Breaking Down The Pomodoro Technique

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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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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Galileo Galilei was an Italian scientist and philosopher who made significant contributions to the fields of astronomy, physics, and mathematics. He is often referred to as the “father of modern science” and is widely considered to be one of the most influential scientists in history. His work was instrumental in the scientific revolution of the 17th century. Here are some of Galileo’s greatest achievements and interesting facts.

Greatest Achievements

One of Galileo’s greatest achievements was his use of the telescope to observe the night sky. He was the first person to observe the moons of Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the rings of Saturn. Of Jupiter’s moons, he also determined the four largest, and they are now known as the Galilean moons. He was also the first to observe sunspots and to measure the speed of light. He confirmed that the Earth revolved around the sun, a revolutionary idea at the time. He also confirmed the heliocentric theory of Nicolaus Copernicus and observed the phases of Venus, the four moons of Jupiter, and the mountains and craters on the moon.

Galileo Is Relevant In The History Of Multiple Subjects

Galileo was also a renowned mathematician. He developed the modern scientific method and made significant contributions to the fields of geometry, mechanics, and kinematics. He is credited with the invention of the pendulum clock, which revolutionised timekeeping, and that of the thermometer and the compass. He also formulated the law of falling bodies, which states that all objects fall at the same rate in a vacuum.

Galileo also wrote extensively on the topics of religion and philosophy. He was an advocate for heliocentrism, the idea that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun. This was a radical idea at the time and put him at odds with the Catholic Church, which believed that the Earth was the centre of the universe.

In further addition to his scientific and philosophical contributions, Galileo was an accomplished musician. He composed numerous pieces of music, including several sonatas and a cantata. Yet another credited invention is the lute, a stringed instrument similar to the modern guitar.

Prosecution And Progress

Galileo’s life and work were not without controversy. As mentioned previously, he clashed with the Catholic Church over his belief in the heliocentric system, which resulted in him being found guilty of heresy and placed under house arrest for the remainder of his life. In modern times, Galileo is seen as a symbol of scientific progress and courage in the face of opposition. His contributions to science helped shape our understanding of the universe, and his legacy is still celebrated today.

Galileo Galilei was a remarkable scientist and philosopher who made significant contributions to the fields of astronomy, physics, and mathematics. His discoveries revolutionised the way we think about the universe and laid the foundation for modern science. He will forever be remembered as one of the greatest scientists of all time.

Exams are, finally, over; revision notes are packed away, shredded, passed on to your sibling, or thrown on the BBQ; the endless balmy days of a British summer lie ahead of you. You can lounge in the sun, meet up with friends, and you don’t have to worry about setting an alarm. And then… and then… results day looms, that day in August* when you will open the envelope, or the message, and find out how well you have done. It’s nerve-wracking. It’s anxiety-inducing. It’s a day that some people would rather not have to deal with. But fear not. It’s not as bad as you think.

It is natural to feel concerned and worried ahead of receiving your exams results. In fact, it is healthy to feel a certain amount of anxiety about different life events. However, spending a lot of your waking hours, and maybe even being kept awake at night due to worrying, is not helpful. So if you are likely to suffer with anxiety in the run-up to your results day in August, the three top tips below might be of use.

What’s Done Is Done

Once you’ve finished your exams, you need to try and remember that there isn’t anything more you can do about results at that point. Some people forensically go back through their responses, they question their friends, they ask their tutors. In reality, it’s done. So, try and put your concerns on the shelf and move on to the next challenge, or relax.

Exams Results Are Not The End Of The World

Exams results days are important, yes, and can dictate what you do next – for example, A-Levels or university. However, if you are anxious about not doing as well as you would like, just remember: whatever results you receive, it will not mean the end of the world. Okay, so they may affect what you do next, albeit temporarily, but you can retake your exams, or maybe even your plans must change – and this might not be a bad thing. Try to rationalise the situation, it will make you feel better.

Enjoy Some “Me” Time

Feeling anxious about an upcoming event can be horrible. So, if you are affected by anxiety like this, try and build in some activities which can help to alleviate such feelings. You might take a walk in the fresh air, appreciate the environment around you. Maybe you get stuck into a good book, or go and kick a football around with your friends. Sitting around dwelling on a potential future situation is not healthy for you mentally or physically – and ‘escaping’ from this mindset in some way can be hugely beneficial.

So, if you start to feel anxious with exam results day looming, try to divert yourself. You’ll feel a whole lot better if you do.

*18th August, Exams Results for A-Level, and 25th August for GCSE.

How Wide Is The Gap?

Picture this: you’re well on the way with your GCSE (or IGCSE) courses and you feel comfortable with the feedback you are receiving. Things are good; TMAs are going well; your tutors are pleased – and then you need to start thinking about the next stage of your studying… which may well involve A-Levels.

Without a doubt, there is quite a bit of a jump from I/GCSEs to A-Levels, though not an impossible leap where you are likely to take a tumble, flailing with out-of-control arms, or finding yourself in a series of white-water rapids, in an oarless boat… that is sinking. Okay, enough with the metaphors. The jump is not that terrifying. But there are certain things you need to know.

A-levels

A-Levels (the ‘A’ stands for ‘Advanced’ – there’s a clue in the word) are tough. Whereas at I/GCSE level you will be used to shorter questions with specific outcomes, often getting harder (or with higher-tariff questions) as an exam moves on, at A-Level it works differently. Often, you’ll get just essay-style questions – maybe each one could take up to an hour – so you will probably find that examinations are longer. Of course, this will depend on the subject so it will not be set in stone. It is certainly worth remembering, though.

At A-Level, the content of your course will be harder. Let’s take IGCSE English Literature: you might have studied To Kill a Mockingbird, and perhaps An Inspector Calls. When it comes to A-Level study, it is ramped up – more texts which are more challenging. But also, A-Level study often requires a Non-Examination Assessment (NEA) component – essays, or a project, which you work on independently. For many students, this is a great difference to I/GCSE – but it does mean you have to demonstrate different skills, and be independent, which is something some students do struggle with.

Fewer, Harder

If you have studied a number of different I/GCSE subjects, at A-Level you will study fewer – most students opt for three. You will go into a lot more depth with these subjects, and you will have a more thorough approach.

The leap from I/GCSE to A-Level is not insurmountable – thousands and thousands of students are successful every year. It is a case of being prepared and not being too surprised by the jump – so if you prepare yourself and make sure you are choosing subjects you are passionate about, you will certainly be on the right path for success.

Choosing your A level options can seem a daunting task. There are so many subjects to choose from and the subjects you feel you may enjoy the most might conflict with what teachers, parents or universities deem to be “best”. But are certain subjects really better than others? And if so, which ones?

For University

Many university courses will require you to have studied particular A levels. For example, a degree in pharmacy will almost certainly list Chemistry as a requirement and it would be an obvious choice to take English Literature at A level if you plan to study the subject at university. Some university courses will also list A level subjects which they don’t accept, viewing other courses in higher regard. If you’re thinking about going to university it is important to research the universities and courses you might like to apply for before choosing your A level options, giving yourself the best chance of being accepted onto your chosen university course by picking A levels that are most relevant.

A level Facilitating Subjects

Of course, many people don’t really know what they want to do at university, or even if they want to go to university in the first place. In which case, the list of Facilitating Subjects might come in handy. A few years ago, the Russell Group universities published a list of so-called “Facilitating Subjects”; subjects which were considered to be more desirable by the UK’s top universities. The list included:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• English Literature
• Geography
• History
• Maths and Further Maths
• Modern and Classical Languages

Supposedly, a combination of any of the above subjects would provide a good basis on which to progress to study numerous different courses at a good university and The Russell Group advises that, if you’re not sure what you’d like to do at university, choosing at least two subjects from the list would open up a wide variety of higher education options. Officially, the list was scrapped in 2019 as it was proving to be misleading to students, but it is certainly still true that choosing any of the subjects from the old Facilitating Subjects list would stand you in good stead when applying to a variety of different courses at university. It’s worth noting that other subjects which are not on the above list, still hold value and there are subjects which may be a requirement if you wish to study certain courses. A level music, for example, is not on the Facilitating Subjects list but is a requirement if you wish to study music at most universities.

Regardless of whether you want to go to university or not, when choosing your A-level options it is important to opt to study subjects which you think you will enjoy, be good at and which will help you to achieve your goals post-sixth form.

 

Oxford Open Learning offer a range of A level subjects to study, and you can find details by clicking on the link here.

The Advantages of Revision Podcasts

Do you use any revision podcasts? If you don’t, now is the perfect time to incorporate some into your studies. Research shows that podcasts aid deep learning: they reinforce existing knowledge while also helping you to make links between different topics in a single subject. This is exactly the kind of support you need when exams are just around the corner. What’s more, podcasts are portable, meaning that you can listen to one whenever you want and wherever you are.

If you want to test out the effectiveness of podcasts for yourself, here are some suggestions:

English: GCSE English Revision Pod

Each week, Mr. Forster and Mr. Gallie take listeners through a different theme or topic for English Language and English Literature. Each podcast comes with a downloadable handout, so you don’t need to worry about making notes as you listen along.
Win’s Literary Corner is also well worth a listen, especially if you struggle with the more technical aspects of English, like form and tone.

Maths: GCSE Maths

This podcast from Seneca Learning is popular with students who need some extra help going over key topics for their Maths papers. Every possible topic is covered: from vectors and percentages, to probability and geometry

Science: Science at Schools

In this 26-episode series, your host will take you through Chemistry, Biology and Physics, both the content and the possible question stems. There are notes to accompany each podcast, too.

History: Mr. Allsop History

Mr. Allsop isn’t just a YouTube star; he’s a podcaster, too. He’s covered every historical topic you could ever want to revise and provides an accompanying Power Point for you to download.

Geography: Mr. Hunt’s Geography Podcast

Although these podcasts were originally designed for Mr. Hunt’s own students, they have become a hit with those all over the country. Podcasts vary in length, with each one lasting no more than six minutes, which makes them ideal when you haven’t got a lot of time on your hands.

Business: GCSE Business Podcast

Another one from Seneca Learning, this podcast has 58 episodes in total, so you can guarantee that whatever topic you need, help with will be available. Again, these podcasts come in at around six minutes each, so you don’t need to set aside much time to listen.

One final tip: download a couple episodes of each podcast to your device, so that no matter where you are, you can access your revision and get into the habit of listening!

March 14 is World Pi Day and also marks the 141st birthday of the famous theoretical physicist Albert Einstein. Einstein published the special and general theories of relativity and contributed to many other areas of physics. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.

Never the conformist student, during his years studying at the Zurich Polytechnic, Einstein’s creative rebellion apparently led to his professors giving him less than glowing recommendations upon his graduation in 1900.

Five years later, in 1905—whilst he worked as a clerk in the Swiss patent office, Einstein published four revolutionary articles that introduced his famous equation E=mc2 (meaning energy equals mass times the speed of light squared) and the theory of special relativity.

Einstein’s breakthroughs paved the way for his grand entrance onto the world stage for Physics. His path into academia wasn’t a fast one, however. It took him until 1909, almost a decade after finishing school, to gain a full professorship.

Ever the wise and inspirational academic, Einstein’s thought-provoking quotes on education still inspire us today. Here are 5 of his best, with their meaning given below:

1) “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

We need to balance our right-brain creativity and imagination with our left-brain logic, and this the key to unlocking new perspectives on the universe.

2)  “Concern for man and his fate must always form the chief interest of all technical endeavours. Never forget this in the midst of your diagrams and equations.”

We should put the wellbeing of our planet at the heart of everything we do in our work. We should not treat it as an afterthought.

3) “The only source of knowledge is experience.”

No matter how many years a student of any subject, it’s in first-hand experience that we gain the knowledge to grow.

4) “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.”

Education is more than merely reciting facts and figures. It’s about developing critical thinking skills, the ability to be able to objectively analyse and evaluate an issue to form a judgement.

5) “Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them.”

The world needs more people with a spark of ingenuity to anticipate problems and prevent them before they happen.

 

On World Pi Day, and in celebration of the life and work of Albert Einstein, it’s important to take time to remember and reflect on both his learnings and words of wisdom.

Most lessons in schools are essential. However, while it’s extremely useful to know basic mathematics, science, and literacy, these subjects are certainly not everything one needs to succeed in life. Unfortunately, when it comes to learning fundamental life skills, it can be argued that schools don’t always equip their students with everything they need. The subject of personal finances may be a case in point.

Additionally, schools are starting to teeter off a financial cliff edge, with staff underpaid and numerous cuts taking effect. Clearly several somebodies aren’t doing a stellar job of keeping the education sector well-funded… if only they’d been taught about basic financial management in school!

But what could be taught today in high schools where personal finances are concerned? Well, here’s a few suggestions!

Savings

Savings are the natural place to begin when it comes to teaching and understanding money management. After all, young people have unjustly earned a reputation for spending outside of their means, so it’s time to combat some stereotypes with education! Ultimately, savings are key to a solid financial future.

If the principle of saving is taught and understood early, then pupils will take their present and future finances more seriously. For example, kids may purchase fewer luxury items they don’t need or can’t feasibly afford. In the end, responsibility means saving, and it may also help school pupils grow up and realise money can’t just be thrown around on whimsy – all of which is good!

Budgeting

Just as people need to save money, they also need to spend it too! After all, while money certainly needs to be amassed, it’s also a critical resource in securing a prosperous future. Sitting right next to savings in terms of importance then is budgeting, which is vital to living a sustainable lifestyle.

Food, bills, rent, mortgages, maintenance costs on property and vehicles – there are a lot of other money-related subjects that branch out directly from budgeting too! Furthermore, if things get a little dry when talking about the more serious things, then it can be explained that even events like holidays, parties and other fun shenanigans need to be budgeted for as well! Young people often act out of impulse, so budgeting is a great way to start tempering those kinds of behaviours.

Taxes

Taxes are often mentioned in the media by disgruntled people, branded as either disproportionate or unfair to certain groups. The idea of taxation still causes anger and controversy in some circles. While several complaints can be justified here, the idea of losing some personal income to the government also draws the ire of some who are uneducated and greedy. Well, schools can help pupils understand what’s fair here!

Taxes are of course highly useful to society, and they’re certainly a good thing in the long run. Tax goes to things like public services, and funds healthcare, the military, and even bus routes. It’s essentially the financial fuel of our society, and without it, it simply crumbles. If school pupils can understand what their taxed money will be spent on, chances are they’ll be more comfortable and mature about the whole situation. Instead of thinking it ‘unfair’, they may instead come to learn that they’re contributing their bit to society.

Of course, people can also be taught what’s required in the way of tax if they’re hoping to eventually run their own business. Circumstances will differ depending on what future they envision for themselves. In this field of finances, there’s a lot to learn here!

Help to Buy ISA

It’s probably too late to introduce the Help to Buy ISA as part of any school curriculum, given that the deadline for applying for them is the end of this month. Still, they’re absolutely worth spreading awareness about in those post-lunchtime assemblies for the next few days. This is because Help to Buy ISAs helps young people aged 16 and over save for a housing deposit as a first-time buyer.

The more money the user puts into their Help to Buy ISA account over the next 11 years, the more interest the government will give them to go towards their first deposit. The maximum a user can put into this account is £12,000 for a bonus of £3,000, which can make a big difference in the housing arena. A 16-year-old today could well be looking to get on the property ladder in the next 11 years, so being informed by a teacher on these opportunities could really go a long way. There are no debts, no loopholes – it’s just honest (and for many, sorely required) help!

Debt

Unfortunately, bad luck can happen to anybody. Many people who are lumbered with debt have only made one small mistake or had one incident occur, and it’s sent them down a spiral of financial misery. Moreover, increasing numbers of young people are finding themselves bogged down by debt too. Some of the pupils in today’s schools will experience such turbulent times at some point in the future themselves, and they need the resources to dig themselves out of that hole as quickly as possible.

It’s worthwhile to teach today’s teenagers about debt. After all, if they are going to university, they’ll encounter it from taking on student loans! Tips like paying more than the minimum repayments, juggling multiple part-time jobs, and knowing when it’s time to sell personal belongings in circumstances surrounding debt could prove very useful. It’s a grim topic, but a necessary one nevertheless!

Conclusion

In the end, it’s worthwhile for schools to teach their pupils about personal finances. It can help pupils prepare for an uncertain and unstable future and may even help them feel more responsible in their day-to-day lives too! Many young people today bounce straight from secondary school into university (which is a time that’s notorious for financial hardship), so it’s better to teach them about personal finances in school so that they can get a head start in safeguarding their future.