Comenius Project

Contact us at: comenius@stjohnboscocc.com
 

Project Links: "My Parish - Cranny Coolmeen"

Project News

Feb 04

Laura McMahon E-mailed Orla Ní Eílí from the Irish Refugee Council, who operates in Ennis, to arrange a visit to our school. She replied and the date was set for the 2nd of February. Four refugees/ asylum seekers came to our school to talk to the whole 5th year group. Rebecca, John and another young man were from Nigeria and Val was from the Ukraine. Orla Ní Eílí also attended our school that day. We had prepared questions before hand which had then been E-mailed to Orla to make sure they were appropriate. Caroline got water for our guests and Laura videoed the visit on the day. The two men from Nigeria played traditional Nigerian music. Then we repaid the gesture by playing tradition Irish music, Teresa and girls from 3rd year who will participate in next years project played music.

   Each visitor spoke to us about what it was like for them to flee their own country and start all over again in a new country, sometimes without their family members. Their stories were harrowing and the entire 5th year group who heard them, were moved. All left with a deeper understanding of what it must be like to be in their position. Each pupil shook hands with our guests before they left. 

Jan '04

The teachers from the four different European countries came to our school to discuss the trip to Norway this coming May. They were Berit Lunberg from Norway, Anna Maria Boldini from Italy, Maiji Nikunlassi from Finland and Ippio from Finland. Our teacher Ms. Casey is the coordinator of the Comenius Project for this year. Our picture with all the teachers was taken by the Clare Champion and it appeared in the paper a few weeks later. We made out a questionnaire for the teachers from the other European schools. We wanted to find out what where the differences between our school and theirs; we also wanted their views on the Irish Educational system. We presented them with our packaged boxes containing the symbols of Ireland.

      In January we also started to contact Orla NÍ Eílí from the refugee council in Ennis to try and organize a visit. Laura began to E-mail her to organize a time and a date etc.

Dec. 03

We got together as a group before we went to interview the children in the primary schools to make out appropriate questions. These questions had to be then faxed to both principals of the primary schools. This had to be done before we got the go ahead.

The first primary school that we visited was the Holy Family School in Ennis, Caroline, Laura and Sinead carried out the interview. We interviewed 7 children from Nigeria, Hong Kong, Russia, Canada, Latvia, Czech Republic and Pakistan. We asked them general questions like what they liked about Ireland and what they missed the most from home. They were aged between 7-11 years. The next Primary school that we visited was the Educate Together Primary school in Ennis. Here Celina and Teresa carried out the interview. They interviewed children between the ages of 7-11 years.

It was also in December that we were told that the teachers from the other European countries would be visiting our school in early January.

Nov. 03

Caroline and Celina paid a visit to St. Flannans College a secondary school in Ennis to interview four teenagers who were either asylum seekers/ refugees. Our main aim was to find out what life is like for them since coming to Ireland. The boys were from Nigeria, Sierra Leona, Cameroon and Romania. They were aged between 14 and 17 and have been living in Ireland between 8 months and 4 years and they all enjoyed living here. The interview lasted for half an hour and we recorded the interview for future reference

  Towards the end of the month our group started to arrange our next visit which would involve us going to primary schools in Ennis. We decided to go to The Holy Family School and The Educate Together primary school both in Ennis. These schools had a high percentage of children who were either asylum seekers/ refugees compared to our own local schools. Caroline wrote a letter to the principal of the Holy Family School and Teresa wrote a letter to the principal of The Educate Together primary school. We were asking their permission to come in and do an interview with some children as out of our project. Both principals were willing to let us do the interview, times and dates were set for the beginning of December. We had to fax on questions on to both of the principals so they would be appropriate to ask the children. Celina and Teresa would be going to the Educate Together School and Laura, Caroline and Sinead would be going to the Holy Family School.

   We also put the finishing touches to our boxes that contained symbolic belongings of Ireland that we were giving to the other schools participating in the Comenius Project.

 Oct. 03

The main part of our project plan for October was coming up with symbols of Ireland that we could put into our introduction boxes for the other countries in the Comenius Project. We came up with the following ideas: Sods of turf, our local flags, tin whistles, recipes on traditional dishes soda bread and Irish stew, St. Bridget Crosses and Irish produced chocolate. We each selected a few items and bought/made them. These items were paid for out of our Comenius fund, we slightly over spent on the local flags. We thought that these items represented Ireland and its traditions.

   We also had to plan our next step in our project. We all decided to interview students our own age who attend secondary school and who are non national descent. We chose St. Flannans College Ennis because it has a high number of asylum seekers/refugees attending the school. Ms. Casey got in contact with the principal of the school and we got the go ahead to carry out our interview with some of the students. It was to take place early in the next month. Celina and Caroline took up the job of interviewing the students, the whole group made out questions.

Sept. 03

It was late September before our group formed. Laura McMahon, Caroline Marrinan, Celina Murphy, Sinead Gallagher, Teresa O Dea along with our teacher Mrs. Casey made up the Comenius Group 2003-2004. That month we also found out what this years project title was for Comenius. Our main task for that month was coming up with various ideas to get our project up and started.

  Our ideas included interviews with teenagers our age who are now living in Ireland but who originated in other countries, and a visit from an organisation which works with asylum seekers/ refugees. We also decided to put together an introduction box with symbols and typical products of Ireland to send to the schools taking part in the Comenius Project 2003-2004.

Feb. 03.

Summary of Refugee visit to our school on Thursday January 23rd '03.
On Thursday, January 23rd '03 a refugee came to visit us and to give us some information about refugees in Ireland. Her name was Rebecca and Orla Ni Eilli from the Irish Refugee Council came with her. Orla began by giving us a brief history on refugees in general and also on them coming to Ireland. We found out that there are twenty four million refugees world wide and they all flee their countries in fear of their lives. We learned that there are approximately eight hundred refugees in Ennis from fifty different countries. In the last five years there have been one thousand unaccompanied minors fleeing from their countries.
We then asked Rebecca questions about being a refugee. She told us that she came here to seek asylum and she has been here for three years. She has gained refugee status. She said that she has never felt discriminated against only by some people that are ignorant. In spite of this she has received some racist comments when looking for work. She has found the weather here hard to adjust to as the climate is much hotter in Nigeria. She felt very welcome here in Ireland especially by the Irish Refugee Council. She said that the adult age group would be most racist in Ireland. She feels safe here with her children in a Christian country with good people. She would come again if she had the choice even though she misses Nigeria. It is better to be safe in Ireland than in danger in Nigeria. I thought that her visit was very interesting. It has broadened my mind on the subject of refugees and it made me think that all people are equal no matter what race, colour or religion they are.

Oct. 16th 2002

On September 26th European Languages Day was marked in St John Bosco's Community College by the announcement that the school has been granted a Comenius Project, funded by Léargas under the department of Education and Science, the aim being to have a closer partnership between schools and pupils from different European countries.
The project title is ''Emigration/Immigration - what it is to be a stranger''. The nine fifth year pupils involved in the project from St John Bosco's Community College will investigate what it was to be an Irish emigrant in England or America in times past and also what it was to be a foreign national in Ireland today.
The pupils involved are: Liam Finn, Laura Malone, Claire Hester, Lorraine Kelly, Marie Corry, Shona Murphy, Oisín Casey, Olivia Honan and Sharon Kiernan.
We would be delighted to receive suggestions from any member of the public, especially those with experience as emigrants during the 40s and 50s. Our project will last until June 2003.
We have already sent boxes containing items that we think represent our locality and our likes. We included a '' Clare Champion'', '' Clare FM'' car stickers, mini-hurleys, boxes of tea bags, Irish chocolate, Taytos, and a selection of Irish music. We sent these to the other participating schools in Italy, Germany, Finland and Norway.
Next week we're heading to the emigrant centre at The Queenstown Experience, Cobh, Co. Cork. Watch this space and we'll tell you all how it went.
In class we're studying the autobiography '' A Thig Ná Tit Orm'' by Maidhc Dainín O' Sé which recounts his experience as a sixteen year old emigrant in London and in America during the 60s. We've only reached the part where he is heading for London. It's a good read!
We have set up e-mail links with these schools and if anybody wishes to contact us just visit us at: http://www.stjohnboscocc.com/  and e-mail us through the ''Comenius'' or "students" links.

Comenius History

What are Comenius School Projects?

Comenius School Projects aim at enhancing the European dimension of education by promoting transitional co-operation between schools. The projects give pupils and teachers from at least three participating countries an opportunity to work together within the regular class activities on one or more topics of mutual interest. This co-operation enables participants to exchange experiences, explore different aspects of European cultural, social and economic diversity, increase their general knowledge, and learn to better understand and appreciate each other's views. Pupils' motivation and capacity to communicate in, and therefore learn foreign languages will increase substantially.

What is our project?

The project is a study on Emigration/Immigration from the 19th. - 21th. century, with particular reference to Norway, Finland, Italy, Germany, Slovenia and Ireland. Its aim is to develop the students awareness and appreciation of difference, and to enhance their perception of what it is to be a "Citizen of Europe" in a multicultural, multiracial society.
By understanding the problems of recent immigrants, it is hoped that the students will value rather than fear difference, will welcome, rather than avoid change.

The Aims of our project:

To assess what being an emigrant means through analysis of past experience within families and in literature and archival material.

To create an understanding attitude towards present immigrants as a path to cross - cultural exchange, and an appreciation of lesser-known languages - Gaelic, Slovenian, Finnish and Norwegian. In this way it is envisaged that the project will make all the participants more aware of their European Citizenship.

Participating Schools.

We would be delighted to receive input from anyone interested in either emigration from Ireland to America in the 19th. Century, or immigration from other countries to Ireland in the 21th. Century. Please feel free to contact us.

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