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07/02/15 |
Collegeville |
Q&A |Registration Form| |
For the past fourteen years, we have held an annual weekend Irish language workshop every summer. We are delighted to hold this event for the fifth straight year in Collegeville, MN, right in the middle of the state. Known as the Bernie Morgan Memorial Irish Language Workshop, we enjoy a great location, great faculty, great students, in an efficient two-day format that has been very well received by past participants. When asked for anonymous feedback on evaluation forms, 100% of our participants from the last two years indicated they would be likely to attend again, or recommend this workshop to a friend!
Below you will find a comprehensive guide to the workshop, answering just about every question you can think of. But here are the highlights, if you're more or less decided:
The common questions and answers below should tell you everything you need to know.
... about this event, especially in greater Minnesota and surrounding states. You know your local area much better than we do, so consider where you might post a flier, or even how to let your local media know about your interest in Irish. If anyone has ever asked you about learning Irish, send them a link to our site www.gaelminn.org and encourage them to give this weekend a try.
Contact us if you have ideas for publicity and need some help or materials (or an interview, etc.)
Just about everything you need to know about our Collegeville workshop should be answered in one of the following links. If not, e-mail us with your questions and we'll get back to you with specific information.
(back to questions) The Bernie Morgan Memorial Irish Language Workshop is a two-day event held at St. John's University in Collegeville, MN, on Saturday and Sunday July 25-26. (Where's that?) It provides an intense introduction to spoken and written Irish for absolute beginners who have not studied the language before, at the same time that we offer levels where more advanced students can apply and polish what they already know.
This is our 15th annual summer workshop. After ten years in Winona, we moved the event to a more central part of Minnesota. Collegeville is within commuting range of not only the Twin Cities, but of communities like St. Cloud, Brainerd, Alexandria, and so on. All materials, meals, refreshments, and classroom instruction are included in the fee, and lodging is available on or off campus. Dining services offers a wide variety of food, and it is all excellent.
If you will be learning Irish for the first time, you can be confident that you will have plenty of company, and that your instructor has substantial experience in working with absolute beginners. You'll have fun, and you'll learn a lot. And you'll learn in a beautiful setting. There's a lot more information about specific aspects of the workshop in the questions that follow.
(back to questions) Bernie Morgan was a delightful student and a dedicated volunteer with Gaeltacht Minnesota. His enthusiasm was both boundless and infectious, but unfortunately, Bernie passed away at the beginning of 2011.
Bernie not only studied with us, he made some summer treks to the famous Oideas Gael school in Donegal. And he was thrilled to be able to use the Irish he learned in communities in Ireland.
Back home in Minnesota, he brought a twinkle and a chuckle to every class and workshop. If you could sit next to Bernie through an entire class and not enjoy yourself, there's something wrong with you!
Bernie had a close attachment to St. John's, and with the help of his son Dan, we migrated this summer event to the campus of St. John's.
(back to questions)Our instructors have years of experience working with students at various levels of ability, and all of them have taught at workshops many times. Our teachers consistently receive outstanding ratings in the feedback we collect from participants.
Instructors at our workshops know how to combine a lot of learning with a lot of fun, and they are very supportive. They know you're feeling a little nervous about making mistakes in front of others, and they have proven their ability to develop your language skills while keeping everyone comfortable with the process.
How many sections we run, under which instructors, is partly dependent on how many students we enroll and the particular mix of abilities they bring to the event.We customize the class lists and activities every year based on the placement information we receive.
(back to questions) Collegeville is just about smack dab in the middle of the state, and St. John's University is right off Interstate 94, about 20 minutes west of St. Cloud. It's a very peaceful nature setting with lakes and woods, and right off a popular paved hiking/biking trail.
Founded in 1857, St. John's is a Benedictine, Catholic institution, with a sister institution, the College of St. Benedict, located in nearby St. Joseph. (There are a lot of "saint" town names in the region, presumably due to the Bavarian Catholics who settled the region).
All of our facilities, dorm, dining hall, and classrooms, are packed very closely together, so it will be easy to park your car and walk the short distances from one activity to the next. Here's an annotated map of campus with the locations marked where we will hold our main activities. (If you have attended past workshops at St. John's, note that this year, people staying over will be back in Benet hall, where we stayed the first couple of years.)
Driving Time:
Collegeville is a pretty small place, but nearby St. Cloud has enough in the way of lodging and other amenities to meet your needs, if you decide to spend time off campus.
(back to questions) If you are a beginner, you will learn the basics of simple conversation, and a good deal about how Irish spelling and sounds work. You'll get a start on being able to sound out things you see written in Irish, and you will acquire some of the basic vocabulary of the fundamental 'small talk' -- greetings, weather, and beginning dialogue -- that is typical of an Irish conversation.
If you already have these basics, you will spend more time working on the next level of conversation. In addition, you'll work with some fundamentals of grammar.
At the more advanced levels, working in the language and applying your knowledge of Irish becomes the focus. Students at the upper levels will hear much less English during the day, and use their speaking, reading, and listening abilities in more novel situations.
More specific goals and activities for each group are worked out as we learn the composition of each class. In other words, we adapt each workshop to reflect the numbers and abilities of the people attending. For more about how we determine your ability in the language, see our placement question .
(back to questions) Absolutely! We'll even prove it to you at the event. On Saturday evening, we send our beginner class around to eavesdrop on several typical Irish conversations. With what they've learned, our new students are able to tell which people are talking about the weather, which about being in class, and so on. Obviously, this is something you can't do when you walk in the door on Saturday morning, but all of our past beginners have been able to handle this task without much trouble.
Of course, you won't understand every word, and you'll only be able to talk about yourself a little bit, at the end of the weekend. But you will know some basic conversation, you'll have a start on Irish pronunciation, and most importantly, you'll know whether the Irish language is something you want to pursue further.
And feedback from past participants consistently shows that they were very happy with their progress in a single weekend.
(back to questions) Anyone who is interested in the Irish language, whether you already study it or not. There are many reasons why you might like to attend this workshop:
(back to questions)The short, but incomplete, answer is Yes. Please read the rest of this section!
After completing the beginner class at Collegeville, you can start attending our Monday evening classes in the Twin Cities. BUT we won't back up as far as we sometimes do when we bring new people into the program (for example, after our Community Education Intro class in winter or fall).
You just have to understand that for the first few classes, if you decide to join us, you're going to be doing some catching up. With a little extra effort, you should be just fine in a few weeks -- but we want you to understand how it works with the Collegeville workshop.
The beginner class generally does a thorough review in the fall, so you should be able to catch up if you stick with us.
(back to questions) Younger students are welcome, but we ask you to think about it a little before you sign up a younger student:
Rest assured, we have had many teenagers attend with adults and it has worked out very well. We have had even younger students do well at our workshops, but they clearly need some support for an event of this type.
If you have any doubts, drop us an e-mail and we'll have a conversation about it.
(back to questions)The workshop begins on Saturday morning, July 25. You will check in at St. Mary's hall on campus, get your dorm key if staying over, and have a chance to drop off your stuff before we assemble in Simons hall for opening remarks and the beginning of classes.
Classes will run all day Saturday, with coffee breaks in the morning and afternoon, and, of course, lunch and supper. After supper, we will gather for a group event that involves all of our classes working together. Even if you are commuting, plan on being on campus until about 8:30 on Saturday evening, at least.
After the group activity, we'll enjoy some social time together. We often have a few songs or tunes from students, or play some games ("Clue" in Irish anyone?), or just find a little time to share ideas and enjoy some good company.
Sunday morning classes will include a break for Mass and for lunch, or for a pleasant hike on the nearby trail, with everything wrapped up about 2:30 Sunday afternoon. Everyone should be able to get home and sleep in his or her own bed on Sunday night.
Detailed information will be sent to you when we acknowledge your registration.
(back to questions)Then this is your chance! Beginners love our workshops.This is a perfect opportunity for you to get a taste of the language, because:
(back to questions) This is a concern for both the beginner and the more advanced student. Our placement system is designed to make the workshop experience more enjoyable and more worthwhile for you. We have been fairly successful at this sort of placement in our past workshops, so most people find themselves at the right level. And if we aren't quite right, you can easily change.
We are continually working to improve our ability to meet the needs of students at all levels. That's why we ask you to answer some questions about your language abilities on the placement section of our registration form, to ensure the best fit between student ability and instructional activities.
(back to questions)You enroll by sending in a registration form, with complete information, and a check ($135 if received by July 11, $160 thereafter).
All forms must be received (not postmarked) no later than Friday, July 17, but we strongly encourage you to register early and take the $25 discount.
Payment must accompany the registration form, and the placement test part of the form must be completed. We need a form, and a placement test, for each participant, so if several members of the family, or some similar group, want to register together, you can send separate copies of the form for each participant, or you can clearly mark the information for multiple students on one form. In either case, you can pay for everyone with one check.
Also note:
(back to questions)You can attend the workshop for $135 IF your registration reaches us by Saturday, July 11. After that, it will cost $160. (Registration due by July 17, no matter what.)
Fees cover all materials and instruction, all meals, and refreshments for both coffee breaks and evening social time.
Lodging is extra: if you wish to stay on campus, rooms are available for only $48 single (compare to a typical motel!). Please see the Lodging Options question for more about the staying over on campus, including the double occupancy option.
(back to questions)Meals will be taken in the Refectory, cafeteria style, which has several advantages:
For commuters, the fee covers lunch both days, supper on Saturday.
For those staying on campus, breakfast is included as part of your lodging fee.
For all participants, coffee breaks will be provided during the morning and afternoon class sessions on Saturday, and an assortment of refreshments and beverages will be provided for the Saturday evening activity.
(back to questions)No, but many do, even if they live nearby. Remember, class runs at least until 8:30 Saturday evening, followed by social time. It is also easier to enjoy a beer or glass of wine, if that is your preference, during the social time without worrying about driving home.
But some drive back and forth, even from the Twin Cities (about 1:20). Collegeville is within commuting distances of many communities in central Minnesota, right on Interstate 94. (See the Tell me more about St. John's ... question for more information.)
Students traveling long distances may choose to stay over Friday night as well. Indicate your desire for a Friday night say on the registration form.
Lodging options are described below.
(back to questions)Yes! Simply indicate (and pay for) the additional room on your registration form.
Eat on the way, as there is nothing in Collegeville and the Friday night stay does not include the evening meal. But it does include Saturday morning breakfast.
Lodging options are described in the next question.
(back to questions)Your decisions are:
We'll be staying in Benet Hall, which has both single and double rooms available, but we would like to reserve double occupancy for people who can indicate a specific roommate on their registration form! In other words, please don't indicate "double occupancy" just because it is a few bucks cheaper and expect us to find a roommate for you. If you are coming with a spouse or partner, or if two friends agree to bunk together in advance, that's where double occupancy comes into play.
With that understood, the fee for an overnight stay on campus is $48 single/$37 double. This includes breakfast the next morning. (If you are traveling a long distance, you can stay over on Friday night for an additional night's fee.)
How early do you want to get up in the morning, and how late do you want to get home at night?
Expect classes to begin around 9 a.m. each day, and class activity could run until 8:30 or later on Saturday evening. Our space for social activity is reserved until 11:30 pm that night.
The "Tell me more about St. John's ..." question will give you a better idea of distances, but commuting from the Twin Cities would be about 1:20 driving time. The drive is easy, being entirely on I-94.
If you don't want to get up early, or if you want to be able to simply walk a short distance to a very affordable room after Saturday night's activities, you might want to stay on campus.
Note that you could also commute from closer locations (St. Cloud), rather than driving all the way back home on Saturday.
This year we will be back in Benet Hall, familiar to participants from our first couple of years. This building is about a one-minute walk from either the classrooms or the dining hall! (See map). That means once you're parked, you probably won't need to use your car again until you leave.
Bathrooms are down the hall, not in room. What's more, one floor will be designated as "male" bathrooms, a different floor as "female" bathrooms. So if, say, male-female partners are rooming together, one of them will have to go up or down a floor.
We realize that is a mild inconvenience. But the low price and extreme proximity to our other rooms are big advantages, and it's just for a night, for most participants.
If you don't want to drive all the way home, but do not want a long commute, you could find lodging in nearby communities, especially Saint Cloud, which is only about 20 minutes away.
If you are driving a distance that would have you up in the middle of the night to make morning class on Saturday, we can put you on campus that evening. There is no evening meal provided on Friday, but you do get breakfast on Saturday morning. The extra night will cost an additional night's fee, and you book that by indicating your preferences on your registration form.
(back to questions)Some of our students have been to our Winona workshop one or more times, but have not yet attended the Collegeville event. Here is a quick overview of the main differences:
(back to questions)Comments and questions are welcome via e-mail