It is now the end of August which marks the start of a new school year and also the beginning of the TY Journey. As you look at the new group of Transition year students embarking on the odyssey, it is both exciting and daunting to think of the opportunities and challenges that the next nine months offers in the lives of these young people. It is obviously crucial that all, within reason, is done to ensure that these young people’s lives both inside and outside the classroom have been enriched and enlightened by the end of next May as they face into the leaving Cert cycle and indeed life beyond secondary school.
This is an opportunity that cannot be wasted. It places enormous responsibilities on the entire school community and on all involved in T.Y to try to get it as good as we can. That said, if we do, the rewards are enormous when you see a young person at TY graduation who has grown and flourished both because of their own efforts and the openings that the year has offered makes you realise what education is truly about. It is about helping them to realise their potential and better prepare them to face what is ahead.
I come to this as someone who has spent almost 35 years in the classroom, with almost 20 years involvement in Transition Year and with 10 years’ experience as TY co-ordinator and Year Head in Ashbourne Community School. In that time I have made the mistakes, I have endured the frustrations but I have also learned so much. I have seen what works and what does not work and while I realise there is no such thing as a perfect T.Y there are things you can do both as co-ordinator and teacher that can help.
I hope through this Blog to share with you some of these insights and experiences and this may help you as you direct and lead your students as they take their first steps out on the T.Y journey.
Next time round I will look at the issues that arise at the start of the school year in T.Y and examine different strategies and approaches that will help make for a good start.
Please share with me and with everyone else your own experiences and expertise to help guide us all.
This is an opportunity that cannot be wasted. It places enormous responsibilities on the entire school community and on all involved in T.Y to try to get it as good as we can. That said, if we do, the rewards are enormous when you see a young person at TY graduation who has grown and flourished both because of their own efforts and the openings that the year has offered makes you realise what education is truly about. It is about helping them to realise their potential and better prepare them to face what is ahead.
I come to this as someone who has spent almost 35 years in the classroom, with almost 20 years involvement in Transition Year and with 10 years’ experience as TY co-ordinator and Year Head in Ashbourne Community School. In that time I have made the mistakes, I have endured the frustrations but I have also learned so much. I have seen what works and what does not work and while I realise there is no such thing as a perfect T.Y there are things you can do both as co-ordinator and teacher that can help.
I hope through this Blog to share with you some of these insights and experiences and this may help you as you direct and lead your students as they take their first steps out on the T.Y journey.
Next time round I will look at the issues that arise at the start of the school year in T.Y and examine different strategies and approaches that will help make for a good start.
Please share with me and with everyone else your own experiences and expertise to help guide us all.