Getting The Best Tutor For Your Child

Getting The Best Tutor For Your ChildWhen you are trying to get into the M.S.U. Denver campus, the first thing that you will need to do is locate a tutor for your child. Whether you are visiting the school or taking classes through the M.S.U. Denver curriculum, a tutor is one of the many important resources you will be able to use.You will also need to take into consideration how much time you can spend in this tutoring center. If you have several busy kids in your home who you want to get help with their schoolwork and are not interested in doing homework, you should find a place that offers long-term tutoring so that you don't waste your time and energy on people who are only willing to offer short-term help.Another thing that you will need to consider when looking for a M.S.U. Denver tutoring center is what your budget is. If you are strapped for cash, you may want to choose a more traditional method of learning. In this case, you may want to consider a classroom where your child can work at their own pace, and in which they can get a lot of individual attention.The Internet is another effective way to find a tutor. The student can go online and search through a variety of different programs to find the perfect program for them. However, make sure that the tutor you find has enough experience in your area, as that can make all the difference in the world.If you live in a small town and can't afford to attend the university on campus, you can still get help with your education by finding a local community college. But, remember that since there are so many local community colleges, you may not be able to find a tutor as quickly as you would like to.What you will need to do is find out where your local tutoring center is located. Once you have done this, you can contact them and ask about the best type of tutoring for your child. It may be possible that they can recommend a tutor in your area, or they may be able to provide you with an estimate of how much you will need to pay for tutoring.Finding a M.S.U. Denver tutor is one of the most important things that you will have to do if you are hoping to make a good impression on your child. Just be sure that you select someone who can offer your child the amount of individual attention that you both need.

Two Codes for Success in College and in Life (According to College Board)

Two Codes for Success in College and in Life (According to College Board) Last month, Thomas Friedman reported on College Board’s commitment to emphasizing the most empowering content areas and skills in the vast array of coursework and testing that they develop. According to David Coleman (Chief Operating Officer) and Stefanie Sanford (Chief of Global Policy and External Relations), for the last few years College Board has focused on two crucial codes: the U.S. Constitution and computer science. What is behind this focus and what does this mean for students? The College Board executives explain it pretty well: “If you want to be an empowered citizen in our democracyâ€"able to not only navigate society and its institutions but also to improve and shape them, and not just be shaped by themâ€"you need to know how the code of the U.S. Constitution works. And if you want to be an empowered and adaptive worker or artist or writer or scientist or teacherâ€"and be able to shape the world around you, and not just be shaped by itâ€"you need to know how computer s work and how to shape them.”The first code, that enshrined by the U.S. Constitution into legal code, is crucial as it applies to all of us and dictates the way society is run. Furthermore, the lively debate and differing readings of the same document offer intellectual challenge and opportunity for students of the law and of history. Our history and social science experts are here to support students who are making their first foray into the workings of legal and government systems in classes like AP U.S. History, AP U.S. Government, or AP Economics.The second code, the kind used by computer scientists, has broad and growing applications in technological and non-technological industries alike. It is clear to us in the Bay Area how computer science has gained a key role in California, the United States, and around the globe as tech companies grow in power and importance. Our AP Computer Science wizards can give students a leg up on some of the most cutting-edge and challenging sk ills and curricula offered at Bay Area schools. Whether it’s to support with a tough class or learn a new programming language over the summer, AJ Tutoring can help.As part of College Board focus, the SAT itself often features an excerpt from a founding document or other form of political writing or speech. Thus, paying attention in AP US History or AP US Government can pay off on the SAT, not just the AP exams! Our SAT experts can also help explain the most important comprehension strategies, which aid in breaking down dense language quickly and efficiently. Please reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help your student master the most important codes for success in today’s world!

How to Read Faster - Private Tutoring

How to Read Faster BobbiM Apr 21, 2014 Are you a slow reader? Would you like to increase your reading speed? Check out these helpful tips. -Choose high-interest material. It is best to push yourself to read faster with material that you are familiar with and enjoy. For example, if you like to read mystery novels, choose one to use for pushed reading. -Practice every day. To increase your reading rate, you will need to push yourself to read faster every day for 10 to 15 minutes. Use your local or school newspaper or anything that will sustain your interest for that amount of time. You might want to choose three or four brief articles and take a short break after each one. -Read at slightly-faster-than-comfortable-speeds. As you read, push yourself to read slightly faster than you usually do. You should feel a little uncomfortable reading at this speed and feel that you would prefer to slow down, but you should also sense that you understand what you are reading. -Check your comprehension. Increasing your reading rate while losing comprehension provides no benefit. Therefore, you need to check your comprehension of the material you are reading. However, because you are changing a habit, it is ok to have comprehension of only 70 to 80 percent of what you read during pushed reading. In fact, if you are having 100 percent comprehension you can probably push yourself to read faster. To check your comprehension, try to summarize the information. Did you identify all the key ideas? What about important details and examples? If you find that you are not comprehending the information, slow down a bit. -Try to read at the same time each day. Finding 15 minutes to read every day should not be much of a problem, but in order to keep an accurate record of your improvement you should try to find the time when you are most alert and try to read at that same time every day. -Dont give up. Improving your reading rate is a slow but steady process. You may make some great improvements one week then see little change the next. Dont worry about the fluctuations in your rate, as long as you are seeing an overall increase. However, if you find that you have gone several weeks without any improvement, make a conscious effort to push yourself even faster when you read. Excerpt from  College Success Strategies  by Sherrie L. Nist and Jodi Patrick Holschuh.

One Stupidly Easy E-book Hack Thatll Supercharge Your Language Learning

One Stupidly Easy E-book Hack Thatll Supercharge Your Language Learning One Stupidly Easy E-book Hack Thatll Supercharge Your Language Learning Reading a full-length book in a foreign language without much prior reading practice?Thats like trying to run a marathon without any training.Sure, it’s a great idea in theory, but youre unlikely to reach your end goal without petering out from pure exhaustion.We know academic research backs up the undeniable benefits of immersing yourself in a foreign text. For example, one study conducted at the Monterey Institute of International Studies showed that students acquire and retain verb conjugation skills through repeated exposure in written texts.And yet, so many of us find cracking open a massive volume of text nearly impossible. What if one simple tool could completely rewrite how you think about reading foreign materials?Instead of spending long hours trying to deduct meaning from confusing words youve yet to master, you could speed through pages and pages of text in about the same time it takes you to read in English. Think this sounds like nothing more than a pipe dream?Prepare yourself for a revolutionary technique thatll change your whole approach to learning through books. One Stupidly Easy E-book Hack Thatll Supercharge Your Language LearningAfter that massive buildup, brace yourself for this one word solution: e-books.Yeah, I know, it sounds super anticlimactic. After all, an e-book is just a physical book in digital form, so what’s the big deal? You see, e-books have one incredible advantage over physical textsâ€"most e-readers support in-line dictionaries.Do you see where this is headed?I stumbled upon this incredible language learning hack a few years ago, and I can honestly say it has changed my whole approach to reading in a foreign language. Simply install a foreign dictionary on your e-reader, download a book in your target language and start reading.As you encounter words youre unfamiliar with, click the text and an English definition (or, if desired, a definition in your target language) will be displayed immediately. Best of all, many e -readers will automatically save searched  words for later reference, making it super simple to engrave those new terms in your brain.Ready to get the ball rolling? Follow the 3 simple steps below to optimize your e-reader for your language learning needs and goals. I personally use this technique on a Kindle device and it works like a charm, but the approach is similar for all e-readers. Stop dreaming about the benefits of mastering a new language and start actually doing it.1. Procure the Right DictionaryIf youre anything like me, youll probably find modern literature a tad bit more stimulating than stuffy prose scribbled down two centuries ago.Yes, theres a time and place for Victor Hugo’s long-winded descriptions and colorful speech, but youll likely enjoy a recent novel more than Notre-Dame de Paris. Not only do contemporary writers tend to keep their stories moving more quickly, but they frequently use slang and everyday language you wont find in the tomes of the celebrated authors of the 1800s.While there are plenty of great dictionaries available to today’s language learners, you need to find an option that includes the commonplace words used by modern speakers. In an ideal world, youd be able to look up WordReference translations  and forum comments in a split second, but e-books havent quite made it to that point yet.Fortunately, you can locate a recent edition of a popular dictionary in most e-reader stores. Be sure to read over reviews from other buyers in order to find the right book for you. Also, keep in mind that you may want a dictionary that provides definitions in English! This could be key to helping you speed through your reading. If youre more advanced or if you feel like challenging yourself, try using a monolingual dictionary (all in the target language).As an aside, its worth mentioning that you can get in-line definitions for text on the web using WordReference’s engine! Plugins are available for both Chrome and Firefox. Feel ov erwhelmed by news stories or foreign blogs? This free tool is an absolute lifesaver.2. Choose a Well-liked BookLet me tell you a little secret: bad literature isnt any better in a foreign language.Don’t go through all the motions to optimize your e-reader only to discover youve picked up something truly atrocious.Instead, take your time reading the reviews for available novels and be sure to pick something from your preferred genre. For example, I eagerly devour mysteries and thrillers, which is why you’ll find my Kindle full of foreign titles in this niche. It’s much easier to push ahead if you enjoy the source material.By the way, if youre still unconvinced about choosing an e-book over a hard copy, I understand your pain. I still love and cherish my physical copies of my favorite books, and I completely sympathize with readers who feel hesitant to go digital.It’s worth noting, however, that unless you plan to make a quick jaunt overseas in the near future, youll likely ha ve some difficulty obtaining copies of recent books in your language of choice. Not only do you have to contend with limited distribution and international copyright issues, but many booksellers can’t justify importing large numbers of a book in a foreign language. Even if you can find a copy of what youre looking for, youll likely spend a small fortune to purchase it.E-books, on the other hand, are much more affordable and easily accessible to everyone. You may still encounter limited availability from time to time, but the problem is much less severe in the digital space. If youre a Kindle reader like I am, you might also want to give one of Amazon’s many independent publishers a shot.Im an avowed fan of many authors, both foreign and domestic, whove chosen to self-publish riveting stories you wont find on the shelves of traditional retailers. For example, if you were looking for a great French read, Id recommend that you check out Jacques Vandrouxs Les Pierres Couchéesâ€"thi s supernatural thriller was a favorite of mine last year.3. Practice Your New VocabularyLanguage learning is immensely enjoyable, but it does represent a certain time commitment.After becoming immersed in a fantastic foreign novel, I have often found myself guilty of speeding through the text rather than pausing to work on the new words Ive discovered. Dont fall prey to this trap, tempting as it may be to read your way to the final page in one sitting.Instead, try to work through your vocabulary in bite-sized chunks. Ive personally found it most useful to refer to my new vocab words after completing each new chapter. Many Kindle devices conveniently file every word you define into an app called Vocabulary Builder. You can refer to these words at any time and the devices even support flashcards for your vocab words.Your mileage may vary with other e-readers, so be sure to read up on the features of a potential device if youre considering a new purchase.As much as I appreciate the inn ovation of digital e-readers, I do have to admit that I still find it easier to retain words with physical flashcards.I simply copy my vocab words from my e-reader onto traditional index cards. And, of course, dont forget to feed your reading with other language development methods throughout your day. The ongoing exposure will help take your language skills into the stratosphere!Acquiring proficiency in a foreign language demands a hefty commitment of time and energy, but the satisfaction of speaking another language makes the sacrifice well worth it.As you use this simple reading tool to supercharge your retention skills, youre bound to notice a difference within a few months.The day you find yourself reading page after page without once referring to the dictionary translation, youll no doubt find yourself ecstatic with the progress youve made.Adam Zetterlund is a language enthusiast living in New York City. He spent five years honing his foreign language skills in Paris and Londo n, and he currently partners with a number of international clients in a marketing capacity. Learn more by reading his blog.And One More ThingIf youre digging these strategies, youll love using FluentU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more ex amples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website  with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the  iTunes  or  Google Play  store.

Five Books for the Nature Lover in You

Five Books for the Nature Lover in You Are you a nature lover? Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Natures peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” John Muir, Our National Parks Youre sitting at your desk, staring at the blank page that should be an essay. Out of all the times to have writers block, your mind picks the weekend before a crucial due date. You look around, trying to find inspiration in just about anything. The dirty clothes, magazines, and movie tickets scattered on your floor fail to get the brain going. Suddenly, a monarch butterfly graces your window pane. Mesmerized by its other-worldliness, you start writing. Unless youre Nabokov, a butterfly might not be enough to type the next great novel, but you get my point. Nature has always been a source for inspiration, wonderment, and wisdom this applies to anyone, not just a nature lover. Sadly, were losing more and more of it everyday, but hope is not lost. Many communities, schools, and cities have taken initiative into their own hands; developing greener educational environments. For example, Moton Elementary school in Tampa Bay, Florida has created a gardening program that spans a students entire grade-school career. The program is a learning experience, with hopes to gain awareness that food and flowers come from the ground. Some of our greatest minds have been naturalist, botanists, and nature lovers. Where would we be as a nation without our National Parks? You have green thinkers such as John Muir to thank for that. Further, learning about nature through the passionate eyes of such men and women is inspiring for any student. Did you know Mr. Muir wept with happiness the first time he discovered the elusive Calypso borealis? Whether youre struggling to find some writing inspiration, or just need a good wave of intellectual curiosity, here are five naturalist books everyone should read. One last thing, make sure you read these under a tree, or by a babbling brook, well, just anywhere away from your Facebook. Enjoy. 5. Kindred and Related Spirits The Letters of John Muir and Jeanne C. Carr Edited by Bonnie Johanna Gisel Fate and flowers have carried me to California, and I have reveled and luxuriated amid its plants and mountains nearly four months John Muir In the rare situation of a light schedule, I enrolled in a three credit Nature and Religion course my senior year at Michigan State University. Though we only had a brief two days learning about John Muir, I was struck by his commitment. Recently, while searching the towering walls of books at Bargain Books in Van Nuys, I came across this charming collection of letters between the famed naturalist and his lifelong friend Jeanne C. Carr. Its an excellent documentation of Muirs growth as a botanist, as well as an incredible friendship. 4. Turtle Island Gary Snyder The first time I read about Gary Snyder was in Jack Kerouacs The Dharma Bums. As the inspiration behind the   Japhy Ryder, Snyders ecological wisdom finds its roots in indigenous spirituality, animism, and Buddhism. He seems almost mad with natural contentment Japhy notoriously treks the wilderness in the buff. More than just a poet, Gary Snyder was a dynamic educator. In this collection of poetry and straight talk, youll find an incredible amount of knowledge behind his imagery. 3. The Spiritual Emerson Essential Works by Ralph Waldo Emerson Odds are youre familiar with Ralph Waldo Emersons famous essay Self-Reliance, but its a shame to just stop there. A pioneer of transcendentalism, Emerson preached, through poetry and prose, that any and all individuals must find their own unique relation to the universe. Whether it be in solitude, under an old oak tree with nothing but songbirds to keep you company, or in front of a classroom, mankind is lost without nature. This Tarcher Cornerstone Edition includes such provoking essays as Circles, Fate, and much more. Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” 2. Silent Spring Rachel Carson The release of this book was paramount in starting the modern environmentalism movement. To put it simply, the natural world is as fragile as it is complex. Though our innovations are meant to make life easier, they sometimes cause dangerous side-effects. You may recall old footage from the 1950s of municipal vehicles driving down suburban streets, leaving a wake of chemical clouds in its path. What was so striking about this image was the children laughing and chasing the cars, encompassed by the mysterious cloud. The vehicles were spreading DDT, and its results were staggering . As the strongest pesticide the world had ever seen, DDT was successful in killing mosquitoes, and, at the time, believed to be safe. Nowadays, the idea of inhaling DDT is terrifying. Its a known carcinogen, and lethal to species other than mosquitoes. Thanks to the curious eye of some University students and professors, the mysterious death of thousands of birds caused an investigation that would lead to the poisonous culprit. Rachel Carsons, at the time controversial, book,   Silent Spring, allowed the world to become wise to the effects our actions have on the planet, and that we must be mindful of our relationship to it. 1. A Sand County Almanac: With Other Essays on Conservation from Round River Aldo Leopold Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins, as in art, with the pretty. It expands through successive stages of the beautiful to values as yet uncaptured by language.” The finest environmentalist writer since Emerson and Thoreau, Aldo Leopold captures the wisdom of our enormous planet in the frame of Wisconsins countryside. The author/ nature lover Demands an ethical relationship to nature, as well as an effortless wonderment of its beauty. Feeling inspired? Now that your essay is finished, how about a drive to Topanga park for a hike? Remember, inspiration can come from anywhere, but its up to you to discover it, Los Angeles!

How to maximize effectiveness when working with a new tutor

How to maximize effectiveness when working with a new tutor As a tutor, my first session is often a chance for me to get a grip of what is going on with the student. To get the best mileage out of your tutor, it is helpful if you have the following information.If the instructor gives regular exams it is helpful to schedule tutoring before these important events. Sometimes timing is everything. Scheduling of tutoring sessions should be optimized to take advantage of the school calendar.Teacher contact information. The very best tutors (and those that follow the frog tutoring methodology) will contact the students teacher and create a lesson plan that will align tutoring sessions with classroom milestones for maximum results.Graded material is a great way for a tutor to understand how questions are asked and what kind of information the teacher places a premium on. Does the teacher want to test primarily on vocabulary? Does the teacher stress concepts? What is the teacher’s policy on showing work for mathematical problems and how many points are given for demonstrated work? These questions and others can be answered by seeing graded work. If graded work is kept in the classroom it is often possible to get photocopies provided of work completed by the teacher.What motivates the student? What motivations are currently being used to keep the student on track academically? Information on this can help the tutor coax higher levels of performance from a student in a way that they are familiar with. A good tutor may have insight on other means of motivating students to excellent performance. It is also helpful to let your tutor know of any passions your student has outside of school. If your child is very interested in nature it is possible to make obvious associations between their learning and biology, but ties can also be made to mathematics, for example genetics uses a lot of mathematical formulae as do the reaction rates of enzymes. Writing skills can be improved by looking at research papers and understanding the convent ions of footnotes and so on. The possibilities are, in fact, endless.A parent who is involved with the school system provides a better partner when communicating with the school system. A parent who has attended parent teacher conferences or sits on the PTA board will be able to provide valuable insights and have enhanced relationships.Also a student and their parents should have short and long term goals that are SMART. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realist, and Time bound. I cannot take personal credit for this acronym. This is actually taught by the US military to assure success in team assignments.Another thing that I recommend for all my students is to have a separate notebook to serve as a journal for their progress. I make a differentiation at this point for students who ask if this is a diary. It is not. This journal is meant to keep track of the work assigned and the work completed with the tutor. This journal should be a physical record of the w ork completed and can serve as a guide for the parents to see how their tutors time is being spent with their child.Reviewing this information would ideally be done on a regular basis by both the student and parents. Feedback from both parties with the tutor would be helpful.Also this can serve as notes for another tutor if another one needs to be found for any reason.A tutor is a significant investment for all involved, including the tutor, and it is a blessing that everyone involved desires the same goal. A successful and happy student!Happy studying!

Readers choice Your favorite teach abroad articles of 2017

Reader’s choice Your favorite teach abroad articles of 2017 At Teach Away, we have the privilege ofwitnessing firsthand the transformative power of great teachers, just like you, every day. By bringing amazing teachers and innovative schools together all around the world, the whole Teach Away team is proud to play our part in changing the world for the better. Our wonderful community of international educators has grown rapidly in 2017. In fact, there's now over 750,000 of you (not to mention our 34,000 Facebook followers!) Our blog has also grown hugely this year. In 2017 alone, our posts were read over 210,000 times! The articles you loved most in 2017 Looking back at 2017, we’ve rounded up our most popular (and relevant) blog posts throughout the year. If you haven't already done so, don’t forget to check them out: Can I teach English abroad if I’m a non-native speaker? 5 ways to progress your international teaching career in the UAE 6 top interview tips from a teach abroad recruiter 5 steps to becoming a culturally responsive teacher Quiz: Are you a digitally literate teacher? Happy reading! And as we wrap up for the New Year, we wanted to take a moment to send a sincere message of thanks to our amazing readers here on the Teach Away blog. We appreciate you reading, commenting and sharing our blog posts and we'll continue to use your feedback to make the Teach Away blog an even better resource for international teachers in 2018!