Jill Magennis
General Information
Teaching Responsibilities
- PGCE (Early Years)
Advisor of Studies for PGCE
Implementing a Play-based Curriculum including ‘Play Across the Curriculum’, ‘Play Workshops’, and ‘Professional Workshops’.
RE and PDMU in the Foundation Stage/Key Stage One - BEd Primary
Year 1 and 2 Curriculum Studies – RE and PDMU
Year 3 Learning through a Play-based Curriculum in the Early Years
Year 3 Professional Studies and Placement 3
Year 1, 2 & 3 Area of Specialism RE
Member of planning committee for Inter-College Programme for Professional Learning in a Changing Society - BA in Early Childhood Studies:
Advanced Understanding of Diversity and Inclusion in the Early Years
Undertaking a small-scale project in Early Childhood
External Interests/Community Service
- Vice-Chair on Board of Governors for Edenderry Nursery School, Portadown
- Member of the N. Ireland Inter-Faith Forum
- Family Focus Steering Group member for Blind Children UK
- Community Member (provisional) of the Corrymeela Community, a centre for Peace and Reconciliation
- Member of ‘The Chartered College of Teaching’ – Professional Affiliate
Research Interests
- Experiences and perspectives of early childhood educators on promoting respect for diversity and of peace-building in divided societies.
Background & Qualifications
- Bachelor of Education (Hons) Primary Education with Religious Studies (First Class Honours), Stranmillis University College
- Master of Education in Pastoral Care (with commendation), Stranmillis University College
- Postgraduate Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies with Early Years, University of Ulster.
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2017)
Research & Scholarship
Journal Articles
Magennis, J. and Richardson, N. (2020) A ‘peace’ of the jigsaw: the perspectives of early years professionals on inclusion and diversity within the context of Northern Ireland, Education 3-13, 48 (4), pp 365 – 378.
Book Chapters
Gracie, A., and Magennis, J. (2024) ‘Looking back, striving forward: Is forgiveness education in the classroom the key to peacebuilding in Northern Ireland?’ in Gerry Czerniawski, Sharon Jones, Arlene Holmes-Henderson, Victoria Pugh & Weipeng Yang (eds.) Curriculum in a Changing World: 50 think pieces on education policy, practice, innovation & inclusion, London, BERA
Professional Periodicals
Magennis, J. and Rainey, A. (2020) ‘Mighty oaks from little acorns grow…’, RE Today, 37 (2), pp. 18-19.
Conference presentations
Magennis, J. (2018) ‘For you, for me, for them, for us: Can childhood be the time of change? An exploration into peace-building and the early years within the context of divided societies’, 10th All Ireland Doctoral Conference, Queen’s University, Belfast, June 2018.
Magennis, J. (2016) ‘Early Childhood: A Pathway to Peace? The impact of early childhood curricula in the context of deeply divided societies.’ Poster session presented at the Annual Conference of the Northern Ireland British Psychological Society, Dundalk, March 2016.
