TY Portfolio

TRANSITION YEAR

PORTFOLIO MY REFLECTIONS, MY ACHIEVEMENTS

Transition Year Portfolio SCHOOL DETAILS Name: Address: PERSONAL DETAILS Name: Address: Phone number:

E-mail address:

Parent/Guardian:

Daytime contact number:

Are there any medical concerns or allergies others may need to know about?

Form Teacher:

Timetable

September to Christmas TIME

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Timetable

Christmas to Easter TIME

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Timetable

Easter to Summer TIME

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

MY SCHOOL TRANSITION YEAR KEY LEARNING, SKILLS AND TOOLS LET’S REFLECT; LET’S EVALUATE REVIEWS ASSESSMENTS AND CERTIFICATES

PORTFOLIO OF EXCELLENCE

CORE SUBJECTS SUBJECT:

SUBJECT:

SUBJECT:

SUBJECT:

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS TRANSITION YEAR

07

Subject List

10

KEY LEARNING, SKILLS AND TOOLS

11

Key Elements of the Transition Year Programme

Copying and Plagiarism

13 14 15 16 18 20 25 26 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 37 38 40 42 44 45 46 47

LET’S REFLECT; LET’S EVALUATE

49

List of Projects/Excursions/Guest Speakers/Work Experience/Volunteering

Reflective Self-Evaluation of Community Work/Volunteering Placement

52 55 81 103 125 145

REVIEWS

155

Highlights of Transition Year

158 159 161 163 164 168

Keys Skills and Learning Self-directed Learning Be Ready to Learn Multiple Intelligences Profile Intelligences Goal Setting Achieving Your Goals Opportunity to Learn New Skills Work Experience Mini-Company 21st Century Skills Brainstorm Thinking Hats Problem Solving Mind Mapping Attitude Is Altitude Transition Year Gives You Opportunities to Transition Year and Beyond Letter to Myself Some Awards and Activities for Transition Year Gaisce Awards/ECDL Report Support Information Page

Reflective Self-Evaluation of Project/Activity Reflective Self-Evaluation of Trip/Excursion Reflective Self-Evaluation of Guest Speaker/Presentation Reflective Self-Evaluation of Work Experience

End of September to Christmas Term Review End of Christmas to Easter Term Review Reflection for the Future End of Year Evaluation My Achievements

PORTFOLIO OF EXCELLENCE

ASSESSMENTS AND CERTIFICATION CORE SUBJECTS SUBJECT: SUBJECT: SUBJECT: SUBJECT:

169 173

MY SCHOOL

P O R T F O L I O

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6

TRANSITION YEAR

P O R T F O L I O

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8

Transition Year Portfolio

A

As part of your Transition Year you

REPORTS, REVIEWS AND RECORDS

will be asked to keep a portfolio of

Records, reports and self-

your work. The work in the portfolio

evaluations of the knowledge and

should represent all subjects you

skills you have developed

have studied and the activities you have engaged in during the year.

ASSESSMENTS

It should be compiled throughout

Assessment of your assignments

the year on a regular basis. Your

and activities, along with your

portfolio will allow you to showcase

personal and social development

your work and talk about it.

This Transition Year Portfolio

LEARNING DIARY

assists you in organising this

A learning diary for the year

collection of evidence and

along with sections for you to

contains the following elements:

record your best pieces of work

TRANSITION YEAR

and certificates you earned during Transition Year.

Details of your Transition Year curriculum including subjects,

Your Transition Year Portfolio is

projects, excursions, guest speakers

an important document because

and work experience modules.

sometimes it is only when you have

KEY SKILLS AND LEARNING

all the various pieces or parts of your work throughout the year

Information on key skills and

collected in one place can you

learning for Transition Year, with

really appreciate exactly what it is

reflective exercises

you have achieved and learned.

LET’S REFLECT; LET'S EVALUATE

It is also important to celebrate your successes and one way of celebrating

Reflective evaluation forms to

your success is to share it with

be completed on the various

others. Your Transition Year Portfolio

components of your Transition

shows others not only what you

Year

have achieved but also what you are capable of achieving in the future.

9

Subject List SUBJECT

10

TEACHER

MY HOPES FOR THIS SUBJECT

KEY LEARNING, SKILLS AND TOOLS

P O R T F O L I O

11

12

Key Elements of the Transition Year Programme

A

A key aim of Transition Year is

courses, modules and activities

to offer you the space to learn,

specifically designed to broaden your

mature and develop in the

horizons and promote your maturity.

absence of examination pressure.

It provides opportunities for you to

As shown in the diagram below the

learn new knowledge and develop

components of the Transition Year

new skills, attitudes, and values

programme are:

where you take the responsibility for your own learning.

1 Core subjects 2 Subject sampling

The Transition Year programme has

3 Optional Transition Year

a balance between continuing your

orientated subjects

essential core subjects, sampling

4 Activities enhancing learning in

of other subjects and a variety of

the classroom OPTIONAL TRANSITION YEAR ORIENTATED SUBJECTS: cultural studies, environmental education,

CORE SUBJECTS: English, Irish,

well-being and health, personal

maths, computer studies

development, development and conflict studies

SUBJECT SAMPLING = history, geography, art, music, foreign

ACTIVITIES ENHANCING

languages, religion, biology,

LEARNING: work experience,

chemistry, physics,

community work placement, field

technical

excursions, team-building activities,

drawing,

competitions

woodwork

OP TRA TION YEA NSI AL R O TION RIE NT ED

ES ITI TIV ING AC ANC H EN

CO SUB RE JEC T

T JEC G B SU PLIN M SA

13

Keys Skills and Learning

W

While Transition Year offers

areas you would like to focus on for

opportunities for you to experience

the Leaving Cert and into the future.

and learn many new things in a variety of ways, it also provides

This type of learning is known as

the space and opportunities for

self-directed learning, something

you to take responsibility for your

which you might not have had much

own learning.

opportunity for during the Junior Certificate. Transition Year will allow

You are now in the driving seat, you

you to get involved in activities such as

have the responsibility of making

projects, work experience, excursions,

the most of these opportunities.

setting up mini companies etc.

There is no big examination at the end of the year forcing you

The next few pages are designed to

to work, instead you are asked to

help you get the most benefit from

use Transition Year to gain a set of

Transition Year by exploring with you:

skills and behaviours which will be important for both the Senior Cycle and in your adult life.

what self-directed learning is all about what intelligences you make most use of

You will reflect on your learning

how to set goals for yourself

and development throughout the

and some key skills and

year. These reflections will help you

tools that can assist you in your

identify your strengths, highlight

learning.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS SECTION? Selfdirected learning

14

Intelligences that we all have

How to set goals for ourselves

Key skills and tools that are useful for projects, activities and work experience

Mini-Company

T

The mini-company project is part of

The mini-company is also a good

many Transition Year programmes.

project for getting the whole class

It gives you and your classmates

involved as everyone can have a role to

an opportunity to set up your own

play. You can also take your company

company where you can sell your

to a regional mini-company trade fair,

products or services for a profit.

where lots of different mini-companies can showcase their ideas. You also

You get to set up the business right from

get to meet and interact with other

the initial concept, thinking of a really

Transition Year students to exchange

good name, finding a product or service,

ideas and see what challenges they

coming up with a marketing strategy,

may have faced. It’s also good fun and a

advertising, sourcing supplies, negotiating

great place to make new friends!

with suppliers, appointing job roles to team members, holding meetings and

Participation in these projects not

preparing reports – everything a real

only gives new skills but gives you the

business would need to do.

opportunity to take part in more selfdirected learning, taking you out of

30

This gives you hands-on learning

the classroom and into a real working

experience and teaches you:

environment.

organisation, team work, planning, analysis, peer leadership, negotiation, marketing, customer relations, competition, innovation, presentation, accounting, product quality

Now let’s look at some of the tools you can use to get the most from that brain of yours to get you working creatively and innovatively!!!!

Transition Year and Beyond

T

Transition Year recognises

natural strengths and interests

that you are now emerging as

are, how these might influence

a young adult into the world,

your career choices and what

taking responsibility for your own

decisions you might need to

learning and development by

make for the Leaving Certificate

setting goals and making choices

and your own personal learning

for yourself.

on the journey ahead.

Take some time now to reflect

You should refer back to this

on what you have learned about

exercise throughout the year

yourself and Transition Year

when you are completing your

during this section and complete

self-evaluations at the end of

the following exercise which will

each term to see if you are

aid you in identifying where your

achieving what you set out to do.

1

I’m aware of the following opportunities for personal and social development during Transition Year:

2

I now know that my top 3 Intelligences are:

1 2 3

40

3

The career possibilities for a person with these types of intelligences are:

Therefore the types of self-directed learning I might undertake are:

4

5

The most suitable opportunities for work experience in Transition Year would be:

The skills I would need to develop for this career are:

6

My strengths that I wish to develop further are:

7

8

9

Therefore the 5 Goals I wish to achieve are:

The subjects I would need to study at Leaving Certificate are:

1 2 3 4 5

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Letter to Myself

N

Now that you have set yourself

How will you have grown and

some goals for the months and

matured over the year?

year ahead why don’t you take

What goals did you set yourself

some time to write a letter to

and actions did you need to take to

yourself.

become this person?

Give yourself some time to consider

When you have your letter written

what types of person you would like

keep it safe, just before your

to be at the end of the year.

Transition Year graduation read it

What type of behaviours and skills

and ask yourself have you achieved

would you need to develop and

the goals that you set for yourself?

practice to become this person?

DEAR ME,

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Signed:

Dates:

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LET’S REFLECT; LET’S EVALUATE

P O R T F O L I O

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50

List of Projects/Excursions/Guest Speakers/ Work Experience/Volunteering ACTIVITY

52

DATES

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

List of Projects/Excursions/Guest Speakers/ Work Experience/Volunteering ACTIVITY

DATES

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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List of Projects/Excursions/Guest Speakers/ Work Experience/Volunteering ACTIVITY

54

DATES

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

REFLECTIVE SELF-EVALUATION OF PROJECT/ACTIVITY Reflective Self-Evaluation of Project/Activity

Reflective Self-Evaluation of Trip/Excursion

Reflective Self-Evaluation of Guest Speaker/Presentation Reflective Self-Evaluation of Work Experience Reflective Self-Evaluation of Community Work/Volunteering Placement

55

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Reflective Self-Evaluation of Project/Activity Title of Project/Activity: Dates: From

to

I enjoyed the project this much…

LOOKING BACK Why?

I did……

The 3 best things in the project were?

The most important thing that I learned was?

1 2

Why?

3

What helped me the most was…

What challenged me the most was…

The new skills that I learned and I can use again in the future are:

LOOKING FORWARD If I were to do this project again I would do the following differently:

Why?

60

Reflective Self-Evaluation of Project/Activity Title of Project/Activity: Dates: From

to

I enjoyed the project this much…

LOOKING BACK Why?

I did……

The 3 best things in the project were?

The most important thing that I learned was?

1 2

Why?

3

What helped me the most was…

What challenged me the most was…

The new skills that I learned and I can use again in the future are:

LOOKING FORWARD If I were to do this project again I would do the following differently:

Why?

61

REFLECTIVE SELF-EVALUATION OF TRIP/EXCURSION

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Reflective Self-Evaluation of Trip/Excursion Destination: Dates: From

to

How well did you enjoy the trip/excursion?

Why?

What challenged me the most?

I learned that........when............This matters because.........

As a result of this trip I will...

86

Reflective Self-Evaluation of Trip/Excursion Destination: Dates: From

to

I enjoyed the trip/excursion this much‌

Why?

What challenged me the most?

I learned that........when............This matters because.........

As a result of this trip I will...

87

REFLECTIVE SELF-EVALUATION OF GUEST SPEAKER/ PRESENTATION

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Reflective Self-Evaluation of Guest Speaker/Presentation Name of Speaker: Venue:

I enjoyed the guest speaker/ presentation this much‌

Date:

This talk/ presentation is relevant to the following areas of my life or study:

3

things that I learned

2

things I already knew

1

thing I will remember or use in the future

108

Reflective Self-Evaluation of Guest Speaker/Presentation Name of Speaker: Venue:

I enjoyed the guest speaker/ presentation this much‌

Date:

This talk/ presentation is relevant to the following areas of my life or study:

3

things that I learned

2

things I already knew

1

thing I will remember or use in the future

109

REFLECTIVE SELF-EVALUATION OF WORK EXPERIENCE + Employer Work Experience Student Evaluation Form

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Reflective Self-Evaluation of Work Experience Name of Company: Name of Contact Person: Address: Tel number: Company website: Dates of work experience: From

to

Description of company:

My reasons for choosing this company:

I enjoyed my work experience this much:

132

A brief description of my work experience:

As a result of this work experience I would like to know more about:

I learned how to do the following:

What challenged me the most was:

Why?

What excited me the most was:

Why?

This work experience affected my ideas for my future career because....

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“The people who make it to the top – whether they’re musicians, or great chefs, or corporate honchos – are addicted to their calling … [they] are the ones who’d be doing whatever it is they love, even if they weren’t being paid.”

– Quincy Jones

140

Employer Work Experience Student Evaluation Form STUDENT DETAILS Student Name: School Name: School Address School Phone No: EMPLOYER DETAILS Employer Name: Employer Address: Employer Phone No: REVIEW Once work placement is completed, please rate the student by placing a tick in the appropriate boxes below.

POOR

FAIR

GOOD

VERY GOOD

EXCELLENT

Attendance Punctuality Ability to follow instructions Ability to learn new skills & procedures Level of competence when completing tasks Use of initiative Overall attitude towards the job Ability to communicate with staff, management and the public Suitability for type of work

Any additional comments you would like to make:

Signed:

Date

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REFLECTIVE SELF-EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY WORK/ VOLUNTEERING PLACEMENT

145

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Reflective Self-Evaluation of Community Work/Volunteering Placement Placement: Role(s):

Dates: from

to

I enjoyed my community work/ volunteering this much: A brief description of my community work volunteer placement: I chose this placement because‌

A new skill that I learned was ......

I would like to learn more about .........

A skill that I would like to develop further is.....

d itu

Att

150

ue

In future I will be......

Sk

Va l

My participation was.....

ge

e

Kno

led

ills

w

I discovered.....

I was moved by.....

I feel that I will.....

Reflective Self-Evaluation of Community Work/Volunteering Placement Placement: Role(s):

Dates: from

to

I enjoyed my community work/ volunteering this much: A brief description of my community work volunteer placement: I chose this placement because‌

A new skill that I learned was ......

I would like to learn more about .........

A skill that I would like to develop further is.....

d itu

ue

Att

In future I will be......

Sk

Va l

My participation was.....

ge

e

Kno

led

ills

w

I discovered.....

I was moved by.....

I feel that I will.....

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REVIEWS

P O R T F O L I O

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R E P O R T S, R E V I E W S A N D R E C O R D S

H ighlights

of

TY

Transition Year involves a variety of activities, skills, trips, new subjects and projects.

Record the particular highlights for you for each term.

TERM 1 TERM 2 TERM 3

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R E P O R T S, R E V I E W S A N D R E C O R D S

End

of

September

to

Christmas

term review

Use the table below to rate your performance during this term: 1 Poor | 2 Fair | 3 Good | 4 Very Good | 5 Excellent STUDENT’S RATING

BRIEFLY EXPLAIN

Personal development Attendance Punctuality Approach to work Enthusiasm Personal presentation Cooperation with others / teamwork Courtesy Dealings with authority Self-directed learning Responsibility for own learning Organisation Use of initiative / creativity Completion of work on time Evidence of understanding Methodologies engaged Originality of work presented Skills development Written communication skills Planning skills Oral communication skills Presentation skills Visual display skills Problem solving skills Critical thinking skills Leadership skills

159

What has been your greatest personal success this term?

What 3 things have you enjoyed the most this term and explain why?

1 2 3

What 3 things challenged you most this term and explain why?

1 2 3

What were your top 3 learnings this term and why? ( Knowledge & skills)

1 2 3

What would you like to focus on more in the next term and why?

160

ASSESSMENTS AND CERTIFICATION

P O R T F O L I O

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170

Assessments

I

In Transition Year you are

It helps you work to your

engaged in self-directed learning

strengths and predict your

where you are reflecting on

potential for the future.

your own learning experiences.

However, in all aspects of

Normally assessments are

life, be it in school or work,

carried out after submission of

it is also always beneficial to

assignments/ pieces of work and

receive feedback on your work.

at particular times in the year

Sometimes others see things

like end of term and end of year.

about you that you might be unaware of. Assessments are

Assessments are not used to be

used in schools to give you this

critical of you as a person but to

feedback.

help you in your learning so that you can achieve your potential.

The aim of assessment in

In Transition Year you have the

Transition Year is to lead you

opportunity to reflect and give

to greater self-awareness and

feedback on your assessments.

increased ability to manage and

No doubt having completed your

take responsibility for personal

own reflections throughout the

learning and performance.

year there will not be anything that should be totally new,

Other benefits of assessment are:

rather they will confirm and support what you already knew

It helps increase your

about yourself.

motivation.

It is evidence of what you have learned and achieved.

Assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning process.

(Transition Year Programmes, Guidelines 1994-95).

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“Assessment in this spirit does not concern assignment of grades or evaluation of whether instruction was effective.

It´s assessment designed squarely to feed into the learning process and make the learning stronger.”

– David N. Perkins, Making Learning Whole

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CORE SUBJECTS

P O R T F O L I O

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174

SUBJECT SAMPLING

P O R T F O L I O

175

176

OPTIONAL SUBJECTS

P O R T F O L I O

177

178

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