Wednesday, March 25, 2020

How to Prepare For the AP Chemistry Test for 2020

How to Prepare For the AP Chemistry Test for 2020For this year's AP Chemistry test, you may be wondering how to prepare for it. You will need to do your best to ensure that you do well in this course, especially since it is a major requirement for many careers. There are some things that you can do to ensure that you score a high score.It is important to have a good attitude when taking the test. You will find that this course requires a great deal of critical thinking and the ability to follow a large number of complex instructions. You should avoid doing anything that will distract you from focusing on these skills. What you should focus on is making sure that you are able to think about all of the material while studying. This will ensure that you have enough time to go over all of the instructions and understand them.You will also want to make sure that you use study guides when going over your exam papers. You can find a lot of them online, but be sure to check that they are act ually approved by the Board of Examiners for Assessment of Education, or BEA. If they are not, you will want to get rid of them and get a new one.You will need to make sure that you take your test as soon as possible. Once you know what questions are going to be on the test, you will want to study for them in order to have an advantage. Doing this will mean that you can come up with a strategy that will allow you to not only pass the test, but do so in the fastest time possible.This is why it is important to start preparing for your test as soon as possible. Make sure that you spend time studying for it, and plan ahead. Plan what you will need to do in order to keep yourself occupied during the test. Knowing the answers to your problems will give you the advantage over those who don't. This will give you more opportunities to come up with a strategy that will give you the edge.To ensure that you have the best possible chance at scoring a high score on the test, you will want to be p repared. You should do your best to take the test early, so that you can enjoy it as much as possible. Do what you can to ensure that you take as much time as possible to study, so that you will have the most prepared possible.These are just a few tips that you will want to consider when taking the AP Chemistry test for 2020. There are a lot of other things that you can do in order to ensure that you score a high score.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Helping Your Child Learn to Read

Helping Your Child Learn to Read There is probably no more important activity for preparing your child to succeed as a reader than reading aloud together. Fill your story times with a variety of books. Be consistent, be patient, and watch the magic work. Even after children learn to read by themselves, its still important for you to read aloud together. By reading stories that are on their interest level, but beyond their reading level, you can stretch young readers understanding and motivate them to improve their skills. Advertise The Joy of Reading! Our goal is to motivate children to want to read so they will practice reading independently and, thus, become fluent readers. That happens when children enjoy reading. We parents can do for reading what fast food chains do for hamburgers...advertise! And we advertise by reading great stories and poems to children. We can help our children find the tools they need to succeed in life. Having access to information through the printed word is an absolute necessity. Knowledge is power and books are full of it. But reading is more than just a practical tool.Through books we can enrich our minds; we can also relax and enjoy some precious leisure moments. With your help, your children can begin a lifelong relationship with the printed word, so they grow into adults who read easily and frequently whether for business, knowledge, or pleasure. Remember When You Were Very Young Between the ages of 4 and 7, many children begin to recognize words on a page. In our society this may begin with recognition of a logo for a fast food chain or the brand name of a favorite cereal. But, before long, that special moment when a child holds a book and starts to decode the mystery of written words is likely to occur. You can help remove part of the mystery without worrying about a lot of theory. Just read the stories and poems and let them work their wonders. There is no better way to prepare your child for that moment when reading starts to click, even if its years down the road. It will help, however, if we open our eyes to some things adult readers tend to take for granted. Its easier to be patient when we remember how much children do not know. Here are a few concepts we adults know so well we forget sometimes we ever learned them. Theres a difference between words and pictures. Point to the print as you read aloud. Words on a page have meaning, and that is what we learn to read. Words go across the page from left to right. Follow with your finger as you read Words on a paper are made up of letters and are separated by a space. Each letter has at least two forms: one for capital letters and one for small letters. Imagine how you would feel if you were trying to interpret a book full of hieroglyphics.Thats how young readers feel. But, a little patience - maybe by turning it into a puzzle you can solve together - is certain to build confidence. Home is Where the Heart Is Its no secret that activities at home are an important supplement to the classroom, but theres more to it than that.There are things that parents can give children at home that the classrooms cannot give. Children who are read to, grow to love books. Over the years, these children will have good memories to treasure.They remember stories that made them laugh and stories that made them cry.They remember sharing these times with someone they love, and they anticipate with joy the time when they will be able to read for themselves. By reading aloud together, by being examples, and by doing other activities, parents are in a unique position to help children enjoy reading and see the value of it.

Like Mom Always Says, Safety First

Like Mom Always Says, Safety First Photo by west.m via Flickr.com People are beginning to put their whole life on these social media sites and not thinking about who is actually reading these boards and what they are or can do with this information. Think about it, as I sit here right now typing this I have one tab open for Facebook and another tab open for Twitter. Just by browsing through them I can see all kinds of “check-ins” about where people are at and who they are with, and if that wasn’t enough, it also shows on viewers a map on how to get there. While it may be fun to check-in with all the people you are hanging out with at times it can be dangerous. What if you and your roommates are all going out of town for the weekend and you just let the whole world know via a status or a tweet? Now your apartment, house, or dorm room is free and clear for the taking. Not even just check-ins, but the most dangerous thing about not being smart on social media sites are all the pictures after pictures uploaded. Each picture showing a different aspect of your life, or of someone else’s life, and while some maybe cute pictures of you and your little sister or posing with your friends, others can get very dangerous and even incriminating. People may think that it’s cool to post all kinds of pictures of themselves at the bar or tailgates drinking, but what most people don’t realize that once you put something on the internet it is there forever. You can delete all you want but with intent archives posts and pictures from as far back as you can remember are still stored out there. And with this ever coming popularity of social media, many business now use social media background checks along with other factors in deciding on whether or not you will get the job. So all the comments, updates, tweets, and pictures that you have uploaded can still be f ound out there for all to see. Photo by philcampbell via Flickr.com So what about the new types of social media that can be accessed from your smartphone via apps like Instagram or Viddy. Well, they may fall into the gray area about finding all the pictures and videos you post over the Internet but you have to remember that technology is ever changing. I mean just look at the recent purchase of Instagram by Facebook for one billion dollars. All the photos that were once safe from the Internet will soon if they haven’t already obtain a faster upload rate to Facebook instantly. Don’t mention the fact that there are already options on these sites to have a direct upload to several other social media networks. So just think about things before you put them out for the whole world to see. Just because you think something is funny doesn’t mean that it should be up for the whole world to view. And if it’s not something that you would feel comfortable seeing on a big screen projector while sitting in a room full of your peers or if you wouldn’t mind your grandparents seeing it, then why would you want the rest of the world, including your future employee seeing it?

Thursday, March 5, 2020

8 Qualities of a Great Tutor

8 Qualities of a Great Tutor What are the qualities of a great tutor?1. ApproachableA great tutor shouldn't be too intimidating to a student. They should be someone who they can open up to. A great tutor should be friendly and compassionate, and he or she should put people at ease. When a student feels comfortable around you they are going to accept your help and advice more readily, and thus they will improve more quickly. 2. SkillA great tutor should be a good student; that’s pretty obvious. They should have a good GPA, perform well in their courses, and should have a really strong set of study skills. However, they should also have a solid ability to teach. Not every straight-A student makes a good teacher, because they are not able to pass their understanding of a subject on to someone else. A great tutor should have the skills to learn the material, but it is just as important for them to be able to impart that knowledge onto others. 3. SupportiveThey’re your coach. Tutors are there to cheer you on and support you. They are happy when his or her student is succeeding. They are also not afraid to be too good. A great tutor’s goal should always be to give a student the skills to no longer need tutoring, and to be able to do the work on their own. A tutor should also be someone the student feels like they can go to if they have any issues at school, because he or she knows that the tutor has their back.4. AdaptableNot everyone learns the same way. A tutor must be able to see things from another perspective, and be able to come up with new approaches to teaching material if a student just isn't getting it. A great tutor will be a problem-solver, constantly coming up with new instructing methods and solutions to different difficulties. 5. PersistenceA great tutor has to be determined to get the student to his or her goals. If the student is struggling, the tutor should always be the one pushing for them to keep trying. If a student feels that you will give up on them, they will want to give up on themselves. The tutor should not be afraid to be tough if it means keeping the student on track. Some students will need an extra push, and seeing you put in extra effort will encourage them to do the same. 6. PatienceA great tutor is not easily frustrated. They must practice patience with their students and always be understanding that not everyone catches on to certain material quickly. In fact, it is most important to stay patient with the student if the he is already frustrated with himself. Keeping calm when the student is stressed will help them feel supported even when they are struggling.7. They've experienced failure.Failing at something builds character, and even maturity. Failing at something isn't what defines a person, but how they manage to get back up afterwards. A tutor needs to lead their student by example, and having been through a time where they had difficulty in learning something new is an important part of connecting with and relating to one’s clients. 8. IntegrityA tutor should be a leader and should uphold the values of the organization they represent, as well as an upstanding student. A tutor should enforce academic integrity in all of their own and their students’ pursuits, and as well put an emphasis on a good work ethic when interacting with their students. 9. PassionA great teacher genuinely enjoys teaching; a great tutor should be the same way. The job of a really involved tutor is a tough oneâ€"you are a teacher, a mentor, a coach, a friendâ€"and it can get pretty tiring sometimes. A tutor has to have the passion to keep going even on tough days, because they really want to make a difference in their student’s lives.

4 Hacks for Learning a Language Through Immersion Without Breaking the Bank

4 Hacks for Learning a Language Through Immersion Without Breaking the Bank Complete language immersion is within your grasp.Thats right.You have the ability to  learn a language  by being immersed in it, whenever and wherever you want.Whether or not youre in college, or going to college anytime soon.Whether or not you can afford to go abroad.In either or both of the above scenarios, youd get to learn a lot,  meet new people  and oftenpay a lot of money.We might wish that we could go on being college students forever, but the sheer amount of time  and money  needed probably means this isnt going to happen.Similarly, a long stay  in a foreign country to learn a new language is out of the question for many.There are ways to work (literally) around the costs, but we may have jobs, families or other obligations that require us to stay put for the time being.But thats okay.As Scott Young demonstrated at TEDx  when he challenged himself to learn the whole MIT curriculum for computer science without actually enrolling, you dont necessarily have to go to a specific place to get a quality education.Believe it or not, the same idea applies to language learning.If language immersion in a foreign land is what youre seeking, but you just cant seem to make it there, never fear!If, on the other hand, youre already in a foreign land or enrolled in a course to learn your desired language, you can still benefit from what Im about to tell you.Either way, you have everything you need right where you are.So stay where you are, and read on. What Is Language Immersion, Exactly?Im sure weve all heard the term thrown around quite a bit and are familiar with it, but its popular meaning has changed quite a bit from its original meaning.While you might think of language immersion as actually living in a country where they speak the language youre learning, the term was actually originally intended to describe classrooms where the target language (the language being learned) was used exclusively.Thats right.Language immersion from the very beginning has been abo ut learning a language outside of its spoken areas.  Lets focus on that for a minute, because its really important. Language immersion is just using the language you want to learn all the time.Somehow, weve come to think of living in a foreign country as some sort of mystical experience, whereby the language will creep into our brains and slowly grow itself, like some sort of beneficial tapeworm.First of all, gross.Secondly, the truth is that to learn a language you just have to practice. And immersion, whether at home or abroad, is one way to do a lot of that quickly.The 10,000-hour RuleYou may already be familiar with the 10,000-hour rule popularized by Malcolm Gladwell. Its come under a lot of flak lately, but the research on neither side is definitive, so I think it still serves as a handy guideline.Basically, the rule says that if you study something intensively for 10,000 hours, youll have a good shot at being a pro. Language is no different. Study for 10,000 hours, no matter where youre living, and youll be at the top of the heap.But never forget that these 10,000 hours have to be  focused.  If its not difficult, youre probably not learning. Watching 10,000 hours of anime with the subtitles turned on has, I think its safe to say, produced no masters of Japanese listening skills.This is why you should carefully form a detailed plan, allocating a certain number of hours each day to the four main skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing.Some time should also be set aside just for nailing down grammar and vocab.While everyone wants to emphasize different things in their learning, its a good idea to be well-rounded. Working on one skill set will reinforce what youve learned in another.But what should you actually do? And how can you really achieve total immersion?Read on.4 Hacks for Learning a Language Through Immersion Without Breaking the Bank1. Technology: Its changed everythingWell sure, you might say. That sounds great, but language is a differe nt kind of knowledge. You have to speak to people and most of the people you need to speak to live far, far away.And yes, many of them will most likely live far, far away from you. But thats starting to matter less and less.Common pieces of technology that you use every day can be repurposed for language learning.For example, your iPod or iPhone can easily be converted into a handy listening immersion tool. All you have to do is take a movie or television series and convert it into an audio file.Then, when youre out walking around, turn on the file and disappear into a world of foreign sounds.  Continually finding new files and converting them might be a bit time-consuming, but its worth it to have your surroundings take on the tones of a distant language.And if youd rather skip the hassle of compiling appropriate material and get right to learning, you always have the option of using  FluentU,  an online immersion platform that caters to all levels of learners and now offers an app you can download from  the  iTunes  or  Google Play  store.FluentU takes real-world videos created by and intended for native speakersâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.Speaking is probably the hardest skill to practice when youre not living in a country where the language you want to learn is spoken, but by having online language partners it suddenly becomes possible to get speaking practice anywhere and at any time.If youre looking to connect with native speakers,  theres a long list of websites that now offer language exchanges online.Some websites, like Livemocha, will even help your language exchange along by offering guided conversations.There are similar platforms for writing. Take Lang-8,  for instance. Here you can submit a piece of your writing in whatever language you like and have it corrected by a native speaker. All you have to do in return is correct someone elses writing in a la nguage you speak.2. Letting the people come to youGlobalization. For better or worse, it seems like its here to stay. For language learners, this is undoubtedly a blessing.In both the USA and the UK,  there are significant pockets of recent immigrants and long-established ethnic communities that continue to speak a foreign language.Of course, some languages will be easier to find than others. Obviously, if you live in the United States and you want to speak Spanish, the odds are pretty good that you can find someone to speak with.But dont rule out the less common languages! Im currently living in Prague in the Czech Republic, but Ive managed to meet dozens of Japanese people.Oftentimes, you just need to meet one speaker of the language youre learning and theyll connect you to a whole community of speakers of that language.One of the easiest ways to find these groups, if youre not already in the know about a local ethnic community, is to go looking for local foundations or cultural c enters.For example, for Japanese theres the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center as well as the Japan Foundation operating inside the USA.Others examples include the National Hispanic Cultural Center, the Goethe Institut  and the Korea Foundation.While youre at it, be sure to hit up your local universities for any cultural clubs or international exchange programs they might run. If you can speak their language at all, study abroad students will happily befriend you and help you out in exchange for help with their English.3. Your very own immersion mindsetIf you have the right mindset, you can live anywhere and learn a language.If you have the wrong mindset, even living in the deep Siberian wilderness surrounded by country folk whove never heard a word of English wont help you learn Russian.Many an expat has lived years outside of their home country without learning much more than Hello and Thank you in the language of their new country, relying solely on English or a nati ve spouse to translate for them.So if that mindset is what we want to avoid, what mindset  should we have?Well, we should start with a no English language pledge.This is famously used by the Middlebury College immersion program, but its something you can do by yourself. If you work or have one of many other legit reasons for being unable to spend all day every day avoiding English, then choose clear goals that are challenging but not impossible to accomplish, like setting aside four hours each day to read, write, speak listen and even think in another language.Dont forget the last item on that list.Being able to internalize a foreign language  is incredibly important to learning languages and learning them well.If you want to have an immersion mindset, then naturally that mindset should be in your new language.4. Letting the immersion come to you  If you do want to go all out and have the classical immersion experience but still cant quite find a way to make it abroad, there are num erous language immersion programs that can be found throughout the U.S. and elsewhere.While many of these immersion programs are intended for younger learners, there are also some for adults.The program at Middlebury College in Vermont, already mentioned above, is particularly well-known and has a long track record of having students take a no English pledge for their time at the school.You can also check out your local universities to see if they have any public immersion classes up for offer.This type of classical immersion experience would undoubtedly be beneficial for any language learner.But remember, if you put in the effort, you can flip your everyday life inside out, leaving English safely tucked away for only when its really needed.All you need is motivation, a computer, some adventurous friends and a new way of thinking. And One More ThingWeve already mentioned FluentU, but theres a lot more to see, so we thought wed offer you a more detailed look.With FluentU, you learn r eal languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, including movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive Transcripts You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.

How to revise for chemistry GCSE

How to revise for chemistry GCSE GCSE chemistry revision challenges you in several ways. Aside from having to memorise facts spanning the whole specification, you also need to know your chemistry formulae. As a result, it's hard to know where to start. Here's what you need to know. Start revision early With a subject as broad as chemistry, you need to start your revision earlier in the year, compared to other subjects. This then allows you to break the core topics down into digestible chunks and study them little and often. This method ensures better memory retention and recall. At the same time, stay engaged in your lessons right until your exams. Ask questions, and be honest about your knowledge gaps so your teacher can help you fill them. Identify what you need to know Before you start your revision look at the specification for your examining board and ensure you know what exam papers you have and the exact chemistry topics that will be covered. This will help you to identify what you need to know, and what you don't need. If you're confused in any way, see your Chemistry teacher for confirmation of the core areas. Work out where you are right now Next, looking at the specification work out and highlight everything into three zones: Green indicates what you know and understand. Orange indicates what you vaguely know but aren't sure about. Red indicates what you don't know, and or don't understand. This colour-coded key will help you to see where to focus your revision and where to seek help. Always start with the topics in the red zone as this is the area that will help improve your grade. If you have large knowledge and understanding gaps seek the help of a chemistry tutor who can work with you to catch up. Change up your revision tactics For ideas on how to revise do check out our blog post on How to revise for GCSE science - for general tips and advice. Alongside this, find yourself a chemistry revision partner. Explaining what you have learned to a peer is the best way to work out what you know and understand. It also has the added benefit of someone being able to add ideas that you may not have considered. Work on past papers You will hear this piece of advice a lot. However, it's vital to look at past papers at the right time. Trying them without revising or before you have started your revision is demoralising. Factor them into your revision, but only when your revision is in full swing, and you are ready to test yourself. Ask for help Chemistry involves a lot of concepts, which are essential for you to understand before you apply the information to your exam questions. So, if there are any chemistry topics you don't understand, don't be afraid to ask your teacher or a tutor and bring it up in class. Look here for a chemistry tutor in your area.

What Does a US History Teacher Does?

What Does a US History Teacher Does?Are you ready to get a good education and make your career in a good and credible career in the United States history, and if so, then you may need some online information and guidance for your future. With the help of the internet and the knowledge you have now, you can use it to your advantage and start your education on the right track. There are many websites that offer learning resources and tips for those students who are ready to start their life as a professional historian.When you go for the online courses, you are definitely going to get the guidance and the instruction you are looking for. Students can also get the advice from the tutors while completing the course. The courses are so much in demand that some colleges even offer free tuition to the students who can afford it. But, this is only for those students who can afford the fee.If you want to become a history tutor in the United States, the best way to do it is to apply online. Th e process for getting the certificate from the American History Standards Institute is quite simple.The exam for the history teacher's certificate is an open-book exam that the candidates have to take and pass in order to be certified as a history teacher. This certificate is the official certification to the teaching profession. So, the exam will be easy if you are prepared with all the knowledge you will need for the exam.There are many other certification in the education business as well, like the Master's degree. You can find it if you search for it on the internet. Some schools also offer the BA in the United States history in order to prepare more individuals for the more specialized jobs and also to provide more opportunities to the students.As we all know, the United States has so much to teach for humanity as a whole. The books of the people in the United States history are great examples and references for the rest of the world, as we all know the strong history of our co untry, and these are the reasons why the United States history teacher is so important.In conclusion, the United States history teacher is also considered a vital aspect of the United States culture and the history of the people of the United States. So, it is very important to get the certificate to prove you are a genuine teacher. So, you need to visit the websites that offer the certificate.