Robinson Tutoring Service

Robinson Tutoring ServiceMany teachers have questions about the Robinson Tutoring Service. When I was a teenager, I found that I had difficulty with reading and writing at times. As a result, I began to take Spanish classes, which weren't particularly easy. The problem was that I didn't really know how to use my new language.In high school, I spent a lot of time doing homework assignments that I didn't understand. To make things worse, the teacher would be playing cards while I worked. The entire experience made me feel like I wasn't very smart and I felt bad about myself.I started looking for a perfect tutor to help me overcome this problem. It seems that there are many online tutors that cater to certain areas of learning that they can help students with.One thing that you can do is research the student's needs and find a place that has the skills and attitude that will work best for them. When you've done that, you'll have a better idea of what you can expect from a tutor.There ar e also online sites that can offer grading services in grades five through twelve, which allows them to grade work at any grade levels. You might want to look into such a program.Of course, you should also consider the student's needs and expectations when it comes to a tutor. The students who don't get much of a chance to learn as much as they would like are the ones who will take advantage of tutoring opportunities the most.For example, if a person has an interest in writing, they might appreciate a person who teaches them the art of writing. They may even like someone who teaches them how to get their ideas out in writing so that they can tell a story in their own words.

A Day in the Life at University of Notre Dame

A Day in the Life at University of Notre Dame The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Kate is a Los Angeles tutor and 2011 graduate of University of Notre Dame. She holds a Bachelors degree in English and Vocal Performance and tutors several subjects such as Essay Editing tutoring, GRE prep tutoring, and Reading tutoring. Check out what Kate had to say about her time at University of Notre Dame: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Kate: The University of Notre Dame has a very beautiful and idyllic college campus, with a great combination of old, ivy-covered Gothic buildings, and newer structures with fantastic amenities. There are very few roads that run right through the campus, so it is pedestrian- and bike-friendly. Campus is moderate in size. A bike is the most anyone would need to get from class to class, and that is only if the buildings are at opposite ends of the campus. Most students walk, although students who live off-campus may drive or bike. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Kate:For a highly-respected research university, the faculty have been incredibly accessible in my experience. In my Vocal Performance and English majors, I got to know the professors very well, and they were instrumental to my success. My friends who studied in the Colleges of Science, Engineering, and Business often had larger lecture classes, but professors and teaching assistants still went out of their way to answer questions and assist students. First year advisers can be helpful, but take the things that some of them say with a grain of salt. Reach out to your professors with questions on career advice and choosing a major since they work in the field, they can give you the best answers. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Kate:Dorm life is a huge factor at the University of Notre Dame, as well as a rather controversial topic. Some people love the current, traditional system, and others think it causes a lot of campus issues. Since the University of Notre Dame does not have any Greek life, dorms fill the void and become a source of identity for their students. This can be great if you click with the fellow freshmen who are assigned to your dorm, but if you do not, it can make your social life a little more difficult, since a lot of socialization is dorm-centric. All the dorms are single-sex, and some students feel that this leads to awkward gender relations. Campus can be a bit of a bubble, so socializing as underclassmen is often confined to dorm rooms and campus social spaces. If you are the type of person who thrives in an urban environment and who wants to constantly go places, this can be difficult, but you can make it happen. It also becomes a lot easier when you turn 21! The University of Notre Dame does have a huge variety of great student activities, so it is easy to get involved with just about anything you are interested in. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Kate:All the majors seem very well supported, but I do think the College of Arts and Letters, in which I studied English and Vocal Performance, needs to do a better job of focusing these two majors. Too often, I ended up signing up for English electives rather aimlessly, and I did not have a lot of opportunities to figure out what would be best given my career goals. I have heard this sentiment echoed from other College of Arts and Letters majors as well. All the colleges produce very successful people, but the other four develop much more of a career focus in their students. I do not see why the College of Arts and Letters cannot strive to do the same (though they do make you into an excellent thinker, reader, and writer). VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Kate:There is no Greek life on campus, but dorm activities fill that socialization role, and people have a lot of dorm pride. It is very easy to meet people, but surprisingly difficult to make friends outside of your dorm group, at least during your first few months. I would recommend making friends in your classes and activities as early as possible. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Kate:The Career Center is an incredibly valuable resource I just wish professors and advisers began encouraging students to take advantage of it before their senior year. The University of Notre Dames College of Business is always very highly ranked, so many companies recruit on campus. These include the Big Four of finance, Target, and others. Additionally, a huge amount of graduates do a year or two of service after graduation in Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Alliance for Catholic Education, and many others. We even have an entirely separate Service Fair after the Career Fair. Notre Dames Catholic identity plays a big part in this service ethic, and since I did two years of AmeriCorps after graduating, this path comes highly recommended. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Kate:The University of Notre Dame has so many fantastic study areas for people who prefer different noise levels, amounts of foot traffic, snack options, etc. Rest assured that there are tons of perfect places to study, no matter how you work. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Kate:I grew up in South Bend (where the university is located), and it is experiencing a great renaissance, with a lot of student-friendly restaurants, bars, cafes, and live music venues opening up downtown! There is a theater that gets traveling Broadway national tours, an art museum, a minor league baseball team, some great boutiques and stores, a few new breweries, and a lot more. Downtown is not really accessible from campus without a bike, car, or using public transportation, but the areas between campus and downtown have been improving recently. Students have a stereotype of staying on campus, but that has been gradually changing. I would encourage anyone who goes to the University of Notre Dame to break out of the campus bubble and patronize local businesses as much as possible! Students ride free on South Bends public bus system with a valid ID. For older students, South Bend has some pretty good college nightlife, with a good variety of dive bars, nice bars, and a club or tw o. There is also a nearby town called Mishawaka that has a mall and all the typical retail stores and chain restaurants that you would expect. Finally, there is a new area right by campus called Eddy Street Commons that has a good mix of stores, apartments, and restaurants and it is easily walkable. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Kate:The undergraduate student body numbers about 8,000. I had no issues with class size (although I was spoiled in the College of Arts and Letters). VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Kate:I enjoyed my townie status, having grown up in South Bend. My childhood neighbor down the street ended up being my favorite English professor and my honors thesis adviser. I also had the chance to sing a full opera role (the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro) as a senior, which is very unusual for an undergraduate Vocal Performance major. The University of Notre Dames small but talented music department gave me a lot of memorable performance opportunities. Check out Kates tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

The Motivation to Learn What Inspires It

The Motivation to Learn What Inspires It Improving Academic Performance Have you ever wondered what motivates students to learn something new, especially when the subject or material might be rather complex or difficult? What helps students stay focused, engaged, excited, and diligent? According to data gathered from various schools and grade levels, there are three major areas that impact a student’s likelihood to stay motivated and tackle complicated subject matter. Hands down, the number one thing that students claim makes a difference in their motivation is the investment and care from the teacher or tutor. This is especially essential when the material is more difficult than usual or likely to overwhelm certain students or create stress. When teachers have high expectations, this sends the message they believe that, though the material might be advanced or the assignment might be lengthy, they fully believe their students are capable of success. This also sends the message to students that the teacher cares about the content herself and finds it useful or interesting, and that she herself had to tackle such complex material at a certain point, which further inspires students to go forward with the learning process. (Shout out to all the fantastic teachers out there doing this!) A second factor in maintaining motivation is integrating subjects and linking the learning process to something relevant and relatable. EduTopia agrees that students learn best when subjects like math, science, and history, for example, are linked together and applied to one another, rather than taught in isolated fragments. They also stay motivated when they feel that what they are learning is not only engrossing but purposeful, when it applies or somehow connects to the world in which they inhabit. When I was in college, my algebra teacher always required us to study the mathematicians and scientists who developed our formulas and theorems. He then explained how certain theorems were at work right this very moment, for example the formulas used when Apple was creating the very first iPod! This made learning demanding equations more exciting and enriching. It gave us something to talk about. I certainly never looked at my devices the same. When students are asked to create projects that integrate across their curriculum and prove relevance to the culture of today, they are especially likely to put forth maximum effort and stay engaged with the class. A final factor in inspiring students, as encouraged by Annie Murphy of the website mindshift.com is to challenge them to “beat,” even in very minuscule ways, their personal best. This does not mean they have to actually do this in order to be successful! We all have ebbs and flows with our assessments while in school, but studies show that when a student has a benchmark and an opportunity to go beyond a previous accomplishment, they are more likely to put forth the necessary investment and care than if the grade or outcome didn’t matter at all. Good examples of this are scoring a bit higher on a test, developing a stronger thesis statement for a paper, explaining a scientific theorem more clearly and accurately, expanding upon a project in new and creative ways that maybe weren’t assigned, meeting with the teacher, fellow students, or family members to discuss the material and have a thoughtful discussion about what everyone is learning, or even taking better notes in class t o support a final assignment. When one feels motivated to go above and beyond their own previous achievements, they are likely to feel enthusiastic and determined, which makes for the best recipe of a student! Increasing and maintaining motivation and drive fall on both the teachers and the students, as well as families and communities, but when we can see ourselves as human beings who were made to learn and grow and thus cater to these areas that nurture learning and growth, we are unstoppable! In addition, I recommend you go hereto TeachHub for more resources on how to motivate students and create energy and enthusiasm in your classroom! Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you! About the Author Stephanie Ingraham is a former English teacher turned writer and tutorwith a BA in English from UCLA and a Masters in Education from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles. She is deeply passionate about education, psychology, child and adolescent development, literature, and writing. She believes the education world can benefit greatly from the meditation world - mindfulness and self-compassion are key! In her free time she loves reading and writing, music, baking, yoga, dance, animals, and exploring new cities. She currently lives in Chicago, Illinois.

To Kiss Or Not To Kiss (On The Cheek) A Guide To Business Meetings with British Clients

To Kiss Or Not To Kiss (On The Cheek) A Guide To Business Meetings with British Clients Whenever I speak with students who are preparing for their first meeting with a British client, or potential British client, it is amazing how often questions arise, not only about speaking English, but about etiquette and protocol. How should I act? What should I say? Should I kiss on the cheek?Here is an etiquette guide for a business meeting in Britain.1. Be on time. Punctuality is always appreciated in Britain. If you encounter some difficulty that you know will make you late for an appointment, it is advisable to ring and let the client know and to give them the opportunity to reschedule if necessary.2. Shake hands The British are known for being formal. It is known as their “stiff upper lip.” A handshake is more appropriate than a kiss on the cheek.3. Respect Personal Space Latin countries for example are known for their ‘close contact’ behavior such as touching arms or patting on the back. In Britain, it is better to maintain a respectable amount of personal space and apart from the initial handshake, refrain from close personal contact.4. Start With Some Small Talk While the British are formal in demeanor, a certain amount of ‘chat’ or informal communication is expected in meetings. This is called ‘breaking the ice’ and is appropriate at the start and maybe also at the end. For example, if you are visiting London, you can start by talking about the sights you have visited, the food you enjoyed, the itinerary of the rest of your trip etc. If the British person is visiting your city you can ask him/her about how they are enjoying themselves, their impressions of the city and make suggestions for sightseeing activities.5. Respect Boundaries While a certain amount of informal conversation is useful, try to limit it to yourself. Asking the client personal or private questions, especially about salary, is not considered appropriate.6. Respect Authority Remember that British society is hierarchical and that this applies also in business meeting s. Allow the most senior staff members speak or make their presentations first.7. Know When To Call Person By A First Name If the client is at the same level as you in the staff hierarchy (e.g. if you are both managers), it is appropriate that you call him or her by a first name. If the client is more senior in hierarchy than you, it is advisable to start by referring to him/her, as Mr. or Ms. It is likely that you will be told: “Please call me David….or Sarah.” At this point, you can switch to using their first name.8. Don’t Interrupt Although you probably have a million questions and things you want to say, it is advisable to wait until the client is finished speaking before you begin speaking.9. Don’t Ramble The British appreciate clear, precise and succinct communication in life as in business meetings. Don’t ramble, don’t go off the point and don’t try to fill time.10. Use Humor and Realise When It Is Used The  British are known for their ‘black’ humor, sarc asm and irony. This means that they might make a comment that is intended to make you laugh but this not might be obvious by their facial expression. It is a good idea to brush up on your irony before a business meeting in Britain!Did you find this blog helpful? Feel free to share it on Facebook and Twitter.

What a Great Service

What a Great Service We felt compelled to publish the good words sent to us by one of our satisfied parents: What a great service I know a lot of parents who dont know about you but would like to. Ill spread the word for you. Rosalyn, Potsdam, NY Thank you Rosalyn!

Free stargazing guide in this weekends Telegraph

Free stargazing guide in this weekends Telegraph Something for all our budding Physicists and Mathematicians (and anyone else interested in astronomy!): This weekend's edition of the Telegraph will please astronomy enthusiasts everywhere: they're giving away a free stargazing guide, created in association with the team behind the renowned Sky and Night programme. It comes in two parts, one for each day of the weekend. It'll be packed with info for stargazers young and old; for those with high-end telescopes and those who prefer to experience the stars au naturale with the naked eye. As far as we can tell, the core content will be details on the must-see astronomical events of 2013: eclipses, meteor showers and planetary alignments. We hope it'll also contain information on the comet event of the century, the passing of comet ISON later this year. ISON is projected to pass Earth during December, and to be fifteen times brighter than the moon. It's going to be passing within 40 million miles of us, which is under half the Earth's distance from the Sun. Astronomers think it'll put on a show as grand as the famed Comet of 1680, which was visible during daytime and enabled Isaac Newton to prove Kepler's planetary laws. The guide will also contain charts and guides on how to see all the old stellar favourites: the Pleiades star cluster, for example; or the Andromeda Galaxy, the Orion nebula and the rings of Saturn, things that look great even through binoculars. If you've never tried astronomy, this would be a great time to start. It is a 'humbling and character building experience', as the famous American astronomer Carl Sagan once said. It certainly has the awe factor, and the ability to make the heavily theoretical subjects of Mathematics and Physics come alive in a spectacular fashion.

October italki Language Challenge Marketas update

October italki Language Challenge Marketas update Marketa is getting her #online #languagelessons in for the October #italki #languagechallenge! Challengers, how are you doing? A photo posted by Italki (@italki) on Oct 20, 2015 at 1:16am PDT When I was asked to join the italki October 2015 Language Challenge, I was a little hesitant. Not that I did not want to participate, but I felt a little intimidated â€" as an introverted person the idea of shooting a video pledge simply scared me. However, the more I thought about it, the more excited I became about the whole concept of sharing my progress and inspiring other people to take the challenge with me. How am I doing? First of all, let me tell you that on its own, 6 hours is not that much time to make huge progress, especially when I work and also have several essays to write for university back in the Czech Republic at the same time. Right now it is almost the end of week 1 of the challenge and so far I have only finished 2 sessions out of 6. I decided to stick to having sessions with only one teacher throughout the challenge as I seriously need to work on my sentence structure and I feel I would lose too much time explaining what my weak points in Chinese are before each and every session. Anna, my Chinese teacher, tailored the sessions to suit my needs. During the first half an hour we usually go through a written dialogue from a textbook, reading it out loud, explaining grammar points, new words and structures. The second half an hour is focused on speaking. I summarize the dialogue using given vocabulary, answer various questions about it and then we just have     a random chat about ourselves, our plans or other current topics like Chinese holidays or food. I particularly like this part of our class because not only do I learn about the Chinese language, but Anna also explains a lot about the Chinese culture which is very helpful in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the Chinese mentality and lifestyle. Finding the right strategy Revising what I have learned during my italki sessions is a crucial part of learning. Honestly, at first I had not been doing very well. I was lucky enough to realize this at the very beginning though. From then I started adding all of my new vocabulary into Anki, a spaced repetition flashcard program that I highly recommend. Also, using new structures in sentences and rewriting them over and over again turned out to be helpful. Above all, I found that the most important aspect of the revision process is reading out loud! I cannot stress enough how immensely it helps me. As for me, speaking is essentially the hardest thing to master when it comes to learning a new language. Having adopted this strategy, I believe my progress will be more evident and I will eventually reach my goal of being able to hold a 5-minute conversation about myself with one of my Chinese colleagues. October italki Language Challenge Marketas update Marketa is getting her #online #languagelessons in for the October #italki #languagechallenge! Challengers, how are you doing? A photo posted by Italki (@italki) on Oct 20, 2015 at 1:16am PDT When I was asked to join the italki October 2015 Language Challenge, I was a little hesitant. Not that I did not want to participate, but I felt a little intimidated â€" as an introverted person the idea of shooting a video pledge simply scared me. However, the more I thought about it, the more excited I became about the whole concept of sharing my progress and inspiring other people to take the challenge with me. How am I doing? First of all, let me tell you that on its own, 6 hours is not that much time to make huge progress, especially when I work and also have several essays to write for university back in the Czech Republic at the same time. Right now it is almost the end of week 1 of the challenge and so far I have only finished 2 sessions out of 6. I decided to stick to having sessions with only one teacher throughout the challenge as I seriously need to work on my sentence structure and I feel I would lose too much time explaining what my weak points in Chinese are before each and every session. Anna, my Chinese teacher, tailored the sessions to suit my needs. During the first half an hour we usually go through a written dialogue from a textbook, reading it out loud, explaining grammar points, new words and structures. The second half an hour is focused on speaking. I summarize the dialogue using given vocabulary, answer various questions about it and then we just have     a random chat about ourselves, our plans or other current topics like Chinese holidays or food. I particularly like this part of our class because not only do I learn about the Chinese language, but Anna also explains a lot about the Chinese culture which is very helpful in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the Chinese mentality and lifestyle. Finding the right strategy Revising what I have learned during my italki sessions is a crucial part of learning. Honestly, at first I had not been doing very well. I was lucky enough to realize this at the very beginning though. From then I started adding all of my new vocabulary into Anki, a spaced repetition flashcard program that I highly recommend. Also, using new structures in sentences and rewriting them over and over again turned out to be helpful. Above all, I found that the most important aspect of the revision process is reading out loud! I cannot stress enough how immensely it helps me. As for me, speaking is essentially the hardest thing to master when it comes to learning a new language. Having adopted this strategy, I believe my progress will be more evident and I will eventually reach my goal of being able to hold a 5-minute conversation about myself with one of my Chinese colleagues. October italki Language Challenge Marketas update Marketa is getting her #online #languagelessons in for the October #italki #languagechallenge! Challengers, how are you doing? A photo posted by Italki (@italki) on Oct 20, 2015 at 1:16am PDT When I was asked to join the italki October 2015 Language Challenge, I was a little hesitant. Not that I did not want to participate, but I felt a little intimidated â€" as an introverted person the idea of shooting a video pledge simply scared me. However, the more I thought about it, the more excited I became about the whole concept of sharing my progress and inspiring other people to take the challenge with me. How am I doing? First of all, let me tell you that on its own, 6 hours is not that much time to make huge progress, especially when I work and also have several essays to write for university back in the Czech Republic at the same time. Right now it is almost the end of week 1 of the challenge and so far I have only finished 2 sessions out of 6. I decided to stick to having sessions with only one teacher throughout the challenge as I seriously need to work on my sentence structure and I feel I would lose too much time explaining what my weak points in Chinese are before each and every session. Anna, my Chinese teacher, tailored the sessions to suit my needs. During the first half an hour we usually go through a written dialogue from a textbook, reading it out loud, explaining grammar points, new words and structures. The second half an hour is focused on speaking. I summarize the dialogue using given vocabulary, answer various questions about it and then we just have     a random chat about ourselves, our plans or other current topics like Chinese holidays or food. I particularly like this part of our class because not only do I learn about the Chinese language, but Anna also explains a lot about the Chinese culture which is very helpful in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the Chinese mentality and lifestyle. Finding the right strategy Revising what I have learned during my italki sessions is a crucial part of learning. Honestly, at first I had not been doing very well. I was lucky enough to realize this at the very beginning though. From then I started adding all of my new vocabulary into Anki, a spaced repetition flashcard program that I highly recommend. Also, using new structures in sentences and rewriting them over and over again turned out to be helpful. Above all, I found that the most important aspect of the revision process is reading out loud! I cannot stress enough how immensely it helps me. As for me, speaking is essentially the hardest thing to master when it comes to learning a new language. Having adopted this strategy, I believe my progress will be more evident and I will eventually reach my goal of being able to hold a 5-minute conversation about myself with one of my Chinese colleagues.