Truth or Myth The Reality Behind 6 Common Tips for Singers

Truth or Myth The Reality Behind 6 Common Tips for Singers Sign up successful Myth: Drinking Milk (Or Eating Chocolate) Will Ruin Your Voice Fact: Unless You Have Acid Reflux, You Can Have Your Milk Have you ever swallowed something and commenced a loud coughing fit because it “went down the wrong tube”? That correctly implies that we have two tubes in our throats (one for air and one for food).  We are built so that food does not touch our vocal cords. The esophagus transports food and the trachea transports air. Unless you have a condition such as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) â€" wherein stomach acid and food re-enters your esophagus and leaks past your epiglottis into your vocal tract â€" enjoy that glass of milk. Myth: You Sing From Your Throat Fact: You Sing Using A Whole Lot of Stuff Saying that a singer sings “from the throat” or even “from the diaphragm” is an oversimplification. It’s like saying that a flute can make noise by itself. A singer is a complicated, protean instrument with a power source (air), a sound maker (the vocal cords and the muscles that control them), and a resonator (the face and vocal tract). There are a myriad of parts involved in this process, from the intercostal muscles to the tongue to the soft palate. Myth: The Voice Is Strong and Can Take Lots of Abuse Fact: Your Vocal Cords are Tiny and Need TLC Vocal cords are squishy, miniscule, and helpless. They are made of mucous membrane (a soft tissue) stretched between muscles. Adult male vocal cords are about the length of a quarter; adult female vocal cords are about the length of a dime.  When you sing or speak improperly (e.g. yell in loud restaurants or sports games), your vocal cords slam together. There is only so much of this your poor little cords can take before bumps, calluses (nodules), or even bloody hemorrhoids form. So, if you think your voice is invincible, think again. Myth: If I Take Voice Lessons For A Month I Will Know Everything About Singing Fact: No One Knows Everything About Singing Expecting to know everything about singing after a few lessons is like expecting to know everything about cooking after taking a few cooking classes. There is always more to learn, even for the best chefs (and singers) in the world. Myth: If My Throat Hurts, A Special Concoction of Lemon Water, Tea, Honey, and Herbs Will Cure Me Fact: If Your Throat Hurts, Baby It There are a million reasons your throat could hurt. Illness, abuse, allergies, environmental factors, and medical conditions abound. Instead of trying to find a “magic pill” (here’s a little secret: there isn’t one), rest your voice the same way you would rest your leg if you hurt it. This is one of the most important tips for singers. Stay hydrated, get enough sleep, and use a humidifier in dry climates for a speedy recovery. Myth: Cough Drops are Good For Vocal Cords Fact: Mentholated Cough Drops are Bad for Vocal Cords Menthol, the active ingredient in most cough drops, numbs your throat. It’s just like taking a painkiller to mask pain from an injury. The injury isn’t gone; you just don’t feel it (and are therefore more likely to do further damage). Menthol can also be drying, which is the last thing you want if you have a sore throat. Stick to normal candy (glycerin coats the throat as well as any cough drop) or cough drops with pectin as the active ingredient. The biggest myths about singing probably evolved from people who genuinely wanted to sing well. Learning which common beliefs and tips for singers  are true â€" and which ones are false â€" helps you focus on actually improving your vocal health and technique. Toss those mentholated cough drops, enjoy that morning cup of coffee guilt-free, and work with a qualified voice teacher to see real results. Elaina R. teaches opera voice and  singing in Ann Arbor, MI, as well as through online lessons. She is currently  working on a Master of Music at the University of Michigan, and she has a B.M. from the University of Southern California.  Learn more about Elaina 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  Shandi-lee Cox

10 Great Online Reading Resources for Parents and Kids (FREE)

10 Great Online Reading Resources for Parents and Kids (FREE) Reading is an important skill that makes the learning process successful. It should be cultivated from the very young age of a student for successful educational ventures and top scores. Following online reading resources are great tools for helping students in gaining reading fluency and speed and for enabling them to understand the subject matter at the very first glance. 1. Oxford Owl This free website helps childrens especially of 3-11 ages. Oxford Owl has an ‘Expert Help’ tab in its Reading portion offering resources for helping students who struggle while reading in areas like phonics, punctuation and spelling. It also offers games and activities for reading. It also has a free e-book library. 2. Reading Rockets Reading Rockets is a national multimedia literacy initiative offering resources for reading struggles. In Reading Rockets, you find ‘Helping Struggling Readers’ page with a tool called ‘Target the Problem’. It helps parents identify the cause for the reading issues of their kids. It centers on problems related to phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency etc. If you click on ‘How to Help” page, you get suggestions for these issues. 3. ReadWriteThink Sponsored by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, ReadWriteThink offers reading resources for K-12 grades. It has ‘Parent and Afterschool’ Tab with a podcast section where book reviews for different ages are available. The site also offers tips, games, activities and projects for reading preparation. Check Out:  The 3-Step Process Student Used to Write A+ Assignment 4. Tutor Pace Tutor Pace is an online tutoring site that works in areas of phonics, reading comprehension, reading fluency and vocabulary power for improving the reading skills of students of K-12. It also offers worksheets for students who prepare for ACT English. The site offers round the clock solutions for students who struggle in their reading practices. It renders solutions through expert tutors who work incessantly to improve student skills through their unique reading practices and games. 5.  Storyline Online Storyline Online showcases the performance of actors and actresses reading their favorite children’s story books to motivate reading in kids. It has been developed by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. These stories can be viewed on You Tube and they have their activity guide as well. 6. Knowledgeadventure.com Online free reading games from Knowledgeadventure.com are great inspiration for kids while improving their reading efficiency. These games also help kids read and understand sentences and phrases. Students learn to form words and sentences correctly by playing these fun games 7. International Children’s Digital Library This digital library houses books collected from across the globe and any kid can read these stories to himself during his free time. This site also offers suitable readings for middle school grades and offers scope for extension activities like knowing about different regions of the world through reading different kinds of books available from various parts of the world. 8. Storynory.com Storynory presents a collection of children’s audio stories which are different from other website. Children can follow the text presented in the site along with the story. So, you can download the audio to your computer, listen to the explanations for phrases. It will help your child read the story along with listening. 9. PrimaryGames .com Primary Games offers a huge collection of fun educational games for reading. It is especially relevant  for kids to choose games online to play and inculcate good reading habits. 10. Magickeys.com Magickeys  also offers free story books for older and younger children and for young adults to read. This website also has  a sister site known as ABC Fast Phonics which is a beginning phonics program with 100 pages, 400 cartoons ‘click and hear’ words and audio narrations. Most of the e-tutoring sites follow fun methods for improving the reading fluency of students and thus help them hone great reading skills and bag top grades.

3 Things Every Guitarist Needs To Know About Songwriting

3 Things Every Guitarist Needs To Know About Songwriting Suzy S. Writing a song can be one of the most satisfying experiences youll have with your instrument! Guitar teacher  Samuel B.  shares three things every guitarist should know about writing a song on guitar As a teacher, having you develop the ability to express yourself is my number one goal. Playing guitar solos is one form of personal expression. Writing songs is another. If youve never written a song, you might think of songwriting as something that only a few special people can do. In reality, nothing is further from the truth. Anyone Can Write a Song During an 1990s interview in Performing Songwriter Magazine, John Mellencamp was asked whether or not songwriting is something that comes naturally to him. His response was “I think everyones a songwriter.” He compared songwriting to shooting baskets and hitting baseballs. There are, of course, people with greater abilities than others, but he made it clear that songwriting is not something that only five people in the world can do. Lionel Ritchie once slapped his hand rhythmically on the arm of a chair in response to a very similar question. “All of you who can hear a song or a melody playing in your head right now,” he said. “Youre a songwriter.” Songwriting requires no special training or qualifications â€" only the ability to hear music and the desire to create it. Although I teach soloing only at a set point in the curriculum (after youve learned chords in the keys of C, D, and E), songwriting skills can be taught at any time. Most American Songs Are All Loosely Based On The Same Three Chords E, A, and B7th are as basic to the key of E as D, G, and A7th are to D, and C, F, and G7th are to C. These are three examples of the I-IV-V chord progression which can be heard in campfire songs, gospel, contemporary country, rock, folk, and (of course) the blues. The pattern gets its name from the fact that C is the first note of the C scale (just as F is the 4th and G is the 5th). Although youll want to make variations in each song (such as the amount of time you play each chord), youll be surprised how many options three chords will provide you. You may decide to write a song with verses and choruses only (ie “This Land Is Your Land”). You may decide to add a bridge (which you will play only once). You may decide to include verses and a bridge only. Whatever your preference, you will likely want to include a minor chord somewhere in the mix for varietys sake. Am is the appropriate choice for a song in the key of C (just as Bm is for a song in the key of D and Cm is for one in E). Bridges Are Often Structurally Simpler Than Verses And Choruses One song I teach thats become a favorite of at least one student is Bob Dylans “Man In The Long Black Coat.” The entire song involves four chords (Em, G, D, and C), includes verses and a bridge only, and involves fewer chord changes during the bridge than the verses. The Em, G, and D progression is repeated four times during a verse before a full measure of C interrupts the flow. The verse concludes with one final round of the Em, G, and D sequence. The bridge, however, begins with a full measure of C. Its second measure involves two strums of D and two strums of Em before another full of measure of C is played. Just like in the verses, the bridge concludes with a single go-around of the opening sequence (Em, G, and D). You might think of the bridge as the songs chance to “air out.” For the musician, its actually a more relaxing part of the song as it tends to be where both the tempo and the rate of chord changes decrease. Although these are all important guidelines for how to get started, you may find that your compositional preferences involve more (or fewer) chords than those Ive recommended. You might become absorbed in an elaborate picking pattern that requires fewer than three chords. You might branch out into jazz a bit and want to embellish a four-chord song with some additional variants (ie minor seventh, ninth, augmented, and/or diminished chords). Songwriting is a process (not a product) in which you slowly discover who you are as a musician. Enjoy the ride! Learn more: Check out our guide to writing a song! 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 Greg Roberts

Define Equilateral Triangle

Define Equilateral Triangle Equilateral triangle is defined as the type of a triangle in which all angles and all sides are equal. Since we know that the sum of all angles of triangle is 180 degrees. So every angle = 180/3 = 60 degree each. Figure is shown below indicates an equilateral triangle. In this figure all sides and angles are equal hence this triangle is known as equilateral triangle. Perimeter of triangle is the sum of all sides of triangle and Area is the product of x base x height. This can better understand by the following examples:- Example 1: Find the perimeter of equilateral triangle if one side of triangle is 30 cm. Solution : Given one side is 30 cm. Since it is equilateral triangle, so in this case all sides are equal to 30 cms. Therefore, Perimeter of triangle = sum of all sides of triangle = 30 + 30 + 30 = 90 Hence the perimeter of equilateral triangle with side 30 cm is 90 cm. Example 2: Find the perimeter of equilateral triangle if one side of triangle is 100 cm. Solution : Given one side is 100 cm. Since it is equilateral triangle, so in this case all sides are equal to 100 cms. Therefore, Perimeter of triangle = sum of all sides of triangle = 100 + 100 + 100 = 300 Hence the perimeter of equilateral triangle with side 100 cm is 300 cm.

CMA Certified Management Accountant

CMA Certified Management Accountant Are There Benefits To Having A CMA Qualification? ChaptersWhat Does A CMA Do?What Exams Do I Need To Pass To Become A CMA?Is The CMA Qualification Right For Me?If you’re looking for a career in accounting, then the CMA qualification may be a perfect fit for you.Specifically, the Certified Management Accountant qualification, known as the CMA for short, is issued by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), which is based in the US. As such, the CMA is typically known as a US qualification, but it’s worth noting that the CMA is internationally recognised, so management accountants in the UK can also study for the qualification as well.Globally, there are over 70,000 members of the IMA in over 100 countries, so if you do decide to pursue the qualification, you’ll be in good company with thousands of other people!Preparing periodic cash flows;Budget analysis; andCommunicating financial data and its implications to department heads who don’t work in finance.Management accountants also typically liaise with other members of a company’s finance team.Note that the role of a management accountant differs from other positions in the accounting and finance world, such as an auditor. An auditor’s job, for example, is to review a company’s accounts to assess a number of things, including whether they are materially correct and not materially misstated.However, it’s not solely management accountants that work towards becoming a CMA. For instance, a variety of other positions may contain people who are CMA qualified, such as:Financial controllers;Cost accountants;Financial analysts;Treasurers; andChief Financial Officers.Undecided about your choices? Find out what a Certified Financial Analyst does...Management accountants with a CMA qualification can provide real insight into the inner workings of businesses. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, geralt, Pixabay)What Exams Do I Need To Pass To Become A CMA?If you think that the CMA qualification may be right for you, it’s important to be aware of the various requi rements that you’ll need to meet before you can achieve the qualification.For example, you will have to meet requirements such as:Having a current IMA membership;Meet the relevant professional experience requirements; andComplete both parts of the CMA exam.For a full list of the requirements, please refer to the CMA’s website.When it comes to the examination portion of the requirements, the curriculum of the CMA is broken down into two separate parts.Part One is concerned with “financial reporting, planning, performance, and control.” Part Two, on the other hand, looks at financial decision making.Overall, it should take around a year to a year and a half to complete both parts of the CMA, although you’re allowed up to three years to complete both parts’ examinations. This means that it should be possible for most candidates to find the time to fit the study demands of the CMA around their work and social life.While the exams are by no means a walk in the park, the IMA n otes that there is a 50% pass rate worldwide, which means that the exams are passable, provided you put in the time to study, develop good exam technique and have the aptitude for the materials taught.Good preparation is always key when it comes to passing an exam; to that end it would be beneficial to engage a finance tutor.If you try to study regularly, keep yourself motivated by thinking about the benefits that a CMA designation could have on your career, and remember that you won't be studying forever, then you may find the process of preparing for the exams less stressful.How about becoming an ACA Chartered Accountant?Whether you decide to study the CMA qualification may depend on where in the world you would like to work. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, n3otr3x, Pixabay)Is The CMA Qualification Right For Me?In the accounting and auditing profession, there are a number of different qualifications, each of which brings its own benefits. Therefore, doing your research to understand which qualification will suit your specific circumstances is really important.For instance, there is another qualification that management accountants based in the UK like to pursue, which is issued by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).When it comes to choosing between studying for a CIMA qualification or the CMA, it can often be a difficult decision to take. This is because both have been around for decades, and both are internationally regarded and can often improve your career prospects and earning potential.What benefits are there to having an ICAEW Chartered Accountant Qualification...However, while each qualification carries its own recognition, there are a few instances when a CMA may be preferable over a CIMA and vice versa. For instance, where you’d like to work in the world may influence whether you see the CMA or the CIMA as more preferable.If, for example, you see yourself working in the UK for the vast majority of your career, then the CIMA qualifica tion may be preferable to you.However, if you’d like to work over in the United States, then the CMA may be just what’s needed. Ultimately, it will depend on your own personal circumstances, and which qualification you think will best give you the knowledge and skills to succeed throughout your career.Note that this dilemma doesn't just appear when thinking about whether to take the CMA or CIMA qualification. In fact, some prospective candidates also find it difficult to choose between the CPA and the ACA or ACCA. As above, completing the CPA exam and meeting the other CPA  membership requirements is more commonly a route seen in the United States, while those planning on working in the UK tend to study towards the ACA or ACCA.Do you know how to put your CPA qualification to good use?Many CMAs have solid numerical skills. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, Luiz-Jorge-Artista)Are There Other Qualifications I Should Be Aware Of?There are plenty of accountancy or business qualifications out t here, such as the:CPA;ACA;ACCA; or evenAn MBA.As a result, it can be really confusing if you’re looking at entering the accounting or auditing sector, as it can be difficult to decide which qualification is the best.Ultimately, when it comes to deciding between a qualification such as the ACA and the CMA/CIMA, it is worthwhile thinking about the kind of career that you’d like to follow. If you think that you might want to become an auditor, or work for one of the “Big 4” professional services firms â€" Deloitte, KPMG, PWC, or Ernst and Young, an ACA qualification may be better than the CMA.However, if you know you’d like to work within the area of management accounting, the CMA may be preferable, as the syllabus is more focused on this line of work than the ACA, which is wider in scope.If you do have any questions about which qualification(s) could be worthwhile for you, it may be worthwhile talking to your careers adviser at school or university if you do need any extra a dvice.You may also consider specialising as a Certified Fraud Examiner...It may also be worthwhile noting that most qualifications also require an element of continuing professional education (CPD)  even once you have become a member of that respective organisation or body. The idea behind having CPD is that you keep your knowledge and skills up to date, for example with matters such as changing accounting policies.It's also likely that, as part of your pathway to membership of these bodies, you'll have to learn about ethical behaviours or ethics more generally.Ultimately, the choice of which qualification - if any - you'd like to pursue is a matter of your own personal choice, but often people who want to work within the accounting, business or finance industries find that relevant qualifications can help boost their career prospects and future earning potential.As a result, if you feel as though you would like to ultimately have a career in an area such as management accounting, b ut want to check that your numerical and accounting skills are up to par, it may be worthwhile hiring a tutor from Superprof to help ensure that your knowledge is where it should be.Regardless of whether you're currently studying at school or university, Superprof has a range of tutors across subjects such as mathematics, economics, business, and accounting, who can provide a variety of questions and test examples to help put you through your paces and give you the knowledge you need to succeed.It’s just a case of entering your postcode to find a tutor that is local to you if you would like to have individual or group accounting tuition online or in person. Alternatively, if you would prefer the convenience of studying from home, there are also tutors that are willing to work with you remotely to achieve your intended learning outcomes.Now discover the many ways your accounting degree can work for you...

The Surprising Benefit of Learning Guitar Without Sheet Music

The Surprising Benefit of Learning Guitar Without Sheet Music Suzy S. Weve talked about how to read chords and tabs before on the blog but what about a new approach of learning guitar without sheet music at all? Here, Austin, TX teacher Samuel B.  explains his teaching technique During my college years, I was given a brief introduction to instructional methods common to Japan. Specifically, I was told that playing the shamisen or the koto (two native stringed instruments) is a skill learned by way of the student facing the teacher and playing what the teacher plays. I continue to use this teaching technique, and feel it has many little-known benefits. I should begin by making it clear that I’m a kinesthetic learner I learn by doing more naturally than I do by seeing or hearing. I didn’t even know that I was kinesthetic until I was in my early 30s. Up until that point, I knew of only two orientations (visual and auditory) and I had no idea which one I was. I began learning guitar the blues, specifically by hearing the music of Delta artists such as Mississippi John Hurt and Robert Johnson while I was in my teens, and I began developing my adaptations of their techniques simply by building on basic first-position (first three frets) chord patterns, which most of my students master in fewer than five lessons. I picked out various riffs that now seem to me to have been more like tributes to these giants of the form than actual attempts to imitate them. In reality, I was just experimenting. How I Teach My Students These experiments have given way to effective instructional techniques based squarely on factors such as your coordination and the development of your left-hand muscles.  F in first position is a good example. Given that the chord involves holding down two strings with one finger, I taught my first student to play each half of the chord (the index finger holding the first and second strings, the third and fourth fingers holding down the third and fourth strings). Several go-arounds of playing each half of the chord solidified her understanding of it to the point of her now playing it as proficiently as I do. Learning guitar doesnt have to include sheet music. In fact, I’ve never actually taught with it, because I regard it as an emotionless third party to my very personal teaching style, which is tailored as closely as possible to your individual needs and rate of progress. Im committed to focusing squarely on your gradual accumulation of knowledge, confidence, and personal initiative beginning literally on the very first note.  I believe that sheet music widens the distance between you and I, producing weaker results that the ones achieved by imitation. As a former classroom teacher (who still retains a New Jersey-based K-8 certificate), I’m a veteran of alternative education that provides exactly this fluid individualized instruction with minimal deadlines that develops your personal strengths rather than your ability and/or willingness to assimilate. Im remembering a scene in the film Hoosiers in which the coach reminds the team that the dimensions of the hoop and the backboard (width and distance from the floor) are EXACTLY the same on the state championship court as they are in the small-town gym back home. Similarly, I will remind you of the following: The progression of triads in the middle of the neck are the EXACT SAME chords you will have learned in first position during your introduction to the blues. As you are learning guitar with me, you will learn Sweet Home Chicago and How Long Blues (or similar tunes) involving the first-position versions E, A, and B7.   Afterward, the fifth-position triad version of Mailbox Blues will be taught. Any scale can be transposed to another key in another position. Its easy to lose sight of the identical fingering of a scale in first position (which typically involves playing open strings) and its counterparts elsewhere, which involve using the left index finger to play the transposed versions of the open-stringed first-position notes. As you may have guessed, I will merely be teaching you different versions of the same thing and/or the same thing in different keys. My body of musical knowledge is not exclusive to only one genre. I specialize in folk, rock, blues, and (some) jazz. I consider it fitting to create a space where you can explore your preferences of genres, playing styles, and hand-strengthening processes, in a space squarely conducive to the development of all three. You cannot teach (a person) anything, said Galileo. You can only help (the person) find it within. 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 Nadia Blagorodnova

Online Trigonometry Tutoring

Online Trigonometry Tutoring Get Trigonometry Homework Help Right Now! Our Online Trigonometry Tutors are Available 24/7. If your Trigonometry studies have you looking for a sine from the heavens, theres no need to panic. Whether you need help with your Trigonometry homework or a little extra assistance getting ready for your next test, our online Trigonometry tutor can give you the insight you need the moment you need it. Technology-Fueled Learning All of our online Trigonometry tutoring takes place in our virtual classroom. Problems come alive on the interactive whiteboard, and the built-in scientific calculator makes working with your tutor simple and effective. You can even access recorded tutoring sessions in the future if you forget a concept. Anytime Access for Your Busy Schedule Our online tutors are available 24/7 to help you with your Trigonometry struggle. There isnt a moment of the day you cant receive assistance from a tutor certified to be an expert in their field. If you have an internet connection, you have access to someone who can walk you through every step of your problem until you are comfortable solving it on your own. Dont get left behind in your Trigonometry class because you didnt get the help that is only a few clicks away. Tutor Pace has a range of unlimited online tutoring plans that are designed to help you succeed.

How to Use Technology to Keep Your Child Learning All Summer

How to Use Technology to Keep Your Child Learning All Summer How to Use Technology to Keep Your Child Learning All Summer In todays digital world, technology tools are at our fingertipsand our childrens, too. If your family has a tablet, computer, smartphone or all of the above, your child has access to all kinds of great learning programs. This summer break, you can offer your child opportunities to learn on the go, while beating the heat inside, during a family road trip, or just about anywhere you can access the internet. Here are a few great activities for your child to enjoy this summer from the comfort of his or her mobile device, tablet or computer: Build a website. These days, building a website doesnt require computer programming skills, but rather, creativity and a willingness to learn. There are lots of website builders out there that offer customizable templates. Your childs summer learning project could be to create a websitethe budding artist or photographer could showcase his or her work, or the foodie could create a recipe blog. What about a family blog to which each member of the family contributes posts a few times a week, sharing your summers adventures? Download learning apps to practice skills. While reviewing homework and assignments from the prior year is an excellent way to keep your child fresh, if you didnt save your childs work, there are other great alternatives to deter summer learning loss. Check out Reading Rockets for some of the best apps for vocabulary, writing and spelling practice and reading comprehension. Common Sense Media (free) ranks all kinds of apps, including math apps with addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, geometry and logic games and practice tools. Before the school year ends, also ask your childs teacher for recommendations. Learn to program. For imaginative and mathematically or technically inclined students, websites like Scratch (www.scratch.mit.edu) are excellent learning tools. Created for children ages 8 to 16 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Scratch is a programming language and an online community where children can program and share interactive media such as stories, games and animation. Other websites to check out include www.alice.org, a 3D programming environment that makes it easier for students to learn object-oriented programming, and Hackety.com which teaches students the Ruby programming language. For beginners, check out apps such as Lightbot Jr. ($2.99) coding puzzle (and later, Lightbot) and Catos Hike ($4.99). Download a podcast (or five). Whether your family is planning a few road trips this summer or your child enjoys audio learning, podcasts can be great fun for children of all ages. Your child can download and listen to podcasts on any mobile device or computer. What interests your child? Try searching the iTunes store for podcasts on various topics (www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts). Also, check out these great podcasts: Bookwink (which reviews books for kids ages 8 to 14/ Grades 3-8), Global Wonders (which introduces children to different world cultures), Reading Rockets Meet the Author (which interviews top childrens book authors and illustrators) and Brains On! (a science podcast). Think about what your child is into. The great news about the world we live in today is that there are so many mobile technologies that if your child has an interest, there may very well be an app or other technology program to teach or fuel that interest. Is your child curious about learning a new language? Check out one of the many foreign language learning apps out there such as Little Pim. Is your child a hands-on learner who enjoys creating? Dont miss DIY, an app that has children complete skill-based, hands-on challenges. Technology has changed education foreverand has provided todays students some incredible learning opportunities. This summer break, explore the many programs available to your child and incorporate a few such tools into your learning repertoire. Not only will you encourage your child to keep learning this summer, you will also be emulating 21st century classroom teaching. About Huntington Huntington 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 succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com.