Vocal Audition Crimes 3 Mistakes That Turn Judges Off

Vocal Audition Crimes 3 Mistakes That Turn Judges Off Suzy S. Have an audition coming up? You may know what TO do, but what about what NOT to do? Take a look at these tips for singing auditions in this guest post by Glendale, CA voice teacher Ben M... Let’s face it: auditions are nerve-wracking. Youre presenting your talent for somebody elses approval, and thats not easy to do. But auditions can also be a ton of fun and lead to amazing changes in your life. It’s incredibly important to make auditions a habit, even if you’re happy with where you are in your singing career. The more auditions you attend, the easier it will be to convince yourself to go to the audition in the first place, the better you will perform, and the more likely any given audition will lead to the result you want.  We’ve already covered the things you SHOULD do at an audition in a previous post. Here are the top three vocal audition crimes to avoid. 1. Letting Your Fear Take Over A teacher once had to convince me that my anxiety over auditioning has exactly 0% benefit to my performance. Many of us believe that our anxiety will somehow prepare us to perform and will cause us to do a better job because we “take it more seriously.” But theres a difference between anticipation and anxiety. It’s great to be mentally prepared and aware of what will be expected of you at an audition. But the moment it crosses over to stress, you’re wasting valuable physical and emotional energy. You’ve crossed over to the dark side, where you’re now faced with the risk of psyching yourself out, forgetting your lyrics, or creating unnecessary tension in your voice. If you find yourself in this position, take a deep breath, count to 10, remind yourself that it’s just an audition, and RELAX. Just as with vocalization, the only way to see the results you want is to let go and allow your body to arrive at and STAY at a place of rest. 2. Not Knowing Your Words By Heart There’s never an excuse not to know your lyrics at an audition. In fact, there’s every reason to ensure you know them by heart. It’s not just to prove you know the words â€" it’s about internalizing the song and spending time with it, which is one of the important tips for singing well. Once you learn how to efficiently memorize lyrics, it can actually be quite fun. The process allows you to apply your own voice to the song and make little changes in phrasing and intonation. Methods vary depending on how you learn best, but I have always found that memorizing a song line by line yields the quickest results. Sing through one line of a song until you know it, then start from the top of the song and sing up to the line you just learned. It may seem like it takes longer this way, but you’ll find that you internalize the tune much faster. Remember to do your core memorization at least one night before â€" you’ll find that the words come much easier the next day. Related Video: The Best Audition Songs for Every Voice Type 3. Going Too Far Out Of Your Sweet Spot Not everybody agrees with me here, but an audition is not the time to try something you’ve never done before. Nor is it the time to try to sound like somebody you have never sounded like. It’s tempting for singers to go over the top and show the outermost range of what they can do, but the problem with this is that you are exposing your limits to the folks auditioning you. In the process, you’re taking the attention away from what it is you do best. When an audition notice asks to “see your range,” be smart about your choices. Make sure that your audition piece is 90% in your sweet spot â€" the tried and true range and timbre of your voice. If you like, you can add a few special embellishments that show the tip of the iceberg, but don’t make that uncharted territory the meat of your audition. Besides the weakness-exposure factor, you’ll find that whatever anxiety you do carry into the audition will not work in your favor if you’re trying to hit higher notes or mask yo ur voice with a tone that isn’t yours. Lastly, don’t go at it alone!  Consulting a vocal coach is a necessity before attending a big audition. Besides helping you brush up on technique, a good coach will also be able to critique your audition and help you pinpoint weak spots, preparing you for an easy audition process that you can repeat again and again. Readers, what other tips for singing auditions have helped you? Let us know in the comments below! Preparing for a contest or competition? Check our singing contest tips here! Ben M. teaches music performance and singing in Glendale, CA. He attended Northeastern University and is currently studying voice at Brett Manning Studios. Learn more about Ben here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Beacon

Calculus Homework Help - Tips and Techniques

Calculus Homework Help - Tips and Techniques 0SHARESShare It’s Pre Calculus that determines your success Calculus is not just a premium stream of mathematics, it’s a process. Your success in Calculus, to a large extent, depends upon how seriously you have studied pre calculus. If your concepts are not clear while studying pre calculus, then understanding calculus can prove to be a rocket science to you. To combat the learning challenges in calculus, you need excellent calculus homework help as well as concentrated efforts during your traditional classroom sessions. Characteristics of Calculus Calculus mainly comprises of two areas differential and integral. The differential area deals heavily with primary concepts and concerns of changing rate; whereas integral is all about the total change. Both these areas have great importance in the field of science namely physics and engineering. It is natural to have fear from Calculus but if you are able to get the right kind of calculus homework help, the task may be easier for you. Where to go for effective and affordable help? Extending the helping hand for homework help towards their children is not easy even for some parents in this fast-paced life. It becomes more challenging when it comes to giving help in calculus. Under these circumstances, going online for Calculus homework help is really a great idea. Online tutors are capable enough to read your brain and the mind-set. Having both experience and expertise, they simply apply the most interactive virtual techniques that can really work for you to understand this intriguing subject. Once you opt for the online tutoring method, you simply speak of it in very terms thereafter.  [starbox id=admin]

Test-Taking Tip How to Review an Exam Before You Take It

Test-Taking Tip How to Review an Exam Before You Take It We all know the feeling; sitting there anxiously awaiting the teacher to come by your row of desks and hand that stack of tests to the person in front. You watch that stack get smaller and smaller as it gets closer to you until finally, you have it. Thoughts are racing through your mind about how well you studied that last set of notes or whether you should have looked into thatmath tutoring. The second you place that exam in front of you and pass the rest of the pile to the student behind you, a deep breath is taken and you are ready to dive in. Nervous or confident, you just want to get started so you can finish quickly and get the heck out of there. Diving right in isnt always a good thing, however especially in this case. Immediately scribbling away from question to question in numerical order can sometimes hurt you. Why? Because you have no idea what lies ahead on the exam. For all you know, the first ten questions could be the hardest and the remaining twenty are right up your alley. But if you waste the first half hour of the period working through those first ten, you will have missed out on a great deal of time that could have been spent excelling on the simpler ones. You may also want to check out this test-taking tip: how to clock out other test takers. The more specific concept of time management, though, is a different discussion. Reviewing the entirety of an exam before starting in on it is important for a number of reasons. Appropriating Your Comfort Level:Regardless of the outcome, youre going to be content with the fact that you scanned the entire thing first. Itll result in youa)knowing the whole thing is going to be a breeze,b)feeling the bear of a challenge coming on, orc)accepting the balanced mixture of good and bad that is most tests. Even if it ends up making you more nervous, at least youll know upfront rather than gradually getting more freaked out as the minutes pass. Getting continuously worked up as you go page by page will only lead to more time being spent agonizing over your next steps. By getting a solid idea of what is expected of you first-thing, youll have the correct attitude needed to approach and work through the test adequately. Knowing Where Hints/Help Can Be Found:Some teachers overlook the fact that accidental clues have been worked into their exams as they wrote them up. For instance, the factual context given for one question may be the answer you need for another question, or at least a really good tip-off. The answer to a true/false question that youre absolutely confident about could help you determine the information needed to solve another problem. Of course, giving the test a quick initial run-through is the most efficient way to spot these unintended hints. Sure, you can always discover them little by little as you go through the test in order, but that can involve a lot of flipping back pages and erasing scantron bubbles that you just dont have the time for. Become familiar with which questions have details in common before you begin so you know the areas to check as you go along. Avoid having to do the search later and identify these small open-book substitutes immediately. Determining Your Method of Attack:We touched on this with the time management mention, but this is in more direct reference to the order you will follow. Why follow the questions in the order they were given just because they happened to be written out that way? All that matters is that in the end, you have completed them all to your best ability. Honestly, most people cannot ace a test by doing everything in the given order. If your strength is short answer questions, jump into those and give them all youve got before you do anything else. If multiple choice is your weakness, save it for last. If youre working through a particular section whether its your strong suit or your flawed area and you get stuck on one question, move onto the next one and come back! Whenever you find yourself taking slightly more than the average amount of time on one problem,move on. Maneuver around the test as efficiently as you can within sections, bouncing between sections, etc. Treat it like a puzzl e where you look at everything youve got and put together the most obvious pieces first. Eventually, you will be left with only those questions, or pieces, you were stuck on (which hopefully wont be too many) and youll have the remaining time to dedicate solely to them. A successful plan of action is truly the way to go if you want to draw up this kind of perfect progression. You may also want to check out these tips on how to mentally prepare for test day. So, before you start racing your pencil down those pages, calm yourself and momentarily review what youve got ahead of you. Of course, remember not to spend too much time on this preparation practice. Make sure you do not get too distracted and end up throwing away more time by overly-planning your attack method. Keep this time short and useful; the beneficial aspects will roll right in.

Massive Teacher Layoffs Imminent

Massive Teacher Layoffs Imminent The ripple effects of the economic recession are continuing to surge through education as many public high schools are preparing to layoff tens of thousands of teachers nationwide, according to a recent article from The Washington Post. These layoffs will result in larger class sizes and some schools will be forced to cut certain programs and classes. California, Illinois, Michigan, New York and New Jersey are likely to be hit the hardest with the most faculty layoffs. Congress is currently considering implementing a $23 billion bailout program for the public high schools to slow or eliminate most of the layoffs. This bill would be similar to the stimulus package that was implemented last year. The Obama administration is pressing hard for the passage of this bill. It estimated that layoffs could be anywhere from 100,000 to 300,000, unless congress implements a bailout program. This news comes in the wake of Obamas campaign to foster strong education at traditionally low-achieving schools. His efforts could prove futile if teachers are continuously laid off, class sizes increase and many educational programs are cut. In April, The American Association of School Administrators reported that nearly two thirds of all public high school administrators cut positions this year. The report also stated that 90% of high school administrators plan to make cuts for next school year. Of the 453 administrators surveyed, 62% were anticipating raising class sizes, 34% were considering eliminating summer school and 13% were contemplating a four-day school week. The threat of teacher layoffs can be averted; however, there are usually other deep cuts that will occur. Some high schools are cutting back in their cafeterias or even cutting days out of the academic calendar all in efforts to save money. The National Education Association, which is a teachers union, estimated that 26,000 teachers are at a high risk of being laid off in California, 20,000 in Illinois, 13,000 in New York, 8,000 in Michigan and 6,000 in New Jersey. These budget cuts have sparked outrage among students, parents, and many employees at public high schools. Americas public education system already lags behind that of other countries. Parties are growing increasingly concerned that students are paying the ultimate price of the education cuts by not getting the proper education needed to succeed at higher levels. Even Hollywood is joining the movement and speaking out against education cuts. Actor Megan Fox created a short video protesting the budget cuts in California and Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggers decisions regarding the budget cuts.

Best Bassists Ever

Best Bassists Ever The Top 10 Bassists of All Time ChaptersCliff BurtonMichael Balzara aka Flea, The Red Hot Chili PeppersPaul McCartney, The BeatlesJohn Paul Jones, Led ZeppelinRoger Waters, Pink FloydJaco PastoriusRex Brown, PanteraTom Hamilton, AerosmithDuff McKagan, Guns N’ RosesMarcus Miller“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent” - Victor HugoWhether it’s rock, jazz, soul, punk, blues, or folk, every genre of music has its legends. While we often remember the great guitarists like Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Page, we can’t forget the great bassists.The bass guitar is both rhythm and melody and the foundation of every song. Bassists are often excellent musicians and composers.Would you like to learn how to play the bass? What about learning your favourite musicians’ basslines?Here are our top 10 bassists of all time. PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover a ll our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsCliff BurtonBorn 10th February 1962 in Vastro Valley, California, and died aged 24 on 27 September 1986, Cliff Burton was Metallica’s second bassist. Cliff Burton performed on Metallica's first three studio albums. (Source: jonathansautter)While originally attracted to jazz and rock, Cliff Burton didn’t seem destined to join a heavy metal band.Replacing Ron McGovney, he recorded through albums with the band including some of the band’s most famous songs. Kill ‘Em All, Ride the Lightning, and Master of Puppets.He’s known for his unique approach to bass playing, playing melodic and soloist roles while creating the harmonic and rhythmic foundations for songs.  Cliff Burton has appeared as one of the best bassists of all time in several lists.When the band was touring in Sweden to promote the Master of Puppets album, the tour bus crashed and flipped over.  Cliff Burton was sleeping in his bunk at the time and was thrown through the window of the bus and subsequently crushed under the weight of the bus.He’s famous for having composed the song Orion which was hugely successful.Learn about the history of the bass guitar.Michael Balzara aka Flea, The Red Hot Chili PeppersFlea (real name Michael Balzary) is an Australian-American a bassist, pianist, trumpet player, and actor.Born 16 October 1962 in Melbourne, Australia, he’s one of the founding members of Red Hot Chili Peppers along with Anthony Kiedis.  According to Rolling Stone, he’s the second-best bassist of all time.His basslines are enchanting and he’s on every RHCP album including Freaky Styley, Mother’s Milk, Blood Sugar Sex Magic, One Hot Minute, Californication, and By the Way.He’s nicknamed Flea due to how small he is and how often he jumps about on stage.He was heavily influenced by jazz as a child and later discovered rock music through Jimi Hendrix, Kiss, and Led Zeppelin.  He met Anthony Kiedis, Hillel Slovak, and Jack Irons and created the band Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1983.His playing style is influenced by jazz and bassists like Jaco Pastorius.Learn more about the role of the bass guitar.Paul McCartney, The BeatlesWho hasn’t h eard of The Beatles?Born in 1942 in Liverpool, Paul McCartney is an author, composer, and performer. While he doesn't just play bass, Paul McCartney is probably most famous for being a bassist and the writer of most of The Beatles' hits. (Source: seriouslycr8ive)He was The Beatles’ bassist from their inception to their breakup in 1969.  He recorded 12 albums and nearly 200 songs with the band in just 10 years.  A symbol of the 1960s and the McCartney/Lennon writing were globally successful.He met John Lennon in the summer of 1957 and joined his group The Quarrymen as a bassist.  With George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they created The Beatles and shaped rock ‘n’ roll history.Paul McCartney was “just” the bassist.  As the bassist, he recorded hundreds of songs including Love Me Do, Please Please Me, Ticket to Ride, Help!, Yellow Submarine, Penny Lane, Revolver, All You Need Is Love, Hello Goodbye, Hey Jude, and Let It Be.Discover the best basslines.John Paul Jones, Led ZeppelinIt takes a great bassist to play alongside amazing guitarists like Robert Plant and Jimmy Page.Born 3 January 1946 in London, John Baldwin aka John Paul Jones was the bassist for Led Zeppelin from its creation in 1968 until its breakup in 1980.He learnt the piano from a young age and started playing bass as a teenager.With Led Zeppelin, he became one of the most famous rock bassists and performed on some particularly famous songs: Stairway to Heaven, Immigrant Song, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, All My Love, Good Times Bad Times, Your Time is Gonna Come, and Dazed and Confused. PeterGuitar Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EdgarGuitar Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PaulGuitar Teacher 5.00 (12) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToddGuitar Teacher 4.75 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamueleGuitar Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KurtGuitar Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all o ur tutors RyanGuitar Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsRoger Waters, Pink FloydHow can we talk about the best bassists in the world without mentioning Roger Waters from Pink Floyd?Born 6 September 1943 in Surrey, Roger Waters is the bassist and a founding member of Pink Floyd. Roger Waters also wrote music for Pink Floyd. (Source: meisjedevos)He founded the group with Richard Wright, Nick Mason, and three other musicians in 1964. After members left the bed, Syd Barrett and Bob Klose joined Wright and Waters.With Nick Mason, the group took the name Pink Floyd in 1965 and with the addition of David Gilmour, moved in a prog-rock and experimental direction.In 1973, Roger Waters and Pink Floyd became internationally renowned for their album Dark Side of the Moon.He composed all the band’s songs including Dogs, Comfortably Numb, Money, Wish You Were Here, Have a Cigar, Welcome to the Machine, Shine On You Crazy Diamonds, In the Flesh,  Another Brick in the Wall, Mother, Empty Spaces, and Hey You.Jaco PastoriusBorn 1 December 1951 and died 1987, John Francis Anthony Pastorius III aka Jaco Pastorius was a jazz and jazz-rock bassist.He’s largely known for playing the electric bass as both an accompaniment to other instruments and as a soloist.He’s famous for playing a fretless bass and was the last 20th-century jazz musician to have influenced subsequent generations according to guitarist Pat Metheny.In the 1980s, he played with great musicians such as Brian Melvin, Mike Stern, and Biréli Lagrène.Rex Brown, PanteraBorn in Texas 27 July 1964, Rex Robert Brown is the bassist of the heavy metal band Kill Devil Hill. However, he’s most famous for being the bassist of Pantera from their founding in 1982 until their breakup in 2003.Rex Brown may only be known amongst metalheads, but here’s your chance (if you’re not one) to appreciate his bass playing, especially on songs like Five Minutes Alone.You’ve got to appreciate his playing even if you’re not a fan of the music.If you’re learning to play the bass, it’s a good idea to observe his technique and bass riffs in the song. Five Minutes Alone is proof that metal music requires excellent musicians.Tom Hamilton, AerosmithBorn 31 December 1951 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA, Thomas Hamilton is the bassist for the band Aerosmith.He composed three masterpieces for the group, the basslines for Sweet Emotion, Janie’s Got a Gun, and Jaded.Influenced by Paul McCartney and John Paul Jones, he formed Aerosmith in 1970.The rock group sold 150 million albums across the world and 97 million in the US and is one of the most successful rock groups of all time.Duff McKagan, Guns N’ RosesBorn 5 February 1964 in Seattle and part of the same generation as Kurt Cobain (1967-1994) and Chris Novoselic (1965- ), Michael Andrew McKagan aka Duff McKagan is a guitarist, singer, and bassist. Too many people overlook Duff McKagan's contributions to Guns N' Roses. (Source: meisjedevos)He played bass for Guns N’ Roses from 1985 to 1997.  An iconic member of the group, he played alongside the guitarists Slash and Izzy Stradlin, Axl Rose and Steven Adler.They’re his basslines you can hear on the albums Use Your Illusion I and II and Appetite for Destruction.Amongst his best works, we find: Don't Cry, November Rain, You Could Be Mine, Sweet Child O' Mine, and the famous Bob Dylan cover Knockin On' Heaven's Door on the guitar.Duff McKagan is also an excellent guitarist.Marcus MillerA little bonus for you here.Marcus Miller, born 14 June 1959 is another bass virtuoso. He was a jazz fusion, jazz, and funk bassist.Born into a family of musicians, he learnt to play the guitar around the age of 12.He worked with Miles Davis in the 1980s, which gained him global notoriety, as well as with Claude Nougaro and Aretha Franklin.No doubt that he deserves his place amongst the best bass ists.Looking for more bassists?If you'd like to learn more, consider getting tutorials from one of the many talented bass tutors on Superprof. They can offer you one of the three main types of bass tutorials.Face-to-face tutorials are your traditional private tutorials between the student and a tutor. They're great if there's something specific you'd like to learn as the lessons will be tailored to you and your learning style. However, this bespoke service comes at a cost, meaning that this type of tutorial is usually the most costly.Online tutorials are also just between a single student and their tutor but their tutor won't be there in the room with them. Instead, they'll provide their tutorial over webcam. While this isn't always ideal for hands-on subjects, if you have a decent mic, a talented tutor can teach you how to play bass without even being in the room with you.Finally, you can also get group tutorials. With several paying students attending the tutorial, this type of tu torial tends to be the cheapest per person per hour. Of course, the tutor's attention is also divided amongst the students and they won't be able to tailor the lessons to a single student.

Helping Your Child be More Organized

Helping Your Child be More Organized Helping Your Child be More Organized Good study habits and organizational skills can mean the difference between a successful student and a poor performer. A student who possesses the intellect to do well in school but lacks the organizational skills may easily fall behind and suffer from poor gradesespecially as the workload in school increases and his or her schedule becomes more demanding. On the other hand, a child who struggles in school already and has trouble keeping track of assignments or is constantly losing things may find school challenges even more insurmountable. Here are a few tips to help your child become a more organized student: Establish a homework routine. Studies show that set routines and schedules are positive for children. Your after-school and evening routine should include a set time for homework, dinner, extracurricular activities and bedtime. During homework time, your child should begin by making a to-do list of his or her top priorities for the session, and he or she should check off items as completed. Your childs study space should be free from distractions and stocked with the supplies needed so that your child can quickly dive into each homework session. Make use of a planner, homework notebook or planner app. One of the most common issues with disorganized students is not that the students are incapable of doing homework, but rather, they forget or lose track of what they are supposed to work on each evening. Your child should have a simple notebook in which to write down the followingeach and every day: Each class/subject Homework assigned for each class (or no homework) Upcoming test/quiz dates or projects mentioned by the teacher Check this notebook every night to ensure all work that is assigned is being completed at home. If your child is old enough to make effective use of a planner/calendar, teach him or her to block out time on the daily calendar for all commitments (school, activities, work, studying, dinner and sleep) and write down all upcoming tests, quizzes and projects on the appropriate calendar dates. For students who use smartphones or tablets, consider a student planner app such as myHomework or iStudiez Pro, which each allow students to track homework, tests, projects and lessons, receive reminders for upcoming tests and assignments, and manage their class and life schedules. The better your child is at time management, the more prepared he or she will be for high school and college academics. Make checklists. Introduce routines for all chores and tasks in your household and create checklists to help your child get familiar with the necessary steps. This also will help your child become more independent and confident and give him or her a sense of responsibility and fulfillment. For example, a morning checklist might include picking out clothes and getting dressed, brushing teeth, making the bed, putting pajamas in the laundry basket, brushing hair, preparing the backpack, refilling the water bottle, making lunch and so on. Show your child that good organization is important in everything that he or she does. Make tidying up a nightly activity. Every study or homework session should be followed by five minutes of putting away supplies, straightening the desk and getting the backpack ready for the next day. Get your child into the habit of finishing each homework period this way. Effective organization is an asset that will help your child as a student and a person throughout his or her life. Work on this skill at home and talk with your childs teacher about the specific areas that seem to need the most improvement. As your child embraces this skill, studying and homework will become much more fluid processesand your child will have the tools to be a more independent, successful student.

New Years 10 Day English Challenge

New Years 10 Day English Challenge As we begin a new year, we might  reflect on the past year and look forward to the next one.  For many people, this means thinking of what they would like to do better, or something they want to accomplish in 2019.  Im a fan of small, achievable goals for my New Years resolutions.  So, I thought of a fun, achievable goal for all you English learners out there: a ten day English challenge.  All you have to do is spend 10 minutes learning English  for 10 days.  Luckily for you,  Ive compiled ten  fun, 10-minute learning experiences.  Some days well practice grammar, some days listening, fluency, reading and more.  You might see topics youre already familiar with, but extra practice never hurts.   Are you ready to set 2017 off on the right foot by improving your English?  Happy New Year, and happy learning!DAY ONE: LISTENING EXERCISEThis interesting video explains  why many people (including myself) dont care much about NYE.  The narrator speaks very quickly, so pay close atten tion, and share your thoughts on this holiday and your answers in the comments section!83% indicated they felt let down.  Not because of their actual plans, but because they ended __ having less fun than they expected.To end  up is a common phrasal verb that means to finally be in a particular place or situation.  What did you end up doing at 12:00am on January 1st, 2019?Reflection can cause existential crises, and __________ on negative events ___ also ____ shown to increase stress.Since we wouldnt  want to increase stress, what has been a positive event for you in 2018?Prone is an adjective that means likely to do/experience/suffer from something negative.  What are we prone to when we drink alcohol?If _____ ___  someone particular on this already angst-ridden evening, a midnight kiss may not be so bad.What have you got to do in 2018?DAY TWO: MODALS WITH CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORYWhat to know about modals:Do not use s in third personHe cans run fast.She should eat health ier.Use not to make them negativeYou should not be rude.  They might not come over tonight.Usually, we cant use modal verbs in future or past tensesShe will can take me home from work.We musted finish our project.You Try:  take a look at these common modals, choose five to  say an example sentence of your own.  Or, even better, write your sentences in the comments below!Sentence structure: (Subject) + (modal) + (base verb) + (object/adj).Question structure: (Modal) + (subject) + (base verb) + (object/adj)?CanCouldMayMightMustOught toShallShouldWillWouldListening Practice:  watch the video and fill in the blanks with the modal verbs.Veruca.  ___ you _____  that for us, please?As soon as little Veruca told me she had to have one of these golden tickets, I started buying up all the Wonka bars I _____ ___ my hands on.From now on, you ___ ____ shelling peanuts and _____ shelling the wrappers off these chocolate bars instead.I vowed I _____ ____ up the search until I _____ ____ her wh at she wanted.We knew Augustus _____ ____ the golden ticket.DAY THREE: FLUENCY FUNSinging is known to help fluency, build vocabulary, and be fun!  So today, I found this song listed as a top song of 2016.  Its easy to sing along to, so its a good one to learn.  Listen and read along a few times until you think youve memorized it.  For even more practice, put it on a playlist for your commute to work.  There are lyrics written in the video, or  you can read them below.Closer (feat. Halsey)Hey, I was doing just fine before I met you I drink too much and thats an issue But Im OK Hey, you tell your friends it was nice to meet them But I hope I never see them AgainI know it breaks your heart Moved to the city in a broke-down car And four years, no calls Now youre looking pretty in a hotel bar And I, I, I, I, I cant stop No, I, I, I, I, I cant stopSo, baby, pull me closer In the back seat of your Rover That I know you cant afford Bite that tattoo on your shoulder Pull the sheets righ t off the corner Of that mattress that you stole From your roommate back in Boulder We aint ever getting olderWe aint ever getting older We aint ever getting olderYou look as good as the day I met you I forget just why I left you, I was insane Stay and play that Blink-182 song That we beat to death in Tucson, OKI know it breaks your heart Moved to the city in a broke-down car And four years, no call Now Im looking pretty in a hotel bar And I, I, I, I, I cant stop No, I, I, I, I, I cant stopSo, baby, pull me closer In the back seat of your Rover That I know you cant afford Bite that tattoo on your shoulder Pull the sheets right off the corner Of that mattress that you stole From your roommate back in Boulder We aint ever getting olderWe aint ever getting older We aint ever getting olderSo, baby, pull me closer In the back seat of your Rover That I know you cant afford Bite that tattoo on your shoulder Pull the sheets right off the corner Of that mattress that you stole From your room mate back in Boulder We aint ever getting olderWe aint ever getting older No, we aint ever getting older We aint ever getting older No, we aint ever getting older (repeats)DAY FOUR: SECOND CONDITIONAL AND THE BIG BANG THEORY  Use: what we would generally do in an imaginary situation.If (subject) (past simple), (subject) would (verb).If this thing happened, that thing would happen.Would (subject) (verb) if (subject) (past tense)?Would that  thing happen if this  thing happened?Good to know:We can’t use ‘when’ since we’re talking about  imaginary situations that probably won’t happenIt is considered grammatically incorrect to use ‘was,’ in this conditional.  For example:If he were rich, he’d buy a car.You try: watch the video for examples of second conditional, then answer the following questions with your own examples.  Dont forget to share your knowledge in the comments section!If you had your own video game character, what would they be like?If you were to ask som eone out on a date, where would you take them?If you made a robot, what would it do for you?If you had  a time machine, where would you go in time?What would happen if everyone was like you?DAY FIVE: ADVERBSadjective + lyUses: we use adverbs toModify verbs: Usain Bolt ran quickly to the finish line.Modify adjectives: Usain Bolt can run  impressively fast.Modify other adverbs: Usain Bolt ran  incredibly quickly.Irregulars:good-well, fast-fast, hard-hard, late-late, straight-straightYou try: start the following video at 3:10.  Listen to the examples of adverbs.  Choose 5 out of the 7 adverbs and create sentences of your own.  Remember to post your ideas  in the comments section!DAY SIX:  TONGUE TWISTERSTongue twisters are a great way to practice pronunciation and fluency.  Take the next ten minutes to read the following tongue twisters several times.  The first time, read them nice and slow, focusing on good pronunciation.  Then, pick up speed.  Youll want to say them as fast as possible in the end, while also using correct pronunciation.   You can even memorize them and practice throughout the day!This one is a personal favorite and common tongue twister:Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Wheres the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?This helps with pronunciation of /sh/, and is particularly difficult for me:I saw Susie sitting in a shoe shine shop. Where she sits she shines, and where she shines she sits.For those of you who have trouble with /r/ and /l/ pronunciation:How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?This helps with people  who have trouble with the /w/ pronunciation (many people mistakenly pronounce it like /v/) as well as the /r/ and /l/  sounds:Why do you cry, Willy? Why do you cry? Why, Willy? Why, Willy? Why, Willy? Why?(source)DAY SEVEN: IMPERATIVESForm: we start an imperative with the base verb.Uses:  we use imperatives for    Direct orders: Chew with your mouth closed.Instructions: Complete the exercise.  Invitations: Come on over.Signs:  StopYour turn: listen for the imperatives in the following video clip, and write them in the comments section.  Can you find all 6?DAY EIGHT: READING COMPREHENSIONToday well focus on reading.  So, even though this video has sound, try turning it off  for this exercise.  Press play to read this inspiring story, then answer the comprehension questions.  Remember to answer with complete sentences, making sure to use correct verb tenses and sentence structure!How is the dance company empowering people with disabilities?What does it mean to empower?What is the companys mission?Why did Hamamoto start the dance company?What did the doctors think Hamamoto would never do again? (2)Why did she think her life was over?How does she adjust her choreography (dance routine)?How long ago was Hamamoto told shed never dance again?DAY NINE: PRESENT PERFECThave/has + (past participle )Uses:Experience: Have you seen Human?  Its a long movie, but its so good!Change: He has lost weight since last year.Accomplishments: Scientists have found vaccines for many diseases.Incomplete, expected action: Have you finished your homework yet?Several actions in the past at different times: I have tried that 20 times.You try: check out this clip from a great movie, Freedom Writers, and fill in the blanks with examples of  present perfect.How many of you ____ ____ Boys in the Hood?How many of you ____ ____ in juvenile hall or jail for any length of time?Stand on the line if _____ ____ a friend to gang violence.Stay on the line if _____ ____ more than one friend.DAY TEN: QUIZCongratulations!  Youve made it to the final day of the ten day English challenge!  Pat yourself on the back for starting 2019 on a positive note  by improving your English skills.  Lets finish off the challenge by completing this short quiz.  Dont forget to continue your learning with our friendly, exper ienced English teachers  at  LOI.What did you end up doing last Friday night?Finish the sentence: You are  prone to get sick if youWhat should you do before bed?What can you do well?Sing the song from day 3 again.What would you buy if you won the lottery?If you had time off, where would you travel?Use an adverb: He sings _____.Do a tongue twister from day 6 as fast as you can.Write an imperative.What have you accomplished since January 1st, 2019?

5 Reasons Why Students Should Take Art Or Music Lessons

5 Reasons Why Students Should Take Art Or Music Lessons 5 reasons to take art or music lessons after school The classroom offers students a great environment to learn about core subjects, learn to work in a group, and develop time management skills. Some schools offer extracurricular activities in the sciences, art, and music but most childrens creative experiences are limited to afterschool opportunities. One of the best things for young children to try includes music and art lessons. Creative subjects do all sorts of great things for young minds including the development of great problem-solving skills, thinking outside of the box, working as a team, and learning excellent social skills. Here are five reasons why students should take art or music lessons after school. 1.   promote creativity The most obvious reason to take part in art or music lessons is to promote creativity. Creativity helps keep kids happy and curious and can even help them improve their concentration for when they need to work on English and math. Many children are creative by nature but often lose this creativity as many other demanding assignments take up their time. Afterschool art and music lessons allow kids to discover paint, color, clay, melody, and rhythm and also make them feel happy and excited about learning. 2.   Diversified interests Another great reason for students to do an afterschool creative project is to diversify their interests. Many schools focus well on reading comprehension, writing, and math skills but todays student doesnt have as much of a chance to diversify their personal interests and explore what theyre really good at. Some students have an innate ability in the arts and music while others might learn a new skill or just enjoy their time in a hands-on environment. It’s not essential that kids develop a specific talent but just that they explore new activities and learn to share their new found creativity with others (READ: Los Angeles Tutoring Tips: 5 Study Habits That Help Every Student). 3.   Problem-solving Students who participate in creative extracurricular activities such as art or music can also learn great problem-solving skills. For instance, perhaps a student is trying to create a certain shade of green to paint with, but they only have yellow, blue, and red paint. There is a relatively simple solution to this particular problem but, a young kid will have to think about what they should do next. Once students learn these simple problem-solving skills, they can apply them to other creative projects as well as their academic activities within the classroom. A student who can problem solve can find a solution to any academic or career issue down the road our private San Diego academic tutors are here to help your child with his/her problem-solving skills. 4.   Socialization Students who participate in kinesthetic activities such as art also have the opportunity to socialize in a semi-structured environment. Students might play different parts in an orchestra or be involved in a group art project within their community. They might share materials and a workspace while creating their masterpiece. Kids wont have the same restrictions on behavior as they do in the classroom, but there will be some adult supervision so students can learn how to share, deal with different personality types, and have fun in this type of social situation. 5.   Reduce stress Reducing stress is a real issue for students of all ages these days. Art and music have been known to soothe anxiety and help stressed out students from K through 12 learn how to cope with difficult times. Whether a student is studying for an exam, applying to college, or trying to get through a challenging passage in a chapter book in the second grade, creative outlets help keep kids happy, calm and focused on the big picture. 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