Student Learning Journal - Module 11 - Senior Cycle

MODULE 11

Senior Cycle

© The Examcraft Group | Reproduction not permitted

It was education

thatfnally set mefree

– it made it possible for me to stand up for what I believed in, to take on the authorities when everything was stacked against me.

- Vicky Phelan (1974 -)

A medical rights activist who took a legal case against the State. Named as one of the BBC’s 100 Women in 2018.

BEING INDEPENDENT

Getting older means becoming more independent.

What does the word independent mean?

Independence means being free from control and not being dependent on other people. This has implications for many areas of life.

Reflect on your own independence …

Think back to when you were in first year.

How have your relationships changed with your family? How have your relationships changed with your friends? How have your relationships changed with your teachers?

Do you see yourself as being more independent now than you were then?

Yes No

How does this make you feel?

Do you think having more independence is easier or harder?

What does being more independent mean to you?

BEING RESPONSIBLE

As a Senior Cycle student with more independence, you are now expected to take more responsibility for your learning and for your actions.

It is important to embrace this, because it will have a huge impact on how you transition into third level, when you will start out as a first year once more!

Responsibility as a source of freedom

Being responsible means being free to control how and when you study. This freedom requires you to be responsible for your own learning, to be self-motivated, to be organised and to become more self-aware.

How can you be a responsible student?

Responsible students generally:

Always go to school on time, go to every class and actively engage with their teachers and peers. There are strong links between attendance and academic performance.

Have a routine. Have a weekly study plan that they revise each week. Practice their notetaking and take note of upcoming assignments. Make sure you have a good balance in your weekly schedule!

Collaborate with their teachers. Don’t be afraid to ask if you have a question and always look for feedback on your work. If you have a good understanding of where you can improve, it will lead to greater success.

BEING A GOOD ROLE MODEL

Independence leads to responsibility, and as a responsible student it is important that you are a good role model for younger students in your school.

One way to be a good role model is to lead by example.

Treat people with kindness and respect –let your behaviour be a role model.

1 2 3 4

Be aware that school is not just about academic results - get involved and promote different areas of school life.

6 5

Use opportunities in the classroom (e.g. YSI, climate change projects, Challenge to Change, Sustainable Goals, volunteer work) to create awareness about how to make the world a better place.

Always do your best!

Be a positive role model on social media. “In a world where you can be anything, be nice.”

Showcase your talents and always encourage others to do so.

- Nelson Mandela (1919-2013)

South African revolutionary anti-apartheid political leader. South Africa’s first Black head of state and president from 1994-1999.

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

THE CAO SYSTEM

The ‘CAO’ form is a very important application form for any 6th year student who wishes to attend third level in Ireland. The CAO stands for the Central Applications Office. It processes application forms for undergraduate courses in Irish Higher Education Institutions. It is important to communicate with the guidance counsellors in your school to receive notifications of dates for submissions, etc.

Register with the CAO before 5pm on 1 February.

Confirm your Level 8 and Level 7/6 courses using the ‘My Application‘ facility before 1 February at 5pm to avoid restrictions.

Remember to place your course choices in genuine order of preference.

Round One Offers are issued following the release of the Leaving Certificate results. If you are accepting an offer, you must do so by the reply date on the offer notification. Other categories of applicant may receive offer notifications before this time.

Edit your application using the ‘My Application’ facility.

Provide supplementary information, and any documents required.

Use the free Change of Mind facility from 5 May to 1 July at 5pm to make changes to your application - restrictions apply.

Carefully check the Statement of Application Record when it is sent to you in May and inform the CAO of any errors or omissions immediately.

Applicants who do not receive a Round One Offer will receive a Statement of Application email. Please follow the instructions in this email and inform the CAO of any errors or omissions.

Offers are issued to eligible applicants until the offer season closes, or until all of the places have been filled, whichever comes first.

Note: Visit www.cao.ie to make sure that all details are up to date!

At Senior Cycle it is important to be aware of the points calculation grid so that you are aware of what points you are capable of achieving. This will enable you to set realistic and achievable goals to successfully get you a place in your chosen college course.

Points Calculation Grid

Important additional information

1. 25 bonus points are awarded for higher level Mathematics for H6 grades and above i.e. If you receive a H6 grade, an additional 25 points will be added to the 46 points already awarded for a H6 grade i.e. higher level Mathematics now carries a points score of 71.

2. The bonus points are included in the overall points calculation only when Mathematics is one of your best six subjects following the addition of the bonus.

3. The six best results, in recognised subjects, in one Leaving Certificate examination are counted for points computation.

4. One sitting only of the Leaving Certificate examination is counted for points purposes.

5. It is important to check the admissions office of individual third level colleges to get a full understanding of their course requirements beyond the points required.

6. You must first meet the minimum entry requirements in order to be considered for entry to a course.

7. Points for Foundation Level are only awarded by certain third level colleges; check with individual third level colleges to see if they are accepted.

8. All third level colleges award points for results in LCVP Link Modules, in place of a sixth Leaving Certificate subject.

9. Not all third level colleges count LCVP as meeting eligibility requirements in regard to passing subjects so you need to check individual college requirements.

QQI

The QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland) have developed a system of ten levels used to describe the Irish qualifications system. This ten-level system is known as the National Framework of Qualifications.

It is important to be familiar with this qualification framework so that you can understand the different types of courses you may be interested in pursuing.

Make time to complete your own research or talk to a guidance counsellor about all of your options within the QQI Framework.

Options after leaving school

The main education and training options available to Senior Cycle students after leaving school are:

Higher Education Courses (the CAO application)

Further Education (PLCs, Local Education Training Boards)

Public Services (Gardaí, Defence Forces etc.)

State Training (e.g. fishing or agriculture)

Supported Programmes

A Study System

It is important to create a study plan at the beginning of the school year to keep you motivated and to avoid feeling stressed about your workload. You will now be walked through a three-part study system.

Plan It

Review It Do It

PLAN IT ........................................ Step one

Let’s reflect on how you planned your study in the past and use it to identify improvements you can make in Senior Cycle.

Did you plan your study well in Junior Cycle?

How could you plan your study better now?

At Senior Cycle, it is important to use your independence and responsibility to ensure you are in control of your learning.

Weekly Study Planner

Ensure that you create a study plan that suits YOU. Make a new one each week as each week will vary in both your school and home life!.

To download a Study Planner for each week, just go to

Use this template to write out a planner for next week in school. Be sure to include any school events, including any homework, practicals or assessments. Also include details of your plans each evening – it is important to have a healthy balance between school work, exercise and rest!

Subject Revision Planner

Use this template for each subject you are studying. Use it to take note of each topic within the subject that you must study and record each of your reviews of each of the topics on the Subject Revision Planner.

To download a Subject Revision Planner for each subject, just go to

Tips for using the Subject Revision Planner

Here are some simple techniques for keeping an effective study plan ...

• Use the Subject Revision Planner for each of your subjects.

• Divide each subject into key topics.

• Indicate how important each topic is for your assessment.

• Record when you create your study notes and complete POKER (we will examine this in detail on the next page).

• Tick the box when you have completed each review.

Techniques to help you remember

Generally speaking, most people find it hard to remember what they read in a book. For this reason, they take notes. Notes can be in many different forms. All these are based on knowing that we learn best using association and imagination. If you don’t know what each of these techniques are, do some research on them - you will find that they will help your study.

Study System P O E R K

Tackle any subject easily

This simple system can be followed to break each subject down into bite-sized chunks called topics.

P O K E R

What do I already know about this topic?

What is the structure of this topic?

What are the subheadings?

Highlight the keywords for the topic.

Create a onepage summary that uses the headings and keywords.

What do you now know about the topic?

Acronyms Silly Sentences

Story Method

Mind Maps

By creating a study plan and regularly revising, you have made a great start. By devising your own notes and study techniques, you will have a much greater knowledge of your subject areas. However, there is one final step in the journey, and this is review!

Why should you regularly review your notes?

Did you ever wonder why you could remember your phone number or date of birth so easily but then struggle to remember what you learned in geography last class or the name of someone you met last week?

The truth is that you need to regularly review your notes in order for the information to go into your long-term memory.

How often should you review your notes?

Review it

Now that you have created your notes in the form of a one-page summary, you have this knowledge of the topic in your short-term memory.

Ideally, you should review your notes … After 1 hour After 1 day After 1 Week After 1 Month After 3 Months

BUT it won’t be there forever, it’s up to you to review it and make sure the knowledge goes into your long-term memory.

Use the Subject Revision Planner to record each review. You will be surprised at the difference it makes!

Stress Management

The greatest weapon against stress

One of America’s most influential philosophers and labelled by others as the ‘Father of American Psychology’

is our ability to choose one thought over another.

- William James (1842 – 1910)

THE NORMALITY OF STRESS

Stress is a common feature of life at Senior Cycle. We will examine the normality of experiencing stress and dealing with stress under the following headings:

Understanding stress

Learning how to manage stress

Maintaining a healthy balance

Healthy activities for everyday use

Understanding Stress

Stress can be defined as a mismatch between the demands placed on us and our ability to cope with these. People feel stress for lots of different reasons.

Can you name the major triggers for stress in your life?

People experience a variety of feelings when they are stressed.

What feelings do you associate with stress?

Stress occurs when your body responds to certain events (e.g. exams) by activating the nervous system and specific hormones. This speeds up your heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and metabolism. Believe it or not, your body’s stress response improves your ability to perform well under pressure.

Learning How to Manage Stress

Learning how to deal with stress is known as stress management. There are two key elements to stress management.

Recognise when you are stressed.

Take action to reduce triggers for stress in your life.

Once you recognise the cause of stress, it is much easier to find solutions!

Maintaining a Healthy Balance

It is important to remember that your life isn’t perfect and that stress will be a regular feature. Praise yourself for times when you bounced back from a challenging time and adopted a positive outlook even though it was difficult. Here are five techniques for maintaining a healthy balance.

Healthy activities for everyday use

Here