Thursday, April 2, 2020

After School Tutoring - What to Expect From After School Tutoring

After School Tutoring - What to Expect From After School TutoringIf you're interested in doing after school tutoring at John Overton High School, then you're in luck. The teachers at this school are making it so that they offer a money-back guarantee to any student who requests this type of after school tutoring. So if you're thinking about enrolling in John Overton High School for after school tutoring, then make sure you read up on what's on offer first.The reason why John Overton High School has such a great deal of students wanting after school tutoring is because there are a lot of students who have a difficult time finishing their homework. The reason why is because after school tutoring helps them with learning the types of things that they may not be able to do normally, which makes studying easier for them.Because after school tutoring is usually associated with tutors, the thing you'll get from this tutoring is a one on one talk with the tutor. In some cases, you'll be able to be taught by an actual tutor, but sometimes the student is too busy to do that. If that's the case, then you can always look into signing up as a volunteer, which usually pays more than a volunteer tutoring session.When you're looking for a tutor to do after school tutoring, make sure that you find one that's very helpful and is willing to be patient with your child. The best thing to do is to ask your child's teacher or guidance counselor if they can recommend anyone. They might also be able to suggest people, so don't be afraid to ask.If you're a parent at John Overton High School, then you might want to have a chat with the tutors who will be doing the after school tutoring. You'll probably be able to find them by asking around, since they'll probably be in a position to give you names and contact information.Once you've contacted the tutor, then it's just a matter of scheduling the appointment. There are a few different ways that you can do this, but you'll have to make sure that you find the one that's best for you.After school tutoring at John Overton High School is a lot easier than you might think. The students here are really appreciative of the tutors, and they always leave having learned a few new things that they weren't able to do normally.

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Diversity of Regional Japanese Cuisine

Diversity of Regional Japanese Cuisine Japanese Cuisine: a Different Taste for Each Region ChaptersTraditional Food in HokkaidoThe Infamous Tohoku RegionThe Kanto Region: Do You Know It?Japanese Cuisine in Chubu: The Middle RegionKansai By Any Other NameTraditional Japanese Food from ChugokuShikoku: Udon ParadiseKyushu, North and SouthOkinawa, a Melting Pot of World CuisinesThe collection of islands called Japan spans nearly 7,000 landmasses; the four largest, called the home islands, make up 97% of the country’s land.Nevertheless, as this Land of the Rising Sun extends from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Philippine Sea â€" more than 3,000 kilometres, climate, soil type and tradition have a lot to do with what people eat in any given region.‘Region’ is a tricky word when applied to Japan.This word does not apply to administrative divisions or seats of government. To wit, there are 47 prefectures throughout Japan; several in each region save Hokkaido, the name of both the region and the prefecture.Furthermore, while there are eight High Courts in Japan, they are not assign ed one to each declared region.And then, there is even more confusion: should Okinawa, the southernmost island, be counted as a part of the Kyushu region as has traditionally been done, or does it deserve its own regional designation?How are regions declared if not by land features or politics?If you look at a map that marks out the regions, you’ll see that the Chubu region extends north, past the Kanto region and well into the Tohoku region.The factors that define a region are environmental: weather and geography, as well as cultural and linguistic â€" each region has it’s own dialect.Most importantly, because there is a heavy emphasis on freshness in Japanese cuisine, it is also an indicator of region: what might grow well in the northernmost island may not take at all in more southern latitudes.Superprof now goes on the hunt to bring you iconic dishes from each of the regions of this most exotic country.Get your chopsticks ready; from north to south... here we go!If you are l ooking for a memorable dining experience, find a place where you can sample Jingisukan: thin strips of meat and hearty veg straight off the grill.Find the best cooking courses London.The Infamous Tohoku RegionPlease don’t misunderstand: this area is beautiful; harsh in her weather and scenic with her wide vistas.Sadly, most people don’t know the name of this region but they do know the name of one of its major cities: Fukushima, struck by an earthquake in 2011, which caused a nuclear disaster.It is too bad that there is no focus on the foods in this region because, among all of the regional specialities, Tohoku foods are indeed outstanding.Take, for instance, the dish called Salmon Child Rice - harako meshi; it underscores this region's most important culinary element. Nowhere else in the country does salmon feature as prominently as it does in Tohoku.Another popular way to enjoy salmon is kelp-salmon rolls. are generally included in New Year oeshi boxes - those 'segregated' tra ys filled with delicious offerings.Not all is salmon in Tohoku. You can also enjoy hearty stews and hot pots or perhaps the complex blending of flavours stuffed persimmons provide.Also learn all there is to know about Japanese food specialities...The Kanto Region: Do You Know It?Most Japanese people from that region do not necessarily identify themselves as Kanto.Instead, Tokyo is the big name and the identification of the area’s authentic Japanese cuisine. Other areas include Chiba, Saitama, Tochigi and Gunma.What can you find to eat in Tokyo? Just about anything!As this city, formerly called Edo, was the country’s political centre for more than four centuries, most of the foods that originated in the Edo period have become standard fare throughout the country and certainly throughout the region.Local food creations are called Edo-mae; a nod to Tokyo bay from which the city’s seafood historically came from.If you are a sushi lover, you have to try nigiri-zushi â€" a fresh sli ce of fish laid over a small ball of rice.  Originally served at fast food outlets, it has graduated to being a menu item in the finest sushi restaurants in the city.Tempura also got its start there. Initially, only vegetables were so breaded and fried; it was much later that seafood received its golden, crunchy coat. Today, everything can be battered in tempura.Other regional specialities include:Soba: these buckwheat noodles are popular all over Japan but Tokyo’s dipping sauce is a bit different than the norm.Chankonabe: a protein-rich hot pot; the staple of sumo wrestlers!Tsukudane: small morsels preserved in soy sauce and sweet sake; served as an accompaniment of rice.Wagashi: small cakes filled with red bean paste, often in the shape of something cute â€" the Japanese love their sweets almost as much as they love their cute!Is this what could be considered traditional Japanese food?Raw fish overlaid on a ball of rice has become a popular dish in the Kanto region Image by Anna lise Batista from PixabayJapanese Cuisine in Chubu: The Middle Region“… a concept you should really become familiar with; it’s called unagi” â€" Ross Gellar, FriendsThe Chubu region is bookended by two historic and ancient cities: Tokyo and Kyoto. Unlike other regions, its 9 prefectures have little in common with one another.Also unlike other regions, this part of Japan has borrowed little in the way of culinary expression from its neighbours, making the food there unique.Nagoya is the largest city of the region and its cuisine is more hearty; in line with what we would consider comfort food.  Take, for instance, Misokatsu.It starts out as an ordinary tonkatsu dish â€" the panko coated, deep-fried cutlet typically served with cabbage salad and rice.  But, rather than the delicate sauce traditionally served with this meal, the offering is covered in a thick miso sauce.This region’s cuisine is also identified by its soups.Misonikomi is a hearty hot pot creation replete with thick noodles more reminiscent of dumplings than udon, the most popular type of noodle in Japan.Kishimen noodles are flat and broad like udon and are served in a fish-based soup or chilled and accompanied with a dipping sauce.Are you wondering about the unagi reference above?Nagoya is the country’s largest producer of unagi (freshwater eel); thus it comes as no surprise that it is the centrepiece of this region’s signature dish.Hitsumabushi is grilled eel covered in a rich, dark sauce and served with rice and various condiments. A small pot of broth accompanies the meal.On the other hand, if all you want is an ice-cold beer and something to nibble on, you might prefer tebasaki: unbattered, deep-fried chicken wings that are salty, spicy, crispy and crunchy.Look for the ones that are dusted with sesame seeds for an unforgettable taste sensation.look for official certification; it should be prominently displayed.Kobe is just one third of the story; Osaka and Kyoto join in to form a legendary regional cuisine.Obanza Ryori is what is generally served in households throughout this area; it consists of many small, simply prepared dishes that emphasise local seasonal produce.Shojin Ryori is fare that reflects a monk’s austerity.Because of the Buddhist tenet of not harming any living beings, these meals are vegetarian. Protein is derived from tofu and other soybean creations such as bean curd. Far from its bland reputation, these foods are quite tasty and filling.At the high end of the dining experience comes Kaiseki Ryori, whose origins stem from the traditional tea ceremony.  Subtlety is the key factor in this cuisine; seasonal produce is delicately flavoured and elegantly presented.Tofu, the core protein source in vegetarian meals, can be prepared in many different ways Image by quintonwu from PixabayTraditional Japanese Food from ChugokuHere again, people may not be as familiar with the region’s name as they are with its principal city, Hiroshima.It is rath er interesting that this region’s name, written in Kanji, is Middle Kingdom... exactly the same as China’s. For that reason, this area is also known by an alternate name: Sanin-Sanyo.This area accounts for around 70% of Japan’s total oyster production. A typical donburi (rice bowl) in this area consists of oysters on a bed of rice.You can also taste your share of oysters on the Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki, a grilled battercake topped with cabbage and Yakisoba noodles as well as oysters.If you’re looking for a spicy meal, tsukemen would suit perfectly.These noodles are served cold, the perfect vehicle for the sauce, of which you get to choose the degree of spiciness. They are accompanied by sliced meats, eggs, cabbage or leeks.Momijimanju are small cakes shaped like a maple leaf and filled with red bean paste.They were originally hand-crafted to celebrate the local maple tree viewing; today they are mass-produced and available with a wide assortment of fillings.Shikoku: Udon ParadiseThis region’s major food is the udon noodle; in its simplest incarnation, they are served in a dashi broth with scallions for garnish. You may choose to top it off with prawn tempura or deep-fried tofu. Often, a thin fish cake accompanies the meal.Seared bonito, a type of mackerel, is also a regional favourite.What this area is really renowned for is its citrus fruits. The yuzu, in particular, enjoys great popularity, with everything from juice to sweets being so flavoured.Because this area is sparsely populated, there is little in the way of remarkable in this regions culinary repertoire but, if you’re feeling really adventurous, you could try udon ice cream!  Yes, it is topped with spring onions.Would you try these top Japanese recipes?Kyushu, North and SouthThe third-largest and southernmost of the Japanese islands is home to several distinctive cuisines, one of them indigenous to Kagoshima.This style of cooking is also known as Satsuma-ryori after that area’s forme r name, what we call a certain citrus fruit that comes from there.One of the area’s signature dishes is called satsumaage; it consists of deep-fried fish paste, perhaps served with vegetables or pickled ginger.Keeping with fish as a staple food, you may also find a sashimi called kibinago, served with a vinegar-soybean paste.From there, we leap to torisashi, a sashimi of chicken... including the heart. Naturally, as this meat is eaten raw, it must be very fresh.If you prefer to eat cooked flesh, kurobuta or kuroushi would probably satisfy. They are pork and beef, respectively. The pork’s ancestry is particularly remarkable; the animals were imported from Berkshire!You can eat this pork as tonkatsu or in a hot pot. The beef is generally served as a western-style steak.On the northern end of the island, Fukuoka enjoys a more diverse cuisine due to its proximity to the Asian mainland.Therefore, you will more commonly find ramen dishes and gyoza, or pan-fried dumplings.Thin circles of dough encircling ground pork, cabbage and spring onion, these dumplings are Chinese in origin, as is the motsunabe, a hot pot made up of tripe (beef or pork), cabbage, chives and peppers.Unlike Chinese food, most Japanese cuisine uses little garlic but this dish does include it, giving further testament to this region’s melding of other cultures’ tastes into their own.Delicately sliced sashimi gets an unusual twist in the Kyushu region Image by Piyarat Toomsap from PixabayOkinawa, a Melting Pot of World CuisinesNowhere else in Japan are you likely to find taco rice or yaga sashimi â€" raw goat’s meat presented in the same manner as the more popular raw fish dish.Umibudo, meaning ‘sea grapes’ is the type of seaweed that does look like grape clusters. It is usually served as a side dish and takes little to prepare; only tossing it with vinegar and a bit of salt.Mimiga and rafute, two pork dishes make use of that animal’s parts that aren’t typically considered in the g astronomical mainstream, namely the ears and the belly.While rafute (boiled pig belly meat) originated in the Ryukyu royal court, the crunchy pig ears most likely came from another Asian country as the dish is overwhelmingly popular throughout the continent.Finally, there is tofuyo: aged, fermented tofu. As it is very pungent, it is only served in very small portions and generally speared and eaten with a toothpick.What is absolutely amazing about Japan is her culinary diversity.While the Japanese people may worship in the same way and live their lives according to the same cultural mores, what they eat breaks with that overarching sameness to give each region its own, distinct flavour.Surely they are all tastes worth exploring...Now see how Japanese food is adapted to tastes around the world...

Friday, March 6, 2020

5 Reasons Why Youre Bored at Work - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 5 Reasons Why You’re Bored at Work - Introvert Whisperer 5 Reasons Why You’re Bored at Work If you find yourself often bored at work, perhaps even most of the time, then you’re not alone. Many of us spend big chunks of our waking hours disengaged in what we’re doing, just going through the motions because that’s what we need to do in order to achieve certain results and earn a living wage. But constant boredom at work can gnaw at you. It makes life dull and unfulfilling. So in order to find a career that you look forward to waking up to, instead of dreading, it helps to know exactly why you’re bored at work. And there seem to be five main reasons why your job makes you watch the clock for the day to end, rather than fully engage your focus and energy. The work is uninteresting If you find that your work is uninteresting, then it’s going to be a real struggle to commit your full attention to it. Obviously, life can’t be interesting all of the time. There are certain mundane things that we have to do that we can’t drop just because we find them mundane. But when we’re talking about our jobs â€" which we spend 7+ hours a day doing â€" then it’s a different matter altogether. Also, there are uninteresting things we simply have to do (such as doing our tax returns), whereas we have a large degree of autonomy when it comes to our career choices. If you’re bored at work, then it may be the case that you have a job that doesn’t match your interests. There has to be at least some aspect of your job that interests you â€" the industry, company, tasks, goals, work environment or the people you work with â€" in order to feel engaged and content with what you’re doing. The work is uncreative  You may also be bored at work if you’re not able to find a creative outlet. Some of us are more inclined towards creative pursuits than others. However, having opportunities to devise and manifest original ideas is an important part of what makes work a worthwhile activity. If your work has little room for innovation, imagination, and individual input, then it will feel grey and be stifling. There’s nothing wrong doing rule-bound, routine tasks â€" they’re often necessary. But when a job is completely devoid of creativity, it can become tedious and unpleasant. The work isn’t meaningful  Meaningful work is work that makes a difference in some way or another. As humans, we strive to find meaning in our lives, and when it’s absent, we feel dissatisfied. Boredom at work could, therefore, arise from the feeling that your job is not adding value to anyone’s life or to society at large. Staving off boredom at work requires us to do tasks that can affect positive change in the world and that allow us to see the fruits of our labour. This doesn’t mean you have to become a renowned environmental campaigner or human rights lawyer. If you can help provide people with a valuable product or service that improves their lives, and can receive positive feedback about doing so, then this is also meaningful.   The work isn’t challenging enough Without challenges in our lives, we don’t grow. And work is no exception. If your job isn’t bringing out your potential and challenging you to achieve much more than you currently are, then the work can start to feel pointless and aimless. Of course, work can be challenging if you have a lot of hours to work, a lot of tasks to juggle, and a tyrannical micromanaging boss to deal with. But these aren’t the kinds of challenges that stop people feeling bored and that help them grow. They wear employees out. What you may really need to feel absorbed in your work is responsibility for a project or the development of a new skill. You’re behind a desk all day  Some of us get incredibly bored sitting behind a desk all day. Even if you spend some time chatting with co-workers, an office job may still mean that the majority of your day is sitting down, staring at a computer screen. If you’re more of the active type and feel chained to your desk, then it’s worth following a career path that allows you to work with your hands, move around a lot, be out and about or interact with people more.   Author Bio: Sam Woolfe writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in sourcing candidates for  internships  and  graduate jobs. Go to top Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!   Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Vocal Audition Crimes 3 Mistakes That Turn Judges Off

Vocal Audition Crimes 3 Mistakes That Turn Judges Off Suzy S. Have an audition coming up? You may know what TO do, but what about what NOT to do? Take a look at these tips for singing auditions in this guest post by Glendale, CA voice teacher Ben M... Let’s face it: auditions are nerve-wracking. Youre presenting your talent for somebody elses approval, and thats not easy to do. But auditions can also be a ton of fun and lead to amazing changes in your life. It’s incredibly important to make auditions a habit, even if you’re happy with where you are in your singing career. The more auditions you attend, the easier it will be to convince yourself to go to the audition in the first place, the better you will perform, and the more likely any given audition will lead to the result you want.  We’ve already covered the things you SHOULD do at an audition in a previous post. Here are the top three vocal audition crimes to avoid. 1. Letting Your Fear Take Over A teacher once had to convince me that my anxiety over auditioning has exactly 0% benefit to my performance. Many of us believe that our anxiety will somehow prepare us to perform and will cause us to do a better job because we “take it more seriously.” But theres a difference between anticipation and anxiety. It’s great to be mentally prepared and aware of what will be expected of you at an audition. But the moment it crosses over to stress, you’re wasting valuable physical and emotional energy. You’ve crossed over to the dark side, where you’re now faced with the risk of psyching yourself out, forgetting your lyrics, or creating unnecessary tension in your voice. If you find yourself in this position, take a deep breath, count to 10, remind yourself that it’s just an audition, and RELAX. Just as with vocalization, the only way to see the results you want is to let go and allow your body to arrive at and STAY at a place of rest. 2. Not Knowing Your Words By Heart There’s never an excuse not to know your lyrics at an audition. In fact, there’s every reason to ensure you know them by heart. It’s not just to prove you know the words â€" it’s about internalizing the song and spending time with it, which is one of the important tips for singing well. Once you learn how to efficiently memorize lyrics, it can actually be quite fun. The process allows you to apply your own voice to the song and make little changes in phrasing and intonation. Methods vary depending on how you learn best, but I have always found that memorizing a song line by line yields the quickest results. Sing through one line of a song until you know it, then start from the top of the song and sing up to the line you just learned. It may seem like it takes longer this way, but you’ll find that you internalize the tune much faster. Remember to do your core memorization at least one night before â€" you’ll find that the words come much easier the next day. Related Video: The Best Audition Songs for Every Voice Type 3. Going Too Far Out Of Your Sweet Spot Not everybody agrees with me here, but an audition is not the time to try something you’ve never done before. Nor is it the time to try to sound like somebody you have never sounded like. It’s tempting for singers to go over the top and show the outermost range of what they can do, but the problem with this is that you are exposing your limits to the folks auditioning you. In the process, you’re taking the attention away from what it is you do best. When an audition notice asks to “see your range,” be smart about your choices. Make sure that your audition piece is 90% in your sweet spot â€" the tried and true range and timbre of your voice. If you like, you can add a few special embellishments that show the tip of the iceberg, but don’t make that uncharted territory the meat of your audition. Besides the weakness-exposure factor, you’ll find that whatever anxiety you do carry into the audition will not work in your favor if you’re trying to hit higher notes or mask yo ur voice with a tone that isn’t yours. Lastly, don’t go at it alone!  Consulting a vocal coach is a necessity before attending a big audition. Besides helping you brush up on technique, a good coach will also be able to critique your audition and help you pinpoint weak spots, preparing you for an easy audition process that you can repeat again and again. Readers, what other tips for singing auditions have helped you? Let us know in the comments below! Preparing for a contest or competition? Check our singing contest tips here! Ben M. teaches music performance and singing in Glendale, CA. He attended Northeastern University and is currently studying voice at Brett Manning Studios. Learn more about Ben here! 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 Beacon

The Ultimate Guide to Singing Styles, Types, and Genres

The Ultimate Guide to Singing Styles, Types, and Genres Sign up successful But several pop singers have come to be considered the greatest entertainers of all time, including Whitney Houston, Madonna, Prince, and the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Tips Vocal Exercises for Pop Singers Learn how to control your vibrato without tension. Experiment with different vocal sounds, like short, popping sounds and fast runs. Focus on improving your movement on stage and take dance lessons, if necessary. Famous Pop Singers Tori Kelly Tori  chose a really high key for this  song. She also chose to accentuate the lyrics of the song with a short, light texture in her voice. That kind of texture makes everything easier to sing in your high register. Whitney Houston At 2:05 in this video, Whitney  uses a fast run on the end of the word all. Notice how she doesnt make it overly dramatic, and uses those runs only a few times in the song? Sometimes, too many runs can be distracting from the songs message. Bruno Mars Bruno  sings tenderly because its a tender song. His voice is so free of tension that he seems to float up into his falsetto. Rock You might be surprised  to learn that rock is a grandchild of the blues. After it became heavier and more dance-ably rhythmic, the music began to rock and rock and roll was born! It grew up to become rougher and edgier, and now, rock vocal sounds are as diverse as in any other genre. Today, rock singers include voices as different as Adam Lambert, Tom Araya  of  Slayer, James Hetfield of Metallica, and Bono of U2. But that rougher and edgier part of rock has to be, at least in some ways, a defining characteristic of the rock voice. Otherwise, it might be confused with an adult contemporary or pop voice. Tips Vocal Exercises for Rock Singers Try out different vocal flairs, like a little growling or vocal fry at the end of song sections, but dont overdo it. Get comfortable singing a huge range of dynamics, from whispers (used sparingly for the health of your voice) to healthy, supported shouting. Dont be afraid of your own vibrato. Famous Rock  Singers Freddie Mercury Freddie Mercury was known for quite a theatrical kind of rock. Notice how easily he  transitions from one dynamic to another, using subtlety when its needed for effect, and rough growling when the lyrics call for it, like at 2:20. John Fogerty John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival sings this song with the emotional sense of defiance. He clearly has a hold of being what we now call a singing actor, though its doubtful that the vocals were planned as such. Ann Wilson The lead singer of Heart, paying tribute to Led Zeppelin, keeps a true sense of her own voice but doesnt change the vocals so much that its disrespectful to the original. Shes clearly not afraid of her own vibrato, using it as a tool to accentuate certain lyrics, like at 4:24. Bonus Quiz:  What Genre Are You Destined to Sing?   Opera and Classical Often considered the most formal and restrictive of all genres of singing, classical and opera singing actually require the greatest amount of freedom. Much of it is sung with uncontrolled vibrato and total emotional release. It is, however, the least conversational of all genres. Because it lacks the intimacy of that conversational quality with the audience (think folk music), it has the tendency to give audiences the impression of admiring a beautiful painting from afar. The classical genre  includes secular arias and religious oratorios, as well as motets. Opera singing is similar, but its part of a stage production, often involving dancing and speaking parts. Think of opera as a musical with classical singing instead of Broadway-style singing. Tips Vocal Exercises for Opera Singers Dont try to sound how you think an opera singer sounds. Sing with an open and free voice. Vibrato sometimes develops over time as we let go of more and more tension. Dont force it or try to create it. Get a voice teacher. Soon. Opera singing can seldom be taught without a good teacher.   Famous Opera and Classical Singers Bryn Terfel In this incredibly dramatic scene from Mozarts interpretation of the Don Juan story, Bryn Terfel is the actor in the reddish-brown cloak. Watch how intense and exaggerated his facial expressions are throughout the scene. Kiri Te Kanawa Singing one of the best-loved arias ever written, here is one of the best-loved sopranos to have ever lived. She is an incredible example of how you can sing beautifully through your entire life if you take good care of your voice. Marian Anderson Marian Andersons distinguished career is marked not only by fantastic singing, but also by courageous defiance in the face of racism. Her voice is flawless, in spite of the shortcomings of the old recordings, but more importantly, her heart can be heard in everything she sings. In the video above, she sang for a beautiful Christmas program. Notice her alignment and how it remains consistent throughout the changes in the song. Country An overly simple way to think of the country genre is fancy folk. But its had quite a history through the years, having evolved from Appalachian mountain music, southern blues, country-western and whats called honky-tonk. I recommending listening  to many different country voices so that you dont get into the trap of imitating only the big voices. Think about how different Carrie Underwoods voice is from Miranda Lamberts. Check out the differences between Hank Williams, Jr. and Luke Bryan. And dont forget to listen to classic singers like Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline. Tips Vocal Exercises for Country Singers Dont force a country accent. If you listen to a lot of country music, over time, a natural twang will come when you sing. Become familiar with great storytelling; thats where country comes from! Listen to professional storytellers on YouTube. Be willing to wear your heart on your sleeve. Audiences love when country singers share their feelings, and your credibility  is based on your ability to be genuine. Famous Country  Singers George Jones In one of the most famous country songs of all time, the irreplaceable George Jones exemplifies the all-important skills of storytelling and a down-to-earth singing style. Notice that there isnt a lot of vibrato here; its almost as if Jones is too busy telling a story to hold out a note and show off! Carrie Underwood Both this song and video are great examples of country. Carrie, season 4 winner of American Idol, knows just how to use her voice to a songs advantage. She floats a note (sings it lightly) when its a tender moment and then sings with a heavier tone when its a heavier moment. Loretta Lynn The ultimate story song, Coal Miners Daughter, was Loretta Lynns biggest hit. Take note of how similar her speaking voice (at the beginning of the video) is to her singing voice. This can be achieved through the study of something called speech level singing. Blues and Jazz The blues were born in the American south from the spirituals of slaves and the call-and-response music of the Southern church. Think of jazz as its slightly more sophisticated child who never forgot its roots. Jazz singing is characterized by clear, speech level singing and distinct consonants, while blues singing has a rough or rootsy edge to it, sometimes with a natural Southern accent. Tips Vocal Exercises for Blues Singers You cant sing the blues and jazz right without knowing its history. Watch Ken Burns Jazz documentary and the Thelonius Monk documentary, Straight, No Chaser. Experiment with different vocal sounds, like pitch slides and scatting. Study up on your music theory, especially your chromatic scales. Famous Blues and Jazz  Singers Cassandra Wilson Though she may not be the best-selling jazz artist, Cassandra Wilson is considered by many to  be the best living jazz singer. Her voice is perfect for it rich, thoughtful, and focused.  Notice how around 3:05, she  begins to use pitch slides. Sarah Vaughan Once described as having one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century, Sarah Vaughan was known for a sensitive but easy tone. At 2:15, she effortlessly shows off an impressive vocal range and some great improvisation skills. Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong is so important to jazz music that most experts agree it wouldnt have been developed, or even survived, without his contributions. Here we have a great example of a singer who loved what he did and knew how to make people feel happy and entertained. Hip Hop Hip hop, the heavily rhythmic and rhyming singing that often accompanies rapping and beat-boxing, emerged  in the 1970s, and has grown steadily in popularity since then. In fact, that popularity has turned into tremendous influence on other singing genres, including pop and country. Its origins are many, but the most apparent are funk, disco, reggae, and the blues. Singers of hip hop are diverse, but the singing generally takes on edgy and sometimes nasal qualities. Tips Vocal Exercises for Hip Hop Singers Know hip hops musical ancestry. Listen to a lot of funk, disco, reggae, soul, gospel, blues, and old-school hip hop. You dont have to become a rapper, but get comfortable switching between singing and speaking lyrics to help your versatility. Dont be afraid to experiment with different vocal sounds, like nasality and wordplay, to create your own signature style. Famous Hip Hop  Singers Lauryn Hill See if you can hear the songs Spanish and gospel influences. Despite these varied sounds, Lauryn  stays true to her own voice, which is stunningly consistent in tone and texture. Its important to listen to influences with respect, without allowing it to pressure you to imitate. Beyonce In this  heart-stopping acoustic performance of her hit Halo, Beyonce has full command of her voice. Its as if her voice is an arrow, she aims at the bulls eye, and hits it every time. In other words, her pitch is always right and her transition between the lower register in the verses and the upper register in the chorus is seamless. Cee Lo Green Originally, the hit Crazy was created and released by Gnarls Barkley, a musical duo consisting of rapper and hip hop singer Cee Lo Green and producer Danger Mouse. In this video, Cee Lo  sings the song at a much slower tempo than the original, allowing for a lot of time for both the performer and the listener to really think about the meaningful lyrics. Adult Contemporary Adult contemporary is such a unique genre, because singers from relatively different genres often get put into this camp as well, or end up here at the height of their career. Its essentially pop singing, but the lyrics are decidedly grown-up, or adult.  Adult contemporary has been called vanilla, bland and boring, but often, the most magnificent songs ever are forever embedded in its charts. Tips Vocal Exercises for Adult Contemporary Singers Learn how to sing consistently with a well-supported sound and power will come naturally. Get into the habit of speaking the lyrics of the song out loud before singing them. Dont add too many effects to your voice; singing with whatever you have, in its truest form, is adult contemporary. Famous Adult Contemporary  Singers Bruce Hornsby This is a classic example of an adult contemporary theme â€" the songwriters here are reflecting on their own lives and on life in general. Bruce Hornsbys easy, almost-nonchalant style comes across as utterly conversational, perfect for singing about down-to-earth themes. Amy Grant Amy Grant successfully crossed over from contemporary Christian music (which she practically created herself) to pop and adult contemporary. All the while, she never really changed her vocal sound. Throughout this video, she uses dynamics to her advantage to highlight certain words. Lists of Musical Genres Of course, thats not all! There are so many different styles of music to discover, as well as sub-genres within each category. For a comprehensive list of musical genres,  AllMusic is  a great resource. We also love this interactive genre map from Every Noise at Once. So there you have it, the ultimate guide to singing styles! If you have additional questions, check in with your singing  teacher  for help finding your unique voice. Happy singing! About the Author: Heather L. teaches singing and more in St. Augustine, FL. She is  a graduate of Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has performed with the New York and Royal Philharmonics, the New Jersey, and Virginia Symphonies. Learn more about Heather here!

High School Parent-Teacher Conferences What to Ask

High School Parent-Teacher Conferences What to Ask Parent-teacher conferences during high school can be fewer and farther between than in elementary school, but can be extremely helpful as you and your teen think toward the futureboth post-high school and career-wise. If your childs teacher doesnt require conferences, consider contacting them yourself for an informal meeting. Here are some key ideas to discuss with your students teacher during the conference. 1. Your childs strengths and areas for growth Ask the teacher about your childs strengths, beyond grades. Are there concepts or skills your high schooler excels in? Study habits? Units or specific projects? Some of your childs strengths may be anecdotal, rather than quantifiable through test and or quiz scores. Beginning the conversation here can help ground your discussion and your understanding of how your child is doing in the subject at hand. Similarly, ask where your child can improve. You might bring in an assignment that your child struggled with, or ask if the teacher has any materials he or she can look over with you. 2. How to support your child at home Think of your childs teacher and yourself as a team, working together to encourage your student as best as you can. Once youve identified areas for growth, ask the teacher how you can best support your student at home. There may be methods that the teacher does in the classroom that can done at home for continuity, or strategies that dont quite work in the classroom but could be effective in the home setting with less distractions and fewer students. Discuss study habits and organizational tools as well, as these simple changes can often make a big impact. Also ask if the teacher would recommend outside support, like a tutor, or if there are resources you can access online, such as free practice tests or test prep books. 3. Course recommendations As youre looking ahead to the next semester or year, you might want to talk to your childs teacher about potential courses to take next. Some classes, of course, are required or need to be taken in a specific order, while others can be chosen by your child. Ask the teacher what he or she would recommend in terms of content of the course and workload. You might ask him or her to explain the difference between regular, honors, AP, and IB courses, and the possible benefits of each for your child. During your students senior year in particular, your conversation might cover your childs potential or intended college major, as well as how you can prep for college courses. 4. Standardized tests Starting in sophomore year, and definitely by junior year, standardized tests like the SAT, ACT, and AP exams will likely be on your high schoolers radar. To help your student prep for these tests, ask the teacher what your child can do to build off of classroom knowledge. This teacher might suggest in-class materials and assignments to look over, or outside resources, like a study guide or online tutorial. This kind of conversation can help your high schooler connect what he or she does in the classroom to test-taking that happens outside school. 5. College or future plans Lastly, consider discussing college or future plans with your childs teacher. If your child expresses interest in a certain college major, ask the teacher in that subject matter what your child can do now to work toward that goal. Are there any local organizations your high schooler could volunteer for, internships to apply for, or community college classes to take? Does this teacher know colleagues your child could shadow at work? Your childs teacher likely has contacts or knows of opportunities that he or she could point your child to. Scheduling and attending parent-teacher conferences is a great way to get meaningfully involved with your high schoolers education. These meetings provide a differentand importantperspective for you to view your child as a student and as a learner. 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.

Get a Flat Stomach Fast

Get a Flat Stomach Fast Can You Quickly Get a Flat Stomach? ChaptersGetting a Flat Stomach when You Don’t ExerciseGetting a Flat Stomach by ExercisingAvoid BloatingListen to Your Body“Exercise to stimulate, not to annihilate. The world wasn't formed in a day, and neither were we. Set small goals and build upon them.” - Lee HaneyLosing weight, getting rid of your belly, or toning your abs might be a dream for some, but can you do it quickly?The abdominal muscles are part of the body that you need to take care of in terms of diet and exercise.62% of adults in the UK are overweight. This means that most people could do with more exercise and a better diet.Our bodies are capable of losing weight, but you need to put in the effort and it won’t happen overnight.So how long does it take to get a flat stomach?In this article, we'll look at how to lose belly fat fast through diet and exercise. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Vale ntiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsGetting a Flat Stomach when You Don’t ExerciseGetting a flat stomach requires effort. Put simply, the more time you spend working on getting a flat stomach, the quicker you’ll have one. While this is simple, it’s fundamental.Here is where you can get a personal trainer. While you can get a flat stomach without exercising, you should eat right and exercise. (Source: quinntheislander)If you’re working out every morning for twenty minutes but eating two bars of chocolate every day and a glass of red wine at night you’ll take longer to get the results you want.  We recommend that you eat right and exercise.Not everyone can afford a gym membership or has the time to go. This is where motivation comes into it.Firstly, you need to set your goals such as how long you’re going to take or your goal weight. If you want to get rid of love handles and get a flat stomach, you’ll need to find the time to exercise during your week.If you can’t find the time to exercise, you’ll have to focus on eating healthily and reducing the number of calories you consume to ensure that you’re burning more than you take you in. This whole process can take a few months!This isn’t necessarily the best solution because you can’t get rid of love handles as quickly j ust by running a caloric deficit. However, lots of people try to get a flat stomach like this and it takes them much longer.  If your goal isn’t to get toned abs but just burn the fat on your stomach, you need to think about what you’re putting on your plate. As we said, doing it this way can take months.The best way to get rid of your gut is by combining healthy eating with regular exercise. Only changing your diet isn't great for weight loss and if you want to burn belly fat, you want your midsection to be toned and healthy rather than just flatter.Getting a Flat Stomach by ExercisingIf you want a flat stomach in a few weeks, you’ll need to be motivated and exercise regularly. By working out, doing cardio, and ab exercises, you can get a flat stomach. It's much easier to get rid of belly fat by eating fat burning foods, not overeating or snacking, and blasting fat with cardio exercises like jogging. With regular exercise and a focus on your abs, you'll soon have a flat and toned stomach. (Source: Pexels)By taking a few exercise classes (with a private fitness tutor from Superprof, for example), you can get quicker and better results. This professional can also give you advice on how to quickly get a flat stomach.You want it as quickly as possible, right?A private tutor will probably tell you to work on your transversus abdominis, the transverse abdominal muscle. You can get in touch with them whenever you need help with your routine. After all, working on your abs is a long process.In two days, don’t look in the mirror expecting to see massive changes. Your body stores fat and it can’t get rid of it in just a few days.To have a better understanding of how long it’ll take, here’s how long it’ll take to get a flat stomach doing a 15-minute ab session or 30 minutes on an elliptical trainer.Once per week: several months.Twice per week: several months.Three times a week: se veral weeks.Four times a week: a few weeks.While these are estimates, you get the idea. The more effort you put in, the quicker you’ll achieve your goals. Now you just need to put it all into practice!Of course, there are plenty of ways to lose belly fat but you need to make sure that you don't overdo any high-intensity training as you'll risk injuring yourself and being unable to exercise is one of the worst ways to lose belly fat!Discover exercises for burning belly fat.Avoid BloatingA lot of us struggle getting rid of abdominal fat even though we don’t eat much fat. Bloating could be the cause of the problems. Getting rid of belly fat and getting a six-pack is difficult when you don't have any stomach fat. In this case, you don't want to reduce belly fat, but rather reduce bloating! Watch what you eat if you don't want to feel bloated. (Source: mohamed_hassan)Bloating is generally caused by fibre-rich diets or sugary or fatty foods that make our digestive system work harder. This isn't about burning calories, you need to change your eating habits.Try to cake care of your digestive system and you’ll be less bloated in a matter of days or hours. To get a flat stomach and avoid bloating, you need to:Chew your food, which helps with digestion.Eat a healthy, balanced diet.Eat dinner early, which gives you time to digest your food before bed.Avoid eating fruit as dessert, but make sure to eat fruit as a snack outside of meals.Avoid dairy and certain vegetables.Soak dry vegetables overnight to make them easier to digest.As you’ll have noticed, simply changing the way you eat can help you get the flat stomach you’ve always wanted.  Most of us have tried diets throughout our lives and some of us have tried far more different diets than we’d like to admit.Listen t o Your BodyThe best advice that we can give you to get a flat stomach is to listen to your body. It’s tricky to say exactly how long it’ll take to get a flat stomach as everybody (and everybody) is different. Make sure you listen to your body. It'll let you know if you're overdoing it. (Source: Tumisu)There are as many body types as there are people and your goals, lifestyle, and budget will dictate just how quickly you can achieve your goals. Since our body goes everywhere with us, you need to respect it.If you want to get rid of your belly, you need to pay attention to what your body’s telling you. By exercising and eating healthily, you can get rid of your love handles and belly fat in a matter of weeks.Don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself. Don’t starve yourself or risk your health just to get rid of a few pounds. Focus on broader objectives and take pride in any result you achieve.As you’ll have understood, there’s no quick fix for getting a flat stomach since each of us different. However, by eating right and regularly exercising, a few months is all you’ll need to flatten your stomach. Believe in yourself!Discover some great activities for burning belly fat.On Supe rprof, there are three main types of fitness tutorial available: face-to-face, online, and group tutorials. Each has its pros and cons and you have to choose which one works for you.Face-to-face tutorials involve just you and your fitness tutor. In this case, you're paying for a bespoke and tailored fitness plan and sessions that take your strengths and weaknesses into account. While these cost the most per session, you'll also probably see the quickest results from these types of tutorials.Online tutorials are similar with the main difference being that your tutor isn't there with you but rather conducting the tutorial via webcam. While these types of tutorials are better for academic subjects, there are fitness tutors offering tutorials via webcam. These also tend to be cheaper than face-to-face tutorials since the personal trainer near me has fewer overheads to worry about.Finally, group tutorials are more like traditional fitness classes with one instructor and several attendees . These are usually the cheapest type of private fitness tutorial since the cost of the tutor's time will be shared amongst all the members of the class. However, this also means that the lessons aren't tailored to a single student and while the tutor will do their best to help you, they won't be able to dedicate every minute of the class to you.

Listening Exercise Imaginary Worlds

Listening Exercise Imaginary Worlds Todays class is about stereotypes, books and imaginary worlds. Books are a source of inspiration for many people-for making our own imaginary visions of the world, whilst improving our knowledge so we become more aware of stereotypes. Stereotypes are an idea about a person or type of person (for example a nationality- look at this blog post), that is often incorrect.For example, a stereotype about someone from America could be that they have a big house surrounded by  a white-picket fence, with a large pick-up truck in their garage. You can see that this is a very oversimplified image of American people-not everyone has a big house and truck. What about your country? Are there any stereotypes about people from youre home town? Wed love to hear them in the comment section below!Lets get started with todays listening activity. We are going to listen to a famous author from Nigeria, Chimamanda Adichie. Listen to the video below and see if you can complete the sentences with the missing word to strengthen your listening skills.?One of the _________  I was struck by when I first came to America was how little the _______  American knew about the world that I had came from. My roommates  (were) saying to me “What kind of music do you listen to in Africa? Tribal?”Question #1 used the phrase  struck by-  meaning something that hit you as being unusual, interesting or impressive. Lets try and complete a sentence with  struck by: When I went to ___________ (country/place) I was  struck  by _____________(something or someone that surprised/interested you).Africa was a place so strange, so different, it’s always Africa as a place of want, and I didn’t understand that. So I said, “Yes, we listen to tribal music like __________!”Do you think the answer to question #3 is tribal music? Wed love to hear what kind of music you thing could be classed as  tribal music- but be careful not to use  stereotypes!In my real life I ate ________, in my imaginary life I ate ___ ___. In my real life we had _______  ______, the ____  season and the _______  season. And we always had sun. But in my imaginary world in the books I read, there was such a thing as _____  and _______!If you had an imaginary world what would fun things would be in it? Write your ideas in the comment section so we can compare our imaginations!Lets look at this part of the listening exercise (from 1:30 onwards):For complex reasons, that have to do with power and resources, there just are not as many children’s books that are about African realities as there are about American/ Western realities. And many African realities are still being told by other people. These Africans are somehow behind in the sort of evolutionary skill. I want African realities to be explored by Africans.Can you see the word  realities? This means things that actually happen, something that is experienced or seen. Can you tell us about something that is happening in your country right now? Who are the best authors in your country that explain the current  realities?Thats it for todays blog post. I hope you enjoyed it! Wed love to see you soon for a class with LOI English and  help you further improve your skills. Click here to book a free 25 minute class now!

When to Use Into and Onto in English - English Lesson via Skype

When to Use Into and Onto in English - English Lesson via Skype Here you will learn English grammar rules on how to use INTO and ONTO in English. What is the difference between IN TO and ON TO? Watch short video lesson to find out.Scroll down, and learn English phrasal verbs with IN and INTO. Enjoyed this video English lesson? Here’s what you can do next: Vkontakte Twitter Blogger Facebook Improve your English Grammar skills with my English learning videos on YouTube. Dont forget to subscribe to my channel!If you prefer reading, you can find the full transcript for this episode of Learn English Grammar Rules below. When to Use INTO and ONTO in English? Hi there.Welcome to Harrys World of Words and Phrases and English in a Minute.Were going to look at prepositional phrases in English. Two in particular into one word INTO and onto one word ONTO and how we can we can use them. They can get confused because they look alike and they they sound alike but in both cases theyre prepositional phrases of action something happens.For example, I walked into the room theres an action of coming into the room.I climbed onto the roof the action of getting up onto the roof into onto.We can use them in and on but that means something is actually already happened.Im sitting in the room.The pen is on the table it has already happened theres no further action.And also remember we can split it and say IN TO I N space T O, ON TO O N space T O in the following ways:I drove on to the next  village to get some petrol.I walked in to complain.IN and ON.Okay. Thats all for today and remember subscribe to our Channel and join us on www.englishlessonviaskype.co m and well catch up again soon. Phrasal Verbs with IN and INTO BREAK INto enter a building by force or illegally, usually in order to steal somethingex. Thieves broke in over the weekend and stole two very valuable paintings.BRING INto introduce something, for example, to bring in a new lawex. The government are planning to bring in a new law to raise the school leaving age to eighteen.  CHECK INat a hotel or airport, to register your name, passport details and/or address in order to get your room key or boarding passex. After we had checked in, we went to our room, unpacked our bags and then went down to the restaurant for dinner.COME INTOto inherit money, property or a titleex. Hell come into a lot of money when his father dies.FILL INdo the work or take someones place during that persons absenceex. Mary was sick yesterday and I had to fill in for her.HAND INto give something (usually   a paper) to an authority (your manager or teacher, for example) or any responsible person. You can hand in an essay or an exercise to someone to read and corre ct. Or you can hand in your resignation letter to your boss to inform him that you want to leave your job.ex. He handed in his resignation just hours before the board meeting.JOIN INto take part in something, to join in a game, for exampleex. The singer told the audience to join in the chorus.LOOK INTOto investigate somethingex. My manager asked me to look into the complaint.PUT INto install somethingex. After such a cold winter they made a decision to put in central heating and new triple glazed windows.RUN INTOto meet someone unexpectedlyex. I ran into Sarah when I was doing my weekly shopping.SINK INsomething becomes gradually understood, unpleasant or sad news, for exampleex. The news of her mothers death was such a shock fo her. I dont think it has sunk in yet.TAKE INto make something smaller or tighter  ex. Since she had lost weight she had to take in her clothes as they no longer fitted her.TALK SOMEONE INTOto persuade someone to do somethingex. I didnt really want to go out but they somehow talked me into it.TURN INto go to bedex. Im feeling very tired. I think Ill turn in.TURN INTOto change, to become someone or something differentex. In the fairy tale, when the prince kissed the frog it turned into a beautiful princess. English Phrasal Verbs with IN and INTO - Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here’s what you can do next: