Be the Best You Can Be!!

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Be the Best You Can Be!!
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Two-pronged approach

• 1. Whole School
• 2. Subject areas

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Whole School

• Staff in-service on aspects of learning. At
  least one a year. Outside the school-lunch
  provided.
• Challenging methodologies
• Teaching v. learning
• Raising the Bar
• Assessment for Learning
• Co-operative learning-subject in-service

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External in-service

• Dr. Michael Stone, psychotherapist-teaching and
  learning
• Hal ONeill, NCCA-assessment for learning
• Jim Lyons, former Clare CEO-raising the bar
• Maria Garvey, SLSS-co-operative learning
• Dr. Orison Carlisle-managing stress

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Staff Generated in-service

• Ideas which evolved in-house
• Challenging methodologies
• Staff questionnaire
• Qualities of a good school

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Marks of a good school

• Positive atmosphere
• Good work ethic
• High achievement
• High standards
• Well structured, well run
• Broad range of activities
• United team
• Positive leadership

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Staff Questionnaire
Strongly agree Agree Dont agree Strongly disagree
I like Teaching
I believe I am an effective teacher
I engage well with my students
I never get bored teaching
Teaching is a noble profession
I am willing to try out new methodologies
I believe in student-centred education
I am accountable for my teaching
I should be a member of my subject association
I would allow a colleague sit in on my class
I have undertaken professional development courses in my own time
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Successful Teaching

• Well structured classes
• Positive atmosphere
• Students are learning
• High standards demanded
• Verifiable achievement

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Subject Department Planning

• Subject Co-ordinators
• Encouraging subject meetings-3 per year
• Mock exams an ideal opportunity
• Subject inspections concentrate the mind

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Subject Meetings-progress to date

• Agreeing programmes of work
• Subject materials, resources
• Common assessments, forms of assessment
• Managing the transition from primary to
  post-primary
• Mixed ability classes
• Special Needs
• ICT in the classroom
• Measuring our effectiveness-state exam results
  analysis

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Re-filling the Tank

• Forbairt
• SDPI in-service
• NAPD conference
• Meitheal week-end
• AMCSS
• North-South Initiatives
• Invaluable sources of new thinking, renewing
  energy.

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Useful Sources

• www.sdpi.ie
• Very useful material for staff in-service days,
  easily navigated
• SLSS-Maria Garvey on Co-operative Learning
• NCCA
• Marino www.marinopolicy.ie

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Junior Cert. Science question

• Name 3 parts of the body and their functions.

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• The Brainium
• The borium
• The abominal cavity

• Thats where the brain is
• Thats for the heart and lungs
• Thats for the 5 bowels-a,e,i,o,u