Tutor Services Offered by Planet Tutoring Weston

Tutor Services Offered by Planet Tutoring WestonPlanet Tutoring is a company based in Oxfordshire that offers tutoring for students of all ages. The agency has a network of teachers and tutors in more than 80 countries around the world, giving tutors the opportunity to serve as experts in a particular subject area. There are literally thousands of tutors in the country who are experienced and qualified to offer tutoring services, and the agency is aware of this, hence they have selected a well established agency, which has a number of talented and professional tutors that will give you the best possible tutoring.In most of the places that the tutors offered tutoring, they are typically the typical student of the locality. Most of the tutors working for the tutoring company are either college-age students or can easily pass the test required to get a college degree. The agency ensures that the tutors are highly experienced and qualified, and their teaching standards are impeccable, so it is possible to get your tuition done in an expert manner.Planet Tutoring also gives you a wide range of tutorials on subjects such as business, music, languages, sports, world history, English and other subjects. You will get a variety of tutors who specialize in certain subjects, so you will get tutoring done by a local knowledge expert on the subject, without having to worry about where you will be located. This means that you will learn in an environment that is safe and free from any pressure. You will not need to worry about learning any outside information about the subject you are studying, since the tutors at Planet Tutoring Weston will cover all the aspects needed to get you the right form of education.Tutors who offer tutoring will also help you in the form of after school tutoring, which will get you ready for college or university. Other important areas of tutoring are medical, educational and legal. In all these cases, the tutors at Planet Tutoring Weston will help you get a quality education. The tutors will also help you achieve the best possible grades in your school examinations.If you are planning to attend college, there are some things that you should take into consideration, such as the city or town where you live, and the services available to you at the local institution, if any. Planet Tutoring Weston is available in many of the local colleges in the town, and they have a very good reputation. They offer theming services at their local institutions, which is an added advantage.The tutors who work for Planet Tutoring Weston are more than capable to give you the highest standard of tutoring. There are well experienced and qualified teachers that give you the best education, so you can be confident that you will get the highest standard of education. No matter what your age is, the tutors at Planet Tutoring Weston will ensure that you get the highest standard of education in the best possible way.So, if you are planning to attend a col lege, a school exam, you will have the assurance that you will get the highest quality of education. Whether you are in the UK or the rest of the world, you will always find a tutor to suit your needs. The tutors at Planet Tutoring Weston are trained to give you the best tutoring that will get you the highest grade that you can obtain.

What is it Like to Attend Tufts University

What is it Like to Attend Tufts University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Evelyn is a St. Louis tutor specializing in SAT prep tutoring, GRE prep tutoring, Middle School Math tutoring, and more. She graduated from Tufts University in 2009 with a degree in Biopsychology. See what she had to say about her alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Evelyn: Tufts University is located in Somerville/Medford, right outside of Boston. I really liked that the school is located in a less busy, suburban area but is still close to the city. I felt safe on the Tufts campus, but I always used common sense strategies just in case (e.g., didnt walk around alone at night, paid attention to my surroundings). There is a lot of public transportation available for Tufts students, including bus and subway systems. In addition, Tufts runs a campus shuttle (known as The Joey) that can transport you to a few different locations on-campus. It also goes to Davis Square, the location of the nearest subway stop (about a 15-20 minute walk away from campus). I dont think its necessary to have a bike or car at Tufts, though it can make it easier to get to certain places a little further from campus (e.g., the grocery store, Target). VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Evelyn: I never had an issue with getting in touch with professors, academic advisers, teaching assistants, etc.everyone that I had was very accessible, both via e-mail and to meet in-person. Most of my professors and teaching assistants actually encouraged students to reach out to them, which I dont think is always the case at other schools. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Evelyn: All freshmen and sophomores are required to live in dorms on-campus. Students can choose from various dorm options (e.g., different locations on campus, healthy living, freshmen-only, suites or individual rooms, etc.). Some dorms are better than others, but theyre all passable. There isnt enough on-campus housing for everyone at the school, so it can be little difficult to get a dorm as a junior or senior. There are a lot of apartments available for rent right next to the campus, though, and I was actually ready to live in my own place by the time I was a junior! There are two main dining halls on-campusI got a little tired of the food by the time I was a senior, but it was still pretty good overall. Tufts Dining Services makes a conscious effort to offer a variety of foods, including healthy options, and the dining halls had some fun theme nights every week (I remember stir fry night being particularly popular at one of the dining halls). The school is actually in both Somerville and Medford, two towns right outside of Boston. I really liked the location because it was still pretty close to the city without being right in the middle of it. There were a lot of opportunities for socialization on-campusI met most of my friends through running cross-country and track, but there are a ton of other groups students can join (intramural sports, various music groups, fraternities and sororities). A lot of my friends were also really close with people they met in their freshmen dorms. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Evelyn: Tufts undergraduate program is divided into the School of Arts Sciences and the School of Engineering. When I was a student, I knew a lot of people who majored in English, Economics, Biology, Psychology, and International Relations, and several of my friends were Engineering majors. I was a Biopsychology major, so I took classes in both the Biology and Psychology departments. Ive always been interested in the biological basis of cognition and behaviour, so that major was a perfect fit for me. I felt very supported in my studiesI had a great adviser and some really amazing professors. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Evelyn: It was pretty easy for me to meet people as a freshman because I was a member of a sports team. It seemed like it was relatively easy for most people on-campus to make friends, though, either through their dorm or some type of student group. When I was in school, Greek life didnt play a huge role on-campus, but they did have a presence. I wasnt involved in the Greek system at all, but I remember hearing a lot about various philanthropic activities they were involved in (as well as parties they would host on the weekends!). VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Evelyn: I found Tufts Career Center very helpful, especially when I was applying to Teach for America my senior year. I know they offer help with resumes and cover letters, hold various career fairs, and assist people in applying for graduate school and jobs. The Academic Resource Center was also a really great serviceI worked there as a biology and psychology tutor, but I know they offer tutoring in virtually all subjects. Tufts is well-known as an academically rigorous school, so I think a lot of reputable companies recruit on-campus. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Evelyn: The on-campus study areas were easily available and spacious, for the most part. The only time it may have been hard to find a place to study at the library was during finals period, if you didnt get there pretty early in the morning. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Evelyn: There is a lot going on in the Boston arealots of museums, concert venues, shopping, great restaurants! Davis Square is about a 15-20 minute walk away from campus, and it has a few good bars and places to eat (and a delicious ice cream placeJP Licks). From there, its a pretty short subway ride to Cambridge and Boston. In my experience, most people at Tufts usually stayed relatively close to campus (e.g., Davis or Harvard Square). It could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to get to downtown Boston, depending on where you wanted to go. People would venture into the city every now and then, though, especially when there were special events going on (Head of the Charles Regatta, St. Patricks Day Parade, Boston Marathon). VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Evelyn: The undergraduate student body is about 5,000 people. I was, for the most part, pleased with the class sizesexcept for a few introductory courses I had to take for my major, classes were usually pretty small (about 15 people per class). VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Evelyn: My most memorable experience was, in the summer before my senior year, participating in a program called Research for Undergraduates. I got to do an independent research project about sexual selection in fireflies (I could nerd out right now, but I wont. Ill just say that it was very interesting!). Everyone in the program got to do his or her own project and present the findings at a research symposium at the end of the summer. We also went on a couple biology-related field trips and had weekly meetings/seminars about various topics in biology. It was a memorable experience because I had an awesome mentor and got to investigate a topic I found fascinating. I worked hard on my project and got a lot out of it (including a paper published in a scientific journal, which Im still really proud of!). Check out Evelyns tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Healthy Diets

Healthy Diets Diets for Losing Weight ChaptersLose Weight with the DASH DietLose Weight with the Mediterranean DietShed a Few Pounds with the Flexitarian DietLosing Weight with the Okinawa DietLosing Weight with Weight WatchersIntermittent Fasting for Weight LossKeeping the Weight Off with the Low-GI DietThe Light Dinner Diet“Healthy does NOT mean starving yourself EVER. Healthy means eating the right food in the right amount”. - Karen SalmansohnDon’t get caught up in fad diets that promise spectacular results. They can lead to deficiencies and cardiovascular problems and can be dangerous to your health. However, most of us will try a good number of them throughout our lives.If you want to lose weight, you just need to make a few changes and you’ll start to see a change. Drastic diets can be a source of frustration and can also lead you to give up on them altogether.The diets in this article are more likely to lead to sustained weight loss and fewer risks to your health. And a decreased chance of yoyoing. Rebecca Nutrition Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FernNutrition Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JehanNutrition Teacher £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FazNutrition Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AsherNutrition Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DelNutrition Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YusefNutrition Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoanneNutrition Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsLose Weight with the DASH DietHave you heard of the DASH diet?It was created by the National Institute of Health in the US. DASH stands for Dietary Approach to Stopping Hypertension. By losing weight and reducing blood pressure, you reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease.   The DASH diet has nothing to do with running but a healthy lifestyle will help you maintain a healthy weight. (Source: sasint)It’s an eating plan rather than a diet. Everyone in the family can do it, which can help whoever’s trying to lose weight.There are very few saturated fats and sugars, which are bad for your heart. It’s designed to decrease blood pressure and cholesterol. You can lose around 4 to 6 pounds a month if you also exercise.So what do you eat? Whole grains with every meal.Five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.Two or three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy products per day.Six or fewer servings of meat, poultry, or fish per day.Two to three servings of fats and oils per day.Four or five servings of nuts, seeds, dry beans, and peas per week.A maximum of two servings of natural sugars per day.Find out more about eating healthily.Lose Weight with the Mediterranean DietThe Mediterranean diet is one of the best in the world. While quite high in fats, Medi terranean populations have some of the best cardiovascular health in the world.Why?Thanks to olive oil, vegetables, nuts, fish fats, seafood, and very few processed products. Olive oil is a core ingredient in the Mediterranean diet. (Source: stevepb)How can you adopt a Mediterranean diet?Here are the rules to follow:A lot of cooked or raw fruits and vegetables as the foundation for every meal.Olive oil, dried fruits, herbs, and spices.Whole grains and dried vegetables with every meal.Lots of water.Fish and seafood at least twice a week. Eggs are also regularly consumed.White meat a bit less. Red meat is quite uncommon in the Mediterranean diet.Small amounts of dairy products other than a few goat’s or sheep’s milk yoghurts.A moderate amount of red wine.Very few sweets and processed foods.Discover the best meals for losing weight.Shed a Few Pounds with the Flexitarian DietThe flexitarian diet was born in the 1990s in the US and is both good for you and the planet. The goal is to eat less meat and fish without becoming vegetarian or vegan.While no particular foods are forbidden, there are certain foods that you should eat less of. This isn’t a regime for losing weight but it can lead to it.So what do you eat?White meat once or twice a week.Fish once or twice a week.A lot of cooked or raw fruits and vegetables as the foundation for every meal.Vegetable proteins: soy, dried fruits, pulses, wholegrain cereals.Organic and natural products: buy local and avoid processed foods. RebeccaNutrition Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FernNutrition Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JehanNutrition Teacher £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FazNutrition Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AsherNutrition Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DelNutrition Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YusefNutrition Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoanneNutrition Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsLosing Weight with the Okinawa DietThe Okinawa Diet is from Japan, the country with the highest number of peop le reaching the age of 100. The lifestyle and diets of the inhabitants have led to them leading longer lives. To avoid weight gain or lose weight, the Okinawa Diet is rich in Omega 3 and micro-nutrients.The Okinawa Diet at a glance:A lot of fruits, vegetables, and fish.Don’t keep eating until you’re full and only eat small portions.Opt for a variety of colours on your plate.Eat slightly cooked foods and don’t use microwaves or barbecues.Cook and consume foods separately.Here’s an example of a semi-vegetarian daily diet:7 to 13 servings of vegetables.7 to 13 servings of whole grains.2 to 4 fruits.2 to 4 servings of soy or cabbage.2 to 4 servings of high-calcium foods (broccoli, fish, yoghurt, cheese).1 to 3 servings of foods rich in Omega-3 (fish, seafood, nuts, grains).1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and condiments (herbs, spices, soy sauce).Tea.8 glasses of water.Discover some great ingredients for weight loss.Losing Weight with Weight WatchersIf you’re looking for an effective diet and a community to support you while you lose weight, Weight Watchers is what you’re after. The programme is based on eating a healthy and varied diet with weekly meetings to keep you motivated. Weight Watchers is a diet that also comes with support from others. (Source: silviarita)It works on a system of points according to your age, gender, size, weight, and activity levels. You can lose around 15% of your weight after just two months by following these principles:Eat a varied diet.Drink 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day.Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.Eat three dairy products per day.Reduce the amount of fat consumed.Exercise regularly.Intermittent Fasting for Weight LossIntermittent fasting is an excellent way to effectively lose weight in the long-term. This is done by only eating for a given 8 hours during the day and fasting for the remaining 16 hours.For example, you can only eat between 12:00 and 20:00 and you don’t eat the rest of the time. While we say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, in this case, you can’t have it.During the fasts, you can drink water, tea, or coffee, without sugar, of course. This will encourage your bod y to burn fat and you’ll lose weight. Similarly, intermittent fasting can reduce cholesterol.The advantage of this is that you’ll lose weight progressively, which will help you keep the weight off.Learn how to lose weight healthily.Keeping the Weight Off with the Low-GI DietMany studies have shown that sugar is as addictive as several banned substances. Much like these banned substances, sugar can be really bad for your health. The Low-GI Diet consists of consuming slow-sugars. You'll want to swap out certain sugars for other ingredients. (Source: fancycrave1)Quick sugars will raise your glycemic index and the secretion of insulin, leading to fat being stored.So what can’t you eat?White bread.Soft drinks and fruit juices.Sugary desserts.Potatoes.Pasta (except for whole-grain pasta).Rice cakes.Instead, you can have brown bread, pulses, brown rice, whole grain pasta, fruits, and vegetables. You’ll soon start feeling it and losing weight. You’ll also feel less bloated and have more energy.The Light Dinner DietLet’s finish with the easiest diet to follow. Most of us eat a balanced diet throughout the day and have dinner later on. Dinner is usually the meal where we gain the most weight. This is because we don’t do anything after dinner.  If you’re hungry before bed, eat an apple or drink herbal tea.For dinner:A vegetable-based starter.A light protein-based dish cooked on the grill or in the oven.An apple for dessert.So which healthy diet will you be trying?If you'd like to learn more about healthy eating, nutrition, and cooking, consider getting help from one of the many talented and experienced private tutors on Superprof. There are several different types of tutorials available but they all fall into one of three main categories: face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials.Face-to-face tutorials take place between just the tutor and one student. This means that all the tutor's attention is on you. While this is great for ensuring that you learn quickly, it also comes at a cost. Outside of your tutorials, the tutor will be preparing and planning your lessons and will factor this extra time into their hourly rates. Face-to-face tutorials are usually the most costly type of tutorial but they're also usually the most effective.Online tutorials are similar to face-to-face tutorials as they have the same tutor-student ratio. However, your tutor won't be in the same place as you. Instead, they'll teach you remotel y using a computer, webcam, and video conferencing software like Skype. Since the tutor doesn't have to travel to their students and can schedule more tutorials each week, they tend to charge less than their face-to-face counterparts.Finally, group tutorials are between one tutor and several students. With each student paying for the tutor's time, these tend to work out as the cheapest per student per hour. Unfortunately, the tutor won't be able to tailor the tutorials or the course to each student.

What Is Fusion Drumming

What Is Fusion Drumming The Features Of A Fusion Drum Kit ChaptersWhy Choose A Fusion Drum Kit?What To Look Out ForWhich Fusion Drum Kit Is Right For Me?If you want to learn how to drum, it may feel slightly overwhelming at first deciding where to begin.For instance, do you think you’d like to learn how to drum with electronic drums or acoustic drums? Knowing the types of drum sets available is just one of the hurdles to overcome.There are other questions you might ask yourself too, such as whether you’re hoping to learn to play a particular style, or if you’re just looking to learn how to master the basics of drumming and progress from there?Although it can feel as though there are lots of decisions to be made before you even start learning to drum, remember that you can always change your mind down the line â€" you’re not stuck with electronic drums for instance if you decide that you’d rather play acoustic!However, if you think that you might like to learn how to play on fusion-sized drums, then this article outlines what you s hould know.Fusion drum kits can work well if you plan on playing lots of different gigs. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, Free-Photos, Pixabay)Jazz fusion;Funk; orA combination of musical styles,You can certainly do so on a fusion drum kit.What’s more, you don’t have to be a novice drummer to play music on this type of kit â€" in fact, any ability level should be able to play on a fusion drum kit successfully!Ultimately, if you like playing different styles of music and would like to have a versatile drum kit, then a fusion kit could be right for you.Fusion drum kits can be great for beginners. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, Heyme, Pixabay)What To Look Out ForA fusion set is somewhere in between a standard rock n roll set and a smaller jazz set, with one of the greatest variations being the size of the bass drum.Its smaller size compared to a standard drum kit can make it easier to travel with and can also make it easier to tune. This can be helpful, for instance, if you gig regularly or have t o attend a roadshow.Below we highlight some of the main features that you might find in a fusion drum kit, including:The bass drum;The tom-toms;The snare drum; andThe cymbals.Although we outline some of the standard features that you might expect to see in these elements below, that’s not to say that there isn’t some room for personalisation if you would like to customise your kit in any way.After all, music is a form of self-expression, so don’t feel as though you absolutely have to conform to each of the standards below. Rather, see them as a guide and make your own mind up as to whether that particular type or size drum would work for you and your drumming style.For instance, if you'd rather use an electronic drum set to play fusion, then,  of course, you are free to, even if it may be preferable in some instances to use a dedicated fusion drum set.Check out Superprof to find some drum lessons.The Bass DrumArguably, the bass drum is the most important part of a fusion drum kit. It is the drum that has the deepest tone. Generally speaking, a fusion bass drum should measure around 20 inches, falling halfway between a jazz bass drum (usually 18 inches) and a rock bass drum (usually 22 inches).As a fusion kit tends to be smaller than a rock kit, it’s also common to see a fusion kit produce a quieter sound than a rock kit, which is something to bear in mind.The Tom-TomsA fusion drum set usually features three toms, the same number that you tend to find in a standard drum kit. However, the difference with the toms in a fusion kit is that they are generally smaller. Usually, you’ll see  10-inch, 12-inch and 14-inch toms.The Snare DrumAnother important element when it comes to a fusion drum set is the snare drum.Generally, you can expect to see a snare drum in a fusion kit measuring in at 14 inches. However, selecting a snare drum is a very personal choice. As a result, don’t be afraid to try out different snare drum sizes and shell thicknesses to find the combinations that work best for you.The CymbalsThere are plenty of different cymbals that you can add to your drum set to create new tones and personalise your own sound.If you’re starting to put a fusion drum kit together, one of the safest options is to start with buying two essentials â€" the hi-hat and the ride cymbal.When it comes to the hi-hat, you can usually buy one with a size of anywhere between 8 and 16 inches. However, when it comes to a hi-hat used in a fusion drum kit, you’re more likely to see one that falls between 10 and 14 inches.Equally, the ride cymbal usually measures between 18 and 24 inches, and will likely be the largest cymbal in your fusion drum kit. Bear in mind that in some fusion kits the ride cymbal might not be particularly durable. In such cases, have a think about whether it would be better to invest in a thicker cymbal that isn’t at as much risk of breaking with the slightest tap of a drumstick!Aside from the hi-hat and the ride cymbal, th ere are other cymbals that you could add to a fusion drum kit to personalise your kit if you wanted to. For example, you could add a splash or crash cymbal. Generally speaking:A splash cymbal measures between 8 and 12 inches; whileA crash cymbal measures between 13 and 22 inches.Regardless of what cymbals you end up choosing, try not to buy any cymbals before you’ve at least had a chance to try them out. This way, you’ll know that what you’re buying is best suited and personalised to you and how you would like to play.There are lots of different factors to consider when choosing a fusion drum kit. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, flockine, Pixabay)Which Fusion Drum Kit Is Right For Me?There are so many different ways to build up a drum kit. Often, how a person chooses a drum kit or how they decide to buy one will be a very personal decision.For instance, you might really value the ability to personalise your fusion drum kit as much as possible. In such cases, you might be better off bu ying each element of a fusion drum kit separately, so you have a chance to build the right sound and set-up for you.Equally, if you’re happy to work with a more standard fusion drum kit, you might find it much easier to buy an off the shelf kit that’s complete with all the standard elements you’d likely see in a fusion drum kit.What’s more, there are other factors to take into consideration, such as:How much room you have for a drum kit at home or in a studio;Whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced drummer;How far your budget will stretch when it comes to buying a drum kit; andWhether you’re set on buying a particular brand, such as Mapex, Zildjian, Rolanda, Yamaha, or Gretsch.All of these elements end up making a drum kit choice incredibly personal, so make sure that when the time does come to buy your next drum kit, you think about whether you’re happy with the price you’re paying, what elements you’re getting, whether you want to buy any other instrum ents, and how comfortable you are playing with the kit.Looking for drum lessons in the UK? Superprof's got you covered.It's also worthwhile trying out the various items of drum hardware if you can before you buy them. Regardless of whether you're looking at buying a complete drum set, snare drums, drum head, drumsticks, a new pedal, or even a metronome or microphone, testing everything out is a great way to know whether it's the right purchase for you.Although it can take time finding the perfect percussion instrument for you, spending some extra time researching and trying out different types of kit can pay off in the long run.If you found this useful, why not check out our blog on how to drum without a drum set!

Guitar for Kids 5 Best Childrens Guitar Books

Guitar for Kids 5 Best Childrens Guitar Books Suzy S. Guitar books can be a great help for kids who are interested in guitar lessons. Guitar teacher Matthew K. shares five of his favorite guitar books for younger students The guitar is an instrument that has to be learned by doing. During my experience as a guitar teacher, Ive found it essential to use a book for kids ages six to ten. Books can keep the student on track, but should not be the only teaching method used. Its important to keep lessons fun and interesting with songs and riffs that the child can connect with. A child wont learn everything about the guitar from a book, but books can provide a great visual aid during your child’s learning experience. Below, Ive compiled a list of five of my favorite childrens guitar books (in no particular order) for kids to use during lessons. 1) Guitar for Kids for Ages 5-9 by Bob Morris and Jeff Schroedl  Hal Leonard Guitar Method (Songbooks) Hal Leonard makes great books for learning the guitar. This particular book is one Ive used on many occasions when teaching younger kids. It introduces each string individually with fun songs and exercises. It includes popular songs such as Yellow Submarine, Hokey Pokey, Im a Believer, Surfin U.S.A., This Land is Your Land, and Hound Dog. Theres also a CD included to aid the learning process when your childs guitar teacher is not around. The only drawback to this book is the lack of stimulating illustrations that many other children’s books use. 2) Childrens Guitar Method by William Bay Mel Bay Publications Mel Bay is another popular name when it comes to instructional books for guitar. I like this one because it introduces guitar chords early, in an easy and fun way. It is also a great introduction to note reading, music theory, and introduces strumming patterns before getting into the individual notes. There are two drawbacks to this book. First, it has out-of-date visuals. The book was authored in 1982, and it shows. The other drawback is the lack of introduction to tablature. Tablature is the most popular form of notation on the guitar, and it is completely ignored in this book. 3) Kaseys Guitar Jams for Kids: A Play-Along Guitar Book for Young Beginners (Volume 1) by Kelly Gordon Weeks Kellys Music Books I really like this book! It was published in 2012, and its primarily for very young, beginning guitar players. The visuals are great, and the author immediately introduces pick-holding technique and chords with fun new songs. The songs are original, very funny, and will keep your child interested. The only drawback is that this book doesnt have any popular songs included. However, as a teacher, this doesn’t bother me, as I would introduce popular songs through my own method and would only use the book as an aid for chords and notation. 4) Alfreds Kids Guitar Course, Book 1 (Book and Enhanced CD) (Kids Courses!) by Ron Manus and L.C. Harnsberger Alfred Publishing Co. This is the best-of-both-worlds book. Its 48 pages full of colorful illustrations that draws children in immediately. It introduces partial chords and rhythm immediately, and contains a CD to show your child how the songs are supposed to be played. I prefer guitar books for kids to contain a CD, because it’s important for a child to hear how he or she is supposed to sound when playing the guitar. This book is great because it introduces blues, jazz, and classical through colorful cartoon characters. It gives kids a great introduction to the roots of music. 5) Beginning Rock Guitar for Kids: A Fun, Easy Approach to Playing Todays Rock Guitar Styles  by Jimmy Brown Hal Leonard Some kids just want to rock! This is the perfect book for those kids. It doesnt bog the student down with too much theory and history but instead jumps right into proper technique and fun, modern rock songs. I really enjoy the comic-book-style illustrations. This one also has a CD included and is probably the best of the bunch to really get the student excited about learning the guitar. If your child doesnt have a guitar teacher yet, what are you waiting for? Find a great guitar teacher and book lessons today! Matthew K. teaches guitar, piano, and music theory lessons in Brooklyn, NY. He studied music composition at Mercyhurst University, and he has been teaching lessons for four years. Matthew is available to teach in-person lessons as well as online via Skype. Learn more about Matthew 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  ferrie=differentieel Jöran Maaswinkel DailyM.net

Italian Pronunciation Tips on How to (Almost) Speak Like a Native

Italian Pronunciation Tips on How to (Almost) Speak Like a Native Brooke Neuman Mastering Italian pronunciation is often the hardest thing about learning Italian. Dont get discouraged if youre having a hard time pronouncing words and phrases as it takes time and a lot of practice to get it right. Below, Italian teacher Delilah B.  provides some tips on how to speak like a native Italian A lot of students ask me what is the best and easiest way to pronounce Italian words.  While Italian pronunciation can be difficult for beginners, its actually quite easy to pick up once the rules are understood. All it takes is some practice and perseverance! Italian is a phonetic language, which means  its spoken the way its written. Luckily, Italian and English share the Latin alphabet; however, the sounds represented by the letters often differ. To help you understand more, check out this video from Italian teacher Liz. T on  the basic rules of Italian pronunciation. Well dive deeper into these rules below the video. Consonants In Italian, the consonants B, F, M, N, L, T, and V are pronounced the same as there are in English. The following consonants, however, are pronounced slightly different. Read the examples below and practice saying the consonants out loud, making sure to concentrate on the pronunciation of each letter. C before  a, o, u and consonants is pronounced like the k in kite, whereas c  before e and i  is pronounced like the ch in chin. G before a, o, and u and consonants is pronounced like the  g in good, whereas g  before e and i is pronounced like the  g in generous. Gli  is pronounced like the y in yes, and Gn is pronounced like the  ny in word canyon. H is silent. P is pronounced almost the same as it is in English, but without the aspiration. Qu is always pronounced like the qu in question. R is  pronounced with a roll of the tongue similar to Spanish. Initial S before vowels and unvoiced consonants (c, f, p, q, s, t) is pronounced like the s in sunburn. S between vowels is pronounced like the s in rose. Z can be pronounced like the ds in pads, or like the ts in bets. Vowels Italian has seven vowel sounds (one each for  a,  i  and  u; two each for  e  and  o). When two or more vowels occur in a row, theyre always pronounced separately. Also, vowels (a,e,i,o,u) always retain their value in diphthongs. Below is how you would pronounce the Italian vowels. Review the list  and practice saying the vowels out loud, again making sure to concentrate on the pronunciation of each vowel. U:  sounds like the  u in rude or the oo in food. A: sounds like the long a in “father.” I: sounds like the ee in meet. E: has two sounds: e (open) sounds like the e in set, while e (closed) sounds like the a in say. O: has two sounds: o (open) sounds like the o in pot, while the o (closed) sounds like the o in post. Accents Acute (á, é, í, ó, ú) and grave (à, è, ì, ò, ù) accents are used in Italian to indicate where the voice should stress when pronouncing a word. The grave accent mark is used to mark stress on open vowels, while the acute accent mark is used to stress on closed vowels. Its important to note that there are many cases in which a grave accent is used on closed vowels. See examples below: Grave accents: città morì portò Acute accents: perché poté nonché Grave accents on closed vowels: diè là làncora Hopefully, these tips will help you to better understand how to properly pronounce Italian words. In addition to taking Italian lessons, one of the best ways to learn Italian pronunciation is to have a conversation with a native speaker and listen to his or her pronunciation. Watching movies in Italian is also a great way to learn. You can find a large selection of great Italian movies with English subtitles on YouTube or you can ask your Italian teacher to provide you with some suggestions. Delilah B. graduated from the University Federico II Napoli with an associate degree in Italian Literature. She  is an Italian and violin instructor living in Culver City, CA. Learn more about Delilah 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  Ed Yourdon

Catholic Schools Week

Catholic Schools Week At the start of a new year, the Huntington Learning Center applauds high-quality schools during two important scholastic observances: Catholic Schools Week and National Lutheran Schools Week (both Jan. 26 through Feb. 1, 2020). Catholic Schools Week is a joint project of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The week became an annual event in 1974. The observance comes after NCEA introduced a second week in 2019 to recognize Catholic schools, which they called Discover Catholic Schools Week (November 17-23, 2019). This week is aimed to help schools connect with prospective families, educators and other community members to showcase the many great aspects of Catholic school education. The traditional Catholic Schools Week in January-February 2020 includes assemblies and a variety of activities in and outside Catholic schools and churches. The 2020 theme of Catholic Schools Week is Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed. National Lutheran Schools Week is a celebration of the nearly Lutheran 2,000 preschools, elementary schools and high schools in the United States. Lutheran schools develop students love for and excitement about learning, work ethic, critical thinking skills and ability to work well with others. It is administered by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, the second-largest Lutheran denomination. Eileen Huntington of Huntington Learning Center says that Huntington applauds all schools of excellence. There is nothing that pleases us more than to see schools upholding rigorous academic standards and providing students an excellent foundation for college and life after college, Huntington says. Catholic and Lutheran schools have earned reputations for quality for their commitment to high academic standards. They prepare students to make an impact on their communities and be good and productive citizens. And they offer welcoming learning environments for a diverse body of students. We honor and appreciate the efforts of these schools this January and always.

The First Tutoring Session

The First Tutoring Session What Tutors, Parents, and Students Can Do to Make it SuccessfulFirst impressions are everything! Just like with any interaction, you might feel nervous going to your first tutoring session, whether youre a student or a parent. Still, the first session is the cornerstone for successâ€"it sets the standard for all future sessions. If you prepare for it, you can lay the foundation for not only  academic achievement, but a meaningful relationship!But what makes a first tutoring session successful?  What are the specific steps tutors, parents, and students should take to make the first session as successful as possible? Lets take a look at how we at AJ Tutoring prepare for our first sessions!What do our tutors do?Behind the Scenes   Our tutors are masters of their subject areas, armed with knowledge from elite colleges and universities. We as a company also provide ongoing support in the form of mentors, teams, and academic departments to ensure that our tutors remain at the top of their game.Student-Centered Coaching To be a successful tutor, we believe that you must be able to build positive working relationships with your students. Our student-centered approach allows our tutors to customize the sessions to the particular needs of each student. We coach our tutors to ask the right questions and encourage them to use their own strategies and bring their unique personalities to every session.Information Gathering Our tutors make their own schedules and so can work around a students needs. Once a student is assigned to them, tutors will reach out to schedule the first tutoring session. (We use Google Calendar to create event reminders for both students and parents.) Finally, tutors create a general plan for the students first session based on information gathered from our various communication channels.What can parents do?Logistical Support As a parent, you can help by making sure that your student can easily meet with their tutor. With younger students, you may nee d to take on a larger role in scheduling tutoring sessions. For older students, we recommend that you at least schedule the first session. For example, you can check in with your student to make sure they know when it is and at which office it is taking place. (Hint: check your Google Calendar invite if you dont remember!)Fill Out and Collect Materials At AJ, we want to ensure that we understand the goals for the student. For academic tutoring, we provide a parent goal form for you to fill outâ€"the information lets us know if theres anything specific we should target in sessions. For test prep tutoring, please bring any relevant previous test scores, if available. In addition, if you want to speak to the tutor in person, please do so! We encourage parents to use the beginning of the first session to let us know of any specific concerns or long-term goals.Prep the Student Lastly, talk to your student about their classes and goals. Does the student have any concerns or emotional need s? Are they motivated to try their best? What would they like to gain from their sessions? These conversations will be very valuable to tutors as they customize the tutoring sessions to the students  needs.What should students do?Tangibles As a student, there are a few things you should do before your first session. First, make sure that you have a general idea of what to expect from the first session, either by talking to your parent or your tutor. Also, plan out how youll get to the office (and on time!). Lastly, be prepared to answer questions about your education and academic goals. The more you have to say about your past experience, the better your tutor can figure out what you need to succeed.Intangibles Beyond what you literally bring to the session, your mind-set (your mental attitude) will affect how well your session goes! Students who come to the tutoring session with a growth mind-set rather than fixed one will end up getting more out of the experience. Someone with a f ixed mindset believes that nothing they do will change anything. Someone with a growth mindset sees failure as an opportunity to get better. They know that they can improve through dedication and perseverance. Dr. Carol Dweck’s research  proves that students with a growth mindset are more likely to succeed. In other words, dont let yourself hold you back! Come to your first session willing to do your best and open to trying new things. We are all lifelong learners at AJ, and we are excited to begin working with you!AJ Tutoring’s Checklist for First-Session Tutoring SuccessTutorsBehind-the-ScenesMaster content knowledge through college courseworkReceive ongoing organizational coaching and supportCollaborate and develop relationships with other tutors/educatorsStudent-Centered CoachingBuild effective and meaningful connections with studentsDevelop competency in student-centered teaching methods and strategiesIndividualize tutoring sessions to the particular needs of studentsInform ation GatheringKnowledgeable of test prep and academic tutoring processesCustomize the tutoring schedule to make the preparation happenCommunicate all necessary information to students and their familiesParentsLogistical SupportOrganize transportation to and from the tutoring sessionSet personal reminders to ensure the first session is not missedFill Out and Collect MaterialsPrior test scores (test prep)Parent goal form (academic)Prep StudentSet goals for the tutoring prior to the first sessionCommunicate the importance and opportunity of tutoringGet your student excited for the first session with their tutor!StudentsTangiblesTutoring: why you are coming to AJ?Transportation: how you are getting to AJ?Know your vision: think about what you want to gain from tutoringIntangiblesAdopt a growth mind-setBe willing to try your bestBe open to change

Online Language Tutoring The Groundbreaking Solution to Your Learning Woes

Online Language Tutoring The Groundbreaking Solution to Your Learning Woes So you say I should go out and  find a language tutor, huh?Someone who I can meet up with for valuable face-to-face learning?  Oh, no thank you. Ill stay right where I am, curled up on the couch with a steaming cup of coffee.But then the guilt wells up.Ohhh, how long will it take before Im fluent at this rate? I certainly wont be a bilingual casanova anytime soonThats when it hits me. I  can have it all. I  can  get language lessons and be lazy at the same time.Its time for some mindblowing online language learning. Boot up the computer. Open the web browser. A little searching and then, yes!Online language tutoring. A cure for what ails me. And whatever may afflict you as well. For the world of online language tutoring is both broad and deep, and whatever goals you may be seeking in your language learning, youre likely to reach them there.But this is a new field for many of us. Naturally, we feel skeptical, and a multitude of questions arise whenever were approached with something n ew.Lets have a close look at just what this world of online language tutoring is all about, and see for ourselves that its an invaluable tool worth a small investment of our time. Why Choose Online Language Tutoring?Now the first question that springs to mind is why choose online language tutoring at all? What advantages could it possibly have over the time-tested, one-on-one, in-person language tutoring sessions that have existed since time immemorial?One answer to this question has already been given: Location, location, location. You can meet anywhere you like and, moreover, whenever you like. It has the convenience factor. Not only does this mean that you can have your tutoring sessions while wearing your leopard print sweatpants, it means that youll be able to save some serious time by avoiding commutes back and forth from a physical classroom.If thats not enough, how about saving a good chunk of change?  Online language tutors can be significantly cheaper than in-person tuto rs. Since they also can avoid commutes, are often self-employed and may be living in a country where the cost of living is much lower, online tutors are able to charge significantly less and often make just as good of a living as they would through traditional in-person tutoring.And of course theres perhaps the most important advantage of online tutoring: availability. Whether youre trying to learn an obscure language that has few tutors anywhere or whether youre living in a small town in the rural Midwest with an extreme dearth of foreign language speakers, online language tutoring makes possible that which would otherwise be impossible. Anyone with a decent connection willing to shell out a bit of cash can now fulfill language learning dreams regardless of physical location.How Can I Identify a Good Online Language Tutor?Unfortunately, the Internet is rife with bad deals, if you havent learned that yet from the talking moose in the popup window asking for your credit card number. So obviously were going to need some clear and hard criteria to ensure were getting our moneys worth.FlexibilityFirst off,  your tutor should be willing and capable of tailoring their lessons to your needs and interests.For beginners, this perhaps is not so important. Everyone starts out needing to learn the basics, and your conversation topics will probably be constrained to food, colors, introductions and other fundamental building blocks.But at higher levels, a tutor should be able to properly assess your weak points, as well as focus on any points you wish to improve upon, and continually present fresh lesson topics rather than hashing out 50 lesson plans around ordering in a restaurant when youre already an advanced speaker.InteractionNext on the criteria list is interaction, which is one of the most important criteria because its the thing most often complained about with online language lessons.Good teacher-student interaction and interaction between the student and online me dia leads to greater, higher-order critical inquiry skills.Interaction is all about having tasks that motivate a learner to use their language skills. This could be role-playing a real-life situation with your tutor or posting a video project on YouTube around some specific goal. Whatever gets you to interact with the language in a new way.Resource knowledgeThe third and final criteria is how well the teacher helps you to find new resources. While this may not be hugely important for advanced students, students new to language learning often cant tell which resources would be helpful for learning their target language. This is a fairly easy and straightforward service that any tutor worth their salt should be able to provide.Where Do I Find Tutors?Now that we know what qualities we should be looking for, the question arises as to where exactly these people can be found.Most people will probably find that Verbling satisfies most if not all of their demands. It seems to outstrip any o ther online teaching platform in its popularity, and it may well offer access to the most professional teachers and the most languages of all the online teaching sites.You’ll be able to explore hundreds upon hundreds of online language teachers and find exactly the one who’s right for you. When you search, you’ll get to search based on prices, availability and even the other languages they speakâ€"so if your native language is Chinese or German, you can find a teacher to instruct you in that language. Plus, the technology here makes accessing tutoring sessions extra smooth! You don’t need Skype or another third-party program. It’s all here!WyzAnt is an incredible resource for locating stellar language teachers near you. This site is professional and polished, and it features well-educated and well-qualified tutors in your local area. Follow this link to see whos available close to home.italki is a well-designed website for finding tutors and casual language exchange partne rs, equipped with easy-to-use features such as a calendar converter for figuring out schedules (a huge time-saver for tutors and students separated by time zones).But How Do I Find the Right Tutor for Me?Finally, we reach the most concrete of decisions. Who, when it finally comes down to it, will be the person staring me down from the other side of the screen on a weekly basisand will they be nice to me?Thankfully, most sites offer a rating system for the teachers with a comments section, and some sites,  such as italki, even separate the teachers  with certification from those without so that you can be sure of who has what experience.Remember to look out for the hallmarks of a quality teacher that we talked about above when trawling through those comments and teacher profiles:tailor-made lessonsa high level of interactivitya wealth of knowledge concerning learning resourcesWhile that last one probably isnt talked about too much, the other two at least are probably common sense to most individuals and are likely to be major points of praise or criticism for each teacher.But when it comes down to it, were all individuals and we click with people in different ways. A teacher I might have great respect for could very well bore you to death.Naturally then, its best not to stop at one or even two different tutors. Rather, pick out a handful you like and try each of them out, even if you think you really like the tutor you have your first session with. By having several different teachers, youll be able to see each of their strengths and weaknesses before you whittle down to your final selection.So, How Effective Is Online Tutoring?This is all very wonderful, you say, but is it really worth my time and money? It may be cheap, convenient and adaptable, but am I going to learn anything?The answer to this question is quite simple: yes. But just as with the traditional learning methods, online language tutors are a tool, and your success with them depends on how much e ffort you, as a learner, put in.So go take a look and start breaking ground on your new online tutoring experience.Then youll be lounging inside with a beverage and a comfortable chair, and of course with your new online friend who hopes to have you fluent within a few months.