Boulder-Area Tutors Offer Great Instruction

Boulder-Area Tutors Offer Great InstructionWith the incredible resurgence of baseball in Buffalo, many students have opted to take the exciting sport of baseball coaching in a Buffalo tutoring program. Tutors in the Boulder area have been stepping up to fill the many baseball positions created by the growing sport.There are many reasons why people from all over the country and all over the world have chosen to get professional baseball coaching. The sport has become extremely popular in Buffalo and it is available to everyone who wants to try it out. The greatest reason for those who take up the sport is because they enjoy the game and it provides a wonderful outlet for socializing.Great coaches can make the difference between having fun or losing interest. This is something that is impossible to tell with some other sports. Of course you will not lose interest while trying out the sport, but it can be hard to keep the interest alive without help.Not only do Boulder area tutors offer the very best of instruction, but they also are well trained and comfortable working with different students. Many of the tutors from this area are professionals in their own right. They know what it takes to give great instruction, and they also know how to coach those who are just beginning to play the sport.All students will benefit from the excellent program of a tutor in Boulder. Instruction varies depending on the student's ability level and style of play. As long as they are able to make contact with the ball and swing, they will benefit from tutoring.The great thing about tutoring is that it can provide the opportunity for these kids to continue to play their favorite sport into adulthood. This is a great option for parents that want to build memories with their children and watch them grow into adults who love to play the sport. Those that come to Boulder for the tutoring will be able to tell their grandchildren about what they have done.Students can also benefit from the fact that tutors in Boulder offer the very best of equipment. Students in the program will be able to find great helmets and practice gear. They can even pick up some really cool coaching gadgets. For those who need to work on their mechanics, a student in Boulder can help with that as well.All students should be able to find great teachers in this community. Those who are looking for great tutoring for themselves or for their children can do so at tutoring in Boulder. When these coaches begin their coaching program they can teach students everything from fundamentals to advanced techniques. This is a great place to get started and students will be able to develop their own unique skills that they can use in life.

Handling Grade Disputes A Guide

Handling Grade Disputes A Guide via Pexels.com 1. Gather all of the facts. Grade disputes are pretty serious accusations, so before you begin the process of filing one, make sure you have all of your ducks in a row. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to  document everything. Youll want to have a copy of the syllabus for the course, the breakdown of grades, any email correspondence youve had with your professor, etc. If you have an in-person conversation with a professor about your grades, its smart to send a follow-up email to create a paper trail with an overview of the conversation summarized in the body of the email. Youll need this for when you walk into a committee meeting regarding your final grade! 2. Make sure you have legitimate documentation. Dont think you can show up to a grade dispute hearing (and yes, thats probably what theyll call it) without proper documentation. Print off emails, rubrics, directions, feedback, and any other information you might have that a committee would find helpful. Organize all the information you have in a timeline, labeled, color-coded, however you want to handle it. The more legible and easier to interpret you make your case, the more likely the outcome will land in your favor. As the student in the situation, you need to have all the documentation thats out there in order to make your case clear. 3. Avoid blindsiding your professor. Its completely unprofessional to file an official grade dispute with a professor without talking to them first. Once you file something with the university, it creates a paper trail and ignites a whole process for how to deal with the complaint. There are many times that this whole process can be avoided, as most professors will deal with the dispute privately, in-person, with you. This will save you  both  a ton of time at the end of the semester. Theyll likely want to keep an officially filed grade dispute off their record, and its much easier to smooth over if you havent gotten administrators involved. 4. Your peers grades  do not hold any weight.   You  cannot  argue that you deserve a higher grade because so-and-so wrote a crappy paper and got an A. Dont plan on using any information you have from your peers in the actual grade dispute. Professors cannot discuss the grades or performance of your peers due to FERPA, the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act. They cannot discuss any of your peers grades with you, so that does not qualify as grounds for a grade dispute. Dont plan on using this information in a hearing. via Pexels.com 5. Too many grade disputes makes for an irresponsible student. If you get in the habit of disputing your grades too often, your reputation isnt going to be too great. I would recommend saving actual grade disputes for times when you know you deserve  at least  a letter-grade higher. A few points arent going to make much of a difference, and filing an official grade dispute is going to be  a lot  of effort for just a few points. Try not to become so obsessed with your grades that you forget the bigger picture what have you learned? How can you do better next time? The difference between an A and an A- on your final transcript might not be worth the hoops you have to jump through in order to successfully complete a grade dispute. 6. Get advice from peers/mentors/advisors. By no means does this mean you should trash talk the professor whos nit-picking your papers. Instead, Im suggesting you discuss a possible grade dispute with people you trust like an advisor, mentor, or trusted peer. There are several ways to go about ensuring you handle a grade dispute in a professional manner. Instead of trying to navigate new waters by yourself, look for some direction with advice from someone you trust. 7. Dont feel guilty about filing a grade dispute. You are paying for this education and its likely that youve taken out  a lot  of student loans to finance it yourself. If youre border-lining between an A and a B and you think youve been unfairly graded, its time to dispute it with the professor. You absolutely have every right to a conversation with your professor about the way theyve graded your assignments. Professors have to be able to back up their thinking and grading process just like you would have to defend yourself if you were accused of plagiarizing a paper. 8. Anticipate having to give a statement. Before you walk into a grade dispute hearing, I suggest you practice giving a statement about the problem at hand. Theres nothing more unprofessional than listening to a student say um five hundred times in a two-paragraph statement. Write up a draft of what youre going to say. Practice it in front of your roommate. Make sure you list all the important points, and you leave out anything thats worthless. The committee listening to your dispute will be much more willing to listen if you show up with your crap together. Disputing grades can be intimidating for college students. And in the scenario where its a student against a faculty member,  you are the weaker team.  You have to prove yourself beyond reasonable doubt. You have to show up with everything in line, documented, and organized. Provide explanation for everything and look like a professional. Though grade disputes can be a long process, itll be worth it in the end.

How to Turn Your Passive Vocabulary into Active Vocabulary

How to Turn Your Passive Vocabulary into Active Vocabulary How to Turn Your Passive Vocabulary into Active Vocabulary I am lost for words.How often do you catch yourself thinking this?What a new significance this expression takes on when thinking of the foreign language youre learning!Of course, theres tons of research and discussion about how to expand your vocabulary in a foreign language. The kicker is, most polyglots talk about expanding vocabulary in generalâ€"they dont divide it into active and passive lexicons.Its an important distinction for any language learner to make.In case this active and passive lexicons stuff is Greek to you, heres what its all about. What Is Active and Passive Vocabulary?Your passive vocabulary includes the words you can recognize and understand, but cant come up with on your own when writing and speaking. For its part, active vocabulary includes all words that you can think of and use right away when youre in the process of communicating.When learning a language, both your active and passive vocabularies change all the time. You use words, forget words, try out ne w words and review previously learned words. So, words may move freely between your active and passive vocabularies as time goes on, but your passive vocabulary will always be much larger.Even in the case of your mother tongue, your passive vocabulary is going to be much larger than your active one. Just think of all the crazy English words you understand perfectly well when reading Shakespeare or watching Game of Thrones that would never occur to you to use when speaking.However, no matter how many words youve learned to understand, the moment comes when you need to use them. And thats where your active vocabulary reigns.Language learners hoping to speak eloquently, in a convincing and expressive manner, would do better to focus on converting their rich but passive lexicon into active vocabulary. After all, you already have a huge stash of somewhat familiar vocabulary words that you can easily move over into your active vocabularyâ€"and this takes much less effort than learning bra nd new words from scratch.How to do that? Lets find out right now.How to Turn Your Passive Vocabulary into Active Vocabulary1. Ditch the DictionaryWhat do you do when youve forgotten the words you need to express your thoughts in Chinese, Spanish or whatever language youre learning?You clutch at straws, AKA  dictionaries.And what do you do when forgetting a word in your mother tongue?Thats right:  Youll describe its meaning or use a synonym. You dont stop to open up a dictionary.We think of enriching our mother tongue vocabulary only when wanting to impress someone, sound smart or beef up a written piece with better language. Only in these situations might we stop to look up a word or two. Most of the time, we find clever ways of talking or writing our way around the missing vocabulary word.Do this in your foreign language rather than running for the dictionary every time youre missing a word, and your brain will get more adept at searching for the vocabulary you needâ€"and in the w orst cases, youll get better at  describing  things and maintaining the flow of conversation.2. Smooth PathBefore you start expanding vocabulary, prepare a place for new words in your mind and speech. That is to say, smooth the path.Until now, youve probably used one common trick when trying to express thoughts but stumbling at verbalizing them: You adopt  plague words  to fill the gaps.For example, lets take plague words such as very  and really. Instead of learning more specific synonyms, we attach these to other words. We can say very big  instead of huge, or very, very big  instead of enormous  or  gigantic. We can say the universal, nondescript word thing and use it as a substitute for tons of other words, rather than actually having to think of more specific, descriptive vocabulary.Now, think of which plague words you might be leaning on too much in your foreign language of interest.To expand your active vocabulary, say no! to your favorite word replacements. Dont simply parap hrase or plagiarize from others, and dont be lazy about finding that particular noun or adjective to communicate your idea.How to figure out these words?Re-read your messages with friends on Facebook, WhatsApp or whatever messenger you use.Make a list of the words you often choose to fill vocabulary gaps.Give the list to a friend and ask them to scold you every single time you write or say mentioned words.Reward a friend with a dinner or wash their car whenever you use one-size-fits-all words 50 times. (With no sanctions or motivation, it will be difficult to get rid of that hoary vocabulary.)After you learn to slow down a little for very, thing, amazing  and any other favorite plague words, your memory will know that it cant take the easy way outâ€"and it will start to deliver synonyms from your passive vocabulary.3. Total RecallOne of the most common pieces of advice for language learners is: Write new word in a notebook or on flashcards.Even if you go about doing this, the proble m is, words are difficult to remember without context.Instead of reviewing a list of isolated words and phrases bereft of context, make strides towards practicing your words in context and visualizing them in real situations.The best way to do this is to write, write and write some more. Write short stories and messages of all kinds.Choose your favorite topics and platforms: Write on social media, keep a diary, jot thoughts down in a Word file, whatever. The trick is to insert as many words there as possible, as often as possible. Bring in synonyms, different connotations, new grammar constructions and various writing styles. Revisit and reread your writings from time after time to avoid repetitions.Okay, some of us are too lazy to write every day. Or, we simply dont like writing and consider it a dull pastime to practice regularly. If youre amongst these non-writers and procrastinators, provide yourself with positive reinforcement to stay motivated:take part in a competitionaccept a writing challengemake a bet with your language teacher or friendsreward yourself for achievementsâ€"for example, buy yourself a donut after youve successfully written something every day for one week.4. Read SmartYou know that reading helps to expand vocabulary.  Thats true because it (reading) forces learners to look at words they might not have heard or seen before, making them search for meanings to understand the content. After all, the language in books is often more sophisticated than that of our everyday conversations.More than that, reading improves the memory and concentration  thats essential for language learners to have.But do you know what and how to read for this trick to work?Memoirs and autobiographiesWhen reading fiction, we get into the plot and dont pay attention to the rich verbal expression of a writer. So try a psychological trick, such as reading first-person stories. Leisurely and thoughtfully. In a perfect world, youll read aloud.PoemsJust like we have pla gue words, we also have plague  grammar constructions that we become reliant on, limiting our lexical diversity. In English, it can be a passive voice, there is, there are sentences or, in Spanish, over-indulging in the easy-to-form past participle.Read and learn poems by heart to absorb both the vocabulary and syntax of your target language. Poems typically  get creative with sentence construction, juggle word order and replace long phrases with shorter, more powerful phrases, so reading them is a great impetus for activating your passive vocabulary and picking up new grammar patterns.Dont think of active vocabulary expansion as if it were a bloody difficult, time-consuming and many-stage challenge.Its not neuroscience, where you need to spend years to really know your stuff.Moving passive vocabulary into your active vocabulary is a natural process that all people experience throughout life, and its within your power to influence it.The first step is being aware of how it works.The n, once youve applied the clever tricks above, youll be well on your way to boosting your active vocabulary every day.

How to Get a Lab Tutor Online

How to Get a Lab Tutor OnlineYou can find a Lab Tutor Online through the internet. It is a way to learn and improve your teaching skills while spending your valuable time at home or at your own convenience. There are a number of tutors available through the internet, so that you may choose which one would best suit your needs.In case you decide to have the tutor to work with you, you will need to provide him/her with a copy of your course materials so that they can review the material with you. The tutors will help you develop a better understanding and solution for your students. They will also be able to help you build rapport with your students.Before you start with the tutor, you need to select one that you feel comfortable with. If you are just starting out with the classroom teaching then there are tutors available that will help you with the basics. If you are already in a teacher training program then you will need to seek one out that is a program of that type.You should ens ure that the tutor you select is qualified for the education that you require. Also check if they have any certification from the state that they are an educator certified in teaching.You need to prepare yourself for some possible questions to ask them when you do take the course material to their office or home for review. This way you will know what questions you need to ask and you will not be wasting your valuable time on something that they will never answer.Once you have chosen a tutor, then you can start searching for one through the internet. It would help to research the tutor that you have chosen and then find out whether the tutor is at all interested in working with you or not.Find out about their experiences in the field. Ask for references and goonline to verify if the tutor is really a good person to work with. If you find it is the case then you can choose to go ahead with the work that you have with this tutor.

Tutor Time Castaic Review

Tutor Time Castaic ReviewYou have requested to take Tutor Time Castaic in Pascagoula and were approved. This is the first of many reviews about the program. The difference between the interactive tutoring that you will receive, and the interactive web site are very simple. You have the opportunity to go online and listen to a live online call with a Pascagoula tutor and ask questions and the responses are entered into your virtual instructor.When you interact with your instructor, they call you on the phone and you can hear them talk live. This provides a personal relationship for your students, as well as the opportunity to ask them questions about your subject, and get answers right away. It is interesting that both Tutor Time Castaic and CPA Tutor time Castaic offer an online tutor with live interaction.If you want to enroll for a Tutoring Class, then you are provided with the option of a one on one with your online instructor or you can use the interactive class where you can see each other while you are learning. It is also good to see what others think of the course. After taking a Tutor Time Castaic course, your email will be available to others.While you are enrolled in the Tutoring Class, you will need to make some progress at least once per week. This can be done by using a grading tool to grade your work, or by using one of the teacher's project-based assessments, which will help to keep your grade up.In addition to the study materials and the online grading tools, there are available online activities, quizzes, presentations, quizzes, and student test results. The assessments include both written and video-based assessments, so that you can use your video tutorials in your assignments. While in the interactive Tutor Time Castaic web site, you can access information on upcoming test schedules and to find out how theTutor Time Castaic curriculum will help you with your assignment.You will be provided with various ways to contact your Tutor Time Castai c Tutor. There is a toll free number, a fax number, email address, telephone number, and even an in-person contact information. One of the great things about the Tutor Time Castaic and CPA Tutor Time Castaic online tutoring classes is that your instructor can assist you anytime, day or night. They can listen to your questions and help you choose an appropriate response.If you are looking for an effective online tutor, then you will want to check out Tutor Time Castaic and CPA Tutor Time Castaic. This is the only online tutoring program that offers an interactive environment, and you can receive all the assistance you need without having to drive far.

What is it Like to Attend Syracuse University

What is it Like to Attend Syracuse University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Erin is a 2012 graduate of Syracuse University where she studied English and Communications. She currently tutors in New York City and specializes in many subjects including Essay Editing tutoring, Literature tutoring, and Phonics tutoring. 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? Erin: Everything on main campus is within a 20-minute walk. The school uses some facilities for design students downtown known as The Warehouse; there are both school buses and city buses students can take to get here if they opt out of using their own transportation. Additionally, there is a series of apartments known as South Campus which students can rent approximately 2 miles from the university there are regularly scheduled buses to these that circulate once every ten minutes during class hours and once every 20 minutes during later or weekend hours. Personally, I had my car there since freshman year. While you certainly dont need it for school, you get to enjoy much more of the area if you have one and for that, I would recommend bringing one if possible. Additionally, for students living off campus, there are few local grocery options and having a car makes these trips much more convenient. Lastly, I was able to secure several internships and jobs strictly because I had my own vehicle on campus. However, most of my friends did not have a car their entire college careers and were able to use the resources on campus, use the bus systems or carpool. Syracuse University is almost always a safe campus. Any crime that occurs happens in the off-campus areas, which police are cracking down on. There are usually several armed robberies per academic year that happen to students walking solo in late hours of the night. To help combat this issue, Syracuse City Police and Syracuse University Department of Safety established a system where students who need a ride or walking escort to get them home safely can call for one at any hour and have police offers provide them with one. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Erin: I think this varies tremendously by college and professor. I was technically enrolled in 3 different colleges within Syracuse Newhouse, the School of Communications, The College of Arts and Sciences, and Whitman School of Management (to receive a major in Communications, English, and minor in Business). Based on my experiences with these, some professors are much more available than others. I double majored and minored in school and can only think of perhaps 3-5 professors who were particularly absent. I had wonderful success with my advisers and TAs. The professors who were absent were usually this way not out of laziness but because they were also hired full-time elsewhere. If students run into issues with this, there are almost always other professors, TAs, and faculty members whom they can seek for academic assistance. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Erin: I personally loved living in the dorms. Syracuse mandates students must live in the dorms for the first 2 years unless the student is commuting and living at home. For my freshman year, I lived in a dorm called Lawrinson, which was 21 floors and the tallest building on campus. It sits next to the famous Carrier Dome (making getting to sports games very easy) and adjacent to the SUNY ESF Campus. Not all dorms have dining halls in them but they are all close to one. Lawrinson sits next to Sadler, which includes its own dining hall. There are no all-freshman dorms but with the exception of Watson, all dorms include freshman. There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to each dorm (the campus sits on a hill so some dorms require steep uphill walking, others include 100+ stairs to access them, while others sit near noisy highways; on the flip side, some include the nicest facilities, their own gyms, libraries, restaurants, cafes, and other perks). The room types vary among dor ms and within dorms. Some include singles, quads, suites, open doubles, closed doubles, and other layouts. You can request for whichever top two choices youd like when you enter school. I lucked out with a single my freshman year. My second year, I worked as an RA (Resident Advisor) in Watson, which helped me financially as it paid for both my room and board. This dorm is the only all-upperclassman dorm of the campus. Like Lawrinson, it does not have its own dining hall but sits across the street from a dorm that does (Ernie Davis). Typically for freshman, the floor/wing Resident Advisor plans community-building events to get students socializing most of which take place first semester and in Orientation Week. The biggest event is within freshmen students first week on campus a night called Home to the Dome in which all the freshmen students go to the Carrier Dome for a night of music, fun, entertainment, and memories. After Orientation Week, there is always an abundance of activities in which students can participate. My one critique of the school is the price of dining meal plans range between having 14 meals per week to 21 per week with extra cash for on-campus cafes and guest meal passes with the cost of these ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 and are mandatory for all dorm residents. 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? Erin: Syracuse is known for several programs. Its most popular major is Psychology, however it is most renown for the Newhouse School of Communications and several programs within the Whitman School of Management, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and the School of Architecture (for undergrads). Newhouse was recently ranked the #1 Communications school and every year, it always makes the top 3-5 among different lists. Whitman and VPA boast several majors that are revered nationwide including VPAs film program and Whitmans entrepreneurial department. When I was in high school, I was interested in journalism and staying in New York, my home state. Id grown up hearing about Syracuse but was never particularly interested (it was arguably too close to home) until I did a campus tour my junior year. I fell in love with the school and applied Early Decision in November of my senior year to Newhouses print journalism department. At the time, Newhouse had about 340 spots open for its incoming class and an expectation of 3,000 applicants. I was obviously nervous I wouldnt make the cut but I did and I couldnt have been happier. Second semester of my freshman year, I changed my major to what is called Television, Radio, Film a blend of media forms and the most popular major in Newhouse. I did this after realizing there were many elements of the print journalism field I didnt enjoy and some in which I didnt excel. The major is considered one of the best programs of its kind in the country with alumni using it to pursue jobs with major studi os, distributors, production companies, talent agencies, and everything in between. Students can focus this major in screenwriting, television production, film production, management, or radio (or get a sampling of each like I did). During my sophomore year, I opted for a second major, English, in the College of Arts and Sciences. Id always loved writing and sure enough, I loved the second major. I also picked up a minor in business as I felt it would help prepare me for The Real World. From the 3 different programs, I was kept very busy but rarely too busy to enjoy school, socializing, and extracurricular activities. The school did an arguably excellent job of supporting Newhouse, TRF, and me. When I compared experiences with students in other colleges, I dont think every student got the same treatment as Newhouse students did. That being said, there are drawbacks to Newhouse, one being finances to pay for the cameras, computers, and high quality technology that communication students use, every Newhouse student had to pay a higher communications fee per semester than any other colleges student body. 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? Erin: I found making friends very easy and encouraged in Syracuse. By the end of my second day there, Id already made several friends and by my second week there, Id made the best friends Id have in college. Im certain my experiences arent typical of every student, however, I do know these friendships were due in part to the social atmosphere of the freshmen-dominated dorms and the work Syracuse does to build these friendships. Greek life does play a significant role at Syracuse I believe 1 in 3 people is involved in it. I was never interested in participating but many students do and find wonderful friendships through it. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Erin: As a Newhouse student, I didnt use the main Career Center but Newhouses specific one known as the Career Development Center which focused strictly on Communications students. I adored the CDC and still do. They made finding internships and finding jobs infinitely easier for students and recent grads. Many companies do recruit at Syracuse NBC Universal, Ogilvy, JP Morgan Chase, GE, Turner Broadcasting, Ernst and Young, and many others. As a TRF student, few entertainment companies recruit at any school (because they simply dont need to) so I rarely used these options. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Erin: I never had a problem getting a seat in any of these places there are so many on campus that I cant imagine it ever being an issue. I personally used the Carnegie Math Library to study in, as it was the quietest and used a lounge in Maxwell for reading. The only spaces that I do know get overly crowded are the dining halls. At peak hours (12:30pm, 6:30pm) it can difficult to find a seat and students sometimes opt instead to take their food to go (containers are provided by the school). An easy remedy for this is to simply avoid these hours, but student schedules dont always permit this luxury. 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? Erin: Like most college students, Syracuse students experiences depend on how much effort students put into them. I was very invested in making sure I explored the area and constantly tried new things (indeed, having my own car made this easy). Near Syracuse University, there is a wonderful downtown area, made famous by Armory Square, the citys restaurant capital that Guy Fieri has featured multiple times. There are several lakes nearby including Green Lakes, Oneida Shores, and the Jamesville Reservoir. Additionally, there is the newly renovated Destiny USA Mall (to which SU buses students) and other nearby shopping outlets. I personally think Syracuse, NY helped make my college experience the best possible from all these nearby attractions. That being said, I appreciated the medium-sized city feel and the ease of it which as a result, meant there werent as many as attractions as a city like New York, Boston, or Los Angeles could boast. Students who find themselves only satisfied by the energy of large cities may find Syracuse too small or too isolated. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Erin: Syracuse University, like the city, is a medium sized school with an undergrad population a little under 15,000 students. I found this to be a perfect size as I could invariably see a familiar face on a daily basis and always have new people to meet. Some classes are huge (400-person lectures) and some are small (6 people) it completely depends on the class and college. I rarely had an issue with class size and always felt like I could be heard in my classes. The largest classes are those that are required of every student and typically taken by freshmen like entry-level math, science, and seminar classes. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Erin: I had lots of memorable experiences with professors, however my most memorable relationship is one with an English professor I had. She consistently challenged me (I had her for 2 different classes) and opened my eyes to the joys of writing in entirely new ways. She was always reachable by email and in her office hours and proved to be a defining element of my college experience. I greatly attribute my deep love of writing to her. However, she was certainly only one of many professors whom I adored and I think the high quantity of high quality professors is one of Syracuses defining highlights. Check out Erins tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Study Skills for High School 5 Crucial Steps to Succeed

Study Skills for High School 5 Crucial Steps to Succeed Suzy S. When it comes to essential study skills for high school, what do you need to know to be successful? Here are the 5 most important skills, as outlined by tutor Matthew H.: High school can seem like such a scary place. After all, we often hear that the choices we make in high school will ultimately shape who we become as adults. Major stressors include the pressure to do well so that you’ll get into a good college, so that you will land an even better job. These are understandably important issues to consider, but they seem much less intimidating and much more manageable when you have the right study skills for high school to guide you. 1. Identify what learning style works best for you. This may seem like a no-brainer, yet many students (regardless of age) are not in tune with how they individually learn best. You could be one of many different types of learners: visual, auditory, reading-based, kinesthetic, and so on. Some people may even be a mix of various styles. The trick is to isolate what works best for you and not confuse it with what you like to do. In other words, you may be an excellent artist, but you retain information better by hearing someone say it first. If you aren’t sure what learning style you fall under, many guidance counselors know of quick tests you can take to determine what works best for you. Also, similar quizzes are available online, although those may not be as accurate. 2. Organize more efficiently. Organization is super important. In most cases, high schools supply each student with a personal agenda at the beginning of the academic year. You may choose to purchase a larger planner for yourself, especially if you have a ton of extracurriculars on top of different homework assignments due, projects to turn in, presentations to give, and tests to take. Having everything written down in one central location will make it much easier for you to complete all of the necessary tasks in as stress-free a way as possible, and avoid procrastination. 3. Prioritize your time and determine what is essential. Now that you have an easy-to-follow list of upcoming assignments, rank them in order of importance, difficulty, and due date. For instance, if you have a presentation due the same week as an exam for a different class, factor in how much of each final grade those are worth. If the presentation is 15% of your History grade and the exam is a midterm worth 20% of your Math grade, then maybe dedicate a little more time for the exam. But if you are more confident in math and need to bolster your history grade, then adjust accordingly. Flexibility is an important trait to have! 4. Incorporate your own interests into your studying habits. Earlier I mentioned the importance of separating your interests from the way you learn in developing good study skills for high school. However, that does not mean you should never consider what you like to do. If you discover that you are a kinesthetic learner but have a passion for music, bridge the two together in some way. This can be as simple as playing your favorite band’s album while studying geography by moving around index cards, or as sophisticated as creating your own music by playing an instrument (specifically one with a lot of tactile contact) to accompany your history project. Be creative! 5. Connect what you’re learning to other subjects. Don’t think Algebra and foreign language have anything in common? Guess again. Neurological studies have shown that math and language skills are kept relatively close to each other in the same hemisphere of the brain. This is in part due to the importance of the structure of patterns in language similar to those found in diverse math subjects (geometry, probability, etc.). The truth is virtually everything you learn can be connected in some way. Once you draw your own comparisons between different subjects, you will retain the information from both classes much easier. Perhaps the most important study skill for high school (or for any grade level, really) is the ability to relate to what you are learning. When you can relate to the material on some level, you will be able to apply the concepts in a more effective way. Topics will make more sense and you will feel better about yourself. Use the skills not just in high school, but for the rest of your life! Matthew H. provides tutoring in various subjects both online and in New Milford, NJ.  He recently received his MA from NYU with a background in Sociolinguistics and related research. 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  UTC Library

5 Weird Tips for Learning Spanish That Really Work

5 Weird Tips for Learning Spanish That Really Work Suzy S. Have you tried everything to improve your Spanish speaking skills? What about  singing your vocabulary? In this article, tutor  Dorothy P.  is going to show you some unorthodox  techniques for learning Spanish that actually work Beginning to learn a new language is fun! You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. But what if you’ve taken lots of classes or worked with a Spanish tutor for a while, and you still feel like a beginner? What if you’re that “eternal intermediate,” frustrated because you can’t up your game enough to really converse? As an experienced Spanish tutor, I’ve seen this a lot. But learning Spanish, or any other language, isn’t just about memorizing flashcards and studying grammar: achieving fluency also depends on developing positive emotional and physical behaviors. I’d like to share some of my student-tested behavioral techniques to help you locate your resistance points, and develop new language-learning habits to break through to the next level. 1. Before class: Practice the yoga of language. Well, okay, maybe it’s not high-level yoga, but these simple exercises contribute to mindfulness and relaxation at the start of every language-learning session, either with your tutor or at home before studying. A relaxed body encourages a relaxed mind, and a relaxed mind is a receptive mind. First, stretch: Try the sunrise/sunset pose. From a standing position, raise your arms high in the air and then bend from the waist, allowing your upper body to dangle toward the ground, breathing deeply. Release your breath slowly, allowing your head and hands to fall closer to the floor with every out-breath. When you’re feeling chill, sit down in your chair, and sit up straight and smile. Good posture makes you more alert, and smiling actually makes you happier. And happy people are more receptive to new information! 2. Before class: Do vocal warm-ups in the target language. Want your Spanish to sound like… Spanish? Vocal warm-ups before your learning session tune up your tongue so your castellano is more convincing. The music of Spanish comes from the characteristic way vowels and certain consonant combinations sound. Start with long vowel emissions: a, e, i, o, u   the Spanish versions, of course! Then try some Spanish tongue twisters, beginning slowly for accuracy and then saying them faster and faster. After challenging yourself to tongue twisters in your target language, speaking normally with your tutor will seem a whole lot easier! 3. In class: Consciously employ positive reinforcement. I don’t know how many times one of my students has made an error and then made it worse by wailing, “I always make that mistake!” Guess what? Negative affirmations won’t move the needle one millimeter forward.  Slapping your forehead in frustration and saying, “I can never remember that word!” is a great way to teach your brain that it can’t learn. Instead, when you make a mistake, use positive enforcement by receiving your tutor’s correction and then pausing to say out loud: “I always get (whatever the thing is) right,” or “Now I know the preterit of tener is tuve,” or whatever is applicable to the lesson at hand. Also, when you say something beautifully and correctly in the target language, take a victory lap! Successes should be celebrated and reiterated: repeat your successes many times to reinforce correct speech patterns. Ask your tutor to hold you to a gold standard of positivity, and to point out to you when you’re displaying negative patterns. 4. In class: Finish your thought â€" by any means possible. Not all tutors agree with me on this idea, but I believe that developing the habit of finishing your thoughts by any means possible is a creative language-learning practice. So if you’re missing one key vocabulary word to complete a thought, simply finish your sentence using a real object, a gesture, or even a word in English in place of the word you don’t know. Then, when your tutor suggests the word you were missing, repeat the sentence, adding the new information. This way, you train yourself to keep talking, which is one of the key characteristics of fluency. Also, by practicing this method, you move the classroom discussion along, and quickly help your tutor understand what you need to know. Remember: To learn any new language and to communicate in the real world, the only wrong answer is silence. 5. Anytime: Can’t say it? Try singing it! Yes, I’ve saved the weirdest technique for last, and no, you don’t have to be Pavarotti to try it! Did you know that when stutterers sing, they dont stutter? That’s because singing uses a different part of the brain (the right side) from speaking (the left side). When I discovered that interesting brain fact, I immediately applied it to my teaching.   Now when pronunciation problems come up in a session, my student and I sing the word or phrase. Soon, we’re both laughing, and what was an obstacle is now a piece of cake! On your own time, sing verb conjugations or vocab lists while jogging or walking. Make up your own melodies or use a favorite pop song. This is a great way to reinforce the sound of your target language when you’re practicing at home and have no one to talk with. And finally, dont underestimate the importance  of working with a private Spanish  tutor! One of the biggest benefits of private lessons  is that you don’t have to put up with boring and ordinary. You don’t have to be a wallflower in a big group. You drive the goal-setting in your class, and you can also, to some degree, drive the method. Try some of these techniques with your tutor, and you’ll see: you’ll be “stuck” no more. Post Author:  Dorothy P. Dorothy P.  teaches Spanish and writing  in Durham, NC. She has more than  23 years of teaching experience and a degree in Language and Literature from Yale University. Dorothy is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Fine Arts at The University of the South.  Learn more about Dorothy 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

The Best way to Learn to write Hanzi

The Best way to Learn to write Hanzi Chinese script: learn to write the characters ChaptersEasy Chinese words and characters to learnWhat direction do you read and write in Chinese?How to memorize the way to write Chinese charactersHelpful tools to learn Chinese charactersBeautiful, exotic, mysterious…these adjectives aren’t describing a tropical vacation destination, I’m talking about the Chinese writing system!When we talk about Chinese characters, we aren’t talking about an alphabet like we use in English. The Chinese system of writing is totally different from English, Spanish, or even Russian.Whether you’ve just begun Mandarin lessons, or are in intermediate or advanced Chinese classes, learning to write the hanzi can be a difficult challenge and it’s hard to find good learning methods to do it.Here we’ll talk you through a few of our top tips for learning to write in Chinese, and how to memorize and read Chinese characters.Another example is the character ? (ròu, meat)   and ? (Yú, which is the symbol for fish), so when you see ?? (niurou, bee f) at a restaurant, you can deduct that that symbol indicates some form of meat and not fish.Finally, thanks to the character ? (Zhàn), students will be able to get around on public transport in China.You should note that it’s necessary to practice writing and identifying your first 100 characters regularly in order to properly memorize them and move ahead in your language studies.We also have some tips for how to learn to write in Chinese.What direction do you read and write in Chinese?In China, last names are passed down the paternal line over millenniaThe People’s Republic of China followed the example of Japan and Singapore and completely did away with their traditional way of writing in 1956. This change followed an increase in Western influence in Asia and was meant to make the writing system easier to learn and more regular.Therefore, in mainland China if you’re at a Chinese language school or taking classes at the Confucius Institute it’s normal to learn to write Ch inese in a Western style - that is, horizontally, going from left to right.It’s the way you’ll see Chinese script in newspapers, magazines, and books as you go about your day to day life.Traditional writing is then relegated to the level of good taste, savoir-vive, and linguistic skills.Often you’ll see vertical writing (from high to low, and right to left), often without any punctuation, in greeting cards or handwritten letters that you write to your oldest family members.Esthetically, Chinese calligraphy also often takes the form of classical writing on shop signs.You’ll also see writing going from high to low on the outside of ancient monuments, in temples, and on the signs of many restaurants. It can often cause some funny stories of confusion, so it’s worth keeping in mind this possibility if you’re planning a trip to China and taking a semester of Chinese classes before you head abroad.Although rare, people do sometimes have trouble reading the written characters, and it’s something you’ll have to get used to if you’re planning to live in China. The key thing is to remember that there are no spaces between words like in Romance and Germanic languages, and the meanings of some words need to be inferred by context.Expats and native Chinese speakers alike can agree on one thing - it’s sometimes hard to tell in which direction you’re meant to be reading the characters. In Taiwan and Hong Kong, newspapers are still written vertically, and you can sometimes see characters written:from left to right, in the opposite direction that was instituted in the 1950s to simplify the Chinese language.from top to bottom like Chinese was traditionally written until the first half of the 20th century.And sometimes the two systems are mixed together, which can make the writing impossible to read for anyone born after Chinese language reform.Learn more about writing in Chinese with this glossary...How to memorize the way to write Chinese charactersIs the re a way to wish someone Happy New Year in Chinese without making reference to money?“A man’s life isn’t long enough to learn all of the characters.”This Chinese proverb can give you some indication of the mammoth task you’re taking on in memorizing Chinese characters.There’re an estimated 56,000 hanzis ?? (Chinese characters)! It would take more than an entire lifespan - at least if immortality hasn’t been invented yet - to learn every last Chinese character.Chinese language centers often emphasize the order in which you make the strokes when writing in order to teach the hanzis. This way of learning can often seem like memorization, but it’s actually quite logical. The repetitive strokes register in your brain just like any other form of writing, same as the way you learned to write in English.When you first start off writing Chinese characters, it’s best to start with strokes that start from the left before moving on to ones that are on the right. That way you†™re learning in the same direction as English writing.Then, for the rare times when the student is asked to write from high to low, the order is the same:Always start writing the strokes above before moving on to those below, same as you would in English.Then, following basic logic, you should always fill the square or outline before closing it. It’s common sense that you’d need to draw the character first before drawing an outline around it.What’s more, if you’re drawing a complex character, you should do the horizontal strokes before the vertical ones.Finally, some words made up of two or more characters should be written from right to left. The word ‘hello’ is a good example of this.You’ll normally learn all of these rules for writing script in your Mandarin language classes, and they’ll help you begin to make sense of the bewildering world of Hanzi. But of course, there are lots of other methods for writing Chinese characters too, and there’s no one way to do i t.In any case, it doesn’t matter so much which way you learn the Chinese characters, the key thing is that although learning the hanzi may seem like an impossible task, it’s totally doable.Learn more about writing Chinese Hanzi...Helpful tools to learn Chinese charactersHelpful websites to learn the hanziomniglotThis helpful online encyclopedia of different languages offers some great resources and useful links to other websites, as well as an app for learning the most common Chinese characters, available on Android and iPhone.Online apps for learning Mandarin Chineseskritter.comAvailable as an app on the iPhone, or online, this mobile app makes it easy for you to learn and study Chinese characters and is designed to do so in a way that will keep student’s motivated and encouraged.Following the precise directions provided, the user is invited to trace the character out, stroke by stroke, in the right order. There’s even a function to ask for help when you come across a chara cter that you’ve forgotten (or never learned).The app will also offer you different exercises and quizzes once it’s determined your level based on which characters you’ve mastered, and which hanzi you’re struggling with.The app is easily accessible to all, even beginners, and also offers flashcards to help you study without having to move a muscle.Thanks to its machine learning algorithm, the app also keeps track of your errors and will adjust to work with you on improving your weak areas.The iPhone app also offers an audio option, so you can listen to the proper pronunciation of each hanzi character. It’s a great way to combine reading and listening comprehension.Widely considered by bloggers and students of Chinese as the best tool for learning the Chinese characters the app does cost money, but there’s also a free demo available for you to test it out, or dip your toe in the language ahead of your first Chinese lesson.I found the best way to learn to write is through Chinese lessons with a Superprof tutor!Learn Chinese Characters via videoYouTube is full of a wide variety of native Chinese and Chinese teachers who are eager to help you learn. With titles like ‘The Best Way to Learn Chinese Characters’ and ‘Four Basic Concepts for Learning Chinese Characters’, you should be able to find a video blogger that will work for you in no time.It’s a great way to begin the challenge of learning to read and write Chinese characters.In order to really appreciate the beauty of the different Hanzi, however, there’s nothing better than signing up for some Chinese classes in New York or Boston.Discover how to write using classic Chinese calligraphy...Need to find a Chinese tutor in the UK? Look no further! Whether your searching for London, Birmingham, Manchester, or any other city in Britain, you’ll find them with Superprof.Chinese courses LondonMandarin courses LondonChinese classes Glasgow