Tutoring Underground - Tutoring Underground Is Possible

Tutoring Underground - Tutoring Underground Is PossibleTutoring underground is a common practice in many schools today. The reason is that some areas of the country are experiencing a shortage of teachers. For example, there are more than 200 schools in New Jersey that do not have enough teachers to meet the educational needs of all of their students.Teacher shortages are occurring at both public and private schools and parochial schools. It's important for parents to understand the solutions in a variety of situations. The same thing applies to online tutoring or underground tutoring.In the public school districts, the solution is easy. All you need to do is find a school district that has a high percentage of teachers willing to teach as long as they can and get them to work with a tutor. That's not nearly as difficult as it may sound, especially if you can find a teacher who is willing to work with you while you are earning your teaching degree. Tutors usually prefer this arrangem ent because they save money by not having to pay any tuition.If you don't want to try to find a private tutor or you are just not good at it, you may want to start an online tutoring program. You can either ask your college to let you use their computers to help you search for tutors or you can search the Internet. Your choice is up to you.If you have a knack for writing and can actually find a private tutor who has a desire to help you learn how to teach online, you might consider going it alone. One of the greatest things about online tutoring is that you do not have to invest in any expensive office space. However, if you choose to work alone, you will need to take care of all the costs associated with running a business.Public schools are overwhelmed with a shortage of teachers and one of the best ways to solve the problem is to just keep all the teachers in the area working together. Private schools may not have to solve this problem, but they also have one. If you look online, you will find that you can find someone online who will tutor you in many different ways.Private schools have no choice but to offer tutoring underground in some cases. They need qualified teachers so they are forced to use a variety of different methods to find them. One of the better ways to go about finding someone to tutor you is to check out other teachers' opinions of your potential tutor. If he is really good at what he does, chances are he will be willing to come to you.

How To Increase Your GMAT Analytical Writing Score

How To Increase Your GMAT Analytical Writing Score UPDATE: Some of this article's advice is now outdated due to changes in the GMAT. An updated article on the exam can be found here.The Analytical Writing section is the dark horse of the GMAT. Often ignored and rarely prepared for, the Analytical Writing section slides behind the curtain of the Quantitative and Verbal Sections. However, it can dramatically improve your chances of acceptance, and some schools even place minimum Analytical Writing score requirements. The following tips can make it easier for you to grasp what a solid essay is and the thought behind it. But, working with a GMAT Writing Tutor can help you take your essay to the next level, and ultimately improve your chances of acceptance. See more from Varsity Tutors on how to increase your GMAT score. Background: You will write two, 30-minute essays (Analysis of an Issue and Analysis of an Argument), scored 1-6. Your overall score is an average of the two, and it can range in half point increments. Each of your essays will be graded by a human reader and maybe automated, essay-scoring software, which will evaluate structural and linguistic features. But most importantly, your readers are looking for a logical organization of ideas, syntactic variety and topic analysis. The GMAT Analytical Writing Section boils down to this: make a legitimate point and convince your readers it is true (including your non-human ones). Chances are, you will see a business-related topic, but you might see a variety of other general-interest topics. The average score is 4, and a 5 or higher would rank you in the 90th percentile. To be accepted into top schools, you will probably need at least a 5. Analysis of an Issue: Here,you have to argue for or against a given topic. What you really need to do, is establish a firm position in your first paragraph, and then pick 3-4 examples to support your stance. Try to diversify your supporting examples. Use a business example, a historical example and a personal example. With this prompt, youre writing your typical 5-paragraph essay with an intro, supporting body paragraphs and a conclusion. Analysis of an Argument: Instead of arguing your belief on a particular topic, you will analyze an argument that is provided. You will be asked to discuss its strengths and weaknesses, and how you can make it better. You can write about how the argument presented has solid logic. However, you will be able to pull from so much more content if you state the argument is illogical. You want to look for faulty assumptions the author made. Thats your bread-and-butter in this prompt. Chances are, the prompt will take a giant leap forward, claiming one truth causes another, when the truths are actually correlated and not causally related. Look for that. The prompt will also ignore many factors that need to be considered, especially if its a business prompt. There are a lot of business factors that need to consider beyond profit margin, including: image, employee morale, environmental efforts, persona, ethics, etc. Write about how these are ignored. This does not have to be the typical 5-paragraph essay. But, you need to state if the argument is valid or not in your first paragraph, then have 3-4 paragraphs of examples supporting your point, and then a conclusion. Review with a tutor: Practicing can improve your writing, and it can do so dramatically. Pull a few prompts off the web and write essays for them, and have your tutor grade them and offer suggestions. Write as many of these as you possibly can. Be specific: Time is an issue, but you need to be as specific as humanly possible for both prompts. Instead of stating something like Wal-Mart focuses solely on cost-cutting, write something like: Wal-Mart takes measures to ensure employees do not earn overtime, uses energy-efficient light bulbs, operates with less packaging all of which improve its cost-cutting business model. Use numbers: Money is the universal business language. Most of your prompts will hint at costs, profits and revenues. Use these figures in your essay, either made up, ballpark figures or actual figures. Teach your reader something: Everybody has some weird, random knowledge that is never useful. Well, its useful here because you want your reader to learn something new by reading your essay. If your reader can stop and say: Oh, thats interesting. I didnt know that, then you have won. You have proven that youre intelligent. For example, cite a specific fallacy the writer makes in your analysis of an argument essay. See a full list here. Read business material: Youre applying to business school, and you need to be current and knowledgeable in the field. Read the business sections in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and watch as much CNN as you possibly can. Bring this knowledge into your essays. Try to write something like: It would be wise for this company to avoid the same mistake company XYZ did in assuming. Read opinionated pieces: Newspaper columns, blogs, editorials, etc. Pay attention to how these writers form their arguments and try to mimic their style. You know the old saying: you are what you eat. Well the same holds true with writing: you write what you read. So, load your mind up with this style of writing, and it will all just fall out. Make stuff up: Dont lie about what existing companies did, but it is safe to make something up about a personal example. You have to argue your point, and if you only use existing facts/knowledge, you are severely limiting yourself. So, be creative and bring your brothers imaginary business model into your essay.

Probability help will be fun and easy with TutorPace

Probability help will be fun and easy with TutorPace Probability is something that requires a lot of thinking to get into a conclusion. Probability is defined as a measure of thelikeliness that an event will occur. Probability is used to quantify an attitude of mind towards some proposition of whose truth we are not certain. In layman words probability is something in between happening and not happening. Just for example if you toss a coin, there are chances that the head may come and even chances are there that tail may come up. In general probability of an event happening is equal to number of ways it can happen divided by total number of outcomes.The teachers are efficient enough to provide Probability help with perfection. These are the normal languages of stating about the concept, but probability is a chapter that comes under the subject of Mathematics. Mathematics has this topic in which probability makes students tensed a lot. Many students find it difficult to cope up with probability calculations and thus fail to perform well in the subject. This is not their fault at all as the topic is surrounded by its own unique language and also follows a distinct set of rules through which the sums can be mended. Students when they are unable to crack any sum under this topic find it frustrating and which leads to loss of self confidence in them. This affects the basic knowledge structure of them and they perform miserably bad in their exams. But probability sums are not that tough as well if you are under good guidance and proper tutoring facility. It is a step by step process and so an approach that simplifies complex concepts by breaking them up into smaller steps by the use of illustrations and also providing them the real-life examples help the sums to be completed. Being beside a good tutor can help you to gain something extra that is not possible without the help of any tutor. Private tutors are not found with ease today. You have to search for a longer time if you want to come in contact with a good teacher who will help you know the concept of any topic along with its details as well. The second alternative is also found and that is coming in tough with a good online tutoring institute. Is online tutoring a good option? It way sound a bit risk taking as the entire concept is new and people do not have any knowledge about the thing. It is less popular and so it will be a risk taking factor if anyone enrolls oneself in it. But it can be a good option as it is easier, durable and also less time taking. The entire concept also comes with varied facilities and advantages and so learning probability with the help of online tutors will not be a bad option for sure. Let us get to know about some of the advantages that will help you to know more about online tutoring and also about the facilities that are available. Some basic features that online tutoring carries The teachers that are involved in this online tutoring process are very much efficient. The teachers are appointed through the help of a rigorous interview process. The interview panel consists of some of the great teachers who have good knowledge over the subject and this is the reason why the other set of good teachers are appointed. The teachers have the capability to know the subject easily and also have the capability to teach their students perfectly with the subject. A good teacher figure out the problems that the student faces with the subject and then tries out means to make the subject easier for the student. The teaching process of online tutors is unique as they do not have any time period. Yes, you heard it right. The online teachers are not bound into following any time period and thus it is beneficial for students as students can reach to them anytime they want. This process helps in saving time and energy. You can sit at your favorite couch and attend the classes at any time of the day. Students can manage their own classes and teachers are always available. The good and reputed institutes make it a point not to charge very huge. They keep the charges very minimal for all the students to avail it. This is only possible under the good and reputed institutes’ brand. They do not think about their profit but they first initiative is to provide the students with the best services at affordable prices so that middle class people also can avail the online tutoring services. The one on one service is something very unique and which is not available in schools or colleges and neither in any private tutoring home. This type of service is about having a teacher for the student for the entire session of classes they attend. Having an individual teacher who will help the student out at any odd hour of the day with no disturbance is something that is unbelievable. But this is one of the facilities that online tutoring provides. This is the best service for any weak student as the weak student can easily access the teachers and the subjects. Shy students are also benefited with such type of service. Slowly the online tutoring process is gaining recognition and this is the reason why many institutes are also coming up. Every institute tries to deliver the best to its clients and also claims to give more than any other institute. But truly speaking very few institutes can carry of the best tag with their facilities as well. Tutor Pace is a fair option Among the list of various institutes providing the same services, you can go for Tutor Pace as per my suggestion. It is a reputed institute and carries of any kind of work with ease and perfection.

How Online Learning Helps Students

How Online Learning Helps Students Todays students are more tied to technology than ever beforeonline learning takes place at home, on the bus, and even within the classroom. Students have information at their fingertips no matter where they go. Although potentially frustrating at the dinner table, this may actually make them better students. Online learning helps students by providing more opportunities for education, whether via apps, podcasts, or websites. In fact, virtual learning exists in many forms, each serving a particular purpose. But what, other than ease of availability, can virtual learning do for you? Heres how online learning helps students: Online learning advantage #1: Online tutoring Online tutoringcan be a great option for learning; online tutoring sessions can involve the same rigor that a traditional tutoring session might provide. Youll likely have a greater variety of tutors and schedules to choose from, making it a perfect tutoring option. Youre guaranteed to find an expert tutor for your subject area, and theyll likely take a very personalized approach to your education. Its also easy to find tutoring year-round. [Related: 4 Ways an Online Tutor Can Help You Succeed This School Year] Online learning advantage #2: Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) MOOCs are online courses, often free to students, which allow for unlimited learning on the Internet. They cover a breadth of subject matter, and are a great option for students who need to supplement classroom learning or who wish to learn over breaks in their education (like the winter and summer holiday). MOOCs are also a great option for students who learn well from lectures, since much of the content is presented in lecture form. (However, as popularity has increased, MOOCs have diversified their presentation.) In some cases, students are eligible to earn a verified certificate. Online learning advantage #3: Mobile apps For learning on the go, educational apps that can be downloaded onto your tablet or smartphone are great resources. There are many online educational opportunities geared toward basic knowledge, such as: educational games subject-specific mobile apps trivia programs Alternately, there are also apps that help more generally with the educational processscheduling, staying organized, etc. Most people have a cell phone with them at all times, so educational apps present a great opportunity for students to fill those in-between times with supplementary education. Online learning advantage #4: Digital textbooks Some students prefer to learn via textbook. Textbooks, however, are incredibly expensive to purchase and can be hard to find at the library. Luckily, there are digital textbooks that students can use during their academic careers. While the books may not always be free, theyre great for supplementing lectures, seminars, or group work. Theyre portable, and they sometimes include multimedia content too. [Related: 3 Efficient Ways to Study on the Go] Online learning advantage #5: Podcasts Podcasts are a fantastic way to move student learning outside the classroom, thanks to their ease of use and variety. Theres a podcast for everything, so identify the area where you want to improve your knowledge, and then do a quick search. Not all podcasts are created equal, but by performing a little research, youre sure to find one that fits your needs. You can find discussions, lectures, and much moreeducational podcasts come in a variety of forms. The bottom line of online learning Students learn in a variety of ways, and by utilizing online learning solutions, theyre able to access the best and most individualized educational experience possible. While not every student will need each of these tools, using one or two may make a difference in your academic career. Digital learning will only continue to progress, and it may be helpful for students and those who support them to recognize the value now. Best of all, most tools are free and are waiting for you to take advantage! Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

New Book Alert Check Out Mindfulness in Action - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / New Book Alert Check Out Mindfulness in Action - Introvert Whisperer New Book Alert: Check Out Mindfulness in Action New Book Alert: Check Out Mindfulness in Action In her new bestseller, Mindfulness in Action: A Hands-On Guide to Creating Peace Amidst the Chaos, author Sharon Sayler shares: Mindfulness involves active awareness throughout the day. We get to choose with each moment to be a new, more powerful being, ready to do greater things in the world. To find out how you too can create peace amidst chaos, check out all the free resources Sharon offers at  www.MindfulnessInActionBook.com. Personal Branding starts with how well you speak about YOU.   I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook â€" The Definitive Guide to Creating and Using an Elevator Speech.   In this guide, I give you simple to follow instructions for creating a “wardrobe” of ways to talk about you â€" to leave a lasting impression.   Get your copy now: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

Are You Missing This Key to Musical Motivation

Are You Missing This Key to Musical Motivation Megan L. The mystery of student motivation has had parents, teachers, and students scratching their heads for centuries. Why is one student driven to practice, perform, and perfect playing an instrument while another student in the same situation loses interest? When I started guitar lessons at 12-years-old, I was probably one of the most motivated kids my teacher had ever seen! I practiced for hours, and once my mom actually took my guitar away for a week as a punishment. What was the secret behind my drive to keep learning guitar? I had great music role models! I covered my bedroom with pictures of the Beatles, and my dad, a musician himself, frequently invited people over to the house to jam. I had no shortage of musicians to inspire me. My desire to emulate my musical heroes helped me to persevere through tough passages and climb sharp learning curves. What can you do to pinpoint musical role models for yourself or your child? Here are a few places to look to get started: Whats On Your iPod? Start your search for inspiration with your most played tracks. If youve never taken the time to learn more about the people behind the music, try looking up your favorite artist or composer online. Youll quickly find biographies, reviews, interviews, and more. Geek out and learn as much as you can about the singer or the song that you cant get out of your head. As you learn more about the human side of your favorite artist, you may start to see that you have more in common with them than you thought. Identifying more with great musicians will help you believe you can be great too! Check Out Your Community Is there somebody in your community who plays music? It can be a friend, a parent, a neighbor, or local musician. Ask them how they got started playing music, and find out what inspires them. Make a point of befriending musicians and other music students. Being around other people who care about music will help you feel connected to what inspires you, plus these people can push you to keep going even when you feel like giving up. Turn to Your Teacher As you progress in your musical journey, the right teacher can be an excellent role model and a master motivator! Share your dreams with your teacher and let him or her know what inspires you. Your teacher will be there to cheer you on when you succeed and help you do better next time when you make a mistake. When youre having trouble with something, ask your teacher about a time when they struggled and how they got over the hurdle. Beyond just teaching you notes and scales, the right teacher will also share their experience and knowledge to keep you focused on reaching your musical goals. Our musical role models show us how to overcome our challenges and realize our full potential. We can learn how to be better musicians and human beings by learning from their stories and examples. Who are some of your music role models? Let us know in the comments! Megan L. TakeLessons Staff Member and Blogger You might also like Don’t Quit Now! Keep Your Kid Motivated for Music Lessons 3 Must-Try Summer Music Activities for Kids The Importance of Perseverance, As Told by Hilarious GIFs Photo by AVelenovsky

English Idioms connected with Weather with meanings and examples

English Idioms connected with Weather with meanings and examples Weather is a major topic in English conversation. In Britain weather changes hourly so it comes as no surprise that native speakers talk about the weather all the time. It is one of the best topics for small talk in English. But today were going to look at some common English idioms connected with weather.One of the most common English idioms you hear is TO BE ON CLOUD NINE. If you don’t know it by now it  means to be really excited and happy about something that has happened recently. The following  are other English idioms with a weather theme that might not be so well known.Scroll down to watch English video lesson on Under the Weather Idiom meaning. 6 English Idioms connected with Weather Like all English expressions and idioms they have both a literal and metaphorical meaning.CALM BEFORE THE STORM    Have you ever noticed how the sky is calm and peaceful before a sudden  storm arises? That is the literal meaning. However, we use this often to refer to a situation in our  personal life or work life when we expect something to change negatively.ex. Mary was  talking to her friend Sue about work. She told her it was a funnyweek. There was very little  to do. The phones were not ringing and she was able to leave work on time every evening. However, her friend warned that this was the calm before the storm. The boss had just told her that a big  order had come in and everyone would be working late for the next month.AS RIGHT AS RAIN   Rain is never usually pleasant, unless you are a farmer and you need it for your  crops. However, we use this expression to describe when we are feeling good. You may have  recovered from an illness recently.ex. I was off workfor a few days. My  boss asked me how I was when I returned to the office. I am as right as rain. I feel good.UNDER THE WEATHER   This is a direct opposite of the previous idiom as right as rain. When we are  not feeling so good and may not know exactly what is wrong we say we are under the weather or a  little under the weather today.ex. John woke up early and did not feel 100%. He could not put his finger on the reasonbut he knew he was not feeling his best. When his wife asked him how he was he replied: I am not sure but I feel a little under the weather today. Under the Weather Idiom Meaning - English Video Lesson A FAIR WEATHER FRIEND When the weather is fair it is usually good and everything is ok. A fair day usually means a fine or good day. A fair weather friend is a friend who is there during the good days and happy to be around you but does not offer help or support when perhaps the situation is bad and you could do with some support.ex. Neil was a nice guy. Everyone liked him. Always  laughing and in a good mood. However, when his friend George had some problems Neil did not offer him any help and never returned his calls or emails. George was not very  pleased. He was hoping that Neil would help him but instead he turned out to be just a fair weather  friend.EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING When you look at the dark clouds it usually means it is raining or it is  about to rain. After a while you might notice a light colour. This usually indicates that the storm will  pass and the sun will shine again soon. So when everything looks dark and bleak  remember that the something better may happen soon.ex. Michael lost his job. His boss  told him he was sorry but there was just not enough work for everyone. However, he gave Michael a  small payment as compensation and a very good reference. Michael was really delighted. He now  had money to do the training course he had been hoping to do for a few years. This would help him  to upskilland change his career. Every cloud does have a silver lining!IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS When it rains very heavily we usually say it is pouring or pouring from the heavens. This indicates more than just a light shower. Well, when we say it never rains but it pours we are usually referring to problems or difficulties. When one problem arises it usually is followed quickly by another one and so on. So each problem brings on another issue.ex. Jane received a letter from the tax office advising her that her tax was due the next day. No sooner  had she opened the letter when she noticed a leak in her kitchen. The sink was leaking. That woul d  cost a few pounds to fix and finally as if it could not get any worse the car would not start and she  had to call the garage. Ah, it never rains but it pours!! English Weather Idioms Enjoyed this infographic? Here’s what you can do with it: Learn New English Vocabulary Words and Phrases: funny   strangeto be off work   to be on sick leaveto put finger on reason    to discover exactly what is happening (especially when something is wrong)bleak   not so niceto upskill   to improve your skills, to get an additional qualification

Switch On - Phrasal Verb of the Day

Switch On - Phrasal Verb of the Day Todays phrasal verb of the day is: Switch OnInfinitive form: Switch OnPresent Tense: Switch On/ Switches Oning form: Switching OnPast tense: Switched OnPast Participle: Switched OnSwitch On is a separable English phrasal verb.  It is used in the context written below:When you change the controls of the device/switch to render it operable and produce or do something in return. The phrasal verb is synonymous to Turn On while Switch Off is the opposite1. I  know I should be saving my battery until the power comes back on, but I really need to be switching my phone on right now to see if someone texted.2. Did you know that you can switch your flashlight on and off to create an SOS signal using the Morse code?Video?Exercises: Write your answers in comments and we will correct them.Fill in the gaps from the video above:Complete the sentences below with the correct form of Switch On.1. You shouldnt be______ your cellphone ____ if the plane is about to take off.2. Can you please ______ the television ___ for me? I dont want to miss my favorite show.3. Were the lights _____ ___ when you passed by Franks house?4.  The police were trying to investigate whether the microwave was _____ __ when the fire broke out.5. As I ____ the radio ___, the loud music blasts its way across the room. I should remember to first switch the volume down next time.Change the example sentences above to negative sentences (or positive, if the sentence is already negative). Then change them to questions.

Teacher QA Exploring Abu Dhabi public schools with Lindsey, part 1

Teacher QA Exploring Abu Dhabi public schools with Lindsey, part 1 I had the opportunity to chat with Lindsey, one of our many Teach Away alumni, about her experiences overseas. Check out the first half of interview below to get the inside scoop on teaching abroad in Abu Dhabi public schools. Find part 2 here. How long did you teach in Abu Dhabi for? Lindsey:I taught in Abu Dhabi for five years from January 2010 until December 2015. Were you a licensed teacher before you taught in Abu Dhabi? How much experience did you have prior to teaching abroad? ?Lindsey:I am a licensed teacher in Ontario, Canada. I received my teaching license in May of 2008. I had one year of experience teaching abroad in South Korea before I started my contract in Abu Dhabi. All of my teaching experience has been overseas (with the exception of my practicums to complete my Bachelor of Education). Did you teach in Abu Dhabi City or rural Abu Dhabi? ?Lindsey:I taught in Al Ain which is like a suburban lifestyle (think Santa Monica to Los Angeles or Mississauga to Toronto). However, even though it wasn’t “city living”, Al Ain still had everything I needed and more. There are large shopping malls, grocery stores, car dealerships, hotels, and even have a Tim Hortons! How did your teach abroad experience help shape you as an educator? ?Lindsey:Teaching abroad improves patience and understanding on a whole different level. My classroom became a truly inclusive environment as I was fully aware and exposed to cultural and language differences. Teaching abroad in Abu Dhabi made me a more flexible educator. I find that I am more tolerant and that I “don’t sweat the small stuff” as much as I used to. Teaching abroad also taught me the importance of differentiation, allowed me to understand student learning needs, and also to realize that student experiences are completely unique - a critical element to incorporate into your lessons. Also, in Abu Dhabi, professional development programs for teachers are a very important aspect of the education reform; these helped me to learn and grow as an educator as well. How was your salary and benefits package? ?Lindsey:The benefits were great. There is no probation period for your benefits, so those kick in from the day you arrive in Abu Dhabi. It’s a very comprehensive package, covering prescriptions, dental, and eye care. The housing was amazing. I was placed in a 2-bedroom apartment that was very large. I had a full kitchen, three bathrooms and a living room with a balcony. The furniture allowance was more than generous. I was satisfied with my salary, as it was tax free and I didn't pay for my apartment! It was a good deal. Were you able to save and/or afford to travel while teaching in Abu Dhabi? ?Lindsey:I was able to save some money, however, I’m more of a live-in-the-moment type of person. I did a lot of traveling - Egypt, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and more. The UAE is in a great location for travel. You can get some great deals for weekend trips, and I was still able to come back to Canada for most of my holidays. How were your lifestyle and the cost of living in Abu Dhabi? ?Lindsey:The lifestyle in the Emirates was fantastic! There is so many things to do and see. I never found myself ‘bored’ or looking for an activity to do. Most people there are expats. Therefore, there are a lot of clubs and groups that people can join for all sorts of activities, like sports, recreation, and travel. I found the cuisine to be very international. Of course, there are many local restaurants with local food, which I personally thought was delicious, but there are restaurants there from all over the world. The cost of living is relatively inexpensive. The cost of water and hydro, depending on use and apartment size, can be anywhere from 500 to 1000 dirhams month. Most apartment or villa complexes have access to fiber optic internet connections. Gas is really cheap! It cost me 50 dirhams, about fifteen dollars, to fill a 50 litre tank. Food is comparatively priced to living in North America. Produce is more expensive because it’s mostly imported. How challenging was the interview process? ?Lindsey:I found it as challenging as any interview process for any job I’ve really wanted. I had to go out of my way for the in-person interview session, but I didn’t mind because I really wanted the opportunity. Teach Away was very helpful in providing me assistance with the application/interview and visa process. I found the process smooth, which made the transition to a new job and country a lot easier. Tell me about your thought process as you approached applying, interviewing, and eventually stepping on the plane. Was it difficult to commit to teaching abroad? How did you convince yourself that this was the right career move for you? ?Lindsey:When I finished my Bachelor of Education, jobs for teachers in Ontario were scarce at best. A few of my friends from my Education program and I decided we wanted to move to another country to travel and get a teaching job. We decided to apply to South Korea, which is where I eventually fell in love with teaching abroad and travelling. After my year in Korea, I returned to Canada. I applied for different teaching positions and was successful with some supply work -- but, I still had the travel bug. I called Teach Away and was introduced to the idea of teaching in Abu Dhabi. I hadn’t considered the Middle East when I decided to go abroad again and I certainly hadn’t considered committing to a two-and-a-half-year contract either. I decided to go to the second stage interview in New York City to see if I would be successful. My interview went smoothly, everyone was very nice, pleasant, and professional. I was told by the Teach Away representative present that I would hear back soon to find out whether I was accepted or not. It was Christmas Eve, 2009 that I received a call offering me a position. I was so excited, but my family was worried for my safety. Despite my nerves, I had decided to go and in order to make myself get on the plane, I jumped with two feet forward. I got on the plane and didn’t look back. I moved overseas by myself, knowing absolutely no one. It was terrifying The great thing about going abroad is that most people are in the exact same shoes as you are. I met five other girls around the same age as me before I even got on the plane! We bonded quickly, which proved to be a perfect example of the powerful connections that come from sharing a teach abroad experience with others. The bonds are different than connections you make with friends back home; your friends abroad are your family I didn’t immediately realize that moving to the UAE was the right decision, but over my first year living there I realized that I would not trade the experiences teaching abroad afforded me for anything. I learned so much and grew as a person. Read the rest of Lindsey's interview in part 2 here. Click here for more info and job postings in Abu Dhabi public schools