General Chit Chat Thread

parabola_89

Cogardearg wrote: »

Hey! I'm a 3rd year B.Ed, and I'm appealing the results of my tp. I was just wondering has anyone ever appealled a tp before? Im really nervous about it, I feel as if the college are completely against the appeals, telling me its a waste of money and time. Fifty euro is nothing compared to the work I put into my tp. I really feel like I have a case for it, it's just that I have really lost all respect for Mary I.

Haven't posted in ages here. Was lurking around when I saw this.

Coming from someone who appealed Senior T.P. last year, I'd say go for it but don't get your hopes up. Three of us appealed grades from the same supervisor and the same school. Had the same experience as you of the initial meeting. Didn't see the name you originally mentioned but I can give a guess... Never mind what they say in the initial meeting. At the end of the day, it's all down to you. If you feel you've any case at all don't hesitate to appeal. If nothing else, it'll give you peace of mind. None of us went up or down but on the flip side, said supervisor didn't get any students this year for any T.P. so far. A result of sorts!

A small caveat though. I'd say about fifty to sixty people were in the meeting I attended. Not sure how many followed through with it but I've only heard of one person from that group that went up and that was because of not getting the full amount of visits.

Main things I'd recommend doing if you do follow through are:
Have your folders immaculate. Even down to broken plastic pockets etc. don't give any reason for them to be criticised.
Don't have loads of small/trivial arguments. Things you can't prove are just wasting your time. Focus on the léirmheas sheets. And stay away from personal criticisms! It'll make you look bad.
And keep calm! You'll never have seen the interviewers before and more than likely will never see the board again but crying/shouting etc. will do no good. They're there to pick at EVERYTHING! Have your say. Do your best and if nothing comes from it, at least you tried!

Cogardearg

Thanks!!! I know my family were against the idea of appealing because they knew I would get stressed out over it (They were right....). But I had this awful feeling of something sly and horrible was after being done to me. I have the determination to see it through, play the game, and see how it goes. It baffles me how unjust certain things in Mary I are. I have lost alot of respect for the college.

Cogardearg

Thanks for the advice. I'm grateful for all the help!!!

D4RK ONION

I can only mirror what db has said, I had a friend who appealed her Home TP result and they tore her asunder, had her in tears by the end of it. This is not a soft person we're talking about either. If you're going to go ahead of it expect the worst with regards their feedback.

Cogardearg

It's actually crazy the amount of negativity that surrounds appealling a grade!! There's no going back in my mind, I am going to go ahead with it......

D4RK ONION

Oh, I'm not trying to dissuade you from appealing, fight the powah man! I think it's more the negativity *within* the appeals process than the negativity *surrounding* it.

dambarude

Well done to everyone who attended the protest today!

D4RK ONION

dambarude wrote: »

Well done to everyone who attended the protest today!

What were you carazy college students protesting?

dambarude

Cuts to NQTs' pay. At the start of February it was announced that any teachers entering the system after then would not be paid the supervision allowance, Gaeltacht allowances etc. The most important cut being the cut to the honours degree allowance (over €4000). There was a good crowd, around 1000, in Dublin. Two buses from Mary I.

D4RK ONION

dambarude wrote: »

Cuts to NQTs' pay. At the start of February it was announced that any teachers entering the system after then would not be paid the supervision allowance, Gaeltacht allowances etc. The most important cut being the cut to the honours degree allowance (over €4000). There was a good crowd, around 1000, in Dublin. Two buses from Mary I.

FFS, what a load of bollix that is. It's such a cowardly cut as well, attacking those who have no real leverage to threaten you with. You can't go on strike or anything like that.

dambarude

D4RK ONION wrote: »

FFS, what a load of bollix that is. It's such a cowardly cut as well, attacking those who have no real leverage to threaten you with. You can't go on strike or anything like that.

Tell me about it...

The unions (INTO, ASTI, TUI) are afraid to say too much. Arguing that new entrants' allowances shouldn't be cut almost leads to the conclusion that all teachers' allowances should be cut, as a 5% cut has to come from somewhere. An across the board cut would go against the Croke Park deal, which would lead to all sorts of other problems.

D4RK ONION

In other news, this is the most embarassing and depressing thread I've read in a long time.

Primary School college course and atheism

dambarude

Whoa... I'm very surprised that a question like that was on a Hibernia exam. Hibernia is the *only* teacher education provider that isn't denominated.

Mary I gets a lot of bad press but RE lecturers have always shown great respect for other faiths or non-faiths when they come up. In the lectures we spent on world religions in particular.

D4RK ONION

dambarude wrote: »

Whoa... I'm very surprised that a question like that was on a Hibernia exam. Hibernia is the *only* teacher education provider that isn't denominated.

Mary I gets a lot of bad press but RE lecturers have always shown great respect for other faiths or non-faiths when they come up. In the lectures we spent on world religions in particular.

Absolutely, and I stated that in thread to clarify it. They don't go out of their way to accommodate other faiths, but they certainly don't discriminate or straight up lie about them. Something to be thankful of, I suppose.

My peers were less respecting of my atheistic stance than the religion lecturers. Probably out of ignorance, more than anything else.

dambarude

Apparently the new B.Ed will give greater coverage to ethics and world faiths, and students will be able to choose between doing this or the traditional catechetics course. It's good in theory, but won't work in practice as you need to do the Catholic content to teach in 9 out of 10 of schools.

dambarude

Go and look at the title of the Primary Teacher Training forum... whoop!

Insect Overlord

dambarude wrote: »

Go and look at the title of the Primary Teacher Training forum... whoop!

Woohoo, it's not a secret any more!

dambarude

You already knew about it then?!

Insect Overlord

Only in the last 48 hours! I was sworn to secrecy. I may already have said too much... >_>

Toto Wolfcastle

Yep, that's right, a Mary I forum has been created here. Spread the word and hopefully it will get busy soon.

dambarude

Insect Overlord wrote: »

Only in the last 48 hours! I was sworn to secrecy. I may already have said too much... >_>

I already had been tipped off via a PM conversation with a mod...

So it wasn't any big surprise. A good one though!

I'm guessing this thread could/should be moved now? Unless we want ULers to remember our existence:p

Insect Overlord

dambarude wrote: »

I already had been tipped off via a PM conversation with a mod...

So it wasn't any big surprise. A good one though!

I'm guessing this thread could/should be moved now? Unless we want ULers to remember our existence:p

I wonder who that was! :P

As far as I know the UL mods have been alerted in one way or another, so hopefully the thread will be relocated when one of them gets the chance.

And then we can begin the Mary I memes thread. :pac:

alwayswright

Insect Overlord wrote: »

And then we can begin the Mary I memes thread. :pac:

Mary I has finally joined the College Facebook meme revolution, we're a tad late here on Boards..!

johnryano

can we unsticky and or move this thread

Toto Wolfcastle

I've moved this thread from the UL forum. Could be used as a chat thread maybe?

dambarude

As my *very* first act as moderator [cue applause] I've changed the title of this thread so it better reflects what has been and will be discussed in it. Any suggestions for better titles most welcome!

D4RK ONION

Already said it in there, but congrats on the modship. Totally deserved!

Now, we need a witty title for this chit chat thread. How about "The Stairs: Off-Topic Chat". That's where you new-uns are meeting to talk in Mary I right? Bastards with your new building!

dambarude

D4RK ONION wrote: »

Already said it in there, but congrats on the modship. Totally deserved!

Now, we need a witty title for this chit chat thread. How about "The Stairs: Off-Topic Chat". That's where you new-uns are meeting to talk in Mary I right? Bastards with your new building!

I almost edited your post instead of replying to it Still getting the hang of these extra buttons!

"In there" is most certainly a good way of putting it - it's like a parallel universe I never knew existed.

I'm not sure if people call it 'the stairs' - I always call it 'The Steps', and I know I've heard mention of 'Big Step Little Step' in places. I'll hold off to see if I get some more suggestions and will make changes to the title then.

Ciderswigger

dambarude wrote: »

I'm not sure if people call it 'the stairs' - I always call it 'The Steps', and I know I've heard mention of 'Big Step Little Step' in places.

Whatever we're calling them, you don't half get a numb bum from 'em!

D4RK ONION

May I suggest The Numb Bum lounge? :P