The Best Cooking Classes in the UK

The Best Cooking Classes in the UK Everything You Need to Know About the Best Cooking and Baking Courses and Classes ChaptersLe Cordon Bleu LondonTante Marie Culinary AcademyWestminster Kingsway CollegeRoyal Academy of Culinary ArtsUniversity of West LondonPrivate Cooking TutorialsOnline Cooking TutorialsThere are plenty of great cooking classes for those wanting to learn. Thanks to popular TV cooking shows (like Masterchef and The Great British Bake Off), more and more people have decided to learn how to cook.In this article, we've put together a list that includes the best academic courses on cooking (including degrees, master's degrees, and diplomas), great workshops where you can learn about basic cooking techniques, culinary skills, and new recipes, as well as cookery classes from private tutors, who can offer more flexibility to a class than a structured course could.If there's a certain cookbook you want to work on or a certain cooking skill you want to master, a tutor can put together a plan for your tutorials with these in mind.If you want to become a professional baker, you should special ise in baking. (Source: Marianna_OLE)Private tutorials are also a better option for those with dietary requirements. If you're vegetarian, vegan, or have any allergies or intolerances, your cooking instructor will be able to help you with the preparation of menus that adhere to your requirements.A cooking class london will tend to follow a theme or cooking style. Anyone who wants to learn how to create meals from certain countries should look for private tutors.Online Cooking TutorialsThanks to VOIP technologies like Skype, you can now get cooking tutorials from anywhere in the world (as long as you have a relatively quick internet connection). These types of cooking tutorials are useful for those who work irregular hours or have busy schedules.Since your tutor can be anywhere in the world, this also means that if there's a very specific type of cooking you want to learn how to make, you can find a tutor from a specific country. Additionally, if you live in the country, you or your tutor mightn't be able to meet one another in person for your cooking tutorials.In terms of cost, online tutorials tend to be cheaper since neither you nor the tutor have to incur travelling costs. However, there are certain things that are easier to learn in person.Here is more on the history of cooking.Check out the various types of cooking classes.Presenting the top 10 cooking classes around the world.

Introverts What the World Sees and What We Actually Are - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Introverts What the World Sees and What We Actually Are - Introvert Whisperer Introverts: What the World Sees and What We Actually Are? “Don’t think of introversion as something that needs to be cured… Spend your free time the way you like, not the way you think you’re supposed to.” ~ Susan Cain   It is not easy for introverts to survive in this world. People think of you as an obnoxious, shy, anti-social, and reserved person. But the reality is way different from this. The fact is that introverts are deep thinkers; they are in their own head most of the time and engage in deep conversations with their own selves. They love to listen to others and give them enough time to talk their heart out. For introverts like me, the idea of a perfect weekend is reading a book in a cozy bed with a hot mug of coffee rather than partying with a group of people that I barely know. But that all make people think that introverts are socially awkward and geek. So, being an introvert, I decided to show our true self to the people out there which is quite different from what they believe. 1. Introverts Like to Be Alone All the Time “I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.” ~ Henry David Thoreau That’s not true, introverts are not the aloof nerds. It’s just they are comfortable with their own selves and like to stay in their own space most of the time. They think a lot, introspect about their life, and daydream. But, saying that they like to be alone is not right because they love sharing their discoveries and thoughts; however, with one person at a time. Introverts love their personal space, and when they feel that it is being invaded, they cut themselves off. 2. Introverts Are Shy Socially Awkward “Shyness is the fear of social disapproval or humiliation, while introversion is a preference for environments that are not overstimulating.” Susan Cain Shyness and introversion are two words that are frequently used interchangeably by many people. But the fact is that theyre remarkably different traits of a person. Many introverts arent shy at all instead, they feel confident and at ease around people. However, they need more alone time to balance out the energy they expend when around people. There are many extroverts who may seek the company of others but feel shy or uncomfortable in groups. 3. Introverts Don’t Like to Talk, They Just Listen “Be a loner. That gives you time to wonder, to search for the truth. Have holy curiosity. Make your life worth living.” ~ Albert Einstein Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something concrete to say. They enjoy talking about their life, their dreams, their passions, but often need an explicit invitation to pour their heart out. Once you get an introvert talking about something he is interested in, you’ll see that he won’t shut up for days. Another best thing about introverts is that they pay attention to what others have to say. They carefully listen to people, reflect on their thoughts, and then respond accordingly. 4. Introverts Are Obnoxious Don’t Like People “Alone had always felt like an actual place to me, as if it weren’t a state of being, but rather a room where I could retreat to be who I really was.” ~ Cheryl Strayed Introverts enjoy solitude, they love their own company but saying that they are antisocial or dont like the company of others is not true at all. Introverts like people, but they generally favor quality over quantity in their relationships. So, introversion shouldnt be confused with misanthropy. They typically prefer having a smaller circle of close friends instead of a large network of acquaintances. Try creating a space in the life of introverts and you will know how deeply they value others.   5. Introverts Have No Valuable Thoughts “Introverts are collectors of thoughts, and solitude is where the collection is curated and rearranged to make sense of the present and future.” ~ Laurie Helgoe This is the most ridiculous belief of all. Introverts are the people who spend a lot of time observing their surroundings, people around them and their thoughts. They listen more than that they speak, so they always have a lot of information to process and a lot of thoughts to reflect on. Introverts would always give the deepest and brutally honest advice. When they have an opinion about something, people can’t deny it and would easily be agree to it. 6. Introverts Are Sad Depressed “A happy life must be to a great extent a quiet life, for it is only in an atmosphere of quiet that true joy dare live.” ~ Bertrand Russell The world has so many wrong beliefs about introverts. Trust me, introverts are the happiest people. Unlike extroverts, they are never under the pressure of pleasing people. They do what they desire, no matter people agree to it or not. If they want to spend some alone time, they would not hesitate to ditch a party. They have very few expectations from people; they mostly expect things from them and strive hard to fulfill them. 7. Introverts Can’t Be Good Leaders or Public Speakers “Whatever kind of introvert you are, some people will find you ‘too much’ in some ways and ‘not enough’ in others.” ~ Laurie Helgoe Humility, resilience, compassion, and creativity are the most significant traits that are required to be a good leader, and introverts possess them all. To be a good leader, you need not to be loud and the most noticeable one. Introverts know this very well, so they always build meaningful connections and don’t easily get distracted.   People believe that introverts are shy and they are afraid to put their thoughts forward, but with their well-constructed speeches, they can leave the audience spellbound. Everyone is wired differently, so it’s high time people stop judging introverts. Solitude is something that can’t be enjoyed by everyone, but introverts very well know how to make the best out of it!   About the Author: Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.   Grab yours by visiting here right now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Ask a Private School Admissions Expert Liz Perelstein

Ask a Private School Admissions Expert Liz Perelstein Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Liz Perelstein is the Chair and Founder of School Choice International, a leading school placement consulting organization. Prior to starting School Choice International, Liz worked in all levels of education as a teacher, educational administrator, and more. She holds two Masters degrees from The University of Chicago, one in Educational Administration and one in Public Policy, and is a well-known entrepreneur who frequently speaks on topics related to several areas of education. Along with her team of experts at School Choice International, Liz advises families on the selection of schools for their children all over the world as well as how to successfully take on the respective admissions processes. VT: What is the typical timeline for private school admissions? For example, outline a sample timetable of applications, interviews, decisions, etc. Liz: The School Choice Group has consultants all over the country and world with knowledge of their regions private school admissions timeline since the timeline for tours, testing, interviews, and applications differs by region, but each individual schools may vary. For instance, while once the member schools of the Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater NY (ISAAGNY) conducted their admissions according to a fairly uniform timeline, there is now increasing variability according to school and to grade level. There also are a growing number of private schools that are not members of ISAAGNY, and these schools have even greater flexibility when it comes to the admissions timetable. School Tours: Typically, school tours start as early as the spring before the September in which applications are due. Tours take place throughout the fall semester. Application Deadlines: At present, most admissions applications are due during the fall semester one year before a child will actually enroll. Some schools distribute unlimited applications while others will accept only a certain number. Schools may have a strict due date in November or December, or may stop accepting applications when they have received a sufficient number. So, applying early is a good strategy. Testing: ERB or ISEE testing is generally completed during the fall. However, many students are tested during the previous spring semester. Parent and Child Interviews: Student and parent interviews take place during the autumn one year in advance of admission. Supplemental Materials: Recommendations and prior school grades must be received while the rest of the childs information is being assembled, generally during the fall semester. Decisions: Admissions decisions are announced as early as December for legacy admissions, and in February for non-legacy candidates. Family notification: For legacies, families must notify schools of their intent by mid-January. For non-legacy students, depending on grade level, families should notify the schools by February or March. But, above all, it is important to check each schools own website to make sure you adhere to their specific timetable. VT: What is the typical process admissions officers go through to evaluate applications? Liz: If you ask any admissions officer, they will say that they admit a whole child and family rather than a set of numbers. Although most say that they dont have specific testing cut-offs, it would be unusual for schools to accept a student whose results fall far outside the range of most of their population. That said, since ERB* tutoring, as well as tutoring for other standardized tests, has become commonplace, many schools are discounting or even eliminating testing as a criterion. Schools want to get to know a child before deciding to accept him or her. This profile is gleaned from a combination of student and family interviews, the application, and teacher recommendations. They seek families who will make a positive contribution to the school and children who have the personalities and interests as well as academic criteria that show they have something to offer. It is important that all sources of information are consistent that schools echo what parents say. Admissions officers are extremely good at identifying red flags. In addition to wanting to understand the whole child and family, schools are looking for a good fit. They want parents who share the schools values and who are choosing the school because they genuinely feel it is a good match. Finally, schools inevitably must build groups of students. They need followers as well as leaders, students who are strong in math and those who are strong in reading, those whose interests lie in athletics and those who favor the Arts. In order to be able to offer a marketplace of programs, they need students to participate in each of them. *Its important to know that ERB is not the name of the test itself. It is the name of the testing company, Educational Records Bureau, that gives admission and achievement assessments for independent and public schools. Many parents refer to the Early Childhood Admissions Assessment (ECAA) as the ERB; the ECAA is a test that most private schools use as an evaluation tool and vital part of their admissions process. VT: What are the most important things children need to have represented on their applications? Liz: Age appropriate understanding of who they are, as well as genuine appreciation for the school and why that particular school is a good fit for the child. Each school has a unique personality such as a set of values and attributes that families should take the time to understand, especially as it relates to their own child. Our consumer division, School Search Solutions, is developing a unique school matching tool that we call LEAP (Learning, Ethos, Achievement and Principles) that is designed to elicit the subjective elements of a school culture as opposed to objective facts like the location, size, and acceptances at ongoing schools or universities. VT: What are common mistakes parents and/or their children make when applying to these programs? Liz: Parents, in particular, often go into an interview trying to impress a school or identify the right answer to questions. There really only are tworightanswers based on two important concepts: Families should look for a school where their child thrives academically, socially, and emotionally, leading to a love of learning. Families should disclose any issues or concerns that the school will have to address in partnership in order to ensure that the childs experience is successful. With these two principles in mind, everything else should flow easily. Parents should also use the interview as an opportunity to learn more about the school than what is on display on their walls and website. Thoughtful questions help parents determine whether or not a school is a good fit for their child, will give them important information, and will be appreciated by the admissions staff. VT: How should parents go about determining the culture of a private school, and whether it would be a good fit for their children? Liz: Talking with other parents or former parents is useful, but always should be taken with a grain of salt. School is a very personal experience and what works for one child may not work for another. The best way to get to know a school is to spend time there. Go at drop-off time and observe. Youll want to see whether the other parents share your values. Notice how children get to school and who they come with, as well as who greets them and how adults interact with them. Is the head of school out on the steps in the morning or is it an aide? Do children run to or away from him/her? Going to a play, concert, school fair, or sporting event speaks volumes. You can see how happy children are and what the school values. If you want your child to attend a school with a good sports program, be sure to attend a sports event. Do you want a school where every child plays and the coachs goal is to teach sportsmanship? Or do you want your child to be on a team that wins, even if a kid is carried off in an ambulance at every game? Being there helps clarify what you are looking for and whether or not your familys values and your childs learning style fits with the schools practices. VT: How important are standardized test scores when admissions decisions are being made? Liz: This varies according to school. As tutoring has become more ubiquitous among families who can afford it, test scores have become less important in the admissions process, with many schools talking about abandoning the ERB standardized testing altogether. While it used to be one of a number of indicators of whether or not a child would be successful in a school, schools now realizethat testing may have limited value. VT: What tips do you have in regards to ISEE prep, SSAT prep, and preparation for other standardized assessments that private schools might require? Liz: Increasingly, students are being tutored by professional organizations. When choosing a test prep company, recommendations of friends and colleagues may not be best for your child. Just like when looking for a school, a successful test prep experience is a matter of fit. Students will work harder for tutors they respect and with whom they have rapport. Interview the tutor, with your child, to ensure that they are compatible. Some children will do their homework and others won't. It is useful to work with a tutor who can address your child's study style. VT: What are the most important things parents need to have well represented about themselves when meeting with admissions officers? Liz: The following three mindsets That they are eager to partner with the school for the benefit of their child and all children, whether this means being a class mother, accompanying the class on trips, or financial support (if that is feasible for the family). That they are objective about their child and will be open to feedback, both positive and negative, as well as able to collaborate with teachers to provide their child any help and/or resources that will be beneficial. That they will respect teachers and administrators as professionals and will not try to overturn policies and practices for the benefit of their child. VT: How does networking and having in-school connections affect one's chances of admission? Liz: We work with thousands of students each year and are certain that connections of this nature are not necessary to gain admission. On the other hand, there are students whose families do utilize board or high-level connections with successful admissions outcomes. Unfortunately, these students do not get the benefit of having experienced admissions officers who understand which children will thrive in a particular school as part of the decision process. As a result, many of these children are unsuccessful once they enroll in school; some may be asked to leave a school if they cannot perform. A letter from a parent of an enrolled student who knows the family well can be advantageous in letting the school know that this is a family who will be an asset to the school. Letters from people, no matter how eminent, who are not well acquainted with a child, are of no value. VT: How can a student best prepare for admissions interviews? Liz: Before the interview, a parent should explain to his or her child that this is an opportunity for the school to get to know them and for them to get to know the school to be sure that it is a good, mutual match. Explain that there are no right or wrong answers. Parents may coach a child to look an adult in the eye, shake hands, and talk in an audible voice, which will serve them well for the interview and for years to come. It is useful for a parent to role-play some simple questions with a child to make him or her more comfortable when s/he arrives at the admissions office. Asking questions about what s/he likes and doesnt like, strengths and weaknesses, and helping the child frame weaknesses as strengths in ways that arent contrived, can be useful. Making sure kids are familiar with the books theyve read, the music they listen to, the movies theyve seen and their reasons for each can give the admissions officers an entre to a conversation. Finally, ask your child what he or she wants to know about the school and encourage him/her to ask this/these questions in the admissions interview. Visit School Choice International for more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Teaching Tutorials to Groups

Teaching Tutorials to Groups How To Deliver Group Classes ChaptersThe Advantages of Teaching Private Group TutorialsHow Do You Plan Group Private Tutorials?Where Can You Teach Private Group Tutorials?How Much Should You Charge for Private Group Tutorials?“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” - ConfuciusProviding academic support, group classes, or private tutorials requires a lot of knowledge and without private tutors, a lot of students would struggle at school.The tutoring market in the UK is valued at £2bn a year and over 40% of students in London have enlisted the help of a private tutor.Tutoring is a great way to make ends meet and help students with their education. Here’s our take on teaching groups with private tutorials! CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st less on free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Advantages of Teaching Private Group TutorialsFor students who want to take private group tutorials, there are plenty of academic support options available to them and plenty of advantages to teaching private tutorials.Group tutorials allow students to learn from one another, too. (Source: Free-Photos)They could go to traditional tutoring agencies, for example, or they could go to tutoring networks and platforms like Superprof, etc.  Finally, they could also look at classifieds in local businesses, newspapers, and online via social media.What are the advantages of teaching private group tutorials?For one, the students can learn from one another.  Generally, group private tutorials rarely have more than ten students in them as students benefit more from having smaller class sizes than they would in school.Similarly, in a language class or a music theory tutorial, student s benefit a lot from a productive and positive working and study environment. Group classes are organised according to the student’s level and allow the tutor to tailor to the students. Of course, you can still teach a variety of students at different levels but you’ll need to be really adaptable.  Group classes are useful for developing the social bonds between the students.Furthermore, group classes such as intensive classes, school holiday tutorials, catchup classes, etc. tend to be more intensive than the students’ regular classes.  On the other hand, group classes aren’t particularly viable for certain subjects.  This is particularly the case with music as students can’t really learn the guitar, drums, or violin, for example, at the same time as others without slowing everybody down.Group classes also cost each family less.  The bigger the group, the less the price for each student can be.  On the other hand, the tutor can increase their earnings as they’ll earn mor e money per hour of tutorials.In maths, English, or physics tutorials, for example, it’s easier for the tutor as they’ll only have to prepare one tutorial for 10 students rather than preparing 10 tutorials for 10 individuals.When it comes to learning languages, group classes are useful for getting students to work together and learn from one another in a way that they rarely get to in their normal classes at school.How Do You Plan Group Private Tutorials?Now that many of our tutors are offering private group tutorials for subjects like maths, Spanish, German, physics, etc, how do they plan and organise them?In order to teach groups, you need to be organised and prepared. (Source: Pexels)An increasing number of parents are choosing to get private tutorials for their children.  If you want to help students with a particular topic, revise for an exam, or work on a presentation in a foreign language, etc., you’ll need to know exactly how to organise an effective group class.Here a re 5 key ways to organise your private group tutorials:Prepare a review of the previous tutorialElaborate on the key concepts (elicit definitions, examples, create mind maps, etc.)Prepare a list of exercises (maths problems, vocabulary lists, conversation topics for conversation classes, etc.)Dedicate part of the class to teaching theory.Create a list of questions designed to test the students’ understanding of the topics covered.At the end of each session, tutors can bridge the gap to the next lesson and establish the topics that students will be covering in the next session.  This is particularly useful for social sciences, humanities, and language classes.The tutor will also require materials such as tables, chairs, dictionaries (for languages), textbooks, a computer, a projector, etc. Their classroom should be clean, calm, well-lit, and the tutor should be well-presented.Finally, the class needs to be delivered in a clear and progressive way since most students are getting pri vate tutorials because they’re struggling at school or failing exams.  This means that you’ll need to get their attention, build up their confidence, and give them a thirst for learning. In order to do all this, you’ll have to put your heart and soul into your lessons.  You need to engage them in discussion and show them that they’re capable of illustrating an idea and learning new concepts, etc.In a group class, especially with secondary school students, it’s important to regularly test the new skills they’re learning, let them learn from one another by working together and correcting one another, eliciting answers from one another, and getting the most out of learning with their peers.There are plenty of different teaching approaches available to tutors planning group classes, too.Where Can You Teach Private Group Tutorials?So where should you have each lesson? Where can all the students go? Can you teach each subject in the same place?There are plenty of great places outside the classroom to teach. (Source: pepperminting)The bigger the city, the more places you’ll have where you can teach private group tutorials. However, students will probably have to travel more and have less free time.Firstly, not every group class can be taught in the tutor’s home.  There’s no reason that private tutors can’t offer private group tutorials. However, sometimes families are unwilling to send their child to a group class with strangers.If you’re teaching sport, yoga, or fitness classes, tutors can teach their students in the park, at the beach, in the forest, or in a field, etc.  There are plenty of unusual places where they can offer private group tutorials.That said, academic subjects are usually taught indoors.Here are some examples of where you can teach each subject:Sports tutorials: outdoors, at the beach, in the park etc.Maths: in classroomsEnglish, foreign languages such as French, Russian, Spanish, etc.: in classrooms or outdoors for speaking classes.Music, singing, etc.: concert hall, music room, etc.Swimming: the local swimming pool, of courseBiology: classroom, nature reserve, forest, beach, etc.Since there are multiple students, you can always mix things up if they are progressing as anticipated.Can you teach French in the pub?Probably not if you have four underage students. In this case, it’s probably better to go to the library.Certain libraries actually have private rooms for people to work together where you won’t have to whisper.How Much Should You Charge for Private Group Tutorials?How much should families pay and how much should the tutor earn?If you want that holiday, you'll need to make sure you're earning enough. (Source: 12019)It’s difficult to apply a single rate to all the different types of private group tutorials.  Private tutoring is a free market and rates will vary according to a huge number of different factors (the tutor’s experience, qualifications, where they teach, the subject they teac h, etc.).  Generally, private tutorials can cost upwards of £15 per hour but a tutor needs to ensure that they’re earning a living.In recent years, the number of students getting private tutorials has increased.  Similarly, the number of tutors has also increased.  It’s a dynamic market that continues to grow.As a result, it's a promising market to be involved in.  Generally, the average rates sit between £15 and £30 per hour.The main criteria to consider when deciding upon rates are:The tutor’s experienceTheir qualificationsTravel costsThe student’s levelWhat the tutor thinks their lessons are worthImagine you charged £30 per hour.  If you had 10 students, you’d make £300 per hour. If you did this every week of the year, you’d make over £15k per year.  Of course, not many families would be happy to pay £1,500 per year in private tutorials.More often than not, the more lessons a student has and the more students in their lesson, the less they’ll pay per lesson.  For example, £300 per student for 30-35 lessons with 5 students, £270 for classes of 8, £230 for 9, £200 for 10, etc.Let’s imagine that a tutor gets £1,440 for a class, £120 a month, £30 an hour. If they work 18 hours a week, they’ll get around £2,160 a month.  Of course, that means they’ll need to find 18 hours of private group tutorials, which means they need to find 18 groups of multiple students, which is a lot.  A tutor’s earnings depend on what they can earn and what families are prepared to pay for them, which means it can be really difficult to please everyone.Whether you want to offer online tutoring services, one on one tutoring, or group tutorials, students can find a tutor on Superprof. It doesn't matter if you're a mathematics tutor teaching calculus or geometry, a chemistry tutor, offering academic tutoring services such as homework help, or even looking to teach yoga, mindfulness meditation, you can create your profile on Superprof and start building your reputation right now.A qualified online tutor, for example, can help students with exam prep, complete an algebra assignment, or improve their grammar over the internet with online video conferencing programmes like Skype.If you tutor online, you'll have fewer outgoings than tutors who have to travel to their student's home. Of course, there's nothing to stop a good educator from offering both types of instruction helping their students achieve academic success.

What to do now that your in charge

Introvert Whisperer / What to do now that your in charge What To Do Now That You’re In Charge! Wow! You’ve been working towards a promotion and now you’ve just been given your first job as a manager of a group. YOU are in charge now!  This is a great opportunity and you are determined to let everyone know that their choice was a good one.   Here are some things you can do to ensure your first few months set you up for success as a strong leader in charge:   In the first 2 weeks you want to do the following: Meet with each individual that reports to you to get a download from them on; What they’ve accomplished this year What their challenges are (so you can be watching and coaching) What the plans going forward are What they see the purpose of their position to be. All of these items are good starter things to know.   You are in the process of learning these people at a level you haven’t done before and these are the things you need to know about them.  Even if you did one of those jobs, you don’t know nor have you “looked” at these people from this vantage point. You will not truly absorb all of that just by the first meeting but it starts your process and gives your people a chance to really be heard by you now that youre in charge.   In the first month, you want to do the following: You need to meet with everyone that either supports you â€" like an admin or adjacent department manager.   You need to further understand their jobs and how they interact with your position.   Getting to know players and positions is the most vital thing you can do to get started.   By doing this, you will be more effective sooner. Meet with the boss early and often: Make sure you meet with your boss to understand what goals are expected and what resources you have to support those goals besides your group.   Knowing their goals will help you define the goals you will want to plan for your people. Knowing the goals sets your baseline for performance but it’s vital for you to understand how they will measure your performance.  You need to know what they need from you to let them know how you AND your group is performing. Figure out what your job is: You need to figure out what your tasks are versus the tasks of those reporting to you.   You will likely do things differently than the previous manager so it’s important for you to figure out what you need from your group, when you need it and communicate that to them in this window.   This will be a be rough to start with as anything that represents a change usually is, so be patient until you all get a rhythm going. You will invariably be told “this isn’t how the previous manager did it”.    Don’t be defensive or blow it off.  Listen to what is being told to you about your job as learning your job will come from your group as much as it will come from the boss.  You can decide for yourself if you want to adapt what was done previously or invent your own way of doing things. The biggest aspect to your role is that you act as a communication conduit between higher management and your group.   Figure out the specifics of when to meet as a group and each individual quickly so communication isn’t missing during your transition into this new role. In the first 1-2 months: Make a plan for both long term and short term to that will get you and your group to the goals.   A good leader always has a plan and articulates that plan soon and often.   You can’t really accomplish this in the first couple of weeks but what you learn in those first couple of weeks will strongly inform this step.   You should get your group together to help develop this plan.   This is also important to solidifying yourself as a strong manager and leader.   Leaders have vision and plans, they can communicate and engage others in that vision and plan.   Once you have a plan, engage and communicate that to the boss and anyone else that is a stakeholder.   They want to know you are taking charge and this is one of the most powerful ways of doing it. With your plan in place, plan out how you will be updated and update to your group and to the higher management.   It’s not enough to have the plan you must execute and in the process, be a source of ongoing communication. First impressions matter and these first few months of your new leadership position have the potential of establishing your personal brand. 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: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

The 30-Day Challenge

The 30-Day Challenge In 2015 our most popular lesson in our 1-on-1 English classes was 30-Day Challenge, a lesson about goals and trying new things. Its a good lesson for starting off a new year, and it inspired me to try something for 30 days. Ive given up eating sugar for the month of January. Im 20 days in now, and its really not bad at all, although I really have the urge to buy some chocolate chip cookies right now.In the past Ive also given up alcohol for 30 days, which was easy, and caffeine, which was horrible. Although, coffee never tasted better to me than it did after 30 days without it.Below we have a TED Talk that we also used in the lesson. Its about 30-day challenges, and was inspired by  Spurlock, perhaps the king of these challenges, who ate nothing but McDonalds for 30 days in Super Size Me. Watch the video below and see if you can answer the listening questions.Answer the questions in comments, and well respond.A few years ago, I felt like I was ___ in a ___.What does the above sentenc e mean?What is Morgan Spurlocks actual profession? How does the speaker refer to him?It __ __ 30 days is just  about the right amount of timeHow did the speaker perceive time while doing the challenges?What were some of the challenges the speaker did?Did the speaker write a novel?Are small or large changes more likely to stick?

Irregular Verbs

Irregular Verbs Learning English can be a difficult task sometimes. Idioms can be many students  achilles heel whilst  adverbs can be  especially  difficult .  Today, we are going to look at another challenging topic- how to use irregular verbs in the past tense.  First, lets look at these videos which explain past irregular verb categories, making them  easier to remember. So get your popcorn ready, sit back and enjoy the videos.Grammar Videos: Irregular VerbsDid you get that? Easy, right? Lets see how well you understood  the video. Below Ive made a table of irregular verbs. Ive highlighted the 12 categories from the videos to make it easier for you to remember the different rules. Look at the examples, and then try to fill in the gaps with your answers.  Remember to write them in the comment section, and well respond!English Irregular Verb Exercise: Gap FillNow lets put those past irregular verbs into practice. Below Ive made 15 questions with the verb in parenthesis(). Go ahead and think of how we would change these to the past tense, remembering the rules we just learned together. Its an interesting story about an Olympic fencing medalist, and well watch a video about it after this activity. Write your answers in the comments section to show the world your English level!  When I _________(to qualify) for the Olympic team, the focus ___(to be) about me being the first Muslim woman in hijab to represent team USA at the Olympic games.I ______(to want) to challenge the narrative that Muslim women are meek and docile and oppressed.As a kid, I ______(to play) softball, I _____(to try) tennis, I ___(to run) track.My teammates ____(to wear) tank tops or  shorts, but my mom always ___(to have) to adjust the uniform so it would adhere to the tenants of my faith.  When I ___(to be) about 12 years old, my mom and I ____(to be) driving past a local high school, and we ___(to see) athletes that ___(to have) on long jackets, long pants, and they ___(to have) on these masks.  Thats whe n we __________(to discover) fencing.Once I ______(to find) fencing it ___(to be) the first time where I ______(to look) like my teammates, and that ___(to be) just this really gratifying experience for me.More English Gap Fill Exercises:As a young athlete, I really ______(to look) up to Serena and Venus.  They never _________(to conform) to what the tennis community ______(to want) them to be, and through their prowess, they ______(to force) society to accept them as they ____(to be).  That was something I ______(to want) for myself within fencing.When I _________(to qualify) for the Olympic team, my life immediately _______(to change).It ___nt (to be) until opening ceremonies that I ___(to be) overcome with emotion.I ____(to tell) her to bring home the gold!No one _______(to think) we would win a medal.  We ____(to be) underdogs.When it ________(to happen), Im like oh my god.From the time I ______(to walk) onto the podium to the time they ___(to put) the medal around my neck, l iterally just like complete disbelief.I ___(to meet) Serena and Venus in the Olympic Village.Im sure they _______(to think) I ___(to be) crazy, but I ____(to feel) like I ___(to have) to tell them in that moment how much they _____(to mean) to me growing up.Good work! That was the difficult part- now for the easy part! Lets see what this story was about and head to the  Olympics for some inspiration. Now, You can check your answers while you are listening.English Listening ExerciseWasnt that a great story? I hope you enjoyed it. So, if you still feel like you need more practice before we move onto the next section, I encourage you to read  this  blog post  from LOI English.English Verb Identification ExerciseFinally,  have a look at this short story:John awoke from his sleep, and bent forward to pick up his slippers to cover his cold feet. The wind blew fiercely outside, but he didn’t need to go to work because it was the weekend. He drank a hot cup of tea and fed his ginger cat, Toby. He then ate his breakfast while he read the newspaper. Something caught John’s eye, and he was shocked to see the front page of the newspaper had his face on it…..You guessed it. the story has some past irregular verbs in it. I can count 11 irregular verbs-can you spot them? Excellent work! You may have noticed that the story is incomplete. If you are feeling inspired after watching some great videos in this class, please go ahead and write how you think the story will end in the comment section- wed love to hear your ideas and give you some feedback. Try to use some of the past irregular verbs weve talked about. Furthermore, if your story is particularly good, you will find your name on the LOI English Past Irregular Verb Wall of Fame! So good luck, and get typing.Sign up  now for some great, interactive Skype English classes with LOI English.

A Dual-language Book Intro Welcome to Your New Double Life!

A Dual-language Book Intro Welcome to Your New Double Life! A Dual-language Book Intro: Welcome to Your New Double Life! Some language learners are leading double lives.They switch between languages willy-nilly, sometimes with only a quick sideways glance to confirm.Yeah, they play it so cool.And theyre admired and envied by many.Thats because a double life isnt a bad thing when it comes to language learning.After all, you need to work on your new language, but youre probably still a lot more comfortable with your native language.If you want the comfort of your native tongue with the skill-building potential of reading in your target language, theres nothing quite like assuming a dual identity in order to have both.Okay, so your language learning double life might not be as action-packed as your favorite spy movie, but its exciting in a different way.Dual-language books can provide just the momentum you need to propel yourself towards greater fluency.As youre using various  reading strategies  to develop your target language, all kinds of  language learning books  can come in handy.Dual-language books, also known as bilingual books, are one such type of language learning book. They throw you in the deep end of reading in your target language, but they also toss you a life preserver so you wont drown.And the great news is, theyre available for a wide variety of languages. Want to try out some  bilingual Japanese books?  Bilingual German books? No matter what language youre learning, these texts provide you with the practice you need  and extra support to ensure you succeed.Considering living a double life with dual-language books? Heres everything you need to complete your mission. A Dual-language Book Intro: Welcome to Your New Double Life!What Dual-language Books Are and Why You Should Use ThemFirst of all, its important to understand what dual-language books are. Dual-language books are a tool for language learners and/or bilingual readers. They offer text in two different languages. Often, this text is side-by-side in each language, but some books will share a short excerpt, such as a chapter, before switching languages.Theyre basically like a pure-text equivalent of the optional bilingual video captions you get on FluentU. FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like commercials, cartoons, vlogs, news and music videosâ€"and turns them into personalized language lessons.For language learners, dual-language books are an ideal reading option because theyre less daunting than reading fully in your target language. Reading in a foreign language can be intimidating for even experienced learners. However, if you know you have English translations handy, its much easier to give reading a try without fear of failure.Because they offer additional language support, dual-language books are perfect for beginning and intermediate students. Having the English text handy means that you can easily fill in any vocabulary gaps with just a glance. Starting out with a dual-language text is a good stepping stone to reading in your target language without support.While dual-langu age books are often associated with beginning and intermediate students, theyre popular among all levels of language learner. Thats because they offer a quick way to ensure youve understood the meaning of the text. More advanced learners might read in their target language and then just skim the English translation to ensure they fully comprehended the text. This is a good way to spot-check to ensure you actually understood what you thought you understood.5 Dual-language Book Resources Language Learners LoveDover Dual-LanguageThe Dover Dual-Language series focuses on providing stories in a target language and English. Many of their options include authentic stories that originally appeared in the target language. Reading these is a helpful way to practice your language skills while learning more about important literature.The Dover Dual-Language line includes several volumes of short stories. For language learners, these are low-stress tools for practicing reading in a foreign langu age.French Stories: A Dual-Language Book  features selections by popular French authors, including Voltaire and Camus.Best Short Stories: A Dual-Language Book (German)  focuses exclusively on stories by Franz Kafka.Italian Stories: A Dual-Language Book  features stories by Machiavelli and others.Russian Stories: A Dual-Language Book    includes selections from Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Pushkin, Gogol and other big names.Spanish Stories: A Dual-Language Book  features stories by Cervantes, Borges and more.Additionally, these books are available in print or Kindle versions. Consider that in the Kindle version, youll have to change the page to refer to the translations. This can be a pro or a con. It requires a little more work to see the translation, but in that extra second, you might figure out the meaning on your own.Another option for readers using a Kindle is to install a dictionary for easy reference while reading. If you like to see both texts at once, you can also use the Kindle Cloud Reader on your laptop and copy the corresponding text into a word processor. If you like to see both texts at once, just keep them open side-by-side!Penguin Parallel TextThe Penguin Parallel Text series focuses on providing contemporary short stories in their original language alongside English translations. This series offers a few more languages than the Dover Dual-Language series.Short Stories in Chinese: New Penguin Parallel Text  offers a number of contemporary stories by Chinese authors.Short Stories in French: New Penguin Parallel Text  features works by French and Canadian authors.Short Stories in Japanese: New Penguin Parallel Text  focuses on contemporary Japanese works.German Short Stories 1: Parallel Text Edition  focuses on post-war German short stories.Short Stories in Italian: New Penguin Parallel Text  features selections by Calvino and other Italian authors.Short Stories in Russian: New Penguin Parallel Text  provides Russian short stories, some of whic h appear for the first time in English.Short Stories in Spanish: New Penguin Parallel Text  includes contemporary short stories by both Castilian and Latin American authors, including Allende and García Márquez.Like the Dover Dual-Language series, these books are available in print or for Kindle. Again, on your Kindle, youll have to flip a page to see the translation, but you can also use these books on your computer through the Kindle Cloud Reader so you can have the texts open side-by-side. Otherwise, using a dictionary on your Kindle will provide you with a quick reference if you ever need to know what a word means immediately.Language LizardLanguage Lizard provides a wide array of bilingual childrens products. There are options in over 50 languages, so its a rare valuable find for anyone looking to learn less common languages.Just select the language youre learning on the left-hand sidebar and browse to your hearts content.Language Lizard offers languages paired with English f or their dual-language books, with multiple languages across books. So if you find a certain book in Spanish, for example, you might also be able to get the same book in Urdu, Albanian, Bengali, Irish and many more languages.Since the books focus on simple childrens stories with common vocabulary youre likely to need, these books are excellent for both children and beginning adult learners, and great if youre learning multiple languages.BilinguisBilinguis.com is a free online resource offering side-by-side translations of books. The text appears line-by-line, side-by-side, so you can easily glance at the English version whenever youre struggling with a word or phrase.The focus is on popular, public-domain works like Alices Adventures in Wonderland  and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.  Language offerings vary by work but often include Chinese, German, French, Russian and Spanish. Less common offerings include Finnish and Catalan.Bilinguis also offers some audio options. In these versio ns, you can listen to a reading of the text in your target language while looking at the text in your target language and English for easy, supportive listening and reading practice.Project GutenbergProject Gutenberg is known for providing a huge selection of free public domain texts, but it probably isnt the first thing that comes to mind when you think about dual-language texts.However, for the clever language learner (that you obviously are), Project Gutenberg is a treasure trove of dual-language texts.Thats because many texts are available in multiple languages. You can use this as a dual-language resource by opening two browsers side-by-side. To find the right text, you can browse by language to see selections in your target language. Then, look for that same work in English. Another easy trick to find texts in multiple languages is to browse by author. This way, you can see what languages are available for any authors work, regardless of what language it might have been in ori ginally.For instance, you can read Don Quijote in Spanish or the equivalent Don Quixote in English. If youre really into quixotic knights, you might even try the equivalent Lingénieux chevalier Don Quichotte de la Manche in French.Give these dual-language resources a try.Your double life might be the best thing to ever happen to you! And One More ThingDont wait any longer to start your new fully dual-language life with FluentUs bilingual captions. 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 real people 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 word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go bac k and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on 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 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.