10 Twitter Accounts Every Parent Should Follow

10 Twitter Accounts Every Parent Should Follow Social media is a fantastic way to stay current on educational news and trends. Twitter in particular is a great social media tool, as it allows you to consolidate all of your news updates into one place. Here are 10 Twitter accounts every parent should follow to stay informed about his or her childs education. 1. The College Board - @CollegeBoard The College Board posts information related to student success, college selection, and the transition from high school to college. This is a great Twitter account for your high school junior or senior to follow, as well. 2. The SAT Program - @OfficialSAT This official SAT Twitter page will help you keep track of all things SAT from test dates, to SAT test taking resources, to exam changes. As with The College Board, your high school student can benefit from following this account. 3. AP for Students - @APforStudents Get study tips, as well as test and curriculum information, for your student who is considering or participating in Advanced Placement (AP) courses. This is also a helpful page for your student. You may also want to consider these 5 questions before taking an AP course. 4. ACTStudent - @ACTStudent Find ACT test details and college admissions tips through this helpful Twitter page. Students on Twitter who plan to take the ACT should follow this account. 5. United States Department of Education - @usedgov Stay in the know on any education policy changes in the United States that may affect your childs schooling experience. 6. Federal Student Aid - @FAFSA Keep an eye on Federal Student Aid happenings, such as impending due dates, to help finance your childs education. You may also want to considering asking your college these three questions about financial aid. 7. Arne Duncan - @arneduncan Arne Duncan is the United States Secretary of Education. He maintains an active Twitter feed for updates on policy, trends, and accomplishments related to education. 8. U.S. News Education - @USNewsEducation The education section of U.S. News and World Report offers Tweets related to education news. Also, this publication frequently shares college and program rankings. 9. Gates Education - @gatesed The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation seeks to improve education in the United States by ensuring that every high school student graduates fully prepared for college. Follow this Twitter page for information on educational opportunities and programs related to the Gates Foundation. For instance, watch out for postings related to scholarships that your student may be eligible to apply for. 10. Your states Department of Education Visit your states Department of Education website to find its Twitter account. Many have a social media profile that you can follow. This is the go-to place for policy updates and proposals that directly impact you and your student. Following these Twitter accounts gives you immediate, mobile-friendly access to Tweets related to education all in one place. As you follow these pages, explore the other education accounts that they Retweet. These may also be applicable to your students path. Dont forget to Retweet helpful articles and posts so your own followers can get this content for their students, as well. And be sure to follow @varsitytutors on Twitter for more educational tips, academic updates, and scholarship opportunities. Happy Tweeting!

CPA Certified Public Accountant

CPA Certified Public Accountant Where Can I Use My CPA Qualification? ChaptersHow Many CPA Exams Are There?Who Should Consider Completing the CPA?If you want to work in the accounting industry, then the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) qualification is one you may have read about.Although not every accountant you meet will be a CPA, if you do meet a CPA, then that means that they are a trained accountant.There are quite a few differences between a CPA and an accountant that has no specific qualifications. The most common differentiators are:Certified or chartered accountants have to meet specific educational and professional experience requirements; andCertified or chartered accountants must pass specific examinations before they can become a certified or chartered accountant â€" accountants with no membership of a professional body often may not have completed any accountancy-specific exams.There are tens of thousands of accountants across the world that hold the title of CPA, so you’d be in good company if you did decide to study this qualificatio n.The CPA is typically associated with the USA, so the designation carries particular weight if you happen to work in the United States, or would like to do so in the future. According to the AICPA’s website, “the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) is the national professional organization for Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) in the United States.” The AICPA has in excess of 430,000 members.Having the CPA qualification can also be  helpful in your future career. This is because it is well regarded across a broad range of industries. For example, with the CPA you could choose to work in public accounting or in industry. Equally, there are roles for a CPA in the public sector, including roles within the government and not-for-profit organisations.Learn about the benefits of being a chartered accountant in the UK...If you're serious about improving your career prospects in the accounting industry, then the CPA qualification could really be worth researc hing. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, jackmac34, Pixabay)Business Environment and Concepts;Financial Accounting and Reporting; andRegulation.You are given a year and a half (18 months) to complete all the sections. You are deemed to pass a section if you score at least 75 on the exam.There are numerous opportunities to sit the exams throughout the year, with testing windows running quarterly from January to December. For more details on the specific dates for testing windows, it’s best to consult the AICPA’s website.The vast majority of CPA candidates will sit their tests in the United States, but there are a number of international test centres where overseas candidates can sit the exam.For example, if you are a citizen or resident of the United Kingdom, then there are a number of test centres in England, Ireland, Scotland, as well as Germany that you could attend.Given the requirement to score at least 75 on each section in order to pass the exam overall, it's definitely worth spendin g ample time revising and preparing for the exams if you do decide to pursue the CPA as a qualification.Although it may mean that you have to juggle a variety of commitments, whether they relate to your social life, work life, or home life, the best chance you can give yourself to pass the exam is to ensure that you have spent enough time going through and understanding the material.Learn about the ICAEW, an additional chartered accountant qualification...Aside from the examination requirements, it’s worth bearing in mind that a prospective CPA will also have to fulfil education and professional experience requirements, in addition to passing the Uniform CPA Exam.Note that in the case of the CPA, every state and jurisdiction has their own requirements when it comes to professional experience and education, so it’s worth checking what requirements you would have to comply with according to where you are based.It’s very common to have to meet a combination of exam, work experien ce, and education requirements before you can qualify and become a member of a recognised accounting body, and so in that sense the CPA’s membership requirements are very similar to what you may expect if you wanted to become, for example, a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) or another similar professional body.Additionally, it is also common to be taught and even examined in areas such as ethics and ethical behaviour  when working towards becoming a chartered accountant.These are especially important should you decide to specialise by becoming a Certified Fraud Examiner...Be prepared to put a lot of work into revising for the Uniform CPA Exam if you dream of passing it in your first sitting. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, mohamed_hassan, Pixabay)Who Should Consider Completing the CPA?If you are looking to pursue a career in accounting, then you may have heard about the CPA qualification.Whether you should undertake the CPA is a question of you r own personal circumstances and where you would like to see your career develop.Where Do You See Your Career Taking You?There are a few key items to note when it comes to the CPA. Firstly, and most importantly, the CPA is an American accountancy qualification. This means that it may not be as suitable for those who would like to work as an accountant in the UK compared to other qualifications, such as the ACA and the ACCA.If, on the other hand, you would like to work in the United States, or know that you will spend a good portion,  or the majority of your working life over there, then it may be worthwhile pursuing the CPA over other qualifications.Generally, the CPA is very highly regarded in the United States, whereas in the UK, having a qualification such as the ACA is likely to be more highly regarded when it comes to proving your skills and advancing your career prospects.The other thing to note is that, while the CPA, ACA, ACCA, and other accountancy qualifications are often associated with just the accountancy profession, the fact is that these qualifications can be helpful in the wider areas of  accounting and business.For instance, individuals working in taxation may also have a CPA or ACA qualification to their name, while others may work in the field of audit. The point to note is that having a qualification such as the CPA is a great way to highlight that you are well-versed in matters relating to accounting, such as accounting standards, but that you are also able to utilise these skills and your credentials within areas aside from pure accounting.What about going a step further; becoming a Certified Financial Analyst?If you would like to work in the United States during your career, then the CPA may be a great qualification for you to pursue. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, TheDigitalArtist, Pixabay)Don't Be Afraid To Ask For AdviceUltimately, the choice of which qualification, if any, to pursue is yours to make. If you do need some further advice, it†™s always a good idea to reach out to someone who is able to provide first-hand experience of the various qualifications on offer and see what their opinion is over whether you should study the CPA.Equally, speaking to someone such as a careers counsellor at your school or university should also give you a chance to talk through your situation and your career aspirations, and hopefully find some clarity over which qualification is right for you.If you do decide to study the CPA or think that it’s something that you’d like to pursue in the future, it may be worthwhile trying to develop the core skills that successfully certified accountants need in their working life.These skills are hugely diverse but can include things such as:Good communication and interpersonal skills;A strong analytical mindset;Knowledge of up-and-coming technologies that might impact the accounting or auditing industry; andAn understanding of what makes businesses tick.You may want to know, for instance, th e benefits of having a CMA qualification...Of course, any future accountant should also ensure that their numerical skills are strong. If you feel like you would like some extra help to get your mathematical knowledge up to scratch, or would like to learn about business studies and economics more generally, then you could reach out to an accounting tutor near me at Superprof for personalised lessons designed to help you achieve the learning outcome you require.Regardless of whether you're currently at school or university, there is a range of Superprof tutors who are able to offer lessons designed to help you understand basic accounting concepts, or develop your numerical ability, at a pace that works for you.You can find tutors based locally by entering your postcode, although it's also easy to find tutors that are happy to offer online-online lessons. You can also narrow down your search by selecting which subjects you would like to hire a tutor for. Lessons can be one to one, alt hough group lessons or workshops are also available, so it’s a case of finding a teaching environment that works for you.Discover now how to put that accounting degree you worked so hard for to work for you!

How to Write a Thank You Letter After an Interview

How to Write a Thank You Letter After an Interview Why You Should (and How to) Write an Interview Thank You Letter ChaptersWhy Write a Letter?Writing an Actual LetterSending a Thank You EmailWhat Not to Write in Your Thank You NoteNervous and uncertain â€" or, we hope, confident and assured, you sailed through your first-ever phone interview. You even made sure to ask the critical question in response to your interviewer’s ‘questions for me?’ query: “Where do we go from here?”For that brilliant question, you got the standard, if temporising answer: “We have several more job candidates to talk to…”.Hiring managers are very good at not giving a glimmer of hope to any interviewee; even the “What are your salary expectations?” question should not be construed as an indication that you will get the job.What your prospective employers are waiting for is your next step. Do you know what it is?  A well-written thank-you note!Studies show that only about a quarter of all job applicants actually send a thank-you letter after their interview.Those who are negligent of that small duty dep rive themselves of a further opportunity to raise their profile and keep their name at the forefront of their interview panel’s considerations.Your Superprof cannot bear for you to miss any opportunity for advancement; that is why we’ve put this article together on the politics of thanking and how it should be done.Forget Miss Manners; this advice with have you covered!You might argue that an interviewer’s job is to conduct interviews of people who sent in applications; therefore it should not be incumbent on you to thank them for doing so.Might we infer by that that you wouldn’t thank a server for bringing your food in a restaurant, a shop clerk for helping you find the very thing you were looking for and your family for lavishing gifts on you for your graduation?Some hardened recipients of such benevolence would insistently aver that, indeed, you should not have to thank people for giving you your due or merely doing their job.However, the majority of us reflect on all of those painstaking thank-you cards our parents made us write after reaping any holiday bounty, to those who thought enough of us to give us a gift. We might consider that early conditioning for a widely-accepted social norm. Handwritten notes have a special style but, if you write one, make sure your handwriting is neat! Image by Gerd Altmann from PixabayWhy should thanking a prospective employer be outside of that norm?After all, they hold the key to our possible future employment; treating them in a socially acceptable manner should be par for the course.Far more than merely thanking them for their time, your thank-you note serves you in other ways.Imagine the plight of the hiring manager: desk full of more- or less-well-written resumes and cover letters, scanning each one for signs of potential suitability for the job and compatibility with their corporate culture.Out of possibly hundreds of applications â€" every one of which s/he must read, only a fraction of them might be deemed suitable for further scrutiny.And then, there are the interviews. How many job candidates will s/he talk with? Where do you fall in? Were you the first, somewhere in the middle… dead last?In this whirlwind of information that s/he is subjected to, how can you be sure your name will stand out? A thank-you note is the best way to keep yourself visible amid the storm.It gives you the chance to bring up things you might have forgotten in the interview or expound on a topic the interviewer touched on. It also proves to them that you have taken time to reflect on the interview and have further thoughts you’d like to share.Just do it carefully; consider the ‘what not do to’ segment at the end of this article.Do you have any tips for people working to land their first job?Writing an Actual LetterIn pondering your interview follow-up, why not consider a typed letter? After all, you’ve already typed up your cover letter and curriculum vitae; would printing and sending another letter hurt?Although written letters are more in-line with face to face interviews, nothing says you can’t send such a missive, even if time would argue against it: by the time your intended recipient reads it, you might alread y be on Round Two of the interview process.Still, should you decide that this is the format for your demonstration of courtesy and appreciation, here are a few simple rules to follow:Follow business letter formatting but omit the subject line. Be sure to write your interviewer’s name, not ‘To Whom it may Concern’!Make reference to the position you applied forTouch on a specific aspect of the interview â€" you might expound on an answer you gave, for exampleIndicate again that you have researched the company by reflecting on an aspect of its mission statement or the work done there.Sign off with ‘Sincerely’ or ‘Warm Regards’ rather than ‘For Your Consideration’ or, worse: ‘Cheers’Your letter should not be more than one page long; remember that HR managers are busy and might not have a lot of time to read any correspondence. You should send your letter no later than one day after your interview.Your turn to chime in: what is the best formula for interview-winning cover letters? Make sure you format your post interview thank you email; your interviewer might read it on her phone Image by Gerd Altmann from PixabaySending a Thank You EmailTime and trends are bucking the quaint tradition of mailing letters; these days, communication is all about convenience and speed.In your case, just coming off your phone interview, speed is of the essence.The hiring manager is not waiting for any thank-you letters, emailed or otherwise; it’s quite possible s/he is already talking with the next job applicant by the time you get your thoughts in order and start typing.What do you think the reaction would be if s/he returns to his/her workstation to check email after that interview, and sees your name pop up?An electronic interview thank-you note takes a lot of the guesswork out of drafting a thank-you letter but you should exercise care in your writing and formatting.First, what will you write about, besides phrases that show your appreciation?Hopefully, you followed the adv ice from our ‘How to prepare for a phone interview’ article and took copious notes during your phone interview, especially of what your interviewer said. If so, it is time to put them to work.Review your interview notes to find something specific you said during the interview that could use more clarification, or that you especially liked. For instance, your interviewer might have said something that particularly resonates with you.The first paragraph of your thank-you email should contain ‘Thank you for taking the time to discuss with me aspects of the job I applied for.’ and more in that vein.Your second paragraph should touch on something s/he said: ‘When you said ____, I really couldn’t help but think that this position is perfect for me because _____.’. In other words, draw another connection between yourself and your job.A third paragraph might clarify something you said during the interview or, perhaps, reiterate that you understand something s/he explained to y ou.A ‘Sincerely’ closing and you’re done!Also, discover more about preparing for a phone interview… Whether a hand-written or email thank you, make sure the contents and format are good before sending! Image by Andrian Valeanu from PixabayWhat Not to Write in Your Thank You NoteNow that you’re completely sold on the idea of writing thank-you notes, we throw caution into the mix.1. Less is more: no matter how lofty your ideas, try to keep them concise. Express yourself in short paragraphs, not long-winded dissertations â€" hiring managers have little time to untangle winding, convoluted thoughts.2. Don’t write just because convention says you have to; as always, sincerity is key. A thoughtful follow-up that addresses a specific point or topic discussed in the interview is far more appropriate than a hollow ‘thank you for your time’. It will be better received, too!3. Avoid copying: a common ‘complaint’ of hiring managers who conduct panel interviews is that everyone is treated to the same ‘thank you’. Rather than CC’ing everyone you think might enjoy hearing from y ou, write an original letter to each one. If that seems too much, write either the entire panel one letter or address it only to the lead interviewer.In that same vein, don’t copy a letter you found online and send it!4. Asking for social media connections: It’s a good idea to encourage further contact. It’s a bad idea to do so in your thank-you letter, especially if said media is Facebook or Instagram.Professional sites such as LinkedIn are only marginally better but you still shouldn’t encourage social media connections this early in the hiring process.5. Going over why you think you bombed: a thank-you letter is not the way to wheedle or explain your perceived interview shortcomings. Such tactics smack of the naughty child who swears s/he could be better if only s/he were given another chance â€" and will be received in kind.6. Formatting your thank-you email like a business letter. An email should look like an email, not an electronic business letter. You don’t need to put your contact information, the date, the company’s address or a subject line in the email body.And, as always, proofread before you send. In fact, get a few pairs of eyes on your thank-you letter; you never know what three people might miss that a fourth will catch.Now, discover how you too can have an outstanding resume…

Difference between Miss and Lose - English Lesson via Skype

Difference between Miss and Lose - English Lesson via Skype Lets talk about the difference between Miss and Lose.The verbs MISS and LOSE have several different meanings in English and they can be easily confused.In some languages there are situations where one verb covers them both. But in English they have different meanings, so let’s see what is the difference between miss and lose and how we use them so you can avoid mistakes. Difference between Miss and Lose - Transcript Hi thereThis is Harry and welcome to my English lessons.Today were going to talk to you about the words miss and  lose. M I S S miss and L O S E lose.They are  often confused so Im going to give you  some worked examples which hopefully  will help you understand the meaning.When we use the word miss or the past  format of it missed M I S S E D, we mean  that we are late for some scheduled  event.Or we feel sad or lonely because  somebody isnt near to us or around us.Or we forget about some event.Okay. So  let me give you the examples.  I missed my bus on the way to work this morning. I  was late.We cant say:I lost the bus.Okay.I missed the bus. meaning I got out of bed too late, I spent too much time over breakfast, and when I got to the bus stop the bus had already gone and I was late for work.So I missed the  bus.I missed your birthday.   means I  forgot your birthday. I wasnt late for  it, I forgot it.  I had it written in my  calendar but for some reason I didnt  look at the c alendar and I forgot to  send you a birthday card or I forgot to  ring you or text you and in this way.I  can say:Look, Im really sorry that I  missed your birthday. so not only you were  you late but you forgot about it altogether.If your friend goes away for a few months working to another country or travelling to another country and youre not able to go with them you might send them a text to say:I miss youNow, when they get back you say:Wow thats great  to see you again, I really missed you.  meaning I was lonely without you.Okay. So there are some examples of how we use the word MISS.Lose L O S E  means  that you cannot find something. You put somewhere and youre not  able to locate it. You might find it after a short while  so its only lost temporarily. Or  something that you lose completely. Okay.So let me give you some examples.I lost the football match.  I was playing  against another team, we were hoping to  win so that we could do better in thecompetition but we lost th e game. The game is over, we cannot retrieve the situation, the game is lost.Ive lost my car keys.  I  dont know where they are.  I cant say:Ive missed my car keys.Ive lost my car  keys.  I put them somewhere and I cant  find them. Perhaps theyre on the table.Perhaps theyre in a pocket of a jacket. Somewhere but at the moment they are  lost so I have to look for them.I lost  my place in the queue.I was standing in  a queue waiting to go to the cinema and  then I remembered that I had forgottento bring my wallet so I ran home and  came back and of course the queue was  much bigger so I could say:Oh Ive lost  my place in the queue.  I had to stand at  the back of the queue.  If you lose  anything, its misplaced temporarily as  we talked about the keys or permanently.I dont know what I did with my wallet I  lost it when I was in town.You come home  and you have no wallet, your cards are  gone, you have to cancel them so they are  lost forever. So you have to contact the  bank to cancel all your credit cards  because you lost your wallet. So thats  another more permanent nature than  losing your car keys that you find laterin your jacket pocket. Okay.So thats  hopefully giving you some examples of  the difference between MISS and LOSE  and remember as always join us on  www.englishlessonviaskype.com and subscribe to our  channel.  And remember when you subscribe  to the channel, click the notification  bell so that youll get informed when  theres a new video waiting for you.And we have six online courses now available for you dealing with English grammar and other aspects and youll find the link below.Okay. And we talk to you again soon. Difference between Miss and Lose Don't keep this to yourself, tell the world:

Can Brain Training Exercises Help Your Students

Can Brain Training Exercises Help Your Students Maybe youve heard of brain training and wondered what it is, and if it could benefit your students. Put simply, brain training is working out your brain. Certain mental exercises are very effective at developing cognitive skills. Students can boost their memories, sharpen their focus and concentration levels, increase processing speed, and more. The great news: your students can build their cognitive strength with just a little effort each day. Here are a few simple things to encourage your students to do in class and at home: Try the Pomodoro method. Have students set a timer to work uninterrupted for 25 minutes, then take a break for five. This is a great way to build the attention span. Start with even shorter periods if needed. Develop time management. Believe it or not, building executive functioning skills like time management boosts the brain. Spend a few minutes every class going over your minute-by-minute agenda, and encourage your students to keep detailed schedules and planners. Build the working memory. Develop your students memorization skills and attention span. Card games are a great way to hone these abilities, and students who develop their organizational skills also consistently strengthen their working memory. Have students use tools to streamline daily routines. Checklists, homework charts, and planners are helpful aids for all students and build cognitive abilities like memory and brain speed. The brain is like a muscle that can be strengthened. Help your students do so and you will give them much more than subject-matter knowledge. Youll equip them with skills for life.

9 New Years resolution ideas for 2020 + how a TEFL certification will help you achieve all of them

9 New Years resolution ideas for 2020 + how a TEFL certification will help you achieve all of them 2020 is HERE. And with it comes the start of not only a new year, but a new decade full of exciting possibilities. It’s the perfect time to turn your dreams into reality and we’ve got some tips to help you do it. Making New Year’s resolutions is a great way to embrace a fresh start and put yourself on the path to success. But yes, we know, making resolutions is the easy part. Keeping them is much harder (if not seemingly impossible). That’s why we’ve come up with a few resolution ideas that we know how to achieve. If you’re dreaming of exploring the world and looking for the adventure of a lifetime, we’ve got your ticket to endless possibilities: TEFL certification. It’s the first step to starting a career teaching English abroad or online. What are some New Year’s resolutions that you can achieve with a TEFL certification? Travel more. Learn a new skill. Find a job you love. Make a difference in people’s lives. Save more. Spend more on experiences than things. Cut down on screen time. Exercise more (without going to the gym). Get out of your comfort zone. 1. Travel more.?? Traveling more is a popular New Year’s resolution because who doesn’t enjoy a good vacation? There are so many different travel styles that there’s a way for everyone to enjoy time away from their everyday â€" whether you prefer lounging poolside at a Carribean resort, or trekking to secluded waterfalls in Northern Thailand. Teaching English abroad is one of the best ways to get out and explore the world. With a TEFL certification, you can teach English invirtually any non-English-speaking country in the world. With so many options, the hard part is figuring out where to go. We recommend checking out Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2020 list and Travel + Leisure’s list of the 50 Best Places to Travel in 2020 for some major travel inspiration. If you can’t decide on one destination, you can opt to make money while traveling by teaching English online and work from anywhere with an internet connection. With a TEFL certification, you’ll be able to start crossing off your travel bucket list in no time! 2. Learn a new skill.?? Picking up a new skill is often the hardest resolution to achieve. It can take consistent practice to teach yourself something new. But with an online TEFL certificationcourse, learning something new is easy. As long as you choose the right TEFL course for you â€" one that complements your learning style â€" acquiring effective teaching skills can be a breeze. A good TEFL course will lay out a step-by-step guide on how to teach English language learners abroad or online. If you’re eager to take off on your travel journey ASAP, then you can even do an online TEFL course while traveling! Or, if you’re still finishing up your bachelor’s degree, you can get a TEFL certification while still in school. That way you can start your teach abroad adventure as soon as you graduate. 3. Find a job you love.?? A meaningful career is one of the key factors to happiness, so it’s no wonder that this is often a top resolution. Who wants to spend 40 hours a week doing anything besides something they love? Being a teacher can be a dream job not only because of the satisfaction you get from seeing your students achieve their best, but also because of the lifestyle it provides. Teaching abroad can be the perfect mix of travel and work. You’ll need a TEFL certificate to teach English abroad, but once you’ve got that under your belt, the world is your oyster! Happy in your current city? You can still work remotely from home as an online English teacher. There are a ton of companies that let you teach English from home and set your own schedule. That way you can also take time off whenever you need it! 4. Make a difference in people’s lives.? Making a difference in the world is not just an annual resolution, but often a life goal for many people. Being able to bring joy to others and positively impact their lives provides a level of fulfillment that extends beyond just a career. Teaching English abroad allows you to feel good about your work and yourself. Your classroom can be a fun place for your students and the skills they learn in it can advance their careers and positively change the course of their lives. Every student should get the chance to experience the power of a great teacher, regardless of where they live in the world! 5. Save more.?? Maybe your dreams are too big for one year, so you want to start 2020 with the goal of saving more money for your future plans. Well you’re in luck, since teaching English abroad is an easy way to make some extra income. Many teaching contracts abroad include benefits such as housing and flights, which means you can put more of your pay aside each month. You can also opt for a country with a low cost of living, so that your earnings can go even further. Plus, some contracts offer bonuses at the end of your term, so you can take a nest egg with you when you’re ready to move on. Many teaching jobs base your salary off of your education and previous experience. That means that in order to earn a great salary teaching abroad you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the right education, including a TEFL certification. We’ve rounded up some of the best places to save money teaching abroad to help you get started! 6. Spend more on experiences than things.?? We all dream of treating ourselves by buying more of the latest fashion trends or splurging on the latest smartphone, but will that new item really spark more joy? Sure, it may feel good in the moment, but that positive feeling won’t last as long as the memory of you scuba diving in the Pacific Ocean! A new experience will not only result in life-long memories and less clutter, but it can result in longer-lasting happiness. Buying an experience can enrich your life by introducing you to new hobbies you love, meeting new like-minded people abroad and giving you more interesting stories to tell. Teaching English abroad can help you see more of the world and eliminate the clutter that most of us have started to accumulate, since you there's only so much you can take with you on your journey. 7. Cut down on screen time.?? This may sound rich coming from a blog post â€" which you’re likely reading on a smartphone â€" but we’re not joking. Did you know that US adults spend almost half their day consuming some form of media on their smartphone, TV, or laptop? Yup! We’re all guilty of spending too much time glued to our devices. So reducing your daily screen time can have a bunch of benefits! While teaching English abroad, you’ll have loads more free time to dedicate to more meaningful things like travelling and spending time with new friends you’ll make along the way. 8. Exercise more (without going to the gym).?? Ok, so maybe you went a little overboard with your holiday indulgences. No need to feel guilty about it. When you move abroad, you'll be more inclined to go out and walk around more than usual, since you’ll want to make the most of your experience. Walking may not seem like much of an exercise, but just an hour of walking a day can make a huge difference in your overall health and wellbeing. You can easily boost up your daily steps by exploring the sleepy streets of a European city or hiking through mountainous landscapes in Southeast Asia. You’ll get exercise while you travel without even trying. There’s no need to pay for a gym membership when the world can be your gym! 9. Get out of your comfort zone.?? Personal growth happens outside of your comfort zone and teaching abroad is a great way to do it. Living and working in a new place, experiencing a new culture and traveling solo are all great ways to push yourself beyond your limits! There’s no time like the present to start living life to the fullest!?? Every step you take towards improving yourself this year will lay the groundwork for building a fulfilling life you’re proud of. It’s never too late or too early to start something new. Ready to start your journey to a fulfilling life teaching English abroad? Enroll in a TEFL course today and create a FREE Teach Away profile below, so that you can apply to teaching jobs as soon as you’re TEFL certified.

10 Career Options for People Who Want to Make a Difference

10 Career Options for People Who Want to Make a Difference Image via pexels.com Career options for bettering kids’ futures: 1.  Education Pursuing a career in education is sometimes overlooked when people think of ways to make a difference in the world. The truth is,  teaching is one of the most important paths to creating change. You will educate the young minds who are responsible for the future. Change will come from what you teach your studentsâ€"on top of basic school subjects, teach them to be leaders. You can motivate your students to want to make a difference themselves. It may not seem like you’re making a difference directly, but the changes will start with you. A career in education  doesn’t have to mean teaching in a classroom  if you don’t think it’s right for you. For example, you can assist students with learning disabilities. Living with a learning disability is likely not easy for themâ€"give the students a safe space. Help them learn in a way that works for them but be a friend to them as well. If you can empower even just one student, you will make a difference. 2. Social work As a social worker, you can  directly change the lives of children in need  as well as advocate for substance abusers, domestic violence survivors, mental health patients, and more. You will provide clients with the necessary resources to succeed and counsel them through trauma, unemployment, obstacles to education, addiction, and poverty. Many social workers are associated with governmental agencies, but there are also jobs in schools, nonprofit organizations, and hospitals. If you choose to specialize in working with children, you might be responsible for easing the transition between foster homes or protecting them from abusive households. In addition, you will work with the parents or guardians to improve the family’s life as a whole. Social work doesn’t always mean helping unstable households, though. According to Social Work Licensure, “they respond to crises in the classroom and assess and counsel school children who are experiencing stress, acting out, and/or being targeted by bullies.” In these cases, you might lead prevention groups or conduct training sessions about prevention. 3.  Child psychology If you’re drawn in by the counseling aspect of social work, then studying child psychology may lead to other career options for you. Psychologists can provide support for children with mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression, and give them a place to be open about their feelings. You may wish to become a school psychologist and guide children (and their parents) through education while coping with mental illness or trauma. As a psychologist, therapist, or counselor, you will help your patients find the source of trauma or stress and discover ways of reducing or eliminating the issue. You may even conduct your own research on new treatment methods. Learn the differences between psychologists, counselors, and therapists here, and see which career is right for you. Helping patients improve their minds can inspire them to create change, too. Image via pexels.com Career options for creating a better environment: 4.    Sustainability How can you help make businesses more environmentally-friendly? Create some green differences by pursuing sustainability-based career options. For instance,  as a chief sustainability officer or director, you can work within any company that wants to put effort into helping the environment. Your job will entail monitoring the company’s environmental impacts and determining where they can make eco-friendly changes. You will also assist with budgeting for these changesâ€"they can be priceyâ€"and ensure that the company reaches its environmental goals. You also  have the option to advise multiple companies  and government agencies on their environmental impacts as an environmental engineer. In this job, your goal will be to minimalize the harm that big projects do to the environment. You might help agencies start their own recycling programs, write up new policies, or create plans to reduce water and air pollution over time. The changes won’t be immediateâ€"you might not see mass environmental improvements in your lifetime. Sustainability, after all, means to  maintain something at a certain level, but the earth needs to get to that better level first before it can be maintained. However, you can improve the world for later generations, which means you’ll be making a huge difference. 5.  Environmental science We can’t help the environment if we don’t know anything about it. To study existing environmental trends and develop new green technology, consider a career in environmental science. Again, you may work for government agencies or individual companies if you choose to be an environmental scientist. These scientists split time between the field and the office and use their knowledge of the earth and its species to develop policies that protect everyone. There are plenty of similar science jobs, too. Study water as a hydrogeologist and help maintain a safe drinking water supply for everyone. Build new solar power platforms for homes and companies to receive an alternative energy source as a solar power project developer. Become a geoscientist to study the history of the earth’s composition and discover where to find natural resources. You can even specialize in maintaining parks and forests as a conservation specialist. If the science part isn’t so much for you, you can still fight for the rights of the earth as an environmental lawyer. Defend policies meant to protect the environment and keep clients informed of issues that arise in things like air quality and hazardous waste. Image via pexels.com Career options for keeping others safe: 6.  Crime investigation Solve cases and catch criminals by pursuing a career in crime investigation. Keep in mind that it won’t always be glamorous (television might give you the wrong idea… or the right idea. Have you watched  Criminal Minds? It’s not pretty). Even though your job will be done after the crime is committed, you can prevent more similar crimes and possibly save many lives by solving one case. Sometimes, with the right leads and a gut intuition, you may be able to prevent a crime from happening in the first place. Consider being a crime scene investigator, police officer, or a detective. You can find work with federal agencies, private investigating firms, or local law enforcement. Maybe a job in criminal justice/investigation interests you, but you’re wary of putting yourself in possible danger. That fear is okay to have, and there is good newsâ€"you can solve crime from behind the scenes, as well. Computer forensic investigators  find and analyze data from crimes  committed on the computer, such as hacking or internet stalking. Someone also needs to analyze evidence in a labâ€"this is where forensic scientists do their work. Perhaps one of these career options is right for you. Your role will be vitalâ€"you provide the necessary analytic details for solving a crime. 7.  Armed forces You may also choose to enter an active duty military branch. Pilots, soldiers, and nurses might be the first careers that come to mind when you think of the military, and you may wish to pursue these options, but the field is much more diverse than that.  There are plenty of unique career options  in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, or Coast Guard fit for people of all backgrounds with many different interests. For example, if you have experience working in auto shops or have an interest in the inner workings of cars and machinery, you should look into automobile maintenance in the Army. In this position, you will ensure that all equipment is safe to use and up to military standards. You might supervise other technicians and order or repair equipment parts. A Coast Guard Boatswain Mate must be a jack-of-all-trades at sea. You might find yourself conducting search and rescue missions, supervising maintenance, or operating ship machinery, and that is only a few tasks. There are even positions for studying languages. Army Linguists are in high demandâ€"so much that there is a $40,000 enlistment incentive, according to  Learn How to Become. You can work as a Strategic Linguist, translating documents from all over the world in an office. Or, you can work in the field as a Tactical Linguist, speaking to citizens in person and gathering information in other languages. While these positions are all very different, they all play such a crucial role in completing military tasks. There are hundreds of career possibilitiesâ€"see a full list here. 8.  Emergency personnel Emergency response teams play a vital role in saving lives, homes, and businesses before emergencies get worse. You will create change with every rescue and those involved will be ever grateful. As a firefighter, you can prevent disaster from spreading and save families from huge losses. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) play a vital role in providing care to injured patients on their way to a hospitalâ€"without this work, a life might be lost during the ambulance ride. When you take on a role as a policeman, you can keep situations from escalating or quickly take action in ones that already have escalated. Dispatchers are incredibly important components to emergency response teams. If you choose this route, it will be your job to send the right team to the right address as fast as possible and ensure that the person who called 9-1-1 is safe and calm enough to provide you with this information. These career options take a lot of training and you need to be quick on your feet, but they are some of the most rewarding ways to make a difference. Infographic created by Elise Nelson via Canva Career options for building the community: 9.  Economics All communities have their own economies built by businesses, culture, architecture, and people. The way in which a community uses their money plays a big part in how it will develop. If you choose to pursue a career in economics, you can help these communities grow through jobs like urban planning. Urban planners work with both public and private groups, such as property owners and corporations, to come up with the best uses for land that promote economic and environmentally-friendly growth. To directly help communities spend their money wisely, you can become an economist. You will assess where funds can help revitalize the community as a whole and benefit its people. A better economy is one of the most important steps in eliminating poverty. 10.  Community service   Community service is often done through volunteer work, but that doesn’t mean there are no career options embedded in it. You may be able to work your way up through the ranks within a nonprofit organization and become a leader. Someone needs to oversee the service projects, right? That person needs a good mind with the motivation to make a difference, and it could be you. In the meantime, there are several community revitalization groups to join forces with. Americorps, Peace Corps, and United We Serve are national service programs that work to fight poverty, increase academic achievement, prepare for and clean up after national disasters, and sustain national parks. Habitat For Humanity builds homes with affordable mortgages for communities in need. Similarly, Rebuilding Together repairs damaged homes with the help of volunteers to avoid expensive repair costs and revitalizes small communities. As a branch of AmeriCorps, Teach For America “is  a diverse network of leaders who confront educational inequity through teaching and work with unwavering commitment from every sector of society to create a nation free from this injustice.” They aim for each child to have an equal opportunity for growth. Mentor Foundation USA has a similar goal, offering children one-on-one support through daily challenges and guiding them to success. Family Support Services, The Family Support Center, and the Center for Family Services focus on assisting families who have fallen beneath the poverty line or experienced trauma. There are plenty more organizations where these came from. Choose one that interests you and start making a difference. For more career options, check out this blog post that ranks careers by their potential to make a difference in the world.

Teacher talks Teaching ESL to kids vs. adults

Teacher talks Teaching ESL to kids vs. adults Dave Stewart is a former ESL teacher who currently works as a Placement Coordinator for the Explore Program in China. He has oodles of teaching experience and has spent three and a half years in South Korea teaching children, followed by a year teaching adults in China. He’s in a unique position to discuss the pros and cons of teaching adults versus children, as well as to give a little insight into the differences between teaching English in China and South Korea. In this two-part blog series, we talk about everything from cultural differences to classroom management techniques. There’s a wealth of information in there about teaching in China with loads of ideas about how to manage the differences between teaching adults and kids. Why did you switch from teaching kids to adults? I’d moved home at the time and was struggling to find a job teaching ESL in Vancouver. I had a CELTA certificate, so I ticked most of the boxes, but most of the positions here required someone who could teach adults. I found that employers were concerned that most of my experience was with kids in Korea. It wasn’t really the right sort of experience for the ESL roles that were available in Canada. I tried a few part-time positions but found it hard to make the transition. It became quite clear that there were some big differences between teaching adults and kids. Like many teachers, I realized one of the best ways to get enough teaching experience with adults was to find a country where I could teach adults for a solid year. Moving to China, gave me the chance to improve my adult-teaching skills and figure out ways to translate my experience teaching kids to build adult-friendly lessons. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. Can you outline some of the differences between teaching adults and kids? Some of the differences between teaching ESL to adults and children are pretty obvious, but it can be hard to imagine the full impact of them until you’re faced with a group of adults and realise some of the teaching methods kids enjoy aren’t going to cut it. One of the big differences is the attention span of your students With adults they will sit quietly, so it’s possible to do longer activities, with kids you need short snappy tasks and even then they get bored easily. The little bit of extra time adults will spend working out a problem means tasks can be more challenging than with kids - where often entertainment is a big part of the native English speakers role as an ESL teacher The potential for conflict is greater in a classroom of kids Designing lessons you’ve to worry about stuff like: Is the hyper kid going to knock over the shy kid if we do a kinesthetic activity? Will implementing a points game cause problems? Does this game require too much patience for kids to concentrate on it? And even, do these kids have the motor skills required to do the activity? With adults there just aren’t those worries, usually they will all be able to behave well and work on an activity. Adults appreciate specific grammar takeaways With kids this can fly out the window. They are distracted easily and aren’t likely to be enthusiastic if you start explaining the finer points of grammar. You’ll teach them the same tenses, but you won’t let them know in the same way. With adults I had to outline the class objectives and key takeaways. Adults learners appreciate knowing the value of the class and what they should know by the end of it. With children it can be more of a case of tricking them into learning, coaxing them with games and activities that won’t make them nod off at the desk. Adults can be harder to engage and more passive in the classroom This is a pro and a con, really. It can make speaking activities a bit awkward. As a teacher you need to get comfortable with the silence and realize it doesn’t reflect badly on you as a teacher. You’ve got to negotiate with the students, gently nudge them to speak more and build up trust. Especially with Chinese students, they can be shy or reticent with expressing themselves in a new language. Taking time to build up a rapport with the students is wise. They’re going to need to trust you before they will want to step out of their comfort zones. Kids WILL go berserk Bored children do not a peaceful classroom make. A bored adult might stare blankly at you or take a nap. A poorly-managed classroom can dissolve into utter chaos. Think running, screaming and the stuff of teacher’s nightmares! Teaching adults has less extreme highs and lows Teaching ESL to kids is a rollercoaster. In a single day you can go from an extreme high to an extreme low. Even in a single class! Things can devolve as soon as an activity they don’t like is introduced or boredom creeps in. With adults, you may not get as many highs, but the overall day will be more balanced and easier to plan. You’ll pretty much know what you’re going to face from one class to the next. With kids, the lows can often be parent related. If you’ve got helicopter parenting going on, it’s going to be stressful. I’ve been called into the principal’s office because I had the audacity to tell the students the tomato was a fruit. Apparently this flew in the face of what a parent had said, and I was asked to steer clear of controversial subjects like classifying fruits and vegetables! How does the development of young learners and adult learners differ in the ESL classroom? I guess with kids it’s down to the fact that they progress as people as well as learners. You’re not just seeing them learn English, but you watch them develop social skills. Kids tend to have less respect for the work you’re doing as a teacher. I can remember students crumpling up worksheets I’d spent ages devising, and just tossing them in their bookbags. With adults they treat those assignments like gold, and value your time as a teacher more. They want to be in your classroom. With a few rare exceptions - these are usually people who are being forced to learn English by their bosses - and in that case they will not disturb the class and tend to just be a bit quieter. With adults you can see them really nail the learning goals overtime, whereas kids the whole process can feel a bit more holistic. If adults are invested in the class they will learn, whereas kids might be more interested in what’s for lunch in the cafeteria that day. So, if you teach adults does everything have to be super serious and academic? Not at all, but you do have to build up the rapport with your students slowly. They’re not going to come into the classroom skipping and joking. I definitely toned down the silliness with adults, but I injected some nonetheless. You have to coax that atmosphere you want out of the classroom. I used songs to help them with pronunciation or threw a plush toy around the classroom to get them chatting. Another thing I did was get them to practice the “P” sound by placing a tiny ball of paper on the backs of their hands and getting them to see if their “P” sound was strong enough to blow the ball from their hands. With adults you can still have fun, a lot of the errors they are making are fossilized, so it’s about getting them to practice in a fun way, without it seeming pointless. Kids tend to want to know what they will be doing, Adults like to understand why they are doing it. Can you give an example of how to connect with your adult students and build trust? I still remember one of my first Business English classes in China. I had the students line up like a hockey team and practice handshakes. They really appreciated it, once they got over the embarrassment, and they were cured of limp-wrist syndrome for all future business meetings! The reason this worked was that it was something they could do with a little effort, everyone was in the same boat at the same time, so no one student was called out alone and they had a valuable take away! Is teaching grammar harder with adults? I would say that with adults you really need to know your stuff. I definitely couldn’t imagine teaching them without a background that involved some kind of TEFL training. Students tend to know the grammar better than you would as a native speaker because they’ve learned it by rote. That means that confident students will challenge you on grammar, so you need to know how to respond. Where are adult learners weak when it comes to learning English? The adult learners are generally strong at grammar and writing but fall down when it comes to listening and speaking. So I would focus on the latter two skills. There’s apprehension among students about coming across as seeming silly or stupid. That’s one of the main reasons they don’t speak up. Once you get over that hump, teaching ESL to adults can be rewarding. You’re not there to be a grammar-monster, merely to encourage them and build up their confidence in expressing themselves in English. What kind of ESL teachers do you think are better suited to teaching adults? It’s definitely a better fit for quieter teachers who are reluctant to be get silly in the classroom. Kids need to be entertained, but teaching adults can give you space to be a little more reserved. It’s not as physical a role in that sense, with kids you might find yourself working a lot harder to manage the classroom. I think someone patient and detail orientated is the best fit for adult learners. What does the average day look like teaching English to adults abroad? I always found the early mornings in Korea a strain. I’m not a morning person, so the later hours in China suited me. My day started after noon and I would have an easy morning, get caught up on Netflix and emails then head into school. My first hour was always a planning period, I could look through the day’s lessons, print supplements and activity sheets. The rest of my day was broken up into three different types of classes. Face-to-face conversation classes with up to 4 students. There were workshops which were regular classes with up to 25 students at a time and life clubs where the students did team-building activities in English. Did you have to design your own lessons and materials? It was a mix, although I found that teaching adults in China was a bit more lenient around lesson planning, I could get more creative. With the kids in Korea I was sticking very rigidly to the books provided and there wasn’t a lot of scope for getting inventive. With the adults I could use the materials provided or, as long as the adults had the same learning outcomes, I could adjust as I saw fit. If you were to teach abroad again, would you choose adults or children? And what country would you pick? I think I would choose adults simply because you end up with more energy at the end of the day. With kids you have extreme highs and lows, which can be draining. With adults, life feels a bit more balanced. I would also go with China, it’s such a big country and there’s a never-ending list of things to do there. In part two, Dave will go into more depth about his time teaching in China. In the meantime, feel free to find out more about the Explore program in China.