Out of school? Ask teachers questions (LC and JC students)

sullivlo

Lc2020 wrote: »

Thanks to all the teachers for offering their help and expertise-we really appreciate it.

For maths teachers:
Just wondering what your opinion of the DEB maths mock exam is? Having done it, is it fair to say it's more difficult than the real thing? I know we can't predict the difficulty of the paper, but it seems that the marking scheme in the LC affords a lot more leeway/attempt marks. I got a lot of 0s for work that in imo should have merited some credit. I know it depends on a lot of factors, but would going from a H5 to a H2 be unheard of, or attainable ?

Thanks

BTW: Just wondering are teacher as clueless as students as regards when schools will reopen etc..

Can’t comment on the DEB exam specifically, but the marking is a fluid thing in the LC. It will be marked on a curve so a certain % will get a H1/H2 etc. Attempt marks will be allocated accordingly. Also you have a few months more of revision in advance of the real thing. I can’t comment specifically on going from h5 to h2 but in general, marks are awarded for more attempts in the real thing.

From my own class this year, a huge % got a specific question wrong so it brought down their grade. If that happens in June, attempt marks could be given to boost grades. It’s not an exact science though.

And yes. Teachers are just as clueless. We heard about the closures at the same time as the rest of the country and there has been no official circular from the department or the SEC regarding anything. The only thing that was clarified was that project work could not be brought home.

mirrorwall14

Lc2020 wrote: »

Hi!
Just have a query regarding the music exam:

In your opinion, what should students be focusing on over the coming weeks. I put so much time and effort into studying the likes of Berlioz, for it only to be worth 10 marks in the mocks. It's really disheartening, and it's almost not worth my while to be studying the score for the sake of 10 marks

Also, just regarding the composition paper, I scored 78/100 in the mocks and looking for a H1 , I can't afford to be losing too many marks. What do you have to do to do well in the composition paper particularly the melody (24/40), cause I hope they don't expect us all to be little Mozarts.

I'm not too worried about the practical (though it would be nice to have a date lol).
What generally tends to bring students down ? Aiming for a H1, but the SEC make it so difficult with the low H1 rate year in year out

Thank you

I’m assuming you have all the basics in melody writing correct?
-correct number of beats per bar
-no crazy intervals that don’t sound nice (chord structure or solfa helps there)
-treatment of upbeat correct?
-modulation correct?
-treatment of ti correct in major or minor?
-if using a sequence do you develop it?
-do you have a good wide range and a climax?

Treppen

Lc2020 wrote: »

Hi!
Just have a query regarding the music exam:

In your opinion, what should students be focusing on over the coming weeks. I put so much time and effort into studying the likes of Berlioz, for it only to be worth 10 marks in the mocks. It's really disheartening, and it's almost not worth my while to be studying the score for the sake of 10 marks

Also, just regarding the composition paper, I scored 78/100 in the mocks and looking for a H1 , I can't afford to be losing too many marks. What do you have to do to do well in the composition paper particularly the melody (24/40), cause I hope they don't expect us all to be little Mozarts.

I'm not too worried about the practical (though it would be nice to have a date lol).
What generally tends to bring students down ? Aiming for a H1, but the SEC make it so difficult with the low H1 rate year in year out

Thank you

I'd echo all that mirror wall said.

Composing paper... Where students usually loose marks is the melody. And within that the basic areas for deductions are
6/8
Upbeat
Minor key
Get them solid

Then for the quality of the melody.
A good melody is a combination of leap and step.
Look at the marking schemes.... They talk about a sense of climax for the A grade descriptor. Basically build up to a high note at the end of the 3rd or 4th phrase (usually means to move into ledger lines above the stave).
Also A grade descriptor mentions good development of opening ideas. This is the B section or bar 9-13.
Pick an idea from opening line. State it in bar 9 then move it up in sequences BUT alter it slightly in bar 10 and 11 so that you are DEVELOPING your idea.

Consider using a rest! I know a few examiners who like that kind of thing.

For harmony do you do Q 4 or Q5. ?
Be careful with Q4 as the quality of the melody is graded just as much as a Q1 melody!! So this can be a little subjective for some examiners.
Q5 is a bit more formulae based, do you know all the good chord progressions?

Put a bit of time into your composing harmony as it's worth nearly as much as your set works combined!

For set works.... Not much to say really, throw away the score and use your ears to identify features.
The tricky one in set works is where you could be asked to compare the music you are listening to to another place in the score.

Do you have all the notes for the set works?

Practical.... Sounds like you have it in hand. Tell the story of the pieces with louds and softs (unless your a trad player, in. Which case belt out the tune).

If you want to attach a melody question then fire away, myself and the other music teachers here will probably start fighting though :pac:

dory

Caquas wrote: »

It is generous of teachers to volunteer their help here but that is no substitute for the students' contact with their own teachers.

Are schools making alternative arrangements to help their students from home? For example, are teachers setting assignments and correcting homework online?

I see that public libraries are now closed. Where are students supposed to study if their siblings are also at home?

Unless effective action is taken immediately, how can the State Exams be completed this year?

This transition is as difficult for teachers as it is students. I'm here spending my Sunday figuring out how I'm going to work this. As the "techie" in my school I spent yesterday talking to other members of staff, going through ways they can use technology to set and correct work.

We're still not sure how we will correct. I teach Irish. What we really need is for the students to write essays etc, and for us to correct them. At the moment we're trying to correct PDFs on iPads, one is trying to print at home and then scanning and sending. This will take a while to figure out but I'd be shocked if any school left students high and dry.

On Facebook groups there's non stop messaging , people asking how best they can help their students etc. I'm now trying to change my lessons into notes to send to students.

alroley

I can help with Business Studies, Business, and Accounting if needed.

endacl

alroley wrote: »

I can help with Business Studies, Business, and Accounting if needed.

What’s a tracker mortgage?



I’ll join in with music.

endacl

Lc2020 wrote: »

Hi!
Just have a query regarding the music exam:

In your opinion, what should students be focusing on over the coming weeks. I put so much time and effort into studying the likes of Berlioz, for it only to be worth 10 marks in the mocks. It's really disheartening, and it's almost not worth my while to be studying the score for the sake of 10 marks

Also, just regarding the composition paper, I scored 78/100 in the mocks and looking for a H1 , I can't afford to be losing too many marks. What do you have to do to do well in the composition paper particularly the melody (24/40), cause I hope they don't expect us all to be little Mozarts.

I'm not too worried about the practical (though it would be nice to have a date lol).
What generally tends to bring students down ? Aiming for a H1, but the SEC make it so difficult with the low H1 rate year in year out

Thank you

I’ll echo what Trappen said above, an also offer a slightly more simplistic piece of advice.

For the set works, it’s a listening paper. So listen.

To say oversimplify, the questions will broadly ask one of three things for each excerpt:

1. What do you hear? In terms of themes, motifs, instrumentation etc.
2. Where else do you hear this, and how is it treated? (Instrumentation/key etc)
3. ‘Location’ type questions. What movement/section is the excerpt from.

Listen regularly and often to the works, and tell yourself the ‘story’ of each.

Pang

I can help with Home Economics and Religious Education. LC and JC in both.

patravers

English, history, Politics and Society teacher

compgeek

Happy to help with Business (LC), Business Studies (JC) and Computer Science (LC)

lukemaccy100

Hi! Leaving cert pupil here! Thanks so much for the offer of help! Doing physics, geography, business,French , maths, Irish and English. All higher level.
Yeah, it's horrible for the SEC to keep us all in the lurch. I just couldn't concentrate at home with my brother home from college too. Luckily , we have a summer house that the tenant's cancelled last minute, so I'm down here now in West Cork and happy out.
Who knows what impact this'll have on the leaving cert. I'm fed up with the orals being postponed!
If any of ye have any mock papers handy, I'll send over my email address! Thanks!

Mont Blanc

Happy to answer questions from students on Junior Cert and Leaving Cert Spanish. Mon-Fri 9-4.

Lc2020

Hey guys, thanks for all your advice !

Just wondering, has any one got word back from the department in relation to state exams etc. I know they're prob inundated with queries etc. just wondering have the sec released a press release or something ?

Lc2020

lukemaccy100 wrote: »

Hi! Leaving cert pupil here! Thanks so much for the offer of help! Doing physics, geography, business,French , maths, Irish and English. All higher level.
Yeah, it's horrible for the SEC to keep us all in the lurch. I just couldn't concentrate at home with my brother home from college too. Luckily , we have a summer house that the tenant's cancelled last minute, so I'm down here now in West Cork and happy out.
Who knows what impact this'll have on the leaving cert. I'm fed up with the orals being postponed!
If any of ye have any mock papers handy, I'll send over my email address! Thanks!

I have past mock papers in a few of those subjects if you want them

RedXIV

Parent of JC student here. He's in good shape with most but always struggled a bit with maths. Any recommended resources that go through the current curriculum?

I tried helping once or twice before but apparently I do things differently from the teacher and I'm probably making it worse

MacGyver007

RedXIV wrote: »

Parent of JC student here. He's in good shape with most but always struggled a bit with maths. Any recommended resources that go through the current curriculum?

I tried helping once or twice before but apparently I do things differently from the teacher and I'm probably making it worse

Here are two good online resources, one US-based, the other Irish. The first is Khan Academy. It has many videos that go through topics such as algebra, trigonometry and co-ordinate geometry:

www.khanacademy.org/math

The second one looks at the Junior Cert syllabus. Last week's video covers past exam questions on area and volume (NB: I have no affiliation with this site. I came upon it and it looks like it could be very useful to students)

http://www.gktuition.ie/jchl-maths/

Hope these are of some use.

sullivlo

RedXIV wrote: »

Parent of JC student here. He's in good shape with most but always struggled a bit with maths. Any recommended resources that go through the current curriculum?

I tried helping once or twice before but apparently I do things differently from the teacher and I'm probably making it worse

I second gktuition.

Also, the maths tutor is decent - they have videos.

Studyclix can helpful too.

Is it HL or OL?

RedXIV

Thanks for those!

He's in HL now but struggling quite a bit. But I'd like him to take the higher paper and drop in senior cycle rather than drop now which he's been hinting at. At least that way, he should have seen most of what he'll be up against in senior cycle if he drops down then (if the curriculum hasn't changed that much since my day )

Shn99

Cant wait for school to be back, stressing out big time. My parents work from home and have people working for them and just cant function with the noise ect. Contemplated giving up on the LC...i hope this closure doesnt last beyond easter

Postgrad10

That’s so frustrating. Any ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones? Would you be safer getting up earlier / working later when they aren’t there?

bigbennett11

Hi there, I’m a mature student resitting the leaving cert Irish paper this year, just wondering is there any Irish teacher that could send me on there prós and filíocht notes ?

mirrorwall14

RedXIV wrote: »

Thanks for those!

He's in HL now but struggling quite a bit. But I'd like him to take the higher paper and drop in senior cycle rather than drop now which he's been hinting at. At least that way, he should have seen most of what he'll be up against in senior cycle if he drops down then (if the curriculum hasn't changed that much since my day )

If he’s still higher level he’s seen pretty much everything now. There’s almost nothing left just some of functions with my group and I’m 3rd stream so would be reasonably slow passes.

The biggest resource for you is his copy. He should have his examples there which will tell you exactly what method he is using for a particular problem. Then you can target videos. He’s right that there are different methods for some things

Lc2020

bigbennett11 wrote: »

Hi there, I’m a mature student resitting the leaving cert Irish paper this year, just wondering is there any Irish teacher that could send me on there prós and filíocht notes ?

Just as a matter of interest, what prós/filíocht do you think might come up ?
Mo-Ghrá sa, Géibheann maybe and Hulramaboc/Oisín ?
I have notes if you'd like for me to send them to you just pm with your email !

Tomplumb

Question for history teacher....
Was Michael Collins a traitor to his country?

Snodge

Gaelige. Happy to answer any questions relating to JC or LC Irish

spurious

Tomplumb wrote: »

Question for history teacher....
Was Michael Collins a traitor to his country?

Yes and No. It would make a good essay.
Have you any actual LC or JC questions you want answered?

Lc2020

Why haven't the SEC made an official statement yet. Causing untold stress to us students, can I take it that the orals due to take place on the 30th are cancelled ?

spurious

Lc2020 wrote: »

Why haven't the SEC made an official statement yet. Causing untold stress to us students, can I take it that the orals due to take place on the 30th are cancelled ?

Nobody here can speak for the SEC I'm afraid. It would certainly seem likely they will be postponed, but I am not a voice for the SEC. You could email them and ask info@examinations.ie

thegreatescape

Shn99 wrote: »

Cant wait for school to be back, stressing out big time. My parents work from home and have people working for them and just cant function with the noise ect. Contemplated giving up on the LC...i hope this closure doesnt last beyond easter

I know it's very hard but trying to stay disciplined and focused is your best option now. None of us know what is going to happen and how this will play out, the only thing you can do is keep working away and doing the work teachers are assigning you.

Echoing what a previous poster said, noise cancelling headphones or earplugs will be your best bet to help with the noise. Best of luck with your studies.

Treppen

Tomplumb wrote: »

Question for history teacher....
Was Michael Collins a traitor to his country?

No, that's Roy Keane you're thinking of:pac: