top of page

Teaching Practice - Secondary School 

“The teacher is of course an artist, but being an artist does not mean that he or she can make the profile, can shape the students. What an educator does in teaching is to make it possible for the students to become themselves.”

Paulo Freire

Holy Family Secondary School, Newbridge, Co. Kildare

The final teaching placement of my undergraduate degree.  Provided are some sample Units of Learning from this placement along with links to the full documents.

Holy Family Secondary School is a Catholic, girls-only, all-ability, diocesan day school, under the patronage of the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin.

Dedicated to the pursuit of excellence, it is their mission to provide a safe, caring, inclusive learning environment in which to foster the spiritual, intellectual, academic, aesthetic, physical, emotional and social development of each pupil so that they may fulfil their own unique potential and leave school with the capacity and the willingness to contribute to the building of a society characterised by Christian virtues.

As a school devoted to learning, they constantly review and develop their programmes, practices and facilities. The school places great emphasis on the professional development of staff. Curriculum goals and teaching methods are regularly reviewed as well as general structures and procedures. Integral to this process is the valuable advice and input of parents and pupils.

Unit of Learning One:

First Year - Book Craft

Aim of Unit of Learning:

Produce an ​A6 size, hand-made ​book of ​Art Elements (dot, line, colour, shape, texture, pattern, tone and form); illustrating in a ​Japanese style​, and bind together using Japanese​ ​stab-binding.

Learning Outcomes

1.8 discuss examples of historical and contemporary visual art

1.10 identify the use of art elements and design principles within an artwork ​

2.4 show they can use their drawings to observe, record and analyse

3.2 use critical and visual language to explain their own designs and those of others​ 

3.13 describe the use of media in examples of design work ​

Unit of Learning Two:

TY - Painting

Aim of Unit of Learning:

To explore the use of line, colour, shape and composition in Pop Art and to create a still life painting in the style of Roy Lichtenstein.

Learning Outcomes

1.2 respond to an artwork using critical and visual language

1.9 debate the value that they and society place on an artwork

2.4 show they can use their drawings to observe, record and analyse

3.10 explain the use of art elements and design principles in examples of design work

3.14 utilise media in their own design work based on a design brief

Unit of Learning Three:

Fifth Year - Art History

Aim of Unit of Learning:

To explore and understand the key Impressionist artists, their artwork and their place in the history of Art. Through experiential learning, students will take part in research based tasks based on the language and structure of the Leaving Certificate exam questions.

Learning Outcomes

1.1. Looking

1. 1.1.1​ 

  •   analyse an artwork

 

1.3. Experimenting and interpretation

1. 1.3.1​ 

  •   produce an annotated visual record of their enquiry

 

1.4. Contextual enquiries

1. 1.4.1 ​

  • explain how context and period influence artistic thinking

 

1.5. Process

1. 1.5.1 ​​

  •  identify sources of information

 

2.4. Realisation/Presenting

1. 2.4.1​ 

  • evaluate the meaning and context of chosen work

 

3.1. Analysis

1. 3.1.1 ​​

  • recognise the artistic thinking and elements in their own work and that of others

 

3.3. Impact and value

1. 3.3.1​ 

  • experience art through sensory and/or emotional responses

 

3.5. Process

1. 3.5.1 ​​

  • synthesise their selection of visual responses

bottom of page