Category: scoil/ school

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Labels – how did they fare?

MyNameTags.ie iron on labels in action

I like to be positive. It distresses me to be negative. I don’t always manage it but I do try. It’s one thing I learnt from a manager who was forever rocking in from the current training course and trying out the latest lesson on us. Mostly this habit drove me mad but one day this manager asked me to talk up the positives of a certain issue and it really can change your perspective.

So I’m very happy to be writing this post as it won’t require much positive visualisation. I have a good review of a product: YAY! I swore this time last year that I would report on my experience of MyNametags.ie product because I have a whole swath of crappy “iron-on” labels in my sewing kit. Mind you I was raving about MyNametags to my sister-in-law and my mother piped up something along the lines of “A needle and thread always kept my labels on.” Well after ironing on 35 labels, I’m pretty damn glad I didn’t have to sew them all on.

So what do I think is so good about these particular labels? They stay on. Simple. The iron on labels did not shrivel or fade. No matter if they are sewn on to shirts, polo shirts, trousers or jumpers they held on like limpets. Everything gets washed at 40 degrees and ironed at cotton and they hung on like an enraged terrier.

MyNameTags.ie iron on labels in action
MyNameTags.ie iron on labels in action

I ordered a pack of 75 iron on labels and 75 stick on labels – classic style. The package arrived promptly with clear instructions. As mentioned above I used them on cotton, polycotton and wool and whatever the ties are made from and no sticking issues on any of them. Since then not one single label has come unstuck and all remain legible.

The stick on stickers are very handy and as I got our family name with both myself and Himself’s phone numbers included, all of us can use them. The stick on labels are also excellent although I cannot give them an absolute no holds barred rave review as one or two, while remaining stuck firmly in place, did completely fade. However bear in mind that these are stuck on lunchboxes that get turfed into the dishwasher or hot washing up sink willy nilly. I also can’t swear to the conditions in which they were stuck. They stayed on pencils, markers and mathematical set equipment.

I suppose the one and only issue I might have is that the labels and stickers are a little on the small side but I can also see the logic of this too. If they were any bigger they probably wouldn’t work for the pens and pencils. I might try their newer colour labels in three colours to make it easier to sort uniforms because with Nipper 3.0 starting in September this is only going to get more tiresome.

And our score for this year? 1 pair of tracksuit bottoms lost. I’m actually still cross when I think about this. Nipper 1.0 arrives home from swimming in a pair of tracksuit bottoms that are at least two sizes too small and obviously not the brand new ones I had so carefully labelled not two months previously. The other parent had not marked their tracksuit in any way. I contacted all the parents in his class via email to ask everyone to check: nothing. I asked a couple of parents in the class below who do swimming at the same time but didn’t get a huge amount of traction there. What bugs me about this is that there is a parent out there who is so disengaged that they didn’t notice that their child arrived home in brand new tracksuit bottoms two sizes bigger than the pair they went out in. I can only presume that these same parents haven’t laundered the trousers since because, based on my experience, there is no way to get that label off short of excising it with a scissors! Of course, I like an eejit, promptly went into the office to hand over the tracksuit that didn’t belong to us presuming it would only be a matter of time before the other parent did the same. The upshot of that was that Nipper 1.0 had to wear non-regulation tracksuit for the rest of the year because I was damned if I was forking out more cash!

If you have our carefully labelled tracksuit bottoms you can still return them. The harsh judgement is done: can it get much worse than me calling you a negligent parent on my mammy blog?

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Giuirléidí don Téarma Nua Oll/scoile

In my most recent article for Beo! I write about some “essential” technology for what the French call “La Rentree” and marketers here call “Back to School”. Hearty congratulations to all those who received Leaving Cert results this week, especially my nephew in Wexford, who, as expected, sailed through. Phew! If nothing else, folks, you’ve passed a rite of passage of sorts and soon you’ll be consumed by something else. Good luck wherever your road may lead.

Ní bheidh i bhfad anois go mbeidh Coimisiún na Scrúduithe Stáit ag eisiúnt torthaí na hArdteistiméireachta. Ní dhéanfaidh mórán daoine Éireannacha dearmad ar an lá cinniúnach sin ach mar a dúirt giolchairí amháin anuraidh, is cuma ar bhealach faoi na torthaí – ní bheidh sibh ag éirí as go dtí 2064. Spúnóg mhór réadúlachta.

Ach tá athruithe móra tagtha ar an mbealach a bhfaightear na torthaí le cúpla bliain anuas. Is féidir do chuid torthaí a fháil ar líne nó ar an nguthán anois. Moltar gabháil chun na scoile ar aon nós, ar mhaithe leis an gcomhairle a dtabharfaidh an scoil duit má tá aon deacracht nó ceisteanna agat. Déarfainn gur faoiseamh mór é do an-chuid scoláirí gur féidir na torthaí tábhachtacha sin a léamh go príobháideach agusfaoi shocracht ar leataobh leat féin.

Táim féin ag gabháil i dtreo na tuairime gur chóir bliain a chaitheamh ag obair roimh fhreastal ar an ollscoil, ach níl ionamsa ach an colúnaí teicneolaíochta! Ach má éiríonn leat agus má shocraíonn tú ar freastal ar an tríú léibhéal, ná bac leis an gcarr nua a thairg do thuismitheoirí duit do thorthaí maithe: iarr liúntas teicneolaíochta uathu agusceannaigh na giuirléidí seo a leanas.

Kindle

Táimse féin rud beag déanach chuig an gcóisir seo, caithfidh mé admháil. D’fhoghlaim mé sin san ollscoil: ní fiú ar bith duit a bheith luath ag aon chóisir. Fuair m’fhear chéile Kindle le déanaí agus le linn ár saoire bhliaintúil, thug sé ar iasacht dom é ionas go mbeinn in ann an cúigiú cuid de Game of Thrones a léamh. Sea, déanach chuig an gcóisir sin fosta. Cé nach léiríonn an rogha sin leabhair é, is breá liom léamh agus is breá liom na cuimhneacháin a mhúsclaíonn gach leabhar ar an tseilf. Cuimhním ar ócáidí ar leith i mo shaol go minic trí na leabhar a bhí á léamh agam. Braithim go bhfuil rud éigin caillte agam anois le teacht an Kindle i mo shaol, ach ní fhéadfainn a shéanadh chomh feidhmiúil is atá an uirlis bheag seo agus, ar ndóigh, tá ceann uaim féin anois. Tá neart téacsleabhar ar fáil ar an Kindle go deimhin freisin agus go háirithe má tá tú ag tabhairt faoi chúrsa staidéir sa sruithléann, mholfainn go mór é. Dá mbeadh a leithéid ann nuair a bhí mé féin ag tabhairt faoi mo chuid foghlama sa Ghaeilge agus sa Drámaíocht, bheinn in ann “Complete Works of Shakespeare” a fháil ar $1.99 nócóip de dhánta an Ríordánaigh a fháil ar $15.04. Níl an difríocht idir praghas na leabhar don dráma agus don Ghaeilge athraithe ar aon nós! Ar £69.00 (nó $69.00) ar an leagan is bunúsaí is infheistíocht an-mhaith an teicneolaíocht seo.

Éist leis an bPeann

Ceann de na rudaí is tuirsiúil san ollscoil ná nótaí a ghlacadh. Go háirithe má bhí tú amuigh ar an drabhlas go breacadh an lae ag staidéar go géar go breacadh an lae. Beidh Livescribe Sky Wifi Smartpen uait mar sin. Cabhróidh an peann seo go mór leat. Leis an ngiuirléid agus a leabhar nótaí tionlacain speisialta seo, is féidir scríobh agus taifeadadhag an am céanna. Nuair a léann tú siar ar na nótaí is féidir an peann cniogóige a bhualadh ar aon áit ar do chuid nótaí agus seinnfidh an peann gach a thaifead sé ag an mbomaite a scríobh tú an nóta sin. D’fhéadfá an peann seo a bheith rud beag níos lú agus rud beag níos saoire, ach is tús íontach maith é san earnáil seo. Tá costas timpeall $200 ar ceann de na pinn seo ag brath ar cúpla rogha.

Cluasáin Fhuaimdhíonacha

B’fhéidir nach gceapfá go mbeadh cluasáin fhuaimdhíonacha róthábhachtach ach má cheapann tú ar feadh meandair amháin gur chóir duit tabhairt faoin staidéar i leabharlann na hollscoile leis na cluasáin a fuair tú le do iPod/ seinnteoir MP3/ guthán, b’fhéidir gur chóir duit gabháil ar ais ar scoil! Tá rud nó dhó le foghlaim agat go fóill! Tá liosta cuimsitheach ag CNET  ach níl ach ceann nó dhó díobh siúd liostáilte níos saoire ná $100 dá réir. Molaim roinnt siopadóireachta nó coigiltis a dhéanamh. An rud is maith liom le CNET ná go mbíonn treoir cheannaitheora lena gcuid léirmheasanna a ligeann duit do chinneadh féin a dhéanamh.

Clódóir agus Feidhmhcláirín Scanóra

An rud is cuimhin liom faoin ollscoil ná cló agus fótóchóipeáil idir aistí agus leathanach anseo agus ansiúd as leabhar tagartha nach raibh ar fáil ar iasacht ón leabharlann. Don chuid is mó anois, is ar líne nó thar r-phost a sheoltar isteach aistí ach, ag brath ar an ábhar, beidh gach seans go mbeidh clódóir uait. Roghnaigh clódóir le WiFi, a chlónn ó iOS agus Android chomh maith le ríomhaire agus déan roinnt taighde ar costas na gcartús dúigh mar is é sin an costas is mó a bheas ort amach anseo. Tá neart clódóirí ar fáil anois atá idir €100 agus €150 agus má bhraitheann tú go mbeidh ort ábhar a chló is fiú an infheistíochta. Má tá guthán cliste agat, molaim feidhmchláirín scanóra a ligfidh duit fótóchóipeáil a fhágáil sa 20ú aois mar is chóir! Arís tá rogha mór de na feidhmchláiríní seo, ach oibríonn DocScanner ar iOS agus Android. Is féidir aon ábhar a bhailíonn tú a shábháil chuig Evernote, DropBox nó Google Drive agus tá na cáipéisí inchuardaithe uaidh sin.

Cúltacaigh gach Ní!

Nuair a d’fhreastail mé ar an ollscoil (agus táimid ag druidim le 20 bliain ó thosnaigh mé ann!) bhí cead againn aistí scríofa de láimh a thabhairt isteach. Bhí ort cead a fháil chun seoladh r-phost a aimsiú agus is cuimhin liom míniú don léachtóir Gaeilge s’agam céard ba r-phost ann agus cén fáth go raibh sé uaim. Go bunúsach, bhí ré órga na teicneolaíochta fós le gabháil i bhfeidhm ar hallaí ársa Coláiste na Tríonóide. Fiú nuair a bhí orainn gach aon ní a chló amach agus a fhágáil i mbosca taobh amuigh d’oifig an rúnaí, is minic a theip ar ríomhairí agus bheadh caoineadh agus briseadh croí agus bosca ciarsúr tarraingthe amach ag an rúnaí céanna. Is dócha go bhfoghlaimíonn an chuid is mó de scoláirí an ceacht crua. Éist le mo mholtaí agus má ceannaíonn tú aon ní ón líosta seo ceannaigh tiomántán cúltaca agus socraigh réim mhíleata chúltaca duit féin! Gabhfaidh tú buíochas liom nuair a shábháilim do leabharlann iTunes gan chaint ar d’aiste críochthéarma.

Mar fhocal scoir, smaoinigh ar cúpla rud eile a bheadh ina gcabhair mór don scoláire dáiríre (ahem!). Dá mbeinn féin ag scríobh aiste ollscoile, bheadh pointí caillte agam faoin am seo as a bheith fadálach agus mar sin fágfaidh mé fúibh féin léamh fúthu:

Cumhacht bhreise dod’ fóin póca ionas nach gcaillfidh tú an téacs tábhachtach sin faoin gcoisír léacht http://www.mycharge.com/ http://www.mophie.com

Lampa deisc le modhanna éagsúla fá choinne léimh, staidéir agus sos a ligint http://www.satechi.net/index.php/new-products/led-desk-lamp-black

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A chéad lá scoile

English below
Bheul anois. Tháinig an lá mhór faoi dheireadh. Ní raibh oiread is deor amháin idir sinne nó ár mac is sine inár dteach nó ag geata na scoile nó ag doras an seomra ranga ar a chéad lá scoile. Bhí an t-ádh linn go raibh sé ag súil go mór leis, bhí an seomra ranga feicthe aige cheana agus bhí sé tar éis buaileadh le Múinteoir M, bean óg, lách, agus cheanúil. Dúirt sé liom ar maidin agus muid ag geata na scoile agus coicís faoina chrois aige, “I like Múinteoir M!”

Bhí sé ag súil leis freisin mar tá sé de nós aige bheith i gcomhluadar pháistí eile agus táimid buíoch as gach éinne i gCranford Creche i Ráth gCearr as an tús mhaith a thabhairt dhó. Ach is buachaill sóisialta neamhspleach é freisin agus sheasann a phearsantacht stuama leis. Tá fhios ag éinne a léann an blag seo go minic (agus seachas an rud nach mbíonn mórán nua le léamh ró-mhinic) ní bean mhór maoimh mé ach bhí mé an-bhrodúil as an lá sin.

Tar éis a dhara lá scoile chualamar a chéad focal Gaeilge a tháinig gan bhrú uaimse. Bhí sé ag déanamh cur síos ar bróga cailín sa chreche. “You know those shoes that have a toy in them? [Me: blank look. Him: continues unphased] Well when she took them off there was a madra in them! A madra!” Mar a rinne Himself cur síos ar san Irish Times an tseachtain seo chaite:

Vinny, whose first child started in a Gaelscoil this week, describes the mix of emotions parents feel. “I was a little nervous. I thought he would be upset, but he was great, and I was dead proud of him when he went in,” he says. “And when he described a dog in Irish at home, he reduced his mum to tears of joy.”

Tá G ag gabháil timpeall ag canadh amhrán a bhfuair sé ar scoil freisin. Tuigeann mise céard tá á chanadh aige ó tá na hamhráin ar eolas agam ach tabharfainn duais don té a aithneodh focal cheart Ghaeilge iontu! Rud eile a dúirt sé anocht agus muid ag comhaireamh na cartanna dearga ina leabhar mór de focal Ghaeilge a chur ag gáire mé ná “God mum, your Irish is really good!” Ba léir go raibh an abairt seo chloiste aige ó duine eigín eile. Gach seans ag baistiú inné.

Agus ba lá mhór é don fear is óige freisin mar gur thosnaigh seisean sa chreche nua. Thaitníonn sé go mór leis an mbeirt acu agus tá na mná sa chreche an-tógtha leo agus go háirithe le cé chomh cainteach is atá an duine is óige. Ar ndóigh toisc gur dearthair é tá sé luath ag caint, is ag caint, is ag caint! Nós atá aige faoi láthair ná deireann sé i nguth an-cheisteach, “What’s that airplane?” agus bíonn ort rá, “Em an airplane?” agus bíonn sé sásta leis an bhfreagra sin.

Agus ba lá mhór é ar ndóigh do Himself. Mhothaigh sé uaigh iad i gceart inniu mar b’inniu an chéad lá nach raibh air G a phiocadh suas ón scoil ó gur dhéan G lá iomlán scoile agus phioc an bhean ón chreche suas é. Lá mhór fhada a bhí do Himself ach beidh a dhóthain ar a phláta féin i gceann coicíse so b’fhearr a scith a ligint a fhad is a bhfuil an seans aige.

Well now! The big day arrived at last. There wasn’t a wet eye in the house or at the school gate or at the classroom door. We were lucky as he was really looking forward to it; he had already seen his classroom and met Múinteor M, a lovely, pleasant, young woman. He said to me this morning as we arrived in school with two weeks under his belt, “I like Múinteoir M!”

He was looking forward to it as well because he is used to the company of other children and we are grateful to everyone in Cranford Creche in Rathgar for giving him such a good start. But he is an independent, sociable little chap too and his level-headed personality stood to him. Anybody who reads this blog regularly (apart from wasting their time as I don’t write regularly) I’m not a woman to boast but I was very proud that day.

After his second day of school we heard his first unprompted word of Irish. He was describing the shoes of a girls in the creche. “You know those shoes that have a toy in them? [Me: blank look. Him: continues unphased] Well when she took them off there was a madra in them! A madra!” As Himself described in the Irish Times last week:

Vinny, whose first child started in a Gaelscoil this week, describes the mix of emotions parents feel. “I was a little nervous. I thought he would be upset, but he was great, and I was dead proud of him when he went in,” he says. “And when he described a dog in Irish at home, he reduced his mum to tears of joy.”

G is going around singing songs that he got in school. I understand what he is singing because I know the songs but I would give a prize to anyone who could recognise even one proper word or Irish in them! Another thing he said to me that made me crack up this evening when we were counting red cars in his big book of Irish words was “God mum, your Irish is really good!” He must have heard someone say it, probably at the christening we were at yesterday where he was showing off to all the ladies by counting in Irish!

And it was a big day for the little fella too because he started in the new creche. Both of them really like it and the women in the creche are very taken with them especially with how chatty the little fella is. Of course because he is a little brother he was an early to talk and talk and talk! A habit he has at the moment is to say in a very questioning tone, “What’s that airplane?” and you have to say, “Em an airplane?” and he’s happy with that.

And of course it was a big day for Himself as well. He really missed them properly today because it was the first day that he didn’t have to pick G up from school because he was doing a full and the woman from the creche was picking him up. A big long day for Himself but he’ll have enough on his plate in a fortnight so he might as well take it easy while he can!