What Is Drop In Tutoring?

What Is Drop In Tutoring?Many Scripps Institute of Oceanography students take an English as a Second Language (ESL) course as part of their regular courses. Drop in tutoring is a part of this course.English language tutors are available to help ESL students in completing the work of the English classroom. Drop in tutoring usually happens when it is necessary for a student to go to class while they have personal needs such as medical appointments, family problems or having to go on a field trip. One of the best ways to make the most of this service is to contact your local community college.A secondary option for English is called general education. In this program, students will usually learn about American history, geography, and civics. Most colleges offer English as a second language courses to students enrolled in the General Education program. It can also be an excellent choice for ESL students who wish to focus on one topic or specialty.Some colleges may also have General Educa tion courses that are geared towards specific subject areas. For example, there are programs available in Spanish and Medical terminology, for instance. One of the things to keep in mind when choosing a course is the amount of time and money required to complete the work.There are several online universities that offer students an opportunity to take courses in English. You can find information at any of the websites that provide degree information. Make sure that you choose a college that is accredited.One of the most common ways for a student to gain an edge is to study for exams. There are many college classes available online that can be taken in order to take tests or classes. Your course of study should be researched and analyzed to determine which is the best for you. Choosing an area that will allow you to choose from many subjects is important, but you should remember that a second language class does not count towards your credits.Another important consideration when choos ing a university is the location of the campus. Do you want to live close to your classes? Does it have easy access to travel?

How to Learn Mandarin Chinese

How to Learn Mandarin Chinese Ways to Learn Chinese Chapters How Can You Learn Mandarin Chinese on Your Own? How Can I Learn Chinese Easily? How Can I Learn Mandarin Chinese While Having Fun? How Can You Learn Chinese Quickly? How Can You Learn to Speak Chinese?Learning Chinese is an ambitious process. While some people might be shocked by your decision, you should definitely go for it! Stay motivated and do everything in your power to ensure that your language learning is as effective as possible.Mandarin Chinese, after all, isn’t a simple language to learn. Although every language has its own complexities and aspects that are difficult to learn, Mandarin Chinese has a number of them. However, there are a lot of myths about the Chinese language that we’d like to debunk. For one, for those that regularly use the Latin alphabet, learning Chinese isn’t as easy as learning a language like German, Spanish, Italian, or French.There are methods and techniques that can help you reach your goal of speaking Chinese. We should mention tha t when we say Chinese, we’re referring to Mandarin Chinese.  Mandarin is the most common variant of what we generally refer to as Chinese with around 850 million speakers. It's also probably be the first variant of Chinese that you'll learn when you start studying.  With that said, here are Superprof’s tips and tricks on how to learn Mandarin Chinese. NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors How Can You Learn Mandarin Chinese on Your Own?Are you considering teaching yours elf Chinese instead of taking Chinese lessons? While being an autonomous learner can be more difficult than learning Chinese with a private tutor, it is more than possible to teach yourself Chinese to a good level.Learning Chinese on your own can be difficult without the right techniques. (Source: Clem Onojeghuo)If you’d like to understand and speak Mandarin Chinese, you have to be patient. If you’re on your own, you can expect to spend about two years studying before you are comfortable speaking conversational Chinese.However, you can learn more quickly if you’re really motivated. Use the Chinese Pinyin system to help you romanise Chinese words and characters and spell out certain Mandarin Chinese characters when you first start learning them.To get the most out of learning Chinese on your own, you should immerse yourself in as much Chinese as possible, focus on repetition and pronouncing words aloud, listen to a lot of Mandarin Chinese, and try memorising basic vocabulary.In comparison to certain other languages, Chinese grammar tends to be much simpler and there are no conjugations. On the other hand, the four tones of Chinese can be very difficult for beginners to grasp. However, you don’t need to master them to make yourself understood.If you’re going to learn Chinese on your own, you should follow this advice:Start by getting your brain used to the sound of the Chinese language by watching videos and focusing on Chinese pronunciation, for example.Don’t try and compare Chinese grammar to our own grammar.Learn basic everyday words in Mandarin Chinese.Practice Chinese every day to improve and make sure you’re using effective memorisation techniques.Since you’re learning on your own, you won’t have anyone to correct your mistakes for you. However, this does also mean that you can learn at your own pace.Thanks to the Internet, there are plenty of useful resources for getting started with Chinese. Everyone can learn Chinese online and there a re also a lot of free Chinese courses available.Here’s what you can do:Use the Pinyin romanisation system to get to grips with Chinese characters through the Latin alphabet. There are plenty of sites that can help you do this.Download the Pleco dictionary app to help you look up words and learn how to pronounce. This app will be essential if you’re going to China or another Chinese-speaking country.Use the Anki programme to help you memorise vocabulary.Go to China or another Chinese-speaking country and immerse yourself in both the language and the culture.These tools and tips should help you make great strides in Mandarin Chinese. How Can I Learn Chinese Easily?As we explained earlier, Chinese isn’t necessarily an easy language to learn. However, by using certain techniques, learning Mandarin Chinese can be made easier.There’s also still hope for those who think learning Chinese is completely impossible. As we said, Chinese writing can be made easier to understand by romani sing words.Writing in Chinese can be made easier using the Pinyin system. (Source: picjumbo.com)You also won't need to perfectly understand and produce the four tones of Chinese in order to converse or make yourself understood in Chinese.Additionally, there are no conjugations to worry about. For example, instead of saying I, you, we, or they “eat” and he, she, or it “eats” in English, the verb in Chinese will always remain the same.So How Can I Learn Chinese More Easily?Firstly, there are academic institutions and universities that work with the Confucius Institute. As a result, there are weekly Chinese classes being offered all over the country.  If you’re a student, you could even get in touch with foreign student groups.There are also platforms like Superprof offering private tutors that live nearby and are happy to offer tutorials at your home.  Getting a private tutor is a great way to make sure that you’re not making silly mistakes in your new language and it’s a quick and easy way to learn a language.Of course, the simplest way to learn Chinese is to go where the language is spoken.  There’s nothing better than total immersion for learning how to speak Mandarin Chinese.  Immersion can help you better understand the culture as well as how to express yourself in the language. This experience can also help you in your professional and personal life.  You’ll come back completely changed! NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors How Can I Learn Mandarin Chinese While Having Fun?The biggest hurdle when it comes to learning things is not enjoying it.  Given that Chinese isn’t easy at the start, why should I bother giving up my limited free time just to suffer?Here at Superprof, we’ve worked out a few ways to help you get the most out of your time when learning Mandarin Chinese.Here are a few ways you can maximise your learning:Make the most of time spent in traffic jams by practising Chinese in the car with podcasts and audio lessons.If you travel by public transport, you can use that time to practise Chinese using apps and websites.Listen to the radio in Chinese when you’re out running or walking.Now that we’ve worked out when we can study, how can we make it more fun?Make sure you have as much fun as possible when you're learning Chinese. (Source: Sindhu Wijaya)If you enjoy learning a new language, you’re far more likely to learn. Here are a few tips for making sure you enjoy learning Chinese as much as you can:Get a tutor you enjoy spending time with.Watch films to immerse yourself in Chinese culture. We recommend watching Lost in Thailand, a film that tells the stories of three Chinese people in Thailand.Improve your understanding of Chinese by listening to songs. There are a number of sites where you can stream Chinese music.Use the Ninchanese app to learn Mandarin Chinese through computer games. How Can You Learn Chinese Quickly?There are plenty of tips and tricks for those wanting to learn Mandarin Chinese quickly. Here are a few for those who are willing to work hard towards their goal of learning Chinese as quickly as possible.These methods can help you learn Chinese as quick as lightning. (Source: pixabay.com)However, you have to make sure you don’t overdo it and end up burning out before you’ve even started to make any progress.If you want to speak Chinese, you have to put in the effort on a daily basis.Use the Pinyin romanisation system to get to grips with Chines e characters through the Latin alphabet. This can make the Chinese writing system a little easier to understand.Make sure you don’t confuse the many variants of Chinese when you’re studying. Mandarin Chinese is probably what you want to learn when you say you want to study “Chinese”.There are no conjugations to worry about so don’t try and understand Chinese grammar as you would English grammar.After you’ve learnt the basics, you should practise as much as you can in order to cement what you’ve studied.Try to immerse yourself in Chinese as much as you can and avoid speaking your own language.Focusing on understanding and pronouncing the four tones at the beginning is a fruitless endeavour. You don’t need to master the tones of Chinese in order to converse and make yourself understood at the start.Use a variety of different digital learning tools.Dedicate between 15 and 30 minutes every day to speaking in Chinese on a variety of topics. Why? To ingrain the Chinese lan guage onto your subconscious.Learn a new word each day and try to use it in order to better remember it. Try making vocabulary and word lists so that you can look up new words more easily. How Can You Learn to Speak Chinese?We can’t really talk this much about a language without mentioning how to speak it, can we?Language lessons at schools tend to focus on mastering grammar and listening in order to pass exams.  However, we’d like to look at how you can converse in Chinese.Of course, the best way to learn how to speak Chinese as soon as possible is to immerse yourself fully in a country where Chinese is spoken daily. There are plenty of organisations and programmes for those wanting to live and travel in China.However, you don’t have to just up and leave if you want to learn Chinese. You can always enlist the help of a Chinese tutor to help you learn the language at a more relaxed pace. For example, there are plenty of native Chinese speakers on Superprof.  The average price for Chinese tuition is London is £21 per hour and this rate is even lower outside of the capital.Chinese classes LondonLearn Mandarin LondonChinese tutors in GlasgowDon’t forget that there are also a number of useful applications that can help you practise your Chinese such as:Learning Chinese Mandarin PhrasebookMandarin MadnessBaobei Ting Ting

Take Yoga Classes in Leeds

Take Yoga Classes in Leeds Where Can You Find Yoga Classes in Leeds? ChaptersWhat is Yoga?Types of YogaYoga Workshops and RetreatsLearn Yoga Through Individualized SessionsEarlier this month, the BBC ran an article: Does Mindfulness Really Improve our Health?That was the teasing headline on the site's homepage.When the link was activated, we found a disappointing turnabout.Here, we'll presume the average reader was looking for improved health and was thus open to a mind-body connection; hence, the interest in reading the article...The banner seemed to accuse: Mindfulness may have been over-hyped!Well, that seems a bit unfair; why would the BBC accuse anyone of trying to mind their wellness?The fact is, more and more Britons are embracing holistic ways of repairing their bodies from the ravages of stress that we are all subjected to on a daily basis.Our government has taken notice!The British Council for Yoga Therapy promotes high standards in the training and development of both yogis and yoga therapists and regulates this unique form of healing.Furth ermore, the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council maintains a register of accredited yoga therapists.As if those agencies weren't enough to convince you that yoga, among other disciplines, is indeed a viable and legitimate form of health maintenance, there is the British Wheel of Yoga, recognised by Sport England.Surely, all sports fans must now jump on the yoga trend!What exactly is yoga? Is it all chanting and saying Om? Do we have to eat bean curd?Before we find any yoga studios in Leeds, let us take a closer look at what practising yoga near me entails and what benefits you could derive from its practice.You could also find yoga studios in Manchester!Poor concentration and creativityAnxiety, by creating a lasting sense of well-being(physical and emotional) stress and tensionDo you have to wear leggings and sit around on a mat to draw on these advantages?Not at all! There are several types of yoga, from the traditional meditative to what is called Hot yoga, where you would sweat toxins out in a hot, humid environment whilst cycling through 26 asanas, or poses.Check out hot yoga near me.Most people do wear leggings or yoga pants, but you could get away with any clothing that allows you to move in comfort and doesn't chafe.Denims would probably not work well, then!Would you like to know where Brummies go to practice yoga?Types of YogaIf the thought of getting into the lotus pose makes your knees ache and term downward dog conjures up an image of a hapless mutt sailing over a cliff, it is quite likely you would need a beginners yoga class.If you are expecting, you could benefit from prenatal yoga, and after the baby is born, your new cherub might sleep better after a few baby yoga sessions.Beyond those types, there are:Hatha yoga â€" the most basic form of yoga, consisting of 20 to 30 poses, with focus on breathing techniques.Iyengar yoga is more detail-oriented and involves the use of props such as yoga blocksAshtanga yoga cycles through a sequence of six poses, called by an instructorMysore, a subset of Ashtanga, is for the more independent yogi: nobody will call out the poses!Vinyasa is more dynamic, with shorter holds on each poseKundalini is for people looking to forge a spiritual connectionYin yoga is ideal for those who wish to practice meditationAs a newcomer to the world of body, mind and spirit you should try each type of yoga to find the one that best suits your purposes and style.No matter which style of yoga you ultimately adopt, you will become intimately familiar with pranayama, or mindful breathing, designed to channel your life force â€" or prana, and promote relaxation.Are you now ready to discover where in Leeds you could take up yoga?Find out also where you can take yoga lessons in Glasgow!The tree pose looks quite rigid when, in fact, every joint is flexed instead of locked Source: Pixabay Credit: FreeToUseSoundsYoga Workshops and RetreatsSome people believe that trying out before buying is most sensible; it w ould be hard to make a case against that reasoning.When it comes to yoga, the opportunity to experience the bliss before committing to a series of classes comes in the form of workshops and retreats.Green Ayurveda Spa hosts yoga retreats that can last anywhere from 1 to 7 days.No worries that you would only sit around on yoga mats in an endless cycle of asanas; this programme is packed full of education on everything pertaining to wellness, from stress reduction to nutrition.You could attend as an individual or in a small group; they even host corporate retreats!Toward the end of your stay, you would receive a post-retreat wellness program outline for a healthier lifestyle.Prices for these retreats are a bit steep, starting at £180 per day; food and lodging not included.If you were looking for a more modest investment â€" of money and time, perhaps a workshop would suit you better!Yoga Kula, located in Chapel Allerton, sponsors an assortment of workshops, from gong baths â€" a rela xing dip to calm your nervous system, to reflexology â€" more of a teaching session.Kula's workshops last anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hours, and are generally held over the weekend.Cost varies depending on the workshop you choose to participate in. Their prices range from £17.50 to £35.Find out the cost of workshops in Cardiff!The endearing sounding child's pose is actually quite relaxing: try it! Source: Pixabay Credit: StockSnapLearn Yoga Through Individualized SessionsMany people won't conduct an Internet search for yoga classes near me because...Some people are averse to stretching out among strangers, even in as welcoming an atmosphere as a yoga studio.Another reason to seek out private yoga lessons would be some form of disability: the hopeful participant simply cannot get to the studio!Fortunately, they can still reap the benefits of yoga by engaging an at-home yoga instructor.Such a yoga teacher is really not hard to find!For one, you could search our Superprof platform,  where literally hundreds of yoga teachers, for all levels and styles, await your call!Whether you are looking for restorative yoga or just want to delve deeper into  yoga philosophy, Superprof yoga instructors are ready to work with you, to deepen your understanding of yoga and meditation.You don't even have to let your him/her into your home!Many Superprof yogis offer lessons via webcam, and 90% of them don't charge anything for their first session.What a great opportunity for you to learn about yoga, right in the comfort of your own home!You may be concerned about pricing; surely a private yoga instructor must command a high fee?In fact, you may be surprised to find that prices start as low as £18 per hour!You can find such yoga teachers in Birmingham, too!Jason Scott, who is affiliated with Bodhi Yoga Studio, has years of experience in teaching and practising yoga.He is ready to share his vast knowledge with you!To contact him and set up your lessons, simply direct yourself to that s tudio's web page and click on his profile.Yoga Hero, located on Wharf Street, boasts an entire retinue of private yoga teachers!yoga studios in Belfastyoga studios in NewcastleIf you just need to get back on track with your yoga, or whether you work an off-shift, these dedicated professionals are available to you.You are welcome to visit their studio for your session, or they could meet you at your home.Should you visit their studio, you wouldn't even have to bring a yoga mat or a towel!If you are a sunny optimist, you might consider working with a newer instructor for £35. A more experienced teacher costs between £50-60 for the hour.Find out how much you would pay for yoga lessons in London!In this table, we have compiled some of the best deals for yoga lessons in Leeds. See you there!Type of YogaSuitable forPriceStudio name Yoga flow, Vinyasa flow, pregancy yogaintermediate intermediate expectant mothers £40 for a 10-class pass or £6.50 for a one-session drop-inYoga HeroSlow flow Ashtanga Kundalini Yin YangBeginners all levels all levels all levels £35 for a month's pass or £7 per sessionBodhi Yoga StudioVinyasa flow Dynamic Hatha Ashtanga Rocket YogaAll levels all levels all levels advanced £80 for a 10-class passYoga KulaBikram VinyasaBeginners all levels £30 introductory offerBikram YogaDiscover now the best yoga lessons anywhere in the UK!

Personal Development Skills

Personal Development Skills Self-Help in the 21st Century ChaptersWhere Did Personal Development Come From?Developing Personal and Professional DevelopmentImplement Self-Improvement DailyPersonal Development PlansWhether you’re looking to start building your own personal development plans, get to know yourself, or want an extra boost in energy to complete your to do list â€" this guide will help you understand the skills set you need to get started. TraceyPersonal development Teacher 4.93 (9) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IsamPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarriePersonal development Teacher £24/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyPersonal development Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MichelePersonal development Teacher 4.73 (7) £40/h1st lesson free!Disc over all our tutors FlloydPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhere Did Personal Development Come From?Personal development can be a difficult field to navigate, made even harder by the fact that it covers everything from non-verbal communication and conflict resolution to yoga and meditation. While personal development is a subject that is as old as human history, technology has been redefining its role in 21st century society. While skills training and personal growth lessons were largely disseminated through development courses and inspirational books in the past, social media has made learning about skills development more easily accessible and affordable.Whether you're trying to make a career or a difficult life decision, self-help can be your guideTogether with this rise in accessibility has come the proliferation of personal skills or technical skills guides aimed at making self-development more practical and digestible. Howeve r, the sheer volume of resources and materials available in today’s current environment often leads to confusion as to what exactly development skills are and how one can start to practice them.While the history behind personal development can aid in your self-improvement journey, understanding a simple definition can be enough to get you started. Personal development involves goal setting, planning how you will accomplish these goals, and executing your plan.While it may sound overly-simplified, the surprising truth is that people are actually not great at setting goals. Before worrying about enhancing employability, improving verbal communication or upgrading your interpersonal skills, start by exercising your technique in setting goals. For many people, setting easy and ambiguous goals is the reason why they never truly accomplish what they set out to do. In fact, research shows that for the majority, setting achievable but difficult and well defined goals is the best way to pr ogress in any situation.Here are some examples to highlight the difference in difficulty level between vague goals and concrete goals:Instead of saying “I will start to exercise more,” say “I will stretch every day before work”Instead of “I will do better on my exams,” you can strive for “I will score ten points higher on my next exam”Instead of setting this goal, “I will improve my business,” set the goal “I will bring in ten percent more revenue than last year”In this way, you will create a more effective communication with yourself as to what you would like to accomplish in the short and long term. Whether you want to advance in your career development, or want to make changes to your mental health, setting well defined goals should be the first step to any of your projects.Make sure to check out these solutions to improving your self-help process.Developing Personal and Professional DevelopmentSo, what exactly are personal development skills? Whether youâ €™re into self-improvement for career growth or personal goals, it can be difficult to understand what constitutes as a personal development skill. Whether you’re taking development programs to work on your presentation skills, looking into career exploration, or just want to exploit your human potential â€" here are some tips to get you started.Find a confidence course London.Define Personal Development for YouPersonal development is a malleable term, whose sole, unchanging definition is that it involves setting and acting out goals. The problem with this term, however, is that many people can find it unapproachable or outdated. Applying personal development to your personal and career goals must involve building a definition of self-development that is tailored to your life.Personal development can generally fall under three broad categories which, once you identify the ones under which you’d like to work under, can make attaining new skills easier. Progressing in one of these categories - career, personal, and knowledge â€" can and often do require growth in the other two. They are often distinct, however, and can be better understood by looking at the skills involved in them.Career:Professional skillsJob skillsLeadership skillsPersonal:Fitness skillsMental health skillsKnowledge:Reading and writing skillsStudy skillsWhile having any of these life skills is as likely to get land you a job interview as it is to simply make you happier, building a definition of personal development centred around one of these categories can make it easier to plan your development. For example, if you know you’d like to work on a personal skill such as fitness, you can make your self-improvement definition focused on setting fitness goals with a regular frequency.Practicing this skill in building definitions around your ever-changing priorities will allow you an adaptability in your personal development journey.Working on bad financial habits can help you develop a sense of peaceWork Productively on Bad HabitsBad habits can be very explicit as well as subtle. So subtle, in fact, many of us don’t realize we’re carrying them around with us every day. An example of an easily identifiable bad habit is procrastination, which is often much harder to dispel than it is to identify.Some examples of bad habits that are harder to pinpoint is lacking a positive attitude in even the most casual of situations or lacking the assertiveness to say no to opportunities that will either hurt or overwhelm you.Here are some tips to help you work more productively on your bad habits:Become better at identifying bad habits by keeping in constant touch with how you feel after accomplishing a taskWork on a positivity work ethic by focusing on the lessons you’ve learned from difficult, confusing and stressful situations rather than dwelling on themResearch for Growth and DevelopmentIf you need any more persuasion to start implementing personal development skills in you r life, it has been demonstrated time and again that the most successful people never stop learning. Whether you’re working on your transferable skills or simply want to build a better rapport with your neighbours, you don’t have to become a life coach to keep learning about how to better achieve your goals.Continually updating your methods in personal development doesn’t have to be a task you perform alone. Whether you find a mentor in your community or through a podcast, having an experienced guide can make your progress more fun and effective.Finding a mentor can help you in developing yourself and your skillsImplement Self-Improvement DailyNow that you understand what development goals are and how to apply self-assessment, self-knowledge and mindfulness towards your self-growth, you can start to develop a personal development plan custom fit to change your life.Whether your personal development goals have to do with your work life, hard skills, or exercise plans, developin g a plan to execute your goals doesn’t have to be difficult. In order to improve yourself and cultivate your new habit in goal setting, make sure to do your research on how to form a plan that you will actually stick to.Some general rules to observe when you set goals and create your personal development plan are:Detail your goals and understand what abilities you will need to add to your skill setBetter your development plans by identifying what steps will be necessary and in how much time you want to complete themStart your development plan and keep track of your progressWhile these steps do not delve into all the characteristics of a great self-improvement plan, they do serve to give an idea as to where you should start. One of the ways in which you can take your personal and career planning is to check out the various books, articles and podcasts related to self-development.One great example can be found in the popular podcast School of Greatness. Hosted by Lewis Howes, this p odcast delves into the personality development and skills list of everyone from world-class athletes to famous celebrities. If you’re inspired by and learn best from an interview style format, podcasts like this and many others can be the perfect avenue to learn more about transferable skills or stress management.If you’re interested in more ways in how you can apply personal development into your daily life other than listening to podcasts, you can try practicing moments of self-care once or multiple times a day. Some example can be:Practicing your people skills by talking to different colleagues at work or schoolExercise your meditation and writing skills by journalingDevote some time out of your daily schedule towards practicing a new languagePersonal development is often considered a life-long pursuit because of the fact that it can help add new meaning to your life, but also shifts the way in which you are able to view and solve problems.Personal Development PlansWhile craf ting a development plant to increase self-confidence, emotional intelligence, or management skills can be difficult, it can help to dive into the planning stages with some self-awareness and time management skills. Whether you want to work on communication skills or other soft skills, start by identifying a personal development goal you’d like to work towards. Then, make sure to read this guide to tailor a plan to your needs and schedule.

5 Strategies for MCAT Practice Tests

5 Strategies for MCAT Practice Tests Most authorities on MCAT preparation will agree that one of the most important ways to prepare for the exam is through practice exams and practice questions. However, simply practicing without a formal structure or objective will not result in a significant score increase. Below are five key tactics for getting the most out of your practice as you study for the MCAT. 1. Time yourself Though it may be difficult to complete exams or question sets under time constraints when you first begin your MCAT review, it is vitally important to strictly time yourself while you practice. If you dont time yourself, you run the risk of developing time-wasting habits. When it comes time to take the actual exam, these bad habits can prevent you from having enough time to attempt all the questions on test day. Work on your time management from day one and you can expect that it will become easier to finish the test in time as you get further along in your review process. Here is a great resource to help you manage your time during MCAT prep. 2. Use the strategies that work best for you Review books, professors, tutors, and online sources will all present you with a variety of specific test-taking strategies for the different sections of the test. In reality, almost all of the credible strategies are beneficial, but certain strategies work better for certain people.Use practice exams and questions to experiment with different test-taking methods. At the halfway point of your review period, you should be able to identify the strategies that give you the best results. Spend the second half of your prep period practicing and perfecting these particular strategies. 3. Learn from your mistakes This should form the foundation of your thinking toward practice questions and exams. Use them to not only evaluate yourself, but also to learn. When going over your results, carefully read over every question and answer. For questions you answered incorrectly, spend some extra time pinpointing what facts you need to know to ensure that you dont get that question wrong in the future. Keeping a running list of these facts is extremely helpful, and reading over them in the days leading up to the exam is a high-yield review. Here are some great free MCAT practice teststo help you prepare. 4. Learn from your successes Just like you can learn from the questions you answered incorrectly, you should also make it a point to solidify material from the questions you got right. When reviewing the questions you answered correctly, take note of why the other answer choices were incorrect, and make sure you didnt only get the question right because of a lucky guess. If that is the case, treat that question like you got it wrong and write down the facts you need to know to get it correct in the future. 5. Alter your study schedule based on your results One of the greatest benefits of completing practice sets and exams starting day one of your review is that your results will allow you to continuously monitor and improve your study plan. After each week of your prep period, look back on all the practice questions youve completed. Keep track of your scores for each section (Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Verbal Reasoning). If you seem to be struggling with one section more than others, devote more time to studying that particular section the following week. Also, take a look at specific subjects within each section (e.g. organic chemistry, thermodynamics, physiology, etc.). Thoroughly assess your performance and alter your study schedule accordingly. With these five tips in hand, you should easily be able to get the most out of every practice question you complete. Coupled with thorough review of the subject matter, you should be well on your way to an excellent MCAT score.

What is Salary Sacrifice and How Can It Save Money - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / What is Salary Sacrifice and How Can It Save Money - Introvert Whisperer What is Salary Sacrifice and How Can It Save Money? Salary sacrificing is a common term you might have come across during your employment. Also known as salary packaging, it’s a popular method of saving money by making purchases from your salary before it’s taxed. Sacrificing your salary isn’t a new concept for employees, but many people are misguided in believing it’s too hard or not worth organising. While there are many myths about salary sacrifice, lowering your taxes and arranging clever payment plans are just some of the benefits employees can profit from. What is Salary Sacrifice? Salary sacrifice is an arrangement between you and your employer, where you can reduce your salary in exchange for the same value in a variety of purchases, known as ‘benefits’. Employers may offer the option of a salary sacrifice to attract new employees or as an incentive to increase productivity. The advantage of salary sacrificing is that it lets you reduce your income before it’s assessed for taxation, allowing you to purchase goods or services that you would normally buy, while reducing your tax bill. Products like cars and computers, as well as services such as childcare or voluntary superannuation contributions can all be salary sacrificed, although they each come with different conditions. How Does It Work? When organising a salary sacrifice with your employer, it’s best to draft a written agreement as it will clearly establish the terms and conditions for both parties. Once agreed upon, your employer will deduct a nominated portion of your income before each pay cycle, which will then be spent on the arranged benefits. The remaining amount of your pay will then be taxed and deposited into your account as usual. Salary sacrificing must be arranged before you begin earning your salary for that payment period and cannot be retrospective. Salary sacrifice normally benefits the employee more than the employer, as the employer will be charged with administrative and other fees. In Australia, your employer must pay Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) on certain types of benefits. The value of these benefits will be recorded and will contribute to assessing your Medicare levy surcharge, tax offsets and eligibility for Government benefits. What Can You Salary Sacrifice? Depending on your employer, almost any product, service or purchase can be paid for with a salary sacrifice. Benefits will fall into one of three main categories. Fringe Benefits: This category is for benefits that will appear on your tax summary and which your employer must pay FBT on. It is the broadest category and includes options such as: Salary sacrifice cars Car loans Health Insurance School fees Childcare fees Personal expenses Benefits that are a part of this category, but will not appear on your end of year payment summary are known as ‘non-reportable fringe benefits’ and can include entertainment and car parking. Exempt Benefits: These benefits are associated with providing a useful function to your work. Your employer will not have to pay FBT on these benefits and they will not be recorded on your yearly tax summary. They can include: Computer software Tools of the trade Briefcases Portable electronic devices, such as laptops or phones Protective clothing Superannuation: Salary sacrificed employee contributions to your superannuation will be taxed by your super fund at 15%, which can be much lower than your normal tax rate. Sacrificing into super can also benefit employers, as they do not have to pay FBT on this benefit. Employers are more likely to offer the option of salary sacrificing into superannuation than other benefits, as it is a relatively simple process with fewer fees. Make sure to check with your employer about what benefits they are willing to offer. Salary Sacrificing Your Car Salary sacrificing is one of the best ways to finance larger and delayed purchases such as a car. In what’s known as a novated lease, you can arrange to lease a car of your choice from a car company and have your employer manage payments from your pre-tax salary. A novated lease package on a car can also include running costs such as registration, fuel, maintenance and insurance. Not only does this make owning a new car much simpler and more affordable, deductions for the lease all take place before the final calculation of your tax, allowing you to save money at tax time with a lower salary. Contrary to popular belief, salary sacrificing is easy to set up and can be a great way for employees at almost any income level to save money. Consider talking to your employer today about the possibility of a salary sacrifice. Author’s Bio: This article was written by Daniel Defendi, who writes for Easifleet in Perth. You can catch him on Google+ to discuss this piece. Go to top Let me emphasize that Self-Promotion doesn’t have to be obnoxious to be effective.  But, if you don’t Self-Promote you, who will? If you ever want to get ahead, you have to learn how to Self-Promote. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that shows you simple, yet effective ways to Self-Promote. Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

How to Sing Jazz Like a Pro in Five Steps

How to Sing Jazz Like a Pro in Five Steps Sign up successful 2. Remember to Breathe If a singer were a car, breath would be gasoline. The better you get at breathing like a singer, the longer you will be able to sing without taking a breath. To breathe like a singer, stand up straight but not stiff. Place your hands on your ribcage (above your waist) so that your four fingers are on the front of your ribcage and your thumbs are on the back. Take in a slow breath, trying to feel your ribcage expanding outward in every direction. This is how you should breathe when you sing. 3. Speak Easy Much of jazz singing occurs on the same pitches we use when we speak. Thinking of singing as projected singing makes it much easier. Using your “singer breath,” practice projecting words and phrases from a song as normal speech. Now, add the notes back in, maintaining the speech-like quality. Use a mirror to make sure your body and face stay relaxed as you sing. 4. Lift That Palate The soft palate is the squishy muscle right behind your hard palate in your mouth. This muscle moves up and down to seal your nasal tract off from the rest of your mouth and throat. Singers use the soft palate to keep air from escaping from the nose during singing, since singing out of the nose produces a nasal sound quality. To lift your soft palate, pretend you smell something awful but have shopping bags in both of your hands. Practice “plugging” your nose this way without actually touching it. Test whether your soft palate is up by singing a note, raising the palate, and plugging and unplugging your nose with your fingers. If the sound quality changes, your soft palate isn’t all the way up. 5. Exercise Your Weaknesses As you practice jazz songs, you might notice that some parts are harder than others. Study the parts that are hardest. Why are they hard? Are there fast-moving notes? Is there a large leap? Try practicing these parts slowly, taking the words out and using a single vowel (such as ‘E’ or ‘Ah’). Find vocal exercises that address that particular issue, and work them into your warm-up routine. All That Jazz With the right songs and some practice, you can quickly learn how to sing jazz well. Use your new skills to blow people’s minds at open mic night, or just to have fun while you sing along to Ella Fitzgerald in the car. No matter where you take your jazzy abilities, remember the number one rule for singing: have fun! Elaina R. teaches opera voice and singing in Ann Arbor, MI, as well as through online lessons. She is currently  working on a Master of Music at the University of Michigan, and she has a B.M. from the University of Southern California. Learn more about Elaina 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  ataelw

What You Need to Know About Project-Based Learning

What You Need to Know About Project-Based Learning Have you heard about project-based learning? Edutopia defines it as a dynamic classroom approach in which students explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire a deeper knowledge. This innovative methodology encourages students to think on their feet and collaborate to produce projects that present what they learned. Sound intriguing? Here are a few things you should keep in mind: It requires preparation. Project-based learning is student-led, but it requires a lot from you as the teacher. Projects you assign should be open-ended, but you must ensure that the problems or questions you have students work on are tied to content standards and establish clear learning goals. Youll achieve the best results when projects connect to the real world. Pose a complex question or challenge, and then let your students loose. Think of the project as something that might take place in the workplace. Your students must engage in critical thinking and communication and work together to come up with a solution. Its best to get students involved in the creation. Sam Houston State Universitys Center for Project-Based Learning explains that students find projects to be more meaningful if they play a creative role in the construction and planning of them. Take on the role of facilitator. Youll see your students transform. Project-based learning puts students in positions where they apply classroom knowledge to their lives and the problems they will face in the real world. There are many resources out there to learn more, including Edutopia, Buck Institute for Educations PBLWorks, and Sam Houston State Universitys Center for Project-Based Learning, among others. Do your research and get started!

PSAT results are out

PSAT results are out By now, most juniors should have received PSAT results from their schools.   If you’re not sure how to read your score report, here’s how it works: you have three scores, one for critical reading, one for math, and one for writing.   Those scores are added together to give you a composite score.     To get your approximate SAT score, just add a zero onto the end of each score.   Now, compare that approximate SAT score to average scores at your colleges of choice.    If you want to improve your PSAT score and get a better result on the SAT, you’re in the right place!AJ Tutoring has a fantastic individualized SAT preparation program.   We pair you one-on-one with a tutor at our Palo Alto, Saratoga, or San Jose office.   Over the course of 9 sessions, you’ll learn everything there is to know about test-taking strategies, what’s actually on the test, and how to best prepare for the big day.If you’re planning to take the March 10 SAT, there’s no time to waste!   With only 8 weeks left before the test, there’s still time to prepare, but the AJ Tutoring team is starting to fill up.   If you’d like to start tutoring for the March SAT, give Aaron or Joe a call at (650) 331-3251, or email info@ajtutoring.com.If, on the other hand, you haven’t thought about the SAT since you got those PSAT results back, now’s the time to start planning.  You should have a full round of tests (SAT, ACT, SAT subject tests) done by the end of junior year, so you can retake the tests senior year if necessary.    We would be happy to help you develop a testing plan that makes the most sense with your schedule â€" give us a call at (650) 331-3251.