Got a child in secondary school who will be heading into their transition year come September?
Congrats, moving on from junior cycle into the senior cycle is a big deal, and even though there is probably a certain level of stress in your house at the moment at the thought of the junior cert exams kicking off in just a few more weeks, soon this will all be behind you.
What lies ahead then for most is transition year. And having a child in transition year this year myself, let me assure you that this is an amazing school year for all teenagers, in so many different ways. So if your child is in a school where transition year is not compulsory, and you are on the fence about whether or not they should do it or skip straight into 5th year, let me try to convince you – for their sake -to let your child do TY.
Transition year is no longer something new, and was first introduced into Irish schools back in 1992. The overall aim of any TY program or to allow young people to try mature a little, and learn new things, and skills, both academic and life skills, and have some work experience. The content of the TY program in place in your child’s school will of course affect the impact it has on your child, but I would argue that your child’s level of enthusiasm and commitment about TY is of equal importance in regards to how much they get out of their transition year.
In other words, what you put into it is exactly what you will get out when it comes to your child’s TY year, which is why I think as parents, we need to help make sure our kids use this year the best way they can and really lean into it.
Here are some things about transition year every parent should know:
1. Transition year is not a doss year, despite what some people say
Yes, TY is a break from normal school-life in many ways, although your child will have regular classes in all their regular subjects too, and homework and projects and all that goes with that. And just like they should any other year, school work and homework should of course be taken seriously and prioritised in transition year too.
But also – out of all your children’s years in secondary school, TY is no doubt the one with least homework and most time off. Which means it is a great time for children to enjoy hobbies, sports and other after-school activities, and the perfect chance also to try new things, get a little weekend job and just spend lots of quality time with friends and family before the seriousness of 5th year is upon them.
One fear that some parents have is that TY will make their kids lose their study habits, but honestly, I did not find this to be the case with my daughter – and also, I think being able to relax a little about school work and make time for rest and fun is far superior to her longtime wellbeing and happiness – and stricter study habits can be re-set when she enters 5th year anyway. So stop stressing.
2. Say yes to everything – within reason
How schools structure their transition years vary, and what they do in one school might not be the exact same way it is done somewhere else. However, all school will have a packed schedule of trips, courses, activities, experiences, and other things your child can take part in for TY, and honestly, the best thing you can tell them is to really say yes to everything that they can say yes to.
However, foreign trips are extra and expensive, and while fun, of course, they are not essential, and under no circumstances should you feel pressured into sending your child on several foreign trips. My daughter only went on one out of three foreign trips offered, as did many of her class-friends, and she was happy out with this.
Her school also offered several trips in Ireland, and some very local to our area, some day-trips, others overnight, and honestly, she loved it all. The chance to see new places and try new activities and have fun with her friends was amazing, and there is still an Emerald Park trip and the Cliffs of Moher to look forward to before the year is out.
Other experiences on offer was a barista course (which all the students loved), a first-aid course, animation course, several trips to galleries and museums, business workshops, environmental workshops and field trips, self defence classes, forensic science workshops and much, much more.
Honestly, it is hard to imagine another scenario where you child would get to try so many different things and experiences and learn so many varied skills, and so even for this, transition year is just an amazing experience for teens, in my opinion.
3. Be clever and creative about work experiences
A big part of most TY programs is work experience weeks. Most schools will do at least three different weeks where students should secure a place of work, and often they are encouraged to do more work experience placements if they can get them too.
At my daughter’s school, the teachers were very good at encouraging kids to try to get work experiences that genuinely excited them, and in places or occupations where they might be considering a career after school. As well as this, kids were also advices to try very different work experiences, and be creative when picking a work place to approach.
Yes, work experience can be a great way to figure out if a career or occupation is really for you, but this year is also a great time to just try things you might have never had the chance to try otherwise, and so I would advise that kids grab these opportunities with both hands.
My own daughter has done a week at a book publisher’s as she loves books and reading. Another week at the State Solicitor’s Office (and got the chance to witness a murder case in the Central Criminal Court) and a third week working in a coffee shop – which she really loved and now wants to get a weekend job doing. I love how varied her experiences were, and how much she took away from all of them both when learning about potential future careers, and also overall just about different ways to make a living.
As well as formal work experiences, most schools will insist or encourage kids to also do at least one week of volunteer work, another amazing experience in my opinion. And something which hopefully will spark a love of giving back to their communities and helping others for many young people.
4. Get out of your comfort zone
Transition year is a great opportunity for teens to take on new challenges and push themselves out of their comfort zones a little, something I think all parents should encourage them to do. Many schools put on musicals that TY students themselves write, direct and perform in, and what a great opportunity to practice a whole bunch of different skills, from writing to public speaking (or singing on stage), to set design, sound engineering, promotion, ticket sales and much more.
My daughter’s TY year is publishing a book, where all students have to contribute a piece of work, be it a poem, a short story, and interview or artwork, and again, what a great way to allow for creativity and fun too.
As parents, I think we should really encourage our kids to take chances and seize whatever opportunities come their way in transition year, they really will grow and learn so much from it.
5. Encourage them to have fun, relax and build friendships
As mum who is far more concerned about who my kids are and how they are than I am with what grades they get and how successful they become, this might just be the most important part of the entire TY experience as far as I am concerned.
This is the year to have fun and make memories. A wonderful, less stressful, more relaxed and fun school year in the middle of secondary school, where the focus is more on life and life skills than grades and exams – what a gift!
And so I think we should all encourage our teens to really make the most of their transition year, the trips, the courses, the friends, the fun, the slower pace, the new experiences, it will all help them grow and mature and make them better, more well-rounded humans – and more ready for what is to come in 5th year, for sure.
