How to do practicals if studying for LC from home?

Rosie_McRose

I have a third level qualification in the construction sector and am now looking at a full career change and want to move into healthcare. I've spoken to the mature student officers in Trinity and DIT who carry the courses I'm interested in. These courses are in very high demand with high points requirements. i was originally going to study a related course part-time and apply as a mature student. But after speaking to the advisors it doesn't look like that's goingto be enough. As my current qualification is irrelevant to these courses, their advice was that I need to start from scratch and that means repeating my leaving cert to maximise points. I do not want to return to school and am very confident of being able to do 6 subjects by home study while still working part-time.

However my main worry is the practical aspect of the courses; e.g. History and Geography projects which have to be supervised and signed off by a teacher. Is there anywhere that I can do these? I don't to have to sign up to expensive IoE night-classes when all I want is the project aspect.
Another one is construction studies. Given my background I know I can get an A in the written paper and project parts but as for the practical - well I've never done woodwork, is there anywhere I can just do this part?

Or Home Ec - I did very well in this first time around but where can i do the practical work and get it signed off?
There must be some facility for this? How do home-schooled kids manage it? I rang kilroys college - the distance learning people, and they told me to ring around my local schools and they might let me sit in on classes. i can't imagine the teachers letting a 30 year old wander in and out! and I don't think I'd be comfortable with that either.

I know I can probably pick 6 subjects that don't have a practical aspect but I'm really trying to get very high points so would like to be able to pick ones that I know I can get A's in which would include construction, home ec, and geography.

Any ideas anyone. Many thanks for any advice

pathway33

Try one of the VEC's that run adult leaving cert courses. They may be flexible with attendance

Rosie_McRose

pathway33 wrote: »

Try one of the VEC's that run adult leaving cert courses. They may be flexible with attendance

I did contact a few and they're not flexible at all. They're all full-time day course run over 2 years, and they're geared towards people who have never done a leaving cert or got very low grades AND have been out of work a long time. There doesn't seem to be a facility anywhere for a mature student that just wants to go back and up their points.

UpTheSlashers

Edit: Sorry, didn't read the op properly...
Maybe fas?

pathway33

Maybe this guy can help you >>>>>> http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055939048&page=5

He runs a distance learning course for the leaving cert. May be able to accomodate projects. His contact details are at the last post on the thread

pathway33

Rosie_McRose wrote: »

How do home-schooled kids manage it?

http://www.henireland.org/

Rosie_McRose

pathway33 wrote: »

Maybe this guy can help you >>>>>> http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055939048&page=5

He runs a distance learning course for the leaving cert. May be able to accomodate projects. His contact details are at the last post on the thread

thanks - I've sent him an email

pathway33

Rosie_McRose wrote: »

thanks - I've sent him an email

Cool. Don't expect a reply today or tomorrow. He's sitting 5 leaving cert exams today :eek:. He expects to be finished the last one around midnight

Rosie_McRose

pathway33 wrote: »

http://www.henireland.org/

Thanks - they have a link to a school that will do A-level practicals but not leaving cert - I'll give them a call.

Rosie_McRose

pathway33 wrote: »

Cool. Don't expect a reply today or tomorrow. He's sitting 5 leaving cert exams today :eek:. He expects to be finished the last one around midnight

Whaaat!? :eek::eek:Who is this dude and how is that physically possible!?!

pathway33

Rosie_McRose wrote: »

Whaaat!? :eek::eek:Who is this dude and how is that physically possible!?!

Ah it should be no bother to him. He's sitting 30 subjects this year in total for the leaving cert . He's been putting tips on youtube for the exams and we've been tuning in. He runs a project called xLC in Waterford which I believe is the classroom based leaving cert. He also runs a distance LC course called 'Accolade'. The reason he is doing the 30 subjects is to raise money for the xLC project because they may not be able to continue in September due to lack of funding. 20 honours subjects and 10 ordinary because it's 2010 . He says he might do it again in a few years so he'll have to do more then

Rosie_McRose

pathway33 wrote: »

Ah it should be no bother to him. He's sitting 30 subjects this year in total for the leaving cert . He's been putting tips on youtube for the exams and we've been tuning in. He runs a project called xLC in Waterford which I believe is the classroom based leaving cert. He also runs a distance LC course called 'Accolade'. The reason he is doing the 30 subjects is to raise money for the xLC project because they may not be able to continue in September due to lack of funding. 20 honours subjects and 10 ordinary because it's 2010 . He says he might do it again in a few years so he'll have to do more then

wow - sounds like some character. I've done a search on both 'Accolade' and xLc and only find their Bebo page. I take it they don't have their own website then?

pathway33

Rosie_McRose wrote: »

wow - sounds like some character. I've done a search on both 'Accolade' and xLc and only find their Bebo page. I take it they don't have their own website then?

I was looking for the 'Accolade' homepage myself just last week and found nothing. I think I saw somewhere they might be on facebook as well.

pathway33

Rosie_McRose wrote: »

i can't imagine the teachers letting a 30 year old wander in and out!

Some teachers would apparently :
"my younger sister had a 33 year old lady come in a few days a week and sit in on the classes, apparently she was repeating to go back to do primary teaching"
quote from this thread >>>

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055949991

chickcharnley

Rosie_McRose wrote: »

I have a third level qualification in the construction sector and am now looking at a full career change and want to move into healthcare. I've spoken to the mature student officers in Trinity and DIT who carry the courses I'm interested in. These courses are in very high demand with high points requirements. i was originally going to study a related course part-time and apply as a mature student. But after speaking to the advisors it doesn't look like that's goingto be enough. As my current qualification is irrelevant to these courses, their advice was that I need to start from scratch and that means repeating my leaving cert to maximise points. I do not want to return to school and am very confident of being able to do 6 subjects by home study while still working part-time.

However my main worry is the practical aspect of the courses; e.g. History and Geography projects which have to be supervised and signed off by a teacher. Is there anywhere that I can do these? I don't to have to sign up to expensive IoE night-classes when all I want is the project aspect.
Another one is construction studies. Given my background I know I can get an A in the written paper and project parts but as for the practical - well I've never done woodwork, is there anywhere I can just do this part?

Or Home Ec - I did very well in this first time around but where can i do the practical work and get it signed off?
There must be some facility for this? How do home-schooled kids manage it? I rang kilroys college - the distance learning people, and they told me to ring around my local schools and they might let me sit in on classes. i can't imagine the teachers letting a 30 year old wander in and out! and I don't think I'd be comfortable with that either.

I know I can probably pick 6 subjects that don't have a practical aspect but I'm really trying to get very high points so would like to be able to pick ones that I know I can get A's in which would include construction, home ec, and geography.

Any ideas anyone. Many thanks for any advice

i know of a lady who repeated the leaving cert last year and tried every school in the dublin area to do the practicals for home economics history and geography in the end she went to the institute of education as they were the only place that could accommadate her, i suggest giving the institute a call, if you want to do these subjects for the leaving cert in the dublin area there is no other place for a mature student to go and do them part-time.

Rosie_McRose

chickcharnley wrote: »

i know of a lady who repeated the leaving cert last year and tried every school in the dublin area to do the practicals for home economics history and geography in the end she went to the institute of education as they were the only place that could accommadate her, i suggest giving the institute a call, if you want to do these subjects for the leaving cert in the dublin area there is no other place for a mature student to go and do them part-time.

Thanks - I'll give them a call. I was trying to avoid them as they're very expensive! But I suppose no harm in asking to see what they can do for me.

chickcharnley

youre welcome, its a shame really that in the capital there isnt any vec option for subjects with a practical element, for those who can only do it part-time the govt is supposed to be promoting access to education for mature students, but its a sad fact that the reality on the ground is the opposite.

Rosie_McRose

chickcharnley wrote: »

youre welcome, its a shame really that in the capital there isnt any vec option for subjects with a practical element, for those who can only do it part-time the govt is supposed to be promoting access to education for mature students, but its a sad fact that the reality on the ground is the opposite.

Exactly - I'm very shocked at the lack of facilities tbh.
There are some full-time LC courses for adults geared at people who have never done LC before or did a very bad one. But there's practically nothing for people that want to go back and improve with a view to a career change.

pathway33

Rosie_McRose wrote: »

I have a third level qualification in the construction sector ......Trinity and DIT who carry the courses I'm interested in

Do you know about the trinity matric exam that can count as a subject(s) in the leaving? They only have 2, but one is geology which you might be good at given that it might be a combination of geography and some construction materials stuff. I dunno. Maybe it isn't. Just guessing . But anyway there's no project so it would solve your geography project dilemma. The other one is boblical studies which I assume is of no benefit to you

http://www.tcd.ie/Admissions/undergraduate/requirements/matric-exam/

spurious

If you can gather at least twelve people who would commit to regularly attending a 'practical' LC subject over the year and approach your local VEC, they will try and set up a class for you.

felic

First off, congratulations on this decision you've made to go back and do the whole thing again. Thats a lot easier said than done and you deserve all the encouragement you can get.
Its a tough world at the moment out there in many sectors; construction, architecture, IT, finance.. the list goes on and Im sure you're not alone in wanting to just go back and start all over. And you have plenty of time to start off a new career and give it a good shot.

As for the practicals with many of the subjects in the Leaving Cert now.. that would be a challenge. As you say, a lot of repeat leaving cert programs are monday to friday fulltime, and if you're only after the practical side of things, thats not really what you want.

How about making an appointment with the school principal you did the first Leaving Cert with, and just state your case and ask if the teachers there would be bale to help you outside of the regular monday to friday school periods? Like maybe meet with them one day a month or something, ask them advice, have them assist you and point you in the right direction; and then submit your work via those teachers? I cant see why there would be a problem. Maybe you might have to pay them something but think it would cost a lot less than having to sign up for a full time course? If they cant, then ask around for any teachers from anywhere near you that might be able to help.

But failing even on that front, are there any subjects for the leaving that do not require project work? How are you with languages? As far as I know there is no outside exam work aside from the oral exam.. but that can be arranged with a local community school.
So maybe if you could chose say 4 subjects that dont have a practical exam and then try your best to find some teachers who could help with geography and construction studies?
Just an idea.

I mean, there are many many teachers out there without jobs too, and those that do would be very glad of any way outside the regular program to earn a little bit more cash... even if it were 100 per subject. all theyd have to do is advise you on what work you need to do, be there via email or whatever to give you help and then submit it?

Best of luck.

As they say.. where there's a will there is a way.

This practical side of the leaving is a bit of a nuisance for people wanting to repeat; but they really have taken the massive sting out of the viciousness the papers used to present before they were introduced. So once you find people who can help you... im sure you will rocket with your points. And you have plenty of time to find that help between now and september.

Maybe the department of education might be able to offer some advice? Surely when this side of the curriculum were being introduced, all aspects of it would have been covered and all students would have to be catered for.

Rosie_McRose

Hi all thanks very much for all the helpful replies and suggestions!
In case anyone else is in a similar position I've found a couple of schools that have been very helpful http://www.pearsecollege.ie/ do full-time LC course for mature students and may be able to facilitate practical elements and http://www.crumlincollege.ie who do part-time LC night classes for adults.
Neither have a huge range of subjects but I'll be able to pick 6.
Unfortunately neither do construction studies, so although I'd fly through the paper, I still haven't found anywhere for the practical.
I just need to pick my 6 now.

@felic - thanks for your comments, unfortunately my old school is the other side of the country so wouldn't be practical. You'd think the dept of education would be of some help, but anybody I manage to speak to just refers me to another dept or flatly tells me I've no options! The Irish education system is very inflexible!

pathway33

Cool. Give us an update in September. Your summer is over now. Time to pull out the books

spurious

Good to see the VEC colleges helped you out.
Good luck.