Slan pobal na hÉireann!! (Goodbye to the people of Ireland)

Today is a sad but happy day as I sit down to write my last blog. I have endured so much over the past 2 and a half months that the reality has not yet sunk in that I must return to the United States and on to my second placement. I have really come to see Ireland as my home for the past 11 weeks and have made some amazing friendships! The atmosphere of the school this week has been one of eagerness and anticipation for the long Easter Holiday. I have had so many thoughts running through my mind because I do not want to leave the school nor Ireland for that matter without making sure that I have thanked everyone that has made my experience one I will never forget!
This week I have tried the most to look at myself in the classroom and try to dissect what I have learned from watching the teachers in Convent Primary and what I have adapted to my own teaching styles. I have realized first off that I have adapted my vocabulary to much of what is used throughout the school. Students no longer look at me and say I am from America. After 11 weeks I am seen not only by the teachers, but by the students as an equal. I also have seen my relationship with the students transform from someone who nobody listened to or saw as a teacher. This was a very hard image to break and once I got through to the students I was able to really bond with them. We began to grow together in learning new concepts and building relationships among each other. I was able to learn about the different needs of the students and was able to adapt my lessons in order to reach all learning abilities and styles. I was able to learn to trust myself and my abilities. In my past teaching practices I feel as through I never really thought of myself as an actual true teacher and gave myself the credit and affirmation of doing a good job. Through this experience I have really reflected and been able to say to myself that I did a great job teaching a lesson. I am the hardest on myself and up until this teaching experience have never fully given myself the satisfaction of doing a good job despite what other teachers may think. I also think that through this experience I have become very independent in my decision making processes as a teacher. I have learned all I can from my classes at St. Norbert College and am now doing my best to take what I have learned and apply it to the real thing. I feel that being at Convent Primary and away from everything I have known, has really taught me to think for myself and use my best judgment. There is no other way I would have wanted to learn this skill!
This experience has also taught me about what it means to work in a team and have a relationship with other colleagues. The staff at Convent Primary is absolutely wonderful. I have felt like an equal my entire stay in Ireland. My ideas, thoughts, and opinions have been equally acknowledged and I feel that I was very well respected by not only the teachers but students as well. The staff is so welcoming and genuinely interested in your life in and out of the school. I feel so blessed that I was able to meet these amazing women and begin a friendship that I hope lasts even when I have left Ireland.
I truly feel that I have had the chance to meet some of the nicest people in Ireland. I feel that with the laid back lifestyle and relaxed atmosphere all throughout Ireland, people are more likely to lend a hand and share a friendly gesture. I have done some traveling throughout Ireland and have felt more than welcome everywhere I have ventured. The people of Ireland are so genuine and charismatic. This statement is more than true when talking about my host family. They are the nicest family. I have always felt at home and will miss them very much!
I am looking forward to my second placement and being able to make connections and reflections based on what I have experienced in Ireland to the class I work with in Green Bay. I know that I will love both groups of students equally, but will have different experiences with both. I feel very lucky and fortunate to have been able to make my dreams of traveling abroad a reality through the teach abroad program. Despite the roller coaster of emotions I have felt during my 11 weeks in Ireland, I have seen myself grow and adapt to the person I want to be for the future.
I hope that through my many blog entries I was able to create a picture for everyone so that you could see the many memories I have been creating while being here. I will never forget this experience and I know that it is just the beginning to a wonder career filled with growth, change, and lifelong learning! I could not be happier that it was able to begin in the small town of Listowel, Ireland! In saying that I leave you to finish one journey and begin another. Slan!

The home stretch...

Hello everyone! This is my last week of student teaching in Ireland and I can not believe it is coming to an end! On Friday I listened to more readers and worked again with sound and letter recognition. The students each have their own white board that uses erasable markers, and I have found this to be a really great tool to use when teaching spelling or penmanship. It is also a great way for the teacher to do a quick check to see if the student is succeeding at the task. I also taught a short math lesson. It was a basic review and the students did very well responding to the questions. I have found myself almost speaking now with a little Irish accent! I have been told this by some of the teachers but when I really think about it, it is very easy to pick up on the popular phrases and words used here. I have also found myself needing to clarify my directions less often. I am very pleased with this realization because that means that I have improved my language usage and am now able to be comprehended in a way that reaches the children's understanding. This was one of my main goals while being here and it is great to see that I have improved! I stayed in Listowel for the weekend and was able to spend some time with some of the teachers from school. I can not express how kind and caring the they have all been and it was great to be able to all get together and have a sort of goodbye gathering. It was very informal and laid back but I was able to really see how many people I have gotten to know and developed relationships with. It has truly been a blessing!
There has been talk about taxes, pensions, and leavies throughout my entire stay here in Ireland with the recession at hand. This past Monday the teachers were supposed to be on strike with their union because of the unfair taxing that is going on affecting the many types of jobs throughout the country of Ireland. There was a vote cast in order to see if the strike would take place and in the end it did not go through. Many of the teachers were glad to continue with school because there is so much to get done this week before the Easter holdiay break which consists of 2 weeks off. Every teacher is creating wonderful art projects to celebrate Easter. There is also another Friday mass this week for the first Friday in April. Due to this there is a lot of preparation going on in Fourth class since they are the class that will be performing the mass. Religion studies about Easter are also in full swing due to the holiday being 2 weeks away. Every class is learning and reviewing about Easter Sunday and the reasoning behind it. It is very interesting to see how religion is taught in a public school system. I have recently discovered that 97% of all schools in Ireland are Catholic schools including the specific Gealic schools. Participation at Convent Primary School in religious sacraments are optional however there are weekly assignments given in the religion workbook that all students receive. I am continuing my teaching of science and will teach a lesson tomorrow on animal homes and habitats. I am very interested to see how the students respond to the information because there are some hard vocabulary terms that not only the students are learning but myself as well that Ireland specifically uses. This has been an adjustment that I have had to make in teaching several different subjects here in Ireland. Phrases and words that I use are obviously not going to be standard here in Ireland as compared to the United States. I have had to quickly learn the new terminology and use it correctly so that the students are learning the appropriate material. I have made a point to add in what is used in the United States as well so that I am always making the subject matter relevant and practical. My power point for the Student Teaching Abroad presentation is coming along nicely and I am putting all the pieces together to give a great perspective of what I have learned and come away with from teaching and living in Ireland. I must now get back to my lessons and preparations, I will write again soon Slan!

Sunshine on a cloudy day

Hello everyone! School is going very well this week considering all the teachers have so much they want to get in before Easter holiday which is next Friday. For the past two days I have been working again with the food pyramid and machine handouts I created. I have been very pleased with how much the student's have retained about the food groups and healthy food choices. I went ahead and taught the linkage lesson for the food pyramid and through that activity was able to again review with the students about their knowledge of the food groups. It impressed me to hear the students using the new terminology and vocabulary in the correct form while talking about the food groups. I now have a clear understanding that they have successfuly learned about the food groups. I think another lesson I could do would be to talk further about sub categories of the food groups for instance starches and fats. I wanted to keep my original food pyramid basic and general so that I could build a strong foundation for all of their knowledge about the food groups. Taking the original food pyramid a step further would really allow the students to have a basis for healthy food education and choices. The other lesson I taught as a linkage lesson was the lesson on machines that corresponded with the book the class was reading. This was a great lesson because it allowed the students to make connections to what they read in the story to their own lives. The students were able to visualize with their imagination what their new machine would look like having all of the components of the machine and having to create the picture. I think this was a good lesson on gradual release of responsibility because even though there was a guide sheet, it allowed the students to still make choices within the choices already given. There was still room for creativity and imagination. Students were writing and illustrating so that aspect covered additional multiple intelligences. In addition the students were able to present their new machine at the end. Students were then focusing on speaking clearly and confidently in front of their peers. Yet again another multiple intelligence was used. I could see that the students do not normally get a chance to present their work to the entire class by the reaction I received when informing the students. I was thrilled with their enthusiasim and will try my best to incorporate more presentation and public speaking in the class.
Today was a good day as well. With Easter coming up there is a lot of preparation for the first Friday mass next week as well as teaching about Christ after lent. So needless to say religion is a big factor in the next coming week. I am not sure If I commented before on the school's resources and technology because it is not much at all. I just wanted to add that I have noticed how creative the teachers are with what they have. In no way does this prohibit learning and experiences. The teacher's have found great alternatives for everyday simple items. For the maths lessons that I teach the students each have a bag of popsicle stick with rubber bands that they use for their tables of adding units and sums. This is not a fancy learning tool but it is neccessary to use manipulatives when teaching students how to add using a table. IT is very effective in the classroom as well as cost effective. I have discovered many ways that I can incorporate more everyday simple materials into my lessons so that students also need a purpose for materials and a use for them.
The weekend is soon approaching and being it my last one I am trying to make the most of it! I hope that everyone finds enjoyment and relaxation in the weekend and I will write again soon, Slan!

So much to do so little time...

Hello! As always Friday went very well last week. I had a busy week and was very glad for some time to relax and regroup during the weekend. On Friday I was able to finish my food pyramid lesson that I worked on with my class on Thursday for the observation. I was very happy after I reviewed with the students because they were able to tell me a lot about what they had learned during the previous session. This made me realize that the way I presented the lesson and the activities I did worked for them and they really learned something! The students were able to tell me a lot about the information they had gained through the lesson as well as add some connections they had made when leaving school and talking with their families. I was very happy to hear their stories! In addition to review of the food pyramid I started the second half of the lesson which involved creating a food menu. The students were to use the knowledge they gained about healthy food choices and amounts and apply it to a restaurant menu. This activity involved working in groups of 2 and coming up with healthy food combinations. Not only did I want the students to experience more group work, I also wanted to work on their presentation skills and talking in front of their peers. After the menus were made, the students were to present their healthy food choices to the class and explain why they choose the particular food items that they did. In doing this I was able to assess the knowledge gained through the food pyramid because if the students could not easily explain their reasoning, I knew they did not successfully learn about the food groups. Overall I was very happy with this lesson and will definitely keep it for the future.
Friday evening I went to a community games competition in Tralee which is a town located just 30 minutes outside of Listowel. I have mentioned in my previous blogs that I had been working on a games around the world project with some students. Friday was when the competition for this project was held and the students were able to show and display all of the work and new knowledge they had gained from research. The girls were very excited and nervous to go to the competition but knew they had tried their best. The group of girls that were picked to attend had presented to the class and could easily talk fluently about their information. The group included two girls who have come from Poland to live in Ireland, so it was interesting to watch them adapt to school in Ireland and the different learning and teaching styles that they are used to. The students were in the under 11 age group and competed against three other teams. In the end the girls got 4Th out of 4 teams and were very disappointed. They had given it their all and that is all we could ask for. All we can do is take what we learned from this experience and move forward for next year's competition.
This week has started out great and is my second to last week. There is so much I still would love to do in the classroom at Convent Primary. My time here has gone very fast and I will miss it very much! I was able to teach my English lesson today. It involved a piece of writing that the students had been working through. Today we were only able to get through some of the lesson and I will continue with it tomorrow. The students have been great and very enthusiastic while participating in the lessons lately. This is great to see. As usual I am listening to readers everyday and constantly switching books. I also taught a history and geography lesson on tourism. This was a fun lesson to teach because the students and I could learn together. We both learned new things about Ireland that we did not know before. This was also a fun lesson to make connections to. Whether you have traveled somewhere else or not it is always nice to talk about where you would one day like to visit. I have had a great week so far and hope everyone at home feels the same! I will write again soon, until then Slan!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Hello everyone! I have not written in a week so I have a lot to catch you up on. Last Friday was a very nice day at school. I was able to teach a maths lesson on measurement. I found this lesson a little bit challenging because I had to try to connect with the students and adapt to the standard unit of measurement here in Ireland which is of course millimetres, centimetres, metres, and kilometres. I was always making sure to remind myself of the units before I spoke so that I did not confuse the students and give wrong information. The lesson went fairly well and was quite simple. I wish I would have had more time for the lesson because I would have liked to bring a more hands on experience to the students. I wanted them to use measurement in the lesson in the more practical sense so that they could connect the importance of measurement to their everyday lives and understand how crucial it is to have a standard unit of measure. Hopefully I will have a chance to do a follow up lesson on this unit and incorporate some uses of measurement that I think the students will find useful and interesting. I was also able to incorporate some spring time activities into the day by creating origami art. Some of the students had never heard of the art of origami before and I had a lot of fun sharing with them where origami originates and all the things that could be made from paper folding. I was also very pleased with this lesson because there was a visual way to assess my teaching as well as the success of the students' participation in the activity by viewing their final product. I was clearly able to see which students were able to follow oral instructions and able to complete the paper folding exercise. Both the students and myself had a great time creating origami!
I had a great weekend. I headed off to London for two days and had an amazing time sightseeing. I got some great pictures which I will hopefully be able to upload and post. The weather was absolutely amazing and great for the open top bus tours. I have always wanted to ride on one and got to fulfill my dream this past weekend! It also happened to be my birthday on Sunday so it was great to be out and about enjoying the scenery and making wonderful memories I will cherish forever! As you know, Tuesday was St. Patrick's Day and I was fortunate enough to travel to Dublin for the festivities. It was amazing to be in Dublin for the parade and see all of the different floats. There were people everywhere and from as far away as you could see. This was actually quite overwhelming at times but great all the same to be able to be in the atmosphere and take it all in. The streets remained crowded hours after the parade was finished so you can imagine I did a lot of people watching. There were tons of vendors selling everything green including hats, scarves, beads, whistles, and feathers. It was great! I am extremely lucky and proud to say I was able to experience St. Patrick's Day in Dublin Ireland and I will always remember this unique opportunity!
Since there was a break in the week due to having Tuesday off for St. Patrick's Day, the students have been a bit more energetic and wild. This could also be due to the fantastic weather we have had. I have never seen the sky so blue and the sun shinning so brightly as I have this past week. It was amazing to see and I hope it continues! The flowers are in full bloom and everywhere you look it is like tiny yellow smiles glowing back at you as you see all of the daffodils line the streets and gardens!
In addition to the craziness this week has entailed, I was formally observed for the second time today. I think the lesson went great and the students were outstanding. I taught a science lesson on the food pyramid. I was very pleased with all of the enthusiasm and participation given by the students. They had some great ideas and were great listeners throughout my description of the food pyramid. I was able to get the students involved by helping me fill in the blank food pyramid that I had created in the front of the classroom. The students found the content material very interesting and as I was able to create opportunities for the students to make connections from what they knew about healthy foods to the new information they were receiving about the various food groups. I was also able to assess the student knowledge gained by viewing the individual food pyramids that each student created. It was plain to see if the students grasped the concept behind my lesson by observing throughout the several discussions as well as through their individual food pyramids. I was given very helpful areas of improvement that I will strive to meet as I complete my last few weeks of teaching practice in Ireland. I am very happy with the progression I have seen in myself as well as in my teaching ability. I feel that I have been able to make the most of my teaching experiences at Convent Primary and will continue to do so as I finish out my placement. I have been very blessed to have had this opportunity to grow and learn in not only teaching but in life experiences as well! Until next time Slan!

You will never know unless you try

Hello to all!! I am happy to report tomorrow is Friday and the weekend is near! This week has been especially hectic because I have been getting a lot of things prepared for lessons I have been asked to teach. Yesterday there was an inservice at school so the students were able to go home at 12:30. There was a sports presentation for the staff of the school where we learned about ways to incorporate new methods as well as ways to teach sports. The school receive new equipment in addition to the presentation. This was a great opportunity that the school could not pass up. Each class does receive a physical education session on Wednesdays, however, I have observed that many teachers take it upon themselves to teach the students physical education on other days of the week as well. I think if the teacher can fit it in and also apply it to the other areas of study it is a great opportunity for the children to get up and move around. The students at Convent Primary do receive Irish dancing on Mondays as well. This has been great to watch and participate in. I have picked up a few steps and enjoy the laughs and cheers I get when I do join in with the girls.
For the past couple of days I have been working with the students on letter recognition and sounds. This has helped the students with not only reading but writing as well. They are really picking up on this concept and I am very pleased with their progress. I have also noticed that I am really concentrating on how I say things before I say them when instructing a class or small group. This has also helped my lessons to go more smoothly. I am noticing that if I am able to relate to students by using terminology they understand and give connections to what they know, they are more interested in the material. Each student has so much potential! I feel very confident now to let the children know when I think they can do better. I want them to know I care about their success and by pushing them to do better, they are making themselves better learners. I am not only learning what my students are capable of, but what I am capable of as a teacher as well!
Today I taught a lesson on the American Revolution because the student's will be learning about the French Revolution next week. I did a lot of preparation for this lesson this week because I wanted to make sure that I had all of my facts correct and could give a proper overview and summary of this important event in our nation's history. I found it particularly difficult because there was no textbook as a guideline for information and specific topics to cover. So I decided for myself what the best aspects and most important concepts were from the American Revolution and how I might best convey this to my class. I will admit after reflecting on my teaching, that there were a few rough spots during the hour. I was not very clear and stumbled in my thoughts during various spots. Instead of getting very nervous and changing what I was trying to say, I stopped and collected my thoughts while also thinking of how I could better phrase what I was trying to explain. There were also a lot of facts and dates to incorporate so instead of lecturing the full period, I tried to incorporate posters and symbols to post on the board while I was talking so that the students could follow along and make sense of the time period I was trying to cover. Some of the girls were particularly interested in the information because they had relatives from America while others have actually been there. After I had completed the lesson I was proud of the way I handled myself while teaching. Before coming to Ireland or student teaching at all I would have been extremely nervous to teach a concept without a textbook or guideline. When I agreed to take on this lesson I knew that I had to do plenty of research and review the topic. I did my very best and was very happy with the way the lesson turned out. I think that being in Ireland has not only taught me to be flexible, but to really put my whole self into all that I do so that I have no regrets in the end. I really think that my teaching is evolving and that I am finding myself more level headed in high pressure situations. I am learning the real "Irish" way of life which is to go with the flow and that everything will work out. I can not tell you how many times I have repeated this to myself in and out of the classroom! Tomorrow is another day and I have many more activities planned. Until next time, Slan!

We must learn from our mistakes

Hello! Last Friday was a bit of a mix up day. We had the Friday mass as usual in the hall. It was done by third class and they did a great job. It is always so great to watch the hard work and preparation from the classes pay off. Everything went as planned. The mass is usually about 45 minutes by the time everyone is finally settled in the hall and by the time everyone leaves. This Friday was particularly different because on Saturday there was an Irish speaking competition at the local community college where the local primary age children could come and participate. Most children picked a poem or a short skit to perform. These performances were practiced in the hall on Friday in front of the whole school. Not everyone had to participate in the competition, but each class performed something in Irish for the school to see. This Irish speaking competition was created as a way to celebrate the Irish culture and the unique language that is still spoken and taught in school. The students performed beautifully and as you might of imagined I did not know much of what was being said, though I still enjoyed it very much! The remainder of the morning the classes picked up where they left off.
Friday I was able to help some students with their presentation skills, particularly the groups that were working on the games around the world project. The girls have worked so hard on their projects and the class has decided as a whole who will be going to the competition next Friday in Tralee. It was a very hard decision to make but I picked the students who could talk most freely about their country and what they had researched. Each of the groups were to present their projects to the rest of the class. I was the interviewer and the students had to respond to my questions the best they could. It was from these interviews that I based my decision for picking who would compete next Friday. Once the final group was chosen, I took the small group aside and helped them prepare their speeches and go through the parts of their presentation that they needed to work on. While I was helping this group I really tried to focus on the real life application of what it was they were doing. They seemed very interested in what I had to say about applying public speaking to their lives and how much they will use in the future. I will continue to work with this group a few more times this week in order to help them get ready for the competition.
I also taught a lesson about positive and negative space in art. I noticed during this lesson I had a hard time trying to simplify these terms in addition to showing examples. I think I could have done a better job explaining the terms by using a variety of materials. Once I displayed what the students would be making, they seemed to catch on quite well. This lesson utilized mathematics as well because the students needed to create a grid in order to begin the activity. It was very interesting to see what students responded to oral directions and what students needed a visual to comprehend the directions. I was very happy with the lesson I chose to teach because I could see that it was challenging for most students in the class and used a lot of independent thinking as well.
Today I came up with a comprehension activity or game based on a story the students had just finished reading. I picked out the difficult vocabulary and had the students practice their dictionary skills. We discussed the words and I had them use the words in a sentence to ensure that they understood the meanings. The students read in pairs the assigned number of pages. There are review questions at the end of the reading and I wanted to try to make them more interesting. I decided to go through the first bunch with the girls so that I made sure they were understanding the questions. I had created a puzzle to go along with the theme of the story. I cut up the puzzle into 5 pieces for the 5 different questions the pairs had to answer. The students were to read the question, write down the answer, and check it with me before they would receive a puzzle piece. The first group to create their puzzle correctly would win the competition. I realized not even half way through the competition that I had been giving the students the wrong pieces of the puzzle. The puzzles were not labeled and each puzzle had different shapes however each puzzle had the same final image. I was so upset that I had made this mistake. I had to stop the game and get each group to hand up their puzzle pieces because none of them would have fit properly anyways. In the end we went through the questions as planned orally and I will have to find another way to make up of the puzzle pieces later this week. I learned that I must be more organized when doing any sort of game or activity so that this will not happen again. It was enough to see their sad and disappointed faces when I had to call up all of the puzzle pieces. I do know that by seeing how upset they were, I had captured all of their attention and each student was very motivated and interested in getting the correct answers to the chapter review questions. I will use this information for some of my future lessons. In the case of the mixed up puzzle pieces, I have learned from my planning mistake! Until Thursday, Slan!

Observation Went Well!

Hello Everyone! Wednesday's school day went fairly well. I began the morning by continuing my mini unit on light. I tried to focus my lesson on large group activity rather than small centers because after reflecting on the student's learning needs I noticed that giving instructions and examples in front of the class gives those that are confused additional reinforcement and those that are understanding can move at their own pace. I have noticed through all of my lessons that light was a very hard topic for this particular group to grasp. In realizing this fact, I would like to come up with type of game or review that covers all of the main points from each lesson and combines them into one fun and interactive learning experience. This way the children get to work in pairs or groups and use the knowledge they have gained collectively rather than separately. I am hoping that this game or review will give them a chance to show me what they have absorbed from my lessons and also give me a chance to further reflect upon my teaching to see what I could have done differently with the concepts that were not understood. I noticed that the girls were a lot more receptive when I was doing the little experiments in front of the class. They really learn well from hands on experiences.
I worked with some small groups that were having trouble with their maths problems. I found that when attempting to help these particular students with their questions I was in fact causing more confusion because there are a few different math sequences and problem solving methods that I have learned differently than what they are used to. In fact, this math session was not solely myself teaching the students. There was a lot of teacher teaching students and students teaching teacher which is something that I want to always promote in my classroom. I saw this experience as a great learning tool and found that I can not always assume the students have been taught the same methods as myself. I also found that in teaching math it is always important to show many examples in order to reach each learning style. For instance demonstrate a problem through words, visually, and numerically if possible. I will make sure to always ask questions each step along the way. From my experiences in school I have found that even though students may not ask questions there may still be confusion.
The games around the world project has wrapped up nicely. I have conferenced with each group and given them an interview based assessment on what they have learned throughout their research process. Based on the interviews with each group I have picked a few groups to present to the rest of the class on their findings. Throughout the school I have noticed how incredibly encouraging and uplifting the students are to one another based on school work. The girls give wonderful compliments to each other and have the nicest remarks to add about the work their peers have done. This I have found to be very encouraging as a teacher as well. It is wonderful to look around and see the students in your class building each other's confidence. This allows for the full potential of each students to be attained.
For my observation session I taught an English lesson on rhyming. This lesson was not out of the girl's workbook but more of a culmination of the material they have covered so far. I began the lesson with a basic review of rhyming words giving me a chance to assess the student's prior knowledge. I found through the next activity that most of the students had a firm grasp on rhyming words. I listed several rhyming word pairs and asked the children to put their thumb up if the two words rhymed. The children enjoyed this and it was a great way for myself to tell if they knew if the word pair rhymed or not. I continued with practicing rhyming words by giving each child their own word that was to be read a loud in the Dr. Seus book I was reading. When they heard their word they were to come up and place it on the board. After each student heard their word they were to look at all of the words on the board and find rhyming pairs. After this activity I connected rhyming words to poetry. We read together a spring poem that I had found. This poem not only contained rhyming words but used vivid vocabulary as well. We had a great time reading through the poem and finding all of the rhyming words. Lastly the girls were able to illustrate the poem in their English notebook copies. I felt very confident throughout my lesson and had a wonderful time with the girls. They did great! I also had good feedback from my supervisor as well. I was very grateful for this! I will now get back to my lesson planning. Until next time Slan!

Observation Tomorrow

Hello everyone! The school day on Friday went well. I took girls individually to work on their sounds and breaking up words. I found this practice was extremely helpful to them and in addition I found it helpful for my own experience in teaching phonics to children. This skill is necessary for all children to learn because it is so important for not only reading but spelling as well. I did science as well on Friday and we planted spring flowers. We are learning about the parts of the flower and the cycle of a plant as well as all of the right conditions for a plant to grow. The children are also learning about responsibility by needing to remember to water their plants. I called the children over one by one to plant their seeds because the planting tray was too small for more children. The girls were very excited to see they had their very own spot in tray to plant their flower. We will see how they turn out. I taught art Friday as well. This was very fun and went very smoothly. I decided to add in a little math to my lesson. The girls were to draw an animal of their choice. They were to separate the animal into 6 sections and draw a different line pattern in each section. Then they were to cut out their line patterned animal that was on white paper and glue it to colored paper where they had drawn several contrasting line patterns. This created a wonderful visual effect and used repetition and pattern as well. I was very happy with how this lesson turned out and I think the girls really enjoyed it as well.
As for Friday evening I went with some teachers from school to a birthday party. It was very nice to go out and see a little bit more of Listowel as well and meet more interesting people! The teachers were so nice and thoughtful to include me and i had a great time. Saturday I went to Kilarney which is a town about an hour away from Listowel to meet up with my host sisters and their church group. We were going to hike up a mountain. I was thrilled at this idea and very excited to see more of the landscape of Ireland. Unfortunately the weather was not cooperating and we got about 30 minutes into our hike before we had to turn around. The weather was awful the rain had everyone soaked and it was freezing! I did manage to take a few pictures and from what I could see through the fog, it was beautiful scenery! The rest of the weekend I spent relaxing and getting a start on lesson plans for the week. All in all it was a nice relaxing weekend.
This week marks 5 weeks left of teaching! It has gone so fast already! This also means that I am about half way done with my teaching placement and will be getting observed tomorrow. I have prepared a lesson for English teaching the girls about rhyming words through a series of fun activities. I have given my lesson plan to my cooperating teacher as well as my supervisor and am all set to teach tomorrow. So far this week I have taught Science on the topic of light. My lessons have gone well and have just been about the general concept. Light can be a confusing concept to grasp for younger children and my main goal is to give the children many opportunities for learning and new knowledge to be gained. I feel that through my series of short lessons this will be attained. I am also continuing my help with a St. Patrick's Day decoration. This is also turning out beautifully and will be great to see displayed at the Irish festivities and parades. I will continue to prepare for my lesson that will be observed tomorrow and will give my feedback on Thursday. Until then Slan!

More than half way done!

   Hello!  I can't believe that this week marks more than half way through my placement here in Ireland.  March is almost here and the time has just flown by!  Yesterday was day 2 of the religion inspector.  Each class in the school had to recite songs, commandments, and verses from the Alive-O book which is the religion curriculum at Convent Primary.  The inspector made sure that each class was were they should be in the workbook and checked out the classroom to ensure that the proper religious symbols and paraphernalia were presented.  I found this process to be particularly interesting because I have never seen it done before.  This process is a way in which to hold each teacher accountable and make sure that the students are learning the necessary components.    

   Yesterday I did a science experiment using magnets and teaching the children about the different poles and metals that are attracted to magnets.  The girls were very interested and also worked on their predicting skills.  In addition to my usual routine I listened to several girls read and made sure that they were doing their reading homework at night.  I started a St. Patrick's day project with the girls that won't be finished until late next week.  It is a simple project with lots of steps involved in order to complete it.  I was also given the chance to come up with my own lesson doing whatever I wanted with the girls.  I decided to do a problem solving or critical thinking type of activity pertaining to coding and decoding messages.  We had a class discussion on the different types of codes and symbols we see each day.  I also tried to use examples from the U.S. that I knew were not as popular or maybe not heard of here in Ireland.  I went over a little bit of history around the Morse code and braille which are types of codes.  I came up with my own pictures for each letter of the alphabet and then wrote out my own message and asked the girls to try their best to decode it.  It was great fun watching the girls try to figure it out.  They had time to come up with their own coding system and then ask a friend or two to try and figure it out.  The lesson went very well and it was a chance to get the girls to try something new, yet still use their minds to think through the problem.  

   I am currently working on a mini science unit to do with the girls all of next week around the topic of light.  I am trying to think outside the box and find ways to engage the girls that they might not be used to.  I am going to stay away from worksheets and handouts and really try to get the girls to use what they know in order to build connections and process new information.  I would also love for the girls to use some manipulatives and materials to really get a hands on experience.  I will keep everyone posted as to the direction I am going with it.  Until next time, Slan!

Pancake Tuesday

  Greetings everyone!! I feel like I have a lot to catch up on since last Tuesday.  Last week my school had a mid term holiday break consisting of Thursday and Friday.  Also my mother was in town last Sunday and stayed with me a week.  We decided to make the most of her visit as well as my time off from school and venture to Rome, Italy!  It was absolutely amazing!  We had quite the adventure and were able to see the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's square and church, Colosseum, Trevi fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, and several piazzas containing wonderful architecture and character!  I was able to take over 500 pictures and will try to post some of them for all to see.  Like I said it was so incredible and overwhelming to look at all of these famous works of art and history in person!!  I couldn't believe it!  It was also so great to see my mom and catch up.  I had an amazing weekend adventure but was happy to get back to my usual routine come Monday.

  This week has started out wonderfully.  I did a lot of teaching yesterday and was very excited to try some subjects that I have not yet taught here before.  Since tomorrow is Ash Wednesday I was instructed to talk with the girls about lent and about prayer for religion.  It went fairly well and the girls enjoyed telling me what they were going to give up for lent.  I taught a maths class about telling time, specifically half past.  This was interesting and it gave me a chance to work on the phrases I use for directions and explanations.  Telling time is a difficult concept to grasp and I had many children struggling with the exercises we were trying as a class.  I made sure to go over many examples giving the girls who understood time to work ahead.  I thought the lesson went fairly well and I am hoping to teach more maths lessons later this week.  I also taught a geography lesson out of one of the workbooks.  This lesson was interesting and in my mind did not have much to do with geography, but was fun to try with the girls.  It was all about the perceptions of objects from different angles such as from the ground verses the sky.  It went fairly well and the girls caught on quickly.  I also taught English working out of their "sounds ok" book and the magic "e", spellings list, and a poem.  Most of what I covered was review, but non the less the girls were quite attentive and eager to burst out what they had learned about the subject.  Overall I was very happy with how the girls reacted to my teaching.  I now have increased confidence and will only hope to improve the clarity and flow of my lessons.

   I have received very good feedback from the teachers.  I think I may ask for a bit more critical analysis so that I can really focus on my weaknesses.  I would like to say that I am feeling more confident in the discipline portion of my teaching.  I have carefully observed the tactics and methods that work for teachers at this school and tried to adapt them to fit my personality and teaching style as well as mix with what girls are used to and react to.  I think that I am really getting a lot out of my time at Convent Primary and am looking forward to taking on more lessons each day.  I hope everyone at home is doing well and I will write again soon!  Slan!

P.S. I almost forgot... the reason my blog is titled "Pancake Tuesday" is because all throughout the country of Ireland people make pancakes the day before Ash Wednesday which happens to be today.  It is something that has been going on for years and can also be called "Shrove Tuesday".  I found a definition that might help everyone understand this tradition further.  Pancakes and doughnuts are associated with the day before Lent because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent.  

Short Week

Hello everyone!!

   I will begin with a little recap of last Friday since it was such a festive day at school.  I brought in 2 books to read to my class which were both a big hit.  Both of them were valentine's day themed and the children sat in awe as I read them.  When I gave out my homemade valentine cards as well as my little treats the children were thrilled!  I also told them to feel extra special since I brought them all the way from America!  It was so nice to see their faces when they each were handed their very own valentine.  The valentine project I created was another story.  I had this great idea to make a valentine heart basket.  I thought that it was a great idea because it used mathematics for measuring and hand eye coordination for sewing.  I had gotten all the materials gathered a head of time and made sure to have the children get started right away to maximize time.  None of this pre-planning seemed to matter once we got started.  The children immediately saw what they were going to make and were so enthusiastic!  Their eyes got wide and they were eager to begin.  The first 20 minutes went well everyone was moving along and following instruction until it was time for the sewing portion.  I knew this was the most challenging part since I had created the valentine basket the night before so that I would know how to best help the students.  I sat at the front of the classroom and had a line 10 deep most of the time because each child had their own difficulties with the sewing the basket.  I had thought of adaptations and modifications to the sewing in my mind but for some reason they all went out of my head as I was also so eager for the children to finish.  They all worked so hard but only 3 finished the project.  The rest didn't want to leave school until they had them done.  After reflecting on this project I realized this was not a one day project.  We should have started the project on Thursday in order to give ourselves enough time to finish.  I also should have stepped in much earlier with the modifications so that each child had a valentine to bring home to someone.  I felt awful that more than half the class was sent home to figure it out on their own.  In many ways  I learned a lot about myself as a teacher.  Friday went well overall but at the end of the day I was exhausted from putting all of my energy into that valentine basket!

   The weekend was very laid back.  I stayed around Listowel because I was not feeling the greatest.  In addition mother was coming into town on Sunday and I wanted to get rest so that I could be in great form when she arrived!! So excited!!  

   Monday went well.  I finished my science lesson with the students and wrapped up the experiment.  The birthday book my class made turned out great!!  I wish I could take it back with me!  The school where I teach at does not have a computer lab or school library.  This makes it difficult for research projects to be done with class time.  I found this to be particularly frustrating for the teachers because yesterday the Internet was down and none of the students were able to continue their research.  I wish that I could bring my laptop to school to provide additional help but they do not have wireless available at the school.  

   We do have a short week this week, Wednesday being our last day.  So for me the week is half over!  I hope everyone finds their week moving fast and I will write again soon!  Slan!

Finally the power is BACK!!!

Hello to all! The power has just been out for the past hour and a half. We lit candles everywhere and I am glad to say that not having electrical heating has really come in handy! We were nice and warm with the stoves as well as all of the candles! This week has gone by relatively fast. All of the teachers are in full motion trying to get last minute valentines gifts and crafts completed for the big day. I was fortunate enough to stop at the dollar store before leaving for my trip and brought many different valentines day goodies to give out at school. I can not wait to see the look on my girl's faces when they see the goodie bags I have created special for each one. I am also made homemade valentines day cards for each student as well. I will be eager to write and tell you how they liked everything as well as see the benefits of my hard work! :)
Yesterday went very well despite not feeling the greatest. The flu is going around school as well as coughs and colds. Everywhere I look someone either coughing or sniffling. I do not want to get sick considering my mother is coming to visit this weekend!!! I mentioned in my blog earlier this week that I was going to be making a birthday book with my students. Yesterday I read the book and we talked about several ideas. Today I handed out the blank paper and let them loose. Through this activity I learned several things about giving directions. I should have drawn lines on the page for them to write out their sentences. This would have allowed for the girls to know where to write as well as where to make their illustrations. Instead I had about five girls constantly tugging on my shirt asking is this right, where do I draw?!! Despite the far from perfect directions the girls got along very nicely and the book is so cute!! I have a few students to finish it tomorrow and then I will create the cover page over the weekend and have the secretary bind it on Monday. The class is so excited to see their hard work come to life and be able to check it out from the classroom library and show their families. Today I also taught a science lesson. This experiment consisted of blowing into a straw in order to see what various objects would move and which would stay still. I learned from teaching this lesson that I could use some practice on getting my students to think critically and make useful predictions and conclusions from their observations. I am hoping to come up with my own lesson that I can do with the entire class. This lesson was only with small groups.
In addition to the lessons I taught today, tonight I have created some valentine masterpieces! These I will be creating with my students tomorrow and I can not wait to see how excited they get! It will take a lot of patience and control of the group, but I know each valentine craft will turn out beautifully! What a great way to end the week! I will have plenty to share in my blog next week so stay tuned! Slan!

Getting to know the teachers...

  Hello everyone!  I will begin this entry with a recap of the end of last week as well as the weekend.  Friday was the first Friday of February so there was a mass held in the school hall.  Each mass is coordinated by a different class in the school and this past Friday was fifth class.  I was very interested to see how the mass was done since I had never seen one before.  It lasted about 30 min and was very similar to a regular Sunday mass at any Catholic church.  In a way I contributed to the mass because I taught one of the classes a song that was sung at the closing of mass.  The girls sang beautifully and as I looked around I saw nothing but smiles as proud parents were able to see their little ones belting out the tune of "Spring is Here".  I was very happy to see my girls remembering the words and singing loudly for all to hear.  A lot of work was done in preparation of the mass and I can understand how important it is to the class that performs.  The remainder of the day on Friday was just as usual.  I was finishing up my kite project with my class.  I also spent time listening to girls read aloud as well as changing their library books.  In addition I also spent some time with my group working on the sports around the world project.  It is coming along nicely and will hopefully be done by this week Friday!

   Friday night was particularly fun because I was invited to go to a movie with some of the teachers at school.  I got picked up from my host families house and we all met up at the local Listowel theatre.  It has only 3 theatre screens and like America, it is quite the hang out for local school children.  I was warned by the teachers as school that we would see some of our students roaming around and sure enough we were greeted by about 20 of our students.  I can see why most of the teachers make trips out of Listowel for the weekend in order to get away and rejuvenate for the following week.  Saturday I got a ride from another teacher at school to go shopping in Tralee.  She is taking a masters course there and offered me a lift so that I could do some shopping for my family and friends at home.  This was so nice!  I stayed and walked around all day.  I was exhausted!  That night I stayed in and watched a movie with my host family and woke up to a relaxing Sunday catching up on any work to be done as well as doing some laundry.  Sunday afternoon I went to a different beach then the one I was taken to my first weekend in Listowel and it was gorgeous!  I have never seen such amazing views before!  All in all it was a great day.

   This week is moving along very nicely.  I am finally finished today with my kite art project.  The girls were very excited to take their kites home and show their families.  I also got a lot of work done with my group researching the American culture through sports.  I have noticed it is very difficult to get research projects done because there is only one classroom computer and no actual library or resource center with computers available.  This makes it harder to get much needed research done because of limited resources.  Not all students have computers at home or are able to print documents off so more time is needed to work in class.  Hopefully we will be done by Friday with this project.  I was able to try Irish dancing for the first time today.  It was so much fun and I can see how the girls get so warm doing it!  I did a series of three dances and was laughing the whole time.  All of the dances I took part in were partner dances and my partner was leading.  It was so funny to see our height difference and watch her as she swung me around and showed me where to go.  More often then not I was stepping on her toes!  I had a wonderful time and will hopefully get better as time goes on!  

   I am excited for the rest of the week because I have been asked to work with the girls in writing and science.  For writing I have been asked to come up with a story to read to the class.  After this story is read we will make a class book on the same topic but related to the girls in our class.  I have decided to do a book about birthdays and can not wait to get started with the girls.  My next project is to work with the girls on a science experiment.  I do not know much of the details for this topic but will find out more tomorrow.  It is a topic that my teacher suggests that I use and I will gather everything I need later this week as I learn more about it.  I hope that everyone is finding their week to be more along smoothly and I will write again soon!  Slan!

3rd week almost complete!

  Good afternoon to all...

    Today is Thursday and another week has come to an end.  I feel as though the days go quite quickly at school.  This is nice in a sense but I also always feel, like any teacher, that there is so much to do and not enough time.  I am really enjoying getting to know the girls at school and watching our new and blossoming relationships grow into something special.  I am really getting a feel for my students and am learning very quickly the many personalities of my students.  They are all so interested in my life and I would love to sit down with them and let them ask me all sorts of questions, but I know there is not enough time in the day.  I did create a book about myself including pictures which I have been able to share previously which they enjoyed very much.  I really feel that the children are getting accustomed to my presence in the classroom and will continue to look at me as another one of their teachers.  

   I have continued working on my spring art projects with the girls.  They are really turning out nicely and I have some great art lesson plans to try back home now as well.  The girls really enjoyed working with the materials used and they were able to get creative as well as use paint and I don't know many young children who do not enjoy that!  I am continuing to read with the girls and help them exchange their library books.  The school here has a different method of doing reading then in the states.  There are no reading groups or separate literacy time.  Most of the time is spent oral reading and then a few questions are asked at the end for comprehension.  I believe that more of the emphasis is on learning how to write, spell, and recognize words before working solely on learning to read.  This process seems to work for the children.  Coming from the states I really view this process as unique and I am continuing to learn how it is done and what my role is.  As I said before, there is just so much to cover in one day and never enough time for everything everyday.

  I am hoping to talk with my teacher tomorrow and come up with some lessons to take over for next week.  We will see what happens.  I am very happy with how things are going now.  I feel that my time is very valued and my ideas are also of interest to the teacher.  Next week is a new week and we will just have to see what happens!  I continue to have a positive attitude and will always jump in wherever I can.  For example this evening I got invited to go to badminton with one of the teachers at school.  I have played before and am excited to see the environment here.  I am sure I will have great stories to tell.  I hope everyone has had a great week and can enjoy the weekend!  Slan!

Pictures from Kinsale and Blarney Castle!

                                    This is Fort Charles in Kinsale!  Such a beautiful day!

Week 3!!

   Hello!!  It is already almost Wednesday of week 3!!  I am having such a wonderful time teaching at Convent Primary school in Listowel.  Everyday I come home from school thinking about how I have met some of the nicest teachers.  They continue to reach out to me day after day and offer helpful advice, friendship and I can't forget transportation arrangements!  Before I get into this weeks teaching experiences I want to give a quick recap of the weekend.

   I did my first bit of traveling this past weekend.  I went to County Cork which is about 2 and a half hours away from County Kerry which is where I am located.  I left early Saturday morning for Tralee where I caught my bus.  I got a ride from one of the teachers at school... so nice!!  The bus ride was absolutely breathtaking!  The views of the valleys and mountains was so beautiful and I wish I could have captured it all on my camera.  When I arrived at the Cork bus station my friend was there waiting for me.  We immediately hopped on another bus and headed off to Kinsale.  This was about 45 minutes away from Cork.  Kinsale is yet another beautiful city with friendly people and lots to see.  We first saw the harbor and then made our way to the notorious restaurant, "Fishy Fishy".  This restaurant is supposed to have the best seafood in Europe and it was indeed worth every penny.  Next we headed to Fort Charles and lucky for us we had about an hour left of sunlight so we were able to get gorgeous pictures of the fort with the sun setting.  After that adventure we made our way back to Cork where we walked around and then headed to our hostel.  The next day we went to Blarney Castle.  This was yet another breathtaking tourist attraction.  I got to kiss the Blarney stone and was able to get about 100 pictures of the great Castle and the grounds!!  After touring the castle I parted ways from my friend and got on a bus headed back to Listowel.  I had a fabulous weekend of sight seeing and was ready for a good nights rest before school on Monday!!

   This week is another week I am teaching art at school.  With Spring in mind, I was instructed to come up with an idea incorporating the newly arriving season.  I set up an activity to do with the girls involving painting and creating kites.  The neat thing is that the kites will be glued up and off the page to give a three dimensional effect.  I am very excited to see the end result.  As of now I am only taking small groups to complete the various steps of this project.  It is wonderful to see how excited the girls are to be working with me as well as doing art.  I can tell it is one of their favorite things to do and I am hoping to be able to teach it at least once a week. 

    I am continuing to read with the girls in small groups.  I have noticed how much the teacher appreciates this time I spend with the girls.  Literacy is not only of big importance in the States but also in Ireland.  I am glad I am able to help out in such a big way!  I am also helping the girls with their penmanship, specifically cursive writing.  I am still working on how I can better word my directions to the girls so that they understand what I mean.  There are some things that I say that are not very clear to the girls because there are various terms and words that they use and that I am not aware of quite yet.  The words are very simple but can create much confusion.  For example when I say use your eraser, they may not know what I am saying because to the children "rubber" is referred to as eraser.  Word usage and phrasing is what I specifically try to focus on while teaching because it is my main goal to have everyone understand what I ask of them.  I know this will get better with time, but I have called it to my attention in the mean time and will practice.  I am continuing to observe and pay close attention to the words and phrases the teacher uses in the hopes of picking up on the terminology so that I will be able to be more clear.  

   In addition I am continuing my work with the group of girls learning about culture through sports, specifically in America.  I am having a lot of fun working with the group and seeing how interested they are in learning about America.   I love watching them make connections between the games they know in Ireland to the games I describe from America.  It is as if I can see their growth in knowledge before my very eyes.  It is wonderful!  Other than those specific projects I am just aiding in the classroom wherever I can.  Later this week I plan on teaching a bit more.  I will write again soon to elaborate on those lessons.  Until next time, slan!

   

Almost the Weekend...

Greetings!

   I hope this week has found everyone in good spirits!  I am certainly glad that tomorrow is Friday!  Yesterday and today were fairly good days at school.  In the past two days I have been tested in many ways in my weakest area... discipline.  The school I am at is very structured and teacher centered.  The teacher usually does all of the discipline where as in some schools in America the classroom teacher does the discipline up until a point at which they might send the child to the principal's office for further reprimanding.  I have found that once again the students in my classroom do not see me as an authoritative figure or even their teacher.  I understand this is the second week I am in the classroom and teaching, however, I have no doubt underestimated the young minds I have been so carefully observing.  

   I have sat and reflected on my course of action for the past two days in the classroom while trying to command the students and decided I must use a different approach.  My plan is to have a discussion with the regular classroom teacher and find out what my assumed role is in the discipline department.  I know what I view as stern and cross my not be the same as my cooperating teacher.  In many ways I am glad I have the opportunity to work on my weakness of discipline as an educator, though I may be frustrated at times.  I know that this is a necessary component of a successful classroom environment.  I want to improve my teaching skills and abilities and have come to Ireland to do just that.  I know that by having the children already test the boundaries, I have my work cut out.  I am up for the challenge and know that I will only become a stronger individual and better equipped teacher.

   As far as my participation in classroom activities I have stepped in to help children with oral reading.  It is great that with my help the children are getting a chance to read one on one and are given a chance to work on their reading fluency and comprehension.  I have also been given an opportunity to teach art again next week and am looking forward to coming up with a fun spring activity as the teacher has directed.  I am confident that as I am given more responsibility in the classroom, my relationship with the children will develop into one of trust and respect.  My job now is to show the children my passion for teaching and my love for each and every one of them.  I hope everyone has a great weekend and I will write again soon!  Slan!

Second Week Teaching!!

Hello Everyone!

   It is my second week of teaching this week and I have had a great time in the classroom so far, but I will begin by first giving a recap of the weekend.  I used Friday night as a time to relax and unwind from the weeks festivities.  I was ready to watch a movie and do nothing, which is exactly what I did.  I woke up refreshed Saturday morning and was ready to explore the town of Listowel some more.  I took a beautiful walk by a local park which took me next to the Feale River.  This river winds around Listowel and has some beautiful small rapids.  Before the river I walked to a popular garden spot called The Garden of Europe.  Here is where I took some more pictures and enjoyed the scenery.  This garden did not really have any blossoms but had some interesting statues and dedications.  I eventually made my way into downtown and took my time walking around and window shopping.  Sadly the weather turned quite cold and I decided to head back to the house.  Saturday night I went to a movie with my host family at their church.  This was very fun and provided a lot of amusement for the evening.  Sunday was also a nice and lazy day as it was spent going to church and catching up with friends.  All in all it was a nice weekend and a good way to get even more acquainted with the town and the local people.

   This week started off in the similar routine as last week.  The art project I made with the junior infant class turned out wonderfully!! Everyone made butterflies out of coffee filters and washable markers.  When I came in Monday there were nice and dry and ready to assemble.  The girls were excited to pick out a pipe cleaner for the body and watch their butterflies come to life.  I am currently working on hanging them from the ceiling!  I couldn't be happier with how they turned out and I will post a picture as soon as the display is finished.  I finished the duck display for the senior infant group and am now working on another display for a story whose main character is called "Elmer".  I will also post a picture of this display as well.  They are turning out great.  I am in the process of taking pictures for the first class group for their "All About Me" books.  They have each written a paragraph to introduce themselves and the pictures I have taken will go on top of their paragraph.  They are turning out nicely!!  I have noticed it is a little harder to keep the attention of the infant classes as some still haven't gotten over my accent and continue to laugh.  I am working on that and may possibly come up with a lesson we can do together to celebrate how people are different.  We'll see if that works out.

   Continuing on to the older ages I am working with, in fourth class I am helping out with a class research project on "Games Around the World".  I am working closely with the groups who have chosen to do America as their main focus.  It is great to help them and teach them everything I know about games in America and more specifically what I have grown up playing.  This is a great way to bond with these girls and learn more about each other.  I am really enjoying it!  We are in the beginning phases and everyone is doing great.  I think this is a great project for the girls to do and it teaches them about many other cultures.

   The teachers not only in my school but all over Ireland and the world are dealing with budget cuts and more importantly pay cuts.  I learned a lot listening to the teachers and finding out how serious this matter really is and how it affects everyone.  The most important I have learned from hearing about this serious dilemma is to learn as much as I can about important issues surrounding my job as a teacher.  Just listening to some of the issues these teachers have fought for and against has showed me how rallying together and taking a stand can really make a difference.  You first have to learn the facts.  This is a lesson I will take with me and bring back to my teaching experiences in the U.S.  

    So far I have really enjoyed myself at the school.  I will continue to help the teachers with their lessons for the remainder of the week.  I believe some teachers have mentioned my teaching some lessons next week.  Until next time... Slan!! (Pronounced sloan and means goodbye in Irish!!)

"Why do you have an accent Miss Kelley?"

Hello Everyone!

I just finished another few days of teaching at Covenant Primary in Listowel Ireland.  I have had such a wonderful week thus far.  Like I mentioned before the teachers are absolutely wonderful and willing to help with every question.  Each day I am asked "How are you getting along" and each time I feel more and more accepted and treated as an equal.  It is such a great feeling to know that everyone is very interested to hear about my time here in Ireland and how they can best help me feel at home.  I have never felt so at home in a school environment.   Yesterday's school day was set up just like the others.  I visited the same classrooms and was welcomed by the same smiling faces.  It was wonderful to see how many children and teachers watched the presidential inaugeration.  Beginning in my first classroom the children ages 5 and 6 could not stop talking about seeing President Barrack Obama on the television.  They were so eager to hear what I had to say about it.  This next statement sounds terrible and I am so ashamed, but I was working so hard to get some displays done for the one of the senior infant teachers that I completely lost track of time and missed it.  This did not come across the best when I told all of the children.  They gave me a hard time, which they should, and I promised to watch it online.  I have kept my promise and watched it tonight on you tube.  I was so impressed by how much world news these children know.  They are very intuned to what is going on all over the world.  

I did not want to interrupt any regular classroom lessons so I have waited until today to read my All About Me book to my classes.  Each and every class was so thrilled that I had made something special to share with them that it made reading to them so enjoyable.  The girls were very impressed with all of my pictures and could not wait to tell me everything they had in common or any stories that seemed relevant at the time.  Each child I have come in contact with is so eager to learn as well as learn from me.  I am already feeling the rewards of embarking on this journey out of my comfort zone and incredible learning opportunity.

In addition to helping out in each classroom with students reading aloud or creating interesting displays for the walls, I taught my very first lesson today.  It was very last minute and the teacher asked me about 45 minutes prior to my scheduled time in her class, that she would need to leave for a dentist appointment and eagerly asked if it would be alright for me to teach.  I was both excited and a little nervous when she asked me, but of course I jumped right in and said of course.  I arrived right when I was supposed to and she handed me the book and off she went.  I had a few rocky spots during the lesson but overall I was quite happy with myself.  I taught a language lesson from a work book, read a story, and went over some homework.  In total I taught for about 45 minutes and it felt great.  I was very thankful for this opportunity and can't wait until tomorrow when I teach my very first art lesson to the junior infant class.  The original activity I had planned will not work out because I was not able to get the correct supplies and the did not have them either.  This is just part of the flexibility and openness I am in Ireland to learn, so I might as well start now.  I am confident that I have found something else that will be great and I can possibly do the other lesson another time.

Tomorrow being Friday and the start to the weekend I am look forward to getting more comfortable with the local town and my host family.  I will write again soon... until then have a great weekend!!!  

P.S.  I almost forgot to explain the reason behind the title of this blog entry.  It is because my senior infant class asked why I talk so funny and I thought it was the cutest thing.  One of the other girls replied, "It is because she is from America and that is how they talk".  It was a great moment seeing as how I knew it was bound to come up eventually.

Some pictures of the Ireland Coast from County Kerry

My First Few Days in Ireland...

   My travels to Ireland went quite smoothly despite the delay of my first flight.  The plane departure time out of Milwaukee had been delayed and if I would have continued to take the flight, I would have missed my connecting flight out of Chicago.  Instead I was given a bus ticket voucher and told to take the coach bus to the O'Hare airport in Chicago.  This turned out better in the end because I had more time to catch my flight then I would have had originally. 

   Once I arrived in Ireland, my host mom was there to greet me.  It was very nice to finally put a face with a name.  We got to chat all the way back to their house and I was feeling quite welcome.  The rest of the day was nice and relaxing.  I got to unpack and meet the rest of the family.  I was also able to have my first sight seeing adventure.  My host parents took me to the beach which meets up with the Atlantic Ocean.  It was breathtaking and I got some great pictures.  My host parents also explained to me that all of the rain and stormy weather they have been getting is caused by the Atlantic.  It was very interesting to hear about and it made perfect sense as it has rained each day since I have been here.  I am so glad I have my "wellies" (rain boots:)).

   Once I was settled and able to rest a bit, my host mom drove me to the school where I am teaching.  It is called Covenant Primary School.  I met some of the teachers in the staff lounge and was given such a warm welcome.  I was immediately calmed when I was able to see some of the teachers I would be working with.  The staff of teachers are wonderful and so open to any ideas and suggestions.  It is wonderful.  After my venture to the school, my host mom took me around the town of Listowel.  I was shown where the post office is, bank, pharmacy, and grocery store.  Listowel is such a quaint little town and I am able to walk most places which I find very nice.  We did not stay in town for very long because the weather turned stormy and we came back home to have a nice hot cup of tea.  I have found that everywhere I go I am offered tea or coffee.  I like this because with the damp air and rain it is nice to warm up after being outside.

   Today was my first day teaching!  It went very well.  I was able to visit quite a few classrooms and begin to get familiar with the routine and schedule of the day.  I first spent some time in the junior and senior infant rooms.  These children are around the ages of 5 to 7.  They were very energetic and were full of smiles.  This time seemed to fly by.  There is a morning break where the children eat a snack and are allowed to play outside if the weather permits.  At this time, I went with the senior and junior infant teachers to the teacher lounge because there were two birthdays that were celebrated.  I found it very nice that all of the teachers are so close and eager to made each other happy.  They are also very laid back and easy to talk to.  

    Next I was taken to a class with children ages 7 and 8 called 1st class.  I listened to several children read and work on their fluency.  I also helped the teacher with some typing on the computer.  Then it was lunch time which went fairly fast.  After lunch I went to 4th class with children ages 10 and 11.  They had the most questions of all the classes I attended.  They all wanted my attention and were eager to tell me what they knew about the inauguration of Barrack Obama today.  They also made a point to tell me who was from America or had relatives from there.  So cute!!   They were learning about the Geography of Ireland I found myself learning a bunch of new facts about the country today.  Very interesting!  Lastly I visited 3rd class with students ages 9 and 10.   Again I listened to some students read aloud.  I absolutely love their accents.  Tomorrow I was told to follow the same "time table" or schedule as today.  I am excited because I am working on a display for one of the senior infant rooms and I think the children will enjoy it!  I will write again soon!