Why Parents and Guardians Fear Tutoring Students

Why Parents and Guardians Fear Tutoring StudentsYou may not be aware of it, but there are many instances where parents or guardians of tutoring students have seen that their students are smart and can take care of themselves in difficult situations. This is actually a common occurrence for many of the tutoring students who are happy in their tutoring jobs.There are a lot of cases where the parents or guardians of tutoring students are impressed by the same and think that the teachers are good enough to be tutors in St Louis Missouri. Yet, there are a lot of times when this very thought comes up but still the parent or guardian remains hesitant to give the tutoring job to a certain teacher's aides. Why is it so?The only reasons why parents or guardians think that they are smart enough to do a tutoring job of a student in St Louis Missouri is because they see themselves as tutors themselves and that is what they are good at. This is the only thing they think they are good at, tutoring. The reason why parents and guardians do not want to hire tutors for their students is because they consider tutoring teachers to be less qualified than regular teachers. They want a teacher's aide because they do not have enough time to have a teacher present with their students. They are also in a situation where they just cannot find enough teachers to tutor their children.The only reason why the parents and guardians do not want to hire tutors is because they do not know how to be smart tutors and are in fact thinking that they are incompetent. This is the only reason why they are hesitant to give tutoring jobs to tutors.As tutors of St Louis Missouri, we do not necessarily have such an issue with this attitude of being incompetent. We also realize that it is the parents who would not hire tutors if they were not good in that field.What we want to make sure for our tutoring students is that we do not give a thought to their shortcomings in being able to handle themselves in a str essful situation. We want to make sure that they have the confidence in being able to handle any difficult situation that they might face.We also realize that for the tutoring students to have a sense of success in their teaching career, they need to learn to be smart tutors and they do not need to be dumb. The only reason why we want to help them become smart tutors is because then the parents or guardians do not need to hire tutors anymore but could instead ask their own students to be tutors for them.

Tips For Finding A Chemistry Teacher Who Can Help You With Your Big Ideas

Tips For Finding A Chemistry Teacher Who Can Help You With Your Big IdeasThe use of AP Chemistry to help you with your Big Ideas can be a good thing for students to consider. One of the biggest problems in your life right now is dealing with a lot of stress. Stress, whether it be work or school, is something that affects you from both the inside and the outside. There are a number of ways to deal with the effects of stress, but none of them are good for you should get help to handle this kind of stress.This kind of stress is something that is all over the place, especially during the most trying times in your life. There are numerous people in your life who you are closest to and you want to know how to handle these situations. Even the worst of times could lead to learning some Big Ideas that will help you with your daily life. Now, if you did not have any chemistry instructors teaching AP Chemistry in your school, then you might not get any of the knowledge that you need to be succ essful in your life.With the passing of time, as well as technology, we have come to realize that AP Chemistry is now considered to be a very useful learning experience. More importantly, you are sure to get a decent chemistry teacher to assist you as well as an area of your life that you can begin to tackle. Many students choose AP Chemistry as one of the most important sciences that they choose for their Big Ideas, so take the time to check out the AP Chemistry as one of the top things you can get.There are some things that you need to consider when choosing your chemistry teacher. You want someone who has experience with all of the major subjects that you will need to have learned. This is crucial for you to understand the importance of the subject that you choose, so make sure that you do your research.Another thing that you need to do is to consider the type of science teacher that you want to have help you with your Big Ideas. It is important to know who will work best with yo u as you learn the chemistry and other subjects that are important. If you do not want to have a physical science teacher to guide you in your discussions, then you might as well learn with your eyes closed. This is going to allow you to build your own foundation in the Big Ideas of chemistry and other subjects.Some people find it helpful to use psychology as well as other aspects of science when they are discussing these subjects. If you would like to learn more about this type of psychology, then there are many resources online that offer information to you. You may even think of using the internet to help you learn the psychology of different subjects. It is a great way to study different aspects of your life.Make sure that you have the tools needed for you to learn more about AP Chemistry. There are a variety of ways that you can choose from. There are many resources that you can use online that you can use to study AP Chemistry. Take the time to see what other resources are ava ilable and use them.

5 Things We Learned About Kurt Cobain from Montage of Heck

5 Things We Learned About Kurt Cobain from Montage of Heck Sign up successful 2. Kurt was a totally adorable kid. Honestly, we werent surprised he was a cute kid, but watch that clip until he waves and just try not to wave back. 3. Nirvana was almost called Nasty Rash. Actually, there were many names Nirvana could have had, some of them funny, some political, but none as fitting as the one they chose. Somehow, its hard to imagine Nasty Rash dominating the airwaves in the same way. 4. He loved being a father. Footage of Cobain with his daughter Frances Bean reveals his profound love for her. He says many times that playing rock and roll was all he ever wanted, but later in the film there is a clip where he says he would give it up for her. He even jokes about letting her throw up in his mouth. If thats not love, we dont know what is. 5. He had a lighter side. Many portrayals of Cobain focus heavily on his drug addiction, depression, and troubled relationship with Courtney Love. While Montage of Heck certainly doesnt shy away from these issues, we get a glimpse of a lighter side to Kurt. His music was certainly dark, but he was not all doom and gloom. Its refreshing and rare to see him crack a joke, and seeing this new side to him gave us a new perspective on on the irony and humor you hear from time to time in his songs. All in all, it was an engrossing documentary, and we came away with new ideas. Have you seen it? Do you want to? Or is there another music documentary youd like to recommend? Tell us all about it in the comments below! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Transformers The Practical Science of Electromagnetism.

Transformers The Practical Science of Electromagnetism. Why Transformers are Some of the Most Important Technology We Have. ChaptersWhat is a Transformer?How Do Transformers Work?These days, everything depends on electricity â€" from the tools on which we work to the places where we get our entertainment. Everything seems to be powered and charged, plugged in, connected to the mains.We use electricity literally all the time. And so we take for granted the fact that it comes straight into our house, until it is right there in the wall next to our bed, sofa, or desk.And whilst we no longer appreciate quite how amazing this is as an infrastructure, many of us probably don’t know much about the technology that all this is dependent upon. This is the transformer, a piece of electromagnetic equipment that facilitates electricity’s journey from power station to plug socket.Without it, we’d have none of the things that are so normal in our daily lives. In fact, we’d have nothing electrical in our homes at all.That’s why we need to take the time to learn about these simple little things, these ubiquitous little contraptions. Because without them, we’d still be living in the conditions of the 1820s â€" or thereabouts.This article is part of our series on magnetism and electromagnetism. Because this is the fundamental phenomenon on which power transformers are based. Do you remember what electromagnetism is all about? If not, before you read on, check out our article on the science of electromagnetism.If yes, then let’s crack on. Let’s talk about the power transformer â€" one of the most underrated objects we have.You can find a physics and maths tutor s1 now. We wouldn't be able to transfer electricity without electromagnetism.connections between different circuits are crucial.And this is particularly true when we are talking about circuits that require different voltages. And this is the second major thing that transformers do: they allow the transfer of power from a circuit of high voltage to one of low voltage or medium voltage.This particular fact is really important â€" as you will see.Power Distribution and Power Transfer.But let’s take the role of transformers in power distribution first.Pretty much all electrical power in the world passes through a transformer at at least one point in its life cycle. It is incredibly likely, in fact, that it passes through several. Only the smallest fraction of electrical energy is produced by on-site generators â€" and so doesn’t need to be transferred.And so, transformers play a role in all the energy that comes into the conventional home.Electricity distribution happens on an absolutely mas sive scale â€" crossing countries if not entire continents. Considering that the electrical current has such a long way to travel from the producer to the consumer, transformers are often used to break up the circuit into smaller parts. This allows greater stability in the line â€" and makes it easier to isolate issues.Step Up and Step Down Transformers.The most common use of transformers is in their particular roles as a step-down or step-up transformer. These underpin the functioning of the whole electrical grid â€" and permit the arrival of any electrical energy into your home.Voltage vs Current.This is because the electrical grid works through transmitting electrical currents of extremely high voltages.Things like the National Grid, the electrical transmission network in the UK, can’t really use high currents. Generally speaking, the higher the current, the less efficient the transmission is. With higher currents, more heat is produced â€" and more energy is lost as it is rele ased through the wire.Current is the rate of flow of electrical charge. So, the higher the current, the quicker the electricity passes through the wire. And whilst this is all well and good, so much of the electrical energy is wasted if you transfer it over long distances.Voltage, on the other hand â€" or EMF as it is sometimes known, electromotive force â€" is the potential difference between two different points in a wire. This is the electric pressure that allows the current to flow. In other words, it is the amount of energy that is required to transfer current along a wire. These things are all using magnetic fields.Transforming Voltages.So, electrical grids use incredibly high voltages â€" rather than high currents. But there is an obvious problem with this. Whilst high voltage electricity is much easier and more efficient to be transferred, it is much more dangerous to actually use. Having incredibly high voltages in all our plugs would not be very clever.And so, the grid uses transformers to ‘step-up’ the voltage of the electricity before it is to be transmitted and to ‘step it down’ again afterwards. Before it can be distributed on a local level â€" and before it reaches anyone’s home â€" the voltages need to be hugely reduced, as the voltages in national wires are thousands of times higher than those that your laptop or your kettle could handle.This is happening with all of our electrical energy. So, you can see how important these transformers are for our lives.How Do Transformers Work?Now you know what transformers do. But how do they d o what they do? This is the question to which we need to give an answer now. And you’ll find that that answer is linked entirely to the force known as electromagnetism.Electromagnetism is the interface or combination of electric current and magnetism; these two things are two sides of the same coin. And transformers work by exploiting this relationship.Transformers are really quite simple devices. In their simplest forms, they are two coils of wire around a ferromagnetic core. Imagine this to be a ring of iron, on the opposite sides of which are two windings of copper wire.A current passes through one, and into what we’ll call the primary winding. As the result of the electric charge’s magnetic field, changes in the magnetic flux of the iron core will electrify the secondary winding on the other side. This, quite simply, is the basis of how the ideal transformer would work â€" through this process of what we would call electromagnetic induction.Faraday’s law â€" named after the man who discovered electromagnetic induction, as you’ll see below â€" states that you only need to change the number of coils on the secondary coil and you change the voltage that appears in the second circuit.Faraday and Magnetic Flux.It was Michael Faraday that discovered these principles of electromagnetic induction that have become central to the technology of the transformer.He built himself a little transformer exactly as we just described it above. And, linking one side up to a battery and the other side up to a galvanometer, he noticed that the electrical charge was only present in the secondary wire when â€" and only when â€" he connected and then disconnected the battery.This was the essential part of his discovery. When the electrical current was stable in the first wire, no electricity was observed in the second. What was required was the change in the electrical charge. It was this change that effected the change in magnetic flux in the iron core â€" which permitt ed the transmission of electricity.The Importance of Alternating Current.This discovery informs the way that transformers work today. As they only work with alternating current â€" as opposed to direct current.Whereas direct current is a stable current that only travels in one direction, alternating current â€" or AC â€" continually changes direction. This produces the change to the magnetic flux that permits the transfer of electrical current across the transformer â€" or, in other words, that permits the induction of electricity in the secondary wire.Without this variability of the magnetic field in the transformer, there could not be any transfer of electricity at all. Compasses use the same physical principle as transformers.The Importance of Electromagnetism.Michael Faraday made this discovery back in the 1830s. And, although there have been attempts to make the process simply more efficient, the fundamental principles of the transformer have not changed one bit â€" and nor will they ever.This is why the transformer testifies to the fact that electromagnetism is one of the most important discoveries in the history of our world.So, you better make sure you learn it.

Landscape Photography Our Tips for Becoming a Pro!

Landscape Photography Our Tips for Becoming a Pro! Photography Tips for Capturing the Most Beautiful Landscapes ChaptersWhat is Landscape Photography?The Importance of EquipmentCompositionRise Early and Retire LateUse the Weather to Your AdvantageChoosing the Right LandscapeUse a Tripod to Help YouTake Inspiration from OthersLearn to ObserveEnjoy yourself!Whether you’re an advanced photographer or a complete beginner, all of the best landscape pictures you see have a few secrets in common â€" secrets that you can use in your own photography!The reality of landscape photography is that not only does the outcome depend on your own photography skills, but also mother nature.No matter how much time you spend on your landscape photographs, there are infinite possibilities when it comes to capturing spectacular scenes.Photography is an art which is inspiring more and more people to get involved.As brands such as Canon and Nikon continue to develop high-tech digital cameras, photography is becoming accessible to anyone who owns a smartphone.According to an Ipsos survey, 75% of people who have an in terest in photography use a compact camera or a smartphone.On a photography course, amateur photographers have the opportunity to learn about the technical side of photography from a professional photographer. This includes learning to use a digital camera effectively by understanding aspects such as exposure, lens aperture and shutter speed.Budding photographers can also learn about various photography styles, including food photography and photographing landscapes.If you’d like to learn some photography tips and tricks to become a true landscape pro, Superprof is here to guide you. AllanPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPhotography Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TimothyPhotography Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Anosh nadeemPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ZangmoPhotography Teacher 5.00 (6) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover al l our tutors RosiePhotography Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MattPhotography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyPhotography Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat is Landscape Photography?Just like portrait photography and photojournalism, landscape photography is a genre in its own right.Producing a good landscape shot requires a mastery of the photography basics and plenty of practice.But what is landscape photography all about?Landscape photography is a type of photography where the object of the picture is the landscape itself.This leads onto the question what makes a landscape?Here is a simple definition given by Oxford Dictionaries:All the visible features of an area of land, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appealContrary to what you might believe, the city of New York could be the object of a landscape photograph, as an urban landscape.The Importance of EquipmentJust because you have the latest or m ore expensive camera on the market, it doesn’t mean that you’ll instantly be able to produce photographs of the same quality as a professional photographer.Using a tripod will prevent blurriness in your photographs ¦ source: Pixabay - KazPhotographers have to make many artistic decisions when taking pictures. These may include decisions around lighting, composition, editing with adobe photoshop lightroom, camera mode, exposure and lens aperture.Whether you’re a complete beginner or an amateur photographer, there are many tools out there to help you as you practice your photography skills when shooting landscapes.Do you know how photojournalism has changed the world?CompositionComposition is, without doubt, the most important element to the art of photography.The most basic rule in composition is the rule of thirds.The rule of thirds acts as a guide for new photographers who are just starting out.So, what’s it all about?The rule of thirds is about placing the most important parts of a photograph on the lines which divide the photograph into nine sections.The imaginary frame should be made up of two vertical and two horizontal lines which cut the photograph into three equal parts.Of course, this rule should only act as a guide and is by no means essential for every photograph.Once you feel more comfortable using a camera and your photographic eye develops, you may even want to move away from the rule of thirds and experiment with alternative ideas.The second question to ask yourself when thinking about composition is whether or not you need an object in the foreground.Having something in the foreground of a photograph (such as a tree, a bus stop or a bench) can help give it depth.Deciding on your depth of field is an important part of taking landscape photographs.Usually, landscape photos require that the vast majority of the photo be sharp (in the foreground and in the background), so you need more depth of field than if you’re taking a portrait.Obje cts in the foreground give perspective to landscapes ¦ source: Pixabay - jplenioHowever, a short depth of field can make for a powerful tool in terms of creativity if it’s used properly. This is because it can isolate the subject whilst keeping it clear, while the rest of the image will be blurred.The depth of field all depends on the object.It’s useful to bear in mind that less is often more in photography.Rise Early and Retire LateIf you’re just finding your feet in the world of photography, you’ll hear this advice from a lot of people.Whether it’s landscape photography or another genre, good lighting is essential for a successful photo.The best light for photographing the outdoors comes early in the morning and late on Summer nights.This is because sunrises and sunsets make for more interesting and original scenes to photograph.So, set your alarm for dawn and make the most of first light! AllanPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPhotography Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TimothyPhotography Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Anosh nadeemPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ZangmoPhotography Teacher 5.00 (6) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RosiePhotography Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MattPhotography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyPhotography Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsUse the Weather to Your AdvantageIt’s important to consider the weather if you’re going to spend the day outdoors, however, the weather can also make for some interesting photography.For instance, though a foggy day might not seem appealing, the fog can help create a particular ambience within a scene.Every weather forecast is an opportunity to plan your photographs around the mood created by the weather.Many photographers take advantage of th under and lightning, capturing the forks as the light up the night sky.Cloudy weather can also make for an unusual atmosphere which is well-suited to capturing striking landscapes in a moody light.Interesting weather is a fantastic opportunity for you to add character to your portfolio.Choosing the Right LandscapeChoosing the right landscape isn’t just about finding the perfect scenery, but finding a landscape which appeals to you.Like any art, the art of photography is largely about channelling your emotions into your work to produce something that is pertinent to your personal view of the world.Taking a good photograph isn’t always about technical brilliance.One recent winner of the World Press Photo Awards is quite blurry, however, the ‘faults’ in this piece play a part in describing the scene it represents - the difficult journey of Syrian migrants.So, photography isn’t always about producing the perfect photograph but producing one that touches you.Use a Tripod to Hel p YouIf you want to give yourself the best chance of capturing photographs of the best possible quality, you’ll need a tripod.Taking photographs in low light without a tripod will mean that you will have to increase the ISO sensitivity to stop your camera from moving too much and creating noise in your pictures.If you want to capture a scene using a slow shutter speed or long exposure (for example, to capture the movement of clouds or water), you will not be able to hold the camera still enough to avoid blurring.Take Inspiration from OthersIn order to develop your artistic eye, it is strongly advised that you visit exhibitions and galleries as often as you can.Looking at the work of other photographs, amateur or professional, can help you view your own work in context and continue to develop your personal style.Get inspired by other landscape photographers ¦ source: Pixabay - rawpixelHowever, this doesn’t mean that you should copy other photographers.You should only be looking at their various styles and taking inspiration to find your own style.Exhibitions aren’t the only source of inspiration. With the internet, there is now more material than ever to take inspiration from.So, why not have a look on Pinterest or follow some new accounts on Instagram to get started?Learn to ObserveIt’s important that you take your time with landscape photography.Learning how to observe the scenery and lighting is essential. By taking your time, you will learn how to better frame your photographs.But technique isn’t everything.If you take online photography courses or attend other photography classes, you’ll learn the basics of photography, including:Depth of fieldSharpnessWhite balanceWide angle shotsManual and auto modesShutter speedApertureWhether you’re working with a film or digital camera, the key to a successful day of shooting is patience.Attending  photography courses near me, regardless of your experience, will give you the means to take your work to t he next level and develop as a photographer. Photography workshops and tutorials are designed to help you master the fundamental elements of using a camera as you learn how to shoot great photos.Enjoy yourself!The very last important piece of advice for budding photographers is to have fun!Just as with your emotions, your photographs will be less appealing if you don’t put your heart into it â€" so, forcing yourself to take photographs isn’t worth anything if your heart’s not in it.And try to break free from the technical rules of photography sometimes.To learn about other genres of photography, read our blog about humanist photography.

The Top Cooking Classes Around the World

The Top Cooking Classes Around the World The Best Ways to Learn to Cook ChaptersCooking Courses at Culinary Schools and UniversitiesCulinary Institute of America at Hyde Park (Hyde Park, New York, USA)Culinary Institute of Canada at Holland College (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada)The Sydney Seafood School (Sydney, Austrlia)Cooking Lessons from/by Famous ChefsPrivate Cooking TutorialsOnline Cooking TutorialsWould you like to attend a prestigious cooking school?Here’s a list of the best cooking courses and cookery classes London for aspiring chefs. Whether you want to learn to bake, cook foreign cuisine, or make meals for your family, there are plenty of places to learn to cook. No more pasta in a tin or soup in a mug for you!Private tutors can help you create almost anything. (Source: Engin_Akyurt)If there's a certain cookbook you want to work on or a certain cooking skill you want to master, a tutor can put together a plan for your tutorials with these in mind. Thanks to shows like MasterChef and The Great British Bake Off, more and more p eople want to learn how to cook at home and it's not hard to find books on cooking or baking!Private tutorials are also a better option for those with dietary requirements. If you're vegetarian, vegan, or have any allergies or intolerances, your cooking instructor will be able to help you with the preparation of a recipe for you.The culinary classes provided by tutors often tend to follow a theme or cooking style. Anyone who wants to learn how to create meals from certain countries should look for private tutors.If you love cooking, you’ll love private tutorials with a cooking tutor.Are you looking for chefs near you at affordable rates?If you want to learn to cook like a professional chef, you can find a cooking teacher on Superprof. Easy, right?Online Cooking TutorialsAs crazy as it may seem, you can attend a virtual cooking class with a chef on the other side of the world. No matter what dish you want to make, you can learn how to make it like a professional.You can even learn to cook over webcam online! (Source: rawpixel)In the digital age, there are plenty of interesting cooking classes available over the internet. These lessons can still be interactive as participants can send their questions to the chef who’ll respond to them directly.  On the other hand, you can’t press pause like you’d be able to on a pre-recorded cooking video.The best thing about teaching an online cooking class: you can have as many students as you want! You can learn how to make great meals for your family for just a few pennies.You should check out the testimonials of other students who “attended” the class to see if the course or lesson is right for you.If you’re looking for a certain type of cooking class, such as learning how to bake or make your own dough, you can look for a cooking teacher on Superprof.You can find tutors who’ve got loads of experience working in professional kitchens. Additionally, if you're a vegetarian, vegan, have allergies or other dieta ry requirements, you can focus on a specific ingredient or cooking style.Discover the history of cooking, here. See the different types of cooking classes here. Here are the most prestigious cooking classes in UK.

Summer Planning for Rising High School Seniors

Summer Planning for Rising High School Seniors The following is a guest post written by Anna Carapellotti of Admissionado, a premier college admissions consulting company focused on helping students get into their dream schools. Its finally here. Your last summer as a high school student. Congratulations! As rising seniors, you will probably be pretty busy this summer with your jam-packed social to-do list. However, it will also be important to spend some time over the summer planning for college applications, as there are many things you will need to accomplish in the year ahead. So, what can you do to get started? Here are seven tips to help all of you rising seniors out there maximize your potential this summer: 1. Finalize your list of colleges While some of you have probably had a dream school in mind since freshman year, others may still be struggling to narrow down the list. With so many options and so many factors contributing to the admissions process, it is important to go into senior year with a solid game plan. So, take the opportunity to do some additional research over the summer. Which academic programs are best given your interests? Which schools offer the types of clubs and activities that you want to get involved in? Most counselors recommend that students apply to five to eight collegesone to two safeties, two to four good matches, and one to two reaches. 2. Visit a few schools A great way to narrow your list further is to visit some campuses. If you havent gotten a chance to already, take advantage of the time off during the summer to visit some of the schools you are applying to. Of course, academics are a huge factor when it comes to selecting a school, but things like size, location, distance from your hometown, and campus atmosphere can really affect your college experience. Though many colleges and universities are much quieter during the summer, students can still get a great sense of a schools general feel. If you cant visit some of your schools in person, many colleges and universities offer virtual tours on their websites. Another great website to check out is youvisit.com, a virtual reality platform with photos, videos, and virtual tour guides that will take you around the campuses of over 1,000 schools. Students can walk around campus, take a peek inside the freshman dorms, and even visit the library. Moreover, you can even search for schools based on institution type, campus setting, tuition price, and the size of the student body. 3. Look into the different application portals College-bound seniors applying in the 2016-2017 cycle will have more application portals than ever to choose from, with the major ones being the Common App, the Universal College Application, and the new Coalition Application. Students with exceptionally strong academic records from low-income backgrounds should also consider applying using QuestBridge, a nonprofit that connects high-achieving, low-income students with top-tier colleges and opportunities. While many colleges and universities will accept several, if not all, of the applications mentioned above, a few will only have one option, so be sure to confirm this info with your prospective schools. This year, it will be more important than ever for seniors to plan ahead. After you finalize your list of schools, check out which application portals each school will be using this year and create a checklist that details what each application requires. 4. Take some time for test prep While some of you may have already taken the SAT and/or ACT in your junior year, other students will take these standardized tests in the fall of senior year. If you have already taken the test and know you have a weakness to strengthen, or if you havent taken it yet and have no idea what to expect, take the opportunity to do some studying over the summer. Consider looking into ACT tutoring or SAT tutoring, and dont forget to check out the many free resources available online, such as these free prep books. It is also important to register for the test itself. Be sure to select a date in the fall that will allow you to send your scores to the colleges and universities that you are applying to on time. If you are applying early action or early decision, the absolute latest that you can take the test is in October of your senior year! 5. Explore your interests Summer is a great time to explore new interests and hone existing passions. Maybe youve always wanted to learn a new language or how to code. Or maybe youre an athlete or an artist, and you want to take this opportunity to sharpen your craft. Whether students choose to volunteer, intern, work, travel, or enroll in a summer course, they should aim to learn something new. Whatever it is that youre interested in, take your knowledge of it to the next level and carry it forward with the intention of doing something special with it. Coincidentally, exploring your interests over the summer will likely give you great material to write about in your college essays. Which bring us to our next piece of advice 6. Get started on some application essays While it may feel like application deadlines are light-years away, they will be here before you know itand it will be even more difficult to get started on your essays when you have other ones to write for school! At the very least, compile all of the different prompts that you will have to answer from the various schools you are applying to and start brainstorming potential topics. Regardless of how you decide to spend your summer, you should devote some amount of time to planning and writing. The college application process can be a long one, so its best to get started sooner rather than later. 7. Relax Learning how to manage stress as a teenager is critical. So while it is important to spend some time this summer being productive, it is also important to spend some time resting your mind and recharging for the upcoming school year. Find time to venture outdoors, read for pleasure, and spend time with your family and friends. Striking the perfect balance between being productive, having fun, and resting will not only make for an enjoyable summer, but will also reduce the amount of stress that you will face in the upcoming school year. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

4 Must-Have Apps for Guitar Players

4 Must-Have Apps for Guitar Players Suzy S. Excited about learning how to play the guitar? Awesome! Youll need the perfect beginner guitar, a great teacher by your side, and a personal commitment to learning and improving. Using extra resources like smartphone or tablet apps to help you practice efficiently in between lessons can help a ton, as well. But with so many apps available these days, you may feel a little overwhelmed when youre trying to find one to download. Below are a handful that we really like. TakeLessons Live TakeLessons Live offers online classes that are led by live guitar teachers. With the free membership option, you can join a variety of classes from anywhere in the world.  Topics covered include guitar exercises, music theory, scales, song tutorials, and more. If you’re looking for a fun way to practice your skills while getting feedback from a real instructor, this is the app for you! TakeLessons Live is available for both iOS and Android and is free. Guitar Toolkit For any guitar player, having an app that can function as one of the many tools needed for practice and performance is always nice. There are a lot of apps for guitar that serve as metronomes, tuners, and chord reference charts, but what makes Guitar Toolkit stand out above many of the other apps for guitar is that it combines all of these tools and more into one slick interface. If you need to tune your guitar, this app makes it easy, whether youre looking for standard tuning for a 6-string, or an alternate tuning for anything between 7 and 12 strings. It can also help you practice scales and arpeggios to get ready for your next lesson! The Guitar Toolkit app is available in the iTunes App Store for $9.99 from Agile Partners. The cost is a little daunting compared to other apps, but if youre willing to pay for efficiency and not having to switch apps every time you need to reference a chord chart or switch tuning, this is the best option. The Gibson Learn Master Guitar Application The reputation of Gibson in the guitar-playing world is second to none. So it goes without saying that when they create a mobile app to help with mastering the guitar, it would be an excellent resource as well. This app has it all: a fully functional tuner for either chromatic or standard guitar tuning, a metronome, a chord reference chart, and even video lessons. You can also use the in-app links to get to Gibsons website, where you can stay updated with the latest news in the guitar industry. The Gibson Learn Master Guitar Application is available in both the iTunes App Store as well as the Android Market from Legacy Learning Systems, and is free to download and use. Lick of the Day There are a lot of apps for guitar out there that show you how to play guitar  solos and popular riffs. What makes this app different is that a lot of the licks showcased in the app are taught by the guitar players that wrote the riff themselves. Its not every day that you can learn from Joe Satriani! The Lick of the Day app for guitar is free, but the Lick Packs cost $4.99 each. However, you can still get a lot of the features for free, such as a new free featured lick each week! The app is available in the iTunes App Store from Agile Partners. Bonus: Ultimate Guitar Tabs You might already know that Ultimate Guitar has a huge database of online guitar tabs for you to browse through. So it should come as no surprise that one of the most essential apps for guitar is their mobile app, which features the entire library! You can search quickly by song title or artist, or you can narrow your search by a multitude of different parameters, such as difficulty, tuning, and overall rating. And if youre at a loss for what to play next, you can always use the random tab button to find something new! The Ultimate Guitar Tabs app is available in the the iTunes App Store, Android Market, and Windows Phone Store from Ultimate Guitar USA, LLC. It costs $2.99, and there are numerous in-app purchases for add-ons, such as a metronome or tuner. Dont Forget the Best Resource of All! These mobile apps for guitar are fantastic for helping you practice, but dont forget that your private instructor is your best resource of all! He or she will guide you through lessons at a pace appropriate for you, keep you motivated, introduce you to new songs and genres you may not have considered playing, and show you exactly what to practice to improve your skills. Have fun and keep up the great work! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by  ljguitar

Customizing the Tutoring Experience An Example Approach

Customizing the Tutoring Experience An Example Approach Improving Academic Performance Guiding students to a deeper mastery of mathematics, science, or language arts skills is a daunting challenge, since no two students are completely alike and instruction must, therefore, be individualized. However, “the wheel need not be entirely reinvented” for each student: after a diagnostic assessment has been administered, it is possible to view the individual student as aligning with one or another of several basic groups (or demonstrating a need for targeted instruction in multiple areas at once) I work primarily with language arts students, so this article is geared towards that subject. But a similar approach can likely be applied to most other subjects. Different tutors may think of these groups in different terms, depending on the weight they assign to such factors as standardized test scores, grade point averages, the perceived difficulty levels of the schools attended, and so forth. Since I tend to work with high-capacity students accustomed to challenging courses in excellent schools â€" supported by parents for whom college expectations are a driving factor â€" I tend to focus on these clusters: Students whose reading comprehension is impaired. Vocabulary is a root cause, as with a student immersed in a different “first language” before English or someone who has difficulty hearing the “tone” of a reading passage. I have encountered the former most often with teens who, although brought to the U.S. very young or even born here, were basically raised by extended family members (until Kindergarten) as their white-collar parents established professional careers. Such a student may have received limited exposure before age five to English words, especially to the proliferation of prefixes, suffixes, and roots with which we construct words in English. Those whose use of grammar is inconsistent. Since English is a very inconsistent language, this is understandable though regrettable. One has only to look at “families of verbs” to see the problem: irregular verbs (ranging from is and are to catch and caught), for example, or the dizzying variety of phrasal verbs which each demand a specific preposition and no other (you can gaze at something but you cannot gaze to it). Again, the second language learner may well be especially encumbered, but plenty of “cradle English speakers” have similar difficulties. Those who cannot write well. This is an “equal opportunity” deficit which cuts across all strata of students, since it becomes an exercise in logic (thesis, proofs, conclusion), the ability to sequence sentences into paragraphs, and a knack for turning paragraphs into a coherent document (all while keeping the reader engaged). For such students, the college admissions process can be a nightmare: the schools to which bright students want to go demand proof of refined writing abilities via the essay-writing sections of the SAT and ACT (whether technically “optional” or not) and admissions application essays (whether mandated on the Common App or a school’s proprietary application). For better or worse, standardized testing shapes our collective view of Language Arts proficiency. For example, public speaking â€" since not tested on such exams â€" is not something in which I am asked to tutor students except at the graduate school level. Generally speaking, the three “deficit area groups” defined above create a hierarchy: trouble with vocabulary is a bedrock problem, while grammar issues range from the fundamental to the exotic (“Can you end a sentence with a preposition?”) and writing problems anchor the high end of the cognitive scale. Tutoring can make a huge difference, no matter with what group (or with which groups simultaneously) the student can be associated. For example, it is possible to zero in on the exactly vocabulary into which the individual needs to immersed: you can tell a lot by his/her relative performance when presented with passages ranging from fiction (full of nuances and inferences) to physical science (more heavily loaded with “high concept” words and cause-and-effect relationships). Likewise, it is possible to zero in on the level of grammar which needs urgent attention, whether it is using commas or using semicolons, becoming well-grounded in verb tenses or introducing dependent clauses, or getting the knack of using pronouns or parallel sentence structure correctly. Solid vocabulary and grammar skills converge in good writing, where sentence variety, smooth transitions, interesting contrasts and comparisons, and “building a case” for a particular point of view all meld. Here, too, a baseline assessment allows us to tap accumulated wisdom about “where to begin” â€" usually with the need for the writer to make his/her thesis completely clear before layering on facts, figures, and quotes. The job of the Language Arts tutor, then, is to have enough accumulated experience to see students in the broad context of written communications â€" without losing sight of them as individuals. Every student is “going somewhere,” and our job is to help them get there with as much confidence as they can muster. For the individual student, that means knowing the right word, knowing the correct grammar, and being able to write without dreading it. All of these are achievable with practice and patience. Paul Foxworth, Blogger at EducationalOutcomes.com