Organic Chemistry Tutors - Why Should You Look For One?

Organic Chemistry Tutors - Why Should You Look For One?As a chemist, you may be wondering how to find an organic chemistry tutor balancing chemical equations. Well, I am going to be your tutor and explain exactly what this involves. You need to know that this is not a toy class and this is definitely not a sex class and most importantly you need to be prepared to study and learn.There are many online tutors out there who are very good at explaining and teaching the chemistry but the reason why they are not world class at mathematics is because they do not have the proper qualifications in chemistry or in mathematics. So the best way for you to find an organic chemistry tutor balancing chemical equations is to join a chemistry tutoring community and find one who has all the qualifications needed to do this. You should never leave any question unanswered and if they are still asking this question about the chemistry course then they are definitely not prepared to work with you in your last months of study.There are many different tutors that are available on the internet so be sure to do your research before choosing. Another way to find a tutor is to ask someone who is already in a good relationship with one. If they are someone who knows you well enough to suggest a tutor then they should be able to help you with the best tutor.So how do you go about finding an organic chemistry tutor balancing chemical equations? Well the best way is to search for tutors by typing in a term such as organic chemistry tutor balancing chemical equations or organic chemistry tutors. You should also type in a number of words in the search bar and then click on the tab 'search'. You should find many organic chemistry tutors available on the web.If you are not sure how to find an organic chemistry tutor balancing chemical equations then they are easy to spot. They will almost always have an orange square with the word tutoring writtenacross it. You should also be able to easily find out if the organic chemistry tutor balancing chemical equations is taking your place, they will usually be listed as being tutoring or mentor.They should then be able to tell you exactly what they will be doing in the class and they should also be able to explain why they are tutoring you. If you feel they are not doing a good job of teaching you then you should ask them to either retake the course or you should ask your teacher for an alternative course for them to teach you. They should also be able to provide you with a list of terms that you need to know.You should also be able to make contact with them and get the first hand experience of tutoring from them and you should be able to ask them if they are good at explaining and teaching the chemistry and the maths. Sometimes a tutor can show you around their area of work but more often than not they will have a website for students to look at. They should be able to show you all the buildings and laboratories they use as well as what they offer.Organic chemistry tutors will vary in their ability to teach you but it is possible to find one that is good at explaining the subjects and then they should be able to show you where the chemistry course is located. Remember to ask for references and then go online and check out their previous students.

Inspiration for Your Cake The Best Books, Sites and Social Media Accounts to Follow

Inspiration for Your Cake The Best Books, Sites and Social Media Accounts to Follow Where Can You Find Inspiration for Your Cake Designs? ChaptersThe Best Books for Cake DecorationWebsites for Cake Decorating InspirationThe Must-Follow Instagrams for Cake DecoratingHave you ever drifted into a bakery, drawn in by the enticing smells emanating from within only to be completely flummoxed by the astounding creations on display?Or maybe you read, hungry eyes devouring every printed word describing Harry and Meghan’s wedding cake, picturing it in your mind... but your imagination couldn’t quite meet the reality of the tiered cake that generated so much print.Where do people get all of the ideas that they execute, making the sugar arts such a competitive arena?It’s not like a painter who sees a person and renders their likeness in oil or watercolour; who sees a poignant landscape and commits it to canvas, one brushstroke at a time.Cake decorators seem to pull ideas out of thin air. They do things with baked dough, buttercream, sprinkles and just a few decorating tools that cause you to question how they can see the pos sibilities those few elements present.No idea arises out of a vacuum.Arguably the world’s greatest visionary, Leonardo da Vinci, modelled his designs on existing concepts: winging birds were the inspiration for his flying machine and one might argue that his design for a ‘war machine’ was borrowed from the turtle.So, in presenting these resources for ideas and inspiration for cake design, we’re not goading you into cake plagiarism; rather, our goal is to arm you with cake decorating ideas that you can embellish, improve on or otherwise make your own.It’s perfectly legal; there is no such thing as a patent on a cake design (but names can be trademarked, so be careful what you call you creations!). In fact, more than one cake decorator actively invites you to copy their design, as we will soon see.Settle in! Superprof now highlights some of the best sources of inspiration for birthday cakes, wedding cakes and cakes for any special occasion you can think of. GiovanniCooking T eacher 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 tutorsThe Best Books for Cake Decoration From the simple to the sublime, you can always find a good book full of cake decorating tips Image by Jill Wellington from PixabayNow, in the Age of Alexa (HomeMax, HomePod...), when one can simply shout an instruction and hear a compliant robotic response in return, one might wonder about the quaintness of books in the kitchen.Even great chefs keep cookbooks in their kitchen, although possibly for the look of them rather than any practical purpose.Still, if you’re looking for inspiration for cake decorations, there is nothing wrong with looking at pictures of decorated cakes in books, complete with instructions on how to decorate your next layer cake.The proof is in the pudding â€" William CamdenWe’ll not be eating any pudding; our topic is cakes and cake decorating. The proof in question is the number of books published each year that detail cake decorating techniques, usually accompanied by full-colour pictures.Even more telling is the fact that those books are targeted to spe cific audiences; we found books for beginner cake decorators all the way up to those authored by bakers who have made cake artistry their profession.We now look at a selection of titles voted the best by bakers, pastry chefs, and cake aficionados who teach cake decorating classes.For Beginners:Artisan Cake Company’s Visual Guide to Cake Decorating by Elizabeth MarekHow to Cake It by Yolanda GamppThe Complete Photo Guide to Cake Decorating, by Autumn CarpenterThe Contemporary Buttercream Bible, by Valerie Valeriano and Christine OngThat last title is slightly longer than listed above; it includes ‘the complete practical guide to cake decorating with buttercream icing’.Buttercream is notoriously hard to work with, especially for the uninitiated. The authors, both self-taught bakers, have managed to tame the traditionally messy buttercream into delectable creations they invite you to replicate.Other books, not classified by level of skill or ability include:Decorating Cakes, a Re ference and Idea Book, by Anne JarvieThe Essential Cake Decorating Guide, by Wendy StephenCakes in Bloom: Exquisite Sugarcraft Flowers for All Occasions, by Peggy Porschen50 Easy Party Cakes, by Debbie BrownAdditionally, you can confidently invest in any cake decorating book by Alan Dunn, Lindy Smith and Colette Peters.Colette is one of the hottest cake designers today; her cakes have featured in prominent publications such as the New York Magazine â€" you should see the one she made to look like The Queen’s hat!Another big name in cake decorating, Wilton, offers Cake Decorating You Can Do â€" a dated tome because they are moving more into the digital realm.So are we! Let us now find the best cake decorating ideas in cyberspace.Did you know you can look online to find the best cake-making and decorating supplies? You too can learn to make gumpaste flowers with tutorials online Image by Jeremy Wong from PixabayWebsites for Cake Decorating InspirationThe aforementioned Wilton website is chock-full of ideas for cake decorating: by season and by occasion; by theme and by type of treat.Type of treat?Indeed! You may not want to place elaborate sugar flowers on your nightly hobnob â€" there would be more icing than biscuit and it would be very unsavoury to dunk into tea.You can, however, design novel cupcake toppers, create funny looks for cake pops and, yes, even the humble biscuit can be spiffed up.Besides Wilton cake decorating ideas, you can fire your imagination for cake decoration at Cake Central. They invite you to browse their gallery of cakes, share your cake ideas and talk with other decorators via their forum.Global Sugar Art’s homepage has an ‘Inspirations’ tab where you can ogle their finished products, find video tutorials on how to make them and learn how to work with gum paste and fondant.Earlene Moore, a Texan with more than 50 years of experience in the sugar arts, is still so popular that her website has been voted one of the best for inspiration in decorating circles.Although no new designs have been uploaded recently â€" she retired several years ago, she maintains her site just so that you can gaze in wonder at the depth of her imagination and the breadth of her skill. And so that you can draw inspiration from her work, of course.Would you like to become a cake decorator like Earlene or any of the others mentioned so far? Discover what steps to take in our companion article.The Must-Follow Instagrams for Cake Decorating You don't need any special cake decorating tools to make this cake, but you do have to have the know-how Image by sarahdev from PixabayLet’s face it: it is a new day. Books have their place â€" we’ve proven that by the expansive list above but, these days, innovative sugar artists are going online.Why not? It is much more efficient to simply snap a few pictures with your phone or tablet and upload them.Granted, you don’t get the descriptions, instructions or commentary that you would if you were looking at a website or a book. Still, if all you’re looking is for an idea that your creative vein can run away with...Not surprisingly, some of the best Instas for cake decorating originate right here in the UK. They are:Primrose Bakery (@primrosebakery): if ever you were looking for cupcake decorating ideas...Crumbs and Doilies (@crumbsanddoilies): cupcakes, wedding cakes and more.Lily Vanilli (@lily_vanilli_cake): cakes that are (almost) too beautiful/cute to eat!Other follow-wort hy cake decorating Instas:Amanda Rettke (@iambaker): American author and baker turns out some of the most tempting treatsNadia Colella (@nadiaandco): This Toronto-based sugar artist wows with her inspired cakesHilary Stone (@theartfulcaker): a San Francisco sugar artist whose creations please the eye and the palateMike McCarey (@mikemccarey): This Washington State guy’s cakes are out of this world!Emily Aumiller (@laelcakes): a New York cake decorator that makes vegan look especially deliciousZoë Lukas (@whippedbakeshop): Famous in Philadelphia for baby birthday cakes, among other delightsDuff Goldman (@charmcitycakes): Based in Baltimore, he designs cakes with moving parts! Erin Gardner (@erin.bakes): Colourful â€" the best way to describe this New Hampshire-based innovatorErin and many others on this list also maintain websites where they load their recipes and tutorials.Some also sell baking products through their sites while others invite you to pose your baking and decoratin g questions, which they will answer... as soon as they pull their latest creation out of the oven.Pinterest is another great site to find cake decorating inspiration on; after all, sharing and inspiration are what they built their business on.It is less of a social media site than a modern-day version of the classic scrapbook; those who comb the World Wide Web to find cake decorating ideas post them on Pinterest for all to see, making it, in effect, a one-stop-shop for everything cake.Typing in ‘cake ideas’ in their search bar, we were treated to oodles of mouthwatering cakes, some of which defy gravity and reason â€" can that really be a cake? Helpfully, the top of the page was lined with links: to cute cakes, to sugar flowers, to ruffle cakes and cake wrecks.One such wreck had us laughing to tears...The inspiration is out there. The desire comes from within you. How far will you go to decorate the perfect cake? And, more importantly: will you Insta so other cake makers can fol low you?Now learn more about the art of cake making...

How to Practice Singing at Home Setting Up Your Practice Space

How to Practice Singing at Home Setting Up Your Practice Space Sign up successful Selecting Your Practice Area Learning how to practice means learning how to listen to your own voice, so this step is important. Good acoustics are required for performances, but odds are you are not going to have that kind of space available every time you practice. However, there are ways to make a regular room more music-friendly. Ideally, practicing should be done in a room that has carpeting and that is fully-furnished. If you have the space for a dedicated room, consider adding padding to the walls to reduce the echo. If you cannot dedicate an entire room, its ok to have a corner of a study or office set aside. Ultimately, the space should be one where there is less foot traffic and more space. You should not use a place like the kitchen or living room. The acoustics in a kitchen are likely the worst in the house, and the living rooms tend to have too many distractions and too much traffic to be functional. Setting Up the Your Practice Room There are several things every singer should have in their practice room. There should be a CD player or another device for playing music. If youre using your phone for this, consider switching it to Airplane Mode so that you will not be distracted by texts, emails, or phone calls. A clock or timer should be available to make sure that you do your warm up and cool down for the appropriate periods. A mirror should be installed if it isn’t already in the room. A full-length mirror is best; at the very least, you should be able to see your torso. This helps you see how small changes in posture affect your sound. Sheet music should be available for every song or warm up you do. A music stand is also helpful for keeping your body free when practicing, and it should be set to the side of the mirror so that it does not block your view of your body as you practice. Its also a great idea to get a notebook, where you can track how long you practiced, what you worked on, and your goals for the week or month. If you take in-home lessons, you might want to consider investing in a piano or keyboard. Youll maximize what you learn if your teacher can accompany you on your exercises, and it can help for pitch-matching exercises, as well. This teaches you not only how to practice, but how to sing with a live instrument. Maximizing Practice Time Apart from removing distractions, you might want to try dividing your practice sessions into sections. For example, during your warm up, you should be focusing on your body and posture in the mirror. Then, work on scales, focusing on techniques, learning the song, and finally the cool-down section. To start, these can be divided into time intervals to make sure enough time is dedicated to each. This video discusses another great way to structure your daily singing practice. Check it out for some fun new ideas! Dedicating quiet, isolated practice time will help you understand how slight shifts in posture and breathing can affect your sound, and you’ll definitely notice improvements over time. Of course, one of the best things about choosing your voice as your instrument is that you can practice anytime and anywhere! Even if you’re not in your dedicated space when the urge arises, sing loud and proud! 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 John Liu

Violin Teacher Jobs How to Give Violin Lessons

Violin Teacher Jobs How to Give Violin Lessons How Do You Become a Violin Tutor? ChaptersTeaching Violin without QualificationsThe Rates for Teaching Violin PositionsTeaching Violin: Which is the Job for You?Being able to play the violin (either as a soloist or part of an ensemble) is quite the achievement. The violin, which is often thought of as an instrument for the elite, has a bit of an image problem.Being a violin teacher is quite different to being a science teacher or an English teacher since you have several jobs to do. Firstly, you’ll need to have the violin and teaching skills in order to help your students learn to play the instrument. Secondly, you’ll need to work towards changing the violin’s stuffy image and encourage students of all ages that it's the instrument for everyone.Most people in the world can learn the violin just like they would the guitar or any other instrument without any kind of special education. They just need to be methodical, motivated, and enthusiastic. They need to walk before they learn to run.This is where a teacher i s really important. Regardless of whether a student's a beginner, intermediate, or expert, they need a teacher who's invested in their learning, passionate about it, and can inspire them. The same is true whether they're teaching them the piano, flute, cello, saxophone, clarinet, etc.So how can you start teaching violin or music lessons? How do you start your job search? Teacher recruitment might seem like a minefield, but over the course of this article, you’ll learn the ropes (or should that be strings?).someone who actually teaches their students.Despite how important one recruiter might consider certain music qualifications, they don't necessarily give an indication of your teaching skills.Here are some of the key profiles that people are looking to recruit. If any of them sound like you, you're on the right path to teaching music classes yourself or finding education jobs in schools or music centres.A violin tutor may have to teach an individual or several students at once. ( Source: pixabay.com)A Self-Taught ViolinistLearning to play the violin by yourself might seem risky but there are several advantages. You can learn about music for yourself, however you want to, at your own speed.You can study exactly what you need to know, not waste time on techniques you’ll never use, and put together your own repertoire. You'll retain knowledge you’ve worked out yourself better than information you’ve been told since your brain is more active and information therefore goes in more easily.Becoming a violin tutor without qualifications can help you better understand the process your students are going through. This will help you better address any problems they encounter as well as foreseeing any problems they might encounter further down the line.The problem is that even if you've been playing violin since childhood, without being able to prove your grade, finding new jobs without the help of word of mouth can be tricky.Being an Excellent TeacherTeaching ski lls and adaptability are essential. Each student is different and you’ll need to keep this in mind. A good tutor will understand their students and adapt their teaching methods to help them.You can’t stick to just one method or the same exercises all the time. You need to work with the student’s learning style and speed. There’s no sure-fire way to teach any given lesson. There’s one method that works for some and other methods that work for others.Giving Private Violin Lessons OnlineIf you want to teach but don’t have qualifications, there’s never been a better time to be alive. There are online teaching jobs available to you. You could start your own website or blog and build a community.In order to earn your keep, you could offer tutorials that students have to pay for. These will help cover your costs, too. Be careful though, don’t overcharge your students or you’ll lose them.What about violin private tutorials?They’re quite trendy at the moment. Regardless o f whether you have a degree or diploma, you can still teach private violin tutorials and look for tutoring jobs London and indeed nationwide. While all the profiles are different, a passion for teaching is the thing they all have in common.With a good amount of experience and the necessary level, you have everything you need to become a quality private violin tutor. Make the most of that!Teaching Violin in Small Music CentresIf you’ve got the passion and the teaching skills, you can still teach outside of conservatoires (who ask for academic music qualifications) at music centres who’ll be happy to give you a chance.You’ll be free to teach violin in your own style be it music theory, reading music, and practising how to play the instrument, of course! Whether it’s a classical or electric violin, you can help your students to improve their skills and learn more about music.The Rates for Teaching Violin PositionsYou can’t deny that the violin is a complex instrument. Learnin g to play the violin needs a particular set of skills including a knowledge of music theory, for example. This knowledge comes at a price, regardless of how you learn. So what are the going rates for a violin tutor?A violin is an instrument that requires a good knowledge of music theory. (Source: Ylanite Koppens)Violin Lesson Prices by CityWhen it comes to prices, London tends to come out as the most expensive place to learn in the UK. In the capital, the average cost of violin tutorials is £32. Of course, this will vary depending on where you are in London, too.If you want violin tutorials in somewhere like Edinburgh, Manchester, or Cardiff, you can expect to pay around £10 less per hour. This is definitely an advantage of living outside of London. You should also work out your own budget.CityAverage CostLondon £32Manchester £23Birmingham £24Leeds £22Glasgow £18Violin Lessons in a ConservatoireThere are plenty of music schools in the country and, as you can imagine, they’re not free. Getting a degree in music can be a costly endeavour. You’re paying for the title from a reputable school of music, after all.You’re also paying for expert teachers, quality teaching resources, and structured courses. There’s at least one big music school in almost every big city in the UK and abroad. You’ll be spoilt for choice.The Price of Violin Tutorials in Person or OnlineThese two are quite similar. In both cases, you’ll have to trust someone that you’ll first meet online. Then you’ll have to choose whether or not you prefer tutorials over webcam or face-to-face with your tutor.At the end of the day, you get to make the call. Choose how you like to work, how you manage your time, and your passion for music.Teaching Violin: Which is the Job for You?Having a passion for music is great. Making a living from it is even better. Here’s how you can teach violin! Before you start applying to every job alert you get to your inbox, you should keep in mind that each type of vacancy is different, some recruitment processes are more complicated than others, and, in terms of salary, some places pay far better than others.Teaching Violin in a ConservatoireIn these reputable establishments, being the best is the goal. To teach violin lessons here, you’ll be expected to have at least completed an academic degree and they'll often ask for transcripts.You’ll also be expected to know the history of your instrument and be familiar with a whole range of techniques and music theory, for example. The degrees offered by the conservatoires are often the music qualification par excellence.Admission in these places is really competitive, for those wanting to be e a student, expect to complete an audition.A good violin tutor will tell you how to improve your posture. (Source: negativespace.co)If you're searching for a teaching job in a conservatoire, you should know that the vacancies are often few and far between and being on the faculty at one of these in stitutions means that you're a certified teacher and sometimes a seasoned concert performer. The personnel at these places are the crème de la crème.Your best quality, in addition to your teaching skills, is your experience with the violin. This is how you’re going to teach your students, after all.Become a Violin Teacher at a SchoolYou can also teach music in a school under the jurisdiction of the department of education. While the recorder is taught in most primary schools around the country, there are teaching positions for those trained in other instruments.In fact, secondary school students can do music GCSEs and A Levels with almost any instrument or singing. With 5 years of obligatory schooling and 2 of sixth form, students have plenty of time to master their instrument. While keyboard and piano lessons are some of the most common in the national school system, there are still job openings for violinists.If you want to teach in a national secondary school, you’ll need t o be a qualified teacher. This means you'll need have a degree in or related to your given subject as well as the PGCE. You can also opt for a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree which while usually for primary school teacher, is available for secondary teachers in certain universities.Every candidate also has to pass police criminal record checks (the DBS). Of course, teaching in state schools is famous for the outrageous amount of administrative work that you'll be expected to complete. You could also decide to work in a school as a teaching assistant or substitute teacher helping students prep for concerts, for example.Teach Violin as a Member of an AssociationTeaching as a member of an association comes with a lot of benefits. Firstly, in the absence of qualifications or a violin certification, it can prove to potential students thinking about hiring you that you’re a quality teacher. They also have instructional resources for teachers, provide insurance in some cases, and can help you contact a talented instructor or musician if you need help.Of course, this isn’t a one-way street and you’ll be expected to provide lessons of a certain level and pay them. The costs of joining these associations can vary and are generally between £50 and £100 per year and there are even qualifications available from the associations that would be useful for any job seeker not willing to pay for a degree.In addition to their violin technique, a good tutor should have a communication skills, too. (Source: Clem Onojeghuo)What about Private Violin Tutorials?Private tutorials are great for those who have busy schedules or aren’t yet sure about studying a degree in music. With Superprof, you can find students seeking a tutor.As a private tutor, you can really help students who are struggling or need to progress quickly. Whether you’re teaching them to improvise, play jazz, classical, or any other style of music, your knowledge will be a of huge benefit to your students .Furthermore, as a tutor, you can choose the rates for your private lessons. Our tutors get to choose the rates that work for them. How you teach your students and what you focus on (positioning, fingering, reading music, etc.) is up to you, too.For students, on the other hand, they can find a teacher they like and who works well with their learning style.  If you provide quality lessons at the right price and are an outstanding teacher, most students will be happy to hire you and you can choose to be a tutor on a permanent or temporary basis.You should also look for education job fairs or music fairs where you can also apply to jobs, take part in workshops or listen to presentations, meet people, and learn about job postings before they're made public.

4 Ways to Work Ahead in School

4 Ways to Work Ahead in School Although its tempting to spend winter break and any other bits of downtime you might have throughout the school year relaxing and not worrying about academics, working ahead on some classwork would benefit you in the long-run. This doesnt imply by any means that you need to devote every bit of free time to these activities, but implementing just a few strategies here and there to ensure you are always prepared could put you in a solid position for success later on. Here are a few suggestions: 1. Complete reading assignments in advance Certain instructors prefer that you read about a topic prior to the associated lecture, while others request that you complete such assignments after the topic has been introduced in class. For courses in which you are provided a list of readings in advance, it is advantageous to complete the assignments before the corresponding class. Doing so will allow you to familiarize yourself with the subject, increase your comfort level in lecture, and foresee which aspects of the topic will be most challenging for you. If you have finished the reading beforehand, you will be able to focus your efforts on comprehending the most difficult parts of the topic the day it is examined in class. You will also know which questions you should ask the teacher. Never underestimate the benefits of having extra time to think about these readings. Here are some great tips on how to interpret a reading assignmentthat you may find useful. 2. Re-read and re-write course notes Class notes are often recorded in a frenzied manner. You may find that the notes you wrote during lecture seemed perfectly logical at the time, but outside the context of the lesson, you discover they no longer make sense to you. Your notes may even be illegible because you had insufficient time to jot them down. For these reasons, it is very wise to review class notes the same day you take them. Do not wait until the evening before a test to look them over! By this point, you will have probably forgotten many details of the lectures, and you will not have adequate time to decipher what you recorded. You may also want to take a look at this study tip on how to organize your notes. If necessary, re-write your notes within 24 hours of the class. Copying your notes in a more understandable manner will save you valuable study time later. The other benefit is that you will be reviewing the subject matter during the process of re-writing. When you must study the same topic for your midterm and final, you will be very pleased with yourself for ensuring your notes are simple to understand the first time. 3. Reach out to teachers and take advantage of extra assistance Additional help is perhaps the most underrated form of test preparation. Reviewing for an exam can be overwhelming you dont always realize the bulk of information youve covered. Extra help sessions are frequently held and typically focus on the most important aspects of the topics involved on upcoming tests. These opportunities are a fantastic method to concentrate on the most difficult and/or significant content of a unit. Look at upcoming schedules and determine when and where you will attend one of these gatherings. Your attendance could mean the difference between two whole letter grades on an exam! A teacher wont usually devote a great deal of time to discussing a topic that you will not eventually be tested on, so you should be able to gauge what the assessments will contain. Attending an extra help session is hardly ever an experience that a student regrets. You may even want to consider consulting a tutorto help you as well, or even just sending the teacher an email or atten ding their office hours is a step in the right direction as well. 4. Pose multiple questions Asking questions is a superlative learning style. You should never feel embarrassed about asking for clarification in or outside of class, whether its because you truly dont understand or because you enjoy a subject and wish to discover more about it. Make sure you return to school ready to inquire about any concept you feel necessary! Asking questions demonstrates that you can think critically and have a desire to learn. It also increases your participation grade. While you may not remember every word an instructor utters during lecture, youre very likely to recall the questions that you asked and the answers that you received. Teachers love to see their students speak up and inquire; it encourages other students to participate, and it creates an atmosphere conducive to learning.

How to Sing and Play Ukulele in 4 Easy Steps

How to Sing and Play Ukulele in 4 Easy Steps Megan L. Learning to play an instrument is difficult enough, but what about trying to sing at the same time? Its really not as hard as it sounds! Here, teacher Willy M. takes you  through the steps to play the ukulele while singing It doesn’t matter what instrument I teach (piano, guitar, harmonica, drums, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, and voice), every student I ever have, with the exception of those playing harmonica, asks, “How do I sing and play my instrument at the same time?” The ukulele is certainly no exception. Learning how to sing and play ukulele  simultaneously  is a lot like learning how to pat your stomach and rub your head at the same time. Or is it pat your head and rub your stomach? I don’t know, but you get the idea it can be hard! So here are four easy steps to help you learn how to sing and play the  ukulele at the same time. 1. Practice singing  the entire song with  one chord and a simple strumming pattern First of all, your left brain controls your right hand. So if you are right-handed like most people and are approaching the ukulele, youll  handle strumming fairly well. But when you start forming ukulele chords with the left hand, your right brain kicks in  and suddenly you’re plunged into a chaotic world of trying to keep up while both sides of your brain are firing off stimuli and building synapses. And then you want to try to sing. What part of the brain controls that, the middle part? Suddenly, playing the ukulele becomes more like juggling than just strumming and playing. To make this process simpler, break it down into bite-sized chunks. All you have to do is hold down your first chord and sing along while strumming the main pattern of the song. You see little kids doing this all the time. They get an instrument and strum away, singing whatever song their little hearts desire. This really is the first step to learning how to play and sing. Its so simple that just about anyone can do it. Let’s look at a really simple song to help you get the picture. Below are the lyrics and chords for  â€œFroggie Went A-Courtin’.” I would suggest you check out Bob Dylan’s version of the song. Its a very simple tune with just three chords. This song is in the key of D. Try playing through the song and just play the D chord. Froggie Went a-Courtin’ D Froggie went a-courtin and he did ride, ah hah A7 Froggie went a-courtin and he did ride, ah hah D Froggie went a-courtin and he did ride, G                                                                   D             A7           D With a sword and a pistol by his side, ah hah, ah hah, ah hah 2. Practice singing the entire song  with two chords and a simple strumming pattern The second step to mastering playing and singing at the same time is to add in the second most popular chord in the song. If you are playing a song in G, and D is the second most popular chord, then the only chord change you need to worry about at this point is going from the G to the D chord. Practice the change several times until you feel comfortable with it, and then go for singing the song. When you play through the song this way, you give little thought to the strumming pattern or the G chord because you already practiced it (and you don’t really think much about the singing either because you practiced that too). You will find that lyrics you are unfamiliar with might throw you off a little, but the more you sing the song, the easier itll be to memorize the lyrics. If you need to take a moment and read through the lyrics, it should  help you when you sing. Now the only thing to worry about is changing chords from the G to the D. Once you learn the essential ukulele chords, youll be set to handle most songs. In the above song, the next chord that is popular is the A7 chord. Play though the song and add the change to the A7. 3. Practice singing the entire song with three chords  and a simple strumming pattern Now that you’ve mastered going from the first chord to the second chord, adding the third chord shouldn’t be too much of a struggle. If it is, just keep at it and go slowly over the parts that are hard for you. Repeat them several times until you have it down. Before you know it, you will be singing and playing most of the song with ease. I recommend learning various strum patterns, that way youre equipped for learning more songs. In “Froggie,” the last chord is a G chord. Practice through the song again and add the G chord while you sing and play. 4. If there are other playing techniques, follow the above practice routine Last but not least, there are often other elements of a song that are tricky. Does the song switch rhythm for a certain portion, perhaps the bridge or the chorus? Does the song require some complicated finger-picking patterns on a certain part of it? Are there other more complicated chords that give you some grief? Don’t worry, we all experience these things in our learning process. The key is to just keep working at the hard parts, adding a part at a time until you’ve mastered both playing the song and singing it. In the final run-through of the song, try adding all of the chords and maybe add some finger-picking to give yourself an extra workout! So there you have it four easy steps to help you play your ukulele (or any instrument, actually) and sing at the same time. I hope you find this helpful. What will really help you is having a qualified teacher walk you through how to break down the harder portions into smaller bite-sized chunks, and TakeLessons is the perfect place to get a teacher who can help you become the best ukulele player you can be! Once you have it down, try to sing and play some pirate songs on the ukulele! Post Author:  Willy M. Willy M. teaches guitar, ukulele, and mandolin lessons in Winston, NC. He is the author of the Dead Man’s Tuning series of mandolin songbooks, and is a former member of the American Federation of Musicians. Willy has been teaching for 20 years, and his students have ranged in age from young children to folks in their 80s.  Learn more about Willy here! Photo by Dorret 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

How to Structure Your Childs Guitar Practice

How to Structure Your Childs Guitar Practice Megan L. Playing an instrument offers a lifetime of fun and learning! Children benefit greatly from musical education in both cognition and reasoning. These benefits carry over to school and achieving greater success in all areas, especially math. However, sometimes with children, getting them to do what is best for them is difficult. Here well offer some advice on the best approach to practicing guitar with your child to reduce potential stress and keep your child motivated. Start With the Basics To start with, its important to choose the right guitar for your child. There are many guitar sizes available to fit smaller bodies: 1/4 size, 1/2 size, and 3/4 size guitars are great for children four to eleven years, or full size for ages twelve and up. Its crucial to find an appropriate size, as playing a guitar which is too large can be painful for childrens hands and arms, leading to significant frustration. You also need the right guitar teacher   someone who will understand that children learn differently than adults, and that the lessons need to remain interesting and fun over time, and not just for the first lesson. A teacher who can consistently choose interesting yet challenging guitar songs for kids will motivate your child to love the guitar. A highly motivated child will be likely to succeed in the face of a less than wonderful teacher, but no one can be highly motivated all the time, so its important for the teacher to be engaged and consistent even when your child isnt. Motivate Your Child The largest hurdle you and your child will likely need to overcome is how to remain motivated in the face of sustained practice. There are ways you can support your child more effectively, and avoid the power struggles and stress that can easily take over. Avoid bribing your child by rewarding practices with other activities- such as TV- or with gifts, which can lead the child to believe that learning is only a means to an end, lacking its own inherent value. Also refrain from punishing a child who refuses to practice, as this leads to conflating practice with chores and duties. If  practicing  isnt interesting to your child its very important to understand why. Perhaps the materials need to change. For example, finding more suitable guitar songs for kids. Or, perhaps support is needed for difficulties, or your child is not getting enough feedback about the successes and progress they have made. Make efforts to understand and adapt, and you will surely find your child more willing to practice guitar. Timing and Length Children are typically less likely to be aware of the long term gains they reap from their efforts in any area. When the dream of becoming a famous guitarist falls away, more abstract benefits may fail to motivate a child who is struggling. Focus on validating and supporting your childs short term goals, while ensuring that the material your child is learning is appropriate. It is far less important to have  practiced  for a certain length of time than it is to have learned something in a certain amount of time. When your child is given homework from their teacher, focus on helping them achieve excellence in a small portion of that material at a time. For example, ask them to practice until they can play eight bars of a song perfectly three times. This method encourages the child to feel good about playing well, and not feel burdened by learning too much at once, or having to play long after they are bored. A practice session which begins with learning and ends with success is highly valuable. Shorter, more focused practices lead to a more confident child, and less struggle for parents. If your child practices a specific portion of their homework each day until you and they can see some progress, skill building will become natural and require far less struggle to achieve. Finding Great Guitar Songs for Kids Times have changed! Most children learning instruments today are going to be put off by having to blunder through Mary Had a Little Lamb before they can move on to modern popular songs. A teacher who can gear material to your childs interests and age is necessary if you want your child to be invested in their own learning. An instructors ability to find guitar songs for kids which are both relevant to your child and at the appropriate skill level is invaluable. Keeping a child focused over the years it takes to master an instrument can be challenging. Remember to begin well with the proper sized guitar and a compatible teacher. Keeping practices low-stress and focusing on achievements instead of time are solid ways to ensure success. Ready to start your childs musical journey? Find a great guitar teacher for your child today!   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  Gianni Sarti

New maths 9-1 GCSE

New maths 9-1 GCSE Tutor Adam S, a qualified teacher and specialist in GCSE mathematics, explains all you need to know about the new maths 9-1 GCSE providing sample papers as well as insight into the exam  and grade boundaries. ...... May 2017 is the first year that the new maths 9-1 GCSE will be examined. A common question I have been asked by students and parents is ‘where can I find past papers to practice?’ and ‘what will the grade boundaries be?’ The aim of this post is to examine the syllabus and answer both questions. The papers Currently there is a limited set of papers available for the new maths 9-1 GCSE. Just click on the appropriate link below to find a pdf of the exam you would like to complete. Edexcel:                 OCR                              AQA S1 S2 S3                  S1 S2 S3 S4                Papers,  Answers The Tiers Grade 9 is now the highest that you can achieve, grade 8 the next highest and so on. The higher tier runs from grade 9-4, and the foundation tier runs from grade 5-1. It is important for your child to know if they are taking the higher or foundation tier paper as the content is different for both. They can ask their school teacher which tier they are entered for if they don’t know already. Since there are no past papers for this exam, I am advising all my students to complete all the sample paper sets for each of the exam boards to help prepare. The mathematical content in each exam board is broadly the same as are the style of questions despite small differences. It’s all maths! There are 3 exams in each sample set; 2 calculator and 1 non-calculator. This is the same structure that your child’s Maths GCSE will be. It is so important to focus on these sample papers instead of the past papers for the old GCSE because there is new content in the 2017 GCSE that is not in the old papers. The style of questions is also very different. Instead of practicing from past papers, I would advice a combination of the sample papers (linked above), and the 9-1 GCSE Edexcel textbook which can be found with a simple google or amazon search. Many schools have not adopted this book yet and I cannot attest enough to the usefulness of a book rammed with questions of the new style for every single topic and answers at the back. In my opinion it is best used in combination with a tutor / teacher / knowledgeable parent and a revision guide that has clear explanations and is specific to your exam board (CGP for example). Grade boundaries What percentage do you need to achieve a grade 9 in maths GCSE? How about a grade 5? These questions are difficult to answer and school teachers giving vague non-committal answers to this question are doing so because we can only really guess at this point. No one knows exactly what the grade boundaries are - it will depend on how difficult the papers are that are given in the summer. Having said this, we do have some clues from the government as to how many students will receive each grade, which means anyone can predict what grade they are currently working at and what grade they are likely to achieve on the 9 to 1 scale. Using past papers, we can calculate what grade you are currently at. To predict accurately what grade your child is currently at, they can complete 3 past papers from their exam board and work out their grade from the grade boundaries for that paper. You can find grade boundaries for the specific papers you have completed on the exam board website. Once you have the grades for those 3 papers, you can match them to the number grade by using the image above. Bear in mind that if your child gets a C, that will equate to a high 4 or a low 5. A high C will be a grade 5, and a low C will be a grade 4 (the bottom 66% to be exact according to ofqual and Edexcel board). So most students achieving a C on the old paper will achieve a grade 4 on the new paper. In addition to using past papers to see where your child is at, I have brought together analysis from maths teachers from different schools to come up with predicted grade boundaries for the Edexcel 9-1 sample papers: Higher Tier Level, %                             (marks out of 80) 9                     91%                                           (73) 8                     79%                                           (63) 7                     64%                                           (52) 6                     53%                                           (43) 5                     41%                                             (33) 4                     30%                                           (24) Foundation Tier Level           %                     (marks out of 80) 5                       78%                                           (63) 4                     67%                                           (54) 3                     56%                                           (45 Although I had a lot of fun making these grade boundaries and would love for you to use them to grade your own sample papers, take the results with a pinch of salt as they are predictions based on sample sizes of individual schools which is small compared to the number of students there are in the UK. Good luck and happy exam preparations! ..... If you have any questions for Adam S or would like him as a tutor for your child, please send him a message through his profile. Alternatively, on the Tutorfair website enter your postcode and Tutorfair will show you GCSE Maths tutors in your area, with the top rated tutors! Checkout out more  Tutorfair blogs  here: Five Strategies to improve Academic Performance Dyslexia Resources: a Guide for Parents

Astronomy Glossary

Astronomy Glossary Astronomy Listening Resources Astronomy word cloud Astronomy Listening Resources Careers in Astronomy Astronomy Reading Resources Careers in Astronomy A day in the life: Astronomer A day in the life: Astronaut Astronomy Grammar Resources Online ESL grammar checker Astronomy Vocabulary List antipodal Relating to or situated on the opposite side of the earth. asteroid Minor planets, especially those of the inner Solar System. astronomical unit The distance between the Earth and the Sun. Astrophysics The branch of astronomy concerned with the physical nature of stars and other celestial bodies, and the application of the laws and theories of physics to the interpretation of astronomical observations. atmosphere The outer casing of a planet or a star and which consists mainly of neutral gas ans ions. axis of rotation The center around which something rotates. Big Bang The rapid expansion of matter from a state of extremely high density and temperature that according to current cosmological theories marked the origin of the universe. comet An icy small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, heats up and begin to outgas. constellation A group of stars projected on the sky that are close enough to be connected by imaginary lines, thus tracing a figure in the sky. Cosmology The science of the origin and development of the universe. galaxy A huge group of stars, dust,gas and other celestial bodies bound together by gravitational forces. geocentrism The description of the cosmos where Earth is at the orbital center of all celestial bodies. heliocentrism The astronomical model in which the Earth and the planets revolve around a relatively stationary Sun. interstellar Occurring or situated between stars. light years The distance that light travels in vacuum in one year. lunar eclipse When the moon passes directly behind the Earth into its shadow. meridian The half of an imaginary great circle on the Earths surface, terminated by the North Pole and the South Pole. meteor shower A phenomenon in which many meteors fall through the atmosphere on a relatively short time. meteorite A solid piece of debris, from such sources as asteroids or comets that originates in outer space and survives its impact with the Earths surface. milky way The galaxy that contains our Solar System. moon Earths only natural satellite. nadir The point on the celestial sphere directly below an observer. observatory A room or building housing an astronomical telescope or other scientific equipment for the study of natural phenomena. orbit The gravitationnaly curved path of an object around a point in space. planet An astronomical object orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity. planetarium A building in which images of stars, planets, and constellations are projected on the inner surface of a dome for public entertainment or education. polar star A visible star that is approximately aligned with the Earths axis of rotation. radioactive Emitting or relating to the emission of ionizing radiation or particles. radio telescope An instrument used to detect radio emissions from the sky, whether from natural celestial objects or from artificial satellites. spectroscopy The branch of science concerned with the investigation and measurement of spectra produced when matter interacts with or emits electromagnetic radiation. shooting star A visible path of a meteoroid as it enters the atmosphere. solar eclipse When the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth. star finder Device such as a star map or celestial globe to facilitate the identification of stars. summer solstice The day when the sun appears highest in the sky. telescope An instrument that aids in the observation of the sky. zenith An imaginary point directly above a particular location. Recommended Please follow and like us: