Week 7 - Overall Reflections

Ennis, Ireland 

So it's 7:30 a.m. and my last day as a student teacher! I cannot believe it's all over! It has been quite a journey through this semester, though. Right from the beginning in Pennsylvania, I knew the semester would be challenging, but I had always kept in mind the overall goal or outcome - to learn and grow as a person AND as an educator. And this is definitely what happened.

In the US I felt comfortable and confident right from the start. I had done my pre-student teaching in the same school and knew all of the teachers and a lot of the students. I also had one, fabulous mentor and was able to get immediate feedback. During my student teaching experience in the states I grew as an educator for sure. I was able to work on my classroom management and really developed a respect-filled relationship with each of my students. I feel that my lessons were well-planned and my delivery improved with the progression of the semester.
When I got to Ireland, it was truly when I needed to put all of my knowledge and studies to use. I was NOT comfortable because I was in a completely new environment and did not know a soul in my school. I had to start fresh - much like a "real" first year teacher. I was also placed in multiple classrooms for short blocks of time, so I was not able to develop as firm of a foundation with my students as I would have liked. However, throughout the experience I was able to work on my classroom management skills and disciplinary plan. It's something that I was still a bit shaky on from the beginning, but I received a lot of advice and techniques from my Irish colleagues!
Also, just being able to observe other teachers in a foreign country is helpful. Through these observations I was able to reflect on my own teaching pedagogy and compare and contrast how I would teach/handle the situations that arise in school.

Overall, this short term abroad experience was invaluable and I would definitely recommend it to any student teacher with an open mind and a curiosity of the world outside of the United States.
This experience allowed me to grow as a teacher (as mentioned above) and a person, as well. I have become so much more independent. Traveling around the country every weekend, relying/planning around bus schedules and routes, booking hotels/hostels/B&Bs, and exploring the landscape and talking with the people of Ireland has really made me a more confident and worldly person. I would never trade this experience for anything in the world and I feel so fortunate to have been able to do this!

Ok! Time for my last day! I'll be posting more pictures soon!

Some photos from school. . .

a long long hallway

redoing the library

staircase

teacher's room

teacher's mailbox

part of teacher's room

notices posted here 

view outside the window

a vibrant cloakroom

computer lab

decorated for Christmas

working on the different types of triangles in 4th class maths

Pictures from Connemara

Colorful shops in Clifden

On our way to Cleggan

Riding horses on the beach

A misty day

Barneby loved to eat on the run

Cattle that we rode by in the countryside

Getting back to the stables

My new friend and I  =)

A nice warm fire after our adventure!

Week 6 - Cultural Views on Education

Education in Ireland is viewed as important and necessary. Children are required to stay in school until age sixteen where most go on to secondary school (need to apply to some schools just like we would do in college).
Parental involvement greatly varies. I was able to sit in on an in-service day where the teachers were planning a new behavioral code. One dilemma was that the school needs the support of the parents to follow and carry out the school standards of behavior and discipline. Without this connection it will be hard to create a positive change.
Parents do get involved in the schools, though. In my placement school there are parents that have volunteered to come in and categorize the library and change up the system. Parents also have a room in the school where there are after school programs that the parents and their children can partake in (such as cooking with mom) and is used as a meeting place as well.

I have come to notice that most schools are mostly Catholic schools - though you (obviously) do not have to be Catholic to attend. Just the other day, the school went to the church across the street for mass (celebrating the Immaculate Conception)  - however, those students that do not practice the Roman Catholic/Christian religion can stay in designated classrooms to work on homework or extra classwork.

Government pays the teachers' salaries.
There are no school districts - schools run pretty independently from one another. One school may be closed due to snow or icy conditions, while others will stay open (my school was the one that stayed open of course :)  )

Finally! A playground!

Small school in Cleggan

I'll be home for Christmas. . .

On the streets of Ennis

So my adventure abroad is slowly coming to an end. It is a bittersweet feeling because I will certainly miss my Irish students and fellow colleagues, but I am going to be so SO happy to get home in time for the holidays! It's just like in the television show, 'Cheers',...sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name! 

Anyway, this last week coming up should be interesting enough. I just ordered Bartholomew and the Oobleck for my second class. One of the children said he really wanted to learn some science - so what better lesson than some good 'ol non-Newtonian fluid?! I cannot wait to see their reactions when they pour and handle the substance! And this time I will know to bring extra newspaper and cleaning supplies because it sure does get messy!

Well, it's just after midnight here so I think it's time to go - but not before saying how HAPPY and OVERJOYED I was today to Skype with my students in Pennsylvania!!!!! =) It absolutely made my day / week! I cannot wait to visit in January, which is right around the corner!!

Goodnight everyone!

Week 5 - Children

This blog is meant to look at how childhood is viewed in Ireland.
At least from my observations, it seems as though children are regarded in a similar fashion to the children in America. There are toy stores and sweets that the children want and eat. They watch the same television shows as the children in America (many Spongebob and Hannah Montana fans in my classrooms). Children are also active and really into sports. Following in the footsteps of the adults in Ireland, many children have strong ties to the national rugby team, British football teams, hurling, camogie, and boxing. Many students take lessons for boxing, while others participate in after school teams/leagues.

A main difference that I have seen in regards to childhood and children in Ireland is that there are no real playgrounds at the schools that I have seen. They have a large blacktop, some physical education equipment, and their imagination. There are no slides or swings around town or in the "yard" at school. A lot of the fun that children have is by creating their own good time.

Driving through the more rural parts of Ireland, it is even more questionable as to what children do for fun at a young age. There are no movie theaters, bowling alleys, or playgrounds. I am in a more "urban" area, so there are stores, cinema, and such to entertain children - so I have no grounds to comment on children in less populated places (some villages have a population of 500 or less)

small town of Sneem

Week 4 - Reflection as a Teacher

So this week we are asked to reflect on our teaching. . . or teaching in general.
What I can say for this experience is that it has shown me a lot about the behind the scenes of the profession that I was not aware of. What I mean by this is because I am often with the resource teachers, I observe / get to teach those that need that differentiated instruction. Since I have only had experience in a whole-class setting - this opportunity has come as an enlightenment and a challenge. I have to come up with ways to teach multiplication so that all eight children that are pulled from their normal maths class can comprehend. And each of those students are at different levels, as well! It is a challenge that I had not faced and it has taught me that I must be aware of all of my students needs and try to come up with preferable teaching methods for all.

Also, in one of my whole-class experiences, I am allowed to teach whatever material that I wish. This has helped me grow in my planning strategies and abilities as a teacher. I have come to make my lesson plans from scratch and gather the materials on my own. Since I am not following a textbook and I do not have as much guidance - it can be overwhelming to choose a topic that is educational and engaging all at once. I want my lessons to be worthwhile and to excite my students - which has made me think deeper into what I feel comfortable/excited about teaching. Lately, I have been leaning toward Language Arts topics (rhyming and poetry), but this week I am taking a leap of faith and teaching my Irish students about the good 'ol United States of America and some of the more important aspects that lie within the topic. I am enjoying the research and search for materials because I am excited for these students to learn about a foreign country - the place where I live!

So, overall, this experience is teaching me a lot about teaching. It's also teaching me about myself - what I feel most confident in sharing my knowledge about and how I am going to do it.

Mrs. Glossner's Class!

Your pen pal letters are on their way and should get to you by the end of this week or the beginning of next! Each of you have your own pen pal that you can write to - the class size is exactly the same! Some things that you may notice when you read your letter is that some of the words that my Irish students use are a little bit different. Some wrote to you about going to a disco - which is the same as a dance. Many students use the words "lovely" and "grand" to describe something as awesome or terrific!
Your pen pals also saw the video that we made for them, and boy were they excited to see your faces! Perhaps my Irish students will make a video for you to see when I visit in January!!

Finally, you may notice that a lot of the students' names are a bit different than those in America. It is interesting to see how these students reacted to your names - I'd be curious to find out what you think of theirs! =)

Here are some photos that I took at one of the most beautiful places in Ireland - The Cliffs of Moher!

Kissing the Blarney Stone - said to give you the gift of gab!

checking the views

The Cliffs of Moher

favorite day in Ireland!

Really, really pretty!

So, hopefully I can set up a Skype session soon! I miss you all at Centre Hall (hey! that rhymes) and I will see you soon!

Week 3 - Accommodations for Individual Learners

A little late is better than never =)
So, practically my whole situation over here is linked with accommodations for individual learners or providing remedial help.

Students from each class are pulled from their classes if help is needed in maths and language or reading. There are many resource teachers for the children to work with and these teachers provide more of a one -on - one classroom experience. The classes that I have been working with are 6-8 students, depending on the day. We work at a slower pace than their regular class, and offer more reinforcement with their basic math facts. With fourth class (4th grade), we are reviewing multiplication and going over each of their tables until they feel confident to perform without their books (which have all of their tables written out). I am trying to reinforce the special cases (x0, x1, x10) - but it is taking some time.

I have also observed an OT that was called in to help the resource teachers come up with a plan for one of the students in the school who needs to work on his motor skills and putting his body into use properly.

There are also SNAs in almost every classroom (special needs assisstants). They sit with certain students throughout the day and provide guidance and directions more directly personalized to the students needs. For example, one student that needs the extra assisstance from the SNA is a boy who seems to have some behavioral troubles. I cannot be very specific because I am not in one classroom all day - but as I learn more - I will share!

These are the accommodations that I have been able to observe!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am teaching my second class about the importance of being thankful and coming together during the time of Thanksgiving - no matter what country you are from! =)

Week 2 Comparisons

Since my video is not uploading, I am going to compare and contrast the differences between the Ireland school system and the American school system (according to my experiences) through writing. This is n ot exciting, I know, as seeing my face, but  the blog site won't let me upload that long of a video...

So it has been three weeks in the school at this point. Though, when I did my comparison blog, it was at the end of last week.
There are a lot of differences that immediately come to mind, but first I will address the similarities...

{Similarities}
The classroom setup is pretty similar to American classroom setups. There are desks and the walls are covered in word walls. There are also Smartboards and whiteboards in most classrooms, too. The students have bins to keep their own personal items, much like in the American schools where there is a bin for each table to keep crayons, pencils, glue sticks, etc. There are also computers in the classrooms in Ireland, though not as many.

For math and language arts, students are pulled from classes if they need remedial help. There are resource teachers that have their own individual rooms to work with these students.

The day is broken up into similar subjects; math, language arts, geography or history, etc. But these students also take a language (Gaelic) - which I was really surprised to see how young these students start to use this language in classrooms. My friend Courtney, who works with junior infants (4-5 years olds) says that the students are already practicing their Gaelic with simple commands and directions.

Onto some immediate differences :

I do not see a nurse in the school building. Holy Family has a junior infant school that is held within a different building (I'm unsure). The cafeteria and gym/auditorium are different buildings as well, all on one fenced in campus.

The library here is composed of six bookshelves at the end of a hallway with a plethora of books, though not many that fall under the American Accelerated Reader Program (which is what the school is trying to improve upon). I am currently trying to categorize the entire library into genres and levels of readers (which I am finding VERY difficult)

A difference that has posed a problem for me, personally, is that there is no carpet in any of the classrooms. The teachers do not typically do Read-Alouds...which is something very prominent in American schools. In my own "student" experience - I was read books/novels until 5th grade and possibly beyond. I think it is a great way to let students practice their auditory skills and explore different genres of books that they would not typically read. the carpet is also a pivotal part in the classroom because it allows for some kind of change-up in seating throughout the day. The kids in Ireland have to sit in the chairs from the start of the day, until the end. I would get fidgety if it were me in those seats!

Another difference is that the kids are allotted textbooks and notebooks for each of their subjects. It is their responsibility to take care of their books and write their homework or classwork in the proper "copies" book. This responsibility runs all the way down until junior infants! Amazing!

I have also found that hugs and high-fives are not used regularly in the classroom. I am all about positive reinforcement, and find nothing better than to get a high-five in acknowledgement of my work...so I expected the same of the teachers/students here - which is not the case.

There are probably tons more comparisons that I could make - but I must be honest, there is a lot that I am still trying to let sink in - even on week three.

Extra Learning Support Room

Meet Coco!

Not much new to post just yet, but I figured you'd like to see a picture of the cute dog that I am living with! Her name is Coco!

First Day!

So, I just got out of school!
The teachers and students are all wonderful! It may take me some time to get to know everyones' name, though!
I am going to be working with about six different groups of students, some in a whole-class setting and others in smaller groups that are pulled.
In one of my classes, I am sort of in charge of planning what the students should learn, which is awesome and nerve-wracking!
Tomorrow I will be working in the library, and I will need to post pictures so that you can see some of the differences. Other than the library, a lot of the school is set up the same way! There is a computer lab and large classrooms and a cafeteria (which I have yet to see).

Hope all is well in Centre Hall!
Miss everyone so so much!

- Caitlin

Check.

Mrs. G's class: This is how I will be able to tell you about what is going on in Ireland - through videos!
Hopefully, we will be able to set up a live session, too!

Preparing for Lift Off!

I thought that maybe posting a little background about my semester would be a good idea before everything gets really hectic in 19 days when I leave for Ennis, Ireland where I will be completing my semester of student teaching!

                                                              (I do not own this image)

Right now I am teaching in Central Pennsylvania. I completed my pre-student teaching at this school and I am now in the process of completing my student teaching here, as well. Needless to say, I absolutely love it! The teachers are all welcoming and friendly and any outsider can easily see that these women are a close group of educators who love what they do and love those that they teach.

I am teaching at the second grade level, as I was last year, and therefore I have become very familiar with the curriculum and standards that these students are learning and working toward. Currently, I am solely in charge of teaching mathematics and phonetics in the classroom. I am also picking up a majority of the language arts, social studies, and science lessons. We are working on our basic addition and subtraction facts in Math, a unit focused on soil in science, a rules, laws, and government unit in social studies, long and short vowel sounds in phonetics, and reading for comprehension in language arts. Each day is a full plate of hard work and learning for these second graders, but my mentor teacher and I make sure that there is a lot of time for laughs in between.

This semester has been so rewarding thus far, and I cannot wait to see what the next three weeks bring, as well.
On a side note - I have heard a lot of funny, thoughtful, and insightful things from my students over the past month - but there was one comment that really resonated with me. It was on a Friday a few weeks ago, walking out to the buses with one group of students. One boy from my class turned to me and said, "I really like school, I don't want to go home." I was so shocked that all I could come up with was, "Oh that's so great! Can't wait to see you on Monday!".
                 I would have liked to talk to him about it and see what he really liked about school, but there was no time. Instead, I am left to conclude that the child likes school because we (the teachers) make it an enjoyable experience. Sure, all of the students' friends are in school with them and that can be fun - but it is about the environment that they play, work, think, and try new things in that makes it truly enjoyable. Teachers are a big part of that enjoyable experience... and hearing from a student that we have done our jobs correctly is the best feeling in the world... and I went home that Friday with a huge smile on my face, not wanting to leave school either =)

Photo credit: http://www.trantham.net/Ireland_Photos.htm