Declan Sweeney
St Rose’s Dominican College
www.stroses.belfast.ni.sch.uk
Subject: Maths.
Age: 24.
Your place of birth: Letterkenny.
Where You Live: Belfast.
First Job: Lifeguard and Swimming Instructor.
What it taught me: How to engage with children and parents.
Family/status: Singl.e
Best advice anyone ever gave you: Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself.
Best advice you could give someone thinking of a teaching career: If you enjoy teaching, your students will enjoy learning.
Declan began teaching at a very early age. Firstly he taught music privately and then began teaching and coaching swimming. Whilst doing this he realised that he had a love for teaching. He then applied to St Mary’s University College Belfast and graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Education with Maths. Since then Declan says he has tried to deliver Maths in “a lively, dynamic and supportive format”. “As a result of the lack of employment opportunities I left Ireland to gain permanent work in England,” he adds.
“I enjoyed two years working in Wilmington Grammar School for Boys and then decided it was time to return home. I applied for the position of Maths Teacher in St Rose’s Dominican College and was appointed in September 2011.”
This year Declan was proud to be part of a Maths Department which were promoted to ‘very good’ in an ETI inspection. Over the past 4 years he has also had the opportunity to teach Science, Music, Irish, LLW, and ICT.
“I believe that a teacher’s best attribute is their ability to engage students and feel that much of this engagement is generated from a strong professional rapport between teacher and student.”
