Planning a new Junior Cycle programme

Annette Honan

Agenda 10.30 - 11.30 What's happening in schools ? Short presentations from 2 schools and discussion 11.30 - 1.00 - Curriculum planning - Where do we start?

What are the priorities? How can we reach agreement? How can we put our ethos into practice through our new JC programme?1.00 - 2.00 - LUNCH2.00 - 300 - Curriculum planning - looking at short term and long term objectives 3.00 - 3.30 - News and Updates -

2

Teaching & Learning

Assessment

Programme Planning

Junior cycle planning

Consider….

• As you plan a new Junior Cycle programme for your students what are your key considerations?

4

Reviewing you list….

Note the factors that should and the factors that do influence curriculum planning

5

6

The students

JC principlesStatements of LearningKey Skills

Vision, mission and ethos

Practical considerations and resources

Teaching at its core is a moral profession. Scratch a good teacher and you will find a moral purpose.

Michael Fullan

The Principles for J.C. Education

• Read each one and then consider which ones feature most prominently in your current JC programme.

• Number them 1,2, 3 in order

• Then Pair and Share8

10

Reviewing your strengths

11

12

13

Further questions• What are the current strengths in terms of the 24 statements of

learning?

• How broad should the new curriculum be and what should determine it?

• • What steps are required to improve the breadth and balance at junior

cycle level?

• What are the resource implications?

• What are the implications for senior cycle? 14

To sum up so far…

Shared vision & purpose

Identify the influences

on decision making

Review strengths

and gaps in current JC

Consult

Appoint a planning

team

15

Building blocks for a new JC curriculum

In small groups

• First, write down the reasons why your school might consider including short courses in a new JC programme

• Then share your responses and record your top 3 reasons.

18

Short courses – what purpose?To • Address a Statement of Learning• Open up a new area of learning of interest • Strengthen or deepen learning in areas associated

with existing subjects • Build particular skills and capacities of students • Frame learning in specific activities, initiatives and

events organised by the school. • Provide learning in an area that is linked to a schools’

particular ethos or tradition

HTTPS://VIMEO.COM/71429479

Putting Ethos into Action through JC programme planningAn example - St Martin’s Secondary School

Individual & group work

1. Identify your immediate next steps in regard to JC planning

2. What are the changes you will need to make in order to be ready for Sept 2014?

2014 to dos…

• Review your 1st yr programme against the Statements of Learning • Support early adopters – English teachers• Look down the line – Gaeilge, Science, Business teachers need to

get involved • Involve all the staff via key skills • Agree your max 8/9/10 subjects? How will that influence

timetable changes for Sept 2014• Agree how to provide for CSPE and SPHE• Use the language of the Framework and communicate a positive

message to parents and students (e.g. via notice boards) • Join up the dots where possible – SSE and JC planning • Provide reassurance and promote positivity

• Today was helpful because ….• I now plan to…• I am still left with this question…• Suggestions for further meetings/online

collaboration…

24

25

A final thought …

‘Ideas without moral purpose are a dime a dozen. Moral purpose without ideas means being all dressed up and nowhere to go. Power without ideas or moral purpose is deadly. Moral purpose and ideas without power means the train never leaves the station…

Need for a fusion of intellectual, political and spiritual purposes…. Those engaged in educational reform are those engaged in societal development; those engaged in societal development are those engaged in the evolution of virtue.’

M. Fullan, Change Forces, The Sequel

Website

www.ncca/juniorcycle.ie