10 Common and Easy Guitar Chords for Beginners to Learn

10 Common and Easy Guitar Chords for Beginners to Learn Sign up successful All you need to know is how to read a guitar  chord diagram. If you then learn how to use a capo, you will be able to play almost any song in any key! Lets get started. Easy Guitar Chords for Beginners: Key of C These first four easy guitar chords will allow you to play most songs that are in the key of C. The C chord is the main chord in the key:Next, the F chord can be played in one of two  ways. This is the hardest of all 10 chords on this list because it requires the use of a barre. If you have trouble doing a full barre, you might find the first  version listed below easier to play. Here are two forms of the F chord:The G chord is typically played using the following form:Last but not least, the Am chord adds a little color to any chord progression: Once youve learned these four chords you can play most songs that are in the key of C, and with the use of a capo you can play many other songs. That wasnt too hard, was it? Only four  chords and you are already well on your way to playing most popular songs. Here is a simple chord pattern in C that uses all four  chords so you can get some practice in. SEE ALSO: A Roadmap of the Notes on a Guitar Easy Guitar Chords for Beginners: Key of G You have already learned the G and C chord so now you only need to learn two more chords to be able to play songs in the key of G. As a bonus, you already know one other chord in the key of G the Am chord. So learn these two chords and you will be able to play five  chords in the key of G! Here is how to play the D chord in the key of G:Next, the Em chord is one of the most easy guitar chords to play because it only uses two fingers. Here is a chord pattern in the key of G that uses all five  chords. Make this a part of your practice sessions to get comfortable with the feel of these common chords. Easy Guitar Chords for Beginners: Key of D Once more we only need to learn two  more chords to play in the key of D. The first one is the A chord:  Next up is the Bm7 chord. The Bm7 is easier to play then the Bm chord and it can be used just about anywhere you see a Bm chord. Here is a chord pattern you can practice in the key of D that uses all five  chords. SEE ALSO: The Big List of Easy Guitar Songs Easy Guitar Chords for Beginners: Key of A And finally, adding two more chords will allow you to play in the key of A. The first one is the E chord:The F#m7 chord is easier to play than the F#m chord and it can be used almost anywhere you find the F#m chord in a song. Here is a chord pattern to get practice playing all across the fretboard in the key of A. Tips Tricks for Playing These Chords Play along with the video tutorial below, which combines a few of the chords you just learned! Remember that any time you see a chord with a 7 or 9 after it, you can simply play the easier version. For instance, a G7 chord can be played as a G chord without any problems. So until you learn the extended version, just use the simple version. Most minor chords can be played either with or without the 7. The extended version has a little more color but will usually work fine in the place of the regular chord. For example, if you see an Bm chord, you can usually play a Bm7 chord. A suspended chord, written as a sus or sus4, can usually be replaced by the regular chord without the suspension, but only if everyone playing makes that change. Sometimes, the suspension is necessary to fit with the melody line, so the substitution is not always effective. If you remember these simple rules you will find that all you need to play most music are these 10 guitar chords for beginners and a capo. Take it to the Next Level For an extra challenge, learn the suspended chords for G, D, A, and E, and you will find that you can play almost every chord in songs from the key of C, G, D, and A. Almost all of these guitar chords for beginners are simple chords that any new guitarist can learn! What do you want to learn on the guitar next? Share your goals in the comments below. Post Author:  Jerry W. Jerry W. teaches classical guitar in Grosse Pointe, MI. He received his Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition from  Cornerstone University and went on to receive his Masters and PhD in Music Composition from  Michigan State. Jerry has been making music and teaching for over 30 years. 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

Intangibles are the New Perfect SAT Score

Intangibles are the New Perfect SAT Score The following is a guest post written by Application Authority, a college application branding company that helps students differentiate themselves from thousands of other applicants. A perfect SAT score has been considered the Holy Grail of college admissions for years. And for good reasonthe SAT and the ACT have been used for decades by schools to predict candidates potential for higher education success independent of other accomplishments. But if you have been losing sleep over achieving the ideal 1600 or 36-point score, we suggest you get some rest and consider changing your focus. These tests are flawed The ACT and the SAT are flawed. To adapt to the tests flaws, schools have shifted from a point-based application process to holistic review, thus diminishing the value of this traditionally highly weighted criteria. Additionally, with an increase in average college applicant GPA and grade inflation in recent years, admissions officers have shifted their attention to learning more about the applicant through essays. [RELATED: How to Survive the College Application Process, Part One] The secret to admission With top schools rejecting perfect test scorers each year, what is the secret to getting admitted to an elite college or university? Would you like the good news or the bad news first? We like to lead with the positive, so here goes: You are the secret to admission. The bad news? Theres no easy fix. After all, you cant attend a class, take a few practice exams, and voila, magically have a great perceived version of You. When reviewing applications, admissions officers are thinking about a few things: Who is this student? What will he/she contribute to our community? Will he/she be a good fit at this school? What will he/she accomplish while at our school and beyond? You might be thinking that you would rather work for that 1600 or 36 than try to decode what this means. Or youre thinking, Okay, I get it. I need to start my own business or something. Unless you are actually passionate about doing so, it probably means doing none of the above. Schools want to know who you are as a person. Not just as a student. What makes you tick, and how do you choose to pursue your interests? It really is that simple. [RELATED: 3 Questions to Ask Your Guidance Counselor About College] Share your passion Think about your best qualities, and then think about how you can apply them to contribute in some way, shape, or form. What have you done to move the ball forward or to move the needle? Lets take John (a real student), for example. John is incredibly passionate about space and thinks Elon Musk is amazing. John looks at his school directory and discovers that his school doesnt have a space club. So, he pokes around his community and discovers a small notice in his local newspaper: Interested in star gazing? Join us. He goes to the event and enjoys the community feel. He decides to start a space club at his school. He has no idea what hes doing, but hes driven and passionate, and he figures it out. From there, he builds on the idea and creates a space mentorship program with a local elementary school. Now John is happily attending a top-three school. Johns best qualities are his drive, ability to motivate others, and ability to build relationships. He used his passion for space as a foundation for applying his best attributes to make the community a better place. And just like that, John has shown admissions officers who he uniquely is. This is far more valuable than any perfect test score. [RELATED: What Does It Mean to Be a Well-Rounded Student?] What can you do? Alright, lets get to you. What can you do to figure out who you are? Freshman/sophomore: Write down a list of things that interest you. Research and write down current, relevant opportunities to get involved within your school and community. Brainstorm these ideas with a parent or teacher or mentor and pick a couple to try. If they dont work out, thats okay. Try something else. Junior/senior: Now is the time to take on a leadership role within your activities. This role can be formal or informal as long as you are using your best qualities to make a difference. The only thing leftessays It will also be important to create a stellar application that highlights your best and unique attributes. Show each school why you will be an unrivaled contributor, classmate, and community member. While test scores and GPA will likely forever be relevant for college admissions, essays are an extremely important way to position yourself as a uniquely qualified candidate. After all, you are more than just a number. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Angle of Depression Definition

Angle of Depression Definition Angle of depression is the angle formed by the observers eye with respect to the horizontal line. Angle of depression is only formed when the desired object is below the observer and the observer is looking down at the object. Angle of depression can be calculated by using the trigonometric functions and the given distances in a particular situation. Example 1: Evaluate the angle of depression if the observer who is at a height of 10m above the ground is looking at a car parked on the ground. The horizontal distance between the observer and the car is 15m. Given height above the ground, OA = 10m Distance of the car from the observer, AC = 15m Let the angle of depression = Then from the diagram, alternate angles are equal. Hence the angle below L OCA as shown is also = Now in triangle OAC, tan = OA/AC = 10/15 = 0.667 Hence angle of depression, = tan-1(0.667) = 33.7 Example 2: If a person of height 6m is standing and is looking at a point on the ground 6m away. Find the persons angle of depression. Given height above the ground = 6m Distance of the point on the ground from the person= 6m Let the angle of depression = Then, tan = Opposite side/Adjacent side = 6/6 = 1 Hence angle of depression, = tan-1(1) = 45

Interactive Whiteboards for Drawing

Interactive Whiteboards for Drawing A Guide to Creating Whiteboard Art ChaptersWhat is an Interactive Whiteboard?Artists Choose the Top Four IWBsPhone Drawing ToolsA picture is worth a thousand words.This well-known idiom is the basis, indeed the very philosophy that drives today's online whiteboards.These interactive communications tools have become indispensable in today's world of telecommuting, global strategy meetings, and other collaborative work initiatives.The digital world, with all of these new tools and applications, is not restricted solely to business.These days, more and more visual artists are making use of white boards and other apps to create, share and publish their art.Some painters even collaborate on works and post on art forums, so that novice artists can learn from them.Isn't it about time we jump on that bandwagon?Let us discover together the many features offered to artists on whiteboard websites.Whiteboards traditionally featured in business meetings Source: Pixabay Credit: SSPhow to create online art.All of this utility's feat ures are straightforward and easy to use.To collaborate, you simply need to toggle the green button; to save your work, you need only click on export board.The downside to AWWapp is that you must subscribe (and pay) in order to access all of its features.In spite of that, AWWapp is one of the most used online virtual arrays, with more than 200 000 subscribers.FlockdrawUnlike the previously reviewed app, Flock Draw is a free site where you can invite an unlimited number of pencil artists and portrait artists to work together on the same piece.Have you ever wondered what a digital pencil sketch would look like?Are you enamoured with colored pencils?Are you an expert at reproducing manga, or are you just learning how to draw?At Flock draw, you only need a login to start improving your drawing skills  - without needing to buy any drawing pencils or paper.As soon as you establish your account, you too can produce one point perspective art, still lifes... anything from the basics to a ros e with intricate shading.This site permits you to create your own online gallery and study other artists' drawing techniques.You can even export your work into a blog or other website.PixiClipUnlike the other IWBs we've uncovered, this platform does not allow real-time collaboration with other users.However, it is an excellent tool for preparing presentations and other visual media.If you are doing any type of line drawing or dimensional work, such as a graph or a scaled drawing, this application would be ideal.While fairly limited in options for drawing, this site offers a bonus: voice and video recording.Pixiclip is an excellent way to make art videos.You only need to draw your realistic drawing, and then narrate your design before you post it.In this manner, you could sponsor your own drawing course!These virtual drawing and painting sites are not meant to compete with Photoshop or more advanced drawing software.If you think of them as complementary, maybe an additional outlet fo r your creativity, you could get a lot of use out of them.Learn how to use your phone to create art on the go Source: Pixabay Credit: FunkyFocusPhone Drawing ToolsToday's smartphones and tablets are responsive; a necessary quality for the ink drawing and art instruction sites we've just reviewed.Wouldn't it make good sense if these web based, endless drawing paper generators were available on the go?Flockdraw, for one, offers a mobile app for download.A quick search would yield other apps that might just be interesting to download and draw stick figures on.Here is what we found...Groupboard Collaborative WhiteboardThis is a MacOS  application that will turn your Ipad or tablet into an interactive, portable art studio.Just as with any other picture you want to examine closely on your Iphone, you can zoom in when drawing animals or a human face by spreading your two fingers across the screen.Once magnified, you can easily and realistically contour a jaw line or draw an eye.And, thanks to its built-in stylus, your tactile tablet will become a graphic design board.Lensoo CreateThis app for Android and Mac has all of these digital drawing tools: colored pencil, graphite pencil, eraser...But Lensoo has a great feature not found on other apps: step by step instructions.Here is how it works: first you draw your doodle. Each contour line is saved as it is drawn.As you play back the video, you can see your simple drawing create itself, stroke by stroke.Clearly, technology has improved business productivity and teamwork.Why shouldn't digital tools also be used to draw a rose or for drawing people?Anyone taking drawing lessons can draw on a tablet, or draw a rose for immediate display, all at virtually no cost â€" just by using the phone you already possess.Anyone who teaches art drawing may well be called pioneers of this new medium for exposing   novices to the world of digital art.We could go on and on about the wonders of rendering art in this digital age, but we woul dn't want to keep you from your virtual canvas.Therefore we close this article now, with our best wishes for your life drawing and shading techniques.

Where to Learn Frances Official Language Online

Where to Learn Frances Official Language Online Where Can You Find The Best French Teachers Online? ChaptersDetermining ParticularsTake French Lessons with a Teacher on ItalkiLearn to Speak French Online with LingodaTake French Classes ElsewhereEngage a French Tutor OnlineHaven't you heard? French conversation is all the rage these days, and people everywhere are asking how to learn!From language learning apps for your Iphone or IPad to streaming French video, everyone has the chance to learn this most melodious language.And you're tempted... so tempted to jump on that bandwagon, if only to diversify your knowledge base and broaden your cultural horizons!However, not everyone is keen on the idea of letting a machine do the teaching, even if those language programmes are human-driven.Among other reasons, that is because some automated language learning sites' content is written by native speakers of the language, not necessarily anyone with professional knowledge of the best way to learn a language.While these applications have merit and can help you learn French, nobody would blame you for insisting that a human, someone qualified to teach French, who has a measure of experience, should help you roadmap your journey to fluency in French.How can you find such a person, when the Internet is lousy with chatbots and automated programmes?Let Superprof help you winnow your search results, to select the optimal French teacher for your needs.Do you want your child to take a language course online? Source: Pixabay Credit: E. ChapmanThe greatest benefit to online lessons is that you can learn anywhere! Source: Pixabay Credit: Coyot AnnieFrench Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolineFrench Teacher 5.00 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriFrench Teacher 5.00 (9) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarianneFrench Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThibautFrench Teacher 5.00 (3) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickFrench Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Dis cover all our tutors DéborahFrench Teacher 5.00 (10) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamyFrench Teacher 5.00 (2) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsLearn to Speak French Online with LingodaThis learning experience differs from the previously discussed one in that it offers one on one lessons or group classes, similar in principle to a MOOC â€" massive open online course.Learning French through that method involves several people online at the same time, learning from the same teacher and interacting, at least on a limited basis, during instruction time.As with all other language learning utilities, you would first declare your level of French speaking â€" beginner, intermediate or advanced, and be grouped with students who are at approximately the same level as you.These group sessions are generally one hour long, with one teacher instructing no more than five students at a time.By contrast, the one to one sessions involve you and your tutor, interacting via Skype. Should you be preparing for your A Levels in French, you may want such individualised focus to learn language and verb tenses.What we really like about this method of immersion into French is that your progress is officially tracked and marked according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Language, or CEFRL, which provides definite guidelines for accomplishment in mastery of languages.You should be aware that Lingoda is a tuition based programme: you would pay a per month subscription up front, whether you are available for studying that day or not.All of your learning materials will be provided, and available for download outside of your meeting time, so that you might carry around your vocabulary list or flip through flashcards during your noon break at work.Lingoda does not sponsor a learning community or a language exchange program, but if you opt for the group lessons, you may invite your classmates to contact you outside of lessons for practice with pr onunciation, or simply to practice speaking French.Take French Classes ElsewhereAlthough individualised focus is given to every aspect of your French learning experience, the two opportunities listed above are still generalised, at least to an extent. You may want more personalised French classes, such as those offered by Learn 4 Good.This approach to teaching the French language involves you creating a profile and stating your goals.You would submit this personal summary to the bank of teachers, who would then contact you to offer their services.Here again, all of the teachers are certified, each one a native speaker, and they all have experience in teaching French for beginners and at intermediate level.Whether your personal focus is on French pronunciation or listening comprehension, you will find any number of French teachers available to you.In spite of the obvious success of this programme and its noble aim, perhaps you would not like to have teachers bidding for your favour, or not having any input on what the best way to learn French might be.For instance, your newly hired teacher may insist on grammar lessons, perhaps at the expense of learning French vocabulary.Or worse: s/he might instruct you to learn vocabulary on your own, reserving lesson times for exam preparation!Every learner has different ideas on the best language skills to acquire, based on his/her personal situation.Still, wouldn't it be worth it to defer to a qualified teacher to plan your French courses London? Throughout the UK and online, native French teachers are holding classes on French language and culture endorsed by the Alliance Française.If you do not have an Alliance close to your home, why not check to see if their online Basic French curriculum, or indeed if any of their language courses would suit?One guarantee we can make: learning French words and phrases with these professionals is sure to deepen your proficiency in your second language.You may elect to learn French ex pressions with a private tutor online Source: Pixabay Credit: Mohammad_HassanEngage a French Tutor OnlineBesides all of the ways to take a French course online, you could engage a personal tutor to learn all of those French phrases you so want to understand.Gumtree, Free ads, and adverts in your local paper no doubt promote certified teachers who are looking for students of beginner French all the way to advanced French learners to work with.The downside to those is that you have no feedback to the quality of instruction or reliability of the instructor.Bonjour, Superprof!Superprof tutors, on the other hand, must prove their credentials before becoming certified to operate from this platform, and you would see feedback from any former students avec aise â€" prominently displayed.From teachers' profiles you may find whether French is his/her native language, or if s/he, like you, has spent years on the path of foreign language learning and, most importantly, whether s/he will help yo u learn French online.Perhaps the best aspect of a Superprof tutor is that you may end up learning how to speak French with a Parisian, actually living in Paris!Most Superprof tutors give their first hour of lessons for free, so that you can see if s/he is truly the introduction to French culture that you have been looking for.Learning new language is a challenging proposition, but with the right online French teacher, becoming fluent need no longer be just a dream!Click here to learn about the best online translators.

Should I Go To Boston College

Should I Go To Boston College The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Casille is a Denver tutor specializing in SAT prep tutoring, History tutoring, Geometry tutoring, and more. She graduated from Boston College in 2011 with a Bachelors degree in Environmental Geosciences. Check out her review of her alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Casille: The campus has traditional architecture and is located in the suburbs of Boston on a hillside. The campus has its own bus system, which gets you around the campus and can bring you to nearby hotspots. The T (the Boston metro system) is located right next to campus, giving you easy access to the city. The campus is very safe and the neighborhood surrounding the campus is quiet. There is no need for a bike or a car. VT:How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Casille: The class sizes tend to be smaller outside of entry-level lecture classes. The professors have office hours and make themselves readily available to students. Academic advisers can be easily reached by scheduling an appointment or attending office hours. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Casille: The dorms are all well-kept and make a great place to live. The majority of students live on-campus all four years, though some juniors and seniors do live off-campus. The meal plan is all-inclusive, and the campus has a wide range of dining options from traditional cafeteria-style food to several different healthy options. The dorms and student organizations organize weekly social activities for interested students. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Casille: The business school and the humanities are the best represented on campus. I studied Environmental Geoscience, because of my interest in environmental conservation. My particular area of study was somewhat under-represented. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Casille: Meeting friends as a freshman was fairly easy. The Resident Assistants threw events to allow you to meet all the people on your floor. There is no Greek system. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Casille: The Career Center is very helpful for the most represented majors. There are many recruiters for students leaving the business school. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Casille: There are extensive study areas on campus, from dorm study rooms, which are usually empty or at least quiet, to several different libraries. The study areas in the libraries are quiet and beautiful with several of the libraries located in traditional gothic-style buildings. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Casille: The neighborhood around the town is quiet, but a short bus ride away is a local hangout area that includes several restaurants and a convenience store. There are several weekend on-campus options, but it is always an option to enter the city and explore Boston. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Casille: The school is a medium-to-small school. The student body is fairly small compared to other colleges, and the class sizes tend to be smaller. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Casille: One of my favorite classes was the western cultural traditions seminar I took in my sophomore year. We read A Man For All Seasons, and the following discussions were invigorating, interesting, and fun. The class was particularly great because it was not a subject I tended to be interested in before the class, but the class broadened my horizons and provided me with new interests. Check out Casilles tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How Children Succeed Part three

How Children Succeed Part three Improving Academic Performance In part two of our introduction to How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character we explored the cognitive hypothesis, which suggests that success today depends primarily on cognitive skills (e.g., reading, writing, recognizing patterns, calculating, etc.) the type of intelligence that gets tested on IQ or standardized tests, and that the best way to build these skills is to practice them as early and often as possible. In part three, we’ll explore one of the major themes of the book, which is that “character,” and more specifically “performance character” is the more fundamental driver of success, and it too can be nurtured and developed. Tough believes society has gotten significantly off track, focusing too much on building a narrow set of cognitive skills and abilities, and taking a misguided approach to teaching children how to build all-important “character” skills. As such, he finishes his introductory chapter by sharing two examples of the type of research that supports the notion that character, not cognitive skills, should be considered of primary importance as we educate children. First, he introduces a University of Chicago economist named James Heckman, who won a Nobel Prize in economics in 2000 for developing a new statistics methodology for understanding the economy. Heckman, buoyed by his academic pedigree, pivoted in the mid 2000s from a pure focus on economics, toward understanding education and social issues. Most relevant for Tough’s book and research, is Heckman’s analysis of the GED test. It turns out that the GED program (General Education Development program), which administers a test high school dropouts can take to indicate they have the same academic skills of a high school graduate, has proven to be a useful tool for understanding the importance of character attributes. The GED was supposed to be a test that “leveled the academic playing field,” allowing children born into poverty and difficult circumstances to pass one single test that demonstrated they were ready for college. Heckman has found that, in fact, in many ways a GED holder is exactly like a typical high school graduate. By comparing the two groups (GED holders and regular graduates of high school) Heckman found that the GED holder performs similarly on standardized tests like the ACT and SAT, and has a similar IQ. However, when it comes to graduating from college, the GED holder is absolutely nothing like the typical high school graduate. Whereas 46% of high school graduates are enrolled or graduated from college by age 22, only 3% of GED holders are still in or graduated from college at that age. What Heckman found is that the GED in fact separates “bright but non-persistent and undisciplined dropouts from other dropouts.” Because the average GED holder is not good at staying focused on a long-term goal, planning ahead, or adapting to their environment (the types of things one must do to successfully get through high school), they tend to be unable to succeed in college. Tough notes that what Heckman’s research doesn’t address is whether and how character attributes such as persistence, grit, curiosity, etc. can really be taught. He then introduces a student, who is discussed later in the book, Kewauna Lerma, who was born into a very difficult and disruptive family situation. Through her freshman year of high school, she was on her way to dropping out. But, he describes how, during her sophomore year (after a series of discussions with teachers, grandparents, etc.), she completely turns her life around, and ultimately graduates from high school, and is accepted to college. He wraps up his introduction by reinforcing that this book is going to be all about understanding on a deep, personal level how character attributes enabled Kewauna Lerma to turn her life around, and on a macro societal level, understanding how a whole generation of children can be steered towards success and away from failure. Initial Review and Analysis This is a powerful book. The main theme, that academic success comes from character traits like grit and curiosity and not necessarily proficiency in math, reading, and writing, is counterintuitive and somewhat inspirational, regardless of whether it’s 100%, 75%, or 50% accurate. My personal view is that it’s much more true than false. Certainly, some people seem to be blessed with high IQs that help them succeed academically with a bit less effort than others, and you can also find examples of students that seem to excel in school as a direct result of lots of early “drilling” on reading, writing, counting, etc. by their parents. There are some good reasons why the cognitive hypothesis seems to be society’s current default belief about how to best educate children. But, I think as a general rule, the average person observes someone who is successful academically without truly “seeing” the hours and hours of self-directed hard work that lies behind that success. They can’t see the “persistence” and “grit” that enabled the person to build their skills, and instead attribute their success to a high IQ or natural ability. Where I think the book falls short a bit is around discussing the “how” of building character on an individual level. The book explores various theories, and the people and organizations that are testing those theories, for how to build character. But often, the discussion is at a relatively high level, and is very focused on the relationship between poverty and academic performance as a societal issue. Had an attempt been made at articulating a clear “top ten strategies for building performance character attributes” in yourself or your child, I would have found it even more valuable. In fact, this is something I’ll attempt to write about in future blog articles. That said, it is powerful in and of itself to convince yourself that grit and persistence, not intelligence, drive success. Once internalized, this notion compels you to encourage yourself, your students, or your children to focus on building character skills and displaying grit, instead of assuming that something is hard because they “just aren’t good at math,” or whatever the subject or activity may be.

A Strategic Approach to Earning Higher Grades

A Strategic Approach to Earning Higher Grades Improving Academic Performance In a recent Linkedin article, I wrote about how we tend to underappreciate the importance of strategy relative to hard work or intelligence in understanding why some people succeed and others fail in any given professional, academic, or personal endeavor. I also suggested that my experience as a business strategy consultant has helped me realize that there are powerful principles of strategy development used by businesses that students could borrow to improve their academic performance. The idea that you can perform well in school by In that article, I introduced three particularly important elements of business strategy development. The strategy development process â€" or, the process companies use to come up with ideas for what to do or not to do to beat the competition. The concept of market attractiveness vs. competitive position, which explains whether a company is likely to succeed (or fail) because it operates in a good market (or a bad one), is doing something better than its direct competitors, or some combination The notion of key success factors vs. core competencies, which helps explains why a company is positioned well in any given market (or not) In this article, I’ll explore point 1 above, how an understanding of the strategy development process could help students improve their performance in any given class. What is a typical strategy development process, and how can it be applied to situations faced by students? Let’s start by exploring a typical business strategy development process. It consists of the following steps: Establish a goal. A typical corporate goal is to “double the value of the stock price in five years” Develop a fact-base of critical information and insights. In business strategy, this is typically a financial analysis of which products, regions, and customers generate most of your profits, a discussion of the size and growth of your key markets, and an assessment of how you compare to key competitors Identify key issues and opportunities associated with reaching your goal In business strategy, this could be a wide range of things, from “we are losing money in this market” to “this competitor is rapidly stealing our market share” Define and evaluate alternative courses of action This is a big one. Many companies come up with ideas to solve problems, and they either decide to take action or not. Instead, at least three different and reasonable “strategies” for reaching your goals should be developed. Businesses evaluate alternatives against criteria like the risk of the alternatives, how much they’d have to invest, the time it will take, etc. Develop a plan for implementing the best alternative Once a business knows what strategy it’s going to follow, it creates a specific plan of attack for what it will do and who is accountable for each action. How can this be helpful to a student? Envision a student sitting in his first AP history class of the year. He is given a syllabus, and told what books to read. The typical approach is to do the homework that is assigned, show up to class, and work hard. How could one apply a strategic planning process to that class to increase the chances of getting an A? Set a goal for your performance in the class. Decide you want to get an A. Tell someone your goal is to get an A. First, it’s critically important to set a specific goal. Business know that if you don’t set a specific, measurable goal that everyone understands and feels accountable for, you aren’t going to achieve that goal. Research done by Heidi Grant Halvorson, a professor at Harvard, suggests that setting specific goals is one of the most important things that separates more successful from less successful people. So it’s simple. If your goal is to receive an “A” in the class, that means you need to be getting ‘As’ on all homework, quizzes, and tests. It creates an entire mindset around how you’ll perform and what you’ll do that just doesn’t exist if you say “I want to do my best in the class.” Don’t try your best. Decide you are shooting for an A.. Develop a fact-base of critical information. How is the teacher going to run the class? Of course, “developing a fact-base” in the context of developing a strategy for a company vs. in the context of developing a strategy for getting an ‘A’ in an AP History class are going to be two very different things. When I say “critical information” in the context of AP history, I don’t mean facts and theories about events and people in history. That’s the content of the class, and that’s not the critical information I’m talking about. In my experience, most students just “go with the flow” as it relates to understanding how their grade in the class will be determined. Most will probably read the syllabus to understand whether homework is graded, whether attendance matters, how many tests there are, etc. After that, they focus on the next day’s homework. But if you pay closer attention to how the teacher is designing the class, you can discover a bunch of super helpful information that can be useful to you as you decide how to approach the class. For example: What percentage of your grade is determined by attendance, participation, homework, projects, quizzes, tests, midterms, and the final exam? Are you supposed to or allowed to work with classmates on homework? Do quizzes cover materials discussion class, from the book, or both? Can you share and discuss drafts of essays with the teacher in advance and get feedback? Does or she have office hours? Are the classes/lectures the focus of what is tested, or does assigned reading from the book or supplementary Identify key issues and opportunities associated with reaching your goal If your goal is an ‘A’ in the class, these types of issues and opportunities could be wide ranging. Here are some example “issues and opportunities” you might uncover: Most of the grade is determined by written essays, and I’ve historically not done well in essay-based classes (or vice versa, which would be a good thing) A fair portion of the grade is determined by class participation, and I’m uncomfortable speaking up in class (again or vice versa) There is a ton of work to do in this class (lots of reading, many quizzes, etc.) and my schedule is already very full There is a huge project that is worth 33% of the final grade, and I have 3 months to begin to work on it, etc. These issues and opportunities could have a negative or positive spin. But the important point is that they are all important factors to consider when thinking about your goal of getting an A in the class and designing a plan for reaching that goal. Define and evaluate alternative courses of action Here is where you, as a student, can step back and think about 2-3 broad ways to approach the class. Remember, everyone faces tradeoffs in how they spend their time and has their own personal strengths and weaknesses. No one has unlimited time, so you’ll have some choices to make as you attempt to get an A in the class. That said, I think that in the context of an AP history course, the “best alternative” will become clear based on a deep understanding of the teacher’s approach to the class. For example, if the class seems to place a lot of weight on quizzes, tests, and exams, with a few minor papers or a project thrown into the mix and no participation grade, then an approach to the class that focuses on carving out substantial time for reviewing class notes, completing all homework and assigned readings, and making sure you fully understand all major and minor points raised in class (perhaps even by attending office hours to ask questions) probably makes sense. An alternative approach would still have you keeping up with homework, but would have you writing essays in advance and getting feedback from the teacher, completing projects early and iterating with the teacher to improve your project grade, etc. If, for example, the class places a large weight on performance on a major essay you’ll have to write, and you typically struggle writing essays, you should have an alternative that involves planning ahead to iterate with your teacher and get feedback on drafts of your essay. You’ll naturally be able to map out the alternative that maximizes your chances of getting an A and is best aligned with your strengths and weaknesses. Develop a specific plan for implementing the rough alternative you’ve chosen The final step is to spend a little time putting pen to paper to write out the actions you’re going to take to get that A in AP US History. For example, I will: Sit in the front of the class to force myself to participate, since participation matters Focus on reviewing class notes relative to reading the textbook or supplementary articles for homework, as most of the tests are pulled from topics specifically discussed in class Complete essays in advance and iterate on rough drafts with the teacher Complete every single homework assignment, because that alone accounts for 20% of my grade Etc.