T3 is a storytelling, training initiative for student and newly qualified teachers. Over the next three years, the Verbal Arts Centre will work with student teachers and newly qualified teachers to develop storytelling in their teaching practices.

What Has Happened So Far?

In the first year, a storytelling course was delivered to fourth year and PGCE students at Stranmillis University College, St. Mary’s University College, and University of Ulster.

In June 2005, 24 student teachers had the chance to participate in a mentoring scheme with professional storytellers working in schools for a week.

What Next?

As T3 develops in the second year, Verbal Arts Centre storytellers, writers and trainers will work with the five Education and Library Boards:
Belfast Education & Library Board.
Southern Education & Library Board
North Eastern Education Library Board
Western Education & Library Board
South Eastern Education & Library Board
to provide additional training as well as storytelling and creative writing residencies in their schools. The aim is to build up young teachers’ confidence in their own storytelling skills, and to make them equal-partners with artists-in-residence, so that the teachers go on to develop meaningful and sustained follow-up work out of any teacher-artist collaboration in the future.

How Will We Know It Works?

The George Ewart Evans Centre for Storytelling at the University of Glamorgan will be monitoring the project and providing an independent evaluation and assessment of T3. Their observations will be published and disseminated so that the programme becomes a model of good practice.

This project is funded by a grant from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.