Training in Venice:

Four teachers traveled to Venice in October as part of their Erasmus+ Mobility Project. They took part in a training course all about using works of art in the classroom. They had a wonderful time visiting art galleries, meeting artists and taking part in art classes. They met teachers from other countries and learned about how they teach art in different schools.

Whole School Art Exhibition:

The teachers involved in the Erasmus+ project brought their new knowledge back to Rathpeacon and created a whole school art project that every student could get take part in. The theme of well-being was chosen with a focus on understanding feelings and emotions.

Each class level used a different stimulus and created their own original artwork showing different learning on feelings and emotions. Infants created a “Rollercoaster of Emotions” while 1st and 2nd created their “Emotion City”. In 3rd and 4th class they explored the idea of “Masking our Emotions” and 5th and 6th class created suitcases and focused on “Unpacking our Emotions”.

The school held an art exhibition on Friday 9th December and parents, guardians and the members of the local community came to view and enjoy the wonderful artwork on display.

Rathpeacon National School is delighted to announce that we are taking part in an Erasmus+ Project!

Erasmus+ is the European Union programme for education, training, youth and sport running from
2021 to 2027. It has a budget of €26.2 billion for all of Europe, to fund learning mobility and cross-
border co-operation projects for ten million Europeans of all ages and all backgrounds. In Ireland,
organisations apply to Léargas for funding to carry out projects consistent with its objectives and that
encourage European exchange, co-operation and learning.

Rathpeacon National School was one of only fourteen schools to be granted funding by Léargas to
complete the project. Our project is called “A Whole School Approach to Using Works of Art in the
Classroom” and will aim to bring more works of art into the classroom at each class level, ensuring
children get a more comprehensive visual arts education. Part of the project will involve four teachers
from Rathpeacon travelling to Venice, Italy and completing a training course on “Using Works of Art in
the Classroom”. These teachers will then use what they learn and help to update our long-term visual
arts plan along with showing other staff how we can best use works of art at each class level to inspire
and educate our students.

We are so excited to be taking part in an Erasmus+ project and we are looking forward to helping and
inspiring our students to delve into their creative side!