Thursday, April 2, 2020

The Many Reasons Why Teachers Who Promote Tutoring As a Profession Are Motivated to Do So

The Many Reasons Why Teachers Who Promote Tutoring As a Profession Are Motivated to Do SoTeachers who promote tutoring as a profession often find themselves in an awkward position. When they try to sell their services, they are not sure how to answer the question of why they're in the tutoring business. They might say that it's because they have a love for children or that it's a way to make a little extra money, but the truth is they don't really know why they're in this line of work.One common reason that people who teach in the public school system cite is the ability to get out and enjoy life more. In many cases, this is true. But that doesn't mean that teachers who promote tutoring as a profession aren't concerned about more than just making a little extra money.One of the reasons that teachers who promote tutoring as a profession are motivated to do so is the satisfaction that comes from being able to put that skill to use as an effective tutor. It is a job that allows you to p rovide a vital service to a student. It is often an important way to meet students of various ages, races, backgrounds, and levels of achievement. If you can't find a way to create an environment where students can connect with you, then teaching in a public school system won't be very fulfilling.Another reason teachers who promote tutoring as a profession feel motivated to get out of the classroom and get involved in the community is that they want to bring in the money that allows them to stay employed in the school systems. It may take some work to connect with potential clients and customers, but the rewards that come with it are well worth the effort. You will find that you will be able to make a living just by providing the service that gets others excited about learning. You will be able to make your life easier, even though you don't have time to do a lot of things that other teachers have to do.A third reason that teachers who promote tutoring as a profession want to work i n other areas of the education industry is that they don't want to have to spend so much time spending their own lives catering to their students. There is a lot of time to go to school and a lot of time that they have to prepare lessons for students in order to give them a great experience. You can be a teacher who offers a valuable service and be able to spend the rest of your life just getting by.The opportunities for people who offer a valuable service to many students is also increased when they teach in a private school system. Most of the time, it is easier to have the ability to provide a specialized service within the school and be able to do so without a large amount of education requirements. That means that a teacher who wants to maintain her or his job can focus on the basic aspects of being a teacher and working in one environment instead of trying to juggle the education requirements of several different schools.As a final benefit, a person who wants to be a great tea cher can be more effective than someone who doesn't. These teachers who promote tutoring as a profession are generally more willing to consider the needs of students than teachers who are not offering such a service. They have their own set of concerns that they have to deal with and cannot just write off students because they are not interested in their educational success. The work that they do is an essential part of the education process and they want to see that they give a student the best chance possible.Teachers who promote tutoring as a profession are looking for the opportunities that allow them to provide an effective service to a wide range of students. Whether it's in the classroom or outside of it, they want to see their work to make a difference for students in all areas of the education system.

Sunday, March 22, 2020

How to Improve Your Spanish in 30 Minutes a Day

How to Improve Your Spanish in 30 Minutes a Day Suzy S. Whether you love science fiction, romance, or adventure, using non-academic books to learn Spanish is a fun way to improve your speaking skills! Learn more in this guest post  from Honolulu tutor  Jinan B... Reading books in Spanish is an inexpensive, portable, and convenient way to improve your Spanish skills. In this article Ill review the many ways reading books in Spanish will help you learn the language so that you can begin using this effective and enjoyable tool of reading the written Spanish word. Expand Your Vocabulary The first reason to use books to learn Spanish is to improve and expand your vocabulary. Acquiring a rich and complex vocabulary is one of the most challenging elements of language study, and reading in Spanish naturally enhances vocabulary learning. By reading fiction and non-fiction books on a variety of subjects, you will gain a vocabulary far beyond what you find in most Spanish textbooks, which are simply a starting point for your vocabulary bank. Furthermore, reading in Spanish allows you to gain understanding of unknown words through the context, thereby increasing your overall understanding of sentence structure, parts of speech, and typical vocabulary usage in the language. Improve Your Understanding of Phrases and Ideas On a related note, reading in Spanish also stretches your understanding of complex phrases and ideas that you might otherwise have trouble grasping. When you are reading, you can use the context (as well as cognates) to increase your understanding. You also have the ability to read slowly and re-read, which is another reason why reading in Spanish is a wonderful complement to aural exercises and listening to Spanish. Moving at your own pace while reading means that you can over time gain a deeper understanding of the language by reading thoroughly and utilizing the context and your previous knowledge of Spanish. Reading also encourages overall familiarity with the language, and increased ease in using the language. Try reading a passage out loud, then silently, taking as much time as you need to comprehend the passage, and then again out loud to see if you hear a difference in your fluency and ease in speaking. Improve Your Writing Skills Another skill that reading in Spanish improves is writing. By reading works of famous Spanish authors, youll get a sense of the rhythm and style of the written language, allowing you to glean inspiration to write in a similarly appropriate style and tone. You can even make a list of new words you are acquiring by reading and then try to write an essay or other written work incorporating some or all of the new words. Bonus: Try your hand at these Spanish writing prompts!   Learn More About the Language Overall Most of all, reading works in Spanish gives you a deeper understanding of the cultural implications behind Spanish language usage. Try reading works from a variety of Hispanic cultures and notice the differences in word choice, style, and sentence structure. Visualizing the connection between culture and language increases your cultural sensitivity in speaking with and writing to native Spanish speakers, and allows you to have a deeper awareness in choosing how and what to communicate in Spanish. That will certainly increase your depth, skill, and usage of the Spanish language! With all of these benefits in mind, improving your Spanish language skills is as easy as visiting your local library or browsing the foreign language section of a bookstore. And if you have questions about something you read, you can always bring in a passage to work on with your Spanish language teacher or tutor â€" they’ll appreciate your interest and motivation! Jinan B. tutors in Honolulu, HI. She is currently an  Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, teaching various courses including  Community Nutrition, Concepts in Nutrition Education, and Advanced Child and Adolescent Nutrition.  Learn more about Jinan here!   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  Gildas Le Mentec

Friday, March 6, 2020

How to Create a Last-Minute Study Plan for Finals

How to Create a Last-Minute Study Plan for Finals Finals season is upon us. Even though you may have already been tested on much of the material that will appear on your finals, you will need to develop a greater understanding of that material in order to earn a high score on the final. Developing a plan to approach your exams can not only help you stay organized as you study, but can also help you reduce some of the stress that comes with reviewing mass amounts of detailed information. But what can you do ifyour finals are less than a weekaway? Check out these tips on how to create a last-minute study plan for finals: 1. Develop a list of all of the topics on which you will be tested A good place to start studying for your finals is to develop an understanding of how much you will have to master and how much time you have to study. Begin by taking stock of each course in which you are enrolled. Which concepts will you have to review? Which concepts are the most in-depth, and which will you spend the least time on? Make a list of review topics for each of your subjects, prioritizing the more difficult and prominent topics. 2. Plan ahead by studying for each subject over several days, instead of cramming The worst position to be in is to stay up until the wee hours of the morning to cram the night before a final exam. Avoid this by using a planner or calendar to plan which topics youll tackle each day. For example, on one day you might study differential functions from calculus, another topic from chemistry, and two additional units from history. Studying all of your subjects over a longer period of time gives you plenty of time to revisit difficult topics and adjust your study habits if necessary. Plus, research indicates that your brain better retains information when it intakes new material over shorter periods of time, rather than an hours-long cram session. Also, many students may intend to study for, say, math and literature on one day, but end up focusing entirely on one subject, without moving on to the next. Planning ahead helps alleviate this problem. If you know a particular subject will take up a great amount of study time, plan for it. Take into account your needs and test dates to make sure you dont put off studying for any subject. 3. Take notes on concepts youll need to review closer to the test As you study, take notes on topics that you know will require some last-minute review before your final. Make sure these notes are organized and comprehensive, but are concise enough to review in the day or two before your exam. You can also tailor your review to your learning style by drawing illustrations, mind maps, or graphics if you are a visual learner, for example, or reading your notes aloud if you are an auditory learner. [RELATED: How to Identify Your Study Style] 4. Complete practice problems for each of your topics The best way to get ready for a finalespecially one that involves quantitative problemsis to answer questions and solve problems concerning the topics you will be tested on. For example, when preparing for a final in your College Algebra class, you should take the time to solve college algebra practice problems that correspond with each unit you are reviewing. Even in non-math courses, like American History, you may come across practice questions to supplement your review. Testing yourself before the real exam is the best way to put your knowledge to use and hone your critical thinking skills. [RELATED: How to Analyze Practice Test Results] 5. What to do the night before a final exam Ideally, youve been studying for weeks, but you could also use a last-minute refresher. What do you do? If you listened to our advice and took notes on difficult topics to review, you can use these notes as a last-minute review sheet to hone your understanding. Review your notes and then go to bed earlya rested mind and body help you perform the best you can on test day. It may seem like finals sneak up on you, but you can control the process with forethought, focus, and review. Start your study plan for finals today, and see the results by test day.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Infographic How a clean office can boost productivity - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Infographic How a clean office can boost productivity - Introvert Whisperer Infographic: How a clean office can boost productivity We all have days where we go into work with the best of intentions at clocking another productive day, only to end up going home several hours later with a feeling of dissatisfaction at not being able to get done as much as you had planned. On the surface, this might seem like the result of laziness, but sometimes there are extenuating circumstances at play which can hamper our productivity. One such reason is the cleanliness of the workplace. If you’re coming into an office every day that’s heavily littered, looks gray and has a pungent odor coming from the canteen or garbage cans, you’ll automatically find it more difficult to get your best work done because these are all barriers to productivity. There might not be an obvious link between a litter-strewn desk and a failure to complete scheduled work, but psychologically a person will find it much harder to maximize their output if their eye is subconsciously drawn to piles of coffee cups or papers. The effects aren’t just psychological, either. If your office doesn’t have a well-maintained filing system and you’re squandering time every day on rummaging through piles of papers to look for just one document, you’re being taken away from your work. Accumulate that wasted time over a year, or even a month, and you’ll be shocked at how much time is being lost so needlessly. The loss of productivity over time could be equated to simply ringing in with a phony illness and not bothering to turn up for a few days, and no employer in the world would stand for that. Cleaning Services Group created an infographic which examines the connection between maintaining a clean, tidy workplace and optimizing your productivity without you hardly even realizing it.

Learning Chinese with MOOCs

Learning Chinese with MOOCs What You Need to Know About Learning Chinese with a MOOC ChaptersWhat is a Chinese MOOC?Why Choose a MOOC to Learn ChinesePlatforms for Finding Chinese MOOCsChinese MOOCs: Effective Learning“Once you stop learning, you start dying.” - Albert EinsteinAccording to NOTCFL (National Office of Teaching Chinese as Foreign Language), there are 2,500 universities in the world offering Chinese as a foreign language. These universities can be found in hundreds of different countries.Why not learn how to speak Chinese with an online language course?MOOCs are distance courses offered by universities and available to everyone.Learning Pinyin, Chinese characters, and how to speak Chinese is becoming increasingly accessible. Here’s our guide to learning how to speak Chinese with MOOCs, what they are, why you should enrol in one, where you can find them, and the benefits of learning with MOOCs.since  you need to keep up with the classes and the course and teacher will ensure that.Why not try out your Chinese by travelling there? (Source: Silentpilot )While this may appeal to certain types of learners, it’s not for everyone  and you need to adapt.However, having a teaching team makes the courses more effective than just regular online tutorials. Don’t hesitate to ask others for help on the forums and participate in the course as much as you can.The teaching approach favours working in groups. Students can support one another and help keep you motivated. This is why MOOCs are open to everyone. The teaching resources aren’t the only thing that’ll improve your learning.Furthermore, you’ll belong to a rich and diverse community that helps its members to progress. This will stop you from giving up the second week in.  Whether you’re planning a trip to China, considering moving there, or looking to study abroad, MOOCs could really help!If you've decided that MOOCs aren't for you, why not consider private tutorials?While these aren't free like MOOCs, they do offer a way to learn Chinese Mandarin that's well beyond anything else being offered. As the only student being taught in a class, you can focus on anything you want.Those who are interested in learning their second language to travel can focus on Chinese culture and Chinese speaking classes to get them around mainland China. If you want to take your language study further, you could really dive into reading and writing in Chinese with an intensive focus on literature, for example.The main benefit of learning the Mandarin language with private tutorials is that you're the boss. You can explain to your tutor the level of fluency you want to achieve and why you want to learn the language and they can put together a programme of language training that's completely tailored to you.If there are no tutors living near you, don't forget that you can always opt for online private tutorials via video conferencing software such as Skype. These are often cheaper as the tutor doesn't have travel costs to cover.

Gamification in Education Its Time Education Leveled Up [Infographic]

Gamification in Education It’s Time Education Leveled Up [Infographic] Brooke Neuman Explore the exciting world of education through gamification. See how and why it works on kids and adults for improved retention, knowledge, and more in this guest post from our friends at JoyTunes How many students have been scolded by parents to put their video game away and get their homework done? It’s been a common household quarrel for decades, but kids across the globe are finally celebrating the new data that supports gamification as a means of advanced education and learning. Check out how it’s being applied to students young and old who are learning to play the piano for the first time. Gamification:  What it is Why it Works Gamification is the process of utilizing gaming elements outside the standard gaming model to present an idea or achieve a goal. In the field of education, gamification is currently being used to help students learn better. Jane McGonigal enlightens the world to the benefits of education through gamification in her TED Talk here: In short, gamification techniques allow students to relate to the material and learning process in a whole new way, a way that is more engaging, interactive, attractive, and quite frankly, fun. Kids and adults can tackle issues from new angles, relate to the assignment more personally, visualize the problem at hand, organize and compartmentalize tasks, and achieve success based on motivating factors that speak to the individual. This is Your Brain, This is Your Brain on Gamification Here are a few facts about gamification that might clue you into the popularity, efficacy, and power of this under-utilized educational tool: By 2015, the gamification industry is projected to exceed $2 billion dollars, while the projected rates are meant to reach $5.5 billion by 2018. Close to 80% of students unilaterally stated that a more game-like atmosphere would increase productivity. 89% of people polled liked the point system for upping their engagement during an eLearning app session. People enjoy the charge that comes from scoring points, out ranking others, and being able to measure their accomplishments with concrete numbers. Skill-based knowledge assessments increased 14%, factual knowledge went up 11%, and retention was even improved by 9% for adults who used eLearning tools with gamification. Of course, not all gamification methods work as well as others. Some less popular techniques for getting the job done (or in this case the lesson learned) included receiving virtual gifts, being part of a story, and avatars. Music Gamified Learning to play the piano or any instrument is a challenge, no doubt. But mastering this beautiful art is easier, more manageable, and a lot more fun when you combine the strengths and incentives implied by gamification to your music lessons. Innovative music apps, like JoyTunes, use gamification to help kids and adults learn to play an instrument faster. The principles are simple: Games make learning more fun: The piano lesson is taught in the form of a game. We all like earning points: Points are gained when scales are performed properly. Games require repetition: Repetition makes for good music incorporation and learning. Hence, games equal excellent musical training grounds. Pretty smart, huh? Give it a Try! The infographic above tells the long story of gamification at a glance. The extent of this processing is yet to be discovered, but one thing can be said of gamification for sure: those who tap into this innovative method for teaching, learning, and training are guaranteed to see extraordinary results. And those that don’t…well, they’ll just be left in the dark. Guest Post Author:  Mya Achidov This is a guest post from JoyTunes. Mya Achidov is the Blog Editor-in-Chief at JoyTunes, a company that develops award-winning apps to teach you how to play music. 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

Improve Your Pronunciation 3 Spanish Movies to Watch Now

Improve Your Pronunciation 3 Spanish Movies to Watch Now Suzy S. Becoming fluent in a new language can feel quite daunting, especially when youre trying to translate in your head first! Read on for some great tips to increase speed and pronunciation from instructor  Giulia M I have been teaching Spanish, Italian, and English for a number of years.  I am Italian, which means that two of the three of the languages I teach are not my native one. I understand the challenges students encounter while learning a new language since Ive been through them myself. In order to master a language and express our thoughts and emotions in an effective way, we need to start thinking in that language. This can be difficult to achieve, but with  time, practice, and dedication, your thoughts will begin to  originate in your new language. I think the most powerful tools we have when learning a new language is our memory and our capacity to imitate. In fact,  a big part of  my learning process through the years has been when I watch movies in Spanish and memorize the dialogue. Much like with music, memorizing movie dialogue can help you learn pronunciation without having to think about the translation. The practice is useful when training yourself to think in a new language. My Top 3 Spanish Movie Recommendations There are so many great opportunities out there to watch movies in Spanish! I am a big fan of the Spanish director  Pedro  Almodóvar. His movies are very interesting and the actors speak Spanish beautifully. These are a few of his greatest titles. Volver A  comedic drama, the film features ghosts, murder, and love as it  details the relationships between three generations of women in Madrid. All About My Mother This emotional film follows a woman coping with her own personal tragedy as she makes new friends and reacquaints herself with an important character from her past. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Many complicated paths cross in a confusing jumble as a woman seeks to discover the reason her lover chose to leave. Even More Spanish Movies to Watch I recommend movies from Mexico like Y Tu Mamá También or Amores Perros to hear Spanish being spoken in a non-Spanish accent. Chilean and Argentinean movies might be a little more challenging because the actors tend to speak quickly. I am a big fan of Ricardo Darín, an Argentinian actor. You may want to check him out if your Spanish is intermediate or advanced. I love El mismo amor, la misma lluvia, Son of the Bride, or Nine Queens. Quick Tips for My Students Watch movies with English subtitles if you are a beginner, and in the language you are learning if you are intermediate or advanced. This way you will be able to connect the words youre hearing with the words youre seeing on the screen.  This will help you memorize new words and work on pronunciation. Using two of your senses at once tremendously increases  your learning ability. Whenever you dont understand a word, concept, or grammatical structure, pause the movie and look it up in your textbook or a Spanish dictionary.  This will be more accurate than using an online translator and the act of looking for something helps you learn. I hope you enjoy these movies as much as I do! I promise that on top of having fun, your level of comfort while speaking Spanish  will increase rapidly. Readers, do you like to watch movies in Spanish? What are your favorites? Let us know in the comments! Giulia M. teaches Spanish, Italian, singing, and guitar in Austin, TX and online. She is from Florence, Italy, and has been a tutor for the past 12 years. Learn more about Giulia here! 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  tonicito

Basic Algebra Review

Basic Algebra Review A significant branch of mathematics which consists of numbers, letters, and mathematical symbols in order to express mathematical expressions, equations and formulas is called as Algebra. In basic algebra different mathematical formulas and methods are used to solve the given equations. Some algebraic expression even consists of complex numbers, vectors etc. Example 1: Given is a basic algebraic equation, 8z 6 = 10. Solve the equation to get the value ofz. To solve for z, we have to add/subtract few terms on both sides of the equation. Add 6 on both sides to balance the equation 8z 6 + 6 = 10 +6 Cancel the -6 and +6 on the left side. Combining the like terms, we get: 8z = 16 Divide 8 on both sides of the equation. 8z/8 = 16/8 z = 2 The answer is: z = 2. Example 2: Given is a basic algebraic equation, 10y + 1 = y + 28 Solve the equation to get the valueof y. To solve for y, we have to add/subtract few terms on both sides of the equation. Subtract y on both sides to balance equation 10 y + 1 -y = y + 28 -y Now, combine the like terms, this gives 9y + 1 = 28 Subtract 1 on both sides 9y + 1 - 1 = 28 - 1 Combine the like terms 9y = 27 Divide 9 on both sides:9y/9= 27/9 The answer is: x = 3.

How to Use English Adverbs of Place

How to Use English Adverbs of Place I was asked a very good question on our English level exam.  The student  wanted to know why there was no preposition between not and home in the sentence, Last week she was not home.Many English language learners make this mistake. They say, I go TO home at 3. This is incorrect. We say, I go home at 3. No preposition! Why? Watch the short grammar video:Click here to try our quiz!And here is a listening exercise just to be sure you fully understand!