Tips to Plan a Productive Summer

Tips to Plan a Productive Summer Most high school students associate summer break with sunshine, relaxing, and catching up with friends. While all of those things can (and should!) definitely be a part of your summer, it can also pay off to make plans that will help you stay productive toward your goalswhether they be for school, college applications, or anything else. The good news is that a little planning goes a long way. Students can plan a productive summer by simply mapping out their summer schedule now to make enough time for both work and downtime. Below are some more detailed tips to plan a productive summer: Plan a productive summer by making academics a priority Some teachers will give you assignments to complete this summer before the start of the next school year. Focusing on completing these assignments as early as possible this summer can help alleviate stress as it dwindles down and the school year approaches. It can also be helpful because what you learned in school last year will still be fresh on your mind when you start next semester, and that can help you complete your assignments more efficiently and with greater ease. Review your summer assignments right away and estimate how much time theyll take you to complete. Then make a plan to work on these assignments for a certain number of hours on specific days during the week until theyre complete. If you dont receive summer homework, still try to brainstorm what assignments you could maybe create for yourself to ensure youre prepared for the coming year. These dont need to be too intensivejust enough to keep you refreshed on certain material or certain concepts that you want to improve upon. Plan a productive summer by signing up for summer activities A great perk about summer is that youll instantly have a lot of free time on your hands. Why not spend some of that time getting involved in something youre interested in? For example, if you love working with animals, perhaps youd like volunteering in an animal shelter. Or, if you love sports, maybe youd like to sign up for basketball camp. Some other examples would include: Pursuing an internship Being a camp counselor Participating in a STEM camp Traveling abroad Taking music lessons Summer learning programs and activities can help you improve your skills and find new talents. They can also help you meet and make new friendsand besides that, theyre fun! Moreover, they can look great on college applications to help you stand out to admissions staff. Search online for opportunities or ask your school guidance counselor if he or she recommends any summer activities that are local to you. Plan a productive summer by getting a taste of college Whether youre a high school freshman or senior, its never too early to start preparing for college. Taking a free massive open online course (called a MOOC) is a great way to get a taste of what its like to take a college class, for instance. Youll have the opportunity to participate in the class and complete coursework on your own terms: typically in MOOCs, that means you are not penalized for not completing your work if something else comes up, so there are no risks to taking a class. [RELATED: 4 Career Skills for Students to Develop] That said, the more work you do in your MOOC, the more youll get out of it. A MOOC can help you gain knowledge and skills, and it can even inspire you when it comes to choosing a college major. Pro tip: Taking a MOOC in a subject area related to a challenging high school course youll take in the fallsuch as an AP or IB coursecan teach you things you need to know nowmaking it a lot easier later! Plan a productive summer by outlining your plans on a calendar Now that youve made your summer plans, its time to jot them down on an electronic or paper calendar (or both). Doing so is a great way to stay organized. Schedule everything youll do, from time you want to spend working on summer assignments to backyard barbeques. If you have an electronic calendar on your smartphone or other mobile device, it can also be helpful to set reminders for yourself. Adjust your calendar settings so you get an email or notification about upcoming events. They can help you stay on top of all you have going on Now that you have a plan in place, make this your best summer yet! 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.

Tips for Making Your Résumé

Tips for Making Your Résumé How to Make Your Resume Outstanding ChaptersThe Origins of the RésuméThe Purpose of a RésuméWriting Your RésuméFormatting Your RésuméWe’re not talking high literature, here â€" or, for that matter, popular literature. When reading a summary of your work experience, nobody is looking for engaging prose.The place for such prose is in your cover letter; more on that later.A resume, also commonly known as a CV or curriculum vitae, should be a snapshot of what you have to offer in the way of education, experience and suitability to the company you’re applying to.In a job search, suitability actually counts more than experience and perhaps even more than your educational background.Still, there are specific ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ to heed when composing or tweaking your résumé to better match the requirements of any job you apply for.Your Superprof wants to provide you with hacks, tips and tricks to nailing your first impression â€" the all-important resume; the first contact you make with a prospective employer.Indeed, most languages â€" French, Spanish; even Polish uses either ‘resume’ or ‘curriculum vitae’ (abbreviated as CV) to describe this document, albeit modified to suit their languages’ particulars.Job seekers in Spain should know to use only 'curriculum vitae'; CV means 'horsepower'!The word ‘résumé’   - with or without the marks, comes to us from Latin via the French. In that language, it’s meaning is ‘summary’, reflecting that such documents are intended to be a short recounting of your academic, professional and personal experiences.The personal aspect of the résumé, listing one’s hobbies and interests, did not become an integral part of the resume format until the mid-20th century. That segment is now considered standard and is used to determine a candidate's suitability to a position; what employers call 'a good fit'. You might think that, as a student, you will have trouble writing a professional resume Image by Selver Ucanbarlic from PixabayDid you know that Leonardo da Vinci is credited with presenting the world’s first résumé?In his time, this all-important document was not much more than a handwritten letter describing one’s abilities. Résumés maintained that seeming informality for nearly 500 years, until technology mandated a neater, more professional appearance of job applicants’ CVs.The words ‘résumé’ and ‘CV’ are often used interchangeably but they are (supposed to be) fundamentally different. The contrast is hinted at in their names: a résumé is meant to be a brief summary while the CV is an extended retelling of one’s life.Still, hardly anybody makes that distinction these days so, whether you are called on to submit a résumé or a CV, know that, to prospective employers (or websites) those documents are one and the same.Also discover how to write a cover lette r to complement your CV…The Purpose of a RésuméLong gone are the days when one could simply present oneself to a corporate establishment, seeking work.For the last half-century, two sheets of A-4 paper (maximum!) have done what supplicants had been doing for thousands of years. Indeed, if any random person turned up at an office building claiming they are looking for work today, security officers would promptly turn them away.On the other hand, your local newsagent, greengrocer or dairy farmer might not require you to submit a résumé to work in their shop, in part because they already know something about you.That distinction is key to understanding the purpose of the résumé in today’s business world.Every year, around summertime, the job market is flooded with newly graduated university students seeking their break into.That torrent of job seekers counts among its numbers students who have not yet graduated â€" from secondary school or university, who want/need to gain a bit of pocket money or to get some work experience under their belt while they have a chance, before the school year starts again.From this onslaught of workers, hiring departments must make the best selections possible to represent their companies’ interests but, you have to admit, it is hard to meet individually with swarms of applicants all vying for the same position.The noise, the crush of humanity… the ongoing moments of face time can only melt into one long blur. How could any job candidate stand out?By contrast, the hiring team that gets to review stacks of résumés, culling out the ones with the most potential and presenting only those to their manager, who gets to look over those picks in the tranquillity of his/her office…Presenting yourself well on paper gives you a far better chance at being hired than pressing yourself into an applicant scrum, hoping to get noticed in all of the clamour.Consider this a tip to finding your first job: write an effective résumé. Resume writing takes skill; maybe you should practise and bat some ideas around before sitting at the computer Image by Free-Photos from PixabayWriting Your RésuméIf you are preparing to graduate from university or still in secondary school, there’s a good bet you don’t have much work experience. Still, you shouldn’t worry about a thin résumé; you can still make a good first impression on paper.On any résumé, work experience is less important than relevant experience, meaning any experiences relevant to the field of work you are applying to.Let’s say your future ambitions include a career in law. A logical place for you to apply for work would be in law offices. As someone who might never have even had a brush with the law, you might be hard-pressed to flesh out your résumé but you’re not down the pan just yet.Are you a member of your school’s Debate Club? Do you do any volunteer or charity work, especially with less fortunate segments of the population?These are both fine examples of relevant experience relating to careers in law; now, all you have to do it present them in the proper context.Let’s get started by writing your header.Aligned with the left margin, list your name, address and contact details: email, phone and Skype â€" you may have a phone interview or a video interview so it is important to let prospective employers know that you would be happy to talk with them by any means possible.Because your résumé will be light on information â€" not through any fault of your own, you may write an introductory paragraph; something to the effect that you are a (university? secondary school?) student.This paragraph should be no longer than two or three sentences and reflect directly on the position for which you are applying.Next, you will list your educational accomplishments.The chronological résumé is generally considered the norm; it starts with work experience and progresses through educational accomplishments. As you are rather light on work history, perhaps you should write a functional résumé; one that highlights skills and experience. With this type of résumé, you can make your educational achievements the focus.Obviously, there is no need to divulge your primary school awards and accomplishments; only from secondary school up.If you have participated in any extracurricular activities, perhaps the aforementioned debate club, you would list them in the 'education' section, under the header ‘Extracurricular Activities’.The next segment you should populate is ‘Experience’. Later in life, once you have experience, you will be able to revise and edit your résumé so that you can adapt it to suit any job you may want.For now, here is where you would list any volunteer work and any experiences you might have had that are relevant to the job you're applying for.Please keep in mind that you will not write rambling paragraphs detailing thoughts and feeling; the essence of the exercise is to be conci se; present your thoughts as bulleted statements. And always stay relevant!The Résumé SkeletonHeader: the place for your name and contact information; you may list social media profiles only if they are professional â€" a LinkedIn profile or a sanitised FaceBook pageIntroductory paragraph: only a couple of sentences, targeted to the job you are applying for.Education: go no further back than secondary school; list relevant courses and test scores if you have themExtracurricular activities (and achievements): if you’ve won debate competitions or played team sports, list them here.Experience: any ‘work’ experience relating to the field you are applying in. Include any volunteering and freelancing you’ve done that connects back to the job you want.Skills: list any special skills you might have that could bear on your ability to do this job better than others.Hobbies and Interests: in this last section, feel free to list key skills that bring out your best qualities â€" readin g, community work, etc.Join the discussion: does anybody still expect a thank you letter after an interview? You don't have to look professional while you write your resume but, for your job interview, you have to look sharp! Image by kropekk_pl from PixabayFormatting Your RésuméA good résumé is formatted such that the hiring manager or job recruiter needs only to glance at your document to know that the job seeker who wrote it merits more than a cursory glance.Everything, from the font you use to the font size, matters!Experts advise that Arial and Verdana ‘pop’ more than tried-and-true fonts such as Times New Roman. Also, a 12-point font is optimal and it should remain consistent throughout your document.Also, these fonts work better with the online applicant tracking system, a hiring tool more personnel departments are gravitating to for applicant screening.Avoid stylising your résumé with bold, italic or underlined scripts; trust the hiring managers to find critical information without your having to point to it. However, you should make your section headers a bit bigger and i t wouldn’t hurt if they were in bold.Feel free to jazz up your résumé with targeted keywords; these are words that relate directly to the job field you’re applying to.Finally, the most important advice: proofread!Run your résumé through a spell-checker. Ask two or even three other sets of eyes to go over it â€" for both content, appearance and correctness. There is truly nothing worse than presenting yourself through a grammatically unsound, poorly written document.Once you’ve sent your résumé in, you only need to sit back and get ready for your phone interview…

Work your Hamstrings with a Personal Trainer

Work your Hamstrings with a Personal Trainer Hamstring Exercises Recommended by our Personal Trainers ChaptersWorking Your Hamstrings: Safety First (and Last)Hamstring Warm-upsWork Your Hamstrings Without a Fitness InstructorWorking Ischios with Resistance Bands and Other Gym EquipmentResistance Training for Your LegsCooling Down After the WorkoutFinal Words from Our Training SpecialistsToning the muscles behind your thighs is necessary for a powerful workout, and just to get around in the everyday.Supple hamstrings are vital to your flexibility, to protect and enhance knee function and to just feel like the best you.During fitness training, the focus is generally on gaining strong back muscles, on losing weight, on working toward a flat stomach, on building pectoral muscles...Seldom does anyone think about toning hamstrings.Situated at the rear of your leg, above the knee, they are a trio of interdependent muscles: the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus and the biceps femoris, all of which facilitate hip muscle function and permit knee flexion.Poorly conditioned hamstrings could ke ep you from so much as climbing a set of stairs!If that limitation of mobility doesn't scare you now, think about your golden years: what will your senior fitness profile  look like?Do you find it difficult â€" even impossible to touch the floor with your legs straight? Even with just your fingertips?Do you often get a feeling similar to ants crawling along the back of your legs and behind your knees?Now is the time to do some strength training and muscle conditioning on your hamstrings.Reflect first upon that great law of our nature, that exercise is the chief source of improvement in all our faculties. - Hugh BlairTo lose weight, to gain muscle mass;  to tone or sculpt your body: there is a wealth of exercises and activities to trim your thighs â€" an integral part of them being your hamstrings.Every move targeted especially to hamstrings should only be done after warm ups.Our Superprof training specialists will now share their knowledge on how to tone and build up your hamstrings .advanced fitness groups could easily pull more than five reps.Every fitness specialist emphasises: if pain is immediate, acute and ongoing, stop what you're doing and seek out the advice of a health professional.At no point should you accept agony as a part of your physical training.Nationally, every personal fitness trainer is required to obtain First Aid Certification before being allowed to work through any fitness center or gymnasium, and as an in-home personal trainer.Working with a personal trainer will not only save you from injury but also motivate you and measure your progress.S/he might add leg curls to your personal training sessions, too.How to do Leg CurlsLaying face-down on your exercise mat, prop your upper body on your elbows.Be sure to keep your head in line with the rest of your spine.On the inhale, lift your calves slowly and progressively, until you can bring them back no further.Exhale as you bring them back to original position, equally slowly. Repeat.The begi nner athlete should crank out ten of these low impact curls. Professional athletes use a machine, with weights to work and condition their legs!If you are taking intermediate or advance fitness courses, you may be using a similar set-up.This type of gym machine is designed for leg lifts Source: Pixabay Credit: Janeb whether with isometrics, kettlebells or an elliptical trainer, fitness accountability rhymes with body flexibility.Final Words from Our Training SpecialistsMuscular endurance is vital to any exercise program.Exercise trainers have the knowledge, skills and abilities to design a personal training program tailored to you.Your private training may include corrective exercises, especially if you suffer from regular back pain or have had setback in your personal fitness training.At-home workouts have their benefits, but nothing beats an accredited fitness program led by a certified personal trainer.Most Superprof trainers offer their first lesson free!If you prefer motivation from fellow exercisers, you could participate in circuit training at a fitness studio, or work out in a small group at the gym.Just remember: to achieve your goals, be sure to include all muscles groups into your program design, even those overlooked hamstrings.

Learning English Ten Words Often Mispronounced

Learning English Ten Words Often Mispronounced What Are The Common Speaking Pronunciation Mistakes When Learning English? ChaptersCommon Words that Suffer Mis-pronunciationPre- versus Per- wordsThe Same but for One LetterBuilding Proficiency in Writing and Speaking EnglishMis-pronounced IdiomsEnglish is the world's language, with more than a billion and a half speakers using at least business English, if not general English in their daily life.It is not uncommon that some words are not spoken correctly, even by native English speakers. Many people make common mistakes in every aspect of English.The most up-to-date Oxford English dictionary contains entries for nearly two hundred thousand words.Of those, here are the ones that are most often mispronounced.emphasis on the second and speaks all three: des-PI-te.Word pairs, like birds, may look similar but often do not sound the same. (Source: Pixabay Credit: Frank Winkler)Building Proficiency in Writing and Speaking EnglishStudents, especially in Basic English lessons are encouraged to rely on the International Phonetic Alphabet as a way to learn vocalizat ion of English words.Intermediate level Esl classes are filled with learners who rely on audio renderings of words that most online  dictionaries provide.These are not necessarily the best tools to improve your reading skills or spoken English.It is true that native English speakers teach their children by repeating words again and again, so that their young can mimic the sounds.Repeatedly listening to a recorded word does not give you the same benefit.The difference is that parents of small children enunciate, speaking each syllable with proper tone and inflection.Furthermore, the youngest learners have the advantage of watching a speaker's mouth move, so that s/he can copy the action.An audio recording does not permit that vital link â€" between mouth position and sound. Besides, it offers the whole word, as spoken in conversation by native speakers, rather than each syllable spoken individually.To get serious about language learning, we suggest these techniques on how to learn En glish and increase your fluency.Reduce your reliance on recorded wordsFor proper English pronunciation, learn to break words down into syllables.Developing your writing skills will lead to better speaking skillsKeeping a journal or writing a blog would be helpful.Disable word processing tools that would automatically correct your spelling mistakes.However, the spell-check function would be helpful in highlighting mistakes that you can correct on your own.Practise your spoken English every chance you get.Learn new words only after mastering your current vocabularyA language course can help you avoid learning bad pronunciationThe British Council maintains a website full of tools and activities to support your English learning.They host podcasts â€" recordings of everyday conversations, moderately spoken so that you can hear correct pronunciation.You can follow along by downloading the accompanying transcript. On their site, they publish quizzes as well as reading and writing exercises to help you perfect your English.Whether you learn to speak English in a recognised ESOL  class, through English lessons online, or at an English language school, rest assured that your language skills can only improve if you use as many ways to learn English with as you can.To close, we give you a humourous look at English speaking.There is no such thing as a doggy-dog world. (Source: Pixabay)Mis-pronounced IdiomsA Doggy Dog WorldA dog eat dog world is a ruthless, cruel environment where failure results in being eaten â€" most likely by the top dog.Contrast that image with a doggy dog world â€" doggy-dog  being the way a toddler might refer to a  puppy.For All Intensive PurposesFor all intents and purposes is a legal phrase that means virtually, or for all practical purposes.Intensive purposes are those that are concentrated in a single area, for a short time.Taken for GraniteThe idiom taken for granted represents a belief of insignificance.The importance of verb tenses is taken f or granted by many Ielts students.Taken for granite would signify that many people mistake any type of rock for a specific type, namely: granite.If you are an international student, don't take this advice for granted!Learn to to avoid common English Grammar mistakes here.

Store Cupboard Essentials for Learning to Cook!

Store Cupboard Essentials for Learning to Cook! The Food that Makes Every Chef’s Life Easier! ChaptersUseful Products for an AperitifIngredients for Everyday DishesEssentials for Creating Great DessertsFresh Produce to Keep on HandCooking Vocabulary“Cooking and baking is both physical and mental therapy.” - Mary BerryMore and more people are getting into cooking their own meals because it's cheaper and healthier!Learning to cook also involves learning which products you’ll need to create almost any recipe.  In order to make gourmet dishes, aside from the specific ingredients you’ll get for the recipe, you should always have a basic set of ingredients.In this article, we're going to be having a look at the supplies you should always have in your cupboards so that you'll be ready for any situation! GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Disc over all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsUseful Products for an AperitifIt’s Friday night and your partner comes home from work and says “I’ve invited the Smiths round for a few drinks at 8.”.It’s half six and, while you’ve got plenty of alcohol (to be consumed in moderation, of course), you don’t really have the time to get to the supermarket for pre-dinner snacks.  Don't panic! With just a few basic items, you’ll be the host with the most.You never really know what your friends are going to drink. (Source: Pexels)Fruit Juice and Soft DrinksOf course, alcohol might be useful, but not if your friends don’t drink.What do you do if your friend’s pregnant?Constantly having fruit juice and soft drinks means you’re ready for any eventuality. There are plenty of different options available and they're also really useful as mixers for cocktails (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic).Ice CubesIf you don’t have time to chill your drinks, it’s a good idea to keep stocked up with cubes. If your fridge-freezer doesn’t make ice, then make sure the ice tray is always full. Most modern fridge-freezers have a drawer dedicated to ice cubes or an ice cube tray built into the device. It's always a good idea to fill up this once a day and empty the cubes into the drawer below.OlivesA couple jars of olives are always a good idea because they can be served quickly, giving you the time to make up a few snacks. In fact, there are plenty of products in cans that will keep for ages and will certainly help you out in a pinch.SnacksAlways have a few packets of cashew nuts, peanuts, and crisps in your cupboard. We tend not to eat healthily if we snack before dinner but your guests will certai nly be happy to have something they can eat whilst they're waiting for the main course.Jars of Sauces: Pesto, Bolognese, etc.You can spread some sauce onto puff pastry and pop it in the oven until it’s golden. A quick and easy amuse bouche. Sauces in jars also keep for a while so you won't have to worry about them going off or having to regularly replace them.Sardines or TunaWith a bit of fromage blanc or cream cheese, tuna and sardines can become a lovely snack. Much like jars of sauces, tinned tuna and sardines also keep for a very long time and won't need to be replaced often.Sliced BreadSome toast is great with a bit of spread. You can freeze loaves of bread if you're planning to toast them directly and keep a stock of them in your freezer. You'll also probably need a loaf that isn't frozen if you're planning on serving fresh bread.What about radishes, sweet potato fries, and a few crudités?Also discover these easy dishes you can whip up in practically no time!Ingredients for Everyday DishesWe tend to eat the same thing quite often because it’s what we know how to make. However, you don’t need a lot to spice up a few simple recipes. You just need some basic ingredients to make your dishes better.Herbs and SpicesSalt and pepper are the very least you can have in your cupboards. You should also have stuff like cumin, coriander, chives, and paprika. Again, a good selection of spices is easy to maintain and it isn't something you'll have to frequently replenish.Never underestimate how useful herbs and spices can be. (Source: stevepb)Oil and VinegarTo make a vinaigrette, prepare vegetables for roasting, or to make mayonnaise, you’re going to need some vinegar and oil.Make sure you’ve always got a bit of olive oil and rapeseed oil. When it comes to vinegar, you can get wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or raspberry vinegar.Pureed TomatoesThis is really useful for making tomato sauce for pasta or rice, with eggs or fried vegetables, or you could use it f or a lasagna.Pasta, Rice, and LegumesThe advantage of these products is that they last a long time so don’t hesitate to stock up on plenty of different types of pasta, rice, and legumes: coral lentils, chickpeas, snap peas, beans etc.For cold or warm starters and mains, carbohydrates and starches can be used a variety of different ways.MustardAs every cookbook will remind you, mustard can be used in plenty of dishes.  It’s also great for seasoning meat or making a sauce with crème fraîche.Onions, Garlic, and ShallotsI can’t live without these ingredients. Whether it’s with fish, meat, vegetables, or pasta, I put them on everything.  Make sure you always have these to hand as they can be used to improve a lot of dishes.MilkMilk is essential for pancakes, cakes, sweetening up a sauce. If you’re lactose intolerant, you can always swap it out for soy or almond milk. Fresh milk is nicer but UHT milk keeps for ages.CreamA carton of cream lasts for ages.  It’s a good idea to keep them in the cupboard for when you need to make a sauce, quiche, or other savoury dishes.StockWhen you’re preparing a soup or a sauce, it’s always a good idea to have some of this around. It lasts for ages and can be added to tonnes of recipes.Grated CheeseGrated cheese can be added to plenty of dishes including pasta, gratin, pies, and even used to decorate hors-d'oeuvres.Find out what kitchen accessories you should always have on hand! GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 ( 1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsEssentials for Creating Great DessertsDessert is my favourite part of a meal. I love both eating and making cakes (the former more than the latter). Mixing ingredients, tasting the raw batter, taking it out of the oven when it’s still piping hot.  If you’re like me, then you should have a few of the following ingredients in your pantry.EggsWhile eggs are essential for omelettes and great with salad, you also need them for baking.  Whether you use the whole egg, whip up some egg whites, cook them in a meringue, or use them for chocolate fondant, eggs are essential.ButterBaking isn’t really that healthy... that’s why you need butter, lots of butter. Olive oil won't cut it!ChocolateWho would dare suggest anything other than chocolate?Dark chocolate is particularly good for quick and simple recipes. Furthermore, it’s rich in antioxidants, which are great for your health (when consumed in moderation, of course).If you have a sweet tooth, you should always keep some chocolate in your cupboards. (Source: AlexanderStein)CerealsMuesli or oats are great for mango, apple, or raisin crumble.FlourFlour is used in a lot of recipes. Make sure you always have a bag of it to hand.SugarSugar, honey, or agave syrup is great for sweetening up pastries. Of course, make sure you use it sparingly so that your desserts aren’t sickly.YeastThis is used to make the dough rise in cakes. Baking powder isn’t very expensive and keeps for a long time.Did you know that you can replace it with beer when making pancakes?Vanilla Ice CreamJust made an apple pie? You should serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!Pick up on these cooking tips to become a pro in the kitchen!Fresh Produce to Keep on HandMost of the products we’ve already mentioned last for a long time. It’s useful to have them in your cupboards as you can use them as and when you need to.While you have to buy it more frequently, fresh produce can make the differenc e. (Source: Free-Photos)Of course, you’ll also need to stay stocked up on some fresh produce as this is where most of your flavour and nutrition will come from:Seasonal fruits and vegetables including lemon, which is useful for stopping apples and avocados from darkening, bringing out the taste of fish, and making a vinaigrette. They're also great for making soups, stews, and casseroles or a tasty stir-fry.Ham or lardons are very useful for adding to fried vegetables, pies, or quiches.Seasonal fish: Just like fruit and vegetables, fish can be in season. You can reduce your carbon footprint by buying local fish. You should also opt for fresh fish that has been sustainably fished.Meat from the butcher’s: For better meat with a longer shelf-life, you should opt for produce from your local butcher. You can eat less meat of a higher quality.Cooking VocabularyIn addition to basic ingredients, you should be aware of a few of these terms. We've also got a few definitions in our other co oking articles so don't forget to read those, too!BechamelBechamel is a sauce made from whole milk, flour, salt, pepper, and a bit of nutmeg to bring out the flavour.CoulisConcentrated sugar and pureed strained vegetables.How about rounding out your meal with a few delicious cooking quotes?Find out more about cooking classes.

English Expressions with LOOK Intermediate Level English

English Expressions with LOOK Intermediate Level English We usually use the verb to look to describe how we see or watch something.    I looked at that TV  programme last night.    I looked at the report quickly.    Here are some English Expressions with LOOK presenting  other ways in which we can use it, sometimes as a verb, phrasal verb and also as a noun.  Scroll down to watch video lesson on English expressions with LOOK. English Expressions with LOOK HAVE A LOOK  A very useful phrase that we can use in many different situations. It means to glance or to look at something or someone,  especially in a quick, informal manner.  Can you have a look  at that email before you leave?    I will have a look at that hair dryer and see if I can fix it, if you like.    If  you don’t believe why don’t you have a look for yourself.    All of these expressions demonstrate the  versatility of this phase.  LOOK YOUR BEST    When we have to make a speech or we are attending an important meeting or  interview, it is always important to present ourselves in the best way possible.    We often can hear from our friends or family:    It’s important to look your best today. It’s a big day for you.    Or    I really want  to look my best for this dinner. Can you re-style my hair to give me a more modern look please?  LOOK WORSE FOR WEAR  This is usually used to describe when someone isn’t looking their best. In fact,  they look a little ill or n ot themselves.    He had a few difficult days. The office party went on long into  the night and on top of that he also had a party in the football club the day before. After 2 days of  celebration he certainly was looking the worse for wear.  GOOD LOOKING  This is frequently used to describe how a man or woman appear to us. This English expression is used to describe  their physical appearance. We use it when we want to describe a person who is physically attractive.  For example:    He is a very good looking man.    Or    She is good looking, isn’t  she? Expressions with LOOK - Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here’s what you can do next: BY THE LOOK OF IT  When we are not sure about something and we ask for a second opinion or  someone’s view on it. The reply we get will often include this phrase by the look of it.    For example:    Mary is reading a legal banking document that is not really written in clear simple English. She asks  her colleague Catherine to have a look at a particular section and give her view/opinion as to what it  means.    Catherine reads it several times and says: By the look of it, it appears that they want you to  give a personal guarantee. I am not a banker but that is how I read it. I think you should call them  and clarify it.  IT LOOKS LIKE    Again when we are asked for our opinion. We often use this phrase when we are  confirming what the other person wants to hear.    For example:    John received a reply to his request  for a promotion. He had been working in the same position for more than 3 years. His boss replied  to say how much they valued his work how important he was to the company in the position he  holds.    He asked his colleague Mathew:   I think they are telling me I am not getting that promotion.  What do you think?  Mathew looks at the email and replies:   Yes, it looks like it to me. meaning I   would agree  with your view.  LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE (OF LIFE, OF THINGS)  To stay optimistic and try to see something positive even in a bad situation. There is always a light. We can use this expression to cheer someone up.  John is amazing! He almost always has a smile or laugh available, and tries  to look on the bright side of  things.  Lets look on the bright side; at least Monday only happens once a week.  This expression is originated from the cult British comedy The Life of Brian. English Expressions with LOOK - Video English Lesson

Tips For a Great First Day of School

Tips For a Great First Day of School The new school year will be here before you know it. Start this school year the right way, putting your students at ease and setting the tone for a positive year. Here are a few tips to make the first day of school great: Greet everyone individually. Ease everyones nerves and offer a warm, personal welcome to each student who comes through the door. Introduce yourself and ask each persons name, repeating them as they are spoken. Break the ice. Make everyone feel a little more relaxed with a few fun name games or activities that get everyone acquainted. This helps new classmates remember one anothers names, too. Share classroom rules. Set expectations right away for how your classroom will run and what is and isnt acceptable student behavior. Talk about your classroom management rules and the consequences for breaking them. Go through the routine. Post the daily schedule somewhere central and review it once youre finished with introductions. Your everyday routine is key to keeping your students on track make sure they learn it quickly! Run through any FAQs. Often, students want to know the basics right away, like when to use the bathroom, where to hand in homework, and what activities are allowed after classwork is finished. Establish your procedures (and hang them in a visible location). If you want your classroom to run like a well-oiled machine, you need to explain your classroom procedures and practice them. Go over them on the first day and reinforce in the weeks to come.

Maple Bear Korea Hiring New Teachers

Maple Bear Korea Hiring New Teachers Are you a newly licensed Canadian or American teacher? Finding licensed teaching jobs abroad can be a challenge with no full-time experience on your resume. Maple Bear Global Schools, with international schools across the world, hires new teachers to bring the best of Canadian education to students worldwide. Build your resume with licensed teaching experience abroad by teaching at Maple Bear!Maple Bear KoreaMaple Bear Korea is currently hiring for Early Years teaching positions throughout the country. Teachers who are hoping to begin right away are in luck - Maple Bear's schools in Seoul and Songpa are hiring for immediate start dates. For teachers who aren't able to move to Seoul on such short notice, these branches and others are also hiring new teachers for start dates later in the year.Maple Bear’s vision is to establish a passion for knowledge in young learners that will serve as a foundation for future success in the formal education system.  The Maple Bear curriculum was de signed to reinforce children’s natural interest in learning by offering stimulating experiences to young learners. The curriculum was developed using the latest research in early childhood education.For educators, Maple Bear offers both pre-departure orientation as well as training once teachers have arrived in their new homes. The school prides itself on a professional teaching environment that matches the quality of its learning environment for students.Benefits of Teaching at Maple BearMaple Bear Global Schools provide teachers with an excellent salary and benefits package:Competitive salary starting at 2.3 million KRWProvided accommodationRound trip airfareContract completion bonusHealth insurance 50% coveredPlease visit our Maple Bear Korea page for full job details.Requirements for Maple Bear KoreaBachelor's degree in Education, Early Childhood Education, or a related fieldTeaching license from the educator's home province or stateNative English speakerApply to Teach at Mapl e BearRead more about Maple Bear schools in Korea, and apply to teach at Maple Bear through Teach Away. Take advantage of this excellent opportunity to gain licensed teaching experience, build your resume, and teach overseas!