Swear Words in Books? What do you think? Here's what I think

 If I saw a swear word I won't read or buy a book because as a teacher I cannot afford to be reminded of swear words so that they spring into my mind and out of my mouth when I drop a pencil.

I also don't want to recommend such a book. Why?

I don't want to have to explain swear words to pupils.

Nor do I want to have pupils going home and telling their parents, the teacher taught me this word.

What do you call this image, teacher?

 Try doing an image match and see what the sellers of these items call them.

The Sunday Times November 27 2016 has run an article on how Korean schools and teaching systems compare with those in Wales and the rest of the UK. The Koreans, Chinese, and Singaporeans are top of the international league tables. In the UK another report says that spelling achievement is getting lower (despite some Asian pupils scoring high in school spelling competitions). So what are the Asians in Asia doing differently and better. School hours are long, so is homework and extra tuition. Parents are encouraging hard work. Suicide On the downside, some pupils are committing suicide - highest cause of death in their age group. Statistics I ran the statistics on suicide past my family's statistics expert. He says 1 Compare the rates in Korea and Wales 2 Suicide is higher probably in many countries because youngsters don't die of old age diseases, nor even road accidents since they are too young to drive and are kept busy in the evenings and weekends doing homework. 3 The answer is not less homework but more counselling for stress. (Suicide prevention societies and others suggest helplines, a tutor review each term, meditation etc.) Country Comparisons The article on Korea suggests more homework is better. But other articles in other media on websites (BBC, Daily Mail?)said that in Finland they have less homework at primary school. 1 This study on Finland was on primary school but the study on Korean pupils was not on primary school but on secondary school. 2 Which is cause and which is effect? Pupils in Finland start school and learning to read in school later but they achieve well in education. Does the late start at school cause them to learn quicker? Or does it mean that a) Home schooling works better for the under sevens. b) Having educated parents is more important than homework. Maybe homework and early learning at school is only essential to compensate, for immigrants and the poorly educated when parents are not setting homework and teaching their children. Since the UK has large numbers of immigrants, they might need the extra help of school supervision if the parents don't speak English and can't teach them to read in the language of their country of residence and later their school. Weekend Coaching Weekend coaching is effective. At a school in Singapore several pupils, mainly those whose parents spoke English as a second language or did not speak English at home, had failed English language at the mock exam. At Crescent School a programme was run with about four teachers running group motivation talks (mainly from me), followed by one to one corrections of last week's homework and setting next weeks. I remember how delighted I was to hear that every pupil had passed their final exam (except one who was in hospital). School Course Preparation I have also prepared a ten lesson (and optional twenty lesson) speech course for teachers to coach pupils in preparation at a school for their open day which included visits from parents and government ministers. Summary To sum up, I feel the evidence shows from many sources that extra time and encouragement from parents and teachers helps pupils. Angela Lansbury, teacher of English O level, A level, English as a second language and English as a foreign language. Individual lessons, lessons by Skype, small group lessons, workshops for Toastmasters.

Unusual and challenging words

Pairs

optimist - glass half full, happy view, expecting a good outcome
Pessimist - gloomy, gloom and doom

lend
borrow

imply
infer

Emigrant - like exit, to leave
immigrant - like the word in, to move into a country
migrant - one who moves

Esoteric words
exotic - from the East, exciting and unusual
antithesis - opposite
epitome
cryptology - study of code
enigma - puzzle
esoteric
espionage - spying
fugitive person running away, usual from police
aesthetic - studying what is beautiful or pleasing to the eye, harmonious and stylish
ethics /morals
elegiac
misogyny
Psychology
psychiatry
sitcom
romcom
rookie - novice, new on the job
sociology
forensic medicine
patriarch rule by the 'fathers' i.e. men
matriarchy - rule by 'mothers' women
oligarchy - rule by the rich
geriatric old
haematology
ubiquitous - found everywhere
astrology using stars to predict the future or actions of types of character born each month
astronomy - scientific study of stars, the sky and universe, using telescopes and charts
Theology

Italian
cognoscenti

Soundalikes or homophones - To, Two,Too Weak Spelling all Week

A-D
aid, aide
ail, ale
air, heir
bale, bail
bare, bear
beat, beet
beer, bier
born, bourne
brake, break
complement, compliment
core, corps
dear, deer
die, dye
doe, dough
draft, draught

E-K
ear, ere
fate, fete
feat, feet
few, phew
fort, fought
gate, fait
grate, great
hail, hale
hangar, hanger
hare, hair
hart, heart
hear, here
hi, high
ho, hoe
knight, night
knot, not
know, no

L-R
law, lore
leak, leek
lo, low
male, mail
maw, more
meat, mete, meet
pale, pail
paw, poor, pour, pore
peak, peek
pi, pie
right, rite, write
road, rode
roe, row
raw, roar
root, route
rough, ruff

S-Z
sail, sale
saught, sort
saw, sore
sew, so, sow
straight, strait
suite, sweet
tail, tale
taught, tort
toe, tow
to, too, two
wait, weight
wail, whale
Ware, wear
war, wore
weak, weak

Teaching Listening Skills

At Toastmasters clubs for speakers we learn listening skills.

It is surprising that these are not taught at school. English exams concentrate on the written word. Only in English as a Foreign Language does the exam test comprehension of the spoken word.

A salesman is taught to listen for the buyer's hopes and fears and to answer them.

In romance the spoken word is important. It's the difference between a young man getting his face slapped or getting kissed.

How To Start Tutoring

If you have A levels or higher qualifications in English, Maths or science you should be able to teach primary school maths or English. Both are in high demand. And if you would rather teach GCSE, O level and A level, as I have done, a few lessons with primary school pupils is a good way to start and gain confidence.

Be prepared for a wait. You might get no pupils for a week, a month, or six weeks. Then a pupil wants two lessons a week near exam time. Their sister wants a lesson. So does a neighbour or school friend. At the end of a year, or two, you could find that you have six lessons on a Sunday or every day of the week before exams in June.

Money
It is the ideal job if you want extra money for Xmas and holidays. It pays cash in hand. After years trying to persuade people to pay me as a freelance journalists, with the nuisance of invoices, it was lovely to be paid instantly, cash in hand.

Healthy News For The Sick
Tutoring is great if you don't want to be committed nine to five, five days a week, for weeks on end. Teaching from home is ideal if you have commitments such as looking after dependants, whether your own baby, a sick spouse, or your parent(s).

When I had a baby I could get away from crying and nappies for a change of scene. The pupil's mother often made me coffee, sometimes gave me a biscuit or cake, and almost always on request a glass of water.

And if you happen to have a blister on your foot or a broken leg, pupils can come to your home and provide a welcome diversion.

Bright Or Soppy But Happy?
You can aim at whoever comes along at first. You may soon find you prefer one end of the spectrum. I go for high fliers and extraverts. I like lots of chat and instant feedback and enthusiasm.

Depending on your philosophy, and experience, you might find it rewarding to teach pupils with what is nowadays called Special Needs.

References
If you have university qualifications, and can get a criminal clearance police check, you can probably find a local or national tutoring agency.

Commissions
Agencies may take from one tenth to up to one quarter of your hourly rate. Rates in London are higher.


References & Testimonials
I had to provide two references. If your agency changes hands or tightens up or loses your details or you go abroad and return you may need to start again. So it's useful to keep an updated list of referees, and testimonials from former pupils or parents.

Local Advertisements
If you don't want that palaver and commitment or can't find an agency you can advertise in a local paper for a small fee.

When you are budget conscious or want an ad up today, go to your nearest supermarket (usually free) or newsagent with a notice board (small charge). This gets local pupils.

Pupil Motivation
Pupils fall into various categories:

Reluctant students with anxious parents.

Keen students who want to be top of the class or to become doctors or some other profession needing good exam results.

Pupils who want to go to a good school and pass entry exams.

Pupils whose parents don't speak English.

Pupils whose teachers told them they need help.

Pupils who want better grades for re-sits.

Pupils who are confused by course work or homework and need 'babysitting' to help them get started.

Basic Qualifications Or None
I started with primary school pupils. I knew I could spell better than the average. I got 100 per cent in a test for entry to a Speedwriting course. I had been a sub-editor on women's magazines.
I had A level English.

Anybody who can be bothered to use a dictionary can correct spelling.

Teaching Other Subjects
But I have also taught other subjects. Even maths. History. Religious knowledge. French. After pupils asked me to find them another teacher in those subjects. In an emergency I agreed to teach just one lesson to help with homework.

Pupils come to you for one subject, then produce their homework for another subject.

Test Books
I discovered that most newsagents stock books of tests with answers at the back.

Exam Paper
Pupils who are at school are sometimes given previous year's exam papers. If the school teacher is marking only the essay question, or the comprehension, the pupil may ask you to help them with the other part of the paper.

When pupils have no exam papers, their parents can order the papers. The range of exam boards and subjects and years is too great for you to stock everything. But you might stock up with papers for a particular board for a regular pupil.

Will They Like Me?
Teachers, pupils and parents differ in their requirements. Some teachers are making a living to pay their mortgage and expect every lesson to start and end exactly on time and if the pupil misses a lesson or arrives late the lesson must be paid for. These teachers may expect to be paid in advance for the course. They won't take on a pupil for just one or two lessons.

So, if you are less efficient or less rigid, you will make less money, but you will pick up the pupils who want only one or two lessons, or don't want to commit until they are sure they like the teacher.

I met a teacher with a foreign name and I thought he would have an advantage over me because he could speak to pupils and parents in their first language. But he thought I would have an advantage over him because pupils and parents liked my English sounding name and clear English accent.

Any questions - just email me.