The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,200 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.
In 1937 a major project was undertaken in Irish primary schools to preserve the folklore and traditions throughout the country. Pupils from 5th and 6th classes (aged 11-14) were asked to collect the traditional cures, prayers, proverbs, curses and local history from their parents and grandparents. This was then written in special copybooks in school and transferred to the National Archives in Dublin for preservation. Over 5,000 pupils took part in the project and a vast collection of folklore was preserved for future generations. In 2010 the Irish National television station R.T.E. decided to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the folklore commission with a series of programmes called Ó Bhéal go Béal. (From Mouth to Mouth) In the third programme four people were interviewed who had taken part in the project in 1937-38 when they were in primary school. Now in their eighties, these four people were shown the manuscripts which they had carefully written down 72 years previously. One of the people interviewed was Criostóir Ó Tuama, who was principal of our school in Newmarket from 1953 to 1988. Mr Ó Tuama had collected the folklore from his grandmother who was 96 at the time. Mr. Ó Tuama is a native Irish speaker from Ballyvourney in West Cork and his description of the prayers and sayings of his grandmother was recalled with great clarity. The programme was beautifully made and the four people interviewed provided a wonderful description of their schooldays and the rural Ireland of the 1930’s.
You can watch the programme here:
The popular bouncy castle on June 14. Photos by Anna K. Hellevang.
The trip to Ireland was a great experience. We, Birgitte Shan Qi and Maren think it is a nice way of learning English languages.
The trip started on Monday 13th of June. We travelled from Åkra to Flesland in Bergen by car. Then we took a plane from Flesland to Copenhagen and further to Dublin. In Dublin a taxi was waiting for us. The taxi took us to a hotel. The host families came to the hotel and drove us back to their homes. I and Maren stayed with Hannah O’Connor. Their house was beautiful. It seemed like a Norwegian castle.
Celebration at school
On Tuesday 14th of June we went to the school. We stayed at the school for some hours, and then we travelled to Kilkenny castle. The castle was around 800 years old. On the back of the castle was a big fountain. Inside the castle you were not allowed to take photos.
On the evening it was a party on the school. It was because they opened a new classroom at the school. And they also hoisted the green flag St. Brendan´s School had earned after hard work on environmental planning. This was also the last gathering in connection of the Comenius project. School kids from each of the three schools planted a flower each and they unveiled a plate in the park to remember the project. It was also a big and a small bouncy castle at the school, and all the kids had a blast.
Birgitte Shan Qi Farestveit and Maren Bauge Vika, Åkra school, Norway
Photos by Anna Kirsten Hellevang
The group of Norwegians, English and Irish pupils had a blast on June 15 doing water sports activities all afternoon.
Mikal and Heidi here: We are going to tell you about Wednesday the 15 June when we were in Waterford. First we got wetsuits, buoyancy and helmets. Then we went into the canoes and learned how to paddle. We tried to stand in the canoes and then someone fell off. Then we paddled into a beach and had a paddle boat relay. Then everybody went on a speedboat after turns. When the first group were in the speedboat, the others played a game called sandy beach. It was to look most sandy. The three who was most sandy choose a person that they could dig down in the sand. And of course they choose me (Heidi) because I was not so sandy. Everybody went for a swim to get off the sand, but did not get everything off. Then we paddled into the center. We thought it was an amazing experience.
By Heidi Øvstebø Kvame and Mikal Øvstebø from Åkra, Norway
Here are some of the photos from the canoeing, paddle boat and speed boat activities. Photos by Tom Duggan
Another year has come and gone,
As with the memories, more happy than sad.
It’s hard to believe,
Four trips we have made,
Each one as exciting as the next.
Now, on the first day of June,
We are all eagerly awaiting the fifth.
To Ireland they shall come,
And stay with us here.
The Comenius Project has been a huge success,
How could it not be,
With all the fun we’ve had?!
Now, down to business,
There is a question I have to answer.
What is it to be a European?
Well, for me, the answer is simple,
It’s to live in or be born in Europe.
Alas, there is another matter for me to settle.
What is it to be a good European?
I’ve gotten to the hard bit,
This might take a while,
So I ask you for your patience.
A good European is a debatable deal.
But since you’ve asked of my opinion,
I shall give you the knowledge.
For me, a good European is any Euro citizen
Who gives respect.
Either to fellow Euro citizens or countries.
But the main thing that divides good from bad is helpfulness.
A citizen who helps fellow Europeans in need
A citizen who helps fellow European countries in need.
But, though there are few,
They still exist.
This is what I am talking about.
Citizens who help anyone in need,
Citizens who help any country in need
For me are good Europeans.
There you go,
My opinion you have.
On the Comenius Project,
The question they ask.
Mairéad Barron
6th Class
Mikal Øvstebø in 6th grade was the lucky winner of a photo competition held by the local newspaper Grenda. He submitted a photo from our National day, 17th of May, got his photo published and won a gift gard.
Mikal had gotten a brand new SLR camera on 16th of May. The 5.th – 7.th grade had homework to take photos on our National day, 17th of May. The day after, we made a visit in our local newspaper Grenda with its office in Rosendal. There Mikal and the rest of the class watched how they worked on lay out and how Mikal´s photo was cropped and put into a page in the next edition of Grenda. He had taken many photos from the parade and from little children. But the best photo he got when his mother stood in her National costume over a fan, and the wind made the rock lift, and she almost locked like she was flying. In the following edition Mikal was picked out as the winner of a gift card valued NOK 2,000 on an electric store in Rosendal.
– I am quite surprised, happy and excited, says Mikal, who did not expect to win at all. His effort really payed off.
Anna K. Hellevang – teacher Åkra for 5. – 7. grade
17th of May is celebrated all over Norway. In Åkra and in Baugstranda pupils from Åkra school came together and celebrated our freedom.
It was on 17th of May 1814 Norway got their constitution. This happened after more than 400 years under Danish rule in the union with Denmark. Norway came under Swedish rule, but could keep their constitution. This was the start of becoming an independent country. In 1905 Norway declared their freedom from Sweden, and this happened peacefully. Being a free country should not be taken for granted, and the Norwegians are proud patriots ,especially when it comes to celebrating their National day. Most places this is done with parades in the streets, speeches, lots of good food, games and having fun together.
Anna K. Hellevang
Thursday 28th April 2011 Inghild Skeiseid from Peace in Colombia visited our school. She told us about the kindergarten in San Vicente in Colombia. 5th -7th grade saved money for this kindergarten by selling our own school newspaper, and also by buying jewellery made in Colombia.
In this way the children in San Vicente will get a better place to live. Inghild, who is leading this project, told us about the kindergarten. She had visited the kindergarten many times and brought with her money that different schools and people in Norway had collected. She showed us pictures from the city and how it was to live there. The most of the people lived in small houses and they seemed to be very poor. They seemed to own nearly nothing. I think it is important to help other people, because they are so poor and we are very rich. If we just give a little, they can get a better life.
The organization “Fred i Colombia” (Peace in Colombia) have bought a farm. The plan is to get money to build up the farm, so kids who have finished kindergarten can come and work at the farm, play with each other and have a nice time.
We can all help them with money. If you want to know more about the Colombia-project you can find it on the following website: www.fredicolombia.com.
By Ruth Solveig Årthun Bergane
 | Boyce on Comenius Poem |
 | Lars Eirik on Ireland June 13-16 2011… |
 | Kiah Dwyer on Ireland June 13-16 2011… |
 | Catherine Cassin on Ireland June 13-16 2011… |
 | stbrendans on Ireland June 13-16 2011… |
Small School Big World 