Chemistry of Light - A Beginners Guide

Chemistry of Light - A Beginner's GuideChemistry of Light in Home: Some may not know that it is possible to do a lot with Chemistry of Light in Home. By some, I mean if you have a fireplace, then you will be able to enjoy a very nice display with your Chemistry of Light. In fact, you can even use the Chemistry of Light to create a different chemical reaction by using different elements.But first let's take a look at Chemistry of Light in Home. This is a brilliant way to keep the winter cold away by keeping the outside of your home warm. What I am saying is that you will be able to do all sorts of wonderful things if you choose to have Chemistry of Light in Home.Of course, you may ask how you will be able to create a chemistry of light when you have not bought any. You will need to get a bit of help. If you really want to do a great job with your Chemistry of Light, then it is best to get a little help. Getting a bit of help will make your Chemistry of Light very successful.A very sim ple way to get help with your Chemistry of Light is to visit a chemistry class or school and see if they offer classes. There are a few good chemistry classes in every state that you can take. In fact, there are a large number of schools that offer Chemistry of Light classes for free.What you will find out when you take your Chemistry classes is that most of them are wonderful. The teacher will go over every step that you take when doing Chemistry of Light and if you get things done right, then you will be doing a great job. And the better you do, the more you will be able to do.Of course, before you get all worked up about anything, think about what you are going to do with your Chemistry of Light. You may be able to use it in your kitchen to do some baking with your baking soda. Maybe you want to sprinkle some on your vegetables. Or maybe you want to sprinkle it on your coffee.So, if you are ready to use Chemistry of Light in Home, then you are ready to begin. It really is not dif ficult to do.

A Guide To The GCSE Art Sketchbook

A Guide To The GCSE Art Sketchbook Nailing The GCSE Sketchbook Component ChaptersA Guide To Your AQA Art GCSE OptionsHow Will You Be Assessed?Perfecting Your GCSE Art SketchbookSketchbook IdeasSketchbook Cover IdeasMore than half of your final grade in Art Design will be determined according to your portfolio, which is why your sketchbook artwork and research has to be just right. No pressure there! The remaining points will be offered in conjunction with your performance during the ten-hour exam... nobody said that Art was going to be an easy option, did they?!But before we go into what should be in your GCSE sketchbook (in terms of scale of work, written work vs artwork, presentation style, etc...), let's recap what your pre-college GCSE Art course will look like (based primarily on the AQA GCSE Art Design syllabus, one of the most common in the country).Three-dimensional designThis particular section offers those wishing to express themselves artistically with the opportunity to do with varying mediums and within different settings. For example, this module is made up of architectural design, sculpture, ceramics, product design, jewellery and body adornment, interior design, environmental/landscape/garden design, exhibition design, three-dimensional digital design and designs for theatre, and film and television.PhotographyFinally, budding photographers will no doubt be drawn to this area of study because it allows them to develop their skills and experiment with portraiture, location photography, studio photography, experimental imagery, installation, documentary photography, photo-journalism, moving image: film, video and animation, and fashion photography.Are you still wondering about the benefits of studying art at GCSE level?How Will You Be Assessed?When it comes to assessment, this Art Design course is structured as so:There are two compulsory components.  Students must complete both components.Component 1: PortfolioA portfolio that in total shows explicit coverage of the four assessment objectives. It must include a sus tained project evidencing the journey from initial engagement to the realisation of intentions and a selection of further work undertaken during the student’s course of study.See further details below on how this component is assessed:No time limit 96 marks 60% of GCSE Non-exam assessment (NEA) set and marked by the school/college and moderated by AQA during a visit. Moderation will normally take place in June.Component 2: Externally-set assignmentStudents respond to their chosen starting point from an externally set assignment paper relating to their subject title, evidencing coverage of all four assessment objectives.See further details below on how this component is assessed:Preparatory period followed by 10 hours of supervised time 96 marks 40% of GCSE Non-exam assessment (NEA) set by AQA; marked by the school/college and moderated by AQA during a visit. Moderation will normally take place in June.Search for  online art courses  on Superprof now.As you can gather, the majority of your final grade will be given in conjunction with your sketchbook or portfolio (i.e. the work that you complete throughout the two-year period) whilst 40% will be based on how you perform in your final assessment and the final piece of artwork that you produce as a result of those 10 hours of supervised work.Learn more about how to ace your final piece!Search for  art classes near me  now.a place to think.Any ideas that enter your mind should be put down as they all add to your artistic journey. It doesn't all have to be finalised ideas that make an appearance, you can use the space provided to brainstorm, experiment, analyse and refine your ideas. It should, in theory, be deep and personal and provide a backstory to your entire project, leading the examiner to the end product, or the culmination of your journey.Most sketchbooks are A4 or A3 in size and are pre-bound for ease. An A3 book is obviously better because it allows you to fit more on a page whereas A4 ones are often p referred because they fit into a backpack or schoolbag much easier.There are no rules as to how you use the space on the pages (you can use them in portrait or landscape mode ) and you'll find that the pages are made using quality paper so that you can use a multitude of mediums on them (including wet and dry).Don't forget, however, that if you need to use a specific material to make markings on then you can always glue these materials onto the page. Don't worry about your sketchbook not closing properly - some might say that the bigger the inside of the sketchbook then the more diverse its contents are!Your sketchbook will be made up of quality paper on which you can use wet and dry mediums. Photo credit: vavoir on VisualHuntFinally, one disadvantage of using materials like wet paints (for example, watercolours) in a sketchbook is that the other pages are likely to get wet and bumpy too. You can avoid this by either using a separate sheet and sticking it in, or by placing cardboard in between the page in use and the rest of the book and waiting until the piece of art is dry before attempting to close the book.Learn more interesting facts about the GCSE art syllabus...How Should I Display My GCSE Art Projects?Your portfolio should be a good representation of your academic journey in this subject, so the content is as important as the presentation.For instance, you should ensure that it responds in some way to a theme, subject, task or brief set out by your course and that it provides evidence of how you have engaged with this subject matter and how you came to your final piece. Your intentions, therefore, should be made completely visible so the examiner can recognise them.To prove that you have engaged with the subject matter during your course, you should evidence a clear personal connection to the topic in question, and explain the personal context surrounding the work, as this may not always be obvious to an outsider.Secondary materials are vital to show t hat you have learned and been influenced by others but you must also fill the sketchbook with your own visual material which yet again supports the theme of the project in some way. Don't just put drawings in there for the sake of it - everything should link back to the journey you have embarked on during the art curriculum.You may be better at using one particular medium, but don't forget to show a wide range of mediums and materials in your art projects.This may include, textured paper, drawings, papier mache, news cuttings, plastic sheets, old wallpaper, glossy photographic paper and other collages surfaces, for example.Look up for  art classes Edinburgh  now.When it comes to drawing mediums, you might like to experiment with charcoal, colouring pencils, chalks, acrylic paints, dyes, spray paint, wax and other pastes and glazes.One very important thing to remember is that this component is marked as a whole, so every single visual representation should be to the highest of standa rds.There is no use having a few amazing pages in your portfolio followed by an incomplete and bare-looking page, as this will only bring your markdown. The examiner wants to see that you have put in the effort and that you have really engaged with the task at hand rather than just sticking things down unnecessarily to cover blank white spaces or writing things down that have little or no meaning to you or your project.Find  art classes London  now.Be sure to use a range of colour and mediums in your sketchbook. Photo credit: roberthuffstutter on VisualHuntGCSE Art Projects Presentation TipsAs we've mentioned above, the key to a good sketchbook is to keep it consistent.White, empty spaces will just be an eyesore next to those other jam-packed and colourful sheets. That said, more doesn't always mean better.Sometimes, keeping it simple and not over-working it can have more impact and come across more confident than if you were to go crazy and include elaborate decorations on each and every page.Try using a consistent style in your presentation, i.e. keeping writing to a similar size throughout, and attempting where possible to let the pages flow from one to the next. Do feel free to mix things up a bit though and to  vary page layouts to make the observational journey more interesting and appealing. If you have started in portrait orientation, then it would be wise to continue that so that the journey is broken up and made complicated to follow.Finally, try to order your work in a way that it shows a true development of ideas.What options do you have with your AQA art GCSE?Working backward or leaving blank spaces to fill in later isn't recommended as your story won't come across genuine, neither should you attempt to bulk up your portfolio with poor or rushed work right at the end of the course. If you have engaged with your subject matter and put in the effort along the way, then you should have everything you need by the time you come to your final exam and a re ready to submit your art projects to the examiner.How To Annotate Your GCSE ArtworkYou have discovered what your GCSE sketchbook should look like, now here are a few last tips on how best to annotate your work.Show your personal responseWrite clearlyDemonstrate subject-specific knowledgeAnalyse work criticallyCommunicate your intentionsAvoid stating the obviousReference any image, text or idea that is not your ownSketchbook IdeasNow that you have an idea of what is expected of you and how your sketchbook will be appraised, let's take a look at some ideas to refine your artistic expression; to present your talent and ability as an artist in the best possible light.Art is such an all-encompassing concept, especially when one considers the possibility of overlapping media.It is quite possible for the burgeoning artist to become overwhelmed at the prospect of choosing a theme, selecting a medium or two, and then progressing from an ephemeral idea to a fully formed work of art.We now take a look at some of the more popular theme selections to give you some ideas on how to enrich your subject; to make your renderings unique.The Human FormLet's suppose you would choose this most popular subject. How can you populate your sketchbook in such a way to make it outstanding; far superior to other GCSE art candidates' works?You might, for instance, start with pencil sketches of some of the more difficult aspects of drawing life forms: a hand, for example.If you have opted for an A3 sketchbook, you may draw a progressive series of hands: infants' hands unconsciously fisted, a toddler's hands grubby from outdoor play; adults' hands engaged in various tasks and elderly hands, symbolic of a lifetime of work.The eyes have it!Human eyes are a fascinating study of themselves: different colours and shapes, conveying different expressions under brows that could be trimmed, shaped, light or heavy.How about this idea?Divide your page into bands approximately five centimetres wide. Within each band, draw as many pairs of eyes as you can: green and blue and brown and hazel; close-set or wide, almond-shaped or round... even the eyes of somebody afflicted with Waardenburg Syndrome!Besides colouring the eyes - which gives you a chance to adopt another medium be it pastels, chalk, coloured pencils or watercolour, you may consider adding makeup to select pairs: eyeshadows and liners, even mascara.Don’t forget to include a pair of eyes cut out from a magazine advert, just to show you are comfortable using diverse media!As your proficiency at pencil drawings grows, you may highlight the human form in action: a  basketball player leaping for a dunk shot, a twirling ballerina; a fisher reeling in a big catch or a chef, busy in the kitchen.These representations may be rendered alternately in pencil and colours â€" again, the choice of medium is all yours.As you progress through your sketchbook, your work should culminate in representations of a fully formed humans.The latter pages of your sketchbook might be filled with photographs or paintings, portraits and posed subjects, and should display your mastery in representing the human form through a variety of media.Animals can have such soulful expressions; a real challenge for an artist to capture! Source: Pixabay Credit: ivanovgoodMaking Animals Your ThemeFurry, funny, wet and wild; sassy and sly and sluggish and slow: no matter what the creature, these life forms engender in most of us a sense of wonder, awe, and a desire to protect and preserve them. Thus, they make a great theme for your GCSE sketchbook!You may start with your family pet: a tabby or trusting pooch; one who was your constant companion in your younger years.What aspect of this animal do you find most endearing?You may start your sketchbook with an assortment of drawings and/or photos of your family pet in a variety of actions and poses: eating, sleeping, chasing a toy; walking sedately or sitting up to beg - or demand, should yo ur family pet be feline.You could then sketch, draw or paint different breeds of dogs: Maltese and Yorkie - with cute hair bows, of course! Chihuahuas and terriers and Pinschers and Pekinese; Shi Tzu and Shar pei, Dobermans and Dalmatians.On another page, you might display a single breed in all of its sizes; maybe a poodle? Such a breed would indeed be challenging to draw or paint because of its unique, curly coat!Start with a toy poodle and work your way through the sizes: miniature and medium, all the way to a standard poodle.  Your work may show them in repose or active, their coats of many different colours and barbered into many styles.Other categories of expression for dogs may include working dogs such as sheepdogs, service animals, security dogs; short- and long-haired animals; dogs from different regions, shown against a backdrop of their native origins.How about sketching a husky team running the Iditarod?  The Endless Possibilities of LandscapesClaude Monet is undoubtedly one of the most renown impressionist painters, yet he painted the same scene, Grainstacks at Giverny, no fewer than 25 times.He also painted the Houses of Parliament 19 times, all from the same perspective but in different weather conditions and at different times of the day.In a sense, you might say that Andy Warhol replicated Monet’s idea through his repetition of Marylin Monroe likenesses all done in different colour schemes, and his Campbell’s Soup Cans series consisting of 32 canvases.The only change from one to other is the type of soup the tin might contain.Obviously, neither Ms Monroe’s likeness nor tins of soup are in the same thematic field as landscaping but all of these examples set a precedent for the idea of replicating a scene with each rendition presenting minor changes in tone and hue.As you have a fairly large sketchbook to fill, you may consider borrowing that idea.Take a look outside your window: what do you see? Something remarkable? Something mundane?Eit her way, it is a view that is uniquely yours, both from the perspective only you can have on it and for the way you interpret it.You might start your sketchbook drawing your street scene through a four-year-old’s eyes: bold colours and uncertain lines, without much definition at all, rendered in coloured pencils or wax crayons.Remember how, as a child, you drew houses? A façade somewhat resembling a face: the door being a mouth and the windows representing eyes, all under a pitched roof?You could lend such characteristics to your current project.Start with infantile expressions of feeling safe at home and then looking out; marking the passage of years and your growing awareness of the world outside your window in the detail you provide with a maturing of your artistic talent.Naturally, you would graduate to more exacting technique and demanding media; by the end of your sketchbook, you would have presented a complex street scene at any given time of day (don’t forget nighttime, when the streets are empty!).What if you don’t live in a big city? What if the view outside your window is nothing but countryside?In that case, you may invoke your inner Monet, devising impressionistic versions of the same scene, differently lit and through a variety of media.How would you render this explosion of colour? Source: Pixabay Credit: ValiunicSketchbook Cover IdeasNow that you have some ideas on how to fill all those blank pages within your sketchbook, what will you put on the cover?Ideally, your sketchbook cover should give a snapshot of the artistic journey you have undertaken.Just like a person’s first impression of you determines their opinions and attitude towards you, how you preface your artistic journey will influence evaluators’ opinions of your work.In other words, your sketchbook cover should give some clue of your artistic talent and developing abilities but not tell the whole story.You might, for example, place your name in the middle of the page and sketch objects related to your theme all around your name, using different media.If the human form is your theme, you might try doing a self-portrait in pencil or charcoal and then surrounding your likeness with various other faces and/or posed figures.If your chosen medium is paint â€" oils or gouache, a Pointillist cover would certainly attract attention!Not only would Pointillism demonstrate your command of colour and control over your brush but it would lend weight to your sketchbook cover that could be interpreted as a certain gravitas.What if your chosen field is graphic art?Such a sketchbook should be attention-grabbing, perhaps a collage of hand-drawn and computer-generated imagery in bold colours with distinctive lines.You may also include quotes from one or more established artists of the same genre you aspire to make your mark in:I dream my painting and I paint my dream â€" Van GoghI don’t paint dreams or nightmares; I paint my own reality â€" KahloHave no fear of perfe ction; you’ll never reach it â€" DaliThere are no lines in nature; only areas of colour, one against another â€" ManetThere are two ways for a painter: the broad and easy one or the narrow and hard one â€" CassattWhy shouldn’t art be pretty? There are enough unpleasant things in the world - RenoirArt is not what you see but what you make others see - DegasEdgar Degas’ assertion is most on-point when it comes to your GCSE sketchbook.Your work should be an assertion of what you can make others see: in you, in your artistic flair and, mayhap, in the world around them.These suggestions should help you do that.

10 Things Every Great Jazz Guitarist Knows

10 Things Every Great Jazz Guitarist Knows Megan L. Be the next great jazz guitarist with these tips from guitar teacher  Zachary A. To quote the late Frank Zappa, “Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny”. Jazz may not be as big and popular as it once was but if you learn how to play jazz you will be set up to successfully play any genre of music. The great jazz musicians all have numerous things in common, things that set them apart from the crowd and make them legendary. In this article, I will be going over ten of those most important things that anyone playing jazz guitar must know. Remember that as a jazz musician, and really any type of musician, you should be listening to as much music as possible. Listening to great performances really is vital for becoming a great performer yourself. 1. Timing is everything Timing in music is imperative, and especially in jazz. Music itself is the manipulation of time. When you play music with people and you don’t have a good sense for time, the music you create will most likely be a jagged, clustered mess. The people you play with will not know what to play or when to play. Timing is everything. 2. Practice with an external time source A good tip to obtain a little bit more of a jazzier feel to your music is to use  a metronome or even a drum sequencer.  If    if the time signature fits, practice playing on the 2nd and 4th of the beat.  The more you play with a metronome the better your time will be. It is that simple. 3. All jazz musicians have a great ear The most common trait in every jazz musician is that they have an impeccable ear for music. Developing a musician’s ear, as it is referred to, takes time and lots of practice. To help build a better ear for music there are numerous exercises that you can do. Training your ear can involve hearing intervals, lines, chord qualities and chord progressions, and learning all of this in every key, with the ability to decipher what change, what interval, what progression is in what key. Jazz guitarists should also have a great ear while on the bandstand. It is imperative to listen to your band mates while on stage. The better your ear is on stage, the more people will want to play with you. 4. Take every opportunity for a session or gig Take every opportunity for a session or a gig. Every time you play a session or gig it is a learning experience. Through these experiences be sure to take the opportunity to learn from other successful musicians. Always keep an open mind; I am sure that there is something you can learn from just about every musician out there. At times it is easy to get stuck in a narcissistic mind set, trying to find your own solutions to your own problems. Having a handful of trustworthy musicians to go to when you get stuck can be very helpful when youre studying music. Another reason that it is important to take every session or gig you can is because you never know who you will run into at these events. It has been said that music is about being in the right place at the right time. For that luck to strike, you actually have to be out playing and engaging with other musicians. You never know which gig or session will be the one that could change your career. 5. Practice everyday This is pretty self-explanatory. To be a great jazz guitarist, it takes practice and lots of it. Practicing daily, even if it is just for an hour, is way more beneficial than practicing for 8 hours one day and not at all for the rest of the week. 6. Have an extensive amount of heads and changes memorized All great jazz musicians have a back log of themes and heads memorized with the ability to recall them at any time. This knowledge of heads will be extremely beneficial when playing at a jam session or playing a gig. When deciding on what to learn, I recommend start off by learning some of the more well known jazz standards. For example, Autumn Leaves is a well-known song which is played in the key of g minor. Another well-known jazz standard that is essential to have in your repertoire is the song Summertime. A George Gershwin classic, the jazz version was made famous by John Coltrane and has since been covered by many other legendary musicians. Summertime utilizes the major and minor pentatonic scales. Learning this song will help you be a master at these scales. A few more common jazz standards you should learn include Cherokee, All the Things, and Stella by Starlight. When learning these songs transpose them for all 12 keys for complete mastery. 7. Always go back to the fundamentals Jazz is a complex genre, and  it is always important to revert back to the fundamentals when learning jazz guitar.This means spending time reviewing the major and minor scales and practicing the pentatonic scales before breaking out in Frank Zappa’s solo in Black Napkins. It is important to know a multitude of chord progressions and phrasings as well as the different forms these phrases can be arranged. Again, it is important to know all these phrases and chord progressions in all of the 12 keys. Another helpful way to learn and master the fundamentals for anyone playing jazz guitar is by learning and getting a general sense of the piano. 8. Talent is great but determination and perseverance win every time Talent is great but perseverance and determination will triumph every time. Being naturally talented at anything is always a nice thing. The one thing that every jazz musician has in common is that they have spent many dedicated hours in the shed practicing and perfecting their trade. Remember the path to learning one hundred songs begins with learning one. 9. There is no set formula for becoming a jazz musician There truly is no set formula for becoming a jazz guitarist and musician, but there are many different formulas out there that you can pick and choose from. In the end, use what works best for you. With jazz there really is so much information out there. There is always room for improvement. You could always be brushing up on changes, learning old jazz standards, or perhaps learning new scales. It is important to steer clear of the mind set of being overly confident in your abilities. This bottomless pit of a mindset can cause you to become complacent and lose that drive every dedicated jazz musician has. One common thing in jazz is that it will take you years to learn, a challenge that I just love. 10. Set goals and stick with them until completion To avoid getting stuck in a rut, it helps to set goals. Both short and long term goals will help you grow as a musician. Your goal could be as simple as learning one new song a week. There is something though, that is even more important than setting the goals, because in reality setting the goals is the easy part. The hard part, and the most important, is to finish the goals you set. Working with a guitar teacher is the best way to meet your goals and achieve your dreams! Zachary A. is a guitar instructor in Katy, TX specializing in beginning and intermediate students. He is currently earning a degree in  music theory. Learn more about Zachary 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 Photo by  Antonio Thomás Koenigkam Oliveira

Latin Basics 101

Latin Basics 101 What to Expect When Learning Latin ChaptersBeginner's Latin  Is There a Typical Profile of a Latin Student?Motivation, Essential for ProgressBe More Comfortable in Other SubjectsGet Help From OthersIs There a Secret Recipe for Mastering Latin? At school, you’re more likely to have learned languages that are still alive today like French, German and Spanish. But although a dead language, learning Latin isn’t any different.First, you start with learning vocabulary (get yourself an English-Latin dictionary!), before you move on to learning sentence structures and stock phrases.Making the choice to learn Latin is not an easy one, it takes hard work and dedication. You should know what’s ahead before you begin.And that’s where we come in! We’ll give you a run-down of what to expect when learning Latin and what you need to be an A* student.As with any subject, you should start at the beginning, learning about the history of Latin and its influence across the world. On the programme:From legend to historyThe origin s of Rome and its heroic figuresThe foundation of a cityFrom Troy to LazioThe city of Romethe first kings of RomeThe Republic: history and institutionsThe birth of the republic, the famous first centuries of the Republic • Assemblies, deliberations, and votes in the ancient world • The great political figures of the RepublicPrivate and public life• Daily life • Masters and slaves in ancient times • Education and training in ancient times • Roman religion, divinities, rites, and feasts; Greek figures and Roman figures of deities • Theatre, games and public recreationThe Ancient Mediterranean worldCarthage and the Punic WarsAlliances and conflicts between cities in the ancient worldPowers on land and sea in the ancient worldEven learning for 2 hours per week you’ll get a great understanding of the history of Latin before attacking more difficult notions such as the possessive, nominative, interrogative or Latin lexicon.Discover websites and other tools to help you lear n Latin!Learn about the history of Latin and its influence on other languages (Source: visualhunt.com)Is There a Typical Profile of a Latin Student?Once thought of as an elitist language reserved only for the rich and private schools, Latin is becoming more accessible. Nowadays, instead of having to attend exclusive schools to get access to the language, you’ll find plenty of different places to learn Latin wherever you are.  And if you’re learning another language like French or Spanish, Latin can be a great support as it has massive influences on many of the languages we speak today.Find out where you can learn Latin in London...Latin, for everyoneLike we said, Latin is opening up, not bad for a dead language. Latin is accessible to anyone at any level, as long as you put the work in…You should start upping your Latin learning hours from 2 hours a week to  4. Whether those hours are all in a classroom or with extra work at home is up to you.Set out with this extra work in m ind. It’s good practice to prepare yourself for the work ahead so you can keep your motivation and determination. DéborahLatin Teacher 5.00 (12) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Dr. KarisLatin Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JennyLatin Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SimonaLatin Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArgiroLatin Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LucieLatin Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielaLatin Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SophieLatin Teacher 5.00 (6) £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsMotivation, Essential for ProgressIn all disciplines (intellectual or physical) there is one key ingredient for progression, and it's essential for Latin too: motivation.Motivation will make sure you want to read Latin texts pick up new vocabulary, to learn all the con jugations and to learn different phrases in Latin.Always keep your goals in mind. Why did you get started in Latin? Don’t lose sight that it was your choice to learn the language.This reflection is difficult to find of course when you are struggling to progress but try to keep focused.You’ve got this far so don’t give up now!Be More Comfortable in Other SubjectsWe've said it before and we'll say it again, Latin is not reserved for the elite. It is accessible to everyone as long as they are willing to learn. But beware, it's not easy, it takes time and investment.Once you've got a strong base in Latin it can help in other subjects especially languages like French, Italian, and Spanish.You may even want to sit Latin GCSEs!Study with others to support your progression in LatinGet Help From OthersWhen learning Latin you need help. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you when you’re finding it hard.Family, Friends, and ClassmatesWhen learning Latin, you’ll need som e advice. Ask your friends and family for their advice on getting motivated, on different ways of learning. Make sure they’re involved in your learning so they can hold you accountable. We’ll all more likely to work harder if we know someone is keeping watch! The people around you want you to succeed and so will encourage you to get studying! Going it alone is a difficult road so rely on friends and family for help.The same goes for your classmates, keep each other on track by asking how their studying is going or doing extra study together. Try to find the best conditions to study, maybe studying at home isn’t for you, maybe you need to go to a library to work or you need to do a group study with your classmates. Working conditions are an important factor in your learning.Make time in your schedule to dedicate to studying. Finding the time can be difficult but try to arrange study sessions with your classmates so you know someone is counting on you to show up! Taking these st eps will make sure you stay motivated and progress quickly in Latin.The role of your Latin teacherOf course, your Latin teacher also plays a strong role in your progression.    They’re there to make sure the workload is manageable, that you’re studying effectively and that they help you with difficult grammar points that may take you time to understand.With one hour of beginner’s lessons a week you can easily find the time for extra studying at home. So, outside of your Latin lessons, you can work on the points that you find difficult so when you go to class the next week you can move on to the next topic without wasting time.Your teacher can’t put in the work for you. They are there just to teach you the topic or grammar point, it’s up to you to revise it in your own time.Your teacher will give you the confidence to tackle difficult points by yourself, and will give you the support in class when you need help.Is There a Secret Recipe for Mastering Latin?Unfortunately, lik e most things in life, there is no quick fix or secret recipe for mastering Latin. There’s just one secret ingredient that counts and that’s work. All you have to do is put the work in and you’ll succeed!Anticipate the work that lies ahead and give it your all.Count on your classmates for help and ask your teacher questions when you need to. Once you’re in the swing of things you’ll see Latin as a pleasure, not a chore.Check out Superprof to find a Latin teacher near you.Now discover how to get started learning Latin...

Ask an Admissions Expert Tira Harpaz

Ask an Admissions Expert Tira Harpaz Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Tira Harpaz is the Founder of CollegeBound Advice, an admissions consulting firm that aids many students in the college admissions process. She is a graduate of Princeton Universitywhere she also served as an alumni interviewer. VT: How far ahead of time should a student begin working on his or her college application? Tira: Most students will not look at an actual college application until late August/early September of their senior year of high school.However, students can and should be thinking about parts of their application before that date. In terms of a main essay (which can be used for Common Application schools, as well as many other schools), it is generally a good idea to brainstorm and begin writing the essay in the late spring or summer before senior year.Developing a topic can be time-consumingit can take several drafts to craft an essay you are satisfied with, and the process should not be left until the last minute. In addition, as you go through high school, you should keep a list/develop a resume of your extracurricular activities. That way, you will be mindful if you are doing too many one-time activities rather than having meaningful and in-depth interests. While you should never engage in an activity for the purpose of building a resume, sometimes noticing that you lack leadership or that you have not sustained many of your interests will allow you to rectify those gaps. VT: What are the best ways to go about selecting a terrific essay topic? Tira: I believe the most effective essays are ones in which the reader not only gets a sense of the student, but also feels that the student was emotionally involved with the subject. So, my advice is to brainstorm about what makes you happy and what makes you tick. Think about a time when you felt engagede.g., have you always loved inventing things? When did your fascination with music begin? What did it feel like when you threw your first pitch?In addition, sometimes it's helpful to think about the weaknesses in your application and see if there's a way to address them in an essay. For example, if your extracurricular activities are strong, but your academic performance has been spotty, try and think of times you went the extra mile in a class or got fascinated by a particular subject, and see if you can write about it. VT: Are there any essay topics you get tired of seeing or would warn students to stay away from? Tira: Although I personally have topics I dislike, I think almost any topic can work depending on how well you write. That said, there are a few topics I would be careful about using, including a summer community service/travel program that you paid for, a sports story about winning the big game, and a personal narrative about a hardship or illness in the family, unless it is truly meaningful.In addition, anything that smacks of prejudice or entitlement should be avoided. VT: What is the biggest mistake a student can make on a college application? Tira: The biggest mistake is to send out a rushed application, which does not convey the student's personality or ideas or interest in the college in question. The second mistake (which I see frequently) is not proofreading the application. Typos and sloppiness leave a bad impression, and sometimes there are inconsistencies that should be avoided. For example, if in your activities list you mention that you've been involved with your school band all four years, but your essay says you've just started band, the inconsistency raises unnecessary questions.And finally, of course, lying about activities is just plain foolhardy. VT: What is the typical process an admissions officer goes through to evaluate applications? Tira: The process for admissions offices is different depending on the school.Some very large state universities only consider standardized test results and GPAs while making a decision. For many other schools, at least one admissions officer will do an initial read of the application, looking at essays, recommendations, grades, test scores and activities. These reviews can be relatively short, sometimes only 15-30 minutes, and so your goal should be to make your application stand out in some way and make the admissions officer your advocate. VT: What do you think is the single most important thing a student should make sure they present in the best possible way on their application? Tira: I always tell students they need to answer any underlying questions raised by the application.If a student has few extracurricular activities, the admissions committee might assume the student isn't active and won't participate in the life of the college.That student needs to show, if possible, how he or she engages in activities or pursuits that are purposeful and interesting.If a student has a serious academic weakness, the student must explain how they have worked to improve in that particular subject. VT: How should students go about determining the culture of a university, and whether they would be a good fit? Tira: Students should make a checklist of factors that are important to them. Although some of these preferences may change, many will not, and such a checklist is helpful in deciding which schools will ultimately land on your college list. After that, visiting a school, if at all possible, is useful to determine whether it would be a good fit. Try and interact with students other than tour guides. Are students friendly, helpful, morose, inattentive? Sit in on a class, eat in the cafeteria and visit a dorm room if you can. If you can't visit (or even if you can), go online and access a virtual tour. Reach out to students who attend the school, through emails, texts etc. If you're interested in a particular subject, see if you can correspond with a professor in the department. Some schools offer online chats with the admissions office, and some admissions officers have great online blogs, which can be informative. VT: Early-action, early-decision, binding/non-binding, regular decisions...With so many choices when applying, what do you recommend to students? Tira: To a certain extent, the question of whether to apply early will depend on a student's profile. I generally recommend that a student apply to at least one early action or rolling admissions school that is likely to accept the student. The goal is to have an early acceptance in hand so that your stress level will be lower over the next few months.If, however, a student's grades have been problematic, I might recommend that the student wait until hopefully stronger first semester grades are available before submitting an application. VT: How important are grades and standardized test scores when admissions decisions are being made? Tira: A student's four-year academic record is by far the most important factor in admissions. Generally, no extracurricular activities or exceptional essay will outweigh your coursework and GPA. In addition, schools will look at the rigor of courses the student has taken.If you're applying to a selective school, but have only taken the easiest courses available, it will be very difficult to gain acceptance. After that, for schools requiring standardized tests, test scores are looked at carefully. Finally, all the other components of an applicationessays, recommendations, and extracurricular activitiesare reviewed. VT: What tips do you have for students asking their teachers for letters of recommendation? Tira: Near the end of junior year, students should pick two academic teachers as potential recommenders. You should then ask each teacher whether he or she can give you a positive recommendation. Once a teacher has agreed to give you a recommendation, ask whether there's any information they need.Even if they say no, I would suggest giving the teacher a brief description of why you enjoyed the class and any specific activities or projects you excelled in, as well as a list of your outside activities or your resume. Visit CollegeBound Advice for more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

5 Things That Challenge Even the Best Guitar Newbies

5 Things That Challenge Even the Best Guitar Newbies Suzy S. Learning a new instrument can be challenging, and guitar is certainly no exception. You may find yourself struggling with building your calluses or reaching certain chords, but dont worry youre not alone! Here are 5 things that can challenge the beginner guitar player, and simple strategies you can use to improve. 1. Building calluses New to the guitar? Calluses might seem like your worst nightmare, but building them up will help you fret the strings easier and produce a clear, even tone each time you play. It might take a while, but trust us, its worth it! What to try: Try using lighter gauge guitar strings at first. If you prefer the sound of heavier strings, you can work your way up to this type, but in general the lighter nylon strings are more comfortable for beginners. Remember that you wont build guitar calluses overnight, so consistent practice is key. Some guitarists also swear by soaking the fingertips in rubbing alcohol to speed up the process. Another thing to keep in mind is that most beginners press down too hard to begin with. Try relaxing your fingers and experiment with the pressure. The string should hit the fret evenly, but you dont need a death grip! 2. Finger coordination Dexterity, coordination and also finger strength are all integral to creating a beautiful sound and also killer licks and solos! But sometimes, those individual fingers just dont want to cooperate. It can be even harder for guitarists with small hands, but there are several exercises you can do to improve. What to try: First of all, relax! If youre so focused on your finger coordination, youll just end up stressing yourself out. Start slowly, and try practicing with a metronome to work on your accuracy. You can also start each practice session with specific exercises to get your fingers warmed up and loose. For example, try starting with a chromatic scale in the first position, but switch it up a bit.   Start on the 6th string and then jump to the 1st string, followed by the 5th, and then the 2nd to 4th and then 3rd. You can also alternate the pattern by moving upward on the 6th and then descend on the 5th, followed by ascending again on the 4th and so on in that pattern. 3. Keeping time Sometimes tapping your foot or counting in your head while playing can feel a lot like rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time. Its not always easy! With practice, though, your internal metronome will improve. Developing that sense of rhythm is essential for guitar players. What to try: Keep that metronome out, even after youve done your warm-up exercises! Use it when practicing strumming patterns for example, try setting it at a comfortable tempo (60-80 beats per minute) and play a downstroke on each beat. Increase the tempo a bit, and then switch it up by playing on every other beat, or other patterns such as triplets. Add this to your practice routine every day until you can keep the rhythm steady without the metronome. 4. Memorizing guitar chords There are literally thousands of guitar chord combinations out there, so it can be pretty daunting for the beginner guitar player. But dont fret you dont need to learn all of them right away. What to try: Start simple! Even just memorizing these 5 easy guitar chords can give you loads of songs to play. A great place to start is with the 12 major chords and 12 minor chords.   Beyond that, there are a lot of possible strategies for helping you memorize the chords, depending on your learning style. If youre a visual learner, make chord chart flashcards, and review them throughout the day. Kinesthetic learner? Close your eyes and play a few chords, consciously making the association between the name of the chord and where your fingers are placed. Practice, practice, practice eventually your muscle memory will take over. 5. Staying motivated Do you find yourself coming up with excuses for why you cant practice? You, my friend, might be burnt out. Its a common thing for beginners, especially if you started playing the guitar with unreasonable expectations. What to try: If you find your motivation levels dwindling, consider switching up your repertoire, taking a break for a day, listening to different styles of music, reevaluating your goals, or shortening your practice sessions into smaller, more manageable chunks. Let your guitar teacher know, and he or she may be able to find the right solution to bring that excitement back. All of these issues are common for beginners, but   keep in mind you wont solve them overnight. Being an accomplished guitar player will take time, and your commitment to practicing regularly will make a big impact. Keep at it! Suzy S., TakeLessons staff member and blogger 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 Photo by Rachel Hoefling.

Appearing For SAT Test Do You Have Supporting SAT Literature

Appearing For SAT Test Do You Have Supporting SAT Literature 0SHARESShare Tutor Pace online tutoring services are inclusive of SAT test preparation, SAT literature and SAT study tips. SAT literature / the study material for SAT forms a critical part of the SAT test preparation. Tutor pace focuses on building the students competency by encouraging them to procure effective SAT study material. With SAT study guides you can, Build a customized preparation methodology Identify your strengths and weaknesses Be in a better position to address those weaknesses Give your best shot in the real exam because the study guides reflect the SAT exam pattern Make yourself comfortable with the type of questions asked in the SAT exam Increase your level of confidence and appear for the exam without any apprehensions Tutor Pace SAT study tips If you are studying for English SAT start building on your vocabulary by using resources such as vocabulary.com, then focus on the reading and comprehension part If you are studying for Math SAT then start practicing regularly and develop the habit of problem solving If you are a SAT II aspirant interested in taking the subject tests then initially plan to appear for subject tests that you may find easy and interesting Consult your online tutor or college tutor about, ‘how much time should you ideally take to prepare for each SAT exam module?’ [starbox id=admin]

LSAT Analytical Reasoning The Brainteasers Inherent in the System

LSAT Analytical Reasoning The Brainteasers Inherent in the System LSAT Law School Blog Logic puzzles. You probably ran across them back in elementary or middle schoolâ€"those weird brainteasers that asked you to do things like sort out which five kids lived in which five houses and liked which five fruits and that sort of thing. And you’d get cluesâ€"like “Alice lives next to the boy on Maple street”. Or “the girl who likes pears has never met anyone who prefers citrus fruits” (some great examples are in this video by The LSAT Trainer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7mUPexyLZE) Games like these have a way of generating enthusiasm or dismay, and while some people can happily spend hours on them, others tend to shred the paper in cognitively contorted frustration. So what on earth are such puzzles doing on a law exam? And how can you navigate your way through them? Logic is, of course, fundamental to the study of law. Whether publicly arguing a complex case in a criminal court, or navigating arcane caselaw, you’ll need to understand clearly the logical premises, fallacies, strengths and weaknesses of the arguments and cases you’ll encounter. Law requires you to construct and deconstruct legal puzzles, place events in logical order, draw inferences and make associations. When you’re presented with a logic puzzle, you’re asked to demonstrate your ability to master the fundamentals of this kind of reasoning. There are myriad puzzles such as these that you’ll encounter on the LSAT, but let’s take a look at solving one of them. You have 6 obstacles to arrange in order in an obstacle course. These are a rope swing, a slide, a tunnel, a vault, a wall, and a zipline. The obstacles are arranged according to the following rules: The slide must be in position 3 or 4 The wall is placed just before the zipline The rope swing and vault cannot be placed right next to each other. Which of the following are possible setups for the obstacle course? R T S W V Z T R V S W Z T R W Z S V V T S R W Z W Z S V R T Puzzle modified from Powerscore https://www.powerscore.com/lsat/logic-games/ This one is fairly straightforward, but it will get you a feel for how these puzzles work. To tackle them, you’ll want to lock down the easiest bits of information first. If you can find a rule that fixes something in place, you’ll make your life easier by eliminating possibilities for the more complicated clues. The most basic clue here is the first oneâ€"S must be in position 3 or 4. Write it down to visualize: _ _ S? S? _ _ Even though we can’t definitively place S in a position yet, we’ve narrowed the possibilities, and can definitely rule out any answer choice in which S doesn’t occur in position 3 or 4. So, for the above problem, we can rule out choice 3. Next, work with the “W and Z” clue. The words “just before” indicate that the wall immediately precedes the zipline in our sequence of obstacles, as opposed to saying “before” which would give no information about the spacing between the two. Because they occur right next to each other, we can treat it as a W/Z block. And because we’ve narrowed down the location of “S”, there’s only a few options for the W/Z block: 4 to be precise. Let’s write them out: WZS _ _ _ _ W Z S _ _ _ _ S W Z _ _ _ _ S W Z Looking back at our answer choices, we can see that only choice 1. separates w and z, and we can therefore rule that one out. Now for the most involved of the threeâ€"the non-consecutive V/R clue. It’s not particularly complicated, but if we had started there, we would have almost no information to restrict our starting point. But now that S is almost locked down, and we’ve narrowed down the possible locations for W/Z, there’s only so much that can be done with V/R, knowing that they CANNOT occur next to each other. But remember that V and R can switch â€" we know they cannot be next to each other, but we don’t know which comes first. So, going back to our remaining answer choices 2, 4, and 5, both 2 and 5 have V/R next to each other. Rule them outâ€"our answer is Choice 4 (that’s it--you don’t even need to worry about T, the tunnel). In the actual LSAT, this would only be the starting point in a sequence of related questions in which various parameters may be modifiedâ€"perhaps T is given an initial location, or perhaps V and R must be separated by exactly two spaces. But once you’ve reduced the puzzle to spaces and symbols, the rest becomes much easier. Once you’ve mastered a few of these, it’s easy to see how the same kind of thinking and manipulation translates into real world applications, and hopefully by learning and applying some of these tactics, you’ll be able to make the arcane world of legal theory and practice that much more accessible! About the Author This article was written by Steve M., one of our most experienced test prep tutors in the Boston area. For more information on MyGuru's top LSAT tutors, click here.

Introduction to English Modal Verbs, with Exercise

Introduction to English Modal Verbs, with Exercise Modal verbs such as might, can, would and should are often difficult for English language learners. So weve started a short series of videos to help you understand how to use them better.The first video below covers the basics of modal verbs, and does a quick review of the modal verb might. Below the video youll find a few exercises. Four of the five sentences below have  have an error with their modal verbs. Can you find and correct them?1. The president will to announce his new economic policy today.2. She dont should go out so late at night.3. He cans play the guitar very well.4. Its 9 am, I must be at work now.5. We might build a new website this month. Naira The president will announce his new economic policy today. She souldnt goout so late at night. He can play the guitar very well. We might built a new website this month. LOIEnglish Very good Naira! Just a few small mistakes in sentence 2. The second sentence should be like this: She shouldnt go out so late at night.And the fourth sentence should say: It’s 9 am, I should be at work now.Writing I must be at work now implies that the writer is confused about his location, and thinks he could be at work. Uncleonmars 5. We might build a new website this month. This sentence seems to be correct ? LOIEnglish Yes, that is correct!