Samual's comments

When Antidepressants aren't the best option (1) - Blog Entry

24 Aug 2008 04:19 AM

I'm trying to remember where it was published, I know it was supported by the NHS but research showed taking anti depressants made no difference where as counselling did as counselling looks at the problem instead of covering it up with anti depressants.

7 Tips for a Good Marriage - Blog Entry

24 Aug 2008 02:36 AM

Also, know when to shut your mouth

Why I Don't Believe in Early Childhood Education - Blog Entry

22 Aug 2008 09:42 AM

In the UK those who start school later, achieve less at school, education wise and tend to be quiter than the ones who started school younger. Here every child starts school at four unless they only turned four a few days before school starts, then they can start when they are five. We don't have pre-school here, just day care for children who aren't at home with mum or dad. If starting school at 4 was so bad, why does the UK have a 99% pass rate at GCSE? Last years figures showed 78% of those students attained all A*-C grades in all ten subjects.

Mikey has been at school since January, he turned four in the december, I know for a fact since he has been there hasn't had to sit at a desk at all. He can read and write, not masterpieces obviously, but they learn everything from playing. Now at the end of every school day at story time they have a really big book with big writing and pictures and everyone reads certain parts together, so if someone doesn't know what it says, they can eventually learn as they are hearing what everyone is saying. Some children know nothing when they go to school, some can write their name, but it does really matter, as everything is play, it's like when you realise you have learnt something and know how to do it, but you havn't had it forced or drilled into you. He wont have homework until he is in year 6, when he is 10 and then it is just so he can practice new things at home for about 30 minutes.

Unless someone has bad parents, everyone learns before school, alot of people tend to ignore being able to name animals is learning and being able to name colours.

When I was in reception, the first year of school we could all read and write, but I can never remember being sat down to learn, we learnt to count by splattering paint all over the wall in the classroom. If you couldn't do it, it didn't matter, you catch up when the penny drops.

I don't personally don't know of any primary schools with formal sit down and learn education for the first few years.

A Mother's View from the Pool - Blog Entry

22 Aug 2008 08:23 AM

In pools here children or those who cannot swim aren't allowed to be in a pool on their own, if the life guard sees a child that is not around a parent they will make the child get out of the pool until they can establish who they are with. When we are at the pool, we spent most of time throwing the kids in.

Another Reason to Get Running - Blog Entry

22 Aug 2008 08:22 AM

I love running, I had an op on my leg recently so I'm not allowed to run at the moment which is driving me mad!

56-Year-Old Australian Gives Birth; Fertility Clinic Under Investigation - Blog Entry

22 Aug 2008 08:20 AM

I think it is selfish having children at such an age as you know it is likely you wont be there for your childs 18th birthday. My mum is 51 and she cannot manage more than two or three hours on her own with any of my children, nevermind go through pregnancy and birth. Not only is it the physical age, how can you raise a child on a pension? Here the oldest you can be for IVF is 55, which I think unless to be a surrogate for a family member is too old. No matter how fit you are in your fifties, your body cannot cope with it.

At least this little one has a younger father who will hopefully be around for a long time yet.

Marriage is a Commitment - Blog Entry

22 Aug 2008 08:03 AM

Marriage has changed nothing for me, if you aren't commited before marriage when why are you getting married? You should have the same commited before and after marriage.

Are Teachers Underpaid? - Blog Entry

22 Aug 2008 07:30 AM

It's wierd this site cannot cope with the pound sign and sometimes the dollar sign, odd.

Are Teachers Underpaid? - Blog Entry

22 Aug 2008 07:29 AM

I think teachers definately make enough, they start out on £17,595, but everyone gets far more than that a year, then after a year in teaching you receive a £5000 bonus above your yearly wage. After your first year your wage increases dramatically, I'm now on £75,000 a year, after 7 years of teaching. Which isn't that high, the head of science at our school is on £90,000 a year and teachers at grammar schools earn far more than those at comprehensive schools as many have Phd's. The average yearly wage here for a teacher is £34,000, but you have to account that different subjects have different wages, a teacher in something like R.E or citizenship do not need any specific academic qualifications, so the salary they receive is lower, but still a high yearly wage.

VV454, we don't spend three years training, we spend 6, two years completing A-levels and volunteering in schools, at the very least three years at university, then a year completing a PGCE. It is now going to be seven years as a masters will be compulsory. A teaching qualification that only takes four years does not exist in the UK and never has.

We don't have the school holidays off either, in the summer we are working with new students, taking courses, planning months worth of lessons, marking coursework, dealing with parents, writing revision books, writing reports, going into local primary schools so new pupils get to know their teachers before they start secondary school and tutoring university students who are training to become teachers. This summer holiday, I have had two weeks where I havn't worked and that is due to being in hospital, normally I would have a week off if I was lucky.

You should note it is very hard to get a job in teaching, for every 30 qualified teachers, there is on position in the UK. In the UK teachers wages has been declining compared to other jobs, it is still definately enough money though.

As most here are from the states and aus, I will convert the wage for you.

1st year bonus £5,000 $9.289 american $10.684 aus

Starting wage £17,595 $32,707 american $37,591 aus

The average wage £34,000 $50,366 american $57,914 aus

Science teachers typically earn between £70,000-£85,000 a year $103,606-$118,498 american $119,205-£144,749 aus

How is that too little? Why does a new teacher need to be making more than that? To buy a brand new car and be greedy instead of doing their job.

"No Pooing" Method - Blog Entry

15 Aug 2008 09:02 AM

You will find, cats, rabbits,horses, humans and of course monkeys have extremely similar coats, which do not expell an odor, where as things such as arm pits do. You do not need to use a cleanser on the genitals, they destroy the natural bacteria which is why alot of women who use cleansers on their vagina get smelly discharge and/or thrust, unless designed for the genitals, in which case they do the exact same job as water. Ask your sexual health nurse or your GP, NHS direct might have something on it too. Pharamones aren't released from the scalp, they are from the armpits. This is about hair odor, not bodily odor.

Frank used to wash his hair every morning and by night it would be greasy and it would smell, so he used to have to wash it before bed as well. WE went on a months camping trip, where he couldn't wash his hair,which at the begin lead it to be really horrible, since then he hasn't washed his hair and he has had no grease or horrible smelly hair. He used to have psoriasis of the scalp as well so he had to use medicated shampoo's and that cleared up when he stopped washing his hair. It is meant to be good for excema and psoriasis suffers though, I don't know why though because some shampoo's are really gentle.