Professional Profile: Noreen O'Loughlin
A Fortunate Accident
Noreen O’Loughlin, Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, Ireland
- Noreen O'Loughlin
My first encounter with Math Recovery was back in 2001, when I
fortuitously came across the Early Numeracy book and was extremely
impressed, if not a little confused and daunted by the depth of the
programme. I innocently presented my interpretation of the programme to
a group of teachers to get their reaction and to test my hypothesis
that this was a wonderfully, refreshing and inspiring programme. Their
reaction was overwhelmingly positive. Jim Martland directed me to Dr.
Penny Munn’s fledgling postgraduate certificate in Scotland where he
trained us in Math Recovery and so the journey began.
Since then, I have been promoting Math Recovery at all levels in
Ireland. In 2006, it was announced that Math Recovery would be
introduced to 350 disadvantaged schools in Ireland as part of a
Department of Education & Science initiative. The project is up and
running and will continue until 2010. As the sole Math Recovery
trainer and leader in Ireland, I have stayed quite busy with this. i. I have had
wonderful support from my colleagues on the MRC (UK & Ireland) in
the delivery of training courses with and for me. A variety of modes
of implementation are being employed, and it will be interesting to
report further on the fruits of each teacher’s labours.
In March 2008, Ireland hosted this year’s Math Recovery
Council (UK & Ireland) conference. It was a very successful event,
and we hope to build on it next year by hosting a training course
which will be open to members of the Council who wish to further their
expertise in Math Recovery and become trainers. We would be delighted
to welcome any of our colleagues from the US who would like to
participate – further details will be available over the coming months. Or you can
email me directly at noreen.oloughlin@mic.ul.ie or visit our website
www.mata.ie.
