3 Benefits of Tutoring for Students With Learning Differences

3 Benefits of Tutoring for Students With Learning Differences Every student is differentand so are the ways in which they learn best. As the parent of a student with special learning needs, you may be struggling to find the support and resources that will allow them to feel properly equipped for success, as well as to flourish as a student and an individual. Tutoring is one tool that parents can use to help their students with learning differences gain the academic confidence they deserve. The benefits of tutoring for students with learning differences include an individualized experience that is tailored to your childs unique learning style, the opportunity to develop greater confidence, and increased ownership over your students educational journey. Weve outlined each advantage in greater detail below. 1. Tutoring is personalized to your childs individual learning style With one-on-one learning difference tutoring, your child can learn new material or revisit prior content in a way that suits their specific learning style. After inquiring about the concepts and skills your student finds challenging, a tutor can develop a plan to address each area of concern in an individualized way. This can include integrating recommendations from your childs teacher or school, if appropriate. Because private tutoring takes place outside the classroom, your student can meet with their tutor as often as they need to, as well as whenever theyre most comfortableand tutoring allows your child to benefit from targeted instruction for a longer period of time than most schools can accommodate. In addition, online tutoring enables you to work with a tutor who has the precise expertise you need, no matter your location. Accessing a tutoring session is as simple as logging in from your home. Tutors who work with students with learning differences are also accustomed to adapting material to auditory, kinesthetic, verbal, and visual learners. Whether your child thrives when using one or multiple learning styles, their tutor can craft lessons to speak to these strengths. 2. Tutoring can instill confidence in your child Tutoring offers students with learning differences a low-pressure environment in which to practice and hone both academic and soft skills. In a one-on-one setting, your child can begin to master challenging elements like organization and time management that are as important as academic concepts as they progress through their education. Varsity Tutors can help students and their families thoughtfully connect with tutors who understand their specific goals and needs. As your childs tutor gets to know them, the tutor can offer personalized strategies and techniques that can help to simplify difficult ideas and skills. This kind of one-on-one attention can enable students to feel more confident, both in and out of the classroom. As your child grows more confident in tutoring sessions, this newfound ability will also eventually migrate to the classroom and other areas of their life (such as friendships at school). 3. Tutoring allows families to take ownership of their childs learning experience Over time, tutoring promotes positive learning habits that can help you and your child gain a sense of control over their education. For many students with learning differencesand, by extension, their familiesthe classroom and school environment can be overwhelming and frustrating. Students may feel as if their voices are too small or different to be heard, and parents may be uncertain about how to best aid their children. A tutor can serve as a support for all members of the family, and can help your student achieve their learning goals. At the end of the day, one of your goals as a parent is likely to provide your child with a positive educational experience that is both high-quality and enriching. Personalized tutoring provides students with learning differences with the resources, encouragement, and space necessary to grow as both a student and an individual. Interested in learning more about how Varsity Tutors can help you support a student with learning differences? Inquire aboutlearning difference tutoring now, and well be in touch soon.

Establishing Yourself as a Private Cooking Tutor

Establishing Yourself as a Private Cooking Tutor Advice for Making a Name for Yourself as a Private Cooking Tutor ChaptersUsing Word of Mouth to Find StudentsUsing the Internet to Find StudentsClassified AdsPartner with Professionals“Cooking is an expression that crosses boundaries.” - Ranveer BrarCooking is becoming more popular and many cooking shows have helped popularise it. That said, we still love cooking cheap, simple, and fast meals.As a cooking tutor, it’s your job to help students to become a veritable master chef, but first, you need to find students for your cooking classes.With that in mind, here’s our advice on how to fill your planner with private cooking tutorials. 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 fr ee!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 tutorsUsing Word of Mouth to Find StudentsSo you’ve decided to become a private cooking tutor. The first thing you should do is tell the people you know that they can get a cooking class from you. Whether you’re teaching private baking tutorials, molecular cuisine, Italian cooking, or how to make sushi, tell your friends and family about it. If your lessons (and dishes) are good, your students will talk about them. (Source: stevepb)Normally, they’ll probably know that you love cooking and know your way around the kitchen. Don’t hesitate to mention to them that you’re now offering private cooking tutorials and don't forget that you can also tell people at work, at the gym, and even your neighbours.You need to find students to get started with your new career. You’ll have to stop offering free tutorials or mates’ rates. That said, you can do practice lessons with your friends and family.Don’t underestimate the power of word-of-mouth. It’s often those closest to you that will help you find work. If this doesn’t work, you won’t have lost much money or time.Your neighbours, friends, and family will know that you’re available to teach private cooking tutorials and if it comes up in conversation with anyone they know, they’ll mention it.Focus on your culinary experience: your years of experience, the style of cooking you do, how you teach, etc. and mention your teaching approaches, especially if you offer lessons to kids.Once you get your first students, word of mouth will become even more effective as they start to tell their friends and families about your lessons.Find out more about teaching private cooking tutorials.Using the Internet to Find StudentsIf somebody’s looking for something, where do they go?Google!Having an online presence is essential in this day and age.There are a few ways you can do this. Don’t use just one method but rather a multitude of them so that people can find you quickly and easily. The internet is a great tool for finding students and promoting their tutorials. (Source: arembowski)Cooking BlogsIt’s never been easier to make a website or a blog. Every cooking school has a website and so should you. We recommend using WordPress. The platform is intuitive and great for new users and aspiring chefs.Firstly, choose the name of your site. You can use your name for this but it’s probably better to have something to do with cooking in the title. For example, you could go with “Alex’s Cooking Blog”, “Sandra’s Sweet Treats”, “Paella Pete”, or “Miss Steak”. The name should also have something to do with the type of food you cook and the cooking techniques you teach, too. For example, if you’re offering Chinese cooking lessons, you might want to go with something that makes them think of China.Once you’ve chosen the name for your blog or site, you should check if the domain is available.Next, you just have to build your blog. You can publish art icles with recipes, which products are in season, your favourite cooking tools and utensils, etc.  Don’t forget to do an “About” page so people can learn more about you, your thoughts on cooking, your knowledge of the culinary arts, and what your culinary classes include. Say who you are, what you teach, how you teach, and talk about your experience and qualifications.Similarly, mention the types of students you teach, the levels you teach, and how you can help them. You might also want to mention if you have a cancellation policy because you don't want to give up a weeknight for a lesson to have your student cancel.You’ll probably want a page dedicated to the services you offer. Mention what you offer:Home private tutorials.Home cooking workshops.Specialist sessions: French cuisine, knife skills, tapas, street food, Italian cuisine, wine tasting, etc.Professional chef or catering services.Make it clear whether you’re looking for individuals or businesses and whether you o ffer courses for events like team-building, hen parties, etc. Don’t forget to mention what your speciality is: Fine dining, fresh produce, wine pairings, Thai cuisine, gluten-free cooking, etc.This is also the page where you should mention how much you charge (or a representative rate if you tailor your rates) and allow students to leave reviews. Reviews are helpful for new students.Social NetworksSocial networks work a bit like virtual word of mouth so use them to tell people about your new career.For example, you could mention on your Facebook that you’re now a private cooking tutor. Don’t hesitate to make a Facebook page for your cooking tutorial business where students can leave reviews, share news and the articles from your blog, and keep your fans up to date with your life as a chef and your upcoming classes and what they should learn to cook.After all, since cooking is very visual, you should also use social networks like Instagram and Pinterest to share pictures of you r dishes with fans and students. Pictures of food are among the most popular on Pinterest and Instagram. Use them to improve your business.Show off your cooking skills, put together recipes for cooking with seasonal ingredients, and post your class schedule to make sure that all your fans and students are up to date.YouTubeYou could even make videos on cooking to draw in customers on a YouTube channel. Cooking is about sharing and you can show potential students how to make certain dishes.So how do you do it?Try and make your videos short and dynamic. Write the ingredients and recipe on the screen. You can just add text. You’ll need a few editing skills but they’re easily learnt.There are plenty of people that go to YouTube to learn how to cook for date night, learn new cooking methods, or just get ideas for things to do with the ingredients they have in the house. If people like your videos, they'll be more likely to want private classes from you.Find out how much you should be charging for your tutorials.Classified AdsClassified ads still work. After all, a single method of advertising your business isn’t guaranteed to work; you need to diversify your marketing. It’s better to choose to promote your business through various channels. Classified ads and posters are still an effective way to find new students for your cooking tutorials. (Source: JillWellington)There are also sites where you can create profiles for your business or set up ads. Craigslist and Gumtree are for all types of ads but there are also specialised tutoring websites like Superprof.Usually, it’s free to create a profile and the clearer your ad or profile is, the more likely you’ll find students as they’ll know what you offer and what to expect.Just like with your website, make sure you mention your specialities, rates, pedagogy, etc. Also mention who your tutorials are for: children, beginners, intermediates, advanced students, etc. Mention when you’re available to teach: evenings, weekends, weekdays, etc. State your rates (or a sample if you tailor them) or encourage students to ask for a quote.Similarly, you can use the tried-and-tested method of posting classified ads on notice boards in local businesses. Focus on places where people buy ingredients like bakeries, butchers, fishmongers, grocers, etc. You can also try restaurants but don’t forget to ask before you put up your ad, though!Learn how to teach online cooking tutorials.Partner with ProfessionalsTo find students, you can always partner with other professionals and businesses. There are people in similar lines of work that can help you promote your business. Getting other businesses to advertise for you and recommend your tutorials is a great way to find new students. (Source: naramfigueiredo)For example, if you don’t offer a catering service, find caterers who do and promote them to your students and ask the caterers to do the same for your tutorials. You promote them and they promote you.You can also ask the local bakers, restaurants, wedding planners (for hen-parties), etc. Get creative!Make sure you’ve tried the service you’re promoting, a bad recommendation could tarnish your reputation.Learn more about teaching tutorials at your students' homes.Ready?Now you can start looking for students for your cooking tutorials!Remember that you can also sign up to Superprof, make a profile, and start finding students for your cooking tutorials, too.

The 7 Spanish Question Words How to Use Them

The 7 Spanish Question Words How to Use Them Jessica Dais Ready to learn the question words in Spanish? One of the best ways to advance your Spanish skills is to converse with fluent or native speakers. But how do you break the ice?   Start by mastering the new vocabulary in this guide, and then practice some of the most commonly asked questions. People love being asked questions! It shows you’re interested in their opinions and experiences. After reading this article, youll feel more comfortable meeting new people and making friends in Spanish.   The 7 Spanish Question Words Let’s go over some of the most important question words in Spanish. Memorize this vocabulary so you can be ready to strike up a conversation when the opportunity arises! 1. ¿Cómo? Cómo literally translates to “how,” but it can also mean “what” when used in isolation. You should also know that como without the accent over the O means “like” or “I eat.” This is a lot of different meanings, so be sure to pay attention to the context of the conversation for clues to the words definition. Here are some common questions you might ask using cómo: ¿Cómo estás? (How are you?) ¿Cómo te sientes? (How are you feeling?) ¿Cómo te fue? (How did it go?) ¿Cómo lo hiciste? (How did you do that?) If you look closely at the sentence structure of these questions, youll see that in Spanish, you don’t need to add a word for “do.” For example, “How do you make that?” would literally be translated into Spanish as: ¿Cómo lo haces? (How you make that?). It sounds funny when translated literally, doesn’t it? This is one example of a basic language translation fact: we translate ideas, not words. 2. ¿Quién? Quién means “who” in English. When using it in writing, remember to apply the accent mark over the E. A few common questions using the word quién are: ¿Quién es? (Who is it?) Note: Use when answering a phone or door. ¿Quién sabe? (Who knows?) ¿Quién es? (Who is that?) ¿Quiénes son? (Who are they?) ¿Con quién vas? (Who are you going with?) As you can see in the last example, sentences in Spanish often begin with the word con, meaning  with. This is a key difference from English, where sentences and questions rarely start with the word “with.” You wouldn’t say, “With whom are you going?” Another thing youll notice is that when quién is used plurally, referring to more than one person, it becomes quiénes. 3. ¿Qué? Qué means “what.” Like with quién, remember to apply an accent mark over the E. This is important because without the accent over the E, que means “that.” Here are some questions you’ll use regularly with the word qué: ¿Qué es? (What is it?)   ¿Qué significa? (What does that mean?) ¿Qué hiciste? (What did you do?) ¿Qué? (What?) Be aware that when used in isolation, “ ¿Cómo?” means the same thing as ¿Qué?   Youll hear Spanish speakers using both of these phrases. 4. ¿Dónde? Dónde means “where.” Just like the other Spanish question words, remember to apply the necessary accent mark. Common questions with dónde include: ¿A dónde vas? (Where are you going?) Note: “A” means “to.” ¿Dónde está? (Where is it?) ¿Dónde vives? (Where do you live?) ¿De dónde eres? (Where are you from?) In the last example sentence, De means “of,” so the question literally   translates to: “Of where are you?” 5. ¿Cuándo? Cuándo means “when.” Remember to apply the accent mark over the A. Here are some questions you’ll hear frequently using this question word: ¿Cuándo es? (When is it?) Note: Use for social events or appointments. ¿Cuándo vienes? (When are you coming?) ¿Cuándo nos vemos? (When will we see each other?) ¿Cuándo es la junta? (When is the meeting?) Sentence structure for questions isn’t too different from English. The basic structure for all of these starts with the question word and is followed by the conjugated verb in the appropriate tense. 6. ¿Cuál? Cuál means “which,” and as you can see, it also requires an accent mark over the vowel. Practice these sentences using the word cuál: ¿Cuál es tu nombre? (What is your name?) ¿Cuál es tu favorito? (What’s your favorite?) ¿Cuál escoges? (Which do you choose?) ¿Cuáles son tuyos? (Which are yours?) Remember how quién became quiénes? You’ll also notice that when cuál is used in the plural form, it becomes cuáles. In the first two examples, take note that Spanish uses the word for “which,” rather than “what” as we’re used to in English. 7. ¿Por qué? Por qué means “why,” but be careful! It can also mean “because” when there’s no space between the words and no accent mark present. Here are a few questions you can ask using por qué: ¿Por qué hiciste esto? (Why did you do that?) ¿Por qué llegaste tarde? (Why are you late?) ¿Por qué no te sientes bien? (Why don’t you feel good?) ¿Por qué no está Juan? (Why isn’t John here?) It’s vital to learn these seven words, because you can’t ask questions in Spanish without them! Study these essential Spanish question words to really take your conversation skills to the next level. Need more help forming questions in Spanish? Check out the video below from one of our online Spanish classes. You can also take private lessons with a Spanish teacher, online or locally. You’ll get hands-on instruction and instant feedback on your grammar and pronunciation. Buena suerte! Post Author: Jason N. Jason N. tutors Spanish in San Diego, CA. He majored in Spanish at UC Davis, and studied Spanish Literature at the University of Costa Rica. Learn more about Jason here! Need Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Teaching Private Tutorials at Home

Teaching Private Tutorials at Home What Are the Benefits of Teaching at Your Home? ChaptersTeaching at Your Own Home: A Dedicated SpaceTeaching at Your Own Home: An Easier Way to TeachTeaching at Your Own Home: Setting Limits“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” - Phil CollinsIt’s a fact that the private tutoring market is growing. Being a private tutor is now a proper job that takes time and experience. Whether it’s maths tutorials, homework help, online tutorials, intensive classes, the possibilities are endless when it comes to one to one tutoring.In this article, we’ll look at teaching from the comfort of your own home. There’s a growing demand for private tutorials and more and more people are choosing to become private tutors themselves. In fact, a large number of children have taken private tutorials and are getting private tutorials in order to help them through primary school, secondary school, college, sixth form, and even university. The figures speak for themselves.Whether you teach calculus, algebra, test prep, biolo gy, mathematics, statistics, geometry, grammar, psychology, etc., academic support is a good market to be in and there are many tutors who choose to offer their tutorials in their own houses for a number of good reasons that we’re going to have a look at in this article.So what are the advantages of teaching your private tutorials in your own house? CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsTeaching at Your Own Home: A Dedicated SpaceWhether you’re teaching maths, a language tutorial, or preparing students for GCSE or A Level exams, private tutorials require a specific set of skills that not everyone has. Teaching private tutorials at yo ur home is different to teaching at a student’s home and comes with a number of advantages.If you're made your house a home, make sure that you keep your professional life and personal life apart. (Source: Pexels)A private tutor usually goes to their student’s house and has to adapt to each environment they find themselves in. In this case, the roles are reversed and the student comes to the tutor’s house. It’s, therefore, easier for the tutor to feel at ease and teach under the best conditions.The relationship between the student and the teacher becomes less formal. That said, this can make lessons for stimulating than just any old lesson. You can get the most out of your home by doing a few things to make it more conducive to teaching.A good teacher will be able to separate where they live, eat, and sleep from where they work and teach physics, chemistry, exam prep classes, etc. The space needs to be correctly used for teaching.This space comes with a number of important a dvantages and can help the teacher develop a better relationship with their student. In fact, by coming to their teacher’s house, students will feel closer to them. Furthermore, it’s much easier teaching in your own home.Of course, if you're a chemistry tutor, for example, your student mightn't have the equipment they need. However, if you're an English tutor, French tutor, or a reading tutor, you should be able to bring a few books with you in order to provide supplemental instruction.You may even consider holding lessons outdoors!Teaching at Your Own Home: An Easier Way to TeachTeaching at your own home is a way to create your own teaching approach. From your first lesson to preparing students for their final exams, you can do anything you like at your own home. From worksheets to exercise books, the student just has to say what they want to work on and their tutor will be able to get it ready!With the right preparation, teaching at your own home can be better than at the stud ent's home. (Source: SnapwireSnaps)Contrary to teaching students in their homes, teaching at your own home is a much easier way to teach for a number of reasons:You’re closer to the student, making it easier to help them.Saving time travellingYou feel more comfortable, which makes explaining things easier.You can dedicate a space in your home to teaching.You can save money by not having to travel (public transport, petrol, etc.)You’ll feel more relaxed and therefore be able to create a more relaxed environment for teaching in.And many more...In fact, there are a good number of advantages to teaching at home which can help the tutor help their student to succeed. Whether you’re teaching maths, piano, exam technique, or any other subject, the tutor is the expert. Being a good teacher isn’t about having all the right qualifications, it’s about being able to communicate effectively.It’s much easier to communicate from the comfort of your own home with all the necessary resou rces on hand. Once again, whether you’re doing a Spanish tutorial, teaching students how to sing, academic support, or maths and science tutorials, it’s far easier to do at home. Of course, you need to set boundaries so that you won’t feel like your home is being invaded by students.Teaching tutorials in your own home needs to be done in a professional and legitimate way. From IT tutorials to A Level prep, tutors need to ensure that they remain a teacher first and foremost. That said, a good teacher can still create a relaxed and enjoyable environment for students to work in.Teaching at Your Own Home: Setting LimitsDespite all the advantages, there are still ways that teaching at home can go wrong. In fact, if you want to teach all your tutorials at home and finish with more money at the end of the month, you’re going to end up teaching a lot of students, some of whom may end up invading your personal space. You need to, therefore, set boundaries.When you teach at home, keep in mind that you're going to be inviting students into your home. (Source: Free-Photos)After all, your main goal is to teach your students and you need to ensure that your relationship remains as neutral and professional as possible. Right from the start, you need to make it clear to your students that their classroom is also your home. Regardless of the room they’re in, it’s still part of your home.While this is the reason that both the tutor and student get more out of the tutorials, there are boundaries that need to be respected and you don’t want to give off the idea that you two are good mates hanging out. You have to remain as professional as possible and keep your professional life apart from your private life.This can be difficult since everything in your house is probably is an indicator of your private life: a family photo, a pet barging in, or just personal notes on your desk. You need to make sure that you prepare adequately before you start teaching.That said, th is is all par for the course when you’re a private tutor. In addition to getting word of mouth to work its magic and looking for students on online platforms like Superprof, you also need to know how to take care of the little things such as ensuring your home is a suitable place to teach in. Your role is to make sure that you provide effective tutorials that make the most of the advantages of being taught in your home.If you’ve set appropriate boundaries, you can enjoy the benefits of a class taught in a classroom with the advantages that a homely environment can bring. Students learn much better when they’re relaxed, after all. With the right workspace, both the tutor and the student will benefit.As you’ve probably understood, there are a lot of advantages to teaching in your own home that can help improve the quality of the private tuition you provide. Furthermore, it makes your life easier and your classes more interesting. Just make sure that there’s a clear line betw een your professional and private lives so that the relationships with your students don’t become too casual!Don't forget that there are also online tutoring services, too. If home tutoring isn't going to work for you or your student, you can offer one on one tutoring in all subjects via a video conferencing. You just need a computer, a webcam, a microphone, and a decent internet connection. If those being tutored are happy with this setup, then go for it!Follow these suggestions for other places you could host lessons...Whether at your home or elsewhere, private tutorials need to be carefully planned. (Source: kaboompics)An online tutor won't have to pay transport costs and, as a result, can pass these savings onto the student. Don't forget that a lot of tutors on Superprof offer free tutoring for the first hour in order to help them get more tutoring jobs. Online tutorials are very popular for those studying languages as they get an opportunity to practise the language with the tutor, who can help with pronunciation, grammar, etc. Scheduling online private tutorials is easier as well since you don't need to work out where you have to go.The most important thing about academic tutoring is that the student can find a tutor to help them develop study skills, provide them with quality instruction, and give them the confidence to complete an assignment, learn on their own, in a small group, or a large class, and become an avid learner. The best tutors will do this by choosing the right place to provide instruction.After that, the only remaining question would be how much to charge for each lesson?

What is it Like to Attend The University of Southern Mississippi

What is it Like to Attend The University of Southern Mississippi The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Michael is a 2012 graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelors degree in English. He is an online tutor specializing in several areas of Reading tutoring, Writing tutoring, and Literature tutoring. See what he had to say about his time at The University of Southern Mississippi: 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? Michael: The campus of The University of Southern Mississippi is quite nice. It is not too large, so biking or walking from class to class is carefree and enjoyable, and there is ample space for greenery. The University of Southern Mississippis lawns are great places to relax and rest between classes. There is a bus system in town, but it is not extensive. A bike can be handy, as the universitys location is fairly central. With a well-planned route, you can get most anywhere without having to cross too much traffic. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Michael: I never had a problem with my professors or advisers. Every professor sets some hours aside for office visits. Most are easily contacted by phone or by email, and they are fairly responsive. I know of some fellow classmates who had other experiences, but most departments have their mainstays who are usually quite available and quite approachable. Teaching assistants are plentiful. They tend to be friendly, but teaching quality can range. Some are as good as professors. Some just stick to their slides and curriculum. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Michael: The dorms are fairly well maintained and well located to encourage socializing. Most are in central areas of campus to encourage exploration and provide communal spaces for students to gather. The dining options are varied. Snack vendors are great for grab-and-go meals. A few fast food or carry-out places are located in the student center, and the dining hall serves a wide array of meals throughout the day. The campus plays host to a variety of clubs and organizations, so getting involved is quite easy and rewarding. 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? Michael: The Political Science field is considered by many (largely in the liberal arts) to be one of the most visible majors on campus. We also have an excellent polymer science department, but our liberal arts in general keep up just as well. I studied English and Instructional Technology because I wanted a background in research, as well as the technology used in education. I knew that I wanted to go into Library Science, and such a background would help me along the way. Our English department is excellent: well staffed with supportive, experienced professors, and marked by challenging programs. I certainly feel like I got my tuitions worth out of the department. 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? Michael: Meeting new people was quite easy as a freshman since the dorms for freshmen were communal. Even leaving the dorm set up aside, with the variety of activities on campus and the centralization of its dining options, making friends is not at all a problem for anyone reasonably social. Though I have only little experience with Greek life, I know it is well represented, with the local Greek row being stocked with fraternities and sororities of all shapes and sizes, most very active. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Michael: Student support services never failed to meet my needs in my time there. I only rarely had need to use our career support services, but my few occasions always exposed me to friendly staff who were eager to help students meet their goals. Other support centers, such as the writing center, were equally well maintained, with reliable, well-trained staff. I do not recall a large sampling of recruiting companies approaching me, but The University of Southern Mississippi never lacked for representation, always being visited by numerous companies during job fairs. Again, this is a part of the university I had less exposure to, but I do not recall the school lacking in any way. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Michael: The library provided several levels of restriction on noise so that certain floors were quieter than others. This made it a very handy place for any studying, whether alone or in a group, and I often went there first. Dorms rarely ever suffered from noise problems, at least the ones I stayed insave for the occasional fire drill. The student union tended to be less a study area and more a socializing location. Groups would hold programs there, and students would eat lunch and dinner and chat. This made it less useful than the dorms or the library. 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? Michael: Hattiesburg is not a terribly large town. It is quaint and flat, but this makes it feel comfortable and close. It is easy to get from one side of town to the other without relying on the highways. Though recently struck by a few weather disasters, Hattiesburg is still a nice town. I recall few parts that looked run down, and fewer still near the school. It is by no means comparable to places like San Francisco, but Hattiesburg did have places to explore. The downtown area offered a variety of shops and was often bustling on weekends. The other side of town, closer to the highways, provided a wide expanse of malls and outlet centers of all kinds, as well as plenty of dining options. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Michael: The student body was not tiny, but I never once sat in an auditorium class in my four years. I know such classes were held, but it was extremely easy to trade them for more personal classes. I was very pleased with this, as I prefer a class where I can get to know new people and potential homework buddies. This also made getting to know the professors much easier, and it made building rapport with them enjoyable and beneficial. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Michael: One of our professors, a major figurehead of the English department, was retiring. Our History of the English Language class would be the last he taught as a full-time professor. In this class, he held weekly etymology contests where students would submit the etymologies of words and the most interesting one would win a stuffed animal. For our last day of class, we held a party for him, and one of the gifts we gave him was a teddy bear with an etymology card of his name. Noun: Greatest Teacher Ever. He was so happy he cried. Check out Michaels tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Learning the Notes on a Fretboard

Learning the Notes on a Fretboard Finding the Notes on a Fretboard: Guitar for Beginners ChaptersWhy Should You Learn the Notes on the Fretboard?How to Learn Your Way Around the FretboardLearning the First Three Strings of the GuitarGetting to Know the Neck of Your Guitar“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” - PlatoLearning how to play the guitar means that you’ll have to learn which notes each of the 20 to 24 frets on the fretboard correspond to.It’s not easy learning how to play the guitar as you need to coordinate both hands, learn chords (major and minor chords, barre chords, etc.), scales (pentatonic, triads, etc.), and music theory.  At an intermediate level, you’ll have to learn how to improvise.Half of the guitarists in the US and the UK are women.  It just goes to show that music knows no gender.Would you like to learn the notes on a guitar fretboard?Here’s how! PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Te acher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhy Should You Learn the Notes on the Fretboard?A lot of guitarists play with chords and scales without having ever studied any music theory. They just need to listen to a song and innately understand what’s going on musically. Learning the notes on the guitar's neck will help you to improve your playing. (Source: freestocks-photos)Some guitarists learn how to play the guitar from a very young age without having to learn music theory.  So it’s not necessary to know the notes on the guitar to learn how to play it.  However, every musician knows how the fretboard is laid out.That said, not everyone will be one of these gifted guitarists who can become a virtuoso with almost no formal training.  Knowing your way around the fretboard will help you to play chords without needing a chord dictionary.With a right-handed guitar, you’ll use your left hand to play the notes. You should know which notes make up the chords and where they appear on a fretboard.Learn the notes of the open strings and the notes of the subsequent 20 to 24 frets.  At the start, learning to play the guitar can be tricky because the notes on the fretboard aren’t arranged in a clear way like the keys on a piano. A guitar neck includes fre ts and strings.This means that you need to understand where all the notes are on the fretboard. To get there, there are a few techniques to help you.Learn about the different types of guitar.How to Learn Your Way Around the FretboardUnderstanding your fretboard is all about understanding the intervals between musical notes. Learn the notes by the head of the guitar first. (Source: Katrina_S)The first stage consists of learning the notes of the open strings in standard tuning: E, A, D, G, B, E.  The lowest and highest strings in standard tuning are both tuned to E.In your first guitar lessons, you’ll learn that you can divide the guitar neck into two main parts.The low strings: The 6th, 5th, 4th, and 3rd strings.The high strings: The 2nd and 1st strings.All strings are 5 semitones apart except for between the G and B string which are four. This will help you when learning the notes on the fretboard.Another way to understand the neck is to understand that any note can be played on a lower string if you move up five frets or on a higher string if you move five frets down.  Moving between G and B strings is different as you’ll have to move up or down four frets.If you play the third fret on the high E string, you’ll be playing a “G”. If you move up five frets and move up to the B string, you’ll play the same note.If you play the third fret on the B string, you’ll play a “D”. By going up four frets and moving up to the G string, you can play the same “D”.Quick quiz!If you play the 5th fret on the D string, how can you play it on the A string?By playing the 10th fret!Make sure you keep your guitar clean.Learning the First Three Strings of the GuitarYou’ll quickly learn the open note on each string. Learning the lowest notes first will help you form the roots of barre chords. (Source: ThorstenF)You need to understand that the interval between each fret is a semitone.Here’s the rule for the first E string: There are no semitones between E and F and B and C.  All the other notes have a semitone between them.  This is why there’s only a fret between B and C and E and F. There are two frets between every other note. The first fret is, therefore, an F. Next, let’s find the interval between each fret.What does the third fret on the E string play?G.And on the fifth fret? If you count between 3 and 5, there are two frets, two semitones. This means you’ll end up with an A.Since an octave spans twelve semitones, the note of each open string repeats on the 12th fret.  The 12th fret on every string is an octave higher than the string when played open.Most guitar necks have inlays in the shape of dots or trapeziums (or something fancier) on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 1 9th, and 21st frets.  Since we know that the 5th fret is A, then the 7th fret is B. This makes the 8th fret C, the 10th fret D, and the 12th fret E.You can do the same for the A and D strings.Find out how to properly hold a guitar.Getting to Know the Neck of Your GuitarTo play a chord progression or find a particular harmony, you might want to learn a scale. Knowing which note is on each fret will improve your playing. (Source: lobpreis)If you know the notes on the 5th and 6th strings, you should be able to play any major or minor chord.Let’s take C the major scale: C D E F G A B C.Let’s go to the following positions:E string: E, F (1st fret), G (3rd fret).B string: B, C (1st fret), D (3rd fret).G string: G, A (2nd fret).D string: D, E (2nd fret), F (3rd fret).A string: A, B (2nd fret), C (3rd fret).E string: E, F (1st fret), G (3rd fret).To make a C major chord, you need to remember that the C is the tonic.  Next, you need the third, the E. The fifth is G. The seventh is B.  Thanks to the fact that each fret is a semitone, you can discern that the fret after an F is an F#.The fret below a B will be a Bb. However, this is also the A#.You should learn which notes the first three frets on each string are. You’ll find the following notes on the first three threads on each string:High E string: E, F, F#, G.B string: B, C, C#, D.G strin g: G, G#, A, A#.D string: D, D#, E, F.A string: A, A#, B, C.Low E string: E, F, F#, G.You’ve just learnt the chromatic scale.  You can find scale diagrams and tablature online to help you.Work your way around the major and minor scales from C until you get back to C.  This will help you work on your finger placement and you should then be able to transpose them anywhere on the fretboard.To conclude, don’t waste your time learning the notes all over the fretboard as you can transpose them from the ones you already know.If you'd like to learn more about how to play the guitar, there are plenty of useful resources online. You can find tablature sites to show you how to play certain songs as well as video tutorials on sites like YouTube. However, if you prefer to be taught how to play, you should consider getting in touch with one of the many talented and experienced guitar tutors on Superprof.There are three types of guitar tutorial available: face-to-face, online, and group. Each of these come with their pros and cons and it's really up to you to choose which one works best with your learning style and your budget.Generally speaking, face-to-face tutorials are the most effective as they're just between you and your tutor. Your tutor can focus all their time and energy on you during the tutorial and also plan the tutorials with you in mind. However, this bespoke service comes at a cost and while guitar tutors don't tend to charge a fortune, face-to-face tutorials are usually the most costly type of tutorial available.Online tutorials are similar to face-to-face tutorials in the respect that they're just between the tutor and the student but their main difference is that the tutor won't be there with you in the room. Instead, they'll be teaching you remotely via webcam and video conferencing software. While these types of tutorials tend to be cheaper than face-to-face tutorials, they do have the disadvantage of not being as effective for hands-on subjects.Fina lly, there are group tutorials. With several students in a single tutorial, you won't get as much one-on-one time with your tutor and there's no guarantee that the tutorials will be tailored to you; there are other students that need to be taught, after all. With all the students footing the bill, these tutorials tend to work out the cheapest per student per hour.

Why I Volunteer - Jodies Story

Why I Volunteer - Jodie's Story Jodie is one of our new recruits through our partner TeachFirst. As she studied History at university, Jodie will start her teacher training next year in hopes to become a History teacher. She will be teaching high school students, but chose to take part in Tutorfair’s “Stretch Academy” volunteer programme teaching at primary level, as a way of easing her way into the education system. Jodie has so far given 12 hours of her time to Wilbury Primary School students, teaching a small group in year 5, helping them with their numeracy and literacy - focusing on verbal and nonverbal reasoning. How has your experience been so far? It's been such a good experience so far, as I truly feel that I am making a difference to these children's lives. How did you find working with the students? I've really enjoyed working with children in such small groups as it's allowed me to really get to know them all individually. It also means that when a child is struggling, I can go through the topic as slowly as he/she needs and therefore no child is left behind.  All of the children are highly motivated and are so keen to learn, which makes it so enjoyable to teach them. What will you gain from the experience? Teaching such young children has made me aware that educational difficulties begin from the start of children's education and how important it is to tackle these problems from an early age. This will ensure that no child is left behind and that children from all backgrounds have the same start to life. It has also given me confidence and drive for when I start Teach First later this year. Tutorfair and Stretch Academy Over 50 kids piled into the gymnasium at Wilbury Primary School to receive free tutoring run by the Stretch Academy with Tutorfair volunteer tutors. Stretch Academy founder,  Alex Lee  takes us behind the scenes of this truly inspirational programme. If you're a tutor, teacher or an aspiring educator looking to make a difference, please come find out more Find out more about Tutorfair's work with the Stretch Academy

Strategies for Tackling the SAT

Strategies for Tackling the SAT As the school year starts, high school juniors nationwide are undoubtedly thinking of the approaching SAT college entrance exam, typically taken in the spring of a students junior year. Depending on the institution, the SAT can weigh heavily on admittance and possible scholarship opportunities, so a good score is of utmost importance. At Huntington, our goal is to help students achieve the best score possible through comprehensive SAT test preparation. Our tutors are experienced in test-taking strategies, problem-solving skills, and proven ways to improve vocabulary. Additionally, the following outlines some of our SAT prep strategies and helpful hints: Plan Ahead (and Register Early) Select a specific test date as far in advance as possible to allow for the most preparation. Dont forget to set aside some budget for associated purchases like exam preparation books and prep programs. Registering early will also ensure youre not paying late registration fees. Make a Smart Study Plan Help your student develop a smart study plan that allows for thoroughpreparation. A smart study plan can include: Planning your roadmap. How long will you review each subject? In what order? By what means? Becoming familiar with the test itself (length, style of questions, scoring system, what youll need to bring with you the day of the exam, etc.) Reviewing PSAT scores to identify strengths and weaknesses Completing a full length practice test Engaging in additional reading and writing beyond coursework to improve comprehension and fluency Seeking out a tutor for more specialized preparation Consider Subject Tests Students also can elect to take SAT Subject Tests, which test information beyond the standard SAT categories of reading, writing, and math. Subject tests can provide college admission boards a more accurate view of a students strengths. For example, if your student excelled in his or her Advanced Placement Biology course and is considering majoring in the subject, a Biology Subject test would help highlight your students strength in this area. For a full list of subject tests, click here. Most of these tests are an hour in length and offered in multiple choice formats. Take it Again Although your student may be satisfied with his or her SAT score, it doesnt hurt to take the exam again. Studies show that 55 percent of students improve their scores by taking the exam a second time, usually in the fall of their senior year. In the event that a student does worse on the second exam, he or she can submit their original score to universities. Huntington Helps Exam preparation is one of our specialties! With years of experience helping students on college entrance exams, consider utilizing Huntingtons professional and effective SAT preparation programs. Our SAT Preparation programs include a range of highly personalized, custom study plans for your student, including three program options, subject tutoring, and an online resource library. Start your SAT program now! Contact us at 1.800.CAN.LEARN for the Huntington Advantage.