Teaching Your Child How to Find a Tutoring Service

Teaching Your Child How to Find a Tutoring ServiceTeaching students how to find a tutoring service is not as difficult as you might think. The first thing that you need to do is go online and read as many articles on finding tutors as you can. Your goal is to make sure that you never lose out on students in the future.If you are in a certain situation where you have a full-time job and your son is having trouble with his homework, you may decide to teach him the important lesson of how to get him an online tutor. After all, this is something that is probably going to help him learn more and it is something that he will use again in the future. When you decide to go this route, remember that it is going to take time to get used to the idea of teaching a student how to find a tutoring service. Don't give up too quickly.The next thing that you need to do is to find out what your child likes best. There are people out there who are going to be able to get more out of your child than othe rs are. You should at least try to make sure that they like their services.Once you have narrowed down what you think will work best for your child, you should ask if the school district has any other tutoring services. This is also an opportunity to discuss some possible drawbacks with the parent.For instance, you may find that a child may hate being tutored by the online tutoring company because they are simply a bunch of 'mechanics' instead of teachers. You can explain to them that it is just not going to be that way. While they will hate some of the work that they have to do in order to be a good tutor, they will appreciate that the money is worth it to them.Of course, you still want to make sure that you have enough money left over to spend on other things for your child if they need it. You can tell them that there are scholarships available if they really want to apply for one of them.It may sound obvious, but you never know when your own parents are going to get together and pitch you on giving them a tutor. Either way, it does not hurt to ask. After all, it is not as hard as you think.

25 MORE Spanish Writing Prompts for Beginners

25 MORE Spanish Writing Prompts for Beginners Suzy S. A while back, Spanish tutor Joan B.  shared a list of easy writing prompts for practicing Spanish. Readers loved these, so were back with  even MORE Spanish writing prompts to try!   Writing in Spanish is not only an essential skill on its own; practicing writing will also improve  your vocabulary, increase your understanding of grammar concepts, and enhance  your communication skills both in written and spoken forms. The following are 25 Spanish writing prompts that will stimulate your imagination, stretch your abilities and, most importantly, help you to become a powerful and persuasive writer in Spanish. Tackle a writing prompt regularly  (like once a day, or once a week) and youll soon find yourself writing persuasively with very little effort! 1. Describe a time when you had an argument with someone, and how you resolved it. This is a chance to describe a sequence of events or statements using the preterite tense (El dijoy entonces yo le dije), as well as the expressions (No estar de acuerdo and Hacer las paces). 2. Write a tall tale. Describe an outlandish event in as much detail as possible. Use this as a chance to practice narrative writing and use a variety of descriptive adjectives and phrases. The more out there, the better! 3. Explain what you do to conserve, recycle, reduce, and reuse. Green living is a hot topic today, and the words associated with it (conservar, reciclar, reducir, reusar) include  useful Spanish  vocabulary for daily living. 4. What is your favorite Spanish or Latin dish? Is it paella, pollo asado, or tamales? Whatever it is, write out the ingredients and process for making it, in the form of a recipe. You can look up a recipe in English for inspiration if youre not sure how to make it. 5. In your opinion, what is the worst environmental problem facing us today, and what can be done to improve the issue? Take this opportunity to learn issue-specific vocabulary (for example, for global warming, you could use el calentamiento global) as well the subjunctive when expressing certain views (Espero que). 6. Write a letter to the editor about a local community issue you feel strongly about. This prompt will challenge you to use formal, polite, and print-worthy grammar and syntax, as well as develop your own personal voice in Spanish. 7. Youve decided to apply for a job where youll use your Spanish-speaking skills. Write a paragraph or essay in Spanish detailing your knowledge, experience, and study in the language. This can include descriptions of trips to Spanish-speaking places, formal study, the types of Spanish classes youve taken and concepts learned (Sé explicar bien mis opiniones.), and how long youve studied (Comencé a estudiar en la escuela secundaria, y después assistí a la universidad.). Not only is this great practice, its good to have on hand just in case you do need to document your Spanish knowledge, in short order! 8. Your roommate or neighbor has a very annoying habit and youve finally decided you cant take it any longer. Instead of telling him or her directly, write a letter using a variety of formal commands and subjunctive structures ( ¡Cámbialo! or Sugiero que). 9. Youve met someone whos about to start studying Spanish. What advice would you give him or her to succeed? This is a great opportunity to give advice (dar consejos) and even include a proverb or two (La práctica hace al maestro.). 10. Youre planning to travel to a Spanish-speaking country. Describe what you hope your daily routine will be. Practice using sequencing words (antes, después, entonces), reflexive verbs (relajarse, divertirse, etc.) and expressions for activities (ir al concierto, visitar un museo, dar un paseo por la ciudad). 11. If you could have any type of pet, which would you choose, and why? Talk about how you would take care of your pet and what activities you could do together. You can use hypothetical phrases (Si pudiera tener una mascota, tendría un perro e iría al parque con él). 12. Describe the members of your household and who is responsible for what duties around the house. The expressions you use are essential phrases for travel and daily life its important to know how to say cambiar las sábanas  (change the sheets) and lavar la ropa  (wash the clothes)! 13. Prepare a short comedy act. Choose an event that has comedic potential and make light of it in a humorous way. Try to contar un chiste  (tell a joke), which is challenging to do in Spanish as a second-language speaker. You can even ask a native Spanish speaker for help with tackling this prompt. 14. Describe your route to work or school. What mode of transportation do you use, which way do you go, and what are the pros and cons of your particular route and way? This is another practical writing prompt to exercise your ability to describe modes of transportations, routes, and transportation directions (Primero, tomo el autobús número; Evito el tráfico de las 5 por tomar una ruta alternativa). 15. Respond to a letter or other communication youve received from someone telling you about their news and activities. Even though they probably wrote to you in English, draft a response to them in Spanish, detailing your own news and activities and commenting on theirs. You can also draft a response to an imaginary letter in Spanish if you prefer. Explain what youve been habitually doing (En estos días, estudio mucho) and retell specific events that have occurred (Ayer recibí una buena nota.). This is a good time to practice choosing between the imperfect tense and preterite tense for past events. 16. Invent a fairy tale in Spanish. You can begin with the words Había una vez (once upon a time) and let your imagination take it from there. You can write a fairy tale youre familiar with, or create a new one. This Spanish writing prompt is good practice for perfecting the imperfect and preterite tense, as well as refining your descriptive writing abilities in Spanish, since fairy tales often involve vivid description of interesting characters. 17. Write a letter to a world leader whose policy actions youre familiar with. Commend him or her on the actions you agree with, and explain why you agree. Offer criticism of those actions you disapprove, along with suggestions for alternative action to be taken. Use the comparative and superlative in your letter (Esta acción es tan buena como lo que hizo); you may also find use for the subjunctive (Es mejor que resuelva el problema de). 18. If you could live in any country for an extended period of time, which country would you choose and why? Explain what traditions, customs, cultural practices and daily living styles appeal to you, and what you would do there. This is a chance to use the imperfect subjunctive and the conditional in a common and useful structure (Si pudiera vivir en algún país, viviría en). 19. In your opinion, what was the most important world event of the past year? Describe the event itself, using the appropriate tense (imperfect or preterite). You may also find a use for the past progressive (Mientras el gobierno estaba estabilizando, el presidente se murió.). Try to use a mix of objective factual statements, as well as more subjective statements that reflect your opinion about the event. 20. Spanish is fast-becoming the lingua franca (a language that is used among people who speak various different languages) of the United States. What are the benefits and disadvantages of this, from an economic and cultural standpoint? Useful phrases for this prompt include Por un ladoy por otro lado and Pienso que. 21. Why do you study Spanish? What do you hope to gain from the language? Are your reasons primarily linguistic, cultural, economic, or something else? Explain what attracts you to the language, and the level you aim to reach. Also express  how you feel using verbs such as sentirse and me parece que. 22. You have the opportunity to live with a family in a Spanish-speaking country as part of a study abroad program. Write a letter to the family, introducing yourself. Tell them essential information, as well as some fun and interesting facts about you so they can start to get to know you. Use an informal yet polite tone. You can also include what you hope to gain by living with them by using polite requests (Me gustaría si pudiéramos hablar en español casi todo el tiempo.; ¿Sería posible hacer actividades todos juntos?). 23. What do you like to do in your free time? Describe the activities you do, when you usually do them, and with whom. You can begin with En mi tiempo libre. Use this prompt as a chance to expand and memorize Spanish  vocabulary you might learn new expressions as you describe your activities in Spanish. 24. What is your astrological sign? Do you believe in astrological signs? Why or why not? Do you think you fit the typical profile for someone of your sign? You might want to use expressions like  aunque  (although) and sin embargo  (nevertheless). 25. Youre going to host two Spanish-speaking exchange students. Write them a letter telling them about any customs they should be familiar with, as well as the daily schedule they will follow. You can describe your daily school or work schedule, as well as the times that activities occur. You can also remind them of specific items they might want to bring from home. If you work through (ahem, write through!) these 25 Spanish writing prompts, youll be well-versed in a variety of topics, registers of written Spanish, and typical structures and expressions to express your ideas concisely and clearly. You can also take your completed prompts to your teacher or tutor for further feedback, or simply re-read them and edit them on your own, over time. Enjoy, and continue working toward the level you wish to reach in Spanish! Post Author: Joan B. Joan B. lives in Carmichael, CA and has been teaching high school Spanish for more than 18 years. A lover of language, shes studied French, Arabic, and Italian and spent time living in Spain. Joan aims to help students improve on tests and increase their conversational ability when traveling to Spanish-speaking countries. Learn more about Joan  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

Working in IT FAQs on Computer Courses

Working in IT FAQs on Computer Courses Everything You Need to Know about Working in IT and Computing Courses Chapters5 Things You Have to Know About ITWhat IT Degrees, Qualifications, or Certifications Should I Get?3 Jobs You Can Do with IT TrainingWhy Learn IT Skills with a Private Tutor?There’s no shortage of jobs in IT. A quick job search will show plenty of results.  The sector is constantly looking out for new people, especially talented people who specialise in certain fields like web design, UI design, and even animation.Before you become a web application developer, system or network administrator, or embark on any IT project, you’ll need training in the field.In this article, Superprof is going to give you an overview of everything you should know before you embark on your computing adventure and send your CV to a potential employer.To learn more about IT,  find computer courses near you.Before you become a programmer and start coding, you’ll have to get the basics of programming down.Here are 5 things you have to know about working with computers and the web.1. What is an IP address?While we often hear about IP addresses, what is an IP address?IP is short for Internet Protocol.  Your IP address is basically like a unique telephone number for your computer. Computers use this address to send information between one another as long as they’re connected to the same network.An IP address is made up of a series of numbers between 0 and 250. It’s assigned by your router rather than your computer itself.Computers are great until they stop working! (Source: Gabriel Peter)2. What’s a server for?This is one of the first things you’ll learn about the web in an IT tutorial.  A server exists to serve. While it’s not a waiter, a server does provide a similar service in the way in serves you data.Severs are the cornerstone of the internet. When you publish a video on YouTube, you only publish it once. However, it’s relayed between hundreds and thousands of servers so that people all over the world can see it.A video or app that relies on poor servers wonâ €™t go the distance. This happened to the global phenomenon Pokémon Go on its first birthday when too many people connected at the same time from the same place and caused the servers to crash. Servers need to be powerful enough to avoid such bad publicity.3. What is HTML?Hypertext Markup Language isn’t a programming language as such. Just like an IP address, HTML is a language for computers. It’s a language that deciphers and should be understood like a foreign language. The latest version is HTML5.This language tells the computer which fonts to use, the size of the text, and the images to put in. Don’t worry if you haven’t learnt all the elements off by heart, you can easily find them online.For example, if you want to put some text in bold, you just need to surround the text with the tags b and /b. If you hadn’t guessed, “b” stands for “bold”.4. What are cookies used for?Aside from being a popular type of biscuit, cookies are marks left on your computer when yo u browse the internet. You browser can store a harmless file on your computer which can tell ad servers which adverts to show you based on your search history.Let me explain...Imagine you are looking for some shoes online. You close the page without buying anything or even putting anything in your basket.  Later on you’re watching a YouTube video. You’ll probably see an ad on the video with the shoes you were looking at a little earlier.It’s not magic, it’s just cookies.5. What are the different programming languages?There are a few of them.Java, C, and Python are among some of the most popular ones. Be careful about trying to master them all.If you want to make a site on WordPress, you should get to grips with JavaScript and PHP.To work with Windows (the operating system), you should probably master C#.Start by choosing either Java or C++. Then you can move onto JavaScript. After that, you should choose between PHP, Swift, or Python, depending on what you’re looking to do .If you want to learn 5 more essential things for your training, check out our article on becoming a real geek!What IT Degrees, Qualifications, or Certifications Should I Get?With IT jobs being in abundance, why not go full time and work in IT? However, with so many jobs and so many people wanting to work in IT, you’ll need to have the right training.How can you become an IT teacher or tutor and meet the growing demands of the sector?While it’s no longer necessary to have a degree in IT from a top university to become a web developer, project manager, or network administrator, you’ll still have to consider training or education.  This is particularly true if you want to give private IT tutorials to beginners or helping IT students with their degrees.There are plenty of websites offering free lessons and step-by-step guides in IT courses.  There are also IT classes for the elderly and local governments tend to have IT skills classes in a variety of different topics for anyone l ooking to integrate IT into their lives.Find and take some IT courses online to improve your IT skills.If you want a job as a programmer, you're going to have to learn to code. (Source: Lukas)However, learning to give IT tutorials isn’t for everyone. You need to have teaching skills and patience for effectively transferring your knowledge. You’ll also need to respectful and caring to your students.3 Jobs You Can Do with IT TrainingEven if you already have an A Level in IT, you can still do more training to become a web admin or app developer. There's no shortage of web developer jobs, either. Here are some great Jobs for those taking IT courses.1. Become an App or Web DeveloperJob Description: Java or PHP web developers are tasked with designing and creating IT programmes and web applications for the client. A software developer will need to be familiar with programming and web technologies as application development is always evolving.They focus on either web-based app design o r software development. In both cases, they'll need to be driven as they work on improving the usability and functionality of the programmes and web apps they create. There are a lot of companies hiring in this field.Training required: IT Degree. Of course, equivalent qualifications will also be enough. In some cases, marketing will be useful if they're designing apps for e-commerce.Skills required:Knowledge of programming languagesProject managementIT maintenanceQualities required: DisciplineAnalytical skillsDiligenceCreativityAverage salary: £30,000/year2. Web DesignerJob Description: a web designer’s job is to create the visual identity and layout of the brand’s website and web pages. In addition to creating the website’s looks, web designers also have to make sure that the website functions well and is responsive both on the front end and back end.Get more information about computer courses here.Do you need a master's degree to be a web designer? (Source: pixabay.com)Web design is a fascinating field and those who work in it need to be familiar with modern technology and the latest developments. They'll also need an impressive portfolio of what they've been working on and show that they're passionate about design if they want someone to hire them.Training: There are two main routes for this. An IT degree with art classes or training or an art degree with IT classes and training. You can also take these extra classes outside of university or even enlist the assistance of a private tutor for this.Skills required: Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects).A good knowledge of HTML and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets).Qualities required: OrganisationCreativityAutonomyDiplomacyTeamworkAverage salary: £23,000/year.3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ExpertJob Description: The main goal of an SEO expert is to ensure that their client’s website appears higher up in search results. They’re an expert in statistical an alysis and will give advice and recommendations as well as information on how to implement them.Training: IT Degree with Marketing or similar.Skills required:A good knowledge of HTML and CSS.Editing skillsKnowledge of analytical toolsQualities required:Resistant to stressTeaching skillsAnalytical skillsAverage salary: £30,000/year.For more jobs in IT like app development, project management, or becoming a web master, check out our article dedicated to the subject.Why Learn IT Skills with a Private Tutor?While doing a degree in IT can be a good way to get work in the sector, they can sometimes be really difficult. A private IT tutor can be used to help you when you run into trouble or on their own to gain some valuable IT skills.You should have an informal meeting with your tutor before you start working with them. (Source: burst.shopify.com)If you choose not to study an IT degree, they can help you get your foot in the door of a career in IT, web development, or cloud computing in a way that traditional courses cannot.A Personalised Approach: Unlike teachers in sixth form or university tutors, when you work with a private tutor, you’re their only student in that class. They can adapt their classes to your level as well as work with your strength and weaknesses. The classes are planned for you and not the tutor themselves. Your tutor, who’ll be an IT expert, will be a great source of motivation for you. With regular private tutorials, you won’t be able to hide behind the best student in class.They can help you get ready for an IT degree or help you brush up on concepts that you haven’t seen since GCSE. A good private tutor can help you get through all the skills you’ve forgotten or haven’t used in years.Go at your own pace: If you always felt classes were too slow or too fast, in-home private tutorials mean that you get the most out of every minute you spend with your tutor. You can even have private tutorials on the weekend or during the evenings. This is great if you have a busy work schedule.The student’s choice: You’re the boss. You can tell your tutor what your objectives are and what you need to learn. You should make sure you choose the right tutor for you. You should be aware of your tutor’s qualifications, their experience, and their teaching style. Qualifications aren’t everything, after all. While they’re a useful example of what they know, they’re only part of the story. On Superprof, students can leave reviews of their tutor so that you can work out which is the best tutor for you.Affordable rates: Unlike what you’d think, private tutorials needn’t cost an arm and a leg. In some cases, tutorials can be cheaper than other types of classes. Some tutors charge very little but may have a lot of experience. Experienced tutors may provide the best education but come at a cost. The rates of tutors can vary wildly between £15 to £60 per hour and change depending on where the tutor is, your level, the tu tor’s experience, and the type of IT tutorials that you’re looking for.In short: Start by getting to grips with the basics of computers and IT.Since the sector is growing, you might be tempted to start teaching IT. Make sure that you’ve got the necessary skills and training. There are plenty of websites with free lessons and valuable resources.In general, you’ll probably need more than A Levels in IT if you want to work in the field or teach it. If you’ve got a degree or even a master’s degree, you’ll be fine.There are in-home IT tutorials available for those needing help with their degrees or just those wanting to learn more IT skills.Find out more about our cyber security tutorials as well as coding courses.

Ask an Admissions Expert Evelyn Alexander

Ask an Admissions Expert Evelyn Alexander Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Evelyn Alexander provides college admissions counseling services to a number of students and their families through Magellan College Counseling. She is an alumnus of Johns Hopkins Universitywhere she also served as a volunteer admissions recruiter for 15 years. VT: How far ahead of time should a student begin working on his or her college application? Evelyn: College applications are generally available the summer before the students senior year. The Common Application, for example, should open in August for the Class of 2015. While I would advise students to start their applications as early as possible, I would also encourage them to start exploring colleges long before the summer before senior year. I start working with students at the beginning of junior year, digging into possible majors and careers, looking at types of colleges and researching a large list of colleges, in an effort to narrow the list down to about 15. VT: What are the best ways to go about selecting a terrific essay topic? Evelyn: This is a difficult question, as essay topics can be very personal and very specific. My best advice is to keep in mind that the essay is about you, the student, not about a particular situation. Focus on how you were impacted by the situation, what you learned, how you grew, etc. VT: Are there any essay topics you get tired of seeing or would warn students to stay away from? Evelyn: Keep in mind that everyone writing college essays is about the same age as you. Many people your age have lost a pet or a grandparent, for example. Unless you are able to truly express in a very unique way how you dealt with this unfortunate loss, I would stay away from these topics. VT: What is the biggest mistake a student can make on a college application? Evelyn: Not personalizing supplemental essays can be a big mistake. When colleges ask you to write about why they are the right place for you, they dont want you to submit a generic essay about why you want to go to college. The question is why you want to go to that college. Taking the time to get to know each college to which you apply can help you write a compelling essay to answer this very important question. VT: What is the typical process an admissions officer goes through to evaluate applications? Evelyn: Different colleges read applications in different ways. At most colleges that offer a holistic application review, your file will be read first by an admissions counselor who knows your high school and your area. This is good because he or she can put your academic performance into context. Most colleges will also have a second person review your application. Admissions counselors read dozens of files each day during reading season, so your job is to stand out among the hundredsif not thousandsof files each counselor reads! VT: What do you think is the single most important thing a student should make sure they present in the best possible way on their application? Evelyn: Students should use the essay to show themselves as human beingsnot use it as an opportunity to repeat a list of their extracurricular activities. In fact, the essay doesnt even need to be about extracurricular activities! Make your best effort to show who you are beyond the grades and test scores that colleges see. Use the essay to illustratein your best authentic voicethe person that you are, and the person that you will be on their college campus. VT: How should students go about determining the culture of a university, and whether they would be a good fit? Evelyn: The best way to learn about a college is to visit. Make a reservation to join a tour, check in with the admissions office, and take the official tour. At the same time, keep in mind that your tour guide is likely a paid work-study student who is scripted by the admissions office. If you have time to come early, or to stay after the tour, its perfectly acceptable for you to talk to random students you find on campus! Eat a meal in the dining commons. Talk to friends or relatives who attend. When researching online, take a look at the Student Life section, and see if any of the clubs and organizations sound interesting to you. All of these things can help you see if a college might be the right place for you! VT: Early-action, early-decision, binding/non-binding, regular decisions...With so many choices when applying, what do you recommend to students? Evelyn: Early Decision is a binding option. So I recommend that students take this option only if they have a clear first-choice college. I am a big fan of Early Action, howeverin my book, this is a favor that colleges do for students who can get their act together early, get those essays done, and submit their applications by November 1. Given that youll know if you are accepted by about mid-December, when most seniors are freaking out about first semester finals and submitting their college applications, Early Action is a very good deal for students who are organized and disciplined about submitting their applications early. VT: How important are grades and standardized test scores when admissions decisions are being made? Evelyn: Grades are, across the board, the number one thing colleges care about when determining admissibility. Colleges are looking to see that you have challenged yourself academically and that you are capable of doing college-level work. Grades are supremely important! Test scores are also important, but there are some colleges that do not require you to submit test scores. VT: What tips do you have for students asking their teachers for letters of recommendation? Evelyn:Students should ask teachers who know them both in and out of class. Teachers are asked to rate students not only on their performance in their class, but also with regard to leadership, work ethic, and many other aspects. Therefore, you should ask teachers who can speak not only to the grade you received in their class, but also about who you are outside of their classin detail. Visit Magellan College Counseling for more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

4 Things Youll Learn in Sophomore Year of High School

4 Things You'll Learn in Sophomore Year of High School Your sophomore year of high school is momentous for a number of reasons. For many students, its the first year they feel like they truly understand high school. It may be the first time you really feel like the end is in sight. It may be the first time you take an AP class or get an after-school job. Typically, its a big year for students. And what can you expect to learn in your sophomore year of high school? If youre looking for a syllabus, your best bet is to check with your instructorsbut theres a lot going on outside the classroom, too! Its time to embrace new opportunities If youre still navigating your way through the high school experience as many sophomores are, now is a great time to seek out new opportunities. Youre still busy, but youve got a little bit more time then youll have later when youre more focused on the ACT/SAT, college applications, or graduation. Now is your chance to try out extracurricular activities youve always been curious about or take a new leadership position in a club. [RELATED: What is an Average ACT Score?] Sophomore year is the perfect time to do some exploringjoining the debate team may lead you to explore a career in law later on, or you may discover a hidden talent for golfing when you give it a shot. Either way, this time in your life is all about figuring yourself out, and trying new things is a perfect way to do that. Preparation begins now Its important not to stress yourself out over future academic hurdles, but theres no time like the present to begin working toward significant academic goals. If youve got your eyes on a particularly prestigious college or hope to achieve a nearly perfect SAT score, youll alleviate later stress by beginning some of the prep work now. This can mean reading more books, striving to maintain a strong GPA, or glancing over SAT prep books. To find out where exactly youre starting from, consider taking SAT practice tests to identify strengths and weaknesses and work (however slowly you want) toward your ultimate academic goals. This is no time for a sophomore slump Because your high school life is so much different than your life in junior high, the stress can sometimes take a toll on you. Toward the end of the year, you may even find yourself slacking a little bit. But this is no time for the infamous sophomore slumphang in there until the end and your cumulative GPA and subsequent scholarship applications will thank you for it! To avoid the slump, make sure youre keeping yourself focused on your long-term goals, being careful not to place too much pressure on yourself. Take things as they come and maintain a well set-up study space that youll be able to rely on throughout the school year. Time will always move quickly It can seem like youll be in high school forever, but sophomore year exists as proof that this isnt the case. Before you know it, youll be hyper focused on applying to colleges and reaching your target ACT score. Time is never going to stop moving quickly, so appreciate the time you have to explore and prepare now. This goes for your social life, toomake sure youre taking advantage of the events that are unique to your age group. Ensure that theres time in your life for extracurriculars and socializing, and work to build that sense of community that youll rely on later.

GCSE Poem analysis The Farmers Bride by Charlotte Mew

GCSE Poem analysis The Farmer's Bride by Charlotte Mew What is it about? The Farmer's bride is a dramatic monologue in which a nineteenth century farmer considers his relationship with his wife. He relates how they were married, she ran away, he forcefully recaptured her and her current state in the house. It ends with him expressing his sadness and frustration that they have no children and expresses his physical longing for her. The Farmer's Bride by Charlotte Mew Three summers since I chose a maid, Too young maybe - but more's to do At harvest-time than bide and woo. When us was wed she turned afraid Of love and me and all things human Like the shut of a winter's day Her smile went out, and 'twasn't a woman More like a little frightened fay One night, in the Fall, she runned away. 'Out 'mong the sheep, her be,' they said, Should properly have been abed; But sure enough, she wasn't there Lying awake with her wide brown stare. So over seven-acre field and up-along across the down We chased her, flying like a hare Before our lanterns. To Church-Ton All in a shiver and a scare We caught her, fetched her home at last And turned the key upon her, fast. She does the work about the house As well as most, but like a mouse Happy enough to chat and play With birds and rabbits and such as they So long as men-folk keep away 'Not near, not near!' her eyes beseech When one of us comes within reach. The women say that beasts in stall Look round like children at her call. I've hardly heard her speak at all. Shy as a leveret, swift as he, Straight and slight as a young larch tree, Sweet as the first wild violets, she, To her wild self. But what to me? The short days shorten and the oaks are brown, The blue smoke rises to the low grey sky, One lead in the stll air falls slowly down, A magpie's spotted feather's lie On the black earth spread white with rime, The berries redden up to Christmas-time. What's Christmas-time without there be Some other in the house than we! She sleeps up on the attic there Alone, poor maid.'Tis but a stair Betwixt us. my God! the down, The soft young down of her, the brown, The brown of her - her eyes, her hair, her hair! Overview Six uneven stanzas allow the farmer's voice to be expressed in a variety of ways. Throughout the poem, The Farmer's Bride, he refers to farm and wild animals, with whom his wife seems to have a closer bond. He is given a slightly archaic and non-standard English in which to speak, with all its connotations of innocence and lack of education. Overall this creates a strong mood of wistfulness, sorrow and frustration, a portrait of a woman with deep emotional scars and a picture of a relationship of a sort that must have been all-too-common. Form Although the length of the stanzas change in the Farmer's Bride (9, 9, 10, 4, 8 and 5 lines), they all move to a fairly regular iambic quadrameter. (see below for definition)  Mew mixes couplets (aabb) with alternate (abab) and arch rhyme (abba) and sometimes rhymes three of four lines together: this all has the effect of creating a flowing, irregular rhythm that she can interrupt with line breaks, punctuation and stanza breaks to great effect. By fitting a complete sentence into a single line at the end of the first stanza, Mew makes this surprising statement even more pithy and sudden. Her action is described very simply and at this stage no explanation or detail is given - it is as puzzling to the reader as it was to the farmer. Mew uses enjambement very carefully throughout the poem. For example, in the third stanza the farmer tells us that his wife was 'happy enough to chat and play', which read alone might imply that the wife made a full mental recovery from the cruelty done to her, but the sentence is continued in the following line: her 'chat and play' is not with her husband or children but 'with birds and rabbits'. The following line introduces more modification of her play: even this is conditional on the absence of threatening 'men-folk'. In the fourth stanza the poet includes a pretty monorhyme quatrain that initially sounds like a dreamy lover's praise - until Mew agains enjambement to modify the meaning of the phrases: the wife is 'shy', 'swift', 'straight and slight' and 'sweet', but only to 'her wild self'! This trick of hiding crucial information on the next line in a later part of the sentence goes a long towards creating the wistful mood of the poem: the farmer still loves, or desires, his wife, despite his frustration with her. quadrameter: four strong beats in a line iambic: two syllables with the stress on the second - like the word 'begin Language In this Charlotte Mew's poem, the farmer has a range of non-standard words and forms in his vocabulary: early on he says 'us was wed'. He says 'she runned' and uses 'up-along'.= This simply goes towards creating his character as a rural, uneducated speaker and was exactly the method used by writers of other dramatic monologues like Tennyson and Browning. The use of animal imagery throughout The Farmer's Bride means that animals, not humans, actually dominate the farmer's language. This reinforces his character - as a person more accustomed to dealing with animals than people - as well as creating some of the mysterious mood of incomprehensible emotions. 'Fast' has two meanings - 'firmly' and 'quickly'. The farmer, having a slightly old-fashioned vocabulary, probably means he closed the door properly or well, but the sense of the need for speed in the reader's understanding helps reinforce the idea that the wife has become like a wild animal. A 'fay' is an archaic word for a fairy, harking back to rural superstitions and stories of stolen wives, changelings and enchantments in the dusk. 'Maid', ie maiden, usually implies 'virgin' as well: this seems to be some of the answer to the wife's reaction. Turning 'afraid | Of love' could well be her fear of the physical act of sex - particularly understandable if she was as young as many nineteenth century rural brides. Her fear of her husband is unexplained, but we don't know his age or size and this dramatic monologue inherently presents the events from his perspective. At the end of the poem we learn that the wife is still a 'maid' - i.e. that their marriage is unconsummated. At least if she was scared of her husband on her wedding night, he seems not to have violently forced himself on her. This would make his longing for her all the more poignant. The farmer reveals that he didn't expect to find his wife easily or in a predictable place - when told to look in the sheep-field he says 'But sure enough she wasn't there'. For extra support with poetry analysis, why not book a lesson with one of our experienced  GCSE English tutor? At Tutorfair  browse through a selection of great tutors, to find the right one for you. For More GCSE poem analyses similar to The Farmer's Bride: Love's Philosophy, Porphyria's Lover,  Neutral Tones, Nettles, The Yellow Palm, My Last Duchess, and Medusa.

Star Wars - The English Listening Exercise

Star Wars - The English Listening Exercise I cant even believe Ive waited this long to create a Star Wars The Force Awakens listening exercise. The movie will begin showing on December 18 in the United States.Star Wars and E.T. are the earliest movies I remember from my childhood. I especially remember liking The Empire Strikes Back. When I got older and watched them again, I honestly didnt find them to be such great movies, and I havent been impressed with any of the new ones so far. But, I have to admit, the trailers for The Force Awakens look really good. Ill probably go see it in the theatres once the crowds thin out. Which could be February, the way things are going.Anyhow, weve got both of the trailers for the new film below, each followed by a few listening questions. Answer the questions in comments, and well respond.Answer the questions below in comment and well respond.What role do you think the female character in at the beginning will play?Nothing will ___ in our ___.What does the above phrasal verb mean?What phr asal verb is used the the last sentence? What does it mean?From watching this trailer, write a few sentences describing what the movie will be about.What do you learn in the opening scene, before there is any speaking? Youll only know the answer if youve seen Star Wars before.What else about the movie do you learn from this trailer?What do you think Han Solo is referring to at the end when he says Were home.What does Chewbacca say at the end? Just kidding, we dont teach Shyriiwook. ??Ok, we hope you enjoyed this Star Wars English listening exercise. Please contact us in comments if you have any suggestions for future exercises, or questions. Also, if youre interested in live English classes with native speakers, click here.

Internat Solling

Internat Solling Internat Solling Our Philosophy Internat Solling is a private boarding school in Lower Saxony funded by a charitable foundation. The original reform concept of the schools foundersstill valid today was to facilitate the development of young adults through holistic education so that they become responsible citizens. A sense of mutual trust, spirited cooperation and belief in each other as unique individuals are the very qualities that define how we live with each other. Our goal is to empower our pupils so that they can fulfil their dreams while also learning to be responsible towards themselves and society as a whole. We also strive to provide our pupils with orientation and to encourage them to pursue their intellectual curiosity and become motivated to perform. Our pupils learn to develop strong yet responsible personalities and remain engaged and conscious of their roles in tomorrows society. Location Campus Our boarding school is located in the beautiful rolling hills of Solling above the town of Holzminden in southern Lower Saxony. The venerable school building is situated on spacious grounds with 50 ha (125 acres) and is the home to our special education programme. Click this article to view a slideshow. Our three large old buildings Lower House (Unterhaus), Middle House (Mittelhaus) and Upper House (Oberhaus) represent our central idea of life and learning: boarding rooms, teacher apartments, classrooms all are located under the same roof. It is no coincidence that we have never had plans to separate the classrooms from residences of both the pupils and teachers. History If Internat Solling were to have been founded in current times, it would have called a parents initiative. Thanks to the dedication and seed money from a group of mothers and fathers, our school was founded more than 100 years ago. This group was lead by Dr. Hermann Schmilinsky, a medical doctor from Hamburg, who encouraged four teachers to found their own school.. These four educators hat previously taught at Germanys first rural boarding school in Ilsenburg that offered new approaches in contrast to the typically authoritarian, militaristic approach of other schools during the Wilhelmine era. Following a dispute with this schools founder Hermann Lietz, they were dismissed but nonetheless remained dedicated to their educational reform concept wherein daily life is to be unified with learning and children are to be taught through the head, heart and hands. At the same time, they also sought a holistic approach to education within the larger context of man and nature. The creation of the first rural boarding schools (Landerziehungsheime) represented a break from urban living to what was then understood to be the healing forces of nature. On 11 November 1908, the four teachers met for a goose dinner on St. Martins day in Wernigerode, Saxony-Anhalt and decided to actually start their own school. It was no accident that they distinguished themselves from other rural boarding schools by founding a school more closely focussed on education. To this day, we still celebrate this occasion with a large goose dinner. View our Brochure

Secondary School transition what you need to know

Secondary School transition what you need to know The secondary transition can be tricky for a number of reasons, but a key factor is the way subjects are taught in KS3 and KS4. (1) Know the syllabus. Pupils in years 7, 8 and 9 are in KS3. And pupils in years 10 and 11, are in KS4. (2) KS3/4 subjects are taught by subject specialists, which means every lesson has a different teacher, with different expectations and methods. As a new year 7 student, this can be disconcerting and hard to handle but knowing what to expect can help pupils work through the transition. (3) Students need to know their timetable. Moving from class to class is a huge change in secondary school, which is why knowing the timetable is key to arriving in lessons on time and being prepared for each subject. Watch out for rotating timetables and timetable changes. (4) Subject depth. The primary years provide students with the chance to gain general knowledge and build skills. These include basic math abilities, literacy - reading and writing -- and some specialized subject matter such as science. As a secondary school student, your child will go deeper into subject areas and learn more advanced techniques and theories. (5) Push independent work. Be prepared for more independent work and less hand-holding for your child. This means it's up to pupils to remember what they have been told and when assignments are due. (6) Encourage your child to have an informed opinion. This is a big difference from KS2 and one that takes getting used to. Pupils will be asked to express an opinion in work and class. (7) Let your child be responsible for their homework. Again this is a major difference to primary, where you may have had limited or no homework. Secondary education is backed up with independent learning at home, often set daily with various deadlines. Be sure to manage your deadlines effectively and look in advance at all homework set. (8) Get children to embrace new subjects. The move to the KS4 national curriculum brings with it more subjects to study, many of which are practical like Design and Technology, food tech, art and dance and drama. Alongside these, you will also learn a language, humanities (history and geography) and the core subjects - Maths, English, and Science. (9) How they will you be assessed: Secondary school is split into KS3 and KS4. The assessment takes the form of general school exams at the end of KS3 and national GCSEs at the end of KS4. (10) Ask for help if you feel out of your depth. We all want to help our children but sometimes the curriculum moves beyond our own knowledge or the way we were taught. If in doubt approach the school or a subject tutor.