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Saturday, April 4, 2020
Kaplan Gre Tutoring - Online Teaching Students From All Over the World
Kaplan Gre Tutoring - Online Teaching Students From All Over the WorldKaplan Gre Tutoring has been around for over 30 years. It is a large company that is rated a solid A+ by the Better Business Bureau. If you are looking for an online business online tutoring service, you will want to consider this great company as your first stop. With its reputation, they can make sure that your students get the most out of their time with your help.You can choose from a number of different courses for your online tutoring service. They offer many subjects and subject areas. If you are teaching science, business, engineering, or math, they have the course for you.Most of their academic advisors are highly trained. They are very knowledgeable about the online classes that are offered by Kaplan Gre. They will also be able to help you develop a curriculum for your students.There are many other options available if you do not want to sign up for the entire course. If you are teaching a skill, there ar e hundreds of different skill games and even more exercise materials to keep your students entertained. This is one of the reasons that they have an A+ rating from the BBB.Kaplan Gre Tutoring is a great place to start if you are thinking about starting your own tutoring business. They have a great deal of experience in business management. You can find business tutors from all over the world as they work with different businesses. If you have never tried tutoring before, it is not hard to find someone to work with.If you are looking for a great place to start your business, Kaplan Gre is a good place to start. They offer a variety of courses for your classes and students. If you like the idea of working with clients, this is a great way to do so.Many online tutoring services offer courses at various levels of difficulty. Kaplan Gre tutoring has a broad range of subjects to work with, so you can choose from those and the ones that fit your specific needs.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Getting Started with Wildlife Photography
Getting Started with Wildlife Photography How Can You Get Started as a Wildlife Photographer? ChaptersWhatâs the Best Equipment for Wildlife Photography?The Most Amazing Places for Wildlife PhotographyHow to Plan a Wildlife Photography TripTips and Techniques to Get the Perfect ShotFew professions offer the freedom and artistry that wildlife photographers enjoy but being a professional photographer is a rarefied and exclusive club that is hard to break into.That is why most people who enjoy photographing animals do so for their own pleasure or, when they capture a money shot, to enter photography competitions.In fact, photo competitions and selling wildlife photos at local fairs and events are two of the best ways of getting your name out there and having your work as an outdoor photographer recognised.Of course, to have any work to show, you must first have photography gear and know how to use it â" an excellent reason to attend photography workshops.And then, you must go to where the animals are.Thatâs not to say that there arenât plenty of opportunities to take wild life photos in your own backyard or anywhere in the UK â" our cities are rife with urban wildlife such as squirrels, raccoons and even feral cats.Birds in flight make for nice pictures, too but you have to admit that the major photography awards are seldom given to photographs of a ground squirrel munching on an acorn.So, if youâre aiming for the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year or have your work feature in prestigious publications such as National Geographic, you will likely have to travel abroad to earn it.For that reason, your Superprof has put together this beginnerâs guide to wildlife photography.That doesnât mean that, if you are already a grand prize winner in wildlife photography, this article is not for you; in fact, weâd welcome your input! 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 tutorsWhatâs the Best Equipment for Wildlife Photography? Bird photography might call for a long lens and a higher shutter speed setting Image by David Mark from PixabayProclaiming anything âthe bestâ opens the door to criticism and rancour; after all, what one deems premium might, to another, be utter rubbish.In light of that, we hesitate to present favourite brands and model numbers 'the best camera' or 'the best point and shoot'. Still, there are a few names with such cachet that they could very well be on everyoneâs âtopâ list.As far as DSLR cameras are concerned, the Canon EOS ranks in close competition with Pentax, Olympus and Panasonic (or Leica, if you are a purist).The EOS M model, which features no mirrors and permits lens changes, debuted in 2012.Although the higher-end Canon models can be quite pricey, if you are looking for an inexpensive entry-level camera to get started, this line of Canons may well fit the bill.While youâre still shooting with the standard snub-nosed lens, you may not need a tripod but, once you start photographing larger animals with a telephoto lens, you will certainly want such a support.Ideally, your tripod should be lightweight because you will carry it over long distances. It should also be rugged enough to stand up to everything the great outdoors can throw at it and stand for another session.Mactrem is a good name to shop for and, if you want the lightest of the light but Bonfoto, with its carbon fibre construction, is also worth a look.Donât forget to install a gimbal stabiliser!If you are uncertain about your chances of making it as a wildlife photographer or unwilling to invest too much at the outset, you may wait on the tripod and get a bean bag instead.This most versatile camera stabiliser will prove useful whether you photograph close to the ground or up in a tree.What type of lens would you use for macro photography? How many different lenses should you have and what is a teleconverter?Whether you pursue wildlife photography purely as a hobby, an avocation or with the sincere hope to make it in the field, there are a few pieces of photography equipment you must absolutely have.Just make sure you have a camera bag big enough for all of it... Our world is full of amazing places to capture images of wildlife Image by David Mark from PixabayThe Most Amazing Places for Wildlife PhotographyArenât we glad that our lovely islands are full of nature reserves which, in turn, are full of animals unique to our country?Take, for instance, the Skomer vole, found only on Skomer Island in Wales, who has to scurry away from its many predators if it wants to live its entire two-year lifespan.How about the Pine Marten, found only in the Lakes District? This weasel relative is nocturnal so you might set up an infrared camera trap to catch them out and about.If photographing birds is your fancy, you might amuse yourself by photographing the water rail, who forages for food on land and water. This bird has an enviably balanced diet!Do you like photographing wrens? If so, you should head to Fair Isle (Shetland), Scotland, while the weather is still mild. These birds are exclusive to that island and they are bigger than mainland wrens.Isnâ t it nice to think that wildlife photographers from all over the world come to our shores to capture images of creatures not found anywhere else?We are quite fortunate indeed to have so much wildlife to track, observe and photograph. Still, you might want to find fantastic destinations around the world to take pictures of wildlife.How to Plan a Wildlife Photography TripBy launching into this topic, we are not implying any ignorance on your part.If youâre old enough to possess a bag full of kit, a passport and the ability â" both legal and financial to purchase a plane ticket, you are presumably able to plan a trip.Still, there are aspects of photographing wildlife that demand extra preparation: what will you take with you? What would be safe to leave behind?What do you know about the animal you intend to photograph?That is perhaps the most important question: if you know little to nothing about your quarryâs habitat, habits and mannerisms, you are setting yourself up for, at be st, a questionable expedition.At worse, you could put yourself in grave danger.Far from being melodramatic, we offer up a tale of a young boy who was mauled by a mountain lion in the US state of Colorado.The child was playing out of doors with his brother one evening when a neighbour suddenly called for him. The eight-year-old started running...The boyâs family lives in the cougarâs habitat and, it being dusk â" one of the times of heightened cougar activity, the animal saw the boy as prey and attacked.The boy could not have known that he was being stalked by a ferocious beast but you, knowingly entering animalsâ habitat to photograph them, owe it to yourself to and to the creatures you seek to learn all that you can about them.Besides, knowing your quarryâs quirks will not only make them more watchable but it will also help you snap a potentially award-winning wildlife photo.Researching the animal you intend to photograph and the terrain it calls home is just a start. Ther e is more to planning a wildlife photography trip... This end of the elephant is not necessarily the one you want to capture. Image by Rolf Dobberstein from PixabayTips and Techniques to Get the Perfect ShotThis last segment might seem superfluous because this entire article is meant as a guide to your getting the perfect wildlife shot.We have covered a lot of information so far but there is one aspect of taking animal portraits that weâve not yet touched on: patience.When you meet animals in their environment, you can be sure that they will not perform on cue.In fact, they will display blatant unconcern for how far youâve travelled, how expensive your camera equipment is or how keen you are to take winning photographs.What comes next might be the best advice we could give you.If you engage in wildlife photography just to win a photography competition, your enjoyment of the activity will be severely limited.You might think of taking pictures in the natural world as a way of communing with creation; of getting back to a primal world where none of humansâ modern concerns can intrude.Going into nature is a great way â" perhaps the best way to disconnect from social media and the insistent pings of yet another message coming in, the stress of city living and the pressure of your work and social life.So what if you bring your digital camera out there with you? No wild animal will reprimand you while you hone your photography skills, snapping only what seems worthwhile â" not every little thing that moves.Of all the skills you might learn from photography books, patience is the one that is talked about the least but is the most necessary.Others include:Using natural light to your advantageAiming for the animalsâ eyesMaster compositionControl how busy your background isBring the right equipment for the jobAll of these points and more are covered in-depth in our companion article.Are you now ready to head out into the wild to find and capture your first subjects? You canât take a picture of a wild animal from your settee!Itâs time to put down that wildlife magazine and go into the wild yourself; weâll wait for your best photo.
Friday, March 6, 2020
Its Not about How Hard You Study- Online Tutoring Make Study Smarter
Itâs Not about How Hard You Study- Online Tutoring Make Study Smarter 0SHARESShare If youâre looking for help to achieve the expected grade in Math, Science Online Tutoring Sessions are the most convenient and reasonable way to achieve those goals. TutorPace.com offers online private tutorial for every subject. Studentsâ k-12 may avail homework help, test preparation help from these sessions. Our home schooling sessions include latest tools to make the sessions interactive and interesting. Pre assessments are conducted to show you where you should focus, and post assessments confirms that youâve the subject is well-read. Studying for hours, running for tuitions after school actually affects brain and at times become hectic. Students however fail to stay away from the practice because of the tough competition. Shorter but effective study sessions are actually more effectual way to prepare for exams. Nevertheless, this process requires adequate planning ahead to have sufficient time to study so as to achieve the required grade. We are committed to provide high quality guidance to every student. We offer wide-ranging Online Tutorial Courses for studentsâ k-12 to give them relief from their nerve-racking routine. [starbox id=admin]
Solving Inequalities With Absolute Value
Solving Inequalities With Absolute Value Absolute value of any number whether its negative or positive represents only its positive version. Absolute value is actually the distance of the number from the center and is denoted by | |(modulus sign). Hence absolute value is never negative. Absolute value is the magnitude of the number not the sign. Absolute value equation contains the variables and numbers with the absolute value sign in it. Example 1: Solve for the variable x in the inequality | 5x | 25? Solution: Given is the equation |5x| 25. Here the unknown variable which needs to be solved for is x. First step: The absolute value gives two cases; 5x 25; 5x -25. Dividing by 5 on both sides of the given equation. (5x)/ 5 25/5; (5x)/ 5 -25/ 5. This gives x 5; x -5. Hence the solution contains two intervals x 5 and x -5. Example 2: Solve for the variable x in the inequality | 2x + 4| 24? Solution: Given is the equation |2x + 4| 24. Here the unknown variable which needs to be solved for is x. First step: The absolute value gives two cases; 2x + 4 24; 2x + 4 -24. Subtracting 4 on both sides. 2x 20; 2x -28. Dividing by 2 on both sides of the given equation, x 20/2; x -28/2. This gives x 10; x -14. Hence the solution contains two intervals x 10 and x -14.
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Latin Declensions Our Memorising Tips
Latin Declensions Our Memorising Tips How to Learn the Latin Declensions ChaptersWhat Are the Latin declensions?Latin Declensions: Learn Using Multiple IntelligencesMemorizing Techniques to Learn the Latin DeclensionsLatin Declensions: Doing Exercises to Boost MemoryLatin Declensions: Study with a Private Tutor!Latin can be complicated for beginners learning the language. Latin grammar is not necessarily obvious, especially because Latin nouns can be quite problematic.In fact, all nouns correspond to a Latin declension according to their position in the sentence. Learning Latin, therefore, requires you to memorise all the Latin declensions and cases.Don't fret, Superprof is here to give you some tips to help you remember these pesky grammar rules!For the masculine or feminine parisyllabic nouns, the example used is civis, civis, m (citizen):CaseSingularPluralNominativeCivisCivesVocativeCivisCivesAccusativeCivemCivesGenitiveCivisCiviumDativeCivisCivibusAblativeCiveCivibusFor neutral parisyllabic nouns, the example is mare, maris, n (sea):CaseSingularPlural NominativeMareMariaVocativeMareMariaAccusativeMareMariaGenitiveMarisMariumDativeMariMaribusAblativeMariMaribusFor the imparisyllabic masculine or feminine nouns, the example we've used is consul, consulis, m (consul):CaseSingularPluralNominativeConsulConsulesVocativeConsulConsulesAccusativeConsulemConsulesGenitiveConsulisConsulumDativeConsuliConsulibusAblativeConsuleConsulibusFor neutral imparisyllabic nouns, the example is corpus, corporis, n (body):CaseSingularPluralNominativeCorpusCorporaVocativeCorpusCorporaAccusativeCorpusCorporaGenitiveCorporisCorporumDativeCorporiCorporibusAblativeCorporeCorporibusFor the fourth declension, masculine or feminine, we will use manus, us, f (hand) as an example:CaseSingularPluralNominativeManusManusVocativeManusManusAccusativeManumManusGenitiveManusManuumDativeManuiManibusAlbativeManuManibusFor the fourth declension for neutral nouns, we will use cornu, us, n (horn):CaseSingularPluralNominativeCornuCornuaVocativeCornuCornuaAccusativeCornuCornua GenitiveCornusCornuumDativeCornuiCornibusAblativeCornuCornibusAs for the fifth declension, there are only feminine nouns, with the exception of dies, ei, m (day) but which is also feminine when it means the date. We will use the example of res, rei, f (thing):CaseSingularFeminineNominativeResResVocativeResResAccusativeRemResGenitiveReiRerumDativeReiRebusAblativeReRebusYou can easily find all the Latin declensions in an English-Latin dictionary like the Oxford Latin Dictionary or even online.Latin Declensions: Learn Using Multiple IntelligencesMaking a colour-coded diagram can help you remember the declensions. Source: Visual HuntThe theory of multiple intelligences was explained by the psychologist Howard Gardner in 1983 and later developed in 1993.This theory is a tool used in educational science to allow every student to flourish, to learn to how to learn and help them think differently about their education.He suggests that there are several types of intelligence:Linguistic: the ability to use language to understand others and express what we think. In terms of Latin and the declensions, it may mean we comment on what we see and express what we think of declensions to memorise them better and simplify learning,Logical-mathematical: the ability to manipulate numbers and problem solve. By making diagrams of the declensions, pupils can appropriate them and retain them better,Spatial: the ability to find one's way and establish relationships between objects in space. Making colourful drawing can allow students to make the declensions more tangible and thus memorise them more easily.These first three types of intelligence are the ones most used in schools to help students memorise an abstract topic. Each student then gradually discovers which intelligence is most effective for them.There are also other strands of intelligence described by this theory that may prove useful to some students:Intra-personal: the faithful and realistic self-representation and proper use in everyday life,Interpersonal: the ability to understand others and anticipate behaviour,Body-kinesthetic: using your body to express an idea or carry out a given physical activity,Musical: the ability to perceive and create rhythms and sounds. This can be useful when learning declensions, you'll soon see why!Naturalist: understanding your environment and having awareness of living things,Existential (spiritual): the ability to question the origin and meaning of things.Test your knowledge of Latin history and culture by identifying these 20 quotes!Sing along to the video then before you know it you'll be singing it in the shower!To learn the declensions, a father and son created their own lyrics set to the music of Get Lucky by Daft Punk:Have you tried using any familiar tunes that you've come up with yourself? If not, use well known tunes like nursery rhymes you learned as a child or even your favourite pop song to help you learn.Discover also the history and evolution of the Latin alphabet...Latin Declensions: Doing Exercises to Boost MemoryAfter you've learned the declensions and you think you know all of them by heart, test yourself with Latin exercises. You will find tons of these on the internet which will allow you to read Latin texts to enrich your Latin vocabulary, improve your Latin syntax, but most importantly, make sure you know your declensions.On the website latinedisce.net, you can browse through basic Latin-English dictionary as well as do exercises and tests to practise Latin vocabulary, the verbs and declensions.Another great resource for Latin games and quizzes is latinteach.com which is a fun learning website for all levels. Learn through flashcards, crosswords, games and puzzles to master latin grammar.Do you know about Latin's linguistic legacy?Latin Declensions: Study with a Private Tutor!Traveling to Rome? You'll be able to understand all the engravings! Source: Visual HuntIf you get stuck and find learning Latin a real ordeal, yo u should consider taking private Latin lessons for beginners.A private teacher is there just for you and to meet your needs as a student. If your difficulties come from learning the declensions, a tutor will have a range of learning techniques to help you memorise them.Learning Latin with a private teacher is usually more motivating too. You will have goals to reach every week and you have no excuses not to do the work. Generally, you will not want to disappoint your teacher, who you can form a relationship with and who is likely to be much more interesting than your Latin teacher at school!On Superprof, there are tons of Latin teachers offering lessons for all levels, as well as thousands of other teachers in all Latin languages. They each have a different experience, from retired teachers to classical literature students to passionate mythology, ancient Greek and Latin students.A private class doesn't have to break the bank! With Superprof, Latin prices start at around fifteen pou nds. Of course, it depends on your level, your location and the teacher's experience. A beginners class will definitely cost less than a college course in Latin anyway!So, are you ready to test yourself on the Latin declensions?Now find the answers to all of your questions about the Latin language...
Useful English Expressions with the Word THING - Speak Fluent English
Useful English Expressions with the Word THING - Speak Fluent English I covered this recently in a lesson with my students. You might be interested in reading about it or refreshing your memory about the topic. The following are useful English expressions with the word THING.THING is often a word we use when we are stuck for (cannot remember) another more appropriate word or we do not actually know what this THING is really called. For example, you often hear Pass me that thing over there!! or Could you pass me that thing, you know the thing for opening this bottle! So THING has many uses and people always seem to know what we are referring to.However, THING is also used in many English expressions with real meaning. Here are some of those uses with examples. Useful English Expressions with the Word THING A THING OF THE PASTWe use this to describe something no longer in use or that is outdated.ex. The fax machine is a thing of the past. Who uses them today? The typewriter is a thing of the past. Everyone uses a word processor.TO HAVE A THING FOR SOMETHING (SOMEBODY)We use this expression when we remembersomething or somebody we really liked or enjoyed or still enjoy today.ex. When I was young I had a thing for postage stamps and I had a huge collection. As I got older I lost interest. He has a thing for Julia Roberts the actress. He really thinks she is beautiful and watches all her movies.JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGSWhen we cannot explain something fully but know it is an issue then we often use this expression. For example, if someone is trying to explain why he likes or dislikes something without being able to give a specific reason then you will hear them say ah its just one of those thingsâ.ex. Why do you not like going on a rollercoaster? Are you afraid? No, not really I can not explain it. It is just one of those things. Do you not like travelling on trains? Why? Is it the noise or the movement from side to side. I donât really know it is just one of those things.ONE THING LED TO ANOTHERWhen a series of events take place resulting in an action then we can say.one thing led to another⦠ex. Why are you home so late? And you are a little drunk! I know, I am sorry. I met my old school friend we got talking then had a beer. Then one thing led to another and we decided to have a few more! English Collocations with THING Enjoyed this infographic? Hereâs what you can do next: THE IN- THINGFashions come and go and come again or so it seems. When something is in fashion we say it is the in- thing! So at the moment a particular hairstyle or a particular style or design of clothes will be the in-thing.ex. Hi how are you? Wow, I love the shoes. Where did you get them? They were my Mumâs they are the in thing these days all the 70âs clothes are back in fashion.FOR ONE THINGA very popular way to give a reason or reasons why we like or dislike someone or something.ex. Are you going to the match on Sunday ? No, for one thing the tickets will be a crazy price and I think I have to work as well.ITS A GOOD THING THATWe use this expression in situations where we are fortunate or lucky that we did something without really thinking about it.ex. Oh dear its raining really heavy outside. Well itâs a good thing that I brought the umbrella! Itâs a good thing we left early for the airport. The traffic is terrible there must have been an accident.Now you know most of useful Englsh expressions with the word THING. And you know what we mean when we ask you to pass that THING over there!Check out my packages of Skype English lessons. My English lessons over Skype will give you an excellent opportunity to improve your English language skills in efficient and affordable way.
Focused Training The Key to Building Academic Skills and Improving your IQ
Focused Training The Key to Building Academic Skills and Improving your IQ Improving Academic Performance Over the past few years Iâve been doing a lot of reading, and a fair amount of writing on this blog, around what truly drives academic performance. One of my favorite (and most important) insights has been that IQ, or natural intelligence, is far less important than people assume it to be. This article considers that insight from a different angle, and introduces an interesting new book about how it may be possible to improve your IQ through targeted training. Put succinctly, it appears that although IQ is less important than most people think in determining how one performs in school, it obviously still matters. However, it turns out that IQ itself is something that can be improved with practice, just as academic skills are built through sustained effort and deliberate practice. What matters more? Effort or IQ? Or Strategy? I think itâs safe, for the purposes of this discussion, to consider âintelligenceâ or ânatural talentâ or âIQâ as fundamentally very similar ideas. They are, in theory, all unchangeable traits that you are either born with or not born with. The average person seems to believe that, for example, there are math people, who probably have a very high IQ, who have a natural talent for math. These people are the ones who do very well in high school mathematics, end up in Calculus classes in high school, and are far more likely to become mathematics majors and then mathematics PhDs, or professional actuaries, etc. But, the general theme that seems to be emerging from lots of recent research, contrary to what the average person might still think is true, is that IQ or talent might matter, but other concepts related to how much and how we practice are more important in determining whether you are successful. In other words, how much and how we practice (i.e., do you engage in deliberate practice when studying?) intersects with our natural intelligence to determine how well we perform or how âgood we areâ at something. The evidence that specific types of hard work and approaches to learning might matter more than talent or IQ seems to be mounting. Carol Dweck teaches us that simply having a growth mindset, meaning you think about your intelligence as something malleable, not something fixed, makes it significantly more likely that youâll excel in school, because youâll keep an open mind and keep trying to learn new things. Angela Duckworth introduces us to the importance of grit and plain old-fashioned perseverance in determining who succeeds academically. She has developed a grit score where you can measure your personal level of grittiness. Barbara Oakleyâs book âA Mind for Numbers: How to Excel in Math and Scienceâ offers strategies for how to engage in math and science in new ways to increase your chances of efficiently learning new material. She writes about how to progressively turn ideas into chunks or groups of larger ideas (and thus become better at recalling and manipulating them), why conducting frequent âmini testsâ is important, and how to take notes by summarizing concepts vs. copying what you hear verbatim. The Mathematics PhD teaching you Calculus during your freshman year of high school might find mathematics easy and intuitive, but he might not. He may have studied very hard and in the right ways, sticking with problems for a long time until he understood them, and constantly challenging himself, such that over time, his mathematics skills grew far beyond what the average person could imagine is achievable without some sort of special gift. All that really exists are mathematics skills, which are acquired through practice. Natural math âtalentâ doesnât really exist. For example, Cal Newport, an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University with a PhD from MIT, runs a blog for high school and college students called Study Hacks. In it, he notes that he personally took AB Calculus AB during his senior year of high school, struggled a little bit, and earned a â4â on the AP AB Calculus exam. The highest AP exam for Calculus is called BC Calculus, and the top score is a 5. Some high performing high school students take BC Calculus during their junior year, score a 5, and then take more advanced mathematics classes at local colleges during their senior year of high school. But thereâs Cal, taking AB Calc, earning a 4, and then going on to earn a PhD in Computer Science from MIT. I might direct you to this previous article we wrote about whether effort or IQ matters more. In it, we discuss a formula that involves talent, skill, and effort. The gist is that even if natural talent exists, it gets combined with effort to determine your skill. And then your performance in a class is determined by your skill and the amount of effort you put forth. Because effort shows up twice in this story, it can be thought of as mattering twice as much as talent or IQ. Finally, across all disciplines, including academic ones, I further believe that employing strategies is critical to being successful. Employing a strategy simply means you set a goal, and consciously choose what to do, and what not to do, in your quest to reach that goal. All that said, IQ still matters. Itâs obviously an important factor in determining academic success. But all of the above does make you wonder. Has the pendulum swung perhaps too far in one direction? Sure, hard work, persistence, and specific study habits can lead to success in math and science. But Iâve personally never thought that pure intelligence or âIQâ wasnât important. I donât believe itâs the most important factor, but itâs an important factor, in determining who does well in school. Mathematics skills might be something you acquire through practice, and the harder you work and the more you practice, the more mathematics skills youâll acquire. That said, doesnât it make sense that the higher your natural propensity for learning, the higher your fluid intelligence and IQ, the easier it will be to build math skills (or skills in any other academic subject)? In other words, the higher your IQ, the more youâll learn in any given hour of studying â" meaning the more likely it will be that youâll achieve a particularly high level of skill in a given subjec t? IQ may not be fixed. It can likely be improved. In Smarter, The New Science of Building Brain Power, Dan Hurley suggests weâve gone too far in minimizing the importance of IQ or intelligence (another common term and synonym to IQ is âfluid intelligenceâ or the capacity to reason and solve problems, independent of any prior knowledge.) However, the main theme of his book is that, just as one can adopt a certain mindset, practice deliberately, and have grit to succeed academically, one can also take steps to improve their IQ or fluid intelligence. In other words, IQ matters. It might matter a lot. But, it isnât fixed. With hard work, it too can be improved. In his book, Hurley discusses how, up until 2007 or so, most academic researchers agreed strongly with the prevailing societal belief that IQ was a fixed trait that could be measured. Around that time, however, research started to emerge that performance on tests of fluid intelligence could be improved over time through training of various sorts. Hurley goes through a fair amount of science behind how fluid intelligence operates. But most interestingly, he reviews the various strategies and tools that can be employed to improve your IQ. Some of the strategies he reviews are what one might call âdirectâ braining training tactics that involved paying attention to numbers or images and identifying patterns and following movements of images on a screen. These strategies seem like ways to directly improve your cognitive function. Others are more âindirectâ and involve, for example, getting more exercise, eating better, or learning a musical instrument. Hurley discusses and reviews the following strategies, which, to one degree or another, scientific evidence suggests can improve your IQ (the book discuss the science in detail of each strategy below): Online brain training from Lumosity In-person brain training from Learning RX Common activities most people recognize as generally healthy anyway but which also appear to improve IQ: Regular exercise Eating right Sleeping enough Practicing mindfulness meditation Learning a musical instrument Taking certain drugs In the book, Hurley shows how, by reviewing the above strategies and choosing to adopt those that appeared most promising, he improved his IQ by an impressive 16%. Summary There is strong evidence that performance in most academic subjects is within your control. A growth mindset, hard work, deliberate practice, specific learning strategies, and substantial grit can, certainly when combined, overcome an average or below average IQ. But interestingly, your IQ can actually be improved directly through targeted training. To learn more about how and why thatâs true, you can check out Hurleyâs book.
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