The S.A.P. Memorial Library Tutoring Pack

The S.A.P. Memorial Library Tutoring PackThe S.A.P., or Special Education Pack, Memorial Library Tutoring Packs, will help the students with any kind of disability or learning difficulties. With all the aspects and plans available in this package, you can find the best tutoring you need. This is a perfect option for the parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, and teachers who love children and want to encourage their academic abilities.You will be able to find the most suitable resource for your child with learning difficulties or disability. This will enable the students to reach their goals and go to school with ease. Most of the companies offering these packages also provide options in home studies as well, where the tutor will be available round the clock to meet all your needs.These packages are also very beneficial to the school's budget. They save a lot of money on training and maintaining the teachers as well as other necessary resources for the education of the students. M oreover, these packages are also less expensive and more convenient compared to regular teaching staff.This means that you will not have to pay tuition fees, if you will be getting this assistance from the schools or the community colleges. The packages are designed with the assistance of trained teachers and you will not need to hire them. You can start off with this service within a short period of time.In addition, the package is quite affordable, which means that you can definitely afford this service for your students. Parents will also not need to pay for private tuition, if they will enroll their child with the school or a community college. This will ensure that the academic goals of the students will be met without any difficulty.These services are specifically designed to help students with memory loss, cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, ADD, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, and many others. Their main focus is on providing the best services to the students w ith learning difficulties. It is the least expensive option, as they do not have to spend any extra amount on the use of the package.Parents will now be able to have the peace of mind that their children will receive the best possible educational programs. This will enable them to concentrate on educating their children as well as protecting them. Once they feel that their children are receiving a good education, they will be more likely to encourage their children to excel at their educational achievements.

Dual Subtitles How Language Learning Can Be Twice as Nice

Dual Subtitles How Language Learning Can Be Twice as Nice Dual Subtitles: How Language Learning Can Be Twice as Nice Give me a foreign language video and subtitles to match and I will learn that language. Archimedes, probablySubtitles are the unsung heroes of language learning.But youre not here to hear about plain old ordinary subtitles.Because as helpful as those can be, it gets much better.Youre here to make use of what seems like it should be such a simple, effective language learning hack but is surprisingly rarely used: dual language subtitles for authentic video content.Maybe you thought of this concept yourself.Maybe it just popped into your mind while  you were watching a vlog in the language youre learning and for the umpteenth time found yourself in the position of switching back and forth between two sets of subtitles that werent even necessarily accurate.Or maybe you snuck a glance at a video on someone elses phone that was running dual subtitles and thought to yourself, What is this wizardry?Well, good news: Having the option of not just one, but two sets of subtitles working for you â€"one in a language you know and another in the language youre learningâ€"as you watch the kind of content thats intended for native speakers of your target language is not an impossible dream.In this post, well show you how its possible.And we wont just show you how to have instant translations for all the content in movies or videos you watch, but also how to use this tool to fully grasp the structure, grammar and writing of your target language.Without further ado, lets dive in. Dual Subtitles: How Language Learning Can Be Twice as NiceHow to Set Up Your Own Dual Subtitles Home TheaterNow that you know dual subtitles are possible, you may be champing at the bit to get started. However, using dual subtitles is a little tricky, and requires a little bit of technical literacy and patience to get right. Theres no such thing as a free lunch!Or is there?A  Really Easy Option: Just Sign Up for FluentUActually, if youre not tech-savvy and would rather not mess around with video and su btitle files on your computer, theres a super simple solution for obtaining dual subtitles on a huge number of select authentic videos: FluentU.The minds behind FluentU have chosen authentic and interesting native content  and turned it into personalized language lessons that include painstakingly-created dual-language subtitles just for you. Youll find all kinds of content on FluentUâ€"like movie trailers, music videos, news, commercials, vlogs, cartoons and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you hear languages in real-world contextsâ€"the way that native speakers actually use them.Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of FluentU videos on offer:FluentU really takes the grunt work out of learning languages, leaving you with nothing but engaging, effective and efficient learning. It’s already hand-picked the best videos for you and organized them by level and topic. All you have to do is choose any video that strikes your fancy to get started!Each word in the interacti ve captions comes with a definition, audio, image, example sentences and more.Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and easily review words and phrases from the video under Vocab.You can use FluentU’s unique adaptive quizzes to learn the vocabulary and phrases from the video through fun questions and exercises. Just swipe left or right to see more examples of the word youre studying.The program even keeps track of what you’re learning and tells you exactly when it’s time for review, giving you a 100% personalized experience.Start using FluentU on the website  with your computer or tablet  or, better yet,  download the FluentU app from  the  iTunes store  or  Google Play store.A Still-not-too-hard Option: Setting Up Dual Subtitles for Video Files on Your ComputerBut maybe you already have FluentU, and in addition you want to be able to watch full movies and TV shows in a dual-subtitle format. Or youre learning a language thats not yet a vailable. Or you just want to geek out over as many options as possible.Not a problem!Heres a short tutorial on getting and using dual subtitles with the video files on your computer:First, youll want to download subtitle files from  OpenSubtitles.org. There are a few different sites where you can download subs, but OpenSubtitles is the oldest and most respected. The collection is enormous, spanning around 50 languages and thousands of films and TV shows.They even have their own forum and blog for advice. But all you really need to do to get started is search for the name of the movie or show you want.Then, select the language of the subtitles and download the SRT files you need. One SRT file is one set of subtitlesâ€"simple!Put the SRT files in the same folder as your video file, and make sure they have a similar name.  For example, if youre watching Toy Story, maybe your video file is toy-story.mp4, your English subs are toy-story.en.srt, and your Spanish subs are toy-story.es.srt .Next, make sure you have or download a good media player, like  KMPlayer,  VLC  or  Kodi, that will automatically allow you to choose between your sets of subtitles when you play the file. In the Toy Story example, youll see options for subtitles in English and Spanish.But how to play them at the same time? Some players already include options to play more than one file at once, but you can also  take the additional step of combining two sets of SRT files into one using a free service like DualSub.Depending on your media player, you may get smoother results by combining your two  SRT files into one ASS file.Enjoy your dual subtitles!Now, lets look at what you can do with them.How to Use Dual Subtitles to Learn LanguagesUse Dual Subtitles to Improve Your Listening ComprehensionFirst off, let me be clear that all dual subtitles all the time arent for everyone. This is why both of the options we recommended above can easily be adjusted to accommodate single-subtitle or no-subtitle wat ching. If youre advanced enough in your studies, you may not need subtitles anymore at all. Just watch and understand and enjoy your hard-earned fluency.But for the rest of us, when a native speaker opens their mouth in a target-language video, it can be overwhelming.Simply listening along with a transcript is one of the best ways to get used to natural speech. But if you listen just one time, it might be tough-going.Listening multiple times and following along with the subtitles or a transcript will bake those language patterns and vocabulary words into your brain in no time.Use Dual Subtitles to Learn Foreign Alphabets and Tough Spelling SystemsDid you know that same-language subtitling can boost literacy?The applications for second-language learning are enormous. If youre struggling to get your head around unfamiliar writing systems or complicated spelling, take a break from laboriously copying out the alphabet.Switch on some videos with dual-language subtitles and just concentra te on the sounds and the writing.  You can use the translations for understanding, but its the target language youll want to mainly be focusing on. Then go back to your instructional materials and watch as you make astonishing progress in reading your target language.Use Dual Subtitles to Check Your UnderstandingWhen you watch a video in your target language, you may think you understand everything.And when you read the target-language subtitles, you may also believe youre following along perfectly.But what dual subtitles bring to you is a way to instantly check if youre actually understanding your target language or just getting the gist.Cover up or turn off the answer (your native language) and play a short section of the video. Rewind and check to see if you got it right. Its that simple! (With a FluentU Plus plan, Quiz Mode takes care of this part for youâ€"and keeps track of the vocab youre learning so it knows when you need to review something.)Then repeat over and over. With hundreds of lines of dialogue in any film or TV show (and so many YouTube videos in existence!), this might be the most efficient and convenient listening practice exercise out there.But what else can you achieve with dual subtitles?Use Dual Subtitles to Compare Two Foreign Languages at OnceLots of language learners like to double things up and study more than one foreign language at the same time.Thats great, and Im all for it. Learners like this have a special way to benefit from dual subtitlesâ€"listening to content in their native language and comparing two different translations.Let me explain: Youll hear your native language, which is effortless to understand. Then you’ll see translations of what was just said in both of the languages you’re studying.This way you can get reading practice in both target languages and see where they might differ in terms of vocabulary.Norwegian and Danish, for instance, are very similar in their written form.By comparing the subtitles line b y line, you can get a sense for where they do differ and strengthen both at the same time. Talk about efficiency!Use Dual Subtitles to Understand Nuances in Target Language ContentHeres another tip that can work for multi-language learners.Imagine youre watching a film in one of your target languages and you understand it at a high intermediate level.You know what the characters are saying, what theyre thinking and how they relate to each other.If you put on subtitles in your native language, youll understand the meanings of the lines.But if you add subtitles in a different language that you also understand, youll see how another translator from a different background rendered those lines, too.This can actually add a lot of depth to your understanding of the film and the language.Oftentimes films from other cultures have nuances that are hard to appreciate from the outside.Lets say youre watching a film in Italian, and you understand French well, too. By comparing French and English subtitles for the filmâ€"youll see how the Italian lines were understood by two different translators and interpreted for two different audiences.With a second opinion on the language used in the film, your understanding will be a lot more complete.However, even if you dont have a third language or set of subtitles for this extra context, youll still gain understanding of a lot of nuance from comparing a target-language transcript that you already understand to a full translation your native language. This is one way that advanced learners can still benefit from translations, and it also shows the value of another simple exercise: Working out a translation yourself and then comparing it to someone elses translation.Of course, there are a million and one ways to learn a language.Whatever gets you thinking in and thinking about the languageâ€"thats the best way to study.Dual subtitles are just one of many tools available to you, but theyre one of the best.Try them out today and see h ow they work for you!

Race to the Top Why Album Sales Dont Matter

Race to the Top Why Album Sales Don't Matter Both the regular and deluxe version covers of J Coles sophomore album, Born Sinner    Both albums were very successful. I would say that J Cole selling 297,000 copies of  Born Sinner in week one is nothing to be ashamed of. Another thing to think about is that  Born Sinner is much more likely to increase sales over the month while  Yeezus  will likely plateau sooner. While J Cole is undoubtedly one of the best up and coming rappers, everyone who could know of Kanye has already heard of him. Therefore, it is more likely that people will hear of  Born Sinner  from friends, go out, and make the purchase. Kanyes album will have seen a majority of its sales already. The simple cover art of Kanyes sixth album, Yeezus That is why, individually, and perhaps compared to previous albums by the same artist, album sales are a great gauge. However, head to head comparisons are pointless. My best advice though? Dont read into the hype of reviews and album sales. Go out and listen to the album yourself!

Chatfest Shanghai

Chatfest Shanghai For italki Shanghai members, were organizing its first event for all of its members in Shanghai to come out and meet each other face-to-face. This will be a great opportunity to: Meet some of the people you chat with Find new language partners Meet the italki team Learn about different cultures, and Indulge yourself with a Dunkin Donut! Well have activities to help you mix and mingle and meet new people. Speakers and students of all language welcome! We look forward to meeting all of you at Dunkin Donuts! Date: Wednesday, March 25th Time: 7-  9 pm Location: Dunkin Donuts ShiMen Yi Lu 239, near Weihai Lu Metro Line 2: Nanjing Xi Lu Chatfest Shanghai For italki Shanghai members, were organizing its first event for all of its members in Shanghai to come out and meet each other face-to-face. This will be a great opportunity to: Meet some of the people you chat with Find new language partners Meet the italki team Learn about different cultures, and Indulge yourself with a Dunkin Donut! Well have activities to help you mix and mingle and meet new people. Speakers and students of all language welcome! We look forward to meeting all of you at Dunkin Donuts! Date: Wednesday, March 25th Time: 7-  9 pm Location: Dunkin Donuts ShiMen Yi Lu 239, near Weihai Lu Metro Line 2: Nanjing Xi Lu

Open Stacks Chemistry Lab - A Great Solution For Those With Limited Space

Open Stacks Chemistry Lab - A Great Solution For Those With Limited SpaceAn open stacks chemistry lab is a great option for those who have limited space and/or if space is an issue. Although not as large as the closed stacks lab, it still can offer the same types of information, but with more space. This space is generally made up of open shelves and dividers, which are great for teaching resources that are readily available.Labs like this are perfect for the homeowner that does not have enough room to fit in a traditional classroom setup. Often they are not accessible to people that need to work on complicated lab equipment or materials. The open shelves can help keep the storage of supplies and equipment organized and available.Typically, the study areas are limited in the room they occupy, and usually there are no windows. This is perfect for studying since it is easily viewable by students and other instructors. But sometimes it is not convenient to study here since there is no a ccess to a computer or printer.Open stacks labs often are a lot larger than normal classrooms, so they are a little more expensive. Since they are basically the same room, there is usually only one desk per student, so finding extra desks might be difficult. Also, the glass doors and glass dividers can be a little costly to replace.If you are considering purchasing an open stacks chemistry lab, look into the options available to you. There are many classes available for open stacks, including physics, biology, chemistry, and more.Open stacks are often found in certain schools that are located in suburban areas. These types of labs do not usually have to be a great deal bigger than the standard classrooms. They can easily accommodate an entire school, so they are easy to fit into a smaller space if space is an issue.Many science departments have started to use these labs to supplement the classes they offer. It is a nice solution for those teachers that want a great classroom but do not have enough room for a traditional classroom setup.

East Palomar Tennis and Tutoring

East Palomar Tennis and TutoringEast Palomar Tennis and Tutoring are a world class coaching and learning center. There are two areas of the facility - the main gymnasium, which is the venue for practice sessions, and the tennis courts that you will play your tennis on after a warm up session. The classrooms and the practice courts are on the main floor.The facility has a spacious gym and tennis courts. The tennis court can be set up for any size of tournament. As well as that, there are dozens of children's studios and three swimming pools for those who wish to take part in water sports. This tennis center also has an open gym area that is suitable for groups and with plenty of space for the practice sessions.Coach these players or teach children in an hour. They have twenty-four hour access to the facility. You will get excellent customer service at East Palomar Tennis and Tutoring.The facilities include a separate practice court for kids and adult practice to ensure that you do not get hurt. The facility is a children's center, so they have an area for children to do homework, read, watch cartoons and play games. You can also hire the facilities of the program for school parties and other events.On the main floor, you will find two grand entrances that are wheelchair accessible. You can come in via the children's entrance. If you need to leave for work early, you can use the adults' entrance. The facility provides a shuttle bus service for those who have mobility issues.The north side of the facility has a café which serves delicious coffee and tea. There are a small store and anoffice area. The place is friendly and efficient.Parents and teachers can sign-up for this program for their own students. It is very convenient to their teaching schedule and budget. East Palomar Tennis and Tutoring also offer competitive tuition and tutoring.

13 Super Effective Ways to Motivate Your Child to Practice Music

13 Super Effective Ways to Motivate Your Child to Practice Music Sign up successful Treat Music Like a Different Subject Think back to when you were in school. You had your academic classes and your after-school activities. You knew your daily routine: Math, English, Science, etc. Then after school: piles of endless homework! With so many different subjects, its no wonder adding time to practice music can seem like a burden to a kid. Thats where you come in you can help shift your childs mindset! Whats the bottom line? Its up to you to help your child see music in a different light! Rather than treating music like any other subject, create a distinction so your child sees music as something he or she wants to do. The best way to shift your childs mindset is to let him or her play an instrument theyre  actually interested in. If you want your child to be motivated to play an instrument, music needs to be different than other educational subjects, says Bobby K. from Guitar Chalk. Your child shouldn’t see music as a forced discipline, like Math or Geography. This ultimately comes down to choosing the right instrument, which is going to be the one the child is excited about and wants to play on his or her own. For me, that was the guitar, which had me practicing (voluntarily) three to four hours a day at 11 years old. That couldnt have happened with piano  because piano wasnt my instrument. It was just another subject. But guitar was different in that it felt like play, not school work. Getting your child into a similar situation, where their instrument doesnt feel like just another school subject, is absolutely critical. If its not happening, that might be a signal that its time to switch instruments. This also means you may need to be flexible. While it can be expensive to allow a child to start and stop several different activities, try to work with him or her to find one he or she enjoys and is intrinsically motivated to practice. Like this tip? Click here to tweet it.   Put Your Child in Control Its no secret that when were told to do something, we dont always want to do it. During the course of a day, there are several different people (parents, teachers, older siblings, coaches) telling kids what to do. Add music to that list and its no wonder motivation seems to dwindle! Combat this problem by putting your child in control. Let him or her determine the practice schedule, that way theyre more likely to stick to it. Kids hear adults tell them what to do all the time; to catch their attention, let them plan their own practice schedule,  says Nicole Weiss, LCSW Psychotherapist and Coach. Start with the end in mind. Basically, you want to get your child to make the decision that he or she needs to practice  so that he or she can play the way he or she wants to play. After the decision is made, the parent can help the child research and figure out how often a good musician practices. The child then sets a schedule based on the reality that, to be good, one must practice. Not only will this allow your child to feel a sense of control, it will also help him or her to learn the value of practice. The child makes the schedule, then the parent reinforces it, Weiss says. Im sure many parents reading this would sayyeah but will they do that day to day? Thats where you come in but you have more weight in your reminder. It was the childs desire to make the goal. Additionally, the reward should be for accomplishing little goals. For example: practice every night this week and we can download that song you want. Reward the work. More: Motivate Your Child to Practice With a Reward System Help Your Child Understand the Gift of Music Show your child that playing a musical instrument  is a special privilege  and an opportunity that isnt necessarily available to everyone. Teach your child to appreciate music and all it has to offer. Help them discover that music can enhance their life. I believe that were here in this world to do great things with the gift of our lives, and were here to serve others, says Heather F. from Music for Young Violinists. Learning to play [the violin] helps us in both of these areas were drawn up into a level of greatness through the discipline required to study this art form, and in this process, we cultivate a gift that we can share with others. This also includes helping your child develop a love for music. Take them to concerts or shows, play music at home, and help them discover what they like. Many adults wish they had stuck with a hobby or endeavor they started as a child, like playing a musical instrument. While this can be a difficult concept for young kids to grasp, teaching them to appreciate music can help them understand why practice is important. According to this article from MusicTeachersHelper on motivating students to practice, I can’t count how many times I’ve heard adults say to me, I quit taking piano when I was young and it was such a mistake. I wish I could go back and take lessons again. Parents can help children know the value that musical talent brings to society. Dont Make  Practice an Obligation This one may seem a bit counterintuitive, right? After all, youve invested the money in an instrument and lessons, and you want your child to make the most of it. Plus, if your son or daughter wants to be good, he or she needs to practice! The key here is to not make practice seem like an obligation, as compared to other fun activities. For example, if your son or daughter loves to play video games or play outside, dont allow him or her to do this until after completing practice. Using a fun activity as a reward will create the mindset that practice is the obligation that stands in the way of the fun activity, and this could create resentment or dread for practice. As  Why We Teach Piano  suggests, Dont set an arbitrary amount of practice time, without specific goals, and then reward them with playtime or video games afterwards. This just reinforces the notion that playing piano is not fun and video games are fun. Plan Performances When it comes to any sport, hobby, or endeavor, its important to keep your eye on the prize. The same thing applies when it comes to your child learning an instrument; your son or daughter has to have a goal in sight, otherwise, he or she may question  the need to practice. If you want to keep students engaged and excited about their music education, make sure theyre performing consistently throughout the year, says Anthony M.  founder and author of The Music Parents Guide. There are other profound effects on more scheduled performances for all school programs, as well. We, as parents and teachers, need to foster a growing curiosity and even an excitement about music in our childrens lives. Consistent performances are the best way to do this and continue to motivate our children. It gets better: Not only do performances help to increase excitement, they also work to hold children accountable. Ask any music teacher even the most unmotivated student will be more likely to practice if it means avoiding embarrassment at a recital! Let Your Child Choose Just because you loved playing piano as a kid doesnt mean your child will love playing just as much. Your child may have other interests, and its important to allow him or her to explore different endeavors. First of all, I think it’s critical that the child choose the instrument they’re going to learn, says Matt T. from Unlock the Guitar. I’m a guitarist, and I’d love nothing more than my son to be interested in learning guitar, but he’s undeniably drawn to the piano. Plus, if an instrument is thrust upon them, practicing it will also be thrust upon them. Letting the child choose the instrument turns this on its head, and into your favor, even if they didn’t choose the instrument you would have liked them to play. Be Their Cheerleader Let your child know youre his or her biggest fan, especially early on when your child may feel  frustrated or discouraged. Eighty-eight notes school of music suggests  listening to your child at home as often as you can and making encouraging remarks about their progress. Also, make sure to ask them how their lessons went. Take a genuine interest in your childs musical journey. Your son or daughter will be excited to play for you and show off new skills! Help Them Engage With Music Your child is more likely to practice music if he or she feels connected to the process. Help your son or daughter develop an interest and curiosity for music. To help your child stay engaged, become a part of the process. Whatever you can do to get involved is likely to increase their interest and motivation. Motivating your child by reward or punishment will stop working very quickly; instead, help your child get curious about music and develop an inner desire to engage with music, says Jonas G., the founder of flowkey.Let your child play around with different instruments. Listen to music and sing together. Your child will naturally want to imitate you, so a big motivation for children to practice is seeing their parents engage with music themselves. Create Challenges Rather than telling your child to practice, help him or her set specific goals and challenges. This will help them progress faster because theyll work on accomplishing specific tasks or mastering particular skills. This idea can be applied to any instrument. Practiceopedia author and practice expert, Philip J., has a completely different take: Dont ask your kids to practice they wont know what to do. Instead, give them bite-sized, clear challenges to complete: (1) Work out a fingering for measures 24-35 (2) Gradually speed up section B to 85bpm. (3) Be able to play the left hand of the coda from memory. Having trouble coming up with the right challenge? Check out Phillips website, thebootcampedition.com, for a huge collection. Celebrate ALL Accomplishments Learning to play an instrument is a long journey full of peaks, valleys, and plateaus. While youll definitely be proud when you watch your child perform, its important to celebrate the little victories along the way. While verbal praise is important, you may also want to create another way to celebrate achievements;  familyshare  recommends keeping a journal of your childs accomplishments. When you put it in writing, youre less likely to forget. If journaling isnt your thing, you can keep a white board on the fridge, or make a chart that you can display in the house! Celebrating the little victories will help your child keep a positive attitude when theyre struggling or having difficulty tackling a new concept or song. Let Them Play Music They Like While there are always certain signature songs and classics for various instruments, your child will lose interest if he or she doesnt like the music theyre playing. Work with your childs teacher to make sure your child is  playing some music they truly enjoy. According to the Academy of Music and Dance, As children  get to be around 10 years old, sometimes younger, they start to develop preferences for musical style, largely influenced by radio, TV, and whatever they’re most exposed to at home. They will also typically gravitate to whatever their friends are listening to, especially for boys at around age 13 and girls around age 11. Use this as a motivational strategy; allow your son or daughter to play at least one familiar song as part of their weekly routine. Make Practice Fun This should come as no surprise no one wants to practice when its boring!  Incorporate fun games, activities, and challenges, and your child will look forward to practice! According to PianoDiscoveries, appropriate goals and positive reinforcement will make practicing fun and rewarding. Very few children are self-motivated in their practice. Most need incentives and reminders to keep them focused and moving forward. Ask your childs music teacher for some creative ways to make practice more fun! Find the Right Teacher This brings us to our last strategy and one of the most important: find the right teacher! Although practice is done outside of lessons, if your child connects with his or her teacher, theyre  much more likely to practice on their  own time. According to Music Central,finding the right teacher will make or break the whole experience. Don’t be afraid to try a new teacher if your child isn’t connecting. The best teachers are usually the ones who not only teach, but know how to be a good friend and mentor to your child. Find a teacher who understands your childs learning style, and a person whos able to teach concepts in a way that keeps your child interested. When your son or daughter  likes his or her teacher, theyll be more willing to take direction and practice consistently. Share this Image On Your Site pstrongPlease include attribution to TakeLessons.com with this graphic./strong/pbr /br /br /br / pa href=/blog/motivate-your-child-to-practice-music-z15img src=/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/13-Super-Effective-Ways-to-Motivate-Your-Child-to-Practice-Music_720x4919.jpg alt=13 Super Effective Ways to Motivate Your Child to Practice width=720px border=0 //a/pbr /br /br /br / p Which of these strategies have been successful for you? Do you have other methods that you use to motivate your child? Let us know in the comments below! 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

How to Choose Your Sewing Class

How to Choose Your Sewing Class How to Choose Sewing Lessons ChaptersThe Rates for Sewing Tutorials in the UKWhere Can You Find the Perfect Sewing Tutor?Can You Learn Sew Online?Choose Your Sewing Teacher Based on Their Experience“Dressing is a way of life” - Yves Saint LaurentThis quote, from one of the world’s greatest fashion designers, succinctly summarises what it is to make clothes.Yves Saint Laurent, whose name was often shortened to YSL, showed that fashion is difficult in terms of both creativity and technique.While women still remain the main recipients of sewing tutorials, it’s still worth asking the question for everyone: how do you choose the right sewing courses?You’ll know by the end of this article! RaySewing Teacher 5.00 (6) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PrincessSewing Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnaSewing Teacher 5.00 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArianwenSewing Teacher 5.00 (2) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ShaziaSewing Teach er 5.00 (2) £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ZanetaSewing Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GianmariaSewing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JacquelineSewing Teacher £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Rates for Sewing Tutorials in the UKBefore we talk about the rates, you should know that sewing tutorials are for everyone, not just women. It's a common misconception that women are the only ones who learn to sew.The price of lessons can vary wildly depending on a number of different factors. (Source: StarFlames)Anyone can learn to thread a needle, make a seam, and start doing their own basic sewing projects like making a tote bag or pillowcase, or adding zippers to bags.The main thing you have to think about when choosing your sewing or embroidery tutorial is what your goals are:Do you want to just learn to sew?Do you want to make a career out of it?Are you interesting in hand sewing or machine sewing?Do y ou want to make your own creative wardrobe?Do you want to learn how to make a hem or sew on a button?Do you want to make a wedding dress for the big day?In addition to these criteria, the cost of sewing classes will also vary according to:The town where you’re getting your private tutorials (London, other large cities, or a small town)The type of tutorial you’re getting (knitting, sewing, making clothes, etc.)The length and frequency of the lessons (throughout the year, evening classes, at the weekend)The tutor’s experience and reputation (a former fashion designer or a student who’s just graduated, etc.)Whether you have your own sewing machine or a sewing kit or whether the tutor provides the materials.It’ll hardly be surprising to learn that the prices tend to be higher in London where the cost of living in higher. Elsewhere there are fewer tutors but lower prices. Of course, online tutorials are cheaper than face-to-face tutorials or classes in a sewing group.The level of the class (beginner, intermediate, advanced), how much you know about sewing already, or what you want out of your courses can vary the price of your sewing classes.My favourite workshops were the ones where I learn the basics of sewing, what all the words meant and the important equipment and materials you need. By the end, I was no longer a beginner.Where Can You Find the Perfect Sewing Tutor?You need to do more than just choose the perfect sewing machine, you need to also choose the teacher whose advice and approach will help you achieve your goals. That’s why choosing your teacher isn’t a decision you can take lightly.Whether you're learning at university or in a sewing group, you're bound to find a decent teacher. (Source: TooMuchCoffeeMan)The first thing you need to do is decide what your objectives are:Would you prefer a traditional approach to learning to sew or embroider?Do you want to learn how to make furnishings or upholstery (like a cushion cover, for example)?Ar e you looking to perfect your sewing techniques or learn new ones like cross stitch or crochet?Then, you need to have a look around at the places where you can find tutors or teachers. Places such as:Fashion schoolsPrivate workshopsSewing groupsPrivate sewing tutorsWhat makes the perfect sewing teacher? Is it a teacher with a recognised qualification in fashion design? Not really... Finding your perfect sewing teacher depends on a large number of different factors such as:Your budgetHow long you have to learnWhere you liveHow flexible your schedule isWhether your goals line up with the tutor’s own personal experienceThinking about these criteria is a good place to start as it’ll help you narrow down your options and find the right sewing teacher.I didn’t really know how to sew before I decided to learn. My mother helped by a bit by giving me a book on sewing for dummies (I particularly enjoyed the sections on scrapbooking and patchwork). Now I’m the one who fixes her clothes , added a zip to her bag, and customises her clothes and accessories!Can You Learn Sew Online?This is a question you’ll start asking yourself once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential teachers: Where can you have sewing tutorials?While most tutors and teachers will be found in schools and workshops, there are two other solutions for those who want to learn how to sew:Online sewing classesPrivate sewing tutorials at your houseOnline sewing coursesIt's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it! (Source: 947051)You probably don’t have a serger, cover stitch machine, or a presser foot. It’s also unlikely that a tutor would bring all these things to your house.Don’t forget that if you opt for online tutorials, you’re going to have to get these things yourself.The advantage of learning to sew at home is that even an absolute beginner can be taught how to thread a needle, knit, redo the stitches on a garment, quilting, or just a few sewing basics. While you can find a basic sewing class or workshop, some people prefer the relaxed nature of beginner sewing tutorials and learning a new skill in a familiar environment like their own home.To give you a few ideas, here are some of the best YouTube channels for those wanting to learn how to sew:Stitchless TVThis is a good channel for beginners. In fact, this is the main focus of the channel. If you’re an absolute novice, looking for a bag pattern or information on stylish projects, or wanting to make a summer dress, this is the place to go!ThreadBangerThreadBanger is one of the most popular YouTube channels. It takes a modern approach to sewing. This isn’t the kind of channel that your grandma would enjoy. That said, there are plenty of great videos for everyone on this channel.Professor PincushionThis is a channel that’s worth checking out once you’ve got to grips with sewing as there are plenty of advanced sewing techniques explained in great detail. However, the delivery is very clear and the methods are explained step-by-step so you might be checking out this channel sooner than you think. If you’re looking for tutorials on embroidery, embellishment, ruffles, or pleats, this is the place to go!There are plenty of videos on a variety of arts and crafts.I loved going online and getting online classes from my favourite creator, Anna. She taught me how to sew a long time ago with an old mechanical sewing machine. She was full of tips and tricks, advice on the type of fabric to use and where you can get free patterns... I could do all this from the comfort of my living room.Choose Your Sewing Teacher Based on Their ExperienceEveryone knows that if you want to learn how to sew, you’ll probably need a decent sewing machine, thread, and some sewing patterns.Isn’t there something missing?Your teacher, of course!Experience, knowledge, and passion are essential when it comes to sewing. (Source: Bru-nO)Regardless of whether they have their own sewing bl og or are offering some really interesting tutorials, you need to make sure they’re experienced.It’s more complicated than that, though. Your level will dictate the kind of tutor you’ll need. You should learn more about their background:A newly-qualified teacher who’s just got their degree.An experienced teacher with experience both in teaching and in the industry.A private tutor who may be both of the above or neither of them.Your goal is to find a teacher whose experience lines up with your own objectives. A newly-qualified teacher could easily teach you the basics of sewing whereas you might need someone with more experience if your goals are more ambitious. Experienced teachers will have a better understanding of how to get into fashion schools, what the exams entail, what's going on in the industry and how to get into it.A private tutor’s role is simple: they need to offer tailored classes to their students based on what they’re trying to learn. As a student, you ha ve a lot more control. You can establish your goals and your tutor will put together a custom learning plan for you.So get your sewing supplies ready!

Hamilton

Hamilton Hamilton: the Rapping, Singing, Musical Sensation ChaptersA Brief Synopsis of HamiltonProduction NotesOpening Night for HamiltonHamilton: Awards and RecognitionThe last few years had been intense. The man needed a holiday so he packed for tropical climes and grabbed a non-fiction book he’d been looking for a chance to read… anything that didn’t remind him of musical theatre!Unfortunately â€" or fortunately, depending on how you look at things, it only took a couple of chapters for Lin-Manuel Miranda to visualise the life and times of President Alexander Hamilton as a Broadway musical.Go ahead, read that again; we’ll wait. After all, it takes a while to internalise how the life and deeds of a long-dead American president could become a stage show, complete with contemporary dance and a racially integrated cast at the hands of a creative team.Welcome back!While you were digesting that bit of information, we did some checking. There have been many films made that involve presidents and even a couple of only partially fictionali sed biopics of presidents.Perhaps the lives and deeds of American presidents have never been seen remarkable â€" for the most part, anyway.Mr Miranda also did some checking. There has never been a Broadway musical about Alexander Hamilton; indeed, there had only ever been one play written, staged around 100 years ago and likely not performed since.Time for an update, don’t you think?If anyone could bring Hamilton’s story to light and give it the modern twist needed to make it appealing to today’s audiences, it would be Lin-Manuel Miranda.Let’s see how he did, shall we? TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsA Brief Synopsis of Hamilton Lin-Manuel Miranda plays founding father Alexander Hamilton Source: Wikipedia Credit: Steve JurvetsonThe scene opens on the island of Nevis, in the West Indies. We see an orphaned child scrabbling his existence in any way he can. He is quick-witted and clever, absorbing facts and knowledge like a sponge.In that sense, you might say that Alexander Hamilton is a lot like Oliver Twist…Soon, he leaves his island home behind, gaining passage to the fabulous city of New York, where he promptly falls in with a group whose lives will intertwine with his in the most fatalistic way.They are all competitors â€" against each other and, together, against the world; they are a collection of revolutionaries. Their fiery discourse and new-wave attitudes do not please the English King, whose representatives attempt to assert his authority across the colonies.You must remember that, until the Articles of Confederation were drafted, what became the United States was an English territory.Of all his fr enemies, Aaron Burr is, quite literally, the burr of his life.While Hamilton is assigned to be General George Washington’s right-hand man, Burr is given a battlefield commission (that Hamilton would rather have had for himself).Both men espouse similar political views but, when Burr can’t compete with or even promote himself ahead of Hamilton, he switches political parties to become his rival.Burr made that move out of jealousy; he wanted the same degree of political power that Hamilton had.When President Washington sides with Hamilton over whether to remain neutral in the War of the First Coalition, Burr joins forces with two other cabinet members to discredit Hamilton.Now fired by the newly-elected president Adams, Hamilton has much to fear â€" from Burr and his cronies and from the exposure of his extramarital affair.He thwarts Burr’s plan to discredit him by himself publishing details of his liaison with a woman who was not his wife.Now, reconciled with his wife, Hamilton supports the presidential candidate that Burr loathes. The latter challenges his erstwhile friend to a duel â€" an act that will change his life forever.That duel is the crux of the men’s relationship, on stage and in real life.Hamilton deliberately misses his target while Burr, with deadly intent, shoots to kill. His success ensures that he will be forever remembered as the man who killed the founder of the bank of the United States, Alexander Hamilton.Historical footnote: Mr Burr was never brought to trial for killing Mr Hamilton even though duelling was illegal at the time. However, as mentioned in the show, he did indeed suffer ignominy for the rest of his life, and he was exiled from politics.Do politics also play a role in the musical Cats? The Hamilton cast wearing award-winning costume design Source: Wikipedia Credit Peter SouzaProduction NotesFor all of Mr Miranda’s enthusiasm and energy, Hamilton did not go from concept to reality overnight.In fact, it was while on holiday from playing the role of Usnavi in another Tony Award-winning show he wrote called In the Heights that he conceived Hamilton. He continued on with that role even as he was writing his new hit show.His credits include the Spanish-language production of West Side Story while In the Heights was on hiatus. Clearly, the man keeps busy!He started working on Hamilton â€" then called The Hamilton Mixtape in 2009, performing what would be the first song of the show at The White House. Among his many other projects, it took another year for him to write the show’s second song, My Shot.By Summer of 2013, all of the songs from the proposed show’s first act were completed, as well as three songs for Act II. He performed them at the Vassar Reading Festiva l, accompanied on the piano by music director Alex Lacamoire.We can hardly fault Mr Miranda for taking so long to bring a new musical to the stage; clearly, he had his hands full of work â€" and, thankfully, his head full of music.Time for musical theater trivia: which American musical was never meant to be a musical comedy? Hint: it bears the same name as a city in the US…Opening Night for HamiltonHamilton’s off-Broadway debut, at The Public Theater, was in January 2015.Three members who performed at the Vassar Festival reprised their roles at the premiere. The show was choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler, with Thomas Kail directing.Accolades and superlatives poured in! Critics loved it, audiences loved it… it had to move to a bigger stage.It premiered on Broadway, at the Richard Rogers Theatre in August that same year. Most of the actors from the off-Broadway production reprised their roles on the bigger stage, as well as much of the technical staff â€" lighting, sound and scenic design.Again, rave reviews. Again, fantastic yield at the box office â€" it became difficult to get tickets. It was time to take the show on the road.Hamilton opened on Broadway in Chicago in 2016, where hopeful patrons had to buy tickets as quickly as possible lest they miss out. There will be more information about ticket sales in a mo. The Chicago show is projected to run through 2020.Besides those two runs, there is a theatre company touring the US, performing the musical in select cities.Cameron Mackintosh is head of the West End production of Hamilton, with performances near-nightly at the Victoria Palace Theatre. London theatregoers also rate it the best musical.Did you know that Mr Mackintosh was instrumental in bringing Les Miserables to the stage in English-speaking countries? Multiple award-winner Hamilton is currently enjoying a run in London Source: Wikipedia Credit: No Swan So FineHamilton: Awards and RecognitionEarly previews of Hamilton had generated such a buzz that even before its Broadway debut, tickets had sold out. By September 2015, Hamilton was the second-highest-grossing show on Broadway after The Lion King.In fact, the show set and continues to hold the record for the number of tickets sold in a single weekend for a Broadway show.What makes this show a standout is that each character is given its own voice â€" not just in song or rap but by invoking different masters of musical theatre.Jesse Green, of New York magazine, writes: “I caught the verbal references to Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gilbert and Sullivan, Sondheim…”Indeed, Mr Miranda cleverly draws on the legends of musical theatre even as he drags it, kicking and screaming into a new era.It is perhaps a transition that needs to happen; after all, how many times will a theatre patro n want to get tickets to a revival of Mamma Mia or The Phantom of the Opera?And which musicals could do it better than Hamilton?Even before it debuted in a Broadway theatre, the show was collecting awards â€" for outstanding choreographer, for outstanding director, for the best actor, which Mr Miranda himself won.It swept the Lucille Lortel Awards and the Drama Desk Awards in virtually every category from Featured Actress through Best Choreography and onto Best Music and Lyrics.Once Hamilton became a Broadway production, it qualified for the Tony Award. It won a total of 11 Tony Awards for everything from Best Musical to Best Orchestrations.And, as though that weren’t enough, it went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and a Pulitzer Prize in the Drama category. And, just last year, it won a Kennedy Center Honor.How much praise can we heap on one person? Lin-Manuel Miranda had better get used to it.The show has already wowed audiences in Puerto Rico. It is set to open in Germany next year and in Australia the year after that. How much those audiences know about American founding fathers is debatable but, through Hamilton, they will certainly get an education!Who can think of a better way to learn about history than through the work of a playwright such as Mr Miranda?Can’t get enough musical theatre? Discover the stories behind other popular Broadway musicals...