Why Investors Are Buying Up Schools

Why Investors Are Buying Up Schools Who owns your school? Sure, a group of administrators and your principal run it. But, whom do they report to? Recently, the private-equity-backed firm Meritas owned by Sterling Partners purchased Claremont Preparatory School, a six-year-old private school in Lower Manhatten, according to an article in the New York Times. (Sterling Partners also owns Sylvan Learning Centers, a chain of tutoring centers). Claremont Preps tuition is $34,650 for next year. Meritas is not the only for-profit company to purchase private schools, and this is a growing trend. These companies are buying struggling private schools (mostly high schools), in hopes improving their quality and turning a profit. The private school sector is growing as upper-class families are looking for the best-possible education, despite cost. But, starting or turning around a private school is very costly, and in some cases only well-funded, private-equity-backed companies have enough resources to purchase or start private schools. Private companies diving into the education business is a fairly new trend; however, experts believe that this trend will skyrocket in upcoming years. Many expect these for-profit companies to bring their same upper-level management and strict cost-cutting business approaches to schools, which would be drastically different from how they currently operate. However, Meritas has turned a profit at each of the other nine schools it owns and operates without strictly cutting costs. Some parents at Claremont Prep were relieved that the school was purchased because it was not meeting many of its goals under its past administration. Claremont Prep built a luxurious, 325,000 square foot campus with expensive buildings, hoping to boost attendance to 1,000 students by 2007. However, the school only has 522 students as of 2011, meaning that many of its facilities are unoccupied. Leadership has also been an issue at Claremont with four different heads in six years. Mac Gamse, the chief executive officer of Meritas, said his company would not make any major changes to Claremont right away. However, he plans to immediately create a cohesive curriculum and improve the schools guidance counseling. Meritas still has a commitment to make a profitable return for its parent company, Sterling Partners. Parents want the reputation of their schools to grow, said Gamse. As that happens, the value of the school grows. Meritas has had success at the other schools it owns. Meritas increased enrollment 29% over four years at the Village School in Houston, and it has increased enrollment 8% at College du Leman in Switzerland since 2006.

Master French Pronunciation Ten Most Common Mistakes

Master French Pronunciation Ten Most Common Mistakes Do You Pronounce These Words Incorrectly? ChaptersMastering the French UPronouncing the French RHow to Say Double L WordsOther Common French Words Often MispronouncedOur Bit of EncouragementThe French language is rhythmic, mellifluous, a treat to the ear... if spoken correctly.You, the beginner French learner, have yet to be assailed with anything that would hinder your progress at learning French words and phrases.Speaking French words and phrases, on the other hand...The fact is, French vocabulary is made up of sounds that simply don't exist in English, such as their U sound.Turn about being fair play, English speakers excel at the TH sound, that doesn't exist in French, so we're even, right?WRONG!While both languages make ample use of the letter R, the French speak it as though they were getting ready to spit on you!Considering their ill-founded reputation for rudeness, that is perhaps not a good visual.Still, a poll of people studying French report that that guttural R is near impossible for them to master.Should we coun t all of the words with those two letters in our survey of most mispronounced words?To do so wouldn't be fair, as there are far more than ten of them, but we can discuss all of those words as categories of themselves.Are you ready? Allons-y!Practice your fish face in front of a mirror to master the phonetics of the French U Source: Pixabay Credit: CFVI le bût! - is for you to practice that particular letter's sound in French.You did notice that two of the words on that list are the same, but for the accent, right?Accents do not change the way that letter or word is spoken; it only changes the meaning of the word itself.But = purpose; bût = goalDu = some; dû = owedSuch distinctions are very important to your comprehension of written French!Pronouncing the French RIn some French regional dialects, the more guttural the R, the more eloquent the speaker.As in English: the more explosive the P, the better the diction!Thus it should come as no surprise that some native French speakers sound as though they intend to clear their throat mid-word.To properly pronounce the letter R in English, you must arch your tongue to the roof of your mouth, its sides touching your molars, and its tip pushed down below your lower front teeth.The position of your tongue in saying the French R is nowhere near there. In fact, your tongue is not involved in making that sound at all!Unlike in English, or even the Spanish R, which is frontal â€" using the front of your mouth and tongue, the French R is all in your throat.The French R is quite similar to the Scottish ch sound, as in Loch.It might help for you to take in a drop or two of water, but try not to swallow it. You will use it to help keep your throat closed to the proper position in order to make the sound correctly.Once you've gotten that down, try to say these words, some of which you might recognise from your early French lessons:pèrefrèremèresoeurcoeuramourbonjourtourarrièreAs with every aspect of language learning, cor rect pronunciation takes time and practice. In the case of these two French letter sounds that don't exist in English, it might take a lot of practice!The French word for frog is spelled with a series of vowels followed by a double L Source: Pixabay Credit: WikiImagesProperly said, it should sound like: rrr ooo ahn.2. Bouilloire, the French word for kettle, is a similar tongue twister.It is based on the verb to boil â€" bouiller, with -oire added: bou-y-oir-reuh. Try to say it yourself!3. Pneu: this French word for tire is the root of what we know as an English word; pneumatic.When you speak English, the P is silent, making it new-matic. When you speak French, you must pronounce that first letter, making it uniquely difficult to say it correctly.You must be careful to not utter only one or the other starting consonant, lest you risk your sentence meaning little to nothing.Peu means little and neu means nothing.4. Froid: oddly enough, this basic French word meaning cold is often mist aken for foie, which means liver.No doubt that pesky R has something to do with that common mistake; surely getting good at saying the French R will remedy that situation.5. Grenouille, and other words ending in -ouilleAgain it seems the collection of vowels all in one place is doing its best to stump those determined to learn French!The French word for frog is not that hard once broken down into syllables: gre-nou-ille, in other words, grr-new-yeuh.As for other -ouille words, perhaps that is why the French usually eat pâtes instead of noodles!The first word is more directly translated as pasta; noodles in French is nouilles.Now, for our prizewinning word that even a native speaker of French is sure to mispronounce...6. Serrurerie, the French word for locksmith, boggles the mouths of nearly anyone who grew up speaking the English language. Why?Not only does this terror of a word contain four of those guttural Rs but, smack in the middle of them, comes that confounded French U!Could there be a more cruel word the French could throw at us?Please don't decide to learn Japanese or learn Chinese simply because a few letters cause your mouth to work in ways it never has before!Practice French phonology by singing the alphabet song Source: Pixabay Credit: Victorian LadyRead our article to learn the ins and outs of French grammar.Our Bit of EncouragementThe thing about French phrases you learn â€" from your every French lesson, even  from dictionaries is that so many new words look like English words.The important thing to remember is that spoken French involves a distinctly different accent; French pronunciation not the same as English pronunciation.The best way to speak your second language with the maximum of fluency is to apply yourself to it as much as possible.Listen to French audio: music, podcasts, movies; the BBC has a very helpful collection of French lessons that you can avail yourself to for free! Learn how to speak those difficult letters and words: soun ding them out is a good way to start, but practicing your fish face in front of the mirror might work too!You may even sing the French alphabet as you drive to work; that will help you practice those difficult letters â€" there are plenty of French video on YouTube for you to sample.French speaking is not terribly difficult.How to learn it is up to you; you know your learning style best. However, we would urge you to practice, practice, and practice some more, until you can find French people to speak with.Bet they don't give you any strange looks when they hear your speech patterns after all that work you've done!Learn about the top 10 most common French grammatical errors made in spoken French.Don't worry, search for and get yourself down to 'french classes london' and you will improve your accent in no time!

Should I Take SAT Subject Tests

Should I Take SAT Subject Tests More than 2,000 colleges and universities around the country accept SAT scores. As you begin your search for the perfect university or college, it is imperative to review all of the admission requirements for schools you are interested in attending. You may find that many schools reference additional tests, such as the SAT Subject Tests. (As many as 160 institutions require or recommend submitting an SAT Subject Test score for admission.) Should you take an SAT Subject Test? Well, that depends on many factors. Here is an overview on the SAT Subject Tests to help you decide whether or not they are truly necessary for your goals. [RELATED: What Does SAT Stand For?] What are SAT Subject Tests? SAT Subject Tests are content-based tests that allow you to showcase your skills in a specific subject area. These tests are designed to help you paint yourself as a better candidate for admission. There are 20 SAT Subject Tests covering a variety of subjects, including history, math, science, English, and foreign languages. Here are a few basics you should know about the SAT Subject Tests: The hour-long tests are entirely multiple-choice. You can take up to three SAT Subject Tests in one sitting. However, students cannot take both the SAT and SAT Subject Tests during the same testing administration. Each test costs $18 (unless youre taking a foreign language with listening test). However, you will also pay a $26 fee per testing session, so it is cheaper to take more than one test in one session. These are the only national admission tests where you get to decide which test to take based on your own personal interests or aspirations. Should I take an SAT Subject Test? The main benefit of taking SAT Subject Tests is that you can differentiate yourself in the college admissions process. SAT Subject Tests allow you to showcase your depth and breadth of knowledge in a specific area of interest. For example, if you excel in History and English, consider taking the SAT Subject Test in Literature or the SAT Subject Test in U.S. History. However, dont take an SAT Subject Test just for the sake of doing iteach requires as much preparation and focus as any other exam. In addition, an SAT Subject Test may be required to enroll in a specific program or apply to a college, depending on your school. Check with the admissions office at your prospective college to get more information on application requirements. Colleges may also use SAT Subject Test scores for purposes beyond admission. For example, a high score on an SAT Subject Test may qualify a student to skip an introductory course or satisfy basic requirements for a particular major. It is also important to keep in mind that unlike AP courses, which are designed to mimic an introductory college-level course, SAT Subject Tests are based on material a student would learn in a high school classroom. In this way, an SAT Subject Test may be a good alternative for students who would otherwise struggle in an AP course. How do I prepare for SAT Subject Tests? Preparing for SAT Subject Tests is not unlike preparing for any other high school final. Acclimate to the tests level of difficulty by taking online SAT Subject Test practice tests, reviewing concepts that you can expect on the exam, and creating flashcards. The best time to take SAT Subject Tests is at the end of a course, when youve been introduced to all of the concepts and the material is still fresh in your head. In addition, be sure to tailor your test prep to the type of SAT Subject Test youll be taking. For example, you may need a different test-day strategy for taking the SAT Subject Test in Literature than you would when taking the Spanish with Listening SAT Subject Test. At the end of the day, deciding whether or not to take the SAT Subject Tests rests on you (unless your desired college or university requires them for admission). Remember to think of these tests as a way to make you a better applicant for your potential school. If you do decide to take the tests, register online and begin preparing for them as soon as you can.

What is it Like to Attend the University of Utah

What is it Like to Attend the University of Utah Edwardo is a current senior at the University of Utah. He is majoring in chemistry, and specializes in Spanish tutoring, calculus tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, he shares his experience at the University of Utah: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Edwardo: The University of Utahs campus is fairly large. There are on-campus busing options with various routes and directions. In addition, there are also city buses that go all over the surrounding areas and the TRAX train system that reaches the far corners of the city. You dont need a car to get where you want to go, but a bike, scooter, or skateboard can get you around campus in no time at all. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Edwardo:Professors offer office hours where students can go in for extra help or questions. For academic advisors, you always have to schedule an appointment at least the week before. How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Edwardo:There are a lot of different meal plans offered. The places to eat are all over campus and are very practical. There are a lot of dorms, so there is always something going on. Its typical for people to make friends everywhere they go on campus. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Edwardo:There are a lot of graduate programs at the University of Utah consisting not only of law and medicine, but a huge range of professional studies. To support this, there are a lot of quality majors that are offered and run by prestigious departments. Personally, I am a pre-med chemistry major and I know how helpful my advisors will be in preparing me for life after graduation. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Edwardo:Just by being on campus you hear about so many different events and activities that its hard not to go out and make friends. There are so many students that go to all the sporting events and school sponsored events. Greek life plays a big role in social life, but it isnt the only way of making friends. How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services? Edwardo:The Career Center offers a ton of help and hosts a job fair at least every two months. They also offer workshops and informational meetings every few weeks. The university has some good connections and there are always prominent companies that recruit here. How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Edwardo:There are a lot of places to study all over campus, but the best is the library that has computers on multiple floors, group study rooms ranging in size, and quiet study areas. There are always a lot of people here, but because of how its set up, it doesnt feel overwhelming. Describe the surrounding town. Edwardo:Downtown is minutes away, and offers concert venues, restaurants, and shopping. Every weekend has something going on downtown, so there are a lot of people who spend time there. But, with the student life center and the sports complexes on campus, we dont have to go far to do something fun. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Edwardo:There is a large and diverse student body. The freshman classes are always lecture-style and large. But, as soon as you start getting into more specific major-based classes and upper level courses, the size shrinks. I enjoy how the class size always corresponds with how much teacher-student interaction is required. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. Edwardo:My freshman year I was in an honors discussion class. It was a smaller size, so we got to know each other relatively well. The professor not only discussed and taught, he also told us about himself and was very relatable. We would run into him all over campus, and I loved realizing that students aren't the only ones who like to take advantage of all campus has to offer. Check out Edwardos tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Online Solve for Y Tutors

Online Solve for Y Tutors Equations consist of one or more than one unknown variables (such as: x, y,a,b etc.) with different coefficients and constant numbers. Exponent is the degree of the variable in the equation. The degree of the variable can be one or more than one. Equations are the very common and used in almost every topic in mathematics. There are various mathematical operations which are used to simplify and solve equations. Example 1: Simplify and solve for y in the equation 7 y 19 = 51? Solution: Given equation is 7 y 19 = 51. Here the unknown variable which needs to be solved for is y. First step: Adding 19 on both sides of the given equation. Therefore, (10 y 19) + 19 = 51 + 19; 7y = 70. Now dividing both sided of the equation by 7; this gives 7 y/7 = 70/7. This reduces the given equation to y = 10. Hence the solution is y = 10. Example 2: Simplify the equation and solve for y if x =3 y = 5 (x 2) + 10? Solution: Given equation is y = 5 (x 2) + 10. Here the variable is x; distributing the number in front of the braces. This gives 5 (x - 2) = 5 x 10; this gives y = 5 x - 10 + 10 = 5x. The equation reduces to y = 5x, given x = 3. Substituting the value y = 5* 3 = 15 Hence the solution if y = 15.

STEM and Workforce Development A Ticket Out of Poverty - Heart Math Tutoring

STEM and Workforce Development â€" A Ticket Out of Poverty - Heart Math Tutoring STEM and Workforce Development â€" A Ticket Out of Poverty STEM and Workforce Development â€" A Ticket Out of Poverty February 19, 2016 By Emily Elliott, Executive Director of Heart Math Tutoring Financial services and technology firms are noting the need for diversity by race and gender. According to this article, by Michael Bodson, President and CEO of DTCC, Black and Hispanic students combined account for only 7% of math and computer science graduate students, yet substantial math and technology skills are required for two-thirds of jobs in banking and finance. More broadly than financial services, studies show that people of color make up 10% of all STEM jobs despite making up over a quarter of the U.S. population. Tracing this disparity back to high school, The College Board found that only 3 in 10 African Americans take AP Math, and half of those who do not take it report lacking the confidence to do so. IMPACT OF HEART Of Heart’s approximately 400 students in the 2015/16 school year, 55% are female and almost all are Black (58%) or Hispanic (38%). Our hope would be that their time with tutors gives them not only the skills needed for success in higher levels of math, but also the confidence and encouragement to pursue challenging work that involves math, whether tied directly to the STEM field or not. Indeed 97% of students have met program growth goals in math to date, and more than 90% of teachers report that students show increased confidence and/or enthusiasm towards math as a result of the program. IMPORTANCE OF FOUNDATIONAL MATH Research shows that the average salary for STEM careers is $53,000; half of those jobs do not require a four-year degree. Several of Heart’s funding partners attest to job opportunities at their companies here in Charlotte immediately following high school and/or trade school if a person can demonstrate proficiency in algebra and trigonometry, evaluated by industry-specific exams such as the Construction and Skilled Trades (CAST) Test. At Heart, we know that students must be numerically powerful far before entering their first algebra class and that arithmetic can be taught in a way that supports algebraic thinking later on. Difficulties with math start as early as elementary school and younger, and they are often related to a lack of true understanding of how our number system works: quantity, groups, base ten and place value. Instead, many students rely on memorized rules and procedures. This is disempowering, with life-long consequences not only for opportunities directly tied to math skills, but also for a person’s ability to think and reason logically to figure out the world around them. STEM careers can truly be a ticket out of poverty, but we must equip people of color in early years with the necessary skills and beliefs to be able to take advantage of this growing area of opportunity. #   #   # Statistics and research cited in the post above comes from: The  National Science Foundation, Science Engineering Indicators, 2013;  The College Board, 2012;  Brookings Institution, The Hidden STEM Economy, 2013;  Carpenter, Frank, Levi, 2003;  Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at West Ed, 2012.

Skype English Classes for Schools Ching Man Chan

Skype English Classes for Schools Ching Man Chan Skype English Classes For SchoolsMoving from Shenzhen, China, a bustling, industrial city of 7 million people to the quaint countryside of Helena, Montana, has been an adjustment in many ways for 16-year-old Ching. “He’s a bright, respectful, and motivated student,” says Ann, his online English teacher. Ann taught Ching daily English classes through LOI English from April to June. In that time, “quite simply, it seems that Ching learned more English in two months with Ann than the prior 11 months he was in the US” says Therese, Ching’s supervising teacher at Helena High School.How were the Skype English Classes For schools?The topics of these daily online English lessons were aligned with Ching’s grade level and subjects he saw during his regular academic classes. The goal was to ease Ching into participating in regular classroom discussions. It was Ann’s role to be a facilitator, mentor, motivator, collaborator, and language partner, with whom Ching could practice th e language he’d already been exposed to and acquire new grammar, vocabulary, and confidence.The lessons always began with general conversation. “This is probably the most important part of the lesson. Through conversation, Ching began to learn relevant vocabulary, gain a better understanding of what was going on at school, and most importantly, gain confidence” Ann says. It was obvious he was motivated, but just needed more comprehension of vocabulary.  For example, he really wanted to improve his basketball skills, but said he didn’t understand things sometimes at practice. So, they would spend this portion of the lesson discussing basketball vocabulary, rules, and plays. “This is where having the internet at our fingertips really helped. Once, the conversation led to Ching saying he didn’t know the position names. So, we watched a short video demonstration of the positions. By the end of the conversation, Ching was talking about which position he might be able to play , describing his strengths and weaknesses and his plan to improve.” Other times, Ching would bring questions about his assignments or things people had said to him. They would discuss what questions his assignments were asking and work through vocabulary until Ching was prepared to do his homework independently. “Once, the conversation even lead to us googling types of cafeteria food. Another time, we googled and discussed the right man bun styles for Ching! These topics were all relevant to Ching’s life, so he could apply what he’d learned each day.”How Did Skype English Classes For Schools Integrate Subjects?Each lesson involved reading, listening, and a grammar focus. As they worked through the material together, Ching often asked questions, and they could build his understanding by finding using the internet to find supporting information, pictures of vocabulary, or videos to support Ching’s comprehension. “The one-on-one lessons, plus having the internet readily a vailable made Ching’s comprehension much stronger” says Ann.Skype English Classes For Schools Results?When Ching began, his official English level was pre-intermediate, which means he could speak simple conversational English with some hesitancy. He used simple and compound sentences, and didn’t understand questions at times. He had difficulty recalling advanced vocabulary words. His response to questions was often, “I don’t know, maybe.” By the time his final exam came around, he was able to speak for 3-5 minutes on his own about his opinions and make comparisons. He had much better listening comprehension, and he began to use correct grammar tenses in speakingâ€"which is especially hard for Chinese students, because the Chinese language doesn’t have any verb conjugations! He still has work to do, but he is well on his way to improving not only his grades and English skills, but becoming a part of his community, adapting to his new life in Helena, and maybe even growi ng a man bun.

How to use practice papers for your exams

How to use practice papers for your exams One of the most important and invaluable ways to practise for your exams is to use practice papers. This is a key exam revision technique, whether you are studying for your SATs, GCSEs, A-Levels or even your degree. You can get hold of practice papers through the websites of qualification awarding bodies as well as (ahem!) via the First Tutors Resources section. This is an important way to revise because passing exams is as much about practising your technique as it is about how much you know. You need to practise answering questions in the same time limit that you'll have on the day. If you don't you may well end up panicking in your exams, or devoting too much time to one question and not enough to the others. Go through the exam paper first of all using your notes and books. This will help you to identify any gaps in your knowledge or understanding. It's vital you do this before you start testing your timing. If there are gaps, then take a day or two to reinforce your knowledge. Then you can give yourself a test exam. Be really strict about giving yourself exam conditions. Time yourself properly and make sure you're somewhere quiet where you won't be disturbed (and where you can't cheat by looking anything up). Notice how you tackle essay questions and cope with the time restraints: make note of anything that worries you so that you can work on this before your real exam.