Going to college as a mature student can be daunting. If you have signed up to start a childcare course in the autumn, there is a lot you can do to prepare in the meantime.
Learning styles
You will use various learning styles during the course, but working out which style is closest to the way you learn will indicate the best way for you to study. The main categories are: Visual, where people learn best by seeing, for example thinking in pictures, learning from visual displays and taking notes to absorb information.
Auditory, where people learn best through hearing, such as in lectures, discussions, reading text aloud and using a tape recorder.
Tactile, where people learn best through doing and taking a hands-on approach, for example exploring the physical world around them, avoiding sitting still for long periods and being aware that they may become distracted by the need for activity.
Learning by experience
Learning through experience is important for adults, who bring much relevant life experience to learning. As you learn new material, integrate it into what you already know. Most people remember most of their learning by being actively involved. For example, you may remember only 10 per cent of what you read but you will remember 90 per cent of what you do. Kolb (1984) identified a learning cycle which you can apply to your course:
* Having the experience (based on classroom and placement learning - exploring/trying out new ideas and skills, challenging your own thinking).
* Reflecting on the experience (thinking about/discussing your learning).
* Drawing conclusions (further thought, trying out new learning in placement, incorporating observations and assessments of children and planning activities).
* Applying what you have learned (extending learning, using it in your assignments and portfolio, further work in placement).
Study skills
It is worth developing or brushing up some of the skills you will need as a student before starting your course.
ICT
Many adult learners are daunted by the prospect of using computers and the internet, so try to overcome any fears by taking a short course. Using a computer is actually quite straight-forward and brings enormous benefits to studying: you can word-process your work, look up material on the Internet, keep copies on disk, use tables and even scan in photographs.
You could gain computer qualifications such as CLAIT or the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL), which is recognised as the international standard against which basic computer competency is measured.
ECDL's modules cover all the basic disciplines of today's computing environment: basic concepts of IT, using the computer and managing files, word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, the internet and e-mail.
Reading and summarising information
As a student, you will have to retain and use what you read, so try to develop your reading skills while doing any preparatory reading for the course. One way is to divide up your reading into stages.
1 Think about what you want to know and what you already know. Focus on what you are reading and note any distractions (the noise next door, the thought of dinner).
2 Flick through the headings, subheadings, photographs and diagrams and quickly read any summaries, to get an overview of the content and how the material is organised. Check if the material is new and make links, where you can, to previous learning. Mark in pencil relevant paragraphs in handouts or your own (not library) textbooks.
3 Read relevant paragraphs and ask questions that you want answered, while looking for major points. Read one paragraph at a time, making sure the content is relevant. Re-read if you have time. Write down the questions for which you need answers and note the answers in one or two sentences - check that you can answer the questions in your own words.
You might also want to develop the essential skill of speed-reading.
Listening and taking notes
Be prepared to take notes from day one, even if it is information you already know - you remember far more when you write it down - so develop your own way of abbreviating words. Concentrate on and summarise the main points - don't write down every detail. Go over your notes soon afterwards.
Rewrite them if you find it helpful and highlight key points.
Good reading and note-taking skills will make writing your course assignments all the easier.
Writing assignments
There are many guides available on how to write an assignment, so familiarise yourself with the key points well before the course starts.
Be clear about the purpose and structure of assignments: how to research and plan them; presenting them in a clear and readable way; using quotes and giving clear references - and sticking to the word limit!
A study
Prepare an area at home where you will be able to study free from distractions, with a good chair, good lighting, a clock and storage space for notes and books. Studying is most effective when done at a regular place and time, preferably not late at night!
CASE STUDY
Mother-of-two Isabel Brown is nearing completion of her NVQ 3 in early years care and education at South Birmingham College, having eased herself gently into student life by first taking the NVQ 2.
Returning to studying in her mid-thirties was, she says, 'scary and quite a shock - like going back to school', and she needed time to get her reading and writing skills back up to speed.
'I'd recommend doing the level 2 before level 3, as it gives you time to build up your study skills and you can cross-refer some of the work from level 2 to level 3, which has helped me a lot.' She opted for NVQs as she feels they are more flexible than other courses and she can work at her own pace, though she admits 'the time factor is the most difficult'.
The NVQ 3 course is one day a week, 9.30am to 2.30pm, making it easy for her to fit in her studies around her children's school day.
Isabel worked for several years as a nanny before having her two children, now aged five and seven, and wants a childcare qualification both for personal satisfaction and to help in her future career, perhaps as a teaching assistant.
