Programme 349, Wild Teaching with Paul O'Donnell (16-1-19)

Presented and produced by Seán Delaney

Theme tune by David Vesey

On this week's programme I speak to Paul O'Donnell who is principal of St. Patrick's National School in Slane, Co. Meath. He is the author of Wild Teaching: Cross-curricular Lessons Outdoors for Agoraphobic Teachers which is published by Meath County Council. Among the topics we discussed are:

• How his upbringing fostered a love of the outdoors


• The influence of Paddy Madden on his work as a teacher


• How tempting it is to teach indoors all the time


• Having students gather resources for lessons


• Specific lessons in Wild Teaching


• Making the transition from teaching to being principal


• Challenges of principalship


• Eliciting voices of children in running the school


• Learning about life and death through keeping hens in school


• The school garden


• Minimising rubbish in the school


• Earning six green flags for the school