Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

76 ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE?of wrong or something and then you know they’d laugh and just forget about it.So I used to sit there and wait for everyone else to answer before I would. But thenwhen you went into LCA the classes shortened a lot … I would have spoken upa lot more like. (Sarah, 21, completed LCA, employed)Respect emerged as a major factor in the new relationship betweenteachers and students in LCA. Respondents felt that instead of beinglooked upon negatively as was the case in junior cycle, there was mutualrespect between teachers and students in LCA classes:I thought they were more like close with us and you know, more open and realdown to earth like, it was weird like, it was just great. (Niamh, 21,completed LCA, employed)Most respondents felt that this new respect had a positive impact ontheir work, with positive teacher-student interaction facilitating theirengagement and learning:Like the teachers in LCA had a bit of banter with us, they understood us a bitmore. … If you had respect for them, you’d do the work for them, you know, ifyou didn’t, there was always going to be problems, you know what I mean. That’sthe biggest thing, they earned your respect. A lot of the lads got on great withthem, you wouldn’t want to let them down like. (Andrew, 21, completedLCA, apprentice)They [teachers] seemed a lot sounder when I went to LCA. … I suppose it was asmaller group and I suppose we were working better like, we were working betteras well like. (Derek, 21, completed LCA, employed)Barbara found that teachers had more time for students and helpedthem with their work:Did you notice the change in the approach of the teacherstowards you, the student?Yeah, you actually got a better bond, I think, with the teachers, I don’t know,kind of, they started to respect you, I don’t know, I suppose you’re just spending alot more time with them but I found that they did help you an awful lot more instuff and explained stuff an awful lot better. (Barbara, 23, completed LCA,employed)Other respondents noted that they were given much more say in classcontent and their opinions were valued:They treat you with respect, I don’t know, they way they treat you, it’s alwayscalm it’s always nice. … Before you were told what to do but yeah, they ask youropinions a lot and then, yeah, or what you think of what you should be doing andstuff, your ideas like as well. (Annette, 21, completed LCA, employed)You came out of third year and the respect you got from the teachers … youweren’t treated as a child, you were treated as an adult and they didn’t make thechoices for you, you made the choices together. You were always given an option