Christmas Exams and Trip Out:)

On the 18th of December our school began our annual Christmas Exams. This year Transition Years had 5 exams. This was a nice change as usually we have many more exams. I was tested in English, Irish, Maths, French and Religion. We only had two days of exams, but we had to go in on Thursday as all T.Y.'s had a Christmas party and then headed bowling. I really enjoyed our party as all T.Y.'s were together. I found the bowling great fun as we were able to bound with girls in our year. I bowled with Lisa, Shauna, Eve, Sarah, Kate and Liz. Unfortunately I lost from our lane but I had a great time. We then all went to White Water Shopping Centre in Newbridge for lunch and shopping. When we returned to the school we were officially on our Christmas Holidays! :)

Ballet Trip :)

Today all Transition Years headed to Dun Laoghaire to see a ballet performance. There were two different sections of the ballet which were The Nutcracker and A Christmas Tale. I really enjoyed watching all of the brilliant dancers. There were two girls from our school who danced in this excellent production.
It was very interesting to watch a show where their were no words and the story was told threw dance. I really enjoyed our trip today and found the ballet excellent!


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Workshops :)

This week we did not have our Work Experience and therefor we had three different Workshops in relation to three different charities. My day started off with a talk from Niamh from 'Tócaire'. I found this very interesting as we looked at Millennium Development Goals. This was good as we had been learning about M.D.G.'s in our Religion classes and this gave us an opportunity to look at them from a different angle. We looked at how the 8 goals were connected together. We also choose in order of importance what goals went where. I found this talk very beneficial as we found out what type of work Trócaire do and what countries they help. 

source     trócaire website

After break, we moved to a different talk on 'Concern'. Liam gave us this very interesting Workshop. In this Workshop we learnt about the importance of speaking our opinions and knowing why you have that opinion. We did many little debates within our groups on silly topics. I really enjoyed this talk as it taught me the importance of having an opinion as we are the future.

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After lunch, we headed to a talk from 'Self Help Africa' given by Patsy. During this talk we learnt that donating money to charity is not the solution to the poverty of our world. What we have to do to improve the lives of others is to buy fair trade products. When we do not buy fair trade products people in the Third World suffer as they do not get the correct payment as they would  if we bought fair trade products. Even though fair trade products are more expensive they are better for the people in our world. If we want people to have a nice life like us we need to be aware of how we can make a difference to them. I really enjoyed this Workshop as it gave me an eye opener as to how to make a difference to other peoples lives for the better.

 source  self Africa website

Debating :)

This week I had my second Irish debate with Ciara and Orla. This time our motion was 'The gathering 2013 is a scam'. Our team were against the motion which was a difficult argument. The debate took place in Newbridge. We were all very nervous on the way to the debate , but we had an opportunity to practice in the car. When we arrived at the debate we sat down at our table and waited for the other teams to arrive. The other schools were excellent and had very strong arguments. After hearing all of the schools the adjudicators left the room to choose the two winners. Unfortunately we did not win our debate, but we all had great fun and found it a very beneficial experience. I would like to thank Ms B. for all of her help and we greatly appreciate all that she did to help us :).

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Junk Kouture :)

This week, all TY's had our fashion show for Junk Kouture. I was the model for my group which included Kate and Aisling. The theme of our dress is a Tea Pot. The top of our dress is bodess made out of chicken wire and paper machete, and covered with pink tea bags. Along the rim of the bodess we covered it with normal tea bags. We made an arm which looks like the spout of the tea pot. This is covered with pink tea bags. We made a tea cup that sits on a saucer, to hold in my hand. This is covered with plain tea bags. For the skirt we shaped in as a tea pot. It is covered in blue, pink and purple tea bags. We have a hat which acts as the lid of a tea pot, it is covered in blue tea bags. Our shoes are covered in blue tea bags.

I really enjoyed seeing all of the girls beautiful creations and I had a great fun modelling our dress. It was great to have people see our dress after all of our hard work. I really enjoyed the experience I gained from making this outfit from beginning to end.

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Last Day Of Work Experience

I had my last day of  Work Experience this week in a local Primary School. I am very sad that it is over but I had a great time and learnt a lot from all of the teachers. I loved my first Work Experience Placement as all of the teachers and students were very helpful and friendly. I was in with a very nice class for my last day, which was 2nd class. I had been in this class for a full day before and I was familiar with the students. I had a very nice last day I was interacting with the children through their lessons.

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I am very sad to say that I am finishing in my first Work Experience Placement, but I am looking forward to starting my second Work Experience Placement in a Veteran Clinic.

Mo Thaithí Oibre :)

Roghnaíonn líon áirthe daltaí in Éirinn tabhairt faoin idirbhliain ar go leor cúiseanna éagsúla. Creideann roinnt daltaí gur deis í an bhliain seo éalú ó chóras na scrudaithe agus úsáid a bhaint as tallain atá acu a chuirtear faoi chois go minic toisc brú ó scrúdaithe stáit.                           source

Toisc go mbíonn béim mhór ar thionscaniamh san idirbhlian forbraítear scileanna sóisialta agus idirphearsana agus is cinnte gur scileanna fíorthábhactacha iad sin.

Bíonn deis ag daltaí freisin táithí oibre a dhéanamh agus is mór an buntáiste seo do chuid mhaith scolaírí.Faoi láthair táim ag obair i Scoil Mochua i gCill Droichid. Bím ag obair i ranganna difriúala gach seachtain. Bím ag cabhrach leis páistaí a n-obair a dheanamh. Bím ag obair in éineacht le Lauren. Tosaíom ag a naoi chloig agus críochnaím an lá ag a fiche chun a trí. Is aoibhinn liom mo thaithí oibre agus táim ag baint an taitnimh as.

                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  source

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Mini-Company Trip :)

This Friday all Transition Years departed the school and headed to Newbridge for our Mini-Company Trip. This trip was very beneficial for all mini-company groups as Orla was able to make suggestions to individual groups to improve their businesses. We were in the cinema for our talk with another school from Kildare. We were able to hear some of the other mini-companies from our school and the other school. Orla gave us very important information to help us succeed with our companies. I am in a group with Liz, Lisa, Eve, Sarah, Kate, Shauna, Ciara, Orla and Kelsey. Our idea is a step by step hairstyle book, which is called 'Hair Couture'. I really like my group as we all get on very well and are good friends. I am enjoying taking the pictures for our book and making posters to advertise our company. I am really enjoying the experience that I am gaining from our mini-company.

I.T. Class :)

Today I learnt how to embed a video onto my TY Blog in I.T. class. This is a video of The Script with their song 'The Hall of Fame'.


 

The Simon Community :)

On Thursday, Ms O'S. gave us a talk on The Simon Community. She told us about how she became involved with the organisation. It was very interesting to listen to how she helped the people through art. She told us that we could get involved through other means than just soup kitchens. I really liked the pictures that she helped them paint. The building which they are displayed on in Cork looks very colourful and full of life. I found our talk very beneficial as I learned how something small that I would be able to offer, would be of great benefit to the people and the community.



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Irish Debating :D

Today, Ciara, Orla and myself headed to a school in Bray, where our Irish debating competition was being held. Our motion was 'Senators and TD's should be able to choose the clothes that they wear in the Dáil', our team was for the motion. The captain of our team is Ciara, I am our second speaker and Orla is our third and final speaker. We had a great opportunity to practice our debate on numerous occasions throughout the day, thanks to Ms B. It was great having this opportunity to practice as it was of great benefit to us in our debate.
We arrived at our destination for our debate and went to practice our motion before the debate officially began. We ran through everything and were feeling confident, when a teacher from the hosting school came to retrieve us to bring us to the main hall where the debate was being held. Ms B. was there which was great as we had an opportunity to ask her any questions before the debate began. There were four groups including us, each with three representatives, from schools in Dublin and Wicklow and Kildare.
We were the third school up and our points very strong. Each of us felt both very nervous and excited when we were about to step up to the podium. All of the students who debated had excellent arguments and put a lot of time and effort into their debates.
In the end it was announced that two teams won, and to our delight we were one of those teams. Myself and my team mates were absolutely delighted with our hard work. We are very happy to be able to say that we are progressing onto the next round and we would like to thank Ms B. for all of her hard work and we greatly appreciate it!

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Mini-Company Trip :)

Today all TY's embarked on a journey to Odeon cinema in Naas for our Mini-Company workshop. When we arrived we went into the cinema theatre. There were three other schools at the workshop and we were all seated according to our schools. We were waiting for along time for the woman to come to begin the workshop. A teacher came into the theatre and informed us that unfortunately the woman was taken to hospital this morning and therefor the workshop was cancelled. On a good note we were told that we would now be able to watch the new James Bond film 'Skyfall'. Everyone who was at the cinema became very excited with this news.
After watching the action packed film, we left the theatre all discussing with each other how much we enjoyed it. When we got into the foyer of the cinema we were all given a goody bag filled with popcorn, jelly's, 7up and a Madagascar drink beaker. Everyone was shocked and delighted when this was presented to us. The trip back to the school was full of chat about the film and of how nice it was to be given the lovely goody bags. We had an amazing trip to Odeon Cinema in Naas and I really enjoyed my time there :)

Dress Up Day :D

On Friday the 26th of October we had our annual Halloween dress up day. This year the themes were Witches for First Years, Pirates for Second Years, Super Heroes for Third Years, Zombies for Transition Years, Scary Clowns for Fifth Years and Harry Potter for Sixth Years. 
This year my friend Eve, did my make up to make me look like a scary zombie. My class had our pictures taken for our Halloween dress up day. Everyone had to vote for two people from my class to represent Class Cinealtas in our Halloween parade. Emma and Rachel were chosen as we thought that they had the best costumes. At lunch time the parade was held in the hall where all the class representatives from each year group had to walk in front of the judges and they decided what class won from each year group. Unfortunately this year my class did not win, but we all had a great day participating in our annual Halloween dress-up day and I am really looking forward to next years Halloween :)

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Junk Kouture :)

This year everyone in Transition Year has to make an outfit from recyclable objects. I am in a group with Kate and Aisling, and we are doing a Tea Party theme, I am modelling our creation. The top of our dress is a bodess made with chicken wire and covered with paper machete. We placed used tea bags over the paper machete. The tea bags are brown in colour.
For the bottom part of our outfit we did a skirt in the shape of a tea pot. We shaped the chicken wire into a tea pot and paper macheted the skirt. We then covered the skirt in painted used tea bags. I painted my tea bags pink, Kate painted her tea bags purple, and Aisling painted her tea bags blue. We are putting these tea bags onto the skirt.
We are doing a handle of the tea pot, which my arm will go into. This is covered in pink tea bags. We also have a hat, which acts as the lid of a tea pot. This is covered in blue tea bags. For our shoes we are covering them in purple tea bags.
I am really enjoying making an outfit that I will be able to wear and say that I had a hand in making it.


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Fun Walk and Work Experience :D

This week we were busy preparing for our Fun Walk performance. My class group were good and bad bees, but during our piece we all became friends. We put a lot of effort into our Transition Year Fun Walk Performance.
This week I also had my second week of Work Experience in a local primary school. I was in with Second Class for the day which I really enjoyed :). I helped the children with their very sticky and messy art lesson. I really enjoyed my time with Second Class and I am really looking forward to my third week of Work Experience :D.

Start of Work Life :)

This week we started our first block of work experience, which will be for 10 weeks, which takes us up to beginning of December . I thoroughly enjoyed my day in a local primary school. I got a chance to experience the work involved when you are a teacher. I really enjoyed my day there as I am considering a career in teaching and it gave me a taste of what teaching would be like.  As we started work experience this week, we did not have any workshops in school  like we have had in previous weeks. While the week started off quietly and uneventful it certainly improved by the middle of the week, with my first exposure to life at work. I am really looking forward to my second week of work experience as I enjoyed my first one so much :).

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The Carlingford Adventure :)

As a year group, we went to Carlingford Adventure Center as part of our Transition Year program to bond as a year. I really enjoyed this as I had a chance to make many new friends as there was forty one girls in my group. I shared a room with seven other girls and I really enjoyed this as we stayed up late talking and getting to know each other better. I found the trip very beneficial as I feel as though I have made very good friends :). I really enjoyed all of the different team activities that we got to do in Carlingford.
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After one long day of thrilling activities most of the girls decided to go and get a take away. After eating our delicious dinner we all got into our pyjamas and gathered together to talk about our day. When we went to bed, the girls in my room and myself stayed up talking about our Transition Year experience thus far and ate many of the sweets that we had brought with us.
We woke up very early to have our breakfast and start back into our hectic schedule of tiring activities. I really enjoyed our second day because we were doing team building activities that were really enjoyable and worthwhile. We then did an exciting game of lazer tag which was great fun. We were hidden away in a forest playing many different games with our lazer guns.
It was a very quite journey back on the bus as everyone was absolutely exhausted and in pain from all of the activities we participated in. When I returned home I wished that we could have stayed for just one more day as I enjoyed it so much. I look forward to returning to Carlingford Adventure Center in the very near future.
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The Start of Transition Year

I started Transition Year two weeks ago and I am already having a great time :). We had a workshop preparing us for work experience and I found it very useful as I think it will help me when I start my work experience. I am enjoying all of the classes that we are doing as it is nice to try different subjects that I did not do for my Junior Certificate.
I am really enjoying making new friends with girls that I did not know very well last year. I am looking forward to getting to know the girls in my year even better. I am sure that the friends that I make this year, will become friends for life.
I am really enjoying all of the different projects that I am getting the chance to do. I find them very beneficial, as I am learning and also improving many skills that I'm sure will be of some benefit to me later in life.

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