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Gaeilge
‘Beatha Teanga í a labhairt ‘sin a deirtear agus tá neart Gaeilge á labhairt agus le cloisteáil ar bhonn laethúil I measc mhúinteoirí agus dhaltaí Choláiste Iognáid. Léiríonn taighde idirnáisiúnta go gcabhraíonn an dátheangachas le cumas intleachta agus feasachta an duine. Méadaíonn an dátheangachas féinmheas agus féinmhuinín agus cabhraíonn sé le tuilleadh teangacha a fhoghlaim agus le níos mó deiseanna fostaíochta.
Tá an teanga, an traidisiún agus an cultúr láidir Gaelach atá again I gColáiste Iognáid fite fuaite le stair na scoile a théann siar go dtí an lá a athosclaíodh Coláiste Iognáid mar scoil lán ghaelach i 1932. D’eascair an ghrá agus an meas ar an nGaeilge atá mar chuid lárnach de shaol na scoile inniu as an bhfís sin a bhí ag na hÍosánaigh sna tríochaidí.
Sa bhliain 1974 d’athraigh Coláiste Iognáid a bpolasaí lán Ghaelach go hoideachas tré bhéarla a thairiscint do rang Xavier agus Loyola in éineacht le Sraith Ghaeilge mheasctha an Rang G. Inniu leanann An tSraith Ghaeilge ar aghaidh sa tSraith Shóisearach ag soláthar oideachas tré Ghaeilge do na daltaí sin Ar ndóigh treisíonn an tSraith Ghaeilge an t-árd chaighdeán Gaeilge atá againn. Tá muid fíor bhródúil as na sár thorthaí Árdteiste a bhaineann na daltaí amach bliain I ndiaidh bliana, torthaí go deimhin a sháraíonn an meán náisiúnta. Léirítear an grá agus an meas atá ar an nGaeilge in imeachtaí taobh amuigh den seomra ranga leis an gceol traidisiúnta agus an damhsa Gaelach agus imeachtaí sheachtain na Gaeilge. Cothaíonn na nascanna atá cruthaithe le heagraíochtaí taobh amuigh den scoil ceangal láidir leis an teanga bheo agus an cultúr, eagraíochtaí mar Raidió na Gaeltachta, TG4, Gaillimh le Gaeilge agus Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. Ar na hócáidí is mó a thagann chun cuimhne inár léiríodh sár thaispeántas ar chultúr agus teanga tá an clár Iris Aniar a craoladh ar RTE Raidió na Gaeltachta beo ón scoil i 2012 do chomóradh 150 bliain na nÍosánach i nGaillimh agus an tionóil scoile a eagraíodh i 2016 don chomóradh náisiúnta 1916.
Sa lá atá inniu ann tacaíonn an scoil go mór leis an nGaeilge, an traidisiún agus an cultúr atá mar chuid dár n-oidhreacht. Is í aidhm Choláiste Iognáid leanacht leis an traidisiun láidir atá againn an Ghaeilge agus gach a mbaineann léí a chaomhnú agus a chur cinn I measc phobal na scoile don ghlúin seo agus don ghlúin atá le teacht.
‘Ní neart go cur le chéile’
School Self-Evaluation
School Self-Evaluation (SSE) is a collaborative, inclusive, and reflective process of internal school review. It is an evidence-based approach which involves gathering information from a range of sources, and then making judgements. This all takes place with a view to bringing about improvements in students’ learning.
During a typical academic year surveys are carried out involving all three stakeholders: students, teachers and parents. The data collected provides invaluable insights into the aspects of school life which are running smoothly and those which provide scope for improvement. Stakeholders’ voices are heard during discussions at Student Council meetings, Parent Council meetings and Staff Meetings. These also guide the SSE process.
Informed by all the data gathered, a School Improvement Plan is developed which identifies specific areas of areas of focus for the following academic year. SSE is an ongoing process which is much enhanced by the high levels of engagement that Coláiste Iognáid’s stakeholders deliver. In doing so our community honours the Jesuit commitment to striving for excellence.
Ignation Pedagogical Paradigm
What is Ignatian Pedagogy?
Ignatian Pedagogy is a way of learning and method of teaching based on the principles of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, which takes a holistic view of the world. Ignatian Pedagogy encourages education of the whole student (Cura Personalis), while the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm (IPP) describes the continuous process of learning, and its cyclical nature.
Modern Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm
When the original concept of the Paradigm was described in the 1993 publication Ignatian Pedagogy: A Practical Approach (1993), it showed the cyclical nature of education. This has been further enhanced in the Learning By Refraction model, by incorporating the 6 Es into the cycle as shown below. This is the modern interpretation of the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm and a philosophy of learning and teaching that can serve Jesuit schools to ensure they continue to strive to help develop students of Competence, Conscience, Compassion and Commitment.
The 6 Es of Refractive Learning
In his manual for retreats, St. Ignatius of Loyola advises retreat directors against taking centre-stage. He describes the three relationships in a retreat, and how the retreat director should let God deal directly with the retreatant:
- Retreat Director and God
- Retreat Director and Retreatant
- Retreatant and God
This same philosophy applies to Ignatian Pedagogy in Jesuit schools. There is a relationship between
- Teacher and the World (the content of the curriculum or specification)
- Teacher and the Student.
- Student and their World (the content). The teacher should be facilitating the student to make the learning relevant to their personal content (refraction instead of reflection).
In order to do this effectively, there are 6 Es that can be used to guide teachers:
- Relationship Between The World and The Teacher
This relationship is how the teacher engages with the subject and their teaching methods. To effectively teach they should have EXPERTISE in their subject area, as well as in the most up-to-date research in terms of methodology and use of technology amongst any other advances in educational understanding. Teachers should also be able to impart their ENTHUSIASM for the subject to help engage the students.
- Relationship Between The Teacher and The Learner
This relationship is how the teacher engages with the students in their classroom. For students to learn the teacher needs to EMPOWER the students to take ownership of their learning. This is much more effective when the teacher has EMPATHY for the students and understands thu, and their perspective on their learning.
- Relationship Between The Learner and The World
This relationship is the ENGAGEMENT of the learner with the content and how they relate it to their own World. Ignatian Pedagogy always strives for EXCELLENCE (Magis) and the learners should be understanding the content to a level which is thorough and profound enough for them to be able to use it effectively and in the service of God, the Church and Community.