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The Growth in Educational Leadership Podcast
𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡?
𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙙𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪!
Through my recruitment work in the education and public sectors, I see trends emerging amongst the 1000s of candidates I've helped to date - from ➡️ career blindspots to➡️ long, complicated interview questions and➡️how confidence holds so many teachers back.
Because I understand the system that teachers work in, the language they use, the challenges they face, and the frameworks that shape education, this podcast (and the way I work) means that teachers grow professionally as quickly as possible!
Combining mindset with strategy, I'll be sharing ways to sell yourself better and how to make the Looking at Our School Document work for you. I'll also share insider stories from experts in education and beyond.
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Owner: Orla Dempsey
The Growth in Educational Leadership Podcast
E53: Siobhan Fitzgerald on Empowering Student Voice Through Public Speaking and Leadership in a Rural DEIS School
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Orla interviews Siobhan Fitzgerald, principal of Eglish National School, a small rural DEIS school in East Galway, where she says most pupils have experienced significant trauma and many are from the Traveller community. Siobhan describes developing the LET's Stand Public Speaking programme after noticing students could create strong PowerPoints but were unable to present, and she outlines teaching public speaking as incremental skills (e.g., structure with beginning–middle–end, eye contact, body language) using a model–share–guide–apply approach.
The conversation links public speaking to student voice, listening, confidence, leadership, and teacher self-awareness, arguing that students need practice before being asked to share opinions and that teachers already use public-speaking skills daily. Siobhan discusses teamwork, coaching for school leaders, effective interview communication, and announces a forthcoming 10-book fiction box set for ages 7–13, published by Outside the Box, aimed at wellbeing and connecting children with nature.
TIMESTAMPS
- 02:13 School Context and Trauma
- 03:15 Public Speaking Spark
- 05:05 Building the Program
- 06:44 Kids Need a Voice
- 10:41 Listening and Student Voice
- 12:54 Teach One Skill
- 13:11 Speech Structure Hand Model
- 15:53 Eye Contact and Practice
- 17:25 Getting Staff Onboard
- 19:45 Teachers as Speakers
- 24:03 Skills and Reflection Time
- 26:37 Leadership Reflection Courage
- 29:04 Judgment and Visionary Style
- 31:07 Teamwork and Learning Leaders
- 31:25 Team Roles and Flexibility
- 34:17 Elastic Band Leadership Mindset
- 35:30 Leadership in Small Schools
- 39:01 Impact Over Comparison
- 41:46 Coaching for School Leaders
- 44:38 Public Speaking for Principals
- 48:41 Interview Answers and Authenticity
- 51:49 Jargon Versus Real Stories
- 57:18 New Children’s Book Series
- 01:01:17 Nature, Wellbeing and Farewell
USEFUL LINKS
Here are links to Siobhan's programmes for schools and children
- LET's Stand
https://4schools.examcraftgroup.ie/display-product-page/lets-stand-primary
- Listen, How Child and Student Voice can Change the World
- Adventures in Coill Calm series
https://www.otb.ie/shop/well-being-sel-sphe/adventures-in-coill-calm/
[Interview by Orla Dempsey]