5 Excellent Online Resources for Singers

5 Excellent Online Resources for Singers Sign up successful Aussie Vocal Coach on YouTube One of my favorite vocal coaches on YouTube is Ian Castle, also known as the Aussie Vocal Coach. His vocal warm-up videos are great for intermediate through advanced singers. They contain unique exercises that help students move seamlessly from warming up to practicing songs and technique. He also has a number of technique videos, such as his “Riffs and Runs Masterclass”,  which pinpoints specific vocal issues in a way that is easy to understand. He encourages viewers to only do what is physically comfortable, which can be said for all vocal warm-up and technical exercises. Musictheory.net Musictheory.net has been around a while, and for good reason. It is a wonderful online resource for learning ear training and music theory. I especially like the interval, scale, and chord ear training sections for singers, because the exercises and theory can be directly applied to warm-ups and songs. Singers are musicians, too, and learning music theory is essential to becoming a successful singer! Get Body Smart Understanding how the body works is an essential part of my voice lessons. Get Body Smart is an anatomy and physiology eBook where students can learn all about the human body. For starters, visit the respiratory system section and find out how the larynx, pharynx, and lungs function. Some of the language might be a little difficult for younger singers to understand, but the images and slideshows are still extremely helpful in understanding the vocal instrument. Felicia Ricci on YouTube For quick tips on specific songs, solutions to technical issues and breaking down mental boundaries, check out Felicia Ricci. Another one of my favorite vocal coaches on YouTube, she has a knack for getting right to the heart of the matter in a lighthearted and easy-to-understand way. In videos like “Find Your Chest Voice”, she explains the link between singing and speaking and makes healthy vocalizing more accessible to all singers. Since most of us spend a lot of time on the Internet, having free online resources make achieving singing goals easy and fun! YouTube videos and websites make practicing much simpler to incorporate into a singers daily routine, and are great supplements to lessons with a teacher. Use these videos, blogs, and websites  to learn how to sing online, and youll improve quickly! Still want more? Here are four more resources for singers! Shannon F. teaches audition prep,  ear training, music performance, and vocal training  in Gambrills, MD. She has studied music at both George Mason University and  University of North Texas, and has been teaching students since 2007.  Learn more about Shannon F. here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by  UAlberta

4 Hacks for an Organized College Life

4 Hacks for an Organized College Life Perhaps youre midway through your first year of college, or working on your third or fourth year. Regardless of your academic status, the start of a semester is a great time to regroup and reorganize. Its often a busy time, and it can sometimes be challenging to stay on track. Therefore, the more organizational strategies you can incorporate into your routine, the better. Hacks for getting your college life organized include adding a whiteboard to your wall, maintaining a balanced daily schedule, and reviewing events at the end of each day. The start of a new semester can be overwhelming, but finding strategies to stay on top of your tasks can set you on a path to success. Here are four hacks for an organized college life: 1. Maintain a balanced daily schedule College can quickly become all-consuming. However, if you establish healthy boundaries and strive to maintain balance, you can keep yourself healthier and happier, and likely become a less stressed college student. Strive to maintain an 8/8/8 balance each day when it comes to sleep, school, and your personal life. You have 24 hours in a day, and not all of them should be spent studyingjust like not all of them should be spent socializing. Maintaining an 8/8/8 schedule may be made easier with the help of an electronic or paper planner. Start by blocking out time for all of your existing activities to see how much time you spend in each of the three categories. Then, adjust as needed. Check in with yourself frequently to make sure your schedule is still working for you. [RELATED: 6 Habits to Become a More Organized Student] 2. Add a whiteboard or chalkboard to your wall Everyone knows to-do lists can help keep you on track when youre a college student trying to stay organized. Keeping that list right in front of you when youre in your roomon a highly visible whiteboard or chalkboardis a great way to keep yourself on task. A board is a great space to write to-do lists, as well as important reminders like appointments, phone numbers, and other notes. You can also attach important papers and documents to your board with magnets, helping you keep them front of mind. Update your board daily with the following in order to stay as organized as possible: Tasks Paperwork Reminders Upcoming events [RELATED: 5 Daily Habits Youll Be Thankful For] 3. Incorporate a weekly cleaning session into your schedule When youre a busy college student, its easy to overlook cleaning your living space. Adding a weekly cleaning session of an hour or two to your schedule to tidy up and arrange your things can work wonders for keeping you organized. The more frequently you look at and re-evaluate the items in your room, the less likely you are to lose track of important things and information. Plus, a clean space may incentivize you to spend more time in your room studying, as well as simply relaxing and enjoying college life. [RELATED: 3 Ways Students Can Benefit From Journaling] 4. End each day with a recap It can be a challenge for even the most organized college student to stay on top of schoolwork, classes, exams, friends, family, and personal matters. This is why ending your day with a short recap of what youve accomplished that day, and what you need to do the next day, can be beneficial. Write down a short bullet list of the days accomplishments, any tasks you didnt have time to complete, the highlights of your day, and any urgent matters that need tending to the next day. Review your recap the next morning and youll be instantly brought up to speed as to where you left off. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Year Round School Pros and Cons - What Would Aliens Say if They Visited Earth - Private Tutoring

Year Round School Pros and Cons - What Would Aliens Say if They Visited Earth BobbiM Aug 28, 2013 Year Round Schooling Pros and Cons The Alien Perspective The other day while driving to work, I was listening to the radio. On the radio, the commentator interviewed a professor from Duke University about the Year Round School Pros and Cons. The Duke University professor was very pro year round school and he began his argument with the following question: If aliens visited the earth, what would they say about our school buildings that are empty 3 months out of year? I laughed at the question I thought it was funny. But then, I realized how right he was. For as much as we claim education as a priority, it doesnt really show in our actions by choosing to wholesale close our schools down during the summer. So, from a public policy perspective and, more importantly, what is best for our children? Year Round School or the traditional 3 months off type of school year? Pros of Year Round School As a parent, I can think of several reasons why year round schooling might make sense. Here are a few: Consistency: As with most things, learning comes in small bite sized pieces. That usually means learning a little bit everyday for a long period of time. Having a year round school supports that idea. For parents, this is a good thing. It allows parents to plan for the year and prevents issues around finding child care during the summer, as for some households, both parents work. Mental Dullness: When taking breaks from learning for long periods of time, such as 3 months, it takes longer to get back into the groove when school does start again. Moreover, our memory is weakened and we remember less from the last 90 days. And, because of all of this, we likely learn at a rate slower than if we had continued to learn throughout the year. For the teachers, this is a good thing. It ensures more consistent pay and earnings. This creates stability and also allows the teachers to plan more effectively by having a year round schedule. Cons of Year Round Schooling The concept of year round school isnt perfect or is it a panacea for learning or education. It has some weaknesses and heres some I could come up with: Kids need breaks. And, some kids actually need 90 days of breaks. Parents plan for vacations during the year and really rely on the 3 months summer vacation. One way to get around the lull of not learning for 3 months is to hire a private tutor. Doing that however is an added cost that could be avoided if we had year round schooling. Teachers often have a second job during the summer to supplement their income. Taking that away would impact some teachers pay. Im not sure where I fall in the debate exactly. I do feel that year round schooling has significant advantages and cant help but think its better for students. I think the public policy debate often ignores the recipients of the change. In this case, its the kids. What do most kids think? Find the Best Private Tutors At Reasonable Rates - Get Real Results Fast! Choose Your Subject - Add Your Zip Code - Find Top Rated Tutors Today InPerson or Online Online InPerson

English Classes for Children Raising A Bilingual Child

English Classes for Children Raising A Bilingual Child More and more people are opting to give their children a bilingual upbringing, often by supplementing their learning with English classes for children. In our series on raising children bilingually, let’s look at some of the advantages that this approach offers them.1. If you give children a multilingual environment you are increasing their opportunities and potential in terms of travel, study and work on an international level.2. Research has shown that bilingual children learn languages more easily than children who are raised in a single language environment. They learn to separate languages early and are also adept at picking up new vocabulary.3. This ability to look at language more objectively and from different perspectives allows children to develop their abstract and cognitive thinking tools. These enable them to solve problems in more creative ways, something which is valuable not only in academic and work environments, but in day-to-day life also.4. You are giving childr en a rich cultural experience in exposing them to the music, movies, literature, art and traditions of at least two countries.5. You are raising a more open-minded child. Studies have shown that children raised in a bilingual environment are more likely to be welcoming of other peoples and customs and diversity and are less likely to be prejudiced towards those of different backgrounds.Here is an example of an example of a bilingual song (English/Spanish) which young children find not only educational but fun.Did you find this  article helpful? Please share it on Facebook and Twitter. Contact us if you want your child to take English lessons with a native speaker.

3 Quick and Easy Vegetarian Recipes

3 Quick and Easy Vegetarian Recipes Image via Isorepublic.com Quinoa, Egg, and Avocado Bowl If you need to whip up a quick, yet yummy and filling breakfast, this meal is for you! This meal is quick, with only about 15 minutes prep time and serves 2. It’s full of protein and of good calories, which will help sustain you throughout your day of being a busy, productive college student. Make the dressing: combine 1 ½ teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoon of red wine vinegar, and a dash of salt. In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of already cooked quinoa, 1 cup of halved grape tomatoes, ½ cup canned unsalted black beans, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. In a pan, crack 2 eggs and cook for 2-3 minutes. Be sure to coat the pan with extra virgin olive oil to make sure the egg doesn’t stick to it! Top the quinoa mixture with the dressing, the eggs, and a sliced avocado. See the full recipe here. Personal Pizza If you have a little more time and need something heartier (like for lunch or dinner rather than for breakfast), try making a personal pizza! It takes 25 minutes to make, including the 15 minutes of baking time. Pizza is a great option that’ll satisfy your craving and is allowed by your vegetarian diet, since it is vegetable based. This recipe makes six slices. Preheat the oven to 500 °F with a rectangular pizza stone inside it. (If you don’t have a pizza stone, a heavy baking sheet will work). Microwave 1 pound of refrigerated fresh pizza dough in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap before putting it in the microwave. Lightly flour a surface and roll out the dough there into a 1512 inch rectangle. On a piece of parchment paper, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of plain yellow cornmeal. Let it stand for 5 minutes before baking. The cornmeal keeps the dough from sticking to the pan, and it also makes the crust extra crispy! Place the parchment paper and dough on a flat baking sheet. Bake at 500 °F for 3 minutes. Once it’s done, spread marinara sauce on the crust and top with 1 thinly sliced tomato, corn, 3 ½ ounces (about 1 cup) of fresh mozzarella cheese, and garlic. Slide it onto the hot pizza stone and leave it baking for 12 minutes (or until the edges are crispy). Garnish with salt, pepper, basil, red pepper, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic glaze. Cut it into 6 slices. See the full recipe here. Black Bean Burgers People usually think of meat when they think of burgers, but it doesn’t have to be this way! Black bean burgers are yummy, easy to make, and vegetarian-friendly. This recipe will take you 20 minutes, and it serves 4 people. You’ll need to whip out your food processor if you decide to make this meal, but it’s so worth it. Place 1 slice of toasted and torn up whole grain bread into a food processor (pulse 5 times). Then, transfer it to a bowl. Combine the following ingredients and place them into a food processor: ¼ cup grated onion, 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lime juice, ¾ teaspoon ground cumin, ¾ tablespoon ground cumin, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon grated lime rind. Pulse the food processor 4-5 times. Add a whole 15 ounce can of unsalted black beans, 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, ½ teaspoon hot sauce, 1 lightly beaten egg, and the toast to the mixture. Stir the mixture well. Divide it into 4 equal parts and shape each of them into a patty. Lightly grease a skillet and cook the patties on it for 4 minutes on each side, or until they are brown. See the full recipe here. Managing a dietary restriction as a college student can be tough. Unfortunately, the food you can eat might be more expensive or harder to find. But that doesn’t mean you can’t create something delicious that will meet your vegetarian diet! The recipes I suggested are quick, easy, yummy, and don’t require any meat, perfect for a busy college student vegetarian! I hope you enjoy them, and of course, always handle kitchen utensils and appliances safely.

2016 New Years italki Language Challengers- Make a Public Video Pledge!

2016 New Years italki Language Challengers- Make a Public Video Pledge! If youve signed up for the italki Language Challenge  , here is a trick to motivate you to succeed!  Do you really want to complete the challenge?  Use peer pressure (in a good way) to help yourself achieve your language learning goal! Research has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching. Things that you put on the Web have a better chance of getting done! How to Upload your Language Challenge Public Video Pledge Make a Public Video Pledge by uploading a video to YouTube or Youku before you begin your first session (or your first few sessions). Youtube video example: Youku video example: What should you say in your Public Video Pledge? Speak in your native language Tell us why you are taking the italki Challenge and what language you are learning Tell us what you will commit to (e.g. I promise to take at least 3 sessions a week) Tell us your Language Challenge Goal (e.g. Five minute conversation with a co-worker) Speak in the language you are learning Repeat the above in the language you are learning If you can’t say anything, or your language level is at a beginner level then try to say a few words you know in the language or just say you have no ability. Label the video: “(italki username)’s  italki Language Challenge New Year 2016 Public Pledge The video should not be longer than 2 minutes in length. Send a link to  the YouTube/Youku video to support@italki.com. We will upload your video to our blog! Just send us an email to support@italki.com and let us know the link to the  video  with the Public Video Pledge! If youve signed up for The Challenge and you really want to finish, you should make the Public Video Pledge now!  It will help you complete the Challenge! 2016 New Years italki Language Challengers- Make a Public Video Pledge! If youve signed up for the italki Language Challenge  , here is a trick to motivate you to succeed!  Do you really want to complete the challenge?  Use peer pressure (in a good way) to help yourself achieve your language learning goal! Research has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching. Things that you put on the Web have a better chance of getting done! How to Upload your Language Challenge Public Video Pledge Make a Public Video Pledge by uploading a video to YouTube or Youku before you begin your first session (or your first few sessions). Youtube video example: Youku video example: What should you say in your Public Video Pledge? Speak in your native language Tell us why you are taking the italki Challenge and what language you are learning Tell us what you will commit to (e.g. I promise to take at least 3 sessions a week) Tell us your Language Challenge Goal (e.g. Five minute conversation with a co-worker) Speak in the language you are learning Repeat the above in the language you are learning If you can’t say anything, or your language level is at a beginner level then try to say a few words you know in the language or just say you have no ability. Label the video: “(italki username)’s  italki Language Challenge New Year 2016 Public Pledge The video should not be longer than 2 minutes in length. Send a link to  the YouTube/Youku video to support@italki.com. We will upload your video to our blog! Just send us an email to support@italki.com and let us know the link to the  video  with the Public Video Pledge! If youve signed up for The Challenge and you really want to finish, you should make the Public Video Pledge now!  It will help you complete the Challenge!

Brazilian Gringo italki Challenge Update 1

Brazilian Gringo italki Challenge Update 1 Josh is taking the language challenge to learn Spanish.  He posted about his experiences on his website Brazilian Gringo a blog that was born out of a need to share a more realistic perspective about Brazil, and our mission here is to share language and cultural insights to make Brazil more accessible for people to live, work and do business. Reposted with permission. Original post here. A few weeks ago I announced that I was participating in the iTalki challenge to improve my Spanish since I am going to be living in Chile for a while. I wanted to give a quick update on what’s been happening since then both in regards to life and language learning. Shortly after making that announcement I got news that my grandfather was ill, so I flew back to the US to see him before he passed away. Fortunately I was able to go back and see him in the hospital one last time before he died. My father passed away a few years ago while I was in Brazil and the worst part about that experience was  not being able to be near my family while they were all grieving. This time I didn’t get to miss any of the fun of crying at  the hospital. I’ve been in the US for about two weeks now, which though unexpected is kind of nice. I’ve been on the record as saying that I don’t like living in the US, but it’s really not that bad since I’m spending 90% of my time with my family.  Though I’ll be glad to be out of here again in a few weeks, I’ll also be genuinely sad to leave this time. Coming back to the US disrupted my plans to learn Chilean Spanish a bit though. I was planning on taking 2-3 hours of classes a week for the 6 weeks of the challenge, and supplement that study time with interactions with Chileans in Santiago. Things were pretty hectic so I have only taken a few hours of classes so far, but now that I’ve  got a routine here things will progress more smoothly. As far as the lessons go, I’m really enjoying my teacher. He is a complete language nerd as well, and speaks something like 7 languages to varying degrees of fluency. He showed me this cool trick where he called his cousin and they spoke a hybrid language of English and Spanish where they would switch languages every few words. Being able to switch between languages like that is a pretty cool skill to have. Speaking both Spanish and Portuguese presents some challenges because of how similar the two languages are.  Being able to go back and forth between the two takes a bit of work, though it is still easier for me to speak Portuguese. I can speak Spanish reasonably well, but I still haven’t  attached my  identity to the Spanish language like I have with Portuguese. I’m not sure on the science behind this, but in my head there are two distinct characters: Brazilian Josh and American Josh. They both have unique ways of thinking and speaking as well as their own mannerisms.  I can switch between the American Josh and Brazilian Josh without much trouble because they are both strong characters in my mind, whereas Latino Josh still hasn’t been developed. This means that sometimes Latino Josh will borrow parts of his identity from Brazilian or American Josh to fill in the blanks. I went to a Forró class this week and got to interact with Brazilians in person for the first time in a few weeks.  Kind of in the same way how if you locked yourself in a room for a few days and didn’t interact with anybody you’d be kind of slow in reacting to things people say, Brazilian Josh wasn’t as spontaneous as he was when he was living in Brazil. My Portuguese came out ok, but my body language definitely has lost some of it’s Brazilianness since leaving Brazil. Overall the experience of learning Spanish on iTalki has been very productive and I’ve learned a lot not just about Chilean Spanish but language learning in general. It’s not easy to find a good language teacher, but when you do the results can be magical. I just wanted to get this quick update out there, but later on I’ll publish some insights as they relate to Spanish and Portuguese. Hasta luego Brazilian Gringo italki Challenge Update 1 Josh is taking the language challenge to learn Spanish.  He posted about his experiences on his website Brazilian Gringo a blog that was born out of a need to share a more realistic perspective about Brazil, and our mission here is to share language and cultural insights to make Brazil more accessible for people to live, work and do business. Reposted with permission. Original post here. A few weeks ago I announced that I was participating in the iTalki challenge to improve my Spanish since I am going to be living in Chile for a while. I wanted to give a quick update on what’s been happening since then both in regards to life and language learning. Shortly after making that announcement I got news that my grandfather was ill, so I flew back to the US to see him before he passed away. Fortunately I was able to go back and see him in the hospital one last time before he died. My father passed away a few years ago while I was in Brazil and the worst part about that experience was  not being able to be near my family while they were all grieving. This time I didn’t get to miss any of the fun of crying at  the hospital. I’ve been in the US for about two weeks now, which though unexpected is kind of nice. I’ve been on the record as saying that I don’t like living in the US, but it’s really not that bad since I’m spending 90% of my time with my family.  Though I’ll be glad to be out of here again in a few weeks, I’ll also be genuinely sad to leave this time. Coming back to the US disrupted my plans to learn Chilean Spanish a bit though. I was planning on taking 2-3 hours of classes a week for the 6 weeks of the challenge, and supplement that study time with interactions with Chileans in Santiago. Things were pretty hectic so I have only taken a few hours of classes so far, but now that I’ve  got a routine here things will progress more smoothly. As far as the lessons go, I’m really enjoying my teacher. He is a complete language nerd as well, and speaks something like 7 languages to varying degrees of fluency. He showed me this cool trick where he called his cousin and they spoke a hybrid language of English and Spanish where they would switch languages every few words. Being able to switch between languages like that is a pretty cool skill to have. Speaking both Spanish and Portuguese presents some challenges because of how similar the two languages are.  Being able to go back and forth between the two takes a bit of work, though it is still easier for me to speak Portuguese. I can speak Spanish reasonably well, but I still haven’t  attached my  identity to the Spanish language like I have with Portuguese. I’m not sure on the science behind this, but in my head there are two distinct characters: Brazilian Josh and American Josh. They both have unique ways of thinking and speaking as well as their own mannerisms.  I can switch between the American Josh and Brazilian Josh without much trouble because they are both strong characters in my mind, whereas Latino Josh still hasn’t been developed. This means that sometimes Latino Josh will borrow parts of his identity from Brazilian or American Josh to fill in the blanks. I went to a Forró class this week and got to interact with Brazilians in person for the first time in a few weeks.  Kind of in the same way how if you locked yourself in a room for a few days and didn’t interact with anybody you’d be kind of slow in reacting to things people say, Brazilian Josh wasn’t as spontaneous as he was when he was living in Brazil. My Portuguese came out ok, but my body language definitely has lost some of it’s Brazilianness since leaving Brazil. Overall the experience of learning Spanish on iTalki has been very productive and I’ve learned a lot not just about Chilean Spanish but language learning in general. It’s not easy to find a good language teacher, but when you do the results can be magical. I just wanted to get this quick update out there, but later on I’ll publish some insights as they relate to Spanish and Portuguese. Hasta luego