Organic Chemistry Work Calculus - Why Its Important

Organic Chemistry Work Calculus - Why It's ImportantWhy should a person take the organic chemistry tutor work calculus class? There are a number of reasons, but the basic reason is that you'll be able to understand the properties of different elements better. There is also a math class for every grade level in the same course. What this means is that you'll be able to focus on learning as you go along instead of worrying about how much you've learned and if you missed any concepts.When it comes to calculus, it's one of the hardest subjects to grasp. Of course, you're going to need to have a lot of math knowledge if you're going to do well. You may also be expecting to take more advanced classes with calculus in them, but most times, you don't need to worry about this at all.You'll be surprised to learn that there are many benefits to taking organic chemistry work calculus. If you take the class in your junior year of high school, you will be able to take the class again in your senio r year. This may help you get a better grade for the course and it may even make you feel more confident about getting your next job after graduation.Many people who take the course think that it will require one or two years of work, but in reality, the courses do not last all year long. In fact, you can take organic chemistry work calculus as often as you want without any breaks whatsoever. As long as you have the ability to be in class, the course will be effective.Many people do not know that the tutor works for different grades within the course because the professor is looking for different things from the student, so there is no grading. The tutor does not have to use numbers or grades when communicating with the student. He or she will communicate with the student's understanding of the material.Of course, students who are struggling may need more support than others. If this is the case, the tutor will give the student what he or she needs. You don't have to worry about get ting out of the class if you don't like the material, either.Most college students choose calculus because they do not have a hard time with it. You will have the advantage of learning how to read complex equations, which can make the test a little easier. With this kind of experience, you can increase your chances of getting into the best college in the country.If you've been considering taking organic chemistry work calculus, now you know why it's a good choice. It won't take long to get started, and you will be able to use the knowledge that you've gained in this class. For students who are going to college for the first time, this may be the way to start their first year of college.

How to transition from the classroom to teaching English online

How to transition from the classroom to teaching English online It’s official: online teaching is the future. And there’s no doubt that this could be a huge bonus for teachersâ€"â€"even those more used to traditional classrooms. With flexible hours, shortor long-term contracts available, and literally hundreds of opportunities at major companies like VIPKid, getting into teaching English online has never been easier. It can be an excellent way for teachers to supplement their income, or even transition out of the brick-and-mortar classroom altogether. Don’t have any teaching experience yet? Teaching English online can be a great way to get some, especially since there are companies that don’t require any previous experience. If you’re planning to teach English abroad in the future, it may also be worth giving online teaching a try first, so that you get a better idea of what to expect. But even for experienced teachers, it’s not quite as simple as logging on and watching the $$$ roll in. While the fundamentals of teaching are the same in any context, teaching online does have its own unique set of challenges. Luckily there are plenty of solutions too. Shannon Fernandez, a VIPKid teacher, has helped us clear up some misconceptions about teaching English online in the past. Now, we thought we’d give you some additional pointers for a successful transition to the online classroom. Overcoming language barriers If you’ve taught English as a secondlanguage (ESL) before, teaching English online won’t be your first encounter with language barriers. But there can be a difference between dealing with gaps in knowledge online and in person. Imagine you’re used to working with a classroom full of students who can chip in ideas and support each other, and suddenly you’re sharing a screen (and an awkward silence) with one kid who just can’t understand you. How do you deal with it? In the moment, stay patient, talk slowly and grade your language as low as possible. In advance, work on your facial expressions, hand gestures, and images or teaching props, so you have plenty of ways to explain what high-level vocabulary means. Understanding cultural differences Again, anyone at home in an ESL classroom won’t be a stranger to daily culture shocks. However, if online teaching is your first major experienceworking with people from another country, prepare yourself to be surprised and confused by a few cultural curve ballsâ€"â€"especially when combined with the language barriers mentioned above! Whether it’s something small, like what your student eats for breakfastâ€"â€"or something much largerâ€"â€"take a minute to think about how you react to surprising things your students say. As a rule, being surprised or curious is fine, but steer clear of any negativity or judgment. Cultural differences that might seem huge to you are probably just an everyday part of your students’ lives, and an uncomfortable reaction from you could leave them feeling alienated in the classroom. Remember, if you keep an open mind and listen to your students in a mixed culture classroom, you’ll end up learning as much as you teach. Mastering online teaching technology As a teacher, you know how embarrassing it can be to find yourself feeling unprepared, or on the back foot in front of a room full of expectant people. Unfortunately, switching to teaching online doesn't stop this happening from time to time! But one way to make sure you feel in control in the online classroom is by mastering the technology you teach with. Obviously, this begins with a reliable computer and a strong internet connection. Beyond these basics, getting comfortable with all the different tools on your teaching platform is really important. It’ll improve your confidence, your lessons and make you look more professional. This is especially true if you’re working with kids, who (no doubt) will have all the tech figured out already. This may mean spending time figuring things out in the classroom outside of lessons, but the results (confident teacher ? well-managed classroom ? engaged students ?) will be worth it. Adapting to the spotlight You’re used to people looking at you. As a teacher, you spend all day standing up in front of people. But, suddenly, your face is close up on a screen for hours at a time and it makes you feel kind of . . . exposed. Unfortunately, this is part and parcel of being an online teacher. But the good news is you’ll get used to it, just like you got used to standing at the front of a classroom. To help you through it in the meantime, make sure you and your visible background look presentable (if not exceptional), and keep students busy so that, even if you feel your face is front and center, they’re focused on the tasks at hand. And, don’t forget propsâ€"â€"the virtual teacher’s ultimate teaching assistant. There are all kinds of creative and budget-friendlyprops you can use as entertaining teaching resources, or buddies to share the spotlight with. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. Creating a positive virtual environment After all the human contact of teaching in a classroom, switching to an online environment might feel somewhat cold. But your online students are just as real as your in-person ones, and they’ll still need a supportive, engaging atmosphere to thrive. So, how can you recreate it? First, get to know your students and create opportunities for them to get to know each other by encouraging participation and discussion in class. Next, involve your students in the classroom by asking them for feedback on classes, monitoring their progress and following up on homework, just as you would in person. Finally, make sure the activities you do are adapted to creating an encouraging online environment. For example, with a little adjustment, classic learning games can bring life and humor into an online classroom, just as they would in person. Planning your classes One of the things that attract many educators to online teaching is the thought of no lesson planning. Major online schools such asVIPKid have great learning resources already planned out, leaving their teachers with nothing to do except turn up and teach. (Is that a dream come true or what?) However, especially when you’re first starting out as an online teacher, you’ll still have to put a little thought into how you’re going to present yourself in class. This could literally mean laying out your clothes before bed if being in different time zonesmeans you start teaching super early in the morning. Or it might mean that you have to tidy the house, so you have a professional-looking background for your webcam. You’ll also need to consider how to increase engagement in your online classroom. You might want to make props, plan the online tools you’ll be using, or think about how to grade your language for low-level learners. Whatever you need to get your head around, remember that online lessons are often short and planned to the minute, so getting any extra preparation done in advance is key. When the lesson begins, you’ll be glad you sorted out these factors beforehand, and the more experienced you become, the less you’ll have to prepare. Getting started with teaching English online Think you’re ready to teach online? With a few tweaks here and there, transitioning from the classroom to successfully teaching online is doable for any teacher. And it means having some extra cashin your bank accountâ€"â€"which is always nice. With so many online teaching opportunities out there, what are you waiting for? Apply to teach online today.

Tips for Creating a Tutor Lesson Plan Template

Tips for Creating a Tutor Lesson Plan TemplateYou want a quality tutoring lesson plan, and an easy way to create one is with a tutor lesson plan template. Whether you're in need of a tutor or not, you can utilize a template to get an idea of what it takes to complete your assignments and a great place to learn how to write lesson plans.The key to using a tutor lesson plan template is the inclusion of several factors that will make your lessons more efficient. For example, include not only the syllabus but also a list of questions and a list of topics, in addition to your recommended reading material. A lesson plan template is very convenient for students and for teachers alike because it's easy to organize and understand. Most templates come with an extensive set of template elements to help you start your lesson, including lesson objectives, deliverables, detailed lesson outlines, lesson examples, and pictures.The best template doesn't have to be complex; just take into consideratio n the essentials and make sure it's very easy to read and understand. You'll find some templates are quite compact while others may require you to expand the template so you can include additional sections.You can ask someone to create a new template, or you can create one from scratch. Either way, a template will benefit your students in many ways; after all, a great lesson plan gives you a sense of accomplishment!Start by creating a short outline for your lesson plan template. Include your student's name, grades, and the assignment. You can also put in notes on any important details about the assignment that you think your student will really appreciate. These notes will be useful as you go through your lesson plan.Another great feature of a tutor lesson plan template is that it will show you which section of the template you can modify to include other resources and tutorials. Some templates will only require you to include the syllabus and the topic list. Other templates may ask you to include additional learning materials, like exercises, videos, and even online videos and podcasts.Once you create your lesson plan template, you'll be ready to begin your assignments. Make sure you stick to the main themes and sub-themes of your template and create a curriculum that's practical for your students. By doing this, you'll learn how to write great lesson plans and teach effectively!

Sol Chemistry Review

Sol Chemistry ReviewSol Chemistry Review is a very interesting new program that promises to take physics to the next level. This review of the fundamentals will teach the student about the phenomena, the forces and the properties of the atoms and molecules within a system.Physics is constantly being updated and developed to meet the needs of society and the advancements in the fields of computer science and engineering are making this field even more advanced. Although many people in the United States to study physics, not many people can explain it in detail. That is where Sol Chemistry Review comes in.Sol Chemistry Review takes a scientific approach to physics, which will help the student understand it much better. This review introduces the different theories of physics to the student and shows how the theory applies to every area of science and engineering. The theory will also show the importance of a physical model when it comes to a certain subject.Sol Chemistry Review teaches the student about the inner workings of the chemical bonds that hold together the various elements. The student will learn about how the two atoms in the molecule will interact with each other to form bonds. The student will also learn about the number of molecules and atoms that will be able to affect the forces between the atoms.In order to understand the science behind physics, Sol Chemistry Review will take the student through different types of atoms and how they operate. The student will learn about the different types of atoms and their properties and how they interact with each other to create the different forces within the materials that we are currently living in. With the proper training, the student will be able to grasp what is going on when an object is subjected to force.When it comes to teaching the theories and concepts in physics, Sol Chemistry Review is an innovative approach to teaching them. The book will teach the student all of the concepts that they need to understand so that they will be able to solve problems and improve their math skills. The classes will also teach the student the difference between the potential energy or work to be done in a certain experiment and the actual energy that are measured when the experiment is performed.The instructor who created Sol Chemistry Review has gained a lot of experience with teaching college students. He will take his experiences and make this book even more effective. This book will definitely improve the student's knowledge and skills with regards to physics and give them an understanding of how the whole world works and operates.

Of Tubes and Tones The Only Guitar Tone Guide Youll Ever Need

Of Tubes and Tones The Only Guitar Tone Guide Youll Ever Need Sign up successful Guitar Tone Terms to Know Pitch:  Any note you pluck on the guitar is heard as a pitch, defined as the fundamental cycle-per-second sound vibration produced (typically  measured in units called Hertz or Hz). Say you played an A note on the 5th string open. The whole string vibrates at 110 cycles per second to produce the fundamental note its lowest vibration speed for the note that youre playing. That is the pitch of A that you hear. Overtone:  Your A string is also vibrating in halves, creating a sound thats called an overtone. This doubling of vibration speed produces the first overtone, heard at the same time one octave higher. Your A string vibrates in thirds as well three equal pieces, producing the second overtone. Even higher divisions of string vibration occur at the same time you pluck, and as the number of divisions goes higher, the less audible the sound of that overtone is. As a side note, understanding vibration speed explains why the first guitar string is called high E, even though its located lower (physically speaking) than the other strings. It is also why moving up the guitar neck is a sideways and downward movement. Timbre/Tone: Play that A string again, this time stop only that strings vibration. You will discover that the D string is also vibrating a little bit, because of the overtones contained in that fundamental A noted you plucked.  Youll hear it as A1, or the same note sounded as if the D string were plucked at the 19th fret. The human ear hears only the fundamental A as the defined pitch, but it hears those overtones as what is called  timbre or tone.  That allows us to hear which instrument or voice has sounded the fundamental note. Your ear takes in the sound of the fundamental note, plus all the overtones, then your brain recombines this information into a perception of tone. Bass:  A fundamental note contains energy that moves with a specific frequency, categorized into ranges, or bands, known as bass, middle and treble. Frequencies ranging from 20 Hz to 300 Hz receive their regulation from your amplifiers bass control knob. Pluck your low E string, and adjust your bass knob from zero to 10. Then, perform the same experiment with your high E string, noticing that low E changes considerably, while the high E string doesnt. Thats because your high E string is tuned to a standard 329.63 Hz above the range for bass frequencies. Middle: The best frequency range for human hearing is the midrange: 300 to 4000 Hz. Most human vocal sounds are produced in this range, which explains why our hearing tunes in to sounds in this band of frequencies. This fact reveals one cool way you can help create sonic space for your bands singer, by omitting notes in your guitar chords that would crowd his or her midrange-frequency space. Note that most of our guitars fundamental range falls within the midrange, and we can set that control higher than our bass and treble. Treble: Finally, treble  encompasses sounds from 4000 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Remember our definition of tone? Sound vibrations known as overtones are generated by a string moving in halves, thirds and continuously smaller divisions, with audibility diminishing and disappearing after the seventh division. So, high-string riffs from above the 12th fret can have a consistent and dynamic level, great tone and well-balanced audibility, provided you keep the treble or presence knob on your amp from venturing far beyond the midpoint. The pain from hearing too much treble will let you know when to back off. Guitar Tone and Gear In order for you to gain confident knowledge of the guitar sound you want, its important to know the following descriptions of  tone controls, amplifiers, pickups and effects pedals. As you experiment with these sounds, be sure to listen to guitarists who have used these effects in their music. How Guitar Amps Effect Tone An amplifiers true tone needs to be measured at power inputs of at least 30% volume, and then measured again at 50% and beyond. The tone descriptions below follow those standards of measurement, and differences in tone between tube amps and solid state amps emerge only within those categories. Tube Amps:  Transformers on a tube amplifier provide a natural, high-frequency gate that keeps a guitarists high-note overtones in check, which is a desirable quality. When the amp warms up, and the transformer reaches a point of core saturation, tube amplifiers deliver a level of compression to the tone, evening out the dynamics of the guitar sound during performance. This reduces the chance of a note sounding like it was plucked too hard, too softly, or with an abrupt attack. It provides a more sustained dynamic level of loudness, another desirable quality for guitar tone. Fourth overtone harmonics are produced by tube amps, and the interval produced by this tone delivers more sustain to the fundamental note. For examples of tube amp sounds, listen to Deep Purples Smoke on the Water intro. You can also check out Stevie Ray Vaughan recordings, such as  Crossfire, Voodoo Child, and Pride and Joy.  Want to hear more? Try Steve Vai or Angus Youngs recordings. Solid State Amps:  The sharper sound wave generated by these amps provides for a more sudden attack portion of your tone. The overtone primarily produced by these amps, the 3rd harmonic, provides for a quicker decay of the sound. These characteristics lend themselves very well to a precise attack of each note an instant response. Listen to B.B. Kings King of the Blues solo for an example of a solid state amp sound. Or, check out guitar recordings from Andy Summers of The Police, such as  Every Breath You Take. Stack Amps:  Since the guitar tone effects from amplifiers present their most desirable qualities with the volume turned up to a certain amount, guitarists require these amps only for performances in very large venues. Smaller amplifiers provide better tone conditions for recording and practicing, and restaurant, bar or club performances. My experience performing up and down the New York City andNew Jersey coastline started with a solid state Polytone Amplifier. I needed more volume for every venue where the band performed, so I got rid of it and bought a used Roland Jazz Chorus 120, which sounded great at low and high volumes. Ive performed with it for decades and never spent another cent maintaining the Roland. How Guitar Pickups Effect Tone Guitar pickups  effect tone to the extent that some effects pedals now feature settings with a design for each type. Every pickup takes physical variations in acoustic sound energy and converts them to electric sound energy. The materials used and the way that theyre used makes the difference in tone. A  pickup affects guitar tone in many ways, such as the strength of its magnetic field, size of its magnetic field, diameter of the wire wrapped around the magnet, its location on the guitar body, and how the guitarist is playing. When choosing a pickup, keep in mind the range of frequencies youd like to emphasize in your tone, the abruptness or subtlety youd prefer in a sounds attack, and the dynamic curve in your sounds sustain and decay. Discover these points by experimenting with this information and listening to examples of guitarists playing different types of pickups. Piezo Pickups:  Piezo pickups use quartz crystals to receive and transmit sound energy. Theyre mounted in the saddle bridge of guitars that use them. The very accurate dynamic response to a guitarists string displacement (how hard you pluck) surprises people upon first trying Piezo pickups. Thats why everyone who uses them also uses a compression effect to even out the dynamics. On a related note, string displacement affects tone, too! A downward displacement of 45 degrees toward the soundboard or body is the goal I always recommend to students. Compare that tone to a sideways pluck and also an upward pluck (away from the soundboard or body). In each case, we take note of how all of these parameters affect the presentation of our overtones, our notes attack, sustain and decay. These are the important factors in determining the guitar tone we want. Listen to Jesse Cook perform Mario Takes a Walk and also Stings recording of Fragile to hear good examples of the Piezo pickup tone. Single Coil Pickups: Your plucked guitar string sends sound vibration into the magnetic field, emanating from copper wire coiled around a magnet, which makes up the single coil pickup. This results in the vibration of the magnetic field, as well. When the magnetic field is in flux from this vibration, an electrical signal is generated and amplified though your amp. The field of magnetism produced by the single coil pickup covers a smaller area than the field of magnetism from Humbucker pickups. A smaller range of harmonics (overtones) are captured from a smaller field of magnetism, providing for less low and midrange-frequency overtones. This results in the single coil pickups generating a tone that occupies a tonal space in the higher midrange; giving the tone a clearly audible presence for the listener. Check out Yngwie Malmsteen and Eric Clapton to hear single coil pickup recordings. Humbucker Pickups:  Humbucker pickups are  designed to provided the answer for the single coils tendency to pick up surrounding electromagnetic fields and accompany the guitars tone with an annoying hum sound. Two magnets were used in Humbuckers to cancel out extraneous electromagnetic hum noise. Since a larger field of magnetism captures a greater range of middle and low-frequency overtones, Humbuckers put out more of the lower midrange of tonal space. This sound is very desirable, especially for riffs or chords using the lower strings. Listen to Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin perform Rock and Roll. Effects Pedals and Your Guitar Tone There are many different types of effects pedals on the market, and all of them are designed to alter the tone of your guitar. Heres a great guide to the main types of effects pedals from ScaleTrainer.com: The order of adding effects and using effects pedals generates from common sense and practical experience. Place the wah pedal before your compressor to obtain a more abrupt attack to your sound, or after the compressor to provide a more subtle attack and a lower and middle-frequency boost. To even out your dynamics before adding effects, you can place the compressor at the beginning of the effects chain. A distortion pedal adds overtones, so place it before the equalizer so that you can control those added tones. Phasers and flangers add  a slightly delayed or out-of-phase sine wave  to your original sound, which is something you wouldnt want to add a lot of overtones from your distortion pedal to. Put these types of effects after the distortion and EQ.   Look at the descriptions of your reverb/delay sounds. You will see words like large hall, small hall, dome, tunnel, and studio. What would my tone sound like if I were playing guitar in one of these locations? Thats why we want our total tone package in place before adding these effects. Using the science, recorded examples and your own experimentation, keep on improving your guitar tone. We can achieve a lot more than we ever thought possible with great improvements in sound quality! Looking for more tips on improving your guitar tone? Check out this  awesome guide from Guitar Chalk. An experienced guitar teacher can help you perfect your tone, technique, and repertoire on the guitar. Find your guitar teacher now! Noel S. teaches guitar, piano, and music theory lessons in Beachwood, OH. He holds a Masters degree in music from Dusquesne University and he has been teaching since 2001. Learn more about Noel.   Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  Stew Dean

What is the Best Way to Learn Japanese in Order to Prepare for a Test

What is the Best Way to Learn Japanese in Order to Prepare for a Test How to Prepare for a Test with Your Japanese Tutor ChaptersWhy Enlist the Help of Japanese Teachers?There are Many Japanese Teachers Out There: Finding the Best Japanese Tutor with SuperprofHow to Study Well for Your Japanese TestWho Should Take a Test in JapaneseThere are many different ways to learn Japanese, but like most people, you are probably asking yourself what is the best way to learn Japanese.There is no simple answer to this question. Firstly there are a number of different learning styles  and it depends depends on which one is most effective for you. Everyone learns a little bit differently. Some people need more visual stimulus, whereas others rely more on an auditory method.The second important factor relates to your motivations for Japanese learning. The different ways of learning Japanese are aimed to teach you in a specific way. If you want to learn Japanese quickly so that you can become fluent, then a Japanese course in Tokyo would be best as you would be completely immersed by the language with plenty of opportu nities to practice.If you want to just learn basic Japanese in order to have a few greetings and phrases before you visit Japan, then a course in Japanese online might suit you better.If however you have a test coming up, and you need to practice Japanese grammar and improve your Japanese vocabulary, then lessons with a private tutor are probably the way to go.It doesn't matter if you are studying for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), or a set of national exams in a particular country, a private tutor can help you prepare for the test in a way that aims to improve your weaknesses and build on your strengths.Here is a guide to how to progress thanks to a private tutor, and prepare for your Japanese exam in an effective manner!Ability to understand spoken Japanese and identify what is being said in short  spoken dialogues and narratives about everyday topics.Ability to complete sentences in a way that is appropriate in terms of structure (grammar), vocabulary, and context s.Identify usage that is both structurally correct and contextually appropriate.Understand such points as the main and supporting ideas. Selections are taken from materials you might encounter in everyday situations, such as notes, menus, newspaper articles, advertisements, and letters.You should also look at the format of the test to find out the best way to prepare for it. Again the format will differ depending on the level, and different skills will be tested using a variety of methods. It is recommended that you do some specific exam preparation with your Japanese tutor so that the format of the test is familiar when you come to sit it. This will limit the amount of nasty surprises that you might experience.If we use the example of the JLPT, the upper levels have three parts; Language knowledge-vocabulary, Language knowledge-grammar, and listening. There is no speaking aspect in the JLPT.Now that you have all the cards in hand to succeed when you take your Japanese test, the onl y thing left is study study study...by following the advice of your Superprof!Hopefully the success that you have on your test will lead to you taking a study trip to Japan. Learning a new language is tough going and the boost of doing well in a test is essential in helping any learner stick to their task of studying the language and culture.

TakeLessons Rock Star Teacher of the Week Kasey M.

TakeLessons Rock Star Teacher of the Week Kasey M. ksurmacewicz Our latest Rock Star Teacher of the Week is a wonderful example of    a teacher who goes above and beyond for her students and truly wants them to get the most out of their lessons and the fact that she has 12 continuing students certainly shows how much they enjoy taking lessons with her!   Meet Kasey M. from Richardson, TX, who specializes in classical piano and vocal lessons, as well as beginner and intermediate music theory.   Kaseys experience in music began at the age of five in her mothers private piano studio and continued through college at Angelo State University where she studied Music Education.   Throughout her college years she participated in numerous praise and worship bands, and after completing her first CD, she was able to use the money from sales to travel to Washington State to do mission work for a summer. Kasey describes herself as patient, fun and imaginative, and loves passing on the gift of music to anyone wanting to learn!   When teaching she believes that the student and teacher are a team and should work together to tailor lesson curriculum to fit each individual student’s needs and goals.   She also has a very impressive introductory video which gives potential students a feel for what lessons with her will be like.   Congratulations on all your accomplishments Kasey, and thanks for being such a great example for our TakeLessons teachers!

English Literature to Encourage Reading

English Literature to Encourage Reading Classic English Literature is a Great Method of Teaching Reading ChaptersWhat Is 'Classic' English Literature?Some Classic Novels At A GlanceClassic Books of The FutureIf you are an English Literature graduate, or if you have attended higher education in the UK for that matter, the chances are that you will have come across a reasonably broad range of so-called  literary classics. Moreover, if you are an avid reader, you might have discovered even more significant works by a range of international authors that have helped shape the different genres of literature over the years.The Oxford Royale Academy has compiled a list of essential English novels that they say everybody should read in their lifetime. The list includes, but is not limited to, the following:'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Bronte'Middlemarch' by George Elliott'Nineteen Eighty-Four' by George Orwell'The Lord of the Rings' by J. R. R. Tolkien'His Dark Materials' trilogy by Philip Pullman'Jane Eyre' by Charlotte Bronte'Great Expectations' by Charles Dickens'Far from the Madding Crowd' b y Thomas HardyAll of Jane Austen’s novelsWhile the list covers a good range of novels, many of which are indeed recognised as classics by the various English exam boards (including AQA, OCR and Edexcel), who decides which works are labelled classics of the world? Who is qualified enough within the field to have earned the authority to distinguish a classic from a basic piece of prose? Are lists ever reviewed as society moves forward  and the majority's opinions adapt to the times? This is something that will be explored below.In the meantime, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that all of the above featured writers were born in either the 19th century or in the very early 1900s, with the exception of Philip Pullman. Pullman, in fact, is the only 'current' author from the above list, and thus is the only individual who could possibly have drawn anything from modern society during his ongoing writing career.‘His Dark Materials’, is one of just a couple of collection s of works from the list that focuses on relatively modern fantasy elements like witches and mystical creatures, in addition to its scientific and philosophical themes.The other is J. R. R. Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ series, with ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ being published in 1954. Looking back, this masterpiece was clearly ahead of its time and marks one of the first times that an author successfully experimented with fantasy fiction, at a time when this was purely imagination-driven.This trilogy was English tutor.The nature of New Zealand has been used to depict fantasy novels 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Game of Thrones'. Photo via VisualHunt.comWith hi-tech gadgets readily available and television programmes being digitally enhanced, sci-fi and fantasy themes seem less far-fetched than in previous decades. Perhaps readers' imaginations are so advanced in this modern technological era that they feel that they can relate to these types of stories, hence their continually growing popularity?Discover how poetry has helped shape the literary landscape!learn how to read faster!F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby' gives us a great insight into the atmosphere of the roaring '20s. Photo credit: istolethetv via VisualHuntShakespeare's PlaysFocusing on yet another list compiled by literature enthusiasts, the website Interesting Literature suggests ten plays of Shakespeare that you must read. Top of the list is, by no surprise, the tragic ‘Romeo and Juliet', with its famous balcony scene that captured the hearts of readers from one century to the next.Next, is 'Macbeth', a slightly more sombre play with its themes covering monarchy, conspiracy and deceit. Then, the site suggests ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream' to finish bottom of the podium of Shakespeare greats.The remaining seven texts are 'King Lear', 'Hamlet', 'The Tempest', 'Richard III', 'Othello', 'Henry VIII' and, finally, 'Twelfth Night'. Most, if not all, of these texts are classed as classic tragedies or comedies and appear in secondary school syllabi as well as further education courses where literature is a prime focus.If reading ten plays seems like a bit too much of a challenge, I would encourage you to pick up an anthology of William Shakespeare’s plays and to read even just one of them. Seen as one of the greatest writers of all time, his interesting characters and his timeless themes are why his literary works are still so popular.You could introduce your child to Shakespeare through abridged texts!Jane Austen’s NovelsJane Austen has become world-famous thanks to her six published novels, which have spoken to readers across the globe for more than two centuries. Although they were set during her time, Austen’s characters still display traits that are visible in modern society while highlighting values and circumstances that are eternally in existence.Of the six novels, ‘Northanger Abbey’ is the one that stands out from the rest due to its gothic theme, yet Austen still hangs on to the crucial elements that make her writing so influential: her characters and their sentiments.Her two most famous novels, however, must be ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’, both of which have been adapted for TV many times with a great response from members of the public of all ages. The stories, meanwhile, vividly capture individuals in situations of social and romantic conflict and develop strong relationships between friends and lovers.Did you want to know how Jane Austin texts have been used in classrooms at college and university level?Jane Austen's six novels are ever-popular in today's society. Photo credit: Ben Sutherland via Visualhunt.comClassic Books of The FutureHaving considered some of the recognised literary greats, it begs the question of whether any popular works of our time will eventually enter the esteemed list, or indeed if any of them are already displaying signs of literary grandeur.Books that stand out a s having become inarguably popular amongst people of all ages and of all backgrounds during the 21st century are the 'Twilight' series, written by Stephanie Meyer, the collection of Harry Potter stories by J. K. Rowling and the somewhat controversial erotic 'Fifty Shades of Grey' trilogy by E. L. James.Check for an English tutor London here.Perhaps the question we should be asking ourselves is which novels are classic of their time, as opposed to which texts are examples of classic literature, seeing as what was typical in literature historically may not be as popular today or as we head into the future.Isn't it time you realised the advantages of daily reading?

4 Things to Do the Week Before the ACT

4 Things to Do the Week Before the ACT The week before the ACT is often full of last-minute study sessions and hard-to-calm nerves. While a little stress around your ACT test date is hard to avoid, there are things you can do to help reduce that stress and prepare for a successful exam experience. Things to do the week before the ACT include avoiding cramming, getting adequate rest, and organizing your test-day necessities. Looking to prepare for your upcoming ACT? Here are four things to do the week before the ACT: 1. Avoid cramming the week before the ACT It might seem like a great strategy to gain as much new knowledge as possible in the time leading up to your ACT test date. However, its more helpful to spend the week before the ACT reviewing materialnot cramming new content. Not only is it less effective to study under such pressure, it also causes more exam-related stress. During the week before your test, focus on reviewing basics for a designated amount of time each day. This can help your knowledge stay fresh until exam day, without overwhelming your brain. [RELATED: What I WIsh I Knew About Taking the ACT/SAT] 2. Get adequate rest the week before the ACT With the ACT just a week away, you may feel tempted to stay up late hitting the books every night leading up to the exam. Dontits important to get enough sleep the week before the ACT in order to ensure youre as rested as possible to tackle the test. Also, as noted above, cramming is rarely a productive method of studying. Instead of staying up late to study, try going to bed an hour or so earlier each night this week. This will help both your brain and body feel rested on test day. 3. Stay active the week before the ACT Getting some extra exercise every day can help you feel refreshed, relaxed, and less stressed. Consider going for a walk, jog, swim, or bike ride during your free time. Additionally, you could destress with your fellow classmates through a game of soccer, volleyball, basketball or handball. Keeping your exercise fun and creative can motivate you to stick to it all week. [RELATED: What is an Average ACT Score?] 4. Get organized the week before the ACT Theres nothing worse than waking up to the sound of your alarm clock on ACT exam day and scrambling to find your testing supplies. Reduce your morning-of stress by getting your test supplies together throughout the week. Make a checklist of the following items, and mark them off as you place them in your bag or backpack: Your printed ACT admissions ticket An official photo ID such as your school ID An eraser Sharpened #2 pencils A calculator Water Healthy snacks such as fruit, vegetables, a sandwich, or nuts [RELATED: How to Avoid Running Out of Time on the ACT] Feeling stressed before the ACT is normal. However, you can reduce that stress substantially in the week before the ACT by taking steps to be refreshed and ready for exam day. Good luck! Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.