Mission Statement
In St. Benin’s National School
our mission is to provide a nurturing Christian environment in which our pupils
will begin a process of life-long learning and holistic growth.
Our vision for the children in
this school is that they will become endowed with a positive sense of their own
self-worth; that they will be aware of and develop their own unique abilities
and possibilities; that they will be caring, tolerant and flexible Christian
citizens with a sense of empowerment to contribute on a local, national and
global scale.
Aims:
Social
Interaction between adult and
child will be based on mutual respect. The teacher will show in attitude, word
and deed that he/she values each child. The children will act accordingly
among themselves. Co-operation and collaboration will be encouraged through
sporting activities, games, class projects, quizzes, school garden, drama,
seasonal celebrations and environmental projects. The area of conflict
resolution will be explored.
Academic
In the academic realm, we aim to
develop the children’s capacity to think clearly, creatively and critically. This
entails equipping them with skills such as: the ability to absorb information
aurally and graphically, the ability to read fluently with comprehension to
articulate what they have learned with clarity in spoken and written work, to
use Information Technology to facilitate independent learning, to handle
calculations competently, to engage in problem-solving and to transfer the
skills acquired to real life situations.
Emotional and Personal
In order to promote emotional
development, the child needs to have experience, which endow him/her with a
positive self-image and sense of self-worth. We hope to work towards this by
use of praise and encouragement and by building on the child’s strengths and
abilities. We aim to channel the expression of emotions in acceptable ways. We
also recognise the importance of making children aware of how to maintain
physical and mental health and well-being. The programme of Social, Personal,
Health Education in the school will formally address these issues.
Moral and Religious
A combination of elements will
contribute to the children’s moral development. Respect and tolerance for
person and environment will be encouraged in the day to day life of the school
and in its code of discipline. Awareness of injustice and inequality will be
developed. The children will be given a sense of their own role in combating
these problems. We hope to develop a sense of independence and responsibility,
so they will be equipped to exercise good moral judgment, withstand peer
pressure and other pressures in later life and go on to become informed and
empowered Christian citizens.
Cultural
We aim to further the cultural
aspect of citizenship through the use of Irish as the daily language of the
school. We teach Irish songs, tunes and poems. Our national games are promoted.
Old customs and practices are passed on. Irish dancing also forms part of the
curriculum. Awareness and respect for our local and national heritage is
inculcated.
Physical
Sport will play an important role
not only in the child’s social development, but centrally in the promotion of
physical well-being. The children will be exposed to a variety of sports,
thereby enabling them to participate at their own level in a wide range of
leisure activities and use leisure time constructively. The emphasis will be on
participation rather than competition. The children will be made aware of the
importance of a healthy life-style. Promotion of exercise, hygiene matters,
good eating habits, risks involved in smoking, alcohol and drug abuse will be
all explored.
Aesthetic
We aim to develop an appreciation
of beauty in all its forms; nature, music, visual art, dance, poetry, drama
etc. In offering a variety of experiences to the children we hope to heighten
their sensitivity. Nature walks, theatre visits, school plays, listening to
works of great composers, school trips will all impact on their imagination. In
addition, they will be afforded the opportunities to explore their own
creativity in art, craft, role play, music making, dance and composing their
own poetry and stories.