Solving Systems By Elimination - Online tutoring

Solving Systems By Elimination - Online tutoring Elimination is a very useful method in mathematics. The method elimination one of the unknown variable is eliminated to find the other variables and vice versa. I helps reduce the given question or solution to a simpler form. Expressions can consist of one or more than one unknown variables with different coefficients and constant numbers. Example 1: Solve by elimination the set of equations x + y = 15 and x y = 7? Solution: The given equations are x + y = 15 and x y = 7. Here x, y are the unknown variables. Eliminate the variable y. Add the two equations gives: (x+ y) + (x y) = 15 + 7. This gives 2x = 22; x = 22/2; x = 11. For the y values x + y = 15; 11 + y = 15. Y = 15 11 = 4. Hence the solution is x = 11 and y = 4. Example 2: Solve by elimination the set of equations x + y = 20 and x y = 6? Solution: The given equations are x + y = 20 and x y = 6. Here x, y are the unknown variables. Eliminate the variable y. Add the two equations gives: (x+ y) + (x y) = 20 + 6. This gives 2x = 26; x = 26/2; x = 13. For the y values x + y = 20; 13 + y = 20. Y = 20 13 = 7. Hence the solution is x = 13 and y = 7.

The Roman Economy and Ancient Economics

The Roman Economy and Ancient Economics Get To Grips With The Roman Economy ChaptersRoman Farming Was A Huge Part of The Empire’s EconomyAncient Roman Money and Trade Practices Were Well-EstablishedLearn About Ancient EconomicsThe study of how ancient economies, such as the Roman Empire, and how they operated can be a fascinating topic to learn about. It's easy to see why given how enduringly popular this ancient civilisation is, with many a historian and archaeologist looking at how these ancient societies operated and how Romans and their vast wealth of philosophers and culture influenced the course of modern history today.Many economies in place in the world today are built on principles we are all familiar with, such as:Established and developed monetary systems and regulations;Developed agricultural, trade, and manufacturing practices; andCapitalism and free marketHowever, ancient economies looked very different to how we understand economics today.As we shall see below, the ancient Roman economy was not as developed as you may have expected, and actu ally placed a lot of emphasis on agriculture as well as the slave economy.Of course, the ancient Roman economy is not completely alien to the economic systems that we have in place today, as there were some features, such as their monetary system and basic trade routes, which feel a little more familiar.You may have already studied a little about ancient Rome and its economy at school or university, although many more will likely have never learnt anything about the workings of ancient economies.Perhaps understandably, the focus of many economics courses is on key areas such as:Macroeconomics;Microeconomics; andEconometrics.To the frustration of some, there is actually a tendency in economics courses, whether at A-Level or university, to focus on the above economic areas, along with particular schools of economic thought, such as classical or neoclassical economics.As a result, economic history, or the history of economic theory, can fall by the wayside on some courses.So, if you do find yourself naturally drawn to learning about the ancient world, including how their economic system operated, you may be better off reaching out for a specialist to help teach you about such systems in your own time.Superprof, for instance, offers a range of tutors that specialise in subjects from history and ancient history to economics and maths. This means it’s never been easier to search for a tutor that has great knowledge about a topic or subject you’d like to improve your knowledge of.Roman farming and agriculture was a huge part of the economy. (Image: CC0 1.0, TheDigitalArtist, Pixabay)Olive oil.These products are still famous exports within modern-day Italy today.Generally speaking, agricultural output in ancient Rome was carried out by both small-scale farmers, as well as landowners who had space and resources available to put both workers and slaves on their land to produce crops.Much of the ancient Roman economy was based on the leverage of slave labour, althoug h the jury is out among historians as to whether this bolstered, or ultimately hindered the progression of the ancient Roman economy.Regardless of historical opinion, it is accepted that slave labour was widely employed during this age. The Roman economy became even more dependent on the use of slave labour as the Republic progressed, due to the impact and cost of numerous wars  (see the post-war effects on economy)  and expeditions  that were commonplace in such ancient civilisations.However, it has been noted that, once conquests reduced in the Roman Empire, hired labour became more popular, as the price of slaves increased.Although certain developed agricultural practices, such as two-tier crop rotation, were used during the Roman Empire, they didn’t yield substantial results for the amount of manpower it required.For completeness, two-tier crop rotation is a practice whereby land fit for crops would be divided into two or more separate fields. While one field would be used to plant and grow crops, such as wheat, the other field or fields would remain unused, in order to help the ground recover for the next crop rotation.Agriculture formed a huge part of the ancient Roman economy in no small part due to the empire’s need to feed its inhabitants as well as the military men that served. In fact, often a conquest, for example to areas such as Egypt, could be partly attributed to the need to find more grain-producing regions, in order to feed the empire.Port routes were also a key part of the Roman Empire's economy. (Source: CC0 1.0, DanyJack Mercier, PublicDomainPictures)Ancient Roman Money and Trade Practices Were Well-EstablishedTrade was another cornerstone of the ancient Roman economy. Ancient Roman coinage was actually quite well established, although the supply of money wasn’t as controlled as it is in global economies today. For instance, there was no central bank at the time of the ancient Roman economy, and very little regulation.Nevertheless, t here was a single currency, and a variety of different coins in circulation, from brass and bronze coins to coins made of other precious metals.Although there was a currency in circulation, it was not the sole way that goods were exchanged during the Roman Empire. Bartering still remained a highly viable option within the ancient economies, and taxes could also be settled through bartering instead of using coins â€" quite an alien concept today!Ancient Rome’s monetary system, however, formed only a part of the total trade network at play.Ports, such as Ostia, formed a crucial part of the empire’s trade network, and there were also a large number of roads that connected the empire to diverse corners of the world, including:China via the Silk Road;India, which allowed for the import of spices; andAfrica, which offered goods such as ivory.Marble was one of the minerals extracted as part of the ancient Roman mining industry. (Source: CC0 1.0, PRAIRAT_FHUNTA, Pixabay)Learn About Anci ent EconomicsAs we’ve seen, the economy in the ancient Roman Republic was not as developed as you may have thought, given the Roman Republic's status as one of the major empires of the ancient world.Instead, there was a heavy emphasis on both agricultural output, as well as the use of slave labour in order to complete both skilled and unskilled work, even if it meant launching a conquest or two in order to gain access to arable land.Although the economy of ancient Rome may not have been as established or developed as many may think, there was features of this classical period economy that seem fairly similar to the systems we have in place today, from the operation of a single currency to the establishment of a variety of trade and port routes.In fact, some historians, such as Peter Temin, have even argued that the Roman Empire was essentially a market economy.Despite some of these parallels, the fact remains that ancient civilisations, from Ancient Greece to the Roman Empire,  an d their economies differed in a great many ways to global economies at play today.Just as the monuments and architecture of Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire are foreign to us today, bartering was a prominent feature in ancient Rome, and the Empire's focus on agriculture is not one that we see as much today, as many modern-day nations have turned towards production and manufacturing.Ancient Rome, on the other hand, did have a manufacturing sector, but by no means did it take pride of place in the Empire when compared to sectors such as agriculture.The primary industry during the Roman Empire was mining, with the resulting minerals used for a variety of purposes, for example:Gold and silver, to create coins or jewellery;Iron, for weapons which conquered many nations; andMarble, for buildings.Understandably, the features of many ancient economies differ from what we understand as the norm today. This makes them fascinating to study, as they provide a small insight into what life wou ld have been like during those times, and how our economic systems and practices have changed.Should your Economics teacher merely gloss over these topics, perhaps you need a Superprof Economics tutor!If you’re drawn to history and would like to learn more about the economies of ancient Rome or Greece, or even if you would like to learn more about ancient history in general, then you can always turn to a level economics tutors for help.History and economics tutors, such as those featured on Superprof, should be able to answer any questions you have about ancient economies, and can also help improve your overall knowledge and understanding of this captivating area of economics and history.So whether you'd like to learn about Egyptian gods, Christianity during the Roman Empire, the earliest instances of Ancient Greek civilisation and the Persian Empire, or the temples, texts, sculptures and philosophy around during antiquity, you can find a tutor for you.Check out this info about th e UK Economy.See how more details about the Industrial Revolution.Consult this guide on behavioural finance.

Issues When You Lack Assertiveness - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Issues When You Lack Assertiveness - Introvert Whisperer Issues When You Lack Assertiveness I had a conversation with someone recently about the skill of assertiveness.   For many people, it doesn’t come naturally.   The lack of assertiveness exists for a number of reasons ranging from lack of confidence to a desire to avoid damaging a relationship.   The problem with not learning the skill is that it sets you up for any number of negative situations. Here are some of the issues when you fail to assert yourself: You’ll get abused or taken advantage of. Humans have a nasty tendency to view someone who is passive (absence of assertiveness) as weak.   An almost primal urge exists to pick on that kind of person.   That’s never good. You won’t be trusted. Sounds funny but its true.   People quickly learn that they can’t trust that you will be straightforward with your opinions/needs/direction.   Trust is foundational to effective relationships at work or anywhere. You might resort to poor alternatives. Some people who don’t assert will allow situations to get so bad that they resort to yelling or very emotional reactions.   Another poor alternative is passive aggressive communication.   It’s a way of “skirting” an issue and not directly communicating.   Either alternative is bad and does nothing to build trust. They don’t trust that you won’t have another outburst or irritated at your inability to come clean with your thoughts. You won’t be successful. If you can’t be assertive, you will limit your success tremendously. The limitation is because your work will always be dependent on others. If you can’t establish boundaries and expectations by asserting those things, the other person is left to do things based on their own. If you think your assertiveness skills aren’t what they should be, you need to change that today.   There’s ton’s of information written on the subject, including on my blog. Learn the skill!   Assertiveness will make your personal life much better, it will improve your work situation and if you are or plan to be a leader it is a requirement. Go to top Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.  Grab yours by visiting here right now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

How To Interview For Graduate School Admissions

How To Interview For Graduate School Admissions First of all: congratulations because you have passed nearly every round of the application process, and your prospective school is ready to admit you. Now, you just have to ace your interview. Tutorswho have been through the process before can help you. Basics: You may interview with an admissions committee group (comprised of faculty members, admissions counselors or even students), or individually with any of those. Most interviews will be in-person, but some may be over-the-phone. Typically, interviews are 30-60 minutes, but some schools will invite students for weekend-long events, full with multiple interviews and meet-and-greet sessions. Your atmosphere: Ultimately, you want your interviewer to like you, and for the most part that depends on the atmosphere you bring into your interview. This is one of the most difficult aspects to practice. Sometimes, you just have to be likable, and that depends on your energy level, your ability to create a two-way dialogue, your confidence, how friendly you are, your etiquette, etc. So, have a few Red Bulls, give your interviewer a strong handshake, make lots of eye contact and try to be as energetic and confident as possible. Do not restate your application: Your interviewer has probably already read your application. In fact, thats exactly why youre at the interview. You have already proven yourself on paper. Now, they want to see your social skills and learn more about you. But, if you are asked about a specific class, research project or internship you had, then by all means talk at length and build it up. Try to streamline your background and discuss only your most important accolades. Its better to discuss your practical experience (internships/research) than your grades. Match yourself to the school: Know everything you can about the program and school you are interviewing with. What awards/distinctions have they recently earned? What kind of research or projects do students perform there? Try to prove you can add to the schools distinctions by matching your experience and abilities to its programs. Practice an interview: It seems incredibly tedious, but practicing with a friend/family member can help you iron out your talking points. You dont want to be stumbling around for words at your interview. The more you practice, the more articulate you will be on the big day. Arrive 10 minutes early: No more or no less. If you show up 30 minutes early, youre only going to make your interviewer anxious. He/she may have something scheduled directly before your interview and may feel obligated to cut that meeting short. And if you show up late, you could be disqualified right away. Hard copies of your work: Your interviewer should have already seen your resume and other work samples you included in your application. But, if your interviewer asks you about your research project, you need to be able to pull it out and discuss it. Please, for your own sake, spend the extra money and use resume paper and a professional, leather-bound portfolio. Use your interviewers title: You are not on a first-name basis with your interviewer yet; so use his/her title: Dr, Mr, Mrs, Ms, etc. Unless, he/she tells you otherwise. Maintain a mutual dialogue: If you notice yourself talking twice as much as your interviewer, turn it around and ask him/her a question. Ask about his/her hobbies or what he/she likes about the school. Try to talk about something completely unrelated because you will be one of the few students who does. And guess whatyour interview will be remembered. Ask thoughtful questions: Basic questions dont do much to advance the conversation. So, ask questions about how you can get involved in research, practical applications and even internships. But, frame your questions to indicate that you know a lot about this school. Instead of asking, Do students get involved in research projects here? find a group of students who published or completed a successful research project. Ask about what classes or clubs you need to be involved in to complete similar research. Thank you note: Some students prefer to send an e-mail, but others believe there is a more personal touch with a handwritten letter. But, if you opt to send an email, wait a couple days before sending it. Personalize your thank-you letter and include something you and your interviewer talked about. Do not try to sell yourself again just simply thank your interviewer. Have answers prepared: Its impossible to predict every question you will be asked, but you can predict most. Try to show that you have met challenges in the past and are prepared to do so again. Most interviewers ask the same questions to all students; so try to give an answer they have not heard. Here is a list of probable questions: What are your strengths and weaknesses? Why did you choose to apply to our program? What other schools are you considering? How has your previous experience prepared you for graduate study in our program? What do you believe your greatest challenge will be here? How will you be able to make a contribution to this field? Explain a situation in which you resolved a conflict. What would you do differently? Describe your greatest accomplishment. Why should we take you and not someone else? What do you plan to specialize in?

How to Self-Study for an AP Exam

How to Self-Study for an AP Exam ACT SAT Prep and College Admissions Blog Unfortunately, not all high school AP programs are created equal. Even though colleges put your AP exams in the context of how many were offered at your school, there are major tuition savings to be had from doing well on more AP exams. If you find yourself wanting to take an AP exam that your school does not offer, here is how you can ace the exams on your own: Pick Your Textbook This is an important decision as it will form the basis of your self-study journey, especially for exams that have recently gotten a facelift from the CollegeBoard. For such exams, like AP Biology in the 2012-2013 school year, you will want to Google “SUBJECT NAME textbook correlations”. For most redesigned exam, the CollegeBoard collects correlation assessments from textbook publishers to ensure that their books align with the exam frameworks. This is usually the ideal way to pick the best textbook. If a comprehensive correlations document is not available, then you can look for the “SUBJECT NAME example textbook list”, which is more commonly available. Get the latest edition whenever possible and if you can’t decide, just go with whichever one you think has the most reputable publisher behind it. Either way, do not spend too much time obsessing over the textbook you use â€" the important thing is how you will use it. Set a Study Plan Generally, every textbook will have more information than what you actually need to succeed on the AP exam. So to save yourself lots of headaches down the line, look through the chapters and make note of which ones will not show up on the real exam (have a copy of the framework handy). Once you have determined the chapters that you will need to get through, set a weekly schedule all the way until April 1st, a month before AP exams are administered. You will want the last month before exams start to review and practice. Allocate at least one hour per day on your self-study. Remember that other kids will be taking an actual hour-long class for this every day plus more time for homework. You need to be putting in at least one hour per day to stay on track. Be a Note-Taking Fiend When I self-studied for AP World History, what really made me successful was that as I read every chapter, I took notes on the major points of almost everything I read. It came out to about 2-3 sentences per page read. This was certainly a significant amount of work to stay on top of, but it paid dividends in two important ways: It reinforces the learning process because you can’t just passively read the textbook and forget things easily. You have to decide which parts are the most important, which forces you to think about what you just read and the act of writing it imprints the knowledge to memory better. You now have a self-made study guide of the points that you thought were important. This was an excellent resource for me when it came time to cram because I had written the notes in a way that I would easily understand and quickly jog my memory. Practice Profusely To make sure you are internalizing what you are learning, give yourself frequent assessments along the way. Textbooks will generally have end-of-chapter quizzes and there are a number of online resources as well: Learnerator â€" We work with AP table leaders and readers to develop the most comprehensive question banks possible and work each year to ensure all content is in-line with the AP exams. Quizlet â€" You will find many flash card sets put together by teachers and students. The quality will vary 4tests â€" There are free tests here, although be careful because it does not seem like the content has been updated to match the redesigned exams. If you want even more practice questions, you can purchased past released exams on the CollegeBoard store: https://store.collegeboard.org/sto/catalog.do?category=259categoryName=AP%AE Physical review books, although clunky to carry around, can also provide additional practice. *Before going down this route however, it is worth noting that many such books do not have very good content. This is especially true of books written to adapt to overhauled AP exams, as they are often regurgitations of past books that are not truly aligned to the new frameworks. The Final Push About a month before the exam, you should plan to have all the necessary chapters read with copious notes. Here is a checklist of things to do before the exam to ensure best odds of success: Re-read your notes By this point, it is more than likely that you have forgotten many of the things that you read earlier in the year. Give all your notes a run-through as a refresher. Practice like Crazy The best way to really master a subject is to get as many reps as possible. One way to do this is to go to a local bookstore with a notebook and grab as many review books as possible and just take all the practice questions out of the books (if you don’t want to actually buy several books). Take released exam The best way to be prepared for the real exam is to take past released exams. This may not always be available the year after a re-designed course is first implemented, such as AP U.S. History in the 2014-15 school year. In those cases, you will have to rely on independent companies and their review products. In-Person Questions They say that you don’t truly know something until you are able to teach it. One way to do this is to get a friend, a parent, or a willing teacher to quiz you FRQ-style on various topics. The topics can be pulled from past released FRQ’s, review books, topics found in textbooks, online resources, etc. The goal is to not know what questions to be expecting and be able to provide thoughtful and confident answers in the moment without the aid of any resources. Through a process like this Memorization self-challenge Starting at the highest level of organization, try to remember everything you can about what you learned. A good way to start is by textbook chapters. If you can recall all the chapter names in your textbook, that is a great start because it means that you can see the big picture of how the course progresses and what it contains. Then at each chapter, recall from memory how each one was organized. You don’t need to recall every fact, but if you can remember at an “outline” level, at least two tiers (such as chapters - sections) and some supporting knowledge in each one, then you are in great shape. As you do this exercise, you can take down notes of things you struggled to remember and look up the actual book chapters to see which ones you missed. So there you have it! If you plan it out and stick to your strategy, self-studying for an AP exam is not all that difficult. It may seem daunting at times, but the payoff will be worth it: You have another chance to save on college tuition and admissions offices will love that you put in all that effort to go above and beyond. Good luck! About the Author Luke Liu is CEO and founder of Learnerator Education. When he was in high school, he took 11 AP exams and got 11 5’s. He self-studied for the AP World History exam after having taken the APUSH and AP European History classes. Learnerator is the web's leading resource for high-quality academic practice materials. With over 18,000 questions and solutions spanning 37 subjects developed by elite educators in the respective fields, thousands of people trust Learnerator to prepare them for high-stakes exams. Subjects that can be found on Learnerator include all major AP exams, SAT, ACT, GMAT, and more. All content is meticulously developed and tested before publishing on our platform which makes it as simple as possible to begin practicing and learning by doing. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, 'a519c073-790d-4c67-b0fd-7095f1869478', {});

Teach Away Telegram - January 2011

Teach Away Telegram - January 2011 2011 is here, and Teach Away would like to wish you a belated Happy New Year! We hope you’re taking advantage of the new year to take on some new and exciting challenges.This year, we dare you to try something new--read our 5 challenges below, and see just how daring you can be! You might be interested to read about one teacher who took a chance and had his film screened at a Korean Film Festival. If you're still working on the new and impoved you for 2011, you'll be happy to learn about a part of the world that celebrates their New Year a little bit late. (So get that list of resolutions back out!)Happy Year of the Rabbit!-The Teach Away TeamIn this issue:5 Things You Thought You’d Never Do - But Should - This Year!Teacher Challenge: From Inspiration to RealityHappy Chinese New Year!Announcement â€" Contest Winners5 Things You Thought You’d Never Do - But Should - This Year!When you are living overseas, anything and everything can be an adventure. From navigating the local gro cery store to adding some local fashion to your wardrobe to camping in the middle of the desert, each and every day, the opportunity to try something completely and utterly new comes up (sometimes when you least expect it).If you are going to be overseas this 2011, we dare you to try something to write home about! Depending on where you happen to be in the world, you may want to consider one (or all!) of the 5 challenges below!1. Take a dip in a Korean hot spring in the middle of winter â€" in your birthday suit.2. Hop on an elephant, and ride through the jungle in northern Thailand.3. Pack yourself a whole lot of water, and set up camp in the middle of the Abu Dhabi desert.4. Let out your inner artist, and take a stab at Chinese calligraphy.5. Plug your nose, and take a bite of some Japanese natto (fermented soy beans) â€" it’s great for your health!Tell us about something YOU never thought you would have done, but are glad you did. We may feature the topic in a future issue of t he Telegram.Teacher Challenge: From Inspiration to RealityWith every New Year comes talk of new opportunities, new experiences, and â€" if you really want it â€" the chance for a whole new you. Making the decision to teach overseas is a life-changing opportunity, filled with new experiences that will inevitably shape (or re-shape) the person that you will become.For Steven Sirski, the year he spent teaching English in Korea through Teach Away was not only about immersing himself in a new culture, but also a year during which he moved closer to realizing one of his life goals. Back in Canada, Steven had been interested in film-making for years, and had already produced two independent films prior to what some may view as his big break. Although teaching English as a second language in Asia may not seem an obvious step in the path towards getting involved in film production, Steven cleverly combined his teaching day job with one of his main interests (film-making) and ended up produci ng a film that was screened at a Korean film festival! (Steven gives credit to his co-writer/director, Murat Copcu, who made the wise decision to submit their film to the MADE IN BUSAN film festival.)Steven’s teaching job in Korea, not only helped him come up with a unique story idea, but became an invaluable part in the production of the film. His students agreed to act in his film, and even took part in drawing up ideas for the storyboard (you can see these during the film’s credits). Steven views his experience in Korea as an important part of his development as a film-maker.Steven’s Short: Coffee and MilkNOTE: As part of our 'This is Silly' series, the following short comedy, 'Coffee and Milk', is an expression of one teacher’s creativity in the classroom, and does not necessarily represent the opinions of Teach Away, Inc.Coffee and Milk finds teacher and student a little out of sorts after the two collide in the hallway â€" and not due to a concussion. This short film c omically parallels the frustration which accompanies a teacher’s shift without his morning coffee to that of a student’s first class without his morning milk.Watch Steven's cool and quirky film, Coffee and Milk.Happy Chinese New Year!If 2011 snuck up on you this year, and you missed out on all that resolution-making, not to worry! According to the Chinese, the New Year doesn’t begin until February 3rd this year - so you’ve still got time to make (and hopefully not break) your New Year’s resolutions!Unlike countries who follow the Julian calendar and celebrate the New Year on January 14th, the Chinese New Year is based on an interesting mix of the Gregorian calendar and a lunar-solar calendar (the latter, which marks many holidays in the Middle East). The Chinese New Year is not unique to mainland China, as it is also celebrated in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, among other southeast Asian countries.Traditions surrounding the Chinese New Year include cleaning one’s home in order to make room for good fortune; eating foods which represent wealth, fertility, and long life; and presenting children red envelopes of gold (well, money). The first two weeks of the New Year are celebrated with a festival, and the Lantern Festival marks the official end of the celebration on the 15th day (which coincides with the first full moon.) Tradition dictates that thousands of colourful lanterns should share the night sky with the brightly lit moon.Happy Year of the Rabbit!Announcement - Contest Winners Teach Away would like to announce the two lucky winners of November's Silly Story Contest. Due to their creativity (a la This is Silly), Shelley Suzuki and Steven Sirski will be receiving a batch of Taxali toys (one of which is pictured on the right). You might recall Shelley’s creative Teacher Story, The Art of English, in the November Telegram. And Steven deserves our congratulations for having his creativity screened at a film festival overseas.Congratulati ons, Shelley and Steven!

Nutella -- Is It, or Isnt It

Nutella -- Is It, or Isn't It Photo Via: https://3dprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/3dp_nutellalock_nutella_jar.jpg So in recent news, everything causes cancer. Just joking … but not really. According to some recent controversy, Nutella (yes, the hazelnut goodness that we are all obsessed with) has potentially cancer-causing ingredients. Which for many is pretty alarming news, especially for a food that’s so high-profile and so well liked in general. College students are especially worried (mostly because Nutella is life, but also because it’s a staple in our diets that we aren’t prepared to get rid of). According to a recent report from the European Food Safety Authority (leave it to Europe to ruin a good thing), Nutella could be dangerous to your health. And this is big, as the EFSA is equivalent to our FDA. In other words, it’s a big deal. But should you stop purchasing that spreadable goodness? That’s where the controversy comes into play. According to the report, palm oil, one of the main ingredients in Nutella (the reason for that creamy, flavorful spread), is the dangerous component that’s potentially cancer-causing. Palm oil, of course, isn’t limited to just Nutella, but also baked goods (like pastries and cakes) and margarine (butter, for those of us that need it spelled out). And, to make matters even more difficult, it’s not necessarily the palm oil that’s of concern, but how it’s processed and heated. Basically, you refine the oil, which changes its color and eliminates its smell. So this is why processed foods containing this ingredient are in question. To process the foods, you heat the palm oil to temperatures over 392 degrees Fahrenheit, which creates a “potentially carcinogenic contaminant” that creates the health concern. So really, it’s not until you process the palm oil that it becomes “potentially” dangerous. Again, this is a controversy at the moment, and conclusive evidence isn’t available yet. Basically, the issue is that it isn’t possible to determine how much of the “contaminant” is in the processed product and then, to make matters even more difficult, there is no way to tell how much of this contaminant individuals are consuming. So while there is a possibility that the carcinogenic is being created, it’s unclear whether the food is safe to eat, or if it’s actually harmful. To put this into perspective, the EFSA didn’t recommend banning palm oil, and they didn’t make any comments on heating the ingredient to over 200 degrees Celsius. In other words, don’t throw out all of your Nutella just yet. On top of this, Nutella does use palm oil, but it processes at temperatures that fall below the 200 degree Celsius mark. In fact, Nutella is combined at low temperatures specifically to decrease the number of contaminants. So of the processed foods, Nutella might be the safest at the moment. And it helps that the EFSA also didn’t mention Nutella processing. This debate is surfacing now in the U.S., but in Europe, this has been ongoing for several years. People have debated back and forth about the dangerous effects of palm oil, and a few supermarket chains have removed palm oils from their store brand products, just in case. And the fact that it’s surfacing here now doesn’t validate the study in any way everyone is still very unclear whether palm oil products are bad for your health. So essentially, the EFSA is releasing the report to keep everyone informed and to give consumers a choice as to whether or not they want to consume the product. Until there is definitive evidence that suggests otherwise, Nutella is pretty much safe. Of course, it still isn’t healthy, so don’t forget that it’s a product that’s very high in sugar and very low in protein (of course, this won’t stop us, but it’s good to know nonetheless). But in the meantime, be vigilant when it comes to the ingredients in your food, as more and more ‘bad items are popping up in studies across the globe. What it comes down to is this: know what you’re putting into your body, and, just in general, try to eat healthy. Fruits and vegetables are always good, non-processed foods are preferable and you don’t have to avoid processed food entirely, but don’t limit your diet to Pizza Rolls and Lean Cuisines. If you do, you aren’t doing your body any favors. Essentially, don’t let these studies scare you away from any foods, but keep an eye out for new studies as well because, in the world of science, anything can change at any point in time, so the more you are aware of what’s going on, the better. In the meantime, sit back, get some homework done and snack on that Nutella we both know you have hidden in the back of your pantry. Because you deserve it.

Teaching across cultures Being mindful of cultural differences in the international classroom

Teaching across cultures Being mindful of cultural differences in the international classroom As a teacher abroad, being able to recognize cultural differences will not only help you form a safe and comfortable environment for open communication between you and, your students and their families. It will also help you implement culturally responsive teaching practices in your classroom to ensure every student learns to their full potential. When teaching students from different cultural backgrounds, especially English language learners, it’s important to be aware of cultural differences in student behavior. Certain cultural behaviors can be easily misunderstood by new teachers - different cultures have different nonverbal messages when it comes to eye contact, body language, unspoken seniority, etc. As an example of how each international teaching destination can differ to a teacher’s classroom experience in their home country, here are some of the cultural differences that you might notice in student behavior in the South Korean classroom. 1. Students may fear making mistakes. South Korean students may appear to be shy and hesitant to speak up. This is not because they don’t have any ideas to contribute, but rather because they may be afraid of getting an answer wrong. In many cases, students in South Korea are under great pressure for academic success, and as a result tend to be especially averse to making mistakes publicly. 2. Students may come across as competitive. South Korean society, in general, tends to be quite competitive and as a result, students may take tests very seriously - even simple quizzes. Many students in your classroom may be sensitive to losing points or getting bad marks. This tendency can be used as a great motivator - putting a team points system in place is a great way to motivate your students to encourage each other to perform better. 3. Students may avoid eye contact. You will often see South Korean students looking down, especially when they are in trouble. Many students believe that direct eye contact with a teacher is considered disrespectful and a challenge to a teacher's authority. If you’re not familiar with this cultural norm, this can be misinterpreted as a sign of disrespect or indifference, while in fact, it’s the other way around. 4. Students may avoid engaging in debates or discussions. South Korean society is built on a seniority system based on age and social standing. Seniority can influence the classroom atmosphere if the class consists of different ages. Younger students may appear reluctant to engage in debates, especially when it involves directly challenging the views and ideas of seniors. Some students may feel uncomfortable challenging the teacher’s point of view for the same reason. As a result, one of the most common answers you might get from Korean students in your classroom is “I agree”. Teachers looking to go abroad for the first time - wherever you decide to teach in the world, learning how to adapt your teaching practice to these different behaviors is likely to be the most challenging part of your teaching in an international classroom.Check out our blog on why teachers abroad need to make culturally responsive teaching a priority for more info on Teach Away’s online culturally responsive teaching course, designed with a leading diversity expertto help teachers abroad better relate to students and families from a broad range of cultural backgrounds. Teachers who’ve taught abroad before - what were some cultural differences in behavior that you encountered, and most importantly, what were the culturally responsive teaching strategies that you used to better connect with your students? Let us know in the comments below!