What is it Like to Attend Northwestern University

What is it Like to Attend Northwestern University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Chloe is a 2012 graduate of Northwestern University and holds a Bachelors degree in English Literature. She is an Austin tutor who specializes in Essay Editing tutoring, Reading tutoring, ISEE prep tutoring, and more. See what she had to say about her 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? Chloe: Northwesterns Evanston campus is on the medium/large end (240 acres), with lots of open outdoor spaces. It is right by Lake Michigan, well maintained, and really pleasant to walk around. Located in Evanston, a suburb of Chicago, it is a happy medium between urban and rural campuses. On campus grounds, I felt very safe because they are well lit and even late into the night there are always a few people walking around. I lived farther off campus than most students do and was not as comfortable going home by myself at night. When it comes to transportation, Northwestern has you covered. There are several L train stops in Evanston, which can get you to downtown Chicago in roughly 45 minutes (less if you can catch the express train), but is not used to get around Evanston. The Metra is another, slightly more expensive, train option, mostly used by working commuters traveling longer distances. To travel through Evanston and the Northwestern campus, buses, biking, and walking are all commonly used. Northwestern has a campus shuttle used nearly exclusively by students, but the Evanston Loop is also convenient, especially for students living off-campus. With some transfers, the Evanston Loop can also take you into Chicago. From 7pm-3am, Northwestern also offers a driving service called Saferide. While it is NOT a taxi service and will rarely be available on-demand, Saferide can be used when students do not feel comfortable getting home on their own. Students should be aware that in the winter, they get booked rapidly, and are not meant to be used regularly. If need be, Evanston also has a number of taxicab companies that can be at your door within 5 to 15 minutes. Finally, Northwestern offers a carpooling service around the holidays that allows students to share rides to OHare and Midway airports at a discounted price. Not many undergraduate students have cars at Northwestern because with all of the other options, it is unnecessary, and parking is inconvenient both on and off campus. Many students do have bikes, which make for faster trips to campus, but once on campus, it becomes difficult to bike through the crowds of people walking. I personally walked nearly everywhere throughout my time at Northwestern, and while I do not have fond memories of walking through snow for months, it was definitely doable. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Chloe: Whenever I sought out professors, they were pleasant and encouraged me to ask questions and bounce ideas off of them. One of my favorite aspects of college was having in-depth conversations with my professors that were sparked by concepts/texts from class, but had nothing to do with assignments. That being said, do not expect professors to come to you if you are struggling, have missed a lot of class, etc. Professors who reach out to you just to check in are rare at Northwestern, so dont be afraid to contact them. The majority of teaching assistants were exceedingly available. They were quick to respond to emails and usually happy to stay after class and/or set up meetings to talk to students. Unfortunately, the handful of times I was able to see my academic advisors over my four years, my meetings with them were brief and only dealt with necessities such as getting paperwork done. I did not feel much advising took place when it came to making decisions about my studies, but I must say that I have many friends who loved their advisors and felt that they were helpful. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Chloe: Northwestern freshmen are required to live on campus, and most sophomores live there as well. The personalities of the Northwestern dorms span a huge range. Fortunately, there are pictures and descriptions of all the dorms online so you will know what to expect. There are 18 residence halls and 11 residential colleges. The former are traditional dorms while the latter emphasize community, each with their own faculty fellows and built-in opportunities for students to get to know each other. Many residential colleges have concentrations, such as green living, performing arts, and international studies, attracting students who are particularly interested in those fields. For someone like me, who was nervous about making new friends, it made sense to opt for a residential college. During orientation, there were activities planned every night, ranging from making smores on the lakefill to touring the entire dorm building in groups on a scavenger hunt. I loved living in Willard Resi dential College, and several of my closest friendships were formed there. Nearly all dorms are coed (with separate bathrooms), have kitchen facilities, TV/game rooms, and large common rooms. Double rooms are the most common, with a handful of singles and triples. Many have their own dining halls and/or convenience stores, and those which do not are only a short walk from dining/shopping locations. Dorms located on north campus are closer to the athletic facilities, Engineering buildings, and fraternities, while those on south campus are quieter and nearer to the Liberal Arts buildings and downtown Evanston. Accepted Northwestern students rank their top 5 preferred dorms and will typically be placed in one (I was placed in my first choice) and those who wish to live in a residential college must submit a brief essay about why they would like to live there. Sophomores who wish to stay on campus but change their dorm can do so. 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? Chloe: Some of Northwesterns most popular areas of study are: Journalism, Engineering, Communications, Political Science, and Psychology. The majors within the Medill School of Journalism, the School of Communication, and the McCormick School of Engineering are all more in the spotlight because their schools are revered and specialized. Because the School of Education and Social Policy is the smallest school and the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences has over 60 majors and minors rather than a particular focus, they receive less publicity. Of course, that does not mean that the students themselves are any less valued. I graduated with two majors, Film in the School of Communications and English in Weinberg, and I had great experiences with both departments. I came to Northwestern as a Communication Studies major, but after my first English class I realized that I was meant to study literature. As a sophomore, I enrolled in a Film Theory course which I enjoyed so much that I decided to minor, but eventually accumulated enough courses to double-major! The English departments faculty is brilliant and dedicated. My English courses taught me not only about literature, but history, gender studies, and religion as well. The Film department is filled with more quirky, but equally passionate teachers, and Northwestern offers numerous opportunities for Film majors such as grants, screenings, internships, and lecture series with media industry professionals. 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? Chloe: Overall, I found it relatively easy to meet people at Northwestern. Of course, it takes awhile to distinguish who amongst the dozens of other students you seem to meet everyday will be the ones you form lasting friendships with. For the duration of orientation week, freshmen spend most of their time in groups with other students of the same major, and several events are organized by school, giving them many opportunities to meet people with similar interests. The residential college I lived in also had at least one planned activity every week (more during orientation), which was a nice way to get acclimated. Many professors at Northwestern, especially those teaching courses designed for freshmen, include introductions and even brief activities on the first day of class so that students can learn a little bit about each other at the start of the quarter. About half of undergraduates pledge fraternities and sororities, but Greek life is not especially apparent to those who are not a part of it. Students who go Greek seem to dedicate a significant amount of time to it, but fraternity parties are typically open to everyone, and being part of a fraternity/sorority is definitely not pivotal to having an active social life. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Chloe: While I never went there myself, many of my colleagues found internships, fellowships, and jobs during school and after college through the Career Center. It has a solid reputation for jump-starting the careers of students and recent graduates. Students also receive weekly emails about various recruiting opportunities, job fairs, guest lectures, and tutorials for building skills such as resume-writing and interviewing. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Chloe: Norris University Center, Northwesterns main student center, was just updated last year. It is spacious, and a great place to grab a meal with friends between classes, study, or meet in groups to work on projects. Norris houses a bookstore, a large food court, a Starbucks, a FedEx mailing center, a small art gallery, an arcade, and an outdoor ice skating rink in the winter! The ground floor also overlooks the lake and offers a beautiful view. Norris is usually busy but not overly crowded. While I only visited a few dorm lounges, the ones I did spend time in were clean and well-furnished, but rarely full. The dorm I lived in was sizeable and had a common room, study lounge, computer lab, TV lounge, and game room. These were never packed, with about ten students at a time in each. University Library, which is attached to Northwesterns gorgeous original library, Deering, is enormous. Most of the time, it is easy to find an empty desk, armchair, or even an entire room to study in. However, around midterms and finals weeks, it can be hard to find a comfortable work space, and impossible to find a secluded one. During those hectic times, the main library stays open all night, and most students will have pulled an all-nighter there by the time they graduate. The Engineering and Math departments have their own libraries elsewhere on campus, which are significantly smaller, but offer an alternative for students majoring in those subjects. 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? Chloe: Northwesterns undergraduate campus is located in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Popular Evanston businesses within walking-distance of campus are Whole Foods, Urban Outfitters, Barnes Noble, American Apparel, an Irish pub, a few bars, several coffee shops, and a movie theatre which screens major releases as well as independent and art films. Evanston also has wide variety of restaurants, many of which rival the quality of those in Chicago. There are upscale spots perfect for date nights as well as standards like Chipotle and Burger King. Evanston is far from boring, but most businesses do close around 10pm even on the weekends, which can be disappointing for night owls. Luckily the El train runs until 2am, so you can go into Chicago for more options. Despite the cold, Chicago is one of the countrys liveliest and most diverse cities, and a huge perk of going to Northwestern is knowing it is close by. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Chloe: Northwestern currently has about 8,500 undergraduates and nearly 11,000 graduate students. However, the individual schools within Northwestern vary in size. The School of Education and Social Policy (SESP), for example, has about 300 undergraduates and 400 graduate students while the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences has around 4,000 undergraduates and no graduate students. Class sizes vary greatly I took discussion-based courses with less than 10 students as well as large lectures with nearly 200. As an English major, most of my courses consisted of 20-30 students. Of course, the further along in your studies, the more opportunity for small classes you have. Not only do upperclassmen register first for their classes, but once students have declared their majors and minors, they are able to pre-register for classes in those subjects. I found this system worked well, allowing those with a vested interest in certain areas of study the chance to get into small classes with s tudents who shared their majors/minors. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Chloe: My sophomore year, I heard that my favorite professor would be teaching a Faulkner course only available every other year. Because I was an underclassman and didnt have priority, I couldnt sign up in time for such a popular class. Fortunately, I got in as a senior and it turned out to be one of the most fascinating and memorable courses I ever took at Northwestern. Our last day of discussion was held in our professor's home, where we all brought different brunch items. Crammed in wherever we could fit, we shared our final thoughts about the books we had read while we ate bagels and drank coffee! It was a great end to the quarter and I felt completely rewarded for having waited several years to take the class. Check out Chloes tutoring profile. The views expressed this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How the Violin is Played in Europe

How the Violin is Played in Europe How Do They Play the Violin in Europe? ChaptersThe Origins of the Violin in EuropeEuropean Violin DescendantsEuropean Violin PracticesWhere to Learn the Violin in EuropeWho Are the Most Famous European Violinists?Just like Paganini, there have been a lot of great violinists in Europe. Unsurprisingly, the birthplace of the violin is also the home of the world’s greatest violinists. When it comes to the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition, which welcomes violinists as young as 6, 79% of entrants are under 25!In this article, we’re going to have a look at the origins of the violin, where it’s played, and the greatest European violinists of all time. TomViolin Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StacyViolin Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValtieViolin Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BenedictViolin Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TaisiiaViolin Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AmyViolin Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuísViolin Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoViolin Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Origins of the Violin in EuropeA lot of people already know that the violin is European as it was invented in Italy.While it’s hardly surprising that a lot of people in Europe play the violin, how exactly was it created?The violin dates back to the 16th century. (Source: 5519128)The Violin in Europe: The Musical CradleOf all the bowed string instruments, the violin is one of the oldest. It was created in the 16th century near Milan, Italy. The very first violin was found in Cremona, a town that is now internationally famous for it. In fact, if you want to find a good luthier, there are plenty of incredible violin makers still working in the town.While the exact date is unknown, it seems that the first time a violin was played occurred sometime between 1523 and 1540 . There are texts in Lyon, France, dating back to 1560 that mention violins. The violin then began to spread across Europe.Did you know that Charles IX of France ordered 24 Amati violins?During the Renaissance, the violin became rooted in Italian and French musical culture and started making its way to Germanic countries. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Vivaldi both favoured the violin concerti.The violin was an instrument for popular music.  After becoming popular in Italy and southern France, the violin was borrowed by northern countries for chamber music.The Romantic period gave the violin its virtuosity: Paganini, Bazzini, Kreutzer and Vieuxtemps were among the first European violinists. The violin soon had its own repertoire, especially thanks to Beethoven’s works.The 19th century was the golden age for the violin in Europe as it was one of the most essential instruments for the classical repertoire. Violinists such as Profokiev and Maurice Ravel gifted Europe with their violin p erformances.European Violin DescendantsYou can’t ignore that the violin in Europe has changed over time. Most of these changes were made in order to improve the sound box and make the bow more flexible. European violin also led to:Savart violinChanot violinSuleau violinLatin ViolinStroh ViolinTolbecque ViolinElectric ViolinThe most famous violinist in Vienna, Johann Strauss. (Source: MeineMaennerwelt)Most of these styles were adapted in order to play a role in a symphony or national orchestra. For example, the Chanot violin was created in order to improve the violin’s tone, making it more like a Stradivarius. Latin violin is little more than a parody made popular by the Argentine group Les Luthiers.In addition to stylistic changes (chinrest, rosin) and technical changes (bass bar, tuning), what are the European violin practices?Are there different styles in different regions? TomViolin Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StacyViolin Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValtieViolin Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BenedictViolin Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TaisiiaViolin Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AmyViolin Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuísViolin Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoViolin Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsEuropean Violin PracticesEach European country has a special relationship with the violin and is more popular in certain regions than others. However, in general, it’s quite popular everywhere in Europe.There are plenty of places to learn the violin in Europe. (Source:Northern European Violin CustomsFrom the 17th century, we could find the violin in various countries:Continental slatter music in NorwaySweden, with GammaldansFinland’s pelimanni music.Estonia, where the viiul is at the heart of folk music.In Lithu ania, the violin’s cousin, the smuikas, has three or five strings.The violin was quickly welcomed into the heart of Nordic music.The Violin in Eastern EuropeSince the violin is small and easy to transport, it was great for Eastern Europe’s gipsy music and nomadic peoples. Especially in:Bulgaria, with the Roma people.Moldova, where they play the gadulka.Poland, where the violin is hugely popular.Romania, where they use a Stroh violin and scordatura tuning.Serbia and Ukraine, where violins are common in folk music.The Violin in Britain and IrelandIn Britain and Ireland, there are many different ways to play the violin. The violin and its relatives, such as the rebec, have been used since Medieval times.You can find plenty of variants such as the viola da gamba being used in England, the crwth in Wales, and the fiddle in Ireland.The Violin in Western Europe and the MediterraneanThe baroque violin was most commonly used in countries such as Italy and French by the nobility.The instr ument is also very popular in Portugal.Did you know that the violin is also hugely popular in folk music from Brittany?Violins are used without chinrests in Greek gipsy music. The violin is used less in Spanish and Albanian music, but it’s still used.Wanting to play the violin is one thing, knowing where to learn it is another!Violin is performed creatively around the world, read more regarding how the violin is played in Africa or how violinists  play in America  and the importance of the violin in Asia.Where to Learn the Violin in EuropeWhen you start playing the violin, you’ll need to learn music theory and get technical training. You’ll then need to practise.Which are the best places in Europe to get violin training?There are tonnes of famous violinists from Europe. (Source: lbrownstone)The best training is usually offered by conversatoires and universities specialising in music training. The Conservatoire de Paris, for example, is one of the most famous in Europe as well as the conservatoires in Vienna and Rome. To become a master of the violin, you should attend one of these incredible establishments:Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, GermanyMozarteum University Salzburg, AustriaRoyal Conservatory of Brussels, BelgiumAcademy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts - Plovdiv, BulgariaAcademy of Music, University of Zagreb, CroatiaRoyal Danish Academy of Music, DenmarkConservatorio Profesional De Música Arturo Soria in Madrid, SpainSibelius Academy Helsinki, FinlandÉcole Normale de Musique de Paris, FranceAthens Conservatoire, GreeceFranz Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest, HungaryTrinity College Dublin, IrelandMilan Conservatory, ItalyJazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music, LatviaFaculty of Music - ????, Skopje, MacedoniaAcademy Of Music, MonacoRoyal Conservatory of The Hague, NetherlandsRoyal Conservatoire of Scotland, EdinburghConservatoire de Musique de Genève, SwitzerlandIn total, there are over 1,500 different musical establishments dedicated to higher mus ical education and the violin, in particular. Of course, these aren’t the only places you can learn to play the violin.Who Are the Most Famous European Violinists?Rather than going over the violinists who created the classical violin repertoire, we’re going to look at more recent violinists.André Rieu. Originally from the Netherlands, this popular classical violinist has been the leader of the Johann Strauss Orchestra since 1975.Svend Asmussen. This 21st-century Danish violinist was nicknamed “diddli’ Viking” due to his unique style which influenced a number of other musicians.Didier Lockwood. The great French jazz violinist won the Victoires de la musique award in 1985. He’s the co-founder of the Festival des Puces jazz festival.Yehudi Menuhin. This talented violinist and conductor was a child prodigy and is considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. His deep and vibrant music made him famous. While he’s an American, the Swiss violin competition b ears his name.Kevin Burke. A traditional Irish fiddler born in 1950. He’s currently based in London and is a master of traditional music.Cathy Heidt. The young Luxembourgian violinist was chosen for the prestigious European Union Youth Orchestra.Andres Mustonen. The Estonian conductor and violinist is famous for traditional music and chamber music. He also directed the Estonian national symphony orchestra.Dorota Anderszewska. The famous Polish violinist won several prestigious awards. She now plays as a soloist or in a duet with her brother who plays the piano.Why not start learning and become a star of violin playing?If you're looking for stringed instruments, there are plenty of great music stores online where you can get violin bows, tuners, replacement violin strings, and plenty of accessories for your musical instrument. If you live in a big city, you can also probably find a dedicated violin shop for buying a violin or getting replacement parts like tuning pegs, a new tailpi ece, and parts to improve the playability of your instrument.If you want to learn to play the violin or if you need a supplement to your violin lessons, you can do so with a private tutor and Superprof. Many tutors offer the first hour of tuition for free and you can see whether or not you get along, the type of tuition they offer, and if they're right for you.Those with awkward schedules or living rurally can get online violin tutorials via webcam. These are often cheaper than face-to-face tutorials as the tutor doesn't have to factor travelling costs into their rates!

Introverts How to Lead a Team to Success - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Introverts How to Lead a Team to Success - Introvert Whisperer Introverts: How to Lead a Team to Success? Extroverts have proven that they are great leaders because of their out-going and bold personalities. However, introverts are as strong leaders as extroverts. Introverts everywhere are active listeners and great forgers of strong one-on-one relationships. These two qualities are characteristics of an excellent leader who can and will help their team reach their full potential. In terms of leadership styles, an introvert’s approach is quite different from an extrovert’s approach. When faced with adversity, extroverts engage with others and tend to lead their team ahead of the pack while introverts prefer to lead their teams from behind. Here Are Ways Introverts Can Lead A Team To Success When Faced With Adversity At Work: 1. Practice Active Listening Although introverts are known to be natural listeners, they tend to get lost in their own thoughts. To effectively lead a team as an introvert, practice the habit of attentively listening to your team. Stay present and focused on the topic at hand. Hearing and listening are two different things. When you listen attentively, you hear what your team has to say regarding a subject matter making them feel more comfortable in expressing their ideas. This helps them open up and come up with solutions to solve the current setbacks in your department. 2. Speak Your Mind Learn when to speak your mind. Introverts are known for their overthinking manner and this can be advantageous and disadvantageous at the same time. An introvert’s timidness can hinder him or her from speaking his or her mind and share his or her thoughts to his or her team. When you found a solution after gathering data from your team, assemble them and formulate the best possible solutions to fix the issue at hand. Share the details of how to best approach the issue and let your team do their part to quickly resolve the matter. 3. Let Your Team Take Charge Be reminded that your team are experts in their areas and they can do well even without your constant supervision. Know what are the strengths and weaknesses of your members to delegate tasks to your team accordingly. Let them take charge of the sections their an expert of and lead from behind. Trust your members to do well and assist them when needed. 4. Guide From Behind There are different styles of leading a team. Most say that leading ahead of the pack or leading a team by their side is the best approach. However, there is no one way of doing things right when many people are involved. Choose which style helps your team evolve and grow the most. Some introverts lead a team from behind giving support and advice when they see that their team needs it. There is no definite answer to leading a team successfully especially when faced with adversity. You only need to do your best and make sure you and your team are working well together to resolve the issue. 5. Celebrate Victory Celebrate even the smallest victory and acknowledge your team for the efforts they put in to make things happen. Recognising your teams’ contributions helps build a stronger relationship between you and your team. Don’t be afraid to give distinctions to those who have excelled and motivation to those who need it. These are great practices for introvert leaders to lead their team to victory when faced with problems at work. However, it’s important to build a great working relationship with your team first before you can lead them naturally. Valuable Tips To Keep In Mind To Lead Your Team Better As An Introvert: 1. Build Great Working Relationships The foundations of a strong relationship are trust and open communication. Open all lines of communication with your team. Refrain from sticking to online communications as some people prefer communicating online. Communication is the backbone of trust in a relationship. If you are transparent to your team about the details of the project, they’ll trust you more and will be open to suggestions and constructive criticism to meet and exceed expectations of the client or company. 2. Identify Individual Strength Of Team Members Learning and familiarising yourself with your team’s individual strengths can help you delegate tasks better. It also allows you to check if you can push your member beyond the comfort of their expertise to learn new things. Another benefit of learning their strengths is that you will be able to determine who you need to seek when you need advice regarding a particular matter. 3. Encourage Offline Communication Offline communication in big groups can cause anxiety in introverts. However, encouraging face-to-face conversations will help you and your team bond and communicate better. Face-to-face meetings and conversations also add social support among peers and help everyone acknowledge each other’s value and contributions. Encourage offline communication and don’t veer from it. 4. Be Transparent Transparency is a must in everything. It is a key component that fosters trust between leaders and members. If you become transparent in your needs for every project requirements, you indirectly encourage engagement from your members. Thus, creating better solutions for every challenge your team faces. The result of high-level performance is a combination of authentic relationships, trust, and open communication. Practice transparent leadership to promote high levels of performances from the whole team. 5. Step Out Of The Box Occasionally Closing yourself from opportunities of personal and professional growth will only hinder your progress in life. Occasionally step out of your box and explore life outside of work with your team. Schedule an exclusive team building or gathering between you and your members to get to know each other on a deeper level helping you understand each other better. Doing this once in a while will help you and your team be familiar with each other better and improve your team dynamics. 6. Be Authentic To Inspire Stay true to yourself. It doesn’t matter if you’re an extrovert or introvert, being authentic is vital. Don’t shy away from your introvertedness but rather embrace it. Showing who you are to others will inspire them to do the same. Bio Jasmine Anne Cantrell is a Content Writer and aspiring Book Author. She loves to express her emotions through words in forms of poetry and short stories. For her, writing is a whole new universe everyone can escape to. Linkedin :https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmineannepalaoc/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/missJACantrell 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

4 Things to Know Before Taking Skype Spanish Lessons

4 Things to Know Before Taking Skype Spanish Lessons Suzy S. Interested in learning Spanish? As youre deciding between in-person and online Spanish lessons, consider these points by Fairfax, CA tutor  Jason N... Spanish continues to gain traction as the undisputed second language of California, and the United States for that matter. In the next decades, Spanish could even become the most commonly spoken language in this country. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Los Angeles, California, for example, is 53% Latin American and growing. That means that if you’re Caucasian or born in this country, you could be an English-speaking minority in the near future! So clearly you want to learn Spanish, but you are busy with children, work, family relationships, and many other competing demands on your time. Maybe you are a college student and don’t have time or space in your schedule to take a Spanish class. Maybe you may have tried mobile applications to learn Spanish, but have noticed that you learn best with a live human tutor rather than through an app. A couple months ago, I wrote a blog about what to look for in a tutor, where I underscored seven key traits of an effective tutor, which was written assuming that you meet with your tutor in person. In this day and age in 2015, as technology increases in effectiveness, increases in use, and becomes progressively commonplace, many people are seeking tutors via Skype. The global market of “Skype tutors” continues to grow by the day. Consequently, for a myriad of reasons, you may be considering Skype Spanish lessons. Here, I underscore four points to consider before deciding to take Skype Spanish lessons. 1. Skype lessons are often cheaper Maybe you are interested in private Spanish lessons but don’t have the budget to regularly meet with a private tutor, and have realized that Skype lessons can be a cheaper or more convenient option. Let’s be honest: private, in-person Spanish lessons can be expensive. Skype lessons can very well be a cheaper option. Many Skype tutors charge around $10 per hour lesson, when the average Spanish tutor in this country charges between $20 and $100 per hour. 2. Spanish via Skype  can  be convenient Often we are too busy to fit in another outside activity. Undoubtedly, meeting with a tutor via Skype enables you to have the personal live tutor experience without having to leave your house or invite a tutor into your home whom you don’t know yet. It’s important to shop around first and find a great match. TakeLessons has a network of instructors who offer live Spanish lessons online via video chat. 3. Consider the technology Despite the two benefits above, speaking from three years of experience tutoring Spanish usually in person and seldom by Skype, I strongly believe that learning is enhanced when the tutor explains and writes key words down on paper or in a textbook with you next to him or her, to facilitate learning. While Skype has a convenient screen-sharing option, it can be easily compromised by not being able to see your tutor’s face and hand gestures as he/she explains to you what they are demonstrating on the screen. This makes it similar to a short YouTube video lesson, which is not worth paying for or scheduling. 4. Key pitfalls There are undoubtedly pitfalls to learning Spanish via Skype. These include: Interruptions can be a lot more frequent than if the lesson were live. Having a regular Skype Spanish student, I’ve grown accustomed to the inevitable bad Internet connection on either or both sides, which can be frustrating and disrupt the flow of the lesson. As I stated above, it is harder to teach conjugation and the nuances of the many and complex irregular verbs in Spanish. Screen sharing can only do so much. It is hard to teach pronunciation across a screen, for example where to place tongue while pronouncing Spanish words that end in L, and how that differs from English. Just like the visual pixel resolution is particularly superior in-person than on an iPhone 6, for example, the hearing ‘resolution’ is undoubtedly better in person. Have you compared the difference of a drum set and electronic drums? The electronic sounds will never sound as pure. In conclusion, Skype Spanish lessons can be an attractive option depending on your specific needs, preferences, and life situation, while you don’t lose touch of the pitfalls. Skype lessons can be a cheaper, convenient, and unique adjunct to successful second-language learning. That said, based on my experience of learning Spanish in other countries, I’ve come to believe human contact in person is an indelible part of learning a language. Click here to find a tutor in your area! Readers, what do you think? Have you tried taking Skype Spanish lessons? Leave a comment and share your thoughts! Bonus:   Learn about the budget-friendly options for learning Spanish! Jason N. tutors in English and Spanish in Fairfax, CA.  He majored in Spanish at UC Davis, lived in Mexico for 3 years where he completed a Masters degree in Counseling, and studied Spanish Literature and Psychology at the University of Costa Rica. Learn more about Jason 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  Mattias Frenn

Learning How to Sing How Often Should I Take Lessons

Learning How to Sing How Often Should I Take Lessons Suzy S. Before you begin learning how to sing, youll need to find a teacher and schedule your voice lessons! But how often should you really be meeting with your instructor? Find out how to determine your needs create your perfect schedule, with these recommendations from  Forest Hills, NY and online teacher Claire W.: Working your way toward learning how to sing means gaining control of your voice and refining your ability to express yourself with song. It can be a challenging task, but as the saying goes, Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Depending on your personal goals, learning how to sing can be a very long-term project. Because there are so many aspects to the skill, the frequency of your lessons depends on the goal you want to work toward and how fast. Keep in mind though, that developing the ability to sing on key and with control of your voice and breathing for a range of genres requires a bit of muscle and memory training. Any kind of music especially the type that uses your very own body as an instrument is extremely cerebral, and requires you to manage and control many different variables at once. But you can do it, and if you ever doubt yourself and think Im tone deaf! This is impossible?!, do keep in mind that tone-deafness is actually a recessive trait in humans, so your chances of actually being tone-deaf are low. This article will discuss the suggested frequency of your training per (1) type of training and (2) level of musical proficiency so that you can learn how to sing. Beginner to Intermediate Level   If you are a beginner at music, the first and foremost highest leverage thing for you to do when learning how to sing is to invest a lot of time in recognizing and copying the production of sounds from another instrument and identifying their names and tonal values. For example, as a helpful exercise your teacher might: (1) play a note for you, (2) tell you what its numeric or syllabic value is, and (3) give you feedback when you try to produce the exact sound with the number or syllable. You can benefit immensely from having ear training lessons once or twice a week, in addition to or in combination with a weekly voice lesson. Later on, more advanced ear training has you identify and reproduce the relationships between two tones or three tones in intervals, broken chords, or scales. Have patience with yourself, and expect the first few tries to be rocky, but dont give up! Remember you are literally training the synapses of neurons to form for sound recognition and reproduction. Because of this, frequent repetition of this training is highly recommended for all levels. Ear training is the first step in becoming a strong singer of any genre or style, and is something that all musicians and singers practiceâ€"even when they are at a professional level. I would suggest 60 minutes of ear training once a week until recognizing and reproducing tones or simple intervals becomes natural and automatic. Intermediate to Professional Level   If you are at an intermediate level of musical proficiency, learning how to sing will be much easier, because you’ve probably done a lot of ear training already. Now it’s time to populate your understanding of song with a lot of data. By data, I mean practicing songs from different genres and refining your understanding of your pitch range, sweet spots, and breaks in your voice. Once you are at an intermediate level, most students can move from ear training to focusing all on singing during your weekly lessons. One lesson a week however, does not excuse you from practicing for at least 30 minutes every day! When you practice on your own, you’ll be able to figure out how identify the little basic things in a voice that make an audience feel a certain way. The length of your lessons will depend on a few different factors. Professional Level Eventually, you’ll have gotten so much feedback, practiced so many songs, and listened to so many genres that you’ll be singing at a professional level. Huzzah! I can’t wait to see singing stars popping up and talking about this article being their inspiration to become singing stars. Keep in mind that even professionals still work with vocal coaches to continue improving even its just once a month or so. In closing, learning how to sing is like learning how to read, write, or speak. At a certain point, you’re just expanding your grasp of the expressive ‘vocabulary’ (e.g. a crescendo, diminuendo, or a trill) and eventually, you get to the point of familiarity that you start creating new vocal conventions and styles of your own, whether youre drawing inspiration from Beyoncé or Pavarotti. Always go through cycles of practice and rest, otherwise you can tire out your voice. Even Beyoncé has to do this! Grit through the beginner phase and you’ll be singing like a star in no time. Remember, everybody’s voice ends up being beautiful in the right context and there are so many genres to be appreciated, so never give up, find your sound, and keep on right on singing. Claire W. teaches music and tutors in Forest Hills, NY, as well as online. As a recent graduate of Columbia University, she majored in Applied Statistics and Psychology, and earned her  Texas  State  Teachers  Certification  in 2014.  Learn more  about Claire 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 michael_swan

How To Become Bilingual In Italian

How To Become Bilingual In Italian How To Master Italian? ChaptersHow To Test Your Italian?MOOC Italian CoursesTake The CILS And CELI TestsHow To Work On Your Italian Accent?Nowadays, learning a language is a real challenge, which everyone takes up from school onwards. A challenge, but also a pleasure, which makes it possible to communicate with people from all around the world, but also to immerse yourself in another culture. A language other than your mother tongue is, therefore, an important tool for opening up to the world. Practising Italian is the perfect example of such a discovery.To learn Italian online and improve existing skills, you will need to work at least a little bit and go through a fair amount of resources. Because yes, what could be better than watching movies in their original version?Even if Italian is sometimes claimed to be a language of gestures (as illustrated by the 243 movements that Lilia Cavallo has gathered in a dictionary, like a real language), the fact remains that the Italian language is a very rich and di verse language!So, of course, we can wonder how to speak Italian fluently, and that's what we'll see right away! DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow To Test Your Italian?Among the things to do, when you want to learn Italian and be ableto chi chat with a native speaker from Venice, you obviously have to test your level of Italian. Thanks to simple, effective tools and supports, it is then possible to evaluate where you stand on the scale of a foreign language and to find the right exercises to progress quickly in Italian. Travelling, working, meeting people, everything is a pretext to become bilingual in Italian!Between Italian grammar rules, vocabulary, Italian phrases, verbs, pronunciation and memorization, you will know in a few tests what level you are at and how much effort you will have to put on learning this millennia-old language.But if schools reject you, language tests, such as IELTS, CLIP (the equivalent of TOEFL in English, more for professional use), or CILS (Certificate of Italian CILS from the University for Foreigners of Siena) exist and will attest to your level in Italian. For a price ranging from £100 to £160, it is then possible to know if our Italian is that of a beginner level, or more confirmed, up to bilingualism!Of course, there are also more basic solutions, such as a teacher. A private tutor will give you a more personalized assessment so that you will know how best to progress. Superprof offers this type of course, enjoy it! Finally, do not hesitate to travel, go to Italy, and talk to the locals. This is probably the best way to find out if you are bilingual, or if there is still room for improvement.Even if there are no classes at school, you can still learn Italian. (Source: skitterphoto.com)MOOC Italian CoursesYou may be familiar with MOOC courses since this is the acronym for Massive Open Online Course. Sometimes known by other names such as Open Online Training (OOT), but also Open and Massive Online Courses (OMOC), MOOCs allow us to validate our foreign language skills with a certificate or not, so that we can attest to our bilingualism or not in Italian, for example!While a weekly quiz validates the progress, this type of Italian  online course, limited in time, has training objectives and themes defined by the teachers, but also by the learner. This freedom and this notion of sharing then give full meaning to MOOC courses, wh ich will make it possible to see real progress, thanks to exclusive content, and teachers who are listening!After the MOOC courses, it is, therefore, possible to master the Italian language at your fingertips, to take part in major university competitions, to move to Italy, or simply to travel in the best possible way. Because yes, what could be more stimulating than getting by in a foreign country? Not much, I'll give you that!Take Italian courses London and start learning more about Italian vocabulary, Italian culture, and improve your Italian fluency.Take The CILS And CELI TestsFrom a linguistic perspective, taking aptitude tests is often a very good idea, so that you know what your level is, or simply realize that you are bilingual, or not! In Italian, there are various tests, two of which have performed well: CILS (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera, or Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language) and CELI (Certificato di conoscenza della Lingua Italiana).The C ILS is a certificate, recognised by the Italian State and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which allows the learner to report on his or her Italian language skills. Born in the 16th century, and divided into four levels, it will then be easy for you to understand whether or not you are bilingual, depending on the results of the test, delimited by the common European reference framework for languages.You don't have to go to Italy to learn Italian... (Source: skitterphoto.com)The CELI is also a certificate of knowledge of Italian, which, helped by levels ranging from A1 to C2, determines and confirms that language learning can be transformed into bilingualism at any time, whether you are learning a new language, or whether you are almost bilingual.Note that CELI 3 is the level that allows you to enrol in an Italian school, without having to take the admission test for foreigners offered by the school.CILS and CELI in Italian are therefore quality certificates, which, in addition to tr avelling simply, allow you to open doors, professional, academic, but also personal! In an autonomous way, you will then work on your Italian without pressure, and, for a few hundred pounds for the registration, finish in style by validating your skills. Who said learning a second language was complicated?How To Work On Your Italian Accent?The Italian accent is often perceived as a particular accent, complicated to implement, and possibly difficult to learn. And yet, there are many ways and means to work on your Italian accent in a simple and effective way.Indeed, to learn how to pronounce certain syllables, to improve oral expression, and to make yourself understood in a simple way, one can think of films and series in the original Italian version. Because having fun and learning languages is possible! Let's think of works like Call me by your name, Life Is Beautiful, Gomorra, or My Brilliant Friend in the Italian language.But that's not all! Indeed, while the emphasis is on the ex tra soul of bilingualism, we can think of taking Italian lessons with a private teacher. Online, they will be able to meet all your expectations when it comes to saying a few difficult words. Superprof offers this service, don't hesitate to take a look!It is also interesting to look at new technologies, sites, and mobile applications, such as Babbel, Duolingo, LingQ, or One Wolrd Italiano, which show different techniques for perfecting your Italian, all this without going anywhere, like an online tutor. Between videos, online games, and small exercises, most often free of charge, becoming bilingual in Italian has never been so much fun!Hop over to Italy for a weekend getaway, and to practise your spoken skills Source: Pixabay Credit: Sergio GridelliOne last technique to improve your Italian accent, and gradually become bilingual, is of course to travel! Indeed, practising in the field, even if it is more expensive, is even more training than all the techniques and media mentioned ab ove. To immerse yourself in a language and culture, to work on your accent by speaking with the locals, what could be a better learning experience?Whatever your level, the Italian language is a rich language, which must be learned by different means in order to become bilingual. Knowing your level is a good basis for positioning yourself on the linguistic scale, while several supports exist to raise us and make us understand that Italian is not so complicated!

Monthly Volunteer Notables - NOVEMBER - Heart Math Tutoring

Monthly Volunteer Notables - NOVEMBER - Heart Math Tutoring Monthly Volunteer Notables NOVEMBER Monthly Volunteer Notables NOVEMBER December 15, 2014 Dear HEART Tutors, This monthly email includes (1) Important Logistics, (2) Tutoring Tips, (3) More Resources (OPTIONAL), and (4) Just for Fun (OPTIONAL).   Thank you for taking a minute to read this. (1) Important Logistics Winter Break Package In December, we will be giving students a Winter Break package that includes Math Games and a Holiday Card!   Students will receive a prize if they play the math games at home during Winter Break. Please spend two minutes writing a quick note on a holiday card when you arrive for tutoring the week of 12/1.   (All materials provided.) You will see directions for Holiday Math Games at tutoring the week of 12/8 and 12/15.   Please spend 5-10 minutes during your tutoring session making sure your students know the card games well enough to play them at home with siblings and friends. Upcoming School Holidays no school, no tutoring (download here  ) Wednesday, Nov 26 to Friday, Nov 28 â€" Thanksgiving Break Monday, Dec 22 to Friday, Jan 2 â€" Winter Break Monday, Jan 19 â€" Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Friday, Jan 23 â€" Teacher Workday Please bring back the take-home notebooks you no longer need. (2) Tutoring Tips This video shows a quick tip from Billingsville Math Facilitator Nikia Graham.  She says to make sure the students (not tutors) are the ones doing the work with the math manipulatives. They need the hands-on experience with the numbers, even if it takes extra time and patience. Goals Does your student know what he/she is practicing?   Ask and find out.   If your student believes he/she is practicing “connecting cubes” or “hiding game,” he/she needs a review of the concept goals.   The notebook title is a good place to start. Continue to encourage hard work and perseverance.   Learning requires willingness to work hard as concepts get difficult, so praise students when they stay focused and continue trying in the face of a challenge, not just when they get the right answers. Please feel free to flag me down for help at any time during tutoring.  There is no need to wait until the end of a session to discuss issues or ask questions.  I want to provide real-time support so that you and your students can get the most out of your time together! Keep having fun!   Your students are so happy to see you each week. (3) More Resources (OPTIONAL) This One Page Curriculum Overview includes one-sentence goals that explain the big idea of each of the six notebooks. What is the point of “Strategies to 20” notebook?   This video shows how students should be able to add above ten by breaking apart numbers using the combinations they internalized in the prior notebook level, Combinations to 10. For those in the “Combinations to 10” notebook To clarify, a student needs to spend multiple lessons working with the same assigned focus number to sufficiently internalize the combinations. Most students need to complete Lessons 1 â€" 5 with one focus number to know the number’s parts.   Afterwards, the student will begin again with Lesson 1 using the next focus number.   Though it may seem counterintuitive, you will save time in the long run by working on only one new number a time. (4)   Just for Fun (OPTIONAL) HEART Holiday Parent Breakfast â€" Save the date and plan to join at your schools event to meet your students’ parents and teach them card games they can play at home to reinforce the number sense students are building in HEART!   We will play Holiday Math Games, eat food, and celebrate students’ work in the program. Winterfield Friday 12/12, 7:45 8:15 Highland Renaissance Wednesday 12/17, 12:15 12:45 Montclaire Thursday 12/18, 7:45 8:15 Billingsville Friday 12/19, 8:00 8:45 Also, please email your coordinator if you would be willing to help in any of these roles: set up, clean up, making the Winter Break packages, taking photos. Please email your coordinator if you would like to be on your schools substitute tutor list, which means you would occasionally recieve an email asking you to fill in for an absent tutor, when volunteers are out of town or sick. Check out pictures and articles on HEART Tutoring’s Facebook page!   You can also follow HEART on Instagram and twitter (@HEARTTutoring). It is exciting to see the way many of you are gaining traction with both the relationships and the math.   Thank you for your consistency and enthusiasm.   Please let me know of any questions, feedback, or concerns. Many thanks, The HEART Team

Volunteering Experience - Ritas Story

Volunteering Experience - Rita's Story Rita P  has had many years of experience as a private tutor, both in Italy and the UK. She's an enthusiastic investigator of the History of Ancient Languages, and studied Prehistory, Archaeology and Classics in Rome and Verona.   Rita has a huge heart, she gives her time to 3 different schools, helping underprivileged children with Spanish, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning. She volunteers at Pimlico Academy, Highbury Fields, and Wilbury Primary School. She has kindly written about her volunteering experience so far in hopes that it will inspire others to follow suit! I started tutoring in Italy some years ago, and I still vividly picture a shy girl who happened to be my first student. I had just finished my Master's Degree in Archaeology and Classics. She was a 16 year old student who attended two different schools, a music conservatory and a grammar school. Studying on her own was a big effort which she found stressful and quite demanding. At first I thought she probably needed a little more structure as well as a bit of encouragement to keep her focused. I was only there to help her with Ancient Languages, but we soon made a habit of spending some time at the end of every lesson to talk about anything that was on her mind, including her other subjects. By the end of the year she surprised me. She confessed that our lessons and talks had helped her to become more organised, self-confident and open with people. She then went on to express to me how grateful she was for this. She soon finished her studies, and now she’s a musician who lives in Amsterdam. She taught me something too. I learned how important it is to establish a relationship with your student, aside from helping them with their studies. I learnt that lending an ear and taking the time to “know” my students is equally as valuable in helping them perform better in school and in their private studies. I have since moved to London, and brought my vast experience in education with me! I began tutoring in November, after a comprehensive training day, perfectly managed by Tutorfair. Currently I volunteer in two different high schools and a primary school â€" exposing myself to students of varying ages, ambitions and distinct backgrounds. Working with year 11 students everyday has been challenging. Initially I felt that they were doing a great job of living up to their teenage stereotype of being moody, demotivated, unfocused and tired. It took some time for them to accept me. They were shy and rather closed off as they were uncomfortable discussing any difficulties they were having. After a few lessons they began to open up and relax around me, and subsequently I did too! They understood that I was there to help them unconditionally, which turned out to be the single most important thing to them. Working with students at this age can be really extraordinary, and genuinely wonderful. I also help a group of Year 6 students who are part of an afterschool special learning program. These younger students were much more welcoming, and took to me straight away!   They were also more demanding of me and the teacher leading the class. No matter how old the student is, I believe that nothing can help a student more than applying the J Factor: If I can help make the learning experience Joyful, the results are always astounding. I try to hold the picture of my first student in my head and what that experience taught me.   It reminds me to remain patient and dedicated, the rest then comes naturally. Are you interested in becoming a volunteer tutor? If so click here  to get involved, or email Pete Kirby at pete@tutorfair.com we would love to hear from you!