The History of Maths Teaching

The History of Maths Teaching Discover the History of Mathematics Tutoring: from Ancient Times till Today ChaptersMaths Background in Ancient GreeceMaths Teaching in Ancient RomeThe History of Maths in the Renaissance PeriodThe History of Mathematics in the Nineteenth CenturyLearning Maths TodayLooking at all aspects of Maths teaching begs the question: how was maths taught in the time of Plato and beyond?He then proceeded to write entire textbooks on each subject.Remus and Recorde's textbooks awakened an interest in Mathematics, not just in scholars and well-to-dos but among the middle class. As society's hunger for maths knowledge grew, private Maths Tutors were soon earning a comfortable living.It took a bit longer to coordinate advanced maths teaching in schools.Upon graduation from Cambridge, John Dee proclaimed the need for improving maths in Education. Not that there was much practical or commercial use for maths at that point, but because of its ability to 'lift the heart to the heavens!' - reflecting Pythagoras' declaration of centuries before.In spite of assertions by Dee and o thers, universities maintained the Medieval Curriculum â€" teaching math, geometry and astronomy only minimally; focusing on the Trivium.The History of Mathematics in the Nineteenth CenturyMuch focus was given to when and how a pupil should be taught maths:Children should start learning basic Arithmetic as soon as they enter school, and their learning should be based on perception of physical objects. In spite of progressive thinking, many of Britain's schools were still very conservative. The foundation of the Analytical Society of Cambridge served to persuade that institution to embrace broader Maths studies. By 1823, differential calculus had made its way into the curriculum.Soon, a new type of school opened, one where maths and other sciences were given pride of place.The University of London would provide an education in Mathematics and Physical Sciences. The first chair of Mathematics was given to Augustus De Morgan, who revolutionized the way maths was taught.After lecture, h e would hand out test papers based on that day's lesson. The students were to return the completed exams, from which he would discern areas of understanding and where more explanation was needed. The next day's lecture incorporated what had not been grasped the previous day.Teaching maths today includes a variety of applications. Source: PixabayLearning Maths TodayAlthough great advances have been made in the field of Mathematics, the art of teaching maths at primary school or GCSE maths revision, remains essentially unchanged since De Morgan's time.Even private tutoring of maths harkens back to ancient times, except that you can teach maths online.Government and organizations have invested tremendous resources in developing teachers and teaching methods. Expanded common core maths curriculum includes the study of:Mathematical conceptsAlgebraGeometryCalculusTrigonometryThe study of equations of all types: quadratic, linear, differential, parametric â€" among others.The fact remains that it has always been teachers who, through their very love of the subject material, ignite a desire to understand and and explore the exciting arena of maths.Looking for online teaching jobs or tutor jobs London? Find them on superprof.

SAT Test Results Online SAT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace

SAT Test Results Online SAT Prep Online Tutoring Tutorpace SAT test is thepopular test recognized by colleges and universities throughout the United States. High school students aim to get good scores in SAT as it helps their admission application look striking and impressive. SAT test examines the students academic knowledge and capability to handle college level academics once accepted into a college. This test is a standardized test and it analyzes if the student is ready to learn and understand college level material. SAT test examines the students in Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing sections. However, SAT subject tests examine students only in selected specific subjects. Therefore students can choose the type of test they prefer to take. Since the SAT test date and the SAT Subject test date usually coincide, it is not possible for the students to take both the tests on the same day. The official test results are sent to the student and the students respective high school usually after 5 weeks of taking the test. Students receive the test result online and for those who wish to receive the paper test score by mail as well must request it when they register online. Accordingly, if the student does not have a College Board online account, then the student will receive the paper test result through mail. Additionally, students can get the test result by phone as well by calling the customer service center and extra fees would apply to it. These test results can then be sent to the desired colleges and universities for the admission process.

13 Must-Read Tips to Ensure a 5 on the AP Spanish Test

13 Must-Read Tips to Ensure a 5 on the AP Spanish Test Suzy S. Gearing up for the AP Spanish exam? Check out these 13 helpful tips from tutor Jason N.  to increase your confidence Spanish continues to prevail as the second language of the United States. It is also the most frequently studied second language in high schools, colleges, and graduate schools. If you are preparing for the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam, it probably means that your Spanish is already strong, and you are on track to becoming fluent. Congratulations! This AP Spanish test is designed to measure how well you communicate with others in Spanish, how well you can present, and how well you can interpret (and respond to) what you read and hear. This includes your ability to think critically, your overall fluency, and how accurate your grammar is, especially your ability to form coherent sentences. You should pass if you can comprehend Spanish close to how a native speaker would in many different contexts, most of which come from various Spanish-speaking milieu. The exam also gauges your cultural knowledge of Spanish-speaking countries and peoples. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, bear with me. It may sound daunting, but you can do it! Similar to any standardized or AP test, the key is anxiety management and preparing well in advance.  Here are 13 tips that will help you prepare for and defeat the AP Spanish exam: Get a Spanish tutor!  There are tons of study booklets and materials available to help you practice, but a tutor can help you find the best ones, plus provide tips for helping you organize and channel your time. For a limited time, you can also check out one of TakeLessons live, online Spanish classes for free. Practice Spanish on mobile applications.  These can help make learning fun and dynamic, where textbooks may fail. Manage your anxiety! Your fear about bombing the test may become a significant barrier, potentially bigger than the studying and the test’s difficulty itself! Remember, you got this far already. Mindfulness techniques can help it’s no coincidence that students who believe in their ability to pass usually do. Begin studying early preferably four months before.  Our brains absorb information the best when it’s presented relatively briefly but consistent over a large time span, such as 30-60 minutes of studying 3-6 times weekly. This is particularly true of language learning this is why many Spanish classes are scheduled daily for an hour, whereas non-language classes are often scheduled in two-hour blocks once or twice weekly. Don’t underestimate the importance of practice tests. Kaplan and the Princeton Review both offer practice tests online. There are also many practice tests for the AP Spanish exam available for free online. Know how to conjugate most verbs, especially the most commonly used ones, like tener, poder, and hablar. Know the difference between por and para, ser and estar, and  conocer and saber. The multiple choice part, which is half the test, tends to focus on this and is formulaic and straightforward to learn and practice. Know the basic formulas of certain grammatical structures, such as superlatives (Él es el más…). Know the time tenses, like el imperfecto, perterito, el plusperfecto, condicional,  and futuro. Know plural and singular, and masculine vs. feminine. I cannot tell you how many people have incorrectly answered certain multiple questions, or were dinged in the writing sections due to a silly mistake here. Remember that many nouns don’t follow the basic rule that nouns ending in -a are feminine and nouns that end in -o are masculine. There are many exceptions to this rule, such as el tema and la mano. Keep your general Spanish skills fresh by practicing regularly! Keep in touch with friends you meet from Spanish-speaking countries and practice with people you know who also speak Spanish. Watch telenovelas. They can be funny, but corny. If they hook you, they make for great practice! Download Pandora and listen to Spanish music on your smartphone. Many of them are catchy and learning the lyrics can give your Spanish a great lift! In conclusion, you can do it! Systematic and early practice is the key. Set up a consistent study schedule, consult your Spanish tutor for additional study tips and conversation practice, and stay positive! Need help with additional AP tests? Check out our tips for the: AP World History Exam AP Environmental Science Exam AP Statistics Exam AP Calculus Exam AP Language and Composition Exam Jason N. tutors English and Spanish in Fairfax, CA.  He majored in Spanish at UC Davis, lived in Mexico for 3 years where he completed a Masters degree in Counseling, and studied Spanish Literature and Psychology at the University of Costa Rica. Learn more about Jason 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 biologycorner

The Little-Known Difficulties Of Playing Beginner Guitars

The Little-Known Difficulties Of Playing Beginner Guitars Suzy S. If youre in the market for a guitar, youve likely seen beginner models and packages offered. But are they worth it? Find out in this guest post by Austin, TX teacher  Samuel B... Recently some of my beginner students have requested shopping tips for more advanced models of guitars. Though my familiarity with standard models for various genres is considerable, I dont train aspiring musicians to master one specific genre. Although jazz sounds best when played on a hollow-bodied electric with f holes on either side of the strings (just as blues-rock is played best on a Fender Stratocaster, electric Chicago-based blues on its cousin the Telecaster, and so forth), I dont recommend that you purchase one of these models for the reason cited above. Beginners frequently learn to play “beginner” guitar models (miniature instruments made by obscure companies). If youre a beginner, I recommend that your brand of purchase instead be recognizable. It need not be brand new or first-hand, but it should be a model of some note. Martin is one name of repute. So are Fender, Yamaha, Washburn, and Epiphone. These models are known not only for their sound, but for their relatively uncomplicated maintenance. While inexpensive, the beginner guitar models you see have multiple drawbacks: Beginner guitars produce a poor sound My first acoustic guitar (a “beginner” model) did. This is not an issue when youre being introduced to the instrument, but will likely become one once you reach an understanding of your potential as a musician. You want an instrument that broadcasts (not simply delivers) your sound. You might as well start with one. Beginner guitars are generally more difficult to re-string than their mainstream counterparts Im remembering several bridge-related hiccups with my first electric (another obscure model), some of which required the use of Allen wrenches. At one point, I even lost a weak tuning peg on it and had to resort to an ill-fitting replacement during the rest of the instruments shelf life. If memory serves, the pickup itself wobbled as it appeared to have been poorly fastened. Recognizable Plug-In Acoustics Give You the Most Options I can only recommend the genre-specific models listed at the beginning of the article if youve made your desire to master only one technique unequivocal. Otherwise, recognizable plug-in acoustics give you the most leverage, whatever your aspiration be it to perform, record, lead singing, teach singing, or even embark on a musicological endeavor like collecting and learning little-known folk songs. Theyre durable, sonically pleasing, and are proper equipment for anything from Kum Ba Ya around a campfire to a CSNY reunion show at the Hollywood Bowl in that the simple element of electricity (or lack thereof) determines the role theyll play. So, What Type of Guitar Should Beginners Purchase? As a performer, my act falls within the singer-songwriter category, which typically involves the use of an acoustic guitar plugged into a sound system. I own two: a Yamaha (purchased from some former housemates for less than $100) and a Takamine (which I obtained roughly 10 years ago upon trading in both my first black electric model and my Telecaster imitation model I may have even sacrificed an inexpensive amplifier or two in the exchange as well). My Takamine has been a faithful sidekick during innumerable sets at local coffeehouses here in Austin. Its also one of the most recognizable acoustic-electric brand names. I always have it in my lap when I teach and I believe it to be among the top user-friendly models; it has proved itself the most versatile and reliable guitar Ive ever owned or played. It sounds cleaner and is more robust than any other model familiar to me. Its durability has allowed me to serve the multiple roles of performer, teacher, and independent recording artist. I can also maintain my relatively low-consumption lifestyle the backpack straps on its case (a separate purchase) make for easy transport on bike, bus, and even plane. Be Patient And Open-Minded While Shopping The best shopping advice, of course, is to explore multiple options. Despite my mainstream-oriented advice about the brands, I recommend that you seek your model in a pawn shop or locally-owned music store, as these outlets tend to have better deals than large chains. You might even have luck on Craigslist. I also recommend that you compare prices as much as possible. Just as you need a reliable vehicle to carry you long distances, you need a sturdy, versatile, and aurally-attractive instrument to accompany the ongoing development of your musical knowledge and enthusiasms â€" preferably from the very start. That way, you wont have to anticipate replacing your instrument down the line. Samuel B. teaches beginner  guitar lessons in Austin, TX. He teaches lessons face-to-face without sheet music, which is his adaptation of Japanese instruction (involving a call-and-response method).  Learn more about Samuel 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 rosipaw

How to Create a GRE Prep Plan

How to Create a GRE Prep Plan If youre applying to graduate school and need to take the GRE, its time to create a plan. With a plethora of advice and study material available, the choices can be overwhelming. Which books should you purchase? How long should you review questions for each section? When should you take the official exam? The first step in answering these questions is to create a GRE prep plan. To establish a study plan, take GRE practice tests, identify your goals, and create a prep schedule. Hoping to make the most of your GRE test date? Keep reading to learn how to create a GRE prep plan. GRE prep plan tip #1: take a full-length GRE practice test The best way to know how to start studying for the GRE is to sit for a practice GRE exam. The official test takes three hours and 45 minutes. Therefore, your practice exam should take the same length of time. When taking a practice test, dont skip the Analytical Writing section. Complete both the Issue essay and the Argument essay. Then, go through the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections. Once youve finished, write down your score, and then review your exam results to determine your strengths and weaknesses. GRE prep plan tip #2: identify your GRE goals Based on the results of your practice exam, as well as the requirements of the graduate program youre applying to, choose your priorities for your GRE preparation. When pinpointing your GRE goals, ask yourself questions such as: Should I focus on writing? Do I need to improve my verbal skills? Do my quantitative skills need assistance? If youre entering a program based in mathematics, like engineering or finance, make sure that your performance on the Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE reflects your highest abilities. Conversely, if youre applying to graduate school for programs like English or education, then the Writing and Verbal Reasoning sections will also be important. [RELATED: 3 Ways to Get GRE Writing Practice] GRE prep plan tip #3: register for your GRE test date Your official GRE exam date will give you a target to work toward. Depending on your application deadline, allow for sufficient time to prepare, as well as a cushion in case you need to take the exam again. If youre a prudent planner who has six months to a year before your application is due, register for a GRE exam date two months from now, and forecast a backup GRE exam for three months from now. This will provide you with at least three months to work on the rest of your application after youve completed the GRE. [RELATED: How is the GRE Scored?] GRE prep plan tip #4: create a study schedule Consistency is key when preparing for the GRE. Block out times with specific topics to study throughout each week, broken down into separate question types. For example, for your Verbal Reasoning times, decide whether youll work on reading comprehension, text completion, sentence equivalence, or general vocabulary memorization. On Quantitative Reasoning days, determine whether you want to focus on arithmetic, algebra, geometry, or data analysis. Additionally, include full practice GRE exams throughout your schedule so that you can monitor your progress. [RELATED: GRE Tips for Test Day] GRE prep plan tip #5: keep your end goal in mind Your GRE prep plan will help you succeed on the GRE only if you follow the plan. Remember why youve scheduled study time throughout the week and why you want to create the strongest application possible for graduate school. Also, if necessary, adjust the plan. As you prepare for the GRE, you may develop your skills in certain sections more easily than others. Update your plan accordingly. Creating a GRE prep plan that addresses your needs requires focus and discipline. Establish your goals, and create a study schedule to support your GRE exam success. Following these steps can help make your GRE preparation process successful. 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.

ACT Science Sifting Out What Matters (and what doesnt)

ACT Science Sifting Out What Matters (and what doesn’t) ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog The ACT Science section has a rather misleading name. Perhaps a better name would be the ACT Reading Section Part 2: Science Concepts. The exam requires no prior knowledge of scientific content or concepts. Instead, students are required to interpret data graphs, what the scientific method is and how scientific theories disagree from each other. These are concepts taught in every high school in the country. The ACT is a standardized exam that must provide a level playing field for all applicants, from all demographics across the United States. As such, it may be comforting to know that advanced science concepts such as DNA transcription and translation or the Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium won’t be tested. To succeed on this portion of the exam, exposure to ACT Science questions and practice solving them is critical. The following is an important tip to succeeding on the ACT science section: Do NOT try to read and understand the entire passage and all its figures! The ACT purposely fills the passage and the figures with a lot of useless information that will not be tested. You should be skimming both with only two questions in mind: What is their point in writing this? What is this figure showing? Let’s look at a sample ACT Science Passage and try to extract the main idea while tossing out all the details that don’t matter. What do you think the main idea is here and how can you paraphrase this simply? Paraphrased Version: There is a really old lake. It was formed from glaciers. Trapped water and sediments tells us about the climate when they were deposited. Figure 2 shows a cross section (will cover below). Figure 3 deals with ratios and has a funny symbol before 18O. We don’t need to worry about that. Just know that the smaller values correspond to colder temperatures. Now let’s look at Figure 2 and make sense of it. Figure 2 below shows a cross section of the lake. Imagine, literally cutting out a rectangular piece of the lake to study. The top of it is the surface and as you move down in elevation, you experience the different types of sediment/rock. Do not worry about what “glacial till” is, since it’s very unlikely the ACT will ask you to define or understand it. We can see there are 3 different sites between the 2 locations of Winnipeg and Grand Forks. There are different sediment types and different elevations for all 3. For instance, at site 1, there is lake/clay at 200 m above sea level. However, at site 2, there is glacial till at that elevation. These are some simple takeaways from this sample passage and figure to better understand how to effectively maneuver through the ACT Science section. Remember not to get caught up in details or spend too much time trying to understand the entire passage and all the figures. Search for the main idea, check the graph axis and try to extract the bigger picture. This will both save time and set you up for success instead of bogging you down with confusing, unnecessary details!

Suggested Books in English for Young Adolescents

Suggested Books in English for Young Adolescents Getting adolescents interested in something can be difficult. However, encouraging them to read as a supplement to their English classes will be easy when you introduce them to quality books for their age group.Here are some of our suggestions.Afterwards, if you would like  your child  to learn English with native speakers, feel free to contact us.The Twilight  Saga by Stephenie MeyerYoung readers will no doubt already be familiar with Meyer’s work through the Twilight film series. This is a great reason to introduce them to the four vampire themed books on the love affair between an adolescent girl and a vampire that started the phenomenon. The titles in the series are Breaking Dawn, Eclipse, New Moon and Twilight.The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer.Harry Potter by J.K. RowlingAnother series with a successful set of movie spin offs is J.K. Rowling’s seven part Harry Potter series. In case you’ve lived on the moon for the last decade, the books are set in Hogwarts School of Wi tchcraft and Wizardry and feature young wizard Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione as well as the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort.Harry Potter series by J.K RowlingThe Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Salinger’s tale of a 16 year old boy’s solitary and difficult coming of age is classic adolescent reading. The book is also considered one of the finest novels of the 20th century.The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.Pride Prejudice by Jane AustenAusten’s Pride Prejudice is a great read for teenage girls. It’s tale of Elizabeth Bennett and her sisters attempts to find love in 19th century England remains as fresh and entertaining today as it was in year it was published.Pride Prejudice by Jane Austen.  Nineteen Eighty Four by George OrwellCan you imagine a world without individuality, free speech and liberty of thought? Welcome to Orwells hellish vision of the world that thankfully never came to be. It will get your young reader thinking and questioning and no do ubt thankful for the world in which he or she lives today.Did you find this blog helpful? Feel free to share it on Facebook and Twitter.

Whats it like to teach special education abroad

What’s it like to teach special education abroad On any day of the week teaching special education requires a good dose of adaptability, creative thinking and intuition. So, what’s it like when you do it in a different country? What similarities can you expect when you teach special education abroad? The fundamentals of the job will be the same wherever you go. Special educators work with students who have a range of learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. Teaching can include adapting general education lessons, supporting students one-on-one, and teaching basic skills such as communication to students with severe disabilities. But in many cases, that’s where the similarities end... What differences can you expect when you teach special education abroad? In any special education setting, teachers’ duties vary according to where they work and the needs of their students. The role of special needs educators can vary even more when working overseas as there may be completely different education systems in place and different attitudes towards special education. For example: Not all countries share the same attitude towards disabilities. Although there are students with special needs all over the world, in some countries they are highly catered for and in others, their education needs are barely addressed. Staff and parents may have different beliefs and training than you do, so you can’t take it for granted that you’ll all be on the same page about how best to do things. You might find that you meet a ton of people you can learn from or you might be the expert that has to share your specialist knowledge with others. Students may not be grouped in the way you expect. Different countries (and even different schools within those countries) practice their own ways of organizing their students. Special education may be integrated into the mainstream classroom or completely separate from mainstream education. Or, it could vary somewhere between those two sides. The support system you have may vary. You might be used to working with general education teachers, parents, school psychologists, counselors, or administrators all focused on helping a special education student benefit from their classes. Some school settings will have all of these and more, and others will have barely any. Where can I teach special education overseas? The good news here is that pretty much anywhere you want to! Of course, there’s a caveatâ€"you have to be somewhat flexible in how your role as a special education teacher works. As you might have picked up from the list above, different countries can have hugely varying facilities for special education teachers and students! To give you an idea of just how much things can differ here’s a brief overview of some of the world’s most popular international teaching destinations: The UAE In the UAE, schools are required by law to accept special needs students and many schools have been praised for their inclusivity and facilities, especially in early years education. Japan In Japan, special needs education may take place in a specialized school or classroom, mainstream classroom or a blend of both. Many TEFL teachers have written about their positive and negative experiences of teaching in special education schools with mixed needs classes. Kuwait Kuwait might not cross your mind as an obvious destination for teaching abroad, but in recent years the country has made a huge effort to improve its special education provisions and as such it offers always improving facilities and a ton of job opportunities. China Although it’s not a world leader in this area, awareness of the need for special education is growing in China (with the exception of Hong Kong, where it’s already quite well established) meaning there is an increasing number of jobs in the sector. As you can see, there is no international norm for special education teaching. The best thing you can do while looking for a job is research, research, research! Find out as much as you can about special education in any of the countries you’re thinking of working in to make sure you find a context you’ll be comfortable teaching in. What about teaching special education in an international school? This is a great option for special educators who want to work abroad! International schools throughout the world offer special education provisions for their students meaning you could get all the adventure of living in a new place while working in a system that’s somewhat familiar. Special education teachers who want to work in international schools will need to make sure they are fully qualified, which normally means having a degree in the subject as well as a teaching license. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. What if I can’t find a special education job in my chosen country? If there is a country you’re super eager to live in but you can’t find a special education opportunity in a school there, a different route could be seeking out a family (or families) who need private care and special education tutoring for their kids. These might be more available in rural areas where programs in local schools don’t suit the students’ needs. Working as a one-on-one tutor is obviously quite different from working in a school setting but if you’re super keen on one location or want to specialize by working with one kid, this could be a great option for you. One note though! If you are working independently with a family rather than in a school, make sure you still go through all the normal hiring steps. Do interviews, sign a contract, and consider going to a country where you can speak the language so you’re not completely dependent on your employer. How can I find a special education job overseas? So glad you asked! Why not start here :)