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Primary School Curriculum

Primary School Curriculum. Presentation to SDPI Post primary, NUI Galway, 21 st June 2007 Mary Mac Donald, Assistant National Co-ordinator, PCSP. Primary School Curriculum. Aim.

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Primary School Curriculum

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  1. Primary School Curriculum Presentation to SDPI Post primary, NUI Galway, 21st June 2007 Mary Mac Donald, Assistant National Co-ordinator, PCSP

  2. Primary School Curriculum

  3. Aim • To give an overview of the principles, changes of emphases and active learning methodologies of the Primary School Curriculum

  4. What do we value in our education system? Irish identity - Gaeilge Quality Equality and fairness of access Literacy and Numeracy Spiritual Dimension European and Global Dimension Early Childhood Education Establishing life-long learning Transition primary to post-primary Partnership Special Needs ICTs Pluralism and Tolerance

  5. Defining features of the curriculum • focus on learning • relevant • broad and balanced • developmental approach • statement of content • balance of knowledge, concepts and skills • integral role of assessment • planning

  6. Structure:Curriculum documentation • Curriculum overview • Curriculum statement in each subject • Teacher guidelines for each subject • Parental guidelines • Special education

  7. A forward-looking framework • Communication skills • ICT skills • Literacy and numeracy skills • Higher-order thinking skills • Creative problem-solving skills • Social and personal skills • Learning and study skills

  8. Overall changes of emphases • The child as a learner • Recognition children learn in variety of ways • Wide variety of teaching strategies • Importance of language in learning • Clear explication of underlying philosophy • Detailed statement of content • Assessment an integral part of teaching/learning • All subjects begin at infant level • Emphasis on higher-order thinking skills • Transfer of learning

  9. Children have a variety of intelligences and learn in a variety of ways • linguistic • logical/mathematical • spatial • musical • bodily/kinaesthetic • inter-personal • intra-personal

  10. Central Methodologies • Active learning • Talk and discussion • Collaborative learning • Problem solving • Skills through content • Authentic learning

  11. Principles of the Curriculum • child’s sense of wonder • immediate environment • integrated learning • developmental learning • existing knowledge and experience • individual difference • transfer of learning • higher-order thinking and • problem solving

  12. Principles of the Curriculum • child as active agent • activity and guided discovery • collaborative learning • assessment – integral • centrality of language • aesthetic dimension • social and emotional dimension

  13. Active Learning Children learn best when actively engaged

  14. Assessment • central element of this curriculum • integral part of teaching and learning process • formal statement in Curriculum Statement for every subject outlining • purpose • areas to be assessed • methods and tools of assessment • further guidelines in Teacher Guidelines for each subject

  15. Problem Solving Skills • observe • collate • evaluate evidence • ask relevant questions • identify essential information • recognise essence of problem • suggest solutions • make informed judgements

  16. Learning as a group develops… • sense of purpose • learning from/with others • language skills • sense of democracy • interpersonal skills • higher-order thinking skills • ability to operate as a social unit • accountability / responsibility • acceptance of others • respect for individual difference

  17. Language:English • importance of oral language and process writing • writing for different purposes and audiences • print-rich environment • informal reading activities in Junior Infants

  18. Oral language • listener / speaker relationships • good range of vocabulary • wide variety of social contexts • conversation – initiate, sustain, conclude, debate a point, present • contexts – home, school, environment, books, TV, play, story, pictures • strategies – pairs, groups, class

  19. Teanga: Gaeilge • páistelárnach - téamaí • cumarsáid a bheith mar sprioc • taitneamhach 7 réalaíoch don pháiste • an páiste gníomhach san fhoghlaim • níos mó saoirse - ábhar -straitéisí teagaisc agus foghlama • léitheoireacht – Rang 2 • scríbhneoireacht – Rang 2

  20. Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE) History Geography Science • introduced in infant classes • balanced developed of skills and knowledge • working as a scientist, historian and geographer • emphasis on local environment • handling and examining real evidence • integration

  21. Teachers engaging in outdoor work in Science seminar (2002/2003)

  22. Arts EducationVisual Arts • making art and responding to art • creative process in making art rather than the product • balance between two and three dimensional activities • developing a sense of beauty and discrimination – art critic • centrality of drawing

  23. Arts EducationDrama • importance of making drama rather than performing drama • importance of story/poetry • using the elements of drama • reflecting on drama • make-believe play/improvisation

  24. Arts Education Music • listening and responding to a wide range of musical styles and traditions • participation of all children – enjoyment • song-singing as a basis • home-made and commercial instruments • exploring sound, simplecomposition • recording - children’s own images • less emphasis on technical skills

  25. Music seminars 2003-2004

  26. Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) • lifelong process • shared responsibility - home/school/community • generic approach • needs of children • spiral in nature • combination of contexts • active learning approaches

  27. Physical Education • athletics – a broader range of activities • dance – creative and folk dance • gymnastics - movement • games – skills development • outdoor and adventure activities • aquatics – competence & confidence • a balanced approach to competition • achieving personal physical goals

  28. Mathematics • algebra from infants • number limits • new area – chance • fractions – simplified • calculators from 4th class • real-life problem-solving and estimation • concrete materials to 6th class • mathematical trails • long division – 5th class

  29. Maths Seminars 2001-2002

  30. Skills through Content:Looking and Responding to Art Responses can be confined to oral work…but children can be asked to respond in a variety of ways…create a piece of art, a drama, a poem or a piece of written work.

  31. Geography Visual Arts Maths Authentic learning – (Use of the environment) Skills development Science PE Language History Music

  32. Successful learning linked to • building high self-esteem and confidence • creating a safe and secure context for learning • affirmation • encouragement • recognition • reward

  33. Plans for 07/08 • Cuiditheoireacht service to be continued • DEIS to continue to support schools • Gaeilge and Tús Maith teams now together

  34. New initiatives 2007 - 2008 • Active Schools’ Awards • Lifetime Lab • Aqua TT

  35. Active School Awards 2007

  36. ICT and Literacy • Partnership between NCTE, NCCA and PCSP • September 2005-2007 • 10 schools • Cuiditheoirí and ICT advisor support • Evaluation: External, Teacher self-evaluation, Assessment tools

  37. DEIS literacy and numeracy • 14 Cuiditheoirí • First Steps • Participating schools: over 200 • Summer courses: 12 • Teachers attending evening courses: c. 300 • First Steps Tutors: 50 (25 to be trained in June) • Regional Tutor Networks

  38. Reading Recovery • 52 DEIS Band 1 schools • 88 DEIS Band 2 Schools • 5 Training centres (Galway, Cork, Limerick, Monaghan and Dublin) • 2 additional centres (Dublin West and Kilkenny) • 60 additional schools in the next academic year

  39. Maths Recovery • Overview • identification of the lowest-attainers usually at first class level • provision of intensive programme of individualised or small group teaching • Information seminar for principals of 60 Band 1 schools in May

  40. Ready, Set, Go-Maths • Planning for introduction of Ready Set Go-Maths in DEIS Band 1 schools in September. • Focus on • key concepts and skills in early number • four related strands - sorting, relationships and operations, counting and understanding number • targeted at infant teachers to assist schools in addressing early intervention

  41. Enhancing Teaching and Learning in the Multi-grade classroom • Region 4: Education Centres (20 schools across the region) • Cork • West Cork • Tralee • Limerick • IN/OUT model • Monthly evening workshops • Follow up in-school support

  42. Support… • Newsletter/Newsnote • InTouch Magazine • Website • Phone and e-mail support • Helpline

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