Do You Change your Pace Often Enough - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Do You Change your Pace Often Enough - Introvert Whisperer Do You Change your Pace Often Enough? Change of pace is an important aspect of our functioning in work and life.   More than anything else, when you change the pace of how you work or manage your life, it perks up your focus.   You can start looking at your work in a new way, often sparking new and creative ideas or approaches. Changing how you do things can re-energize you as well.   It’s like running a race or taking a hike.   It’s good to stop periodically to catch your breath, sip water and assess your progress. It’s in those moments when we pause that we allow ourselves to plan our next steps and the path ahead.   While on the surface it may seem like we have stopped work and aren’t productive, in fact, it’s some of the most important time we spend.   We can all use new, creative approaches to our work or solving a problem and certainly we need the energy to keep moving forward.   That will only happen by taking a break or changing your pace. I leave you with this trivia: Did you know vacations, weekends and retirement are all inventions of this past century??   In other words, time off of work hasn’t always existed?   It only evolved as a result of manufacturing and people leaving farming as a means of making a living.   Farmers can’t reasonably stop tending animals or crops for a vacation (at least not without doing loads of planning for who picks up the work while they’re gone). Go to top Do you know what your next career step is?  Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Internship vs. Co-op Know the Difference Between These Two Programs

Internship vs. Co-op Know the Difference Between These Two Programs In most career fields, a strong college GPA is only one aspect of nabbing an entry-level job. Employers are more likely to interviewand ultimately hirejob candidates with relevant work experience. There are two main ways students can gain job experience while in college: through either internships or cooperative education programs, also known as co-ops. While both are similar programs with the same end goal, its important to know the difference between an internship and a co-op. What is an internship? Colleges and universities often strongly encourage students to complete an internship. Internships can be paid or unpaid, and they typically last the duration of one semester. Students are tasked with completing any outside coursework and personal commitments while logging the required number of internship hours. Internship duties vary widely by company and field. You might be asked to complete entry-level tasks, for instance. While these might not always be particularly exciting, its important to remain open to the tasks presented in an effort to show your flexibility and willingness to expand your skill set. [RELATED: Why You Should Pursue an Internship in College] What is a co-op? A variety of schools offer co-op programs. While participating in a co-op, students may stop taking classes in order to work full-time. Co-ops are usually paid, and often require students to work full-time for several months. Sometimes, a students co-op experience is divided into two-to-three scheduled work periods throughout the school year or throughout multiple years. Co-ops allow students to gain a good deal of work experience prior to completion of their degree. Is a co-op or internship right for you? The benefits Completing an internship or a co-op adds experience to students resumes, and can help them land a future job by providing a plethora of networking opportunities. Whats more, these programs can show you what you like and dont like about a given career. You may begin a program in a field you thought you were interested in, only to realize that its not the right fit for you. The time and money investment Its key to examine your time in order to decide which program is best for you. Internships typically last the length of a semester, but theres a chance they will be unpaid. Co-ops, however, can last a bit longer, may require you to stop taking classes, and are generally paid. When considering whether to pursue an internship or co-op, you should review your financial needs. If the promise of a steady paycheck alleviates a lot of your stress when it comes to paying for college, you might want to choose a co-op. If money is not a major consideration and youd rather finish your college career in a shorter time frame, an internship might be for you. How each program will affect your university experience Working as part of a co-op is a very different type of college experience compared to attending classes full-time or doing an internship part-time. During your co-op semesters, youre likely to spend less time on campus with your classmates, professors, and friends. While some students get used to moving between their workplace and college, others might feel uncomfortable. Its important to think about how you might feel having your time split like this, and whether or not youd enjoy this kind of college experience. [RELATED: How to Get Real-World Experience in Your College Major] Both internships and co-ops offer a unique opportunity for you to expand your skill set, network with professionals in your field, and set yourself up for post-graduate success. Its key to examine the pros and cons of each option, and to deduce which is the right fit for you and your ultimate career goals. [RELATED: 4 Tactics for Landing Your Dream Job] 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.

Your Personal Brand The Little Things Matter - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Your Personal Brand The Little Things Matter - Introvert Whisperer Your Personal Brand: The Little Things Matter Your personal brand is the value and experience others have of you based on your consistent behavior.   That personal brand can be a favorable one or negative one, depending on what your behavior is.   Your personal brand shapes your success both professionally as well as personally so it’s important to give it some thought. Your behavior includes even small things like whether or not you’re timely in returning texts, voicemails, and emails.   It can include whether or not you are usually late showing up to things and if you seem to perpetually have a whirling caldron of chaos surrounding you.   It’s not just about how well you execute things at a technical level or your sweet personality. Your ability to adequately manage life’s daily “administrivia” is one of those things that if you do well, are kind of a neutral background thing.   No one notices it and your other assets shine through.   That’s how you want to be experienced.   However, when you habitually fail in those personal management tasks, it will overshadow all of the positive assets you possess. It’s the little things that eat away at any trust people may have placed in you because you’ve demonstrated you can’t handle the little things; you probably can’t handle the big ones.   Even if you have an amazing personality and do things that people love, those same people will eventually give up on you if you are flaky.   It’s just not worth making the effort. Can you imagine not being worth other people’s effort to maintain a relationship or to support?   Harsh but it happens every day. So, if you know or suspect that you might have some of those behaviors, you have to change that today.   You won’t get traction anywhere in life or at work if you don’t. The little things matter. Go to top Personal Branding starts with how well you speak about YOU.  I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook â€" The Definitive Guide to Creating and Using an Elevator Speech.  In this guide, I give you simple to follow instructions for creating a “wardrobe” of ways to talk about you â€" to leave a lasting impression. Get your copy now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Tips for High School Students to Start the New Year

Tips for High School Students to Start the New Year The school year is beginning and it can be easy to get overwhelmed with everything you have to doidentifying where your classes are located, organizing your folders and notebooks, and especially for juniors and seniors, thinking seriously about college. Here are some quick tips for high school students to start the new year off on the right foot. Set goals Having aspirations for the future is important attending college, having a future career, etc. However, it is also crucial to set realistic goals specifically for this school year. Do you need a certain grade point average to gain acceptance into your dream university, or perhaps need to take certain AP classes? You can also set goals for extracurricular activities, such as discovering an impressive internship or a volunteering opportunity. Write your goals down, be as specific as possible, and post them where you know you will see them every day. Determine the most effective way for you to take notes Note-taking is a valuable skill in both high school and college. As it turns out, there is more to taking class notes than you might think! Take the time to look for different note-taking strategies, such as using bullet points, writing in multiple colors, highlighting particular areas, using smartphone apps, etc. If you have not done so already, it would be highly encouraged to install Microsoft Office or another type of word processing software and see how it can enhance your notes. Here are three note-taking formats every student should try. Assess your study habits Everyone studies differently. Some students can easily focus on lengthy tasks in a solitary setting, while others flourish when working in groups. A new school year is the perfect time to evaluate and improve your study methods. If you found yourself distracted last year while studying, find a new study spot or eliminate the distractions around you. If you found yourself cramming the night before tests last year, make a point to set reminders for yourself to study earlier rather than later.Consider using a planner or calendar to organize important deadlines, as well as to manage large projects and assignments. These are some great tips onhow toavoid study distractions. Conquer procrastination If you are somebody who frequently reschedules tasks for later, you are not alone unfortunately, procrastination is a problem that plagues many students, but you can overcome it. There are several concrete methods to help ensure you do not procrastinate, so why not try out a few of them to start the new year? When facing a large and complicated task, like a term paper or college application essay, break it down into smaller and more manageable pieces, and use a to-do list to conquer them. If you find yourself procrastinating when faced with a minor task, ask yourself, why? Why exactly am I not doing this right now? Reward yourself when you finish work, rather than doing so before or in between the process. This can serve as excellent motivation. Here are a few of the best study habitsyou should have! As you prepare to start the new year in the most productive way possible, think about what particular grade you are entering and how that affects your goals. Freshmen and sophomores, for example, should typically be more focused on adjusting to the new aspects of high school classes and attaining high grades. Juniors and seniors, on the other hand, will likely be more focused on paving their way to college; this should include visiting campuses, navigating applications, and taking the SAT or ACT. While the path is different each year for high school students, the way theywalk it is similar. If you are able to get organized, move past procrastination, and develop strong study habits, the sky or rather, your dream college is the limit. Best of luck in school as you start the new year!

Surface Area of a Pyramid Tutors

Surface Area of a Pyramid Tutors A pyramid is a 3-dimensional geometric figure which has 4 triangles joining towards a single point known as the apex or the vertex of the pyramid. There are different types of pyramids depending on the type of base a pyramid has. For instance, a pyramid with a square base is known as square pyramid, a pyramid with a rectangular base is known as a rectangular pyramid etc. Total surface area of a pyramid can be calculated by adding all the areas of every face of the pyramid. Example 1: What is the surface area of a square pyramid which has a base length of 3m and a slant height of 5m? Given: base length, b= 3m Slant height of the pyramid, s = 5m Since it is a square pyramid, the base of the pyramid is a square. Surface area of a square pyramid = b2 + 2* b* s This gives: Surface area of the square pyramid, SA= (3)2 + (2 * 3 * 5) = 9+ 30= 39m2 Therefore, the surface area of the given square pyramid is 39m2 Example 2: What is the surface area of a rectangular pyramid which has a base length of 6m, base width of 4m and a slant height of 8m? Given: base length, l= 6m, base width, w = 4m Slant height of the pyramid, s = 8m Since it is a rectangular pyramid, the base of the pyramid is a rectangle. Surface area of the rectangular pyramid = (l* w) + (l* s) + (w* s) This gives: Surface area of the rectangular pyramid, SA= (6* 4) + (6* 8) + (4* 8) = 104m2 Therefore, the surface area of the given rectangular pyramid is 104m2

We want Schools for All!

We want ‘Schools for All’! “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” - Nelson Mandela. Last Friday (7th Feb) UNICEF launched its Day for Change, with the focus for 2014 on ‘Schools for All’. Across the world there are 57 million children who don’t get the chance to go to school. This figure is already enormous, but there are around 200 million more who are not receiving an education despite attending school. According to the latest report commissioned by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), “around 250 million children are not learning basic skills- even though half of them have spent at least four years at school.”[1] One of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals was to provide universal primary education by 2015; it is clearly unlikely that this goal will be reached. UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova wrote: “education provides sustainability to progress against all development goals. Educate mothers, and you empower women and save children’s lives. Educate communities, and you transform societies and grow economies”.[2] Sadly, the list of barriers preventing universal education is vast. The nearest school might be too far away; many children need to stay at home earning money for their families; in war-torn zones attending school, or making the journey there, may be hazardous. Then there are the children in school but still not receiving a good education. Perhaps the class sizes are too big, or the school doesn’t have sufficient learning resources, or the teachers haven’t had sufficient training. This picture shows how lucky we are in the UK to have an education system that is free for all and generally easily accessible. Of course, it is nowhere near perfect - with huge educational inequality across society. In the least well-off families in the UK, where children are eligible for free school meals, nearly half (47%) achieve no A-C grade GCSEs. Only 2% go on to attend a Russell Group or equivalently elite university. Compare this to 48% of independent school pupils. Nearly half of the poorest pupils achieve no good GCSE grades at all; nearly half of the richest get into the best universities. Many of these privileged children will have received the benefits of private tutoring. For every student who pays for a tutor in London through Tutorfair, a disadvantaged child gets tutoring for free; we work with schools where high percentages of children are on free school meals, supporting the children identified as having the greatest need. While UNICEF strives to fulfil its commendable global ‘Schools for All’ goal, Tutorfair and many other organisations work to narrow our own education gap here in the UK. Image from  www.inewmedia.org  CC-by   [1]http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/efareport/reports/2013/ Is cited in article here:  http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47034Cr=educationCr1=#.UvtMLPRdVPK [2] Ibid.

Simple Academic Strategies Part One

Simple Academic Strategies Part One Improving Academic Performance Acting strategically is a key to success in education, business, and, really life in general. Before starting MyGuru I was a business strategy consultant, so I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the process of developing strategies. For a business, a typical strategy development process consists of something like: Agree on a specific goal, for example, to double profit Gather a bunch of facts on your company, your competitors, your markets, and your customers Summarize your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, etc. Create some alternative courses of action which take all of the above into consideration Evaluate those courses of action using agreed upon criteria, such as: what would it cost, how risky is it, how long would it take, etc. Choose the best alternative course of action Develop a specific plan with a timeline and clear understanding of who’s accountable for performing each item in the plan Students, like businesses, need to employ strategies to be successful. It may seem obvious, but if you don’t set specific goals, understand exactly what is required to reach them, and develop clear plans for what you will and will not do to achieve the goal, you’ll be much less successful than people that do these things. Setting goals, researching what is required to reach those goals, and developing specific plans that lay out what you will or will not do, is the essence of developing a strategy. As we’ve discussed before on this blog in articles on the growth mindset and on deliberate practice, research shows that successful people aren’t smarter, or even harder workers. They tend to focus on the ability to improve (growth mindset), which makes them grittier, and when they practice, they do so deliberately. However, what they also tend to do is think more strategically about what they’re doing and how it will help them accomplish their goals. Let’s look at what this could mean for a typical college student on two different levels: #1 choosing your classes and #2 performing well in any given class. In this post, we’ll focus on choosing classes. In our next post, we’ll dive into acting strategically within the context of doing well in a specific class. #1 Choosing What Classes to Take Many high school and college students pick classes based on the requirements of their current major, even though they may not be 100% sure they really want to major in that area. They assume they have to choose a path, and then follow it. The decision to change paths later, which perhaps they could see coming had they really laid out their options, comes with a lot of stress and inefficiencies (i.e., another semester or year in college, etc.). They probably also tend to care a little too much about things like timing of the classes, how interesting the class seems to them, and what they’ve heard about it from friends. These seem like natural, and common, criteria. But, they aren’t that strategic or fact-based. A more strategic approach might be to recognize that you have a few goals you’re trying to meet when choosing classes: meeting the requirements of your major, meeting the requirements of another major you might decide to pursue, communicating that you have certain skills to potential future employers so you are an attractive candidate, and perhaps getting exposed to new ideas across multiple disciplines (after all, you only go to college once), as well as graduating in four years. And, perhaps timing of the classes, general interest, and recommendations also play a role. If you know you need to meet the requirements for your major, but also aren’t sure if you’re even going to keep your current major, then that presents an additional, special challenge. As you lay out your class options, you may notice, having thought fully about the goals you have in mind when choosing classes, that there are some classes which meet many of these goals: they fulfill requirements for multiple majors that interest you, they seem interesting, they make your resume more interesting to future employers, the timing isn’t too bad, etc. The way to notice this is to, like a business might, layout your goals, and perhaps prioritize them. Then, gather all the relevant facts. In this case, the facts that most students sometimes don’t gather are hidden in the course descriptions and literature about major requirements. By digging into these documents, you often find courses that fulfill requirements across multiple majors. You could imagine that a classed called “The Economic Role of Individual Governments in the European Union” might meet a requirement for a major or minor in History, Political Science, and Economics. But, you won’t know this without dong some research and gathering facts. Some simple online research about what types of classes impress certain types of employers is another area in which to gather some facts. If you have a hunch you might be interested in a career in consulting or finance, taking some math or statistics classes, at the margin, will demonstrate analytical ability. If you are considering a career in Marketing, psychology classes will demonstrate an interest in an area of knowledge that’s highly relevant for that career. Of course, there will always be tradeoffs. You could image there being a class which seems like a perfect fit for several majors, actually seems interesting to you, and is taught be a well-like professor. But, it’s only available at 8AM on Fridays. All things considered, you might want to take that class. Ultimately, you can just write down on a piece of paper a long list of potential classes, and then across the top of the piece of paper, write out a list of goals you’re trying to accomplish. If the class helps meet that goal, give it a check. To be able to do this, you will need to gather and reflect on the right facts. By simply thinking strategically about your goals and all of the reasons you might choose one set of classes over another, you can create options for yourself around choosing a different major in the future without needing to stay in school an extra year, or perhaps even earning an extra minor or major degree, while also positioning yourself to look good in front of future employers with specific class experiences that they value. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, '6baac2ae-05a3-4610-9d1f-265c8cbd809f', {});

Research Tips for High Schoolers

Research Tips for High Schoolers Notes from a 21st Century Librarian: How to do Research As a high school student, you are required to do a great deal of research. This trend will only continue when you enter your first year of college. Each generation has been responsible for finding information, facts, and appropriate sources; however, the 21st-century has made research both easier and more difficult. Today’s students can easily ask their iPad a question and receive an answer almost instantaneously. Nearly everything can be Googled, putting important information at your fingertips. Students of yesteryear had to actually drive to a library, look up the name of a particular book and take it home for up to a week. Libraries are still a very important part of modern literacy and research, however most students use a virtual library for academic assignments (READ: Best Libraries in South Orange County For Studying).                   Many of your teachers and tutors went to high school prior to the advent of todays technological convenience. In a way, this puts them at a great advantage. People who learned how to do research the old fashioned way also learned which sources were valid and which were not. They grew along with the power of the Internet and can utilize it today while easily figuring out which answers are legitimate and well-documented and which sources should be entirely ignored. Although todays students have the advantage of these wonderful technologies, it’s important to know how to do research in a 21st-century virtual library (READ: The Students Guide to Study Breaks). 1.   Look for the lock symbol on websites Some websites have been legitimized and approved to display a neon green lock symbol. Students should strive to use sources and conduct research on these sites. Of course, there are some perfectly valid and useful sites that students can use that do not contain this symbol. It’s important to work with a teacher or tutor to learn how to find appropriate sources prior to leaving for college. 2. Look for the HTTP:// Websites that have the HTTP:// at the beginning of the website are usually valid in some respect.   Most of us dont look for these series of characters anymore but it’s important to check if theyre there. Remember, just about anybody can put just about anything on the Internet and so it’s important to think about what you should be researching and what is simply a distraction. 3. Balance your sources When studying current events or the news, it is important to show both sides of the story. Very few current events sources are completely unbiased. They are written by human beings after all. If you are studying a controversial topic, make sure to research and cite sources from both ends of the spectrum. Of course, you can (and should) form your own opinion but it’s crucial to demonstrate that you researched both sides before forming the opinion that you hold. 4. Show adequate support for your argument If you are doing online research for an argumentative essay, it’s important to cite several different sources in order to demonstrate that your research is comprehensive and complete. For example, if you have cited three articles but they are all from the same source, (PBS, NBC News, etc…) you are really only citing three subsets of one larger source. Research students are graded heavily on their ability to appropriately support their argument. Without adequate support the thesis remains a stated claim. 5. Do not rely on another’s work Remember, anybody can put anything on the Internet. Teachers, students, researchers, professors, editors, writers and scholars all post information to the Internet. It’s never a good idea to rely on somebodys work unless they have third-party recognition. Third-party recognition means that the information has been fact checked, edited, and published by a respected source (READ: A Letter to My High School Self). Anything else is simply somebodys opinion and may or may not be historically correct, well researched, or edited for content. Always do your own research and form your own opinion even if you find easy information online.   Youll be happy later that you did. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at info@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.