28th. May, 2016

On Wednesday morning we welcomed another “Virtually There” guest to our school.

Shortly before 9am Ann Donnelly – super photographer/video artist arrived at the front door of St John the Baptist Primary School.  She had come to see the boys and girls in Primary 3B.

Ann told the children that she had been finding out about what they had been doing with Vanya. She asked the children how it was possible for her to know these things. Ronan told her that the boys and girls had been writing each week in the Pupil Journal.

She asked them how they used the Journal, and someone told her that they write or tell our Classroom Assistant, Miss Callaghan, what they want to say and she types it for them. (With 30 pupils, time restricts them from word processing all their own blogs.)

After our introductions, Ann showed the children how to make a little book because she had a few things she wanted them to write/draw in it. Generally speaking, the book making was pretty good! FOLD FOLD FOLD CUT FOLD.

Ann asked the children about their time during the Virtually There sessions. She brought her ipad and asked if she could take some photographs and videos.

• Q: What did they remember about the very first session, even though it was weeks and weeks ago?  Answer: We met Vanya for the very first time. We had a hat day. We made hats.
• Q: What was different in the second session? Answer: Vanya wasn’t there. She was in her house in Sligo, but we could see her on our Interactive Whiteboard.
• Q: What sort of work had they been involved in? Answer: Drawing, painting, weaving, sewing, going on walks around the school, finding out/researching, growing crystals. Roise showed Ann the crystals which we had grown in school.
• Q: What was their favourite topic/lesson? Answer: making the salt pictures,  making yesterday’s model, making the seaweed pole…………I was flapping my arms about in the background – trying to offer them a clue to our extensive birds and nests sessions, but Ann caught me out!  I was surprised that the children hadn’t mentioned this.
• Q: What did they learn? Answer: Lots of things about other artists and clouds.
• Q: Did they know more now than before? Answer: We know so many new things. We can say words in Dutch now.
• Ann told the boys and girls that she was working with children in a Primary School in Donaghey. She said they could go into the kidsown website and see what she had been doing with her pupils. GOOD IDEA!
• Ann’s visit with the children ended at break time. She also got the familiar, “Doei.” – Goodbye.
• Then she and I had a chance to discuss my experiences and expectations. It was good to have an opportunity to tell someone who is also involved in the project about how well suited the programme is for cross-curricular and connected learning opportunities. {We said lots of other things, but you don’t want to know about them!}

Ann said that she was very pleased with the children’s responses, particularly for their age group.

She just had time for a very quick half a cup of tea and then she had to fly on to her next appointment.

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I’ve said it before, but now, this really is my last blog.

So, it’s OVER and OUT  from the robin and me….and ELO – “HOLD ON TIGHT.”     circa 1981.

Tot ziens –> So long.
Tot gauw –> See you soon.
Dag –> Goodbye.
Doeg –>Bye.
Doei –> Bye.
Vaarwel –> Farewell.
Hoje –> Bye (Limburg and Nijmegen).
Houdoe –> Bye (Brabandt).
Ik ga je zien –>I’ll be seeing you.
Later –> Later, but spoken with a Dutch accent (short “a”).
Tjuus –> Bye (the Dutch spelling of the German Tschüss).
Doe-doei –> Bye-bye.
Tot straks –> See you soon.
Tot later –> See you later.
Ajuu –> Bye.
Tabee –> I’m outta here.
Toedeledoki –> Toodaloo.
Joe –> Bye.
De mazzel –> Good luck.
Laters –> Laters (baby).
De ballen –> Goodbye.
Tot de volgende keer –> Till next time.
Tot kijk –> Till I see you.
  zo –> See you in a bit.

PS. Have a look at this……………..I saw it on my way home. and had to photograph the vision.

The lovely horse chestnut blossoms and tiny little “conkers.”