Junior Cycle GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS - SPHE

1 GUIDELINESFORTEACHERSSOCIAL, PERSONAL & HEALTH EDUCATIONANROINNOIDEACHAISAGUSEOLA OCHTAJ unior Cycle aims rationale for SPHEPLANNING ANDCO-ORDINATINGANSPHE PROGRAMMEINSCHOOL sample programmes suggested programme outlinesMETHODOLOGIES FORSPHE strategies and examples the teacher and SPHETEACHING THEMODULES the learning environment ten modules includedASSESSMENT how to assess in SPHE assessment for learninghelpful hints,the SPHE classroom,and much GUIDELINESCONTENTS1 INTRODUCTION TO THE GUIDELINES 12 RATIONALE AND AIMS 33 PLANNING AND CO-ORDINATING A SOCIAL, PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMME74 METHODOLOGIES FOR SOCIAL, PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION215 TEACHING THE MODULES296 ASSESSMENT59 SOCIAL PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATIONSOCIAL PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATIONSOCIAL PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION1 Introduction to the guidelinesThe SPHE curriculum is an enabling curriculum its purpose is to offer a framework around which a school can build an SPHE programme at Junior Cycle .

2 The introduction to the SPHE curriculum sets out theaims of SPHE and the role of an SPHE programme in the education of adolescents and in the context of a second-level school. The curriculum framework itself is divided into ten modules, each of which is revisited ineach of the three years of Junior Cycle . Topics to becovered are listed, and the aims for each topic are set out. These draft GUIDELINES are designed to support TEACHERS in implementing the SPHE curriculum inthe classroom and in designing teaching and learning that will meet the overall aims of SPHEand the particular objectives associated with each topic. These GUIDELINES are issued in draft form.

3 It is envisaged that the experience of implementingSPHE in schools and classrooms over the period of its introduction can be integrated into theguidelines in their final PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATIONINTRODUCTION2 SOCIAL PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION3 Rationale and aims It is clear that the aims of Irish education arise out of a commitment to the holistic development of the person, a multi-dimensional vision of society and a recognition ofthe complexity and richness of the relationship between the individual and his/her local, national and global communities: to foster an understanding and critical appreciation of the values - moral, spiritual, religious, social and cultural - which have been distinctive in shaping Irishsociety and which have been traditionally accordedrespect in society to nurture a sense of personal identity, self-esteem andawareness of one s particular abilities, aptitudes andlimitations, combined with a respect for the rights andbeliefs of others to promote quality and equality for all, including thosewho are disadvantaged, through economic, social, physical and mental factors.

4 In the development of theirfull educational potential to develop intellectual skills combined with a spirit ofenquiry and the capacity to analyse issues critically andconstructively to develop expressive, creative and artistic abilities tothe individual s full capacity to foster a spirit of self-reliance, innovation, initiativeand imagination to promote physical and emotional health and well being to provide students with the necessary education andtraining to support the country s economic developmentand to enable them to make their contribution to societyin an effective way to create tolerant, caring and politically aware membersof society to ensure that Ireland s young people acquire a keenawareness of their national and European heritage andidentity, coupled with a global awareness and a respectand care for the environment.

5 (Charting our Education Future, )It follows that education in support of personal, social and health development will be a part of an educationprocess which seeks to fulfil this holistic aim. The holisticaim of education is complemented by a similarly holisticview of health. The tendency to understand health assimply the absence of illness and disease has been replacedby a multi-dimensional and more dynamic view. Physicalhealth is one element, but it cannot be considered inisolation from emotional, mental, spiritual, social, andsexual health. Emotional health involves the ability torecognise and express feelings. Mental health is associatedwith the ability to think and make judgements.

6 Spiritualhealth involves integration of many dimensions of life andthe ability to put moral and/or religious beliefs intopractise. Social health is concerned with integration into a web of relationships and sexual health is the acceptanceof and expression of sexuality. As a time of transition,adolescence makes great demands on health in all its aspects - aspects addressed throughout the SPHE , Personal and Health Education is not the onlyaspect of the curriculum which is health promoting. Other subject areas, the whole school climate, the qualityof teaching and learning and the quality of school andclassroom relationships also contribute to the health of theschool community.

7 However, Social, Personal and HealthEducation programme provides students with dedicatedtime and space to develop the skills and competencies tolearn about themselves and care for themselves and othersand to make informed decisions about their health, personallives and social PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATIONA RATIONALE FOR SPHEA more extended introduction to SPHE can be found in the SPHE curriculum4 SOCIAL PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION5 There is a growing recognition that the Social, Personal andHealth Education offered to our young people is asimportant as any other area of the curriculum. Indeed,personal and social development is a pre-requisite forsuccessful learning; a young person who has a high degreeof self worth, a sense of security and a positive self imagewill be more pre-disposed to school life and to the varietyof learning situations it from the Board of Management, from the widercommunity and in particular from parents, will benecessary for the successful implementation of a school sprogramme of SPHE.

8 With such support, students can be enabled to participate asactive and responsible adults in the personal and socialdimensions of society and to make responsible decisionswhich respect their own dignity and the dignity of AIMS OF SPHEB uilding on the aims of SPHE in the primary school, at post-primary level SPHE aims to enable the students to develop personal and social skills to promote self-esteem and self-confidence to enable the students to develop a framework for responsible decision making to provide opportunities for reflection and discussion to promote physical, mental and emotional health and well beingSOCIAL PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION6 SOCIAL PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION7 Planning and co-ordinating a social, personal and health education programmeSOCIAL PERSONAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION8 The outline which follows offersschools a flexible frameworkwithin which schools can plan for theSPHE programme most suitable forthe students and the school.

9 Aplanning process is essential to thesuccess of an SPHE programme inschool. Such a process allows forconsideration to be given to theneeds of the students, the availabilityof staff and resources and therelationship between an SPHE programme and the rest of the juniorcycle , planning should be led by amember of staff who is designated asthe SPHE co-ordinator. When suchdesignation is not possible, staffdeveloping and teaching SPHE willstill need to come together formeetings, planning and meetings can also serve as auseful support for planning and co-ordinationprocess should address the following:COHERENCEThe three-year programme shoulddraw the various modulestogether in a coherent way andshould ensure a balanced coverage ofthe themes and topics within themodules.

10 Modules may containtopics or aims, which are common toother modules in the three-yearprogramme. Such an overlap isessential to an integrated and holisticprogramme; topics and skills shouldbe revisited often under different headings and from a variety ofperspectives within a spiral anddevelopmental programme. Planning can help to avoidomissions, which can result from ahit-and miss approach, and induplication which is confusing forstudents. A coherent programme canalso ensure that SPHE is not basedon once off treatment of issues asproblems or crises is important that the developmentof the programme also includesteachers of other subjects, especiallyteachers of Religious Education,Civic, Social and Political Education,Home Economics and Science wheresimilar topics are covered.