A Warm Welcome!

1. A Warm Welcome! Information Evening for Parents & Guardians of First Year Students

2. Guidance & Counselling Service Agenda • Introduction • Advice To Aid Transition (Primary-Secondary • Subject Choice • Third Level Requirement

3. Promotes: • Decision-making Self-Awareness • Interpersonal communication skills The ability toplan • Personal and social skills • Problem solving Personal Assists students with decision-making in: Educational and Training choices Job search skills Employment opportunities Interview skills Work and life Decision-making in relation to: Course, Subject &Level in 2nd level Study Skills Exam Technique Student Educational Careers

4. Moving on … The Transition from Primary to Post Primary A significant life event

5. Challenges of Transition

6. Curriculum • New Subjects. • There is a subject change every forty minutes and with it a change of teacher. • A child may meet as many as nine different teachers on a daily basis.

7. The Timetable • Do not allow the timetable to cause difficulties. • Be Proactive - make multiple copies of the timetable and put it on the fridge, the bedroom door, in the car anywhere and everywhere!!

8. The School Bag • This is a skill.... • Check the bag every night with your child to ensure the right books and copies are ready for at least the first 3 classes the following morning.

9. Time Management Finding the right balance between: • Homework. • Extra curricular activities there importance cannot be over emphasised.

10. Homework • Homework will increase when students enter secondary school it is expected that students do1 ½ - 2 hrs per night. • Have a look at the Homework Policy.

11. Extra Curricular Activities • Getting involved in extra curricular activities is very important. • Taking part builds confidence and gets them mixing with others and will aid the transition. • It is a great way for teachers to get to know your child in different light. • Encourage them to try out everything.

12. The Locker Key • When your child gets his / her locker key it is a very good idea to get a copy of the key cut so there will always be a spare.

13. Core Subjects

14. CORE SUBJECTS: • English • History • Irish • Geography • Maths • Religion • Science • C.S.P.E • S.P.H.E

15. Choice Subjects • French Art • German Music • Business Studies Home Economics • Tech Graphics Study Skills** • Metalwork • Materials Technology(Wood)

16. Benefits of the various subjects....

17. Languages • How to speak in the language. • The skills of listening to, reading and writing in the language. • The grammar of the language. • Information about the countries where people speak the language, and their way of life.

18. A foreign language is useful for many careers including: Translator, Interpreter, Tourism, Journalism, Management, International Marketing.

19. The Third Language Requirement:

20. NUIG Cadets & Defence Force UCD NUIM UCC RCSI NCAD Shannon College of Hotel&Catering St. Angela’s,Sligo

21. Exceptions to the third language rule You do not have to have a third Language to go to the following colleges: • UL- University of Limerick • DCU- Dublin City University • TCD – Trinity College Dublin • Any of the Institutes of Technology

22. Exceptions to the Third Language: • Engineering & Agricultural courses at UCD. • Engineering and Science courses at NUI Maynooth. • Engineering and Science courses in NUI Galway. • University of Limerick (UL): English & another language. • Trinity College Dublin (TCD) accepts a “language other than English” e.g. Irish. • Institutes of Technology accept English or Irish for entry purposes.

23. Home economics • Follow recipes and cook dishes, in pairs and on our own. • Carry out projects on foods. • Hand and/or machine sew to make small items. • Become more experienced at managing your resources and your time. • There are many jobs and careers that you can work in, e.g. chefs/cooks, catering, fashion and textiles, child care, teaching, food industry, tourism, and health and nutrition.

24. music • Music has a very important part in many peoples’ lives. Most of us will take pleasure in listening to music and many people will enjoy singing or playing an instrument throughout their lives. • Music related careers: career in music in areas such as education(teacher, lecturer), business (sound engineer, lyricist, reviewer, therapist) and performance (composer, performer, conductor).

25. art • Learn a variety of new crafts. • Learn to work in 3-D e.g. culpture or clay work. • Learn about the design process and how to use it to create new design object and images. • There are many career opportunities in Art - areas such as: photography, illustration, interior/industrial/fashion design, education and architecture.

26. business Studies • Business Studies helps you to make wise decisions about saving and spending your money now and throughout your life. • Introduce you to many possible careers such as: accountancy, finance, sales, marketing, and management. • It also gives you a good foundation for the three Leaving Certificate business subjects.

27. metal work • Work with metals and other materials such as wood and plastic. • Assemble these materials into useful and interesting items. • Learn how to apply a finish to your project. • Careers: Construction, Craftsmanship, Engineering

28. Cross-curricular • Some topics in Metalwork overlap with Materials Technology Wood. • Many of the practical skills learned in Metalwork are similar to those learned in Wood. • Technical Graphics will help you to understand drawings and diagrams that you will be using in Metalwork. • You will also find some of the same topics coming up in Science and Geography.

29. Materials Technology Wood (MTW) • Materials Technology Wood (MTW) is one of the technology subjects offered at junior cycle. • In MTW students will learn: to designsmall projects; and the skills required to use tools and equipment to make their designs. • Students will work mainly with wood but also with other materials. • Students will learn about wood as a material and how it is produced.

30. At Leaving Cert -Construction Studies • Construction Studies introduces students to the knowledge and skills associated with construction technology, materials and practices. • This is done through theoretical study and practical projects. • At Leaving Cert Higher Level 79% of students get A,B,C • At Leaving Cert Ordinary Level 58% of students get A,B,C • (79% of students take Higher level)

31. Technical gRAPHICS • Can be studied on its own or to compliment another Technical Subject • In Technical Graphics students will learn how to represent 3-D objects on paper and on computer. • Students will develop problem solving and creative thinking skills through the solution of graphical problems

32. Technical Graphics builds on skills learned in mathematics for example: 2-D and 3-D shapes, lines and angles. Is it difficult: • At Junior Cert Higher level 71% of students get A,B,C • At Junior Cert Ordinary level 79% of students get A,B,C

33. At Leaving Certificate, you will be able to study Design and Communication Graphics. • In this subject there will be a greater emphasis on computer graphics and freehand sketching. • The geometry that is learned in Junior Certificate will be further developed. At Higher level 77% of students get A,B,C. At Ordinary level 71% of students get A,B,C.

34. Study skills: • This focuses on Maths and English. • For students who may find it difficult in taking on 3 choice subjects. • It is on the same band as the Languages, hence it is not possible to do a Language and Study Skills.

35. Points Difference:

36. How do you choose?

37. Research Subject Websites: www.scoilnet.ie www.education.ie www.skoool.ie Career Websites: www.qualifax.ie www.careersportal.ie www.careerdirections.ie Junior Certificate course books.

44. New Website www.stbrendanscsbirr.ie

45. Discuss • Subject Teachers • Current Pupils • Parents/Guardians, Older Brothers & Sisters • Guidance Counsellor

46. Reflect • Do I like this subject? • Am I good at it? How have I performed up to now? • Is there a chance I might need it for further study/career? • Am I keeping my options open?

47. Decide We do not have a crystal ball to see into the consequences of our decisions but we tend to be happier and more at ease with our decisions when we have done our work!

48. Supports • Partnership between home and school is vital • An open honest dialogue with ‘the school’ is essential • If there are any difficulties let us know: • Year Head • Tutor • Guidance Counsellor • Senior Management

49. Order of preference Your son/daughter must list their subject choices in order of preference....The one they would like/want to do the most must be put down as NO. 1.... 4 subjects are chosen from the list and each student will be assigned to 3 of those subjects. Students have the option to tick the box to indicate they are flexible around their 3rd/4th preference.

50. SUBJECT-CHOICE RESTRICTIONS • SOME SUBJECTS (FRENCH, GERMAN) REQUIRE PREDOMINANTLY SINGLE CLASS PERIODS, WHILE OTHER SUBJECTS (MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY (WOOD), METALWORK, ART, HOME ECONOMICS, MUSIC) REQUIRE PREDOMINANTLY DOUBLE PERIODS. SUBJECTS ARE GROUPED ACCORDINGLY ON THE TIMETABLE AND, AS A RESULT, CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ARE IN PLACE: • NO MORE THAN ONE OF THE MODERN LANGUAGES (FRENCH, GERMAN) MAY BE CHOSEN. • NO MORE THAN TWO OF THE PRACTICAL SUBJECTS (MT WOOD, METALWORK, ART, HOME ECONOMICS, MUSIC) MAY BE CHOSEN.