This short video is a snapshot of how we used Zoom during the Covid-19 lockdown.

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From our experience over the past few weeks, here are some practical tips which may be helpful to other schools.

– Set up one recurring Zoom meeting for all sessions and have pupils register before joining. In this way, the same link and meeting ID works for all sessions. Having pupils register also means that the results from Zoom meeting polls are linked to each pupil in your class.

– Set up breakout rooms by class (boys/girls). Before most of our Zoom lessons pupils log in early so they can chat to each other privately in the group breakout rooms. Some also chat together after each lesson and it’s a great social aspect to the Zoom Education platform.

– At the start of each lesson click on the ‘Participants’ button and ask pupils to raise their virtual hand to make sure they all can hear you.

– Mute all microphones at the start of the lesson. Pupils can unmute their own microphones as required.

– Use the Chat feature for feedback and to check for understanding. This is useful on a number of levels:
1) everyone is engaged at the same time;
2) feedback is private so pupils don’t have to worry about being unsure of the answer;
3) the teacher can accurately assess who understands the particular concept and who doesn’t.

– Bring in a guest speaker. Almost every community has some friend or family members living abroad so there’s great excitement in interviewing them on Zoom.

– Sharing video can have mixed results depending on the quality of the pupils’ internet connection. Maybe, try podcasts instead. Get the children to write two or three questions in their copies as they listen. Have a Q & A session after every 10 minutes using the pupil questions to keep the lesson interactive. Check out Imagined Life and American Innovations

– In a multi-class setting, maths lessons are best held in individual class groups. All other subject lessons work fine in common.

– Team teaching on Zoom with the SEN teacher works great.

@gaa5star @activeflag @OpTranRTE @GAA_Handball

We have had a great 6 weeks of handball here in Gortskehy, led by Tim Foley of Tourmakeady Handball Club.

Handball is an all inclusive sport, where anyone of any ability can play. It incorporates lots of our fundamental movement skills, such as catching, throwing, side stepping, running, balance and striking with the hand. It also enables children to develop other skills such as hand-eye coordination and concentration.

We were very lucky as we got to go to Ballinrobe Handball Alley to see a handball match. We also got to play in a 40×20 alley. It was a wonderful experience for the children to see a real alley and have the opportunity to play there.

We would like to thank Tim Foley for being so generous with his time over the past few weeks and giving the children the opportunity to try a new sport.

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@activeflag @MayoSport1 @Garrymoregaa

We are off to very active start this year!

Handball has just started for 1st-6th class and we are really excited about developing our handball skills!  We would like to thank Tim Foley of Tourmakeady Handball Club for his time over the coming weeks.

Our senior room had a super day at Bay Sports Athlone today. It was a fun filled day from start to finish. The children took part in a range of activities including  bushcraft skills, pedal boating,pedal carting and fun on the inflatable water park. I think you can tell from the smiles the class thoroughly enjoyed the day.

@activeflag @Mayosport1 @HealthyIreland

Yesterday evening was very exciting for us  with our girls and boys teams winning the Heaney Shield and McCartan Cup titles in Hollymount. The mixed teams consisted of pupils from Gortskehy NS, Robeen NS, Lehinch NS & Cloghans Hill NS. We had two very energetic games and would like to say a very well done to Roundfort NS also. A special thanks to our trainers Brendan Murphy and Pat Hession and to all that came out to cheer us on yesterday. Well done everyone!

Over the last few months Cathal & Evan two pupils from 5^th class took part in the NUI Galway Youth Academy spring programme. This was a wonderful opportunity for the pupils to gain an insight into college learning. Evan studied Biotechnology & Biomedical Engineering –  “Biolegos: Engineering with the Building Blocks of Life“, and Cathal studied all about the Irish law system “The World of Cops and Robbers: Learning the Law”. Evan informed our class that he really enjoyed the course and over the 6 week programme they covered many topics about the human body including DNA, bacteria & repairing broken bones. Evan also had to opportunity to complete some experiments. Evan’s course took place in the new Engineering building on the NUI Galway campus. Cathal informed the class that he looked at many aspects of the law throughout his course including  jurors, cases and identifying what the world would be like if there were no laws. At the end of each day they would have a competition to see who could remember the most laws. The course helped Cathal understand a lot more about the legal system in Ireland. Cathal’s course took place in the Millennium building on the NUI Galway campus. We would like to congratulate both pupils for taking part in the course.

It was a fun-filled week in Croatia – visiting Zagreb Zoo, Bundek lake and park by the Sava River, Veternica Cave at Park Prirode, Medvednica, Nikola Tesla Museum and coal mines.

The pupils introduced their Croatian friends to Irish dancing and football. We cannot thank our hosts enough (teachers, parents and pupils)  for their huge amount of work in preparing such a memorable trip and taking care of Aoife, Cathal, Evan, Kellyann and Ruby.

Thanks also to Michelle Gannon for accompanying us and being such a great help. The video linked to this article shows the broad range of activities that the pupils took part in during the week.

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Members of the Croatian Red Cross came to the school and gave a First Aid demonstration in the yard. They painted injuries on Cathal, Evan, Kellyann and Ruby who acted as the injured parties. Aoife can sometimes be allergic to body paint so she joined her Croatian friends and watched the demonstration.

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We were invited to the Irish Embassy in Zagreb by ambassador Olive Hempenstall. She explained the work of the embassy and notable links between Ireland and Croatia. In 1902 the famous Irish author, James Joyce, moved to Pula on the south west coast for a year.

From the 16th century onwards a large number of dispossessed and defeated rebel soldiers, commonly referred to as ‘the Wild Geese’, left Ireland. They went on to serve in armies and navies across the European continent often in distinct Irish Brigades. One of the most distinguished is Laval Graf Nugent von Westmeath, born in County Westmeath in 1777. He rose to the very top of the Habsburg military and social establishment in the 19th century. Among his notable achievements, Nugent defeated Napoleon’s brother in law in battle, liberated Rome from the French, founded his own museum and campaigned for Croatian independence.

Throughout his lifetime he developed a strong affinity for the Croatian people, their heritage and their culture and the archaeological collections he assembled can still be viewed in the Archaeological Museum of Zagreb.

Our visit to Dinamo Zagreb stadium was great. Cathal wore his Antoine Griezmann jersey which didn’t go down too well with the guide who jokingly said he’d have to take it off before he would let him in. 🙂 Griezmann scored the first goal for France in the 2018 World Cup Final. His free kick led to an own goal by Mario Mandzukic of Croatia. France went on to win 4 – 2. The facilities in the stadium were fantastic with players’ bedrooms, gym, sauna, massage rooms and even an oratory. The video below shows the highlights of the day.

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We made some new friends at school and had a lovely time in the Botanical Gardens. The Museum of Illusions revealed just how much Evan is thriving in Croatia!