Gaelscoil na Daróige

Séanna Ó Coinn – P7 Teacher at Gaelscoil na Daróige remarked on the Uberheroes® programme after we visited them earlier this year:
B’iontach an deis é seo dár bpáistí dul i ngleic le hábhair thar a bheith íogair a bhfuil, rómhinic, neamh iontas déanta orthu sa ghnáth shaol agus ag na daoine fásta ina saolta. Pléadh ábhair macasamhail féindochar agus andúilíocht drugaí, ar dhóigh oscailte a thug comhthéacs fóirsteanach don fhadhb. Thaitin an cuir i láthair go mór leis na páistí agus tá mé den tuairim gur chuidigh seo leo na fadhbanna a thuigbheail ar leibhéal cuí de réir a n-aibíochta. Mar mhúinteoir, bhí lúcháir orm nuair a thug mé faoi deara go raibh na rudaí seo á phlé eatarthu féin ar dhóigh aibí, tuisceanach gan aon ionchur uaimse; thug an ceardlann an teanga ceart dóibh seo a dhéanamh. Is léir gur tháinig fíor deiseanna foghlamtha amach as an tseisiúin agus b’iontach dá mba rud é go raibh tuilleadh ar fáil (i nGaeilge ach go háirithe!)

English translation
This was an excellent opportunity for our children to engage with highly sensitive issues that are, all too often, ignored in everyday life by the adults in their lives. Topics such as self-harm and drug addiction were addressed in an open way that gave appropriate context to the problem. The layout and presentation of the comic really appealed to the children and I believe that this helped them to understand the problems at a level entirely appropriate to their maturity. As a teacher, I was delighted when I realised that the children themselves were discussing the issues among themselves in a mature and understanding way without any prior prompting from myself; the workshop gave them the language to make this possible. It is clear that real learning opportunities came about as a result of this session and it would be brilliant to see more of the same (especially in Irish!).