Family Child Care

Aspirations & Educational Attainment

The link between child poverty and success at school seems to be a perennial topic for enquiries - if you've ever sat through one of my information skills sessions, you'll know that it's a topic I use as an example when demonstrating how to construct a search. So here are two more publications to add to the literature on this topic...<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/" target="_blank">Joseph Rowntree Foundation</a> has just released two new reports. The first is entitled <a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/education-young-people-parents-full.pdf" target="_blank"><i>The Impact of Attitudes and Aspirations on Educational Attainment and Participation</i></a>, and explores the available literature on the relationship between parental expectations and a child's achievement at school and beyond - the report also investigates whether the current situation, whereby children from poorer families tend to do less well at school, can be improved by activities to enhance the beliefs and behaviour of the most educationally marginalised families.<br /><br />The second report is entitled <a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/education-attainment-interventions-full.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Can Changing Aspirations and Attitudes Impact on Educational Attainment?</i></a> and is in a similar vein to the first. However, this publication focuses more on interventions that have been implemented with low income families, and attempts to evaluate whether or not these have been effective.<br /><br />For further reading on this topic, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation have also published many other reports - try <a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/poorer-children-education-full.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Poorer Children’s Educational Attainment: how Important are Attitudes and Behaviour</i></a>? from 2010, or <a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/9781859354773.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Education and Child Poverty: a Literature Review</i></a> from 2006. For reports from other organisations, try looking at some of <a href="http://bit.ly/IvYMUH" target="_blank">my bookmarks on this topic</a> on the Diigo site.

Aspirations & Educational Attainment

27Apr2012

Young People's Writing

The <a href="http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">National Literacy Trust</a> has recently published <i>Young People's Writing in 2011</i>. This contains the results of the Trust's annual literacy survey, which gathered data from almost 21,000 young people aged 8 to 16. Among the topics explored are how much young people enjoy writing, how good they think they are, how  often they write and what types of materials they write, and how they  feel about writing. Issues such as gender and ethnic differences are also explored.<br /><br />To read the report, <a href="http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/assets/0001/3536/Young_people_s_writing_in_2011-final.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITqMgSfo4jYaIbwijJ0zSrnAuTqvhugHI7a1wY0ADWaHer4xWr1ItXa5fJppPvtXqalBi-8SjGiKMj_mQA04u-H_IQwTThpTklNEQWuHHWQdFMhV_fNH6dbOL5zcyQ4nH03HQcCrD7g/s1600/ReadingPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITqMgSfo4jYaIbwijJ0zSrnAuTqvhugHI7a1wY0ADWaHer4xWr1ItXa5fJppPvtXqalBi-8SjGiKMj_mQA04u-H_IQwTThpTklNEQWuHHWQdFMhV_fNH6dbOL5zcyQ4nH03HQcCrD7g/s200/ReadingPic.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>

Young People's Writing

The National Literacy Trust has recently published Young People's Writing in 2011. This contains the results of the Trust's annual literacy survey, which gathered data from almost 21,000 young people aged 8 to 16. Among the topics explored are how much young people enjoy writing, how good they think…

26Apr2012

Plan A+

With all the media focus on free schools, it's easy to forget that the number of academies in the UK has rocketed in recent years. But what exactly is going on in the new academies, and why did these institutions make the switch from being 'ordinary' schools in the first place?<br /><br />To answer these questions, the <a href="https://www.ssatrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">Schools Network</a> recently carried out what it claims is the "biggest ever survey of academies". Approximately a third of existing academies took part in the research, providing information on topics such as changes in funding arrangements, freedom from the National Curriculum, opportunities for innovation and more. At the end of the document, the Schools Network also makes recommendations for the further development of this sector.<br /><br />The final report is entitled <i>Plan A+ : Unleashing the Potential of Academies</i>. To read it in full, <a href="https://www.ssatrust.org.uk/ourstructure/steeringgroups/Documents/AcadSurvey.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>.

Plan A+

24Apr2012

Online Child Protection

Online Child Protection

A cross-party parliamentary group has just published the results of an inquiry which looked at the issues surrounding children's online safety. You can view the report by clicking here.…

19Apr2012

New Teachers

If you're a PGCE student who's shortly going to be starting their teaching career, or even if you're just beginning to consider a career in teaching, then you'll probably find the <a href="http://newteachersblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">newteachersblog</a> site useful.<br /><br />The site is curated by former teacher <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/alan-newland" target="_blank">Alan Newland</a> and contains honest, candid descriptions of what a teacher's life can be like. It also attempts to get its readers thinking about professional issues by describing incidents or scenarios which involve a professional or ethical decision, whether that be within a classroom, or dealing with colleagues or parents. Recent topics have included learning from your mistakes, the importance of your professional reputation, and the shortage of male primary teachers.<br /><br />But if all that sounds a bit heavy going, it can also be very funny in places too. Well worth checking out.<br /><br />You can also get a flavour of the sort of topics covered in the short Teachers TV film below:<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="270" id="flashObj" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=948211330001&playerID=940636289001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAA2uzqQrE~,6OG0BmXJ4lLjPBIrsIprnJtmkHdesQfW&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true"><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com"><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=948211330001&playerID=940636289001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAA2uzqQrE~,6OG0BmXJ4lLjPBIrsIprnJtmkHdesQfW&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" width="480" height="270"></embed></object>

New Teachers

If you're a PGCE student who's shortly going to be starting their teaching career, or even if you're just beginning to consider a career in teaching, then you'll probably find the newteachersblog site useful.The site is curated by former teacher Alan Newland and contains honest, candid descriptions …

18Apr2012

Early Childhood Writing

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5knoQ4Yje2CXV0ORrnD_7mCfL2W5NgKTGg9WZkr66D8aLLOPJYi2R_LRcU6loVfg5EPR22mA5A3pEvqIgzKt4RSqRSsD5TNYbpMJXQzBv71fEjNOzE4UPQZItTkb6_1hLrHZA2aWZIQ/s1600/Bunny+Cakes+cover+-+jpeg.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732944795224269650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5knoQ4Yje2CXV0ORrnD_7mCfL2W5NgKTGg9WZkr66D8aLLOPJYi2R_LRcU6loVfg5EPR22mA5A3pEvqIgzKt4RSqRSsD5TNYbpMJXQzBv71fEjNOzE4UPQZItTkb6_1hLrHZA2aWZIQ/s200/Bunny+Cakes+cover+-+jpeg.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 189px; height: 200px;" /></a><br /><div>I was presenting a workshop on literacy in the sand table at the Utah Early Childhood Conference this past Saturday. I was reminded about how critical it is to help young children feet comfortable with writing. Many early childhood educators mistakenly use handwriting activities as a writing response. Since writing is putting our thoughts down on paper, for young children that means drawing pictures. Handwriting will come as fine motor skills develop and as the child learns about the alphabet and reading. It is critical that we allow children to draw pictures and respond to the environment often, without the requirement of 'writing' letters and words. Although dictation (writing the words on a child's picture) is appropriate at times to model writing, it is also important for a child's project to stand alone. This is one way we can help children feel comfortable with responding to texts and putting their thoughts down on paper. The writing process is an important part of the new Common Core State Standards. I often think of the book, "Bunny Cakes," by Rosemary Wells. In the story, Max wants Red Hot Marshmallow Squirters for his cake. Since he can't write words, his success comes when he draws a picture of what he wants. Let's support the writing process in young children by allowing the drawing of pictures and celebrating those responses.</div>

Early Childhood Writing

I was presenting a workshop on literacy in the sand table at the Utah Early Childhood Conference this past Saturday. I was reminded about how critical it is to help young children feet comfortable with writing. Many early childhood educators mistakenly use handwriting activities as a writing respons…

17Apr2012

International Children's Services

International Children's Services

I'm a few months behind with this one, but as I get plenty of enquiries about information on education and children's services in other countries, then this post should be useful to a lot of this site's readers.C4EO has recently published Delivering Children’s Services in the UK and Other Parts of t…

16Apr2012

Sensory Stages One and Two in Concept Development

<div style="text-align: justify;">In order to learn about the world and the things in it, we must explore our surroundings and gather information through our senses. Regardless of whether we are talking about a child or adult, or a developmentally delayed or gifted individual, and regardless of the skill or concept we are considering, the brain must begin its search for information by using the senses.<br>
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If we do not recognize something as having been encountered in the past or if we encountered it but did not understand it, we will rely on our sensory organs to gather information. Both children and adults who are presented with something completely novel to them will begin their investigation by looking, touching, tasting or listening to it. It is only after we have gained information about the physical properties of the thing we are exploring that we can move on to investigating it at a more sophisticated level.<br>
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Because sensory exploration is the foundation of all learning, individuals who have visual or hearing impairments and those who have inadequate sensory integration or sensory processing abilities are at a great disadvantage and are therefore at higher risk for experiencing delayed development and learning disabilities.</div>

Sensory Stages One and Two in Concept Development

In order to learn about the world and the things in it, we must explore our surroundings and gather information through our senses. Regardless of whether we are talking about a child or adult, or a developmentally delayed or gifted individual, and regardless of the skill or concept we are considerin…

05Apr2012

Pharmacy Technician Schools - Getting Your Certification Online

<div id="article-content">     <div style="text-align: justify;">Pharmacy tech is one of the most fulfilling careers in the market  today. It is however important to get quality training and the best  certification if you want to become a pharmacy technician. Pharmacy  technician schools come in handy; therefore, there is a wide selection  from which to choose the best institution for your training.  Additionally, with easy availability and accessibility of internet  services, you can choose the best Pharmacy technician schools and get  your certification online.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Prepare for pharmacy tech certification practice test</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To  get your certification in pharmacy tech training it is essential to  prepare efficiently for a practice test. This is always a practice test  for a real exam that all pharmacy tech students are supposed to sit. You  must pass this exam to get your certification and to enhance your  chances of getting a good job in future. Therefore, prepare efficiently  for the test and utilize all available resources to get all the  information needed for you to sit for the test. It is additionally  important to consult with tutors and hold discussions with fellow  students when preparing for the test. Exchanging ideas will enhance your  chances of becoming successful.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Enroll for the best programs</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pharmacy  technician schools offer a wide range of programs. Therefore, there are  many options to settle for. Depending on your career goals, it is  imperative to settle for a program that addresses your needs best. A  good program will enhance your chances of getting a good job in the  future. What's more, if you want to become a competent professional, it  is essential to enroll for the best and marketable programs. Therefore,  define your needs and enroll for a program that meets your interested  best. Find the right school with accredited programs to get the best  certification.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Choose the best Pharmacy technician schools and a good study program</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There  are many schools that offer pharmacy tech programs. However, not all  schools are accredited. To get your certification, you must enroll in an  accredited institution because it offers quality training. You will  benefit from valuable information and learn all the ins and outs of  pharmacy technology. What's more, online schools have different study  modes. Depending on your interests and personal needs, it is essential  to choose a study program that enables you to study comfortably and  efficiently. Therefore, take time to settle for a good school and get  the best certification.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Choose the best school and the right program to get quality certification.</div></div>

Pharmacy Technician Schools - Getting Your Certification Online

Pharmacy tech is one of the most fulfilling careers in the market today. It is however important to get quality training and the best certification if you want to become a pharmacy technician. Pharmacy technician schools come in handy; therefore, there is a wide selection from which to choo…

04Apr2012

After the Riots

Following a request from a student, here's some information on the independent report into last summer's riots which was published last week. According to the report, a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17525873" target="_blank">lack of support and opportunity for young people</a> contributed to the outbreak of riots, and an inability to prevent reoffending, and a lack of confidence in the police are also mentioned. The <span style="font-style: italic;">Guardian</span> has also devoted a section of its website to <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/london-riots" target="_blank">articles about the events</a>.<br /><br />Last week's report - entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">After the Riots</span> - was authored by the Riots, Communities and Victims Panel, which has now disbanded following their final publication. You can read more about them and the background to the project <a href="http://riotspanel.independent.gov.uk/" target="_blank">on their website</a>.<br /><br />The full text of <span style="font-style: italic;">After the Riots</span> can be viewed by <a href="http://riotspanel.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Riots-Panel-Final-Report1.pdf" target="_blank">clicking here</a> - readers of this site may be particularly interested in Section 2.1 which is titled 'Children and Parents'; an <a href="http://riotspanel.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Riots-Panel-Executive-Summary-and-Recommendations.pdf" target="_blank">executive summary</a> is also available. Other reports on the riots that may interest readers include <a href="http://www.natcen.ac.uk/media/769712/the%20august%20riots%20in%20england%20web.pdf" target="_blank">this one</a> from the National Centre for Social Research, <a href="http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/riots-community-lessons-summary.pdf" target="_blank">this one</a> from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and <a href="http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/tcs/the_childrens_society_riots_report.pdf" target="_blank">this one</a> from the Children's Society.

After the Riots

Following a request from a student, here's some information on the independent report into last summer's riots which was published last week. According to the report, a lack of support and opportunity for young people contributed to the outbreak of riots, and an inability to prevent reoffending, and…

04Apr2012

Performance in Your Job Is Essential for Success in Your Career

<div style="text-align: justify;">Today there are more job opportunities available than ever before. Now it is really up to you to take control of your professional future and ensure success in career. In order to reach your full potential, you need to know the basic requirement for your career growth. You cannot go blindfolded in some direction and expect significant success in your career. Though your educational qualifications, present job or organization, experience, etc. may have some influence, your 'performance at work' is the most important factor that determines your future career growth.<br>
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Though some students of certain colleges may appear to get a break (job) easily, getting into such colleges and meeting the performance criteria of the college is difficult. Since the students from such colleges have demonstrated track record of performing consistently for years, it is assumed they will do the same in future.<br>
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Performance is not negotiable for good career:<br>
It is an open secret that in any organization, only 30% of the people do 70% of total output. Organizations seek this kind of performers and nobody loses such performers in recession/layoff. The remaining people's work is not very result oriented and hence their job security is also bleak.<br>
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As GE (General Electronics) was reinventing itself as the world's most admired company in 1980s and 90s, it removed bottom 10% of its workforce (non-performers) every year. On the other hand, it appreciated the top performers with 2 to 4 times the incentives of an average performer.</div>

Performance in Your Job Is Essential for Success in Your Career

Today there are more job opportunities available than ever before. Now it is really up to you to take control of your professional future and ensure success in career. In order to reach your full potential, you need to know the basic requirement for your career growth. You cannot go blindfolded in s…

03Apr2012

How to Engage Learners and Keep Training Courses Fun

<div style="text-align: justify;">1. Review your course plan or schedule.<br />
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Take a look at your course plan from the point of view of the trainees. If your trainees are very much hands on people, determine how much of your course gives them opportunity to do things.<br />
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One course I helped design had wood industry trainees trying out different modes of communication outside. It was a bit like the child's game of passing whispers and demonstrated how easily messages can be scrambled on a worksite.<br />
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2. Use breaks for further learning challenges<br />
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By giving breaks a purpose you will create some urgency to get started again. Trainees will want to know if what they found out is 'true'. Consider whether you can add challenges to your course during lunch breaks. These can include:<br />
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    Searching for answers in a manual<br />
    Doing some research on a computer<br />
    Discussing a set topic and presenting conclusions after the break<br />
    Texting to others who may know the answer<br />
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3. Convert PowerPoints to video<br />
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If all your presentation material is in PowerPoint, consider using PowerPoint conversion software to change some of it to a video presentation. Captivate and Movavi are two I have tried.<br />
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If you add voice-over get someone else to read the script for each slide. A different voice varies the dynamic and aids recall. Break-up PowerPoints with illustrations and reduce the words. If it's a video, let the voice-over do the explaining.<br />
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4. Introduce challenging questions<br />
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Prepare a list of questions about the information you are presenting. Use 'enquiry' questions that encourage trainees to review what they already know and compare it to what they are learning.<br />
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Questions could be modelled on these:<br />
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    "Given what you have just learned, how could you apply this in your workplace?"<br />
    "In what circumstances would this not apply?"<br />
    "Would this be possible without installing new equipment?"<br />
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5. Change training activities to different forms<br />
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Plan to change one activity each time you run the course. You don't have to throw out the current method, just put it away and bring it out for another time you teach it. Changing your methods of teaching gives you a fresh look at the material too.<br />
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No activity will teach without your input. The activity debrief is where you draw out the learning that trainees need to take back to their workplaces.<br />
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Training does not have to be all one direction - 'I talk you listen'. You can get across information in a variety of ways.<br />
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    Bring in an expert for a topic. The trainees will listen more attentively and realize that other people have similar experience or knowledge.<br />
    Have a group debate. Each small group (3-4 trainees) is given different short articles on the topic. They are to read and discuss the article and decide on the key points. Then they feed back to the whole group for further discussion guided by you.<br />
    Create a group activity. These can vary hugely depending on the topic and the technical competency of the group. The physical activity is more likely to cement the learning.<br />
    Design a board game. Board games can be great for getting across facts and principles. They do require some thought to work well. Most effective training board games require the players to answer questions correctly to reach the goal. The learning occurs during the game and afterwards in the trainer-led debrief.<br />
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Summary<br />
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Bringing enthusiasm back into your courses requires a bit of time and mental energy. The rewards, however, can be great for you and the people you are training.<br />
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So to sum up:<br />
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1. Review your course plan and making changes to the plan and resources.<br />
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2. Add course break challenges that keep trainees focused all day.<br />
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3. Convert PowerPoints to video or another method of presentation.<br />
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4. Introduce challenging questions to involve trainees in the learning.<br />
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5. Change your training activities to different forms to create a bag of pick-and-mix activities for each course iteration.<br />
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Heather Sylvawood is an educational and training resource developer who has created course resources for face-to-face and distance learning courses, including web-based and CD accessed training. She now runs a website called eBrainz (http://www.ebrainz.net.nz) where members of the public can have recreational and home-skill courses hosted for free. The site includes a course for course creators to help them create an online course. The material, however, is applicable to both online and offline training and contains links to low-cost applications to keeps development costs down.</div>

How to Engage Learners and Keep Training Courses Fun

1. Review your course plan or schedule. Take a look at your course plan from the point of view of the trainees. If your trainees are very much hands on people, determine how much of your course gives them opportunity to do things. One course I helped design had wood industry trainees trying out diff…

02Apr2012

Best Career Option in Media and Communication Industry

<div style="text-align: justify;">They say it takes only a determined mind to make a successful career. However when it comes to carving a niche in the media industry what it also takes is refined knowledge about the discipline. Of late, people have realized the power of mass communication and thus are opting for media courses to make a career in this field.<br>
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There are several wings of mass communication that one can opt for. It is thus a good idea to pick a stream and specialize in it so that you have deeper knowledge about that discipline. From journalism courses and public relations courses to advertising courses, you can opt for the one which you think you would want to make a career in. Most of the colleges and institutes that offer these courses believe in providing thorough knowledge as well as the practical training of the subject. Be it public relations course, advertising course or a journalism course the main idea behind is to develop a rapport with people belonging to all walks of life and diffusing information at the right time.</div>

Best Career Option in Media and Communication Industry

They say it takes only a determined mind to make a successful career. However when it comes to carving a niche in the media industry what it also takes is refined knowledge about the discipline. Of late, people have realized the power of mass communication and thus are opting for media courses to ma…

01Apr2012