Funny English Learning Commercial

Funny English Learning CommercialThere are many ways to teach English, but a funny English learning commercial can be the best. If you are teaching English in a classroom, an English learning commercial can be the perfect way to teach the language.There are many reasons that people want to learn English. These people want to learn English because they want to travel and visit other countries or get a better job. So, how do you make them laugh when they are learning the language?The answer is easy; make it fun. Most commercials are about something, but make it a race to see who can give the most hilarious example of how to speak the language. One idea is to do a funny example for one word at a time.Of course, if you have to use an entire sentence, then you have to make it worth the audience's while. This means that you can use puns. They are almost always funny, and they will keep your audience entertained. They also come in handy when you want to teach slang.When you want to teach so meone how to talk correctly, then you can make them use slang by saying words in their natural accent. Also, you can make them sound foreign with accents and slang words, like 'bomb,' 'goddamn,' 'twenty,' 'dummy,' 'motherfucker,' and others. To really take this a step further, you can add some zingers, like 'What does a fish have to do with English?'However, there is one reason why I recommend a special English learning commercial. It makes the lesson fun, it gives the audience a break from the learning process, and it breaks up long lessons. And, when you break up the long lesson, it makes it easier for them to study.You should be able to find a funny English learning commercial with a high school age audience. And, you can find one with teenagers, college students, or even adults.If you choose to create a special English learning commercial, I would encourage you to go all out. Give the audience different examples of how to talk in English. Plus, if you show off how many words and phrases are in the language, then they will be smiling as they sit and watch the ad.

Online Tutoring

Online Tutoring At Tutorz.com there is a discussion going on about the disruptive changes of Online Tutoring. In this article we explain why online tutoring constitutes a disruptive change and how the market has embraced to it so far. Then we go on to present the Tutorz.com strategy to online tutoring which is essentially a online tutor referral service. Finally we review a Skype, the Bamboo Tablet and Skrbl.com as communication tools to facilitate an online tutoring session. Disruptive Change of Online Tutoring Online tutoring refers to the process of tutoring within an online virtual environment or networked environment where teachers and learners are separated by time and/or space. Both student and tutor benefit through online tutoring as they do not need to be present at the some physical location. Participants save the time and money to travel. At this feature is welcome at times of gas prices and high traffic congestion. Furthermore, the location independent aspects of online tutoring make it a part of the globalization of the worlds economic system. Inexpensive and well educated tutors in India can help students in America with their math homework, course work and science problems. Due to these wage level differences American students pay less for online sessions in comparison to the pay for in-home tutoring. Online tutoring is also very welcomed by the overseas tutors. For example the hourly pay to an Indian online tutor ($3-$10) is far higher than of most educational professio nals ($0.50 to $5), including the hourly wage of an Indian teacher. If an online tutoring session was recorded the student could later go back and replay the lesson. This is a very useful feature when hard-to-understand concepts must be addressed. After all learning is a lot of repetition. Another benefit of a recorded tutoring session is that it can be added to an search index to make it easily retrievable in later years and/or by other students. Current Market Responses to Online Tutoring Playing the global income differences and elimination of location constrains a number of online tutoring services have been established. The biggest players in this industry include TutorVista.com, Tutor.com, SmartThinking.com, Tutoringservicers.com and Homeschoolmath.net. These company command a significant share of the tutoring market and its brands are recognized by the education seekers. The Babson Survey Research Group said that more than 60 percent of academic leaders at private-sector colleges and universities say that online learning is critical to their long-term strategies. Online student enrollments continue to be the fastest growing sector in higher education. The perception among private-sector leaders of online learning and its impact on learning outcomes has grown more positive over time, with the majority saying online learning is the same or superior to face-to-face learning, a trend that has improved steadily since initially measured by the Sloan Survey in 2003. Tutorz Strategy to Online Tutoring At Tutorz.com we think it is futile to directly compete against big player like TutorVista or Tutor.com. These companies are in the market for about 10 years, have well established brands and are backed by venture capitalist. Therefore, instead of competing directly with these heavy weights, we will focus on the sub problem of online tutoring referral. As users of Tutor.com will tell you they cannot choose from a selection of tutors, they are given one. But tutees like to be connected with the right online tutor, thus there is work to be done in this area. By channeling online tutors from all over the world, users of Online-Tutorz have a great choice and can find the best tutor for their budget, qualification and availability requirements. The referral-only approach also alleviates Tutorz.com from developing our own communication tools (VOIP, whiteboard, video conferencing). After all a number of really good tutoring/communication tools exist such as Skype, the Bamb oo Tablet and Skrbl.com. While leaving the details of how to solve the communication to these great providers Tutorz leverages its core competencies, that of algorithmic matching of students with tutors. Tutorz.com plans to enter the field of online tutoring in 2012. Review Online Tutoring Tools Skype.com is probably the most advance VOIP (voice over IP) services out there. Skype is great because if you and your communication partner both use it there is no fees and no advertisements involved. Furthermore, Starting from Skype 4.0 there is a video call feature. Skype is reliable and works well on all major platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux). The list of other useful Skype features includes the ability of screen sharing. For computer or programming tutoring screen sharing is extremely useful. File sharing is another useful feature. Simply drag and drop your Word document (or any other file) into the message box and your partner gets it on the other end. Going on there are Skype-to-Skype conference calls and instant messaging and group instant messages. Receiving phone calls from the telephony network or calling general phone numbers requires a Skype subscription. But these payable services are not really needed for online tutoring. Other online tutoring tools include Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, AOL AIM and MSN Messeger. These tools are quite good and each have their pros and cons. But Skype remains our online tutoring tool of choice. On May 10, 2011 Microsoft bought Skype. We hope this will have no adverse effects on great Skype service. Bamboo Tablet. It is an electronic (hardware) pen-on-paper solution that consists of a writing tablet and a pen. It has a natural feel of pen-on-paper. The Bamboo tablet plugs into your computer. As to its pros, it is sturdy, the pen is comfortable to hold and has a slight rubber feel to it, no battery needed, comes with easy to install and simple to customize software. On the downside it has a only a small drawing surface and the eraser is not pressure sensitive. Bamboo Tablet is sold by Wacom and it starts at $55 for the tablet and pen. Skrbl.com is a online whiteboard service. Being a Software-as-a-service (SAAS) solution, with skrbl there is nothing to download, or to install. It supports the freehand drawing, and text mode. Skrbl saves and syncs your whiteboard automatically. But since drawing and write is primarily accomplish through a mouse, the results can be a jiggly and uneven. However, the Skrbl service is great to augment a tutoring session where ideas are shared on a white board such as math formulas or sketches of scientific apparatuses. Acknowledgement I want to thank Chuck Koehler and Scott Bishop for inspiring this discussion on Online Tutoring.

Lifelong Learning with Kumon

Lifelong Learning with Kumon Lifelong Learning with Kumon Lifelong learning is a mindset of continuous engagement in acquiring knowledge and applying skills. A lifelong learner is someone who desires and seeks out new learning opportunities and activities at any age. Children learn a lot by the behaviors of those around them. For example, parents and siblings who often reading the newspaper or books serve as good role models for lifelong learning to younger children. Kumon Instructors believe that learning does not start at the morning bell and end when school lets out. Rather, learning continues throughout the student’s day, and through life into adulthood.   Establishing a routine of a little bit of Kumon each day develops into a healthy lifestyle.   Daily practice is one of the central features of the Kumon Program. By practicing consistently, students build concentration and strong study habits that can follow into their adult lives. The Kumon Instructor creates a lesson plan that is set at a comfortable pace and individualized for each child. Praising your child for taking the initiative to pick up a book or to learn something new can go a long way towards developing this mindset. Remember, a journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step. Take time to recognize and praise the steps. Your child will notice. Instilling a passion for learning is one of the primary goals of Kumonâ€"a passion Kumon students carry with them for the rest of their lives as they continue to grow, learn and thrive. You might also be interested in: Ring in the New Year with Kumon’s Goal Setting Tips Roundup Motivating Children by Developing a Growth Mindset What is the Kumon Method? Father of Second Generation Kumon Students Talks about Motivation and Self-Learning Lifelong Learning with Kumon Lifelong Learning with Kumon Lifelong learning is a mindset of continuous engagement in acquiring knowledge and applying skills. A lifelong learner is someone who desires and seeks out new learning opportunities and activities at any age. Children learn a lot by the behaviors of those around them. For example, parents and siblings who often reading the newspaper or books serve as good role models for lifelong learning to younger children. Kumon Instructors believe that learning does not start at the morning bell and end when school lets out. Rather, learning continues throughout the student’s day, and through life into adulthood.   Establishing a routine of a little bit of Kumon each day develops into a healthy lifestyle.   Daily practice is one of the central features of the Kumon Program. By practicing consistently, students build concentration and strong study habits that can follow into their adult lives. The Kumon Instructor creates a lesson plan that is set at a comfortable pace and individualized for each child. Praising your child for taking the initiative to pick up a book or to learn something new can go a long way towards developing this mindset. Remember, a journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step. Take time to recognize and praise the steps. Your child will notice. Instilling a passion for learning is one of the primary goals of Kumonâ€"a passion Kumon students carry with them for the rest of their lives as they continue to grow, learn and thrive. You might also be interested in: Ring in the New Year with Kumon’s Goal Setting Tips Roundup Motivating Children by Developing a Growth Mindset What is the Kumon Method? Father of Second Generation Kumon Students Talks about Motivation and Self-Learning

How Do You Find a Korean Tutoring Job?

How Do You Find a Korean Tutoring Job?In the past, students who wanted to work as tutors, also needed to have good education. They had to be able to speak the local language, and speak to people the way their teacher spoke.The study of Korean has been done by many, but the problems that have surfaced in our society are a result of taking up this study of the language. Many students today are not interested in this kind of study. In fact, many people are saying that the language that was only taught to the foreign students of Korea, is the 'watered down' version of their own language.Korean also plays a role in making the Korean language more popular with non-Koreans. Of course, if you go to other countries, they will teach the native Korean to the students. But it seems that people tend to use this kind of language more frequently, because they like the style that it makes them speak. For example, when it comes to shopping, if someone wants something made in the right shape, he may s ay 'chang geul, gang say, a eul' or some such thing.There are a lot of people who are making a career out of studying the language. They find out that it is not that hard to learn, and it is very practical to learn to speak the Korean language.There are many places where one can get a Korean tutor for free. However, they are usually foreigners or expatriates. They usually teach English for a fee, or a little, and they charge a set rate per hour.People do not make a big profit from teaching the English language, because it is only a small fraction of what the market is made up of. There are many private tutors, who are working in their own homes. There are plenty of jobs for Korean tutors. They can work for any company that hires students. However, some companies will only hire foreigners and to be accepted, they need to have a diploma.

Volunteer Reading Tutoring Programs - Why They Can Improve Your Childs Academic Achievement

Volunteer Reading Tutoring Programs - Why They Can Improve Your Child's Academic AchievementWhen you are volunteering for a school or organization, your students will appreciate the experience of participating in the volunteer reading tutoring programs. For many, reading is one of the most challenging things in life, and is an important skill to learn. Whether you are preparing for college or higher education classes, or you just want to have some extra practice for fun, reading can help keep you on track.In many cases, students will need extra help with reading. The books they receive from their parents may not be enough to meet the demands of their grade level, which can cause frustration and even decreased grades. If this sounds like you, consider the time and effort you will save by volunteering your time in the classroom.Most volunteer reading tutoring programs will have some sort of activity to improve students' comprehension skills. This may include discussion groups for both students and teachers. Another method is to have a quiz before each reading activity so that students can prepare ahead of time.Sometimes, teachers will take this additional time and energy to help students who need it the most. This is one reason why a volunteer reading tutor may be able to increase your grades. But, why not take the extra time to teach your child to read? There are other benefits, as well.A child's self-esteem is linked directly to his or her literacy. Teaching a child how to read can greatly improve their self-esteem, which can translate into increased confidence, which in turn can result in a better attitude. In fact, self-esteem is one of the best ways to boost one's academic performance, as it can be used as a tool to motivate a student's study habits.Since children tend to become less confident as they get older, it's very important to correct this problem early. A reading tutor can help you do just that. There are many resources available online that you can use to help boost your child's confidence and enthusiasm. These resources will show you strategies that you can use with your child in order to help them achieve a more positive outlook.So, whether you are just starting to learn to read or you have been struggling with it for years, getting some extra help will be beneficial to you and your child. It doesn't matter if you are doing it to help with your own learning, or if you're participating in a book club or other activity that you enjoy. Just be sure to participate when you have the opportunity.

How to Join the Manga Readership

How to Join the Manga Readership How to Enter the World of Manga ChaptersSelecting the Right MangaHow to Read MangaOther Coding to Watch ForFinal Words on Manga FandomIt doesn’t matter if you think your age might be a barrier to enjoying comic books; bear in mind that not all comics are the same.If you long to immerse yourself into the fantastic world of Japanese cartoons, you’ve made a good choice: no cultural export offers such a diverse array of tastes and tales as manga and anime, its companion art form, do.We’ll not go so far as to say you should become otaku â€" in Japan, that is a derogatory term for a person obsessed.Still, if you’re casting about for where to buy manga and trying to decide which manga to buy, that means that you already know manga is a serial tale presented in graphic form, the number of volumes sold totalling in the millions.And those numbers don’t include anthologies like Shonen Jump or Ultra Jump!If you know all of this, you have already put one foot in the world of Japanese manga.  Superprof now opens that d oor a bit wider by revealing manga fundamentals.Come with us now for tips to help you understand what each frame expresses, with and without words, and how you too can ease yourself into the world of manga.Check out various Japanese classes London here.surely you understand!From one extreme (hentai is quite extreme!) to the other: Kodomo, the manga meant for the youngest readers.Their graphics are not quite as elaborate and the storylines are simpler and easier to follow.If you are learning the Japanese language, you might tease your hunger for more exquisitely drawn manga by starting with these light, easy-to-read tales.All types of manga create heroes - popular characters that garner legions of devoted fans. Discover some of the greatest manga heroes of all time...Manga ThemesWhile some comics series rehash common themes â€" good versus evil, for example, manga embraces virtually every aspect of the human experience.Furthermore, while a series might have a main theme, you would al so find elements of other genres woven into the story, so that several elements are visited within the same story.Some of the principal themes in manga include:ActionAventureRomanceScience-FictionFantasyMecha â€" dealing with robotsSlice of life: everyday experiencesSchool life: an excellent way to peek into the Japanese school experience!HorrorGirl magiciansSportsMusicEcchi (literally ‘perverse’)ComedyDo we hear anyone saying ‘spoilt for choice’?Bottom line: if you are between 10 and teens, any Shonen manga would work for you. If you are older than 20, steer yourself toward Seinen types â€" the horrors, the romance and so on.Or you could just pick up the manga that piques your interest!Criteria to Consider when Making Your SelectionBesides settling on a genre that interests you the most, there are other criteria to consider before picking up your first manga magazine.One of the first factors to think about is length.This presumably being your first time to read manga, it is quite possible that you might want to conclude an entire story arc within a reasonable amount of time.To that end, you may seek out such a graphic novel series that does not exceed 15-20 volumes.Plenty of serials comprise of fewer than 10 books. The so-called One Shot manga is deliberately short, usually only one chapter, less than 100 pages long.Interesting manga fact: most one-shots were drawn for entry into manga contests and some, like Dragon Ball and Bleach, went on to become series!The second point to ponder regards the works’ popularity.If you know nothing of manga, you might conduct an Internet search for ‘best manga’ and follow your favourite search engine’s recommendations.Blindly following search engine recommendations is not always the best idea and, in the case of choosing your first manga, it would be best to blend your gut feeling with those suggestions to make a choice that would be uniquely yours.What gut feeling?Think of the stories you typically enjoy. Wh at elements feature in them that you would like to find in Japanese comics?You may be surprised to find that even though you didn’t care for the Jack Sparrow movie franchise and thereby assume that pirates are not your thing, a pirate tale such as One Piece, with all of its fantastic elements, could be just what you're looking for!How does your manga library stack up to popular choices? Find out which are the most popular manga of all time...Manga is not read like other comic books, nor is it necessarily as colorfull Source: KanaHow to Read MangaYou might already have heard that manga is read ‘backwards’ - a statement not actually correct.Manga follows Japanese writing rules, even the stories themselves have been translated into English.Quick catch-up: that writing system goes from top to bottom and right to left; a far cry from our system of writing.For instance, to start your manga adventure, you would open the back cover to reveal the beginning.Where our books have a title page, a dedication page and a table of contents, the first pages of your manga would greet you with an author’s message, a list of characters and a brief summary of the tale.What Order to Read the Panels and Text BubblesAs with American comics, manga comics are organised to the progress of the story. Not all panels are the same size and one page may look drastically different from the next.Perhaps the most difficult aspect of reading manga is where to start â€" what order to read the panels.If the panels are the same height, simply read them, right one first and then the left one, all the way down the page.If the layout is more complex, you would still follow the right-to-left reading pattern. Even if a panel on the top-left of the page is twice the size of the right panel, you must still read that right panel in order to understand what the left panel represents.The text bubbles within each panel follow the same right-to-left order... but dialogue order is often secondary to othe r aspects of the panel  so, should you drop the conversation thread, no worries! You can go back and re-read it in the proper order once you get the sense of the story.The BackgroundGenerally, the action in manga plays itself out on a background of white â€" the better to highlight detail.There will be instances when the background will be black rather than white. That is a clue!You might gather from context, through the action or the dialogue, that the character in question is casting back through memory but, in case you don’t, the black background signals an inward turn.You may find such as a backdrop to a dream, a period of deep thought or to illustrate an alternative reality.Transitioning or graded backgrounds signal the departure of the current state. Here, the manga artist uses either black on white to signal a flashback or white on black to indicate a return to ‘normal’.Other Coding to Watch ForAs you read, watch for nuance and subtle clues to what else is going on Sour ce: KanaFacial ExpressionsAs in everyday transactions among humans, manga characters use facial expressions to show feeling.However, unlike our interpretations of such expressions, the Japanese meaning may become lost to the uninitiated manga reader; happiness or rage might be easy to intuit but other expressions are much more subtle.To signal a sigh, the character's eyes close and the mouth opens. The general countenance is one of sadness; a small cloud would depict the expelled breath.In anime, you may easily capture such nuance through the sounds that accompany the image but, in manga, catching the tone of a panel is a bit more involved.Blushing is a common feature in Shojo manga; it reflects traditional Japanese spirit. It is not easy to indicate the delicate rose of a blush when your medium is strictly black and white, so manga artists cleverly code the act of blushing through hatching.Hatching on the character’s cheeks indicates embarrassment or, contrarily, the blush of lov e.And how to depict excitement?Unless one takes a hit to the nose in combat, bleeding from the nose, especially in young male characters, represents exhilaration. You will see many instances of bloody noses in Japanese comic books!What do those drops of liquid mean?In general, if there are waterdrops anywhere near the character, you may intuit their meaning just from context.Still, for reference: a large drop on the head may represent shame, bother or tension. Conversely, if the character is in a fight for life, you will see smaller droplets of sweat dripping from his brow.How Noise and Sound Effects Are ConveyedManga series are quite clever when it comes to providing an all-encompassing experience, specifically how they use representations of sound to convey emotions, sentiments and reactions.They are also effectively placed so that the reader will ‘hear’ loud noises, such as a sword clanging on a shield or something breaking.Sometimes, sound effects are left untranslated for a truer representation of the original work.Even if you know nothing of the Japanese language, the context should provide enough information for you to infer that sound’s meaning.This may seem obvious but we spill it anyway: the larger the sound’s font, the louder it plays in the story.You can find a fun example of such in the Studio Ghibli masterpiece My Neighbour Totoro when that mythical character roars... in 128 point font!What else could be encoded in each manga panel? Find out everything you need to know about reading manga...The intricacy of the artwork can clue you in to that manga's target audience Source: KanaFinal Words on Manga FandomYoung readers have an embarrassment of choice when it comes to manga books.If that Kodomo division is where your first assays into rabid manga reading begin, you might wonder why cats feature so prominently.Doraemon is a sterling example of storylines built around cats.It is because the Japanese are mad for kawaii, meaning ‘cute’ - an d what could be cuter than a wide-eyed kitten?You will find kawaii nuggets in all manner of manga and anime from the renown Mononoke to the more tragicomic One Punch Man.Male Adolescence and MangaAs many manga artists know, the years between 10-15 are the ideal time for boys to pick up manga; that is why so many stories target that age group.And that is why the editors of the weekly Shonen Jump, manga’s #1 anthology, feature so many of those tales!That age group is also the time when adolescent males become interested in sports; the classic series Captain Tsubasa is a manga series that addresses such interests.Finally, the adolescent mind is nothing if not geared toward fantasy and magic. For those dreamers, the selections abound!From Fullmetal Alchemist to My Hero Academia, there are graphic novels for boys and girls to shape their love of Japanese culture, anime and manga!From Adolescence to Young Adults: Titles for AllHave you heard of Death Note or Attack on Titan? These are j ust two titles targeted to that reader demographic and they are not to be missed.At this point, the more mature books from the Shojo category tends to merge with Shonen insofar as attracting readers.For instance, Nana follows her boyfriend to Tokyo, both for love and to break into the Tokyopop scene (she is a punk princess!). She meets another Nana on the train; they ultimately become friends and roommates. The manga explores their lives and relationship.Note: the Shojo category is not reserved exclusively for girls!Manga for AdultsComic books aren’t just for kids! Even if you are more mature, you can find popular manga to suit your tastes.Romance? Check! Combat? Check! You will even find manga can be quite thought-provoking and philosophical, such as the classic Haibane Renmei or Kino’s Journey.As a mature reader, you might observe that no manga character is inherently good or evil, as is so often the case in other comics series. Usually, manga characters embody both aspects an d much of the story centres on their personal struggle between the two.There is no need to worry about your peers finding you strange for suddenly indulging in the fascinating, engaging world of Japanese manga.After all, these are not your average comic book; they may even inspire you to learn more about Japan and her culture... starting with Japanese language lessons so that you can understand those untranslated words in your favourite stories!And if you do decide to take that plunge, your Superprof tutors are ready to help you learn it.

Should I Go To University of Richmond

Should I Go To University of Richmond The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Sean is a 2014 graduate of the University of Richmond with a Bachelors degree in History German Studies. He is a Richmond tutor who specializes in Essay Editing tutoring, History tutoring, all levels of German Tutoring, and other subjects. Check out his review of his alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Sean: The University of Richmond campus is set outside the city in a more suburban area, though roughly half the campus falls within the Richmond city limits. Because of its suburban location, the campus is incredibly safe, as well as very beautiful, with a lot of green space to offer students. There is even a lake in the middle of campus. All campus buildings are brick and of the same architectural style, rendering it remarkably difficult to tell which building was built in 1948 and which was built in 2006. The campus itself is small enough for students to walk across in 20-30 minutes, but the campus is bike-friendly, and many students also ride across campus on personal and school-supplied green bikes that can be found on campus for any student to use. In terms of transportation, many students have personal cars. They use them to drive into the city, or elsewhere. There are public buses that can take students from campus to the city, but transportation can often be unreliable, and it ends fairly early in the evening (around 7:30, I believe). The university does, however, provide various shuttle services to students on weekends that take students to a number of different locations: the James River (when it is warm), Carytown (located on Cary Street, Carytown has a number of small shops and restaurants), the mall, Shockoe Bottom (an area in downtown Richmond), and also to The Village (a nearby shopping center with a CVS, supermarket, dry cleaners, and a few restaurants). There are also two Zipcar locations on campus, and all students are eligible to register for Zipcar use. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Sean: Professors and academic advisers are very available, and they generally love meeting with students. Since the student body is relatively small (about 3,000 undergraduates), the student-faculty ratio is also small. Professors encourage (and sometimes require) students to come to their office hours in order to get to know them. Most courses at the University of Richmond do not exceed 25 students, and these are generally introductory courses that have a higher student capacity and demand. As students progress and specialize in their area of study, class sizes typically grow smaller, rarely exceeding 10-15. The exceptions to this are the business school and the sciences. Lecture courses in the hard sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, etc.) can often hold 30-40 students (especially at the introductory level), but two labs are offered, which allows students to have more individual contact with their professors. The business school also typically has more students per course. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Sean: Dorm life at the University of Richmond is typically pretty good. The dorms themselves are all nice, and the university recently finished building two new student dorms, as well as remodeling a number of others. First-years typically live in first-year-only dorms, in order to get to know other first-years, which generally have shared hall bathrooms. By sophomore year, students can choose to live in suite-style dorms, which have one bathroom shared by two to four people. In their junior and senior years, students can choose to live in on-campus university apartments that have full kitchens, a living room area, a dining area, two bathrooms, and two two-person bedrooms. The dining hall (affectionately called D-Hall by University of Richmond students) is fantastic, and it has a number of options to satisfy every student. There is a full salad bar, waffle machines, and other rotating stations that feature Asian, Mexican, Indian, Italian, and other cuisines. Students can also find ty pical American fare, such as burgers, chicken fingers, and French fries, as well as many other varieties of food. There are also other cafes and places to eat on campus that many students frequent for lunch. There are many opportunities for students to socialize with one another. Many students are involved in Greek organizations, as well as sport clubs, academic clubs, and social clubs. Most importantly, students are generally very friendly at the University of Richmond, and it is easy to strike up a conversation while waiting in line for coffee. 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? Sean: The business program and the Jepson School of Leadership Studies are by far the best represented and publicized by the university; however, this past year the university made a much more concerted effort to advertise and represent the many benefits of the School of Arts Sciences. As a result, the leadership and business schools are also better supported, but that does not mean the arts and sciences are under-supported. In fact, a lot of support goes to independent student research at the School of Arts Sciences, with a strong push toward funding more research projects in the humanities and social sciences. I graduated with a double major in History and German Studies. German I chose because I took it in high school, and I wanted to continue improving on the language. I chose History after my first year, during which I took a number of different types of courses. These courses helped me realize what interested me most, and what did not interest me at all. I truly enjoy reading, writing, and interpreting or analyzing a text, particularly in regard to the historical context of that text. This led me to major in history, where I sharpened my critical reading, writing, and analytical skills. The university supported me well for my area of study. I studied abroad in Germany during the spring semester of my junior year, and I received not only constant support from the Office of International Education before, during, and after my stay in Germany, but also some monetary support, as well. Additionally, I was granted a Summer Research Fellowship to conduct intensive archival research for my hon ors thesis while in Germany, which allowed me to extend my stay into the summer. 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? Sean: Freshman orientation takes place the week immediately prior to the start of classes. During this week, there are a number of activities geared toward introducing students to one another, and many people meet their best friends during orientation. After orientation, though, it is not difficult to meet new people and make friends. Upperclassmen are typically friendly, and there are many social, academic, and sports clubs that students can join in order to expand their friend group. Greek life does have a large presence on campus, and it plays a very large role in campus social life, though many alternatives to Greek life do exist. First years cannot join a Greek organization until second semester, and this often helps first years meet friends outside of Greek life. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Sean: The Career Services Center is very helpful, and they offer daily walk-in hours for students to get resume and cover letter help. Additionally, students can make appointments to meet with Career Services Center staff to talk more specifically about college and post-college career plans. The center also offers workshops on interviewing, cover letter writing, business etiquette, and other topics. Yes, many reputable companies recruit on campus, such as Deloitte (and many other consulting firms), the United States government, Goldman Sachs, and other such companies. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Sean: There are many places for students to study on campus. The library is the most popular, and it is often crowded in the evenings, especially during midterms or finals. The Gottwald Science Center is also a common place for students to study, and it gets crowded less often. Otherwise, dorms lounges are typically less occupied, but they can be noisier. There are also small study areas in each academic building that are very quiet. 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? Sean: The university campus is set outside the city in a more suburban area. Nonetheless, there is plenty to do in the neighboring area. One of the more popular places to go is Carytown, which is about a 10-minute drive from campus. There are many restaurants and small shops in Carytown that present a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The university is also close to the James River, and students often go there when it is warm on weekends to hang out, relax, and swim. Students go into downtown Richmond less often, but there is a lot to do in the city. There are many monthly events in the city that feature restaurants and art galleries that students frequent. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Sean: The student body is fairly small with about 3,000 undergraduate students. The faculty to student ratio is very good, and class sizes typically do not exceed 25 students. The only exceptions are in the business school and the hard sciences, where introductory courses can reach 35-40 students. Once one chooses a major and more major-specific courses, the class sizes become even smaller. I was very happy with this, as I really got to know my professors, and they got to know me very well too. I quickly became very comfortable with my professors, and I often went to their office hours to discuss not only course materials, but also my life as a student, what I was involved in on-campus, what I would be doing during breaks, and what my long-term post-graduate plans were. This also gave me the opportunity to learn about my professors and what they did/do with their lives outside of academia. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Sean: I was very lucky in that I took very few courses that I did not enjoy. One class and professor stand out in particular, though, because they molded the course of my college career. During my first year, I took a first-year seminar course titled, Civilization and Its Discontents, which was taught by Dr. Leary. Not only was the course reading and writing intensive (which I loved), but Dr. Leary was very welcoming and loved talking to students during his office hours. He would also give us articles that we were not required to read, but which held a lot of information about choosing majors (particularly in the humanities), and what kinds of questions to bear in mind when thinking about what to study. These articles and Dr. Learys accompanying advice helped me through my decision to study history, something that took me a while to decide upon and that I felt was important to think deeply about. Now that I have graduated, I know that I made the correct choice, and I still have the a rticles Dr. Leary gave us for whenever I may need them again. Check out Seans tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Infographic How a clean office can boost productivity - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Infographic How a clean office can boost productivity - Introvert Whisperer Infographic: How a clean office can boost productivity We all have days where we go into work with the best of intentions at clocking another productive day, only to end up going home several hours later with a feeling of dissatisfaction at not being able to get done as much as you had planned. On the surface, this might seem like the result of laziness, but sometimes there are extenuating circumstances at play which can hamper our productivity. One such reason is the cleanliness of the workplace. If you’re coming into an office every day that’s heavily littered, looks gray and has a pungent odor coming from the canteen or garbage cans, you’ll automatically find it more difficult to get your best work done because these are all barriers to productivity. There might not be an obvious link between a litter-strewn desk and a failure to complete scheduled work, but psychologically a person will find it much harder to maximize their output if their eye is subconsciously drawn to piles of coffee cups or papers. The effects aren’t just psychological, either. If your office doesn’t have a well-maintained filing system and you’re squandering time every day on rummaging through piles of papers to look for just one document, you’re being taken away from your work. Accumulate that wasted time over a year, or even a month, and you’ll be shocked at how much time is being lost so needlessly. The loss of productivity over time could be equated to simply ringing in with a phony illness and not bothering to turn up for a few days, and no employer in the world would stand for that. Cleaning Services Group created an infographic which examines the connection between maintaining a clean, tidy workplace and optimizing your productivity without you hardly even realizing it.

Why Guitarists Should Study Music Theory

Why Guitarists Should Study Music Theory Why Learn Music Theory as a Guitarist? ChaptersDo You Have to Learn Music Theory if You Want to Play the Guitar?Can Anyone Learn How to Play the Guitar without Music Theory?Five Good Reasons for Learning Music Theory as a Guitarist“How is it that music can, without words, evoke our laughter, our fears, our highest aspirations?” - Jane SwanAlmost everyone in the UK likes music. Music, just like sport, is an integral part of thousands of children’s lives.  However, this isn't the only reason why people learn how to play music.If you want to learn how to play the guitar, do you have to learn music theory?Are you still looking for the answer to this question?Maybe it's because music theory sounds really boring was putting you off the idea of learning how to play the guitar.In this article, we're going to look at the relationship between music theory and playing the guitar and whether or not you should learn it. PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st less on free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDo You Have to Learn Music Theory if You Want to Play the Guitar?Let's put an end to all the suspense. No, you don't have to learn music theory in order to learn how to play the guitar. However, guitar  lessons, even one for a beginner, will probably draw upon music theory to help you improve your guitar playing.You can learn musical instruments at any age. (Source: 2400474)There are plenty of famous guitarists, such as Jimi Hendrix, who never learnt music theory and still became amazing guitarists.Reading Music an d Learning TheoryHowever, when it comes to music theory, we tend to muddy the waters. A lot of people think music theory involves sitting at school desks in front of a draconian teacher who's making their students repeat after them.This is enough to put anyone off the idea...However, there are two main parts to music theory:Learning to read sheet musicConcepts concerning music theory such as intervals, major skills, minor scales, arpeggios, etc.If you're learning to play the guitar with guitar lessons in a prestigious music school, these types of lessons might be unavoidable. Most classical pieces are not available as tablature which means that you will probably have to be able to read sheet music. However, you won't necessarily need a profound understanding of music theory in order to read which notes you have to play.Most guitarists, in fact, don't even have to know how to read sheet music. A lot of songs are available as tablature. You just have to know about the guitar tablature in order to play the music. This is far simpler than learning how to read sheet music.Guitar tablature tells you what you have to do on your guitar rather than which musical notes you have to play. This is useful if you can't afford a guitar teacher, are just learning guitar for fun, and are just interested in strumming some basic guitar chords.However, tablature doesn't tend to tell you the rhythm or the note value. This can make playing certain songs complicated. A good understanding of music theory will help you learn guitar more quickly and make you a real guitar player sooner.Find out more on how to start playing guitar.Learning Music Theory to Improve Your Improvisation and Composition SkillsAs you have understood, most beginners won't need to learn how to read sheet music. Learning music theory isn't obligatory and you can always go back to it later once you've got better at playing the guitar.To get started, you should familiarise yourself with two key aspects of playing th e guitar: rhythm and chords.This way, you can immediately start enjoying playing the guitar without getting bogged down in all the dry and boring music theory.However, if you'd like to know exactly why you're playing what you're playing, you need to know more than just where to put your hands on the neck.On the other hand, after a few months or years, you might want to learn how to compose your own musical improvise and at this point, music theory will become essential.You're going to need to know how to put together scales, which chords go together with which scales, and which chord progressions make a good song, for example.If you don't know anything about music theory, you're far more likely to play the wrong notes when you improvise.Don't forget to gauge your level before you start your lessons.Can Anyone Learn How to Play the Guitar without Music Theory?Firstly, music theory is not obligatory.  But…While guitarists like Kurt Cobain composed by ear and Django Reinhardt didn't even know the names of notes or chords, these guitarists are the exceptions. They're musical geniuses.They had an incredible ear for music, unlike the average person. There isn't one born every minute…The theory of music actually involves a lot of maths and physics. (Source: 777546)We'll assume that you're just a mere mortal.  You'll need to develop your ear and constantly work on your technique.Music theory will help improve your ear, knowledge of notes, scales, chords, and different rhythms that will help speed up just how quickly you can learn how to play the guitar.Without any knowledge of music theory, it will be very difficult to compose or improvise. You can use different scales, phrases, and your knowledge of melodic theory to put together interesting licks, riffs, and guitar music.We're not just talking about composition. An understanding of harmonic and melodic structure is essential for anyone who wants to improve their creativity.  Music theory doesn't limit your creat ivity. In fact, it's a way to get the most out of your musical instrument. A knowledge of music theory will open doors to your musical creativity.The more scales and progressions you know, the more you'll be able to draw on to compose music and improvise without playing a single wrong note whether you're playing on your own or with your band.Different Ways of LearningWhile anyone can learn how to play guitar by ear, not everybody should.  While some people are able to teach themselves how to play the guitar and are willing to put the time and effort into doing so, others will need the help of a guitar tutor or teacher and require a more structured learning approach in order to play given song.Everybody's different.  Some people have a great ear for music and can learn instruments almost effortlessly.However, learning music theory can fill in the gaps in their knowledge.  Imagine how good Hendrix could've been if he'd studied music theory.  We often tend to focus on objectives achiev ed and not the journey towards achieving said objectives.Would he have been better had he learned music theory?Or would it have been a waste of time?The journey doesn't really matter if you arrive at the same result, right?The amount of time taken is what really matters.Do you still think the results are the only thing that matters?Why not think about all the famous guitarists that studied music theory and are just as good as Hendrix?Check out these great tips for guitarists, too!Five Good Reasons for Learning Music Theory as a GuitaristWhile music theory isn't obligatory, a knowledge of it could speed up just how quickly you can learn to play the guitar. It doesn't matter whether you play the acoustic guitar, electric guitar, blues, classical, or rock, everything you do on the guitar, even tuning it, is based on music theory.Not every great guitarist studied music theory. (Source: Ribastank)Are you sure you still don't want to do it?If you're still not convinced, here are five more good reasons to study music theory:Music theory is the language of musicians: if you know music theory it'll allow you to speak to any musician in terms that they'll understand. It's a universal tool that allows anyone to play music regardless of the instruments they're playing.Music theory can help improve your visual memory since you'll also be reading music and not just playing it. It's a way to learn to play a given note just by seeing it on a piece of sheet music. This will help save you time when it comes to learning new songs.By learning how to read sheet music, you'll better understand music theory and will know how chords and scales are put together. This will help you learn how to play guitar more quickly.You'll learn the most common form of musical notation. While a lot of guitarists use tabs, these can only be used by those who play string instruments.You'll be more credible as a musician: as a classically trained musician, you'll gain more credibility, especially in th e eyes of other classically trained musicians. Knowing music theory is a huge advantage for guitarists or any other musician.Don't get discouraged.The more you study music theory, the more quickly you'll learn to play the guitar. (Source: obBilder)While music theory often gets a lot of bad press, it can be really beneficial.  It might seem hard to believe when you're sitting in front of a music textbook. It's a lot more enjoyable to just play your guitar than sit down and hit the books. A beginner guitar course won't cover as much theory as an advanced one but the more you advance, the more you'll need theory.You don't have to sit down and read your entire music textbook in one go. You can study for a short period of time, then practice for a bit, then go back to studying, for example.So when will we see you in your first music theory lesson?