CSR in Larkin
CSR is a cross curricular subject that incorporates CSPE, SPHE and Religion.
CSPE stands for Civic Social Political Education
SPHE stands for Social Personal Health Education
and Religion
All Junior Cycle students do CSR. There is a state exam, the Junior Certificate, in CSPE at the end of 3rd year.
In some schools Religion is taught as an exam subject. We do not do Religion as an exam subject in Larkin Community College.
SPHE is taught in the CSR class. It is also delivered as part of the whole school ethos,in both in-school and after-school programmes.
Moving statues project
Click here to download more information about the project.Click here to download the worksheet (.pdf file)
Competition
Competition from International Museum of Children's Art.
INVITATION
until July 1st, 2012, the International Museum of Children's Art, Oslo, Norway & Wellworld.org invites all children and young around the world
to express themselves on the global art research project theme:
HUMANITY- a child's outlook on life, lessons and actions.
THINK, SPEAK & ACT the change you wish to see.
Entry form here (.pdf file)
All 1st and 2nd year CSPE / SPHE and Religion classes will be creating a piece based on HUMANITY for this website.
All students of Larkin Community College are welcome to submit a piece.
From the Irish Times, Wednesday, June 15th, 2011.
Starting early is the key to finishing strong
Getting kids interested in their own communities and acknowledging their efforts is key to starting them on the path to a life of volunteering, writes Louise Holden
IF COMMUNITY involvement is good for society and for the individual, it makes sense to get
the very young involved and hopefully launch a lifelong commitment to civic participation. Imagine, then, the value of getting a National Youth Volunteer Card for your wallet – a passport stamped with all your volunteering activities that you can carry with you into college and beyond?
“We want to light a spark in young people from junior cycle, to get them interested in engaging with their own communities and to have their efforts recognised,” says Derek Cleary, director of Localise, a volunteering programme aimed at school children.
The programme started in 2000 at Larkin Community College in Sean McDermott Street in Dublin’s northeast inner city, and has since spread to 21 schools around Dublin and into Limerick and Tipperary. “The key is to get groups of students to identify projects in their own community and to make a meaningful contribution,” Cleary explains. “This is not a broad educational programme about civic participation – it’s a very direct, practical and, above all, local approach to volunteering.”
Run as part of the Civil, Social and Political Education (CSPE) syllabus, the Localise model is a 10-week engagement with a project identified by the school, with mentoring and supervision from the staff at Localise. “It could be working with older people in a residential care setting or cleaning up for a local initiative – anything that helps to make connections with the community and involves really worthwhile work, really getting dirt under the fingernails,” says Cleary.
Now in its 10th year, the Young Social Innovators (YSI) Programme, established by Rachael Collier and
Sr Stanislaus Kennedy, is the civic action equivalent of Young Scientists and this year will involve more than 5,000 second level students.
“For many, this is their first experience of volunteering,” says Bronagh O’Hagan of YSI. “Getting involved in civic action projects at a young age is key to developing a cadre of volunteers in Ireland for the future.”
Getting involved in civic action projects at a young age is key to developing a cadre of volunteers in Ireland
YSI participants complete projects, identified by themselves following research, addressing social needs in local areas. These include the provision of facilities for older and young people, projects aimed at enhancing mental and physical well being, projects tackling environmental problems and many more. YSI will celebrate its 10th anniversary at the Annual Showcase of Young Social Innovators in Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre on May 11th, where many of the projects from this year’s participants will be on display.
Perhaps the longest-established volunteering programme for school-age students is Gaisce – The President’s Award. Gaisce was established by the government in 1985 and now has more than 17,000 participants annually – more than 300,000 young people have taken part over the past 25 years. The aim of the award is to motivate young people to set a goal for themselves and achieve it. To win an award, participants must set tasks for themselves that fall under the headings of Community Involvement, Personal Skills, Physical Recreation and an Adventure Journey.
If all four goals are reached the student is awarded a bronze medal, presented in the local community; a silver medal is presented by celebrities in the four provinces or a gold medal is presented by the President in Dublin Castle.
Trained Gaisce mentors guide the students. The voluntary leg of the programme covers a multitude of community activities such as helping with the elderly, getting involved in youth groups, disability groups, or other civic projects such as Tidy Towns or water safety. More than 550,000 voluntary hours are contributed by Gaisce participants in their local communities each year.
Useful links
Thanks to Sr Mary for sharing her stories about her time in Peru. She is inspiring!
Storytelling
Class 103 are doing a storytelling History CSPE, SPHE and English project with the National Museum of Ireland, Poetry Ireland,
Localise and the Lourdes Day Care Centre.
Students had a great storytelling session with Claire Muireann Murphy in the Library - creepy, ghoulish stories - just right for the season!
Students will be working with Claire to develop their own storytelling skills and talents.
103 Italian meal
On Wednesday 28 April 2010 class 103 had their Italian Meal.
The whole idea of the meal was to thank the volunteers for their help through the 10 weeks of the Localise project.
Every one had a job , for example I was in charge of the photographs. The menu was simple but delicious.
This is how the meal went :
We started preparing quite early, the chefs were in at 8:30 am and the rest of us at 8:45. We prepared the room and laid out the tables.
It looked nice.
When finally the guests arrived we sat them down and few people said their speeches then the waiters served the starter.
Some of us were afraid to try the pesto but when we did it was delicious. After the starter we had our first course
which was a plate of treated ham. Then the Main course which was chicken, baby potatoes and carrots.
Finally the dessert which was chocolate mousse.
Then we talked for a while and the meal was over. We cleaned up and went home.
During the meal we also had singing from 2 students.
Report by Adrian from 103
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
FRANCIS BACON AND LARKIN STUDENTS
|
Fifth years classes - 501 and 503 - are doing an arts project with Dublin City Gallery Hugh Lane at the end of January. As part of the RE programme, students are exploring the theme of IDENTITY. Students are exploring the life and works of Francis Bacon. An exhibition of Bacon's work is currently on in Dublin City Gallery: Hugh Lane. Students in 5th year who are studying Art for the Leaving Certificate, are doing research and portfolio work on Francis Bacon's works. The RE and Art classes will then do a tour of the exhibition in the Hugh Lane gallery followed by a drama workshop on the theme of Identity with Team Theatre Company. Check back for a review of the experience by a 5th year student. Thanks to Dublin City Gallery:Hugh Lane for this wonderful opportunity. |  Hugh Lane Gallery |
CSPE Action projects
All 1st years in Larkin Community College took part in the Localise Caring in the Community Action Project.
The Localise Challenge programme is a 10 week programme that supports the CSPE curriculum and assists with the delivery
of the Action Project for the Junior Certificate.
Students prepare for their Action Project by following an exploration and examination of what community is.
Teaching and learning methodologies in the 10 week programme include group work, oral presentations, independent research
and interviews with family members.
A good Action Project requires cross curricular work and the support of staff and other students.
We are lucky in Larkin Community College, to have a great staff; teachers, admin and maintenance,
as well as a caring, kind cohort of students who want to help their local community.
Well done to all. Full reports of all 4 Action projects will be posted soon.
Localise Caring in the Community Action Project Challenge
On Monday 7th December, all 1st year students will graduate from the Localise Caring in the Community Action Project Challenge.
Parents are welcome to attend the event at 2pm in the College.
Check out the Localise website here.
Congratulations to all 1st years for their contribution and commitment to their local community.
Note to ambitious students:
Students can achieve up to 60% of their CSPE Junior Certificate exam, through engagement with an action project
and the careful writing up of the Action Project Report.
Class 101
Class 101 have done a project where they have created a quiet time and space for the elderly in the College.
Students have been learning how to gently massage each other's hands.
They were guided through the process by Jennifer Caffrey, who is a student on the Marino College Beauty Course.
Students will be meeting with the group of elderly people next week, to show them their favourite place in school,
then to bring them to a quiet space that they have created in the College,
to give them a chance to meditate and rest and have their hands' massaged.
They'll also have a cup of tea and buns provided by the students.
Thanks to Wojciech from Localise for his support as well as Jennifer Caffrey and Angela Hand from the Beauty Course in Marino College.
Here are some photos of their session.
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 | |
Class 104
| As part of their Action project for CSPE, Class 104 invited Lourdes Day Care Centre for the elderly to the College to make clocks in the Woodwork room. Students had great fun working with the old folk and the old folk said they loved the experience. Students made them a cup of tea too! Thanks to all of the staff for their help with the project |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
A new year!
Welcome back to Derek and his team from Localise who have generously returned to help students
with their Action Project and service learning for CSPE.
Class 102
| Class 102 invited Rainbow Junior Arch Club to the College for a Christmas party. It was a fabulous day out. Staff and students and their families made cakes and buns and helped out on the day. Thanks to THE GARDA Siochana, who provided an escort to keep children and their parents safe as they went looking for Santa Claus down O'Connell Street. Thanks too to the WESTIN HOTEL who kindly looked after Santy and his helpers. Thanks too to the fifth year students who were a great help on the day. A big thanks to all of the friends of the College and especially to ecocabs and 7Up.   |  |
 |  |
 |  |
Class 103
Class 103 welcomed Bray Lakers, a Special Olympics athletic club, to the gym in the College. for a party.
Thanks to Derek from Localise, the Localise team and Doug and Vicky, for their support over the ten weeks of the Localise Challenge programme.