How to Learn Chinese with Videos

How to Learn Chinese with Videos Learn Mandarin Chinese while Having Fun! Chapters YouTube and Educational Channels for Learning Mandarin Chinese Chinese Films Cartoons in Chinese Chinese SeriesIf you’d told me when I was at school that I could do my language lessons just by watching a video on a computer (or even my phone!), I would have leapt at the chance to watch a video tutorial from the comfort of my own bed!With the arrival of high-speed internet, mobile apps, and digital tools, the way we learn languages (both in school and at home) has completely completely changed.This doesn’t mean that we need to completely say goodbye to learning with a teacher in a classroom. In fact, learning a language with a teacher or private tutor still remains one of the most effective ways to learn languages.  Find private Chinese lessons across the UK (including a Chinese tutor London) with Superprof.Additionally, the Chinese language can be pretty complicated and it can be demoralising to to hit a speed bump during your language learning journey and have nobody th ere to help you.So stop searching for “learn Chinese” on Google and check out some of the best video resources for Mandarin lessons  we’ve put together for you in this article. NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YouTube and Educational Channels for Learning Mandarin Chinese“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.” - Chinese ProverbTaking Chinese lessons is often seen as a journey where grammar, tones, and characters are the milestones.  When y ou think about how different the language is to English, you can start to get demotivated at how complicated speaking Chinese is going to be. However, you needn’t worry about it. You're not the first Westerner trying to speak Chinese and you won't be the last!Don’t forget that there are plenty of resources like Chinese apps and on-line videos that can make learning Chinese fun, interesting, and, above all, much easier.  While YouTube may seem to have replaced textbooks, we're certainly not going so far as to say that they should all be consigned to a museum!Chinese words can be made up of one or several characters. (Source: Photo Mix)However, there are almost as many Chinese channels on YouTube as there are Chinese speakers on the planet since the demand for learning the language is so incredibly high at the moment due to the political and economic power of the countries where the language is spoken.When you first start learning Chinese, the Chinese writing system, and the chara cters, these videos can help you massively without needing to show up to a single Chinese class.  Whether you’re preparing for an official exam, looking to improve your listening comprehension or writing, or just studying the language for fun, you’ll find that there are plenty of ways to practice Chinese on video-hosting websites like YouTube.There are also plenty of courses from “e-learning” (which basically means learning online) websites which aim to teach you through the medium of video.You can also interact with other learners and teachers by leaving comments on videos, contacting the organisation running the video courses, via their social media channels, or just by simply sending them an email.Here are a few channels that you should check out for learning Chinese:Learn Chinese with Emma: Emma’s online Chinese lessons are very well produced and aimed at both absolute beginners and advanced beginners. While most of the videos are in English, there are sections complet ely in Chinese that are accompanied very clearly by subtitles so that you won’t get lost.Chinese with Mike: While Mike’s lessons are never serious, that doesn’t mean they can’t be educational. These are a great way to learn Chinese while having a load of fun. The videos are between 10 and 15 minutes each and go at a very good pace for those learning. You’ll never be bored in Teacher Mike’s (MIKE LAOSHI) classes.Yoyo Chinese: The host of Yoyo Chinese is Yangyang Cheng, a resident of Los Angeles who’s fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. In addition to the lessons on the channel, you can also find interviews with other native Chinese speakers as well as some recordings of Google Live Hangouts that she’s conducted.Discover these other online resources for learning Chinese! Chinese FilmsWatching films is one of the best methods for improving your foreign language skills, especially in a language such as Chinese where pronunciation and listening skills are hugely i mportant.Just like how reading a book can improve your writing, reading comprehension, syntax, and writing style, watching Chinese films (maybe with subtitles in Mandarin Chinese, too) can help you to improve your listening comprehension, pronunciation, and level in general.Watching films can greatly help your comprehension. (Source: startupstockphotos.com)Concentrating on listening to Chinese pronunciation for around two hours at a time is effectively revision. Additionally, watching films is a great way to expose yourself to Chinese culture and conversational Chinese.  However, heading straight to streaming sites is a grave error!Since most film productions come out of Hong Kong, a lot of films available in the West will actually be in Cantonese. While this is great if you’re learning Cantonese, it’s pretty useless if you’re learning Mandarin. Thus, if you go straight to a streaming website looking for Chinese films without doing any research, you’ll end up getting films i n a language you’re not even studying! If you want to learn how to speak Mandarin, you'll need to be looking for films from Mainland China or Taiwan.Don’t panic, though! More and more films are coming out in Mandarin Chinese and not even the Great Wall of China could stop them making their way to the West.Chinese directors and screenwriters are also very creative and their films offer something significantly different to the type of cinema that most of us are used to in the West. There’s something for every kind of film fanatic!Here’s a few examples worth checking out:Wolf Totem ???, (2015): Based on a Chinese novel, this French-Chinese film tells the story of a Chinese student who is sent to inner Mongolia to teach shepherds. Wu xiá (Dragon): In the same vein as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, this historical Kung Fu film is full of impressive fights and high-flying acrobatics. Perfect for motivating you to study!Lost In Thailand: A bit like a Chinese version of “The Han gover”, this film successfully mixes action and comedy. The dialogues in Mandarin Chinese will put your comprehension to the test. A great challenge for any Chinese learner.The Great Hypnotist ???? (2014): This Chinese mystery-thriller is for people who liked either “The Butterfly Effect” or “Inception” and may leave you scratching your head. With a bit of insanity and lots of introspective dialogue, this film is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to improve their listening comprehension and speaking skills.Get your reading on with these great Chinese books... Cartoons in ChineseEvery generation has a certain passion for the cartoons they watched growing up. Whether they watched them on Saturday mornings or when they got home school as they had their tea, every cartoon is very reminiscent of the time in which is was made.Whether you grew up watching Scooby Doo, Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, or Rugrats, cartoons remind us of our childhood and bring back good memories.Do you really need to spend money to learn Chinese? (Source: pixabay.com)While animation from Japan has made its way into Western culture (in the form of anime), China has yet to make animations as successful as Fullmetal Alchemist, Deathnote, or Cowboy Bebop.It doesn’t really matter that the Mandarin Chinese spoken in cartoons is for kids and isn’t really the same as you’d hear it spoken by adults in streets around China since they're a fun, educational, and powerful way to improve your Chinese. While it’s nothing like the Chinese taught in universities around the world, especially in terms on pronunciation, it will still help you better understand Chinese and Chinese characters.In China, the news, cartoons, and adverts are subtitled in Standard Mandarin, which has been the country’s official language since 1956. This is because there are plenty of people in China who speak different Chinese languages and dialects like Cantonese and Wu.Standard Mandarin is thought of as the language of TV and is the common linguistic ground for around 800 million people, which is actually only around 70 to 80% of the population.China has also banned 29 different anime series due to their violence, sexual nature, and on grounds of encouraging terrorism in order to protect the youngest generation.  In addition to censorship, Chinese channels have to give priority to Chinese productions much like the French on the radio with French music.Here are a few classic Chinese animations you should check out:Journey to the West - Legends of the Monkey King is a 1999 cartoon show that is based on the novel “Journey to the West” that was the source of inspiration for the anime Dragon Ball.The King of Tibetan Antelope.Tian Yan Chuan Qi.Monkey King: Hero is Back.Mr Black: Green Star.Ling and Tao.Sparkling Red Star (????? ?????).Three KingdomsIt should be noted that Russian cartoons (like “Masha and the Bear”) are also very popular in China. Perhaps this might be to the two cou ntries’ shared history with communism or just due to their proximity to one another.You may also enjoy playing games to learn Chinese with of these apps... Chinese SeriesWhen talking about China’s cultural influence on Japan, economists tend to describe it using the term “soft power”. This means that China uses its culture, rather than military strength, to influence its neigbours.In terms of television, China produces thousands of series every year (around 30,000 episodes per year, making it the largest production in the world) which, while hugely popular in their home country, struggle to make any sort of impact here in the West.Completely unknown by most people in the UK, the TV series and direct-to-TV films made in China are often watched by tens of millions of viewers. We are talking about a country of 1.3 billion people, after all. What a great education in language and culture you'll get from the comfort of your own home! Take Mandarin classes London, Birmingham or wh erever you're located.There are series on old Chinese legends, which are an integral part of Chinese cultural, dating back to the Ming, Qin, and the very popular Han dynasties.You can learn more about the Chinese language and Chinese culture on any device. (Source: pixabay.com)There are also more modern stories focusing on the current social phenomena in the People’s Republic of China.  These series tend to bear very little resemblance to the series we’re used to in the UK like Game of Thrones or even Coronation Street (I bet you never thought you'd hear those two shows mentioned in the same sentence!). In fact, with all the Chinese cultural richness available, there’s very little space left for Western concepts.Thus, in addition to improving your understanding of the language, watching Chinese TV and films are also a great way to deepen your understanding of China’s culture.Of course, for those who love martial arts, there’s always the “The Legend of Bruce Lee”, a Chi nese biographical TV series on the Kung Fu legend himself.  This series covers the stories of the world’s strongest man from a Chinese perspective without all the Western cliches that are often applied to his life.Using media to learn a new language is the best way to learn Mandarin and a great way to create an artificial immersion environment. If you can't go to China, making sure that all the media you consume is from Chinese speaking sources, taking Chinese classes, and finding resources to learn Chinese online is the next best thing. Don't forget to ask your Chinese teacher for their recommendations, too!If you're looking for a textbook to complement your classes or are just a keen reader, you should find out more about the best books for learning Chinese.Discover also the best tools for learning Chinese...

4 Warning Signs that Youre Avoiding the Hard Stuff - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 4 Warning Signs that You’re Avoiding the Hard Stuff - Introvert Whisperer 4 Warning Signs that You’re Avoiding the Hard Stuff You aren’t alone as an introvert and leader when it comes to avoiding the hard things our professional life imposes on us.  It just seems that way some times.  You look around you and see all kinds of people getting around at parties, making sales calls or carrying the conversation in a business meeting.  It looks easy so you think it must be â€" for them but not you.   You’ve decided (or shall I say rationalized) why doing the hard things are just “not you”.  That makes it ok to avoid doing it.  Doing things that isn’t authentically you or your style might help you buy the story you’re telling.   Is that you?   I got into a conversation with a good friend who was avoiding the marketing and promotion for a newly published book of hers.  As we conversed, she admitted she really wasn’t comfortable doing the promotion but quickly added “But I’m ok with it.”  Hmm, you’re ok with not promoting a book you just published?   By being ok with avoiding the hard stuff, you limit your potential.   Is limiting your potential ok with you?   I realize that us introverts have challenges with things like speaking to strangers, selling, networking and self-promotion.  I get it â€" big time.  The issue is letting those challenges get between you and your goalsâ€"and then somehow making it ok in your mind.   Here are the warning signs of avoiding the hard stuff:   You’ve convinced yourself it’s “not you”.  In this day of self-actualization and self-examination, we don’t do things that aren’t really us.  Only a lot of things are like that until we choose to change. You’ve convinced yourself it’s ok to not do something you know you need to do to succeed.  It’s like getting ok with not zipping your pants cause you’re too fat.  â€œI’m happy within myself.” You’ve convinced yourself that waiting (for what? A miracle?) will somehow make the bad thing go away.  You think waiting will change things only you’re doing nothing to make things change. You’ve convinced yourself that whatever “it” is, really isn’t that bad.  You’re avoiding telling the crappy but vocal employee their performance is bad.  Although now, you’re trying to warm up to their bad ways.   Here is how you push through those tough, hard-to-do things:   Realize what your fear.  You can’t solve a problem you don’t identify. Recognize there are multiple solutions.  You don’t have to do everything yourself or by yourself.  Find and hire an expert.  Ask for help of an expert. Realize that you can learn to do something with practice.  You wouldn’t let your kid give up on learning to ride a bike.  It’s going to be scary and maybe even painful for a while until you learn to master something. Learn to live with a certain level of discomfort.  The best advice I ever received was to never get comfortable or it becomes too easy to stay put and never reach for the stars. Break it down into small steps.  The scariest thing looks much easier when you break it down as a process with small baby steps.   We love our rationalizations.  They comfort us as nothing else can.  Don’t let them comfort you out of greatness, promotions and more pay. Let me emphasize that Self-Promotion doesn’t have to be obnoxious to be effective. But, if you don’t Self-Promote you, who will? If you ever want to get ahead, you have to learn how to Self-Promote. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that shows you simple, yet effective ways to Self-Promote. Start watching now: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

How online English tutor is helpful for students can be answered by TutorPace

How online English tutor is helpful for students can be answered by TutorPace Students in present timing are very particular about what they do and how they do it. In this competitive market it is hard to survive for people as being average will kill you internally. You have to think out of the box and also have to make your presence to be counted. Every now and then we have to come across various types of competitions of our lives. These competitions make us stronger and more dedicated towards the attributes of life. Today the wining race is found among every rat and for that you have to get prepared from the initial days. It helps you to get prepare for a better tomorrow. A good competitor will be accustomed with various types of activities that will help them to lead a better tomorrow. English is a subject that is much into demand in the present timing. Everyone wants to get accustomed with English largely. It has on the whole become a professional language that helps you to create your own stand amongst everyone. But the subject is actually tough enough and thus it requires good and eminent teacher who can carry of the subject flawlessly. But professionalism hitting everyone from all spheres, the teachers has also been added in such domain. Availability of good teachers is not possible as everyone is devoted in making money and dedication towards your work is found among very few. Schools are of no help as they cannot make our special classes for their students so that they can learn English well. The teachers appointed in the school do not have time to devote it to any particular student or a group of student. Parents generally get frustrated with such kind of reviews and think how their child can learn better. English as a subject English is a subject that is divided into two parts- one is English literature and the other is English grammar. Literature can be easy as it composes of various poetry, novels, short stories, dramas, epics and so on. Reading it can be fun and you can enjoy it without any help. But what with the language part? Grammatical part is a tough part and without proper guidance and proper knowledge you cannot go a step ahead with the subject. A good teacher is needed beside you who will guide you and will help you to explore the subject in a new way with fewer difficulties. Online Tutoring help One new option that can help you with this is the online world of learning. Yes, it is a new way and a new thing for almost every student. But today’s kids are very much intelligent and smart as well. They know every way to use internet and also knows how to operate it. Online tutoring facility does not disturb then at all. It is a good as well as a time saving way for many students of the present generation. It is new but it is gaining a lot of popularity with the passage of time. People are very much getting attached with this kind of teaching procedure. Some more facts about online tutoring Online tutoring comes with heaps of advantages and various types of benefits. Good number of advantages also is inserted in it. now it is time that we should get into the discussion of the advantages so that you can move a step ahead with what is online tutoring and how it can be helpful to students who want to lean English or any such kind of subject. First and foremost let us know how the teachers who teach the subject are. The teachers who are associated with such type of online tutoring courses are very much knowledgeable and know how to deal with the subject. The teachers are efficient enough to know what are the pros and cons related with the subject. The subject can be analyzed well by the teacher and thus they can bring in their best capability to teach a student. The interview process is also very tough and thus good and expert teachers are only appointed on the interview basis. The availability of the teachers is found all round the clock. Whenever a student needs help from a teacher, the teacher is available at his or her doorstep. This makes a student feel more confident with the kind of progress they have with the subject. As English is totally dependent on practice and solving exercises so being a teacher beside you all the time is very necessary that will help you lead towards your betterment. Individual teachers are also available who are present all round the clock for a student.   Think of a situation when a single teacher is present every time for you to help you with your problems. if you are a shy person then you will feel embarrassed and shy to open up with your problems in front of all, but with such a facility to help you can get good teaching service as well without much embarrassment. A good teacher always demands good amount of money and thus many middle class parents move out from admitting their child into such an institution. But the online teaching courses are very reasonable and any pocket can spear that much amount easily for a better future. After so many facilities you will think about which institution will provide you with all these.   For your information you can visit the site of TutorPace. A new institute but is gaining recognition at a very fast speed.   All the listed facilities are found with TutorPace and thus you can easily enroll there and get in touch with the lot of facilities that it has. The good amount of teachers, excellent teaching staffs and many more are available at your click away. You can easily avail their services. How online English tutor is helpful for students is found at Tutor Pace.  

How Teaching Guitar to Others Can Help You Improve Your Own Skills

How Teaching Guitar to Others Can Help You Improve Your Own Skills Suzy S. Students arent the only ones learning a lot from guitar lessons! Guitar teacher Mike J. shares the many benefits hes seen over his many years of teaching experience There are many benefits to teaching guitar â€" you meet interesting people, form lasting friendships, and learn the virtue of patience, a little bit about human psychology, the importance of positive reinforcement, and some things about yourself. Often through students, I have heard about many recording artists who are not well known and that I have enjoyed listening to, or learning songs from. And of course, who doesn’t enjoy being paid for doing what they love best? But perhaps one of the most valuable side benefits is that you improve your own guitar and musicianship skills through teaching others. As a musician, it can be hard to motivate yourself to practice, unless you have a band rehearsal or a public performance coming up. But when I teach, I am always playing along with the student. If they are playing a melody, I am playing an accompaniment. No matter what we are doing, I need to be able to demonstrate the proper way of playing it, so I am playing the guitar for hours every day. That alone is of great benefit, and keeps my fingers nimble and my technique accurate. It also keeps my mind active and my music reading skills up. Many times a student will want to play a song that I have never heard, or in a musical style that I am not totally familiar with. By learning the song with the student, I am expanding my palette of skills and accompaniment styles. I am also broadening my musical tastes. Often I have cringed at the thought of learning a particular song only to discover that the song had more intrigue than I thought. In one afternoon I might play artists as diverse as Bach, Metallica, Peter Paul and Mary, Pat Metheny, The Beatles, OneRepublic, Van Halen, Hank Williams, and Taylor Swift. And I would not be honest if I didn’t admit that sometimes I have to practice a song in between lessons just to make sure I can play it better than my advanced students! Sometimes when a student has to cancel at the last minute, you find yourself alone with your guitar and a half hour to kill. What a perfect opportunity to practice, with no excuse not to! Through teaching guitar I have also discovered many fine instructional books on the market, such as books on finger-picking styles, rock guitar solos, jazz chord-melody style, bluegrass technique, theory books specifically for guitarists, and the list goes on and on. Teaching has also led me to find programs and apps to help students learn. There is technology out there that can slow songs down and change their key, help you practice with a metronome and program it to gradually speed up, loop difficult sections for practice, and notate songs in both tab and sheet music. So if you are sitting on a fence thinking about whether you should teach lessons on the guitar, bass or even the ukulele, theres a good chance youre ready to teach! You won’t only be enriching your students lives; you’ll be enriching your own as well. Mike J. teaches  acoustic guitar, bass guitar,  blues guitar, classical guitar, as well as  country guitar  in Ogden, UT.  He received his Applied Music Degree from  Mohawk College and has gone on to receive many certifications and awards since then.    Mike is a  full time music instructor with over thirty years of experience teaching, performing, and writing music.  Learn more about Mike J. here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by  quinn.anya

Four Tips for Talking to Teens About Student Loans and Budgeting

Four Tips for Talking to Teens About Student Loans and Budgeting Lets face it, Mom and Dad. A college education costs a lot these days. Even if youve been contributing regularly to your childs 529 plan or another college savings account, you might not have enough funds set aside to fully cover the cost of college. Its time to talk with your teen about how your family will fund his college education and other costs associated with living independently. Here are a few tips as you broach this important conversation: Start with a discussion about colleges importance. Hopefully, youve laid the foundation already, but as your teen approaches junior year, its important to make it clear that college is important. With a bachelors degree, your teen will have greater earning power and more career opportunities. Even if your teen needs to pay for part of college, its definitely worthwhile. Create a college budget. Even if youre funding your teens tuition and fees (or a portion), your teen needs to learn how to manage money and live within his means. Thats where a budget comes in. Have your teen create a simple spreadsheet and detail out the following: All income sources, including financial aid funds, money from you, scholarship funds, work-study income, his own savings, etc. Some of these line items might be unknown until your teen receives a financial aid package, but build them into the budget anyway. All expenses, including school expenses (tuition, books and fees), transportation expenses (e.g. gas or a parking pass), housing (e.g. dorm or rent), and any food, entertainment or other expenses (such as a cell phone). Address which of these costs will be your vs. your teens responsibility. It might seem premature to create a college budget before your teen is in college, but getting a start on one will help him or her begin to grasp what kinds of costs your family will need to fund in the years to come. Go over the types of financial aid available to you and your teen. While the budgeting exercise is important, it helps to follow it up with some dialogue about options to fund all those expenses. The U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid website can help you estimate the amount of aid you might receive with FAFSA4caster. Take advantage of this tool to plan ahead. Generally, though, here are your and your teens options. You can take out federal parent loans (called Direct PLUS loans). And your teen can apply for federal financial in the form of loans, grants and work-study aid. Federal student loans offer benefits that other types of loans (from banks or other sources) do notnamely lower interest rates and the delayed payoff time (until after college). There are four types of loans available to students with or without financial need. Grants are free money awarded to students based on financial need. Federal work-study provides part-time jobs to college students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to pay for school. Talk about other ways to reduce the cost of college. There are a number of ways students can reduce that college bill. Scholarships, of course, can help, so encourage your teen to work hard in high school and apply widely for scholarships large and small. They can add up. Working part-time during the school year is a great way to cover things like books or housing, and working full time over summer break can help your teen replenish the bank account for school-year bills. Your teen could even consider starting at a nearby community college and transferring to save big on tuition and housing (by living at home). The key to the college cost conversation is to be transparent. The sooner you talk with your teen about what you will likely be able to contribute toward college and what will be expected of her, the better. While college might be on your teens mind, paying for it might not. Discuss the financial part of college early and often, which will help your teen prepare and encourage her to make the very most of the investment.

Heart Math Tutoring Receives Apparos Mission Possible Economic Opportunity Grant - Heart Math Tutoring

Heart Math Tutoring Receives Apparo’s Mission Possible Economic Opportunity Grant - Heart Math Tutoring Heart Math Tutoring Receives Apparo’s Mission Possible Economic Opportunity Grant Heart Math Tutoring Receives Apparo’s Mission Possible Economic Opportunity Grant May 3, 2017 Heart was awarded a $60,000 cash and pro bono contribution from Accenture at Apparo’s ConnectivIT Ball, presented by Microsoft! The award is Apparo’s first Mission Possible Economic Opportunity Award. A panel of CIO judges chose a technology project that will impact economic opportunity in Charlotte. Heart will use the award to digitize its student and tutor information, ultimately improving student outcomes and program scalability. Heart impacts a variety of factors of economic mobility. Mentorship by Heart tutors improves social capital and reduces economic segregation in high-poverty schools. Improved math skills translate to higher graduation rates and income opportunity. Read the full press release at http://www.einnews.com/pr_news/378933361/heart-math-tutoring-receives-apparo-s-mission-possible-economic-opportunity-grant. Thank you so much to Apparofor meeting the technology needs of many nonprofits. Heart’s team is excited to get started on the project made possible by the Mission Possible Economic Opportunity Award! Watch the brief video to learn more!

8 Easy Meals to Make in the Dorms

8 Easy Meals to Make in the Dorms pixabay.com 2. French Toast Pretty simple concept here as well: all you need is eggs and bread. A classic breakfast dish that is super simple to make? You got it. I personally used thicker bread to give it more of a hearty feel along with sprinkling in some cinnamon and nutmeg to the egg mixture. It will add a nice spice to pair great with the hearty French toast drizzled in syrup. My mouth is watering already! 3. Microwave Mac and Cheese Luckily this can be made in about five minutes! All you’ll need is some elbow macaroni, water, milk, cheese, and access to a microwave. Use about a third of a cup of macaroni, add in three-fourths of a cup of water, and cook for about three and a half minutes. Dump out any excess water and then pour in a few tablespoons of milk and a few tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese. Microwave for a minute and then you have yourself a warm and cheesy microwave cup of mac. Sprinkle some breadcrumbs on top as well for some added flare. 4. Cream of Chicken Soup with Rice One of my personal favorites. A quick can of cream of chicken soup combined with some leftover rice made previously can create a deliciously hearty meal that will warm you up in an instant. Follow the directions on the can to make the soup and then sprinkle in a couple spoonfuls of rice at your discretion to create the perfect bowl of soup. pixabay.com 5. Salmon Now you might be thinking, “I do not know how to cook salmon and I don’t really want to risk it.” Do not worry! You are a college student with access to a microwave so you will be just fine! This recipe is as simple as 1-2-3 and can be done in under five minutes. Mix a teaspoon each of olive oil and lime juice with quarter teaspoons of salt and pepper, then with two teaspoons of honey. Drizzle it over the salmon, cover, and cook on medium power and in three minutes you’ll have wonderfully tasty salmon. 6. Tuna Salad Sandwich Another great sandwich that is chock full of protein is a tuna salad sandwich. Simply combine a can of tuna, mayonnaise, some lettuce, and slather it on some bread and have yourself a tasty tuna treat. Toast the bread to add some texture to your sandwich and include celery as well if available. 7. Oatmeal Whether for breakfast or on the go, oatmeal is a great meal that will keep you full of energy throughout the day. The great thing about oatmeal prep is that it is quick, easy, and fast. While instant oatmeal might seem a bit dull, spice it up by adding some spice. Add some brown sugar or cinnamon to add some sweetness. In addition, chop up your favorite fruit for a fresh, healthy option. From apples to blueberries and bananas to cherries, oatmeal is a fresh, healthy dish that can be whipped up in a flash. pexels.com 8. Popcorn Grab a jar of kernels, pop them in the microwave and in no time you can have a delicious air-popped snack. Try and stay away from the prepackaged products that contain too much butter, salt, or fat. Instead, opt for air-popping kernels that you can season yourself to make a much healthier, tastier snack.

Tips From an Irvine English Tutor The Value of Writing a Rough Draft

Tips From an Irvine English Tutor The Value of Writing a Rough Draft Tips From an Irvine English Tutor: The Value of Writing a Rough Draft Tips From an Irvine English Tutor: The Value of Writing a Rough Draft Many students feel it’s not important to write a high-quality rough draft, especially if they simply get a check or credit from their teacher for completing a certain number of paragraphs. If a teacher happens to grade primarily on the final draft, students may view the rough draft as unimportant. Additionally, students who don’t particularly enjoy research and writing may be tempted to think of the rough draft as something they can skip over and fix later on. However, the rough draft serves a higher purpose than simply to receive a credit for completion, rather it teaches valuable writing, research, and time management skills that will help younger students now and later on in high school and college struggling in English? Summer is the perfect time to work with an Irvine English tutor to improve writing skills. 1. One step at a time The point of a rough draft is to teach students that high quality writing takes more than one try. All professional writers and college level English majors write at least one, if not several, rough drafts before handing in a final version. Writing multiple drafts also teaches younger students that writing is a step by step process. First, they need to do research and gather content in the form of an outline. Second they need to get their thoughts down on paper and formulate content in a well organized manner. Third, they need to edit and proofread for common grammar and punctuation errors. Students who understand that they are not able to complete a well written English assignment in one step tend to receive higher grades all the way from elementary school through the end of college (READ: Five Tips for Success in English Class). 2. Time management Teachers will often make the rough draft due a few days before the final draft is due to help students learn to manage their time effectively. Students often avoid an assignment theyre not excited about, forcing them to stay up well past midnight to finish the assignment due the next morning. This nearly always results in a bad grade, a poorly written essay, and virtually no learning on the part of the student. However, students who take the rough draft seriously will be in a position where they only have to fix minor content or grammar changes before the final draft is due. Although some students may disagree, the teacher is doing them a huge favor by allowing them to hand in a rough draft ahead of time. 3. Preparation Writing a rough draft will help younger children learn how to manage long term assignments when they get into their college prep years and study at university. Students who are taking AP classes or who are living full-time on a college campus, will have to cope with long-range due dates (meaning they have three weeks to complete large amounts of work as opposed to one afternoon to finish a short-term assignment). The completion of a rough draft is preparation for these types of long-term assignments that become the bulk of an older student’s education (READ: Literature 101: Surviving Character Analysis). 4. Practicalities The rough draft also has a practical purpose. The English language is complicated. Many English grammar and punctuation rules have exceptions that need to be memorized and there are various vocab words that need to be learned. Writing a rough draft allows students to focus on the content, reading, or research required and get their thoughts down on paper before they attempt heavy editing and proofreading. If necessary, students can work with their tutor to develop better flow, transition, grammar, and sentence structure. If asked, many teachers are willing to provide suggestions as to where a transition sentence should appear, how many grammar edits are needed, or if the length of the current draft is appropriate. However, students need to take the initiative to write a rough draft and ask their teacher about what they can improve upon (READ: 5 Reasons Students Should Blog). Bottom line? Although it’s tempting to write a subpar first draft, students are only cheating themselves out of valuable feedback from their teacher. The rough draft is the student’s opportunity to learn more about the English language, manage their time, and fix any mistakes needed in order to get their best effort grade. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.