The Spaghetti and Meatballs of Singing in Italian

The Spaghetti and Meatballs of Singing in Italian Suzy S. As a singer, youll come across songs in Italian or other languages that are great to practice and perform. Here, Pittsburgh, PA teacher Jennifer V.  shares her tips for tackling songs as you learn to sing in a foreign language Imagine walking into a voice lesson and your teacher casually places a book on the table that reads “24 Art Songs”. You open the book to see where the pretty pictures of paintings are and… you see a bunch of unknown words. Your teacher gives you a big smile and says, Let’s try singing in a foreign language this time! You freeze. Visions of ninth grade Spanish and French class whirl in your head. There is no WAY you can do this. Well, I’m here to tell you, as a person who used to believe she’d never learn to sing in one language, let alone four, there is always a way! Like any other subject, you simply need a game plan to learn the nuts and bolts of a song. And your voice teacher will be there to help you every step of the way! All you need to do is take a deep breath and follow these steps: 1. Find out what you’re saying. This can usually be done by going to websites like The LiederNet Archive. There you can type in your song and bam! a translation is born. 2. Keep in mind that many art songs are about things we know about. Caro Mio Ben is about someone who is dear to us. “Vittoria mio cuore” means Victorious my heart is! Usually the plots and ideas arent too far from our daily lives. I also suggest my students highlight the main words and meanings, so there is no confusion. Colored pencils can be purchased with erasers and can make a big difference in learning. Sometimes all we really need is to see the differences. 3. Speak the words slowly. Have your teacher say them for you, one sentence at a time. Then try it yourself! If you stumble it is no big deal. Everyone does and that is how we learn. After saying the words, have your teacher record them for you on your phone or recording device. Another excellent thing to do is go through your vowels, which can help with pronunciation of the Italian words. An example of this is: a  as in father is how you pronounce an a in Italian. Same with  o  as in close. It takes a little practice, but you will get it! With my students I begin by saying the words like poetry, giving them a rhythmic feel. I then have my student say them with me and, if needed, I say the words while I play the song, so they can understand how the rhythm and sentences work together. The next step is when everything begins to come together. We use our musical skills and add rhythm. Counting the measures, beats, and words help make the piece of music not sound so foreign and weird. It’s finally just becoming another piece of music! Finally, the last step is my favorite! After practicing the words, pitch, rhythm, and translation, it’s time to learn to sing the song! But so we don’t go crazy too fast, maybe start singing the piece on la, and slowly adding the words. When we learn a habit it can be very difficult to fix, so it’s better to go nice and slow. Singing in a foreign language can be very intimidating. To this day I take a deep breath and have to go through the steps myself. But the truth is, these wonderful composers from vibrant, foreign lands and cultures were simply just telling us a story in their own language, and asking us to keep a story alive for years to come. They are stories of falling in love, losing a beloved, or slaying a enemy in battle. Even things as simple as the beauty of a flower. With patience, love, and some elbow grease, anyone can learn to sing in a foreign language. Jennifer V. teaches singing and music performance in Pittsburgh, PA.  She received her Bachelors degree from West Virginia University, a Master of Music degree and Artist Diploma from Duquesne University, as well as a Certificate of Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy from Shenandoah Universtiy. Learn more about Jennifer V. here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Vocal Tips Structuring Your Practice Time

Vocal Tips Structuring Your Practice Time Suzy S. You know the importance of practicing but do you know how exactly to organize your practice sessions for the most effective use of your time? Read on for helpful advice from Saint Louis, MO teacher Cathy C Voice students do you LOVE singing?   Isn’t it wonderful to listen to singers perform their art beautifully?   Do you get chills when the most powerful part of your favorite piece is sung with emotion and skill? Guess what?   When you practice, you get to do what you love you get to sing!   Your practice time is the chance to experiment, self-assess, gain skill and emotionally connect with the music. You practice so that when performance time comes, you can share the joy of making music with your listeners. But how do you structure this time? Vocal practice sessions are not a one-size-fits-all kind of work.   Vocal students need to be self-aware enough to assess what works for them in relation to the particular musical goal they hope to achieve.    Some questions to ask are: (1) What is my goal for this week?   (2) Do I have all the supplies I need?   (3) What warm-ups should I use to help me focus on my weekly goal?   (4) Where should I practice in order to meet my goal?   Does the space matter to me? Once you answer those questions, you will know what you need to do when you sing in order to make progress. GOALS: Goals should be set in each lesson as a teacher-student partnership.   You should leave each lesson knowing what you should work on between lessons.   If that is not clear, your voice teacher can help you! SUPPLIES: Do you have everything you need to reach your goal?  Necessary items may include accompaniment recordings, stands, printed music, alternate recordings or online links, a personal recording device, a mirror, and note-taking materials. WARM-UP: Just as runners stretch before they head out for a training run, vocalists need to warm up the body and voice.   Vocalists should be engaging the breath and all of the vocal embouchure (jaw, lips, tongue, pallet, teeth), and also establishing mental focus.  Specific warm-up exercises that cater to the end-goal are also important. LOCATION: Some students need solitude and quiet, some need the shower (yes, it’s true), and some need an audience.   You know what works best for you! Consider that mental rehearsing counts as practice and can be done anywhere you can mentally focus.   Lyrics can be memorized in the car or during an exercise session, and vowels can be sung in nearly any location.   Time spent listening to recordings of yourself (in the car, for example) is valuable and will help move you toward your goal. Structure your practice time around who you are as a person and what your singing goal for the week is! Enjoy the effort and the results.   Staying goal-focused will move you along and help you make the most of your vocal lessons! Cathy C. teaches guitar, singing, music performance and songwriting lessons to students of all ages in Saint Louis, MO. Her specialties include classical voice, pop voice, contemporary Christian guitar and voice, folk guitar and acoustic; she is also a Board Certified Music Therapist. Learn more about Cathy, or visit TakeLessons to find a teacher near you! Photo by D Simmonds

Studying Japanese at High School

Studying Japanese at High School How Do You Study Japanese at High School? Chapters Is It a Good Idea to Learn Japanese at High School? Is It A Good Idea to Study Japanese Alongside Another Foreign Language? What About Learning Japanese Outside of School? Where Can You Get Japanese Lessons or Tutors? What Should You Study for Japanese?After middle school, you’re going to have to go to high school. That’s just the way things are (sorry).How are your studies going? Have you been thinking about your foreign language choices? There’s a lot of different decisions to make.Have you ever thought about studying Japanese for your foreign language class? Should you study Japanese at high school, alongside another foreign language, or outside of school?This article should have the answers you’re looking for. NanaJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YukoJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EllyJapanese Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoJapanese Teacher £2 0/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MelanieJapanese Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesJapanese Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PippaJapanese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarikoJapanese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Is It a Good Idea to Learn Japanese at High School?If you’ve already studied Japanese at middle school, are familiar with kanji, hiragana, and katakana, and can have a basic Japanese conversation, then studying Japanese at high school shouldn’t pose a problem. Of course, you should always check that the high school you’re going to actually teaches Japanese before you get your hopes up. It’s one of the rarer languages taught at high schools around the country, after all.If you thought learning to use chopsticks was difficult, you're going to love learning kanji! (Source: rawpixel.com)If you want to learn how to speak Japanese and you’re going to a high school where it’s taught, you’re in luck. That’s really rare. Additionally, if you’ve already studied it at middle school, you’ll have the opportunity to further study Japanese writing, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and reading and listening comprehension.On the other hand, if you’ve never studied it before, you could always choose it as a second foreign language alongside a more popular foreign language like Spanish or French. This is a particularly good idea if you’re not entirely sure how far you’re going to pursue your studies in Japanese.This is all theoretical at this point as it all depends on whether or not you’re going to one of the few high schools that actually offer it. If you are one of the lucky ones and you’re getting good grades in middle school, then there shouldn’t be any reason why you should stop studying it when you go to high school and your teachers will probably feel the same way about it.On the other hand, if you didn’t study i t at middle school but every other kid in your class did, things are going to be a little bit more complicated.Generally speaking, if you really want to learn to speak the language, the hours you do at school won’t be nearly enough. Your teachers won’t have the time to fully help you if they have a class full of other students, too. You’ll have to put the extra effort in yourself.In summary, choosing to study Japanese requires a lot of commitment, especially if you’re joining a class of students who’ve already studied it and you haven’t.  Of course, you can always use your free time during the summer to catch up by hiring a Japanese private tutor or evening visiting Japan. Is It A Good Idea to Study Japanese Alongside Another Foreign Language?With nearly 90% of students taking Spanish, can you really afford not to take it at high school?  If you feel this is the case, you might have to consider taking both Spanish and Japanese.If you have an aptitude for foreign language s and got good grades in middle school, I’d say go for it! It would look great on your resume or college applications. I can’t imagine that there are many college applicants with English, Spanish, and Japanese!Of course, this can be a lot of work and the skills aren’t necessary directly transferable between the two languages. Students that take two foreign languages like Spanish and French can benefit from the similarities between the two languages (as long as they don’t confuse the two, that is).For a long time, Japanese was considered a language isolate. This means that there wasn’t a single language that was related to it.  While this was later proved to be untrue, I don’t think there’s a single school in the country that teaches any of the other Japonic or Ryukyuan languages.There are certain things you'll need to know about Japan if you want to learn Japanese at high school. (Source: skitterphoto.com)Put simply, Japanese is a class you’ll take because you love J apanese and want to work with it in the future. It’s probably not going to help you get any better at any other language directly. That said, it never hurts to have taken a more common language class, too.If you already got the basics down in middle school, it would be a waste not to continue studying and make yourself stand out as one of the few Japanese-speaking students in the US. NanaJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YukoJapanese Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EllyJapanese Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MomokoJapanese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MelanieJapanese Teacher £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamesJapanese Teacher 5.00 (5) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PippaJapanese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarikoJapanese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors What About Learning Jap anese Outside of School?If it’s not going to get in the way of your other high school classes, you could always consider studying Japanese outside of school. There are several benefits:You can start studying the language regardless of whether or not you’ve studied it before.It’ll look great on college applications as it shows you’re driven.You can learn the language in a less academic way and have a lot of fun while you learn the language.If you learn a language outside of school, you’re learning the language for the love of it rather than just to pass some tests and put together a college application.When you learn Japanese, you should learn about the fascinating culture of Japan. (Source: Akane Zen)This means you can use resources like manga, anime, Japanese movies, TV shows, and video games to help you learn. Furthermore, you get to choose your tutor rather than just getting put in the class with the teachers available at school.Classes with a private tutor can go at yo ur pace and your tutor can work with your strengths and weaknesses in order to get the most out of every hour you spend together.  This is a great idea if you’re driven, love languages, and obsessed with Japan and Japanese culture and history! Where Can You Get Japanese Lessons or Tutors?Regardless of whether you’re studying Japanese in school or outside of it, you might want to consider looking for lessons or a tutor to help you.Fortunately, there are plenty of Japan-America Societies around the country that promote Japanese education.Put simply, if you’re doing anything related to Japan or Japanese, these societies should be top of your list. In addition to culture and education, they also promote business programs between the two companies.Here are a few of them:Japan Society, Inc.  (New York)Japan America Society of Southern CaliforniaJapan Society of Northern CaliforniaJapan-America Society of ChicagoJapan-America Society of Northwest FloridaJapan America Society of Great er PhiladelphiaJapan-America Society of PennsylvaniaJapan-America Society of Dallas/Fort WorthJapan-America Society of HoustonJapan-America Society of Washington DC, Inc.The Japan-America Society of GeorgiaJapan Society of BostonJapan America Society of Michigan and Southwestern OntarioJapan-America Society of the State of WashingtonJapan America Society of MinnesotaJapan America Society of ColoradoJapan America Society of St. LouisJapan America Society of NevadaJapan-America Society of OregonJapan America Society of Greater CincinnatiJapan-America Society of Central OhioHeart of America Japan-America SocietyJapan-America Society of Indiana, Inc.Japan America Society of WisconsinJapan-America Society of North CarolinaThe Japan-America Society of AlabamaThe Japan-America Society of MississippiJapan America Society of KentuckyJapan-America Society of Tennessee, Inc.Japan America Society of St. LouisJapan Society of New OrleansJapan-America Society of Greater AustinJapan-America Societ y of San AntonioIf you have a look at this list, you’ll probably be able to find an association near you.If you are in the UK, check out the best Japanese lessons London.Most of these sites also have an education section where you can look for tutors, classes, or educational events about Japanese culture and history or the Japanese language. As you can see, almost every state has a Japan-America Society.  If not, you should check out the Embassy of Japan’s website for schools and resources for learning Japanese.Did you know that you could also study Japanese by using video games? What Should You Study for Japanese?Whether you study Japanese as your first foreign language, second foreign language, or outside of school, the things you’ll have to study will be more or less the same.In school, you’ll be tested on the same elements of language you would be if you took any other language: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. However, if you study outside of school, you can s ort of mix up the order you learn these. You can learn languages more naturally by studying speaking first and learning to speak long before you pick up a pen.Unfortunately, in school you won’t be so lucky. Your studies will be far more academic than classes with a private tutor. This is because the main goal of studying Japanese at school is to pass exams, not to actually learn to speak the language.  Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t learn to speak the language in your high school Japanese classes.If just means that you’ll get less time to practice speaking the language because there are tests to take (sorry!). On the other hand, learning the language in the free time gives you the freedom to master the language in any order you want.It's important that you study hard if you want to learn Japanese. (Source: skitterphoto.com)In both cases, you’ll probably start with basic conversational stuff like greetings, starting and ending conversations, and asking basic qu estions. You’ll also have to cover some of the most common words, the kanji and kana (hiragana and katakana) writing systems, as well as some basic grammar points such as particles. Fortunately for you, Japanese doesn’t have subject-verb conjugations like Spanish does. In Japanese, you only need to conjugate in terms of tense (past, present, future, etc.).Once you understand some basic vocabulary, grammar points, and reading and writing, you’ll start moving on more complicated aspects of the language.  At this stage, you’ll be expected to expand upon the simple conversations you were able to have with the expressions you first learned, show that you can understand written texts, and show a mastery of the kana.While this may sound like a lot, the key to learning a language is to practice just a little bit regularly.  You’ll be surprised how much you can learn just by studying for 10 minutes every day rather than studying for two hours on the weekend.This will all be very ea sy for you if you’re a hard-working student and you’re lucky enough to have a good teacher or tutor. Don’t forget that you can always travel to Japan to boost your Japanese, too!It’s never too late to learn a language and high school might just be the stepping stone you need towards become fluent in Japanese.You’ll still have more than enough time to:Memorize Japanese wordsStudy Japanese historyLearn to count in JapaneseStudy Japanese pronunciationStart building Japanese sentences and using Japanese grammarIf you can’t afford a trip to Japan or to participate in a language exchange program there, don’t forget that you can always hire a private tutor to help you!What about studying Japanese after high school?

Build Breath Support With This Physical Warm-Up

Build Breath Support With This Physical Warm-Up Suzy S. When you begin learning how to sing, you may come across several styles of vocal warm-ups.   Building your breath support is an important part of voice lessons, so spending time on appropriate warm-ups is key.   Heres a great exercise to try, courtesy of Dallas teacher Jacklynn T.: Singing is a total body workout, and warm-ups as part of a regular practice routine are essential to your vocal health and progress. There are warm-ups for range extension, intonation, breath support and placement, to name only a handful of objectives. As singers, our bodies are our instruments; therefore, I like to begin my vocal warm-ups with some type of rhythmic physical movement to reinforce appropriate singing posture and foster an awareness of the breath. The following warm-up is fantastic for awakening the body and building breath support at the same time. Greg Jasperse demonstrated a variation of this warm-up each morning at the Vocal Jazz Workshop at the University of North Texas this past June. In my exploration and application of it, I have found that it encourages the internalization of rhythm, reduces performance anxiety and fosters a focused practice/rehearsal mindset. First, find an open space away from furniture or other potential obstacles. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, chest open, arms resting at your sides, and wrists and fingers free of tension. Inhale slowly through the nose over four counts while maintaining a relaxed and open throat. Draw the breath downward, allowing it to fall deep into the belly. As you inhale, sweep your arms out and up toward the sky so that they are above your head by the fourth count. Next, exhale over four counts with a gentle “shh” sound. Arms should reach up above the crown of the head, down and away from the body while you begin to bend at the waist and fold toward the floor. Then, inhale again through the nose over four counts, gently lifting at the waist (only slightly, not coming back to standing position just yet) while inviting airflow into your lower back. Exhale over four counts making a “shh” sound, and explore folding deeper toward the ground. Finally, inhale to come up, gradually stacki ng the vertebrae in your spine atop one another and letting the arms come to rest gently at your sides. Exhale over four counts as you come to rest in your original standing position. Repeat for several cycles. You may choose to exhale silently through the nose if you would like and add the “shh” sound as you become more comfortable with the movement. If you don’t want to “shh” you can buzz (by loosely placing the top teeth on the lower lip) or a “vuh” to further activate the breath. It is also fun to practice this warm up while listening to music of varying styles, tempos (i.e. a slow four count to a ballad versus a fast four count to a pop song) or time signatures. Get instrument-specific updates and expert advice, tips and more right in your inbox!  Sign up for email updates here! Jacklynn T. teaches singing, violin,  Broadway singing, music performance, music theory, and opera voice lessons to students of all ages in Dallas, TX. Jacklynn joined the TakeLessons team in July 2012, with a Bachelors degree in Music Education from Texas Tech University.  Sign up for lessons with Jacklynn, or visit TakeLessons to search for a teacher near you! Photo by Bengt Nyman.

5 FCE Oral Prep Tips When the Examiner Joins the Discussion

5 FCE Oral Prep Tips When the Examiner Joins the Discussion In the final part of the Cambridge First Certificate (FCE) oral exam the examiner will join in the discussion in order to stimulate it.This three-way discussion is generally based on the photographs you have already discussed with your partner during the exam.Here are some tips to help you shine.1. AnecdotesThis is a great time to show off your own unique English skills. When relevant, make reference to your own personal experiences when answering the examiners questions. It’s a good idea to keep them short however.Some good ways to lead into this are…This reminds me of when…Actually, I have personal experience with this particular issue…2. Use a Variety of AdjectivesUsing a wide variety of adjectives could set you apart from other candidates.Rather than saying, that’s a good point you could use the adjectives:Excellent,Interesting,Fascinating,Intriguing,Thought-provoking3. Don’t forget the other candidateWhen the examiner joins in the discussion, it is tempting to forget the other candidate in the exam with you. This would be a mistake, however, because you will be marked on the interaction between the three of you.4. Don’t be afraid to disagreeIf you don’t agree with what the examiner is saying, don’t be afraid to disagree with him/her. Indeed, this is a great way to get the discussion going. However, be careful with the tone you use to express this contrary opinion.Actually, I hold the opposite view…I hope you don’t mind me saying, so but I think the opposite is true…Yes, I see what you are saying but I think we should also bear in mind that….  5. Build On What You Have Already Said. Don’t Repeat ItThe purpose of this section is to show a development, and not a repetition, of what you have already said.A great way to shine in this part of the exam would be to say that after considering the topic further you have changed your opinion of it.You can do this in a number of ways:On further consideration, I would go back on what I said earlier….Actually, that’s a really good point. You have made me see the topic in a new way…  Did you find this blog helpful? Feel free to share it on Facebook and Twitter.

Why I Volunteer - Beatriz Gs Story

Why I Volunteer - Beatriz G's Story Meet Beatriz G, volunteer extraordinaire from Woodberry Down Community Primary School. In fact, Beatriz was such a fantastic volunteer tutor that she just landed a full time TA position in Woodberry’s Year 2 classroom (congrats, Beatriz!) We help her tell the rest of her story below. Before Beatriz began volunteering, she had been living in London, quite unhappily, for nearly a year and a half. She worked in a local coffee shop and as an on-call supply teacher for an independent agency, but her heart was in neither. “It is not what I came for,” she tells me. “In the morning you wake up at 7.00 a.m. and wait for a phone call [from the agency]. You cannot have another job, you cannot make more plans. You just have to go in and play teacher for one day.” When Beatriz heard about the Tutorfair Foundation’s volunteer tutor program through a community of aspiring teachers, things started to change. “[Tutorfair] makes you feel like schools and kids need you. It is not just talk . . . they’re actually doing it,” Beatriz says. “For me, that was the point [Tutorfair] made me feel confident enough [to think], ‘Okay, I’m here, I can do it.’” Although she was still working at the coffee shop in the evenings, Beatriz had finally begun to chase her dream of being a teacher. Before long, she was called upon to use that newfound confidence to tackle another challenge: a new student. “[He was] a Portuguese boy who didn’t know a word of English,” Beatriz explains, sounding a bit nostalgic. “The teacher asked me to stay with him. It was . . . complicated. Everyone thinks that Spanish [Beatriz’s first language] is very similar to Portuguese, but it's not really. “You need to to think of different ways to communicate. The other children were reading books, and I would sit with him and help him learn simple words and colors to help him communicate with the other kids. That was our main concern: how could we integrate him? How could we help him feel like he could say something?” I tell Beatriz that that must have taken constant practice and a lot of extra attention. “Definitely,” she says, “but on the last day, he was saying some words in English, and I was like, ‘Wow!’” she claps, laughing. “I felt like I helped him, somehow. Finally!” Although the story has a happy ending, it reminds Beatriz why she started volunteering in the first place, and she sobers quickly. After a beat, she explains, “I had forgotten a little bit who I am. I got [to London] and needed to [be an adult] and pay my bills and do this and do that and blah, blah, blah. “Going to the school was like opening a door for me. I knew I needed to do it, that I needed to find a way to do it somehow. My coworkers used to ask, ‘You’re doing this for free?’ And I’d say, ‘It’s brought me back, of course I’m doing it for free!’” Fortunately for both Beatriz and her students, an opportunity was soon offered that would fulfill her adult responsibilities and her passion for teaching. This fall, Beatriz will return to Woodberry as a full time Teacher’s Assistant, and she couldn’t be happier. “I’m going to learn a lot,” she says, “but I know where I am going, and that makes you feel confident and full of energy for September.” Given her well-deserved success, I figure Beatriz might recommend volunteering with the Tutorfair Foundation, but I thought I’d ask her anyway. She doesn't let me down. “Do it! Do it!” she says giddily. “Try to give it your best, and you will gain a lot in exchange.” Thanks, Beatriz! If you're a tutor, teacher or an aspiring educator looking to make a difference, visit the Tutorfair Foundation to find out how you can join the future of tutoring.

Lets Talk Business 5 Steps For Definite Success

Let's Talk Business 5 Steps For Definite Success Image from WorkHoppers.com Why am I telling you of the two most recent financial debacles?  Because having a successful business provides a test to the motivated, financially sound, and mentally adept.  On the other hand, starting a business is relatively easy. At the moment, the market is now recovering from the 2008 economic recession.  Individuals are now starting to have faith in the economy.  Unemployment continues to drop and the real estate market is now on an upswing with the amount of short sales dwindling per month.  The heartbeat of our nation is slowly returning back to normal.  Now is the time to capitalize on the goodwill and good-spending of society. Technology will continue to benefit your wants to make shoes for pets.  Go ahead and reach for your dream.  Make sure to follow these 5 steps in order to save all the cats feet. 1. Do your research It could be argued that the aforementioned crashes occurred because it was a case of too much too quickly.  Many individuals followed their neighbor into the rat trap and came out chewed up, never wanting to invest again.  But, alas!  There is hope at the end of the scorned tunnel.  The internets can now work in your favor, you wanna-be Warren Buffet.  Utilize the vast array of information at your fingertips to hash out all the potential problems in your new business venture.  Want to go into fashion?  Check out the forums and blogs around your area to gauge the level of success or failure had by those in the game. 2. Social media will be your best friend The big three.  Have a business idea?  Create a page for it!  Thankfully, access to most of the public can be had for zero dollars.  What do I mean?  There are billions of people on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram everyday all day.  The ability to create a want or need across the nation potentially across the world is easier than ever.  Make the page and tell your friends.  Then your friends will tell their friends.  Sooner or later, some random guy from Utah is messaging you about your product and how much he loves it.  Social media is a great platform for the public to become visually invested in your product or business. On many occasions, a home-based business can be fully supported by social media.  Dont buy a website to sell your homemade scarves.  Post pictures on Instagram and give part of your fashion line to your friends.  When others see your well-finished product, a buzz will surface.  Sooner or later, youll be receiving inbox messages for orders.  Once capital and interest is established, build a website WordPress and Wix are two great options. 3. Find a niche Remember all those cliques in high school?  Small subsets of individuals that share a common interest or activity?  Common sense tells me that the leader of the Brain Squad Club doesnt hang out with the quarterback of the football team.  They do not have a shared point of interest.  Find an area where the possibility for demand of supplies can and will increase.  Thanks to Pinterest and the want to carry a small dog everywhere, personalized pet treat shops have become a feasible business. Attempting to build a niche is extremely risky.  If an area or city of high traffic lacks a certain business, there might be a logical explanation.  Observe similar business ventures prior to opening and remain updated on the societal peaks and valleys. 4. What are the three rules to real estate? Location. Location. Location.  After a niche has been found, planning where to place your business (if a store front is needed) can be one of the more tricky steps.  Find an area that will have a steady flow of traffic, high potential for expansion, and a low potential for isolation.  Buying a store front in a shopping plaza that doesnt have any other businesses will not allow for your own business to prosper.  However, buying into a completely full plaza in the middle of nowhere will also be detrimental to your business.  Find an area that has plans for, or is in the process of. construction.  A perfect mix of residential and business properties is the key. 5. Take the plunge After countless hours of research, development, and planning, the last step happens to be the most daunting.  Laying down a large sum of money in the hopes of having your start up be successful places a lot of pressure on yourself, and on all of your possible investors.  A poorly planned business quickly becomes eaten alive in the real world.  Dont be laying face down in a gutter hoping to find your next big idea.  Your business is only as successful as your wanting to be a success.  Take pride in your work and that will show in the product. Popular comedian starring in Comedy Centrals Broad City  Hannibal Buress  talks in his stand up act about how he never puts the napkin on his lap when eating out.  People inquisitively ponder, Why doesnt he put the napkin on his lap?  Alfredo sauce can spill onto his jeans.  Oh, the humanity!  Hannibals answer is quite simple: confidence.  Hes a grown-up who believes in himself to not make a mess.  Buress believes in his ability to take food from his plate to his mouth without making a mess of his shirt. Be like Hannibal Buress.  Believe in yourself and your business. Run your own business, get control of your future, make an impact on your life. To learn more about College Pro, click here or call 1-888-277-7962.

New Years Language Challenge Video Pledges (Part III)

New Years Language Challenge Video Pledges (Part III) See Who’s Taking this Year’s Challenge If you are taking this year’s challenge we’re  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge.Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And don’t forget to sign up for yourself, and get 2015 of to a great start! This is  the second blog listing of New Years  Language Challenge Video Pledges.  Watch the videos from the previous posts below. Weve had so many that its better to just make multiple posts so they dont get too long! Part I Here Part II Here Iván Vallés Pérez  from the Spain is learning  English Iván is a data analyst and is taking the challenge  because he wnats to improve his English fluency. His goal is to be able to speak to English speakers without any problems and is committing to taking two 1 and 1/2 hour sessions per week for the Challenge! Please cheer him on here. Holly from the United States is learning French. Holly is going to graduate school in Paris  next year, so she wanted to improve her French as quickly as possible.  Her goal is to speak with a native french speaker for 1 hour a week for the next 6 weeks.  We wish her the best in the challenge and hope she finds her experience in Paris to be very rewarding.  Cheer her on! Amy from China is learning French and Portuguese. Already fluent in English and Chinese, Amy has been taking French for a year and wants to add Portuguese to her repertoire as well. She wants to to be able to speak in French for 30 minutes with a native speaker without frustrating the other speaker.   With regards to Portuguese, she has the same goal but only wants to speak for 5 minutes.  Wish her luck! Mr. Coffee from France is learning English. Mr. Coffee wants to improve his English over the next 6 weeks.  He hopes to come as close as possible to being able to speak like a native English speaker.  English is certainly not an easy language to learn so we wish him all the best in his  endeavors.  Cheer him on! Zhang Drawping from China is learning English Zhang Drawping (who also goes by the name of P!nk Zhang) hails from Shenzhen, China and is a Product Designer for Fisher Price. She wants wants to improve her English over the next 6 weeks. As you can tell from the video, she already speaks very well but still feels like she can speak more fluently as she needs to use her English for work. Her goals are to improve her confidence and fluency. Please everyone cheer her on for this challenge! Aravinth from India is learning German Aravinth is starting from scratch and speaks no German and he hopes that this language challenge will give him the ability to reach A2 level German and the ability to understand very basic German conversation. Were always impressed with challengers who begin a new language from scratch! Send him some words of cheer her on as we all know how hard it is to learn a new language from scratch Pierre Bredel from Brazil is learning French and English Pierre Bredel should be given a medal. This is his 3rd consecutive Language Challenge. Hes finished and made Public Video Pledges for the past 2 challenges as well. Hes continuing with his English and French studies and hoping to bring both languages to the next level. Send your words of encouragementto Pierre and wish him the best! Nancy Wang from the United States is learning Chinese Nancy is another past winner of our previous Language Challenges. She actually participated in our 2014 New Years Language Challenge (view her 2014 Public Video Pledge here)and won that and is now taking her Chinese to the next level by taking on this years challenge. Shes at a solid intermediate level and wants to improve her natural speaking and listening ability as well as her self-confidence speaking Chinese. Give her some words of support here! Click here to view her 2015 New Years Challenge Public Video Pledge here Lauren from the Barbados is learning Korean We got our first Video Public Pledge from Barbados! Lauren is learning Korean because shes always wanted to learn the language but has never really gotten around to it. Another very important reason is that she really wants to understand her Korean dramas (and not wait until the English subtitles are added). After the Challenge she also hopes to be able to have a conversation in Korean. Cheer Lauren on here by commenting on her Notebook entry! AndrewR756 from the United Kingdom is learning Russian and Vietnamese AndrewR756 wins the award for most unusual language pair that he is learning for the Challenge Russian and Vietnamese. Hes going to be doing this as well as an hour of listening each day. He also pledges to do an after video once the Challenge is completed. Were all rooting for you! If youd like to send him some words of encouragement, please comment on his Notebook entry here! Mulliro from Brazil is learning Russian Mulliro is a Community Tutor on italki and teaches Portuguese As you can see and hear in his video, he already speaks at a basic level but he really wants to bring up a level. but hes also taking the Challenge to really improve his Russian. Please cheer him on by leaving a comment on hisNotebook entry here! Maxine from the United States is learning Spanish Maxine has always wanted to learn Spanish and will be travelling to Spain in May. Her goal is a very practical one she wants to be able to use Spanish when she travels to Spain in bars, restaurants etc Shes picked some very popular teachers so she will try to fit in as many sessions as she can when they are free. Please  cheer her on! Tom from the United States is learning Italian and Russian If you need some inspiration on learning a language, you need to watch this video. Tom is a Polyglot and this is his 4th straight Language Challenge where he is now taking on Italian and Russian. As he states in his notebook entry, For the previous ones, I have improved my french and Norwegian. (Norwegian) The previous challanges have helped me alot to speak more quickly, travel in europe, and find friends I otherwise wouldnt have met at all. Tom is one of those inspirational challenger that you aspire to be. Please cheer him on for this challenge! Hes only learning 2 languages this time around ?? New Years Language Challenge Video Pledges (Part III) See Who’s Taking this Year’s Challenge If you are taking this year’s challenge we’re  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge.Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And don’t forget to sign up for yourself, and get 2015 of to a great start! This is  the second blog listing of New Years  Language Challenge Video Pledges.  Watch the videos from the previous posts below. Weve had so many that its better to just make multiple posts so they dont get too long! Part I Here Part II Here Iván Vallés Pérez  from the Spain is learning  English Iván is a data analyst and is taking the challenge  because he wnats to improve his English fluency. His goal is to be able to speak to English speakers without any problems and is committing to taking two 1 and 1/2 hour sessions per week for the Challenge! Please cheer him on here. Holly from the United States is learning French. Holly is going to graduate school in Paris  next year, so she wanted to improve her French as quickly as possible.  Her goal is to speak with a native french speaker for 1 hour a week for the next 6 weeks.  We wish her the best in the challenge and hope she finds her experience in Paris to be very rewarding.  Cheer her on! Amy from China is learning French and Portuguese. Already fluent in English and Chinese, Amy has been taking French for a year and wants to add Portuguese to her repertoire as well. She wants to to be able to speak in French for 30 minutes with a native speaker without frustrating the other speaker.   With regards to Portuguese, she has the same goal but only wants to speak for 5 minutes.  Wish her luck! Mr. Coffee from France is learning English. Mr. Coffee wants to improve his English over the next 6 weeks.  He hopes to come as close as possible to being able to speak like a native English speaker.  English is certainly not an easy language to learn so we wish him all the best in his  endeavors.  Cheer him on! Zhang Drawping from China is learning English Zhang Drawping (who also goes by the name of P!nk Zhang) hails from Shenzhen, China and is a Product Designer for Fisher Price. She wants wants to improve her English over the next 6 weeks. As you can tell from the video, she already speaks very well but still feels like she can speak more fluently as she needs to use her English for work. Her goals are to improve her confidence and fluency. Please everyone cheer her on for this challenge! Aravinth from India is learning German Aravinth is starting from scratch and speaks no German and he hopes that this language challenge will give him the ability to reach A2 level German and the ability to understand very basic German conversation. Were always impressed with challengers who begin a new language from scratch! Send him some words of cheer her on as we all know how hard it is to learn a new language from scratch Pierre Bredel from Brazil is learning French and English Pierre Bredel should be given a medal. This is his 3rd consecutive Language Challenge. Hes finished and made Public Video Pledges for the past 2 challenges as well. Hes continuing with his English and French studies and hoping to bring both languages to the next level. Send your words of encouragementto Pierre and wish him the best! Nancy Wang from the United States is learning Chinese Nancy is another past winner of our previous Language Challenges. She actually participated in our 2014 New Years Language Challenge (view her 2014 Public Video Pledge here)and won that and is now taking her Chinese to the next level by taking on this years challenge. Shes at a solid intermediate level and wants to improve her natural speaking and listening ability as well as her self-confidence speaking Chinese. Give her some words of support here! Click here to view her 2015 New Years Challenge Public Video Pledge here Lauren from the Barbados is learning Korean We got our first Video Public Pledge from Barbados! Lauren is learning Korean because shes always wanted to learn the language but has never really gotten around to it. Another very important reason is that she really wants to understand her Korean dramas (and not wait until the English subtitles are added). After the Challenge she also hopes to be able to have a conversation in Korean. Cheer Lauren on here by commenting on her Notebook entry! AndrewR756 from the United Kingdom is learning Russian and Vietnamese AndrewR756 wins the award for most unusual language pair that he is learning for the Challenge Russian and Vietnamese. Hes going to be doing this as well as an hour of listening each day. He also pledges to do an after video once the Challenge is completed. Were all rooting for you! If youd like to send him some words of encouragement, please comment on his Notebook entry here! Mulliro from Brazil is learning Russian Mulliro is a Community Tutor on italki and teaches Portuguese As you can see and hear in his video, he already speaks at a basic level but he really wants to bring up a level. but hes also taking the Challenge to really improve his Russian. Please cheer him on by leaving a comment on hisNotebook entry here! Maxine from the United States is learning Spanish Maxine has always wanted to learn Spanish and will be travelling to Spain in May. Her goal is a very practical one she wants to be able to use Spanish when she travels to Spain in bars, restaurants etc Shes picked some very popular teachers so she will try to fit in as many sessions as she can when they are free. Please  cheer her on! Tom from the United States is learning Italian and Russian If you need some inspiration on learning a language, you need to watch this video. Tom is a Polyglot and this is his 4th straight Language Challenge where he is now taking on Italian and Russian. As he states in his notebook entry, For the previous ones, I have improved my french and Norwegian. (Norwegian) The previous challanges have helped me alot to speak more quickly, travel in europe, and find friends I otherwise wouldnt have met at all. Tom is one of those inspirational challenger that you aspire to be. Please cheer him on for this challenge! Hes only learning 2 languages this time around ??