This week, 25 primary school teachers from around Ireland have been participating in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) ‘Come to Your Senses' summer course. The initiative helps support the teaching of the primary science curriculum.

The course uses the theme of the human senses to enable primary school teachers to develop their interest and enthusiasm for teaching science with direct relevance to the primary science curriculum for Social Environmental and Science Education (SESE).

The course promotes learning through doing and provides teachers with alternative, hands-on and fun ways of teaching science to children, without the need for expensive materials or equipment.

Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at RCSI said, "At RCSI, we are committed to advancing healthcare education and research, building on a core of scientific training. Enthusiasm for science needs to begin at primary school. The ‘Come to Your Senses' course is a novel way for our academic staff to work across the educational sectors by supporting primary school teachers to develop their science teaching skills. This course gives them the confidence and enthusiasm to conduct hands on activities and experiments in the classroom and in doing so, inspiring the next generation of primary school leavers to value and maintain an interest in science subjects and careers in science and healthcare. This is the fifth year of a very successful programme run by our Foundation Year and Junior Cycle colleagues which always has excellent feedback from teachers and I complement our staff on the on-going success of the programme."

‘Come to Your Senses' is part of RCSI's Primary Science for Teachers Initiative (PSTI) which supports the teaching of science in the classroom. The initiative is a component of the REACH RCSI programme which promotes Recreation, Education and Community Health. It is approved by the Department of Education and is fully funded by RCSI.

The RCSI PSTI team are Dr Jacqueline Daly, Dr Marc DeVocelle, Ms Maria Kelly, Dr Maria Morgan and Dr Kenny Winser. 25 primary school teachers completed this summer initiative. 20% of the places on the course were reserved for schools that are part of the DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) programme.

Dr Jacqueline Daly, Director of the Primary Science Initiative, RCSI said ‘As well as providing an important opportunity for teachers to network and share experiences with their peers, the ‘Come to Your Senses' course empowers teachers to bring new techniques back to their own school and pass these valuable skills on to their colleagues.'

REACH RCSI works in partnership with primary and post primary schools, youth and community groups together with the local community on the design and delivery of educational initiatives including homework clubs, science workshops, sports and health programmes and an education information service.