Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Representing ratios

Representing ratios Ratio is the quantitative comparison between quantitates or numbers. Ratio is a very commonly used operation in mathematics. Ratio helps in solving questions related to comparisons, proportions and many more. The symbol of ratio is :. For example, a / b can be written as a : b. Here a / b is fraction form and a:b is the ratio form. The simplification of ratio is writing the given ratio in the most simplified from possible. Example 1: Are the ratios equivalent? 6 children want cookies and 9 children want cupcake. 8 children want cookies and 4 children want cupcake. Solution: Here for the given question the ratio is between the numbers of children preferring cookies and cupcakes. The first ratio given is Number of children preferring cookies: cupcake = 6: 9 Simplifying the ratio (as 6 and 9 have 3 as the common factor) gives 2: 3. The second ratio given is Number of children preferring cookies: cupcake = 8: 4 Simplifying the ratio (as 8 and 4 have 4 as the common factor) gives 2: 1. Therefor the two ratios are not equivalent. Question: Multiple choice question (Pick the correct option.) What is equivalent ration to 3: 9? a) 1: 3 b) 2: 3 c) 1:3 d) None of these. Correct answer: option a. Explanation: Here the given ratio is 3: 9. It can be further simplified as 3 and 9 have a common factor 3. Therefore dividing 3 and 9 by 3 gives 3: 9 = 1: 3. Hence the ratio 3: 9 :: 1:3.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Angle Bisector

Angle Bisector An angle bisector can be defined as the line segment which divides the given angle into two equal parts. If in a triangle there will be three angle bisectors. If we draw the angle bisectors in a triangle the intersection of the angle bisectors is called as the in-center of the triangle. Using the in-centre of a triangle we can draw the in-circle of a triangle. In-centre of the triangle is represented by the letter I.For example there is an angle that is angled ABC which makes an angle at B 80 degrees. Now the line BD is dividing the given angle into two equal parts such as angle ABD is 40 degrees and angle DBC is 40 degrees. Now BD can be called as the angular bisector of angle ABC. Following are the examples based on the concept of angle bisectors. Example 1:Given that angle ABC is given as 140 degrees, and BD is an angle bisector to then find out the angles after the bisector is divided the angle ABC. Solution:The given angle is ABC is 140 degrees now the angles made after the BD cuts the angle is angle ABD is 70 and DBC is 70 degrees. Example 2:Given that the angle is PQR is 70 degrees and QS is angle bisector find out the angles. Solution: - Given that PQR is 70 degrees now if QS cuts the angle then the angles made are PQS is 35 degrees and angle SQR is 35 degrees.

How to Sequence a Yin Yoga Class

How to Sequence a Yin Yoga Class The Optimal Sequencing for a Yin Yoga Session ChaptersWhat is Yin Yoga?Yin Yoga ParticularsThe Ideal Sequence of Asana for Yin YogaIn this fast-paced world, we are conditioned to want the most, the best… the greatest yield in the shortest time at the lowest cost, in whatever we do.Yin yoga is not any of that, at least on the surface.You won’t get a burn while practising yin yoga as you would with more dynamic styles. Indeed, you might wonder what yin yoga practitioners get out of holding the same pose for up to twenty minutes!And if such practitioners hardly move at all during their sessions, why would there be a sequence of movements to optimise its beneficial effects?If you have any experience practising yoga, you must know that its benefits are mostly internal. You won’t build amazing muscle mass no matter how many warrior poses you adopt.However, by practising yoga, you will develop a nice muscle tone and no one could be upset or frustrated with that.Where does yin yoga fit in, then? If you already have a yoga routine you are satisfied with, you may not see the need to also embrace yin yoga â€" in fact, many avid yoga practitioners aver they were not initially enthusiastic about practising yin yoga.A statement that begs the question: did they change their minds?Your Superprof now heads into the studio, unrolls their mat and divulges the secrets of yin yoga before taking you, pose by pose, through an ideal sequence. Yin yoga is a yoga practice that calls for bolsters and blocks Image by anja828 from PixabayHatha yoga, one of the most popular styles of yoga practised in the west, combines both of those themes, the net result being a solid mind-body connection, the effects of which can be both felt and seen almost immediately.Yin yoga delivers far subtler results.This type of yoga targets deep tissues such as joints, ligaments and fascia â€" the wafer-thin sheath around each of your muscles, for example.These connective tissues can become damaged when stressed or injured and, as our bodies age, they become less flexible.Many of yin yoga’s poses (asana) focus on those tissues surrounding your joints â€" in your hips, for example, and around your spine and especially the sacrum.You don’t have to be advanced in age or recovering from a traumatic injury to benefit from yin yoga; in fact, practising yin yoga before you notice any loss of flexibility would be ideal!Besides, if you are recovering fro m a serious injury, perhaps restorative yoga is the style you need right now…Yin Yoga ParticularsAs with every type of yoga, the focus for yin yoga is threefold: asanas â€" what we usually call poses, breath control or pranayama, and meditation.In yin yoga, meditation is perhaps more pertinent than for other types of yoga, in part because one holds positions for far longer than, say, in Ashtanga yoga or Bikram yoga.Also, while other types of yoga call for poses that range from standing â€" as in the tree pose or sun salutation poses to floor positions such as the lotus pose, yin yoga is all done at floor level.You might wonder where the challenge is; after all, the child’s pose is so comfortable and instinctive that holding it would hardly seem to be work at all!Yang yogas â€" the more active types of yoga, emphasise the depth of a move but yin yoga advocates for extending the length of time each pose is held rather than the intensity or depth of it.That is why yin yoga practiti oners have relatively few asanas in their session and hold each one for several minutes.If you happen to be observing a class of yin yoga practitioners, you may find some yogis going deeper into each pose. You should know that it is because they are just that well attuned to their body.They are not pushing themselves unduly and, if you are not yet comfortable with that depth of movement, you should hold off going deep until you are. Sitting cross-legged is the first of only a few yoga postures in yin yoga Image by Irina Logra from PixabayThe Comfortable EdgeThe essence of yin yoga is positioning yourself in such a way that you are aware of the part of your body targeted by the asana but the pose is not painful for you.  Finding the pain is not what yin yoga is about!A defining characteristic of yin yoga is finding the line between awareness of your body and pain at it being stressed.You should embrace the sensation of your hip loosening up but, if you start feeling painful twinges, that would be a sign that you need to ease back a bit.With that firmly in mind, let’s look at which asanas feature in yin yoga and how best to sequence them.Did you know that Iyengar yoga, Vinyasa yoga and power yoga all require the yoga teacher to create sequences but in Bikram yoga classes, the sequence is firmly set and followed in every class?The Ideal Sequence of Asana for Yin YogaYin yoga is best done with props so, if you hav e a block, make sure you place it within easy reach of your mat.If you don’t (yet) have any blocks, you may use a pillow or a folded blanket. No need to worry; we’ll indicate when you might want to use it!Seat yourself on your mat, tailor-style. If this position is not yet comfortable for you, you might sit on your block, pillow or blanket to take the stress off your hip joints.The session starts with a meditation of the breath: focus on breathing in and out. If you are new to yin yoga, you may find that counting your breaths will help focus your attention on them.After 1-3 minutes of focused breathing, move into the butterfly pose: the soles of your feet together, legs relaxed; no pressure on your hips. Lean forward, bringing your head as close to your ankles as possible.If needed, you may place your yoga block on your ankles to rest your head on it. If you are just beginning yoga, only hold this pose for one minute; less if you need to ease out of it.Next is the half-shoelace pose.Extend your right leg in front of you; bring your left leg over it, folding your calf back so that your foot points toward your hip. Lean forward as far as possible (if possible), using your block to rest your forehead on if needed.Hold the pose for only one minute, and then switch legs: your left leg is now extended and your right overlaps it, with your right foot pointed back. Again, lean forward, holding for only one minute.As you become more flexible, you may extend the time you hold each of these poses but, remember: at the first twinge of pain, ease off! Of all the yoga poses, this child's pose may be the best-known Image by StockSnap from PixabayContinuing to breathe deeply, assume the child’s pose but with a slight modification: instead of your arms reaching forward, position them so that your hands are close to your feet.As comfortable as this pose is, hold it for one minute before flowing into our next pose: the straddle.Torso straight up, legs spread as wide as possible. If you can, lower your torso over your right leg. Here too, you may use a block or bolster.Hold for a minute and then move into a centre straddle; head/torso bent forward. Finally, lower your head over your left leg.Relax, and then move into the classic child’s pose: arms extended in front of you.If you are in a beginners yoga class, your session may end there but, if you have been practising yin yoga for a while, you may add these asanas:the sphinx pose: elbows at 90 degrees, torso raised, hips and legs flat on the floorthe seal pose: from the sphinx positi on, push your hands into the mat and straighten your armsthe happy baby pose: it feels as delightful as it sounds!The reclined spinal twist: shoulders on the mat, twist your hips so that the inside of your right knee is laying on the left side of the mat.You may use a block to support your knee.savasana: lay supine, legs comfortably spread and arms relaxed along the body. You may choose your palms to rest comfortably either up or downRemember: if any of these asanas prove too strenuous for you, ease back to the point that you feel your body stretching but it is not painful to do so.As you become more flexible, you may prolong the time that you hold each position from one to three, even five minutes. After all, hold time is one of the principal tenets of yin yoga.To make it easier for you to get started, we’ve organised all of these poses into an easy-to-reference table for you to print, clip and position next to your yoga mat as a guide.Yin Yoga Asanas in Order:DescriptionPosetail or-fashion; focus on breathseatedsoles of feet together, knees as close to 90 degrees as possible; hands near your toes. Lower your head as far as possiblebutterfly poseright leg extended, left leg draped over with foot pointing back.half-shoelace (right)Left leg extended, right leg draped over with foot pointing backhalf-shoelace (left)same as classic child's pose but your arms reach back instead of over your headmodified child's posesitting upright with legs spread as wide as possible; bend as far over your right leg as you can. Repeat in the centre and over your left legstraddleFrom a kneeling position, bend at the waist, arms extended over your head, lean torso forward, resting your forehead on your mat.classic child's posefrom a prone position, raise your torso, rest it on your elbows with forearms flat on your matsphinx posehips and legs remain on the mat; torso is raised as arms are extendedseal poseon your back, raise arms and legs; each hand should hold its corresponding fo othappy baby poselaying supine, roll your hips so that the inside of your right knee rests on the mat. Repeat with the left leg.reclined spinal twistlying supine, your entire body is relaxed.savasanaWe bet you can’t wait to get started!Now find out how you can sequence any yoga class.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Training to Become a Professional Boxer

Training to Become a Professional Boxer How You Should Train if You Want to Become a Professional Boxer ChaptersChoose Your Favourite Boxing DisciplineHow Much Should a Boxer Train?The Equipment Needed for Boxing TrainingMuscle Building Exercises for Boxers“If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.” - Muhammad AliWhen doing a sport like boxing at a high level, you’re going to have to train a lot and improve your physique.  Your goal will be to improve techniques such as punching, dodging, kicking (for the variations that allow it), increase your endurance, and push yourself.The boxer Roberto Duran had the longest boxing career ever boxing for 33 years between the ages of 16 and 50 from 1968 to 2001.A lot of boxers would love to make a career out of it so let’s have a look at how you can do it. AndreyBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KostiaBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LeeBoxing Teacher £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SajBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/ h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KaranBoxing Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThomasBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HaileyBoxing Teacher 4.50 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsChoose Your Favourite Boxing DisciplineThere are several types of combat sports and martial arts. Even when it comes to boxing you could choose traditional boxing, Thai boxing, kick-boxing, or savate. There are several types of boxing and you need to choose the one you enjoy the most. (Source: Claudio_Scott)In any case, you’ll learn how to take care of yourself. However, even an adept boxer needs to be careful when attacked as excessive use of force could land them in a lot of trouble. If you use excessive force on an attacker, you can be found guilty and not the attacker.In any case, you still need to choose which type of boxing you’d like to do.  You may want to consider attending a trial session or a free session for a few different types of boxing. You might also want to check when the lessons are scheduled. Go and find out which ones you like the most.Savate, or French boxing, is different from traditional boxing as you’re allowed to kick your opponent.  Kick-boxing includes aspects of Asian martial arts (such as Thai boxing and Taekwondo) and allows kicks, punches, and knees. Thai boxing allows any type of attack as long as you don’t hit your opponent in the genitals .Some types of boxing have a more aesthetic nature to them (kick-boxing and Thai boxing) whereas the European variations of boxing tend to have a greater emphasis on striking your opponent.Find out more about becoming a professional boxer.How Much Should a Boxer Train?This is one of the most common questions asked by aspiring boxers. You might be surprised at how much boxers train. (Source: fancycrave1)Most competitors train for between 3 and 5 hours a day five times a week. This means that you only have two days off a week from training.Typical training may include:Jogging and squats: 30 to 60 minutesWarm-ups: 30 minutesPunching bag exercises: 30 to 60 minutesTechnical exercises: 30 minutesSparring: 30 minutesStrength training: 60 minutesStretches and cool down: 30 minutesThis is a total of five hours across the day.  You need to know that the human body can’t be at the top of its game the whole time.  After intense exercise, your muscles fill with lactic acid as the result of a chemical reaction, which can hinder your performance.This is what we call the anaerobic threshold (AT).  This is the point where your body switches from aerobic exercise to anaerobic exercise.  Your body can only perform anaerobically for a limited amount of time, which means you need to ensure you still have something left in the tank of your other exercises. Coaches and trainers definitely won’t make you go beyond what you’re capable of as this drastically increases your risk of injury.It’s important to train as part of a team. With others around you, you’ll be able to find your rhythm, learn your limits, and be able to work on your endurance. Training on your own will only work if you know all the exercises off by heart.Find out more about starting a professional boxing career.The Equipment Needed for Boxing TrainingBoxing doesn’t need a lot of equipment. However, you’ll probably need the following:Boxing gloves.Hand wrap.Mouthguards.Cups.Shin guards.Skipping rope.Boxing shoes (not in Muay Thai and kickboxing).Boxing helmet. In almost every boxing discipline, you'll need some gloves. (Source: AberroCreative)In boxing clubs, men and women can work on their reflexes, defence, and tactics, too.  Knowing where to attack and the different types of attack (hook, jab, cross, uppercut, low kick, high kick, middle kick, etc) is essential. Experienced boxers will know exactly what they need to bring with them for each type of training.Find out more about the pros and cons of going pro.How to Deal with Your Opponent’s AttacksWhen you join a boxing club or prepare for a fight, you may start to worry.  Especially if you’re facing off against an opponent who may be stronger than you. In professional boxing, there’s no body protection.  You need to keep your guard up, dodge attacks, and deal with the attacks that land.  You don’t want to become a human punching bag, after all.How can you become a champion if you can’t take a hit?The fear of being hit is something every fighter has to get over. After all, it†™s natural to not want to be hurt.  You need to anticipate attacks and dodge them. Similarly, your natural reaction is to lower your head and close your eyes, which means you won’t be able to see any of the following attacks   This is a vicious cycle as the fear of getting hit will cause you to get hit and before you know it, you’ll be down.Don’t start by fighting a boxer who’s much bigger, heavier, and stronger than you!  Your sparring partner will help you get over the fear of being hit.  It’s recommended that you spar with somebody with a similar level to you so that you get used to being hit.  This will give you time to train yourself to react appropriately.This type of training can also help you work on your footwork, movement, and breathing.  Heavy defeats can also leave you with a fear of being hit. Your training needs to progressively build towards getting over this.Muscle Building Exercises for BoxersAt the end of most boxing training sessions, you often have push -ups, burpees, or sit-ups to do. Here’s some advice for getting them right. To be ready for fights, you need to improve your physique and build muscle. (Source: christopherwchiu)Push-Ups for BoxersYou need to have your back and shoulders straight. Don’t lift your hips. Your body, from your head to your toes, needs to form a straight line. Your legs, toes, and heels need to be locked.  Your hands can’t be too far up past your shoulders. The gap between your hands needs to be a little wider than your shoulders.There are two types of push-ups: those for your pectorals, with your hands apart and your elbows facing outwards, and those for your triceps, with your hands closer together and your elbows by your side as you go down.Your head needs to line up with your spinal column.Sit-Ups for BoxersSit-ups work on the central part of your torso, which is essential if you want to box well.  This can help you not only throw better punches but also take punches more effectively. There are a few ways to work on your abs.For example, sit down on a comfortable and stab le surface. Bend your knees (a partner can hold your feet) and start sitting up and breathing out as you do. Generally, your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle with your feet flat on the floor.  Finally, your hands shouldn’t have much impact on your exercise.  You can place them either behind your head, across your torso, etc., but make sure they aren’t helping you raise your shoulders off the ground.There you have it! You now know more about training to become a professional boxer... Now for the hard part.Whether you're looking for boxing classes, boxing workouts, or boxing tutorials, consider looking to boxing gyms, leisure centres, or get help from one of the many talented tutors and coaches on Superprof.  Before you pick your private tutor, there are several things that you'll need to carefully think about. Firstly, no two tutors are alike and you need to pick the one that'll help you to get the most out of your training and set on you on the path to glory. Secondly, there are three main types of tutorial available from the tutors on Superprof, face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials, and you need to pick the one that's right for you.Face-to-face tutorials are between you and your tutor or coach. They'll work alongside you, tailor the sessions to you and your goals, and give you their undivided attention. They'll often also work outside of your sessions on planning and preparing your training.Online tutorials tend to be cheaper than face-to-face tutorials since the tutor doesn't have to travel to each of their students or clients and can schedule more tutorials per week.Finally, group tutorials have the coach teaching several clients at once. Unlike the other two types of tutoring, however, you won't have your coach's undivided attention.

Need Support Learning English Grammar

Need Support Learning English Grammar Whether you are a native English speaker or a learning English as a second language, English grammar is notoriously difficult. Here at Tutorfair we have worked with out great tutors to find the very best resources for learning english grammar. Recommended by tutors these resources can be used by students or parents, alongside a child, to help improve their language skills. These resources can also be helpful for students studying for their GCSE’s or A-levels. English as a foreign Language The Cambridge English Language Assessment:  Find out what standard your English is using the online Cambridge English Language Assessment test Advanced Grammar in Use, with Answers:  An excellent and comprehensive resource for grammar rules. Language Games Synonym Sorts:  This resource is comprised of a set of cards with words on them.  Students can sort the cards according to similarity of meaning, degree of intensity etc. Also useful as word banks in descriptive/creative writing sessions. The Phonetic Chart:  This chart is a great resource for practising difficult sounds in words with students Vocabulary about feelings:  Check this link to find some vocabulary about feelings - Have fun thinking of situations where you could use these words and expressions. Vocabulary: Homonyms: Two   worksheets for teaching homonyms (words with two+ meanings). Useful for 11+ exam prep, vocabulary expansion, and creative writing lessons. Includes exercises for defining words, descriptive sentences, and creative writing. Vocabulary Homophones: Two  worksheets for teaching homophones (words that sound the same). Useful for exam preparation. Language in Use Enhancing Expression Examples 1:  Study the prose of those who have a great command of the English language. Enhancing Expression Examples 2:  See how great authors used the English language in their own individualistic ways. For extra support with grammar and general language support see our selection of experienced English tutors. They can provide private tuition for any language level.

How teachers can help their students spot fake news

How teachers can help their students spot fake news Fake news is a term that has become both ubiquitous and a matter of heated debate over the past year, particularly in politics (it was, in fact, named 2016’s word of the year). As we’ve seen first hand, fake news and manipulating information online has the power not only to shape public opinion but also to affect the outcome of national elections. As a result, teaching media literacy skills has quickly become a top concern for K-12 educators. As students increasingly access news online from nontraditional sources, teachers are tasked with building the skills their students need to recognize bias in the media and verify what they read on their social media news feeds. Are our students digitally naive? A recent Stanford study showed that otherwise digitally-savvy students are lacking in the critical thinking and digital literacy skills needed to weed out fake news stories from real ones. The study concluded that “overall, young people’s ability to reason about the information on the Internet can be summed up in one word: bleak. Our ‘digital natives’ may be able to flit between Facebook and Twitter while simultaneously uploading a selfie to Instagram and texting a friend. But when it comes to evaluating information that flows through social media channels, they are easily duped.” As a teacher, there are many strategies and techniques you can use to teach your students the media literacy skills they need to distinguish fact from fiction and combat the growing problem of fake news. The following are some tips to help your students navigate the current media landscape and discern what online information is legitimate or fake. Make fake news a teachable moment for you, as well as your students You don’t have to be a media expert to teach media literacy to others. Technology and media are concepts that are often unfamiliar territory for many teachers, and this is totally understandable. Our digital world is changing by the minute, making everyone a student. Organizations like The News Literacy Project have begun to create curriculum that responds to this growing problem. There is also a digital literacy training course designed to help teachers update their teaching practice for the 21st-century classroom. Fake news is becoming harder to detect, even for adults, so teachers must be open to learning along with their students. Bring social media into the classroom Discussing current events that students are interested in is a great opportunity for additional analysis. Trending topics on social media is a key to engaging your students in an active discussion about what’s happening online and helping them decode what could be spin, bias or outright lies. Teach your students effective Google search skills While the internet is a source for misinformation, it can always be a great fact-debunking tool. There are many useful fact-checking resources online, like FactCheck.org and PolitiFact. Teach your students how to do a Google reverse image search, as well, so they can quickly verify for themselves which images are factual and which have been fabricated or manipulated in some way. Show your students how to evaluate the source Help your students spot fake news by encouraging them to ask questions and critically evaluate what they read and see online. Before they can determine whether a source is credible, they need to know the right research techniques to help them evaluate online media. Some questions to pose when investigating news that is fact, opinion or potentially something else can include the following: Is the media outlet a well-known source of traditional news? Is the site secure? Does the formatting look off? Are there grammatical errors? Can you find reports of the same event on other news outlets? Do the dates match up? Who wrote the news piece? How credible is the author? Does the piece cite primary sources? What personal reaction is the news piece attempting to elicit in the reader (remember, propaganda is usually written with the intent of making the reader feel strong emotions)? Is it pushing a narrow point of view in an overt, or subtle, way? By asking these questions, students can begin to reach their own conclusions on what is satire, clickbait, biased news or entirely fake. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. Foster an atmosphere that encourages open communication In addition to promoting their reasoning skills, providing students with opportunities to acquire media literacy will also prepare them to make informed judgments on the issues that will shape their lives. First, though, students need to feel comfortable in sharing their thoughts and questions when analyzing media and decoding fake news. When discussing political or controversial issues in the classroom, for example, conversations may get heated. Our brains are wired to seek out information that agrees with our current beliefs. Everyone is likely to have their own conscious or unconscious bias when it comes to certain issues (including yourself!), so make sure you keep an open mind and encourage your students to do the same. If a student does not feel comfortable, they may think twice before bringing up an important point that will help them challenge the validity of a news piece. Rather than creating an atmosphere that encourages students to choose sides, consider the opinions of every student. It’s vital that teachers keep the classroom atmosphere lighthearted and positive. Looking at the media through a clear lens is the only way to come to a real conclusion on its validity. It’s official - fake news is here to stay. Now, more than ever, students need our help to better navigate the web and be able to detect what is fake and what’s real. Please share your top teaching strategies and tips for helping your students develop essential media literacy skills in the comments below!

Teacher of the Week #1 Amy

Teacher of the Week #1 Amy Welcome to our first Teacher of the Week spotlight on the italki blog. This feature of the blog is designed to highlight teachers that are doing a particularly good job of promoting themselves and the italki community as a whole. This weeks featured teacher is Amy,  /teacher/T009486285.htm Amy teaches Korean, and is also a preschool English teacher. Here is Amys introduction video:   Amy has taught 115 sessions, and currently has 29 students with a feedback rating of 4.9. So for those of you wanting to learn what gangam style is actually talking about, book a lesson with Amy today. *Teachers are selected based on activity, cleanliness of profile, and student satisfaction.  If you would like to nominate yourself or another teacher, email me at    sam@italki.com Teacher of the Week #1 Amy Welcome to our first Teacher of the Week spotlight on the italki blog. This feature of the blog is designed to highlight teachers that are doing a particularly good job of promoting themselves and the italki community as a whole. This weeks featured teacher is Amy,  /teacher/T009486285.htm Amy teaches Korean, and is also a preschool English teacher. Here is Amys introduction video:   Amy has taught 115 sessions, and currently has 29 students with a feedback rating of 4.9. So for those of you wanting to learn what gangam style is actually talking about, book a lesson with Amy today. *Teachers are selected based on activity, cleanliness of profile, and student satisfaction.  If you would like to nominate yourself or another teacher, email me at    sam@italki.com

How to Succeed Working in Retail

How to Succeed Working in Retail via Pixabay Know your product Hopefully, you have landed a job at a retail store where you are familiar or even interested in the product you are selling. This can be cookware, books, shoes, hunting equipment the list goes on. If you are currently looking for a job in retail, try to apply to stores that you shop in. It’s important to know the product that you are selling, especially when working in customer service. Customers will come to you for help or information pertaining to a certain product your store carries. If you are working in a bookstore, you should probably learn about what recommendations to make or be familiar with classic books and new releases. Some customers may ask for advice on what they should get, so be prepared to list the pros and cons of products. When you know and are familiar with the product your store sells, it will make your job so much easier. You will feel like you have helped someone make a decision and won’t feel flustered when a customer asks about a product. pexels.com Know the culture Each retail store has a different culture and work environment. If you are working at an upscale clothing store, you may be expected to be on your best behavior at all times and dress well. If you work at the local grocery store, it will probably be more laid back where you can wear jeans and sneakers. Getting along with your coworkers and fitting into the mold the culture of the company has created is important when working in retail. via Pixabay Always be friendly and helpful When working in retail, it is guaranteed that you will have to interact with customers. Whether it is answering the phone, operating a cash register, or working on the sales floor, you will be in contact with customers looking to buy your product. Always smile and be helpful towards customers. If a customer looks confused, ask if they need help with something. Don’t wait until they come to you. Be friendly and eager to help them. Nobody likes dealing with rude or disgruntled employees when they shop. Learn patience Not all customers will be nice to you, but that does not give you an excuse to be rude to them. The phrase, “the customer is always right” actually does apply to real life and may want to make you scream, but make sure to do it while on your break. Learning how to be patient is an important skill to have not only when working in retail, but in life as well. via Pixabay Ask the manager As a retail employee, you are not expected to know everything about the company or its policies, especially if you are only there for the summer. It’s okay to call the manager over when you do not know the answer to a question or if you have a question. In any job, it is always better to ask about something you are unsure of than giving out incorrect information or doing something wrong. After getting the answer to your questions, you will successfully build up your knowledge of the company and its policies. Stay ahead Nobody likes an employee that does the bare minimum of what they are expected to do. Displaying good work ethic is important, no matter what job or task you are doing. When you finish one task, move on to another or ask for something else to do. Take initiative and do something that you notice needs to be completed without someone telling you to do it. This will likely impress your managers and you’ll earn good status with the store. via Pixabay It’s just a job Keep in mind that it is just a job. When you are having a bad day and dealing with difficult customers, it’s okay. In just three months you will be back at school attending classes and getting together with friends, and those customers will not matter anymore. You are much more than just an employee. If it turns out you don’t like working in retail, just remember that it allows you to pay for the things you want to do outside of work.