Ms. Dunne's Class: May 2011

I asked the children to write in their journals what would be their dream last two months in St Catherine's. 25 out of 30 said less or no homework (next year will be quite a shock kids!). Some of the teachers had been discussing homework earlier in the year. Why we give it, what we expect, why it sometimes seems to be torture for children, parents and teachers. Mr O Se gave us an extract from a book on homework and how you get much better results from children if they have some choice in what they do. So, last Tuesday and Wednesday I asked everyone to write whatever they wanted for English homework and to spend 20 minutes on it. While one or two people were a little on the minimalist side, for the vast majority the results were much better than a traditional assignment. Most people spent more than 20 minutes and in five cases the works produced were a family affair with collaboration from grandmothers, confirmation sponsors, aunts and parents. The genres were quite diverse too. We had poems (Limericks, acrostic poems, lyric verse and free verse), memoirs, a moving obituary, short stories, descriptive pieces and book reviews. We'll start with some poetry samples for you!

Find Someone Else
Age of six
He loved her so
And everyday
He'd let her know

'I love you Grace'
He'd say each day
She just laughed
And ran away

Till one day
She turned around
And sat with him
On the playground

'I'm sorry Chris
I don't love you
You'll find someone
Who loves you too'

High school came
They met again
They laughed about
The things back then

They began to date
And fell in love
He got the girl
That he dreamed of

But when college came
Everything changed
They were far apart
With lives rearranged

'We'll be fine Grace'
But she had doubts
She turned and said
'It won't work out'

I'm sorry Chris

I can't love you

You'll find someone

Who loves you too'

In their twenties

They met again

They laughed about

The things back then

He took her hand

They began to dance

Remembering

Their old lives

Two years later

She became his wife

They'd be together

All their lives

They went on a drive

When it was no longer light

They drove down the road

Of starry night

The music came on

She started to sing

He whispered 'Grace

You're my everything'

But suddenly

One big flash

Headlights shone

As their car crashed

He saw her laying

Down on the ground

He felt his tears

Start rolling down

'Grace' he cried

She took his hand

'I have to leave'

Please understand

'I love you so much

It's always been true

But you'll find someone else

And you'll love again too'

'No' he cried

'It's always been you

I don't want someone

Else I only want you'

And there on the street

Is where he cried

Hugging his love

As she slowly died.

By Kaitlin

Adorable

Lovable

Funny

Inexpensive

Excellent

Amazing

Thumbsucking

Kissable

Infant

Noisy

Super

Obedient

Nice

By Gavin

Alphabet Poem

Apples

Bananas are nice

Coconuts are hairy

Dogs are friends

Eel is a fish

Fish and chips

Golden fish

Helicopter

International

Jim Jim is liam's puppet

Killbarck is a town

Luxemburg is a country

Owen is a football player

Manchester is a city

Norweigan people are funny

People are people

Qatar is a country

Rosenburg is a football team

Striker

Tea

U13 winners

Very important

Wexford

X-ray

Yellow

Zebra is black and white

By Adrian

Back to School

It's the end of summer
And that's really a bummer
We're back in school
And that's not cool
But it's like i'm getting dumber
My teacher is a witch
That makes me want to mitch
My friends at school all think the same
And there is only one person to blame

MY TEACHER!

By Padraic

Barn Owl
Silent as moonlight,
Snowy white hunter,
Waits in a high branch,
Hungry as winter.

Still as a north star,
Patiently watching,
Eyes black as nightfall,
Claws curved and clutching.

Fast as an arrow,
Shot from a quiver,
Back in the treetops,
Blood on white feathers.

Silent as moonlight,
Snowy white hunter,
Waits in a high branch,
Hungry as Winter.

by Stephen

My life story

I licked a lolly

Played with my dolly

That was when I was three

At the age of four

I was allowed do more

And became more trustworthy

When I was five

I felt alive

Riding my new bike

When I was six

I didn't want to fix

Anything about me

When I was seven

I was four from eleven

And I dreamt of it everyday

When I was eight

I was never late

For school or anything else

When I was nine

I thought I was fine

Just the way I was

When I was ten

My Grandad built me a den

And I called it ' It's mine don't touch'

Well now I'm eleven

Thank God I'm not seven

I just wanna be twelve now

I'm growing up fast

Letting go of my past

And that is my life story

Starting from when I was three .

By Elanna

Babysitters

babysitters mind me,

when i'm nearly thirteen ,

i don't get why ,

no point because i'm really shy,

i wish i could stay on my own,

and pretend dad's chair is my throne ,

mam and dad dont get the point ,

i'm hardly gonna have a pint ,

~ 3 years later ~

Finally no babysitter ,

As i'm now sixteen ,

Mam and dad are less mean ,

Now i'm no longer am i blue and green .

by Amy

Ten boys and girls from our class took part in the Finals of the League in Morton Stadium, Santry yesterday. The final combined the Swords and Blanchardstown Athletics Leagues in a one day event. Having run in ice, wind, rain, snow and sleet at the cross-country events throughout the year, it was a pleasure to run on the track in sunshine.

I have huge respect for the improvements made by all 45 children from St Catherine's from 3rd to 6th class. I have watched the good runners get better and better and the boys and girls who struggled around a 400m course in October, comfortably finish a 1,000m race in March. It was truly humbling at times to see the sheer effort and desire to do their best that was evident. They inspired me to try a little harder on my Sunday morning run around Ard Gillan.

Sport does not build character. It reveals it.

Haywook Hale Broun