Student A: "America!"
Student B: "United States!"
Student C: "United States of America!"
Student D: "USA!"
Student E: "Awknaws!"
*sigh*
Another favorite: "Miss Gorny, do people die when there are tornadoes in your state?"
Obviously, we learned about Arkansas in Primary 3 this semester. And, thanks to the children, it was very interesting! The students wrote their favorite thing they learned about Arkansas, and they drew pictures (sorry for the side ways ones)!
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| You can dig for diamonds! |
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| Waterfalls and Trees |
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| Tornados! |
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| Digging for Diamonds |
Wow! Three weeks have passed since my last update, and I don't even know where to begin...
I've continued my placement at Oakwood Integrated Primary School, and it has been lovely! We've been learning about animals, and more specifically minibeasts, amphibians, and life cycles. We also had a "Super Learning Day," in which the children's parents joined us at school and we spent a whole morning doing fun activities around the topic of time travel! They made time travel machines, painted black holes, created old bonnets and top hats, and went on a scavenger hunt around school for "old" and "new" things. I think they really enjoyed it! We also spent an entire day on a field trip to W5, which is like a huge science playground. It was so lovely watching the children play and enjoy themselves without even realizing how much they were learning! We also made clay pots and decorated them for everyone's mums for mother's day.
Planning at least two lessons and teaching every day has definitely started to build up my confidence in the classroom and with the children. I love getting to know them and learning with them. It helps that my teacher and school are so welcoming and supportive! My P1 teacher even had me over for dinner and to do laundry one night last week. She has two little ones herself, so it was so nice to be in a home and with small children. I felt so welcome. A piece of comfort :) They also highly enjoyed an apple pie I made, which they couldn't stop calling "gorgeous". So, now I know the way to their hearts if I ever want to go over again!
Some special day trips over the past three weeks, described in a few words and some pictures (which of course don't do anything justice):
Carrickfergus
Took a train for the first time.Toured a real castle.
Explored the harbor.
Ate Irish Stew.
Beautiful weather.
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| Carrickfergus Castle |
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| Harbor |
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| Incredible weather that day! |
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| Our little tourist group for the day |
Bangor
Another beautiful harbor.
The peaceful sounds of birds and the water.
Swam with the swans. Sort of.
Another day of beautiful weather.
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| We rode the swans at Pickie Park |
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| Adorable houses |
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| Little light house on the coast |
C.S. Lewis Tour
A surprise private tour of C.S. Lewis's Grandad's old house (I couldn't help but rub my hand down the banister and imagine him running down those same stairs as a child)!
Security friends at a private school.
Turkish delight for the car ride.
Total tourist.
Spoiled with so much gorgeous weather.
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| Campbell-Where he went to school |
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| Statue and quotes in East Belfast |
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| Mural in East Belfast |
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| The inspiration for "the lamp post" at Campbell |
Giant's Causeway
A lot of walking.
Gorgeous, natural rock formations.
Breathtaking views.
More Irish stew.
And, you guessed it, the weather was perfect.
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| A lovely day with international friends! |
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| :) |
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| How could anyone not fall in love with this place? |
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| A surreal place! So beautiful! |
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
Exciting.
Gorgeous water.
Beautiful birds.
So many pictures.
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| Gorgeous Northern Ireland |
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| I did it! |
Black Taxi Tour
A tour through areas of West Belfast.
All about "The Troubles."
Tom.
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| Shankill |
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| Signing the wall |
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| They still lock the gates that separate the Catholics and Protestants in this area. |
Belfast
Still so in love with this city.
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| Dome in Victoria's Square |
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| Belfast Fish! |
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| Tilted Albert Memorial Clock Tower |
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| Beautiful Belfast from W5 |
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| Olivia is from Belfast and went to UofO in AR! She took me out to get my first fish & chips and a coffee in the city :) It was such a comfort talking about home and having someone truly appreciate where I'm from! |
Your education in Northern Irish vocabulary continues:
- Ragin: Angry
- Rubber: Eraser
- Brilliant: Great
- Bin: Trash Can
- Rubbish: Trash
- Mark: Grade (schoolwork)
- Sore Head: Headache
- Rascal: "A mischievous or cheeky person" according to Google, which I personally thought was awesome.
- Bender: Messer
- Cheeky: Sassy/Ornery
- Mobile: Cell Phone
- Call in: Come over
- Ladybird: Ladybug
Belfast Motto: Pro tanto quid retribuamus.
"How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?"
-Psalm 116:12
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."
-C. S. Lewis
For more information about W5:
http://www.w5online.co.uk/
Giants Causeway:
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/giants-causeway/
Bangor:
http://www.bangor-local.com/
http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/Bangor-Tourist-Information-Centre-Bangor-P6893
Carrickfergus:
http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/Carrickfergus-Tourist-Information-Centre-Carrickfergus-P7119
