4 Educational Family Field Trips

4 Educational Family Field Trips Educational family field trips are an excellent option for students to interact with the world and their surroundings in a new way. Family field trips also provide a change of scenery and bonding time that are great for all parties involved. Educational family field trips may include trips to historic parks, local farms, or a number of other local events that cater to this purpose for kids. The following are four educational family field trips that can get you and your family out of the house, and your bodies and minds working! Field Trip Idea #1: Museums You might start out with childrens museums that provide kid-centered activities and exhibits, but dont limit yourself to just those. Regular museums will often have some programming geared toward kids or have rooms that are especially kid-friendly; ask someone who works at the museum to point you to them, or do some research online before you go. Regular exhibits that dont necessarily target children can also provide a great learning experience with your guidance. [RELATED: Educational Road Trip Games for the Whole Family] Discuss any ground rules and limit yourself to a few exhibits. At art museums, for example, which may seem daunting with their quietness, encourage your child to ask questions about artwork and discuss reactions to what he or she sees. You might set up a scavenger hunt or bring a sketchbook to engage your child. Dont forget about smaller museums that are specific to your town, as well as zoos, aquariums, and planetariums. The may offer summer learning programs your child can explore as well, if you wish to keep those in mind. Field Trip Idea #2: Local farms Check out working farms in your area for a new experience for your child. This can include any place that grows food, such as: dairy farms apple orchards pumpkin patches maple syrup farms grain mills Consider what time of year is best for the particular farm you choose; depending on when, you might be able to see seasonal-specific operations like cider-making or harvesting. Besides learning more about how food is made, your children may be able to engage in hands-on activities, like milking cows or goats, collecting eggs, or interacting with animals at a petting zoo. If you live in a city, you might be able to check out an urban garden or an indoor hydroponic garden. Field Trip Idea #3: Parks and botanical gardens Look into local, state, or national parks near you for a nature hike, or an afternoon on the beach or by the water. For a fee, you might be able to canoe or kayak if theres a body of water. Inquire ahead of time or stop by the visitors center to see if they offer any programming geared toward indigenous plants and animals. A park ranger or someone who works at the visitors center will often be able to suggest what to do and see around the park, depending on your childrens interests. Botanical gardens, sometimes attached to a park and sometimes standalone, can offer a different range of flowers and plants that your child may have never seen. You might be able to find a butterfly garden where you and your family can match pictures of butterflies to those flying around above you. Dont forget about greenhouses and underground caverns as well. Field Trip Idea #4: Local cultural arts events See what live performances are happening in your town, like theater, dance, ballet, a concert or recital, or opera. Check out films shown by your local library (often, theyll have kids days or nights) or by a local college. In addition to being a fun way to go out together as a family, your child can learn more about different kinds of arts and expression. Your town or city is likely to have festivals and outdoor art shows as wellsometimes based around holidays or specific cultureswhich often have activities and arts-and-crafts stations for kids. Plus, they are excellent places to stroll around and get to know local artists and community members. When learning starts to feel stuffy inside your house or in the classroom, it can be time to get out as a family and engage with places and spaces in your greater community. Dont forget to research fun and engaging activities to keep students learning over the summer, too! There are endless opportunities if you do a little digging and get creative. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Why Top Colleges Have Again Lowered Acceptance Rates

Why Top Colleges Have Again Lowered Acceptance Rates The nations elite colleges just became even more elite. Harvard, Stanford and Princeton some of the nations hardest colleges to get into boasted lower acceptance rates for the 2011 school year compared to 2010, according to an article in the Washington Post. These schools had record-breaking number of applicants for 2011 but only admitted the same number of students, creating a much lower acceptance rate. Most colleges have experienced a significant increase in the number of applications. Most colleges have even had record-breaking numbers in the past few years. This phenomenon is consistent across most colleges as the Internet and other resources have made it easier for students to apply to many colleges at the same time. Most colleges have reduced their acceptance rates because they know students are applying to several other schools and are therefore less likely to enroll if admitted. Colleges spend a lot of money and resources trying to recruit accepted students. So lowering the acceptance rate when more students apply is a quick and easy way to cut costs. However, most colleges like to keep their acceptance rate as low as possible. This becomes part of a colleges marketing. Colleges believe that a low acceptance rate is part of their allure and helps attract students, especially already-admitted students. Ivy League Colleges and other elite schools all compete with each other to boast lower acceptance rates. A college can then lobby to their admitted students, telling them that they are part of a very few number of students admitted, part of an elite group of incoming freshmen. This tactic can be very appealing and effective for elite schools recruiting programs. This tactic becomes much easier when colleges applications rise dramatically, which is why many schools encourage more students to apply. Students can expect this trend to continue, making colleges even more competitive, especially the nations most popular and elite colleges that garner a lot of interest and applications. Some highlights of admissions facts for the 2011 application year: Harvard dropped its admission rate for the 2011 school year to 6.2% from 6.9% in 2010. Overall, it admitted 2,158 students from a record applicant pool of 34,950. Princeton also decreased its acceptance rate to 8.4% from 8.8% last year. It admitted 2,282 students from a record 27,189 applicants. Stanford slightly decreased its admission rate to 7.1% from 7.2% last year. It admitted 2,427 students from a pool of 34,348, which is an increase from last year.

MOOCs for Young People

MOOCs for Young People Academic Support: At What Stage in Your Education Can You Use MOOCs? ChaptersWhat Is a MOOC?Are There MOOCs for Primary and Secondary School Students?Online Academic Support: Khan AcademyMOOCs (massive open online courses) spearheaded online learning and are everywhere nowadays. While they were initially popular in the US and Canada, you can now find university and professional courses online.What about those not at university?At first glance, it would seem that MOOCs mainly focus on undergraduate and postgraduate courses.Are there only higher education options?Can primary school or secondary school pupils make use of them for their own academic support?In this article, we're going to have a look at the history of MOOCs, what they are, who they're for, and how you can benefit from them. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (Englis h) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25 /h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Is a MOOC?Let’s start off with a bit of history...While MOOCs weren't the first way to learn remotely, they were the first to do so digitally. Prior to the first MOOC, if you wanted to learn remotely, you could do correspondence courses via snail mail. Thanks to the internet, the way we learn is completely changing.2008 was a key year for MOOCs. The very first virtual learning experience seems to have appeared at Athabasca University, Canada. The trend continued in a number of other Canadian and American universities.However, different sources do give conflicting dates. Some say that the very first MOOC was created by Sebastian Thrun as part of a pedagogic experiment. The Stanford University professor wanted to share his course with everyone in the world.However, the very first broadcast of educational resources online was back in 2002 at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in the US. Nowadays, there are plenty of top universities offering or participating in MOOCs including Harvard, Berkeley, Princeton, Stanford, Oxford, and Cambridge.MOOCs in PracticeWhat are MOOCs really?With MOOCs, you can attend lectures virtually. (Source: Wokandapix)They’re teaching programmes that are published online digitally.Originally, MOOCs were live. However, there are also a lot of pre-recorded video courses that also count as MOOCs. While the latter isn't as interactive as the former, there are still plenty of free online courses worth checking out.Many MOOCs are a collaboration between universities and MOOCs generally include:A video of a professor teaching a class.Forums or chat clientsPowerPoints or presentations accompanying the lessonsExercises that accompany the lessonsThere are plenty of advantages to using MOOCs for online academic support.Firstly, they’re completely free and accessible. Anyone can access them by connecting to the p latform where they’re hosted. It doesn’t matter where you are or what time it is.  This is what makes MOOCs so interesting. You can make the most of a train journey to attend an online course from your mobile, for example. You can also connect from the comfort of your own home via your computer or tablet.That said, a lot of MOOCs have a lifespan and operate within a given timeframe. That means that some are no longer available as the course has finished or you have to wait until the next time it goes live.In fact, MOOCs make students responsible for their own learning in  a given subject. You'll still have work and exercises to do, assignments to hand in, and deadlines to meet!While MOOCs don’t offer degrees that are as recognised as attending an actual institution, it’s possible that in the future they will.  The following MOOCs may be of interest:Khan AcademyUdemyCourseraUdacityFutureLearnedXAre There MOOCs for Primary and Secondary School Students?As you have probably gat hered, MOOCs mainly focus on university-level courses.What about those studying GCSEs and A Levels?Can you find other types of free courses?MOOCs for Primary School StudentsPrimary school pupils are often too young to be in charge of their own learning. Thus, traditional MOOCs aren’t really tailored to them. The same is sort of true for online webcam tutorials, too.  Primary school children need a teacher to learn effectively. It seems unlikely that they would be interested in an online course that they have to watch on their own.That said, there are plenty of online video resources available for young learners. It's not recommended that you leave your child unattended while using a MOOC as they'll probably need your guidance.Udemy even has coding classes for kids. With computing and coding become a bigger part of the national curriculum, it’s never too early to get kids interested in modern technology.Online video is a great way to motivate younger students. (Source: josechubas s)MOOCs for Secondary School Pupils and Sixth FormersThere are a number of MOOCs aimed at secondary school students and sixth formers.  Most of the larger platforms offer popular introductory courses for those getting ready for university. MOOCs like EdX, Udacity, Khan Academy, and Coursera are all offering a variety of introductory.Pupils in secondary school have to get used to having different teachers for different subjects. They have to manage the different subjects, too. This can take some getting used to.MOOCs and online video courses can be really useful for:Catching up during the school holidaysLearning new skills or preparing for going to universityAccompanying their lessons throughout the school yearFurthering their understanding of something they studied in class. Etc.Video courses are a new way to learn and get ahead.MOOCs can be useful for students getting ready for university. (Source: Free-Photos)MOOCs are becoming increasingly open. Each learner can be taught at thei r own pace. While the instructor can't always answer questions in real-time, they have YouTube channels and a comment section where you can discuss things with other viewers and students.You should also check out the disadvantages of remote academic support.Online Academic Support: Khan AcademyWe’re going to have a look at one MOOC in detail. Khan Academy was made in the United States of America and also exists in a variety of different languages.  Their slogan, “You can learn anything. For free. For everyone. Forever.” explains it all.Firstly, you have to sign up. Once you’ve done this, you’ll have access to plenty of different courses in a variety of subjects including:Maths coursesScience courses (physics, chemistry, biology, etc.)IT coursesThanks to their clean interface, you can easily find the resources you’re looking for. It doesn't matter if you're studying sciences or humanities, economics, or programming and computer science, you're bound to find what you're lo oking for.To start learning, the site can test your level. You’ll answer a few questions and it’ll tell you where to go.  Once you’ve completed this step, you watch a video lecture whenever you want.The interesting thing about Khan Academy is that videos are combined with exercises and your progress is recorded.  Just like a video game, you can unlock bonuses and rewards that’ll make you want to learn more.Khan Academy exists mainly thanks to donations from users.It doesn’t matter how old you are or how much education you’ve had, you can learn something from their site. There are people as old as 70 proving that.Food for thought: independent learning works well for some but would be so much more effective if done in tandem with online tutoring!Students of any age can find educational videos online. (Source: StockSnap)MOOCs are just the beginning when it comes to open education.  At the moment, they’re mainly dedicated to university courses. There’s a better offering when compared to courses for secondary school and primary school pupils.  However, as you’ve seen, more and more of them are turning towards teaching younger pupils.In a few years, we’ll probably see online courses where everyone can learn and work on projects together.Is this realistic?Only time will tell.Online education is changing and MOOCs are a powerful tool for those wanting to get academic support outside of the classroom. Since they're relatively new, they're constantly exploring new ways to teach and continue to improve.Since younger students can't benefit from this style of learning environment or do an open university course, it's probably a better idea to hire an experienced educator to help them with their studies online. Of course, it's fundamental that they have fun while getting private tuition.If you need more support than offered by MOOCs, why not consider hiring a private tutor from Superprof?No matter what subject you want to learn, you just have to search t he subject, skill or topic, and where you live. Additionally, you can get tutoring from all over the world to help you if there aren't any suitable tutors near you or you'd prefer to save money.Tutors aren't just for academic subjects, either. You can learn to dance, paint, play the piano, etc. You don't necessarily need to get one on one tutorials, either. If you want to save money, you should consider hiring a tutor to teach you and some friends!You are now invited to chime in: is online tutoring effective?If you've long wondered about online teaching jobs, why not join Superprof and find out for yourself what it's like!

How to Create Your First Resume

How to Create Your First Resume Creating a resum for the first time can be just a little bit daunting. Where to even begin is probably what throws students off the most. There are a lot of things to take into consideration, such as what format to use, what information to include, what order to put that information in, etc. Well, it is actually quite simple. The best way to approach putting together a resum is by understanding its main purpose to represent your professional self in the absolute best way possible. This is an extremely detailed elevator speech put on paper meant to convince any employer that you are the top candidate. Lets get the most intimidating task over with choosing and using a particular format. Thankfully with a quick Google search, the internet will bring you tons of options for different resum templates that you can easily download and apply to your own document or just re-create on your own, depending on how complex they may or may not be. Now, which one do you choose? In the long run, this particular choice wont make much of a difference either way. It just depends which style you find most aesthetically pleasing and which organizational form you wish to use. Just make sure you thoroughly look through the various options so you are aware of all that is out there before you settle on one format. Once you have a format set up, all you need to do is fill in the blanks. First, it is important that you understand exactly what employers want to know about their applicants. Its a give-in that they want to know about your past experience, but its the details you include about that experience that set you apart. For instance, when you list the responsibilities you held at a past job, go a step further and get into specifics with those duties. Instead of saying you performed sales transactions, state how many transactions you performed each day. Or instead of saying you helped solve customers problems, give examples of the kinds of problems you dealt with. Additionally, be sure to include any other significant accomplishments or honors that existed outside of one of these jobs you will be listing. Give as clear an image as possible of everything you are capable of. Never sell yourself short because this resum is usually the first opportunity employers have to learn about you and it c an either make or break whether you move on to the next step. Most importantly, tailor this resum to your intended profession. If youre applying for a journalism job, dedicate a whole section to your journalism experience separate from different positions you may have previously held. Still include those positions if they showcase your talent, but dont make them the main priority. It is critical that you highlight your proficiency in the skills necessary for the field you wish to work in, or else employers will assume you are sending a generalized resum to multiple jobs in all kinds of different professions and therefore dont really care about the work they specifically do. Bottom line: design the document so that your name and headline have a strong presence, your most important skills are appropriately showcased, and the employer in question feels you are passionate about their particular type of work. Nail all these points and youll have a very well-polished paper representation of your professional self.

The Truth About the Vocal Fry Epidemic

The Truth About the Vocal Fry Epidemic Suzy S. How bad is vocal fry, anyway? As a singer, should you be concerned about this new vocal trend, heard in artists such as Britney Spears? In this guest post by Ann Arbor, MI voice teacher  Elaina R., listen to a vocal fry example and learn the truth behind the fuss I was recently listening to This American Life (a popular radio show and podcast), and the hosts started talking about vocal fry. As a voice professional, I immediately started paying rapt attention. Within a few minutes, I could tell that there is a serious societal problem surrounding this tiny vocal fault. As it turns out, the media has been complaining about the glottal fry epidemic for years, claiming that young women use too much of it in their speech (check out this ridiculous article). Is vocal fry really a speech trend? Is it really limited to young women? What is vocal fry, anyway? Get the truth â€" and throw out the lies â€" here. What Is Vocal Fry? Vocal fry happens when someone doesn’t use enough breath to speak. The lack of breath causes a creaky sound as the vocal cords come into close contact. It usually happens at the ends of phrases, as the pitch of the sentence goes down and tapers off. Listen to some of the reporters for a vocal fry example on the aforementioned This American Life  segment. Vocal Fry Misconceptions There is an astonishing amount of misinformation in the media about vocal fry. Here are the misconceptions I find most alarming: Myth: Vocal fry happens because “that’s the way your voice is.” Truth: Vocal fry happens because youre using a very small amount of air to speak. That’s why lots of people talk with vocal fry in the morning, as their bodies are still getting warmed up. Myth: Only young women speak with vocal fry. Truth: Anyone can speak with vocal fry, and almost everyone speaks with vocal fry occasionally. In the segment, Ira Glass correctly points out that he, in fact, speaks with vocal fry. In this video examining vocal fry, the vocal coach exhibits a vocal fry example at the end of his very first sentence, probably by accident: Myth: Vocal fry is a new trend. Truth: Vocal fry is not new. It has been happening for as long as humans have been phonating. Myth: You can’t get rid of vocal fry. Truth: Vocal fry is very easy to get rid of. Is Vocal Fry Bad? Vocal fry is not an efficient way to speak. Not using adequate air to speak puts unnecessary stress on your vocal cords. It is also impossible to project when using vocal fry, so unless you are speaking to someone right next to you, it won’t serve you well. From a societal perspective, there is evidence that the older generations (people 40 and up) have negative attitudes toward vocal fry in young women. As the earlier podcast and article attest, middle-aged to older folks perceive young women who speak with vocal fry as unintelligent and insecure. This is just plain sexist, since the same views don’t seem to apply to men. However, if you are a young woman who speaks with vocal fry, it’s important to know what others may think when you speak. (Heres an interesting take on the issue from NPR.) How to Speak Without Vocal Fry To speak without vocal fry, simply speak with breath support. Try this: Take the time to breathe before you speak. As you speak, think about projecting your sound to someone across the room. Do not allow the end of your sentence to nosedive into vocal fry. If you have a voice teacher, she or he will be happy to help you master this. The more you work supported speaking into your daily life, the easier it will get. No Epidemic Here It isn’t fair that some people have such strong preconceived notions about vocal fry. However, the truth remains that those notions exist (and that vocal fry is not healthy in the first place). I also find that learning to speak well positively affects your singing. Speak well, sing well, and spread the word: vocal fry is no epidemic. It’s just part of life. Elaina R. teaches opera voice and singing in Ann Arbor, MI, as well as through online lessons. She is currently  working on a Master of Music at the University of Michigan, and she has a B.M. from the University of Southern California. Learn more about Elaina here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by hnkkk

Editing Photos for Beginners

Editing Photos for Beginners How Can You Simply Retouch a Photo? ChaptersHow Can You Transfer Your Photos onto a Computer?How Do You Edit the Size and Dimensions of Photos?How Do You Blur a Photo?How Do You Change the Format of a Photo?“In photography thiere is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.” - Alfred StieglitzEditing photos is often quite scary for novices. Adobe Photoshop CC, layers, luminosity, Picasa, etc., can strike fear into the heart of the uninitiated. However, it’s not really that complicated!Nowadays, the techniques have changed and almost anyone can edit photos in an intuitive way. Whether it’s adjusting the contrast, making collages, HDR correction, you can do almost anything.In May 2017, France made it illegal for edited photos to be displayed without mentioning that they’ve been retouched. It just goes to show how good they can look. There are certain functions that you should learn how to use to make your snaps better.So are you ready to start editing your photos? Which are the best programmes ? How can you correct details in just a few clicks?Don’t panic! We’ve got the answers for you right here. AllanPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPhotography Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TimothyPhotography Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Anosh nadeemPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ZangmoPhotography Teacher 5.00 (6) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RosiePhotography Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MattPhotography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyPhotography Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Can You Transfer Your Photos onto a Computer?Importing your photos onto your computer is the first step when editing photos. How you do this will depend on the device where your photos are stored: Mac, PC, iPhone, Android, etc. There are a few differences between each one.Before you can edit your photos, you'll need them on your computer. (Source: TheAngryTeddy)On an iPhone, you have a few choices for transferring files and photos.If you have a Mac, iCloud is the most practical way to transfer your snaps in a few clicks. Thanks to regularly being synchronised over the cloud, your photos and files will be stored automatically. You just have to log into your iCloud account to find your favourite photos wherever you are. This is the magic of the cloud!If you have a Windows PC, you can import your photos by connecting your iPhone to your computer via a USB cable. Windows 10 has a lighter programme than iCloud called “Photos”.There’s also Aidrop which, if you have two Apple devices, works over Bluetooth. Connect your phone to your computer using the app and your photos will be transferred.From an Android phone, things are just as simple.  In fact, you can also use a USB cable as we mentioned before. You just need to connect your pho ne to your computer and drag the photos from your phone to your computer. That’s it!If you don’t have a cable on you, you can use apps like WeTransfer, Google Drive, or AirMore, which uses QR Codes. The joys of technology!You can also store your photos on a USB key or external hard disk and transfer your photos over USB. You can store plenty of digital photos on a memory card. In this case, you’ll need to take the memory card out of the device and insert it into your computer.Some Macs don’t come with a memory card so in this case, you’ll need a USB adapter for it. Once you’ve got the photos on your computer, you’re ready to start editing them!How Do You Edit the Size and Dimensions of Photos?Changing the file size or dimensions of a photo is one of the most common modifications. If you’re sending your photos in an email, they can massively increase the file size.In the same way you can fit more photos into an album if you make them smaller, you can store more photos on your computer if you do the same. (Source: jarmoluk)So what’s the solution?You can modify the size of photos according to your needs. When you edit photos online, there are plenty of different techniques you can use.Don’t worry, we’ll get to them.  While every photo editor is different, each has a lot of common.Changing the Dimensions of an ImageTo resize a photo, photo editing software is usually your best choice. Adobe Photoshop is the most popular programme and is often considered the best for editing photos at home.  By changing the number of pixels and retaining the proportions, you can resize your photo.The same is true for Lightroom which, thanks to advanced settings and high resolutions, can provide satisfying results. Of course, since we’re not in a perfect world, these programmes aren’t available for free.That said, there are some free photo editing programmes that you can use to resize photos and images. Of course, there are different sites available where y ou can upload a photo and resize it. The advantage of these services is that they won’t cost you a penny.If you can't afford the Adobe Creative Cloud, you can download a free photo editor like GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program).Changing the File SizeThe size of the photo isn’t the only thing you can change, you can also change the file size. This is done with compression. “But what’s that?” we hear you ask! It’s very simple.Compression is the act of making a file take up less space in a folder and you can do this my zipping it.On Mac, you just need to right-click, choose “Compress” and a new compressed folder will be created right next to it.On Windows, you can go to the Picture tools menu and compress them from there.There are also programmes and websites you can use to compress files in just a few clicks. Changing the file size isn’t that complicated.Keep in mind that not all image formats are the same. While you can use an online photo editor to convert image s, there's free image editing software that you can download that will give you more options and photo effects than these online tools.Find the best photography courses on here.How Do You Blur a Photo?Blurring photos is one of the most popular features of photo editing software. Along with modifying the contrasts, changing the white balance, or adjust the sharpness, a blur filter is an essential tool in any image editor.If you want the subject to pop, you might want to blur the background. (Source: GerDukes)Whether it’s stains or blemishes on a t-shirt, a registration plate on a car, or whatever, you can easily edit your photos in one click by adding a blur effect.So how can you do this with photo editing software?If you have an apple device, you can use the Skitch app. You just need to download it to the device and choose the photo. The app’s icon will appear in your settings. You can choose the area you want to blur, and with a bit of magic, you’re done.On Windows, you can u se “Evernote”, a similar app. When you choose the image you want to blur, the “@” symbol will appear in the top left of the photo. From there you can pixelate the photo.You can also use the blurring tools in programmes like Photoshop Lightroom or GIMP.Gaussian blur or Gaussian smoothing can be used to smooth out photos. You can also achieve similar results with a good camera. If you want a nice blur, you can do so by using the right tools. Here’s what you’ll need to do:Get as close to your subject as you can.Ensure the background is at least 2 metres away.Use a 200-500mm telephoto lensTo reduce the field of depth, use an aperture of F/1.8 or F/2.If you still would like to learn more, then you should consider getting the help of a professional photographer private photography tutor on Superprof. They'll be able to show you how to touch up your photos, get professional photo quality from your snaps, and all the secrets of digital photo enhancement.Find the best photography courses in the UK on Superprof.How Do You Change the Format of a Photo?What is the format of a photo?The format is the type of file your photo is saved as. Gif, jpeg, pdf, xnview, png, raw, etc. are all different types of file format. There are plenty of different types.Different file types have different properties. (Source: MTZD)Some file types are bigger than others and some are more compatible with certain programmes, will load quicker, are better for attaching to emails, etc.  The type you choose should be dependent on what you’re doing with it and what you need it for. There are a few ways to change the file type.On Windows, you can click Edit on the photo you want to change. Then you just need to “Save as...” and choose the file type when saving.Easy, isn’t it?On Mac, it’s just as simple. Select the image and choose “Export Selected Images”. It’ll ask you the file type you want to export them as and you’re done.In addition to these solutions, there are also online solutions. A quick search for “image converter” on Google will provide you with plenty of different solutions.You can also learn using online photography courses.Nevertheless, GIMP, the famous photo editing software package inspired by Photoshop, is free and useful. You can remove red-eye, change the contrast, adjust the black and white balance, crop, modify photos in just a few clicks.By opening the image in question and exporting it, you’ll be presented with the option to change its file type.Whether you’re using filters, creating montages, cropping an image, removing imperfections, etc., you need to start with the basics.So are you ready to edit your photos?

Heart Math Tutoring Welcomes Program Manager

Heart Math Tutoring Welcomes Program Manager Heart Welcomes New Program Manager Heart Welcomes New Program Manager July 9, 2015 Heart Math Tutoring welcomes William Otto Katt to the team as the organization’s first Program Manager. Katt will oversee the day-to-day operations of Heart’s school sites through managing Program Coordinators, stewarding relationships with school administrations, and analyzing program quality and efficacy. “Otto is a fantastic addition to the team. His love of learning will be felt by our volunteers and staff as we help students become enthusiastic learners themselves,” said Emily Elliott, executive director of Heart Math Tutoring. “Otto comes to Heart with experience both in the nonprofit and public education sectors, and I know the program and the students we serve will benefit greatly from his direction.” Katt graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history from The College of New Jersey and a Master of Arts degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Connecticut. He was a Citizen Schools Teaching Fellow in Boston and a Teach for America corps member in Charlotte. Prior to joining Heart, Katt was a Dean of Students at Ashley Park PreK-8 School. “My career has been dedicated to improving student learning and achievement,” said Katt. “Heart Math Tutoring firmly aligns to my commitment to erasing the opportunity gap that exists for our nation’s most at-risk students.” For those who will be meeting Katt through their involvement with Heart, here are five things to know: New Jersey native and is the oldest of 11 siblings. Moved to Charlotte in 2012 to join Teach for America. Recently moved to Dilworth with his wife, Anna, who is a third grade teacher and also a Teach For America alum. Currently training for the New York City marathon in November. Enjoys tennis and cooking. Favorite dish to make: New York-style cheesecake. Reach him at kruio.

Skype English Classes Cheaper than a Martini in Rio De Janeiro

Skype English Classes Cheaper than a Martini in Rio De Janeiro This, or a class with a native English speaker.Weve recently started giving a lesson based on this article in the New York Times about the economy in Brazil. As the economy heats up, prices have risen, so much so that a martini costs $35 in some parts of Brazil. Thats well above the cost of even our 1-on-1 Skype English Classes! On top of that, our group English classes are only slightly more expensive per hour than 1 Big Mac in Brazil ($7.99 per hour).So, let me give you some advice. The next time youre thinking about buying a $35 martini, or a $6 Big Mac, stop yourself. An English class is much healthier than a martini or a Big Mac, and in an hour with a native English speaker, youre going to learn something.Yes, I know, before you drink the martini or eat the Big Mac, it will seem like a much better idea. Learning a language is kind of like exercise in that way. Before you exercise, sitting on the couch and watching another show on television seems much better than exercising. But then, after the show is over, you feel guilty for wasting your time watching another stupid thing on television. If you had gone to the gym, youd feel great afterward, knowing youd done something good for your health, and having a sense of accomplishment.English classes are the same way. It may sound like work beforehand, but once youre in class, youll know youre spending your time and money wisely. Contact us today and take a first class free.