How Parents Can Help Students Setand AchieveAcademic Goals

How Parents Can Help Students Setâ€"and Achieveâ€"Academic Goals This post is part of a month-long series to help you start 2018 on the right foot. Throughout January, visit the Varsity Tutors blog for advice, tips, and tricks on how to reignite your passion for learning this winter. As we enter a new year, many parents, students, and families are focusing on setting goals. For students of all ages, these may center around academics. And while it can be easy for parents of elementary and middle school students to overlook their role in helping their children identify and accomplish goals, parental involvement can have a significant impact on the outcome. Among other tasks, parents can provide background and context for goals, and emphasize the importance of reflection. If youre hoping to take an active role in your childs goal-setting process, learn how parents can help students setand achieveacademic goals. Goal-setting tip #1: Focus on collaboration When setting goals, collaboration serves as a vital tool for parents and students. Parents canand shouldview their role as integral to their childs goal-setting process, but their child should take the lead. When setting goals, speak with your child about his or her aims. Make time, too, for follow-up discussions as he or she works toward these goals. [RELATED: How Parents Can Help with Elementary Homework Challenges] Goal-setting tip #2: Provide context, and establish reasonable expectations As your student begins to set goals, you can help by establishing your starting point. This can help children of all ages identify realistic goals. Establish where your student is coming from in order to determine where he or she might be going. Dont limit your students dreamsjust shape them into measurable steps. For example, if your child hopes to earn straight As, but, in previous semesters, failed multiple classes because of late work, this goal may not be an ideal place to start. Instead, you may want to suggest a simpler goal like, I will turn all work in on time, which is measurable, achievable, and will help with his or her eventual desire to earn all As. Think about dividing goals into short-term and long-term endeavors based on your students starting point, which will help with the next recommendation. [RELATED: 3 Methods for Setting Goals] Goal-setting tip #3: Identify and track milestones Goal-setting at any age works best when you can measure progress. For younger students, it can be challenging to think about goals in such a concrete way. Often, goal-setters look at large-scale items that are not only difficult to achieve, but difficult to measure as they progress. Instead of setting a goal like, Be the best speaker on the debate team, encourage your student to narrow his or her focus. For instance, he may set a goal to participate in three speech events, or she may set a goal to identify three public speaking role models. Both of these goals help your child work toward becoming a better speaker, but both have concrete ways to measure success. Continue to meet with your student to check in on progress, gently suggesting ways to get back on track or providing encouragement where it is needed. Set new ways to measure achievement if necessary, and adjust expectations as required. Goal-setting tip #4: Provide time for reflection Once the timeframe for the goal in question has passed, it is important to revisit the process with your child. This involves more than deciding whether or not he or she achieved the goal. Decide what went well, where your student struggled, and where he or she felt successful. Ask your child to identify where and how he or she could have used additional support from you or others. Finally, make a plan for achieving the next goal, whether it is a new goal or a variation on one that wasnt quite achieved the first time around. By collaborating, understanding the starting point, tracking milestones, and evaluating the process, your student will be equipped to set and achieve goals in no time! [RELATED: The Importance of Self-Reflection: How to End the Year on a Positive Note] Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Boost Productivity With The Right Keyboard Layout

Boost Productivity With The Right Keyboard Layout IT For Beginners: How To Switch Your Keyboard To QWERTY? ChaptersHow To Recognise A QWERTY KeyboardWhy Does The Keyboard Layout Matter?The Reason QWERTY Was Invented?How To Switch Your Keyboard To QWERTY In Windows?How To Switch Your Keyboard To QWERTY On MAC?How To Switch Your Keyboard Layout  To QWERTY On A Smart Phone?You may not realise that the humble keyboard that we all type on every day has a history and isn't the same for everyone. Keyboard layouts are designed to make it easier and more efficient for the computer user to input their text and prompts. This efficiency is based on the language that they are typing. But with so many different languages worldwide, computer keyboards had to adapt too.IT for beginners is essential because it allows you to learn about the differences between technology and for you to know the things that you need to learn. For example, the keyboard that you are using if you have a keyboard that has been made in the UK is called a QWERTY keyboard. Don't worry I won't ask you to repeat it, but it is somet hing that you should learn to recognise.You should also know that there are many different keyboard layouts around the world. Of which QWERTY is just one. While QWERTY is one of the most popular layouts, there are also popular layouts such as:AZERTY: The most distinctive difference the number keys appear on the letter keys and are activated with the shift key. Used commonly in French-speaking countries.QWERTZ: The most distinctive difference is some keys have been replaced by characters such as  Ã„, Ö, ß. Used commonly in some part of eastern Europe Like Switzerland and GermanyQÃœERTY: The most distinctive difference is W is not on the keyboard at and letters are moved around. Used commonly in countries like Iran and TurkeyÄWERTY: The most distinctive difference is C, Q, V, and X  are not available on the keyboard. Used commonly in countries like Turkmenistan and central AsiaThese layouts are all quite similar to QWERTY with minor changes such as changes in key positions, added special characters and of course some missing keys. However, when you are used to your layout, these minor changes can cause a big headache.Take a screenshot of the problem and ask for help. Photo Source: Unsplashlanguage.’Next, Go to ‘Region language.’ click English in the list of languages to open its menu.You should see the option to add a keyboard here. Make sure you click it and check that it is installed.Exiting this area, click the language again and this time activate the ‘set as default’ option. The last step is to restart your machine, and your keyboard layout should be back to QWERTY.* Please note that this was for windows 10 OS, The name or placements of things may be slightly different depending on the version of your software.How To Switch Your Keyboard To QWERTY On MAC?Click on the Apple icon. Located in the top left of the screenScroll to and click system preferences in the menu list.When the box opens, go to the keyboard optionYou will now see 4 options; keyboard, text, shortcuts and input sourcesGo to Input sourcesClick the + button and add the keyboard layout that you want.QWERTY will be the keyboard for the UK.Close the box, and your Keyboard layout should have appropriately updated.Changing the layout on an Apple device. Photo Source: UnsplashHow To Switch Your Keyboard Layout  To QWERTY On A Smart Phone?In the past, it didn't matter much about what layouts you had on your phone. But as technology gets smarter, and tech gets smaller. It is now essential to have a good keyboard for your phone and tablet devices.This allows you to work on the go, reply to emails even edit reports. The portability of the smartphone means that you don't just want to optimise your pc for the keyboard layout, but you want to optimise your phone as well.Keyboard Layout On An Iphone And IpadChanging the layout on an Apple device is relatively easy, keep in mind that the operating system version of your device may change the way that this is done. Foll ow these steps:Go to your setting app. (Black and grey bike wheel  icon)Scroll down and go to the general tab.Now scroll down to reach the ‘keyboard’ section. Now tap the keyboard menu itemYou will see the list of installed Keyboards on your device.Click your current setting which shows as a language. In this case, it should be English.Click on to the language to open up your keyboard options.You will now see some keyboard layoutsSelect QWERTYExit and your keyboard will be updatedKeyboard Layout On AndroidOn Android there are many different versions available from kit kat to Oreo, each has a slightly different approach to changing your keyboard, but these steps should be similar enough for you to find your way.Go to  the settings area (gear icon)Scroll down to the systems area (icon of a circle with an ‘i’ inside).Go to the Languages and input area. (The icon is a circle with horizontal and vertical lines going through it. )Now the second entry is keyboards, click virtual keyboard.You will see the active keyboardsYou can click one of the options, and you will be able to select QWERTY from thereYou can also click the + symbol and activate a new keyboard.Writing on digital devices is only made possible because of keyboards, having them set up correctly and optimised for your use will make your life much more comfortable and help to you achieve whatever outputs you have in mind. If you found this useful, why not check out our blog on Learning to use your PC.

Should I Go To Marquette University

Should I Go To Marquette University Sarah earned her bachelors degree in environmental engineering from Marquette University. She specializes in geometry tutoring, engineering tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, she shares her experience at Marquette University: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Sarah: Marquette is situated on the border of downtown Milwaukee. There are tons of great things to do downtown or in the surrounding area that are only a short walk, bus ride (the bus runs through campus), or LIMO (campus shuttle service) away. It is really easy to get around without a car, and you can essentially make it to any of your classes by walking. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Sarah:For the most part, the faculty is really good about making themselves available for questions and for instruction. They understand the value of a good education, and work to make sure that you are satisfied with the quality of education you are receiving. How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Sarah:I really enjoyed dorm life. I lived in Carpenter and Straz, where I shared a room with one other girl and we had our own bathroom. The rooms were nice sizes and had great views of Milwaukee. I am a big fan of dorm food, not only because Im not the one making it, but also because there are so many options. Recently, they have made the selection for vegetarians/vegans more extensive. So, whether you are hungry for pancakes, burgers, stir-fry, or a salad, you will always find something to fill you up. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Sarah:I think Marquette is well known for a lot of different programs, including dentistry, law, physical training, nursing, and engineering, but thats certainly not a comprehensive list. I studied environmental engineering with a minor in Spanish for the health professions. I chose this because I like solving problems and I have a love for the environment and for people. So, environmental engineering was a way for me to improve the quality of life for all people. I think the university did a great job of supporting me; there were always professors who genuinely cared about me as a person and as an academic and were able to guide me to develop my career. 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? Sarah:I found it relatively easy to make friends because of the way Marquette sets up its orientation week. The freshmen come a couple of days early and have a ton of activities to mingle with each other. On top of that, RAs (resident advisors) on your floor made sure you knew everyone on the floor and that you knew what was happening on campus. I myself was in Greek life and found it to be one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever done. It created lasting friendships and great professional opportunities that I dont think I would have otherwise had. Its best if you put aside the stereotypes that you think you know about Greek life and try it for yourself. How helpful are the Career Centerand other student support services? Sarah:The Career Center on campus is extremely helpful. They host a few career fairs each semester where companies come and talk with students about internships, volunteer positions, jobs, and co-ops. The Career Center also will help with your resume, print out free business cards for you, and conduct mock-interviews to help you sell your best qualities. When its time for graduation, they help you get in touch with alumni in your field. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Sarah:There are a lot of nooks and crannies for studying at Marquette. I think I was still finding new places up until my final semester. As with any school, the libraries get crowded around midterms and finals, but they do a good job of opening up other study spaces around campus to compensate for this. The student union has some good study spaces, as do the individual academic buildings. Describe the surrounding town. Sarah:Marquette is situated in Milwaukee, so there is a lot to do. The Rave, a popular concert venue, is a couple blocks off campus to the west. To the east, you have downtown where there are plays, restaurants, ice skating, jazz concerts, and literally anything you could want to do. Miller Park, home to the Milwaukee Brewers, is a bus ride away for those who like baseball. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Sarah:I think Marquette is about 20,000 students, including graduate students. This was a manageable size for me. There were always new people to meet, but also you knew most of the people in your classes. I was generally pleased with the sizes of my classes. Some of the more general classes, like chemistry and physics, might be in a larger lecture setting, but as you get more into your major they become smaller, with around 25-30 students. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Sarah:I think one of my most memorable experiences with a class was service learning. At Marquette, one of the values is giving back to the community. So, with some classes you are able to do service learning where you volunteer once a week for the duration of the class doing something related to your class work, but also helping the community. For one of my medical Spanish classes, I volunteered at a dental clinic as an interpreter for the patients. It was a fantastic experience to use my classroom knowledge to do something in the real world. Check out Sarahs tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

10 Facts About France

10 Facts About France Interesting Facts About France Chapters1. There are volcanoes in the middle of France2. Before the Romans came, the language spoken in France was Gaulish3. The first dynasty of French kings was polygamous4. The Château de Versailles had bathrooms - and toilets5. There are French schools all over the world6. French toast was a way of using old bread7. Eiffel built himself a “secret” apartment atop the Eiffel Tower8. The Paris Opera breeds trout and bees9. French is spoken in some areas of India10. The French flag honours the royal houseAre you taking French courses or learning French on your own? Want to know more about the fascinating country that brought us baguette and bérets? Read on! Here on Superprof we have collected 10 fun facts you probably didn’t know all about France. AnnieFrench Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolineFrench Teacher 5.00 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriFrench Teacher 5.00 (9) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarianneFrench Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThibautFrench Teacher 5.00 (3) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickFrench Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DéborahFrench Teacher 5.00 (10) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamyFrench Teacher 5.00 (2) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors1. There are volcanoes in the middle of FranceThe centre of France is dominated by the Massif Central, a  mountain range  so old that, in some places, they are barely worthy of the name, so well has erosion done its work. It is separated from the Alps by the Rhone valley. It is older than the Alps and the Pyrenees.Some of the mountains  used to be active volcanoes. But don’t worry, the last eruption dates to 4040 BC, before the invention of writing and long before steel was first smelted.The Massif Central is a chain of mountains in France with extinct volcanoes. Photo credit: alpha du centaure on Vi sualhunt.com2. Before the Romans came, the language spoken in France was GaulishJulius Caesar wrote a memoir about it, Goscinny and Uderzo made a comic about it: the Romans invaded a territory called Gaul around 58-50 BC, subjugating the entire area of what is now France. (All? No, one little village…) The people who lived there were Celts, distantly related to the Celts of Britain and Ireland. The Gauls had similar gods and spoke a similar language - Gaulish. But Gaulish was already a language in its own right, similar to Old Briton, Welsh and Cornish but differing from the Celtic languages that would later become Manx and Scottish and Irish Gaelic.Gaulish was spoken in most of the territories of what is now France, except for   Aquitaine, where a precursor of Basque was spoken.Very little Gaulish survives in the French language (about 150-180 words, plus their derivatives), which is based almost entirely on Latin. Poor Asterix.On the other hand, one of Gaul's largest cities, Lut etia, situated along the Seine river, is still alive and thriving as the city of Paris.3. The first dynasty of French kings was polygamousOut of the chaos following the disintegration of the Roman Empire, various Germanic tribes migrated throughout Europe, founding new countries. The most successful were the Franks, establishing a kingdom that, at its height, encompassed most of France and a great part of what is now Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.The first dynasty of Frankish kings were called the Merovingians, after a semi-mythical founder called Merovech. And although they were Christians after Merovech’s grandson Clovis (an early form of the name Louis) had himself baptised, that didn’t stop the kings of the Franks from having several wives.This is somewhat controversial among scholars, as some suggest that they married the women successively - putting one aside before marrying the other. However, the dates support a royal practice of polygamy as many first queens are still mentioned after the king had married a second woman. The practice continued until Charlemagne outlawed multiple marriages.They also attached great importance to the royal locks - the long, flowing hair sported by the Frankish kings and considered to be the embodiment of their royal power.Discover the best French lessons on Superprof.4. The Château de Versailles had bathrooms - and toiletsLook up “fun facts about French history” and you will generally find a part about the stink of the French court under King Louis XIV in the 17th century. He had a new palace built at the palace of Versailles, some ways outside of Paris, to be safe from the Parisian mobs that terrorised his childhood while he lived at the Louvre, as well as keep as many of the nobles as possible under his eye. It is one of the most visited places in France.Supposedly, the new administrative capital of France made up in splendour what it lacked in hygiene. We know this from eyewitnesses who write about the stink of unwashed bodies, urine and faeces in the palace and gardens.However, Versailles definitely had the facilities.It is true that people of that time did not bathe every day. Prolonged immersion in water was thought to spread diseases. But it was considered proper to wash with a damp towel soaked in a little water or perfume, which would have been made with alcohol, which has hygienic properties. Bathing was a pleasure, and the king of France  had his own bathing rooms and installed public baths for the use of the court.Hygiene was actually a big concern for Louis XIV when building Versailles, with public bathrooms, baths and sewers installed. Photo credit: Jose Losada Foto on VisualHunt.comNor was there any need to relieve yourself in the corridors. There were public bathrooms at Versailles to accommodate 300 people, and guests could always flag a passing servant to bring them their master’s toilet chair.The first toilet with running water was installed in 1727, and there wa s a series of drainages and pipes that shunted the waste out of the palace and into surrounding marshes.So why did Versailles stink? If the eye- (or nose-) witnesses were there during large events, people may have been reluctant to give up their place and miss seeing the king just to have a piss. Or they were guests unaware of the amenities. And just because something was proper doesn’t mean that everyone practised it.When you visit France, you should definitely take a tour of the palace of Versailles and see the place where Marie Antoinette lived. It is very different from the châteaux of the Loire valley, another tourist attraction you should include in your trip to France. AnnieFrench Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolineFrench Teacher 5.00 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriFrench Teacher 5.00 (9) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarianneFrench Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutor s ThibautFrench Teacher 5.00 (3) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickFrench Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DéborahFrench Teacher 5.00 (10) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamyFrench Teacher 5.00 (2) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors5. There are French schools all over the worldFrench people like to think that French is still the “lingua franca”, the go-to language when two people from different countries meet. This is sadly no longer the case, but there is still an impressive amount of French speakers scattered throughout the world. Some live in countries where France is still the mother tongue or at least an official language. Others are French diplomats and employees of the large multinational firms that support the French economy, who are often posted abroad. There is even a little French-speaking enclave on the English channel islands.Therefore, the French government started establishing French sc hools  abroad where class is taught in French, not only in its overseas  colonies  and territories such as Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and various African countries, but in almost all the major cities throughout the world. The difference between the Lycées Français and other international schools is that they all follow the French curriculum, so that a French expat can move from city to city, and go back to living in France, and be assured that his child will not constantly find itself skipping a class or forced to redo a year.This makes the French school system very popular with other diplomats (for example members of the UN) and other people who are forced to move regularly.6. French toast was a way of using old breadA lot of things labelled as “French” are not (in France, a French braid is called a “natte Africaine”), but though French toast may exist in other countries as well, it is very popular in France. This traditional French food is called “pain perd u”, or “lost bread”. It could also be called “recovered bread” as it was a simple means of recovering bread that had hardened and would otherwise have been difficult to eat. Even poorer households, in the country at least, had access to milk and eggs, and so the hard bread was soaked in a mixture of the two until it softened, and then fried and served with butter or honey.Though it is true that snail (escargot) and frog's legs are part of French cuisine, not everyone will eat them. Foie gras is for festive occasions, such as Bastille Day (the French national holiday), but pain perdu is a staple of French breakfast, even if it is not as popular as the croissant.7. Eiffel built himself a “secret” apartment atop the Eiffel TowerGustave Eiffel is best known for the eponymous tower of steel he built for the 1889 World Fair in the capital city of Paris. He also built the scaffolding that keeps the Statue of Liberty upright and was the head of the whole monumental project.Tho ugh the Eiffel Tower, now one of the monuments synonymous with French culture (together with the Arc de Triomphe, the pyramid of the Louvre museum, French cheese and French wine) was originally meant to be dismantled after twenty years, Eiffel thought it would be a very clever thing to have his own private apartment inside where he could receive honoured guests - mostly scientists and intellectuals (it had its own miniature lab). He reportedly received offers of thousands of francs to rent it out, but always refused.The apartment is on the third platform  and is now open to the public. Tourists  can admire wax figures of Eiffel and Thomas Edison (one of his special guests) in the cosy room.8. The Paris Opera breeds trout and beesSpeaking of secret apartments, anyone who has seen (or read) The  Phantom of the Opera knows about the underground lake in the cellar of the celebrated  Parisian Opéra Garnier, where the Phantom had his hideout.    What they might not know is that the lake is real, and that it has been used to breed trout.An opera house is a heavy sort of building and needs proper foundations. But the high water table in that area of Paris meant that the opera would often have had its cellars flooded - the place where all the expensive props, costumes and backdrops are stored. So instead the architect built the flooding into the building. A large vaulted area, supported on sturdy stone columns, provides a space for the water when the water table is high, with the actual storage cellars built above it. Alas, there is no secret apartment where a deformed man once lived and wrote horrifying music. You can rent the Phantom’s box (Number 5), though, to watch the internationally acclaimed productions.The entrance to the cistern in the foundations of the Opéra Garner, where Gaston Leroux set his Phantom of the Opera. By FR (Own work) via Wikimedia CommonsFor some time, trout were kept in the lake. This seems to no longer be the case, but the roof still ha s beehives  - you can buy the honey in the opera’s gift shop. When visiting France, you should definitely see the opera house. Tours don't include the reservoir, but they often have costume exhibitions and the architecture is splendid.9. French is spoken in some areas of IndiaIf you know a little about French history and colonialism, you would expect French to be spoken in Africa and maybe parts of the Caribbean (and the Quebec region of Canada), but India belonged to the English, right?Well, partly right. With the fall of the Mughal Empire in India and the lucre of tea and cotton shining in their eyes, many European powers sought to gain control, among them the English, Dutch and also the French. This was both helped along and hindered by the fact that the Indians were busy fighting amongst themselves as  each local ruler declared himself the rightful heir to the next Mughal Empire. This made them susceptible to European envoys waving gold in front of their faces, and European ar mies with more men to add to their cause.The wars in India where Wellesly, later Duke of Wellington, cut his strategist teeth were as much between the European powers as between the Indian royal houses. In that chaos, England emerged mostly victorious, but France managed to acquire and hold on to the regions of what is now Punducherry and Chandannagar.In the spirit of decolonisation, the two regions were given to India when it received its independence, but French remains an official language of those provinces.10. The French flag honours the royal houseWhen the French revolutionaries first donned the tricolore - the cockade of blue, white and red that later became the flag of France - they weren’t being so revolutionary after all. The first cockades were only blue and red, in the colours of the flag of the city of Paris. General Lafayette suggested adding white to represent royalty - in fact, the royal arms also incorporated the colours blue, white and red, colours often found in the French flags of the past.The French flag of red, white and blue isn't that revolutionary in colour. Photo on VisualHunt.comAs much as “à bas les aristos!” has become a byword for the French revolution, at first all the people wanted was adequate representation in the États-Généraux (a form of parliament that actually only convened at the king’s convenience) and affordable bread. First forays into democracy were along the lines of a constitutional monarchy. But both the king’s endless dithering and the rise of political fundamentalism that sent as many revolutionaries as aristocrats to the guillotine led to the sort of climate that made the king fear for his life and that of his family.Caught while attempting to flee for Austria (someone recognised his profile from a coin), this was the last straw for the French people who felt the king had betrayed them. The king died (though the monarchy was re-instituted twice in the following century), but the royal colours remai n on the French flag - though some argue that the white represented the kingdom of France and its people, not the monarchy itself.For lessons in the capital, search online for 'french classes london'.

SAT Subject Test in Physics Yes or No

SAT Subject Test in Physics Yes or No AJ Tutoring works with students across almost every academic subject imaginable, all of which have their own difficulties and hurdles for students to overcome. One of the broadest subjects in the high school curriculum is physics, and it is one of the most popular subjects that AJ is called on to help students with. Whether working through the fundamental relationships in an introductory class or exploring the applications of calculus in mechanics and electromagnetics in AP Physics C, there are challenges at every level for those who study this fundamental science. A question that we are frequently asked here at AJ is, “Can my student take the Physics Subject SAT?”Prerequisites for the TestOn the face of it, this is a straightforward question: any student can take the Physics Subject SAT because there are no prerequisites that the College Board lists. They do recommend students take a “One-year introductory college-preparatory course in physics” before taking the exam, but ex actly what level of Physics is equitable to this? For example, would doing AP Physics 1 be enough? How about just taking both parts of the AP Physics C class? The answer is not nearly as simple as it first appears.In terms of AP exams, there are four options that you can sit for Physics; AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, and AP Physics C: Mechanics. Clearly, there is a lot more going on here than for any of the other sciences! Chemistry, biology and environmental science all have just one AP exam each. So, why so many for physics?To put it simply, physics has an incredible breadth and depth to it that colleges will expect any prospective undergraduate to already have some background knowledge on. The SAT exam breaks this down into 6 categories: Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Waves and Optics, Heat and Thermodynamics, Modern Physics, and Miscellaneous. In truth, each of the subjects listed is an entire field of its own, but these are seen as college-level subjects and prospective undergraduates are not expected to know more than the fundamentals.Ideal Background for the TestSo, just looking at the list of categories, we can immediately see that any prospective SAT student who has only sat the 2 AP Physics C exams completed will be missing out on 2/3 of the subjects required for the SAT. The biggest down-side to preparing for the SAT with the AP C curricula is the difference in the level of mathematics comprehension required. AP C requires students to have a very firm grasp of Calculus, whereas the SAT does not require any more than Algebra 2 and Trigonometry.The AP Physics 1 paper covers the majority of the “Mechanics” content required for the SAT, as well as a small portion of the “Electricity and Magnetism” section and a single chapter of the “Waves and Optics” section. The AP Physics 2 paper covers the remainder of the “Electricity and Magnetism” content, as well as the remainder of the “Waves and O ptics” content, the “Heat and Thermodynamics” content and “Modern Physics”.So, when parents come to us and ask, “What level of Physics should my student have taken to be prepared for the Subject SAT?”, the answer is, clearly, not straightforward. Our normal recommendation is for a student to have completed AP 1 and AP 2, as well as taking several sessions with one of our Physics SAT Subject Test specialists to fill in the gaps in the curricula of these two courses. However, that is a lot of physics to cover as a high school student! Most schools will only allow a student to sit 1 AP Physics course per year, so students would have to start during sophomore year to complete both AP 1 and AP 2 in time to take the Subject SAT during senior year. Is there an alternative?In short, yes! We here at AJ have been working with physics students across the Bay Area, starting from a whole range of initial understanding levels, to help them attain a good grade on the SAT Subject Test in Physics. We have been developing materials to help take students from regular physics only, AP 1 only, AP 2 only or AP C only to go through to the SAT. For students with more content gaps, though, it is important to keep in mind that the timeline for preparation increases.Give us a call today and see what we can do to help your student achieve his or her potential on the SAT Subject Test in Physics and stand out from the crowd!

5 Ways to Prepare your English for a Business Meeting

5 Ways to Prepare your English for a Business Meeting I recently had a student who was preparing for a business meeting with an important client he was hoping to make a sale to. My student is from Spain, and his client is from England. The client did not speak any Spanish, so my student had two options: get an interpreter or try test his business English at a real, live meeting.After some coaching from myself and another teacher, Muireann, the student decided he could handle the meeting without an interpreter. Yesterday he reported back to me to say that the meeting went very well. He was able to understand his client, say what he needed to say, and is pretty confident that the sale was made. Here are some tips I developed based on how we prepared the student for his meeting.Practice, practice, practice: Our student added extra classes in preparation for his meeting. Each of these classes was specifically focused on preparing him for the upcoming meeting. There is no good substitute for live classes with a native English speaker.Accent and Dialects Matter: Our student had been taking classes with me. I have an U.S. accent, but the person he was meeting with has a British accent. To help him prepare for different accents, we had the student take classes with Muireann, who is from Ireland, so that he was prepared for the sound of different English accents. We also studied some differences between British English and U.S. English.Role Play: In preparation for the meeting, we (the teachers) pretended to be the client, and asked our student to present his product to us. We worked with him on how to present his business, and how to say some of the key points of his presentation in English.Live English: We advised the student to listen to as much English in his daily life as possible, whether he was tuning into the radio, watching the television or movies, reading or listening to podcasts. Specifically, we told him to listen to BBC radios podcasts as often as he could, to help prepare him for a British accent.Confidence: Once youve done all the preparation you can, its time to relax and be confident. Youre probably going to make some mistakes. There may even be some small misunderstandings. But overall, if youve prepared well, you will be able to say what you need to say, and understand the things that are important to understand.Does this sound helpful to you? Take a class! The first one is free.English Classes | Aulas Inglês | Cursos Inglés

3 Easy Ways to Help Control Anxiety

3 Easy Ways to Help Control Anxiety pinterest.com Every time something bothers you and you get those uncomfortable butterflies in your chest, grab a pen and paper or sit down in front of your computer and write about it. You dont have to post it anywhere or let anyone read it, but get it out on paper. Have a personal blog or journal that is private for you, or post it as some kind of helpful content to others. I promise, writing about your worries will help relieve some of that anxiety you feel like you just cant shake. If something happens to you and you feel like you are going to bust, hold it together, get to your journal, and let it all out. Finding a hobby kind of goes in there too, as writing can be a hobby but Im going to leave that for another top 3. #2) TALK ABOUT IT emaze.com I know a lot of people struggling with anxiety might have a problem opening up and talking about it. You can talk to your friends, parents, God, or even a therapist. Speaking of therapy, dont be embarrassed to go to a session or two. If you need it you need it and it will help. You dont have to tell a soul about it. Its confidential and all between you and your doctor. On that note, make sure you have a good therapist. I went to see one a couple times and she turned out to be exactly everything I DID NOT want in a therapist. #1) GET AN ANIMAL     That cute puppy up there is my baby. You think I am crazy, but trust me my little Pomeranian has worked wonders for my anxiety. She is two years old but has been living with me for about eight months. When I started having really bad panic attacks my boyfriend didnt know what to do. In a desperate attempt to calm me down he handed me my puppy and told me to hold her and told her to love on momma. She licked on my hands and my face, which I normally hate, but this time it was oddly soothing. I squeezed her tight and rubbed her belly as a sort of thanks. Previous to this, I had her registered as an Emotional Support Animal to avoid having to pay a pet fee at my apartment complex. I had the prescription medicine to prove I struggled with anxiety, but Id never experienced what she could truly do for me until that night. Having her close to me and loving me with her puppy kisses really helped the calming down process and eventually pulled me out of my little spell. I really suggest investing in a good puppy that can help you out too. Shes truly my furry best friend. These are three things that I have found very helpful in trying to control my anxiety. Comment below and let me know some of your helpful tips! Subscribe to my YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/user/indepdanc

Which Language Should I Learn How to Follow Your Heart to Your Next Tongue

Which Language Should I Learn How to Follow Your Heart to Your Next Tongue Which Language Should I Learn? How to Follow Your Heart to Your Next Tongue Wish you had a map and compass to guide you to the perfect language?All you have to do is follow your heart.Choosing a language to learn is a deeply personal process. Theres no one absolute best language to learn. The best language depends on the learner.Your choice  will have a unique effect on  your social life, your neurological anatomy, your professional opportunities, how you experience the world around you  and even your personality.Youve heard all the hype. You know how learning a language benefits your brain, lines your wallet and makes life more interesting.And youve probably found some strong incentives of your own already. Maybe your best friend just got back from a summer abroad and youre jealous of how cool she looks casually chatting with her new Francophone friends, doing activist work with the indigenous language she learned in Peru or fighting off the onslaught of employers desperate to put her Japanese skills to work selling to foreign markets.Maybe youre finally sa tisfied with your skills in your second or third language, and now youre ready to take another step down the road to becoming a professional polyglot.Perhaps you just woke up today and said, Im going to learn a language.Whatever it was that put you over the top, you know youre ready to learn a language, and you know you can do so just as easily as the next person. Which brings you to one of the most momentous and exciting decisions of your newly multilingual life: Which language should  you learn?To decide which language you should learn, the first step is to tune out all the conflicting advice on the best language, and take a look within. Know Thyself: Asking the Right Questions to Decide Which Language You Should LearnSince theres no one objective outright winner in the linguistic derby, how do you decide which foreign language is best for you?Browsing a list of the worlds 7,000 languages will quickly become overwhelming, but limiting yourself to the shortest cut-and-dried listi cles doling out wisdom on the web is too constricting.Why dont you just ask yourself?Language is more than a line on a resume. It mediates your personal life, livens your inner life and, in the end, can often influence your biggest life decisions like where you live, how you develop yourself professionally, who you fall in love with and what ideas you  expose yourself to.Ask yourself the  following  questions to start thinking about which language you should learn.Whats my mother language, and what other languages do I already know?This has a huge impact on your learning experience, and its one of the reasons theres no single best language for everyone.If youre a native English speaker whos learning a new language for the first time, you might want to start by thinking about which languages are most similar to English in their sound, structure and vocabulary. If you already speak English and Spanish, then a Germanic or Romance language might be the easiest pick for you.On the other hand, a very similar language might confuse your Spanish, or you might end up filling your attempts at Portuguese with clumsy literal Spanishisms.Consider your current linguistic array and how strong you feel in any other languages youve learned.  If Spanish is one of your native languagesâ€"or if youve been fluent for many yearsâ€"then picking up a similar language like Portuguese might be very easy and invite no confusion whatsoever. If youve only reached the intermediate level of Spanish or still feel shaky with it, then learning Portuguese might end up getting mixed up with your Spanish.What kind of access do I have to resources like websites, classes and native speakers?Maybe the typical choices leave you uninspired but your ethnographic interests pull you toward a more obscure language like Aymara or Saami. Theres plenty to be said for learning less commonly studied languages, but consider the availability of resources for doing so:Are there courses available online?Any Wikipe dia pages in the language?Will you have to commit to a summer or a year abroad to get access to native speakers, and if so, are you willing to do that?Whats my learning style?Individual learning style can impact how easy or difficult a language is for any given person to learn. If youve got an ear for music and a knack for impersonating accents, you might find it easier to learn tonal languages or navigate the phonological complexities of Polish.If patterns and rules arent your thing, grammatically simpler creoles and languages like Malay or Mandarin with few grammatical categories might be your path of least resistance.What parts of the world intrigue me?Its impossible to separate languages from the people who speak them and the places they live. If youre planning a career as an ambassador or an expert on  Middle Eastern politics, Arabic or Farsi might be the language for you. If West African history, Vietnamese cuisine or the beauty of the Himalayas infect you with excitement, let these geographic interests lead you to learning Hausa, Vietnamese or Tibetan.What professional fields are you interested in working in?Learning a language to get a job doesnt work. This is because you first have to ask yourself, which job do you want to get?Universities and language schools in North America love to push Mandarin and Spanish as the jobs most in-demand by employers, but thats not necessarily the case if your ideal employer is an NGO, a media company or a marketing firm.Read some publications in your field and find out if its Chinese manufacturing, Costa Rican solar panels, consulting for Kazakh firms or Angolan oil thats driving growth, and then follow the money to your ideal language.Why do you want to learn it?This one is most important of all.To figure out which language you should learn right now, start with a little introspection on your motivation for learning a language.Do you want to learn a language to meet nice people, to expand your international friend ci rcle, to challenge yourself by learning a new writing system, to access the ideas of artists and intellectuals in their own language, because you met a special guy or gal, because youre obsessed with  the food or just because you like the way a particular language sounds?There are no good or bad, right or wrong reasons for learning a language. If you follow your passion, learning will be easy, enjoyable and enriching every step of the way.These are just some big-picture questions to get you started. After enough thoughtful introspection, hopefully youll arrive at a sense of knowing what you want out of your language learning experience, and then its time to start surveying the options.Which Language Should I Learn? How to Follow Your Heart to Your Next TongueThere are almost as many languages in the world as there are reasons to learn one. Maybe your motivation isnt one of the seven well list here, but its probably similar to one of these reasonsâ€"just  a little more nuanced and at tuned to yourself and your life.Communicate with More People: Learn the Worlds Largest LanguagesTheres something to be said for raw numbers.The worlds most commonly spoken languages are spoken by hundreds of millions of people, and learning one of them will allow you to expand your potential social network by six digits. Here are a few  of the worlds biggest languages by total speakers.MandarinIts  900 million  total speakers worldwide are just one of the reasons to learn Mandarin Chinese. The Chinese official language  isnt as geographically spread out as some of the other major world languages, but its still growing and not likely to be evicted from its number one spot any time soon.SpanishWith around half a billion speakers worldwide, Spanish is a giant in its own right. Whats more, itll unlock a lot more of the map for you than Mandarin with half the total number of speakers, as its an official or major  language in twenty-ish  countries around the world.ArabicBy most counts the fourth or fifth largest world language, about  300 million people speak Modern Standard Arabic and the many regional dialects  that exist around the world. Like Spanish, its got the geographic advantage over Chinese with its status as an official language in 28  countries.Expand Your Horizons: Learn a Language Known for Its Arts and CultureIf your true love is the arts, you may want to opt for a language with a strong body of art and cultural products, whether it be in the form of writing, performance, music or another language-infused form of cultural expression. Here are a few languages with well-established traditions you can get your hands, eyes and ears on.JapaneseIf youre already watching anime with the subtitles on, learning Japanese by watching anime is only a small step further.  Japanese films will give you plenty of  fodder for couch-based language learning with movies.ItalianSpeaking of movies, Italian cinema is reason enough by itself to enroll in Italian classes right away.  Sit back, sip wine and let Academy Award-winning Italian productions whisk you off to language learning land.AmharicAmharic is the main language of Ethiopia, arguably the country with the most distinctive set of cultures on the African continent, and its impossible to learn their language without learning a bit about Amharic culture. Let Ethiopian food guide you through learning your first words about cooking and eating.PortugueseThe language that brought the world bossa nova and samba is an excellent choice for language learners with an ear for music and a feel for rhythm. If learning a language through singing and dancing sounds like its up your alley, turn on some Brazilian music and start learning Portuguese with songs.Start Quickly and Easily: Learn a Language Thats Easy for English SpeakersIts hard to make a blanket statement about the easiest language to learn, because it depends on a lot of factors, one of which is your mother tongue.Neurologically speaking, your fir st language actually hard-wires your brain for languages in general.Meanwhile, other languages you speak well could cause confusion and other quirky polyglot problems. But if youre reading this blog post in your mother tongue, here are some of the easiest languages for English speakers to get started with.DutchDerived from the same Germanic vocabulary as English, Dutch is one of the closest living languages to English on the Germanic language family tree. Learn a few basic rules of pronunciation and spelling and youll already have a basic vocabulary of a few hundred words as an English speaker.FrenchThe influence of French on English goes far beyond fashionable French loanwords. For four  hundred years the French-speaking Normans  ruled England, and they left their mark on the language. Today English and French, despite their sonorant differences, share up to 45%  of the same vocabulary, largely in the form of loanwords historically borrowed from French or technical words both langu ages derived from Latin.SpanishWhile not as close to English as Dutch or French, English speakers will recognize a great deal of Latin-derived Spanish vocabulary from the start. Moreover, Spanish is a highly but regularly structured language with simple phonetics and a grammar thats nowhere near as intimidating as it looks in Spanish class. Just get down the basic differences between Spanish and English and youll be set.Get Paid: Learn a Language Thatll Land You a JobOne of the many benefits of multilingualism is the one that hits you right in the wallet: People who speak more than one language can generally expect not only a pay raise but a wider range of jobs and careers available to them.Some people earn a living off their language skills, while others use them to advance through different careers, and still other jobs are tailor-made for language majors.Whether your language skills are a career in themselves or a tool for climbing the corporate ladder, here are some of the most lucrative you can get started with.MandarinThe  near  billion speakers of the Chinese state language mean that learning Mandarin Chinese is a smart business investment. Theres hardly an industry left in the world thats not looking for people with the requisite language skills to help them break into or increase their presence in the Chinese market.CantoneseAnother Chinese language, its the one with even more tones than Mandarin and thats spoken in the wealthy financial centers like Guangdong and Hong Kong. Whats more, its the Chinese dialect spoken in most Chinatowns around the world, making it another important language for global commerce.KoreanSouth Korea is one of the Asian economies thats churning out the jobs in tech, telecommunications and manufacturing, as well as being one of the largest employers of foreign English teachers. Whether transferring within your company or striking out on your own overseas,  learning Korean is likely to give you a leg up in the application proc ess no matter what field youll be working in, and its certain to deepen your cultural experience during your stay.GermanThe European Unions economic engine speaks German, and people throughout Europe learn the language in the hopes of getting hired. Things might look uncertain elsewhere in Europe, but German is a good investment for any job-seeker interested in the continent.Stay Ahead of the Global Curve: Learn the Languages of the FutureThe best languages for business are those that are investing in the future of our always growing and changing world. Groups like the International Monetary Fund and Goldman Sachs are constantly forecasting the languages  that are growing and developing most rapidly and are most likely to be world leaders in trade and commerce in our lifetime. Here are a few of them.HindustaniAlthough its regional dialects are called Hindi in India and Urdu in Pakistan, most linguists think of Hindustani as one language with multiple national varieties.Nit-picky det ails aside, learning either variant of the language is enough to have conversations and make yourself understood across a large swath of the Indian subcontinent, putting you in contact with nearly half a billion people in one of the worlds fastest-growing economic regions.PortugueseWith 200 million speakers in giant Brazil alone, Portuguese is a global language in its own right. Across the world, Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) countries and regions like Angola and Macau are prospering in fields like oil and gas and financial services, making Portuguese one of the most mobile languages for following the money.ArabicIn addition to being a language of evergreen importance in international trade and politics, Arabic is also one of the fastest-growing languages on the web, making it a definite up-and-coming language for our digital future.Travel the World: Learn a Language Thats Spoken Far and WideIf youve got itchy feet and a stamp-happy passport, learning a language is one of the best ways to  open up entire new parts of the world to you. The best languages for travelers are those that are spoken across multiple countries and an extensive geographic area, as well as those thatll bring you closer in contact with local communities youd be otherwise unable to truly communicate with.SpanishStretching from the American southwest to Tierra del Fuego, brushing up on your Spanish travel phrases is the best way to explore the Western Hemisphere.SwahiliWhile many educated urbanites in East Africa speak English, the local lingua franca Swahili is an excellent way for culturally curious travelers to learn about the peoples and cultures of the African Great Lakes region.RussianWhile English will get you through most of Western Europe okay, somewhere east of Germany Russian becomes the language with the widest geographic range. From the Balkans to Siberia, youll encounter Russian speakers and other Slavic languages that your Russian will give you initial insight into.FrenchWh ile its range is limited inside Europe, French is one of the most useful travel languages outside the continent. Still the official language of many countries throughout North and Central Africa and a popularly learned language across much of the world, French travel phrases spoken to the right people can be of use as far and wide as Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and the Atlantic coast of the United States.Preserve Our Linguistic Heritage: Learn a Minority or Endangered LanguageWhen most of us consider learning a new language, we limit ourselves to the usual suspects, but in some ways its even more important for passionate language learners to pay a bit of attention to the worlds obscure languages.Of the worlds 7,000 languages, about half of them are expected to die out by 2050 as younger generations of speakers opt to learn bigger and more economically-promising national languages. Finding resources for studying endangered languages can be a challenge, but its not impossible. Here are a few examples of languages that are dying for new learners.DakotaOne of the largest living Native American languages, Dakota and the related Lakota language are spoken in the Upper Midwest of the US and parts of Canada. Efforts at revitalizing the language are vibrant, and you can even study it at several universities in  Minnesota.Khoi-SanThe collective name for the famous group of click languages spoken in southern Africa, the Khoi-San languages spoken by people groups like the San of Namibia are rapidly dying out under the forces of development and urbanization, and along with them vital information about not only these peoples and their cultures but a truly unique group of languages.BasqueThe language isolate spoken in Northern Spain has long puzzled linguists with its lack of known ties to any other world language, and if more learners dont pick up the language, it may not be around long enough to find the answers we seek about the worlds cultural heritage.Basque is only considered vulnerable today and is currently enjoying a Basque language renaissance, but sandwiched between big global languages like Spanish and French, its future looks shaky without an influx of motivated language learners.The Means Is the EndHopefully as you read through this list, you realized not only that theres no one language that you should learn, but also that theres no one reason for you to learn it.Languages touch on so many other areas of our lives, from jobs and friends to the food we eat and the way we see the world around us, that we should never think of them just as tools or means to an end.Learning a language is for life, and the means is the end.