Ask a Private School Admissions Expert Smart City Kids

Ask a Private School Admissions Expert Smart City Kids Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. The team of Smart City Kids, a company dedicated to improving students chances of admission into New York City private schools, recently shared their insights on the process of applying to these top institutions. Roxana Reid, founder of the organization, has been advising families for several years. She previously served as an adjunct professor at New York Universitys School of Continuing and Professional Studies as well as the role of Director of Placement at the JCC Nursery School in Manhattan. VT: What is the typical timeline for private school admissions? For example, outline a sample timetable of applications, interviews, decisions, etc. Smart City Kids: In general, you will be submitting applications early in September a full year before your child will actually enter school. So, the Spring and Summer before you submit can be used for research and compiling a list of schools that seem like a good fit for your family. Some schools will offer Spring tours or Open Houses, try to attend as many as you can (even if youre not sure youll actually apply to that school) to get an idea of the range of choices available to you. During the Summer, its a good idea to write a couple of draft essays describing your child and outlining what you want in a school and community. In September, you will be submitting applications, which are usually required before you and your child are scheduled for tours and interviews, which take place throughout the Fall and early part of the winter. As you prioritize your school list, submit letters of recommendation if you have them, and at the end of the process let the schools know why you want to attend. Depending on the grade you are applying for, you will receive a decision in February or March, and you will have a period of time to decide which school your child will attend. VT: What is the typical process admissions officers go through to evaluate applications? Smart City Kids: There are many factors to weigh the interview (both child and parent), the essay, reports from the childs current school, test scores if any, recommendations if requested. All of these pieces are put together and discussed in committee with the hope of finding a match for the school, with the Director of Admissions generally having the final say. VT: What are the most important things children need to have represented on their applications? Smart City Kids: Every school is different and sets its own priorities regarding their values and priorities. Ideally, schools like a balance of cognitive strength, social strength and a variety of interests and activities. VT: What are common mistakes parents and/or their children make when applying to these programs? Smart City Kids: Submitting applications without really thinking through whether school is a good match for the child and the family; what is right (or wrong) for your neighbors child might not jibe with the right school for you. Another common mistake is treating a school search as if its a consumer activity like buying a car its good to keep in mind that this is a competitive process, more like a job interview than a buyers market. VT: How should parents go about determining the culture of a private school, and whether it would be a good fit for their children? Smart City Kids: The schools website will provide a clear mission statement, and tours and open houses will usually discuss community and maybe even give you access to current parents. In addition, talk to families you like and trust who have a connection to the school, again keeping in mind that what is right for them may not be right for you. Alumni can be a good source, but remember that a schools culture can change greatly over time. Do a little discreet stalking observe the school at drop-off and/or pick-up time to get an idea of the demographic. Speak to your current school director or an educational advisor. Finally, keep in mind that park bench gossip is unreliable at best. VT: How important are standardized test scores when admissions decisions are being made? Smart City Kids: It really depends on the school (some will put more of an emphasis on scores than others), but its important to keep in mind that all schools are looking at scores as part of a bigger picture, trying to create the most broadly diverse class possible through interviews, essays, school reports, and recommendations, in addition to the testing. VT: What tips do you have in regards to ISEE prep, SSAT prep, and preparation for other standardized assessments that private schools might require? Smart City Kids: Most children will benefit from some form of preparation for the ISEE and SSAT, if only to familiarize themselves with the format and content of the assessments. Keep your childs learning style and study personality in mind some children are sufficiently prepared working on their own with one of the many study guides available, some will benefit from more structured tutoring over a period of time. VT: What are the most important things parents need to have well represented about themselves when meeting with admissions officers? Smart City Kids: You should be able to describe your child in an appealing, well-rounded manner. Keep in mind that no one expects you to be objective, and this is your chance to boast a little, but be realistic about her/his strengths, and make sure any challenges you bring up can be easily spun to a positive, i.e.: Susie can be reserved when you first meet her, but once she is comfortable she is fully engaged and enthusiastic. Be able to articulate what you are looking for in a school, both academically and in terms of community, and make sure your vision is a good match for what the school has to offer. Come prepared with a few well-thought out questions. Your main goal is engagement you want to be the kind of parents the school wants to have in their community. VT: How does networking and having in-school connections affect one's chances of admission? Smart City Kids: While the majority of families entering any school on the first day dont know a soul, having someone who is familiar with and known to the school to speak on your familys behalf can be helpful in bringing attention to your childs application. Choose your references wisely: a lukewarm recommendation from a Board Member might not carry as much weight as a heartfelt one from a relatively new family who is well-liked by the Admissions Office. VT: How can a student best prepare for admissions interviews? Smart City Kids: Do your research on the school, of course, but remember that an interview is not a quiz the schools know who they are; they want to know who you are. Most interviews are conducted like conversations, but be prepared to tell the school about yourself what are your areas of strength? Whats a challenge? What are your interests outside of school? What does your ideal school look like (make sure that your vision matches the schools). Also, come prepared with a few questions related to things that interest you about the school one of the most common questions admissions officers ask are Do you have any questions for me? Dress respectfully for the occasion. Turn your cell phone all the way off. Shake hands and make eye contact. Most importantly: be yourself. Visit SmartCityKids.com for more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Are French and Spanish Similar

Are French and Spanish Similar Is it Easy to Learn Spanish if you Speak French? ChaptersSpanish and French: A Common Latin CultureHow Similar are French and Spanish: The Common VocabularySpanish Expressions Stemming from FrenchThere is a lot that you need to know to become fluent in Spanish quickly, but if you have already taken French classes, then you may find it easier to study the language of Cervantes. There are many reasons for this, but one of the main ones is the fact that French and Spanish are both Latin languages.Learning a foreign language is not an easy exercise, but those students who have already studied French are lucky because Spanish and French have many similarities, particularly with regard to vocabulary (Spanish words, sentence, expression) and grammar ( adverb, written expression, syntax ...)If you studied French at school and want to learn Spanish as a professional, you can assure yourself it will make the task easier.Spanish words can be found in French and vice versa. Understanding and learning are therefore within everyone's reach.In ad dition, Spanish is a phonetic language, that is, it is written as it is pronounced. An asset that will allow you to learn Spanish easily.That and the large communities of Spanish speakers that can be found in cities right throughout the world is probably why Spanish is one of the most taught languages in classrooms around the globe.Don't forget that Spanish is a language that is spoken by 440 million native speakers, as well as being an official language in 20 different countries. What's more,  Spanish is used by many international organisations  in an official capacity such as the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Trade Organisation in their day to day activities.The power of learning Spanish is therefore obvious. But if you are worried that it could be an insurmountable task, then fear not - your French classes from school could help you!Let's take a look at the similarities between Spanish and French.Your Spanish speaking adventure could be a short plane ride away !You have more than likely already met someone who has Spanish or Hispanic heritage in their family. They are often very proud of this face and would like nothing more than to teach you a few Spanish words!Conversations with someone who speaks Spanish could help you to:Learn Spanish easilyProgress quickly and master the subtleties of their languagePractice their language on a daily basis,  Hear and discover things about the hispanic culture.Travel, etc.If you took French classes at school and are looking to tackle Spanish lessons for work reasons, going to somewhere where Spanish is spoken could be a solution for you! And why not find a job where you need both the language skills?We are sure you still have a lot to learn about the Hispanic culture and all its riches, so why don't you have a look at whether you couldn't take Spanish courses online and then plan a little trip to Spain itself to up your chances of landing that job when you come back!There is no fixed answer to how long it takes to learn Spanish, but if you take advantage of all of the possibilities available to you, you will be on the road to learning the language as quick as possible.Find out how you can learn spanish online  or search the web for spanish lessons london!

Ask a Medical School Admissions Expert Dr. Sahil Mehta

Ask a Medical School Admissions Expert Dr. Sahil Mehta Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Having been accepted to three of the top ten medical schools in the country as well as being the founder of a prominent Medical School application consulting service, Dr. Sahil Mehta truly knows all the ins and outs of the Medical School Admissions world. Previously, he has served as an interviewer on admissions committees for both Columbia University and the University of Chicago. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Columbia University and then went on to attend the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Dr. Mehta has helped hundreds of students get into top medical school programs with his expert advice and had plenty to share with us as well. VT: How much time should be set aside to adequately prepare for and complete a Med School application? Sahil: The application itself has many parts. You'll need to write a personal statement, perfect your CV, gather letters of recommendation and your transcripts. While each of these individual steps may not seem to take very long, in total, they can take up a great deal of time. You should plan at least three months ahead of time to start to do all these things. In particular the personal statement can take awhile as can gathering the appropriate letters recommendation. As with everything else you do, putting aside more time and planning ahead will only help you succeed. VT: What is the single most important thing applicants should focus on with this application? Sahil: Without a doubt the two most important things are your MCAT and GPA. As far as the application itself one should really focus on writing a great personal statement that will separate you from the pack. Remember, medical schools are reading thousands of applications, many of which have the similar stats and even similar activities. Its how you present these that will separate you. VT: What are the biggest mistakes one can make on a Med School application? Sahil: Submitting late. Submitting late will be detrimental to your chances at most medical schools. While schools have admissions deadlines that sometimes say December, many will have filled a significant portion of their class by then, if not all of it! You need to get your application in as early as possible and that usually means June. The second mistake that people make more often than they should is coming across as cocky in their personal statement or their application. VT: What do Med School admissions officers look for most in an applicants essays/personal statements? Sahil: They want unique and interesting personal statements. Remember many individual members of an admissions committee are reading hundreds of these a day. If your personal statement is like everybody else's it's going to get the same treatment as everybody else. In order to stand out you should have a unique story. Build your personal statement from the experiences you've had and spin them in a way that is fun and interesting to read. The first few sentences of your essay really can make or break your personal statement and subsequently your entire application. VT: Is there anything on a students application that would automatically disqualify them from being considered for the program? Sahil: Academic dishonesty can easily lead to being disqualified. Additionally things that are huge red flags are multiple withdrawals from classes and a poor letter recommendation. In todays world of admission consultants, a personal statement that appears to be written by somebody else besides you will automatically get you rejected. If you do not have any of these other things but for some reason come across as a cocky and arrogant individual that can automatically disqualify you as well. VT: What about the Med School admissions process differs the most from undergraduate admissions? Sahil: In the medical school admissions process you are competing for one of about 150 spots. In college you're competing for one of 1000 or even more spots. Almost everybody who's qualified will get into college somewhere. That's not the case with medical school. There simply a limited number of seats and many well-qualified people will not get in. Schools want to diversify their class and are not just looking for people with great MCAT and great GPAs but for people with life experience, diversity and who make good team members. All in all you should not be discouraged if you don't get into medical school the first time around. VT: What undergrad majors best prepare one for med school applications? Sahil: There's not one undergraduate major that will prepare you better than another. Certainly a science major can help you through your first two years of medical school, but being a physician is more about communicating with your patients than anything else. Developing those skills can come from any number of majors, not just biology or chemistry. Medical schools will not look down upon particular majors provided that you've done well in the prerequisite classes. VT:Is there anything you might see on a students application that would quickly put them ahead in the running? Sahil: In this day and age where everybody comes in with shadowing, volunteering, and a bit of research work, it is definitely hard to separate yourself. However if you can show that you're passionate about something and have given it your all, that will certainly look better than spreading yourself thin across multiple activities none of which you are actually care about. VT: What advice do you have regarding MCAT test prep? Sahil: The MCAT is a test of subject knowledge but also of endurance and reasoning. The best preparation is to do well in your prerequisite classes. I recommend to students that they buy a few MCAT review books and just sample them as they're going to the classes. That way when they put aside dedicated time to study (2 to 3 months is recommended) they will be reviewing the material for that third and fourth times rather than the first. VT: What do Med School admissions officers look for in recommendation letters? Sahil: Letters of recommendation are always better from people who know you best. Not only are we looking to judge people based on their grades and how they performed in class but deeper than that we want to see that the student is able to develop relationships with their professors. A professor who can talk about activities and perhaps their relationship with the student outside of the classroom as well as how well they performed in the classroom goes along way. It's always best to get these from people who know you best rather than just big names. Check out Dr. Mehtas website, MedSchoolCoach.com, for more information.The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Top Questions Parents Should (and Shouldnt) Ask Private Schools

Top Questions Parents Should (and Shouldn't) Ask Private Schools The following piece was written by Liz Perelstein. Liz has been featured in ourAdmissions Expert seriesand is the Founder of School Choice International. Its hard to believe. The school year has just begun and its time to start applying to private schools that youre considering for 2014. School tours and interviews are happening already, so here are some tips about asking questions when youre visiting. 1.Do your homework. Schools do not want to waste their time or yours with answers to questions that you can find on the internet. 2.Your school visits are a time to find out whether it is right for your child. Rather than thinking about an interview as a test, think of it as a conversation you learn about the school and they learn about your child in a collaborative effort to determine whether there is a good fit. 3.Reflect on your child before you visit a school. You will undoubtedly be asked to describe him or her in terms of personality, academic attitudes, and performance, as well as topics that you cant anticipate. Think in advance about what you want to get across. Show them in addition to telling them. Examples that illustrate your points will bring your child to life. 4.Ask questions to which you genuinely want answers. Dont be concerned that particular questions may jeopardize his or her chances of admission; if your child needs support that the school doesnt provide, you dont want him/her there. 5.Dont try to impress the admissions office. NY area schools are inundated with families who try to impress them. Communicate about your child authentically. Admissions officers are very savvy and can pick up on platitudes a mile away. Schools are looking for families who genuinely care about placing their child in the right environment and who will be a positive addition to the school. 6.Ask for examples. If you want to know how the first grade handles children who are behind or ahead in reading, ask for examples of how children at both ends of the spectrum have been handled so you can get a sense of their ability to meet individual needs. If you want to know how a painfully shy child will be accommodated, dont hesitate to share your concern and ask how they have worked with children like yours in the past. 7.Drill down. If your child is an athlete, dont just ask about the content of the schools athletic program and its facilities. Find out whether the intent of the coach is to win at all costs or whether every child can play on the team. Which matches your child and your philosophy? 8.Limit your questions about college acceptances. You have no way of knowing what determined prior students acceptances. Were parents legacies or donors? Did the class include a large number of student athletes? Previous acceptances reflect more than you see on the surface and will not necessarily apply to your child. Instead, ask about the kind of support you and your child will receive when going through the college process. Besides providing you with information that is more likely to be relevant, it will be refreshing to the admissions team. Think about your childs education as an end in itself rather than a means to an end. If your child is happy at school, does well, and participates fully, s/he will get into a good college. Your childs school years are a once in a lifetime opportunity. Choose a school that will teach him or her to be all s/he can be and the rest will fall into place. VisitSchool Choice Internationalfor more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How to Become a Self Taught Spanish Teacher

How to Become a Self Taught Spanish Teacher Can you teach Spanish without a college degree? ChaptersDo Spanish language tutors have to have a bachelors degree?Become a freelancer or consultant for companiesWhat are the rules for non-qualified Spanish teachers?What’s the typical background of a Spanish tutor who isn’t a qualified teacher?Know how to make the most of your Spanish skills and become a private tutorThe internet, an easy way to win some businessAre you lacking your states teacher certification exam?Maybe you never went to college, and can’t even try to take the certification exam.Nonetheless, whether you’re a student or someone older who’s learned on their own, you’re passionate about the Spanish language and dream of sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm with others.There are several ways for you to teach Spanish, and the easiest is - become a private Spanish tutor! CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool suppor t Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2 ) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDo Spanish language tutors have to have a bachelors degree?Private tutoring services are not regulated by the government, so in order to become a tutor, there’s no strict qualification or formation necessary.Of course, whatever your background, you’ll need to be able to respond to the needs of your students. You’ll need to have definitely mastered written and oral Spanish, and have experience and some skill for teaching in order to effectively help your students achieve their learning goals.Find out what level of Spanish language ability you should have to teach Spanish...No need for a degree or teacher qualification to become a private teacher!Depending on your own experience and expertise, you can decide what level and age or students you are able to help as they try to learn Spanish. You could focus on:Beginners Spanish for young childrenPrivate Spanish tutoring for high school studentsTest prep to help high school students prepare for exams like AP SpanishBeginners Spanish classes for adults interested in learning the language as a hobbySpecific subject focused classes - to improve oral expression, learn to write a letter in Spanish, or work on translation skills…There are plenty of possibilities!In every case, you will need the discipline to prepare your learning skills and program carefully for each students’ needs and goals.Defining set objectives, such as working on vocabulary, pronunciation, or grammar, is an essential step for a tutor to help your students succeed.This is also true for any other foreign language classes you might offer - Chinese, French, German, English as a Second Language (ESL), Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Arabic, Turkish…If you’re feeling uncertain about giving classes without a degree, here's the best pro gram of study to prepare you for a career as a Spanish teacher…Become a freelancer or consultant for companiesHave you always hoped to become a consultant? It’s a very popular career right now.In order to become a consultant however, it’s essential to be an expert in your subject, in this case Spanish, in order to gain business, but there’s no required degree or training in order to start pitching yourself out. It is possible to start teaching Spanish no matter what your education background.You can create your own training company, or offer your services on a freelance basis. In order to work freelance, it is necessary to develop custom training programs that respond to the needs of your clients, and you’ll probably define the company’s goals when first taking on the contract.Many multinational businesses need their employees to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of foreign languages. You could choose to offer courses in Spanish to professionals looking to move to th e next level in their career, with a focus on business and formal language.If you’re bilingual or grew up speaking Spanish at home, you can offer your services to teach business level Spanish skillsIn this case, you’ll need to adapt your lessons to the needs of the business, and test employees to assess their current Spanish vocabulary and ability against the goals of their employer.Have you already worked for a Spanish or Latin American business for several years, and now want to make a sideways career move to teaching Spanish in the US?If you are bilingual in Spanish, you can offer a multitude of Spanish for business courses, to teach about Latin American business culture and practices, as well as the vocabulary and skills necessary to negotiate business deals in Spanish!But if you aren’t bilingual yet, it might be a good idea to sign up for a few Spanish classes online before you start hiring yourself out! You could even consider online teaching jobs as preferable to at hom e classes.Learn how to incorporate technology into your Spanish lessons... CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imole Maths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat are the rules for non-qualified Spanish teachers?Are there any laws or legislation you need to adhere to if you’re a Spanish teacher, but don’t have a degree or teacher certification?  There are several options for you, all of which are easier to obtain then going back to school.Entrepreneur running your own business…The status of entrepreneur and incorporating your own business is one of the easiest ways to go about registering yourself as self employed.Once you’ve registered yourself, you can keep track of all y our expenses, and everything will be nice and clean for your taxes and administrative registration.The advantage is that you’ll be completely independent and able to set the prices for your Spanish courses yourself. You can also run your new business at your own pace and choose to organise your teaching and classes in total freedom.The key bit of admin will be registering yourself as a independent business for tax purposes. You can check the IRS for more details on how to do this and what it makes.Being employed by a private householdIf you’re working with one family at their home exclusively, than you’re actually technically employed by that family.It’s a pretty simple status, your employers will just be needing to deduct social security and medicaid from each paycheck they give you, and declaring and making their own contributions on their taxes at the end of the year.Even if you don’t have a formal work contract which ties you to the family you’re a tutor for, once yo u earn over a certain threshold each year from one employer (usually 2000-4000, but the IRS revises is slightly each year) social security contributions are required for both you and your employer, regardless of the legal status of your work.Find out all you need to know to become a Spanish tutor with this complete guide...Become employed with a tutoring or training companyYou could also apply for a job with some of the many learning centres or training companies that offer tutoring jobs and Spanish language courses.It can be a more secure option because you don’t need to bid for work or advertise your services, just teach the students who are provided to you!You’ll have a formal labour contract, and this type of business will also normally offer professional development and further training in order for you to improve your teaching skills.Different learning centers and tutoring companies will have different employment models, and it’s worth working out what the different opti ons are in your area before signing a contract. Companies will charge different commissions, sometimes as much as 50%, so it’s worth checking to make sure you’re getting the most competitive offer for your language skills.Discover how studying Spanish abroad can help you become a Spanish teacher...It’s worth checking out the possibility of working for a local tutoring or language center as a Spanish teacher.The tutors and teachers employed by these centers often varies widely. Some may be certified teachers with advanced degrees, while others might just be individuals with a passion for sharing their Spanish knowledge, like you!What’s the typical background of a Spanish tutor who isn’t a qualified teacher?Being a Spanish teacher without a professional qualification in no way means that you lack the expertise for the job…On the contrary, you have additional experience to offer your students in addition to teaching them Spanish. You’ll have additional skills to teach Spa nish that others won’t have…Whether you’re offering private tutoring at home or language classes in a tutoring center, every teacher has their own unique background, experiences, and knowledge to share, with one point in common: a perfect mastery of Spanish.College studentsCollege students with a major in Spanish or another language often have an excellent knowledge of the language and can offer a range of tutoring services. Some of these students probably always have the intention of eventually qualifying as teachers and completing a Masters in Education.Taking private courses with students is a good experience that can benefit everyone. Their tutees will benefit from students advanced knowledge of Spanish, and the students will be able to work on their teaching skills, psychology, and pedagogy.Passionate about languages, they know how to motivate their clients to take them on a journey and enjoy their Spanish lessons.Are you a Spanish student? You could give private tutoring lessons before you graduate! Why not try your chance?Student teachersStudents studying to become teachers but who haven’t yet passed their state’s licensing exam or finished a Masters in education may also decide to tutor while completing their studies.These individuals are often motivated by the idea of sharing knowledge and have a lot of the skills and qualities necessary to be an excellent tutor:listening skillspatiencepedagogyThese skills are all a great way to develop a bond with their tutees.They know how to address students’ challenges and can propose different learning methods that correspond to the needs and learning styles of their students, so they can master both written and spoken Spanish.Native Spanish speakerWho better to teach Spanish than a native of Barcelona? It’s not only their native language, but they also have the accent to match…A Spanish professor should do more than just teach Spanish vocabulary and grammar. They should also share their passion f or their country, culture, and history. Having a native Spanish tutor is a great way to learn more about Spain or another Hispanic country.Students hoping to learn to carry on a conversation in Spanish before they go on a trip can boost their conversational Spanish and receive practical advice and knowledge which gives makes them feel like the journey never ends!Many language students in college also offer tutoring services to earn a bit of extra money out of class.The fact that they're a native Spanish speaker can easily do away with any need for them to pass the teacher certification exam in order to become a private tutor.Bilingual Spanish speakersHave you completely mastered the Spanish language after several periods of time in different Hispanic countries?Time spent using Spanish abroad, combined with your professional skills can be a real advantage when you begin offering your services as a Spanish tutor.As well as linguistic skills, you can also offer expertise in another pro fessional domain linked to the use of the Spanish language.Join the discussion: what qualities should a Spanish teacher possess?Know how to make the most of your Spanish skills and become a private tutorIf you don’t have the required degrees and certification to become a Spanish teacher in the public school system, there’s still nothing to stop you from becoming a Spanish tutor. However, it will be necessary for you to find your own students.If order to reassure parents and companies regarding your language skills, learn to make the most of your own background and really sell yourselves.A few backgrounds all give you the necessary experience to teach Spanish:Some kind of school certificate reflecting Spanish language study (a minor in college, the standardized DELE test)A presentation of your personal and professional experiencesA period spent studying or working abroad in a Spanish speaking countryTeaching experienceEach detail counts. If you’ve developed your own teaching me thods and expertise, share them!Also think about explaining the reasons you’ve decided to teach Spanish, and your own skills as a teacher (listening, pedagogy, learning methods, ability to adapt lessons, patience…)You can also find many short courses in order to develop your teaching skills and work on developing your lesson plans.The internet, an easy way to win some businessDo you want to begin pitching yourself out as a private Spanish tutor?You’ll need to do some communications work to find your tutees!Improve your visibility using the internet. There are many different websites like Superprof which offer tutors from a wide range of backgrounds the opportunity to match with students searching for private lessons.If you don’t have a college degree, you may need to adjust your fees to reflect this, but this will only help you be more competitive. The cost of courses is often an important factor for parents when selecting a tutor for their students. And word of mouth will t ake care of the rest!

5 Primary Reasons Students Should Prefer A Virtual Classroom

5 Primary Reasons Students Should Prefer A Virtual Classroom Take into account the kids experience when they first enter a virtual classroom. They have to explore through the classroom, locate the obliged materials, and turn out to be exceptionally energetic. This is to stay aware of the discourses and assignments help. They should have the capacity to feel joined with the class, trust the course will meet their particular scholarly and/or vocation needs, get help when required, and create important associations with their educators. What can obstruct this procedure and decrease the potential for learning is the dependence on composed words as the essential type of correspondence. The classroom can then turn out to be verging on mechanical in nature for students. They debilitate them from being completely drawn in and working towards top execution. 5 Vedic #Math Secrets for Every Student to be a Math Genius http://t.co/MMgHewbMkX pic.twitter.com/RcUK3vAsmf â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) September 21, 2015 5 strategies to help virtual online tutoring to be effective 25% of the teachers perform well beyond the negligible prerequisites, pretty much as I have constantly attempted to as an online tutors. So to surpass the base necessities and make a connection with the environment. While it may appear that these techniques ought to be utilized by all educators. Some like to finish just what is obliged keeping in mind that is worthy it doesnt prompt an ideal learning knowledge. Create virtual Engaging Discussion Posts Most online classes have some type of talks, regularly every week of the class. The necessities for educators for the most part include their response to students and the nature of those posts could conceivably be particularly expressed in their agreement. What an educators exchange reaction can do is to develop what kids have composed. Brief discriminating speculation and a more profound comprehension of the course subjects, and assist kids with interfacing the themes to true circumstances and issues. The test is setting aside an ideal opportunity to specialty reactions that achieve these objectives. It presupposes having the capacity to post something more than a brisk receptive reaction. It is useful to recognize something that every child has composed, and close with a question that prompts their scholarly interest. At the point when a post is substantive and drawing in the dialog with students is liable to proceed. How To Prepare For Your #Math Final #Exam Without Losing Your Sleep http://t.co/DjJbnRge9D pic.twitter.com/lJk9MkY9LA â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) September 16, 2015 3 in 1 role of Teacher, Educator, Facilitator The work of an online teacher has been alluded to by numerous names, including facilitator, instructor, and educator. While some online tutoring lean toward the word facilitator, the work that a teacher performs includes significantly more than encouraging a procedure. An instructor is somebody who can assist students with gaining the important scholarly aptitudes and have the persistence important to manage and guide them. As they work towards change of their formative needs. An online tutor is somebody who comprehends the rudiments of grown-up learning and knows speculations portion that can advise their work. As teachers, the concerns regarding grown-up instructions turn them into an instructor. Some students are contracted as a result of their topic ability. However that not consequently ensure they can be powerful as an educator. At the point when an educator has the capacity to encourage, instruct, and educate, their viability in the classroom gets to be obvious in all parts of their work. Give Feedback That Prompts Reflection Tutors realize that children require more than an evaluation to provoke their advancement and this adjusts to the reason of self-guided grown-up learners. Learners who need to be included in the learning procedure. They need to know why they earned the evaluation. In the event that they utilize grades as their essential wellspring of inspiration. It gets to be critical to show them to concentrate on more than their evaluations. And rather comprehend the significance of those evaluations and what can be found out from it. To this the criticism needs to address the substance of what was composed. Alongside the mechanics, and be done in a way that supports their advancement. What a few educators depend upon, regularly when there is little time accessible, is canned remarks or immediately composed discourse. Input is best when it causes students to wind up further inspired by the points and all the more critically. When they reflect upon their work and scholastic advancement. At the poin t when students are occupied with the input process they will probably be receptive to what their educator gives and gain from it. Top 5 Reasons Why An Online #Math Tutor Is Your Key To Scoring Straight A http://t.co/yaYmGfur3B pic.twitter.com/LrofyWHJCT â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) September 15, 2015 Be Actively Present and Engaged There is a misinterpretation that a teacher cant help students on the off chance that they cant see them. In any case, a teacher can connect the separation crevice and make conditions that are helpful for learning. What Ive realized through my internet showing knowledge, and foundation working with staff, is that students can without much of a stretch separate from the class and in the event that it isnt saw immediately it might be past the point where it is possible to re-draw in them. There are numerous reasons why students separate and it may not be anything but difficult to know precisely why when working in a virtual classroom For instance, when students get to be baffled or lose inspiration they may start to gradually pull back and if a teacher is effectively present they will see the nonattendance of those students. What Ive likewise watched is that understudy execution is frequently straightforwardly affected by the level of engagement of the educator. An educators place is l ikewise social vicinity that constructs a feeling of group among students that serves to keep them drew in and intrigued by the class. Tutor Pace Offering #HighSchool #Math #Tutoring In Just $299.99, 20% #OFF To 1st 50 #Students http://t.co/Nd0pgaMK1l pic.twitter.com/2fSOZd24Y1 â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) August 6, 2015 Create Effective Communication Techniques The essential type of correspondence in an online classroom comprises of composed posts and messages. Associations and connections in a virtual class are additionally based upon composed words. A test that this presents is that messages and presents are then subject on elucidation, alongside an apparent tone and aim of the message posted. While composed words are not the best system for correspondence it is still feasible for students to add to an observation about the teachers attitude towards helping them.

Back to Basics Review Present Simple and Modals

Back to Basics Review Present Simple and Modals I dont know if youve heard, but a has started, and its amazing.  So, in the spirit of great David Attenborough documentaries, our listening exercise today is a clip from another one of his  incredible  shows-Africa.  Before we watch the clip and complete the exercises, lets review some basic grammar concepts: present simple and modal verbs.  Sometimes, when youre  learning a language and improving a lot (thanks to our talented LOI instructors!), its important  to make sure you  have a solid base.  Even advanced students need reminders about these conjugations at times.  As always, we love to hear from you, so write your answers in the comments section below!Present SimpleForm: (I/You/We/They) + (verb)     (He/She/It) + (verb)srepeated actions (hobbies, habits, daily events)  facts, generalizations  events in near futurenow (non-continuous verbs: be, have, need, want, like, hate, and more.)Practice:He (is not needing/does not need) help right now.My flight (leave/leaves) tomorr ow at 11:00.New York (are/is) a big city.I (wake/wakes) up at 7:00 each day.I (is/am) at your apartment now.Click here for more present tense conjugation practice.Modal Verbs:Form: (Subject) + (modal) + (base verb)Uses:Practice:You (could to be/could be) right.He (couldnt find/couldnt found) his car keys.Could (you gives/you give) me a ride to school?She  (cans watch/can watch) the game tonight.They (must to go/must go) to the repair shop.He (doesnt must go/must not go).The Drongo __  the Kalaharis greatest _________, and these ___ his victims.After warming  up in the morning sun, the meerkats _____  their search for breakfast.The Drongo ___ now _____ his tricks, but he _____ first ___ the confidence  of his victims.He _____ an eagle on the hunt and ______ a warning, one that _____ the meerkats gratefully scurrying to safety.Now, he ___ their trust.He ______ another warning, but this time, ___ a false alarm.The meerkats fell  for it.  The idiom, to fall for means to believe somethi ng without reservation.  Do you often fall for someones tricks?How is  the Drongo a trickster?This all _____ too easy.  He _____ the same trick again.The meerkats arent stupid.  Theyll only ____ for it once.No meerkat ___ _______ that.  Sentries never ___.  But, the sentry ____ no danger.Of course, ___ the Drongo.Now, he ___ _____ his prize.timelines source

Navigating the College Admissions Process

Navigating the College Admissions Process Improving Academic Performance One of the things I learned when applying to both undergraduate and graduate programs is that it’s not enough to simply strive for good grades and a good test score. Sure, the entire college application process is very competitive, so you should aim for the best possible grades and highest possible tests scores, not just something that’s above average. But, that’s not what I mean exactly. What I mean is that each school has a different approach to admissions and different criteria against which you’ll be judged. Each school is looking for a different “story” that aligns with their culture and admissions standards. For example, my college application had a well-rounded list of activities, three varsity sports, AP and Honors classes, a good GPA and a very good ACT score. However, I was only admitted to two of the five large, but highly selective, state schools to which I applied. What happened? Well, it turns out that large state schools tend to have a very simple sliding scale of GPA vs. test score they use to grant admission. My GPA, while above average, was pretty low for the schools to which I applied. For a highly selective state school to admit me, I would have needed an extremely high ACT or SAT score. While these schools do require application essays, etc. â€" they tend to place less weight on those. However, I learned later that many highly selective smaller private schools don’t have quite the same process, and my overall application may have better suited those schools. At these schools, your essays are ready very carefully, and more weight might be placed on the extracurricular activities you engaged in during high school. The lesson is that it’s important to begin thinking about where you want to go to school early, and then structure your high school experience so that it aligns with what those schools look for. In addition, when it comes to writing essays, it’s important to communicate your personal “story” effectively based on the culture of the school to which you’re applying. While MyGuru chooses to focus on 1-1 tutoring, we do partner with companies that can help you think through these issues and write excellent essays. One such company is called Accepted.com If you check out their web-site and think you might want to work with them or purchase one of their e-books on the college application process, let us know. They’ve agreed to offer MyGuru students exclusive discounts and benefits. To review other products, partners, and solutions we are currently working with, visit ourtools and resources page.