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I enjoyed your reflection Mary. The recent wildfires in Ireland and across Europe have highlighted the importance of biodiversity and looking after our environment in a sustainable manner. The school garden you mentioned is a lovely way to promote care and environmental awareness. We used to have a polytunnel but unfortunately lost it due to needing the site for a prefab. Even simple tasks like growing flowers in used wellies brighten up the school and give the children a sense of pride.
As a teacher in a Donegal School, I see sustainability being promoted through everyday activities. We recycle as much as possible, take home packaging from lunches, recycle paper and card, collect used batteries for recycling and take part in the plastic bottles Return Scheme. The money raised is used to support school resources, helping children see how small actions can make a positive difference. Pupils also learn about caring for the environment through outdoor learning, biodiversity and keeping our school grounds clean. We participate in the Green Schools programme and various initiatives by Donegal County councils which help to promote recycling and sustainability. The student council help to promote recycling and run a number of initiatives and competitions throughout the year. At Halloween the children do a costume swap and at Christmas they do a Christmas jumper swap. At the end of the year the parents association runs a uniform swap.
We are very fortunate to have an Oyster Farm nearby. After recently visiting the farm the manager explained that almost everything used on the farm, including the trestles and oyster bags etc. are recycled. The only item that is not currently recyclable is the nylon rope, making the farm very environmentally friendly and sustainable. The visit also highlighted how oysters naturally filter seawater and support marine life. I think a visit to the oyster farm would be an excellent learning experience, helping pupils understand sustainability in their own local community.
I really enjoyed reading your reflection. I like how you linked the topic to your local oyster farm, making the learning meaningful and relevant for the children. It was only after I recently visited an oyster farm myself that I truly understood how the whole process works, so I think a visit would be incredibly beneficial for children. Inviting a local oyster farmer into the classroom or arranging a visit would really bring the learning to life. It would help children make meaningful connections between what they learn in school and their own community. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
This module helped me understand the importance of seafood as part of a healthy, balanced diet. I learned that seafood is a great source of protein, vitamins and omega-3, which are important for children’s growth and development. I also learned how important vitamin D is in conjunction with these. Before completing this module, I had not realised how important our seafood industry is. I was lucky to grow up near a fishing port and I remember my mum buying the fish fresh off the boats on the port. I was lucky to grow up and attend school in a coastal village in Donegal. I clearly remember a young teacher bringing our class to the strand to collect mussels. Afterwards, she cooked them for us all to taste. It is one of the lessons that has stayed with me over the years. Those are the types of learning experiences children remember—hands-on, active, and extending learning beyond the classroom walls.
As a Junior Infants teacher, I hope to provide similar opportunities for my pupils. We could explore a fish shop or seafood market through Aistear role play, read stories about the sea, discuss healthy foods, and complete art activities based on marine life. This topic also links well with SESE, SPHE and oral language, helping children understand where food comes from and the importance of making healthy food choices.
Living in Ireland, we are fortunate to have easy access to fresh seafood. By introducing children to seafood in a fun and meaningful way, I can help them develop healthy eating habits while also fostering an appreciation of our local environment and food heritage.
Thanks for sharing your reflection. I really liked how you linked the ARC resources to hands-on learning in the classroom. Sometimes the focus is on STEM in the older classes, but it’s great to remember that every class, even Junior Infants, can take part in fun STEM activities. Your ideas about using STEM across the whole school through SSE were really good. Well done!
The online lessons and resources available through the ARC have helped me develop a better understanding of how STEM can be integrated into everyday teaching. They showed how children learn best through play, exploration, investigation and problem-solving rather than through isolated subjects.
In my classroom, I provide hands-on STEM activities such as building with construction materials, investigating floating and sinking, planting seeds and exploring simple forces through ramps. I encourage the pupils to work together to solve problems and come up with solutions. It is important that they know there can be more than one solution. These activities encourage curiosity, creativity, communication and teamwork while supporting learning across the curriculum.
The STEM Education Policy Statement highlights the importance of developing critical thinking, creativity and digital skills from an early age. The ARC resources have given me practical ideas to support these skills in an inclusive and engaging way.
STEM can also be embedded into the School Self-Evaluation (SSE) process. As a school, we can review our current STEM practices, identify areas for improvement and set achievable targets, such as increasing inquiry-based learning, sharing resources and providing professional development. This whole-school approach will help create consistent, high-quality STEM learning experiences for all pupils.
I agree with you Olive. At one stage the local oyster farm used to employ most of the young people on the local football team. It meant they were providing employment and had the knock on effect that they were around for games during the season. However, lately he said it is getting more difficult to get the young workforce as the work is quite manual and not as attractive as other jobs. They are investing in new innovative ideas which require less manpower.
Living in Ireland, we are fortunate to have a long coastline with many aquaculture farms located in coastal communities. We are especially lucky to have an oyster farm close to our own locality. Before learning more about aquaculture, I realised that, like many children, I knew very little about the work that takes place there, despite it being on our doorstep. This has highlighted for me the importance of helping young people understand where their food comes from and the role aquaculture plays in Irish life.
After recently visiting our local oyster farm, I gained a much better understanding of the industry and the challenges it faces today. The manager explained that, years ago, the farm had no difficulty employing local young men and women to carry out the hard manual work involved. These jobs provided valuable employment opportunities for people living in the area. However, he said it is now much more difficult to find young people who have a driving licence and are willing or able to do such physically demanding work.
As a result, the farm is exploring new and innovative ways of working. The manager explained that they are investigating methods of using the natural movement of the tides to help turn the oysters, reducing the amount of manual labour required. It was interesting to see how the industry is adapting and using innovation to overcome modern challenges while continuing to produce high-quality oysters.
Aquaculture farms make an important socio-economic contribution to coastal communities. They provide local employment in fish and shellfish farming, processing, transport and tourism, helping families remain in rural coastal areas. These farms also support local businesses such as cafés, shops and accommodation providers by attracting visitors interested in seafood and marine experiences.
From an educational perspective, local aquaculture farms offer valuable opportunities for schools. Visiting a nearby oyster farm would allow children to learn about sustainable food production, marine biodiversity and caring for the environment through real-life experiences. It would also help them appreciate the natural resources that exist in their own community.
Reflecting on this experience, I now recognise that aquaculture is much more than food production. It supports local economies, strengthens coastal communities and continues to adapt to changing times through innovation. Having an oyster farm nearby is a valuable resource, and I believe schools should make greater use of it to help children connect with their local environment and better understand the importance of Ireland’s marine industries.
Hi Catherina,
Our school is like yours and it is situated near the coastline. I think it would be invaluable for a class to visit some of the local aquaculture we have available on our doorstep because I for one knew very little about the local oyster farm. It was only during a recent course we were lucky to visit it and the owner explained the process and showed how they were trying to be environmentally friendly by using as much recyclable materials as possible. He also explained the impact local treatment plants and humans had on the farm. I found it very interesting to be able to see the set up and I think the children would benefit greatly from a visit maybe if they could also avail of the much sought after ARC lessons so they were armed with the knowledge prior to visiting that would be great.
I am lucky to work in a school close to Donegal’s beautiful coastline. Learning about aquaculture and social licence has opened my eyes to the importance of Ireland’s aquaculture industry and how it can be explored in the classroom. The Taste Atlantic programme, Young Chef Ambassadors, Next Generation Oyster Producers and the ARC resources all provide excellent ways to help children learn about sustainable food, marine life and the people who work in the industry.
As I said we are very fortunate that our school is located close to the coastline and has a local oyster farm in the area. However, many of the children, and indeed myself, knew very little about aquaculture before taking this course. It is easy to overlook something that is right on our doorstep. A visit to the local oyster farm would give pupils the chance to see first-hand how oysters are grown, learn about the people who work there and understand the important role the farm plays in providing local jobs and supporting the community. These real-life experiences would make learning more meaningful while linking with the Irish Primary Curriculum in Science, Geography and SPHE, helping children become more aware of their local environment and the importance of caring for it.