Photo of Eva Dennehy

Alumni profile

Eva Dennehy

PME in Primary Education
Location

Cork


School

Currently on Maternity Leave


Education

Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University College Cork and Master of Science in Biotechnology, National University of Ireland Galway


Awards

INTO Vere Foster Medal for Outstanding Performance in School Placement


Why did you choose teaching and why Hibernia College?

Prior to completing the PME, I worked as a general nurse. Although I enjoyed providing nursing care to children and adults from all paths of life, primary teaching was something that constantly returned to my mind. I love working with children and sharing their enthusiasm and unique perspectives. In both my personal and work life, I am passionate about learning. With all this in mind, I applied to Hibernia College. I am thrilled that I did!

Why Hibernia? The PME course appealed to me as it is progressive and ICT is a core component. It offers the flexibility to study online; this was an important deciding factor to me as I have a young family.


What field of work or study were you in before you started your PME?

I graduated from University College Cork with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and, subsequently, I completed a Master’s of Science in Biotechnology in the National University of Ireland Galway. I have worked in a variety of nursing specialities including endoscopy, theatre and medical nursing. I also lectured in Cork Institute of Technology delivering occupational health courses. This gave me a great insight in the field of education and reinforced to me that teaching is definitely the career path for me.

 

Can you tell us a bit about your research project and why you focused on this area?

My research project focused on the integration of arts with science education. This approach engages children with scientific concepts in a creative and innovative way through story, dance, music and art. I chose the area of integrating arts with STEM (referred to as STEAM) because of my interest in science and the arts and also because it is a growing area in science education that I hope to implement.

 

Now that you have graduated, what are your plans?

I am currently on maternity leave. Prior to this, I have completed substitution work. In Spring 2021, I intend to apply for primary teaching positions. I am looking forward to starting out as a primary school teacher and getting the opportunity to create a classroom that children enjoy with their curiosity for knowledge at the heart of it.

 

What piece of advice would you give to any person considering starting a PME?

Having a support network of family and friends made the course much more manageable. Tutorial groups are also a great source of support. We encouraged each other and shared ideas throughout the course. Organisation is key to surviving the course! I would advise someone on the PME to do a small amount on a continual basis in order to stay ahead of deadlines. I can definitely say the PME is worth the effort!

Take the next step