Introduction to the Organic Chemistry Tutor JG

Introduction to the Organic Chemistry Tutor JGThe Organic Chemistry Tutor JG is a rechargeable battery operated electric device that is battery operated and has been manufactured in Singapore. The Tutor has been made in a modular fashion as they are available in multiple packs of five, two, one and six batteries. The device has an IP rating and this means that it can be used and safely used for both residential and commercial purposes.The Organic Chemistry Tutor JG is a rechargeable battery operated electric device that is battery operated and has been manufactured in Singapore. The Tutor has been made in a modular fashion as they are available in multiple packs of five, two, one and six batteries.This makes it easy to install as there is no electronics or electronic component that needs to be connected to the cord of the device. It also makes it very easy to store as there is only one cord needed to be recharged and this is the cord that is attached to the cord end of the device. Th ere is only one rechargeable battery needed to power the device and the plug it is used in.The Organic Chemistry Tutor JG has been made in a modular fashion as they are available in multiple packs of five, two, one and six batteries. The device has an IP rating and this means that it can be used and safely used for both residential and commercial purposes.Once the battery of the device is charged up, the Tutor can be used for making chemical reactions on a set amount of time. The Tutor will then return to its normal state after a set amount of time.If the power source is off for any length of time the device will automatically come back to life and will show the battery level on the display screen. The Power Point presentation that comes with the Tutor has a series of power point showing which will allow the user to decide which setting works best.This is a battery operated electrical device that is battery operated and has been manufactured in Singapore. The Tutor has been made in a modular fashion as they are available in multiple packs of five, two, one and six batteries.

How to get ahead in academics this summer

How to get ahead in academics this summer Summer tutoring can turn you summer into a growth experienceFor most students, the school year is coming to an end sometime in the next few weeks.  A seemingly endless expanse of summer break stretches out in front of them.  Visions of beach days and sleeping in abound.  However, time goes quickly and before they know it, August is rolling around again and it’s time to head back to school.The “summer slide” is well-known, for good reason.  After taking several months off from academics, many students lose some of the achievement gains they made the year before.  While we don’t advocate devoting your entire summer to school (everyone needs a break!), it can be beneficial to weave learning into some of your free time so you’re not starting the school year at a disadvantage.Here are a few ideas to get you started:Read for fun.Aside from being an enjoyable way to pass the time, reading for fun builds your vocabulary and reading comprehension.  Students who read for fun te nd to do much better on the SAT and ACT as well.  Don’t assume that reading for fun has to mean picking up the classics like Dickens and Dostoevsky (although those are great too!).  For more reluctant readers, even magazines can do the trick.  Try magazines with well-written feature articles like ESPN The Magazine or The Atlantic Monthly.  Get a subscription and distribute the magazines around your house so you’ll pick them up when you have a free minute.   Remember, you can use a Kindle to bring books and magazines with you wherever you go!Get a head start on test prep with easy-to-use apps.Yes, there’s no substitute for old-fashioned in-person test prep for the most personalized instruction (this might be a good time to mention that current AJ Tutoring students should take practice SAT and ACT tests with us this summer!).  However, there are some great SAT and ACT prep apps out there that will help you take your test prep with you wherever you go.  Try the College Boar d’s app for SAT prep and ACT Ups app for the ACT.  Even doing a question or two each day will help you make headway in your test prep for next school year.Improve your organization and executive functioning skills.One of the most underrated contributors to academic success is the ability to stay focused, avoid procrastination, and make a study plan (and stick to it!).   A student who knows everything there is to know about US History but starts a 5-page essay the night before it’s due is probably not going to get the grade that he’s capable of achieving.  This summer, start by reading a book like The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg to learn how to automate your willpower and change your habits for good.  Then, harness modern technology for your benefit by trying a few productivity apps.  Google Calendar might be a good solution if the traditional planner has never worked for you.  Todoist is a powerful to-do list app that helps you plan out your tasks and reminds you whe n they’re due.  Finally, practice your new habits and try out your new technology on a smaller scale over the summer: use them to help you complete your summer assignments for next school year.Explore an academic interest, or work ahead for next year’s classes.Have you noticed a recurring theme yet?  Technology can help you make the most of your time this summer, allowing you to integrate learning with your summer plans.  The last few years have seen an explosion in free or low-cost online classes.  Interested in learning CSS, a foreign language, or early American history?  Coursera, Khan Academy, and Codecademy are a few options among hundreds of such websites.  However, while online courses are a great way to explore a new academic interest, many students have trouble staying motivated when they’re not meeting in-person with a teacher. For those students, AJ Tutoring offers a variety of 1-on-1 summer classes at our offices in the Bay Area.  Our summer offerings range from bridge classes to get you ready for AP Calculus to enrichment classes in subjects like Java.  To sign up for summer classes at AJ Tutoring or talk with a director about your summer plans, please fill out a consultation request or give us a call at 650.331.3251.   Wed love to work with you this summer!

Why I Volunteer - Annick and Lourdess Story

Why I Volunteer - Annick and Lourdes's Story Meet Annick S and Lourdes D, two of Tutorfair’s lovely language volunteers. As respective native French and Spanish speakers, Annick and Lourdes have used their impressive language skills to tutor Senior students at Pimlico and Paddington Academy. We help them tell their stories below. Although the two tutors volunteered in different schools and in different subjects, both Annick and Lourdes are in the unique position of learning how to teach  a group of less-than-timid teens a language that has been innate for most of their lives. “I was a bit . . . a bit shocked,” Annick begins, recalling her first day at Pimlico Academy. “[The students] don’t sit down, they’re not quiet, and they’re very tiring.” Annick reminds me of some of my own favorite High School educators: patient enough to teach, with a no-nonsense attitude that suggests that you listen. Carefully. “But,” she continues, “as they get to know you and you get to know them, you find some middle ground. You learn to take it as it comes, and if you don’t think of a solution or a way to do it better, you let [the students] get on with it. Then you go back in a few minutes and maybe they will get it. Maybe there is progress.” When I speak to Lourdes a couple weeks later, I am struck by the parallels between her and Annick’s experiences, right down to their first day. Lourdes remembers, “I went to class, and the teacher introduced me to the students who had more difficulty. The teacher said, ‘Don’t be afraid because their behavior is not so good,’ but it was fine with me because I used to work with difficult children. I understand that sometimes they’re difficult, and that’s okay. I just like to work with them.” In these few sentences, Lourdes exemplifies a quiet kind of perseverance, and immense dedication to her students. When I ask her what motivated her to reach outside of her comfort zone and become a volunteer tutor, she says simply, “The children.” “They are special, they are innocent, they are funny, and I have fun with them. Sometimes it is difficult, but you have to give your time, because it will make you feel like a better person, too. These children are the future.” Despite her earlier reservations, when I ask Annick the same question she remains focused on her pupils, too. Her favorite part? “The interaction with the students,” she says. “Opening their mind to other things, and showing them there is more around that they could explore.” It’s easy to see why these two make such fantastic volunteers, isn’t it? Thank you, Annick and Lourdes! If you're a tutor, teacher or an aspiring educator looking to make a difference, visit the Tutorfair Foundation to find out how you can join the future of tutoring.

Spotify Language Learning Electrified!

Spotify Language Learning Electrified! 3 Ways Spotify Can Meet Your Language Learning Needs YouTube is only for watching cat videos.Amazon is all about buying Stephen King books.And Spotify is just for  music.None of these statements are anywhere near the truth.If youre a fan of cat videos and Stephen King, you might readily accept the first two statements, but Spotify?Get ready to completely change what you think about Spotify! Why Use Spotify for Language Learning?Spotify is a digital music-streaming service. In other words, it allows you to listen to millions of songs from the internet. Spotify works with most devices and since its compatible with iOS, Android and Windows, you can stream awesome music through your computer, tablet or smartphone.Theres Spotify Free, which means you don’t have to pay a single dime to listen to music (although it does come with ads and some listening limitations, of course). Then theres Spotify Premium for that total on-demand music experience. (A monthly Spotify subscription is $9.99, but students get a discount and only pay $4.99.)So, what can a service like Spotify do for language learners like you?Well, when I said earlier that Spotify is a “music-streaming service,” that’s really not all there is to it. Yes, its known for its curated playlists (and that will probably always be the first thing we think of), but they also have programs designed to teach you French, Mandarin, Vietnamese, etc.Considering this (and the fact that theyre breaking into the video market), Spotify might just be the next biggest multimedia platform since YouTube!So its time to jump on the Spotify bandwagon and take advantage of everything this technology has to offer language learners!3 Ways Spotify Can Meet Your Language Learning Needs1. Make the Most of the Spotify Music SelectionWe might have mentioned a time or two that listening to foreign language songs is a great way to learn the language.Songs have a way of getting into our long-term memory better than any other medium. They help us to hear and learn grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary naturally and have a way of making us sound fluent faster. They make language easier to remember.Yes, you can find every song by Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga on Spotify, but why not mix it up with some cool tunes in your target language?(“Despacito,” anyone?)Songs are such great language sources that you just can’t leave them out of your learning routine.But how do you get to them?Weve got some suggestions to find the best ways to find the perfect tunes for your playlist.Forget artists and song titlesThis isn’t your run-of-the-mill Spotify search where you only need to type the title of the song or the artist. You might not even be familiar with many songs or singers in the target language.So the best thing you can do is use the target language in your search string. For example, if you’re doing a search for Italian songs, you can use the general term “Italian” or “Italy” and type in phrases like:“Italian songs”“Italian playlists”“Italian sing ers/artists”“Italian classics”“Best Italian”“Classic Italian”The idea here is to pair your target language with common search terms. Itll tease out relevant foreign language songs, artists, albums and playlists. This is really a general search, sort of acquainting you with the landscape of what’s available.Don’t worry if you feel like youre sort of simply nibbling on the sides. The next tip will take care of that.Follow the trail: Let one artist or song lead you to a thousand othersIn reality, you’ll probably only be using the previous search technique once or twice. Spotify is very proactive in offering you song after song after song related to the one you’re currently listening to. So you can simply let Spotify lead the way and automatically find songs you might be interested in. Just tap and follow the trail.Found an Italian artist that you love? Spotify will give you a list of other songs by the same artist. Itll also let you see other songs in the same alb um. And just to make your day, if you scroll down, you have the “Related Artists” section where Spotify identifies singers of the same genre.Use the “Viral 50 by Country” featureGo to Spotify’s “Browse” section, and in there you’ll see an icon labeled “Charts.” Tap on that and you’ll be presented with a page featuring the “Viral 50 by Country” option. Tap on that, and what do you get?Well, only the top 50 songs that have exploded onlineâ€"categorized by country. (Spotify has a special algorithmic to determine this list.)So you’re given the countries in alphabetical order. For the language learner, this should already alert you to scroll down to the country where the target language is spoken.If you’re learning Japanese, scroll down to Japan and tap on the square picture representing the country. You’ll then see the list of the most viral songs in Japan at the moment. Of course, the list will include your perennial and international favoritesâ€"your Br uno Mars and Beyoncéâ€"but a large part of it will be local talents; artists producing hit songs in their respective countries.The list is a goldmine for language learners! By employing the previous technique of “following the trail,” you can find plenty of songs in the target language.Create your own language learning playlistWeve already talked about finding user-generated playlists, now lets talk about creating your own language learning playlist.Spotify gives you ultimate control over your songs. While searching for foreign language music, you can make a playlist of the songs that you like as you go along. Simply long press on the song and select “Add to Playlist.” You’ll have the option of adding songs to existing ones or make a new program with just your favorite foreign language beats.A tip on titling your playlist, make sure the target language is clearly specified. So if the list is about Mandarin songs, then make sure “Mandarin” is in the title (eg. “Easy Mandarin Songs for Language Learners), so others would know what to expect.And, just as a “thank you” to all the folks who shared their own language playlists and made your life a little easier, you can make own playlist public too. Go to “Your Library” and tap on “Playlists.” Long press the program you want others to see and choose “Make Public.”You can even make a playlist collaborative, allowing your language-learning friends to add songs that they think would benefit everybody. Again, just long press on the playlist and choose “Make Collaborative.” Anybody who follows your list can make changes to it. Just another way for language learners to help each other out.Tips:Only listen to foreign language songs you actually like.  It’s interesting how language learners abandon their preferences when it comes to language learning content and just make do with what comes their way. Thats understandable for hard-to-find content and minor languages, but when you’re studying a popular language like French, Spanish, German or Italian, you really have a surplus of options available to you.Sing along!  There’s something funny about a guy on a train, headphones on, singing  â€œLa Mer”  (The Sea) out of tune. But this is exactly what you should be doing. Pronouncing the words and the phrases and learning how specific words make your mouth, tongue, palate and throat undulate is an important part of being fluent.Loop it!  Spotify actually makes it very easy for you to loop the songs or an entire playlist. Click on the title that’s playing and tap on the icon that looks like a Recycle icon once to make the whole playlist loop. Tap on it again and you’ll loop just the one song. You’ll know you’re just repeating one song because there’ll be a small “1” sign on the icon.Use the Musixmatch app.  Don’t you just wish that while you listened to that German pop song that you had the accompanying lyrics? (Because sometimes you can’t quite make out the actual words.) Well, that wish comes true with an awesome app called Musixmatch. It works perfectly with Spotify and gives you the synchronized lyrics to whatever is playing on your Spotify.Listen to different versions of the same song. If you find a song you really like, dont just rely on the Top Result. Always tap See all songs or See all artists. Youll find lots of covers of the same song. (The Spanish hit Despacito, for example, has close to two hundred different versions and covers, from acoustic to reggae and remix.)2. Find Your Perfect Spotify Language CourseJust to prove that the platform goes beyond music, believe it or not, Spotify itself sponsors language learning programs.Go to “Browse.” You know, that’s where you usually go when you want to search for songs via genre. You’ll get sections on pop, rock, hip-hop, Christian and RB. Spotify also arranges them via mood, like chill, party or sleep.Scroll down to the bottom and you’ll get a section called “Word.” Tap on it and you’ll get selections on spoken word tracks like poems, audiobooks, scary stories and guided meditation.You’ll also find language programs that teach you not only the basic greetings but the structure, pronunciation and grammar that make a language work. And these arent just your “token” language courses that teach very little. They mean business here. (French, for example has 45 hours worth of free audio lessons. Swedish has six hours.)Other languages include: Spanish, Chinese, German, Arabic, Italian, Irish, Russian and Portuguese.So head on over now to the “Word” section of “Browse” and listen to your heart’s content. Spotify courses are there waiting for you!Here are some other options you should check out.Coffee Break Languages (by Radio Lingua Network)The Radio Lingua Network, producer of Coffee Break Languages, was launched in 2006. Their podcasts, both densely informative and professional, have won a string of European Podcast Awa rds and is continually upping the language podcast game.Coffee Break Spanish, hosted by Mark and Kara, is particularly popular. Their passion for teaching shines through and when you listen to them, you immediately feel a kind of connection with those voicesâ€"which by the way, have a Scottish accent. (The company is headquartered in Scotland.)The programs take you beyond the “listen-and-repeat” track, although it does give you plenty of time to practice the target language. In addition to language lessons, you also get interesting cultural asides, which make the programs more robust for faithful listeners. You get more than you bargain for with their podcasts, and it’ll feel like listening to friends who really want you to succeed with languages.Presently, they have podcasts for Italian, German, Spanish and French.Learn In Your Car (by Penton Overseas, Inc.)As suggested by the title, these programs were created to be consumed while driving to or from work. But don’t worry, you don’t need to get a car for this one. You can be on a train platform or on a restroom queue during halftime and still engage in a little language learning.Penton Overseas Inc. offers a slew of programs that are specifically targeted to vocabulary and verbs. In addition to the “Learn in Your Car” series, they also have the “Vocabulearn” series which teaches you words, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and expressions in the language. Their “Verbs 101” programs teach you conjugation principles and patterns as well as tenses.Penton offers free lessons for Spanish, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic, Japanese, Hebrew, Swedish, Tagalog, Ukrainian, Polish, Portuguese and Swahili.Learning Language CompanyOf the language programs offered here, this one has the slimmest of pickingsâ€"offering just three languages: French, Spanish and English.The three programs do have different flavors and approaches, probably due to that fact that differen t folks developed these courses. The French program has a more grammatical approach, with tracks tackling lessons on nouns, regular and irregular verbs, adverbs and conjunctions. The Spanish program is more topically arranged, with tracks that teach vocabulary related to animals, clothes, days of the week, numbers, etc.The English course, for its part, is quite advanced and would be perfect for those learning the subtleties of written English, having tracks that explain the uses and nuances of the comma, colon and semi-colon, for example.Complete Language LessonsIf you’re learning Spanish, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Portuguese, Norwegian, Swedish, Russian, Polish, Arabic, Vietnamese, Finnish, Czech, Bengali, Turkish, Swahili, Nepali, Cambodian, Tagalog, Thai, Bulgarian, Hebrew or Farsiâ€"then you’re in luck.Complete Language Lessons has you covered! And theyre all free! Admittedly, they’re not the full-blown programs like a paid course, but they do a mighty job of starting you off right. You learn the basics for each of the languages mentioned. You get the fundamentals, the basic grammar rules and the most words and expressions.With today’s technology, there’s really very little stopping you from learning that second or third language. The material is there. You just have to do the work.So the next question would be, how do you make the most out of the courses and programs on Spotify?That’s what we’ll tackle next.Tips:Do download. And here’s why  Did you notice that when you have WiFi on your phone it’s actually very difficult to get some serious language learning done? Notifications from other apps are flooding in, messages from all your friends come every other second, apps are begging to be updated. So many things are begging for your attention. If you’re always online, why not try thisâ€"temporarily and purposely disconnect yourself. Be free from distractions. Youll find that your productivity will jump and target language fluency suddenly and strangely becomes achievable.Do one course at a time.  Spotify has multiple courses for each language, which means you have loads of options. Language learners often cope with the situation by downloading as many courses as possible, thinking the more programs they take, the better. (Ugh, not good!) Don’t fall for FOMO, the fear of missing outâ€"thinking there’s a program that’s better than the one you’re currently on. Pick one, and run with it.Don’t be a shy headphone jock. Speak!  In order to learn how to speak German, you have to speak German. Albeit, quite funky at first. But you have to speak the language that youre learning. There’s just no way around it! Talk to yourself. Record yourself speaking. Itll be one of the most educational and eye-opening language experience ever. Listen carefully and compare your pronunciations with that of a native speaker. Better yet, ask a native speaker how you’re doing.Mix it up.  Spotify is f illed with language learning courses that you could listen to, but you really shouldn’t limit yourself. Tap into all other sources of language learning content like textbooks, novels or childrens books during the journey.3. Take Advantage of Other Authentic Spotify ContentLast but not the least, Spotify can be an excellent source for other types of authentic content.Authentic content is defined as material that native speakers of the language consume. Programs for language learners tend to be at a slower speed and have modified content to increase the comprehension of the listener.This isnt the case for authentic materials. Since the resource is geared towards native speakers, its a great opportunity to tune your ears to the language spoken at a natural speed and hear vocabulary in context.Find the perfect podcastTo search for podcasts in your target language, simply type the language in Search. Spotify will then generate everything from songs, playlists, artists and albums that c ontain your search term.Scroll down to the podcast section and take your pick. For example, a Spanish search will get you HabloGeekâ€"a Spanish-language podcast that discusses everything technology-related. A German search would give you Machenâ€"a German podcast on business and startups.A great resource for foreign language podcasts is the Australia-based SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) Radio, which has programs, news and interviews in a whopping number of languages. Just type SBS plus the language you want to listen to. They have tracks for 74 languages, including Finnish, Dutch, even Somali and Khmer!Podcasts can really get those linguistic muscles of yours stretched and pushed to the next level. They immerse you in the language and you get to work with it the same way native speakers do.Browse the selection of audiobooksBesides podcasts, another type of authentic material on Spotify are those  audiobooks  in the target language.English learners will have an awesome time with classics like “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Pride Prejudice” and “Great Expectations.”To search, simply use the target language as a search term (e.g. German) and add the term audiobooks. For example, searching for German audiobooks will show you a playlist that includes Der kleine Prinz (The Little Prince).There are also audiobooks in Spanish like El gato con botas (Puss in Boots) and  Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) in French.To get the most out of these foreign language audio, try to get hold of a digital or printed copy so you can read along.Read along and read aloud so your mouth and ears can get accustomed to the language. You’re going to look and sound like a fool again, but do it anyway.Tips:Dont try to understand everything. Don’t fret if you miss a few words or phrases. But give it a try and negotiate meaning using context clues. You’re really not supposed to understand everything. Some things will go over your head. Cut yourself some slack and give yourself a pat on the back instead.Listen in small chunks. If you feel your mind wandering, its better to stop listening to that podcast or audiobook until you can really focus. Whether thats for 10 minutes or an hour, know when youve reached your limit. Its best to listen again when your mind is fresh and you can really absorb the content.Repeat after the speaker. Podcasts and audiobooks are great opportunities to practice your pronunciation. Throughout your listening session, repeat what the speaker is saying. This gives you a chance to practice the vocabulary in context and gauge your pronunciation.  Try to copy the rise and fall of the tone, the inflections, etc. Itll seem awkward at first, but itll come more naturally as you progress.Didn’t think there would be so much language learning stuff on Spotify, did you?So download the app now and find out why this resource is your dream come true.Spotify is indeed language learning electrified!

3 Ways to Cope with Coworker Disputes

3 Ways to Cope with Coworker Disputes Image via. https://pixabay.com/en/silhouette-teamwork-business-3120378/ Setting Boundaries It’s extremely important to set boundaries with anyone in your life, especially coworkers. If you’re working on a project with a coworker that you don’t particularly enjoy, be sure to set work-appropriate boundaries. If possible, only work on the project together when you’re at the office. If this isn’t possible because the project is too big to be finished while at the workplace, go to a neutral location where other people are doing work as well, like a coffee shop or a library. Some offices are even open to employees after-hours, so you can work there too if you can. If you aren’t working on a project together, but you have to see them on a regular basis, keep conversations to a minimum, don’t except any after-work activity invites, and be cordial, but not overly friendly so you don’t give him/her the wrong idea. Make it Out in the Open If there is a mutual “dislike” between you and your coworker, maybe set up a time to sit down with him/her to clear the air. It’s never fun when someone doesn’t like you and when you don’t like someone, so why not talk about it if it’s apparent that the feeling is mutual? If you lay everything out on the table, you and your coworker might come to some sort of understanding so that things don’t have to be awkward anymore. Who knows, you two might even become good friends after talking to him/her! Whatever you do, if you do make this conflict out in the open, do not get other coworkers involved. Drama is so middle school, there is no need to bring drama into a busy workplace. You can talk to your close friends/coworkers about it, but don’t make it a big thing because it will 100% make the situation worse if you do. If you don’t feel comfortable talking about it with the person you have the issue with, then please keep it to yourself for your own sake and for his/her sake. Image via. https://pixabay.com/en/call-center-operator-adult-agent-3506652/ Coming to Terms with It Sometimes, coworker disputes can’t be fixed. I know this isn’t what you wanted to hear, but this is the cold, hard truth. So, when coworker disagreements and dislikes are irreparable, how do you deal with it? Well, continue to establish boundaries, only converse with the person if you have to, keep your thoughts about your coworker to yourself, and just remind yourself that it isn’t necessary, nor possible, for everyone you come across in life to like you and/or for everyone you come across in life for you to like them. Before going into work, take a few deep breaths, remember what your goals are and why you’re there, and walk in with confidence and kindness. Always be pleasant, but you don’t have to go out of your way to be overly nice to the coworker you don’t enjoy. You didn’t get the job to be friends with everyone, so don’t let a little bit of animosity get you down. Remember your purpose and when you need a break from your coworker, then take a walk around the office and take a breather. I hope none of my readers ever have to deal with this problem, but if you do I promise you that it’s not the end of the world. You can get through this and you never know what might happen in the future. For all you know, this coworker will end up being the maid-of-honor or best-man at your wedding. Just remember to never be outwardly mean to your coworker, don’t be petty, be cordial, but just don’t go out of your way to be friends with him/her if you don’t want to. Go to work, do your job, be friends with who you want to be friends with, and keep it at that. Good luck if you are trying out my coping mechanisms!

My Teaching Philosophy

My Teaching Philosophy My Story: School and How I Learned I Wanted to TeachMy earliest memory of my education was in my kindergarten classroom. I remember my teacher, and how she would play “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Oh When the Saints” on her xylophone to signal to the students that she wanted them to come to the rug. No words were spoken, it was just known by all the students in the class that this was our cue.This experience has stayed with me all through my schooling, and will remain within my future as an educator. As a student, I always enjoyed school, enjoyed learning and enjoyed the atmosphere. This feeling continued, and even when school required more studying and less exploration, I still saw its value. I do not know how this this appreciation came to me, if it was instilled in me by my family, my teachers, if it came naturally, or possibly a combination, but I was grateful it was there. Entering the field of education, and having gained experience working within schools, I have s een that this experience is not typical. I have met different students with many different stories, and not one of them is the same as another. As a child it is more difficult to see these discrepancies, but looking back on my experiences in school, as well as what I have learned since then, it is clear to me that there is no typical experience, no cookie cutter student and no one way to teach. Each teacher must forge their own path to discover how they will inspire each of their students. “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge” (Albert Einstein) and that is my aspiration as a teacher. How My Philosophy Helps My StudentsThe most vital, and foundational philosophy that any teacher, of any grade, demographic or subject area needs to consider is how the student views themselves within the classroom community that you have created. If a student feels that they are not valued as part of this community, or that they are not a positive contributor to this community, their success academically, socially and emotionally is compromised. Classrooms today represent a wide range of diverse learners, whether it be students with disabilities, English Language Learners, minority groups or students who may just feel ostracized or “different”. It is our job as teachers to awaken the joy in students within this community. Give students to opportunity to show what makes them special. Value their differences and celebrate them. Give every the student the opportunity to do something great, something that will make them feel proud of themselves, and feel that they are a part of the group of students around them. This will be different for every student and may be easy, or may take a lot of trust, support and encouragement. However, that one small moment of being included, involved, and belonging may be what makes the difference for a student to succeed and awaken the inspiration within them.Once a student feels comfortable an d valued in their classroom community, the foundation of learning can begin. A student will be more open and willing to learning new things if they are comfortable. Students will be even more willing to learn and experience new things if they can see the value that the learning has to them. A student is more likely to see the value in learning and be actively involved if they can identify how the material can relate to and help them in their own lives. How do we expect students to blindly follow teachers and they teach lessons, but do not understand why they are learning what they are learning? Tips: How What I've Learned Can Help Other Teachers, Tutors, and StudentsTeachers need to take the time to explain to students on why what they are learning matters to them, and for each student, that may be different. This element does not need to be overtly repeated in every situation, it may be subtle and may be woven into the lesson or activity you area leading. What is important is that students can make connections to what they are learning in the classroom to real life experiences. This connection does not only inspire them to learn, but enables the learning process by making that connection and solidifying what that student is learning. Furthermore, to ensure that a student’s interest and learning continues to grow, teachers must make the time to pursue topics that students find interesting themselves. With curriculum standards and state requirements, teachers often tend to avoid migrating from the strict curriculum. Does that mean if a student or groups of students show a unique interest in a topic not specifically outlined in a framework that we, as teachers, should ignore it? Or does it mean that we, as teachers, should recognize this opportunity for curiosity and learning and allow students to pursue interests. It is not impossible. Any topic or idea can be adapted to work within a classroom setting. Teachers need to be flexible and adaptable. We need to gauge student interest and seize opportunities when we see them. Teachers need to “awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge” within their students to help ensure their futures are bright.“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its abili ty to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

2 recruitment metrics every international school should monitor

2 recruitment metrics every international school should monitor “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” We’ve all heard this quote by Peter Drucker, management consultant and educator. What he means by this is that making an informed decision to improve a process requires accurate data collected from precise measurement. So, what does this mean for schools looking to bring in the right talent in today’s international education landscape? What are the two key recruitment metrics a school should be tracking in order to improve their hiring? Before we get to these, let’s take a look at the international school space. The demand for English medium K-12 education continues to skyrocket; since 2013, global fee income has risen by a whopping 40%. It’s forecasted that we’ll be faced with a shortage of 150,000 international educators by 2021 (ISC). As Teach Away covered in our International Recruitment Report back in November, this looming shortage has resulted in a shift of power from the school to the job-seeking educator. This gap is further widened by fundamental changes in job search techniques; online recruitment makes it is easier than ever for job-seeking educators to discover new positions globally without ever having to step foot in a job fair. Scarce expertise and online job searching means the teacher has more leverage in the recruitment process than ever before. With the right recruitment solutions in place, and by knowing the right metrics - or key performance indicators (KPIs) - to track in order to optimize the success of your school’s recruitment, organizations like yours have the opportunity to earn a major leg up on your competitors. I’ve covered the two most important KPIs you need to measure in order to help make talent acquisition a competitive advantage for your school: 1) Cost Per Hire (CPH) Why? Maximize your recruitment budget. In order to calculate your school’s cost per hire, you must consider both the internal and external costs associated with your recruitment. Internal recruitment costs are organizational costs and internal expenses associated with your recruitment efforts (eg. salaries of recruitment personnel, employee time dedicated to recruitment, travel expenses to attend recruitment fairs, etc.). External recruitment costs are external expenses associated with your recruitment efforts (eg. job board fees to advertise your vacancies, fees paid to recruitment agencies, registration fees to attend recruitment fairs, etc.). Here’s how to calculate your CPH: 2) Time to Fill (TTF): Why? Improve efficiency. While examining data for our International Education Recruitment Report, we found that candidates who were contacted by a hiring school within three days of submitting an application were 27% more likely to accept a job offer and 22% less likely to drop out of the hiring process. TTF is a massively impactful metric to keep track of: it can inform vital decisions to do with the sourcing of committed candidates. Find your TTF like this: Keep in mind that with candidates having more options than ever before you should strive to be as efficient as possible in your recruitment, but never at the expense of a positive candidate experience.. How to optimize your strategy based on these metrics Before jumping head first into tweaking your strategy, make sure you’ve not only calculated your CPH and TTF, but tracked them for long enough to be confident in the data. Next, ask the tough questions: What recruitment techniques are providing your lowest CPH? What methods could be employed to reduce your TTF? In what ways could your school benefit by strategically reinvesting the money and time saved by reducing your CPH and TTF? The demand for international educators is only going up. To ensure your school has the advantage it needs to secure top teaching talent in an increasingly competitive market, you must remain hyper-focused on measuring the results of your recruitment efforts, optimize based on what works best, rinse and repeat. And remember: if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. The world’s most innovative international schools are leveraging Teach Away's annual subscription to dramatically reduce their CPH and TTF. Contact us to learn how partnering with Teach Away can help you streamline your hiring process and maximize your recruitment budget.