THE SCHOOL'S LOCATION HAS A MESSAGE

One significant aspect of the environs of St. Anne's School is the River Fergus, which meanders carelessly about the town of Ennis. Sometimes it bulges over and floods the marshland nearby. In a dry season the river can be crossed easily by stepping stones. However the bridge is a necessary structure for most people crossing over to Corrovorrin.

Initially, before the site was planned and fund-raising for the school had started, we had to reflect deeply on what spiritual, moral, social and educational contribution St. Anne's School would make to our county. The simple Chinese dictum "to look in to oneself and to read the surroundings was encapsulated for is in a poem "The Bridge Builder" by W. A. Dromgoogle. When the old man was asked why he took time to build a seemingly unnecessary bridge, he  answered -

"Good friend in the path I have come," he said 

"There followeth after me today

A youth whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm that has been naught to me,

To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;

He too must cross in the twilight dim,

Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

In recent years the metaphor of the bridge and the river has been generalized to the practical delivery service of special needs education within St. Anne's School. Information gleaned from thesis and surveys on special needs within Co. Clare has revealed deficits that have to be continuously addressed. Changes and adjustments have had to be made accordingly. The blind pursuits of integration without the necessary supports, are now looked at more constructively. It is broadly acknowledged that, there has to be different delivery systems for different children. No system or institution is a panacea for the correction of disabilities.  

THE WIDER PICTURE ON THE REVELENCE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

The analogy of the crossing the river can also be applied to the range of supports that all pupils need. We can define five groups with varying needs for assistance. 

1. Some pupils have the cognitive skills and innate perceptions that allows them to manage without help.
2. The majority of pupils need to be encouraged, cajoled and coached before they have the confidence to perform.
3. A few find shortcuts that allow them to survive.
4. Some can get by with the appropriate stepping stones of remedial education.
5. Others need the structure of a bridge i.e. special school to help them.
6. A small group need to be carried across and cared for every moment of their lives.

The permutations and variations of supports needed are endless. The awareness of the complexity of special needs has to be understood by all parents and all teachers. By the time a service is put in place it is outmoded for the population it is supposed to serve. Teacher training is vital and this cannot be done on ad hoc basis. There are only a handful of teachers who have a qualification in special education in this county. It is of paramount importance that this is addressed by the Colleges of Education.  An eminent educationalist has commented on pressure to give the same portions to all pupils. He stated that this was like making the assumption that "the same shoes fit all" or that "the same prescription cures all ills."

Constant analysis of what strategies and supports are working and what are not should be an integral part of all evaluations. Ongoing research should enlighten rather than depress us. Of course, there are times when the truth will sting and the answers are not forthcoming. It is in our search, struggle and hard work that small strides are achieved. Like the chameleon we have to make sensitive adaptations to the wider educational environment if we are to survive and make the difference.

THE OPEN DOOR CHALLENGES US TO FOCUS ON THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER.

The return of many ex-pupils on incidental visits to St. Anne's School is both a salutary and humbling experience. It certainly has made us focus on, the aspirations  of St. Anne's School, and how effectively we have equipped these pupils for life. As adults we constantly share accounts of their likes and dislikes, the bad times and the good times they remembered, the incidents that they found upsetting or amusing and what they thought was useful and what they considered a waste of time. This dialogue challenges us to re-examine not only our curriculum and the school culture but to delve into the deeper level of human relationships.

We are always accessible to admire the new car and to wish them in their training, further education or university courses. We are there to congratulate them on their engagements, marriages and the births of their children. We value the trust that ex-pupils place on us in times of disappointment and bereavement. A survey of ex-pupils some years ago gave us valuable insights on what they thought of St. Anne's School. We will need to keep a focus on the wider picture and make adjustments accordingly. This shared humanity is what really matters. This means that we appreciate difficulties and viewpoints, that we truly feel each others joy and pain and that we walk with them in understanding. 

The following verse crystallizes the school the school motto " To be all that I can be" as it places responsibility on our self-actualizing responses.

"Believe without growing too scornfully proud,

That you, as the greatest and least are endowed.

A mind to do thinking, two hands and two eyes

Are all the equipment God gives the wise."

The all important confidence building is so fundamental and necessary. Education will never be limited to a building, system, teachers or a place. It should be a life-long experience. At St. Anne's School we endeavour to be helpful agents, we try to inform and influence others on how the needs of the pupils can best be met.