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First College FAQ - OVERVIEW What kind of Students or families choose First College?
BULLYINGThe Children's Commissioner UK, Professor Al Aynsley-Green, stated (13.11.05) that all schools without exception are affected by bullying. In his first public announcement in his new post Prof. Aynesley-Green said "I have had hundreds of in-depth conversations with children since accepting this post, and I can tell you that the one thing every child I have met has been affected by, with virtually no exceptions, is bullying." (BBC 13/11/05) It is therefore no surprise that families consider online education an important option for a bullied child or young person. An online Student sensitised by bullying stays in the safety of the home, and meets other Students under carefully supervised conditions without the area of frequent and fast paced physical contact which opens up so much bullying. Recovery and gradual reasserting of social skills need not be forced, instead takes place at a natural pace. We have found that it is rare nowadays to need more than a quick nudge to pull a student into better behaviour as we have worked very hard to create a culture of mutual respect. Such mutual respect is not just hot air words. It comes down to very very clear and specific training, with definite and understandable examples. Gradually we have built up a group sense of good behaviour and self respect. We not not merely forbid, we give models of what to do instead. First College ensures that almost all activities in the school are on record so can be checked. Firm friendly guidance is given where discourtesy occurs to nip potential bullying behaviour at its root. Guidance can be clearly set out in a written report to the student involved, and if necessary, their family. We include actual quotes of what was said. We occasionally need to counsel the student directly by phone as well. The question arises whether a bullied child is being overprotected at First College UK? We do not think so. The student is dealing with most of the complexity of normal human relationships, just under controlled conditions, such as a school should be. We do not see it as appropriate to force young people to endure the hardships comparable to army boot camp or prison. What this treatment of "toughening up" does is it actually contributes to bullying culture by forcing everyone to join it. Instead we train in self confidence and personal strength, so that our students can not only face the real world but actively spread a better kind of behaviour in it. We have had a lot of feedback from parents that their child has greatly benefited in personal strength by attending First College UK.
CONFIDENCE is the golden key of learning. Without confidence the brain runs on very little fuel, stuttering and straining to cope. With confidence filling the tank, learning zooms away with apparently little effort. First College wants Students to be happy just for their own sake. But we NEED happy, confident Students as well because otherwise learning is an uphill grind, painful and slow for all concerned. Our kindly reinforcement of self respect allows a Student to slow down, take things gently, unlearn fears and barriers from past experiences For those just naturally unsure of themselves, they learn to build clearer, stronger ways of communication. First College teachers' mainstay is positive encouragement and acceptance. That does not mean firm discipline cannot be near at hand, ready to step in if necessary very fast indeed. But kindness and patience are the first tools of choice.
DISABILITY, HEALTH OR PERSONAL DIFFICULTIES--can all make physical attendance at school an undesirable extra struggle, using up effort that is needed for working through personal difficulty, coping with disability plus the actual studying. Online education involves no tiring journeys, no lugging of books and equipment, no huge crowds of strangers. First College in particular restricts classes to small, personalised classes with a maximum of 15 (usually 6 - 12). New students go through a careful introductory period during which time teachers and the family, including the student, discuss and agree appropriate plans together. We take pains to be available by phone or email to discuss what is needed. Very often patience, kindness and being down to earth is enough without getting a situation into complicated labels and fuss.
WORLDWIDE RESIDENTS/ EXPATSWith increasing globalisation there are many families who live abroad who want their children to have a British style of education. There are also families who need to move frequently due to work or family reasons. To families like these, online education is an obvious practical solution. Where exams are a priority, Edexcel, the Examination Board for IGCSEs, has examination centres all over the world.
DIVIDED FAMILIES can arise two ways. A partner may need to work so far away the family cannot be together daily. Or the couple as parents may need to separate in order to maintain a healthy family life.Such situations normally shut the "away" parent off from the daily needs of their child, which damages the parent relationship. Where the family is happy to involve both partners our online student Report means either partner can check what is happening to their child whenever they wish. They can see detailed information laid out on one page, and also correspond with any teacher if they feel the need. This aspect of our services also acts to include grandparents which is very welcome to some of our families.
HIGH ACHIEVERS can often feel inadequately supported and stretched in large classes struggling to cover the basics. Sometimes their frustration shows up as "bad behaviour" because they are bored. These Students need small classes, a personal relationshiup with teachers, and plenty of time to pursue in-depth study that this type of student not only enjoys, but needs. Frequently there are issues of perfectionism to be addressed.First College is always delighted to meet the needs of an intellectually demanding student.
PHILOSOPHICAL, SOCIAL or RELIGIOUS LIFESTYLES First College trains students to respect and understand differences so they will be able to cope with an increasingly diverse society, yearly becoming more complex. Families have their own ways of honouring their past history, and making their social choices in the present. It is not for a school to interfere with the authority of a family in its own personal beliefs aside from very basic safety concerns. Strong commitments to a particular philosophy of life, a religion, or to a politics of liberation, can be carefully woven into a dynamic educational matrix where the child or young person from a "different" background is as a welcome asset to the school.We also ask families to accept that though the emphasis in First College is on fun, exploring the classic joy of learning, with a deeply kindly approach to all students, we can and do require a practical level of discipline. A student who ignores kindly style guidance can be instantly closed out of schoool via the software, for the protection of the others. That would be followed up by more individual guidance.
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