How The Pomodoro Technique Can Help You
In a recent article, I touched on the Pomodoro technique as a means of being productive when it comes to revision over the Easter break. But, such a fleeting mention doesn’t do justice to just how useful it can be.
The What
The Pomodoro Technique is a strategy aimed at helping people who struggle to focus for long periods and have a short attention span. If you get easily distracted, the Pomodoro is definitely for you. Developed in the 1980s by a University student who struggled to focus on his studies and assignments, the Pomodoro Technique is a strategy for doing work in short stretches. Twenty-five minutes of focus broken up by five-minute breaks, with a longer break of 15-30 minutes after every fourth stretch. It’s a technique that’s applicable beyond revision and can be applied to how you work, manage tasks, and helps you completely remove procrastination as a problem—which is an issue many of us deal with, especially when it comes to those things we just don’t want to do. By breaking tasks down into smaller, more manageable chunks to deal with systematically, that mountain in front of you is reduced to a series of steps. It makes you more efficient, mitigates distraction and ultimately makes you much more accountable to yourself.
The How
The Pomodoro Technique is designed to get work done while preventing the chance of overwhelm or the temptation of distraction. It works best with a bit of preparation and with a timer beside you (that timer should not be your phone, we’re here to remove distractions not add them). To prepare, make a list of the tasks or a single large task broken down into smaller ones. Assemble everything you need and remove anything you don’t. What you’re going to do is flip your perspective from sitting down for the long haul and instead stack a series of small wins through short bursts of focused work with breaks in between.
Once you’re ready, the process is fairly straightforward:
STEP ONE: Choose the task.
STEP TWO: Set your timer and work ONLY on that singular task.
STEP THREE: Once the timer goes off take a five-minute break. Stretch your legs, grab a drink, or check your phone.
STEP FOUR: Repeat steps one to three FOUR times.
STEP FIVE: Take a longer break of between fifteen and thirty minutes. Have some lunch, walk the dog or meditate.
Keep working through the steps like a cycle as you progress through your to-do list, and you’ll soon find yourself racing through it. It may seem deceptively simple, but that’s why it works. The idea behind this method is that the timer instills a sense of urgency. Instead of sitting back with the whole day ahead of you, finding ways to put off the work, time is turned against you. The breaks are there to help you catch your breath and not burn out.
If a task overruns, simply pick it up on the next interval, while if you have tasks that you know won’t take long at all, group them. If you have a sudden revelation of something that needs doing, simply make a note and add it to the list to do later, don’t ruin your momentum by diving into that task immediately. And of course, there are always moments of unavoidable interruption. Whether it’s a knock at the door or being informed of an important phone call, it’s not the end of the world. Simply take that break there, and then start fresh with a new interval from there.
What if you finish that task before the timer is up? Don’t call it early, use your remaining time to brush up further on whatever that task is. Research it more or go over what you’ve done; you’re focused on that particular topic at that moment so it’s important to keep that focus.
Things To Note
This technique isn’t going to change your life and solve all your problems, but it can be a huge help if used properly. With that in mind, it’s important to note that it doesn’t apply to everything and has its limitations. Long-form writing isn’t always the best for this. To really get into the flow of a piece, you do need longer to get the thoughts out of your head, so save the Pomodoro technique for research, editing and planning. Timing-wise, while the windows are relatively short, as you adjust to the technique it’s important to consider lengthening the windows of focused work. As your attention span and working mind adjust to it, you’ll likely find that the short windows begin to hinder more than help and longer stints will be more beneficial. Indeed, with that in mind, you might just come to a point where one day, you may not need it.
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Social media is often dubbed as one big distraction for young scholars. Indeed, it can be, with many influencers and marketers tailoring content to engage people for as long as possible. The manner of constant attention can be toxic, and the content can be too. However, as with many things, how you approach and utilise social media can make a big difference to how it impacts your life. There are pockets of this online space that are not only safe, but highly informative too! Even your home learning pursuits can be better facilitated through an apt use of social media. But how? Well, we’ll give you a few ideas after the jump.
Mute Functions
As we mentioned, social media can be a huge distraction. Not everyone can avoid these pitfalls through their own willpower alone. Still, there’s no shame in that. If you use social media already, consider opening up a ‘studying’ account that’s separate to your personal one. After that, some social media platforms may have ‘mute word’ and ‘mute phrase’ functions that enable you to do just that!
If you tailor the content that comes through your feed, you have a stronger chance of staying focused for study. There are really great and informative social media accounts out there, but sometimes their good work can be buried under lots of spam or content that might appeal to you in your free time. Filter out the noise and get to the good stuff! You may even be able to venture into your settings and turn off direct messaging, muting your inbox on respective sites. Keep your studying account private, too, and you won’t get distracted by juggling multiple conversations.
Prolific Academics
It’s important to be mindful of who you interact with online and the types of content you consume. Safety is always the most important thing. With that in mind, there are also people who are worth heeding. For example, Professor Brian Cox has a Twitter account, as does NASA, and a multitude of many other smart, studious people. There are lesser-known experts online too, still highly credible voices in their field that are worth researching further.
Many of these social media profiles have links to encyclopaedic websites of their own. So, in that respect, their social media presence may just be a stepping stone for a wider and deeper learning journey, too, connecting you with huge quantities of research and data elsewhere. Prolific academics that are online may post various facts and data that may inspire you in your academics, and potentially, even eventual career aspirations. They may even publicly disclose personal anecdotes that motivate you. Some of them may even have been home learners, too! It can all help you feel encouraged!
Bookstagramming And Other Suggestions In Social Media
Social media can help. It just shouldn’t replace the tutoring role. In addition to a tool such as Mute Function, things like ‘bookstagraming’ (where people post pictures and thoughts on their favourite books on Instagram) may help. It’s not academic learning, but if you explore these digital areas for books on your reading list, you may encounter many fresh ideas that can contribute to your home learning success! Remember to use hashtags when searching for the most relevant content to your learning!
Platforms like Pinterest can also provide you with plentiful inspiration. It’s a more visual social media site, where you should encounter more than a few studying and revision tips. A new perspective on your learning could be just the ticket!
Blogs can also be a useful resource when learning from home (and we’re not just saying that for obvious reasons!). There are so many institutions and writers interrogating the subjects you’re studying, and they also update their pages when new information, including research and statistics, becomes available.
All parties on the home learning journey can benefit through using social media tools responsibly. Inspiration and education are always evolving, particularly through online spaces. So, it’s important to stay up to date. Try to keep a dialogue open with your tutor so that you can be transparent and trustworthy and ensure you’re both in agreement about how and when social media can be used in your study.
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Your Guide To A Productive And Restful Easter Break
It’s March and we all know what that brings: Easter! A wonderful two-week break full of questionable weather and possibly one too many chocolate eggs. But this holiday is never quite as enjoyable as the others in your latter teenage years for one foreboding reason: the hallowed spectre of exams just over its shoulder. Yes, with the arrival of Easter, nerves may start to kick in as the realisation dawns that those dreaded tests are merely weeks away, and every now and then your thoughts will take a nagging drift toward one word: revision.
However, that’s not what your Easter holidays should be all about. Far from it in fact. Sure enough, there should be some studying going on if you want to give yourselves the best possible chance of success when the time comes, but by no means should you spend every waking moment with your nose stuck in a textbook or covered in brightly coloured Post-It notes. It’s important to give yourself time to switch off and relax; do the things you love, see friends and just enjoy time away from learning for a bit. The last thing you need is to burn out now. So, here is your guide to get the best out of your Easter break and strike the perfect balance of work, rest and play.
Plan Your Break
When it comes to planning your studies, the first thing to note is that you should sort out your plan before Easter starts. That way, there’s no wasted time. Secondly, you need to decide how many hours you’re going to put into it a day. Here’s what to think about when getting your plan perfect for you. Not everybody works in the same way, after all.
Time It Right
There are plenty of different recommendations for this, some say it’s good to treat it like a school day and timetable it just like your school would, others like The Independent Schools Council argue you should be treating it like a job, studying from 9 am until 6 pm (with breaks, of course). That just doesn’t seem realistic or feasible. Remember, this is a break—you’ve already been putting the hard work in this year, and this is your last sizeable chance to recharge before the final battle, so to speak.
Four hours a day would be ideal, starting early for two hours with a break for lunch and then another two hours in the afternoon. Feel free to stretch it a bit further to five, but four well-used hours of deep work will net you much more benefit than a day-long slog.
What To Do and When
Your two-hour blocks are up to you, whether you start early or a bit later, it doesn’t matter as long as you use them effectively. You know your strengths and weaknesses and can plan accordingly, but one recommendation would be to plan your week from hardest to easiest. There’s nothing worse than putting off the hard work because then you have several days’ worth of anxiety on top of what you’re doing. Plus, getting a big win in early will give you huge motivation to go on and storm through the subjects you’re more capable of.
DAY BLOCK ONE BREAK BLOCK TWO
MONDAY: Hardest Subject
TUESDAY:
WEDNESDAY:
THURSDAY:
FRIDAY: Easiest Subject
What Is Deep Work?
Deep work is long periods of uninterrupted and distraction-free concentration which allows your brain to work at its maximum potential. So put the phone away, turn off the telly, and put on a playlist (Hans Zimmer is great for deep work, many say). If two hours like that sounds like it may be a bit too big of an ask at first, there is an alternative: the Pomodoro Technique.
The Pomodoro Technique
Developed in the 1980s by a University student who struggled to focus on his studies and assignments, the Pomodoro Technique is a strategy for doing work in short stretches. Twenty-five minutes of focus broken up by five-minute breaks, with a longer break of 15-30 minutes after every fourth stretch.
What To Focus On
As mentioned earlier, not everyone revises in the same way. Copying out notes might work for one but do nothing for another. If you haven’t quite worked out what works best for you yet, don’t worry, here are a few suggestions to try:
Mind-Maps or Spider-Diagrams to break down complex topics
Creating Essay plans for possible questions
Flashcards for key dates, vocabulary and facts
Get your friends or parents involved with quick quizzes and tests
The most effective way of revising is often touted to be past papers. If you can get your hands on them, there’s no better way to revise; picking them apart not only helps jog your memory of the topics at hand but also clues you in on how to apply your knowledge and just what examiners are looking for in an answer.
Get Your Eight Hours Too
There’s always the temptation to have late nights in the holidays because there’s no need to set an alarm, but it’s important to keep up that routine of getting up early if only to preserve your sleep cycle. Sleep is hugely important for your concentration, energy levels and mood. Check out this article for more information on just how important it is.
With these tips, you should find the perfect balance of getting that revision done and enjoying a nice break while also allowing time for some restful sleep. And once Easter is over, you’ll be in the best shape you can be going into the home stretch before exam season.
Good luck!
Exam Questions On The Horizon
It might only be March, and May may seem so far away, but two things are worth mentioning: it’s never too early to be exam-ready, and time moves faster than you think it does.
So while you’re stepping up your revision, one of the best and most effective approaches is getting stuck into past exam papers. You’ll have a lot of the fundamentals of whichever subject you’re tackling in your memory already, but these questions will test how you apply what you know. It’s not just about information retention, but how you can use it alongside your problem-solving skills to reach an answer. Don’t think of them as tests but as puzzles.
The Anatomy Of An Exam Question
First of all, let’s pull apart these questions, and typically how they’re put together and the big clues they contain that will tell you what kind of response examiners are looking for (unfortunately, it won’t outright tell you the answer, just how to structure it).
The Prompt: This is the stem, the important part of the question amongst all the jargon and other information you’re given. It’s here that you’ll find the core information and the context for the question. It’s also where the imperative verbs will be that will tell you how to answer it.
Imperative Verbs: pay attention to these, because they are the indicator of just how to go about it. ‘Describe’, ‘compare’, ‘evaluate’ and ‘justify’ will all demand different answers. ‘Describe’ simply wants you to explain, while ‘compare’ will want you to look at the differences between two sets of data/sources. ‘Evaluate’ is likely going to want to you point out the flaws and the strengths of a source and decide on its reliability, and ‘justify’ will be wanting you to back up your answer using evidence from the text. These are just a few examples, so be sure to make a note of all the different ones you run into when looking at past papers, you may just notice a trend.
Supplementary Materials: these will be your data sets/graphs/images/sources depending on the exam you’re taking. It’s important to take the time to give them a good read-through. Your impulse will be to do so quickly and the temptation will be there to skim. Don’t. You’ll run the risk of misreading the information and that can derail your entire answer.
Mark Allocation: Have a glance at the marks available for the question. While not applicable to all exams (those that require longer-form responses) these can be a good indicator of just how much time and effort is required. If there are only a couple of marks at stake and you’re scratching your head at the way to answer it, chances are you’re overthinking it.
Planning Makes Perfect
Be sure to spend a few minutes before writing your answer to plan out what you’re going to say. Jot down some key arguments and examples, and highlight anything you think could be relevant. Prioritise the points you think best fit the answer, and then write. Taking the time here will help focus your writing and stop you from meandering from your point. Plus, should you run out of time, that plan will point out where your answer is going. It may not have much of a bearing on your marks, but you can’t rule out the marker not taking it into account.
Timing
Spending too much time on one question has the consequence of leaving you considerably less time for any subsequent ones. If you’re struggling with a question, the next one you may find much easier—how you’ll kick yourself if you waste time on a lost cause when you could maximise your marks elsewhere on the paper! Two partially answered questions will net you more marks than one good one and one terrible one, bear that in mind.
Using your time wisely is very important, and while it’s understandable that exam situations can cause a bit of stress, and once you get momentum in a question you can lose track of that clock; discipline with your timing is one of the most valuable assets to have in an exam.
Cross Your ‘T’s, Dot Your ‘I’s
Keep in mind to leave yourself five minutes at the end to give your answers one last read-through to catch any errant spellings and missing punctuation. The amount of marks dropped for not adhering to the fundamentals of writing keeps teachers up at night, and you wouldn’t want to lose out on a grade because you misplaced too many commas.
Whatever You Do, Don’t Do Any Of These
Panic! Of course, that’s easier said than done, but keeping your cool will help you save precious time. You can help mitigate your angst by practicing exam papers under timed conditions. It won’t solve everything, but at least it will give you one less thing to be worried about.
Waffle! Keep in mind the points above, and don’t jump straight in to writing your answer, and you’ll do well to avoid this. Long answers that dance around the point don’t score as well as concise ones that are half the length.
Dwell on it. Coming out of the exam wondering what could have been and talking to your friends comparing answers is a great way to bring your mood down. Once time is up, there is nothing else you can do. Take a break, do something to take your mind off it—then on to the next one!
There’s plenty of time between now and the exam, so use it wisely. Just remember, whatever may come results day, if you can get to the end of May and tell yourself that you tried your very best, what else could you do? Nobody can ask more of you than that.
You’ve got this, good luck.
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Your reading list probably asks you for newest editions of novels and textbooks. If you own some older editions of these texts already, you might think; ‘why do I need to rebuy something I already own?’ It can be an annoying question, particularly for your parent or legal guardian. After all, it’s their money! Due to cost-of-living pressures, many parents are now spending less on books for their kids. If you have an older sibling, it’s even possible your parents were planning on passing their books down to you. Unfortunately, it’s a plan that’s unlikely to succeed. So, why do you need to purchase the newest editions of books that you may already own? Well, we’ve tried to provide a few different answers to that question for you below.
Presentation for Curriculum Requirements
Over the years, the curriculums have changed. Studying is a lot more learner-friendly than it used to be. Let’s use English literature as an example. Textbooks for the subject would often present quite rigorous, factual questions, very much looking for answers that were distinctly ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. However, things began to change in the mid-1990s.
Some of the textbooks for English literature test pupils quite differently today. Now, schoolkids and home learners alike are tested on more interpretative questions, ones where your reading of the text is more important. You’re allowed to argue your points, and so long as they’re well-structured, well-written, and well-reasoned points, they’re generally marked favourably. It might seem tempting to get an older textbook for a more affordable price, but you’ll also be subjecting yourself to a different mode of learning when it comes to English literature. One that’s incompatible with modern curriculums! That difference likely extends to several other subjects as well.
The Condition of the Book
You might agree that, generally, many people don’t treat their books very well. Instead of arranging them neatly on a shelf at home, some of these books might live in bags or under furniture for months at a time, folded and creased. Others might doodle in their books, spill drinks on the pages, or even playfully use them as weapons against friends. They can also be rudely vandalised for a laugh. So, publishers quite understandably think that passing these texts down and around isn’t always a good idea. Older editions are bound to carry a few ‘battle scars’.
So, if your reading lists ask you for a new edition of a text, it possibly means the person curating it may be trying to evade some of these common issues. It’s not a guarantee – new editions of a text are typically released every 3-4 years with most publishers. Still, the newest edition of a text is harder to buy or borrow second-hand. It all means your learning is less likely to be interrupted, and you can enjoy the reading precisely as intended.
Author Changes
Many authors publish their books and insist the first copy is the final copy. They can get quite touchy about it, believing their integrity and reputation as a writer is on the line.
Others take a more relaxed approach when it comes to making changes. It’s still quite rare they do so, but it does happen! For example, Stephen King rewrote the ending of his 1978 novel, ‘The Stand’, revising the ending once in 1990, and then again for the 2020 TV miniseries adaptation. You’re unlikely to read a Stephen King text for study before university, but the larger point here is that even high-calibre authors do make changes, sometimes. The changes aren’t typically small, either. They can be so large that they fundamentally alter the message and mood of a text. So, in buying the newest edition, you can be sure that you’re grappling with the most relevant copy of a fiction.
Textbooks Can be Wrong
It’s easy to think of study as memorising bulletproof facts. Empirical information is presented to you with great authority, and your learning is rightly taken quite seriously. However, it’s not just authors that might like to change things around. It’s also true that so-called ‘factual’ textbooks can be wrong. After all, even long held scientific understandings about the age of the universe can later be questioned or even outright disproved. The knowledge of the human race is pretty ‘far off’ sometimes, and that’s okay.
This doesn’t mean everything you’re reading is redundant. However, it does mean that buying the latest edition of a text means that you’re more likely to engage with information that is accurate, up-to-date, and has been revised and amended as many times as possible. It also teaches you a valuable a lesson, too; that the learning journey never ends. Professional scientists and scholars are always experimenting and updating their knowledge, presenting incorrect answers to eventually find the correct ones. Equipped with that understanding, you may approach your own learning more comfortably and confidently. It’s okay to be wrong sometimes!
Bonus Material
Newest editions of a text often come with bonus material to make a purchase more enticing for consumers. Some of these add-ons can benefit you during your home learning. You’ll likely know what an appendix is. It’s a section of nonessential writing at the end of an academic text. It’s bonus material, featuring anything from quick notes to scanned letters and maps. Sometimes these are updated for newer editions of books and provide unique insights into the text you’re reading. However, appendices in older editions are not always reprinted for newest editions. It may vary on a text-by-text basis!
Newer editions of a text may also feature better quality, brand-new, and more frequent illustrations, graphs, and other visual spectacles too. It may seem like a small thing, but these additions can break up an overwhelming wall of text and make it more engaging to engage with as a result.
So, there you have it. In reading the points above, we hope you’ve come to understand that newest editions of books bring you, as the reader, ‘closer’ to the text. You can more easily understand and relate to what’s written and the people who wrote it, which should benefit you greatly on your learning journey!
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What Are The Most Influential Languages In The World?
Before discussing the most influential languages, we must outline what makes a language influential. The influence of languages can be determined through various factors such as the number of speakers, economic power associated with speakers, cultural impact, political significance, and global usage. This is perhaps the classic and most logical way to assess a language’s global influence.
Modern technology has allowed an even more sophisticated answer to the question of a language’s influence. In what was a truly big data analysis, a group of scholars at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) looked at over 2.2 million book translations between 1979 and 2011 from over 150 countries and over a thousand languages, 382 million Wikipedia edits in 238 languages by 2.5 million editors, and finally reviewed 550 million tweets in 73 languages from over 17 million users! This analysis led them to postulate that the influence level of a language is less about the language itself but about how it connects to others.
It’s Not All English!
Their visio-spatial charts presented on the world economic forum website show clearly that English, with over 1.5 billion speakers and being the most heavily translated in the world, was the most actively connected and influential language. However, their research didn’t point to a dominant language after English but showed German, French, Spanish, and Japanese were the most heavily translated into and from English, and this seemed to be the next most influential cohort.
What About Chinese?
Being the second most spoken language with 1 billion speakers, it begs the question as to why Chinese isn’t the second most influential language. In fact it is due to what is termed ‘linguistic isolation’ because its usage is limited to networks such as Sina Weibo (Chinese Twitter) and Baidu Baike (Chinese Wikipedia). Russia has a similar form of linguistic isolation via VK (Russian Facebook).
Finally
This research also showed that informal communication channels like Twitter have been allowing less widely spoken languages to rise in influence. Swahili, Malay, and Filipino were over-represented on Twitter given the numbers of actual speakers.
If you are interested in studying a language, Oxford Home Schooling offer courses in French and Spanish at several levels. You can find out more on those available by clicking on the relevant subject listed below. You can also find our Contact Us page here.
Future Routes Open to You
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
That’s a question we’ve all been asked more than once in our lives, and the answer often changes as we get older. But as you near the end of your education, you’re older and wiser, it comes down to either of two answers:
“I know exactly what I want to be!”
“I have no idea what I want to be!”
It’s important to stress that both of these answers are perfectly normal. There are plenty of people who don’t figure out what kind of career they want until they’re into their 30s—some even later than that. What you have right now is time. And so much of it. Right now, you may feel a lot of pressure to make a decision, like there is some unseen and foreboding clock counting down to a decision you feel massively unprepared to make. It’s not. Whether you know exactly where you want to go, haven’t given it much thought, or are currently panicked into choice paralysis, here are a few of your options explained to help you decide which one is best for you. The best for you right now, not necessarily forever.
16+
You’ve gotten through your GCSEs, but there’s still learning to do. Fortunately, you have a lot more choice in what you want to learn about and can shift your focus to the subjects or skills that you enjoy.
A-Levels are the most traditional route for pupils after their GCSEs. Each course is two years long and you’ll need to pick three of them to study. There is some wiggle room, as you can combine them with other qualifications too, depending on what you’re looking to study. A-levels are the next step for those looking to go to University.
T-Levels were brought about in 2020, with more and more subjects becoming available in colleges year on year. A T-Level is a two-year course that focuses on technical skills instead of academics. A T-Level pupil will spend most of their time in college, learning skills and developing their knowledge, and then spending a small part of their time on placement within their industry, getting valuable experience. After your T-levels, you can either choose to continue your employment or seek out further qualifications with technical courses or a degree. This is an option for those who prefer to be more hands-on in what they do.
Apprenticeships are on-the-job training. You’ll be paid while you learn and spend most of your time at work with a small amount of your time spent in an educational setting developing your knowledge and earning a qualification. These qualifications come in levels, with Level 2 being the same as a GCSE, and Level 3 equal to A- and T-Levels. You can find information about firms looking for apprentices locally, but your education provider should be able to support you in your search as well. This is perfect for those who never really felt like an academic environment was for them or just feel ready to get out into the working world.
18+
Congratulations, you’re free! You are no longer required by law to stay in education or training and as a result, your options are much broader. That can be a blessing or a curse, depending on which way you look at it. So let’s take a look at what you can do now:
Higher Education
Higher Education comes in the form of bachelor’s degrees and higher technical qualifications like Higher National Certificates and Higher National Diplomas. In most cases, these are offered by Universities on 3+ year courses. The delivery of these courses varies depending on what you choose. Some are purely lecture/seminar-based while others will have placements. What’s great about universities or further education colleges is that the courses they offer are often very flexible in their delivery. From full-time to part-time and even combined with a job in some cases. Yes, Higher Education can be expensive, but student loans are available and there is plenty of financial support available for those who need it. It’s well worth visiting these places when they have open days so that you can speak to students and staff and get a feel for the environment. It’s also a great opportunity to ask questions about the course (and any advice on getting financial support such as bursaries etc.).
Entry-Level Work
With your A-Levels, you’re set to apply for entry-level jobs and start your career. There’s a lot to choose from, but it’s important to note that what’s available to you will vary depending on where you live. Don’t let that limit you though. If you’re willing to brave a commute, you can save on rail fares with a 16-25 Rail Card. Take a look at this explore careers section on the National Careers Service website. It has a pretty extensive list of categories of work and the jobs they entail. It’s always good to know just how many options there are out there.
Gap Year
Find yourself. Travel a bit. Volunteer. Shadow people in areas you are interested in. These are all things you can do in a gap year. It’s a choice that is becoming more popular as young people are seeing the value in taking a gap year. It provides a unique opportunity for personal growth and allows young people to gain a bit more ‘real-world’ experience, get a bit of independence, and develop some resilience. Plus, it can be a nice break after 13 years in education, so why rush straight into a few more?
The Choice Is Yours
Hopefully, this has helped clear away a bit of the fog surrounding what you can do next. But remember, regardless of how sure you are of where you want to go or what you want to do, there’s no need to rush. Take the time you need to be as prepared as you can for whatever is to come—and don’t forget to take a moment to appreciate what you’ve already achieved. If you’re looking for more information, head over to Talking Futures, a great website with plenty of information and resources for young adults (and their parents too) looking at their next steps.
Good luck!
If you are taking your GCSE exams this year and wondering about doing an A level afterwards, Oxford Home Schooling offer the opportunity to attain one in a number of subjects. You can see which by following the link here. You can also speak to a student adviser for ,ore information, in which case you can do so via the following web page: Contact Us.
February Reading
Not A Diet Book by James Smith
Imagine if you knew you could only have one car for the rest of your life; would you take better care of it? A bit of a big sentence that, isn’t it? It’s the most referenced line from the book that readers comment on. Why? Because it makes you think about how we only get one body. As a teenager, it’s easy to think you’re invincible, and that you have your whole life ahead of you because you do. So why recommend this book? Because with it, not only will you still be feeling exactly as you do now (or a lot better) in twenty years, but it will also help you with your studies and your future career as well.
You may have heard of James Smith, you may even follow him on his social media. But whether you’re a fan of him or not, his book is one of the best things you can read this year. Smith is armed with every tool you’ll ever need to achieve incredible results – from dieting, training, and staying in shape to identifying the fads, cons, and nonsense that get in the way of genuine lasting progress.
This book will put you in control. It is not a fad diet or a short-term training plan. It will empower you to adopt better habits that will allow you to take charge of your life. Not a Diet Book is a bestseller for a reason. It has helped thousands of adults change their lives for the better, and there’s no reason why its wisdom can’t be taken on by younger minds. Yes, the man may be a bit direct and crude at times, but in this book, there is nothing but sound advice backed up by scientific study. He busts fitness and diet myths and discusses how what you’re seeing online is largely misinformation, filters and smoke screens designed to make you feel inferior and intimidate you into buying whatever product is in front of you.
But why is a self-help book for adults relevant to you? It’s simple, if you instill even a couple of the qualities Smith outlines, you’ll set yourself up for a healthier lifestyle and be much more likely to achieve whatever goals you set yourself. Smith will help shape your attitude towards your diet and training, with practical tips and advice on:
• A realistic approach to fitness
• Common fitness fallacies (Like will eating at night make you fatter?)
• Empowerment and B=body positivity
• Forming sustainable and healthy habits
Smith comes across as a friend offering advice to take on your own terms. He isn’t dishing out commandments and strict rules to live by, just a brief education and a healthy philosophy that’s easier to adopt than you think. He’s not one for fancy words either, it’s simple and to-the-point language that’s easier to pick up than the book itself.
Smith’s agenda is for the bettering of public health. Beneath the banterous exterior is a genuinely good person trying to bring about positive change. He might plug his academy (and why wouldn’t you in your own book?) but Not A Diet Book isn’t pushing fads, it’s simply an easy-read education. By no means will it solve all your problems and nor it doesn’t claim to. But it will give you a fresh perspective on them and a starting point to make a significant change.
This recommendation is not a bible either, so don’t take it all as gospel. Some of Smith’s philosophy is very much a product of his personality, so if something feels a bit too outside your comfort zone, don’t feel like you need to do it. Sticking to the diet and exercise advice will steer you in the right direction for a healthy 20s, 30s and beyond. And your knees will thank you for it.
I have offered a couple of other suggestions for this month, too, which you can see by following this link.
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Fast Track Human Biology IGCSE
A Controversial Chess Champion
Bobby Fischer, born on January 9th, 1943, in Chicago, Illinois, was an American chess prodigy whose unparalleled talent and intense personality left an indelible mark on the world of chess. His life and career were characterised by extraordinary achievements, a meteoric rise to fame, and controversial moments that often overshadowed his chess brilliance.
It Was His Sister’s Fault
Bobby Fischer’s introduction to the game of chess came at the tender age of six when his sister bought him a set. This seemingly innocuous purchase ignited a passion that would shape his destiny. By the age of thirteen, he had become the youngest-ever United States Chess Champion, a record that still stands. This early chess prowess demonstrated Bobby Fischer to possess a level of intuition and strategic understanding that far surpassed his years.
Despite facing financial hardships, Fischer’s mother, Regina, was a driving force in supporting his burgeoning talent. She home-schooled him, emphasising chess and other intellectual pursuits. Fischer’s prodigious talent quickly caught the attention of the chess world, and he emerged as a rising star in international chess competitions.
King Of The Board
The breakthrough of Bobby Fischer onto the world stage occurred in 1958. It wasn’t too dissimilar to that of current young darts sensation Luke Littler, who’s taken the country by storm with his outrageous talent. When Fischer became the youngest grandmaster in history at the age of fifteen, he set a record that remained unbroken for many years. His ascension continued as he dominated various tournaments, solidifying his reputation as a force to be reckoned with in the chess world.
One of the most iconic achievements of Bobby Fischer was his victory in the 1972 World Chess Championship held in Reykjavik, Iceland. Facing the Soviet Union’s reigning champion, Boris Spassky, Fischer’s eccentric demands and erratic behaviour during the match became as notable as his exceptional play. This event, dubbed the “Match of the Century,” marked the first time an American had claimed the title, and it transcended chess, capturing the world’s attention during the height of the Cold War.
Like the Space Race of the ’60s, Fischer and Spassky were part of their country’s respective propaganda machines as the Cold War continued to simmer throughout the early ‘70s. The two of them were pawns themselves, with Fischer’s victory over Spassky having broader implications, symbolising an ideological triumph for the West over the Soviet Union.
The impact of Bobby Fischer thus extended beyond the chessboard, elevating him to the status of a cultural icon. However, his reign as world champion was short-lived, as he refused to defend his title in 1975 due to disputes with FIDE, the international chess federation.
A Real Bobby Dazzler
Beyond the World Championship, Fischer’s list of achievements is staggering. He won the U.S. Championship eight times, and his performances in various international tournaments showcased a dominance that few players have achieved. His approach to the game was characterised by a deep understanding of positional play, combined with an aggressive and tactical style that often left opponents struggling to keep up.
One of Fischer’s most memorable accomplishments was his stunning 11-0 victory in the 1963-64 U.S. Championship, a feat unmatched in the history of the tournament. This remarkable achievement solidified his reputation as a chess genius and further fueled the growing fascination with his exceptional skills.
The Darker Side Of Bobby Fischer
Fischer’s brilliance on the chessboard was often accompanied by controversy off it. His idiosyncrasies, perfectionism, and uncompromising personality contributed to a series of tumultuous incidents throughout his career. Erratic behaviour during matches, including that against Spassky in Iceland, saw last-minute demands and disputes with organisers become synonymous with his complex persona.
The pinnacle of Fischer’s controversial moments was his refusal to defend his world title in 1975. Disputes over match conditions, financial disagreements, and grievances with FIDE led Fischer to forfeit the championship to Anatoly Karpov. Fischer’s decision to step away from competitive chess for nearly twenty years only added to the mystique surrounding his legacy.
Later in life, controversial statements by Bobby Fischer took a turn for the more extreme. They became more inflammatory, and his anti-Semitic remarks further tarnished his public image. He threw out conspiracy theories involving Jews directed at sabotaging him. He also told a radio station in the Philippines on September 11th, 2001 that the terrorist attacks were “wonderful news”.
Fischer’s reclusive tendencies and legal troubles, including his arrest in 2004 for violating international sanctions by playing a rematch against Spassky in Yugoslavia, compounded the complexities of his post-chess life.
Checkmate
In 2008, at the age of 64, Bobby Fischer passed away in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he had achieved his greatest triumph. His legacy remains a dichotomy of genius and controversy, with his contributions to chess immortalised. From his early days as a child prodigy to his triumphs on the world stage and the controversies that surrounded him, the impact of Bobby Fischer on the world of chess is undeniably profound. His contributions, both on and off the chessboard, continue to shape the way we perceive the game and its enigmatic figures, making him an enduring if complex icon in the Chess world.
The Exciting Next Stage Of Your Education
Back to school isn’t easy for anyone. It often brings a sense of dread, knowing that the summer has come to an end and the new school year is about to start. This applies to teachers, too! It’s like having the Sunday night feeling but a lot worse. So, if you are feeling anxious about the start of a new school year, don’t fret – you are certainly not alone. Still, the jump from Primary to secondary level education can inspire a lot more trepidation.
For those leaving their primary education behind, it is likely to be more daunting. Up until the end of Year 6, there is an element of comfort: generally, if you have been in school, you will have had one main teacher, for example. If you have been home-schooled, you might have been used to studying at a different pace. One thing you might be pleased about is saying goodbye to the Year 6 SATs!
Starting secondary-level work in Year 7 can be a worry for some. It is likely to mean moving on to the next stage of your life with subject content that is different and often more challenging. Of course, this is very exciting, although it might not always feel like that.
Things That Change At Secondary Level
Studying a secondary-level course as a home-schooled pupil might mean you will have a very different sort of timetable – perhaps you will have 5 or 6 different subjects, and teachers to communicate with, regularly. You might even be learning things you have never thought about before, depending on your own situation. For example, in English, you might be working on a module about Shakespeare, or studying a novel you have never heard of. Whatever your personal circumstances, you are likely to rise to the challenge and move forward on your journey successfully.
Of course, for some of you, you might be extending the next stage of your home-school journey. Perhaps you are enrolling in different Year 7 courses, and having contact with different teachers. The content of what you are learning will be more challenging and this can be hard, particularly at the beginning when everything is very new. But give it time and things you will soon settle in with the changes. Remember: you are not alone. Your teachers will help you to settle in and will be available if you have any queries or questions.
So, if you are about to embark on the move from Year 6 to Year 7, enjoy it. I won’t say ‘good luck’ because it isn’t about luck – it’s more about embracing a new situation and enjoying the next stage of your learning experience.
