* LC 2018 / 19 Off-topic Thread *

Sb567 · 30-08-2017 5:39pm

spurious wrote: »

I suppose they have to work with the staff they have. There may well be an Applied Maths teacher on staff in a number of schools who doesn't teach it currently. If the students could get 15 or 20 people together they might make a case for it, though only at one level.

Yes that's true actually the right idea to be fair.

daretodream · 30-08-2017 6:01pm

Tomorrow for me. Straight from JC to 5th year. Taking all honours, the usual 3 plus German/Accounting/Physics/Chemistry/Applied Maths.

Thinking of Finance (actuarial or accountancy), Theoretical Physics with Maths, Engineering or Teaching (but only if that sector improves...unlikely, I know).

Nothing in heathcare appeals to me but taking Chemistry just in case I change my mind. Can`t see it really...I'm more about the numbers!

jeonahr · 31-08-2017 3:33pm

First day was only 2 hours which was just introduction and handing out schedules and the sort.
Today was kind of a waste imo. We had free classes the whole day, and only 2 of those classes had work left out for us. Honestly was wondering why they'd even bother for a half day with hardly any classes.

Soccarboy11 · 31-08-2017 5:44pm

Had introduction yesterday, so got timetable etc. First full day is tomorrow. we were told not to bring any books so this is gonna be a bit of a waste really

sryanbruen · 31-08-2017 10:07pm

My school does not offer Home Economics and Metalwork, Woodwork, Technology, Technical Graphics or similar subjects such as these.

I always wanted to do Metalwork since primary - or Technical Graphics. It definitely would have been of big benefit to my interests now. Unfortunately, my school does not offer them and it put me at a big disadvantage for my interests.

I am pretty happy with my choices though either way of Business, Music, Geography and French.

Coming after TY which was easily the most boring year of my life, getting used to have mountain hills of homework again is going to be difficult.

shortgirl0 · 02-09-2017 1:49pm

With the whole applied maths thing, my school offers it but the classes begin before school which allows other local schools to join if they want to learn.

Also got the subjects I wanted which is great and generally excited for the coming year.

Soccarboy11 · 02-09-2017 3:16pm

Found out my school wont let you drop to ordinary maths throughout the year, only this monday is the last chance. thats ridiculous, not even giving us a chance to try it.

sryanbruen · 02-09-2017 3:56pm

Soccarboy11 wrote: »

Found out my school wont let you drop to ordinary maths throughout the year, only this monday is the last chance. thats ridiculous, not even giving us a chance to try it.

We were allowed choose on the first day then have to wait 'til after Christmas and decide again if we want to - I will never drop from HL Maths though.

An tUasal C · 02-09-2017 4:41pm

I somehow ended up in higher level mathematics. I'll stick it out through the year anyway and make up my mind next September.

Chemistry class isn't happening, so I'm doing economics now. I despised business studies with a passion, but economics is my favourite out of the three. I think it was mostly the accounting part I hated.

The teacher is nice, which helps.

shortgirl0 · 08-09-2017 6:42pm

How's everyones 5th years going. Currently my thumb feels like its about to fall off from writing and I need eternal sleep

An tUasal C · 08-09-2017 6:59pm

shortgirl0 wrote: »

How's everyones 5th years going. Currently my thumb feels like its about to fall off from writing and I need eternal sleep

Very busy!

Especially biology, surprised I haven't started a second copy yet. :pac:

sryanbruen · 08-09-2017 7:06pm

shortgirl0 wrote: »

How's everyones 5th years going. Currently my thumb feels like its about to fall off from writing and I need eternal sleep

Fine apart from Irish. I am hating Irish with my new teacher. She teaches supersonically fast. When she reads a sentence, she translates it directly after but doesn't give us a moment to breathe, take it in or note the translation. Me and the rest of the class (there's only 7 of us in the entire class - it's HL Irish) have not got a clue on An Gnáthrud, the story she was "teaching" and she's giving a test on it Monday. Looks like I'll be having me first fail thanks to a pathetic, ignorant teacher.

Everything else as I said is fine though I'm waiting on the department of education to give me a laptop so I can type instead of writing - it will probably take forever knowing them.

An tUasal C · 08-09-2017 7:20pm

sryanbruen wrote: »

Fine apart from Irish. I am hating Irish with my new teacher. She teaches supersonically fast. When she reads a sentence, she translates it directly after but doesn't give us a moment to breathe, take it in or note the translation. Me and the rest of the class (there's only 7 of us in the entire class - it's HL Irish) have not got a clue on An Gnáthrud, the story she was "teaching" and she's giving a test on it Monday. Looks like I'll be having me first fail thanks to a pathetic, ignorant teacher.

Everything else as I said is fine though I'm waiting on the department of education to give me a laptop so I can type instead of writing - it will probably take forever knowing them.

Could you ask your new teacher to repeat? Surely you'd understand the majority anyway if you're doing higher level.

If you asked after class I'm sure they'd help you.

sryanbruen · 08-09-2017 7:23pm

An tUasal C wrote: »

Could you ask your new teacher to repeat? Surely you'd understand the majority anyway if you're doing higher level.

If you asked after class I'm sure they'd help you.

I told her yesterday at the end of class to please slow down on the teaching and that none of us have got a clue on the story. She said thanks for telling her but today, she made us study the summary she told us to write down earlier this week on the story and continues to give the test on Monday coming. She did not listen to me at all it appears and her extreme ignorancy is evident here.

An tUasal C · 08-09-2017 7:28pm

sryanbruen wrote: »

I told her yesterday at the end of class to please slow down on the teaching and that none of us have got a clue on the story. She said thanks for telling her but today, she made us study the summary she told us to write down earlier this week on the story and continues to give the test on Monday coming. She did not listen to me at all it appears and her extreme ignorancy is evident here.

You can't complain that you're being tested surely. You have focloir.ie and other resources to translate anything you're unsure of.

sryanbruen · 08-09-2017 7:34pm

An tUasal C wrote: »

You can't complain that you're being tested surely. You have focloir.ie and other resources to translate anything you're unsure of.

I can complain when I don't even know the basis of the story :mad:. So you expect me to spend my whole weekend translating a load of sentences just for a test on Monday that all the class have no clue about? I'd be better off dropping to OL out of her class or even worse, getting rid of Irish which I can do btw because I am special needs and my learning disability allows me to drop it if I need or want to. I chose to do it because I love Irish and the fact that I was very good at Irish in primary school - according to everybody. But now with this teacher, I'm beginning to really hate it.

An tUasal C · 08-09-2017 7:39pm

sryanbruen wrote: »

I can complain when I don't even know the basis of the story :mad:. So you expect me to spend my whole weekend translating a load of sentences just for a test on Monday that all the class have no clue about? I'd be better off dropping to OL out of her class or even worse, getting rid of Irish which I can do btw because I am special needs and my learning disability allows me to drop it if I need or want to. I chose to do it because I love Irish and the fact that I was very good at Irish in primary school - according to everybody. But now with this teacher, I'm beginning to really hate it.

You said the teacher translated each sentence. Unless they were speaking at supersonic speed, you'd pick up on it.

You're in 5th year, doing a higher level subject and you're not willing to translate a few sentences? How much of it can you understand?

Drop it over a teacher then if you feel so passionate about it. I've disliked teachers of subjects I love, but I've never hated the subject itself as a result.

sryanbruen · 08-09-2017 7:53pm

An tUasal C wrote: »

You said the teacher translated each sentence. Unless they were speaking at supersonic speed, you'd pick up on it.

You're in 5th year, doing a higher level subject and you're not willing to translate a few sentences? How much of it can you understand?

Drop it over a teacher then if you feel so passionate about it. I've disliked teachers of subjects I love, but I've never hated the subject itself as a result.

Oh holy Jesus, I said the teacher translated each sentence at a very fast speed without giving us a moment to breathe, take it in and understand it or note the translation. Are you for real? I said she spoke at supersonic speed like. My friend who is in TY has her for Irish as well and he shares the same complaints as me. He said that she is ignorant af and teaches way too fast. Making me unnecessarily stressed out like this is plain ridiculous.

It's not just a few sentences ugh, it's a story like. Do you know An Gnáthrud? Have you seen the length of it? Once I know the English, I can translate perfectly fine. But I don't know the English at all - apart from the vocabulary she gave us that she told us to learn off. 'Cause how I study Irish is like this:

- For literature, I write out the English of sentences in essays then I translate them. I do this multiple times to ensure I memorise them.

- For grammar, I make a grammar book showing notes of how to do the grammar with grammar exercises followed after them.

My JC Irish teacher was very basic as he would tell us to learn very simple sentences and learn off whole essays than us making our own. I got a B in the end for that.

Anyway, I said all this to my SNA today and I'm going to be having a word with the resource co-ordinator on Monday about Irish and this teacher.

Funniest thing is that before 2nd year, I was not interested in Irish at all. I thought it was dumb, stupid, boring, irritating and very difficult. I taught myself all the complicated grammar via sources and books however through 2nd and 3rd year. Coming after TY, I have lost a lot of my motivation of what I used to do including writing songs and teaching myself Irish.

An tUasal C · 08-09-2017 7:56pm

So she translates the sentences. I doubt you need to translate every word, or every sentence for that matter if you're doing higher level.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you do.

jeonahr · 08-09-2017 8:42pm

After reading everyone else's fifth year so far I feel like I'm behind already lol. Honestly, at the moment everything is fine. I'd say even easier than third year, just because I'm more responsible and organised and have chosen to keep up to date with everything. I've a test coming up on number systems in maths sometime next week.

We've friendship week next week so I'll be missing a few classes.

I thought it would be a harder transition after doing little to none academic work but it's been smooth sailing so far. Hope I don't jinx anything though

Soccarboy11 · 08-09-2017 9:32pm

I was doing chemistry, but decided to change to economics and managed to do that. Had to get 4 different signatures for it so been chasing teachers all week!

Also managed to convince my.maths teacher to allow me to try HL maths till mid-term/Christmas &#55357;&#56833; very stressful week for me, so hopefully things will start to calm down and I can begin to enjoy it more!

An tUasal C · 08-09-2017 9:45pm

Soccarboy11 wrote: »

I was doing chemistry, but decided to change to economics and managed to do that. Had to get 4 different signatures for it so been chasing teachers all week!

Also managed to convince my.maths teacher to allow me to try HL maths till mid-term/Christmas �� very stressful week for me, so hopefully things will start to calm down and I can begin to enjoy it more!

I'm doing economics and I'm enjoying it so far.

Was meant to do chemistry. I'm sure you'll like it, seems interesting enough.

Soccarboy11 · 09-09-2017 11:58am

An tUasal C wrote: »

I'm doing economics and I'm enjoying it so far. Was meant to do chemistry. I'm sure you'll like it, seems interesting enough.

That's my hope! I usually like reading all about current affairs, brexit etc so I think it will be for me

shortgirl0 · 09-09-2017 12:03pm

Soccarboy11 wrote: »

That's my hope! I usually like reading all about current affairs, brexit etc so I think it will be for me

I'm doing Economics and I love it sooo much. like you I'm really into whats going on politically. Also really like my teacher. He teaches us using politically incorrect jokes but honestly you never forget anything he says cause of them.

Soccarboy11 · 09-09-2017 5:05pm

shortgirl0 wrote: »

I'm doing Economics and I love it sooo much. like you I'm really into whats going on politically. Also really like my teacher. He teaches us using politically incorrect jokes but honestly you never forget anything he says cause of them.

Great to hear

making me look forward to it even more! I was dreading chemistry so now I definitely think I made the right move

.

leaving14cert · 16-09-2017 3:57pm

Does anyone else feel 5th year isn't as daunting/impossible as people make it out to be?? Like I haven't been getting half as much homework as i've been expecting to get, ok sometimes i get maybe 2hours but i haven't gotten much more than 2.5 hours so far. I suppose we are only 2/3 weeks in. I'd say the biggest jump would have to be for HL irish, i just hate it

Maths isn't that bad either so far, it just takes a while to click and then after practicing questions it's fine. I don't really like English either, our teacher is giving us loads of essays & stuff already. Loving all my choice subjects so far though

jeonahr · 16-09-2017 8:03pm

leaving14cert wrote: »

Does anyone else feel 5th year isn't as daunting/impossible as people make it out to be?? Like I haven't been getting half as much homework as i've been expecting to get, ok sometimes i get maybe 2hours but i haven't gotten much more than 2.5 hours so far. I suppose we are only 2/3 weeks in. I'd say the biggest jump would have to be for HL irish, i just hate it Maths isn't that bad either so far, it just takes a while to click and then after practicing questions it's fine. I don't really like English either, our teacher is giving us loads of essays & stuff already. Loving all my choice subjects so far though

Honestly it's the same for me at the moment. Homework is quite easygoing at the moment and classes are really good. I enjoy the smaller classes in most subjects because it's more 1 on 1. Irish is a jump, but I think it's because of my teacher. Everything we do in Irish isn't really translated in class by the teacher so we end up having to do it ourselves at home. Other than that my other classes are fine.

faaezkhan01 · 16-09-2017 9:21pm

leaving14cert wrote: »

Does anyone else feel 5th year isn't as daunting/impossible as people make it out to be?? Like I haven't been getting half as much homework as i've been expecting to get, ok sometimes i get maybe 2hours but i haven't gotten much more than 2.5 hours so far. I suppose we are only 2/3 weeks in. I'd say the biggest jump would have to be for HL irish, i just hate it Maths isn't that bad either so far, it just takes a while to click and then after practicing questions it's fine. I don't really like English either, our teacher is giving us loads of essays & stuff already. Loving all my choice subjects so far though

Exactly sums up 5th year so far. I usually only get 30-45mins of hw each night and I have not found it a big jump from the JC so far. In fact I find it much easier than 3rd year.

leaving14cert · 16-09-2017 10:32pm

faaezkhan01 wrote: »

Exactly sums up 5th year so far. I usually only get 30-45mins of hw each night and I have not found it a big jump from the JC so far. In fact I find it much easier than 3rd year.

Definitely agree with the 3rd year bit!! I don't really mind the workload as at least it's in subjects i enjoy like economics, not boring old religion/history/geography lol. my friends in TY are always shocked when i say i prefer 5th year to 3rd year as they think 5th year will be the death of them ahaha

andymann · 17-09-2017 12:30am

This might not be in your headspace at this moment in time folks, but some small, continuous preparation for the Irish/second language oral could really make your lives easier.

Tips:
Look at TG4. They have some interesting programming - find a topic that you have even a remote interest in, and watch it every week.
Follow the subtitles - try to pick out the subtle differences in sentence structure between it and English.
Note down new vocabulary as you come across it in class. Look at this list when writing essays. This will make your aistí much more natural. You can probably imagine how sick to the death examiners are of seanfhocail.
When writing answers to questions for homework, think of sentences you would be writing if this was in English. Try to fill in the gaps of your vocabulary, and use them. Eventually you will acquire more and more useful and relevant phrases, and build your confidence.

This is an approach which will not work if you start in January of 6th year. The way languages are taught does not immediately suggest this course of action - if you stick to this, high marks are there for the taking in languages.

Any other questions feel free to PM. Got an A1 (H1 to ye guys) in Irish and French in 2014. My cousin didn't get what she wanted this year so your situation (opportunity) is fresh in my mind - hence my writing this. I would have appreciated someone to ask even perceived "stupid" questions to back in the day. I got 615 overall.

* LC 2018 / 19 Off-topic Thread *

Comments