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Get to know Holly Stephenson
Name: Holly Stephenson
Degree studied/year gained and classification: Business with International Management, 2:1
School/Institution providing ITT: Kirklees & Calderdale SCITT
What was your previous career?
I worked for a hotel as a receptionist, a brewery as a tour guide and in a primary school as morning and midday supervisor (all at the same time!) before becoming self-employed for a wonderful community charity committee.
Did you have transferrable skills/experience for a career in teaching?
I had worked in a primary school and helped to set up a youth club in my local community, both experiences gave me a love of working with young people and I had a huge interest in a career in an educational setting.
Why did you decide to train to teach? / What inspired you?
I decided that it was a career I was interested in when I was in my final year of university, missing my job working part-time in my local primary school Plumbland C of E School. It took me a year of research, hard-thinking and some secondary work experience with my favourite business teacher growing up to realise that I felt I could inspire creativity in students in a secondary school setting. I decided I wanted to teach geography because environmental and political world issues are in the media so much now, it is important our young adults are educated on the causes and impacts to give them cultural capital.
Why did you choose your chosen teacher training route?
It took a lot of research to decide, as there are so many different options out there and all of them have their strengths. I chose my teacher training route because I knew I wanted to be a part of Kirklees and Calderdale SCITT. A google search in West Yorkshire and chancing upon their website, I knew immediately they were the right provider for me. It is like a professional family, sharing experiences and tonnes of experienced speakers delivering training sessions. Having training providers who are there for you from start to finish, to speak to about any issue and who care about your wellbeing is vital during that initial training year. Gill Hood and Cathy Scott absolutely gave me that support and I have made friends for life along the way – unfortunately we don't all work in the same school!
What were the benefits of this route in comparison to the other teaching routes?
SCITT gave me in-school experience from the INSET day in September all the way through to the summer term. I attended training days at University for my PGCE and every Friday was spent in the SCITT centre with fellow trainees having extremely useful CPD sessions until the summer term. I felt supported throughout my year and any issues, no matter how small, were dealt with by my SCITT provider, Kirklees & Calderdale SCITT, without delay. The schools I were sent to were highly regarded and couldn't have been more perfect to train in. Being able to spend the first six weeks after Christmas in a second placement school, then returning to my main placement school again allowed me to reflect on a different teaching experience and bring new ideas into my teaching. I feel like I learned to grow up a lot this year and I couldn't have done that without the professional community I had behind me at my SCITT provider.
Did you apply for any bursaries or scholarships (if your subject was eligible)?
I trained in Geography, which carried a bursary of £26,000.
Why did you choose to train to teach in Calderdale?
I had an interest in moving into the Kirklees/Calderdale area as my boyfriend lived in Huddersfield and I was in Cumbria. I thought I wanted to train to teach in an area that was different to where I grew up and that is where the adventure began!
Please describe your experience of teacher training.
It was the most challenging, confidence-building, brilliant year of my life so far. It absolutely is not the career for everyone because teaching is a way of life, not just a career, but it is the most rewarding training experience you could ever go through. It teaches you a lot about what it means to have responsibility, as students see you as a leader in the classroom. I had a mentor in my department at my placement schools, who gave up so much of their time to make me into the teacher I am today. My main placement mentor inspired me so much to improve my teaching practice and become an inspiring geography teacher like her. I also had a tutor who visited my every half term, another experienced practitioner with so much advice and time to give. Teacher training was structured and supported from the moment I applied to the moment I completed the course.
What level of support have you received/did you receive throughout your training?
The support from my SCITT and PGCE tutor was fantastic; they were able to advise me on subject-specific and pedagogy matters. Even down to questions about the school day, I had a mentor there for me every day who gave me so much time and advice and helped me improve my practice immensely over time. Now in my NQT year, Colne Valley High School are giving me so much support and training to continue to improve my practice.
What were your job expectations?
I wanted to gain a job in a school that had well-being and aspiration at the centre of their everyday life. Colne Valley High School has that community-driven culture that fulfills that vision I had for my NQT year and beyond.
When were you awarded a PGCE?
I graduated from my PGCE on 14th November 2019.
What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of getting into teaching?
It is important to do as much research as you can before you apply; be absolutely sure the key stage, subject and provider are exactly what you want to do as a future career. Get as much work experience as you can and speak to practicing teachers for their insight and knowledge. Teaching will push you to your limits but reward you like no other career, so it is important to be resilient and keep going when it gets challenging. Every day is a new day to learn something. Most of all, teaching is absolutely the most rewarding career but you have to become the most organised and reflective version of yourself in order to get the most out of your training experience.
Any further information?
Your well-being is the most important priority you have throughout your training year, so make sure you understand who and where you can go to get information and advice when you need it. There is nothing wrong with not knowing or finding something difficult while training to be a teacher, so do not give yourself a hard time!


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Local youth snack their way to improved language, literacy skills through App State summer program
App State's Lauren Sims, a speech-language pathology graduate student from Monroe, center in foreground, provides young students with directions for an activity in App State's summer 2022 language and reading literacy program. The program, held as part of a summer literacy program offered at the Boone United Methodist Church, pairs healthy snack preparation and sampling with a speech-language pathology curriculum to help children improve their language and literacy skills. Photo by Chase Reynolds
"I love seeing the students' sense of pride when they create a tasty and creative snack, and watching them improve their literacy skills at the same time."
Anna Joy Cantrell, a nutrition graduate student who has participated in App State's language and reading literacy program for two summers
By Amanda Mlekush
Posted Aug. 24, 2022 at 3:58 p.m.
BOONE, N.C. — "Who doesn't love snacks?" asks Karalee Cole, a speech-language pathologist and clinical educator in the Charles E. and Geneva S. Scott Scottish Rite Communication Disorders Clinic at Appalachian State University. Cole is the creator of a summer program that pairs fun, hands-on healthy snack preparation and sampling with a speech-language pathology curriculum to help children improve their language and literacy skills.
"As educators, we often see declines in speech and language skills over the summer, when programming isn't available through schools," Cole explained. "I wanted to create something fun, where students don't even realize they're working on their language and literacy skills because those lessons have been infused with snacking — which the students are always excited about."
Students in App State's speech-language pathology program teach the program sessions, while nutrition students slice, dice and prep the various snack ingredients for each session. For the nutritional portion of the program, Cole partnered with App State's Dr. Melissa Gutschall, professor in the Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management and director of the university's nutrition graduate program.
Abby Priest '21, a graduate student in App State's speech-language pathology program from Holly Springs, left, and Karalee Cole, a speech-language pathologist and clinical educator in App State's Communication Disorders Clinic, distribute healthy snacks — including cucumbers and carrots — to young students participating in the university's summer 2022 language and reading literacy program, held at Boone United Methodist Church. Photo by Chase Reynolds
App State's Anna Joy Cantrell, a nutrition graduate student from Marietta, Georgia, has participated in the program for the past two summers. While working with the students, she noticed how they became more at ease with trying new foods because they were having fun, she said.
"I love seeing the students' sense of pride when they create a tasty and creative snack, and watching them improve their literacy skills at the same time," Cantrell shared.
Since its beginning in 2019, the six-week App State program has been incorporated into an elementary-age summer literacy program hosted by the Boone United Methodist Church, which is funded through a Duke Endowment grant aimed at boosting reading skills in rural areas. Teachers recommend students for program participation, and the number of students attending each year has continued to increase: 19 students took part in the program in 2019, with 50 students participating this summer. The App State program was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This program has been a great learning experience for participating App State students," Cole said. "The graduate speech-language clinicians have provided important services and experienced authentic interprofessional practice as they've interacted with the nutrition students, and with other teachers and staff on skills to include in the lessons.
"For many of our App State students, this is their first real experience with providing services to a large group instead of providing therapy for an individual."
Graduate students in App State's speech-language pathology program teach young students participating in the university's summer 2022 language and reading literacy program. Pictured at left is Abby Priest '21, a speech-language pathology student from Holly Springs, and shown at right is Lauren Sims, a speech-language pathology student from Monroe. Photos by Chase Reynolds
App State's Karalee Cole, a speech-language pathologist and clinical educator who developed a summer language and reading literacy program for local youth
Creating healthy snacks can broaden young palates
During one program session, the students were asked to describe how they were feeling, write down the emotion and then create a "food face" representing their chosen emotion using whole wheat bread, red peppers, cucumbers, apples, cheese, carrots and cereal. After their food faces were complete, they sampled their creations.
Logan, a rising third grader participating in the program, said he has tried a lot of different foods, including red peppers, for the first time during the snack sessions, but he still prefers jelly sandwiches over peanut butter ones.
"With kids, it's all about exposure. Research shows that it takes about eight to 10 exposures of a new food to accept it," said Gutschall. "The first time, kids may only handle the food and feel its texture. The second time, they may lick it. It may take several times before they actually consume it."
Young students in App State's summer 2022 language and reading literacy program use a variety of healthy snacks — such as whole wheat bread, red peppers, cucumbers, carrots and cereal — to create "food faces." In this program activity, students were asked to describe how they were feeling, write down the emotion and then create a food face representing their chosen emotion. Afterward, the students sampled their creations. Photos by Chase Reynolds
The program's snacks were carefully chosen to enhance the language and literacy curriculum and include different fresh fruits and vegetables. Cultural dishes that may be new to students are also incorporated into the program: Imagine making a sushi roll with peanut butter, jelly and bread. Students receive a recipe book that they can take home at the end of the summer and use to prepare foods at home.
Cole's innovative curriculum is being adopted in areas beyond Boone. She's been asked to consult with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and has presented the program at the annual Southeastern University Clinical Educator Conference — an event that brings together numerous clinical educators in speech pathology and audiology from programs across the Southeastern United States.
"I want to share this program with as many clinical educators as possible so that we can impact more children," Cole said.
Appalachian's Communication Disorders Clinic
The Charles E. and Geneva S. Scott Scottish Rite Communication Disorders Clinic at Appalachian State University, established in 1968, operates as a nonprofit unit housed within the Beaver College of Health Sciences' Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. The clinic serves as a training facility for graduate students in Appalachian's speech-language pathology degree program, providing hands-on clinical learning experiences. It also offers prevention, assessment and treatment services in the areas of speech, language, swallowing and hearing disorders for children, adolescents and adults with communication disorders in the region.
Beaver College of Health Sciences
Appalachian's Beaver College of Health Sciences opened in 2010 as the result of a strategic university commitment to significantly enhance the health and quality of life for individuals, families and communities in North Carolina and beyond. In 2015, the college was named for an Appalachian alumnus and pioneer in the health care industry — Donald C. Beaver '62 '64 of Conover. The college offers nine undergraduate degree programs and seven graduate degree programs, which are organized into six departments: Communication Sciences and Disorders; Health and Exercise Science; Nursing; Nutrition and Health Care Management; Recreation Management and Physical Education; and Social Work.
Collaboration has a tremendous impact with the right partners and support
The Summer Literacy Program was administered by the Boone United Methodist Church and supported by a grant from the Duke Endowment. This three-year grant is aimed at minimizing the literacy gap of students who, by the end of their Kindergarten year, have not mastered necessary reading accuracy, foundation skills (e.g., phonemic awareness, letter-sound relationships), writing skills and comprehension.
About Appalachian's Communication Disorders Clinic
The Charles E. and Geneva S. Scott Scottish Rite Communication Disorders Clinic at Appalachian State University, established in 1968, operates as a nonprofit unit housed within the Beaver College of Health Sciences' Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. The clinic serves as a training facility for graduate students in Appalachian's speech-language pathology degree program, providing hands-on clinical learning experiences. It also offers prevention, assessment and treatment services in the areas of speech, language, swallowing and hearing disorders for children, adolescents and adults with communication disorders in the region. Learn more at https://cdclinic.appstate.edu.
About the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences
Appalachian State University's Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (RHS) — an interdisciplinary unit in the Beaver College of Health Sciences — prepares future leaders through transformative education, collaborative research and community engagement. The department, which launched July 1, 2022, houses several established programs, including an undergraduate program and a minor in communication sciences and disorders, a minor in American Sign Language and graduate programs in athletic training and speech-language pathology. Beginning in fall 2024, the RHS department will house App State's new Master of Science in occupational therapy program; applications for the program's first cohort will open in fall 2023. Learn more at https://rhs.appstate.edu.
About the Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management
The Department of Nutrition and Health Care Management in Appalachian State University's Beaver College of Health Sciences provides graduate and undergraduate programs. The undergraduate health care management program prepares students for entry-level management positions, while the online Master of Health Administration degree is designed for working professionals who desire to advance their careers. The undergraduate nutrition and foods program prepares students for careers in dietetics or food systems management in a variety of settings, including schools, hospitals, nursing homes and food banks. The highly competitive master's degree in nutrition provides a pathway for students to become registered dietitians. Learn more at https://nhm.appstate.edu.
About the Beaver College of Health Sciences
Appalachian State University's Beaver College of Health Sciences (BCHS), opened in 2010, is transforming the health and quality of life for the communities it serves through interprofessional collaboration and innovation in teaching, scholarship, service and clinical outreach. BCHS offers nine undergraduate degree programs and seven graduate degree programs, which are organized into six departments: Nursing, Nutrition and Health Care Management, Public Health and Exercise Science, Recreation Management and Physical Education, Rehabilitation Sciences, and Social Work. The college's academic programs are located in the Holmes Convocation Center on App State's main campus and the Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences, a state-of-the-art, 203,000-square-foot facility that is the cornerstone of the Wellness District. In addition, the college supports the Blue Cross NC Institute for Health and Human Services and has collaborative partnerships with the Wake Forest School of Medicine's Physician Assistant Program, the Appalachian Regional Health System and numerous other health agencies. Learn more at https://healthsciences.appstate.edu.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Quick – name a "science" for which the Nobel Prize is regularly awarded in close succession to winners that directly contradict each other.
Or how about a "science" in which theories often become discredited then return just to be discredited, then return yet again?
Or a "science" in which it's taken for granted that learned practitioners from rival tribes will examine the same data and come to diametrically opposed conclusions?
Can you imagine a "science" in which it's impossible to perform repeatable experiments capable of invalidating hypotheses?
How about a "science" in which rabid partisans are paid to bark at each other on Sunday morning talk shows?
If you guessed the dismal science – economics in general and macroeconomics in particular – you win the my-mom-didn't-raise-a-fool prize. Never in the course of human events have so many been misled by so few. Yet we blithely accept the prognostications of this puffed-up priesthood, many of whom have never so much as run a corner candy store. Why?
Macroeconomics is the practice of looking for correlations between poorly defined and badly collected aggregates over cherry picked time intervals meticulously ignoring inconvenient factors in order to justify preconceived notions. What makes this different from astrology?
Why is it easy to believe that some muttering gnome in Washington sets interest rates for the entire economy yet impossible to believe that all he's really doing is engaging in signaling so competing banks can collude when pricing debt without earning the wrath of anti-trust enforcers?
Remind me again which federal funds rate we're watching this month? Has this whole kabuki show started to feel curiouser and curioser?
What, your inflation analysis isn't giving you the answer you need to support your favored policy prescription? No problem, change the variable! M1 is no good anymore we need M2. No M3. Wait … nevermind.
Deficits are a dire calamity! Deficits are absolutely required! You don't even need two economists for this one, just hang around the same guy long enough for the administration to change in Washington.
Oh my gosh, we built too many houses and prices have cratered. It takes an economist to recommend that the solution is to stimulate the house building industry. Won't those extra houses further depress prices? Not to worry, another economist will come along and recommend that we build them on rafts, float them out to sea, and have the Navy use them for target practice. And if they did, a third economist will tell us that the program increased GDP and reduced unemployment!
When is a person who doesn't have a job unemployed and when is he retired or "permanently discouraged" or self employed but keeping mum about it so he can hold on to his income rather than be forced to share it? Ask an economist, he's trained to make something up to suit your every need.
Are we in a recession? No, silly, you can't look at those flaky aggregates for yourself, even if they are seasonally adjusted and post-corrected. Calling a recession is the exclusive province of some cloistered brotherhood of soothsayers.
Don't misunderstand, microeconomics can be incredibly valuable. Want to forecast how a change in your product's pricing strategy might shift market share? Eager to learn how different factory overhead loading schemes might impact your optimal product mix? Want to decide when it makes sense to trade off capital costs against labor expenses? Private companies do this every day. If they get it right they thrive and if they get it wrong they are the only ones who suffer. Only macroeconomists have the power to make us all suffer.
Who gives them this power? Follow the money. Today's politicians collect favored economists the way princes of yore gathered court astrologers. But princes of yore never had handmaidens of media to amplify their special wisdom. How many physicists can you name that became TV and newspaper darlings? OK, maybe Carl Sagan. But all he did was ask us to marvel at billions and billions of stars. He never provided cover for congressmen trying to shift billions and billions of dollars from Peter's pocket to Paul's.
Raise corporate taxes to fund a consumer stimulus giveaway and some economist will salute your decisive action. How about instead we encourage shoplifting and cut out the middle man? Did you just laugh? Where has your common sense gone that you can laugh at the latter and not the former? Maybe some economist stole it.
OK, let's get serious for a moment. How much outright death and destruction does it take to discredit an economic theory? 1 million bodies? 100 million bodies? Apparently that's not enough for the university professors who still teach Karl Marx. It's the implementation that was flawed, not the theory! A compelling argument, no doubt … to the defenseless mind of an 18 year old.
Economists who believe they can centrally plan a national economy and optimize – what, some flaky set of poorly defined aggregates? – are deluded. Politicians who promote these delusions to arrogate power to themselves are knaves. And voters who buy this fantasy are dupes. Yet Hayek be damned, here we go again.
In the final analysis, what possesses us to dignify these economists with arguments rather than laugh them off the stage the way we would a doctor who recommends leeches to drain phlegmatic humours? What will it take to pull back the curtain and reveal that there is no wizard, that we're going to have to muddle along for ourselves using our own resources to solve our own problems?
I don't know. Maybe someone should buy Obama a dog named Toto.


Muscat: With 2000 chefs and a set of elaborate menus, on March 21, over 2000 restaurants in 150 countries will participate in the Goût de/Good France event to celebrate French gastronomy.
For the third consecutive year, Muscat is also participating in the event by offering three French dinners in three different places.
The Ambassador of France will host a dinner at his residence inviting personalities from the political, business and social world.
The Intercontinental Hotel Muscat and Crowne Plaza Muscat will honor the merits of French cuisine offering a gourmet menu prepared by their chefs.
The event, coordinated by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development and chef Alain Ducasse, was inspired by Auguste Escoffier, who launched the 'Dînersd'Épicure' (Epicurean Dinners) initiative in 1912.
This gastronomic affair features the same menu, on the same day, for as many guests as possible in several world cities.
Chefs from all over the world will craft a delicious dinner to pay tribute to the excellence of French cuisine and its capacity to innovate and unite people around the common values of sharing and gratificationin a planet-friendly and healthy way.
The aim is to showcase French lifestyle, regional products and, more broadly, to promote France as a tourist destination worldwide.
Some tourists have also said they particularly visit France to enjoy its cuisine, including the "gastronomic meal of the French" inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.