The Mayans

The Mayans Taking a Look at the Long History of the Maya People ChaptersThe Mayan TimelineGeography of the Maya TerritoryMayan PoliticsThe Mayan Social StructureMayan Religious and Spiritual BeliefsAncient Maya AcademicsMayan CalendarsThe Mayan CivilisationDo you remember the Mayan calendar freakout of 2012?December 20th, 2012 was the date that the Mayans presumably predicted the world would end.In stores around the globe, survival supplies were snapped up. Building contractors specialising in underground shelters were triple-booked; they couldn’t work fast enough to meet demand.Everywhere, people alternated between hosting extravagant parties and hunkering down in fear.And then, at the stroke of midnight on that day... the Mayan calendar regenerated and lots of people felt just a little foolish at having stockpiled emergency candles and tinned food.This incident is a testament to the power, impact and genius of the Mayan civilisation, even centuries after its waning.They were a people both religious and superstitious, human characteristics see mingly at odds with their scientific nature.Equally at odds were their artistic abilities and their brutality â€" not just ritual sacrifices but in everyday matters, such as torturing and beheading their losing ball team.Yes, the Mayans loved to play ball, just like we do!Let us now take a trip to Mesoamerica, where the Mayan civilisation flourished for so long. We’ll find out what life was like in those times, what marvels they achieved and what happened to them. MarkHistory Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JohnHistory Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarjotteHistory Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErinHistory Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChantelleHistory Teacher 5.00 (2) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyHistory Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeterHistory Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SerenaHistor y Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Mayan Timeline Beware of playing ball with ancient Mayans; you may end up losing your head! Image by ecalbz2005 from PixabayAlthough the region occupied by the Mayans shows evidence of having been inhabited some 8,000 years ago, the time frame of Mayan civilisation is contested to this day.Nevertheless, the eras of a few major events are generally agreed upon.Most archaeologists put the start of Mayan civilization around 1,800BC, when actual settlements arose and the people started cultivating maize, beans, squash and chilli peppers â€" ingredients that remain staples of their diet still today.One of the most impactful events in the Mayan timeline happened in the 9th Century AD: a political collapse led to a migration away from the southern lowlands, leaving their cities and fields behind.Nobody is sure what brought on that migration or the sudden change in political winds.A combination of factors such as drought and overpopulation â€" which led to environmental degradation, coupled with civil war is universally accepted as likely factors.By the start of the 16th Century, there were hardly any Mayan warriors left to fight against the Spanish; in 1697, Spanish conquistadors attacked and took the last independent Mayan city.The longevity of the Mayan civilisation â€" in spite of her collapse in the 2nd Century she kept on going, has caused scholars to categorise date progression into 5 discrete eras:Archaic: from 8,000 to 2,000 BCPreclassic: from 2,000 BC to 250 ADClassic: 250 to 950 ADPostclassic: 950 to 1539 ADContact Period, the times of Spanish activity: 1511 to 1697Within those divisions, there are further distinctions: early, late and terminal. We also note that the date ranges may fluctuate by up to a century as there is no definite way of assigning dates to specific events.Discover amazing facts of the aboriginal Australian timeline.Geography of the Maya TerritoryThe Mayan civilization developed within the Mesoamerican culture area which extended from the northern end o f today’s Mexico into Central America.In their heyday, the Mayans occupied the entire Yucatan Peninsula as well as southeastern Mexico and northern South America â€" the region we know today as Belize and Guatemala, as well as western Honduras and El Salvador.The Mayans enjoyed a generous coastline. Inland, their terrain was generally flat with few hills, except for what was known as the Mayan Highlands, the mountain range that extends into Guatemala.In all, they had plenty of arable land and water was not necessarily difficult to come by... at least, if the population had not boomed. The Mayans generally lived on flat terrain with abundant water Image by MarkgCap from PixabayMayan PoliticsAlthough the region was vast and well-populated and all Mayans shared a common worldview and ideology, they were never consolidated into a single empire.Mayans lived in nation-states, each governed by their own political hierarchies. These states were connected by trade relations, diplomatic alliances and tribute obligations.Tribute obligations: more powerful states would exact payment from weaker neighbours, generally as a gesture of submission. Such a tribute could be in the form of currency or goods.Initially, Mayans were governed by tribal chiefs but, by the Classic period, leadership had become more centralised and much more powerful.Leaders justified their position through lineage or by divine right; political connections with other leaders also helped enforce a leader’s tenure.The Mayan culture enforced loyalty and obedience to rulers; they felt it was absolutely necess ary to maintain social harmony.Those who chafed under leadership were harshly punished.  By the Classic Period, human sacrifice had become a well-established tool for social control. Political and religious leaders had no issue with performing ritual sacrifice as a way of demonstrating their power.Are you familiar with the burial customs in ancient Greece?Besides ancestor worship, Mayans had more than 200 gods. The most important ones were of creation, fertility, rain and thunder, and death.As in society, so in the pantheon of gods: there was a hierarchy, with some gods being more powerful and revered than others.Some gods existed to be disliked, mocked and tricked.Throughout the vast Mayan territory, most everyone revered the same gods but some polities had gods specific to their region or concerns.It is difficult to assess exactly how many gods populated their belief system because the same god may have a different name in another region or may have several names within the same r egion.One remarkable facet of Mayan gods is their potential for ruthlessness and cruelty.For instance, Zipacna, a god instrumental in creating the earth, killed 400 boys in a single, cleverly-engineered move. The Tikal pyramids in Guatemala were more ceremonial in nature Image by Albert Dezetter from PixabayAncient Maya AcademicsFor a people obsessed with bloodshed and warfare, ancient Mayans were surprisingly academic, making significant advances in a variety of fields.TechnologyShould you be in doubt about Mayan technological know-how, you only need to look at their leftover structures and city ruins. Their symmetrical layout and precise lines indicate that they knew a bit about land surveying and measurement.What is even more remarkable is that they cut stone and transported it without any metal tools or any wheels.Another amazing advance was their use of glittery paint to adorn their buildings and to create art.  Mixing standards colours with mica, a mineral abundantly available in the area, they decorated everything from their walls to themselves.Do you think of ancient Mayans when you wear your wellies?Researchers have discovered that the Mayans perfected the process of combining ra w rubber with other materials to make it more durable â€" a process called vulcanisation, some 3,000 years ago.Among the products they fashioned out of vulcanised rubber were water-resistant bags and clothing, binding for their books and balls to play pok-a-tok with.Remember, earlier in this article we said that the losing ball team would be beheaded?AstronomyThe Maya civilization was agrarian, meaning it depended on natural elements â€" rainfall and auspicious planting times for the bulk of their food production.Furthermore, they believed in cosmological influence; the pull and power of the heavens on everyday affairs.  To derive the most benefit possible, they set out to understand the power of the stars and planets.Through their study, they gleaned an advanced understanding of astrological cycles and how they could help plan harvesting and planting schedules.Unlike the sun and moon, stars had no special divine meaning; however, they were significant for agricultural planning beca use their changes indicated a change of seasons.Venus was another important celestial body.  Ancient Mayans associated Venus with war so battles were planned and fought according to Venus’ movements.If that planet was not in the right position to guarantee favour from the gods, sacrificing war prisoners would be delayed until such a time that the gods would be likely to smile.Mayan knowledge of astronomy even influenced their architecture; perhaps the most famous example of such is the positioning of the pyramid at Chichen Itza.Upon the spring and autumn equinoxes, the waning sun’s light casts a shadow onto a climbing wall which forms the staircase to the top of the pyramid.Projecting the undulating shape of the edge of the structure, the shadow appears to meld with the carved snake head that adorns the base of the stairs, making it appear as though a giant snake were slithering down the side of the pyramid itself.Such a degree of precision is astounding, especially considering that the ancient Mayan had virtually no tools or instruments with which to measure.Even more jaw-dropping: this entire structure is a calendar!Mayan CalendarsWhereas we have two calendars by which to track our days, Julian and Gregorian â€" and we don’t much use Julian dates anymore, the Mayan had several and used them all.Their shortest cycle calendar was called Tzolkin; a 260-day count. It was used to determine when agricultural activity should take place and to plan religious ceremonies.  It also represents roughly the duration of a human pregnancy.The Haab calendar is 365 days long, like ours, but is broken down into 18 months of 20 days each.If you’ve done the math, you know that 18x20 is only 360. The last 5 days were considered so unlucky, they were given their own name: Wayeb.  During that time, Maya people stayed home and avoided most activities, lest disaster befall them.The long-count calendar was used to count all of the days since the beginning of time. This calenda r is both cyclical and linear, meaning that one can consult it to look forward and back in time, and that it regenerates.At its base is the 360-day Haab year minus the 5-day Wayeb period and, to explain it properly, we have to understand Mayan mathematics.MathematicsUnlike the Mesopotamian civilisation numbering system which was based on a value of 60, Mayan numeracy was base 20 or vigesimal.They devised a counting system using only 3 symbols and, most critically, they implemented the use of zero as a place holder.In Mayan numeracy, a dot represented a single unit, dashes had a value of 5 and, usually, a clamshell depicted zero.In the same way we teach our young students how to add by arranging the values vertically and to first add the ones, then the tens and so on, the Mayans used the same structure â€" except for their groupings were by 20, not 10.Using sticks, pebbles and perhaps a bone fragment to signify zero, everyone could use maths in everyday transactions.Now that we under stand that their counting system was based on 20, we see that their long-count calendar was simply the Haab calendar times 204.360 x 204 = 57,600,000 â€" which is exactly the number of days that elapsed by December 21st, 2012, after which the calendar restarted!Did the Inca also have a sophisticated system for counting? After centuries of exposure to the elements, Mayan glyphs are a little hard to read Image by Albert Dezetter from PixabayWritingThe Mayan writing system includes more than 800 symbols. Some are logosyllabic, meaning that a single drawing represents an entire word â€" a lot like Japanese or Chinese writing.Other Mayan script involves writing words out syllable by syllable. About 300 Mayan glyphs are considered syllabic.This writing system was the most developed in pre-Columbian America but, for as developed as it was, only the nobles were permitted to learn it.That means that the workers who chiselled hieroglyphics onto walls, sculptures and pottery had no idea what they were writing!On the other hand, scribes, religious and military leaders used their writing skills to draft many of their accounts on tree bark, which they then bound in animal hides.These books described life in the Maya culture, military action, politics and social events such as ball games and festivals.When the Spa niards invaded, they interpreted these books as pagan and evil. They burned the heap of them... but, fortunately, four have survived.The Mayan CivilisationIncomprehensibly brutal yet devoutly religious, firmly grounded in science but awash with superstition: the complexity of the Maya culture enthrals still today.Unlike other ancient civilisations, the Maya have left such a long history; a past littered with so much yet to be discovered and understood.Why did Mayan noblewomen file their teeth down to points? Why was being cross-eyed a mark of distinction?Why, when there was so much knowledge to be shared, was a substantial portion of the population denied education?There were no schools, as such, to teach people how to read, write and do maths. Withholding education was a way to maintain the class structure; to ensure the Mayan way would continue forever.Although there are still Mayans inhabiting the Yucatan peninsula and scattered throughout the region, their way of life is, for th e most part, gone for good.Done are the bloody wars and the brutal sacrifices; finished are the egocentric kings and the malicious nobles.Echoes of their gods are still there, though.If you happen to find yourself in the northern part of the Yucatan peninsula, sometime around the 20th of September, you may just catch the shadow of a Mayan feathered snake slithering down from the heavens.Now discover the similarities between Mayan and Aztec cultures...

Italian Words and Phrases for the Summer [Slideshow]

Italian Words and Phrases for the Summer [Slideshow] Brooke Neuman Are you traveling to Italy this summer or simply want to brush up on your Italian vocabulary? Below, Italian teacher Nadia B. shares some useful Italian words and phrases for the summer Its summertime, which means  its time for some fun in the sun. In addition to your  sunblock and hat, dont forget to bring along these helpful Italian words and phrases for the summer (or, in Italian, lestate). In doing so, you can continue to enrich your Italian studies, while also having some fun. Italians love to go to the beach. During the month of August, cities are abandoned and quiet as everyone escapes to the beach. If youre at the beach, here are some of the most relevant Italian words and phrases you can use in conversation. Italian Words and Phrases for the Summer from takelessons Another beautiful part of summer is the opportunity to travel somewhere new. As you explore new places, the following Italian words and phrases will help you to describe your experience. Italian Words and Phrases for Summer Travel from takelessons As you travel, go to the beach, and otherwise relax this summer, take a few minutes each day to practice Italian. Using the Italian words and phrases above will help you to describe your summer experiences. You could even keep a journal in Italian to practice  your writing skills. Another way to incorporate Italian into your summer fun is to bring your iPod to the beach and listen to some Italian songs  or  podcasts, while lounging in the sun. Whichever way  you practice, it will surely result in positive progress! Post Author: Nadia B. Nadia B. teaches Italian in New York, NY. She graduated summa cum laude from New York University, with a double degree in Italian Language and Literature and Classical Music Performance.  Learn more about Nadia 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

How To Publish Poetry

How To Publish Poetry Publishing Poetry In The UK ChaptersHow Do I Self Publish My Poetry?How Many Poems Should Be In A Chapbook?How Do I Get A Book Of Poems Published?How To Publish A Poetry BookDo Poets Make Money?The world of poetry is a competitive one, and many poets may wonder what their best options are when it comes to getting their work out into the world.While every poet’s publishing journey will be different, the below article explains some of the most common self-publishing and publishing routes, and also discusses how much money you can really make out of writing poetry.Margaret Atwood; andVirginia Woolf.There are also more recent examples of poets, such as Rupi Kaur, whose poetry you can read, who have been successful self-published poets.If it’s an avenue you’re considering, then the first thing to do is to prepare your manuscript or best poems for publication. This means reading, proofing and editing your work until it’s ready to be seen by the world.At this stage, it may help to bring in a trusted third part y to look over your work and provide honest feedback on where poems may be improved, or what they enjoyed about the work. Equally, hiring a freelance proofreader or editor to conduct a poetry review for any formatting or spelling errors can also be extremely helpful.If you’re looking for a third party to provide input, you could also reach out to sites such as Superprof, which have a range of English tutors with poetry specialisms, who would be happy to offer pointers on where the work could be improved, or suggest other literary devices  that could be incorporated into a poem.Once your new poems are ready for publication, then it’s a case of choosing how to get your poetry published. You could opt to create an e-book, in which case you should check whether the book’s formatting complies with common e-book formats, such as Kindle or iPad. You’ll also have to decide which online retailer is right for you, so research is crucial.Find the best poetry classes on Superprof.Anothe r option is to go down the print-on-demand (POD) route. This involves paying a company to store an electronic copy of your book, and then they print that book for you. Although this route is usually more expensive than just publishing an e-book, some people prefer to have a physical copy or copies of their poetry book in their hands.Regardless of which method you choose, always give consideration to your  budget  when self-publishing and make sure that you don’t overspend.Self-publishing has become much more accessible through online retailers. (Image: CC0 1.0, Myriams-Fotos, Pixabay)How Many Poems Should Be In A Chapbook?A chapbook is a term you may encounter in the world of poetry. Essentially, a chapbook contains a collection of poems that focus on a particular theme. What’s more, chapbooks tend to be quite short in length, and usually have no more than 30 pages.Chapbooks are a great tool for poets as they can help prepare poets for the process of writing and publishing a lon ger manuscript, and chapbooks can also be used as a way to reach out to an audience, build your name, and show potential publishers your talent.Once you’ve decided you’d like to put together a chapbook, the question becomes which poems should you include, and how many? When selecting your poems, think about whether the poems gel well together in terms of your theme or concept, and try to only include your best pieces in the chapbook â€" after all, you’re looking to impress and appeal to new readers!Join poetry courses London now or find poetry courses online.This means that you should also try to start off your chapbook with a bang, and have your best poem, or at least one of your very best, right at the start of the chapbook. This will give your reader the most favourable impression about your poetry and hopefully entice them to keep reading.After that, feel free to mix and match the order of where your poems fall â€" leaving all your least impressive works until right at the very end may leave the reader feeling underwhelmed once they’re finished, so having the correct order of poems is key.When it comes to how many poems should feature in a chapbook, the ultimate number will depend on the length of your poems and your own preference, but as a general guide, aim for a poem a page. This would give you around 20-25 poems for your chapbook.Publishing poetry can still present challenges. (Image: CC BY-SA 3.0, Nick Youngson, Alpha Stock Images)Cookbooks; orCelebrity autobiographies.As a result, it can be really hard for poets to find an audience to reach out to in a way that will generate a stable, long-term income.However, it’s not all doom and gloom! While it’s generally not wise to quit your day job to pursue a full-time career as a poet (unless you are an exceptional talent, have a well-paid publishing deal already, or an exceptionally strong fan base or social media following) there are still ways you can get your poetry out there, and get paid f or it.For example, you could try and sell your poems to greeting card companies. Some greeting card companies like to use poems as messages in their cards, so you could try and reach out to those companies to see whether they would consider any of your works.If you do decide to go down this route, make sure to research the greeting card company thoroughly, know who the key contacts at the company are, and understand their target audience and the range of cards they sell. Essentially, treat any potential client with the professionalism you would expect in your day job, and you’ll be in a great position to start pitching for work.Another option is to try and break into songwriting, which is in many ways closely related to poetry. It’s a competitive market to break into, but it can be very satisfying to know that there’s a band or musician out there playing your words on a nightly basis to crowds of people.Other avenues also include working as a freelance writer more generally, o r to look for poetry writing gigs on sites such as Upwork or Fiverr. While these jobs tend to be low paid, it can be a great way to see some money come through for your work. If you go down this route, it pays to be flexible, so be prepared to write short fiction, free verse, contemporary poetry, or any other written work that will require good use of your imagination.And, of course, there is always teaching as another option. Teachers or tutors won’t get to spend much time writing poetry but you could get satisfaction from being immersed in the world of poetry and teaching others about the subject. There are websites such as Superprof out there that help link tutors together with students, so you could apply for a tutor position with Superprof and start your tutoring work that way.

Reading the Russian Classics

Reading the Russian Classics The prolific Russian literary scene ChaptersThe heritage of ancient RussiaThe modern Russian works and the height of the Russian novelThe 19th century - the golden age for the Russian languageRussian literature in the 20th centuryWhat about Russian literature today?It’s a universally shared notion: Russian pronunciation is particularly charming, especially as concerns the rolling of the ‘r’s!This particular accent is often a delight to behold, even when someone is speaking English as a foreign language.There are many different reasons to learn Russian - a desire to teach the language yourself, plans to travel to Russia, interest is studying in a Russian speaking country, communicating with your spouse’s family in a cross-cultural marriage, expatriation…or a general love for Russian culture.It’s this last subject that we will be talking about today, as we examine Slavic culture via the lens of literature.This journey through time to examine Russia and its Slavic heritage through its favorite authors and book s should at the very least give you a desire to become truly bilingual and read the texts in their original Russian!The modern Russian language began to develop, first thanks to Lomonosov and his grammar, as well as to the works of these authors. The language is an arranged marriage between the popular spoken language and the Slavonic church version and occurred in 1755.It was the first time in Russian history that the national language was standardized!With the opening of the tsars to the rest of the world, many concepts and new technologies were imported from Europe to describe technical or conceptual realities which were hitherto unknown to the Eastern Slavs.With this new knowledge, do not hesitate to test yourself and your language skills in Russia. But first, make sure you’ve taken all the necessary steps to obtain a visa for Russia!Do you want to take Russian language lessons? You can find them on Superprof no matter where you are in the UK. Find Russian lessons London wide or in any city outside the capital.

Square Root of 1296 Help

Square Root of 1296 Help In order to find the square root of a given number, we should write the given number in terms of its prime factors. The square root of 1296, represented as 1296 can be written in terms of its prime factors as = (2* 2* 2* 2* 3* 3* 3* 3). Now the numberswhich are repeating twice inside are pulled outside and hence we get 2* 2* 3* 3 = 36. Therefore the 1296 = 36 and since we get a perfect number, hence 1296 is a perfect square. Example 1:Find the value of the given expression: 4 * 1296. Here each square root radical should be simplified further. 4= (2 * 2). Now pull out the number which is repeating twice inside the radical. This gives: 4 = 2 and 4 is a perfect square since its square root gives a perfect number! And we already have 1296 = 36. So, 4 * 1296 = 2 * 36 = 72. Hence the value of the expression,4 * 1296 is = 72. Example 2: Find the value of the given expression: 9 * 1296. Here each square root radical should be simplified further. 9 = (3 * 3). Now pull out the number which is repeating twice inside the radical. This gives: 9 = 3and here9 is a perfect square. We have, 1296 = 36. So now multiplying the two radicals we get: 9 * 1296 = 3 * 36 = 108. Hence the value of the expression, 9 * 1296 is = 108.

Difference Quotient Solver

Difference Quotient Solver Difference quotient solver is used in the derivative. Dividing the function difference from the difference of the points is called as difference quotient. The difference quotient is used to calculate the slope of a secant line. It is also defined as a slope of secant line passing through two points (x, f(x)) and (x + h, f(x + h)). The slope of a secant line is calculated as m = (f(x + h) f(x)) / (x + h) x. by simplifying this we get slope = (f(x + h) f(x)) / h. Problem 1: Find the difference quotient of function f(x) = 7x + 4. Solution: Given function isf(x) = 7x + 4 = So f(x + h) = 7(x + h) + 4 = 7x +7h + 4 = Now f(x + h) - f(x) = 7x + 7h + 4 - (7x + 4) = 7x + 7h + 4 - 7x - 4 = 7h = We have (f(x + h) f(x)) / h = 7h / h = 7 = The difference quotient of function f(x) = 7x + 4 is 7. Problem 2: Find the difference quotient of the function f(x) =4x^2 +2x 1. Solution: Given function isf(x) =4x^2 +2x 1 = We can write f(x + h) = 4(x + h) ^2+ 2(x + h) 1 = (f (x + h) f(x)) / h = (4(x + h) ^2+ 2(x + h) 1 (4x^2 +2x 1))/ h = (4(x^2 + h^2 + 2xh) + 2x + 2h 1 4x^2 +2x 1)/ h = (4x^2 +4 h^2 + 8xh + 2x + 2h 1 4x^2 -2x + 1)/ h = 4h + 8x + 2 = So the difference quotient of this function is 4h + 8x + 2.

Scholarship Preparation Adams A to Z

Scholarship Preparation Adam's A to Z Knowing where to start with scholarship preparation can be tricky for entrance to independent schools such as Eton and Westminster.  We spoke to one of our experienced tutors,  Adam M, who shared his A-Z of what it takes to be successful when preparing for these testing series of exams.   A is for ambition and attitude. You must be ready, willing and able to face the challenge of studying for a scholarship.   B is for brainstorming. There is a lot of essay writing to do in the exams, so get into the habit of mind-mapping, structuring your ideas.   C is for character. In a competitive atmosphere for a place at a school, prepare as if you want to win a race, to be first, to be the champion!   D is for diligence, discipline and determination. E is for enthusiasm, engagement, encouragement and example. Try to enjoy the preparation process, savour the moments you are studying, try to stay upbeat through the whole process. It won't always be easy, so having a positive and exemplary attitude to study will do you credit. F is for fulfilling your potential. Going for the scholarship is your opportunity to shine and perhaps you will surprise yourself as to just how much you can achieve! G is for grit - passion and perseverance towards long term goals. Now is the time to show it. H is for Hard work. You can't avoid it. I is for Investment. You will look back on the experience of studying and discover all the things you have learnt well worth the time invested. J is for Journey. The preparation for scholarship exams is a journey. There will be highs and lows, peaks and troughs. It's all character-building stuff. K is for knocks. I have seen the scholarship journeys of many children preparing for these exams and how you respond to knocks of confidence along the way will determine your success. L is for learning. There will be lots of it! M is for motivation. Keep it up, and make sure there are people around you motivating you to keep focused and spur you on. N is for notes. Take lots of them. Memo cards, spider diagrams, bullet points - they all help you learn. O is for organisation. You will be at an age where you should be taking some sense of responsibility for own actions. You should know where your files, papers and pens are kept, not your parents or guardians to know for you. P is for positivity, productivity, practice and preparation. Q is for questions. Ask lots of open questions - Who, What, Where, Why, When, How - to develop your critical thinking ability. R is for reading. Keep it up, it will fuel your writing. Pick some books to read from suggested reading lists and read what you both enjoy but is also challenging your reading level. Read newspapers and magazines, listen and watch the news. Stay informed. S is for support. Whether from parents, teachers, tutors, nannies, wider family, they will all be behind you, rooting for you and your success. T is for time management. You will learn more about allocating and prioritising time to work and play and ultimately in the exams themselves.   U is for unlocking your potential. You will learn more about yourself and become more aware of the world around you. V is for vocabulary. You will want this to be as strong and varied as possible to use naturally when writing in an exam or in interview. W is for writing. Whether it be discursive, persuasive, creative or other forms, you will learn to appreciate the forms of each and be able to write in those different styles, as necessary. X is for extra. The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little word 'extra'. Y is for YOU. How much do you want to get the scholarship, to do your best? That's entirely up to you. Not your teachers or parents or anyone else. Z is for Zzzzz.... Make sure you get a good amount of sleep.... and after all that hard work studying, you’re going to need a well-deserved rest! Adam M  is a  highly experienced tutor offering common entrance and scholarship   tuition. He has also written articles for tuition blogs on Classics, History, Maths and the nature of tuition  and has been interviewed by the BBC, for podcasts, for articles in The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, among others.  Interested in booking a lesson with Adam?  Click here to visit his Tutorfair profile  and find out more!

AJ Tutoring is a Proud Recipient of the Teen Friendly Business Award!

AJ Tutoring is a Proud Recipient of the Teen Friendly Business Award! This spring, AJ Tutoring was honored by the Los Altos Youth Commission as one of three recipients for the Teen Friendly Business Award. Allison Carlisle, the director of our Los Altos office, released this statement: “It means so much to us that students in the Los Altos community view our office as a friendly environment in which to learn. We believe it is incredibly important for students to feel supported and confident in their abilities in order to excel academically. Our team comprises tutors of vastly varying backgrounds and educational specialties. I believe what we all have in common is a genuine joy of helping others and a passion for education. I often hear our tutors say that working at AJ doesnt feel like work because they truly enjoy coming in to the office each day to teach. I can think of no higher compliment for our students! Thank you for making our jobs fun and rewarding!”From all of us at AJ Tutoring: we deeply enjoy working with local students, and we are look ing forward to another great year of engagement with Bay Area schools and families.If you’d like to learn more about what we offer, please reach out to us today!