How to teach the new junior cert well-being programme ?

Beamy

Hello I am interested in the new junior cert well being curriculum . How can I do a course to teach this ? Or is a case of a small course once you’re a qualified teacher please ? Thanks

dazzeremo

I think I remember seeing something on PDST.ie or teachercpd.ie about this a while back.

gaiscioch

Beamy wrote: »

Hello I am interested in the new junior cert well being curriculum . How can I do a course to teach this ? Or is a case of a small course once you’re a qualified teacher please ? Thanks

When you qualify, should you wish you can do a course or a number of courses - one of these, for instance - in your local education centre. You can use PDST resources such as on this page to learn about the wellbeing aspect. I've had about 3 days of SPHE inservice this year, and I think 2 days were given to RSE alone.

I wouldn't bank on teaching wellbeing getting you a job. In my school all the class tutors teach a single SPHE class a week, which includes elements of wellbeing in it. The school is really pushing attendance at these in-services, and the Department recently inspected SPHE. Wellbeing, in my school anyway, has a status as fashionable as IT was 10 years ago in other schools. They are trying to get teachers of every subject to incorporate aspects of it. The DoES wants each JC student to receive up to 400 hours of wellbeing education over the 3 years. The subject is, however, a long way from requiring a degree in a related discipline and as such it will continue to be open to the school staff generally.

I think it could be really valuable but there's an awful amount of stuff on the SPHE course alone to teach for a single class per week so unless the Department make Wellbeing into a "real" subject it's in danger of ending up like CSPE, a valuable subject which because of timetable constraints cannot be given the required time for deeper study. It takes a considerable amount of preparation of resources for each very active learning class. Curriculum overload - and filling paper for every damned thing - is the new normal.

Read page 46 of this document Wellbeing and the curriculum for a summary of wellbeings place on the curriculum, especially within CSPE, SPHE & PE.

Also:

SPHE

JCT Wellbeing

NCCA Wellbeing guidelines

Finally, it is very important to have clarity on how much time Wellbeing will actually get on the curriculum:

Allocating time (Source: NCCA)
Learning in CSPE, PE and SPHE is viewed as fundamental to learning about and for Wellbeing. Introducing a Wellbeing programme should not result in students experiencing less time in PE, SPHE or CSPE than under current provision.
For this reason, there is a minimum threshold of time which should be provided in each area. This minimum is set out as follows:
• PE: 135 hours spread across first, second and third year (i.e. the most common current allocation provided by schools–two class periods per week).
• SPHE: 70 hours spread across first, second and third year (the same time allocation as required by the current junior cycle framework for SPHE, including RSE).
• CSPE: 70 hours spread across first, second and third year (the same time allocation as required currently).
In setting out these minima, schools have the flexibility to allocate more time to these areas in line with their priorities and students’ needs.
After these minimum requirements [275 hours over 3 years] have been met, further time up to the full complement of 400 hours can be available for schools to allocate to other aspects of wellbeing.
For example, these hours can create space for the inclusion of learning outcomes not directly related to PE, SPHE and CSPE, such as guidance. In addition, they offer potential for schools to timetable some of the already existing, excellent programmes that relate to wellbeing. The following programmes all reflect allocations of time within the range 300-400 hours. It is accepted that a certain degree of flexibility in relation to how the hours for Wellbeing are applied may be necessary in the initial years of the new Junior Cycle.

solerina

Beamy wrote: »

Hello I am interested in the new junior cert well being curriculum . How can I do a course to teach this ? Or is a case of a small course once you’re a qualified teacher please ? Thanks

You can’t do a course as such. If you are a qualified teacher you could be asked by your principal to teach some aspect of well being.