MICHAEL BIRD
BALLYMENA,Co. Antrim
Summary
A wide range of skills in professional life (now retired) and growing skills in the Arts
Overview
40
40
years of professional experience
7
7
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Manager of Slemish Barn Hostel
Self Employed
BALLYMENA, Co Antrim
2013.07 - Current
Running and financial management of a hostel/ budget accommodation
Area Head of ALternative Education Provision
Education Authority of Northern Ireland
Coleraine, Co L'Derry
2013.09 - 2018.12
Manager over three provisions of Alternative Education ;
- Sunlea Educaion Guidance Centre - a secondary key stage 3 unit;
- Thornberry Pupil Referral Unit - a primary unit;
- Education in Exceptional Circumstances - an individual tuition service for pupils with anxiety based school refusal; long term illness; or complex behavioural difficulties.
Senior Teacher/ Teacher
North Eastern Education and Library Board (NI)
Coleraine, CO L'Derry
1999.09 - 2013.08
Teacher of maths, science and personal development in Sunlea Education Guidance Centre, a key stage 3/4 unit for pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties referred through the Education Pschology service (statutory provision).
As senior teacher responsibile for day to day running of provision
Teacher
Individual Schools
Various, Various
1986.02 - 1999.07
Teacher of physics, science and maths in various schools in N Ireland
Actor/ musician
Sneezing Chickens Theatre-In-Education Group
Belfast
1989.10 - 1989.11
Actor/ musician in production on The Jolly Postman for Childrens Book Week
Research Associate
Queens University of Belfast
Belfast, Co Down
1984.02 - 1986.02
Building, testing and using research equipment in Thin Films group in Physics Dept
Education
Bachelor of Science - Physics
Hull University
Hull 1980.09 - 1983.06
Master of Science - Opto- Electronics
Queens University of Belfast
Belfast 1984.09 - 1985.06
Master of Arts (P/T) - Rural Develpment
Quees University of Belfast/ Rural College
Belfast/ Draperstown 1996.09 - 1999.11
Skills
Student in Beginning Playwriting Course (parts 1 and 2) : The Lir (2021 and 2024)
Online course taught of Andrew Tidmarsh
Songwriter/ musician/ singer of original songs since 1980 including two collections of original songs produced on cassette : Just Another James Dean (1988) and Talking To The Stars (1990) The second selection was toured in Scotland in 1990 after which a selection of live songs Watching The World Go By, was produced A CD collection of a mix of thses songs was produced in 2013 under the name Buoyed
Storyteller Training under Liz Weir in 2022 I now perform with Dalriada Legends and The Armstrong Storytelling Trust in Libraries and other venues mainly in N Ireland
Timeline
Area Head of ALternative Education Provision
Education Authority of Northern Ireland
2013.09 - 2018.12
Manager of Slemish Barn Hostel
Self Employed
2013.07 - Current
Senior Teacher/ Teacher
North Eastern Education and Library Board (NI)
1999.09 - 2013.08
Master of Arts (P/T) - Rural Develpment
Quees University of Belfast/ Rural College
1996.09 - 1999.11
Actor/ musician
Sneezing Chickens Theatre-In-Education Group
1989.10 - 1989.11
Teacher
Individual Schools
1986.02 - 1999.07
Master of Science - Opto- Electronics
Queens University of Belfast
1984.09 - 1985.06
Research Associate
Queens University of Belfast
1984.02 - 1986.02
Bachelor of Science - Physics
Hull University
1980.09 - 1983.06