East Cork Community Special School was awarded €2,000 to collaborate with Rochestown Community Special School, Cork to establish a professional learning community. This project aims to establish a culture of conversation and collaboration between the schools, fostering professional learning and peer support among teachers around shared practice, identifying current best practice approaches in the field of special education.
School's reflection
Participating in Comhrá and Coffee was an affirming and energising professional learning experience. This Community of Practice was supported by a light-touch group-coaching approach. It connected eight teachers from two developing special school, East Cork Community Special School and Rochestown Community Special School, to engage in joint problem-solving, share practical ideas, and reflect on classroom practice. The informal atmosphere, supported by coffee and food, helped create a warm and trusting space across three online sessions and one in-person meeting.
Much has been written about how teaching can feel isolating at times. The initiative offered connection, reassurance, and a sense of community (Moynihan and O Donovan, 2022). A strong sense of shared experience and professional alignment emerged. As one participant put it, “I was pleasantly surprised by how similar our classes were in structure and approach”. The sessions created space for honest, supportive discussion, with teachers reflecting on their own practice and drawing inspiration from one another. One teacher highlighted the value of “small, thoughtful changes … that can have a significant impact on professional growth and classroom practice”.
The impact of experiencing coaching extended beyond the sessions. One teacher shared that they had started “asking more pointed and thoughtful questions” when guiding SNAs, encouraging autonomy and solution-focused thinking. Overall, the experience reinforced the power of collaboration and coaching to support growth in the special education context.