What Every Student Should Know About Applying for College Scholarships

What Every Student Should Know About Applying for College Scholarships With the growing price tag for a college education, applying for college scholarships is a task well worth your time. Both national and local organizations, as well as colleges and universities, offer a variety of scholarships to future and current college students. Its your job to seek out these opportunities and to put forth the required effort to apply. There are many things students should know about applying for college scholarships, such as how to find available opportunities, reasons to take the scholarship hunt seriously, and how to avoid scams. Scholarships can help ease the financial burden of college; for this reason, its key to note the following tips when applying for college scholarships: Know what college scholarships to apply forand how to find them You can begin searching for college scholarships as early as your freshman year of high school. This will allow you to gain a sense of what opportunities are available. To find scholarships, review national scholarship lists, as well as lists that are related to your specific interests or talents. Search free resources online, such as this list from the U.S. Department of Labor. In addition, ask your schools guidance office about any known scholarships. Once you have a list of potential scholarship opportunities, narrow it down to the ones you qualify for and that seem worthy of your time. [RELATED: Varsity Tutors College Scholarship Contest] Take your college scholarship search seriously Its important to take scholarship applications and their deadlines seriously. Therefore, it can be helpful to think of your college scholarship search and application process as a job. Set certain hours to complete applications, and hold yourself accountable. Many scholarships require a written essay, so give yourself enough time to submit a properly edited version of your entry. By taking your college scholarship search and application process seriously, you are setting yourself up for success. [RELATED: 5 Quick Tips for Writing a College Application Essay] Always follow the rules when applying for college scholarships Since scholarships often receive submissions from many applicants, any mistakes on your part could eliminate your application. Do the following in order to avoid mistakes that could cost you your entry: Read all instructions completely, and include all requested documents. Ifyoure repurposing portions of materials you first created for another scholarship application, be careful not to leave any incorrect names or other references in the updated version. Submitall required materials by the deadline. [RELATED: How to Choose the Right Reach Schools] Be on high alert for college scholarship scams Generally, you wont have to pay to apply for a scholarship. If something says otherwise, this may be a red flag. Also be wary of any language that guarantees you a scholarship. For more guidance on how to tell when a scholarship is questionable, reference this list from the U.S. Department of Education. 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.

Take a Yoga Course with a Yoga Instructor

Take a Yoga Course with a Yoga Instructor Learn Yoga with a Private Tutor ChaptersHow Can You Get a Yoga Instructor to Come to Your House?Yoga Classes with a Live TutorOnline Yoga Classes with a TutorThe Advantages of Online Yoga ClassesWhere Can You Practise Yoga Online?When Can You Get Online Yoga Classes?Is Learning Yoga Online with Tutor Really a Good Idea?Useful Definitions for Online Yoga Tutorials“The body is your temple. Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in.” â€" B.K.S Iyengar85% of adults in the UK experience stress regularly and over a third of British residents feel stressed for at least one full day per week. Money is the most common reason for stress followed by work and health.Since yoga is proven to help reduce stress, wouldn’t be a good idea to start using it to combat our stressful lives?We don’t always have the time during our busy schedules to head along to a yoga centre. What if I told you that you could get yoga London lessons with a tutor without having to leave the comfort of your own home? CarleyYoga Teacher 5.0 0 (5) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LynnYoga Teacher 4.89 (9) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GenYoga Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JulieYoga Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AliceYoga Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LauraYoga Teacher 5.00 (6) £70/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UndramYoga Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LottieYoga Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Can You Get a Yoga Instructor to Come to Your House?“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” â€" The Bhagavad GitaSo how can you do yoga in your living room with a tutor?Beginner yoga group classes at yoga centres aren’t always the best solution for everyone who wants to do yoga. A busy schedule can quickly ruin even the best-laid plans.There are a lot of benefits to doing yoga thanks to the breathing exercises (pranayama), muscle toning a nd strengthening, focusing, and stretching, not to mention the mental and spiritual benefits.Don’t put away that new yoga mat just yet!You can follow yoga classes on your computer from anywhere you like. (Source: elizzzet)Yoga Classes with a Live TutorNew technologies are changing the way we live.So why not use them to help you do yoga?Some yoga instructors are offering their classes online. There are plenty of different yoga styles, too.Whether you want to do Vinyasa yoga, Hatha yoga, Kundalini yoga, yoga for beginners, or just stretch a bit and relax your body and mind, you'll be surprised at just how many options are available online.You just have to schedule your session, turn on your webcam, get your room ready, and your session can get started. The tutor can talk you through a yoga sequence and help you make yoga part of your daily routine.In this case, your lesson is live. The tutor will show you which yoga poses to do and can watch, from a distance, whether or not you’re doing them right. They’ll tell you how to improve without your having to leave your house.You can find tutors like these on Superprof or via online or physical bulletin boards.Word of mouth is also rather useful. You might know a friend whose cousin is offering these types of yoga classes near me so don’t hesitate to ask around.You’ll quickly discover how beneficial your yoga classes are after just a few sessions. With a bit of patience and focus, you’ll be able to improve physical alignment and avoid injury as well as improving your breathing.Online Yoga Classes with a TutorThere’s another type of online yoga classes. However, while there are yoga teachers, they won’t be live.In these cases, the instructor has pre-recorded their session and you can follow along with the video. These are still genuine yoga sessions offered by a yogi.You can follow these online yoga videos how and when you please. However, you’ll have to keep up with the class’ rhythm because the tut or won’t wait for you (unless you click pause). You also have to pay particular attention to the yoga postures, because the teachers in this kind of yoga video can't stop to correct you.There are a number of sites offering services like this.  Don't forget that sites like YouTube also have free yoga videos. If you're looking for free online yoga resources, there are also blogs and websites from yoga instructors. CarleyYoga Teacher 5.00 (5) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LynnYoga Teacher 4.89 (9) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GenYoga Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JulieYoga Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AliceYoga Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LauraYoga Teacher 5.00 (6) £70/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UndramYoga Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LottieYoga Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Advantages of Online Yoga Classes Not everyone can just let go with guided meditation and do a sun salutation after their first yogic stretches. You’re probably more likely to see pigs fly than open your chakras during your first session. However, there are plenty of benefits to doing yoga and meditation.So what are the advantages for budding yogis by learning yoga online?Yoga’s very fashionable at the moment. However, most classes are still only in the larger cities and the surrounding neighbourhoods.There's a passionate yoga comminute online and the internet can help you strengthen the bonds between your body and mind.  If you live in the countryside, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to find a prenatal yoga class or a yoga class for children and this can make practising yoga regularly quite difficult.Online classes can circumnavigate these geographical barriers by allowing anyone to develop yoga skills anywhere.Discover these online yoga videos, tailored to beginners!Some places aren't great for doing yog a. (Source: michaltrnka360)Online yoga classes are also more accessible financially. Since the tutor doesn’t have to travel, their travel costs aren’t included in their rates.Now’s the time to make the most out of affordable yoga classes.  Some tutors on Superprof even offer their first hour of tutoring for free. This is often a taster session to see whether the tutor and the student get along.If you’re still not convinced about taking yoga lessons online, just think back to all the times you’ve been stuck in rush-hour traffic!Are you starting to come around to the idea?Getting yoga classes aren’t supposed to be stressful. Getting lessons from a tutor on your screen is a great way to avoid the Friday-night traffic.Where Can You Practise Yoga Online?Practising yoga online has the advantage that you can do it almost anywhere.Whether in the park, in your office between meetings, or in a friend’s room. Every room is a potential yoga studio.  There’s one condition, though : you need to have a good internet connection!Make sure you find somewhere calm and relaxing. There’s nothing more distracting than hearing the kids running around screaming while you’re warming up for meditation.You’ll also need some space.  Yoga movements (tadasana, uttanâsana, balasana, etc.) require space. Make sure that there isn’t too much furniture surrounding you and make sure you put that vase you got as a wedding gift out of harm’s way.Whether you’re travelling, at home, or going to work, your laptop might be your best friend when it comes to doing yoga.  You’ll never have another excuse to skip out on your yoga session!What are the best sites for practising yoga?If you can't get connected, you won't be able to do your lessons. (Source: Picography)When Can You Get Online Yoga Classes?If you’ve got a crazy schedule every day of the week, it’s not always easy to find the time to do yoga. It might seem that a busy schedule and yoga don’t really go well to gether.However, thanks to yoga classes online, an online tutor could help you work around your schedule. After all, when it comes to yoga, flexibility is key.Online classes mean that you can do yoga when it suits you.  Of course, you need to agree on this with your tutor. However, in many cases, a tutor can manage more unusual hours since they don’t have to move anywhere.You won’t need to pay an expensive membership for a gym you can never get to. You can put that money towards paying your new yoga tutor.Is Learning Yoga Online with Tutor Really a Good Idea?Some sceptics will find all the obvious defects of doing yoga online, and with good reason. There are a lot of limitations when it comes to learning yoga via your computer.You might be scared of doing something wrong and hurting yourself since the tutor isn’t physically there to stop you. However, online yoga tutors are used to teaching their students in this way and shouldn’t suggest anything you can’t handle.They’ll make sure that their instructions are clear and will rephrase something if you’re not sure what they’re asking you to do.  Furthermore, your tutor can see you on the camera. They’ll be able to see if you start doing something wrong and stop you.It’s easier for them to do this than a tutor with ten people in their class.Don’t worry! Invite Your FriendsYou just need to ask your tutor what the maximum number of students they can teach. You could even organise afternoon yoga sessions with your friends to catch up with them (if you need a reason).If you’re not feeling motivated or have questions about yoga, you can always get in touch with your tutor. Whether it’s via email or online messaging, they’re there to reassure you.No matter what your level, you can get online yoga tutors. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with a tutor and ask them what types of classes they teach.Private tutorials, yoga exercises, stretching, stress management, relaxation classes, taster session s, or yoga retreats, you can ask about all of them before choosing your tutor.Useful Definitions for Online Yoga TutorialsWith words like pranayama, asanas, iyengar, nidra, kundalini, tantra, yin and yang, karma, ayurvega, and mudra, yoga might seem quite alien to you.To help you out, here are some common terms you should know:AsanasAsana is a Sankrit term which refers to a posture or pose. Asana translates literally as “the way in which you are seated”.ChakraThe term is used today to refer to the “spiritual centres” or “energy focal points” as they appear localised on the human body. There are seven main chakras and thousands of secondary chakras.MantraIn Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, a mantra is a short expression, either a syllable or a number of syllables, which is repeated in a certain rhythm during meditation or as part of religious practices.Before you relax, you need to make sure you're doing it right! (Source: Alexis)You’re now ready for an online yoga course or lesson now that you’re aware of all the benefits!Find out everything you need to know for taking online yoga classes...

Middle School Parent-Teacher Conferences What to Ask

Middle School Parent-Teacher Conferences What to Ask Middle school can feel like an entirely different beast from elementary school, with teachers for every subject, a larger school, and often more extracurricular opportunities not to mention the major personal growth your child is going through! Weve already gone over what to ask at high school parent-teacher conferences, but here are some topics to go over when you meet with your childs teachers for middle school parent-teacher conferences: 1. Your childs academic progress One of the most important topics youll cover is your childs academic progress, including both strengths and weaknesses. Youve made your own observations at home and from what your child has told you but the teachers perspective can help round out your own. What are specific concepts, units, or learning styles has your child has taken to? In which areas does your child struggle? The teacher can articulate academic accomplishments and challenges in a different way than your child might. 2. Grade-level expectations Ask the teacher how your child fares according to grade-level expectations. This is extremely helpful if your child is thinking about taking accelerated classes, like honors, and potentially AP and IB courses later on in high school. Similarly, does your child need additional support to reach grade-level goals, like summer school or after-school help? Talking with the teacher about grade-level expectations can be very useful in seeing where your child can direct his or her attention academically, but remember that grade-level goals arent necessarily the end-all be-all. Simply use them as a guideline and pay attention to all factors. 3. Class policies Every teacher has a different way to run his or her classroom, with some overlaps with other instructors in the school. Discuss this teachers classroom policies, as well as classroom norms. You might also ask if there are any opportunities to make up tests or extend due dates if your child is absent, for instance as well as what the major components are of your childs overall grade in the class. Especially when your child is transitioning to middle school (with up to seven teachers a day versus just one or two!), having this conversation can help you and your child implement and organize specific study strategies for each subject. 4. Assessments and long-term projects Middle school assessments can feel more serious (and they often are!) compared to elementary school projects and tests. Ask the teacher how your child will be assessed and given percentages or letter grades. In what ways will your child be asked to demonstrate his or her growing knowledge? Will there be any long-term projects, like a science fair, research papers, or lengthy writing assignments with bigger timelines that would benefit from being broken down into more manageable parts? Knowing about these ahead of time is helpful so you can support your middle schooler at home. 5. Tips and resources End the conversation by going over what you or your child can do outside the classroom to make this middle school experience more successful. The teacher will likely be able to offer study tips that have worked for past students, as well as outside resources, including book recommendations, online learning tools, or events in the community that might be of interest to your child. Depending on how your childs particular middle school works, you may not get scheduled opportunities to meet with every single teacher your child sits with during the school day. Instead, you may just meet with a homeroom teacher or a teacher in one of your childs major subjects. If youd like an additional meeting with a specific teacher or have a specific concern, email or call the school to set up an appointment with him or her. 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.

Algebra Questions

Algebra Questions Algebra is the main branch of Mathematics which involves the relationship of numbers and the variables. There are different types of topics covered under Algebra. They are quadratic equations, linear equations in one or more variables, logarithmic and exponential functions, fractions etc. We use different types of formulas to solve the algebra questions. The algebra questions can be solved in an easy way by simply applying the formulas that are given to us. Following are some of the examples which are based on this concept. Example 1: John worked 22 hours this week and made $132. If he works 15 hours next week at the same pay rate. How much will he make? Solution: Number of hours John worked in First week = 22 hours Number of dollars made in first week = 132 dollars Pay rate = Money gained/ Working hours = 132/22 = 6 Dollars per hour Number of hours John worked in the next week = 15 hours The Amount of money made by John = (Number of working hours) times (Pay rate) = (15) times (6) = $90. Example 2: Alma wants to invest $4,000 at 6% simple interest rate for 5 years. How much interest will she receive? Solution: The amount = P = $4000 R = 6 % T = 5 years We have a formula to find the simple interest that is Simple interest = PRT/100 Now we can plug the values into this formula Simple interest = 4000 * 6 * 5/100 = $1200

What Exactly is a Nephron A Guide to Physiology on the MCAT

What Exactly is a Nephron A Guide to Physiology on the MCAT MCAT Medical School Admissions Just as on every other standardized admissions test, there is much debate as to the utility of the information examined on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). The Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems Section of the exam is arguably the most pertinent to future medical education endeavors. Included in this section is introductory anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, integumentary, and genitourinary systems. These topics, while challenging, are fundamental to a strong foundation when entering medical school. In addition, these are the questions that tend to be integrative and aid students in reaching the top percentiles on their MCAT. Below we will discuss an approach to learning anatomy and physiology for the MCAT. Use Diagrams As a first-year medical student who just finished her renal physiology and pathology course, I can attest to the difficulty of understanding the urogenital system. One method I found to be extremely helpful in learning nephrology during my dedicated MCAT study time and this past block in medical school was to utilize diagrams. The nephrons are essentially a giant plumbing system in the body, so it would make sense to draw yourself a schematic or diagram to give yourself an idea of where things occur. I liked to draw the nephron similar to a lot of diagrams seen in MCAT preparation books, drawing the filtrate system from the glomerulus all the way to the collecting duct. Then I would overlay the counter current blood supply. After that, I would draw in the movement of ions and water throughout the sections of the nephron. In medical school, I added to this and wrote the names of the pathologies that occurred in different locations of the nephron such as Bartter’s Syndrome in the thi ck ascending limb of the loop of Henle. In addition, I also wrote the names of drugs or drug classes where they acted, such as loop diuretics in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle. I would then work to redraw this diagram and label it by memory. If you are able to have a blueprint of a system in your head, it is much easier to organize and recall facts on test day. Hereis a great example of a diagram for the MCAT. Be the Teacher Another great way to apply this principle is teaching others. During my MCAT, my peers and I would get together periodically and run through the material that we had covered that week. As we went through the material, someone would inevitably voice a lack of understanding of a concept. At this point someone would jump up to the white board and diagram the concept out. I still apply this learning process in my medical education today. This system actually benefits both individuals. The teacher is having to recall the concept, which tests their understanding and brings to light any concepts they are struggling with through the corrections of the group. The individual being taught also gets to examine the concept in a new light; often our peers are able to reach us on a conceptual level that can be more effective than that of someone who has mastered the topics long ago. Break It A method often used by both premedical and medical students is to ‘break’ the model. For example, if I knocked out a part of the nephron such as the sodium-potassium pump, what would be the effects on the rest of the nephron? How would it compensate or respond? Examining your knowledge on a second order allows you to test the bounds of your understanding beyond memorization. In addition, it will build a learning system that is sustainable throughout medical school. Organ systems and pathologies are often taught first by what is ‘normal’ and then what abnormal looks like and how we name and identify the abnormal. Testing and learning through second order questions is what will ultimately allow you to score in the high percentiles on the MCAT and cause these concepts to develop long term, aiding you in medical school. Anatomy and physiology are difficult subjects for most students. Take the time to master the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems section on the MCAT and it will serve you well for your medical school courses. These topics are the most similar to concepts covered in medical school. Hopefully, this learning experience is an enjoyable time to delve into the ideas that you are most excited about learning in your future career as a physician. About the Author Jordan S. is a current medical student, and one of our most experienced MCAT tutors. Click here for more information.

Irregular Past Simple Verbs 2 (video and exercise)

Irregular Past Simple Verbs 2 (video and exercise) Ok, so this week were continuing to work on the 180 irregular past simple verbs in English (click here to read the first lesson) with another video and exercise. Once again, the good news is there are some patterns and categories that will make it much easier for you to remember which English verbs are irregular, and how they change.Here are a few more examples of irregular English verbs. See if you can conjugate them into the past simple.FeelSendLetSellTakeShootWatch the video to see how these verbs are changed to past simple, and to learn more about conjugating irregular English verbs into the past simple, then try the exercises below.Exercise: At the end of the video, Teauna asked if you could take the six irregular past simple categories, and see if you can add two verbs that fit in each one. Try it, and write your answers in the comments below.Thanks!

Explore the Outdoors and Learn!

Explore the Outdoors and Learn! Explore the Outdoors and Learn! It may not come as a surprise that spending time in nature reduces stress and anxiety. But did you know that it can also help kids focus and learn? Studies have shown that taking a walk in nature improves peoples’ moods, raises short-term memory test scores, and even increases concentration levels in children with ADHD. In one experiment, teachers holding lessons in nature noted far fewer interruptions from students than when the same lessons were taught indoors. Nature’s benefits are endless. Take advantage of them with these four tips. Bring the outside world inside. Research has shown that natural environments improve children’s ability to focus and learn. However, if you live in a city or are experiencing inclement weather, you may not be able to spend much time in nature itself. Why not bring nature indoors, instead? Create an atmosphere that is more conducive to learning by incorporating plants and encouraging the use of natural light in your kids’ study area. Adding just a little bit of greenery can brighten your kids’ moods and even improve their health. Integrate learning with nature. Turn the natural world around you into a learning opportunity. Do your kids enjoy gardening? Encourage your little ones to count out the seeds needed for a planting and see how many colors they can identify in your flower garden. Older kids can learn about volume by filling planting containers with soil or can help plan out a large vegetable garden by calculating the perimeter and area needed to accommodate all of your plants.   The learning opportunities are endless! Math is everywhere in natureâ€"even in plants themselves. Take the Fibonacci sequence, for example. The Fibonacci sequence is a numerical pattern that begins with 0 and 1, continuing its sequence with the sum of the previous two numbers (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34…), and is found almost everywhere in the natural world. You can find the pattern in the florets of a sunflower, the branches of a tree, even in the spirals of galaxies. Geometric shapes like triangles, cylinders, arcs, and lines can also be found throughout nature. Build nature into your children’s learning by selecting and reading books about specific topics such as galaxies, oceans, geology, and plants. Kumon’s Recommended Reading List features books about children exploring nature, such as  The Secret Garden  and  In the Tall, Tall Grass,  which will help pique your children’s interest in the natural world. Opt for a change of scenery Encourage your children to learn outside. Suggest reading books in the backyard or at a nearby park. By planning ahead, you can spend the entire day learning outside. Pack a picnic, books, and plan some fun outdoor games to play. Whether your kids simply take their Kumon to a park bench or you turn the woods into your own classroom, the trees and fresh air will give your kids’ brains a boost! Play with nature Turn your natural surroundings into the setting for a game. Scavenger hunts are a lot of fun, but can also be very educational. Have younger children find objects in every color of the rainbow, like red maple leaves and yellow dandelions. Older kids can identify different types of flowers and trees or even try to find as many examples of the Fibonacci sequence as possible. The opportunities are endless! Looking for more ways to explore the outdoors? Check out these helpful resources from our friends at PBS Kids. And explore the outdoors along with Jet in four all new episodes of Ready Jet Go! airing on PBS Kids this week! You might also be interested in: Explore the Outdoors Giveaway Reduce, Recycle, Reuse 5 POPULAR CHILDREN’S BOOKS-TURNED-MOVIES TO EXPLORE THIS SUMMER What are the School Readiness Skills that Preschoolers Learn in Kumon? Explore the Outdoors and Learn! Explore the Outdoors and Learn! It may not come as a surprise that spending time in nature reduces stress and anxiety. But did you know that it can also help kids focus and learn? Studies have shown that taking a walk in nature improves peoples’ moods, raises short-term memory test scores, and even increases concentration levels in children with ADHD. In one experiment, teachers holding lessons in nature noted far fewer interruptions from students than when the same lessons were taught indoors. Nature’s benefits are endless. Take advantage of them with these four tips. Bring the outside world inside. Research has shown that natural environments improve children’s ability to focus and learn. However, if you live in a city or are experiencing inclement weather, you may not be able to spend much time in nature itself. Why not bring nature indoors, instead? Create an atmosphere that is more conducive to learning by incorporating plants and encouraging the use of natural light in your kids’ study area. Adding just a little bit of greenery can brighten your kids’ moods and even improve their health. Integrate learning with nature. Turn the natural world around you into a learning opportunity. Do your kids enjoy gardening? Encourage your little ones to count out the seeds needed for a planting and see how many colors they can identify in your flower garden. Older kids can learn about volume by filling planting containers with soil or can help plan out a large vegetable garden by calculating the perimeter and area needed to accommodate all of your plants.   The learning opportunities are endless! Math is everywhere in natureâ€"even in plants themselves. Take the Fibonacci sequence, for example. The Fibonacci sequence is a numerical pattern that begins with 0 and 1, continuing its sequence with the sum of the previous two numbers (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34…), and is found almost everywhere in the natural world. You can find the pattern in the florets of a sunflower, the branches of a tree, even in the spirals of galaxies. Geometric shapes like triangles, cylinders, arcs, and lines can also be found throughout nature. Build nature into your children’s learning by selecting and reading books about specific topics such as galaxies, oceans, geology, and plants. Kumon’s Recommended Reading List features books about children exploring nature, such as  The Secret Garden  and  In the Tall, Tall Grass,  which will help pique your children’s interest in the natural world. Opt for a change of scenery Encourage your children to learn outside. Suggest reading books in the backyard or at a nearby park. By planning ahead, you can spend the entire day learning outside. Pack a picnic, books, and plan some fun outdoor games to play. Whether your kids simply take their Kumon to a park bench or you turn the woods into your own classroom, the trees and fresh air will give your kids’ brains a boost! Play with nature Turn your natural surroundings into the setting for a game. Scavenger hunts are a lot of fun, but can also be very educational. Have younger children find objects in every color of the rainbow, like red maple leaves and yellow dandelions. Older kids can identify different types of flowers and trees or even try to find as many examples of the Fibonacci sequence as possible. The opportunities are endless! Looking for more ways to explore the outdoors? Check out these helpful resources from our friends at PBS Kids. And explore the outdoors along with Jet in four all new episodes of Ready Jet Go! airing on PBS Kids this week! You might also be interested in: Explore the Outdoors Giveaway Reduce, Recycle, Reuse 5 POPULAR CHILDREN’S BOOKS-TURNED-MOVIES TO EXPLORE THIS SUMMER What are the School Readiness Skills that Preschoolers Learn in Kumon?

How to help sensitive children. Best tutor tips

How to help sensitive children. Best tutor tips Parenting a child that is sensitive can be both rewarding and exhausting. Children that are sensitive are often emotionally overwhelmed easily and can often be viewed as shy or introverted. How parents, teachers and tutors interact or react to sensitive children determines their reaction to different situations and how they can deal with those situations. Sensitive children common traits Sensitive children are often overwhelmed by simple things such as a person looking at them in an angry way, loud noises or fierce emotions shown towards them. Understanding whether your child is sensitive is the first step to guiding them through their childhood. Some common traits of a sensitive child are: They cry, get angry or excite easily. They carry a lot of anxiety and worry about things that seem trivial to others. They are aware of problems that others don't acknowledge easily. They are understanding to other people's feelings and experiences and feel deeply for their problems. They respond emotionally to music, films, books or photographs. They act more emotionally than other children their age. They react more emotionally to small cuts and bruises. They prefer a quite environment and do not react well to loud noises or surprises. They do not like being the centre of attention. These are just a few of the characteristics of a sensitive person and there are many more that can be added to the list. There are of course always positives and negatives that come with being sensitive. The positives Sensitive people are often good-natured and kind. They are always keen to help. They are usually expressive and responsive. They take other people's feelings very seriously and strive to make others feel good. They are caring and often protective of friends and family. The negatives They do not handle criticism well. They often carry a lot of anxiety and worry about their ability to do simple tasks. They often carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. They take things personally and are hurt by small remarks and strong emotions. Depending on the level of sensitivity, sensitive children can often be very observant, have sharp senses and react with strong emotions. Parents with sensitive children understand that they often need more understanding and support than children that are not sensitive. Tutor Advice Simply acknowledging your child's feelings and talking about them openly and honestly is a big help. Avoiding situations, when possible, that make your child feel anxious and taking the time to explain certain things or enjoy some time-out with them will also be calming for your child. All children are unique and different in their own way and their approach to learning should be considered by their parents; those who know and understand them best. Having a good relationship with their school teacher or tutor is very important when it comes to the learning of a child that is sensitive. Working together and being as involved as possible can only make for a better outcome. We at First Tutors asked our tutors to provide us with their top tips on teaching sensitive children. Tutor Annabel from Bedford gave this great advice: Sensitive children can be a challenge and it is really important to help them in the best way possible. Children who are low in confidence should be approached gently, using materials that are familiar to them. For example, a child who had an interest in football and needed to learn to use capital letters and full stops could be presented with a picture of a football match and asked to write a few simple sentences about the picture. Praise and encouragement should be used as much as possible - stickers and stampers are a great way to motivate children who are sensitive or low in confidence. If a child does become upset during a lesson, it is important to comfort them and explain that everybody makes mistakes and it is a part of learning. I always show a sensitive child where I have made a mistake and, as well as making us both laugh, it serves to show them that even teachers make errors. All children should be respected and treated as equals; tutors should always ensure children know they can achieve if they try their best and this is no different for any child. Other tips from some of our tutors were: Give them choices: Sensitive children dislike authority and are far more comfortable with being given choices. By including these children in decisions, such as asking them for their thoughts on a certain issue or asking them for their opinion on a problem, they will feel more at ease and do much better. Giving a sensitive child choices alleviates frustration and helps a tutor build a better relationship with them. Build a relationship on trust: Allowing a sensitive child to trust someone that is teaching them is very important in ensuring their success throughout lesson. A tutor's job is to identify a child's weaknesses and work with them to ensure they are understanding and progressing in the right way. A tutor should build a good relationship with the child whereby the child feels comfortable n their company and is able to express themselves naturally. To conclude: Sensitive children often feel deeper and are more concerned with sounds and actions that other children would normally not even notice. In some respects sensitive children can often be described like the princess in the princess and the pea fairytale. Just like the princess in the story who could feel the pea beneath 10 mattresses, sensitive children can feel things that others cannot. Understanding that making their surroundings more bearable and preparing them for certain situations can ease their sensitivity and allow them to feel more at ease. By ensuring that parents, teachers and tutors are all working together to ensure the best for a sensitive child will certainly aid in securing better progress for them. Understanding their needs and insecurities and limiting these to the best of our capabilities will give a sensitive child the balance they need to overcome some of their difficulties and secure a better academic future for them.