What do our 3rd and 4th Class students think of St. Peter's National School?

"Everybody is kind and you are friends with everybody. We don’t have a uniform. We have spooky walks and other activities. You make lots of friends and I love the school tours. This school has so many things"
"I love our school because not only are we learning everyday, we're having fun too"
"We had a water fight, swimming lessons, the Spooky Walk and the Reptile visit"
Stay up to date with our 3rd and 4th class activities on our dedicated Class page.

Meet our 3rd and 4th class teacher - Ms McGovern

LAURA MCGOVERN
My name is Laura McGovern and I am currently teaching 2nd, 3rd & 4th Class. I am passionate about languages having previously studied English Language & Literature, Linguistics and Spanish in UCD. My love of languages led me to explore how children acquire language which then sparked my interest in how children learn in general. Acting upon this, I completed a Post Graduate qualification in Early Years Education which led me to studying primary education in Marino Institute. 

This year I am teaching 2nd, 3rd & 4th Class. We love to read and were thrilled to have a zoom call with author, David Walliams to discuss his many books. We enjoy trips to the ]library and enjoy a weekly session of D.E.A.R – Drop Everything And Read! Paired reading experiences enhance our enjoyment of reading while developing our fluency. We are lucky enough to take part annually in ‘Fighting Words’ a creative writing workshop run in Dublin City by none other than Roddy Doyle!
I love to involve technology in my teaching. In our class we use chromebooks and we create projects on Google Docs and Slides. The children love challenging each other in games on Mathletics and seeing themselves gaining in the league tables. Seesaw is a wonderful tool for children to record work they have completed in school and share at home. We use Class Dojo to win points for effort and kindness. Children can use their points for special treats such as prizes from the teacher, extra yard time and class parties!
We are extremely lucky in St. Peter’s to have two dedicated Special Education Teachers and three Special Needs Assistants. In my class this means that for Literacy and Numeracy there is myself and the 2 SEN teachers supporting the children in their learning. This increased teacher presence means children get extra support in these core subjects.  Additionally, children with additional needs are supported by SNAs within the classroom during lessons and get targeted movement breaks during the day. 
​
For me, St. Peter’s greatest strength is the school community. From the day I started I was warmly welcomed by staff, parents and pupils alike. This wonderful sense of community means that St. Peter’s is a warm, friendly environment where everyone is valued. I have made lifelong friends with my colleagues and had the privilege of teaching remarkable children. Our weekly whole-school assemblies are a special time for us all to come together and celebrate each other’s achievements.

Growing up, my mother called me her 'little treasure'. When I started teaching, she told me to remember that "Every child in your class is a treasure." This has always stuck in my mind and on a daily basis I remind myself that each and every child in front of me is a treasure to be treated with care and kindness. 
​

Managing a multi-grade classroom - a teacher's perspective

A TEACHER'S PERSPECTIVE
At the core of multi-grade is the sharing of knowledge and experience. One of the greatest moments in teaching is when you hear “Oh, I get it!” and the multi-grade setting means everyone gets to share in these special moments when peers share their knowledge with each other.
​
Teaching a child for more than one school year means that as a teacher you get to understand each child so much better. This enables me as a teacher to cater to learning needs at a more personalised level. For the children, being in a multi-grade classroom widens their social circle. They develop skills to establish and maintain friendships with other children of the same age, as well as older and younger.