14 minute read
LEVEL
LEVEL 2
On The Right Track
You are getting to know your new school and now it is time to learn about the rules, what is expected of you, how to make friends and get involved in school life. It is time to get to know more about the new community you are now part of.
LEVEL 3
Reaching Your Destination
You now know a lot about Post Primary school, this level is about the finer details of school life. You will learn about being a responsible member of your school community. You will discover the best way to manage your work, an introduction to studying and goal setting. You will become familiar with the Junior Cycle and finally you will revisit all your previous learning to ensure that you remember it all.
Student Workbook
Each unit has a similar layout you will be introduced to the learning intentions, these are the aims for each unit.
There are several activities in each session which range from working independently, in pairs, groups or as an entire class.
By the end of the programme you will have been introduced to all the wellbeing indicators, as each unit will work to build a little bit on each. Wellbeing has been introduced to your curriculum to help you better understand how to look after yourself and be a more confident, happy, healthy and connected learner.
You will use your workbook to record all of your activities. At the end of each session there is a short recap to help you remember what was covered.
Post Primary school is a new start, it might not always be easy but it will be a worthwhile and important time of growth and development in your life. Learn as much as you can, work hard, and try your very best to enjoy it.
LEVEL 1
En Route
UNIT 1
Welcome
UNIT 2
Finding Your Way
UNIT 4
School Supports
UNIT 3
Getting Organised
School Supports
This is the last unit of Level 1: En Route. This unit, School Supports is very important. You may never need to use the additional supports available; but it is useful to know that they are there.
Well-being Indicators
Connected Aware Resilient Respected Active Responsible
Learning Intention
By the end of this unit you will be able to: 1. Ask for additional help correctly. 2. Check in with yourself and know how you are feeling. 3. Choose a school support for yourself or another when extra help is needed.
Asking For Help With School Work
Post Primary school is no different to Primary when it comes to asking for help, you just have more teachers to ask and this can be a little daunting. Questions are welcomed by all teachers once they are asked in the right way.
The best way to ask for help is: TASK
Think about what you have been asked to do
Say it at the right time, waiting until your teacher is free by raising your hand to ask, work on or try again while waiting. Attempt the work yourself
Know what you are asking.
Questions help the entire class to learn once they are asked in the right way and are about the current work. Teachers want to help their students and it helps the teacher to know if you have questions or if you are finding something difficult.
Emmanuel Sive
Emmanuel jumps up while the teacher is speaking, shouting out “I just don’t get it, it’s stupid”. Sive has attempted her work but has become confused half way through, she raises her hand and waits for the teacher to call on her, while waiting she attempts the work again.
Which student will get the better reaction from their teacher and why?
Student:
Why?
If you are finding a whole topic or subject a bit difficult it might be better to ask for help before the class starts or at the end. There will be lots of support available to get you back on track once you explain what the problem is.
In your school there are lots of people to help you. Can you think of any?
Top Tip You are not the only one who has questions, you are just the bravest.
This unit is all about being aware of how we are feeling. You have had a busy few weeks preparing for and starting Post Primary school. Through this changing time we can experience a lot of different feelings. This is all part of transitioning from Primary to Post Primary school, as you adjust more, you will begin to feel settled in Post Primary school. Until then it is important to acknowledge your different types of feelings, both comfortable and uncomfortable, and understand that they are normal.
Keyword
Acknowledge To admit the truth or existence of something.
2 Feelings
Can you arrange this list of feelings into comfortable feelings and uncomfortable feelings?
Excited Joyful Nervous Happy Sad Relief Upset Surprised Confused Frustrated
Stressed Hopeful Bored Irritated Curious Anxious Confident EnthusiasticMotivated Relaxed
Comfortable Uncomfortable
Can you and your partner add a feeling that is not on the list and create an emoji to match?
Can you identify some feelings you have had since beginning Post Primary school, write them on the mirror below?
Know that all these feelings you are experiencing are very normal and that the transition to Post Primary school is a big deal but in a few weeks, you will begin to feel settled. By acknowledging these feelings you are checking in with yourself, this is something that we should all do regularly.
4 Understanding what is causing a feeling
When we don’t know what is causing an uncomfortable feeling it can make us feel anxious and unhappy. Once we identify what is causing us to feel a certain way we can manage the feeling a lot better.
What is causing Ruth, Andrei and Sarah to feel the way they do?
Scenario 1 - Ruth Scenario 2- Andrei Scenario 3 - Sarah
1. What is wrong? 1. Are Andrei’s feelings normal? 1. Should you be concerned?
2. How can Ruth feel better? 2. What would help? 2. What could you do?
We all go through a range of feelings and emotions in one day, this is perfectly normal. When a bad mood or anxious feeling lasts for a long period of time, this isn’t ok and it may be time to ask for some advice.
LEVEL 2
On The Right Track
UNIT 6
Attendance/ Punctuality/ Dress Code
UNIT 5
Respect & Rules
UNIT 8
My School Community
UNIT 7
Making Friends, Extra Curricular and Avoiding Conflict
My School Community
This is the last unit in Level 2, On the right track, congratulations on your progress through the induction programme. This unit is an opportunity to learn more about your new school community and your classmates.
Well-being Indicators
Connected Aware Resilient Respected Active Responsible
Learning Intention
By the end of this unit, you will be able to: 1. Know the history of your school. 2. Explain the meaning behind the school crest. 3. Discuss the school motto or mission statement containing the values of the school. 4. Know more about each other by discovering the similarities and differences between you.
Getting to know your new school
We don’t spend time thinking about what happened in our school before we arrived, but it is important to know a little bit of the history behind your school today. You are now part of a much bigger community, it is made up of all the students, teachers and staff that currently work in and attend your school but also the hundreds maybe thousands even hundreds of thousands of people who have been part of your school over the years.
Using the Placemat below work in a group to put together as much information as you know about your school already.
Pick two facts about your schools history that you learned today:
Think about: the uniform, the journal, the building.
Our School History
1.
2.
Now you know a little bit more about your school’s history and, whether it is very old or very modern it will have values that it wants to pass onto you throughout your time here. These values are usually captured in the school motto, slogan or mission statement. Your teacher will explain it to you.
Keyword
Values:
Are what we think are important and worthwhile.
LEVEL 3
Reaching Your Destination
UNIT 10
Managing Your Work, The Role of the Senses in Learning, Study Skills & Goal Setting
UNIT 9
Looking after our School Environment, Acceptable Usage Policy, and Bullying
UNIT 12
Reviewing Your Journey
UNIT 11
Understanding Reports in Junior Cycle
Throughout this unit you will gain an understanding of why it is important to manage the workload in Post Primary school and how best to do it. You will gain some tips to help you use your senses to learn and explore how best to study. Finally, you will investigate what the benefits are of setting goals and how best to set realistic ones.
Well-being Indicators
Connected Aware Resilient Respected Active Responsible
Learning Intention
By the end of this unit you will be able to: 1. Use the tips to manage your work. 2. Know how to use your senses to learn. 3. Apply some tips on how best to study. 4. Set goals for yourself.
Managing Your Work
It is undeniable that the biggest change from Primary school to Post Primary school is the workload. You are trying to manage your time, deadlines and work from several different subjects. It is difficult at first but with a little practice and guidance you will get in control of your work It is possible you will get some homework that is due the following day, more due the following week and you may need to study for a test at the end of the term, how do you manage it all?
It is essential that you do as much as you can the day you get the work. This is when it is freshest in your mind and therefore easiest to remember what was taught in class.
You never know what additional work will be added tomorrow, or maybe you will get a chance to go out the following evening. By doing as much as possible each night you can keep on top of your work.
Top Tip Your journal is key to keeping in control of your work. Remember to write all your homework and assignments in clearly.
1 Read the scenario and answer the following questions
A. On Monday Robyn got one hours’ worth of homework between, Maths, Geography and Science.
She doesn’t have any of those subjects on Tuesday so instead of doing any homework, she took the night off. She played FIFA and watched TV for three hours.
On Tuesday Robyn got 1.5hr worth of homework from Irish, English and History, all due for
Wednesday. This meant on Tuesday evening Robyn had 2.5hours worth of homework, she was frustrated because all her friends were out and she couldn’t join them.
What should Robyn have done?
B. Ben is in Robyn’s class, he received the same work and on Monday he did half of the work, then watched some TV and played FIFA. On Tuesday he did the remainder of the work and that night’s homework, which meant he could still go out and meet his friends.
Who is managing their time better?
What are the benefits of goal setting?
Organised Encourages Life Skill Study Motivates Achieve
1. Setting goals _________________ us to look at how we are progressing in a subject.
2. To achieve goals we must be _________________________ .
3. Setting goals ____________________________ us as it gives us a target to work towards.
4. This motivation is very important as it can help us when we ___________________________ .
5. Setting goals helps us to focus on what we want to _________________________________ .
6. Setting goals is a ___________________________ , it is preparing us to go after what we want to achieve throughout life.
Exam Tips
Students can feel nervous at the thought of exams but exams are designed to highlight what you know. If you put some effort into preparing for an exam you will get a good return. By paying attention in class, doing your homework and studying you will have no problem when it comes to exams.
Here are some tips to help you do well in exams.
A. Take your time, we make mistakes when we rush. B. Read the instructions carefully, it can be useful to underline key words in the questions. C. Plan your answers carefully - think about what you want to say. Ask yourself, am I answering the question? D. Concentration is very important, if you feel yourself getting distracted, take a drink, with your teachers permission, or try some of the chair exercises. E. Label your work, this will help you to avoid skipping a question. F. When you are finished take time to read back over all your work.
Throughout this unit you have learnt about how to manage the workload in Post Primary school, you understand how to use your senses to learn and gained some tips on how best to study. We explored the benefits of goal setting and set goals for the Christmas exams. Finally we learned how to do our best in exams.
Finish the sentence: “Don’t put off for tomorrow...”
Name three of the five senses? 1)
2)
3)
Can you think of one tip to help someone study?
Congratulations on completing unit 10
Put a tick next to your achievements below.
I know the importance of managing my workload. I understand how to use my senses to learn. I am aware of the importance of studying and how best to study. I am clear on the benefits of setting goals. I have set some realistic goals. I gained tips for exam success.
Circle your emoji response: I’m Feeling
