Social, Personal and Health Education
Policy
Mission Statement
“The school seeks to create a caring environment, in which Christian values permeate all aspects of school life and, in which, the school community find fulfilment.”
Gaelcholáiste Mhuire (A.G.) An Mhainistir Thuaidh is a Catholic Co-educational Secondary School under the trusteeship of ERST where pupils are taught through the medium of Irish.
The school supports the principle of inclusiveness and endeavours to base its teaching on the example of the gospels and on the principles and Christian example of Blessed Éamonn Rís, the founder of the Christian Brothers.
The five characteristics of an Edmund Rice school underpin the operation of Gaelcholáiste Mhuire(A.G.), namely:
- Nurturing faith, Christian spirituality and Gospel-based values,
- Promoting partnership,
- Excellence in teaching and learning,
- Creating a caring school community,
- Inspiring transformational leadership.
We understand that education in support of personal social and health development will be a part of an education process which seeks to fulfil the overall holistic aim of the school. The holistic aim of education is complemented by a similarly holistic view of health. The tendency to understand health as simply the absence of illness and disease has been replaced by a multi-dimensional and more dynamic view. Physical health is only one element and cannot be considered in isolation from emotional, mental, spiritual, social and sexual health. The emotional health of our students involves their ability to recognise and express their feelings. Their mental health is associated with their ability to think and make judgements. Their spiritual health involves integration of many dimensions of life and the ability to put morals into practice. Social health for our students is concerned with their integration into a web of relationships and sexual health is their acceptance of and expression of their sexuality. This overall development is a pre-requisite for successful learning – a young student of ours who has a high degree of self-worth, a sense of security, and a positive self-image will be more predisposed to school life and to the variety of learning situations we offer.
Programmes and Levels
SPHE is a mandatory subject for the Junior Certificate Programme.
Subject Aims:
Building on the aims of SPHE in the primary school at post-primary level SPHE aims:
- to enable students to develop personal, social and emotional skills;
- to promote self-esteem and self-confidence;
- to enable 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-being;
- to foster a spirit of self-reliance, innovation, initiative and imagination;
- to enable students to make their contribution to society in an effective way;
- to create tolerant and caring members of society.
Subject Objectives:
The objectives of SPHE are that:
- students will have experience of group-work / group discussion;
- students will have experience of having their voice heard;
- students will have experience of research activities;
- students will have experience of action activities;
- students will acquire basic knowledge and understanding of the development of the person as a human being;
- students will know their rights and responsibilities as human beings;
- students will have an understanding of personal development at all levels that affect them.
- Students will develop life skills to effectively cope with challenging and/or anxiety provoking situations
Time Allocation:
- SPHE is allocated one class period per week in all Junior Cycle classes
Options Structure:
- SPHE is a mandatory school subject at Junior Cycle
- All students take SPHE to Junior Certificate. It is not an examination subject at present
Grouping of Pupils:
- First Year, Second Year and Third Year classes are mixed ability groups.
Class Organisation:
Junior Cycle classes generally contain twenty five to thirty individual students. The seating plan is pre-set by the class teacher. Roll calls are taken at the beginning of the day for school records and each subject teacher takes a roll of his / her class for his / her own record.
Team-teaching:
- This school year in conjunction with the Principle we rolled out team-teaching in all First and Second year classes.
- Team teaching involves a group of two or more teachers working together to plan, conduct and evaluate the learning activities for the same group of learners.
- The team-teaching approach allows for more interaction between teachers and students.
- Classroom organisation: It is the responsibility of the teachers to do the following:
- Do we need to organize the room in a particular way?
- Remind children of the rules
- Training the children
- Explain the objectives for the session: learning and behavioural
- Introduce the lesson
- Teachers may use a variety of co-teaching models:
Textbooks and Course Materials:
| Year | Textbooks | Course Materials |
| 1st | Grow Up
by Stephanie Mangan
Minding Me 1: My Well Being by Fiona Chambers, Anita Stackpoole & Anne Jones |
Handouts from Grow up
Healthy Living – first year book by Brian McAnley
Handouts from Minding Me |
| 2nd | Grow Up
by Stephanie Mangan
My Friends Youth: Skills for Life by Dr. Paula Barrett.
Minding Me 2: Fiona Chambers, Anita Stackpoole & Anne Jones |
Handouts from Grow up
Healthy Choices – by Brian McAnley My Own Two Feet
Handouts from My Friends Youth
Handouts from Minding Me |
| 3rd
|
Grow Up
by Stephanie Mangan (used by teacher)
My Friends Youth: Skills for Life by Dr. Paula Barrett.
Minding Me 3: Fiona Chambers, Anita Stackpoole & Anne Jones |
Handouts from Grow up
Healthy Choices – by Brian McAnley My Own Two Feet
Handouts from My Friends Youth
Handouts from Minding Me
|
My Friends Youth Programme:
The My Friends Youth Programme is a 20 week programme and will be covered by all 2nd Year Students with top up classes for 3rd Year students.
‘My Friends Youth’ is a school-based positive mental health programme that promotes emotional resilience and reduces anxiety in children and adolescents.
The Programme aims to help students become confident, lifelong learners and supports the key competencies of the Irish Curriculum. It is designed for students aged between 12 and 15 years. The programme was developed by Dr Paula Barrett, the founding director of Australia’s Pathways Health and Research Centre.
Common mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, often appear first during adolescence and can have a serious effect on students’ behavior, learning, and achievement. All students need to develop strategies to prevent the escalation of anxiety, which, if left untreated, can lead to depression.
The programme aims to promote Emotional Wellbeing by teaching students how to Self-Regulate (You are the boss of your own feelings) and to Self-Sooth (Helping yourself feel better) and to normalise emotions.
My FRIENDS Youth is based on extensive research into the treatment and prevention of anxiety and depression and has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation. It has been shown to help build students’ resilience – their ability to overcome anxiety and to cope with difficult and challenging situations.
The Friends acronym stands for:
Feelings
Remember to Relax
Inner Helpful Thoughts
Exploring Solutions and Step Plans
Now Reward Yourself
Do it Everyday
Stay Strong Inside
What is involved?
My FRIENDS youth is run by teachers within each school as part of the SPHE programme. It consists of 10 sessions, some of which are run over more than one lesson. Usually two classes per session.
- Introduction – understanding what the My FRIENDS programme is about
- Feelings – being aware of your own and others’ feelings
- Friendship and confidence
- Relaxation and mindfulness – being aware of yourself, others, and your environment
- Inner thoughts – turning unhelpful thoughts into helpful ones
- Using “self-talk” to challenge unhelpful thoughts
- Exploring solutions – working out a “coping step plan”
- Problem-solving – a five-step plan
- Handling conflict. Now reward yourself!
- Applying what you’ve learnt. Do it every day. Stay strong!
It will be broken up as follows:
| Year | Content |
| Second Year | 1.Introduction – understanding what the My FRIENDS programme is about
2.Feelings – being aware of your own and others’ feelings 3.Friendship and confidence 4.Relaxation and mindfulness – being aware of yourself, others, and your environment 5.Inner thoughts – turning unhelpful thoughts into helpful ones 6.Using “self-talk” to challenge unhelpful thoughts 7.Exploring solutions – working out a “coping step plan” 8.Problem-solving – a five-step plan 9.Handling conflict. Now reward yourself! 10.Applying what you’ve learnt. Do it every day. Stay strong!
|
| Third Year:
|
There are Two Booster Sessions available in the programme.
These will be covered in the latter part of Third year which will be very helpful to students coming up to their Junior Certificate Examinations |
Planning for Students with Special Needs:
All teachers have access to information on students with special needs in their classes. Further information or explanation will be provided if needed by the Learning Support teachers. The methodologies in SPHE are more supportive of students with special needs than many other academic subjects.
Cross-Curricular Planning:
SPHE is a subject where there are many cross-curricular elements. In particular it links with subjects such as Religion and CSPE. It is important that the development of the programme also includes teachers of the subjects above. In this way unnecessary repetition is avoided and best use can be made of SPHE time. Teachers of the subjects listed above are given a copy of the curriculum content of each of the three years.
The SPHE Department will have monthly themes that will be put up on the staff notice board. Subject teachers would bring in an aspect of this theme into their classes. Themes that will be covered are Bullying, Friendship, Emotions, and Relationships etc.
Subject Planning for a Culturally Diverse Society:
The emphasis in this subject is on promoting active self-awareness also promoting health education and personal development. It also fosters an understanding and critical appreciation of the values – moral, spiritual, religious, social and cultural which have been distinctive in shaping Irish society.
It promotes quality and equality for all including those who are disadvantaged through economic, social, physical and mental factors. In the development of their full educational potential, group based classroom assignments and discussions promote the inclusion of students into the school. Teachers will take the diverse cultural backgrounds of students into consideration before dealing with potentially sensitive issues in class.
Raising Awareness:
Gaelcholáiste Mhuire A.G. plays a vital role in the promotion of positive mental health throughout our school community. We will raise awareness by celebrating calendar events such as:
- Mental Health Week
- World Suicide Prevention Day
- Stand Up! LGBT Awareness Week
There will be events organised in the school during these days/weeks.
Effective Teaching Methodologies:
The Department of Education and Science emphasise the need for active learning methodologies in SPHE. As such the following methodologies are particularly appropriate for SPHE: class discussion, group-work, debate, role-play, drama and visits from outside professionals.
Range / Variety of Resources:
Use is made of textbooks and resource materials mentioned earlier. Material is also obtained from newspapers and magazines. Guest speakers are invited to do presentations to classes on certain topics.
Curriculum Content
This education programme provides students with dedicated time and space to develop the skills and competencies to learn about themselves and care for themselves and others and to make informed decisions about their health, personal lives and social development.
Not every topic would take a whole class period, while other topics may require a number of class periods.
The My Friends Youth Programme will also be covered throughout the year.
Year 1
- Starting Secondary School – Coping with Change
- Making Friends
- Getting to Know your New School
- Homework and Managing your Time
- Communication – learning to listen and express yourself
- Friendship
- Personal Hygiene
- Healthy Eating
- Time to Relax
- Peer Pressure – Bullying
- Respect and Self Esteem
- Personal Safety
- Emotional Health- Recognising Feelings and Emotions, Coping and Problem Solving
- Influences and Decisions
- Relationship and Sexuality Education: Puberty, The Reproductive System, Sexual Orientation
- Substance Use: Drugs, Tobacco, Alcohol.
- Metal Health
Year 2:
- My Friends Youth Programme
- Motivation and Goals
- Study Skills
- Criticism and Compliments
- Bullying
- Nutrition and Exercise
- Body Image
- Relationships with Parents
- Mental Health
- Influences and Decisions
- Medicine and Drugs
- Alcohol
- Pregnancy and Birth
Year 3
- Who am I
- Love or Lust
- Conflict in Relationships
- Exam Focus
- Visiting the Doctor
- Preventing Disease
- Depression
- Drug Abuse
- Teenage Pregnancy
- Teenage Parenting
- HIV and AIDS
- Grief
- Child Abuse
- Suicide
- Mindfulness
- Coping With Exams
- Stress Management
- Feeling & Moods
- My Friends Youth Programme Booster Sessions.
Curriculum Content Breakdown:
OSPS: An Teasats Sóisearach
| Bliain 1 | ||||
| Seachtain | Méid Ranganna | Caibidil
Leabhar: Grow Up |
||
| 1 | 1 | Ag Tosnú An Méan Scoil | 8 Seachtain | Téarma 1 |
| Ag cur aithne ar do scoil | ||||
| 2 | 1 | Ag déanamh cairde nua | ||
| 3 | 1 | Meas agus Féin-Mheas | ||
| 4 | 1 | Meas agus Féin-Mheas | ||
| 5 | 1 | Cén chineál foghlaimeoir mé? | ||
| 6 | 1 | Obair Bhaile agus Bainistíocht do ám. | ||
| 7 | 1 | Cumarsáid- ag foghlaim conas éisteacht agus conas tú féin a chur in iúil | ||
| 8 | 1 | Cairdeas | ||
| 9 | 1 | Sláinteachas Pearsanta | 7 Seachtain | Téarma 2 |
| 10 | 1 | Bia Sláintiúil | ||
| 11 | 1 | Bulaíocht | ||
| 12 | 1 | Ag ligeant do scíth | ||
| 13 | 1 | Piarbhrú | ||
| 14 | 1 | Sábháilteacht Phearsanta: Ar scoil, Sa Bhaile, Ar na Boithre | ||
| 15 | 1 | Sábháilteacht Phearsanta: Ar an tIdirlíon (Cyberbullying) | ||
| Leabhar: Minding Me 1 | ||||
| 16 | 1 | Sláinte Mhothúchánach
Ag Aithint Mothúcháin Stráitéisí déileáil agus Réiteach Fadhbanna |
6 Seachtain | Téarma 3 |
| 17 | 1 | Sláinte Intinne
Mindfulness |
||
| 18 | 1 | Scileanna Déileáile: Ag déileáil le amanna diana | ||
| 19 | 1 | Ag Fáil Cabhair | ||
| 20 | 1 | Tionchair agus Cinntí
Ag Deanamh Cinní |
||
| 21 | 1 | Mo Loachraí
Being Yourself |
||
| 22 | 1 | Oideachas Caidrimh agus Gnéasachta (RSE)
Caithreachais: Cad é atá ann? (Puberty) Na hathruithe a tharlaíonn le linn ógántachta |
5 Seachtain | Téarma 4 |
| 23 | 1 | An Córas Atáirgthe | ||
| 24 | 1 | Íomhánna den Fir agus Mná
Buanchruthú inscne (Gender Stereotyping) |
||
| 25 | 1 | Féinmheas agus Meas ar Daoine Eile | ||
| 26 | 1 | Claonadh Gnéasach:
Meas ar Gnéasach: Rights, Respect, Responsibility |
||
| 27 | 1 | Scileanna Staidear | 5 Seachtain | Téarma 5 |
| 28 | 1 | Úsáid substaintí: Drugaí | ||
| 29 | 1 | Ag Caitheamh Tobac | ||
| 30 | 1 | Alcól | ||
| 31 | 1 | Athbhreithniú ag deireadh na bliana | ||
An Teasats Sóisearach
| Bliain 2 | ||||
| Seachtain | Seisiúin | Leabhar: My Friends Youth Skills For Life | ||
| 1 | Seisiúin 1: Introduction to the Group | Activity 1: Different Aspects of my Life
Activity 2: My Personal Goals |
8 Seachtain | Téarma 1 |
| 2 | Introduction to the Group | Activity 3: Thinking about my past Successes to feel strong inside.
Be Mindful: Build Your Inner Strength Session Close |
||
| 3 | Seisiúin 2:
Feelings: Understanding Feelings |
Step 1: F= Feelings
Activity 1: Understanding Body Clues Activity 2: Feeling Charades |
||
| 4 | Feelings:
Understanding Feelings |
Activity 3: “Catching our Emotions”
Activity 4: Being a Strong Communicator Empathy Skills: Understanding Different Feelings Activity 5: Practicing Empathy Session Close |
||
| 5 | Seisiúin 3:
Let’s focus on Confidence |
Activity 1: Introduction to Confidence and Feel good Activities.
So what is Confidence? Activity 2: Feeling Safe in Difficult Situations |
||
| 6 | Let’s focus on Confidence | Activity 3: True Friend are hard to find: Friendship Skills
Feeling Good about Yourself and Others Session Close |
||
| 7 | Seisiúin 4:
Learn to Relax, Focus on the Present and Become More Aware |
Step 2: R= Remember to Relax
Activity 1: Why is Relaxation Important? Activity 2: Relaxing Massage Activity 3: Mindful Eating
|
||
| 8 | Learn to Relax, Focus on the Present and Become More Aware | Activity 4: Ideas for how I can Relax
Laughter as a way of Relaxing Activity 5: Simple Breathing Relaxation that most athletes use Session Close |
||
| 9 | Seisiúin 5:
Your Attention Flashlight- Your Powerful Thoughts |
Activity 1: Your Attention Flashlight
Step3: I= Inner Helpful Thoughts Activity 2: Helpful, Powerful Reminders |
7 Seachtain | Téarma 2 |
| 10 | Your Attention Flashlight- Your Powerful Thoughts | Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviours Are all Connected
Activity 3: The Thoughts- Feeling – Behaviour Pathway Thoughts are just thoughts! They are Temporary Activity 4: Thougtht Challengers Session Close |
||
|
11 |
Seisiúin 6:
More Attention Flashlights and Thought Challengers |
Changing Old Habits
Activity 1: Using Thoughts to Change Feelings Activity 2: Three Steps for Positive Solutions Activity 3: Your Attention Flashlight |
||
| 12 | More Attention Flashlights and Thought Challengers | Activity 4: Attention Flashlight/ Changing Thoughts Reflection
Activity 5: The Happy Movie Session Close |
||
| 13 | Seisiúin 7:
Exploring Solutions and Step Plans |
Step 4: E= Exploring Solutions and Step Plans
Activity 1: Brainstorming Ways to Cope |
||
| 14 | Exploring Solutions and Step Plans | Introduction to Step Plans
Activity 2: Create Your Own Step Plan |
||
| 15 | Seisiúin 8:
Another Way to Solve Problems |
Activity 1: My Step Plan
Introduction to the 5 stage Problem-solving Plan Activity 2: Using the 5 Stage Plan to sort out Solutions |
||
| 16 | Another Way to Solve Problems | Activity 3: Support Teams
Activity 4: Discussion Using Mindfulness Activity 5: Role Models Session Close |
6 Seachtain | Téarma 3 |
| 17 | Seisiúin 9:
When the Going Gets Tough: Making & Keeping Friends |
Activity 1: My Step Plan
Activity 2: Keeping the Peace (Even when it’s hard) Activity 3: The Calm way to handle Conflict |
||
| 18 | When the Going Gets Tough: Making & Keeping Friends | Activity 4: Managing Bullying
Step 5: N= Now Reward Yourself Activity 5: Success is Trying How to be More Assertive Session Close |
||
| 19 | Seisiúin 10:
Using the Friends Skills to Help Ourselves and Others |
Activity 1: My Step Plan
Step 6: D= Do it Every Day Activity 2: Be Prepared for Future Challenges
|
||
| 20 | Using the Friends Skills to Help Ourselves and Others | Activity 3: Your Developing Brain
Step 7: S= Stay Strong Inside Activity 4: Thinking to Help us to Behave ina Moral and Ethical Way |
||
| 21 | Using the Friends Skills to Help Ourselves and Others | Activity 5: Feeling Good Through Helping Others & Giving Back to the Community
Activity 6: Helping Someone this Week Activity 7: Building School, Family & Community Spirit Session Close |
||
| Leabhair: Grow Up agus Minding Me | ||||
| 22 | 1 | Relationships and Sexuality:
|
5 Seachtain | Téarma 4 |
| 23 | 1 | Relationships with Parents | ||
| 24 | 1 | Dealing with Anger | ||
| 25 | 1 | Medicines and Drugs
Alcohol |
||
| 26 | 1 | Exam Focus
Study Skills |
||
| 27 | 1 | Emotional Health
|
5 Seachtain | Téarma 5 |
| 28 | 1 | Physical Health
|
||
| 29 | 1 | Mental Health
|
||
| 30 | 1 | Personal Safety: Safety on the Internet | ||
| 31 | 1 | Athbhreithniú ag deireadh na bliana | ||
An Teasats Sóisearach
| Bliain 3 | ||||
| Seachtain | Méid Ranganna | Caibidil
Leabhar: Grow Up, Minding Me 3 & My Friends Youth |
||
| 1 | 1 | Goal Setting for 3rd Year | 8 Seachtain | Téarma 1 |
| Exam Focus | ||||
| 2 | 1 | Organising My Time
Study Timetable |
||
| 3 | 1 | Study Skills | ||
| 4 | 1 | Who am I? | ||
| 5 | 1 | Love or Lust?
|
||
| 6 | 1 | Conflict in Relationships
|
||
| 7 | 1 | Depression
|
||
| 8 | 1 | Grief | ||
| 9 | 1 | My Friends Youth Booster Session 1:
Activity 1: My Step Plan Activity 2: Review the Friends Plan Activity 3: The Friends Plan and Me |
7 Seachtain | Téarma 2 |
| 10 | 1 | Activity 4: Time to Think about Giving Back
Activity 5: My Friends on the school website Activity 6: My Friends Poster |
||
| 11 | 1 | Stress | ||
| 12 | 1 | Relaxation | ||
| 13 | 1 | Teenage Pregnancy | ||
| 14 | 1 | Teenage Parenting | ||
| 15 | 1 | HIV and Aids | ||
| 16 | 1 | Choice Making:
|
6 Seachtain | Téarma 3 |
| 17 | 1 | Body Image: Self Esteem
Eating Disorders |
||
| 18 | 1 | Visiting the Doctor
Preventing Disease |
||
| 19 | 1 | Drug Abuse: Ecstasy & Heroin the Realities | ||
| 20 | 1 | Abuse | ||
| 21 | 1 | Review of Study Skills & Study Timetable | ||
| 22 | 1 | My Friends Youth Booster Session 2:
Activity 1: Friends Letter Game Activity 2: Preparing for Future Challenges |
5 Seachtain | Téarma 4 |
| 23 | 1 | Activity 3: Positive Healthy Friendships
Activity 4: Awareness about Habit Formation |
||
| 24 | 1 | Activity 6: Sharing Positives
Places of Support |
||
| 25 | 1 | Personal safety:
|
||
| 26 | 1 | Safety on the Internet & on Mobile Phones | ||
| 27 | 1 | Mindfulness | 5 Seachtain | Téarma 5 |
| 28 | 1 | Coping With Exams | ||
| 29 | 1 | Stress: Managing Stress | ||
| 30 | 1 | Feelings & Moods | ||
| 31 | 1 | Athbhreithniú ag deireadh na bliana | ||
Teaching methodologies:
- Case study
- Problem Solving
- Decision Making Exercises
- Simulation Games
- Role Play
- Modelling
- Presentation and Interpretation of Data
- Self-Assessment Activities
- Discussion
- Group Work and Team Work
- Activity Based Learning
- Project Work and Research
- Use of I.C.T. Facilities
- Reflection
- Poster Work
- Video clips, interviews
- Speakers
Homework Procedures:
Homework in this subject is different to other academic subjects on the curriculum, but homework has the value of the student reflecting on the learning that has taken place in class. It enables students to reflect on the work they have done. It can be written assignments, action projects and reflection. The subject teacher will decide the most appropriate assignment to the class. Students will have to keep an SPHE folder with all coursework and sheets that are done in it.
Assessments / Examinations Procedures:
SPHE is not assessed for the Junior Certificate therefore no examination of the subject takes place at present. However students will be evaluated on their SPHE folder and ongoing in class assessments.
Record Keeping Procedures:
The Subject Teacher will keep a record of all assignments carried out in class. He / she will discuss these with the student’s parents should the latter request them.
Availability / Use of ICT Facilities:
SPHE classes generally take place in the class group’s base classroom. The computer room is timetabled. There are 30 school iPads with broadband connection that can be brought into the classroom if needed. Every classroom in is equipped with a computer with broadband Internet access and a data projector. There are two computers with broadband Internet access in the Staffroom.
Provision for Health and Safety Requirements:
The school has a comprehensive Health and Safety Policy. All staff members are familiar with the policy and aware of the fire drill and emergency evacuation procedures for the classrooms where they are based. SPHE classes generally take place within the class group’s base classroom.
Literacy:
- Explanation of all key terms
- Text rich classrooms with posters and visual aids displayed
- Keyword used in sentences and phrases to embed understanding
- Written assignments such as letters, reflections, etc. used to develop literacy and comprehension skills
- Comprehension text pieces such as case studies with questions are used regularly to improve literacy and comprehension skills
- Comprehension strategies explicitly taught.
Numeracy:
- Students are taught data collecting, recording, interpreting and analysis skills
- Students are taught how to present data in pie charts, graph’s e.g drawing up timetables for study plans etc.
Teacher In-Career Development:
- Regular self-evaluation of work
- In service availed of where possible
Approved by the Board of Management: Date: 3rd May 2017
Cathaoirleach an Bhoird Bhainistíochta:
Date of review: May 2019