What Does Origami Symbolize

What Does Origami Symbolize The Clever Symbolism Hidden in Origami Folds ChaptersTatsu, the Origami DragonChocho: the Origami ButterflyKaeru, the Origami FrogNeko, the Origami CatHakucho, the Origami SwanTsuru, the Origami CraneFolding origami is fun, engaging and constructive - to say nothing of its educational benefits. One must have discipline to precisely execute folds and creases; paper art such as origami appeals to those with a meticulous nature.Even toddlers can make a paper plane or a paper boat (yes, they are also origami!) while being, for the most part, the complete opposite of careful and precise.We do know of some fun origami for kids but the constructions we describe in this article might be a tad too complex for little ones. On the other hand, they may enjoy helping you make paper if you wanted to try your hand at that...For the most part, origami animals demand precision in their creation; they involve a far more intricate construction and substantially more attention to detail.Modular origami uses multiple sheets of paper to create one d esign. Attaining this level of skill at folding paper is and achievement for kids and adults!Besides simple constructions with obvious meaning - such as an origami boat or ninja stars, the art of folding we call origami is full of representation â€" not just in the figures origami artists delight in creating but in the very methods and traditions embodied in the practice of creating.For example, did you know that the Japanese Shoguns of Japan’s Edo Period tasked their junior men with hours of origami? In fact, it is generally thought that Japanese origami truly got its start during that time.Back then, besides folding paper along a certain crease pattern, it was permitted to cut the paper to suit the model, a practice called kirigami. Today, the more elaborate paper sculptures allow for cutting the paper but, strictly speaking, origami is made only by folding.So, as you get ready to fold square paper into your favourite origami designs, consider the fact that you are carrying on a long tradition in the art of paper folding.That might be enough to fire your enthusiasm but before you pick up your first sheet of paper, there is just one question left that needs asking: what do all of those origami models mean?That’s where Superprof comes in... 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 tutorsTatsu, the Origami Dragon If you have any spare cash laying about, you could make money origami Image by jordandemuth from PixabayDragons are powerful creatures in Asian folklore; the Japanese dragon incorporates elements from Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese dragons while still remaining its own beast.Unlike the imagery of dragons in the west, Asian dragons have long, snake-like bodies and several limbs. They generally do not have wings or breathe fire.The Japanese have no fewer than five dragons in their mythology but in origami, there is only one dragon: Tatsu.You may fold it out of shiny foil paper to give the illusion of shimmering scales or a piece of solid green paper to reflect its swampy origins.Did you know that just about every hobby and crafts store carries several types of Japanese paper? Still, no matter which paper you choose, your dragon will symbolize power, wisdom, mastery and success.Whether you attach it to a gift or give it away unattached, you will convey to the recipient that they will en joy good fortune and strength.You can learn how to fold your dragon in our companion article.Chocho: the Origami ButterflyTwo butterflies dancing around each other is a sign of marital bliss; that is why paper butterflies usually feature at Japanese weddings.Now, for a disclaimer: in spite of the Japanese words commonly used to describe paper crafts, this art form is not exclusively Japanese.Whereas butterflies generally symbolise a soul set free, here, in the UK, we have rather more ominous superstitions about butterflies.Some areas of our country hold that butterflies contain the souls of dead children, while in other places, superstition dictates that one must kill the first butterfly s/he sees or have bad luck throughout the year.Should that butterfly be yellow, woe to the whole family! It means everyone will be plagued with illness.Scotland and Ireland are mercifully kinder to these delicate flyers: they believe that butterflies near the grave of a loved one symbolize their dea r departed one has found their place in heaven.The paper butterfly has a decidedly different meaning than any of the above. It represents the hopes and dreams of young girls as they blossom into beautiful young women.That being the case, you may choose delicately-coloured origami paper to make your first mountain fold and reverse fold...  but, please: no yellow!Do you need folding instructions? There are plenty of step by step instructions on YouTube...So, if you wish to make a tiny frog to tuck into your wallet, you will have to practise your folding technique on very small origami paper.On the other hand, if you have kids heading off into the world, gifting them a brightly-coloured origami frog will serve to remind them that they should return home to visit, occasionally.You could pass such frogs to other dear ones who live far away, too.Unlike quilling, which is an involved process that calls for a variety of materials, you only need a square piece of paper - and of course, you h ave to know how to make an origami frog!A Word on KawaiiAlthough origami is not only an ancient Japanese art, invariably, everything origami is attributed to Japan. As such, you should be aware of another aspect of Japanese culture: they love anything cute!Whimsy permeates virtually every aspect of Japanese society, from their ultra-popular anime to their clothing.Anything â€" a drawing or a person that is shy, vulnerable, childlike and charming is adored in Japan; such is the essence of kawaii.For that reason, most origami paper is double-sided, and sometimes shows fantastic designs - a tessellation or bokashi. It may be shiny and feel delicate to the touch, belying its resilience... another aspect of the kawaii culture of Japan.Now that you know about the joy of cute, you may understand why the cat is another popular origami animal. These 3D origami pikachu creatures prove the Japanese obsession with cute! Souce: Pixabay Credit: Level17Neko, the Origami CatSo enraptured with felines is Japan that they celebrate National Cat Day each year on February 22... makes one wonder if they also celebrate International Cat Day, which is feted on the 8th of August.As the Japanese people have dedicated an entire day to the glory of cats, it stands to reason that cats are a popular origami creation.We love our cats as well, so learning how to make origami cats may become our national pastime!Cats are seen as mysterious and elusive, independent and wise. Cats are strong and self-assured; they never ask anyone for anything. They are also rapacious hunters all wrapped up in a coating of silky fur.If you need ideas for easy origami â€" maybe to get the kids settled down on a rainy day, you could hardly do better than a cat: the folding technique is simple and it does not take a lot of time to make.Once you get good at making cats , you can incorporate tessellations into your designs to give them some depth!  Hakucho, the Origami SwanIn many cultures, swans represent majesty and tranquillity, loyalty and strength. Because swans mate for life, they also represent monogamy and fidelity.Unfortunately, they don’t have any special meaning in Japanese culture, but then again, we’ve already determined that origami is not only a Japanese art.As origami projects go, swans are easy to fold and, because they can be freestanding, you might use them to decorate a picnic table or liven up a birthday party.It all starts with a diagonal fold and, 13 steps later, you are ready to decorate your swan... or leave its features up to the imagination.How about trying your hand at napkin folding? Before paper folding became popular in Europe, people would enjoy folding their napkin into various configurations, the swan being among the most popular designs.Naturally, you cannot fold a napkin the same manner as folding paper; unle ss it is starched, cloth simply won’t hold a crease. That is why it is best to make your swans (and other designs) out of coloured paper.This simple origami is a great way to get started practising paper craft.Did you know that the Lewis Ginter botanical garden in the US has an ‘origami in the park’ programme? Visitors there are treated to an assortment of paper sculpture installations, including swans.Wouldn’t it be great if our gardens also had such a display? Would you fold a thousand cranes to get your wish for peace? Image by 1278956 from PixabayTsuru, the Origami CraneIn Japan, the crane is the bird of peace, majesty, long life and fidelity â€" maybe that is why, for them, the swan pales in comparison.Origami cranes just might be the most renown origami bird; indeed, of all the origami figures to learn to fold, this one has the most meaning.Japanese tradition has it that, if one folds 1,000 paper cranes, what is wished for will come to pass.So it was that a young girl, stricken with cancer in the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing, endeavoured to fold origami birds, as many as needed to cheat death.Realising that her hopes were in vain, she nevertheless continued to fold each paper crane, this time with a wish for peace and hope. So the symbolism of the origami crane changed, from one of personal hope to one of global yearning.Learn of other reasons why origami is so important in Japanese culture...If you aim to learn origami folding, a good figure to aim for is the crane - mastering it would mean you have attained an intermediate level of folding skill.We recommend Washi paper for folding cranes; that brand is the top of the line, meaning your cranes will turn out beautifully. Once you've mastered how to fold this flapping bird, you could try your hand with the dragonfly or cicada, a pinwheel or even an origami box.What about origami flowers?You could start very simply, making an origami flower with just four petals and progress to an origami rose.Who knows? You may even create a kusudama â€" an origami model made up of origami flowers, sewn or glued together to make a ball.It will certainly put your childhood fortune teller or paper airplane to shame...Now learn more about the history of this fascinating and ancient art.

What is it Like to Attend Smith College

What is it Like to Attend Smith College The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Molly is a Washington D.C. tutor specializing in ACT prep tutoring, PSAT prep tutoring, Linguistics tutoring, and more. She holds a Bachelors degree in Linguistics from Smith College, a womens liberal arts school, where she graduated from in 2012. See what she had to say about 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? Molly: Smith is located in the cute, quiet town of Northampton, near Springfield and Amherst, Massachusetts. Boston is about 2 hours away by car or bus. There are 4 nearby colleges, part of the 5-college consortium, that are very easy to get to by bus, and all of the local and university buses are free with a college ID! Some people bring a car to school, but parking can be difficult, and for most people, theres no need for one. Lots of people bike around campus, though campus is small enough to walk anywhere in less than 15 minutes. Except when theres snow, biking is fun, easy, and safe and there are beautiful trails that run through campus and into the nearby neighborhoods. Campus is very small and safe and quickly comes to feel like home. The Campus Police officers are easy to reach in case of trouble, very friendly, and quick to respond (even if youre just locked out of your room). VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Molly: There are almost no teaching assistants at Smith. All professors schedule office hours when you can visit them. Most professors are very approachable and respond quickly to emails or drop-by visits. Academic advisers may be harder to keep in touch with particularly before youve chosen a major. Most professors double as academic advisers, and in my experience they take their teaching more seriously than their advising. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Molly: Smith has a very special and unique on-campus housing situation. Most students live on campus all four years, and the houses (thats what we call our dorms) are very mixed with students from all class years. Students live in houses with large communal areas living rooms with couches, desks, TVs, games, books, fire places, free boxes, pianos, pool tables, and whatever other items the house acquires over the years. Most first-years and sophomores share doubles (or triples), but almost all juniors and seniors live in single rooms. Students have the option to move to a new house at any time, but many students live in the house they were first placed in for all four years. There is a strong sense of community in the houses, and there are many events and opportunities throughout the year to show your house pride! There are kitchens in about 10 different houses, and each offers a different menu and slightly different dining hours. For example, there is a vegetarian kitchen, a kosher kitchen, an Asian kitchen, and a healthy options kitchen; and each one offers breakfast, brunch, or lunch and dinner. Dinner ends early, which can be frustrating when youre up late at night finishing a paper, but the options are very good. 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? Molly: Smith takes special pride in its Engineering program. Other popular majors are Philosophy, English, Art History/Studio Art, and SWAG (Studies of Women And Gender). If someone is interested in a major that is not well supported at the school, students have the opportunity to create their own major and incorporate classes from the other 4 colleges in the consortium (Amherst, UMass Amherst, Hampshire, and Mt. Holyoke). In fact thats how I completed my major in Linguistics, which is not a supported major at Smith yet! 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? Molly: There are no sororities on campus though your first house might start to feel like one! Many people meet their best friends in their houses, but there are also a variety of student orgs and events where you can meet people with similar interests. And of course, you can meet some great, intelligent people in class! Students participate very actively in their House Counsels, and there are many upper-classwomen available to support the new students as they arrive and throughout their first year. The ResLife on campus is also very supportive, and there are regular, organized house activities that anyone can participate in, such as a field trip to the apple orchards, a house game night, a kayaking trip on the pond, or a popcorn and movie night. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Molly: The Career Development Office is very active on campus, and their services are available to all alumna of the college as well. I never took advantage of these services, but maybe I will in the future! VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Molly: There are many comfortable places to study in all different kinds of environments. The libraries are large and comfortable, and its usually easy to find a seat except during finals. The Campus Center also has couches and study lounges that are a bit brighter and noisier than the libraries, but lots of people have study sessions there. When the weathers nice, many people choose a quiet lawn as their study spot; and in the winter people can spend time in the botanical gardens (green house) especially a good spot for reading. There are also a number of computer labs and studios around campus for science and art students. And the common spaces in the houses are also great areas to study. 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? Molly: Northampton is a cute, small town that some might call hippie and Smith is right on the edge of it. Its literally a five-minute walk to downtown. There are a number of great cafes with alternative food options (gluten-free, vegan, etc.) and open-mic nights. Many people spend time in town to escape the relatively small campus. There is also some good shopping, though its a bit expensive. Its only a twenty-minute bus ride to get to any of the other colleges, so theres always something to do. There is also one club in town that can be quite popular on Wednesday nights. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Molly: There are about 2,600 students at Smith. Each graduating class is between 600 and 700 people. The student body is big enough that I never felt like there was not anyone new to meet, but small enough that you run into people you know just about everywhere. Class sizes are great I never had more than 50 students in a class, and most of my classes were between 8 and 20 students. If you know you want to end up at a big school, Smith is not it. For me the size of the school was perfect. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Molly: Throughout my career at Smith, the best class I took was an astronomy class calledThe Big Bang and Beyond. There are no Gen Ed requirements at Smith, and I took this class completely on a whim, since it had nothing to do with my major. It was a theoretical class about the nature of the universe and different theories that led up to and have followed the Big Bang.While I cant claim to remember the details of the theories we studied off the top of my head, I find my thoughts still often drift into vast space, wondering whether our universe is expanding, contracting, or situated snugly in scalar field valley, one of many in a series of universe pockets. I am still awed by how this professor presented complex theories in such a way that they were accessible to me and still resonate in my post-college life. VT: Anything else a prospective student should know? Molly: If you are hesitating about attending a women's college, Smith or otherwise, my advice is: go for it!My sister and I both attended women's colleges - mine on the East coast, hers on the West.There are so many opportunities to participate in anything and everything in an amazingly positive environment. It's an amazing experience. And I promise you will meet men (...if you want to!) Check out Mollys tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How to Get Your Child Thinking About The Future

How to Get Your Child Thinking About The Future Not all children know exactly what they want to be when they grow up. And while its perfectly fine if your child doesnt talk about potential careers right now, it cant hurt to encourage him to start exploring possibilities. In high school, it becomes especially important to have these conversationsdont assume your child will discover the path for him without a little research along the way. Here are a few tips on how to get your child thinking about the futureboth college and career: Start asking questions. Ask your child more than just what subjects she enjoys most in school. How about jobs that sound intriguing or fun, or topics that pique her curiosity and make her want to learn more? If your child doesnt have ideas, help her brainstorm a bit. Go online together to check out possible careers that might blend your childs love of math and music. Talk about the pros and cons of working in different fields and jobs. Talk about college as a definite plan. You want to make sure your child goes to college? Talk about it like its not optional. That way, your child will believe that college is on the horizon and begin making plans to get there. This is also a good opportunity to impress upon your child the importance of working hard in school to get into a good college and prepare for the rigors of college academics. Visit colleges. If there is a college in your town or close by, take your child there for strolls or picnics, to sporting and theater events, or any opportunity to expose your child to the collegiate environment. Check out any camps or classes for children. Take your child to visit your alma mater if feasible, and point out your dorm and the buildings where you spent time learning and taking classes. Try lots of different things. You never know what activity or pastime will light your childs fire. Get your child involved with a nonprofit. Have him shadow family friends at their jobs. Go to music concerts, lectures and movies as a family. If your child has the chance to do something unique, encourage him to go for it. Get involved in extracurricular activities. Encourage your child to try out different clubs and activities in and outside of schooleven those that seem like a departure from his usual choices of pastime. Debate team, student government and the school newspaper are obvious career-relevant options, but your child might discover his passion as a peer tutor, in the choir or the recycling club, or working as a teachers aide. Take a strengths finder. College career centers are a great resource to help students explore their strengths, determine career-related interests, and find career choices. But there are all kinds of different strengths finders out there that will help your child understand herself and guide her in a direction even earlier. Do an online search to see what you find. Remember: you are your childs greatest influence and can help guide him toward promising college majors and career pathsor at least help him formulate ideas. Talk about college in your home. Make it sound exciting and worthwhile. Invite your child to try new things, delve into ideas, ask big questions and seek to find the answers. Start early, and by the time your child reaches high school, hell be eager to plot his future.

Listening Exercise The Incredible Ghost Shark

Listening Exercise The Incredible Ghost Shark The wildlife in the deep ocean never ceases to amaze me.  It seems that we have so much  to explore and discover.  Its also dark, mysterious and pretty creepy down there.  I recently stumbled across this video of a species captured on film for the first time.  As you watch the clip  about this strange Rat Fish, improve your listening skills by completing  the exercise below.  Wed love to hear from you, so write your answers, comments and questions below!This species was named in honor of Alaskan artist, Ray Troll, whose fascination and appreciation ___  this weird group of fish has inspired some of his artwork.What do you have appreciation ___?They ___  sometimes _____  informally as Rat Fish or Ghost Sharks.What are they formally known as?It can be difficult to distinguish between species due to ______ differences in these characteristics.What does subtle mean?This species ___  only ____  identified by specimens caught in the Southwestern Pacific, off Australia,  New Zealand a nd New Caledonia until the MBARI _______ them off the West coast of HawaiiWhat do they need to do  in order to confirm the identity of this animal so they can compare it with other known species?__ further analysis ____ to reveal that these fishes are not Hydrolagus Trolli, they most likely represent a new species.Something(s) never cease(s) to amaze someone means that youre always impressed or surprised by someone/something.  What never ceases to amaze you?To stumble across means to discover something unexpectedly.  What have you stumbled across recently?Our instructors at LOI provide fun, relevant English lessons over Skype.  Sign up for a free trial class today!

Tips From An Orange County private Tutor Too Much Homework

Tips From An Orange County private Tutor Too Much Homework Tips From An Orange County Private Tutor: How to Handle Massive Amounts of Homework Tips From An Orange County Private Tutor: How to Handle Massive Amounts of Homework One of the most common complaints an Orange County private tutor receives from parents and students involves the massive amounts of homework given at a younger age (even as early as 1st and 2nd grade). More homework means less time for socializing, family time, extracurricular activities, and exercise which leads parents to wonder how they will be able to help their children achieve a study-life balance and still keep their education and grades on par with their peers. 1. Get organized Although organization won’t make homework go away, it can certainly help make it easier. Young kids generally spend too much time digging through papers from months past and are confused as to which assignments are due tomorrow and which are not due until next week. Maintaining an organized backpack and homework folder can make the transition from school to homework easier and more effective. Although it’s important for children to learn how to organize on their own at some point, younger children may need help from a parent or tutor to organize their backpack once a week or so (READ: 10 Study Tips From an Irvine History Tutor). 2. Conference with the teacher Its always a good idea for parents to take the opportunity to speak with their childs teacher during conference time. This is an opportunity to ask the teacher why they are assigning large amounts of homework. Is each piece of homework essential to the childs education? Some teachers will provide take-home packets that build upon a concept to be covered later in the month, making the assignments paramount, while others will hand out busy work to help keep kids out of trouble (sometimes at the request of parents). Additionally, some teachers give out more homework than they used to in order to help children succeed on their standardized tests later in the year. Regardless, at the end of the academic year, teachers look back at what worked in a classroom and what didnt. If they received overwhelming feedback that there was too much homework, they might adjust their syllabus and curriculum for the following year. However, if they dont receive feedback from parents they may not know their students are overly stressed. Communication between teacher and parent is essential for continued success (READ: SAT and AP Exam Survival Guide). 3. Prioritize Parents should look at what their child needs to do most and what they might be able to do later in the day when they are a bit tired. For instance, if a child is struggling in English but is an expert in science, it’s better for them to do their difficult English homework right after school while their mind is still fresh. On the other hand, if they know their math times tables like the back of their hand, they may be able to quickly and successfully complete his homework later in the evening even if they are feeling mentally fatigued. 4. Hire a tutor Second to test prep, homework help is probably the most requested subject for tutors. Many private tutors can provide help with any subject up to a certain grade level, meaning that they might be able to help a 3rd grader with any topic they happen to need help with on a given day. Private Irvine academic tutors can also help a student get organized and help them streamline their homework to make sure theyre not doing more than is required. For example, if a child has done questions 1-50 in their math text book, but later find out that they only needed to do all of the even numbers from 1-50, they will have spent twice as much time as was necessary. Homework help tutors know to look for these types of issues right away. Bottom Line At the end of the day, parents know whats best for their children and they know how much homework their kid can handle and how to help them find a study-life balance. However, it never hurts to consult a tutor or conference with their childs classroom teacher to find out new and innovative ways to complete the large amounts of homework expected of young children these days. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.

Kumon Staff Pick Were Going on a Bear Hunt

Kumon Staff Pick Were Going on a Bear Hunt Kumon Staff Pick: Were Going on a Bear Hunt RRL Title: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen Grade/Kumon Level of Book: Pre-K-2/5A-10 (RAL) 3A-6 Why do you personally enjoy this book? We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is one of my favorite children’s books. It is a fun story about a family adventure that reminds me of the “hunting” I did as a child. Providing a subtle bit of symbolism, the illustrations are black and white when describing each new obstacleâ€"reminding us of the unknownâ€"but then change to color once the obstacle is overcome. It’s fun to actually think about what would happen if our pretend adventures came true! Why do you think students would enjoy this book? Most students, at one time or another, have pretended that they are on an adventure. In this story the whole family, and their dog, venture out to look for a bear. They run into obstructions along the way and discuss how they will continue. Making the sounds as they pass through each obstacle involves the senses, as readers demonstrate the noises made if they were walking through mud, tall grass, or a snowstorm in real life. The repetition also makes the story more like a poem or song, and prereaders may feel as if they are truly reading the story since it’s easy to memorize. The suspense that builds can also be fun and engaging for young students as they consider what will happen next. At the end, when they actually meet the bear, it’s fun to read quickly as the family returns through all the barriers once again to the safety of their bed covers. What skills and/or values might students gain by reading this book? Students learn about the challenge of decision making each time the family encounters a new obstacle. They also are able to see the importance of sticking together, as both a family and a team, in order to face fears and conquer hurdles when setting out to accomplish something. In addition, this journey can work to develop their creative imagination as they wonder what will come next during this bear-hunt adventure. You might also be interested in: Kumon Staff Pick: My Father’s Dragon Kumon Staff Pick: The Snowy Day Kumon Staff Pick: Clown by Quentin Blake Kumon Staff Pick: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Kumon Staff Pick Were Going on a Bear Hunt Kumon Staff Pick: Were Going on a Bear Hunt RRL Title: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen Grade/Kumon Level of Book: Pre-K-2/5A-10 (RAL) 3A-6 Why do you personally enjoy this book? We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is one of my favorite children’s books. It is a fun story about a family adventure that reminds me of the “hunting” I did as a child. Providing a subtle bit of symbolism, the illustrations are black and white when describing each new obstacleâ€"reminding us of the unknownâ€"but then change to color once the obstacle is overcome. It’s fun to actually think about what would happen if our pretend adventures came true! Why do you think students would enjoy this book? Most students, at one time or another, have pretended that they are on an adventure. In this story the whole family, and their dog, venture out to look for a bear. They run into obstructions along the way and discuss how they will continue. Making the sounds as they pass through each obstacle involves the senses, as readers demonstrate the noises made if they were walking through mud, tall grass, or a snowstorm in real life. The repetition also makes the story more like a poem or song, and prereaders may feel as if they are truly reading the story since it’s easy to memorize. The suspense that builds can also be fun and engaging for young students as they consider what will happen next. At the end, when they actually meet the bear, it’s fun to read quickly as the family returns through all the barriers once again to the safety of their bed covers. What skills and/or values might students gain by reading this book? Students learn about the challenge of decision making each time the family encounters a new obstacle. They also are able to see the importance of sticking together, as both a family and a team, in order to face fears and conquer hurdles when setting out to accomplish something. In addition, this journey can work to develop their creative imagination as they wonder what will come next during this bear-hunt adventure. You might also be interested in: Kumon Staff Pick: My Father’s Dragon Kumon Staff Pick: The Snowy Day Kumon Staff Pick: Clown by Quentin Blake Kumon Staff Pick: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

5 Ways to Have a Well-Rounded Experience on Campus

5 Ways to Have a Well-Rounded Experience on Campus 5 things students should do to have a well-rounded experience on campus Although a few students figure out how to have an excellent work/life balance straight off the bat, most need some time to adjust to the various rigors of studying and living on a college campus. Because living on campus immerses students entirely into their college experience, it can sometimes be hard to achieve this balance and still maintain a good GPA. Although the first semester of freshman year will always be an adjustment, there are some ways students can keep a well-rounded experience while living on campus our private Orange County college tutors are here to help you make the most of your college years. 1.   Dont always take your homework home with you Nearly every student studies in the dorm because they need to work into the late hours of the night or just want a cozy place to complete an assignment. However, it’s beneficial for students to spend some time studying outside of their room. Whether they go to the library or the study room found on the first floor of most dorms, saving their room for sleep and relaxation will help maintain an overall balance. Also, alternate study locations on campus tend to have fewer distractions than a dorm room with a roommate. 2.   Look for new ways to make friends Unless a student is attending a school close to home with a lot of their high school friends they will need to think about ways to make new friends and have a healthy social balance on campus. Some great ways for students to form new friendships is to join a social club, form a study group, make friends with other students in the dorm, or look for motivated and fun classmates. If students are feeling especially isolated, there are lots of social clubs that celebrate a particular culture, gender, or interest. This is a great way for students to get to know other people who have something in common with them either in their background or their particular field of study. In fact, students can make excellent networking connections through on-campus social clubs that can help them later in their career. 3.   Make independent study a priority Although studying in a social environment can be more fun and sometimes more encouraging, students new to college also need to make independent study a top priority. Some assignments are just better done in the peace and quiet of the library study room with little to no distraction. Studying solo is one of the best ways students can maintain a high GPA and discern their strengths and weaknesses at this level of learning. It also allows students to develop academic skills and study methods that meet their specific learning styles (READ: Going Back to College A Mature Students Guide). 4.   Leave time for healthy eating and exercise College campuses are notorious for unhealthy food and, although students walk all around campus, they often sit in the same position for hours at a time. One of the best ways to combat these difficulties is to utilize the school’s fitness center and make sure theyre getting a balanced diet. Even if a student eats a lot of junk on their meal plan, they can eat healthy foods such as fresh fruits and veggies without needing to cook at all. 5.   Spend some time off campus once in a while Its also important for students to spend a little bit of time off campus every now and again. Although the majority of their socialization will be on campus, there are tons of things going on out there past the edge of the school parking lot. Students should immerse themselves in the town or city theyre studying in, get to know its local culture, and see what type of job opportunities will be available to them upon graduation. Once done with college, students won’t be grouped in with people exactly their age ever again. Its good for college students to interact in some way with individuals in the general public, so they are prepared to join a diverse workplace and socialize with different types of people. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.