Thursday, April 2, 2020

The University Of Maryland Tutoring Center Offers a Wide Range of Services

The University Of Maryland Tutoring Center Offers a Wide Range of ServicesThe University of Maryland tutoring center offers a wide range of services that are provided for students from the elementary to high school level. This is the only private tutoring center of its kind that can be found anywhere in the world.There are all kinds of problems that students face at the age of twelve or thirteen, and such centers offer the best help to address these problems. They use state of the art equipment so that students get the best tutoring experience possible. The college board has given the tutoring center accreditation so that students will be able to register for courses in this center and it can serve them well in their college courses.The private tutoring center is dedicated to providing top quality services for its students. Most of the tutors who work in this center were once students themselves, but that did not stop them from continuing to work with the younger generations of stude nts. This is the reason why it has been able to become the leader in tutoring in the country.There are a number of subjects in which the tutoring center focuses on. One of the areas that the tutoring center covers is English. English is considered as one of the most difficult subjects to learn, but there are a number of topics that are taught in this area that help students learn it better.The tutoring center also provides students with English as a Second Language or ESL training, which helps students learn the language of their choice. A number of countries in the world today have students who are not native speakers of the language that they are learning, so this is an important topic that needs to be covered. This helps students improve their English and also get the confidence they need so that they can speak better in any situation.The tutoring center also covers other subjects like math, science, social studies, music, dance, and other subjects that help students develop thei r creativity. Students can choose to go through special classes in the center that include topics like art and music. These areas are really important for kids to learn.The center also offers a learning environment that is relaxed, so that students can interact with the tutors and other students. Most students find it easier to work with someone who is kind and helpful than with someone who is a bit of a grump. In addition, the tutoring center provides a place where students can study and do homework in groups.Students who are planning to take the college entrance exam are advised to work with the tutoring center. They can choose to have exams sent in by the tutoring center or to have them done on their own. The tutoring center staff knows which students need help and how to work with them so that they pass their college courses.

Sunday, March 22, 2020

A Student Review of University of California, San Diego

A Student Review of University of California, San Diego The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Shaun is a Los Angeles tutor specializing in Calculus tutoring, GRE prep tutoring, SAT prep tutoring, and more. He graduated from University of California, San Diego with a Bachelors degree in Biology. See what he had to say about his alma mater: VT:Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Shaun: UC San Diego has a free on-campus shuttle system which is quite helpful since the campus is so large and students often have to park far from where they have their classes. The public transportation buses around the city also have access through several roads that run through the campus, so off-campus students do not need to bother driving their cars onto campus where they would need to worry about finding parking. Most major buildings have bike racks to lock your bikes to. The campus lies in the heart of La Jolla, one of the more affluent cities in greater San Diego, but not in a metropolitan area. Because of this, the campus and the surrounding areas are on the safer side compared to most campuses. Campus police are quite accessible and there are call boxes to them scattered throughout the campus. Although it has been a while, when I was there I never knew of anyone who had a safety issue. Campus police are available to help escort a student back to on-campus housing. VT:How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Shaun: Honestly, I did not seek any of them out very often, but when I did, I did not have an issue of accessibility. UC San Diego does have a large student body, and many of the science and math classes are several hundred in size, so the professors or TAs do not remember you unless you make an effort to get to know them. But, they always have set office hours and I have never had a friend complain about showing up and a professor or TA not being there during the scheduled hours. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Shaun: I absolutely loved it there! The great thing about the campus set-up of having six smaller colleges making up the university is that you do get some benefits of a smaller, private college. Each college sets up social gatherings and activities for that college, and each one has its own advisers. Some events are well-known for that college, such as Muirs famous Watermelon Drop Contest. The dorms are on a regular renovation rotation and most have cable TV included. The room sizes are comparable to most colleges, but the dorms with a suite-style set-up are, in my personal opinion, a much nicer arrangement. Each college has its own cafeteria, but most also have a dining cafe with better food that you can use your meal plan in. The system simply allots you a certain amount of money to spend in the cafe per meal. Then, of course, the student center has great food options such as a Wendys, a Panda Express, and even a sushi bar! In terms of the location and socialization, UC San Diego is hard to beat. You are a ten-minute walk from the cliffs from where you can hike down to Blacks Beach or watch hang-gliders take off from Hang-gliders Port. The weather is typically in the 70s and 80s most of the year and there is a great Town Centre just off campus where many students hang out. Downtown La Jolla, a great beach-side locale, is a hop, skip, and jump from the campus, and the famous Torrey Pines Golf Tournament is just next door. We even have a local aquarium and a nature reserve to visit. Students are also constantly making outings to Tijuana or downtown San Diego which boasts the famous Gas L amp District which has an amazing night life. In the heart of downtown is also Hortons Plaza, an impressive outdoor, four-story shopping mall. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Shaun: I studied Biology because I originally intended to head to medical school. I received a great deal of flak for choosing UCSD over Stanford (yes, I got in), but we have been in the top ten in the nation in the Biological Sciences for three decades and have been ranked higher than Stanford in them for most of the time. Other than that, its a UC. Most of the significant majors are well represented and supported here, from Engineering to Humanities to the Arts. One area that does also stand out for UCSD is their International Relations Studies. They boast an International Student Center, and Eleanor Roosevelt (one of the six colleges) has its emphasis centered around international relations. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Shaun: One thing I loved about our school is that the student body, in general, is quite easy going and friendly. I had no issues making friends or getting to know people. The separate college activities definitely help. People are quite studious on campus, but you dont hear of stories like in some sister UC schools of students sabotaging each others work because of the competition. The Greek life is significant and easy to become involved in, but it does not dominate the campus like in some reputed party schools, particularly at the neighboring San Diego State. The social scene is great, but you dont have to search far and wide to find an adequate place to study or an effective study group when you need one. I could actually study in my own dorm room and not have to hide out in the library! VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Shaun: Once again, I did not take advantage of these services much, but I thought our Career Center was quite upscale, even back then. The few times I sought help, I found it quite easily. As far as I could tell through heresay from friends, many reputable companies do come to recruit on campus, particularly in the Biological Sciences. UCSD has a great international reputation, so I would be shocked if reputable companies did not come seeking students from the caliber of our student body. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Shaun: Study areas around campus are great. I already mentioned that I could actually study in my own dorm room, and that can be a rarity on many other campuses. All the cafes and student union centers are also great areas to study, partially because of the outdoor tables allowing you to enjoy the amazing San Diego weather while you study. The dorm lounges are more social scenes, but in our suite lounge we actually did hold some study sessions. But when it comes down to it, nothing beats the library. The place is enormous with amazing architecture inside and out. Several of the underground floors have openings to the sky and outdoors that although for natural light to filter into the many areas for study. If you really want to get away and hunker down to study, this place is it perhaps because many people love to just get their studying done outdoors since there are so many great places to do so. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Shaun: I already addressed much of this in the socialization question but, in a nutshell, there is plenty to do around town. For those that love the outdoors and outdoor activities, there are several beaches within easy access, great hiking and biking trails, a local nature reserve and also an aquarium, the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Wild Animal Park, Wild Wonders, Legoland, Sea World, and Balboa Park. For those that love clubbing and other classic night life, the Gas Lamp District is amazing; of course, there is always Tijuana. For those that love the arts, San Diego has some pretty nice theaters and some amazing museums in Balboa Park. For those that love sports, you can always become a Chargers or Padres fan, or you can join the beach locals surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, hang gliding, pier fishing, jet skiing, deep sea fishing, playing beach volleyball, etc. I could go on and on . . . VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Shaun: The student body is quite large. I believe that if you include the graduate school and medical school, we have around 30,000 students. Because of this, UCSD boasts a plethora of opportunities and activities throughout the campus, but you might deal with some classes that are several hundred strong. As you might have gathered from my previous answers, I was not so concerned about getting to know all of my professors or TAs, so the class sizes did not bother me. Not all classes are large, though. I had several humanities classes that had less than thirty students. As a whole, I love the range of class sizes. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Shaun: Classes were excellent for the most part at UCSD, but I would have to say that one stands out to me simply because the memory is so amusing. I have always been an early riser, a morning person per se, so I decided it would be great one quarter to get all my classes out of the way early so I could enjoy my afternoons and evenings. Most classes do not start before 8:00 am, but I saw one of my classes for my major that was offered at 7 am, twice a week, an hour and a half each session. I thought it would be great since I was always awake by then, anyhow. The first day I showed up, and right when the professor opened his mouth, I knew I would not be attending class except for the midterms and final. Try to imagine the most monotone voice youve ever heard someone speak in, then take out any remaining inflections you can perceive, and youll know what this professors lectures sounded like. For ninety minutes starting at seven in the morning, this would be torture to almost any colleg e student, even a morning person like me. Needless to say, I bought the ASB lecture notes for the class and studied on my own. Check out Shauns tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Friday, March 6, 2020

How to Balance Grades, a Social Life, and Sleep in College

How to Balance Grades, a Social Life, and Sleep in College Its the classic saying that every college student is familiar with Good grades, a social life, and enough sleep in college, you can only pick two. Getting a good education is of course the primary reason for attending college, but the social scene appeals to many students as well. However, the great determination and time it takes to maintain a good GPA is often underestimated by incoming freshmen, and balancing that academic life with the desired social life takes some discipline. Developing that skill is yet another time-consuming process, so where does that leave students with getting some shut-eye? Exactly. It would seem that most students lean toward picking the first two: good grades and a social life. This plan of execution never lasts long though because lets face it as humans, we need our sleep. We literally wont be able to function without a substantial amount of it. And realistically, how are you going to be able to study well enough to get an A on that exam while your brain is deprived of rest? Or how can you embark on these social gatherings when you are completely lacking energy? Students like to believe theyre tougher than that, but you cant fight biology; the body requires sleep. Here is some great info on theimportance of sleepthat you may want to check out. After accepting the importance of sleep, this popular phrase tells students they must choose between having fun and having As. Is this really reasonable? It shouldnt have to be a choice, but the time both of these activities take up sure makes it seem that way. Being fresh to the college scene, a new student may put their social life first on the priority list and believe they can coast their way through their schoolwork. The difficulty in your academics will ultimately depend on your major, but either way, this method wont fly. You cannot breeze through college assignments and tests. They all require adequate preparation that cannot be underestimated, so thinking you can beat the system will not serve you well. Here are some great tips on how to choose your extracurricular activitiesthat you may find useful. Yet, you should also take comfort in the fact that you wont need to be spending hours on end at the library every single night from Freshman Welcome Week through graduation. That would just be ridiculous, and its unheard of. Unless you go through some very strange scheduling scenario with a very poor academic advisor, you should never have a semester where every single class is a torturous battle one-hundred percent of the time. You will have killer classes, you will have regular classes, and you will hopefully have a couple of easy classes. The point is that college academics require intense studying and time, but not all of the time. There is no reason you cant have a social life as well. If it were impossible, that wouldnt be one of the favorite aspects of college you hear passed down from alumni. Now, some people do spend too much time on the social scene and end up with disappointing grades, but that is because they may not understand how to manage it well. It is important that you know how to successfully manage your various priorities. Keep a good balance of everything and don't let either side overwhelm you. After all, extracurricular activities can boost college success! So what does it all come down to? Is it impossible to have it all? The trick is to balance and rotate them accordingly. You can have it all, but not always excessively and not always at the same time. In the end, allow yourself time in your head (yes, another time-consuming task, but this is what college is!) to make thoughtful and smart decisions regarding each of these areas and things will work out just fine.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Thesis Writing English Writing Online Tutorpace

Thesis Writing English Writing Online Tutorpace A thesis is a statement placed as a premise in an argument and it should sum up what the essay is about. A good thesis statement contains a part which the writer desires to argue and also states how it is going to be argued in a succinct manner. Usually the introduction is closed with the thesis statement in short essays. The thesis should not be a question or a list of facts but it should be a claim that could be argued. Further, it should be clear, specific and strong. Example: Green house effect and global warming should not be considered as serious issues. This thesis is just an opinion, but not a debatable argument. Hence this is not a strong thesis. On the other hand, the following thesis on the same topic provides a claim and argument. Example: Green house effect and global warming should not be considered the most significant issue of modern times because planet earth periodically undergoes cycles of cooling and warming from time immemorial and the spells of rising temperature are beyond human control since the changes are part of the natural cycle. A thesis should be concise since it is central to the whole essay and it should be defended with evidence. Moreover, it provides a quick preview of what the writer is going to say about the topic discussed and it organizes the building blocks to be used throughout the essay. The writer considers the thesis as a tool to maintain the focus on the topic and to provide the unifying thread to the argument. As for the reader, the thesis becomes a map and helps the reader to distinguish the main ideas and engages his/her attention to details. Therefore, a thesis should be debatable, apt and easily identifiable.

4 Mnemonic Devices for Elementary Students

4 Mnemonic Devices for Elementary Students Using mnemonic devices is an excellent way to help elementary students learn and retain important information. If youre not already familiar, these are memory devices that rely on language or numbers as a strategy to trick your brain into remembering facts. The mnemonic device that begins with Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November... for example, can help students remember which months have 30 days and which have 31. Types of mnemonic devices for elementary students include rhymes, acronyms, mini-stories, and associations. Looking to use mnemonic devices to enhance your students learning? Here are four mnemonic devices for elementary students: Mnemonic device #1: rhymes For some students, it can be far easier to remember lyrics than facts from a textbook. Rhymes are great mnemonics in part because theyre closely connected to songs and often include catchy wording thats easy to recall. Teaching your student common rhyming mnemonics can help them remember key facts that will be useful throughout their education. Examples of rhyming mnemonic devices include: A rhyme to help with a common spelling confusion: I before E, except after C, or when sounding like A, like in neighbor and weigh. A rhyme for remembering Alaska and Hawaiis statehood: 59 was the date when Alaska and Hawaii became new states. [RELATED: How to Enhance Your Students Experience with Literature] Mnemonic device #2: acronyms An acronym uses the letters in a specific word to form a new keywordsuch as NASA or ATM. Remembering the keyword can help your student to recall each aspect or step in a group or concept. During a test, for example, knowing that the terms theyre trying to remember begin with certain letters can help jog their memory and relieve test-day stress. Examples of acronyms that students may encounter include: The helpful way to remember colors in a spectrum in order is ROYGBIV, which stands for red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. HOMES can help you remember the names of the five Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior. [RELATED: Keep Calm and Study OnHow to Avoid Homework Meltdowns This School Year] Mnemonic device #3: mini-stories This strategy uses a silly sentence to help students remember a concept. Each first letter in the phrase corresponds to an aspect of the concept they need to remember. Similar to acronyms, the difference between the two lies in the phrase itself. Acronyms are almost exclusively a single word or a very short word grouping. Mini-stories, in contrast, include wording that appears as a short sentence. Examples of these mini-stories include: Never Eat Sour Watermelon, which can help children remember north, east, south, and west. Roman numerals are often difficult to recall, but the phrase I Value Xylophones Like Cows Dig Milk can help students remember this key: I=1, V=5, X=10, L=50, C=100, D=500, and M=1,000. A common math mnemonic is King Henry Died Drinking Chocolate Milk, which corresponds to kilo, hecto, deca, deci, centi, and milli in the metric system. Mnemonic device #4: associations Associations rely on the connections we make between sounds, letters, and word meanings. It makes a match between words that start with the same letterfor example, students can remember that Memorial Day happens during the month of May because the two begin with the letter m. To remember the homonyms principal and principle, for instance, students can remember that a principal is your pal, but a principle is a rule. [RELATED: How Parents Can Help Students Setand AchieveAcademic Goals] While there are common mnemonic devices students can use, students can also develop their own phrases and connections based off of items that pertain to their everyday life. Encourage your student to identify aspects of their studies that they find challenging and to create associations that may help them better recall the facts. You and your student can use a keyword that needs to be remembered and make an acrostic poem out of it, or you can think of visual or verbal personal connections related to a word. For more help with mnemonics, ask your childs teacher for ones that they use in class, or any others they might be familiar withespecially in the areas that your student struggles with or that require more memorization skills. 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.

6 Fun and Unique Ways to Learn Music Theory

6 Fun and Unique Ways to Learn Music Theory Suzy S. Staring at the Circle of Fifths and memorizing key signatures isnt the only way to learn music theory! Here, Brooklyn, NY teacher  Liz T. shares some creative ideas to revive your learning Music theory is a very important part of your musicianship, whether it be mastering ear training, harmony, or sight reading. No matter what instrument you play or what styles you enjoy, those who learn music theory grow further as musicians. A solid knowledge can help you improve your performance, technique, composition, and analysis of music! For some, learning music theory can be very dry, or perhaps even overwhelming at first. Fortunately, it doesnt have to be all about sitting down with a theory book and memorizing scales, chords, and key signatures. There are many other interesting ways you can improve your musicianship. Here are some ideas to try that incorporate both learning and having fun! 1. Learn to play other instruments If you’re a singer, then learning the piano is vital to becoming a well-rounded vocalist. And if you’re a pianist, then being able to sing comfortably will improve your piano skills, believe it or not! The more instruments you know how to play and read the music for, the easier it will be for you! You can also try learning an instrument that plays in bass clef if you play an instrument in treble clef, to work on those transposing skills! 2. Listen to new material I recommend attending many concerts of vocalists, choirs, orchestras, and big bands, to train your ear on what all the different voices and instruments sound like. The only way to really develop your musical ear, and to start working toward perfect pitch, is by listening to the different instruments. 3. Analyze your favorite songs If you’re up for the challenge, find the sheet music for one of your favorite songs, and analyze it. For example, what are the tempo markings? What key signature is it in? Are the chords major or minor? Then, I dare you to sing the song only in solfege, not the lyrics, on the correct pitches. This is going to improve your theory and musicianship immensely! Even if you think it’s time consuming, it is very good practice. As a performer, knowing the music youre singing or playing inside and out is key! 4) Find visuals If youre a visual learner like I am, consider placing music theory posters around your music room, or somewhere you can always see them. There are also clocks that represents the Circle of Fifths (like this one); every time you look at it, you will start to memorize the key signatures! 5) Incorporate movement I encourage dancing and movement when learning music theory, especially with my younger students. This can really help you gain a sense of musicality and feel the rhythm in your body. Freeze dancing, ballet, tap, zumba, and yoga are all great ways to be lyrical with your body. And by dancing regularly, your body will begin to internalize the rhythm automatically, so that when it’s time for sight reading and performing rhythms it’s going to second nature for you! 6) Try composing a song I also encourage you to try composing music on your instrument! Write your own chord progressions, melody, and rhythms without thinking too much about it, and remember that its okay to start simple and to make mistakes. Just write whatever comes to mind. Then start to analyze what you have just written, and you may be surprised with the masterpiece you have created! I highly recommend trying out these ideas as you learn music theory they are fun, creative, and much more hands-on than staring at a book! Liz T. teaches online singing, acting, and music lessons.  She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with a B.M in Vocal performance and currently performs/teaches all styles of music including Musical Theater, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Pop, RB, and Country. Learn more about Liz 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  blog.asianinny

5 Ways Introverts Can Develop Their Executive Presence - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 5 Ways Introverts Can Develop Their Executive Presence - Introvert Whisperer 5 Ways Introverts Can Develop Their Executive Presence Executive presence refers to a person’s ability to win the confidence of those around them. A person with executive presence is someone who is confident and clear-sighted even under pressure, assertive, has impressive communication skills, and an appearance that stands out. All the qualities mentioned above are typical of extroverts. They are naturally bursting with self-confidence, are communicative, and have no difficulties standing out. Does this mean that introverts can’t have this much-desired trait? The answer here is “no.” By employing the right strategies, introverts can build and amplify their executive presence. Here are some of the most useful and effective tips and techniques to achieve this: 1.       Be more self-aware when communicating with others Whether you’re speaking with your co-workers, supervisors or managers, clients or customers, and other people in the company, be more self-aware. This means listening intently to what the other person is (or persons are) saying. And before responding or talking, think carefully about what you will say. Make sure that what you will say addresses the situation and will contribute to its resolution or clarification. This is something that you have to practice when sending emails, text, and direct or private messages to your colleagues, senior executives, clients or customers as well. Read their messages thoroughly before responding. Ensure your responses are well-thought out and appropriate to the issue at hand as well. 2.       Know and be honest about your weaknesses Practicing self-awareness will help you improve your communication skills. This quality can also help you get to know your strong points and flaws which will allow you to work on your genuineness and interpersonal relationships. When you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses and are honest about them, you let others know what you can and can’t do. They will, then, have an easier time understanding your situation. In addition, by knowing your shortcomings, you can connect with yourself and, at the same time, build your own authentic voice. Although you may not be as outgoing as nor stand out like extroverts, people will still notice your executive presence when you have a sincere and genuine personality and voice. 3.       Be prepared to speak up Although talking in front of a group may make you feel uncomfortable, if you want others to notice your executive presence, you need to start finding the courage to speak up whenever you have the chance.   You will find doing this easier if you prepare well before a meeting or gathering. Once you know the schedule and agenda, get ready days before the meeting. Go over the outline of everything that will be discussed and anticipate the questions that may crop up. Come up with the best answers and be as detailed as possible.   When you have spent enough time studying, collecting your thoughts, and preparing for this meeting, you will have an easier time contributing and speaking up. You will feel less intimidated and you will be able to grab every available opportunity to let your executive presence shine through. 4.       Practice making eye contact If you’re still not confident about speaking in front of others or even initiating talks with others, work on making eye contact first.   When you look people in the eye, you effortlessly establish a personal connection with them. This also creates rapport immediately. The next time you meet them, you will feel more at ease with smiling at them and, eventually, talking to them. Keep in mind that making eye contact is something better than initiating forced, shallow conversations with your co-workers or managers. Your eyes can convey genuine interest in others even if you can’t say it out loud. And this will help you build your executive presence even more. 5.       Constantly improve yourself Lastly, don’t stop finding ways to improve yourself. Learn from annual performance reviews and appraisals. If you need more explanation or feedback, ask your supervisor or manager. Capitalize on your strengths and improve upon your perceived weaknesses. There are various courses that you can take up to boost your growth and leadership potentials as well. You will acquire the right skills from these programs designed to help you achieve your dreams of becoming a (better) leader.   Being an introvert should not stop you from climbing the ladder of success and gaining the respect and admiration of others. By developing the right skills, mindset, and behaviors, you can build your executive presence and be a major influencer.   AUTHOR BIO With over 20 years of experience in B2B marketing, Annick Nuyens first worked in the hospitality service industry and then moved to the knowledge industry. She currently works for Informa in the Dubai office, where she oversees marketing for public and in-house training courses, conferences, exhibitions and managed events across the Middle East and Africa. Go to top Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.  Grab yours by visiting here right now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer