We recently hosted a group of teachers and educators on the Áitbheo Training Course. An enthusiastic group enjoyed 5 days of place-based learning in and around the Burren. The objective of the course was to provide primary schoolteachers, other educators, and people with an interest in place-based learning with some simple strategies and resources through which they can effectively integrate the learning resource of their local environment into the school curriculum. The course is based on ten years’ experience of ‘place-based education’ in the Burren through which scores of teachers and over 1000 schoolchildren have connected with their own locality as part of the highly interactive and experiential Ecobeo and Áitbheo heritage education programmes.
Following a different theme each day the participants investigated landscape, built heritage, people and culture, biodiversity and community stewardship; learning about the Burren but also how they can apply similar programmes in their local place. Combining morning workshop sessions with afternoon fieldtrips, the participants got to see some lovely Burren locations including Slieve Carron, Corcomroe Abbey, Abbey Hill and Temple Cronan.
The feedback was very positive with one participant saying “This course is absolutely amazing – all teachers should do it at least once, well done Burrenbeo Trust!”
