Pottery Classes Birmingham

Pottery Classes Birmingham Finding Pottery Lessons in Birmingham ChaptersThe Midlands Art CentreSundragon Community PotteryTribe Pottery StudioThe Midlands Potter’s AssociationHello! Mayhap, you’re reading this while enjoying your favourite cuppa. Sounds relaxing!You know what else is relaxing? Working with clay!It’s true! One may go so far as to say that the spinning of the potter’s wheel, the feel of earthen materials taking shape beneath your hands; even the warmth of the kiln is, in fact, quite therapeutic.Not that anyone is implying that you need any type of therapy, but consider for a moment how stressful life can be in today’s hurrying, pulsing driving times... especially in our super-busy city!Let’s forget about that line of discussion and talk about your cuppa or, more specifically, your cup.Humans being creatures of habit, it is quite possible that you too have your favourite mug  to drink out of and, should it be unavailable for any reason, your morning brew won’t taste quite right.That doesn’t exactly argue for the idea of taking pottery classes to make ‘favourite mugs’ for everyone you know â€" if we’re all creatures of habit, it would logically follow that anyone you made a mug for would not give up their favoured one so quickly... right?Fortunately, pottery classes are not limited to the creation of mugs.You might turn vases, bowls, plates, accent pieces made of refined raku clay; you could try your hand at ceramic sculpture or the curious art of handbuilding â€" making pottery the way our ancestors did, without a pottery wheel.Whether coiling, pinching or wheel throwing â€" using a pottery wheel, nobody has ever found a ceramics class disturbing; in fact, what they might have planned as a fun weekend activity has blossomed into a full-on hobby.Whether you’re looking for adult classes for you and your partner or kids’ classes to give your restless little one(s) a creative outlet, Birmingham has a long list of classes and clay artists keen to share their skills with you.We even found s ome parent and child classes you might be interested in!Let us not tarry in making our report; surely you’ll want to get into the ceramic arts as quickly as possible. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Jon athanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Midlands Art Centre Would your morning brew taste as good out of a different cup? Image by analogicus from PixabayObviously, our search for pottery lessons had to start at Midlands â€" and what a course list they have!If this is to be your first experience with clay art, ideally, you would start with a wheel throwing class.Before your imagination runs away with images of mighty people throwing tractor wheels around (or chariot wheels, if your mind’s eye reaches that far back into antiquity), we should tell you that such a class entails getting familiar with pottery wheels.Throwing a pot means using a potter’s wheel to make something. The opposite of wheel throwing is handbuilding.If indeed, your pottery aspirations harken back to the earliest uses of pottery, you may find your niche is handmade pottery.In this article’s introduction, we mentioned coiling and pinching; you may also use a slab roller to flatten out a sheet â€" a slab of clay from which you could sculpt... anything you’d like!The w orld’s oldest ceramic figurine, estimated to have been made around 30,000 years ago, was made from such a slab. However, more pertinent to Birmingham is her Chinese twin city, Xi'an - where the Terracotta Warriors were discovered.They too were worked from slabs of clay and later moulded into an army of soldiers, each with a distinctly different appearance.You might think we’re getting far ahead of ourselves in mentioning all of the ways you might work with clay but, really, we’re not: all of these courses and more are on offer at The MAC; you only need to choose where to start.Oh, and you might want to bring an apron, just in case... clay work can be messy.The only downside we could find to the pottery course offerings at the Mac is that there are hardly any classes for children; most are open only to people over the age of 18.Plenty of pottery classes in London are open to young children but they are mostly at independent studios.Let’s go find some of them in Birmingham!Sun dragon Community PotteryThe name itself should give a clue that children are welcome here â€" aren’t they a part of the community?Before going over Sundragon’s courses let us talk about their genesis and why they are so determined to welcome everyone today and in the future.You might know that Birmingham is nicknamed ‘The Workshop of the World’ for a reason. Not too far from us, in Stoke on Trent, pottery was an industrial-scale business.Of course, that was during the Industrial Revolution and throughout the Victorian Era, when companies such as Royal Doulton and Spode supplied the finest estates with top of the line bone china and porcelain products. These days, people are not concerned about new china patterns Image by Brett Hondow from PixabayObviously, those companies still exist and turn out exquisite pieces but fine china no longer has the place it did in society, does it?As it happens with social trends, people turned away â€" both from the keen anticipation of a new chinaware collection and of pottery in general.There is a school of thought that said artisan pottery could not compete with the great names...Through this general turn-away, many community studios lost their funding and many dedicated ceramic artists had nowhere to practise their craft... until they got together and pledged to make pottery-making accessible to all.They would do that both through fundraising and offering courses in pottery.Now in their sixth year, Sundragon Pottery remains open to anyone, whether they are only possessed of a mild curiosity for ceramic sculpture or they are full-on pros; indeed there are classes for anyone along that spectrum.Ta ke their Parent and Child classes on Thursdays, from 1 to 3 in the afternoon, with the last 30 minutes dedicated to cleaning up â€" we have to teach youngsters good habits!This is a 6-week course designed to get you and your little one familiar with working clay. Rather than sitting at a pottery wheel, you will work with slabs of clay, cutting and coiling it... whatever you need to make the piece you envision.Naturally, you will have guidance; each week you/your child will learn a new technique or skill that you can use to make your ceramic creation even better.Here are some other classes offered at Sundragon Pottery (that don’t involve children):Throwing Large Vessels: a masterclass for the experienced potterSunday Morning Pottery: for beginners and improvers â€" those that already have some skill at pottery but want to learn moreWednesday Evening Wheelwork: also for beginners and improversOne to One Wheel Work: as the name implies, your instructor will focus exclusively on your wheel skillsPottery for Beginners and Improvers: class meets on Tuesdays, in the eveningNow that you’re nearly mad for pottery, no need to scour the Internet for pottery classes near me; we’ve listed Sundragon and other studios we thought you’d like at the end of this article.Tribe Pottery StudioLet’s assume the kids are now in bed and it is time for you to have a bit of fun. Would you find it odd that we would suggest a pottery event at Tribe?Tribe offers many pottery taster courses; essentially they consist of a two-hour session of working with clay. You and five of your mates may work the clay by hand or choose the potter’s wheel.On the other hand, if you’d rather not indulge your quest for clay with any besties, you might try their wheel-throwing taster; two blissful hours of nothing between you and your clay but the wheel.Naturally, you get to keep what you make... but you will have to return in about 6-8 weeks to pick it up. Two hours is not nearly enough for finis hing and glazing a piece; it won’t even be ready to hit the kilns in that short time!They also offer couples’ classes; still within the 2-hour format but this time, with your significant other at your side.When we were looking at pottery classes in Leeds, we couldn’t find anything similar to them. Ceramics work is not limited to cups and plates; you could also make figurines Image by Gerhard Gellinger from PixabayThe Midlands Potter’s AssociationWith our region’s history as the world’s workshop and pottery featuring so prominently, it stands to reason that the Midlands would have an association of potters to promote their craft.This non-profit group wants nothing more than to provide a way for artists and artisans to share ideas, building techniques and experiences of working with clay.They spotlight artists and showcase their work â€" your work, should you join them, coordinate demonstrations and sponsor exhibitions, and, yes, they even hold meetings.These are not musty meetings where old business and new business would be discussed; instead, these avid potters get together to show off new pieces they might have just finished, swap tips and tricks and, once per year, to pit fire.If you wanted to join them for that momentous event, you should do so quickly; it’s due to take place soon!Just as our northern neighbours have their Scottish Pottery Association that lists pottery classes in Glasgow or Edinburgh, Midlands Potters have a full page of every ceramic studio in the region that offers pottery classes.Their more thorough listings certainly complement the studios we’ve seen, even better than when we were looking for pottery classes in Manchester...Contact information for Midlands-area pottery lessonsNamePhysical AddressPhone NumberWeb AddressSundragon Pottery in the Old Printworks506 Moseley Road Balsall Heath Birmingham B12 9AH0759 040 2633https://sundragonpottery.co.ukTribe Pottery The Lakeside Centre, Entrance A 180 Lifford Lane, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 3NU0797 697 2628www.tribepottery.com/bookHoneybourne Pottery Studio3 High St, Honeybourne, Evesham WR11 7PQ0793 140 4761www.honeybournepottery.co.ukMidlands Art CentreCannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH0121 446 3232https://macbirmingham.co.ukMidlands Potters' AssociationMultiple add resses in and around the MidlandsMultiple phone numberswww.midlandspotters.co.uk

SAT Exam Online SAT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace

SAT Exam Online SAT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace Scholastic Assessment test, popularly known as SAT is the exam taken by all the high school students who plan to study in colleges and universities in the United States. SAT exam is conducted many times a year and students residing in the U.S or other countries can register online and take the test. SAT exam is owned by the College Board and students who wish to take the SAT should register on the College Board official website and pay for the exam. SAT exam scores are preferred by many colleges and universities throughout the United States as it reflects the academic knowledge of the student. SAT examines students in various sections and it prepares them to take up college level academics. SAT exam paper tests students in 3 important sections and they are Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing. The performance on these sections depends on the students logical skills and time management skills. Students are allowed to use calculators for the exam and if the students have graphing calculators, then they will be able to answer some questions more quickly. It is recommended for the students not to guess the answers for questions which they have no idea about, as there is negative penalty for the wrong answers. This implies that with one single wrong answer, the already existing score is reduced. So students can mark the answer only when they are sure about it. If the students have good understanding of the concepts learnt up until till high school, then they can get good scores.

How to Become a Boxing Coach

How to Become a Boxing Coach How Do You Become a Boxing Coach? ChaptersWhat Is Training for Boxing Coaches Like?Boxing Coaching Courses ContentThe Skills Learnt in a Boxing Coaching CoachThe Steps to Becoming a Boxing Coach“I love challenges, I love intensity, and I also like to challenge my mind. Believe it or not, boxing is not only about physical force. You use a lot of concentration; it's really mental.” - Adriana LimaLike in many other disciplines, you can teach yourself how to become a boxing trainer, but it’s often better to get a recognised qualification. This is why many opt to get training to legitimise their knowledge of boxing training.This means you’ll have to take lessons, practise, understand the theory, and learn how to teach potential boxers. More and more people are choosing to box and boxing is becoming more popular in the UK so there's never been a better time.In short, there are plenty of good reasons to become a boxing coach.Are you ready to start helping people get into the ring?Here’s a quick overview of what bo xing coaching training involves. AndreyBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KostiaBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LeeBoxing Teacher £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SajBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KaranBoxing Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThomasBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HaileyBoxing Teacher 4.50 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Is Training for Boxing Coaches Like?Like with any other discipline, training allows you to gain knowledge about the subject and use this knowledge professionally. When it comes to combat sports and martial arts, you need to also be able to put this into practice. Whether you do traditional boxing, savate, Muay Thai, or kickboxing, the core principles of coaching are the same. (Source: StockSnap)To teach people how to do sports, you need to be able to do it yourself. Generally, people will expect you to have boxed yourself. This may put a few potential candidates off as they’ll expect to learn everything on the course.  If you want to do one of these coaching courses, you’ll need to want to teach. However, even if you have the drive to teach, you need to have some boxing experience.To become a boxing coach, you’ll need:To be in good physical condition.To have a solid understanding of the sport of boxing and experience in the sport.Be at least age 17.There are a few ways to become a boxing coach and all of them allow you to teach boxing in boxing clubs. Of course, like many things in this world, they aren’t free.While there are different coaching courses, they all have a lot in common with one another as they all have the same goals.Box ing Coaching Courses ContentWhen you sign up for a boxing coaching course, be aware that there will be both practical and theoretical elements. The theory is as important as practical skills since it will help you gain a better understanding of aspects of boxing and coaching throughout your career. Once you've made your mind up about becoming a boxing coach, a training course may seem like the most obvious step. (Source: StockSnap)The structure of a ring, boxing tactics, fundamentals, safety, etc. There are so many things you need to know before you can start teaching people how to box. After all, there are even risks when punching a heavy bag or a speed bag and using a jump rope. Admittedly, these aren't as dangerous as what can happen in a boxing ring such as losing by knockout due to a vicious left hook, but you still need to consider the risks of everything you teach.A coach also needs to help manage a boxer’s career. They need to think about training for particular fights in great detail to give their budding boxer the best chance of winning.  After all, being a boxing coach isn’t just about watching boxers train. You need to be versatile, familiar with all the different techniques, able to manage a group of students, and even know the makeup of boxing gloves to ensure your students have the right ones.  An instructor, an educator, and trainer all rolled into one.Find out more about how much boxing coaches earn.The Skills Learnt in a Boxing Coaching CoachSince it’s a course, after all, you’ll be expected to learn things. A trainer, in addition to being a teacher, also has a supporting role and will need to provide support to boxers who are lacking in confidence, too. When you take a boxing coaching course, you'll learn the necessary skills to teach people how to box. (Source: Pexels)Of all the skills learnt in a boxing coaching course, there’s listening, empathy, and psychology in addition to:Creating boxing sessions including cardio, fitness training, technique, etc.Adopting their pedagogy to each student and their age, level, or experience.Speaking to groups.Management skills.Understanding the structure of the boxing world.Not being scared of setting your sights high for your students.Being versatile and able to teach anyone, anywhere, and at any time.Adapting their practical programme to anyone from amateur boxers to potential champions.And many more!A boxing coach is an anchor for many aspiring boxers throughout their careers. They need to be able to put their heart and soul into their training and pass their passion for the Noble Art onto their students.  In reality, while there are several techniques for boxing coaches to learn, transferr ing knowledge is their main goal. A professional qualification is still important, though.Find out more about where boxing coaches can work.The Steps to Becoming a Boxing CoachBoxing coaching courses are aimed at learning everything you need to know about the discipline and showing the professional world of boxing the trainer they can be. Now it’s over to you! Boxing coaching training can be useful for helping you to become a consummate professional. (Source: skeeze)After completing your coaching course, you’ll have some decisions to make:What to do now? Where do I go from here? As a trainer, what should I do?Fortunately, in the world of boxing, there aren’t too many routes to take. By the time you’ve completed your training, you’ll probably have a pretty clear idea of what you have to do. Of course, if you want to diversify your offering, you can always become a coach in the more general sense.Coaches can offer lighter training to people in schools, businesses, gyms, etc.  You can work in boxing clubs and with professional boxers but you could also be a coach in general. Whether you’re in a boxing club or a gym, there are still people who are driven to be the best.As you’ll have understood, becoming a boxing coach is no walk in the park.  Whether you’re starting your career or changing it, you need to know that you can’t m ake it up as you go along and that coaching involves a big commitment if you want to do it professionally.  Whether you’re coaching traditional boxing, Thai boxing, savate, or kickboxing, it can also be a rewarding career as you transmit your knowledge to the next generation of athletes. As a coach, you need to be motivated, experienced, passionate, and have the drive to teach.Hopefully, you now have fewer concerns about becoming a boxing coach and the steps you need to take. Whether you’re teaching juniors, amateurs, or professionals, you need to go for it!Keep in mind that if you work for yourself as a private boxing coach, you won't necessarily need to focus on boxing techniques. After all, a lot of people are now more interested in the aerobic benefits of boxing fitness than learning how to throw punches or become a professional boxer. Of course, while you can still teach traditional boxing classes, the personal training side of things can be a great way to supplement your i ncome or broaden your offering.You can offer high-intensity boxing workouts for those wanting to get fit or get in shape in the form of circuit training or a boot camp, for example. Similarly, these workout routines don't necessarily need to take place in a gym or boxing club, you can offer full-body workout routines in parks and public spaces, for example. A boxing workout like this won't involve sparring, footwork, or even boxing gloves, but it does draw upon the physical benefits of the training you get in a boxing gym.You can learn more about boxing from our other articles or even get boxing tutorials from one of the many experienced and talented tutors on Superprof. There are many boxing coaches around the UK and all over the world ready to help you but you need to choose the right one and the right type of tutorials. There are three main types, face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials, and each has its pros and cons.Think carefully about your budget, your goals, and how you like to learn before choosing your private tutor and remember that many of the tutors on Superprof also offer free tuition for the first hour. While this isn't usually a proper session, it's a good opportunity to meet your potential tutor, find out how they like to teach, see if you get along with each other, and agree on the details of your private tutorials.

Our tutors provide student support at free UCAS workshops

Our tutors provide student support at free UCAS workshops “I love maths. I love it. I do. I love maths. I could do it for days and not get bored.” But can you put into words WHY you love it… Our specialised UCAS workshops, which we set up in various schools around London, have proved to be… …a great experience for pupils and tutors alike. We  assist pupils  in tackling the often dauting task of  filling out their university applications, as well as helping them identify their strengths and work out what they would like to do both as a course and in general life. Here are a few words from two of our tutors who recently participated in one of these events: Sophie Almost exactly 10 years since I filled out my own UCAS form, I found myself boarding a minibus to north London with 10 other Tutorfair tutors, with the aim of helping the young people of Oasis Academy Enfield to do the same. On arrival, we were divided into four groups: student finances, choosing a course, choosing a university and personal statements. My group were working on how to write a good personal statement. Some students had clearly thought a lot about their chosen subject, while others were less clear. Highlights of the day included a young man telling me he didn’t have any experience in his chosen field (IT) and then remembering that his teacher asks him to fix the school computers… and  a girl who passionately loves maths but couldn’t explain why, eventually  realising she was satisfied by things  being either wrong or right. The students found out things they didn’t know about each other (one had been a champion trampolinist), started to gain confidence and, I hope, learned that each has something unique and special to offer the university of their choice. Kieran On 28th March, a group of 10 Tutorfair tutors set off to help a group of sixth formers begin the ever-arduous process of working out what they want to do after school. All the students were very lively and switched on with a wide and varied set of hopes and ambitions. We, the tutors, hopefully offered some good advice on what the next key steps are after finishing school. Lots of the students discovered new ideas and possible future career paths â€"anything from 3D printing to marine biology and palaeontology to maths and philosophy. The tutors and students all agreed that this was a really great, fun day of activity â€" something that shows Tutorfair is having an awesome impact on young people. After all, learning about how to navigate your way through the endless range of choices, UCAS statements, examination grade requirements and the rest is so often an overwhelming task! The goal here was to offer a bit of encouragement and essentially open up the world of opportunities available to young people â€" and this was well and truly achieved, so it was a job well done by everyone!

Better Pedagogy and Time-Savings through Automated Feedback

Better Pedagogy and Time-Savings through Automated Feedback Automated Feedback Solutions Chichikovs teacher looks miserable about all the corrections he has to do If you teach ESL, you may have encountered any number of disparaging remarks from students and teachers alike about language instruction. For example, when I challenged my students a couple of weeks ago to spend a little more time on their English homework, one of my college students said to me, No  offense, but it is ONLY English. I countered, Isnt English the most important language in the world for business, travel, and research? Yes, came the reply, but I live in St-Jerome.  There was some nodding and general agreement that followed.  Apparently, in St-Jerome, Quebec, English does not seem to be a pressing need for some eighteen-year-old Francophones. Years earlier, in South Korea, during a department meeting about adding a writing component to our Freshman English Program, a colleague declared with a grin, Whats the point? They dont learn anything away. There was some nodding. General agreement that followed that remark, also. Apparently, adding writing correction to the list of ESL teachers duties does not always seem like a particularly effective use of time in all contexts. Obviously, motivation can ebb and flow on both sides of the teachers desk. Learning, for example, when to use the  Present Perfect Progressive can seem like more trouble than it is worth. Also, correcting the same error in a students writing multiple times can be disheartening to even the most patient of teachers. Such problems! Are ESL teachers doomed forevermore to be the workhorses of the academic world? Automated Feedback Solutions Computers can provide solutions to some of the problems one encounters in ESL. If you think English is irrelevant to your day-to-day life, YouTube and Facebook might persuade you otherwise. If you are starting to feel that correcting quizzes and writing assignments is getting tedious,  Moodle and Virtual Writing Tutor can help. Lately, I have been using Bokomaru Publications  Moodle-Assisted English Language Learning site called Labo danglais. I do almost all of my testing online with automatically graded quizzes and peer-reviewed writing assignments. As a result, students get scores quicker than they did when I did all correction by hand, and I notice a significant reduction in the amount of tedium in my job. To provide my students with faster corrective feedback on writing errors, I use  Virtual Writing Tutor. When my colleagues complain that they spent the weekend giving corrective feedback on student essays, I sympathize, a little. I think back to the years when my weekends were gobbled up by stacks of writing corrections, and then I smile at how the most repetitive and tedious aspects of providing corrective feedback are now handled by a machine. Correction without Tears Step 1 To illustrate one way that my job has gotten easier without sacrificing good pedagogy in the process, I would like to share a little about my approach to teaching Francophone College students the Present Perfect Progressive. In week one of a fifteen-week semester, I ask my students to find and correct the errors in a short introduction forum post written by a former student. This is the text: my name is sophie Gagnon. i am born in laval. i live at Montreal. i have 17 years. i study in sciences humans since 2 years. Me, i like to do party with my friends. My best friend make me smile. This text contains some pretty common errors made by Francophones writing in English.    In French, you are born somewhere. In English, you were born somewhere.  In French, you live at a city. In English, you live in a city.    In French, you have so many years. In English, you are so many years old.    In French, you study in a program since so many years. In English, you have been studying a subject area for so many years, and so on. Back to my method Step 2 Then, I ask students to introduce themselves to the class using an online forum.  Of course, despite having done the correction exercise, they still make many of the same kinds of errors, so I  ask them to check their own introduction for errors using the  Virtual Writing Tutor. They get the same amount of corrective feedback (or more) on errors as they would get from me if I were to collect the paragraphs on paper, bring them home and return them the next week covered in red ink, but they get the feedback in in less than a second from the machine. Here is what you get when you submit the above text into the  Virtual Writing Tutor: You wrote:  my  name is sophie Gagnon. i am born in lavFeedback:  This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter You wrote:  my name is  sophie  Gagnon. i am born in laval. i live at MFeedback:  Proper names, days of the week, months, cities, provinces, countries, languages, and nationalities all begin with a capital letter. For this reason, the word sophie should probably be uppercase: Sophie.      Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity You wrote:  my name is sophie Gagnon.  i  am born in laval. i live at Montreal. iFeedback:  This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter You wrote:  my name is sophie Gagnon.  i  am born in laval. i live at Montreal. iFeedback:  This should be written in uppercase: I.     Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity You wrote:  my name is sophie Gagnon. i am born in  laval.  i live at Montreal. i have 17 years. iFeedback:  Proper names, days of the week, months, cities, provinces, countries, languages, and nationalities all begin with a capital letter. For this reason, the word laval should probably be uppercase: Laval.       Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity You wrote:  e is sophie Gagnon. i am born in laval.  i  live at Montreal. i have 17 years. i stFeedback:  This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter You wrote:  e is sophie Gagnon. i am born in laval.  i  live at Montreal. i have 17 years. i stFeedback:  This should be written in uppercase: I.      Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity You wrote:  phie Gagnon. i am born in laval. i live  at Montreal.  i have 17 years. i study in sciences hFeedback:  The usual preposition used before town, city and region names is in. Did you mean in Montreal ?      Link:  Preposition error-correction practice activity You wrote:  i am born in laval. i live at Montreal.  i  have 17 years. i study in sciences humaFeedback:  This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter You wrote:  i am born in laval. i live at Montreal.  i  have 17 years. i study in sciences humaFeedback:  Three successive sentences begin with the same word. Reword the sentence or use a thesaurus to find a synonym. You wrote:  i am born in laval. i live at Montreal.  i have 17 years.  i study in sciences humans since 2 yearFeedback:  Did you mean I am 17 years old? You wrote:  i am born in laval. i live at Montreal.  i  have 17 years. i study in sciences humaFeedback:  This should be written in uppercase: I.      Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity You wrote:  l. i live at Montreal. i have 17 years.  i  study in sciences humans since 2 years.Feedback:  This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter You wrote:  l. i live at Montreal. i have 17 years.  i  study in sciences humans since 2 years.Feedback:  Three successive sentences begin with the same word. Reword the sentence or use a thesaurus to find a synonym. You wrote:  l. i live at Montreal. i have 17 years.  i  study in sciences humans since 2 years.Feedback:  This should be written in uppercase: I.      Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity You wrote:   i live at Montreal. i have 17 years. i  study  in sciences humans since 2 years. Me, iFeedback:  Use the Present Perfect to express durations of time that include the present. Did you mean i have been studying Social Sciences for 2 years? You wrote:  t Montreal. i have 17 years. i study in  sciences humans  since 2 years. Me, i like to do party wFeedback:  In English, plural nouns do not require plural adjectives. Adjectives and noun modifiers must remain singular. Did you mean ? You wrote:  t Montreal. i have 17 years. i study in  sciences humans  since 2 years. Me, i like to do party wFeedback:  You have used the French name of college program. You wrote sciences humans, but in English it is Social Sciences.Link:  Program name translation activity You wrote:  ve 17 years. i study in sciences humans  since 2 years.  Me, i like to do party with my friendsFeedback:  Use for not since for a duration of time. Did you mean for 2 years?Link:  Preposition error-correction practice activity You wrote:  study in sciences humans since 2 years.  Me, i  like to do party with my friends. My beFeedback:  Please choose either me or I not both. Its awkward.Link:  Pronoun error-correction practice activity You wrote: y in sciences humans since 2 years. Me,  i  like to do party with my friends. My beFeedback:  This should be written in uppercase: I.      Link:  Capitalization error-correction practice activity Step 3 Later in the course, I ask my students to create an unusual character and write an introduction for that character using the first person. Again, I ask them to share it online and then check it for errors using the  Virtual Writing Tutor. Step 4 On the final exam, one of the six sections of the exam asks them to write a paragraph where they introduce themselves. This time, it is me who uses the  Virtual Writing Tutor  to check for errors. By the end of a semester with me, most of my students will write a paragraph containing a correct instance of the Present Perfect Progressive in response to the following writing prompt: Introduce yourself. Say where you are from, where you live, how long you have been living there, the name of your program, how long you have been in the program. Also, describe your usual weekly routine, your job, and how long you have been doing it. The Virtual Writing Tutor Makes Good Pedagogy Possible All in all, the students get much more corrective feedback on errors than I would be willing to give without the help of a machine. The goal is to throw so much negative evidence at an error that the interlanguage rule in students heads that produces the error will begin to destabilize. Once that happens, they might then be able to resist the urge to map English words on the French structures, and finally introduce themselves in Standard Written English. To provide that much feedback by hand might negatively affect my motivation as a teacher. The Virtual Writing Tutor Saves Time Just consider how long it would take you to provide the same amount of corrective feedback as the  Virtual Writing Tutor  can provide  on 125 students paragraphs. Assuming you are a well-rested teacher with a two day weekend ahead of you and assuming you could correct one error every 15 seconds, and assuming each text has 21 errors like the one above, it would take you only about 5 minutes per student. Not so bad. Assuming you had five groups of 25 students (my groups have between 27 and 29 students this semester) and spent five minutes on each text without any interruptions, meals, or breaks, it would take you 625 minutes, or 10 and a half hours to correct them all. Your weekend is gone, and your kids are now complaining to their mother/your wife that you never make time to play with them. Your motivation to provide corrective feedback might start to wain by week two of the semester. Now, times that 10 and a half hours by three. I have learned, as I hope you will too, that the  Virtual Writing Tutor  saves ESL teachers time. How much time do you spend on providing corrective feedback on ESL students writing? Leave a comment. Please follow and like us:

5 ways to help your kids finish their homework on time

5 ways to help your kids finish their homework on time 5 ways to help your kids finish their homework on time It seems like young students are getting more and more homework these days and many kids find it difficult to get assignments done on time. Whether they are reading several chapters in a textbook or completing math problems to prepare for an exam, its essential that kids get things done on time so they can be successful academically and enjoy a general balance in their young lives. Its important that kids have a chance to be outside, spend time with family and friends, and explore extracurricular activities. Time management is an essential skill for todays busy academic life. 1.   Improve focus Many young kids get distracted by any number of things in their environment. There might be a lot of noise in their study space or social media might be playing a role in time management issues. Having excellent focus is essential to getting homework done on time so this is one of the first things parents might want to look at. Perhaps a student needs to work in an environment like a library to avoid distraction or maybe they need to sit down and eat a snack so their brain is functioning at its best level. 2.   Provide adequate brakes Students also have trouble getting assignments in on time if they dont have appropriate breaks. Many students try and finish their entire assignment and end up running out of steam or taking a break at a less than ideal time. When a student has finished a particular sub-topic or chapter they should consider taking a short break so their brain can relax and refocus. Finding a good stopping point is essential to time management because students who stop at random intervals often have to go back and reread information in order to get caught up; all of these things take up time. 3.   Arrange outdoor or exercise time Kids also have trouble concentrating if they havent gotten enough fresh air and exercise in a given day. Kids might need to run around outside for a little while before tackling their homework or they might need to participate in a regular exercise program so their general concentration improves. On the other hand, some kids struggle to transition from playtime to homework time and may need help from a parent or tutor to get started on longer homework assignments (READ: Irvine Tutoring Tips: 5 Tips For Coping With Summer Stress). 4.   Encourage organization Good organization is essential to finishing any task on time. Most students need to learn which assignments take a long time, which assignment is due first, and how much energy they might need for each task. Kids who can organize themselves, or who have help with organization, have a much better chance of improving their overall time management and getting their homework done at a reasonable hour so they can enjoy balance and time with family at the end of the day. 5.   Help kids become self-starters Although younger kids will need a lot of direction from parents and teachers, the best thing is for them to develop their time management skills so they can become a self-starter and get things done on time by themselves. At what age and level this occurs will depend a lot on personal circumstances, but its something that every kid should work towards. As kids get older, its ideal for them to be able to know how much homework they have, about how long it will take to complete, and which assignments are most important to their successful learning. Independent study habits help kids maintain higher academic standards throughout all levels of learning. Our private San Diego academic tutors are here to help your child finish their homework. Call us today to learn about our San Diego in-home summer tutoring. 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 write.

Sleep, a Healthy Lifestyle, and Academic Success

Sleep, a Healthy Lifestyle, and Academic Success Tips From a Private San Diego Tutor: Sleep, a Healthy Lifestyle, and Academic Success Tips From a Private San Diego Tutor: Sleep, a Healthy Lifestyle, and Academic Success Students mainly focus on how to succeed academically in college and how to pay for tuition, something that has been on everybody’s mind for decades, but they often forget to consider how health and happiness can effect education and academic success. Students should consider the value of sleep, nutrition, exercise, and general happiness when it comes to producing excellent grades. The mantra ‘work hard/play hard’ may work for some, but it leaves most students in the dust. College students and high school students preparing for college should consider the importance of a healthy life/study balance and how to access specific issues (READ: Summer Study Tips From an Irvine AP Tutor). 1. Are you getting enough sleep? Experts say that teens and young adults need about 8 hours of sleep each night. Many students get less than 6 hours of sleep on an average night and even less if they are cramming for finals week. When people don’t get enough sleep, they tend to have trouble absorbing information and are generally more irritable, not a good thing when it comes to learning important test material and making social connections for the future. Source: Mayo Clinic 2. Fruits, veggies, and proteins Many college students live off of a steady diet of ice cream, pizza, and tacos. However, according to the food pyramid, this is not the path to health. Students should be eating veggies or fruit at every meal to meet their daily requirements. Additionally, young minds need ample protein to be healthy and active. Source: Everyday Health 3. Exercise Some students get tons of exercise just walking or cycling around campus. Many students walk or cycle up to 5 or more miles a day depending on the size of their campus. Students who use a bicycle as their primary mode of transportation will likely pack on the miles just going about their daily business of getting groceries and meeting up with friends. However, many students don’t get much exercise and suffer the effects of prolonged periods of sitting, which can cause fatigue as well as neck and back pain. Source: CDC 4. Healthy socializing College students may feel isolated if they spend all their time in the library or their dorm room studying and need time to be around other people to enjoy the overall college experience. However, this doesn’t mean that all-night parties are the way to go. Students are encouraged to find a healthy balance between study time and social time. High school students also need a healthy social balance and are encouraged to allocate time with friends on the weekends or create a study group so that they can combine study and friends in an efficient manner (READ: Tips for Sophomores and Juniors: Summer To-Do List). 5. Setting realistic academic goals College prep students and new college students are encouraged to set academic goals that are realistic, ones they can obtain. Some students can handle three AP classes junior year, others can’t. Some college students can take on a double major, others will crack under the excessive study and tight time management. Students are encouraged to leave more time than they originally thought to complete freshman year assignments and schedule in each activity. Everything takes time: grocery shopping, walking to class, working a part-time job and, of course, self-study. In short Although students need to focus heavily on how to get all of their work done and be successful students, it’s also important to think about maintaining a study/life balance. Proper sleep, good nutrition, exercise, and social time all lead to a healthy college career. For more tips on how to achieve academic success this coming school year, seek the counsel of your Irvine academic tutor. Dont have one? Call us and well pair you with the perfect tutor. 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 write.