Sunday, March 22, 2020

Rates for Russian Tutorials

Rates for Russian Tutorials How Much Do Private Russian Tutors Earn? ChaptersTeaching Private Russian Tutorials: Setting Your Rates By LevelTake Into Account the Students’ LevelsSetting Your Rates According to Where You LiveRussian Lessons: Different Rates for Different ServicesTake Into Account the Costs of Delivering Your LessonsBuild Your Russian Tutor Profile“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” - Benjamin FranklinWith 280 million native speakers, the Russian language is a force to be reckoned with. In fact, it's the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages and is an important language in terms of politics, business, and travelling to the multitude of Russian speaking countries.In fact, Russian is an official language in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Moldova as well as being spoken in Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Lithuania by a good number of people. The Russian language and culture were hugely influential during the t ime of the Soviet Union (USSR) and the Russian Empire, which is why the language is still so widely spoken today outside of Russia itself.While it isn't the first foreign language most people decide to learn in the UK (European languages such as French, Spanish, Italian, and German are still popular as a second language in British schools), more and more people are deciding to learn to speak Russian online, with a private tutor, or on a language course.Since the demand is there, more and more language courses are popping up. In fact, you'd be surprised at just how many language schools offer Russian courses for beginners, intermediates, and experts in the language.In terms of private language study, the average cost of a Russian tutorial in London is £27 per hour. While that’s the average, there are a number of factors that affect the price of a private tutorial.So have you decided to teach private Russian tutorials?You probably have a lot of questions about how to get started wi th your Russian classes.Do I have to have studied abroad? What language skills do I need?I bet one of your questions is about how much you should charge!  You don’t want to charge too much and you won’t want to be struggling to make ends meet, either. It won't be worth your time teaching a few Russian words and phrases to an aspiring linguistic if you end up with nothing to show for it.Don’t worry! Here’s some advice on how to decide how much to charge for private Russian tutorials. LavaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LarisaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors InaRussian Teacher 4.88 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IrynaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EvgeniaRussian Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnastassiaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NikolaRussian Teacher 5.00 (4) £20/h1st le sson free!Discover all our tutors MargaritaRussian Teacher 5.00 (3) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsTeaching Private Russian Tutorials: Setting Your Rates By LevelThe first factor to consider when you’re setting your rates is your own level. Your level and experience speaking Russian will need to be considered if you want to charge a fair rate.What Is Your Level in Russian?Unless you’re a native Russian speaker, you probably learnt Russian at college or university and studied the Cyrillic alphabet, Russian grammar, and Russian culture.You should be aware of what your level is on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). As a reminder:A1: Breakthrough or beginnerA2: Waystage or elementaryB1: Threshold or intermediateB2: Vantage or upper intermediateC1: Effective operational proficiency or advancedC2: Mastery or proficiencyWith a B2, you’ve got a sufficient level to start thinking about teaching Russian.  The closer you are to being bilingual , the more you can charge for your lessons. When it comes to language learning, students are more likely to want someone with a high level of Russian and a lot of experience rather than an undergraduate who's just getting to grips with Russian vocabulary.What Is Your Experience?Of course, it’s better to have experience teaching and plenty of positive reviews from other students raving about your effective teaching methods and approaches. If you’re just starting out, then you should probably focus on your qualifications.Your qualifications will be useful in justifying your rates. Again, this Slavic language, like any language for that matter, isn't necessarily easy to learn or to teach. This means that if you've been able to learn Russian London and teach it successfully for a while, you're a valuable asset in terms of teaching anyone who wants to learn and, as a result, will come at a price.If you’ve got a degree in Russian or spent time studying Russian in Moscow or Saint Pet ersburg, for example, you’ll want to mention it on your profile. This is also a great way to justify the rates you charge for your lessons.If you’ve studied teaching qualifications or done any other teaching training programmes, make sure you mention them.  An experienced and qualified teacher can ask for more per hour. If you’re just starting out as a Russian tutor, it’s not necessarily a bad thing as you can find students by charging less per hour.Keep in mind that you can’t really ask for as much as an experienced tutor who’s approaching retirement.How Much Is the Competition Charging?How much does a Russian tutorial cost where you live?Have a look online, on sites like craigslist, and tutoring platforms like Superprof.Make sure you look at what the competition is doing. (Source: Free-Photos)It’s a good idea to price yourself similarly to the other tutors in the area.Charging too little will look suspicious and if your rates are too high, students will go elsewhere. Take Into Account the Students’ LevelsAfter you’ve established your level, you need to think about the students’.  A private tutor needs to be able to adapt to each learner.Every class needs to be tailored to the students. (Source: nebulosagrafica)With your level in Russian, you may not be able to teach every student.  For example, if you’re at a B2 Level, you won’t be able to teach students wanting to learn at a higher level than you.Similarly, students of the same level may have very different demands. Some may want to study Russian literature, pass a Russian exam, speak like a native, etc.You can’t charge the same for different services.  Since the preparation time will change depending on what the student wants, you can’t always charge the same rates. You need to factor in how long it’s going to take to prepare their lessons and suggest a suitable rate. LavaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LarisaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £3 0/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors InaRussian Teacher 4.88 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IrynaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EvgeniaRussian Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnastassiaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NikolaRussian Teacher 5.00 (4) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MargaritaRussian Teacher 5.00 (3) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsSetting Your Rates According to Where You LiveLearning Russian in London will surely be more expensive than elsewhere in the UK due to the high cost of living the capital, for example.  Again, look what other tutors are charging for a better idea of the going rates where you live. If you don’t, you run the risk of charging way too much or way too little for your Russian lessons.Don’t hesitate to have a look at language schools and associations in order to find a fair rate. A private t utor can charge less than a language school.To help you, here are the hourly rates for Russian tutorials in some of the bigger cities in the UK:London: £27Birmingham: £19Glasgow: £15Leeds: £20Bristol: £24Liverpool: £23Manchester: £18Sheffield: £17Edinburgh: £18Cardiff: £21The price in smaller towns may be less in some cases but more if there isn't much competition and the tutor has to travel a lot to their lessons.Russian Lessons: Different Rates for Different ServicesJust because you’re a Russian tutor, it doesn’t mean that you have to only offer private Russian tutorials.  There are plenty of different types of lessons you can offer:Group classesIntensive coursesPrivate lessonsRefresher classesConversation classesOnline tutorialsSummer tutorialsGroup classes aren’t necessarily easier to teach. You’ll have to consider multiple students at once.If you don’t want to travel, you may want to consider teaching Russian tutorials online via Skype, for example. You can charge less because you’ll have fewer expenses.You can also offer discounts to students who pay for several tutorials at once. You could consider offering a free lesson for every 10 lessons or a discount when they buy 10 lessons together.Take Into Account the Costs of Delivering Your LessonsBeing a Russian tutor isn’t just about teaching Russian words, pronunciation, and speaking. You’ll be self-employed and the boss of your own business. This means you’re also the accountant and the manager.Time is money when it comes to Russian private tutorials. (Source: JESHOOTS-com)Since you’re self-employed, you’ll also need to consider your taxes.  Of course, you can always hire accountants to do all this for you.There are a lot of benefits to being self-employed. You can choose your hours, your rates, etc. You also get to choose your students, unlike teachers in a school.In any case, you should make sure you’re earning enough to live on.  Don’t forget to consider travel costs and other outgoings when deciding upon your rates as well.Build Your Russian Tutor ProfileAs a private tutor, you’ll need to be good at advertising. You need to make sure that your online profile is good.Make sure you present yourself properly. (Source: JESHOOTS-com)If your profile isn’t good, it’s unlikely that you’ll get many students wanting to contact you.A good profile is clear and precise:Describe your methodsDescribe your experienceExplain your ratesDon’t forget a good photo on a clear background. You can even include a video!In terms of methodology, focus on how you teach and how this helps students achieve their goals.  A really short profile will look lazy whereas potential students won’t want to read your entire life story.Make sure you include reviews and feedback from former and current students.  Do everything you can in order to encourage students to get in touch with you and ask for a Russian tutorial!

Friday, March 6, 2020

Simple Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills

Simple Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills Writing is a central component of your academic career. It is required in the vast majority of your classes, as well as in the workforce. If you wish to increase your success as a student, consider strengthening your writing skills. Here are several simple ways to help you improve: Communicate with purpose All writing, whether in the form of an email or an essay, has a purpose. Ensure you can pinpoint the purpose of your document. Are you writing to entertain, to inform, to persuadeor for a different reason? The purpose of your writing will partially drive the genre and style of your composition. Always keep your end goal in mind. Here are some helpful tips for writing an essaythat you may find useful as well. Understand your audience Just as you must write with a clear purpose, it is important to understand the audience you are addressing. Your instructor is one audience, but do others exist? Is your audience an academic community, the readers of a publication, or your peers? Knowing who will view your document is important, as you will utilize different levels of language and stylistic conventions with different readers. Before you even begin to write, think about the larger audience you are trying to reach, and keep that information in mind as you work. Organize your efforts Accomplished writing, particularly academic writing, is well organized. Organization starts before you begin to draft your document, and it continues throughout the creative process. If you are writing a paper that involves research, your organizational process should start before you even begin to read. There are several simple ways to ensure your writing is well organized, including outlines, note cards, and graphic organizers. An array of graphic organizers can be found online or at your schools academic or writing center. Verify at each step of your process that your writing is clearly organizedin a manner that will make sense to your reader. Revisit your composition It is important that your writing be free of errors before you submit it to your instructor. After you are done writing, set your piece aside. Engage in a different activity for a short while. Then, return to your piece of writing and re-read it to double-check that it makes sense and is free of grammatical and spelling errors. You may find it useful to read your work out loud, as this allows you to note mistakes that you may skip over when reading silently. Be sure to run spell check on the document, but remember that certain spelling errors will not be noticed by spell check, and you must therefore carefully proofread your own writing, as well. You may also want to check out these tips to boost your writing skills. Sometimes, it can be helpful to have a family member, friend, or writing tutor review your essay or short story. After all, you will wish to submit the most polished piece of writing possible! Keep these simple tips in mind as you improve your writing skills. By strengthening your writing skills, you will improve your chances of success as a student, as well as beyond school in future careers!

Thursday, March 5, 2020

How To Write A Resume For Grad School Applications

How To Write A Resume For Grad School Applications You may be asked to submit a resume or a Curriculum Vitae (CV), depending on the type of grad school program to which youre applying. Typically, writing a resume for grad school applications demonstrate your academic credentials, like research/awards earned, as well as your professional experience, although there is a tremendous amount of overlap. Generally, PhD and academic-based programs require CVs, and other grad programs ask for resumes. If you want to be a teacher, youll write a CV, and if you want work professionally, youll write a resume. But, make sure you know exactly which one youre supposed to write. Contact your school if necessary to confirm, as an error will likely automatically disqualify you. Your grad school resume is one of the keyfactors in your grad school applicationprocess. Most schools look at your GRE score and undergrad grades first; then move on to your resume, application essay, and interview. See more on how to improve your GRE score and improving your graduate school application. Graduate School Application Resume Checklist Contact Information Your name, email address, phone number. Personal Statement What are your goals for attending the graduate program? List of Research Projects Describe relevant research projects to which you've contributed. Work Experience List out prior jobs you've held, particularlythose relevant to the field of study. Undergraduate Education Detail your undergraduate degree and major. Additional Skills E.g. Computer skills, foreign languages, any other skills relevant to the program. Interests Describe additional activities or passionsthat may be relevant to the graduate program. While the above checklist is a handy tool to keep yourself organized, be sure to review each of those tasks in more detail below... Start a new resume for your grad school application Most students use previous resumes from internships or jobs for grad school. And thats exactly why most fall flat. You need to tailor your resume specifically to the grad school program youre applying for. If you mash it together, it will be painfully obvious.. Grad school personal statement What are you going to do in your career? Be a practicing psychologist? Engineer cars? Build computers? You need to directly state this in your personal statement and then elaborate on it throughout your resume. But, you need to say something more interesting than just I will build cars. Add in how youll help solve the energy crisis by creating fuel-efficient hybrids, or how youre interested in driver/passenger safety. The more focused you can be, the better. Examples: Energy expert who will use Stanfords Engineering Graduate Program to help solve the global oil crisis by creating more fuel efficient automobiles. Safety expert who will use Stanfords Engineering Graduate Program to save more lives by engineering safer automobiles. At this point, all you have to do is prove your statement, and youre in. Dont use summary/objective statement It will feel too immature. Instead, use a personal statement described above. Research applicable to grad school If you havent completed a research project, its time to start. Take your personal statement and create a research project. For example, something on alternate energy sources for cars, or opportunities for improved safety. But, if you have completed research, then direct your entire resume around it. If you researched the psychological effects of learning and found students learn best in one-on-one tutoring scenarios; then use that as your personal statement/theme. List everywhere you have been published (if applicable). Work experience You need to do more than just list your previous work experience. You have to use it to prove your personal statement. So, if you interned or worked professionally as an engineer, dont just list what you did. Make it prove your personal statement and sell it. If all you did at your internship was Google alternate fuel methods in cars, you still need to find a way to sell it. Heres how: Example: Explored opportunities for improved fuel efficiency with solar power, natural gas, and other resources in Toyota automobiles. Plant is still considering discovered opportunities, pending government legislation. Education prior to grad school Emphasize your work experience first, but you will still need one sentence stating what your degree was, when you graduated and your GPA. Then, describe the clubs or organizations you were in and what you accomplished. Try to relate this back to your theme, if possible. Example: Created blueprints for a fully-functional automobile that would reduce gas consumption by 20% through The Ohio State University Engineering club [or class you attended]. Volunteer work Just like research, if you dont have any, its time to start! Interests If youve done something cool like biking across America, include it here. Grad schools want to know who you are, and this gives your resume a personal touch. Applying to grad school can feel overwhelming: the GRE, resumes, interviews, applications, letters of recommendation and your head starts spinning. But, Varsity Tutors can make your process easier and improve your chances of getting into your dream grad program, starting with the best GRE tutors. Contact Varsity Tutors today and let us help you get into a great grad program. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us atblog@varsitytutors.com.

Algebra Is Not As Tough As The Myth Goes About It

Algebra Is Not As Tough As The Myth Goes About It 0SHARESShare Algebra is a branch of Math that discusses the values of unknown numbers through variables and explains various Math concepts thereby. Many shopping adventures and prudent purchases are based on math concepts and it is applied extensively in many subjects. Still, many do not have the courage to take up the subject due to their preoccupied thoughts about it and the fears they have developed about the subject right from their primary level of schooling. Reasons for students’ fears about Algebra classes Students feel a tad frightened when they enter the realm of Algebra for the fact that they face letters in the place of numbers and need to deal with them in different sums. It is a learning environment where students enter from primary to middle school- a new ambiance with everything different around them. Despite their attempts in Pre-Algebra, they might feel alien in Algebra classes and thus they lack in the motivation and courage to do Algebra. It is but a natural tendency to feel shrunken on one or two failing attempts in the subject making the students withdraw into shelves of fear in Algebra classes. This becomes obvious in high school learning with math and this may hinder their taking up future courses at an advanced level in college. So far it went about the negative feelings about Algebra learning in the minds of pupils. But such a subject which has a vast coverage of usage in life and academics should not be neglected on petty grounds and it needs some sort of solution to come out of the crucial junctures students face in their math classes. Online tutoring services source out suitable tutors for students who are jittery about their Algebra classes. Tutor Pace renders Algebra to help at affordable tutoring rates for students to utilize and come out with a positive outlook on math classes and try out Algebra homework without any mental agitation. Its online tutors offer their best services in the field with their excellent subject knowledge and personalized solutions. [starbox id=admin]

A Beginners Guide to the Triangle, Percussions Most Misunderstood Instrument.

A Beginner’s Guide to the Triangle, Percussion’s Most Misunderstood Instrument. Everything You Need to Know about the Triangle (the Percussion Instrument). ChaptersWhat is the Triangle?Some Triangle Performances You Should Know.What You Need to Know to Play the Triangle.Do You Need a Triangle Teacher?The triangle is a musical instrument that gets a bit of a bad rap. It’s developed the reputation for being really easy, sort of gratuitous, and not exactly very interesting at all.However, this is not really very fair at all â€" as it is not in the least bit true. Rather, triangles â€" believe it or not â€" are actually really important instrument with a long and illustrious history. They are not just kids’ toys or instruments for beginner percussionists at all.Here, we’re going to look at some of the most important aspects of the triangle â€" from its history to its central techniques, from some famous triangle performances to the places where you can find yourself a triangle teacher. We’ll look, in fact, at everything that a beginner needs to play the triangle.And you might not think it, but there’s a lot to know about the instr ument. So, let’s get cracking. A contemporary triangle (image from Hayes Music) SerbanDrum Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyDrum Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RussellDrum Teacher 5.00 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesDrum Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StephenDrum Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeteDrum Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OllieDrum Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexDrum Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat is the Triangle?The triangle is a percussion instrument that is made of a steel rod bent into the shape of â€" you guessed it â€" a triangle. And, as a percussion instrument, it is struck â€" most commonly with a metal beater, to give the instrument a bright, ringing tone. Like the marimba and the xylophone, the triangle is an idiophone â€" or an instrument that, when struck, vibrates as a whole.Something that you may have noticed is that the triangle is not quite a full triangle. Rather, one of the corners is missing.There’s a reason for this. If the instrument was a full triangle, its being struck would give a single pitch. However, that’s not quite what happens with a triangle as it is. Rather, a triangle produces lots of overtones, or harmonics â€" which gives the instrument its distinctive sound.The triangle itself aside, you will need what is conventionally known as a ‘triangle holder’ too â€" a loop from which the triangle is suspended â€" so that you don’t mute the instrument’s resonance.Now, apart from in the classroom, you’ll actually find the triangle in a lot of different musical contexts. In samba music, in a lot of Brazilian traditional music, and in classical music too. And, by the way, we’d say that if Brahms is happy to put the triangle to use, there is no reason why you should think it’s d aft yourself.A Brief History of the Triangle.So why does this instrument even exist? What has caused something so simple â€" and objectively so limited â€" to be found in different genres all over the world?The answer, actually, is quite interesting, as it goes back for hundreds and hundreds of years.The first known reference to a triangle comes from the tenth century, when it is seen in a book manuscript. Since then, images of a triangle are seen in medieval editions of the Bible, in stain-glass windows, and in a lot of Christian iconography. Indeed, according to some sources, the triangle is only beaten by the cymbal as the most common instrument played by angels in religious images.Again, this would seem to us like further support for the fact that maybe the triangle isn’t such a useless instrument after all. It has been around for potentially a thousand years!From these religious origins, the triangle began to be incorporated into European orchestral works in the eighteenth ce ntury, by composers like Brahms, Mozart, and Liszt. This resurgence of interest in the instrument was apparently due to the fact that Turkish musicians who were popular at the time used the instrument a lot.Moreover, as we mentioned, the instrument became popular in styles of Brazilian music â€" including samba and forró.Are there Different Types of Triangle?As with many percussion instruments, the triangle is not just a single thing. Rather, it comes in all different shapes and sizes.Triangles tend to come in a standard size of five inches, yet they also come in six inches, seven inches, and eight. The different size will affect the sound that the instrument produces: larger ones will be louder, yes, but they will produce lower pitches, owing to the differences in vibration.Sometimes, triangles can come with a stand â€" but more often they are played with a holder or string loop as we discussed above. These aren’t even strictly necessary, as we shall demonstrate below.The very o ld â€" we’re talking medieval â€" types of triangles would have had rings attached to the bottom side of the instrument. When the triangle was struck, these rings would jingle almost like a tambourine. And whilst this sounds cool, you don’t really find these at all anymore.Find out about different types of percussion instruments! The triangle goes back for centuries. (Image from the Fact Site)Some Triangle Performances You Should Know.To demonstrate to you that the triangle is not simply a joke instrument or a toy, it is worth looking at some places where it has been put to extraordinary use. And, as you’ll see, these create an amazing effect without which their pieces of music would be severely lacking.Johannes Brahms â€" Symphony #4 (Third Movement)One of the most famous uses of the triangle in classical music is in the third movement of Brahms’s Fourth Symphony. Throughout this triumphant, joyful movement, the triangle contributes a strange, ethereal effect that adds atmosphere to the piece.And if you have seen any video of an orchestra performing this piece, you will have noticed the look of concentration on the triangle player’s face.Franz Liszt â€" Piano Concerto No. 1 (Second Movement)Mocked once upon a time as a ‘Triangle Concerto’ â€" due to the fact that the triangle features heavily â€" L iszt’s first piano concerto is an astonishing piece.Lead, in a sense, by the triangle, the second movement’s second part is full of frantic piano lines and our percussion instrument’s constant presence.Sérgio Mendes Brasil ’66 â€" Casa ForteWe said that a considerable amount of Brazilian music features frequent use of the triangle.An example of this is in Sérgio Mendes’s ‘Casa Forte’, a wild bossa nova track with a strong percussion section. Here, the triangle is heard in its different style: not just with its piercing ring, but used in its percussive mode too.Find out how to play the marimba - or how to play the xylophone!What You Need to Know to Play the Triangle.So, you have heard some famous uses of the triangle. It’s not time to pick up your own instrument and get playing yourself. At this point you’ll see that it is not such a straightforward technique.Here, we are going to look at three techniques: the basic strike, the roll, and the muted bossa nova tech nique as heard in ‘Casa Forte’.Holding the Triangle.Before you start to play, you’ll need to attach the triangle holder. Loop the string onto the open corner and pull the string onto the first closed corner you reach.Now, if you are right-handed, hold the triangle in your left hand with the open corner pointing leftwards.Striking the Triangle.As you are holding the triangle with the holder, you can now practise striking the instrument. As you would with a drum, you need to strike it with the beater and then return your hand to its original position â€" otherwise it will not resonate.It is best to strike it towards the closed corner to the right of your hand.The Triangle Roll.Once you have got the basic strike down, you can try the triangle roll. This is where you put the beater inside one of the closed corners of the triangle and quickly strike at either side.This will produce a jangling effect that recalls a drum roll.Muting the Triangle.Now, for the more rhythmic technique, you want to unloop the triangle holder and place the top corner of the triangle onto your left hand’s index finger. It should balance on that finger so that your left hand’s other fingers are able to move.Now you can use those free fingers to mute and unmute the triangle during rhythms â€" just as they do in Brazil.Find out how to play the tambourine - or how to play the steel hang! We use the triangle in orchestras too!Do You Need a Triangle Teacher?As with any musical instrument, a decent triangle teacher would help you improve your technique.However, you are going to find very few â€" if any â€" teachers that only work with the triangle. As the triangle takes its place amongst the other instruments of the percussion section, your best bet is to find a general percussion teacher.One of the best places to find one of these is with Superprof. We have a huge number of tutors available for tutoring across the world â€" either in person or online. Just search for a percussion tutor!

Problem Solving Skills for Students

Problem Solving Skills for Students Like life, school is a journey filled with twists and turns. Problems arise, but students who learn to confront them early will be happier and more resilient as they approach college and the real world. Here is a framework to help you build your students problem-solving skills: Start with identification. In assignments or projects, teach students to identify the task in front of them, then define the problem(s) theyre trying to solve. Articulate possible solutions. An important part of the problem-solving process is brainstorming solutionsas many options as possible. Weigh the options. Encourage your students to consider the ideas theyve come up with: what are the possible problems with each? Which alternatives are most and least feasible? Create an action plan. Before diving in, students should decide what theyll do first to work toward solving the problem. This should involve thinking through the strategy, steps and desired outcomes The execution phase is where your students should attempt to try out a solution by carrying out the steps that they defined in their action plan. To build on their learning, they should evaluate their progress as they go. Lastly, its time for evaluation. Encourage your students to reflect on their efforts, problem-solving process, what worked and what did not. They might decide to go back to the drawing board if the problem didnt get solved as planned. One of the best ways to prepare your students for college and the real world is to teach them how to identify and solve problems on their own. Regular practice doing so will help them be more confident and independent no matter what academic challenges they face. See how Huntington Learning Center can help your students succeed.

A-Level exam tips

A-Level exam tips Having done my A-Levels, I've picked up on a few tips that I thought would be beneficial for anyone that is soon to take an exam. That said, here are some A-Level exam tips that I've found useful... At A Level, every subject has its own difficulties, whether it is an impossible maths question or the structure of a write up question, they must all be overcome. However, those are not the only difficulties of A Levels. I've just taken my AS-Levels and these are some of the most difficult things I’ve experienced over the past year and here’s how I overcome them. Being able to prepare yourself mentally for what is to come is just as hard. That night or two before your exam where you no longer have a way out is challenging in itself, let alone also trying to squeeze in as much knowledge as possible. If you are one of those people who gets eaten by stress, you are not alone. I would be surprised if anyone was not stressed, you have been preparing a whole year for this exam! At this point, it’s often best to just put your pens down, stop cramming, rest for the night and try to get your 8 hours sleep! More if you can, you’ll thank me later. Once you accept that you will sit in an uncomfortable chair with nothing but bits of paper in front of you, you must not forget that you have to remember everything you have learnt over the year for the exam. After trying out tens of revision techniques, including thinking of putting that recording of your notes under your pillow. You will come across a method that works for you, you will hopefully remember the majority that has been said to you over the school year. Being able to acknowledge that there is a difference in knowing something and understanding it is vital to passing your A Levels. You can easily memorise a nice long list of gibberish, but until you understand each word of that list, you can’t piece it together. Many students don’t realise this until it is too late, hence they try to memorise every word in their revision guides. Knowing that, make sure that you do understand as opposed to just knowing it! The time of finally looking at your first question approaches, so much adrenaline flowing through your body that you completely misunderstand the question. Thinking that you are answering the question correctly you don’t think to look back as you’re writing to see if that is the case. When it comes to marking your paper, the examiner can’t give you marks for something that is not relevant to the question, regardless of the quality of the answer. So remember, read the question twice and once you’ve done that, give it another couple of reads. There is no doubt that a person makes more mistakes under stress. If you have ever written an essay and then looked back it, you will know that a lot of what you write initially makes little sense. If you’re wondering, yes, this does happen during your exam. No matter how confident you are that everything is absolutely clear, it won’t. There are so many things going through your head that the chances of missing out an ‘a’ or an ‘and’ are high. The sooner you realise this, the more likely you are to go back and give it a quick scan where you can easily fix what you have missed. Finally, the most difficult of all. Walking out of the exam only to realise what the better or correct answer was to the question. If you’ve ever taken any exam you will know what this feels like. The most important thing is to not hate yourself, let it go. I hope this helps, and good luck to everyone taking exams next year! Still have questions? You can search  Tutorfair  for experienced A-level tutors across a range of subjects from Maths, to physics and English.

Mental Health in College What to look out for

Mental Health in College What to look out for A stack of books waiting to be read by Anna Smith College can be a stressful time for people. For some it may be their first time living on their own for an extended period of time. The academic pressure is high and the social scene can be unhealthy. The following are some things to look out forfor both yourself and for others: 1. Depression Depression is probably one of the most common mental health disorders and has received a lot of attention. Yet many are still unaware of just how debilitating it can be. Signs of depression include: loss of interest in usually pleasurable activities, loss of appetite, fatigue, low mood, difficult concentrating and sleep changes. Depression has many forms but they should all be taken seriously. 2. Anxiety Anxiety is another common problem for college students, especially with the push to take more classes, join clubs and apply and enter the job market. It is important to take time to relax even if it is only a few minutes. Common signs of anxiety are panicky feelings, restlessness, hypervigilance, trouble concentrating and feelings of worry or dread. People tend to treat anxiety and anxiety disorders as something that an individual should just get over, but anxiety can be just as  debilitating  as depression and is a problem for many people. 3. Eating Disorders Eating disorders are particularly a problem for women, but men are becoming increasingly affected by eating disorders. There are many types of eating disorders and the longer they go untreated the more entrenched they become. Early detection and intervention can save lives. Anorexia Nervosa is the number one cause of death for women between the ages of 16 and 24 in the mental health field. Signs of eating disorders are drastic change in weight or eating habits, fear of food, excessive cutting of food, restricting or binging, overexercising, avoiding certain foods, guilt associated with food or weight or body shape, feeling fat when you are not, fear of becoming fat and purging, using laxatives/diuretics or other methods of making up for intake. If you or someone you know show any of these symptoms please take the step and speak to someone. The counseling center is always able to provide more information and there are various support groups available such as the Red Tent and Active Minds. Take action, you could save someones life and help them get better.