studied both PE and maths Fiona was a keen athletic and avid outdoor activist On graduation in 1988 she worked in London for a year then returned to take a PE and Maths post in Waterford in September 1989 In 1995 she undertook a Diploma in special education as she was involved in learning support in her school Seeking a change in direction, in January 2002, she successfully applied for a job as a visiting teacher for Travellers, the position which she now occupies This has broadened her experience of the teaching world and opened up to her the many different approaches that schools have, especially in differentiating material for those children with special needs

In this session Fiona will give delegates a little insight into the life and background of Travellers from her experience with them and schools over the last seven years In this way

it may help other schools to differentiate how material and classes are delivered to young Travellers in our schools today

Paddy O’Reilly graduated with a BA in PE and Maths from

Thomond College of Education in 1985 He has worked in Trinity Comprehensive, Ballymun, since 1989 Paddy has a keen interest in soccer and coached both Dundalk and Athlone U21s

He has been pursuing a Masters Degree in Sports Psychology, which centres on the study of home and away soccer

performances, featuring Bray Wanderers, Longford & Newry Paddy has an EUFA A Level 3 Soccer badge, is heavily involved

in school club soccer links within the Ballymun area, and has been instrumental in the development of Ballymun Regeneration Limited Umbru Futsal Arena

John Creagh is a Physical Education & Geography

graduate from Liverpool Hope University, and he has a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) from John Moores University (2001) On returning to his native Tralee, he taught in Mounthawke Secondary School for a year, before taking up his current position in Tralee

Community College John now teaches PE & Geography, and also the Post Leaving Cert Course, FETAC Level 6 Sport and Recreation Studies John is a stalwart member of John Mitchell’s GAA club, and also likes to get in a round

of golf when spare time allows

2 A Flourishing Future for Physical Education?

Joe Brunton

Joe Brunton graduated from Thomond College of Education in

1976, Montclair State University (New Jersey, USA; MA Hons: 1978) and the University of Limerick (MTech Hons: 2001)

He has taught PE among a variety of other subject areas at

2nd and 3rd level in a career spanning almost 35 years.After joining the Institute of Technology (then the RTC) in Tralee

in 1981 he took up teaching responsibilities initially in PE and the Health Science area He was Course Director for the

Certificate in Health Science from 1990 to 1992 and oversaw the transitioning of this programme to Health & Leisure Studies, in

1993 He acted subsequently as Course Director for the NationalCertificate in Health & Leisure Studies and then for the National Diploma in Health & Leisure Studies, from 1993 and 1998 He was a founding member and the inaugural chairman of the Recreation Educators Forum (REF) a position he held from 1995

to 1997

Joe has published on a variety of topics ranging from topics in Leisure Tourism to Ergonomics His main research interests, nowand for over a decade, have been focussed on the emerging multi-disciplinary field of well-being and ‘human flourishing’ and the potential role that physical activity can play in this

He has had a life long interest in a variety of sporting activities, but his main ‘claim to fame’, apart from playing soccer with Listowel Celtic and Kerryhead Rovers, was in an earlier life, playing in the League of Ireland with Dundalk FC and at Youth and Colleges International level He now contents himself for past-times with reading, gardening, light jogging and trying to learn French

Living near Causeway in North Kerry, Joe is married to his college sweetheart Eliz (also of the class of ’76) and is the father

of three grown up children

Joe’s presentation will outline recent theoretical developments onthe topic of positive human well-being, in particular those

contributions emanating from within the social sciences and especially positive psychology A balanced and integrative bivariate model of health and its ‘well-being / human flourishing’dimension will be presented, based on the WHO (1947)

definition of health and other more recent theoretical work The potentially substantive role that physical activity, exercise, leisure, sport and physical education can play in enhancing physical flourishing within this paradigmatic framework, along with some potential pitfalls, will be explored

3 Adapted Physical Education

Niamh Daffy (CARA Centre) & Ed Niland (IWA)

Niamh Daffy is Coordinator of CARA Adapted Physical

Activity Centre She is a graduate of the Institute of Technology Tralee, (Honours Degree in Health & Leisure Studies) During her years in college Niamh completed two placement related to the area of Adapted Physical Activity, one of these being the design and implementation of the first All Inclusive Summer Recreation Programme for individuals with disabilities in

Anchorage, Alaska After obtaining her degree, Niamh went on

to work as Sports Coordinator in Enable Ireland Adult Services, Clare and subsequently worked as manager of the Enable Ireland Adult Services Clare

In November 2007, Niamh took up position as coordinator of theCARA Adapted Physical Activity Centre located at the ITT, where she now coordinates the work of the 21 Sports Inclusion Disability Officers and the CARA National Adapted Physical Activity Resource Centre

Niamh in her spare time also likes to volunteer and has

volunteered in Camp Abilities, New York, a multi sports camp for children with visual impairments Her most recent venture will be to Calvert Trust in the Lake District to volunteer in an organisation which enables people with disabilities to achieve their potential through outdoor adventure activities in the

countryside

Ed Niland, Irish Wheelchair Association- Sport

Ed is a sport scientist who graduated from University of Limerick in

2005 He has been working with the Irish Wheelchair Sport in the role of Coach & Technical Education officer As well as developing IWA-Sport’s Coach & Instructor education programme in partnership with the Irish Sports Council’s Coaching Ireland, we are also developing a number of strategic projects on Talent Identification,Transfer & Confirmation, Volunteer & Athlete recruitment &

Association-retainment The IWA is continuing to develop resources for our Best Start: Inclusive Schools project, which aims to improve inclusive teaching practices so that more children with a disability in both primary & secondary levels can participate in their Physical Education classes, and that more children with a disability can take part

successfully and confidently in sport and physical activity for life

Ed is heavily involved in Orienteering as an athlete, coach & tutor up

to World Championships level and he enjoys most sports which

involve a good dose of adrenaline

All students regardless of ability need to participate in physical activityfor lifelong health Niamh and Ed will facilitate teachers in inclusive practices to encourage access and participation in Physical Education for all, in both primary and secondary environments, where these lifelong habits are formed The workshop will cover a variety of practical activities that can be completed within an inclusive

environment using available and accessible equipment to enhance participation within sessions Furthermore, these practical activities will provide a pathway for application beyond the PE setting

4 Best Practice in Primary School Physical Education

Kathleen Fitzgerald, Maire Ni Laidhn

Kathleen Fitzgerald graduated from Thomond College, with PE and

Irish, in 1978 She spent 10 years teaching PE in Loreto Secondary School, in Cavan, before returning to Kerry Kathleen then focused herattention on primary school PE, before she moved into the area of

Special needs teaching in St Frances Special School, Beaufort, 2 yearsago She is a both a Go For Life, and an NCEF tutor Kathleen has given a lot of service to Kerry Juvenile athletics, as well as being a keen runner and orienteering participant She now coaches with the Kerry Stars, Killarney Special Olympics team, and in her recreation time enjoys jogging and wind surfing.

Maire Ni LAidhn

Maire Ni Laidhn graduated as a primary school teacher,

from Mary Immaculate College, in 1986 On graduating she took up a position in Castlegregory National School, where she worked for 5 years, before heading to teach in the Middle East for 9 years While there she taught in an International School, which embraced both British & US primary curricula Maire returned to her native Tralee in

2000, firstly to Gael Scoil Mhic Easmain for a year, and then to the Presentation Primary School, where she

currently teaches the senior classes and takes PE classes A former International Basketball player, playing at senior level for Ireland from 1983 – 91, Maire puts her skills to great use coaching the Presentation Senior Girls Basketball team & co-ordinating the Tralee girls basketball town league When in the middle East her sporting interests included netball and rugby, while in Tralee she is also involved with Austin Stacks GAA Club, and introduced ladies Gaelic football to her school in 2001

1.15 – 2.15 Lunch

2.15 – 3.30 Parallel Sessions B

1 Adventure Games – Leave No Trace

Tomás Aylward

Tomás Aylward lectures in the Health and Leisure Dept at

I.T.Tralee He coordinates the outdoor education programmes forHealth & Leisure and PE Studies students A graduate in

Education from NUIG, he is a passionate enthusiast of learning out of doors Tomás has completed a number of wilderness journeys and xpeditions in Europe, N America, Asia and Africa

In 2009 he led a student expedition from ITTralee north of the Arctic Circle in Norway and Finland Tomás is a mentor and assessor for accredited practitioners of the Institute of Outdoor Learning (APIOL) and a Leave No Trace ‘Master Educator’ His main research interest is using outdoor experiences as a catalyst for reflection

2 Leaving Cert Applied Dance

Sharon Phelan

Sharon Phelan performed internationally as a full-time

professional dancer with Siamsa Tíre She has a degree in

Physical Education, an MA in Cultural Studies and her PhD focuses on dance in Ireland from cultural and educational

perspectives Currently, she is interested in Creative Practice in social care contexts and she is contributing chapters to a book based in this area She is also researching a book based on the cultural history of Irish dance

During her time as dance animateur and education officer with the Department of Education, Sharon published and disseminatedDance-in-Education packages and in 1999 she was

commissioned by the NCCA to complete the Leaving Certificate Applied Dance Programme The modules were a turning point,

as this was the first time Physical Education teachers viewed dance as examinable and standalone Sharon will present on the

modules at the Conference: her session will focus on ways through which Physical Education teachers can use dance, as a tool of social inclusion and cultural understanding.

3 Leading Learning through Collaborative Reflective Mentoring

Geraldine Mooney Simmie is a lecturer in Education and

Professional Studies at the University of Limerick She is Course Director for the ‘Leading Learning in School

Communities Graduate Certificate in Educational Mentoring’ at

UL Her recent paper ‘Teacher Design Teams: building capacity for innovation, learning and curriculum implementation’ has just been published in ‘Irish Educational Studies’ Geraldine is involved in the Ubuntu Network, which focuses on Teacher Education for Sustainable Development and has spearheaded a project through this network which seeks to Build an

Appreciation of DE/ESD among Teaching Practice Tutors – University of Limerick Geraldine is a regular presenter at Educational Development Conferences

4 Futsal

Derek O’Neill, Gerard Dunne

Derek O’Neill is currently the National Futsal Coordinator

with the F.A.I Previously, Derek held the position of National Coordinator for the FAI Summer Soccer Schools,

a programme which has grown to become the premier soccer schools programme in the country

Derek is a former League of Ireland player who over a career spanning sixteen years played with clubs such as Shamrock Rovers, St Patrick’s Athletic, Bray Wanderers, Drogheda United and Waterford United Derek also played professionally in the