Saturday, March 21, 2020

Find Out How to Become a Computer Tutor in the Philippines

Find Out How to Become a Computer Tutor in the PhilippinesComputer Tutor in the Philippines is a legitimate career option for those who are looking to earn extra income. In fact, the number of people who have opted for this profession is increasing at a great rate. In fact, they are getting more options to pursue with their careers like working as computer tutors in the Philippines.A person who wants to pursue this profession will find that it is no big deal and does not require any special experience to excel in the profession. In fact, a person can easily land up in this profession if he has a decent grasp of computer and internet skills.In addition, if you also have the desire to learn more about computers, you can further explore your career options by enrolling in an online degree program. One can find many accredited colleges and universities which offer you the chance to study with the help of the internet. By enrolling in such programs, you can further enhance your career pro spects.You will also find that with the help of the internet, you will be able to get the tuition fees at lower rates. Such programs have been launched in order to benefit people who do not have the time to spend studying for the full time. They offer flexible schedules for students who want to study on their own schedule.If you are not sure if you can meet the requirement for the student visa, you can still apply for the degree program through an online program. Once you are enrolled in such program, you will be able to apply for the visa once you are approved.Another alternative, which can prove helpful in this regard is the employment opportunity provided by many employers who want to recruit persons who are interested in becoming computer tutors in the Philippines. The employers of the online course provide the employees a wide range of opportunities in order to meet the recruitment requirements.As there are different job opportunities in the country, it is advisable to apply fo r the specific country specific program in order to land up the job you wish to do. If you do not succeed in landing up the job after you have studied the program, you can also get another program later. Besides this, you can also avail the opportunity of joining the IT industry, which provides you with a much better prospect.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Analyzing and identifying proportional relationships

Analyzing and identifying proportional relationships Proportion is a useful topic in math. Proportions can be is identified when the quantities maintain a fixed ratio or the same fractional value. Proportionality always maintains a fixed ratio or fraction between two quantities. For example, a / b = c / d. It can be written as a : b = c : d. Proportion is often used in the word problems. In such cases the question can be analyzed and the fixed ratio can be calculated. Example 1: George took 5 quizzes in 2 two weeks of school. How many quizzes will he take in 6 week of school in the same proportion? Solution: Here given is 5 quizzes are taken in 2 weeks of school. The ratio can be expressed as: Number of quizzes/ Number of weeks = 5/2. In the same proportion for 6 weeks: Number of quizzes/6 = 5/2. This gives, number of quizzes = 5/2 x 6 = 30/2 = 15. Hence George takes 15 quizzes in 3 weeks. Question: Multiple choice question (Pick the correct option.) Find the m in the proportion m : 8 = 7 : 4? a) 5 b) 12 c) 14 d) None of these. Correct answer: option c Explanation: The proportion can be expressed in a fraction in the form. This gives, m/8 = 7/4. Now multiply both sides of the equation by 7. This gives 7(m/ 7) = (7/4) * (8); m = 7 * 2 = 14. Hence the value of m for the given proportion is 14.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Top 15 States with the Most Remote Jobs - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Top 15 States with the Most Remote Jobs - Introvert Whisperer Top 15 States with the Most Remote Jobs Brie Weiler Reynolds May 5, 2019 Adaptability, Career Development No responses This article was originally published on Flexjobs.com Does it matter where you’re working from if you work from home? Many people think having a remote job will allow them to work from anywhere they choose, but the reality is much different. Close to 95% of remote jobs have location or geographic requirements. If you’re in the U.S. and would like to work from home,  FlexJobs has identified the top 15 states with the most remote jobs. While it seems plausible that remote jobs can be done from wherever a person lives, the truth is quite the opposite. About  95% of the remote job listings we see at FlexJobs give a specific location where professionals should be based, such as a city, state, region of a country, or country. And that’s really important for job seekers to know if they want to land a remote job. Why Do Remote Jobs Require a Location? The most common reasons employers offer for needing to have remote workers based in a specific area include legal, taxation, professional licensing, training, and regular in-person meetings. You can read explanations for each of these, along with five more reasons, on this post: “10 Reasons At-Home Jobs Require Locations.” So, if remote jobs usually have location requirements, where are the most remote jobs being offered? While there are remote jobs being offered in every state in the U.S., we’ve identified the 15 states with the most remote job opportunities. About the Top States with Remote Jobs FlexJobs analyzed tens of thousands of remote job listings posted in 2018 to find out which states had the highest number of remote job openings on FlexJobs. The 15 states identified on the list below had the highest number of remote jobs listed to FlexJobs in 2018. That means that remote jobs with state-specific criteria (meaning, candidates were required to be located in a certain place) were posted most often for these 15 states. California, Texas, and New York were the top three states with the highest number of remote job postings last year, with others such as North Carolina, Minnesota, and Massachusetts also included. The Top 15 States with the Most Remote Jobs The following 15 states had the highest number of remote job listings in 2018 and are high potential targets for job searchers in 2019. The top three most popular remote career categories in each state are also detailed below. Many of them are also included in  GOBankingRate’s study of the top states to find jobs. 1.  California Data Entry Legal Nonprofit Philanthropy 2.  Texas Data Entry Accounting Finance Software Development 3.  New York Data Entry Legal Accounting Finance 4.  Virginia Data Entry Computer IT Legal 5.  Florida Data Entry Legal Editing 6.  Illinois Graphic Design Data Entry Accounting Finance 7.  Pennsylvania Data Entry Computer IT Legal 8.  Georgia Data Entry Accounting Finance Computer IT 9.  North Carolina Data Entry Nonprofit Philanthropy Computer IT 10.  Massachusetts Data Entry Computer IT Accounting Finance 11.  Washington Data Entry Graphic Design Editing 12.  New Jersey Data Entry Legal HR Recruiting 13.  Arizona Nonprofit Philanthropy HR Recruiting Data Entry 14.  Minnesota Data Entry Accounting Finance Engineering 15.  Ohio HR Recruiting Data Entry Computer IT Trends in Remote Work Half-time remote workers gain back 11 days a yearâ€"time they would have otherwise spent commuting (the average daily commute is 26.1 minutes), according to the  2017 “State of Telecommuting” report. In more than half of the top U.S. metro areas  telecommuting exceeds public transportation as the commute option of choice. It has grown far faster than any other commute mode. FlexJobs’  U.S. Remote Job Market Map  offers additional important state-specific remote work statistics, such as the remote worker population, top cities within states for the most remote workers, most popular remote career categories, the state’s average commute time, state-specific flexible work policies, and general national remote work facts. Relatedly, according to a new report, between 2010 and 2017  16% of all white-collar jobs added to the economy have been filled by people primarily working from home. What if your state isn’t on this list? Here’s how to find remote jobs that let you work from wherever you’re located: From the  FlexJobs “Advanced Job Search” page, enter your location, either in the “U.S. Location” section, or by choosing your country from the “International” section. Then choose your remote work level and click the “Search for Jobs” button to see current listings that fit your criteria!

Photography Tips How To Take Good Photos

Photography Tips How To Take Good Photos How Can You Take Better Photos? ChaptersThe Ranking Of The Best Photography TutorialsHow To Take A Good Selfie?What Are The Best Photography Apps?What Are The Best Instagram Photography Accounts?Digital photography is a marvel that allows you to take as many pictures as your memory card will allow. But when it comes to photography, it is not the number of pictures that you take that guarantees a great result.Spotting scenes to photograph is essential, but having a good ‘eye’ is only part of the story. If you want to be more than merely a ‘good’ photographer, you have to learn how to take good photos and a unique mix of other skills; these skills include having to learn how to go about capturing that scene, then presenting that scene in your chosen image.Until you become committed to continually improving your photography techniques. You may find that your photographic skill remains good rather than great. To transform into the best version of yourself, capturing the greatest photographs possible you have to master your craft.Today I will show you some secrets for how to take better photoschannel shares cool photo tips to getting the most out of your camera. Subscribe to B and H Photo here.Bethany Kay Design Studio shares tips to start your photography business. Subscribe to Bethany Kay Design Studio here.The SLR Lounge channel they have made a community and share lots of tips including image editing. Subscribe to SLR Lounge here.Professional Photography Tips Channel introduces you to creative photography. Subscribe to Professional Photography Tips here.That Nikon guy shares tips on how to use Digital SLRs and cameras. Subscribe to That Nikon Guy here.PhotoRec is a great channel to learn about camera equipment. Subscribe to PhotoRec TV here.Peter McKinnon YouTube channel shares dramatic photography experiments and pushes the boundaries with inexpensive tips. Subscribe to Peter McKinnon here.Online tutorials give us the chance to learn in our own time, in a fun and engaging way. Photo S ource: UnsplashHow To Take A Good Selfie?A ‘selfie’ as the name suggests is about taking a photo of yourself. A casual kind of portrait photography ‘selfies’ have the power to communicate a lot more than the face staring out of them. And despite what people may commonly see, Selfies also offer the opportunity to be creative, experimental and genuine.Your selfie despite being a photo of a human face will be different from any other selfie out there. In fact, a selfie can be as unique as you are. One essential point to a fantastic selfie is to inject some of your personality into the picture. When you loosen up and allow who you are to show through in your photographs. Your selfie will naturally take on a genuine and emotional air that will make you not only seem much more photogenic but also friendly and approachable.While it is advisable to create your own style and express that within your selfies. Some essential photographic selfie tips and tricks can help to keep you prod ucing great photography and beautiful imagery.The Essential Cheat Sheet To The Best ShotsNatural light and daylight is there to be used and is some of the best available light to bring out your features. Take advantage of itPosture and posing, while posing for your selfie your stance is very important. You want to try to relax as much as possible and sit up straight, make sure your shoulders are loose and natural.Don’t just sit in the middle of the image, try to sit slightly to the side, with your eyes roughly a third of the way down the photo. This is called the rule of thirds, and it can give your photo a lovely natural feel while allowing you to use some of the negative space in the background creatively to capture an excitingWhen taking picture remember to be natural, if you are smiling then really Fake happiness always shows in the eyes and looks creepy and ingenuine rather than happy. People can tell if you are faking.Edit your selfies with photography apps and filters to gi ve them a new and interesting twist on the original picture.Lightroom will boost your camera to near DSLR functionality and give you the chance to take beautiful photos. Photo Source: UnsplashWhat Are The Best Photography Apps?Photography apps are becoming more and more popular as we share more and more of our lives online.  Apps have come to save the day to allow us to not only take great pictures but also to present our images to the world in the best possible light.Check out photography courses.Here Are 5 Apps To Raise Your Photography Game.The Snapseed app is Google's photo editor and is a complete photo editing app. It has an array of features that can help you to adjust and enhance your photos. Uniquely it also has technology that can improve the face, making it perfect for portraits including selfies. It has top of the line pro-level tools allowing professional photographers to work with RAW files, white balance and curve editing. While it has advanced features, it is also p erfect forInstagram app is a social sharing network with a focus on photography. It is one of the most popular social networks in the world. It even has an integrated photo editing capacity, using filters to give images a new look. Instagram is the place for photographers to come together and share imagery.Adobe Photoshop Lightroom app is a photography manager, but it also does more than that. Lightroom will boost your camera to near DSLR functionality and give you the chance to take beautiful photos the first time. This app captures, edits, and shares your images effortlessly.Pixlr app comes with over 2 million combinations for editing your photography. Full of simple effects like crop and rotate to more advanced tools like pro filters, pro-level editing to creative features like the collage feature, the typography feature, the colour splash feature and the sketch feature, but there are millions of combinations to choose from.Facetune App is an incredible app which is popular with Instagram users because it is so easy to use and gets such wondrous It is simple, customizable, and packs a punch in the editing department. This App focuses on editing faces, so it makes it perfect for selfies and portraits, this app would excel it making wedding picture more beautiful in the swipe of a finger.Spotting great scenes to photograph is essential. Photo Source: UnsplashWhat Are The Best Instagram Photography Accounts?Instagram is the strong social network that loves images. If YouTube is the online video god, then Instagram will be the in online photo god. With over 50 million images posted to Instagram every day (Quora), we apparently cannot help but make our image offerings daily and worship them.But with so many people using the Instagram network and so many photos, who are some of the best photographers on Instagram?Let’s Take A Look At The A Selection Of 5 Amazing PhotographersPaperBoyo shares his fine art photography vision by superimposing paper cutouts with di fferent landscapes. Follow: PaperBoyoBrahmino shares his fantasy world with gorgeous travel photography. Follow: BrahminoDavid Lloyd captures breath taking images of animals in his wildlife photography. Follow: DavidOmar Z. Robles loves photographing dancers, allowing his shutter to illuminate and immortalise Follow: OmarSebastian Kim has photographed every model, his fashion photography has the power to transform his subject just with different angles and framing. Follow: SebastianNo matter what kind of photographer you want to be, think about how you can learn or improve your skills continually. To be able to be the best at grasping the photo opportunities before you, you must to be trained and ready to snap. When you know the best way to capture your vision in a photograph, you will find taking better pictures effortless.Look up photography courses.Happy snapping!

How Long Does It Take to Learn Guitar

How Long Does It Take to Learn Guitar Suzy S. Beginning guitar lessons can be exciting!   But if youre expecting to wake up the morning after your first lesson and suddenly have killer technique, think again.   So how long will it really take to learn?   Unfortunately, theres no straightforward answer.   Check out Beverly Hills instructor Adam S.s take on the frequently asked question: How long will it take me to learn how to play a song? Its a common question I get from many of my beginner students. The answer is different for everyone, but I always preface the fact that it comes down to practicing.   I strongly recommend practicing for a minimum of 15 minutes each day.   That way, you will definitely start to see improvement within a short amount of time â€" usually within a few weeks. For beginners, I recommend starting out by learning the basic open chords.   These chords are: A, A minor, B7, C, C7, D, D minor, D7, E, E minor, E7, F, G and G7. With the knowledge of just these 14 chords (or even just some of them), you will be able to play literally hundreds of songs!   A ton of pop, rock and blues songs utilize the basic open chords.   Most beginner guitar method books should have a chord chart (usually in the back section) that will show you a visual image of how to play them all. This is my BEST advice for beginners, and I see positive results every time. Keep it simple: learn the basic open chords and practice them for 15 minutes per day.   Each week it will get easier and soon you will be able to play an actual song by knowing a few of the open chords.   In time, you may even be able to write your own songs! Adam S. teaches bass guitar, guitar, music performance, music recording, music theory, and songwriting to students of all ages in Beverly Hills, CA. Adam joined the TakeLessons team in June 2012, with over nearly 20 years of experience teaching. Sign up for lessons with Adam, or visit TakeLessons to search for a teacher near you! 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 blvesboy.

Where Can I Give Portuguese Lessons

Where Can I Give Portuguese Lessons Where Can I Give Lessons in Portuguese? ChaptersThe Case for Learning PortugueseTeaching Portuguese in SchoolsPortuguese Language Courses in a Training CentreGiving Portuguese Courses IndependentlyIf we were to write ‘anywhere you please!’ as an answer to that question, this would be a very short article indeed!The fact is, if the conditions are right, you could indeed teach Portuguese anywhere you’d like, from the coffee shop on the corner to the community centre in your neighbourhood; on a college campus or in a classroom.“What conditions apply?” - you might ask.That is the topic your Superprof is going to talk about today.psychological and physical impacts of such an ability are impressive.People who are bilingual are better multitaskers or, conversely, are better able to focus on their task at hand. Furthermore, science has proven that language learning  at any age can stave off dementia and other age-related illnesses.Learning a new language significantly improves memory, sharpens your listening skills and c an even give you a broader worldview.That’s all well and good, but why should one learn Portuguese, specifically?It isn’t even listed in the top 5 languages to study, nor is Portugal’s or Brazil’s economy such that those countries would be considered powerful economic entities any time soon.It is true that learning Italian, learning French and learning German all figure prominently in the British Council’s report of languages that should be taught in schools, along with Mandarin Chinese and Arabic.However, Portuguese is a Romance language, on par with French, Spanish, Italian and Slavic and, once you speak one such language, it is hardly a jump of intellect to master the others.You might say that learning Portuguese provides one with a gateway to other Romance languages, even if it is the lesser chosen one for language study.The next argument would be whether to learn Brazilian Portuguese or European Portuguese.Here we posit a different but equally valid hypothesis: langua ge and culture are intimately intertwined.So, if your intent is to learn a new language in order to appreciate world cultures, Portuguese studies would have you covered because you will be introduced to Brazilian culture as well as Portuguese culture.If your motivation for learning a language is to enjoy all of the benefits you would derive from such an activity, again Portuguese is the answer.By offering two distinct linguistic flavours under the same name, people studying Portuguese may meet broader horizons than if they focused on only one tongue.And, the fact that Portuguese could lead to further language learning down the road is just icing on the cake!All of this will aid you in marketing your language skills and in enticing others that they, too, could speak Portuguese.When one thinks of Portuguese lessons, naturally a classroom comes to mind Source: Pixabay Credit: WokandapixTeaching Portuguese in SchoolsTop of the line in desirability must surely be a bona fide teaching pos ition in a public, private or independent school.The challenge comes in finding a school that offers language classes in Portuguese: as previously stated, GCSE statistics indicate other Romance languages and Chinese take top spots.Here, you will need to sell the idea of Portuguese classes; a task that might be made easier by pointing out some of the information in the first segment of this article.You will have to have some qualifications to teach in such an educational facility.If you are a native speaker of Portuguese, you may have to prove your English language capability, perhaps through an IELTS or TOEFL test result.If you are bilingual, you will have to prove your ability to speak Portuguese, perhaps by providing a CAPLE or CEPLE-Bras exam result.Furthermore, whether a Portuguese native speaker or bilingual English speaker, you must have attained at least a bachelor’s degree, and you must be in possession of a Qualified Teacher’s Certificate or QTS.Note: if you were a teac her in Portugal, you should be able to expedite your QTS application.Unfortunately, Brazil not being in the European Economic Area, if that is your home country, you will have to take the circuitous path to attain your teaching credentials.Teaching Portuguese Courses at UniversityIn order to give Portuguese classes at undergraduate level in any university in the UK, you must hold at least a Master’s degree in your chosen major.If you wish to teach at the graduate level, you must hold a doctorate; the general rule of thumb being that you must be one level higher than the students you teach.At these educational levels, no QTS is needed; however, all other criteria apply.Portuguese Language Courses in a Training CentreIn spite of the admittedly lackadaisical showing in language learning in secondary schools, if the number of language training centres around the country is any testament, there are plenty of people who want to learn a language.Why not Portuguese?At such facilities, you r fluency in Portuguese would be an asset!On the plus side, teaching conversational Portuguese or Portuguese for business at such a language school would present you with students who have demonstrated a desire to learn.They sought your language course out, after all, and are paying good money to learn Portuguese words and phrases.As with teaching in a public school or uni, language training centres offer you set hours and perhaps even teaching materials, such as textbooks and workbooks.You may want to discover resources for your Portuguese courses...On the negative side, you may not be permitted to inject your own curriculum into your teaching; most centres have their own, proven method of teaching language already in place.And, you may not earn as much as you thought.While language instruction is generally not considered an inexpensive proposition (if it were, more people might do so!) you will only see a portion of the high fees the clients pay.And, you may not have the right to dismiss students who are negligent in their studies.In short, choosing this option to teach your native language is a balancing act: do the pluses outweigh the minuses for you?If so, this would be a great option to explore.However, if you want the freedom to teach grammar, vocabulary and Portuguese pronunciation as you see fit, only to the students you find desirable and within the schedule that suits you the best, going independent would be your optimal choice.We're not being facetious: you may teach Portuguese anywhere you feel comfortable! Source: Pixabay Credit: SasintGiving Portuguese Courses IndependentlyWhether you learned Portuguese speaking in schools or from birth â€" it is your native tongue, teaching people how to speak the language you love independent of any facility or institution gives you the greatest freedom:to set your scheduleto select your studentsto devise your curriculumto choose and design your teaching materialsto plan your lessonsto set your prices per less onYou could teach in your home, in your clients’ homes, in a rented classroom or in a mutually convenient, prearranged location. You could even teach Portuguese in your local coffee shop or restaurant!You may choose to teach small children using the immersion method or offer test prep to GCSE or A-Levels students.You might help adults learn to speak basic Portuguese and suitable expressions ahead of their holiday cruise to Lisbon or approach international businesses with the idea of teaching business Portuguese onsite, to select members of their staff.You could volunteer your time for Portuguese lessons at your local library and/or community centre, host a Brazilian culture event to introduce people to the language and culture of that country...This is what we meant at the start of this article: the possibilities are endless!You could also host online lessons.If you live outside of any metropolitan centre, perhaps teaching Portuguese online would give you the greatest opportunity to reach any learner in need of your particular brand of pedagogy and your Portuguese proficiency.Naturally, you would need to prepare for such courses slightly differently than for classes conducted face to face and you would need a decent webcam and a good set of headphones.Beyond that, giving lessons online cuts virtually all of your overhead out!No travelling to clients’ homes, no going out in bad weather, no renting classrooms or buying coffees so that you may occupy a seat in their shop for the duration of your lessons...From the comfort of your home, you can show your online students Powerpoint slides, teach them how to conjugate irregular verbs, listen to them pronounce sounds that don’t exist in English...listen as they become fluent in your preferred language.There are so many different ways you could teach Portuguese in this country! Some of them require more time, officialdom and sacrifice on your part, and some less. Some offer more opportunity for diversity in teac hing and some can be downright restrictive.Why not ask any of Uk’s 300 Portuguese Superprofs their thoughts on the subject?Now discover this handy template for giving Portuguese lessons...

10 Facts About France

10 Facts About France Interesting Facts About France Chapters1. There are volcanoes in the middle of France2. Before the Romans came, the language spoken in France was Gaulish3. The first dynasty of French kings was polygamous4. The Château de Versailles had bathrooms - and toilets5. There are French schools all over the world6. French toast was a way of using old bread7. Eiffel built himself a “secret” apartment atop the Eiffel Tower8. The Paris Opera breeds trout and bees9. French is spoken in some areas of India10. The French flag honours the royal houseAre you taking French courses or learning French on your own? Want to know more about the fascinating country that brought us baguette and bérets? Read on! Here on Superprof we have collected 10 fun facts you probably didn’t know all about France. AnnieFrench Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolineFrench Teacher 5.00 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriFrench Teacher 5.00 (9) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarianneFrench Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThibautFrench Teacher 5.00 (3) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickFrench Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DéborahFrench Teacher 5.00 (10) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamyFrench Teacher 5.00 (2) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors1. There are volcanoes in the middle of FranceThe centre of France is dominated by the Massif Central, a  mountain range  so old that, in some places, they are barely worthy of the name, so well has erosion done its work. It is separated from the Alps by the Rhone valley. It is older than the Alps and the Pyrenees.Some of the mountains  used to be active volcanoes. But don’t worry, the last eruption dates to 4040 BC, before the invention of writing and long before steel was first smelted.The Massif Central is a chain of mountains in France with extinct volcanoes. Photo credit: alpha du centaure on Vi sualhunt.com2. Before the Romans came, the language spoken in France was GaulishJulius Caesar wrote a memoir about it, Goscinny and Uderzo made a comic about it: the Romans invaded a territory called Gaul around 58-50 BC, subjugating the entire area of what is now France. (All? No, one little village…) The people who lived there were Celts, distantly related to the Celts of Britain and Ireland. The Gauls had similar gods and spoke a similar language - Gaulish. But Gaulish was already a language in its own right, similar to Old Briton, Welsh and Cornish but differing from the Celtic languages that would later become Manx and Scottish and Irish Gaelic.Gaulish was spoken in most of the territories of what is now France, except for   Aquitaine, where a precursor of Basque was spoken.Very little Gaulish survives in the French language (about 150-180 words, plus their derivatives), which is based almost entirely on Latin. Poor Asterix.On the other hand, one of Gaul's largest cities, Lut etia, situated along the Seine river, is still alive and thriving as the city of Paris.3. The first dynasty of French kings was polygamousOut of the chaos following the disintegration of the Roman Empire, various Germanic tribes migrated throughout Europe, founding new countries. The most successful were the Franks, establishing a kingdom that, at its height, encompassed most of France and a great part of what is now Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.The first dynasty of Frankish kings were called the Merovingians, after a semi-mythical founder called Merovech. And although they were Christians after Merovech’s grandson Clovis (an early form of the name Louis) had himself baptised, that didn’t stop the kings of the Franks from having several wives.This is somewhat controversial among scholars, as some suggest that they married the women successively - putting one aside before marrying the other. However, the dates support a royal practice of polygamy as many first queens are still mentioned after the king had married a second woman. The practice continued until Charlemagne outlawed multiple marriages.They also attached great importance to the royal locks - the long, flowing hair sported by the Frankish kings and considered to be the embodiment of their royal power.Discover the best French lessons on Superprof.4. The Château de Versailles had bathrooms - and toiletsLook up “fun facts about French history” and you will generally find a part about the stink of the French court under King Louis XIV in the 17th century. He had a new palace built at the palace of Versailles, some ways outside of Paris, to be safe from the Parisian mobs that terrorised his childhood while he lived at the Louvre, as well as keep as many of the nobles as possible under his eye. It is one of the most visited places in France.Supposedly, the new administrative capital of France made up in splendour what it lacked in hygiene. We know this from eyewitnesses who write about the stink of unwashed bodies, urine and faeces in the palace and gardens.However, Versailles definitely had the facilities.It is true that people of that time did not bathe every day. Prolonged immersion in water was thought to spread diseases. But it was considered proper to wash with a damp towel soaked in a little water or perfume, which would have been made with alcohol, which has hygienic properties. Bathing was a pleasure, and the king of France  had his own bathing rooms and installed public baths for the use of the court.Hygiene was actually a big concern for Louis XIV when building Versailles, with public bathrooms, baths and sewers installed. Photo credit: Jose Losada Foto on VisualHunt.comNor was there any need to relieve yourself in the corridors. There were public bathrooms at Versailles to accommodate 300 people, and guests could always flag a passing servant to bring them their master’s toilet chair.The first toilet with running water was installed in 1727, and there wa s a series of drainages and pipes that shunted the waste out of the palace and into surrounding marshes.So why did Versailles stink? If the eye- (or nose-) witnesses were there during large events, people may have been reluctant to give up their place and miss seeing the king just to have a piss. Or they were guests unaware of the amenities. And just because something was proper doesn’t mean that everyone practised it.When you visit France, you should definitely take a tour of the palace of Versailles and see the place where Marie Antoinette lived. It is very different from the châteaux of the Loire valley, another tourist attraction you should include in your trip to France. AnnieFrench Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolineFrench Teacher 5.00 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriFrench Teacher 5.00 (9) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarianneFrench Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutor s ThibautFrench Teacher 5.00 (3) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickFrench Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DéborahFrench Teacher 5.00 (10) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamyFrench Teacher 5.00 (2) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors5. There are French schools all over the worldFrench people like to think that French is still the “lingua franca”, the go-to language when two people from different countries meet. This is sadly no longer the case, but there is still an impressive amount of French speakers scattered throughout the world. Some live in countries where France is still the mother tongue or at least an official language. Others are French diplomats and employees of the large multinational firms that support the French economy, who are often posted abroad. There is even a little French-speaking enclave on the English channel islands.Therefore, the French government started establishing French sc hools  abroad where class is taught in French, not only in its overseas  colonies  and territories such as Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and various African countries, but in almost all the major cities throughout the world. The difference between the Lycées Français and other international schools is that they all follow the French curriculum, so that a French expat can move from city to city, and go back to living in France, and be assured that his child will not constantly find itself skipping a class or forced to redo a year.This makes the French school system very popular with other diplomats (for example members of the UN) and other people who are forced to move regularly.6. French toast was a way of using old breadA lot of things labelled as “French” are not (in France, a French braid is called a “natte Africaine”), but though French toast may exist in other countries as well, it is very popular in France. This traditional French food is called “pain perd u”, or “lost bread”. It could also be called “recovered bread” as it was a simple means of recovering bread that had hardened and would otherwise have been difficult to eat. Even poorer households, in the country at least, had access to milk and eggs, and so the hard bread was soaked in a mixture of the two until it softened, and then fried and served with butter or honey.Though it is true that snail (escargot) and frog's legs are part of French cuisine, not everyone will eat them. Foie gras is for festive occasions, such as Bastille Day (the French national holiday), but pain perdu is a staple of French breakfast, even if it is not as popular as the croissant.7. Eiffel built himself a “secret” apartment atop the Eiffel TowerGustave Eiffel is best known for the eponymous tower of steel he built for the 1889 World Fair in the capital city of Paris. He also built the scaffolding that keeps the Statue of Liberty upright and was the head of the whole monumental project.Tho ugh the Eiffel Tower, now one of the monuments synonymous with French culture (together with the Arc de Triomphe, the pyramid of the Louvre museum, French cheese and French wine) was originally meant to be dismantled after twenty years, Eiffel thought it would be a very clever thing to have his own private apartment inside where he could receive honoured guests - mostly scientists and intellectuals (it had its own miniature lab). He reportedly received offers of thousands of francs to rent it out, but always refused.The apartment is on the third platform  and is now open to the public. Tourists  can admire wax figures of Eiffel and Thomas Edison (one of his special guests) in the cosy room.8. The Paris Opera breeds trout and beesSpeaking of secret apartments, anyone who has seen (or read) The  Phantom of the Opera knows about the underground lake in the cellar of the celebrated  Parisian Opéra Garnier, where the Phantom had his hideout.    What they might not know is that the lake is real, and that it has been used to breed trout.An opera house is a heavy sort of building and needs proper foundations. But the high water table in that area of Paris meant that the opera would often have had its cellars flooded - the place where all the expensive props, costumes and backdrops are stored. So instead the architect built the flooding into the building. A large vaulted area, supported on sturdy stone columns, provides a space for the water when the water table is high, with the actual storage cellars built above it. Alas, there is no secret apartment where a deformed man once lived and wrote horrifying music. You can rent the Phantom’s box (Number 5), though, to watch the internationally acclaimed productions.The entrance to the cistern in the foundations of the Opéra Garner, where Gaston Leroux set his Phantom of the Opera. By FR (Own work) via Wikimedia CommonsFor some time, trout were kept in the lake. This seems to no longer be the case, but the roof still ha s beehives  - you can buy the honey in the opera’s gift shop. When visiting France, you should definitely see the opera house. Tours don't include the reservoir, but they often have costume exhibitions and the architecture is splendid.9. French is spoken in some areas of IndiaIf you know a little about French history and colonialism, you would expect French to be spoken in Africa and maybe parts of the Caribbean (and the Quebec region of Canada), but India belonged to the English, right?Well, partly right. With the fall of the Mughal Empire in India and the lucre of tea and cotton shining in their eyes, many European powers sought to gain control, among them the English, Dutch and also the French. This was both helped along and hindered by the fact that the Indians were busy fighting amongst themselves as  each local ruler declared himself the rightful heir to the next Mughal Empire. This made them susceptible to European envoys waving gold in front of their faces, and European ar mies with more men to add to their cause.The wars in India where Wellesly, later Duke of Wellington, cut his strategist teeth were as much between the European powers as between the Indian royal houses. In that chaos, England emerged mostly victorious, but France managed to acquire and hold on to the regions of what is now Punducherry and Chandannagar.In the spirit of decolonisation, the two regions were given to India when it received its independence, but French remains an official language of those provinces.10. The French flag honours the royal houseWhen the French revolutionaries first donned the tricolore - the cockade of blue, white and red that later became the flag of France - they weren’t being so revolutionary after all. The first cockades were only blue and red, in the colours of the flag of the city of Paris. General Lafayette suggested adding white to represent royalty - in fact, the royal arms also incorporated the colours blue, white and red, colours often found in the French flags of the past.The French flag of red, white and blue isn't that revolutionary in colour. Photo on VisualHunt.comAs much as “à bas les aristos!” has become a byword for the French revolution, at first all the people wanted was adequate representation in the États-Généraux (a form of parliament that actually only convened at the king’s convenience) and affordable bread. First forays into democracy were along the lines of a constitutional monarchy. But both the king’s endless dithering and the rise of political fundamentalism that sent as many revolutionaries as aristocrats to the guillotine led to the sort of climate that made the king fear for his life and that of his family.Caught while attempting to flee for Austria (someone recognised his profile from a coin), this was the last straw for the French people who felt the king had betrayed them. The king died (though the monarchy was re-instituted twice in the following century), but the royal colours remai n on the French flag - though some argue that the white represented the kingdom of France and its people, not the monarchy itself.For lessons in the capital, search online for 'french classes london'.

Making the Most of School

Making the Most of School School is obviously a place for learning, but the experience is so much more than just classes and books. Through school, children learn about how to become independent people, how to work with others, the importance of discipline and more. In many ways, school is what your child makes of itand the more effort he or she puts in, the more equipped your child will be for college and life success. Here are several ways your child can make the most of school and the overall experience: Get to know teachers. It may sound obvious, but both you and your child should spend time getting to know his or her teachers. They are your first point of contact at school and the people to turn to when needing help or guidance. Reach out to these individuals early in the school year and stay in touchand encourage your child to do the same. A positive, communicative relationship with your childs teachers will provide your child with the support needed to learn effectively. Take advantage of the wealth of resources available. When your child is young, make sure you are in contact with the appropriate school staff members who can help your child acquire needed skills and stay engaged in the classroom. These people might include the librarian, gifted/talented specialist or reading specialist. As your child grows older, encourage him or her to take the initiative to seek out help when needed. Your child should always talk to teachers when questions or problems arise, as they can work with your child individually and make sure his or her needs are being met. Look for character-building opportunities. Getting involved at school will benefit your child in numerous ways. Extracurricular activities are not only a wonderful way for children to get to know other students and have fun, they promote leadership skills, build organizational and time management skills, teach collaboration with all different types of people and teach children to balance multiple responsibilities outside of school. Seek out a mentor. When your child is in high school, encourage him or her to find a teacher or coach who can serve as an informal mentor. Mentors can play an important role in a students support system in high school and can serve as a sounding board and confidant. They can help students navigate challenges and set goals, push them to advocate for themselves, and even offer college and career advice. Keep college and career top of mind. It is never too soon to start thinking about collegeand your childs primary and secondary school experiences lay the foundation for college and adulthood. Talk with your child about college from a young age and discuss different careers that might be of interest one day. Your child should talk with teachers and mentors about college and careers as well. Dont forget to take advantage of any opportunities offered by your school or community for students to learn about college and the application process or explore careers. A well-rounded school experience should include more than just the academics, so teach your child to make the most of school by utilizing resources available, seeking out help when needed, building relationships with teachers and others, and getting involved. As a bonus, youll find that by teaching your child to look for ways to enhance the school experience, you are encouraging independence, maturity, and self-advocacy. Teach your child today to make the most of school, and he or she will undoubtedly apply that same assiduous attitude in college and beyond.