Hello everyone. My name is Mary Mc Donald and this is my story to date.
I grew up on a farm in North Leitrim and attended school in the 1980’s and 1990’s and luckily for me I liked school and I was willing to learn.
My parents knew the importance of education and always encouraged me to do the best I could. I remember my mother doing a novena for my leaving cert results that I would get what I deserved I was hoping she would have done the novena for the maximum points!!!!!
In school in my Leaving Certificate year I expressed an interest, to my career guidance teacher, in training as a special Needs teacher. He was rather hesitant about my choice and advised me to initially train as a mainstream teacher.
I did as he suggested and fortunately, within three years of completing my teacher training I secured a Resource Teaching Position. I set up one of the first special needs classes in a mainstream post primary school and from there my journey took off!!
My values system around education is that everyone should be encouraged to do their best whatever that is and to reach their potential. Not everyone in life will get straight A’s and that is fine but everyone should be given the opportunity to reach for their potential.
Like most women today I work outside the home and I feel really lucky to have my career. I really love the hustle and bustle of the school I teach in and the social interactions with both my colleagues and the students on a daily basis.
I really admire mothers and fathers who stay at home full time as in my opinion it is the most difficult job on the planet!!!
My professional journey took off when I had completed my teacher training. My first teaching position was in a private school in Navan where I gained huge experience as the staff comprised of 6 teachers with an average age of 23, it was such a fun time!!
From there I was fortunate to gain a teaching position in St. Joseph’s Secondary School Navan, a huge school of over 700 girls where I learned so much from the students and my other colleagues.
My heart was always for home and I was delighted to gain a teaching position in Mohill Vocational School as a resource teacher. That was my initial introduction to special needs education.
I set up a special needs class for students who had a moderate learning difficulty. I was to spend three happy years in Mohill and I would still be there only that life events took over!!!
I married Keith and we settled in Glencar and the commute to Mohill was just too far so with a heavy heart I resigned!! As luck would have it, a Special Needs Class was just about to be set up in St. Clare’s Comprehensive School in Manorhamilton.
I applied for the teaching position and I was delighted when I secured it. I’m still teaching in St. Clare’s Comprehensive School in both the special needs class and in the mainstream classroom. I love working there as the students and staff are brilliant. Recently I have developed Mary Mc Donald Educational Services which is really my baby.
I work with students and their parents so that the students can reach their potential and get through the schooling process as happily as possible. I love to see the relief and joy on a parent’s face when their child can spell hippopotamus frontwards and backwards after spending four minutes learning it!!!!!!!!! I still get such a thrill every time it happens it’s priceless!!!
I have built up lovely relationships with the families I work with. The whole process is very informal and I check in with the parents to see how their children are getting on!!! A few weeks ago, a parent sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers to thank me, I was so thrilled people are so good.
Dyslexia Programs suitable for primary, post primary and third level students, study skills programs suitable for all students, Screening Test, Inservice Training and Talks on Dyslexia for both primary and post primary teachers and also talks for parents on Transitioning from Primary to Post Primary School.
These services are all provided by me in a relaxed friendly environment.
Everyone learns when they are relaxed and especially when the fear of failing is taken away.
My motto is you can’t fail, you just attempt something until it becomes second nature.
Please note anyone who embarks on a course with me will be fully minded, everything will be explained in a non jargon, practical nuts and bolts way.
I don’t believe in time slots and if you book in with me you have my undivided attention until you and your child have completed the program my motto is “The man who made time made plenty of it”.
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read about me.
If you like what you have read and would like to learn more about my services you are welcome to access the information on this website; everydayisaschoolday.ie or follow me on Facebook, Instagram or just give me a call like the good old days !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
