Education Archives - Page 3 of 14

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.

5 Reasons To Choose Homeschooling For Your Kids

July 19, 2019 by Mandy

Schooling is about more than just education. Your child’s schooling experience molds their personality and character. Unfortunately, there are many risks for your little one to contend with at school. Bullying is getting out of hand, peer pressure is unavoidable, and there is a general concern about the new curriculums and programs being adopted in public schools.

Unsurprisingly, more parents are turning to homeschooling as a solution to these problems. Here are the top 5 reasons why you should consider doing it too, according to scholars at My Homework Done.

1. More Flexible Schedule

Schools have rigid schedules. The kids have to be in at the set time, and the hours seem long at times. That is why family time is so limited during school days.

Homeschooling gives you more time with your kids as the schedule is flexible. You get to set the learning times, and you can always work around the schedule to accommodate other activities. That helps to create a stronger bond between you and your little one right into adulthood. The feeling is amazing and fulfilling.

2. Control the Curriculum

Parents are voicing concern about some of the new curriculums and programs being introduced in public schools. They feel that these programs are confusing their kids and piling pressure on them to fall in line with mainstream ideologies. That is one of the main reasons why many parents are switching to homeschooling.

The convenience of homeschooling is that you get to decide what your child learns. You can take away all the negative programs and even add some more positive ones of your own.

3. Personalize and Customize Learning

Learning in public and private schools is based on a one-size-fits-all model. All students are expected to keep up with the pace regardless of their learning capabilities. Unfortunately, the truth is that some kids have difficulty learning. They can still learn and excel, but it has to be in a different way.

If your kid has difficulty learning, you should consider homeschooling. You can study your child’s learning patterns and come up with a personalized learning system. This way, they can learn with ease, and over time, they will get past their learning difficulties.

You will also be saving your child a lot of ridicule as kids who perform poorly in school tend to be targets for bullying from other kids.

4. Better Grades

Students are considerably underperforming nowadays, compared to the past. There are fewer students eligible for higher education today. That is because the education system is failing – but homeschooling, on the other hand, is not.

Research, conducted by the National Home Education Research Institute, has revealed that home-educated kids perform better than public school kids in the standardized tests. The average home-educated child scores about 30 percentile point more than a public school student. The rates are even higher among minorities whose public schooling experience is challenging.

That means that home-educated kids have better chances of admission to a university. It also means that their employment and entrepreneurial prospects are better. You’ll get great returns from your effort!

5. It Is Healthier And Safer

Public schools are becoming crowded; therefore, there are growing concerns about students’ health. The ongoing measles scare has only served to magnify these concerns. There are also fears that school shootings are getting out of hand. There have been many incidents of violence in schools, and it has left dozens dead and many more traumatized. These, too, are some of the main reasons why more parents are switching to homeschooling.

The public school systems are crumbling. Parents who are concerned with their kids’ well-being, fortunately, have the option to home-educate them. It is more effective, safer, cheaper, healthier, and you get to spend more time with your little ones.

5 Great Reasons to Send Your Child to Private School

June 14, 2019 by Mandy

Education has a major role to play in protecting the future of the human race. Despite the learning crisis in the world, education remains the answer and should be entrusted to our children who are the future. Investing in a good education program should be in the best of your interest in your child’s growth.

But how do you determine that you have invested in the right school for your child to study in? Do you choose a public school or a private institution for your loved one?. Do you go to public schools which are cheap but crowded or opt for that private school that will offer special attention to your child although at a higher fee?

When choosing that perfect school, match the institution’s values with yours. By knowing the expectations of the institution you will be able to make that decision easy. Here is why investing in private school education can be a great experience for your child. Read on to learn more about the benefits of a private school.

Committed Teachers

Teachers in private institutions focus their undivided attention to promoting every student’s development. It’s easy for teachers to learn and understand their students’ shortcomings and help in eliminating them since private schools have a small number of students in one class. Private schools have a unique system in selecting highly qualified teachers who show passion, skill, and determination.

As a parent you want your child to get the same level of attention as the rest of the students. Private institutions will definitely achieve this for you. The teacher’s special attention is important in your child’s development and this is why private institution promotes having dedicated teachers. Noticeably you will begin to see the ability of your child to complete tasks with ease.

Teacher performance in private schools gets monitored so as to identify weaknesses and improve on them. This, in turn, leads to teachers putting in more effort in the classroom. It forces them to go the extra mile, to improve the overall performance of the class.

Safety and Security

No parent wants to put their children in harm’s way and the safety and security of your child should be a top priority. Especially with issues like kidnapping and other forms of insecurities, it’s primary that you ensure when you are not in arms reach of your child that you have the sense that they are safe wherever they are.

The number of students’ versus the number of adults will be a factor in ensuring security in learning institutions. Imagine if the number of student ratio for teachers is very high. This will raise some challenges in ensuring that the students’ security is manageable.

A lower number of students provides an easy way to track their whereabouts at all times and also offers a quick response time in case of emergencies. It is also easier to identify missing students in the classroom and contact their parents or guardians for inquiries. In public schools, the high number of students makes it a difficult and expensive affair.

Enough Resources

Resources that facilitate a better learning environment are very important for any educational institution. Private learning institutions are able to thrive in sourcing out the necessary utilities to help in smooth operations.

The enrollment and semester fees charged in private institutions go a long way in ensuring more resources are available for each and every student. Facilities in these schools are in plenty.

From well-equipped libraries to state of the art sports facilities and support for extracurricular activities such as music. These go a long way in nurturing and developing your child’s talents

Private schools are able to contribute part of these resources through a united front from the community, staff, alumni members and parents. This is aimed towards the overall welfare of the school. This is very vital to their overall development.

Uniform Programs and Extra-Curricular Activities

All work and no play makes Jack a dull bull right? Extra-curricular activities provide a much-needed break from classroom work for the students. Learning gets exhausting sometimes. They also provide motivation for the children to come to school and have fun while learning.

Uniformity in programs means that a student can even participate in other extracurricular activities. A balance needs to be there. Private schools try to make this possible all through the school calendar.

Extra-curricular activities also play the role of instilling a form of discipline which is paramount for your child’s development. Most private schools will try to uphold their values through the discipline students learn while participating in extracurricular activities.

Some of the talents they develop in school might end up being their source of livelihood in their adult life. Many talents get spotted at school level and get developed after graduation.

Small Class Count

Public schools have a tendency to have a higher number of students in a class. Imagine the level of discomfort a student feels in such an environment. The level of focus and attention is affected in such a set up as it forces the hand of the teacher.

A lower number of students per class also plays a major part in the development of student-teacher relationships. In an environment where the students and teachers don’t possess a personal but professional relationship, the students end up missing out.

In private school, the teachers are able to identify and target the weaknesses of the students, leading to better academic performance. This would not be the case if the class was too crowded to manage.

Private School Provides a Better Environment for Your Child’s Development

As you are making that decision on which institution you would like to enroll your child in, remember that their future is in your hands. Private school might be costly but comes with numerous benefits as compared to public school. It is up to you to make that decision on what type of school, education, and environment you want your child to grown in.

Check out our website to learn more about family values and to get more insights on private school education for your child.

Are You Teaching your Kids the Wrong Things About Money?

January 22, 2019 by Mandy

Life would be a lot easier if the teachers in your child’s school taught them about budgeting, taxes and even forms of credit, instead of focusing on the lessons they never needed to learn. Unfortunately, financial classes still aren’t a part of the curriculum, and that means that parents and guardians are the ones left to make sure that their children know how to manage their cash.

The sometimes-shocking truth is that even if you think that you’re not teaching your children anything about money, you’re probably having an impact that you haven’t noticed. Every time you ignore a bill or pay with something you can’t afford using a credit card, your kids are learning from your behavior. Are you teaching them the right lessons?

Bad Lesson 1: Someone Else Will Bail Them Out

Do you give your children a weekly allowance? If so, there’s probably been a few times when they’ve spent all of their money immediately, then regretted it as soon as their friend has invited to them to the movies or asked them to do something that costs money. While it’s tempting to give your kids everything they want, it’s also not great to teach them that if they make a mistake with their money, someone else will come along and give them more. Instead, let them mull over the decisions that they’ve made and learn from their mistakes – no matter how tough it is.

Bad Lesson 2: Bills Can be Put on Hold

If every time you receive a bill in the post, you throw it somewhere else, or let it sit around until the last minute, your kids are going to have a hard time understanding why you can’t just blow off paying for your car insurance one month and buy them a toy instead. Make an effort to show your children that you’re committed to paying crucial expenses on time every month. You can even sit them down with you while you go through the budget so that they can see just how many crucial costs you have to deal with. That way, they’re more likely to understand when you tell them that you don’t have any money left for treats.

Bad Lesson 3: Someone Else Can Pay

Ideally, if you and your spouse live together, you’ll split the living expenses between you, so that you both have some cash left over to spend on yourself. However, if you end up spending all of your cash straight away and start asking your spouse to buy you the things that you want instead, your kids will learn that they just need to get someone else to pay for what they want too. By being responsible with your own money, you teach your children that they’re in charge of their own financial security. This will lead to greater independence in the future.

Bad Lesson 4: Plastic Works when Cash Isn’t Available

Do you frequently turn to your credit card when you don’t have enough money left over? If so, this is teaching your children that they can still get whatever they want whenever they want it, as long as they have a card handy. Your children don’t understand that you’re going to need to pay more money for the convenience of using your credit card later. If your children are too young to understand how things like banking and credit cards work, then it’s best to avoid using credit cards in front of them. If they are old enough to understand, try showing them how your credit card bills add up at the end of the month, and why it’s not a good idea to rely on them for all of your expenses.

Bad Lesson 5: You Don’t Need to Talk about Money

If you’re always reluctant to talk about cash in front of your children, then how can they understand how important it is? While it’s difficult to discuss something as complicated as cash with younger children, it’s a good idea to keep them in the loop as much as you can. The more open you are about money, your expenses, and how much cash you have to spend each month, the easier it will be for them to understand why you need to shop around for the best prices, and why it’s so important to save for the future.

Bad Lesson 6: Impulse Purchases are Fine

Finally, while treating your kids to a last-minute candy bar can seem like a good idea at times, it also teaches them that spending doesn’t have to be planned. Instead, show your children why you can afford to get them that treat. Perhaps you saved a little extra on an item that was on special. That way, your children will see how everything adds up.

BYOD: Benefits of Bring-Your-Own-Device Policies at School and Work

November 6, 2018 by Mandy

Look around. The signs of rising mobile device usage are all around us. It’s rare to be in public nowadays without seeing at least one person on a smartphone or tablet—but more likely entire groups of people. People are increasingly integrating mobile devices into their lives, and that certainly doesn’t stop when they step through the classroom or workplace door.

As such, many organizations are embracing bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies to harness the power of the devices people are already utilizing. Of course, doing so successfully requires a few things; including an understanding of the cybersecurity implications, to start. But educators and businesses must also have a strategy for implementing BYOD if they hope to maximize the benefits.

Here are a few of the advantages of incorporating a BYOD ethos at school and work.

BYOD Reduces Equipment Costs

BYOD can have a positive effect on an organization’s bottom line. If people already own and use the devices they need to conduct certain professional functions, that means companies don’t have to purchase and supply as much work-only equipment.

In the classroom, BYOD policies can reduce financial strain for both educational institutions and students. Why? Well, students won’t find certain costly items—like clickers—on their recommended back-to-school shopping lists. For a college student who’s already covering books and tuition, this can be a huge relief. As eLearning Industry writes, “BYOD helps schools and colleges to free themselves from hefty investments in hardware devices along with other educational materials like books, paper, etc.”

BYOD Improves Feedback Collection and Communication

The very nature of group communication is changing. The days of traditional top-down messaging upheld by a strict hierarchy in the workplace is outdated. Same goes for one-way lectures in which instructors talk at students for long, unbroken periods of time. Collaboration and open communication are increasingly prized at work and in school. As a result, forward-thinking organizations are choosing to harness the power of BYOD policies to facilitate more dynamic interactions.

Here’s one example: Your organization is trying to collect honest feedback, so they can make an informed decision that will affect poll participants. If you have a BYOD policy in place, employees are already equipped to use their mobile devices as clicker alternatives. This enables feedback to go beyond simple multiple-choice polling—people can even contribute valuable freeform responses in real time. In other words, BYOD adds nuance to any survey, especially because responses can be anonymous to encourage candidness. Participants can also upvote others’ responses to get the discussion rolling or signal their agreement. All in all, this process allows organizations to collect richer feedback.

The same principle stands inside the classroom; instead of having to depend on clickers to answer A, B, C or D, students can utilize their mobile devices they’ve brought to class to ask questions, contribute comments and participate in more flexible polls. This opens up the line of communication between leaders and groups.

Employees and Students Appreciate Flexibility

People are used to using their own devices. An avid iPhone user knows their way around OS; an Android user is accustomed to a completely different operating system and interface. Instead of asking employees or students to come to work or school and reorient themselves to a host of new devices, BYOD allows people to use what they know. As one Entrepreneur contributor notes, “Working from devices that employees are already familiar and comfortable with can help them complete tasks quickly and efficiently.”

Like every policy, BYOD comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The aforementioned examples outline three benefits organizations can harness by fostering a BYOD-friendly atmosphere: reduced equipment costs, better polling and efficient flexibility.