PRIDE OF OUR PLACE - The Centre for Cross Border Studies

• Making choices• Communication• PresentationInterpersonalSome of the areas noted under the heading of skills development by the teachers in theinterpersonal area were:• Making new friends• Talking together• Meeting children for the first time• Mixing with new friends in a different setting than normal• Being responsible for making children feel welcome• Group work• Responsibility for others• Discussing and planning together• Communication via e-mail and letter writing• Social interaction• Initiating and sustaining conversations• Developing personal relationshipsMany of the areas highlighted by the teachersare curriculum objectives and the projectprovided the context for these skills to bedeveloped in a meaningful and relevant way.Many teachers commented on how this aspectof the project proved beneficial in thatcurriculum requirements could be fulfilledthrough the project without adding to theclass timetable. Many examples of crosscurricularwork undertaken are highlightedthroughout this report, e.g. the visual artsproject on Cúchulainn, the garden projects,the seashore studies, the writing project onFionn Mc Cumhaill, the local studies projects.What the teachers saidLinks with other school involved, group work on drama, interviews with their families andtalks with the local historian. (Teacher, Year Two)Chatting and making friends during the two visits; working together to complete setactivities; playing interactive collaborative games. (Teacher, Year Two)Children worked in groups and had to agree on procedures. (Teacher, Year Two)They had to make an effort to mingle and get to know children they would not normallymeet. (Teacher, Year Two)What the pupils saidThat you can make friends easily with people you don’t know.50 Pride of our Place 2002-2006