Institute at Christmas

Crania

Anyone here going to the Institute in Dublin for the Christmas break Revision Courses? I was thinking of doing them, but I'm just wondering are they actually worth the money. My friend was saying to me today that he is going and it is costing him €600 for 4 subjects. Thats quite a lot of money for only a week.

Anyone here do it previous years....did you think it was beneficial and worth the money?

ryanairzer

But it's Christmas!

Christmas is a time for peace and joy and happiness and doubling one's prozac dosage. Please spend Christmas with family and friends and poor people and your pharmascist. It's what God would have wanted if he existed.



But seriously, you have teachers at school and they're to teach you. Now all you need to do is to learn, not hand over money to the Institute. You're better than that, get out your textbooks and just do it ffs. Haven't you ever seen Legally Blonde? Did she go to the institute? You bet your sweet ass she didn't. She got those books and that orange laptop and she got jiggy.

dame

ryanairzer wrote: »

But seriously, you have teachers at school and they're to teach you. Now all you need to do is to learn, not hand over money to the Institute. You're better than that, get out your textbooks and just do it ffs.

Your teachers were there to teach you today ryanairzer, while you were looking up dodgy middle-aged men on the internet. If you'd been there maybe you'd have learnt something too. The OP is asking for advice. Forgive me, but I don't think you're the best person for giving advice on school and study.

OP, if you sat down for one hour every night just writing out the main points from your classes that day you'd probably know more than what'll be in the notes the Institute'll give you, and it'll sink in easier. That said, the L.C. is all about points and if you really think you need that extra bit of spoon-feeding information, or you have a particularly weak subject or a particularly bad teacher, then by all means go for it.

Naikon

Don't go near that Money spinner they call The Institute of "Education".
Such Irony.

BoozyBabe

I'm actually doing a grinds course at the mo somewhere out in the country & we actually have students FROM the institute in our class.

Think that says it all really.

I managed to get my hands on the Institute revision notes for one course & for the money paid for the course, I certainly don't think they were worth it.

But that's just my opinion

mp3guy

Wait till lemansky gets here

lemansky

Last year I managed to get my hands on notes from the institute and I was not impressed at all. It's no better than any other place. People just assume it's good because 'it must be-it's the institute'. The people who come out of there with a million points would've gotten that anyway, really.

The same goes for grinds. Notes from grinds are meant to be snappy so as you can revise them, they are not meant to be your textbook re-worded, and slapped onto a load of photocopied pages.You'd do just as well getting grinds anywhere else, and sure you might get more attention somewhere else, which ultimately will do you more good than just being ONE face.

One guy came out of the institute after last Christmas and he was full of the joys of the 'class notes' and how he knew how to do every question and what was going to come up. Did he ever look at the notes again?No.Too long. Did he do well in the exam in question?No.He only felt like he was getting better preparation, but he wasn't. He just thought he was because hey, its the 'tute'.

The fact is, for all the detail you go into in these revision courses, you could achieve just as much yourself, or if you needed help, by getting normal grinds.

Fad

Dont!

its an evil money grubbing hell hole:D

seriously thought he lure of town may prove to strong for the easily distracted

Davidius

I go there on Saturdays because I take one of my subjects there. I don't think it's worth the money to be honest. Anywhere else would have been just as good.

seriously thought he lure of town may prove to strong for the easily distracted

What lure? It smells of car fumes and cigarettes, a smell that makes me physically sick. I can't wait to get home from the place. =/

Fad

Davidius wrote: »

What lure? It smells of car fumes and cigarettes, a smell that makes me physically sick. I can't wait to get home from the place. =/

just because your a mutant from wicklow doesnt mean other people dont like town

i was talking to lads in my year (ive never done grinds there) aound the easter before the junior cert two years ago, and very few of them went into their classes first thing, istead wandered off into town to buy smokes and other things that are more easily procured in town

Daisies

I did a revision course in Galway over Christmas of my Leaving cert year. I did it because I knew deep down that I would not hav done any study over the Christmas holidays if left to my own devices!But to be honest it was no where near as expensive.
If you think you will study on your own over the holidays I say dont bother

regob

dont do it not worth it

whateva eva eva

I hate the way people criticise the institute when they clearly know nothing about it. Firstly the notes are designed to aid a student who has already attended the classes. They are written in a way that is accesible to the teacher and compliment the way in which he or she teaches the course. I.E after you've attended the class you adjust to the teachers understanding of the course and therefore the notes become perfectly accessable to suit you.

Some people go in with the an attitude that the notes are what make the institute great but they're very wrong. If you don't listen in class or you treat them as a note collecting service, like many do, you're a fool! What makes the school great is the standard of teaching.

I'm in the institute repeating. Last year, in my old school alot of people (me included) skipped off classes to study on their own. In the institute I honestly wouldnt dream of it. The lectures are inspirationally good.The teachers actually know how to teach, not just recite a book or give homework.

angelicsaz

I agree with ya.. I love the institute.. it was alot better then any other school I have ever been to and there has been a good few.

teachers dont preach they are sound interested and dont resent the fact they are there.
i felt i learned alot not only education wise but socially aswell
dont knock it till ya tried it...

or at least sat through one of jean kellys maths classes.... shes a pure beast.. wouldn have passed maths without her... she made algebra really simple... related it all back to a subject every student loves... SEX!!!!!!

geminilady

didnt bother reading the rest of the answers but i went last year to the easter revision course. i can say that biology wit joe was good the notes were really good went up extremely in points from economics , english was good enough too. Economics notes good but the classes werent too brilliant , if ya can try and get the notes it would be good , but the classes were only alright.

efm401

its not da notes u go 2 da institute for im going there for 6th year and the teachers there are ten times better than teachers in other schools

Naikon

efm401 wrote: »

its not da notes u go 2 da institute for im going there for 6th year and the teachers there are ten times better than teachers in other schools

Every school has crap teachers, but to say the teachers are 10 times better is a bit silly to be honest.
The place gets far more attention than it deserves tbh.
At the end of the day, it is down to the individual.

Do not freely hand over money to those notes factories,just study from a book and exam papers.
I have some copies of the IOE notes copied from a friend, and they are nowhere near as good as they are made out to be.
Believe me, you will understand where I am coming from when you start College.

Mark200

Only get grinds if you are finding a subject hard to understand. If you're thinking of getting grinds just because there's a load of stuff you don't know, then I think spending the hour and a hour doing serious study would be a lot more beneficial to you.

I'm doing Physics revision course in the insitute during christmas, but that's because there's a lot of things that I'm really having trouble getting my head around...and I hope this will help.
(kinda annoying that they take Physics as two subjects, but oh well).

Munya

I don't know how helpfull one week can be and it does seem steep but I do know that I have the best poetry, chemistry, accounting, german and Maths teacher ever. I don't know which teachers do the courses and there are a few bad teachers so I'd find out first before spending that amount.

Fad

efm401 wrote: »

the teachers there are ten times better than teachers in other schools

not true (not school spirit or pride implied here but) one of the teachers in my school teaches english in the institute, and there are other teachers who have gotten offers to teach there but they stay here (biology being a clear example)

Ballerina

im in college and i went to grinds for english and maths in the "tute"

the notes i got all through the year were given out at the christmas course and that course was alot cheaper than what i paid for grinds.

the english was excellent-i put in little or no work and got an A1

the maths was awful-i worked my ass off and got a B1

moral of story-depends on which institute teacher you get,what subject you do and how much effort you put in yourself.

different strokes for different folks

JC 2K3

If you need the institute you're an inadequate human being.

Seriously though, €600 for a week is a complete rip and a total waste of money. Get the "oh I'm just not motivated enough, I need to be spoonfed and it's grand because my parents will pay for it" mentality out of your head and try actually doing some work for a change. You'll be much better off in the long run.

ZorbaTehZ

JC 2K3 wrote: »

If you need the institute you're an inadequate human being.

Seriously though, €600 for a week is a complete rip and a total waste of money. Get the "oh I'm just not motivated enough, I need to be spoonfed and it's grand because my parents will pay for it" mentality out of your head and try actually doing some work for a change. You'll be much better off in the long run.

Wow. Just wow.

On the JC 2K3 meter, that post just scored:

|

Look... it's broken...

Ballerina

JC 2K3 wrote: »

Seriously though, €600 for a week is a complete rip and a total waste of money. .

have you done the grinds?if not that you cant say if theyre are a waste of money.for some people(me) its the difference between getting into the course you want and a course you dont want.pretty valuable i think.

JC 2K3 wrote: »

Get the "oh I'm just not motivated enough, I need to be spoonfed and it's grand because my parents will pay for it" mentality out of your head and try actually doing some work for a change.

I know i worked hard in my sixth year of school, but I needed that extra push when it came to english because an awful teacher had left me completely dissillusioned by it..

fair play to you if you one of those people who can motivate themselves or need no extra help whatsoever, you should get a medal your amazing...but not everyone is as wonderful as you and may need some extra help.im not talking about doing every sinlge subject btw, that is a bit ridiculous..

sure, there are lots of people with the "my parents will pay for my lack of effort attitude" but there are just as many people who do all they can and it comes to a point where they could do with a hand.

JC 2K3 wrote: »

If you need the institute you're an inadequate human being.

grow up

JC 2K3

Ballerina wrote: »

grow up

Just to clarify, that WAS a joke.

Ballerina wrote: »

sure, there are lots of people with the "my parents will pay for my lack of effort attitude" but there are just as many people who do all they can and it comes to a point where they could do with a hand.

My personal belief is that they aren't doing all they can, and if they were, they would get the same results regardless of whether they attended the institute or not.

Fair enough if you disagree, but I'm still entitled to give my opinion.

Though just to clarify my position on the matter, if the institute were free, I wouldn't be opposed to it. While I still think that ideally students should work as independently as possible, at least those with less motivation wouldn't be entitled to extra tuition on the basis that their parents had the money to pay extortionate fees for it.(oh btw, if anyone is going to reply with a "life isn't fair" comment, please, just go away.)

Ballerina

JC 2K3 wrote: »

Just to clarify, that WAS a joke.

ah yea i realise that sorry you got me at a bad time

gaeilgegrinds

I've experience of how the Insitute works, the teachers are the same as other teachers who are inspired, the only difference is you have more of them. I really think any student can do well with a little guidance & positivity. The notes will NOT get you the grades. That said, I chose to teach in a less known school that does magical work. YOU get the results, not the notes.

ZorbaTehZ

gaeilgegrinds wrote: »

That said, I chose to teach in a less known school that does magical work.

Hogwarts?

FunkZ

ZorbaTheZ FTW!

themont85

This thread seems to have gone of its purpose and descended into a question of paying for school, a subject extensively covered a few months ago...

No point doing institute for maths imo, if your finding it tough one on one grinds would be far more benefical. Its good for others but its usefullness depends on the subject in doing a week long course as opposed to regular grinds. I personally wouldn't bother doing it at Christmas but if you want to pay 600 euro to force you to study that you probably wouldn't if you were left to your own devices, then go for it.

u2livecd

Looking for any decent LC Accounting notes!! Will pay!

mail me pwalshe@gmail.com

-Els-

well I did one of the revision courses for Maths when I did my Junior Cert and I found it good.I did it simply because I ahd a terrible teacher and i just didn't understand a lot of the course. I think its really good for a subject like Maths where you need a teacher to teach you and you need to understand the course.

I don't think it would be good for something like History or geography where all you have to do is sit down and work really hard and memorise stuff.

Crania

Well I did it anyway and found it brilliant, really class. Did Geography(Physical), Economics(Micro), German and Irish.

My Geography teacher was class, absolute legend of a man. Some great sayings and gave us some great notes.

Economics was brilliant also. Teacher was very good, went off on a lot of tangents though that had absolutely nothing to do with Econ. Did everything out in practice and found his notes to be quite comprehensive-excellent teacher.

German was unbelievably good I thought. We got an absolute rainforest of notes in it. There just seemed to be notes coming at you from all directions! Ah she was a great teacher aswell though, even if she said about 300 words in each sentence!

Unfortunately after have 3 great revision classes in Geog, Econ and German, it was tarnished slightly by an abysmal teacher. He truly was terrible! Crap notes, mainly printed off the internet and anything he did write had typo's all over it! Gave some awful tips also, he said we had to write 5 pages for the Irish essay/story-come on, I think that would be physically impossible-timewise!

Had such a great week in the 'Tute though, would highly recommend it and I'm really gonna miss the place, especially when i have to go back to my own school and teachers on Monday....!

JC 2K3

You had a week of school instead of holidays and you enjoyed it?

Crania

Yeah, of course I enjoyed it. I actually thought it was good fun. Going into town every morning, going into classes where teachers actually try to engage properly with students and make it interesting for them, meeting interesting and different people from all over the country, messing around town after school. Great craic I thought.

Anyway, I enjoy school, sure what would I have been doing at home only twiddling my thumbs and dreading doing some study all day!

1huge1

For the last week I have been doing a revision course in Mary I in Limerick, it was very helpful but wow was it long

started at 9 and finished at half 5 with 5 1hr30min classes.

glad its over but I did get a hell of a lot done in the week

Mark200

Yeah I did Physics in the institute over Christmas. I had Pat Doyle, he's a really good teacher. Brilliant about explaining things and unlike some teachers he doesn't just know the bare minimum, he knows everything so he can give us background information and knew the answers to any questions that were asked.

Great guy.

Fuascailt

I went to the Bruce College Revision course in UCC, and thought it was really worthwhile. I wasnt sure of what to expect and was really impressed. The teachers were extremely good and it really altered my view about grindschools in general

kkumk

It's ridiculous the way people are saying that the Institute is a waste of money when they've never even been there. I'm going to it this year for 6th year and the teachers REALLY are 10 times better; they clearly put alot of work in, never missing a class, compressing a two year course into one year sucessfully, researching past papers & making out excellent notes.

And yeah the notes are nothing compared to the teachers themselves, they're just helpful for revising. Everyone is so focused and it should be a model for all schools. Having gone to the Institute, if I had to return to being taught in my old school, I'd be seriously worried right now. Go to the Easter revision course, it will deffo be worth it in the end.

And yeah, Jean Kelly is an absolute legend As is James Campbell:D

rainbowtrout

kkumk wrote: »

It's ridiculous the way people are saying that the Institute is a waste of money when they've never even been there. I'm going to it this year for 6th year and the teachers REALLY are 10 times better; they clearly put alot of work in, never missing a class, compressing a two year course into one year sucessfully, researching past papers & making out excellent notes.

Teachers in places like the institute don't have any other work to do other than the classes they teach in the general scheme of things, they are not responsible for anything like extra curriculur activities. Also you will find a lot of teachers in places like the institute are not paid by the Dept of Education, not on contracts like those of teachers in normal schools, so it's in their best interests to be in every day.

kkumk wrote: »

Everyone is so focused and it should be a model for all schools.

I would imagine most students are focused when they(or rather their parents) have paid thousands to attend a grind school for the year, they're hardly doing it to start a career stacking shelves in the local supermarket. Grind schools are not a model for any school. It's not normal and does not cater for all types of student.

Crania

kkumk wrote: »

As is James Campbell:D[/B]

What a legend of a teacher! Give that man a can of coke! You've gotta expand like the elastic band guys and gals!

God, I sure do miss him.

JC 2K3

kkumk wrote: »

Having gone to the Institute, if I had to return to being taught in my old school, I'd be seriously worried right now.

I sympathise greatly with your apparent complete lack of any independence or self sufficiency.

The spoonfeeding ends when you go to college, kids.

kkumk

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Teachers in places like the institute don't have any other work to do other than the classes they teach in the general scheme of things, they are not responsible for anything like extra curriculur activities. Also you will find a lot of teachers in places like the institute are not paid by the Dept of Education, not on contracts like those of teachers in normal schools, so it's in their best interests to be in every day.






I would imagine most students are focused when they(or rather their parents) have paid thousands to attend a grind school for the year, they're hardly doing it to start a career stacking shelves in the local supermarket. Grind schools are not a model for any school. It's not normal and does not cater for all types of student.

Emm sorry but most teachers in the Institute also teach in another school so they have to do twice the amount of work as normal teachers as well as all the travelling during the day, and there are teachers that organise extra-curricular activities, such as Jean who does girls soccar, and Deirdre who does choir for example, but parents aren't playing 6grand for their children to play a few footie matchs and sing some songs. The Leaving Cert should be the main focus for those who want to get into a good college course and the teachers are right to put more time into teaching students than organising extra-curriculars.
Before you go making assumptions and embarrassing yourself you should do some research.

All students should have dedicated teachers for every subject, all students should be allowed to pick their own timetable and all students should have the oppurtunity to go to career talks, visit study guide counsellors and career guidance teachers on various occasions and also have round the clock study available 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.
I'm not saying that the money paid for the Institute is reasonable, but the fact is that you don't get that level of choice and education elsewhere, so people are willing to pay for it if it helps them to get the career they want. My point is that if all schools catered for students the way that the Institute does then there would be no need for the fee's to be so high.

JC 2K3

kkumk wrote: »

All students should have dedicated teachers for every subject, all students should be allowed to pick their own timetable and all students should have the oppurtunity to go to career talks, visit study guide counsellors and career guidance teachers on various occasions and also have round the clock study available 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We don't all need that kind of spoonfeeding.

I think it would be far more important that 17/18 year olds be told to get over themselves and be encouraged to be more independent and more accountable for their own study and results instead of blaming the school, the teacher etc.

Naikon

JC 2K3 wrote: »

We don't all need that kind of spoonfeeding.

I think it would be far more important that 17/18 year olds be told to get over themselves and be encouraged to be more independent and more accountable for their own study and results instead of blaming the school, the teacher etc.

Have to agree.
At the end of the day, it is down to the indivudual to cop on and get along
with his/her own business regardless of how ****ty a school is.

If you go to college with such an attitude and expect to be spoonfed notes or something, then you might be in for a nasty shock.
Lecturer's are not obliged to "help you every step of the way" so to speak.

Naikon

kkumk wrote: »

All students should have dedicated teachers for every subject, all students should be allowed to pick their own timetable and all students should have the oppurtunity to go to career talks, visit study guide counsellors and career guidance teachers on various occasions and also have round the clock study available 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

And people in the third world should have basic human needs fufilled.
This ain't an ideal world...

Timans

Naikon wrote: »

Have to agree.
At the end of the day, it is down to the indivudual to cop on and get along
with his/her own business regardless of how ****ty a school is.

If you go to college with such an attitude and expect to be spoonfed notes or something, then you might be in for a nasty shock.
Lecturer's are not obliged to "help you every step of the way" so to speak.

I myself don't agree with paying for schooling, and I went to the Institute. But you could also argue that you choose your college, your course, ultimately your lecturers.

In Secondary School, you don't have this ample choice. You take what you're given.

JC 2K3

Because you're only a child....

Timans

Not at 17/18 though, are you?

You are, essentially, an "adult" yet you still have no control on how good/bad/ambivalent a teacher is.

You could get a teacher who misses 1 day a week to train the rugby team. This is out of your control but is detrimental to your education.

JSK 252

JC 2K3 wrote: »

I sympathise greatly with your apparent complete lack of any independence or self sufficiency.

The spoonfeeding ends when you go to college, kids.

You cant make a comparison between secondary school and university.

JC 2K3

Timans wrote: »

Not at 17/18 though, are you?

You are, essentially, an "adult" yet you still have no control on how good/bad/ambivalent a teacher is.

You could get a teacher who misses 1 day a week to train the rugby team. This is out of your control but is detrimental to your education.

A teacher missing one day a week is detrimential to your education?

And yes, you're still considered a child as long as you're in secondary school, although 6th year can be considered a transition between childhood and adulthood due to the responsibility the LC places on students. You're confused in your argument.

In school, because children are being dealt with, teachers have to teach them, make sure they understand things give them homework and make sure it's done etc.

In college, because adults who are totally responsible for themselves are being dealt with, lecturers just have to show up, give a lecture, perhaps give some assignments and leave. They don't have to make sure you do the work or that you pay attention.

Now you're arguing that at 17/18 you're an adult, therefore teachers should spoonfeed you more? I don't understand that really.

As I mentioned before, at 17/18 you're in 6th year and are in a transition period between childhood and adulthood. With adulthood comes responsibility and hence you should be taking the burden of study upon yourself, not expecting more spoonfeeding.

JSK 252 wrote: »

You cant make a comparison between secondary school and university.

Eh, why not? Timans just has and I don't see you objecting to that.