My name is Stephanie Asher, and I am currently completing my teaching degree here in Ireland. I am over here as a participant in an overseas program through Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. I am thrilled to have been given this opportunity to experience, firsthand, what it is like to teach in an Irish school.
I arrived in Ireland and the feelings of anxiety and excitement were overwhelming. The seven weeks for which I had been prepearing for over a year were about to begin. My head was spinning with questions and expectations, and my stomach was a flutter with nerves. I had virtually no idea of what was to come in the time that I would spend at Maryboro National School in Portlaoise.
I had, altogether, the most unique experience that I could have asked for as a teacher-to-be. I found it absolutely fascinating to be involved in a two-classroom schoolhouse with only 42 students and two staff members. I was surprised at first to watch four different class levels functioning together in each classroom. I have since found that with the proper organization and cooperative children, it can be possible.
The majority of my time at Maryboro was spent in the junior room working mainly with both the junior and senior infants. Before lunch, I assisted with english and math work. Each afternoon, I took the group of eight into a middle room during which time I planned and implemented my own teaching ideas. I found this to be a wonderful opportunity to try new lessons and to practice and perfect old ones. I tended to work quite a bit on graphing, patterning and other early skills such as telling time, counting, and seasons. In addition, I had them singing songs, playing games, and dancing day after day. My teaching abilities were certainly put to the test.
While my assignment was to work with the infants, I was fortunate enough to be a daily visitor in the senior room. With the older students, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th classes, their interest in the United States of America was inspiring. I seized the chance to teach them all about my home and to show them photographs from my first teaching experience in Indianapolis. Then they each did a bit of research on their own. Every student was given a state in America, and they took off to investigate all that they could about it. The finished reports were magnificent and far beyond the small card of information which I had expected. I managed to teach them the American game of kickball as well as a fun indoor game called "Heads Up, 7 Up." During the holiday season, the seniors, who were studying Judaism, enjoyed learning from me first hand about the religion. We spent an entire morning discussing my "gift giving" holiday, Channukah, and playing a favorite game of Israel, "The Dreidle Game." What fun we have had!
As I look back upon the past seven weeks, I am able to see what a wondeful time I have had. I feel confident that I have made an impact on the students here at Maryboro as they have upon me. I managed to teach them what I could of my country, and in return, they have taught me so much about theirs. It was a great pleasure to be a part of Irish culture, and it has most definitely been an experience that I will never forget.
