Thursday, March 26, 2020

The Benefits of Getting a Tutor For Reading and Spelling

The Benefits of Getting a Tutor For Reading and SpellingIf you have children of the same age but have some differences in the area of reading and spelling, you may need a tutor to help you meet your needs. There are many great benefits to getting a tutor in which we will look at here. The first benefit is that you will know exactly what you're going to get from each tutor.One benefit is the level of care they provide. You will have several different tutors so it is important that you understand how each of them fits into your learning experience. They will help you in every way possible to help you and your child to become successful in reading and spelling.Another benefit is that you will get an individual attention for each child. No one will be able to help you as well as one tutor at a time. One tutor will be able to teach your child at a much more efficient rate than with several tutors. This will allow your child to concentrate on reading and writing while the tutor focuses on your child's specific needs.You will also find that most tutors have resources available to help your child work at their best. This means that your child will learn at their optimal level. This can greatly improve the success rate of learning for your child. It will help them catch up faster in regards to school and will continue to increase their education.If you have some special requirements with regards to your child's reading and spelling, then you may need a tutor. If you have special needs, then you may need someone to assist you with that particular challenge. Having a tutor will help you make sure that you have the right resources to help you get the success that you want from your child.You will be able to help your child achieve success on their school day, in life and in their life off the school. You will be able to help them achieve success in every area. This can include being successful in life and learning while they are in school. It can also mean that they will l earn at a faster rate and be able to make more progress than their peers in the process.Tutors are highly experienced, individual and very knowledgeable when it comes to helping children. They have worked with many children throughout their lives, so they know exactly what to expect from your child. Their experiences will allow them to give you the education that you need, and you will enjoy every moment of it.

Friday, March 6, 2020

How to Help Math-Phobic Students This School Year

How to Help Math-Phobic Students This School Year This post is part of our 2017 Back-to-School Series. Throughout the month of August, visit the Varsity Tutors blog for back-to-school advice, tips, and tricks for all ages. Did you spend countless evenings arguing with your student over his or her math homework last school year? Dont worryyoure not alone, and the good news is math class doesnt have to be so painful this year. There are ways that you can help your child gain confidence in his or her math skills. For instance, you can help your math-phobic student this school year by understanding whats causing the trouble, learning what the math expectations will be this year, and dedicating time each day to math homework and practice. Understand whats causing your student trouble in math class Understanding the cause of your childs troubles is essential to helping him or her succeed this school year. Spend some time with your student leading up to the beginning of the school year, and listen to what exactly is causing the math struggle. It might take some time for the truth to come out, but pinpointing trouble areas will be helpful in the coming year. For example: Maybe your student isnt fully confident with the basic skills, such as fact families and times tables. Perhaps its a certain skill, like long division, that stops your child in his or her tracks. It could be that dreaded word problems constantly make your student scratch his or her head. Whatever it is (and it could also be a few different areas), make sure that you and your child are on the same page and can work toward strengthening those skills. [RELATED: How Parents Can Help with Elementary Homework Challenges] Spend a set amount of time every day on math Once youve figuredout the trouble spots, reach an agreement with your child about spending a set amount of time working on those skillseven ten minutes a day can make a difference. Perhaps your school sent home a math packet to work on, or perhaps you can review division flashcards together. Varsity Tutors also has an extensive collection of grade-appropriate online math help. Find a math tutor this school year Now might be a great time to find a math tutor for your student. The time right before school is crucial for getting your student back into the swing of things, as well as refreshed on concepts he or she has already learned. This sets your child up for immediate success. Finding a tutor now is also a good idea because by the time a student needs help, it is often a race against time to get him or her back on track. Being prepared before the start of the school year can eliminate stress and help your student feel more confident in math class. It can also help your child ace that first test, which is often a moment when confidence is either built or crushed. Learn as much as you can about this years math expectations Is there a math syllabus you can access on your schools online parent portal? If so, read about the upcoming year and know ahead of time what will be expected of your student. If the teacher has a strict homework policy and you know your student struggled with this last year, talk with your child about what can make homework a better experience. If your students teacher is basing the grade on only three tests per semester, talk with your child about how to work on test preparation and note-taking strategies. See how accessible the teacher is and prepare any questions for back-to-school night. Remember, everyone wants to help your student do well! Stay on track with math this school year Its wise to review and practice skill-building in the summer, but constantly communicating with your child throughout the year is necessary as well. There may be resistance and avoidance in trouble subjects for students. This requires even more checking in. This also means following up with the teacher if your student falls behind or is not understanding the material. It is possible to make this year less fraught with tension in the math arena. Good luck to you and your student! 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.

Solving Proportions - Maths Online Tutoring

Solving Proportions - Maths Online Tutoring Polynomial in math means an equation containing two or more than two term. The word poly means many. Each term can consists of one or more than one unknown variables with different coefficients and constant numbers. Each variable can have different exponent values. The highest exponent is called as the degree of the polynomial. There are various mathematical operations which are used to simplify and solve the given polynomial. Example 1: Simplify the polynomial expression, 5 x4 2 x3 + x2 3 x + 2 when given x = 1. Solution: The above algebraic expression contains variable x with different exponents. Degree of the polynomial is equal to 4. So substituting x = 1 in the place of x in the above polynomial expression, we get 5 (1)4 2 (1)3 + (1)2 3 (1) + 2 5 (1) 2 (1) + (1) 3 (1) + 2; 5 - 2+ 1 - 3 + 2 = 3 The value of the above polynomial expression is 3. Example 2: Simplify the polynomial expression, x5 5 x3 + x2 + 5 x + 1 when given x = -1. Solution: The above algebraic expression contains variable x with different exponents. Degree of the polynomial is equal to 5. So substituting x = -1 in the place of x in the above polynomial expression, we get (-1)5 5 (-1)3 + (-1)2 + 5 (-1) + 1 (-1) + 5 (1) + (1) - (5) + 1; -1 + 5 + 1 - 5 + 1 = 1 The value of the above polynomial expression is 1.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Pull Out - Phrasal Verb of the Day

Pull Out - Phrasal Verb of the Day Todays phrasal verb of the day is: Pull OutInfinitive form: Pull OutPresent Tense: Pull Out/ Pulls Outing form: Pulling OutPast tense: Pulled OutParticiple: Pulled OutPull out is a separable English phrasal verb. It can be used in different ways:When something or someone leaves a place.1. We can pull out by noon if everyone is ready.2. Jack saw the train pulling out as soon as he got there.In the context of vehicles, it means leaving a parking space and entering the street or other driving area.1. They say that prevention is better than cure; therefore, it is a good idea to wear your seat belt before you pull out of the parking space.2. The robbers pulled out of the driveway so fast that it left skid marks!When you draw (weapons) or take/remove something.1.  When Detective Jones pulled his pistol out, the townspeople fell silent.2. What do we have here on the bill? This service is pulling money out of my account every month!When someone wants to cancel an arrangement or agreement or to stop being involved in something.1. The businessman pulled out of the deal at the last minute because he realized that its not really worth it.2. The clients are pulling out of the original agreement to start a new campaign.When soldiers are removed from a location as needed; a retreat.1. The president pulled most of the troops of Iraq in order to help the Typhoon victims in the Philippines.2. The soldiers were pulled out almost as soon as they arrived in the battlefield.Note: Pullout (n.) when used as a noun, means soldiers were being removed from  a place.i.e.: The pullout happened as ordered by the president.Watch the movie clip below for an example of Pull Out being used in a sentence. It only gets used twice in this clip from Old School, but the clip is really funny, and worth watching.Exercises: Write your answers in comments and we will correct them.Fill in the gap from the video above:1. You should ____ that ____.2. Wait, wait, ____ what ___.Why is Will Ferrells charact er so confused?Complete the sentences below with the correct form of Pull Out.1. Please do not ____ of this wonderful deal without thinking deeply about it first.2. If you dont stop _____ money ___ of my bank account right now, Im going to file a complaint.3.  Does this have anything to do with the soldiers being ____ ___ of the country?4. Dont even think about ___ __ your wallet. The police might think its a weapon and end up shooting at us.5. I wish you could ____ __ of the driveway without destroying  my lovely plants.

Superbug Now Reported In The U.S.

Superbug Now Reported In The U.S. Photo Via: http://patrick.net On Thursday, researchers reported the sudden appearance of a much dreaded, drug-resistant, “superbug,” for the first time in the U.S. This superbug has a particular genetic variation that makes it completely unstoppable, even by the last-ditch antibiotic called colistin. It’s already made appearances in Europe and in China, but this is the first time it has appeared in the U.S, which is making doctors extremely worried for the health of the general population. Still, this isn’t something to be worried about quite yet. This first appeared in a case with a woman in Pennsylvania that had symptoms of a UTI (urinary tract infection) but instead had a mutated, E. coli germ. Still, there hasn’t been any large-scale spread of the bug, and this particular one was actually susceptible to other drugs. So what exactly is the problem? To put it simply: there is a mutated gene in this bug that’s making it drug-resistant. This gene, called the mcr-1, is passed from bacteria to bacteria. It sits on plasmid, a material within a bacteria, and waits to be passed to the next one. The problem is that this E. coli bacteria that houses the mcr-1 gene might actually get passed to another superbug with mutations of its own, creating a bug that isn’t at all susceptible to any known antibiotics. According to Dr. Tom Frieden, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “If such a superbug spread, it would take the world back to a time when there were no antibiotics … It is the end of the road for antibiotics unless we act urgently.” Luckily, this bug is staying under wraps for now, as the woman in which we first saw the mutated gene hadn’t travelled and luckily hadn’t passed this to anyone else. Since this case, researchers have been on the lookout for any sign of another case, and unfortunately came across one. This new case was reportedly found this past Thursday. It’s another E. coli bacteria that houses the mcr-1 mutation. And because the bit of DNA present is something that bacteria can easily swap amongst themselves, this mutation helps it to fight off the effects of colistin. According to Frieden, “It was an old antibiotic, but it was the only one left for what I called nightmare bacteria, carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae, or CRE.” And luckily, the mutated bacteria ended up being susceptible to carbapenems. However, it was still resistant to many other antibiotics. So we’re not completely out of the woods yet. Of course, this search for the mutation has only been underway for about three weeks, so there’s no telling how widespread the bacteria has gone. According to Frieden, “We know now that the more we look, the more we are going to find … The more we look at drug resistance, the more concerned we become.” This same mutation was already recently found in a pig. According to the report: “Out of 949 animal samples screened so far, one strain of colistin-resistant E. coli was found in a pig intestinal sample The DNA sequence of this isolate revealed that the strain contained the mcr-1 gene on a plasmid. The scientists also determined that the mcr-1 carrying colistin-resistant E. coli is resistant to other antiobiotics including ampicillin, streptomycin, sulfisoxazole, and tetracycline.” The CDC has been warning the public about this drug-resistant bacteria for years. In fact, it has actually been urging drug companies to begin developing new antibiotics and urging the public to utilize the ones currently available to protect themselves against this superbug potential. Even though this woman in Pennsylvania appears to be an isolated case, the state health department is still working with the CDC to test the patient and her family as well as others in the area to ensure this bacteria hasn’t spread. This is especially dangerous because there are no illnesses or symptoms necessarily involved with this bacteria, so the carrier may not even know they have it. Because of this, the researchers are asking that everyone be on alert as research progresses. Of course, there have been similar reports of patients carrying the bacteria that houses the mcr-1 mutation in other countries, but these reports are very skimpy on details as well. And to add to the problem, colistin, that last-ditch antibiotic, is typically unused because of the harsh side-effects including major kidney damage. And, to top it all off, several of these international cases in which patients have been infected involve a CRE bacteria that carries the mcr-1 gene mutation. And if this is happening in other countries, it’s probably already here as well. And to make matters worse, bacteria actually develops resistance to drugs fairly quickly so even if there were an option, it won’t be a viable one for very long. According to the CDC, “more than two million people are infected by drug-resistant germs each year, and 23,000 die of their infections.” So in the near future, it’s going to be extremely important that we keep an eye on our health, and be sure to stay up-to-date on the news, just in case this becomes a national crisis. To read more on this alarming news, visit NBC News.

Beat the Winter Blues with Fun Learning Tips

Beat the Winter Blues with Fun Learning Tips Beat the Winter Blues with Fun Learning Tips As the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder, you may find yourself with a case of the winter blues. On chilly nights, it’s easy to “hibernate” and watch a movie. However, there are countless ways to keep your child’s brain active and engaged during the winter months. Here are fun and easy ways to beat the winter blues this season: 1. Family game night is a fun way to keep young minds active and encourage kids to put down screens. With games like Monopoly, Sudoku, or Ticket to Ride, your child can practice their computational math skills while having fun. Games like Scrabble, Boggle, and Sequence Letters are great choices to boost literacy, spelling, and comprehension skills. 2. Bundle up and go on a nature walk. There is so much to explore during the winter season. Take a break from building a snowman and help your child measure the snowfall and track records throughout the season. 3. Plan a field trip to a museum or a discovery center. Field trips don’t only have to be for school days â€" make it a family trip! Look in your local area for learning opportunities to keep your kids engaged and discover something new. 4. Watch winter sports. Hockey and basketball games are filled with math learning opportunities. Your child can track player statistics, add up shots made during a game, and calculate how many points are needed for a victory. 5. Create a cozy reading nook. Pick out some winter-themed books and mix-up your nightly reading routine by reading by the fireplace or building your own cozy reading fort with blankets and pillows. You might also be interested in: 6 Simple Ways to Make Learning Fun this Summer 5 Creative Summer Reading Tips Fun and Easy Tips to Keep Kids Learning during the Holiday Season Fun and Easy Tips to Keep Kids Learning during the Holiday Season Beat the Winter Blues with Fun Learning Tips Beat the Winter Blues with Fun Learning Tips As the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder, you may find yourself with a case of the winter blues. On chilly nights, it’s easy to “hibernate” and watch a movie. However, there are countless ways to keep your child’s brain active and engaged during the winter months. Here are fun and easy ways to beat the winter blues this season: 1. Family game night is a fun way to keep young minds active and encourage kids to put down screens. With games like Monopoly, Sudoku, or Ticket to Ride, your child can practice their computational math skills while having fun. Games like Scrabble, Boggle, and Sequence Letters are great choices to boost literacy, spelling, and comprehension skills. 2. Bundle up and go on a nature walk. There is so much to explore during the winter season. Take a break from building a snowman and help your child measure the snowfall and track records throughout the season. 3. Plan a field trip to a museum or a discovery center. Field trips don’t only have to be for school days â€" make it a family trip! Look in your local area for learning opportunities to keep your kids engaged and discover something new. 4. Watch winter sports. Hockey and basketball games are filled with math learning opportunities. Your child can track player statistics, add up shots made during a game, and calculate how many points are needed for a victory. 5. Create a cozy reading nook. Pick out some winter-themed books and mix-up your nightly reading routine by reading by the fireplace or building your own cozy reading fort with blankets and pillows. You might also be interested in: 6 Simple Ways to Make Learning Fun this Summer 5 Creative Summer Reading Tips Fun and Easy Tips to Keep Kids Learning during the Holiday Season Fun and Easy Tips to Keep Kids Learning during the Holiday Season

Learning in the 21st Century Are we heading towards the right direction

Learning in the 21st Century Are we heading towards the right direction Since the Internet was created and developed over the decades, the education has never been the same. Students have changed, educators have changed, learning itself has changed. Today, there are so many ways to study anything you want! And you don’t even have to leave home anymore to learn something new. Let’s imagine you want to play a new song on your guitar. Simply go to YouTube and find accurate guitar chords, and a step-by-step explanation. But, then a question springs to mind: what do we need teachers and tutors for if we have the Internet and gadgets that are so easy to use (PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone)? I remember trying to teach myself to play a guitar using only Internet lessons, mostly the ones on YouTube. Unfortunately, after a short sonata by Beethoven that I managed to master, I decided to end my promising music career. Since then, I didnt have the desire neither did I have time to learn anything else. So, back to the question â€" what do we need tutors for in the era of cutting-edge technologies? A good tutor is more than just a teacher. The main goal of a tutor is to do his best to tailor his teaching methods to meet your needs. Every student needs a different approach. This is what a school or university teachers lack. At school, everybody has to study the same curriculum and complete the same exercises. And only the results will be different. What if we try to combine both: new technologies and constant information (knowledge) exchange between a tutor and a student? I would say that it is more than possible nowadays. But keep in mind, distance learning is not for everyone. You have to experiment and find a perfect solution for yourself. Judging from my personal experience, it is unproductive to have Skype-lessons with children and some teenagers, mostly between 6 and 13 years. At this age children tend to distract themselves or not pay attention. It is extremely hard to keep them focused without in-person supervision. In this case, Id recommend in-person tutoring. At TutorZ we encourage students to use multiple tools to become successful. It could be anything, YouTube channels, books, movies, and/or websites like TutorZ.com, where students can always find a highly qualified, friendly and creative tutors. Learning in the 21st Century Are we heading towards the right direction Since the Internet was created and developed over the decades, the education has never been the same. Students have changed, educators have changed, learning itself has changed. Today, there are so many ways to study anything you want! And you don’t even have to leave home anymore to learn something new. Let’s imagine you want to play a new song on your guitar. Simply go to YouTube and find accurate guitar chords, and a step-by-step explanation. But, then a question springs to mind: what do we need teachers and tutors for if we have the Internet and gadgets that are so easy to use (PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone)? I remember trying to teach myself to play a guitar using only Internet lessons, mostly the ones on YouTube. Unfortunately, after a short sonata by Beethoven that I managed to master, I decided to end my promising music career. Since then, I didnt have the desire neither did I have time to learn anything else. So, back to the question â€" what do we need tutors for in the era of cutting-edge technologies? A good tutor is more than just a teacher. The main goal of a tutor is to do his best to tailor his teaching methods to meet your needs. Every student needs a different approach. This is what a school or university teachers lack. At school, everybody has to study the same curriculum and complete the same exercises. And only the results will be different. What if we try to combine both: new technologies and constant information (knowledge) exchange between a tutor and a student? I would say that it is more than possible nowadays. But keep in mind, distance learning is not for everyone. You have to experiment and find a perfect solution for yourself. Judging from my personal experience, it is unproductive to have Skype-lessons with children and some teenagers, mostly between 6 and 13 years. At this age children tend to distract themselves or not pay attention. It is extremely hard to keep them focused without in-person supervision. In this case, Id recommend in-person tutoring. At TutorZ we encourage students to use multiple tools to become successful. It could be anything, YouTube channels, books, movies, and/or websites like TutorZ.com, where students can always find a highly qualified, friendly and creative tutors.