What is it Like to Attend Centre College

What is it Like to Attend Centre College The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Trish received her bachelors degree in English from Centre College and is pursuing her masters degree in English at the University of Colorado-Boulder. She is currently a tutor in Denver specializing in graduate test prep, English, Spanish, and several other subjects. See what she had to say about her experience at Centre College: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Trish: Centre College lies in the middle of a small, fairly quiet town. I always felt very safe both on campus and in town. The vast majority of students (98%) live on campus, which I highly recommend. You can easily walk anywhere on campus, and to a variety of restaurants, although a car really comes in handy for trips to the grocery store or trips to nearby Lexington. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Trish:The student/teacher ratio is excellent, and most faculty members are truly invested in their students success. We dont have TAs; faculty members do all of the teaching and grading themselves and are always willing to meet outside of class. Because the school is relatively small, you tend to form strong mentor relationships with faculty members and staff the college president even makes a point of knowing each student by name! You get to choose your faculty advisor after the first year, and you meet with at least once each semester. How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Trish:Centre College is a tight-knit community. Freshmen are required to live on campus their first year and you quickly develop relationships with the students in your building and on your hall. The women who lived on my hall freshman year are still some of my closest friends today. On-campus dining options are somewhat limited, which I think really brings students together the main dining hall, Cowan, is a major social center and Cowan sitting is a much-beloved method of procrastination. Campus is small, so no matter which dorm you live in youll have an easy walk to class. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Trish:At a liberal arts school, having a well-rounded education is a high priority. No one field felt more valuable than the others (although glassblowing is a unique Centre College specialty). I knew almost immediately that I wanted to major in English, its been my favorite subject for as long as I can remember, and I had an excellent and supportive group of faculty members who I still turn to for advice even though I graduated several years ago. 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? Trish:As a freshman, youll go through several days of orientation which will really give you a chance to get to know the people in your class. Many students are involved in Greek life at Centre College, but the Greek system is by no means the center of social life. There are tons of ways to get involved in campus life: clubs, intramural sports, student government, etc. Plus, even if youre not involved in any organizations, its hard not to make friends at Centre College. Both the administration and the students themselves really work to create a feeling of community. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Trish:While the Career Services department is small, its easy to get one-on-one attention with a counselor, and the Centre College alumni network provides a built-in system of connections. Our alums are notoriously supportive of one another; partly because Centre College graduates tend to be responsible, hardworking, and conscientious individuals. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Trish:The library was always my go-to spot. With the possible exception of finals week, theres usually plenty of room to study there. Plenty of other spaces (with varying amounts of background noise) are available throughout the campus in dorms, academic buildings, and the student center, which has several spaces available 24/7. And when the weathers nice, theres nothing like grabbing a blanket and lounging on the lawn although this one carries a heavy risk of accidental napping. Describe the surrounding town. Trish:Danvilles not the most exciting place on earth, but the college is right downtown, close to a variety of restaurants and shops. The downtown area has been revitalized in recent years and several local restaurants have live music on the weekends. For a little more adventure, you can always head up to Lexington (a 40-minute drive) or Louisville (an 90-minute drive). I particularly recommend tailgating at Keenland during horseracing season, exploring the Bourbon trail, and braving the infield at the Kentucky Derby. Also, Centre College guarantees every student the chance to study abroad so, if you get sick of Danville, just head to a foreign country for a semester! How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Trish:Although the college has grown a little bit over the past few years, it remains very small at about 1,300 students. I loved the small class sizesusually anywhere from 6 to 30 students. You get a lot of individual attention and form close relationships with students and faculty. On the other hand, if you want to skip class, fall asleep, or text in class without the professor noticing, Centre College may not be your best bet. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Trish:Its impossible to choose just one. Ive visited the zoo for a natural science course (we got to pet a baby elephant!), enjoyed literary discussion over a home-cooked meal at a faculty members house, slurped down snails in Spain, attended class in Samuel Johnsons house, and tracked constellations on a professors farm, to name a few. Centre College offers no shortage of extraordinary experiences. Check out Trishs tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Primary School English Exams

Primary School English Exams English for Kids: Statutory Assessment Tests at KS1 KS2 ChaptersKey Stage One Key Stage Two Exam ParticularsOf Special Note for Key Stage One 2018Key Stage Two Exam SpecificsReflecting on the ExamsSecondary Education results are in! Our BBC has published reports of academic success stories: high marks, even under the new points system.News of other students' achievements might cause you to wonder about your own young scholar.When will your child sit for his/her corresponding Key Stage exam?And how does the updated tabulation correlate to your child's academic accomplishments?In this article, you will find the latest standards and updates to the Key Stage program in UK public schools.Your young learner will sit for his/her first formal exam toward the end of Year 2, during the month of May.English language aspects that are measured at that time are reading, grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, and spelling.Maths capabilities will also be tested.Reading is the best way for your child to gain English skills Source: Pixabay Credit: OldiefanKey Stage 1 Reading SkillsThis segment of the exam consists of two parts.The first involves a short text, between four- and seven hundred words, with questions throughout.The questions are targeted to specific portions of the text that the learner should answer before moving on to another expressed idea.The second is a collection of short paragraphs totaling a maximum of one thousand, one hundred words, with questions drawn from the text.Answer formats include, among others:multiple choicematchinglabelingshort answersranking/orderingFor this part, you child will record his/her responses on a separate sheet of paper.Reading comprehension is generally allotted thirty minutes per segment, for a total of one hour.However, students are not held to that constraint as the exam is designed to prove ability, not intellectual agility.Year Two Grammar Skills, English Spelling and Punctuation AssessmentTo measure proficiency in these aspects of English learning, pupils will sit for two separate exa ms.The spelling test covers twenty randomly chosen words, and lasts approximately twenty minutes.Help your child become a champion at English  with these engaging activities!The grammar, punctuation and vocabulary part is taken separately, in two segments.Each lasts about ten minutes, and students may enjoy a small break between them, if needed.Response formats include multiple choice and short answers.How the Exam is MarkedThe ceiling is one hundred and fifteen points; the lowest bar is set at eighty-five.The median, one hundred, means your English learner competence level as expected.If s/he tests below that bar, more support and guidance is indicated. If returned results are above it, performance is rated as higher than his/her peer group.If your child is an Esl student, she will also have to sit for the exam. To better prepare for it, we suggest additional English courses, or enrolling him/her in an extracurricular language school.Test takers's results are interpreted along a sp ectrum, much like the letter marks one receives on a composition paper.You will not be told your child's actual results unless you ask.The tests are not composed by the Department for Education. However, they are marked by the teachers at individual schools.Do you want an in-depth look at specifics of Key Stage learning? Or you're looking for an English tutor?Of Special Note for Key Stage One 2018Because of an accidental online publication of the exam's spelling paper last year, prior to the exam, the Schools Minister rescinded public school students' obligation to sit for that portion of the test.This year, the SPAG segments remained optional.SPAG stands for English spelling, punctuation and grammar.As yet, there is no official word that the optional portions of the last two years will be compulsory next year.Your child's Year Six exam is a bit more strenuous Source: Pixabay Credit: Ska_ChaiKey Stage Two Exam SpecificsWhereas the UK educational system's Year 2 exam is not considere d an official measurement of students' abilities, the Year 6 exam carries substantial gravitas.Because this more exacting test weighs heavily on your child's official academic record, it is accorded an expanded schedule.Furthermore, the various components are spread out â€" across the third week of May.Reading  Comprehension is planned for Monday. SPAG will be administered on Tuesday.Maths will round out the week.Both Key Stage One and Key Stage Two exams were updated last year to reflect new standards in the national curriculum.This new test has been deemed more rigorous than past years' versions.You can look here the best Key Stage revision resources.Here is what you need to know before your child sits for his/her Year 6 exam.Key Stage Two ReadingThis reading test poses a series of questions over three separate passages.Texts include poetry, classic literature and select portions of news and magazine articles that reflect current events.Students will have one hour to read and unde rstand these English texts, and then respond to queries in any of these formats:Find and copyLabelingRanking and orderingShort, one-sentence answersOpen end questions â€" essay answersAll time limits are observed for this exam because working at speed is a measure of literacy by this age/grade.Key Stage Two Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation AssessmentAs with the Year Two exam, this SPAG portion consists of two parts.Grammar and punctuation are incorporated into one paper, with a forty-five minute time limit.Here, the student will face two response types:Selected response â€" identifying indicated word types, verbs or adjectives, e.g..Open-end questions, in which s/he is called on to justify punctuation placement or rewrite a sentence to a prescribed format.Spelling competencies are challenged through dictation, meaning the student hears each word and must write them from that prompt.Pupils are given up to fifteen minutes to accurately spell twenty words.Need some help for English GC SE exam, get a private tutor to boost your grade.How the Exam is GradedAs with Key Stage One, your child's official result will be a composite score, and the target of one hundred remains as the national average.However, the maximum and minimum limits have been moved, to one hundred twenty and eighty five, respectively.Students sitting for the Year 6 exam are expected to fall in the one hundred and above spectrum.Learners must achieve an overall mark of four (4) or above, else they will be scheduled to resit during Year 7.If your child has missed that mark, you might consider extra English classes or maybe even learning English online to reinforce learned skills.Contrary to Key Stage One, you will be notified of your learner's actual marks for each portion of the exam.Another significant difference from the previous exam is that the Department for Education  oversees and is actively involved in all phases of the exam.The test is set and marked outside of official educational channel s, and the results are used to evaluate the school, as well as measuring the students' English skills.In addition to those external marks, your child's teacher will add a layer of evaluation to render a broader picture of your his/her language skills.Do you think Key Stage exams are necessary? Source: Pixabay Credit: Robin HigginsReflecting on the ExamsBesides teachers' concerns over constant exam revamping, there is substantial debate among educators over whether the Standard Assessment Tests truly assess measured progress in key areas.Does constant evaluation of English language learning hinder true learning? This idiom expresses the conundrum exactly:You don't fatten a pig by weighing it.Opponents of these standard exams express the concern that, if student assessment is truly needed, let classroom performance and routine assignment grades serve that purpose.They contend that exams only offer a snapshot of students' reading and writing abilities, and do nothing to evaluate a teac her's ability to teach English.This overview has tips, resources and pertinent links to help your English learner at these Key Stages, as well links to finding a private English tutor.Little accommodation, if any, is given to students with learning challenges such as ADD or dyslexia, even if they have a current SEN certificate. Such English speakers are expected to sit for exams alongside their peers.Non native students, those who are learning English as a second language, are given no consideration or exemption at all.If you are the parent of an Esl student, your child must sit for the exams, even though s/he is not a native English speaker. S/he will be tested on listening skills and writing skills, the same as the rest of the class.Perhaps the greatest concern is that, gradually, school teaching is evolving into teaching the test.The educator who contends these exams are necessary sees them as a way to uphold and maintain national educational standards across the country.An Engli sh tutor who favors these standardised tests appreciate the guidelines for effective language teaching that they provide with help for English.What are your thoughts on these national exams?Whether you agree or disagree with the necessity of these tests, there are ways to insure your child succeeds academically.Be involved at every step of your learner's English teachingProvide reinforcement, especially for tricky grammar rules and verb tensesIncorporate fun learning activities into your everyday English, to promote fluencyyou can occasionally launch English vocabulary questions at mealtime, for exampleFoster a love of learning English, especially the more challenging parts, such as grammar and irregular verbsMuch of your child's attitude toward education comes from you.The more you participate, the more he will.The more you are involved, the more she will be.The more you invest in your child and his/her education, the greater your â€" and his/her return.

Determining Your Rates as a Boxing Coach

Determining Your Rates as a Boxing Coach How to Work Out Your Rates as a Boxing Coach ChaptersEstablish Your Rates According to the CompetitionHow much Does Boxing Coaching Cost where You Are?Factoring Costs into Your RatesWill You Be Providing Boxing Equipment“Boxing is like jazz. The better it is, the less people appreciate it.” - George ForemanWith boxing becoming more popular in the UK, you may have considered coaching it.But how much should boxing coaches charge?Private boxing coaching sessions require more planning than group sessions. You’re going to have to constantly adapt to the strengths and weaknesses of your clients, keep their morale up, ensure they stay in shape, and make sure that their physical and technical abilities improve. Your rates will probably be higher than that of someone coaching in a gym. AndreyBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KostiaBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LeeBoxing Teacher £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SajBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £2 0/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KaranBoxing Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThomasBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HaileyBoxing Teacher 4.50 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsEstablish Your Rates According to the CompetitionThe first thing you need to do before you get started is to have a look at the market and your competition. You won’t be the only boxing coach in the UK, that’s for sure. There may be some stiff competition but this is a great way to better understand the market and the going rates. Your rates need to be comparable to the competition. (Source: StockSnap)A quick “private boxing coaching” search in Google and you’ll find plenty of information.If you’re just starting out, you’ll have to charge less than the competition. Of course, you can’t just give your training away for free, even if you are just beginning your coaching career. If you want coaching to be your career, you can’t undersell yourself and come out earning pennies. For one, potential clients will believe your coaching to be sub-par.Potential clients will have also done their research as they can just as easily search online for boxing coaching. Generally speaking, boxing coaching sessions cost between £45 and £60 per hour.Charging less is a way to draw in clients. However, this is a strategy that can cost you in the long-term. Your clients won’t enjoy it when you try and increase your rates and it may cost you a few of them.It’s better to charge a fair rate right from the start. In marketing, this pricing strategy is known as dumping or selling at less than “normal value”. Generally, this is unsustainable. Similarly, this practice is often looked down upon as unfair competition.On the other hand, you can’t overcharge, especially as a beginner. If you’ve got a reputation and a methodology that nobody can compete with, you can. However, when you first start out, you can’t go around charging £80 per hour as nobody will take you up on that.Find out more about becoming a boxing coach.How much Does Boxing Coaching Cost where You Are?To better understand the competition, have a look at the local competition. Hourly rates will vary from place to place. On Superprof, for example, you can search by subject and by location. You can specialise in Muay Thai, kickboxing, traditional boxing, or savate, for example. (Source: tacofleur)A quick search for “boxing”, “kick-boxing”, “Thai boxing”, or “savate” accompanied by “London”, “Cardiff”, “Edinburgh”, or “Belfast”, for example, will quickly show you what you’re looking for.  The rates vary according to the cost of living. Boxing coaching in London will tend to be more expensive than elsewhere because the coaches living there need more money to live comfortably or just to get by.Of course, in places where there are more boxing coaches, and therefore more competition, rates tend to go down as opposed to in places where there’s only a handful of boxing coaches.Learn how to make a name for yourself as a boxing coach.The Client’s Level and the Boxing Coach’s ExperienceYou can also adjust your rates according to who you’re coaching. A beginner won’t require as much work from you as a professional boxer or a student who has a lot of experience in other combat sports, martial arts, or other boxing disciplines.Your experience will also determine which clients you can teach. If you’ve spent many years teaching boxing in a boxing club, you can offer to coach to a large number of potential clients whereas somebody who’s been boxing or coaching for a very short amount of time.Don’t hesitate to highlight your skills and experience when putting together a coaching profile. Mention if you’ve boxed professionally, any titles or competitions you’ve won, and how long you’ve been coaching.A qualified and experienced coach will be able to charge more as their clients will be confident of their abilities and happy to pay them. The higher your level, the higher level of client you can train and the more you can charge for your training.The most expensive coaches tend to be those with a lot of experience, qualifications, and a plethora of happy clients who’ve recommended them to others.Factoring Costs into Your RatesAnother factor to take into account when considering your rates is the cost of travel or renting a room, for example. You don't want to be making a loss at the end of each session. (Source: xusenru)A private boxing coach can travel to their client’s houses but they do need to consider the costs when deciding upon their rates. After all, you’ll be paying for fuel, public transport, renting a vehicle, etc. These costs can add up, especially if you live rurally and are regularly travelling long distances to your customers.In larger cities, there tends to be a lot of public transport available and with the right travel pass, each journey will work out costing you very little. The less you pay on transport, the more competitive you can make your rates.If you live in the country, you’ll probably have to drive to your customer’s houses or a gym and will regularly be paying for fuel. You might want to limit how far you’re willing to travel or charge a supplementary fee to those a certain distance from where you live. You’ll have to decide whether or not this is worth it in terms of time and mone y spent and whether or not you can recuperate these costs and still charge a fair hourly rate.Of course, the client can always come to you. In this case, you won’t need to worry about the cost of transport but you may need to invest in the necessary equipment for your home.Another option is to train in a gym or boxing club and rent a private room with all the necessary equipment. You need enough space to train, boxing gloves, punching bags, etc. Fitness boxing requires very little equipment, but if you’re teaching boxing, kick-boxing, Thai boxing, or savate, you’ll need things like skipping ropes for cardio warm-ups, weights, punching bags, speed bags, etc. However, you mightn’t be able to fit all this in a central London flat. If this applies to you, you’ll need to consider how much it costs to rent a room in a gym or boxing club.Learn more about online boxing coaching sites.Will You Be Providing Boxing EquipmentYou need to be in good shape if you want to box. A lot of po tential clients will get in touch wanting to learn how to box or get into shape and you might want to offer them a trial session. You'll need to factor into your rates whether or not you provide equipment. (Source: Mcability)Of course, in a trial session, they won’t be boxing but rather working on technique, fitness, and endurance.How will they know if they like boxing and whether or not they should invest in the gear?A boxing training session isn’t just a great way to get rid of stress, stretch, build muscle, and improve your cardio performance. If you’re taking it seriously, you’ll need a mouth shield, skipping ropes, punching bags, etc. If you provide this equipment to your customers (except mouth guards or cups, obviously), it’ll give them more of an opportunity to stick with boxing before they have to make the investment themselves. Make sure you factor these outgoings into your rates.Think about offering special rates to those who opt to pay for several sessions at once. You could free session after 10 or 20 sessions, for example.  You could even offer a free pair of boxing gloves to clients who make it to their 20th session.So how much are you thinking of charging for your boxing sessions?Whether you're offering a Muay Thai, kickboxing, or a boxing class, the same rules apply. Every professional boxing trainer needs to think carefully about setting their rates as this will affect how they can run their business and how many customers they get.Since, as a boxing coach, you'll have a lot of transferrable skills, you can always offer a variety of services for different rates. For example, you could offer a high-intensity boxing workout class where the goal is to get fit or get in shape (rather than become a boxer).While most boxing classes will involve a part where you focus on techniques like sparring, throwing punches (jab, uppercut, hook, cross, etc), working heavy bags, and strength training, boxing workouts focus on the aerobic aspects of boxing and are very popular types of fitness classes.

Accomplish Anything The Ultimate List of Empowering Songs [Infographic]

Accomplish Anything The Ultimate List of Empowering Songs [Infographic] Mac Theres nothing you cant accomplish  with a pair of headphones and the right soundtrack. From doing chores around the house to preparing for an interview, weve got  50 empowering songs thatll  take your productivity to the next level Did you know that pop music is scientifically-proven to be the best music for working quickly and accurately? Its true! Try throwing on some Taylor Swift the next time you  need to work itll help! Moreover, did you know that music can actually improve your memory? The reason is that music can reduce stress,  allowing our brain to absorb information better. In fact, classical music  has been proven to work best for improving memory. With these facts in mind, we wanted to create the ultimate science-backed playlist for every occasion. Check the  infographic below and empower yourself today! (Below the infographic are Spotify playlists  for your convenience!) Power Through a Task. Perfect for doing tasks that dont require much thinking (e.g. chores around the house). Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk Eye of the Tiger by Survivor Die Walküre (Ride of the Valkyries) by Richard Wegner Dont Stop Me Now by Queen Im Shipping Up to Boston by Dropkick Murphys Spotify Playlist Boost Your Creativity Great for when you need inspiration to get your creative juices flowing (e.g. working on art). Dirty Harry by The Gorillaz A Little Soul by Pete Rock Sleepyhead by Passion Pit Singing Under the Rainbow by Worlds End Girlfriend Knights of Cydonia by Muse Spotify Playlist Improve Your Memory Excellent for enhancing your focus and comprehension (e.g. studying, reading). Four Seasons by Vivaldi Eine kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart Symphony No. 67 in F Major by Joseph Haydn Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven Water Music by George Frideric Handel Spotify Playlist Make You Laugh Sometimes you just need a good laugh! Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash Amish Paradise by Weird Al United States of Whatever by Liam Lynch Parents Just Don’t Understand by Will Smith Pool Party by The Aquabats Spotify Playlist Heighten Your Romance Wonderful for getting you in the romantic mood (e.g. preparing for a date). I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles My Boo by Usher feat. Alicia Keys Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars Unforgettable by Nat King Cole More Than Words by Extreme Spotify Playlist Lift Your Spirits Feeling down? Listen to these songs when you need cheering up! Happy by Pharrell Williams Strawberry Bubblegum by Justin Timberlake Lovely Day by Bill Withers In the Stone by Earth, Wind Fire For Once in My Life by Stevie Wonder Spotify Playlist Dance Your Heart Out Great for when you need to let loose and bust-a-move on the dance floor. The Way You Make Me Feel by Michael Jackson Mambo No. 5 by Lou Bega Lose Control by Missy Elliott Grown Woman by Beyonce Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars Spotify Playlist Calm Your Mind Feeling stressed or nervous? Take a load off your mind with these relaxing songs. Sunrise by Norah Jones Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwo’ole Just My Imagination by The Temptations Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson Aqueous Transmission by Incubus Spotify Playlist Build Your Confidence Feeling weak or unmotivated? Power-up with these explosive tracks. Survivor by Beyonce We Are The Champions by Queen You’re the Best Around by Joe Esposito Express Yourself by Charles Wright the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band Uprising by Muse Spotify Playlist Exercise Your Body Need to feel in-the-zone? These songs will get you through the toughest workouts. Beat It by Michael Jackson Show Me How to Live by Audioslave Renegades of Funk by Rage Against the Machine Satisfaction by Benny Benassi Around the World by Daft Punk Spotify Playlist *Sources included on infographic Know any songs that belong on our list? Comment below! 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

English Phrases and Idioms connected with Autumn English Vocabulary

English Phrases and Idioms connected with Autumn English Vocabulary Well, here we are and Autumn has arrived. Certainly if you are living in the Northern hemisphere you  should now be experiencing the first signs of Autumn. The trees in the forest just behind my house  are a mix of deciduous  (they always lose their leaves in Autumn) and evergreens  (they retain their  leaves throughout the year). The deciduous trees are beginning to shed their leaves and the colours  or hues  (synonym for colour) are changing from green to yellow brown and rustic reds.The Americans usually refer to Autumn as The Fall. The effects are the same. In the not too distant  future we will be talking about “beer festivals” (in Germany), Halloween across Europe and America  and other festivals connected with the harvests and the religious practices of many countries In my house it is time to put away the light summer clothes and get out the winter woollies  (warmer  clothes). We don’t actually hibernate  (go to sleep for the winter) but we do change our habits a little.Heavy shoes replace sandals  (flip flops), the boots are ready and jumpers and rain coats replace tee  shirts and jackets. I love to see the chestnuts falling. I always collect a few. It reminds me of my  childhood. We called them “conkers”. We had a simple game with conkers that we always played in  late September and through the early weeks of Autumn. You put a small hole through your  chestnut/conker and tied a knot in it then challenged your friends to see whose conker was the  strongest. You took turns striking your opponents’ conker with your conker. The winner was the one  that did not break. (careful it can be a little sore on your fingers!!)There are lots of English phrases and idioms connected with Autumn that are very useful. Here are a few: English Autumn Vocabulary - Infographic 8 English Phrases and Idioms connected with Autumn An old chestnut   means an old issue or problem that has not been solved or has not gone away and  from time to time is resurrected.My friend occasionally brings up the argument we had about our  days playing football. Which of us was the better footballer.  Neither of us could really remember. It is  an old chestnut and is never going to go away. I always say “not that old chestnut again!! Just  forget it.”To drive someone nuts if you drive someone nuts it means you irritate or annoy themIt drives me nuts when people are constantly clicking their pen.To turn over a new leaf to make a new start a fresh startIm going to turn over a new leaf and start again. Ill find a new job and get a new boyfriend and make new friends.To take a leaf out of somebody elses book to behave or to do something in a way that someone else wouldIts raining cats and dogs its raining very heavilyDuring the autumn months its raining cats and dogs, so  make sure you wear your raincoat and take your  umb rella.To squirrel away   squirrels are usually very active in Autumn getting ready for a long winter. They  spend their time eating and gathering nuts to get them through winter when very little food will be  available for them. We squirrel away things in the same way. We do it secretly without telling  anyone. Money,  for example.We might be saving for that rainy day  (a day when we really need  some extra cash).He squirrelled  away a nice sum of money over the early summer and was able to  buy his wife a nice winter present.Autumn of his life   alas age catches up on all of us eventually. When we are in the autumn of our  life usually,  we have lived a long time and we are looking forward perhaps to retirement of taking  things a little easier.My grandfather was in the autumn of his life when he decided he was too old  to drive a car anymore. His eye sight was getting worse.Fall is an interesting word. It has many uses so we will look at that in a separate blog. Thank you  

Three Tips for GMAT Sentence Correction Comparison Questions

Three Tips for GMAT Sentence Correction Comparison Questions GMAT MBA Admissions Blog GMAT sentence correction questions are part of the verbal section of the GMAT. As you probably know, with these questions, you are presented with a sentence, part or all of which is underlined. There are five answer choice options, and each one is a different way to replace the underlined part. The first answer is always the same as the underlined portion, but next four are different. You must pick the answer choice which reflects the best way to complete the sentence. GMAT sentence questions test your ability to use the English language accurately, effectively, and as concisely as possible. We previously wrote a blog article that covers eight major concepts that are often tested on in GMAT sentence correction questions. One of those concepts concerns how to appropriately use and write about comparisons. Navigating through questions about comparisons are likely to be a major element of your journey through the GMAT sentence correction section. The video above offers a simple approach to effectively managing comparison questions. It recommends the following steps: Set up your scratch pad with the answer choices for process of elimination purposes Draw a line where you’ll articulate the issue within the sentence as written Read the sentence with an eye towards articulating the issue within the sentence as written (in this case, the issue is an odd or illogical comparison, which is why we call this a comparison question) Note â€" steps 1-3 apply to all GMAT sentence correction questions, while 4-7 are specific to “comparison” questions. By identifying key phrases, in this case “unlike,” underline what is being compared, as well as what it’s being compared to. Determine whether the current comparison makes sense? Can you compare the two things or not? Go through each remaining answer choice, without focusing on the sentence in its entirety, and just consider whether the answer choices compare things that can in fact be compared. If not, eliminate that answer (the trick is to just focus on the two things being compared in the text as written) Once you have vectored in on an answer that compares two things appropriately, sub in the new underlined information into the sentence and re-read it to check for overall flow and meaning, just to ensure you didn’t miss something. For additional strategies for dealing with GMAT sentence correction questions, visit our YouTube channel.

Case Study How Modern Knowledge achieved 86% of their annual hiring needs using Teach Away

Case Study How Modern Knowledge achieved 86% of their annual hiring needs using Teach Away Background Modern Knowledge Schools in Bahrain offers American Diploma and International Baccalaureate program options for Bahraini nationals and expat children alike. While the school adheres to an American curriculum, they're also committed to balancing local culture with a global mindset. Core cultural subjects are taught in Arabic, but all other subjects are taught in English and 90% of the school’s staff is international. With 2,700 Bahraini and international students, and a staff of more than 160 teachers, the job of keeping the school running is no small feat. When new Executive Director Daniel Hollinger arrived last year, he found himself needing to hire 35 new English-speaking teachers from around the globe. The Challenge Since Modern Knowledge Schools is committed to hiring experienced and certified teachers from the US and Canada to deliver their US curriculum, increasing competition for international educators has made this difficult. The school’s only visa requirement is for international teachers to hold a bachelor’s degree in education. But they’ve found that their comparatively low compensation package significantly narrows the pool of candidates who are interested in working for them, since experienced teachers are able to make more elsewhere. So, they got creative by widening their net to include more inexperienced teachers and those from English-speaking countries outside the US and Canada. But for Daniel and his staff, providing the best education for their students still meant spending a huge amount of time and energy to find the best teachers possible. Searching for the right candidates, Daniel tried attending recruitment fairs, but found that Modern Knowledge Schools struggled to compete for teachers’ attention against schools offering more money. On top of this, he had to pay an attendance fee for the fairs, and extra fees for any hires he did make there. He also tried working with a variety of other online recruitment platforms and agencies, but found they were complicated to use and didn’t yield enough applicants to make them worthwhile. Our Solution Teach Away’s annual subscription provided the cost-effective, large-scale access to the candidates Daniel was looking for. Following a recommendation from the school’s previous hiring manager, Daniel used the annual subscription to post the school's vacancies on Teach Away's job board. Given the high volume of positions they were recruiting for, Daniel opted for an annual subscription which enabled him to post as many jobs as he wanted and hire as many teachers as he needed throughout the year for one set fee; a far more cost-effective solution than purchasing job postings individually. He found that posting ads on Teach Away’s job boards gave him access to a large and diverse candidate pool of qualified teachers from all over the world, who (most importantly) were interested in working for Modern Knowledge Schools. And our user-friendly platform helped him implement an efficient hiring process: “Teach Away’s site is so easy to use. First, I quickly screen candidates for the required qualifications, then I’m able to get a good initial glimpse of qualified candidates from their profiles. If they seem like a good fit, I can download their resume for more information and go from there,” he told us. With access to so many candidates on the Teach Away platform, Daniel found he no longer had to pay for other recruitment solutions, such as going to job fairs. The Impact Daniel was able to fill 86% of his teaching positions for the year through Teach Away, with exactly the kind of teachers he was looking for. Daniel says, “working with Teach Away has been really beneficial. I’ve relied almost exclusively on Teach Away to help me fill the positions that I need to fill because I’m able to find qualified candidates from many different countries in the world on their platform.” On top of this, Teach Away’s annual subscription saved Modern Knowledge Schools over 40%, compared with what they would have spent on individual job postings. And that’s before they factored money saved from being able to give up other, less successful, recruitment methods. Daniel is already thinking about how he can leverage Teach Away to further streamline his hiring process and recruit new teachers for the projected 15â€"20 roles they’re going to need to fill in the coming year. Hire like Modern Knowledge Schools We know that hiring teachers is hard, and as the world’s most trusted resource for international educators, we aim to make it easier. Talk to a recruitment expert today

American International in Egypt (Main Campus)

American International in Egypt (Main Campus) American International in Egypt (Main Campus) The American International School in Egypt has been one of Egypts leading schools since it opened its doors to its first 240 students in 1990. Today, AIS Egypt has two campuses, with a combined student population of over 2000 students. AIS Egypt is a member of Educational Services Overseas Limited (ESOL), a group of ten American and British schools spanning six countries and three continents. In partnership with the school community, our mission is to provide eligible students, primarily from the Middle East and living in the Greater Cairo area, with a challenging American and International college preparatory education. Our caring, professional faculty strive to empower our students to become critical, independent thinkers with the skills to be dynamic participants in an ever-changing global society. Fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in Philadelphia, AIS Egypts American diploma is recognized by the Egyptian Ministry of Education as equivalent to the Egyptian General Secondary Certificate. Our International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB DP) is authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Our American curriculum follows United States national standards as well as Virginia standards and is designed to prepare students for entry into highly competitive colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and beyond. During every step of our students academic journey we strive to provide the finest American educational instruction while cultivating a passion for learning, a capacity for critical thinking and a sense of civic responsibility. A tradition of educational excellence drives our future.