Cross Curricular Activities

aine kilbride

I am just wondering if anyone is engaged in cross curricular activities in your school and what specific activates you are engaged in?

Secondly, what is the process to get staff engaged in cross curricular activities?

Finally, is this whole idea of real benefit to students? Are teachers up for it?

Any feedback appreciated.

Bobtheman

I think it's a buzz word and best avoided like the plague

Treppen

Not engaged but have heard a bit about it.

Apparently it was to follow the brilliant Finnish model. I think there are / were a few schools in Ireland who had it timetabled for one hour a week. So all subjects pick one topic and everyone "does the dog" on it.

E.g. the Theme of Migration

Music: Songs of emigration or musical fusion of styles of different cultures.

Economics: Numbers, Employment, New markets or opportunities.

History: History of migration.

Biology: Spreading viruses.

etc. etc.

Don't really know what the purpose of it is other than project work and teamwork skills with smatterings of interesting facts.

A lot of everything and not much of anything maybe

gaiscioch

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058215514/cross-curricular-activities

I went for an interview in my current school and they mentioned the adjective "cross-curricular" as in what sort of "cross-curricular" activity would you like to engage in? I said "Is that a new word for extracurricular?" Oh, well. Too many terms and buzzwords coming at me.

To answer your question, I'd just cite some bullshít study about the benefits of cross-curricular activities in your subject - a quick google for the phrase search "cross-curricular" and your subject should provide a study, and also ideas on how to incorporate a cross-curricular approach into your subject.

So, for instance, a google search for: "cross-curricular" secondary history ideas

has many good suggestions for this sort of right-on fashionable question: https://tinyurl.com/m2ac4xdr

Treppen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118110536#Comment_118110536

This is like the new 'post its' gaiscioch. You should go for Secondment to the new Leaving Cycle team 😁

byhookorbycrook

Used to be known as " comhthathu" or integration waaay back in the 80s and was much venerated by primary inspectorate. If we weren't being tied down in such box ticking about learning intentions/objectives, outcomes/WILF/WALT whatever you are having yourself , with some of the largest class sizes in Europe and just trusted to teach , it would be much better.

Treppen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118133724#Comment_118133724

I can see that it might be more fluid in Primary.

But in Secondary I'm not so enamoured, every year it feels like we're becoming less subject specialists and more 'life skills learning facilitators'. In the way-back-when you went in and taught your subject and that was good enough.