Thank You Transition Year! – My Year in Review

As my Transition Year in Crana College draws to a close, I look back on one of the most interesting and inspiring times in my school life. The year has by far exceeded any expectations that I ever had, encompassing everything and anything inside the Irish Education System.

I think that it is fair to say, that I had an action-packed, yet educational year in TY. Like many other skeptics, I came into the year, with an idea of prejudice in my head, thinking that the year didn’t yield any opportunities or chances for me, and I couldn’t have been further wrong! Within a matter of weeks, I realised that TY In Crana College (and in many other hard working schools around the country) is one of the best organised programmes, that aims to get the most out of each and every student, based on the effort and commitment that the students dedicate to the programme.

Transition Year, has improved me for the better. I have became a lot more confident in this year. Through this, I have countless unforgettable memories, but of these, the most prominent include:

Speaking on behalf of TY Ireland at the National Parents Council of Post Primary Secondary Schools annual conference in the INEC, Killarney.

Participating in the 5K Mud Run!

Making the Eir Junior Spiders – Giga Spiders – Best Induvidual Project Shortlist.

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Being ‘Highly Commended’ in the National Career Skills Competition with CareersPortal.ie 

Transition Year has been simply, amazing, and has made me much more ‘well-rounded’, and confident person. I feel that this year has benefited me greatly, and that I have taken every opportunity possible to get the very best out of this year. I would urge any student who is doing TY next year, to firstly, push themselves in TY, secondly, take every opportunity available to you, and thirdly, enjoy TY – It will be amazing!

Above, is only a snapshot of what has being going on in my Transition Year! I’m sure that if you were to read through this blog, or my Twitter Feed, you would see a much bigger picture of what my Transition Year was all about.

Writing one of my final blog posts of TY has really saddened me, not only has this blog been an ongoing assessed piece of work for my Media Studies Module, but it has been a space where I can freely write about a topic that I have grown to love! A special thanks has to be given to absolutely everyone who have supported me in this journey – My TY Coordinator, Teachers, Staff, Employers, Co-Workers, Transition Year Ireland, Volunteers, Guest-Speakers, Fellow Bloggers & Twitter Users, Family & Friends , and everyone in between- each and every one of you have helped make my TY that extra bit more special!

Thank you Transition Year!

The Eir Junior Spiders Shortlist

TY’s at the Colosseum

The TY Boys Walking in Sorrento

The Trevi Fountain

The Colosseum

Me & Ciarán Touring Rome

5th Years at the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast

The Streets of Sorrento

‘Rome’-ing about with Roisín & Tiree

The TY Boys on a Boat Trip

Selfies at the Trevi Fountain

Outside St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican

‘Frescos’ in the Vatican

The Time Elevator

Subject Choices for Leaving Certificate 2018

TY First Aid Training

Promoting Inishowen’s Tourism Industry

Skiing Tour Key Ring Design

Rome Tour Key Ring Design

My Cover of ‘O Fortuna’

Starting the Architecture Module!

Me and my little sister Dearbhla, pictured just after my last day at work experience at her “Big School”

My ‘Space Study’ for Architecture

Blog Challenge – Six Word Story

Ice Skating in Belfast

Hill Walking Trip

Hill Walking in Uriris

Christmas Market Poster

Drugs & Alcohol Conference

Disability Awareness Module Part 1

Our Greatest Scientist – Nikola Tesla

Completion of the Cube Project

TY Panel at the National Parents Council Post Primary Annual Conference in the INEC, Killarney

TY Panel at NPCpp Annual Conference

‘Chain Reaction’ Key Rings – TY Enterprise Mini Company

Semi-Completed Cube

Prize-giving – Co-Junior Student of the Year 2014/2015 & Co-Recipient of the ‘Bríd Boner Memorial Plaque’

TY Panel at the National Parents Council of Post Primary Secondary Schools

Irish Wheelchair Association Collection

What I’ve been learning about in TY Geography – The Human Development Index (HDI)

‘Chain reaction Keyring’s’ first product!

Oisín i dTír na nÓg – Mindmap

TY Panel at National Parents Council

Month In Review – October

My Work Experience Report, written in ‘The Drumfries Times’

Monthl

Foyle Hospice Coffee Morning Donation

National Road Safety Week

Ireland Trip

TY1 Post-Surfing Selfie

Cube Project

Surifng

Surfing

Foyle Hospice Coffee Morning

Cube Project

Music Appreciation Module

Room 13 – Pre-Coffee Morning Setup

TY1 Receiving the iPads

Junior Cert Results

Irish Mythology presentation

European Day Of Languages

 

Month in Review – December

To take note of all that I have done in December, I will review and reflect my top 5 highlights of December.

1. TY Trip in Belfast

I really enjoyed the TY Christmas Trip. , we first of all went to Dundonald Ice Bowl, where we were taken to ice-skate, before being taken to Belfast where we were allowed to shop around, and later on see the Coca Cola, truck, and then head on to Junction One! It was such a good day as everyone had got on so well, and  everyone really enjoyed all aspects of the day. The day was that full of activities, that it went by so quick, and didn’t feel anyway long at all.

2. Hill Walking Trip

I really enjoyed the hill walking trip, as it was a challenge. I was really interested in the walk as it was an outdoors activity, and it something active. It was great to get out and do something totally different to any of the other activities in TY. We left the school after our first class, at 10 O’Clock, and headed on a bus to Leenan, outside Urris in Clonmany, where we were met by our guide for the day – Charlie McCarron, who is also the man who is in charge of the TY Tourism Enterprise project, which we will start this January. We were also accompanied by one of the PE Teachers & TY Tutors in Crana College – Mr McMullan, as well as a group of Spanish Students, accompanied by the Spanish Language Assistant in our school – Julia. I had never walked, or actually knew about the area where we walked, so it was a total change of scenery, and despite the very windy weather, the  views were absolutely spectacular!

3. TY Christmas Market

When writing this post, I realised that I hadn’t blogged about perhaps one of the biggest events that TY organised, not only in December, but in my TY so far! This was the ‘Christmas Market’, which linked to two very different modules in the TY Programme – Enterprise and Performing Arts. The event was organised in my Performing Arts classes, and our mini-companies, which were created through our Enterprise module, were to sell their goods (of possible), at the market. The amount of work that had to go in to not alone organizing a whole event, but also having a mini-company set up, and trading, was huge, however the event was a great success, and I was really happy that TY Students undertook a project that had never been done in the school before!

4. Starting the Irish Architecture Foundation Module

Something, more academic which had really interested me this month, was the starting of a new module, in my ‘Design & Woodwork’ class. This new concept is a new module that we will study called ‘Architecture’, which is brought to us by the Irish Architects Foundation, and is taught by our teacher – Mr Boyle.Since a young age I have been very interested in designing and drawing. I used to spend a lot of time drawing town plans and house design sketches, and I had also wanted to do Technical Graphics for my Junior Certificate, however the subject did not go ahead due to a lack of numbers in interest in this subject. Therefore, this module is of major interest to me! I am really glad, that in TY I get the chance to explore a topic and subject, that is totally new to me, yet a subject that I have a major interest in.

5.  Finishing My First Work Experience

This month I was very saddened to have finished my first placement. I had been in this placement over the past 13 weeks, and was really sad to say goodbye and get ready to start on my second work placement. Since September, I have been lucky enough to work in my past primary school – Scoil Naomh Pádraig in Drumfries. There are only about 60 – 70 students in the whole school, and therefore  I felt like I had grew to know them all well and had built up such a great working relationship with each and every one of them! I would like to thank all the staff & pupils at Drumfries N.S. for making, an amazing work experience placement possible!

 

Finishing My First Work Experience!

Me and my little sister Dearbhla, pictured just after my last day at work experience at her "Big School"

Yesterday, I was very saddened to have finished my first placement. I had been in this placement over the past 13 weeks, and was really sad to say goodbye and get ready to start on my second work placement.

Since September, I have been lucky enough to work in my past primary school – Scoil Naomh Pádraig in Drumfries. There are only about 60 – 70 students in the whole school, and therefore  I felt like I had grew to know them all well and had built up such a great working relationship with each and every one of them! I was even able to teach my little sister Dearbhla (pictured above), who had started “Big School” this year.

I was extremely lucky to be allowed to actually teach the children in the school music, as it is a major interest of mine. Every Wednesday I went to my work experience and from 10-11 I taught the middle classroom (1st, 2nd & 3rd classes), from 11:15-12 I taught the  infant classroom (Junior & Senior Infants), and from 1-2 I taught the senior classroom (4th, 5th & 6th classes). It has been one of the most insightful experiences that I have had so far in my TY, as it is amazing to see children who may have had very little music knowledge, comprehend and engage in lessons and activities, quickly develop music skills and understand theory!

On top of getting the chance to teach every single student in the school, I was also asked to help to arrange the school’s two annual Christmas plays. This year the senior students have been preparing for a play called ‘Cinderella Rockerfella’, which is essentially, a pantomime styled version of the play – Cinderella. The junior students have also been very busy practicing for their own adaptation of ‘The Nativity’. In this aspect of my work experience, I was asked to teach all of the students their songs, that they will sing in both plays, as well as coordinating students when there cues are to go on and off the stage. And if that wasn’t enough I was asked to create a backdrop for the plays!

Whenever I am not teaching music to the children, or wasn’t organizing a school play I was either working in the office or I am providing assistance in the classroom. These were both as enjoyable as teaching music. I believe that this placement was a unique opportunity as I have essentially done three placements at once – an office placement, a teaching placement and a placement that deals with music. It was safe to say that there was never a moment when I was bored on my first placement.

I would like to thank all the staff of the school for their continued support, constant dedication, accommodation and appreciation of the work I carried out throughout my thirteen weeks.

 

My Work Experience So Far!

Work Experience

Music Education, Classroom Assistance & Office Work

One of the aspects of my Transition Year that has appealed to me the most, so far is my work experience! I am lucky enough to get the chance to attend three different placements, over a period of eleven weeks, each Wednesday throughout the whole of my Transition Year. 

Right now I am just over half way through my first placement and have another five weeks to complete, before I start my second placement. So far, this placement has surpassed all of my expectations of it. I am really enjoying my placement and I am really thankful that I was allowed to take my first placement in my past primary school – Scoil Naomh Pádraig, Drumfries. 

I am extremely lucky to be allowed to actually teach the children in the school music, as it is a major interest of mine. Every Wednesday I go to my work experience and from 10-11 I teach the middle classroom (1st, 2nd & 3rd classes), from 11:15-12 I teach the  infant classroom (Junior & Senior Infants), and from 1-2 I teach the senior classroom (4th, 5th & 6th classes). It has been one of the most insightful experiences that I have had so far in my TY, as it is amazing to see children who may have had very little music knowledge, comprehend and engage in lessons and activities, quickly develop music skillls and understand theory!

Whenever I am not teaching music to the children I am either working in the office or I am providing assistance in the classroom.nthese are both as enjoyable as teaching music. I believe that this placement is a unique opportunity as I have essentially done three placements at once – an office placement, a teaching placement and a placement that deals with music. 

  

Drumfries N.S. Website: http://www.drumfriesns.scoilnet.ie 

TY – Ireland Match Trip!

Aviva Stadium

On Thursday, 8th of October, Transition Year in Crana College attend the UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification Match, where Ireland played Germany!

We left the school at 11:15 and headed for Dublin, accompanied by our both TY Co-Ordinations, Ms Bradley and Mr McMullan, as well as Mr Casey. I felt that the bus journey down to Dublin went really quick. In Monaghan, we stopped at a shop and we all got out to buy food and stretch our legs. We then got back in the bus and travelled to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre.

We arrived at the shopping centre at about a quarter to four and were told to meet up outside the shopping centre at a quarter to six. In this time we were allowed to buy our dinner and go shopping. Oran, Donncha, Tomás, Gerard and I all went to eat, before looking around shops like Superdry, Topman and JD Sports. Nearing the end of our time in the shopping centre, Oran, Donncha and I found out that there was a music shop in the centre. We ran over quickly, but unfortunately we only had about ten minutes to spend in the shop as we had to return to the bus. The music shop was filled with guitars, pianos, basses and many other instruments and it was amazing!

When we got back on the bus again, we headed for the Aviva Stadium, where the match was being played. After getting of the bus we were each handed a ticket and began walking towards the stadium. The crowds outside the stadium were massive and it took quite a while to get into our seats. After a while we reached our seats, and they were amazing. I was sitting beside Aaron, Adam and Denis, and we were in the front  row of the upper tier of the stadium.

The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric, and watching the match was very nerve-wrecking! The match was an unbelievable experience, and in the second half, when the Irish Goal was scored, the crowd went mad!! It was absolutely amazing watching the match, and it will be an experience that I will never forget.

After the match we got on the bus and headed for home. We arrived back in Buncrana at about 2:30, and I got home and into bed at about 3:15, before getting up at 7:15 to get my bus into school this morning! It truly was an unbelievable experience!

  

Music Appreaciton Module – Presentation!

Music Appreciation Module

Rockabilly Music & Its Influence on Modern Musicians 

Today in TY, I got the chance to present a project that I had really enjoyed creating. This project was my ‘Music Appreciation Module’, which I had studied inside my Perfoming Arts class. Since we had returned in September, we had been set to the task of creating a presentation that we would present to the rest of the class, on our favourite genre of music or a musical genre that had interested us.

I had mentioned about this project in one of my very early posts on this site, where I had talked about public speaking, as well as the initial research which I had carried out to help me to create the presentation that I presented today.

Similarly, to when I had presented other pieces of work in front of the class, I was very nervous! I had felt very conscious of my work, and I was very nervous that I would make a mistake. I however tried to learn the project off as best as I could, and practiced saying it aloud before I presented the project. I believe that this had helpd me as I was quite calm when I was delivering the project. I really appreciated that I could get the chance to improve Public Speaking, inside the TY course as it is a major goal of mine this year, for me to be able to improve my public speaking by the end of the year.

My project focused on an uncommon genre known as ‘Rockabilly Music’. This project really interested me as music is of major interest to me. The influence that this genre had on areas such as art and design, had also been focused on in this project as I felt that this would be a unique topic to focus on and it would stand out whenever I was presenting the project. I then finished the project by me playing and singing the song ‘Johnny Got A Boom Boom’  by Imelda May on the guitar, while I got my class involved by accompanying me, percussively by clapping out a rhythm.

I really enjoyed this module in my Perfoming Arts class, and I hope that the rest of the year on Perfoming Arts will be as good !

  

Transition Year Coffee Morning in aid of Foyle Hospice!

Foyle Hospice Coffee Morning

Today in TY, my class were hosting  a coffee morning in aid of the Foyle Hospice.We have been organising this event over the past two weeks, with the help and under the supervision of our Transition Year Co-Ordinator, Ms Bradley. We had been given a lot of responsibility inside the school, as this coffee morning has been a major success in my school and in the local community, over the past three years, since the Trasition Year Programme began in the school in 2013.

There was a lot of organising in the hosting of a coffee morning. A rota was put in place, where I had been given numerous jobs at different points in the day, including, Meeting & Greeting, Desk Servicing, Washing Up Dishes, Waiting Tables, Managing and helping anyone who was under a bit of pressure or was extremely busy!

I also got a chance to perform music at the coffee morning! I really enjoyed this as, music is of a major interest to me. I brought in my guitar and I accompanied Mary, another TY student. We performed songs like ‘Back to Black’ by Amy Winehouse and ‘Moondance’ by Van Morrison. We tried to choose songs that would be ‘easy listening ‘ and that would not be to loud. We came to the decision that we would perform Jazz/Easy Listening songs. I also worked on a playlist that would be played during the morning. Myself and Mary, once again recorded some songs for the playlist. I played some pieces on the piano and the guitar, where I sang along with them. Mary also recorded some songs.

The coffee morning was a very different experience. TY’s were entrusted with a great responsibility, and I thought that it had paid off. We have still to work out how much we raised for the Foyle Hospice. We hope that we will be able to support this very worthy cause!

Foyle Hospice webpage: http://www.foylehospice.com

  

Transition Year – Week #2 – Update Blog!

Instead of posting various smaller blogs of encounters that I’ve had during the week, I’ve decided to have an ‘Update Blog’ for my 2nd full week in TY.

Art or Robotics?

Over the past two weeks in TY, my class has had the chance to sample an art and a robotics class. We sampled these classes as we had to choose which we would study for the duration of Transition Year. I really enjoyed sampling both these subject, as they were both of major interest to me. I had studied Art and Technology for my Junior Cert, and I felt like the two subjects had set me up well for either of the TY programs. It really was a very hard decision for me, as I really had an interest in both areas. In the end I put my name down for Robotics, however, we have not been given our classes yet! If I had the chance, I would have studied both Art and Robotics in TY!

Enterprise ~ Mini-Company!

One of my favorite modules of the Transition Year course so far, would have to be enterprise! In this module we get the chance to learn about the Business World & Entrepreneurship. Through this we are asked to set up a ‘Mini-Company’. I think that this is an amazing opportunity for me to learn about starting a company in a a more practical manner, than in normal business subjects studied at Junior & Leaving Cert. I am in a group along with 3 other boys in my class – Adam, Denis & Aaron. We are almost certain that we have an idea for our company and we hope to get started on Market Research and Product Research over the next few enterprise classes.

Piano Grades

Although my piano grades are not taught inside the Transition Year course, I thought that I could include it in this blog as they will happen during my TY year. I am playing the piano for a good few years now and I have always found it hard to balance school work and music, however this year I feel that I will have more time to focus on my music. Hopefully, sometime before Christmas of this year I will be sitting my Grade V in piano, (which will leave me three grades away, from when I am able to teach the piano !) I really appreciate that I can get the chance in TY to work on my music. Music is a major interest of mine, and is a possible area that I could be studying when I go to college. I also play the guitar, and I have already noticed that I have time to enjoy music and to learn what I want to learn on the guitar. TY has given me amazing opportunities to work on my music, such as my work experience where I am teaching music as well as the extra time I have to work on my instruments. I hope to get back out gigging again, thanks to the extra free time I now have in Transition Year!