Our Erasmus+ Journey...
Scoil Cholmáin Tuairíní are delighted to be a part of The Galway Education Centre Erasmus+ Consortium programme. This programme is funded by the European Union and aims to support the implementation of modern foreign languages across Irish primary schools.
It complements the “Say Yes to Foreign Languages” programme currently running in primary schools nationwide. Collaboration with European schools and teachers, alongside other Irish primary schools, supports improved resource development, planning and the effective implementation of foreign language teaching.
Our Erasmus+ journey so far:
Erasmus in Cádiz (Múinteoir Aideen)
At the end of September, Múinteoir Aideen had the privilege of travelling to sunny Spain with 14 other Galway schools as part of our Erasmus+ project. Our partner school, CEIP Tierno Galván, is located just outside Cádiz city centre and we were really treated to a Céad Míle Fáilte - Spanish style! We observed English lessons and autism support classes, gaining valuable insights into how language is taught to children
with additional needs. The Spanish pupils were very curious to learn about life in Ireland - they loved exploring our school website and welcome video!
One exciting outcome is that Rang 3–6 now have penpals with CEIP Tierno Galván, which will give pupils an authentic way to practise language and cultural exchange.
It was eye-opening to see how well-resourced schools in Spain are, with a Speech & Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, and Psychologist working onsite daily in our partner school. They were quite surprised to hear that this isn’t the case in Ireland!
Erasmus in Tallinn (Múinteoir Dee)
Múinteoir Dee’s host school was Püha Johannese Kool (St. John’s School) in Tallinn, Estonia. The newly built campus consists of three distinct wings — preschool, primary school, and secondary school — all connected by a central canteen, church and assembly hall.
A particularly striking feature of the school was the independence of the children. Many pupils travel alone on trams and trains throughout Tallinn. Within the school, there are no bells to signal the beginning or end of lessons. Instead, students manage their own time using watches and move independently between classes. Children of all ages go to lunch and out to play independently, returning to their classrooms promptly when their time is up — without reminders. It was fascinating to observe this level of self-management and responsibility in practice. In the canteen, the children used proper glassware, jugs, plates and cutlery. They cleaned up after themselves and ensured the space was prepared for the next group before leaving, further reinforcing the strong culture of independence and responsibility evident throughout the school.
The structure of the primary school closely resembles that of secondary school in Ireland, particularly in the senior primary years. As pupils progress, they are taught by different subject teachers and follow subject timetables. The school follows a traditional approach whereby boys and girls are educated separately until approximately 14–15 years of age.
There is a strong academic focus on three core subjects: Mathematics, English and Estonian. For these subjects, pupils are taught daily in very small groups, typically consisting of six to seven children, allowing for highly focused and personalised instruction. In the senior cycle, schools have flexibility in allocating time to subjects, meaning some schools may place greater emphasis on the Arts, while others prioritise the Sciences etc.
Unlike the Irish system, the Estonian system is not heavily exam-focused. There is no direct equivalent to the Leaving Certificate. Instead, colleges and specific courses set their own entrance examinations and there is a strong emphasis on continuous assessment throughout a student’s education.
A wide range of student supports is available within the school, including access to psychologists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists where required.
The classrooms themselves reflected the school’s calm ethos. Walls were plain white, with very few displays or noticeboards. The simplicity of the learning environment contributed to the peaceful atmosphere.
Overall, visiting Püha Johannese Kool was a really valuable and inspiring experience.
Erasmus in Nates (Múinteoir Mary)
I received the blessing and permission slip from Múinteoir Aideen and encouragement from Múinteoir Dee to grab the opportunity to partake in the Erasmus Consortium, facilitated by and through the hard work and vision of the Director, Liam Mitchell in Galway Education Centre.
For four wonderful days I had the opportunity to visit and observe the teaching and learning in a Primary school in Nantes. The school was called Ecole Elementaire Publique Mutualite-La-Nantes.
It was the largest public school in Nantes, drawing from all socio-economic groups and ethnically and culturally diverse. In this busy school, as a participant on the Erasmus+ programme, along with 12 other teachers from schools across the counties of Galway and Wexford, we were welcomed into the classrooms and social areas of the school.
We observed the teaching of language in the classrooms and were very impressed by the time allotted to the formal teaching of literacy. For two hours we observed the 9-10 year olds focus on French literacy. Oral language, handwriting (cursive font), comprehension strategies, rules of grammar, digraph blends and spelling rules.
A calm, constructive learning atmosphere prevailed in all classrooms we visited. It was obvious that rules and social etiquette were valued across the school community.
Interruption to teaching and learning was minimal with movement breaks, toilet breaks and water breaks kept to the yard and recreation time allotment.
The children worked hard in the classrooms and played hard in the yard! Basketball, chasing and skipping appeared to be the pastimes in the yard.
A well resourced and externally staffed canteen hosted the children and their 3 course daily meals. Sound proofed for comfort with over 200 children dining, the noise was not distressing.
We were informed by the catering manager that lunch time is taken seriously and that French culture values table etiquette and table manners. In this environment, the roles of the supervisors cover how the children carry their laden down trays to and from the tables, sit with their feet on the floor (or dangling straight until they grow), how they eat politely, how they speak using appropriate tone and volume and how they leave their space tidy and ready for the next cohort of diners.
On my return to Scoil Cholmáin, I shared my findings with the children and to their horror they learned that school teams and participation in inter school sports was not catered for in the French schooling system. These skills and hobbies are considered extra curricular and are up to families to organise for their children outside of the school day.
Overall my fly on the wall experience was very enriching and especially joyful. Of course, meeting the children and being encouraged to engage with them using English and my very neglected, Leaving Cert level Francais, was so lovely. Children being naturally curious and inquisitive no matter what classroom or country you step into, will bring light and laughter to the encounter. Their little drawings and questions were uplifting.
I returned to Seomra na Naíonáin on Monday, with an invigorated lightness to my step (seldom heard of at this end of the final term). The children were so curious about the daily routines in a French Primary school. They posed so many interesting questions and wondered about the similarities and differences.
Inspired by the levels of calm concentration, focus and self control I observed in the French classrooms, we are now working really hard on our own impulse control and application to tasks in class.
An opportunity to experience teaching and learning in another country has been extremely rewarding both personally and professionally thanks to the hard working educators and the wonderful children I met and from whom I learned so much.
