We are so delighted to have Orlaith Payne at the Festival of Learning this year. Orlaith is a Teaching Fellow in RME at the University of Strathclyde and supports student teachers in their placements. Orlaith is a wonderful speaker and always has a brilliant anecdote or two to share!
What is your Session About?
Mentoring student teachers in RMPS is a brilliant opportunity to help shape the next generation of thoughtful, skilled, and confident teachers. Good mentoring is much more than lesson plans and classroom routines – it’s about encouraging, supporting, and guiding student teachers as they learn how to explore sensitive issues with balance, respect and curiosity. It’s also about helping them create inclusive classrooms where every voice and perspective is valued. Come along to hear practical examples of positive mentoring, along with some helpful dos and don’ts when supporting an RMPS student teacher.
If you’ve ever had a student teacher in your department and felt slightly overwhelmed by the massive university handbook that comes with them, Orlaith’s session was the ultimate reassurance. Dropping some incredible wisdom from her role at Strathclyde, she reminded us that real life and schools don’t work word-for-word by a handbook. Attendees loved her highly practical “Three Ideas” framework—focusing on breaking down our own teaching decisions, using the “compliment sandwich” for feedback, and fostering gradual autonomy so students actually build a confident identity as a teacher. Practitioners left feeling completely equipped to support the next generation of RMPS staff with confidence and care.
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