Deferred State Exams 2020 [SEE MOD NOTE POST #1]

khalessi

km79 wrote: »

http://twitter.com/gavreilly/status/1252987296703488001

Paid leave for partners of essential frontline workers to be stay at home parents

WHaat about those with no partner I wonder?

mtoutlemonde

History Queen wrote: »

Management in our school have asked us our opinions on the exams in September and have expressed the view that they feel it will add to what will already be a disrupted start to the school year.... they have asked us to think about what has been proposed and to propose any alternatives/opinions we may have. I think that school in Galway at least started the conversation, whether they were right or wrong to go on a solo run remains be seen.

Not a solo run a school in Kilkenny now doing the same - https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/kilkenny-secondary-school-undertakes-junior-certificate-alternative-995446.html?fbclid=IwAR13hqT5om92SRoDjrg8PqwjNUgYKM3RT-aS6SdUo1mSk-9otAQ3dnhpLEI#.XqBXAdAJFFg.facebook

The new format for the exam at the school will mean the Junior Cert students will have 40% of their average grade results based on their Christmas exams, mocks, projects and other assessments, 20% engagement with teachers online since the lockdown, 30% for the online exams to be held at the end of next month with the remaining 10% to be yet decided.

History Queen

mtoutlemonde wrote: »

Not a solo run a school in Kilkenny now doing the same - https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/kilkenny-secondary-school-undertakes-junior-certificate-alternative-995446.html?fbclid=IwAR13hqT5om92SRoDjrg8PqwjNUgYKM3RT-aS6SdUo1mSk-9otAQ3dnhpLEI#.XqBXAdAJFFg.facebook

The new format for the exam at the school will mean the Junior Cert students will have 40% of their average grade results based on their Christmas exams, mocks, projects and other assessments, 20% engagement with teachers online since the lockdown, 30% for the online exams to be held at the end of next month with the remaining 10% to be yet decided.

Yes i saw this after.... ETBs will presumably want a coordinated approach . Be interesting to see what happens.

mtoutlemonde

History Queen wrote: »

Yes i saw this after.... ETBs will presumably want a coordinated approach . Be interesting to see what happens.

A big bonfire in Cornamaddy

History Queen

mtoutlemonde wrote: »

A big bonfire in Cornamaddy

Hahaha hahaha, love that idea!

rainbowtrout

On the 6-1 News tonight the report on the latest round of shenanigans on the Junior Cert was reported and finally it was acknowledged in the report that one of the most obvious problems with the papers being sent out to schools was the cheating/leaking papers online if schools ran them on different schedules.

Not sure why the powers that be hadn't acknowledged this until now.

khalessi

rainbowtrout wrote: »

On the 6-1 News tonight the report on the latest round of shenanigans on the Junior Cert was reported and finally it was acknowledged in the report that one of the most obvious problems with the papers being sent out to schools was the cheating/leaking papers online if schools ran them on different schedules.

Not sure why the powers that be hadn't acknowledged this until now.

Takes a while for the blood to return to the brain. They should come on here as ye all said that ages ago

km79

The slow inevitable unraveling has begun
The practicals will be next in the cross hairs.m when everyone starts to actually think about it a bit

Real shame the amount of unnecessary stress and anxiety this caused over the Easter holidays

Treppen

rainbowtrout wrote: »

On the 6-1 News tonight the report on the latest round of shenanigans on the Junior Cert was reported and finally it was acknowledged in the report that one of the most obvious problems with the papers being sent out to schools was the cheating/leaking papers online if schools ran them on different schedules.

Not sure why the powers that be hadn't acknowledged this until now.

They probably expected every school to organise the same timetable:pac::pac:

happywithlife

rainbowtrout wrote: »

On the 6-1 News tonight the report on the latest round of shenanigans on the Junior Cert was reported and finally it was acknowledged in the report that one of the most obvious problems with the papers being sent out to schools was the cheating/leaking papers online if schools ran them on different schedules.

Not sure why the powers that be hadn't acknowledged this until now.

Only seeing the news now - and this easy first thought! Biggest eye roll ever when they said "and another new problem only emerging today is the scheduling ...." ah really. No $#!+ Sherlock

C__MC

Total lack of respect for Junior Cycle students IMO

Right it wont define them but many students have put in a huge effort this year and the previous two years in various subjects

Now they have to wait 4months for poxy school run tests that are hardly going to be reflective of students who wouldn't have set foot in a classroom in months

Good luck to every school across the 26 counties holding JC exams at simultaneously times

Project work seems to be finished now for JC students as well, department needs to clarify this

Little or no consideration for the W word from the Department for thousands of 14/15 years old who believe it or not are also.living through this pandemic and lockdown

Bobtheman

Hundreds of thousands without jobs. Businesses closed that will never reopen. Death all around. I think the junior cert students will have to get used to uncertainty.Their woes are not the worst being borne by Irish people.. They are not the center of the universe despite modem parenting trends

HerrKuehn

km79 wrote: »

http://twitter.com/gavreilly/status/1252987296703488001

Paid leave for partners of essential frontline workers to be stay at home parents

it is for public sector partners only

rainbowtrout

happywithlife wrote: »

Only seeing the news now - and this easy first thought! Biggest eye roll ever when they said "and another new problem only emerging today is the scheduling ...." ah really. No $#!+ Sherlock

You'd think that the reasons that mock results can't be used would have been a massive clue to problems with distributing JC papers to schools.....

rainbowtrout

C__MC wrote: »

Total lack of respect for Junior Cycle students IMO

Right it wont define them but many students have put in a huge effort this year and the previous two years in various subjects

Now they have to wait 4months for poxy school run tests that are hardly going to be reflective of students who wouldn't have set foot in a classroom in months

Good luck to every school across the 26 counties holding JC exams at simultaneously times

Project work seems to be finished now for JC students as well, department needs to clarify this

Little or no consideration for the W word from the Department for thousands of 14/15 years old who believe it or not are also.living through this pandemic and lockdown

You know aside from all that it is perfectly possible to run the exams and provide certification for students.

The SEC could publish a standardised timetable like they have for June except shift it forward to September.
They could have less students in each centre like what is likely to happen for the LC.
Even if teachers are expected to supervise these exams in lieu of teaching time in September, schools could easily be paired with a neighbouring school where teachers could supervise in that neighbouring school so it does have the exam feel where external examiners are running the show.
Exams could be sent off to the SEC for marking. It doesn't have to be on a 4 week turnaround like in the summer. They could have them corrected over a longer period of time and release results at Christmas if necessary, but it would be state certified then.

Absolutely no reason why the above can't happen, because if they expect schools to run exams in September then they expect schools to be open, so why not run it as a state exam instead of an internal one. It won't matter to the ones that continue on in school which is the majority, but for the early leavers it will.

Treppen

rainbowtrout wrote: »

You know aside from all that it is perfectly possible to run the exams and provide certification for students.

The SEC could publish a standardised timetable like they have for June except shift it forward to September.
They could have less students in each centre like what is likely to happen for the LC.
Even if teachers are expected to supervise these exams in lieu of teaching time in September, schools could easily be paired with a neighbouring school where teachers could supervise in that neighbouring school so it does have the exam feel where external examiners are running the show.
Exams could be sent off to the SEC for marking. It doesn't have to be on a 4 week turnaround like in the summer. They could have them corrected over a longer period of time and release results at Christmas if necessary, but it would be state certified then.

Absolutely no reason why the above can't happen, because if they expect schools to run exams in September then they expect schools to be open, so why not run it as a state exam instead of an internal one. It won't matter to the ones that continue on in school which is the majority, but for the early leavers it will.

It's probably because of the disruption to the other classes in September. I think it'll be school back to normal by then.

Naa screw it. Just do the Summer remote test and draw a line under it.

If they want to do the state exam then they can have that option and do a smaller sitting for whatever subject (but they must engage with the school exam in may first).

What student in their right mind is going to want to have a non certified JCPA/JC exam hanging over them for another 4 months. Apart from the ones who's parents will insist on it just to be vexatious.

Imposing the September JC + July/August LC on Schools won't really fly with a lot of schools. Hence why the house has bolted.

I think the SEC just don't want to be binning over a half a million exam scripts and CDs.

rainbowtrout

Treppen wrote: »

It's probably because of the disruption to the other classes in September. I think it'll be school back to normal by then.

Naa screw it. Just do the Summer remote test and draw a line under it.

If they want to do the state exam then they can have that option and do a smaller sitting for whatever subject (but they must engage with the school exam in may first).

What student in their right mind is going to want to have a non certified JCPA/JC exam hanging over them for another 4 months. Apart from the ones who's parents will insist on it just to be vexatious.

Imposing the September JC + July/August LC on Schools won't really fly with a lot of schools. Hence why the house has bolted.

I think the SEC just don't want to be binning over a half a million exam scripts and CDs.

I'm not suggesting that the exam should take place in September, just saying that it's a ridiculous notion that the SEC can send out one exam, the same one to the entire country and imply that those exams, even as in-house exams could take place with any integrity is madness, once there is no standard timetable.

ethical

We see now that this half -baked JC is going to remain just that,half-baked.
The Dept do not give a fiddlers about the wellbeing of the students,JC or LC,but sure its OK to kick the can down the road and sort out our myriad of mental issues when they surface,sure are we not well catered for in that area,help at the end of a line ,in a an instant!

Teaching will forever more be changed,the year will now be longer ,every year from now on,Thank You TUI (you totally useless gobsh1ts for not representing your members),also a HUGE thank you to Ms.McDonald ,who prefers making "Enjoy your Easter vids rather than representing your members.
Pay is not the issue here but working conditions certainly are and with one swoop of a pen the Unions have sold out their members (wonder what was in the promised envelope ,a seat on a board ,a nice junket somewhere,who knows!). Such an inept performance from both main unions,if you stop and think about it for a minute its quite embarrassing,one union had a strike day recently just because the other one did a while back and yet jumped into bed like an intoxicated teenager.The other put on a solo one woman performance that made sure teaching is changed for ever,why didnt she take the info give to her to the top table,we are seeing now day by day the plan unravelling ,very easy to unravel something thats not planned properly.
Good news for the new government,teacher can now work all year around and equality of salaries that was fought for over the past 10 years will now come to pass,the salary and working conditions of all teachers will be at the lower level,no need for any further consultative junket to fudge around and get nowhere. There will be a mass retirement from the sector making salary equalisation much easier.Well done Unions,you are a credit not to your members,by the ways who PAYS YOUR WAGES?

Treppen

So they are asking schools now to hold off until they consult everyone.

Minister for Education Joe McHugh has asked second-level schools to hold-off on making decision regarding assessment arrangements for Junior Cycle students until a collective agreement as to how to proceed is reached with education partners.

https://www.rte.ie/amp/1134144/

...now they want to consult!

Bit late for that Joe. But thanks for thinking of us anyway.

km79

Can he not just do it on Instagram ?



Sorry
But a few of us seen all this coming from day one
But we were too negative ........

Benicetomonty

Treppen wrote: »

It's probably because of the disruption to the other classes in September. I think it'll be school back to normal by then.

Naa screw it. Just do the Summer remote test and draw a line under it.

If they want to do the state exam then they can have that option and do a smaller sitting for whatever subject (but they must engage with the school exam in may first).

What student in their right mind is going to want to have a non certified JCPA/JC exam hanging over them for another 4 months. Apart from the ones who's parents will insist on it just to be vexatious.

Imposing the September JC + July/August LC on Schools won't really fly with a lot of schools. Hence why the house has bolted.

I think the SEC just don't want to be binning over a half a million exam scripts and CDs.

Why just just put them in storage and use them next year?

wirelessdude01

km79 wrote: »

Can he not just do it on Instagram ?



Sorry
But a few of us seen all this coming from day one
But we were too negative ........

Maybe the person who does the best tiktok dance can decide what happens. Joe, Pascal and Leo can be the judges. AidoX1 can be this week's guest presenter as he seems to be doing alot of tiktok with his Mrs these days ðŸ˜ðŸ˜‹

RealJohn

Benicetomonty wrote: »

Why just just put them in storage and use them next year?

Shh. Don’t suggest that. I want the extra material. We’re short enough on proper exam questions for the new courses as it is.

jimmytwotimes 2013

RealJohn wrote: »

Shh. Don’t suggest that. I want the extra material. We’re short enough on proper exam questions for the new courses as it is.

If the JCT crowd hear you're teaching to the exam, they'll be very upset

km79

RealJohn wrote: »

Shh. Don’t suggest that. I want the extra material. We’re short enough on proper exam questions for the new courses as it is.

Ooohhh I like your thinking
I think I’ll offer to make our next years JC Xmas exam

km79

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/education/minister-set-to-let-schools-hold-their-own-exams-for-junior-cycle-39150536.html

Claregalways solo run could backfire spectacularly on us all now
The dept may just sent the papers out now to be completed in May
And corrected by class teachers
Job done. Precedent set .

rainbowtrout

km79 wrote: »

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/education/minister-set-to-let-schools-hold-their-own-exams-for-junior-cycle-39150536.html

Claregalways solo run could backfire spectacularly on us all now
The dept may just sent the papers out now to be completed in May
And corrected by class teachers
Job done. Precedent set .

Don't think that will happen, they're not going to pull forward dates when they had pushed it back to September.

What I don't like is that the Dept/SEC can't sit down with stakeholders go through all the possible solutions and the problems associated with each and then formulate a plan. Joe et al, are being driven by what appears in the media on a daily basis. Since when was that a suitable method of setting educational policy?

acequion

I've a question here on methodology if any of ye could shed some light?

I teach LC English and at the moment we're revising the Shakespeare play. If we were in class I'd be giving them some aspect to revise each night or an exam question to plan and next day in class they would work on that aspect in groups, generally streamlined by me in terms of specific questions to focus on.They're a mid stream hons group that need spoon feeding and are very shy and reserved in discussions.

Ok, so here we are trying to do this online. I still set aspects to revise, release a set of questions as usual, get them to post photos of their work and then give a pre recorded video lesson /lecture on that aspect. Sometimes using screencastify, sometimes just a plain video.

Could /should that work be done by live video? Is there any way I could have them working in small groups via live video? Or is that just too difficult to manage? Especially given that they're not at all vocal.

Anyone used to my posts will know that I'm all about decent working conditions for the teacher and not vying to be teacher of the year. But if someone knows a more efficient, more interesting way to do this type of work that is also manageable, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks guys.

Icsics

The union needs to object to our marking these exams, isn’t it the red line issue we’ve managed to uphold, not assessing our own students for certification!! Why can’t the SEC arrange marking? But of course it’s already been announced fees are waived. Farcical & all this for common levels,dumbed down papers &meaningless grading / descriptors!!

bren2001

ethical wrote: »

We see now that this half -baked JC is going to remain just that,half-baked.
The Dept do not give a fiddlers about the wellbeing of the students,JC or LC,but sure its OK to kick the can down the road and sort out our myriad of mental issues when they surface,sure are we not well catered for in that area,help at the end of a line ,in a an instant!

Teaching will forever more be changed,the year will now be longer ,every year from now on,Thank You TUI (you totally useless gobsh1ts for not representing your members),also a HUGE thank you to Ms.McDonald ,who prefers making "Enjoy your Easter vids rather than representing your members.
Pay is not the issue here but working conditions certainly are and with one swoop of a pen the Unions have sold out their members (wonder what was in the promised envelope ,a seat on a board ,a nice junket somewhere,who knows!). Such an inept performance from both main unions,if you stop and think about it for a minute its quite embarrassing,one union had a strike day recently just because the other one did a while back and yet jumped into bed like an intoxicated teenager.The other put on a solo one woman performance that made sure teaching is changed for ever,why didnt she take the info give to her to the top table,we are seeing now day by day the plan unravelling ,very easy to unravel something thats not planned properly.
Good news for the new government,teacher can now work all year around and equality of salaries that was fought for over the past 10 years will now come to pass,the salary and working conditions of all teachers will be at the lower level,no need for any further consultative junket to fudge around and get nowhere. There will be a mass retirement from the sector making salary equalisation much easier.Well done Unions,you are a credit not to your members,by the ways who PAYS YOUR WAGES?

What a wild overreaction. The Unions have not signed off on teachers working all year round. Nor will you be required to mark scripts every year. Nor have your contracts been modified to reflect this. No precedent has been set. These are exceptional circumstances. Thus, exceptional solutions must be found. You're being asked to facilitate one year group to the completion of the LC which involves running into your vacation period. While highly annoying, it's the most sensible solution to the problem. It also provides you with some form of leverage during future negotiations.

I think its laughable that you believe heads of Unions can be paid off in a manner like this. If what you believe is true, which I'm certain it is not, I advise that you contact a journalist and inform them of this mythical deal. It would be front page news.

The Unions are trying their best to deliver the best possible deal. Refusing to facilitate the LC will have long term consequences during future negotiations. This may not be the deal you want but they are striving to produce the best realistic outcome. Over the last 40 years, Unions have lost a significant amount of power in many sectors. Teachers are extremely lucky to still have that voice. Without the Unions, teachers would find it very hard to stop changes being introduced.

km79 wrote: »

Can he not just do it on Instagram ?



Sorry
But a few of us seen all this coming from day one
But we were too negative ........

I'm sorry but complaining about the Minister interacting with students on Instagram and him cancelling the JC are two completely separate things. It's crazy to complain that he was interacting with students on an appropriate platform and effectively stating it was a dereliction of duties.

You were right on the JC being cancelled all right. However, I didn't see a raft of people disagreeing with you. I didn't offer an opinion as I didn't have one. What you said made sense.