Education Archives - Page 3 of 14

How To Keep Your Child Happy & Learning

September 10, 2019 by Mandy

From a young age, your child looks to you for support, comfort, and love. As the parent, it’s your job to ensure that they’re not only well taken care of but generally happy or content and always learning.

You have the ability to influence and impact what information your child takes in and how their home environment is configured. Therefore, do your best to create a cozy and inviting space where your child can laugh, learn and play without feeling any pressure. Read on to discover ways in which you can ensure a nice upbringing for your child and that they remain happy and open to learning as time goes on.

Consider Schooling at A Young Age

Your child is at their best when they’re young and curious about all they encounter and what crosses their path. Therefore, consider schooling your child at a young age using the montessori method. Take time to go online at www.mosaicmontessori.ca and read more on it if you’re interested about using this approach and want to know more about what they’ll learn in the classroom.

Play with Them

One way to keep your child happy and learning is to commit to playing with them. Spend quality time together laughing and being silly on a regular basis. Be patient with them as they learn and grow and be willing to teach and guide them to getting more familiar with their surroundings and toys. Playing is one of the most important actions you can take with them starting at a very young age and that you can continue doing as they grow and mature.

Remain Positive

Your child will take cues from you and your demeanor as they develop and grow. Therefore, it’s important that you maintain a positive attitude in your interactions with them. Smile, find your inner child again, and help them along the way when you see them struggling. Continue to encourage your child in all that they do and let them know you’re proud of them.

Cultivate A Sense of Teamwork

Your child doesn’t want to feel like they’re all alone in trying to discover more about and maneuver through life and their environment. Therefore, be by there side and cultivate a sense of teamwork to show you care. Help them out and teach them so that you two can get on the same page and learn and grow as individuals together.

Remain Flexible

You can also keep your child happy and learning throughout the years by remaining flexible with your approach. The reality is that not all children will reach certain milestones at the same time so you have to remain patient. Flex to your child’s development and do what you can to keep them feeling encouraged and prepared for the next steps in life. For instance, if you’re playing with or teaching your child a new skill and find that they’re frustrated then be willing to take a break and step back instead of pushing them too hard.

How to Choose a High School for Your Child: 7 Things to Consider

August 29, 2019 by Mandy

As a parent, you want your child to go to the best high school you can find. That might be a public school or a private one, or it could be an entirely different type of educational structure altogether. The high school years are important ones as they help prepare your teen for college and life beyond. You might find that your local high school is a great choice, but you might not.

As a parent, it’s your job to learn how to choose a high school, including answering questions like, “is secondary school the same as high school” (secondary school encompasses grades 6 – 12, while high school is usually only grades 9 – 12) or “how much to pay someone to pick up my child from school” (the school bus is likely a small fee or the city bus can also be used for an affordable price).

As you can see, choosing a high school requires some thought so use this handy guide to help you make your decision.

Teachers are an Important Factor When You Look at How to Choose a High School

First, let’s settle the question of “what is secondary school?” It’s grades 6 – 12, so your child can attend high school at a secondary school, even if it’s not where he or she attended middle school (grades 6-8). Whatever high school you choose, whether private or public, the teachers are the most integral aspect to consider.

You want your child in classrooms with engaged teachers who have a passion for helping your student learn and grow. A diverse faculty is also a good sign that you’ve chosen a good high school for your child.

Examine the Academic Programs that are Offered

Before graduation, your child will be tested to ensure that they’ve learned everything they need to move on to college. It’s therefore, a good idea to be sure the school offers advanced placement classes or honors classes that do a good job of teaching the material that appears on these tests.

You also want a school that offers a diverse list of clubs and sports to engage your child’s mind in different ways and help them decide what they want to do later in life. Remember, that a private school that charges tuition isn’t necessarily a better choice than a free public school. Keep your mind open as you look into each of the options on your list.

Find Out Whether Your Child Needs a Test to Get In

In some places, children must pass a test to get into high school. For example, in Australia, children take the Selective High School Practice Tests, which help the administration decide which classes that child is best suited for. In America, tests like the MAP test or the Cognitive Abilities test are helpful in deciding if advanced classes are appropriate for the student. These tests are a helpful way to be sure your child is getting the most of the high school years.

Visit Several Different Schools Before Choosing

Your child is probably asking you, “what high school will I go to,” and that’s a fair question. If you aren’t sure a local high school is a good option, it pays to let your child know that you haven’t decided yet, then make some appointments to visit some of the schools you’re considering.

Meet the teachers, tour the campus, learn about the teaching style and check out the opportunities available to your child. Weigh how he or she will get to and from school, how much you might be responsible for paying in terms of uniforms and supplies and of course, which one feels like the best fit for your high schooler. Take notes so you can remember which aspects you liked and disliked from each school so you can use that information to make an educated decision.

You Definitely Want to Pay Attention to School Size

Bigger isn’t always better and that’s especially true when you’re choosing a school for your child. In some cases, your high schooler may thrive in a big environment with lots of available opportunities. On the other hand, your child might do better in a smaller school where the teachers can offer more one on one time.

Consider your child’s personality as you determine whether a big school is better than a smaller school. Introverted students may do better on a smaller scale, while extroverts will likely do really well in a large high school.

Decide if the School is Designed for the High School Brain and Body

Many parents make the mistake of assuming that high school is just a stepping stone to college. While it’s certainly one part of the process, that’s not all you should expect from the high school years. The adolescent years are a time of incredible growth.

You want their high school to recognize the importance of sleep, stress relief, peer mentoring relationships, positive risk-taking, and healthy adult guidance. Without these important factors, your high schooler might not achieve as much as he or she is capable of during these years. Be sure the curriculum, schedule and expectations align with a high school student’s development for the best hope at the results you want to see.

Have a Look at College Attendance and Graduation Rates

What percentage of the student body graduates and goes on to college? These are important things to consider when figuring out how to choose a high school. High rates in both areas are indicative of a staff that cares about student success, as well as a curriculum and set of opportunities that motivate students to succeed.

These numbers shouldn’t be the only thing you consider when choosing a high school, but it definitely pays to know what you can expect so you can decide if the school’s vision and mission align with your child wants to get out of life after high school.

Research Pays Off

When it comes to how to choose a high school, research is essential. Looking at all aspects of the school, its faculty, facilities, and extracurricular activities will help you make the best decisions for your child(ren).

Check out Serendipity Mommy for more great advice on raising your kids, including going to a new high school. We’ve got something for every mom, from those with newborns all the way up to those getting ready to launch their little ones.

Going Back to School as a Parent: Must-Have Tips for Success

August 26, 2019 by Mandy

You’ve decided to go back to school, only now you also have children. First off, congrats! It’s a huge step, and one you should be proud of.

But going back to school as a parent is a much different undertaking than when you were younger.

If you’re like most parents who return to school, you’re probably wondering about how to make the most of your time, while also keeping up with all your parental duties.

That’s why I put together this post with some great tips for how to head back to the classroom when you also have little ones at home.

So you’ll be better prepared and be able to thrive at both schools and at home!

Sound interesting? Keep reading to find out more.

It’s All About Planning

Gone are the days when you could just roll into class, take notes, and then go on your merry way.

Your life is much more complicated now, which means that you’ll need to plot out every day of classes and homework much more carefully.

Take time to calculate exactly how much time your family needs and how much time your class and school work need in a given day or week.

Then schedule your time with specific chunks for your schoolwork when you know you’ll be able to actually devote time and energy to it.

And if you’re enrolled in an online school, you’ll have an even better chance of plotting out specific windows where you can fully focus on your work.

Forget the Guilt Trip

You’re going to have to make sacrifices when you go back to school as a parent. Sometimes it will mean missing a class because of a family commitment.

Other times it might mean missing something with your kids because of a school commitment.

But the most important thing is not to succumb to feelings of guilt about it. You already have a lot on your plate balancing life and school. There’s no need to pile on with feelings of guilt over it.

Try to minimize it by involving your kids in the process. Odds are, your kids will also have homework on a given night. So make it a family affair! Do your homework while they do theirs. It can be a bonding experience.

Utilize Family and Friends

Your extended family and friends can be a huge help in times of scheduling conflicts and generally balancing school with having kids.

Don’t be afraid to lean on them for help, whether it’s a night of babysitting, or driving your kids somewhere when you have a test.

As long as they know about your goals and your drive to go to school while taking care of your kids, they’ll be psyched to help you live your dreams.

And considering more and more adults are going back to school, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to them that you might need their help.

Communicate With Professors

Remember that your professors aren’t mind-readers. And they also might forget that you are handling more of a load than the average student.

So be sure to communicate with them as much as possible to coordinate your classwork in ways that work with your home schedule.

Ask for clarifications on the professor’s expectations so you know exactly what to do to meet them. And get their advice on things like where to pick up cheap textbooks for their class.

Going Back To School as a Parent

Going back to school as a parent is no small feat. But if you still to the tips in this post, you’ll be ahead of the curve!

And if you’re looking to merge the two paths and teach your kids some real-world advice, check out this blog on teaching your kids about money.

How to Prepare Your Child for University

August 19, 2019 by Mandy

Source: Unsplash | Element5 Digital

Sending your child off to university is a major milestone in life. Ideally, they’ll graduate, land a good-paying job, and become independent. However, dropping out of school or failing to make the right choices can handicap them personally and professionally. Here are a few tips on how to prepare your child for university and make the most of their educational experience. We’ll also explain why these tips benefit your child, even when they may seem counterintuitive at times.

Step Back and Advise When Necessary

You aren’t raising a child to be a dependent creature forever. The goal is to raise a competent, capable and independent adult. If you haven’t stopped hovering, you need to do so now.

Do give your children input on the selection of a university and a course. Be available for questions on how to handle homework, difficult professors or disputes with peers. When your kids move into their accommodation, let them settle in. Let them know you’re available if they want to reach out to you, but don’t call, email or constantly demand check-ins with you. Remember that they may not be with you, but they are not alone. They have classmates, professors and others to reach out to for help.

Learn Everything You Can About Your Financial Options

First, talk to the student finance staff to learn everything you can. Determine how everything is going to be paid for. For example, learn how much it costs to live on campus versus at home and how much to expect to pay in living costs.

Furthermore, learn about scholarships, grants, and on-campus jobs. Anything you can do to reduce the cost of your child’s education reduces how much you have to pay or borrow. One major change on the horizon is the reintroduction of maintenance grants for poor students. Loan Pig has a nice piece on new student finance proposals that covers this and other Department of Education proposals that will affect the total cost of university. You can find out more at loanpig.co.uk.

Create a budget for the costs you have to pay. Talk to your child about how to live within that budget and how to track their spending. Then help them set up their own student bank account. Let them take charge of the budget but check back with them periodically. After all, this is a critical life skill they need to learn.

Offer Adulting Lessons

If you’ve been doing everything for your children up to this point, you may have to give them some quick lessons on life skills they need to successfully live on their own. A surprising number of college students don’t know how to make spaghetti, boil an egg or make a cake from a box of mix. Give them cooking lessons so they don’t blow their grocery budget on eating out. You can encourage them to make their own meals by helping them buy cooking utensils and cookery. You may need to teach them how to do their own laundry or properly clean things too.

Keep on Top of Deadlines

The university application process is complicated. There are deadlines for everything from applying to the university to accommodations. There are deadlines for paying for courses. This is only the start since there will be coursework deadlines throughout one’s academic career. Help your child get organised and to stay on top of their deadlines. This is another critical life skill as anyone fired for failing to finish a project on time can attest.

Conclusion

Parents need to help their children enter university and manage their studies. However, they need to do it the right way if they want their children to be able to stand on their own after graduation.

More Than Just Painting and Poetry: The Top Things You Can Do With an Art Degree

July 19, 2019 by Mandy

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, art degree holders can earn over $92,000 a year.

As you’re searching for the perfect job after college, though, that number may seem completely out of reach. But are you sure you’re looking at the right careers?

Discovering the fields that you can work in with an art degree can be difficult. That’s why we created this simple guide to 3 top industries you’ll feel right at home in with an art degree.

Ready to stop searching and find your dream job? This guide is for you.

1. Teaching

You may have heard the controversial adage, those who can’t do, teach. But that saying does not hold true for art teachers. That’s because artists who instruct get to do and teach all at the same time.

As an art teacher, you can work at the university level as a lecturer or instructor. Secondary school art teachers are also becoming a popular career with art graduates of all types. Yet another option is to teach at an art academy like Mount Erin College.

While you can also find a job as a primary school art teacher, you may be using less technique and more creativity. Primary school art teachers often don’t require a formal degree. So don’t expect to be teaching primary students about the detailed techniques you learned in college.

2. Design

Design is also an extremely popular choice among recent art grads. Graphic design is an ever-growing field that attracts artists and digital designers alike. Graphic designers create company logos, design websites, and so much more.

If you have a flair for decorating, you might consider becoming an interior designer. From sketching out a client’s dream room to using your artistic eye when choosing textiles, interior design is an unconventional way to use your expertise.

In a similar vein, you can also use your degree as a fashion designer. Runways are filled with clothing designs that might as well be sculptures. If you’re looking for the next best thing to clay modeling, fashion design might be for you.

3. Media

Media is a profitable industry that seemingly has nowhere to go but up. An industry that includes traditional forms of media like photography, advertising, and illustration, the digital age has led to much growth in the industry.

Now, media artists are working as animators or concept artists for big-time TV shows and films. But that’s not all. The animation is a big part of the explainer video industry, which serves diverse clients like lawyers and software companies.

One of the most intriguing careers on our list, multimedia programming is a growing area of interest for art degree-holders. This field harnesses the creative genius of artists and the technical know-how of a computer programmer. Multimedia programmers create interactive digital media like flash websites and even mobile applications.

Why Your Arts Degree Matters

It can be frustrating to remember that your art degree matters when you’re searching for a job after college. But in a world where art expertise is a rarer and rarer commodity, don’t forget how unique and valuable your skills are.

Looking for more advice about what to do after college? Check out Serendipity Mommy’s Education articles for more tips, tricks, and advice.