Famous French Military Victories and Defeats

Famous French Military Victories and Defeats Famous French Military Defeats and Victories ChaptersThe Military History of FranceBattle of ToursBattle of HastingsSecond Battle of YpresBattle of VerdunBattle of AgincourtBattle of TrafalgarBattle of Dien Bien PhuFrance’s geographical location within Western Europe with England to the North, Germany to the East, Spain to the West and the Mediterranean Sea at its South coast mean that it is a country which has fought its fair share of wars over the years.French military history is fascinating â€" but is there any truth to the stereotype that France has never won a war on its own?Of course, France has known many military victories, especially in the World Wars â€" so did they have any help?Let’s take a look at some of France’s most notable victories and defeats in Superprof’s guide to France’s military history.But first, an overview...However, the country regained much land and also acquired many overseas territories: in Africa, South America, Indochina and a large swath of North America.Most military action in those territories and in the homeland centred around peacekeeping efforts. French soldiers were generally tasked with quelling native population uprisings as well as dissent among the French colonists citizens alike.From the Gallo-Roman war (60 to 50 BC) fought while France was still a land occupied by various oft-squabbling tribes to the end of the Second World War â€" when France’s western borders were finally drawn, this country’s more than 2,000 years of military history defy the stereotype that France cannot win a war on her own.Or, you could think of it this way: not for nothing does France occupy the largest landmass in Europe.Her expanded size is certainly not due to her neighbours’ generosity but because of France’s military acumen and might through centuries of fighting.Now let’s take a closer look at some of the more notable battles fought by the French military.Battle of ToursAlso known as the battle of Poitiers, the Battle of Tours was a victory for the Franks (the people lived in France in the 8th century) against invaders who had accessed France from North Africa via the Iberian Peninsula.The Muslim conquest of European Christian kingdoms began in 711 AD with the defeat of many areas in present-day Spain. Established as a dominant power in Southern Europe, Umayyad Caliphate’s men went on to pursue France. After having been defeated at Toulouse in 721 AD, the invaders continued Northwards and emerged victorious at Aquitaine in 732 AD.After fleeing Aquitaine, which was now being brought under the control of the Umayyad forces, Duke Odo pleaded with the Frankish mayor, Charles Martel, who agreed to help as long as the attack was Frank-led.Charles Martel was not initially nominated to rule Francia upon his father’s passing. Instead, Pepin de Herstal, Charles’ father, at his wife's urging, nominated Charles’ nephew as successor.Some records contend that Charles was in fact illegitimate, which would have been a good reason to deny him succ ession to power. However, at that time, it was legal for a man could have several consorts.Charles, being the issue of one of Pepin’s other wives, could in fact ascend to power but Plectrude, a consort who bore heavy influence on her husband, ensured her grandson would inherit the title by obtaining a promise from Pepin on his deathbed.You might say that Charles Martel’s first, most significant battle was for the title that was rightfully his.Plectrude, unwilling to see her grandson slighted, had Charles thrown in prison. However, because the boy was so young, only eight years old, the nobles resisted his ascension to power.Unrest festered throughout the land, culminating in battle. The young statesman led his troops in the battle of Compiègne and suffered a humiliating defeat.Later that year, Charles escaped from prison and was met with acclaim and allegiance from the nobles.The resistance of the Franks, along with the Muslims’ failure to prepare for the European climate and the Franks’ attack on the opposing army’s camp made for a Frankish victory.A scene from the Bayeux Tapestry depicting the death of King Harold Source: Wikipedia Credit: MyrabellaBattle of HastingsThe Battle of Hastings is probably one of the most famous French military victories in history.In 1066, William of Normandy gathered his troops and set out to take the English crown from King Harold I, who, unfortunately, had only recently returned from another battle in which Harald Hardrada of Norway has also attempted to establish his dominance on the British Isles.The battle tactic employed by the King Harold’s army was famously shocking to William’s troops, who attacked the English as they stood their ground. Thankfully for Harold, this put the Normans off, and eventually, after a rumour that William, the Norman leader, had been killed on the battlefield, the French forces retreated.Seeing his army’s reaction, William quickly became frustrated and audaciously removed his hel met before both armies to disprove the rumour.Now empowered with a new rush of confidence, Willliam’s troops persisted in their attack and emerged victorious after the death of King Harold and surrender of his forces.William of Normandy became William the Conqueror, and the Normans gained a new territory.Reflections of Battle:It is easy to ascribe Harold’s defeat to battle fatigue, depleted troops and the element of surprise.However, we must consider these factors:The troops were not necessarily fatigued â€" by the long march to Hastings from London or by the fighting which lasted an entire day.Nor were they depleted. Although reliable records don’t exist, it is estimated that between 7,000 and 8,000 troops fought at Hastings.Furthermore, Harold dispensed of some of the troops at his disposal before marching to HastingsSurprise may have been a decisive factor in shaping the battle. When the rumour circulated that William was dead, Harold’s troops all but ceased fighting, per mitting onslaughts by the Normans â€" once they were assured that their king was indeed alive.The battle’s outcome might have been vastly different had Harold been a more experienced fighter and strategist.  Unfortunately for him, that is where William had the upper hand.For example, he might have exploited the Norman confusion over William's supposed death; perhaps he may have turned the tides in his favour by striking while the Normans were otherwise preoccupied.When I took French lessons online with my Superprof tutor, we discussed this battle from the French and British perspectives!Along came German chemist Fritz Haber, embellishing on fellow chemist Walter Nerst’s idea that the trenches could be ‘infected’ with tear gas. Haber proposed chlorine gas. Heavier than air, this gas would sink down into the trenches, quickly achieving the desired effect.The German commander opted to use this tactic as a diversion rather than an all-out attack, thereby losing the element of su rprise that would have made this deadly type of trench warfare most effective.It was that decision that afforded French troops the opportunity to flee.British troops, more familiar with mining tactics â€" to this day, France has little to no mining operations, devised impromptu masks that helped them survive the gas attacks. Thanks to those masks, they went on to win the battle.Battle of VerdunAnother landmark victory for the French was the Battle of Verdun, which also took place during the First World War, in 1916. It is famous for being the longest battle of the whole war, lasting from February to December.Verdun is still remembered for being key to the defence of France ¦ source: Pixabay - 12019Verdun was a historically important city in the military history of France as a defensive town, and the Germans sought to make the French compromise the forts in Verdun, which were signs of the country’s previous military strength and cause national embarrassment, or to forfeit the live s of their men.The plan to attack Verdun appeared to be perfectly engineered and everything looked to be in the favour of the attacking side. The French had removed a significant amount of ammunition from the forts, the trenches had not been finished, and German air forces were dominating the skies.Marshal Phillipe Pétain led the French forces to victory by moving supplies and troops to Verdun as quickly as possible, and elsewhere, the British planned to lead an attack on the Germans at the Somme which would force them to remove men from Verdun.What Clinched the Verdun BattleTwo major events turned the tide during the Battle of Verdun:1. Maréchal Pétain ordered his air commander to concentrate the flying squadrons over Verdun rather than distributing them all along the battlefront.  This disrupted German air support in that area.2. German General Falkenhayn had grossly underestimated the French: their reserves, their military savvy and their tenacity.He had calculated that, troop -heavy as his army was, and having air support as well, he would soon make short work of those pesky French!His strategy was to bleed the French troops to death; to kill as many as possible, causing surrender by attrition. Actually taking the city was never his priority.His failure to take Verdun was the first in a succession of military faux-pas that led to his removal as a general and his reputation as a war leader to be villified in his home country.Meanwhile, Maréchal Pétain was celebrated as the Lion of Verdun...Battle of AgincourtOne famous defeat for the French was the Battle of Agincourt, which was fought during the 100 Years War in 1415.The 100 Years War was being fought between England and France over which country would inherit the French crown.Henry V of England led his troops into France via the English Channel, however, weeks of traveling has caused levels of exhaustion which cost King Henry V over 5000 men. After suffering such massive losses, Henry decided to retre at back to England, however, he was met by a wall of French soldiers.The English remained still while the French troops, clad in heavy armour, came towards them. The French found themselves bombarded by arrows from the English longbow archers.The Battle is famous for the use of the English longbow, which can reach targets up to 230 metres away.As the French army tried to push through the arrows, attacking became even more difficult because of the weight they were carrying on their bodies. Once the battlefield was full of French men, King Henry ordered his troops to attack the French using axes.This bloody tactic secured a victory for the English and marked the start of a series of military successes for Henry V.The Agincourt FalloutWhile Henry returned to London celebrated as a war hero, France was left in shambles â€" and not just because of the resounding defeat they had just suffered!Two political factions clashed: The Armagnac who supported the French government and the Burgundi ans, who didn’t.The former was saddled with most of the blame â€" and took most of the casualties in the Agincourt defeat.The Burgundians took advantage of their weakened political and strategic position to march on Paris, sowing discord along the way and especially once they got there.The discord in France afforded King Henry about 18 months to rest up and gather more troops, after which he again marched into France and again handed the French a humiliating defeat.Battle of TrafalgarThe Battle of Trafalgar was a victory for the British Royal Navy against French and Spanish forces in 1805. The battle was part of the Napoleonic wars.27 British ships were led by commander Admiral Lord Nelson aboard flagship HMS Victory in the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Trafalgar, off the Spanish Coast.In the run-up to the battle, Napoleon Bonaparte, the new Emperor of France, had been trying to find a way to invade Britain and expand the empire of France after the French revolution. However, the Briti sh were aware of his plans and imposed a naval blockade on France which prevented Napoleon’s forces from crossing the Channel as well as interrupting France’s trade links.Frustrated and unable to control the waters around France, Napoleon (who had allied with Spain) planned to get men from the Caribbean who would assist his troops in dismantling the British presence in the Channel so he could invade England.Nelson's Column stands in Trafalgar Square to commemorate Admiral Lord Nelson ¦ source: Pixabay - 12019However, Napoleon’s ships were prevented from reaching the Caribbean by Nelson’s men, who approached the French in two columns to deter them.After 5 hours of battle, Britain had destroyed 19 of the 33 Franco-Spanish ships. No British ships were lost and the British Navy returned triumphantly.Though Admiral Lord Nelson lost his life in this battle, his leadership ensured that Napoleon would never seek to make Britain part of the French Empire. He was honoured with the na ming of a square in London: Trafalgar Square, where a statue of him still stands.The Irony of TrafalgarThe Spanish and French collectively had more ships at their disposal than our lone Admiral Nelson. They were also in familiar waters, just off the coast of Spain.Napoleon had already shown himself to be a brilliant military strategist and Frederico Gravina, his Spanish counterpart, had been at sea since he was 12 â€" just shy of 40 years at the time of the battle. Furthermore, he had plenty of experience fighting at sea, having fought at Gilbraltar and in Toulon.However, Both Napoleon and Gravina were nothing if not traditionalists.Convention at the time dictated that fighting ships should line up, single file, and fire upon one another until one sinks.Admiral Nelson threw tradition to the winds by lining his ships in two columns perpendicular to the French and Spanish fleets, giving him twice the range and firepower than Spain and France gave themselves.No wonder Napoleon and Grav ina never landed a shot but took so many hits!To read more about Napoleon and other famous French figures throughout history, follow the link!Battle of Dien Bien PhuA more recent defeat of the French was the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam in 1954, which was a part of the larger Indochina War.The French engaged in a battle with the Viet Minh, who represented Vietnam’s communist and national forces. Vietnam has been a French colony since the 19th century, however, the independence movement had been growing in popularity and France was losing control over the country.In a bid to weaken the Viet Minh forces, the French Republic started an occupation of Dien Bien Phu in order to cut off supplies into Laos and establish a French stronghold. However, this tactic did not work as planned, as the town was soon cut off and surrounded by Vietnamese forces.When the Viet Minh began their offense, France called on the USA for help, however, the independence movement has strength in numbers a nd the Viet Minh eventually broke through the French defences to the town.What Went Wrong in Dien Bien Phu?Clearly, the French had completely underestimated their opponents; they did not reckon that the Vietnamese would be able to navigate the jungle burdened by heavy weaponry.Furthermore, they assumed that the Viet Minh must want to rush to Laos; surely that was behind their strategy of blocking that route.It is interesting to note that the same tactical error brought about defeat in most military campaigns.Such thinking seems incomprehensible in hindsight: if your enemy thinks like you, how much of a battle could there be?Prepare for what your enemy can do, not what you think he will do â€" Carl von ClausewitzHow many battles would have had a different outcome had that wisdom been heeded?In the aftermath of Dien Bien Phu, the Viet Minh captured over 11,500 prisoners; nearly 4,500 of which were wounded.The blow that French diplomacy suffered in Viet Nam was not survivable. Furtherm ore, the citizens of France were tired of war and demanded that hostilities cease.So ended a conflict that, in many ways, resembled the First World War: trench fighting, hand to hand combat and limited use of (for the time) sophisticated weaponry, and no air support.If you found this blog interesting, why not check out our article on the most important events in France's history?Or, if you want to start learning French, try googling 'french lessons london'.

Standard deviation Normal Distribution

Standard deviation Normal Distribution Definition: - Standard deviation is the square root of the variance. The standard deviation is the popular measure of variability. It is used both as a separate entity and as a part of other analyses, such as computing confidence intervals and in hypothesis testing. The population standard deviation is denoted by and Sample standard deviation is denoted by s. =(x-)^2 / N s= (x- x?)^2/ (n-1) Standard deviation= variance. Example: Find the standard deviation of the sample when variance of sample is 25. Solution: - Since Standard deviation= variance. S = 25= 5 Therefore standard deviation of sample is 5. Another example: - Find the standard deviation of population when variance of the population is 100. Solution: - Standard deviation= variance. S = 100 =10 Therefore standard deviation of population is 10. Normal distribution is the most widely used of all distribution. It fits many individual characteristics, such as heights, lengths, speed, IQ and year of life expectancy, among others. Like their human counterparts living things in environment, such as trees, animals, insects, have many characteristics that are normally distributed. Some examples of variables that could create normally distributed measurements include the yearly cost of household insurance, the cost per square foot of renting warehouse space, and managers satisfaction with support from ownership on a five- point scale. In addition, we can say most items are produced or filled by machines are normally distributed.

Using the First Conditional Video and Exercises

Using the First Conditional Video and Exercises Using first conditional sentences in English is often difficult for students because of the way the sentences are constructed. But once again, this is an English grammar point that will allow you to express much more complex ideas in English. If you want to improve beyond Hello, my name is and Ill have the cheeseburger, then youll want to start learning to use conditionals.So, weve got some videos for you, one to explain the first conditional, and another video about the recent factory collapse in Bangladesh. The second video will give you a topic to write about using the first conditional. If you really want to master the first conditional, you should take a live English class via Skype with one of our teachers. Weve got a lesson to accompany these videos, and youll have the opportunity to use the first conditional in real conversation.Video: First ConditionalOk, do you think you understand first conditional now? Then watch the video below and try the exercise.Video: Factory Collaps e in BangladeshClick here to watch the video.Exercise: Fill in the gaps in the sentences below, then write 3 sentences about the factory collapse in Bangladesh, using the first conditional. Write your answers in comments, and we will correct them.If nothing __ ____ to improve working conditions for garment workers, I ____ stop buying clothes.I ____ buy clothes at higher prices __ it guarantees better living and working conditions for others.When they finally have world wide labor laws, we ____ ____ some assurance about the conditions in factories. Nelly Neko 1. If nothing is done to improve working conditions for garment workers, I will stop buying clothes.2. I will buy clothes at higher prices if it guarantees better living and working conditions for others.3. When they finally have world wide labor laws, we will have some assurance about the conditions in factories.1. If government doesnt take any measures to improve working and living conditions, nothing will change for bett er.2. In my opinion if they have some good security systems so many people will not die.3. if they dont stop using children labour , government will have to take some strict measures. Thank you ?? LOIEnglish NellyGood work. A few small mistakes: change for better.in this case we say change for THE better it is a special idiom. If we want to say that things will improve we use: GET better.Thanks for answering! José Edorides 1. If not is done to improve working conditions for garment workers, Ill stop buying clothes. 2. Ill buy clothesat higher prices if it guarantees better living and working conditions for others. LOIEnglish JoséNumber 1: If NOTThe correction is: If NOTHINGNothingin this case is the subject of the sentence. It literally means NO THING. Not is used for negation of verbs. An alternative sentence is: If they do NOT Do anything about working conditions for garment workers, Ill stop buying clothes. In this sentence you can see that NOT modifies the verb DO.I hop e this helps! José Edorides When they finally have world wide labor laws, we will have some assurance about the conditions in factories. ABUTURAB ALAM If nothing IS DONE to improve working conditions for garment workers, I WILL stop buying clothes. I WILL buy clothes at higher prices IF it guarantees better living and working conditions for others. When they finally have world wide labor laws, we WILL HAVE some assurance about the conditions in factories. LOIEnglish Excellent!

Best IELTS Vocabulary Courses Online

Best IELTS Vocabulary Courses Online In the IELTS Task 2 rubric, your band score will be determined in part by the sophisticated control of a wide range of advanced vocabulary that you display in your writing and the elimination of word choice and word form errors. An online IELTS vocabulary course could be the one thing that really helps you improve your writing score. IELTS Vocabulary: Learn 400 Essential Words for IELTS (4.5 stars) 4.5 stars (927 ratings) 5740 students This vocabulary course is bound to help you with your IELTS vocabulary. Charles Cornelius has a clear speaking style, an easy to understand British accent, and structured approach to teaching vocabulary. I have reviewed the words taught in this course and can attest that you will indeed learn additional intermediate and advanced words that will make your essays look more sophisticated. What will you learn? learn wordmeaningshearhow to clearlypronounceeachwordsee how each word isused inexample sentenceslearn how to use the word like a nativethroughcommoncollocations(words that frequently go together)discover thedifferentformsandderivativesof eachwordget to knowsynonymsof eachword vital for success on the IELTS reading and listening tests What does this course contain? 11.5 hours on-demand video10 articles113 downloadable resourcesFull lifetime accessAccess on mobile and TV Go to the IELTS Vocabulary Course IELTS Academic Words for English (4.7 stars) The types of words you will learn 4.7 stars (16 ratings) 290 students Certain words in English are much more frequent in academic English that in everyday English. Thats why making a concerted effort to learn academic vocabulary and use those words in you IELTS exam will show your examiner that you are ready for university, which should help to boost your score. I want you to know that I have reviewed the words and sentences taught in this academic vocabulary course, and one thing that impressed me was the large number of vocabulary items covered. If you make an effort to remember even 10% of the 1000 words and sentences taught in this academic vocabulary course, your writing score is bound to improve. What will you learn? a wide range of vocabulary, which will be useful for the IELTS test or just to improve your Englishsample sentences that will be useful in IELTS writing tasksa clear pronunciation of each wordwords with similar or related meanings What does this course contain? 35 videos more than 1000 example sentences included35 quizzes20 hours of study 18.5 hours on-demand video35 downloadable resourcesFull lifetime accessAccess on mobile and TVCertificate of Completion Go to the Academic Vocabulary Course Please follow and like us:

How to Get Enough Protein Throughout the Day

How to Get Enough Protein Throughout the Day photo via unsplash Greek Yogurt Greek yogurt is one of my personal favorite snacks. Greek yogurt has about 15-20g of protein per serving (depending on the brand) and it is healthier than other yogurts because it does not have as much sugar. It has a thicker texture and may take some getting used to. Try adding healthy toppings such as granola and fruit to your Greek yogurt for better taste. Berries go well with Greek yogurt, including strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Use what you like or get creative and try new fruit combinations. Greek yogurt is a great summertime snack. You can have it as a light breakfast before working out, or in between lunch and dinner to hold you over and give you extra protein. You can’t go wrong with Greek yogurt any time of the day and it is a good start to making healthy snack choices. photo via unsplash Peanut Butter/Almond Butter Peanut butter is one of the most common household food items. It is a tasty source of protein and it has about 8 grams per serving. Peanut butter can be used on much more than just sandwiches. You can put it on breakfast items, such as toast, waffles, or pancakes. You can also pair it with any kind of cracker or other salty snacks. Peanut butter is an easy snack to prepare and it is something that college students should always keep in their dorm or apartment. Although peanut butter is the most common nut butter spread, there are other similar alternatives. This can be a beneficial way for people with peanut allergies to get protein. A popular alternative to peanut butter is almond butter. Almond butter does not have quite as much protein as peanut butter, but it makes up for the small difference by providing an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It has a slightly different taste and it is another healthy option if you are looking to try something new. photo via pexels Protein shake Rather than loading up on snacks with high protein all day, you could drink a protein shake instead. There are a variety of ways to make a protein shake and there are many different flavor options available. You want to start by getting protein powder from a supplement store or retailer. Protein powder can be expensive so deciding which to get ultimately depends on your budget and how much protein per serving you are looking to get. Protein powder usually has between 15 and 30 grams of protein per scoop so it may be worth the cash to give you the extra protein you need. Once you have gotten protein powder, there are a few different ways you can prepare a protein shake. You can simply use protein powder with milk or water, or you can add other ingredients. It is easy to prepare a protein shake with just protein powder and milk (or water) if you have a shaker bottle. A shaker bottle allows you to mix the ingredients simply by shaking the bottle, so you do not need to use a blender. Supplement stores, vitamin shops, and retailers usually sell shaker bottles and they are not too expensive. If you want to add fruit and other nutrients to your protein shake, you can throw your protein powder and ingredients into a blender. You can get frozen fruit, which will stay good for longer than fresh fruit if you plan to make protein shakes regularly. This is another tasty way to get protein. Enjoy a protein shake in the morning, after the gym, or between meals. There are many other protein-filled snacks out there. No matter which you choose to have during the day, getting a sufficient amount of protein is good for your body and helps build muscle. When you are taking a break from studying, try eating foods with protein â€" they will leave you feeling less hungry.

If You Can Read, Thank a Teacher

If You Can Read, Thank a Teacher Reading tutors at TutorZ.com are experienced and prepared to help all types of students including ADD/HD, ADD, Dyslexia. We have thousands of affordable reading tutors nearby, who can teach your kids how to read, word recognition, comprehension and vocabulary skills. Right tutor can make the difference. So, if your child is constantly struggling in reading, help them. Hire  a Reading tutor today and  give your kids  assistance in their studies to fortify their educational needs. They  will be grateful for the aide.

Tips for Tutors Expanding your Expertise

Tips for Tutors Expanding your Expertise Today I have the pleasure of sharing a guest post by Thomas S. In his article tutors are going to learn about expanding their expertise. A few words about Thomas He is a ten year veteran of the teaching profession and currently serves as a junior high school teacher in southern New Jersey and as a writer for The Knowledge Roundtable, a free tutoring marketplace. His primary focus is building reading, writing, and research skills in his students. He holds two degrees from Rutgers University: a B.A. in History as well as a M.Ed. in Elementary Education. He holds teaching certifications in English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Elementary Education. Thomas has also worked as a tutor for grades ranging from second through high school in a wide variety of subjects including reading, writing, calculus, chemistry, algebra, and test prep. His core educational beliefs stem from the notion that all students can be successful; it is the role of educators to help facilitate growth by differentiating and scaffolding student learning on a personal level. Now, enjoy his article Expanding your Expertise If you are a tutor looking to expand your potential client base or just seeking to pursue different content areas, there are a variety of ways you can expand your expertise. Flipping the script and becoming the learner instead of the teacher can seem daunting, but the process can be both an enlightening and a rewarding way to keep your tutoring experience fresh. Where to Start? If this sounds like an avenue worth pursuing, sometimes the hardest part is knowing what subjects to branch out into. One place to start is to ask your existing clients about support they would like you to be able to provide. By investing time into content your current clients may need help with down the road, you raise the odds that your time investment spent learning will be a profitable one. Another possibility is to investigate which content areas are in demand in your area. By checking tutoring job boards like The Knowledge Roundtable, you can see where the needs are that you could potentially fill. You may not acquire a new skillset to teach a particular post’s needed area immediately, but you can bet that if there is a need for, say, calculus tutors in your area today, there probably will be next semester as well. Resources to Use Once you have an idea of what content area you wish to learn about, the next step is actually digging in and putting your brain to work! One cost-effective solution is acquiring used textbooks in the content area. You can find used editions of textbooks on sites like Ebay and Amazon that can be shipped to your door, often for merely a few dollars. Looking for editions that are one or two behind the current volumes can be a way to find big savings; the differences in the pages’ content are usually negligible. Your local library could potentially carry these types of materials as well; it is definitely worth checking out if you want to keep your financial investment to a minimum. Online coursework platforms like Coursera and Khan Academy offer inexpensive or even free courses in a wide array of content areas. The work is demonstrated with lectures and videos that break down the content in a fashion similar to a full-fledged online university course. Being able to demonstrate your course completion data from these sites to a client is a way of showing your content prowess as well as your dedication to improving your own learning without shelling out the big buck for college credits. If you want something a bit more formal for your tutoring resume, check out the offerings from your local community college. There are typically course offerings that can be attended at a low cost (or even audited) if you are a county resident. If your local community college doesn’t have what you are looking for, branching into neighboring communities may be worth a look as well. Picking up some extra college credit could open up future opportunities for higher-level (and higher-paying) tutoring experiences down the road. Be Honest and Realistic Acquiring a new skillset can be exciting. Like a child with a new bike, you may be in a rush to get out there and put your skills to the test. Be careful, however. Jumping into a tutoring arrangement where you are not fully prepared can be devastating to your business. A lackluster performance can result in negative feedback that may hinder your acquisition of new clients. Before you take on the first client in a new content area, be sure you are prepared. It might also be a good idea to be up front about your novice status in the area and offer your services at a discount. If you are successful, the experience and potentially positive word-of-mouth could be worth a lot more than what you give up in a reduced hourly rate for your first client. What have you done to expand your tutoring skillset? Share your stories in the comments below! Tips for Tutors Expanding your Expertise Today I have the pleasure of sharing a guest post by Thomas S. In his article tutors are going to learn about expanding their expertise. A few words about Thomas He is a ten year veteran of the teaching profession and currently serves as a junior high school teacher in southern New Jersey and as a writer for The Knowledge Roundtable, a free tutoring marketplace. His primary focus is building reading, writing, and research skills in his students. He holds two degrees from Rutgers University: a B.A. in History as well as a M.Ed. in Elementary Education. He holds teaching certifications in English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Elementary Education. Thomas has also worked as a tutor for grades ranging from second through high school in a wide variety of subjects including reading, writing, calculus, chemistry, algebra, and test prep. His core educational beliefs stem from the notion that all students can be successful; it is the role of educators to help facilitate growth by differentiating and scaffolding student learning on a personal level. Now, enjoy his article Expanding your Expertise If you are a tutor looking to expand your potential client base or just seeking to pursue different content areas, there are a variety of ways you can expand your expertise. Flipping the script and becoming the learner instead of the teacher can seem daunting, but the process can be both an enlightening and a rewarding way to keep your tutoring experience fresh. Where to Start? If this sounds like an avenue worth pursuing, sometimes the hardest part is knowing what subjects to branch out into. One place to start is to ask your existing clients about support they would like you to be able to provide. By investing time into content your current clients may need help with down the road, you raise the odds that your time investment spent learning will be a profitable one. Another possibility is to investigate which content areas are in demand in your area. By checking tutoring job boards like The Knowledge Roundtable, you can see where the needs are that you could potentially fill. You may not acquire a new skillset to teach a particular post’s needed area immediately, but you can bet that if there is a need for, say, calculus tutors in your area today, there probably will be next semester as well. Resources to Use Once you have an idea of what content area you wish to learn about, the next step is actually digging in and putting your brain to work! One cost-effective solution is acquiring used textbooks in the content area. You can find used editions of textbooks on sites like Ebay and Amazon that can be shipped to your door, often for merely a few dollars. Looking for editions that are one or two behind the current volumes can be a way to find big savings; the differences in the pages’ content are usually negligible. Your local library could potentially carry these types of materials as well; it is definitely worth checking out if you want to keep your financial investment to a minimum. Online coursework platforms like Coursera and Khan Academy offer inexpensive or even free courses in a wide array of content areas. The work is demonstrated with lectures and videos that break down the content in a fashion similar to a full-fledged online university course. Being able to demonstrate your course completion data from these sites to a client is a way of showing your content prowess as well as your dedication to improving your own learning without shelling out the big buck for college credits. If you want something a bit more formal for your tutoring resume, check out the offerings from your local community college. There are typically course offerings that can be attended at a low cost (or even audited) if you are a county resident. If your local community college doesn’t have what you are looking for, branching into neighboring communities may be worth a look as well. Picking up some extra college credit could open up future opportunities for higher-level (and higher-paying) tutoring experiences down the road. Be Honest and Realistic Acquiring a new skillset can be exciting. Like a child with a new bike, you may be in a rush to get out there and put your skills to the test. Be careful, however. Jumping into a tutoring arrangement where you are not fully prepared can be devastating to your business. A lackluster performance can result in negative feedback that may hinder your acquisition of new clients. Before you take on the first client in a new content area, be sure you are prepared. It might also be a good idea to be up front about your novice status in the area and offer your services at a discount. If you are successful, the experience and potentially positive word-of-mouth could be worth a lot more than what you give up in a reduced hourly rate for your first client. What have you done to expand your tutoring skillset? Share your stories in the comments below!