Blog | Leadership for Inclusion, LINC Programme

The Top 5 Story Books in English and Irish for Pre-School Age Children – Selected by the Staff of the MIC Library

In this week's LINC blog, we examine the benefits of storytime for children, and the staff in the Mary Immaculate College library share their top 5 books for pre-school age children available in the English and Irish language. Storytime is a regular part...

Let Children Tell Their Stories – Encouraging a Child’s Interest in the Early Years

In this week's LINC blog we examine how immersive play environments can spark a child's imagination and offer opportunities to broaden a child's knowledge and understanding. Elizabeth Wood broadly defines a pedagogy of play as "the ways in which early...

Minister Zappone Hails “Significant Impact” of Award-Winning Leadership for Inclusion in the Early Years (LINC) Higher Education Programme

Interim evaluation highlights how “highly valued” inclusion programme is set to reach 83% of pre-schools by 2020. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone T.D., officially launched the interim evaluation of the Leadership for Inclusion in...

The Foundation of Quality

In this week's blog, LINC Programme Tutor and recent recipient of the Síolta Quality Assurance Award, Sharon Skehill, outlines what she feels adopting a child-centered approach means in an early learning and care setting. Before we think about our...

Rolling Snack Time – Why did we feel a need to change?

In this week's LINC blog, current student Brenda Langton describes how putting one small change into practice can make a big difference in the life of a child. In September 2017 a gorgeous little boy started in our service. He was full of fun and...

Leading Inclusion – Playmates Pre-school Win Inaugural LINC Award

Last Friday evening (12.04.2019) was a night of great celebration for the staff of Playmates Pre-school from Navan in Co. Meath, as staff accepted the first ever LINC Award for Leadership in Inclusion at the Early Childhood Ireland Awards ceremony held in The...

Montessori and Aistear a Marriage Made in Pre-school!

In this week's LINC blog current LINC student Sinéad McCarville outlines why she feels the links between Montessori and an emergent curriculum model are greater than you think. Montessori children are students with confidence. They are curious and self-directed...

TEAMWORK with NATURE – Learning with Leaves

In this edition of the LINC blog, current student and Owner/Manager of the Corrig Kids Playschool, Edel Graham, examines the benefits of outside play and how this environment can harbor rich learning experiences for children. ‘Children who play outside...

Am I fulfilling my role as INclusion COordinator?

In this week's LINC blog, graduate and INclusion COrdinator Josephine Thompson describes how she felt when she first started out in the role and how an initial meeting with her work colleagues helped her to find her feet. When I took on the role of INclusion...

Pathways to Inclusion

In this week's LINC blog, current student Joseph Smith outlines some of the worthwhile initiatives his setting has taken part in, and how their message of inclusion has helped to reinforce what he is learning on the LINC Programme. My name is Joseph Smith and I...

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LINC Programme Wins Student Engagement and Communications Award

Last Thursday evening (22.02.2019) was a night of great celebration for the Leadership in Inclusion in the Early Years (LINC) Programme team as they accepted the Student Engagement & Communications Award at the 2019 Education Awards ceremony held in the...

Thinking about Gender: Gender Equity in the Early Years

In this week's blog LINC Researcher Sarah Kelleher, examines some of the current thinking on gender equity in the early years. Through interactions with their communities, children learn early on what it means to be a boy or girl, e.g. how to dress and...

Why Process Art Rocks!

In this week's LINC blog we examine the differences between process-focused art experiences and product-focused art experiences for children, and hear how one practitioner's personal experience has given her a greater appreciation of this approach to learning. ...

Learning from LINC – Using Song Choice Boards

In this edition of the LINC blog, current student Carrie O'Connor Byrne describes how putting a lesson learned on the LINC Programme into practice has benefited the children in her setting. Throughout the first module, Inclusion in Early Years Settings, I...

Propelling Early Learning and Development through High Quality Home Learning Activities

The recently published First Five: A Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028 underscores the substantial contribution of the home learning environment (HLE) to children's learning and development1. This aligns with...

Setting Focus: Happy Tots Montessori

In this edition of LINC blog, programme graduate Caroline Lohan describes how reflective practice techniques learned on the LINC programme have created a better learning environment for all children in her setting. My name is Caroline Lohan and I am an early...

Getting Winter-Ready – Tips for Outdoor Activity

In this edition of LINC blog, programme tutor Edel Fenlon outlines some handy tips to ensure the children in your care are outdoor activity ready this winter season. As we prepare ourselves for winter, what does this mean for the early childhood teachers...

LINC Programme shortlisted for four Education Awards

Having previously won the award for Best Online Learning Experience in 2017, and been shortlisted for the same accolade in 2018, the LINC Programme has once again received a nomination for an Education Award. This year the programme has been nominated under four award...

Transitions: Home to Pre-school and Pre-school to Primary School

In this week's blog, Ann Keating O'Neill, Owner/Manager of Shining Stars Preschool Lisronagh, Co. Tipperary and LINC graduate, describes how she manages the two major transitions for children in her setting. I have always put a lot of thought into the...

The Benefits of Board Games as Gifts for Children at Christmas

In this edition of the LINC blog, programme tutor and board game enthusiast Margaret Joyce, outlines why she feels board games are a worthwhile purchase for the little ones in your life this Christmas. It’s the time of year when Santa is busy preparing...

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Tips from Module One: Using Visual Aids

In this edition of the LINC blog, programme tutor Claire Butterly revisits a lesson from module one, highlighting some nice examples of visual aids she has observed in the field. Throughout Module 1, Inclusion in the Early Years: Concepts and Strategies,...

The LINC Mentoring Visit: A Tutor’s Perspective

In this week's blog, LINC tutor Bernie Connell describes how she approaches each mentoring visit, giving an example of a recent visit she made to Nadine's service. “A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and...

LINC programme graduates have the “opportunity to make a very positive impact on the lives of children”

Over 850 students from 28 counties presented with multi-award winning Special Purpose Award “Now that you have come through the LINC programme, you have the opportunity to make a very positive impact, both individually and collectively, on all those working...

Fun not Fear at Halloween

In this weeks LINC blog, tutor Margaret Joyce outlines some handy tips to ensure that Halloween is a fun, rather than fearful experience for young children. Halloween is generally a time associated with dressing up, fun, games and ‘scary monsters’. Many...

The LINC Mentoring Visit: A Guide for Students and Managers

In the latest edition of the LINC blog, programme tutor Claire Butterly outlines the purpose, procedure and practicalities around the upcoming mentoring visits for students and their services. The mentoring visits play a key role in the LINC programme....

Embracing Blended Learning: Addressing Students ICT Learning Apprehensions

In this edition of the LINC blog, programme tutor Paula Harte describes her information technology learning journey, and how, as a new academic year begins, her personal experiences have helped her and her students to adapt to an online learning environment. ...

Real Life Reflections: The Children’s Referendum

In this week's blog, Helen Comerford, Owner/Manager of Alanna Playschool, Tirmoghan, Donadea, Co. Kildare, and LINC graduate, describes how real life events in May 2018 inspired the children in her setting to hold their own children's referendum. My name...

My LINC Journey: Philomena’s Story

Philomena Weldon, an early years practitioner with over 35 years’ experience and Owner/Manager of Phil’s Montessori in Clonlyon, Kilcock, County Meath reflects on her journey through LINC and the impact it has had on her service. Each year we endeavour...

Hair or Care…a Job to a Career

In this edition of the LINC blog, programme graduate Hazel O'Connor recounts her career journey and the people who influenced her along the way. Many moons ago, not long after leaving school, I found myself standing outside the door of my local FÁS...

The Sky is the Limit, Turning I “can’t” into “I can”.

Brenda Jordan from Little People Playgroup in Castleknock shares one of her learning experiences from the LINC programme and the difference it made one little boy's life. Even after 22 years in childcare, I am always looking for new learning. Inclusion...

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