Back To School Haul Post

Hello there! Been a very long time since I've updated the good ol' blog thanks to lovely college deadlines and whatnot. Had lots going on in the time I've been away, including getting a new job (woo!) which is the main inspiration for this post, as well as a whole range of days out and about and holidays too. Life is good right now if I'm completely honest. So, let us begin..

 

As I have recently been offered a job within a primary school, I figured this was the perfect time for a spending spree. Seeing as I was in desperate need for some 'smart casual' clothing and some bits and bobs to use in the classroom, this was the perfect excuse.

1. The Elmer Tote Bag - Amazon £6.16

As I'll be in a primary school, I figured I needed one hell of a bag. Let's be honest, nothing beats a classic like Elmer the colourful elephant. I was drawn to this bag by the whole range of colours and the strength of the bag. Undecided what to use this for, whether it be a storage bag for my books or just a general bag, but I'm sure the children will love it!

2. Denim Shirt and Caitlyn Big Cat Cami - Fat Face £36 and £28

Now, I never really buy anything from Fat Face if I'm completely honest.. Being a student, I have a very limited budget and can't afford some of their clothes. However, whenever the bank of mum opens its doors for business, I instantly take advantage to have some of these amazing clothes.

3. Black Slim Leg Double Zip Ribbed Trousers - New Look £14.99

I am forever in need of black trousers. I have recently trashed yet another pair with holes and countless amounts of paint/glue stains, so I needed yet another pair of trouser. Me being me, I'm more of a skinny jeans kind of person so I tried to find a pair which were a similar shape to my skinny jeans. Thank you, New Look, for providing such a good alternative!

4. GLIS box with lids - IKEA £1.50

I won't lie, I love IKEA with a burning passion. You can't go wrong with cheap flatpack furniture, let's be honest. I picked up these storage boxes on my visit the other day as they are ideal to go on a child's desk to store things, such as pencils or a visual timetable. These will be perfect and so useful in the classroom!

Well that's all for now. Hopefully won't leave it too long for another post. Have a lovely day, guys!

 

'Easy come, easy go..'

Hey guys! Hope you've all had an awesome week and are looking forward to the weekend - unless you're working like me.. Anyway, after having a long think lately, I've come to realise a lot of things. In particular, people. Safe to say people really irritate me most of the time.

The one thing I've learnt about people is that they will up and leave at any time. Sometimes without warning.. Sucks really. Like, the friends you have in school, people who were really close to at one point, people you could confide in and spend time with, just gone. With the obvious exception of university, it's amazing how many people can just walk away. People moan when no one makes an effort with them, but why don't you make the effort for a change and stop relying on other people for a change? You'd be amazed at how much of an impact it has..

I was talking about this to my friend the other day when we were heading to the cinema. In my life, I have had the same best friend for over 10 years who has stood by me through so much (god knows why) and has always had a place in my life. I also have two other close friends who have been in my life for the same amount of time, but never been as close with. Like, I spend more time with my best friend than with them as we live closer etc. They've been in my life since primary school, shows a lot really.

Then, I have the friends from secondary school. Now, I changed groups a lot throughout school and had friends in different groups too which was nice. Year 11 was probably the best year in seeing who my true friends actually were, spending that last summer together having camp outs, prom, days out... I could happily spend time with these guys and just have a laugh. But now, I barely talk to any of them. Obviously, if we bump into each other, we'll chat and catch up sometimes, but most of the time I don't really hear much from them unless I see them on my twitter feed or facebook..

Next, I have my sixth form friends. This is the real surprise if I'm honest. A lot of things happened in sixth form which resulted in a large mixture and changing friendship groups. I think my social group probably changed more than 5 times over the course of  two years. Met a whole variety of people in sixth form who I thought would never leave if I'm honest. Yet, since finishing, I only talk to a handful of people. Like, the people who said they'd never lose contact etc etc, have just left. Not even bothered. Once or twice I've seen them since sixth form, but not much. And it's sad really, for someone to just drop you like that without a warning or anything. Makes you really consider what the word 'friendship' means to some people.

Then, I have my college girls. Now, I haven't known these girls long but they have already had such a positive impact on my life. College is a lot easier with friends and they give me more of a reason to get up and go to college. Knowing I can go to college and have a laugh and a bit of fun makes it so much better. They are just awesome and all so different, it's amazing how well we all click as a group! 

Finally, I have my work friends. This is a more recent selection of friends so they haven't had much time to adjust to my madness just yet, bar a couple of people. But they are amazing, and I'm meeting more people as my time there goes on! Like, some people I haven't always seen eye to eye with, but things are going well at the moment. I've made some amazing friends at work and made some great connections with people, some stronger than others..

Despite the people who have left, I'm so grateful for the friends that I actually have. They have been there for me through a lot and put up with me through the worst of times. Makes me feel incredibly lucky to have the people I do in my life :-)

5 Things I've learnt from working with children..

Hey guys! As a childcare student, I've been working with lots of children from different ages. Definitely one of the most rewarding jobs I can think of if I'm honest, scaffolding their learning and helping them develop along the way. However, there are a few things in particular I have noticed and learnt since working with them.

1. All children are different.

This seems incredibly obvious, but after working in a school and nursery, it's amazing how much you can notice it. No children are the same, not at all. You'll get the quiet ones, the loud ones, the shy ones, the confident ones...The big differences are behaviour and ability. All children behave in different ways and have different abilities. For whatever reason, this is how they are. But there will always be a few who stand out. For example, a child who is very loud, clever but really underconfident. Another example, a child who is quiet, confident but is really badly behaved. All children have big personalities and it is so rewarding when you can bring them out of their shell and bring out their full potential. It makes you feel great and makes them feel amazing!

 
(source: www.istockphoto.com)

2. You must be a child to work with children.

For some people, childcare is an easy way out because they don't know what to do with their lives. If this is you, don't even bother. Seriously. If you don't have the passion to work with children, then you will fail at working with them. I've found from working with children that if you have a childish mentality, you can really connect with the children on a number of levels. From giving them examples to help them in their work to general discussions with them. When working in nursery last year, I found that I could really engage with the children during play as I actually enjoyed what they were playing with or when reading with them as I'd made an effort to do the research before my placement to see what kind of things were popular with children. Turns out the Gruffalo is a clear winner, along with Room on the Broom!

(source: www.google.com)

3. Be involved.

Children absolutely love it when you are involved with their learning and play, it makes them feel valued and involved which really helps their self-esteem. It also helps you feel like part of the class/group if you are actively involved within a lesson or play. Children feel more able to talk to you and you come across as a lot more approachable, compared to some childcare students who ignore the children and sit on their phones for an entire session. Besides, being involved can be so much fun! Especially when it's a fun activity, you can't sit out and be boring. Not exactly encouraging, is it...

(source: www.onekama.k12.mi.us)

4. Be a role model.

This goes without say. When you work with children, they will look up to you no matter what. You are there to be a role model for them to aspire to and look up to. You are there to encourage them and scaffold them as individuals. You want to encourage them to fulfil their full potential and achieve the best they can. If you show them that you are interested and motivated, they will respond to this and become more involved in what they're doing. If you show them a negative attitude, they will show it back. If you show them you're positive, they will show you a positive attitude. If you respect and value them, they will return the favour.

 
(source: www.pinterest.com)

5. Children's drawings are entertaining. 

Now, if you've ever worked with children or have younger siblings/family members, you will know where I'm going with this. They way children draw is simply hilarious and somewhat adorable at the same time, and often very creative. I've noticed this a lot since being in a school setting and nursery. Admittedly, my Key Stage 1 groups were more entertaining because at least you had a vague idea what they were getting at compared to nursery children. For example, children seem to be fixated on triangular noses. So when they draw a person or a face, it must have a triangle for a nose. I found this so adorable and funny at the same time. But that's just children, they are amazing and entertaining for the rest of us to watch and see!