American students visit St. Conaire’s

St. Conaire’s played host to a group of American graduate students and their professors this week.  The group travelled from Frostburg State University in Maryland.  They are in Ireland as part of a two-week study trip looking at all aspects of the Irish education system.  They spent three days with us in St. Conaire’s to look at the primary education sector.  A particular focus of their time with us related to how we might improve Literacy attainment and how children might be encouraged to read for pleasure.  They observed Aistear, the framework for early childhood learning, as well as Literacy Lift Off, Mata sa Rang, Guided Reading and our Maths Initiative in the Senior Classes.  They also shared a wide variety of American children’s literature with us and attended assembly.  To round off their time in St. Conaire’s, the students and faculty were taught some basic hurling skills by teachers Colm Pilkington and Roisin McMahon.