Songwriting Tips A Method to the Madness

Songwriting Tips A Method to the Madness Suzy S. Did you read the guitar songwriting tips earlier this week? If youve reviewed your chord theory, its time to get down to business. Read on as Clearwater, FL music teacher Jeremy R. explains how to organize your song and the importance of the hook For me it doesn’t always start the same, nor will it ever end the same. Sometimes it’s a melody I hear in my dreams and I wake up and immediately start singing it. Sometimes it’s an alliteration of words in a conversation at lunch. Wherever you draw your inspiration from, all songs have a meaning. Sometimes you start out not sure what you’re going to do, but you want to write a sad song with a mad ending. There are no steadfast rules. Songs can be as short or as long as you want them to be. But how do we live in this white space? The Doors once put out a song called “The End,” which is nearly 12 minutes long and includes long guitar solos and spoken poetry. John Cages most famous piece involved a pianist sitting down, setting a timer for 4:33 and when the timer goes off he gets up, shuts the piano lid and leaves. The piece is filled with the sounds of the environment. Therefore, nothing that I am about to recommend to you is a steadfast rule or a law. These are just generalized ways of organization that are common in modern contemporary music. For our first in-depth academic study, listen to the song Hook by Blues Traveler. Hook is a song about a song. It tells a story and then a broken story, and then a ton of nonsense in its verses, but what you remember is the “hook brings you back.” The hook or chorus of a song is usually the most memorable part. Granted, this isn’t a rule or law, so you don’t always need to have a hook. But most songs do. The hook is arguably the most important part of your song, so make sure it’s what you’re looking to say. Next, lets look at verses! Bruce Springsteen was one of the greatest verse writers to ever grace pen to paper. He could paint vivid pictures with the words he chose. He said exactly what he wanted and didn’t repeat himself much. He often pieced the story together and made it resolve at the end of the song. Rob Thomas is a more contemporary counterpart, who is very good at crafting stories within songs. When you look at overall verse length, try to keep it to roughly one minute. Time yourself singing the verse and see how long it is. If it’s too long, you can cut the story up more and take part of that to verse two. So we have our hook and we have two or three verses. Now it’s time to put it all together. Time yourself singing the song from beginning to end. If the whole song is less than three minutes, I would suggest adding a solo over where an extra verse could be, or writing another verse. If you’re over three minutes, congratulations! I wouldn’t go over seven or eight minutes unless you’ve got a really long story to tell. Just remember there are no wrongs or rights, and there are ABSOLUTELY NO SONGWRITING RULES! Sorry all you rule-breakers out there… you’ll have to write punk songs! You might also like Songwriting Tips from a Grammy Award-Winning Musician Getting Started with Composing for Films How to Be a Rock Star: Learn the Rules Before You Break Them Jeremy R. teaches bass guitar, guitar, singing, music recording, music theory, songwriting, speaking voice, trumpet, acting, French horn and upright bass lessons in Clearwater, FL. He joined the TakeLessons team in December 2012, with over 15 years of performance experience and training. Learn more about Jeremy, or find a teacher near you! Photo by Adrian F

Build Your French Vocabulary Numbers, Counting, and Math

Build Your French Vocabulary Numbers, Counting, and Math Sign up successful Here is a quick video on numbers 1-60 if you need some extra help learning to pronounce them: From twenty to one hundred, patterns for numbers become more regular. Simply put the appropriate numbers together. Here are 21 â€" 29: 21 vingt-et-en 22 vingt-deux 23 vingt-trois 24 vingt-quatre 25 vingt-cinq 26 vingt-six 27 vingt-sept 28 vingt-huit 29 vingt-neuf Note the “et” between 20 and 1 in 21. This is one of the languages beloved exceptions coming back to haunt French learners â€" though it helps that it is a regular enough exception. It occurs again in several more numbers ending in 1: 31, 41, 51, and 61. Once youve got this, all you need to count to 100 are the remaining 10s: 30 trente 40 quarante 50 cinquante 60 soixante 70 soixante-dix (or “septante” in Belgium) 80 quatre-vingt (or “octante” in Belgium) 90 quatre-vingt-dix (or “nonante” in Belgium) 100 cent Et voilà! Now you can count to one hundred in French. But what if you want to do math in French as well? For simple functions, it isnt too difficult. A few vocabulary words to help you out are: égaler to equal égale equals (3rd person singular) diviser to divide divisé par divided by plus (say “u” like “oo”) plus moins minus or negative fois times faire to make font make (3rd person plural) Here are some examples to put it all together. When more than one version is presented, the first one is more formal than the second one. 2 + 2 = 4 Deux plus deux égale quatre. (Two plus two equals four.) Deux et deux font quatre. (Two and two make four.) 9 3 = 6 Neuf moins trois égale six. (Nine minus three equals six.) Neuf moins trois fait six. (Nine minus three make six.) 8 x 8 = 64 Huit fois huit égale soixante-quatre. (Eight times eight equals sixty-four.) Huit fois huit fait soixante-quatre. (Eight times eight makes sixty-four.) 20 / 5 = 4 Vingt divisé par cinq égale quatre. (Twenty divided by five equals four.) Try figuring out a few on your own: 3 x 4 = 12 90 / 10 = 9 16 + 22 = 38 24 â€" 13 = 11 42 / 2 = 21 26 â€" 11 = 15 33 + 31 = 64 19 x 2 = 38 How well do you think you did? Hopefully, you did all right. Keep practicing, and try to apply it to your everyday life. Count, add, subtract, divide, and multiply the miles you drive, the steps you walk, the glasses of water you drink, the food you share with you family, the money you pay for your next purchase, and anything else that will allow to review. Soon enough, youll be a natural! For more help learning French vocabulary, sign up for lessons with a private French tutor. Tutors are available to teach you in-person or online via Skype. Find your French tutor today! Carol Beth L. teaches  French lessons in San Francisco, CA. She has her Masters in French language education from the Sorbonne University in Paris and has been teaching since 2009.  Learn more about Carol Beth 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 morebyless

Selling Yourself in an Interview Without Selling at All - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Selling Yourself in an Interview Without “Selling” at All - Introvert Whisperer Selling Yourself in an Interview Without “Selling” at All Career Attraction August 18, 2014 Communication, Self-Promotion No responses Go to top For any company that has a winning attitude, nothing matters more than getting the right people in the right positions. Therefore, as a job applicant, during the interview process, you must make a compelling case that you are intelligent, competent, autonomous and knowledgeable in the desired areas. However, it’s a catch-22. If you come across as attempting to convince an interviewer that you possess these qualities, you’re much more likely to appear desperate rather than well-rounded. Essentially, the moment you begin to directly brag and display fake arrogance is the moment you lose an interviewer’s interest and your attractiveness as a job candidate. People hate being sold, and hiring managers, recruiters, and HR representatives are just people, after all. This begs the question: How one goes about influencing a hiring manager without coming across as disingenuous and needy for a job? The answer is subtlety. The only way you can “sell” the interviewer is to let them draw their own conclusions about you. Luckily, there are certain things you can do to increase the odds that their conclusions about hiring you will be positive and welcoming. Below, you’ll find some key information that will allow you to sell yourself without actually “selling” yourself. Sell Without Saying a Word When an interviewer meets you, they instantaneously categorize you as a winner or loser, sometimes simply by how you present yourself. Use this knowledge to your advantage and let your looks, posture, and facial expression sell for you prior to even speaking your first word. For instance, when you greet an interviewer with a full smile and alert eyes, they are much more likely to associate you with positive qualities. Your facial expression should say, “I like you.” People like others who like them and tend to associate those people with desirable qualities such as integrity and competency. Which means they’re much more eager to want these people around the office. Regarding dress, know that opposites do not attract. You’re not likely to be perceived well at a bank if you underdress for the interview. Don’t intentionally stick out. It will not build the desired rapport you need. Familiarity breeds fondness. Moreover, studies have shown that matching posture and movements build trust and mutual respect. Without being obvious, do your best to mirror the interviewer’s body language. The Most Effective Interviewing Preparation People (interviewers included) are interested in themselves and their own needs. Therefore, if you don’t know what your audience or a hiring manager wants, you can’t sell them. Luckily, the job description will give you more evidence than you need to formulate an accurate thesis as to what this person wants in an employee. For instance, if a job description states the employer wants someone who is autonomous, take time the evening before the interview to write down a story or example of your autonomy. With that example in mind, work it into the conversation at the appropriate time. Through the anecdote, the hiring manager will naturally see that you are the type of person who will allow them to focus less on managing you and more on the necessary tasks they need to be done. If they list a certain skill you have in-depth expertise with, formulate questions that display your knowledge of the topic. Don’t wait until the end of the interview to present these inquiries, as an interviewer’s assessment of you is likely to be firmly set by then. Rather, ask away when the topic is touched upon. During the Interview Speak without criticism; nobody wants to be around a pessimistic person. Interviewers are more readily sold by those who have a positive, happy outlook and perspective on life. In a genuine manner, convey thoughts that discuss success and, rather than talking about insurmountable hurdles, discuss how you plan to overcome any obstacles. Utilize your rate of speech as an influential measure. When you’re making important points during the interview, it’s helpful to pause for a second after each statement and allow the hiring manager to mentally digest what you just stated. In the End The phrase sell yourself is popular when it comes to the job search. The basic idea is sound, but too many people lose any nuance in the attempted execution. Selling yourself, when it comes to interviewing, is really about paying attention to the cues you receive and send, both before and during the interview. Concentrate less on selling yourself and more on putting your best foot forward How do you like to build a rapport with an interviewer? Share your best tips in the comments! This post originally appeared on Career Attraction. Image: Flickr Go to top Let me emphasize that Self-Promotion doesn’t have to be obnoxious to be effective.  But, if you don’t Self-Promote you, who will? If you ever want to get ahead, you have to learn how to Self-Promote. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that shows you simple, yet effective ways to Self-Promote. Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Best Classes For Grad School Admissions

Best Classes For Grad School Admissions The classes you take outweigh the grades you earn in them or at least thats the case at most grad schools. Grad schools want to see that you challenged yourself academically, instead of just padding your GPA. While most schools still require a strong GPA to be accepted, they pay very close attention to the classes you took. For example, an A in a cooking class like Cuisine 101 can actually hurt your chances of being accepted, and a B (or even a B-) in an Advanced Chemistry class can improve your chances, especially if youre applying to a science program. But, ultimately if you can earn an A in your Advanced Chemistry class, there will be no doubt about your abilities. So, do what it takes: put your prof on speed dial, organize study groups, work with an individual tutor for some one-on-one learning. A tutor might be your best bet, as he/she works closely with grad schools and knows exactly what they are looking for in students and how to help you improve your grades. Other than that, here are some tips to improve your chances of being accepted into grad school with better classes: Take relevant classes: Do some digging to find out what the curriculum is like at the schools youre applying to and mimic it at your undergrad. Take the exact same classes if you can. You can search the Internet for a schools curriculum, ask professors at your undergrad what they think it will be like, reach out to current/former grad students, etc. Ultimately, a student with a 3.3 undergrad GPA in a curriculum similar to the schools has a better chance than one with a 3.8 in irrelevant classes. And most admissions counselors will look that far. Active learning vs passive learning: Theres an old adage saying that you will transition from a consumer of knowledge to a producer of knowledge when you move from undergrad to grad school. So, take as many classes as you can in which you are producing knowledge. Load up on project-oriented classes, labs and field-research classes instead of test-oriented classes because thats how most classes are set up in grad school. Being able to produce a project or case study with academic or practical importance is infinitely more valuable than being able to memorize a lot. Industry conferences: Field trips for grown-ups. Attending industry conferences can show you are seriously about your field. Find the classes that take students to conferences and enroll in them. Diversify general requirements: Ideally, you want your classes to be challenging and relevant to the graduate degree youre pursuing. General requirements typically miss the mark on both. So, grad schools want to see diversity. So, if youre a liberal arts major, take some science classes and vice versa. But, you dont want to diversify into pottery classes or anything like that. Still, try to take challenging, academic general requirements. What does this class say about me? Ask yourself this every time you sign up for a new class because thats exactly what grad schools will do when they see your transcript. Every class you take should say you are willing to challenge yourself and learn something new. Stick to that, and youll be golden.

Career Advice Anxiety - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Career Advice Anxiety - Introvert Whisperer Career Advice: Anxiety How do you handle anxiety when it comes to your career and/or your life? Share in the comments! Image: Flickr Let me emphasize that Self-Promotion doesn’t have to be obnoxious to be effective. But, if you don’t Self-Promote you, who will? If you ever want to get ahead, you have to learn how to Self-Promote. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that shows you simple, yet effective ways to Self-Promote. Start watching now: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

Improve your Grades with a Private Tutor During the Holidays

Improve your Grades with a Private Tutor During the Holidays Should I Start Online or Home Tutoring During the School Holidays? ChaptersAvoiding the ‘Summer Slide’: Should my Child Study During the Summer Hols?Work on the Weak PointsDon’t Waste the Holidays: Create a Work Schedule!Use Fun Activities (Holiday Workbook, Outdoor Tutorials)Don’t Forget What You’ve Learnt at School by Having Private Tutorials During the HolidaysHaving Tutorials During the Holidays is a Great Way to Work on your WeaknessesAre there signs your child might be falling behind at school? Tutoring during the school holidays is a great way to rectify this problem. More and more parents are using tutoring services during the holidays and more and more one on one personal tutors are making themselves available for private tutorials in subjects such as maths, Spanish, physics, and chemistry.Private tutoring during the holidays is a great way to make the most of academic support and let students catch up with studies. With a bit of organisation and enthusiasm, students can improve their grades when they’re not even at school!When should you take private tutorials? Should you consider home personal tutors or online tutoring? Find a tutor today! CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson fre e!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsAvoiding the ‘Summer Slide’: Should my Child Study During the Summer Hols?Parents, teachers, educationalists and even children themselves will  have wildly varying opinions â€" so, should children be studying during their summer holidays?A  recent article  interviewed  Adam Tindill, assistant director at an Explore Learning tuition centre in Wolverhampton. Adam recognizes  the phenomenon of the ‘summer slide’ or ‘regression’, where  children’s educational attainment seems to go backwards over the holidays, leaving them struggling at the start of  the new school year in September. Adam remarks that summer learning is about ‘keeping the brain in an education mindset’ but in a flexible and limited way: ‘It’s not the same as doing five days a week at school’, he remarks.The educationalist  Noel Janis-Norton agrees,  believing that ‘Half an hour of micro skills practice â€" spelling, multiplication, handwriting and so on â€" is not onerous. If you start the day with half an hour of structure, the rest of the day feels like a treat.’However, there is certainly no consensus on this.  Chris Husbands  from University College London, remarked that ‘There’s no clear evidence that summer catch-up work is useful, and it can be counter-productive as they need to be engaged to learn.  If your neighbour’s children are building dams in streams, and yours are doing maths camps, they are going to be resentful.’    And Lee Elliott Major of the Sutt on Trust reiterates  that the jury is still out on whether children studying through the summer is beneficial.As in most things in life, the key is surely balance. A  recent opinion piece from Singapore(where there is currently much concern about ‘over-tutoring’) highlights children’s  deep need for  purposeless, unstructured play. As well as being  fundamental to survival, The National Institute for Play in Monterey, California, describes play  as ‘the gateway to vitality’.It is safe to say, therefore, that both children and adults need to make space for play in their lives.Work on the Weak PointsThere are some subjects where weaknesses are inevitable. Subjects like maths and foreign languages often require private tutorials to help struggling students. If they're struggling to wrap their head around grammar, an English tutor might be the solution.By dealing with gaps in a student’s knowledge, they’ll become more confident in their abilities when they realise they can learn at their own pace with a tutor!Maths is often hugely unpopular with students. Who hasn’t resorted to tearing their hair out when it comes to calculus, trigonometry, algebra, and geometry? With a good maths tutor and some supplemental instruction, your child can learn to think logically and overcome some of the subject's most difficult problems.Private maths tutorials are a particularly good idea for parents whose children are in secondary school. In fact, parents aren’t usually experts in every single school subject and may be unable to help their child with their studies, homework, or an assignment. Tutors London can help with some of the trickier subjects, especially when it comes to A Levels where subjects like maths can be a nightmare for some students!Taking private tuition during the holidays can be great for kids! (Source: Being Mumma)For primary school children struggling with a foreign language, academic support during the holidays might be just what the doctor o rdered.In fact, foreign languages (French, Spanish, German, Italian, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, etc.) are becoming more and more common in our everyday lives and an in-home private tutor or an online tutor could help your child to become bilingual!If you want to give your child an advantage in a globalised world, it’s recommended that they learn at least one foreign language to a good level. In-home private tutorials over the summer are a great idea to ensure that children keep practising their foreign languages when there are no classes at school!It’s also a good idea for when they’re preparing for an exam. Why not consider one to one academic tutoring for exam preparation? You can easily find a tutor online! CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (Engli sh) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £2 5/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDon’t Waste the Holidays: Create a Work Schedule!Have fun while you study over the holidays!Don’t forget that students, no matter how old they are, want to make the most of their holidays and certainly don’t want to spend all their time buried in the books. Is there a specific age for having private tutorials? Are they too young for private tuition?How do you make sure that they aren’t overworked?Planning a work schedule is a great idea. This means you can set aside parts of the day for study and others for relaxation. Students need a well-defined work schedule in order to work effectively.You’ll be surprised at how much harder they’ll work when they're being tutored if they know there’s a fun and engaging activity planned for afterwards!For example: “Tomorrow morning you’ll have class and then in the afternoon we’ll go to the beach!”Revisio n during the holidays is fine. Just don't forget to relax! (Source: pexels)Motivation is key to academic success. It’s important not to overwork your child or teenager with private tutorials or you risk putting them off the whole idea. If you break up an afternoon of one on one tutoring with a trip to the cinema, they’ll work even harder after the film!Outline your schedule to make it more appealing.Here’s an example schedule:Monday 10th August:9:30-12:00: Maths tutorials12:00-14:00: Lunch break in town.14:00-16:00: Walk in the park16:00-18:00: Visit the Fine Arts Museum18:00-19:30: Computer games/TV time19:30-21:00: DinnerTuesday 11th August:Lie in!11:00-12:00: French academic support12:00-14:00: Picnic with friends14:00-16:00: Homework help (Physics, Chemistry)16:00-19:30: Birthday party19:30-21:00: DinnerIf you follow a schedule like this, you’ll see your child improve in no time.What about outside of the holidays? We recommend having private tutorials on Wednesdays and a t the weekend.Use Fun Activities (Holiday Workbook, Outdoor Tutorials)To break the monotony of revising, you can always consider fun and engaging activities like having class outside.Summer is the perfect time to digest maths theories al fresco rather than in a stuffy, poorly-lit classroom. How do you find an outdoor private tutorial?You can get in touch with a private tutor (via tutoring companies like Superprof) who does outdoor or in home tutoring. Whether it’s for one or several students, now’s the time!Holiday workbooks are in! They’re fun and for everyone. Your kids will love them. Whether at primary school or secondary school, holiday workbooks are an easy way to work while having fun.Have fun while learning with summer workbooks. (Source: girlslovin.com)Apps are also a great way to have fun while learning. Nowadays, everybody seems to have a tablet or a smartphone. Why not use them for learning?Parents who are sick of seeing their kids glued to their phone will change their minds when they see some of the apps available for academic support. There are even apps for kids as young as 3 years old! The apps for very young children, while more for learning about learning than revising, can be very useful.Check out the AppStore or Google Play for the wide range of educational apps available for young children.If they have exercises to do, why not consider hiring a home tutor in the evenings?Don’t Forget What You’ve Learnt at School by Having Private Tutorials During the HolidaysEveryone knows that holidays are, above all, for having fun. But do we really need to completely forget about schooling during this time?Taking private tutorials during the summer can be hugely beneficial for students who’ve been struggling in school. Their problems compound over the course the year. By completely ignoring their studies over the summer, students risk making these problems even worse!Have a few lessons to make sure you don't forget all the important things you've learnt. (Source: PokemonGo STL)To avoid forgetting everything by the time they go back to school, it’s a good idea to revise the basics during the holidays. For example:work on a foreign language with a native tutor,look back over the important mathematical formulae so that you still remember it when you go back to school.Even during half term, it’s a good idea to schedule a few extra private tutorials where an academic tutor can prepare the student for any exams they may have when they get back.For students getting ready for their A Levels, they should:look at past papers,study the theories,work on their essay technique, etc.Having Tutorials During the Holidays is a Great Way to Work on your WeaknessesDon’t get me wrong, free state education is great. However, it’s not perfect.There are too many students in classes meaning that it’s harder to give every student the attention they deserve. Of course, the teachers do a great job of adapting their lessons to their stu dents. However, it’s very difficult to do this perfectly when there are tonnes of them!No two students are alike. They behave differently and learn differently. Some students just have to hear something and copy it and they get it. Others learn differently. However, teachers have the difficult job of deciding when they can stop the class to explain something and when they have to just carry on. This is why some students require tailored academic support.Whether it’s via homework help or intensive private tutorials, some students need to catch up with certain subjects. According to the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment), the UK has been slipping down the rankings over the last ten years.Students often struggle with maths.This problem often arises from a difficulty when it comes to logical reasoning. With the help of a private tutor students can learn how to approach difficult maths problems.Holidays are for having fun AND revising! (Source: Haiku Deck)Sometimes t eachers are absent for long periods of time while students are taught by a variety of substitutes.This can result in hours of class time being lost!While every teacher is great in their own way, some students don’t respond well to their style. An academic coach can use a different approach, which may make all the difference!

Six Benefits of Teens Working Part Time

Six Benefits of Teens Working Part Time Most parents agree that theres value in teens putting effort toward something other than classes and homework. Sports, clubs and volunteer work are awesome resume boosters that teach worthwhile life lessons. However, theres another activity that deserves some attention: working part time. Understandably, many parents want their teens to focus first on their academics and extracurricular commitments, but there are so many benefits for teens who work a part-time job. Here are six of the most notable: Theyll learn about money. Before teens go to college, its essential that they learn fiscal responsibility. Mom and Dad wont give an allowance forever, and high school is the prime time for teens to learn about budgeting, investing and saving for things they want (e.g. clothes, concerts and doing things with friends) and need (e.g. college textbooks). Theyll become skilled at time management. Teens who want an income have to give up at least some of their free time. That means they need to be diligent about scheduling time for homework, sports/other practices and other to-dos, and adept at keeping a very organized planner. These skills become even more important in college, when the workload and expectations increase significantly. Theyll learn work ethic. Even the act of researching jobs and going to interviews requires motivation and follow up. And once a teen has a job, he or she will inherently learn what it takes to perform well in different industries and how to meet and exceed the expectations of managers with different styles and personalities. Theyll gain skills that arent taught in school. Performing well in school requires effort, but skills learned on the job in a restaurant or retail setting, for example, are valuable in a different way. Many jobs that are available to teens involve regular interactions with customers. Theyll need good listening skills, empathy, patience and more. Often, these jobs are in fast-paced settings too, so teens will become pros at working efficiently under pressure. Theyll put their academic knowledge to use in the real world. Many of the duties of jobs in the retail and restaurant industries (where teens often work) involve technology (e.g. using a point of sale system) and math (e.g. preparing customer bills and making change). Office work is also a great way for teens to apply academic skills to the real worldskills like typing, reading, developing spreadsheets and writing. Theyll gain exposure to different careers and industries. Teens who are convinced they want to become doctors might explore opportunities to work in doctors offices or hospitalsand while they are unlikely to interact directly with patients, even working in that environment is excellent experience. Any job that gives teens an idea of what a post-collegiate career theyre considering is actually like is a job worth taking. Teens who work part time develop many indispensable skills that translate directly to life. While it is wise for a teen to make sure a job wont interfere with school priorities and the ability to lead a balanced life, a job with reasonable hours and expectations offers many lasting and positive advantages. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com.

Throw Away - Phrasal Verb of the Day

Throw Away - Phrasal Verb of the Day Todays phrasal verb of the day is: Start OffInfinitive form: Start OffPresent Tense: Start Off/ Starts Offing form: Starting OffPast tense: Started OffPast Participle: Started OffStart Off can be a separable or inseparable English phrasal verb. It can be used in four different ways:When an event or activity begins or when you start an event or activity by doing something to get things started [separable]1. The audience went wild as Justin Bieber starts the concert off by showing his abs.2. Rumor has it that the principal is starting the event off with a dance number. This ought to be an interesting one!When something or someone starts a certain way in the beginning, but noticeable changes can be seen [inseparable]1. Their relationship started off really well, but got really bad in the end.2.  The movie starts off well, but now it has become quite boring that I want to stop watching it.When someone begins a career, life, or existence [inseparable]1. Did you know that Tom Welling, the guy who played superman, started off a career as a construction worker before he became an actor?2. Our manager himself started off as a salesperson. He got promoted two years later.When you begin a journey [inseparable]1. The mountaineers had to start off early so they could reach the mountains peak by noon.2. We have to start off early for our road trip. I promised the folks well get there before 10 A.M.Exercises: Write your answers in comments and we will correct them.Fill in the gaps from the video above:Complete the sentences below with the correct form of Start Off.1. The members usually ____ the ceremony ____ by singing the National Anthem.2.  Kelly said that they _____the program ___ late so everyone still has a chance to catch up.3. The event is usually _____ ____ by fireworks.4. Ms. Anderson _____ ____ as an assistant in this school, now she is at the top.5. If you wanna make it there on time for the party, then I suggest you leave now.  Trust me, youd want to leave now and ____ ___ early.Change the example sentences above to negative sentences (or positive, if the sentence is already negative). Then change them to questions.