Do beauty colleges actually teach anything these days?

[IllumeGirl]

Before I go any further I must point out that this thread is not aimed at anyone who has done this, but I get amazed time and again how we get students on here posting assignment questions with no idea where to find the answer.

Don't these beauty tutors teach anything these days? Why not just give the students a big text book, a huge list of questions and tell them to get on with it. At least it would be one step further than many seem to be doing already, at least they would have a text book. Most seem to just give the questions with no help of where the heck to find the resources to find the answers.

Is it laziness? Is it lack of resources? Is it a lack of properly trained tutors? Is it how our education really has ended up - a load of questions with no actual teaching?

Sorry this is somewhere between a rant outloud and a topic for discussion. Does anyone have the answer ... or at least tell me where I should look for it? lol!!!

as usual havent had the time to read posts esp. 59! but as a ex tutor feel the urge to retort my reply ASAP to you Sass.
Everything in our class was supplied in handouts, but half the class, due to thier own slackness could not be assed to do thier homework.
Think fresh out of private school (majority) and Mummy and Daddy paid for tuition.
Half of my classes could not even follow basic uniform requirements, many were spoilt and seemed to be more interested in chatting about thier private life in class.
Many threw sickies and expected me to go over what they had missed during the next class. Many had a million excuses for not finding a model when needed.
I could always pick the ones who would pass by the second lesson.
Alot of the actual study was expected to do on the students own time..it could have been gone through during class, but time is limited, classes are large and of course the classes have to be affordable.
Some colleges are better than others, but generally a tutor does have a very stressful job to complete, Sass, one that i guess until you walk in a tutors shoes you cannot possibly comprehend.
Do not be fooled by every student who posts saying they were not given the info.

 

[Deena]

This is a really great thread! I'm shortly embarking on the VTCT <part time> and I'm under no illusions that it will be down to me to research the course work and rely on my own enthusiasm and motivation for the subject to get me through. I know I won't be spoon fed, but it's slightly worrying that so many on here <and those I've known personally> say I'm unlikely to actually be taught anything that I don't already know through previous training. Whatever I don't know I must learn for myself, without much classroom teaching or guidance, or so it would appear in some cases?

I know feelings can run high about the quality/nature of training/qualifications ie certain major companies and the government's rubber stamped seal of approval NVQ/VTCT, as I've experienced it elsewhere.

I can comment on that from my previous experience of the NVQ, as I have one in a totally unrelated field through my current line of work. I attended a monthly workshop, had a couple of 'On the job assessments,' and was given a brief run down of each question I was required to answer in order to achieve my certificate. It wasn't difficult, because I was doing the job every day, but it was extremely nit picking ie having to explain the exact location of every file/piece of documentation, the colour of the file <!> and it's exact position on whatever shelf in our office. This is before I got down to it's actual practical application. I simply had to give a blow by blow account of everything I did and where I would find information/legislation relating to it. At no point was I ever given so much as a handout on what I was supposed to know/learn.

I was told by my assssor to approach the whole exercise from the position of explaining everything I knew and did to an '*****' who hadn't a clue about what my job entailed! I did as I was instructed, got glowing feedback and passed. It certainly wasn't 'Training,' however, and I definitely wouldn't have passed if I didn't have full prior knowledge of the subject. It was more of a revision/consolidation excercise than anything else, so I think it can sometimes be seen by employers/outsiders <in some cases> as something it isn't ie a training to do the job! It remains to be seen if my impending course will prove to be the same?

 

[lucy_locket]

Clarifying the back to front teaching mentioned by lucy and pure-

The "learning tactic" connect to prior knowledge- the catch the student must HAVE prior knowledge...kind of hard if you weren't raised in a salon. The good thing about this unfortunate tactic, it weeds out those who aren't truly serious, but hampers or debilitates those who have the desire but not as much drive. Studious students or more mature students (not just age wise) usually put forth more effort and take away the needed information even though they don't feel good about how they got the info.

Truthfully, my opinion only, that is a lazy way to teach...gives the rest of us a bad name. We're not all like that I promise!!!

i really understand this as i feel this is what has happened on my course going from 20+ down to 7. Even thought all of us that are left do have a problem with how we are being taught we are determined to leave with our qualification.

 

[Retired]

i really understand this as i feel this is what has happened on my course going from 20+ down to 7. Even thought all of us that are left do have a problem with how we are being taught we are determined to leave with our qualification.

I agree, me too, as I posted before. I also think that the way some questions are worded are confusing. Why can't some of them be in plain English and simplified? I know from a personal point of view that I was always looking for the hard answer when common sense was all that was required. Why do they ask questions which have the same answers? Is that to make sure the student understands the process? Ah well, I passed but it wasn't that satisfying.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Wow, just a quick thank you for all who have taken part in this debate, many different sides to the coin as I can now see. I guess being a committed kind of person it didn't actually occur to me that there were so many students who just couldn't be bothered to make an effort.

But I still believe -at least in the UK's NVQ system -too much is relied on learning done at home ... and as we know most people go on long courses because they prefer to be taught in class, unlike short courses which DO require a lot of home study.