Salt Chemistry For Your Saltwater Aquarium

Salt Chemistry For Your Saltwater AquariumThe salt chemistry of an aquarium should be considered carefully before you buy any salt. This can save you a lot of money if you buy the right salt for your saltwater tank.Salt that is packaged in plastic and sold in the stores is usually not suited for saltwater tanks. Some companies package their salt in either a block or in pellets, but the blocks are usually packed too tightly and cause salt build up inside the aquarium. The pelletized salt is also more difficult to store since the smaller pieces break easily when you put them in the tank.While the salt that is packaged in blocks is ideal for beginners who want to buy their first salt, it's better to buy the larger pellets and find a salt that comes in a block that isn't packed in plastic. Pellets also hold more water so they can hold more dissolved solids than the blocks, so you may also want to use a higher quality salt.It's important to note that because the ocean is salty, fish are s ensitive to changes in the salt concentration in the water and will react in a way that will make the fish sick. Before you put any of your fish in your saltwater tank, you'll want to give them the proper salt chemistry for your particular fish.Aquarium salt, especially sea salt, doesn't mix well with fresh water and will quickly become cloudy. If you keep your salt in a brackish water tank, you can add more salt, but be sure to monitor the salinity of the water in the tank regularly. Sea salt has a very low molecular weight and will sink in brackish water, which makes it a good salt for freshwater aquariums, as well.There are many brands of salt that work well for freshwater aquariums, such as Alpine, Custom Salt, Koi Max, Master, and SeaChem. They all have their own pros and cons and some work better than others.With the right salt, you can achieve a balance between water chemistry and health of your fish. If you've decided to go this route, you'll want to look into making the cor rect salt chemistry, even if it means that you have to spend a little bit more money.

One Stupidly Easy E-book Hack Thatll Supercharge Your Language Learning

One Stupidly Easy E-book Hack Thatll Supercharge Your Language Learning One Stupidly Easy E-book Hack Thatll Supercharge Your Language Learning Reading a full-length book in a foreign language without much prior reading practice?Thats like trying to run a marathon without any training.Sure, it’s a great idea in theory, but youre unlikely to reach your end goal without petering out from pure exhaustion.We know academic research backs up the undeniable benefits of immersing yourself in a foreign text. For example, one study conducted at the Monterey Institute of International Studies showed that students acquire and retain verb conjugation skills through repeated exposure in written texts.And yet, so many of us find cracking open a massive volume of text nearly impossible. What if one simple tool could completely rewrite how you think about reading foreign materials?Instead of spending long hours trying to deduct meaning from confusing words youve yet to master, you could speed through pages and pages of text in about the same time it takes you to read in English. Think this sounds like nothing more than a pipe dream?Prepare yourself for a revolutionary technique thatll change your whole approach to learning through books. One Stupidly Easy E-book Hack Thatll Supercharge Your Language LearningAfter that massive buildup, brace yourself for this one word solution: e-books.Yeah, I know, it sounds super anticlimactic. After all, an e-book is just a physical book in digital form, so what’s the big deal? You see, e-books have one incredible advantage over physical textsâ€"most e-readers support in-line dictionaries.Do you see where this is headed?I stumbled upon this incredible language learning hack a few years ago, and I can honestly say it has changed my whole approach to reading in a foreign language. Simply install a foreign dictionary on your e-reader, download a book in your target language and start reading.As you encounter words youre unfamiliar with, click the text and an English definition (or, if desired, a definition in your target language) will be displayed immediately. Best of all, many e -readers will automatically save searched  words for later reference, making it super simple to engrave those new terms in your brain.Ready to get the ball rolling? Follow the 3 simple steps below to optimize your e-reader for your language learning needs and goals. I personally use this technique on a Kindle device and it works like a charm, but the approach is similar for all e-readers. Stop dreaming about the benefits of mastering a new language and start actually doing it.1. Procure the Right DictionaryIf youre anything like me, youll probably find modern literature a tad bit more stimulating than stuffy prose scribbled down two centuries ago.Yes, theres a time and place for Victor Hugo’s long-winded descriptions and colorful speech, but youll likely enjoy a recent novel more than Notre-Dame de Paris. Not only do contemporary writers tend to keep their stories moving more quickly, but they frequently use slang and everyday language you wont find in the tomes of the celebrated authors of the 1800s.While there are plenty of great dictionaries available to today’s language learners, you need to find an option that includes the commonplace words used by modern speakers. In an ideal world, youd be able to look up WordReference translations  and forum comments in a split second, but e-books havent quite made it to that point yet.Fortunately, you can locate a recent edition of a popular dictionary in most e-reader stores. Be sure to read over reviews from other buyers in order to find the right book for you. Also, keep in mind that you may want a dictionary that provides definitions in English! This could be key to helping you speed through your reading. If youre more advanced or if you feel like challenging yourself, try using a monolingual dictionary (all in the target language).As an aside, its worth mentioning that you can get in-line definitions for text on the web using WordReference’s engine! Plugins are available for both Chrome and Firefox. Feel ov erwhelmed by news stories or foreign blogs? This free tool is an absolute lifesaver.2. Choose a Well-liked BookLet me tell you a little secret: bad literature isnt any better in a foreign language.Don’t go through all the motions to optimize your e-reader only to discover youve picked up something truly atrocious.Instead, take your time reading the reviews for available novels and be sure to pick something from your preferred genre. For example, I eagerly devour mysteries and thrillers, which is why you’ll find my Kindle full of foreign titles in this niche. It’s much easier to push ahead if you enjoy the source material.By the way, if youre still unconvinced about choosing an e-book over a hard copy, I understand your pain. I still love and cherish my physical copies of my favorite books, and I completely sympathize with readers who feel hesitant to go digital.It’s worth noting, however, that unless you plan to make a quick jaunt overseas in the near future, youll likely ha ve some difficulty obtaining copies of recent books in your language of choice. Not only do you have to contend with limited distribution and international copyright issues, but many booksellers can’t justify importing large numbers of a book in a foreign language. Even if you can find a copy of what youre looking for, youll likely spend a small fortune to purchase it.E-books, on the other hand, are much more affordable and easily accessible to everyone. You may still encounter limited availability from time to time, but the problem is much less severe in the digital space. If youre a Kindle reader like I am, you might also want to give one of Amazon’s many independent publishers a shot.Im an avowed fan of many authors, both foreign and domestic, whove chosen to self-publish riveting stories you wont find on the shelves of traditional retailers. For example, if you were looking for a great French read, Id recommend that you check out Jacques Vandrouxs Les Pierres Couchéesâ€"thi s supernatural thriller was a favorite of mine last year.3. Practice Your New VocabularyLanguage learning is immensely enjoyable, but it does represent a certain time commitment.After becoming immersed in a fantastic foreign novel, I have often found myself guilty of speeding through the text rather than pausing to work on the new words Ive discovered. Dont fall prey to this trap, tempting as it may be to read your way to the final page in one sitting.Instead, try to work through your vocabulary in bite-sized chunks. Ive personally found it most useful to refer to my new vocab words after completing each new chapter. Many Kindle devices conveniently file every word you define into an app called Vocabulary Builder. You can refer to these words at any time and the devices even support flashcards for your vocab words.Your mileage may vary with other e-readers, so be sure to read up on the features of a potential device if youre considering a new purchase.As much as I appreciate the inn ovation of digital e-readers, I do have to admit that I still find it easier to retain words with physical flashcards.I simply copy my vocab words from my e-reader onto traditional index cards. And, of course, dont forget to feed your reading with other language development methods throughout your day. The ongoing exposure will help take your language skills into the stratosphere!Acquiring proficiency in a foreign language demands a hefty commitment of time and energy, but the satisfaction of speaking another language makes the sacrifice well worth it.As you use this simple reading tool to supercharge your retention skills, youre bound to notice a difference within a few months.The day you find yourself reading page after page without once referring to the dictionary translation, youll no doubt find yourself ecstatic with the progress youve made.Adam Zetterlund is a language enthusiast living in New York City. He spent five years honing his foreign language skills in Paris and Londo n, and he currently partners with a number of international clients in a marketing capacity. Learn more by reading his blog.And One More ThingIf youre digging these strategies, 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 variety 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 ex amples 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.

Five Books for the Nature Lover in You

Five Books for the Nature Lover in You Are you a nature lover? Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Natures peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” John Muir, Our National Parks Youre sitting at your desk, staring at the blank page that should be an essay. Out of all the times to have writers block, your mind picks the weekend before a crucial due date. You look around, trying to find inspiration in just about anything. The dirty clothes, magazines, and movie tickets scattered on your floor fail to get the brain going. Suddenly, a monarch butterfly graces your window pane. Mesmerized by its other-worldliness, you start writing. Unless youre Nabokov, a butterfly might not be enough to type the next great novel, but you get my point. Nature has always been a source for inspiration, wonderment, and wisdom this applies to anyone, not just a nature lover. Sadly, were losing more and more of it everyday, but hope is not lost. Many communities, schools, and cities have taken initiative into their own hands; developing greener educational environments. For example, Moton Elementary school in Tampa Bay, Florida has created a gardening program that spans a students entire grade-school career. The program is a learning experience, with hopes to gain awareness that food and flowers come from the ground. Some of our greatest minds have been naturalist, botanists, and nature lovers. Where would we be as a nation without our National Parks? You have green thinkers such as John Muir to thank for that. Further, learning about nature through the passionate eyes of such men and women is inspiring for any student. Did you know Mr. Muir wept with happiness the first time he discovered the elusive Calypso borealis? Whether youre struggling to find some writing inspiration, or just need a good wave of intellectual curiosity, here are five naturalist books everyone should read. One last thing, make sure you read these under a tree, or by a babbling brook, well, just anywhere away from your Facebook. Enjoy. 5. Kindred and Related Spirits The Letters of John Muir and Jeanne C. Carr Edited by Bonnie Johanna Gisel Fate and flowers have carried me to California, and I have reveled and luxuriated amid its plants and mountains nearly four months John Muir In the rare situation of a light schedule, I enrolled in a three credit Nature and Religion course my senior year at Michigan State University. Though we only had a brief two days learning about John Muir, I was struck by his commitment. Recently, while searching the towering walls of books at Bargain Books in Van Nuys, I came across this charming collection of letters between the famed naturalist and his lifelong friend Jeanne C. Carr. Its an excellent documentation of Muirs growth as a botanist, as well as an incredible friendship. 4. Turtle Island Gary Snyder The first time I read about Gary Snyder was in Jack Kerouacs The Dharma Bums. As the inspiration behind the   Japhy Ryder, Snyders ecological wisdom finds its roots in indigenous spirituality, animism, and Buddhism. He seems almost mad with natural contentment Japhy notoriously treks the wilderness in the buff. More than just a poet, Gary Snyder was a dynamic educator. In this collection of poetry and straight talk, youll find an incredible amount of knowledge behind his imagery. 3. The Spiritual Emerson Essential Works by Ralph Waldo Emerson Odds are youre familiar with Ralph Waldo Emersons famous essay Self-Reliance, but its a shame to just stop there. A pioneer of transcendentalism, Emerson preached, through poetry and prose, that any and all individuals must find their own unique relation to the universe. Whether it be in solitude, under an old oak tree with nothing but songbirds to keep you company, or in front of a classroom, mankind is lost without nature. This Tarcher Cornerstone Edition includes such provoking essays as Circles, Fate, and much more. Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” 2. Silent Spring Rachel Carson The release of this book was paramount in starting the modern environmentalism movement. To put it simply, the natural world is as fragile as it is complex. Though our innovations are meant to make life easier, they sometimes cause dangerous side-effects. You may recall old footage from the 1950s of municipal vehicles driving down suburban streets, leaving a wake of chemical clouds in its path. What was so striking about this image was the children laughing and chasing the cars, encompassed by the mysterious cloud. The vehicles were spreading DDT, and its results were staggering . As the strongest pesticide the world had ever seen, DDT was successful in killing mosquitoes, and, at the time, believed to be safe. Nowadays, the idea of inhaling DDT is terrifying. Its a known carcinogen, and lethal to species other than mosquitoes. Thanks to the curious eye of some University students and professors, the mysterious death of thousands of birds caused an investigation that would lead to the poisonous culprit. Rachel Carsons, at the time controversial, book,   Silent Spring, allowed the world to become wise to the effects our actions have on the planet, and that we must be mindful of our relationship to it. 1. A Sand County Almanac: With Other Essays on Conservation from Round River Aldo Leopold Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins, as in art, with the pretty. It expands through successive stages of the beautiful to values as yet uncaptured by language.” The finest environmentalist writer since Emerson and Thoreau, Aldo Leopold captures the wisdom of our enormous planet in the frame of Wisconsins countryside. The author/ nature lover Demands an ethical relationship to nature, as well as an effortless wonderment of its beauty. Feeling inspired? Now that your essay is finished, how about a drive to Topanga park for a hike? Remember, inspiration can come from anywhere, but its up to you to discover it, Los Angeles!

How to maximize effectiveness when working with a new tutor

How to maximize effectiveness when working with a new tutor As a tutor, my first session is often a chance for me to get a grip of what is going on with the student. To get the best mileage out of your tutor, it is helpful if you have the following information.If the instructor gives regular exams it is helpful to schedule tutoring before these important events. Sometimes timing is everything. Scheduling of tutoring sessions should be optimized to take advantage of the school calendar.Teacher contact information. The very best tutors (and those that follow the frog tutoring methodology) will contact the students teacher and create a lesson plan that will align tutoring sessions with classroom milestones for maximum results.Graded material is a great way for a tutor to understand how questions are asked and what kind of information the teacher places a premium on. Does the teacher want to test primarily on vocabulary? Does the teacher stress concepts? What is the teacher’s policy on showing work for mathematical problems and how many points are given for demonstrated work? These questions and others can be answered by seeing graded work. If graded work is kept in the classroom it is often possible to get photocopies provided of work completed by the teacher.What motivates the student? What motivations are currently being used to keep the student on track academically? Information on this can help the tutor coax higher levels of performance from a student in a way that they are familiar with. A good tutor may have insight on other means of motivating students to excellent performance. It is also helpful to let your tutor know of any passions your student has outside of school. If your child is very interested in nature it is possible to make obvious associations between their learning and biology, but ties can also be made to mathematics, for example genetics uses a lot of mathematical formulae as do the reaction rates of enzymes. Writing skills can be improved by looking at research papers and understanding the convent ions of footnotes and so on. The possibilities are, in fact, endless.A parent who is involved with the school system provides a better partner when communicating with the school system. A parent who has attended parent teacher conferences or sits on the PTA board will be able to provide valuable insights and have enhanced relationships.Also a student and their parents should have short and long term goals that are SMART. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realist, and Time bound. I cannot take personal credit for this acronym. This is actually taught by the US military to assure success in team assignments.Another thing that I recommend for all my students is to have a separate notebook to serve as a journal for their progress. I make a differentiation at this point for students who ask if this is a diary. It is not. This journal is meant to keep track of the work assigned and the work completed with the tutor. This journal should be a physical record of the w ork completed and can serve as a guide for the parents to see how their tutors time is being spent with their child.Reviewing this information would ideally be done on a regular basis by both the student and parents. Feedback from both parties with the tutor would be helpful.Also this can serve as notes for another tutor if another one needs to be found for any reason.A tutor is a significant investment for all involved, including the tutor, and it is a blessing that everyone involved desires the same goal. A successful and happy student!Happy studying!

Going off the Grid You Can Still Use These 6 Offline Translator Apps!

Going off the Grid You Can Still Use These 6 Offline Translator Apps! Going off the Grid? You Can Still Use These 6 Offline Translator Apps! You walk into an amazing, authentic Chinese restaurant.The menu is completely in Chinese. The entire staff and all the other people eating there are Chinese. Talk about the real deal!The only problem? Theres no Wi-Fi in the restaurant, so you cant translate the menu.What do you do in situations like this?Well, if you have an offline translator app on hand, theres no problem at all!Whether youre visiting authentic Chinese restaurants, spending the summer in France or hiking in Peru, youre bound to find yourself without Wi-Fi from time to time.  Thankfully, offline translator apps are here to save the day! Going off the Grid? You Can Still Use These 6 Offline Translator Apps!Translators are great tools for learning new words in a foreign language.  Dont just identify these words and forget about them. Create flashcard sets of the words youve encountered with your translator!FluentU is a fantastic tool for creating digital, interactive flashcards.    FluentU takes real-world videosâ€" like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons. But besides videos, its also a resource for making interactive, multimedia flashcards!With FluentU, you hear languages in real-world contextsâ€"the way that native speakers actually use them. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of FluentU videos on offer:FluentU really takes the grunt work out of learning languages, leaving you with nothing but engaging, effective and efficient learning. It’s already hand-picked the best videos for you and organized them by level and topic. All you have to do is choose any video that strikes your fancy to get started!Each word in the interactive captions comes with a definition, audio, image, example sentences and more.Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and easily review words and phrases from the video under Vocab.You can use FluentU’s unique adaptive quizzes to learn the vocabulary and phrases from the video through fun questions and exercises. Just swipe left or right to see more examples of the word youre studying.The program even keeps track of what you’re learning and tells you exactly when it’s time for review, giving you a 100% personalized experience.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes store or Google Play store.Google TranslateAvailable:  iOS  |  AndroidPractically everybody knows about Google Translate!  Its mobile app is astounding, both online and offline. Its so ubiquitous that it’s the first and last app most people think of for translating.Languages OfferedWith the Google Translate app, you can choose to translate to and from 103 different languages. That’s only with an internet connection, though.When you use it offline, you have to download each language pack individually, and “only” 59 are available.Unique FeaturesGoogle Trans late was one of the first apps to implement the camera mode, which is now available in quite a few apps on the market.Right now, there’s an active community of multilingual Google users that translates and corrects the most commonly used words and phrases.  That extra human attention can really go a long way toward a smooth translation experience.WaygoAvailable:  iOS  |  AndroidIn Chinese, wàiguó  means “foreign.”Thats how the developers came up with the name Waygo. They were working and living in Asia and realized that an offline app would be perfect for travelers trying to navigate the unfamiliar languages around China, Japan and South Korea.Languages OfferedAs the developers of Waygo have special connections to East Asia, the app only works for Chinese, Japanese and Korean. More languages are said to be in development.Unique FeaturesWaygo was built to be a lightweight offline translator. You can even use it on older phones that don’t have the same processing power or st orage space as today’s flagships.Because a lot of people will be using this app in restaurants, the dictionary databases have a large stock of dish and ingredient names available.iTranslateAvailable:  iOS  |  AndroidThere’s nothing like beautiful aesthetics to keep you coming back to an app.  With iTranslate, the process of translating sentences and looking up words is intuitive and seamless, as well as robust enough to go toe-to-toe with industry giants. These features make it many users top choice for an offline translator app.In fact, the design team put so much work into making it run well on iOS that it won an Apple Design Award for 2018.Languages OfferedOnline, you can translate between 90 different languages, including specialized ones like non-standard Arabic languages and even Canadian French.Offline, that list shrinks down to a still respectable 37, covering a huge proportion of the world’s speakers.Unique FeaturesiTranslate is the only app on the market to support r eal-time conversation translation between non-standard varieties of Arabic.  People from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt can use this app just like anybody else, along with speakers of Cantonese, another language you won’t find on every app.Microsoft TranslatorAvailable:  iOS  |  AndroidMicrosoft Translator is working hard to optimize their translation technology for businesses, including a new feature where people can translate their PowerPoint presentations in real time.So how do their mobile apps stack up against the competition?Languages OfferedThe offline mode supports 44 languages, and 11 of the largest ones come with the more advanced neural network processing algorithmâ€"a fancy way to say that they use AI to improve translation quality.Unique FeaturesOther apps let you translate a conversation in real time, but if two users both have Microsoft Translator installed on their phones, it’s a cinch to actually create a private chat room.From there, each part icipant can type and receive messages in their own preferred languages.Microsoft Translator also provides multiple translation options. This is helpful if youre trying to communicate in a foreign language and need to find the best phrase to adequately express yourself.Baidu TranslateAvailable:  iOSYou may have heard of Baidu once or twice if youre from North America, but in China, it’s all the rage.Their translation algorithms have been making leaps and bounds in the past few years, particularly with Chinese as a source language.Languages OfferedThe app lets you translate between English and Chinese.  That might initially seem limiting, but according to many Chinese-speaking users who leave reviews online, Baidu Translates translations for Chinese are much more accurate than Google Translates.Unique FeaturesBaidu’s app probably has the widest range of neat features of any offline translation app on this list.One of the coolest is object translation, which allows you to snap a pi cture of something in the real world and see the Chinese and English names for it, along with native-speaker recordings.(Right now, object translation is only available when youre connected to the internet. But in a few years, who knows?)Offline, though, you can still have access to sample sentences for any one-word translations between English and Chinese, as well as a phrasebook that comes with native-speaker recordings.ABBYY TextGrabberAvailable:  iOS  |  AndroidSurprised to see an OCR (optical character recognition) brand name on this list? Sometimes a little specialization is good for a product.The idea is that ABBYY TextGrabber first and foremost is an OCR app that can digitize signs and menus, and the adequate translation function is just icing on the cake.Languages OfferedThis app actually has the most languages available for camera recognition on the market: over 60. That’s quite a few more than several of these other apps put together!Unique FeaturesABBYY TextGrabber has one feature and it does it well: finding text in images that are blurry, tilted or filled with strange alphabets.You can take that text and then use the built-in dictionaries to find out what it means. If you arent satisfied with those definitions, drop that text into one of the other apps on this list thats more focused on translation.Wherever you go in the world, simply making an effort to understand and be understood goes a long way.Learn from the translations that come out of your phone. Do your best to use them as a bridge to actual communication. That’s the key to an excellent journey!

Finding the Right Tutoring Volunteer Opportunities in Chicago

Finding the Right Tutoring Volunteer Opportunities in ChicagoMany people have benefited from working as a tutor and tutoring volunteer in Chicago, Illinois. If you are one of those people, you might have noticed that many companies and schools are turning to tutors and tutor volunteers to help fill their classes and help their employees get more out of their jobs.More people are finding that this type of work has many benefits for their lives and it can even be a way to increase their income. It is not just a good thing for people to know that they can make extra money or even learn something new about a subject they already know. It is a great way to make a real difference in your community.Finding out how to become a tutor in Chicago is not difficult. You can sign up with some volunteer tutoring programs, join a class offered by a company or go online to find many other tutoring opportunities.Some opportunities are on a schedule, while others allow you to sign up whenever you want. It will depend on the needs of the company and your own availability, but you should start getting to know those areas when you look for tutoring volunteer opportunities in Chicago.You should find out if the school that is offering you the job has the right company to provide you with the training and experience to succeed. If it does, it is very important that you know that the tutoring program they are using has a good reputation. Those who know about tutoring volunteering in Chicago tell people to look out for someone who is trustworthy.Hiring someone can be a tricky process because the first impression is crucial. Look into the people who are offering you the position to see what they are all about. If they can offer you good information about what they offer and how you can help the tutoring program in your area, you may find that the decision to hire you is a very easy one.Learning is one of the greatest things that anyone can do. The more people that are able to benefit from tutoring volunteer opportunities in Chicago, the better off everyone will be. Find out more about these opportunities by checking out the information above.

Laton Tutoring - The Pay As You Go Model of the Company

Laton Tutoring - The Pay As You Go Model of the CompanyLaton Tutoring is one of the newest companies in the marketplace today. This company works with different youth leaders and organizations and provides many different programs for youth and adults. One of the things that is so great about the services provided by this company is that it allows the youth to use the different services on a pay as you go basis.When there are many different students involved, the organization has to provide special materials that work with them individually. There are many of these materials that are tailored specifically to the specific needs of the student and the different classes. Some of the services offered include, music lessons, travel lessons, sports lessons, cooking lessons, photography lessons, martial arts lessons, computer training and so much more.The various programs are offered to many different students so they will all get the opportunity to succeed. Not everyone will succeed at the same rate. However, this company has one thing in common and that is that they are all very affordable and will allow the student to enjoy the education that they receive while on their pay as you go basis.This company offers various services to many different students at different times of the year. One thing that you should know about the organization is that they offer many different programs that are geared towards children and teenagers.They have programs such as, swimming, baseball, football, basketball, bowling, soccer, tennis, golf, gymnastics, aerobics, dance and many more different types of services that the students will enjoy. The options that they offer are so varied that they will allow all the students to enjoy the benefits that they will receive.In addition to the different facilities that they offer, they offer a wide variety of programs. You will be able to find many different types of programs that are designed to help all the different students and work for all t he different budgets.All of the different programs are able to work for all the different needs of the students. It will be up to the student to choose the program that is best for them.

10 Important Differences Between Spanish Portuguese

10 Important Differences Between Spanish Portuguese Sign up successful To help you get started, our friends at LiveLingua  put together a post showcasing some key things to remember. Heres part of the article: 1. Difference between hasta and hacia. In Portuguese there is no hacia preposition. There is the preposition até, but we need to explain the difference very well so students can learn how to use it properly.  In short words, hacia indicates the direction in which we move and hasta the point at which we arrived. 2. The preposition “a” after many verbs. The most common example [in Spanish] is “ir a.” I guess it must be weird for some Portuguese native speakers to use an expression even found in Portuguese, but adding an “a” in the middle. Let’s have a look at this sentence: Vou sair agora ( Portuguese), Voy a salir ahora (Spanish) 3. The position of reflexive pronouns. The rule is very simple. In Spanish, when the tense is either gerund or infinitive, the pronoun merges to the end of the verb. Otherwise when the verb is conjugated, the pronoun is placed before the verb and not joined. Example: dormirse, bañarse; se durmió, te bañaste, etc. 4. False friends or very similar words. Every language has to face this issue. We only learn this when we come across those words. There is a funny word which needs to be clarified: almóndiga. This is a Spanish slang word which means “meatball,” but in Portuguese is pronounced albóndiga. In Portuguese a vagabundo is a person who leads a bad life, while in Spanish it is someone who lives on the street (morador de rua in Portuguese). 5. Muy or mucho? In Portuguese this is easy: muito is the only word compared to those two. Muy is used before adverbs and adjectives, while mucho is placed either before a noun or after a verbs. When we want to make a comparison, we always have to use mucho. Example: Es mucho (no muy!!!) mejor que tú. The article goes on to list five more differences between Portuguese and Spanish continue reading it  here! Now, ready to get started learning Portuguese? Keep these tips in mind: Determine your learning style and goals.  Instead of blindly jumping  into learning, have a plan in place. Are you learning for fun? Do you want to be fluent? How do you learn best? Knowing the answers to these will help you stay on track. Here are some guiding questions to start with. Find a conversation partner. The most important part of learning a new language is understanding the context and having real conversations with others, and practice makes perfect! Instead of simply memorizing vocabulary words, make the effort to talk and listen! Work with a tutor.  Taking 1-on-1 lessons with a language tutor is a great way to get that conversation practice. TakeLessons offers both Portuguese tutors and Spanish tutors to help you improve. Readers, do you have experience learning both Portuguese and Spanish? Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts! 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

Teach Yourself to Play the Drums

Teach Yourself to Play the Drums The Guide to Teaching Yourself to Play the Drums ChaptersThe Most Effective Methods for Teaching Yourself to DrumHow Do You Organise a Drumming Session on Your Own?How Long Does it Take to Become a Good Drummer?The Best Advice for DrummingDrumming Definitions“Music is the true breath of life. We eat so we won't starve to death. We sing so we can hear ourselves live.” - Yasmina KhadraBy 2020, the UK musical instrument market is expected to grow to over £400m. Obviously, this isn't just a bunch of rich musicians buying loads of instruments, plenty of people are deciding they want to express their creativity through music.More and more people are choosing to play the drums, too.  It isn’t always easy to teach yourself how to play the drums and if you don’t want to take lessons with a drum tutor, you’re really going to have to put the effort.You’re going to need motivation, rigour, and a drum kit with at least a snare drum, bass drum, and a hi-hat cymbal to get started with some basic beats.Teaching yourself to play a musi cal instrument is a lot of work and if you lack motivation sometimes, don’t forget your goals! You can always opt for music lessons if you feel that you’re struggling.However, in this article, we're going to focus on driven musicians who are happy to go it alone without the help of teachers, tutors, or traditional music lessons.Future Sounds by David GaribaldiAdvanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer by Jim ChapinThe Art of Bop Drumming by John RileyModern Rudimental Swing Solos by Charley WilcoxonBuddy Rich’s Modern Interpretation of Snare Drum Rudiments by Buddy Rich and Henry AdlerThere are also other ways to learn the drums. For example, reading a book on the history of drums and interviews with famous drummers could also help you to improve.How Do You Organise a Drumming Session on Your Own?A drum session can be organised in the same way as going to the gym: you need to warm up before you move onto the exercises else you won't get the most out of each session.Sometimes y ou've just got to play like you were on stage! (Source: Free-Photos)You’ll also sweat like you would at the gym, push your limits, go further, and end the session with a few aches and pains after having had a good go on the cymbals, practised a ternary rhythm, or worked on your hi-hat technique.  The only difference is that you’ll need more creativity when you play the drums than you would doing a few sets at the gym.Before you get started, make sure you’ve got everything ready so that you won’t waste any time. Set your phone to silent and start your session with:10 minutes of warming up: play around on the drums to loosen up and play a song you like in any style you see fit. You need to loosen up your wrists and warm up your muscles.10 minutes of warming your brain up: keep time on the snare drum while playing around with the pedals.20 to 30 minutes of focused practice: work on exercises or a particular piece you’re learning. The only rule is to improve with each repetiti on.10 to 20 minutes of fun: play a song or improvise to your heart’s content. The goal is to express your creativity.If you can’t dedicate an hour each day to practice, you should still practise every day, even if it’s just 20 minutes during the week (and a full hour during the weekend). In fact, regularity is far more important than how much time you spend practising.In this case, you’ll have to spend less time warming up and do 10 to 15 minutes of actual practice.Find out more about how to learn the drums by yourself. SerbanDrum Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyDrum Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RussellDrum Teacher 5.00 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesDrum Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StephenDrum Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeteDrum Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OllieDrum Teac her 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexDrum Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Long Does it Take to Become a Good Drummer?If you just do an hour per week in a music school, you won’t progress that weekly. You need to commit more time to drumming than that.Becoming a professional drummer takes hours of practice and study. (Source: facundowin)You need around 10,000 hours of practice in order to become a professional drummer.  This means that you need to practise for 2 and a half hours every day, 365 days a year, for 10 years! Even if you’re really driven, it’s very difficult to keep to this schedule (especially on days like Christmas).However, that mightn’t be your goal.  20 minutes of practice three times a week is already a good start.We often wrongly think that the drums are one of the easiest musical instruments to play. It’s not because your right hand and your left hand will do completely different things and so will your feet. You need to use all your limbs independently in order to become a good drummer.Furthermore, the drums aren’t a harmonic instrument, you need to keep time, which is no easy feat. The rhythm will change depending on the genre, too. A drummer needs to adapt as they’re the one carrying the whole band.During the day, don’t hesitate to practise your drumming even if you don’t have your drums to hand. Drum away on your legs, cushions, or your desk during your lunch break.Think about it. You could effectively spend 10 minutes practising a rudiment rather than idly scrolling through your Facebook feed. Spend your 30-minute commute listening to a drumbeat and de-constructing it in order to play it later on.You need to form a habit of playing at a given time during the day for a certain number of minutes on each exercise. After a month, you’ll see that you’ve got into the habit.Read our top tips for learning to play the drums.The Best Advice for DrummingThere’s a lot of advice around that can help you in a variety of different styles.Adopt a good posture: look at the correct posture to have at the drum kit.Hold your drumsticks correctly: there are several ways to hold drumsticks, American grip, German grip, French grip, and Traditional grip.Film yourself: this is the best way to correct your mistakes.Play with a metronome: this makes sure that you can keep time perfectly.Be patient: don’t skip any steps otherwise you run the risk of stunting your progress. You need to learn how to play both slowly and quickly.Practise regularly: It’s better to practise 6 times a week for 20 minutes at a time rather than a single 3-hour session.Relax: You can’t play when you’re tense.Learn your rudiments: Drum rudiments are essential for any budding drummer.Learn music theory: you can learn by ear but it’s much easier if you can actually read sheet music.Play anywhere and everywhere: If you can’t access a drumkit, make sure that  you drum on anyth ing you can.Have fun: don’t forget to have fun and develop your creativity.Find a band: you’ll progress a lot more quickly by working alongside other musicians and working on a piece together.Don’t forget that it’s much easier to remain motivated if you practise regularly and keep your goals in mind than trying to learn everything in just one long session.Playing in a band will really help you to improve your drumming. (Source: robci95)Drumming DefinitionsThe drums, just like the electric guitar, bass, or saxophone, have their own language that you need to learn. You'll quickly find yourself lost if you haven't got a clue what your new drumming books are on about!TablatureThis is a graphic representation of the music to play. For drums, this will tell you which drum to hit and when. This is slightly different and easier to understand than traditional sheet music.TimbaleroThis is a musician who plays the timbales, shallow single-headed drums with a metal casing that are often played in pairs.