Tuesday 23 November 2010

More maps....and exercise papers...


I was interested to see that the kids are given exercises from the 10 - 11 years age group, demonstrating that despite having started their maths three years after mainstream schools, they had already caught up by Class Four - or P6. Certainly from my own experience, Oisin's timestables are second to none and they work on problems sums now almost daily.

Donna gives them exercises and then marks them, awarding them goldstars, as recognition for the hardwork. Another myth busted - that they don't mark the work. At Class Four, they most certainly do. The only thing which Donna reckons they miss out on in not getting homework at this stage is the spelling. It just takes them a little longer to get the spelling right, but by the end of the week they have their new words and most of them will get that all right, and they really feel like they have worked hard at it.

Another advantage to not having homework sent back with them, is that they are not worrying about it by themselves. They don't feel that they need to struggle with their spellings on their own. It is worked out in class and with the others, once again, giving a sense of camaraderie.


Another worksheet...


The exercise book they work from...


This very battered copy of Beowulf is what they will be tackling next week. I was blown away that they were now doing Beowulf. In English, abridged, of course. This week they also did Norse myths, the Creation, and they were able to relate that back to the Creation myth they did last year... the glimmerings of comparative literature!


It's safe to say that they are doing geography.... and lots of maps at this stage! Here is a map by Mika - it was copied off the board and it is fantastically detailed.

I wanted to take more photos of the main lesson books because they are all so beautiful and so different from each other.






That's another view of Ballymenoch Park...




Here's PART of a map...


...and here's the other part. This was done in two bits because the student thought it made it more manageable.
















Donna also showed me the autumnal trees done by the class. Again each piece was so different, reflecting the personality of each child.


















I also took the opportunity to nip into Class Five. They're doing botany this year. They start off with fungi and then move on to various parts of the plants. During the winter they do the lower plant life forms and then they let it go to 'sleep' over the winter. Then during spring time they will do flowers. This seems to make sense, of course.


The Celtic knot was a leftover from their form drawing class.


This year they do mythology from the East. Babylon, then India... i think they'll also be doing Greek and Roman myth as the age they are in is supposed to be the Golden Age. So Bhudda here is from India...


...mushroom spores....


Oh yes, they also do Ancient Egypt...


And Ganesh is also from India...

Sunday 21 November 2010

St Martin's...2010!


I have had the St Martin's celebrations now on for the last four years and have never been failed to be thrilled be this first celebration of the winter/Christmas season. It is particularly poignant as it is always celebrated around Rememberance Day and when we think of all the fallen - i'm no military person myself, but as a mother i feel the pain of other mothers and sisters and lovers - and we see St Martin, the pragmatic refusnik, the giving saint, who says i will not fight, but i will for a while to please my father but when i am old enough i am leaving the army and no amount of money will keep me there, i think that it is a good story to have.

My favourite part of the story is when the beggar becomes Jesus Christ and says that Martin showed great charity towards me. At this time of darkness and cold and bewildering winter, it is good to light the lanterns and to know or feel that there is someone behind you. Around you. And i think that is why i love this festival, small though it may be, so much. Because the community comes together to say were are all here for each other... long may that be so...


Pre-show jitters.... can you tell?


The boys love this play because they get to dress up as solders and generals. And carry swords and wear centurion helmets!


Did i mention the swords?


The girls did this amazing poem and the nut and how it grows into an acorn, it was really sublime.




The Horan-Villeneuve family!


Narrators!




St Martin and his father, the Roman general.


Everyone passes the beggar in the cold.


St Martin cuts his cloak in two... the kids sing this song at this point...

St. Martin, St. Martin, St. Martin
Rode through wind and snow,
His horse carried him so quick-ly on
In comfort and warmth through the cold he did go
His thick cloak around him tight-ly drawn.

In the cold snow, in the cold snow,
In the cold snow, there sat a poor old man
He wore only rags and called with choked breath,
"Oh help me please - please if you can
Or the bitter frost will mean my death."

St. Martin, St. Martin, St. Martin
Reined his horse to his side
It stood quietly by as if it knew
How with his sword, St. Martin would divide
His warm, thick cloak right in-to two.

St. Martin, St. Martin,
Gave one half to the man to put on
The grateful man turned, but before he spoke
Noble St. Martin had already gone
Wearing his half of the div-id-ed cloak.

Saint Martin lay down quietly
And then the Lord appeared in his dream.
The latter talked: "I thank you, you riderman,
For what you did to me"


Jesus appears to St Martin in a dream


The Roman General puts Martin into jail...




Here they sing the lantern song in German....

Here it is in English....

I walk with m-y bright lantern,
My lantern i-s my light
Above the sta-rs are shining,
And both of u-s are bright,
The rooster crows; the cat me-ows.
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.
The rooster crows; the cat me-ows.
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.

I walk with m-y sweet lantern,
My lantern i-s my light
Above the sta-rs are shining,
And both of u-s are bright,
St. Martin, well, he marches on.
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.
St. Martin, well, he marches on.
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.

I walk here wi-th my lantern,
My lantern i-s my light,
Above the sta-rs are shining,
And both of u-s are bright,
My little light, please stay with me!
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.
My little light, please stay with me!
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.

I walk here wi-th my lantern,
My lantern i-s my light,
Above the sta-rs are shining,
And both of u-s are bright,
A light to honor St. Martin.
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.
A light to honor St. Martin.
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.

I walk with my pretty lantern,
My lantern i-s my light,
Above the sta-rs are shining,
And both of u-s are bright,
My light is out, I'm going home.
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.
My light is out, I'm going home
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.

Here it is in German....




Ich geh mit meiner Laterne
und meine Laterne mit mir.*
Dort oben leuchten die Sterne
und unten, da leuchten wir.
Der Hahn, der kräht, die Katz miaut.
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.
Der Hahn, der kräht, die Katz miaut.
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.

Ich geh mit meiner Laterne
und meine Laterne mit mir.
Dort oben leuchten die Sterne
und unten, da leuchten wir.
Der Martinsmann, der zieht voran.
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.
Der Martinsmann, der zieht voran.
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.

Ich geh mit meiner Laterne
und meine Laterne mit mir.
Dort oben leuchten die Sterne
und unten, da leuchten wir.
Laternenlicht, verlösch mir nicht!
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.
Laternenlicht, verlösch mir nicht!
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.

Ich geh mit meiner Laterne
und meine Laterne mit mir.
Dort oben leuchten die Sterne
und unten, da leuchten wir.
Ein Lichtermeer zu Martins Ehr!
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.
Ein Lichtermeer zu Martins Ehr!
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.

Ich geh mit meiner Laterne
und meine Laterne mit mir.
Dort oben leuchten die Sterne,
Hier unten, da leuchten wir.
Mein Licht ist aus,
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.
Wir geh’n nach Haus.
Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum.


Lantern parade - it was a little shorter than usual because of the awful weather. But we made a go of it anyways!




Then we had coockies and mulled punch - non-alcoholic... here are the lanterns taking a break.