I spent a day exploring the beautiful Kylemore Abbey in Connemara!

Author: Linden Mountain | Major: Childhood Education

My name is Linden Mountain, and I am an incoming sophomore student in the College of Education and Health Professions. As a Childhood Education major and Biology minor, I am preparing for my future as an elementary school teacher. During the May Intersession term of summer 2022, I had the opportunity to study the Irish education system as part of the Education in Ireland- the Art of Teaching faculty-led program. Not only did this experience provide valuable insight into the structure of schooling, but it offered insight into the role that education plays in Ireland’s society.

In looking for a study abroad program that would enhance my future as an educator, this program stood out because it offered a hands-on experience in Ireland’s primary schools. This is a University of Arkansas faculty-led program, and the two professors who lead the program have spent many years establishing partnerships with several schools around Ireland. Using their connections and expertise, the professors have designed this program to give education majors the opportunity to explore their chosen profession outside of the typical American classroom setting. By visiting four schools- each varying in size, location, and student demographics- I was able to take extensive notes on the similarities and differences between the Irish and American school systems. The program focuses on experiential learning more so than lectures or traditional classroom learning, so our coursework varied from most University of Arkansas classes. While we did participate in some lectures through Mary Immaculate College and the University of Limerick, our other coursework challenged us to apply our activities to our future teaching. Before leaving for the program, we were tasked with creating a twenty-minute lesson plan with a partner to teach in the schools we visited. My partner and I created a lesson comparing Ireland and the United States’ currency systems. Depending on the school, we taught this lesson to either one or multiple classrooms in a day. At our first school visit, we made adjustments to our lesson to make it applicable to any grade level; making changes to curriculum in order to best teach students is a key part of teachers’ jobs, and this assignment allowed us to practice this often overlooked skill that educators need to have. Another component of the course required us to explore historic or important sites in Ireland, and asked us to relate our findings to our future endeavors. These tasks helped me to form a broader, global perspective on education. While I obtained vast amounts of knowledge from our time in the primary schools, I also found that valuable learning happens outside of the classroom.

Throughout my time in Ireland, I used every form of transportation other than a car, which is the dominant mode of travel that I use in Northwest Arkansas. While studying in Ireland, I rode on countless buses, trams, trains, and bikes, and even rode on a ferry. The country of Ireland is around twenty thousand square miles smaller than the state of Arkansas, which means that traveling between parts of the country takes only a thirty minute train ride. We also stayed in larger cities, so the need for personal cars was not as prevalent. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to navigate this big difference; while I did not get on the correct bus every time, I was much better at using public transportation by the end of my program.

To anyone who is considering studying abroad, I would remind you that the opportunity to grow in your area of study while in another country far outweighs the nerves or hesitations that you might have. At the risk of sounding cliche, you really will regret the risks that you don’t take. However, as I quickly realized when I joined the Education in Ireland program, this wasn’t a risk. My professors, as well as the other students in the program, ensured that the experience was a valuable addition to my undergraduate education. Not only did I leave with many teaching techniques that I will implement in my own classroom, but I left with an appreciation of the different approach that another country takes on education.