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 – March

A Snapshot of March

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

1. Crana College Italy Trip

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One of my favourite and most adventurous experiences of my school year and Transition Year, has been the annual international school trip, which this year was in Italy and was based in Rome, Fiuggi & Sorrento. I really enjoyed the 5 days in Italy as it was something that I never experienced before, as I never went on a trip abroad with the school. It was such a busy 5 days, and so much was crammed into the 5 days, which lead to an unforgettable experience, with amazing memories! Italy was such a fun experience, and it is impossible to sum it up in a short review post!

Click here to read my full analysis of the trip!

2. Making my Leaving Certificate Subject Choices

Although not one of the most fun activities of my Transition Year, choosing my subjects that I will study for my Leaving Certificate was of major importance to me in Transition Year, as I didn’t have much of an idea of what I wanted to do, prior to doing TY. However, with the extra year of continuing many subjects from Junior Certificate, coupled with Work Experience, I got a more ‘well-rounded’ and clearer idea of what I will study next year. Although it is not totally decided as of now, I am quite optimistic that I will study the four following subjects:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Geography
• Spanish

Along with the ‘3 Core Subjects’ , which are:

• English
• Irish
• Maths

I am really happy with my Leaving Certificate Choices for 2018!

3.Seachtain na Gaeilge i gColáiste Cranncha

Mar pháirt Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016, socraigh mé ar blog a scíobh as Gaeilge, bunaithe ar na ocáidí a bhí ar súil i gColáiste Cranncha, ar feadh Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016. Ba mhaith liom mo chuid Gaeilge a úsaid, chun blog a scríobh , cé nach bhfuil mé liofa sa theanga!

Bhí ar na daltaí san Idirbhlain i gColáiste Cranncha, na ocáidí a heagrú don seachtain san scoil, agus bhí orm Tráth na gCeist a heagrú do na daltaí san 1ú agus an 2ú bliain. Bhí me ag obair le ceathrar daltaí i mo rang – Niamh, Ciara, Sonia agus Máiréad.

Thaitin an Tráth na gCeist go mór le na daltaí agus thaitin sé go mór linn freisn, mar bhí muid abálta ar gcuid Gaeilge a úsáid!

Thaitin ‘ag blogáil’ as Gaeilge go mór liom freisin!

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As part of Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish Week) 2016, I decided to write a blog in Irish, based on the events that are going on in Crana College, as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016. I liked using my Irish to write this blog, even though I’m not fluent in Irish.

The Transition Year Students in Crana College, had to arrange the events for Seachtain na Gaeilge, in the school, and I had to arrange a quiz for 1st and 2nd Year Students. I was working with four people in my class, to arrange this, they are – Ciara, Sonia, Niamh & Máiréad.

The quiz was enjoyed by all of the students and it was enjoyed by us too, because we were able to use our Irish!

Blogging in Irish was also fun, as it was something new!

4. Participation in Proclamation Day

It was a major honor to be asked to read out my very own proclamation as part of the the Proclamation Day celebrations in Crana College. I was chosen by History & English Teachers to read the proclamation which I wrote myself (which can be seen above). The proclamation varies somewhat from the original 1916 Proclamation, and deals with issues such as Equality, Tolerance, Education, Healthcare & Homelessness. I was really proud to deliver my proclamation in front of the school, especially I had never studied History prior to my Transition Year!

5.Designing Schools in Architecture! 

It would hardly be a Month in Review post on my blog without mentioning the Irish Architecture Foundation’s Architecture Module, at least once, and March will be no different! This month, we have continued to design types of schools, for our design tasks. 3D Models are popping up left, right and center, and I have been very busy, putting the principles which I have learnt over the past few months into play, and I am really happy with the designs which I am coming up for the designs of the school!

 

 

 

 

Leaving Certificate Subject Choices 2018!

Subject Choices for Leaving Certificate 2018

One of the main reasons why I had enrolled in Transition Year 2015-16, was simply because I didn’t have any idea what subjects I would have been studying for my Leaving Certificate! One year on, with the help of both the Transition Year Programme, and my Work Experience Placements, I now have a lot more of a clearer idea of what I will be studying next year, in preparation for my Leaving Certificate, which I will sit in 2018.

Today, I handed-in my preliminary subject choice form, and I have never been happier to make a somewhat clear decision!

Students in Crana College are to study three subjects, without any choice for their Leaving Certificate. These subjects are the ‘core subjects’ and they are:

• Irish
• English
• Maths

On top of these three subjects which are compulsory for the majority of students, students must complete a preliminary subject choice form, where they will eventually choose to study four subjects, but must choose their ideal six subjects, in order to get an idea of preference off the students. After these subjects have been ranked and collated according to the year groups preference, and blocks will be created, where students must choose their four areas of study. My ranking of subject choice was as follows:

1. Chemistry
2. Biology
3. Spanish
4. Geography
5. Business Studies
6. Music

However, ideally I would love to study my ‘Top 4’ Subjects – Chemistry, Biology, Spanish and Geography, for a number of reasons. I want to study two science two science subjects, as a career in a health profession is moderately-to-quite likely for me, as areas such as Pharmacy, Radiography, Speech & Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Optometry all require both Biology & Chemistry.  Spanish is also an ideal choice as, along with Geography, are subjects that I have an interest in, and can yield points if required in the Leaving Certificate Examinations, and through both CAO and UCAS College Entrance Systems. Spanish also qualifies as a ‘Foreign Language’ for me, and allows me to study in some Arts & Humanities Courses if required. This is also transferable to Geography! Business & Music are also of interest to me, however they are not as important for college entry requirements, and unfortunately will not help me as much as they other subjects, despite me having a major interest in an area such as music!

I really hope that I am able to get to study the four subjects listed above, as they can decide my future! It all depends on the subject blocks, and I really hope that I will be happy with the subjects I will eventually choose!