Friday, April 3, 2020

Thermodynamics and Chemistry

Thermodynamics and ChemistryPhysical Chemistry Thermodynamics is the study of the structure and change of molecules in solution or gas. Molecules are made up of atoms, atoms of lighter elements and electrons, and their structures are determined by physical properties of the molecules.Chemists are now using the study of Chemistry as a tool for discovery and understanding our world around us. There are many different techniques and tools for this kind of research. One is the Theory of the Casimir force, which describes how different materials work and provides useful information on the behavior of atoms and molecules.Metals are separated into different layers according to their concentrations of metals in the molecule and how the concentration changes with the environment or energy level. Then, it is determined whether the concentration changes in a plane or a curve.As atoms move through different areas of the molecules, they attract each other. They are put together according to their energies. The concentration of atoms is changed according to the mass and the length of the atoms. The concentration depends on the interactions between the atoms.The movement of molecules can change in two ways. First, the atoms are being attracted to one another and then they separate. These are known as voids and the change of concentration in the atoms is called vacancy formation.Second, the atoms do not move around anymore but remain at the same place. The atoms have changed their position and that is called molecular motion. In this case, there is no new pattern and there is no disturbance to the environment.Models for this type of study were first developed to help researchers find out the characteristics of materials. Other models developed include particle models, which are used in physics and engineering for understanding how particles interact with the environment. In the Physics and Engineering software (PE) today, it is available for helping researchers with the study of Chemistry.

Sunday, March 22, 2020

The Advantages of Teaching Group Tutorials

The Advantages of Teaching Group Tutorials What Are The Benefits of Teaching Private Group Tutorials? ChaptersIndividual Private Tutorials or Group Private Tutorials?How Should Group Tutorials Be Conducted?Group Tutorials: Why Learn in a Group?What Are the Disadvantages of Group Lessons?“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” - Xun KuangPrivate tutorials are recommended for pupils who are struggling in a variety of subjects: languages, music, science, humanities, etc.The tutoring market in the UK is estimated at £2bn per year and has been growing in recent years with over 40% of pupils in London having received tutoring in some form.This can make teaching private tutorials very appealing to aspiring tutors. Home tutoring is becoming increasingly popular for test prep, helping students with their homework or an assignment, and providing academic support for a semester or throughout the whole academic year.Not convinced?In our final  article in our series on teaching group tutorials, we’re looking at the advantages of teaching multiple students i n private tutorials. 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 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 tutorsIndividual Private Tutorials or Group Private Tutorials?To help a struggling student, finding a private tutor to teach them is one of the best solutions available to parents.Students will learn from each other. (Source: StockSnap)Private tutorials are an opportunity for a student to go back over something they didn’t understand in class in a relaxed environment where they won’t be scared of giving a wrong answer or being judged by the peers.Sociologists have noted that it’s normally the upper classes who can afford private tutorials for struggling students. Additionally, th e children of the upper classes are statistically less likely to fail at school than those from the working classes, which you might think isn’t really fair.Private tutorials are a significant expense for some families and can put a bigger strain on those with lower household incomes.  That said, academic support can still help close the gap between the classes in terms of education as students can get help with subjects they might be having trouble with at school.Private tutorials and academic support provide students with a number of benefits: some children prefer to work in a group tutorial as they work better than they do in class at school.Let’s have a look at the two options available to parents and students: individual private tutorials and group private tutorials.A group class will have the costs divvied up between all the students. Group classes provide learning in a friendly environment where students are encouraged to share learning with each other.The classes normall y include a group no larger than 10 (though this will vary depending on age and subject) and students are supposed to learn from both the tutor and one another.Some subjects are better for group lessons than others, especially subjects like languages, music, sport and fitness, and maths.  On the other hand, group sewing classes or group exam prep classes aren’t really as good.It completely depends on what the objectives of the tutorials are...How Should Group Tutorials Be Conducted?You’ll read that you can get group classes in any subject you like for students in primary school, secondary school, and beyond.Group tutorials can be really sociable. (Source: Free-Photos)There are different types of group classes such as intensive tutorials, catchup tutorials during the school holidays, and preparation classes for the upcoming school year. The main benefit is that the tutors and students can develop a better rapport with one another than they can in individual private tutorials.They can also learn at a quicker rate than in class as their tutor can spend more time with them, adapt to their learning style, and help them achieve the grades that they really deserve.Another difference with group tutorial is that they tend to take place at a dedicated classroom rather than a student’s home.  Flexibility is essential for private tutors.  The more tutees the private tutor has, the more flexible they’ll need to be, both in class and when they plan their lessons.Private tutorials can take place in the evenings and during the school holidays.  This is especially true for the tutors on Superprof, who often offer tutorials to individual students and to groups of students in dedicated classrooms either at their home or elsewhere.Can you really teach all subjects to groups at any level?Even for the best tutors, there are some subjects that can’t be taught in groups.  A guitar lesson tends to be better with individuals whereas language lessons and subjects which require discussion are much better in groups.Group Tutorials: Why Learn in a Group?Learning in a group is a great way for some students to catch up with what they’re struggling with at school.Learning with others can be far more enjoyable than learning on your own. (Source: coyot)There are plenty of other advantages to private group tutorials.Firstly, the law of supply and demand can help: The more students in a class, the less per person that each student has to pay.Generally, a private tutorial costs between £15 and £30 per hour.  In a group class, a tutor could charge £30 per student for a two-hour tutorial.The student can learn twice as much for less.The tutor can also earn more. For example, £150 for two hours of classes with 5 students rather than £60 for two hours with a single student.Group classes can be more effective than individual classes: students learn together and share.  They also create social bonds with other students.  This can help students rebuild their confide nce after a bad year at school or when their confidence is knocked when they start struggling in a certain subject.Let’s consider a Spanish lesson, for example: having the group discuss a Spanish text and speaking to one another than encourage students to learn. Another advantage is that most teachers in state schools have to plan a class for dozens of students at once.Even with the best intentions and a myriad of teaching approaches, they can’t always teach in exactly the way they’d like.  Instead, they may have to digress, focus on a particular point, and make sure every student is on the same page before advancing.Let’s go back to our example of a Spanish class. Rather than doing a list of irregular verbs, a private tutor could make Spanish conjugation into a game.How?By incorporating the verb conjugations into simple phrases in a conversation with the students.  Thus, they’ll improve their speaking and listening skills without realising they’re even studying.Private tutorials are an opportunity for students to catch up, consolidate their studies, and feel equal to their peers by being helped academically in the heart of a group experiencing the same difficulties as them.What Are the Disadvantages of Group Lessons?It’s not all good, though. Everything has its pros and cons.Of course, group tutorials aren't always fun and games. (Source: WokinghamLibraries)A private group tutor summed it up perfectly:“One of the disadvantage of group classes is that certain students are more advanced than others, which can demotivate those who don’t have the resources to catch up with them.”The problem is that not every student advances at the same rate, just like in primary school or secondary school.There’s also geography. If students need to travel across town by car, bus, tram, or metro to get to the classroom, they can get demotivated on the way.  In some cases, parents just don’t have the time to take their kids to another class.Not bothered by the disadvantages?You can find a tutor on Superprof easily by searching your subject and where you live. This will provide you with a list of tutors providing academic tutoring in your area. If you select “via webcam” when you search, you can find an online tutor.If you're worried about the cost or getting the wrong tutor, don't forget that most of the tutors on Superprof offer free tutoring for the first hour so you can see if you or our child get along with them and whether the tuition they're offering is for you.Interesting in providing your own private tutoring services?If you create your profile on Superprof, you can offer instruction in plenty of subjects including physics, mathematics (calculus, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, etc.), chemistry, biology, English, French, Spanish, etc.You just have to create your profile and state what you teach and where you teach it. You have the option of offering individual tutorials or group tutorials.As we mentioned earlier, you can also offer online tutoring via webacm. However, unless you and all your students have a really good internet connection, this is much better for one on one tutoring than for group tutoring jobs.With all that said, nothing's impossible and since you're your own boss, it's up to you to decide to solution that works for you and what you want to teach!

Friday, March 6, 2020

Great Writers to Learn German

Great Writers to Learn German How to Learn German? Learn from the Best Novelists ChaptersDiscover Classical German Literature with GoetheDiscover German Thrillers with SüskindDiscover German Philosophy with Thomas MannDiscover Children’s Literature with the Brothers GrimmDiscover War Literature with Stefan ZweigFor any scholar wanting to learn a foreign language and become bilingual, reading literature is one of the most effective techniques. The same is true if you want to learn German.Students learning Deutsch should consider reading aloud, listening to audio books, or even saying certain terms themselves so that they can practice the pronunciation themselves.  German literature includes some of the most famous works in the world!Discovering German literature can help students improve in the language as well as learning about it and the accompanying culture. Put simply, if you want to Speak German, you have to read German.If you're not familiar with German literature, here are some of the German writers you have to read! This list includes a variety of write rs that are well known in most German speaking countries and includes poets, novelists, and even literary works that you may be more familiar with as Disney films! SönkeGerman Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ClaudiaGerman Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SefaGerman Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HilaryGerman Teacher 5.00 (16) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LisaGerman Teacher 5.00 (8) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChrisGerman Teacher 5.00 (19) £39/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors WendyGerman Teacher 5.00 (2) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HowardGerman Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDiscover Classical German Literature with GoetheWriting StyleJohann Wolfgang von Goethe is one of German literature’s most prominent figures. As both a writer and a statesman, Goethe had a huge influence on German literary cultur e. Anyone doing German studies will probably hear about his linguistic prowess.  His writing is as synonymous with German as Shakespeare is with English.Goethe’s first written work was published in 1773 and most German schools study him. Goethe tried to explore German culture in its entirety. He was also a proponent of the Sturm und Drang (storm and stress) Romantic movement of the late 18th century.Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was simultaneously a:PoetNovelistPlaywrightPhilosopherDiplomatStatesmanArt TheoristScientistBotanist, etc.The romantic author aimed to bring fiction and philosophy together in all his works in order to expose the 18th-century European way of thinking. As an opponent of the French Revolution, Goethe was controversial, especially when it came to sensitive topics like suicide.Goethe was so famous that the German cultural institute is named after him. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)Goethe inspired a number of English and German writers in the 1790s and is often consi dered as the precursor to the Romantic movement.Not content with just writing simple prose, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe explored a number of literary styles including autobiographies, essays, scientific studies, and even poetry. The Goethe Institut, which promotes the German language and culture, is named after the man.Famous WorksSome of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s most famous works include:Faust, Part OneFaust, Part TwoThe Sorrows of Young WertherEgmontTorquato TassoPrometheusElective AffinitiesWilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship, etc.The Sorrows of Young Werther is considered as one of German literature’s most important works. Covering the woes of a young suicidal man, the novel was controversial at the time. In fact, suicide was against the morals of the bourgeoisie and the book was considered immoral and subjected to heavy criticism from the bourgeoisie of the time.The book even inspired “Werther Fever” in Europe in which men dressed like the protagonist and women like Cha rlotte, his sweetheart.Discover German Thrillers with SüskindWriting StylePatrick Süskind is a contemporary German author. He was born in 1949 and studied at the University of Munich before moving to Paris where he started writing his first works.Patrick Süskind was and remains a secretive writer and only gave interviews to speak about his work. Süskind was inspired in French towns and often used it as the backdrop to his works. He explained that he found 18th century France attractive as it was the birthplace of “modern man”.Perfume was adapted for the big screen in 2006 with Ben Whishaw playing Grenouille. (Source: Uva Rova)His works often mix fiction and historicity. To describe the society of the time, Süskind often uses extensive narratives that expose the protagonists’ feelings.Famous WorksPerfume is undoubtedly Patrick Süskind’s most popular work and one of the most important works of the 20th century.His other important works include:Perfume: The Story of a Mur dererThe PigeonThe Story of Mr. SommerOn Love and DeathMaître Mussard's BequestThe Double BassA Battle, etc.Perfume covers the history of Grenouille, a French orphan with an exceptional sense of smell. Guided by his nose, Grenouille starts killing those whose smells are particularly powerful. The novel is often seen as a allegory of Adolf Hitler’s rise to power.Learn more about German culture... or take German courses London. SönkeGerman Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ClaudiaGerman Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SefaGerman Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HilaryGerman Teacher 5.00 (16) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LisaGerman Teacher 5.00 (8) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChrisGerman Teacher 5.00 (19) £39/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors WendyGerman Teacher 5.00 (2) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HowardGerman Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1 st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsDiscover German Philosophy with Thomas MannWriting StyleBorn in 1875, Thomas Mann is one of the world’s most famous German writers. He’s part of the German language’s history. The novelist won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1929 and was inspired by Goethe, Schopenhauer. and even Nietzche.  Thomas Mann criticised the German and European way of thinking by modernising biblical and classical literature.His writing was highly symbolic and Mann tended to provide an glimpse into the individual psychology of his protagonists. Mann was without a doubt a humanist but he also deeply believed in humanity’s downfall. He was considered to have pioneered modern literature’s decadence.Through his writing, Mann tried to protect human values and fight against the extremism of the time.Famous WorksThomas Mann was responsible for a number of famous German novels including:The Magic MountainDeath in VeniceThe Holy SinnerBuddenbrooksJoseph and His Broth ersTristanRoyal HighnessConfessions of Felix KrullTonio KrögerThe Magic Mountain remains one of the most influential novels in German literature. Mann explores themes like time, illness, death, and even seduction.  Each character is an allegory: Settembrini represents humanism, Naphta radicalism, Ziemssen duty.Learn German online for more inspiration about German authors.Discover Children’s Literature with the Brothers GrimmWriting StyleBorn in 1785 and 1786, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were linguists and philologists famous for their fairy tales.The two brothers, who were interested in the German language, created grammar manuals in order to help their young compatriots learn about sentence and word formation.They were also really influential in linguistics and created a dictionary! Jacob Grimm also studied Germanic languages and the First Germanic Sound Shift is more commonly known as Grimm's Law.Unlike modern dictionaries, the Grimm dictionary also included the history and evoluti on of each word over time. This massive work unfortunately remains unfinished since the brothers underestimated the size of the task.The Brothers Grimm decided to create their own fairy tales in order to get adults interested in German literature and improve literacy.Most people are familiar with the Disney version of Cinderella but have you read the Grimm version? (Source: Wikimedia Commons)Grimms’ Fairy Tales were never really intended for children. In fact, it’s only through being heavily censored that they were even told to children. Themes like nature, cruelty, and violence were lifted from the works in order to make them more suitable for children.However, Grimms’ Fairy Tales also comment on the societal problems of 17th century Germany.Famous WorksThanks to Disney adaptations, everyone is familiar with their fairy tales.Some of their most famous fairy tales include:CinderellaBeauty and the BeastHansel and GretelThe Princess and the FrogSleeping BeautyTom ThumbSnow White Little Red Riding HoodRapunzelReading the original Grimm version can help learners discover simple German vocabulary and accessible language.  By reading familiar stories, you can improve your German as well as discover the differences.Hansel and Gretel is another one of the famous Grimm fairy tales. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)Discover War Literature with Stefan ZweigWriting StyleBorn in the late nineteenth century in Austria, Stefan Zweig is one of the most famous contemporary German writers and was at the height of his career in the early twentieth century.The Austrian writer of Jewish heritage was particularly affected by his personal experience during the First World War where he was in the army. The violent scenes that he witnessed can be seen in his texts. His writing became more violent, as did the writing of others at the time.Zweig’s work includes themes such as social exclusion, physical and moral violence, repression, and psychology. Zweig was also very close friends wi th the psychologist Sigmund Freud who inspired him in creating his characters.  Zweig is an author you should know if you’re wanting to impress the German authorities and pass a German citizenship test.The author’s tragic demise may have also played a role in the popularity of his works. Traumatised by the Second World War, Zweig lost faith in humanity and decided to commit suicide with his partner Lotte in 1942.Famous WorksSome of Zweig’s most popular works include:Confusion of FeelingsJourney into the PastThe Royal GameFearTwenty-Four Hours in the Life of a WomanForgotten DreamsBeware of PityThe RefugeeZweig’s works are particularly useful for discovering the German language. In fact, most of his stories of novellas meaning you can discover most of his most important works in just a few hours of reading.Furthermore, Zweig’s writing is available to everyone since it’s been public domain since 2013.Remember that reading German literature can really help those learning Ge rman and is a gateway to discovering the culture, too!

Thursday, March 5, 2020

To Prevent Overwhelm-Set Boundaries - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / To Prevent Overwhelm-Set Boundaries - Introvert Whisperer To Prevent Overwhelm-Set Boundaries I realized what a fool I’d been as soon as my co-worker launched into a recruitment pitch for his political lobby group. We were all crowded into a conference room at the office, and more people kept coming in and trying to find seats. My co-worker â€" let’s call him Stan â€" smirked to himself as he surveyed the rows and rows of potential recruits. “Thank you for attending my lectures on the history of money these past few weeks,” he began. “We are planning a number of petitions and demonstrations over the next few months, so I’ll be sending you the dates and times by email.” I groaned inwardly. And all along I’d been going to these boring talks because I thought he was just enthusiastic about history. Stan wasn’t even a friend of mine. When he first told me he was planning a 10-part lecture series on capitalism â€" during my precious lunch break â€" I wanted to show up to a few just to be nice. The one time I didn’t attend, I caught him scowling at me in the office cafeteria. Naively, I’d had no idea he had a hidden agenda and that it was all just a self-serving political campaign. As I listened to his used-car-salesman pitch, I came to a decision. I stood up and walked out. Stan hasn’t spoken to me since. Setting boundaries is one of the most important skills for introverts, especially busy working ones like me. If I had just said no to Stan at the very beginning, I would not have gotten dragged into a socially claustrophobic political rally. I would also have avoided feeling overwhelmed and stressed-out after losing my lunch breaks, which I usually spend alone, or quietly catching up with work. So why is it so hard to say No? Guilt. So often, it’s hard not to feel like we’re letting someone down by saying no. Women especially feel expected to cater for other people’s needs ahead of their own â€" and saying no can lead to feelings of guilt and even failure. Saying no can also be hard because we lack assertiveness or dislike confrontation. Solutions:      *  Respect your needs. As an introvert, I can only take so much social interaction before I start to feel overwhelmed. Life is much easier when I know ahead of time how long I need to be ‘sociable’ for and can set my own limits. Rather than get dragged into my co-worker’s talks, I should have given myself permission to empathize with my own needs over his. But I didn’t, and the result was: feeling drained, frazzled and resentful for the rest of the day.      *  See the strings attached. When I attended Stan’s lunchtime talks, I naively failed to realize a key point: everyone has their own agenda. I was attending out of niceness; he just wanted new recruits. And I also realize that since they were so well-attended, Stan didn’t truly care whether I went to his talks or not. But ultimately, I put my discomfort at ‘letting him down’ below his need for me to attend. In future, when someone is trying to rope me into a social event that I don’t really want to attend, I will do two things: 1) Ask myself: “How much do I really want to go, no matter how eager the other person seems to have me there? Do they have a hidden agenda?” and 2) Either say: “Can I get back to you on that?” or “Sorry, I won’t be able to make it.” That’s all. No need for guilt trips or second-guessing myself.      *Be more assertive. Now, I’m not suggesting that all introverts are unassertive. Nothing of the sort! But if there’s one thing that all introverts have in common, it’s that we recharge our energy by being alone, and can get pretty tired when forced to interact socially for too long. But we all have different pain thresholds, and when it comes to dealing with people I don’t particularly like, my threshold is pretty low. But because I also knew Stan was the kind who didn’t like to take ‘no’ for an answer, I avoided that conversation and just went to his talks to avoid confrontation. But now I kick myself when I think of the hours I could have saved myself by being braver and just saying no right from the start. In short, boundaries have become my best friend. It’s so much better to learn how to say no â€" and stick to it â€" than spend any more time annoyed at myself for getting sucked in yet again. Stan, meanwhile, has started speaking to me again â€" I suspect he’s got some new lectures planned.

My Experience at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

My Experience at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Michael received his Bachelors degree in Earth Systems, Environment and Society from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is currently a tutor in Portland specializing in ACT Science tutoring, Earth Science tutoring, Environmental Science tutoring, and several other subjects. See what he had to say about his experience at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Michael: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is in a classic college town setting, about three hours south of Chicago. Although relatively urban, the campus itself is typically safe. The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District provides free buses to students. The buses go all over campus, and it is very easy to get around without a car or bike. Most buildings are within walking distance of the on-campus housing options. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Michael: Though it depends on the size of the class and a students given major, the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants all typically make themselves available to students on a regular basis. It may be difficult to receive a lot of one-on-one attention from a professor in a larger class, but these courses often have smaller lab or discussion sections in which teaching assistants are available. It will be easier to access your academic adviser if you are enrolled in a smaller, newer major. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Michael:There are a variety of dorms all across campus. They all offer good dining options and plenty of opportunities to socialize with other students including access to different clubs, intramural sports, etc. Depending on the dormyou choose, rooms can range from a rudimentary summer camp feel to a plush hotel (including private bathrooms). VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Michael:University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is known mostly for its Business (specifically Accounting) and Engineering programs, which are both considered top-tier. I majored in Earth Systems, Environment and Society (ESES) and minored in History during my time there. ESES was a brand new major when I was there, and I chose to study it because the coursework in Environmental Science, Geology, Geography, and other fields appealed to me. Since the major was brand new, the program went through some growing pains during my time on campus, but I think the university did a good job overall. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Michael:I met many individuals around the dorms that I still stay in contact with to this day. It was pretty easy for me to meet people and make new friends as a freshman, in part because I made the decision to join a social fraternity. Greek life plays a significant role in campus social life, but it is by no means necessary. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has the largest Greek system in the country, but there are so many other options for meeting people. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Michael:Once again, this would depend on the major, but University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign seemed to have great student support services, and there were always different career fairs to attend. Many reputable companies do recruit on campus, specifically in the areas of Finance and Business. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Michael:At any big school like the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, crowding can be an issue in libraries and other study areas. This is especially the case at the Undergraduate Library. However, there are many other areas that are open to all students including the Grainger Engineering Library that frequently have ample space. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Michael:The total population of the Champaign-Urbana area is just around 230,000, which makes it more than just a small, quaint college town. As such, it has many of the amenities and nightlife options that larger towns offer. Since there are great bars and concert venues right on campus, many students stay near campus. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Michael:University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school, and its undergraduate enrollment is close to 33,000. Personally, I enjoyed being at a larger school, and I took the opportunity to meet many individuals. However, large class sizes are an unavoidable reality at a larger school. Having said that, I was generally pleased with my class sizes, and I was still able to enroll in plenty of classes with a smaller number of students. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Michael:One of my favorite courses was Geology 103 with Dr. Michael Stewart. I thoroughly enjoyed his teaching style and the content of the course. One day, he decided to take half of a class session to talk about ESES, a new major that I eventually decided to enroll in based upon my experience in his class. I do not regret that decision at all! Check out Michaels tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

10 Things to Do Before School Starts

10 Things to Do Before School Starts Suzy S. Summer is coming to an end are you ready for a new academic year? If not, dont fret. Get organized for back to school with these tips from online tutor  Natalie S Back-to-school prep is upon us! The summer is drawing to a close, and it will soon be time to get ready to begin a new school year. We know it can be overwhelming when you start to think about the long list of things to do in order to prepare for school, so here are some steps to help you get organized for back to school and start the year off on a successful note! 1) Write down your goals A new year is beginning and that means opportunities for a whole new set of experiences. Take a few minutes to write down five goals that you hope to accomplish this year, and think about how you can make this year better than the last one. Do you want to improve your knowledge of a specific subject, to prepare yourself for AP classes later on? Or maybe take on a new hobby, like photography or learning how to play an instrument? Get excited about whats in store! 2) Get one step ahead of everyone else If you know who your teachers are and you can easily contact them, consider sending an email asking for the class syllabus. Most teachers generally stick to the same schedule each year, so they can give you an idea of what books you might be reading or what concepts you might be working on in the first few weeks of school. If youre feeling ambitious, you can begin to read ahead or study some of those concepts on your own. This will help lighten your workload later in the semester when you have less time! 3) Review last year’s math concepts This is especially important if you’re advancing into a higher consecutive math class, like Algebra I to Algebra II, or Pre-Calculus to Calculus. Spend 20 minutes each day reviewing the concepts that you learned last year, and attempt to get ahead by reading over the first chapter or two for the new, more advanced course. 4) Form a study group Are you and a few of your friends taking the same class? Make a commitment to study together! Even if you all have different teachers, the core material will be the same. Set up a plan before school starts, so everyone builds it into their schedule from the beginning of the year. 5) Write Most students take an entire summer off from stringing eloquent arguments together, and because of this, their early semester essays suffer. Take 20 minutes each day and practice writing short introductory paragraphs. You may also want to get ahead by working with a writing tutor, or at least lining one up for when you need help with your first writing assignment. 6) Review last year’s foreign language notes If you’re taking Spanish, French, or any other foreign language, review the vocabulary and grammar rules before school begins. Most foreign language classes hit the ground running with very little review, so make sure you take the time to look through your old notes and books. 7) Identify the course you are least excited to take this year Maybe you really hate learning new math concepts, or perhaps biology just doesnt interest you at all. Regardless of the reason, figure out which subject might be the most challenging for you and start preparing for that class now. Do some online research, find a tutor through TakeLessons, and really dedicate some time to learning more about this subject. Even though it may not be fun, this will help a ton! 8) Purchase a daily planner This is perhaps the most important item to buy before the school year starts. It’s been proven time and time again that people are more effective when they write down their goals, plan out their days, and give themselves deadlines for projects and assignments. This is a great habit to get into at a young age, and it is a huge part of what makes people successful. Be disciplined, make yourself stick to a consistent schedule, and write down the top five things you want to accomplish each day. You will stay motivated and be more productive. Most importantly, you’ll be creating healthy habits that will facilitate success in your future endeavors. 9) Organize your study time before school starts Create a study chart depicting when you’ll study for each subject, and hold yourself accountable to making the time to study for those classes. Make sure you plan for some flexibility in case one subject needs more attention than another. 10) Seek out a tutor now It’s important to enter the new school year feeling confident in your abilities, so if you foresee any issues, don’t wait to find a tutor! Your workload is only going to become tougher and more intense as the year goes on. Be proactive and get the help you need, before youre really struggling. Follow these steps to get organized for back to school and you’ll be ready to start off the new year with confidence and a plan for success. Each year brings the possibility to learn, grow, and be more inspired than you were the year before. Enjoy the ride and embrace all of these newfound opportunities that will soon arise for you! Natalie S. tutors online in English, ESL, History, Phonics, Reading, and Test Prep. She received her BA in English Education at the University of Delaware, and her MA in English Literature at San Diego State University. Learn more about Natalie here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photos by Rick Payette, Mario Mancuso, Francisco Martins, Concordia University, Nathan Congleton, Alexa Clark, Christian Jensen, Sara Grajeda, Jimmie, Utah State Library,  comedy_nose

Best Economics Online Publications

Best Economics Online Publications Discover More About Economics In The News ChaptersKeep Up To Date with Reuters and the FTFollow UK Economic News with the BBCCheck Out the Powerhouses That are the Economist and ForbesFind The Online Publications That Best Suit YouSummaryThere are many different ways to learn about economics, and one of the easiest and most fun ways is to read the news.Although not every news story is necessarily about economics, the fact that economics influences so much of our daily lives means that often you can improve your understanding of financial economics, banking, or global economics just by reading daily news stories and keeping up to date with the latest political developments.With that in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of where you can find quality online economics news that will help give you a broader outlook on this fascinating subject.Many UK economic news outlets have their own social media presence. (Source: CC BY 2.0, Blogtrepreneur, via Flickr)Facebook; andLinkedInWhat’s more, there’s also Reuters TV as well as a Reuters Live Blog, so whether you prefer to have your news delivered via tweet, TV, or through an online article, there’s a format to suit you (you can listen to podcasts as well).What's more, the Financial Times almost needs no introduction as an online publication. With a focus on business and economic news, the publication has become the go-to for anyone working or interested in finance and economics. With content that focuses on domestic as well as international news, it’s also a great one-stop-shop if you want to learn more about economics on a global level.Equally, if you plan on working within finance and are currently studying economics or business at school or university, then you’d also do well to catch up with the daily news on Bloomberg. Although Bloomberg News is a U.S. based news agency, it provides news stories from all regions of the globe, including Europe, so there are plenty of relevant and engaging articles to catch up on.Get a London economics tutor her e.Follow UK Economic News with the BBCIf you’re looking for news that is more local in focus, then you could do far worse than the BBC. The BBC covers a wide range of news, from business and banks to technology, entertainment and world news.Although it doesn’t claim to have a particular emphasis on economic news, there is solid coverage of UK business news, and it is a great resource to use when looking for an insight into economic trends.An equally good source for the latest information on UK business and finance is the Guardian’s website. If you’re looking for the latest information on the UK economy, as well as a place to read up on the daily headlines, then the Guardian has a wide range of articles for you to read, with new articles added regularly.So whether you would like to read more about stocks, wage volatility, government spending, currency markets, global wealth, or even the Chinese economy, you'll likely be able to find an article that will help you.What’s more , you can follow both the BBC and the Guardian on social media, as they both have an established social media presence. That means that you can stay up to date with the news even as you’re on the go, and as a result, you eliminate any uncertainty that you're missing out on the latest news updates.Ideally, it’s best to read a wide variety of newspapers and their columnists, for example:The BBC;The Guardian;The Independent; andThe TimesBy reading widely, not only will you find out about the different perspectives that the papers have, but you’ll also develop a wider understanding of the topic you’re reading about, whether that’s fiscal policy or the global economy.Titles such as the Economist issue weekly magazines with the latest UK  economics news. (Source: CC BY-SA 2.0, Sean Winters, Flickr)provides regular, informative content; andhas some form of focus on economic issues, whether that’s international trade or global financeYou’ll find that, once you’ve found a new s outlet that works for you, you’ll be more motivated to read that publication’s articles regularly. This will, in turn, give you more knowledge about past and current  issues, such as:changes in interest rates;the 2008 recession and the global financial crisis; andthe rate of GDP growth and economic growth or decline globallyKnowing about such issues will help your performance in class and help give you a successful outcome in your economics studies.What’s more, you can use certain online publications as great reference sources for an upcoming exam or essay. For example, the UK government has its own statistics website, which you can search if you want to cite any statistics that will help support an argument you’re making in a piece of homework.There are also online publications such as the OECD Observer that can help build your understanding of global economic issues. Although it’s unlikely you’ll be able to find an article that can be easily referenced in your essay, the OECD Observer has articles that cover a wide range of topics, including:the economy;governance;taxation; andtrade and investmentThis means that the publication is full of useful resources that can provide a solid overview of the issues, both economic and otherwise, that are impacting the world today.You often see economics in the news. (Source: CC0 1.0, geralt, Pixabay)SummaryAlthough reading an online economics publication is a great way to improve your understanding of economics and current affairs, the best way of getting into the habit of reading such news articles daily is to find a newspaper or news outlet that appeals to you.If you find the Financial Times too formal, then it may be that you’ll have better luck reading articles from the Economist. It’s all about experimenting and reading different stories to see what works and helps you learn more about different economies and how they are performing on the world economic stage.Although extra-curricular reading can b e a great way to supplement any economics A-level or university course, there are other ways to improve your grades.For example, hiring a tutor to help you in your upcoming exams is a great way to improve your grades, focus your learning on areas that you struggle with, whether that is macroeconomics, microeconomics, or the world economy. Additionally, tutors can help improve your exam technique.What’s more, tutoring, in combination with reading widely on the subject of economics, will stand you in great stead for upcoming exams. Sites such as Superprof have more than one qualified economics tutor near me that would be happy to boost your confidence in economics  and help you prepare for exam success.Learn economics online.