At Progressive College, we are proud to say that our tutors are highly qualified with intensive relevant experience within their industry – ensuring that our students learn from the best and receive excellent student support. Our tutors are there to provide support and are ready to lend a helping hand when needed.
Patricia Forrest BA (Hons) – ECCE with Montessori Tutor
Patricia is an experienced early years tutor with over 9 years experience in the early years sector.
Patricia has a vast experience working with young children as a Montessori directress, early years mentor for staff and colleagues and also in a quality assurance officer role in early years settings, ensuring the quality of care and education in the classrooms.
Patricia graduated with a first-class honours in Early Childhood Care and Education from IT Carlow. Her experience and passion for quality provision and experiences for young children led her to complete her training award and begin tutoring on accredited ECCE programmes.
- BA(Hons) Early Childhood Care and Education
- Diploma in Train the Trainer (Full special purpose award)
- Diploma in Business Management
Maya Wall – Healthcare Tutor
Maya is an enthusiastic healthcare professional with almost 2 decades of wide and varied acute and community nursing experience in various disciplines.
She is a consultant trainer with a passion for the learning environment and being witnessing people achieving their full potential. Her drive and ambition to deliver service to a high standard in every facet of quality and professionalism.
Maya is empathetic to individual learning style and needs while maintaining and holding the boundaries and focus of cohorts/ groups. She believes in a holistic approach to Health, encompassing both allopathic and complementary.
Maya has an active registration on the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland.
Fiona Helbert – ECCE Tutor
Fiona Helbert has graduated with a MA in Mentoring, Management and Leadership in Early Years from Technological University Dublin and a BA in Early Childhood Studies and practice from National University of Galway (NUI Galway).
Fiona has completed a number of other training courses over the years, including an Advanced Diploma in Adult Learning, Teaching and Assessment with Early Childhood Ireland. Fiona is also a tutor in Hanen, communication and interactions for young children. Fiona recently completed a QQI level 5 in Lamh, sign language.
Before becoming an Early Years Specialist, supporting the inclusion of children with additional needs, Fiona worked as a LINC tutor with Mary Immaculate College.
Fiona has also managed community Early Years services for over 15 years.
Fiona has tutored QQI level 5 & 6 Childcare and Special Needs for a variety of companies and institutes, as well as working directly with children in a variety of Early Years settings.
Suzanne McCarthy – ECCE Tutor
Suzanne is a graduate of Technological University (TU) Dublin, studied a 4 year Honours Degree in Early Childhood Care and Education.
Suzanne is currently studying a 2 year Masters by Research in TU Dublin in the area of Bilingual Language Education.
She loves her field and has always been interested in children’s education and extremely passionate about enhancing the quality of the Early Childhood Care and Education sector.
Noelle Mc Namara – SNA Tutor
Noelle Mc Namara is our SNA tutor with a vast and intensive experience in Childcare.
She received her BA Honour’s Level 8 Early Childhood Education and Care Graduate.
Noelle has over 20 years of experience in all aspects of childcare and special needs assisting working both here in Ireland and in the UK.
Karen Flowers – SNA Tutor
Karen has been a teacher with 20 years of experience in Special Education. She is currently working in early intervention with children with a diagnosis of ASD.
Karen has been training in numerous teaching methodologies such as Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and Lamh.
Karen has been a tutor with the Progressive College, teaching the SNA course level 5 and 6 for the past 3 years.
Josephine Nelan – SNA Tutor
Josephine has worked with the College of Progressive Education for 15 years delivering SNA level 5 and 6 QQI courses.
Josephine is a registered nurse of Intellectual Disability and have also completed training in Social Care, Supervisory Skills, Behaviour Support, Child Protection, and Patient moving and handling.
Josephine has worked for almost 30 years in all areas of special needs including education, residential, respite and day service to management level.
She is passionate about delivering a best practice focused training so that all our students can provide the best possible care and support to the children and young people they will work with in the future.
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