Great Student Dishes

Great Student Dishes What Are the Best Dishes for Students to Cook? ChaptersCooking at Home is More Cost-Effective for StudentsCooking at Home is HealthierCooking at Home Allows You to Cook to Your Own TasteCooking at Home is more Rewarding than TakeawaysCooking Under Certain ConstraintsCooking at Home: A Way to Unwind“Cooking and baking is both physical and mental therapy.” - Mary BerryTagine, quiche, stuffed peppers, taboulé, brownies, if any of these sound appealing, maybe it’s because you’re not eating them often enough. It’s often the case with students that they have to limit their options to really simple dishes or get unhealthy takeaway meals.However, you can still enjoy good meals as part of the student lifestyle. While very few students make home-cooked meals, that could change.Takeaways aren’t ideal for students as you’ll see in this article. It’s often much better to cook for yourself. If you're done with sausage sandwiches, instant noodles or soups, or sandwiches, then here's why you need to start cooking hearty meals fo r yourself and improve your culinary skills. GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsCooking at Home is More Cost-Effective for StudentsAs students, we’re often tempted to go for the simplest meals because we’ve got a busy schedule, for example, or we think we'll never learn how to cook like the professional chefs. That’s why you can get fast food or something delivered to your flat even though it costs more to do so.You don't need much to cook. (Source: Daria-Yakovleva)It’s much easier eating a takeaway on your lap in front of the TV than spending half an hour cooking your own food. That said, there are plenty of simple and cheap recipes you can make.Cooking at home is more economical than getting food delivered. After all, ten quid on a student budget can be an awful lot. Furthermore, cooking can be enjoyable so make the most of it!Additionally, leftovers from a homecooked meal tend to last much better in your freezer and last night's kebab or a fry up!Cooking at Home is Healthier“The table is a meeting place, a gathering ground, the source of sustenance and nourishment, festivity, safety, and satisfaction. A person cooking is a person giving: Even the simplest food is a gift.” - Laurie ColwinWhether it’s spinach, carrots, chocolate cake, gnocchi with a creamy bechamel sauce, etc., there are plenty of healthy recipes that students can learn how to cook. Most takeaways focus solely on the taste, not t he nutritional value.With the right ingredients, you can make lots of great dishes. (Source: ayeletphotography)That said, the food is good, comforting, and convenient. This is probably down to the great amounts of oil, butter, and salt that are often found in takeaways.Getting food delivered is practical and fun when you’re a student. Some of it tastes so good that it’s almost addictive.There are ingredients that are commonly used to improve the flavour of takeaway food that are really bad for your health. They’re also bad for your figure because a lot of takeaway food is quite fatty.Cooking at home allows you to choose your own ingredients, fewer additives, and cook to your own taste while ensuring it still tastes good! You no longer need to make cheese on toast every day, you can have smoked salmon with cream cheese on toast instead or avocado toast instead.Rather than mashed potatoes, you can opt for sweet potato, you can make your own veggie or meat gravy for pies, or you can even make gluten-free dishes if you need to. GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsCooking at Home Allows You to Cook to Your Own TasteOne of the biggest advantages of cooking at home is that you can cook whatever you want.Do you like squash?No problem! You can remove courgettes from the original recipe. No worries.Want to add broccoli to your carbonara?That’s fine, too!Cooking at home means you can remove some ingredients and add others. This is especially useful if you don’t like certain ingredients or if you have specific dietary requirements. This is a great solution when all the takeaway menus are starting to look the same.Why not try out new recipes and breathe new life into old dishes, making them far more interesting than whatever the takeaway has to offer?Takeaway food can be useful sometimes but you’re not really in control of what’s going into your food. Cooking at home puts you back in the driving seat!If you prefer cooking with a bit of spice or chilli, roast dinners with pork chops, or pudding over something savoury, you're in charge of the menu you when you cook for yourself. Additionally, you get to choose the herbs and seasoning for your dishes.Cooking at Home is more Rewarding than TakeawaysWe don’t think about this often enough, but cooking for yourself requires technique, skills, dexterity, patience, and work. This makes it far more rewarding than just ordering takeaway food.Your kitchen is where the magic happens. (Source: kaboompics)Every student will know from their exams that putting in hard work is the best way to achieve success.While you can follow cookbooks or family recipes, you can also create your own dishes and when they turn out alright, they’ll do wonders for your self-confidence.While the dish mightn’t be better than that of a professional chef, with each iteration, it’ll get better. You’ll also be saving money while you do!As a student, you can use your time cooking to get better at it and start making some wonderful dishes.Invest in a decent cookbook and you'll soon see your home cooking getting a little better. You'll soon be able to tell a good ingredient from a bad one and get the most out of your cooking so that you can even manage to make great food on a weeknight.Cooking Under Certain ConstraintsAs a student, there are several reasons you mightn’t be able to cook exactly how you want: you live at home with your parents, you h ave a small kitchen, etc. All these constraints can put you off the whole idea.Good ingredients mean good food. (Source: JerzyGorecki)However, you can use these constraints as motivation. They’re an opportunity to create great dishes and the challenge will make them even more gratifying.This doesn’t necessarily mean that your food won’t taste as good!Have you heard of mugcakes?This is a cake you can make in three minutes thanks to the help of a cup and a microwave. This is a recipe that was definitely designed with students in mind since you don’t need a lot of equipment to do it.Even if you’ve got a lot of cooking equipment, you may have to share the kitchen with roommates or your parents.In this case, you just need to talk to your roommates and maybe set aside a time where you’re free to use the kitchen uninterrupted. This will give you an opportunity to try new recipes or improve on the old ones.Noone will need to get a takeaway as sharing is one of the best things ab out cooking. That’s what cooking is all about, sharing, generosity, and love.Cooking at Home: A Way to UnwindIn the spirit of sharing, cooking at home is a great way to enjoy yourself. Cooking can be relaxing and therapeutic for some.It’s a hobby that, with the help of modern cooking accessories, allows you to change traditional recipes, invent new ones, discover new ingredients, or just enjoy making the old ones.While a good number of us see cooking as a means to survive, others make the most of cooking as an opportunity to create new flavours with new ingredients after a long day of studying, for example.You don’t necessarily need the best equipment as the act of cooking itself is a great way to clear your mind and fill your tummy.Not bad, is it?In short, as a student, getting takeaway all the time isn’t a great idea. Cooking at home can be great for your budget, your creativity, and your taste buds.So are you ready to make some delicious recipes?If you need help with your cooking techniques, you can always get a cooking class London from a private tutor. Whether you want to learn how to cook vegetarian food, crispy tacos with homemade salsa, desserts, different types of meats, or healthy snacks, you should be able to find a private tutor to help you without having to pay the costs of lessons at a cooking school.You can get either face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, or group tutorials. Each type of tutorial has its advantages and disadvantages and you need to work out which tutor works for you, your learning style, and your learning objectives.A lot of the tutors on Superprof also offer the first hour of tuition for free so make sure you take advantage of that.

Surface Area of Rectangle Tutors

Surface Area of Rectangle Tutors A rectangle is a closed 2-dimensional geometric figure and it consists of 4 sides and 4 their respective angles. In a rectangle, the opposite sides are parallel to each other and they are also equal in measure. Each angle in a rectangle is equal to 90 and all the 4 angles are equal to each other. A rectangle has 2 dimensions because it has length and width as its measurements. Surface area of a rectangle is the area of the rectangle, and it is equal to the product of its length and its width. Example 1: What is the area of a rectangle whose length is 10m and width is 8m? Given: length of the rectangle, l = 10m Width of the rectangle, w = 8m In order to calculate the area of a rectangle, we can use its area formula. Area of a rectangle, A = (length) * (width) Applying the above formula, we get: Area of the rectangle, A = (10m)* (8m) This gives: Area, A = 80m2 Therefore, area of the given rectangle is 80m2. Example 2: What is the area of a rectangle whose length is 6m and width is 5m? Given: length of the rectangle, l = 6m Width of the rectangle, w = 5m In order to calculate the area of a rectangle, we can use its area formula. Area of a rectangle, A = (length) * (width) Applying the above formula, we get: Area of the rectangle, A = (6m)* (5m) This gives: Area, A = 30m2 Therefore, area of the given rectangle is 30m2.

One Trick to Make Your Guitar Solos Amazing

One Trick to Make Your Guitar Solos Amazing Megan L. It takes a lot of skill to stand out as a guitarist. Here, guitar teacher  Bernard M.  shows you exactly what it takes to pull off an amazing solo and how you should approach phrasing You may or may not be ready to play a guitar solo, but its good to know what elements go into one. What is it that makes a great guitar solo? While there are many ways to answer this  question, there is one crucial element that often goes overlooked by even the most experienced  players: phrasing. Phrasing is the way in which a musician or composer combines notes to create a musical  sentence, or phrase. Although it can be very subtle, it often makes the difference between a  memorable solo and “note soup.” What does this mean for you guitarists? Play less, leave space. Let your ears lead the way, not your fingers. Many musicians suffer from the misconception that faster, more technical playing is somehow better and more musical. This can be very discouraging to new players, who have trouble  competing with their more experienced peers. Never fear! Creativity and imagination are what  make great music, and this is what phrasing is all about. Check out these two samples to hear the difference between a busy solo and one that uses  creative phrasing. The Problem: A Run-On Not bad at all, but can you hum a bar or two of that solo? Does any part of it stick in your  memory? The problem with this solo is that it’s practically one long phrase. Like a run-on  sentence, it’s difficult to follow and needs to be broken up! In this next sample, I add space and punctuation to the previous solo, creating different  musical phrases. The Solution: Adding Space By simply adding space to create distinct phrases, I have made the solo much more  memorable and effective. Each phrase has room to breathe before moving on to the next. By  playing less, the notes that are played gain much more power, adding strength to the solo as a whole. Hopefully, by now I’ve convinced you to focus on your phrasing the next time you go to  take a solo. This, however, is easier said than done. Phrasing is very elusive and intangible. It  has a closer link to creativity than technique, and therefore, is difficult to learn or teach  methodically. Instead, it’s something that constantly develops as  you grow  more experienced and  more tasteful. Here are few suggestions to help you develop your phrasing and taste. Take your time. This is perhaps one of simplest yet most profound suggestions on how to improve your  soloing. Being comfortable and confident while playing allows you to sound your best. If you try  to fill your solo with every last lick you can conjure up, you will very likely end up feeling  rushed, nervous, and stumbling through the solo. Slow down! Savor the solo and don’t overthink it. When you relax and give yourself  plenty of time, it allows your creative instincts to take the wheel. Some great ways to leave  yourself this room to breathe include long, expressive bends, sustained notes with some tasty  vibrato, and even simple rests. Break it up. Even the most creative players can fall into the trap of putting their fingers on auto-pilot,  aimlessly playing up and down familiar scales in monotonous eight notes or triplet lines. One of  the best ways to combat this common ailment is to break up the patterns. Playing a long descending eighth note line? Throw a rest or two in there to punctuate  your phrase. This can be a very powerful move and make an otherwise boring lick fresh and  interesting. Think like a drummer. We guitar players spend a lot of time thinking about chords, scales, arpeggios, and  intervals. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, we sometimes forget about  something just as, if not more, important; rhythm. Thinking about what you are playing rhythmically is at the core of phrasing. What are  you doing on the third beat of the measure, or the “ of 2?” What beats do you want to highlight  or downplay? Do you want to play along with the beat, or use syncopation to emphasize  unexpected accents? This might seem overwhelming to players who are not used to thinking this  way, so I will refer to my advice above; take your time, play what you are comfortable playing  and above all, follow your creative instincts. Emulate the experts. My final piece of advice is to study the players that inspire you the most. How do they  use phrasing in their solos? Learn your favorite guitar solos, note for note, and study them  closely. This is a great way to pick up the playing habits of your heroes and start developing your  own individual sound. Studying the solos of players like David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, or Derek  Trucks, who have a keen sense of phrasing, will help you make even the simplest licks powerful,  expressive and inspiring. Some of my favorite songs  to play are  classic rock guitar solos. They feel good and they sound incredible. As always, make sure you set aside time for plenty of practice. Try to not go a day without playing for 15 minutes. You will start to see significant progress in just a couple of weeks! Post Author:  Bernard M. Bernard M. is a guitar and songwriting instructor in Philadelphia, PA. He teaches lessons online and will travel to his students.  Learn more about  Bernard 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

Italian Language Course Examination PLIDA

Italian Language Course Examination PLIDA Learning Italian: Why Pass the PLIDA? ChaptersWhat is PLIDA, Exactly?Variations of PLIDAEvaluation CriteriaHow to Prepare for PLIDAWhere Can You Sit for PLIDA?To Sum it All UpCurrent statistics count more than seventy million native speakers of Italian.Further tallies indicate that more than one hundred twenty five million people claim Italian as a second language.Do you want to be among that number? Certify your Italian skills.If so, you should know about the PLIDA: Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri.In English, that would be: Italian Language Project Dante Alighieri.PLIDA is a language certification program attesting to your competence and degree of mastery of Italian as a second language.On the surface, PLIDA bears great similarity to CILS and CELI, most notably in the structure of language competence  levels, from A1 to C2.One distinguishing difference is with the institution that administers each programme.CILS is sponsored by the University of Siena.CELI is the brainchild of the University of Perugia.PLIDA is the exclusive purview of the Società Dante Alighieri, or The Dante Alighieri Society.Let us now find out everything we can about sitting for (and passing!) PLIDA. institutes of higher learning as well as research facilities.Clearly, PLIDA carries substantial weight!Whether your aim is to enroll at the University of Rome as an exchange student, or start your career in fashion in Florence, PLIDA is THE distinguishing factor on your resume, possibly serving as the deciding factor for admission.Even better: attaining a Level B2 or C1 PLIDA certification entitles you to enroll with the Italian university of your choice without having to prove your language ability through their in-house exam.You should check with your target university's admissions office, because some institutes accept B2 while others insist on C1.The European student exchange program, Erasmus, requires potential enrollees to present a B2 level certification before matriculating anywhere, just as an example.We recomme nd you test for your actual level of Italian language ability! Source: Pixabay Credit: Michael GaidaVariations of PLIDAAs with CILS, the Italian Language Project exam comprises of six levels, all independent of one another.These competency levels were established by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, or CECRL (acronym derived from the French language).You do not have to take the basic Italian exam (A1) if you can speak Italian at intermediate level, for example.Of course, if you test successfully at Level C2, indicating mastery, clearly you know how to conjugate irregular verbs and all about Italian grammar, and no further testing would be required.It is vital to test at the level that corresponds to your actual Italian speaking abilities.Sitting for a test level lower than your abilities with the language will give you bragging rights, but does not accurately reflect how much you've learned from your Italian  lessons.An excellent score on the B2 bears less im port than a moderate to good score on the C1.PLIDA differs from other certifying Italian language exams because it offers versions for specific target audiences.Junior PLIDAThis assessment is meant for non native Italian speakers aged 13 to 18.Formulated for adolescents, the topics included in this exam range from school and learning experience to family life and pastimes.Proctors tend to be less formal in their interview methods for the spoken Italian portion of the exam, ever-mindful of not exacerbating the stress young linguists may labour under.Teenage test takers may elect to test for Levels A1 to C1.Business PLIDAThis exam is targeted to anyone in finance, commerce or industry, who might have dealings with such  concerns in Italy or engage regularly with Italian counterparts.Here again, test topics are selected based on the population that would sit for this exam.Thus, any candidate may be exposed to writing in Italian about the economy, manufacturing or retail practices regar dless of what his business environment actually is.Professionals taking this test have the option of testing at B1, B2, and C1 levels.written, which cover the remaining two.PLIDA administrators understand that the ability to express oneself, to communicate and to comprehend, happens incrementally.Learning to speak Italian; grasping the nuances of language and culture: all of these can be proven in stages, as follows.Level A1This is the test for those who have just started their language courses.The exam comprises of vocabulary used in everyday Italian. The proctor would use simple terms and speak Italian slowly, to give the candidate every chance to demonstrate understanding of spoken Italian.Italian learners should be able to construct simple sentences, describing where s/he lives, family members, and buying food at the grocer's, using only Italian words.Level A2This low to mid-intermediate level test measures conversational Italian ability, as well as the grasp of grammar fundamen tals.Word order and using the correct verb tense  are benchmarks of mastery for this exam.Gender assignment for nouns and using the proper pronoun in context are also considered.The candidate would demonstrate the ability to exchange simple information â€" ordering food in a restaurant, for example, or asking directions.At Level A2, you should be able to order a meal in any restaurant in Italy! Source: PIxabay Credit: JoshuemdLevel B1A learner sitting for B1 â€" the mid- to high-intermediate exam, would be required to understand key points of Italian conversation, without necessarily grasping every detail of the exchange.S/he should be able to recount experiences at school or university, talk about hobbies or even work-related issues.Coherent narratives over specified subjects, albeit related in simplistic terms is the objective for this level of Italian.Level B2This certification attests to the candidate's ability to grasp relatively complex information, and render opinions on any given subject  according to the proctor's prompt, who should be a native speaker of Italian.At this advanced intermediate level, those speaking Italian as a second language would have an expanded knowledge base, both of the culture and language nuance, to include the more common regional dialects.Standard Italian, based on the Tuscan dialect, features prominently, but the examinee may also need to understand the Florentine dialect, or the speech patterns of Rome, for example.Level C1Testing at this point suggests that the candidate is fluent in Italian and has assimilated a measure of culture and history.The exam comprises of dissecting long, complex texts and of rapid-fire dialogue, the expectation being that there will be no stalling or searching for appropriate words.Correct use of idioms or popular expressions in Italian are used to measure the degree of the candidate's cultural integration.Verbal and non-verbal communication will be assessed.That latter includes: proper tone an d inflection for the context, body language and other signals that indicate control of the discussion in proportion to the proctor's input.Level C2Here, the non native speaker certifies mastery of the Italian language at or near native speaker level.With these language capabilities, the examinee could argue anything from complex social issues to technical matters.Topics addressed in this exam may include the history of Italian art, or the impact of religion on modern Italian society.From this breakdown you can see the importance of correctly assessing one's language level.Considering the diversity of these stages, you may wonder whether a candidate testing at B1 would sit for the same amount of time as a C2 examinee.How much time you are allotted for each exam depends on the level you sit for Source: Pixabay Credit MonikaWIn fact, the timetable for each ordeal is:Exam Listening    Reading    Writing    Speaking    TotalA1       35 mins       30 mins    40 mins    10 mins      1h55A2       25 mins      30 mins    40 mins    10 mins      1h45B1       35 mins       30 mins    50 mins    10 mins     2h05B2       35 mins      30 mins    50 mins    10 mins     2h05C1       35 mins       45 mins    90 mins    15 mins     3h05C2      40 mins       45 mins    135 mins   15 mins     3h55ScoringWhereas the timing for each level is slightly different (save for the B stage), scoring remains the same across all levels.Any candidate can achieve a maximum of thirty (30) points on each of the four portions, with the bar set at eighteen (18) for passing.Should you attain a score over 18 on three of the four areas, your passing scores would remain valid.You would only have to retake the exam segment that was found to be insufficiently proven.How to Prepare for PLIDAAs you learn French, as you learn Russian; as you learn Korean or Arabic, so it is with learning Italian.Learning any foreign language requires time and effort.Before tak ing any proficiency exam, you should maximise your chances of earning high marks by taking a preparatory course that focuses exclusively on the standards of this assessment.There are several ways to do that.The Dante Alighieri School in Siena offers an intensive immersion program that lasts two weeks.As a student there, you would enjoy three hour-long lessons per day, Monday through Friday, for a total of thirty lessons.Of particular mention: these preparatory language lessons are held in small groups, of no more than five students per session.The cost for these concentrated Italian lessons is €750.00, plus the cost of a trip to Italy. Nowhere in the UK is this type of tutelage offered for Italian language courses.Well, that is not exactly true. You could engage a private tutor; one who may employ such immersive tactics.If you live in the Manchester area, you could address yourself to the Dante Alighieri Society on the University of Manchester campus.They offer weekly preparatory courses for all levels of PLIDA. If you live elsewhere in the UK, you could request their help online; they do support distance learning.On the other hand, if you are willing to take Italian courses online, you could surely find all manner of apps and chat partners that can further your ability and confidence in speaking this romance language.You may even get lucky and find free Italian lessons! Think of how your Italian pronunciation and comprehension would improve, conversing with native Italian speakers online!There are three PLIDA testing centers in the UK Source: Pixabay Credit: PexelsWhere Can You Sit for PLIDA?Any official centre recognized for the administration of the PLIDA complies with directives of the Dante Alighieri Society in Rome, even though each centre operate autonomously.Dante Alighieri Society is therefore recognized as the official coordinator  of the PLIDA exams.Their partnership with the Sapienza University of Rome ensures delivery of the most  academically s uperior, culturally relevant and up-to-date test materials possible.If you are already in Italy, you could sit for the exam in Pisa, Turin, Milan or Tuscany... just to name a few of the more famous  cities.Should a sojourn in Italy not be on your horizon â€" and you're not there already, you could sit for PLIDA at any of UK's three approved testing locations:University of ManchesterCambridgeExeter University.Please check here for the most recent updates to the testing schedule, for all locations, worldwide.As for cost: all rates are set by the Dante Alighieri Society  as follows.Both A level exams cost €65.Level B1 € 85Level B2 € 95Levels C1 and C2 € 135An additional €15 is attached to your testing fee to provide you with one year's membership in the Dante Society.Considering the benefits and advantages this relationship brings you, we may consider that money well spent!To Sum it All UpYour ability to speak Italian will be recognised at the highest levels of government and academia in Italy, meaning you can pursue your higher education at the university of your choice, from Naples to Sardinia.Furthermore, you can let go of any worries over working in Italy, or forming any business partnerships with native Italians.After demonstrating proper use of Italian vocabulary, you will be in full compliance with the laws regarding foreign transactions.Earning PLIDA certification, at any level, translates to official validation of one's Italian language skills.It is vital to test at your level, rather than too high or too low. Besides the obvious money factor, a certification mismatched to your true abilities will, in the end, hamper your efforts and momentum, rather than help them.Taking a PLIDA prep course would serve you well in determining your level â€" how well you know Italian words and phrases. Another reason for taking such a class would be to speak more fluently, and gain greater exposure to Italian audio.These preparatory classes are designed to refl ect the most current exam standards, which means that you will gain exposure to mock tests and perhaps even the exam proctors, who may function as tutors when no exams are scheduled.No matter which way you slice it, certifying your Italian learning through PLIDA will only bring you beneficio.Dai, caro!Consider taking DITALS: Didattica dell'italiano come lingua straniera.  A  pair of exams meant for non native speakers who intend to teach Italian as a foreign language. Or the CIC,  Certificato dell'Italiana Commerciale â€" in English: Certificate of Commercial Italian.Find a private tutor to take Italian lessons on Superprof:Learn Italian onlineItalian classes LondonItalian classes Glasgow

What is it Like to Attend the University of British Columbia

What is it Like to Attend the University of British Columbia Kevin earned his bachelors degree in political science and philosophy from the University of British Columbia. He specializes in English tutoring, psychology tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, he shares his experience at the the University of British Columbia: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Kevin: The University of British Columbias campus is truly like no other. Its about 1,000 acres on the tip of a peninsula that is separated from the vibrant city of Vancouver by a 2,000 acre belt of temperate rainforest affiliated with UBC. Because of this, you can go to one of the beaches or hike in the rainforest without technically leaving the university. The stunning natural beauty of the campus and the well maintained new buildings make it unsurprising that many movies and TV shows shoot on campus. The facilities are top notch; it has eight major on-campus libraries, seemingly endless classrooms and labs, a particle accelerator, anthropology and biodiversity museums, a concert hall, and much more. The campus is crisscrossed by several university and city buses and connected to Vancouver proper by several buses. A bus to Point Grey or Kitsilano (neighborhoods with a lot of student housing) takes about 15 minutes, while a bus downtown may take 40 minutes. Biking is easy, and a car is probably more trouble than its worth (parking is very expensive). The campus feels very safe, especially since it has its own police force and is surrounded on three sides by water and by a forest on the fourth side. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Kevin: As an arts student, I never had any trouble meeting with professors. They usually respond to emails within a day; the longest I had to wait for a meeting was three days. They all have office hours, and you can usually talk to them after, if not during, class. All of my professors were not just polite, but genuinely friendly and personable. Ive heard some professors can be more difficult to talk to in math and the sciences (especially in lower level classes), but I think this is the case in most universities. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Kevin: The two dorm complexes (Totem Park and Place Vanier) are on campus, but feel like towns in their own right. Each has the standard facilitiescafeteria and convenience store, coed or single-sex buildings/floors, and one common room per floor. Since the campus is so sheltered, almost everyone for literally miles is either a student or on staff. Because of this, after classes end for the day and most of the staff goes home, campus becomes something of a student city. There are many restaurants, and a cafeteria in each dorm, but groceries can be difficult to get, store, and afford. I should also note, campus security is taken seriously: the campus is well lit, regularly patrolled, littered with emergency help buttons, and a free safe-walk service is available (although crime is virtually unheard of). Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Kevin: UBC is particularly proud of its engineering, forestry, earth and ocean sciences, computer science, cognitive systems, physics and astronomy, life sciences, international relations/political science, education, law, business, and anthropology departments. Forestry/earth and ocean sciences, engineering, physics, and life sciences (and increasingly computer science) seem to get the most funding. I double majored in political science and philosophy and minored in religious studies. I studied what I did simply because I loved it and I consistently had excellent professors. My case is a bit extreme, but the majority of students seem to graduate with at least a minor, if not a second major. Also, a large number of clubs and other academic societies are sponsored by UBC, permitting students to explore their field, meet other students with similar interests, and network beyond UBC. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Kevin: I am not the most social person in the world, but the dorm life and frequently small class sizes made making friends easy. Greek life exists, but only plays as significant of a role as you want. Personally, I never had to encounter Greek life, but I have some friends who seemed to enjoy it. How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services? Kevin: If you are in the sciences (especially forestry/earth and ocean sciences and computer science), the Career Center is absolutely helpful. Most of my friends in the sciences had no problem getting paid internships or lab positions. In the Pacific Northwest, the oil/minerals, lumber, finance, and tech industries are booming, plus UBC is a huge wealthy research institution hungry for talent. How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Kevin: The total amount of study space is tremendous, but the student body is also very large. Given this, during most of the year good quality study space is easy to find, but it can get overcrowded come finals. Describe the surrounding town. Kevin: UBC feels extremely isolated despite being located in the middle of an urban area of over two million people. In their first year, most students live on campus and leave to go downtown or to the surrounding neighborhoods only about once a month, simply because everything you need is on campus. Buses connect UBC to the rest of Vancouver, but very few first years bother. Upper years tend to live off campus and more frequently go downtown or explore the surrounding neighborhoods, which are very nice, but also very expensive. Regarding outdoor activities, there are several nice beaches and large wildlife reserves, and the bay is great for sailing. The relatively close city of Victoria is also fun to explore. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Kevin: The student body is very large (over 60,000) but upper level classes tend to be small. Many introductory classes are large120-200 studentsbut others are not. This is especially the case with the sciences (particularly biology) where large class sizes are the norm in 100 and some 200 level classes. For me, an arts student, even in my first year most of my classes had between 30 and 60 students and it was not difficult to get one-on-one time with professors. As you proceed to higher and higher classes, students specialize or drop out, so class sizes are smaller. By my fourth and fifth years (most students take five years), I would have maybe one class per term with 60 students. By the time I graduated, most of my professors knew me by name and I was on a first name basis with several. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. Kevin: I graduated from UBC in 2014 and immediately went on to do two years of grad school in Europe. On my way home, I stopped back in Vancouver to visit some friends who still lived there and also just to be in the city. I decided to spend one of the few days I was there on campus. I looked up a former professor of mine and decided to drop by unannounced and say hi as he got out of his 100 level class. I waited outside the rooms glass door for his class to finish, but after he was done he was mobbed by five or six students who wanted to talk. Now, I hadnt talked to this professor in two years and he teaches five courses, which means something like 320 students per year. By the time he opened the door, he was smiling over an outstretched hand and greeted me by name. Good to see you, Kevin! Just a seconddo you have a second? I nodded and he continued answering the first years questions about Nietzsche with excited tones and wild gesticulations. After a few minutes, he turned back and we just started chatting like old friends. We talked about family, my time in Europe, and life in general. We walked to a cafe by his apartment and chatted for well over two hours before I had to run on account of dinner plans. That man changed my life, but unlike most professors at most schools, he is also part of my life. The thing about UBC thats so special is, yes, it will launch you onto whatever path you choose, but it also stimulates you as a person and helps you become, not just a professional, but a full human being. Check out Kevins tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Metacognition Demystified

Metacognition Demystified At AJ Tutoring, a primary goal of our academic tutoring as well as our study skills process is to teach students how to learn in the way that best suits their unique minds. In order to accomplish this, our professional tutors aim to move beyond homework help and the specifics of today’s lesson to develop our students’ academic skills on a deeper level.Albert Einstein once said, “The development of general ability for independent thinking and judgement should always be placed foremost, not the acquisition of special knowledge.” But what is the general ability for independent thinking and judgement, and how would it be placed “foremost”? This post aims to demystify metacognition and briefly discuss the development of metacognitive skills, which are crucial for becoming a more effective thinker and learner at any age. What does “meta” mean? Meta is self-referential; it indicates a higher level of abstraction.Examples:Metadata (data about data; in computer science, catego rical information about stored data)Metaphysics (concerns the nature of nature)Metamorphoses (transformation of an established growth pattern; a morphing of morphing)So, it follows that meta learning is learning about learning. Metacognition is cognition of cognition. In general, a discussion of metacognition and metacognitive skills involves how to approach learning in an optimal way. Where do we see meta-learning knowledge applied today? What are some of the best examples of high-quality learning?The most prominent example is with developments in artificial intelligence. For example, you can read here about Alpha Zero, a chess program created by DeepMind. Unlike other chess programs, Alpha Zero teaches itself chess, and with remarkable success: within 24 hours of initiation Alpha Zero was able to best one of the most powerful existing chess programs. Because it teaches itself, Alpha Zero is an example of strong metacognition.Today, Google/DeepMind and AI is emphasizing neural netw orks, which models learning in a way more closely resembles the human process of learning rather than a process emphasizing rote memorization and raw power that we traditionally associate with computers’ learning.If we want to learn better, we may want to begin with analyzing learning. But is it even possible to breakdown learning? Yes, it is! Please find below a breakdown of the steps required to approach a problem or concept with an eye to improving metacognitive processes.SimplificationDetachment: The goal is no longer to solve the problem directly, but to understand the nature of the problem and situate it in a greater context.Evaluation: Identify structural aspects and components of the problem.Creation: Create a new line of inquiry via simplifying one or more aspects of the problem. This may involve removing components in order to reduce complexity.Application: Apply problem-solving skills to obtain a solution to the new problem created, or question asked.Analysis: Analyze y our results and re-evaluate the original problem. Do these results assist with the original problem?ImplicationDetachment: The goal is no longer to solve the problem directly, but to understand the nature of the problem and situate it in a greater context.Gathering: List true statements and any info that may be relevant to the problem.Production: Use the statements you have to produce new factual information relevant to the problem. Use “if … then” statements in order to deductively reason.Analysis: Re-evaluate the problem with the new plethora of information you have. Is it easier to solve? If not, continue to repeat this technique or switch to using the “Simplification” technique.Essentially, this is a concrete methodical skill-based approach to training your inductive and deductive reasoning skills. Train, train, trainâ€"the key is having lots of iterations and lots of failures to learn from. And this produces high-quality learning experiences.If you’d like to learn m ore about how we can help your student achieve his or her academic potential, please give us a call today!

Desmond T Maths, Science and Chess tutor in London

Desmond T Maths, Science and Chess tutor in London Desmond T provides maths tuition, science tuition and chess teaching from 11+ up to A Levels. He has tutored for over seven years now  and over 90% of his students have gone on to achieve A or A* at GCSE/A-Level!  He is a graduate in Civil Engineering from Imperial College London and  an awesome chess player. Desmond represented England at the World under 12 Youth Chess Championships in Brazil and won the under 18 British Chess Championships at the age of 15. Why do you love tutoring? Ever since I started tutoring, it has become a passion of mine as it gives me great pleasure in helping others achieve their goals, no matter what they are.  It is always challenging for someone to learn something new, whether you are a young child or maturing teenager, but at the same time it is satisfying when it suddenly “clicks.” Who inspired you in education? My old chess coach helped me find a new way of learning whilst having fun.  While preparing for some major chess tournaments, and with quite a lot of parental pressure, he was always able to bring the best out in me by keeping me relaxed through patience; a trait that I have tried to inherit. What else do you get up to besides tutoring? At the moment, due to workload, not a lot! But I have a passion for travelling and eating out; there is nothing better to the end of the day than eating a nice meal out! If you had a super power what would it be? Hmmmm, not sure, never really thought about this…..I suppose to travel at the speed of light because it would help me cut out the travelling time when teaching! What advice would you give to a parent on how to find a tutor? This is a very interesting question. It is important to understand what the tutor can offer and whether there is synergy between tutor and pupil. I believe that only in a relaxed environment can the child excel. There is nothing wrong about having a couple of trial lessons to see if they can build up that relationship. Desmond is a: Private Maths tutor  for IB, A-Level, GCSE, Common Entrance, 11+ Private Biology tutor for GCSE Private Chemistry tutor  for GCSE Private Physics tutor  for  GCSE Private General Science tutor  for Common Entrance, 11+ Private Chess teacher If you or your child needs help with maths, science or chess, feel free to check out Desmond’s personal profile on the Tutorfair website to  book a lesson. If you need some help learning any other subject not listed, we have expert tutors based in London that teach all kinds of subjects. Image from  en.wikipedia.org  CC-by

The 5 Big Advantages to Learning Multiple Languages at Once

The 5 Big Advantages to Learning Multiple Languages at Once So, you’re learning Korean, Spanish and French at the same time?Youre definitely not one to shy away from a challenge.It doesnt matter how much you love languagesâ€"learning a few at once can be tricky.Think back to those desperate moments you spent sitting alone in your room and asking your tired self, “what was I thinking? What’s the point of all of this?”Well, let me help you answer that question.Turns out, there’s a lot of advantages to learning multiple languages at once.Here, I plan to demonstrate that doing it is worth every ounce of effort you put into the task. Ill give you 5 profound benefits that make learning languages coolâ€"and worthwhile for every person on this planet. The 5 Big Advantages to Learning Multiple Languages at Once1. Its Good for Your BrainDid you know that your brain can be structurally changed for the better in just three short months?That’s right! Swedish and German scientists conducted a study on conscript interpretersâ€"people who deal with multiple languages as part of their daily jobsâ€"and measured the size of each ones hippocampus and cerebral cortex.  They then subjected these interpreters to three months of intensive language studies. Military boot camp style!After 90 days of intense training, the scientists, donning their spotless lab coats, came in and again measured their subjects’ brains. They discovered that their  interpreters’ hippocampal regions, along with three other areas of the cortex, had grown significantly. The cortical areas increased in their thickness, indicating higher fire power for these areas of the brain.Learning multiple languages isnt only about increasing brain mass, it improves memory as well. Psychologist set out to determine the cognitive differences between monolingual and bilingual children, or if any even existed.They subjected the children to a battery of mental tasks which measured working memory, executive function, visuospatial span, cognitive quickness and conflict re solution. What they discovered was very telling indeed. Bilingual children outclassed their monolingual counterparts in all test conditions. In short, people who grow up bilingual have faster, more accurate and more robust mental capacities.If you want your kids to have a head start in life, start them young on the road to learning multiple languages.Lastly, its been known that just speaking a second  language can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease.  One study has shown that being bilingual, as opposed to being monolingual, may delay the onset of dementia for a good 5.1 years.The brain is like a muscle. The more you use it, the sharper and stronger it gets. Multilingual people have the advantage of having brains that are in good shape. The benefits of switching back and forth between languages is priceless.They have brains that need to recognize, distinguish and analyze the different linguistic patterns, intonations, vocabulary, grammatical rules and idiomatic expressions of d ifferent languages. Because of that need to do more, they have well-oiled neurons which are less prone to the detrimental effects of old age.2. It Saves Precious TimeImaging that youre travelling in South America and get lost while on the way to officiate a wedding.  Youre  standing at an actual crossroad and looking up at two signs. The left one says “Una Via“ (One Way), the one on the right says, “Camino Cerrado Delante“ (Road Closed Ahead). Can you imagine how much driving time youd save simply knowing what those signs mean?How about finding yourself at a French mall and badly needing to go to the restroom because your tummy disagreed with the escargot you had for lunch. Can you imagine looking at foreign signs that would score 70 points in Scrabble? Or imagine finding yourself trying to communicate with French men who fake not knowing any English, desperately gesturing and asking where the rest room is.Wouldnt life be much easier if you could communicate while abroad in France or Spain? That way youd make the most of your 5-day vacation instead of spending half of it looking for some dingy rest room.If learning a second  language is such a time saver, how about learning a third  and a fourth  language? Imagine how much of the world you could navigate!That being said, learning more than one language at a time requires careful planning and an awesome strategy.There are two ways of studying multiple languages.One way is sequentially  and the other is simultaneously.  The methods are right in the names. Doing multiple languages at the same time (simultaneously)  saves time because, in a way, youre multitasking. Instead of getting fluent in one language in 1.5 years, you become fluent in 2 languages in 2 years.3. You Can Take Full Advantage of Similarities and Differences Between LanguagesOne advantage of learning multiple languages at once is that you can play the languages off of one another. You can take notice of (and better remember) the eccentrici ties of a language by noting its similarities or differences with another tongue.An example of this are the many cognates shared by romance languages. Cognates are words in different languages that share similar spelling, meaning and pronunciation. Examples in French â€" Italian â€" Spanish are:a) ARMFrench: le brasItalian: il braccioSpanish: el brazob) FEVERFrench: la fièvreItalian: la febbreSpanish: la fiebrec) TONGUEFrench: la langueItalian: la linguaSpanish: la lenguaIf you notice, the spelling, meaning and pronunciation of these words (and many, many others) are similar for French, Italian and Spanish, indicating that they have a common etymology.Cognates are very useful for 2 major things.1. Vocabulary building. Let’s say you’re studying French, Italian and Spanish simultaneously. In the examples above, instead of building your vocabulary in just one language, youre building it for 3 at the price of 1.2. Contextualizing.  Cognates are very useful for contextualizing. As I ve said, you can play the languages off of one another. For example, your new Italian friend told you over the phone, “let’s meet on sabato.” The problem is, you’re not sure if “sabato” is a newly-opened Italian restaurant downtown. Fortunately, you do know that “sábado” is Saturday in Spanish.In short, knowing a second  language puts you at a definite advantage in learning a third or  a fourth  one. So, why learn it serially when you can do it simultaneously?4. Tackling Multiple Languages Keeps You From Getting BoredAnother advantage of learning languages simultaneously is that it keeps you alive and alert on the task.Tired of differentiating ser  from estar? Sick of “Buenas dias”? Try a little Anyong Haseyo and  discover a whole new soul in the Korean language.Tired of watching Spanish telenovelas or listening to Latin songs? Try some of the awesome Japanese drama series that currently populate the internet.By the way, if you like learning languages through fu n, native language videos, then youll want to check out FluentU. FluentU takes real-world videos like music videos, movie trailers, news, and inspiring talks, and turns them into learning lessons. It lets you learn using fun videos and real-world context. FluentU is available for Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and English, and one subscription gives you access to all languages.You don’t have to bury yourself for months on end in a single language. There always comes a point in any language learners endeavors when they finally plateau and get sick of the lessons. You can either barrel through that phase, or you can refresh yourself by getting into another language. Don’t think of it as quitting, think of it as productively redirecting your language learning energies. What’s important is that you can have several language “mistresses” on the side. It keeps things interesting. This works especially well for languages that are so different, they are like a breath o f fresh air.5. It Opens Opportunities for Employment, Romance and Multicultural UnderstandingLearning a 2nd language broadens employment opportunities. Being a multilingual compounds your prospects and give you a sharp edge in the job market. (The truth is, even when you won’t be using “Swedish, Norwegian, Danish” in your work. But writing those on your resume makes you stand out from the rest of the English-only crowd. Cool, huh?)Over the next decade, Spanish and Chinese speaking skills will be one of the most critical skills sought for by recruiters.As globalism surges forward, it makes learning multiple languages ever more essential. English isnt enough anymore. A great number of international corporations arent based in English-speaking countries. In addition, US-based corporations are waking up to the fact that in order to flourish in the emerging markets, they have to learn how to say “Ni Hao” and not just “How are you?On the romantic end, youll be ready to start a bilingual relationship. When your significant other has a different first language than you, what better way is there to express affection than learning romantic phrases in their native tongue? “Sorry” is just different when you say “lo siento.” And who knows, she might just forgive you.Speaking your love’s language brings you to their reality of things. It promotes understanding between you and your significant other. As you know, different languages are also connected to diverse perspectives of the world we live in. By speaking their words, you put yourself in their shoes for a minute.At the very least, youll know that weve got your backs while you tackle all your target languages. And One More ThingIf youre digging these learning benefits, youll love using FluentU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that natives  speak them. FluentU has a wide var iety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.Interactive transcript for Carlos Baute song.You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs learn mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Start using FluentU on the website  with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the  iTunes  or  Google Play  store.