Timetable... how can you fit in an Aistear Hour?

The dreaded timetable!

The dreaded timetable! This has always been an issue where I see teachers struggle. Everyone spends the first few months juggling around subjects, extra curricular activities and trying to work with withdrawal etc. Mostly teachers would just say... "how can I fit in all the suggested time allocations for each subject and somehow give over an hour to Aistear play each day!” I had the same struggle until I watched ​ this video on the Aistear NCCA site and all of a sudden it made sense. I felt completely released of the constraints of that infant timeframe! Quiet enlightening, I think... click on the link above have a watch for yourself. ​

These two quotes below, taken from the curriculum made particular sense and should inform any inspector or person who would question any issues relating to lack of weekly discrete lessons in your time table. To me it says integrate in a thematic way as much as you like! I also believe that a timetable is a working document which should allow for flexibility. You should find yourself changing your timetable many times throughout the year to link in with your children development and their growing abilities and needs.

​For the young child, the distinctions between subjects are not relevant: what is more important is that he or she experiences a coherent learning process that accommodates a variety of elements. 
pg 16 Primary school Curriculum

Because the period of secular instruction for children in infant classes may be shorter than that provided for older children, the suggested time framework is not directly applicable, as it is for other class groups. The child at infant level perceives and experiences learning in an integrated way. This requires particular approaches to teaching and learning and will entail a more flexible use of the suggested time frame. 
pg 69 Primary school Curriculum
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My interpretation is that the infant timeframe is only meant as a guideline. Right now there is a lot of discussion on the suggested timeframe for primary school... I attended many seminars and conferences last year about the changes on the horizon for our curriculum and timeframe and how we teach our curriculum. I really feel that there are big and positive changes on the way, visit the NCCA and have a read of this if you haven't already! It makes for very interesting reading. I'll blog about this soon... so keep posted!  

Enjoy and thanks for reading,

​Zara