How To Teach Paideia With Children

How To Teach Paideia With ChildrenOne of the methods used in Paideia Tutoring is the verbal component. The student and teacher work together and take turns talking and explaining each lesson in a way that they will both be able to understand.To understand the verbal component of Paideia, first we must understand what the teacher is communicating. A teacher can only communicate the material provided in the course; he or she cannot help the student understand how to use the material. It is up to the student to ask questions.There are certain points to remember in order to make sure the teacher and student can understand each other. First, the teacher will provide the lesson in a way that he or she will understand it and the student will be able to repeat it to others. Second, the teacher should be able to give a quick explanation of the material to the student and then follow up with the student on the material.The teacher should never assume the student knows what the lesson is about. If the student gets it backwards the student will do well in the first part of the lesson and will tend to misinterpret the lesson. Third, the teacher should be ready to explain how to make the student understand something at the end of the lesson.As an example, we have been doing some Paideia with children who have been eating lunch. As a matter of fact, my wife has taught this material in her classroom before.I joined her class for the first time a couple of weeks ago and learned to eat lunch with the students and I think they were impressed. The second day we did the same activity but this time, I gave them a diagram and they understood it. The third day I was again giving them a diagram and they knew exactly what I was talking about. There were more interactions like this but that is a very common example.The thing I like about Paideia is that each individual students have their own individual learning style. The best way to teach something is to figure out what the individual is looking for. Then, by choosing the appropriate teacher and getting them to the material at the right pace, you will find the child going at their own pace.One of the things I really like about Paideia is that you get to build your own curriculum. Since you know how the student will learn and what types of behaviors they will exhibit, you can create your own curriculum to fit their learning style.

Irvine Academic Tutor Tips How to Beat Senioritis - TutorNerds

Irvine Academic Tutor Tips How to Beat Senioritis - TutorNerds Follow These Tips From an Irvine Academic Tutor to Beat Senioritis Follow These Tips From an Irvine Academic Tutor to Beat Senioritis During the last month of school, its tempting for seniors to feel like theyre already on vacation and forget about whats going on in the classroom, including some very important issues that could potentially affect their future. Students who will be on scholarship need to maintain a certain GPA and students who have conditional college admissions letters (which is nearly everybody) need to keep those grades and test scores up in order to continue with their plans for this fall. Senioritis is normal and has been happening for generations but, its important for students to stay focused on these next couple of weeks and remember that school is still in session. 1. Maintain a regular after-school schedule It’s essential for students to make their after-school study schedule a priority until they take their last final exam. That means coming home or going to the library and studying, as usual, continuing to meet with their tutor, and staying away from friends who are skipping homework to start summer early. Maintaining a regular schedule also includes taking a reasonable amount of breaks and having enough downtime for the brain to recharge in order to finish the school year strong. Its very easy to get overwhelmed at this point in the year, and students are encouraged to make relaxation a priority in between study sessions (READ: 10 Reasons You Need an Irvine Summer Tutor). 2. Keep your eye on the prize When seniors become tempted to ditch responsibility in favor of summer activities, its important to remind them of everything they have achieved in order to get to where they are today. This includes getting excited about attending college in the fall. Talking about academic programs and major fields of study might be overwhelming at this point, so its better to focus on the fun aspects of university life such as finding a student apartment, looking at social clubs and organizations to join, or focusing on social and entertainment activities that take place on campus. Students who remember the big picture are more likely to be able to stick with high school academics for these next couple of weeks. 3. Continue to work with your tutor Part of avoiding senioritis includes maintaining regular sessions with a private tutor. Students should continue to work with their tutor in order to stay organized through the end of the year and also focus on final exams as well as any final projects that are due the very last week of school. Working with a one-on-one tutor on a regular basis forces students to stay on track and be held accountable for assignments they havent yet completed (READ: Tips From an Irvine Tutor: 5 Last-Minute Tips to Ace Your Finals). 4. Make study social Students who are tempted to socialize in lieu of completing homework assignments at this point in the year are encouraged to make their study time social in order to ensure academic success. Theres nothing wrong with working in a group just so long as each student is committed to doing well on final exams and completing any individual assignments. Students should consider working as part of a study group when focusing on subjects they generally do pretty well in and just need the motivation to stay focused or review. On the other hand, they might be better off studying solo or with their tutor when it comes to that one challenging topic they generally need extra help with. Want to beat senioritis? Our private Irvine academic tutors are here to help you end your high school years on a high note. Call TutorNerds today to book your private Irvine tutor. Members of the TutorNerds team and our private tutors write every blog post. If you have any questions about our blog, please email us at pr@tutornerds.com.

How a Film Director Learns Arabic on italki

How a Film Director Learns Arabic on italki We love to hear how our italki users are overcoming the challenges of learning languages, and Nicole Ballivian has quite a story to share with us. Read on to learn about Nicole and her language learning experiences. Nicole and an actor in Hebron _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Tell us a little about yourself Im an American Film Director who usually makes international movies. A Sundance Screenwriters Lab Fellow and recipient of a few international awards for films. [Check out her site  www.bintfilm.com] What language are you learning? Arabic. What would you say your level is now? My level started at intermediate, and since Ive been taking it intensively for three months, Id say Im uber-intermediate now. Why are you learning that language? I have the aim of becoming fluent in the Palestinian dialect of Arabic in order to communicate clearly with my cast for my upcoming film to be shot in the West Bank city of Hebron. Its called Sleeping on Stones. The Sleeping on Stones film was selected for the 2012 Cairo Film Connection at the Cairo International Film Festival. What are you using/doing to improve your fluency? I am taking classes three times a week with a Palestinian teacher and Im going on Youtube to scope out any Palestinian videos that have English subtitles. Also practicing with Palestinian friends and local liquor store owners. What difficulties have you had learning this language? Arabic grammar even in the ammiya version (spoken, colloquial) is very difficult. Verb conjugation can be intimidating but as long as I keep trying and dont mind sounding like a five-year-old for now, I know Ill get it eventually. What tips would you have for people learning this or any other language? I would say in order to learn a language fluently (as I speak Spanish and French as well, took Russian in high school and college), you have to consistently immerse yourself in it. You have to speak it a lot. Force your brain to think in the language as if you were living in a foreign country. Ways to do this is by taking classes with a native speaker multiple times a week. Watch the news in the language so you can pair images with words. Write down vocabulary and verb conjugations, go through them daily. Practice with friends or make friends on italki. Dont be shy and get corrected a lot; it will only help you learn more quickly in the end. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ If you would like to learn more about Nicole and her movies, check out:  www.bintfilm.com Have an interesting story to share with us? Message us at support@italki.com and you, too, can be featured on italki. If you are interested in learning Arabic, remember to check out our Arabic teachers on italki. How a Film Director Learns Arabic on italki We love to hear how our italki users are overcoming the challenges of learning languages, and Nicole Ballivian has quite a story to share with us. Read on to learn about Nicole and her language learning experiences. Nicole and an actor in Hebron _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Tell us a little about yourself Im an American Film Director who usually makes international movies. A Sundance Screenwriters Lab Fellow and recipient of a few international awards for films. [Check out her site  www.bintfilm.com] What language are you learning? Arabic. What would you say your level is now? My level started at intermediate, and since Ive been taking it intensively for three months, Id say Im uber-intermediate now. Why are you learning that language? I have the aim of becoming fluent in the Palestinian dialect of Arabic in order to communicate clearly with my cast for my upcoming film to be shot in the West Bank city of Hebron. Its called Sleeping on Stones. The Sleeping on Stones film was selected for the 2012 Cairo Film Connection at the Cairo International Film Festival. What are you using/doing to improve your fluency? I am taking classes three times a week with a Palestinian teacher and Im going on Youtube to scope out any Palestinian videos that have English subtitles. Also practicing with Palestinian friends and local liquor store owners. What difficulties have you had learning this language? Arabic grammar even in the ammiya version (spoken, colloquial) is very difficult. Verb conjugation can be intimidating but as long as I keep trying and dont mind sounding like a five-year-old for now, I know Ill get it eventually. What tips would you have for people learning this or any other language? I would say in order to learn a language fluently (as I speak Spanish and French as well, took Russian in high school and college), you have to consistently immerse yourself in it. You have to speak it a lot. Force your brain to think in the language as if you were living in a foreign country. Ways to do this is by taking classes with a native speaker multiple times a week. Watch the news in the language so you can pair images with words. Write down vocabulary and verb conjugations, go through them daily. Practice with friends or make friends on italki. Dont be shy and get corrected a lot; it will only help you learn more quickly in the end. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ If you would like to learn more about Nicole and her movies, check out:  www.bintfilm.com Have an interesting story to share with us? Message us at support@italki.com and you, too, can be featured on italki. If you are interested in learning Arabic, remember to check out our Arabic teachers on italki.

The Ap Chemistry Free Response

The Ap Chemistry Free ResponseAp Chemistry 2020 Free Response - Get a grip on the subject! This type of AP Chemistry test is a relatively easy one to take. However, keep in mind that it's not necessary to pass this particular test to continue on your high school career path in chemistry.These are the most simple tests that are available for AP chemistry. They give you an idea of your aptitude for studying science and learning certain subjects. However, don't be scared to excel over the others as each one has its own pros and cons. As such, it's important that you learn to think creatively to get good scores.The test you will be taking in Ap Chemistry Free Response is quite easy and not very challenging. It involves problems that revolve around thermodynamics, molecular, chemical, and the periodic table. This course in AP Chemistry begins by having you identify molecules and make up their chemical makeup. In other words, you'll need to define the molecules which make up the different elements in the periodic table.One of the main problems in Ap Chemistry Free Response is the calculation of the amount of heat of the atomic and molecular structure of a substance. This type of test involves getting accurate answers in order to figure out the element composition of a given substance. Calculating the heat of a substance is known as its enthalpy. If you've taken chemistry prior to AP, then you can begin by answering this test.Apart from the free-response section, you also have a multiple-choice section where you'll be required to give the answers. This section is considered to be less difficult than the free response. Apart from the multiple-choice section, you'll also be asked to solve some problems, depending on your level of understanding. The more challenges you face, the better the final results will be. Do not worry if you cannot answer all the questions - you can either re-try or discuss with the teacher in order to work out the answers for the multiple-choice section.AP Chemistry exams are essentially divided into two parts. The first part, the core subject, covers all the essentials of chemistry - the elements, their properties, molecular properties, and their properties, etc. The second part is the supplemental section that focuses on specific chemistry topics - that includes solving problems from Ap Chemistry Free Response, completing the problems, and discussing your answers with the teacher.Ap Chemistry 2020 Free Response is considering to be an easy test that gives you a fair idea of what you're capable of. However, these tests are not necessary to keep you abreast of your AP chemistry course. The important thing is to focus on the subjects and develop an interest in learning about them so that you can excel in them.

Learning English - A nationwide Project

Learning English - A nationwide ProjectCan you imagine how many people around the world could benefit from the fact that a large number of people in the United States speak English? And why do we hear so much talk about it being in the state of decay, which is ironic because it is being praised.Language is a very intricate process. One must have an understanding of the rules and concepts behind it, to use it effectively. Otherwise, it becomes difficult to learn. You cannot communicate the same way, if you are not fully aware of the basics.Learning a foreign language can be daunting. However, a few simple steps will help you out. Having a degree in English, English as a Second Language, or Linguistics can help you in a big way. If you are still a little unsure about this, you can actually get one.These are the people who are offered on a weekly basis and who are ready to help you learn English. They will teach you the basic information you need.Also, before you move on to actually lea rning, you should do some research, to get your mind more into learning. Keep track of the way you pronounce the words. It will not only improve your pronunciation, but it will also help you understand what you are saying better.Reading is one thing, but listening to what is being said in the discussion is something else. That is where being able to understand is important. You have to listen to those who are around you, and those who you are communicating with, so that you are able to understand what they are saying.With all these in mind, you would not think that this country would be one of the best countries to learn English. But it has proven this wrong by the fact that there are now many people all over the world who speak English. Therefore, why not learn?

How to Choose Between Early Action and Early Decision

How to Choose Between Early Action and Early Decision When applying to college, there is generally arange of application timelines and options to choose from, including early action and early decision. Many students may lean toward the regular decision timeframe,butif youd like to get a leg up on other candidates, find out your application status early, and have the time and desire to do so, you may wish to considerapplying early action or early decision. If youre unsure how to choose between early action and early decision, ask yourself the following questions to help determine what's best for you: 1. Do you feel strongly enough about a specific school to apply early action or early decision? If youre dead-set on a specific school, apply early decision if its offered. Early decision locks you into attending the school once youre admitted, so youd need to withdraw and/or decline other offers of admission. This option is desirable if youd like to be over and done with the application process, and more importantly, if you feel strongly about one school. Keep in mind that you can only apply early decision at one school, which means youre prioritizing it over others. Alternatively, apply early action if youre interested in a school, but dont want to make your choice right then. This would give you time to: plan a campus visit get in contact with current students or professors ask advice of people who know you and whom you trust Its also a more appropriate path to take if you have a few schools you like, but cant decide between them. 2. How will early action or early decision affect yourfinancial assistance? If youre asking questions about financial aidand seekingfinancial assistance, whether through scholarships or FAFSA, early action might be better for you. Offers of financial assistance often are not made until the regular decision season is over, and sometimes, even later in the spring. If you have your heart set on one school, but dont have the means to pay for it, early decision might be temptinghowever, it will commit you to the school before you know all of your financial options. In that case, it may be wiser to apply early action so you can still look for and hear back from scholarship opportunities. This advice is most relevant to students whose ACT and SATscores, grades, and qualifications are high. If you are hoping to bring your grades up in the first semester of your senior year, you may want to wait to apply regular decision. 3. Which schools offer which early action versus early decision? Not all schools offer early action or early decision. For example, your dream school might have early action as an option, while other schools you feel lukewarm about may offer early decision. In such a situation, you might seethese asreasons not to apply early decision. You can apply all early action if youd like, or apply for other schools later during regular decision. Also, some schools offer a single-choice early admission, which means you can only apply early to that school. Check with the specific school about their policies; it varies from school to school, and you dont want to have missed out because of the fine print. Below are five schools, from a report via U.S. News World Report, that had some of the highest acceptance rates for early action and early decision applicants in fall 2015, compared to those who applied regular decision. School Percentage of Early Action/Decision Applicants Admitted Meredith College 100% University at AlbanySUNY 94.50% St. Lawrence University 90.40% Denison University 88.20% American University 87.20% As you decide whether to apply early action or early decision, keep in mind that you may change your mind during the application process as you learn more about the school, yourself, and your wants and needs as a college student. Ask your current teachers, your school counselor, an older friend, or a family member for insight. 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 atblog@varsitytutors.com.

The Influence the Chinese Language on Asia

The Influence the Chinese Language on Asia What Role Does Chinese Play in Other Asian Countries? Chapters Chinese Characters in Japanese The Impact of Chinese Culture in Korea The Tumultuous History of China and Vietnam The Four Official Languages of SingaporeIn addition to places where Chinese is spoken as an official language such as mainland China and Taiwan (Republic of China), the influence of the Chinese language can be seen on a number of other places in Asia...Both culturally and linguistically, Old Chinese, which was a monosyllabic and tonal language, was responsible for the birth of a number of different writing systems and languages in Southeast Asia.Its influence was so great that we can even find Chinese words in European languages and in English including: “tea” and “ketchup” which came from the Chinese words ? (tê) and ??/?? (koe-tsiap).While Chinese is now a great language to be able to put on your CV, was this always the case?Why were Chinese characters so widely adopted across Asia?In this article, we're going to be taking a look at the history and inf luence of Chinese languages on a few other Asian languages.Learn also how to speak Mandarin's four tones... NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Chinese Characters in JapaneseA country known for manga, anime, sushi, and samurai, Japan is a country whose culture was heavily influenced by China and the Chinese language.Japan has been considering abandoning the Chinese characters in its alphabet since the end of the 19th century. (Source: pixabay.com)In fact, Chinese vocabul ary is responsible for around 60% of Japanese words yet very few people are aware that Japanese and Mandarin Chinese have so many things in common. There are a number of Japanese things that actually originated from China or Chinese culture.Written Chinese is thought to have made its way to Japan as early as the 4th century. However, there are claims that  Japan had its own writing system known as jindai moji but most evidence appears to be forgeries since examples of the writing system have been based on Modern Japanese, which has fewer vowels than its Old Japanese.Additionally, there are even texts written around the time using the Chinese characters that state that there was no such writing system in Japan before the Chinese characters were brought over. Scholars also believe that it seems highly unlikely that the Japanese would abandon such a writing system so quickly just because the Chinese introduced another one.On the other hand, there are also texts in existence written usi ng the jindai moji from the time period they would have been used and during the 19th century, there were claims that examples of ancient writing had been found.Whatever the truth is, the Chinese characters were widely adopted and although only  the upper echelons of Japanese society learnt Chinese and wrote Chinese characters in order to communicate with one another, that would soon change.Chinese made its most important marks on Japan and Japanese culture between the 6th century during the times of Asuka and Nara and the 12th century during the Heian period.The presence of Chinese in the heart of the Land of the Rising Sun can still be seen most clearly in the written language as many Chinese characters are still present in written Japanese .Also learn about the Chinese phonetic writing system...  These Chinese characters, which are known as Kanji in Japanese, are used alongside Japan’s two other writing systems, Hiragana and Katakana, which are used for grammatical words and th e transcription of foreign words.While often, and rightly, seen as a country in its own right, Japan remains heavily associated with Chinese culture. In fact, Japan has tried, often in vain, to separate itself from its Chinese roots and, as of the 19th century and during periods of modernisation, has tried to rid itself of Chinese characters.Despite well-intentioned and official attempts, Japan has been unable to rid itself of the characters, usually due to the fact that there’s no other writing system to replace them. As a result, there aren't any modern dictionaries in Japan where you wouldn't find a word that comes from a Chinese character.Find out more about China’s linguistic history. The Impact of Chinese Culture in KoreaThe first foreign country to make a significant mark on Korean culture was China.At a time where Chinese culture was revered, the Koreans took inspiration from it. (Source: pixabay.com)As early as the 5th century BCE, the Chinese Empire was seen as a model civilisation by the Koreans and a number of Chinese influences can be seen to this day.Thus, under the influence of the Tang dynasty, one of the most advanced in the history of China, Korea incorporated a number of Chinese traditions.Culturally speaking, the Middle Kingdom influenced the Koreans in the following ways:Agriculture: through the different technologies of the time for cultivating rice and barley.Law: the drafting of the first civil code and the adoption of an administrative model as of the 7th century.China also influenced Korea in terms of language with the adoption of Chinese ideograms.I learned all about writing Chinese ideograms from my Superprof when she was hosting Mandarin lessons London!Until the invention of the simplified Korean “Hangul” alphabet in the 15th century at the time of King Sejong the Great during the Joseon Dynasty (which helped Koreans learn to read and write), “Hanja” ??, the Chinese characters still used today, were used alongside Korea n characters.The influence of Chinese characters can be seen in the “hanmun” texts written using Hanja which formed the basis of classical Chinese grammar.There is very little difference between “hanja” and Japanese “kanji”, which both heavily resemble traditional Chinese characters or “hanzi”, other than a few exceptions that are used to identify the characters as Korean rather than Japanese or Chinese.It’s thought that between 60% and 70% of Korean’s vocabulary is made up of Sino-Korean words.  Ironically, Korean is spoken today in the People’s Republic of China in the border regions of Yanbian.Find out more about Chinese variations and dialects! The Tumultuous History of China and VietnamAt the risk of burning my fingers by writing about the hot topic of “China’s influence on Vietnam”, let’s have a look at the history and relationship between these two countries.This is surely not a topic you will cover in your Chinese classes London or elsewhere!Acc ording to legend, Vietnamese and Cantonese were born from one language. (Source: Vincent Liew)Given how controversial the topic is, it can be quite difficult to find trustworthy information on the subject.  This is generally due to the fact that the reasons why certain people are trying fervently to show that the Vietnamese are Chinese (or vice-versa) are very political.In terms of linguistics, we know that Chinese and Vietnamese belong to two different language families. However, you could say that they’re sort of like cousins or neighbours.Chinese belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family while Vietnamese belongs to the Austroasiatic language family. Thus, their structures are different. Diametrically opposed, in fact.So how can we go so far as to claim that their are similarities between the two languages?Discover everything you need to know about the Chinese language...The PhoneticsIn fact, while there are also certain grammatical similarities between Mandarin Chinese in som e cases, the phonetic similarities between Cantonese and Vietnamese are even greater.For example, Vietnamese uses 6 different tones just like its neighbour, Cantonese. While they’re obviously not the same 6 tones, there is still this similarity.While the language is more similar to ancient Chinese, there is a clear Cantonese influence on Vietnamese due to the historical relationship between the two regions.The linguistic links between the two formed in the Guangdong delta by descendants of the Yue in northern Vietnam can be seen in the administrative and technical vocabulary found in certain parts of Vietnam.Some Vietnamese words (around 90% in some cases) can be traced back to Chinese as well as the characters used in “Ch? nôm”.Since Ch? nôm is very complicated, it’s only used by the highly literate elites and has almost been fully replaced by the “qu?c ng?” writing system that uses the Latin alphabet.If there are any tutors who teach Chinese reading this article, don ’t hesitate to share your experiences of teaching Vietnamese students as we’ve heard a number of stories claiming that it can be very easy for them to learn Mandarin Chinese including claims that there are first year university students who’ve managed to reach the same level as second year or graduating students in significantly less time.Find out more about learning Chinese. The Four Official Languages of SingaporeDespite being a small country in both terms of land and population, Singapore is a huge country when it comes to the number of ethnic groups and languages.Singapore is an autonomous republic with no linguistic laws. (Source: pixabay.com)Of all the ethnic groups in Singapore, the Chinese population is the biggest.  In terms of “Chinese” groups, there are:Taiwanese or “Min nan”MandarinsHakkaCantonesePu-xianMin beiBabaHuiThe country is comprised of four main linguistic groups, one for each of the country’s official languages. Mandarin Chinese is the language spoken by most of the Chinese-speaking inhabitants.While there’s a tendency for Mandarin households to also speak English, we can confirm that Mandarin makes up part of the city-state’s multilingual landscapeIf you’re thinking about working in China and getting Chinese lessons, which variety of Chinese should you consider learning?

How Long Does it Take to Learn to Play the Drums

How Long Does it Take to Learn to Play the Drums How Much Time Does it Take to Learn the Drums? ChaptersWibbly-Wobbly TimeThe Ten Thousand Hour RuleWhat is Your Intent?Laying Down the Drum BeatsIf I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I’d like to do... - Jim Croce, Time in a BottleDon’t we all wish we could save time for the things we want to do, to prolong the moments spent with those we love, and merely gloss over school, work, doctor’s appointments and traffic jams?A sort of fast-forward over the mundane parts of life so that we can savour the delicious aspects of our existence?Unfortunately, time, like money, has its own priorities, spending itself relentlessly and inexorably, in measured increments, with no regard at all for our desires.Such as the desire to make music by learning how to play the drums!Knowing that time is limited, pressing and in ever-diminishing quantity â€" in more ways than one, it is quite natural to wonder how long it would take to learn any skill.Let us now look at other facets that govern the time needed to learn the drums throu gh and through.Time spent on unpleasant tasks seems to drag on forever! Source: Pixabay Credit: Xavi Andrewdrum lessons for kids are enthusiastically partaken of!Conversely, if all you want to do is bang on the drum all day, as Todd Rundgren does, everyday concerns like meetings and sales calls might feel like aeons passing before you can once again pick up your drumsticks.It is a very human trait to quantify everything through measurement.That, in turn, ties in neatly with trait theory, which postulates that, if we are likely to do something, it is most probably because we are predisposed to doing so.And here were are again, back at cause and effect!So: do you like to play the drums because an affinity for music is an innate quality you possess?Or do you measure each drum beat against the clock instead of your metronome or the pages of your drum books, because you would rather be anywhere, even the dentist’s chair, than behind a drum set?And what does all of this have to do with the time it takes to learn the drums?Why, everything! Read on...How you hold your drumsticks can have an effect on how long it takes to learn how to play drums Source: Pixabay Credit: TookapicThe Ten Thousand Hour RuleIn the book Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell, we are confronted with the postulate that, in order to master any task, one must devote 10,000 hours to practising the correct way.Readers and reviewers of that tome especially appreciated the perspective presented in that study: that individual potential is often overlooked in the quest for competence.In plain speak: the basic theory is that, if you apply yourself to any task, hobby or occupation for that specific amount of time... you will not necessarily master it.What it really comes down to is whether you have an aptitude for the learning you’ve set yourself to.Find out what the best age is for learning the drums!Let us say you do have an aptitude for drumming and want to learn how to do it well: most likely, you will s ucceed in your goal, provided you work at it correctly â€" more on that in a moment.Still: doesn’t the idea of devoting ten thousand hours to the pursuit of excellence in drum playing seem a bit daunting?Especially if you have other commitments, such as work, school, family and friends, and other hobbies?And what does that phrase ‘practice correctly’ mean?There are a few ways to practice the drums incorrectly:playing without warming up: you should exercise your hands, wrists and grip before you hit the first drum strokenot using a metronome: without a timekeeping device, you may drop the tempo once you get tired â€" a critical error!not using a practice pad: you should spend the same amount of time with the drum pad as you do on the drum kitnot sticking to a regular practice schedule â€" remember: you are not just learning to paradiddle, you are also conditioning your arms and hands!holding the sticks improperly: this can make playing sixteenth notes more difficult, and possib ly cause injury!keeping poor posturefavouring your weak hand by using mostly your dominant handsetting your sights too high; ignoring fundamentalsAny of these variables can render any time you spend to learn to play the drums ineffective, which will prolong the time it will take you to master drum patterns and drum notation.First, because you will have to unlearn all of those bad habits, and then learn effective drumming skills.Another pertinent factor of the time it takes to learn drums is who you learn from.Discover resources for learning how to play the drums!There are plenty of online materials for you to learn the drums, and you could also invest in books to learn how to play the drums, but learning in a vacuum is seldom a good idea.At the very least, you should sign up for beginner drum lessons, if only to get a grasp on the fundamentals of drumming and someone to show you the more intricate drum grooves.Forget googling drum lessons Edinburgh; Superprof has the right drum teac her for you!What is Your Intent?Do you plan on building your life around drumming? Do you see yourself playing in a rock band, touring the world?Are you hoping to compete internationally by displaying your skill within a corps and win prizes?Would you like to audition for the Highland Drum Corps?Each of these requires different skills and aptitudes. For the rock or jazz drummer, a solid technique on a full drum set is required.As a member of a marching band, you only have to beat a bass drum or a snare drum, but must be able to walk in complicated patterns while keeping the beat.Whether you intend to play drums as an avocation or if playing drums is your life: your intent weighs significantly on the time it will take you to learn how to play drums.Playing the drum in a corps requires an entirely different skills set than playing the drums in a band Source: Pixabay Credit: SkeezeLaying Down the Drum BeatsAnyone’s ability to learn to play drums comes down to three factors, of which time is the least significant.Of primary importance is your dedication to learning drums.If you do not have the coordination, heart, patience, and desire to learn syncopation or how to read drum sheet music, it will take you an eternity to master percussion instruments, even with drumming lessons twice a week.The next vital factor is how you learn.Will you seek out a drum teacher? Or will you opt for online drum lessons; ones where you take instruction but don’t get instant feedback or correction?You can count on plenty of feedback if you were taking drum lessons Manchester or in Birmingham with a Superprof tutor!At least at the outset of your learning the drums, you should have a music teacher who will instruct you on all of the safety facets of drumming as well as teach you how to set up your kit and maintain it properly.Metallica’s Lars Ulrich has been labelled a bad drummer because he does not practice and seems generally negligent about his kit.In fact, he does not like pra ctising drum fills and beats alone. He reasons that his instrument supports the band, therefore should not be played without the band. Logical!Whether you are a fan of his or not, please do not emulate that attitude.For every hour spent in drum lessons, you should spend two practising on your drum pad.With dedication, aptitude and work, you will be able to learn the drums fairly quickly â€" say, 10 to 12 months to become proficient, and about 18 months to 2 years to get really good.And you won’t need to save time in any bottle!How ironic that the song opening this article features no drums at all...Read more FAQs about learning how to play the drums...

How to Prepare for Your Last Year of Business School

How to Prepare for Your Last Year of Business School With your first year of your MBA program complete, your final year of business school will likely have you feeling much more confident. You know the landscape, you have more freedom to choose the schedule you want, and you have a little more time to relax. But, stay sharp! These final classes will fly by, and youll want to make the most of them. A few ways to prepare for your last year of business school are to check your graduation requirements, connect with your colleagues, and remind yourself why you went to business school in the first place. Here are four ways to prepare for your last year of business school: 1. Check your business school graduation requirements Talk with your advisor to ensure that the classes you want to take fulfill the credits that your school requires for you to graduate. Furthermore, weigh your future career goals and academic interests when creating your schedule. For instance, if youre going into corporate finance, then including courses in debt markets, venture capital, and private equity might make sense. But if youre also interested in organizational behavior, then you could also enroll in a conflict management negotiation class. Furthermore, stay on top of your GPA so that you can walk on stage for commencement with no surprises. [RELATED: 4 Things to Do in Your Last Semester of Business School] 2. Connect with all of your business school colleagues During business school, you should build all kinds of relationships. Spend even more time this last year getting to know your classmates, alumni, faculty, staff, business friends, acquaintances, and the variety of people you encounter during your MBA program. These are the links in your network who can help you find success as you grow your career. To keep track of all these important individuals in your life, LinkedIn is a great, professional platform to use. Apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are fine for close friends, but LinkedIn is an ideal place for your career contacts and networking possibilities. 3. Apply for jobs during your last year of business school Specific recruitment seasons vary among industries, but your second year is the time to really start narrowing in on what you want to do after graduation. Although there may be an overwhelming number of organizations sending recruiters to your campus, focus on your target companies. Make a list of 10-20 places you would like to work. Dont try to interview for everything. Know what you want. You can do your research ahead of time by doing the following things: reading industry news visiting corporate websites talking with classmates and alumni who have worked at companies that hold your interest 4. Remember why you went to business school in the first place A lot can change between the moment you hit the submit button on your MBA application and the day that you graduate from business school. So much comes at you during the first year of your program that you can barely recall what you wanted out of an MBA in the first place. Therefore, sit for a moment to think about how you want to spend the months you have left in the program. Take the classes that you wanted to attend once you got accepted. Continue to make friends with the people sitting next to you. Participate in the organizations that you joined/lead. Make your business school experience something you can look back on and be proud of. [RELATED: 5 Tips to Ease the Transition from Business School to the Business World] Your last year of business school will move more quickly than expected, and soon you will be exiting the classroom and entering (or returning to) the workforce. During these last few months, look at the choices you can make to shape the potential finale of your formal education. Set yourself up for success in your career now! 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.