Saturday, March 28, 2020

Find a Good Oxford Chinese Tutor

Find a Good Oxford Chinese TutorIf you have decided to learn the Chinese language from an Oxford Chinese tutor, then you are making a sensible decision. Chinese is becoming increasingly popular for communication and entertainment purposes, and English is losing ground as a foreign language used by foreigners and businesses that need to communicate in a way that will be understood by those they do business with. Learning a second language is the best way to keep up with the times and keep your options open.When you choose an Oxford Chinese tutor for your language study, you will be taught an audio/video course that will lead you through each step of the process, which includes basic spoken and written communication techniques. In essence, this will help you build your confidence and give you the tools to succeed in your life in general.By working with an Oxford Chinese tutor, you can see first hand the dynamic patterns that will form the foundation of your language skills. What you he ar will be natural and match the way you speak. This will allow you to master basic communication skills without any glaring mistakes that would be noticeable to most native speakers.After your communication skills are established, you can use these principles to practice your spoken and written Mandarin Chinese for speaking and writing for your daily use. At this point, you will be fluent and at a top speed of fluency in your chosen language. You will quickly learn how to communicate effectively and confidently with anyone, anywhere, with ease.The best Oxford Chinese tutor can lead you through the whole process to enhance your skills and communication ability. It may be a group course or a self-paced one, but whichever course you choose, you will be going through the same process. A good tutor will help you integrate the language techniques into your everyday activities and daily life so that you can be much more productive and successful with your business and personal life.If you are new to the language and want to learn how to speak the language, an Oxford Chinese tutor can really assist you in this process. You will be getting more exposure to the basics and more practice with the language, which is essential if you want to improve the level of your spoken and written fluency and use it in daily situations. If you take a break from your studies, you can get a refresher course in a few weeks, which is good for your career as well as your personal development.An Oxford Chinese tutor is a great way to learn the language at a very reasonable price. You will be receiving a very thorough education that is focused on practice and advanced proficiency at speed. So once you have taken the initial steps toward speaking and writing in your new language, you will be ready to take on more difficult subjects and become a more effective communicator.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Morning Mix August 22

Morning Mix August 22 Image: By Spc. Daniel Love, U.S. Army, via Wikimedia CommonsTopping the morning news are roundups of President Trumps speech to the nation last night, in which he announced plans to continue U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, a conflict that has been going on for almost 16 years, making it the longest military campaign in American history. Some news outlets reported the president plans to send 4,000 additional troops to the country. POTUS DOES WHAT EVERYONE SAID NOT TO DO AND THE INTERNET WENT NUTS Your glasses! Put on your glasses! (Image via YouTube) As we wrote yesterday, your Mom probably already texted you about 10 times, Dont look at the Eclipse without glasses. Be careful you dont want to go blind! (Sun emoji, sunglasses emoji, heart emoji). But the POTUS is all about doing whatever he wants. And though the he only glanced up at the sun for a few seconds yesterday, the Internet had a lot of fun the moment. The Huffington Post rounded up some of the funnier reactions.   But did the POTUS hurt his eyes? Did Trump hurt his eyes when he looked at the eclipse? @jameshamblin investigates https://t.co/tlVYmXr6cV pic.twitter.com/xF11svJRD8 â€" The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) August 22, 2017 STUDY: TEENS ARE LEAVING FACEBOOK FASTER THAN EVER BEFORE, HEADING TO INSTAGRAM AND SNAPCHAT (Image: Luke Porter on Unsplash) A study by research firm Emarketer  claims that  Facebook’s user base among 12- to 17-year-olds in the U.S. will shrink by 3.4 percent in 2017, as reported by Recode.  While thats not great news for Facebook, the study found that many of those teens are deleting Facebook and turning to Instagram, which Facebook owns. And Recode reported that Snapchat will be bigger than both Facebook and Instagram in the 12- to 17-year-old and 18- to 24-year-old categories by the end of the year. That would be a first. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS REMOVES  CONFEDERATE STATUES Robert E. Lee statue at the University of Texas was removed Monday night. (Image: JW1805, via Wikimedia Commons)The Associated Press reported this morningthat the school  quickly removed statues of Robert E. Lee and other prominent Confederate figures overnight from the main area of the Austin campus early Monday, just hours after the schools president ordered they be taken down.  There were some minor arguments as the area was roped off, but overall the scene was peaceful, the AP reported. Statues of  Lee, Confederate Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston and Confederate Postmaster General John H. Reagan were removed. Are there any Confederate statues or monuments in your area? Any plans to remove them? Let us know. And you can always send us a news tip or story idea by emailing  storyideas@uloop.com. AND FINALLY, HERE ARE 15 ITEMS TO KEEP AT YOUR DESK TO REDUCE STRESS Mmmmm, snacks. (Image: Pixbay) Because, classes.  Lorena Roberts  from The University of Tennessee  lays out 15 easy ways to make returning to the grind of classes and reading and papers a little easier. And yes, snacks. Because, for real: Classes are starting again and so are my tears â€" College Student (@ColIegeStudent) August 21, 2017 If you made it all the way down here, thanks for reading. Now go out there and crush Tuesday, OK?

Pioneer World School

Pioneer World School Pioneer World School Pioneer World School is run by Shakuntala Trust - a non-profit organization supported by a parent organization involved in setting up schools and primary health clinics as part of its community outreach initiative. Through Pioneer, the Trust intends to create a truly international school that nurtures learners to become responsible and capable world citizens. With a strong focus on outcome-based learning, Pioneer has been conceptualized to foster creativity and application ability through personal attention to childrens learning needs. The School offers Toddler to Grade 12 learning based on a modern curriculum standard that prepares children to achieve their true individual potential in a socially active community. Pioneer World School of Hyderabad empowers every learner with the experience, knowledge, skills and disposition to be an architect of their own future. We are a community that learns together and contributes to the greater benefit of others in Hyderabad and beyond. Hyderabad is a city emerging as an Indian and global center of 21st Century economic and cultural development. Information, biotechnical and other high tech industries craft an ethos of innovation with roots firmly planted in our rich cultural history as a center of diverse peoples living harmoniously together. The learning program at the Pioneer World School captures and integrates this rich ensemble of culture, technology, diversity and arts; in its pursuit of authentic and meaningful learning. We work through integrating the context of STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) as a lens to explore the world around us, understand the discoveries of the past, and the possibilities we can create together for the future. The foundation of our STEAM curriculum program is CAIE ( Cambridge Standards). This highly regarded standards framework is focused on challenging and engaging students, to promote deeper learning and develop critical thinking skills.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

The American School of Kuwait

The American School of Kuwait The American School of Kuwait The American School of Kuwait, founded in 1964, is an independent, co-educational, college preparatory school that follows an American curriculum and prepares its 2,037 students for entry into US colleges and universities. The American School of Kuwait operates with the approval of the State of Kuwait and is associated with the US State Department through the Office of Overseas Schools. The schools testing programs include the PSAT, SAT, ACT and MAP. The language of instruction is English and Arabic, while French and Spanish are taught as foreign languages. The elementary program features specialists in science, art, language, computer studies, music, drama and physical education. The middle school, which includes sixth through eighth grades, uses a comprehensive curriculum following a rotation schedule. The high school currently offers twenty AP courses. Guidance counselors are employed at each level. There are 183 full-time faculty members in the 2016-2017 school year, including 95 American and 31 Canadian citizens.

How To Improve Your Organic Chemistry Grades

How To Improve Your Organic Chemistry GradesWhen you need help with organic chemistry, you can turn to the organic chemistry tutor to help you learn and improve your grades. There are many ways that you can improve your grades in this class. Here are some tips to keep in mind.First, when it comes to organic chemistry your grades are important. You do not want to make excuses for why you cannot or do not want to do well. If you are always caught up in the negativity then you will not be able to reach your goals and dreams. When you feel down or frustrated, you will not be able to learn and improve your grades.It is a good way to motivate yourself when you are feeling down. Get up and begin doing something productive. Set a goal for yourself. Be sure that you set a goal that you know that you will be able to accomplish. Use the triangle technique to accomplish this.Second, it is important to make sure that you schedule some personal time with yourself. Whether you want to read a book, watch a movie, or get some exercise it is important to have some down time in your life. Just take a few minutes out of your day and find some things that you enjoy doing. Set aside some time to do those things that you enjoy.Third, your ability to think logically and correctly can get you very far in this class. Make sure that you learn a lot of new techniques that you can use to think the right way in order to succeed. There are many books and online tutorials that will help you learn these techniques.Fourth, if you do not pay attention to the directions that you are given it is likely that you will fail. When you are assigned a task itis very important that you take the time to carefully follow the instructions. The best way to do this is to make sure that you have all of the information needed before you begin working on your assignment.All of these tips can help you learn and improve your grades in this subject. Find an organic chemistry tutor that will help you improve your gr ades in this class.

Spanish Tutor in Tampa

Spanish Tutor in TampaThe Spanish tutor in Tampa is part of a wide network of Spanish tutors working in the US. They are primarily experienced in the treatment of students who have difficulty speaking the language. If you are looking for a great way to improve your Spanish language skills, then the Tampa Spanish tutor would be a great place to start. They have many resources available for you to learn Spanish through online lessons.There are many ways you can learn the language online and the Tampa Spanish tutor is one of them. They offer Spanish classes and online learning as well. All you need to do is get enrolled into a class and you will be able to take the online course with the support of the local Spanish tutor.Some of the online tutors in Tampa are experts in teaching the language and know the areas that students need help with. In order to become better qualified, you will need to check with the university and find out if they offer courses. This is a great opportunity for those who want to learn more about the Spanish language and don't want to take classes from their own teachers. They can give them a better education in their native language.Many people try to save money on the online study and this can mean a lot of disappointment. It is very important to budget your time to ensure that you will have enough time to learn the language. The language is not going to be taken lightly as you need to know all there is to know about it before taking the classes.The classes at the Tampa Spanish tutor are meant to be fun as they involve the fun and exciting things that are associated with learning. They have a wide range of activities available for the student. The course will take approximately thirty minutes to complete and the tuition fee is one of the first things you will see on the online course.The lessons are targeted at those who want to learn the language for career reasons or to live abroad and a new language is part of that. They will teach stu dents at different levels and their approach is to teach them at the level where they will benefit most. There are also different levels for different levels of proficiency, so you can always advance depending on your level of skill.With this kind of a program, you are guaranteed to learn how to speak the language. If you already have experience speaking English and want to learn more about the language, you may also consider enrolling into a Tampa Spanish tutor program.

What Are the Main Differences between English and Dutch Grammar

What Are the Main Differences between English and Dutch Grammar Get to know these 5 Key Grammatical Differences between the Dutch and the English Language Chapters1. Word order - one of the biggest grammatical differences between Dutch and English2. Different Usage of Verb Tenses in English and Dutch Grammar3. The Lack of Auxiliaries in Dutch Grammar4. Singular Pronouns in Dutch: ‘Iedereen’ is Used for Both ‘Anyone’ and ‘Everyone’5. The pronoun ‘Het’ (‘It’) is Used for Both Singular and Plural Forms of NounsDid you know that Dutch and English are actually very close relatives? Since Dutch and English are both West Germanic languages, the two have many (grammatical) similarities. It is even said that Dutch is the easiest foreign language to learn for English speakers because of the big resemblance between the two.Were you aware, for example, that many English words actually have been adopted from the Dutch language? And similarly, the Dutch use a lot of English words in their day-to-day conversations, many of which have even been included in the Dutch dictionary. Click here to learn more on English words with a Dutch origin.So even if Dutch is not your native language, you haven’t studied it and you haven’t even been to the Netherlands yet, you might speak more Dutch than you think. Just have a look at some of these words: appel, peer, tomaat, banaan, koekje, schoen, blauw, groen, bruin, rood. Can you guess what they are?‘Koekje erbij?’ Photo via visualhunt.com.And what is more, if you find yourself really struggling to get your point across in Dutch, it is perfectly acceptable to just throw in a couple of English terms, the Dutch do this themselves all the time anyway.Of course, as with any two languages, there are also many differences between the two. Fairly obvious ones are of course differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, phrases, expressions, etc. And although the basic grammar of both of these languages is similar, there are certainly differences there, too.If you speak English and want to learn Dutch, it might be a good idea to study some of the main differences betw een English and Dutch grammar. And you’re in luck because that happens to be the main focus of this article. So, let’s get on with it, shall we? JessicaDutch Teacher 5.00 (5) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NaomiDutch Teacher £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EliseDutch Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MichelleDutch Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CéliaDutch Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VanshikaDutch Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MichelleDutch Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LizaDutch Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors1. Word order - one of the biggest grammatical differences between Dutch and EnglishOne of the most significant differences between English and Dutch grammar is word order. Both Dutch and English use the SVO pattern (subject â€" verb â€" object) as a basic sentence structure. Still, the word order that is u sed in the two languages does not always follow the same pattern.Finite and non-finite verbsOne of the main differences in word order is that in Dutch the finite verb is separated from the non-finite verb. The two are separated by adverbials. To make this a bit more clear, let's use an example: ‘Kees gaat morgen winkelen in Rotterdam’.Following the Dutch word order, this would be translated into ‘Kees is going tomorrow shopping in Rotterdam’. Of course, using correct English, you would keep the finite and non-finite verb together (‘Kees is going shopping in Rotterdam tomorrow’). Although this sentence is an exception, in most cases the finite verb is placed at the end of the sentence in Dutch.Sentences that don’t start with a subjectAnother difference in word order occurs when sentences don’t start with the sentence’s subject. So, for example, you can say ‘on Friday we eat Belgian fries’ (which was actually one of few traditions in my childhood home). In Dutch, this would translate to ‘op vrijdag eten we Belgische frietjes’. If you know how to speak a bit of Dutch, you would have noticed that the subject ‘we’ and the verb ‘eat’ have swapped places here.Belgian fries on Friday. Photo via visualhunt.com.Sentences that start with subordinate clausesA similar difference in word order occurs when a sentence starts with a subordinate clause. For example: ‘if you’re going to Holland, I’ll come with you’. Or in Dutch: ‘als jij naar Holland gaat, kom ik met je mee’. Using the Dutch word order, the English translation would be: ‘if you’re to Holland going, come I with you’.2. Different Usage of Verb Tenses in English and Dutch GrammarBoth Dutch and English have four basic verb tenses: the present simple, past simple, present perfect and the past perfect. However, these tenses are not always used in the same way in both languages. A common mistake that Dutch people make while they speak English is using the present perf ect where the past simple should be used.For example, in English you would say: ‘she learned some Afrikaans yesterday’. But a Dutch person might easily make the mistake of using the present perfect here and say ‘she has learned some Afrikaans yesterday’. This is because of how you would structure this sentence according to Dutch grammar rules. In Dutch you would use the present perfect: ‘zij heeft gister Afrikaans geleerd’.Another common mix-up of tenses between Dutch and English is using the present simple instead of the future simple. Whereas in Dutch, using the present simple in ‘I teach you how to speak Dutch tomorrow’ is completely correct, in English, the future simple would be used: ‘I will teach you how to speak Dutch tomorrow’.Furthermore, don’t be surprised when a Dutch person tells you ‘I live in Utrecht since 2012’. In Dutch, the present simple is used in this kind of sentence (‘ik woon in Utrecht sinds 2012’), but in English, the present pe rfect should be used (‘I have lived in Utrecht since 2012’). Learn more about Dutch verb tenses. JessicaDutch Teacher 5.00 (5) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NaomiDutch Teacher £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EliseDutch Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MichelleDutch Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CéliaDutch Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VanshikaDutch Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MichelleDutch Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LizaDutch Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors3. The Lack of Auxiliaries in Dutch GrammarAs opposed to English, Dutch does not use any auxiliary to form an interrogative sentence. So to form a question in Dutch, there is no need to add an auxiliary like ‘do’ to the sentence. And since auxiliaries aren’t present in the Dutch language, the use of ‘do’ and ‘did’ might be a bit tricky for a Dutch beginner learning to speak English.Therefore, you might hear a Dutch person say: ‘like you this language course?’ (‘vind je deze talencursus leuk?’) instead of ‘do you like this language course?’What is interesting is that back in the day there was no need for adding auxiliaries in English either. It might seem very weird to you now to form an interrogative sentence without an auxiliary, but just look at back at texts of Shakespeare, for example, and you will see that the Dutch system is used there. (Side note, this might be an interesting topic for a thesis for any of you out there looking for one. Or am I the only one interested to know why this has changed?)4. Singular Pronouns in Dutch: ‘Iedereen’ is Used for Both ‘Anyone’ and ‘Everyone’Whereas the English make a distinction between ‘everyone’ and ‘anyone’, the Dutch just use ‘iedereen’ for both. So if you want to say ‘anyone can learn a foreign language’ or ‘it seems like everyo ne is learning foreign languages these days’, in Dutch you would use ‘iedereen’ in both cases.Similarly, ‘alles’, is used for both ‘everything’ and ‘anything’. So again using an example, you would use ‘alles’ in both ‘everything is written in Flemish’ or ‘I can’t understand anything written in Flemish’.Even though ‘iedereen’ clearly refers to multiple people, it is considered to be a singular pronoun in Dutch. The same goes for ‘alles’: although it refers to multiple things, it’s considered a singular pronoun. Therefore, you say 'iedereen is' en 'alles is' instead of 'iedereen zijn' en 'alles zijn'.‘Anyone’ and ‘everyone’ in English are considered to be singular pronouns too, however, in conversational English you will sometimes come across a sentence like ‘everyone is showing off their language skills’. In Dutch, albeit formal or informal, you will never come across something like this.Learn all about these and other Dutch gramm ar rules in your Dutch lessons!5. The pronoun ‘Het’ (‘It’) is Used for Both Singular and Plural Forms of NounsIf a Dutch person comes up to you and says ‘it are good quality tulips’, you’ll probably have to try hard to suppress a grin. This is how we say it in Dutch though, as a plural form of ‘het’ does not exist. In Dutch, you would say, ‘het zijn goede kwaliteit tulpen’.Lots of Dutch tulip bulbs at the flower market in Amsterdam. Photo via visualhunt.com.Okay, if it’s one of those annoying salesmen at the flower market in Amsterdam, you’re allowed to let out a little grin. But in any other situation, keep in mind that translating ‘het zijn’ into ‘they are’ can be tricky for the Dutch who are just starting to learn English.It’s not that using ‘they are’ in these cases doesn’t exist in Dutch. However, this is done only when ‘they’ is not directly linked to a noun in the same sentence. ‘They are’ is only used referring back to a noun , for example in a previous sentence.So for example: ‘het zijn goede kwaliteit tulpen’ (‘they are high quality tulips’), and ‘ze zijn van goede kwaliteit’ (‘they are of good quality’). Notice that in the second sentence, the noun, ‘tulpen’, is not present.We hope you enjoyed our blog. Why not check out the whole series on Dutch Grammer. :)

How to Find the Right Voice Teacher for the Long Run

How to Find the Right Voice Teacher for the Long Run Suzy S. Want to learn how to sing? Selecting a great voice teacher to take lessons with is your first step! Read on as Chicago and online teacher Ian H.  shares his advice for finding the perfect teacher for you Finding a teacher whose philosophy fits your learning style is a huge challenge for both student and teacher. It can translate to a great deal of success or stagnancy for young artists developing their voices. Your pace of learning, entering ability, and choice of musical repertoire should all play into how you choose a teacher, though at the forefront of the criteria should be a healthy approach. With this kind of healthy foundation, your teacher is better able to: Challenge you appropriately for your age, ability, and development Offer support tailored to your specific needs Structure a plan for you and your voice Instill correct technique within each lesson Keep in mind: healthy singing lends itself to all styles, whereas style does not necessarilyalways lend itself to healthy singing. A singer of any genre is capable of hurting their instrument, though with a healthy approach, artistic and stylistic choices can be made more effectively and bolster your stamina. So, how can you use this information to make sure youre working with the right instructor? Always keep in mind that your teacher should: Challenge you without hurting you   Arts education and musical training have been a huge part of my life ever since I was a very young student. Right as I began to mature vocally, at the age of 18 years old, I grew an inconveniently placed abscess in my tonsil and throat due to a strep infection. This left me tender, scarred, and with a whole new mechanism to learn and sing with. In the very early days of my college years this caused quite a bit of grief in my vocal production, but what absolutely saved me were my private teachers who kept me in a healthy and productive place. Continually focus on your vocal health   It has taken me years to understand vocal technique, because it takes years to study, learn, and master it. My injury aside, what kept me healthy and capable as a young singer were my teachers and professors devoted to offering me good solid technical foundations to avoid injuries, such as vocal nodules and hemorrhaging. Considering my injury it was extra important that I focus on healthy singing, so as not to burn myself out with bad habits and injury. Structure a plan for you to follow I felt stifled in my repertoire choices because of what happened with my injury; I wanted to be challenged with operatic arias, interesting song cycles, music far too large for my vocal ability. But had I been given what I wanted, my poor little vocal folds and over-taxed soft palette would have been fried to nothing. Instead, my teachers focused on music with a limited range to help me build stamina, explore the breaks of my voice, and find my breath. We worked to reestablish my understanding of my instrument. I was not the most receptive student to this slow and reparative approach, thus slowing my progress down tremendously. Being a brash young man and wanting challenge clouded my judgment, and I failed to see the challenge of building my own instrument. This applies to any style of singing the artist performs; there needs to be an approach from a healthy place. Show you how to get the most out of your voice lessons   Finding singing teachers and coaches that truly support your progress and vocal ability is vitally important. Those who go into the field of teaching are people who desire to educate people in their chosen craft, they want to do well for their students. Though, not every teacher is a fit for a you. Listening to your bodys defense signals and finding a teacher whose language corresponds with that body language provides and safe and productive environment to learn and grow. Educating yourself is important, practice is important, but more important is you and your teacher knowing your limits and how to push them. In the early stages of vocal study, looking at technique and health will only inform the art to come. Dont allow the stars in your eyes to blind you from your future. If you want to sing Jazz but your teacher is giving you simple folk songs, ask him or her what the lesson is. Learning line, breath, and control. Finding color, phrasing, and stamina. Work on yourself so that as you find your style and voice you can continue singing for years to follow. Ian H. teaches singing, acting, piano, and more in Chicago, IL, as well as through online lessons. He has  a comprehensive knowledge of classical repertoire, as well as experience in Jazz Standards and Golden Age Broadway tunes. Learn more about Ian 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 Kevin Lee

Kick-Start Your Music Career With These 3 Tips

Kick-Start Your Music Career With These 3 Tips Suzy S. SXSW took over Austin this past weekend, and we cant wait to see what great new music rises up to the top!   Over the years, the festival has become one of the most important events of the music industry, giving both the opportunity and the atmosphere for aspiring artists to get ahead in the game.   Many of todays top talents were discovered there in past years, including John Mayer and Bon Iver. Are you ready to join in and share your own talents?   If a career in music is in your future, its time to get serious.   It requires more than just practicing for hours on end in your room at some point, youll need to sit down, set goals and then get yourself out there.   Here are 3 essential tips we found on the String Vision website that are worth noting: 1. Commit to the Long Haul Don’t buy into the myth of overnight success or the lucky break. The idea of being discovered on YouTube, landing a record deal, a manager, and being set-up for long-term success is simply a fantasy.   Success is a process and a journey, and you need to be in it for long haul. Getting a lot of performance experience is crucial and most musicians must book their own performances in order to gain the needed experience. So if the next goal is to gain additional performance experience, what can you do about it this week, this month, this year?  Long-term career goals are realized through everyday choices about the use of time, talents, energy and money. Whether you’re just starting out or are in midstream, these everyday choices are critical. 2. Clarify Your Intent So, what exactly is your dream? What is your desired future and your long-term goal? If a fairy godmother were to appear suddenly and bonk you on the head with her magic wand, what would you ask for? Write down your answers. Detail what you plan to be doing professionally. Consider how you want to be involved musically in your immediate community. Be specific and concrete about your future goals, because you will need to think strategically about how to reach them. Write everything down â€" it will help motivate you to act on your goals. 3. Assess Your Strengths and Weaknesses Career advancement involves two kinds of work: the internal and the external. The internal work is about self-reflection and assessment. The external work focuses on research and networking. To help with the internal work, think about your strengths, weaknesses and your reputation.   For example, how would colleagues and mentors describe not only your abilities music-wise, but your interpersonal skills, teamwork and leadership abilities?   Are you known as someone who is easy to work with, who shows up on time and is well-prepared?   Ask people whose professional opinions you value, such as coaches or former teachers and be prepared for honesty.   Take time to think it all over carefully. It takes maturity to ask for and to process this kind of critical feedback. Humility and objectivity are called for and these are the characteristics of a committed professional. Whats the best music career advice youve received?   What are you doing to ensure your own success?   Leave a comment on our Facebook page and join the discussion! Like these posts?   Sign up to receive daily updates right to your inbox!   Click here to subscribe. You might also like 7 Tips for Working as a Freelance Musician 4 Things to May Be Doing Wrong At Gigs Do You Have What it Takes to be a Successful Musician? Photo by myfuture.com