Tutoring in Louisville - How to Help Your Children Develop Their Minds and Skills

Tutoring in Louisville - How to Help Your Children Develop Their Minds and SkillsTutoring Louisville students can be a wonderful way to enjoy your children while you are still learning. Working with children of different ages is going to help your child develop the ability to teach others as well as learn something new on a regular basis.Working in your day job, you may find yourself tired. However, you will find yourself feeling energized by being able to help other people.A great way to manage your stress is to start tutoring in the summer and fall. During this time you can work with a smaller group of students and not have to worry about making it to another class each day.However, this does mean that during the summer time you are working with smaller groups. It is vital that you continue to have fun with the students and make sure they learn as much as possible each day. However, you do want to be strategic about when you practice.For example, when tutoring for younger children, make sure you spend some time outdoors doing some kind of physical activity. This will help them work on their motor skills.During the rest of the day, make sure you take the time to spend with the student at home. You want to make sure you are engaged with the student so that they can understand what you are saying. In addition, you should encourage the student to ask questions if they have any concerns or questions about the lesson.Another way to help develop these learning skills is to have a comfortable setting in which to work. If you tutor in an inappropriate setting, the learning process can be less effective. Having your own space, such as your home, is important so that you can work comfortably and feel comfortable during your tutoring sessions.Tutoring Louisville is a great way to continue to learn and expand your abilities as a parent. The more you take part in your child's educational development, the better they will do. So many parents have benefited from taking part in this fun and valuable activity.

AP Chemistry Exam Curve

AP Chemistry Exam CurveIf you are in the classroom preparing for the AP Chemistry exam, it is important to take the time to read the AP Chemistry exam curve. The AP Chemistry curve will help you understand what the examiner is looking for when he or she has a look at your test score.The test that is going to be used in the exam is not actually a test at all, but rather an instrument for measuring the performance of the student in terms of how much of each subject he or she has mastered. This instrument consists of several sections that are timed for the duration of the test.You have to make sure that you get enough practice in prior to the exam as well as preparing for the exam itself. Taking some AP Chemistry practice tests beforehand will be very helpful in preparing you for the exam. You can also take advantage of the online resources available on the internet to get yourself prepared.If you have not done so already, it is important to study the test as closely as possible. There are going to be several questions related to chemistry and they will be examined very closely. Once you get familiar with the exam, you can then understand what the examiner is looking for and how to perform better.It is important to understand what is expected from you by the AP Chemistry exam curve. This curve is designed to assess the capability of the student in a particular subject and how well they have learned that subject.You need to keep in mind that each section of the test has been created specifically for assessing the capacity of the student. Each of the sections is based on a specific type of examination that must be done in a specific order and at a specific speed. Answering a question correctly in all the sections of the test will be necessary to help you meet the requirements set forth in the exam.Knowing how to master different areas of the test will greatly assist you in succeeding in AP Chemistry exam. Your ability to comprehend the test will be one of the most i mportant elements that will help you succeed in the exam.

Palm Beach State College - Free Tutoring

Palm Beach State College - Free TutoringPalm Beach State College is a community college that offers free tutoring to those students who have completed high school. There are also other programs that you can take up that will allow you to earn the college credits needed to qualify for your associate's degree.The campus is located in Palm Beach, Florida and is part of the Florida State University system. This campus has everything you would expect from a college such as cafeterias, classes, and housing. The Palm Beach State College tutoring services offer help for students who are having trouble with their classes.Students can get the help they need to succeed in school and it is all free tutoring. There are plenty of classes that are available and students do not have to worry about cramming for their next test. They can get tutoring by sitting down and talking to an advisor at any time of the day or night. It is important to remember that when you go into college, you will be require d to take some college courses such as biology, chemistry, English, and math.Other classes are optional and the student's field is open. These classes are usually elective, which means you can get them after you have earned your bachelor's degree. When you complete the program, you will be able to get your associate's degree.An easy class is always good and since there are so many classes, there is no excuse to get a poor grade. You will be given an F for an F. Students with an F in your hands will be happy since they will already have a diploma.It is so convenient to use the free tutoring offered by the Palm Beach State College system. You will be able to go back to your old routine and do what youwere doing before college and be able to earn your associate's degree. Being able to work while earning your degree is always something worth looking forward to.Palm Beach State College is the home of tutoring is available for students in all majors. You do not have to worry about how man y courses you have or what a low grade you might get.

6 Showstopping Audition Songs Perfect for Tenors

6 Showstopping Audition Songs Perfect for Tenors Suzy S. Looking for the perfect tenor songs to show off your voice in an upcoming audition?  Selecting the right song and learning how to sing tenor parts that truly showcase your vocal type is key. Here are a few tenor  audition songs  in a variety of styles. Any of these pieces are  bound to impress if you’ve got the technique! Tenor Songs Yesterday The Beatles Thinking Out Loud Ed Sheeran Somethings Coming West Side Story Bring Him Home Les Miserables Passeggiata The Light in the Piazza Una Furtiva Lacrima Elixir of Love Nessun Dorma Turandot Tenor is a wonderful voice type to have, but finding vocal repertoire in a baritone-heavy world is not always easy. Keep reading to find out which of these tenor audition songs is best for your unique voice and audition! Top 6 Tenor Songs for Auditions 1. Yesterday The Beatles This is one of the most popular go-to tenor pop songs. The Guinness Book of World Records says it’s the most covered song in the world. But only true tenors can sing Yesterday in the original key, as composed by Sir Paul McCartney. In fact, any Beatles song would be an excellent choice if you’re auditioning for a pop singing competition or a band. Lots of baritones would love to be able to sing these songs in their original keys, but lucky for you: you can! 2. Thinking Out Loud Ed Sheeran Looking for more modern tenor songs? Check out Ed Sheerans music for some great ideas of tenor pop songs. “Thinking Out Loud” is a well-loved, moderate-tempo song that can work for a variety of auditions, shows, or events. Its definitely a crowd pleaser if you can hit the notes just right. 3. Somethings Coming West Side Story There are just as many tenor musical theatre songs,  and it can be very hard to narrow down your selection! However, “Something’s Coming” from West Side Story is always a good choice, as it truly shows off a performers musicality, range, AND acting skills. Remember that a good audition goes beyond vocal technique. The audition panels want to see that you are confident and know what you are singing about, too. SEE ALSO: 400+ Songs to Sing for Every Occasion   4. Passeggiata The Light in the Piazza For more current tenor musical theatre songs, check out “Passeggiata” from The Light in the Piazza. Its a graceful number for a young singer learning how to sing tenor parts. A classically trained tenor wanting to “crossover” into musical theatre could easily pull this off, but so could a more pop-ish tenor. 5. Una Furtiva Lacrima Elixir of Love When we think “tenor songs” in the opera genre we usually think of powerful, ringing high notes in heroic sounding arias. “Una Furtiva Lacrima” is a gorgeous aria from Donizetti’s Elixir of Love. This is suitable for a first aria for young lyric tenors. Not only will it show off your understanding of “bel canto,”  but it’s another opportunity to demonstrate your acting skills. The performer is pining for his love here! (No surprise this IS opera, after all). 6. Nessun Dorma Turandot Another one of the best tenor audition songs for operas is “Nessun Dorma” from “Turandot. Note: this aria is ONLY to be attempted by tenors who have been studying seriously for a long time. This is a heavier aria by Puccini that requires impeccable technique. This aria is a real crowd pleaser that will get the audience on their feet if you can really nail those high Cs. Youre one step closer to your next audition with these top tenor songs! Keep in mind that the most important resource for learning how to develop and perfect your sound is a  voice teacher. An experienced vocal coach can assess if youre ready for any of these tenor audition songs, and prepare you for the audition panels. Good luck, and break a leg! Molly R. teaches online and in-person singing lessons in Hayward, CA. Her specialties include teaching beginner vocalists, shy singers, children, teens, lapsed singers, and older beginners. She joined TakeLessons in November 2013.  Learn more about Molly  here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Barbara Müller-Walter

Make Italian Lessons Fun Again.

Make Italian Lessons Fun Again. Everyone Wants to Enjoy Their Language Classes. ChaptersWhy Learn and Teach Italian?The Parts of Italian that Frustrate Students.Learning Italian Beyond the Grammar.How to Make Your Students ComfortableTeach Basic Italian Through Interactive Games.Teach the Italian Language Through SongLearn Italian OnlineA Word on TranslationLanguage Reinforcement AppsOther Resources to Teach Italian.Taking Your Italian Lessons Out of the Classroom.Good Teachers, Good People.What emotions should a teacher draw upon to help a person learn a foreign language effectively?How can you insure that your student learns Italian quickly and fluently?Obviously, how well a student learns is not all down to the teacher: the learner must have a level of motivation.Motivated people are more likely to apply new knowledge, ensuring retention of learned materials.Would you think about basing your online teaching jobs and  methodology  on  fun? Making your passion contagious?Thus we have to wonder: is that a reasonable question to pose?Doesn't every animal learn to communicate, to transmit knowledge and exchange information?Language, in all of its  rich varieties, is the exclusive purview of humans. Should it not then follow that every human should learn more than one, if only for personal enrichment?We now dispense with pseudo-philosophical thoughts, to pose a much more pragmatic question:Of All Languages,  Why Choose to Learn Italian?  Isn't that question more pertinent?Before we discuss that question's many answers, let us talk for a moment about the theory of lexical similarity.Lexical similarity posits that two languages, when compared, have a degree of similarity in vocabulary, grammar and syntax.According to this postulate, Italian and English have a much smaller coefficient of lexical similarity than, say, Italian and French.That is because Italian and French are both romance languages, meaning they draw from the same root language: Latin.  English is fundamentally a Germanic language, even though a portion of our vocabulary comes fro m Latin.In spite of our language having different origins, native speakers of English generally have little trouble learning Italian as a second language.Etymology should not be considered a barrier to studying Italian.Back to the original question: why select Italian, of all the languages to apply oneself to?Consider this report from the British Council.  It states that Italy is gaining dominance on the world stage, and in the next ten years, it is projected to become vitally important to UK's culture and economy.  That creates a market for you and every other Italian tutor.College and university students; those at A level and sitting for GCSE â€" even primary school children could benefit from in-home Italian lessons!The Parts of Italian that Frustrate Students.As we said above, your student is not the luckiest person in the world, being English and wanting to learn Italian. English, being from a Germanic root, may share lexical similarities with Italian, but the grammatical struc tures are quite different. Consequently, they're going to have a little more to make sense of compared to their French or Spanish counterpart.VerbsBut the trouble is that they also have to engage with these annoying things called conjugations. In English, our verbs don't usually change very much depending on when, or by whom, an action is performed. Our heavy use of auxiliary verbs means that the conjugations themselves have progressively diminished throughout the centuries.As you know, the Italian language loves the conjugation. And these, ultimately at least, are going to have to be learned by heart. There isn't really any other way to learn these formally - apart from simply learning them. Ask anyone English that studied language courses at school, and these verb endings will be the most common thing that put them off.  So teach them wisely!Nouns and AdjectivesBut it's not just the verbs that are problematic. A common mistake English speakers make in Italian is forgetting that no uns and adjectives need to agree. Whilst this mistake may be fun for you - there are plenty of British men that have said 'sono contenta', and have thus unwittingly declared themselves to be a woman - but this can be quite frustrating for the student.PronunciationFor some reason, we English people think that every Italian word that ends with the vowel, 'e', should actually be pronounced with an 'i'. The name Giuseppe has never been pronounced correctly in the UK due to exactly this: 'Giuseppi', we say, or worse, 'Guisseppi'.(This is presumably in the same way that Italians appear to be taught that the simple 'a' sound in English should be pronounced 'e'. The sentence thus becomes 'the bleck cet is in the beg', which isn't quite correct.)Anyway, otherwise, Italian pronunciation is quite straightforward, apart from those pesky double consonants. We don't do this in English, and the constant confusion of penne for pene, cane for canne, anni for ani. Again, this can be pretty fun for yo u the tutor, but that's not the point: this particular difficulty can be pretty annoying for students.Teach younger students Italian through interactive games Source: Pixabay Credit: SkitterphotoLearning Italian Beyond the Grammar.Teaching in a way that is not grammar heavy is absolutely key to successful tuition that is fun. To be overwhelmed by verb tables, rule books, and grammar exercises is not fun for the student. Unless they are quite unusual, what students want to learn is to be able to speak. They want to be able to communicate, they want fluency (and this doesn't necessarily mean accuracy), and they want some sort of conversational skill.  This means that speaking exercises should be at the forefront of your teaching practice. Talk to your students about what they like, engage them in conversations (maybe these need to be quite basic) about their lives and what's going in the world around them.Encourage them to speak about what makes them tick - and tailor your future less ons around those themes and topics.How to Make Your Students ComfortableFor as long as there has been language learners, there has been a struggle in coaxing them to use their language skills for more than disjointed sentences, uttered  red-faced  and stammering.How can you translate your passion for the language into a flowing stream of Italian words from your students?One way is to broach topics that interest them. You don't really have to look too hard to find out what captivates students' interest, these days: gaming.The world of online gaming is competitive and attracts players of all ages.We would venture to say that, if you started your class by asking what games your pupils play â€" and why, you would be treated to a lively discussion of weapons and levels, and the comparative merits thereof.Could they have that discussion in Italian?Present this idea for conversation during class: Leonardo Da Vinci comes to life for one day, and wants you to introduce him to gaming.Don't he sitate to point out that the most renown Renaissance polymath would have been as fascinated with the technology behind gaming as with the game itself.You could also invite Dante Alighieri to critique the Harry Potter series.Challenge your students to become Dante by tasking them to impersonate the father of the modern Italian language and comment on their favorite book or television show. Costumes are optional.The ideas are just a few ways to get your students to speak freely. Just let your imagination run wild!Teach Basic Italian Through Interactive Games.Language instruction should be lively, engaging and fun, especially for the youngest learners.Fostering an attraction to learning is vital to tots' and tykes' future educational undertakings.It wouldn't hurt teens, either: it is never too late to cultivate a love of learning!That seems like such a common sense solution to reach reluctant learners of any subject, yet traditional teaching methods still resort to rote repetition and recitation.Imagine how fertile the child's mind would be if constantly engaged through interactive learning!Transmitting Italian grammar fundamentals; expanding Italian vocabulary: both can be done through play.How should a teacher engender such a situation?Start by teaching basic vocabulary through song or mime:simple greeting words: buongiorno, buona sera, buona notteintroductions: mi chiamo_____Vital statistics: ho 30 annisono un/a ragazzo/aWhere you come from: Vengo da________Where you live:  io vivo a_______More  informal greetings: come stai?  ciaoNaturally, each of these questions would be addressed in the second person singular, giving your student early exposure to verb conjugation and the use of pronouns in Italian.A way to make this game fun is to inscribe each of the words from these sentences on index cards or small pieces of paper.Scatter them on the table and then, as you speak each sentence, your student picks out the individual words.  Or, permit your student to con struct sentences by stringing the words: Imagine the crazy phrases you could laugh over together!Sono un buongiorno. Lo vivo a ragazzo. You get the picture.This teaching style cannot help but grow your reputation as a quality instructor of Italian, and once word gets out, you would be able to command a higher fee!arrangement and orchestration of these songs all become vehicles to transport your students to a joy of Italian language learning.In repeating the song, in singing it over and over, in learning it by heart, your student is in fact embracing rote memorisation and repetition, but in a much more entrancing way.We never said there was anything wrong with rote repetition; just that it needs more engaging ways of doing it!Many language tutors make use of online tools to teach their students Source: PIxabay Credit: rawpixelLearn Italian Online“Italian online”, “Learn Italian online”, “Learn to speak Italian”, “Free Italian”, “learn Italian free”, and “learn I talian free online”Oh, the Google searches launched in the quest for Italian language lessons!And my goodness, the many returns those searches yield!But are they quality returns?How would anyone know what quality a free lesson in Italian would have?You know all about quality. In fact, you are most likely a quality teacher who delivers quality instruction.In the process of establishing yourself as a teacher of Italian courses, you have probably perused all of those websites and seen what they have to offer.Italian for beginners: Everything from the Italian alphabet to nouns and pronouns, verbs, prepositions, adjectives and adverbs; all of the parts of speech.Intermediate level: Italian phrases and expressions; pronunciation and phonetics. Exercises in comprehension.Sites such as Duolingo and HelloLingo! are very popular among people who wish to learn a second language without the expense of formal tutoring.Others, such as Lifeknot and Meetup focus more on the cultural aspects of la nguage learning, discussing Italian movies and cuisine; art and history; and even sojourns through Italy.You could make use of your students' online learning experiences without directly resorting to using online materials yourself.For example: assign your students a voyage through Italy by tasking them to talk with people from various regions: Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily, Sardinia, Campania and Umbria.As your tutees learn the major cities in these regions and their indigenous foods, they will also tune their ears to the regional dialects. What a great way to develop listening skills!As a reward for touring all twenty regions, you could bring a traditional Italian sweet to start your next lesson. Gelato, anyone?Your phone can bring Italy to you through language apps Source: Pixabay Credit: FunkyFocusA Word on TranslationAs long as your students are fascinated by the concept of seeing today's standards through an historical personage's eyes, why not broach actual translation of text?Yo ur students have just finished a lively discussion about gaming. You present them with a photocopied article on the same topic, to translate into Italian.Studies have proven that translating from one's second language into native language is easier than from mother tongue to foreign language.This more complex activity challenges language skills but the end result is better retention and usage of learned Italian.We recommend that this activity be done in session,  with you present to help, rather than as a homework assignment.Translation software is ubiquitous, but the results are sometimes laughable.While we certainly don't want your students to suffer ridicule, the primary reason we advocate against online translators is that translation software teaches your students nothing.By assigning translation exercises in class, you will effectively remove the temptation to feed fledgling attempts at language conversion into Google or Babbel.Language Reinforcement AppsWhile you should stron gly discourage your students from using any automatic translation, there is nothing wrong with rounding out your lessons by recommending language learning applications.This technique may well appeal to younger learners, especially the apps function like a game.Almost as soon as Smartphones became the vogue, language learning apps have proliferated.That is why, today, we see so many apps that promise people they too can learn French, Learn Korean, learn Spanish, learn Russian.For native speakers of Russian, Spanish, Korean or French, there are apps that can help them learn English.And, of course, there are apps for Italian learning.  You can encourage your students to establish a free account with Mosalingua, Babbel, or Busuu.  You could even set up a Quizlet page for yourself and invite your students to join.  There, you could post words and phrases, grouped level-appropriate â€" from absolute beginner to near fluent.Never let it be said that you can't learn anything through fun and games!Other Resources to Teach Italian.There are plenty of other resources to help you make the most of your Italian teaching.TeachItalian is a UK-based website with resources that help Italian students and teachers to bring their lessons to life. They host resources for students of any level, and they might take the pressure of you to design every lesson.Meanwhile, other sites like the BBC and Tes have lots of helpful tips and tricks on how best to teach the language.Take a look through some of these, and you'll have enough material for an unlimited number of fun lessons.Taking Your Italian Lessons Out of the Classroom.Something that private tutors don't often think of doing, but maybe should, is taking their lessons outside of the classroom. This doesn't mean doing every lesson in the rain, but, once in a while, a change of environment can be nice.  Changes in learning environments help learners learn better. Before you question it, this is science! Classrooms can be a little sti fling - particularly if you are in the same space week after week - and are thought to be stifling of creativity.Meanwhile, different environments help students to cement knowledge: things you learn in different places becomes associated with that place, and so help memory function better.But the main thing about taking lessons outside - particularly for learners of different languages - is that you are exposed to linguistic opportunities that the artificial space of the classroom might exclude.   If you take a class on a sunny day in the park, you can focus on a range of vocabulary for animals, weather, nature, and outdoor activities. If you sit in a cafe, you're focus could be on Italian coffee culture, food, and social conventions.Teachers might also consider a trip to an 'Italian' event. In Scotland, an Italian sagra takes place in Glasgow annually, whilst pizzica or tarantella nights provide a nice opportunity for students to understand a bit more about Italian heritage.You don 't necessarily need new technologies to provide an enjoyable lesson - particularly if you have the imagination and interest to make lessons varied.Good Teachers, Good People.But, also, remember what makes people enjoy people's company outside of the classroom. If you are too stern, overbearing, and teacherish, maybe your students aren't going to enjoy your lessons so much; if they don't like you, they ain't going to have fun in the classroom.Despite all this, you might find that your students prioritise things other than fun. Maybe they want to work seriously hard, to do all those things - like completing grammar exercises and learning verb tables - that others find off-putting.  There's no one type of student - and some might find the notion of 'games' in the classroom a bit of a waste of time (teachers are often encouraged to call them 'activities' among serious students for exactly this reason).The point here is that getting to know your students is the most important thing a tea cher can do. You need to be adaptable, interested, and engaged. Everyone who wants to study Italian didn't start an Italian class for the same reason - and so not everyone will want the same things from their lessons.Getting to know a student means more than asking them how they are and how their week has been. Someone learning Italian for work will need a different lesson to someone learning Italian because they want to order a vino rosso or a panino in a bar. The same applies in terms of age: a kid won't want the same lesson as a middle-aged couple. Slapping down the same grammar exercises in front of each one of your students might save you time, but it won't make your lessons particularly effective - or fun.So, bring a smile, bring a relaxed demeanour, and bring an attitude that can help everyone enjoy the lessons.  Indeed: learning is serious business, but nobody said you can't have a laugh while you're learning!

9 Fail-safe Career Strategies to Employ for Long-term Success

Introvert Whisperer / 9 Fail-safe Career Strategies to Employ for Long-term Success 9 Remarkable Tips to Grow Your Career in the Right Direction Brian had been working as a web developer for a reputed firm for four years. Even though he was appreciated for his work, he didn’t witness any significant growth in his career. This situation isn’t too unusual for many professionals out there. When it comes to your career, you need to constantly seek the opportunities to move ahead and level up. In fact, you can make great strides in your career by implementing the small yet vital strategies. When you follow these strategies, itll help you steer your career in the right direction and reach your career goals sooner than you think. Read on for the insights. 1. Read up on your industry Whether you’re a fresher or a seasoned professional, it’s always wise to stay updated on your industry. Trade papers, news sites, magazines, and blogs â€" all these can help you enhance your knowledge in your chosen field which you can apply to prosper in your career. The knowledge you gather on the recent trends, relevant to your industry, highlights that you’re not just doing a job but that you approach your industry from a career-minded standpoint. 2. Build a strong network within your industry You’d be surprised how beneficial your networking skills can be in terms of your career prospects. By maintaining the social networking profiles, conversing with others in your industry, participating in forums, and attending networking events, you maximise your chances of developing solid connections that can enhance your career prospects. 3. Improve your communication skills Taking a passive approach, whether on the phone, over email, or in-person, doesn’t give the impression that you’re confident. You can check your “sent mail” folder and leaf through the work-related communications. Do you come across clear and straightforward? Do your co-workers respond well to your emails? Is there anything that needs improvement? You might be surprised by some of the professional communication misconduct you’ve committed over the years. For instance, if you are an academic expert offering statistics homework help to students, you need to communicate clearly to understand their requirements. 4. Look for challenges in your work If your superior asks for volunteers for a project that’s outside the area of your expertise, don’t hesitate to come forward and take on the challenge. It could be a great opportunity. Not only does it provide you with a chance to grow your skillset and knowledge base but it also conveys to your boss what you’re capable of. The moment you decide to take on new responsibilities, you become a more valuable employee. And this can ultimately result in a promotion, or at least a pat on the back from your supervisors and colleagues.

5 Ways Learning Music Theory Can Make You a Better Singer

5 Ways Learning Music Theory Can Make You a Better Singer Suzy S. Do you love to sing? Well take a wild guess and say it wasnt chord progressions and minor scales that caught your interest. But did you know reading music and understanding the theory behind it can actually help you as you learn how to sing? Find out more in this guest post by  St. Augustine, FL voice teacher  Heather L. Music theory may not be the most glamorous part of being a singer after all, no ones analyzing Brahmss first symphony at that summer music festival in town, and that new Meghan Trainor song doesnt discuss inversions and triads. But you know what? A lot of the best vocalists have theory fundamentals down pat. Heres a list of the best reasons why music theory can help you as you learn how to sing. Versatility First, understanding music theory can make you a more versatile singer. Its one thing not to know any music theory and sing simple songs, like This Land Is Your Land, but its another thing not to know any and then to learn My Funny Valentine, or Lovin You, or a Mozart aria! In other words, learning jazz, classical, and other genres requires some knowledge of music theory.  Without it, we musicians wouldnt be able to understand the symbols and the terms that are in the actual music. What does piano or sforzando mean? What does that funny-looking symbol mean? What does D.S. al coda mean? How do I count this measure? Music theory teaches us all of this! Learning Music For those who have no or limited music theory knowledge, learning how to read music is certainly not impossible, but its certainly not fast or efficient. I see the difference in my students every day. Music theory isnt just a mundane chore or a rite of passage every musician has to get through. Think of music theory as a set of tools explanations, vocabulary, ideas that make you a better, and faster, music learner. Being able to see immediately that that particular passage is really just an F minor scale, and not just a bunch of individual notes, can cut your learning time in half. Auditions and Competitions Many vocal auditions, competitions, and scholarship opportunities are based, at least partly, on a music theory exam or assessment. I once lost an annual college scholarship only because another applicant beat my music theory test score. If I had only taken the music theory course offered at my public high school and studied even just the basics, then I wouldve gotten a huge help once I went to East Carolina University. Learning music theory opens up opportunities for you as a music student, competitor, and as a college student, because it prepares you for music theory placement tests. Better Songwriting Recently I was working on a song that Im writing for my band. The theory knowledge that I have was the only thing that enabled me to write my ideas down on staff paper. Now that I think of it, if I didnt know how to write the notes and chords of my songs down, then I dont really know what I would do. Well, I could record it and then have my band try to figure it out by ear. I could play it and have someone else transcribe it, but its tough to find anyone who can do that, and theyll usually charge by the hour or by the piece of music. Knowing your music theory means that you have a better understanding of how music is constructed, so youll be a more confident songwriter. Learning music theory paves the way for your potential career as a songwriter, arranger, or composer. And besides, youll be better able to write songs that fit your range! Easier Communication You might have your heart set on being a solo singer, only ever performing alone. But even solo artists have to work with other musicians. The best solo singers in the world still have to work with orchestras and conductors, bands, and other talent. Its essential to learn the very unique language of music in order to be able to communicate your ideas, your challenges, even just to talk about whats going on in measure 22! Music theory is the key to learning how to speak music. Can you imagine being in a recording studio and understanding none of what the producer or the engineer is saying?  Music theory allows us to talk about music that were studying or performing, because its like our vocabulary! To Recap: Singers are jokingly known for being the most clueless musicians when it comes to music theory. But we can change that perception! There are a dozen more reasons why singers need to learn music theory, and luckily, there are dozens of books for self-study, and even better, hundreds of music theory tutors online at TakeLessons.com  who will be thrilled to help you learn today! Heather L. teaches singing, piano, acting, and more in St. Augustine, FL, as well as through online lessons. She is  a graduate of the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has performed with the New York and Royal Philharmonics, the New Jersey and Virginia Symphonies, the American Boy Choir, and the internationally renowned opera star Andrea Bocelli. Learn more about Heather here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  Fatihah Y