Monday, March 23, 2020

How Much Does a Drum Kit Cost

How Much Does a Drum Kit Cost How Much Should You Budget for Your Drum Kit? ChaptersPlayer Size and LevelWhat Type of Music?The Shells and HeadsAccessorising Your KitA Word on Electronic DrumsDrums come in all shapes, sizes and materials for all sorts of music styles and environments.Furthermore, one has to ask: is ‘kit’ defined as just the drums and mounts â€" as some contend, or does it also include the cymbals and their stands, and your throne?And what good is a set of drums if you have no sticks to play them with and no bass pedal to strike those deep, resonant vibes?Don’t start panicking just yet! Superprof has taken a close look at the market to present you with things to think about before planning your drum set purchase.Let go of your wallet for now and read on!Considering the far higher prices than a full drum set and all of the accessories may cost you, buying a drum pad for your beginner drummer would make the most sense!Especially if you are buying for a fickle child: what if s/he won’t stick with drumming: would you be out all that money ?Find out also about the different types of drums...Black Sabbath's drummer has extensive kit, making use of each percussion instrument! Source: Wikipedia Credit: BtzkrWhat Type of Music?Drums are not a one-size-fits-all proposition.Jazz drummers and those in acoustic or folk bands tend to gravitate toward smaller drums, and fewer of them make up their kit.If you are a traditionalist, you may prefer the 4-drum configuration that Ringo Starr made popular during The Beatles heyday: a bass drum and a snare, with a single hanging tom and a floor tom.That arrangement is well suited to jazz, acoustic, folk and rock music styles.By contrast, Bill Ward (Black Sabbath drummer) may well faint when confronted with delicate, thin cymbals and single-ply drum heads, and would most likely feel bereft behind only four drums!Find drum lessons anywhere in the UK!Before settling on a drum set, you should give thought to how they will be played.To make choosing easier, you might want to know that drums come in two broad configurations: Fusion and Standard.The Fusion drums tend to be a bit smaller in diameter, but with a zippy tone and more voluble sound.By contrast, the Standard configuration is probably better known, among other things, for the bigger tone the toms produce and the greater volume overall.There are merits to both configurations and choosing which set-up is entirely up to you.However, we urge you to consider: while you could probably play anything by Taylor Swift on either drum kit, you may want to do your Lars Ullrich impression on a standard set â€" you risk cracking a cymbal if you hit it too hard!Find out how to maintain your drums optimally...Poplar is another low-cost alternative to maple and birch, yet makes a similar soundLauan, generally referred to as ‘select hardwood’, might be considered budget-birch.Bottom line: the type of shell you select will impact your kit’s sound and durability. Find out all you need to know about choosing the best drum kit for your playing...Drum heads come in several colours and thicknesses Source: Pixabay Credit: FlockineSelecting Drum Heads If you play jazz or big band type music, you would no doubt favour single-ply drum heads.You would also want the coated batter heads.Should you just want to let loose, like the Muppets’ Animal, you will want the two-ply option, and might prefer the clear heads.These Mylar heads come with or without coating, with or without damper rings and in a variety of thicknesses.Again, it comes down to the type of music you play, the sound you want to create, your proposed venue(s) and how you tune your drums.You may get a single, coated snare head for as low as £7 if you shop around and a kick drum head for up to £70; or you might look for a set of heads for your tom toms, which might run as high as £70-90.Accessorising Your KitNo drum set would be complete without a least a few cymbals: the hi hats, ride and crash cymbals are elementary.The splash cymbal and the chi na cymbal have become most popular of late, but they are not strictly necessary to play good music. Also, you have a choice of effect cymbals â€" again, not necessary to play basic tunes.Top of the line, brand name equipment such as Zildjian and Sabian will most certainly cost you a pretty penny, and there is really no getting around the fact that your cymbals may just be the most expensive component in your kit.The choice of brands, thicknesses and whether they are cast or cut from sheet metal all make a difference in price.Tip: Paiste, a brand with a loyal following, is a sheet metal cymbal line with a great sound and not much variance in sound from cymbal to the next (of the same line and size). And they tend to cost less than Zildjian cymbals!Drum AccessoriesOddly enough, you can’t really play the drums unless you have drumsticks, yet they are considered a kit accessory!What are the best drum sticks? Find out here...Other accessories for your drum kit include felts and sleeves for your cymbals, cases for your drums and various stands: for your snare and floor tom; for your bass and for assorted cymbals.Don’t forget your drum throne!Of course, you could use any stool set to the proper height, but stools made specifically for playing the drums are so engineered as to help keep you comfortable while maintaining good posture â€" so essential to good playing!You may feel that, after your initial investment into the drum set of your choice and all of its cymbals, that the accessories are nickle and diming you to death, but shopping around can score you a few bargains.Who knows? You might find a music store that wants your repeat business and give you a good deal on at least your kick drum pedal, sticks and brushes!Additional InstrumentsOnce you get really proficient in beating out those paradiddles, you may want to outfit your basic drum kit with a few other percussion instruments, like a cowbell or chimes.A choice percussion instrument, the cowbell can add tones and highlights to your music, underscoring the fundamental beat and creating unforgettable tunes â€" like Aerosmith’s Walk This Way or AC/DC’s You Shook Me.The price of electric drums is prohibitive, but they are very convenient Source: Pixabay Credit: StockSnapA Word on Electronic DrumsAs digital is the wave of the future is already here, you may look into an electronic drum set.Besides being prohibitively expensive â€" into the several thousands of pounds for even a basic setup, they are much more compact than acoustic drums and resist environmental conditions much better.One great feature of electronic drums is that they can be muted by plugging earphones in so that they play directly into the headphones rather than waking up the neighbours!If you have moved beyond the beginner stage of drumming and wish to build your kit, but live in a small apartment, an electronic drum set may just be your ticket.However, purists swear they will never give up their acoustic kit: for the ambience it creates and the sounds it makes; for the sheer joy of playing on equipment so responsive.Yes, your wallet will influence your purchase. But then, your heart and soul as a musician will drive you to the kit you need to express yourself most fully.Now find out everything you need to know before buying your drum set...... including finding drum lessons london.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Visiting Tokyo

Visiting Tokyo Things to Do in Tokyo ChaptersUnusual Restaurants and Cafés in TokyoVisiting Museums in TokyoThe Best Gardens and Parks in TokyoHave Fun in Tokyo’s Theme ParksBe it for discovering ancient Japanese culture or learning more about their favourite manga and anime, visiting Japan is an extraordinary experience that many Brits dream of and there are few places better than Tokyo to do this.However, Tokyo can be challenging as it’s one of the biggest cities in the world and there are so many things to do. You need to plan your trip to Tokyo ahead of time, especially if it’s your first time there.In this article, Superprof is looking at some of the best things to do in and around Tokyo from restaurants and cafés and parks surrounded by skyscrapers to museums and theme parks in the heart of the city. NanaJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EllyJapanese Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoJapanese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover a ll our tutors MelanieJapanese Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YukoJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesJapanese Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PippaJapanese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarikoJapanese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsUnusual Restaurants and Cafés in TokyoWhen you visit Tokyo, food is an important part of the experience. Here are some interesting cafés and restaurants to see in Tokyo.Nekorobi Cat CaféYou can grab a coffee surrounded by cats in Ikebukuro in the north of the city. There are plenty of these types of cafés in Japan and the Nekorobi Cat Café is one of the better ones. Cat lovers will enjoy playing with these adorable felines for hours. Cat cafes are very popular in Tokyo and across Japan. (Source: sharonang)You pay around £10 to get in and you’ll be treated to unlimited drinks and access to the cats.  However, you shouldn’t bother the cats while they’re eating or sleeping. You can also take a trip to Sunshine City while you’re there.Robot RestaurantYou’ll find the Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku in Kabukicho. There’s a light show in which the robots dance around while you enjoy your food and drink. This is a completely crazy place and experience.At around £40 to £45 per person, it’s quite expensive, but it’s worth it if you’re going to Japan. After a 90-minute show, you’ll leave with plenty of memories.Burgers at Chatty ChattyThis restaurant at Shinjuku is often referred to as “the best burger in the world”. There are plenty of tourists who claim this to be the best place they’ve ever eaten. While it isn’t traditional Japanese food, it’s worth a visit.Given its reputation, you can expe ct to wait for a table, but it’s the price you have to pay to enjoy incredible burgers, chips, onion rings, and a beer or soft drink.So would you like to enjoy the best burger in Japan?Visiting Museums in TokyoIf you want to learn more about Japanese culture and history, there are fewer places better to visit than the museums in Tokyo. Here’s a list of places you can discover Japanese history, culture, and art.Tokyo National MuseumWhile Kyoto is famous for its historical heritage, Tokyo also has a historical heritage in spades. The proof is in the Tokyo National Museum in the Taito ward in the north of Tokyo. Opening in 1872, this is one of the oldest museums in Japan and is home to plenty of Japanese works of art and historical artefacts.For just 620 yen ( £4.30), you can enjoy Japanese sculptures, paintings, weapons, armour, and ceramics.  There are 117,000 pieces in the museum. What better way to learn about Japan and enjoy some peace and quiet after shopping in Akihabara or Shibuya. This museum is highly recommended.TeamLab BorderlessOn the artificial island of Odaiba, you’ll find TeamLab Borderless, a spectacular digital art gallery in which visitors can enjoy installations that make use of technology and lighting across 10,000m2. Tokyo is home to many unique galleries and museums. (Source: koshinuke_mcfly)This great museum is suitable for the whole family. To visit TeamLab Borderless, you’ll want to reserve your tickets well in advance as the gallery is hugely popular and welcomes 2.5 million visitors a year. If you’re going to Japan, make sure you make time for this.The Ghibli MuseumThe Ghibli Museum pays homage to the Japanese Ghibli animation studio and can be found in the Kichijoji neighbourhood in the west of Tokyo. Designed by Hayao Miyazaki himself, this museum brings the characters and locations from Studio Ghibli and is unlike any other museum in Tokyo.You’ll find all of Ghibli’s great films brought to life including:Spirited AwayMy Neighbour TotoroPrincess MononokeCastle in the SkyKiki’s Delivery ServiceNausicaä of the Valley of the WindThe Wind RisesMake sure you book your tickets well in advance to enjoy an experience away from the city and its skyscrapers.The Best Gardens and Parks in TokyoFor those living in Japan as well as those visiting, the concrete jungle of Tokyo can be stressful. To get away from this, spend some time in some of Tokyo’s best parks and gardens and enjoy the cherry blossoms as they bloom. Tokyo's parks are hugely popular in spring when the cherry blossoms are out. (Source: Pexels)Shinjuku Gyoen National GardenThe Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is located in the Shinjuku ward. It’s one of the biggest parks in the capital and has three main styles: French formal, English landscape, and Japanese traditional. If you visit just one park while in Tokyo, make it this one!The park is very diverse and has a romantic and friendly ambience under the 1,500 cherry blossoms. There are plenty of tourists and locals making the most of Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. If you go to Tokyo, go to this park!Ueno ParkIn the northeast of the city in Ueno district of the Taito ward, you’ll find the famous Ueno Park. This is a spacious public park that you should visit if you find yourself visiting or living in Tokyo. There are a few things to see while you’re there:Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.Places to catch shows.A huge zoo.Several important museums.The huge Shinobazu Pond.It†™s completely free so don’t miss out! You can also get a photo with the statue of the last samurai.Yoyogi ParkNear the Meiji Shrine in Harajuku in the Shibuya ward, Yoyogi Park is a huge park visited by tourists and locals alike. You can walk around the park and enjoy the cherry blossoms in spring or watch people cosplaying on Sundays.Take some time away from shopping in the area to relax in this beautiful park that’s as beautiful as the Imperial Palace Gardens or the views of Mount Fuji.Have Fun in Tokyo’s Theme ParksWhether you’re travelling alone or with friends in family, there are plenty of great theme parks that you can enjoy in the capital of Japan. Here are some of our favourite theme parks in Tokyo.Tokyo DisneylandUnsurprisingly, one of the most popular theme parks in Tokyo is Tokyo Disneyland. Just like the other Disney theme parks, Disneyland in Japan is a popular place for tourists to enjoy the cartoons they loved growing up and still love now. The theme parks in Tokyo are a whole new world! (Source: Wetmount)Expect to pay around £50 per person (children are cheaper) and make the most of Tokyo DisneySea if you’re staying for more than a day. Of course, you’ll have to wait in lines just like in any other Disneyland but it’s worth it.Tokyo Dome CityTokyo Dome City in Bunkyo City is an entertainment complex where you can find Tokyo Dome City Attractions, a Japanese theme park. You’ll also find rides like the Thunder Dolphin and the Big O ferris wheel.It costs around £30 for the day but you can also pay between £3 and £10 a ride if you want to pay separately. The entire family can enjoy the attractions at Tokyo Dome City while also enjoying Japanese specialities.Universal Studios JapanUniversal Studios Japan isn’t in Tokyo but rather Osaka, which is accessible by train from the capital. This theme park is based on the biggest films and TV shows from Universal Studios:Harry PotterHello KittySnoopySesame StreetMinio nsSpider-ManJurassic ParkJawsTerminatorShrekExpect to pay around £35 for children and £55 for adults.From the second you land in Haneda Airport or Narita International Airport, you'll be spoilt for choice in terms of things to do. From the Tokyo Disney Resort to more traditionally Japanese attractions like the Tsukiji Fish Market, you'll never be bored in Tokyo!Now you know a bit more about Tokyo, you can start planning your trip. To learn more about Japan and its main cities, check out our other articles on the subject.If you'd like to learn Japanese, there are plenty of great books out there and online resources and apps available. However, if you want to learn a language, you need to speak it and you can do that thanks to the many talented Japanese tutors on Superprof.There are three main types of tutorial available and each comes with advantages and disadvantages in terms of your learning and budget: face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

How to Pass College Classes

How to Pass College Classes 0SHARESShare College courses have advanced study material and demand lots of planning and time from students. Unfortunately, many students, when they jump from school to college, forget their planning methods and study habits and find their college classes miserable. Simple strategies with a bit of more care will land them in peace and success and here are the tips for doing so. Choose a course of study that you like There are some general courses which you need to choose during college studies. Choose one that goes with your chosen field so that you feel relaxed and settled in your classes. Be punctual and pay attention to classes At college level, there can be various commitments that drag you to the level of late and unpunctual attendance in class. Make it as much as on time and attend classes with attention. There may be many things sitting on your head. Brush them aside and listen to your professor. What Is The Importance Of Online #Tutor In Learning Accounting https://t.co/5dmUacsiEV â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) March 2, 2016 Read your syllabus Your syllabus is your most important document .It tells you about schedules like when to prepare for tests and when to come to class. Once you are thorough with your syllabus, half of your doubts find answers by themselves. Open the text books Though text books are costly, you can get them from library, through scholarships and at half prices. Get them, open and read them so as to get prepared for classes and participate in them. A study routine is important Without a study routine, you cannot pass college classes. For, you need to double the number of class hours for assignment and homework hours. Best Assignment Help from online tutors is available for reducing your assignment burden. Choose a study buddy You may miss one or two classes and lose the track. Choose one or two companions in each class for catching up with the course material. Or, you can contact college online tutoring centers for cementing the holes in subject learning. How To De-Stress After An #Exam Failure https://t.co/9DybayaauN â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) March 2, 2016 No procrastination Once you procrastinate, you cram for tests and homework. If a particular homework task is tough and long, take it before time and try to accomplish it without late submission. Even then, if you get stuck, contact homework help online for support and finish the task on time. College courses are hard to do, true, but you can ace them if you take proper measures right from the beginning and win over the hardships. [starbox id=admin]

Are You Ready For Real Math Tutoring

Are You Ready For Real Math Tutoring 0SHARESShare Not able to solve those problems? Can’t get your way through numbers? Need math tutoring? Math demands both focus and efforts, which is definitely not a cake walk, right? But, now solving every math problem will be child’s play for you, because math tutoring from Tutor Pace is at your help. How online math tutoring benefits you the most? You can experience tremendous benefits through our math tutoring program. You can solve every problem, ask every doubt, and get help in upcoming projects and exams. Get to the roots of concepts: Your math tutor will take you to the core of the subject. In math, merely solving problems doesn’t help, but learning the basics surely does. Apply the learned concepts: You tutor makes you apply all the concepts effectively to the problems after you grasp the fundamentals. Get 24X7 help: You get constant 24X7 help from our professional tutors at your comfort and at your time. Cover every topic: You learn it all in math covering algebra, pre-algebra, trigonometry, calculus, pre-calculus, geometry, and statistics. Ask anything and everything: You can anytime ask your doubts, discuss concepts, and even seek help for your upcoming exams. Tutor Pace’s online math tutoring is a step to take you higher in your career, so that no more zeros can encircle your freedom to fly. Get your  online Math tutor  now [starbox id=admin]

Getting Around Marrakech

Getting Around Marrakech Transport in Marrakech ChaptersTaxis in MarrakechBuses in MarrakechRenting Cars in MarrakechGetting Around Marrakech in a CarriageWalking Around MarrakechOther Transportation in Marrakech“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.” - Lewis CarrollBe it Casablanca, Tangier, Agadir, Ouarzazate, or Marrakech (or Marrakesh), millions of tourists are discovering Moroccan culture each year. Tourism is an important contributor to the Moroccan economy. In 2017, 532,000 people worked in the tourism sector. Similarly, the transport sector is recruiting.  To get travellers around the country, transport companies have also developed.So how can you get around Marrakech, one of Morocco’s most popular cities?From the airport to the souks in the city centre via the Palmeraie, there are plenty of ways to get around the city. Be it on a camel, in a bus, shuttles, etc. you’ll need to think about the best mode of transport for getting where you’re going.Ready to go? HalimaArabic Teacher £13 /h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KotaibaArabic Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SoledadArabic Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NancyArabic Teacher 5.00 (1) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TaouesArabic Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DinaArabic Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AbrarArabic Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UsamaArabic Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsTaxis in MarrakechMajorelle Garden, Koutoubia Mosque, Bahia Palace, Jemaa el-Fna, The Palmeraie, etc. Marrakech has tonnes of things to impress visitors. But to get from A to B, taxis are the most recommended type of transport. From the new town to the Atlas Mountains, taxis provide a valuable service. Taxis in Marrakech are so affordable that you can use them to travel all over the city. (Source: hichamaarkoubi)Unlike taxis in the UK, the taxis in Marrakech are cheap. You can get around town for just a couple of quid. But before you get in a taxi, make sure they have a meter and that it’s running when your journey begins. This is the best way to ensure that you’ll get a fair price. Similarly, make sure you ask how much it’ll cost for the journey and nicely ask the driver to start the meter.There are two types of taxis in Marrakech. There are small or big taxis.The small taxis are beige. Generally, a driver can accept two or three passengers. Any more than that and you’ll need to look for a bigger cab. A typical trip will cost between 10 and 20 Dirhams (around £1 or £2) but the minimum price will never be less than 6 Dirhams. You also need to know that the cost of the trip is increased by around £1 in the evenings. These small taxis are a practical way of getting around Marrakech.To get out of the city and visit the Majorelle Gardens or the Palmeraie, you’ll need to opt for bigger taxis.  You can often find these bigger taxis waiting for passengers at the airport or outside hotels and they’re looking to pick up tourists. They don’t have a meter so you’ll need to negotiate your price before getting in. Similarly, the drivers are immediately going to have an idea of your budget based on whether you give them directions to luxury hotels, boutique hotels, hostels, or a guesthouse so you might want to check rates and the lowest prices to get into the city before telling them exactly which hotel in Marrakech you want to go to.Before you know it, you can be enjoying mint tea and some Moroccan cuisine on a roof terrace with a view of a beautiful minaret but keep in mind that you can’t expect the same rates as with the small taxis. However, the bigger taxis can take you outside of the city to places like the Agafay Desert and the Ouzoud Falls or a nother city like Essaouira, for example. Since these taxis can take up to six people, they’re good for taking larger groups out of the city.  For example, a trip from the airport to the city centre will cost around £10. If the driver suggests more, refuse and try to negotiate.If you have any problems with a taxi driver while in Marrakech, you can always get in touch with the Tourist Police and in some cases, the mere mention of them will sort out any conflicts.Find out more about visiting Marrakech.Buses in MarrakechThe buses in Marrakech aren’t great for tourists since taking the bus is quite complicated. While there are bus stops, they’re not very well indicated and it’s very easy to get lost. This is why most tourists opt for taxis or walking around Medina. Other than the sightseeing bus, we wouldn't recommend getting the bus around Marrakech; you rarely have any idea where they're going. (Source: GregMontani)If you want to take the bus, it’s cheap. There are around 30 different routes and a ticket will cost you around 30p.  Most of the stops can be found near Jemma el-Fna. Lines 1, 3, and 8 go to the bus station and train station.The Ikhlass Card is a good idea for those spending a few days in Marrakech. It costs around £5 and can be topped up with a balance to be used for bus journeys. These trips cost less and paying for individual bus tickets.Just like most other touristy cities, there’s also the bus tour. This bus can be used to see all of Marrakech’s tourist sites for around £10 a ticket. You can get on and off the bus as you please throughout the day.Find out more about the cost of visiting Marrakech. HalimaArabic Teacher £13/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KotaibaArabic Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!D iscover all our tutors SoledadArabic Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NancyArabic Teacher 5.00 (1) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TaouesArabic Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DinaArabic Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AbrarArabic Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UsamaArabic Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsRenting Cars in MarrakechWhen travelling in a small group, renting a car is often a good idea for getting around. The freedom of being able to go wherever you want without having to wait for public transport is the biggest advantage.Renting a car from a local company tends to be the cheapest and you can pay between £10 and £25 a day, not including insurance. With insurance, this can add up to around £30 to £40. If you decide to go with an international care rental company, you’ll find the prices are more expensive and you’ll be paying closer to £60 a day for a comfortable car.However, driving in Marrakech is no picnic. You can’t drive in Medina, which is why most tourists walk around the neighbourhood and driving in Morocco isn’t like driving in the UK. If you’re not used to it, you can quickly have problems with scooters nipping all over the place.On the other hand, renting a car could be a great way to visit outside of Marrakech. However, you can always do a day trip to other cities like Agdal or Rabat or trips to the High Atlas Mountains, the Sahara Desert with a travel guide rather than driving around yourself.Check for the best Arabic courses here.Getting Around Marrakech in a CarriageCarriages are an unusual way to get around Marrakech. You'll see them in front of a lot of big hotels and they’re an interesting way to see the city. The horse-drawn carriages are an interesting way to travel around the city. (Source: ggulik)Unlike the small taxis with their meters, you can negotiate a price for a ride around in these carriages. You can get a short trip to Medina for around £2 or £3. Generally speaking, you should expect to pay between £7 and £10 an hour. If you plan to ride around in a carriage for a few hours, it’s easier to negotiate a lower rate. Carriages are a good way to travel around the Palmeraie or the city walls. This way, your feet won’t get tired and you can get the most out of the countryside.Walking Around MarrakechTravelling by taxi to your destination and then walking around is one of the best ways to discover Marrakech, the hustle and bustle, the Berber and Moorish influence and architecture, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since cars aren’t allowed in the historic centre of Marrakech, you need to walk around Medina.However, there are always 2-wheeled vehicles driving around. Walkin g around is a great way to find new places and interesting side streets which will probably happen because it’s almost impossible to find an accurate map of Medina. In some parts of the city, it's a good idea to just walk. (Source: Jonny_Joka)If you get lost, you’ll have to ask the local merchants where you need to go. You can also ask passers-by but they won’t necessarily be from there and some people will probably ask you for money in exchange for help.Enjoy a souk, kasbah, terraces, tombs, palaces, Moroccan style architecture, some nice couscous, while walking around the city. It's the best way to get the most of the city. There are apps and maps you can use to get around the city without too many problems. The app Maps.me is useful because you can use it offline.If you're looking for accommodation and hotels in Marrakech, be it a luxury hotel, boutique hotel, rooms and suites in the Four Seasons Resort, find out more about places to stay in the city.Other Transportation in MarrakechWalking or taking a taxi aren’t the only ways to get around Marrakech. Here are a few other ways you can effectively travel around the city.Renting BikesTo discover Medina, there are bikes you can use to easily cycle around the old city. There are cycle lanes in certain parts of the city. To rent a bike, you’ll need to pay between £8 and £10 for the day. Avoid cycling too far out of the city centre.Tuk TuksThis Asian style of transport is quite common in Medina. A driver will take you from one end of the neighbourhood to the other if you’re sick of walking.So are you ready for a little tour of the city?

Confused by a section on the spring 2014 SAT

Confused by a section on the spring 2014 SAT If your student took the SAT recently, he or she may have noticed that one section on the test seemed very different from the others.  This section may have included  math, reading, or grammar content in a different format from the rest of the SAT.  For instance, the reading section might have asked the student to justify his answers, or the grammar section possibly included longer paragraphs with underlined phrases or sentences that needed editing.We wanted to respond to some parents concerns and let you know that  these SAT sections were most likely experimental.   Each SAT includes one experimental section which doesnt count towards students scores and is used by the College Board to gather data on students responses to the problems.  In the past, the experimental section has had the same format as the rest of the test, so test-takers havent been able to tell which section is experimental.  However, now that the College Board has announced the redesigned SAT to be released in spring 2016, it appears that new question formats are being tested on the experimental sections of current SATs.Its important for students to realize that any section on the SAT with a drastically different question format they havent encountered before likely will  not  count toward their score on the test.  Of course, we encourage students to take every section seriously and not to try to guess which section is experimental.  But its almost certainly the case that  an unusual section will not affect their score, and students shouldnt let it distract them from a strong performance on the rest of the test.The redesigned SAT will first be administered in the spring of 2016, so it will primarily affect current rising sophomores and younger students.  For more information about the SAT redesign and sample problems, please take a look at the College Boards site  Delivering Opportunity.Rest assured that AJ Tutoring is staying abreast of the latest updates on the SAT, and well be upda ting our materials to reflect the changes to the test in 2016.  Were currently monitoring the College Boards SAT information releases, and our directors and tutors are taking the actual SAT to preview the upcoming changes.  Well keep you updated on the SAT redesign as more information becomes available, but for the next academic year (2014-15), the SAT will keep the same format.If you have any questions about the experimental section or the SAT redesign, or if your student would like help reviewing for the fall SAT or ACT, please reach out to us at (650) 331-3251 or via email at info@ajtutoring.com.

SAT Adversity Score

SAT Adversity Score The SAT Adversity Score is supposed to give context to an applicants SAT score by rating his or her neighborhood and high school. The College Board, which administers the SAT, recently introduced its Environmental Context Dashboard (ECD), but it quickly became known as the Adversity Score. The College Board claims this score allows colleges to incorporate a students school and environmental context into their admissions process in a data-driven, consistent way. The Adversity Score does not alter SAT scores or take into account a students personal characteristics beyond their test scores. Instead, it aggregates publicly available information about schools and neighborhoods. It has three components: Students'SAT scores can be seen within the context of the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of SAT scores from their high school. Information on the high school, including senior class size; percentage of students who meet federal eligibility criteria for free and reduced-price lunch; rurality/urbanicity; average first-year SAT score of colleges students from that high school attend; and the percentage of seniors taking an Advanced Placement exam and other information about AP scores and exams. Contextual data on the neighborhood and high school environment, which is calculated using data drawn from a combination of publicly available sources (e.g. U.S. Census Bureau and National Center for Education Statistics). The goal is to allow them to view a students academic accomplishments in the context of where they live and learn. Whether college admissions officers decide to consider the Adversity Score is up to them. The College Board claims the information is not intended to replace or contradict existing information about schools and neighborhoods. It will refresh its Adversity Scores underlying data each year. The tool was piloted for use by admissions officers at 50 colleges and universities in 2018-2019. This fall, the College Board will expand the pilot to more than 150 colleges in a research partnership and continue to shape the tool. It will become broadly available in 2020. Anecdotal feedback from the initial pilot is that the Adversity Score helped colleges recognize hardworking students who care about school but might come from an environment that made it difficult to fully thrive. Some admissions officers reported that the Adversity Score helped them contextualize college entrance exam scores within a high school to give a better idea of what success looks like in a certain area. More information about the Environmental Context Dashboard aka Adversity Score is available on the College Board website.

Why Your Middle School Student Should Get Into Reading

Why Your Middle School Student Should Get Into Reading 5 Reasons Why Your Middle School Student Should Get Into Reading The middle school years can be a difficult time. Students are adjusting to a higher level of academic expectations while all the while going through a major life transition. Emotions run high, and the stress of school can become overwhelming. As a result, middle school students begin to view learning as something negative and can take this feeling with them into their high school years. One of the best ways to keep a student interested in learning as well as to help them be successful academically is to encourage them to read. They dont need to read anything in particular; they just need to be working on reading comprehension in some form or another our private Orange County reading tutoring will help your child learn to love to read. 1.   Keep confidence high Middle school can be especially difficult if a student lacks the confidence to do well in their core subjects, one of which is reading and writing. Students will often be asked to read in front of the class or will need to comprehend something their teachers read to them quickly. When students read for fun, they have a chance to sound out difficult words or learn how to determine a word’s meeting in context in a low-pressure environment. When students complete all of this practice at home, it makes classroom reading much easier and keeps self-esteem high during this important part of life (READ: 5 Tips to Encourage Your Child to Read). 2.   Maintain reading as a skill Elementary school kids learn a ton of different skills, one of the most important of which is reading. However, students often start to backtrack on these important skills once they reach the stresses of middle school. Students who read at home for fun are a lot more likely to maintain the skills theyve already learned and been able to build upon them when new and challenging assignments come along. 3.   Learn how to speed read and look for keywords Middle school is also a time when students will need to be able to read fast and still understand information in the text or be able to skim for information and keywords in textbooks that are upwards of 1,000 pages long. This can be overwhelming in conjunction with all the other assignments students get from their classroom teacher, so its something thats better supplemented in a low-pressure home environment. If students need specific help learning how to search for keywords or terms, they can ask their tutor or parents to help them figure out what theyre doing right and what they need to work on. 4.   Learn about an exciting new subject Kids at this age often feel stifled because they focus primarily on core subjects in the classroom. As important as core subjects may be, kids need more intellectual and creative stimulation to maintain interest in their education. When students read at home, they can explore any exciting new subject that peaks their interest. In this case, kids can enjoy reading about whatever theyre into at the moment so that their love of reading, and learning in general, stays intact. 5.   Use the imagination Perhaps the most important reason for middle school students to get into reading is to use their imagination. Younger kids have great imaginations, but they often lose this way of thinking once they get into high school. The longer a kid reads about fantasy and fiction the more likely they’ll be to keep their all-important ability to imagine new things. Having an imagination can help older students think outside the box, find solutions to difficult problems, and just enjoy all the creative aspects of art and literature as part of a well-balanced academic life. Is your child struggling with reading? Our Orange County reading tutors are here to help. Call TutorNerds today for more information. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.