Teachers who brought the Year of Creative Scotland into their classrooms by specialising some of their practice in Creative Learning have been awarded Professional Recognition by The General Teaching Council for Scotland at a joint ceremony held with Creative Scotland and Education Scotland.

Professional Recognition allows registered teachers to gain recognition for focusing their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in particular areas of interest, using their expertise successfully in the classroom and developing and sharing their knowledge with colleagues.

The Professional Recognition event was held at the Scottish Parliament and showcased the legacy of The Year of Creative Scotland 2012 by highlighting the work of teachers who have developed creativity in the classroom either individually, or through projects with external partners.  A total of 24 teachers received the award for work on a variety of different areas including creative writing, dance, drama and opera.

In developing their skills in this area, teachers worked with a wide range of organisations such as; the Lyceum Theatre, The Scottish Book Trust and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to bring creative projects to their schools.

The teachers were awarded their certificates by Joan McAlpine MSP, member of the Scottish Parliament Education and Culture Committee, and Anthony Finn, Chief Executive of GTC Scotland. Pupils from Knox Academy, who have benefited from creativity projects within their school, provided musical entertainment for guests at the event.

Mr Finn said:

“These teachers have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to enhancing their skills and sharing their knowledge with pupils and colleagues.

“Teaching our children and young people to embrace creativity ensures they have an enriched learning experience and an enhanced appreciation for culture and critical thinking which they will carry over into their adult lives.”

Alan Armstrong, Strategic Director Lifelong Learning at Education Scotland, said:

“Creativity will help children and young people to understand the world better and, critically, to be suitably equipped to shape its future.  This GTCS Award recognises the importance of teachers ensuring that their pupils learn in creative ways and develop creative skills across the curriculum.”

Joan Parr, Portfolio Manager at Creative Scotland, said:

“It’s great to see the hard work, commitment and dedication of these teachers being recognised. The Professional Recognition scheme is a fantastic opportunity for teachers to enhance their own skills and experience through CPD, allowing them to teach in an informed and exciting manner and share their knowledge with their pupils and peers. We are delighted to support such an important and significant project.”

Lucy Vaughan, Head of Creative Learning, Lyceum Theatre Company said:

“With Project Dream our experience of placing Creativity at the heart of learning and developing a project with teachers to cover all areas of the Curriculum has been transformative for all involved – teachers, pupils and arts educators! Instead of taking a subject specialist approach to our work with schools, traditionally in our case drama, we developed Project Dream with teachers to be able to explore inter-disciplinary learning through creativity.

“Following a visit by the whole year group to the Lyceum Theatre to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the timetable was cleared for S3 pupils for 3 days, and they worked in small groups on their own creative responses to the play. Through Project Dream pupils had to share their ideas with each other, solve problems, take responsibility and show leadership – all essential skills for life beyond the classroom, developed through their participation in a creative project.

“Project Dream could not have been possible without the support and funding generously given by the Miller Group, Robertson Trust, Ernest Cook Trust and City of Edinburgh Council.”

Philippa Cochrane, Head of Learning at the Scottish Book Trust said:

“These teachers have worked with Scottish Book Trust on a number of exciting projects, and we are delighted to have been able to support their innovative approaches to teaching reading and writing. They have worked hard to foster enthusiasm for literature and to give pupils the tools to be creative, and it is a great pleasure to see their achievements recognised in this way.”

Kirsten Hunter, Connect Officer at the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) said:

“We are extremely pleased that staff from Preston Street Primary School have been recognised for their involvement in the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s Primary School Residency at Preston Street in 2011/12.

“This was a great opportunity for the SCO to collaborate with a school very local to its own home base; and through their exceptional professionalism, boundless enthusiasm and willingness to always go the extra mile on behalf of their pupils, the staff at Preston Street really made the project an outstanding experience.

“Always ready to explore new ways of learning through creative work with their pupils, we’re thrilled that the project has left a living legacy with staff continuing to employ techniques and ideas explored during the SCO Primary School Residency. “

Congratulations to the teachers who received awards:

Margaret Brown                               Knox Academy, Haddington

Laura Cassidy                                     Preson Street, Edinburgh

Joy Christie                                         Downfield Primary School, Dundee

James Clugston                                 Lourdes Secondary, Glasgow

Jonathan Coulson                            Balerno High School, Edinburgh

Ruth Douglas                                     Balerno High School, Edinburgh

Lyndsay Fullerton                            Balerno High School, Edinburgh

Sara Gulliver-Goodhall                   Howdenburn Primary School, Scottish Borders

Niall Irvine                                           Balerno High School, Edinburgh

Susan Irving                                        Balerno High School, Edinburgh

Lorna Lawson                                    John Ogilvie High School, Hamilton

Gwen McCrossan                            Kilmodan Primary School, Argyll and Bute

Samantha MacDonald                   Leverhulme Memorial Primary School, Harris

Lorna MacDonald                             Preston Street Primary School, Edinburgh

Ann Moore (HT)                               Preston Street Primary School, Edinburgh

Linda Murray                                     St Peters Primary School, Scottish Borders

Rebecca Oliver                                  Lourdes Secondary, Glasgow

Scott Sinclair                                       Balerno High School, Edinburgh

Paul Stewart                                      Balerno High School, Edinburgh

Lalainia Tremell                                 Woodmill High School, Fife

Angela Verity                                     Kaimes Primary School, Edinburgh

Elizabeth Whatmore                       Burntisland Primary School, Fife

Peter Kelly                                          Holycross High School South Lanarkshire

Graeme Lamb                                   Bell Baxter High School, Fife.

Pamela Jannaway                            Forfar Academy

Steven Kidd                                        Forfar Academy

Images: Gary Baker Photography