@Claremorris946 @jojo_hynes @creativeirl @artscouncil_ie

“For the next hour, we advise the whole country move to level Gortskehy”

As part of our Creative Schools initiative 3rd and 4th class were presented with the opportunity of creating a radio show. We worked very hard with Jojo Hynes, our creative associate and Claremorris Community Radio. We started by brainstorming ideas and began the creative process of putting radio pieces together. We learned how to make radio reports, how to present items for radio and how to structure an hour of radio. We covered everything from the news and weather to farming to the sports desk and everything else in between. We also included some seasonal pieces as it was being aired on Christmas Day 2020.

We would like to thank Jojo Hynes and Claremorris Community Radio for giving us the opportunity of a lifetime. We had great fun putting this together and we hope you enjoy ‘Gortskehy Radio’ as created by 3rd and 4th Class. We definitely have a few budding radio stars in our midst here in Gortskehy National School.

Link

Gortskehy on Claremorris Community Radio 94.6 FM.

“A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.” – Douglas Pagels

Over the last few weeks the middle room have learned a lot about the importance of friendship. For friendship week we had our secret friend project, where each child picked a name of another child in our class from the hat. Over that week they were to be extra kind to this person without them realising. At the end of the week each child shared some lovely facts they may have already known or even learned about their secret friend that week. This week we have concentrated a little more on the importance of friendship. The class were divided into groups to create a poem based on our topic. I think the results are fantastic and I’m sure you will all agree.

Following all our hard work we went outside to enjoy some of the lovely sunshine today.

Our Reading Buddy program is an initiative where older students participate in a paired reading activity with younger students.

This year, pupils from 4^th/5^th/6th classes (Big Buddies) were paired with pupils from 1^st and 2^nd classes (Little Buddies).  The pupils meet twice a week for 8 weeks.  Each week, the pairs & small groups read aloud to each other, benefiting both students reading & listening skills.

The ‘Little Buddies’ benefit from:

• hearing stories read-aloud (modelling of reading fluency, phrasing and expression)
• having conversations with an older student about topics that interest and involve them (extending their vocabulary, oral language abilities)
• having regular opportunities to practice familiar reading with assistance
• enjoying fun, positive experiences with older school children.

The ‘Big Buddies’ benefit from:

• further developing their own literacy skills
• fostering leadership and problem-solving skills
• improved self-confidence that comes from being looked-up to
• a very real and important reason to be responsible, and an opportunity to praised for positive behaviour

Reading Buddies can promote a higher interest and participation in reading, improvement in social and communication skills.  And, most importantly, it’s just FUN!

Here are some pictures of our buddies in action!

Over the past few days we’ve had five online meetings with our partner schools in France, Croatia, Portugal, Lithuania and Austria. We sang Silent Night in Irish, English and played it on the tin whistle. The other schools also sang Silent Night in their native language. We asked each other questions about Christmas in each country and played an online card game where we had to try and find the matching Santas.  Everyone from Infants to Sixth class took part. It was great fun.

The middle room got into the Christmas spirit last week and we were very creative! We enjoyed making our elves and writing about them. It was great fun! Santa has lots of Elves this year! Happy Christmas from the middle room!