John Jay Math Tutoring - A High Quality Online Program For The Best Students

John Jay Math Tutoring - A High Quality Online Program For The Best StudentsIf you're seeking a way to get your child ready for a school grade, consider getting John Jay Math Tutoring. This online math tutor has been approved by the state of California for their curriculum and methodology.Like other math tutors in California, John Jay is using state of the art technology based tools to provide high quality teaching that children need. Because of this, the program is recognized as one of the best math tutoring programs in the world.Math is a subject that many children are not prepared for. If they are given the wrong lessons in grade school, it can lead to low self esteem, frustration, and failure in college. When we put our child's education at risk, it can take years to fix this.Parents who enroll their child in John Jay Math Tutoring can rest assured that their child will be given the lessons they need. Their program will be delivered to them in a manner that gives the child plenty of opportunities to learn.The online programs are designed to help children in grades K-12 build up their self-confidence, develop more and better mathematical skills, and prepare them for the job market. They are taught to solve problems using mathematical techniques and find creative solutions to problems.Because of the nature of John Jay's curriculum, parents can rest assured that their child will receive the math training they need. Teachers of children in grades K-12 are required to use materials and methods that meet the state of California standards. And John Jay Math Tutoring is one of the most current in their curriculum.It's important for parents to ask about the qualifications of John Jay Math Tutoring. Be sure to ask what the student teacher record is like before you sign on the dotted line.

Craving A Sugar Fix Try These 4 Healthy Desserts Instead!

Craving A Sugar Fix Try These 4 Healthy Desserts Instead! Image Via thebigmansworld.com Ingredients: 1 cup mashed, overripe bananas (approximately 3 medium bananas) 1/2 cup smooth almond butter (can sub for any smooth nut butter) 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder Instructions: •Preheat the oven the 350 degrees, grease a small cake pan or loaf pan and set aside. •In a small microwave-safe bowl or stovetop, melt your nut butter. In a large mixing bowl, add the banana, nut butter and cocoa powder and mix very well (or mix with a blender). •Pour the mixture into the greased pan and bake for around 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing into pieces. Enjoy refrigerated. 2. Pumpkin Truffles Yes, it is fall season and that means pumpkin ‘errthang. Although a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte may contain up to a whopping 450 calories, that doesn’t mean that you have to completely deprive yourself of the season’s favorite flavor. These little pumpkin truffles give you the perfect dose of pumpkin sweetness without causing you to sacrifice all of your hard work! Recipe courtesy of mywholefoodlife.com. Ingredients:   For the pumpkin: 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (or 1 can pumpkin) 1 cup coconut butter 3 tbsp  maple syrup 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg For the chocolate coating: 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips 1/4 cup almond milk Instructions: •In the food processor, combine all the ingredients for the pumpkin cream. Blend until smooth. •Stick the food processor bowl in the fridge to firm up a little. About 10 minutes. •Using a cookie scoop, drop mixture onto a lined baking sheet. •Place the baking sheet in the freezer to firm while you make the chocolate mixture. •To make the chocolate use a double boiler method. Fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. •Place a glass bowl on top of the pot with the water. Add the chocolate chips and almond milk to the glass bowl and gently melt the chocolate. •Once all the chocolate is melted, use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over each truffle. •Place in the fridge to firm up the chocolate. Please keep these truffles in the fridge. They should last a couple of weeks. You can freeze them for longer storage. Enjoy! 3. Cake Batter Nice Cream Craving some birthday cake-flavored goodness? Well save yourself the sugar-ridden trip to your local fro-yo shop and whip some cake flavored “nice cream” right at home! Caution: you may want to sing happy birthday to yourself while snacking on this sweet treat. Recipe courtesy of biggerbolderbaking.com. Image Via biggerbolderbaking.com Ingredients: 1 cup (8oz/225g) plain yogurt (greek, non-fat or full fat) 8 oz cream cheese (light or low fat) 3 tbsp honey 3 tsp vanilla 3 tbsp sprinkles Instructions: •Add the cream cheese, honey, yogurt and vanilla into a food processor (or liquidizer). •Process until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl to make sure there are no lumps left. •Stir in the sprinkles with a spatula. •Transfer it to an airtight freezable container and freeze for a minimum six hours, but preferably overnight. Store it in the freezer for up to one month. 4. Vegan Peanut Butter Mug Cake Sometimes, you just want to make a simple and sweet dessert for one without the hassle of having to spend an hour baking for a party of four that will never arrive. Thats why I love to make mug cakes. They are simple, quick, and delicious while being healthy and nutritious. You can also make them with a variety of ingredients (think vanilla blueberry and chocolate banana). Try this delicious and rich take on the mug cake with a peanut butter flair. Recipe courtesy of kitchentreaty.com. Ingredients: 2 tbsp oat or coconut flour 2 tbsp peanut butter (I use all-natural creamy peanut butter) 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk (could substitute dairy milk for non-vegan version) 1 tbsp  pure maple syrup (could substitute stevia honey for non-vegan version) 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract Chocolate chips for topping (optional, but I use Lily’s Stevia Sweetened Chocolate Chips) Instructions: •Add all ingredients except the chocolate chips (if using) to an 8-ounce or larger microwave-safe mug.  Use a fork to stir together until combined. •Microwave on high until the cake has risen and springs back slightly when you poke it, about 60 seconds. If its not done after 60 seconds, try cooking in 15-second intervals until done. •Top with chocolate chips or chunks  if desired and enjoy hot!

Happy Independence Day, USA!

Happy Independence Day, USA! Independence Day  is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, BBQ, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and the movie The Patriot. There are many great and memorable quotes in this movie. Check out the best quotes that can be shared on Fourth of July: 1 Benjamin Martin: May I sit with you? Charlotte: Its a free country. Or at least it will be. 2 Charlotte: You have done nothing for which you should be ashamed. Benjamin Martin: I have done nothing. And for that I am ashamed. 3 Susan Martin: Papa! Papa, dont, Ill say anything! Please, papa, Ill say anything you want, tell me what you want me to say and Ill say it Papa, please dont go! 4 Lord General Cornwallis: Their names and ranks? Benjamin Martin: They refuse to give me their names, but the ranks are nine lieutenants, five captains, three majors, and one very fat colonel who called me a cheeky fellow. 5 Gabriel Edward Martin: [shouting] Im not a child. Benjamin Martin: [shouting] Youre my child. 4 [Grooming himself before battle] Major Jean Villeneuve: If I die I will die well dressed. 6 Occam: Gabriel said if we won the war, we could build a whole new world. Just figured wed get started right here with your home. Benjamin Martin: Sounds good. Thank you. 7 Benjamin Martin: Im a parent. I havent got the luxury of principles. 8 Benjamin Martin: This battle was over before it began. 9 Benjamin Martin: When you have a family of your own, perhaps youll understand. Gabriel Edward Martin: When I have a family of my own, I wont hide behind them. 10 Benjamin Martin: I have long feared that my sins would return to visit me, and the cost is more than I can bear. 11 Lord General Cornwallis: Everything will change. Everything has changed. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

How to Unleash Your Mind Power 5 Ways to Learn Any Language with a Growth Mindset

How to Unleash Your Mind Power 5 Ways to Learn Any Language with a Growth Mindset You can learn any language.There, I said it.How can I make such a bold claim, without knowing you personally?Because I know you have thoughts.And by using  your thoughts to  develop a growth mindset, you can absolutely  learn a foreign  language.Yes, even  if youve never learned a language before  or if you think your  memory isnt the sharpest.And for those of you who have been learning languages steadily for some time now, if this is the first youve heard of a growth mindset, prepare to be amazed.Ive taken the five main elements of a growth mindset and applied them to language learning, sharing  specific actions you can take today for incredible results. Are you ready to redesign  your mind? What Is a Growth Mindset?You might not have seen the name  Carol Dweck before now, but this world-renowned Stanford University psychology professor is  a bit of a celebrity  in the field of motivation. She has spent decades studying  why people succeed, and that research  is  what led to her r evolutionary discovery of mindsetsâ€"which  well be using to succeed in learning a language.In her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,  Dweck explains that there are two contrasting mindsets people may have: fixed and growth. While this isnt a black-and-white situationâ€"you probably fall somewhere on a scale between the two, depending on the situationâ€"were going to look at them individually to better understand each.People with a fixed mindset are concerned with judgement, afraid of failure and cannot self-correct. They generally stick to what theyre good at so that others will view them as successful, and they think intelligence is somewhat fixed.People with a growth mindset see value in improving and learning, love challenges, self-correct and believe in effort. Theyre not afraid to make mistakes while trying something new, as they know thats simply whats necessary when you learn by doing. They agree you can significantly change how intelligent you are, at any point in time.Not only will a growth mindset help you learn new skills and overcome setbacks in any area of your life, but its also the key to learning a foreign language, as youll see in the five tips below.How to Unleash Your Mind Power: 5 Ways to Learn Any Language with a Growth Mindset1. Change Your Inner DialogueDepending on where you currently fall on the fixed/growth mindset scale, acquiring a growth mindset can be a big change, and will require development. Youll literally need to change the way you think, and I have some action items below which will help you do this.But bear with me here, because this step is vital  to learning a foreign language. Dweck writes in her book:The view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life.Its equally true that  the view  you adopt for  yourself profoundly affects how well you learn a language. So, how should you  think of yourself  with a growth mindset? First, no more I cant ~ or Im so bad at ~ statements. While it is i mportant to be able to identify your weaknesses (as well see in #5), the language you use to  pinpoint these matters.Then, we need to eliminate fear of failure, and furthermore, the idea of failure altogether. Especially in todays society with pristine profiles, photos, websites and online portfolios plastered all over the Internet, many of us have this false idea that anything less than perfect is failure.What you usually dont see online is the behind the scenesâ€"the grit, effort (and mistakes!) it took to get there. Being imperfect is not failure; its perfectly natural. And when you begin learning a new language, theres a ton you wont know. Thats because youve just started learning!When theres a lot you dont know, youre going to make mistakes, youre going to feel unsure and youre going to have questions. This is how you acquire new knowledge and abilities.People with a growth mindset understand to their core that qualities can be cultivated; youre not born with it. By putting in continual effort and following the four tips to come, you can learn a foreign language. Take your focus away from success/failure, and place it on the learning.Heres an example of how you might change your thoughts:Fixed mindset: Im so bad at Chinese; people never understand me and I can never remember the words for what I want to say!Growth mindset: Today people had some trouble understanding me, so Im going to work on my pronunciation with my language partner. It may be hard for me to remember words right now, but I will study with FluentU to improve over time.I highly recommend reading Mindset to help you develop this type of thinking, but here are three actions you can do which will also set you on the growth mindset path.Actions to change your inner thoughts:Create inspirational quotes: Find some relevant quotes in English (such as any of  these, these or these) and translate them into your target language. If youre not a beginner, go ahead and search for the quotes directly in your target language, skipping the translation process. Write them out by  hand on notecards and post them up in your room. Put one on the bathroom mirror and read it aloud every morning and night, and bring a few more quotes (or copies) to work. Change your phone and computer backgrounds to one of these quotes. Read it again and again, and youll actually begin to change your thinking.Identify worry/fears: To help overcome any fears of failure or leaving your comfort zone (#2), I recommend using Dale Carnegies method to overcome worry from his lovely book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. For any  situation that makes you uneasy, ask yourself, Whats the worst that could possibly happen? Mentally picture the worst that might happen,  and write it down. Then, accept the worst (pretend thats what has happened), and try to improve on it.Stop comparing: You can gain awesome motivation and tips from polyglot stars, but dont let yourself into the comparing trap (i.e., Ill never be li ke him, But she went to an immersion high school!, etc.) Be on the lookout for comparingâ€"especially when browsing social media or interacting with fellow language learners in your class or at language exchanges. You need to catch yourself in the act, and then change your internal dialogue. The next time you come across someone with a higher skill level in your target language, rather than compare, ask them for advice! Remember, they were once at your exact level.2. Push Outside of Your Comfort ZoneAnother big characteristic of people with a growth mindset is that they push beyond their comfort zone. Pushing beyond this zone will feel, well, uncomfortable!â€"but its necessary to gain new skills, like  speaking a foreign language.If you want something to become easy and familiar, you have to do it over and over; you cant avoid it. Our natural hesitancy, however, is to stick to the comfortable. To remind me to watch out for this tendency, I have a quote up in my room that says:Choose growth over comfort.Any time Im hesitant to make a phone call in French, for example, those four words remind me that being uncomfortable or nervous for the duration of a quick phone call will only help me become more at ease in the long run. The more I do it, the less of a big deal it will seem.If youre just starting out learning a language, youll soon become comfortable with the present tense, or some  basic words when speaking and writing. Its a lot easier to say I went than to learn and use a more accurate description such as I fled, I drove, I set off, I moseyed on over, etc. Our third action item below will help you get past this very language comfort.Another phrase to remember is Start before youre ready.So many people unfortunately take away their own opportunities to learn by thinking they arent ready. Im not good enough for a conversation partner, I couldnt understand a movie or I cant order from an all-Chinese menu are all thoughts that will prevent you from improving.Ag ain, its doing the actions that will make you ready, or rather, allow you to progress. The sooner you jump in and leave your comfort zone, the sooner that zone will expand to where youve gone.Dont forget that you can also push outside of your comfort zone when it comes to learning  methods. Maybe youve been sticking to homework assigned in your language class, or to one favorite language learning app, for example. Expand your learning tools and give some new methods a try.Actions to push your comfort zone:Go to a language exchange:  Go to a language exchange or have a video call with a native speaker before youre ready. If youve never done this before, now is the time. If youre nervous, know that all of the other language learners were once in your exact shoes; they had to start somewhere. Prepare a quick intro and a few questions ahead of time, so that you have somewhere to start. Remind yourself throughout that its all a learning experience.Make calls on G+:  Every two weeks, load up $5  on Google Hangouts,  call a business/hotel/restaurant/university somewhere in the world where your target language is spoken and ask them some basic questions. Even if its your first month of language learning, you can do this!  The distance and triviality of the call should make you much calmer and relaxed.  Make several calls during a single session, and feel free to  choose a target topic/phrases each week to focus  the calls.Eliminate five:  Choose five foreign words that you use most frequently (i.e., good, bad, go, etc.). For the next week, youre not allowed to say or write these words. Instead, look up synonyms before the week begins, and carry them around with you. You could do a week of adjectives, another week of five verbs, etc. If you arent using your target  language that frequently, feel free to extend the ban to several weeks or a monthâ€"though we recommend increasing your frequency too!Block  sites: Use a free site blocker (like this Chrome extension) to blo ck your regular news site and delete any news apps you might have in your native language from your devices. Replace it with a news site in your target language by adding it to your browsers favorites bar and downloading any apps. For the next three weeks, every time you want to check the news, use the site in your target language.Have a weekly hour of attack: Keep a running list of the hardest/scariest/most confusing topics for you right now. If you were an  English learner, for example, topics might include if clauses,  who vs. whom, take vs. bring or  how to ask questions.  Spend one hour each week investigating these topics in-depth. (Feel free to break this into two half-hour sessions, by the way.) Start with the first topic  on your list  and look up various explanations of the concept (blog posts, websites, workbooks, etc.). Ask a tutor or teacher for help if its still unclear after referencing a variety of sources.Then, look for usage examples in various media (podcasts, sho ws, FluentU clips, magazines, etc.). Finally, bring together all youve learned into an ultimate resource on the topic. I make a rough draft on printing paper as I collect information, and then neatly write the final page of notes in a notebook used just for this purpose. You might end up spending several weeks (aka several hours) on a single concept. The goal is to know the topic so well that you could teach someone else, and your final page of notes will be a great tool for reference and review.While Ive personally only used this technique with tricky grammatical topics (after all, those are often the scary topics we want to avoid), you can certainly adapt it for  themes  as well. You might explore  broad themes like  home and  weather, or more specific topics like a current event, ordering food at a restaurant or writing an email.3. Pursue Your CuriositiesPeople with a growth mindset plunge in wholeheartedly, because they have a genuine desire to know more. Perhaps the language it self is a huge curiosity for you, but more likely you can pair another interest with your target language to authentically get pulled in.Julia Childs account of learning to cook French cuisine in her delightful book My Life in France is absolutely  fascinating. At the age of 37, upon moving overseas to Paris for her husbands job, she became so curious about and interested in French cuisine that it ended up shaping the rest of her life.It was speaking with the vendors at the local markets and with chefs at restaurants that helped her French to progress. She wanted to know more about the foods and their preparation, so she needed the language to find answers. Here are two  quotes from the book that show just how strong Julias passion was for French cuisine:One of the things I loved about French cooking was the way that basic themes could be made in a seemingly infinite number of variations I wanted to try them all, and I did. I learned how to do things professionally, like how to fix properly a piece of fish in thirteen different ways, or how to use the specialized vocabulary of the kitchenâ€"petits dés are vegetables diced quite finely; a  douille  is the tin nozzle of a pastry pan that lets you squeeze a cake decoration as the icing blurps out.When I wasnt at school, I was experimenting at home, and became a bit of a Mad Scientist. I did hours of research on mayonnaise, for instance, and although no one else seemed to care about it, I thought it was utterly fascinating.Julia admits  that she made so much mayonnaise during that phase of experimentation  that she and her husband could hardly stand to eat it anymore, so she actually started dumping batches down the toilet! What a shame, writes Julia, But in this way I had finally discovered a foolproof recipe, which was glory!  Clearly Julia was propelled forward by the desire to know more about French cuisine.Some interests may align strongly with a languages culture, but definitely dont limit yourself to cooki ng in French, dancing tango  in Spanish or doing taekwondo in Korean, for example.Actions to pursue your curiosities:Use Google or Wikipedia to look up curiosities: Often, when I have a small curiosity to learn about something, Ill do a quick search on Google or Wikipedia to learn a bit about it. Im assuming you probably do the same. So for one week each month, do every single Google and Wikipedia search in your target language. For that week, you could change your Google location to a country where your target language is spoken (heres how to do that). Or, you can change your home page to the Google domain of a country that speaks your target language (e.g., www.google.co.jp is Japans Google domain).  Heres a list of Google domains. On Wikipedia, the language settings are on the left-side panel.Start a passion project: Start a focused project exploring something youre excited about. This is something youd do in your free time purely out of interest and pleasure. Today, the term pas sion project is often equated with a small side business, but generating income is not what were aiming to do here. For a quick non-language-related example, Sarah Coyne  loves national parks, sending snail mail and painting, so she began a personal project called Post for the Parksâ€"which uniquely combines all three interests.Here are some  ideas for your project: writing a childrens book in your target language, interviewing immigrants (or natives of another countryâ€"dont forget you can do Skype interviews too!) about a topic of your choice, making a calendar in your target language tracking an event (political, historical, current, science, etc.) or composing a song with lyrics in your  target language. For more ideas, consider tweaking one of these school project ideas to involve  your target language and interests.4. Take On Challenges That Will Stretch YouA  fourth quality of people with a growth mindset is that they wont shy away from a hearty challenge. In this instance, I m using the word challenge to signify an undertaking that should be quite difficultâ€"think 48 Hour Film Project,  Tough Mudder  or The Big Moment  (Anyone else remember that 90s TV show?).So ideally there should be a hard deadline, a shorter timeline (from two days to three months), and it should feel like a sprint. Its not something you could do all the time, such as Study 10 minutes every day this month. Rather, this is on top of your regular language practice time.Make sure your challenge lines up with your learning objectives. For example, if youre learning German in order to read  original works of German philosophers, a speaking challenge clearly wont be the best way for you to  get there.Once youve chosen your challenge and start date, begin telling  all of your friends and family about it. This will help hold you accountable. You might even find someone who wants to do the challenge with you, which would be excellent for accountability! Share your progress throughout the ch allenge so you dont lose steam.Like the passion project, your challenges could take on many shapes and sizes (and should be interesting to you), but here are a few ideas to get you started.Possible  challenges to take on:1000 Words Challenge:  If youre a total beginner, try the 1000 Words Challenge, created by  Vocab Express in association with  Oxford University Press. You get a free account with a simple registration (email, username, password), which lasts the duration of the 1000 Words campaign. The current languages offered in this particular platform are French, Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese and Arabic. Vocab Express has organized the 1000 words by category, and it  teaches you the vocab through various learn modes and tracks how much youve learned. Youll have to give yourself your own deadline, though. How about three months?Add1Challenge:  The Add1Challenge  was designed specifically for language learners. The goal is to hold a 15-minute conversation with a native speaker in 90 daysâ€"even if youre starting  from zero. The challenge is for serious participants only, as you must pay 97 USD to join the community. Whats more, if you dont submit a required video by the deadline, for example, youll be removed from the Facebook groupâ€"no refund. But if youre all in, the support from the community and structure of this challenge can produce incredible results.Ignite presentation:  Igniteâ€"whose tagline is Enlighten us, but make it quickâ€"is a type of presentation where you have 20 slides, which automatically change every 15 seconds. That means you have 5 minutes to give the presentation. For a language challenge,  prepare and give an Ignite presentation in your  target language about something important to you. Due to the automatic advancement of the slides,  youll have to  practice to get your timing rightâ€"so those repetitions will be great for getting comfortable in  your target language. Choose a specific deadline thats honest ly challenging for you. Olivia Mitchell, who prepared her first Ignite presentation  in 3 hours,  shares her tips for speedy preparation here.5. Examine Yourself and Self-correctThe final major  quality of people with a growth mindset is that they regularly examine themselves and confront the truthâ€"good or badâ€"to self-correct.  If you dont know whats not working, how can you fix it?We said earlier that you should  eliminate negative language from your internal dialogue (i.e., I cant ~), but positive, talent-based praise is also a slippery slope. If you  repeatedly tell yourself Im so good at vocabulary, a fixed mindset would  want to prove that statement true, which makes it hard to admit when something needs attention. (A better praise, by the way, would be one that praises effortâ€"not abilityâ€"such as,  Im working so hard to learn this  vocabulary. Gold star for me!)Since people with a growth mindset know its effort that produces results, and arent afraid to be seen as faili ng,  they more accurately assess their progress, strengths and weaknesses. Regularly assessing your language-learning progress from day one will allow you to spend your study time more efficiently, working on what actually needs the most attention. This, in turn, will drastically speed you closer to your goals.Keep in mind that youll want to measure both your language skills and  your language-learning methods. Maybe youve been listening to podcasts for Japanese learners every day  on your way to work, but youre often distracted by the traffic and havent held on to a single phrase that was taught. Taking the time to stop and reflect on your methods will allow you to realize something needs to changeâ€"perhaps you should  listen to Japanese music on the way to work instead, and listen to the podcast in the evening with a transcript in front of you, for example.Actions to examine yourself and self-correct:Set specific goals: In order to examine your progress, the first step is to know where youre headed. Sit down for 15 minutes and write down your language goals.  Use this guide to set effective language-learning goals, and you can download a  free goal planning sheet here  made specifically for language learners by  Lindsay Does Languages. The worksheet is great because in addition to your goals, it has you pinpoint exactly how youll measure your progress. You might end up inventing  some sorts of  tests  so  that you can track hard numbers/documentation, to see change over time. (I record a video of myself speaking unscripted in French for about 5 minutes each month as one of my ways to measure progress, for example.)Have monthly check-ins:  Check in at least monthly. Block off 15 minutes at the end of each month by writing it in your planner or scheduling it on a calendar app. A good time to do this scheduling is right once youve finished your goal setting; go ahead and pencil them  in for the next 6 to 12 months. When you sit down, look at what youve tracked over the previous month. Ask yourself basic questions: What went well? What didnt go well?  Are my methods  effective?  Celebrate your progress  and make a plan of attack that adjusts your methods and hones in  on your weakest skills.  Keep a color calendar:  Last spring, I used four different colored highlighters to track how much time I was spending on the  four skillsâ€"speaking, reading, writing and listeningâ€"in my paper planner. When I went to a language exchange, I colored in that time slot with the color for speaking. When I watched a movie in French, I colored in listening. At the end of each week I would  look back and easily see how  I had  spent my time, and plan for the next week accordingly. I tracked all four skills because I wanted to learn all four, and I used paper because I prefer it, but you might want to track something else or use a slightly different system. Note that time doesnt necessarily equal progress in that skill, but this is  a nice basic way to get you started  self-examining.Ask for feedback:  Tell  your private tutor/classroom teacher/language exchange partner that youd like to know the top three areas where you need the most work. Give them some notice so that your teacher/tutor/partner can pay attention during the next couple of class periods/sessions to give you accurate feedback. This  will help you fix mistakes much quicker because theyll be clearly identified for you!By developing these five qualities of a growth mindset, you can nurture thoughts that will not only help you learn any languageâ€"but change your entire life.Rebecca Thering is a writer, editor and English teacher who has lived abroad in Spain, South Korea and France. Valuing education and things that aren’t things, she inspires and helps others by blogging  about her experiences abroad, cultural insights and self-improvement pursuits at Rebe With a Clause.

Teacher of the Week #6 Amera

Teacher of the Week #6 Amera Teacher of the Week #6 Amera Eid Teacher of the Week #6 Amera Eid This week, we are proud to feature a rising star,  Amera Eid  as our Teacher of the Week. Amera teaches Arabic on italki and has an impressive 5.0 feedback rating. Check out Amera speaking Arabic in this video with Fluent in 3 months:  Heres what some of her students had to say about Ameras class: Amera is very encouraging and is patient with me. She always gives me time to repeat or practice my new words and sentences. I feel very comfortable in my attempt to express myself in Arabic. I love my teacher! ?? michaeljarman Amera is awesome! Ive already learned so much in one half hour intro session! Looking forward to continuing more intensively with her.   nicklesb Book a lesson with her by visiting her profile here. Teacher of the Week #6 Amera Teacher of the Week #6 Amera Eid Teacher of the Week #6 Amera Eid This week, we are proud to feature a rising star,  Amera Eid  as our Teacher of the Week. Amera teaches Arabic on italki and has an impressive 5.0 feedback rating. Check out Amera speaking Arabic in this video with Fluent in 3 months:  Heres what some of her students had to say about Ameras class: Amera is very encouraging and is patient with me. She always gives me time to repeat or practice my new words and sentences. I feel very comfortable in my attempt to express myself in Arabic. I love my teacher! ?? michaeljarman Amera is awesome! Ive already learned so much in one half hour intro session! Looking forward to continuing more intensively with her.   nicklesb Book a lesson with her by visiting her profile here.

The Bruice Organic Chemistry Blog

The Bruice Organic Chemistry BlogThe Bruice Organic Chemistry blog can help you understand some of the complexities involved in chemistry. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to this type of knowledge, or is educated enough to understand the importance of what you read on a daily basis. With this in mind, this might be a great idea for those who are just getting started in their career as well as for those who are trying to learn more about the field of chemistry.One thing to note with the Bruice blog is that most of the posts and articles written by Dr. Dre will come from a personal experience. In other words, it can be difficult to interpret a reading on a daily basis if you don't have direct personal experience to relate to.The Bruice Organic Chemistry blog is also great for those who are in a field that doesn't require a large amount of training or experience. The same goes for those who are simply interested in learning more about chemistry.The Bruice Organic Chemistry blog w ill explain in simple terms some of the basics that are involved in chemistry. The reason why this is helpful is because a lot of the topics that need to be covered are actually fairly simple. Often times, reading about chemistry can be very confusing, especially to someone who is new to the field of chemistry.The comments section of the Bruice Organic Chemistry blog can be a great resource for those who want to get an understanding of how they can apply what they read on the blog to their professional lives. People who are new to chemistry often find it hard to learn what they need to know before they enter a field that requires a great deal of learning.In addition to talking about the Bruice Organic Chemistry blog, Dr. Dre's chemistry podcast can also be a great resource for those who are just starting to learn about chemistry. Because Dr. Dre puts so much emphasis on the podcast, it can provide those who want to learn more about chemistry for a great resource.Just make sure that you take your time when learning about chemistry. Sometimes, learning about it can be easy, but it might take a long time for someone who just started out.

Online Chemistry Tutors

Online Chemistry TutorsWhether you're working towards a degree in Organic Chemistry or if you're just looking to improve your Chemistry grades, you can find an online Chemistry tutor in the form of a website or a private tutor. However, you will need to consider which type of online Chemistry tutor will suit your learning style, their availability and the time that you have to spend with them.When you start to look for an online Chemistry tutor, it is important to check if they offer the format you're looking for. For example, if you are someone who wants to take Chemistry courses at the most convenient time possible, then you may want to check with them to see if they offer 'live' learning.For a teacher who is teaching a class of two students, this means that the student who is the instructor of record can actually talk with the students individually while the other student is taking their test or homework, so that they can watch what their students are doing and ensure that they're doing their homework correctly. It can also mean that the teacher can set up a time to take the students' test or assignments together, allowing you to take your test with your classmates.Another option that you may want to consider if you are looking for an online Organic Chemistry tutor is the possibility of taking 'homework lessons.' This can mean that you get to interact with the online tutors in the same way that you would with a real one and that you get to spend the rest of your day in class with the tutor and get feedback from them as well.Online tutors will usually work from home or from their own offices, so that you don't have to worry about travel time. However, it is always important to remember that in the long run, whether you choose online, a live online or a private tutor, the price that you pay will be based on the amount of work that you do each week, not whether or not you are able to afford the tutor.If you decide to use an online tutoring service, it is import ant to make sure that you have enough knowledge about the materials to which you are taking the classes, and that you have all the online experience you'll need to communicate effectively with the online tutors. If you have a good knowledge about the content of the course, then you should be able to communicate well with the online tutor, as you probably would face to face.Finally, when you are going to look for an online Organic Chemistry tutor, it is important to make sure that you take your time to decide on the best online option for you. You don't want to waste your time or money by taking an online chemistry tutor who isn't available.

4 Rock Singers With Great Vocal Technique - And 4 Without

4 Rock Singers With Great Vocal Technique - And 4 Without Suzy S. Do you love singing rock? Here, voice teacher Molly R. shares her recommendations for four singers to check out for how to sing rock and four more you can learn from! When you think about impeccable vocal technique, it’s not often that a rocker comes to mind, is it? Usually we’re praising the beautiful tone quality, high notes, and volume of an opera singer, or perhaps a jazz or musical theatre vocalist. Rock singers are usually known for their larger-than-life personalities and stage presence over anything else. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t rock singers out there with amazing, healthy voices. Au contraire! Some of the singers listed below are on par with many opera divas and divos as far as technique is concerned; their style just happens to be totally different! Here is a list of vocalists  with great rock singing technique: Ann Wilson Now here is my absolute favorite singer of all time Ann Wilson of the rock band Heart. Yes, I may have studied classical singing but let me tell you, if I had a choice to sound like Renée Fleming or Ann Wilson, I’d definitely  choose to sound like Ann! There’s a reason why they call her the “female Robert Plant.” What a powerhouse she is! First of all, this dynamic performer is in her 60s  and sounding better than ever. This is an indication that she has been using reliable vocal technique for decades. She can let loose with killer forte phrases and it sounds powerful, never forced. Why? She connects with her body  and doesn’t squeeze her throat! Ms. Wilson has also studied voice formally to keep herself in good vocal shape. Obviously it’s worked as she has enjoyed a very long career and is still going strong with absolutely no signs of slowing down. Here she is in 1977, performing live: Chris Cornell Mr. Cornell has a rich baritone rock voice that is the envy of many male singers! Although there is only one Chris, male rockers can take a cue from him by taking voice lessons  (he studied with the same teacher than Ann Wilson did, in fact!). In the video below, listen to him  singing something fairly unexpected a ballad! With great vocal technique, a rocker should be able to switch gears and sing something like this with more sensitive phrasing. If you push and scream your way through your rock singing career, you’ll simply shred your voice. Don’t you want longevity, like Chris? Pat Benatar Pat Benatar is another rocker still going strong in her 60s! Fun fact: She studied classical singing as a young woman and was even offered a spot at Juilliard. Although she chose the rock route, having a reliable vocal technique has kept her singing big rock songs for more than  30  years. Here she is singing “Heartbreaker” fairly recently. Notice she still has a very clear and powerful tone, especially through her middle range. Long phrases and big notes are no problem for this lady: with her classical training she knows how to support! Ronnie James Dio He may no longer be with us, but his amazing rock voice lives on! Frontman Dio never actually had any formal vocal training. However, he did  study as an instrumentalist, and has claimed that his time as a trumpet player gave him excellent breath technique. Not only that, but he loved to listen to opera from an early age. Clearly the breathing he learned as a trumpet player built up his lung capacity and allowed him to hit full, high notes with ease again and again. He was known as one of the best metal singers ever, and I think you can hear why. This song requires lots of stamina he’s staying in his upper register for most of it! Now, what about rock singers who well dont have the greatest technique? There are a few that stand out. Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day has an extremely  nasal sound. It always sounds like he is singing completely congested! This is due to the fact that he is not singing with any sort of open throat technique to make a more pleasing, ringing tone. This happens when the soft palate is not raised. Listen here: Lita Ford had better success as a top guitarist, and to me it’s clear why. Although her big hit Kiss Me Deadly” is a great song, I can’t help but wonder what it would sound like if she sang it out a bit more fully, rather than yelling or talking-singing most of it. Remember, there ARE healthy ways to “scream” in rock   but you better find a teacher who  specializes in this technique to guide you through it! In the video below, Sheryl Crow is lacking some serious support, putting out a wimpier, airier sound that’s fairly common in pop and rock. If Sheryl trained with good old-fashioned staccato vocal exercises to strengthen her diaphragm, she’d be sounding a LOT more powerful! She needs to sing with more lower body. Eddie Vedder has what I’d call an…. interesting sound. More specifically, he is covering! This means he is manufacturing his sound to make it sound darker in tone (usually this happens when the tongue is in the way). In reality, the audience just hears garbled, muddy sound. If one of his main articulators (tongue) is always in the way, no wonder we don’t understand a word he’s singing! Learn How to Sing Rock Do you have aspirations to be a strong rock vocalist? There are many teachers on TakeLessons who  can help you achieve your goals! Find a  singing teacher near your or online, and he or she will work with you to  build a solid and reliable vocal technique no matter what style it is that speaks to you! Want to learn more about rock singing  techniques? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Singing Styles and Genres! Post Author:  Molly R. Molly R. teaches online and in-person singing lessons in Hayward, CA. Her specialties include teaching beginner vocalists, shy singers, children, teens, lapsed singers, and older beginners. She joined TakeLessons in November 2013.  Learn more about Molly  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

Motivate Your Child To Practice With a Reward System

Motivate Your Child To Practice With a Reward System Mac Getting your child to practice anything  can be tough. Its easy for them to get distracted, bored, or otherwise uninterested when faced with a task. In this article, piano and singing teacher  Mariana L.  shares her reward system for kids that works brilliantly on her music students Children can get bored  and easily distracted while trying to focus  on a task. Many of them look like this: As a piano and voice teacher, the number one question I receive from parents is: How do I get my child to practice more? This question usually arises after they find themselves constantly nagging their children to practice. In turn, this causes the music students to become frustrated; they may even  lose the interest and love they felt for their instrument when they began taking lessons. Whats my suggestion for handling this situation? A  reward system. Its purpose is  to encourage students to practice and regain the joy they felt for music when they first wanted  lessons. In my experience, parents are always excited about introducing a reward system for music lessons because its something familiar; most of them already  use a reward system at home for their childrens schoolwork, chores, behavior, etc. What is a Reward System? The concept of a reward system stems from the operant conditioning  studies of psychologist B.F. Skinner.  Skinner studied positive and negative reinforcement as a way of changing or achieving a behavior from an individual. In his laboratory, Skinner placed some rats in a box that had a lever, which, upon pulling it, released  pellets of food. At first, the rats would accidentally push the lever and receive their reward. After several times of getting food by accident, they figured out how to receive the reward (food) whenever they wanted it. For children, practicing their instrument is the lever and the food is  whatever your child gets excited about. Their reward  could be toys, books, games, or even an extra outing to the park its up to you. Setting Up a Reward System I strongly recommend you work with your childs instructor to figure out what both of you would like to achieve from the reward system. For example, you might simply want your child to practice more than fifteen minutes a day, but your childs instructor might also want them to mark their sheet music before coming to the lesson. Work out your goals first, then compare them to the goals of the instructor, and then construct the reward system from there. To prepare your little music student for success, make sure they have the following items: An assignment  chart Tons of stickers Fake money [optional] With my students, I use three sheets to manage the system. 1) The  Point Tracker On this sheet, each colored star has its own point value. All you need to do is assign X amount of points to X amount of dollars and youre good to go! I find it easiest to calculate points per one dollar value. 2) The  Point Earning Guide On this sheet, youll assign a point value to behaviors and/or tasks. You can be as broad or as specific as you want. For instance, you could reward ten points per one minute of practicing, or fifteen points for finishing a unit. In this example, the guide is quite specific because there were certain behaviors my student’s mother and I wanted to correct. 3) The  Reward Menu This part of the process, in my opinion, is the most fun to create! Parents, teachers, and students  can work together to decide what type of prizes the student will receive. My rewards include students getting to play with a box of my percussion instruments, playing a musical game on my iPad, or playing on my keyboard with voices other than the piano (violin, trumpet, xylophone, etc.). Remember to assign a somewhat high cash value to the rewards to ensure the goal is not achieved too early. As a bonus, this is also a wonderful way to teach children about saving money! My Shareable Files I use a free graphic design service called Canva to create sheets for my students.  Below are the sheets that I use. Feel free to change them based on your students needs and desires. Reward Chart Reward Menu How to Keep the System Working After working with a reward system for a few months, parents often  wonder if the system is sustainable. In other words, theyll ask: Will I always have to reward my child in order to get them to practice? To tell you with complete honestly, theres no general answer to that question. Some students develop an almost Pavlovian response to practice, where they no longer need a  reward to pick up their instrument every day; playing music IS the reward. The natural consequence of more practice is, of course, developing an advanced skill to play an instrument. And with enough practice,  being able to play more complex  and interesting pieces of music. If a student is not ready to practice without getting rewarded, its always a good idea to find ways to keep the system fun and fresh; every couple of months, sit down to change the rewards and ways to earn points. Its best to consult with the students teacher first, since certain behaviors and skills might have already been achieved. Conclusion If you can  take anything from this post, its this: remember the joy that music brings to your childs life. Find a way to keep that passionate flame  burning. The last thing they want is to restart piano lessons as an adult, regretting the fact that they quit as a child. For more information about reward systems and encouraging your child to practice, try scheduling a lesson with a private music instructor. A little one-on-one instruction  goes a long way! Know any tricks to get young students  to focus on practice? Comment below! Post Author:  Mariana L. Mariana L.  teaches singing, piano, and Spanish in Maple Grove, MN. Shes holds a Masters of Music degree from The Catholic University of America. Her approach to teaching is speaking in terms that are easy for her  students to understand and remember.  Learn more about Mariana  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