Ian Morrison CV

ianmorrison333@gmail.com | |086 2721138 

 

Personal Statement

I am a personable, caring and enthusiastic graduating PME Student Teacher. I’m graduating from The National College of Art and Design this year, with a Professional Masters of Education (Art & Design) and an expected 2:1 degree. I am hugely dedicated to my teaching role and committed to staying up-to-date on new learning methodologies, in order to provide my students with the opportunities they need to succeed. I specialised in ceramics and aim to pass my love of working with broad artistic materials  students. My previous experiences from mainstream school placement, delivering a whole school art project in an SEN setting and professional artistic practice have allowed me to develop excellent communication skills and collaborative skills in adjacency to my artistic abilities. I intend to further develop my ability to establish cooperative, professional  relationships with parents, staff and administration in the future. I will prioritise my students' success, as well  as their holistic development. I would love the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge I have learned to a position in your school and I believe that my teaching style would make me an asset to your school community. 

 

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Skills

• Visual Art Techniques (drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, etc.)

• Curriculum-aligned lesson planning for Junior & Senior Cycle Art

• Art History and Visual Studies knowledge

• Design thinking and creativity in the classroom

• Digital art and multimedia (e.g., Adobe Suite, iPads, photography)

• Strong communication and collaboration with staff, parents, and students

• Relationship building with students to foster a supportive environment

• Time management and multitasking across teaching and planning

• Event coordination (e.g., art exhibitions, school displays)

• Engagement in whole-school initiatives and wellbeing programmes

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Employment History

May 2019 - Sep 2019

Waiter / Food runner

Swans Chinese Restaurant Kilkenny

• Provided excellent table service to ensure customer satisfaction

• Taking customers orders and delivering food and beverages.

• Answering any questions and sharing additional information about the menu.

• Communicating with the kitchen in an efficient manner.

 

November 2022 - March 2024

Events Facilitation

Visual Artists Ireland

• Selected through college recommendation to assist in the coordination and facilitation of Visual Artists Ireland’s Speed Curating sessions and the VAI Get Together 2022 conference.

• Supported the planning and delivery of the remote Get Together conference (via Zoom), managing behind-the-scenes technical operations to ensure a smooth event flow.

• Organised and hosted practice Zoom sessions with individual artists, assisting them in preparing and curating their presentations for the conference audience.

• Coordinated scheduling for practice sessions, liaising directly with artists to find suitable times and providing technical and presentation support.

• Managed ticket sales for the Speed Curating event and facilitated artist bookings into available curatorial time slots.

• Provided on-site event support at the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, overseeing ticket sales for remaining time slots and directing participants throughout the venue.

• Assisted in the setup of over 15 meeting stations for artist-curator discussions, ensuring clear signage, efficient scheduling, and seamless event logistics.

• Maintained clear communication with artists and curators throughout the event day, providing updated meeting schedules and managing last-minute changes.

• Gained experience in large-scale event facilitation, participant coordination, and creative sector networking.

• Invited to work again with Visual Artists Ireland in March 2024, continuing to support event facilitation and logistics for artist engagement events.

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November - December 2023

January - March 2024

March 2025 - Present

School Placement

Oatlands College

• Successfully planned and delivered a range of Art lessons to 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Year students, aligned with Junior and Senior Cycle specifications.

• Taught Visual Studies to 5th Years, delivering engaging, critical, and creative lessons that supported students’ theoretical and practical development.

• Designed and implemented practical art schemes that encouraged creativity, skill-building, and critical engagement across different year groups.

• Actively contributed to the development and support of Junior Cycle Visual Art projects.

• Assisted with the coordination and facilitation of the school's Art Club, promoting creativity and student participation beyond class hours.

• Maintained excellent classroom management, fostering a positive, respectful, and productive learning environment.

• Built strong, professional rapport with students and staff, contributing to a collaborative and supportive school culture.

• Demonstrated consistent punctuality, preparation, and reliability in all teaching and departmental activities.

• Volunteered to support the art department with additional tasks and responsibilities, showing initiative and teamwork.

• Received highly positive feedback for enthusiasm, dedication, subject knowledge, and commitment to high-quality art education.

 

November - December 2024

January - February 2025

March 2025 - Present

School Placement

St David’s Holy Faith Secondary

Greystones

• Delivered engaging and curriculum-aligned Junior and Senior Cycle Art lessons, integrating practical skills with critical and visual thinking.

• Developed differentiated lesson plans to support a range of learner needs, including students with SEN and EAL.

• Facilitated student creativity through scaffolded tasks and formative assessment strategies, encouraging independent thinking and reflective practice.

• Designed and implemented a unit of learning based on observational drawing and seaweed-inspired ceramics, linking personal art practice to student learning.

• Organised classroom displays of student work to promote a visually stimulating and inclusive environment.

• Gained hands-on experience with behaviour management strategies and built positive relationships through a calm and consistent teaching presence.

• Incorporated digital tools to enhance visual presentations, student research, and learning outcomes.

• Participated in staff meetings and contributed to department planning, gaining insight into whole-school operations and collaborative practice.

• Shadowed and supported SPHE and resource classes, deepening understanding of pastoral care, wellbeing initiatives, and inclusive education.

• Engaged with school culture and ethos through participation in extracurricular activities and school events.

• Received positive feedback from cooperating teachers and school leadership, recognising professional growth and classroom presence.

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Education

 2023-2025

 PME in Art Education

 National College of Art and Design | Dublin

• Completed a two-year full-time PME programme, qualifying to teach Visual Art at post-primary level in Ireland.

• Developed a deep understanding of art pedagogy, curriculum design, and assessment aligned with the Junior and Senior Cycle specifications.

• Applied theory to practice through two teaching placements, gaining real-world classroom experience across a range of learner abilities and settings.

• Engaged critically with educational theory, child development, inclusive education, and reflective teaching practices.

• Researched and implemented active, student-centred learning strategies in art and SPHE education.

• Developed cross-curricular and interdisciplinary approaches to lesson and unit planning.

• Created and documented a personal art practice project (e.g., ceramic sculpture with smoke firing) to explore the intersection of pedagogy and creative identity.

• Carried out an autoethnographic thesis exploring the tensions and connections between the roles of artist and educator, using a/r/tography as a methodology.

• Participated in professional conversations with practicing artist-teachers and contributed to academic discourse on arts education.

• Developed confidence using digital platforms for blended learning and digital portfolio creation.

• Collaborated with peers on microteaching, resource development, and critical feedback processes.

• Gained experience in whole-school policies, wellbeing education, and the departmental planning.

 

2020 - 2023

BA in Applied Art with Critical Culture - 1st Class Honours award                                                          

National College of Art and Design | Dublin

• Specialised in ceramic arts, developing a strong technical proficiency in hand-building, mold-making, slip-casting, glazing, and firing techniques (including kiln operation and smoke firing).

• Gained experience in glass processes including kiln-formed glass, fusing, slumping, and surface treatments, supporting broader material knowledge.

• Developed an in-depth understanding of ceramic materials, surface experimentation, and sculptural form — linking making processes with conceptual development.

• Strengthened project management skills by independently designing, producing, and exhibiting ceramic collections from research phase to final outcomes.

• Built a reflective studio practice, critically analysing material choices, creative intention, and audience engagement.

• Integrated contemporary and historical research into making processes, enhancing visual storytelling and cultural literacy.

• Enhanced skills in critical and contextual studies, connecting applied art practice to broader social, political, and theoretical frameworks.

• Produced academic essays, artist statements, and research portfolios that deepened communication, writing, and reflective abilities relevant to curriculum planning.

• Graduated with a First Class Honours degree and my thesis was commended and selected for permanent inclusion in the NCAD Library.

 

 2014 - 2020

 Secondary School: C.B.S Kilkenny 

• 544 points in 2020 leaving cert 

• Achieved:

  • H1 in Art and Biology

  • H2 In Home Economics and English

  • H3 in French and Irish

  • H4 in Maths

  

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Accomplishments

• Exhibited in the National College of Art and Design’s Gallery in May 2024. This included the fabrication and installation of a unique piece of art created in a collaborative group with other art-educators

• Exhibited at the NCAD works show in 2023 and had work featured in Ceramics Ireland Magazine as well as the Irish Art Review’s digital publication regarding graduating artists

• Shortlisted for the Global Design Graduate Show awards 2023  from Arts Thread in collaboration with GUCCI. Received promotion of work online and publication of new work to wide audiences

• Exhibited as part of the 2022 Sculpture in context taking place in the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin with work that I had created during my academic year in college. Sculpture in context is Ireland's most prestigious and longest running sculpture exhibition. I had submitted three pieces from a series of work I had created called "Anthozoa.''The work revolved around marine invertebrates such as stony and soft coral. The work was realised in two glass casts as well as crystalline glazed ceramic piece. The pieces were selected by an independent jury for the exhibition. In total 120 artists exhibited 169 works of art including my three pieces. Sculpture in context took place from the 1st of September to the 7th of October and I also was there for the set up and the removal of the art work. Tens of thousands of people came to the exhibition and it also attracted both a critical and commercial audience. I sold one of my pieces and have maintained a positive relationship with the gentleman who bought my work and expressed an interest in future work.

• Class rep for my class group in my second and third undergraduate years. Voted in college referendums and acted to represent the whole class group's learning needs.

• Finalist in the 2021 Steven’s Competition which allowed me to professionally engage with Derix Glass Studios in regards to the fabrication and installation of a stained glass window.

• Completed a stained glass course with the known artist Joseph Cavalieri which resulted in the fabrication of a small piece and the development of skills in marketing and artistic technique.

 

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Additional Qualifications

• Sports Leadership Level 1 in 2018

• Basic first aid training in school in 2018

• NStEp Introductory Class Rep training

• Tulsa-Children First E-Learning Programme

• Bronze Gaisce award which included an extended period of volunteer work Paws animal shelter

 

Memberships

• Registered with the Teaching Council under the further education route and have had qualifications verified so that upon completion of my PME course and meeting the additional requirements, I can successfully register as a Post Primary Teacher

• I am an associate member of the Design & Craft Council Ireland's register of craft enterprises. This membership allows me to receive monthly eZine updates on all current DCCI news, opportunities, exhibitions and events related to the craft sector.This gave my work a digital membership for promotion and easier contact for prospective future work. It allows me to apply to participate in some of DCCI's services and programs such as member exhibitions and conventions. Finally it allows a reduction in Public Liability and Personal Accident premiums through the DCCI's registered Craft-person Group Insurance Scheme. 

• I'm also an associate member of Visual Arts Ireland which allows me to avail of all Visual Artists Ireland services, facilities and resources. My portfolio and contact info are in the Arts Directory on their website. I hold a membership card that allows for a discount in most art material suppliers and service providers.

 

 

Referees

Kiri Alexandra Gore

Art Teacher at St David’s Holy Faith Secondary School Greystones

Email: kgore@stdavids.ie

Mobile: 089 608 8231

 

Oonagh O’Toole

Art Teacher at Oatlands College Stillorgan

Email: oona.ot@gmail.com

Mobile: 087 126 9941

 

Fiona King

Programme Leader of the Professional Master of Education (PME) 

Lecturer in Art & Design Education

School of Education, NCAD, 100 Thomas Street, Dublin 8

Email: kingf@staff.ncad.ie

Mobile: 087 4110600