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!