What is it Like to Attend Trinity College

What is it Like to Attend Trinity College The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Jesse is a New York City tutor and 2012 graduate of Trinity College. He holds a Bachelors degree in Sociology and tutors several subjects, including englishtutoring, public speakingtutoring, and writingtutoring. Check out what Jesse had to say about his time at Trinity College: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or rural is the campus? Did you feel safe on campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Jesse: The Trinity College campus is beautiful, with historic buildings and a landscaped central campus. The campus itself is situated in the middle of urban Hartford. Its a safe campus as long as you use your head. There are buses; however, Hartfords public transportation is not as reliable as other cities. I would recommend a bike. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Jesse: In my experience, the professors, advisers, and teaching assistants are very available. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Jesse: My undergraduate experience was a bit different in that I went back to school as a working adult, so I did not participate in dorm life as many undergraduates do. But there is plenty of opportunity to socialize through clubs, extracurricular activities, and sports. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Jesse: Trinity College has a reputation for being a policy-based institution. Political Science, Sociology, and History are its strong areas of study. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Jesse: I transferred to Trinity College in my junior year, so I do not have experience as a freshman. However, I made plenty of friends in and out of the classroom. Greek life plays a role in campus social life, but there have been recent efforts by the faculty to cut down on its impact because of the activities of a few fraternities. That doesnt mean that all fraternities or sororities are bad, however. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Jesse: The Career Center is very helpful for underclassmen. Many reputable companies recruit at Trinity College. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Jesse: The study areas are well-lit, quiet, spacious, and in modern facilities. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Jesse: Hartford, CT is a post-industrialized city with a vibrant West Indian, Latino, and African American community. Students from Trinity College who are not afraid to leave their collegiate bubble can experience a different community than the one they are learning in, or they can take a bus to West Hartford and have a suburban experience similar to their collegiate bubble. Students sometimes venture downtown, but they mostly stay on campus. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Jesse: The student body is relatively small, as are the class sizes. The largest class may have 25 to 30 students the smallest, under 10. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Jesse: One memorable experience I had was being able to study abroad in South Africa. When I returned, I took an African History class with a professor who was really engaging, and who opened me up to connecting with other students on campus as well as within the Hartford community. Check out Jesses tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

10 Benefits of Taking Maths Lessons

10 Benefits of Taking Maths Lessons The Top 10  Reasons for Learning Maths with a Maths Tutor ChaptersWhy Study Maths?Why Study Mathematics? Here Are 10 Good Reasons!1. Private Maths Tuition2. Take Maths Lessons to Better Understand Your Surroundings3. Maths Tuition for Better Career Prospects4. No More Falling Behind in Maths Lessons5. Studying Maths with a Learning Method to Suit You6. Improve Your Self-Esteem with Maths Tuition7. Can Maths Tuition offer Value for Money?8. Get a Lot Out of Your Maths Classes9. Choose From a Huge Range of Maths Tutors10. Different Maths Learning SituationsSome say maths is like marmite: you either love it or you hate it.Some quite like algebra and calculus, others prefer geometry and trigonometry or mental maths.Most can agree that studying maths has an important place both in our education system and in our society. But why do we need Maths?We need it for maths  problem-solving  and making sense of our surroundings.Getting help from a one to one maths tutor  for exam preparation can set you up for a successful career in fields such as accou nting, catering, chemistry, physics, and social sciences.Maths instruction can cover a range of levels and even make tuition exam board specific. So whether your child needs maths help with year 1 maths or you're a sixth former looking for help to prepare  OCR A level maths revision to get you through the semester, there's a math teacher out there for everyone!Common Difficulties with MathsDepending on your level, obstacles to really understanding certain areas of maths concepts can come from all quarters and many people struggle to solve different mathematical equations.Does maths leave you scratching your head? ¦ source: VisualhuntSuch possibilities include:A lack of knowledge: Maybe difficulty understanding something in class has left you without a firm foundation to build your knowledge of the subjectMemory:  Maths often requires you to learn formulae and equations by heartVocabulary troubles:  Not properly understanding the specialist language can mean you miss out on vital in formation...Algebra, geometry, precalculus...it can all get too much!Confusing concepts:  You may not be able to remember which formula applies to which type of maths problemsReasoning skills:  Maybe you just can't get to grips with the logic behind what you're being taughtVisualisation:  Perhaps you struggle to visualise how the shapes come together or how the graph transformation will look in the endSome people are even scared of doing maths and need some guidance!With the help of a mentor, you will no longer face your difficulties alone.The teacher will reassure you throughout your progress, explain the points you are having trouble with and find different methods of teaching  difficult concepts to make you the best mathematician you can be!Why Study Mathematics? Here Are 10 Good Reasons!This is our  list of the top 10 reasons to try maths tuition.1. Private Maths TuitionBy choosing a private maths tutor, everything you used to struggle with will soon become a lot clearer as they deliver a personalised programme based on your learning style.Before scheduling your first 'real' lesson together, the maths tutor may ask to meet you to discuss where your problems lie. They will use this to decide your starting level and how to approach the course content.They might choose to use active maths games to teach core math or show you fun maths tricks.Tutoring services provide tailored help to make sure that the teaching fits the student, so the student doesn't have to change to fit the subject.2. Take Maths Lessons to Better Understand Your SurroundingsOne on one maths lessons will help you develop reasoning skills that will help you make sense of the environment  as well as improve your decision-making and problem solving skills that may come in handy in later life.Maths skills such as counting, adding and subtracting, multiplying and dividing, fractions, decimals, rounding, graphing, reasoning and arithmetic are all part of our everyday problem-solving skills. Witho ut them, we wouldn't be able to evaluate proportions or estimate to make informed decisions.Our society is built on maths and understanding its importance can help you to find your place and interact with others.3. Maths Tuition for Better Career ProspectsHaving maths skills on your CV will make you attractive to employers in many professional fields. Jobs that involve math include accounting, medicine, catering, banking, and practical work.Maths is becoming more and more sought-after.Private maths lessons mean you get the full, undivided attention of the tutor who will work  on your maths revision with you.And if you have questions to ask, even if they're not maths questions, you can talk to your tutor without the pressure of asking in front of other pupils.5. Studying Maths with a Learning Method to Suit YouQuite often, schools move too fast when teaching maths, which means some students inevitably get left behind. The other issue is that not everyone's learning style is on the sc hool math curriculum - which takes a one-size-fits-all approach.By delivering lessons on a one to one basis or in a small group, maths tutors are free to adapt the pace to the learner, addressing any difficulties along the way. This means it will appear that the tutor is teaching maths made easy when in actual fact, the method has just been adapted - you'll feel like a math genius!By following a tailored learning programme which aims to help students overcome specific difficulties,  students see tangible results.6. Improve Your Self-Esteem with Maths TuitionBecause of the student-focussed nature of private tuition, you will quickly find that your confidence in yourself and your abilities starts to grow. This means you'll feel more at ease when it comes to maths in the classroom or taking a big maths test.You'll find that you're not so bad at maths after all, and you may even start to like it!7. Can Maths Tuition offer Value for Money?With private maths lessons in high demand and pl enty of people willing to supply them, one on one tutoring is no longer reserved for those with a lot of money to spare.By signing up to tutoring websites or doing some research on home tutoring, you'll soon find out that having regular maths lessons won't break the bank.Rates for private maths lessons are generally quite low in comparison to other subjects with the UK average at £19.26 per one hour of tuition. This price does, however, vary depending on the level at which you want to study maths.8. Get a Lot Out of Your Maths ClassesThe level of effectiveness of your academic tutoring will lie with the skills of your maths tutor, who must have relevant qualifications and enough experience of teaching maths to lead you to the level of success you desire.If the home tutor is lacking any of these essential qualities, the tutee is wasting their time and money for counter-productive sessions.If you find a tutor through a platform or go through tutoring companies such as Superprof or Ku mon maths, there's no need to worry since they check this information for you!9. Choose From a Huge Range of Maths TutorsIf students see no progress after 1 to 2 months of private tuition, we recommend finding a different tutor or changing the type of lesson.Most types of maths lesson can be delivered on a private basis, however, it's also worth considering intensive maths refresher courses which are delivered on a short-term scale.Group lessons tend to suit students who work better with peers and only need focused maths help in the run up to exams, but for those who tend to lag behind and need support throughout the school year, one on one tuition is ideal.10. Different Maths Learning SituationsExtra-curricular maths lessons come in 3 categories: private sessions, intensive courses and workshops.Private home tuition offers regularity and promotes the comfort of the learner since the tutor generally comes to them.Intensive courses  such as a maths boot camp tend to be aimed at those who are motivated enough to give up their holidays, for example.Taking lessons in a small group can promote peer mentoring ¦ source: VisualhuntMy Maths homework and working through Edexcel GCSE maths past papers can get pretty lonely, so working together on maths SATs papers or GCSE maths revision can be a breath of fresh air.Students go to a tutoring agency where they are taught in a small group for around 2 to 4 hours per day.These courses are particularly popular before the start of the new school term as pupils and parents want to get off on the right foot.Organisational workshops are gaining popularity.During the school year, students are brought together in small groups to learn how to best approach their work and efficiently complete exercises.There are many other ways to take maths lessons including:Maths online tutoringWeekly support sessionsIndividualised academic supportCourses during the holidaysAs you can see, having a good knowledge of maths and being able to apply i t is essential to everyone regardless of their level. Primary school maths is one of the pillars of the school syllabus and can pave the way for further study of the subject. Achieving a grade C in GCSE maths is a minimum requirement for many higher education establishments and employers.Although private tutors don't need any specific teaching  qualifications, they put be equipped with an appropriate level of knowledge to aid their students.To make sure that a student succeeds in maths, confidence is key. Reassuring the student will give them the motivation to overcome their difficulties and be curious about what they can learn.Turning to a private maths tutor for help is not as all shameful or embarrassing, in fact, it shows honesty and a will to succeed with the help of a professional.

The Ultimate Guide to English Adjectives

The Ultimate Guide to English Adjectives English Adjectives are an essential part of English, and today we are going to give you the ultimate guide on how to use them effectively. Adjectives are used to describe things, and they come in many forms. First of all,    take a  look at the following  useful list which categorizes some commonly used adjectives. As you read, try to think of  some  example  sentences.Adjectives of Quantity• full•  empty• some• few• half• several• many• every• many• numerous• aplenty• galoreThat bus has many people inside.Adjectives of Appearance•  beautiful• ugly• stunning• hideous• handsome• old• young• ancient• tall• short• clean• dirty• slim• chubby• longThe pyramids in Egypt are ancient.Adjectives of Color• red• orange• purple• green•  yellow• orange• blue• brown• dark green• yellowish• metallic  â€¢ transparent• silverSome jellyfish are transparent.Adjectives of Opinion• good• bad• funny• boring• good• b etter• best• wonderful• splendid• mediocre• useful• useless• evil• lovelyThe football match was very boring.Adjectives of Size• small• little• tiny• tall• mountainous• huge• minute• gigantic• long• short• same as• colossal• massiveDinosaurs were colossal animals.Shape• round• square• triangular• oval• cylindrical• oblong• zigzag• spherical• crooked• distorted• steep• straight• deepThe hill was incredibly steep.Origin• American  â€¢French  â€¢Spanish• English• Italian• Dutch •lunar  â€¢oceanic  â€¢polar  â€¢equatorial  â€¢northern• southernWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet.Material• glass  â€¢wooden• cloth• concrete• fabric• leather• ceramic• china• steel• cotton• silicon• plasticThe room has a concrete floor.Distance• short• long• far• nearby• close• faraway• neighboring• distant• remote• far-flung• around• outlying• outermostThe mountains are far fro m here.Temperature• hot• cold  â€¢boiling  â€¢freezing• frigid• sweltering• chilly• scalding• burning• cool• sizzling• wintry• frostyThe weather is scalding  today.Time•early  â€¢late• morning• afternoon• evening• night• first• last• initial• modern• old-fashioned• quick• rapid• belatedI woke up early for my morning coffee.Personality• happy• sad• excited• scared• funny• boring• cheerful• grumpy• lonely• brave• lazy• witty• mysterious• jealousHe is a very grumpy old man.Tastesweet• sour• acidic• bitter• salty• delicious• repulsive• tasty• yummy• appetizing• scrumptious• spicy• tastelessThe noodles were absolutely scrumptious.Touch• hard• soft• rough• smooth• grainy• coarse• bumpy• lumpy• polished• glossy• irregular• sticky• damp• cuddlySandpaper feels very rough.Age• young• old• baby• child• childish• antique• youthful• elderly• mature• adolescent• infantile• bygone• recentThe goat was very young.What is an Adjective?Hopefully that list  helped you understand what an adjective is. An adjective is a word that describes or changes the noun (a  person, place or thing), pronoun or other adjectives.  Most adjectives can be used in front of a noun; They have a  beautiful  house or after a link verb such as  be, look, feel; Their house is  beautiful.Order of AdjectivesNow that you know what an adjective is, along with many examples of the different types of adjectives to use, the next important step is to order your adjectives. If you have a sentence that has more than two adjectives, then you need to place your adjectives in a particular order. Otherwise, your sentence will sound really strange. Take a look at this helpful video to show you how to order your adjective sentences:Can you rewrite  these sentences in the correct order? Share your answers with us in the comments section!The couch is (classic, canvas, t an, small, new).Her new apartment is (cool, blue, small, cozy, inexpensive).The painting is (American, dark, oil, interesting, expensive).My new car is a (1970s, blue, awesome, fast) Mustang.Seattle is a (fun, rainy, quiet, hip) city.Adjectives With -ED or -INGThe next stage in our ultimate guide is using adjectives with -ed and -ing endings. A lot of our students get confused by English adjectives with -ed and -ing. First, because they look like verbs in the present simple and the continuous tense. Second, because they’re not sure how the -ing and -ed affect  the meaning of the word. Watch the video below to understand the difference between the two adjective types.Remember, -ed ending adjectives often describe emotions. They tell us how people feel about something: He was  surprised  to see the monkey riding a horse. On the other hand,  -ing ending adjectives describe the thing that caused the emotion. For example,  The film was absolutely  terrifying. Be careful in particular w ith these adjectives because they can be used in both forms:amusedamusingannoyedannoyingconfusedconfusingdisappointeddisappointingexcitedexcitingexhaustedexhaustingfrightenedfrighteningsatisfiedsatisfyingshockedshockingAdjective ExerciseNow try these exercises by selecting either the -ing or -ed form of the adjective.  Remember to write your answers in the comments section, and well respond!My English classes via Skype are very (interested/interesting).The students are never (bored/boring) in our classes.I was (irritated/irritating) that I had to wait 2 weeks to see the movie.He was (embarrassed/embarrassing) that he hadn’t studied his English adjectives.The news that the economy is (improved/improving) was good news to everyone.We are (excited/exciting) that our new video is finished.I think that animation can be very (entertained/entertaining).We plan on having a (relaxed/relaxing) weekend.This month’s results are (encouraged/encouraging).I hope this lesson wasn’t (confused /confusing) for you.Adjectives as NounsNow that we have covered some of the basics of adjective use, we are going to look at something a little more difficult. Using adjectives as nouns  can be very confusing for those learning English. If we use the article the in front of an adjective, it changes meaning into a  plural  noun. Look at these examples:The good always win in moviesThe unemployed are losing hope.We should do something to help the homeless.As you can see, using adjectives as nouns in this form allows you to talk about groups of people.  For example, poor people = the poor. We don’t often want to make generalizations of groups of people saying they all have similar qualities, however it is useful and efficient when discussing political and social policies. Take a look at this video below which explains the use of adjectives as nouns.Are you ready to try? Change the following adjectives to nouns using the. Dont forget to share your responses with us in the comments sect ion!Example:    Old people and young people need to come together on the issue of public transportation.Answer:  The old and the young need to come together on the issue of public transportation.1. Educated people are running the country. 2. Rich people have a lot of advantages over poor people. 3. Old people are encouraged to get the flu shot. 4. Homeless men, women, and children are advised to find shelter in churches or public shelters for the next few night. 5. Unemployed people should move to find work. 6. Living people must respect the wishes of the dead.Adjectives as AdverbsNext up,  we are going to look at turning adjectives into adverbs. As we mentioned earlier, adjectives change the meaning of nouns, pronouns or other adjectives. Above, we saw  how we can change adjectives into nouns. Now we are going to look at how to change adjectives into adverbs.Adverbs (adjective  +  ly)  are used to modify  the verb, adjectives or other adverbs. Look below for  some examples:Modify verbs:  She spoke confidently when she pitched her idea to the team.Modify adjectives: Apartments in Amsterdam are outrageously expensive.Modify other adverbs: She spoke extremely confidently.The most common irregular adverbs are  well, fast and hard. Make sure you dont add an -ly to these words!Check out this video for some extra help:I hope that helped your understanding of this concept. Below are some sentences with a choice of adverbs to modify the sentence. Can you  choose the correct adverb? As always, write your answers in the comment section so we can give you some feedback.1. “How was the test?” “Not good, it was (absolutely/really) difficult.”2. “Are you hungry?” “Yes. I’m (absolutely/very) starving.”3. “Did you like the movie?” “No. I thought is was (totally/very) awful.”4. “Did you have a good vacation?” “Yes. It was (really/very) fantastic.”5.“Do you like talking about business?” “Yes. I think it is (very/absolutely) interesting.â €Practice with AdjectivesHopefully by now you are starting to have a better understanding of what adverbs are and how we can change adjectives into adverbs. Lets practice. Listen to this video below to hear some examples of adjectives and adverbs. Then complete the sentences below with the correct adverb or adjective.Most foods we cook require _______  attention to cooking temperature and time in order to get ____ results.There’s one food that’s __________  _________.Like their higher protein content and ______  flavor, they are ______ in another way.Mushrooms have a _____  texture over a ____ range of cooking times and temperatures.Steamed them in a basket in a _____ Dutch oven.The tenderloin, portobello and zucchini required 186, 199 and 239 grams of force  ____________ to be compressed 3mm.The tasters noted that all of these samples were  ______.This picture changed ____________  after five more minutes of steaming.Tasters found the tenderloin tough and leathery, and the zuc chini was ______  ____.The portobello on the other hand remained _______  _________.Eventually turning a ________  293% tougher, while the zucchini decreased in firmness by 83% and turned _____ and _____________.Tasters still found the mushrooms to be ________ ______.Chitin is ____ ____-______.This ______ structure allows us to _______  sauté mushrooms for just a few minutes, or roast them for the better part of an hour.All the while, achieving ____-_______, _________ ______  specimens.Comparative AdjectivesComparative adjectives are used to compare 2 objects. The key to understanding comparative adjectives is to count how many syllables (the number of sounds in a word) are in the adjective. For example,  fast has one syllable, handsome has 2 syllables and  dangerous  has 3 syllables.For one syllable adjectives, we simply add  -er to the end of the adjective.Example:  Laura is  taller  than Sarah.If the  adjective ends in a consonant + vowel + consonant spelling, (for example, fat or big), then you need to double the final consonant before adding -er.Example:  That hippo is  fatter than the crocodile.For two or more syllable adjectives, simply use the form  more + adjective + than.  Example: London is  more expensive than Bangkok.For two  syllable adjective ends in -y, change the -y to -i and add -er.Example:  He is  happier  than Eric.Memorize this useful chart below so you can remember the comparative form.1 syllableadjective + -erShe is faster than Mary.He is  bigger  than me.2 + syllablesmore + adjectiveJack is more handsome than Jerry.  2 syllables ending in -ydrop -y from adjective +-ierThat joke was funnier than mine.Superlative AdjectivesSuperlative adjectives are used when we are talking about  3 or more objects, where we want to show what is  the upper or lower limit of something. The rules to use for superlative adjectives are very similar to comparative adjectives.For one syllable adjectives, add -est, and again, if the word ends in vowel-consona nt, double the consonant.That is the  tallest  building in the whole city.Today is the  hottest  day of the year.For two or more syllable adjectives, use the form  the most +  adjective.This is  the most beautiful painting in the whole museum.For two syllable adjectives that end in -y,  change the  -y  to -i and add -est.That is the  funniest    joke I have ever heard.Heres another helpful chart to help you remember the rules:1 syllablethe + adjective + add -estThats the tallest building in New York.He is the  biggest  guy in the class.2+ syllablesthe most + adjectiveEmma  is the most interesting woman Ive ever met.2 syllables ending in -ydrop -y from adjective +-iestPeter is the funniest of all my friends.As always in English, there are some irregulars, so be careful! The most common irregular adjectives are shown below.AdjectiveComparativeSuperlativegoodbetterbestbadworseworstlittlelessleastmuchmoremostfarfurther / fartherfurthest / farthestNow that you have learned all of these   rules, have a go at a quick quiz below. Think of an adjective which could fit into the sentence, and then change it to the correct comparative or superlative form. Dont forget to leave your responses in the comments section, and well respond with corrections or feedback!The blue car is ____________ than the red car.This is the most _____________ t-shirt in the shop.Antarctica is the ___________ place on Earth.Michael Jordan is the ____________ basketball player of all time.Albert Einstein was ________ _________________ __________ me.That was the _________ ____________ movie I have ever seen!I live in the __________  city/town/village in my country.We hope that enjoyed todays this Ultimate Guide to Adjectives. You should now be an English adjective master! Remember to write any comments or answers to questions that you have in the comment section so we can write back to you. If you want to put your newfound knowledge  into practice, then sign up here today for a trial class with LOI English.

In Defense of Reading

In Defense of Reading “I don’t read.”Whether I’m teaching English or test prep, I hear this statement from students again and again. When I find the rare student who delights in reading, I’m thrilled. But why the near-universal resistance to reading?We could look into the societal and technological factors that contribute to it, but these external factors are largely beyond our control. Besides, there are a few more practical questions we can consider.1) Why does it matter if students read?2) What can we do about it?Why read?The benefits of reading are manyfold. They range from the eminently practical to the obscurely big-picture.WritingWriting remains an essential skill for a successful professional career. Students must learn to unravel their own thoughts and articulate them clearly and succinctly. Learning to write well, however, is a challenge. Memorizing the structural aspects of a paragraph or overall essay is easy enough, but fine-tuning one’s grasp of vocabulary (including its conventi onal usage) and sentence structure is more elusive. Some things are learned best by sheer osmosis: read enough books, read enough sentences, and you’ll eventually develop your own voice. Students consciously, or unconsciously, mimic what they see and hear and read.Standardized TestsAt the very least, most students will face the SAT or ACT before they move beyond their high school careers. Some will encounter the ISEE, the HSPT, or the SSAT as they transition to high school. Whether digesting a math word problem or working through a reading comprehension passage, students rely on skills accrued by practice and more practice. Students often prepare for these tests in the preceding months, but good reading habits developed over the course of years give students the foundation they need to succeed. A student who has read regularly will pick up instinctively on the nuances of reading passages, understand what sounds grammatically “correct,” and interpret word problems.CreativityRea ding exposes us to other perspectives, to other worlds, to our own history, to what is, to the possibility of what could be. Exercising our imaginations spurs creativity and, by extension, innovation.  In today’s ever-changing world, creativity is essential.How can we encourage reading?Students regularly tell us, “It was boring” when asked what they thought about a book. So how do we help students find the joy in reading?Emphasize Quality over QuantityTell a student to read a hundred pages a day, and they’ll skim the pages at best, skip the exercise entirely at worst. Why? It’s a task, and it’s an overwhelming one at that. A student will benefit more from reading 5 pages a day well than a hundred sloppily. We can’t influence the assignments students receive in school, but if we’re encouraging outside reading or asking students to examine a text more closely, we can start small. If a student has a fifty pages to read for school, ask them to choose a passage no longer than two pages to examine more in depth.Active ReadingA surefire way to ensure you’ll be bored with a text is not to think about it. Imagine tha you read the lines, “There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Hamlet is telling Horatio that he hasn’t thought of everything. So what? This is the question that we so often ignore: so what? Students breeze their way through passages without pausing to consider the events, without taking note of anything that stood out to them, and without contemplating the “why” of the text.We can encourage students to check in with themselves after each paragraph or after every chapter. What do they think about what they read? How do they feel about it? What are one or two things they noticed that they feel are significant, and why? Was there anything that surprised them? Alarmed them? Made them smile? The more a student engages with a text, the more it means to them. The more they notice, the most interesting the text can seem.ConnectionsFor many students, the books they read have no connection to their daily lives. The existential dilemmas of a Danish prince who must contend with the duplicity of his uncle and mother is not a situation that many students can relate to. Asking students to explain how they feel about characters opens avenues to forming connections. If they like the character, what do they like about them? If they dislike them, what do they dislike? If a student can connect with a character, they’ve taken strides towards connecting to the book.Furthermore…The themes of a book often apply to today’s world, no matter when the book was written. The theme of society’s obsession with outward appearances can describe the experiences of Anna in Anna Karenina as well as today’s world of social media. Students’ understanding of their world not only informs their understanding of Anna’s world, but also gives the book meaning in their own lives. They c an examine the relevancy of Tolstoy’s message now as well as then.What can we do to help?AJ’s English tutors are experts at asking leading questions to not only guide students into a deeper understanding of the text, but also help them find the connections that make a text resonate with them. Whether we’re working with an acronym such as OPERATICA (Observe, Predict, Evaluate, React, Ask, Translate, Infer, Connect, Analyze) to assist with annotation or guiding students organically through translating their initial impressions into something deeper, we believe in teaching students the process, not the answer. We’re interested in a student’s ideas and where they can take them, not with our own interpretation of the text.  Our goal is to empower our students to master a text on their own and to inspire them to keep reading.

10 ways to prepare your child for primary school

10 ways to prepare your child for primary school The first day at primary school is a landmark in every child's life. Here are some ways you can help your child make the transition from home/ nursery school to primary school: 1. If any of your friends have children starting at the same school, see if you can arrange a few 'playdates' before school starts - that way, your child will already have friends. 2. Encourage your child's independence by teaching them to dress themselves and look after their own possessions. 3. Lead by example: be enthusiastic and positive when you talk to your child about school. 4. If your child has older siblings or cousins, encourage them to tell your child positive things about starting school. 5. Teach your child about school etiquette, such as sharing, taking turns, and raising their hand to ask a question. 6. Get to know the school, and its staff, as well as you can. Attend parent-teacher meetings, inductions, social events and anything else that helps you build relationships with the people who will be taking charge of your child's early education. 7. Find storybooks about starting school and read them to your child. 8. Make sure you inform the school if your child has any allergies, special needs or medical issues. 9. Take your child with you when you go shopping for their uniform. Let them try it on and explain to them that this is what big boys and girls wear when they go to school. 10. Don't voice any concerns about the school in front of your child. Talk to a partner or friend about anything that's bothering you in private.

The Scary Truth Politics in The Campaign

The Scary Truth Politics in The Campaign The Campaign accurately satirizes American politics as a whole; photo from insidepulse.com After three different debates about very different issues, I feel both candidates can be summed up in their own, individual sentence. Obama tends to preach about what he has already done rather than what he plans to do. Romney is consistently vague and rarely directly answers a question. Both are very redundant, so it is no wonder that supporters of either candidate claim that their candidate won after each debate. I think it is impossible to change someones opinion in a debate that last only ninety minutes, especially when the answers given are as vague as they have been this year. (For example, when I saw Obama speak live at Ohio State, I could have sworn that I had heard the same speech before based on bits and pieces of different speeches I had seen on TV. Then I realized that I, in fact, had.) All I know is that it will be quite nice when all the hubbub of the election has settled down.

How to Survive N00bdom in League of Legends

How to Survive N00bdom in League of Legends League of Legends is quite the challenging game, but as with all things, it just takes time. Photo by marckvision on Flickr. League of Legends is an immensely popular free-to-play combat strategy game with 32 million monthly active players. As a PC gamer, its almost impossible to avoid LoL, as its usually called, but I didnt want to become hooked on a game that takes about 45 minutes per match during the school year, so I started learning to play LoL just a week ago. And thats when I discovered how very unfriendly the League of Legends community can be. stop feeding the enemy u ****ing n00b, why are you even playing, and (my username) so good, wtf go die are all milder comments that Ive received while playing. Needless to say, its not easy being a n00b in the LoL community. Here are some tips on how to survive n00bdom which Ive learned after a week or so of intense playing and improvement from n00b to a somewhat not horrible player. 1. Do your homework The internet is your best friend! Before you start playing, do a bit of reading and learn about how the game is played because the in-game tutorial is horrible. I suggest this guide which has a bunch of terms and basic ideas that you want to know. When you know what champion (character) youd like to play, find build guides written by pro players usually with strategies on how to best win a game with your character. Watch livestreams or Youtube videos of pro players or spectate some games from the LoL client itself and take some tips. League of Legends is a difficult game to understand, so a bit of homework goes a long way. (Yes, I know its summer, but its for a purpose!) A Tryndamere cosplayer at Pax Prime 2012. Photo by getdarwin on Flickr. 2. Play with a friend if possible If you can, grab a buddy who knows how to play LoL. They can give you friendly pointers on what to improve and show you the ropes. Most importantly, if other players start verbally harassing you, they will stand up for you. A lot of the negativity in the LoL community is because players dont stick up for each other. If a friend says, theyre new, give them a break or we all have bad days, it happens, players are much more likely to back off than if you try to defend yourself. Also the game is just a lot more fun with friends! 3. Play a lot of bot games Bot games or games against computer controlled champions are a great way to practice your skills. Theyre very low-key because most players play bot games for stress relief and practice, so theres not much pressure should you mess up. Playing bots is a great way to get accustomed to gameplay and to get used to a champion. PvP (player vs. player) games are much more stressful and players tend to get more riled up during them; they also require a lot more skill because humans are unpredictable. Id recommend not playing PvP until you have a grasp on basics such as last-hitting and general roles. 4. Tell people you are new LoL takes a lot of practice and patience. Photo by DrabikPany on Flickr. Dont be afraid to admit that you are new. Yes, some jerks will make fun of you, but most players are understanding if you let them know that you might need some help. A simple, Hey all, Im new so Im not very good at this game, but Ill try my best will let your teammates know that youll need extra protection and will let them know why you will be dying a lot. Otherwise, some players may try to report you for feeding, or letting the other team kill you so they win. If youve made an honest effort to show that you are new at the game and trying your best, thats usually well-appreciated. 5. Ignore Lets say a player wont stop harassing you about how youre such a n00b. The ignore button works wonders. Learn it. Love it. It will mute your teammate/enemy/frenemy(?) and youll no longer be able to see their spew of hate. I try to be cautious with this because the chat is very integral, but if they have nothing better to say than verbal abuse then anything they have to say about actual gameplay has no worth to me. 6. Report toxic players Make sure in the post-game stage to report verbal abuse or negative attitude. Always use the additional comments box to detail how they were a toxic player. This goes to the Tribunal, who review cases and try to make LoL a better community! Its okay to be a n00b, but it does attract a lot of negative attention and it does make it difficult to get better. But with time and a lot of practice, you too can safely escape the realm of n00bdom! Do you have your own tips? Let us know in the comments.