You'll find the following in this week's Newsletter
TY Assessment Results
TY Welsh Trip Update
Classwork Activities
CV Work & College Abroad
Fundraiser for Pieta House & Keep Breathing
TY Activities, the Easter Challenge & Habit Calendar
Pandemic - A Poem by Lynn Ungar
TY Assessment Results
Please note that you and your son will be receiving TY Assessment results in the coming days via VS Ware
TY Welsh Trip Update
I'm currently waiting on some details from our tour operators in relation to refunds of deposits paid so I will have news for those who booked a place asap.
Classwork Activities
Module 5 commences on 20th April as in the calendar.
Students will receive instruction from teachers through Google Classroom. To date, other years have been receiving topic based project work and it will be similar for TYs.
There will be a number of practical courses that the boys will have an opportunity to sign up for over the final weeks. I am still seeking some details on these but I will post these when finished.
TYs will also be to sign up to a two week fitness course (the class times of the are relatively flexible so TYs can choose times that suit them best). Sign up forms will be emailed and posted on Google Classroom before the 20th April.
If you have a query relating to subject specific content please contact the class teacher directly.
We are also running a new class called TYs Teach - we're asking all TYs to take a teacher's role for an online Zoom class. Share your skills with the group: it might be photography, public speaking, games tips...you decide.
TY Reps will be getting in touch with TYs to work on ideas and take suggestions in due course.
*** If you have heard of or taken any online courses that you think would work well for TYs in general please let me know...all ideas welcome (acopeland@stmc.ie) ***
CV Work & College Abroad
Mr Hogan and Mr O'Connor have shared some resources for all TYs.
Can all TYs please look through the following documents on preparing their CV?:
These can be completed during or after the Easter Break
Also, to browse college course options outside of Ireland TYs can log into www.unifrog.org
TYs will have access to information on courses in all UK Universities and European Universities.Â
TYs will also be able to take a Personality Profile test on the site.Â
There is a careers library etc too. It is somewhat like Careers Portal that is used in class.Â
On the homepage, TYs will asked for a form code: use the code SMCD2022
I think they will enjoy exploring in particular European Universities which have mainly just minimum entry requirements for most courses — no points! They are very well
Fundraiser for Pieta House & Keep Breathing
Noah Scolard is currently raising money for Pieta House (suicide prevention) and the Keep Breathing campaign (purchase of ICU wards).
TYs have donated and shared the link below. We're delighted for him: Noah raised €980 in one day - his target is €1000. Hopefully he'll run past that line!
TY Activities, the Easter Challenge & Habit Calendar
TY Activities
Well done to all the TYs who were able to take part in the TY Challenges (Daily & Weekly) over the fortnight.
A very special thanks to the TY Reps: John, Joe, Alex, Daire, Diarmuid, Dylan and Matthew for all their support and ideas. These challenges just would not work without their input and coordination.
Daily Challenges
So far TYs have received these every other day
Challenge 1: Toilet Paper Keepie Uppies
Challenge 2: Best Photo of a Meal
Challenge 3: Biggest/Best Bed Fort
Challenge 4: Crossbar Challenge
Challenge 5: YOU CAN'T CALL IN BUT YOU CAN CALL
Challenge 6: Home Workout (due this evening 3rd April)
🤛The Online Quick Challenge Super Games Cup Series🤜
We are also running a daily knock out cup. Random quick fire challenges that everyone can take part in...A giant game of paper rock scissors anyone? Wheelie bin or racquet challenge? the fastest daily mile?
If you have any suggestions for daily knock out games that can be played head to head over a video call/online you can make your suggestion HERE
Players will be drawn at random to facilitate as many TYs talking to one another. It's a chance to check in with people to make sure everyone is doing ok.
If you are a little worried about someone and not quite sure how to ask if they're ok...you might look at this quick guide from the Australian Mental Health Organisation: RUOK
Weekly Challenge 2
Our first Weekly Challenge asked TYs to get creative by producing their own Movie Trailer. Well done Joe on his darkly epic "The Beast in the Woods" that took the winning prize of a €20 one4all voucher.
This week's "challenge" (due tomorrow 4th April) asked TYs to take the time for a Family History Project. All that's needed is a very short note from TYs after the interview talking briefly about their impressions of the experience.
This can be done over one or a number of sittings and recording should only be done with the permission of the interviewee.
All TYs in the TY Challenge Activities Google Classroom received the following:
"Talk to your grandparents this week & record your family history.
If you're fortunate to have your grand parents you might show some care by taking an interest in their lives, their history etc (if you can't speak with a grandparent - maybe an elderly relative/family friend or a parent would be open to speaking with you?)
This is a task that you will never regret having done! - it will be a gift to family in years to come and a fascinating social history document for you.
People say that talking to your plants can make them grow, and the same is true for family trees. While it's not always necessary to record your family histories (what's known as 'oral history') to get the basic vital statistics about your ancestors, you may find that interviewing your family members provides some of the most interesting information about your family. Learning about hobbies, family traditions, and personalities can really bring the names in your family tree to life!
Making the most of your interview means keeping an ear open for good stories, and also asking follow-up questions on the details like dates and places. Below, you'll find some tips on how to best set up and record the interview, and some sample questions to get you started on the deeper roots of your family tree."*
*Tips and questions are also available in the instructions as part of the Classroom Assignment. All entries will be placed in a draw for a €20 one4all voucher.
Weekly Challenge 3
This will in fact be a fortnight Challenge!
Create a Habit Calendar (see below) for yourself and/or with your family that will help you create positive behaviour change for yourself and/or help you contribute to your household roles.
All entries will be placed in a draw for a €20 one4all voucher.
Habit Calendar
This idea comes from James Clear's excellent and practical Atomic Habits book.
It's straightforward and wonderful preparation for Leaving Cert discipline.
A habit calendar is exactly what it sounds like — it’s a calendar for tracking your habits.
Here’s how it works:
Write down the habits you want to track in the top row.
Check off each habit as you complete them every day.
Celebrate each small success.
You can DOWNLOAD OF ONE HERE (theres a list of suggestions in there too)
Here's a photo from this week's TY Reps Video Meeting.
Again, Mr Joyce and I would like to say a massive thanks to all the TYs Reps and TYs for their support and for getting involved over the last few weeks!
Pandemic
What if you thought of it as the Jews consider the Sabbath— the most sacred of times? Cease from travel. Cease from buying and selling. Give up, just for now, on trying to make the world different than it is. Sing. Pray. Touch only those to whom you commit your life. Center down. And when your body has become still, reach out with your heart. Know that we are connected in ways that are terrifying and beautiful. (You could hardly deny it now.) Know that our lives are in one another’s hands. (Surely, that has come clear.) Do not reach out your hands. Reach out your heart. Reach out your words. Reach out all the tendrils of compassion that move, invisibly, where we cannot touch. Promise this world your love– for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, so long as we all shall live.
–Lynn Ungar 3/11/20
If you are a little worried about someone and not quite sure how to ask if they're ok...you might look at this quick guide from the Australian Mental Health Organisation: RUOK
