Censeo Training and Tutoring

This has been the most stressed cohort I’ve seen to date going into both SATS and GCSEs off the back of COVID.

These groups missed out on core foundational work on which to build all other learning on so the impact has had a huge ripple effect throughout their education.

Please remind your children that their SATS is a reflection on the education system more than themselves. To try their best but it really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.

GCSE students, please note it isn’t the end of the world if you struggle and do poorly. Yes GCSE maths, English and science matter BUT there are always other options and opportunities to retake them. Most leading entrepreneurs did not do well at school and were told they would make nothing of themselves and some have gone on to be some of the most successful people in the world.

Whatever happens in your tests and exams, you are worthy, you are loved and you ARE smarter than you will ever believe!

Sats: Wellbeing and behaviour warning ahead of tests Primary school leaders say the pandemic is still impacting Year 6 pupils as they prepare for assessment this term and the transition to secondary school

I’m putting so much more effort into looking after my physical health at the moment.

For lunch today we are having a super green soup.

Excited to get all this goodness into my body. Healthy body and a healthy mind is the aim and even better when you can get the kids involved!

I’ve been doing a Hearthealing course with all around we all have had some event in our life, big or small, that causes or contributes to us feeling not funny enough, thin enough, smart enough or good enough.

This feeling can haunt us and hold us back from seizing opportunities.

I often suffer with which results in me being flakey and scared or unwilling to put myself forward when needed and when I know I can give value. So I’m working on changing that. I want to show up for you more.

Tell me, what are you working on this year?

I have two words of focus for the year. Well I did have, as I write this others come to mind but value is a biggie!!

Everyday I want to be able to ask myself… how will I bring value today? How can I serve others? I am hoping that this allows me to show up and help you more as well as generally being more present with my life, family and friends.

My second word is I find really difficult. Since being diagnosed with ADHD in October it makes a lot more sense now and I blame myself less but I want to change it nevertheless. I HATE letting people down.

So, what are your tips on serving others consistently? Comment below.

Completing my instructor requalification over the next two days. I love learning so what a perfect start of the new year.

Tell me- what is something new you have learned recently? However big or small!

I have always felt like I didn't quite fit in. I'm restless, sensitive, intelligent (and not afraid to be proud of it), relentless, love to find my own or a new way, eager to please and do right but more than prepared to raise my voice when something doesn't feel right.

All of these things seemed to make me an outcast. I have been called a "sh*t-stirrer," "trouble-maker" and "attention-seeking" by managers and called a "smart-arse" and "bossy" as a child.

And apparently I'm not the only one. I have been listening to . He discusses how, as children, we are stripped of our 'spirit' and this spirit is what makes us entrepeneurs who we are.

Part of the entrepeneur journey is finding your spirit again and allowing it to run free, letting go of judgement and trusting your truth.

I am no longer ashamed of my entrepeneurial spirit (think of a patronus- my fellow Potter nerds). I know that all those people who called me names simply didn't recognise my fire.

This is who I am meant to be. I march to the beat of my own drum. And I am proud to be a "trouble-maker." Let's shake things up!

My own had his first and play session in . I'm to say the least but have been excited for him.

F has which means that when he was born he couldn't pass a bowel movement of any sort. This makes life tricky for him as, despite the corrective operation, he is still plagued with tummy issues which in turn has an effect on his attendance and enjoyment of life.

But this isn't all. I know what schools do to people. Children and adults. They are not always the best of places. I have faith in his one though, as it was also my own for my last 2 years of primary. At least 3 of the teachers that worked there 20 years ago, still work there today and, for me, that is a fantastic sign!!

So why have I sent him to school? Don't worry I know you were thinking it, especially as I bang on about it as a failing system. I have sent him because he simply learns better with others. He picks up facts with me and develops through what we do but he will not do anything he sees as "learning" with me. If things don't work out at school in the future then the door is always open for home education but for him and I it is currently the right decision.

I get to rest too when I need to which makes me a better mother all round.

Has your child started back yet? How are you feeling about it?

Feeling a moment as we are going out for a meal in what feels like the first time in forever!

What are you up to this weekend?

From a young child I have always looked at others and dreamt of their 'luck' and success.

I always thought that life just must come easier for them. Privilege obviously helps but it is also down to perseverance, tenacity and attitude.

The thing is... we learn to work hard as children but not necessarily to work smart.

So, thinking point- what does working smart compared to working hard mean to you?
And
How do we teach this to our children?

We are having wonderful today.

I still have to take a moment to get used to my body when I see it on camera these days as I am bigger than I used to be. But I'm healthy and that is what matters most.

A couple of hours walking the promenade and now back to relax by the fire and plan our next adventure.

Do you or the ?

we are here...

Exactly what we need. If you need me I won't be easily accessible by the Internet as the signal comes occasionally. If you have my number you can reach me that way or just leave me a message and I will pass it onto you as soon as I can.

I love being surrounded by nature. me and our batteries.

I hope you are having a rested summer holidays. ❤👨‍👩‍👦🙏

Gotta say, this applies to family and friends and I push you to teach your children that it is ok to be selfish too.

It's OK to calmly end a friendship that has hurt you.

It's OK to let go of family members whose behaviour is causing damage.

It's OK to create space and energy in your life for people who allow you to be the best version you can be of yourself.

I can proudly say I have friends that let me do just that.

Every Friday night Franklin is allowed to stay up late and we watch a family film. Fridays and Mondays can be hard for us all as we often haven't seen each other since 7am.

Half way through the film last night Franklin asked to switch it off so he could have his story. HELL YES!

I love that he has got so into his first Roald Dah, he doesn't ever want me to stop reading it and is so eager to find out what happens next!

Who says you can't read chapter books to a 4 year old?!?!

who , .

Loving this networking event as I am so much!

I get it. I was way into adulthood before I understood how brilliant mistakes can be.

I had to learn to let go of the shame of not getting things right.

Being a perfectionist seemed to be the aim in my house as a child and, although it taught be to be proud of everything I do, it also made me feel that nothing was ever good enough... and mistakes or getting things wrong was the end of the world!

I promote mistakes in our house, I talk about trial and error and the learning process.

What is a mistake you have made that has turned out to be a blessing in disguise?

What is everyone up to ?

I am and with this morning. Well not actually WITH her but I'm pretending she is here 🤣🤣 whilst I listen to her stuff.

And then I will be spending the afternoon with my little man before my second tutoring session later this evening.

The great thing about leaving the is still being able to myself and but in a way that is flexible and suits our lifestyle.

I make a life for me... not just a living!

Happy to welcome three new students these last two weeks! Ruth is now fully booked but we do have another tutor available for sessions. Please contact us for more information.

Let's talk goal setting...

I love this quote because it is just so right!

If you really want to achieve something in life then you need to know WHAT you are aiming for. If your goal is to earn more money then HOW MUCH would you like to earn? What would you spend it on?

Visionboards are brilliant for this but it can be as simple as setting a target. So, for a child, it may be to do better in maths. Well what does that look like, how can we achieve that?

You need to break it down into smaller and more manageable steps to get you closer to that end goal.

I do goal setting with ALL of my clients, young and old. It just gives everything we do a purpose and puts you on track to your vision.

What goals do you have?

When I left teaching I felt like an absolute failure.

Everyone else was doing so remarkably well and I kind of felt like that was it for me- what could I offer the world?

I wish I knew then what I know now. SO many teachers are finding the world of education incredibly draining and difficult.

In the words of one former teacher "After 40 years in the corporate world, I trained to go into teaching. I have never met such malicious and micro-managing numpties in my life."

And that just scratches the surface. Working in a school made me so, so depressed. As a teacher, we WANT to have a huge impact on the children we teach but often it is stripped away from us through ticklists and paperwork.

Getting out of teaching saved me. Prioritising my family and health saved me. I made a choice and after a little break I set up Censeo Training and Tutoring.

I now successfully run this tutoring business which also offers First Aid Training, First Aid for Mental Health Training and Life coaching. You see, you can still make a difference and have an impact. You just have to value your worth and be brave enough to stand separate from the crowd.

If you are a teacher or anyone who needs a change, and want to know more about our coaching services, then please drop us a message so we can help you to change your life. Just like I did.

May be a physical or remote role (preferable if a combination of the two)

Physical aspect will involve posting leaflets and visiting business to share information about the company. Own transport is essential.

Remote role will involve contacting businesses via email or telephone so must be confident in customer service and building a rapport.

2 hours a week within the working week (this can be discussed further with the right candidate).

Please note this is a temporary position.

3 hours per week (1 hour tues-thurs)

Must be confident in their use of social media and be willing to sit further training in the use of facebook, Instagram, twitter, pinterest and Linked in- TikTok is also desirable.

Must be able to write clearly and complete tasks quickly and efficiently.

Customer service is key.

Tasks may also involve finding ways to attract people to the pages.

Temporary Position with minimum wage being met.

What is transgender?

 people are people whose gender identity is different from the gender they were thought to be at birth.

I haven't taught any children who have publicly been transgender but it is still important to talk about. Especially in terms of love and acceptance for EVERYBODY.

I really recommend Julian is a mermaid and Phoenix Goes to School as good reads for talking about gender differences and gender identity with younger children.

If you pop over to my Facebook group: Leading Learning at Home for Parents with Ruth Cierniak I will be reading them both later on this evening.

I don't think we ask for testimonials enough! Especially as teachers as we are so used to being rated and slated by senior staff so it tends to be something we shy away from.

But I am so glad I did!

Look what Sam had to say about when I taught her son nearly 4 years ago!

Has anyone else made an this year? Honestly it's my first time and I didn't even get to do it as they were creating them AT preschool.

F picked his hat and what he wanted to put on it ready to take in and then we chose some bonnets and other craft items to donate to the school.

Tag me in your pictures, I would love to see what you and your children have created!

F spent time with his Daddy at the weekend making his first circuit with a motor and he absolutely loved it!

Following children's own curiosities and interests is the BEST way to learn.

Eeeeek I am so excited to be taking another step forward with my business.
 
I have now started a Neuro-Linguistic Programming Coaching course with the fantastic .lockwood . How fancy eh?
 
It will mean that I am able to support other teachers when their time comes to leave schools. With not only their own business start-up but with the emotional resilience and support needed to move on from a life of excess pressure. As many of you know, my own mental health really declined whilst teaching and I am reading SEVERAL TIMES DAILY from distraught teachers who are having to take sick leave to even escape with their career and dignity intact.
 
I was at such a low point that I couldn’t see a silver lining or a hopeful future. It got pretty dark.
 
I believed terrible things about myself.
 
My own personal development has come from research and learning and I am now in a much better place and I want to help others to ‘change their mind’ about themselves and take back control too.
 
The world awaits!

At one point, motherhood seemed out of my reach.

Being diagnosed at 21 as infertile but being surrounded each day by children was difficult.  Especially when those children didn’t seem truly appreciated.

Maybe that is why I teach the way I do. I came so close to losing the opportunity of raising my own children that I threw my heart into ensuring that I could, and still can do, all I can to support the whole child, not just their academic success. Your child’s holistic growth matters to me.

But even when I finally conceived through IVF, the way I viewed children and their upbringing didn’t change fully until I had my own, until my boy was safely here in my arms.

He has been one HUGE learning curve and has taught me so much. He has truly shown me how much of an individual each child is- it is one thing knowing it and another completely LIVING it. He has taught me patience. I thought I was empathetic before, but he has really opened my eyes and my heart to little minds. After having him, I poured myself into trying to understand his brain, growth, and development and it has done so much for my teaching. I contribute my tutoring success and the relationships I have with those I teach to the impact he had on me.

Mother’s Day is the day I celebrate the gifts motherhood has bought me. Not the flowers, chocolates, and trinkets (although those are good too) but the growth I have had as an individual and for making me the person I am today. I really cherish just how lucky I am.

Happy Mother’s Day to all mummies, all acting as mummies, all wanting to be mothers, all grieving mothers and all who have lost their own.

I am with you and I am thinking of you.
x

Soft is an adjective that is often overused a lot by young children. After all, it is one of the first textures we learn as babies in the little touchy-feely books.

However, overuse can lead to the word not having as much of an effect and that is where you may want to reach for a thesaurus or good old Google. BRILLIANT I encourage this as much as I encourage reading a wide variety of texts with your children as it allows them to build on their own internal vocabulary bank.

But, here is where we may have a problem. A lot of the time children and even some adults (I know of a few that did this at university level) who follow the process, pick up the thesaurus, pull out a new synonym (a word or phrase that means the same or similar) and use it in their work.

STOP.

It is essential that when learning new vocabulary, we also learn and think about the context that it should be used with. Take ‘soft’ for example. There are SO many synonyms for soft and not all of them would make sense in every piece of writing. You wouldn’t describe Miss Honey’s voice from Matilda to be “like a baby’s bottom” likewise if I described my baby’s bottom as velvety then you would start to think it was quite fuzzy, wouldn’t you?

Context is important- so before using a synonym, check its definition and the examples given first and just make sure that it suits what you or your child is going to be writing about.

“She leaves a trail of glitter wherever she goes”
I am certain that this quote was MADE for Early Years Teachers.
I love glitter. You know how in personification when you can give an inanimate object human-like qualities. I like to think of glitter as me but if I were the inanimate object. When I am feeling positive and happy, I relate to it. After all, the Deputy Headteacher at my final placement school at University wrote in my very last appraisal: “Never let anyone take your sparkle.” I kind of feel she knew I was going to have a tough few years ahead of me, yet she still recognised this natural thing inside of me that was MEANT to teach. Looking back, I probably should have taken the job there.
Glitter is brilliant to mark-make in, craft with, doll yourself up with and even wear on your wedding day (like my silvery-glittery converse) but it does get EVERYWHERE so my husband hates it.
I’m trying to be a bit more environmentally friendly now and no longer buy glitter in it’s usual form. The glitter I use tends to be second hand from someone who no-longer crafts so it at least has some use before heading to landfill. The main issue with it is it getting into the sea. So wherever possible, try to 1. Use nature-friendly options like dyed sugar or 2. Wipe with a tissue and bin it rather than washing it down the sink.
What camp are you in? Are you for or against glitter?