Returning to education can be a life changing experience, introducing you to new career options and a network of like minded people that can contribute to your personal development. But its important that you view it as a positive undertaking that will help you achieve your career and educational goals.

Touch base with your confidence and self esteem

Confidence and self esteem can play a major role in adult education.

It is important that you have a belief in your ability to re enter education and this belief can stem from your confidence and self esteem. You can build your confidence in small steps and by also dealing with any negative learning experiences you have had in the past. You could also reseach the topic on the internet or get a book on the subject.

 Love What You Do

Make sure you choose a subject, or course of study, that you are passionate about, or at least interested in. Many of the career guidance experts say that you are more likely to complete the programme of study successfully if you chose a career pathway that you are passionate about.

 Research The Provider

It is strongly recommended that you conduct some research on the provider of your chosen educational facility. This may mean checking their website, phoning the office to have all your questions answered, getting information posted or emailed to you and ensuring that they have some form of quality assurance. It is also a good idea to visit the premises to ensure it meets your expectations and also inquire what support mechanisms are in place to assist you through your studies.

 Brush up on your PC skills

There is no getting away from it these days; use of a PC and access to the internet is now part and parcel of mainstream education, in particular 3^rd level education. Many colleges now require course work to be presented in electronic format and expect students to conduct research and access course notes over the internet. Access to a printer may also be required. Check the above with your provider before enrolling.

 Accreditation

If you are going to spend time (and money) completing a programme of study it is strongly advised that the qualification has some form of national or international accreditation. You can find this out by asking your provider and then conducting your own research. A lot of emphasis is now placed on the National Framework of Qualifications which can be viewed on the website of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland at www.nqai.ie

 Be Realistic About The Commitment Required

A contributing factor to drop out rates in adult education can be unrealistic expectations of the commitment involved. Validated programmes of study require time, dedication, focus and application. It will also definitely mean a ‘lifestyle’ change in allocating time outside of class hours for study (and practice, if the programme requires technical skills.) So give it serious thought and be realistic about the commitment involved.

Devise A Study Plan

Undertaking a programme of study can mean major changes in the lifestyles of many adults, so it is important that you plan for it. This can be done by getting a blank piece of paper and jotting down how your time is spent throughout the various parts of the day eg, morning, afternoon, evening and weekends. You then have to make decisions  as to how you are going to change your normal habits and allocate time for studying. It is a simple but challenging exercise that can be vital in completing your studies successfully.

 Attend As Many Classes As Possible

Attending classes is vital as it helps keep you motivated, builds your confidence and keeps you up to date with course studies. This can be even more important if there are technical skills to be learned and supervised practice is required.

Many courses of study are conducted through the winter months and the easy option can be to stay in the comfort of your home if you are not in the humour of attending class.  This is when your mental attitude and your determination to succeed will need to be strong.

Expect The Unexpected

More often than not, something will crop up that can side track you from your studies. It may be some form of personal issue, or that of a loved one. Or for some reason you hit a low point during your studies. If this happens it is important that you talk to the relevant personal and seek support from those close to you. This simple strategy can help relieve some of the anxieties and stress surrounding the problem. Other factors that will help you through the process will be.

Your mental attitude and the support mechanisms of your provider. This is why it is important to enroll with a provider who has support systems in place to assist you through your studies.

 Thank you for taking the time to read this, and we do hope it provides you with some assistance and guidelines for returning to adult education. 

Do you have what it takes for teaching or training adults ?

This article focuses on on a fundamental question you should ask yourself before starting out, ” Do I have what it takes?” Not an easy question to answer if you don’t know what your looking for, but let me help. While I’ve already said above that teaching and training adults can be a most gratifying experience, it can also carry with it a lot of responsibility, so it’s important that you save yourself any embarrassment and be sure that it’s for you.

The PEAK test  

We’ve developed an acronym at the Irish Academy that helps identify four of the main characteristics that form the foundation of excellent teachers and trainers, it is the PEAK acronym and stands for

Passion, Enthusiasim, Awillingness to help others develop, and Knowledge. Much of the research would indicate that these characteristics are what makes the difference between good teachers and excellent teachers. Lets have a brief look at them individually.

Passion

Passion can be the inner emotion, or feeling, which we associate with something we adore. A feeling that gives rise to commitment and actions and can inspire us from the moment we wake up. Without it, our efforts to teach or train others can become lifeless, and manifest in our physical behaviours and actions. Much of the Academic research, and research we have conducted at the Irish Academy, would show that the excellent teachers and trainers talk about this “inner feeling” that drives them towards wanting to share knowledge and skills to help others develop. The “inner feeling” that they talk about is passion

Enthusiasm 

Enthusiasm is mainly portrayed in physical behaviour, as educators enthuse about their subject. Its the physical outpouring of eagerness and enjoyment, evident in teachers and trainers who present information in an animated fashion. It can be demonstrated through their body language in facial expressions, hand gestures and interaction with their learners as they engage them in their subject matter. An enthusiastic educator is much more likely to inspire and motivate their learners.

A willingness to help others develop

It is said that a willingness to help others develop can be one of the strongest beliefs and motivators for our excistence on earth. It is one of the beliefs  which I have adopted into my personal and business life, and to date it has not let me down. A willingness to help others develop, can be carried out in many ways, but I have chose to do it through the medium of training and educating  so as to empower others and help learners towards realising their goals and ambitions. I find it is a key trait in many of the teachers and trainers who train at our college. A willingness to help others develop  rates highly on the reasons why people choose a career in teaching or training adults.  

Knowledge 

Knowledge of the subject you are teaching is crucial to building rapport with, and gaining the respect from learners. This may sound like an obvious pointer but its amazing how many lecturers can underestimate its importance. Knowledge can also be key for building your confidence , as you are ‘confident’ when entering the classroom that you can answer any questions and deliver the information that your learners need to know. However, there’s a flipside to knowledge. Too much of it, and delivering information beyond what the learners need to know. Some lecturers can be guilty of  ‘showboating’ and trying to impress learners with all the knowledge they’ve aquired. Information to learners should  be delivered at a ‘need to know’ level and relative to the aims and outcomes of the related programme or workshop.

Thanks

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I do hope you found it helpful.

If you are interested in teaching or training adults our next parttime programmes (Sundays, evenings or weekdays) commence in February, March and April. If you require any more information please visit www.teachertraining.ie

Next article  

My next article will look at the interesting area of qualifications in Ireland for teaching and training adults

Talk soon,

D O K