How Learning has Changed

Reblogged from kipmcgrathashford:

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by Sally Fisher

If you remember when;

ATARI was a state of the art video game system.

Mark from Eastenders was Tucker Jenkins.

And Frank was saying 'GGGGGGGO!!!!' on Runaround

The kids on “Why Don't You” looked old... and cool...

K-Tel was a major force in music.

Wham Bars, Spangles, Pacers and Banjos were playground currency

David Hasselhoff  wore clothes and talked to his car.

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A great post from our colleagues in Ashford on how Kip McGrath UK is responding to the changes in learning technology.

How to keep your kids safe from online bullies!

 Anti-cyberbullying advice for children and their parents. 

As parents one of our most basic instincts is to protect our children and bullying has always been a major concern. In the 21st Century we also have to be aware of cyber-bullying and, as our children are often more technologically savvy than we are and ICT plays an increasingly major role in our lives, it is a growing concern for all parents.

This week is Anti-Bullying Week 2012.

Working as an ICT coordinator in a large school in Manchester for over 12 years, I have had a great deal of experience advising children, parents and teachers on cyber-safety.

Cyber-bullying is defined as the use of communication technology to bully; it can include the use of mobile phones, computers/email, gaming, social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter etc.

Cyber-bullying is just as bad, if not worse than traditional “face-to-face” bullying. For the victims of cyber-bullying, home is no longer a safe place as the bullying is done anytime, anyplace. Cyber-bullies can easily draw in large numbers of other people who can, often unwittingly, perpetuate the bullying tactics, for example “liking” negative posts on Facebook or retweeting negative or malicious tweets. The reach of an online bully is far greater than that of the traditional playground bully. The identity of the cyber-bully is often hidden, making the victim feel helpless and afraid.

A great deal of media attention has been focussed on the use of social media sites being used as a forum for “trolling” which is posting negative posts and/or comments about individuals and there have been some high profile successful prosecutions of people found guilty of this behaviour. This has raised awareness of cyber-bullying.

As adults, we are aware that the type of people who behave in this way are most often dysfunctional, cowardly individuals who would not dream of actually making these comments to their victim’s face. Often these people have issues themselves and may even need help, after all people who are happy and well-balanced don’t behave in this way! 

Children are not aware of this and will commonly feel overwhelmed and helpless if they find themselves the victim of cyber-bullying.

So what, as parents or teachers, can we do to help children cope with this 21st century version of bullying?

First of all children need to be aware of what cyber-bullying actually is and what to do if it happens to them. It is impossible to constantly supervise children online so make sure they are aware of the many different forms of cyber-bullying and follow the steps below if they do experience it.

1. Tell someone who can help. 
2. Do not respond.
3. Keep a record of texts, emails, posts etc – cyber-bullying always leaves a trail! The police can & will get involved if it does not stop.
4. Block offending accounts/numbers/pages/gamers
5. Report to social media site if appropriate.

Make sure your child is aware that online, just as in real life, it is important to distinguish between arguments, difference of opinion and one off remarks and serious bullying. Bullying is a repetitive pattern of negative behaviour from one person or group towards another.

There are many fantastic websites around and it is a good idea to look at these with children to raise their awareness. Most schools mark anti-bullying week in some ways and cyber-bullying is often a focus so look out for letters coming home with information about this.

Look out for my next blog on bullying!

Links to useful websites

Childline - a great section on cyber-bullying, in addition to other resources on child protection and a helpline

Kidsmart -child-friendly guide to staying safe online

Cybermentors - child-friendly site offering information on cyber-bullying with celebrity endorsements and online help

Digizen - a website aimed at older Primary and Secondary children exploring the effects of online bullying.

An interesting article about signs of cyber-bullying in The Daily Telegraph

How to protect children from online bullies

ITV Tuition programme – The Best Start in Life?

http://www.itv.com/news/2012-11-08/the-best-start-in-life/

Like many people I watched the ITV programme The Best Start in Life tonight. Being a teacher/tutor myself I had a specific interest but found myself responding to it more as a mother than an educational professional. I own and run the Kip McGrath Tuition Centre in Urmston but also have 3 daughters aged between 5 & 10 years old.

Whilst I want the best for my children, I also want them to have a happy, balanced childhood. I want them to do well at school but equally I  want them to have friends and non-academic hobbies. I think most of my friends and the parents of the children I tutor feel the same way.

I agreed with some of the points raised, certainly here in Trafford a very significant proportion of parents engage a private tutor to help prepare their child for Entrance Exams for the Grammar schools but many parents simply want a little extra help for their child who may be struggling at school or lacking confidence.

Some of the children featured in this programme represented real extremes in parental expectation and I am concerned that this kind of pressure can be very damaging to a child’s emotional and psychological development. Children aged 3 should not be expected to do homework every day! Likewise primary aged children should not be expected to be achieving GCSE level!

The type of extreme tuition featured in the programme this evening, whilst not typical, goes totally against the ethos of Kip McGrath Education Centres and we do not endorse this type of unrealistic over-tuition.

Our Insight programme makes learning fun!

One of the reasons that the Kip McGrath  after school tuition centres have become so successful with teachers and parents (there are now over 200 centres open in the UK and Ireland, 12 centres in the Manchester area alone and  over 20 centres in the North West) and what sets it apart from other companies offering similar services to parents is the fact that all Kip McGrath centre owners have to be qualified and experienced teachers. The philosophy of the Kip McGrath founders, “any child can learn if they are taught properly” really resonated with Claire & I when we first starting looking into starting our own tuition business.  All Kip McGrath Education Centres are run and owned by local teachers.  Their teaching skills and years of experience prior to owning the business mean that the service parents can expect is tailored specifically to every child’s needs.  Excellent teaching is what the Kip McGrath method of tutoring is based upon.  Kip McGrath  teachers teach each child at their own level and we do not recommend extra study at home each evening on top of school work and extra tuition.  Homework is set to reinforce learning but we understand that children are already under pressure from school to complete homework and children need time to play and relax.

Overall I was disappointed that the ITV Best Start in Life programme makers didn’t choose some more representative families and tutors and explore the many positive effects that a balanced approach to tuition can have. For me, one of the best parts of my job is seeing a child who was previously struggling begin to bloom and enjoy their work and when parents report back to me that their child’s confidence levels have soared! Sadly it would seem that   happy children and well balanced families don’t make gripping TV documentaries!

Read blogs by some of my Kip McGrath colleagues about ITV’s programme on private tuition in the UK

Kip McGrath Scotland

Kip McGrath Lisburn

Kip McGrath Ashford

Kip McGrath Bexley Heath

Great Writing on the menu at Pancake Corner!

Over the last few months KIp McGrath Urmston have been running a competition with Pancake Corner to get pupils to design a new pancake. They had to use their descriptive writing skills to design a dish that sounded so tempting that the guys at Pancake Corner would want to feature it on their new menu!

The new menu launched last week and 2 designs were chosen by the owners of Pancake Corner. The lucky winners were Meredith and Mia, both Y6 pupils who attend Kip McGrath Urmston. Mia’s pancake is the Cheeky Monkey with bananas and Nutella whilst Meredith’s is the Cookie Crumble.

They are pictured here with Adeel, one of the owners of Pancake Corner and the new menu. They then got to enjoy their prize of a pancake and milkshake on the house! Both girls were really excited to have their pancake on the new menu and even more thrilled to hear several customers ordering them while they were there!

Congratulations to Pancake Corner on their 1st Birthday! They are an Urmston treasure already!

Reluctant Readers?

We all know what an important skill reading is but what can you do if your child is a reluctant reader? 

Many children simply do not choose to read for pleasure and, despite their parents’ best efforts, are extremely resistant to efforts to interest them in books. This can have an adverse effect on their education, even if they are proficient readers children who do not choose to read often do not have the range of vocabulary that their reading peers have.

It is well documented that boys tend to be less engaged in reading books than girls but what is less well known is that research indicates that children who do not read for pleasure by the time they are 10 are unlikely to ever do so as an adult. Clearly Key Stage 2 is a crucial time for developing a love of reading.

I am lucky in that all my daughters are avid readers, I have however taught very many children who have been reluctant readers and am very experienced in getting reluctant readers to engage in reading for pleasure.

How can you encourage a reluctant reader to read?

• Take the time to find out what books will engage them; don’t dismiss books tied in to TV programmes and films. Many parents feel that their child should be reading “worthy” books but it is far more important that they read something rather than nothing! If they love Pokemon or Dr Who let them read those books!
• Many reluctant readers are very put off by page after page of unbroken text. Books with pictures will be far more appealing.
• Graphic novels are a great way of engaging reluctant readers; many popular books are now available in graphic novel format (basically a book version of a comic) such as Anthony Horowitz’ Alex Rider series. 
• Some children do prefer fact to fiction, try non fiction books on subjects that interest them such as the Horrible Histories series.
• Check out websites aimed at helping children choose books, it can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start.    Love2read4kids is a comprehensive and exciting website with lots of advice and suggestions for books to read.
• Allow them to choose a magazine but do make sure it has some reading in it, some magazines aimed at children actually have very little text in them!
• Check the bestsellers list, children will be more likely to read a book that they have heard other children at school talking about.
• Set aside specific time to read, if it is always an afterthought your child will see it as low priority. Equally make sure it isn’t always left till bedtime as your child will be tired and may not remember details of the story the following day and will lose interest. Don’t assume that older children don’t need to be heard reading or be read to, for many children having your undivided attention will make reading more enjoyable.

 

We have  worked with Urmston Bookshop to create a reading list full of books specially chosen for their appeal to children. It is a mix of bestsellers, graphic novels and less well known titles which we know are great reads! What is more, Kip McGrath pupils who take the booklist to Urmston Bookshop get a 10% discount on books on the list! They have a fantastic range of children’s books in their award winning shop and can order books on request too. Last but not least parents can sit down and have coffee and cake whilst their children choose a book!

At Kip McGrath Urmston we work with parents to encourage reluctant readers to read. We have our own small but high quality selection of books which we know engage reluctant readers, including graphic novels, popular series such as Captain Underpants, Beast Quest, Septimus Heap, Alex Rider etc and contemporary authors such as Jacqueline Wilson and David Walliams. Children are able to borrow these to read at home.

There are so many exciting children’s books available at the moment it is a great time to inspire a lifelong love of reading in your child!

 

It's Children's Book Week...

Reblogged from Kip McGrath Education Centres ~ Sevenoaks:

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This week marks the annual Children's Book Week which has been running for the past 80 years.  It's a time when we really need to encourage children to 'read for pleasure'.  During Children’s Book Week, schools, libraries and other venues all over the UK hold events and activities aimed at encouraging children to enjoy reading for pleasure, explore libraries and bookshops, and even start writing themselves.

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What was your favourite book as a child? I am in agreement with Zoe - Enid Blyton's Magic Faraway Tree!

A focus on reading

Reblogged from Kip McGrath Education Centre Mallorca:

We are already in October, so there is no time like the present to see what brilliant books are available for children. I have been searching http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk for some ideas.

Their selection includes;

1. A focus on Dyslexia - http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/genre/dys/Dyslexia-friendly.html. If you have a child who shys away from reading because of Dyslexia there is a whole shelf available to encourage them to read.

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I love this website (lovereading4kids) This blog from my lucky colleagues who have a centre in Mallorca (bet they don't have a brand new Aldi though!) details some of the fantastic features the website offers.

Top Parents Evening Tips

Reblogged from kipmcgrathashford:

Handy Parents’ Evening Tips

As parents’ evenings start to loom on the horizon we thought it appropriate to put together some tips to make the most out of this event. Remember, as ex teachers and current parents we have been on both sides of the desk!

Talk to your child beforehand.

What subjects are they happy about, pleased with their progress and enjoy?

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The first parents' evening of the academic year is on the horizon for many of us. Make sure you get the most out of your consultation by following these handy tips!

Choosing a Secondary School

Reblogged from kipmcgrathashford:

CHOOSING A SECONDARY SCHOOL  by Sally Fisher

Choosing the right secondary school for your child can be a daunting process, particularly if it’s your first time at it. Everyone has an opinion about ‘the best school’ but its important to find out for yourself. What was a brilliant school 6 years ago may not be true now. Equally, a school that suits one child might not suit another.

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Very topical post for anyone whose child is in Year 5 or 6 in Trafford at the moment.

The middle years dip

Reblogged from kipmcgrathashford:

Double dipping – ‘The Middle Years’ Phenomenon

Research shows that dips in pupil performance are evident in Yr 3 and Yr 4 and in Yr8 – ‘the middle years phenomenon’. This decline in progress is often accompanied by a loss of enjoyment of school and a fall in motivation.

Year 3 marks the cross over between KS1 and KS2 where pupils have to adjust to a new set of learning demands.

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A very interesting blog from our colleagues in Ashford. Having taught extensively in Primary I recognise this phenomenon well!