Top Tips for Combating the Back-to-School Blues

Top Tips for Combating the Back-to-School Blues This post is part of our 2017 Back-to-School Series. Throughout the month of August, visit the Varsity Tutors blog for back-to-school advice, tips, and tricks for all ages. Having to gear up for a return to hard work and saying goodbye to the nice weather and relaxation of summer is enough to make anyone sad. If your children are feeling down or are having some anxiety about heading back to school this year, dont fret! Tips for combating the back-to-school blues include encouraging students to reconnect with friends, helping them prepare for their new schedule, and promoting positive thinking as school begins. Remember, the back-to-school blues are entirely normal and can be alleviated with a little time, re-framing, and some thoughtful preparation. Here are top tips for combating the back-to-school blues: 1. Tackle back-to-school shopping together Recruit your children to come with you when you do their back-to-school shopping. Not only will they get the chance to choose new clothes and to personalize their supplies, its also an easy way to introduce them to finances. Set a budget for their school supplies and clothing, and help them learn to prioritize by balancing the things they really want with savings elsewhere. You can even suggest that overall savings at the end of the shopping trip go toward a treat. Creating a sense of ownership over school notebooks, personal style, and locker decorations can go a long way toward building enthusiasm for the new school year. 2. Reconnect with school friends when going back to school Sometimes summer break can interrupt school friendships, especially if those students live farther away, or your children never got around to hanging out with that person outside of the classroom. Encourage them to get in contact with friends theyre going to see again at school, and to organize a playdate or get-together of some kind. Even just emailing to compare schedules or classroom assignments can help to relieve some anxiety about going back to school. 3. Prep for the new back-to-school schedule Start getting your children prepared for the shock of a more rigid schedule by slowly setting earlier bedtimes, wake-up times, and perhaps even doing a run-through of the morning routine. To help your student feel more comfortable, you can also: Visit the school Check out the new classroom Get a feel for the layout of the building or the schedule of classes. If teachers are around, meet them ahead of time. Familiarity with the new routine and surroundings will help decrease anxiety and stress on the first day. [RELATED: Tips for Helping Children Change Schools] 4. Talk through more serious back-to-school concerns Its also important to make sure that the back-to-school blues are just normal anxieties about the future, or sadness that summer is over. Talk to your children about why theyre feeling a little down about returning, and listen for signs of more serious concerns like bullying or social isolation that could be causing your children to dread returning. Talk through normal anxieties and try to reframe them by reminding students of fun things or successes that happened last year. If you sense that your students have a deeper reason for not wanting to go back, talk to them about it, and create a plan for them that is communicated with any teachers (and even administrators, if appropriate). [RELATED: 5 Questions to Ask Your Students New Teacher] 5. Make plans for summer in the fall to combat back-to-school blues Oftentimes, back-to-school blues happen simply because your children had so much fun over the summer. Work with them to make plans for summertime fun even after school has started: family outings, trips to the ice cream stand, unstructured get-togethers with friends, or hikes and other outdoor activities. Just because school has started doesnt mean its suddenly the dead of winter, or that every free moment must be dedicated to homework. Plan something for the first weekend after school starts to help ease the transition. 6. Fight down in the dumps back-to-school thinking If your children are making blanket declarations about how school is constantly the worst, remind them of times theyve had fun with a school project, a new teacher they like, or events like school dances that dont happen during the summer that they can look forward to. It can also help to remind them of some of the less fun things about summer, like mosquito bites, boredom, or sibling fights that theyll be able to avoid once theyre back in school. With a little foresight and preparation, helping your children find ways to look forward to a new school year is easily accomplished. Re-frame the return with new school supplies, reminders of good friends, accomplishments, and fun, and you can most likely count on at least one smile for that first-day photograph. [RELATED: How to Help Your Elementary School Student Cope with Test Anxiety] Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

How to Become a Spanish Teacher

How to Become a Spanish Teacher The Path You Have to Follow to Become A Spanish Teacher ChaptersWhat Course of Study Should You Take to Teach SpanishBecome a Spanish Teacher for Elementary and High SchoolBecome A Spanish Professor in Higher EducationBecome A Spanish Professor: Other Paths to Think AboutOf course, a good Spanish teacher is, most importantly, bilingual.This will allow you to answer your students’ questions precisely and clearly.Once you’ve achieved this (or are on your way to achieving it), you will need to follow the proper course to learn Spanish.What is the right way to become a teacher and give Spanish lessons? Superprof has the answers… CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors J enniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Course of Study Shou ld You Take to Teach SpanishFirst we will tell you about the path generally followed by Spanish professors.To begin your studies to be a Spanish teacher: get your degree.Before beginning your career as a Spanish professor, you must, first off, have a degree.Go to college!The best thing is of course to get your degree in a subject related to the courses that you would like to give yourself later on.For example, a bachelor’s degree in Spanish language (Applied Foreign Languages, LEA) or in Foreign languages, Literature and Cultures (LLCE). These are both excellent springboards before your master’s to obtain the right skills to become a Spanish professor!After your bachelor’s degree, pursue a master’s in teaching or educationOnce you have your bachelor’s degree in your pocket (congratulations!), you can follow it up with one or two years in a master’s program. Years of experience are required to become a Spanish professor. And alas, years of dreaming and speaking in Spanish don’t count…Follow these steps to teach Spanish classes effectively!Students preparing for their exams.For example, some professors choose to pursue a Master of Education, Curriculum and Instruction (M.Ed.).That adds up to a lot of abbreviations you’ll have to confront. But you will see that really it’s not all that complicated.Become a Spanish Teacher for Elementary and High SchoolOnce you have your degree, it’s possible to teach Spanish in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools. How should you go about it? We’ll tell you.To become a Spanish teacher at any level, you’ll need to complete a teacher’s education program to obtain a state-issued certification or license for public schools. Some private schools do not require this licensure. Licensing criteria differs from state to state, but generally includes a bachelor’s degree as well as an approved teacher training course, and a student teaching assignment, which generally involves working in a class room under the guidance of a licensed teacher. This will allow you to understand what it means to run a classroom, work with students, and how to design a curriculum. You will also have to pass an exam.In most states, the minimum requirement to become a teacher is a bachelor’s degree as well as a state-approved teacher certification program that generally focuses on curricula and fieldwork.The higher the level of Spanish you wish to teach, the higher the level of the requirements will be. To teach in a college program, or sometimes even in high school, you may be required to have a master’s degree.Discover the many ways to organise your Spanish lessons...Certificate of completion of a state-approved teacher’s education program.So, if you would like to transmit your knowledge to young students, you must obtain a bachelor’s degree and pass the state-approved teacher’s certification requirement.If you teach at a higher level, you will have more freedom to design your courses as you like. You will be able to come up with intellectual and artistic exercises that you find interesting. You will be able to highlight your knowledge of Spanish language and culture.And perhaps most importantly, you will be able to show students and parents the value of learning Spanish.If you decide to teach Spanish in middle school or high school, as opposed to elementary school, you will be able to make your Spanish lessons more advanced.Your objective, in middle school and high school, is to make your students, of all levels, fall in love with the Spanish language. No matter the level of your class (from 6th grade to 12th grade), you will be tasked with inspiring in your students an interest in Spanish culture. All while teaching them, over time, the rudiments and specifics of the Spanish language.To fulfill your mission, you will have access to numerous pedagogical tools, such as Spanish textbooks, and audio or video recordings. In addition, if you want (and if your establi shment permits it), you will be able to bring your students on field trips in order to introduce them to Spanish culture in institutions around your area.To be a Spanish professor in middle school and high school will be especially appealing to those who like to share their knowledge of the foundation of a foreign language to beginner students. For all teachers in elementary school, middle school, and high school, the challenge is that your students will be starting their Spanish lessons from zero.Note for private tutors: schools that offer Spanish classes are the ideal places to find students in need of private or supplementary Spanish lessons. A great place to find home tutoring and online teaching jobs.Become A Spanish Professor in Higher EducationWhat’s great about the profession of a Spanish teacher is that you will access to different levels of students. So if you have no desire to be a Spanish teacher in elementary school, middle school, or high school, you also have the op tion of becoming a Spanish professor at the university level.To become a Spanish professor at a university, you will need a master’s degree, and in almost all cases, a doctoral degree in Spanish or a related subject.Earn your master’s degree and your doctoral degree to become a Spanish teacher at a university.What’s interesting at this level is that you will be able to go even deeper into Spanish culture, language, or literature. Indeed, at this level, the students should already possess the solid foundations of the language. And so you will be able to teach them more in-depth concepts.Keep in mind, depending on the students, you should adapt your Spanish lessons to highlight specific themes. It might be a vocabulary oriented towards business terms for a business school, or a technical vocabulary for classes of future engineers.In any event, you will be interacting with young adults who are, generally, hungry to learn. Because they will already have an idea of their future pat h and since they will want to speak the language well, this part of the work will already be done.It’s also good to know that if you become a specialized professor, you will be able to increase the rates for your private Spanish lessons.Become A Spanish Professor: Other Paths to Think AboutWriting this article, we have reflected on two other ways of teaching Spanish language and culture that are a bit outside of the traditional bachelor’s-master’s path.Have you thought about becoming a Spanish researcher?To teach Spanish in lower, middle, and high school, having a master’s in Spanish or education is generally sufficient. But to teach in higher education, you will need to pursue a doctorate degree. Yes, an addition 6 years or so to become a doctor of Spanish language, culture, literature, or of education.To complete your doctorate degree in Spanish, you will need to develop a thesis that you will defend in front of a jury of specialists in your last year. Your thesis will nee d to be related to the fields of Spanish literature, Hispanic culture, or Spanish civilization. Your thesis will need to cover a precise genre, era, or question.And why not become a private Spanish teacher?Finally, if you’re interested, there is also the possibility of starting your own business and becoming a private Spanish tutor.Find out how tutors in the US set their rates...Become a private Spanish teacher!To do that, you will have the choose of becoming a private Spanish teacher as part of bigger company, or by creating your own company. Some Spanish teachers even combine the two. Each possibility has its own advantages and drawbacks.Good to know: although it’s not necessary to obtain any specific degrees to become a private tutor, you will need to be completely bilingual in Spanish and English. Also, obtaining a degree or a teacher certification is a good selling point that will allow you to more easily find clients as you try and find tutoring jobs London.Now you have al l the information necessary to become a Spanish teacher. From elementary school to the university level, take some time to ask yourself what your preference is. Your Spanish lessons will differ depending on whether you’re addressing beginners who have never spoken a single word of Spanish, or intermediary students, or students with a mastery of the Spanish language.You will also need to organize your Spanish lessons differently depending on whether you have a class of 10 or 30 or 50 students.And why not try out giving Spanish lessons as a private tutor? Full time or part time: you will love it in no time.

Chemistry Homework Help-An Effective Tool To Ace The Subject

Chemistry Homework Help-An Effective Tool To Ace The Subject 0SHARESShare Chemistry is an interesting subject to those who understand its basic concepts well without any confusion. A chemistry tutor online with his homework help is a great boon to the students who feel that they are in the maze while solving a chemistry problem or equalizing a Chemistry bond.                Chemistry Homework Help: Take advantage of online homework help in Chemistry? Use the recorded Chemistry tutoring sessions and video lectures to get into touch with the basic Chemistry concepts. This helps you a lot when you do topics in Organic Chemistry like Acids and Bases or Stereo Chemistry. Organic Chemistry Online Tutoring can highlight the main aspects of the subject with its interactive multimedia tools  and   animations and motivate innovative learning strategies in the students Chemistry Homework Help online can resolve the problems in your homework  and help you with better understanding through its online boards and step by step explanations The review exercises, feedback, quizzes and simulations of the tutoring sessions establish the fundamentals of Chemistry in student mind without fail Online tutoring for subjects like Physics and Chemistry helps the students grasp the crux of the topics without any disruption. For example, when an online tutor explains how to Define Angular Acceleration with his unique tutoring methods, student interest in the subject gets doubled. Tutor Pace provides sufficient help in Chemistry homework to enable students ace the subject. Get a Chemistry Homework Help Right Now! [starbox id=admin]

The Most Amazing Places for Wildlife Photography

The Most Amazing Places for Wildlife Photography Practise Wildlife Photography in these Amazing Locales ChaptersReelfoot Lake, TennesseePhotographing Wildlife at the PolesThe Galapagos IslandsPhotograph the Wild Animals of BorneoPhotograph the ‘Big Five’ in AfricaGiant Pandas in the Chengdu ReservePhotographing the Canadian Brown BearHave you ever flipped through National Geographic or some other nature magazine and wondered how the photographer got close enough to take such a clear shot of the animal s/he photographed?Or were you taken away by the breathless expanse of Antarctica's penguin colony, of which a single puffin, nestled between its parents, commanded the photographer’s lens?In the mountains and by the streams; on plateaus, highlands and in seemingly barren deserts; even in our oceans, our world is full of beauty and creatures begging to be seen.That subtle, wistful longing whispers through photography clubs and major publishing enterprises alike but only those with an ear tuned to the craving heed the call to venture forth and photograph.Are you among those numbers?Do you, too, wish to see for yourself whether a seal’s pelt truly looks luxurious, a tiger’s stripes are indeed symmetrical and whether elephants in fact do revisit their ancestors’s graves?Your desire to understand, see and capture the animal world could take you to places of terrible beauty; it is our pleasure to highlight just a few of them for you. AllanPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPhotography Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TimothyPhotography Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Anosh nadeemPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ZangmoPhotography Teacher 5.00 (6) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RosiePhotography Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MattPhotography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyPhotography Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsReelfoot La ke, Tennessee Reelfoot Lake is a place of haunting beauty and eagle pairs. Source: Wikipedia Credit: Jeremy AHugging the northwest corner of this US state, Reelfoot Lake is a treasure for anyone pursuing landscape photography as well as those who photograph wildlife.Reelfoot Lake is known both for its bald cypress trees and for being the winter home of bald eagles.As legend tells it, a Native American warrior wanted to marry a woman from another tribe but was forbidden to. He nevertheless captured his bride and ran away with her.Upon hearing of this treachery, the Devil grew so angry he stomped his foot on the soil where the warrior lived. The nearby river rose up to flood the land and, when that water receded, a shallow footprint lake remained.In fact, this part-marsh, part-bayou natural lake is one of the bald eagles’ favourite winter nesting homes.  They start migrating from the north sometime in late November and, unlike other raptor birds, will mate as early as February.Time to plan for: so metime between November and May.Wildlife to photograph: beavers, eagles and deer.If you don’t mind going a bit further, to the neighbouring town of Kenton, you could also photograph white squirrels.Photographing Wildlife at the PolesRecently, scientists were appalled to discover plastic embedded in what they thought was the world’s last pristine wilderness.For all that they are remote and have exposure to some of the most extreme conditions on the planet â€" and are now afflicted with plastic waste, the North and South Poles support an amazing abundance of life.Among other species, we find penguin colonies and   curiously-engineered fish in Antarctica and bears, arctic foxes and hares on the globe’s northern cap.Those creatures make either of the poles dream destinations for new as well as seasoned wildlife photographers.Note: if you do plan to head to one of the poles to take pictures of wildlife there, be sure to plan your trip carefully; it takes a bit more preparation to t ake photographs of animals in such extreme conditions!The Galapagos IslandsAs one of the most biologically diverse regions of the planet, this archipelago is home to species found nowhere else on earth.Best of all, because they have been protected for over a century, the wildlife does not see humans as predators; they are completely unafraid of us!What can you photograph in the Galapagos that you cannot take a picture of anywhere else?You may catch a hawk in flight in any nature reserve but Galapagos hawks are unique. Endemic to just a few of the islands, capturing the image of such a raptor would be a rare treat!The same could be said for the short-eared owl and the Galapagos mockingbird.If you are more into ground-level creatures, you can capture a giant tortoise or any of the colourful species of iguanas.Although wildlife there is abundant and not shy at all, you may still want to bring your bean bag camera rest or, if you really want to do Galapagos properly, bring your tripod w ith its gimbal so you can move your camera as needed.Find out what other equipment you should bring with you on a photoshoot... Challenge your photography skills with the Borneo orangutan Source: Wikipedia Credit: Frank Woutersthird-largest island, located just at the edge of the Pacific ocean, is home to a wide variety of unique animals to photograph.There, you may concentrate on photographing only orangutans or you could widen your focus to include gibbons and proboscis monkeys.If bird photography is more to your liking, only on Borneo could you find a red-breasted partridge or a mountain serpent-eagle. Imagine entering those shots in a photography contest!What about macro photography?If you wanted to try your talent at capturing the smallest creatures, the Borneo Rainforest is an amazing ecosystem where you could find (and shoot) a huge assortment of insects, many of them in the same general area.Also, if you wanted to cross disciplines and try your hand at nature photography, you could not do much better than in Borneo.Photograph the ‘Big Five’ in AfricaThis could hardly be called a list of amazing pl aces to photograph wildlife if we left off Africa.The Big Five we refer to are elephants, buffalo, black rhino, lion and leopard, all of which make their home in the Kalahari national reserve.If you had your heart set on capturing big cats like the cheetah or leopard, you can find them there, too.However, if you wanted to photograph a herd of elephants, wilderbeest or zebra, you would have to plan a trip to the Serengeti.The world’s second-largest continent has such a diversity of life, you may find yourself returning to capture it on film (or memory card) again and again.Giant Pandas in the Chengdu ReserveDid you know that the giant panda is considered a living fossil? They have been around for thousands of years. With an average lifespan of only 20 years, that is a remarkable statistic.Even more remarkable is the fact that there are fewer than 2,000 of them left.These solitary, reclusive animals are far from the fun, cuddly creatures they are portrayed to be but every bit as pho togenic.The Chengdu research base is one of the world’s foremost conservation projects. They have worked extensively to study and preserve this amazing animal... and now they’ve opened their park to permit viewing and photographing them.It’s best to arrive early in the morning or late afternoon as that is when the pandas are most active.You should bring your telephoto lens and tripods because, as you walk through the park, you will come upon pandas lounging in trees or in the underbrush.As well as the renown black and white giant pandas, you will see red pandas â€" a relative of the raccoon, and a generous population of birds and insects, all available for you to photograph.Here too, you may consider taking pictures of the panda’s natural habitats; the bamboo forest is magnificent!And, if you have a bit of extra time, you may want to dash over to nearby Le Shan to take pictures of the world’s largest Buddha statue.True, it’s not wildlife but it is outdoor photography and the statue, carved out of the mountainside, is quite remarkable to behold. Can you see the resemblance between raccoons and red pandas? Image by Pexels from PixabayPhotographing the Canadian Brown BearLike the panda, Canada’s bear population has somehow gotten a reputation for being adorable and cuddly. We don’t recommend you putting those ideas to the test.On the other hand, packing your photography gear and heading to Canada is advised.Canada is home not just to the brown bear but also grizzly bears, black bears and the unique kermode bear, also known as the Spirit Bear because of its white fur.Like the white squirrels mentioned earlier, these bears are neither albino nor are they related to polar bears, which you can also find in Canada.Apart from grizzlies, which will attack rather than retreat when confronted, bears are generally fairly shy creatures, preferring to avoid conflict... unless they are hungry, it is mating season or they are protecting their cubs.For safety’s sake, it would be best to stay out of the bears’ habitat.Photographing th em from a distance with a super-long lens and setting your camera’s shutter speed accordingly could still yield an image worthy of entry into a photo contest.Ours is a magnificent world full of amazing creatures; in fact, we’ve not even touched on underwater photography in this article even though there too are breathtaking life forms.For all of you combing the earth to bring us images of seldom-seen creatures: thank you for photographing them and sharing your work. We wish we could go with you.If we failed to mention your favourite place in the whole world to photograph animals, we would love to hear from you.For all of you only just beginning as a wildlife photographer: we hope this short list of amazing destinations gives you a place to start.Now pick up on these tips and tricks to becoming the best wildlife photographer.

What Can I Expect At My First Voice Lesson

What Can I Expect At My First Voice Lesson Suzy S. For some people, its a big step to sign up for voice lessons. We know the thought can seem a little scary particularly if youre not used to singing in front of others, let alone a trained, professional vocalist!   But dont worry: your teacher isnt there to judge or intimidate you. Perhaps youre wondering what you can really expect at your first voice lesson.   How should you prepare?   Heres a look into a typical lesson experience from Kathryn M., one of our newest teachers in Fairborn, OH: Have you been thinking about taking voice lessons, but you just aren’t sure? A lot of people like to sing in a choir, with the radio, or even in the shower.  But is taking voice lessons right for you?  Here is some information about what to expect at a voice lesson, frequently asked questions about taking voice lessons, and how you can benefit from taking them. The first thing you need to ask yourself is: what are my goals? Establishing your goals with singing is what will help you and your voice teacher set a path for your lessons. If your goals include sight reading better for your community choir, great.  If they include one day singing on the Broadway stage, great. Knowing your goals with singing will help you to stay motivated and moving forward. So, now that you’ve decided to take voice lessons, what’s next?  At your first lesson, there is often uncertainty as to what to expect from the experience.  It’s important to know that although your voice teacher is there to help you improve, he or she will never make you feel like you aren’t good enough to sing. Your voice teacher will work with you where you are at and help you get to the next level.  Just sing out and don’t be afraid to show what you’ve got. What will you learn? Singing lessons are about more than just the product. Singing lessons engage the entire body and you will be instructed on correct posture, breathing and vowel shaping. This may seem tedious at times, but keeping your instrument aligned and working properly is as important as the sound that is produced. What will you sing? This has a lot to do with your goals. Your voice teacher will have repertoire suggestions and books he or she may ask you to purchase. This is to help provide you with quality music to learn from and grow with. Vocal repertoire books range from folk songs, opera, oratorios, Broadway, and everything in between. You might have goals to sing in another language and that vastly expands your possibilities. Kathryn M. teaches singing and trumpet lessons in Fairborn, OH.   She holds a Masters Degree in Vocal Music Education from the University of Dayton, and has been a TakeLessons instructor since May 2012. Sign up for lessons with Kathryn, or visit TakeLessons to search for teachers near you! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of prescreened teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for safe, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Joseph A Ferris III

Find French Lessons in Edinburgh

Find French Lessons in Edinburgh Opportunities to Learn French in Scotland’s Capital ChaptersLearning Languages in EdinburghWhy Learn French?Starting a French CourseLearn French at The French Institute of ScotlandTake Beginner Classes in French at Edinburgh CollegeJoin a French Language School at inLingua EdinburghTry Superprof for Private French TuitionSpeak French at Edinburgh’s Yakety Yak Language CaféDo a Degree in French at the University of EdinburghLots of us have wished to learn a second language. Indeed, many of us are actually embarrassed by the UK’s reputation for poor language skills, and the Brits’ inability â€" or refusal (?) â€" to try to learn, let alone be fluent in, a foreign language. Yet, we still, the majority of us at least, forget any new language that we learn at school.And so, it is very common for people to join a conversational class â€" or to join a proper, grammatical language course â€" to brush up on, or rebuild from scratch, the language knowledge they once had.But there are many other reasons people seek language classes. These can be that many different languages simply aren’t taught in mainstream school. It could be that you need to learn a language for business. It could even be that you are pursuing language studies because you have fallen for someone who speaks a different language (and, as the Italian expression goes, you only really learn a language ‘in the cradle or in the bed’). AnnieFrench Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolineFrench Teacher 5.00 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriFrench Teacher 5.00 (9) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarianneFrench Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThibautFrench Teacher 5.00 (3) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickFrench Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DéborahFrench Teacher 5.00 (10) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamyFrench Teacher 5.00 (2) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsLea rning Languages in EdinburghBut whatever your reason for taking a language class, you should know that, in Edinburgh, the opportunities abound. It is a capital city after all, and an incredibly international one at that.Scotland, supposedly, is a country in which one hundred and seventy different languages are spoken. Let the hugeness of that number sink in for a moment. And, for most of the languages there are, there is probably someone available to teach you it.In Edinburgh, you can hardly walk around the town centre without seeing adverts for language programs, from Italian classes to those in Mandarin Chinese, from English courses to those in the German language.Whichever one you were to pick, you would almost certainly be taught by a native speaker, who could cover everything from the basics of the language and culture to the phonology, the tenses, and all the communicative skills you would need to have a conversation with a degree of fluency.Honestly, we told you Edinburgh is a great place to learn languages, and we’ll show you why.With French language lessons, you can get to know French culture too.Why Learn French?Here, though, we are talking specifically about French classes. And Auld Reekie will not disappoint in this language either.If you are living in a different UK city and are hoping to learn French, check out our article on learning French across the UK.The Perks of Speaking FrenchFrench is one of the world’s most important languages â€" up there with English, Mandarin, and Spanish. It will be taught all over the world, and countries on every continent pretty much speak it.But whilst these three other languages are spoken by more people, French is increasingly a language of international politics â€" as it is used as one of the three ‘procedural languages’ of the EU.It has been a hugely important language in the history of Europe, and it has had a massive impact on the language of the UK â€" with French culture having done the same. Fre nch will continue to play a huge role in the way that different countries speak to each other.Starting a French CourseWhen thinking about learning a language, people often ask like what are the prerequisites? Do I need to have any basic knowledge of French to actually succeed?The answer, as ever, is no â€" but of course it helps. And the chances are that you know some French already: ‘bonjour!’, ‘merci’, merely ‘baguette’ and ‘fromage’, or ‘voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?’. Nine times out of ten, beginner students know more at the start than they think they do.So, go in there with some confidence, be prepared to keep reading and writing â€" and, in the classes, make sure that you speak (!) â€" and you will have cracked basic French in no time.So, let’s see what is on offer in Edinburgh â€" as we’re sure that you’ll find something that suits you. You can find information on learning French in London and French classes in Glasgow in our other articles!D o a French course abroad in Paris.Learn French at The French Institute of ScotlandThe French Institute of Scotland, or the Institut Francais Écosse, is the heart of French culture in Edinburgh â€" and in Scotland too. With a little French bistro, hundreds of cultural events, a strong inclusive community, and of course some French lessons, it is the probably the place to go if you are serious about learning the French language.It’s right in the centre of town on the Royal Mile, and it’s a lovely space too. They do classes for kids and adults alike, running across evenings or intensively across a number of weeks. AnnieFrench Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolineFrench Teacher 5.00 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriFrench Teacher 5.00 (9) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarianneFrench Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThibautFrench Teacher 5.00 (3) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickFrench Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DéborahFrench Teacher 5.00 (10) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamyFrench Teacher 5.00 (2) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsTake Beginner Classes in French at Edinburgh CollegeThe Edinburgh College is a great option for those looking for a formal qualification in French â€" or for those who might struggle logistically to get into the centre of town. There are campuses all over the shop across Edinburgh and more widely in Midlothian.For the person looking for a formal French qualification, you can pick from National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers, and a SWAP in Language and Business Access. All of these are, of course, recognised by the government and hold you in good stead looking forward to a career. These are a great testament to your skills in French too.Join a French Language School at inLingua EdinburghinLingua are a massively popular chain of language sc hools in thirty-five countries across the world. In the UK, there is an inLingua school in every major city pretty much, offering classes in Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, and every other language you can think of.Class sizes are small, and the teaching is quite excellent, so you’ll be sure to learn a lot quickly, if you put your mind to it.The inLingua centre in Edinburgh is on Shandwick Place â€" in a very convenient location for people coming from any part of the city.Check out our articles on French courses in Leeds and on French teachers in Birmingham too!Try Superprof for Private French TuitionWhilst there are many different language schools across the city, this may not be the right situation for you. Learning a language is difficult â€" and speaking confidently is a skill that people really need in order to make the most out of such classes.Unfortunately, not everyone has this confidence â€" preferring instead to find one-to-one tutorials. These can be absolutely ex cellent for the learner, offering you more time to speak, providing bespoke training that is suited to your particular desires, strengths, and weaknesses, and building a space in which you are as confident as you can be.We, at Superprof, are a platform that connects eager learners to committed, passionate, and talented tutors. We have over seven million tutors right now, teaching over a thousand languages across the world.In Edinburgh, we have nearly eighty tutors of French offering classes from as little as £17 an hour. We’re sure that, among this lovely lot, you’ll have no trouble finding someone with whom you’ll click.Unlock French culture by taking French classes.Speak French at Edinburgh’s Yakety Yak Language CaféWhilst there are so many options for language classes, there is nothing better than putting down the pencil for a moment, stopping staring at the verb tenses and vocabulary lists, and just having a chat.This is what Yakety Yak does in its language cafes acros s Edinburgh. Rather than being ‘taught’, you learn for yourself through speaking, in a totally non-judgmental, relaxed, and completely and utterly French environment (no English allowed!).So, with a coffee or a glass of wine, you can talk about your work, life, aspirations, and hobbies â€" like you would in your own language! It’s simply having a chat â€" but your French skills will improve by miles and miles.Do a Degree in French at the University of EdinburghFor the more ambitious language students among you, there is the opportunity to pursue a French language course at university. The city’s best higher education institution is the famous University of Edinburgh, whose School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures will take you right through the complexities of advanced French.A degree-level language program is one of the best ways to learn to speak like native speakers, as it ensures the most intensive and committed of styles of language training. You won’t just be da llying around in conversational French, but you’ll be exploring the breadth of French linguistics and studying literary texts written in this Romance language.If you fancy being a diplomat, a translator, or an academic in international relations, doing a degree in French is crucial. Oh, and you have the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in a French speaking country. Such French immersion will be really fantastic for your knowledge of the subject.For info on French lessons in other cities, try our articles on  French language courses in Belfast or French language lessons in Cardiff.

How to earn more if you refer more!

How to earn more if you refer more! Here at Tutorfair, we want to encourage our tutors to go the extra mile to support clients by referring other tutors for work they can’t do themselves. What’s more, tutors can receive referral commission on these bookings. We recently spoke to one of our top tutors and 11 Plus experts, James M, who gave some top tips on how he earns more from Tutorfair through referral commission… Why refer a client to another tutor? James has   found referring tutors an easy way to help potential clients and earn some hassle-free extra commission on the side! How to refer a client to another tutor James found the best way to refer clients was to first, politely inform the client that you are unable to help them and then refer others tutors that you think might be able to help.  It is always a good idea to keep up a good rapport with a client even if you are unable to help them at that time- you never know, they might look into booking you in the future! How do you choose who to refer? This is dependent on where the client is looking for tuition.   It is good to know a couple of tutors in other locations who are good and reliable and you can easily recommend. There are multiple networking events and workshops where you can meet other tutors in your field. James found that if he didn't know any tutors in the area, he would try running a search as though you are a client. Not only is this a quick and simple process but it also gives you an insight into the process clients go through when looking for a tutor. Who else can I refer?   Another excellent way to earn more through Tutorfair is to refer yourself to clients who are not yet on Tutorfair. Having more lessons going through Tutorfair will  improve your ranking on the site (total number of hours is one of the things we track). For more information on referrals and how you can earn more, visit our handy support centre article. James M is one of our top tutors. With over 10 years of experience, James has prepared students for some of the most competitive schools, including Westminster, Eton, Latymer and St Paul’s. Interested in booking a lesson with James? Click here to visit his Tutorfair profile and find out more!

The Forgetting Curve

The Forgetting Curve I have an awful memory. Seriously! I can barely recall what I had for breakfast yesterday. While my memory is probably below average, I’m not alone in my struggles with recollection. As humans, our minds are not designed to store and retain every piece of data that enters through our senses.We forget approximately:50% of new info we encounter within an hour70% within 24 hoursAnd 90% within a weekIt’s important to note that our forgetfulness is a highly beneficial trait. Imagine if you could remember the color of every car you passed this morning, or last week, or ten years ago! We forget the vast majority of what we experience because most of the data is inessential. Forgetting is an active, adaptive, and desirable process.That said, we are often called upon in our academic and career journeys to remember important concepts and information. To do so, it’s crucial to understand our psychology and that of our students, so that we can learn and educate with our forgetting in mind. What can we do to help students remember better?Tips for overcoming the forgetting curve1. Have a focusKnowing that memory is selective and limited, it’s crucial to pick 1-2 key topics and focus on them during a class or training. Walking through myriad details and minutia is hopeless because the learner can only really keep a couple of big ideas in mind for the long term.2. Space it outOnce you’ve picked a most important idea to hone in on, you must hammer the message home over time. Our SAT test prep students often report that their tutors will repeat the same strategical pointer, such as “read the question carefully and annotate”, so frequently throughout the prep that the tutor’s voice can be heard in the student’s mind when they are taking the actual SAT. That means the tutor has done a good job of stressing a certain concept’s importance.3. Make a connectionA common memory enhancement technique is to connect a new idea to an old one. Connections are used to great success in history tutoring; by linking newly-learned events and people to more familiar ones, students can begin to think in terms of trends and retain core historical ideas and concepts for the long term.4. Say it first, say it lastDue to primacy and recency biases, we often remember the first and the last things said by a speaker.5. Deliver it in multiple waysBecause we all learn differently, explaining an idea in multiple ways is most effective. For example, one student might grow to understand the graph of a line visually, while another prefers the abstraction of an equation, and still another might best digest the concept by having it explained verbally. For many students, it will be ideal to have the algebraic concept of a line explained in all three ways, repeated over time, and reinforced through practice.6. Revisit the information frequentlyLuckily, while forgetting is a pervasive process, it is not random. It is possible to signal the brain that a particular piece of inf ormation is important and that it should be retained. Thus, this tip is the most crucial. When you force a learner to revisit information in the hours and days after training, they are much more likely to retain that information in the long run.If your goal is to produce long-term retention and behavior change, then what you do after training is more important than what you do during training. Give us a call today to learn more about how we can help your student!