Will it take my husband 28 minutes to make  pancakes for breakfast? And will I write something sensible in that time?
What's on my mind? From a teaching perspective it's been a challenging week.
All of a sudden I seemed to look at my class with fresh eyes.  We are at that point in the school year when I am beginning to pull the scaffolding out from under these adorable little 6 and 7 year olds.  How much confidence in their own abilities have they gained?  How well can they apply their skills in a more self reliant way?  How can they gain from each other - can they ask the right questions, can they listen effectively, are they willing to try and try again?
We implemented SCATT this year in our school to encourage collaboration and independence.   If a child can't move forward on a work assignment they they should

S - stop
C - check, look around, what are others doing?
A - ask quietly within their group
T - try again
T - finally approach the teacher

It works - I could see that this week.  All around me are independent, curious and engaged children.  Mostly.
There are a number of children not benefrfiting.  Perhaps they have concentration challenges, speech and language issues or learning styles completely outside of that they are experiencing in the classroom.
They are happy kids, I make time for them but not the amount they need.  They have acquired some skills but have many more to hone.
But they still skip into the classroom every day so we have some key building blocks in place.
I must make sure I look at these children in particular with fresh eyes every day for the rest of chips school year, draft, redraft, edit and re edit their individual plans.
It is a good place to be. I just hope I can find the time!
Into this rather philosophical mix intruded the more immediate global world.  We had some, older, internet abusers.  Probably done for a laugh, from what they thought was the safety of their own bedroom, but none the less nasty and very hurtful.
Twenty or so hours of forensic trawling, checking and cross referencing the IP addresses of the many 10 to 12 year olds in our school who regularly, and to great purpose, use this site .....and yes, I nailed it!
The main achievement has not been to dig out the culprits, important as that is.  It is that they now know that the internet is not the anonymous place they thought it was and, yes, greying teachers can find their way about it most effectively!
What will next week bring?
Well, for the moment here come the pancakes!

Leaving Monaghan Shopping Centre

As a teacher it is utterly gratifying  to be in such good humoured company and most especially to be with those children - whose names might, in school time,  all too often trip off the tongues of teachers and in a certain tone of voice - who on this trip have been utterly delightful.It's been an amazing trip - parents and teachers can be equally proud of their children.  They were always mannerly, enthusiastic and friendly.  And, I'm glad to say, still are despite the early morning start.   For those one or two who felt a little homesick in the first day or two their pals were admirably supportive.
Thanks to all who followed on Twitter, read the blog (1200 hits across 10 countries - I was sorry not to opt for Google ads!
Thank you too to Miss Barry for being such good company and a great support.
All not so quiet on the bus now as they are playing some -to me- inexplicable game involving all children and a lot of cheering!
Signing off now, back on stream in two years.

All Aboard the Rhum!

It's  the highlight of the trip for me - a trip in a sea battered, salt savaged ferry across the short stretch of the North Atlantic to Árainn Mhór".   And judging by the other happy faces aboard, the children felt pretty good too.

Curiously our ferry today, the Rhum, had done duty in Germany and still had signage and notices auf Deutsch. Not that the children noticed and with their faces to the wind and the sun on their backs this was no time for pedagogy!

The grey morning sky had dutifully lightened as school finished and by the time our intrepid travellers wound their way along the little country road to the white sand beach both sky and sea were, once again a Mediterranean blue.
They are all well practised by now at simply taking it easy - some stroll the beach a bit, others rush headlong into the weather and today quite a few succumbed to the traditional temptation of the Irish summer - a 99.
It was another great day on a trip blessed by good moods, good camaraderie and unexpectedly good weather.
Even morning school had a certain charm though they were loath to admit it!
This year more than ever before the St. Kilian's students have trier to use their cúpla focal or few words of Irish and we teachers are proudly claiming the success of our more child centred, activity and games based approach to the curriculum!
And while I write about curricula and pedagogy there is nothing further from their minds as they scrub up and dress up for the Disco!
Expect a later posting with all the news if the night.....

It was quite a sedate morning in school, livened from time to time by more of Niall's storytelling (he promises to tell the story of the Wedding Ring tomorrow) and then we headed off to the Poison Glen for an afternoon of adventure.

 

It was another dream day weather wise - a soft wind, a blue sky and just enough cloud to cast interesting shadows on the lake and moody Mount Errigal which looms over the Glen.
There are a number of legendary tales of how such a stunningly beautiful valley should merit a name such as the Poison Glen but my favourite is that of Balor, King of Tory who in pursuit of his daughter's abductor flung  his evil eye into the lake and poisoned it!


Today all eyes, Irish and otherwise, were smiling as the children enjoyed zorbing, pedal boating, kayaking, defying the bronco horse and more.  After a few hours, during which I am afraid they were completely immune to nature's wonders about them, they piled back on the buses, but not without browsing in the little souvenir shop first.
We are in fact one of five schools here, 125 students in all and half of them from St. Kilian's .  They have been mixing really well and so much so that the Talent Show tonight was very much a community event.
For St. Kilian's Ferdinand and Edda played the (temperamental) keyboard, Tadhg strummed the guitar and sang, Maria gave us an Irish song and Ben performed an intriguing dance routine.  They all received standing ovations from everyone.  We won't know the winners until tomorrow but we're very hopeful!
Tomorrow is our last day and already there is much chat about the disco .  We've promised to drop in and share the excitement in the houses beforehand so we'll be able to deliver a blow by blow account of the preparations..
But before that  there is the last morning in school, the ferry trip to Árainn Mhór and the much awaited tale of the Wedding Ring.....

         

Tanned and freckled faces peered out as us tonight as we visited the houses at the end of the day's activities.
We had a truly Mediterranean day at the beach -golden sands, warm, gentle waters and endless sunshine. After a morning's work in Irish school it was just the tonic. (Not that Irish school was such a slog- they were introduced to the great Irish art of storytelling, which they thoroughly enjoyed.)
On Carrickfin Beach they swam, climbed on the great rocks jutting out into the North Atlantic, entered the sandcastle competition, ran the egg and spoon and wheelbarrow races and lazed about on the sand.

It's great to see and get to know the kids away from the tensions and busyness built into everyday school time.  They are funny, friendly, inquisitive and so relaxed.
And by the end of the day they were also very tired.   I have a feeling that tonight their houses have fallen quiet early with nothing to be heard except gentle snoring until breakfast time tomorrow!

There was a beautiful red and orange sunset over the village if Annagry tonight and many of the children, bedding down in a cluster of four houses on a hillside over looking the village had a bird's eye view it - as well as a stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean.
It was a long journey today but true to St. Kilian's children they were good humoured throughout hardly pausing to take breath, simply talking their way from Dublin to Donegal!  As soon as we arrived the children were dispersed to their houses around the village and then back again to the school  for a bit of Irish Céili dancing - exhausting the very last of their energy supplies.

At about nine they were dispatched back to their Bean an Tí for a light supper (lots of chocolate spread on toast) and then they settled down for what should be a good night's sleep......

In the meantime we will keep tweeting and keep you up to date.
We'll see them all again first thing in the morning as they head for their first day in school here in Annagry and tomorrow afternoon the long golden sands of the  local beach beckon.....let's hope that glowing sunset keeps its promise.To settle parental nerves let me report that though there was a little homesickness being felt by one or two, they were all in great form at lights out.  Even for those one or two feeling a little blue, it was only an intermittent little, perfectly understandable after a tiring and exciting day.

Packing Check List

My bag is packed and ready to go!

In your main suitcase/bag which will be stored away during the trip:

• towels
• toiletries
• spare shoes
• raincoat
• warm clothes
• sunny clothes
• disco clothes
• swimming togs
• non perishable snacks
• disposable camera
• any necessary medication (please advise me you have it with you)
• packed lunch if you are not planning to buy lunch in Monaghan.  
• musical instrument (need not be packed into suitcase!)
• notebook, pencil, eraser and sharpener
• sunscreen

                                           

In your backpack to take with you on the bus:

• healthy snacks, including one to eat in school before we leave
• water
• money
• book, travel games etc.
• travel sickness pills (with your parents' permission and please let me know)

Remember:  lots of sugary sweets and drinks will make you thirstier and keep you from relaxing on the bus!