Donal_OMahony - Association of Community and
Download
Report
Transcript Donal_OMahony - Association of Community and
Portmarnock Community School
Donal O’ Mahony
Some history
Portmarnock Community School became an NCCA Junior
Cycle network school in May 2012
I am the Link-teacher
I presented about the possibilities involved with Junior
Cycle reform to my colleagues in September 2012
In Portmarnock there seemed to be a lot of interest in
Short Course development
Why this interest?
A strong history of innovation in Transition-year e.g.
Photography, Heritage, Film, Animation, English, History...
A confidence and capacity to introduce new and innovative
methods of teaching
Junior Cycle reform – an opportunity to mainstream from
Transition-year to the Junior Cycle – material however
must be re-modelled for the younger students, taking into
account the principles of the Junior Cycle Framework
J.C. 2.0
Online support network
I was very active in this during 2012/2013
Noticed that many Link schools were working with
their strengths
We promised
Support to teachers: In-house staff development
particularly in the area of Key Skills
November 2012: Denise Kelly from the National
Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)
presented in the school to about fifteen teachers (who
volunteered) on Short Course development
Very well received – learned a lot
We lead...
Management and I are very supportive of the move
from product to process in relation to learning
Wanted to develop the students appreciation of the
“how” and “why” of learning over a period of time
This was a rationale we brought to the table at all
meetings
We asked...
Teachers to volunteer to develop their own Short
Courses
This was at a time when the NCCA had subject titles
for their for Short Courses but no developed ones as
such (not the case now)
The NCCA had a template however which was (is)
what the teachers worked off
Areas to be covered
Title
1. Introduction to Junior Cycle: Standard for all short
courses
2. Rationale: Setting the course in the broader context
3. Aim
4. Links: Statements of Learning / Literacy and Numeracy /
Key Skills
5. Course Overview
6. Expectations for Students
7. Assessment and Certification
8. Resources
Some teachers worked as a Group
Some alone and then consulted each other
Denise Kelly (NCCA) was available for advice via email.
I was the conduit as the Link-teacher
Three Short Courses emerged – Media literacy,
Animation, Robotics....
Decisions...
Early January 2013
Principal, Deputy Principal, Link-teacher and our
Time-tabler
Go with two Short-courses? Yes
Which ones? Animation and Media Literacy
Why these two?
The Robotics Short Course was not fully finished
Animation had been highly developed in Transition year
Animation and Media Literacy very much complemented
each other - Good mix of ideas – teachers saw possibilities
between the subjects
Attractive to boys and girls
Where on the timetable?
Within an existing block
No change to the structure of the timetable as such
Treading slowly...
Students have to do both Media Literacy and Animation
One double each – for three years (c. 120 hours each)
Block with Materials Technology (Wood), Home-
Economics and Technology
An option block that allowed corresponding subjects to be
taken in 4th / 5th Year
Banding meant two class groups – offered it to one class in
the band
Twenty-four students
School certificate at end of Third-year (2016)
Assessment focus in Second and Third-year
There was a very strong presentation to the parents
and guardians of the incoming Sixth-class (January
2012)
Covered a lot of positives about Junior Cycle reform
and education in general
Minimised the use of the phrase Short Course and
looked at it as the introduction of a new subject
Our choice of Animation and Media Literacy reflects
what is relevant to real-world needs and experience
Digital Animation and Media
A draw from the hat if oversubscribed...
67 students applied
Lessons learned
A lot of work (time) developing in-house short courses –
teachers found the Short Course Template a challenge, but
fulfilling when completed
Reliance on one teacher – what if our animator leaves?
Need for digital resources – Broadband and Wi-Fi
Need for some updated training in Animation – speed of
change of applications
Implications for numbers in the other subjects in the block
Lessons learned
The need for technical backup – in our case relying on
a technically literate teacher to manage software
updates for the animation teacher
Using First-year to establish the Group-work and other
skills – no assessment focus is of great value
Need for space for conversation with fellow Short
Course teachers.
Lessons Learned
Don’t presume that because students opt for a course
that they have certain competencies
A hard-sell to establish the course identity – keep
trying to establish the Short Course / new subject
identity – do things to highlight the course – at
Assemblies, on the website etc.
Don’t underestimate students either – confidence built
during First-year is now becoming obvious
2013 / 2014 Context has changed
NCCA has drafts of eight short-courses for incoming 2014
First-years – consultation process in place
Portmarnock teacher s involvement with the NCCA,
examining aspects of teaching and learning the Coding
Short Course
Portmarnock P.E. teachers exploring possibilities with the
Physical Education Association of Ireland and the draft
Physical Education Short Course - One P.E. Teacher has
developed a Sports Science module in Transition Year
2013 / 2014
Decided to introduce two new short courses
To spread the load amongst a variety of teachers /
subject areas
In the same block
Offered to both bands
A minimum of 48 students
2013 / 2014
Coding – as per the NCCA draft short course
specification – two teachers
Sports science – at the request of a member of the P.E.
Department, who has developed his own Sports
Science course in Transition Year – two teachers
Current teacher concerns
Sports Science – to develop a separate identity from
the existing Junior Cycle P.E. classes
Timetabling needs around Sports Science
Assessment in general and assessing our own students
in particular and exploring external moderation
Other Concerns
Costs associated with these courses – can students asked to
pay for swimming? Buses for external trips...
Any formal funding for running Short Courses from the
NCCA or others?..... Saving money one way, so give us
money another way
Do we need to look for sponsorship?
Do we need to develop linkages with a University who will
work with us as a local-school?
Other concerns
Collect feedback from current First-year parents
If we go with Robotics in 2015 / 2016, what subject
would we place with it so as to attract the balance of
boys and girls?
What do parents think of the changing of the Short
Course subjects each year?
What are the implications for Transition Year?
Assessment
We are conscious we have got the Short Courses off the
ground in a creative way – now want to get the
assessment right
Support for Assessment – Short Course Assessment
training for teachers
We would like Portmarnock to get support from the
NCCA in developing this, not alone for the Short
Course teachers, but for all teachers in the school