childhood shapes us
Parenting Support and Educational Consultancy in Dundrum and Bray
Providing practical support for parents, as they respond to their children’s changing needs
Orla’s background
Orla has worked as an educator and as a parent facilitator over the last thirty plus years.
She has provided support to groups of parents as they rise to the challenge of children growing up in the 21st century.
Orla established and ran her own Junior Montessori School from 1984 to 2000. She is a firm believer in evidence-based active learning. She believed such education should be available to all children.
As President of the Association of AMI Teachers of Ireland, she lobbied the Department of Education.
Special Needs Experience
In September 2000, Orla took a position as a special class teacher in a mainstream DEIS school. Over the years, she filled other specialized roles while constantly updating her skills.
Training for Teachers
Centre. She designed the course to help teachers develop the necessary skills to implement successful teaching of:
Phonological Awareness
Oral Language Development
Literacy: enabling children to use independent skills to write and read
Meeting the Needs of Children on the Autistic Spectrum
Orla completed the post-Graduate course in Autism in St Patrick’s Training Centre. Since then, she has continued to inform herself by attending conferences and workshops throughout the country.
However, she recognises that the real learning came from the Autistic children and their families that she has since had the privilege to work with.
Orla has now retired from school life with the intention of having more time to spend supporting families. Many parents and children in these times could benefit from informed support.
Orla’s Partnership with Incredible Years
While Orla enjoys her work as an educator, she is aware that the parent is the most important influence in the child’s life. Recognising this, Orla trained as an Incredible Years Parent Facilitator. Having been awarded accreditation from Carolyn Webster Stratton, Orla facilitated courses for many groups of parents.
Orla received further training within the Incredible Years Programmes e.g.
Incredible Years teachers’ training
Incredible Years infant course
Incredible Years school age course.
Orla O'Brien Believes...
"in the value of children experiencing success in their learning. She believes the role of the educator is to skilfully guide the learner so that they experience success and genuine achievement."