If there is one measure that will tell us that the RCOT has been a success in rebuilding the self confidence of teachers (other than hitting ambitious levels of pupil achievement), it will be in ending the appalling drop out rate among teachers from the profession.

As someone who discovered meditation at the ripe old age of 30, I sometimes wonder what my teenage years would have been like if I had learned mindfulness at school. If the latest research is anything to go by, I would certainly have been better equipped to cope with the anxiety of revision and exams.

It would be easy to assume that as the recession continues to bite and households tighten their belts, the independent school sector might be suffering. However, there are many independent schools that are not only keeping their heads above water, they are positively thriving.

David Crystal has been unprecedented. Arguably the greatest linguistic shepherd, Crystal has a penchant for presenting language issues in a reader and listener friendly manner that will never leave you dry as you close one of his books or walk out of the hall where he has been lecturing.

The analysis of tests undertaken in 2009 has found that on average across OECD countries, disadvantaged students are twice as likely to be among the poorest performers in reading compared to better-off pupils.

Regardless of how amazing and engaging a lesson may be, if it is not reinforced in one way or another, it will sadly be forgotten and not entirely absorbed. The present-day student is definitely overwhelmed and even consumed by the various forms of technology.

Empathy, or the lack thereof, causes so many of the daily frustrations in teaching and prevents so much of the learning that could take place in the classroom, that it seems foolhardy to ignore the potential impact of examining this concept in detail.

In short, the school will become an unhappy place for all but a few who enjoy the rough and tumble - but these do not sound like desirable qualities in an educator. Any sense of working together to create a sound institution in which each and everyone can take a pride will disappear.

Working in a summer camp will help you to become more confident and able in your communication skills and will seriously help your organisation skills. You can ease into your role as teacher and role model simply because it's really good fun.

It may not be for everyone but the work that volunteers do is extremely inspiring. Whether you do it at home or abroad, for a few weeks or a few years, the value of volunteering is enormous. You can have a truly significant impact on the lives of others.

Thousands of budding teachers never make it into the classroom, according to new research. Many fail to finish training courses, while others strug...

The best thing about jetting off to Asia is that there are literally hundreds of jobs over there. Without any doubt, China offers the widest range of opportunities for graduates.

Teachers don't work in isolation: there are specific guidelines they are expected to follow which were issued by FENTO (Further Education National Tra...

A common misconception about home-schooling is that it is anti-education, or against the education establishment. The distinction that is missing here is that the autonomous learning movement is entirely pro-learning, but anti-formal education, which is, by its very nature, draconic and cannot suit every child's needs.

As young or mature adult learners, I think it's very important to do some self-assessment here and then, and check that what we believe to be true is not in fact a construct of our underlying fears: we do create barriers for ourselves for example when we are scared of being seen as incompetent or foolish.