Transition Year at Coláiste Iognáid

Education for maturity should be the principal aim and the main focus of a Transition Year Programme.  This means that the emphasis should be on the personal development of the participants, and on developing their social awareness and social competence.  For this purpose the programme should provide them with plenty of opportunities for developing their intellectual, imaginative and emotional life in a caring, stimulating and tension-free environment.  It should provide them with practice in thinking for themselves, in decision making, and in assuming responsibility.  It should provide them with help and guidance in acquiring a meaningful and coherent value system.  It should assist them in dealing with relationships and in developing communication skills.  It should help them to become more aware of the world around them, and better informed about it.  In particular, it should acquaint them with the implications for them of entering that world as teenagers or as young adults in order to earn a living and pursue a particular way of life.  These are but a few examples of the many aspects of personal development and social education, which can and should be given a high profile in a Transition Year programme.  They are aspects of education that usually receive insufficient attention in junior cycle and there is usually little time to deal adequately with them in a Leaving Certificate programme, where the emphasis has to be placed upon predominantly academic studies in preparation for a highly competitive terminal examination.

 "Transition Year Option 1987\'88."   (Department of Education)

Structure:

For Transition Year the pupils are divided into four groups of 24 (approximately), named, Brebeouf, Claver, Gonzaga and Ricci.

The courses are designed to last eight weeks each.  Every pupil takes every course and is in a good position by the end of the year to make subject choices for the Leaving Certificate cycle.

The Transition Year, we hope, will offer our fourth years a broad educational experience with a view to the attainment of increased maturity before they proceed to further study.  It will, we hope provide a bridge to help them make the transition from the highly structured environment of an exam year to one where they will take greater responsibility for their own learning and decision making.

We expect them to participate in learning strategies which are active and experiential and which help them to develop a range of transferable critical thinking and problem solving skills.

It will provide an opportunity for your boys/girls to reflect on and develop an awareness of the value of education training in preparing them for the ever-changing demands of the adult world of work and relationships.

The Method and the Approach

A key feature of the transition year will be a wide range of teaching and learning methodologies and situations which differ from the traditional class, homework, correction continuation model experienced up to now.  The goals and objectives of the transition programme are intended to place particular emphasis on:

·         negotiated learning

·         personal responsibility in learning

·         activity based learning

·         group-work, discussion, debate, interview, creative drama work, role-play and

     project work

·         study visits and field trips

·         social outreach involvement and commitment and community service.

The educational activities organised are designed to enable our student to have a worthwhile learning experience with the emphasis on developing study skills and self-directed learning.

The Transition year is also intended to facilitate the personal growth and social development of each student through their active participation in the many programmes- Social Outreach in particular-where the approach and the process are as important as the content, and this active experiential process is designed to help to ;

·         foster healthy growth and adjustment and effective interpersonal communication and relationships

·         increase self-knowledge and awareness

·         develop an understanding and tolerance of others

·         understand how feelings and attitudes effect behaviour

Our social outreach programme is, we feel an essential preparation for adult life. It provides a wide range of experiences in the community and care-services, in particular the services devoted to the physical, sensory and mental disabilities as well as for special groups of children, and the aged.  The arrangements, which we have in place, have developed over time and our contribution enjoys a high reputation and is acknowledged at several levels in the W.H.B.

Curriculum Details:

The Transition Programme has a full-time table of 8 class periods per day which runs throughout the week.  Apart from the core subjects the following courses run on a modular basis of 8 weeks approximately:

Accounting, Art, Careers, History, Geography, Computer Studies, Enterprise ( 2 periods per week), Health Education, Home Maintenance, Music, Technical Graphics, Physical Education, Religious Studies, Spanish.

Assessment:

Pupils will be assessed continuously on all aspects of the Transition Year Programme.  The modes of assessment will include the following:

-          Overall statement of pupil performance

-          Written, practical, oral and aural tests

-          Report on Work Experience

-          Report on Social Outreach involvement

-          Projects, portfolios and exhibition of work

-          Log book to record personal progress

-          Record of skills and competence attained.

In order that they may profit from the Transition year experience pupils will be expected to take a full and active role in the programme and strive to acquire habits of self-directed learning.

Certification:

At the end of the year a special Coláiste Iognáid Transition Year Certificate,  will be presented to each student who has participated satisfactorily in the programme. There are three levels of certification which will reflect the pupil’s performance and initiative as follows:  Certificate of Distinction, Certificate of Merit, Certificate of Participation.

Certificates and Gaisce Awards are presented annually at a special ceremony in September when the new Programme is outlined to the New Transition Year students and the Gaisce representatives attend. The Bronze medal is the basic Gaisce award and we actively encourage our Transition Year students to go further and gain the Silver or even the Gold medal.

Proposed Programme for next Year 2005-2006

·         Gaisce / President’s Award

·         E. C. D. L.  

·         Full social outreach programme

·         D.A.T.S. test

·         Health Education with Western Health Board

·         Form Fusion Fashion Show

·         Blastbeat mini company

·         AIB Bank - Setting up Schools Branch

·         First Aid Course/ Fire safety

·         Life saving courses

·         Work Experience

·         Music Programme/Soundscope in Clarinbridge

·         Fundraising for Missions/Trocaire/Chicuni

·         Outdoor pursuit at Petersburgh Adventure centre

·         In-house Drama Festival

·         Junior Film Fleadh

·         Film Production workshop

·         Cuirt- Writers Workshop

·         Debating & Public Speaking

§          P.E. programme to include;            

§         Windsurfing

§         Rock Climbing

§         Tennis

§         Self-defense   

§         Swimming

§         Judo

§         Badminton – Level 1 Certification

§         Squash

§         Gym – at Galway Lawn Tennis Club

·         Science Exhibition

·         Young Scientist Competition

·         Table Quiz/Céilí

·         Seachtain Na Gaeilge

·         Taibhdhearc Plays

·         FAS site passes

·         Yoga, tai chi and meditation module

·         Gaf Peer Education Programme

·         Gaf Youth Café Management

·         Westside Youth Arts Festival

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