Monday 28 December 2009

Why become a teacher?

Why become a teacher? - from Mr. Chips our undercover teacher.

Sorry for the long gap between blogs, it has been a hectic few months. Rather than comment on the massive number of topical debates surrounding teaching at the moment, I thought I’d make an appeal on behalf of the profession.

Teaching is one of the few professions where you really can shape the lives of people. If most university students were to take an honest look at their educational path, many would find inspiration for their specialism from one particular teacher. This of course can work both ways, with some disliked subjects caused by a poor teacher.

For many people teaching is a profession for those who have failed in some other walk of life, or who cannot get a job elsewhere. I could not disagree more strongly with this silly argument. Neither (or so it seems) do any of the major political parties think that teachers are simply failures in their specialism. Large training bursaries are still available for teachers, especially in those areas where specialists are rare (Maths, ICT, Science and Music). There are also plans afoot to cancel student debts for those who choose the teaching profession. When one considers the current financial climate, this is a clear indication that all political parties believe in the importance of attracting the brightest and most talented graduates into teaching. If this were not the case then surely any government would just let the riff raff float into the profession. The education which you received is something which is being improved constantly, despite the doomsayers who write in newspapers. Ofsted have changed their criteria now such that schools previously rated as outstanding are now considered good. In order to succeed in providing the best possible education for the nation’s children, the best teachers need to be attracted. This is far more than mere degree classification or the university that you have studied that, indeed most university students would probably attest to their lecturers being quite poor teachers despite their formidable intelligence.

If you are thinking of becoming a teacher, let’s talk about the realities of the job. Firstly the holidays – 13 weeks of them every year, is what most people think of as the main perk of teaching, although I will warn you that you do deserve these holidays! There is also the joy of teaching. This is quite a vague concept, but you as tutors gain more than a bit of spare cash and a nice entry for your CV. There are times when teaching can be incredibly frustrating, but that is a common denominator in most jobs, whereas teaching has the selling point that most days you’ll have an interaction with a student that leaves you feeling on top of the world which no other job can offer. It’s also a job where there are vacancies all around the country, so you are not tied down to a particular area or region. Most importantly every day is completely different, and I find this leaves you feeling tired, but with a buzzing energy which I have never experienced before in a job, and from this perspective teaching is without parallel as a profession and I recommend it to you!

If you are thinking of applying to become a teacher, I suggest you try to find a bit of work experience in a school over the summer, a week is often a good tester to see how you feel about the school environment from a teacher’s perspective. You can then apply to PGCE courses and other routes into teaching through the GTTR (Graduate Teacher Training Registry) which is exactly the same process as UCAS so make sure you have a personal statement ready!


www.tutorlink.org.uk

Sunday 29 November 2009

How's business?


I have been standing somewhat taller this week since discovering an article in the London student rating tutoring with us as the best part-time job: 5/5 for pay, 4/5 for career enhancement, 4/5 for flexibility of hours and 5/5 for fun. Ref: page 19, http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1ikox/Issue5LondonStudentN/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yudu.com%2Fitem%2Fdetails%2F102153%2FIssue-5-London-Student--Nov-16th-2009-%3Frefid%3D4384

I was buzzing with adrenaline on finding out that the company that I had put so much of my time, money and effort into had been recognised for the service that it offers. In a time where graduate unemployment is rocketing and where graduates are caught in the catch 22 of not having work experience so they can’t get work to get work experience to get work... With us, undergraduates and graduates can get work experience and can earn money befitting of their ability, whilst developing the skills of themselves and others.

The outlook seems bright; the number of our facebook fans is currently lying at 796, our twitter followers now number 232 and the number of tutor profiles on the site just hit 170. Not bad figures for about six weeks of trading.

We have a need for more tutors with enhanced CRB checks and so from now until Christmas we are offering six months free subscription to those who come to us with an enhanced CRB check that is less than three months old from another company of to those who purchase a CRB check through us. (Currently £41.50 for those who live in Scotland and £55.60 for those who live in the rest of the UK)

As always we really value your feedback so if there is anything that you would like to share with us please just drop us an e-mail to ed@tutorlink.org.uk

Best wishes,

Ed

Director Tutorlink.org.uk Ltd

Tutorlink.org.uk Ltd. University of Leeds Union, Lifton Place, Leeds. LS2 9JT

Registered company number: 06978456

Thursday 1 October 2009

Creating www.tutorlink.org.uk


Hi Everyone,

Now that our new website has finally launched I thought I'd give you a little insight into how we have got to where we are today. Tutorlink started in 2006 when, at a slight loose end during a long summer holiday, I spotted the gap in the market and decided to go for it. Students were working for demeaning wages and the prices of private tuition had soared to ridiculous heights.

The first tutorlink was naive to put it mildly; heavy on the paperwork and slow to connect tutors. It did however spread from London to Leeds as Leo joined the team in 2007.

In 2008 however, we decided that it was time for a re-think and a re-fresh so we shut down our operations and started planning the tutorlink of today. We fell in with some not so good developers and lost a year to them. Then early this year we found some new developers whose portfolio included work for the "dragon" Deborah Meaden and we were back on track.

After an intense development period of caffeine fueled late nights along with all the other elements to launching a company such as legal documents and marketing etc... we finally managed to launch just under a month later than intended.

As with any new site there will be a few teething issues but we hope that it will revolutionize this industry and make life a great deal simpler for both those who want to teach and those who want to learn.

We are really keen to keep you happy so if there is anything that isn't working or that you don't understand or you think we could do better please let us know at either leo@tutorlink.org.uk or ed@tutorlink.org.uk You can tell us about the good stuff too if you like ; )

Feel free to add posts to our facebook page or by this blog if you want to give any public feedback.

Good luck with your futures,

Ed

Director
Tutorlink.org.uk Limited

Tuesday 18 August 2009

Underachieving Schools - by Mr Chips

Another week of A Level results, another week of comment surrounding league tables, the ‘dumbing down’ of exams, and widespread strategies and promised for education review and reform. The Tories have already stated a desire to reform league tables in order to give greater weighting to higher grades and more ‘worthwhile’ subjects. With regards to underachievement in this series of blogs, the news could not be more worrying. Recently we also have heard our society denounced as ‘broken’ from the opposition bench, with youth culture being slammed. Contrariwise we are now told that students who study ‘worthless’ subjects may have their results devalued when considering the achievements of other schools. I will return to the patronizing attitude toward modern day students in a later blog, with comment on the inevitable reaction to continuing success.

The focus this week is on underachieving schools. This again is a very vague definition, but is regularly thrown into journalistic pieces, especially at this time of year. A school which is deemed to be ‘underachieving’ must be considered objectively, we wouldn’t believe a ‘mild day’ to be in anyway the same when reported in the weather forecast in the UK and Australia, yet we consider underachieving schools to be as bad as each other regardless of location and resources. In recent years we have seen a growth of ‘specialist colleges’ whether they are in Science or Performing Arts etc. These schools therefore must have different targets to reach, but on an overall scale, these strong departments may mask weaker areas within the school. The league tables do not reflect the pupils and environs which the school has to adapt to. Inner city schools traditionally have to deal with students who are regularly exposed to gang culture, drug abuse and binge drinking, as well as many students who are not as bright as some in more affluent areas. Students may also not receive as much support at home, which will also affect their progress. This links in well with my previous blog on underachieving students who are less able. In many cases, the challenge of helping these less able students to reach their potential is far more taxing for an educator than simply feeding a bright students hunger for knowledge. I very much doubt that even the complex ‘progress tables’ for schools (only behind Duckworth-Lewis and the scoring for the Heptathlon in complexity) includes this when determining the rankings. Consequently many schools and, in reality, many educators are tarred with the reputation of being poor. This leads to an Ouroboros situation, where in schools desperate for enthusiastic, committed teachers, you have teachers who are apathetic, and feel undervalued in their jobs. On a level which many people could empathize with, consider the disappointment many would experience when someone fails to appreciate the effort put into a present or something similar. If one scales this emotional response when bearing in mind that people move houses to avoid your teaching, this is quite a body blow for someone in a profession which requires commitment and passion in the face of many challenges within the classroom.

In order to balance this argument, I have no issue with parents wanting the best education for their children, that is their right, and in many ways their duty if they are capable of it. Another right, is that of students to an education, and to learn. I am not an advocate of innumerable universities and degrees being awarded like swimming badges, however I strongly feel that as long as they are capable, education should be available to all until the age of 18. Why should a student who is keen on a subject considered ‘worthless’ by a politician in Westminster, have their educational life euthanized because schools are aiming for higher places in the league tables. Education is a gift bestowed only once in many peoples lives, and to have the gift rescinded is appalling. I truly believe that the very best should receive the best chance they can to make the most of their talent. This however should not be to the detriment of less able students who wish to make the most of themselves, and acquire skills and abilities (such as learning how to learn) which will aid them to make a positive start in adult life and avoid the slippery path which is all to easy to slide down. By ensuring this and not placing their educators under siege with league tables and damning reports, we can break the glass ceiling that all too many underprivileged students are trapped beneath, and given time this will improve the nation as a whole. An interesting and somewhat radical example of this is the ‘El Sistema’ scheme in Venezuela. Faced with many social issues (mostly centred around prostitution and drugs) the government of Venezuela created a system in which from a very early age, all children within the country would be exposed to music, usually by learning an instrument. Founded in 1975, this project has already produced one of the world’s best youth orchestras, and one of the world’s finest conductors in Gustavo Dudamel. Music education is something which is considered to be very elitist in this country and extremely exclusive. In Venezuela, it is still ensured that the cream rises to the top and talent is fulfilled, but also every child has something to concentrate their energies and time (through ensembles etc) into, and also with their friends, thus reducing the opportunity for them to go off the rails. I don’t bring this up to advocate some monstrous socialist revolution (however the results of El Sistema are beyond belief) but to highlight the importance when ranking schools of the process of education rather than simply the result. This should be given great importance in future ranking of schools and assessment of students’ educational life, rather than simply berating subjects, schools and educators based on results and prejudices.

Sunday 2 August 2009

Less able kids - By Mr. Chips




How do we view underachievement in less able students? How do we even define what underachievement means for these kids? Within the classroom or tutoring environment, these kids usually create a ‘marmite response’ in educators. Many (especially younger teachers who still feel more attached to their subject rather than education) feel that these students are hard work, and frustrating, as you may have to repeat principles many times to ensure comprehension. In contrast, some educators revel in the opportunity to make a real difference in students who otherwise would be a lost cause within their subject area. It is important in the case of students who are not as capable in the subject area you choose to teach to realize that this does not mean they are incapable in all areas. It is our job to expand our own teaching horizons to encompass other skills to help these students attain the success that their ability allows. There are many strategies to aid this, ranging from old favourites such as the mnemonic through to integrating your subject with more creative pursuits or using IT as a tool to aid learning. There is also a place, even as a tutor on a one to one level, to use practical techniques to aid comprehension, as many students who seem less able in a traditional classroom environment may however simply be kinaesthetic learners, who will quickly absorb information and principles if presented to them in a novel fashion.

Drawing on a sporting parallel again, any sports fan will appreciate the frustration of watching a sportsman underachieve. A popular mantra in many sports is also that of “a great player does not make a great coach” based on the principle that for someone who found their skill completely simple and natural, it is difficult to appreciate the struggle someone less skilled may be going though at points in their career. We must remember this as educators, and also consider that for all the frustration naturally felt when we have a student who is continually struggling, the student will be feeling far more frustrated and even embarrassed by their struggles and underachievement. It is important therefore to support these students and channel our frustration into helping the student (and ourselves as teachers) achieve. We must try to do this in the most sensitive way possible for the student in question. In most cases the strategy to avoid most is to use any variant on the phrase “this is simple” and demonstrating to the student how simple it is for you. Even in the most humdrum situation such as trying to thread a needle or trying to find the end of sellotape, most people will suffer from acute irritation when someone else then finds the same task simple. If we scale this situation up to a whole classroom situation, it is easy to understand less able students becoming disruptive within this environment as they aim to deflect the attention away from their deficiencies.

How does this relate to underachievement? Well I believe for students who are less able it is important to first enable achievement, then once you are in a situation where you are able to help them learn, then this is the time to judge goals and targets for the student. From this point forward it is important to keep supporting the student, and make the learning process as easy as possible. By ensuring this, you will avoid the idea of a constant struggle in your subject, a concept that appeals to very few, regardless of ability!

Sunday 19 July 2009

Underachievement - By Mr Chips



Given that my last blog was somewhat critical, I felt that it would be appropriate to write some pieces about criticism. I intend to give some thoughts on the overused phrase ‘underachievement’. I’ll break this into three sections which I believe the press enjoy spreading liberally across their media; schools, bright kids, and less able kids.

Bright Kids

We so regularly perceive underachievement as being a complete lack of achievement. For example we consider Tim Henman and Mark Ramprakash to have underachieved when their talent and potential are considered, and thus judged as failures. This black and white picture is one propagated in academia mainly by an obsession with higher education. If a student doesn’t achieve the grades required for a university place, they have a feeling of failure, and forget that they have achieved anything at all. This is a mentality which has percolated throughout secondary education and one which eats away at student confidence. Most schools now have a ‘Gifted and Talented’ programme which aims to identify and stretch talented students. When run poorly this scheme sets high expectations of students, and when these expectations are not met at each assessment of their learning, they are told they are ‘underachieving’ and not meeting their potential. Why do we do this? As teachers we rarely put this much pressure on C/B grade borderline students, instead we provide support to help them breach the boundary. By behaving like highly competitive fathers on the football sidelines, educators create additional pressures for talented students. We view the unfulfilled sports talents above with a warm heart when we consider the pressure they came under, both from the public, the establishment, and most importantly themselves. Pundits talk of ‘big game players’ and how so many sports are played mostly in the mind. It is important for us to consider this when dealing with students who are underachieving. They may have peripheral issues which are affecting their performance, and most students have more than enough pressure without us adding to it, so instead of criticising students in this situation, it is important that we give them the support and guidance they need to fulfil their potential and for both you and the student to enjoy this achievement.

Monday 13 July 2009

'How much a dunce that has been sent to roam Excels a dunce that has been kept at home.' William Cowper

- By Alex Webb -

In some five weeks, thousands of youngsters across the country will tentatively open their A-level results envelopes, hopeful yet apprehensive of what their contents might have in store for them. A handful of the letters printed inside will determine where and indeed whether they are able to pursue their studies – if they have got their first choice university, their second choice, or if they are to enter the lottery of clearing. The process of choosing where to continue one's education after school is already a tricky one, and last week ministers mooted the introduction of another factor for consideration. It was announced that ministers were contemplating 'no-fee degrees', exempting certain participants from paying fees. Under the plans, students waiving their rights to a student loan and grant would not be asked to pay fees, a scheme which seems mutually suitable to a government seeking to limit expenditure and to students hoping to ease and indeed preclude the burgeoning burden of debt. However, questions were immediately raised about the extent of the proposal's potential consequences.

One major upshot would clearly be that students would of course be more likely to attend universities closer to home, lessening their expenditure on living costs, but inevitably hindering their ability to choose universities on the basis of merit and suitability. In Britain we are fortunate to be home to some of the best educational institutions in the world, yet not only does each have its own peculiar strengths and foibles, but the geographical distribution of such establishments is by no means constant across the regions, with some areas better served than others.
'The process of choosing a university should always depend on more than just its ranking in the league tables'

Whilst casting aspersions on the comparable strengths of various universities is not always preferable, we live in a society which does so habitually, where league tables can either make or condemn both the reputation and future of an institution. Of course, the process of choosing a university should always depend on more than just its ranking in the league tables – an intelligent youngster might prosper just as well, or indeed better, at a UCL, Durham or St Andrews as at Oxbridge, even if the courses don't rate as highly. By the same token, however, choice of university ought to rely on more than simply geographical proximity, and there is a great fear among groups such as the University and Colleges Union that those without the necessary financial means might be driven to limiting their own opportunities by choosing universities closer to home over those better suited to their course requirements.

Our European counterparts often have different criteria for their choice of university than we do here in Britain. On the continent universities are, theoretically at least, of a comparable standard no matter where you are within a nation, and, as a consequence, a far greater proportion of students live at home than in the UK. In 2006, a Universities UK study suggested that 20% of students in Britain lived at home, up from 12% a decade previously, before the introduction of tuition fees. Around the same time, in 2005, a French study indicated that 42% of French students still lived with their parents, and that as many as 68% of Italian students did so, the highest figure in the EU. Whilst, however, the standard of universities might be similar nationwide in European countries, the best universities in the UK do rank a lot higher than their European counterparts. The UK boasted seventeen in the top one hundred of the QS World University Rankings 2008, while the rest of Europe mustered just fifteen entries between, with Germany coming out next best with a meagre three universities. This is, to a great extent, a consequence of better funding, itself partly a consequence of the considerably higher fees paid here in the UK – German students typically pay less than €1000 annually in fees, whilst those in France need only stump up around €400 once insurance is taken into account.
'Their debt is less, but their opportunities are also curtailed, and the danger of elitism rears its ugly head again'

As I have previously intimated, the question of ranking can often be a misleading one. The great advantage of choosing universities within the British system, however, does not simply relate to how a university rates in a table, but should also depend upon the interest of the individual student, both curricular and extra-curricular. Cambridge might rank highly in the teaching of Theology, but someone interested in the plethora of eastern religions might be better served by a course at SOAS. Whilst Southampton doesn't rate as highly in Engineering as Imperial, budding acoustic engineers would probably prefer to head to the south coast for their studies.

Ultimately, it is a question of breadth of choice, and there is a rational fear that, by encouraging students less willing to fund their studies by accumulating debt to remain at home, not only might they choose universities for the wrong reasons, but the aspirationalism championed by figures such as David Cameron might also be hindered. Their debt is less, but their opportunities are also diminished, and the danger of elitism rears its ugly head again, as the student able to fund his living expenses without a loan nonetheless pays no fees.

'There is more to university than simply what is learned in the lecture theatre'
Aside from the relatively straightforward issue of limiting one's choice of university, there is also the more intangible question of what the effect of extended occupancy of your parents' home – or 'prolonged adolescence', as some have branded it – might be. Of course, there is a long list of advantages, from the financial to the pastoral, but there is more to university than simply what is learned in the lecture theatre. When Thomas Hughes wrote in Tom Brown's Schooldays that 'Life isn't all beer and skittles; but beer and skittles or something better of the same sort, must form a good part of every Englishman's education.', this was partly the point he was trying to make – education necessitates more than that which is simply discovered in the classroom.
The process of leaving home and asserting one's own independence can be an important one, and doing so at a time when one is also seeking to assert one's own intellectual independence seems to be logical. Some academics on the continent have lamented what they call the 'infantilisation' of postgraduate study, where postgraduates are treated increasingly like their undergraduate counterparts, with more hoops created for them to jump through to, as initiative amongst them seems to decrease. They have associated this trend with people living at home for the duration of their studies.

'No-fee degrees' do, superficially, seem to prove advantageous for those on both sides of the parapet, but the fall-out such a move might have on the future of undergraduate education is broader than might be first imagined. The crucial questions of aspirationalism, elitism, and social fluidity are all likely to be affected, and the benefits must be carefully weighed before any policy is enacted. It would be foolish to dismiss it out of hand, but what seems like a simple formula which affects merely the financial in fact has broader consequences for a generation increasingly fearful of what the economy has in store for them. Such a move could have far reaching effects on the nature of university education in the UK, and it remains to be seen whether they would be for the better or not.

Wednesday 1 July 2009

Schools fail children for money - by Mr Chips

Teaching. One of the many tasks ‘teachers’ face in modern education. Unfortunately many are overwhelmed with other responsibilities that in the long term are of detriment to their students learning. We see schools where some members of leadership teams spend greater amounts of time in meetings than in the classroom. One major issue I have faced recently is the budgetary requirements of a school as part of a PFI (Private Finance Initiative) scheme. This school, faced with an existing deficit, is now trying to come to terms with extra costs. Their solution? The introduction of ‘enrichment’ classes at VI form level. These include courses such as Critical Thinking and Science in the Media. These courses are attached to monetary carrots, based on the number of students who take up the courses. The school are therefore considering making one of these enrichment subjects mandatory for the new VI form intake. The downside of this financial surge is the pressure it places on both staff and students. In order to retain enough free periods each week in order to prepare lessons and mark work, teachers are being asked to reduce the teaching hours for upper (and potentially lower) VI form classes, so that these enrichment sessions can be squeezed in. I ask quite who these classes are intended to ‘enrich’? Apart from averting a financial crisis at a school already producing very good results I simply do not understand the reasoning behind these courses. Students, who are under more and more pressure each year with regards to the grades they need to get onto the degree courses they will require to follow many career paths are now faced with less teaching in courses they need pedagogic support in, and are instead asked to have multiple sessions each week in courses which they are not interested in, and unfortunately are not recognized by many universities. I also worry that many other schools and colleges nationwide are faced with these tough decisions, and unfortunately are not recognized by many universities. I also worry that many other schools and colleges nationwide are faced with these tough decisions, and unfortunately in order to save their establishments from financial ruin, they have to make decisions which do have a negative effect on students. Every year, from May to August, students nationwide are patronized on the news, being told their exams are easier than ever, by people in suits who cannot even run an education system and have no place in any position of authority. I resent this as I see how hard students work, and the pressure is simply unbearable for young adults, who feel the pressure of their whole future career and life being placed on a few exams. What is the solution? I find it hard to believe that both local and central government require schools to eliminate deficits within 7 years. Quite why a school needs to run a profit is beyond my comprehension, as it is not required of hospitals, the police and other public services. Why not allow schools leeway on debt? Most importantly, why not remove the caveat of these so called ‘enrichment’ lessons from the pot of gold that has been made available to schools, and use this money to help support students’ wellbeing and education in the run up to exams which have so much pressure around them? I may not be a politician, but I don’t feel it is required for me to have a qualification in ‘Critical Thinking’ to use common sense!

Friday 19 June 2009

Speculate to acumulate

As I zoom through the Wiltshire countryside as the sun sets on what has been a spectacular day, I would just like to elaborate on a question posed to me by a prospective tutor.
The lady in question enquired as to the qualifications required to sign up as a tutor on the site. Knowing the lady to have a high class degree in Maths I explained that all she would require would be a CRB check and that the price of this would be covered in her monthly subscription. "Monthly subscription?" She exclaimed "I can't afford one of those, I am buying a house." At this point I demnonstrated that the money for one months subscription would easily be re-couped in just one hour of tuition.
At this point I beg tutors not to be put off by the initial payments and think of the bigger picture, the long term and the potential of entering into this highly lucrative industry.
Thank you for reading. Thank you also to all those who have registered their interest so far at www.tutorlink.org.uk
Best wishes

Saturday 13 June 2009

Welcome to tutorlink



As I sit at my desk to start my first blog on the advice of my development team, I consider just why it is that people should visit tutorlink; it will do great things for customers seeking private tuition and with the impending ISA (a further check additional to the CRB) due to be implemented soon we can hopefully help tutors to be in the right place for the new legislation. We can also give tutoring companies greater visibility by adding their tutors to our site.

At present the market is complicated and quite often very expensive. Our aim is to provide a search engine free to use for those seeking tuition that will show clearly on a map tutors, who have been fully checked by CRB and soon ISA, in their area. The customer will see tutors from multiple companies in their area removing the hassle of going through companies one by one only to find that each requires you to register and give certain details. We do not require your details and therefore do not take them.

With the current economic uncertainty hopefully drawing to a close now is the perfect time to invest in advertising if you are a tutor or tutoring company and education if you are a tutee.

We have a great deal of work to do between now and August when we plan to go live and I will keep you update on our progress.

We can be followed on twitter at www.twitter.com/tutorlink or on facebook, search tutorlink and become a fan. If you would like to register your e-mail address to hear when we go live please visit www.tutorlink.org.uk and submit your e-mail address there.

Thanks for reading and best wishes for the future.