:-( Wanting To Give Up! :-(

[Heidi]

Hi Hayley,

I'm glad to see you are still on your course.
Although I have a degree, eyp etc, I wouldn't want to point you in the wrong direction. I think any of us would need to be in your lectures, to know your criteria, to really know what your course is expecting from you.

It's your first year and possibly your first assignment?
If so, I am sure if you stick to the criteria and remember to link to theories and academic references, your assignment/portfolio will pass.

You will/may have been told not to use wikipedia (not reliable) websites are good for researching and one or two may be permitted on your bibliography/reference list, but they really want to see you using academic references - books and journals; and they don't want you to reference from magazines, even though they know students may read Nursery World etc for current information, ideas etc. You will need to get an assignment or two under you belt before you have a 'feel' of your writing style.

One thing I can see you are doing already is planning, you've broken up your 4,000 word portfolio into four sections - roughly 1,000 words per section.

It's your portfolio and you'll find out when assignments are returned to students, they will all be different.

It's your learning, so you'll need to do the research and have confidence in it - although I know it's always hard to start off with, but it looks as if you are making a good start. Everyone will have their own style, some students like to start their assignment early, I preferred to take all the lectures in, and researched and read and started my assignment a week before - it worked for me as I felt I had every morsel I needed to write in my style; others felt happy to add if needed. Buying a few second hand books that you can use again and again from Amazon or other second hand sites is useful - look at your reading list and you'll find some of them come up again and again.

Remember don't put yourself under too much pressure - a pass is a pass. Try and keep a balance between all parts of your life. It will be hard juggling work, a degree and a family or single social life, but time does pass quicker than you think.

Try and enjoy the lectures, take part in the discussions and remember all settings and people are different so don't worry if you feel yourself and your setting is different to everyone else's - because you are.