Introducing the Classics Specification
JCT Cluster 2018-2019
“The past is not a foreign country ...the Greco-Roman world is a source of vibrant ideas for the present”
Session One: Exploring the Specification
Timeline of CPD
Today
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Break
Experiencing the Classics Specification
Lunch
Using the Specification to plan for teaching, learning and assessment.
9:15 -11:00
11:00-11:15
11:15-13:00
13:00 -14:00
14:00 -15:45
Timeline for today’s Workshop
Exploring the Classics Specification
Learning Intention
To gain an understanding of the aims and rationale of the Classics specification
“Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too.”
Marcus Aurelius
Hopes and Challenges Wall
Stick your Post Its on the relevant flip chart sheet
What do you hope your students will have achieved by the end of 3 years studying Classics
What challenges do you perceive in achieving these aims?
In your learning log you will find a copy of the Rationale and the Aims from the specification, take a moment on your own to read through these.
Aims and Rationale
What are the key messages for you?
How do these key messages support your hopes for your students?
Pg.4-5
Aims and Rationale
“as a subject it nourishes and develops the imaginative and creative side in students as well as stimulating empathy and self reflection”
‘’…provides us with a portal through which we can investigate, experience and reflect on the challenges and innovations, the ideas and ambitions of these seminal civilisations, without which our world would not be as it is today.’’
“The past is not a foreign country ...the Greco-Roman world is a source of vibrant ideas for the present”
Mary Beard , 2013
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
The Junior Cycle Framework
Classics
Statements of Learning
SOL 2: The student listens, speaks, reads and writes in L2 and one other language at a level of proficiency that is appropriate to his or her ability.
SOL 3: The student creates, appreciates and critically interprets a wide range of texts.
SOL 5: The student has an awareness of personal values and an understanding of the process of moral decision making
SOL 6: The student appreciates and respects how diverse values, beliefs and traditions have contributed to the communities and culture in which he/she lives
SOL 8: The student values local, national and international heritage, understands the importance of the relationship between the past and current events and the forces that drive change.
SOL 16: The student describes, illustrates, interprets, predicts and explains patterns and relationships.
SOL 23: The student brings an idea from conception to realisation.
Pg.6
Key Skills
‘…they will be brought to life through the learning experiences encountered by students…’
Framework for Junior Cycle 2015, p.15
Key Skills
KEY SKILL
ELEMENT
Pg.8-9
Classics in the curriculum
Learning Outcomes in the Classics Specification
Key skills
Key principles
Statements of learning
‘These principles, statements and skills will also inform the development of, and be given expression through, the learning outcomes in subject and short course specifications…’
Framework for Junior Cycle 2015, p.10
Student Centred Learning
Framework for Junior Cycle , p.4
“Junior cycle education places students at the centre of the educational experience, enabling them to actively participate in their communities and in society, and to be resourceful and confident learners in all aspects and stages of their lives.”
“The past is not a foreign country ...the Greco-Roman world is a source of vibrant ideas for the present”
Mary Beard , 2013
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
What might student centered learning look like in the Junior Cycle Classics classroom ?
Pg.9
CBA 1
Based on Myth and Storytelling (Strand 1)
CBA2
Based on Strand 2 or 3
Assessment Task based on CBA2
SEC written exam
September 2019
2021/22
2021/22
June 2022
The student’s learning journey
Classroom roll out for 1st years
2020/21
Learning Intention
To appreciate the structure of the Classics specification
“Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too.”
Marcus Aurelius
Myth
and
Daily Life
World of Achilles
and
Rome, Centre of an Empire
Latin
or
Ancient Greek
Strand 1:
Core Component
(100hr)
Strand 2:
Classical Studies Component
(100hr)
Strand 3:
Classical Language Component
(100hr)
Exploring structures, patterns, values and ideas
Reading narratives and exploring representations
OR
How schools can access Classics
Classics
Classics
Strand 2
The World of Achilles
Rome Capital of an Empire
Strand 3
Latin
Or
Greek
Strand 3
Latin
Or
Greek
Strand 2
The World of Achilles
Rome Centre of an Empire
Strand 1
Myth and Daily Life
Strand 2
The World of Achilles
Rome Centre of an Empire
Strand 1
Myth and Daily Life
Strand 3
Latin
Or
Greek
Short Course
Strand 1
Myth and Daily Life
Classics
Exploring the Strands
STRAND 1
STRAND 2
STRAND 3
MYTH
Students explore the culture and ideologies of civilisations through the lens of mythology
DAILY LIFE
Through looking at the daily routines and rituals of the everyday Greeks and Romans students gain an insight into their communities and context of their mythology.
WORLD OF ACHILLES
Students explore public life in the ancient world by looking at the social dynamics of Greek epic through the lens of Homer’s Iliad.
ROME CENTRE OF AN EMPIRE
Students explore history, politics and public life through the lens of Rome’s grand and complex urban landscape.
CLASSICAL LANGUAGE
Students learn either Latin or Ancient Greek, and through it gain access to the literature, thought and history of a civilisation at the roots of western culture. They learn to read, analyse and appreciate Latin or Ancient Greek texts, focusing on both the literary sphere of myth and the historical reality of daily life.
Pg.11-13
MYTH
DAILY LIFE
CLASSICAL LANGUAGES
CLASSICAL STUDIES
‘’This specification aims to maintain a balance between the depth and breadth of the study of the subject. This affords a certain amount of flexibility and freedom for teachers to facilitate learning in a way that reflects students’ own choices, their curiosity and their creative spirit.’’
Classics Specification, pg. 17
Exploring structures, patterns, values and ideas
Reading narratives and exploring representations
Exploring the Elements in the Specification
In your group take a moment to explore the elements that run across all strands of the specification.
Exploring structures, patterns, values and ideas
Reading narratives and exploring representations
Consider how these elements could be brought to life in your classroom across the three years.
Pg.14-15
Exploring the Learning Outcomes
Read the learning outcomes assigned to your group and create a representation the key learning.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
MYTH
10 LOs
DAILY LIFE
10 LOs
CLASSICAL LANGUAGES
18 LOs
CLASSICAL STUDIES
20 LOs
Pg.16
Reflection
- Can you see the opportunities the new course presents?
What do you hope your students will have achieved by the end of 3 years studying Classics
What are your fears in achieving these aims?
Pg.16
Learning Intention
To gain an understanding of the aims and rationale of the Classics specification
To appreciate the structure of the Classics specification
“Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too.”
Marcus Aurelius
Coffee Break
Session Two: Experiencing the Specification
Learning Intention
Consider the steps involved in planning a learning experience.
“Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too.”
Marcus Aurelius
Break
Experiencing the Classics Specification
Lunch
Using the Specification to plan for teaching, learning and assessment.
9:15 -11:00
11:00-11:15
11:15-13:00
13:00 -14:00
14:00 -15:45
Timeline for today’s Workshop
Exploring the Classics Specification
What are learning outcomes?
Learning outcomes are written in terms of learners and their development rather than in terms of what is to be taught.
Biesta and Priestley 2013
Learning Outcomes describe what knowledge, understanding, skills and values students should be able to demonstrate having completed the specification
Working with Learning Outcomes
MYTH
10 LOs
DAILY LIFE
10 LOs
CLASSICAL LANGUAGES
18 LOs
CLASSICAL STUDIES
20 LOs
Learning Outcomes
“As set out here they represent outcomes for students at the end of their three years of study. The specification stresses that the learning outcomes are for three years and therefore the learning outcomes focused on at a point in time will not have been ‘completed’ but will continue to support the students’ learning in classics up to the end of junior cycle.”
Classics Specification, p15
Learning Outcomes
“The students’ engagement and learning are optimised by a fully integrated experience across Strand 1 and the other chosen strand (Strand 2 or 3).”
Classics Specification, Pg.15
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Learning Intentions
What is happening in your pictures? Write a suitable caption for each image.
The Hero’s Journey
Around the room you will see headings related to the Hero’s journey.
Can you match your picture to any of the headings?
Pg.17
Can you identify the myth being told?
Can you map the images onto the same headings relating to the Hero’s journey?
Can you see any elements of the Hero’s Journey in the Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur?
Explore which of the motifs is most evident in this retelling.
What themes or motifs link the narratives we have explored?
Unit of Learning
LEARNING OUTCOMES
What is the focus for this unit of learning?
Learning Outcomes
LO 3.4: Discuss original literary texts with their classmates (Metamorphoses – Latin , Odyssey – Greek)
Suggestions for grouping Learning Outcomes
Unit of Learning
Key Learning
Ongoing Assessment
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Action Verbs
What is the focus for this unit of learning?
What might this learning look like?
What is learning for this moment in the learning journey?
How will you know they have learned it?
Action Verbs
Action Verbs
Key Learning and ongoing assessment opportunities
Key Learning
Ongoing Assessment
Unit of Learning
Key Learning
Ongoing Assessment
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learning Experiences
Action Verbs
Reflection
What is the focus for this unit of learning?
What might this learning look like?
What is learning for this moment in the learning journey?
What went well? What could be improved next time?
How will you facilitate it in the classroom ?
How will you know they have learned it?
Reflection
Pg.10
Learning Intention
Consider the steps involved in planning a learning experience.
“Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too.”
Marcus Aurelius
Lunch
Session Three: Using the Specification to plan for teaching, learning and assessment.
Break
Experiencing the Classics Specification
Lunch
Using the Specification to plan for teaching, learning and assessment.
9:15 -11:00
11:00-11:15
11:15-13:00
13:00 -14:00
14:00 -15:45
Timeline for today’s Workshop
Exploring the Classics Specification
Learning Intention
Explore ongoing assessment in the specification and collaboratively plan for student learning.
“Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too.”
Marcus Aurelius
CBA 1
CBA2
September 2019
2021/22
2021/22
June 2022
The student learning journey
2020/21
In this Classroom-Based Assessment, students develop their own storytelling abilities by applying the techniques of storytelling to create their own myth, prepare storytelling guides, adapt an existing myth or perform a myth for an audience
Students will compile a record of their imagined visit to a public building in the city of Rome. This building should be one that was not studied as part of Strand 2.
Over the three years of junior cycle, each student will develop a language portfolio. The student language portfolio focuses on the process of learning the classical language and places the learner at the centre of the teaching, learning and assessment.
MYTH AND DAILY LIFE
CLASSICAL STUDIES
CLASSICAL LANGUAGE
What is a Portfolio ?
Portfolios are student owned dynamic workspaces wherein students can capture their learning and their ideas, access collections of work, reflect on their learning, share it, set goals, seek feedback, and showcase their learning achievements
Adapted from Eufolio.eu
How do portfolios support student learning?
Pg.20
A song or mnemonic to help remember verb endings or case meanings.
Word families to help with recognising Latin vocabulary and/or English etymology.
Articles in English that are analysed to identify words with Greek/Latin roots.
A dialogue in the classical language.
A commentary on the language of an authentic piece of literature studied in the classical language.
A composition in a text-type with which the ancient languages are commonly associated (e.g. a family motto, a piece of graffiti or grave inscription).
A comic strip on a chosen topic.
Pg.21
Planning a unit of learning
Pg. 22-24
Unit of Learning
Key Learning
Ongoing Assessment
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learning Experiences
Action Verbs
Reflection
What is the definition of the action verb? What exactly is the verb asking students to do?
Consider the age, stage, and prior knowledge of the group you are planning for – what are they key things they should know/understand by the end of this unit?
What kinds of things could you do in your classroom to facilitate your key learning and assessment opportunities?
Why have you selected these learning outcomes? Is there a link to other outcomes across the specification?
Consider your action verbs and key learning, how will you know students have achieved this learning?
Consider the age, stage, and prior knowledge of the group you are planning for. What are they key things they should know/understand by the end of this unit?
Collaborative Planning
“Most importantly, the focus on teacher student feedback and professional collaboration envisaged between teachers has huge potential to enrich both the quality of students’ learning and teachers’ own professional engagement.”
Framework for Junior Cycle, p. 4
Reflection
Pg. 25
Process not Perfection….
Additional Information
Curriculumonline.ie