What is a Maths Home Tutor?

What is a Maths Home Tutor?Maths is one of the hardest subjects to learn but if you get help from a maths home tutor then you will find it much easier to grasp the concept. A maths tutor can help you in understanding the concepts better and in applying the methods that you are given. It is a good idea to research the internet for a math tutor to see which one is best suited to your needs.When looking for a math tutor, you should make sure that you are going to meet the requirements of the tutor. You will also need to determine if they have the teaching qualifications to be able to teach students at the top of their class.Most maths tutors want to help students reach the level of their classmates as well as impart knowledge to them. The tutor may take a student under their wing in order to learn the techniques on how to apply them and do things the right way.There are several different types of maths tutor that can help a student achieve his/her goal, depending on what their expertise is. There are independent maths tutors, private tutors, training tutors, online tutors and international tutors.Independent tutors usually teach one particular subject and have no contact with the students' parents. This type of tutor can actually help students learn more effectively since they do not have to teach the student everyday. If a student feels that they need extra help, then the independent maths tutor can refer the student to a tutoring service.The private tutor usually charges a fee for their services and teaches the student independently. The private tutor may not be the same person who gave the student the syllabus. It would depend on the tutors experience and skills if they are a good tutor to help you achieve your goal.You can often find other students with similar problems and you can refer a student to him or her. The fee for the tutor is usually the same for all students and is not usually based on their age. All you need to do is search the internet for a tuto r that meets your needs.

How to Improve Performance in High School College 5 Basic Strategies

How to Improve Performance in High School College 5 Basic Strategies Improving Academic Performance We are a tutoring company, and as such parents and students tend to seek us out when they realize some extra 1-1 help is needed to perform well in an academic class or on a standardized test. However, using a private tutor is just one way to improve your academic performance.In this article, we’ll explore other, perhaps sometimes obvious yet too often ignored or neglected, strategies to try before investing in private tutoring. There is no “magic” about the number five. In identifying five “basic” strategies, I am trying to highlight what you might call “foundational” things to try doing differently to get better grades or test scores. What follows are five strategies high school and college students (and their parents) should consider when trying to improve academic performance. #1 â€" Ensure you have an accurate, healthy and balanced perspective on intelligence and academic skill development and performance. Adopt a “growth” mindset. We regularly engage with students who try hard, do their homework, study for tests, etc., but still don’t perform very well in certain subjects. When you dig a little deeper, you learn they just think they aren’t wired for a certain class or school in general. They might use language like “I’m just not good at math” or “I’ve never liked reading” or “I’ve never done well in school” and it negatively impacts their motivation, focus, and ability to build new skills and learn new concepts.Putting aside actual medical issues like poor vision or hearing, ADHD (trouble concentrating) or dyslexia (trouble reading) that could lead to these types of statements, often the core issue is a mistaken view that intelligence and academic prowess are traits that you are either born with or not. But people are not, in fact, born as “good at math” or not. There is mounting scientific evidence that intelligence as most people would define it, and even under some very strict definitions, grows just like a muscle. The more you push yourself and practice, the “smarter” you become. Then, the easier certain subjects or classes will be for you. The student who seems like “a natural” often practices a lot behind the scenes or had parents who worked with him or her from an early age. It should be intuitive that if you think of being “smart” as reading or writing well, or knowing how to do math, that the more you practice these academic skills, the more skilled you’ll become. But there is even evidence that as you push yourself intellectually to learn new things, your physical brain changes, more connections between neurons are built, and that over time, even your raw IQ score can change. Another way to summarize this first strategy is to say you want to have a “growth mindset” which means you want to believe and act as if intelligence is something you build, not something you are given. A psychologist named Carol Dweckcoined the term, and has shown how some people have growth mindsets and others have “fixed,” (meaning you do believe in fixed traits and in being genetically wired to be good or bad at various activities). She has shown that academic, athletic, and musical success is linked to having a growth mindset. In other words, you aren’t born with talents, you build them. To summarize strategy number one, approach school with a growth mindset. That’s it. Over time, your grades and test scores, will likely improve. #2 â€" Focus on building “grit” as the key to academic success. Another scientist (a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania) who operates in similar circles to Carol Dweck is Angela Duckworth. She developed and researches the concept of “grit,” which she has defined as “a distinct combination of passion, resilience, determination, and focus that allows a person to maintain the discipline and optimism to persevere in their goals even in the face of discomfort, rejection, and a lack of visible progress for years, or even decades. Duckworth’s scientific, statistically significant research shows that “grit” is a better indicator of academic success than IQ. You can measure your own grit here.So, to bring together strategies 1 and 2, the worst thought to have would be that you can’t succeed in a math class because you just aren’t a “math person.” It would be better to adopt a growth mindset and realize that it is certainly possible to build your math skills and develop math talents with practice. And, it would be even better to realize that the key to building those talents and achieve your goals is to have grit. Find ways to be interested in a topic, set goals, and be determined and resilient as you pursue them. This will drive your success in that math class, not some innate math talent you do or do not have. In sum, improve your performance in school by recognizing the importance of and building grit. #3 â€" Make sure you are sleeping, eating, and exercising enough. This strategy is a bit different than the first two, and perhaps a little more obvious once written or spoken. But that doesn’t mean the average parent or student is following it. Taking care of your physical and mental health can have a very real positive impact on mental health. There is scientific evidence that: Getting enough sleep is strongly correlated with academic success. If you are falling asleep in class or having trouble focusing or concentrating because of fatigue, you are ultimately going to have trouble learning. Memory and cognition improvements, as well as stress reduction, is linked to exercising regularly. Symptoms of ADHDand overall stress levels are reduced, while cognitive capacity and ability to focus are improved, through improved nutrition, particularly in adolescents. In sum, though it might seem basic, if you want to, or you want your child to, perform better in school, making sure you are taking care of your body is an important strategy. #4 â€" Approach school a little more strategically with a focus on goal setting and better high-level planning and prioritization. We’ve used the word strategy several times in this article already, but let’s stop and define the term. Strategyis about setting goals and making conscious choices about what you will or won’t do in pursuit of those goals.All too often businesses and individuals are influenced by their environment and starting point and somewhat aimlessly “go with the flow” instead of stepping back and behaving strategically to achieve their objectives. What would it mean for a student to “approach school a little more strategically with a focus on goal setting and better high-level planning and prioritization? It would involve: Thinking through, early in high school, what type of college you want to attend? Ivy league, or less selective state school? Or, early in college, thinking about what types of jobs you are likely to seek.Set a high-level goal or objective. Taking a perspective on what you want your GPA to be, given the answer to the first question, as well as what type of “resume” you must build. What GPA are you shooting for overall? How many activities, sports, etc. are you going to need to get involved in? Choose activities that you enjoy and that create a well-rounded student for future presentation to potential colleges, graduate schools, or employers. Make sure you are enrolled in classes that stretch your abilities but also give you a fighting chance of reaching your GPA goalswhile also taking part in many other activities. Don’t take calculus BC if calculus AB will suffice given your goals and situation. Don’t be stubborn andstruggle in a class that is more advanced than you can handle (assuming you are putting in the work to succeed). Assuming you are involved in a lot of different things, as many students are, recognize how important time management is. Plan your calendar out each week, allocate time for homework, think about big projects, quizzes, and tests days or weeks in advance and plan time to work on or prepare for them. Plan to complete things in advance at least a few days before they are due. Set a target grade for every specific class and write it down (or tell someone about it who you feel accountable towards.) In my experience, if you say to yourself that a B would be OK, though an A would be nice, and you don’t tell a soul, you’re likely to just get a B. But you might even “fail” to meet your internal goal and get a C if the you get a little unlucky or the class is particularly hard. However, if you tell a friend you’re aiming for an “A,” you’ll a) be more likely to actually get an Aand b) you’ve established a standard for performance that means if you fail, you’ll probably end up with at least a B instead of a C. Set specific, stretching, performance targets in each class. Prioritize and re-prioritize constantly. Strategy is very much about prioritizing time and energy in pursuit of goals. If your teacher assigns a lot of reading that takes hours, but specifically has told you that quizzes and tests are 90% driven by class notes and homework problems, it’s OK to skip 60 minutes of reading if you are strapped for time before a big test. Prioritize reviewing the class notes or homework problems you were assigned. Or, if you have an extra few days before a big project is due, but a big test tomorrow you aren’t prepared for, push back working on the project. In sum, as you work your way though school, ensure you have established goals and objectives, are intentional about how you spend your time, and prioritize constantly. #5 â€" Develop a relationship with your teacher. Go in for extra help whenever you need it. Share rough drafts for feedback. Although getting help from your teacher for free may reduce the need for support from a tutoring company, we would be remiss if we did not remind our students that their teachers are a powerful resource. Many students find teachers hard to understand, unrelatable, awkward, or unreasonable in their expectations around homework, quizzes, projects, and tests. But in fact, leveraging your teacher to get better grades is an extremely under-utilized strategy for doing well in school. There are three major elements to this. First, in many classes, teachers are grading papers somewhat subjectively. If you attend all the classes, participate, and go in for extra help when you need it, they will notice your positive attitude and interest in succeeding, and will want to reward you. Second, if you are struggling with a concept, going in for extra help will, obviously, help you better understand it. And finally, many teachers, within reason, will review early drafts of projects or papers for you and give feedback. If they have provided you with feedback that you have implemented, your chances of getting a good grade improve drastically (i.e., you are literally implementing the advice provided by the same person who will be doing the grading. It’s hard to go wrong here). So, use your teacher as a resource to succeed, not a barrier to overcome. In Conclusion A basic five-pronged approach can lead to better grades and test scores: Adopt a growth mindset about how intelligence works Demonstrate grit in pursuit of goals Take care of your body through better nutrition and more sleep and exercise Approach school more strategically Cultivate a positive relationship with and ask for help from your teacher

2013 PSAT scores have been released!

2013 PSAT scores have been released! By now, most juniors should have received their 2013 PSAT results from their schools. If you’re not sure how to read your score report, here’s how it works: you have three scores, one for critical reading, one for math, and one for writing. Those scores are added together to give you a composite score. To get your approximate SAT score, just add a zero onto the end of each score. Now, compare that approximate SAT score to average scores at your colleges of choice. If you want to improve your PSAT score and get a better result on the SAT, you’re in the right place!AJ Tutoring has a fantastic individualized SAT preparation program. We pair you one-on-one with a tutor at our Woodside, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Menlo Park, Saratoga, Los Gatos, or San Jose offices. Over the course of 9 sessions, you’ll learn everything there is to know about test-taking strategies, what’s actually on the SAT, and how to best prepare for the big day.If you’re planning to take the March 8, 2014 SAT, there’s no time to waste! With only 10 weeks left before the test, there’s still time to prepare, but the AJ Tutoring team is starting to fill up. If you’d like to start tutoring for the March 2014 SAT, give us a call at (650) 331-3251, or email info@ajtutoring.com.If, on the other hand, you haven’t thought about the SAT since you got those PSAT results back, now’s the time to start planning. You should have a full round of tests (SAT, ACT, SAT subject tests) done by the end of junior year, so you can retake the tests senior year if necessary. We would be happy to help you develop a testing plan that makes the most sense with your schedule â€" give us a call at (650) 331-3251 to discuss!

6 ways to get ready for moving abroad

6 ways to get ready for moving abroad Are you about to move abroad and feeling a little overwhelmed? I’ve been in the same boat! Living and teaching overseas for the first time is an exciting but daunting experience. There are so many things to consider, so we’ve compiled a list of the Top 6 things to do before going overseas:1. Do your reading. Arriving in a new country, ready to explore and open to anything that might come your way, can be an amazing experience. You have no idea what adventures are waiting for you! Realistically, though, most people will want to prepare for their travels, especially if they are moving to a country for a year or more. Research by using travel books, online travel blogs, and maps to help you get ready to depart. You’ll want at least a basic familiarity with the country’s culture and services â€" not to mention, it’s a great way to get excited and put yourself in a travel mindset!2. Keep everyone in the loop.  Make sure you contact your bank to let them know you will be using yo ur cards in another country. If you are traveling overseas for an extended period of time, you’ll want to consider getting your mail re-directed, or changing to electronic copies to ensure you keep up-to-date with mail from home.3. Get your health check. Traveling can be physically demanding, so a visit to your doctor is a great idea to ensure that you’re in good health before setting off. If you’re moving abroad to teach, a health check is usually required before you can obtain a visa. You might also need to determine if your new destination requires any vaccinations prior to arrival. And if you need to travel with medication, you’ll need to check as to whether you can bring your medication into your destination country. Will you be able to purchase it there if needed? Embassy websites will usually have useful links where you can find out what’s permitted to bring, and what’s available in the country.4. Copy your documents. It’s always wise to make both printed and el ectronic copies of your essential documents. Have a list of essential travel documents to keep in your carry-on, and make sure to leave a copy with family members at home in case of emergency. · Your passport · Airline tickets · Emergency contact numbers · Travel itinerary · Birth Certificate · Driver’s Licence · Vaccination and Relevant Health Records · Marriage Licence (if applicable) Teachers should also make copies of professional documents: · Resume · Teaching certifications · Degrees · Reference letters. Even if your employment is already organized prior to your departure, you never know when copies of these documents might come in handy. Keep your important information at easy reach by emailing electronic copies to your account, or having them on a USB.5. Stay in touch. You’ll want to make sure that your loved ones can contact you while you are traveling abroad, and vice versa. Share your travel experiences with everyone, and keep in touch with what is happeni ng at home. You can set up a free Skype account, and encourage your friends and family to do the same.6. Enjoy! Enjoy the trip and be grateful for all experiences, even the ones you struggle with at the time. I can’t say it better than Eleanor Roosevelt: “The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”Bon Voyage!

Cayman Learning Centre

Cayman Learning Centre Cayman Learning Centre We are a Learning Centre that focuses on remedial education. Literacy TeacherEssentialskills/ certification required: An international recognized teaching qualification SEN qualifications and/or recognized excellence in teachingstudents of all abilities would be highly regarded Experience teaching an evidence-basedreading program- WilsonReading Training or Lindanood Bellhighly regarded Minimum twoyears experience teaching Must have experience working with students with learningdisabilities Excellent observation and evaluation skills An outgoing personality, excellent communication skills,strong organization and interpersonal skills Excellent classroom management and practitioner skillsworking with students with, but not limited to, dyslexia,ADHD, ADD, and spectrum disorder Experience with raising standards of achievement andbehavior through appropriately planned interventionprograms As this is commissionedemployment, we are looking for individualswith flexible schedules Individuals must drive and have own vehicle. Salary range: $15 - $36 hr.Benefits in accordance with Cayman Islands laws. Send CV and proof of qualifications to info@caymanlearning.com.

7 Schools That Offer Sizzling Summer Language Programs

7 Schools That Offer Sizzling Summer Language Programs 7 Schools That Offer Sizzling Summer Language Programs The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you. â€" B.B. KingSummer with its long, lazy days and spare hours to fill calls to us as sweetly as one of B.B. King’s legendary guitar riffs, doesn’t it?Images of all sorts of amazing things to doâ€"or not do, if youre feeling less ambitiousâ€"fill our heads almost as soon as the first dandelions appear.Spending time in the sun, lounging on the grass, finally reading that book youve been meaning to get to all yearThats all well and good, but if youre picturing lots of wasted time youd better check out those mind pics again.Wasted summer time? Not at all!Let’s face it.Summertime is the perfect language learning time.All those unclaimed, warm, peaceful hours? They just beg to be filled with blissful language study!Okay. Right. I hear your concerns.Youre guessing its going to be a headache to find schools that offer summer language programs.Think again.Weve got some super schools below that offer summer langu age programs that will build your fluency, add fun to your days and maybe even some sizzle to your sultry summer nights.Lets check them out! Why Summer Is an Excellent Time to Focus on Language LearningFor those lucky enough to have summers off, summers unstructured, spare hours mean theres loads of time to concentrate on wants instead of mustsâ€"and if youre here, it means you want to power up your language skills. Brilliant!Summer, with its abundance of light-filled hours, warmer days and slower pace, is oh so casual. And that translatesâ€"in any languageâ€"to lots less stress. I dont know about you, but I definitely learn with less trouble when Im not stressing about things. Low stress equals high concentration potential for a lot of us!Many language learning programs are only available during the summer, so if you want to grab the goods from one of those, summer is your only option.Typically, summer programs are geared toward intensive learning. What does that mean to you, the language learner? Well, its great news because it means many summer courses are designed to help students gain skills more quickly!The cherry on the cupcake, as far as summer being an epic time to grab some language learning, is that there are even  some summer programs that are held in the target-language country. You do know what that means, dont you? Thats rightâ€"immersion! Language, culture, warm days exploring another country and warm nights practicing your language skills at trendy clubs, sporting events or sidewalk cafés. Whats not to love? And immersion isnt limited to programs abroad, as many more intensive programs offer an immersive environment in the classroom.Finally, even if you dont have the time or cash to spare on one of the programs below, FluentU  is a complete, affordable language learning option that can add structure and enjoyment to your summer, regardless of what your schedule looks like.FluentU makes it possible to learn languages from music videos, comme rcials, news, inspiring talks and more.With FluentU, you hear languages in real-world contextsâ€"the way that native speakers actually use them. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of FluentU videos on offer:FluentU really takes the grunt work out of learning languages, leaving you with nothing but engaging, effective and efficient learning. It’s already hand-picked the best videos for you and organized them by level and topic. All you have to do is choose any video that strikes your fancy to get started!Each word in the interactive captions comes with a definition, audio, image, example sentences and more.Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and easily review words and phrases from the video under Vocab.You can use FluentU’s unique adaptive quizzes to learn the vocabulary and phrases from the video through fun questions and exercises. Just swipe left or right to see more examples of the word youre studying.The progra m even keeps track of what you’re learning and tells you exactly when it’s time for review, giving you a 100% personalized experience.Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes store or Google Play store.And besides, theres always next year!7 Schools That Offer Sizzling Summer Language ProgramsYaleIf youve ever dreamed of attending prestigious Yale University on the idyllic Connecticut campus, you might want to consider taking one of their summer session language courses.There are two five-week-long summer sessions offered. Theyre open to undergraduates who wish to satisfy degree requirements, earn credit toward their major or just experience life in residence at the liberal arts college.Yale offers not just regular classes, but  several language programs across the globe, including some study abroad courses combined with courses on the Yale campus, but be advised that theyre truly intensive. These cou rses tend to fit an entire semesters worth of learning into a few weeks, so be prepared to learn, learn, learn!   Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Italian, English and Arabic are all on the course schedule.Learn Portuguese language and cultural facts in Brazil. Nail down some complex Spanish skills in Ecuador. Intermediate and advanced French students have an option to study in Paris (ooh, la, la!), and intermediate German students can learn in Berlin. No worries if Italian is on your summer scheduleâ€"there are courses in Siena that will accommodate your thirst for language. And Russian in St. Petersburg or Arabic in Morocco? Both epic options for summer learning!Columbia UniversityNew Yorks Columbia University has some incredible summer language courses that are open to high school students. There are for-credit courses for juniors and seniors (grades 11 and 12) in Spanish, Russian, Latin, Hindi-Urdu, French, Arabic and more.These include intensive courses designed to give high school students an edge on their college careers with the opportunity to earn college credits before formal college enrollment! There are requirements for each courseâ€"that vary according to languageâ€"so check the listings if youre considering enrolling.Columbia also has a summer program for students who want the immersive experience of studying Spanish in Barcelona. The Spanish Workshop features experiences designed to improve conversational, reading and writing skills.EF Language SchoolsEFs Summer Abroad program is based on course curriculum that has been implemented successfully for decades. They strive to give students experiences abroad that broaden global perspectives and introduce new cultures while teaching languages.Their language schools offer Spanish, Japanese, Italian, French, German and Chineseâ€"and to make the courses truly cozy, they limit class size to 17.Learn Spanish in Madrid or Barcelona, Japanese in Tokyo, Italian in Rome, French in Nice, German in Berlin or Munich, or Chinese in Beijing.These summer abroad courses are open to college students, and this immersive experience offers both homestay or student residence options so individual preferences can be accommodated!The University of ChicagoThe summer language programs at the University of Chicago entice a diverse group of language learners.Courses are open to currently enrolled University of Chicago students interested in continuing their academic careers over the summer months, high school students getting a jump on their college experiences, professionals honing language skills as well as undergraduate and graduate students from other colleges and universities.Courses do require students to take proficiency tests to gauge their language ability prior to placement in courses.They also  offer both beginning and intermediate intensive courses, so testing makes it possible to choose the optimal course of study for each individual student.Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japa nese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish are all in the summer course catalog.Residence hall housing and private apartments offer accommodations to students. Theres also a building called The International House where students from around the globe reside in an informal, family-style setting. Space is at a premium so applications to stay in The International House must be completed and turned in prior to securing a place there.The University of WashingtonSeattles University of Washington is one of the countrys largest summer language program providers.They offer both intensive and non-intensive language programs. What does that mean for learners? It means there are options (some summer programs only offer intensive coursework) and that its up to individual learners to decide whether they want the intensive (long hours, lots of material in a short period of time) or non-intensive (more relaxed, with less hours and less material) experience.Both campus and off-campus hou sing is available.Courses are open to everyone, including high school students.The language list for summer study is impressive! They offer Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili, Turkish and more. Whew!There are a few online course options  as well.University of California at BerkeleyThe University of California at Berkeley summer foreign language courses are open to everyone, including international students, high school students, university students and community members. Financial aid  is available to facilitate coursework availability to everyone.Courses are targeted for intensive language immersion over a short time span (all sessions of summer courses begin and end in an approximately 10-week span).Summer language classes bring a semester or, in some cases, a years worth of learning into the abbreviated summer session, so theyre definitely intensive courses.Arabic, Chinese, Filipino, French, Germ an, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Persian and Spanish are on the summer language schedule. Levels offered range from beginner to advanced.Indiana UniversityIndiana Universitys Summer Language Workshop has been in operation since 1950. It gives more than 200 students per summer the ability to gain a full year of college language instruction in eight- or nine-week summer sessions. No doubt about it, thats a pretty impressive endeavorâ€"for both students and the faculty!All languages include beginner level so no previous language skills are required to participate. Graduate, undergraduate, professional and international students attend the Workshop. High school students are considered for acceptance, as well, although this is on a very limited basis.Arabic, BCS (Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian), Chinese, Estonian, Georgian, Haitian Creole, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Kurdish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Mongolian, Pashto, Persian, Russian, Swahili, Turkish and Ukrainian are t aught.Workshop participants are offered housing on site, meal plans are available and there are credits earned for taking part in this exciting summer event!Guitar great B.B. King was right: No one can take learning away from you.Its all yours, regardless of when or where you acquire your skills.Summer is the perfect time to study languages. Theres no need to waste precious time, especially on sunny days that are so invigorating and just invite adventure!So learn a new language or increase proficiency in a language youve already begun studyingâ€"its entirely up to you. All of these schools offer excellent options.The key is to learn and make your language skills sizzle!

Live Twitter chat with Teach Away, November 27

Live Twitter chat with Teach Away, November 27 If you’d like to participate in our growing Twitter chat, we’re back this week on Thursday, November 27, from 8 - 9 pm GMT, with Elaine as our host.As one of our superstar Placement Coordinators, Elaine will take the reigns this week over at the @teachaway Twitter account. If you’d like to ask her a question about teaching overseas, Elaine has a great deal of experience with NIS schools in Kazakhstan, Esol Education in the Middle East and Egypt, and several other schools in the UAE.Elaine has been with Teach Away for about a year, before that she lived in Ireland, her country of origin, working in recruitment. When she’s not searching the globe for the best teachers to send overseas, you might find her in the gym working on suspension training or Total Resistance Training (TRX), or taking some time to herself to travel.So, introduce yourself to Elaine and ask her anything about teaching in the countries that she recruits for. You know the drill: Participate by tweeting at us and include the chat hashtag #askteachaway. Elaine will retweet the question before she tweets her answer, that way everyone can follow the Q&A.If you’re not on Twitter, click here to sign up. Once you’ve signed up, or if you already have an account, just follow @teachaway.Just like last week, we’ll share the whole Twitter chat on our Teach Away blog the following day, so if you can’t participate, you can check it out there.