Newsletter of Junior Cycle forTeachers Support Service No. 8 February 2017

JJCC TToday

Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) Support Service Administrative Office:Monaghan Ed. Centre | Armagh Road | MonaghanTel.: 047 74008

Director’s Office:LMETB | Chapel Street | DundalkTel.: 042 9364603

Welcome to the 8th edition of ournewsletter, JC Today. The purpose ofthis newsletter is to update you on ourwork across all of the different subjectareas, and more! We are about toembark on delivering our subject

Welcome

SSCCIIEENNCCEE

specific CPD nationally using a new model of delivery, theschool cluster model. This model will see a cluster ofschools, normally 6 to 8 schools, close to students on thesame day, with all teachers coming together to engage inour CPD workshops. We piloted this model in countiesLouth, Galway, Roscommon and Donegal before Christmaswhich proved that it could be done. Teachers particularlyenjoyed the opportunity to meet and work through thenew changes and challenges at junior cycle level withcolleagues from neighbouring schools. This model alsominimises disruption to teaching and learning in schoolsbecause instead of being staggered across the school year,all of our workshops take place in just one day for allteachers. All of our Advisors and Associates, across ourwhole-school CPD, leadership, subject, short course andL2LP teams, are looking forward to engaging with you overthe coming months. I hopethat you will have theopportunity to come along toour workshops and that youfind the experience to beinformative, and beneficial inyour teaching.

Dr. Pádraig KirkDirector

This initiative was designed to support schools and teachers in exploring the newshort course in Coding.A total of 22 participating schools were supported by JCT, in conjunction with

Lero – The Irish Software Research Centre – and Intel Ireland. As well as receivingtraining and online support, Intel Ireland donated a set of electronic devices to eachschool to allow students engage in design-related activities.The initiative concludes in February 2017, and it is important to acknowledge the

efforts of the teachers and principals of the participating schools. Developing practice and leading learning for students in an innovativeand new area of learning like Coding is a rewarding, but challenging task. The openness of teachers to contribute to the researchelement of the project and inform the pathway for schools is hugely appreciated.A report will be developed which will share the learning from this initiative. A further CPD initiative is being planned to support

schools who are committed to incorporating the Coding short course into their Junior Cycle programme.The specification for the Junior Cycle short course in Coding is available at http://www.curriculumonline.ie/

Website ...

�eck it out today!

Junior Cycle for Teachers www.jct.ie

‘Exploring Coding’ Update

Dr. Pádraig Kirk

Junior Cycle Visual Art

L to R: Clare McInerney,Lero, Stephen O’Meara,Nenagh College, Kate

O’Brien, Nenagh Collegeand Michael Carey, ShortCourses Team Leaderduring an Exploring

Coding CPD event in theUniversity of Limerick.

Teachers Orla Bergin(Coláiste Bhaile Chláir,

Claregalway) andMiriam Bergin

(Coláiste Mhuire,Thurles) during an

‘Exploring Coding’ CPDevent in the University

of Limerick.

JCT bids farewell to our colleague Mr Paddy Flood, former Deputy Director,who took up the position of Director of Schools with Cavan & Monaghan ETB

in October 2016.

The JCT Visual Art team are delighted to have begun to facilitate the first series ofworkshops in the Introduction to Junior Cycle Visual Art Specification across thecountry. In the workshop Art teachers are guided and supported in considering theaim, exploring the strands and elements and becoming familiar with the newlanguage in the specification. The workshop has been designed to give time andspace to Art teachers to process the content, to exchange ideas and share classroompractice with colleagues. Opportunities to engage with learning outcomes and to theidentify rich learning experiences for students is also provided. The team looks forward to meeting Art teachers over the coming weeks as they

plan to introduce the specification to 1st years in September 2017. All materials fromour CPD days will be available on the Visual Art section of our website www.jct.ie

So much is happening right now for Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) in junior cycle.Having begun our CPD Day 1 for teachers of MFL before Christmas, the momentum isset to continue in the coming months. The opportunity for teachers from neighbouringschools to come together to develop their understanding of the specification, as wellas to share practice with colleagues, is truly exciting. The MFL specification in juniorcycle supports us as teachers to further enhance teaching, learning and assessment.Junior cycle is, as we know, a pivotal stage in a student’s language learning journey. Itis often a student’s first encounter with the chosen language(s) and as such is a timefor them to ‘enjoy a language-learning experience that will facilitate and encouragethem to continue learning languages in future’ (Specification, p. 6). The integratednature of the strands of Communicative competence, Language awareness and Socio-cultural knowledge and intercultural awareness optimises student engagement andlearning in a meaningful way. Activities modelled on the day give an insight into thestudent experience and breathe life into the specification.The MFL team is looking forward to working with you. The Specification for Junior Cycle Modern Foreign Languages is now available on

www.curriculumonline.ie

Modern Foreign Languages (MFL)

September to December 2016 was anexciting time for Science education. TheCurriculum Specification for Junior CycleScience was introduced in classroomsacross the country. In line with theSpecification going live in schools, JCTScience began CPD workshop Day 2 withScience teachers. The fitting theme for thisday is ‘Moving into the Junior CycleScience Classroom’. During CPD Day 2,teachers are given space for professionaldialogue with colleagues regarding theirthoughts, concerns and ideas aroundJunior Cycle Science. They are providedwith professional learning opportunitiesthat help develop their assessmentpractices in line with the Framework forJunior Cycle 2015. Ideas for developingpedagogical practice are shared, andassumptions around investigation inScience are challenged. Teachers alsohave an opportunity to develop ideas andcollaborative practices with colleagues insubject departments and neighbouringschools, facilitated by the cluster model ofCPD. Science CPD Day 2 will continue torun from January until March.JCT Science are also supporting

teachers at public events. At the recent BTYoung Scientists’ and TechnologyExhibition, the Science Team worked witha vast number of teachers on an individualand subject department basis on Scienceplanning. The Science Team havedeveloped a suite of planning resourcesincluding videos, sample term plans andtemplates. These are all available on ourwebsite. Finally, be sure to join in the onlineconversation! JCT Science now has its ownTwitter handle. Follow @jctscience for ongoing ideas,

resources, and CPD updates to supportyour enactment of Junior Cycle Science.

December saw the English teamdelivering our next full day of CPD acrossthe country and we look forward tocontinuing to deliver it over the comingmonths. The day this year considers areassuch as: Exploration of our vision andvalues for JC English, engaging withlearning outcomes, deepening ourunderstanding of the process of assessingstudent work in the CBAs, exploration ofthe Final Assessment and AssessmentTask and consideration of the value,

purpose and range of modes ofassessment for teaching and learning.December also saw the completion of

CBA2, the ‘Collection of the Student’sTexts’, the associated Subject Learningand Assessment Review meeting and theAssessment Task for the first time. Forstudents currently in third year and whodid not have an opportunity to completetheir CBA2 and related Assessment Taskin December 2016, a second window todo so is available in April 2017. In November 2016, the team hosted a

live online Q&A on both CBA2 and theAssessment Task. A transcript of all thequestions and answers from this eventcan be accessed on www.jct.ie Further

supports for teachers around both CBAsand the Assessment Task continue to beavailable on www.jct.ie The English team have also been

facilitating two hour in-school workshopsto English Departments nationwide.These workshops are resourced from the14 hours of professional time allocated toEnglish teachers for 2016/17. At present,the team are offering workshops on:‘Collaborative Planning and SharingResources’, ‘Formative Assessment inJunior Cycle English’ and ‘Preparation forthe SLAR’. For further details on theseworkshops and/or to request a visit froman English advisor, pleaseemail info@jct.ie

English

Physical Education is an important component of the newWellbeing area of learning which will be introduced fromSeptember 2017. Students must study physical educationfollowing either the existing junior cycle syllabus in physicaleducation (2003) or the specification for the Junior Cycleshort course in physical education (2016). Many schools arenow considering the new short course as it allows studentsthe opportunity to formally profile their achievement inphysical education for the first time at Junior Cycle level.Within the current nationwide cluster CPD events,

physical education teachers have an opportunity toparticipate in a tailored CPD event. This day allows teachersto explore the key messages regarding physical educationwithin the new Wellbeing area of learning. Teachers candevelop and share their approaches to planning andassessment using learning outcomes from the new shortcourse. It is also an opportunity to consider the first steps inintroducing the Wellbeing area of learning.The specification for the Junior Cycle short course in physical

education is available at http://www.curriculumonline.ie/

Physical Education within theWellbeing area of learning

Wellbeing

Follow us on twitter @JCforTeachers - We currently have almost 7,000 followers and growing.

Business Studies ATS2020

Irish partners pictured with their Finnish colleagues at the recent International partner meeting in Tampere, Finland:

(L-R) Pádraig Kirk (JCT) Jarmo Viteli (University of Tampere), John Hurley (H2Learning), Sinéad Tuohy (JCT), Anne Rongas (University of Tampere), Kaisa Honkonen (University of Tampere), Maria Fojk (H2 Learning).

Ceapadh Foireann na Gaeilge marfhoireann ábhair de chuid SSM(An tSraith Shóisearach doMhúinteoirí) i mí Lúnasa 2016. Faoiláthair, tá ceathrar Comhairleoirlánaimseartha ann maraon le cúigearComhalta (páirtaimseartha) agustáthar i mbun próiseas earcaíochtachun an fhoireann a mhéadú. Is í an aidhm atá ag Foireann

Ghaeilge SSM ná Forbairt GhairmiúilLeanúnach (FGL) agus acmhainníardchaighdeáin a sholáthar domhúinteoirí Gaeilge ar fud na tíre le

linn chur i bhfeidhm na SonraíochtaíGaeilge don tSraith Shóisearach. Cuirfidh an Fhoireann ábhar agus

acmhainní ar fáil a thacóidh lemúinteoirí dul i ngleic go praiticiúilleis na Sonraíochtaí agus a chuideoidhle forbairt tuisceana, eolais agusscileanna na ndaltaí. Gné lárnach denFGL a chuirfear ar fáil is ea cur chuigedalta-lárnach ar an bpleanáil, ar anteagasc agus ar an bhfoghlaim. Chomh maith leis na laethanta FGL,

cuirfidh Foireann na Gaeilge ábhartacaíochta ar líne ar fáil. Tacóidh nahacmhainní seo le múinteoirí agus iadi mbun pleanála dá gcuid rangannaféin agus iad ag comhoibriú agus agcomhroinnt cleachtais le chéile.

This year JCT has been on an excitingjourney in the world of assessment. Wehave seen the welcome addition of anassessment team to our organisation,comprised of associate teachers, advisorsand senior management. The teamengage in research, pilot new practices intheir own classrooms, design resourcematerial for schools and work closelywith teachers in CPD sessions. The teamworks alongside whole school team inproviding support for schools.To date, schools have received support

in developing formative assessment

practices in the classroom, a core tenet ofthe approach to assessment in the newjunior cycle. This includes exploring howformative assessment underpins theclassroom-based assessments, theassessment task, the subject learning andassessment review meetings and thenew final state examinations. Over 200schools in the country have receiveddirect support in this area. From a suiteof options, schools have chosen the typeof support most relevant to their context.Assessment is on everyone’s radar here

in JCT! The new approach to assessment,

introduced under the junior cycleframework, is also a key component of allsupport provided for teachers by thesubject, short course, level 2 learningprogramme and wellbeing teams.Teachers are given opportunities toengage with the new assessmentstructures and explore ways they can betranslated into daily classroom practice. All assessment support will be ongoing

until 2022. Assessment has never beenmore to the fore in the support that weoffer and we look forward to the yearahead.

Gaeilge

The in-school pilot phase of our ATS2020 research project is well underway andwe are delighted to have 68 teachers across the country engaging in the pilot.Teachers are focusing on particular elements of the Junior Cycle key skills, usingformative assessment to support student learning, developing learner autonomyand student reflection. Our pilot schools are also using ePortfolios to supportstudent learning. Teachers in the pilot project have engaged in two CPD sessions and initial

webinars have taken place to support schools in setting up their ePortfolioplatforms. A programme of webinars is being developed for the new term topromote collaboration and sharing of ideas and practice. JCT, in association withour partners H2, are currently developing a resource sharing site for the projectto support teachers in collaborating. This site will host a range of supportmaterials for teachers in the areas of key skills, ongoing assessment andePortfolios. JCT presented work from the Irish pilot schools at the most recent ATS2020

International Partner Meeting in Tampere in Finland in October 2016 and had anopportunity to visit a Finnish school and engage with teachers from the ‘Finnishmodel’.

AssessmentAs instructional leaders, Principals and DeputyPrincipals play an important role in leadingcurriculum and instructional change in schools.The DES circular letter 0024/2026, outlined anumber of significant changes that schools needto implement for the academic year 2017. Inresponse to this, the JCT leadership teamdeveloped and rolled out a national programmeof workshops on curriculum planning andtimetabling in the Autumn of 2016. Theresources for this workshop are on the JCTwebsite under leadership/ resources. We arecurrently planning the second leadershipworkshop for 2016/17. The topics to beaddressed will include, implementing thewellbeing guidelines in schools, the next circularletter and the Junior Cycle Profile ofAchievement. The roll out for this workshop willoccur in the weeks before the Easter holidays. Allschool leaders will be invited to attend.

Leadership

The Business Studies team is lookingforward to delivering our Business StudiesCPD workshop as part of the Clustermodel. Our workshop is informed by thefeedback received from teachers andfurther supports the new Specification forBusiness Studies.

Our second CPD workshop centres on thefollowing themes:� Exploring the Business Studies specification and deepening teachers understanding of Classroom-Based Assessments, with particular emphasisplaced on the first CBA entitled ‘Business in Action’.

� Teachers collective understanding of aunit of learning is developed through their experience of rich student learning activities relating to the consumer.

� Exploring formative feedback and howfeedback provides an opportunity for student reflection to support learning

� Business Studies departments are provided with the space and support to plan for the creation of units of learning which they may use going forward.

All of our resources are available on theJCT website www.jct.ie, under theBusiness Studies section. The team islooking forward to meeting andsupporting teachers over the comingweeks.

The JCT Wellbeing Team has been busy liaising with our educational partners as we develop anddesign our CPD supports. Our CPD aims to support teachers in this new area of learning thatbuilds on existing practice in schools. It aims to support student learning about and for wellbeing.It is a whole experience of wellbeing in curricular, policy, culture, and relationships. Supporting ayoung person’s wellbeing in school requires a well-planned programme which enjoys thecommitment and enthusiasm of school management, teachers, parents, students, and the widerschool communityJCT training will support schools in examining current and potential wellbeing provision. The

NCCA Wellbeing guidelines focus on building the capacity of the whole-school community tosupport student wellbeing, as well as supporting the role of the individual teacher. JCT alsosupports the role of teachers in developing engaging lessons that focus on knowledge,understanding and skills, through engagement with Learning Outcomes. The JCT CPD programmewill support schools in collaborative planning for meaningful engagement in the design andimplementation of their Wellbeing programme. Schools are at different stages of developmentwith regard to their individual and unique Wellbeing programme. JCT support will reflect this, inthe context of planning and school specific professional development. The NCCA guidelinesprovide the backdrop for JCT engagement with schools and teachers.

The focus of our Wellbeing workshops at whole staff level will be on the following:� Exploring what, why and how Wellbeing matters for teaching and learning, and connects to the Junior Cycle Framework, 2015.� Examining how students learn about wellbeing and for wellbeing in all subjects. The focus will be on creating positive curriculum engagement guided by the Framework for Junior Cycle and the Six Indicators of Wellbeing.

� Exploring how Wellbeing is visible in the curriculum, culture, policy and relationships in schools.� Suggested first steps for setting up a Wellbeing Team and drafting the Wellbeing Programme.

The Minister for Education &Skills, Mr. Richard Bruton with

Ms. Betty McLaughlin,Wellbeing Team Leader, at the

recent Deep Dive intoWellbeing Regional Education

Forum in Merlin College,Galway.

In Autumn 2016 our Whole-school CPDteam provided supports in schools acrossthe ETB and Community andComprehensive sectors predominantly.The day was put together in collaborationwith schools but many contained anupdates session on Junior Cycle Reformwith special reference to Circular24/2016. Other aspects includedworkshops on Assessment, Statements ofLearning and Short Courses.

Teacher evaluation was very positive. Itis clear that the reform is taking root inschools as more subjects are phased in.Our whole-school support team hasdesigned a new CPD day for any schoolcoming into the reform process for thefirst time. This merges previous elements,the various updates and reflects theexperience gained in the reform in thesubjects of English, Business Studies andScience.

Whole-school personnel will beparticipating in the cluster model roll outin Spring 2017 through facilitation of aworkshop on the Junior CycleProgramme in Action.The team is happy to advise schoolsinterested in taking a 3rd closure day thisyear (permitted under the terms ofCircular letter 0024/2016) on how to usethis day to build capacity in the schoolaround junior cycle.

Whole-school Support and CPD