Heritage In Schools
New Heritage in Schools Scheme Website
The Heritage in Schools Scheme now has its own website. Click here to go to the new site http://www.heritageinschools.ie/
About Heritage in Schools
The Heritage in Schools scheme makes available to primary schools a panel of 165 heritage specialists who will, at the request of a teacher, visit a primary school to work directly with the children. You can search for a specialist by their county and their area of interest. The visit by the heritage specialist is part-funded by the school and the remaining costs are funded by the Heritage Council.
Educational Value
The value of the Heritage in Schools scheme is in the richness and depth of knowledge it makes available to children and teachers. The primary aim of the scheme is to encourage awareness of the genius of the natural and cultural world that surrounds us in our daily lives and engage children in a direct experience of their heritage, preferably outside the classroom where possible and appropriate. The scheme supports the stated aims and objectives of the SESE curriculum and provides an additional educational tool and resource for teachers.
The Heritage Specialists
The scheme has a panel of over 165 heritage specialists with areas of expertise ranging from bats to whales, from Vikings to the history of bread, from story-telling to traditional dance, and from charcoal making to military heritage. Many also have the ability to conduct their visit through the medium of either English or Irish. Specialists usually conduct their visits in or close to their own county, although many are prepared to travel. As one teacher pointed out 'children's lives revolve around their locality' so the specialists' knowledge of local heritage enhances the young people's appreciation of their surroundings. All of the specialists have been trained to communicate effectively with children; their spontaneity and enthusiasm for their subject makes the visits a very appealing educational experience for both pupils and teachers. Please click here to see the Heritage Directory
The Visit
The nature of the visits is as varied as the range of topics offered. The flexible and informal nature of the scheme facilitates a wide range of approaches to practical heritage education. The exact content of the visit is planned by teacher and specialist together. While many visits include a field trip, weather permitting, some are exclusively classroom based as they may involve art, appearances of characters from history, or slide shows. Some specialists conduct a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities. All visits aim to give children and teachers a first-hand experience of their heritage, whether by handling a medieval sword and shield, by learning to spin wool, by making prehistoric musical instruments, or by learning to listen out for common birds. As one teacher said, 'A child trying on a coat of mail is worth more than ten books.'
Guidelines for Schools
1. Obtain approval for the visit from the school principal or board of management.
2. Select a heritage specialist from the Heritage in Schools Scheme panel.
3. Contact the heritage specialist and arrange date, time and duration of the visit.
4. Plan the content of the visit with the heritage specialist, and decide what preparation must be undertaken by specialist, teacher and pupils prior to the visit. Complete and return the booking form to the Heritage in Schools Scheme, INTO Head Office, 35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. The booking form is included in the directory.
5. The payment and booking form must sent into the INTO in advance of the visit.
6. The cost of visits for are:
Full day: €100
Half day: €60
Full day (disadvantaged school): €50
Half day (disadvantaged school): €35
7. The five series visit is a scheme whereby a Heritage Specialist may visit the same school five times, either over a period of a week or throughout the school year. The school will pay for four visits and the Heritage Council will fund the fifth. For further details contact Linda on 01 8047702 or e-mail: ljohnston@into.ie.
8. The maximum number of children participating is one class grouping at a one time, generally this should not exceed 30.
9. The teacher must remain with the class and the heritage specialist at all time during the visit.
10. The heritage specialist is not expected to supervise children alone, or to visit for longer than the agreed time.
