How to Find the Best Chinese Tutor

How to Find the Best Chinese TutorA Chinese tutor is a necessary part of your child's education. Without one, your child may not go to college or university. The cost of the tutoring service can vary, but there are plenty of good companies that offer very good services. You should be able to find the best deal for you.There are certain things that you will want to look for when it comes to looking for a tutor. It is important that you understand the process before you go about looking. With Chinese as a language, there are certain rules and regulations to follow. Having a tutor who knows these laws and regulations will help your child get a good understanding of the language. When you are choosing a tutor, make sure that they understand the laws and regulations of the country in which you are living.With a tutor, you want them to know the different versions of the language. Chinese is a tonal language. Therefore, you need to make sure that your tutor understands the tones and what th e tone levels mean. This will help your child to learn the correct tones that he or she needs to have for the different dialects of the language.When you are trying to find a tutor, make sure that you do a little bit of research. You should make sure that the company has a good reputation in the area that you live in. There are websites where you can go and check out the credentials of the tutor that they offer. You can also find out about the experience that they have with students and how long they have been in the business.Once you find a company that you feel comfortable with, then you can get in touch with them. Before you do this, make sure that you check their feedback. You should also make sure that you are on the same page as the company. You want to know if they are set up for online tutoring, and if they offer Skype classes. If you are going to have a tutor that lives in the UK, then you should look at their qualifications and experience.Once you have found a tutor, make sure that you go through some tests to see if they have the right qualifications and experience. This will give you a feel for the person you are dealing with. You can also check out reviews on the internet. This is another way to find out more about the company. With the tutor, you want to make sure that they understand what they are being taught.Sometimes it can be hard to understand the English language. Therefore, when you have a Chinese tutor, you want to make sure that they understand the rules and regulations of the language.

3 Common Mistakes to Avoid on AP Exams

3 Common Mistakes to Avoid on AP Exams High school students everywhere recognize that one of the most stressful periods of the entire school year is that of the AP Exams. There are numerous subjects that are tested upon social sciences, mathematics, literature, and languages to name only a few. Although each exam focuses only on its own unique subject, there are a few overarching lessons to be studied as well that students can apply across the board. Preparing for the exam involves more than just learning the subjects at hand; it is vitally important to understand how to prepare for and take the exams. These are 4 myths about AP prep. Learn to avoid these 3 common mistakes so as to say you have really studied and trained for every trick question possible in preparation for the daunting and numerous AP exams. 1. Poor time management during the test The first question of any AP exam cannot be found on the first page; it is, instead, decided before the test even begins and asks how do you plan to use your time? Too often, students approach each question in order, debating over each unsure answer before moving on to answer the next question. Unfortunately, this method often leads to a time crunch, forcing the need for a race to the finish if all the questions are to be answered before the teachers call time. To avoid missing any right answers or questions you feel confident about, take the unexpected route and skip over or even take an educated guess on all of the debatable and difficult questions during an initial run-through of the exam. This should leave you with plenty of time to go back and debate any questions to which you are not sure of the answer; this will truly put your knowledge and memory to the test. 2. Missing the meaning of questions Of course, there are other ways to adjust for the time crunch that accompanies each exam. Often, students will push to answer each question as quickly as possible, only skimming both the questions and answer choices provided. But it is during that race to the finish line where one of the most fatal mistakes often occurs when questions are simply skimmed, or only read halfway, important details can (and often are) missed. Another similar and equally common mistake occurs when students fail to understand exactly what the question is asking. Dont be so caught up in finishing the exam on time that you miss the meaning or intent behind a question completely. Some questions especially the essays or long answers require a bit of translation before the answering can begin. Any errors in comprehension can, and often do, lead to the wrong answer. 3. Skipping the proper preparation The final and most frequently ignored mistake, however, requires more work than simply studying and paying attention to all the necessary exam material. All too much, students forget to properly prepare for their AP exams, beginning with those initial first steps when to start studying and when to stop. Here is agreat test prep timeline for AP exams. If you work better with a study partner, you may wish to reach out to an APtutor. Make sure to begin studying significantly in advance as studies have shown that the brains ability to retain information increases exponentially by the third day of review. The recommended start date, however, is at least a few weeks before the first exam date. These are some great AP practice teststo help you prepare. On that same note, dont waste time cramming for the AP exam the night prior to it. Instead, go to sleep with a full eight hours to spare and have your bag filled with pencils, pens, snacks, jacket, ID, and water all ready to go for the nex t morning. Before heading to bed, look up the location of the testing room and set your alarm as needed. That way, all that is necessary in the morning will be waking up on time and eating a full and balanced breakfast (i.e. protein and carbs) before beginning the first test! Good luck!

Guitar Fingerpicking Patterns for Beginners [Video Tutorial]

Guitar Fingerpicking Patterns for Beginners [Video Tutorial] Maile Proctor Whether you just started guitar lessons or youve been playing for a while, guitar fingerpicking patterns can spice up your playing! Here, Denver, CO teacher Kirk R. teaches you three guitar fingerpicking patterns  to add to your guitar-playing toolbox If you’ve mastered all of the left-hand chord shapes, adding some right-hand flair will help you keep things interesting. If you’re still working on your first couple of chords, or maybe haven’t gotten that far yet, using some guitar fingerpicking patterns is a great way to impress your friends. Theres an almost unlimited number of ways to pick a chord with your right hand, so covering all the possibilities would take forever! Lets keep things simple and go over a few of the basic guitar fingerpicking patterns. Boom-Chick Guitar Fingerpicking Let’s start with what I call a boom-chick pattern. You may also see it called boom-chuck, or something else entirely, and you may also see slightly different right-hand techniques with the same name. The pattern starts with a bass note that you play with your thumb, followed by a group of higher notes. Most of the time, this will be a group of three notes, and you will use your index finger, middle finger, and ring finger. This pattern can also vary and have fewer notes, or you can add a fourth note with your thumb,  but this makes the pattern a bit more difficult. This sort of pattern is especially useful in songs with a waltz-like feel, or any other songs in ¾ time. In those cases, the pattern works best with your thumb playing on the first beat of each measure, followed by two chords on the second and third beats. The easiest version of this pattern in 4/4 or another duple meter, is a thumb note on beats one and three while the fingers play the chord on beats two and four. As an exercise to develop this pattern, start by using your thumb on the open E bass string, and your index, middle, and ring fingers on the G, B, and E strings, respectively. You can use this open picking pattern anywhere that calls for an E minor chord, and give your left hand a break to turn a page, scratch your head, or whatever else it’s been too busy playing chords to do. Check out the basic patterns here, as well as some of the possible variations. Travis Picking Travis picking is one of the most popular categories of guitar fingerpicking. It’s named after the great country guitar player Merle Travis. If you’re not a country fan, dont let that throw you off; if you dont know who he is, make sure you check this guy out. Despite being named after Merle Travis, the term Travis picking has a slightly more narrow definition than the patterns that Merle used in his playing. In general, Merle only used his thumb and the index finger of his right hand, which is the easiest way to approach Travis Picking. Start by playing with your thumb and index finger at the same time, with at least two strings between the ones that you’re playing (i.e. play the fourth and first strings). After that, play your thumb on a higher string, and then your index finger on the next string. After that, move back to the outer strings and play with your thumb, followed by your index finger, and finally,  another thumb note before repeating the pattern. - 22 2- -2-2 00 - It may look a little confusing written down, but once you start to feel it under your hand, it makes a lot more sense. When I play patterns like this, I try to remind myself that I wasn’t blessed with athletic hands  like Merle Travis. While I can play the whole pattern with just my thumb and index finger, using my middle finger on the highest note makes it more comfortable to play for an extended time. It also opens up a few more options, which I’ve demonstrated in the video below. Arpeggio Guitar Fingerpicking Arpeggio means playing the notes of a chord, one after another, moving in the same direction. For that reason, I will call these types of guitar fingerpicking patterns the arpeggio patterns. To start, set your hand up the same way you would for the boom-chick pattern, and start playing with just your thumb. Next, rather than playing the three fingers together, as we did before, we’ll play them in ascending order: index first, followed by the middle, and finally the ring finger. This basic pattern is really useful in the right type of song, and it’s easy to expand to fit different chords or time signatures. In fact, back in 1812, a famous guitarist published a list of 120 different versions of this type of pattern, all using only C and G7. The easiest ways to switch it up is to simply do it backward, starting with the highest note, or start with the thumb, and then play only the fingers in reverse order. Playing the original pattern, followed by the middle and then index fingers also make for a pleasant sound. Try changing the rhythm up in the middle of the arpeggio. Here’s a few options that you can try out yourself: The easiest way to switch it up is to simply do it backward, starting with the highest note, or start with your thumb, and then play only your fingers in reverse order. Playing the original pattern, followed by the middle and then index fingers also makes for a pleasant sound. Try changing the rhythm up in the middle of the arpeggio. Here’s a few options that you can try out yourself: As you can tell from the videos,  once you’re comfortable with a few of the patterns, its easy to do impressive improvisations without having to think about scales, mode, or anything besides basic chord progressions. These guitar fingerpicking patterns are great if youre ready to get more variety out of the chords youve been using. Try Add some spice to your songs by trying these patterns with songs you already know. If you have questions, ask your teacher or let us know in the comments below! Have fun, and get those right-hand fingers moving! Post Author:  Kirk R. Kirk is a classical, bass, and acoustic guitar instructor in Denver, CO. He earned a  bachelors of music in Guitar performance at The College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati and he is currently pursuing a masters degree in performance.   Learn more about Kirk  here! Image courtesy Kmeron 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

A Guide to Cooperative Learning

A Guide to Cooperative Learning Your Guide to Cooperative Learning ChaptersWhat is Cooperative Learning and Why is it a Buzzword in Education? How to Group Students for Cooperative Learning ProjectsTutoring Individual Students Toward Cooperative Learning ProjectsHow Private Tutoring Should Evolve to Include Cooperative Learning InitiativesStandardized education, in general, has long been under fire for several reasons; perhaps the main one being the unrealistic expectation that every student will absorb, retain and be capable of using the information presented to them in the traditional teaching model.The standard model of teaching â€" teacher talks, students listen has suffered its share of critics too: not everyone learns in the same way! So it is that a revolution in education comes about. No longer should education be an individualized, competitive affair; social learning must go hand in hand with intellectual growth.What was so wrong with individual students competing for the best marks? You really only need to look at today’s businesses to f igure out that the best effort and the most work is done in collaboration; by employees cooperating to complete projects.If you think about it, don’t we teach our children, from infancy on, to share and to cooperate? That being the case, doesn’t it make sense to carry out that philosophy through children’s earliest foray into society â€" school, so that they will be better prepared for their working life?  Cooperative learning consists of equal parts of social learning and academic learning.Far more than the think pair share teaching strategy, cooperative learning draws on students’ processing of information in a group setting rather than the teacher leading the instruction.    Mind you, there are plenty of pitfalls and concerns regarding cooperative learning initiatives. We’ll talk about the good, touch on the bad and help you find ways to make cooperative learning work,  in the classroom and in one to one tutoring. Cooperative learning could be described as a delicate balancing act between teachers’ authority and students’ autonomy. By ‘authority’ we don’t mean discipline, and by ‘autonomy’ we don’t mean liberty. In the cooperative learning model, imparting knowledge takes second place to students’ learning process. The principle of cooperative learning transforms the role of the teacher to one of a facilitator, enabling groups to work and learn together, from each other.  We should make the distinction between cooperative and collaborative learning clear: not every collaboration is born of cooperative learning, and not every cooperative learning assignment results in collaboration. Students who collaborate may choose to do so of their own volition, independent of teachers’ instruction, outside of the classroom and perhaps even outside of school. This diagram might help clarify the two conceptsCooperative learning activities call on students’ critical thinking skills, with the teacher guiding the group to form conclusions a nd tasking them to explain their reasons for arriving at them. What Does Cooperative Learning Involve? A teacher may choose between three styles of cooperative learning: Informal, more of a spur of the moment discussion of the topic at hand, done in learning groups, after which one student may present the group’s conclusions. Formal, in which the teacher organizes the students into groups and possibly assigns each group member a role.  One student may research notes and texts while another records observations. One student could be a timekeeper â€" making sure everyone stays on task, and another represents the group, come time to divulge the findings.Base: the students are organized into groups for the entire semester or school year. The students’ roles may change within the group â€" the recorder may become the researcher, and so on so that everyone has the opportunity to fulfill every role in the group dynamic.How to Group Students for Cooperative Learning ProjectsBesides gr ouping students formally or informally, a teacher should be well aware of his/her students’ learning styles, and which students work well in groups â€" as opposed to those who work best alone. Ideally, you should create a blend of personalities in each group. While putting all of your extroverts together would make for a lively and engaged group, you would have to wonder: how much work would get done?The talking necessary for effective group work is one of the bigger concerns of cooperative learning: how much extraneous chatter should be allowed before the teacher has to step in? Although cooperative learning is supposed to be social learning, not every student enjoys being social. That is why it is important to signal that everyone maintains their individuality. One way to do so is through the role they play in the group.    Perhaps a more introverted student could research, while another acts as timekeeper. Meanwhile, prepare your verbal group member to present, while the kines thetics perhaps write on the board.  If you are looking for some  jobs in education  check here.You must remember that cooperative learning is not a teacher-centered model. In this educational model, you become a facilitator, meaning you arrange the groups to permit the maximum flow of information between group members. Trouble is, that all works well in a classroom environment, but how is a tutor supposed to work with individual students who work in a base learning group at school? Tutoring Individual Students Toward Cooperative Learning ProjectsAs schools turn away from standard teaching yet maintain the same curriculum, that would imply that students would still need academic support and homework help, right?Such a postulate might encourage tutors to believe that nothing has changed as far as their duties are concerned when, in fact, there must be a coinciding revolution in private tutoring to match the one going on in schools all over the world. Now more than ever, tutors need strategies to promote active learning in their students, rather than the reinforcement of learned material. Active learning is a teaching method that strives to involve students in the learning process. The key question to accomplishing that is knowing how your students learn.If you are an experienced teacher who also tutors, you must know all about learning styles and, most likely, can discern your tutee’s learning style within the first hour of working with him/her.On the other hand, if you are a college student earning extra money by tutoring, you may have to educate yourself on the subject. Once you’ve ascertained that your pupil is either aural, verbal, kinesthetic or any of the others, it is time to devise your strategy. It should consist, at least in part, of toning students’ natural inclinations to better fit into a group dynamic.If your student requies more assistance, naturally you must take special pains to help build the skills â€" both academic and social, that wo uld help him/her better assimilate into the group. We’re glad to provide you with helpful tips and suggestions on the matter.     Changing Your TitleTutors of yesteryear may recall the good ole days, when you showed up, were offered a beverage, led into the dining room and had unfettered access to your student for an hour or so. After the icebreaker and review of last week’s material, s/he bent over her notebook while you waited... for a question, or to check the work. Tutors of today are called on to do so much more!One might say that tutors must become academic coaches, focusing more on helping their students build the skills needed to function in the classrooms of today. How Private Tutoring Should Evolve to Include Cooperative Learning InitiativesBecause such a great part of cooperative learning is social learning, tutors must incorporate activities and conversation that would promote social skills and encourage participation in class. Role-playing games work well with all age groups. You might try posing a few ‘what if’ questions to your older students, just to engage their higher order thinking skills and perhaps even debate with them. “What if nobody ever studied history?” or “What if E did not equal MC2?”The takeaway here is that these days, school is all about the learning experience, and less about cramming knowledge into (unwilling) heads. Anything you can do to help your charges develop effective learning strategies and anything you can do to promote their capacity for social interaction and their ability to function in-group is all to the good. Interdependence is another key factor in cooperative learning, and this is where a tutor an academic coach will shine!Tutors have traditionally been their pupils’ ally, a grown-up who actively listens and empathizes.  You may encourage deeper student engagement to foster interdependence, but cautiously!At no time should your student become overly dependent on you; your mutual goal should be to ensure that s/he has the skills to function well in group activities â€" not to withdraw in class in favor of working with you. Every instructor â€" be s/he a tutor or classroom educator, has the same goal: for students to succeed. That is why tutors must keep on top of the instructional strategies that schools systems implement, and why teachers must undergo professional development. There is a danger of implementing this teaching and learning philosophy incorrectly so that it benefits neither student nor teacher. Hopefully, every learner you work together with will enjoy only the upside of cooperative learning strategies, and you too will find them challenging yet engaging.

How to Find the Right French Teacher

How to Find the Right French Teacher Find the Right French Tutor for Your Learning Needs ChaptersReasons to Learn FrenchWhat Qualities does a Good Teacher Embody?Points to Ponder in Seeking a TutorYou might have scoffed at the title of this article: is there such a thing as the right teacher? Isn't anyone who can speak French  a right teacher?For many reasons, the answer to that question is a resounding negative.Think about your formal schooling experience: did you like every teacher? Did you start every learning session with keen anticipation?Have you worked with teachers who are always responsive to your needs, attentive to your preferred method of learning; who are supportive and encouraging?Have you ever had a single educator who makes subject matter come alive for you?That is the type of teacher we mean when broaching the subject of the right teacher to learn French with.We certainly don't mean this type of teacher, in Houston, who starts every class with Bonjour, and then teaches French in English!Let us now embark on a journey to discover how to find the perfect F rench instructor for you.Did your school French teacher make you feel this way this little girl does? Source: Pixabay Credit: Adolf StrausHowever maligned that teacher is, he may possess qualities that every teacher should have:patienceconfidencecompassionunderstandingsupport for every student; no favouritism or deeming any student a lost causea passion for learning and for lifethe ability to see things from alternate perspectives, and explain subject matter in a different wayAs far as the Houston teacher is concerned, that last may well be his primary qualifier!Another essential quality a teacher must have is a firm grasp on his/her subject matter.That is why a non French speaker teaching the language caused such a sensation.French language instruction, like just about every other subject, can be an exercise in frustration.Imagine you are leading a classroom full of students, but only a few have any aptitude or desire to learn what you have been tasked to teach.And, mid-semester, y ou will be judged on your ability to impart knowledge, based on your students' test scores.That is why patience tops the list of desired attributes for teachers!While such scenarios may be common in secondary school French class, nothing says that the teachers leading French courses all over the country, on the Internet and perhaps even in your home would operate under similar conditions.One criterion to look for in a good French teacher is temperament.If you are looking for beginner French classes London, relying on feedback from that instructor's former students is one way to gauge his/her patience, understanding and support.The website Rate my Teachers makes it easy to get an overview of the quality of instruction you would be treated to by any given teacher on that list.But... these are all school teachers! How are you, an adult hoping for extracurricular lessons in advanced French, supposed to benefit from those reviews?Many school teachers supplement their income â€" or feed t heir passion for teaching by tutoring evening and weekends.Are you looking for a tutor for French lessons online?Points to Ponder in Seeking a TutorThere is a bit of a difference between a French teacher for your child who is still in school, and one for yourself, who are looking to gain some language skills â€" for whatever reason.Your child might need a French language teacher who knows about the demands of the National Curriculum, and will work at an age appropriate level.S/he should be able to base instruction on mandated French textbooks, and not vary too widely from what your child expects from a language learning experience.To be sure, the teacher can and should introduce new expressions and vocabulary, but should tailor French lessons to the age of student.For example, it would be inappropriate to discuss concerts and other aspects of French culture with a 7 year old.On the other hand, should you wish to master the art of  French conversation before your next holiday, discus sions of cultural activities would be most suitable.A bilingual teacher offers language learners many advantages Source: Pixabay Credit: Free-PhotosNative Speaker or Bilingual?We have a tendency to want the best for our money, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.However, when it comes to learning French, there is some debate on whether engaging a teacher whose native language is French is the best idea.Here is why:While certainly adept at speaking and understanding French, a native speaker might not have all the answers.Because people learn their native language as a matter of course, French grammar rules might be especially tricky for someone native to France to impart, no matter how educated s/he is.Also, s/he may suffer tunnel vision. Spoken French has certain aspects that are difficult for non French speakers to master, such as the guttural R, or the different sounds that accents give certain vowelsFinally: that tutor's English language skills might not be sufficient to communicate the finer points of pronunciation and grammar.How about a bilingual teacher, then? Someone who learned French as a second language?French teachers in the UK must go through rigorous training, to include proving their proficiency in French and obtaining at least a bachelor's degree.An additional requirement for potential teachers is to undergo licensure; a test in which the candidate must demonstrate his/her ability to teach effectively.All of that work and training may increase the price of your linguistic quest for fluency!A French tutor, on the other hand, is not required to seek licensing or undergo any special training before giving a French lesson.The rule of thumb for hiring a tutor is that s/he should be at minimum one level higher than yours.If you can speak basic French, for example, your tutor should be at intermediate level.In seeking out a tutor to learn the French language from, you would have to rely on the veracity of testimonials left by francophones who have benefited from his/her language courses.You can find such French course recommendations at Gumtree, Freeads and other online French learning websites.Or, you could drop in on Superprof.If you want to study French, to earn a diploma or just improve your listening comprehension, Superprof has a tutor for you.Should your concern be verb conjugation or using the right tense; whether you are looking for French immersion, Superprof tutors will guide you to becoming the francophone you always knew you could be.All you need is a Skype connection and a willingness to learn.Are you worried that your French tutor won't be the right fit?Most Superprof tutors give their first hour of lessons free, for exactly that purpose.What are you waiting for? Allons-y!Learn more about the cost of French tuition.

How to project confidence whilst introverted - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to project confidence whilst introverted - Introvert Whisperer How to project confidence whilst introverted One of the main challenges for introverts is to appear confident while feeling anything but. It’s a skill that can come naturally to our more extroverted friends and colleagues, but ‘faking it til you make it’ isn’t usually one of our strengths. However, it’s still an important skill to develop if you want to get ahead in the world of work and there are many crucial moments in life when pretending to be confident can help you get through. A lot of it comes down to body language, with simple things like posture making a huge difference to how we appear to others. Standing in a hunched pose might help us feel more secure when doing something as unnatural as public speaking, but it makes you appear as nervous as you feel, whereas open gestures give the impression of confidence and authority. Another simple gesture that makes all the difference is whether or not you have your hands in your pockets. Again, this can feel like a good way to make yourself feel safe and secure when under pressure, but your audience will just see somebody who at best looks nervous and at worst looks untrustworthy, so keep your hands out of your pockets and use them to express your points. Eye contact can be another aspect of communication that is difficult for introverts, but that can be hugely important when trying to appear confident, so try and maintain natural eye contact throughout conversations. In the same way, the temptation to speak quickly so you can get to the end sooner rather than later is obvious, but won’t help you seem like someone who is worth listening to. You can read more tips on how to project confidence in this infographic from PoundPalace, so why not try them out in less stressful situations so you can use them when it counts?

Five Characteristics of Highly Effective Teachers

Five Characteristics of Highly Effective Teachers You got into teaching for a reason: to make a lasting impact on students lives. So how can you do that? Here are five characteristics of the best, most effective teachers: A passion for the craft of teaching and for helping students learn is essential to being an influential teacher. The best teachers let their enthusiasm show in the classroom. They arent afraid to share why they love a subject, and that excitement is often contagious. Excellent teachers want their students to learn. That means theyre always willing to take the time to help them understand something and overcome challenges. They are committed to guiding students toward greater learning. Compassion is important in teaching. And a patient, kind disposition is likely to be more successful than one that is more authoritative in nature. Thats not to say teachers cannot be strict and hold students to high standards. However, teachers can create great outcomes when they get to know their students as individuals and show them that they care. Some students are more naturally motivated than others, but great teachers are good at connecting all types of students to a subject. They try to make subjects interesting, of course, but they are also skilled at convincing students of the value and importance of learning. They pay attention to how their students respond to their methods and adjust when needed. Embracing a growth mindset. Every teacher wants their students to believe that they are capable of growing their skills and knowledge if they put in the effort. When they embrace this stance, it rubs offand they will see increased student growth and motivation. Learning isnt easy for all students, but the more you can make your classroom a safe space where students are treated as capable learners, the more effective you will be.