Online Tutoring - How to Keep Kids Busy During Summer Vacation

Online Tutoring - How to Keep Kids Busy During Summer Vacation 0SHARESShare It is very difficult question about how to keep kids engaged and busy during summer vacation. Vacation is leisure time but what if your child spend holidays in doing some good activities or learning that grow them towards betterment. Some children prefer to join a summer camp in local nearby areas while some try out art, craft, painting or dancing. However, since last couple of years students started trying out the online summer tutoring program. Online summer tutoring program offer convenience to students taking tutoring right at home. The online tutoring summer program not only helps reviewing schoolwork of the past year but also prepare for following academic year. Children weak in a particular subject can get extra tutoring and practice. Summer vacation is a great time for kids to catch up their academic work. Tutoring program is specially designed to learn with fun in leisure. Online websites offer interesting learning activities that comprise of reading, writing, activities, games, worksheets, etc. There are various programs that target different age groups. Math camp includes Math fun, extra tutoring in Algebra, developing Math problem strategy. English camp includes reading fun and developing strategic and creative writing. Some of the leading online tutoring program offer skill development programs like soft skill development, social skill development, becoming organized and time management, etc. Online tutors conducting skill development programs are trained and experienced one. There are so many variations in summer programs where the primary aim is to keep your kids’ mind and bodies active with high summer enjoyment. Parents who are looking for additional resources to keep their children engage during summer vacations should definitely try online tutoring summer vacation program. [starbox id=admin]

The First World War

The First World War How the First World War Shook the World ChaptersThe Lead-up to World War IThe Shot Heard Round the WorldEveryone Gets InvolvedWorld War I and the Rest of the WorldAnalysis of WWIThe dawn of the 20th Century was a time of unprecedented progress and innovation: the possibility of humans taking flight became a probability with the Zepplin (1900), the Wright brothers’ aeroplane (1903) and the helicopter (1907).Bakelite, a virtually indestructible petroleum-based product opened new markets and sharp minds; every plastic implement in the world today originates from Leo Baekeland’s formula (1907).Everything from a favourite teddy bear (1902) to the artificial illumination (1902) we give little thought to was discovered/invented/created around the turn of the century.Even the teabags for your fav cuppa were invented in 1904!Hoovers, tractors and neon lights... the early 20th century saw the world treated to such a veritable explosion of genius incrementally making human life better and easier.Who could have known the war to en d all wars was just a few years away?Your Superprof now goes back in time to examine the simmering socio-political unrest and chronicles the events leading up to when that turmoil seethed to a boil, to survey the destruction and tally the losses.We’ll get to that event soon enough. For now, let’s continue drawing our map...Nobody liked the French so, to keep France from becoming any type of power to be reckoned with, Germany’s chancellor brokered the League of Emperors; an alliance between Europe’s three major thrones.Otto von Bismark is today credited brokering that deal. Sharply intuitive and cunningly astute, he seemed to have had the right touch for just about any negotiation. By all accounts, he wasn’t really a nice guy, though.Still, concerns over Russia’s commitment to the League led Prussia and Austria-Hungary to form a Dual Alliance, leaving the Tsar’s interests (and military strength) out of further negotiations. Later, Italy joined, making it a Triple Allian ce.America, reveling in its pre-Depression prosperity, was busy making great strides in industry that would later impact the outcome of the war.What about the British Empire?Until just after the turn of the century, we were enjoying our splendid isolation â€" avoiding any long-term alliances and relying only on our vast colonial resources for military strength as well as our economy.While there was relative peace in Europe during this time, there were skirmishes: the Boer wars, for one, that clearly illustrated Britain’s vulnerability in spite of the Empire’s might.For that reason, we entered into an Entente Cordiale, a series of agreements that greatly improved Anglo-French relations. Later, we signed into the Anglo-Russian Convention, meaning that, if either France or Russia needed our help in wartime, we would join in.Meanwhile, France and Russia had brokered their own agreements.Coming into 1914, there was Germany-Prussia, Austria-Hungary and Italy â€" the Triple Alliance, s andwiched by Great Britain-France-Russia’s Triple Entente.Now that our battle lines are drawn, let’s get on with the fighting!Discovering their country's annexation to Austria-Hungary left many Serbians angry Source: WikipediaThe Shot Heard Round the WorldArchduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian throne, was touring Sarajevo, Bosnia being a territory that the Austria-Hungary empire had annexed from the waning Ottoman Empire.Among the crowds lining the motorcade route were six members of Young Bosnia, a body of political dissidents particularly active in schools. They intended to assassinate the Archduke in order to force the relinquishment of the south Slav provinces.The grenade lobbed at the passing car missed its mark, injuring several bystanders. Remarkably, that was the only attempt made on the dignitary’s life while in procession.Purely by chance, as he was returning from the hospital, having visited those wounded by the blast, a wrong turn brought him in the sig hts of one of the assassins, who was armed with a pistol.Two shots, one for the Archduke and one for his wife, fired by a youth just shy of his 20th birthday caused Europe to descend into chaos.Although the winds of war hardly ruffled Viennese society, the political effect was deep.From anti-Serb riots in Sarajevo encouraged by Austro-Hungarian leaders to imprisonment and extradition of prominent Serbs, all of which led to the July Ultimatum: intentionally unacceptable demands placed on the Serbian government with the deliberate intention of provoking war.Such demands have a way of causing earth-shattering events; just think about how such demands gave rise to Nazi Germany!world war; there was fighting on virtually every continent and on the open seas to boot!AsiaGermany held large swaths of territory â€" in China and what was then called German Samoa. New Zealand and Australia got in on the action by liberating that Samoan territory as well as the island that later came to be known as New Britain.Meanwhile, Japan got busy in Micronesia and then proceeded to capture Qingdao, in China’s northwestern province. Both were German territories.AfricaMuch of the continent had been colonised by European powers; now was the time those colonies rose up in arms against one another.The French and British united themselves against the Germans, taking over their Togoland and Kamerun protectorates.The Germans positioned in Southwest Africa attacked South Africa, where British forces were encamped. Fighting there continued for the duration of the war.IndiaIn spite of Germany’s best efforts to incite uprisings, India remained staunchly loyal to the Crown. Men enlisted in record numbers; more than a million Indian soldiers served in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.We note that their efforts were an attempt to gain their independence from Britain. They were sorely disappointed when, after cessation of hostilities, it was not given them.The Americas joined in the fighting r ather late.The United States had adopted a stance of non-intervention until 1915 when a German submarine sank  the Lusitania. The 128 Americans on board that perished caused President Woodrow Wilson to demand that Germany not target civilian ships.Germany agreed but, as the war ground on â€" now in its third year, they resumed unrestricted submarine warfare with full awareness that the U.S. would fight back.The German foreign minister sent a telegram inviting Mexico to ally themselves with Germany to fight the Americans but British forces intercepted the missive, which was presented to the American president via the U.S. embassy in London.That and the sinking of six American merchant ships were all the incentive President Wilson needed: on the 6th of April 1917, the United States joined the Allied Powers in fighting Germany.South American countries and Caribbean nations were not excluded: in that last year of the war, just about every nation declared war on Germany, with Panama and Nicaragua also declaring war on Austria.For its sheer scale, WWI ranks among the world's most famous historical events.Trench warfare killed by explosion and disease Source: Wikipedia Credit: John Warwick BrookeAnalysis of WWIAustria suffered heavy casualties in the early days of the conflict. In fact, Serbian forces defeating the Austro-Hungarian forces is considered one of modern history’s greatest upsets.With more than 35 million casualties, WWI is regarded as one of the bloodiest wars in all of humanity.A lot of deaths likely came from the fact that the war started with a lot of troops using 19th century weaponry and battlefield tactics but, as the war progressed, the same explosion of innovation that advanced civilisation also made fighting much more deadly:The British Ladyship tanks premiered on September 1916; France’s and Germany’s soon followedArtillery and aircraft brought new threats from the skyradios, telephones and wireless communication permitted communication b etween the front lines and the decision makers who remained far removed from the fighting.Trench warfare, made possible by the development and improvement of the grenade, took lives indiscriminately â€" by disease or by explosion.The might of the British Navy could not overcome the stealth of German submarines.Things might have kept on indefinitely were it not for the Russian revolution, whose conclusion culminated in the signing of a treaty with Germany.One by one, all of Germany’s allies capitulated. Left alone to face enemies around the globe, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated on November 9th, leaving the remaining politicians to sign the armistice.It was truly a war to end all wars... until World War II came along.

Guitar Fingerpicking Patterns for Beginners [Video Tutorial]

Guitar Fingerpicking Patterns for Beginners [Video Tutorial] Maile Proctor Whether you just started guitar lessons or youve been playing for a while, guitar fingerpicking patterns can spice up your playing! Here, Denver, CO teacher Kirk R. teaches you three guitar fingerpicking patterns  to add to your guitar-playing toolbox If you’ve mastered all of the left-hand chord shapes, adding some right-hand flair will help you keep things interesting. If you’re still working on your first couple of chords, or maybe haven’t gotten that far yet, using some guitar fingerpicking patterns is a great way to impress your friends. Theres an almost unlimited number of ways to pick a chord with your right hand, so covering all the possibilities would take forever! Lets keep things simple and go over a few of the basic guitar fingerpicking patterns. Boom-Chick Guitar Fingerpicking Let’s start with what I call a boom-chick pattern. You may also see it called boom-chuck, or something else entirely, and you may also see slightly different right-hand techniques with the same name. The pattern starts with a bass note that you play with your thumb, followed by a group of higher notes. Most of the time, this will be a group of three notes, and you will use your index finger, middle finger, and ring finger. This pattern can also vary and have fewer notes, or you can add a fourth note with your thumb,  but this makes the pattern a bit more difficult. This sort of pattern is especially useful in songs with a waltz-like feel, or any other songs in ¾ time. In those cases, the pattern works best with your thumb playing on the first beat of each measure, followed by two chords on the second and third beats. The easiest version of this pattern in 4/4 or another duple meter, is a thumb note on beats one and three while the fingers play the chord on beats two and four. As an exercise to develop this pattern, start by using your thumb on the open E bass string, and your index, middle, and ring fingers on the G, B, and E strings, respectively. You can use this open picking pattern anywhere that calls for an E minor chord, and give your left hand a break to turn a page, scratch your head, or whatever else it’s been too busy playing chords to do. Check out the basic patterns here, as well as some of the possible variations. Travis Picking Travis picking is one of the most popular categories of guitar fingerpicking. It’s named after the great country guitar player Merle Travis. If you’re not a country fan, dont let that throw you off; if you dont know who he is, make sure you check this guy out. Despite being named after Merle Travis, the term Travis picking has a slightly more narrow definition than the patterns that Merle used in his playing. In general, Merle only used his thumb and the index finger of his right hand, which is the easiest way to approach Travis Picking. Start by playing with your thumb and index finger at the same time, with at least two strings between the ones that you’re playing (i.e. play the fourth and first strings). After that, play your thumb on a higher string, and then your index finger on the next string. After that, move back to the outer strings and play with your thumb, followed by your index finger, and finally,  another thumb note before repeating the pattern. - 22 2- -2-2 00 - It may look a little confusing written down, but once you start to feel it under your hand, it makes a lot more sense. When I play patterns like this, I try to remind myself that I wasn’t blessed with athletic hands  like Merle Travis. While I can play the whole pattern with just my thumb and index finger, using my middle finger on the highest note makes it more comfortable to play for an extended time. It also opens up a few more options, which I’ve demonstrated in the video below. Arpeggio Guitar Fingerpicking Arpeggio means playing the notes of a chord, one after another, moving in the same direction. For that reason, I will call these types of guitar fingerpicking patterns the arpeggio patterns. To start, set your hand up the same way you would for the boom-chick pattern, and start playing with just your thumb. Next, rather than playing the three fingers together, as we did before, we’ll play them in ascending order: index first, followed by the middle, and finally the ring finger. This basic pattern is really useful in the right type of song, and it’s easy to expand to fit different chords or time signatures. In fact, back in 1812, a famous guitarist published a list of 120 different versions of this type of pattern, all using only C and G7. The easiest ways to switch it up is to simply do it backward, starting with the highest note, or start with the thumb, and then play only the fingers in reverse order. Playing the original pattern, followed by the middle and then index fingers also make for a pleasant sound. Try changing the rhythm up in the middle of the arpeggio. Here’s a few options that you can try out yourself: The easiest way to switch it up is to simply do it backward, starting with the highest note, or start with your thumb, and then play only your fingers in reverse order. Playing the original pattern, followed by the middle and then index fingers also makes for a pleasant sound. Try changing the rhythm up in the middle of the arpeggio. Here’s a few options that you can try out yourself: As you can tell from the videos,  once you’re comfortable with a few of the patterns, its easy to do impressive improvisations without having to think about scales, mode, or anything besides basic chord progressions. These guitar fingerpicking patterns are great if youre ready to get more variety out of the chords youve been using. Try Add some spice to your songs by trying these patterns with songs you already know. If you have questions, ask your teacher or let us know in the comments below! Have fun, and get those right-hand fingers moving! Post Author:  Kirk R. Kirk is a classical, bass, and acoustic guitar instructor in Denver, CO. He earned a  bachelors of music in Guitar performance at The College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati and he is currently pursuing a masters degree in performance.   Learn more about Kirk  here! Image courtesy Kmeron 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

A Guide to Cooperative Learning

A Guide to Cooperative Learning Your Guide to Cooperative Learning ChaptersWhat is Cooperative Learning and Why is it a Buzzword in Education? How to Group Students for Cooperative Learning ProjectsTutoring Individual Students Toward Cooperative Learning ProjectsHow Private Tutoring Should Evolve to Include Cooperative Learning InitiativesStandardized education, in general, has long been under fire for several reasons; perhaps the main one being the unrealistic expectation that every student will absorb, retain and be capable of using the information presented to them in the traditional teaching model.The standard model of teaching â€" teacher talks, students listen has suffered its share of critics too: not everyone learns in the same way! So it is that a revolution in education comes about. No longer should education be an individualized, competitive affair; social learning must go hand in hand with intellectual growth.What was so wrong with individual students competing for the best marks? You really only need to look at today’s businesses to f igure out that the best effort and the most work is done in collaboration; by employees cooperating to complete projects.If you think about it, don’t we teach our children, from infancy on, to share and to cooperate? That being the case, doesn’t it make sense to carry out that philosophy through children’s earliest foray into society â€" school, so that they will be better prepared for their working life?  Cooperative learning consists of equal parts of social learning and academic learning.Far more than the think pair share teaching strategy, cooperative learning draws on students’ processing of information in a group setting rather than the teacher leading the instruction.    Mind you, there are plenty of pitfalls and concerns regarding cooperative learning initiatives. We’ll talk about the good, touch on the bad and help you find ways to make cooperative learning work,  in the classroom and in one to one tutoring. Cooperative learning could be described as a delicate balancing act between teachers’ authority and students’ autonomy. By ‘authority’ we don’t mean discipline, and by ‘autonomy’ we don’t mean liberty. In the cooperative learning model, imparting knowledge takes second place to students’ learning process. The principle of cooperative learning transforms the role of the teacher to one of a facilitator, enabling groups to work and learn together, from each other.  We should make the distinction between cooperative and collaborative learning clear: not every collaboration is born of cooperative learning, and not every cooperative learning assignment results in collaboration. Students who collaborate may choose to do so of their own volition, independent of teachers’ instruction, outside of the classroom and perhaps even outside of school. This diagram might help clarify the two conceptsCooperative learning activities call on students’ critical thinking skills, with the teacher guiding the group to form conclusions a nd tasking them to explain their reasons for arriving at them. What Does Cooperative Learning Involve? A teacher may choose between three styles of cooperative learning: Informal, more of a spur of the moment discussion of the topic at hand, done in learning groups, after which one student may present the group’s conclusions. Formal, in which the teacher organizes the students into groups and possibly assigns each group member a role.  One student may research notes and texts while another records observations. One student could be a timekeeper â€" making sure everyone stays on task, and another represents the group, come time to divulge the findings.Base: the students are organized into groups for the entire semester or school year. The students’ roles may change within the group â€" the recorder may become the researcher, and so on so that everyone has the opportunity to fulfill every role in the group dynamic.How to Group Students for Cooperative Learning ProjectsBesides gr ouping students formally or informally, a teacher should be well aware of his/her students’ learning styles, and which students work well in groups â€" as opposed to those who work best alone. Ideally, you should create a blend of personalities in each group. While putting all of your extroverts together would make for a lively and engaged group, you would have to wonder: how much work would get done?The talking necessary for effective group work is one of the bigger concerns of cooperative learning: how much extraneous chatter should be allowed before the teacher has to step in? Although cooperative learning is supposed to be social learning, not every student enjoys being social. That is why it is important to signal that everyone maintains their individuality. One way to do so is through the role they play in the group.    Perhaps a more introverted student could research, while another acts as timekeeper. Meanwhile, prepare your verbal group member to present, while the kines thetics perhaps write on the board.  If you are looking for some  jobs in education  check here.You must remember that cooperative learning is not a teacher-centered model. In this educational model, you become a facilitator, meaning you arrange the groups to permit the maximum flow of information between group members. Trouble is, that all works well in a classroom environment, but how is a tutor supposed to work with individual students who work in a base learning group at school? Tutoring Individual Students Toward Cooperative Learning ProjectsAs schools turn away from standard teaching yet maintain the same curriculum, that would imply that students would still need academic support and homework help, right?Such a postulate might encourage tutors to believe that nothing has changed as far as their duties are concerned when, in fact, there must be a coinciding revolution in private tutoring to match the one going on in schools all over the world. Now more than ever, tutors need strategies to promote active learning in their students, rather than the reinforcement of learned material. Active learning is a teaching method that strives to involve students in the learning process. The key question to accomplishing that is knowing how your students learn.If you are an experienced teacher who also tutors, you must know all about learning styles and, most likely, can discern your tutee’s learning style within the first hour of working with him/her.On the other hand, if you are a college student earning extra money by tutoring, you may have to educate yourself on the subject. Once you’ve ascertained that your pupil is either aural, verbal, kinesthetic or any of the others, it is time to devise your strategy. It should consist, at least in part, of toning students’ natural inclinations to better fit into a group dynamic.If your student requies more assistance, naturally you must take special pains to help build the skills â€" both academic and social, that wo uld help him/her better assimilate into the group. We’re glad to provide you with helpful tips and suggestions on the matter.     Changing Your TitleTutors of yesteryear may recall the good ole days, when you showed up, were offered a beverage, led into the dining room and had unfettered access to your student for an hour or so. After the icebreaker and review of last week’s material, s/he bent over her notebook while you waited... for a question, or to check the work. Tutors of today are called on to do so much more!One might say that tutors must become academic coaches, focusing more on helping their students build the skills needed to function in the classrooms of today. How Private Tutoring Should Evolve to Include Cooperative Learning InitiativesBecause such a great part of cooperative learning is social learning, tutors must incorporate activities and conversation that would promote social skills and encourage participation in class. Role-playing games work well with all age groups. You might try posing a few ‘what if’ questions to your older students, just to engage their higher order thinking skills and perhaps even debate with them. “What if nobody ever studied history?” or “What if E did not equal MC2?”The takeaway here is that these days, school is all about the learning experience, and less about cramming knowledge into (unwilling) heads. Anything you can do to help your charges develop effective learning strategies and anything you can do to promote their capacity for social interaction and their ability to function in-group is all to the good. Interdependence is another key factor in cooperative learning, and this is where a tutor an academic coach will shine!Tutors have traditionally been their pupils’ ally, a grown-up who actively listens and empathizes.  You may encourage deeper student engagement to foster interdependence, but cautiously!At no time should your student become overly dependent on you; your mutual goal should be to ensure that s/he has the skills to function well in group activities â€" not to withdraw in class in favor of working with you. Every instructor â€" be s/he a tutor or classroom educator, has the same goal: for students to succeed. That is why tutors must keep on top of the instructional strategies that schools systems implement, and why teachers must undergo professional development. There is a danger of implementing this teaching and learning philosophy incorrectly so that it benefits neither student nor teacher. Hopefully, every learner you work together with will enjoy only the upside of cooperative learning strategies, and you too will find them challenging yet engaging.

How to Find the Right French Teacher

How to Find the Right French Teacher Find the Right French Tutor for Your Learning Needs ChaptersReasons to Learn FrenchWhat Qualities does a Good Teacher Embody?Points to Ponder in Seeking a TutorYou might have scoffed at the title of this article: is there such a thing as the right teacher? Isn't anyone who can speak French  a right teacher?For many reasons, the answer to that question is a resounding negative.Think about your formal schooling experience: did you like every teacher? Did you start every learning session with keen anticipation?Have you worked with teachers who are always responsive to your needs, attentive to your preferred method of learning; who are supportive and encouraging?Have you ever had a single educator who makes subject matter come alive for you?That is the type of teacher we mean when broaching the subject of the right teacher to learn French with.We certainly don't mean this type of teacher, in Houston, who starts every class with Bonjour, and then teaches French in English!Let us now embark on a journey to discover how to find the perfect F rench instructor for you.Did your school French teacher make you feel this way this little girl does? Source: Pixabay Credit: Adolf StrausHowever maligned that teacher is, he may possess qualities that every teacher should have:patienceconfidencecompassionunderstandingsupport for every student; no favouritism or deeming any student a lost causea passion for learning and for lifethe ability to see things from alternate perspectives, and explain subject matter in a different wayAs far as the Houston teacher is concerned, that last may well be his primary qualifier!Another essential quality a teacher must have is a firm grasp on his/her subject matter.That is why a non French speaker teaching the language caused such a sensation.French language instruction, like just about every other subject, can be an exercise in frustration.Imagine you are leading a classroom full of students, but only a few have any aptitude or desire to learn what you have been tasked to teach.And, mid-semester, y ou will be judged on your ability to impart knowledge, based on your students' test scores.That is why patience tops the list of desired attributes for teachers!While such scenarios may be common in secondary school French class, nothing says that the teachers leading French courses all over the country, on the Internet and perhaps even in your home would operate under similar conditions.One criterion to look for in a good French teacher is temperament.If you are looking for beginner French classes London, relying on feedback from that instructor's former students is one way to gauge his/her patience, understanding and support.The website Rate my Teachers makes it easy to get an overview of the quality of instruction you would be treated to by any given teacher on that list.But... these are all school teachers! How are you, an adult hoping for extracurricular lessons in advanced French, supposed to benefit from those reviews?Many school teachers supplement their income â€" or feed t heir passion for teaching by tutoring evening and weekends.Are you looking for a tutor for French lessons online?Points to Ponder in Seeking a TutorThere is a bit of a difference between a French teacher for your child who is still in school, and one for yourself, who are looking to gain some language skills â€" for whatever reason.Your child might need a French language teacher who knows about the demands of the National Curriculum, and will work at an age appropriate level.S/he should be able to base instruction on mandated French textbooks, and not vary too widely from what your child expects from a language learning experience.To be sure, the teacher can and should introduce new expressions and vocabulary, but should tailor French lessons to the age of student.For example, it would be inappropriate to discuss concerts and other aspects of French culture with a 7 year old.On the other hand, should you wish to master the art of  French conversation before your next holiday, discus sions of cultural activities would be most suitable.A bilingual teacher offers language learners many advantages Source: Pixabay Credit: Free-PhotosNative Speaker or Bilingual?We have a tendency to want the best for our money, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.However, when it comes to learning French, there is some debate on whether engaging a teacher whose native language is French is the best idea.Here is why:While certainly adept at speaking and understanding French, a native speaker might not have all the answers.Because people learn their native language as a matter of course, French grammar rules might be especially tricky for someone native to France to impart, no matter how educated s/he is.Also, s/he may suffer tunnel vision. Spoken French has certain aspects that are difficult for non French speakers to master, such as the guttural R, or the different sounds that accents give certain vowelsFinally: that tutor's English language skills might not be sufficient to communicate the finer points of pronunciation and grammar.How about a bilingual teacher, then? Someone who learned French as a second language?French teachers in the UK must go through rigorous training, to include proving their proficiency in French and obtaining at least a bachelor's degree.An additional requirement for potential teachers is to undergo licensure; a test in which the candidate must demonstrate his/her ability to teach effectively.All of that work and training may increase the price of your linguistic quest for fluency!A French tutor, on the other hand, is not required to seek licensing or undergo any special training before giving a French lesson.The rule of thumb for hiring a tutor is that s/he should be at minimum one level higher than yours.If you can speak basic French, for example, your tutor should be at intermediate level.In seeking out a tutor to learn the French language from, you would have to rely on the veracity of testimonials left by francophones who have benefited from his/her language courses.You can find such French course recommendations at Gumtree, Freeads and other online French learning websites.Or, you could drop in on Superprof.If you want to study French, to earn a diploma or just improve your listening comprehension, Superprof has a tutor for you.Should your concern be verb conjugation or using the right tense; whether you are looking for French immersion, Superprof tutors will guide you to becoming the francophone you always knew you could be.All you need is a Skype connection and a willingness to learn.Are you worried that your French tutor won't be the right fit?Most Superprof tutors give their first hour of lessons free, for exactly that purpose.What are you waiting for? Allons-y!Learn more about the cost of French tuition.

How to project confidence whilst introverted - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to project confidence whilst introverted - Introvert Whisperer How to project confidence whilst introverted One of the main challenges for introverts is to appear confident while feeling anything but. It’s a skill that can come naturally to our more extroverted friends and colleagues, but ‘faking it til you make it’ isn’t usually one of our strengths. However, it’s still an important skill to develop if you want to get ahead in the world of work and there are many crucial moments in life when pretending to be confident can help you get through. A lot of it comes down to body language, with simple things like posture making a huge difference to how we appear to others. Standing in a hunched pose might help us feel more secure when doing something as unnatural as public speaking, but it makes you appear as nervous as you feel, whereas open gestures give the impression of confidence and authority. Another simple gesture that makes all the difference is whether or not you have your hands in your pockets. Again, this can feel like a good way to make yourself feel safe and secure when under pressure, but your audience will just see somebody who at best looks nervous and at worst looks untrustworthy, so keep your hands out of your pockets and use them to express your points. Eye contact can be another aspect of communication that is difficult for introverts, but that can be hugely important when trying to appear confident, so try and maintain natural eye contact throughout conversations. In the same way, the temptation to speak quickly so you can get to the end sooner rather than later is obvious, but won’t help you seem like someone who is worth listening to. You can read more tips on how to project confidence in this infographic from PoundPalace, so why not try them out in less stressful situations so you can use them when it counts?

HEART Tutoring Program Hires First Executive Director - Heart Math Tutoring

HEART Tutoring Program Hires First Executive Director - Heart Math Tutoring HEART Tutoring Program Hires First Executive Director HEART Tutoring Program Hires First Executive Director July 17, 2013 HEART (Helping Ensure Academic Results through Tutoring), a program developed by the non-profit Social Venture Partners (SVP), is proud to announce that following a national search, Emily Elliott has been named as the program’s first Executive Director. Elliott’s unique background in both business and education will bring strength to HEART’s management team and provide the organization with solid leadership for expansion and growth.  Elliott began her career as an investment banking analyst with Wells Fargo before moving to California where she taught math for an intervention-focused middle school in San Jose for two years. She went on to become a Financial Strategy Associate with Rocketship Education, a national non-profit school system that operates public elementary charter schools in low-income areas. Bill Anderson, Executive Director of MeckEd, comments, “HEART and SVP are very fortunate to have hired Emily Elliott as their new Executive Director. Emily’s teaching experience with Teach for America provides her with unique insight and ability to effectively address the challenges faced by those students, families and schools as HEART strives to support Charlotte’s most challenged school communities.” Read the full press release here. This post is in: Blog, Heart News next post: Malleable intelligence

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! From everyone at AJ Tutoring, we wish you peace and happiness at your table this Thanksgiving!For us, the holidays are all about community and giving back. At AJ, community is one of our core values, and we are proud to partner with the local community to provide free or reduced-cost academic and test prep tutoring to students of all backgrounds. Please find below a brief snapshot of what we’ve done recently.Last year we worked with over 1000 students on a pro-bono or reduced-cost basis.We partnered with 18 non-profit organizations to provide top-quality instruction to underserved communities.Our team spent 1400 hours volunteering in the local community. 45% of AJ team members participated in our company-sponsored volunteer projects.AJ at Second Harvest Food BankAJ at Hidden VillaThrough our outreach efforts, we have partnered with local nonprofits and school groups in order to provide:SAT/ACT prep classesHigh School Entrance Exam ClassesAcademic Homework HelpSeminars on navigating the test-taking processSeminars on Study SkillsTeacher TrainingsStudent scholarshipsSupport of local community service effortsHere are just a few of our non-profit partners:SAT at Foundations for College EducationACT at Foundations for College EducationACT with AVID Los AltosSAT with AVID Mountain ViewISEE with Peninsula BridgeAcademic Homework Club with Peninsula BridgeAcademic Homework Club with Peninsula BridgeAcademic Homework Club with Peninsula BridgeWe look forward to another year of getting to know the Bay Area better and to furthering our educational mission! If you are interested in learning more about our educational outreach, you can reach out to AJ’s Social Outreach Director: Chelsea Greene!