Chemistry Decor - Choosing the Right Chemistry Decor For Your Childrens Classroom

Chemistry Decor - Choosing the Right Chemistry Decor For Your Children's ClassroomChemistry decor is an essential part of a science classroom. If you want your child to be more interested in learning about the world around them, then you should purchase chemistry decor for your child's room. Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether to buy chemistry decorations for your child's room.One. The materials that make up the display needs to be clear and easy to read. It should be able to stand up to kids toting around a stapler, a magnifying glass, and a flash drive. A good rule of thumb is that the science components on the display should be at the same height and size so that there is no hanging the display can become a hazard for children.Two. Choose a room that has different elements for different grade levels. For instance, if your child is learning about human biology, then there are many different displays for this grade level. Make sure that there are a display to go with any textbook that you purchase, as well as another for the student to use.Three. Put a display in each place where you will have the student do research. For example, if your child is learning about the periodic table, consider having a periodic table display in the computer work area, and another in the nature work area.Four. Don't choose a display that you won't use. You don't want your child spending time with a display that will not be used.A good chemistry decor for your child's room should include any added items that will make the room feel more cohesive. There are many different areas in the room to put displays, but this is one thing that should be looked at before you choose the display.Don't forget the teacher's advice. They are there to guide you through your decision making process, so it is important that you listen to their advice.

Majoring in Music How to Nail Your Guitar Audition

Majoring in Music How to Nail Your Guitar Audition Megan L. Is a music major in your academic future? Guitar teacher  Brett M.  shares 10 things you need to know to have a great guitar audition at the music college of your choice If you’re a guitarist who’s planning to continue your music education at the college level, then this may  be one of the most important articles you could ever read. In fact, it’s something that I wish I could have  read, before auditioning and (luckily) getting accepted into Berklee College of Music over a dozen years  ago. Let’s meet someone His name is Dwayne, and like you (and me, back in the day) he is interested in majoring in music. Dwayne loves to play guitar, and he’s passionate about learning more. He’s a sophomore in  high school, and has played in a couple of bands off and on. Dwayne’s not a huge jazz guy, but he’s  thinking about trying out for the school jazz band, just to get the playing experience but he’s not too  sure he’d know what to play. Dwayne’s got above-average technique on the guitar and he knows he  wants to get faster, but that’s about as specific as he could say. He’s also got a feeling that there’s a lot  more to learn about scales, chords, etc. In fact, his overall knowledge of how everything fits together is  a bit sketchy. But he’s hungry to learn all there is to know, and is planning on attending music college for  guitar after graduation. Problem is, he’s not too sure what he’ll need to know to get in, and he’s a little  worried about it. Actually, hes a lot worried. Sound familiar? If so, then read on â€" you’re about to find out the 10 Guitar Strategies For a Successful  College Audition! 1. Have The Right Reasons If you’re really serious about wanting to attend college for guitar (and then making a go at a career in  music) you’d better be doing it for the right reasons. Here are two of the wrong reasons: I want to be famous. I want to make a lot of money. Those two things may in fact happen to you, and if they do, GREAT! But to have a sustainable, lifelong  relationship with music one that continues even when the going gets tough there’d better be more  behind your desire. For me, I simply couldn’t (and still can’t) not do music. The desire to create, to  challenge yourself, to deepen your character, and to share music with others is what will fuel a  successful and sustainable music career in college and after. Do it for the right reasons for long enough,  and getting rich and famous (while more importantly, being fulfilled) could actually happen. Here’s a wakeup call for you: Even if you go to music college and decide to major in performance (in  other words, in playing guitar) the majority of work that you do, especially for the first two years, will  not be on playing guitar. You must be willing and excited to spend a lot of time away from the guitar, learning about  all aspects of music. If you don’t enjoy this part, you won’t last. Examples of all the fun stuff that comes with learning about music include:  ear training, text  book music theory, music analysis, conducting, music history, arranging, and solfeggio (sight singing). You need to crave knowledge about all of these things, or don’t even bother. Sound harsh? Not if you’ve  got what it takes! If hearing this actually gets you excited to be in an environment like that, then music  college is probably a good fit for you. It definitely was for me. 2. Know Your Audience For a contemporary music college, the application process usually involves sending an audition tape of  music “from the standard repertoire”. In my case, not really knowing what this meant at the time (and  being a metal guy!) I chose to play an intro to a Testament song by Alex Skolnick, who’s a pretty rippin’  player. I figured that if a song was from a CD I had, then it must be “from the standard repertoire”. I  pulled it off alright, but in hindsight it was kind of a dumb idea to choose a song like that. You see, while Berklee and many other music schools certainly embrace many kinds of music, they are  historically jazz institutions. So, what they’re often really looking for are pieces that demonstrate your  ability to improvise a bit, play chord solos, interpret melodies, etc. In other words, start learning to play jazz music from “the  standard repertoire” (out of a big book of songs called “The Real Book”).   Even though my audition  turned out okay, if I had to do it again, I would have been smarter to choose some  performance pieces designed to achieve a specific goal in this case, impressing the instructors at a  â€œjazz school” and not just choosing music that I thought was impressive. 3. Listen Start to immerse yourself in music daily, and not just the styles that are your current favorites (I’m still a  metal guy!). Listen especially to classical music from all time periods, as well as jazz. You will absolutely  pick up and absorb some important musical concepts simply through osmosis. Check out Jamey Aebersold’s extensive library of CDs for jazz students, great learning tools even if you don’t understand  what he’s talking about yet. They’re mostly for putting on and listening to while you’re doing other stuff,  and getting used to the sounds of jazz harmony and soloing. And, if you listen to Bach or Beethoven  every day, you will reap rewards a’plenty! 4. Watch I dont just mean to watch random videos on YouTube! I’m talking about getting your hands on some good guitar instructional videos, preferably some  no-nonsense ones from the late 80s or early 90s, put out by the companies REH or Alfred. Be sure to check some out some killer guitarists who are way over your head, like Scott Henderson, Al DiMeola, Allan Holdsworth,  Greg Howe, and  Frank Gambale. Don’t fret if you can’t understand anything they’re talking about (a  lot of these guys play great, but couldn’t teach their way out of a paper bag)! What’s important is to start getting an idea about what skills are out there that you don’t know about yet. These types of videos will  help you figure out where your weak points are and the areas of knowledge or technical ability that you  need the most work on. They can be equally inspirational and frustrating! 5. Know Your Notes Knowing notes is more than simply  reading them on the page. Its about actually finding and understanding them with the guitar. One of the biggest  problems that plagues most guitar players is not having all of the notes on the neck memorized. Everything  that you do, especially at the college level, has to do with notes. So does it make sense to not know  where they are on the guitar? Of course not. It’s absolutely essential knowledge for a serious player. 6. Scale Knowledge Memorizing scales on the guitar is of immense importance. There are six “families” of scales (including  all of their modes) that you must know to play contemporary music: Major Melodic Minor Harmonic Minor Diminished Whole Tone Pentatonic Knowing the fingerings and shapes on the neck is an important first  step. But the actual ability to build them in your head in any key, to know the sound, and to start them from  anywhere on the neck is vital  for reading, improvisation, and writing. It’s a big task, but  one that every aspiring college guitar student needs to tackle. 7. Chord Knowledge Understanding how to build chords, from triads to extended harmony chords like E7susb9 and other  weird ones, is an absolutely essential skill to master before attending college for guitar. Analysis of chord  progressions is a necessary skill for really understanding how songs work and how they’re structured. Chord and scale relationships also help you understand how to play or improvise over daunting chord  progressions (like Dm7b5 â€"G7alt â€"CmMaj7) and actually sound like you know what you’re doing! This  will give you an edge over your competition when applying or auditioning for music school not to  mention an increase in confidence. 8. Arpeggios Arpeggios are the same as chords, but played one note at a time. They help you unlock the potential of  chords as a resource for soloing, and it’s important to be able to build and play them all over the neck, including everything from  the standard major and minors, to the  7th arpeggios and all of the extended harmony arpeggios  (9ths, 11ths, etc.). 9. Sight Reading and Rhythm Reading What’s the best way to get a guitar player to turn down? Put sheet music in front of him! It’s a joke, but  completely true. Reading music (and especially rhythm) is one of the biggest blind spots for most guitar  players, and it will be a major handicap for you if you’re thinking about continuing your education at the  college level. So why hide from your fear? Tackle it head on! I find that rhythm really  intimidates many of my guitar students. It can look like a foreign language with all those beams and squiggles and dots. But it’s really not that bad when you have the proper guidance. After that, reading the pitches on the  music staff isn’t that hard at all, it just takes some practice. Being a strong reader is very impressive to  the people you’ll be auditioning for, so it pays to spend the time getting good at it. 10. Technical Ability and Speed Believe it or not, when it comes to getting into a music college for guitar, your raw technical ability and  speed aren’t as important as some of the other areas that we’ve mentioned. You don’t have to be a  shred master but why not go for it anyway! It can’t hurt. Playing fast is a goal for many guitarists, and  increasing your technical skill will add to your confidence and ability to impress at the college level. So, is your guitar teacher preparing you for all this stuff? If not, show them the door! For many students, finding a top-quality guitar teacher is one of the first steps on the road to majoring in music. Remember,  there’s a lot of competition to fill those limited spaces in the school that you want to get into. Here’s the  good news though: If you’ve got a good work ethic, a passion for learning about all aspects of music and  the guitar, and a great teacher with experience in all of this, then getting into the music college of your  dreams is a thoroughly achievable goal. Good luck â€" and keep practicing! Post Author:  Brett M. Brett is a guitar book author, metal recording artist, and video game composer. He has over a dozen years of private instruction experience, and is the creator of the popular free audio course Unleash Your Speed: How to Shred on Guitar. Learn more about Brett 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

Pop Musicals

Rock/Pop Musicals The Best-Loved Rock/Pop Musicals ChaptersThe Genesis of the Rock/Pop MusicalsThe Difference Between Rock Musicals and Rock OperaRenown Rock/Pop MusicalsAny Broadway producer could tell you that musical theater is not everyone’s cup of tea. So could any West End theatre show director.Too bad he likes musical theatre â€" Tallulah, from Dr Who, episode The Daleks in ManhattanBy that statement, ‘the showgirl’ presumes that one must be of a certain type to enjoy musicals; an idea that may have been quite prevalent in the 1930s, when that episode was set.Today, we know all types of people enjoy show tunes and entire shows… probably because of the sheer variety of theatre fare to be enjoyed.By the way, did you know that the Dr Who writers drew on Phantom of the Opera for inspiration while writing that episode? Did you also know that Phantom is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s best-known and best-loved musicals?Back to the subject at hand, now…Let’s say you don’t like soaring vocals and sobbing violins and you a re really not down with anything that smacks of West Side Story or Lion King.We’ll take that postulate even further by saying that, as far as you’re concerned, there is no difference between an opera, an operetta, and a musical â€" in short, the entire spectrum of musical theatre is bunk to you.I get off on ‘57 Chevys / I get off on a screamin’ guitar â€" Eric Clapton, Rock’n’roll HeartIf yours is a heart like Slowhand’s, it’s no wonder you don’t queue to buy tickets for Cats or Fiddler on the Roof, but you should experience musical theatre â€" yes, it is an experience.The ambiance, the atmosphere, the intricate weaving of song, sight and deed, and how it speaks to its audience on a visceral level…You know how, just a few sentences ago, mentioned the extraordinary diversity of musical theatre?Your Superprof assures you there are playwrights, producers, directors and even the occasional choreographer putting shows together expressly for those with rock’n’roll hearts.Let’s go find them, shall we? CarlActing Teacher 5.00 (5) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaActing Teacher 5.00 (8) £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ElifActing Teacher 5.00 (10) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CalumActing Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChristopherActing Teacher 5.00 (9) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriActing Teacher 5.00 (8) £85/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielActing Teacher 5.00 (6) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CiaranActing Teacher 5.00 (5) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Genesis of the Rock/Pop Musicals By the mid-20th century, audiences wanted something more than standard Broadway shows Image by WikimediaImages from PixabayYou might intuit that music has been a part of theatre production since such productions entertained society, thousands of years ago.Likewise, you must certainly know that, over the last 200 years or so, such entertainment has changed dramatically.Musical theatre splintered into many different types of musicals, with the rock/pop musical gaining a foothold in the late 60s, in the US.Much like the incorrect assumption Tallulah (of Dr Who) made, writing teams like Rodgers and Hammerstein (one of Broadway’s premier composer duos, best known for The Sound of Music â€" among others) believed that theatre-goers were the type that wanted happy endings and uplifting melodies.In the UK, Noël Coward and Ivor Novello filled that role.No matter which side of the ocean, audiences appeared fed up with such fare; ticket sales on both sides of the ocean went on a gradual decl ine… until Hair.Hair was outrageous! Hair was new! Hair was a musical the likes of which had never been seen before. It came complete with drug usage, promiscuity, profanity and a racially integrated cast.It hit Broadway like an unstoppable force, running for a record 1,750 performances and then, it crossed the pond to shock and awe audiences in London during its nearly 2,000 shows.Hair was My Fair Lady on steroids; far from pining for something that might be ‘loverly’, Hair characters told ‘Enry ‘Iggins exactly where the bus stops and how to get on it.And then, they broke that hateful phonograph and used the pieces to light a fire.In short, Hair broke the mold of traditional musical theatre, flinging open the floodgates of style with such abandon and glee that show writers were tripping over themselves to come up with the next bawdy, raucous hit.Andrew Lloyd Webber soon followed up with Jesus Christ Superstar â€" although, because it incorporates no dialogue, it is more o f a rock opera than a musical.Still, Superstar’s success conclusively proved that rock music belongs on the London stage (and the Broadway stage, too!)Throughout the 70s, rock musicals continued to thrill audiences:The Wiz: Wizard of Oz revisited, this time with a lively dance scoreDreamgirls tells the story of the early days or Motown; this musical was later made into a film of the same name.Grease: the rollicking saga of life in a 1950s American high schoolPippin takes a stab at weaving history with fictionLittle Shop of Horrors â€" who wouldn’t thrill at a carnivorous plant?Little Shop sang us into the 80s, a time when rock and pop music was undergoing significant changes â€" the death of disco and the birth of synthesizers; at times it seemed that music itself didn’t know which way to turn.In all of that turmoil, rock musicals’ popularity waned. The jukebox musical rose up to take its place on centre stage. Pink Floyd's The Wall is music theatre, but it is a rock opera, not a rock musical Image by K-H. Leuders from PixabayThe Difference Between Rock Musicals and Rock OperaEvery opera is musical theatre but not every musical is opera â€" is that a case of splitting hairs?While the rollicking shows listed above wowed audiences and won Tony Awards, The Who were crafting Tommy, the fatalistic story about a boy who was born supposedly deaf, dumb and blind.Once every note was in place and every piece rehearsed, the band recorded it and took the show on tour. Neither critics nor bewildered audiences knew quite what to make of it, with some raving it was a masterpiece and others getting downright hostile about it.Nevertheless, the story took on a life of its own. In spite of the band proclaiming it would never be played again, it caught the attention of several show developers, who went on to adapt it to the musical stage.What makes Tommy an opera is the lack of dialogue.In a similar vein comes The Wall, another exploration of isolation and emotional trauma. Here again, the music tells the story; very little is said. By the end of the show, the audience has experienced everything from the trauma of war to the crushing guilt of failed relationships.Both Tommy and The Wall started out as concept albums, meaning that every song relates to an overarching theme â€" or, if you like, is another brick in the...Now find out how the concept musical differs from concept albums.Renown Rock/Pop MusicalsBesides the shows mentioned so far, the list of rock and pop musicals is fairly long and certainly well-populated.The Rocky Horror Show is a rock/pop sensation written by Richard O’Brien. Meant to be a tribute to the B-grade horror movies of the 30s with a bit of sci-fi thrown in, it has since developed a cult following.Chess, written by Lloyd Webber collaborator Tim Rice with ABBA’s Bjorn and Benny describes a chess face-off during the Cold War. It enjoyed a three-year run in Londo n but fizzled on Broadway.Admittedly, it had been largely altered to appeal to American musical audiences. Surely it didn’t lose much of its magic in the rewrite… maybe US audiences just didn’t like the concept?Starlight Express more than made up for the lukewarm reception Chess received. Andrew Lloyd Webber, creator of Starlight Express, is one of musical theatre's most prolific composers! Image by Erich Westendarp from PixabayThis Lloyd Webber/Stilgoe collaboration currently holds eighth place on the list of longest running musicals both in West End and on Broadway. Even more impressive: it is the most successful musical in Germany, having run continuously since 1986 in its own, purpose-built theatre.The story has been told a million times: a steam engine races against newer, sleeker models in the hopes of impressing Pearl, a first class carriage… no double entendre there!This show’s novelty is that, not only do the performers sing and act, but they do everything on roller skates!Imagine A Chorus Line or Mean Girls on roller skates… that might make for a pretty terrific musical comedy!Rent: if you haven’t at least heard about this theatrical sensation, we would sadly have to conclude that your name must be Tommy, or maybe Pink (from Tommy and The Wall, respe ctively).Inspiration came from La Bohème but show writer Jonathan Larson gave the story a modern day twist. The end result is a cast of struggling artists trying to make it in New York’s East Village, under the spectre of AIDS.It started on a small stage in Broadway’s theatre district, eventually moving to a larger stage and playing for 12 years. It took the Tony Award for best musical in 1996, and the Drama Desk Award for best director.It is unfortunate that Mr Larson died before he could collect his award; he was only 35 years old. Who knows what new musical he could have treated us to had he not been so tragically stricken?If you missed your chance to see a live performance of Rent, you may consider renting/streaming it. Far from being a film musical, it is a recording of the last time it played on Broadway.Are you still not convinced you too could become a fan of musicals? Do you need to have ‘rock’ in the title to believe the music and lyric will be rock-flavoured (or pop flavoured, as you wish)?Try these on, then:Rock of Ages: often considered more of a jukebox musical because none of its music was written expressly for the show, it features songs from the likes of Twisted Sister, Pat Benatar and Styx, among others.There is a story connecting all of the songs; in fact, it may also be considered a book musical because the songs are so well integrated into the story.We Will Rock You â€" need we even mention Queen?Bat Out of Hell: as an updated turn to the classic Peter Pan set in a post-apocalyptic New York, Jim Steinman definitely hit his mark. Although this show enjoyed a relatively short run, it nevertheless won several awards.School of Rock: following the famed film’s storyline, Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the music for the stage show; JoAnn Hunter choreographed it. Guess what? It’s still playing in the West End, at the Gillian Lynne Theatre!We don’t want to give too much of the story line away; maybe by now you’ve had a change of heart, decided musical theatre could indeed be your thing and you want to buy ticket for this show!Now that you’re keen to know more about the type of music and lyrics that go into making a smash Broadway musical, you should check our list of revue musicals…

Online Solve Absolute Value Inequalities Tutors

Online Solve Absolute Value Inequalities Tutors Absolute value of any number whether its negative or positive represents only its positive version. Absolute value is actually the distance of the number from the center and is denoted by | |(modulus sign). Hence absolute value is never negative. Absolute value is the magnitude of the number not the sign. Absolute value equation contains the variables and numbers with the absolute value sign in it. Example 1: Solve for the variable x in the inequality | 2x | 4? Solution: Given is the equation |2x| = 4. Here the unknown variable which needs to be solved for is x. First step: The absolute value gives two cases; 2x 4; 2x -4. Dividing by 2 on both sides of the given equation. (2x)/ 2 4/2; (2x)/ 2 -4/ 2 This gives x 2; x -2. Hence the solution contains two intervals x 2 and x -2. Example 2: Solve for the variable x in the inequality | 3x + 1| 10? Solution: Given is the equation |3x + 1| 10. Here the unknown variable which needs to be solved for is x. First step: The absolute value gives two cases; 3x + 1 10; 3x + 1 -10. Subtracting 1 on both sides. 3x 9; 3x -11. Dividing by 3 on both sides of the given equation, x 9/3; x -11/3 This gives x 3; x -11/3. Hence the solution contains two intervals x 3 and x -11/3.

4 Awesome Resources for Finding Broadway Sheet Music

4 Awesome Resources for Finding Broadway Sheet Music Sign up successful 1.  Scribd.com Scribd is a digital library, featuring an eBook subscription service that includes many free and paid books, magazines, and yes, Broadway sheet music. The service is available for iPhone/iPad, Android, Kindle, Nook, and Windows Phone smartphones and tablets, as well as on the web at Scribd.com, all for a monthly fee of $8.99 (or $3.99 with 12-month commitment). Scribd also offers a completely free one-month trial, which you can use to browse for music first. Use the search parameter “Broadway music” to sort through the different selections that you can save into your library. From there you can save the files to your computer or device, or even print it all out then. 2.  Ultimate Theatre Music Resource for Singers A student of mine came across this well-versed, purely educational-use-only Tumblr blog. Within this blog, links to PDF sources of sheet music, mostly Broadway sheet music, are provided for free. The links are highlighted and underlined within the blog comments itself, so take a look around and read some of the posts to understand how the links to the sheet music are provided. 3.  Musicnotes.com Musicnotes.com is an online marketplace that allows you to purchase and download computer-based sheet music, which you can either keep digital or print out. They offer many selections from Broadway, plus pop, holiday, and power ballads as well! Prices range from $4-$8 depending on the arrangement, which is quite reasonable if monthly subscriptions arent your thing. 4.  Sheet Music Plus Sheet Music Plus is another online marketplace that allows you to purchase both digital print and physical print sheet music. They stock both individual selections as well as multiple Broadway selections in songbook form. Since there are usually many songs within the same songbook, this can be a very cost-effective way to get several Broadway standards in your hands at a good price. You can usually find songbooks reserved for certain voice types (Baritone, Tenor, Alto, Soprano 2, or Soprano 1 voice types most commonly). Honorable Mentions: Excavating the Song: This website was set up by choral director Prof. Neal Richardson from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, for use with his own students. Even though he has now abandoned the online project, the website’s contentâ€"including some great tips from singers, songs from the 20s, and moreâ€" is still available for free. IMSLP: The Petrucci Library with the International Music Score Library Project is usually used when searching for classical music, as it’s the archive of music for free public domain music. Since I am a classically-trained singer, I use it a lot and often sing its praises. If you decide to expand your genre scope, start here before you buy any classical music. I hope this list helps you get started on finding Broadway sheet music for your lessons! Happy practicing! View all Takelessons.com Free Sheet Music Resources.  Milton J. teaches guitar, piano, singing, music recording, music theory, opera voice, songwriting, speaking voice and acting lessons in  Corona, CA. He specializes in classical, RB, soul, pop, rock, jazz and opera styles. Learn more about Milton 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 Will Fisher

Tutoring vs. Executive Function Coaching A Review

Tutoring vs. Executive Function Coaching A Review Academic Performance Explained Podcast In this episode of our podcast, MyGuru founder Mark Skoskiewicz interviews Jackie Stachel from Beyond BookSmart, an executive function coaching company. At Beyond BookSmart, coaches work one on one with students to help them develop executive function skills â€" the self-management skills that help people achieve their goals. What are executive function skills? Executive function skills include planning, prioritizing, managing time, regulating emotions, and organizing materials and thoughts. These skills contribute significantly to academic success, but they usually are not taught in a specific class in school. A student who does not have these skills may struggle with schoolwork; many hard-working, intelligent students do not achieve their full potential because they lack self-management skills. However, anyone who learns and practices these skills can improve his or her academic performance. Self-management skills are the keys to success â€" not just in school, but in life in general. Is there a difference between a tutor and an executive function coach? Do you need both? In fact, there is a pretty big distinction between tutors and executive function coaches; many students work with both concurrently. Tutoring is great for helping students develop skills and areas of knowledge that are subject-specific, usually pertaining to a specific class or standardized test. Executive function coaching, on the other hand, helps students develop general skills to manage their work and themselves â€" skills they can apply to any class. For example, if a student has a research paper, an executive function coach might guide the student to plan it, prioritize it, break it down into small steps, and put it on his or her calendar. Then, when that student has a paper due for another class, he or she can apply the same framework to that paper regardless of the subject. How much can executive function coaching actually impact students? A key part of executive function coaching is helping students change how they perceive themselves. Initially, many students who are struggling academically think that this is because they are lazy or just do not care about school. However, many students who are perceived as “lazy” are simply demoralized by low self-confidence. They don’t believe their efforts will get them the results they want, so they simply stop trying. Over time, with gradual work and a consistent connection between coach and student, it is possible to help students gain confidence and see themselves as capable students. This process takes time â€" there is no quick fix â€" but students only need to invest a small amount of effort to start seeing results. Typically, coaches start by first helping students achieve small goals â€" things the students already know they are capable of doing. As students build a track record of small successes, they gain the confidence to tackle increasingly difficult goals, until finally they are doing things they didn’t know they could. In addition to coaching, are there any other ways to improve your executive function skills? In order to develop your executive function skills, you need to recognize the things that typically get you off track and then figure out how to avoid those. Distractions are a major obstacle for most students, and one of the biggest distractions in this day and age is the internet. One tool that can help you minimize distractions while working is a free app called Self-Control. With this app, you can identify websites that are time drains for you (such as Facebook or Reddit), and specify an amount of time to block yourself from visiting them. Once you have blocked them, there is no way to reverse it until the predetermined amount of time has passed. You can also improve your executive function skills by working to better manage your emotions. Emotions can seriously influence academic performance; first of all, students typically do not do as well if they are frustrated or have a negative attitude towards the work they are supposed to do. In addition, when people are upset and agitated, they are not able to efficiently access their higher-level thought processes. Therefore, when you are stressed, it is actually more difficult to think properly. This makes it very important for students who get test anxiety to have resources that can help them calm down before taking tests. One helpful tool iscalm.com, which features effective, free guided meditations. These are great for beginners, because they have verbal instructions and range anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes in length (so you can start off small). These meditation audios are available as mp3 files, or you can access them on your smartphone or iPad. Interested in learning more? For more information about Beyond BookSmart, visithttp://www.beyondbooksmart.com. There, you can find blog posts and other free content, including tips on regulating emotions, transitioning from middle school to high school, and writing an effective college application essay.

Learn the Difference Between Past Continuous and Past Simple

Learn the Difference Between Past Continuous and Past Simple Recently, I was teaching a class, and my student asked me to explain the difference between past simple and past continuous.  While I was explaining this to her, we  realized that the difference isnt always obvious.  As usual, the best way to learn is to practice with real-life examples.  So, today we will learn the grammar, then practice with an NPR story on my favorite kind of news-good news.First, take a look at this video explanation of these tenses.  Past perfect is also included, but today well focus specifically on continuous and simple.Past continuous: (was/were) + present participleInterrupted action in the past: I was teaching a class when  my student asked me a question.Specific time in the past: Im sorry I missed your call at 1:00am, I was sleeping.Two actions at the same time:  You were cooking dinner while I was coming home.Describe the mood/tone: When I came home, a lot of people were standing around talking.  Several of them were drinking, some were dancing, and many were shouting.      Within the first 6 seconds of this segment, youll hear an example of past continuous.  Listen only to the first 6 seconds and fill in the following blanks:An Act Of Kindness, From One Immigrant To AnotherJoe Du(sp?) ___ _____ helped into her gorgeous white wedding dress this week when a tooth on the zipper _____.Why was past continuous used?  Choose from the list  above.  Dont forget to write your answers in the comments section!Past simple: (verb)edCompleted action in the past: We rode our bikes home yesterday.Series of completed actions: We rode our bikes home, cooked dinner, and watched TV.Duration of completed past action: I lived in Santiago for one year.Past habits or hobbies: Where did you work in high school?Now, listen to the rest of the NPR segment.  Choose the correct tense, and for the sentences with **, write why the tense was used from the lists above.  For an extra challenge, try completing the exercise  before listening, then check yo ur answers afterwards!It (was being/was) Sunday in Guelph, Ontario, and no tailor shop (was being/was) open.Joe Du (didnt/wasnt doing) want to walk down the aisle to marry Earl Lee with pins in the back of her dress, but no one in the wedding party (was knowing/knew) how to make the repair.**An enterprising bridesmaid (was knocking/knocked) on the neighbors door to ask David Hobson if he might have a pair of pliers they (could/were canning) borrow.Mr. Hobson (was taking/took) in the situation-the bridesmaid, the lacy white dress and a  request for pliers and (said/was saying), Ive got better than tools-Ive got a master tailor.David Hobson (was having/had) a family of Syrian refugees from Aleppo living at his home for a few days.**He (was being/was) indeed a master tailor in Allepo for 28 years, and as soon as he (was seeing/saw) the dress Ibrahim Dudu (was getting/got) out his sewing kit and (set/was setting) to work.**He literally (sewed/was sewing) her wedding dress back onto her, Lindsay Coulter, the wedding photographer (was telling/told) CTV News.Everyone (was being/was) so grateful, they (were saying/said) thank you a million times.Many of the bridesmaids (were being/were) from China and (were bowing/bowed) to say thanks, (said/was saying) Lindsay Coulter, who (was posting/posted) photos and (wrote/was writing) on her facebook page, Every weekend I take photos of people on the happiest days of their lives, and today, one man who has seen some of the worst things our world has to offer (came/was coming) to the rescue.**I (was being/was) so excited and so happy, Ibrahim Halil Dudu (was saying/said) through  a translator, I like to help Canadian people from my heart.Earl Lee (called/was calling) the master tailors masterly repair an incredible act of kindness from a complete stranger who had only stepped foot in this country days ago.Immigrants and families of immigrants who (came/were coming) to Guelph from opposite ends of the world and (made/were making) new homes and look after each other.Excellent job!  If you have  comments or questions, write them below and well get back to you.  Apply your new knowledge by scheduling a one-on-one class with LOI today!