Sunday 23 August 2015

The Ultimate To-Do List for Your First Day of college

The Ultimate To-Do List for Your First Day of college


The first day of college is an important one, yet it’s easy to walk away from it feeling a bit overwhelmed and a little lonely.

Hold tight, like any worthwhile adventure, a little planning and forethought will get you a long way. Below are a few suggestions that will help you ease into your first day, make new friends, and get on track for academic success:

Keep Tweets and face book updates to a minimum


You’re going to make some of the best memories of your life in college, but one thing is for certain, none of the stories will start with, “I remember that time I was updating my status.” Don’t use your phone as a social cloak, passing bits and bytes with the tip of your finger while missing what’s right in front of you. Put your phone down and engage.

Don't be scared
Everyone is feeling the same as you. Really they are! It's everyone's first day. Lots of people won't know anyone either or know where anything is. Just go with it, you will soon make new friends.

Go to the Refectory (canteen)

Eating isn’t just for sustenance; it’s also a great social bridge. Grab a turkey sandwich, take a few deep breaths, and grab a table. It’s hard to put yourself out there at first, but it pays off the next time you walk in and see a smiling face or two.

Meet your new colleagues.

Your tutor will set aside time during class for a big round of “Hi, my name is …” introductions. But make an effort yourself. You can start a study group or have a classmate let you know what you missed in class by making it a point to connect with your classmates. Plus, it’s a great way to meet new people.

Get Organised

No matter the size of your high school, college is like getting called up to the big leagues. And you’re going to need to up your game accordingly. Randomly tossing papers in your bag will no longer cut it. Invest in folders, pens, paper for your theory classes and stay organised from day one.

Eat Healthy

As you’re getting settled into your newfound freedom, which includes being the master and commander of your meals, make sure to locate a few healthy food options in the refectory and Bistro and only allow yourself a cheat meal on occasion.

Find A Physical Outlet

Whether it’s a brisk walk around college grounds, a game of football or a yoga class, find a way to move. Colege has a great free gym to use , just book an induction and your off! You’ll function better if you’re taking care of your whole self, body, and mind. Exercise is also a great way to relieve stress.

Find A Few Good Study Spots

Don’t limit yourself when it comes to study environments. Scout the college for different places, there are many. Obviously there’s the LRC (library) and the amazing workzone with its pods but what about the triangle. Or ask your tutor where she knows. Seek interesting and new places to study, as they might stir your creativity and sharpen your focus.

Find Your tutors staffroom.

News flash: You already have a great friend at college, and it’s your tutor. Every student has one. The tutors’s job is to make sure you have a positive and successful experience on college, They are your advocate and first contact for academic success. If you’re overwhelmed, struggling, or in any way questioning a class or path, go talk to them ASAP. They’ll know things you don’t, they’ll have ideas that you haven’t thought of – it’s their job. They’re there for you. Seek them out.

Your New Favourite Words: Assignments and Assessments

Pay special attention to when your assignments are due and when assessments are needed. These will help you get the best from your programme and gain the best marks. Nothing worse than handing in a brilliant piece to only recieve a pass because it was late! Or forget your assessment book, which means you cant be assessed.

Saturday 22 August 2015

Enrolment day!

It was lovely to see all the new faces and names of my new students and wonderful to manage to see some of last years level one's too.
There was some sad faces for some who didn't get the GCSE results that they wanted. But i am sure they will  they will be just fine once they start.

A week of prepping next week to get ready for induction week.
Let the year commence!

Wednesday 19 August 2015

Excited to see you!

Looking forward to seeing my new students tomorrow.
Good luck with your exam results, don't worry about them, remember..


See you tomorrow


Tuesday 18 August 2015

Don't worry about your GCSE results.



School pupils are anxiously awaiting GCSE results day on Thursday, when many young people will find out if they're off to college.

 But don't panic if you don't get the grades you were hoping for, because here's a survival guide for if Thursday doesn't go to plan.

 Still go to college



If you had a conditional offer at college, ring them or go as soon as you can to see if they'll accept you. If you weren't too far off, they may still decide to give you a place and calling up to ask shows that you've taken the initiative which may impress them 

Consider all the options: 

You may be able to get a place on another programme which has lower exam grade requirements, or even do a different course! Once you’ve asked advice about the options the choice is yours. You could take a technical or professional qualification which may lead directly to the career you are interested in. Colleges offer BTECs, NVQs, City and Guilds and also A-levels.

GCSE English and maths

If you didn’t achieve a grade C or above in GCSE English and maths, you will have the opportunity to re-take them alongside any other qualifications you do. Colleges will be able to support you through this.

Consider an apprenticeship

Apprenticeships are basically a job with training. You'll get paid a wage and you'll also study towards a qualification. Usually you'll work four days a week and have one day for studying. The main benefit is that you'll get plenty of practical, on the job experience but you'll also get a qualification too, without racking up lots of students debt.

Ask for a re-mark 

If one of your grades or papers is suspiciously low compared to others, or you're really close to a grade boundary, speak to your school straightaway and they'll contact the exam authorities for you.
Do bear in mind though that while some students get a higher grade as a result of a re-mark, many don't so it's important to be realistic and not to pin all your hopes on this.

Resit your exams 
You could consider retaking one, or more, of your exams. This can be done as early as November.
When you're preparing for a resit, the most important thing is to understand where you went wrong the first time. Put together a study schedule, think about the areas that need improving and focus on the ones that you struggle with – whether that's a particular subject matter or exam technique overall. Ask your tutors for help with these areas.



And finally, don’t get disheartened. Whether you have received the grades you wanted or not, don’t be disheartened as there is something out there that is right for you and will help to get you on your chosen career path. Don’t panic, look at all your options, do your research and get as much advice as you can. College are there to help.

Good luck everyone, see you Thursday! 





Monday 17 August 2015

Going Back to College After Having a Baby

As the day of adult enrolling approaches, I thought I would give some tips about how to help to make the transition from bottles to books! 
Obviously, having a baby changes things. It alters your schedule, impacts your habits and upends your priorities—not to mention temporarily disrupts your sleep patterns.
For many new mums and dads, though, the arrival of baby brings more than lifestyle changes. A new baby can change how you feel about your future, making you rethink work and career choices, and amplifying your desire to finish your college programme that you may have started years before.
Is it crazy to even think about going back to college after baby arrives?
Hardly. Plenty of new mums and dads go back to college after baby and find more success than ever.

Here’s a round up of some of the best back-to-college strategies for new parents.
  • Enlist the help of others. Raising a baby is hard work, whether you’re in college or not. You may be a two-parent household or a single-parent one, but either way you’ll need love, support and help from family and friends. Share your back-to-college plans with those closest to you, then line up willing partners to help with child care duties, household chores or other responsibilities. 
  • Set a routine. Baby needs a routine anyway, so create one that works for both of you. With a good, solid routine, many mums and dads find they actually get more done than before baby, simply because they’re forced to become efficiency experts.
  • Take advantage of “free” time. Truthfully, you may not have a lot of free time with a newborn. If baby is a good daytime sleeper, though, you can use naptime for studying and assignments. Make bedtime for baby extra early and grab another couple of hours for studying.
  • Know your limitations. If going back to college full time is too much for your life, ask if your timetable can be altered to help. You won't be the first one, I promise. If you’re easily distracted by house and baby, leave your spouse, partner or sitter in charge while you head to the college library (LRC), the learning zone or even a local coffee shop for your designated study time. Identify your obstacles, accept them for what they are and then find a workaround you can live with.
  • Focus on what matters most. Many parents say that when a new baby comes along they give up obsessive cleaning rituals and the dream of a pristine household. Give yourself a break and stop trying to “do it all.” Prioritise family, college and work, then let go of anything else that’s secondary. You just may find it downright liberating to let go of all that perfection and overcommitment.
  • Play. Babies provide a great excuse to act silly and have fun. A little bit of downtime is good for baby—and for you. Indulge in it every day.
See making the transition from bottles to books can be done.
We look forward to seeing you!

Monday 10 August 2015

10 Ways You Use Maths in Hairdressing Without Even Knowing It

With the GCSE results looming I found this great article by Racheal Gibson at HJI all about how we need Maths to be hairdressers. Have a read!

Thank you Racheal.

10 Ways You Use Maths in Hairdressing Without Even Knowing It

Maths and numbers are central to many tasks we all do every day and hairdressing is no exception. Although you might think you’re “bad at maths” because you didn’t do well at it at school, you’re using it all the time at work, probably without realising it.

Here are just 10 of the ways you are using maths in hairdressing without even knowing it.

1. Planning your time

Even simple tasks such as booking appointments involve a basic grasp of how numbers work, especially to estimate how much time you’ll need with each client throughout the day so you don’t keep anyone waiting.

2. Stock management and ordering supplies

Running out of products is every hairdresser’s worst nightmare, so being able to manage your stock accurately and order enough of the right products is really important. If you can count and do basic sums involved in stock control, you can do maths.

3. Taking payments and giving change

This is probably the most obvious way you use maths in the salon every day. Understanding how treatments are priced so you know what to charge customers and what change to give them is vital to your work.

4. Colour treatments 

Understanding quantities is an important part of any hairdresser’s job, particularly when it comes to colour treatments. To select the right developer and measure the right proportion of products to get the results your client wants, knowing how volume and ratios work is essential.

5. Sectioning hair for colouring, cutting and styling 

Being able to section hair means having to understand shape and space, a key concept of the maths learning we all do at school. If you can section your clients’ hair properly, you can do maths!

6. Getting the cut right 

A haircut is more than just knowing how to use a pair of scissors. Understanding angles, lengths and shapes are key maths concepts that are the most important part of getting a haircut right. You wouldn’t be able to give a client the perfect asymmetric bob without them.

7. Washing hair

Neither you nor your client wants their scalp scalded! Understanding temperature to make sure it’s just right involves a knowledge of maths, as does estimating how much shampoo, conditioner and treatments your client needs for their hair.

8. Interpreting numbers

Many products you use in the salon are numbered to indicate their strength or colour. Being able to interpret these numbers and knowing what they mean is a part of mathematical understanding, so if you get it then you can do maths!

9. Running a salon 

As with running any business, maths skills are essential to calculating profits and outgoings, including rent, bills and paying your stylists. Even if you’re not running the salon, you’ll still need to check you’ve been paid correctly and understand your payslip.

10. Spatial skills 

If you’re considering starting a salon or you’ve already opened your own, making decisions about the design of your space will have involved more maths than you’d think. Understanding the space, measuring for fixtures and fittings, and working out how many workstations and sinks to fit – all involve mathematical understanding.

If you’re not as confident with maths as you’d like to be but don’t know how to improve, sign up for the National Numeracy Challenge. The site is simple to use and can tell you the areas that you could do with some practice on, as well as giving you the resources to learn. Find out more.

by  on August 9, 2015  in CareerFuture Talent

Sunday 2 August 2015

40 reasons to go back to work....

It may sound funny to title this '40 reasons to go back to work but every year I start the summer holidays with the " Awwww I so need to recharge my batteries." Then I go to the "this year I might try this and I could do that this year.
 To the "oh my!!! Where did summer go? I'm not sure I can face going back yet! I'm not ready".

So..I sat in my garden and thought about as many reason as I could as to why I go back year after year. I managed 40! 
A number I didn't think I would reach at the beginning. And now? Well I'm excited again.

These are in no particular order just the order they came into my mind. They may help you too? How many can you think of?

40 reasons to go back to work.

1) for the first day butterflies (for everyone) and the sight of all the new faces that will soon become ones I will remember, maybe forever.

2) for the staff room laughter when other teachers share stories.

3) for the pure energy and excitement you can see written all over a students face when showing you a piece of work they are really proud of.

4) for a staffroom with unlimited tea and coffee. (and cake!)

5) when hearing "mum"! then turning around to an embarrassed red face asking for help (quite a compliment really).

6) stepping back to view your class working and realising the last hour was worth it.

7) for fridays.

8) for all of the things the students think its quite okay to say out loud!! 

9) for meeting the parents and seeing how proud they are of their children. 

10) for staff rooms full of Sue Hartleys.

11) for being able to share experiences.

12) for always having something good to say when non-teachers ask what you got up to today.

13) for being an entertainer every day. 

14) for how quickly and willing the students suddenly are to tidy up when you tell them its nearly home time.

15) for 
the wet eyes and cheeks and you can so easily dry with a few words.

16) for the few easy students that never make a fuss.

17) for the fussy ones that you strangely miss when they are absent for the day.

18) for the tears, the tantrums and triumphs.( that should be three!)

19) for the change you see in your students over the weeks, becoming more mature,
 professional and confident individuals.

20) for those days with more drama than the Entire world!

21) For moments, sometimes only moments of triumphs!


22)  for when that light bulb just lights up inside their heads!

23) for the invention of the travel mug - getting us all through the last week before half term.

24) for the very necessary half term breaks.

25) for you tube music playlists that keep me "down with the kids"

26) for a job where the smile of one student can on the most cold and darkest days keep you going.

27) because spending a good hour in Hobby Craft is more acceptable as a teacher.

28) for those unintentional rude misspellings.. And thats just me...


29) for continuing to learn about new things and understanding those bits that you found hard by teaching them to your students in a new way.

30) for the moments when a struggling student has a breakthrough.

31) for reaching milestones that shows hard work definitely pays off, for teacher and for students.

32) for singing, singing and more 
Christmas singing! I can because I'm a teacher!


33) for working with very supportive, like minded people.

34) for cool college day 
trips. 

35) for the student's who tell bad jokes and the ones that make you cry laughing.

36) for the look on a student's face when they show you something they are proud of.  Priceless and lovely to see.

37) for Notes like this..


38) for even more excuses to spend all evening scanning Pinterest.

39) for realising how great the job is when farewells happen.

40) for remembering the good bits, ready to start it all again.