A leithéid de sheachtain! Dé Máirt atá ann anois agus tá mé go fóill ag teacht ar ais chugam féin i ndiaidh na seachtaine seo caite. Seachtain lán ranganna, taisteal, cairde agus grá. Nuair a smaoinigh mé ar an mblag seo a scríobh shíl mé go mbeadh croí trom agam, go mbeadh mé brónach i ndiaidh mo ranganna sna Sé Chontae a chríochnú agus cairde a fhágáil. Ach a mhalairt ar fad atá á mhothú agam. Tá croí go hiomlán lán agam!

What a week! It is Tuesday and I feel like I am still recovering from last week! I had a week full of classes, travelling, friends – old and new, and so much love! When I thought about writing this blog about the past week, I thought that I would be writing it with a heavy heart after all of my goodbyes but in fact, I have such a full heart after it all! A heart full of love and gratitude for it all!

Chomh maith le bheith ag múineadh ó thuaidh an tseachtain seo caite, bhí mé ag múineadh i gConamara freisin. Bhí ranganna agam mar chuid de chúrsa A le Coláiste Chamuis agus sílim gur thuig an chuid is mó de na scoláirí a bhí agam mé, go háirithe na scoláirí níos sine. Nuair a shiúil mé isteach sa halla sin rith sé liom nach raibh mé cinnte an raibh mé níos neirbhísí an lá sin, nó ar na laethanta gur thosaigh mé ann agus mé i mo scoláire. Tá roinnt taithí agam le déagóirí ach ní an-chuid agus cosúil le chuile dhuine, tá siad uilig difriúil óna chéile ach de bharr m’easpa taithí leo agus díreach toisc gur grúpa nua a bhí ann bhí eagla an domhain orm agus mé ag gabháil isteach le ranganna aireachais a mhúineadh dóibh. I ndiaidh an chéad rang, d’athraigh mé ord an ranga thart ach don chuid is mó sílim gur bhain siad sult as agus gur d’fhoghlaim siad rud nó dhó. Bhí an rang céanna agam do gach grúpa ach bhí gach uile rang difriúil toisc gur grúpa difriúil a bhí ann.  

As well as teaching in the North this week I was also teaching in Connemara. I was teaching mindfulness classes as part of Coláiste Chamuis’s Cúrsa A and I think the students understood some of what I was teaching! Which is always a plus! When I walked into that hall to teach I couldn’t work out if I was more nervous that day or on the days way back when when I was a student! I do have some experience with teaching teenagers but not a lot, and as well as that they’re all different, just like we are I guess! But due to my lack of experience and simply because they were a new group for me I was really nervous! After my first class I changed around the order of what I was teaching but all in all I think they enjoyed learning about mindfulness and I think some of them may have even learnt a thing or two as well! I taught the same class to every group but it was never actually the same class because it was a new group with fresh ideas and fresh eyes.

An uair dheireanach roimhe seo go raibh mé i nGaillimh, ná mí Feabhra na bliana seo. Bhí an cinneadh déanta agam go mbogfainn go Gaillimh ach bhí a fhios agam go raibh cúpla mí go fóill le dul agam. Shíl mé ag an am sin agus mé ag tabhairt cúirte ar chara liom go mothóinn níos fearr faoin gcinneadh. Go mbeadh faoiseamh nó rud éigin le mothú agam agus mé ar ais ann ach níor mhothaigh. Mhothaigh mé níos measa. Chuir an turas ar fad eagla orm; thosaigh mé ag ceistiú mé féin; b’fhéidir nach seo an áit is fearr dom, bheadh sé i bhfad níos fusa fanacht i mBéal Feirste, áit atá cairde agam agus atá fios mo bhealaigh agam….ach an uair seo, a mhalairt fad a tharla!

Before this, the last time I was in Galway was in February this year. At that point I had decided that I was moving to Galway but I knew that it wouldn’t be for another few months. I thought that going down to visit my friend would make me feel better. I thought that I would get some sort of a ‘you’ve made the right decision’ feeling but I didn’t. Being in the city made me really nervous, it made me start questioning whether Galway was where I should go, I even started wondering if I should stay in Belfast but this trip had me feeling the complete opposite!  

Bhí deis agam ranganna aireachais a mhúineadh i nGaeilge; an dhá rud is ansa liom tagtha le chéile! Cuireadh fáilte mhór romham sa choláiste agus chas mé le seanchairde agus daoine nua. Bhí brón de chineál éigin orm agus mé ag fágáil ar an gCéadaoin ach brón le croí lán a bhí ann!

I had the opportunity to teach mindfulness classes in Irish; two of my favourite things coming together. The staff at Coláiste Chamuis and Gearóid Denvir who happened to be there as well all welcomed me with open arms. I met old friends who are teaching there and I also met lots of new people. I was even a little sad to be leaving on Wednesday but I had a full heart which made the sadness feel a little better.

Ansin ar an Déardaoin, bhí mé scriosta i ndiaidh an taistil ar fad ach bhí a fhios agam go raibh lá mothúchánach romham agus mé ag fágáil slán le Bunscoil Naomh Seosamh sna Sruthán. Le linn na hoibre ar fad atá déanta agam orm féin, go háirithe le Miranda MacPherson le blianta beaga anuas, d’fhoghlaim mé neart fuaim féin. Ceann de na rudaí a d’fhoghlaim mé ná ó aois an-óg bheartaigh mé nach raibh agus nach bhfuil mé tábhachtach. Croí-chreidiúint atá ann dom agus dá bharr, de gnáth níor tharraing mé aird orm féin. Thaitin ‘Slán na hÉireannaigh’ go mór liom; sleamhnú amach an dorais gan slán a fhágáil le héinne. Ach le dul i ngleic leis an gcreidiúint seo bhí orm a rá leis na daltaí agus na múinteoirí ar fad in Naomh Seosamh go raibh mé ag fágáil agus dá bharr bhí lá deireanach álainn agam! Tugadh bronntanais gleoite dom, glacadh pictiúir agus bhí barróga go leor ann dom! Shíl mé go mbeadh mo chroí trom i ndiaidh an lae sin ach arís eile bhí mo chroí lán grá agus tá mé thar a bheith buíoch de na múinteoirí agus na daltaí ar fad! Ach go háirithe de Louise a chruthaigh an fráma álainn dom le gach dalta istigh ann! (thíos) A leithéid de thalún!

And then on Thursday, I was wreaked after all of my travelling but I knew that I had a big emotional day ahead of me in St Joseph’s. In recent years, with the help of my meditation practice and my teacher Miranda MacPherson I have learnt a lot about myself. One of the things that I learnt is that one of my core beliefs is that I am not important. I developed this belief as a young child and as a result of it I have avoided drawing any attention to myself. I really loved the ‘Irish goodbye’ of slipping out the door without saying anything to anyone. But in order to help myself break down this belief I had to tell the students and teachers at St Joseph’s that I was leaving and the result of that was that I had a lovely last day! I was given some lovely presents, had my picture taken with the students and I got lots of hugs! I thought that I would have a heavy heart after it all but I was completely the opposite! My heart was so full of love and gratitude for the students and teachers, especially for Louise who made me such a beautiful present with all of the children in it (below). What talent!

Mar a dúirt mé ag an tús, tá mé go fóill ag teacht ar ais chugam féin i ndiaidh na seachtaine ach níl an t-am agam sos a ghlacadh go fóill – tá aistriúcháin le déanamh, lóistín le haimsiú, an carr le socrú agus bhí cúpla ag cara liom an tseachtain seo caite freisin! A leithéid de sheachtain! Agus tá mé thar a bheith buíoch de na cairde ar fad atá agam timpeall na tíre a lig dom fanacht leo, chuir siad go mór leis an seachtain agus deis cainte agam leo, chomh maith leis na béiltí a tugadh dom! Mo ghrá sibh!

As I mentioned above, I am still recovering from the past week but I don’t have the time yet to take a break – I have translations to do, accommodation to find, a car to sort out and my best friend had twins last week as well! What a week! And it really wouldn’t have been the same without the fantastic friends I have all over the country that put me up, gave me a chance to catch up with them and even fed me! Thank you all! Xx

Dátheangach/Bilingual

Bhog mé amach as mo theach i mBéal Feirste seachtain ó shin. Faoi láthair tá mo stuif scaipeadh idir trí sheomra i dteach mo thuismitheoirí agus mo charr. An plean atá agam ná a bheith lonnaithe i mBaile Átha Cliath go dtí am éigin i mí Iúil nuair a bhogfaidh mé go Gaillimh. Tá mé go fóill ag múineadh i mbunscoil in Iúr Chinn Trá ar an Déardaoin agus in scoil taobh amuigh de Bhéal Feirste ar an Aoine. An tseachtain seo shroich mé Bunscoil Naomh Seosaimh sna Sruthán leis na ranganna a mhúineadh ansin nuair a thug mé faoi dheara nach raibh mo liathróid liom. Le gach rud trína chéile le seachtain anuas; idir pacáil, bogadh tí agus ag fágáil slán le rudaí áirithe ní raibh iontas orm gur rinne mé dearmad air an liathróid a bhíonn á úsáid agam sa rang tacaíochta foghlamtha.

I moved out of my house in Belfast a week ago so right now my stuff is scattered over three rooms in my parents’ house and my car. I plan on being based in Dublin until I move to Galway, sometime in July but I am still teaching in a primary school in Newry on a Thursday and in an afterschool club in North Down on Friday. This week I arrived at St Joseph’s Primary School, Bessbrook to teach my four classes when I realised I had forgotten the ball. In all of the chaos of last the week and my things being scattered everywhere I had forgotten to bring one of my props for my Learning Support class.

Tá mé ag múineadh sna ranganna uathachas agus tacaíocht foghlamtha i mBunscoil Naomh Seosaimh le dhá bhliain go leith. Nuair a thosaigh mé, ní raibh aon rud faoin uathachas ar eolas agam. Dhá mhí i ndiaidh gur thosaigh mé leo, dúirt duine éigin liom nach maith le daoine le huathachas nuair a leagann daoine eile lámh orthu. Mar chuid den rang Relax Kids déanaimid cumailt orainn féin agus ar a chéile, le cead. Sin ceann de na rudaí ab fhearr leo faoi na ranganna. Dá má rud é gur shíl mé nach n-éireoidh go maith leis an gcuid sin den rang, ní bheadh mé i ndiaidh triail a bhaint as, agus nach mórán trua a bheadh ansin!

I have been teaching in St Joseph’s Autism Specific classes and more recently in their Learning Support classes for two and a half years now. When I started I knew nothing at all about autism. Two months into my classes with them, I was told that people with autism don’t like to be touched. Part of a Relax Kids class is massage, self and peer massage with permission. It’s one of their favourite parts of the class. Had I known that ‘usually’ children with autism do not like to be touched when I had entered that classroom on the first day I wouldn’t have even tried to do massage with them and what a disappointment that would have been!

Ó gur thosaigh mé leo d’fhoghlaim mé an t-uafás faoin uathachas ach an rud is mó ná go bhfuil na páistí uilig an-difriúil agus go bhfuil rudaí éagsula ag teastáil uathu ar fad. Is maith leis an gcuid is mó dóibh gach rud a bheith mar an gcéanna sna ranganna gach seachtain agus sin an fáth gur rud mór a bhí ann nuair a rinne mé dearmad ar an liathróid. Ach ansin tá páistí eile sa rang céanna agus is maith leo má athraíonn rudaí gach seachtain. Tá roinnt páistí an-mhaith ag caint, roinnt acu a roghnaíonn gan labhairt agus cuid eile nach bhfuil in ann labhairt ar cur ar bith.

I have learnt so much about autism since I started teaching there but the biggest thing I have learnt is that each of the children with autism are different. Most of the children like to have everything exactly the same every week which is why forgetting my affirmation ball was such a big deal but in the same class I have other children who like me to change up what we do. Some of the children talk fluently, some of them chose not to speak and some of them cannot speak.

Nuair a chas mé le rang nua san ionad agus iad ag tosú ar an mbunscoil, mhínigh an múinteoir dom nach mbeadh buachaill amháin liom don chéad cúpla seachtain. D’inis sí dom nach raibh an buachaill seo in ann glacadh leis nuair a dúirt na múinteoirí leis go raibh air rudaí áirithe a dhéanamh. Bhí orthu rogha de trí rud a thabhairt dó agus roghnaigh sé ceann amháin acu le déanamh. Bhí air smacht a bheith aige féin ar an rud a bhí á dhéanamh aige agus é 4 bhliain d’aois agus ghlac na múinteoirí leis. Bhí mé ar tí caoineadh nuair a mhínigh an múinteoir seo ar fad dom. Chaill mé misneach sa chóras oideachais tamall ó shin toisc go mbíonn siad ag cur brú ar gach duine a bheith díreach mar an gcéanna. Tógáil croí atá ann ag obair sna ranganna seo agus na múinteoirí ar fad ag obair go crua le dul i ngleic pé rud a thagann chucu.
 
Six months after I started teaching there, a new group of children started with one of the teachers. It was explained to me that one of the little boys in the class wouldn’t be participating in my class for the first few weeks because he couldn’t cope with being told what to do. He had to be given a choice. So the teachers accommodated this by giving him a choice of three different activities. When I was told this I nearly cried. I couldn’t believe how much time and care was being given to one little boy. I have lost a lot of faith in the education system due to it’s ‘fit everyone into the same shaped hole’ attitude to teaching but the autism specific classes and learning support classes in St Joseph’s Primary School Bessbrook have touched my heart.

Bhí roinnt deacrachtaí ag na páistí na ranganna Relax Kids a dhéanamh ag an tús, go háirithe an cuid ag an deireadh nuair a luíonn gach duine síos ar an talamh go ciúin. Is breá liom anois ag breathnú orthu ar fad agus iad ag baint suilt as an ‘nap’ a bhíonn acu ag deireadh an ranga. Is aoibheann liom nuair a insíonn na múinteoirí dom faoi na hanálaithe móra fada atá á glacadh ag na páistí ‘mar a mhúin Katie dóibh’ nuair atá siad trína chéile. Ardaíonn sé mo chroí nuair a thagann na múinteoirí chugam ag insint dom an difir a dhéanann na cleachtais a bhíonn á mhúineadh agam do na páistí.

I love going into the school and seeing how far the children have come. A lot of them really struggled with lying still at the end of class when we first started so I love seeing them enjoy and ask if they can ‘have a nap now’. I love hearing stories about upset children arriving into school and being told to do their deep breathing ‘like Katie taught them’ and them being as right as rain afterwards. I get that warm fuzzy feeling when I hear about the difference Relax Kids is having on the children.

An tseachain seo, thuig mé níos mó ná riamh an fáth go mbíonn na daltaí ag iarraidh go mbeidh gach rud mar an gcéanna. Chuaigh mé isteach sa scoil an tseachtain seo agus bhí sé amhlaidh is go raibh mé tagtha abhaile. Bhí gach rud mar an gcéanna ann agus mhothaigh mé níos suaimhnaí láithreach. Thuig mé go mbeadh raic ann toisc nach raibh an liathróid agam don tríú rang ach ní raibh iontas orm go raibh sé dearmadtha agam.

This week I understood the students need to have order and sameness more then ever. Arriving into the school this week felt like arriving home. I had a lovely sense of sameness as I made my cup of tea in the morning and I was greeted with smiles by students and teachers alike. I knew my missing ball would cause havoc but after a chaotic week of moving and packing and goodbyes I wasn’t surprised that something had slipped. Arriving into St Joseph’s was like a breath of fresh air after my tiring, messy week.