My name is Chrissie Harms, and I am from the suburbs of Chicago. Currently, I am a student teacher from Indiana University. I am involved in an overseas teaching program where I taught in Indianapolis, Indiana for ten weeks and Trumera, County Laois, Ireland for seven weeks. The experience has given me the opportunity to work with children from all sorts of cultural backgrounds.
When I arrived at Trumera N.S., I did not know what to think. I had no idea how my American teaching would fit into the traditional Irish methods of teaching. I was in awe as I witnessed the Irish writing on the walls and the direct instruction given in Irish. Furthermore, I could not believe that the school has only twenty-five students. This is quite different from the nine hundred students who were in Amy Beverland Elementary school in Indiana where I began my student teaching. I was very nervous about teaching in a classroom that has third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students in the same room. I later learned that although it is a challenge, it can be done.
After four weeks of being at the school, I have learned a tremendous amount from observing the differences. I have enjoyed learning a small amount of the Irish language, Irish history, and religion. In return, I have had the opportunity to teach the students about the United States. Each child in the classroom now has a fair amount of knowledge of at least five particular states. I have also contributed some American poetry into the school's poetry curriculum. I have even taken the opportunity to teach about the American Revolution and other US history. The most signifigant American program that I have developed is a reading center. The children have twenty minutes each morning where they get to read the book of their choice in a special corner of the room. They also have vocabulary and comprehension work that go with each book they read. The student's have really seemed to enjoy the choices they have and their private time to read.
The whole experience has broadened my mind for teaching. I have learned how important and interesting it is to learn about other cultures. Although Trumera N.S. is very different in size, and slightly different in approach to teaching than the US, the students have similar goals to their American counterparts. Teaching in Ireland has been extremely enjoyable and will only help me in my future American teaching career.
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