Learning to play a musical instrument offers a lot of benefits. I personally believe that if there’s one thing you should learn in your lifetime, it is how to play an instrument. Here are 5 reasons why:

1. Playing A Musical Instrument Makes You Smarter
Many studies have been conducted on the effects of music to the brain. Scientists say that children who are exposed to music, or those who play an instrument, do better in school than those who don’t. Recent research suggests exposure to music may benefit a child’s reading age, IQ and the development of certain parts of the brain. Adults can benefit from learning to play an instrument too because it helps the mind to be alert and active eventually helping to sharpen the memory.

2. It Teaches Discipline
Learning to play an instrument is like learning to speak another language and it can be challenging at times. One of the qualities musicians possess is discipline. You have to be disciplined in order to master playing your instrument. You have to set time each day to practice, practice and practice some more.

3. Playing A Musical Instrument Relieves Stress
We all have days when we are so stressed out and we just want to take a break from it all. Have you ever noticed that when you hear soft, soothing music you feel more relaxed? Playing an instrument can do that and more, especially if you’re the one playing. Music is one of life’s simple joys; it helps

4. Sense of Achievement
If you’re a beginner learning to play your first piece, it can be frustrating. But once you’ve mastered it, the satisfaction you’ll feel is priceless. Never mind if it’s just a simple piece, believe me you’ll never forget the first piece you’ve mastered. You are one more step closer to achieving your goal and that is certainly something to be proud of.

5. Playing A Musical Instrument is Fun
Sure it can be a lot of hard work but there is no denying playing an instrument is fun. Once you get better at it, opportunities will arise for you to share your newly learned skill with your family and friends. Who knows, you may also consider playing professionally in the future. Playing a musical instrument opens up a lot of good possibilities that will surely enrich your life.

By Espie Estrella, About.com

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To do well on a test, you must have good knowledge of the information that is being tested. But you must also have a strategy for taking the test that allows you to show what you know. The DETER strategy can help you do your best on any test. Each letter in DETER reminds you what to do.

D = Directions

• Read the test directions very carefully.
• Ask your teacher to explain anything about the test directions you do not understand
• Only by following the directions can you achieve a good score on the test.
• If you do not follow the directions, you will not be able to demonstrate what you know.

 

E = Examine

• Examine the entire test to see how much you have to do.
• Only by knowing the entire task can you break it down into parts that become manageable for you.

T = Time

• Once you have examined the entire test, decide how much time you will spend on each item.
• If there are different points for items, plan to spend the most time on the items that count for the most points.
• Planning your time is especially important for essay tests where you must avoid spending so much time on one item that you have little time left for other test items.

E = Easiest

• The second E in DETER reminds you to answer the items you find easiest first.
• If you get stuck on a difficult item that comes up early in the test, you may not get to answer items that test things you know.

R = Review

• If you have planned your time correctly, you will have time to review your answers and make them as complete and accurate as possible.
• Also make sure to review the test directions to be certain you have answered all items required.

Using the DETER strategy will help you do better on tests and get better grades.

Most parents want their children to read quality literature, not just comic book fluff. Yet what constitutes a good book these days? The following guidelines may help parents choose effective stories for their children.

1. Fantasy and science fiction. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and even films adapted from popular films like Star Wars or Spider Man offer tempting reading for kids age ten and up. Some younger children might be able to enjoy works like these, but theme, vocabulary, and style are geared more toward adolescent children. Decide how you feel about fantasy elements such as witchcraft in the Potter books or magic in Tolkien before getting your kids hooked. Since some of the more popular works are published in series, your children may continue reading for weeks or even months to satisfy curiosity aroused from the first book.

2. Spiritual and religious themes. The Left Behind series in Christian literature was written for adults originally, but there is now a teen version that many adolescents are reading. Written from an evangelistic perspective of the end times prophesized in the Bible, the books offer adventure, excitement, and thrills as heroes and villains continue the battle of good versus evil through several volumes. Like other popular kids’ books, there is a film and its sequel that many teens have viewed. Wholesome and family friendly, the scary parts have to do with demonic forces threatening humankind.

3. American classics. For younger school children of elementary age, the Little House on the Prairie series offers a warm, friendly look at early life on the prairie as described by Laura Ingalls Wilder in the late 1800s. Made into a popular television series in the 1970s and ’80s that still can be viewed in reruns, the wholesome topics center on family life and humor during a key period of American history. Other children’s classics include Charlotte’s Web and the Charlie Brown stories that were adapted from the original cartoon strip begun by Charles Schultz in 1950.

4. Multicultural themes. Books about French children, Iranian girls’ novels about growing up during the Islamic revolution, and long-popular favorites such as Black Like Me offer insight to other cultures and peoples who live both in and out of the United States.

5. Poetry and rhyme. Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein are two of America’s best loved children’s authors who specialize in rhyming verse to tell interesting stories or recite poems. Some kids still read American authors Emily Dickinson’s “The Swing” or Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” along with folk lyrics that tell stories of American-based scenes and events, such as “Tom Dooley” and “Hiawatha.”

Whatever your child’s taste in books, there are many popular authors and titles from which to choose. The main thing is to start early by introducing your kids to books and poems while they are young, perhaps even before starting school. As they grow and change, so will their reading tastes. Parents who initiate reading habits in their children will be pleasantly surprised to find that the kids’ academic scores tend to be higher than those who don’t read, especially in language skills. So don’t wait. Go buy or borrow a book for your kids today!

There are four basic properties of numbers: commutative, associative, distributive, and identity. You should be familiar with each of these. It is especially important to understand these properties once you reach advanced math such as algebra and calculus.

Commutative Property

a. Addition. When two numbers are added, the sum is the same regardless of the order in which the numbers are added.

3 + 5 = 8       or       5 + 3 = 8

b. Multiplication. When two numbers are multiplied together, the product is the same regardless of the order in which the numbers are multiplied.

3 x 5 = 15       or       5 x 3 = 15

 

Associative Property

a. Addition. When three or more numbers are added, the sum is the same regardless of the way in which the numbers are grouped.

6 + (4 + 3) = 13   or   (6 + 4) + 3 = 13

b. Multiplication. When three or more numbers are multiplied, the product is the same regardless of the way in which the numbers are grouped.

6 x (4 x 3) = 72   or   (6 x 4) x 3 = 72

Distributive Property

The sum of two numbers times a third number is equal to the sum of each addend times the third number.

5 x (7 + 2) = 45   or   5 x 7 + 5 x 2 = 45

Identity Property

a. Addition. The sum of any number and zero is that number.

12 + 0 = 12

b. Multiplication, The product of any number and one is that number.

18 x 1 = 18

Knowing these properties of numbers will improve your understanding and mastery of math.

Effective study habits are essential for achieving and maintaining a high GPA. More importantly, effective study habits help you to store information in long-term memory, allowing you to use the learned information in a novel setting. Applying the following rules for studying will aid you in earning excellent marks in school.

Do: 1. Keep the area around your desk neat and tidy. If possible, the area should also be quiet. If you are having trouble finding a quiet place to study, try the local library or park. The library is a perfect place to have peace and quiet. The park may not be as quiet, but the fresh air can make studying less nerve-racking. If these options are unavailable, then try listening to some music while studying.

2. Have a scheduled study time for each school day. Remember that one classroom hour should be reinforced by two hours of studying at home.

3. Sit down for 45 minute intervals, followed by 15 minute breaks. Having an easily attainable goal, like sitting for set duration of time, is effective for increasing motivation.

4. Reward yourself if and only if you have met your goal for that study session. For example, if you plan to study one chapter and succeed, then you may reward yourself by doing something pleasurable. Examples of positive reinforcement are: food, exercise, videogames, etc.

5. Make correspondences between your class notes and your textbook. This will help you to fill in any background information not covered in class.

6. Prepare questions about the chapter that will be discussed in the following class. This will help you identify areas that you don’t understand.

7. Put any new words or concepts to use. The more you use the learned information, the more likely you will be to remember it. This is especially true for language classes.

8. Finally, review what you have studied just before you go to bed. You will find that you will remember the words very strongly the next morning.

Don’t: 1. Procrastinate. Cramming is not beneficial for producing long term memory.

2. Highlight. Highlighting is a form of procrastination, because you are saving note taking for later. This means you must use the book twice instead of once. Instead, make careful notes to compliment your classroom notes, along with page numbers so that you can refer back to the book if necessary.

3. Study on the computer. You are bound to be tempted to check your email or surf the net.

4. Leave your cell phone on during study time. No matter who is calling or texting you, usually it can wait 45 minutes. Having your cell phone on during study time can be a major distraction and is not conducive to learning.

5. Study just after you have eaten. Studies have shown that thinking is slower after having a meal.

6. Space out. When you feel your mind begin to wander, remind yourself to concentrate. If you are reading, using your finger is a good way to keep your mind on track. The movement of your finger on the page forces you to pay attention to what you are doing.

by Gene Grzywacz

About the Author

Gene Grzywacz is author of the Brute Force Study Guide. The website bruteforcestudyguide.com offers study skills and college tips.

Your child sits down at the dining room table and with a sigh, opens an English textbook. Pulling out a grammar exercise, she throws a sidewise glance your way before whining, “I don’t know how to do this.”

What should you do? Drop everything and run to her aid? Calmly tell her to do the work herself? Call a tutor?

A parent can play a healthy role in helping kids to successfully complete their homework assignments. But parents must draw clear boundaries that protect them from offering too much help and their kids from expecting it.

Encourage your child to do as much as possible alone:

“Try the first set of verbs. See what you can do.”

“Read the directions again.”

But if your son or daughter persists in claiming they are unable to understand or complete the assignment, you may need to step in:

“What specific problem are you having?”

“Read it aloud to me, slowly.”

Kids may not appreciate this type of response, preferring, instead, a hands-on approach from Mom or Dad. But it is more helpful when parents gently insist that kids apply critical thinking skills to solve problems themselves.

However, if it becomes apparent that the child truly is lost and doesn’t understand the homework concept, the parent may be able to help. Suggest that your child re-read the section that was assigned for homework practice. After he or she has done that, ask if there are any questions. Answer them to the best of your ability. Those you cannot answer, suggest your child write them on paper for the teacher.

Then ask your child to read the first problem aloud, breaking it into parts if necessary. When you get a quizzical look afterward, calmly nudge the problem back to your child:

“What do you think that means?”

“How does the problem relate to what you just read?”

Little by little, help your child deconstruct the overwhelming assignment by looking at each part individually before responding to the whole unit.

Sometimes, though, a homework question is poorly worded or the parent doesn’t know the answer. Suggest that your child skip to the next question or even the next subject. It’s important that he or she continue on a productive path in completing as much homework as possible rather than giving up on one topic and neglecting the rest.

Parents should avoid taking a hands-on approach. A bit of advice or a probing questions can be helpful instead. Obviously, a parent should never do the work for the child. That would be cheating, as would recommending plagiarism or unethical shortcuts of any kind.

Parents have a great opportunity to model problem-solving skills when their kids struggle with homework uncertainties. But when it becomes clear that a child is feeling overwhelmed by an assignment, the parent should make an appointment to talk with the teacher and clarify the situation. No child can master a skill that he or she cannot comprehend, so be sure that learning takes place first, followed by practice later.