Yahoo News Presents Tutorfair

Yahoo News Presents Tutorfair Mum. Mum! We’re on TV! Yahoo News presents Tutorfair as the company intent on helping those in need of education at a time when private tuition is booming. As Yahoo News explains, private tuition is booming as competition in the classroom is fiercer than ever. Parents naturally want to give their children the edge and as one-to-one tuition has been proven to really make a difference in a child’s education, lots of parents are turning to this different model of teaching. It builds a child’s confidence whilst reinforcing and broadening their knowledge. However, does this tuition boom risk tutoring becoming a ‘middle class arms race’? Conor Ryan, Research Director of the Sutton Trust says that, double the amount of children from better off homes are getting private tuition than ones from less advantaged families. As a solution to this, he proposes that “we would like to see more initiatives where young people from disadvantaged homes get access to the sort of one to one tuition that others are able to pay for.” This is Tutorfair! ‘For every student who pays, we give tutoring to a child who can’t’   That’s the fair bit of Tutorfair. We partner with schools where a high proportion of students are on free school meals. The class teachers then choose the pupils who will benefit the most. Tutorfair’s tutors then go into these schools to help the students and we have had very positive feedback so far: Alexander Lee from Wilbury School said, “[the tutors] have been fantastic â€" really committed to helping the children in their progress. Thank you again for all you’ve done.” Karen Meers (IOE tutor) and Lisa Wise (DHT) said, ‘Children made outstanding progress over the course of lessons. All tutors showed an excellent relationship with the children.” Globe Academy said, “It has been fantastic having the tutors here, so thank you.” The Department for Education wants to support disadvantaged pupils and close the attainment gap because at the moment there really is a noticeable difference in education between the two ends of the socio-economic spectrum. Nearly half of children claiming free school meals  achieve no GCSE passes above a D-grade (1); about a quarter get 5 good GCSEs (2); and only a sixth get to university (3) whereas   96% of pupils from independent schools make it to university(4).  [1] This is what Tutorfair is trying to address. We believe that tutoring can benefit everyone. It’s not about tutors versus teachers though. As Edd Stockwell, a co-founder of Tutorfair explains, “whole class learning simply can’t be the complete answer in education, tutoring should augment and support teachers.” Schools themselves realise that as the tutoring industry is booming, both parties should communicate so that children are supported in their learning as best as possible. Mark Maclaine, who has been a tutor for fourteen years recounts how when he first started tutoring, it was treated like a “dirty little secret” but now things are changing and he attends parents-teacher evenings. This is the way forward. Everyone needs to work together to get the best from education. As Andrew Ground, another co-founder of Tutorfair explained, “feeling confident in yourself really is the key thing” and if tutors can help install this in children, that can only be a good thing. [1] (1) Cassen and Kingdon, 2007.   (2) Department for Education, 2008.   (3) Sutton Trust, 2010.   (4) Sutton Trust, 2010

Preventing Pests From Plummeting Your Summer

Preventing Pests From Plummeting Your Summer pixabay.com Now, don’t just stop reading and run off and buy the first bug repellent you spot. Continue reading and follow my suggestions of the best bug repellents around (trust me, I have endured 20 years of summer and have this down to a science)! Off! Deep Woods VII If the CDC says that Off! Deep Woods VII is the best bug repellent, then you know it must be true. Off! Deep Woods contains the chemical DEET, which repels mosquitoes. DEET  does give off a strong scent; however, the smell is not what repels the mosquitoes: DEET  itself makes it much harder for mosquitoes to land on your skin and bite you! Also, don’t be afraid to use DEET  on your young children, even though many people say that the chemical is terrible for kids. Research shows that as long as you apply the repellent in a safe manner on children (directions on the bottle), then DEET  is perfectly safe when used by children! So, forget about all of the myths and purchase Off! Deep Woods VII for everyone in the family, no matter their ages. You can find this amazing product on  off.com. Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus is a DEET-free mosquito repellent that also protects the skin from the sun! Yes, Skin-So-Soft truly has made a product that prevents the two worst parts of summer: bug bites and sunburn. Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus provides detailed directions to show how to use the product depending on what you are protecting yourself against (mosquitoes, deer ticks, sunburn, etc.). If you are like me and suffer from terrible allergies, Skin-So-Soft is for you because it is hypoallergenic and has been dermatologist tested. Unlike DEET-containing bug repellents, Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus does not leave an unbearable smell, plus it absorbs quickly into the skin without leaving a dewy residue! You can find this amazing product on avon.com. Image via Andrew Magill on flickr.com Natrapel Picaridin Insect Repellent If you love to fish in the summer, Natrapel Picaridin Insect Repellent is for you! This picaridin-containing solution protects against deer ticks, black flies, and mosquitoes without damaging synthetic clothing or fishing lines. If you are a camper, this product is calling your name because it is REI-recommended! You can also use this product along with sunscreen as long as you apply the sunscreen first. Natrapel provides eight hours of nearly perfect protection that does not stain or damage clothing (for all of you fashionistas out there). You can find this amazing product on rei.com.   When the repellent doesnt work Benadryl Extra Strength Spray Even though the insect repellents that I talked about above are extremely effective, they aren’t quite 100 percent effective. Because of this “lack of perfection,” I wanted to give you all some ways to treat the mosquito bites that the repellent allowed to slip through. Since I am a person who has terrible allergies and for some reason gets attacked by mosquitoes every summer, I know what the best anti-inflammatory and allergy treatments are. Benadryl works every time, trust me. All you have to do is get this product at your local pharmacy and spray a little bit on the bite so that you don’t itch at it and make it worse. The worst thing you can do for a bug bite is touch it, so this anti-itch spray will make sure you keep your paws off! This product also comes in cream form that works just as well. You can find this amazing product on benadryl.com. After Bite Insect Bite Treatment If you don’t love Benadryl products and prefer to use a company product that focuses solely on mosquito bites, you should buy After Bite Insect Bite Treatment. After Bite is a stick that contains a dabber at the top that allows you to apply the liquid anti-itch solution directly to the bite. The solution in the tube provides immediate relief, as the cold liquid cools down the rough, hot, itchy bite on your body. You can find this product at your local pharmacy, but I have also provided the Amazon link if you prefer to order it online! The best part about After Bite is that you will notice a sizable difference in the severity of your bug bite after just one or two uses! You can find this amazing product on amazon.com. So, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, there are fantastic ways to protect yourself from the itching and discomfort of bug bites that do not involve you sitting on a couch all day! Wherever your summer adventures may take you, just remember to protect yourself!