How to Teach Drums

How to Teach Drums What You Should Know Before Teaching Drums ChaptersWhat Every Teacher KnowsWhere You Might TeachWhat You Need to Teach the DrumsTeaching Drums OnlineKnowledge is power, but only if you pass it on.Is that a fact?Established drummers, from the world-famous to the ones who gig locally, would contest that statement because it is their knowledge of drums and ability to play that permit them to do so.You would be absolutely correct in saying that they are sharing their knowledge of drumming by making music for all to enjoy.On the other hand, would any drummer would hoard technique and skill against an onslaught of drummer wannabes?Quite the contrary!The drumming community, and musicians in general, are quite happy to share their knowledge and experience: of playing, of technique; even of the frustration of trying to land a gig and the rigours of touring.Are you such a one who would like to mentor the next generation of drummers? Can you see yourself imparting musical theory and practical knowledge?Are you looking to become a drum t eacher?Let Superprof help you get started!Finding this set-up in a student's home would be a dream come true! Source: Pixabay Credit: GuoyakunWhere You Might TeachDo you have formal training as an orchestra percussionist? If so, you might want to teach at a conservatory or other music school.To take a formal teaching position, you will most certainly need higher education; at least an undergraduate degree!If you were to teach music in any type of school or any other concern, you probably wouldn’t have to worry too much about how to organise your knowledge of drumming into lessons because, most likely, you will have a curriculum to follow.You will still have to plan each lesson, though!Do you have years of experience on the road, either as a fill-in drummer or a member of a band? Are you a long-time studio musician?You could take on students in your own home or teach them in theirs.You might also set up workshops to share specific aspects of drumming or being a drummer, such as cle aning and maintaining a drum set or tuning drums.Planning for such a seminar would be much easier than for ongoing lessons because you could safely assume that any attendees know a bit about the drums.Unless you plan to teach Drumming 101, in which case you might cover only the ways of holding drumsticks and perhaps a few rudiments!Planning such lessons would be easier also because such sessions focus on one topic exclusively, with all of the allotted time dedicated to its exploration.Being a freelance teacher of drums will put heavy focus on your organisation skills.Nobody will structure your curriculum for you and, because the lessons will (hopefully!) be ongoing, you will have to establish a progression of skills acquisition for each of your students.That can only happen after laying a solid foundation in drumming technique for any beginners you may teach!On the other hand, freelancing as a drum teacher will permit you to teach the drums as only you can, in the manner you always knew they should be taught.What style of drums do you play: jazz? Rock? Orchestral or symphonic percussion? Hip-hop?Whereas you may have to tone down your preferences and natural inclinations when teaching in a school or institution of higher learning, giving drum lessons on your own permits you to impart your own style of music in the manner which you see fit.With freedom comes responsibility â€" Eleanor RooseveltBeing free to teach the drums as you choose gives you the responsibility to do it well.You are invested in your livelihood and your students’ success: there is no doubt you will meet and exceed that responsibility!What You Need to Teach the DrumsBesides the qualities every teacher must embody, you will need some equipment to teach drumming on.If you tutor  pupils at their homes, you will have to rely on their having an at least adequate drum kit.Still, you can bring a few drumming accessories with you, such as a full stick bag, drum notation, and, most indispensable, a m etronome.You may also want to bring a practice pad and a drum key.One quality of a good teacher not previously mentioned is flexibility.Imagine arriving at a new student’s home only to discover his kit so out of tune you don’t even want to use it to practise rudiments, let alone demonstrate a drum solo!You were hoping to get an idea of where s/he is at as far as drum skills... but not on that drum set!And that’s how a drum lesson becomes a lesson in tuning drums.Envisioning that scenario proposes that it would be best if your pupils came to you.It might be far more practical for you to teach students to play drums on a kit you know is tuned and properly maintained.That being the case, you may have to have more than one drum set!In fact, to accommodate the widest possible range of students, you should invest in a junior drum kit, lest you risk having to turn smaller-statured students away.You should have a few pairs of headphones around, in child and adult sizes, so that neithe r your nor your students’ hearing should suffer during extended practice.You may also want a few exercise balls and perhaps a grip strengthener or two, if only to promote the good habit of warming hands and arms up before beating out any paradiddle!A studio set-up would be ideal to make instructional drumming videos! Source: Pixabay Credit: FacundowinTeaching Drums OnlineIn the interest of full disclosure: your Superprof viewed countless drum instruction videos online.Some were quite informative, such as the one that talked about the different ways to hold the sticks or the one that described how to master playing 16th note fills.On the other end of the spectrum we found poorly-lit videos, some with the camera focused on the drummer rather than on the drums, and one unfortunate one that simply said: this is how you play a flam (plays a few strokes)... get it?No, we didn’t get it!If you wanted to make a series of drum instruction videos, you would need extra microphones to amplif y your bass drum, and a couple more hanging over your kit so that your instruction, as well as your snare drum, can be heard.You would probably also need someone to operate the camera while you deliver instruction.In pursuing your dream of teaching beginner drum lessons, you may have already canvassed YouTube and, like we did, found untold numbers of channels full of drum videos.By no means are we saying there is no room for your channel, but you might consider one to one teaching:  coaching students from afar as they learn to play the drums.Teaching anything via webcam demands a bit more finesse and skill than being in the same space as your pupil.And, if you’re going to teach drum rudiments online, you will have to have a bit of specialised equipment!A good webcam, for one, so that your pupil can see everything you demonstrate on your drum set in exquisite detail.You will also need a good headset so that you can hear the tones your student taps out.If you are looking for a diffe rent type of tutoring, why not  teach English online?Perhaps the best part about teaching drums online is that your students can record their sessions: that way, they can play your instructions back whenever they need to refresh their memory on what you said.One final suggestion: set up your own webpage.Competing with the already-established (and quite popular) channels on YouTube risks your collection of videos being overlooked.However, amassing your collection of instructional videos on a website of your own will give you an exclusive platform in which to display your talent and experience behind the drums.You may include a blog and start a forum where your students can discuss aspects of drumming that are not covered in your class.And having a site of your own will make it so much easier to schedule drum workshops and publish student testimonials!Or, you could establish a profile with Superprof...How much should you charge for drum lessons?

Guitar Exercises Building Finger Strength

Guitar Exercises Building Finger Strength Suzy S. Forget bicep curls for guitarists, its all about finger strength! Improving your dexterity and finger strength is one of the top ways to really step up your playing. Here, guitar teacher Brian H. tackles the common question, How do I get a good sound, and build finger strength at the same time? Frustrated with your sound?   Youre not alone. You might know how to play your favorite song, but the sound is not as clean or clear as you hear on the recording. This is a common concern for beginner guitarists, and it can be corrected with a few simple exercises. In most cases, the problem stems from poor finger placement with your fretting hand, and let’s not forget one of the weaker fingers like the pinky (4th finger). Sometimes we favor the stronger fingers and make it a habit of not using the weaker ones. Fortunately, you can fix this problem by going back to the basics 1. Learn the basics right and you will go far. Let’s start by using the first string, the first fret, and the first finger (index). Place the first finger next to the first fret, so close that you are just about touching the fret. You will produce the best sound by staying very close to the fret. The further you go away from the fret; the note might give you that annoying buzz sound. This is because it is harder to press the string down when you are not right next to the fret. 2. A tip for the tip of your fingers. Now that you are next to the fret, you need to use the correct part of the finger. When you are playing open string chords (first position), riffs, licks, or soloing, using the tip of the finger will help you develop a quality sound. 3. Building those finger muscles is as easy as one, two, three, four! Using the first string, place the tip of your finger next to the first fret. Now pick that first string. Each finger will follow; second finger and second fret, third finger and third fret and the fourth finger and fourth fret. Make sure to pick each note slowly and with a steady beat. Now pause, and then go from the fourth finger and fret to the third, second, and end at the first finger and fret. You can use the same pattern with the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth strings. Keep a slow, steady beat so that each note will sound clear. When that feels comfortable, progress to a medium then fast tempo. Practice all of these steps and you will be on your way to getting a good sound and building finger strength! Join the TakeLessons community and receive exclusive updates, expert advice, tips and more!  Sign up for email updates here! Brian H. teaches bass guitar, guitar, music performance and music theory lessons to students of all ages in Glastonbury, CT. Brian has had 25 years experience playing in rock/pop bands, and currently performs classic rock to today’s rock with Enny Corner. He joined the TakeLessons team in July 2012. Sign up for lessons with Brian, or search for a teacher in   your area today! Photo by Jonesemyr.

Should I Retake the MCAT

Should I Retake the MCAT Youve devoted monthsand perhaps even quite a bit of moneyto preparing for the Medical College Admission Test, and now that youve received your score, all you can wonder is, Should I retake the MCAT? Ultimately, everyone has their own opinion about whether a retake is necessary. One way to approach this question is to review the data utilized by medical school admissions committees, as well as several applicable studies. Soshould I retake the MCAT? Consider this study, which was a meta-analysis of 23 other studies. It examined MCAT scores and their correlation to medical school GPAs and USMLE Step 1 scores. The highest predictive validity (or correlation) was seen between MCAT results and USMLE Step 1 scores (though this correlation was small to medium). This is important to note, as the Step 1 exam partially determines what field(s) of medicine you will be competitive for. Therefore, admissions committees may place significant weight on MCAT scores. [RELATED: What is an Average MCAT Score?] Next, what do studies say about retaking the MCAT? This study concluded that the average of the earlier and later score on two MCAT attempts had the highest predictive validity. The second highest predictive validity was awarded to the earlier MCAT score. Another study had similar findings. When multiple scores were present, the average score was the best indicator of USMLE Step 1 scores. If you believe that you can significantly improve your MCAT results, and your target programs average scores or consider the highest result, it may be worth retaking the MCAT. The AAMC (or Association of American Medical Colleges) maintains a chart of retesting data for the 2008, 2009, and 2010 exam years. Though this chart relates to the prior version of the MCAT, it suggests how much of a score difference you may see on a retake based on how you fared the first time. Very large increases are primarily common with lower scores. If you fall into this category, you should consider retaking the MCAT. If your target medical school takes the average of your MCAT scores, remember that an incremental improvement may not make much difference. By this point, you may be leery of taking the MCAT at all. That is not the intention. The MCAT is an important aspect of medical school admissions, but it is not the only factor in your application. With the appropriate deliberation and preparation, including taking MCAT practice tests or working with MCAT tutors, you can make the most of your MCAT test date (whether its your first or second!). Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Calculus Homework Help Want an Easy Fix

Calculus Homework Help Want an Easy Fix Worried about your calculus homework? Tutor Pace can help you. Our  calculus homework help  solves all your calculus problems smoothly. Wondering how? Find it out right now. Calculus homework help: Why have our calculus homework help? Bring a calculus problem to our calculus experts and they will solve it right away for you. Get step by step solutions and know the logic behind every solution. Our calculus homework help is meant for your all around help. We’ve got you covered 24/7 in our calculus homework help. Learn anytime from any place. Want to attend a party tonight? No problem. Come back to us in the morning and get started. Whether night or morning; be it your home or on the go, our tutors connect with you day in and day out. Got any assignments? Show them to our experts and they will help you finish the assignments on time. Tell us a specific area where you need help and we’ll give you our best calculus tutor right away. Tutor Pace’s calculus homework help is provided by a pack of certified calculus experts. Our tutors include the masters and PhDs in math. These teachers have taught at high school and college level for many years. Almost all our students have benefited hugely from our calculus homework help. 90 to 95 % of our total students have shown better grades, more confidence, and higher homework finishing rates in calculus. No wonder why Tutor Pace is the ideal choice for getting calculus homework help. Our calculus homework help cover all important calculus topics: Limits and continuityIntegration Differentiation Differential equations Applications of derivatives Logarithmic and exponential series Get to the core of these topics while getting personalized attention from our tutors. Just like the calculus homework help, we provide best precalculus homework help around your schedule. Precalculus homework help: A precalculus homework help that actually works Tutor Pace’s precalculus homework help lets you master the basics for reaching the advanced level in calculus. Not only that, we provide you easy and comfortable learning by means of: One on one tutoring:  Nothing is better than learning at your pace. Learn directly from our experts on one to one basis. The individual attention ensures that you learn as well as enjoy the subject. Interactive learning:  Solve your homework questions better using our highly interactive whiteboard. It gives you a real time problem solving experience. Interact with our precalculus tutors by using live chat. This way you can talk to them and take their valuable feedback. Moreover, our precalculus homework help lets you communicate more with the tutors by means of chats and instant messages. 24/7 homework help:  Connect with our tutors all day and all night, anytime when you need our help. Obtain complete solutions for your homework questions with the help of experts. Know the logic and reasoning behind every type of question at your ease. Other help:  Be it your assignment or your academic project, our tutors help you with everything. Follow schedules designed by our certified tutors to prepare for your exams and tests. Unlimited practice:  Utilize our math worksheets for getting broad practice on all pre-calculus topics. Our precalculus homework help include all topics like conic sections, limits, integration, differentiation, and derivatives etc. Tutor Pace covers both calculus homework help and pre-calculus homework help in the one package that is math help calculus. Math help calculus: 9 Great tips from our great math help calculus tutors Math can spin anyone’s head, especially the calculus part. Thus, our math help calculus tutors want to share some useful tips to help all levels of students in the subject. Revise the class notes:  A students should not jump on his homework directly. He should first give a through reading to his class notes. Since, homework is nothing but revision of what you learned in your class. You can do that only after refreshing the already learned concepts. Read the textbook:  After revising your class notes, go through the same topics in your textbook. Your class notes act as your quick revision material, while the textbook gives you a thorough understanding on the topic. Sit for doing homework regularly:  Don’t miss out on your homework at any point. This is for everybody. Even already good students leave doing homework because they always think they can do it later. Many don’t even feel the urge to do it because it is unimportant for them. Attend all your classes:  Be on time in your class. Always request the teacher to re-explain the things that you find confusing. Make notes especially taking down the important points mentioned by your teacher. Highlight and mark:  While taking notes, use different symbols and color pens to mark certain things in your notes. If the teacher stresses on a topic or question from exam point, then mark it as imp. Underline important terms while reading chapters. Listen to what others ask:  You’ll get extra information, if you pay attention to what other students are asking from the teacher. It adds more information to your existing knowledge database. Maybe, what you couldn’t ask gets asked by somebody else and that can clear your doubt. Focus on the method:  Many students cram the steps of solving specific questions, but fail to understand the method behind it. Ask yourself questions like why it has been solved this way? You’ll discover many new answers. Search for old exam papers:  Often, you can practice better using old question papers. They give you an idea of what can be asked in your upcoming exam and what all is important. You can get these papers from college library or stationery shops. Write math, don’t just read it:  Math is all a pen game. Practice by writing formulas, questions, and solutions. Don’t just skim through the questions and answers provided by the teacher. According to the math help calculus tutors; these tips can help you effectively in getting great calculus grades. Tutor Pace’s  calculus homework help  is helpful, complete, and affordable for you. Get our precalculus homework help right away!

A Brief Review of the New SAT

A Brief Review of the New SAT ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog Three little letters: SAT. For many years now, those three little letters have evoked feelings of dread, fear and anxiety in the minds of countless high school students across the country. We are speaking of course, of the Scholastic Aptitude Test. It is a standardized exam offered by the College Board used in determining college admissions and, in many cases, scholarships to a given institution. The ACT (American College Testing) is also offered and accepted at all four-year institutions just like the SAT. As many of you may know, the SAT has been around for quite some time now, with the first test being administered on June 23, 1926. To this effect, for the first time in 11 years, the writers of the exam figured it was time their exam was updated and thus, the newly reformatted SAT hit test-takers desks March 2016 for the first time. This article will give you the full scoop on this new exam, its structure and breakdown, and more specifically, what you need to do differently to make sure you succeed on this new test. The first thing you probably want to ask yourself with this test just being released last month is, “does this even apply to me?” That’s a great question. This depends on when you are applying to college and if the SAT is the right test for you. It is popular with schools on the East and West Coast as well as many private institutions. If you’re shooting for the Ivy League, this test is definitely preferred in coast schools. But remember, all 4-year institutions take both the SAT the ACT. If you are applying to college in the Fall of 2016 or later, then you can utilize the new SAT! Now, that said, what if you want to use your old scores? Well, are you currently a junior in the class of 2017? Don’t worry! Old and New SAT scores will be accepted for the class of 2017. This is likely because the exam switched halfway through the year. There’s a small catch though. Many students like to call this score adjustment tactic colleges use “Superscoring” where colleges use multiple exams and pick out the best score in each section, assembling a “superscore” that is the highest from each section, thus raising your composite score higher than any one complete exam. This will NOT occur between the new and old testing and scoring formats since they are different exams that are scored differently. Okay, so if you’re currently a junior graduating in 2017, you’re fine using your old SAT scores to apply. If you’re in the class of 2018 however, I strongly urge you to check with your colleges because there’s at least one Chicago school that has officially stated they will not accept old SAT scores for their class of 2018. Northwestern University has officially stated they will not be accepting the old SAT for the class of 2018 and beyond. So the moral of the story is: if you’re graduating in 2018, check with you r institutions of choice if they will be requiring the new exam scores. But what about the actual test? What changed? Is it harder or just different? And, of course, everyone’s concern: Scoring! Let’s delve a little deeper into what changed and the structure of this new exam. Time for some good news: the new SAT has been getting good reviews from test-takers everywhere! Students are saying that the new exam is more straightforward, less ambiguous, and contains less strange vocabulary words. I know at least for me that would be a huge relief were I to take this exam again since it definitely had the uncanny knack of throwing some crazy words at me. The test will still test the same subject areas (Reading, Writing Math), however, now the reading and writing sections are termed “Evidence-based Reading Writing”. The idea is this new content will better analyze ones skills in acquiring information and making quality decisions using that evidence-based information given. Another big relief to students is that the essay portion is now 50 minutes long and optional. Students should check with their individual and prospective institutions to see if they require the SAT with Essay or without. Test makers insist that the multiple-choice section of the test “deeply predicts” one’s academic success in college while many institutions did not find the written portion as helpful as a predictor. If you choose to opt for a test with an essay, the structure of the exam is very similar to the previous exam and will run about 3 hrs and 50 min (compared to the old exam which was 3 hours and 45 minutes). If you opt-out of the essay, then your exam will run you only 3 hrs. There is continued emphasis on reasoning like the older exam, while taking a new approach to focus more comprehensively on skill, knowledge and understanding of those imperative skills for college readiness. Thus, after what seems to be lots of deliberation and research, the new SAT is claimed to be a far better predictor than the old one! There is still one last element that underwent a major change, and this element is arguably the most important one to all the students reading this paper: Scoring. The new SAT is scored much differently than its older counterpart. Instead of being out of 2400 points, this exam offers a total of 1600 points split between the “Evidence based Reading Writing” and Math sections, each 800 points. Like before, the worst you can do on each individual section is to get a score of 200 making the lowest possible score 400. However, one very exciting element of this new test is their new guessing penalty…or rather, their lack thereof! The new SAT does not penalize you for guessing. Incorrect or blank answers do NOT result in any points lost. This does mean one very important strategy change: Answer everything! Make sure every last bubble on that exam is filled in because no guessing penalty means if you don’t answer a question you miss out on a perfectly good chance to get points without the risk of losing any if you’re wrong. Previously, you were cautioned against guessing due to the older exam deducting points for wrong answers. This time however, go for it and make sure you leave enough time at the end to a nswer all of them. Figure 1 at the end of this article is provided by the college board and details very colorfully, the individual score/subscore breakdown of the content on the SAT. Please reference it for further analysis of what will be on the exam and how it will be organized. The final note I will make on this subject of the new SAT is that the most important factor in preparing for the exam has not changed: you gotta practice, practice, practice! The way to achieve the best score possible is to take as many practice exams as you can. To take these exams, you need to build up your skills and familiarity with the exam so you are ready to constantly get in the ring and battle it. Like a boxer training for his big fight, this exam can make a big impact on your application. MyGuru offers unique insight into test prep services and studies show that one on one time with a tutor during test prep can truly make an extraordinary difference. Study hard and keep your eye on the prize, that’s the recipe for success! Figure 1: New SAT Score Breakdown: Breakdown shows the Analysis in Science History/Social Studies will expand over both sections, thus their scoring is termed “cross-test scores”. Subscore section details the specific concepts that are evaluated in each section. Image Credit: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/educators/higher-ed/scoring-changes/new-score-structure

English Love Idioms and Phrases with meanings - Intermediate English

English Love Idioms and Phrases with meanings - Intermediate English The majority of  people believe that French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese are the most romantic languages in the world. This might be true. However, there are many English love idioms and phrases that you  could use.  If you want to impress someone (particularly if your partner is a native English speaker), try using one or two of them in your conversation. 12 English Love Idioms and Phrases   1. THE LOVE OF MY LIFE   the most important person in your life the person you really love at a particular timeex. It was obvious that Ann was the love of his life.2. LOVE IS IN THE AIR you can almost reach out and feel the love, when shops are decorated with signs of love (hearts/ flowers etc)ex. In early February of every year, love is in the air.3. LOVE IS BLIND when a person or persons are deeply in love they do not see some obvious weaknesses or negatives about their partner, love is blindex. I dont understand why she likes him so much? He is so selfish and doesnt treat her well. Well, love is really blind.4. ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR whether we are dealing with matters of the heart or to do with politics or war everything we do is acceptable in matters of such importanceex. He refused to give me my seat, stating that he was there first and that all was fair in love and war.  5. A FACE ONLY A MOTHER COULD LOVE usually used as a joke to describe someone who is not very attr activeex. Although, he had a face that only a mother could love, and he snorted and snored, Penny adored him.  6. A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP one person has very strong positive feelings for another person and the other person feels exactly the oppositeex. They had a love/hate relationship for 5 years. However, deep down they really did care about each other. 7. LOVE MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND with out love where would we be love helps us get through lifes little problems,  love helps everybody and everythingex. Love is the principal force behind human life. Love makes the world go round.8. HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE when someone falls deeply in love with another person, as if they actually fell over they were so much in loveex. Peter met this French girl on a study trip and fell head over heels in love with her.9. ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER when we do not see a person we love for some time (weeks or months) we grow more fond of them during that absence a sign that we really missed their presence in our lifeex. People think sceptically of long-distance relationships but absence does make the heart grow fonder.10. TO FIND MR OR MRS RIGHT to find the person best suited to us the person we have been waiting forex. Jim is not married. He is always  in search for his Mrs. Right  wherever he goes.11. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT to fall in lov e with someone at the first meeting with them or when we see that person for the first timeex. He saw that girl and he couldnt take his eyes off her, it was love at first sight.12.  TO HAVE A CRUSH ON SOMEONE   to find someone attractive and think about this person all the time, usually describes  teenage infatuation.ex. He had a crush on her for years but she didnt pay much attention to him.   English Love Idioms - Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here’s what you can do next: Share on telegram

The SAT, Redesigned

The SAT, Redesigned The SAT, Redesigned Created by the College Board, the SAT is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. The SAT was recently redesigned to more closely follow what students are learning in school and to correspond with the Common Core. Students can take the new SAT starting in March 2016. There are significant revisions to the format and scoring of this test that are relevant to SAT takers. Format The new SAT will return to the previous 1600-point scale, with a maximum of 800-points for the Math section and 800-points for the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing sections. The new test takes three hours, which is 45 minutes less the previous format. The multiple choice questions have four rather than five answer choices. The practice of penalties for wrong answers is discontinued. There no longer is an experimental section for research purposes. SAT takers can take a paper and computer-based version of the new SAT. There are two cross-test scores: Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science. Math For the first time in over 20 years, SAT takers will not be able to use a calculator on one third of the test. Having strong calculation ability and number sense is paramount to being successful on the new SAT. The new SAT will focus less on geometry and more in depth on three categories that will be given three subscores: Heart of Algebra; Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section is comprised of two tests. The Reading Test has two subscores for Command of Evidence (including analysis of text, graphs and charts) and Words in Context (such as interpreting vocabulary words and author’s intention). SAT takers will not only be required to identify the correct answer, but will need to use evidence from the text to support their answers. The Writing and Language Test has two sub-scores for Expression of Ideas and Standard English Conventions categories. SAT takers need grammatical and editing skills such as correction ability to improve passages by finding mistakes and fixing them. Kumon Students routinely practice this editorial skill by correcting errors on their worksheets. Writing Lasting up to an additional fifty minutes, the optional essay component will be scored separately. The content of the essay will vary from an opinion piece to the analysis of evidence within a passage. You might also be interested in: 5 Easy Tips to Prepare for Standardized Testing Season Common Core and School English Language Arts How does Kumon help prepare students to become successful standardized test-takers? Ask the Expert: 5 Reasons Your Child Could Benefit from an Academic Enrichment Program The SAT, Redesigned The SAT, Redesigned Created by the College Board, the SAT is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. The SAT was recently redesigned to more closely follow what students are learning in school and to correspond with the Common Core. Students can take the new SAT starting in March 2016. There are significant revisions to the format and scoring of this test that are relevant to SAT takers. Format The new SAT will return to the previous 1600-point scale, with a maximum of 800-points for the Math section and 800-points for the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing sections. The new test takes three hours, which is 45 minutes less the previous format. The multiple choice questions have four rather than five answer choices. The practice of penalties for wrong answers is discontinued. There no longer is an experimental section for research purposes. SAT takers can take a paper and computer-based version of the new SAT. There are two cross-test scores: Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science. Math For the first time in over 20 years, SAT takers will not be able to use a calculator on one third of the test. Having strong calculation ability and number sense is paramount to being successful on the new SAT. The new SAT will focus less on geometry and more in depth on three categories that will be given three subscores: Heart of Algebra; Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section is comprised of two tests. The Reading Test has two subscores for Command of Evidence (including analysis of text, graphs and charts) and Words in Context (such as interpreting vocabulary words and author’s intention). SAT takers will not only be required to identify the correct answer, but will need to use evidence from the text to support their answers. The Writing and Language Test has two sub-scores for Expression of Ideas and Standard English Conventions categories. SAT takers need grammatical and editing skills such as correction ability to improve passages by finding mistakes and fixing them. Kumon Students routinely practice this editorial skill by correcting errors on their worksheets. Writing Lasting up to an additional fifty minutes, the optional essay component will be scored separately. The content of the essay will vary from an opinion piece to the analysis of evidence within a passage. You might also be interested in: 5 Easy Tips to Prepare for Standardized Testing Season Common Core and School English Language Arts How does Kumon help prepare students to become successful standardized test-takers? Ask the Expert: 5 Reasons Your Child Could Benefit from an Academic Enrichment Program

Grades The Holiday Season Slump - TutorNerds

Grades The Holiday Season Slump - TutorNerds Grades and The Holidays: Beat the Slump Now that everyone is back from Thanksgiving break, many high school students find it difficult to get back into the academic groove (READ: Thanksgiving Study Catch-Up Time). Most students have been working hard since the end of August and are ready for a long-term break. However, its still important to stay focused between now and December 20, when the next break starts a private Irvine academic tutor can help you stay motivated. Senioritis shouldnt set in until April or May 2015. In fact, its better not to let senioritis set in at all. December is way too early to let go of academic responsibilities but it’s a good time to reevaluate what is reasonable and what is not. Successful students should ask themselves the following questions this time of year. 1. Can I handle my academic load as it is now? If you are feeling entirely exhausted and unable to keep up the pace in December, now is the time to reevaluate educational commitments. Some things are flexible while others are not. If you are planning to take the SAT or ACT in the spring but think that you might not be able to handle it, consider taking it in February instead (READ: A Timeline Study Guide for the SAT). However, if you have signed up for an AP class, you are now committed to taking the exam in May. Can you handle everything on your plate? What can you cut off the list? For example, if you are doing volunteer work for high school credit you may be able to put that off until the summer so that you can focus on your current academic commitments. 2. Are my extracurricular activities reasonable? Many students have signed up for extracurricular activities. This is a great thing to do, of course, but not at the expense of grades in core subjects. Students who are signed up for sports, arts and music, or community service activities should consider whether they are doing too much or perhaps not enough. Many students have overextended their schedule while other students may find that they are far behind in activities that would be impressive on a college application. December is a great time to think about subtracting or adding extracurricular activities (READ: End of the Grading Period Crunch Time). 3. Is my schedule consistent? Now is a good time to take a look at consistency in education. Many students put things off until the last minute during the month of December simply due to fatigue. Unfortunately, this can backfire. You may save 5 minutes now only to spend 15 minutes later and end up in a panic. If you are starting to feel as though you do not have the same amount of consistency that you had in August, speak with your tutor about a new schedule that might be reasonable and ask him or her to help you stay organized. 4. Do my grades meet my expectations? If you know that youre an A student in most of your subjects, but you have been sliding by with a B recently, youre probably suffering from a holiday season slump. Its important to talk with your family about the amount of time that you will need to study between now and January 1st. Many adults have one or two weeks off from work and dont need to look at their email or listen to their voicemails until they go back in January. However, most college prep students will have some work to do over the winter holiday break. Sometimes its difficult for relatives to remember what is expected of a high school student during this time of year (READ: Ask a Nerd! Grades and AP Class). Let your parents know ahead of time about the amount of hours you may need to spend studying, preparing assignments, or studying for a standardized test during the last two weeks of December. The holidays should be a fun time. You should enjoy family, friends, travel, gifts, and plenty of sweet treats. However, dont let all of these distractions take you away from your college prep tasks. Make a plan now and stick to it for the remainder of the month to give you the best chance of success for the rest of the academic year. Youre about halfway done with the school year, so enjoy yourself but keep your eye on the prize. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.