Class Team

• Class Teacher: Emily Mortell
• SET: Rita Brennan

Class Admin

• The school day begins at 8:30, children will be marked late after 8:50 and will need to enter school via the front door.
• If a child is absent, please send a note to the office.
• Between 8:30-8:50 the class come together (Teacht le Chéile) and transition from home to school. This is a really important time for the children to settle into a new school day.

Routine

• The class will be following a daily routine which will provide them with some structure and help them settle back into school life.
• It is important that the children have a routine at home for example having a good breakfast/lunch and getting a good night’s sleep – Fifth Class is a lot of work!
• We try to encourage a positive attitude towards learning and as well as the importance of being respectful and kind towards each other.
• We’ll also be working on giving the class more responsibility and independence throughout the year.

Class Behaviour

• The whole school approach centres around the promotion of good behaviour.
• There is an atmosphere of mutual respect and consideration for others in the class.
• Positive behaviour is encouraged through immediate praise.
• We’ll be using Class Dojo as a means of group and whole class rewards as well working collaboratively to earn Golden Time on a Friday
• The children and I developed our own set of class rules at the beginning of the school year based on a discussion about how we should treat others and behave in schools. These included:
  • Listening to others and not shouting out
  • Being kind to others
  • Being respectful to others
  • Trying our best
  • Helping each other
  • Including everyone
• The RMDS ethos highlights that every person is entitled to equal respect regardless of age, gender, nationality, religious beliefs, social and cultural background or economic status.

Bullying

• Zero tolerance approach.
• If you have any concerns about bullying of any kind please get in touch – the sooner the better.
• Cyberbullying: can happen through any online platform including WhatsApp i.e. left out of group chats etc.
  • Please check the content that your child is viewing/using regularly and discuss the dangers of social media networks – this will be covered in class.

Subjects Covered

Literacy

• Reading: Children are encouraged to read for pleasure in R5. This would include a mixture of fiction and non-fiction. Reading will be included as part of homework.
  • We will be reading a couple of class novels this year which will include Under the Hawthorn Tree and The Breadwinner.
  • The class will also take part in DEAR Time for approx. 10 minutes per day.
• Writing: Children are expected to write in pen and use cursive (joint) writing. All writing is purposeful and covers the genres of creative writing, factual writing and opinion. Children are encouraged to self-edit and self-correct.
• Spellings: The class will continue to use the Spellings For Me programmme.
• Oral Language: Talk and discussion is a big part of our day across all subjects. The children take part in additional partner/groupwork which gives them the opportunity to practice oral language in English and Irish.

Maths

• Both myself and Rita will work with all children in the class.
• The class will be divided in mixed ability groups to ensure that all children are getting the help and support they need.
• The groups will change throughout the year.
• There will be an assessment after each topic.
• The new topic this year will be Long Division.

Gaeilge: An rud is tábhachtach ná go bhfuil na páistí ag caint as Gaeilge – The most important thing is that children speak Irish

• Gaeilge is a form of communication, we won’t focus too much on errors.
• We will try to use cúpla focail every day and informal Gaielge is regularly used throughout the day.
• Important to maintain a positive attitude towards the language.
• Immersive education through ceol (music), dramaíocht (drama) agus cluichí (games).
• Encouraging children to show off their Gaeilge and the words and phrases they know.
• The class will team up with Rang a Dó later in the year to do Reading Buddies.

Core Curriculum

• A broad range of topics will be covered throughout the school year, including:
  • Islam
  • Hiduism
  • GEM (Gender Equality Matters)
  • An LGBTQ module is also covered this year.

The Arts

• Drama – Exploring and Making Drama
• Music – Performing, Composing, Listening & Responding
• Art – Focus on Oral Language and Response to other Artists
• All three subjects will be integrated to increase meaningfulness. The focus will be on the process and not the product.

Social, Environmental & Scientific Education (SESE): History, Geography & Science

• Covers a range of topics as well as integrating things that happen around the world during the year.

P.E.

• PE class takes place on Thursdays so please make sure children have appropriate clothing.
• We’ll be doing PE in Mount Pleasant so the class will need to wear white-soled runners.
• 10-minute movement break in the mornings
• RMDS also takes part in the Active Schools Programme

Social, Personal & Health Education (SPHE)

• As part of the SPHE Programme the class will be covering Drugs Education and Relationshipand Sexuality Education this year.
• Changes during puberty in both boys and girls will be covered through the Walk Tall Programme.
• The Stay Safe programme will also be revisited this year.

Homework

• Homework in R5 should take no longer than 45 mins to complete.
• Homework will be given nightly and corrected the next day.
• Homework will consist of:
  • Maths: This will mirror what is being covered in school.
  • Reading
  • Spellings: As part of the Spellings For Me Programme
  • Gaielge: Leigh sa Bhaile.
• If homework is taking a long time or causing any undue anxiety, please drop me an email or discuss it with me.

Healthy Lunches

• No birthday treats please, we will celebrate birthdays in other ways.
• No nuts in school at all.
• No chocolate, sweets, fizzy drinks, or crisps etc, (even homemade).

Communication

• I will be at the school gates every afternoon
• Via email: emily@rmds.ie
• Via Barbara or Mary in the office.

SET

• Rita will be the resource teacher for Rang 5. In RMDS, we are committed to all children in the school and any additional needs they may have. This is in line with the educate together ethos. In other words, “fairness isn’t about giving everyone the same thing, it’s giving everyone what they need”.