Chemistry Tutors - How To Find A Good One Near Me

Chemistry Tutors - How To Find A Good One Near MeIf you are thinking about taking a chemistry course and would like to know whether you will be able to find a good chemistry tutor near me, then this article is for you. First, we will explain why you should consider seeking out a tutor in the first place. Then, we will explain how you can actually do this.It's important to understand that there are lots of people around you who don't need your help. They just need to know they are not alone. In fact, most of the time, when we are having a bad day, we think it is only us who are having a bad day. This means that no one else is willing to do anything about their problems. We need to show them that they are not alone.They need to see that there are others out there who need their help. We can't wait for everyone to be out of the woods. There needs to be an active effort to get everyone on the same page.Second, let's talk about how you can make sure that you are indeed getting a good chem istry tutor. The first thing you need to look for is the website that offers this service. This means that if the website offers tests, then you will be able to get an idea of whether the tutor you will be dealing with is well-trained and ready to deal with students. You will also be able to determine whether they have an online presence or not.A good chemistry tutor knows all about the material that you will be studying. If the website is simply a list of all the materials that will be used, then the tutor could be useless. And the same goes for the online presence. These things will give you an idea of how well-trained the person you will be working with is.Finally, make sure that the tutor you are considering will be reasonable in the terms of payment. While there is nothing wrong with working for free, it will be smart to know beforehand if the tutor you are looking at is able to offer you the job for the least possible amount of money. The last thing you want is to find out tha t you have to pay hundreds of dollars to get your exam done.When it comes to getting a good chemistry tutor, you need to be willing to be flexible in terms of time. This means that you won't be able to get a good chemical education without breaking some eggs, which is definitely not what you want. Just be sure that you are getting a tutor who will be able to give you the best opportunity for success in your chemistry classes.

Drum Kits for Kids

Drum Kits for Kids Which Children’s Drum Kit Should You Choose ChaptersShould You Get an Adult’s Drum Kit or a Child’s Drum Kit?The Important Criteria to Consider when Choosing a Child’s Drum KitChoosing Second-hand Drum Kits for KidsShould You Get Your Child an Acoustic Drum Kit or an Electronic Drum Kit?Models of Drum Kits Suitable for ChildrenOther Things to Think About“What a child doesn't receive he can seldom later give.” - P. D. JamesWhat if you could give them a drum kit?The drums aren’t one of the most common musical instruments that children choose to learn. However, maybe your child is interested in drum lessons rather than learning to play the keyboard, for example.So why not get them a drum kit so that they can start learning to play drums?In this article, we’ve got some advice on buying drums for your children. SerbanDrum Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyDrum Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RussellDrum Teacher 5.00 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesDrum Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StephenDrum Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeteDrum Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OllieDrum Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexDrum Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsShould You Get an Adult’s Drum Kit or a Child’s Drum Kit?Regardless of whether they want to play jazz, rock, or orchestral drums, the first thing you need to consider is the age of the child.After a while, toy drums just won't cut it. (Source: Efraimstochter)If they’re under the age of six, a “toy” kids drum set should do the trick. For those under six, it can be difficult to really know whether the child’s going to stick at drumming or whether their dreams of becoming a musician is just a phase.You don’t need to spend a fortune on a top-end drum kit or percussion instruments if your child i s just getting started with the drums, playing simple beats, and getting to grips with beginner music theory.There are toy drum kits available for a few quid and a junior drum set will do the trick if your child is just interested in playing a little bit.  On the other hand, some children can be very driven and motivated at this age, especially if one of their friends has some.However, a child aged 7 or 8 may already know if the drums are the instrument for them.  You’ll quickly know the answer. If they’ve spent a long time playing with the toy drum sets you got them and shown that they’re interested, it’s probably time to get them a real drum kit.It might be difficult listening to them beg for a real drum kit for so long but it’s probably a good way to see if they’re really interested in playing.On the other hand, you might see a six-year-old get hooked on their Spongebob drum kit. They might get sick of playing with toys and pots and pans and need to move onto a better model.  It might be time to start thinking seriously getting them music lessons or private drum tutorials.The Important Criteria to Consider when Choosing a Child’s Drum KitThe first thing you need to consider is the age of the child and how big they are.Make sure the kit is height-adjustable. (Source: Pexels)To play the drums, both their feet need to reach the ground. Their left foot will work the hi-hat cymbal and the right foot will press the pedal to play the bass drum. Thus, you need to choose a drum kit that matches their size.Everything needs to be height-adjustable:The drum throne: it may need to descend lower than an adult’s one.The snare drum stand needs to adapt to the child’s height.The hi-hat stand: this needs to be adjustable.The bass drum: since the toms are attached to the bass drum, if it’s too big, the toms will be too high for children. The floor tom, on the other hand, is usually adjustable.The cymbal stands: these are usually always height-adjustable.Th e bass drum shouldn’t be bigger than 20” (18” is ideal).You can find smaller bass drums for fusion kits and jazzette kits. A little kit for your little ones.  A rock drum kit can have a 22” bass drum which would put the toms out-of-reach for a small child. SerbanDrum Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyDrum Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RussellDrum Teacher 5.00 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesDrum Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StephenDrum Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeteDrum Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OllieDrum Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexDrum Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsChoosing Second-hand Drum Kits for KidsYou’re never sure of anything with children.You don't need to buy them an acoustic drum kit, the re are also good electronic drum kits. (Source: wahujabuja2112)They might seem like all they want to do is drum one day and give it up after a few months.  Looking at the second-hand market is a good way to find quality drum kits for less. You can always sell the kit on once you’re done with it, too.Sometimes children can get started with the drums and then want to move onto other instruments like the violin, saxophone, etc., once they’ve started learning music theory.For between £200 and £300, you can get a very good second-hand drum kit for your child once they’ve shown that they’re serious about learning to play. There are sites like eBay, Craigslist, and Gumtree for second-hand drums.If you’re looking for new kits at around this price, you’ll probably have to settle for entry-level kits.Should You Get Your Child an Acoustic Drum Kit or an Electronic Drum Kit?Everyone knows that drum kits are noisy.Make sure children enjoy their musical instrument. (Source: Greeker) When choosing drum kits, you need to think about where you live:Do you live in a flat?Do you live in the country?Do you have a room dedicated to music?Can you tolerate a lot of noise?The goal is to ensure that your child remains motivated. They need to be able to play their drums whenever they want.You don’t want to be constantly telling them things like “your sister’s asleep”, “I’m watching the TV”, and “Dad says it’s too loud”, as you run the risk of discouraging them.It’s great if you happen to live in the country and have a room away from the rest of the house where they can play to their heart’s content. However, this is not the case for most people. However, if you live in a flat, you should probably look at electronic drum kits.They have the advantage of being versatile and height-adjustable. They’re fun, almost silent, and their sound can be changed.  However, an electronic drum kit is usually more expensive than an acoustic kit. Looking at the seco nd-hand market is a good way to find quality electronic drum kits for less.Keep an eye out for good brands such as Pearl, DW, Yamaha, Ludwig, Tama, Gretsch, etc.Models of Drum Kits Suitable for ChildrenBefore you buy a musical instrument for children, be it an acoustic guitar, a flute, a trumpet, or a drum kit, the child needs to play it.  Head to a music store and let them have check that the drum kit is the right size for them.Don’t rush into buying a drum kit. The best thing is to wait until the child’s done their first lessons. You’ll then know if they’re planning to stick with learning the drums.  Make sure that the important parts (bass drum, hi-hat cymbals, snare, and the drum throne) are height-adjustable.Don’t forget that the second-hand market is where you can get better quality instruments for less.Pearl Forum Fusion 20”For around £150, you can get a fusion kit that’ll do the job. You can replace the original cymbals later on as they’re quite light.It’s a good kit if your kids are into rock music. The toms sound good but the skins are quite fragile.PDP Mainstage 20”PDP is a company under DW and offers drum kits for around £500 new. You can get them second-hand for a couple of hundred pounds less.The bass drum is loud (watch your ears!).The build quality is good and the kit is good value for money.Yamaha Stage Custom 20”Learning the drums and becoming a drummer can be quite effortless.The build quality is great and even though it’s a traditional kit, it’ll do the job. That said, it is more expensive than some of the other kits at around £600.That said, it’s one of the best kits to start learning the drums.Tama Rhythm Mate Fusion 20?For around £500 new, this drum kit has a powerful and warm sound It’s a great quality kit and will last for ages.Like a lot of these kits, you should consider changing the cymbals for better and heavier ones. The skins can also be changed for a better sound. That said, when you get started with playing, it’ll do the trick.Other Things to Think AboutDon’t forget to check whether your kit comes with cymbals or not. Sometimes, kits don’t come with them and you’ll need to buy them separately. You should opt for long and thin drumsticks for kids.I recommend that you change the skins, too. Second-hand kits will have worn skins and if it’s a new kit, the skins will usually be of a low quality.  Playing with quality drum skins can completely change the sound of the instrument. It’s better to have tired good skins than low-quality new skins.Don’t forget hearing protection for children. We don’t often think about it, but children’s ears are still developing and more fragile than ours.  It’s important to, therefore, invest in protection! For a few quid, you’ll find what you need!

A Student Perspective on Harvard University

A Student Perspective on Harvard University Sam is a current senior at Harvard University. He is majoring in human biology, and specializes in life sciences tutoring, test prep tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, he shares his experience at Harvard University: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Sam: Harvard is a mix between urban and suburban. Cambridge is definitely not a suburb, but its also much less crowded than Boston, which is just across the river. Most of the undergrad buildings are around the Yard in Harvard Square, and you could get to most classes in a five- to 10-minute walk. The dorms are spread out, with shuttle services running to the furthest ones. The vast majority of undergrads dont have a car; you dont need it, and unless youre a resident of Cambridge, parking is difficult. A bike can definitely make life easier, though. Ive never felt unsafe on campus. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Sam:Generally, faculty are very available to meet with students. Most will provide weekly office hours. You are also free to arrange meetings with them at other times. TAs and advisors are always very accessible. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Sam:Dorms are guaranteed for all four years, so pretty much everyone lives in them. The houses tend to be very tight-knit communities that offer a lot of opportunities to socialize, such as intramural sports or house theater groups. Each house also has its own dining hall. The food is pretty mediocre, especially if youre a vegetarian. The rooms themselves are pretty variable. Some have been renovated in the last five years, while others look like they havent changed much since they were first built. The housing assignments are decided by lottery, with each house having its own specific method for assigning rooms. Generally, they all assign each student a random number, which gives a better or worse priority for choosing rooms. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Sam:The most dominant majors are computer science and economics, with social studies and various branches of the life sciences close behind. The amount of support you receive really depends on the department faculty. My major is human evolutionary biology, and we have two great undergrad advisors along with plenty of engaging professors and lecturers. I cant really speak about other departments, but in general, faculty tend to be very approachable and supportive. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Sam:As a freshman, it was pretty easy to meet people. Greek life has a presence, but sororities are a lot more important than fraternities on campus. How helpful are the Career Centerand other student support services? Sam:The Office of Career Services (OCS) puts on networking events every week, and theres a lot of exposure to employers. There are a number of career advisors with specific areas of expertise, such as nonprofits or the entertainment industry, who are available to meet one-on-one regularly. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Sam:Theres not really a student union; the closest thing we have would be the Science Center. Its fairly central, with rooms and open spaces to work in. The main undergrad library is Lamont, which is open 24 hours every day except for Friday and Saturday when it closes at 10 p.m. During midterms and finals, its always pretty crowded. There are other libraries available as well, which are usually more accessible. Most of them have some kind of caf. A lot of people just study in their dorms or dining halls, though. Usually, its easy to find an available space. Describe the surrounding town. Sam:Cambridge and Boston have plenty of things to do, but it can be expensive, especially going to shops and restaurants. A lot of students will go into the surrounding area for internships or other activities, but tend to socialize on campus. Having accessible unlimited food in the dining halls kind of reduces the incentive to leave campus. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Sam:I believe we have around 1,600 students per class year. Theres a wide variety of course sizes. Usually, youll take a number of large lecture courses, with 100 to 200 students, during freshman and sophomore years, as well as one or two smaller seminars, with less than 10 students. As you move into junior and senior years, this ratio shifts so that you end up in more seminars. Most big lecture courses also have smaller section components, where you meet in a group of 15-20 students and discuss the material with a graduate student. For the most part, I was happy with my class sizes. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Sam:My most memorable meeting with a professor was in the first few weeks of freshman year. I met with the teacher for my intro to college writing class to talk about a draft of an essay. I had been having a tough time adjusting to college, especially being surrounded by people who I felt no connection to in terms of interests, ambitions, and general personality. When she asked me how I was doing, I started crying. I was floored by the fact that she expressed even a casual interest in me as an individual, when it had felt like everyone around me was only interested in clubs, activities, internships, and job prospects. I doubt she was expecting it, but she understood the fact that I felt isolated, and helped me start to deal with it without feeling ashamed of it. I eventually took a gap year to pursue nonacademic interests, and came back with a much stronger, more focused state of mind. If I hadnt had somebody in a position of authority in academics show me that its ok to do my own th ing, it would have taken me a much longer time to get to that point. Check out Sams tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Dividing Fraction Games

Dividing Fraction Games Dividing fraction games is a tool which deals with the division of fractions in a gaming way. It involves the division of two numbers in this form a/b. The only condition in this case is that the value of b cannot be equal to zero; otherwise the result will become not defined. In this tool, division problem are presented in such a way that user will enjoy solving the problems just like a game. It can be better understood by the relevant examples. The relevant examples are shown below:- Question 1: Find out the value of unknown variable from the following parts given below: - A) 22/ b = 2 and B) a/ 22 = 3 Solution: Given 22/b = 2/1 By cross multiplication, we get 22*1 = 2* b Therefore, 22 = 2* b Now divide both sides by 2, 22/2 = 2*b /2 11 = b Therefore the value of b = 11 Question 2: If 4 pencils cost 8 $, then what will be the cost of two pencils. Solution: Given 4 pencils cost 8 $ In this problem, first we need to evaluate the price of one pencil Therefore, Cost of one pencil = 8/4 $ = 2 $ ----- equation 1 Now we have unit rate so we will evaluate the cost of two pencils. Therefore, Cost of two pencils = 2 * Cost of one pencil Cost of two pencils = 2 * 2$ (from equation 1) Therefore cost of two pencils = 4 $

Antiderivative of Trig Functions

Antiderivative of Trig Functions Antiderivative is the method of finding the area covered by a function when graphed on a coordinate plane. Antiderivative is the opposite method of thederivative method of a function and hence the name. Antiderivative of trig functions is the method of finding the integral of the trigonometric functions which include functions like sinx, cosx, tanx, etc. Example 1: Find the antiderivative of the trigonometric function cos4x. The antiderivative notation of the given trigonometric function is: cos4x dx We can use u-substitution method to find its antiderivative. Let u = 4x, then du = 4dx, dx = du/4 Now substitute the above u value in the given function We get, cos4x dx = cosu * du/4 = 1/4 cosu du Formula for antiderivative of cosx = cosxdx = sinx + c Applying the above formula, we get: 1/4cosu du= 1/4(sinu) + c = 1/4(sin4x) + c Hence cos4x dx = 1/4(sin4x) + c Example 2: Find the antiderivative of the trigonometric function 2sinxcosx The antiderivative notation of the given trigonometric function is: 2sinx cosx dx We can use u-substitution method to find its antiderivative. Let u = sinx, then du = cosxdx, dx = du/cosx Now substitute the above u value in the given function We get, 2sinx cosxdx = 2 u cosx * du/cosx Cancelling cosx up and down we get: 2 u du Formula for antiderivative of x = x dx = x2/2 + c Applying the above formula, we get: 2 udu = 2(u2/2) + c = u2 + c Hence 2sinx cosx dx = sin2x + c

How to Choose Between Types of Computer Hardware

How to Choose Between Types of Computer Hardware Choosing the Right IT Equipment ChaptersTop 10 Reasons for Buying a MacTop 10 Reasons for Buying a Windows ComputerHow Much Do Computers Cost?Should You Choose a Laptop or a Desktop?“I think it's fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we've ever created. They're tools of communication, they're tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user.” - Bill GatesSince the invention of the microprocessor, personal electronics have become increasingly popular. When we talk about computers, we can talk about hardware and software. Hardware is the tangible parts of the computer that you touch. Software is the programs that are often saved to the hard disk drive and operate using computer's hardware.So what should you keep in mind when choosing computer hardware?Should you get a laptop or a desktop?Which are the best brands? Which are in your budget?You’ll know by the end of this article! 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 ValentiniMusic 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 tutorsTop 10 Reasons for Buying a MacThe Apple brand was founded in 1978 and is one of the market leaders in computers, especially when it comes to laptops. Their laptops are powerful, portable, and ergonomic. Either a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro will do the trick.Apple products are very popular. (Source: Pexels)When choosing a Mac, you’ll need to compare products based on your needs. Pay particular attention to:Memory, especially on the MacBook ProThe processor type (it’s a good idea to have an Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7)The OSThe screen qualityThe hard disk drive capacityThe size and weightThere are several different types of Mac including the iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and the M ac Mini.Apple Mac’s are popular for a number of reasons, and not just because they look good but because they’re also powerful. Macbook Pros are a good option for editing video.That’s not all, though. Here are a number of reasons for opting for Apple products:Thanks to cloud computing, you can synchronise all your data and avoid losing it.Mac’s ergonomic and sleek design means it can be used in any workplace.Macs are more secure than PCs. Most viruses are written for Windows, making Macs far safer in this respect.TimeMachine is very useful. Rather than using iCloud, you can use TimeMachine with an external hard disk and find your data easily in just a few clicks.Macs start up quickly and very rarely crash.Macs’ keyboard shortcuts can help improve your productivity.Apple’s preinstalled programs, such as iMovie and Photobooth are good for making videos and photos.Macs are beautiful to look at and to work on.Macs can also run Windows. You can install Windows as an operating system or even use Windows programs like Skype and Office.Macs are modern and always pushing the envelope.In short, Apple Macs are a blend of technical performance and unparalleled design.Top 10 Reasons for Buying a Windows ComputerMicrosoft launched Windows in the 1980s as one of the first operating systems with a Graphical User Interface (GUI). Today, it’s the most common operating system around and is regularly updated. There have been a number of versions over the years.A lot of professionals prefer Windows. (Source: Kleineganz)Some of the more recent versions of Windows are:Windows XPWindows VistaWindows 7Windows 8Windows 8.1Windows 10Did you know that while Microsft sells its own computers, you can get Windows on plenty of other brands including Acer, Asus, and Lenovo?Before you get a laptop computer, you should be aware of a few things about Windows computers.83% of professionals use WindowsComputers using Windows start at around £200.The most recent (and therefore most r egularly updated) version of Windows is Windows 10 (2015).So here are our 10 most important reasons for choosing Windows:Windows has been around a long time and is here to stay. It’s regularly updated with new interfaces and functionality.Professionals prefer Windows and computers operating Windows are common in workplaces.Starting at £119.99 (and often included when buying a new computer), Windows is very affordable.Programmes for Windows can be used on different computers running Windows.Windows file formats are compatible.The cloud. You can get access to OneDrive for free and upgrade it for a cost.The Windows help system is intuitive and interactive.Windows adapts and changes over time.Windows graphics are better for gamers. With Nvidia or AMD graphics cards, you’re set with Windows.For Microsoft Office, there’s nothing better than its native operating system.As you’ve probably noticed, Windows is not only accessible to all budgets, it’s also very useful for personal a nd professional projects.Find our different online IT courses here.How Much Do Computers Cost?Whether you’re buying just the computer or a whole range of accessories, you should keep your budget in mind. In fact, 85% of consumers have a budget in mind when buying computer equipment.If only it was that easy! (Source: stevepb)It’s great that there are so many different brands and ranges on offer.But how much should you spend on computer hardware?It depends what you’re looking for:Basic hardware: Screens, keyboards, mice.Advanced hardware: Towers, components, etc.Practical hardware: printers, scanners, photocopiers.Your budget could be anywhere between £250 and £2500!Before we start talking about price, you should think about what your personal or professional needs are:Working from homeImproving your businessUsing social mediaFun and gamingTypical IT functionality like word-processingTo improve staff productivityYou can compare different models and prices online. Some brands a nd stores also offer promotions when buying PCs, such as including Microsoft Office for free.According to a URSSAF study, 54% of self-employed workers have a computer and 54% of them have both a desktop computer and a laptop.Here’s a quick summary of PC (personal computer) components to give you an idea.What budget have you set for your IT equipment?Should You Choose a Laptop or a Desktop?You need to think about what type of computer system you want to get. In fact, the war between desktops and laptops is still ongoing. However, in recent years, sales of laptops have increased while the sales of desktops have decreased.Of course, you can always put a laptop on a desk! (Source: Free-Photos)However, there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Desktops can be upgraded, are flexible, and can be adapted to a number of different uses. They’re also better for gaming. Additionally, there are several types of desktop  computer:Mini PCs. These are good for casual users who just want t o surf the net and don’t want a big tower or computer case cluttering up the room.Traditional Desktops. These include a large number of peripheral devices.All-in-one Desktops. These computers can save you a lot of space because the screen is often a touchscreen and they come with Bluetooth keyboards.When it comes to laptops, you can save a lot of money. You can take laptops anywhere (especially the MacBook Air which only weighs 940g). When it comes to laptops, here are some of the best:MacBook ProSurface ProLenovo ThinkpadChromebookAcer PredatorLenovo YogaAsus TransformerBefore choosing between a desktop and a laptop, you should ask which of the following you need:Basic functions like word processingPhoto or video editing programsA powerful computer with an Intel Core central processing unit (CPU) for games.Professional usability and multitaskingTo make the right choice, you should compare what’s available, keep an eye out for reconditioned computers, and look for the best value for money!Consider each component and whether you need it or not.  For example, while a modem was essential back in the days of dial-up internet, you probably won't need one nowadays but rather a wifi adapter or an ethernet port (to connect directly to your router, which is often faster than a wireless connection). Networking has changed a lot in recent years!If you save large files like videos and photos, you'll probably need a large hard drive. You'll also need to think about different graphic cards or video cards.For those doing a lot of intensive tasks at the same time, you'll need a decent amount of RAM (random access memory) that can be quickly accessed.You might also consider getting a solid state drive (SSD) as a storage device. These work similarly to a flash drive as they have no moving parts. This means it performs better and has better reliability than hard disks with moving parts.If you want to upgrade a desktop, choosing your motherboard (the computer's main circuit b oard) is one of your most important decisions you'll make. Your mainboard will define the maximum amount of RAM you can have, the processors you can use, and how many expansion slots you'll have for future-proofing your computer.Do you struggle with computers?If you need to brush up or learn from scratch, you should have a look at IT tutorials on Superprof - or take your computer skills one step further with coding courses.

Best Professor Teacher Christmas Gift Ideas 25 Top Picks by Teachers -

Best Professor Teacher Christmas Gift Ideas 25 Top Picks by Teachers - Amy W Oct 9, 2018 Its tough to figure out the best professor or teacher Christmas gifts every year for a whole new set of teachers!   Christmas is a time of giving and its also a time of total stress! Whether you are visiting family for the holidays or hosting the festivities, there is always a lot going on. While buying gifts is usually high on the priority list, there are some people that are notoriously harder than others to buy for. Teachers often fall into this category. The good news is that we are here to help. ‘We’ are a bunch of teachers who have an excellent understanding of the best teacher Christmas gift ideas. Trust us, we’ve received them all â€" the good, the bad, and the ugly! So, sit down with a glass of festive mulled wine and check out this years teachers Christmas gifts idea list. Teacher Gift Etiquette First and foremost, remember this â€" teachers don’t expect Christmas gifts! In fact, they don’t expect gifts, period. This alone should take the stress out of gift buying. However, it doesn’t take away from the notion that most people want to buy their child’s teacher a present. Try not to freak out, keep calm and do a little investigative work. Make inquiries about their interests and hobbies, and pay close attention to factors such as what they wear, eat and drink, and what is on their desk. Don’t be afraid to join forces with other parents. This opens up more ideas and helps bring costs down. Finally, a card goes a long way so make sure a hand written one goes with the gift. If time (or money) is tight, a card or note is perfect all on its own. Teacher Gift Card Ideas There is often a preconceived idea that gift cards are a cop-out gift. After all, they don’t require a lot of time and effort do they? Wrong. Well, almost. They don’t require much effort, but they have potential to be incredibly useful and appreciate making them one of the most popular and appreciated of the best teacher gift ideas for any time of year. Check out some of our most loved gift card ideas. Starbucks Not only do teachers love coffee, they love the festive holiday concoctions that Starbucks create every Christmas. Even the smallest of gift cards will help buy multiple drinks and treats! To find great gift cards for shops like Starbucks, check out all your gift card options HERE! Amazon You can buy practically anything on Amazon, so it is guaranteed that your child’s teacher will find something they need or want. Click HERE for some great Teacher and Professor gift ideas! Whole Foods Help your child’s teacher prepare for their own Christmas with a gift card to Whole Foods. They may use it to indulge in food and drink that they wouldn’t ordinarily buy, just what a gift card should do! Local Restaurant Not only does this support local businesses, but it gives teachers the chance to break from monotony, and enjoy a meal out. The holiday break means they have less school preparation to do, so it’s the perfect time to get used. Beauty Salon Whether you buy a gift card for a specific service (a massage is a great idea) or leave it open for choice, this gift gives your child’s teacher some much needed and well deserved ‘me time’.   You can choose a local salon or go online and choose a package from some of the national options. Best Gifts for Female Teachers Hand Cream Teachers’ hands get a total work out! They are constantly washing their hands after art, gym, lunch and, let’s face it, just generally looking after children! A hand cream in a pump bottle is perfect for the their desk, or a small tube to live in the top drawer is equally appreciated.   What we love about this gift is that there is something for everyone in this collection. Bath Treats Your child’s teacher will be exhausted by the time Christmas break rolls around. Bath bombs, bath salts and bubble bath make for a relaxing bath time. For something a little different, check out this bathtub tray.     Find more cute cheap teacher gift ideas HERE! Winter Accessories Think scarves, gloves and hats. They keep us warm and cozy and can be worn over and over again. Go for something plain and long lasting, or pay homage to the festive season with a Christmas-themed number. Smart Jewelry Bellabeat make great jewelry pieces that track and monitor health, sleep and activity. They are beautifully made and complement any outfit. They are a little on the pricey side, so it will require some parental teamwork, but your child’s teacher will receive one very useful and practical gift! Toolkit Sometimes waiting for school maintenance can take forever! Give a teachers the tools (quite literally) to take matters into their own hands. This pink toolkit fits easily in a desk drawer ready for use at a moment’s notice! Best Gifts for Male Teachers Socks These aren’t just reserved for dads and grandads. Men love socks. Teachers are fun-loving people who enjoy sharing the festive season with their class. Find some fun Christmas socks like these to help spice up any teacher outfit. Portable Speakers Whether they are used to play Christmas tunes at home, or create a surround-sound experience in their classroom, teachers will make good use of easy-to-carry speakers any time of the year.   And these are a gift that will last long after the holiday season is past. Docking Station Men’s pockets fill up during the day. One of these docking stations are perfect for home or their school desk, to place all their little bits and pieces so they don’t get lost! Serving Dishes For the entertaining teacher! Christmas themed serving plates and bowls are wonderful for this time of year. Or opt for something a little more year-round practical like this divided dish to keep the crackers away from the dip!   A favorite of mine is to give a fun or holiday themed dish or bowl with some baked good orf candy in it.   A BIG hit that doesnt have to cost much or take much time. Credit Card Multi Tool This is a new twist on the traditional Swiss Army Knife. Designed to fit in a pocket or wallet, this multi tool can go everywhere the handy teacher goes!   And it definitely will be an item that starts some conversations amongst the teachers as well with its cool look and multi-uses. Food Gift Ideas Chocolate It’s definitely a little cliché, but teachers love chocolate! It’s easy to buy, just don’t buy the ultra cheap stuff. Go for a mid to high-end range. Think quality over quantity.   So you can go with a local store or weve discovered a couple of fun options to consider as well!   Check HERE for fun gift boxes of retro candies and other fun items or check these guys out for their awesome teacher gift subscriptions. Homemade Christmas Cake or Other Baked Goods Or any other festive treat. These are the best inexpensive Christmas gifts for teachers. The best thing about this idea is that you can make a big batch and divide it up between several teachers. It’s perfect for parents that have multiple children, or when your child has multiple teachers. Plus teachers love the homemade effort. Something to Drink Alcohol is the first thought that comes to mind here. Many teachers love a glass of wine, a bottle of craft beer, or some festive bubbles. Minimal thought is required, but we love it anyway! There are also plenty of non-alcoholic options too â€" elderflower cordial and other similar drinks are delicious!   Its an easy and quick way to say thank you to your teachers any time of year.   One of our favorites are wine club gifts!   And Wine of the Month Club which you can find HERE is the most affordable and gets raves from Consumer Reports.com, Forbes magazine as well as Food Beverage magazine plus their pricing is great! Gift Baskets Teachers also have the holiday stress of entertaining family and friends. A basket filled with delicious food and drink, as well as seasonal accessories such as napkins and Christmas crackers, make a practical and loved gift. You can buy ready-made gift baskets and boxes, or team up with some other parents to make a teacher gift basket that specifically suits your teachers’ tastes, making them one of the best teacher Christmas gift ideas.   This is truly an all time favorite for teachers.   Its something that they can share both at home and at work and it[s definitely something that helps fill that mid-day lull when an energy boost is needed.   For some fun and affordable options check out this collection! Gourmet Coffee Kit Staff room instant or filter coffee gets tiresome. We drink it because we need it. But what we need even more is our very own gourmet coffee kit. Try buying a single-serve sized press such as those from American Press or like these weve discovered, and some gourmet coffee â€" we will love you for it!   One of our favorite coffees to share is Hawaiian coffee brand! This is one we discovered when we were visiting: 100% Kona Coffee Gourmet Coffee from Hawaii So delicious   plus just imagining being in Hawaii some days makes everything easier. ?? Other Gift Ideas Art Supplies Teachers all over the country fork out hundreds of their own dollars buying art and craft supplies for their class. They do this out of pure love for the learning of their students, but an extra helping hand goes a long way. You can buy markers, colored card, paint brushes, pencils, and more individually, or team up with some other parents and put together an art and craft hamper! Your child’s teacher will appreciate it and your child will also benefit â€" it’s a win-win! Something Personalized Having a gift personalized turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. Pens, notebooks, stationary and pencil cases are all easy to get personalized.  Organizational Gifts Teachers are organized beings, it’s in our nature. Which means we can’t get enough of gifts that help us do this. Steer clear of things like diaries, journals and calendars, we have plenty of these. Instead check out drawer organizer, bags, purses and wallets. We loved these whiteboard storage pockets as well as these cool Dr Seuss like hand pointers as fun little gifts to give to teachers. KeepCup Teachers love coffee, but they already have a million coffee mugs. What they probably don’t have is a KeepCup. They are great for the environment â€" no more throw away take away cups, and the lid means there is no risk of spilling a hot drink all over children (or their work). Subject Specific Gifts Look for gifts that reflect a teacher’s favorite subject. They may often seem silly, but trust us, teachers love these quirky, fun gifts as they show how well you know us!     For example these science scarves are an all time favorite gift for science teachers!   My sons chemistry teacher still comments on how much she loves hers!   And there are other subjects available as well. By now you are feeling much more confident when it comes to what to give teachers for Christmas or at the end of the school year.   Whether you need a gift for a male teacher or female teacher, you are sure to find the perfect idea here.   We have done the hard work for you, all you have to do is get shopping!

Top tips for starting university

Top tips for starting university Settling into university can be challenging. The ultimate worry of making sure you find friends is always at the back of your mind, let alone the worry about how you’re actually going to get on with your course. Flyer after flyer is being pushed in your face trying to get you to join societies and you are experiencing an information overload. People are telling you that freshers is just easy and fun but you’re finding it pretty intense, and rightly so. Here are some top tips to help you get through those first few weeks of term: Try not to worry. Remember that everyone is in the same boat so they will want to make friends quickly.  At university, you have the opportunity to meet lots of new people, in your hall, your course or through any clubs you join so it is highly likely that you will meet your kind of people very quickly. Finding your way around. Universities can be huge spaces and they can be very hard to find your way around, especially if your university is spread around a town or city rather than on a campus. Universities will provide maps so make sure you get your hands on one of those and look out for signs and student reps to point you in the right direction. There should be plenty of people around to help you in your first few weeks so don’t be afraid to ask. Join clubs/societies. Universities have an endless list of societies so go to a freshers’ fair and find out about them. Even if the ‘flyer after flyer in your face’ is driving you crazy, try and be patient and talk to students and you will find something or maybe many things that will appeal to you. Then sign up to as many as you like and narrow it down later. You can’t do it all but being a part of some clubs, whether they are something you are familiar with or something that is new to you is great experience and helps you balance your studies as well as make new friends Contact hours. So it might seem strange that you only have between six to nine contact hours a week (or maybe less), whereas others have about twenty five. But everything should balance out. If you have less contact hours then you will have more reading and assignments to complete whereas those with more contact hours will have less. Either way no subject should feel undermined by the amount of contact hours they have. The classic arts vs science rivalry will probably occur but it is important to remember that this is just ‘student banter’. You chose your subject for a reason and that is all that matters; don’t let anyone put you down about it Organising your time. If you have less contact hours then it can sometimes be hard to organise your time as all of a sudden your day seems to disappear having only had one lecture and one seminar. So… note down your timetable and try to do bits of reading/preparation in between commitments either at the library or a study room so you don’t have to spend your whole evening doing this Lectures and seminars. Find out what your department’s policy is on these. Of course it is best to attend everything â€" get your money’s worth from your degree. But you especially don’t want to be caught out by missing something that is compulsory as this will be recorded and could lead to consequences. If you have a genuine reason for missing academic commitments then contact your department tutor beforehand so you can be excused Note taking from lectures and seminars. Try not to write everything down as then you won’t really take in what you’re listening to but instead try to make notes that are in short form which you can understand. If you are provided with a hand-out beforehand then take this with you so you can underline important points and write extra detail when needed Going out. Freshers’ week has loads of opportunities to go out and you will be spoilt for choice on what to do. Have fun and enjoy it but don’t worry if you fancy a night off. You might still have commitments in the day and so try not to completely exhaust yourself or miss your lectures/seminars. Introductions are important to attend as you will be given information which will help you for the rest of term. Of course, you should enjoy your nights out and have fun, even after freshers’ week has finished, but just remember to manage your time effectively Remember you’re on a budget now. Be sensible with your money but don’t panic if you spend a lot of money in the first few weeks. There will probably be a lot of activities put on to begin with which cost, as well as paying for membership to clubs. So the first couple of weeks tend to be more expensive, just remember to budget from then on. If you’re a bright spark, in need of some extra money, why not try tutoring? We know this great socially responsible website called Tutorfair. Don’t worry if Freshers’ week isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. There is a lot of build up about freshers’ week but although it can be good fun, it can also be very tiring and you might experience some normal teething problems when starting uni. For some, you might be living away from home for the first time as well as starting a new course so don’t worry if you don’t find freshers’ week as amazing as people say. University is a fantastic experience and you will agree but perhaps not straight away. Ask for help if you need it. Although you are no longer at school, it is still absolutely fine to ask for help whether this is on academic or pastoral matters. It is fine to contact your tutors if you are unsure of something or equally if you think something personal is affecting your work. Most tutors have office hours when they can see students so use them or email them. There will also be pastoral services available run by staff as well as other students so use them! That is what they are there for and nobody will judge. So starting university may be a bit of a whirlwind but you will have fun. Just remember… ‘Don’t let your degree get in the way of your education’. Whether you're  studying History, Maths or English, some university topics can be more challenging than others.  Tutorfair  can help you find the right tutor to give you the extra support you need to ace those exams.

[Update] More Public Video Pledges

[Update] More Public Video Pledges Continuing from our first post of Public Video Pledges, weve received more from dedicated Challengers all over the world who have bravely posted their Public Video Pledge! (Click here for more details) We are very impressed by the massive turnout of Challengers from all around the world.  As we mentioned at the start of the Challenge,  we’ve got hundreds of Challengers learning more than 30+ languages on italki!  However, we did not mention the number of people who are not just learning one language but learning two or even three languages for the Challenge!  If you havent started learning a new language yet, you need to watch these Public Video Pledges as we hope these will serve as some inspiration for you to kickstart your New Years Resolution to learn a new language now! Tom from San Francisco We were blown away with this Public Video Pledge because Tom is not just learning one language or even two langauges  He is one of the few (there actually could be many more) that are learning 3 languages for the Language Challenge!  His Public Video Pledge is a bit longer than others because he speaks in 3 different languages (French, Norwegian, and Chinese) in the video. Please let him know how awesome he is by commenting on his post!  You have to check this out! Kirstin from New Zealand Kirstin is not just any Challenger, shes also a CELTA qualified New Zealand-born Professional English Teacher on italki.  Kirstin is in the category of Challengers who is learning not just one but two languages during the Language Challenge.   Shes learning Spanish and Chinese.  Please leave some words of encouragement on her notebook entry.  Her video is very impressive as she starts off with the languages that she is learning then goes into English, her native language. Ellen from the United Kingdom Halfway across the world, we have Ellen who is also learning multiple languages.  As a Community Tutor on italki, Ellen teaches English and is learning French and Japanese for the Language Challenge.  Cheer her on by commenting on her Notebook Entry! Fermin from Mexico Fermin is learning Chinese for the Language Challenge and is also a Community Tutor who teaches Spanish on italki.  His Chinese speaking skills are actually quite good already as you can see and hear from this video.  Show that you care by commenting on his notebook entry! Jaime from Peru We just received Jaimes Public Video Pledge.  Hes committed to taking 20 lessons learning Japanese to complete the Challenge.  His Japanese is already pretty good but he feels that he has some room to improve.    He even wrote his Notebook entry in Japanese so please show your support by saying some nice things to him to keep him motivated ?? Brad   from  Australia Brad is taking the Challenge for a very important reason to be able to speak to his girlfriends parents and family. Hes learning Spanish. Leave Brad some words of encouragement by commenting on his Notebook entry! Were pulling for you Brad and know you can complete the Challenge! Tak  from Thailand   Our Southeast Asia contingent finally has some representation with a Public Video Pledge.   Tak just joined italki on January 18th 3 days after the Challenge began but is brave enough to tackle the Challenge missing almost an entire week.  Wish him luck on his Notebook entry.  Taks pledge is made in Thai (his native language) and he is learning 3 languages for the Challenge: German, English and Japanese.   Not an easy task!  For those of you who are just learning one, this is very inspirational! Challengers, you have no excuses! If you just started the Language Challenge, you still have time to make a Public Video Pledge. Remember,  we’re giving away 50ITC if you make a Public Video Pledge!      If you really want to complete the challenge, a Public Video Pledge could be the right little motivator to make sure that you complete the Challenge as the world is watching and we all want you to succeed! Did I mention that were giving away 50ITC for one as well? [Update] More Public Video Pledges Continuing from our first post of Public Video Pledges, weve received more from dedicated Challengers all over the world who have bravely posted their Public Video Pledge! (Click here for more details) We are very impressed by the massive turnout of Challengers from all around the world.  As we mentioned at the start of the Challenge,  we’ve got hundreds of Challengers learning more than 30+ languages on italki!  However, we did not mention the number of people who are not just learning one language but learning two or even three languages for the Challenge!  If you havent started learning a new language yet, you need to watch these Public Video Pledges as we hope these will serve as some inspiration for you to kickstart your New Years Resolution to learn a new language now! Tom from San Francisco We were blown away with this Public Video Pledge because Tom is not just learning one language or even two langauges  He is one of the few (there actually could be many more) that are learning 3 languages for the Language Challenge!  His Public Video Pledge is a bit longer than others because he speaks in 3 different languages (French, Norwegian, and Chinese) in the video. Please let him know how awesome he is by commenting on his post!  You have to check this out! Kirstin from New Zealand Kirstin is not just any Challenger, shes also a CELTA qualified New Zealand-born Professional English Teacher on italki.  Kirstin is in the category of Challengers who is learning not just one but two languages during the Language Challenge.   Shes learning Spanish and Chinese.  Please leave some words of encouragement on her notebook entry.  Her video is very impressive as she starts off with the languages that she is learning then goes into English, her native language. Ellen from the United Kingdom Halfway across the world, we have Ellen who is also learning multiple languages.  As a Community Tutor on italki, Ellen teaches English and is learning French and Japanese for the Language Challenge.  Cheer her on by commenting on her Notebook Entry! Fermin from Mexico Fermin is learning Chinese for the Language Challenge and is also a Community Tutor who teaches Spanish on italki.  His Chinese speaking skills are actually quite good already as you can see and hear from this video.  Show that you care by commenting on his notebook entry! Jaime from Peru We just received Jaimes Public Video Pledge.  Hes committed to taking 20 lessons learning Japanese to complete the Challenge.  His Japanese is already pretty good but he feels that he has some room to improve.    He even wrote his Notebook entry in Japanese so please show your support by saying some nice things to him to keep him motivated ?? Brad   from  Australia Brad is taking the Challenge for a very important reason to be able to speak to his girlfriends parents and family. Hes learning Spanish. Leave Brad some words of encouragement by commenting on his Notebook entry! Were pulling for you Brad and know you can complete the Challenge! Tak  from Thailand   Our Southeast Asia contingent finally has some representation with a Public Video Pledge.   Tak just joined italki on January 18th 3 days after the Challenge began but is brave enough to tackle the Challenge missing almost an entire week.  Wish him luck on his Notebook entry.  Taks pledge is made in Thai (his native language) and he is learning 3 languages for the Challenge: German, English and Japanese.   Not an easy task!  For those of you who are just learning one, this is very inspirational! Challengers, you have no excuses! If you just started the Language Challenge, you still have time to make a Public Video Pledge. Remember,  we’re giving away 50ITC if you make a Public Video Pledge!      If you really want to complete the challenge, a Public Video Pledge could be the right little motivator to make sure that you complete the Challenge as the world is watching and we all want you to succeed! Did I mention that were giving away 50ITC for one as well? [Update] More Public Video Pledges Continuing from our  first post of Public Video Pledges, weve received more from dedicated Challengers all over the world who have bravely posted their Public Video Pledge! We want to applaud those all our Challengers who were brave enough to  publicly promising to finish the Challenge, but dont forget that theres still time for you to make your Public Video Pledge and earn 50ITC as a bonus!  (Click here for more details) We also hope that these pledges will serve as some inspiration  for you to learn a new language now! Murillo Costa   from Brazil This is a great Public Pledge from Murillo, who is also one of our Community Tutor. Murillo teaches Portuguese and he is learning French and Russian for the World Cup Language Challenge. He is committing 1 lesson of French and 2 lessons of Russian a week to finish the Challenge. Cheer him on by Notebook post here. Surprisingly, Murillo does not want Brazil to win the World Cup, but he supports Spain! Arthur   from Brazil Arthur is a beginner and he is taking the challenge to improve his Italian skills. He is committing to taking 2 to 3 lessons a week to complete the challenge. Show that you care by commenting on his Notebook entry. Arthur hopes Germany win the World Cup. Tosha   from the United States Tosha is learning Spanish for our World Cup Language Challenge and she is also a Community Tutor who teaches English on italki. Her Spanish speaking skills are actually quite good already as you can see and hear from this video below, but she really wants to take it to the next level since she will be spending some time in Mexico. Tosha is committing 2 to 3 English lessons a week to finish the Challenge. Please show your support by leaving some nice comments on her Notebook entry. Tosha wants Brazil to win the trophy! Jake   from England Jake is taking the World Cup Language Challenge to kickstart his Spanish and to reach fluency in it! He has committed at least 3 lessons a week. Please wish him good luck by commenting on his Notebook entry. Being British, Jake would like England to win the World Cup, but since he feels that the chances of that happening are not too right, he gives a resounding Come on Spain! Kevin   from the United States This is the first italki Language Challenge for Kevin, who has committed to taking 30 lessons learning Spanish over the next two months. His Spanish is already pretty good but he feels that he has some room to improve and bring it to the next level. Leave Kevin some words of encouragement by commenting on his Notebook entry. Kevin wishes USA to win the World Cup! Ashley   from the United States Ashely is another Challenger from the United States, she has been learning Hindi for the last two years and she took the World Cup Language Challenge as an opportunity to improve her listening skills and her grammar. She is committing 3 to 4 lessons a week to complete the Challenge. Give her some support by commenting on her Notebook post here. Shane   from the United States Shane is a college student who likes languages a lot. He has joined the World Cup Language Challenge to improve his German speaking abilities since he will be studying in Germany next year. His goal is to take 4 sections a week to complete the challenge. Shane is also one of our Community Tutor who enjoys helping people to learn English. Dont forget to comment on his Notebook entry here. Joseph G. Oliver   from the United States Joseph hails from the United States but is now living in Japan and he has decided to participate in the italki World Cup Challenge to further his knowledge of the German language. His goal is to reach level C1 by the end of the challenge. He is also a Professional Teachers on italki teaching English. Make sure to send him some words of encouragement in his Notebook entry here. Joseph loves Korea and so he really would like Korea to win the World Cup! Harry   from the United States Harry literally fell in love with Japan when he visited it and thats why he is trying to learn Japanese. His goal is to reach A2 level and to hold a conversation when he will going back to Japan on September. Help cheer Harry on by sending him words of encouragement in his Notebook entry. Harry doesnt mention anything about the World Cup but, since his love for Japan, were assuming hes rooting for Japan! Munique Vieira   from Brazil Munique is taking the World Cup Language Challenge to improve her English skills. She knows that English is a very important language so she is going to put all her efforts to take 2 or 3 lessons a week and complete the Challenge. Check out her notebook entry here and wish her good luck! Joelson   from Brazil It was hard for us to understand what Joelson was trying to say since no one of us can speak Portuguese, but it seems he will learn English during the World Cup Language Challenge. His goal at the end of the Challenge is to be able to publish the same video speaking in English! Were pulling for you Joelson and know you can complete the Challenge! Leave some words of encouragement by commenting on his notebook entry here! When we asked who he wants to win the World Cup, Joelson gives a resounding O Brasil e claro! Khang Nguyen   from Viet Nam Khang represents Viet Nam for our World Cup Language Challenge. He is committing one lesson a day to finish the Challenge in record time. In only one month he will improve his English focusing in particular on his speaking skills. Give him some support by commenting on his notebook post here! Ian   from the United States Ian is taking the Challenge for a very important reason to be able to speak with his family members when he goes to Cebu, which is in the Philippines. Hes learning Cebuano and he is committing 3 lessons a week to complete the Challenge. Lets encourage him by commenting on his notebook entry here! Ian will support the USA team during the World Cup! Jaime   from Perù Jaime is from Perù and he is in the category of the few Challengers who are learning not just onebut two languages during the World Cup Language Challenge. He is learning English and Japanese and he will be taking 3 lessons a week. Please let him know how awesome he is by commenting on his post!  You have to check this out! Shona Cammillare   from Ireland From Ireland we have Shona who is also one of our Professional Teachers on italki teaching English. She is learning Chinese for the World Cup Language Challenge and she is committing 3 to 4 lessons a week. Her Chinese speaking skills are actually quite good already as you can see and hear from this video. Show that you care by commenting on her notebook entry here! Shona is rooting for Japan during this World Cup. Jason   from the United States Our Community Tutor Jason has decided to put himself to the test learning Spanish. His Spanish is already pretty good, but he hopes that the Challenge will take his ability to the next level. Read his notebook entry and please leave some words of encouragement! Cynthia   from the United States Cynthia is learning Korean for the World Cup Language Challenge and shes committed to taking 2 to 3 lessons a week. She specifically wants to improve her speaking skills. Dont forget to send some words of encouragement in her notebook entry . Cynthia would like to see Brazil, Portugal, or Spain  win the World Cup! Pierre Bredel   from Brazil Pierre has signed up for the World Cup Language Challenge to improve his French skills. His dad is from France so he actually speaks French quite fluently already (check out his pledge!), but he really wants to push his ability to the next level. Show him some support by commenting on his notebook entry . Pierre predicts that its Brazil or French winning the World Cup! Amelia   from England Amelia is taking on Korean for the World Cup Language Challenge. Shes actually starting from scratch (actually 1 month in) to improve his French skills. She thought that the Challenge would be a bit too much at this stage in her Korean but after she sent us her Week 1 Update, it sounds like shes doing fine! Show her some support by commenting on her notebook entry . Amelia just sent up this her Week 1 Update. Not bad for a beginner at Korean, right? [Update] More Public Video Pledges Continuing from our  first post of Public Video Pledges, weve received more from dedicated Challengers all over the world who have bravely posted their Public Video Pledge! We want to applaud those all our Challengers who were brave enough to  publicly promising to finish the Challenge, but dont forget that theres still time for you to make your Public Video Pledge and earn 50ITC as a bonus!  (Click here for more details) We also hope that these pledges will serve as some inspiration  for you to learn a new language now! Murillo Costa   from Brazil This is a great Public Pledge from Murillo, who is also one of our Community Tutor. Murillo teaches Portuguese and he is learning French and Russian for the World Cup Language Challenge. He is committing 1 lesson of French and 2 lessons of Russian a week to finish the Challenge. Cheer him on by Notebook post here. Surprisingly, Murillo does not want Brazil to win the World Cup, but he supports Spain! Arthur   from Brazil Arthur is a beginner and he is taking the challenge to improve his Italian skills. He is committing to taking 2 to 3 lessons a week to complete the challenge. Show that you care by commenting on his Notebook entry. Arthur hopes Germany win the World Cup. Tosha   from the United States Tosha is learning Spanish for our World Cup Language Challenge and she is also a Community Tutor who teaches English on italki. Her Spanish speaking skills are actually quite good already as you can see and hear from this video below, but she really wants to take it to the next level since she will be spending some time in Mexico. Tosha is committing 2 to 3 English lessons a week to finish the Challenge. Please show your support by leaving some nice comments on her Notebook entry. Tosha wants Brazil to win the trophy! Jake   from England Jake is taking the World Cup Language Challenge to kickstart his Spanish and to reach fluency in it! He has committed at least 3 lessons a week. Please wish him good luck by commenting on his Notebook entry. Being British, Jake would like England to win the World Cup, but since he feels that the chances of that happening are not too right, he gives a resounding Come on Spain! Kevin   from the United States This is the first italki Language Challenge for Kevin, who has committed to taking 30 lessons learning Spanish over the next two months. His Spanish is already pretty good but he feels that he has some room to improve and bring it to the next level. Leave Kevin some words of encouragement by commenting on his Notebook entry. Kevin wishes USA to win the World Cup! Ashley   from the United States Ashely is another Challenger from the United States, she has been learning Hindi for the last two years and she took the World Cup Language Challenge as an opportunity to improve her listening skills and her grammar. She is committing 3 to 4 lessons a week to complete the Challenge. Give her some support by commenting on her Notebook post here. Shane   from the United States Shane is a college student who likes languages a lot. He has joined the World Cup Language Challenge to improve his German speaking abilities since he will be studying in Germany next year. His goal is to take 4 sections a week to complete the challenge. Shane is also one of our Community Tutor who enjoys helping people to learn English. Dont forget to comment on his Notebook entry here. Joseph G. Oliver   from the United States Joseph hails from the United States but is now living in Japan and he has decided to participate in the italki World Cup Challenge to further his knowledge of the German language. His goal is to reach level C1 by the end of the challenge. He is also a Professional Teachers on italki teaching English. Make sure to send him some words of encouragement in his Notebook entry here. Joseph loves Korea and so he really would like Korea to win the World Cup! Harry   from the United States Harry literally fell in love with Japan when he visited it and thats why he is trying to learn Japanese. His goal is to reach A2 level and to hold a conversation when he will going back to Japan on September. Help cheer Harry on by sending him words of encouragement in his Notebook entry. Harry doesnt mention anything about the World Cup but, since his love for Japan, were assuming hes rooting for Japan! Munique Vieira   from Brazil Munique is taking the World Cup Language Challenge to improve her English skills. She knows that English is a very important language so she is going to put all her efforts to take 2 or 3 lessons a week and complete the Challenge. Check out her notebook entry here and wish her good luck! Joelson   from Brazil It was hard for us to understand what Joelson was trying to say since no one of us can speak Portuguese, but it seems he will learn English during the World Cup Language Challenge. His goal at the end of the Challenge is to be able to publish the same video speaking in English! Were pulling for you Joelson and know you can complete the Challenge! Leave some words of encouragement by commenting on his notebook entry here! When we asked who he wants to win the World Cup, Joelson gives a resounding O Brasil e claro! Khang Nguyen   from Viet Nam Khang represents Viet Nam for our World Cup Language Challenge. He is committing one lesson a day to finish the Challenge in record time. In only one month he will improve his English focusing in particular on his speaking skills. Give him some support by commenting on his notebook post here! Ian   from the United States Ian is taking the Challenge for a very important reason to be able to speak with his family members when he goes to Cebu, which is in the Philippines. Hes learning Cebuano and he is committing 3 lessons a week to complete the Challenge. Lets encourage him by commenting on his notebook entry here! Ian will support the USA team during the World Cup! Jaime   from Perù Jaime is from Perù and he is in the category of the few Challengers who are learning not just onebut two languages during the World Cup Language Challenge. He is learning English and Japanese and he will be taking 3 lessons a week. Please let him know how awesome he is by commenting on his post!  You have to check this out! Shona Cammillare   from Ireland From Ireland we have Shona who is also one of our Professional Teachers on italki teaching English. She is learning Chinese for the World Cup Language Challenge and she is committing 3 to 4 lessons a week. Her Chinese speaking skills are actually quite good already as you can see and hear from this video. Show that you care by commenting on her notebook entry here! Shona is rooting for Japan during this World Cup. Jason   from the United States Our Community Tutor Jason has decided to put himself to the test learning Spanish. His Spanish is already pretty good, but he hopes that the Challenge will take his ability to the next level. Read his notebook entry and please leave some words of encouragement! Cynthia   from the United States Cynthia is learning Korean for the World Cup Language Challenge and shes committed to taking 2 to 3 lessons a week. She specifically wants to improve her speaking skills. Dont forget to send some words of encouragement in her notebook entry . Cynthia would like to see Brazil, Portugal, or Spain  win the World Cup! Pierre Bredel   from Brazil Pierre has signed up for the World Cup Language Challenge to improve his French skills. His dad is from France so he actually speaks French quite fluently already (check out his pledge!), but he really wants to push his ability to the next level. Show him some support by commenting on his notebook entry . Pierre predicts that its Brazil or French winning the World Cup! Amelia   from England Amelia is taking on Korean for the World Cup Language Challenge. Shes actually starting from scratch (actually 1 month in) to improve his French skills. She thought that the Challenge would be a bit too much at this stage in her Korean but after she sent us her Week 1 Update, it sounds like shes doing fine! Show her some support by commenting on her notebook entry . Amelia just sent up this her Week 1 Update. Not bad for a beginner at Korean, right? [Update] More Public Video Pledges Continuing from our first post of Public Video Pledges, weve received more from dedicated Challengers all over the world who have bravely posted their Public Video Pledge! (Click here for more details) We are very impressed by the massive turnout of Challengers from all around the world.  As we mentioned at the start of the Challenge,  we’ve got hundreds of Challengers learning more than 30+ languages on italki!  However, we did not mention the number of people who are not just learning one language but learning two or even three languages for the Challenge!  If you havent started learning a new language yet, you need to watch these Public Video Pledges as we hope these will serve as some inspiration for you to kickstart your New Years Resolution to learn a new language now! Tom from San Francisco We were blown away with this Public Video Pledge because Tom is not just learning one language or even two langauges  He is one of the few (there actually could be many more) that are learning 3 languages for the Language Challenge!  His Public Video Pledge is a bit longer than others because he speaks in 3 different languages (French, Norwegian, and Chinese) in the video. Please let him know how awesome he is by commenting on his post!  You have to check this out! Kirstin from New Zealand Kirstin is not just any Challenger, shes also a CELTA qualified New Zealand-born Professional English Teacher on italki.  Kirstin is in the category of Challengers who is learning not just one but two languages during the Language Challenge.   Shes learning Spanish and Chinese.  Please leave some words of encouragement on her notebook entry.  Her video is very impressive as she starts off with the languages that she is learning then goes into English, her native language. Ellen from the United Kingdom Halfway across the world, we have Ellen who is also learning multiple languages.  As a Community Tutor on italki, Ellen teaches English and is learning French and Japanese for the Language Challenge.  Cheer her on by commenting on her Notebook Entry! Fermin from Mexico Fermin is learning Chinese for the Language Challenge and is also a Community Tutor who teaches Spanish on italki.  His Chinese speaking skills are actually quite good already as you can see and hear from this video.  Show that you care by commenting on his notebook entry! Jaime from Peru We just received Jaimes Public Video Pledge.  Hes committed to taking 20 lessons learning Japanese to complete the Challenge.  His Japanese is already pretty good but he feels that he has some room to improve.    He even wrote his Notebook entry in Japanese so please show your support by saying some nice things to him to keep him motivated ?? Brad   from  Australia Brad is taking the Challenge for a very important reason to be able to speak to his girlfriends parents and family. Hes learning Spanish. Leave Brad some words of encouragement by commenting on his Notebook entry! Were pulling for you Brad and know you can complete the Challenge! Tak  from Thailand   Our Southeast Asia contingent finally has some representation with a Public Video Pledge.   Tak just joined italki on January 18th 3 days after the Challenge began but is brave enough to tackle the Challenge missing almost an entire week.  Wish him luck on his Notebook entry.  Taks pledge is made in Thai (his native language) and he is learning 3 languages for the Challenge: German, English and Japanese.   Not an easy task!  For those of you who are just learning one, this is very inspirational! Challengers, you have no excuses! If you just started the Language Challenge, you still have time to make a Public Video Pledge. Remember,  we’re giving away 50ITC if you make a Public Video Pledge!      If you really want to complete the challenge, a Public Video Pledge could be the right little motivator to make sure that you complete the Challenge as the world is watching and we all want you to succeed! Did I mention that were giving away 50ITC for one as well?