Paul Buchanan
De La Salle College
www.delasallecollege.org.uk
Subject: History.
Age: 50.
Your place of birth: Belfast.
Where You Live: Tullyrusk Road, Dundrod.
First Job: As a student, I was a part-time storeman in a wine and spirit wholesalers.
What it taught me: The importance of working in a team and relating with others.
Family/status: Married to Claire and four children, Christopher, Zita-Maria, Chantelle and Rosa.
Best advice anyone ever gave you: Treat others like you would be like to be treated yourself.
Best advice you could give someone thinking of a teaching career: You need to be totally committed; always organised and prepared; you need to build up a rapport with the pupils and do your best to maximise the potential of all your pupils.
Paul graduated in 1983 and began teaching in De La Salle in November 1986. He teaches History and has always been a Form Tutor.
He is the College’s Promotion Officer which involves generating publicity for the College through the local media and the College’s website. He organises key school events such as the Annual Presentation of Awards, Open Night and the Annual Celebration of Life outside the Classroom Awards Ceremony. He is also the chair of the very vibrant College Charity Committee.
“I also co-ordinate the College’s popular Youth Sport programme where I broaden the base of sporting opportunities for the pupils,” says Paul. “I organise coaching courses in basketball, soccer and rugby conducted by experienced external coaches. In addition I organise Key Stage 3 inter-class sports tournaments, holiday coaching schemes and two key charity fundraising events: Santa Hat Aerobics and fun runs. Many local and global charities have benefited from these events across the years.”
Throughout his time in De La Salle, Paul has also been very proactive in coaching and managing college Gaelic and Hurling teams. He co-ordinated a very successful bi-annual sporting, educational and cultural exchange with St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny.
