Teachers Go Back to School with Pfizer Education Initiative
March 29, 2006
In an unique partnership between Pfizer & Pharmachemical Ireland, two teachers from Ireland will travel to New York this summer to take part in Teacher Professional Development Workshops as part of the Pfizer Education Initiative.
Workshops for Teachers
The Pfizer Education Initiative (PEI) is an innovative programme that blends volunteer action and corporate advocacy for public education. The PEI works with schools in communities where Pfizer people live and work, helping to revitalise science and maths programmes and enrich the learning experience of all involved. The Pfizer Foundation works closely with the PEI in funding a wide variety of educational projects, including funding a number of outstanding weeklong science and maths workshops for teachers.
Pfizer recognizes the need to actively encourage interest in science at all school levels and is involved in a number of creative schools programmes. The availability of well-educated, qualified employees for the pharmachemical sector is under threat as student numbers studying science have started to dwindle. The support of this programme reinforces our commitment to encouraging science promotion all the way through the education system.
Pfizer, Sodexo, Glanbia & BITC have joined forces in an effort to deliver worthwhile, sustainable and useful projects for the Tallaght area. A decision was made to start in Fettercairn Community Centre and pilot chosen projects. Following a meeting with several groups at the Fettercairn Community Centre, which included representatives from schools, older groups, youth groups, the HSE, pre-school groups, outreach groups, community groups and Health Centre groups, the Train the Trainers project, was chosen as a starting point and Pfizer will lead out on this.
Pfizer’s input will draw upon in-house expertise and past experience, especially in relation to the Way2Go, for a healthier you programme.
The Train the Trainers Course – Positive Skills for Living Project.
The most challenging aspect of any training module is to ensure consistency of methodology and delivery. In discussion with the various groups, it was decided to develop a Course which will incorporate healthy lifestyle elements. Included will be modules on Nutrition, Shopping, Cooking, Activity, Time Management, Motivational Techniques, Communication and Psychology. The modules will be delivered over a period of 6 weeks to a specific group who, in turn will be able to deliver these elements to their colleagues and/or clientele, meaning that the ‘reach’ will be optimized.
The key things here are:
The two main presenters who will be running the project are Dr Mark Harrold and Owen Fitzpatrick.
Dr. Mark Harrold
Mark is a Clinical Psychologist with a private practice, although he works for the Health Service Executive (North Eastern Region) on a part-time basis.
Mark’s expertise is in the area of behavioural interventions particularly in the realm of parenting skills.
He gained a B.A. (Hons.) in psychology from University College Dublin. One of two Masters Degrees is in the area of Behaviour Analysis and Therapy from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, U.S.A. The other Masters was gained from University College Dublin in Clinical Psychology. He gained his PhD from the California School of Professional Psychology-Los Angeles where he studied effective approaches to dealing with behaviour problems experienced by families of children with varying behavioural problems.
He has published his research in international journals and co-authored a book chapter on ecobehavioural interventions in the area of learning disability. Dr. Harrold is former columnist with the Irish Times where he wrote about effective parenting strategies. He occasionally guest lectures at both Trinity College and University College Dublin on the topic of behaviour management.
Dr. Harrold has presented his research and training programmes all over the world including the U.K., the United States and Australia. He has made numerous appearances on both radio and television and contributes regularly to the press on topics relating to behavioural psychology. He recently published a book titled "Parenting and Privilege: Raising Children in an Affluent Society".
Owen Fitzpatrick
At 30 years old, Owen Fitzpatrick is a qualified Psychologist and Psychotherapist. He has a Masters in Applied Psychology from UCC, and has presented workshops in Ireland, Britain, Italy, Austria, Spain, Lithuania, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Japan and India teaching people how to enhance their quality of life.
Owen is the author of two books co-writing Conversations with Richard Bandler as well as his latest offering Not Enough Hours which is based upon the successful television series. He is also a co-founder of the Irish Institute of NLP along with Brian Colbert. In 2002 he became the youngest licensed master trainer of NLP in the world.
He has trained people from various companies such as VHI, Aer Lingus, ESB, Bank of Ireland, AIB, Royal Liver, Alliance and Leicester, Irish Life and IMI, in many different areas including time, stress, and team management, motivation, presentation and sales skills.
Owen has also worked on peak performance training with sports personalities. He delivers motivational training and talks throughout the world and has worked with clients in areas of time management, communication skills, work life balance, happiness, building confidence, fears, and relationships.
As well as appearing in 'Karl Spain Wants a Woman', 'Ask Anna' and 'The Big Bite' as a confidence coach; Owen has appeared on TV3 Morning AM speaking on NLP and RTÉ One television as a Communications Consultant. He has also been interviewed by Gerry Ryan, Marian Finucane, Ryan Tubridy, Derek Mooney, Ian Dempsey and Matt Cooper.