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3 Top Reasons for Teaching at an Independent School

By
Shirley Owen
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Reasons for Teaching at an Independent School

Did you know that there are more than 2,500 independent schools in the UK including almost 300 world-leading HMC schools?

You may be looking to kickstart a teaching career in an independent school or be considering your next career move.

But what are independent schools? What makes HMC schools unique? And what is it like to be a teacher at an independent school?

Join us as we take a sneak peek behind the scenes to explain the life of a school teacher at an independent school.

What are Independent Schools?

Independent schools in uk

At independent schools, fees are charged which go towards running the school and the facilities provided. The curriculum you’ll teach might vary from school to school, as students aren’t required to follow the national curriculum. Because independent schools have autonomy over their curriculum, they are typically able to offer a much wider variety of subjects.

All independent schools are registered with the government and are inspected regularly by an independent schools inspectorate called ISI.

What are HMC Schools?

HMC (the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference), is an association of heads of world-leading independent schools. There are currently 296 HMC independent schools in the British Isles, including girl, boy and co-ed institutions.

Becoming a School Teacher at an Independent School

Teaching is an incredibly rewarding career with the opportunity to inspire and enrich the lives of young people. HMC independent schools are thriving, leading independent schools which pride themselves not only on providing a wonderful experience for their pupils but an environment where teachers can flourish in their chosen career.

If you’re thinking about teaching in an independent school, here are some of the reasons to work at an independent or HMC school:

  1. Personalised Learning that Shapes Pupils’ Lives

    Independent school teacherIndependent schools pride themselves on enabling a personalised approach to learning. As a teacher, you will have the time to get to know your pupils’ individual strengths and learning styles due to class sizes being smaller and more assistants being at your disposal to offer differentiated learning support.

    Becoming a teacher here, you play a pivotal role in each pupil’s school day experiences, which could have a long-lasting impact on each child’s development. Many independent school teachers find it exciting to work in a school environment that has so much to offer:

    • Great access to technology in the classroom ranging from state-of-the-art interactive touchscreen boards to iPads, children’s digital cameras, bee bots etc.
    • More specialist teachers that cover various subjects such as science, music, foreign languages, sports, so that you can focus on the core subjects like English and Mathematics.
    • Fantastic school clubs that any school staff member can run to earn another side income while offering the pupils additional learning after school.
    • Parent-teacher relationships are highly valued and independent schools often hold wonderful and glamorous events where parents get involved like mother’s and father’s day concerts, sports events, music and charity events and many more.

    Teaching is certainly a special job that can make a real difference to a child’s life.

  2. Teach Your Specialist Subject

    At HMC and other independent schools, you can focus on your strengths and teach the subject areas in which you excel.

    You can design lesson plans which truly celebrate your expertise. Pupils are also keen to learn, which reflects in their exam scores with nearly two-thirds of GCSE entries from HMC schools receiving an A/7 or higher – more than three times the national average.

    School environments at HMC independent schools are very supportive. They also provide excellent teaching resources across subjects – and many independent schools share their facilities with state schools and the local community.

  3. Professional Learning and Development

    Independent school teacherIndependent schools can be a great place to launch or continue to grow your career and HMC schools are committed to the professional development of their staff.

    At independent schools, trainee teachers, newly qualified teachers and those early in their careers benefit from considerable structured professional development support, including external courses and in-school training which can develop your knowledge across a wide range of topics including safeguarding, exam assessment, mental health and getting the best from your pupils.

    Professional development support continues as careers progress. There are regular performance development reviews, courses and training can be chosen to enable you to boost your knowledge and help you to keep abreast of new initiatives and innovations.

    For those aspiring to – or working in – middle, senior leadership or headship roles in the teaching profession, HMC has its own HMC Professional Development (HMCPD) service.

    Professional development programmes run through HMCPD provide highly-contextualised learning designed specifically for those working in independent HMC schools. The professional development courses prepare you for each stage of leadership from middle leadership to headship.

Now is the time to look for available teaching jobs at independent schools

Browse these teaching job platforms to find your next teaching dream role, but make sure the role is exactly what you’re looking for:

  • your next independent school job at HMC can be found online – find your next career opportunity and discover life at an independent school.
  • TES JOBS offers a wide range of state and independent school jobs all year around for various roles, such as teaching, catering, maintenance, IT etc.
  • ETEACH is an education recruitment job site, created by teachers for teachers.
  • LinkedIn is another great place to connect with schools and recruiters while they can see your profile and CV immediately.

Good luck!

How ICO’s new code of practice to protect children should change social media policies

By
Manuela Willbold
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ICO’s new code

A 2017 UNICEF report on children’s presence in the digital world mentions that one in three internet users globally is a person under 18 years of age. Existing evidence indicates that the age at which children start using the internet is steadily decreasing.

According to the same report, internet access without parental supervision is also on the rise with the growing access of children to smartphones. The Office of Communications, UK, more popular as Ofcom, says in their report on children’s media use in 2018 that children face unwanted experiences online.

YouTube is the most popular viewing medium for young children in the age-group of 8-11 years, says that report. Increasingly more children in the 12-15 age band acknowledge that controlling screen time has become harder, informs Ofcom. Parents confirm this observation.

There is a growing concern among parents about the online presence of children since children face undesired experiences despite learning about internet safety. Against this backdrop, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), UK, has issued new guidelines to protect children’s privacy in the digital world.

Why the New Guidelines

ICOThe ICO website quotes the UK Information Commissioner, Ms Elizabeth Denham, as stating that one in five children in the UK use the internet, but the online world has not been designed with children in mind. This needs to change.

According to Ms Denham, online sites and apps accessed by children need to put the best interest of the child at the centre, rather than techniques to maximise profit. Protecting children’s privacy online is a logical and necessary extension of provisions that protect children in the real world.

The New ICO Code of Practice

On January 21, 2020, the ICO, UK, published 15 standards under the heading of ‘Age-Appropriate Design Code’. These standards aim to protect children’s privacy online and service providers need to meet these standards. The code encompasses all online services with high potential of use by children.

This new code applies to designers, developers and providers of online apps, online games and toys, and social media platforms. It also covers educational websites and streaming services. The aim is to include all sites and services that process children’s data.

The new code requires all the above players to automatically provide an inbuilt data protection system when children access any website and use or download any app or game etc. It requires all online service providers to considerably up their privacy settings.

It also requires digital service providers to disable nudges that push children to reveal too much about themselves. For instance, the new code requires location settings to be disabled by default so that a child’s location does not become known.

Any kind of profiling that facilitate the presentation of targeted content to children needs to be disabled by default also. The code also needs service providers to ensure that only the bare minimum information about children be collected and shared online.

The new code also contains a recommended set of good practices. However, these will not have any legal binding.

The Legal Framework

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rooted in the Data Protection Act 2018 serves as the legal basis for the ICO’s new code of practice. The ICO has also taken care to execute several rounds of consultations and meetings as a preparatory process in formulating the standards. 

Following the relevant legal process in the country with due diligence means that the new standards will become legally binding by autumn 2021 unless there are major challenges in the parliament. The ICO does not anticipate any such challenge.

Practical Implications of the New Code

ico children's code of practice

Individuals and agencies working on the protection and safety of children in the UK have welcomed the new code. The overall reaction is that the new standards will force digital service providers to consider child safety with seriousness for the first time.

Incidentally, 14 years old Molly Russell from the UK had committed suicide in 2017. Her family discovered later that Molly’s Instagram account contained graphic posts about self-harm and suicide. Instagram vowed to remove all such contents, including cartoons, following that discovery.

Molly’s father Ian Russell believes that the new code captures how the digital service providers ‘might have responded effectively and immediately’ to the tragedy.  Facebook (FB) welcomed the new standards, claiming that it is in sync with the platform’s own efforts to make their site safe for young people.

A Techcrunch report in 2018 mentions that Facebook started taking a more proactive step towards enforcing its age policy after an undercover journalist from UK’s Channel 4 found how children below 13 managed to have FB accounts. FB now asks for people’s IDs, for example. YouTube has also updated its policies for younger users by reducing targeted advertising for any viewer of content targeting children.

Hopefully, we will see more changes in the near future to prevent more cyberbullying, online radicalisation and any other negative influences for young people on the internet.

 Only government-issued IDs containing name and date of birth count. FB may block an account otherwise. Google and YouTube also have a policy of asking for age proof if they suspect a user to be underage.

However, all these providers need to put in place new restrictions for users aged below 18 for compliance with the new ICO code. Only some gaming sites have so far expressed that the new code would interfere with their business model.

6 Best Language Learning Apps For English Perfect For Home Learning

By
Manuela Willbold
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apps for toddlers

In mid-2019, amidst the media glare on all things Brexit, there was a move by the UK government aimed at reaching kids from less privileged sections of society.

Research into learning development showed that children who have a learning deficiency or delay of 4 months at the age of 5 when they begin formal schooling are over one and half years behind their peers by the age of 11.

To bridge this divide, Children and Families Minister Kemi Badenoch announced in late July a competition to develop learning apps that would allow children to learn predominantly the English language faster, aimed at significantly reducing the illiteracy rate by 2028. The recommended language learning apps by the Department of Education guide parents to use high-quality educational apps that have been approved by education experts.

Benefits Of Language Learning Apps For Home Learning

With the current isolation measures in place due to the Coronavirus pandemic, these English language learning apps can also be a useful tool for any family to fill the literacy learning gap.

Learning English Through Gameplay

It is easy to make a child interested in something happening on a screen. Animations, songs and funny voices make language learning a fun activity. Such online reading games are a handy addition to traditional textbooks. However, they should not be played by young children on their own. Adults will have to provide guidance and repeat letter sounds, words or explain what to look out for, to say letter sounds out loud etc. Therefore, they shouldn’t be used to just occupy the child with something. They only achieve a learning effect through interaction. Also for e-safety reasons, an adult should supervise especially younger children of up to 10 years.

Immersive Language Learning Experience

Apps For Home LearningConventional teaching is not always interactive. Students are expected to learn more independently the older they get. However, a big part of language learning is any form of interaction and communication and this can be done in different ways. It can be implemented by a virtual assistant making immersive early years tutoring possible at no extra cost, a nanny, tutor or babysitter that can do the online games with the child or of course the parents and teachers themselves. During the isolation period, the virtual assistant or online tutor would obviously be the ideal choice.

Individualised Pedagogy

The advantage of learning apps is that the learning itself can be perfectly tailored to suit a child’s needs and abilities. In a standardized curriculum, customization and differentiation are difficult to implement. Most learning apps assess the student’s progress and take the activity to the next level when they are ready for the challenge.

During the isolation period introduced by the UK government, many online learning apps and platforms offer free access to families. Use this time to test and trial such apps to find out which ones suit your child best.

Hungry Little Minds Certified And Recommended English Language Learning Apps

1. Lingumi (Android and iOS)

Lingumi - Apps For ToddlersCreated by an English teacher Toby Mather, Lingumi at lingumi.com/en/apps-for-toddlers is aimed at kids between 2-6 years old. Its objective is to tutor pre-school English enjoyably and affordably.

The app is available on both Android and iOS and offers five lessons as part of a free trial. The use of the app is limited to 10 minutes long practices daily so that there is no extensive screen time. One lesson is released every day. The app developers guarantee that in three short months, a child would learn 120 new words and be able to construct short sentences, or they will refund the subscription.

With hundreds of lessons available in the library, Lingumi aims at strengthening language, phonics and reading skills in English from a very young age. Therefore, this app is a great resource for multilingual learners or non-native English speakers.

2. Kaligo (Android and iOS)

Kaligo - Education apps for studentsTyping has become part of regular communication and expressing oneself. But writing is equally, if not more important, to the learning process. There is an undeniable connection between what the hand writes and the brain processes.

The Kaligo app at kaligo-apps.com, which requires a tablet and stylus, teaches children how to write in an interactive and fun manner. From writing in block letters, upper and lower cases to cursive writing, it takes a unique approach to teach this essential human feat that is fast becoming endangered. According to the developers it uses stroke analysis: “a self-paced, auto-corrective approach allowing students to progress at their own speed and according to their own development”.

3. Phonics Hero (Android and iOS)

Phonics Hero - Education apps for kidsLanguage education has two parts – reading and writing. The first is oral, the second is tactile. A child has to learn to pronounce correctly to comprehend any concept.

Language discrimination and understanding plays a huge role in the development of a child’s brain. Phonics Hero at phonicshero.com/phonics-app has been developed by Michael Wood, a veteran of three decades in the education sector, to tutor a child how to spell and read.

Not only can it teach how to spell but guides the student step by step with error analysis.

4. Teach Your Monster to Read (Amazon, Android, and iOS)

Teach Your Monster to Read - Reading App for KidsA competitor of Phonics Hero, this app has the same aim – to tutor a child how to read quickly and pronounce correctly.

The app at teachyourmonstertoread.com takes the learner on a journey to collect rewards through matching letters to sounds, blending, segmenting, reading tricky words and full sentences.

The app can tutor any child age 3 and above to learn all the letters in the alphabet, recite them from memory, and create words and sentences using them.

5. Navigo (Android)

Navigo - Early learning AppsNavigo at iread-project.eu/game is a multilingual app. Developed by the iRead project, managed by London’s UCL Knowledge Lab, and aimed primarily at children in foundation stages and primary schools, it can be used by English, Spanish, Greek, and German learners.

The app aims at developing fluency of speech and works through an intuitive algorithm that adjusts itself to the users’ needs. According to the game designers, it provides “a gradual learning journey that starts from children (i) recognising and applying the correct linguistic rule, (ii) moving to use and combining different linguistic rules to bring together smaller units of words such as graphemes or morphemes to build a correct word (blending and segmenting) or rearrange/build meaningful sentences and (iii) ending with automating this knowledge”.

6. Fonetti (Android and iOS)

Fonetti - Learning apps for kidsFonetti.com is a story reading app. It is the opposite of an audiobook. The app carefully listens as the child reads through lines of text and provides real-time feedback to improve the ability to vocalize.

Essentially it uses speech recognition as used by Google Assistant and Siri and makes reading an interactive activity as never seen before online.

The game developer doesn’t state which age this app is appropriate for, but looking at the reading books available, they indicate that the reading skills targeted here start from the age of 7 earliest. However, parents can obviously read these books with their children together and encourage their child to read easier words and see if they turn green.

Enjoy Online Language Learning at Home With High-Quality Educational Apps

All of these apps are easy to operate and have minimum navigation layers. They are both educational and contain fun elements that make young children play and learn in one go. Moreover, all of them are safe to use and contain internal timers for limited screen time.

Find more useful learning apps for other subjects in our other guides:

Best 5 STEM Subjects Apps for Young Children

14 Best Free Math Apps for Kids At Home

7 Common Study Problems & How to Overcome Them

By
Shirley Owen
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Every student encounters trouble when it comes to studying, especially with a heavy workload, and overcoming all of it is just part of student life. Many think it takes a lot of willpower to get over this struggle but with the right mindset, everything can be conquered.

Tutors at Physics Café have observed many factors that can help to overcome the study problems. Below are some common problems that can affect one when studying:

  1. Lack of Motivation

Having no or low motivation could be one of the biggest obstacles to overcome while studying and figuring out the reasons behind it could help. Common causes of it could be:

  • Exhaustion and stress
  • Task does not interest you
  • You don’t enjoy the subject
  • You dislike your teacher
  • Packed schedule
  • Not sleeping well or resting
  • Fear of failure

Knowing the root of why you have a low level of motivation can help you tackle the issue. Find solutions, like putting up motivational quotes, sleeping early or being organised with good time management.

  1. Distractions

Social Media, friends, TV, games and plans besides studying could be one of the reasons why students have problems studying. Your productivity level might be low because you’re thinking about other things and it distracts you.

Find a good, conducive environment to study and limit all your socialising. For example, if you find it difficult to get work done at home, try going to a library or someplace quiet. Creating the right space for yourself will make it easier for you to overcome these distractions you have.

  1. Concentration

You may be away from distractions, but it does not mean you can concentrate. You could still zone out and be unable to begin with your studying because your mind is elsewhere. Procrastinating is one symptom. Similar to lack of motivation, you probably cannot concentrate because you have something on your mind.

Maybe you don’t know where to begin because you feel too overwhelmed by the workload in front of you. You can try breaking the tasks down to smaller bits, and divide your assignment into parts so that it is easier for you to achieve your “goal”. Find the appropriate learning style for yourself – do you prefer to be alone or study in a group? Try out different study methods and follow the one that is most suitable and enjoyable for you.

It is also possible that you cannot concentrate because you have been working too hard.

Give yourself time to rest. Try to exercise or talk to someone and free your mind before you start studying. If there is something bothering you, talk to your school counsellor or a trusted adult, it could help widen your perception.

  1. Retainment of Facts & Figures

At some point, every student would have complained about how difficult it is to remember all Studying-tips-to-improve-exam-preparationthe information needed to answer the exam questions. It is not easy trying to remember for one subject, much less multiple subjects. Listen and pay attention during class, follow the lesson carefully, make notes in an organised manner with apps like Evernote and you will feel on top of your game.

If you struggle to retain necessary information, write it down until you remember without looking, do notes or flash cards, draw mind maps. Doing things multiple times could help you remember them. For more memorisation hacks check some memorization techniques worthy testing by clicking on the image on the side.

  1. Limited Interest in Subject

It is likely that you may come across a subject you don’t enjoy, merely because you find it boring or you aren’t good at it. It could seem like it’s not going to be a useful subject in the long-run. Not liking your teacher or having an uninspiring teacher could be one reason. A change of mindset is needed.

Think long-term, you wouldn’t want to have a difficult time trying to get into the schools you want. The subjects are being taught in school to teach you skills you can apply in the future even if it may be irrelevant in your career. If a bad grade in the subject puts you off, you can spend more time on it to get better at it. Once you get a hang of it, you’ll start to enjoy it more.

  1. Inefficient Resources

Having access to the right resources is important, be it books, equipment or a teacher. You may need laptops or other instruments to help you complete your revision. Talk to your tutor or fellow students, find out what kinds of resources you need to identify to help enhance your learning. There’s a wealth of online learning resources available these days, so make sure to do a thorough search.

  1. Time Management

Good time management is important, especially when you are struggling to meet deadlines orTime-management-techniques-for-students balance your workload. You may feel overwhelmed and when you don’t have good time management skills, you might often stay up late to complete assignments or study. Have a list of what you need to do or finish up. Finish your homework as soon as you can and be more disciplined with your routine. Maximise your time and allocate periods of the day to each subject. Check our top time management apps for students for help.

Most of these study problems can be solved with a positive and growth mindset. Draw up a schedule, make good use of your time and take regular breaks when needed instead of forcing yourself to study. This should lead to a more effective approach to learning and studying.

 

What Attracts UK Students to the Middle East?

By
Fazreen Razeek
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studies in middle east

The market for International Schools in the Middle East continues to grow – there’s a standard of higher education in the region that attracts students from around the world, which goes hand-in-hand with the culture and history of these countries that bring in many students and tourists on a daily basis.

But what makes the Middle East specifically so attractive to UK students?

Students in the UK, especially today, feel the need to branch out and experience new cultures and lifestyles. They’re eager to explore the world of education outside their own homes so that they can expose themselves to other traditions and learn more than just what is taught in the classroom.

Also Read: How to study abroad – different options and tips for students

Reasons UK Students Attracts to the Middle East

Quality of Education

Study abroad Middle East
Image: gulfnews.com

The quality of education has significantly improved in the past decade and now, the Middle East is no stranger to exceeding universities. The UAE itself has its own dedicated branch of the Hult International Business School, while the Weill Cornell Medical College has its own campus in Qatar. German universities have found their homes in the region as well – with the Technical University of Berlin in Egypt and the German University of Technology in Oman. The fact that well-known international universities have decided to open campuses in these countries, showcases the massive potential for education.

Countries such as Qatar take extensive measures to ensure that the standard of education remains at the highest level. Qatar’s Supreme Education Council selects the best schools from around the world and supports them in establishing schools in the country.

The history of education in the Middle East is a bold tale of ambition and accomplishment. The world has seen the region grow in the industry; not only are top universities present, but there’s a wide range of schools that offer international curricula to students. With the implementation of the IGCSE and IB curriculums, the education standards at secondary levels already prove to be a force of nature that help grow education in each country.

Perks of studying in the Middle East

uk student in middle east
Image: gulfnews.com

There’s a wealth of ancient history in the region that makes it so compelling to students and tourists alike. In general, the Middle East is a tourism success story like no other. The architectural landmarks of Egypt, Jordan and the UAE are just a few examples as to what brings in people from all over the world – and it’s safe to say that these wonders play a huge role in convincing students in the UK to branch out.

Apart from the geographical diversity, cultural diversity in these countries is so vast and different, encouraging UK students to witness firsthand the opportunities that are unique to the region. Students from the UK have the opportunity to immerse themselves in rich cultures and gain a better understanding of the people that are otherwise portrayed negatively in mainstream media.

These countries attract thousands of tourists on a daily basis because of different contributing factors; the weather, shopping, culture, food to name a few. There’s no doubt that once students are exposed to the wonders of other countries, they look at these options to study further. The natural beauty, advanced technologies and ancient cities are all factors to the region looking attractive to both students and tourists. Students in general look at studying abroad due to their love of travelling and they also believe that this gives them a good edge when it’s time to apply for jobs.

Best Free Activities for School Trips To Deal With Education Budget Cuts

By
Shirley Owen
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Free-activities-and-excursions-for-schools

In an age of budget cuts, especially in education, making the most of an educational trip can seem like an impossible task.

The art of making your budget stretch is an undertaking that can often leave teachers and parents feeling uninspired.

And if you’re anything like us, you’ll want students to have a fantastic learning experience – to see some amazing sites, and create memories to last a lifetime.
Unbeknownst to some, there are ways to do this while still sticking to a tight budget. Cities across the globe have a wealth of fantastic free experiences for students of all kinds of subjects.

To whet your appetite, we’ve pulled together some of our favourite free things to do around the world. Take a look below for some awe-inspiring activities to enrich any learning experience.

The Staten Island Ferry – New York

For most, a trip to New York means seeing some of the most iconic sights in the world. But Free-transport-in-New-York-to-statue-of-libertyoften, doing that on a student budget can be quite a challenge.
When it comes to the Statue of Liberty, there are countless cruises and experiences offering the chance to see the Lady up close and personal. A thorough tour of Ellis Island can take up to 6 hours to complete, as well as costing around £40 a ticket. For a free fly by, hop aboard the Staten Island commuter ferry which sails right by the statue on its way to the Manhattan’s neighbouring island at no cost.

Barcino Roman Remains – Barcelona

Barcelona is a fantastic place for students of all kinds of subjects. But for those wanting to learn more about the city’s vast history, there are some fantastic Roman remains spread across the Catalonian capital that can make for a great case study.
The Barcino Roman Remains are some of the most intact in the city. Found underneath Plaça de Rei, the ruins span 4000m2 and give students insights into what day-to-day life was like in the ancient Roman Empire.

The Houses of Parliament – London

For students visiting the English capital, there are a wealth of opportunities to enhance any Free-entry-to-historic-buildings-in-Londonlearning. But one of the most special has to be a visit of the iconic Houses of Parliament.
A free guided visit around this British institution is a great way to round off any educational visit. Catering for students aged 5-18, the trip offers a range of educational workshops and activities, as well as an exclusive look at the inner workings of the British government. And while you’re at it, most London museums offer free entry and workshops for students.

The Reichstag Building – Berlin

The official home of the German Bundestag, the Reichstag Building is a great place for students Cheap-school-excursions-in-Europevisiting Berlin. As one of Europe’s oldest governments, this building gives an insight into Germany’s parliament.
But the real highlight is the dome that sits atop the building, which offers 360-degree views across the city. Tours which incorporate both a look around the building and a visit to the dome are entirely free, and can be booked up to 3 months in advance of your trip.

Catacombs – Paris

Paris is filled with a whole host of fantastic free things to do – from parks and markets to soaking in the magnificent Eiffel Tower, there are countless opportunities to fill out any itinerary.
One of the most interesting can be located underneath the city, where millions of skeletal remains line the walls of miles-long tunnels. The Catacombs of Paris are a gruesome reminder of 18th Century Paris, where officials took the decision to move bodies underground to make room in the cities overflowing cemeteries.
For children under 14, the Catacombs are completely free to visit too.

Smithsonian Museums – Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. is home to many American Institutions and landmarks – from The White House, to the Lincoln Memorial. But the USA Capital is also home to the world’s largest museum and research complex, which are all entirely free to visit.
Found nearby or on the National Mall, the Smithsonian museums cover a whole host of subjects. Options include the Museum of American History, National Air and Space Museum and the American Art Museum. Plus, the Smithsonian National Zoo also requires no entry fees.

Want more free school trip ideas?

Check WST’s Inspiration Generator offering a whole host of carefully chosen experiences from cities across the globe. You can trust their recommendations as they’re the 4x winner of the Best School Tour Operator award, aiming to help teachers to enrich pupils’ lives by sparking new ideas for awe-inspiring school trips.
Their website provides more inspiring ideas, tour planning guides and tools, and help with planning trips on a budget.

Top Tips on Why and How to Get a Psychology Degree

By
Shirley Owen
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psychology degree courses
psychology degree courses

Deciding to go to college isn’t always the easiest experience in life. From studying all through high school to achieve high grades, to deciding on a degree with the right college for that desired subject, you might have to overcome many hurdles.

With psychology coming in as the fourth most popular college major, there are an increasing number of job opportunities available. There are jobs directly related to a psychology degree such as a clinical psychologist, educational psychologist or forensic psychologist, but there are also jobs where your degree would be useful as for a detective, life coach, neuroscientist and so on.

Most universities to choose from will all have different requirements for accepting students. Let me share the research I have done to help you learn about the requirements and programs available to make the college/university application process easier so you can start to focus on learning about psychology. If you already have a rough idea about which profession you’d like to enter into, then bear this focus in mind when deciding on your psychology degree.

Apps To Help Learn Psychology

The link above helped greatly in my research as there’s a lot of helpful tips. So, check out this article to advance your knowledge on learning about how to get into a psychology program in college or university.

Learn about the requirements to get into college or university

psychology degree RequirementsNow, there are standard college and university requirements you must have in order to apply. Of course, as mentioned above, you must have exemplary grades from high school, or a certificate such as a GED (USA & Canada) or A levels (UK), as well as high test scores, reference letters, and a completed application.

But, if you want to go into a specific program, you will need additional evidence. Psychology degree requirements may vary from college to college, but the foundation would be the same. You should investigate volunteer work in the field of psychology before applying to a college. That way, when you write your personal essay explaining why you should be picked to be in the psychology program, you can prove to the college or university board that you have some experience and you want to further your knowledge. Similarly, it would be wise to sign up for any high school courses related to the field of psychology, not only for the application’s sake, but it would be good for you to get a taste of what the program might be about.

Learn about the different psychology programs available

In addition to applying for psychology, you might want to look at the different programs or focuses you can study within the psychology program, check the UCAS psychology subject guide for more information. For example, if you are interested in the brain, how it functions and how thoughts are affected by the nervous system and other parts of the body, then you might want to study Biopsychology.

Or if you want to learn how conditions affect behaviours, then you might want to study psychology with a focus on behavioural psychology. See more psychology short courses in the UK here to learn about the various options.

There are different fields in the study of psychology that you might find more interest in so it’s good to learn a bit about all of them. But don’t worry, you don’t have to do that all on your own. Normally, your first couple of semesters in college are filled with classes about each topic so you can get a handle on all the options before you decide.

Learn how to study psychology from home

psychology courses Online

Conversely, what if you are already in the work field, have kids, or don’t have the time to attend a college or university in person? Today that does not count you out on getting a proper college education, you can now study psychology at home via online colleges and courses. Even if you’re shuttling kids back and forth from school or extracurricular activities, or getting home in the evening from work, you can still be a psychology student. There are many accredited colleges and universities online that are specifically there for people that cannot, for whatever reason, commit to a full-time collegiate experience. Therefore, you can look online for different colleges that have impressive psychology programs to receive your degree.

Weigh your flexible psychology degree options

If you are interested in the field of psychology, there are many ways to attain a college or university degree. Once you have learned about the different programs and the requirements to get into those programs, you can feel confident in your studies.

Additionally, there are many ways to obtain a college degree no matter what stage in life you’re in. Whether you want to go to a large university or attend classes online, you will be able, with dedication and hard work, to award yourself with a degree in psychology.

Read more on our blog about pros and cons of living in a college dorm and visit our online courses page to read more about online learning and studying.

Sports award creates chance to drive home benefits of cricket for future generations

By
Shirley Owen
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Covered wicket inside

The profile for cricket created by Ben Stokes winning BBC Sports Personality of the Year could boost the sport for a generation.

Stokes, 28, becomes the first cricketer since Andrew Flintoff in 2005 to win the prize and earned the accolade after his Man of the Match performance in beating New Zealand to ensure England won the World Cup.

Having spent his teenage years in England in the small West Cumbrian town of Cockermouth where he attended Cockermouth School and played cricket for Cockermouth Cricket Club, laid the foundations for Ben’s sports career.

Importance of access to sports facilities and clubs

This shows that schools and clubs in this country need to make the correct decisions over where to invest to boost facilities in order to truly maximise the health and sporting opportunities for the next generations.

Ben won the North Lancashire & Cumbria Cricket League Premier Division title with the club at the tender age of 15 in 2006 and this achievement was also made possible with the community and school support he had in his hometown.

Streetspace understands the importance of the ability to perform any sports activity at school or within the community and offers a wealth of expertise for schools and clubs aiming to capitalise on the profile generated by this success.

With the vagaries of the British weather always a factor affecting sport, Streetspace can create an all-weather covered wicket to provide a warm well-lit space to allow practice right through the year.

Regular practice with any sport is critical in building a positive sporting habit into the lives of young players being coached to reach their greatest potential.

How great sports facilities can impact students and schools

StreetspaceNewly appointed Head Teacher Dayle Harrison at Revoe Learning Academy in Blackpool knew that to get this school out of Special Measures back in 2013 after an Ofsted inspection, things had to change.

To create a positive focus, he worked with Streetspace to create a covered all-weather sports area. After an initial consultation, he chose Streetspace’s all-weather sports canopies because of the advanced tensile membrane cover system that can create a purpose-built facility at a fraction of the cost of a traditional build.

The school can now offer a wide variety of sports, a space for drama performances, outdoor learning, and assemblies. Additionally, the covered area provides the community with a space for evening, weekend and one-off events, like summer fairs and Christmas markets.

In February 2019, Revoe Learning Academy was rewarded with a “Good” rating by Ofsted – see the full case study here: https://www.streetspacegroup.co.uk/sports-pitch-led-drive-to-fresh-view-of-school/.

This case study beautifully demonstrates how covered pitches and multi-use games areas achieve increased activity use compared to those open to the elements and that this is a great way to boost sports at a school or club.

Even greater use can be achieved if the covered pitch is opened to the wider community through evening or weekend use, should an additional income stream be needed to cover building costs.

outdoor canopyA stylish outdoor canopy will not just provide practical support to encourage sport, but also be an inspiring facility that will leave a lasting and positive legacy for decades for students and upcoming athletes, because:

  • Up to 35 per cent light transmission is achievable through tensile membrane fabrics, which also cut out harmful UV rays.
  • Streetspace all-weather sports canopies have a 20-year warranty and include high-performance coatings to provide exceptional resistance to UV penetration and airborne grime.

For more information on how your school or community can benefit from and improve through Streetspace products like outdoor canopies, walkways, street furniture or all-weather sports canopies, check out more of their amazing case studies.

 

Does good schooling open horizons?

By
Manuela Willbold
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importance of schooling

The final bell rings, and children scurry off to their classes or the early morning assembly as a daily ritual, leaving the school building in pride.

Children might not open their books to the benefits of schooling, but we will be lying if we said that good education doesn’t help us win over obstacles and face challenges head-first. Life greets us with a ton of stepping stones, making us realize and accept the truest essence of acquiring skills and knowledge as days proceed.

The Importance of Good Schooling and Its Impact on Children

Good schooling, whether it is conducted by a reputed academic institution or through reinforcement at home by parents, guardians or tutors, helps set the base and foundation of a child’s ultimate intellectual growth. Schools that allow children to indulge in the exchange of unsolicited ideas and extra-curricular activities, along with imposing studies, help shape them as future assets of the society.

Some topnotch private schools involve parents to be a part of their students’ journey. Good schooling will never leave the parents in hindsight. They not only keep them informed about their child’s whereabouts in the class, but also make parents understand the importance of a flexible education – complete with the basic teachings of key subjects like languages, science, and history altogether.

This article looks at how good schooling matters and influences the lives of students by helping them incorporate efficiency, productivity, and punctuality in all walks of their lives.

  1. A Resource of Career Opportunities

    Apart from acquiring the necessary skills, good schooling helps nurture and prepare children for making their ultimate career choice.

    Career Opportunities - good schoolingSince schools allow children to acquire both scientific and non-scientific education, a child isn’t forced to make a career decision based on loose ideas. From performing practical scientific experiments in labs to running for the track on the field, good schooling allows children to test their abilities until they realize what they’re best in.

    Through this process, a pro athlete, a backdoor or alley scientist, or even a teacher who has an interest in all subjects and prefers to help others get an education to emerge as children grow up. Good schooling also opens a treasure trove of career opportunities. Some schools are affiliated with selective training programs or have the privilege of providing soft skills along with the teaching of core subjects. Some schools even have exchange student programs that allow children to stand out to explore their capabilities before spending extra or too much money.

  2. Promotes Confidence and Personal Growth

    Usually, reputed schools hire teachers that focus on their students’ personal growth and confidence rather than just sitting through a lecture in the hope of receiving an apple as a token of appreciation. Good schooling provides children with the opportunity to acquire an education that helps shape up their morals and thinking, and boosts their personal growth and confidence.

    Confidence - good schoolingGood schooling allows you to tackle theories and topics that you might not pursue in your career, but this doesn’t mean that the learning will go to waste. Since learning at a school is always broad-spectrum, you do not only grow academically but also personally. Each course contributes to your assets, at least that’s what we have come to acknowledge.

    You might take up painting and draw for the mere fun of it, but soon you realize, you can channel your inner Van Gogh through your strokes, giving you a profound reason to adore art and culture. You might have never wondered about writing a few lines on your own, but by incorporating creative writing, you unleashed a part of your soul that’s dripping with creativity and ingenuity.

    Taking up a course where you thought you might fumble helps boost confidence like no other. You get to prove yourself that your mind is capable of getting out of its comfort zone, and that’s way beyond text-book concepts. You slowly grasp confidence in your creativity, allowing you to make peace with your art, words, and intellect in a world unparalleled with the competition, bias, and stigmas.

  3. Helps to Battle Gender and Racial Bias

    Good schooling helps to eradicate bias in society by helping you learn about social constructs or socialism as a whole, politics, and gender or racial diversity. A good education enables you to respect and engage with people – irrespective of their crass, creed, colour, or profession – and makes you the person you can have pride in as you grow up.

    Battle Gender - good schoolingWomen are battling the stereotypic culture of not acquiring an education due to the supremacy of the feudal system. In 2013 alone, there were around 775 million illiterate women who didn’t have access to good schooling or primary education as a whole, depriving them of their rights and understanding of gender equality.

    Today, education provides equal – and perhaps 10 -20% higher growth and income-earning opportunities for women, allowing them to take their part of the limelight that they were deprived of before.

  4. Helps Incorporate Teamwork

    Group discussions or projects seem like a drag at first as children feel they can’t achieve the limelight that’s rightfully theirs by working together. Good schooling helps children to understand discrimination at school, allowing schools to make required efforts so that every child can be heard.

    Team Work - Importance Of SchoolingTeamwork allows children to realize the importance of acquiring input from the one who doesn’t seem to appear interested at all and to provide credit to everyone present – either emotionally or physically. By incorporating teamwork from a level that promotes personal growth and influences the shaping up of ideas, children can learn the importance of working together and staying harmonious even when faced with challenges in life.

    As children grow up, they begin to realize that teamwork is not only a part of the workplace but perhaps one of the pivotal assets without which a struggling startup or even an established industry cannot survive.

    Whether you’re appointed as a doctor or a supervisor at a construction site company, you realize you cannot tackle situations without taking the help of your nursing team or architects, general contractors, and engineers, respectively.

  5. Allows You to Strive for Punctuality

    Waking up early in the morning at the beginning of a new school year is usually greeted with excitement or preplanned frowns and groans, especially when children have to drag themselves out of bed. But look at it this way – isn’t waking up every day for school helping children to be punctual and on time for the crucial things in their life? This punctuality will soon help shape them up as essential members of society where they’ll join the workplace or even the cabinet when they grow up.

Good schooling helps to improve a person’s position, their contacts, their learning and monetary situation in society. It sets the foundation for a long-lasting career and enables them to make decisions that they resonate with and make peace within their life.

15 ways to improve your English skills for PTE Academic

By
PTE Academic
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0
PTE-Academic-test-scoring-requirements

Whether you’re in the middle of preparing for an English language test or you’re considering studying in an English-speaking country, you won’t be able to escape the task of proving your English skills in a widely recognised language test.

The Pearson Test of English, PTE Academic, marks a candidate with an automated scoring software that analyses the entire test without any human interference. for example. 

In other words, your PTE-A test has no home window for psychological compassion that may impact your rating whatsoever. While you can always attempt a few PTE Mock Tests simulated like real examination, in this article we are going to focus on what more you can do to improve your English so that you’re best prepared to pass. 

Any hint of expression in your solution will reflect your overall score. If speaking the English language is an issue for you, the only remedy is to enhance it truly. You have to exploit your strengths and improve your weaker abilities to get the maximum score in your PTE Academic Test.

Follow these steps for the best PTE Academic results:

Improve Reading Skills

It is a procedure of the brain, and it requires time to develop. Your mind has to make connections with the words, phrases and expressions represented by symbols, plus reach the ability to comprehend the grammar and structure of the language. If you establish solid analysis abilities, it’ll be beneficial for your future reading skills also in other languages. You can review:

  1. Books in English and articles on the web. Possibly, books you have already read in your mother tongue or which have been turned into motion pictures with subtitles. Try to begin with easy books, even youngsters publications and comics: The images will certainly assist you to understand  unfamiliar words, terms and sayings. 
  2. Switch the operating system of your mobile phone, your desk top or tablet computer right into English. Associating a function with a specific word will boost your vocabulary.

Improve Writing Skills

Even though it might be intimidating to a lot of individuals, any person can get used to writing incredibly well with a little self-control and a readiness to learn.

  1. Document words or expressions you assume beneficial with their definitions and examples. If you notice them in sentences, you will remember them better. You can use them if you keep a journal. If you enjoy using online tools, take photos on your smartphone and save them in management apps like Evernote. 
  2. Compose remarks in English blogs. Today blogs are websites that resemble journals. Great deals of individuals use them to reveal their concepts on a particular topic or to clarify things– from just how to weave a scarf, to extremely challenging ones where technological or thoughtful subjects are dealt with. One standard function of all these blog sites is that they are interactive: the viewers can make comments or debate the ideas mentioned on the blog site. Even if you are not a blog fan, you may find some content that encourages you to participate. Just do it! Communication in your target language is key to practicing your writing skills. 

Improve Listening Skills

This plays a vital part in learning any language.

Active listening enhances specific understanding, and it helps improve precision when talking, to name a few things.

How can you improve your attention skills? By paying attention actively, i.e. taking note not only on what is claimed but also precisely how it is claimed. So, listen:
1. To English songs– old or modern; whatever type you prefer, however, take notice of the verses. (in some cases checking out the lyrics may aid you to comprehend the song – simply search songs with lyrics on video streaming platforms like YouTube).
2. To English movies, television shows, audio books, news, radio– attempt the classics. You can see films on demand numerous times. Enjoy them with subtitles first and then, when you feel extra comfortable, re-watch it without them. You can listen to English radio channels online on your smartphone or computer. Even f you are not paying attention to it, your ears will undoubtedly become accustomed to the sound of the language.
3. Participate in plays, exhibitions, talks, and so on in English organized by English speaking institutions or communities.

Improve Speaking Skills

Talking and pronouncing properly certainly is the hardest of the four language skills, but as quickly as you can speak a little English, there are lots of means to boost these promptly and have lots of fun:

  1. Join articulated conversations. Innovation has advanced a whole lot in regards to social media so, any place you live, you’ll find a chat room or online forum/group to join.
  2. Talk and record yourself. This might appear amusing, but it will assist you to recognize just how you can boost your speaking skills by repeating the recording several times until you rejoice with the results. There are plenty of apps available for voice recording. 
  3. Speak with your classmates in English when you are not in class. You can even set up a group to play games, eat or get together. An alternative are language forums where you can find people willing to converse in English with you. 
  4. Stay clear of all doubts, umms and aahs. This is a part of normal, daily speech that is inappropriate in the PTE. One of the most obvious things you can do is to reduce them by finding other ways to provide your brain with time to consider the words you are going to state next. Often words topple out of our mouths willy-nilly, so being fully knowledgeable about what you are claiming can be a painful experience. It’s a little bit like becoming aware of your breathing or blinking. Nonetheless, make use of doing this whenever you exercise ahead of your test. If you are recording your speech on your own, go back to the beginning and attempt it repeatedly until you notice improvement. Do this, and you will undoubtedly observe a significant distinction in your PTE oral fluency score.

Other suggested tips:

  1. Discover the pronunciation and appropriate usage of words. When you are trying to improve your English vocabulary, do not perplex it merely with learning the meaning of words. You must additionally learn the appropriate usage and pronunciation of all these words. Record your own articulation of these words in the sentences and compare it with the standard pronunciation on a site like dictionary.com.
  2. Discover to use words in a variety of situations. Lots of words can be used in different ways in various situations. It is as a result of great importance to find out just how to use them in various circumstances. Try to come up with 3 or 4 instances in which you can make use of these brand-new words.
  3. Invest some time in the language analysis every day. An efficient method of improving your vocabulary is to listen to new English sounds or check out brand-new English write-ups for some time daily. Even if you spend just 15 ~ 20 minutes everyday analysing something on an information website, it will add up to numerous hours of developing the method over the years. You will undoubtedly be exposed to not merely new words yet likewise new syntax and language application ideas.  
  4. Maintain a listing of words you are learning. Keep a check list of words that are brand-new for you, that you discover each day. Review this list every couple of days. If you do not do this, you will forget the brand-new words after a week or two. This listing is likewise something that you must examine on the day before the examination.

      In a nutshell, a little initiative that you place in boosting your vocabulary will undoubtedly go a long way in obtaining you a high rating in PTE Academic. A vast vocabulary is essential for obtaining a high score in the PTE Academic. Understanding additional words and understanding how to use them appropriately will offer you an edge in all four areas of PTE — Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening.

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