Friday, March 27, 2020

Synonyms For Tutoring - The Benefits of Using the Term

Synonyms For Tutoring - The Benefits of Using the TermIf you are already in the business of tutoring children, then you will understand how difficult it is to find synonyms for tutoring. The term is probably the most common of all child-rearing-related words and phrases that you might come across. More parents and teachers are beginning to see the value of using synonyms for the word tutoring.I often ask myself why this is so? Why is the word so easy to remember? And why is the word so easy to use? The answer to the second question is that the phrase tutoring children has been used so often that we've lost the ability to say the name of the word by itself without having to use it with another word.Some parents like to use synonyms for the word as an in-joke or to lighten the mood when they are sitting in a class. The reason they say tutoring, is that a child has to learn something or at least do something at a particular time. Therefore they need to be taught.If a child is so tired o f doing the same thing repeatedly, then it is good to have them learn something new. The problem comes when you want to teach a child, but you cannot get the message across. So you are forced to use the synonym for tutoring.Life can be tough and challenging, but the fact remains that children need to be taught some lessons so that they will learn what is important and what is not. When you do find yourself unable to teach your child, it is always a good idea to switch to the synonym for tutoring.If the synonym for tutoring is not difficult to remember then you might not need to use it at all. You might use the synonym for video tutoring instead if you find that you cannot get the point across by yourself. However, I suggest that you never start a sentence by saying tutoring as this is quite rude and it could damage your self-esteem.The word tutoring has become so overloaded with different meanings that no-one person should ever have to use it. Instead you should find some other word that is suitable for the occasion, such as 'life tutoring'. When people think of tutoring, they think of a tough task, but really it is about helping your child reach their full potential.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Improved Academic Performance through Better Nutrition

Improved Academic Performance through Better Nutrition Improving Academic Performance Numerous new studies show a promising link between good nutrition and optimal academic performance. So, let’s explore whether you should start drinking green smoothies and munching on kale chips to increase your likelihood of getting that ACT score or grade you want (to use a few examples of strategies we've encountered...). Starting at birth studies show that nutrition can drive intellectual development, as children who breastfeed were associated with better academic and intellectual performance (Horwood et al., 1998). Indeed, Horwood’s study actually showed small but significant performance increase that was both pervasive across various standards and long lasting. A 2008 study by Florence, in the Journal of School Health, further illustrates the validity of this claim by surveying 5,800 5th grade students in Nova Scotia, Canada in one of the largest nutritional cohort studies ever done in schoolchildren. After assessing the students on several factors to measure the effects of diet quality on academic performance, multilevel regression methods were used and data was adjusted for gender and socioeconomic status of their parents. The data clearly showed not only an association between diet quality and academic performance, but it also helped identify specific dietary factors that contributed to this a ssociation (Florence et al, 2008). Tip #1. Breastfeed your children (if you can). So it seems like “we are what we eat” right from birth. If that is indeed the case, what should we be doing to maximize our academic potential in the middle school through graduate school years? You’ve probably heard about the “most important meal of the day”. Yes, I’m talking about breakfast! A multitude of new data is showing that consuming some tasty eggs or oatmeal in the morning after you wake up can have benefits ranging from metabolism stimulation to increased energy levels, increased focus and even weight loss! Indeed, a survey study of breakfast eaters vs. non-breakfast eaters showed that although eaters of breakfast generally consumed on average more calories per day, there was no prevalence of obesity or overweight tendencies in breakfast eaters (Barr et al., 2015). Tip #2. Simply eat breakfast! So far, the good news is that eating more food (such as breakfast) will make you more prone to better health and smarts! What if I now told you that eating fatty food would improve your cognition too? Sound crazy? It’s true! But not just any fats. So if you were on your way out the door to grab some Mickey D’s for your pre-study snack, think again! The fats your body, and more importantly, your brain needs are called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT’s). These fat molecules are able to readily travel the body and enter mitochondria, our cellular powerhouse, without the need of special transport molecules called chylormicrons (Page et al., 2009). They are found naturally in coconut oil and palm kernel oil, and medium chain triglycerides are also sold as dietary supplements. You will soon see that the last dietary tip in this article is to eat less refined sugars. Normally, your body burns sugar first for energy. However, MCT’s provide your body with an alternate fuel source that is readily absorbed and shown to increase cognitive performance. Studies also show that consuming omega 3 fats, typically found in nuts like almonds and fish like salmon, have positive effects on infant brain development, adult ability to focus, and Alzheimer’s disease. Tip #3. Eat good fats. This one might sound like a “no-brainer”, but genuinely ask yourself this question: Are you drinking enough water? Indeed, this is a question you have probably pondered many times before. If you are most Americans, the answer to that question is most likely “No!” A 2013 study by Riebl demonstrated mild dehydration (i.e. 1â€"2% body water loss) might in fact impair cognitive performance. So do yourself a favor and stay hydrated during those cram sessions! Tip #4. Drink enough water. There’s one more factor we shall discuss in regards to modulating diet to maximize academic performance. I’d like to call my friend Captain Obvious to the rescue here. Here’s what Captain Obvious has to say, “eating junk foods, especially with too much refined sugar, is bad for you, your health and your grades!” Indeed, a 2015 study by Burrows published in Public Health Nutrition demonstrated worse academic performance in Language Mathematics in students that ate unhealthy snacks at school. There’s a barrage of new research surfacing on the negative effects of refined sugar in particulr. Some studies show that refined sugar is just as addicting has hard drugs such as cocaine or heroin! How the sugar industry can get away with something like that is a discussion for another time. For now, steer clear of the Twinkies and Cheetos and opt for the apple and broccoli! Tip #5. Eat less sugar. Let’s sum up the dietary changes you can make today to improve your grades and academic performance: Breastfeeding: Okay, so this isn’t something a student can do, but it’s definitely something an expecting parent can take into account! Eat Breakfast Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT’s) and Omega 3: Coconut Oil, Avocados, MCT oil, Almonds, Walnuts and Salmon Drink more water! Eat less refined sugar and junk food Whether eating healthy and good grades was something already obvious to you, or whether this information was new to you, either way, the science shows by taking control of your diet and nutrition, you can take control of your academic performance! Such research calls for emphasis on nutrition programs offered by schools to encourage healthy eating. Hopefully, over time, we can change our ways and develop a generation of smarter, healthier students! About the Author Gaurav Dubey is a biology, chemistry, mathematics, and ACT/SAT tutor from Naperville, IL who has worked with MyGuru for several years. He attended the University of Miami, where he earned his B.S. in Biology and his B.A. in Philosophy. He went on to earn his Master's of Science in Biotechnology at Rush University before working at the John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics and creating his first scholarly publication on using stem cells to create neurological disease models. Recently, he was accepted to the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine to earn his PhD as a PIBS (Program in Biological Sciences Student). He is also the founder of The Biolitics Podcast, a show aimed at discussing modern day, hot button biopolitical and bioethical issues that are in constant debate. More than just a show, BIOLITICS is a movement that attempts to make science more accessible to everyone in hopes of inspiring minds, both young and old everywhere, to view the world through the lens of the natural born scientist we all have within us. References Barr, S. I., DiFrancesco, L., Fulgoni, V. L. (2015). Association of breakfast consumption with body mass index and prevalence of overweight/obesity in a nationally-representative survey of canadian adults. Nutrition Journal, 15, 10.1186/s12937-016-0151-3. doi:151 [pii] Correa-Burrows, P., Burrows, R., Orellana, Y., Ivanovic, D. (2015). The relationship between unhealthy snacking at school and academic outcomes: A population study in chilean schoolchildren. Public Health Nutrition, 18(11), 2022-2030. doi:10.1017/S1368980014002602 [doi] Florence, M. D., Asbridge, M., Veugelers, P. J. (2008). Diet quality and academic performance. The Journal of School Health, 78(4), 209-15; quiz 239-41. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2008.00288.x [doi] Horwood, L. J., Fergusson, D. M. (1998). Breastfeeding and later cognitive and academic outcomes. Pediatrics, 101(1), E9. Page, K. A., Williamson, A., Yu, N., McNay, E. C., Dzuira, J., McCrimmon, R. J., Sherwin, R. S. (2009). Medium-chain fatty acids improve cognitive function in intensively treated type 1 diabetic patients and support in vitro synaptic transmission during acute hypoglycemia. Diabetes, 58(5), 1237-1244. doi:1557 [pii] Riebl, S. K., Davy, B. M. (2013). The hydration equation: Update on water balance and cognitive performance. ACSM's Health Fitness Journal, 17(6), 21-28. doi:10.1249/FIT.0b013e3182a9570f [doi]

The importance of reading for a child Why a good foundation is necessary - ALOHA Mind Math

The importance of reading for a child â€" Why a good foundation is necessary This recent article tells us about how SAT reading scores have hit the lowest point in 40 years, and this should definitely be a big concern to all of us. In a world where text messages are a major mode of communication, keeping the essence of the language alive can be quite a task for parents. Here are some reasons why reading is still an important foundation for our kids: Beginning to talk: Young children who are read to often, would be quicker to pick up words of the language and start talking early. Reading to a child can also help in making speech a lot clearer as these kids get to hear a lot of words and sentences at an early age. Enhances curiosity: A child who is just beginning to read tries to put together and read all the words he sees in front of him. This leads to a lot of healthy curiosity as he would want to know the meaning of longer words that he can read but cannot understand yet. Improvement of vocabulary:Once a child is 7 or 8 years of age, and able to read non-pic torial novels on their own, you will see a big improvement in their vocabulary. You will see them using new and longer words nearly every day. Make sure that you encourage your child to come and ask you for meanings of words that they might not yet understand so that their learning can be complete. The importance of readingPhoto courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcsamsom/3303868143/ Better creativity: Children who read more would tend to start writing more creatively at a young age too, as they instinctively learn about story development through their reading too. This would be a good support for their language coursework at school too. Good communication: A good vocabulary leads to an ease of communication when talking to peers or adults. The ability to come up with anecdotes also is a contributor here. Improved confidence: When a child has a clear understanding of the language due to her reading, and can communicate well as well as contribute to creative assignments more easily, all this leads to an improved sense of confidence. Any parent would want to give their child all the advantages that starting to read at a young age can lead to. We at Aloha can also help your child with our English programs that include reading programs for kids. Please see our website for more details: http://www.aloha-usa.com

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Teacher of the Week #4 Jessica SkypEnglish4U

Teacher of the Week #4 Jessica SkypEnglish4U Welcome back to our Teacher of the Week spotlight series. Today we have a very special teacher,  Jessica SkypEnglish4U Here is a video of her introducing herself: Jessica is a wonderful teacher with a great history of satisfied students.  She has also done a lot to promote italki and grow it to the community it has become today.  She is warm, kind, and fun. Jessica has 1633 completed sessions on italki with 353 different students. If you are looking to improve your English. Definitely book a lesson with her by clicking here. Teacher of the Week #4 Jessica SkypEnglish4U Welcome back to our Teacher of the Week spotlight series. Today we have a very special teacher,  Jessica SkypEnglish4U Here is a video of her introducing herself: Jessica is a wonderful teacher with a great history of satisfied students.  She has also done a lot to promote italki and grow it to the community it has become today.  She is warm, kind, and fun. Jessica has 1633 completed sessions on italki with 353 different students. If you are looking to improve your English. Definitely book a lesson with her by clicking here.

Good writers are well read - ALOHA Mind Math

Good writers are well read… The ability to write well does not come in handy only at the schools level, but also when your child moves into the career sphere. Writing then may apply to sending out an E-mail, drafting proposals, creating work related documents etc. where writing plays a major role. Creative writing usually takes a backseat, but there are simple ways in which a child’s creative writing skills can be honed. Improve your kids writing skills Read to and with your child Reading and writing go hand-in-hand; good writers are well read. This does not limit itself to just grammar and its usage, but in various subjects and writing styles. Your childs teacher and local librarian can help you select books that are appropriate to your childs age and interests. In addition to this also make your child read to you. Play word games Word games are a great way to improve your child’s vocabulary and spelling. This will help kids to write better as they will have knowledge of more words that they can use in a particular context. Most of all word games are fun, so kids will enjoy it. Games like scrabble and boggle improve vocabulary. If you have more time on your hands you can make alphabet shaped biscuits and have them “eat their words” when they recognize them. Provide a place and materials for creative writing Just like how children have a quiet place to study and do homework, the same kind of space must be made for creative wr iting. A child’s area must include stationary (books, pens, erasers), an age appropriate dictionary, and a thesaurus if need be. Encourage daily writing Regular practice is the best way to improve writing skills, irrespective of the writer’s age. One of the things you can do is to ask your child to write about his day in school. You can also provide writing prompts in the form of pictures clipped from various sources or picture books without words. This makes sure that he will come up with a story on his own, thus increasing creativity also. Review your child’s work To help your child develop his writing skills, make sure that you check what he has written so that errors can be corrected and you make suggestions where he can improve. Also, make sure that you give him positive feedback on the aspects of his writing that you think were good. ALOHA offers comprehensive Reading and Writing classes for your kids. Visit our website for further details www.aloha-usa.com

Maple Leaf Educational Systems

Maple Leaf Educational Systems Maple Leaf Educational Systems Welcome to Maple Leaf Educational Systems Chinas leading independent, international schools system. MLES offers a high-quality international education for students from preschool to high school. MLES opened its first school in Dalian, PR China in 1995, and is Chinas largest private international K-12 school system and Canada first and largest offshore school system. There are now over 23,000 students enrolled in 54 schools located in 21 cities in China including Dalian*, Wuhan*, Tianjin-TEDA*, Chongqing*, Zhenjiang*, Henan-Luoyang*, Shanghai*, Yiwu*, Xian*, Hainan, Inner Mongolia-Ordos, Tianjin-Hua Yuan, Pingdingshan, Jingzhou, Pinghu, Huaian, Huzhou, Weifang, Yancheng, Dalian Xishan, and Liangping. Currently, there are 13 preschools, 14 elementary schools, 15 middle schools, 4 foreign national schools, and 8 high schools. Schools marked with * above include BC-certified offshore high schools. TheMaple Leaf modelprovides a western academic orientation and preparation for admission to western universities, blended with the richness of Chinese educational traditions and culture. View our Brochure

How Much Should I Charge to Tutor Chemistry?

How Much Should I Charge to Tutor Chemistry?The question you have to ask yourself as a tutor is - How much should I charge to tutor chemistry? You need to be sure that you can accommodate a wide range of students and that you can meet their needs.For your first chemistry class, the level for which you plan to tutor is going to depend on what your level of experience is. If you have completed a college course on this subject, you are better able to advise and answer questions than someone who has never taken a chemistry class. However, this will not necessarily be the case if you have not taken a college course on this subject, in which case you will need to find out the student's needs. If you can't get an idea from the student, you will need to prepare a syllabus and learn more about the student's specific needs and skill levels.If you are planning to teach chemistry at a university, you are going to need to give some consideration to the time you can offer a student. The problem wi th working with a university tutor is that they may not be in the best positions to provide you with a schedule that you are comfortable with. For example, if you want to teach chemistry at a university, you might not have a lot of free time and you would need to decide how much time you could allocate to teaching the subject. If you try to cram too many subjects into one semester, this could be counterproductive and you could end up having a difficult time with your classes.Whether you are teaching a university or a college level course, the second thing you will need to ask yourself is how much time it will take you to spend in front of the computer answering students' questions and making a schedule. You may feel that you can cover the entire year with online tutoring, but you will still need to find out how much time you can dedicate to the subject.The final thing you will need to ask yourself when you are asking yourself how much should I charge to tutor chemistry is the cost o f materials. It is possible to teach chemistry at a university or college and then work at home, but this requires more preparation and more effort. You should consider the time required to have your syllabus prepared and the cost of purchasing chemistry textbooks as part of your tuition fees. If you want to teach at a university, the first thing you need to do is get in touch with the office of the dean of students and see how much tuition fees they will charge.As you think about the costs of teaching chemistry, you should also consider how much of your money you will spend each week. If you are teaching at a university, you may need to spend a fair amount of money in your books. It is possible to pay for all your own material, but it is often the case that the cost of a chemistry textbook, which can be quite expensive, will outweigh the amount of money you will save by teaching chemistry at a university. If you decide to teach at a university, you are going to need to find out the cost of textbooks and if you do not want to buy them, you will need to look for ways to cut down on your expenses.After all these things have been considered, you should now be able to ask yourself - How much should I charge to tutor chemistry? Do you think you can manage to do this without hurting your budget? If you cannot think of a way of doing this, you need to find out what you will need to do to get enough material so that you can teach chemistry.

After School Tutoring Letter Writing Tips

After School Tutoring Letter Writing TipsBefore I get into my after school tutoring letter writing tips, let me start by saying that you really don't need a professional letter when it comes to school. Not everyone has the money for a child's private school tuition. However, there are many good free services and many good resources available to find your child a good after school tutor.I have given you all of the resources needed for after school tutoring in this article. In that article, I have given you a few pointers on how to write a professional after school tutoring letter. However, there is one more important step that you should do before you begin. That is to find out who your child's tutors are and what their credentials are.Find out all of the basic information about each person you are thinking of hiring. You should have enough information to make an informed decision about their experience and their success rate. Not all tutors are perfect but if you find out all of the basic information about each person then you will be better able to choose the best person for your child.Do some research online as well. In this day and age there are many free after school tutoring services that are available online. Take a few minutes and look through them to see if they have any references that can benefit your child. If they do, that is always a bonus.If you are going to hire adult professional tutors for your child, the best place to start is the Internet. Many of these companies that exist online will offer you a quote very quickly. This is probably the best way to go because you are getting a price quote right away and you can ask the tutor some questions as well.You should also create your own personal website. This can get you an online reference too. I recommend that you create a website on a free website hosting service.Now that you have a good after school tutoring letter, it is time to get started on actually finding a good tutor. There are many great resources online to help you find a good after school tutor for your child.

Considerations for Vocal Health Part II

Considerations for Vocal Health Part II Suzy S. Last week, Long Beach instructor Jim S. shared some tips to help ensure top performance when it comes to your vocal health.   However, there’s even more to it than just nutrition and keeping yourself hydrated. Read on for Part II of the article and even more considerations that will protect you from vocal challenges: Use a Neti Pot for nasal irrigation twice a day: A Neti Pot is the safest way of clearing out your sinus passages. You can find Neti Pots in most health food stores and pharmacies. This is a much better and safer way to keep sinus passages open compared to using ocean spray inhalers or over-the-counter nasal inhalers such as Afrin. Anything you shoot up your sinuses has the possibility of forcing mucous further into the passages, as well as causing sinus irritation or re-infection. I use a Neti Pot twice daily even when I feel great. You’d be surprised to find out the amount of pollution most of us are breathing daily! Even though I live oceanfront in Long Beach, CA, smog and brush fires are sometimes in the air, as well as pollution from the harbor and high pollen counts. Choose an ionic/ozone air filter for your home: I prefer Ecoquest’s Living Air Classic. HEPA filters can actually put pollution back into the air once they are filled up. Ionic filters zap particles out of the air and can help keep mold, dust and germ levels way down. This is especially helpful to singers suffering from respiratory illnesses, asthma or chronic allergies. Choose a good water filtration system for drinking and shower water: Our drinking water is especially important. Choose spring water with minerals, alkaline balanced or oxygenated water, or put a filter on your tap. I also suggest bathing in filtered water, as hot water can penetrate through pores, which means we’re getting low levels of chlorine, lead, mercury and other toxins. Over time this can build up in the body and cause challenges. Avoid yelling, screaming and excessive talking on the telephone. It is advisable to rest your voice, especially if you are in an opera or musical theater production and have long hours of rehearsals. Same would be true for those in school/university or church choirs, or soloists who work regularly. Of course, exercise is also an integral part of your vocal health, since as singers we rely on our lungs to provide support for our voices.   Consider these exercise tips to take it one step further: Yoga breath work and Meditation: I make all my singers do a bare minimum of 20 minutes of breath work daily. Gentle Hatha yoga is a great place to start. Yoga breathing techniques can be your greatest asset in strengthening your lungs, developing vocal power and projection, and preventing illness and injury. Here is a list of a few of my favorite breathing techniques to aid in your development: Gentle Hatha: Breathing diaphragmatically in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4. This helps to slow your breathing and it also strengthens the diaphragm. Breath of Fire: This is a Kundalini yoga technique used to tone and strengthen the lungs and sinuses, as well as detox the whole body. Look for video illustrations on YouTube to help you get familiarized with the concept. Bikram Breath: This posture and breath has helped many of my beginning singers to double their power and sound in a few weeks. It also helped me in my early teens to completely rid myself of chronic asthma. Bikram is a form of hot yoga. You can find videos on YouTube, or simply Google Bikram to find studios that teach pranayama (breath work) in your area. Other great forms of exercise include swimming and brisk walks. Readers, what other ways do you supplement your vocal health, beyond the basics?   Leave a comment below, or stop by our Facebook page to join the discussion! Sign up for email updates here! Join thousands of other subscribers and get emails catered to your music interests with advice, tips and more! James S. teaches piano, singing, violin, mandolin, music performance, music recording, music theory, opera voice, songwriting, speaking voice, theatrical Broadway singing, acting and fiddle lessons to students of all ages in Long Beach, CA.   He joined the TakeLessons team in June 2012.   Sign up for lessons with James, or visit TakeLessons to search for a teacher near you! Photo by Unfurled.