A BSC Biology - Global Ecology Chapter and Regional Science Programs

A BSC Biology - Global Ecology Chapter and Regional Science ProgramsIn A BSC Biology chapter 2, biology students are introduced to a topic that's just beginning to gain acceptance in the mainstream and competitive public schools. The subject, global ecology, is currently gaining more ground among the elementary, middle, and high school biology curriculum.To be eligible for A BSC Biology, students must first attend A BSC Biology Open House, held at their local public school. During this event, parents, teachers, and other administrators are invited to view pre-recorded presentations about the course. The event gives all participants an opportunity to ask questions and get the most out of their Biology Education experience.The Global Ecology Society, founded in 1997, holds an annual National Conference in both Dallas and Houston. Parents can enroll their children in A BSC Biology - Global Ecology Chapter if they wish to receive the A BSC Biology Literature Booklet and Biosphere II Educ ation package.The International Society for Global Ecology (ISGE) is one of the leading science organizations in the world. The society meets monthly in two locations: New York City and Orlando, Florida. During the two-day meeting, ISGE members share experiences, develop new research projects, and work to create awareness and solutions to the major challenges facing our world today.The World Resources Institute is a non-profit science organization dedicated to expanding economic opportunities for people worldwide. They actively work with governments and communities to improve environmental quality, reduce poverty, and build sustainable economies. Their mission is to facilitate joint solutions to environmental problems.In addition to the A BSC Biology - Global Ecology Chapter, the Society for Conservation Biology holds meetings each year in Atlanta, New York, and Vancouver, Canada. One of the largest conservation societies in the world, the SCB works to conserve biodiversity and enha nce species survival, in addition to educating people about conservation issues. In addition to maintaining these biorepositions, the University of New Mexico also offers a number of courses in biological sciences, including evolution, ecology, health sciences, microbiology, and molecular biology. The University also offers degree programs in entomology, plant pathology, entomology, and wildlife ecology.These and other regional level science programs offer hands-on learning opportunities in a supportive learning environment. Through this hands-on experience, students will learn to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics in the process of studying a particular biological field, while earning a certificate or a bachelor's degree in such a field.

Who is the Best Online Tutoring Service Provider in US

Who is the Best Online Tutoring Service Provider in US Tutor Pace is well known online tutoring website supported and recognized by Texas State Law gives best online tutoring service around the world. After spending years in study and research, Tutor Pace provides variety of innovative programs in every subject which are very useful to achieve better performance in their academics. The company provides unlimited tutoring services to their students with 24*7 hours help and support at quite affordable rates. The tutors are available round the clock to take learning sessions or solve queries and doubts on lessons that are already learnt. The students scheduled tutoring session well in advance or ask for instant live tutoring. Each sessions are recorded which can be replayed at the time of test. Tutor Pace recruits good qualified tutors having years of experience in education field. Each online tutor is selected and registered based on set of qualifying like educational background, teaching experience and skills to make learn students.  Tutors have to undergo our training for implementing our learning pedagogy, guidelines and procedures. Tutors are further trained to follow rules, regulation, assessments methodologies, tracking student’s progress and performance report and in-depth knowledge of using online tutoring system. The online tutors not only help students to succeed in school but give a way to discover natural love for learning. Unlike voice based training, the students do not require any S/w., headphone or microphone. Tutor Pace offer whiteboard and live chat based tutoring program. The tutors and students share two way conversations via interactive whiteboard with ability to draw real time equation, charts, graphs and problems. Both can share files and documents that comprises of assignment, homework, scanned pages from textbooks, test papers, etc. They can even surf internet resources together. Personal tutoring at Tutor Pace includes home practice, exam preparation, personalized online assessments and questionnaire for good progress during exams. Additional features like live interactive one-to-one round the clock tutoring, Personalized tutoring, free demo sessions, facility to choose preferred tutor, live homework help, assignment work, online forum, test preparation, detailed monthly progress report makes Tutor Pace Best Online Tutoring Service Provider in US. All these features are available at very reasonable and affordable pricing. The students can wise options to select the apt pricing plan. Tutor Pace offer unlimited tutoring schemes for 12 Months at $1079.99, 1 Week tutoring at $34.99, 6 Months tutoring at $599.99 and 12 Months tutoring at $1199.99. While other pricing plans are based on validity period like 1 Hour tutoring cost $7.99 valid for 6 month, 2 Hours tutoring cost $15.99 with 6 months validity and 5 Hours tutoring cost $39.99 with 6 months validity.

Italian Around the World

Italian Around the World How Important is it to Learn Italian? ChaptersCountries where Italian is Spoken as an Official LanguageItalian Communities around the WorldImportant Information about ItalianThroughout it’s history, we’ve seen Italy’s territory expand several times. Especially during the time of the Romans when it accounted for almost all of Western Europe and parts of Africa.  Nowadays, the world is completely open, we can get to the other side of the planet in a matter of hours, and language learning is really important.  Where does Italian stand in the modern age? Is it still in the same place? Has it moved elsewhere? We’re going to have to learn about Italy and the language if we want to work out whether or not we should learn Italian.There are currently 70 million speakers of the Italian language around the world.  As of 2013, there were 60 million people in Italy.Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. (Source: Mali Maeder)Even if every single one of them spoke Italian, we’d still be missing 10 million It alian speakers. So where are the rest of them hiding? In addition to the neighbouring countries,  large numbers of Italian speakers emigrated to places in Europe, South America, and the US.Here are the countries where Italian is an official language:Italy (of course) with around 60 million native speakersSwitzerland with 471,000 Italian speakersSan Marino (the 3rd smallest state in Europe) with 30,000 Italian speakersThe Vatican (the smallest European state) with 1,000 Italian speakersCroatia where less than 5% of the population (around 200,000) speak a language other than Croatian.Slovenia where around 10,000 (less than 0.5%) of the population are Italian Slovenes.In Switzerland, Italian is an official language in two areas:Grisons: 10% of the population (33,000 people)Tessin: 83% of population (255,000 people)Aside from Italy, there aren’t really any countries that speak Italian as their only an main official language.  In Switzerland, for example, Italian is just one of several official languages and it's not even the most common one. They also speak German, French, and Romansh. In the Vatican, Latin is the first official language.  The same goes for Croatia and Slovenia. While Italian is one of the official languages, it plays second fiddle to the countries’ other official languages.When Italy colonised Eritrea in 1890, Italian was also an official language there.  However, nowadays the language has all but disappeared.Malta also considered Italian an official language until the 1930s. The annexation of the country by the British Empire in 1816 eventually resulted in the change. Today, Italian has been replaced by English as an official language.In any case, Italy wasn’t as much of a colonial country as say Britain, France, and Spain.  Thus, Italy is generally spoken in Western Europe in the countries around Italy itself.Italian Communities around the WorldWhile Italy’s empire didn’t reach as far as others (not counting the Roman Empire), there a re a large number of Italian communities around the world.  Let’s see where they are.Italian in EuropeIn 2007, statistics showed that more than half of Italian emigrants settled in Europe (57.3%).  In 2014, 13% of Europe spoke Italian.The countries with the largest Italian communities include:Germany and Switzerland with around 500,000 peopleFrance: 350,000 peopleBelgium: 200,000 peopleNetherlands, Luxembourg, and Austria: less than 100,000 peopleRomania and Greece: around 290,000 people of Italian originThe UK: around 100,000 peopleThis means there are around 1,000,000 Italians in the EU outside of Italy and there  are also a number of European cities with large Italian communities.Barcelona, which is just across the Mediterranean from Italy, is the most popular European city for Italian migrants. Between 2000 and 2009, the Italian population in Barcelona grew from 15,400 to 52,000.Italian in North AmericaThere’s a huge Italian community in the United States. In fact,  Italian- Americans account for 5.6% of the US population (around 18 million people).  They are spread across the US but are mainly found in:Rhode Island (19.6%)New York (19.4%)Connecticut (18.6%)New Jersey (16.8%)And Massachusetts and Florida.No matter where they go, Italians seem to bring great coffee with them. (Source: negativespace.co)The Italian community in Canada includes around 1.3 million people.Italian in South AmericaSouth America has welcomed a large number of Italian migrants to a number of different countries.Including:Brazil (25% of the population, around 30 million people, is of Italian origin)Argentina (18 million people of Italian heritage)Uruguay (1 million)Both Costa Rica and Mexico are home to plenty of people of Italian origin, too.Other Countries with Significant Italian CommunitiesThere are other countries that welcomed Italians on a smaller scale to those we’ve already seen.Including:AlbaniaMontenegroKosovoCroatiaTunisiaItaly also colonised certain parts of Africa.  Outside of Eritrea, there’s also Italian speakers in:SomaliaEthiopia (under 2,000 speakers today)Libya (spoken as a second language by around 125,000 people in 2007)Important Information about ItalianBefore you jump into your first Italian lessons, here are some facts and figures worth knowing about Italian.Italian’s no longer the most spoken language in Europe or the world though it has certainly had an impressive influence over a number of fields like science, music, and art.Generally speaking, it’s only the Italians and a few of countries neighbouring Northern Italy that speak Italian. Between 12 and 14% of the people in these countries are thought to speak the language.Throughout the rest of Europe, this figure is as low as 5%.  Once you get to France, only 5% of the population can speak Italian while 39% can speak English.In 2012, Italian was third in terms of languages spoken in Europe with 12.52% of the population speaking it. It’s behind German (15.71%) and English (12.91%).  French is just behind it with 12.09% of Europe speaking it as their first language.Italian is an interesting language when it comes to business. Italy is actually 4th in Europe and 8th in the world in terms of GDP. You'd think that this would encourage more people to speak the language, right?It’s also a popular tourist destination and one of the most-visited countries in the world. Expo 2015 was also held in Milan.  With beautiful cities and more UNESCO World Heritage Sites (including Venice, Pisa, and Florence) than any other country in Europe or the world, Italian culture has made its mark.  The Art of Seduction? Speaking ItalianThe musical cadence of Italian’s various dialects are why it’s often considered one of the world’s sexiest languages. That’s probably also why there are so many Italian love songs!There are few languages more romantic than Italian. (Source: stokpic.com)The Romance languages like French and Spanish tend to be thought of as sexy. Howev er, when asked, people tend to favour Italian.Italian: A Language of Art and CultureAre you interested in art? Learning Italian through private or group tutorials (in a language school, online, or with a tutor) can be really beneficial.There are so many Italian artists. You are probably familiar with Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michaelangelo, and Donatello. In fact, all the turtles were named after famous Italian artists.The Last Supper is one of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous pieces. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)If you want to learn more about art, learning Italian will inevitably help you to learn more about their paintings and their lives.  In Italy, language and culture are basically inseparable. You can't learn one without the other.  Learn the Italian basics with our blog for beginners.  Why Choose to Speak Italian?Speaking Italian can be really useful. Aside from all the business, the UK does with Italy, there are a lot of similarities between our two languages that will help. With over half of English vocabulary originating from Latin or French, you’ll soon notice that Italian isn’t much a foreign language as you may have thought. This is generally thanks to the Norman invasion in 1066.You can take Italian classes at universities, language schools, or with a private tutor (from right here on Superprof, for example). There are also websites with language courses so that you can learn Italian online. Why not check out our article on the best ones?With a good teacher and regular practice, you’ll be able to boost your vocabulary, speak better, and improve your reading and writing.  If you can afford it, you could have a trip to Italy. In addition to learning more about the country that excelled in terms of culture, literature, and science, you can also practise all your new Italian words and phrases for free!One last thing: Very few students in the European Union decide to learn la lingua Italiana. That means if you decide to learn to speak Italian, yo u’ll be in demand. Especially when it comes to looking for language jobs. Your CV will also stand out because it's unlikely they'll have seen many candidates with Italian as a skill.If you’d like to learn a language (Italian, for example), we recommend looking for tutors on Superprof. Most of them will offer free tutoring for the first hour to see if you like them.Don’t forget that you can also study Italian on-line or through watching films and TV shows, and listening to the radio and podcasts in Italian.Are you ready to learn a new language? Do you need help remembering phrases and grammar? Why not take a language course or get language lessons with a tutor on Superprof.co.uk?Italian language courses LondonItalian language courses Manchester

When Do PSAT Scores Come Out

When Do PSAT Scores Come Out When do we hear about PSAT scores? The PSAT is only administered once per year generally in mid-October, but you should always confirm on the the College Board website. PSAT scores typically come out around the first week of December, but you should check these dates online as well, near Thanksgiving for official information. Remember that you will not hear from the National Merit Scholarship committee for up to an additional nine months. You may also want to take a look athow the PSAT will change in 2015. Grading structure of the PSAT Your PSAT scoresconsist of three sections: Critical Reading Mathematics Writing Each of these sections is worth 20-80 points, for a maximum scoreof 240. There are two key reasons to sit for the PSAT: to prepare for the SAT, and to potentially rank well enough for the National Merit Scholarship. Your official score report includes further instructions for the National Merit Scholarship application process, as well as your ranking. While the necessary result varies from year to year, the selection index score (the sum of all three sections) for the National Merit Scholarship is roughly 200. Keep in mind that only a very select number of high school juniors enrolled in full-time high school programs are eligible for the scholarship; if you are not eligible, this is typically notated with an asterisk. Here is some additionalinformation on what to know about the PSATthat you may find helpful. Percentiles and Averages PSAT Score (out of 1520) 10th grade students 11th grade students Top 5% 1250 1350 Top 10% 1170 1270 Top 20% 1080 1170 Top 30% 1020 1110 Top 40% 960 1050 Top 50% average 910 1000 *The above data comes from the College Board. The score report will also include an indication of your results versus the national average, which is useful not only for those individuals in less traditional programs, but also when considering college. Overall, these marks provide a diagnostic base for the SAT. If they are lower than you were hoping, your score report becomes a strong signal to begin the preparation process! What to do after receiving your PSAT scores If you are confident about your PSAT scores, thats wonderful! Investigate the National Merit Scholarship, as it is a fantastic opportunity. The scholarship committee will contact you in September of your senior year if you are eligible. If they do not, you are still in good company. A multitude of students have difficulties with the PSAT, so do not panic! The PSAT is preparatory practice for the SAT, so the testing service provides you with a specific results sheet, including a copy of your test. Put this to good use! Focus on your weaknesses and study for the SAT using this guideline. An easy technique to determine your relative SAT score is to add a zero to the end of each section score. For example, if you received a 60 on the mathematics portion, it is roughly equivalent to a 600 on the SAT. Here are some great practice tests for the SATthat can help you start preparing for the test. If you are unhappy with your PSAT results, remember this is not the end of the world. It is entirely possible to dramatically improve your scores on the SAT through careful preparation that utilizes the PSAT as a guide. Each question is provided in your report, along with the correct answer. Feel free to test yourself and determine where you erred. If you failed to finish in the allotted time or became nervous, that information is central to recognize before you reach the SAT. Consider the PSAT a chance to address testanxiety, time management, or other test-taking shortcuts. Remember, it is best to utilize the PSAT as a roadmap to your best possible SAT score. Address any large problems before you begin reviewing for the SAT! 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 atblog@varsitytutors.com.

5 Reasons Why Its Important to Practice French Conversation

5 Reasons Why Its Important to Practice French Conversation Megan L. Learning French by reading and writing is a good place for some students to start, however there comes a point where you must speak French in order to truly improve. French tutor  Carol Beth L.  shares her advice for students who are ready to take the plunge into spoken French Conversing in a foreign language is not easy. In some ways, its almost akin to public speaking. It puts you on the spot and tests your ability to think using a set of linguistic tools that are not as automatic as those of your native language. Many French students â€" especially beginners and lower-level students â€" are self-conscious about conversing in French because they know how imperfect they sound. But this makes it even more imperative to get out there and practice. Here are a few reasons to practice your French conversation: 1) Get over yourself and your imperfections. As mentioned above, many French students â€" especially beginners â€" are understandably self-conscious. There is no better way to gain confidence with French than through real-life practice. 2) Its not like the movies. Life generally isnt. In a movie, everything is scripted. (Well, almost always.) The same is true of your textbook and the written exercises you might also do. Starting from a script is great. It provides you with a baseline, including examples of common situations and ways to say things. To become truly proficient, however, you must eventually take the plunge and remove the book. 3) Solidify your ability to speak French. You may have heard it said in the past that “your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.” Ghandi originally said this as part of a much more serious context. Yet the basic idea can also be applied to learning a language â€" and when it comes to your thoughts, you can focus on which thoughts you wish to strengthen. You know and believe that your knowledge of French must be encouraged in order to become proficient. By translating your thoughts into action, you can train your brain to use the parts of it that contain your knowledge of French. By doing so, you are strengthening those parts of your brain and the connections between them. 4) Solidify your ability to think in French. When it comes to conversation, thinking in French can be just as important as speaking in French. If you can think in French, your rate of speech will almost invariably be faster than those who cant or dont. It doesnt usually happen immediately, but keep in mind that thinking in French doesnt necessarily mean that you can say anything and everything. It does mean that the web of French vocabulary and grammatical tools you have at hand in your head has cohesively developed, and that you can proficiently navigate it. 5) Meet other francophiles and francophones. You may make a few French-speaking friends with similar interests. If you can establish your relationship in French, you may also gain an advantage when it comes to practicing, maintaining, and improving your French. In addition, you will have strengthened your social network. So, are you ready to go for it? Start searching for a conversation group or class in your area to get started! Check out these tips for learning French for ideas on how to find your group. Its out there waiting for you! Working with a private tutor is another wonderful way to practice speaking and improve your French. French tutors are available to work with you in-person or online via Skype. Find your French tutor today! Carol Beth L. teaches French lessons in San Francisco, CA. She has her Masters in French language education from the Sorbonne University in Paris and has been teaching since 2009. Learn more about Carol Beth 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  saxman777

Volume of Square Pyramid Tutors

Volume of Square Pyramid Tutors A pyramid consists of 4 triangles joined to a base and these triangles join the base to the tip of the pyramid known as the apex or the vertex of the pyramid. A pyramid is a 3-dimensional geometric structure and the line joining the center of the base to the vertex is known as the height of the pyramid. A square pyramid is the pyramid which has a square base and the volume of a square pyramid can be calculated by using the area of the square base and the height. Example 1: What is the volume of a square pyramid whose base length is 6m and the height is 8m? Given base length of the pyramid, b = 6m Height of the pyramid, h = 8m Volume of the pyramid, V = 1/3 * Area of the base * height Area of the square base = b2 = (6m)2 = 36m2 Volume of the square pyramid, V = 1/3 * 36m 2 * 8m = 96m3 Therefore, volume of the given square pyramid, V = 96m3 Example 2: What is the volume of a square pyramid whose base length is 10m and the height is 12m? Given base length of the pyramid, b = 10m Height of the pyramid, h = 12m Volume of the pyramid, V = 1/3 * Area of the base * height Area of the square base = b2 = (10m)2 = 100m2 Volume of the square pyramid, V = 1/3 * 100m 2 * 12m = 400m3 Therefore, volume of the given square pyramid, V = 400m3

5 Tips for Avoiding College Essay Writers Block This December

5 Tips for Avoiding College Essay Writer’s Block This December While December is often cited as the most wonderful time of the year, for 12th graders staring down college application deadlines, that isnt always the caseespecially if you still have a lot of work to do on your college essays. If youre still working hard on those essays deep into December, chances are youve run into some combination of writers block, procrastination, and just plain old thinking you have a lot more time than you really do. Whatever your reasoning, here are five tips for avoiding college essay writers block this December. (10th and 11th graders, dont close the page just yet! Below, weve included suggestions on how to avoid the college essay hustle-and-bustle when its your turn.) 1. To avoid college essay writers block, list out the things youre proud of Do you feel anxious just looking at the college essay prompts? Is it hard to decide on a topic to write about? If so, step away from the prompts. Remember: your college essays are all about helping admissions officers learn more about you and what makes you talented, likable, interesting, and capable of contributing to and learning from your dream school. So before you get stuck answering a specific question, think about what you want them to know about you first. Without looking at the essay topics, make a list of things that youre proud of and that you want schools to know about you. This doesnt have to be awards or accomplishmentsanything you like about yourself will do. Do you love animals? Do you play the guitar? Do you like learning new languages or trying new foods? Start listing some examples of things youd want someone to know about you, and in doing so, you can find things worth writing about in your essays. For 10th and 11th graders: Keep a journal of experiences that seem like they would be good essay topics, such as times that you learned an important lesson, fought through adversity to accomplish a goal, or got to know someone totally different from you. When it comes time to write your essays, youll already have some stories to choose from and youll have documented some of your thoughts and the important details to make writing easier. [RELATED: 5 Quick Tips for Writing a College Application Essay] 2. Brainstorm before you begin writing your college essays Have you tried to write your college essays several times already, only to stare aimlessly at that blinking cursor on your screen? Youre not alone: the authors of your favorite books and movies have been exactly where you are. But keep in mind that you dont have to go straight to writing full, perfect sentences and paragraphs. Often the best way to start an admissions essayor any paper, for that matteris by sketching out ideas so that you can pick the direction that youre most excited about (and that may be easiest to write). You also dont want to lose an important train of thought while youre figuring out which preposition or punctuation to use in your introduction. Take the list of essay topics and jot down a few ideas for each oneeven if you dont think the ideas are particularly good. Oftentimes, your best idea comes to mind because it relates to something that one of your worst ideas reminded you of. Take some time to brainstorm several topics, and youre much more likely to find one that flows right from your mind to the keyboard. Dont feel stuck writing the first application essay topic that came to mind on the first essay question you decided to write about. Instead, give yourself an opportunity to consider several ideas, and youll have a topic thats easy to write about and easy to be proud of. For 10th and 11th graders: Even though youre not writing college essays this year, take some time to read (or print out) the admissions essay topics for your favorite schools (or for the Common Application, which is accepted by most schools). Since the topics for college application essays are very similar year to year, this gives you the opportunity to jot down ideas or experiences that come to you over the next year or two so that your brainstorm is already well underway when it comes time to start your essays. (Youll thank yourself, we promise.) 3. Write something for your college essays so you have something to react to If its mid-December and youre still working on important college essays that are due at the beginning of January, chances are youre experiencing some combination of writers block and procrastination. One big key to avoiding both of these pitfalls is to just write somethingeven if you know as youre writing it that its not very good, and even if its only a paragraph or two to get started. Why? For one, it forces you to start, which is a big step. And two, it gives you something to react to and improve. As you read it back, or have a friend or parent read it for you, you can determine what you like about it (keep that!) and what you dont. Then, you can try to make it better or replace it with something else. Remember, too, that you dont have to write your entire essay all at once, and you dont even have to start at the very beginning. If you write a single paragraph and then give yourself a break, youre already way ahead of where you started, and youll have something to work on after that break. And if coming up with the perfect thesis statement or introduction paragraph seems impossible in the moment, try starting in the middle. Write the details of the story you want to tell and then come back to the introduction later so that youre not stuck on the same single sentence for hours that you could be using to be almost done. For 10th and 11th graders: Use these strategies as you write essays and other assignments so that you train yourself to get past writers block and to avoid procrastination. 4. Talk the college essay writers block out A big problem with writing is that its easy to hit backspace and start over whenever your first attempt at a sentence isnt quite perfect. Written sentences have to have a capitalized first word, a subject and a predicate, punctuation at the endthey seem to set a bar for organization and formality thats too high for a first draft or a brainstorm session. So we start, then delete, then start again, then delete again, and in doing so, struggle to get momentum behind our ideas. But how often do you have that problem when youre talking with your friends? Conversation generally flows without a need for perfection: you speak in phrases that arent always complete sentences, you take tangents that dont relate back to your thesis statement, you say um or like for a quick opportunity to find the word youre looking for and then you get right back to talking, as opposed to feeling the need to delete and start over. A great way to overcome writers block is to move your first draft or your brainstorm away from keyboard and screen or pencil and paper and bring it to a conversation. Tell a friend, a parent, or even an essay editing tutor the story youre thinking about telling in your essay, and the details and organization will start to flow. Just as helpfully, youll get immediate feedbackOh, I like that, or, Maybe give a few more details on how that started?as opposed to having to wait until you have a completed draft to print or email to someone. And since your parents and friends know a lot of your stories already, theyre also in a great position to help you tell your story even more vividly. Dont have anyone handy to listen to your spoken-word essay draft? Try telling it to the mirror: just the act of turning your ideas into a verbal conversation can help you get it flowing more quickly and naturally. For 10th and 11th graders: If you hit writers block for anything youre writing, practice turning your first draft into a conversation so that you have techniques to get unstuck as a writer. 5. Dont let perfect be the enemy of good enough when it comes to your college essays Heres a secret about college admissions: everyone else applying to your target schools is imperfect and nervous too. No matter how impressive their transcripts and extracurriculars are, when your counterparts sit down to write their essays, theyre stressed about saying the right things, nervous about choosing the right stories, and worried about fitting within the word count. The admissions office at your dream school is going to read thousands of essays this year, and none of them are going to be perfect but lots are going to get their authors admitted. Dont worry about a perfect essay: write something thats good enough and then enlist your friends, parents, and thesaurus to help you make it a little bit better before you submit it. A very good essay thats ready to submit before the deadline is a much better essay than a perfect essay that only partially exists in your mindand if youre applying to multiple schools and writing multiple essays, you just dont have time to finish all those incomplete essays before the due dates. As you search for the perfect word, phrase, introduction, or conclusion, dont stop everything until you find it: write something thats good enough so that youll have something to submit, and then come back to it to see if that piece of perfection does finally come to you. For 10th and 11th graders: Heed the wisdom of the seniors who came before you. Application deadlines come faster than you think, so when the late summer/early fall of your senior year arrives, dont assume you have plenty of time to wait until the perfect topic, paragraph, or thesis sentence strikes you. Start writing early and use the rest of the fall to improve your initial drafts. Your December self will thank you when your job is merely to improve essays right before the deadline, not to write them from scratch. [RELATED: How to Write a Great College Essay] 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.

Collaborative and Proactive Solutions Approach to Treating Challenging Behaviors

“Collaborative and Proactive Solutions” Approach to Treating Challenging Behaviors When it comes to ADHD, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment. Every child has unique strengths and weaknesses, and every parent and teacher have their own way of engaging with a child. Matching appropriate treatment strategies to each childs specific needs is essential for successfully managing ADHD symptoms. For most kids, it will take more than one intervention to address all the areas affected by ADHD. Treatment should always include ADHD-specific, evidence-based interventions, like behavioral parent training and/or medication, but it can often be helpful to supplement with alternative models of care, like the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) approach to addressing challenging behavior. Collaborative and Proactive Solutions is a model of care designed to target challenging behavior, regardless of a childs diagnosis. The CPS model was developed by Dr. Ross Greene and is described in many of his books, including The Explosive Child, Lost at School, and Raising Humans. Schools often have counselors and social workers who are trained in the CPS model, making it a good fit for kids with ADHD who benefit from strategies that are used consistently across home and school. Typical behavioral interventions for ADHD use positive and negative consequences to reduce challenging behaviors, like whining, hitting, and general non-compliance. In contrast, the CPS model views these behaviors as symptoms of an underlying skill deficit, which cause the child to act out because they simply cannot meet the expectations that have been placed on them. Rather than target the negative behaviors directly, the CPS model emphasizes identifying the specific skills that the child is lacking and the expectations that are out of reach. The goal of CPS is to help parents, teachers, and the child change behavior without using rewards or punishments. In contrast to standard interventions for kids with ADHD, which rely almost exclusively on the caregiver and teacher to create and enforce rules and structure, the CPS approach emphasizes a collaborative partnership between the parent or teacher. As a team, the child and adult identify strategies that will help reduce the skill-expectation gap. When the gap closes, challenging behaviors naturally decrease, and skills and confidence increase. Not surprisingly, the CPS model has been shown to reduce conflict between children and adults, improve relationships and communication, and help kids better appreciate how their own behavior affects others. The CPS model aims to answer three important questions before the child and adult start searching for solutions. Why is the childs behavior challenging? The CPS model assumes that a child is not being defiant or non-compliant willfully. Instead, it assumes that the child would follow through on instructions and behave appropriately if they could. So, parents and teachers are encouraged to reconsider their previous explanations, beliefs, and labels related to the childs behavior. For example, a childs challenging behavior may not be attention-seeking; rather, it may reflect the fact that the child is unable to do what is expected of them at that time. When is the childs behavior challenging? What are the times of the day at school or at home when a child displays challenging behaviors? Is it in the morning before school when everyone is trying to get out of the door? Is it during homework time? Or on the playground during recess? What are the expectations placed on the child at those times? What are the skills they need in order to meet those expectations? What behaviors does the child exhibit when they are being challenging or disruptive? Does the child whine, hit, yell, or become increasingly stubborn? Do they get out of their seat during classwork time, take ten minutes to put on their shoes in the morning, forget to bring their homework to school? The behavior is the signal that there is a gap between the childs skills and the adults expectations. These questions lay the foundation for the CPS approach to problem-solving, which is outlined in the CPS programs Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C. In my next post, Ill discuss these three plans and will point you to resources designed to help parents and teachers use the CPS model at home and in the classroom. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

Teaching Kids Leadership

Teaching Kids Leadership Most parents recognize the importance of time management, strong communication, good listening and other study skills, but what about leadership? Your child doesnt have to aspire to be the next president of the United States to benefit from the lessons of leadership, says Eileen Huntington, co-founder of Huntington Learning Center. Activities and programs that instill leadership help teach children about perseverance, conflict resolution, building ones character, goal setting and more. Huntington offers parents these tips to help their child develop leadership skills: Encourage volunteering for a cause your child cares about. What gets your child excited? Animals? The planet? Helping other kids? Encourage your child to make a difference through volunteering, or try doing service learning as a family. Getting involved is a wonderful way for kids to discover a passion, make friends, and share their experiences and excitement with others. Give your child opportunities to teach others. Whether it is a sibling or a classmate, children who teach their peers often become more engaged in the subject matter. If your student is a good reader, how about reading to younger siblings and teaching them reading basics? Your child will build a sense of pride in sharing his or her knowledge and helping others learn something new. Check out extracurricular activities. Your childs school likely has a plethora of clubs and activities with which your child could get involved. Sports are an obvious way to instill in your child the lessons of hard work, teamwork and determination, but if your child isnt interested in athletics, dont overlook things like student council, yearbook, drama club, music, math club, science club or a student ambassador program. Explore leadership programs and camps. Do you live near a college? Check to see what programs they have for rising middle and high school students. Some colleges offer enrichment, college preparatory or other programs for children and teens designed specifically to build leadership aptitudes. How about experiential or other types of leadership camps in your area? You can check with your childs teachers, guidance counseling office and school district for suggestions or referrals. Huntington encourages parents to be creative when it comes to leadership development opportunities for their child. The key is to empower your child to take on new responsibilities, strive for things he or she wants, take risks, and recognize and build his or her strengths. Doing so will help your child become a more engaged and involved student and citizen.