25th April 2022
St Mary’s University College is set to host the fourth in a series of free online seminars arising from its Teaching Profession Project (TPP).
On Tuesday, 03 May at 4.30 pm, Professor Peter Finn, Principal of St Mary’s University College, will chair a discussion on ‘Valuing Teachers’. Professor Finn will be joined by: Marie O’Shea, Chairperson of the INTO Northern Committee; Paul Groogan, Trade Union Official in the Northern Office of INTO; and Mrs Rachel Poland, INTO Intern for the academic year 2021/22.
| Overview: St Mary’s in Conversation with the INTO – ‘Valuing Teachers’
This seminar will highlight the ongoing work of the INTO in addressing the issues which impact on its members in the teaching workforce. It will also acknowledge the valuable contribution which teachers make in their school communities and beyond. Many teacher concerns are debated in Northern Conference and National Congress annually and these provide the focus of the union’s work for the coming year. Officials and union members use resolutions to campaign for change through engagement with the Department of Education, Management Authorities and educational bodies on behalf of teachers in all sectors and at all stages of their teaching careers. The key areas of concern this year include: Teacher Workload, Fair Pay in Education, Teacher Health and Wellbeing, Funding in Education and the Crisis in SEN Support. |
You can join the free online seminar by clicking on the link to register: LINK
Participants:
Marie O’Shea
Marie O’Shea is Chairperson of the INTO Northern Committee and a Primary Area Representative for the Western Area, covering counties Fermanagh and Tyrone.
She qualified as a teacher with a BEd from St Mary’s College, Belfast, in 1996 and has taught since then in Controlled, Integrated and Maintained primary schools in London, Derry and Fermanagh. She completed an MSc in Collaborative Leadership from QUB in 2014. She is currently a teaching Principal in St John the Baptist PS, Belleek.
She has been an active INTO union member since she was Students’ Union President 1996-97 in St Mary’s College. She has held many roles within INTO at Branch, District and National levels and has been a school representative for most of her teaching career. She has been a member of the Northern Committee since 2018.
Paul Googan
Paul Groogan was appointed to the role of Trade Union Official in the Northern Office of INTO in September 2017. He first qualified as a teacher in 1984 from St Joseph’s College of Education, Belfast.
His interest in trade unions and their importance was first encountered in student life as President of St Joseph’s Students Union. He continued this interest during his time working with Post Office Counters Ltd.
Paul has represented INTO as a School Representative and Chair of Tyrone Central. He was District II’s representative on Standing Orders Conference for 3 years and was District II’s representative for Standing Orders Congress for 5 years. He was also INTO’s representative on the ICTU Health & Safety Committee. Paul was elected Western Area Northern Committee Primary A. Representative when he replaced Rita Fox in 2012.
Paul has a broad understanding of both the private and public sectors and looks forward to the daily challenges that his role as a Trade Union Official presents.
Rachel Poland
Rachel Poland is an INTO Intern for the academic year 2021/22. She is a member of INTO’s Northern Committee and is the Primary Area Representative for the South-eastern Area.
Rachel qualified as a teacher with a Bachelor of Education from St Mary’s University College, Belfast in 2013. She is currently seconded from her teaching post in St Joseph’s Primary School, Carnacaville, Newcastle where she teaches at the Primary 6 level.
In 2013/14, Rachel was Students’ Union President of St. Mary’s University College, Belfast and a member of the College governing body. She has been an INTO member since beginning her teaching career.
Peter Finn
Professor Peter Finn KSG was appointed Principal of St Mary’s University College, Belfast on 25th April 2008.
He is a member of the Council of GuildHE, the London based group of specialist universities and colleges in the UK and also a member of Academic Council at Queen’s University Belfast. Outside of his work at St Mary’s he has served as a member of the Belfast Education and Library Board and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) as well as participated in a wide range of government sponsored education groups. He is presently Chairperson of the Members in the Edmund Rice Schools Trust (NI). In June 2017, he was conferred the Papal honour of Knight of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St Gregory the Great by Pope Francis.
In his leadership role at St Mary’s, emphasis is placed on excellence in academic and professional provision. Peter is supportive of very high levels of student support and guidance as well as the provision of study abroad opportunities for students and a high level of community engagement.