How To Make The Most Of A Private Tutor

How To Make The Most Of A Private Tutor Become A Better Tutee And Excel In Your Private Tuition ChaptersPrivate Tutors for Educational SupportTutees in Need of Extra School SupportThe Tutor and Tutee RelationshipWhen you decide to work with a tutor for the first time, it can be an exciting and nerve-racking experience. You may be nervous about how your tutor will be with you and how the sessions will be run. Rest assured that as long as you have chosen a professional tutor and done your due diligence to make sure that they are qualified. You can be confident that your private tutor will be dedicated to your achievement and success.If you are interested in academic tutoring with subjects such as economics, philosophy, trigonometry, algebra, calculus or general mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology or general sciences. The best tutors near me will be able to help you with that, they can also best your French tutor or any other language, they can help you with test prep and exam mastery supporting you to pass your GCSE exams, or study for the entrance exams of secondary school, college or university.In fact with private tuition, you can study anything that you can think of. With a tutoring centre, 1 on 1 personal tutors and online tutoring being some of the more popular options.Your private tutoring program will provide you with the tools to enable you to excel in your chosen subject. No matter what your needs or concerns about your education, an experienced one to one tutor is likely to have met someone like you before.But while the tutor's experience will guarantee that the foundation is successfully set for you to begin your study. How can you make the most of working with your tutor? Today we are going to delve into what you can do to make the most of your private tuition.The power of working with a personal tutor 1 on 1. Photo Source: Unsplash 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) £2 1/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 tutorsPrivate Tutors for Educational SupportIt is essential to understand the role of your tutor in your academic improvement and success. Tutors are like private teachers who dedicate themselves to teach pupils in a small group or one on one. Tutors guide and instruct students to create their own successful outcomes by giving them the tools they need to succeed in the classroom and in life.They provide personalized outlines, adaptive study plans, curriculums and syllabus’ to enrich your learning experience. Motivating you the learner to apply these strategies in the subjects that you are struggling in. You can find all kinds of tutors, the online tutor and the 1 on 1 home tutor, are some of the more popular types of tutoring available.Many certified school teachers are also applying for tutoring jobs, indepen dently and with tutoring companies. You may be able to ask around at your school to see if any school teachers work part time as tutors. This could save you some money as they may be partially subsidised by your school. While this is promising there may also be a pupil waiting list to see that school teacher as qualified tutors are in high demand.Private tutors often arrange sessions to last anywhere up to one hour and they normally charge hourly. There is definitely a larger expense related to home tuition, one to one sessions cost more than online tuition. To save money with your supplementary education you could try to use a blended approach to your tutoring finding a good mix between meeting a tutor online and face to face.You Will Find A Tutor Can Essentially Only Show You The Door, But You Have To Walk Through It.  Private tutors whether 1 on 1 or online, can show you how to prepare, share with you the right tools for the job and show you how to use the tools. But in the end, you have to decide if you will actually apply what you have been taught.Despite The Tutors Expertise, They Cannot Read Minds.  Like all people, tutors can only work with what they know. If you hire a tutor to create your home tutoring programme and guide you in learning how to cook, you should not be surprised if they don’t include how to write cookbooks. This may be a related topic, but unless you have shared your expectations, goals and wishes with the tutor to want to expand the curriculum to other related topics, then you may find them left out of your sessions.Make notes and use your study skills. Photo Source: UnsplashTutees in Need of Extra School SupportA tutee is a student or learner who works with a tutor towards achieving their maximum potential. The success of all tutoring services starts with the student. While the tutor is experienced, professional and ready to guide the tutee to victory. If the tutee doesn’t attend the sessions or engage with the curriculum, there can be no success despite how skilled the tutor is.The tutee, in this case, holds the keys to their own academic success, and they must be open to guidance and be willing to work to achieve it. When an experienced tutor and a dedicated tutees come together, the ability to accomplish anything that they put their minds to becomes a proven reality.The Tutor and Tutee Relationship7 Tips To Be A Better TuteeNo partnership works without hard work, and this couldn’t be truer when it comes to private tuition. To achieve your goals you have to do your part. Follow these steps to make the most of your education, become a better tutee and support your tutor in guiding you toward your highest potential.Communicate EffectivelyLike we mentioned above your tutor will guide you anywhere that you want to go. They will work to give you the tools to do the best that you are capable of. But it is vital to note that until you share with your tutor what goal or outcome you are expecting they will only be able to lead you generally.The power of working with a personal tutor 1 on 1 is to get the most out of the session. You need to have a consultation with the tutor before hiring them, sharing what your expectations are, what you hope to achieve and it could also be vital for them to know how you plan to use your knowledge once it is acquired.Once you start your sessions with your tutor, you should make sure to continue to communicate with them effectively. This is especially true if your goals or requirements change. Tutors can be very flexible and can even recreate the whole curriculum to suit your new requirements.If you choose not to communicate, then you are losing out a tremendous opportunity to be provided with the very best and most personal mentoring available.Engage With The SessionsMake sure to arrange your meetings at a time that you can actually attend punctually. Tutor scheduling is not suggested, and you will pay for the time that you have booked. Ensure that you co mmit to arriving on time to all of your sessions. This means coming 5-10 minutes early so that you have time to set up and prepare manually for the session.When the session starts, you should make sure that you have everything you need to complete the course successfully. This could include textbooks, pens, post-its and study guides.To avoid any distraction while studying in the session you should, as a rule, turn off all electronic devices, i.e. your mobile telephone and at the very least turn of all notifications. For the time that you are with your tutor, there should be no distractionsBeing ready for your session is paramount to your success. That is why your Superprof offers this guide to selecting and working with tutors.Make Notes And Study SkillsWhile you are studying and learning your new skill, ensure that you are also spending some time to take detailed notes of what was discussed, what thoughts you have about the topic and write down any breakthroughs you have experience d. If you need to slow down to take more extensive notes, ask the tutor to give you a few minutes so that you can take notes on anything that you deem essential.It is important to remember that the tutor is hired to go at your pace, you are not in the session to follow the speed of the tutor. If you need time to write notes take the time.Increase Comprehension With Short Session ReviewsOnce your session has finished, go to a quiet place where you can concentrate and round up what you have learned by reviewing it thoroughly. Make sure that now that you are alone and that it all seems as clear as it was in class. If you can try to expand on what you have learned with homework or personal study.Looking over your notes and rewriting them can also really help with concreting what it is that you have learnt to memory. This is important because often the issue is not learning the topic the problem often comes down to remembering what we have discovered.While your tutor can do a review with you at the start of the lesson it should be noted that the best time to retain the knowledge of your session is after the session itself.Be RealisticIf you hire a tutor to help you do exam prep or pass an exam one week before the exam and you know nothing about the topic. It is pretty likely that you are being unrealistic. Even though your tutor will be able to put together an intensive program that could give you a chance. Your best hope is planning in advance and giving yourself time, learning takes time, and remembering and being able to digest what you have learnt can take time also. It is essential to understand our own limitations and manage our expectations accordingly.Although the tutor is guiding you every step of the way in how to learn and what to learn you are still the one who has to do the work. The tutor cannot turn you into someone you are not overnight.Take Some Time OffIt may sound counter-intuitive but make sure that while you are studying that you take a regular study break and at least once a week, every week take some time out to relax and do some fun things that you enjoy. While you should be passionate and enthusiastic about your home tuition programme. Relaxing is as essential as studying is for your success, as it gives your brain a break and an opportunity to recuperate.There are various benefits to taking long and short study breaks including increased concentration and faster learning. Although working excessively hard and ‘cramming’ is what is typically seen as an efficient way of studying. This promotes exhaustion, stress, fatigue and a lower retention rate. That means that the longer you study without a break, the less you learn and the worse you feel. Even taking a 5-minute break every hour can have positive effects. Remember at the end of the school year you a lot of time free and so can commit to a more intensive program and still enjoy your spare time.Have Confidence In Your TutorSometimes it can all seem too much and b ecome overwhelming, but your tutor is there to support you, and so you should not give up. Whether you progress is slow or fast, all progress is good progress. If your tutor is aware of your strengths and weaknesses, they will be actively coming up with customized strategies for students.  Make sure to reward yourself for small successes and speak to your tutor to ask them how you are progressing and if there are any other strategies you could use to advance more efficiently.Your private tutor actively comes up with customized strategies for students. Photo Source: UnsplashOne on one tutoring can make you feel like your knight in shining armour has arrived. Private tutors are extremely passionate about their subjects and this knowledge and professionalism can introduce enrichment and mastery into your learning experience. It is important to realise though that your tutor is only going to give you the tools and guide you towards your success. Fundamentally you are the one responsibl e for taking the first step and applying it to everything you learn. This is a powerful realisation to accept, but you must commit to keep improving.We hope that you have enjoyed our top tips on how to make the most of your home tuition. If you are able to apply just a few of these pointers, then you will be on track to becoming best student possible, and you will achieve success in your topic.Invest in your success by evaluating your tutor to make sure s/he and your child will work well together for a long time.

Incorporate Technology Into Your Spanish Lesson Plans

Incorporate Technology Into Your Spanish Lesson Plans What are the online resources for Spanish teachers? ChaptersMOOCs open up a world of possibility for Spanish students and teachersMake the most of online resourcesPopular language learning apps - are they really helpful for perfecting your Spanish?Make use of video calls in order to tutor Spanish from afarWith Superprof, you can become a private Spanish tutorAre you a Spanish tutor, or are you hoping to become one?In order to continuously improve your teaching skills, it is important to stay abreast of the tools that can help you keep your lessons fresh.In contrast to Spanish high school teachers, you don’t have an inbuilt network of colleagues with whom to exchange teaching tips and ideas.So how can you make yourself into the best possible Spanish teacher on your own?In order to help your students improve their Spanish skills, there are many online resources that you can use to help prepare varied and interesting lesson plans that will cover key areas like grammar or vocabulary.Here are our top picks for online resources to help yo u teach any modern language! 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 tutorsMOOCs open up a world of possibility for Spanish students and teachersMOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are online courses that are free and open to all, generally focussing on a certain subject area.In the first decade of the new millennium, many of the major US universities like Harvard and Princeton began to share videos and other learning resources online. (Anyone remember iTunes U?) The term MOOC first appeared in 2008.In the past few years, MOOCs have seen an explosion in popularity as universities in places like Australia, South Africa, and France all start putti ng courses online too.Discover also what training you need to become a certified Spanish teacher...A popular new way to learnWhen you sign up for a MOOC, you aren’t just learning on your own in front of your computer, but you’re part of a global community of students. This makes it possible to:pursue distance learningaccess learning resources, including exercises, readings, and homeworkspeak to other students and teachers on forumsA MOOC generally lasts about 4 to 8 weeks, so it’s necessary to plan ahead and make sure that you’ll be able to complete the whole course, as well as complete all the assignments and exercises.The hardest thing is choosing the best class for you from all the options!MOOCs usually take place over a set period, so you’ll need to sign on regularly to make sure you aren’t missing out on anything and are making the most of your online Spanish classes.As a Spanish tutor, you'll probably have one of two objectives:Improve your level of Spanish if you aren’t already bilingual, or want to improve your expertise in a certain area.Improve your teaching skills and understanding of different teaching and learning strategiesAre MOOCs part of our recommended background for Spanish teachers?How should you pick your MOOC?Mastering a foreign language might seem like a dizzying task! But it’s possible with the right MOOCThere are many different MOOC sites that host courses from different universities. Two of the best known are Coursera and iversity.In order to easily find the right MOOC for you without wasting any time, start regularly checking third-party sites who keep tabs on what’s on offer. They’re a great tool that lets you search for certain themes like Spanish grammar or pronunciation. Some helpful sites include:CourseTalk - aggregates information from over 40 different learning providersClassCentral - basically functions like a giant course catalog of different MOOCs, and also aggregates course ratings to help you choose.Gr oupMooc - not a website but an app to download to your phone, it not only helps you find the right course but also will block out time in your calendar to make sure you have time to complete all the assignmentsYou can even receive certificates and sometimes university credit for some MOOCs, a great way to show off your new Spanish teaching credentials!Discover also how to become a self-taught Spanish teacher...Make the most of online resourcesIn order to keep your students’ interest and teach Spanish without any formal qualifications, it is important to adapt your teaching methods to your students’ needs and use a wide variety of learning materials. Depending on the kinds of Spanish courses you offer, you’ll need to adapt your teaching strategy.If you are tutoring a college or high school student, it is important to make sure you’re following the same curriculum that they are learning in class. Orient yourself by having a look at their textbook that they use for their Spanis h class.It’s also worth checking the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages website, to become familiar with their proficiency standards for speaking, listening, reading, and writing Spanish.If you’re teaching beginner-level Spanish to an adult, you can choose your own curriculum and teaching methods, and customize them to your student’s personalized learning goals!If you’re teaching a professional who wants to move to the next level, it’s probably important to incorporate some Spanish for business and professional uses that are suitable for their level (beginner, intermediate…)Discover also this complete guide to becoming a Spanish teacher...As you’ve probably understood, a good Spanish teacher is one who is constantly learning and reinventing themselves. It isn’t always easy, but there are a number of websites that can help you out:Out of all the Spanish teaching sites, some of our top picks are:http://spanish4teachers.org - this website is a must fo r any Spanish teacher and includes lesson plans, different handouts, listening and reading exercises, and much more.http://zachary-jones.com/zambombazo/ has a great selection of different clips and Spanish videos to get your students some authentic listening and comprehension practicesPearson’s resources for their Realdides textbooks, commonly used in many American public school Spanish classes, is also a great source of extra learning materials, listening and reading exerciseshttp://www.videoele.com/zona_profesores.html is another great resource for authentic videos to work on students’ Spanish listening and comprehensionAnd of course, you can also find plenty of other Spanish videos and online lessons on YouTube!There are lots of helpful videos for teaching Spanish on YouTube. However, it will probably take a bit of searching to hit on the most helpful channels for your lessons.Join the discussion: what level of Spanish must you be capable of in order to teach Spanish? CalumDr ama 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 tutorsPopular language learning apps - are they really helpful for perfecting your Spanish?You probably aren’t really looking at iPhone apps to learn Spanish, since you already know the language fluently…However, making use of these apps during your Spanish tutoring sessions can be a great way to help guide your students to success!Mobile phone apps - a good way to reinforce what students are learningInstead of giving your students grammar and conjugation homework for their next lesson, encourage them to download one of the free language learning apps instead.They’re easy and fun to use, and students can do a bit of revision every day, when and where it’s convenient for them. If they can spend just 10 minutes a day on the app, it’ll help them improve, even if it obviously doesn’t replace the need for your tutoring services!Out of the top free language learning apps, we’d recommend:Babbel:  in order to improve pronunciation, thanks to their vocal recognition software. The app also tests students’ ability to express themselves orally. It’s an easy way to review prior knowledge and perfect your accent - something that can also be helpful if you’re planning to study abroad in Spain…Mosalingua: is a fun and easy ‘e’ version of flash cards, which help students memorize Spanish vocabulary. They’re shown Spanish words, and on the back of the card, you can find the translation to learn the words one by one. It’s a quick and easy game, which, if done regularly, is scientifically proven to help students improve their vocabulary.Duolingo: for its fun approach to learning. It’s an app that turns learning languages into a game where you need to pass levels without losing a life. It’s an app that’s especially popular with high schoolers!There are tons of free language learning apps out there, all catering for different languages (French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Japanese…) Try out a few different ones to determine which will be the best for your students.See some tutoring jobs here.Make use of video calls in order to tutor Spanish from afarMake the most of Skype and given Spanish classes over the internet!It’s not always feasible to head to students’ houses to give lessons, or to find a time that works for all you students, especially adults who are also juggling work and other responsibilities.An easy solution - video calls!Giving Spanish tutoring lessons over video calls online is one of the ways you can use technology as a Spanish teacher.Using the internet means you can also tutor students who may l ive far away. Thanks to your webcam, the student and tutor can see and hear each other, so you can communicate easily, just like if you were in the same place.Offering video classes gives you more flexibility and also lets you save time and money going from place to place. Many of our Superprofs offer video tutoring to language students.In order to avoid losing time on technological issues, choose an appropriate application, and make sure you’ve got a stable internet connection.You just need to pick which app to use:Skype  - with more than 300 million users, Skype is the best known and most used of video calling apps available. You can also do more than just video call or instant message - share files, share screens, call cell phones or set up auto-redirects...Hangouts  - Google’s rival app offers a lot of the same basic functions - video calls, audio calls, and instant messages. It’s a good choice if you also use other Google products like Gmail or Google Drive, and can help you stay organized by keeping everything unified.With Superprof, you can become a private Spanish tutorBy signing up with Superprof, you can easily find plenty of Spanish students in need of tutoring.You just need to create a profile and fill out some information about your experience, qualifications, and teaching methods.Superprof can put you in touch with your future students!Here are some tips for creating your Superprof profile:Be specific - describe your background, academic qualifications, level of Spanish, experiences, any other languages you speak, and any time spent studying abroad in Latin America or SpainMake a list of the kind of courses you offer: beginners Spanish, after-school homework help, Spanish for adults, professional Spanish, intensive language courses, babysitting, conversational Spanish…Be clear about your rates - use the level to help you set the cost of a tutoring session. On average, classes on Superprof are generally about $25 an hour (or $20 per hour f or Spanish classes)The first class is free - this helps give students the confidence to sign up.Make a point of mentioning if you offer classes over webcam tooRespond to all your messages quickly. We recommend that all tutors respond to their messages within 24hours.Respond to the reviews your students post.Spanish tutors are in high demand, and it’s a great job.By offering a wide range of courses to all your students, you can quickly build a great portfolio of tutoring clients.Now find out the importance of spending time in a Spanish speaking country to refine your language skills.

Apply These Secret Techniques To Improve 7th Grade Math

Apply These Secret Techniques To Improve 7th Grade Math 0SHARESShare Have you tried solving math yourself? Did you feel that it needs a tutor to guide you and make you understand the basic and core concepts of mathematics? Well, math is a subject that needs to teacher to guide and help whenever the doubts get triggered! Math tends to grow difficult during the middle schools. Grade seven gets math to a new level, with problems getting complex and introduction of topics related to trigonometry, complicated algebra, Linear equations and many more but, with the online masters by your side, you don’t have to give a second thought! Now learn seventh grade math online by the online professions waiting to teach you! The seventh grade mathematics acts as a connecting link with the future concepts of maths. Hence, it becomes very important to understand the concepts in a smooth and clear manner. Who else but the online math tutors can be the best support for you! There are plenty of seventh grade websites to assist you while studying. All you have to do is look for the best according to your needs. The amazing audio-video interaction, rich and updated mathematical questions, interesting and interactive quizzes, timely revisions and availability of the teacher 247 is what makes the online tutorials stand above of all the traditional methods of teaching. Whenever you search for the online teachers, look for the best online math tutoring. There are plenty of professional and experienced teachers who know how to penetrate the complicated and toughest logic in your brains and that too in a single go! Try hunting for the best teacher to suit your needs. Searching online, you’ll come across amazing tutors who can teach you in your language and follow the same curriculum that you have in school. So don’t wait! Look for the best online masters and score high grades with their support! Go online now! [starbox id=admin]

Two Uncomplicated Ways of Transforming Your Guitar Sound

Two Uncomplicated Ways of Transforming Your Guitar Sound Suzy S. Are you stuck in a musical rut? New tunings and tricks can help you keep learning guitar in fresh, fun ways. Try one of these great tips from guitar teacher Samuel B. to breathe new life into your guitar playing One of the first things I tell any new student is that I dont specialize in a formal discipline. If jazz or classical training is your objective, then Im not your guy. Instead, I specialize primarily in American roots music (that which we tend to casually lump together as folk and/or rock). Fortunately, my sharing this information has not prompted any student to pick up their instrument and walk out the door. Although it took me literally years to buy it, a collaborator from my college days introduced me to the idea that any musician can bridge stylistic gaps with a few simple tricks. At the time, my position was that I was a blues-rock guitarist and thats all there was to it. However, a simple repeated lick I contributed to a song that he and I compiled a few years later (involving a single minor chord and an effects pedal) introduced a Latin-sounding slant to our primarily standard American sound. If youre stuck in a stylistic box, sometimes simple things can add a little more spice to your guitar playing. Branching Out Into Jazz In many ways, the Blues, Country music, Appalachian sounds (particularly Bluegrass), Gospel, campfire songs, and all forms of singer-songwriter material are really six different versions of the same thing. First of all, they are all based around the same three chords (the ones that are based on the first, fourth, and fifth notes of a scale C, F and G7th for example). Patterns involving these three chords make for everything you will learn in the first three keys (C, D, and E) I will teach you. Playing formal jazz (another basic yet more structurally complex form of American music) involves memorizing not only complex advanced scales, but also chords involving several variations (ie minor seventh suspended) a piece. As indicated, I cant claim relevant training or even the ability to sight-read any chord with more than two variations to its name. However, two simple alternate chord formations will transform a standard one-four-five American roots pattern into the more complex structure of a standard jazz tune. In a previous article, I introduced triads as a precursor to learning barre chords: E|||| B|||| G||-O|| D|-O||| A|||| E|-O||| E|||| B|||| G||-O|| D|-O||| A||-O|| E|||| These two formations (based on the first-position E and B7th chords respectively) make for colorful alternatives to first-position major chords when played together in a one-four-five pattern. Just play the first one a full step two frets up from whichever position in which youre alternating between it and the other one to complete said pattern. They also make for wonderful experimental material. Just a few dry runs up and down the neck of ANY combination of them create the sonic territory of a solo jazz guitar piece. I also recommend experimenting with finger-picking patterns to effectively create melodies to accompany the complex progressions youll be creating. Experimenting With An Open Tuning The best way to enliven your sound without shifting genres is to tune to an open chord. Open D (D, A, F#, D, A, D) is customary for the six genres I cited above. I recently recorded a collaborative album on which I used this tuning exclusively. Predictably enough, strumming it openly produces a D chord. Placing one finger (I recommend the thumb) over the bottom four strings produces major chords theoretically identical yet aurally distinct from the ones in first position (standard tuning). D |||| A |||| F#||-O|| D ||-O|| A ||-O|| D ||-O|| Play around with this tuning (up and down the neck as with the triads). Try variations such as holding down the bottom THREE strings instead. After all, the fourth one is the middle (third) degree of the chord the one that determines whether the chord is major, minor, augmented, diminished, or perhaps some other lesser-known yet equally compelling label. Open tunings are commonplace for many household artists. Joni Mitchell uses them exclusively. Neil Young, Keith Richards, and John Mellencamp are also frequent subscribers. My inspiration for using and sharing the thumb chords is Richie Havens who had relevant instructional material published before his recent death. Open tunings are ideal territory for experimenting with open-handed picking and/or slide techniques (involving the use of a glass or steel tube on the pinkie finger). See what works best for you, and keep having fun learning guitar! Samuel B. teaches beginner  guitar lessons in Austin, TX. He teaches lessons face-to-face without sheet music, which is his adaptation of Japanese instruction (involving a call-and-response method).  Learn more about Samuel here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by  blondinrikard

Huntington Learning Center Shares Four Things Colleges Are Looking For

Huntington Learning Center Shares Four Things Colleges Are Looking For When college is on the horizon for your high school student, its easy to get overwhelmed thinking about the entire process. From researching financial aid to exploring schools to applying, theres a lot to do in a relatively short period of time. Keeping the big picture in mind is important, says Co-Founder and CEO Elieen Huntington of Huntington Learning Center. Parents and students can easily get bogged down with the college tasks, but forget to focus on what really matters, she says. Teens should put most of their effort toward being the best student they can be in order to be attractive candidates for admission to the colleges to which they apply. And what exactly are colleges looking for? Here are four of the most important student traits, as detailed in the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) 2017 edition of the State of College Admission report: Strong grades No surprise, the NACAC reports that grades, admissions officers top decision factor for first-time college students, are extremely important to colleges. This includes both grades in college preparatory classes as well as all other classes. And dont think that all As are created equal. Your teens strength of curriculum matters as wellmeaning, admissions officers will look for Advanced Placement classes, honors classes, International Baccalaureate, and other similar classes that give them an idea how your teen might perform at college. SAT or ACT scores While a students GPA is one important measure of achievement, his or her scores on a standardized college admissions exam are another good way to assess knowledge of the subjects needed for college. These exams also are intended to evaluate readiness for college, measuring students ability to apply what they learn in school outside of the classroom. Writing skills Not all colleges require an admissions essay, but those that do so are looking to get to know prospective students off paper and get a feel for their ability to articulate experiences. Of course, admissions officers are also interested in understanding whether applicants can communicate effectively and organize their thoughts and have a good command of grammar and writing style. Writing, after all, is an invaluable skill at college and something your teen will be expected to do in just about every class. Passion Colleges seek to create a rich campus community with a diverse student body. Although the factor, extracurricular activities was ranked by the NACACs report as being of considerable importance by just 7.9 percent of colleges surveyed, strong essay came in at 18.9 percent and students demonstrated interest in the college at 13.7 percent. These latter two factors prove that students who express their interests, passions and poignant experiences effectively and take initiative to show their interest in a college will set themselves apart and increase their chances of admission. Huntingtonreminds parents to encourage their teens to check out specific admissions information on each colleges website. Often, colleges are forthright in sharing what theyre looking for in candidates, she says. At any school, however, academic performance and strong preparation is of utmost importance. If you have questions about making sure your teen is ready for college and has a strong resume in place, call Huntington at 1-800-CAN-LEARN. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. 2017 Huntington Mark, LLC. Huntington Learning Center, the three-leaf logo, and 1 800 CAN LEARN are registered trademarks of Huntington Mark, LLC. Each franchised Huntington Learning Center is operated under a franchise agreement with Huntington Learning Centers, Inc.

LSAT Tip of the Week Understanding the Authors Premise

LSAT Tip of the Week Understanding the Author's Premise LSAT Law School Blog The Argument Section on the LSAT requires a brain in critical thinking mode. This article by Magoosh outlines why it is such an important section. You must be able to identify the author’s conclusion, or the point they are trying to make, as well as the evidence used to support that argument. In this article we will focus on the evidence, also called the author’s premise.Let’s consider this example: Miley has to transfer to UCLA. She lost her spot at Harvard and her wife is moving to Los Angeles. We have to understand two things: The point the author is making (the conclusion) and the evidence the author gives to support his argument (the author’s premise). Why does the author think Miley has to transfer to UCLA? First, she lost her spot at Harvard. Second, her wife is moving to Los Angeles. Both of these support the idea that Miley has to transfer to UCLA. We identified the reasons the author is using to support the point they are making. As you tackle the Argument Section, you have to remain aware of both the author’s conclusion and premises so that you can correctly identify any gaps in logic happening between the two.

10 Things the Internet Obsessed Over in 2016

10 Things the Internet Obsessed Over in 2016 Twitter/@Josholzz 2. Arthurs fist You probably remember growing up with this 90s show and this year, it became popular again thanks to a Twitter post.  Twitter user @AlmostJT thought the screencap of Arthurs fist from an old episode was relatable AF and posted about it. Soon, everyone was using the picture to show their Internet anger over something. We had 17 years to make a joke out of Arthurs fist. That right, this screencap is from an episode in 1999. I guess if you are ever watching an old cartoon episode, see if anything can be turned into a reaction meme! Twitter/@kingfee901 3. Conceiteds pursed lips Here is another reaction that the Internet was obsessed about and honestly, it is the perfect petty  duck-face! Did you know that this is actually the face of the rapper Conceited who made this face during a rap battle? I dont know why but that makes it 10x funnier! This was pretty much everyones face when 2016 was like, dont worry, I can fix this! Knowyourmeme.com 4. White House memes Barack Obama and Joe Biden will be leaving the White House in January but, at least, we will always have their memes! The internet was always obsessed with the bromance between these two but as the election wore on, our Vice President was turned into a practical jokester. After Trump was elected, a whole lot of memes like this one popped up where Joe wanted to prank Trump and Obama had to tell him no. I wonder if Obama just sits in his oval office laughing at what the Internet is doing to his legacy. Twitter/@TeethonTeeth 5. Gavin, the kid I bet some of you are going, Oh, he has a name! This kid has been popping up all over social media for months as a reaction meme but it took me forever to figure out what his name actually is. Gavin is like the most recognizable kid on the internet at the moment. HE HAS SO MANY FACES! This 5-year-old became famous thanks to his Uncle, the Vine star Nick Mastodon, who kept shoving a camera in his nephews face. There is a Gavin face for every situation and is basically the new Chloe  (BTW, that was three years ago). I wonder what this kid is going to think when he is older and realizes his face is plastered everywhere on the Internet. Twitter/@GavMemes   6. Water bottle flip You know something did well on the Internet when there is a Wikipedia page about it and it gets banned in schools. The water bottle flip challenge had everyone trying to flip a water bottle in the air so it would land straight up, which is actually a lot harder than it seems. Water bottle flipping became popular when a teenager at a high school in North Carolina did the act during his school talent show. The video went viral for the kids weird talent (and the students wild reaction) and soon everyone was trying to be cool like him. Remember when people used to get excited about throwing a paper ball in a trash can? Twitter 7. Dicks out for Harambe This time it wasnt a dress that divided our nation but rather the death of an animal. On May 28th, a four-year-old boy managed to fall into the enclosure of a 17-year-old western lowland gorilla named Harambe at the Cincinnati Zoo  and the whole thing was caught on camera because, you know, its 2016. As a result, Harambe had to be shot and killed so they could safely rescue the boy. This caused an outrage all over the country as people were pissed at  Cincinnati  Zoo for killing an innocent gorilla. Soon, the hatred was directed towards the mother of the boy and thousands of commenters demanded that she pay for being a bad parent. Many believed  his death was unjustified and Harambe basically became the mascot for 2016. #JusticeforHarambe #RIPHarambe The Internet, once again, didnt let something go and soon Harambe became a meme. Enter the photoshop kings. What really went viral was when  Twitter user @sexualjumanji uploaded a picture of himself holding a fake gun with the caption, “We comin with them dicks out to avenge harambe!!!” Cue everyone to start chanting dicks out for Harambe. Twitter/@HarambeDepot 8. Michael Phelps Olympic face Move over Mckayla Maroney, Michael Phelps is the new Olympic meme king! The Rio Olympics had a lot going on with scandals here and there (cough cough, Ryan Lochte) and the gold medalist summed it up with the perfect face! Apparently, he was in the zone right before his 200-meter butterfly semi-finals but everyone thought he was glaring at his rival Chad Le Clos. Either way, it was funny AF and the Internet loved making a meme out of him! Twitter/@AJVoelpelCG 9. Me-to-me Kermit The screencap of Kermit and his evil self is from the 2012  â€œMuppets Most Wanted” film, but it recently became a meme because, I mean, we always have a Kermit meme. Twitter user Anya made a joke out of it about stealing fluffy dogs and then it went viral, becoming a meme of its own. It is basically 2016 version of the age old devil and angel on your shoulders meme. Except the devil is more like your inner conscious telling you to do something stupid because #YOLO. Twitter/@aaannnnyyyyaaaa 10. 2016 was a meme of its own 2016 was just so awful that all we can really do at this point is laugh until we cry. Making fun of this year became a meme because how else were we supposed to cope with it? Some were related to the election, some to deaths (including Harambe, of course), and some were just summing it up in total. Happy to say, this year is finally coming to an end. Lets hope that maybe 2017 memes will be about how great it is. Instagram/sarahandersencomics Now, the real question is: What is in store for next year? What will become the new Vine?   Feature image source: Twitter/@TheGavinMemes