Referencing: A helping hand

Being back in university over the last few months has taught taught me a lot, more than I could have hoped for, and one of these things  is that correct referencing is key.

Being back in a University environment naturally means being exposed to assignments and correct practice within such tasks. As I am also on teaching placement, which is also happens to be in the same University, I am seeing that my learners are faced with similar tasks. Referencing can be challenging at first but, as with most things in life, the more you repeat the process, the simpler it becomes. 

Now I could go on about the correct practice for referencing, however, there is a wealth of such information all over the internet, so as such, I am going to point you in the right direction to a helpful tool which you can use to create references or simply use as a guide to learn the format. 

A few weeks back in an ICT session in University we had a talk about Microsoft Word and the built in referencing system. However, being a mac user, I was horrified to get onto my Macbook to find my version didn't include such luxuries. This sent me off scouring the internet for an alternative, which is where I stumbled across an excellent website.

There is an excellent resource available to use, for free I may add, at Neil's tool box. This website provides users with the Harvard referencing generator, a simple and effective tool that simply allows users to input all the details into the labeled boxes (supplied with format examples) and compiles the information into a reference that can be copied and pasted into your assignment. 

Above: The website allows users to select from a number of different types of resources, which it will then build an appropriate reference for.

Above: An example of the website's input system, which asks for all the information required to build your reference

Its that simple! if your in a position where you software doesn't come with its own generator, then this tool can become invaluable to you, allowing more time to be spent on your actual assignment writing. 

Resource available at: http://www.neilstoolbox.com/bibliography-creator/ 

Ted talk: 'What teachers make'

When I first decided to enter a career in teaching a few years back, I remember very clearly telling people about it. My family and friends were excited for me and very supportive, all saying how rewarding the job is supposed to be. However, there were a few people in my life at the time who had a slightly different response, which was 'Oh wow! theres decent money in teaching!'. I remember very clearly becoming quite annoyed as I felt this to be a very narrow minded and almost selfish attitude towards the profession and my aspirations.
I never once though of teaching as a means of financial gain, there are plenty of career paths out there which offer the same or better financial benefits, most likely without the stress and pressure that teachers have to endure. I have been so against this attitude that I have made a conscious effort to avoid learning how much money can be made in the profession, until recently of course as job hunting presents you with such information. I always wanted to keep my aspirations about the job itself, rather than how much money could be made further down the line, and I am aware this is quite a cheesy approach to it all, but it works for me.
But I digress. Teaching should be your passion. You need to be able to enjoy every aspect of the job to be good at it and remain dedicated to it. No amount of money in the world would make me dedicate my life to a job I hate.
I remember a few years back, around about the time I went on my first teaching placement, one of the members of staff showed me this video, after she asked me why I decided to teach and I responded with similar information as above. She felt this video was right up my street, and I couldn't agree more. Taylor Mali doesnt deliver this as a traditional Ted Talk, but the message is as strong as any. In the style of a coffee house poetry reading, Mali explains what it is to be a teacher. As teachers we have the ability to inspire and motivate learners, we are able to push them further than they every thought the could go and we are able to show learners their true potential. Every time I see this video I feel inspired, and I know that if there is ever a time in my career where I doubt my role or question my choice to become a teacher I will think of this talk.

Note: Video is available on the TedTalk official website at: http://www.ted.com/talks/taylor_mali_what_teachers_make