Factors to Consider Before Attending a Doctor of Philosophy Program

Factors to Consider Before Attending a Doctor of Philosophy ProgramLooking for a qualified and experienced tutor Doctor of Philosophy from New York or Toronto? Here are some tips that will help you choose the right school to enroll yourself.Check the Accreditation: Depending on your interest, choose the school which has excellent accreditation, superior faculty, and best programs. Accreditation is the evaluation of an educational institution for its quality, teaching methods, and their effectiveness in producing graduates with sufficient skills. If the schools' accreditation is good, you can expect them to be able to provide you with the right guidance on the subjects you would like to study. You may also want to ask the administration regarding their commitment and willingness to accommodate you and your family during your study abroad program.Choosing the Best Programs: As a common question, whether you should choose one of the Doctor of Philosophy program at sudbury or another pro gram in your area. You should choose the best programs, those that will make you feel as though you are on a college campus. As a student, it is essential to choose the best college that will allow you to study and grow as a person and get a college degree. Doctor of Philosophy in psychology and other related courses will always make you feel as though you are at a college campus.It is advisable to pick the DPH from New York or Toronto if you want to experience the life and culture of one of the most prestigious schools of the country. The great qualities and facilities that the school can offer its students are nothing short of being 'beloved' by most of the students who have studied here. The tutors are well-trained and prepared, and are on their way to becoming professional psychologists.Sudbury Ontario offers some of the best programs in the psychology field, and are also known for their outstanding faculty and wonderful programs. These tutors are well-equipped to guide you thro ugh the course, and develop you into a highly capable individual who will be able to succeed in your chosen career field.When you are ready to make an appointment with your trusted doctor of philosophy, get all the necessary information about him or her. Learn more about the curriculum, classes, advisors, publications, extracurricular activities, and accommodations.Ask the school administrators to send you an essay to fill out after your first visit to the school. This will help you to understand if you would like to live and study there. It will also help you find out if you are sure you will be comfortable in the school environment, and the surroundings will give you a lot of time to think about the needs of your family while you are there.

Three Key Ways to optimise how the Brain Learns

Three Key Ways to optimise how the Brain Learns Guest post by David Morgan. Children spend so much of their life in a classroom. The average person spends fourteen thousand, one hundred and forty-five hours of life at school! But there are a few key ways that help the brain learn more easily and make that time better spent: 1. Prioritizing play Learning is optimized for children and many adults in an active, play-based learning environment. I think we would all agree that boredom is the death of learning! When schoolchildren are actively engaged in completing a learning task, it is more likely that the knowledge acquired will be retained by the brain. Numerous pedagogical studies have proven this principle over the years; trawl through your search engine to find many pages of relevant results! Children that are primarily kinaesthetic learners should have an extra emphasis on this kind of active learning, though all learning styles can benefit from it. 2. Shrinking Stress If boredom is the death of learning, then stress is the enemy of education. Neurologically, stress elevates your levels of cortisol and adrenaline which in turn reduces peripheral brain activity. You may have heard of this effect before: when the brain interprets there being a threat or risk of some kind, it shuts down all higher functioning and addresses the stressful situation at hand through the classic fight, flight or freeze response. All kinds of knowledge acquisition involve higher brain functioning, so any activities which create anxiety in the classroom environment will actually prevent learning. If a child is overly anxious, then it is important to focus on increasing his or her confidence through short learning exercises where failure is an unlikely outcome. 3. Mobilizing Emotion Emotion is one of the most prominent players in memory creation. In fact, selecting which memories to retain is one of the crucial roles of our emotions. As you might expect, when your emotions are disengaged, memory retention is much reduced. In an interesting paradox, the standard Victorian method of creating an atmosphere of fear or punishment in the classroom would have reduced the ability of the students to perform due to stress, but counteracting that, it might have helped them remember some knowledge taught. As a rule, however, scare tactics in the classroom are unadvisable! Positively enforced emotions lead to optimum performance AND good memory retention. David Morgan is Managing Director of Oxford Learning Solutions, creators of the Easyread System, which teaches struggling learners how to read. Easyread specializes in cases of dyslexia, highly visual learning styles, and auditory processing deficits. Find out more at www.easyreadsystem.com and follow the latest literacy news at www.facebook.com/easyreadsystem

How to Enjoy a Car Trip with your Kids.

How to Enjoy a Car Trip with your Kids. Are you going on a car trip with your kids? Your friends make you worry a little bit asking only one question Are you crazy?. But you have such wonderful memories of past car trips when you were a kid. So, now you  want to take your  kids on the best car trip ever, but how? Dont worry! Ill give you a few tips how to have everything under control and enjoy the ride. My number one suggestion is to never let your kids be starving. Pack up nuts, fruits, crackers, cheese, beef jerky or whatever they like. Also bring a plenty of  water and soda. Do not ever travel without a big pack of baby wipes! It can come in handy when you clean your kids sticky fingers after eating snacks. And, of course, do not forget about sun cream, bug spray and also  the  first aid kit. You might think you dont need these, but bring them just in case. Then you may think about your kids travel entertainment. For instance,   everyone knows the alphabet game or car bingo. In order to make bingo more interesting let your kids make the bingo board by themselves. Let them write the words down they want in there. Older kids can write a travel diary. These diaries dont have to be expensive; a simple notebook would do just fine. Engage them to write down places you go and impressions they have. In a couple of years they will read this diary with a smile on their faces. Create a music playlist that holds the favorite songs of  the entire family. And sing them together like in a real rock band. Another fun thing to do is to give your kids a road map. It is a great time to teach them map skills which  is  an essential outdoor skill. You will be  surprised if this is the reason your son becomes an geography tutor. Or let them just read the funny city names like Bee Cave, TX or Angels Camp, CA. Car trips can be an exciting time  to your entire family and might even produce  some of the best memories of this fabulous summer 2015. If you enjoyed reading this article you might also want to check out my other article about this summer 2015:    How to Have Fun with your Kids without Spending Money. How to Enjoy a Car Trip with your Kids. Are you going on a car trip with your kids? Your friends make you worry a little bit asking only one question Are you crazy?. But you have such wonderful memories of past car trips when you were a kid. So, now you  want to take your  kids on the best car trip ever, but how? Dont worry! Ill give you a few tips how to have everything under control and enjoy the ride. My number one suggestion is to never let your kids be starving. Pack up nuts, fruits, crackers, cheese, beef jerky or whatever they like. Also bring a plenty of  water and soda. Do not ever travel without a big pack of baby wipes! It can come in handy when you clean your kids sticky fingers after eating snacks. And, of course, do not forget about sun cream, bug spray and also  the  first aid kit. You might think you dont need these, but bring them just in case. Then you may think about your kids travel entertainment. For instance,   everyone knows the alphabet game or car bingo. In order to make bingo more interesting let your kids make the bingo board by themselves. Let them write the words down they want in there. Older kids can write a travel diary. These diaries dont have to be expensive; a simple notebook would do just fine. Engage them to write down places you go and impressions they have. In a couple of years they will read this diary with a smile on their faces. Create a music playlist that holds the favorite songs of  the entire family. And sing them together like in a real rock band. Another fun thing to do is to give your kids a road map. It is a great time to teach them map skills which  is  an essential outdoor skill. You will be  surprised if this is the reason your son becomes an geography tutor. Or let them just read the funny city names like Bee Cave, TX or Angels Camp, CA. Car trips can be an exciting time  to your entire family and might even produce  some of the best memories of this fabulous summer 2015. If you enjoyed reading this article you might also want to check out my other article about this summer 2015:    How to Have Fun with your Kids without Spending Money.

5 Top Online Resources for Practicing Languages to Fluency

5 Top Online Resources for Practicing Languages to Fluency 5 Top Online Resources for Practicing Languages to Fluency The internet has truly revolutionized language learning.I remember what it was like back in the day, when the Web was home to only a few amateur sites that claimed to teach various languages.I was at the mercy of  what my library chose to order or what the local bookstore happened to have in stock.Audio? Inconvenient.Video? Impossible.Actually speaking  with native speakers online? Unheard of!But today?Were able to practically take all these things for granted.So let us take a moment of silence to be grateful for the modern internet.With today’s veritable gold mine of target language media,  online courses  and other learning tools, there’s no reason not to excel at your chosen language.You can immerse yourself completely, so that you’re only interacting in your target language. It’s beautiful!But how exactly do you go about maximizing this wonderful modern world in which we live?Keep reading, because Im going to share the very best resources and tips with you! 5 Top Online Resources for Practicing Languages to FluencyOnline Conversation Sites for Speaking PracticeSpeaking is really what we think of when we consider fluency in a particular language. It’s communication! It’s impressive! It’s… intimidating?Sure. Whether you seek out speaking practice when you have only a few words under your belt (à la Benny Lewis from Fluent in 3 Months), or whether you decide to talk after a lengthy silent period, talking to a native speaker for the first time can be a scary prospect.That’s why conversation exchanges are one of the best ways to practice languages. You can find a partner on a site like italki. Someone who is in the throes of learning your native language from scratch. The mutual understanding works wonders and makes you both comfortable with baring it all in your stumbling first attempts at your respective target languages. The practice will make you all the more confident when you travel to the country or have to speak with a native speaker who doesn’t know about your language learning journey!And, on a side note, italki is the perfect platform for finding a paid language tutor if youre looking to invest a little more. A professional tutor can give you tons of feedback on your conversation skills.What to Do with Your Language ExchangeWhen you first seek out a language learning partner on any of the above sites (or all of themâ€"the more the merrier!), use the advanced search features so you have a higher chance of being able to relate to the personâ€"because you’ll actually need things to talk about. Consider gender, family status, age, hobbiesâ€"things you can find on their profile that might indicate you two have something in common to talk about. Believe meâ€"a conversation in which your only commonality is learning languages… well, it’s boring at best, and tedious at worst. Choose well, but rememberâ€"you can always call it off if things aren’t working out. Dont hesitate to try someone new!You’ll then meet up on Skype or Google Hangout. During the first couple sessions, I recommend simply getting to know one another. Talk about yourself, and ask them questions about themselves. Then, as you dive deeper, ask for constant corrections, as folks can be polite and overlook some errors. Constant corrections can be annoying, but your language skills will soar.After your sessions, SRS those corrections so you remember them until your dying day. Ask lots of questions, but remember that grammar points might not be the easiest things for your partner to discuss, so entrenched are they in their own native language. Ask for resource ideas like movies, books, comics and TV shows. Share jokes with each other to acquire a new sense of humor. With luck, you’ll build a real relationship and maybe make a new friend in the process!FluentU for Personalized Media-based Learning at Any LevelAre you not ready to dive into the conversational suggestions in this post? Or maybe you’d love to get into L 2 immersion, but you have some concerns, or the vast sea of the internet seems too big to find something you might like.FluentU can help you out.FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons. It  teaches languages based on native media, but in bite-sized amounts, so you don’t have to sit through a whole movie or TV show you don’t grasp yet. You can absorb vocab and grammar from cartoons and hilarious commercials. It helps you wade into native media while holding your hand with interactive captions, quizzes to test your knowledge and other cool learning features when you need them. No need to shy away!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 ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any wo rd 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.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoWhat to Do with FluentULike with any language program, consistency is key: Devote 20 minutes a day to FluentU. Make ample use of the built-in SRS and word list features so you never forget new vocabulary. Fortunately, you dont even have to think too much about what to do because FluentU keeps track of all the words youve learned for you, automatically personalizing the whole experience.And when you need to take a break, check out the language specific blogs (Chinese, Spanish, French, German, English, Japanese, Russian, Arabic, Korean, Italian  and Portuguese, alongside this one) for lots of extra language learning information!Consistent use of FluentU will have you raring to go at more advanced language learning resources like conversation exchanges or targeted lessons with a tutor. And it’s a great option for accessing the world of native media.Chat Rooms (and Games) for Writing and Communication PracticeHa! You thought chat rooms didn’t exist anymore, didn’t you?Well, you’re dead wrong on that. Chat rooms may very well be a relic of the early 2000s, but they’re still alive and well in certain corners of the internet, albeit a little tougher to find. And you can find them in your target language!I personally love chat rooms because text chatting with strangers gives you real time language practice if you’re not quite ready to take on speaking just yet.How do you track down these ancient beasts? Search for forums (in your target language) about one of your interests, whether it’s gam es, gardening, politics, crafts, whatever. Many forums have a chat room! For example, heres a Pokémon chat room in French, a Spanish-language Star Wars/table top gaming chat  and a French math and science chat. Itll take some hunting, but you can get good results by translating chat room into your L2, and Googling that along with your hobby/interest of choice.If forums aren’t your style, many online multiplayer games have that same real-time text that we’re after. Think World of Warcraft or League of Legends. You jump right in, and players converse in real time. All you have to do is start up the game in your target language, and many of these games have tons of different language options. Games are also great because they can be more active and easier to find than forums.What to Do with Chat RoomsWhat do you do once you’ve found a chat room or game? I recommend eavesdropping at first. Watch others’ conversations. What are they saying? How are they saying it? Take note of n ew vocab and slang, and SRS those so you remember them later. Then, when you’re ready, try answering in short, easy phrases. Stick to things you knowâ€"don’t attempt to express complicated ideas if your vocabulary is limited to that of a first-year textbook. But be patient, and you’ll slowly improve.Considering these places are not learning sites, rest assured that mistakes may be met with laughter and teasing. Just dust yourself off when the inevitable embarrassment hits you. On the bright side, you’ll remember not to repeat those mistakes!Twitter for Additional Immersion and ExposureWe all know that changing default languages is a great way to immerse and practice a new language. If you’re studying a new language, you should already have changed the language of your phone, your email client, your Web browser, even your OS!So, why is Twitter any different?Twitter is unique in that when you change the default language, you’re not just seeing the options and onscreen word s translated. Instead, you’ll default to seeing tweets from target language sources! You’ll be constantly learning new online slang and abbreviationsâ€"lots of snippets of natural language.What to Do with TwitterHow do you go about changing your default? If your browser is in your L1 (or a different language), simply click on your little profile pic in the upper right corner of the page. Go to Settings, and then the language option is the first one down. And if you dont have an account and your browser is already in your target language, your Twitter will default to your target language when you sign up.Now what? Check those trending hashtags on the left-hand side of your home page! Most tweets  will probably be in your L2, so get in that reading practice. (If theyre not in your L2, its probably because you already follow English-language accounts, and the algorithm is trying to cater to youâ€"just change the location setting by clicking Change next to Trending and you should ge t better content.)You can also look for topics of interest in the search bar to find people talking about your favorite hobbies. The short format makes reading easier for those of us that shy away from novels or even blogs. It’s especially great for beginners who can probably parse a quick sentence, but maybe not long, convoluted paragraphs of a literary novel.And then, follow the Twitter users you enjoy reading. That way, your feed will be peppered with target language exposure. Even when you’re checking social media during work, you’ll have to come into contact with your L2!Online Tutors for Lessons and CorrectionsWhile not freeâ€"and I love free resourcesâ€"an online tutor can advance your language skills like nothing else in this mortal coil. You can get a real-life tutor by checking local universities or venturing online and hiring one from italki at very affordable prices per lesson.Another great source that specializes purely in online language tutors is Verbling, where you can  explore hundreds upon hundreds of language teachers and find the one whos just right for you.  But why would you do this after I’ve told you that you can get language practice for free with a language partner?It turns out, trained tutors are trained for a reason!A tutor with experience in teaching will be able to give you pinpointed language advice. They’ll have a vested interest in your skills and weaknesses, and how you cover up those weaknesses. You won’t have to worry about switching back to your native language as you would with a language exchange partnerâ€"it’s all you!A great tutor will keep you talking and force you out of your comfort zone so that you can expand and be comfortable in more situations. And it’s all tailored to you. If you need writing practice, a tutor will ruthlessly correct your writing. If you need to get through a class, tutors will help you through your particular curriculum. And if you just want targeted conversation practice, tutor s are there for you, too.What to Do with Your TutorWhen you find a tutor you think you might like, send questions before you meet. Really explain in detail what your issues are and what your goals are, and where you see yourself going. The more detail the better, as your tutor can decide how to help you out.In particular, grammar questions and issues are great to bring up with a tutor. A professional teacher is much better equipped to explain grammar and address your questions than a language partner (although language partners can be great in letting you know what “sounds right”).After your meetings, SRS corrections (like always!). Make sure you meet consistently, or decide on a particular number of lessons. Take lots of notes before, during and after so that you’re gleaning all you can from these sessions. And then, when you go out into the real world (or just to Skype to meet with your conversation partner), apply what you’ve learned! Constant application and practice are what stretch your abilities and keep you improving.Don’t underestimate the variety and depth of online language learning tools.There really is something out there for everyone, at every stage of learning.And before you know it, youll be moving effortlessly through online spacesâ€"all in your new language!

Preparing to Jump Into a New Summer Job

Preparing to Jump Into a New Summer Job Image via Pexels So, you just landed an awesomely cool new job for the summer. Woo-hoo! You’ve now joined over 23.1 million young people who are working through the summer months. Accepting a new job offer is an exciting time for any job seeker, especially emerging adults like you and me. It means that you’ve successfully crafted a resume, submitted an application, obtained good references, and passed the company’s initial procedures for new employees. You’re well on your way to learning something new and plugging another notch on the journey to your dream career. You may be tempted to throw yourself a party or to take a week off before you start and head to Belize, but consider not moving so fast in either of those directions. New employees know that signing a job offer is only half the battle. Just as you prepared yourself to pass the interview, you will need to do a little preparation before you jump into your new summer job. Whether you have a weekend or an entire two weeks before your starting date, here are some things you can do to prepare yourself for your first day on the job. Go over the job description and expectations Obviously, the hiring manager thought your skill set, interests, or background qualified you for the new position upon which you are about to embark. It’s easy to get excited about something new and then once we get into it, temporarily forget what we’re supposed to do. To avoid that, before you settle into day one, take a moment to read over the job description and expectations of the company. Evaluate your skills If you’ve held a summer job or any type of job before this one, take a mental note of what helped you to succeed there and what you can improve on. Use this opportunity to build on your strengths while limiting attention to your weaknesses. If an essential skill is needed that you don’t have, take the time to read or watch videos from places like Udemy or Coursera to help you develop those skills. Of course, if you’ve applied for the job, then you’re the best person to know whether you can do it or not. But you don’t want to spotlight any skill gaps to your new co-workers and boss. You do, however, want to settle some early victories and establish a good reputation of hard work, respect, and willingness to learn. Go with the flow   People, from the highest level to your peers, will make quick judgments of you. And in truth, we all do this. When we see other people, before we even meet them, we make initial judgments about who they are or what they may be like. Of course, it is not fair, but don’t attempt to fight human predispositions with retaliation, disrespect, or trying to defend yourself. If such attitudes turn into outright harassment or discrimination, then report it. If not handled promptly, then remove yourself from the position. If this is not the case, know that this is typical in work environments. Go with the flow and prove your worth by your work. Consider your wardrobe and equipment If you will be working in an office, go through your closet and see whether you have appropriate attire. Do you need to buy new clothes to fit your new job’s dress code? What about equipment? Maybe you need a new laptop, certain software, or other organizational tools to help you be efficient and successful at your job. Try to obtain a copy of the company employee handbook which should provide details about attire and needed equipment. A quick phone call to your soon-to-be boss for clarification on these things isn’t out of order and will show pro-action on your part. Any questions? Ask now Now is a good time to think about any questions you may have for your new boss. Take a couple of moments to jot down anything you have a question about or need clarification on so you can hit the ground running when you arrive. Give your boss or someone who is knowledgeable at the company a call or shoot them an email several days in advance. It is sometimes frustrating to managers when employees have too many questions. This is why it is best to ask all you can ahead of time so you have what you need at least to get started. Research the work culture   Whether you’re working for a Fortune 500 company or small town business, take a minute to search the company online. Look for reviews about the overall working environment. Read what people say about the pros and cons of working for the company and how they perceive the company culture. Remember, it is all perception until you start working there. Check out the company’s presence online including social media and websites and history if the company has been established for a while. Look up your colleagues I know it sounds kind of creepy but on your first day, you will be hit with names and faces that it’s in your best interest to memorize. They’ll be your coworkers. You can strike up a conversation with them over the water cooler or at lunch more easily if you’ve read a little bit about them and have taken note of what their roles are in the company. LinkedIn is an awesome place to start. Google search the names of your supervisor and co-workers to see their level of experience, previous and current roles, education, interests, hobbies, and so forth. This will give you a better idea of what and who lie ahead. Relax Yes, take it easy. Read a book. Watch a movie. Take a walk. Your first day is going to be awesome. You’ve got this.

How to Become a Live Language Kids Tutor

How to Become a Live Language Kids TutorTeaching your kids Chinese is a very exciting activity. You have to take care of their ability and the interest of the kids in Chinese is always the main factor. In China, most people go for Chinese as their primary language in order to communicate with each other. The internet and English education is no substitute for Chinese learning for the kids.If you are the kind of person who wants to be able to teach your children's Chinese but has no clue on how to start, then there are a lot of things you should know first. What's more, you should know how to become a live language kids tutor or live language tutors. This is because, the internet is abuzz with those who think they can do this job. This can actually be a great mistake for your kids' learning.One popular way to start is to look for a school that is experienced and reliable. However, this is not the right thing to do if you want to earn extra income. It would be a good idea to look for a school that offers free online lessons and works with one of the big Chinese companies like ECL Education.Once you have signed up, your parents and your kids will soon meet. When you learn Chinese, you will get to hear your child talk. Of course, you have to be patient and willing to wait and learn the language at a comfortable pace. There is no need to make the language too difficult and confusing.After signing up, you will then be given the option to enroll for a free language program. You can check the calendar of the company to know what days are free and at the same time when it will be your turn to teach your kid.Remember that as you are teaching your kid, they are learning with you and so you have to ensure that you have enough time to devote to learning a new language. Most companies offering these kinds of programs will agree to any of your requests that you have.You should not have to rush to your house in order to teach your kid something when you have already allotted a certain amount of time. You can just learn the language while your kid is still a baby. When you are done, just let them explore a little bit about the language and just like this, you will be able to communicate with them.

Reddit English Learning Tips

Reddit English Learning TipsReddit English Learning Tips will help you be more proficient in your use of the popular online social website. If you are a native English speaker, you know how difficult it can be to navigate the many pages on the Internet with only a vague idea of what you are looking for. You may stumble over a word or phrase that you simply cannot understand, and you will never know it unless you type it into the search box or hit the back button to return to the home page. Search engines may be your friend when it comes to finding words, but you should be on the lookout for errors that can sometimes be uncovered by searching in a particular way.The first lesson to learn when it comes to using the many forums on the web is to make sure you know what the forum is for before you post or comment. You will want to avoid posting information that you do not have firsthand knowledge of. This can be especially problematic when you are trying to respond to questions and answer comments. For instance, if you are an actor who was recently fired from a project because the company did not like the final product, you may want to discuss this openly on a website for professionals where users could post questions and suggestions. But if you were to post it on a forum for actors, you may not receive responses until someone asks about it on another forum.The next lesson to learn is to ensure that you will never post or comment in a manner that will give away information to your readers or viewers without making a good original post. There are forums where you can post your comments anonymously if you choose, but you must make sure you have a meaningful post that does not give away sensitive information. One example of this would be a humorous update to a story you wrote. Instead of making light of an issue, you could always provide answers to FAQ's or provide examples of your work.In addition to these social media sites, you may find forums and discussion groups on your favorite social networking site, as well as sites that are part of an encyclopedia like DontWakeMeUp.com. You can post in forums that relate to topics of interest and ask for help if you are unfamiliar with a topic or are having difficulty with a piece of software.Another way to find some help is to join a support group that specializes in an area of expertise you have an interest in. You can sign up for a group and help others. Many of these groups will allow you to download and print out reports that they can use to better understand their own topics. Many of these support groups also have a chat room where you can ask questions and join in on the conversation.You can also visit other websites that offer forums for language learners. These websites generally charge a fee for their services, but many of them offer free trials. The benefits of utilizing these websites include allowing you to find forums and information in your preferred language. They may also offer more dep th of information than a traditional search engine.Reddit English Learning Tips will help you become more proficient in your use of the social networking website. Once you get started, you will find there are many ways to benefit from your experience.

Drum Lessons for Beginners

Drum Lessons for Beginners Learn to Play the Drums ChaptersDo You Need Your Own Drum Kit to Learn to Play the Drums?Preparing for your Drum LessonsDo your feet always tap with the beats of a song? Do you groove with the rhythm whenever music is playing?If you’ve been thinking about learning to play a musical instrument, you might want to consider a percussion instrument.Some people think drums are nothing but loud, used to keep marching bands in synch. But there is so much more to playing drums than just banging a skin with sticks.So why not explore the fascinating world of percussion and learn to play the drums?learning the rudiments of drumming, wetting your feet and finding out if drum playing is really for you.However, you will need to practice at home, even as a beginner - and that means buying drums. Whether you are learning jazz drumming or practising your rock drum solo, you need the right feedback under your drumsticks to improve your drum play. And that means investing in a drum set.Here are some online drum lessons for y ou.You might get away with borrowing drums at the very beginning, but you should really buy your own drum set. Photo credit: screen-box.de on Visual HuntIf you are learning hand drumming or ethnic drum music - such as an African drum (Djembe or talking drums), conga, samba drums, or indeed anything portable, it’s more likely that your music teacher will have some that you can borrow to practice on at home. Once you reach the intermediate level, you will still need your own drum. The prices for hand drums vary greatly - bongos go for anywhere from £60 to £300, congas between £300 to £600, bodhrans average around £50.Find out how much drum lessons cost...Practising at home without a drum setBut can you practise without having a drum set at home? To a certain extent, yes.When learning to play the drums, you can take a series of buckets and cans about the right size and set them up like a drum kit. Dave Grohl from Nirvana is famous for using snare drumsticks to practice on pillow s. It is a way for a beginner drummer to practise the moves, the rhythm of switching from one drum to another.However, what it can’t teach you is proper stick control. The sound of the drums and cymbals will vary depending on where you hit (rim or skin), how hard you hit and what type of stick you use - regular drumsticks, padded mallets or brushes. You need to learn the difference in sound between your bass, snare and toms. And that is only possible with actual, physical drums.Also, it’s pretty difficult to simulate a pedal. Even if you can use an old sewing machine pedal to practise your timing, you won’t be getting the physical and auditory feedback you need to improve your bass drum playing.Electronic drums and practise pads are easier on the neighbours, but unless you want to specialise in electronic drums, an acoustic set is best. Photo on VisualHunt.comBeing nice to your neighboursDo you live in a flat with thin walls and floors? Nosy neighbours, who complain at the lea st little cough?It’s likely your drum teacher will nag you to use a practise pad in any case.A practice pad is just a little rubber pad that gives acoustic feedback when struck. In short, it’s a drum without the resonance body. It’s not as loud and it is actually very sensitive, so you actually have to be more accurate on a practice pad. However, there are a number of disadvantages.ProsConsIt’s portable.With only one pad, you can’t practice complex drum fills for your drum solo.It’s quiet compared with a physical drum.You can’t practice your kick drum.Its surface is made to imitate that of a snare drum.It only imitates snares and doesn’t give the feel of toms.It’s wonderful for practising rudiments such as a simple drum beat, drum rolls or a paradiddle.It doesn’t have rims.It’s very sensitive, forcing you to be accurate.While quite sensitive, you won’t be learning to listen to your drums - which have more reverb and overtones.It’s a good way to practice sho wmanship drumming.You can’t practice your cymbal work.If you can’t have an acoustic drum set at home when learning drums another option is to go for an electronic drum set. It will have the full set of drums set up like a traditional drum kit. The pads are designed to feel like a traditional drumhead when you hit them. You can play them with headphones and get a sound nearer to real drums.However, though the sound is close, it isn’t exactly the same. On the upside, you can program a whole array of interesting sounds (canon or foghorn, anyone?).Preparing for your Drum LessonsWhen learning how to play the drums, you will find that it’s not just about drum fills and jazz improvisation. You will need to know how to care for your instrument and how to read musical notation.Drum tuningDo you come back from your drumming lessons wondering why your snare and toms sound different from those used by Carmine Appice, John Blackwell or Buddy Rich? It might have to do with how your drums are tuned.Some drums are tuned to a certain pitch and left at that. Other drums are tunable during play (like tabors or African talking drums). In the latter case, your drum instructor will definitely teach you how to vary the pitch while playing.In the former, a good educator will demonstrate how tuning the top and bottom heads will affect the sound of your drums. At the latest when you need to change the drum head, you will need to learn to tune your drums.Pearl Drums has a handy set of instructions for tuning the common drums of a drum set. Exactly what pitch you tune them to and what drum heads you choose will depend on the musical style you are playing - rock, jazz, afro-cuban, Latin or Big Band, and of course your own personal preferences.Do you know how to find your ideal drum tutor?Learning to Read Drum NotationIf you want to progress beyond the beginner exercises set by your drum teacher, you will need to learn how to read drum notation.If you can already read music, it can be both helpful and a hindrance. In normal musical notation, the placement of the notes on the staff give you the note played and the type of note (eighth note, quarter note…) will give you the rhythm.With drum notation, it’s a little different.It doesn’t help that there is no truly standardised notation, though there are some that are more common than others. The one used in Norman Weinberg’s Guide to Standardized Drumset Notation is the most commonly used out there, but you might find yourself confronted with a completely different notation once you start getting gigs.The basic premise remains the same:The type of percussion instrument is indicated by the shape of the note. Drums are usually normal black notes, cymbals, whether hi-hats or crash are an “x”, additional percussion instruments can be a triangle or cross. Which specific instrument is meant is indicated by its place on the stave. For example, the kick drum is generally on the bottom space of the staff; if d ouble bass drums are used, the second bass will be on the lowest bar. The snare is on the “la” or “A” space (if it were in treble clef). Drum sheet music publishers always include a legend at the beginning of the piece.Additional symbols can indicate ghost notes, rolls (eighth or sixteenth note or triplets), flams, drags or ruffs.Rhythm is indicated as in traditional music notation with the types of note (full, quarter, eighth etc.) Note that every drum notation is four beats to the bar unless otherwise indicated (a rare and challenging event).Drum notation looks like normal musical notation but works on slightly diffreent premise. Photo credit: chi-ryu on Visualhunt.comAnother way of writing down drum beats and rhythms is using a drum tabulation, or drum tabs.A drum tab will have a line for each of the instruments, and each strike is indicated with an o for drums or an x for cymbals. A line “-” indicates that the instrument is silent. Drag, flam, ghost notes etc. each h ave a specific letter assigned to them.To advance in your craft, you will need to learn to read both drum music notation and drum tabs. A metronome is a useful tool to help you with that.Learning how to play drums can appear daunting at first, but as you progress in your lessons you will soon get into the groove and improvise your own drum fills. And why not try a personal instructor like one of Superprof’s many drum tutors near you?Ready, steady, go! It's time to learn how to play the drums!

4 Reasons Why an Introverts University Choice Matters - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 4 Reasons Why an Introverts University Choice Matters - Introvert Whisperer 4 Reasons Why an Introverts University Choice Matters Kayla Matthews February 2, 2018 Career Development No responses Go to top The time has come to start making some real choices about the next major step in your life: college. If you’re an introvert, this task might bring as much anxiety as it does excitement. After all, embarking on a new academic adventure away from home will take you totally out of your comfort zone. You’ll meet new people, experience new things and, of course, learn a lot. If you’re still struggling to narrow down your college options, don’t just go with the easiest choice. The university you choose could very well affect the trajectory of your career. Read on to learn four reasons why an introvert like yourself should pick a college very carefully. 1. Your Confidence Some of your more extroverted friends are probably chomping at the bit to get out of their parents’ house and start meeting new people at college. But for folks who like to keep to themselves, the thought of leaving home may bring on intense nerves. You’re probably tempted to choose a university based largely on its proximity to home or the fact that other friends are going there. However, it’s important for your personal growth to step outside of your comfort zone. When you choose a university based on its innate qualities, not how comfortable you’ll be there, you’re giving yourself an opportunity to really shine and build up your self-confidence. If you head home every weekend or surround yourself with friends you’ve known since you were small, you might not spread your wings in the same way, and young adulthood is the perfect time to figure out who you are and what you stand for. 2. Your Social Life Even if you break somewhat free from your introverted ways, you’ll have a hard time meeting new people if your chosen school’s social scene is nonexistent. Look for a school that has extracurricular activities available that match your interests. According to research by a former president of Princeton, approximately 40% of students “undermatch” â€" that is, they don’t choose the best college for their needs, even though they were academically strong enough to be admitted. Undermatching often happens because high school students don’t have enough information to make a good decision. Don’t set yourself up for this mistake. Instead, learn all about the clubs, athletics, philanthropic organizations and other things going on at your potential schools. Then make an informed decision based on the whole picture, including opportunities to socialize. 3. Your Career Path According to a Wakefield quantitative research study, 75% of students made their college decision based on what was more financially practical, as opposed to going into debt to attend their dream school. While this is obviously a very important factor when you pick your university, remember that one of the main goals of college is to prepare you for a career. So if your university doesn’t properly set you up to pursue your chosen job, even a small amount of debt may seem like a huge deal. Keep in mind that your college choice not only affects your ability to get a job after you graduate, but it might also directly correlate to your salary. When you attend a university that is well-known and respected, you might climb up the career ladder faster than you would with a degree from somewhere else. Some research shows that you’ll also earn a higher salary, long-term. So, although you should certainly keep debt in mind, pick the college that will take you where you want to go career-wise. 4. Your Health Depression. Anxiety. Isolation. These aren’t terms that people typically associate with the fun of freshman year, but when you’re predisposed to enjoying your alone time, it can happen. Leaving home for the first time â€" and all of the comforts it offers â€" affects everyone differently. But for introverts, it can be a tougher pill to swallow. Make sure the college you choose has the tools in place to keep you healthy, both physically and emotionally. Check out the resources on campus before you accept an offer, such as the quality of the campus gym and whether the health center offers counseling services free of charge. If you consider these things in advance, you’ll have an easier time coping with any emotional or physical issues that come your way after orientation week. Now that you understand why choosing your university is such a serious task, it’s time to get to it. Start weighing your options through the lens of your introverted personality. In the long run, embracing who you are and using that information to inform your decision will only result in a better college experience. It might also result in a better after-college experience, which is really what higher learning is all about! Go to top Do you know what your next career step is?  Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer