ACCS Education Conference
The task
• Fundamental reform of lower second-level education
• First major change in 25 years
• Reforming the teaching and learning process
• Putting students rather than exams at centre of junior cycle
• Culture change for schools and change in mind-set for us all
• Will impact on Leaving Certificate
• Will require an intensive and sustained programme of CPD for
school leaders and teachers
Acknowledging the context
• Recession
• Haddington Road Agreement
• School Self-evaluation
• Literacy & Numeracy Strategy
• Loss of middle management posts in schools
• Strain on school resources
• Rationalisation of services
• Change itself
JCSA National Working Group
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DES, NCCA, teacher unions, management
bodies, school leaders, parents
A means of addressing partners concerns
First meeting held on Friday, 17th January 2004
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Additional CPD provided
Changes to implementation phases
Three sub-groups established
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CPD
School Resources
Assessment and QA
Next meeting scheduled for 07th Feb. 2014
CPD to Support Implementation
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Whole School
School Leaders
Teachers
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Year prior to implementation of each subject –CPD focused on
curricular changes
Year 1 and Year 2 of implementation of each subject – CPD
focused on assessment and moderation in advance of schoolbased components and final assessments
Short courses and L2LPs
Online
Range of elective CPD workshops for both
teachers and school leaders
Professional Development Strategies
NON
DIRECTIVE
COACHING
MENTORING
FACILITATION
TEACHING
DIRECTIVE
TRAINING
GENERIC
PERSONALISED
Whole-School CPD
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Sought by partners, announced on Friday, 17th
January 2014
One full day per school for duration of
implementation of Framework
Currently being devised in collaboration with the
partners
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A range of models being explored
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728 PP schools
Initial thoughts
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Not a ‘one size fits all’
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Focus of building capacity within the school
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Supported at school leaders’ CPD
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Can be taken in current school year, if desired
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Schools working collaboratively
School Leaders CPD
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Provided on an on-going basis across the six roll-out
phases of the Framework
Core CPD provision will be concentrated at the start and
towards the end of each academic year, and may take
the form of full or half day workshops
Provided in collaboration with PDST, e.g., the
sequencing of FJC and SSE CPD
A mix of in-school and out-of-school provision
First School Leaders Workshop
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Programme
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DEVELOPING A VISION FOR JUNIOR CYCLE
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ROADMAP
INTEGRATING JUNIOR CYCLE WITH SSE, LITERACY AND
NUMERACY
LEADING CURRICULUM CHANGE
CURRICULUM PLANNING
GETTING STARTED
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Delivered across November/December 2013
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42 workshops delivered across 21 education centres
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624 attendees, or 34% of invited school leaders
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25 further ‘mop-up’ sessions planned from 24th February
Second School Leaders
Workshop (March/April 2014)
Objectives
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To update school leaders on key adjustments to JC
implementation
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To afford school leaders an opportunity to reflect on
progress to date and on their school’s current readiness
to implement JC
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To explore worked examples of initiatives taken in
schools around aspects of Junior Cycle, and to
generate implementable possibilities for school leaders
in their own school
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To support school leaders in planning implementation of
JC in their schools
Some elective CPD opportunities
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Curriculum planning & Timetabling
Integration of ICT in T&L
Standardised testing
Change management
Assessment, Moderation and Quality Assurance
Final assessment component/examinations
School certification
IT/data records
PR strategies
Links with senior cycle programmes
Engagement with parents
English CPD
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4 ½ days CPD for teachers of English
Years 1 , 2 and 3 (2013/2014, 2014/2015 and
2015/2016): 1 full day out + 3 periods (max. 2 hours)
in-school teacher-led CPD
Years 4/5 (2016/17 or 2017/18): ½ day school
visit by JCT advisor
Initial focus …. the framework, English within the framework,
subject specification, classroom strategies, using learning
outcomes, planning, resource pack, getting started
English CPD: some stats to
date
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5,178 teachers of English now registered with JCT
(387 since Christmas)
108 workshops held up to 03.02.14
45.4% of teachers have attended for CPD to date (or
2,351 teachers registered with JCT)
89 workshops still to run this year (inclusive of 31
‘mop-up’s’)
JCT makes efforts to minimize disruption in schools
Content of day one
SESSION 1
Introduction
The Framework for Junior Cycle
NCCA Specification for English
Links with primary curriculum
Developing oral language
SESSION 2
How this will look in the classroom
Formative assessment
Linking learning outcomes with assessment
Reconceptualising the novel using practical classrooms strategies
SESSION 3
Course design and planning
Guidelines - 1ST year indicative and 2nd AND 3rd year prescriptive texts
Linking learning outcomes and assessment
Getting started back at school – next steps!
Teacher-led CPD element
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Up to 3 class periods (max. 2 hours) of teacher-led in-school CPD
per year
Substitution cover is provided
Preferable if used on a subject department basis, but not always
possible
Could be used for a number of purposes, e.g.:
Preparation for the first year cohort - September 2014
How Learning Outcomes might facilitate planning for T&L
Embedding of key skills/statements of learning
Assessment for learning strategies
Familiarisation with Assessment and Moderation Toolkit, etc.
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JCT provides teachers with relevant support materials at
workshops
Optional English CPD courses
(March 2014)
Workshop Programme 1 - Laois, Kildare, Cork &
Drumcondra Education Centres
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Speaking Shakespeare - JCT with Andrea Ainsworth
(Abbey Theatre)
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Page to Stage - Drama Extracts - JCT with Veronica
Coburn (TENDERFOOT in the Civic Theatre)
Workshop Programme 2 - Monaghan, Wexford,
Donegal & Tralee Education Centres
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Young Critics - JCT with Anna Galligan and Alan King
(National Association for Youth Drama/NAYD)
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Film in Focus - JCT with Alicia McGivern (Irish Film
Institute)
English workshop feedback
For participants to get the most
out of our CPD ……
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Become familiar with the Framework in advance
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Watch our short film explaining the Framework
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Become familiar with the new subject specifications in
advance
Endeavour to share learning with peers on returning to
school
Complete our feedback/evaluation forms
Website & Twitter…..
www.juniorcycle.ie
One-stop-shop for all things Junior Cycle
Collaboration between NCCA & JCT
@JCforTeachers
followers and growing