Friday, March 6, 2020

The best way to ascertain when a College student desires More Tutoring

The best way to ascertain when a College student desires More Tutoring 0SHARESShare When a student comes out of their K-12 grade education requires some core understanding on the subjects.   Today, lot of college students needs additional assistance with diverse learning needs. Math and science are the subjects that require some extra tutoring with extra practice work. The harsh reality for school and school teachers is that they could not provide personal assistance to each of their students. At this point of time, one needs to identify student’s requirements to get additional tutoring either inside or outside the classroom. But the question is when does the student require more tutoring? It is the time when the student suddenly starts performing low in the college test. They start avoiding attending college regularly due to lack of interest in the subjects. One of the reasons to seek additional help is when student fail to fulfill gaps in understanding the topic. The reasons for getting more tutoring and assistance can be anything that has affected their academic rankings. Each student has some sort of academic history that describes their potential learning difficulties. Use data-driven approach to ascertain the need of tutoring. Use prior academic history like grades, student assessment data to determine the subjects in which they are weak. Seek recommendations from your school teacher that could help deciding tutoring in particular subjects. In addition, follow the progress monitoring assessment to determine specific learning needs for specific units of study. Often, free online tutors take pre-assessment or mini-assessments before they enroll the students for tutoring. It could help parents to plan well in advance and prepare for the class well in advance. Chemistry tutoring is the area which improves the fundamentals of organic and inorganic chemistry. Physics Tutoring is another most subject that helps student to learn theory and numerical. These are the two science subjects that can really enhance your academic grades [starbox id=admin]

4 Things to Know About the Common App

4 Things to Know About the Common App The Common App is an extremely convenient way to apply to multiple colleges without having to re-enter the same info multiple times through different portals. Hundreds of American universities require prospective students to submit an application through the Common App website, or at least have it available as an option. Before you eagerly get started, however, keep in mind these four important things to know about the Common App: 1. You may be eligible for a fee waiver Aspiring college students should know that the Common App website itself is free to use; what students end up paying is the application fee(s) for the individual college(s) to which they apply. Keep in mind that the application fees are likely to vary from school to school. [RELATED: What to Know About Choosing a College Application Platform] However, you may be eligible for a fee waiver, which would allow you to apply to colleges at no cost. Generally, fee waivers are reserved for lower-income students who meet eligibility requirements established by the College Board or NACAC. Be sure to select the fee waiver option if you plan on choosing this method. If you are unsure whether this option applies to you, speak with your high school admissions counselor. Also, be aware that checking the fee waiver option alone does not guarantee that your application will be viewed by a school; you must prove you are eligible to receive it. 2. Word counts should be abided by Since submitting essays on the Common App is a matter of merely uploading a document, some students may think that the word count is irrelevant. Students may think it will go unnoticed if they write an essay that exceeds the word count; but in fact, disobeying the word count is always ill-advised. College admissions officers will likely take notice, and it would probably not be beneficial to your applications status. Failure to follow directions can suggest that a student is careless or defiant. Be aware that word counts are established for a reason. One of the reasons is to reduce the volume of paperwork that admissions counselors must review for each application. When you are a college official who has to sort through thousands of applications, an extra paragraph makes a difference. In the end, this saves valuable time for admissions staff to be able to devote fairattention to all applications they receive. Students should be mindful and respectful of this, as well as of other applicants who are indeed abiding by these rules, and stay within the allotted word count. [RELATED: Common App vs. Universal College App: Which Should You Use?] 3. The preview feature is a helpful tool The preview feature allows you to look over your completed application before you submit it once and for all. This is a wonderful way to catch any silly mistakes or typos, and it will show you the near-to-exact way your application will appear to colleges. It is often best, though, to rest your eyes for awhile before giving your application that final glance; the eyes tend to get tired and skip over details that may better grab your attention at a later time. Come back to your application anywhere from a few hours to a day later, and then hit the submit button only once you are completely satisfied. 4. Dont wait until the last minute Between homework, studying, touring campuses, and everything else you have on your agenda, you may find yourself procrastinating with your college applications. It will be tempting to wait until the last few days, or even the last few hours, before a deadline to submit your application. If possible, make an effort to have your application completely filled out, along with all supplements and essays, at least five days prior to the deadline. This will give you time to compensate for any potential curveballs that are thrown your way. These are just a handful of tips you should know about the Common App. Feel free to consult the Common Apps Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about it, or do a little more of your own research on the side. Best of luck with your admissions endeavors! 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.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Embrace Mental Math Throughout Everyday Life

Embrace Mental Math Throughout Everyday Life Improving Academic Performance “I would like to make a case for raising the importance of mental math as a major component in students’ tool kits of mathematical knowledge. Mental math is often associated with the ability to do computations quickly, but in its broadest sense, mental math also involves conceptual understanding and problem solving.” -Cathy Seeley, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics President 2004-2006 Every standardized test you’ll have to take has a mathematics component: the ACT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, etc. Of course, in high school and college, there are almost always core math classes everyone must take. And even if you’re the quintessential “English” person, and as a result desire to become to an English teacher and forget about math forever, most states require that you pass a basic skills test, and that has a mathematics section. MyGuru has seen its fair share of highly stressed out prospective teachers who are having trouble passing the mathematics portion of Illinois Test of Basic Skills for prospective teachers. So, in the broadest sense, if you desire to improve your academic performance, achieve higher grades and test scores, and get admitted into better high school, colleges, universities, and graduate schools, the more advanced your math skills, the better. That’s probably obvious. Beyond school, as you’re making small purchases and considering the attractiveness of two different coupons, considering a large financial decision, or any number of other daily tasks, it’s impossible to get away from mathematics. I have always considered myself “OK” at mathematics, in the sense that I’ve done every well in math courses and “OK” on standardized tests, but have never felt comfortable in real-life, working with numbers to calculate a tip or the price per square foot of a condo (for example). That’s just me. But, I’ve worked to get more comfortable. It turns out that one easy way to build your overall math skill set is simply to embrace mental math skills in everyday life. I find the above statement intuitive based purely on my own experiences, but scientific research has been done which shows that, in fact, employing mental math skills when completing simple arithmetic engages the brain in such a way that it is more likely and/or easier to build more advanced mathematics skills over time. Put more simply, every time you decide to add 12+66 or calculate 20% of 35 in your head instead of plopping the data into a calculator, you are increasing your chances of understanding more complex mathematics and ultimately scoring higher on standardized math tests in the future. “These data reveal that the relative engagement of brain mechanisms associated with procedural versus memory-based calculation of single-digit arithmetic problems is related to high school level mathematical competence, highlighting the fundamental role that mental arithmetic fluency plays in the acquisition of higher-level mathematical competence.” Why Mental Arithmetic Counts: Brain Activation during Single Digit Arithmetic Predicts High School Math Scores Gavin R. Price,1 Michèle M. M. Mazzocco,2,3 and Daniel Ansari, The Journal of Neuroscience, January 2nd, 2013 What could this mean? Instead of shying away from calculating the tip at a restaurant, or figuring out exactly how much you’ll save by using that 15% coupon, choose to consistently engage and do this type of math in your head. If you’re looking at a clock, pick two numbers, and then add, subtract, multiply, and divide them. Do this type of thing once a day for 30 days, and you’ll be surprised how much more comfortable with numbers you become. You are slowly building your math skills, paving the way for more advanced skills and general comfort and confidence with math. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, 'f08a3c58-464f-4164-a82e-313b7951bbb2', {});

Learning These Words Can Help YOU! - Private Tutoring

Learning These Words Can Help YOU! BobbiM May 6, 2014 Have you ever read a book in which the vocabulary was so elevated you could barely understand what was going on?  I have and I wanted to quit on the second page.  Learn these words and that is less likely to happen. Dearth; n. A scarcity or lack of supply. During the war, there was a dearth of food storage. Diminutive; adj. Very small; tiny. (Diminutive is occasionally used as a noun. It refers to anything that is small or the name given to suffixes on words that indicate smallness. For example, the suffix let is a diminutive. When it is added to a noun, it indicates a smaller version of that noun, such as a booklet or starlet.) She is a diminutive baby, weighing only 4 pounds. Infinitesimal; adj. Immeasurably or incalculably small. I never thought wed be able to study the infinitesimal nucleus of an atom, but with new technology, we can. Insignificant; adj. Of little importance or power. My problems seem insignificant when compared to others. Small and not important. The scratch on the paint was insignificant and the owner of the house didnt make us repaint it. Lilliputian; n, adj. Noun: A very tiny person or thing. Compared to the tall basketball player, the children were Lilliputians. Adjective: Small or trivial in size. The Lilliputian house was perfect for the small family. Not important; petty. The discussion was Lilliputian in the midst of the emergency. Meager; adj. Scarce in quantity or extent; in short supply. After camping for two weeks, we had a meager supply of food. Deficient in richness or fertility. The soil was meager and so the crops barely grew. Minuscule; adj, n. Adjective: Extremely tiny; very small. She used a minuscule amount of frosting on the cake so as to not overpower the people who ate it. Noun: Small, ancient, cursive script. The minuscule writing was hard for me to read. Lowercase letters. A term for lowercase letters is minuscule. Minute; adj. Exceptionally small or insignificant. The way he looked at me seemed minute but my friends told me it was significant. Characterized by precise and close scrutiny. I did a minute inspection to make sure they had cleaned properly. Mite; n. A very small sum of money. To a widow, a mite may seem like unto a large sum of money to others who have more. A very small creature or object. The small child was a mite compared to the big football players. Negligible; adj. Not considered important enough to be worth bothering about; insignificant. The problem was negligible to me, but to the woman next to me it seemed to be important enough for her to cry about. Scintilla; n. A minute amount; barely a suggestion; just an inkling or a spark. For a moment I had a scintilla of hope that he loved me, but then I came back to reality. Trifling; adj. Of trivial or nonsensical importance; not important and easily dismissed. His trifling plan was impossible to make a reality. Trivial; adj. Of little significance or importance; concerned with trivia or inconsequential information; commonplace. I know many trivial facts but I blank on the important ones. Ample; adj. Of a large or great size; fully significant, even more than enough. There is an ample amount of love for you here. Behemoth; n. Something that is enormous in size and/or power. The giant was a behemoth that terrorized all the towns nearby. Colossal; adj. So enormous or gigantic that it seems to defy belief. The colossal monument blew me away. Copious; adj. Containing or yielding plenty; bountiful in amount or manner. I have a copious amount of corn from the harvest. Gargantuan; adj. Of enormous size, quantity, or volume or capacity. I thought Id never climb the gargantuan cliff leading to the path. Humongous; adj. Gigantic or extremely oversized. I was so hungry I ate the humongous pizza. Immeasurable; adj. So vast or limitless in size that measurement is not possible. My love for him is immeasurable. Incalculable; adj. Impossible or too great to be calculated or resolved. Incalculable damage came after the hurricane. Infinite; adj. immeasurably great or large; having no limits or boundaries. The teacher displayed infinite patience even though the students were rude and restless.

Maths tuition and reasoning exam papers

Maths tuition and reasoning exam papers Our tutors for GCSE Maths and A-level Maths are gearing up for a busy academic year ahead, with lots of new students lining up for extra help in one of the curriculum's key subjects. As we mentioned in Monday's blog post, it is vital for pupils to get to grip with Maths, especially if they are sitting entrance examinations for state or independent schools, because Maths is a core subject when it comes to testing aptitude. But did you know that a good grasp of Maths can also help with other entrance examination subjects? Many schools these days have entrance papers in reasoning, which is split into two sections: verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. You may think that something with 'verbal' in the title may be a world away from maths. This is not the case! Verbal reasoning typically consists of tests on alphabet reasoning, word patterns and codes as well in straightforward tests on spelling and word meanings. Regular Maths tuition will certainly help when trying to spot word patterns and crack codes. This is not just because of the Maths itself but also because of the logical, sequential ways in which a mathematically trained brain can think. Similarly, non-verbal reasoning may consist of tests on patterns, layering and other tests of logic. Again, a brain trained by Maths tuition will be able to tackle these well. Why not find out how a Maths tutor can help your child?

5 Arguments Against Using Electronics in the Classroom

5 Arguments Against Using Electronics in the Classroom Technology is omnipresent, so introducing it to the classroom seems normal. If students are supposed to learn real-world skills, shouldn't schools contain the same elements that students will see every day? However, not everything that's common is good. New technology can create difficulties for schools and students alike. 1. No Academic Improvement In classrooms that have been revamped with costly technology, students become proficient in computer skills. However, there have not been corresponding increases in mathematical and language skills. It is difficult to justify the dedication of large sums of money to equipment that does not provide the desired results. 2. Additional Expenses Initial equipment costs are not the only expense to keep in mind about digital classrooms. Schools need sufficient bandwidth for multiple classes of students to use their devices at once. In-house IT consultants would have to be hired to complete repairs and provide IT help. Teachers already have a long list of responsibilities, so troubleshooting electronic devices is out of the question. 3. Decreased Social Competence Socialisation is a vital part of education. Aside from math and science, students learn how to share, compromise, and communicate in the classroom. A plugged-in classroom is characterised by less social interaction and collaborative learning. 4. Distractions The potential for distraction is enormous in a classroom with electronics. At a glance, teachers cannot tell if a student is diligently working or surfing an unrelated website. It is for this reason that some schools have rules prohibiting the use of social media sites in class. While a widespread embrace of technology may be inevitable, further investigation is clearly necessary.

Maths and Music

Maths and Music Did you know that many people believe there is a connection between a person's Mathematical and Musical aptitude? Studying an instrument can really help support the work you do with a Maths tutor. Conversely it is theorised that people who are tutored in Maths must be similarly adept with Music. So, Mozart must have been a master of Maths! Joking aside, many parents play Mozart to their babies so that they grow up to be great at Maths. Actually, the two subjects do harmonise perfectly. It might not seem obvious, but Musical theory is based on Maths. Each note is apportioned a specific place and value that must be counted out as it is played. Similarly, Musical time is presented as a fraction: 3 over 4 for a waltz, and so on. Children who study an instrument work with complicated Maths-based theory every time they play a piece of Music. When students of Music do Musical theory exercises, they are really doing a Maths paper set to Music. Identifying how many beats go into a bar of Music, for example, is a classic division exercise. They also might have to listen to Music, count along with it, and distinguish its time structure. Studies show that singing in particular really helps children along with their Maths. It could nurture real confidence, which is often lacking in Maths students. If you want to encourage your child to improve their Maths, why not consider hiring them a Music tutor as well as a Maths tutor? The two subjects can work wonderfully together.