Visiting Teachers
We have had three visiting teachers from America. These teachers come for about eight weeks to get experience of our system and the programme is organised through the Clare Education Centre.
The first American teacher was Jimmy Stafford. He came to Ireland 2 years ago. Jimmy came into 4th and 5th class and taught us all about stars, comets and space. Jimmy was nearly always in 6th class when he wasn’t with the other classes.
He told the pupils about where he lived. Jimmy’s parents came to the school at the end of his stay here. While Jimmy was here he played basketball and rounders with us.
The next American teacher to visit was Katy Corcoran. She played a game called ‘Around the world’ which helped us with our tables. She played another called 'hibernation'. Katy painted every week with a different group. Her mother is an artist and when she came she painted a picture of the Cliffs of Moher in front of pupils in Fourth, fifth and sixth classes. When Katy was leaving she gave us a pencil and two chocolate sweets. She left after our Christmas concert.
Meagan Norby taught in our school during November and December 1998. Meagan came from Iowa and she told us that Iowa was farming country a little bit like Ireland. In fifth and sixth class we did a project on the Mississippi River and our teacher made a video of us talking about the project. Meagan spent some time teaching and observing in all the classes. We think she is teaching in New Zealand now.