Small sized primary school stories experiences

Adamantium

did anyone go one of these, i'm talking less than 40 or 50

Looking back now at my own now it seems a very sheltered and archane spot, where random chaos on a small scale ensued, no set timetables, e.g "What miss are we doing today, read us a story!"

The old teacher(teaching for 40 years,set in her ways) at the time spent most of the day teaching irish and religion 45/45 with 10% of that spent on maths,geography,english, multiple combinations and "that"annoyance that was science

when the inspector came around there was a massive increase in times on those latter subjects:rolleyes:

Anyone have similar experiences?

mackg

Adamantium wrote: »

did anyone go one of these, i'm talking less than 40 or 50

Looking back now at my own now it seems a very sheltered and archane spot, where random chaos on a small scale ensued, no set timetables, e.g "What miss are we doing today, read us a story!"

The old teacher(teaching for 40 years,set in her ways) at the time spent most of the day teaching irish and religion 45/45 with 10% of that spent on maths,geography,english, multiple combinations and "that"annoyance that was science

when the inspector came around there was a massive increase in times on those latter subjects:rolleyes:

Anyone have similar experiences?

There was a school of a couple of hundred in the village where I was from but my mother sent me to a school of 70 in town. When I joined up with all the lads from the village again in secondary I was quite a bit ahead of them. Remember one day it snowed, proper snowing which was rare in Kerry and they basically let us have our lunch break take up the whole day to play in it.

biko

I went to a small country school in year 1. Less than 100 kids in the whole school, divided into classes of 15 or so in each. Everyone knew everyone else etc Teacher had plenty of time for each kid.
Then moved to a massive school in the city, it was more exciting but tbh my country school was better.

maudgonner

I went to a small rural primary school with 25-30 kids. There was only one kid in the class below us, then he stayed back a year so there was no-one.

byhookorbycrook

I worked in a two teacher school for a while. It was like a family. Children all looked out for each other.

stovelid

Look on the bright side re: large class sizes.

The more packed the class is, you have statistically less chance of coming to the attention of a horny Christian Brother.

Tubsandtiles

I went to a large sized primary school, I remember there were two fifth classes and for some reason any boy from the two classes when using the toilet he would soak a piece of toilet roll under the tap and throw it on to the top of toilet ceiling. One day a teacher noticed it and the whole toilet roll investigation started. We were all questioned but no one said they done it . Now that I look back it was incredibly stupid ...I've got a few more funny stories too

phasers

My secondary school had 900 students, but there was still only 4 people in my Higher Level English class in 6th year

kippy

Went to a school with approximately 52 kids in it(average over the 8 years).
Two classrooms, two teachers.
One (female teacher) taught Junior, Senior, First and Second in one room,
One (male - also principle) taught, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth.
Average of about 8 kids per class.

They were two great teachers, the one who taught the younger classes was strict but very good at what she did, gave us a great start. Called her mum a few time apparently as well (pretty common apparently)

The male teacher was a brilliant teacher. Taught all the subjects with equal time spent on all, his Irish and Maths teaching was second to none, we had a lot of the first and second year secondary maths and Irish covered before we left.
He loved his GAA and Sports in general and would take time out of class for training (not too much) but everyone got a fair go at the teams and individual sports. Dominated the GAA scene at home!
He loved Quizzes as well, the school and the people in it won a number of quizzes as well.

I thought they did a great job in a different climate than now.
School is still going (left it about 18 years ago), both teachers retired a good few years ago.
The sporting prowess, quizes all gone, none of the teachers there have the interest. The school itself will probably close in a few years as the numbers aren't looking god for it.

As for stories from the place, I could write a book on them and probably will some day, some great characters, and great friends.

sock puppet

Went from a school with close to 40 teachers employed to one with just 4 when I moved down the country. Moved again to a school with probably around 7 teachers (it was only one or two years who had to double up with another class). One thing I remember was that discipline was always more informal in the smaller schools.

newbee22

I worked in a country school, loved it, all the kids knew each other and looked out for each other!

amacca

stovelid wrote: »

Look on the bright side re: large class sizes.

The more packed the class is, you have statistically less chance of coming to the attention of a horny Christian Brother.

you're anal virginity wouldn't have lasted long if that was your strategy

statistically speaking...there were practically no horny christian brothers hanging around small schools what with the lack of action and all...they tended to be in large schools/institutions

.

.

I went to a really small national school - there were 5 in my year. I was academically about two years ahead of everyone else when I went to secondary school (had us doing algebra in maths, and the stuff we encountered in first year history in secondary was way below our level)........teacher was v.good....strict but decent...we used to take afternoons off to play rounders...let us organize an archery competition for a whole day (sounds ghey but it was great crack...we made our own projectile weapons ffs) - not a christian brother in sight (and thats not cause they were hiding in the bushes either smart arses)

Mickeroo

My school was only about 27 or so kids when i was in it i think, it dropped to 17 not long after i left, its doing well now tough. There was only two teachers, one taught high and low infants and 1st and 2nd class, the other had all the older kids. My class consisted of me and one other kid.

They spent about equal time on every subject if i recall, it was a great school with high standards and still is.

themadchef

There were nine in my class, 50 in the school and 2 teachers in total.

Today, there are about 20 pupils, 2 full time teachers, a special needs assistant, a secretary, a resource teacher and a few others floating about the place.

The kids get "structured play time" or some such nonsence. They get supervised in the yard, and wrapped in cotton wool for every event they get involved in. Everything needs to be signed for, everything is so PC it's wrecking my head!

OUr school was fun, we walked home, were allowed to have a good auld argument and play whatever games we wanted to play in the yard. Yes, we fought but we also learned how to deal with bullies.
I understand the schools are covering their arses in alot of ways from legal stuff but kids just cant be kids any more.

I remember we got to paint and "do art" maybe once a year lol poverty wasint the word, and the teacher hadint the time to deal with all of us. I guess it's happy for this generation with their lap tops and projectors. We had to bring in the turf in the morning ffs before we sat for class or we'd freeze to death! (im still in my 30ts before you ask if im drawing the pension yet :P)

Aglomerado

Adamantium wrote: »

The old teacher(teaching for 40 years,set in her ways) at the time spent most of the day teaching irish and religion 45/45 with 10% of that spent on maths,geography,english, multiple combinations and "that"annoyance that was science

Anyone have similar experiences?

Sounds exactly like my sixth class teacher. She would habitually spend 2 hours each morning teaching Irish, with half an hour for maths. She also had us standing for prayers seven times a day. When we went to secondary school, one of the maths teachers used to bang his head off the wall when he heard what school we'd come from, because he knew he'd have his work cut out for him. Took me a couple of years to catch up in maths, but I was fine at Irish!

LETHAL LADY

I went to a small primary school with about 80 pupils. My lasting memory of the place was my 1st class teacher who also taught 2nd class in the same room. She was a complete sadist and loved to use a stick to slap you across the hands over the slightest little thing. She also had a glass eye and had overlapping toes on one foot. She scared the bejaysus out of all of us.:eek:

Misty Chaos

The school I went was a medium sized one where I lived, about 20 teachers with roughly 2 class groups per year ( 1st - 6th ) It was a Christian Brothers School but fortunately, there were no Christian Teachers there ( there was the principal but he left after 2nd class. ) There was a kiddy fiddler but I thankfully never had him as he normally thought 3rd class but took a year out when I went into 3rd class myself. I shudder to think what might have happened to me as I was a vulnerable introvert back then.

I remember getting lines for stupid reasons though, like being outside a fecking line on the playground. On the topic of the playground, did I mention the school was right next to a GRAVEYARD?:eek: Whenever there was funeral on, we couldn't go out at lunch break!:mad:

As for the teachers, I had some good ones, some bad ones but they all shaped me into who I am today. Another thing was being called by the school secretary when I was in 6th class because she was having problems with her computer! ( I had gotten the reputation of being a bit of computer whizz )

Still, primary school was a bit sheltered for me so secondary school was a bit of a culture shock for me and took me a while to get over that.

Karona

I went to a fairly big primary school. In second class we had a physco for a teacher, she locked kids in cupboards, pulled us by the hair up to the blackboard and wouldn't let us go to the toilet. I eventually refused to go to school. So my mam had to see what was going on, it wasnt long till she found out. That teacher had to be put into a mental hospital for a while.

In 6th class we had a nun and she was the best teacher I ever had, we did an hour of maths each day but the rest of the timetable was taken over by DEAR time, (Drop Everything And Read). She was the only teacher that taught us the National Anthem. She's also have a 5p raffle every friday. She was great.

jenizzle

I went to a small primary school. 2 teachers, 2 classrooms, and about 30 students in the school. There were 4 others in my class.

The "big room" teacher was a bit of a religious psycho. Made us do drawings and write out religious posters every day. We were all very good at Maths when we left though. My nieces and nephews go there now and they have the best of everything, I'd have no problem recommending it. Same as a previous poster, when it snowed very very heavily, we were allowed out to faff about for a few hours and build snowmen and igloos. When the weather was good on Fridays, we spent the afternoon outside too.

But... when I was there it was soooo isolated. Ye really didn't have a clue what the real world was like, and it was such a headf*ck when we went to secondary school with 30+ people in your CLASS, 90+ in your year etc...

byhookorbycrook

I had a single junior infant, I used to pick himself and his sister up on the way. Preseat belt and child seat era. A child in first fell and hurt his head, pre-mobile days too, so I had to take him to the dr to be stitched. I set work and told the other teacher I was away. When we got back, the 2nd class were reading stories to the younger ones and the first class were sweeping up and tidying the room.

I cried leaving my sub. position there, it was a special place.

Ghost Buster

Went to tiny 150 year old school in deep dark rural mayo. It had 2 rooms. Outside toilets and about 40 pupils.
baby infants - 2nd class in one room and 3rd class - 6th in another.
We pretty much just did religion and English and basic maths. But mainly religion:rolleyes:

Ruu_Old

Mr. Brick is coming, look busy! :eek:

holystungun9

there was six of us in my class. We must have been some bunch of muppets, I remember 'jumping' was the school yard game of choice for ages. And I mean jumping in the literal sense. At the end of the yard was a little hill. We used to run as fast as we could and then jump off the edge, twisting ankles, getting grass stains on my cords and occasionally splitting the crotch of 'em too. This was a little awkward as I didn't start wearing underwear till 1st year!

nicechick!

full of good memories some horrible!! all in all a good experience a small rural school with two teachers.. I have an identical twin so that in itself has been entertainment even now, my brother was the first to reach third level education in the history of the school I think there was only ever about 30-40 students at the time

Sierra Oscar

There is a primary school not too far from me with around 20 pupils and two teachers, didn't go there when I was younger though - I would have hated it!

byhookorbycrook

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

There is a primary school not too far from me with around 20 pupils and two teachers, didn't go there when I was younger though - I would have hated it!

Why?

Sierra Oscar

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Why?

Having only perhaps four other pupils in your class? Would be boring.

kippy

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

Having only perhaps four other pupils in your class? Would be boring.

I had 6 in my class for 7 years. I didn't find it at all boring.
There were 20 (max) in the same room. The "craic" was always mighty and sure at that age we didnt really know what boredom was.

sheesh

I went to a country 2 teacher school even though I was a townie my mother taught there so i had my mother teaching me for 3rd 4th 5th and 6th class.

it wasn't so bad but it meant that if I got sick i had go to school anyway.

as there was no one at home.

We did have one student who could not be left go to the toilet on his own as he would do something like put some ones orange or bottle down the toilet then come in a say that someones orange/bottle was in the toilet and swear blind that he didn't do it. Nice lad but a compulsive liar.

What makes it funny was the way it was accepted that this is what he would do. he would put up his hand to go to the toilet my mother would nod to one of his class mates to go with him.

I'm just wondering if this would be acceptable today would it be seen as singling him out.

I have mostly good memories of that time.

Gloomtastic!

There was only 32 in our primary school. I went through 1st - 5th class as the only person in my class. Had no-one to compete with on any subject so I believe it made me a lazy little sod but also very independent. A jack of all trades but master of none!