Why Do People Home School Their Children? – by: Claire Quaty

Of course in America there are many options to educating our children. There are public schools, private schools, charter schools, Montessori schools and, of course, the option of home schooling. There are advocates of both home schooling and public schooling. Those of us who don’t home school, which is still the majority of Americans, need to fully understand the reasons why people choose to home school their children.

Religious or Philosophical Convictions:

Religion is not permitted in the public schools. Many families feel that religion needs to be a larger part of their child’s education than that which the public schools allow.

People who have deep religious beliefs show great passion. These are the individuals who are passionate about their children’s education and feel that only they are able to teach them to the best of their ability and the content that they feel they should be learning. The home schooling parent is in charge, they call the shots and they like it that way.

Socialization:

Some people that don’t understand home schooling believe that it is confining rather than socializing. But those individuals that believe that are stuck in thinking about the stereotypical socialization of an age-based classroom. Children that are home schooled are exposed to social situations in a mixed age range. They have “age-mates” instead of “class-mates”.

Many home schoolers feel that their children need to be exposed to the appropriate ways to behave not inappropriate. They feel that their child should be exposed to the model behavior of people who have learned to make decisions and handle themselves in various social settings. By being exposed to appropriate modeling of social behavior, home-schooled children will learn how to act appropriately.

Parents of home schooled children can also see when their child “gets-it” when they model for a younger child appropriate behavior.

Home-schooled children get a reality based social lesson. On a daily basis they see adults they know, love and trust manage and balance life day to day. Modeled for them is academics balanced with real life chores; caring for a sick friend or neighbor, shoveling the driveway and walkway, doing the grocery shopping and dropping of the dry cleaning, cooking dinner while folding laundry, putting laundry away and talking on the phone with Aunt Sara. These are real life situations that home schoolers are exposed to and public school children are often sheltered from or are privy to a controlled school environment.

Academics:

Home schoolers have several advantages over publicly schooled children. The curriculum is designed specifically for them – not for children their age and what children at a particular age are expected to know and learn. Public schools differentiate instruction the best they can. However, a home-schooled child has a curriculum tailored to their needs. They may read at a 4 th grade level, spell at a 3 rd grade level and complete math at a 6 th grade level.

A home-schooled child is neither rushed nor not given enough time. There are no other children to “keep busy” so they are free to work at their pace and move as quickly or as slowly as need be.

Much research has been done on how children learn best. A home-schooled child is not only taught by the person who knows them best in the entire world but also since they are the only student, the learning style never has to be varied. If a student learns best through music, then the curriculum of a home-schooled child can be tailored to meet their needs so they will be more successful.

Home-schooled children get to spend more quality time as a family. They are not trapped in a traditional school setting for 6 hours a day but are free to spend quality time as a family every day.

It is said that parents are a child’s first teacher. Families that home school want to continue to be their child’s teacher because they feel that their children need the guidance of their family and God and not the guidance of someone hired to do a job that is naturally theirs from the day their child was born.

About The Author The latest work of Claire Quaty can be found at: http://www.homeschoolx.info/.

Proving Evolution With The Dictionary – by: Dr. Randy Wysong

Specious reasoning and clever crafting of definitions can make about anything appear to come true. As John Mackay (1852) observed, “When men wish to construct or support a theory, how they torture facts into their service!” Mackay, J. (1852). Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.

Some words are innocently created to straight forwardly describe a particular thing but can insidiously take on a life all their own. Our language is filled with words that have departed from their original definitions and are now widely misconstrued and abused. Examples include truth, religion, supernatural, morality, liberal, capitalism, freedom, love…basically all the hot button words and subjects people consider to be their little sacred domains of private belief and interpretation.

Evolution is another example of such a word. In the dictionary, evolution’s first definition is: the process by which something develops into a different form. The word and this meaning predated Darwin’s concept of biological evolution. Here’s how that fact has proven useful in helping to make his case.

Most certainly, things do evolve in the dictionary’s pre-Darwinian sense of the word. We evolve as individuals, society evolves, technology evolves, education evolves, the automobile evolves and agriculture evolves. To the uncritical eye, evolution, taken as being synonymous with change, seems to fit well with what all of us experience every day: Homes get built beginning with simple blocks and 2 X 4s, our bank account balance grows slowly, our bodies begin small and get bigger, babies begin with one cell that multiplies into a whole body and anthills grow one grain of dirt at a time. Since everything changes, everything can be said to evolve. How convenient for Darwin’s “evolution.”

He could not have chosen a better word. The case was closed before he ever got into court. Since everything evolves it is not too much of a leap to accept that life evolved. The word itself is tendentious, creating in and of itself reason to believe the theory.

If he had chosen the word transmutation instead of evolution, things might be entirely different. Although transmutation would be a better description of the theory, the unfamiliarity of the word would force people to determine meaning and evaluate that against their own experience. In the larger sense, Darwin’s evolution requires that species transform into one another (transmutate) all the way up from a single-celled organism. Since nobody has ever seen one type of organism transmutate into another, he would have had a much harder sell. On the other hand, saying that “change” is the same thing as biological evolution makes anyone who does not accept Darwin’s evolution, someone who rejects change. In other words, stupid.

Please note that evolution normally implies progressive change. But nothing evolves in that sense without intelligent manipulation. Corn kernels get bigger, evolve, because of intelligent horticulture, home architecture evolves because of intelligent engineering, and mathematics evolves because of mathematicians. That little fact — that intelligence is needed for things to progressively evolve — just happened to be left out when Darwin’s evolution was attached to dictionary evolution.

A word was stolen from our vocabulary, a word everyone can agree to. Cleverly then, a new footnote about a whole new mechanism was attached to it without really alerting anyone. By that I mean biological evolution is not mere change. In overview (cell to human sense) it is gross change, more like a skipping or gigantic hopping. It is about transmutations in the absence of any intelligent force to make them happen.

It would be like me coming up with a new theory of commerce. I scan the dictionary and decide to call my theory, “possession”. Everyone possesses things and possession is nine tenths of the law. My “possession” theory is a process by which one goes into a store, loads up bags and carts with whatever they want and takes it all home. The stuff is possessed. What a cool theory. Now when the police show up at your door and take you to court, you just take your dictionary. You say to the judge, “Looky here judge, the dictionary says possession is to have things and that’s all I did.” Do you think the prosecutor might make the argument that you have left out an important part of the definition, namely that to possess something legally requires a mechanism called paying for it?

Possession means having something, according to the dictionary, but that does not legitimize any form of possession. Evolution means change, according to the dictionary, but that does not legitimize any theory of change.

About The Author Dr. Randy Wysong: A former veterinary clinician and surgeon, college instructor in human anatomy, physiology and the origin of life, inventor of numerous medical, surgical, nutritional, athletic and fitness products and devices, research director for the present company by his name and founder of the philanthropic Wysong Institute. http://www.wysong.net http://www.cerealwysong.com

Tips For Successful Homeschooling – by: Desmond Edwins

There are many reasons why parents choose to homeschool their kids. For many it is because they want to add religious content to their children’s learning experience.

Making the decision to home school is usually a very difficult not and it is not one to be taken lightly. It is a personal decision that no one can make for you, but maybe I can help in the thought process by providing you with a comprehensive guide to making the choice to homeschool your kids a successful one.

When making the homeschool decision, you must first consider these things:

1. Time commitment that is involved. Homeschooling has a tendency to take up a lot of time in your day. It involves more than just sitting down with books for a couple of hours. There are experiments and projects that have to be done, lessons to prepare, papers to grade, field trips, park days, music lessons, and the list just keeps on going. You can go online and search for some sample schedules that will help to give you an idea of a typical day.

2. Personal sacrifice. The homeschooling parent has very little personal time or time alone and away from their children. If a lot of care is not taken to set aside time for yourself, it is easy for the parent to feel overwhelmed. Basically, the parent and child are together 24 hours a day and this can get frustrating on both sides.

3. Financial problems can arise. Homeschooling can be accomplished with very little cost to you; however, it usually requires that the teaching parent will not be working out of the home. Some sacrifices will need to be made if the family is used to two incomes. Of course, if you are a single parent, this could pose an even bigger problem.

4. Time for socialization. More attention will need to be given to getting your children together with his/her peers. The best part of homeschooling is being able to have more control of the social contacts your child makes. However, the downside is that you must prepare your child yourself on how to socialize with other kids. Homeschooling has a tendency to make your child feel isolated.

5. Household organization is harder. Housework and laundry and other house work will still have to be done, but it probably won’t get done first thing in the morning. If you are a neat freak, you might be in for a big surprise. Not only does housework need to be let go at times, but homeschooling creates messes and clutter on its own. You will have to get organized so that you can keep your home together.

6. Both parents must agree to it. It is important that both parents agree to homeschooling. It is very difficult for this to work if one of the parents is against it. If your spouse is against it at this time, try doing more research and talking to more people so that you can be absolutely certain it is something that both of you can agree upon. Otherwise, the chances for success are much smaller.

7. Your child has to be willing. A willing student is crucial to the success of homeschooling. Ultimately, the decision is the parents to make, but if your child is dead against it, you might have a very difficult time in teaching them. The fact of the matter is that an unwilling child can sabotage his/her own school efforts.

8. Know that it works one year at a time. It isn’t a lifetime commitment and doesn’t have to become one. If you find that homeschooling just isn’t worth it, you can choose to go the regular route.

There is a lot more to homeschooling than to just do it. As a parent, you must know that your child’s education is the most important factor in his/her future. You need to be thoroughly prepared for all of the time and commitment that is involved. If you are thinking of choosing homeschooling for your child (ren), this guide will help to make it a successful transition.

About The Author Desmond Edwins runs the website Org Education which is a one-stop information center for all the latest resources and articles education related. For more details please visit http://www.orgeducation.com.

Distance Learning College – by: Mark Woodcock

You might be at a crossroads in your life. You might realize that you need your Associate’s degree or Bachelor’s degree to land that exciting and high-paying job you have always wanted. You might realize that you need your Master’s degree to rise higher in your current profession. You might realize that you are ready to return to work after taking a break to raise your family, and that getting a degree will help you achieve your professional goals. Simply the most convenient and flexible way to achieve any of these ambitions is by getting your degree online at a college that offers distance learning. Distance learning is not “correspondence”. Rather, it utilizes today’s Web technologies to allow anyone from anywhere to attend college via the Internet, and receive a college education.

There are many advantages of choosing to receive your education online from a college that offers distance-learning programs. Proximity is no longer a factor in determining where you attend college. There is no need to live near or commute to a college when all classes can be attended and all work submitted online. Studying for a college education online allows you to achieve your educational and professional goals at your own pace, whether you want to get a 2-year Associate’s degree, a 4-year Bachelor’s degree, or take an accelerated course program to receive a professional certificate. Attending school online is a great option for those who might have uncertainties about going to college as an older student or returning after many years. Taking advantage of a distance learning program can be an easy way to ease into the routine of class work and projects, and can reduce the stress of feeling the need to fit in with younger students. Further, course availability is often convenient for those who work full time or care for a family. Often, distance-learning programs offer evening and weekend classes.

There are distance-learning programs available for just about every professional and academic discipline out there. Fields of study include Business, Social Sciences, Humanities, Library and Information Sciences, Education, Nursing, Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, and various Healthcare programs. These are but a few of the subjects in which you can earn a college degree by choosing a distance-learning program. While there are many fully accredited online-only colleges and Universities that offer distance learning programs, there are also many traditional colleges and Universities that are adding distance learning to their curricula. Most of these colleges and Universities are accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation is an important credential to look for when choosing an online program if you have prior college credits you wish to transfer. Accredited institutions are also more readily recognized and accepted by employers and professional organizations.

You might be concerned about affording a degree through a college that offers distance-learning programs. Often, financial aid is available to students in the form of grants, loans, even scholarships. Also, many employers are willing to pay for part or all of an employee’s tuition and fees. Investing in an employee’s future reaps benefits for everyone involved.

The misconception of receiving your degree from a college that offers distance-learning programs is that the experience might not be as enriching or legitimate as attending campus-based classes at a traditional college or University. This just isn’t the case. Programs offered online present the same opportunities for group work, independent study, and interpersonal communications as their traditional counterparts. While it is true that being an online student requires a certain amount of self-discipline and organization, receiving your college degree online will probably help to facilitate the learning process as well as develop your time management and self-motivation skills. With the prevalence of the Internet and advancements such as teleconferencing in both education and the business world today, it is possible to come away from the experience not only with a college education and your dream career, but also with greater knowledge and comfort with technology. Receiving your college degree through a distance-learning program is a valuable, convenient, and flexible way to broaden your career opportunities, and have the career you have always dreamt about.

About The Author Mark Woodcock is a director of 3 Internet Companies, is a published author and has written many articles on a widespread number of topics. All his articles may be reproduced provided that an active link is included to http://www.higher-education-online.com.

TIPS To Overcome Exam Fever – by: Anurag Chopra

Come EXAM TIME and students start getting anxious and spend sleepless nights worrying about the coming exams. Exams may be anxiety provoking for some people. Students may worry about an exam for days before it is to take place and/or during the exam, when tackling the examination they may experience negative thoughts and unpleasant physical symptoms which prevent them from performing to the best of their ability.

Students, Just Relax ! Need not Worry…. It is wise to remember that exams are not here as punishment. Instead, they are a good way of testing to see how much information you have learnt.

Examinations test a student’s knowledge and understanding of a particular subject. They bring questions from an entire module together in a challenging environment.

Whether you are taking the Board Exams or forthcoming Medical Entrance Test or appearing for any other Entrance Exam, Don’t you worry. Just follow these simple tips to overcome Exam fever.

Don’t get over anxious: It never helps. Think of all the exams you have faced so far and how you have overcome your fears. Visualise the worst that can happen and then think positive.

Talk over your anxieties to your parents, friends etc and get it out of your chest periodically. At the same time, talk about the subjects you are good in and the chapters you are well prepared in.

Gain confidence in subjects you know best: by completing the revision and writing notes, especially to a family member or answering mock tests. Make brief points to refer just before the exams.

Fix time and place: Make sure that your study has no disturbance. Move away from that place when you need to take breaks. Take them frequently by structuring your time schedule. Every time you feel fresh, study the difficult or boring subjects first for a few minutes and then move on to easy ones.

Exercise and recreation: are as important as studies and they help you concentrate better. Don’t reduce your sleep drastically. Your body needs it.

Avoid repetitive reading: If you are unable to remember, break up the chapter into points and sub points and try and remember each sub point.

Do mock tests: periodically, especially in difficult subjects.Rest, eat good food and freshen up: especially on the morning of your exam. It is a better way to face them than last minute cramming.

On the day of the exam: Relax, Remember God is Incharge….Reduce stress, sleep well, eat well and go early. Do discuss with your friends what you have prepared and what you have not.

Have confidence, you will do well. Believe in yourself.

About The Author Anurag Chopra is the webmaster of http://www.successcds.net. Successcds.net provides Entrance Exam Information and Indian Entrance Test Preparation Software CDs for Medical Entrance, Engineering Entrance Exams, MBA Entrance, NDA, CDS, SSB and other Competitive Exams in India.

10 Tips for Easy Fundraising with Memorial Bricks – by: Elaine Johnson

So, you’re looking for a fundraising project for a school, sports team or construction project and you’re thinking about engraved bricks. Brick fundraising is pretty simple, but what are the pitfalls?

We talked to Larry Cannon (www.bricksculpture.com), who’s been engraving bricks for fundraisers since 1988. He offers the following advice before you embark on the campaign…..

1. First look at your donor database. How likely are they to contribute to your new cause? Take nothing for granted. Don’t assume that people will donate without a good strategy.

2. Think about who you’re targeting. You should expect about 20% of your database to contribute. But…how interested are they in your project? How committed are they? How are they doing financially?

4. Think about the best time to mail donation requests. Timing is everything in fundraising.

5. Think of the best way to word it. Should you play on their sympathies or emphasize that their name on a brick is a memorial will last beyond their life?

6. The project chair will make or break the project. Don’t let just anyone do it…get volunteers with the time and energy to put into the project.

7. How much money do you want to raise? Come into the project with an established goal.

8. Decide how much money people will donate to purchase a brick. Subtract the costs from the brick manufacturer and the difference is direct profit..

9. What about donor level appreciation? Do you want to honor different levels of donor contribution? If so….how? Some options are brick placement, size of bricks, number of words on the brick, emblems or logos on the bricks….

10. Can you get services donated? Does someone in the group know a brick mason who’ll donate their time to lay the brick, build the wall or whatever? If not, the cost for hiring one must come from the raised donations.

About The Author Elaine Johnson (www.wsiweb4u.com) specializes in internet marketing – including press releases and writing articles. Larry Cannon (www.bricksculpture.com) has been helping groups raise funds with brick fundraising since 1988.

Organic Chemistry 101 – by: John Mclain

Organic chemistry is a branch and specific discipline of chemistry. Organic chemistry deals specifically with the properties, structure, and composition of organic compounds. Organic compounds, by definition, are compounds that contain carbon and hydrogen atoms. It is generally agreed that the science of organic chemistry began in 1828. It is then that Friedrich Woehler accidentally evaporated an aqueous solution and came up with the organic compound called urea.

Although carbon is not the most common element in the world, it is one of the most versatile. Organic compounds are composed of carbon and hydrogen molecules, but may also contain other elements. Some of the most common elements found in organic compounds include oxygen, halogens, nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur or phosphorus.

Most organic compounds are covalently bonded, which allows them to form long, complex carbon chains and rings. Carbon atoms are very stable, and are able to form stable covalent bonds with one another (known as catenation). Unlike non-organic materials, organic compounds will usually melt or decompose if exposed to temperatures below 300 degrees Celsius. Another characteristic of organic compounds is that they tend to be more soluble in organic solvents. Solubility, however, always depends on the overall structure of the compound and the functional groups present. A functional group refers to the parts of a molecule that make up its specific chemical nature.

Perhaps the most important and most studied types of organic compounds are those that contain nitrogen. These compounds usually contain parts of the amino group. When the amino group combines with the carboxyl group, amino acids are born. Amino acids are regarded as the building blocks of proteins.

Scientists and researchers use several types of methods in order to determine the molecular structure of an organic compound. Here are the most common methods currently in use:

Crystallography: Crystallography is the science of determining the arrangements of atoms in solids. By studying the diffraction patterns given off by a sample, scientists are able to determine its structure. This is the most precise method for studying compounds. However, most crystals are not large enough to produce a clear picture of some compounds.

Mass Spectrometry: This method involves examining the molecular weight and fragmentation pattern of a compound to determine its chemical structure.

Elemental Analysis: Elemental analysis involves analyzing the sample of the compound to determine its elemental and isotopic composition. In studying organic compounds mostly destructive methods, such as flame atomic absorption or graphite furnace atomic absorption, are used to determine the elemental composition of a molecule.

Infrared Spectroscopy: Spectroscopy is used to determine the presence or absence of functional groups to learn the chemical nature of a molecule.

UV/VIS Spectroscopy: Ultraviolet-Visible spectrophotometry to determine the nature of a compound. Spectrophotometry uses a spectrophotometer to measure how much light is absorbed by the sample.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR): NMR spectroscopy is one of the most common methods to obtain the physical, chemical, structural and electronic nature of a molecule. NMR works by studying the magnetism of a nucleus by placing it in alignment with a magnetic field, and then using an electromagnetic field to disrupt this alignment.

About The Author John Mclain is an expert author at http://www.chemistrytalk.com, a site all about chemistry. Visit http://www.chemistrytalk.com to learn about chemistry and find the right equipment.

Becoming A Police Officer, Firefighter & Postal Exam Just Became Easier – by: Donna Moran

With the economy the way it is today, large numbers of people, both young and old are looking for a long term career which has some stability. The most common of which are police officers, firefighters, and postal employees. In the past many of these job-seekers would merely fill out an application in order to take an entrance exam, and then blindly go take the exam without really knowing or having an idea what to expect. Some would purchase generic books from their local bookstores, only to find out that the material covered was not even close to their exam.

Well that all has changed thanks to a new innovative company. Enter CareerQuiz Inc. (www.careerquizinc.com). For a small charge CareerQuiz Inc. prepares its members for thousands of law enforcement exams, firefighter exams, and postal exams throughout the country. What makes CareerQuiz Inc. different from other similar businesses is that that they target the specific agency that you are applying for. Depending on the agency that the job-seeker is looker for, CareerQuiz Inc. presents that person with up-to-date study materials and online practice exams to assist the test taker come exam day.

According to Augie Caamano, Jr. founder of CareerQuiz Inc. “Apart from being our main business, there is a great sense of satisfaction to see all of these men and women completing our study programs and getting the positions they’re seeking. I enjoy reading e-mails from past members who have been sworn in to their agencies or accepted positions as a result of our online preparation programs.”

A look at CareerQuizInc.com quickly conveys to the visitor their commitment to online test preparation. The web portal quickly allows you to choose which field you are targeting, and depending on your selection directs you to one of three sites, either PoliceQuiz.com, FireQuiz.com or MailQuiz.com. Once a selection is made you are instantly taken to that prep site to choose the actual agency you are targeting. PoliceQuiz.com and FireQuiz.com both list over 4,800 agencies for every state and territory in the U.S.

Caamano states “We would not have thousands of members throughout the country if we did not know the testing business. I’m so sure that we can help, that I offer every member a money back guarantee that they pass the exam on their first try. Therefore, our members have nothing to lose, and everything to gain by preparing for their respective exams at CareerQuiz Inc.”

For a modest one-time modest fee of only $24.95, CareerQuiz Inc. provides it’s members with hundreds of sample practice questions, along with test strategies and tips. They also provide all members the opportunity to communicate with past members who have already taken their entrance exam, and who may be able to provide better insight as to what to expect.

When asked if he would expand his service to other types of entrance exams, Caamano stated “We only want to prepare our members for exams that we know and have researched. Our subject matter experts carefully screen exams throughout the country so that our members have the best possible opportunity to pass that first critical step in the hiring process”.

For more information about preparing for the police officer, firefighter and postal exam. Be sure to visit CareerQuiz Inc. at http://www.careerquizinc.com

Donna Moran is the author of “Becoming A Police Officer Just Became Easier (2004)” mailto:support@acdeigns.net

About The Author Donna Moran is the author of “Becoming A Police Officer Just Became Easier (2004)” mailto:support@acdeigns.net.

What is Blooms Taxonomy? – by: Adam Waxler

What is Bloom’s taxonomy and how can a teacher apply Bloom’s taxonomy to classroom lesson plans?

Bloom’s taxonomy was originally created Benjamin Bloom for categorizing and classifying levels of intellectual learning that commonly occur in the classroom setting. Bloom’s taxonomy contains three overlapping domains: the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. Within the cognitive domain Benjamin Bloom identified six levels that have become commonly known as Blooms Taxonomy.  

The six levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, from lowest to highest, are: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. These different levels of Bloom’s taxonomy have become an extremely useful guide for teachers in planning classroom lesson plans and classroom objectives. You can even find a list of verbs to help teachers design lesson plans in the Bloom’s Taxonomy Verb Chart located on this web site: http://www.teaching-tips-machine.com/blooms_taxonomy.htm.

It is vitally important that teachers do not just teach lower order thinking skills at the bottom of Bloom’s taxonomy such as knowledge and comprehension, but also teach higher order thinking skills at the top of Bloom’s taxonomy such as evaluation. When students are evaluating and judging and using the higher order thinking skills they are more likely to retain information, perform better on standardized tests, and most importantly, achieve the ultimate goal of becoming lifelong learners.

There are many ways in which teachers can use blooms taxonomy to help create more focused lesson plans and help students use higher order thinking skills. By following the Bloom’s taxonomy chart teachers can pinpoint what they will teach and how they will go about teaching it. For example, take a social studies lesson plan on the use of the atomic bomb to end WWII. A teacher could teach this lesson by having students read and memorize important key terms and facts. However, even if the teacher uses a variety of teaching strategies to help increase reading comprehension, the problem is the teacher is only focusing on the lower order thinking skills. The students may be able to regurgitate the information back on the test, but the student is not using the higher order thinking skills that will help that student retain the information for the long-term and, more importantly, help the student learn to think for himself.

A simply way to teach the same lesson, but also address the higher order thinking skills is to simply have the students write a paragraph “evaluating/judging” Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb. The teacher can still have the students include the key terms from the lesson in the paragraph, but by having the students also make an argument and support that argument the students are also addressing the higher order thinking skills of Bloom’s taxonomy.

Copyright 2005 Adam Waxler

About The Author Adam Waxler is a middle school social studies teacher, teacher mentor, and author of “eTeach: A Teacher Resource for Learning the Strategies of Master Teachers”. Find out more about his book here: http://www.teaching-teacher.com and check out his blog for free teaching tips here: http://www.teaching-tips-machine.com/blog.

How to Get into a Top UK University Even If You Don’t Have the Right Qualifications – by: Tony Radford

How to Get into a Top UK University Even If You Don’t Have the Right Qualifications

If you have a strong desire to study at a UK university, but do not have the necessary qualifications, this short article describes the perfect route for you.

The Way In

Many universities provide a training course called a Foundation Year. The Foundation Year provides essential preparation for a chosen course of study and also covers areas such as IT skills, maths and numeracy, academic and studying methods and communication skills.

Some Foundation Year courses provide English language preparation, to ensure your English is up to the required academic standard. Most Foundation Year programmes have a minimum language skill requirement, although many universities provide English language training.

A Foundation Course provides you with all the basic skills you need to gain access to a UK University course. Many Foundation Courses even guarantee you a place on the degree course you are aiming for, provided of course that you achieve the required standards in the Foundation Year.

You should definitely consider a Foundation Year if you do not have the necessary qualifications to gain entry to a degree course.

Typical Entry Requirements

Foundation Year entry requirement vary from university to university, so you must find out what is required at the university you are considering. However, there are some basic requirements:

* Most Foundation Year courses require you to be at least 18 years old.

* You must be able to prove that you have completed Secondary education in your home country.

* English – The English language requirement is likely to be at least IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL 525. Some Universities provide English courses.

* Maths – You should have the equivalent of at least a Grade D in Mathematics at GCSE level.

* You must of course have a strong desire to succeed in your chosen area of study and any evidence of your desire will be very helpful in your application.

* Some ‘life experience’ may be required for certain courses.

What Can You Study?

Foundation Year courses are available in an very wide range of disciplines including:

- Business, Marketing, Accountancy
- Law
- Social Science, Humanities, Arts
- Hospitality, Consumer Technology, Leisure
- Science and Engineering
- Information Technology, Computing
- Food and Health
- Joint Honours Programmes

A Foundation Year is often organised into course units, designed to prepare you for your intended course. Some units are mandatory, others optional, many will be specified by the degree course you are preparing for.

Foundation Year Mentoring

Some Universities offer a Foundation Year mentoring scheme. A mentor is a volunteer who offers confidential help and guidance based on their experience. The mentor relationship can be very helpful.

How Do You Apply ?

First you should decide which degree you wish to study at University.

Then you should identify the University or universities offering a Foundation Year course that is the appropriate preparation for degree you have chosen. The

Then you need to apply for a place on the Foundation Year through the University & Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). This is the university applications processing organisation in the UK and all applications for university places, including Foundation Year, go through UCAS www.ucas.ac.uk

Summary

A Foundation Year is all about giving you the chance to gain a place in a English University. For many it is a second chance – the chance to develop, the change to get a degree, the chance to get on that first rung of the ladder to success.

About The Author Tony Radford Manchester Metropolitan University offers a very successful and substantial Foundation Year programme and welcomes applications to courses from overseas students. Click http://www.mmu.ac.uk/international/courses/foundation.php here for full inform