Want To Step Up Your Online Math Tutoring You Need To Read This First

Want To Step Up Your Online Math Tutoring You Need To Read This First 0SHARESShare Tutoring online has taught the education world a new way of thinking and a great line of working. Global connection and comfortable learning environment are the factors highlighted by online tutoring to the world around, which is in search of innovating teaching-learning methods. A student today need not know who his online tutor is but can chat with him, text him and send his files through mail for clarifications in his studies. Tutoring online is much help to all the subject learners, particularly the weak ones in Math. Why? Math tutors are globally available  so that the best person  can be chosen by the student This could trigger off the recruitment of the really deserving Math online tutor who could rationalize, visualize and empathize with the student , while promoting his studies Since Math talent can be  from any corner in the world, this global availability is a real landmark in Math tutoring Aside from this, the access to tutoring online at any unpredictable hour is the utmost facility in Math tutoring online as you cannot predict the emergencies in Math The student may develop doubts or go wrong in the last step Rectifications at once is an undeniable phenomenon in Math tutoring The tutor should be available at any moment which is possible only through web based tutoring  An online math tutor can be the backbone of a student  in order to shape his Math skills Without a strong hold on Math, doing Scientific formulas or pursuing Engineering or Digital courses are no way fruitful Hence, the essential nature of a tutor in Math online with his benevolent factors for a weak Math student Doing Math can be made fun for students who consider Math as a bad dream full of monstrous numbers and threatening theorems and figures. [starbox id=admin]

Ten Best French Podcasts Targeted to French Learners

Ten Best French Podcasts Targeted to French Learners French Learners Listen to These Ten Best Podcasts ChaptersLearning the Language via PodcastA Word on PodcastsRounding Out the Top TenLanguage learners these days have so many resources at their disposal, from the traditional classroom setting to immersion programmes in the countries that speak the language they study.Our ancestors had those selections as well, but they did not have web-based tools.They had no opportunity to learn French online and, while they may have heard occasional broadcasts in French, there were no such things as podcasts in those days.By comparison, our airwaves are saturated with a glut of language learning, and we have our choice of language courses for our listening pleasure.How can anyone be expected to find a steady staple of quality French speaking out of that morass?Let Superprof filter results of the series of podcasts available for the beginner, the intermediate French speaker and for those who understand advanced French. All to help you along in your French lessons.Our forebears did not have the tech nology to learn French that we have today Source: Pixabay Credit: Ryan McGuireRead about finding your ideal online French teacher. AnnieFrench Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolineFrench Teacher 5.00 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriFrench Teacher 5.00 (9) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarianneFrench Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThibautFrench Teacher 5.00 (3) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickFrench Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DéborahFrench Teacher 5.00 (10) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamyFrench Teacher 5.00 (2) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsLearning the Language via PodcastThe thing about learning French in particular is that resources abound! In print and online, you'll find no lack of French learning materials, especially as compared to many other languages.The key to effective l earning would then boil down to what suits your learning style.We hope you will find a gem or two in these...FrenchPod101First, a disclaimer: Innovative Languages publishes language 'pods' in Spanish, in Chinese, in Italian... in 34 different languages. Thus we cannot call it a site dedicated exclusively to the French language.However, each language they present has its own web address, denoted by the language name, followed by pod101.Why 'pod', you wonder? Hint: it has nothing to do with a figurative pea pod...Podcasts were originally meant for download exclusively to Apple products, specifically the Ipod.  These days, you can listen to podcasts on any device you want.  With that in mind, you can download any and all of FrendPod's casts, to listen to and replay at your leisure.When you create your account, the first question you will be asked is what your level of French is. The selection runs from absolute beginner to advanced.From there, you would have your choice of learning pat hs, organised into topics.For example, you might choose Mastering Level 1 French and, starting at Lesson 1, you would progress through all of the lessons until that module is finished.This linear progression learning method is optional. You may also skip around until you find exactly where you need to be, and start your learning from there.Everything on FrenchPod101 is downloadable: the audio, the video and the lesson notes.Indeed, they thoughtfully provide notes for every installment that you can keep and refer back to.Isn't that considerate of them?News In SlowThis podcast series uploads a new topic weekly, generally dealing with some current event.Their pages are well organised, providing links to the various features they offer, such as a grammar overview, and a list of expressions used in the audio discussion.There is also a series of flashcards available for download!At the very top of the page, you would select what level you can understand French at, and then it is just a ma tter of applying yourself to the materials at hand.What if you are beyond beginner French but don't quite understand intermediate?The best part about News in Slow is that they discuss current events so, even if you don't catch every word, there is a good chance you know something about the topic at hand.Besides, that gives you more new language to study!One major difference between FrenchPod and News in Slow is the emphasis on French grammar.FrenchPod's philosophy is that absorbing grammar will be the inevitable result of hearing French conversation.News in Slow dedicates an entire page, linked to each lesson, in order to expound on grammar particulars for that podcast.If you are the type of language learner who needs to assimilate language mechanics in order to grasp language functionality, this would be an important distinction for you.If you are more of a free agent, you might appreciate this next French site...You can download a word of culture and language to your smartphone th rough podcasts Source: Pixabay Credit: FunkyFocusTalk in FrenchThis is more of a freestyle, random topic podcast site. Unlike the others discussed thus far, it tends to be targeted more toward advanced French speakers, and it does not provide a transcript, or lesson for lesson grammar page.It does include a grammar notebook, free for download when you subscribe.If you are at intermediate level or higher, this would be a great podcast to listen to, even if you don't yet know all of the vocabulary.By listening to this fluent narrative, you could really train your ear to pick up French slang expressions, also known as verlan.If you are ready to jump into advanced language and culture discussions, this might be the best podcast for you!Although it is subscription based, there are a number of sample podcasts you can listen to for free, just to see if it would be a good fit.On those free podcast pages, you may take advantage of their free French learning package!A Word on PodcastsBefore w e continue with our list of best French podcasts, let us go over some benefits of podcasts in general.Some people who learn language cannot see the point in exercising only one aspect of French study â€" listening comprehension, while being given no chance to speak French themselves.That is a valid point. After all, nobody has ever asked 'Can you listen to French?'.The question is usually 'Can you speak French?'Nevertheless, there are tremendous benefits to be had in subscribing to an effective, intimate means of immersion into the French language, such as:portability â€" you can download a segment and take it with youtime-efficient: listen to podcasts while doing other things, such as household chores.Money-saving: you would have to go to a classroom or abroad to get this level of immersionpersonal: The French language goes directly into your ears, if you use earbuds, or surrounds you if you play it in your caron-demand: you do not have to tune in for your next lesson, or rush to a ny class. Podcasts will be there, ready for you to download and make use of, whenever you want them.All of these make excellent points for podcasts, but them being on demand is really the clincher, isn't it?That, coupled with the fact that most French podcasts we've investigated come with transcripts, grammatical notes, lists of new words and phrases, exercises and quizzes make this type of learning essential for the serious student of French.You may choose to download several French podcasts Source: Pixabay Credit: PIX 1861Rounding Out the Top TenDaily French Pod originates in France, and covers a variety of topics, from sniffling to China's relationship with France.Each segment comes with a downloadable transcript, a French vocabulary list and an exercise page. They are most suited to beginners.These French lessons are by subscription only.Another French for beginners podcast is Podcast Français Facile. Perhaps the best aspect of this site is that the lessons are organised accord ing to your level of fluency, as ranked by the French proficiency exam structure of the DELF.The possible downside is that the entire page is in French. As it is meant for beginners, there might be some difficulty navigating it.French etc. is in English, but the topics discussed are in conversational French.All topics are narrated by a native speaker of French, and are preceded by a short lesson in grammar.You can practice your spoken French by reading along with the transcript as your francophone host speaks.The bar at the top gives you the option of choosing what level  of French you can understand, and even offers a dictation exercise.If you have trouble with French verbs, there is a page to help make the subject clearer.There is a measure of free study materials, but a subscription will give you access to premium learning tools.To get away from language lessons, our final recommendation is to listen to news commentators discussing current events in French.France Info News specia lises in informative reporting, often adding humour and satire to their broadcast.If you are more advanced in your French studies, listening to these personalities is sure to give you an in-depth understanding of the history and culture of France.Even if you are not quite so advanced in your French learning, listening to these podcasts will introduce you to the rhythm and flow of French words, as spoken by someone whose native language is French.There are so many online resources available for online French learning that we could not possibly review and critique them all.However, we can direct you to a summary page with links to relevant podcasts, so that you might try them out for yourself, and select the best ones for your learning needs.We accept your heartfelt merci!Find out about the best French dictionaries and translators for learning French.

Factoring Online - Online Tutoring

Factoring Online - Online Tutoring Factoring Online calculator is an online tool which can be used to factorize the numbers, expressions and polynomials. It finds all the prime factors of the numbers. The expressions are to be solved by finding the common terms in the expressions. If the expressions have equal sign then it is called the equations. The equations are to be solved to find all the values of the variables. Polynomials may be quadratic or having any degree of x. The polynomial which has two terms is called the binomial. Polynomials which have three or more terms are known as the polynomials. The quadratic equations can be solved by breaking the middle terms and by making the perfect squares. The online calculators or the tools are used to solve the complicated equations quickly and efficiently. The modern online calculators have only one window for the input and the output. The expressions for which the factors are to be found are entered into the input window. Let us take one example of factoring. Example: - Let us have to factorize the square of the number 150 and 100. Solution: - We have to find 150 - 50, to solve this problem, we can suppose one hundred and fifty is equal to x and fifty is equal to y. The following formula can be used to find the solution. x y = ( x + y ) ( x y) , by plugging the value of x and y 150 - 50 = (150 + 50) (150 50), to add and subtract 50 from 150 is very easy. We get 200 and 100. The multiplication of the two factors is twenty thousand as shown below. = 200 X 100 = 20000

I Feel Like Im Bribing my Child! Whats the difference between bribes and rewards

I Feel Like I’m Bribing my Child! What’s the difference between bribes and rewards Children with ADHD often need rewards and structure to help them succeed at challenging or mundane tasks and learn new behaviors. While rewards are a valuable ADHD management tool, its not uncommon for parents who use rewards to say that feel like they are simply bribing their child to get them to meet basic expectations. Its important to remember that kids with ADHD actually need rewards to help with motivation. However, bribes and rewards are two very things with very different effects on behavior. Rewards are something your child earns for their hard work and effort. They are established ahead of time, paired with clear expectations, and given only after the child has followed through. Rewards are part of a plan that parents are ultimately in charge of managing, and lead to positive interactions that foster feelings of accomplishment. When children are rewarded after a behavior they are more likely to repeat that same behavior again. Bribes, on the other hand are typically given to a child before they follow through desired behavior. Often they are used as a last resort, and as a result they frequently come about during a power struggle or negotiation. They rarely lead to long term changes in behavior. In fact, they often accidentally encourage negative behavior! Consider this example: A child is at a restaurant with his family. While hes waiting for his meal, he whines and complains about being bored, and is up and out of his seat bothering the diners at the neighboring table. This is an uncomfortable, common situation for many parents, and one everyone wants to change as quickly as possible. If you respond by pairing a reward with clear expectations youll remind your child that you agreed before dinner that first he would stay seated for the entire meal, and then as a reward he would be able to order dessert. Youll then give him an activity to keep him busy and praise his good behavior during the meal. Hell earn his reward, feel good about his effort, and have more motivation to stay seated the next time hes in a restaurant. If you respond by using a bribe, youll first ask your child repeatedly to stop getting out of his seat. When he doesnt comply youll feel frustrated and maybe even worry that the family dinner will be ruined. So, you resort to a bribe by asking your child if he will sit down if you give him a piece of candy. He takes the candy, sits down for one minute and then is up out of his seat again. In this case the bribe actually reinforced the childs negative behavior. He received candy while he was out of his seat, and was not required to first meet any expectations. Once the candy was finished, he stood up again because he was bored and restless, and had nothing motivating him to stay seated. Chances are hell leave the restaurant feeling bad about his behavior, and will not be motivated to behave differently next time. So, how can you avoid bribes and instead focus on constructive rewards? Set clear expectations ahead of time whenever possible, and share these expectations and the possible reward with your child. Using a When-Then statement can be helpful, When you stay seated for the entire meal, then youll be able to order dessert. Dont allow your child to negotiate about the reward in the moment, and make sure to provide rewards only when theyve been earned. This shows your child that you are in charge of the plan, and removes their ability to negotiate or engage in a power struggle. When rewards are used correctly, they can set your child up for success, reduce family conflicts, and teach your child that they can accomplish challenging tasks when they have the right motivation. So, rest assured that when you stick to a behavior plan that includes rewards, youre not bribing your child. Instead, youre using a valuable tool designed to help them manage their ADHD symptoms. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

How to Spot Problems in Childrens Writing Homework

How to Spot Problems in Children's Writing Homework How to Spot Problems in Childrens Writing Homework For many children, learning to write well is one of the most demanding parts of the school experienceand English and language arts classes come with many frustrating challenges. Perhaps your child has always struggled with writing or maybe he or she is just starting to experience difficulties. You can help by taking time to review all writing assignments and graded homework for issues and teacher notes, making your own observations of your childs work, and sharing feedback with your child. As you review your childs written work, keep an eye out for red flags by asking yourself these five questions: Did my child follow directions? If your student was asked to answer a specific question and instead rambled on about something off topic, perhaps he or she needs to spend more time on the brainstorming and/or outlining stages of the writing process. Read through the assignment together and help your child come up with possible topics and angles he or she could take with each. Help him or her take those ideas and develop a loose outline to write from as well. Does it make sense? Whether the assignment is a simple book report or an in-depth essay, your student needs to learn to write clearly and communicate his or her main point in a logical and compelling way. Any time you read your students writing, make sure it reads well and is not confusing. Can you easily grasp what he or she is trying to say? Are words misspelled and are there any grammar issues? By high school, your student should be a capable spellerso if spelling is a consistent problem, youll want to ask the teacher how you can help your child improve. Also look for improper grammar in writing homework. At the very least, take note of things such as run-on sentences, unclear wording, unnecessary commas, sentence fragments and the like. Does the piece follow an outline or basic structure? You dont need to be an English teacher to notice when a book report doesnt do what it is supposed to do (summarize a story and put forth the students opinion on it) or an essay lacks a conclusion or compelling main point. The basic essay structure and the outline as a writing tool will become your childs trusted writing companions as he or she navigates middle and high school. Be sure your child understands the underlying framework of a well-written report, essay or paper. Did my child give this a final review? If an assignment is full of errors, its a safe assumption that he or she simply wrote it, printed it and turned it in. Teach your student the importance of reviewing ones work after setting a draft aside for a day or so. Fresh eyes can do wonders for the editing process, as can slowly reading aloud. Students must learn to be strong self-editors as they move into high school. Help your student become a better writer now, and you will be arming him or her with an invaluable lifelong skill: the ability to communicate well through writing. The more your child practices, the more his or her writing will improveespecially with your support. Also remember that if writing is a continued source of frustration and struggle for your child, there may be other issues worth exploring. Call Huntington to arrange an academic evaluation to uncover any issues and develop a plan to correct them.

Resumes vs. CVs A Comparison

Resumes vs. CVs A Comparison Image: Helloquence via https://unsplash.com/photos/5fNmWej4tAA What to include One of the major differences between resumes and CVs is what is included and what they need to focus on. While resumes are popular among applying for a variety of jobs, CVs are common among academics (though they are used by others as well). They each contain different pieces of information and have different focuses. Resumes are used most often. They include information such as education, job history, professional memberships, accomplishments, and sometimes even volunteer experience. Most employers expect resumes to only be one page in length. Resumes tend to only include the most recent information instead of every single position a job candidate has ever had. On resumes, applicants typically start with their most recent positions first and keep going reverse chronologically. They are used to highlight skills you will be able to bring to the company and the specific position without going too much into the position or what you have achieved in your time with the company. Resumes should only contain your most recent academic degree and should not go into too much detail about coursework unless prompted to do so. You can expand on this in your cover letter. In a resume, you should avoid including references. Even saying “References provided upon request” can be a bit much to include since it i s assumed that you can provide references. CVs, short for curriculum vitae, are used most often by those in academia, such as graduate students CVs include academic achievements, awards, experiences, publications, employment history, education, and contact information. Due to the in-depth information that is included, CVs are allowed to be more than one page. Unlike resumes, you only have to update the CV once you have to add an achievement. Because of space, those applying for positions with a CV can list their experience chronologically. Unlike resumes, CVs seek to highlight things you have accomplished in a current or previous position. Since CVs are mostly for academic and specialty careers, it is expected that you go into all of your academic accomplishments. It is expected that you will go in-depth with your work experience and career accomplishments, documenting anything you published, speaking engagements, and other experiences. On CVs, you are free to include a list of references that the employer can contact about y our work experience in a position. What Not To Include One of the similarities between resumes and CVs is that they both need to be focused on a specific area of focus or position. Therefore, it is important to only include information that is relevant to a specific area of study or positions that relate to the position you are applying for. A CV can be longer, but it should still be relevant. If you have accomplishments in a variety of fields, make separate CVs for each so you can refer to them when you are creating resumes. This will help you stay organized so you can find exactly what you need. For resumes, it is important that you make sure your resume highlights the aspects of the job description you are applying for that you have done in previous positions. Therefore, it is a common practice to keep your list of responsibilities to three or four bullet points. Since you do not have a lot of space, you may not be able to make the bullet points too long, so make sure you focus on what the most important elements of your previous positions are in terms of the job you are applying for. Since CVs are longer, they are able to have a longer list of specific responsibilities you had in a position. You do not have to worry about keeping your CV to one page like you do a resume, which gives you more freedom to highlight all you did in a position. This gives you plenty of room to show off your past and all of what you have accomplished. Location, Location, Location Many times, a job posting will list resume and CV interchangeably, but they are not necessarily synonymous. This is because different locations, regions, and countries use either one and they mean their differences. It is important to know where the company you are applying to is located because that will determine whether you submit a resume or CV. Even if you are doing remote work, it is important that you submit the proper application documents. In various parts of the world, whether they apply with a resume or CV depends on where they live. In the United States and Canada, applicants send a resume unless they are applying for a job abroad or a position geared towards academia or research. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, and New Zealand, CVs are used in all contexts and they never use resumes. In Germany, they use a CV (called Lebenslauf) among several other documents they must include in the application. What Each Is Used For As mentioned before, CVs and resumes serve different purposes. Knowing what kind of position you are applying for will help you determine whether you need to submit a resume or CV. Even in the same country, different fields or job types require one or the other. In other countries, they choose one or the other. In the United States, most jobs require a resume. However, some jobs may allow one or the other, depending on the field you are applying for. For Australia, India, and South Africa, CV and resume are used interchangeably. However, resumes are typically used for private sector positions and CVs are used in applying for public service positions. No matter where you live, it is beneficial to have both. You might decide that you want to apply to a position in another country or you may want to further your education. Having a CV can be like a running list of all of your jobs and accomplishments, which can help make applying for jobs easier. That way, if a job wants one or the other, you can submit the CV. If a job requires a resume, you can use the CV to help you pinpoint the tasks and accomplishments you want to highlight in your resume. Some companies say to attach a resume/CV. If you are unsure, consider what the position is for and where the company is located. Usually, this will help, but if not, contact the company to see what they prefer. Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes One of the most tedious parts of maintaining a resume or CV is changing them. Even if you change them every few months, the process of updating them can be overwhelming and time-consuming, making it difficult to carve time out of your packed schedule to do it. However, maintaining a CV requires significantly less work than maintaining a resume does. Job applicants who use a resume are typically expected to change their resume to fit the requirements they need for the position they are applying for. Since they only have one page, the need to make sure the space they do have allows them to stand out to the employer. This means they need their resume and cover letter to have the keywords necessary to make sure they get seen. The applicant needs to tailor their resume to fit each employer and make sure their skills are highlighted, so they need to change their resume for each application. Resumes need to line up with the skills needed for a specific position, so it is important to change them. However, for a CV, the list of employment and previous positions can be longer and the list of duties can be more detailed since there is more room to play with. Therefore, they do not need to change their CV that often. The only time the CV gets updated is if the person has an accomplishment or position to add. Otherwise, it can stay the same without needing to change it each time the person applies for a new position or job. If you are doing an overall CV, you do not have to change it too much. However, if you opt for a skills-based CV, you will need to change your CV to ensure that certain skills are highlighted within the document. Image: Tran Mau Tri Tam via https://unsplash.com/photos/tZnbakTUcTI Do Not Be Tense About Tenses One similarity between resumes and CVs are the rules of tenses that are used. In general, current positions and work experience should be written in the present tense and past employment should be in the past tense. Previous accomplishments and projects that you include in your CV should also be in the past tense. If you want to end your verbs in “ing” instead of “ed,” you can say something like “Main duties performed.” Format that! One of the most common questions about both a resume and a CV is how to format them. However, they are actually quite similar. The only difference is that a resume may have multiple columns to help you get the most information possible onto the page. CVs have no length maximum, so they can span multiple pages. For both resumes and CVs, the documents are initially scanned. Therefore, it is easier for the reader if you list items in bullet points. That way, they can easily look for things they want to read and get a quick overview of who you are. Keep each bullet point to no more than one sentence. Reading big blocks of text can overwhelm an employer who is sifting through several applications, so using bullet points can make their job easier. If you do need to use paragraphs, make them short and use short sentences. Making your CV or resume readable will help you stand out and will make the employer’s job easier. Length matters A major difference, as mentioned briefly above, is the length differences between resumes and CVs. In short, resumes are typically expected to not exceed one page, though two pages may be a rare exception. CVs are expected to be longer so that the applicant can show all of their experience. Depending on experience, a CV can expand two or more pages. They are meant to document all of your accomplishments, positions, skills, and more that you have done. Some entry-level positions may even require a three-page or more CV. CVs are a look into what you have accomplished within your career and academics, so they are expected to be longer. In most cases, the longer the CV is, the better. On the contrary, resumes are typically expected to not exceed one page. They are meant to be an overview of your skills, not a deep-dive into your career like a CV is. While some companies may be okay with a two-page resume, it is best to pair it down to one page. CVs may be a look at multiple facets of a position and your overall career, a resume is mostly focused on your skills and should be tailored for a specific position that you are applying for. There are distinct differences between resumes and CVs. Which one you use depends on your career field, location, and other factors. If you are unsure of which one to use, look at the application requirements or contact the human resources department at the company you are applying for. In the end, having both on hand may help you be prepared for whatever comes up so that you are able to apply for any position you wish.

Inner City Education Foundation Public Schools

Inner City Education Foundation Public Schools Inner City Education Foundation Public Schools ICEF's Mission The mission of ICEF Public Schools is to prepare all students to attend and compete at the top 100 colleges and universities in the nation. ICEF (Inner City Education Foundation) operates 10 charter schools educating over 3,500 students in grades TK through 12. ICEF is the first charter management organization in Los Angeles and has become a leader in California for raising African-American achievement and closing the achievement gap. ICEF serves an 82 percent African-American and 16 percent Hispanic student population. Over 80 percent of ICEF students are eligible for the federal free and reduced price lunch program, a nationally recognized measure of economic poverty. ICEF’s success makes it a model of education reform. In just over a decade, ICEF established a K-12 model that ensures all students are prepared to compete and succeed in college. In 2012, 98 percent of our seniors that started the 2011-12 school year with ICEF graduated from high school, and 99 percent of these students have been accepted to collegeâ€"more than 92 percent of them to four-year universities. This is in stark contrast to the performance of traditional public schools in the neighborhood, where more than 50 percent of high school students drop out, and less than 10 percent go on to graduate from college. ICEF started with the proposition that every student must be accepted into and competitive in college. In addition to academic rigor, ICEF stands out from the crowd by providing our students with rich extracurricular offerings. ICEF gives students the opportunity to participate in athletics and an outstanding performing and visual arts program that enriches and supports their academic experience. At ICEF, music, dance, sports, and drama are not options “extras.” We truly believe that by encouraging our students to participate in these activitiesâ€"along with their academic studiesâ€"we are developing not just stellar students, but interesting and talented members of society.

Getting Started on Writing Personal Statements

Getting Started on Writing Personal Statements Getting Started on Writing Personal StatementsThis handout is a starting point, a guide, and a reminder that there is no one-size-fits all statement. You are the only essential ingredient. With that, here are some areas for consideration when writing a personal statement.WHERE DO I START?Read and answer the questions. What is the prompt really asking you to do? The school/scholarship chose those questions for specific reasons. Consider what those might be and how you and your experiences reflect the essential qualities they are seeking. Even if you are applying for multiple schools, it is important not to write one generic statement and then simply adjust it for the different applications. It is easy for readers to tell when a statement is generic and the writer didn’t take the time to thoughtfully answer the questions being asked.Pretend to be your audience. Imagine what it is like to sit on a committee of people who read hundreds, maybe thousands of personal statements. What are you tired of reading? What would really grab your attention? This is not a suggestion that you need to lie and just write what you think your readers want. Absolutely not. This is about finding an angle and figuring out how you and your experiences can be expressed in a way that is not repetitious of what everyone else has already written.Research the specific school or scholarship for which you are applying. What are their values? Do they have a mission statement? What do they hope to get out of admitting you to their school or accepting you for their scholarship? Knowing the answers to these and any other questions about the school can help you add a personal touch to your statement. Let’s say the school or scholarship particularly values community service. In that case, make sure to include and emphasize your own commitment to service in your statement. If you don’t have specific community service hours, look for it in other areas of your life. How else do you better your com munity and give back? It’s important here to recognize that you are still answering the questions specifically asked of you. Researching the school or scholarship is a tool that allows you to include and emphasize certain parts about yourself that align with what the readers are looking for within the body of your answers to their specific questions.Always be asking yourself: why you? Why should the readers choose you? What makes you the best candidate? What do you have that sets you apart? Make sure your readers know why you are an excellent candidate. This is not the kind of writing where you should hedge commentary about yourself (i.e. I’m kind of/sort of/sometimes…).WHAT DO I SAY?Tell a story. Show your readers who you are instead of listing things about yourself (I’m intelligent, determined, and detail-oriented). One of the best ways to do this is by telling a story. However, don’t just tell any story that is interesting to hook the reader. Make sure you can relate th e story to the question being asked and the parts of yourself you want to emphasize.Pick the details you include in the story. Make every detail matter. Don’t include extraneous details, especially if you’re limited to a specific word count. There is a difference between including extraneous details and setting the scene. You can include details that make the story more vivid, but if you go off on tangents that aren’t specifically related to the point you’re trying to make, it can make your writing seem sloppy.Tie the details together. This is when you get to do the telling. What is the point the story is trying to make? Consider this: a candidate named Jack could write a really nice story about a time he walked an elderly person across the street, but that story means very little if Jack doesn’t also write at least a sentence or two on what that event meant to him, how it influenced his decision to apply to this school/scholarship, how it changed him, etc. A problem you c an run into with explanation is presenting the event in the story as though it were an epiphany. Most schools are not interested in your epiphany (And from that moment I knew I had to become a…). Schools/scholarships are interested in your thoughtful decision-making. They are impressed with someone who demonstrates a long-standing commitment to the field/interest/skill/etc.What if you’re not interesting? Many applicants wonder how they can write a story if they don’t feel like they are interesting. It’s important to know that many people don’t have an amazing story of overcoming adversity and succeeding against all odds. You don’t have to write that story to have a great personal statement. Regardless of your experiences, you’ve gotten to the point where you are applying for this school/scholarship. That alone is a success. How have you accomplished all that you’ve already accomplished?HOW DO I SOUND?Know what you’re selling. Are you being yourself? A personal stat ement is more than a list of your accomplishments or a summary of your skills. It is a sample of your writing and a reflection of how you synthesize your experiences. Readers are less interested in what you’ve done and more interested in how you think. Writers sometimes get intimidated by this and try to impress readers by changing their writing style or by using words they don’t understand. These not only come across as insincere, but are also two examples of how writers can sometimes get distracted from the real purpose of a personal statement, which is to demonstrate the ability to candidly and succinctly convey how one understands his or her experiences.Have someone else read your statement and leave time to edit! Ask if, after reading your statement, the reader would want to admit you/give you the scholarship. Why or why not? Does the reader think you sound like every other person applying? Did you talk yourself up enough? Do you sound confident? When you get your reader’ s feedback, take the time to make the adjustments you see fit.