It is a great pleasure to welcome this excellent teaching resource.
The Embedding Tolerance in our Young People Project has successfully produced a teaching and learning tool, which encompasses most areas of the new curriculum and provides teachers with the opportunity to use a thematic approach in the delivery of their classes.
Under the expert guidance of Project Co-ordinator, Emer FitzPatrick; ten teachers have used their skills and experience to produce a resource which incorporates the areas of English, History, Geography, Social, Personal and Health Education, Religion, Art, Music, Physical Education and Drama.
It is child centred, interactive and visually appealing while also being teacher friendly and very simple to use.
This teaching resource is a significant educational development. In our increasingly diverse Monaghan society, it will assist the holistic development of the children in our care. Significantly, it will focus on the issues of racism, sectarianism and bullying. It will provide the children with a basic knowledge of countries such as Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, Nigeria, and the Philippines.
More importantly, it will develop the children’s understanding and appreciation of where their friends andclassmates have lived before coming to Ireland. They will learn that diversity is an issue for everyone, not just our friends from other countries. Our children will grow to recognise the normality of diversity in their everyday lives and in turn, they will celebrate, respect and learn from the many different backgrounds, customs and traditions that they share with their friends on a daily basis.
Anna Mai Rooney
St. Louis Girls’ National School