First Week

This is my first week of student teaching at Listowel Convent primary school in Ireland. It is an all girls school that is located in the town in which I am currently living. Primary school is what we would call elementary school in the states. I am working in three different classrooms at the moment. I am with the two junior infant classes - which would be similar to our kindergarten, and I am also working in the Senior infant class room - which is similar to our first grade. The junior infant class rooms have about 15 students each and the senior infant class has about 30 students. I switched throughout the day which I really enjoy because it offers a lot of variety. All of the girls in the school are extremely curious about me! I always laugh when I talk to some of them because my accent shocks them. I am also shocked by their accents. I feel bad because often times they talk SO fast I can't keep up so I am always asking them to repeat themselves. This week I am just working with some small groups. In the junior infant class I am helping them with letter recognition, writing, number recognition, and writing. In the senior infant class room we're working on a art project about a robin - there is a poem that we're also learning as a class. Beyond just the classroom everyone at the school is SO welcoming!! I really enjoy where I am working. I am able to spend a good amount of time with the staff during our "tea" break and also during our lunch break. Everyone always asks "how I'm getting along" or if there is anything they can do to make me feel more welcomed. The teachers that I specifically work with are wonderful. I feel very comfortable and I am learning a lot! I am so happy with my placement. Just like at school, home is wonderful as well. The Walsh's are so welcoming. I am starting to feel really at home. We eat dinner together every night and have a lot of fun. Everyday after school I walk home. It is about a 2 mile walk, of which I really enjoy. The first time I walked home - Monday, I got terribly lost. I wasn't paying attention on the way to school so I didn't know how to get home. I eventually figured it out, but it was raining so much that I soaked completely through my shoes. I now remember to bring my rain boots to school with me everyday. Tuesday however we had beautiful weather. The sun was out all day and the temperature was right around 40. With the beautiful weather we decided to take advantage. After school my family took me to Ballybunion, which is a small town just about 20 minutes from my town, Listowel. Ballybunion has beautiful cliffs and a really wonderful beach. We walked to beach and the cliffs right at sunset so it was absolutely breath taking. Ballybunion is also famous for it's golf course that is set right on the cliffs. J.P (my host dad) told me that Bill Clinton often plays there. It has been a wonderful first half a week. I am excited for more wonderful things to come! Next week I am teaching the Junior infants a five day unit on America! I am planning this week so hopefully all goes well! Picture of the things we create next week will be soon to come! For now here are some from my hike at Ballybunion. 

At one time the beach was separated by sex, they still call it the ladies beach and the mens beach

My host parents!