I know it has been a couple of days without a post but they have been quiet days with little to talk about. Except that I have a cold, which is a bit of a downer but of course not keeping me down a bit!
This week is my first full week in the 4th/5th/6th classroom and thus far it is going really well. Haven't done a lot of teaching with them yet but am excited about preparing lessons for them. I have been working with the different classes on different assignments/subjects. Yesterday I worked with the 4th class on pie charts and how to read them which then went into a lesson on fractions which can be a little tricky. So I decided to have them make fraction wheels out of paper plates...they enjoyed this and I think it really helped the visualize the concept of fractions a bit better. The teacher also thought it was a great idea! Yeah! I just finished putting together a poetry lesson for tomorrow for the 5th and 6th classes so we shall see how that goes. I love listening to them do their Irish lessons....I just wish I knew what they were saying! They do a good job and have been practicing singing a song in Irish and it sounds brilliant! Today I spent the afternoon subbing for Mr. Hussey who had to go with one of the sports teams for a match. It was a good afternoon and I enjoyed being in charge! Haha! I think it went well overall...there were a few issues, all very minor, and not anything that I couldn't handle. I fully expect to still be challenged and pushed by some of the students at this stage but I think I am handling it all very well and adapting/adjusting to what needs to be done.
A couple more American/Irish translations that I have run across.
In the States I would say: In Ireland I say:
* Period (punctuation at the end of a sentence) * Full stop
* Pharmacy * Chemist
* Police * Gardai
The students and community participate in a program called, Green Schools. Green Schools, is an international environmental education program that promotes and acknowledges long-term, whole school action for the environment. Unlike a one time project, it is a long-term program that introduces participants (students, teachers, parents and the wider community) to the concept of an environmental management systems. Green-Schools also fosters a strong sense of citizenship and leadership among participants that spreads far outside the school into the wider community. It also promotes a strong sense of teamwork among teachers, students and the wider community to reach a common high level goal. The Sixth class is the leadership team and heads all the committees which brings the students into the decision-making process and makes them responsible for their decision and actions. It is truly amazing to watch them and the excitement they have over this program. The Officers for the Committees were chosen today and they were all filled with excitement and can't wait to get started. The aim of the program is to increase students’ and participant awareness of environmental issues through classroom studies and to transfer this knowledge into positive environmental action in the school and also in the wider community. Schools that have successfully completed all the elements of the programme are awarded the ‘Green-Flag’. This award has to be renewed every two years. St. Michaels National School (my school) currently have 4 green flags and this year will begin working on their 5th flag!! It truly is an accomplishment and all the students in the school are very proud of this and are ready to do their part to earn flag number 5!
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