Thursday, March 26, 2020

Learn Open Source Training From OpenStax Tutor

Learn Open Source Training From OpenStax TutorIf you have ever been in need of an expert open source training tool, you have probably heard of the OpenStax tutoring system. This has been making waves in the online tutoring industry for some time now. But did you know that there are also professional open source training applications that offer these benefits? You can find them and use them to get the best possible education in no time at all.At first glance, the OpenStax platform appears to be a bit complex and cumbersome to use. However, the student will quickly realize that this is only a part of the system. There are hundreds of tutorial videos that are not only free but also available on demand. They even have online chat rooms where they can ask any question they may have, and they also have forums where users can provide feedback. This is a great way to get to know how to take the courses that are offered.The only thing you need to do with OpenStax is buy the materials that are needed to take the lessons. There are not very many fees for these materials. That is why the OpenStax tutoring system is gaining so much popularity. Even if you do not want to use the program itself, there are many resources available that will teach you how to take the most important techniques that you need to learn.One of the most helpful parts of the OpenStax is that it is not expensive. This makes it a great option for both a beginning user and someone who want to get advanced practice under their belt. Once you have a chance to get on the platform, you will realize that this is just a 'dummy' tutorial that has already been created. With a little research, you will discover that the system is not actually as complicated as it seems to be.It is important to note that some programs like the OpenStax tutor are still quite expensive. This does not mean that you should never consider this option. All you need to know is what is offered by each provider. Some providers include some of the major pieces of the curriculum, while others only include a few of the concepts.Many of the learning tools that are being sold now also have other features. For example, some have enhanced training modules that make it easier for the student to achieve his or her goal. There are also specialty training packages that come with their own specialised training tools. These will include things like e-books, software, and special training modules.The OpenStax can be a great alternative for both beginners and veterans. It is designed to be one of the easiest ways to learn online. Students can even find a paid option that includes software and materials that are only used by certain providers. It is a good option if you are just starting to learn, and also if you are interested in getting more advanced courses in the future.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Group Classwork

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Group Classwork Despite your best intentions and careful preparation, sometimes group assignments go haywire. Maybe your students dont work well together. Perhaps your efforts to foster collaboration dont always translate to student productivity. Here are a few common pitfalls of group classwork and tips to avoid these issues: Pitfall: Uneven workload. Theres no getting around it: some students put more work into group projects than others. You can avoid this problem by setting clear expectations upfront. Elementary students might do best with assigned roles, while older students should work from a group grading rubric that includes guidelines for sharing the duties. Try incorporating anonymous peer reviews into the project so students know theyll be assessed for their efforts (or lack thereof). Pitfall: Disorganization. Putting students together with different learning styles and ideas can cause a little chaos, making it hard for some to use class time wisely. You can greatly streamline group work by developing a timeline of milestones so that students know what they should do and by what date. If you prefer, give them the assignment details and have them get together to develop this schedule of deadlines on their own. Pitfall: Groupthink. Sometimes students in a group agree or keep quiet to avoid conflict. The problem with groupthink is that not everyone contributes or has the chance to put those critical thinking skills to work. To avoid this, talk with students about compromising and good listening. Consider holding periodic meetings with groups and inviting each student to share how the group came to its decisions. Mitigate the cons of group work with some proactive effort and your students will reap the gains. The best thing about group work, of course, is that it prepares students for the real world, where teaming up with others is a common occurrence. Set expectations and model good practices in your classroom and your students will benefit.

Start the School Year Off the Right Way With These Study Tips

Start the School Year Off the Right Way With These Study Tips Start the School Year Off the Right Way With These Study Tips The new school year is here! Start the year off right - develop a study schedule, organize your materials, and take a few moments to reflect on what you can do to make this year the best yet. Stay a step ahead Dont wait until you are behind to adjust your study skills. Starting the school year off the right way will provide you the opportunity to maximize your learning and stay ahead of your studies. Attend to your learning Good attendance is necessary for school success. Arrive at your classes early, make sure your materials are ready, and prepare for the days learning. Being ready beforethe school day and the individual class begins will help you acquire the most new knowledge. Review your study habits Think about your previous years study habits and determine what worked best for you. Talk to your teachers about any concerns you may have and how this years courses will impact your individual study habits. If you have laboratory based courses, such as chemistry, biology, or physics, seek additional time in the lab to review your learning with course materials on hand. Identify your strengths and weaknesses Understanding what your strongest academic areas are, and identifying the areas you struggle with the most, will help you plan your studying and maximize your learning. Huntington Learning Center can help. Each customized tutoring plan we create is based on the individual students strengths and weaknesses. Your tutoring plan will reflect your needs and is crafted based on your individual assessment data. Find What You Need Each student is different and what works best for you is personal. Some students choose to study in large chunks of time and others prefer to spread their studying out over time. You may study best at home in your bedroom but your friend may do better in a secluded corner of the public library. Determining your ideal conditions for studying will aid your preparation. Choose the perfect spot It is important to determine the perfect spot for you to study. All of these study tips will be irrelevant if your study location is insufficient. Where are you most comfortable? Which study spot has the least amount of distractions? Where do you complete your best work? Set a weekly schedule Take the time to create a master study schedule you can stick to each week. Be careful to schedule plenty of time around family, athletic, and extra-curricular activities. Consider building in extra time in case unforeseen circumstances or commitmen ts arise. Know when you need help If your school work is quickly becoming overwhelming and you are struggling to keep up it may be time to ask for help. The professional tutors with Huntington Learning Centers will administer assessments to determine your current strengths and weaknesses. Your progress will be carefully monitored to determine areas of continued need and the tutoring plan will be updated as you master new learning. Stay in Touch It is important to stay on top of both coursework and your individual performance. Knowing when you need additional support, and asking for help, is best done as soon as difficulties arise. If you wait too long to seek assistance you will likely be wasting precious study time. Review expectations Don't just read the syllabus and stick it in a folder. Your course expectations should be reviewed often to ensure you haven't missed any important dates or information. Compare the expectations periodically with your master calendar to make sure you haven't overlooked anything. Connect with others There may be other students in your class who are searching for a peer to connect with. Having another student in the class to study with, compare notes, and bounce ideas off of is a great way to stay connected with the academic work. Communicate with teachers and tutors Do your part to communicate with your teachers and tutors. When you are feeling confused ask for help. When something seems frustrating or overwhelming let them know. Utilize your teacher's office hours or review sessions and spend time during tutoring sessions to share your concerns or problems.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Who can be a Science tutor

Who can be a Science tutor Tutoring Science requires both practical and theoretical skills to ensure a lively and engaging tutorial style. More than any other subject, Science is as much about doing and seeing as it is about listening and understanding. Therefore those who can provide a high level of interaction will create a strong impression. It is for this reason that those people who come from careers with a high 'Applied Science' element are likely to make very good Science tutors. People who have worked as a laboratory assistant or researcher, an engineer or mechanic, will all have the necessary attributes to thrive in a tutorial environment. Of course, Science breaks down into a number of key areas and those who wish to tutor older students may come from a highly specialised background. For Biology, those with a background in botany, zoology or medicine can prove to make a successful crossover, while Physics tutors may benefit from a mechanical or technical background. In Chemistry, those with a background in the chemical industries, or combustion design will also have an advantage. If you are interested in tutoring Science, have a look at our section For Tutors. You'll find some handy hints on lesson planning as well as an overview of the things you need to take into consideration when advertising your services as a private tutor.

Strange Interview Questions (and How to Answer Them)

Strange Interview Questions (and How to Answer Them) Image via pexels.com 1) How can you use a pencil, other than as a writing instrument?   Personally, I remember being asked this in an interview and completely blanking out on the answer. I ended up saying that you could use a pencil to keep hair tied up if you did not have a clip or a hair tie on hand, which my interviewer said was a good and practical use of a pencil. I remember looking up alternate uses on the ride home, wanting to know if there were better answers  there, of course, was  this well-crafted answer. This questions purpose, like many other oddball questions, is to test your creativity on the spot. Potential employers want to see how you can approach something that has already been put in place and put your own take on it. They want to see what you can bring to the company and if you already have the potential in you to bring positive change to the company. 2) Take a common, everyday object and try to sell it to your interviewer This particular question can change interview to interview. Generally, your interviewer will get an everyday ballpoint pen and ask you to try to sell it to them using your own selling points and advertisement. Or, they can ask you to take something that you have on you (chapstick, a wallet, glasses case, etc.) and try to sell it to them. Either way, your response to this interview question can be very telling, especially if the position you are interviewing for involves marketing, advertising, or customer service. This interview question tests your creativity youre suddenly faced with the task of trying to sell an object that you regularly wouldnt give much thought to whenever you use it. It also can give the interviewer a look at how you would act with a potential customer your customer service, trying to adapt your selling routine to a specific customer, etc. For example, if you happen to be trying to sell lipstick, there are plenty of selling points other than using it as a lip color. You can use it for color anywhere blush, eyeshadow, temporary body paint. You can use it as an emergency writing utensil. You can use it as a survival item when youre lost on a trail or forest mark nearby trees or landmarks to mark where you have already been and avoid circling around the same area. You can hollow out the lipstick container and use it as storage for small trinkets like bobby pins in your bag. 3) Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?   This interview question is bizarre to both hear and imagine and like any bizarre interview question, it can also tell your interviewer plenty about you. The interview question tests your logic and reasoning. In some cases, you may ask if you are alone, if you have any weapons or protection, etc. Asking more questions shows your interviewer that you are willing to ask questions when you arent sure of something (which many people are hesitant to do). This question also tests your task management when you answer on how you plan to fight either choice. Is it a matter of endurance to fight one horse-sized duck? You can reason that fighting just one opponent is easier and safer because you have more control, rather than fighting a hundred different opponents. Youll be tackling one problem rather than drawing out the 100 small problems. On the other hand, does great planning help you defeat 100 duck-sized horses? If you can reason and explain a plan to solve each and every little problem, your answer will definitely highlight your task management skills to your interviewer.

13 free resources for ESL lesson planning I couldnt teach without

13 free resources for ESL lesson planning I couldn’t teach without So you think you can TEFL? And it’s true, you’ve got the certificate, you’re fully qualified and all set to teach English abroad or even teach English online. You ’ve got some lesson ideas under your belt. Maybe you’ve got more lesson ideas than you know what to do with, I was like you once… young, eager, the power of my TEFL notes clouding my vision. There are days when churning out another TEFL lesson plan is going to feel like an impossible feat. During my second week in South Korea, (a newly-minted teacher with lots of stickers and enthusiasm) I was asked to plan not one, not two, but fifteen weeks worth of 2-hour after school classes (that quickly put a stopper on my enthusiasm, and it quickly turned to blind panic. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to fill up two hours with fun activities for bored fourteen-year-olds… but it’s hard enough when they speak your language, let alone when you will be miming 90% of the time. And then to plan 15 of those lessons….all at the same time. I was also told the principal would attend these classes. Just you know, to add to the overwhelming feeling of nausea. To say I almost had a heart attack is the understatement of the century. The 15 weeks’ worth of lesson plans weren’t due by the end of the month - they were due the very next day. You might think - sure, that would never happen to me. Who is this disorganized nincompoop? I bet they gave her loads of notice and she just forgot. But let me tell you, I am not a nincompoop. I color code my spreadsheets, I plan most things a month in advance and I don’t even find thrillers surprising. I’m a serial organizer. I like to make lists, tick off lists, you get the picture - LISTS are my particular way of life! I spent a dark, dark night planning those 15 lessons, the internet became my savior. Afterward, I sat back and thought - this is going to happen again, isn’t it? Rather than go to bed and sleep it off like a reasonable person. I made a list. This list was my way of coping with any last minute mass ESL lesson planning. Some of these resources helped me with regular lesson planning too. There are so many great teachers out there sharing ideas, exercises and activities for ESL students at every level. This list meant I could get inspiration on demand and even if a request for a truckload of lesson plans came through. I didn’t need to break out in a cold sweat. Although, I did anyway. Some of us are just born this way . All these resources are not created equal. Some are better for TEFL games, others for summer or winter camp activities, others will help you sort out those painful grammar classes. Never forget, there’s a whole community of teachers out there just like you, and everyone struggles with a lesson plan from time to time. So go forth and get some TEFLspiration. Yes, it’s a word, just go with it. 1. Pinterest If you use search words like “summer camp”, “ESL” or “TEFL, Pinterest is a treasure trove of ideas. I even used the DIY sections to build in craft activities for those longer after school camps or winter camps. Y’know those ambiguous periods where you’re half-teacher, half-babysitter, and 100% worried that the kids might get bored, stop paying attention and start eating potatoes (even though I’m Irish, this was a new one for me!) or stabbing each other with pencils (ditto…)??. And yes, I taught teenagers, why do you ask? 2. British Council One of the best things that ever happened to me was finding this website. From grammar exercises to helpful videos, to listening practice… there is no shortage of free TEFL lesson plans and ideas here. They’re also pre-graded and there are different sections for teaching adults, kids and teenagers. It’s a serial organizer’s dream! This website is also perfect for last minute planners or emergency classes (you know when there’s suddenly a class on your schedule that wasn’t there before). 3. Englishgrammar.org Not so much for lesson planning, more for those tricky questions advanced students or co-teachers might try to ask on the spur of the moment. “It just sounds right” won’t be a good enough answer and it can be hard to remember the trickiest rules of English (it’s a pretty fickle language) at a moment’s notice. This is also handy for some ideas on how to teach a few of the trickier tenses. It’s not going to set their eyes alight, but it will help you clarify exactly how to teach the harder bits. 4. ESL Partyland Don’t judge a website by its name, design, or layout! Trust me, the section on this site that’s dedicated to helping teachers is wholesome! From ways to incorporate music, games, video, and film, there’s no shortage of ideas to springboard your next ESL lesson plan. Just try not to cringe over the whole Partyland thing… TEFL turns the best of us into mildly cheesy grammar clowns. 5. My ESL Corner TEFL worksheets, lesson plans and games galore. This is a great little hub of ideas that will get your students excited about learning English. From lessons like creating your own restaurant to designing your own music magazine, this is a wonderful resource for some project-based learning. I particularly love the blog and it has lots of great articles, like this one on unique intro classes. 6. The Internet TESL Journal This website is amazing! It’s also quite ugly, but don’t let that put you off. What they lack in fancy design work, they make up for in sheer brilliant content. The lesson plans are life savers and if you’re looking for some interesting conversation class ideas - then you won’t be disappointed. There’s also plenty of articles and research on teaching techniques that will be invaluable in the classroom. 7. UsingEnglish.com When it comes to finding exactly what you want at the last minute - this site isn’t great. But it sure is worth a browse. If you pop into the teaching section, it’s divided by ESL levels, so you can easily find different types of games and lesson plans for students at different levels. 8. ThoughtCo Beautifully named, this site is perfect for some of those formal or business English classes, this collection of blogs has plenty of ideas for dialogue, conversations and class management. I quite like resources section where there are blogs on stuff like short speaking activities and fingerplay songs for kids. 9. ESL Galaxy This little site was great when it came to study classes, supervision and those times when you’ve got a clever clogs that is way ahead of the rest.??? You can easily print off some worksheets here that will keep even your highest level students busy, while you focus on getting the rest of the class caught up. When you’ve got 30 students in one room, and 40 minutes - sometimes a simple worksheet can give you valuable minutes. There’s nothing worse than watching a bright kid dying a little inside, so I always tried to keep mine on their toes. 10. ESLvideo.com Depending on where you’re teaching - YouTube and short online videos can be a HUGE resource. Even the potato-eaters paid attention when I played a clip. I used to trawl youtube for fun things my students might like and then build out quizzes and blank fills for them. But there are days when trawling the internet is not the best use of your time and this site already has videos and exercises sorted by ability level. So whether you’re looking for a song with appropriate vocabulary for your ESL students or a TED talk that won’t leave them scratching their heads, this is definitely a quick fix. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. 11. BusyTeacher.org An oldie but a goodie! Busy Teacher is one of those sites where you can get some pretty interesting resources. As I write this one of the top worksheets of the week is Donald Trump’s Speech (Designed for Russian-speaking students!), But there are less niche resources and you can easily find some TEFL board games and worksheets that will pad out those lesson plans. 12. ESL Games World There’s nothing my students loved more than being tricked into learning with interactive games. This site is a great one if you’ve got access to computers. Everyone can work at their own level. Although I would only suggest computers in smaller classes where you can make sure they’re not just googling cute popstars. “Teacher, is he sexy?” - is technically English, but maybe not what I was setting out to achieve in my classes. The site has printables too, and everything is based around target language that you’re most likely going to be teaching. I found this site helpful for printables as I didn’t have access to much technology in most classes. 13. DUOLINGO It depends where you’re teaching. But I was in South Korea and there is an English for Korean speakers section. It’s worth checking it out. Gamification at its finest. Even my weakest kids loved to get 5 minutes on their phone to level-up. I positioned it as a reward, little did they realize they were learning! They’d often come up to me to show me a new lesson or unit they had completed. I had to walk the co-teachers through the app first. They were older and a little suspicious of the students learning English on their phones. One of my co-teachers became a bit of an addict! She absolutely loved getting her bonus points for perfection! It only keeps the students amused for 5 minutes and you can’t really use it for a whole lesson, but I got my students to make sure it reminded them to practice every day.

Some good news concerning tuition fees - Tutor Hunt Blog

Some good news concerning tuition fees Some good news concerning tuition fees Some good news concerning tuition feesUniversitiesTeresa May has just announced a freeze on the level of student university fees, while also raising the threshold at which the student loan debt must be repaid once graduates are in employment. University fees were planned go up from 9,250 to 9,500 per year for the 2018-19 period, but this increase has be cancelled. This news, which will surely be welcomed by both students and parents, was announced at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester last week. The cap at which student loan repayments will have to be repaid will be raised from 21,000 to 25,000. However these concessions on repayment will probably only apply to those students who took the larger student loan options introduced in 2012; those who took smaller loans prior to this date may not be able to benefit from the changes. Martin Lewis, founder of the website Money Saving Expert, has pointed out that the change will have a `long-term progressive benefit,` and also that `graduates won`t clear their loans in full before it`s wiped - by reducing what they repay each year, you reduce what they repay in total too.` The policy is perhaps the Conservative`s attempt to appeal to the younger voter, who voted in vast majority for Labour in the past election. Of course this slight reduction will hardly be a winning enticement compared to Labour`s pledge to scrap tuition fees entirely. Luke Pollard, the Labour MP for Plymouth, Devonport and Sutton expressed his thoughts concerning the reduction through an incisive tweet: `So your choice is annual tuition fees of 9,250 with the Conservatives or annual tuition fees of 0 with Labour,`Echoing this sentiment, the shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said the move was `a desperate attempt by the Tories to kick the issue into the long grass`. Of course Labour has not been particularly forthcoming in explaining where they would get the funds from to support the total scrapping of tuition fees; and John Mcdonad`s admission that the voiding of any student debt is an `ambition` rather than a promise suggests the proposal is not even viable. Though these announcements by the Prime Minister don`t amount to drastic changes, any attenuation of parlous financial plight faced by the youth today is to be welcomed. The average student debt for those leaving university is now more than 50,000 - freezing these fees (for a year at least) can only be a good thing. There is a school of thought that says students take their studies more seriously when they (or their parents) are paying for them. This may be a rather cynical attitude - better to believe that for the sake of personal enlightenment, and the progression of their career, everyone puts their full effort into academic pursuits. University can be a rather `distracting` place though. My own experience certainly attests to that: revelry and inebriation certainly fought for centre stage with my classes. Had I truly appreciated the financial cost of my university course I may well have knuckled down more. A Disquieting thought is that there will be many students who simply cannot afford to go to university. The spectre of debt may be too much to bear, and they might be dissuaded from three years of no income and mounting costs, when they could immediately look for a job after leaving school. I have always placed great value in the power of further education (despite the revelry and inebriation of my student days), and believe that university is the arena where you really get to the heart of whatever subject you choose to study. It would be a great shame if gifted academics were prevented from pursuing their subject because of the high cost. That these fees are to be frozen can only be a good thing - though it would be gratifying to be informed that they won`t rise for three years at the minimum, enabling at least one year group to complete a degree at this figure. Raising the repayment threshold from 21,000 to 25,000 is also a good news. With the exorbitant housing costs, and the unce rtainty over Brexit, today`s youth need all the breaks they can get.; 2 years ago0Add a Comment