How to Ask For a Teachers Testimonial

How to Ask For a Teacher's TestimonialIt is critical to know the answer to this question before you get a private tutor. Before hiring a tutor, it is imperative that you know how to ask for a teacher's testimonial.It is important to know if the tutor has access to your personal information such as banking information and social security number. If this is true, then the tutor will most likely share this information with their students. This is a risky practice, since not all people will realize they are sharing their personal information.Additionally, it is very important to verify that the tutor will meet you at the scheduled time that you had agreed upon with them. Often, a tutor will fly to your home, and you are expected to show up and go with them. In many cases, the tutor will make no attempt to contact you when they arrive, or they will let you know they will be there after a certain period of time has passed.You should also find out if the tutor is part of a tutoring organiza tion, and whether or not the organization will help to support you through your tutoring experience. Many tutors are simply out to make money off of their students.Tutors that provide a traditional academic curriculum will most likely not offer a discount for you to use their service for other things. If you sign up for private tutoring, you will get discounts that cover many different things.This is a great benefit because it will help to decrease the amount of money you have to pay each month for your tutoring. If a tutor wants to take advantage of you, they will charge you more. When you know the difference between tutors who provide a higher level of training and those who do not, you can avoid paying extra. As you can see, this is one of the most basic questions that you should ask yourself about a tutor. If you want to find the best tutor for your needs, it is important that you know what to ask for a teacher's testimonial. It is important to know exactly what you need from a tutor so that you are able to get the tutor that you need.

Active Teaching is the new way ahead for teachers - ALOHA Mind Math

Active Teaching is the new way ahead for teachers Earlier teaching seemed to be everyone’s cup of tea and was mainly limited to transferring knowledge from someone who had read well and or majored in that area. I remember a quote from Albert Camus: “Some people talk in their sleep. Lecturers talk while other people sleep.” Teaching now doesn’t limit to sharing knowledge, reading concepts, clearing doubts and testing the student finally. It goes well beyond all this. Do you agree? Responsibility of a teacher has taken a huge leap in today’s education system. Information comes from everywhere now. With the resources available online teachers are compelled to explore alternatives and get better .They now not only need to teach the subject based on a set curriculum but they also need to act as an architect and plan ahead. They feel that the traditional methods no longer suits the current generation of students. Teachers now see a need to find an alternative way to connect with students and make sure that the matter delivered is well absorbed by them. The communication between a teacher and a student has taken a different shape now with the existence of laptops and the internet. The use of blogs, video lectures and teacher-student portals have become increasingly popular platforms of communications. A teacher now needs to adapt to methods of teaching that create a learning environment that encourages positive social interactions, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. Moving a step ahead teachers now have also begun to share their lecture notes before class, after which the students need to upload their questions onto the website followed by a class discussion with the use of pictures, articles which serve as examples and active group discussion amongst the students making the classroom scenario as real as possible. These are few of the new techniques used by teachers to create a learning experience which makes various aspects of a subject matter meaningful for students. Active teaching deeply engages the students in the learning/teaching endeavor by turning students into the real problem solvers. Which makes classroom learning as a real social experience? Share your thoughts with me if you think it does.

Europe and the American Presidential Election

Europe and the American Presidential Election Photo by Sean MacEntee on flickr.com Europeans, and people all over the world, care much more about our elections than you may be aware of. Despite claims that the United States is losing its status as a global superpower, our government still has a large amount of political weight to throw around. The United States military is the largest in the world, our economy is one to be reckoned with, and numerous countries depend on us for support. Europeans recognize this, and also genuinely care about our domestic well-being, too. Newspaper covers here in Germany regularly show photos of Obama and Romney after debates and nearly everyone is talking about who will win. I was discussing the election with a Frenchman one time and he told me that I was very lucky to get to vote for the American president. I told him I hadnt thought of it that way before but I agreed. He went on to point out that millions of people depend on the decision about who will lead the United States, as an individual voter I had more power than most people across the world. I would like to remind everyone back in the states how lucky we are. Whether you consider yourself a Republican or a Democrat, want a third party candidate to win, or dont really like any of them, the global community cares what you think. So get out and vote, because the world depends on it.

The 6 Official UN Languages and What You Can Do with Them

The 6 Official UN Languages and What You Can Do with Them People interested in languages also tend to be people interested in the international scene.And as people interested in the international scene, the UN tends to be seen as a  softly lit castle glistening on the top of a far off hillside.Its the gold standard not only of diplomacy but of linguistic skills. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.Its  impressive in scale.  Its home to elite officials.And, for many of us, it  feels like were about as likely to gain access  (that is, real access) to it as a medieval peasant was to gain access to the kings throne.  But this is precisely why it holds such an attraction.Of course, the UN isnt full of people running around like chickens with their heads cut off, madly trying to translate a single speech into the roughly 6,500 languages of the world. No, instead there are just a handful of languages that everyone uses as diplomatic tools to get their messages across. What are the 6 official languages of the United Nations?As you m ost likely already gleaned from the title of this article, there are in fact six languages used officially at the United Nations: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.For the most part, these languages being the official ones makes sense, since they include some of the most widely spoken languages in the world. However, theres also a clear political history behind the choice of these six languages.In 1946, just following the establishment of the UN, all of the current official languages except Arabic were adopted as official languages, and English and French were adopted as working languages.There are a couple things to unpack here. First of all, besides Spanish, all of these languages can be matched directly to permanent members of the Security Council who hold veto power (the U.S., Britain, China, Russia and France), which is to say that the languages that became official languages were the languages of the most politically influential and powerful nations in post -war period. Presumably Spanish was included because its the second most spoken language in the world by native speakers, though more detail than this is hard to come by.The second thing to notice here is that only English and French were included as  working languages  of both the General Assembly and the Security Council. The difference is that working languages are the languages of day-to-day professional exchanges  while the official languages are the languages in which  all official documents must be written.The other official languages of the UN were also gradually introduced as working languages to the General Assembly and Security Council, often coinciding with major political happenings. Russian became a working language of both the assembly and the council in 1968 and 1969 following the declaration of the Brezhnev Doctrine, a doctrine that asserted the right of the Soviet Union to intervene abroad, in November of 68.A few years later, Chinese also achieved the status of a working language, following on the heels of the Peoples Republic of China  being recognized as a permanent member of the Security Council and Richard Nixons visit to China in 1972 to ease tensions with the communist country.Arabic meanwhile managed to negotiate its way to being an official language by having the Arabic-speaking members of the UN agree to pay the costs of introducing the language for three years.What about all of the other languages?Okay, so maybe there are only six languages at the UN, but theyre such common and geographically diverse languages that most people in the world will speak at least one of them anyways, right? Not quite.If we look at a list of the total speakers for each of the six official languages  and add them up to get a rough estimate well see that UN official languages account for  less than half of the worlds population. Less than half of the people in the world can understand the documents and agreements being issued from the highest internationa l political body in the world.With half of the worlds population still out of the loop you would think there would be some push back. And there is.Hindi may be the most likely to gain status in the near future. With the fifth largest number of total speakers in the world, just ahead of Russian, it makes sense on paper. For those of a practical bent, money is also no obstacle as the Indian government has declared its willingness to cover the necessary expenses. The main reason for it not being included up to this point seems to be the relative isolation of the language, restricted as it is to the Indian subcontinent. One might be prone to believe that this is just a political exercise to extend Indias growing influence since the general impression of India is that its people have a high level of English fluency, but it has been reported that a full 72 percent of men and 83 percent of women in India speak no English whatsoever.Running down the list of possible candidates, theres also Bengali with 250 million speakers worldwide (and official support from West Bengal), Portuguese  (whose total number of speakers is sandwiched between Russian and Bengali and is more geographically diverse than either of these) and Turkish, though in this case theres only a vague desire to be a UN language rather than any coherent push towards official language status.Even the inclusion of all of these languages would still leave a broad swath of the worlds population outside of the scope of the official UN languages, but the inclusion of any one of them would  significantly change who has access to the primary documents of the UN.Become a UN linguist with your language skillsAll this talk of languages is great, of course, but why does it matter to you? Because this could be your job.To acquire a prized position among translators and interpreters youll first have to pass one of the UNs language competitive language examinations.  If you apply and manage to make it through the proces s, which takes several months, youll be put on a list and called up whenever they need someone to fill a position.However, this is just the general outline for applying to language-related positions. The specific job type that you end up targeting will determine any other requirements. For instance, if you want to be an interpreter of French, English Spanish or Russian you have to know not one but two other languages fairly well. Then on top of that there are the other formidable demands that are placed on UN interpreters, such as being able to translate subject matter on topics as diverse as finance and human rights on demand with little or no hesitation.And if you think translation (that is, translating the written word) might be easier since theres less pressure, just remember that translated documents are often cited by the media or incorporated into legislation. Not that this is a bad thing. Many of us would love to have that level of civic involvement and influence. But transl ation at the UN is certainly not for the faint of heart.If youve got the chutzpah to try out for the UN linguist team but you want to get your foot in the door first, consider participating in one of their internship programs.  Ability only goes so far sometimes and getting your dream job may be easier when you know a few people.Or become a language instructorMaybe youre not the greatest foreign language speaker. Native English speakers are notorious for being slow to pick up other languages and it certainly doesnt help that English is so widespread across the globe. If this is you, then take heart. Theres another way.When most native English speakers decide they want to travel around for a year or two or three, often times they choose to take up teaching English. Being such a global language, English is in demand just about everywhere. What most people dont consider is making this into an actual career path. Your adventurous summer of teaching in Italy, Thailand or Brazil could eas ily become the foundation of something much bigger.At the UN, language teachers are required to have  at least five years of experience along with an advanced degree related to language learning or linguistics.  Sure, that might sound like a lot, but you could spend those five years teaching in two or three different countries while you soak up the culture. And, of course, there would be few places better to actualize a desire to be an amazing teacher of English than the halls of the UN.If youre interested in the specifics of how people get to become language instructors at the UN,  take a look at some of these instructor profiles and see how they got started.And then enjoy the perksTo survive in the top-tier work environment of the UN, one undoubtedly needs to intrinsically enjoy ones job, whether as a language instructor or as a linguist. But if youre willing to weather some of the rougher aspects of the trade then youll have some nice goodies coming your way too.For starters, lin guists (which is to say translators and interpreters) are often able to enjoy the flexibility of freelance work while participating in a significant way in  international efforts at cooperation. Not to mention, youll get to learn some of the less common dialects of your chosen languages as you keep in contact with people from around the world.Then theres the continued opportunity to live abroad. While many people often picture the UN headquarters in New York City when they think of the UN, there are also UN offices in Geneva, Austria and Nairobi as well as regional commissions in Bangkok, Beirut, Santiago and Addis Ababa. Still not adventurous enough for you? As actual UN job postings indicate, theres always the potential for something more challenging (for instance, teaching English in Afghanistan).But of course, someone whos so strongly motivated by success and achievement that theyd want to work at the UN might not want to stop at working as an English teacher or linguist. Thankf ully, these jobs can serve as a springboard to something even greater. Although theres a requirement that one work for at least five years in the job youre hired for, either as a linguist or a teacher, after that period the path upward is wide open.The UN, that flaming beacon of internationalism and gold standard of linguistic skills, is not so far off or so impenetrable as the castle was for the peasant.Lay out a clear path, start your studying and youll be walking the UN hallways before you know it.

Financially struggling Universities to be bailed out - Tutor Hunt Blog

Financially struggling Universities to be bailed out Financially struggling Universities to be bailed out, says labour Financially struggling Universities to be bailed out, says labourUniversitiesWe have all heard the slogan `Too big to fail` - the assertion that certain institutions, primarily financial ones, are so interconnected and vital to the economy that they must be protected from market forces. Whereas a failing business would go bust, a failing bank will be bailed out. Should universities also fall under this category? Are they, along with banks, not so important to our society that they should be rescued with tax payers money if they are facing closure. Or if they are facing financial hardship should they be left to fall? Under new plans unveiled by Labour it seems that struggling universities could be rescued from going bankrupt, protected from `rampant` market forces. The Office for Students (Ofs) currently has the powers to regulate universities, and is able to offer financial aid - but there are limits to how much fiscal support it will be able to provide. The very idea of a university going bust will be surprising to some, with people being of the opinion that only businesses can go bankrupt, and that universities don`t seem to be structured along such lines as a corporation or commercial outlet. The fact is that, since the higher education sector is effectively a competitive marketplace, universities can certainly fail financially. They have huge overheads: having to cover the salaries of scores, perhaps even hundreds of teachers, lecturers, and other staff members. They will also have maintenance charges, costs for equipment, and may also have to pay rental charges for the buildings and land they use. If these financial obligations are not met, they will go under. Universities are of course in competition with each other - all vying for a customer base that generally only make a single purchase. The marketplace isn`t one where, if you lose the shopper to another company one day, you can entice them with your wares the next: for most students selecting a University is a once in a lifetime decision. Though it is rare for universities to go bankrupt, it is certainly not unheard of, and there are reports that 3 major Universities are on the brink of bankruptcy at this very moment. Chris Skidmore, the Universities minister, has recently stated that `providers may, in a small number of cases, exit the market altogether as a result of strong competition`. We certainly seem to have entered a more uncertain time for universities - the financial stability they enjoyed in the past seems to have gone, a point made by the director of the Higher Education Policy Institute think tank Nick Hillman, who was former adviser to the universities minister Lord Willetts: `A university going bust is more likely than at any other point in the last generation,` There are however some who oppose the protective measures - the shadow education minister Angela Rayner has recently pointed out how the OfS, an institution that one might expect to be steadfast in proposing pecuniary aid to struggling universities, has said it would `not bail out providers in financial difficulty`. Being an opposing party politician, it may come as no surprise that Mrs Rayner went on to critique the conservative party for the current state of higher education in the UK: `The Tories have unleashed a failed free market experiment in higher education. They have created a system that goes to the very heart of their ideology - a system where market logic is imposed on public goods and where the forces of competition run rampant at the expense of students, staff and communities. `Students would be left with immense uncertainty about their futures and entire communities would lose one of their major academic, economic and social institutions. Education is a public good and should be treated as such. Our universities are there for all of us.` There is a general feeling that there`s soon to be a serious review of the state of student finances, and that the financier Philip Augar is going to advocate a cut in tuition fees. An initial annual figure of around 6500 was tentatively proposed, with this rising to 7500 after many universities complained. One thing is certain - if there are reductions ahead, this will mean a significant drop in income for many universities. While many students will celebrate more affordable fees, the long term results may mean many smaller universities will struggle to remain solvent. 12 months ago0Add a Comment

Choosing A Chemistry Tutor

Choosing A Chemistry TutorA chemistry tutor can be a great asset for the students of any college or university in learning about science. The better students get, the more ambitious and knowledgeable they will become in their future careers, like choosing a career as a chemist, a geologist, a paleontologist, an archaeologist, a chemistry engineer, etc.Many college graduates from the United States want to become chemists, biologists, geologists, and other professionals in science. The best way to succeed in this area is to get a college or university with a chemistry tutor who specializes in science, so that he or she will have enough knowledge to choose a better career than one where they would become an average worker.Some universities offer an exam to test a candidate's understanding of chemistry and are called CSUA (College Students of the US A). CSUA tests have many different subjects covered, ranging from chemistry for college students to humanities for high school students, and even tests for other jobs such as psychology.The question and answer section in CSUA are usually very easy and clear. The top few answers are the ones given by the candidates who had actually taken chemistry exams, but the majority of candidates are given an easier course to learn chemistry.The CSUA test is quite similar to an SAT or ACT test. It has been used in the past to screen out those students who are not good enough for the college or university, but can still contribute to their future education and careers.The scores for the CSUA exam are determined by a panel of three professors, and the exam is completed after receiving a score from the last four candidates who took the exam. This is usually the top ten questions, and the highest score in that section will determine the final exam score.One disadvantage of taking a CSUA exam is that it can sometimes be difficult to understand if you have the right level of knowledge and understanding. Other methods such as taking the AP Chemistry exam or getting a chemistry tutor can help students increase their knowledge and level of understanding of chemistry.

How to Find a Qualified Tampa Tutor

How to Find a Qualified Tampa TutorFinding a qualified tutor Tampa is important for those who want to improve their study abilities. Because people like to make use of tutors, they are a source of additional knowledge and insight in the area of education. There are some people who use tutors to ensure that they get information on subjects which they need for higher levels.If you have an interest to improve your study needs, it will be best if you take advantage of a tutor. It is also necessary to find a tutor that is credible and reputable. Find a qualified Tampa tutoring service by browsing the Internet for various tutoring services and look at all the testimonials for any business.Usually, if you are searching for a tutor then you will want to check the license of the tutor. The Tampa tutoring service would need to be licensed as a professional learning agency. As the need for tutors increases, so does the need for qualified tutors. A licensed Tampa tutor would make it easier for y ou to get the information you require from tutors.There are some things that you can look for when you go for your tutor. The tutor should have completed a college degree or a high school diploma. They should have a clear understanding of the subject matter, understand all the tips for reading, writing and comprehension, and have a strong aptitude for the subject.In terms of recommendations, it is always a good idea to use the recommendations of people who have used the service. It is important that you find out whether the tutor is upfront with the process. A tutor will give you extra services if they think they have something to offer, which is why you need to determine whether they are being upfront and transparent with their services before you sign up for them.Tutors are usually fairly cheap, however, you do need to consider the rates if you want to find a tutor for your needs. Some students are simply looking for a good deal and will not pay more than $60 per lesson. If you do not mind paying a little more than that then you may find a tutor with a great deal of experience and would be able to learn a lot from them.All in all, finding a good tutor would certainly help you learn more from the tutor. The more you learn, the more you will know about yourself.

The Best YouTube Videos to Learn Country Guitar

The Best YouTube Videos to Learn Country Guitar Maile Proctor When youre learning guitar, its fun to explore different types of music. Playing country guitar is fun and relatively easy to learn when you focus on easy country songs. Great county songs generally have a slow, easy pace and a memorable melody and chorus. This makes it easy for you to understand how the songs are supposed to sound, and helps you to play them correctly. Basic Song Structure Whether youre playing country music or another style of music, you will learn the same basic song structure. Most songs have an intro, verse, bridge, and chorus. The verse and chorus are generally repeating patterns that may have slight variations, and the bridge, as the name implies, bridges the gap between the verse and chorus. Some songs also have an outro, which wraps everything up and leads you to the end. Nearly all songs also have a melody and a rhythm. The lead guitarist plays the melody, while the backup guitarist plays the rhythm. Talented guitarists can play both lead and rhythm, but you won’t have to do that to play basic country songs. There are a lot of great video tutorials to help you learn to play country songs. Try searching country guitar lessons YouTube on Google, and you will find thousands of results. To save you some time, here are some of the best YouTube videos to help you learn country guitar. I Walk the Line By Johnny Cash Johnny Cash is one of the all-time greatest country artists, and one of the few to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cash wrote I Walk the Line in 1956, and it quickly became one of his most popular songs. The song uses an extended intro pattern that repeats throughout the verse, which makes it relatively easy to learn to play on guitar. Tulsa Time By Don Williams Tulsa Time was originally recorded by Don Williams in 1978. The classic country song uses a very simple two-chord progression of E and B7, with a simple intro. Eric Clapton also recorded the song in 1978. Hey, Good Lookin By Hank Williams Sr. Hank Williams Sr. recorded the country hit Hey, Good Lookin in 1951.  The song is easy to play and will help you learn essential country guitar strumming patterns. You only need to know how to play three chords: C, D7, and G. The video will walk you through the simple intro and teach you how to play the verse and chorus. Take Me Home, Country Roads By John Denver Originally known as a folk artist, John Denver achieved crossover success with his song Take Me Home, Country Roads. He recorded the song in 1971, and it was a hit on both the county and pop music charts.The song uses a simple, repeating four-chord progression of G, Em, D, C, and G, and then starts over, with the G and Em changing positions at certain points in the song. I Love a Rainy Night By Eddie Rabbit Eddie Rabbit recorded this upbeat country song in 1981. The song remains a fan favorite, and has been used for the soundtrack for the popular video game Grand Theft Auto. The song uses four basic chords: C, F major, G major, and Am, and is relatively easy to learn. Once you have mastered a few basic country songs, you will see how easily you can learn a variety of popular songs. Want to learn even more country guitar songs and techniques? Working with a private guitar teacher is the best way to improve your skills.  Search for your guitar teacher  now! 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 Lunchbox LP

How Will ACT Scores Change in 2015

How Will ACT Scores Change in 2015 Beginning in the fall of 2015 (with additional modifications slated for 2016), test-takers who opt to sit for the ACT will receive a score report with several key changes. The creators of the ACT ultimately hope to offer more robust scores, with additional assessment categories and data that will help colleges and students better determine whether they are ideal matches for each other (as well as whether students, more generally, are prepared for higher education). Here is some great information onhow you can improve your ACT score. Here are some ways ACT scores will change in 2015: ACT scoreswill include a STEM score The revised ACT will provide institutions and students with a STEM score, which will measure an individuals performance on the math and science sections of the exam. The inclusion of this score is consistent with many educators goals to better promote STEM learning (or education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Students who are strong in STEM fields may ultimately benefit from increased economic opportunities. ACT scoreswill include an English language score Students will also receive an English language score that consists of their English, reading, and writing results. In combination with the STEM result, the English language score will better reflect a students ability to enter the workforce (progress toward career readiness), as well as his or her faculty in reading comprehension. The text complexity indicator determines how well a student understands college-level reading materials. These are some greatACT English tipsyou may find helpful in your studies. ACT scoreswill speak to more immediate needs Overall, these changes are intended to make ACT scores more detailed and relevant to todays world, without modifying the entire reporting system. The ACT will retain its four core portions (English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science), each of which will still be assessed on a 1-36 scale. The composite mark, which averages the four sections, will also continue to utilize the 1-36 scale. The ACT will update its Writing test Additionally, the ACT creators will release an updated version of the optional essay, which will involve additional scores for four sub-sections: Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organization, and Language Use, as well as the essay's one overall score. Currently, the ACT essay describes an issue and supplies two separate points of view. It then challenges students to state which point of view they believe is correct (or to provide their own point of view). Students must support their opinion with specifics. Students are allotted 30 minutes to complete their essay, which is scored from 2 to 12. Topics can be very diverse, but one example is whether high school curriculum should be extended to a period of five years. Students argue for or against this concept. Here is some great information you will want to read ifyou are on the fence aboutwhether or not you should take the ACT Plus writing. The ACT has not yet revealed specific alterations to the Writing portion, but the essay will prompt students to evaluate multiple perspectives on a complex issue and generate their own analysis based on reasoning, knowledge and experience, according to an official ACT statement. Whether the ACT will continue to allow students 30 minutes to write their responseor extend or shorten this timeis not yet clear. It is important for students to understand and process the ways ACT scores will change in 2015 in order to have a firm grasp on how they will be tested. Working with ACT practice testsis an excellent way to familiarize yourself with the content. In order to maximize success on the exam, prepare accordingly! [RELATED: What is an Average ACT Score?]