It can be very difficult to measure the effectiveness of any system involving a significant human element. The education system is definitely one such system. Having any means of measurement with some reliability is to be applauded, although finding a perfect tool of measurement is impossible. But, having looked at some useful metrics, we can see patterns arise from the data. For instance, Norway is usually one of the top countries for all means of measurements in the PISA statistics. One such measurement that they are number one in is the number of years that people of a specific age have spent in education. This is useful, as it allows us to assume how much time people have dedicated to education. Being well situated in the rankings would indicate that... Read More »
Over the last few years we have seen an increasing trend of school students putting down their writing books in favour of laptops, notebooks, and tablets. The internet was the impetus for this change, as with the networking capabilities that the internet connection allows can hold large and accessible databases which a classroom of students can access and contribute to. In addition to what the internet allows, the advancements in computing power, and with the new tablets available, the level of convenience with using them has increased exponentially. This all begs the question, with people no longer needing to write out by hand, when will we stop teaching people to do so? In fact, recently, a school in the USA has instituted a new policy, whereby all students will be... Read More »
Opportunities in the UK can be hard to come by, especially for those who are looking to break into the world of teaching. Every school will want their teachers to have relevant experience, and this can be frustrating for people starting out, because you need to be given an opportunity to get that experience. That’s why more and more people are heading abroad. China is a country which is currently offering a wide range of placements for English teachers, and you don’t have to know any Chinese whatsoever to be accepted as an English teacher, you don’t even need teaching experience. There’s no doubt that this is a big early career decision, and if you’re considering moving to China to teach English as a foreign language, you should make sure... Read More »
Students do not always want to pay attention in classes, and they may show no signs of interest in the subject you’re teaching, which is why a strict teaching style can be useful. If a teacher is strict, they’re likely to be the centre of attention, hoping to have all eyes on them, rather, giving the students someone to focus on. Strictness can often involve a stern voice and a set of rigid rules, whilst a strict teacher will have no qualms about offering out discipline for disruptive students. If your students are not paying a great deal of attention in your classes, then perhaps you should take up a strict teaching style, but remember it requires confidence; not only confidence in yourself, but in your own set of rules.... Read More »
A PGCE is a Postgraduate Certificate in Education and it can open up a range of teaching career opportunities. Entry is reasonably competitive, there’s no doubt about that, yet it usually takes one year of full time studying to complete. Different universities will have their own requirements for their courses, but a PGCE can be taken in a variety of subjects and some are less competitive than others. If you’re thinking about breaking into the Education industry then a PGCE can be an ideal door into the world of teaching. If you’re looking to become a teacher, make sure you apply for a PGCE early, so if you’re looking at courses starting in September 2014 you should start looking now, because other people are, and some may have already been... Read More »
