Personally, I am over the top excited that we are on the cusp of turning the page on not only a new year but also on a new 10-year window of opportunities and possibilities!

You may be thinking, whoaI am just embracing the fall seasonyikes it is tough to think about a new decade!

Yet it is this groundwork, this forward thought that you put in place TODAY that will propel you and lead you into greatness in 2020 and beyond. Designing a new decade rests in your ability to vision, in your willingness to be curious, in your awareness of where you are now and what you most want to curate. Essentially, curating what's next is about tapping into today with confidence, conviction, and decision. Leading YOU starts now. This is your new next. It is your choice.

Sometimes to get to that 'next', you need to take a step back to reflect. Please pardon my asking you to spend time in yesterday. Those who know me personally, know that I created and continue to grow my business based on enabling the present moment as a springboard for living your legacy. So, indulge me here! True, I am asking you to peek into the past, yet it is only in order for you to bring the essence of that past forward into this moment called NOW.

What worked? What were my successes?

Make a list of your achievements big and small. Don't type them, but rather use ink and paper and sit with and savor them. Move your thoughts and your successes from your head, to your heart, to your pen, to the paper. Remember that on the flip side of goals not attained and New Year's resolutions abandoned, there was more than likely some traction and action that moved you forward, even if the end result was not what you expected. Once you have a full list of a decade's worth of personal and professional accomplishments, think about how this makes you feel. Do you remember celebrating all of them? My guess is no. So, celebrate them now. Give them new life by validating them. Circle the successes that resonate with you most right now. Where can you lean into those accomplishments as you power into the decade ahead?

If it were 10 years ago and nothing were standing in your way, no fear or excuses to contend withwhat would you do?

Don't overthink it. The brilliance of this question is that it refocuses purpose. Whatever first came to mind when you answered this for yourself is at its core a powerful insight into defining and redefining the FUTURE decade. Bring your answer into the light of today and what small piece of it is actionable NOW? Where is this resonating and aligning with a 2019 version of yourself?

Then, based on your success list and your answer to the above question, what is your 2020 vision for your business and for the business of YOU?

Designing a new decade begins as a collection of 3,650 opportunities. 3,650 blank slates of new days ahead in which to pivot and propel yourself forward. Every single one of those days is a window into your legacy. An invitation to be, create, explore, and chip away at this thing we call life. One 24-hour segment at a time.

While you have a decade ahead to work on design improvements, you have the ability to begin manifesting this project of YOU Version 2020 right NOW. Based on exploring the exercises in this post, begin executing your vision. Ask questions. Be present. Let go of 2019 and the past 10 years so that you can embrace the next 10. Position acceptance and self-trust at the forefront of how you lead you. One choice at a time.

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Miss USA Cheslie Kryst and Eboni K Williams Get Real On Race, Success, and Empowerment - SWAAY

This article is about Whole Foods, and its decision to stop offering health insurance to 1,900 part-time workers as of January 1.

But first, a public service message: If you ever know parents whoadopta child, but who run into trouble adding their child to their health insurance, tell them there's a federal lawthey need to learn quickly: 29 U.S. Code1169(c)(1), which was part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993.

I learned about this law a few years ago, when my wife and I adopted our daughter, and our health benefits administrator simply refusedto add her to our policy. It was a rough ordeal -- hours and hours on the phone, running up medical bills in the meantime, and being distracted during time I wanted to spend with my family.

Ultimately, we won, after Iwrote some stern letters and threatened a lawsuit. The company evenapologized and promised to change how they train their employees. I'm telling about it now for other parents' benefit, of course, but also because it's probably my biggest Health Insurance Nightmare Story.

Many of us have one.And that shared experience is why the Whole Foods decision could come back to haunt it.

Today vs. last month

Whole Foods' decision was first reported by Business Insider last week. Comparethe company'srecruitment website today to an archived version from August:

Why do it? One report says this will likely save Whole Foods $19 million a year. That happens to be roughly what Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos reportedly makes in a little under five hours.

Actually the savings might be less, because Whole Foods told me in an emailed statement, it expects some affected workers to shift to full-time:

"Impacted Team Members in good standing have the opportunity to move into one of the thousands of full-time roles, where they will be eligible for the same Whole Foods Market healthcare plan at a more affordable rate.

The majority of Team Members only need to work an additional 5 hours per week to qualify for healthcare-eligible positions."

But picking up more hours means paying for childcare for some employees. One Whole Foods worker quoted byBusiness Insidersaid she was "in shock" after learning the news, adding:"I've worked here 15 years. This is why I keep the job -- because of my benefits."

Culture and perception

This might make some kind of sense as a financial decision. But as a culture and perception issue, it seems crazy.

Whole Foods has a great reputation for customer service. That's part of why it was worth $13.7 billion when Amazon acquired it in 2017. The way they've treated their employees historically was part of what made it all work.

I've shopped there forever, and the employees are a big reason why.But as we've seen so often -- heck, I even talked about it yesterday -- the hardest thing to build in any organization is culture. A close second might be the perception of culture.

Start chipping away at the pieces for short-term gain, and it can fall apart quickly.

Target du jour

Health care and how we pay for it is one of the most relevant, relatable and volatile political issues in this country today.

Besides, can you think of a company a clientele more urban andliberal than Whole Foods?

Heck, Whole Foods just managed to becomethe target du jour of politicians like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. It just seems like this decision could totally alienate some of its most loyalcustomers.

So, from the outside: If you truly need to cut costs, Whole Foods, I'd look somewhere else.

We all have our stories. I've been waiting for the chance to tell that one.

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

Read more:
Whole Foods Just Announced a Surprising Change That Left an Employee 'In Shock' and Could Totally Alienate Their Most Loyal Customers - Inc.

As anyone with a parent in senior living knows, the intake process is substantial. So much is shared and so much is learned.

Adams stroke affects his right side. Mary uses a walker and a wheelchair, depending on the day. Luke is allergic to garlic.

Those are the basics. But what about who they were out in the world and who they want to be now? Often, enthusiastic caregivers learn every detail, but where does this information go? Without a comprehensive digital system, these intimate details often are lost during staff turnover, and the difference that could be made to the consumer is lost along with them.

Just like hotels collect data on their guests to better serve them, its time for senior living to use the latest in data-sharing, not only for operational efficiency but also to better serve residents.

Collecting pertinent data about incoming senior residents is a key part of many recruitment and enrollment systems within the senior living industry. Although some businesses are struggling with integrating new technology into existing legacy systems, others have invested in updated systems over time. The issue is that most of these systems were designed to focus on recruitment and enrollment, not ongoing management of the needs and preferences of residents.

There now exists a sizable opportunity to extend, append, replace or introduce new data collection systems to tailor the experience for each resident and doing so is, for many reasons, becoming increasingly critical to the highly competitive process of attracting new residents. Overall advancements in technology have heightened the demand for personalization: From the purchases we make and the news we consume to how we do our banking, weve become accustomed to tailored service. Adult children, used to apps and messaging as efficient communication methods, have raised the expectation that technology is the preferred way to communicate. Seniors themselves are tech savvier; according to AARP, more than 90% Americans aged 50+ own a computer or laptop, 70% own a smartphone and over 40% own a tablet.

Left on the cutting room floor (so to speak) of most senior living businesses are the data that can be just as pertinent to an older adults overall wellbeing as food preferences or physical therapy needs: What are the interactions between the staff members and residents? Are there shared points of view between residents that need to be addressed? What entertainment or socialization services are being used most frequently, and to what outcome?

The opportunity exists to collect these data over days, weeks or even months and create a more accurate view both of the residents themselves, and the operations of the facility. The continuity and shared knowledge that this data collection will garner overtime could be invaluable and would not be affected (or lost forever) by staff turnover.

In addition, data can be used to consistently increase happiness and satisfaction among residents. From personalized calendars that manage social engagements to concierge services such as Amazon package shipments, cars for hire or food delivery, using collected data can expand the world of the senior resident. Real-time assessment and feedback, integration of clinical and wellness data and family outreach all could contribute to a residents wellbeing.

I know firsthand that my own mothers weekly trips from her senior residence to get her hair done brighten her mood substantially. Getting feedback about her outings not only would be invaluable to me; it also could aid in her facilitys management of her health and happiness.

Keep in mind, the data collection is only a tool; it is all about what is collected and how those data are used.Just as hotels collect data on their guests to better serve them and provide stellar customer service, the senior living industry can do the same.

Take a look at the Ritz Carltons leadership training principles, for instance, which are focused on building a culture that is fanatical about customer care. Principle number 3 is: I am empowered to create unique, memorable and personal experiences for our guests. The empowered portion of this principle is key. Staff members need to feel empowered to provide excellent care, and it should be the result of great staff training to give them confidence while also providing an appropriate span of control.

In addition, staff members need access to timely data with good historical facts that give an instant sense of how that resident is and what matters to him or her.This can be done in simple, intuitive interfaces that celebrate the resident. That empowerment, coupled with accessible data, can help provide care teams with the knowledge and inspiration they need to go above and beyond expectations.

Residents arent the only beneficiaries of data collection, however. Businesses can ensure staff efficiencies, offer timely responses through automation and use the data in the back office to manage operating budgets. Data also can help determine what new services are needed and track satisfaction among staff, residents and even family members.

Adjacent market opportunities abound with this type of commitment to end-to-end data collection systems. In using them, you have the ideal tool kit to move into servicing older adults who live in and around communities you already staff and operate.

Why not consider developing the age-in-place market and serving seniors in their homes? The fact that AARP says that 90% of aging adults wont move in to senior living communities at least until they have aged further is proof that the lifetime value of building services and relationships with seniors in their homes in an emerging large new greenfield ripe for growth. Data collection can help manage, elevate and enhance the experience for seniors and those who care for them.

Read more:
Listen to the consumer to enhance senior living - Marketplace Columns - McKnight's Senior Living

Julie Goldberg is leading Deep Down Dancing classes at the Healing Arts Studio, 15 W. Highland Ave.

by Brenda Lange

New to the area but an experienced practitioner in the art of dance and healthy self-expression, Julie Goldberg dance facilitator, coach and myofascial release therapist will launch a new, ongoing course at Chestnut Hills Healing Arts Studio, 15 W. Highland Ave., on Thursday, Sept. 19.

Goldberg, 29, who began dancing at age 13 mostly modern dance and jazz, with some ballet and improvisational performance work has always loved to dance, move and express herself creatively through the art form. She grew up in San Juan Capistrano, California, and earned her bachelors degree in dance from the University of Oregon. Most recently a resident of Brooklyn, Goldberg decided to move to the Philadelphia area after visiting family and friends here, and she currently lives in West Chester.

Over the years, occasional professional dancing work with small troupes offered mixed experiences when some companies didnt treat their dancers well or pushed them to do moves they werent ready for.

Through dance, I used my body to express the positive way I felt, but some of the negative experiences with some companies led me to identify certain things about that professional environment that felt toxic, Goldberg explained. I wanted to create something welcoming for women who have never danced before non-competitive and about how they feel, not how they look.

Often women who havent had training feel they dont belong or are not welcome in dance studios. It can be intimidating, but Goldberg has taught dance and Pilates and done personal training in workshops in Brooklyn and around the country and says her focus always has been on functional movement. I help people move better and more safely so they learn to move in the safest, healthiest ways.

Once she relocated to the Philadelphia area, she decided to establish a new type of class combining all she has learned and experienced. A Google search led her to the Healing Arts Studio and its founder, Jodi Schwartz- Levy, PhD, LPC. Goldberg had found a kindred spirit in her and in the mission of the studio.

Former professional dancer Julie Goldberg will launch Deep Down Dancing, a new, ongoing course at Chestnut Hills Healing Arts Studio, 15 W. Highland Ave., on Thursday, Sept. 19.

Her program was of interest to me because so much of what we do is around womens empowerment, said Schwartz-Levy. Its important for women to have a space to feel safe and do healing work through movement and dance.

Schwartz-Levy decided to bring in Goldberg to supplement the studios existing programs including yoga, modern dance and groups including mindful self-compassion and a no-diet, self-care collaboration for women struggling with food and body image.

The classes are intimate and put people at ease in a safe space for healing work in a beautiful studio in the heart of Chestnut Hill, added Schwartz-Levy.

Deep Down Dancing is for women who want to dance and express themselves in a supportive, non-competitive and fun environment, who want to be creative, have fun and meet others, Goldberg said, adding that she also loves free yet guided movement, and will include some choreography in the class.

Goldberg begins her classes with a simple, gentle, jazzy warmup, gradually building to stronger dance moves and ends with simple choreography. She also offers some circle time where participants may talk about what they are manifesting in their lives.

I like us to talk about moving emotionally as we move physically, Goldberg said. What do we want to embody in that days class? Well pick a word at the beginning of each class and embody it throughout maybe confidence or joy and then well end in a circle and reconnect around the word each woman chose to embody while doing some stretching and breathing exercises.

Goldberg explained that her approach is built around supporting women as they follow their passions and build their confidence. Her background in Pilates and as a personal trainer, in addition to her professional dance training and experience, has given her a knowledge of how the body moves best to find health and joy.

I do a lot of different things, but theyre all tied together from a desire to help others with healing and knowing and loving themselves on a deeper level, Goldberg said. Thats my mission. So others can live more fulfilling and freer lives.

Visit HealingArtsPhilly.com or email juliecandace@gmail.com for more information.

Continue reading here:
- 'Deep Down Dancing' at Hill studio focuses on healing and passion - Chestnut Hill Local

Strippers drugging their wealthy clients, maxing out those clients' credit cards, laundering the stolen cash, and then relying on the scandal of it all to keep anyone who got hurt from going to the police: It's an impressive scam, and an even better story.

Enter Lorene Scafaria, a writer-director with guts to spare. Hustlers, her cinematic telling of this true tale, earned $33 million and sparked Oscars speculation during its opening last weekend creating a cultural moment almost as explosive as the events that inspired it.

The source material is Jessica Pressler's 2015 article "The Hustlers at Scores," an early chapter in the internet's ongoing fascination with scam culture. The story practically begged for an adaptation, and shortly after it was published, Gloria Sanchez Productions optioned the dazzling account and began accepting pitches from filmmakers ready to take it to the big screen.

"It felt like a world that we had seen in every TV show and movie ever, but so few had been told from the dancers' point of view."

"As soon as I was sent the article, I read it and thought this was a story I had to tell," Scafaria recalls for Mashable. "It felt like a world that we had seen in every TV show and movie ever, but so few had been told from the dancers' point of view."

Scafaria saw strip club culture as one of friendship and business, stuck in a destructive system designed to test loyalties of all kinds.

The film spotlights the complex relationship of partners in crime Destiny (Constance Wu) and Ramona (Jennifer Lopez), and the devastation that hit them in 2008 when Wall Streeters fell hard and took big money from the club scene down with them.

It's a perceptive and nuanced narrative, the kind rarely applied to female relationships in Hollywood let alone a relationship between two strippers.

"I think writing is always an exercise in empathy," Scafaria says of her approach. "I thought that this group of people who are commonly misunderstood, strippers. I felt like I would love to tell a story that normalizes their jobs and shows what it's like to do that for a living. There's certainly pros and cons to it, but it's a job like anything else."

Pressler's article captures the same general themes, but with a greater sense of estrangement between the story's two main characters. Casting Wu and Lopez, both currently among Hollywood's most beloved performers, Scafaria invested serious time and energy into creating a friendship that she felt audiences could invest in.

"When you read between the lines [of Pressler's article], you realize that these women had this really profound friendship and built this quote 'business' together, but here they are being interviewed separately," Scafaria remarks.

"I couldn't help but think there was a deeper story there. It just touched upon so many things. I wanted to talk about control, our values, the American Dream, money. It felt like a really organic way to get into this world and see it from a different side of the story."

"I wanted to talk about control, our values, the American Dream, money."

That different side is a spectacular one, overflowing with genuine emotion that doesn't stop at the two leading characters, but goes on to encompass the story's victims and other players as well.

"I felt like I grew up with these guys and these girls," Scafaria says. "I'm from New Jersey and I worked in a boiler room when I was 16 and 17, just answering calls and doing secretarial work. I was around all these guys on Wall Street selling bad stocks to old people in the late '90s. It was scary. I felt a responsibility to the authenticity of that, to get something right about the feeling of that."

"I wasn't trying to change people's minds about what's right or wrong."

To maintain accuracy, Scafaria interviewed strip club employees of all kinds, former and current, and consulted with Pressler regularly even incorporating a character inspired by Pressler (Julia Stiles) into the script as a kind of weather vane for the story's complex events.

"Obviously, I took a lot from the article and took a lot from what Jessica had uncovered, but I think it was a surprise to her when I said, 'I've written you into this,'" Scafaria recalls.

"Of course, the character isn't based on her real life or any specific details, but she is a big part of it. Like you see in the film, when [Pressler] wrote the article, she interviewed the women and the men and the cops, and they were all part of it."

Empathizing with each character in Hustlers is essential to getting the point of Scafarias film. It's more than a female empowerment movie, more than a scam movie, and more than an excuse to give us that incredible Usher cameo though it is also those things.

Hustlers is, simply put, a lot to take in because the story that inspired it was just as overwhelming.

"I wasn't trying to change people's minds about what's right or wrong," Scafaria insists. "I just thought if I could stay truthful to what happened and possibly pull back the curtain on those things a little bit more and tell a story with empathy for everybody the women and the men who are up against this broken values system then I saw this really human, personal story."

"I was still rewriting it just to make sure that I was making the movie I wanted to make and the movie that should be made."

During production, Scafaria's job, to empathize with her characters to the point of knowing them, sent her through countless rewrites, even as she faced numerous other obstacles including a battle for the director's chair.

"There was such a long period of time in which I was working on the script and fighting to get the directing job and fighting to get the movie made and then it fell apart and then it came back together," she recalls. "Then, I was still rewriting it just to make sure that I was making the movie I wanted to make and the movie that should be made. That process was a long process for me."

It was a three-year-long experience that assuredly made Scafaria better appreciate the world she had crafted. Looking back, Scafaria says she wishes she had more time to speak with the people her film sought to understand.

"I felt a huge responsibility to them and I only wish I had the luxury of meeting them ahead of time," Scafaria comments, adding that she wasn't able to speak to Roselyn Keo and Samantha Barbash, the real women who inspired Wu and Lopez's characters, until about halfway through production.

Keo has used the film to promote her book The Sophisticated Hustler, while Barbash has said she felt "betrayed" by her depiction, per The Independent. Barbash isnt alone. Numerous others have spoken out against Hustlers since its release, saying Scafarias film propagates harmful stereotypes.

For her part, Scafaria has since pledged a portion of any royalties she receives from Hustlers to improve working conditions and erasing the stigma surrounding strippers.

"I tried to tell the story with empathy and to see all sides of it, so I can only hope that that resonates with them and that they see that," Scafaria says. "You know, I was just trying to tell this true story and not necessarily paint anyone as a hero or a villain."

Hustlers is now showing in theaters.

Read more:
Director Lorene Scafaria on the true story and empathy of 'Hustlers' - Mashable

BRUNSWICK When Carolyn Brady rules the world, you wont see her doing it in a baby blue, sequined dress. Nor is that what she will wear when she walks across the Miss America stage this December.

While the 22-year-old-Miss Maine does, in fact want to both rule the world and take home the Miss America crown, she says she wants to do it her way: Probably in a jewel tone, and something that will lend weight to her words and embody Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey polished, poised, powerful and relatable.

Because for Brady, the first African American Miss Maine in the competitions history, it is about more than her dress and her looks. And now more than ever, Miss America is about more than that, too.

Following a 2017 scandal after the Huffington Post revealed a slew of emails in which executives shamed contestants bodies and personal lives, Miss America rebranded as Miss America 2.0. In its new iteration, with all-female leadership, Miss America is a competition, not a pageant, and the contestants are considered candidates. They did away with the swimsuit competition and will no longer judge contestants on physical appearance. The talent portion is weighed more heavily.

Miss America will represent a new generation of female leaders focused on scholarship, social impact, talent and empowerment said Gretchen Carlson, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees in a press release. Were experiencing a cultural revolution in our country with women finding the courage to stand up and have their voices heard on many issues. Miss America is proud to evolve as an organization and join this empowerment movement.

In addition to earning scholarships to further her education, Miss America will advocate for social issues important to her.

We want more young women to see this program as a platform upon which they can advance their desire to make a real difference and to provide them with the necessary skills and resources for them to succeed in any career path they choose, said Regina Hopper, president and CEO.

When Brady first started in the pageant circle a few years ago, the perception of Miss America was very much that Miss America wears a pretty dress and walks in a swimsuit, she said, but now they are trying to change that. Thats not the primary thing people should say. The goal is to have people say that she advocated for her social impact initiative, has ambitions parallel to our world leaders and makes a difference in her community, she said, adding that she hopes Miss America 2.0 can influence the standard women are held to in society.

You may not have girls (on stage) that have the perfect swimsuit bodies going forward, she said, but youll have girls who have some of the highest GPAs and highest career aspirations.

Brady is no exception to this new rule. A Philadelphia native and graduate of Bowdoin College, she now serves as an AmeriCorps member through the LearningWorks Aim High Program in Portland and supports students who need additional help to reach grade-level expectations in math and literacy. In addition to her title as Miss Maine, she works at Nordstrom Rack and the J. Crew Factory while also teaching spin classes.

Im constantly on the go, she said. I dont like days off.

Brady has always wanted to have influence. By middle school, she wanted to rule the world, she said, whether it was as president or by marrying into the royal family. Now, she hopes to one day work in the state department to figure out how we can make decisions between countries based on whats best for the people of those countries and minimize focus on bureaucracy, maximize focus on humanity. And then, of course, take over the world, she joked. She hopes Miss Americas focus on scholarship and service can help her do that.

Bradys focus on humanitarian work extends to her social impact platform, Immigration builds our nation, which she began even before the recent influx of hundreds of asylum seekers into Portland this summer.

Her platform seeks to highlight the contributions of refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants to the country and make sure our new friends are accepted into the community, she said.

She was crowned Miss Maine June 22, just in time for her to start helping the migrants sheltering at the Portland Expo. She has not yet worked with the recent asylum seekers in Brunswick but plans to reach out once they have had more time to settle in.

She intentionally chose a platform that probably has not been targeted by Miss Maine before, she said, and one that she could serve with more diligence as the first African American woman to hold the role, she said.

Though diversity in the state is growing as the immigrant population increases, Maine is not the most diverse state in the union, Brady said.

The US Census Bureau estimates that in 2018 (and in 2010) only 1.6% of Maines 1.3 million residents were African American, and only 1.8% identified as two or more races. Cumberland County, which includes both Brunswick and Portland, is slightly more diverse, with African Americans making up 3.1% of the population, according to the Census Bureau. The national average is 13.4%.

In the pageant world, Vanessa Williams was the first woman of African American descent to be crowned Miss America, taking home the title in 1984.

Last year, Miss America, Miss Teen USA and Miss USA were all African American for the first time in history.

Brady said she thinks there will be more African American Miss Maines in the future, but that it may take some time, as Maines African American population is not yet American. She believe that as time goes on, many immigrants will likely eventually fall into that camp.

When Brady first started competing in pageants as a way to make new friends, she advocated for more arts education, since she started playing violin at 5 years old.

She has been playing for 17 years and will take her talent to the Miss America stage in December. Instead of playing classical tunes, like Miss California, Brady will play Broadway music, and said the performance aspect matters just as much, if not more to her than her playing.

It used to be that if you didnt sing and dance you were an anomaly, she said, but this year Bradys Broadway violin performance will fit right in among the other talents like clogging, speed painting and even a science experiment.Miss Maine has never walked away with the Miss America crown, so the bar is set exponentially low, Brady said, but it is also the first year the contestants will be competing under the new rules.

She hopes to conquer the Miss America stage in December then, the world.

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Brunswick's Carolyn Brady, first African American Miss Maine, will walk across a reinvented Miss America stage - Press Herald

Every day is a school day according to the popular saying, and thats certainly true when it comes to learning many crucial life skills not taught in classrooms.

As the nation prepares to tighten its belt, Budgeting and Personal Finance has been revealed as the most popular subject that Brits wish they had been taught in education. More than a third (35%) of respondents in a new study wished they had a better understanding of how to be savvy with their spending and manage their household income.

How to Manage Your Mental Health was the second most popular subject according to the research released today (17 Sept)* by High Speed Training, whoprovide online training courses that support lifelong learning.

The online training provider commissioned the study alongside the start of the new school term and involved more than 1,500 members of the public across the UK. It shines a spotlight on an insightful list of topics learnt in the school of life that many Brits feel they should be better equipped for.

More than one in 10 (12%) of Brits wish they had been taught the basics about How the Government Works at school. The findings follow months of political speculation regarding the outcome of Brexit, leaving many people concerned and confused.

Likewise, in the face of evolving technology and changing job landscape, 11% indicated they wish they had been taught coding and digital skills a subject that is now part of the core curriculum for those in school today.

The top 5 subjects Brits wish they had learnt in school:

Interestingly, the Greta Effect doesnt look to have taken a strong hold yet, as just 8% indicated that they wish they had been taught more about the environment. This figure drops to 4% of those aged 18 24. Similarly, younger respondents were also found to be the least entrepreneurially minded, with just one in 20 (5%) keen to learn more about how to start a business.

Dr Richard Anderson, Head of Learning & Development at High Speed Training, said:

Its clear to see that the British public think they would have benefited from learning about lifes great lessons in school. Traditional subjects such as algebra do have an important place in education, however many people feel intimidated when it comes to applying learnings to real life scenarios. As a result, many people are seeking out ways to better learn a subject and investing in personal development later in life.

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*Google survey involving 1,580 members of the public on 13th September 2019.

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The Essential Life Skills Brits Wish They Had Been Taught in School - FE News

Teacherly, a London-headquartered edtech startup with presence in the United Arab Emirates, has raised $1.5 million in seed funding from Abu Dhabi-based Shorooq Partners (previously Shorooq Investments), the startup told MENAbytes today.

Founded in 2016 by Atif Mahmood, an educator himself, Teacherly is a collaborative lesson planning and peer-to-peer coaching platform designed for teachers. The platform enables teachers to plan lessons, communicate and collaborate digitally and claims that it helps them save 67 percent of their time while planning lessons and managing communications. The lessons planned and created on Teacherly could be assigned to students by inviting them to the platform.

The platform that can be used by any educator or learning provider (even if theyre not associated with an institution) comes with instant access to thousands of exemplar lesson templates, making it easy for a teacher to plan a lesson in different leaning episodes and phases. The content, it currently offers,includes the English, American and UAE Curriculum coveringInternational Baccalaureate (IB).

The teachers also have the options to select other subjects, create their own content, and evenincorporate other personal development or workplace skills into the curriculum.

After establishing itself in the United Kingdom, Teacherly expanded to MENA with its launch in UAE last year.

Atif Mahmood, the co-founder and CEO of Teacherly, in a conversation with MENAbytes said that theyre currently focusing on UAE in the Middle East but have plans to expand Teacherly to Saudi, and then North Africa within the next two years.

We are aggressively going after the 10 biggest countries in Middle East and have a team and execution plan ready. We have built a team that already has experience of building an edtech brand in MENA, he said.

The startup according to a statement already serves over 70,000 Monthly Active Users (the teachers this number does not include the students) and is set to grow+4x this year.

Despite our low marketing effort, these impressive growth metrics are a testimony to the positive reception and validation of the service by the teaching community, said the startup in a statement.

Atif Mahmood, commenting on the investment, said, Despite the recent growth in edtech, the teaching population in the Middle East is still heavily overlooked and underserved by the latest technology. We are confident that with Shorooqs expertise and support we can create value and solve important problems for the education space here.

Shane Shin, Founding Partner at Shorooq Partners, said, Education is still one of the more conventional spaces that is underserved by the latest technology, and we are delighted to enter the space through a truly disruptive venture. We are excited to join the journey of Teacherly at such an early stage and are committed to building it together supporting it to grow its strong presence in the Middle East and further penetrate the European market. We believe that Teacherly solves a unique problem that few businesses have identified, let alone solve effectively, and is poised for exponential growth.

Kunal Savjani, Partner at Shorooq, said, I have known Atif for a long time and he is one of the most sincere, dedicated and knowledgeable Founders. With him spearheading the business and our strategic support, Teacherly is positioned in a fantastic spot to become a leading player in the edtech space.

Teacherly plans to use the investment to further grow the team and execute its expansion plans.

Founder at MENAbytes

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Teacherly raises $1.5 million seed to reinvent teacher collaboration and communication - MENAbytes

A HIGH school has been ordered to improve after its latest inspection.

Lowton CE High School on Newton Road was given an overall score of "requires improvement" after a visit by education regulator Ofsted.

Inspectors found the school needs to improve its leadership and management, quality of teaching, learning and assessment along with its outcomes for pupils.

The report said: "Despite improvements across the school, leaders have been unable to secure a consistently good quality of education for pupils.

"Weaknesses in some aspects of leadership have hampered the pace of improvement.

"Leaders have made several changes to improve teaching since the previous inspection.

"These actions have raised the quality of teaching in many subjects.

"However, the quality of teaching is not consistently good across subjects and year groups."

There were some positive aspects noted in the inspection, which was carried out on June 25 and 26 and published on September 10.

The school's personal development, behaviour and welfare was ranked as "good".

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The report stated: "Leaders assessment information and work in pupils books show that the progress made by current pupils is improving. This is especially the case in mathematics.

"The schools work to promote pupils personal development and welfare is good.

"All pupils, but particularly disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), receive help and support to prepare them for further education, employment or training.

Head teacher Julian Pollard expressed his "frustration" with the findings in the report.

He said: "We are frustrated with the report.

"We have made quite a significant improvement in our GCSE results this summer - which we were delighted with.

"We got the best possible results of what we told Ofsted we were going to get.

"We have done a lot of really strong work and we are dealing with the issues raised."

Read more from the original source:
Lowton CE High School ordered to improve after inspection - Leigh Journal

Those within the arts discipline dont always have a straightforward path to employment. The competitive worlds of music and dance require students to continuously improve their talents and develop themselves professionally.

Music students who aspire to work abroad and are not fluent in English will need to work on their language skills alongside their music learning.

For a bright future in music, these types of students must seek a study path that allows them to focus on their music studies while giving them the right opportunities to improve their English communication skills.

Before undertaking your degree, theres the option to pursue a certificate or course that offers a solid foundation in music.

A unique course offering from the esteemed Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, UK, is the International Foundation Certificate: Music and English.

This programme prepares students for further study and significantly enhances their English language skills so they can embark on a future in music without language barriers, also giving them valuable professional development in the field.

Musical skill development and English language acquisition is equally balanced throughout the programme, and students are given opportunities wherever possible to intermix learning across these two areas of study.

Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

This programme has been designed for students to reach their career potential and ensure they become employable musicians.

It does so by enabling them to build on their musical interests, skills and experience, discover more in the world of music and explore possibilities for their personal, artistic and professional development.

The programme is rooted in practice-based activity so students get to continuously work on their music skills.

Students will have weekly one-to-one lessons with Trinity Labans experienced instrumental teachers, who help them develop their skills in their principal study, be it an instrument, voice or composition.

On top of their principal study lessons and departmental classes, students will improve their performance skills through engagement with Alexander Technique, Dalcroze and weekly performance workshops.

There is a focus on developing audition techniques to help students be successful when applying for further studies

Learning occurs through a mix of formal tuition, experiential learning and personal study. All students are also required to complete aPersonal Development Plan (PDP)which consists of a learning journal, regular recordings and performance reflections.

They also develop their learning by participating in a broad range of solo, small group, chamber and large ensemble activities, including chances to perform their work in public.

Enhancing their study is the chance to learn from visiting artists, ensemble directors and lecturers who expose students to a variety of views and industry-relevant approaches current within the music profession.

They also get to develop soft skills such as collaboration and innovation through CoLab an integral element of performance studies where students from across the institution work together to create and develop creative projects, and where artistic risks and innovation are encouraged.

Alongside world-class music tuition international students will also have the chance to improve their English skills, preparing them for undergraduate study or further learning.

Students will take the Integrated Skills in English module as part of their programme and be entered for the Trinity ISE II (undergraduate) or Trinity ISE III (postgraduate) examination.

The ISE qualification can be used to demonstrate the level of English required for entry to an undergraduate or postgraduate programme at Trinity Laban.

Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

Upon completion of the certificate programme, students will be able to communicate in English effectively so they can go on to study a Bachelor of Music (BMus) degree at a UK Conservatoire or University.

Students learn English in small tutorial groups, where they also get to practice the language by communicating with others.

All aspects of English are covered through the programme, which aims to further the development of vocabulary and grammar knowledge in students, as well as developing fluency and the ability to consistently apply learning in practice.

The classes are both practical and fun, helping students learn by using English in a range of situations.

For example, in one project, students were asked to learn about a famous London landmark and take their classmates on a guided tour where they presented what they had learnt.

Students are also taught music-specific vocabulary and terms to help them in their chosen career.

Those who have successfully completed the programme in the past have been successful in gaining places at Trinity Laban and other top conservatoires in the UK

Every element of the International Foundation Certificate: Music and English is designed to help students not only become more prepared for a future in music, but also to thrive and become confident, capable musicians with adept fluency in English.

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Trinity Laban: A world-class performing arts education in London

Trinity Laban: Audition for Londons Musical and Creative Conservatoire

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Preparing students for a bright future in music - Study International News