Should I drop Biology and take on religion?

lilpiglet

I'm in fifth year and my friends and I are Findin Biology REALLY HARD.

We all failed our Christmas tests badly and we sit in class with absolutly no Idea of whats goin on.

We enjoyed religion for the junior cert and got on really well

What is religion for the leaving cert like.

Would it be a good idea to keep struggling along with the Biology rather than take up religion with 3 months gone??

Thanks for your help

gemxpink

lilpiglet wrote: »

I'm in fifth year and my friends and I are Findin Biology REALLY HARD.

We all failed our Christmas tests badly and we sit in class with absolutly no Idea of whats goin on.

We enjoyed religion for the junior cert and got on really well

What is religion for the leaving cert like.

Would it be a good idea to keep struggling along with the Biology rather than take up religion with 3 months gone??

Thanks for your help

I'd stay stick with Biology. Some of my friends took it up back in September (6th years) and they're finding it awful. Most of them take biology and find it it difficult but say that religion is too much work. You need to get a teacher to sign off for a few different projects (I'm not sure how many but teachers wont sign off unless you're in their class). Remember that Junior Cert is a lot easier than Leaving Cert and that Leaving Cert religion requires detailed explanations of developed opinions and you really can't wing it because the information has to be factual.

leesmom

biology is easy tbh, its a matter of sitting down and learning it, ive been told by others that religion is tough. get revisewise for biology and start working on it

knwaca

DON'T do it! After a terrible result in fifth year bio xmas test, and a sub teacher who was awful, I tried my hardest to get changed to geo, guidance teacher is a muppet so it didn't happen and believe me now i couldn't be more grateful, the bio course will all come together for you, i actually find it really do-able now! As for religion a friend of mine does it and says its a lot of bs but then again, it comes naturally to her...

eVeNtInE

This post has been deleted.

5uspect

Put a little forward thought into your decison.
Biology would be a far more useful subject to study to learn than "make believe".

We all failed our Christmas tests badly and we sit in class with absolutly no Idea of whats goin on.

Then you need to ask some questions!

Michelle993

I say get Revise Wise Biology, it cuts every down and it's alot more simpler than the notes your teacher might give or notes you'd find in your text book. I am currently using it to revise for my mocks.

I think that, in the long run, Biology will be a much more benifical subject to your future career. I'm in no means knocking Religion, I am just stating my oppinion.

Slugs

Do you get points for religion? I thought it was only used to gain access to clergy schools? o.O

Jay P

I'm just going to come out and say that I don't know anything about Biology or Religion. What I can say is that I was in a similar situation. I was doing Economcs but I really wanted to be doing physics. It took so long for me to make up my mind, and eventually I did....at the beginning of March. It turned out to be the best move I ever made. I absolutely loved physics. I missed a lot, but I made up for lost time, and ended up being one of the better students in the class.

If you put in the work required, you won't be at any disadvantage, that's certain.

lilpiglet

5uspect wrote: »

Put a little forward thought into your decison.
Biology would be a far more useful subject to study to learn than "make believe".


Then you need to ask some questions!

I am going to ignore the comment about "make believe"

About asking questions, ...My teacher doesnt answer questions. crazy but true.:mad:

lilpiglet

Slugs wrote: »

Do you get points for religion? I thought it was only used to gain access to clergy schools? o.O

Nope you get the same points as any other subject

Larianne

lilpiglet wrote: »

I am going to ignore the comment about "make believe"

About asking questions, ...My teacher doesnt answer questions. crazy but true.:mad:

Go up to your teacher at the end of class with a list of questions and ask him/her to go through it with you. Say you tried but you don't understand the topic. If you teacher is really bad and for whatever reason won't help you, is there another science teacher in your school that might be more approachable?

Biology can be a difficult enough subject, especially if it doesn't really interest you. Use the internet!!! Go onto Youtube and there are thousands of videos/animations of the different aspects of Biology. And lots of different websites. Sometimes GCSE websites can be better. Better layout and that. Check this one out: http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/biology/enzymes.html

5uspect

lilpiglet wrote: »

I am going to ignore the comment about "make believe"

It's an utterly useless subject about nonsense. At least you'll have some use for Biology in the real world.

About asking questions, ...My teacher doesnt answer questions. crazy but true.:mad:

That's not a good sign. If your teacher refuses to answer questions then you should probably take the issue further up the food chain. Or speak to the teacher after class and explain that you are finding it difficult and he/she isn't helping.

pietromas

Wait. What? Religion can be taken as a leaving cert subject now? You have got to be kidding.

Sounds like a dangerous precedent you could be setting for yourself. Turning to religion just because the other stuff is too hard? Think about where that will get you in life.

Take some grinds man. Read a book. Turn to the internet. If your teacher is really that incompetent try to teach yourself. It will stand to you.

SueGrabbit

Don't go near religion, it's heavy learning and so many people take it up thinking it's just an easy ride for points.

Biology is long and is simply about learning things off.

If you really wanna know whta the right choice to make is, go on to examinations.ie.

Look at the 2008 or 2009 paper for each subject. Rel is not nice, did it for my leaving in the institute, and christ was it tough. Did Bio too, struggled with it, but from the two, i'd stick with bio.

NufcNavan

Meh. I'm doing Religion now and it's not that hard IMO. Just once you get used to essay writing, its not too bad.

Professional Griefer

I was in a situation very similar to you.
I was thrown into some bad science class for the JC and in the end learned nothing what so ever, messed all the time and didn't even take it serious.
5th Year, took up Biology and went for it. I was so poor at it. I had no idea what they were talking about most of the time. I was really bad, by far the worst in my class, but I stuck with it. In 6th year now, and every day going into Biology class, I feel like I don't want to be there at all. I despise the teacher and amn't too gone on Biology. I can't wait to get it over and done with. I'm currently doing honours and in our class tests I get at least B1's. Its all learning. I don't really understand it at all, but just learn it. Its a handy subject if your good at just learning things.

Fad

5uspect wrote: »

It's an utterly useless subject about nonsense. At least you'll have some use for Biology in the real world.

Religion is probably one of the more useful subjects to study in terms of understanding culture. It is nonsense, I am an atheist, but I took religion for the leaving, and found it it to be genuinely interesting, anyone who denies the importance (Whether its impact is positive or negative) is just deluded.....

LC Religion can help you form a moral compass (You study Philosophy in one section, so it's not just Xtianity/whatever) and to be frank, I think that's pretty bloody useful.

pietromas wrote: »

Sounds like a dangerous precedent you could be setting for yourself. Turning to religion just because the other stuff is too hard? Think about where that will get you in life.

That's bollox and you know it.


DESPITE ALL THIS, LC religion is not easy, Biology is much "Easier" to do well in, but you have to work at it!

5uspect

Fad wrote: »

Religion is probably one of the more useful subjects to study in terms of understanding culture. It is nonsense, I am an atheist, but I took religion for the leaving, and found it it to be genuinely interesting, anyone who denies the importance (Whether its impact is positive or negative) is just deluded.....

LC Religion can help you form a moral compass (You study Philosophy in one section, so it's not just Xtianity/whatever) and to be frank, I think that's pretty bloody useful.

It must have changed since my time in school so. R.E. class was basically 40 minutes with the Catholic Propaganda Officer.

Fad

5uspect wrote: »

It must have changed since my time in school so. R.E. class was basically 40 minutes with the Catholic Propaganda Officer.

Religion is a relatively balanced syllabus now, Xtianity pretty much is always studied to an extent, but it is not anything like what it used to be. Religion if you are taking it as an exam subject is quite focused, no real room for preaching.

coldwood92

NO NOt religion!

DB10

In my JC religion we learned more about Muslim,Hindu and Buddhism etc than Christianity. And this is in a Catholic school with nearly all Catholic students.

The funny thing was the Muslim lads didn't even do the religion class!
It was all so ****ed up but I still got a B...:D

pietromas

Fad wrote: »

That's bollox and you know it.

I'll admit it was a little bit tongue in cheek, but its an overt and interesting analogy. This kid is turning to Religion as a subject because he thinks the reality of science is too hard. And a terrifyingly vast swathe of adults in this country still turn to religion because they find the reality of life is too hard (and no good comes from it).

(religion != spirituality btw)

Nothing wrong with studying philosophy (although I believe this is best done in the absence of hormones and in the presence of a developed mind), but religion only grazes philosophy. Philosophy reasons based on a small set of assumptions. Religion assumes the entire thing and then ponders the consequences that suit. Thats a baaad lesson for vulnerable minds.

Fad

pietromas wrote: »

I'll admit it was a little bit tongue in cheek, but its an overt and interesting analogy. This kid is turning to Religion as a subject because he thinks the reality of science is too hard. And a terrifyingly vast swathe of adults in this country still turn to religion because they find the reality of life is too hard (and no good comes from it).

(religion != spirituality btw)

Nothing wrong with studying philosophy (although I believe this is best done in the absence of hormones and in the presence of a developed mind), but religion only grazes philosophy. Philosophy reasons based on a small set of assumptions. Religion assumes the entire thing and then ponders the consequences that suit. Thats a baaad lesson for vulnerable minds.

Religion for the leaving cert assumes no creed, you study philosophy, the history of xtianity, 2 world religions and then an option (Xtinaity in Ireland/Religion & Science/Women & Religion). What about some of the major philosophers that happened to be xtian..

While you might find your own analogy interesting, that's all it is, some people dont think scientifically particularly well or arent good at wrote learning (There is much less in Religion).

I think religion can be a dangerous thing, but saying no good can come from it, is not a total over statement. Religion gives people hope. Nietzsche, my personal favourite probably would have never become the brilliant man he did without first being as deeply religious as he was.

Also understanding religion is something generally

Tinytot91

Depends on ur self i think..Do you like History,English etc? If you do ul like studying religion!
I took religion as an extra subject 3 months into 5th yr last yr and I absolutely hate it!I love Chemistry Biology etc and just have no time for subjects that involve essay writing..My friend on the other hand has more of a english head and finds it pretty handy!