Learn to Sing in Key with a Voice Coach

Learn to Sing in Key with a Voice Coach Take Singing Lessons Stop Hitting the Wrong Notes ChaptersWhat Is Singing Out of Tune?How Can You Sing In Tune?Is There a Specific Age for Having Private Singing Tutorials?Can You Get a Musical Ear?The Best Methods for Correcting Your Vocal Cords“Songs are the heartbeat of man.” - AnonymousSo many people dream of being a singer as famous as the stars. There are also plenty of aspiring singers who want to be the champion of the X Factor or The Voice.  Unfortunately, not everyone has what it takes to be a singing sensation, though a vocal coach could help.If this is the case, their goals might be a little less ambitious: try to sing like their downstairs neighbour who, while really loud and annoying, can sing and hit every note. There are plenty of different reasons why people are learning how to sing.In the past, classical music (though it wasn't classical at the time!) was an integral part of everyday rural life: the father would sing operettas while shaving, the mother would sing a lullaby to their child, Gregorian chants were being sung in churches and cathedrals, and labourers would sing various work anthems as they toiled away in the fields.Things have changed since then. These musical masterpieces are rarely performed by the families themselves and the lullabies that would be performed at the time of Mozart have been replaced with tablets and YouTube.However, without practising regularly, most of us are far from being anywhere near as good as Pavarotti. Even less so when we have to sing in public.Did you know that singing in the shower is so common that a number of famous artists have even recorded music in tiled rooms to emulate it?It’s never too late to start, though! Even if you start learning to sing later on in life, you can achieve some impressive results if you put in the hard work and find someone to help you, whether you want to sing for fun or go pro! TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discov er all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Is Singing Out of Tune?This expression has made its way into common parlance so much so that almost everyone knows what it means.  However, is “singing out of tune” just when somebody sings the notes so badly that the song is no longer enjoyable?This will depend on who you’re asking.  In some cases, the singer mightn’t be very familiar with the melody and make a few mistakes while still technically singing acceptable notes.In other cases, the singer lacks the musical education and ear to tell whether or not their hitti ng the notes or whether they’re just hitting the wrong ones.Whether you're a bass, baritone, or countertenor, you can still dream of playing the world's best opera houses. (Source: Flash Bros)The latter is just a case of being a “bad singer”. We’re more interested in those with a voice capable of hitting notes.Most of the time, this boils down to proprioception and one’s ability to use the parts of the body involved in singing.  It’s important to remember that singing a wrong note, while horrible at the time, is not the end of the world.You’ll see: you’ll soon be able to sign up to a singing competition and make it to the semifinals. It’s your time to shine!  Even in the event that you lack the ability, there are singing teachers who are more than capable of helping people learn to sing better than they’d ever expect.Of course, this does mean that it’ll be harder for you than someone who’s just naturally musically gifted. In this case, you should take joy in every single singing challenge you overcome.How Can You Sing In Tune?If you stop singing out of tune, you’ll obviously start singing in tune. After all, your vocal cords are muscles designed to make any given note within your vocal range. If you're a bass, for example, it's going to be difficult to hit the high notes.Singing in key is knowing how to make any given note with your vocal cords and vocal exercises and vocal training can help you to do this.  Put simply, you have to imagine that your vocal cords can make notes in the same way that each key on a piano can make a different note.After all, when you hit a piano key, a hammer hits a wire (which is much like a cord). The size and tension of each wire makes it produce a specific note. When this tension isn’t right, a piano will require tuning.  Fortunately for you, the internet is full of videos and tutorials that will help you learn how to make your voice do exactly the same as a fine-tuned piano.There are plenty of tips, too, which are really effective for helping you find the resting position for your larynx, for example. While we don’t often think about it, one of the biggest causes of hitting false notes is stress!  In the same way that the pressure can get to top athletes, a singer’s performance can be negatively effected by anxiety and stress.You need to relax and be fully aware of just how important breathing is when you sing. When you sing a song, your voice teacher will be there to help you learn how to correctly use your diaphragm as well as providing you with warm up exercises and vocal coaching. Being aware of how your body works and having an understanding of music theory can also help! TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsIs There a Specific Age for Having Private Singing Tutorials?A beautiful singing voice, while often an innate gift, can also be encouraged in some cases if the child is taught from a very young age.  We’d recommend that new parents to try to raise a musical prodigy as early as they can as it could result in giving their child a huge advantage later in life.Learning to sing in key later in life can be more difficult (though far from impossible). Of course, as you age, your muscles, including your vocal cords, tighten and become less effective.While it's better to learn to sing from a young age, you're never too old to improve. (Source: Thibault Trillet)People in the UK are quite famous for being terrible at foreign languages.  Sadly, the same is generally true when it comes to singing.  Some languages, like Chinese with its various tones, can help people become better at singing and understanding pitch. Unfortunately, English is not a tonal language.We don’t tend to sing very often in school, either. While we may learn a few nursery rhymes, it’s very rare that we’re being taught by an actual music teacher in primary school.Keep in mind, there's no age limit when it comes to singing success. Remember that when Susan Boyle had her audition on Britain's Got Talent, she was 47 years old!Can You Get a Musical Ear?It’s very common that those who can’t sing in tune tend to have not learnt much about music or music theory. There are a lot of people who’ve just learnt to sing in order to sing along to their favourite songs.  Without discussing amusia (the case in which someone is unable to process pitch), there are those who are unable to distinguish between three different notes being played on the piano due to a lack of practice.In this kind of situation, a bit of music theory and singing tips will go a long way towards helping them better understand music and being able to recognise different notes. They should also:listen to good music with plenty of melodies and harmonies (for tips on getting started, check out our blog on the world's most beautiful songs)listen to music being sung while following the sheet music for said pieceTo become a better musician, why not consider learning to play piano or guitar? (Source: Wikimedia Commons)They should also keep in mind that it’s very rare for anyone to be born with perfect pitch and this is something that will take them absolute years to fully understand. Beginners are probably going to need voice lessons in order to improve their technique and their understanding of music theory.Similarly, don’t be jealous of those that do have perfect pitch. Instead, you should ask them to help you so tha t you can copy their techniques and steadily get closer to their level.Check out some singing lessons Brighton.The Best Methods for Correcting Your Vocal CordsUntil now, we’ve been looking at the fundamental steps to avoid singing out of key:learn more about the physical properties of singinglearn how to sing in tunework on your musical earlisten to yourself singingIf you start with these steps, you won’t need a magic solution. There are plenty of great tips and tricks that can help you sing in tune without wishing.  There are also plenty of online platforms that can help you manage this (since there’s no way you’re going to become a famous singer overnight).The most traditional method, while hardly the most interesting, is the most effective: sing diatonic scales, chromatic scales, and other arpeggios. Obviously, the best way to do this is with the assistance of a singing teacher. There are plenty of singing exercises, vocal techniques, and ways to warm up for all voices th at your tutor will teach you. They'll also help you to breathe correctly, sing with confidence, and get over stage fright.If you're an absolute beginner, you should start by studying an instrument that won’t require you to have a perfect musical ear (so not the violin) alongside your vocal lessons.  Take the piano, for example. Not only is this good ear training, it will also help you start singing with the right notes. It’s the easiest way to start. Just like having a tuning fork for every note.Learning to sing requires a lot of mimicry: you’ll need to which note you have to sing and you’ll also have to correctly replicate it when you sing it.  Once you’ve decided to learn how to sing in key, you’re going to have to put in a lot of work. Singing lessons with a teacher or private tutor are useful as the tutor can adapt their lessons to your strengths and weaknesses and dedicate extra time to the things you’re struggling with.In short, you could say that the more you si ng, the better you sing, and the more you listen, the better you sing! Don't forget that when looking for a voice coach, there are also online singing lessons over Skype.

How to Speak Italian when Youre Still at School

How to Speak Italian when Youre Still at School Italian Lessons: How to Learn Italian at School? ChaptersAre Foreign Languages at Risk?Can You Learn Italian at Secondary School?4 Reasons to Study ItalianLearn Italian with Private Italian TutorialsImprove Your Italian with AppsItalian, like a lot of foreign languages, is in decline in schools. This is most likely due to foreign languages no longer being obligatory at GCSE.However, this could work in your favour. After all, if you chose to study a language like Italian and ended up speaking it fluently, you’d have a unique selling point on your CV.Aside from your career prospects, there are plenty of great reasons for learning a language.Why learn Italian at school? What are the best ways to study a language when you’re young? DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Ant onellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsAre Foreign Languages at Risk?Since languages stopped being obligatory at GCSE and A Level, there’s been a decrease in language learning in the UK.Spanish is currently the only language with increasing numbers of students. Other popular languages like French and German have seen a massive decline in the last couple of years and the Italian language is almost nowhere to be seen in some places.Despite reports saying that our limited language ability is costing us when it comes to international trade and business, foreign languages are still an optional subject when it comes to GCSEs and A Levels. In fact, ever since languages became an optional subject, the number of students taking them has been in decline.So where does this leave the Italian language? As we said earlier, language study in the UK is in decline and Italian isn’t even one of the most popular languages. However, that doesn’t mean that learning Italian in schools is impossible and should be ignored. In fact, the British Council considers Italian the 7th most important language for Britain’s future.There aren't as many graduates in Italian as you might think. (Source: pixabay.com)That said, it’s unlikely a 14-year-old will see that statistic as a good sign for taking an Italian course.The same might be said for foreign language departments at secondary schools. After all, why offer Italian language courses when languages like Spanish, Arabic, French, Chinese, German, and Portuguese are all considered more important?This is why Italian is always going to struggle and it’s a shame. However, that doesn’t mean that children can’t study Italian at GCSE or A Level. There are also way s to study Italian outside of school.Can You Learn Italian at Secondary School?While a foreign language isn’t compulsory at GCSE, schools are still required to offer students the change to learn a new language. Learning a foreign language at primary school has been compulsory since 2014.There's still hope for language learning in the UK! However, since only one language has to be offered, it’s unlikely there'll be Italian lessons available.While this might sound like a lot of doom and gloom, in independent schools that have continued to offer Italian, most of them have managed to increase the number of students studying Italian. It’s a start!However, when you consider the lack of schools offering Italian as a subject and how few students decide to take an optional modern foreign language GCSE, you’ll hardly be surprised to find out that very few students in the UK take Italian at GCSE. DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalia n Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors4 Reasons to Study ItalianBoth parents and students are probably wondering what the point is in studying Italian at school or even bothering to learn any Italian phrases or grammar before that trip to Italy. Why not study Spanish or German, for example? Before deciding not to take Italian lessons, let’s have a look at a few great reasons choose Italian as your new language.Wouldn't you like to visit Florence? (Source: pixabay.com)1. Speaking Italian is Great for Y our CareerAs you probably know, the jobs market in the UK is fairly competitive and it’s not looking like that’s going to change any time soon. While we hardly want to get into a long and boring economic analysis, we do have to look at business. Importantly, companies are looking for all types of skills.25% of students take French at GCSE and 14% take Spanish. German is the third most popular language at GCSE with 9% of students taking the subject.What about Italian?Only 1% of students take Italian at GCSE! If you were to study Italian and GCSE and then continue onto A Level or a Degree, you would be a one-in-a-hundred candidate for certain jobs. Even if you were barely conversational or just knew basic Italian, your Italian would probably be significantly better than the majority of candidates! That doesn't mean you should stop studying once you finish your Italian for Beginners language course!Furthermore, Italy is 9th in terms UK exports. This accounts for around $13 billion of business. That's a lot of money for Italian speaking businesses to get involved with. In fact, we do more exporting to Italy than we do to Spain. So while the number of those studying Spanish is increasing, the numbers of those studying Italian (excluding independent schools) is decreasing. Surely this means that there's demand for candidates with who've taken an Italian lesson or two and have language skills. There are also plenty of jobs in banking, fashion, tourism, agriculture, and design for those who know how to speak Italian.2. Italian might Be Easier than You Think!Around half of English’s vocabulary is of Latin or French origin. This means that a large number of words came from the same place as Italian words did.These common roots mean that when you look at a text during your Italian language course you’ll probably understand more than you would have thought. This also means that there isn’t a single English speaker on the planet that knows absolutely nothing abou t Italian. You’ve really no excuse!If you’re thinking about learning Italian but are worried about it because you’ve been studying a different language until now, this will put your mind at ease. If you’ve been studying another Romance language like French or Spanish, that’ll help you with Italian since the languages also have a lot in common with each other.3. Italian Is a Beautiful LanguageAside from how good Italian could be for your career, you can’t argue that Italian is one of, if not the, most beautiful languages.It’s hard not to love that accent. Even simple things like greetings and basic expressions are enough to make your heart melt! People all over the world love it.Imagine if you could speak it! Learning a language because you love it is arguably the best reason to learn it.4. Learn More about the Country and Its CultureIf you learn Italian, you’ll have lots of opportunities to travel and learn more about the history and culture. After all, you can't sep arate language and culture.Florence is probably one of Italy's most famous cities. (Source: pixabay.com)While Italy isn’t the world’s largest country, Italian culture is one of the richest in the world. Did you know, for example, that Italy is home to 60% of Europe’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It’s also home to 40% of the world’s.  You can also learn about famous Italians like Marco Polo, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Rossellini, Vivaldi, and Verdi.Learn Italian with Private Italian TutorialsWhile you now know the situation when it comes to learning Italian in schools and the state of foreign languages at GCSE, that doesn't mean you can't look at other Italian courses or other ways to get language lessons.While you mightn’t be able to learn Italian at school or study it at GCSE, that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn Italian quickly in the UK. In fact, we have a solution. Did you ever consider learning Italian outside of school? There are a number of interesting option s available to a budding solo Italian learner such as yourself.An Italian private tutor is the most obvious one. More and more parents are opting to pay for academic support and tutoring and are also looking for ways to learn Italian for free online. An Italian tutor can also be useful to help students who are studying for their Italian GCSE.There are plenty of advantages to hiring a private tutor. For one, students benefit from one to one tuition from a quality educator. You can also benefit from learning from a fluent Italian speaker. This makes private Italian tutorials massively different to classes in school with tonnes of other pupils where you might end up repeating verbs for hours despite having already learnt the conjugations at home.In private tutorials, the lessons are completely personalised for the student.  A private Italian tutor will work with their student’s strengths and weaknesses in order to get the most out of them. A shy student can build their confidence wit h a private tutor. In fact, a student who might never speak during their Italian language lessons at school might spend the whole hour speaking in Italian with a high degree of fluency because they feel more comfortable with their tutor or aren't worried about embarrassing themselves in front of their peers.With the right tools, you can make learning Italian much easier.Improve Your Italian with AppsWhile most parents probably struggle to get their kids off their devices, smartphones and tablets can be a massively useful tool when it comes to learning languages.You can use your phone to revise Italian grammar, conjugations, and vocabulary with your phone. (Source: negativespace.co)For example, Italian grammar isn't always easy and you probably don't want to waste your precious time with your tutor asking them about certain conjugations when you could be practising speaking and your Italian pronunciation. Apps are a great resource in this instance for those wanting to look up how to conjugate certain Italian verbs.In addition to their Italian classes, one of the easiest ways to practise Italian, wherever you are, is through an app. If you look for ways to learn Italian online, you'll see that there are plenty of specialised apps and websites offering free lessons and resources for those wanting to learn the language. Here are a few that we recommend:BabbelNemoLearn Italian Vocabulary - 6,000 WordsAll of these apps are great for those just starting to learn Italian and large portions of them are completely free. Above all, apps can make learning Italian words and phrases fun. There are also apps that work like a phrasebook where you can store and manage vocabulary lists with games, quizzes, and challenges to beat.Don't forget that these apps are also great for anyone who’s learning Italian. Not just students doing Italian at GCSE.Check out Superprof to find your ideal private tutor to help you master the Italian language:Italian lessons GlasgowItalian language courses LondonLearn Italian online

How to Take Notes in a College Lecture

How to Take Notes in a College Lecture There are students everywhere. The room is intimidatingly huge. All you face is a giant powerpoint screen and a professor who appears to be miles away. As this professor shuffles through papers and produces a plethora of static to get their microphone clipped on sufficiently, you are probably feeling utterly clueless as to how you are ever going to learn anything in there. The classic college lecture hall is a setting youve seen in many movies and T.V. shows throughout your life, but once youre actually there, you may find yourself having to take a step back to figure out just how you should approach it. Its easy to hopelessly feel like youre totally on your own with this material since theres no way the professor could know who you are in a sea of 200 or so students. What can be even more discouraging is the fact that you cant just as easily raise your hand and ask them to go over something again like you could in a normal-sized class. The professor will typically go about their presentation at their own pace and rarely stop for questions. Even when certain lecture professors do encourage and answer questions, its a bit nerve-wracking to make your inquiry when youre 27 rows away from them. Hence, it would be safe to say that paying close attention and taking notes is the best thing you can do in this situation. Taking notes in a college lecture requires a slightly different style, however, than what you may be used to. As weve already established, it is rare that the professor will pause the lecture at your convenience, just as getting clarifications on specific concepts immediately in the moment is unlikely. Additionally, the session will generally be missing the discussion element exhibited in most classes that allows you the ability to catch up. All in all, your note-taking must be fast, organized, and substantive. There are a few tips you should follow to keep yourself thinking in such a quick and efficient manner. First off, find out if the professor posts his or her notes online. This is extremely common for many college lectures. However, this is not to avoid taking notes yourself. If you solely rely on the professors outlines and bullet points, you will not succeed, because youll be studying notes that arent your own. In a sense, notes are a reflection of a thought-process, and whose thought-process makes more sense to you than your own? The reason the professor posting notes online can be helpful is not because it replaces your own note-taking, but because it gives you stable reminders to check in on whenever you like. You know these notes are correct because your professor created them, so having them available gives you guidance on what you should be studying and creating your own specific notes on. Subsequently, knowing you have that resource available takes away the pressure of feeling like you need to write every single thing down that you see up on the screen in the lecture. This gives you the freedom to focus your attention more on what the professor is actually saying and take notes on statements that actually make sense to you. However, if the professor doesnt post notes online, you still dont have to give into that pressure to write every single thing down. Vigorously copying all the text in front of you into your notebook wont teach you anything. This would be the equivalent of neglecting notes in class while your professor does post notes online. You need to actively think as you sit in these lectures so you can learn and jot down notes that you come up with on your own as you go along, rather than trying to learn everything later by staring at notes that make no sense to you. This will ensure you only write down notes that have logically come together in your head. Later on, when you study these for a test, they will be statements that you understand and therefore you will save yourself time having to deeply re-learn anything. It will just be a matter of retaining information you already have found an understanding with. Of course, sometimes you may not be able to easily comprehend what the professor is saying, regardless of the notes posted on the screen and/or online. Additionally, there may be important statements or equations pointed out that are completely incoherent to you, but probably something that will be on an upcoming test. This leads to the final point of lecture note-taking recognize what is significant and what is not. Sometimes, you will have to copy down things that dont make sense to you, but its more important that you get them in your notes so you can make sense of them later. You also want to make sure you do not waste time copying down sentences that really arent that pertinent to the overall material you could be missing something helpful that the professor is pointing out that is not listed on the powerpoint. In addition to passing over points that arent important, you need to balance writing down what you understand and writing down foreign things that you will need to unde rstand. These are fundamental principles of note-taking for any class, but they stand out in lectures since note-taking is all you have, in a way. Keep in mind the options of study groups and visiting the professor during office hours as well. These endeavors require a foundation of solid notes, however. In the end, you must not fret because there are, in fact, other sources of help but gathering the information first and proceeding to break it down is up to you. Attendance and attention are crucial to succeeding in a lecture class. As long as you come in there every day ready to genuinely listen and transcribe those thoughts on paper, the quick-paced lecture environment will be a challenge you have overcome.

Summer 2013 SAT group classes at AJ Tutoring

Summer 2013 SAT group classes at AJ Tutoring Now that summer is almost here, its time to start thinking about summer SAT preparation!   AJ Tutoring offers several group class options for SAT preparation in June, July, and August 2013.AJ Tutorings summer 2013 SAT classes will take place at our Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Jose offices.   Two classes will run each month, one on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 am-12 pm, and one on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 12:30-2:30 pm.   As part of the SAT class, students will take at least three proctored practice tests at the AJ Tutoring office on Saturday mornings.   Group SAT classes are limited to 8 students and cover the strategies and content necessary for a strong performance on the SAT.   For a complete SAT class schedule, please consult our website.To sign up for an SAT class or talk to one of AJ Tutorings directors about summer test prep options, please email info@ajtutoring.com or call (650) 331-3251.   We cant wait to work with your student this summer!

Desmond T Maths, Science and Chess tutor in London

Desmond T Maths, Science and Chess tutor in London Desmond T provides maths tuition, science tuition and chess teaching from 11+ up to A Levels. He has tutored for over seven years now  and over 90% of his students have gone on to achieve A or A* at GCSE/A-Level!  He is a graduate in Civil Engineering from Imperial College London and  an awesome chess player. Desmond represented England at the World under 12 Youth Chess Championships in Brazil and won the under 18 British Chess Championships at the age of 15. Why do you love tutoring? Ever since I started tutoring, it has become a passion of mine as it gives me great pleasure in helping others achieve their goals, no matter what they are.  It is always challenging for someone to learn something new, whether you are a young child or maturing teenager, but at the same time it is satisfying when it suddenly “clicks.” Who inspired you in education? My old chess coach helped me find a new way of learning whilst having fun.  While preparing for some major chess tournaments, and with quite a lot of parental pressure, he was always able to bring the best out in me by keeping me relaxed through patience; a trait that I have tried to inherit. What else do you get up to besides tutoring? At the moment, due to workload, not a lot! But I have a passion for travelling and eating out; there is nothing better to the end of the day than eating a nice meal out! If you had a super power what would it be? Hmmmm, not sure, never really thought about this…..I suppose to travel at the speed of light because it would help me cut out the travelling time when teaching! What advice would you give to a parent on how to find a tutor? This is a very interesting question. It is important to understand what the tutor can offer and whether there is synergy between tutor and pupil. I believe that only in a relaxed environment can the child excel. There is nothing wrong about having a couple of trial lessons to see if they can build up that relationship. Desmond is a: Private Maths tutor  for IB, A-Level, GCSE, Common Entrance, 11+ Private Biology tutor for GCSE Private Chemistry tutor  for GCSE Private Physics tutor  for  GCSE Private General Science tutor  for Common Entrance, 11+ Private Chess teacher If you or your child needs help with maths, science or chess, feel free to check out Desmond’s personal profile on the Tutorfair website to  book a lesson. If you need some help learning any other subject not listed, we have expert tutors based in London that teach all kinds of subjects. Image from  en.wikipedia.org  CC-by

The Mentor Aspect of Tutoring, Examined

The ‘Mentor’ Aspect of Tutoring, Examined I’m a somewhat nontraditional tutor in that I’m not involved in academia as a student nor in my profession; I’m a filmmaker. I make short documentaries for non-profits and socially conscious organizations. That may seem odd, but, in the world of film the ‘why’ of a project is very important, and I think that emphasis carries into tutoring as well, specifically in the 'mentoring' portion. The who’s, what’s, when’s and how’s of tutoring are mainly logistical, and - though no doubt important - are just the framework and not the heart. Who = a student and an older, more wizened academic guide. What = ensuring the student is keeping organized, is up to date on certain concepts and information, has better study habits, and is completing their homework and studying for their exams, etc. When = whenever is scheduled. How = employing various well-thought-out strategies for guidance on learning strategies, study behaviors, and general academic know-how. But to gel all of those together and have a student embody them is key; and the only way to do that is through close interpersonal connection. This is where the mentor portion of tutoring kicks in. You can espouse all the grade-getting, paper-writing, subject-absorbing rhetoric that you'd like, but if a student doesn’t feel involved, connected and inspired - it’ll be, if anything, a temporary solution. The student will look to the tutor for guidance and help, but just as importantly: for challenge and inspiration - for a broadening of their perspective. The point is to transform their mindset from homework being difficult and tedious, to it being fun and enlightening. Now, often this is a tall order. But done with creativity, enthusiasm, and a certain amount of peer-pressure (the positive, beneficial kind) to encourage further grappling with the information - it can definitely be done. It’s the same psychological principle behind why going to the gym is so hard. If approached day to day as: ‘Do I want to go to the gym now?’ the daily question and decision saps willpower and becomes more ingrained with one's own sense of self-worth; to the degree that if you ‘fail’ to go, it feels bad and encourages giving up. But if your whole mindset shifts to think of yourself simply as: ‘the kind of person that goes to the gym’ there’s more of a focus on changing those deeper circuits in the mind, to not feel shame about missing a day and to start to change behavior because of a narrative re-wiring, and not a day-to-day willpower dilemma. It’s the same with tutoring, if a student’s prevailing mindset is ‘I’m not a reader and I can’t do it well’ then every time they are assigned reading homework or are asked to pick up a book, there’s a sapping of willpower there, a drain on the self. To remedy that requires changing how they think about themselves - a narrative re-wiring. And that’s done through small victories that create confidence, and by a tutor/mentor jumping into the fray with them to show that it can be quite fun. It’s no secret that we as people inherently learn through stories. We perceive our own lives as narratives and they inform who we are and how we see the world. That narrative can sometimes be destructive as it blocks student’s potential, making them think they aren’t good at something or just don’t have it in them. Sometimes it’s difficult for parents and family members to help with this as the closeness of family bonds sometimes makes younger folks immune to their advice or prodding. Sometimes it takes the catalyst of a particularly connective teacher or an engaged parent to spur that curiosity and I think that’s our role as tutor/mentors. Beyond the adverbs, algebra, and accounting, tutoring is fundamentally about relationships. That connection and the emotions therein are where the learning and magic happens and are why it’s vital to be a mentor as well as a tutor.

The Grand Ol Party Less Grand and More Old

The Grand Ol' Party Less Grand and More Old Photo from Flickr.com by Austen Hufford The Grand Ol Party is hurting themselves by being hung up on their grand ol values. Theyve stopped adapting to the changing political climate in fear of being unfaithful to their beliefs. Unfortunately, the number of citizens with those beliefs is decreasing rapidly. The Republican partys platform is not only holding on to principles it upheld thirty years ago, when the country was mostly white, the gap between the rich and poor was just starting to grow, and the economy was progressing, but it is also pandering to a radical movement of über-conservatives,commonly known as the Tea Party. Though the Tea Party won multiple seats in the House of Representatives in 2010, contributing to the Republicans majority, they have failed to repeat that in the 2012 election. Multiple Tea Party congressmen have lost their seats including Richard Mourdock and Todd Akin, while Michelle Bachmann is barely holding onto hers, having won by only 3,000 votes. None of the Tea Party candidates were able to last in the Republican primaries for President, and senator Jim DeMint â€" one of the people who helped get the movement going â€" has resigned. They are only winning in local elections with small groups of like-minded people; they cant gain popularity on a national, or even statewide scale, and yet the Republican presidential candidate was pandering to their opinions. Throughout the election, governor Romney was strongly supporting many Tea Party beliefs, trying to gain their votes while he was Photo from Flickr.com by markn3tel losing so many others throughout the country. The people of this country are not as radical as this very loud minority, and the Republicans need to recognize who their constituents actually are. They have been criticized for being the white peoples party and the old peoples party. Whether this was intentional or not, it means they arent adapting. Their social stances are angering young, college-aged voters. Their immigration policy is angering the hispanic population which is growing to nearly 20%. Its taxation policies are angering the middle class and the poor â€" and republicans are still surprised when the people choose the policy that taxes the richest 1% versus the 47%. Women are outnumbering men in the workplace, and the majority of American women are unmarried which leads to their being upset over outdated abortion policies. The Republican Party needs to keep up with the times. This doesnt necessarily mean giving up all of their ideals, but the political leaders of the party do need to discuss how to adapt. In the past, the Republican party has historically split into factions and the unpopular, outdated, or most unwilling to change wouldnt survive. The party needs to address the issues today that are not just going to disappear if the Republicans hold out long enough. They need to be culturally relevant and politically progressive if they want to start winning representation and implementing their ideas.

Irvine Tutoring Tips Make Studying a Social Activity

Irvine Tutoring Tips Make Studying a Social Activity Tips From a Private Irvine Tutor: 4 Benefits of Making Studying a Social Activity Many students find that its helpful to study in the peace of their room or a library without any distraction. On the other hand, some students find it hard to get started on assignments or test prep without a social element to their studying. There are a lot of benefits of making studying a social activity and students who work together may find that their overall GPA is higher and that they are more capable of tackling those especially challenging assignments. 1. Motivation There are some subjects that students find especially dry and just arent motivated to work on. However, in a social situation, they want to keep up with the crowd and be able to participate to the same extent that their friends are. Many study groups split up different tasks so each student only has to delve into one or two chapters, which they can later present to the group. Sometimes, an especially motivated member of the team will create a study guide for everybody that will help them focus on different things that the teacher pointed out during class. Students are more motivated to succeed in front of friends than they are on their own and often find they are more successful in classes they dont particularly like. 2. Make studying fun Students who study as part of an official group or even just with a friend on a more informal basis are more likely to have fun studying and associate learning as something positive. When students are having fun, they are more likely to want to repeat the activity, which will help their grades and test scores overall. Alternately, students who find studying to be a constant chore want to avoid it, which can cause their grades to slip over time. Middle and high school students spend a large part of their day in a classroom and will begin to have increasing amounts of homework that needs to be completed in the afternoon. If they can have fun doing some of this, they will also have more of a work-life balance and enjoy this part of their life. 3. Get specialized help Students who work with a tutor can also make studying social. Tutors can act as excellent role models who can motivate students to work harder and also pinpoint which topics are especially difficult. When students realize theyre able to improve the quality of their assignments by working on just two or three weak areas, they often become more excited about learning and gain self-confidence in the difficult subject matter. Students who work alone may not receive the same amount of motivation and specialized help that they can get from a one-on-one tutor. 4. Cover all bases Some students who work solo can remember anything and everything that was assigned to them, while other students perhaps are not so organized. When students work in a group, they have an opportunity to keep each other in check, so each student remembers every single deadline for each class. It is helpful to have several people looking out for each other while staying organized. One student might be especially talented in English and can keep everybody else on track but might need a lot of help in math and rely on somebody else in the group to help them remember important assignments and deadlines. Our private Irvine academic tutors are here to help with your studies. Call us today for more information. Great news, Orange County! We’ve launched   www.TutorNerd.com to offer the best online and in-home tutoring in SoCal. Get 50% off your first online or in-home tutoring session with code: SUCCESS. The code is for a limited time only, so book your tutor today! All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.