Thursday, March 26, 2020

How Do I Become a Computational Chemist?

How Do I Become a Computational Chemist?Computational chemistry is a field that has to do with analyzing chemical structures. The work of computational chemists does not just involve solving equations and plotting them in a way that shows the molecule's behavior. Computational chemists are also known for implementing methods for manipulating these structures to make them more efficient for the uses of different chemical compounds.Computational chemistry is considered to be one of the top ranked fields of chemistry. And while the curriculum is developed on an accelerated basis, most students find it necessary to finish the coursework within a year. This can be due to the fact that the field has a high demand for highly qualified chemists. In fact, you will find it quite easy to land a job with a basic degree in computational chemistry. This means that even if you have finished up your education, you will still need to put in the work if you want to be successful in this career.Computa tional chemistry focuses on certain skills such as organization, mathematical knowledge, and intuition. Once you have mastered all of these skills, you will have a clear path ahead. This way, you can apply these skills for any part of a job in a chemical company or be employed in a laboratory as a scientist.Computational chemists learn how to use computers for optimization and visualization. You need to know about many things. For example, there are many different optimization techniques that you can use in your calculation. There are also different ways to visualize and plot the information.A computational chemist also has to apply his or her intuition to determine the best way to proceed. And because of the importance of the things that you will learn, you should always keep your intuition at the forefront of your thinking. To do this, you will need to work on the concept of probability and statistics.To be an analytical chemist, you must know that the analytical pathway starts wi th Fourier transforms. It is then followed by Fourier analysis. You can use these two processes to look for correlations between the composition of one molecule and another. Another big key is knowing how to understand the concept of molecular mechanics and what it means for you to be able to design molecules.What this all means is that you will have to work on a wide range of skills to be a computational chemist. This means that you need to understand the mathematics of probability, statistics, and the interpretation of data. In short, you will have to work hard but the rewards can be great in the end.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Your Guide on How to Learn Cantonese.

Your Guide on How to Learn Cantonese. You’ll be Speaking Cantonese in No Time! ChaptersWhy Learn Cantonese?How to Speak Cantonese.In conversations about learning Cantonese, you’ll have probably heard the commonly expressed sentiment and caution: ‘it’s really hard’. However, more often than not, the people who are telling you this don’t really know a thing â€" and have never even tried to learn the language themselves.So, don’t let this put you off. This caution should never be used as a reason not to learn. Because you’ll be giving up before you’ve even started.But, if we’re being honest, sure learning Cantonese is hard. But it needn’t be any harder than any other new language in which you want to develop your conversational fluency. Sure, the traditional characters are different. Sure, the tonal language is unfamiliar. And, sure, it will take a little while to get proficient with the pronunciation. But that’s all part of the challenge. Here, we are going to look at the easiest way for you to become more fluent in the Cantonese language. W e can assure you that it won’t be as hard as you think it is.So, take a deep breath â€" and let’s dive in. NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhy Learn Cantonese?Cantonese is the language that is spoken around the city of Guangzhou, in the province of Guangdong. That’s where it originated (hence the name ‘Cantonese’, after Guangzhou’s old anglophone name, Canton) â€" and that’s where it continues to be spoken, alongside Hong Kong and Macau where it is an of ficial language.Alongside these regions, it is also spoken in Guangxi and is used as a lingua franca among much of southeast Asia â€" such as in Vietnam and Malaysia particularly. Right now, there are about sixty million native speakers of Cantonese â€" however, these are slowly declining as speakers are preferring to learn and use languages like Mandarin Chinese.These numbers are equivalent to the number of native speakers of Italian. And, in a world in which many other languages in mainland China are going extinct, the people of Guangzhou seem to be determined to keep their language going. You'll be speaking Cantonese in no time!Culture and Cantonese.One of the great reasons to learn Cantonese â€" beyond the fact that, like learning any foreign language, it is supremely good for you â€" is that the language is at the heart of all things Hong Kong.Language and culture are always inextricably linked. And to enjoy the many joys of Hong Kong culture, it’s a shame not to have any language skills.The Hong Kong pop music scene â€" or Cantopop â€" is huge. And, whilst it has been much more influential in the past, it still produces a lot of hits. If you have any familiarity with Leslie Cheung, Alan Tam, or Anita Mui, it would be good to understand what they are singing about, no?The same goes for cinema. With the Hong Kong film industry being one of the largest in the world â€" with stars such as Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee â€" Cantonese was given massive cultural clout across the globe.As we said, beyond the fact that a second language is just a really important thing to have in your life, learning Cantonese opens up a world of culture that would otherwise go underappreciated.How to Speak Cantonese.We said that to learn to speak Cantonese is no more difficult than learning a language in general. It’s not. Yet, language learning does have one major challenge: it’s not that learning the language is hard, but that committing the time to study is. When we are working full time or at school, it’s not always the easiest thing in the world to sit yourself down in the evening to concentrate hard. But this, first of all, is precisely what you need to do.Put the Time Aside.Without a deliberate time set aside to commit to another language, you will never achieve what you hope to achieve. This, unfortunately, is an indisputable fact.People who say, ‘ah yes, I want to learn Cantonese’, have not really achieved anything. The first sign of progress â€" and the sure-fire way to future fluency â€" is really to have that allotted time.This can be daily, this ca n be twice weekly, depending on how quickly you are hoping to improve. However, with the number of different things that language acquisition requires â€" learning the Chinese characters to nailing the pronunciation, learning new words to engaging with the grammatical aspects of the language â€" the more often the better.So, commit to regular time slots. Be realistic â€" just as long as you keep it regular. Practice reading Cantonese!Don’t Worry Too Much about the Cantonese Script â€" at First.The most commonly intimidating thing about learning the Chinese languages is the Chinese script. Usually, anything with a script that isn’t roman â€" from Cyrillic to Arabic â€" inspires frowns and mutterings of ‘oh dear’.The Cantonese script is pretty much the same as in standard Mandarin, using both the simplified and traditional forms. (However, Mandarin and Cantonese remain two mutually unintelligible languages.)And it’s true, learning to read and write Chinese characters is hard. So hard, in fact, that many Chinese people don’t do it either. But this is precisely the point: you don’t need to learn the characters to begin with.Learn just the Romanised versions. It’s much easier â€" and better for your confidence â€" to practice the spoken forms first, and then return to the written text when you have a grasp of what you are doing.Learn more about reading Cantonese!Nail the Cant onese Tones.The other notorious thing about Cantonese â€" and Chinese language learning in general â€" is the tones. In English, we can’t seem to understand the fact that a vowel could be said six different ways.However, strangely enough, that’s exactly what we do in English too â€" it just doesn’t change the semantic content of the words.There are six types of tone: dark flat, dark rising, dark departing, light flat, light rising, light departing. In the Romanized written form, you will see these respectively numbered from one to six.The easy way to learn these is with a tone chart, which diagrams the respective sounds you need to make. Learn it by heart â€" and that’s another thing cracked.Fill Your Life with Cantonese.With your phonetics covered, you now need to fill your life with Cantonese. Let’s call this language immersion â€" although you are still in the UK.That means listening to Cantonese radio, watching Cantonese movies and TV, and reading as much Cantonese con tent as possible. The latter will come later, as you slowly begin to integrate knowledge of the written language into your learning. Yet, the point here is that, to get to grips with a language, you need to live it and breathe it!That means using language apps like Babbel, Duolingo, or Memrise on the bus to school or the commute. Alternatively, it means writing down new words and phrases onto flashcards so that you can practice them and memorise them at any time.Set Goals â€" and Achieve Them.One of the key methods by which to learn another language â€" or indeed, to learn anything â€" is to set yourself goals and work towards them.Goals work by directing your focus and your attention: with something to aim for, and a set date by which to achieve it, you’re much more likely to get moving.So, think about it. Set a date by which you will have nailed the phonetic aspect of the language: the tones, the vowels and consonants. Set another date by which you will be able to learn Chinese characters â€" at least a few of them. And set another date by which you want to have your first dialogues to practice your spoken language.Without some decent goals, you may well end up just practising what you know already â€" and not improving at all.Learn about writing in Cantonese! The world is full of language we take for granted - learn it!Be Interested by the Language: Speak about What Interests You.When trying to speak in Cantonese, or when trying to listen to a particular radio station, or whatever, you need to make sure that the subject under discussion is actually interesting to you. This is not so banal or obvious as it seems. So many language classes use material that is completely uninspiring for many students and so leaves them uninspired.If you are interested in sport, why would you want to listen to a show about makeup? If you work as a lawyer, why are you trying to learn the language of an electrician?Finding something to talk about that is interesting to you will make you want to continue learning. And you’ll pick up the language that you actually need rather than that which you feel you should know.Learn more about developing your Cantonese vocabulary.Find a Cantonese Tutor â€" or a Native Speaker to Practice with.Finally, there is no better t o way to learn a new language than to talk to someone who is fluent.Whether this is a friend, a girlfriend, a complete stranger at a language exchange class, or a private tutor, a native speaker will bring your spoken Cantonese on leaps and bounds. As long as they (and you!) are patient, and you do it regularly, this will be the best time to improve your productive language skills.

Algebra and Geometry Online Tutoring - Online Tutoring

Algebra and Geometry Online Tutoring - Online Tutoring Algebra and geometry is the tool used in abstract algebra, finding the zeros of polynomials etc. This tool is also used to find out the limits related to the algebraic curves such as circle, lines, parabolas, ellipse, hyperbola, cubic curves etc. This tool uses both algebraic and geometric functions together in solving algebraic curve. By the algebraic curve we mean the curve related to geometry and the equations related to algebra. This tool after using both algebraic and geometry functions returns the output value in a very quick time. This can be better understood by the following examples:- Example 1:- Find the zero of the polynomial f(x) = x2+ 3x +5 Solution :- Given function is: - f(x) = x2+ 3x +5 We have to find the zero of the polynomial f(x) = x2+ 3x +5. This can be found out by substituting the value of x as zero. Therefore, f(x) = x2+ 3x +5 So f (0) = 0+ 3(0) + 5 So f (0) =5 is the zero of the polynomial f(x) = x2+ 3x +5 Example 2:- Find the zero of the polynomial f(x) = x3+ 5x +100 Solution :- Given function is: - f(x) = x3+ 5x +100 We have to find the zero of the polynomial f(x) = x3+ 5x +100 This can be found out by substituting the value of x as zero. Therefore, f(x) = x3+ 5x +100 So f (0) = 0+ 5(0) + 100 So f (0) =100 is the zero of the polynomial f(x) = x3+ 5x +100

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Six Tips for Creating a Positive Learning Environment

Six Tips for Creating a Positive Learning Environment You became a teacher to make a lasting difference in the lives of young learners. One of the best ways to have an impact is to create a positive, encouraging learning environment in which students feel cared for and supported. Here are six tips on how to do so: Develop good student relationships. Be friendly and upbeat. Treat your students as individuals. Ask questions about their lives to get to know them better, and encourage them to get to know each other as well. Build good school-home connections. Your relationship with parents is important, too. Send home an email and/or note early in the year. Let parents know how to reach you, your expectations and plans for the year, and how much you are looking forward to helping their children grow this year. Invite any input on how their children learn best and how you can make this year a great one. Put your trust in your students. Give them a say on certain decisions. Set your expectations and rules and then let them know that you believe in their ability to hold themselves accountable. Guide your students toward discovery. Dont give them the answers. Pose the questions, and then invite them to solve problems. Offer encouragement every step of the way, but put them in the drivers seat when possible. Have them explain concepts to each other and to you and congratulate them when they figure things out on their own. Make students feel like valuable contributors. Everyones ideas matter in your classroom, and everyone deserves respect. Encourage students to voice their opinions and offer their input and thank them for being brave enough to do so. Share why you love your subject. Theres nothing quite as convincing about why a subject is interesting as a passionate teacher. Dont be afraid to tell your students what you enjoy about different subjects and why learning got you excited when you were their age. A positive learning environment will get your students fired up about learning. Take steps to make your classroom a nurturing, comfortable place, and your students will reap the many benefits.

Spice up Your Language Learning with These 13 Busuu Alternatives

Spice up Your Language Learning with These 13 Busuu Alternatives Spice up Your Language Learning with These 13 Busuu Alternatives Every now and then, its time for a change.When you graduate from high school, you move on to college, a job or a gap year. You dont just keep hanging around the cafeteria hoping no one notices.When your favorite jeans develop gaping holes, you probably buy a new pair even though you long for your fallen comrade.When you realize your growing pie addiction is probably the cause of your weight gain, you switch to diet pie instead. (Thats a thing, right?)The same is true in language education. Sometimes, you need a change. Whether youre using online courses, apps or conventional courses, even if you love what youve been using, you might just need a change of pace.That means that even if top programs like busuu appeal to you, you might be looking for an alternative.But busuu has a lot to offer. It covers 12 different languages. It promises to teach you a language in just 10 minutes per day. And it has tons of other great features, such as practice with native speakers, grammar units, voca bulary training and even official certificates of completion. How can anything possibly compete with that?Thankfully, just as there are several apps like Duolingo  and plenty of programs like Pimsleur, you can also find some great busuu alternatives if you know where to look. While they may not have all the same features as busuu, they do offer their own unique variations of some of busuus most popular options.Heres the lowdown on all you need to know about busuu alternatives. Why Use a Busuu Alternative?One reason you might use a busuu alternative is to supplement your busuu learning.  If youre enjoying busuu, you dont need to give it up entirely. In fact, busuu can pair perfectly well with other tools, including  innovative apps, such as the  FluentU Android app.You might also use an alternative for a new perspective on your target language. Each language learning product on the market approaches a language from a slightly different angle, so trying an alternative to busuu could give you a new perspective that broadens your language horizons.Or maybe busuu isnt quite right for your needs and goals.  Maybe busuu just isnt doing what you want it to. Maybe the cost is prohibitive. Whatever reason its not your perfect match, you might be looking for something similar that better meets your needs.Finally, variety is the spice of life.  Using busuu everyday could start to feel stale, so you may be ready to change it up. Adding some variety to your learning routine can reinvigorate your passion for learning. Plus, if you want to go back to busuu after having used an alternative, you might find that it seems fresh and exciting again.How to Select the Right Busuu AlternativeConsider which busuu feature you most want to replicate.Busuu offers a variety of features, including flexibility, a short time commitment, interactions with native speakers and  speech recognition.While most other options wont have all these features, its easy to find tools that have at least o ne of these qualities. If you select which feature you want to replicate, you can easily find a tool with a similar option.Determine what area youre struggling with most.What do you need to work on? Do you need speech practice? Do you need to build your vocabulary? Whats your weakest point?Identifying the areas of language learning you need to work on can help you select resources that target those specific skills. This helps you balance out your abilities and ensures you have no main weak points.Try out multiple alternatives.You wont know what you like until you try it, so go ahead and see how you like a number of different alternatives. Experimenting can help you find which option you like the best or determine which combination of options can meet all your needs.What the criteria you base your choices on are up to youâ€"you can consider the usability, interface, price, level and/or features.Spice up Your Language Learning with These 13 Busuu AlternativesFlexible AppsOne of busuus popular features is its flexibility. It offers an array of learning options that you can use whenever and wherever its convenient. If you love the flexibility of busuu, you might also love these alternatives.FluentUAvailable: iOS | AndroidWant flexible language learning that grows with you? Try FluentU!FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons. Every video is captioned, and the captions are annotated, putting any words definition, example sentences and an associated image at your fingertips.With FluentU, you hear languages in authentic 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 program 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.Living LanguageLiving Language has a ton of flexible learning options to fit whatever your language learning needs may be.First of all, Livin g Language offers two different delivery methods. You can take an online course or purchase their products, including books, CDs and downloadable audio files.You can also choose your pace. Online courses offer subscription options, so if you breeze through the course quickly, you can save money. But you can also just study for few minutes per day if that works for your schedule.The materials themselves are also flexible. They include flashcards, games, grammar notes and dialogues, giving you plenty of variety.Finally, one unique feature of Living Language is that it also offers some specialty courses to better meet your needs. For instance, there are programs for specific professions, including librarians, law enforcement and healthcare workers. There are also business courses if you plan on going into international business.Going on a trip? A passport course might be just what youre looking for.Memrise Available: iOS | AndroidMemrise provides flexible features, language settings an d accessibility, making it a great choice for any language learner who needs options.Features include videos with native speakers, a pronunciation guide and interactive games and activities.Memrise also offers language flexibility. For example, some of the programs on this list may teach you Spanish, but the explanations are automatically in English.With Memrise, you can change the language youre learning in within the Settings menu, so if youre more comfortable reading another language, like Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish, you have that option. Now you can study your target language without having to read in English to do so.Plus, because you can use Memrise online or download its apps, you have plenty of options for how to use it. The apps even have an offline mode, allowing you to keep learning even without internet access.Apps with a Short Time CommitmentWish you didnt have to study for hours on end? A lot of busuu user s love that the program aims to teach languages in just 10 minutes per day.However, there are busuu alternatives that also offer a short time commitment. If you only have a few minutes to spare, check out these options.Duolingo Available: iOS | AndroidIf busuus 10-minutes-per-day guideline is too much for you, consider trying Duolingo, which offers bite-sized lessons that you can complete in just five minutes per day. That being said, theres nothing limiting you to the five-minute guideline you can keep on going for hours if you have the time!But the program is built around short lesson blocks, allowing you to study whenever you have time. Duolingo is gamified, though, so you might find it too addicting to stop at just one lesson.Not only does Duolingo offer lessons, it also features activities to help you practice reading, writing, speaking and listening. Thats a lot to pack into just a few minutes per day!WordBreweryWordBrewery is another great option for any learner whos crunched for time.WordBrewery works by presenting you with real-world sentences in your target language. You can listen to them, translate them, save them, save individual words or even read the sentences in their original context.WordBrewery aims to make learning as fast and efficient as possible by focusing on the most common words. To make it even more efficient, you can set the skill level and/or topic. From there, WordBrewery will track your progress to present you with sentences that are challenging but appropriate for your level.Plus, WordBrewery is designed to be used in short bursts, so no need to set aside hours for studying.Lingvist Available: iOS | AndroidLingvist is another busuu alternative designed for learners who have a need for speed.Lingvist aims to have you skip over material you already know or just dont need, allowing you to move at a faster pace. To do this, Lingvist maps your knowledge so that it can personalize the course for your needs.Lingvists main focus is teach ing relevant vocabulary in realistic contexts. But dont worry! Youll also get a hearty dose of grammar tips along the way.Too busy to take the time to hold your phone? The Lingvist app also offers a speak to answer feature that allows you to study hands-free.Bliu BliuJust like busuu, Bliu Bliu promises to teach you a language in just 10 minutes per day. In fact, if you have a free subscription, youll be limited to just five minutes per session anyway, making it easy to avoid letting language learning consume all your time.To gauge your level, Bliu Bliu will give you a quick quiz. From there, youll be presented with level-appropriate material, including videos, audio and text. All the material also comes with printed text. You can highlight a word to learn its meaning or save it to your favorites.The one caveat is that Bliu Bliu isnt designed for total beginners, so if youre just starting out, you might be in over your head with this one.Apps That Provide Interactions with Native Spe akersIts no secret that interacting with native speakers is one of the best ways to improve your language skills. Thats why busuu connects you with native speakers to help you get the practice you need.These alternatives also aim to help you practice your skills with a native speaker.HelloTalk Available: iOS | AndroidWith HelloTalk, you can find native speakers and start interacting right away.Not only can HelloTalk help you find your perfect language exchange partner, it also allows you to do voice calls, voice messaging, video calls and text messaging. You can also post questions to the community for native speakers to answer.Worried that your skills arent advanced enough to carry on a conversation just yet? Luckily, HelloTalk has you covered with plenty of useful tools, including pronunciation guides, corrections, translations and more, so theres no reason you cant start chatting on day one of your language-learning journey.HiNative Available: iOS | AndroidIf you wish you had a f riend to answer all your language questions, HiNative could just be the busuu alternative of your dreams.HiNative is a platform that allows you to ask native speakers all your most pressing language questions. You can ask questions in any language you like.You can ask your questions through text, but HiNative offers some other intriguing options, too. For instance, you can ask verbal questions,  so you can even get answers about whether or not youre pronouncing something correctly. You can also post pictures if you need some help with how youre writing a character or want someone to decipher written material you encounter.italki Available: iOS | AndroidWhether you want to just chat with a native speaker as a language exchange or youd rather hire a native tutor, italki can help you find what youre looking for.Not only can you schedule a customized, one-on-one tutoring session through italki, you can also read articles by teachers and tutors.Prefer to interact with native speakers on a less formal basis? You can connect with a partner for conversation exchange to get a little extra practice. Plus, you can ask open questions on the site, so you can ask the community to check your writing or give you language learning advice.Apps with Speech RecognitionGetting speaking practice can be hard, especially if youre too nervous to start interacting with native speakers.To help users build their confidence and perfect their pronunciation, busuu offers speech recognition technology. The following alternatives to busuu also provide speech recognition options.Mango Languages Available: iOS | AndroidIt can be hard to tell if youre pronouncing a word correctly in your target language. Are you getting all the letters right? Hows your inflection?With Mango Languages, you dont have to stress over pronunciation because youll have plenty of opportunities to compare your pronunciation to that of a native speaker. Mango Languages features audio by native speakers that you can play t o hear the pronunciation of a word.Once you think you have it down, record yourself saying the same word. Then, you can compare your pronunciation directly against that of a native speaker. If your pronunciation isnt as flawless as youd like, just keep trying until you get it down.Plus, Mango Languages focuses on practical conversational skills, so the words and phrases you work on are ones youre likely to actually use.Rocket Languages Available: iOS | AndroidRocket Languages offers voice recognition that can help you nail down your pronunciation of thousands of phrases. That should be enough to put a smile on any learners face.Courses feature conversations. You can read these conversations, play audio of the discussion and record yourself saying key phrases. If you want to simulate a real conversation, consider only playing one characters dialogue and then recording your own responses.Each course offers plenty of interactive audio lessonsâ€"over 60 hoursâ€"so that should be enough to satiate anyone looking to use a voice recognition program alternative to busuu.Babbel Available: iOS | AndroidBabbels main aim is to teach learners conversation skills so that theyre ready to roll when its time to interact in real life.To do this, Babbel features audio by native speakers along with awesome dialogues, which are wait for it interactive! Thats right, you get to record yourself responding to a realistic dialogue. Not only can this help you perfect your pronunciation, it could also increase your confidence and give you the extra boost you need to talk to native speakers more often.Want some more speaking practice? You can also record yourself speaking in the Review Manager section, thereby reinforcing key words and phrases youre studying.Not only that, Babbel offers activities that are just 10-15 minutes long, so it has more in common with busuu than speech recognition alone.So go ahead and change it up. These 13 busuu alternatives might be just what youre looking for to reinvigorate your learning.

5 Fun Summer Snacks For The Kids Youre Babysitting

5 Fun Summer Snacks For The Kids You're Babysitting Image via: www.sheknows.com Nothing says summer like the sweet scent of watermelons and the chilly taste of a popsicle to defeat the dry, scorching rays of the sun. Mixing the two is nothing short of a marriage, or snack, made in heaven. Watermelon pops are both healthy and delicious, making them a perfect snack for kids while they play by the pool or the seaside. They can even be perfect for lounging around in the house. Watermelon pops are as enjoyable to make as they are to eat, and we havent even gotten to the health benefits yet! Watermelon will keep your kids hydrated while they spend time in the sun, as theyre made up of mostly water and contain important electrolytes. You will need: •4.5 cups of watermelon •Salt •Sugar •Popsicle sticks, or toothpicks •Pop molds or ice cube trays Check out the full recipe here. Ice Cream Flopsicles Image via: www.evilchefmom.com What do you get when you cross a soda and ice cream float with a popsicle? An ice cream flopsicle! With ice cream or frozen yogurt and your choice of beverage, your kids could enjoy a wide variety of flavored combinations. Some ideas are: vanilla ice cream with grape soda, vanilla ice cream with root beer, vanilla ice cream with Dr. Pepper, and chocolate ice cream with cream soda. Feel free to experiment and find the most creative flavor combo! These sweet treats will make it seem like youre coming right from the local ice cream parlor, perfect for everything from indoor adventures to outdoor shenanigans. Youll find yourself falling back into the nostalgia of childhood with this snack, enjoying these creative concoctions just as much as your kids will, if not more! Just beware the sugar rush. You will need: •18, 3-ounce Dixie cups •One gallon of ice cream •Soda flavor of your choosing •Popsicle sticks •Baking dish •Spatula Check out the full recipe here. Chocolate Covered Bananas Image via: www.youtube.com Just the thought of chocolate will be enough to make your kids go bananas! Come to think of it, why not add a little bit of that good ol Chiquita to an already perfect ingredient? These chocolate covered bananas are surprisingly healthy when prepared correctly with dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. These tasty snacks are loaded with potassium, antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C! Not to mention, theyre super easy to make and can be customized with your own personal touch, whether thats a sprinkling of walnut bits or sprinkles! The possibilities for this snack are only limited to your imagination and the imagination of your kids. Now, go on. Go bananas! (Thats the last time Im making that pun, I promise.) You will need: •4 bananas •8 popsicle/craft sticks •6 ounces of dark chocolate Check out the full recipe here. Ants on a Log Image via: http://cincyshopper.com/ants-log-recipe Entomophobes, beware! This creepy, crawly nostalgic snack will have your kids stoked about entomology sooner than you may have imagined, or at least theyll be stoked about culinary entomology. Using just some celery, a few raisins, and peanut butter, your kids can create a fun, creative treat of their very own. You can encourage your kids to be imaginative and decorate their logs however they wish! This imaginative, fun snack is easy for kids to make and both healthy and tasty for them to enjoy. Celery is a great source of potassium, fiber, and calcium, while the raisins are plentiful in iron and vitamin B. Ants on a log would be a perfect snack for any time of day when your kids are feeling adventurous and creative! You will need: •5 stalks of celery •1/2 cup of peanut butter •1/4 cup of raisins Check out the full recipe here. Watermelon and Cantaloupe Flowers Image via: http://onecraftything.com/fruityflowers/ What could be better than a relaxing afternoon of arts and crafts? Making those arts and crafts an edible snack! If you and your kids would like to make a culinary creation thats so simple, yet worthy of copious bragging via Pinterest and Instagram, these fruity, flowery creations are definitely for you. All you need is some of your kids favorite fruits (watermelon and cantaloupe will work the best!) and your combined imaginations. While the flowers of summer are fully in bloom, make some summer magic of your own with a few cookie cutters and tasty fruit dishes to create a summer snack thats both imaginative and healthy. You will need: •Fruit (You may want to avoid fibrous fruits, like mangoes and pineapples, because theyre harder to cut.) •Cookie cutters •Popsicle sticks Check out the full recipe here.

Alumni series Rynes Teach Away story [Video]

Alumni series Rynes Teach Away story [Video] Meet Ryne Holstrom. Ryne recently attended the Teach Away job fair in Atlanta, where both he and his wife Grace landed their dream jobs teaching in China. Ryne and family are all big into adventure and hiking - luckily, China happens to be the ideal teaching destination for outdoor enthusiasts! Growing up in a home of educators in Portland, Oregon, teaching is well and truly in Ryne’s blood. He and Grace met at Northern Arizona University, where Ryne was awarded a scholarship to play football and married in their senior year. They have since welcomed two adorable little boys (Reed, four years old and Everett, sixth months). Both he and Grace are currently in their sixth year of teaching - Ryne as a biology and chemistry teacher and Grace as a special education and elementary teacher. To say that Ryne is a pretty busy guy right now is a bit of an understatement. Not only is he juggling a full-time teaching job while taking care of his two little boys with Grace, he’s also studying for his master's degree in educationadministration. And if he wasn’t already busy enough, over the next few months, he will also be doing some blogging on Teach Away, sharing why his family decided to relocate abroad, how their job hunt went, their experience making the big move overseas and offering lots of how-to advice for other aspiring international educators. So get ready for a great mix of personal reflection and practical tips - oh, and maybe a few photos of their family adventures in China, too!