The Basics of Becoming a Language Tutor

The Basics of Becoming a Language TutorIf you are interested in becoming a language tutor, you are probably looking for tips on how to become a language tutor. But do you know what the basics of becoming a language tutor are? What you should be interested in is understanding how to become a language tutor. There are actually some basic things that you must learn in order to become a language tutor.One thing that you should learn is that there are many ways to become a language tutor. You can become a language teacher, a translator, or an interpreter. Depending on your interest, you can choose which one will best suit you. There are also a lot of programs that will train you in many different professions. If you are an expert in one field, then that will be the best way for you to make a living teaching or translating.There are also other people who go and get an education or certification in these fields and teach other people. These people get the certification so that people would know how to learn how to become a language tutor. This makes it easier for people to recognize the expertise of the person that they are going to hire as a tutor.When you want to become a tutor, there are actually two different steps that you have to follow. First you have to get some training. You have to study so that you can become a good tutor. The second step is to find out where you can find the best jobs that are available for a tutor. Of course you are going to want to find a job that is going to pay well.If you don't have any experience in the new role, then it is important that you get some training. This is because you will need to learn more about the world. The better that you know about the world, the better that you can help people with their own languages. As you get more experience, then you can also work on becoming a language tutor for people that only speak English.Becoming a language tutor is going to require you to go to school. This is because you will need to study how to become a tutor. Since there are many different programs that train people to become a tutor, you will need to have some extra time for school. Your day will probably consist of going to school, doing some study, and then taking a few extra classes if you need to. After all this, you will probably end up working for somebody else.Becoming a language tutor isn't easy. There are a lot of people that are willing to teach English in areas that you won't even know about. However, when you get into the profession, it might be better for you to work with people that you know, especially if you are only in the beginning stages of your career. The more experience you get, the better off you will be.

The Best Elocution Lessons Online

The Best Elocution Lessons Online The Top Places Online to Find Elocution Lessons ChaptersWhat is Elocution? And How do You Learn it Online?The Best Places to Find Elocution Lessons OnlineEveryone has a voice. And, depending on where you are from in the world, your voices will differ dramatically. Cockney or posh, American English or British English, Scouse or Brummie, there are a million and one ways in which we speak.Yet, as sad as it might sound, one cannot escape the conclusion that, in the UK, some accents count more than others. An accent that is perceived as neutral â€" however far from neutral it might be â€" seems to be accepted more easily and respected more easily too. Meanwhile, among English speakers, one’s pronunciation is seen almost immediately as an identifier of pretty much anything: class, wealth, education. In a context like this, you’d be easily forgiven for harbouring an anxiety about your spoken English, wherever it is you have come from in life. The British have an unfortunate and unhealthy fixation with the correct way to pronounce wor ds â€" and what this might mean about you. Yet, sometimes, if you want to feel like you fit in, having some expert advice and accent training can be the best way to feel comfortable.That’s why there has been a massive increase in elocution, speech training, and communication skills lessons in the UK over the last few years. People have caught onto the unhappy fact that, in some cases, your voice can tell so much about you.If you would like to take up elocution lessons near you â€" or learn how to speak English with a British accent â€" then you’re in the right place. We have brought together some of the most effective elocution classes that are available online. We hope you find it helpful. Remember, though, your voice is wonderful the way it is. 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!Discove r 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 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 M ilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat is Elocution? And How do You Learn it Online?So, briefly, what is elocution?In its most neutral form, elocution can be defined as the study of expressive and clear speech, with definition and clarity of pronunciation and articulation. Alternatively, we can define it as the study of formal speaking, in all of speech’s forms â€" from pronunciation and grammar to style, tone, and register.Meanwhile, elocution lessons often involve public speaking practice, accent reduction â€" or, more accurately, accent adoption, with the accent adopted being ‘received pronunciation’ â€" and phonetics.All of these things are what make up elocution â€" and these are the things that you will be studying in any course that you take.But this all begs the following question…How Can You Learn Elocution Online?It might seem like a strange thing to be able to take elocution classes online. However, these days, you can study pretty much any subject you would like online â€" even when those subjects require you to practise speaking aloud. This obviously includes elocution: all of the different aspects of elocution â€" from intonation to pronouncing vowel sounds â€" can be now taught online.In most cases, this happens over Skype. However, you might be surprised to hear that there are one-way elocution courses too that you can watch.Let’s take a look at the different courses available to you online â€" and find you the best options for what you need. You can learn all you need to know about elocution too! To be an actor, you'll need elocution training.The Best Places to Find Elocution Lessons OnlineWhilst the internet is a wonderful place for learning, it is also a great place in which to be led astray. When you are conducting your search for elocution lessons, be smart and be savvy. Don’t fall for offers that might be too good to be true â€" because, simply enough, they probably are.Always when looking for training online, ask for proof of credentials and qualifications. Not all tutors are legit; even those who are lovely might just not be worth your time and money.But with the warning out of the way, let’s take a look at the best places online that you can find elocution training.Improve Your Elocution with Cambridgeshire Elocution.Cambridgeshire Elocution is a very professional teaching outfit that has gone completely online recently. Based, as you could probably imagine, in Cambridgeshire, they offer elocution training for the native English speaker and non-native speakers too .You will pay for an annual or monthly subscription to generic content: video lessons on speaking skills and the desired English accent, the phonetic chart and the correct tongue and lip placement for pronunciation.With the packages, you’ll also have the opportunity to book Skype lessons with Charlotte, the designer of the course. She’ll help you with any specific issues or difficulties you are having, whilst pointing you in the right direction for future improvement.Try the Pardon Me? App for Elocution Lessons Online.It was only a matter of time before elocution lessons became available on the go. And, lo and behold, here it is, the first elocution app: Pardon Me?Designed for people who are having to sit the IELTS speaking exam or for those who just struggle to make themselves understood, the Pardon Me? app works on the basis of imitation and repetition.With all these new-fangled technological opportunities â€" from recording yourself to watching your own face in real time on y our phone â€" elocution training has become easier. And that’s why the Pardon Me? app is such a winner.Get in Touch with UK Speech Academy for Elocution and Accent Reduction Online.The UK Speech Academy is another elocution training organisation that is slowly moving its operations online.With tutors that claim to instil improvements in their students after just one session, and with a range of different training opportunities â€" from business or personal contexts to dealing with nerves and overcoming your accent â€" there’s a good chance that these are one of the better elocution trainers out there.As their name suggests, they focus on training for speeches as much as for elocution per se. This means that, if you have an important presentation to be doing, this is the place to come. Get in touch to book a session over Skype â€" and go from there. With elocution classes, you'll exude confidence.Take Elocution Training with Positive Voice.Positive Voice are another provider of elocution training, offering one-to-one lessons on Skype, a pre-recorded training course, or a combination of the two.The digital course is made of forty videos, a training guide, and a hypnotherapy track â€" all of which comes to work in parallel with the one-to-one course facilitated by Francesca, the owner of Positive Voice. You’ll learn things from breathing rhythms and face muscles to English grammar, sentence structure, and the placement of stress in a sentence.  Francesca suggests taking the course intensively over nine months. Whilst this might be more than you would like to commit, to nail your English this is the amount of time you probably need.Find an Elocution Tutor with Superprof.Superprof is a platform that connects prospective students with tutors from all over the world. With over ten million tutors globally, there are plenty of elocut ion tutors to choose from â€" either online or in person. Our platform is seriously easy to use. Search for the subject you want to learn, scroll through the tutors available, and click to get in touch. In the vast majority of cases, they’ll offer their first lesson free.With Superprof, you’re completely flexible: find the tutor that suits you with the teaching style that suits you. It’s really easy.Learn Elocution Early with Elocution Kids.Elocution is not just for adults. In fact, historically speaking, it is pretty much exclusively for children and teens.That’s why Elocution Kids is a welcome addition to the speech therapy landscape, as they offer elocution training and speech therapy online and in person across the south of England.They offer LAMDA exams for children too â€" which are certifications of your ability to speak well, in public speaking and conversation.Improve Your Pronunciation at British English Pronunciation.British English Pronunciation is another course that is available online for people who want to improve their speaking.This one consists of seventeen different lessons, with supplementary video and audio. You’ll cover everything you would expect with Anna Tyrie, the actress and voice coach. Elocution teaches confidence as much as pronunciationTake an Elocution Class with Voice Training.Finally, Voice Training offers a range of products â€" from videos and books to lessons and training events â€" on the topic of elocution and speech improvement.They have worked with everyone from actors to business leaders, from children with speech impediments to speech therapists themselves. Whatever you want to get out of your speech training, Voice Training can help you out.

What Will I Learn From Cooking Classes

What Will I Learn From Cooking Classes What To Expect From Cooking Lessons ChaptersCookery School HighlightsSome Key Skills You Can Expect To Learn GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsCookery School HighlightsIf you are set to begin a 12-week spell at cooking school, then you can almost certainly expect to learn a great deal of information about all things related to cooking. From vegetable prep to trimming meats, from gutting fish to making pastry art, you’ll gain an incredible number of kitchen skills  fr om your cooking tutor.Reading RecipesHowever, one very important thing that you will learn to do during an extensive course is how to read recipes. It may sound simple, but the art of dissecting recipes is actually a very skilful activity and requires a great understanding of gathering ingredients and taking instruction.Knife SkillsKnives don't come with instructions, but if you have ever seen a professional chef using them to perfection during a demonstration, it will make you think that perhaps they should come with instructions on how to cut things like they do! Your cooking tutor will guide you through the technique.Learning how to use knives of all sizes, from a paring knife to a ridged bread knife, is something that you can expect your tutor to teach you during any basic cooking class focused on the fundamental aspects of novice cooking techniques. In addition, your instructor might show you how to safely sharpen your equipment.Food HygieneAlong with learning about cooking met hods, recipes and food types, you will also learn how to treat food during the preparation process. Food hygiene is incredibly important in the kitchen, and the Food Standards Agency (FSA), a government organisation, ensures the safety of food preparation zones in all commercial kitchens by setting out strict hygiene rules.Some of the basics that you will cover are using different chopping boards and knives for cooking poultry, fish, red meats, other meats and of course vegetables. In fact, in some kitchens, you will find colour-coded cutting boards according to the type of food you are working with.With the FSA's fabulous visual ratings decorating the windows of many cafes and restaurants, you can check how clean an establishment's kitchen is by seeing what it has been rated by experts on a scale of 1 to 5.Find the available cooking classes near me here.The Food Standards Agency issues ratings to let customers know how hygienic kitchens are. Photo credit: jeffdjevdet on VisualHuntL imit Your ExpectationsDespite the fact that you are paying for lessons, you simply cannot expect to learn everything at once.With this in mind, don't prepare yourself to come out of a week-long course a fully-qualified, state of the art chef who can walk into any restaurant kitchen. Any successful chef will tell you that expertise develops over a very long period of tough experience under the supervision of a well-trained chef.You have to work from scratch to become a good cook so make sure that you set realistic expectations of the outcomes your cooking classes London.While you may not have the time or funds to invest in a full-blown culinary school term, you can still expect to learn many of the above skills in shorter courses, but in a slightly less intensive method. It may not be clear while you are learning, but you will still take away a great deal of knowledge on kitchen processes, how best to use tools in the kitchen and, more importantly, confidence to go about your cooking without barriers.Find out more about the cost of cooking lessons.Some Key Skills You Can Expect To LearnHow To Chop An OnionOnions are the fundamental ingredient in so many dishes: from fine Italian cuisine to a roast dinner gravy, almost every dish could easily incorporate an onion, or its smaller sibling, the shallot, to pack it full of flavour. But what is the correct way to cut an onion?When following a recipe from your cookbook, it is important to note whether your onion should be diced or sliced, as this will affect how much flavour is released during the cooking process and also the texture of the dish. And now for the cutting... have you ever seen chefs cutting onions at super-fast speed?When you slow it down, you will notice that, when dicing, the chef cuts the ends off of the onion, halves it and then cuts into each half with parallel slices, yet leaving about 5mm of the opposite edge in tact. Then, they rotate the half onion 90 degrees and cut in parallel slices the oppo site way to achieve small pieces, without the onion falling apart in their hands.There is a technique to chopping an onion like a professional. Photo credit: austinevan on Visualhunt.comIf you try this pro method while you home cook, be sure to use a cutting board and a suitable knife. If you are a bit of a calamity in the kitchen, then do ensure you wear closed toe shoes too!Everyone has their own method, but your instructor might also advise you on how to prevent your eyes from stinging when you cut into the onion. Whether it is cutting it whilst it is immersed in water or sucking on a teaspoon to keep your eyes tear-free, they will have a suggestion or two to try!How To Boil Or Poach An EggBoiling an egg - sounds simple, right? But there is an actual science to getting the consistency just right.If you want a nice runny yolk, this can be destroyed in the matter of seconds, turning the overcooked egg to a sticky mess. Obviously, your tutor will explain that the length of time you boil the egg for will directly impact how runny or hard your egg becomes. One of the main things to remember is that you should start with your eggs at room temperature.For soft-boiled eggs, you will need to lower the egg into a pan of boiling water and leave for three to five minutes. For hard-boiled eggs, place the egg in a pan of cold water and bring it up to boil with the egg immersed, cooking for a further seven to ten minutes after it has reached boiling point.A great tip is to put your egg in cold water when you remove it from the heat so it doesn't continue to cook.How To Make An OmeletteSticking with eggs, a great addition to your cooking repertoire is knowing how to make a basic omelette.Omelettes are great for a light lunch or dinner option, and are good for using up leftovers like peppers, ham, mushroom and more - you can create a real cocktail of flavours with just a few simple ingredients!An alpine speciality is omelette made with potatoes and Reblechon cheese, so if y ou are a ski fanatic, you might have tasted some seriously delicious omelettes whilst on the slopes.An omelette is a quick and easy way to provide a light lunch or dinner and use up leftovers. Photo on Visual huntIf you have watched chefs compete on Saturday Kitchen to make an omelette in record time, then please don't follow their lead! This is just a game designed to allow professionals a bit of friendly competition and is purely for entertainment value.The correct way to make an omelette is to beat your eggs (two eggs are sufficient for an omelette for one), and to pour the into a hot pan, greased  with a knob of butter. Scatter over your fillings, like your cheese and your chosen vegetables, and then fold it over if you so wish.How To Make GravyIf you are used to stirring some Ahh Bisto granules in with boiling water to create a gravy, then you and your palate are in luck! Elementary cooking courses will often cover how to create tasty gravies and sauces to accompany your food. Real, homemade gravy tastes so much better than the powdered stuff.Your class leader will probably have their own secret trick to making a silky smooth gravy, but for a textured gravy you should aim to cook your meat, vegetables and an onion (for taste) all in one pan and add the liquid so it gets all of the combined flavours. You'll then have to sieve it into a smaller saucepan.If you can't or don't want to put everything in the one pan, then you can reserve the cooking juices and water and then add to the separate saucepan.How To Cook The Perfect SteakBrowning your meat  to seal in the flavour is a technique that a professional will recommend. When it comes to making the perfect steak, though, you don't want to risk over-cooking it, even for a few seconds.For a really tasty steak, make sure that you pick a nice cut of meat. Fillet steak is often the least chewy, and is perfect for a date night menu paired with some wine. Tenderloin is also a good choice, meanwhile if you are buyin g beef for a stew or casserole, you can opt for a cheaper cut like braising beef.The best and easiest way to cook a steak is to pan fry it. Make sure you take your meat out of the fridge and let it come down to room temperature before placing it in a pan. Then, professionals usually add pepper and salt before placing it in a sizzling pan of oil or butter (apparently, you should never salt your beef too early as the salt gets into the flesh and dries it out).For a medium-rare steak, cook each side for two-three minutes and then leave it to rest for several minutes before serving. If you serve up your meat on the plate before it has had a chance to rest, you will wind up with an unappetising pool of blood on your dish.

TakeLessons Rock Star Teacher of the Week Joshua M.

TakeLessons Rock Star Teacher of the Week Joshua M. ksurmacewicz This weeks Rock Star Teacher of the Week is the multi-talented Joshua M., who teaches several subjects including singing, acting and music performance in the Washington, DC area.   A graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Joshua has a strong background and interest in musical theater and also studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.   In addition to his role as a TakeLessons certified instructor,   Joshua has worked as a Musical Director/Rehearsal Pianist for many shows within the NY/NJ/DC tri-state area and serves as the Co-Artistic Director of No Rules Theatre Company based out of Washington, DC and Winston-Salem, NC. He remains active in theater and has performed in, written and directed a number of   musicals; some of his notable performance credits include roles in Godspell, Othello, Show Boat, Sweeney Todd, and Les Miserables. Joshua believes in creating a strong foundation for his students to learn, and focuses primarily on breath, placement and eliminating bad vocal habits early on so that students can grow and develop new skills.   His students describe him as easy to work with and incredibly patient, and praise his ability to help them understand the core principles and underlying concepts of singing and acting. Congratulations on a job well done, Joshua!

How to Read Piano Notes Sheet Music 5 Easy Steps for Beginners

How to Read Piano Notes Sheet Music 5 Easy Steps for Beginners Sign up successful Step 2: Write the note letter names Now take a piece of music you want to learn, and underneath the music notes of the right hand in the treble clef, write the letter names.  (Use a pencil, that way you can erase it later!) This isn’t a great habit to get into in the long run, but it’s perfectly fine for just starting out. If there is one note youre having a hard time remembering specifically, feel free to just write that one note letter name. Keep in mind youre only focusing on the white notes on a piano for now. Don’t worry about the black keys, (your sharps and flats), just yet. Step 3: Memorize letter names, and move onto bass clef After youve memorized all of the letter names on the lines and spaces for your right hand (the treble clef), you can move on to reading piano notes on the bass clef, where the notes on the lines and spaces will be played with your left hand. Step 4: Name your spaces ACEGB and GBDFA Practice drawing the bass clef, which will start on the F line. Then with the spaces at the bottom of the page, name your spaces ACEGB (remember “All Cows Eat Grass,” and don’t forget to add your B at the top!). Next, name your lines starting at the bottom of the page GBDFA (“Good Boys Deserve Fudge Always”). Memorize these notations as well. Now transfer these letter names of the lines and spaces to your piano song from step #2, and name all the notes with your left hand in the bass clef. Step 5: Find a hand diagram and label each finger 1-5 There is another method with numbers that may be easier for you to read.  Find a diagram of your hands and looking at the right hand starting with your thumb, label each finger with 1-5.  Do the same with your left hand. There are many  easy piano songs  to begin with, such as “Three Blind Mice”, “Hot Cross Buns”, “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, and “Jingle Bells” that only use notes C-G, or numbers 1-5. Starting on middle C of the piano, put both thumbs on the note, and align both your hands so that your right pinky ends on 5 (G) and your left pinky lands on 5 (F). You can write in the numbers next to letter names, if that helps you more. Remember to begin with only the white notes on a piano. Now, as you read through your song, play and sing the letter or numbers while playing, which will help you memorize the names of numbers of the notes on a piano.  Once youve practiced this for a while, try erasing the letter names and testing yourself to see if you still remember the playing pattern and tune of the song. With these steps, reading piano notes and music will start to become natural to you. For each piece you learn, write in the letter names or fingers, and then erase them when you get comfortable enough. Pretty soon you won’t even need to write them in! A Different Way to Read Sheet Music:  The Mental Flip Strategy One of the most difficult things about learning how to read sheet music for the piano, as opposed to most other instruments, is that there is not just a single melody to be played. Piano music requires you to play more than one part at a time. Usually these parts are interconnected they are part of a chord that you need to be able to accurately read. A Little History Behind Reading Music Notes Sheet music is read from left to right. The reasoning behind this is that music began as an exercise most focused on the progression of notes in a scale or mode in a horizontal fashion. When more than one voice was sounded together, they usually sang in unison and it was not till the 9th century that musicians became increasingly concerned with vertical harmony and polyphony. Keyboard instruments, such as the organ, the harpsichord, and ultimately the piano were instruments developed to satisfy this changing aesthetic and the increased importance of vertical harmonies. They were adapted into a notation that had been developed to address primarily horizontal concerns (i.e. what note comes next). This is not to say that sheet music cannot be read for the piano, but rather that the beginning student of piano must learn to think about the music on the page differently than they might read words on a page. The Mental Flip Strategy for Reading Music Notes You must flip the orientation of the sheet music in front of you mentally, so you can read the vertical orientation of the notes. In order to begin to think about and practice this mental flip, there is an extremely helpful strategy you can use. You can actually turn the sheet music so you are reading the notes down the page. Doing so allows you to more easily understand the spacing between the notes and more intuitively grasp where your fingers should be placed on the keys. This technique is also incredibly helpful for visualizing the grand staff as a whole and where the octaves on the keyboard are located. In order to properly perform this strategy and learn how to read sheet music for piano, follow these three simple steps: Take your original sheet music and flip it clockwise. The line of music you’re working on playing should be read down the page, from top to bottom, instead of across the page. Begin to identify chord units and think about each measure in terms of chordal units. Most bars or measures of beginning piano music contain one or two chords. Sometimes these chords are arpeggiated, other times there is an alternation pattern of notes in the treble and bass in quick succession. Your success with this technique depends on your ability to identify which chord is being outlined. To do this, simply name the notes. In beginning sheet music you’ll most likely see either major or minor triads. Match the notes on the page to your fingers on the keyboard. Notice how, with the sheet music turned, the sheet music is actually a diagram of the intervals between each note and how this realization helps you visualize where to place your fingers. Heres how it looks on your sheet music: With music, there are many different strategies that can help you move quickly to a better understanding. Everyone approaches music differently. Some beginners intuitively grasp complex concepts, others need a little help along the way. Some may even find this strategy more confusing than the standard approach. Whether or not this technique is right for you depends largely on whether or not it yields a type of “aha” moment, where you can better visualize the spacing of your fingers and their placement on the keys. If you need further instruction on learning how to read piano notes, consider taking piano lessons.  A professional piano teacher can walk you through these steps and ensure that youre building your skills on a solid foundation of music theory. Post Author: Liz T. teaches online singing, acting, and music lessons.  She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with a B.M in Vocal performance and currently performs/teaches all styles of music including Musical Theater, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Pop, RB, and Country. Learn more about Liz here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of prescreened teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for safe, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by Basheer Tome .paszone-container-74612 { display: none !important; }.paszone-container-74612 ~ .paszone-container-74612 { display: block !important; }

What is it Like to Attend Harvard College

What is it Like to Attend Harvard College The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. James is a New York City tutor and graduate of Harvard College. He studied History during his time at Harvard and now tutors many subjects including World History tutoring, Literature tutoring, and College Essay prep tutoring. See what he had to say about his 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? James: Harvards campus is located in Cambridge Massachusetts, next to Boston. Thus, it provides a perfect balance of urban opportunities and the serenity of a quieter, less hectic environment. I dont see urban and safe as antonyms. The campus is both urban and reasonably safe. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? James: When I was an undergraduate, professors were mostly quite remote figures, except for certain subjects where the departments and classes were smaller, and professors therefore were more available. Professors were typically illustrious figures who lectured and otherwise dedicated themselves to research. Consorting with undergraduates was not high on their list of priorities. Obviously, there were plenty of exceptions, and graduate studentsoften very accomplished scholars in their own rightcould be very cordial and helpful. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? James: I found dorm life a bit disappointing, but it was probably adequate. Given the size of the school, it is difficult to generalize about student life. However, MIT was reputed to have livelier parties and socializing opportunities, which says something. 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? James: Some programs certainly were rumoured to be more prestigious: Social Studies, History and Literature. To some extent, the undergraduate majors followed the fortunes of the graduate schools. For instance, English was reputedly a somewhat disorganized and fractious department, with numerous tensions between the faculty, and this seemed to affect the undergraduate experience in subtle ways. However, in almost all cases the university made an effort to ensure that undergraduates were taken care of. My advice is to pick a smaller department and less common majors. That was the path to more attention and TLC from the departments. 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? James: Meeting people was not hard, but depended to a considerable extent on the initiative of individual students, like most aspects of life at Harvard, intellectual or social. The Greek Life consisted of a few clubs that only were sufficient to include a fraction of undergraduatespresumably rich and connected ones; I would say that these clubs were not a huge factor in undergraduate life. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus?The Office of Career Services was very helpful and accessible. James: Certainly, there was plenty of recruiting on campus, though the efforts of the CIA and other government agencies to do so was a political hot potato, as I recall. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? James: I remember a wealth of libraries and places to study. Students there are very fortunate in this sense. 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? James: Cambridge is a quaint, manageable town with fine cultural and gastronomic resources. Boston, nearby, is big enough to accommodate any reasonable desires for entertainment, cultural immersion or escape. The diversity of these towns culturally and racially was quite rich, though Boston and Cambridge when I was there were both still quite racially divided, echoing the tensions and turmoil of the 70s and 80s, perhaps. Whether or not this is still the case, I dont know. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? James: The student body is large, and class sizes could also be big, as in one Political Philosophy class with c. 700 people. Although this question does not ask me about the quality of my peers, only their quantity, I probably learned more from my fellow students, and that despite containing a disproportionate number of socially inept and tunnel-visioned overachievers, the student body is a remarkably fascinating and impressive bunch of students with an enormous range of interests and accomplishments. I was very impressed by them on the whole. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. James: The Political Philosophy professor of the above-mentioned class of c. 700 people (Michael Sandel) was very charismatic, and the well-conceived and organized class stimulated my thinking, due to his teaching and the excellent reading list. I wrote him a quixotic letter challenging the courses central communitarian premises, and received an invitation to come speak with him in his office. Though the conversation was brief due to my being overawed and tongue-tied, it was an honor to be taken this seriously. Check out James tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Holiday Break Learning Activities

Holiday Break Learning Activities For most families, holiday break is symbolicyouve reached the midway point of the school year and its time for a breather. However, that doesnt mean your child should spend the next two weeks scrolling social media. Here are eight holiday activities for kids you can try over the break that will boost your childs brain power: Reading Dont force your child to crack those textbooks, but do encourage him or her to choose a book (or several) to enjoy over break. Head to the library for an afternoon at the start of break to stock up. Consider reading something together to make it a fun family activity. Classes for fun Look around and youll discover many fun holiday learning activities and classes for children over break. Your nearby recreation center, library or bookstore are good places to look for winter break classes and workshops on things like cooking, holiday crafts, writing, art or even sports. Museum hopping Art galleries, history museums, and nature and science museums make ideal day trips for children of all ages. Check out those in your town for any special exhibits for the holidays. Holiday break is a chance to explore some of those lesser-known museums too, like a heritage museum or sports museum. Educational movies/TV Who doesnt love curling up on the couch around the holidays to enjoy some entertainment on screen? When you visit the library, look for interesting documentaries or based-on-true-events movies that might pique your childs interest. Perhaps theres a thought-provoking TV series (think science, animal and history channels) that your family could watch together over break. College research If you have a high school student, holiday break is a great time to do some college research and/or preparation. That might include browsing college websites to start gathering information, reading up on financial aid or fine-tuning that admissions essay if you have a senior who is working on applications. Cooking Many families do a lot of entertaining and hosting over the holidays, which means lots of food. And guess what? Cooking involves practical math skills such as measuring and shopping, and time management skills for the planning and preparation. Hand your child a cookbook and put him or her in charge of your holiday menu. Family history documentation Your child could devote some time this break to creating a cherished book of family history. Have your child call or visit family members to ask about their childhoods or favorite holiday memories. Science projects What is your child curious about? Whats going on around you? Have your child come up with a few things to track or measure over break (e.g. snow accumulation or hourly temperature). Have him or her research easy science experiments online that he or she can do with household materials and try a few a day. Holiday break is the perfect chance for your child to explore something new and relish learning for the fun of it. Get creative. There are all kinds of ways for your child to keep her mind engaged over break while having fun at the same time.

Get Them Reading Books in English for 10 Year Olds

Get Them Reading Books in English for 10 Year Olds A great way to supplement your childs English classes it to get them reading in English. There are plenty of options for 10 year olds, from old classics to new favorites, girly treats and scary (but not too scary) science for boys.Here are some of the best books in English for 10 year olds:With the popularity of C.S. Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia in film format, the first book of the series, The Lion, The Witch The Wardrobe makes a great and timely book gift for young readers. They will probably already be familiar with the plot surrounding the magical world of Narnia entered through a wardrobe and characters of the White Witch and lion Aslan, but now they will have the opportunity to let Lewis words bring the classic story to life.British author of Norweigan descent, Roald Dahl, is a very popular author with younger readers. His novel James The Giant Peach is a great choice for 10 year olds. It features a huge magical peach  with  its band of friendly insects who help a young boy escape from his two horrible aunts.Now, for something entirely different. Children love a scare thats not a big scare. The R.L. Stines Goosebumps series is great at this. The books mix horror with science fiction for younger readers.Introduce the ten-year old girl in your life to the joys of foreign travel with the Melanie Martin novels by Carol Weston. Melanie in Manhattan and With Love from Spain, Melanie Martin are two of the titles in the series. Your child will learn  about the history and art of the places visited through Melanie’s history buff dad and art teacher mother.Most little girls love a story about princesses. Gail Carson Levines The Princess Tales is one of the best in the genre with its play on stereoptypes and humor. Expect more than one prince and even some tuna in chocolate cake.Did you find this information helpful? Feel free to share it on Facebook and Twitter. Contact us if you  would like your child to take  classes with a native English speaker.Aprender m as sobre nuestras clases de inglés para niños.

Give Your Career a Boost With an MBA

Give Your Career a Boost With an MBA pexels.com Flexibility of Application You might be thinking that an MBA could not possibly help you if you are not or were not a business major but that is definitely not true! An MBA can be useful to people in all career fields. We all need to make money and part of getting your MBA is learning the best little tricks of the trade to help you do that. You yourself are a business, from how you present yourself and whatever work you do, and an MBA can help you learn to harness your full potential in a way that can make you much more successful. It teaches you how to sell yourself and even how to create yourself as a brand. Are you a painter? You have got to sell paintings to get by. Are you an actor? You need to be able to land and book jobs. Are you a tutor? You need to find clients and manage them effectively. Everything you do is a business and every meeting a business transaction. An MBA can help you really dig down deep and understand the full implications of your actions and help you figure out the most effective course to make yourself successful no matter what your business is. Higher Salary Another benefit of having an MBA is that it can help you land a higher paying job to begin with. You have gone to school and slaved away for a couple years to learn all this helpful business acumen. So when you go back into the work force you need to make sure that the company who hires you is paying for all that expertise that you worked so hard to get! And a lot of companies will pay you a higher salary, hoping to entice you and all that business savvy to get on board and apply it towards their business. You learned a lot in business school so do not underplay your knowledge or your potential value to a company. You can help to make a business even bigger, better and stronger. The least the company could do is pay you accordingly. pexels.com Better Opportunities Getting an MBA can help you with getting more than just a pay raise it can also help you to get a better position to start with! Now you have professional experience so you do not necessarily have to start with an entry level job. Having that degree can help to make up for some missing experience (though of course not all). It will make it easier so that you do not have to claw your way to the top from the bottom of the heap. You will probably still need to do some climbing if you want to get all the way to the top, but it will make your entry into the business and the industry a lot easier. Speak with Authority An MBA is also very effective, no matter what field you are in, because it helps you to speak with authority on business matters that you might otherwise have been clueless about. And let me tell you, a lot of people with no business background can be pretty clueless about those kinds of things. Lots of people want to open their own businesses but they often do not know where to start, the things they need to do, nor do they understand or recognize the terms being thrown at them or understand why they are being directed to do something. But hey, you went to graduate school. You learned all about all those things. You will know just where to start and how to articulate yourself in these situations whether you are opening up your business, helping someone else start their own, or advising a business that wants to improve. Learn more about Kaplan’s test prep options and start building the confidence you need for Test Day.