The One Study Tip That Will Change the Way You Learn

The One Study Tip That Will Change the Way You Learn Suzy S. As youre learning new material, youll notice that some study tips work well for you, while others may not. If youre a visual learner, heres a great technique to try from Olympia, WA tutor  Tali H No doubt about it, learning material on your own can be a challenge, especially if it’s under the pressure of an upcoming test. In today’s fast-paced world, where there is so much to learn and so much to do, maximizing “study time” is crucial. Lucky for you, I have one simple study tip that works amazingly well. It allowed me to keep my high school record full of As (even with multiple Honors and AP classes) and my GPA at 3.95 while balancing sports, a job, and a social life. What is it you may ask? Make your windows (yes, real glass windows in your home, office, living space, etc.) a learning canvas. This technique is the foundation of my study process. It will change the way you study. 1. Getting Set-Up In order to write on windows, you obviously need windows. The space you’ll need depends to some extent on what it is you want to learn. For instance, if you’re just trying to memorize a few formulas, a small bathroom or bedroom window can be perfect because you don’t need that much room and you’ll likely see the windows quite often (repetition is important). However, if you’re trying to learn a whole chapter of information, then you’ll want a larger window area. My house happens to be set up perfectly for this type of learning. The whole upper story is windows, sometimes making me feel as though I live in a fish bowl. Yet, even a house with only a few windows will work (check with other members of the house though to make sure they’re okay with drawing on the windows). I recommend using your dining room windows because you will see your study material every time you sit down to eat. 2. Buying Your Supplies Buy NEON whiteboard markers (when erased they leave NO marks). DO NOT buy regular whiteboard markers, as these will not show up well on your windows unless the light is really good. I recommend Expo Neon Dry Erase Markers  because it shows up extremely well. Keep in mind that even some neon whiteboard markers can be hard to see. What’s great about neon is that it shows up in the dark. So when I do my evening and late-night study sessions, I can see clearly (even with lights on, regular whiteboard markers tend to fade into the blackness of the night outside). Also, buy lots of colors, the more you like the colors the better (you’ll be seeing them a lot). My color collection includes a bright aqua green, a bubblegum pink, a zesty orange, a lemon yellow, and a beautiful sky blue (which came package together for around $10). 3. Using the Windows There are many, many ways to use your “canvas for learning.” First of all, a big idea behind using the windows as a whiteboard is that you’re going to teach someone else the material once you’ve gotten it all written up. Teaching others is one of the best study tips out there, as its a great way to learn material. It forces you to go over the material yourself, discern what’s important, and then regurgitate the material in your own words. In my case, I taught my dad (who LOVES to learn) or my peer group (we would draw up windows simultaneously and then present to each other). Keeping the goal of presenting in mind not only gives you an end goal but it also helps you to be more organized. Even if you have no one to present to, I encourage you to pretend you have an audience and go ahead and present. Note: Besides learning the material, this learning method has a host of other benefits. One, you are up moving around (and trust me, erasing your work is quite an arm workout). Two, you can let the inner artist in you out through diagrams, pictures, and the general color-coded organization of information. That’s right, DRAW, DRAW, DRAW. Three, you can work on your presentation and public speaking skills. 4. Making it Interactive Oftentimes, when I’m working on my “study canvas,” I’ll make fill-in-the-blanks when something I need to memorize comes up. I recommend numbering the fill-in-the-blanks and keeping a piece of paper that gives the answer to what word or phrase is supposed to go there. Note: This is one of the more time-consuming methods when it comes to study tips. It takes a lot longer to write up all your notes with diagrams and interactive features. However, it is worth it. This is quality learning, meaning once you’ve learned it, you’ve really learned it. Plus, the visibility of your windows allows you to repeatedly see the information you want to learn. This method provides you an easy way to present the information â€" not just once, but multiple times. Tali H. tutors in various academic subjects in Olympia, WA, as well as through online lessons. Since 2010, she has worked with  numerous students in elementary, middle, high school, and college in both group settings and one-on-one. Learn more about Tali 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 Photo by upsidedownsphere

5 Ways Your Voice Teacher Can Challenge You to Improve

5 Ways Your Voice Teacher Can Challenge You to Improve Suzy S. Your voice teacher is there to guide you, inspire you, and encourage you. While the lessons should of course be enjoyable, you should also feel challenged and see improvement over the years. Here,  Austin, TX voice teacher Gfire M. shares a few things  to consider Say youve signed up for weekly voice lessons, found a great voice teacher to help you reach your goals, and set aside time to practice singing three to five days a week outside your lessons. Now what? What should your voice teacher be challenging you to do so that you can reach the next rung of vocal prowess? Choosing the right songs to sing is the first step. Read on to learn what that means, as well as some other ideas. 1. Choose songs that force you to work on your high notes. If one of your long-term goals is to expand your upper range, for example, your teacher should be introducing songs to sing that have one or more trouble spots for you with high notes. Spend extra practice time on those notes to make sure you can use your upper range well. 2. Choose songs that force you to work on your passaggios. If youre having trouble with your passaggios (the passageway between your chest voice and your middle voice, and the passageway between your middle voice and your head voice), you should be working on songs that have one or more notes smack dab in the middle of your passaggios. Placing these more difficult notes will give you the confidence to sing any song in your repertoire. 3. Choose songs to sing that include holding a note for an extended period of time. If youve been doing your breathing exercises, take it to the next step. Your teacher should be encouraging you to work on breathing in other ways, too. For example, practice a spot in a song that youre working on to make sure you can hold the note for exactly the amount of time you want to, not just until you run out of breath. 4. Encourage you to perform in front of at least one person. Sure, you perform for your voice teacher each week, but the next rung on the singing ladder is to perform for other folks. For example, your teacher may have suggestions for local venues with karaoke or open mics. Or, many  teachers host recitals for students. Make sure you perform at the next one. 5. Encourage you to record yourself singing. A lot of people are afraid of what their voice sounds like on a recording. The only way to get past that fear is to start recording your voice regularly. You’ll know if youre singing in tune and if youre putting real feelings into your words. Most importantly, youll begin to make friends with your voice and all of its strong and weak points. Every voice has its strengths, and every voice is unique. By recording yourself, you can even begin to create your very own vocal style! Its also helpful to make a list of things youve always wanted to do with your voice and to show that list to your singing instructor. He or she is there to help you so knowing your specific goals or aspirations will make that job easier. For example, there may be additional exercises your instructor can teach you that are specific to something you want to work on. These can include new breathing exercises, head voice techniques, developing or straightening vibrato, building power, and loads of other “no-longer-a-beginner” tricks to try. By challenging yourself with these new ideas, you may find that your voice does some amazing things that you would have never thought possible! Gfire teaches music theory, opera voice, piano,  singing, and songwriting in Austin, TX. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Maryland, as well as her  Master of the Science of Singing from  Ernest George White Society. Learn more about Gfire 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 Photo by Ava Randa

wave

wave Wave It will be amazing to know that there is not a single moment in our daily life when we do not encounter a wave. Let it be in the form of light waves, sound waves, water waves, radio waves etc, waves are always a part of our life. Considering a slinky as an example after we stretch a slinky from end to end, it naturally comes back to its original equilibrium rest position. So here we can notice that a wave passes through the slinky as a disturbance is generated due to our stretching it. This disturbance passes through the slinky and after some time gets it back to its original state of rest. What is a Wave? A wave is usually described as the disturbance that passes through a medium from one location to another location. A wave medium is a substance or material that transports the wave from one location to another location. Here it is to be noted that the medium simply carries the wave from one point to different locations, but the medium does not play any role in creating or generating a wave. For instance, we can notice the waves in an ocean. The medium through which the water waves travel in an ocean is the ocean water. For a sound wave, the medium through which the sound wave travels is the air present in the room. A single disturbance that passes through a medium from one point to another point is known as the Pulse. However, if the disturbance is continuously repeated causing it to become a periodic disturbance that moves from one location to another location, then that disturbance is described as the Wave. Interaction of Particles in a Wave: Medium is a collection of particles that have the ability to interact with each other. Due to the interactions between a particle and its adjacent particle, the disturbance travels through the medium. The constant push or pull between the neighboring particles allows the disturbance to spread across the medium. However, it is to be noted that the individual particles of the medium are only temporarily displaced from their original rest position. Eventually every particle carrying the wave return to their original position. Therefore, we can say that a wave transports energy from one location to another location but it does not transport matter. Due to this reason we can see that in an ocean waves are seen to move through the water, however the water always returns back to its rest position. Only the energy is being transported through the medium, but the water molecules are not transported. Therefore, a wave can also be described as the disturbance that travels through a medium (with the help of particle interaction) carrying energy from the source to another location, without transporting matter. Types of Waves: Waves can be classified into 2 types based on the ability to transmit their energy even in vacuum or only through a medium. i) Mechanical Waves ii) Electromagnetic Waves 1)Mechanical Waves: The waves that travel through a medium that is a solid or a liquid or a gas (at a speed which depends on the elastic properties of the medium) are known as the Mechanical waves. Based on the direction of the individual particles of the medium to the direction of the travelling wave, these mechanical waves are commonly classified into 2 types. a) Transverse Waves b) Longitudinal Waves a)Transverse Waves: The wave in which the particles of the medium move in a direction that is perpendicular to the direction in which the wave travels, is known as the Transverse wave. For instance, if the energy of the wave is transported from left to right, then the individual particles in the medium are displaced upwards and downwards in a transverse wave. Transverse waves are always characterized by the property that the particle motion is perpendicular to the wave motion. In order for the particles in a transverse wave to move perpendicular to the wave direction, they must be able to strongly exert a pull on its neighboring particle. Due to this reason, transverse waves require a rigid medium to pass through and hence these waves can usually pass through solids only. b)Longitudinal Waves: The wave in which the particles of the medium move in a direction that is parallel to the direction in which the wave moves, is known as the longitudinal wave. For instance, if the energy is transported from left to right, then the individual particles of the medium will be displaced leftwards and rightwards in a longitudinal wave. Longitudinal waves are always characterized by the property that the particle motion is parallel to the wave motion. Unlike transverse waves, longitudinal waves can pass through solids, liquids and gases. A sound wave passing through air from the speakers mouth to the listeners ear is an example of a longitudinal wave. Seismologists have discovered that during an earthquake, the waves produced were both transverse and longitudinal waves as they could pass through the solid structures of the Earth, however only longitudinal waves were able to pass through the core of the Earth. Geologists therefore believe that the core of the Earth contains a liquid (mostly molten iron). Surface Waves: These are another kind of waves that are can be either elastic or seismic waves (seismic waves are the waves generated during an earthquake or an explosion). The motion of these particles decreases as we step away from the surface. In seismology (study of earthquakes), there are different types of surface waves and they are usually either Love waves (they have transverse motion) or Rayleigh waves (they have both transverse and longitudinal motion). The waves on the surface of the oceans and seas are also examples of surface waves. 2) Electromagnetic waves: The waves that are capable of transmitting the energy even through vacuum (or empty space) are known as the Electromagnetic waves. This implies that these waves do not need a medium to transport energy from one location to another location. These waves are produced due to the oscillation of the electric and magnetic fields. It is interesting to note that we use electromagnetic waves everywhere in our daily life. From the point of listening to a radio, watching television, or cooking lunch in a microwave oven, we are using electromagnetic waves every time. The radio waves, microwaves, ultra-violet rays, X-rays etc are all examples of Electromagnetic waves. We need electromagnetic waves for our very existence as the life-giving beautiful light rays emanating from the Sun that travel all through the outer space and reach Earth are also electromagnetic waves. Crests and Troughs of a Transverse Wave: In a transverse wave, since the particle motion is perpendicular to the wave motion, we can observe the maximum displacement reached by the particles from their original position. When a string initially at rest is disturbed, then we can observe that the particles of the string vibrate upwards and downwards, reaching maximum upward/downward displacement. In a medium, the crest of a wave is the point that exhibits maximum amount of upward or positive displacement from the original rest or equilibrium position. In a medium, the trough of a wave is the point that exhibits maximum amount of downward or negative displacement from the original rest or equilibrium position. Compressions and Rarefaction of a Longitudinal Wave: In a longitudinal wave, since the particle motion is parallel to the wave motion, we can observe that there are certain regions where the particles are pressed together and other regions where the particles are spread apart. The region where the particles are pressed together in a small amount of space during the longitudinal wave motion is known as the Compression. This region is also said to have the maximum density as the particles are pressed tightly when the longitudinal wave passes through it. The region where the particles are spread apart in a small amount of space during the longitudinal wave motion is known as the Rarefaction. This region is said to have the minimum density as the particles are spread apart when the longitudinal wave passes through it. During the longitudinal wave motion, there are alternating compressions and rarefactions generated along the wave, as shown in the figure above. Properties of a Wave: A wave motion has various properties and some of the terms that describe a wave are amplitude, wavelength, frequency, time period, etc. Amplitude: The maximum amount of displacement of a particle from its rest position during a wave motion is known as the amplitude. Amplitude is measured as the distance from the rest position to a crest or the distance from the rest position to the trough. Wavelength: In a transverse wave, the wavelength is the distance between crest to its consecutive crest or from trough to its consecutive trough. In a longitudinal wave, wavelength can be referred to as the distance between consecutive compressions or consecutive rarefactions. Since a wave repeats itself periodically over time and space, hence a wave is known to have a repeating pattern. Therefore, the wavelength can also be simply measured as the distance from a point on a wave to the corresponding point on the waves next cycle. Frequency: It is the measure of the number of waves that pass through a fixed place in a given interval of time. This implies that in a given amount of time, the number of complete cycles of wave that passes through a medium at a certain point is known as the Frequency. Usually the units of frequency are given as cycles/second, vibrations/second, waves/second. However, the standard unit commonly used for frequency is Hertz denoted by the symbol Hz. 1 Hertz is equal to 1 cycle/second. Examples: If a coil of a slinky makes 5 vibrations per second, then its frequency is 5Hz. If a coil makes 12 cycles per 3seconds, then its frequency = 12cycles/3seconds = 4Hz. iv) Time Period: During the wave motion, the time taken by a particle in the medium to make one complete vibrational cycle is known as the period or the time period of a wave. Example: The period of orbit of the Earth around the Sun is approximately 365 days. Period and Frequency are related by the relationship: Frequency = 1/Period This equation can also be written as Period = 1/Frequency Example: A period of 8seconds corresponds to what frequency? Given: Period = 8 seconds Frequency = 1/8 = 0.125Hz Wave Equation: The wave equation is a mathematical equation which describes the relationship between the speed of a wave, the wave frequency and its wavelength. The Wave Equation: Speed = Frequency * Wavelength == v = f * Here, v = speed of the wave f = frequency of the wave = wavelength of the wave Example: If the speed of a wave travelling in a medium is 600m/s, then what is the wavelength of the wave if 1800 waves pass through a certain point in a minute? Given: speed of the wave, v = 600m/s Number of waves passing through a point in a minute = 2000 This implies, that the frequency of the wave = 2000 waves/minute Hence, waves per second = 1800 waves/minute * 1minute/60seconds = 30 waves/second = 30Hz Speed = Frequency * Wavelength == wavelength, = speed/frequency Hence wavelength, = 600/30 = 20m Therefore the wavelength of the given wave is 20m. Example: What is the frequency of the light whose wavelength is 600m? Given: wavelength, = 600m Speed of light, v = 3.0 * 108m/s (speed of light is a constant value) Speed = Frequency * Wavelength == frequency, f = speed/wavelength Hence frequency, f = 3.0 * 108/600 = 5.0 * 105 Hz Therefore the frequency here is 5.0 * 105 Hz Electromagnetic spectrum: The distribution of electromagnetic radiation according to the energy, depending on factors such as wavelength and frequency is known as the Electromagnetic spectrum. All the waves including the light rays that our eyes can see, the microwaves, radio waves, X-rays, gamma rays etc. all belong to the electromagnetic spectrum. The visible light of the electromagnetic spectrum consists of the colors that we usually see in the rainbow.

Free Error Correction Card Game

Free Error Correction Card Game By Rebecca Kennison [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], from Wikimedia CommonsResearch has revealed that some of the strongest influences on student learning include reciprocal teaching, cooperative learning, and computer-assisted instruction (Hattie, 2009). ESL teachers can make excellent use of all three of these powerful pedagogical levers at once by having students play a simple card game, like this one in Actively Engaged Online  (Walker, 2015) from Bokomaru Publications  with the support of a grammar checker especially designed for English Second Language learners. Error_Correction_card_game_from_Actively_Engaged_Online                ________________ Good Pedagogy Savvy teachers will see a range of pedagogical opportunities open up as students play this error correction card game. This serious game provides useful practice correcting avoidable errors, with a number of additional benefits. (You can skip all the rationale and read the how-to  below if you prefer.) Learning to correct high-frequency errors is only one good reason to have students play this game. Here are four more. Since only the correct answer can win the card, this game provides opportunities for peer-feedback on grammatical form in a safe and structured way. By providing both the prompt and the correct answer, the cards ensure that the feedback is correct and uncontroversial. And since the cards do not provide explanations for the corrections, the question “Why?” will arise naturally from time to time during game-play. Uncertainty about the nature of the error and the reason for the correction will create contexts for students to discuss the corrections and the grammatical rules that motivate them, a form of consciousness-raising. When students disagree with each other about the grammatical rule that motivates a correction, they may find themselves reaching for a reliable reference that they can use to answer their grammar questionsa form of metacognition. If students use their cell phones to visit an online grammar checker in order to answer questions about an error, they will get to use their cell phones in a new way to further their learningan opportunity to develop their digital literacy. Heres where the game gets really interesting.                ________________ Online Grammar Checker Support As mentioned above, one advantage to having students play this game is that it can be used to promote students digital literacy through the judicious use of their cell phones.   Usually, teachers are justifiably cautious about allowing students to access their cell  phones in class, but in this case cell phones can be a big ally.   Heres how. Ask students to take out their cell phones for the duration of the game so that they can access the Virtual Writing Tutor grammar checker  if they need to. Why? When students feel unsure about a particular error or correction, they will be able to type the sentence into the Virtual Writing Tutors sentence corrector  on their mobile device to see the correction, a grammar explanation, and a link to a remedial activity. Since all of the grammar errors  in this card game can be detected and corrected by the VWT  online grammar checker  (Yes, Ive checked them all) teachers will indirectly be able to provide answers to questions about grammar without having to memorize all of the explanations beforehand. This computer-assisted pedagogical support dramatically reduces preparation time. Dont worry. Students will find it easy to visit the simplified mobile version of the website, type in the sentence containing the error into the text area, hit Check grammar, and get the grammar explanation they need. In this way, playing the game will promote digital literacy, autonomy, and lifelong learning skills. Using an online grammar checker to get corrective feedback on grammar errors contained in the Error Correction Card Game will thereby serve as an easy introduction to the usefulness of free online grammar checkers when it comes time to correct their own writing.                ________________ How to Play The Error Correction Card Game is an easy-to-use, mildly  competitive guessing game that is easy to explain. Have students play this card game in groups of  three or four. Shuffle the cards and place the deck in the middle. Player 1 takes a card and reads the sentence containing the error aloud to Player 2 and 3. Players 2 and 3 try to provide the best oral correction of that sentence. Player 1 gives the card to the player whose correction matches the correction on the card. If both players answer correctly at the same time, Player 1 returns the card to the bottom of the deck. If neither player answers correctly, Player 1 reads the answer and returns the card to the bottom of the deck. The player to the left takes the next turn. The player with the most cards at the end is the winner.                ________________ Download the Card Game Download this game and use it with your students by clicking on the image of the Error Correction card below, or use the hyperlink below.   I generated the PDF myself from an InDesign file and is to the best of my knowledge virus-free. Scan it yourself to be doubly sure. Download the PDF                ________________ Printing Instructions The first page in the PDF explains how to play. You dont need to print it. Instead, print pages 2-11 as two-sided copies. Use heavy paper if you have it.   Do not scale the copies to Fit to page or you will have to cut around the edges of each page. Here is a screen-shot of the print dialogue generated by Chrome.                ________________ References Hattie, J. A. C. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over  800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. London, UK: Routledge. Walker, N. R. (2015). Actively Engaged Online. Montreal, Canada: Bokomaru Publications. (Jump to the how-to,    download link, or printing instructions.) Please follow and like us:

Listening Exercise Do You Really Know How to Tie Your Shoe

Listening Exercise Do You Really Know How to Tie Your Shoe This TED talk caught me by surprise. It is a about a simple thing we learn to do when we are children that perhaps we have been doing it incorrectly all our lives.Interestingly I struggled to learn how to tie my shoes.   Partly because my mother is left-handed and she ties them backwards, which is a bit tricky to learn. Now I learn she was actually teaching me how to tie the strong knot rather than the weak knot. Have a listen and see if you have been tying your shoes wrong your entire life. Also check out the listening and writing exercise and remember we learn from our mistakes, even if it takes us 30   years!1. How does he describe the TED audience?2. I also have reason   to believe that many, __ ___ most of you are tying your shoes incorrectly.3. What was different about his new shoes?4. One of the life skills I had really _______was tying my shoes.5. How do you tie the strong form of the knot?6. It will let you _______less.7. Live ______ and prosper.Writing Exercise:Is there som ething that you have learned youve been doing incorrectly? How do you feel about learning something new or about learning you were wrong about something? Can you admit when you are wrong? Why or why not?

How to Take Care of YOURSELF This Holiday Season

How to Take Care of YOURSELF This Holiday Season Image via Pixabay.com Many people have yet to head to the stores to start tackling their holiday shopping list, maybe because of the dread of facing down the throngs of other shoppers hustling about the mall. There are office parties to attend, cards to send, relatives to call… It can all be a bit overwhelming. Amid all of the rushing, it’s important to still make time for yourself. Even if it’s the season of giving, you won’t feel in a very “giving mood” if you’re not happy and taking care of yourself. In order for you to get the most of your holiday experience, I’ve come up with 5 ideas on how to take care of yourself during the holidays that will make sure that you and everyone around you are in for a good time. 1.  Give what you can. It’s super easy to get carried away when you’re out shopping for the perfect presents for your loved ones. Spend what you can but don’t go overboard when you’re shopping. Create a budget that will allow you to buy those closest to you the perfect present and still have money to pay bills, afford rent, and any other fixed expenses you may have in the future. Also, don’t feel the need to buy presents for every single person you know. This will drain your bank account quicker than anything else this holiday season. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but give presents to those who you truly love and wish to give presents to. For distant friends and acquaintances, consider getting a card or a small stocking-stuffer. You can’t buy gifts for everyone, so don’t feel guilty for not doing so. 2.  Don’t overdo the partying. As much as you may want to go to every party you’re invited to, partying too much can be draining. Music, dancing, good food, and drinks are all a lot of fun every so often but waking up with a hangover at 2 p.m. every day can sap away your energy. Instead of going to a party every night, give yourself time to recharge for a day or two or you’ll wind up feeling exhausted instead of cheery this holiday season. Image via Pixabay.com 3.  Eat and drink wisely. Now, I’m not telling you to not enjoy food this holiday season. That’s crazy. I fully support stuffing your face for every holiday and not feeling an ounce of guilt while doing so. Enjoying good food with family and friends is a big part of celebrating during the holiday season. But … I don’t think it’s wise to go back for thirds, fourths, or fifths in one sitting. Just because it’s a holiday, doesn’t mean that grease, fat, alcohol and other unhealthy components of holiday dining are going to take a vacation and not affect your health. Enjoy the food but don’t overdo it, especially if you have high cholesterol or other health problems that could be affected by food and drinks. 4.  Don’t be a people-pleaser. Do what you want! Sometimes, people are going to try and force you to believe that they know what’s best for you. Those same people are going to suggest you do such-and-such or go to a place of their suggestion or buy this person a certain gift or bring a certain dish to the office holiday party. It may even be groups of people suggesting/telling you that you should do these things. Tune those people out! This is your life and your holiday to celebrate however you please! Don’t do anything just to appease another person in your life. Make decisions for yourself and stick to them. If you don’t want to go to a party, you don’t have to go. The people who love you will respect you decisions and not try to make you feel guilty about them. 5.  Be grateful. You’re here, you’re alive, and you’re able to celebrate the holidays! Just taking a second to be grateful for the things we sometimes take for granted will lower your stress levels and really put the reason for the season into perspective. I hope that all of you will remember to take care of yourself this holiday season! Happy holidays, everyone!

If You Answer Yes to These Questions, You Can Handle a Part-Time Job

If You Answer Yes to These Questions, You Can Handle a Part-Time Job via Pixabay Do You Have Some Free Time? Are there multiple times a week that you find yourself binging on a newly released Netflix show? Maybe you find that you get your school work done in an incredibly short amount of time and you’re bored while your friends are still studying and writing papers. If you have multiple hours of free time each week, including the weekends, it’s probably time for you to find a part-time job. Think of it, you can fill those empty hours with making money! Is Your Workload Pretty Light? Each semester in college is different. The workload during some semesters may be absolutely unbearable and you may be drowning in assignments while other semesters may have a much lighter workload. If you are taking general education courses or mostly electives this semester, your workload is most likely be easier and lighter than if you were taking core classes for your major. If you find that you are able to finish your work quickly and it isn’t too demanding, you can probably handle a part-time job. via Pixabay Do You Have Good Time Management Skills? Time management is an important skill to perfect and maintain throughout life, not just during college. We can all be procrastinators sometimes, it’s only human. However, if you find that you fight the urge to procrastinate and don’t leave assignments until the last second, you can most likely handle a part-time job. When working and going to school, it’s important to stick to a schedule and have your work done on time. This may mean that you have to finish an assignment a week early so you don’t fall behind and are still able to work. Are You Motivated? Make a list of your goals for the semester, life, and after college. If your goal is to make money and not be drowning in student loan debt for years, you are probably motivated to make time to work a few hours during the week. It’s important to have motivation throughout the semester because if you lack motivation, you will most likely be miserable and won’t excel in school or your part-time job. Can You Find a Job Related to Your Major? Depending on your major, you may be able to find a job that will help you gain experience for when you graduate and start your career. Not only will this be a great way to make money, but it is an awesome resume booster! This part-time job may also take the form of an internship, which is perfect because it can also count for school credit. via Pixabay Will You Be Overwhelmed? You know yourself best. Ask yourself if you will be overwhelmed if you start working a part-time job. If you find that you are struggling to finish assignments and projects on time from more than just procrastinating, then maybe a part-time job will have to wait until next semester. Seriously think about your current workload, social life, and extracurricular activities. If you feel that you can fit in a few extra hours a week to make some money at a part-time job and you are motivated to make it work, then go for it! Is It Worth Your Time? Sometimes working for minimum wage won’t be worth your time while in school. Depending on the commute time and cost, you may be making much less than you originally thought when you applied for the job. If you find that a majority of your earnings will be going towards travel expenses, food, or any other additional costs of having the job, it may be better to sit this one out and focus on your schooling or finding an internship. If you answered “yes” to these questions, it may be time to start your part-time job search. When applying, make sure that the manager or supervisor is flexible in their scheduling and understands that you are a student first and an employee second. Good luck!

This Accomplished Pianist Has an International Journey with Kumon

This Accomplished Pianist Has an International Journey with Kumon This Accomplished Pianist Has an International Journey with Kumon Sophie, 11-years-old, Level J Math Meet Sophie, she’s a second generation Kumon Student. Sophie’s father grew-up in Tokyo and was enrolled in the Kumon Math Program as an elementary school student. He actually had the honor of attending an award ceremony with our founder, Toru Kumon. Sophie was born in Connecticut, but when she was in the first grade, her family was living in Shanghai due to a job transfer. Unfamiliar with international school curricula in Shanghai, Sophie’s mother wanted to supplement her education and decided to explore Kumon since Sophie’s father experienced success with the program as a child. Sophie spent two years in the Kumon Program in Shanghai before her family returned to the United States. “When we repatriated back to the United States, I knew that we wanted Sophie to continue doing Kumon, not only because it was helping her achieve an academic advantage, but also because it was a source of constancy for her,” said Susannah, Sophie’s mother. “We were amazed when she enrolled in Connecticut and we realized that it was the exact same material for the same level, but just with instructions in English, instead of Chinese! Sophie was able to pick-up right where she left off.” Sophie shakes hands with Kumon North America president Mino Tanabe Sophie, now 11-years-old and heading into the sixth grade, was invited to attend the 2018 Kumon Student Conference because of her accomplishments both in-and-out of the classroom. Not only is she studying three years above her grade level, she’s also an accomplished pianist who has been recognized for achievement in her age group. How has Kumon helped you beyond academics? Kumon has helped me by emphasizing the importance of practice, organization and follow through in any endeavorâ€"whether it’s something in school, a sport or music. It’s not enough to say you want to do something. You have to have a plan to achieve your goals and systematically dedicate time on a regular basis to get there. Kumon has also helped me manage my time. This has been a valuable lesson as my school work and other commitments continue to grow. What keeps you motivated in Kumon? I want to keep growing and learning new material in math. I really like the feeling of accomplishment and that I’m making continuous progress through Kumon. To me, math is like a sport. I need to keep exercising those muscles in my brain to keep in shape and become stronger. What did it mean to you to attend the Kumon Student Conference? It was really exciting to meet other Kumon Students who are also studying at a very high level. I really enjoyed getting to know other kids who have similar interests as me. It was a very inspiring day. Discover even more Kumon success stories. You might also be interested in: Accomplished Pianist Applies Focus and Discipline in Her Everyday Routine One Students Journey from Kumon to Top University Discovering True Potential: An Early Learner’s Journey through Kumon Young Pianist Proves Practice Makes Perfect This Accomplished Pianist Has an International Journey with Kumon This Accomplished Pianist Has an International Journey with Kumon Sophie, 11-years-old, Level J Math Meet Sophie, she’s a second generation Kumon Student. Sophie’s father grew-up in Tokyo and was enrolled in the Kumon Math Program as an elementary school student. He actually had the honor of attending an award ceremony with our founder, Toru Kumon. Sophie was born in Connecticut, but when she was in the first grade, her family was living in Shanghai due to a job transfer. Unfamiliar with international school curricula in Shanghai, Sophie’s mother wanted to supplement her education and decided to explore Kumon since Sophie’s father experienced success with the program as a child. Sophie spent two years in the Kumon Program in Shanghai before her family returned to the United States. “When we repatriated back to the United States, I knew that we wanted Sophie to continue doing Kumon, not only because it was helping her achieve an academic advantage, but also because it was a source of constancy for her,” said Susannah, Sophie’s mother. “We were amazed when she enrolled in Connecticut and we realized that it was the exact same material for the same level, but just with instructions in English, instead of Chinese! Sophie was able to pick-up right where she left off.” Sophie shakes hands with Kumon North America president Mino Tanabe Sophie, now 11-years-old and heading into the sixth grade, was invited to attend the 2018 Kumon Student Conference because of her accomplishments both in-and-out of the classroom. Not only is she studying three years above her grade level, she’s also an accomplished pianist who has been recognized for achievement in her age group. How has Kumon helped you beyond academics? Kumon has helped me by emphasizing the importance of practice, organization and follow through in any endeavorâ€"whether it’s something in school, a sport or music. It’s not enough to say you want to do something. You have to have a plan to achieve your goals and systematically dedicate time on a regular basis to get there. Kumon has also helped me manage my time. This has been a valuable lesson as my school work and other commitments continue to grow. What keeps you motivated in Kumon? I want to keep growing and learning new material in math. I really like the feeling of accomplishment and that I’m making continuous progress through Kumon. To me, math is like a sport. I need to keep exercising those muscles in my brain to keep in shape and become stronger. What did it mean to you to attend the Kumon Student Conference? It was really exciting to meet other Kumon Students who are also studying at a very high level. I really enjoyed getting to know other kids who have similar interests as me. It was a very inspiring day. Discover even more Kumon success stories. You might also be interested in: Accomplished Pianist Applies Focus and Discipline in Her Everyday Routine One Students Journey from Kumon to Top University Discovering True Potential: An Early Learner’s Journey through Kumon Young Pianist Proves Practice Makes Perfect