Finding The Best Tutor For Your Child

Finding The Best Tutor For Your ChildOPC is the leading provider of tutoring services, which includes teaching, assessment and qualification for tuition assistance. OPC is committed to providing quality tutoring services with great educational standards. If you need a professional teacher for your child's course of study, OPC is the best tutoring company to trust.OPC offers online tutoring centres in USA which include APTA, the accrediting agency for US colleges and universities. You can access their free tutoring list online, which includes tutors from leading colleges, universities and schools across the US.To get the best tutoring services, you need to be selective about the tutor who will work with your child. Here are some tips that will help you find the best teacher for your child:Accreditation is one of the most important factors you need to consider while hiring teachers for your child. There are many colleges and universities in the US which provide quality and convenient t utoring services but you should be careful before picking up a college or university that doesn't have accreditation.OPC tutors are experts in their field. They have the necessary expertise and skills that allow them to provide quality tutoring services at affordable rates. Thus, it is important that you find the best teacher who will fit your child's personality and needs.Teacher ratings provide a reliable guideline to find the best teacher for your child. OPC provides an extensive list of teachers through their website which you can access online and compare them with each other. One of the most important things that you should look for when comparing different teachers is their specialization and experience.Quality tutoring is the most important factor that you should consider when hiring a teacher. You should ensure that the teacher will be able to satisfy all your child's needs and will provide effective and quick tutoring services.After all, parents need to remember that it is their responsibility to choose the right teacher for their child. So, if you want to ensure that your child gets the best possible education, you need to look for the best teachers for your child.

Teach Children About Finances - Tutor Hunt Blog

Teach Children About Finances Teach children about finances, and they’ll adopt good practices in later life Teach children about finances, and they’ll adopt good practices in later lifeSchoolsA 2018 study conducted by Salary Finance, a savings and loans company, found that over three quarters of people polled were worried about their financial situation. Of the 2000 individuals surveyed, more than one in five said they had no savings of any kind to support them, while two thirds were worried about how they would manage if they lost their job, became unwell, or received a large and unexpected bill. concerns over a potential car repairs charge were voiced by more than a quarter of participants, while a fifth admitted to be worried about purchasing christmas gifts, and paying a large gas or electricity bill. Asesh Sarkar, the chief executive of Salary Finance said concerns over finances causes real emotional stress for families across the United Kingdom. `Money worries affect 40 per cent of UK employees. For those that are already living payday to payday, the idea of something unexpected happening, such as a job loss or a large bill, can be a large source of stress.` `Saving for a rainy-day fund is difficult for many people, if it wasn`t everyone would have one. However, it can really take some of the pressure off and help avoid high cost loans, especially if something does go wrong, and reduce your financial worries.` With so many adults distressed over the state of their finances there are some calls for money management to be taught in schools. In a perfect world of course everyone would be paid such a high salary that they would never have to worry about money - but until we attain such a utopia, a few hours of lessons, teaching pupils how to make the best use of their earnings, could stand them in good stead for when they start employment. I believe teaching pupils about the uses, and the very real perils, of credit cards, payday loans, or any kind of borrowing, would be a great help to them. It saddens me to think about the number of friends I`ve known who have got themselves into serious trouble using credit cards, and borrowing money at atrocious APR`s. It can be all too easy, especially when you might be feeling a little low, to treat yourself to a some `retail therapy.` Had a bad week, why not indulge yourself with a few gifts? Had a good week? why not reward yourself by spending everything you`ve earned on things you don`t really need? Buy now, pay later - this seems to be a slogan for our age. Every weekend the pavements of Oxford Street in London are crammed with consumers laden with shopping bags. Some of my friends managed to get themselves into more debt than they could handle, and having the bailiff banging on your door at 9am can be a real wake up call. With just a couple of hours a week pupils could be learning about mortgages, direct debits and standing orders. They could be taught how to budget their finances, and how to calculate what monthly savings they will need to make if they want to save up for an expensive item. Kirton Primary School in Boston, Lincolnshire, has really embraced the idea of teaching their pupils valuable financial lessons: they have their own bank with their own currency! Claire Fovargue, Deputy head teacher of the school, explained that `the children get awarded Kirts for achieving something, for example 10 out of 10 for spelling, maths tests or for full attendance.` Kirts are the currency of the school, which can be redeemed for items in the schools shop. The bank is run by pupils, with the `employees` being stringently selected, each of them interviewed by a `board of directors,` before signing a confidentially agreement, promising to respect other pupil`s financial information. Investments, pensions, mortgages, insurance - these may sound like very advanced and adult concepts, of no concern for a pupil - but surely they are no less austere or forbidding than the sciences, and mathematics; and whatever profession the pupil takes up, good financial practices should be part of their lifestyle. 8 months ago0Add a Comment

Is Tutoring Effective? How To Find A Good Tutor

Is Tutoring Effective? How To Find A Good TutorFor those students who want to advance their education, tutoring is one option that can help them reach their goals. The effectiveness of tutoring depends on the quality of the tutor. Just like anything else, a bad tutor can make the lesson ineffective for the student.If you are in the process of hiring a good tutor, there are some things that you should know about to get a great one. It would be great if you can find out what your expectations are before you approach a tutor. Some people may have specific problems that they need tutoring for.Before you interview anyone for tutoring, you may want to ask yourself, 'Why do I need tutoring?' What kind of lessons can you handle? How much time do you have? If you do not have enough time for a tutor, then you may want to reconsider.Before you choose a tutor, you should try to think of an efficient way to communicate with him or her. You will be communicating with your tutor face to face. You c an use a laptop and a handheld computer to communicate. You may also use a simple phone call or internet call.When you are searching for a tutor, you will want to consider how long the tutoring will last. It would be best if the tutor has experience. Also, you should choose someone who is certified. If you have never tutored before, it would be better if you do not choose someone who is inexperienced. The more experience the tutor has, the better the lesson.During the tutoring session, make sure you ask the tutor about his or her background. If you find a teacher who has experience, you will get great results. If you choose a teacher without experience, you may be disappointed. You may have to spend more money for something that is not working. There are some teachers who are really successful in the world of tutoring. This is something that you may want to consider before choosing someone to tutor you.If you think that you will have difficulty with tutoring, then you may want to co nsider someone who is experienced. They may also be able to solve problems that you may encounter. It would be wise if you consider other aspects of the tutor as well. There are plenty of people that teach, even if they do not teach in the traditional sense.

Learn More About Organic Chemistry

Learn More About Organic ChemistryIf you want to know more about organic chemistry, this is the perfect article for you. There are plenty of people who are clueless about how organic chemistry works.The steps in organic chemistry are very different from those in organic biology and organic chemistry. There are some steps that are similar, but there are also a lot of things that are unique. It's best to know what the differences are so that you don't end up wasting your time with materials that aren't necessary for you to learn.Organic chemistry can actually be categorized into two different types. One type is organic chemistry and the other is chemical. The one thing that is common between the two is that they both can give your body the nutrients it needs for effective health.For example, if you are interested in learning more about organic chemistry, you will need to look at the topics of weight loss and how it applies to your body. Nutrition is always important in organic chemistr y, but some foods can actually hinder weight loss. This is why you need to make sure that you eat healthy foods.Some people may try to lose weight by starving themselves. However, starving yourself can actually cause your body to actually crave more food and you will have to eat more to keep your body from wanting more. If you find that you have become less hungry, then you need to eat more in order to stay energized.After you start eating enough, your body's energy levels will increase. You will notice that you have more energy, even if you haven't been exercising much in the past. The more nutrition your body gets, the more energy it has, and this is the reason that you need to eat foods that are high in nutrition.Another one of the important tips in organic chemistry is to always read food facts. Don't just take what someone tells you without doing your own research. Most of the time, you won't be able to do this for yourself, but you can do it for someone else.

Best Online Math Tutor Makes Way For Unique Solutions For Complex Sums

Best Online Math Tutor â€" Makes Way For Unique Solutions For Complex Sums Math sums drive a student to extreme levels of anxiety. That too with their complexity and demand for analytical skills. Virtual tutoring help with personalized measures is the safest way of assuring high scores and right attitude towards students. Math is a creator of panic in many hearts and students find branches like Algebra and Calculus daunting and overwhelming. It is for the various issues they come across while solving complex problems with multi steps. How To Prepare For Your #Math Final #Exam Without Losing Your Sleep http://t.co/DjJbnRge9D pic.twitter.com/lJk9MkY9LA â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) September 16, 2015 With the large sized classroom instruction and the struggles one undergoes in seeking individualized learning through a class teacher is known by a student only. Doing Math at one’s pace and ease in regular school background is out of question. Though there are many brains that have inherent intelligence for numeric calculations, geometric shapes and Calculus definitions. They remain submerged and hidden due to lack of proper exposure and instruction. You need an online Math tutor to tap your Math talents and come out victorious in your tests and homework. Best online Math tutor-what is his role in shaping your Math talents? Math is a subject that demands lots of thinking, logic, critical analysis and focus to approach sums in a step by step method. Many students fail or get stuck in the middle of doing sums and are not able to proceed to complete the sums. If they do not concentrate on the sums from the first step. Their shyness and intimidation in the class or inability to take class notes or whatever may be the external reason. The fact remains that they are psychologically much disturbed and need some personal guidance to come out of their allergic attitude towards Math. How To Study For A #Math Test Without Losing Your Mind http://t.co/eZ7iCRSVvX pic.twitter.com/gtYneR2Bc2 â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) September 16, 2015 A personal guide with ability to look into the struggles of Math students and find out solutions for the same in a personalized environment. It is the right panacea for this kind of situation and it is the work of the best online Math tutor as well. Math tutoring centers with their extensive data base are able to provide lots of options for students to pick out their tutor. Listen to his demo, decide his suitability and carry on with the registration procedure for productive results. Virtual Math tutor is the only person who, with his high credentials and long experience. They can decipher what problem lurks in the student mind and find suitable remedy through his custom made courseware and coaching. Since Math needs a lot of psychological probing along with tutoring. The job suits the virtual tutors much that they turn out to be the best of the sort through their individualized methods. Math homework help-the essential need of it Many a time, students are driven hard by trouble shooting areas in Math homework without a way out for their struggles. Math homework help from premium sites can do much for these students in their hours of need. White board stands as a great tech tool in this category with tutors exchanging all possible study material. Exchange homework files and other necessary material with students and bringing out excellent solutions for the homework struggles of students. Any time availability with expert tutor help makes virtual help for Math homework. There is a high possibility for successful scores of students, making them stand at the top of the class with unique insights. 9 Best #Math #Apps For KIDS Of All Ages http://t.co/mo47WIauFc pic.twitter.com/SRA5MAVJ6O â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) August 13, 2015 Math assignment help-helpful for timely submission of assignments Assignment looks like a great chore for many students, that too, in the case of Math. Once a sum skips a student’s understanding, it is very hard to bring it under reins and students spend lots of time on such activities for no use. Once they seek Math assignment help, their job turns easier and fruitful for mounting scores with timely delivery. E-tutors know how to tackle assignment sums in various branches of Math with exact solutions and proper approaches. They make complex sums simple and lend easy measures with break â€"up methods for productive Math solutions for students. Conclusion Thus seeking online help for problematic areas in Math learning is the most successful way to accelerate one’s subject scores. Getting e-tutoring help for Math on time helps students avoid many pitfalls in subject learning and aggravates their innings in homework and tests with a sound and firm knowledge in concepts and formulas.

Take Advantage of Social Studies Tutor- Read These 8 Tips

Take Advantage of Social Studies Tutor- Read These 8 Tips 0SHARESShare Social Studies are a lively subject that covers the vast aspects of the happenings in the world around us. Learning History, Geography or Government needs proper motivation to know about the subject. It is in the hands of the online tutors to take you to the realm of the past, events of the present and prospects of the future. How to take advantage of these veterans to gain knowledge? Let us think a little. Ascertain whether the tutors are equipped with cartographer’s tools to read maps Make sure that the social studies tutor is able to put forth presentations and live videos in support of geographical landmarks or past historical events to kindle your avid curiosity, as enthusiasm to learn is the underlying motive in the study of social studies As the syllabus is wide in History or Geography, the online tutor should be able to produce exact substance for your query with substantial evidences Proper tech tools are essential for Social Studies tutoring like shared web browsing, sharing and storing of files, recordable sessions to replay and revise in future. The topics in Social Studies need updated versions and relativity with current events for which proper guidance from the tutor is mandatory Find out whether the tutor would strengthen your memory with flash cards while talking about the significant years and their related incidents. This   kind of flash cards would  enable enlisting the events in a sequence and that would prove good for your memorization Of course, it is not about memorizing a set of skills or facts, but collecting inferences from the experiences of the world. So, your virtual  tutor should elevate you to the level of a humanitarian with his tutoring knowledge and capabilities Check whether your tutor in Social Studies has great communication skills to explain what you demand in your homework or assignment. For, a free english tutor online and tutor in Social Studies are noted for the eloquence of their tongue to bring out the flow of thought in words If you are able to get an online tutor for free in Social Studies, you are gifted to utilize the maximum of aforesaid advantages. [starbox id=admin]

The History of the Vatican

The History of the Vatican The History of the Roman Catholic Church and the Holy See ChaptersThe Vatican: A History with Ancient RootsThe Vatican in the Middle AgesThe Vatican During the Italian RenaissanceThe Vatican in the Modern Age“All history is contemporary history” - Benedetto CroceThe history of the Vatican City is often bundled in with the history of Rome and the Roman Empire. Of course, you can’t separate the history of the Vatican from the history of Rome.The Vatican is now the home of the Holy See of the Catholic Church. However, the site of the Vatican has been important since the Antiquity. It has nearly 2,000 secular employees, twice as many people as the Vatican’s entire population. Everything is the property of the Holy See and it’s impossible to acquire real estate in the Vatican City.  However, the land is valued at around $1.35b.So how did the world’s smallest country become so rich?In this article, Superprof is taking a look at the Vatican’s history. DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Luci aItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Vatican: A History with Ancient RootsWhile the Vatican only became a city-state on 11th February 1929 with the Lateran Treaty, its history dates back to the Roman Empire. The Catholic Church dates back to Roman times, over 2,000 years ago. (Source: DomyD)By the end of the Roman Republic (from 509BCE to 27BCE), the Vatican was just a small plain by the banks of the Tiber with a small hill, the Vatican Hill.  The Vatican Hill is between the Janiculum, one of Rome’s seven main hills, and Monte Mario.  The name Vaticanus traces its etymology back to the word “vaticinium”, which means “oracle” since many soothsayers used to occupy the place during the Roman Classical Antiquity.For historians, the Vatican was an Etruscan city known as Vaticum. The Vatican Plain was never within the city of Rome.  The Vatican Hill was a holiday resort for Roman nobles who built palaces and luxury homes by the Imperial Gardens built under Caligula.  Agrippina the Older, the mother of Caligula and grandmother of Nero, also had several villas built.  Caligula (12-41), during his short reign (37-41), made the Circus Vaticanus which included the obelisk which is now in the centre of Saint Peter's Square.Under the reign of Nero (37-68), many Christian martyrs were persecuted at the Circus Maximus.Saint Peter himself was buried there in a necropolis along where Constantine (272-337) would build the first basilica on the ruins of the Roman circus 300 years later.Do you see where we’re going with this?This is where you can now find Saint Peter’s Basilica, which was built between 1506 and 1626.Vatican Hill was home to a meeting place to resist heresy and paganism (as the Christians called it from the 6th century to stigmatise non-Christians).Find out more about visiting the Vatican.The Vatican in the Middle AgesAfter the fall of the Roman Empire in 476, the hill became the residence for the popes. Pope Symmachus built a palace at the end of the 5th century where political and religious leaders could stay. The Vatican used to hold more land than just the Vatican City. (Source: lena1)During the time of Constantine and the Kingdom of the Lombards, the popes received many donations, particularly land holdings, over the centuries, making the pope one of the biggest landholders in Europe.  This helped legitimise the power of the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican. Emperor Constantine, I gave Pope Sylvester sovereignty over the Eastern Church and Imperial Power over the West. Sylvester, in theory, was happy to own all these provinces in the Western Roman Empire.  In 1440, this was shown to be a fabrication.In the 8th century, donations from Pepin the Short in 754 and Charlemagne in 774 helped created the Papal States, which were under the authority of the pope from 752 to 1870.  The donations resulted in lands that were previously occupied by the Lombards being given to the pope and legitimising their power. The fake Donation of Constantine document helped legitimise the Papal States and served the interests of the Carolingians.Following the Treaty of Venice in 1177, the Papal States became independent from the Holy Roman Empire.  The Papal States in the 14th century reigned over central Italy: Rome, Ostia, Sabina, Ancona, and enclaves in the Kingdom of Naples and Avignon.Find out how to plan a trip to the Vatican.The Vatican During the Italian RenaissanceThe popes became more powerful than kings and emperors during the Middle Ages and their infallible authority became increasingly contested during the 14th century for several reasons:Social upheavalThe plague, which was ravaging EuropePolitical crisesReligious warring between Catholics and ProtestantsRationalisationAt the start of the Renaissance, there was a thirst for knowledge where a mastery of sciences and the accomplishment of man gained more value than that of God. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Vatican funded a lot of artists. (Source: carlo75)The humanist movement drove great men into the sciences and humanities.  The pope appeared to the people as a monarch and not the all-powerful representative of God on earth.  The Papal States were helped by loyal followers to collect immense riches; the popes during the Renaissance were patrons of the arts.  They rebuilt the city of Rome, profited from the discoveries in the Americas, and the Vatican became a theatre excess during the time.The papacy of the 16th century was radically conservative and fought to hinder the change brought on by the enlightenment, which the rest of Europe was seeing as progress.It wasn’t until the election of Pope Nicholas V (1447-1455) that the papacy entered into the Italian Renaissance. They built the Vatican Palace, one of the residences of the pope from 1447. Pope Sixtus IV (1471-1484) and Pope Innocent VIII (1484-1492) were the first Renaissance popes.  Qua rrelling between powerful Italian families such as the Orsini, Colonna, Borgia, and Medicis weighed heavily on the Church.Under the rule of Pope Julius II, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was painted by Michaelangelo and Rome became the home of Sacred Art.  The current Saint Peter’s Basilica was painted, the Vatican Gardens were remodelled, and the Cortile del Belvedere was built under Julius II, too.The art they’d collected, Laocoon and His Sons and the Apollo Belvedere, in particular, were later displayed in the Vatican Museums. The popes were the first to make their art collections public.The Vatican in the Modern AgeAfter the French Revolution, Napoleon’s troops under the Directory entered Rome on 6th February 1798. In the modern age, the Church isn't as revered as it once was. (Source: Mikdev)The pope was forced to give up his power to retain his spiritual power. He was forced to leave Rome and the Papal States fell under the control of the Directory.  In 1808, Napoleon annexed the Papal States but they were ceded after the Congress of Vienna and the abdication of Napoleon I in 1815.In the 1860s, the Papal States were limited just to Rome and Latium. Parts were annexed by Piedmont and, following the defeat of Napoleon III against Prussia, the Papal States were integrated into the Kingdom of Italy. Rome was declared the capital of a unified Italy.  In 1900, the Papal States were abolished by Pope Leo XIII with the pope residing in the Apostolic Palace.Rome was historically the seat of power for the pope and following the unification of Italy, a dispute, known as the Roman Question, arose.  Pope Pius IX opposed the Risorgimento (unification of Italy) between 1848 and 1870.  When the Italian army annexed Rome on 20th September 1870, this marked the end of the Papal States dominion over Latium.The Roman Question was resolved with the Lateran Agreement between Mussolini and the Holy See that recognised the latter as a sovereign state, an elective absolute monarchy through divine right.  The Vatican also has a rich architectural and cultural heritage throughout Europe and is visited by 6 million tourists every year.Find out more about what to see in the Vatican.Before you go to the Vatican, consider learning some Italian. While Latin is also the official language of the Vatican, you'll get much farther with Italian. There are plenty of talented Italian tutors on Superprof who can help you with this.With three different types of tutorial available, face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials, each with their pros and cons, you need to carefully choose which one is right for you and your learning objectives.Face-to-face tutorials take place with just you and the tutor. Your tutor will provide you with bespoke tuition and lessons that are tailored to you. Since this involves a lot of extra work for the tutor outside of the tutorials, you'll pay a premium for these types of tutorials. However, with the tutor's undivided attention, these tutorials are also the most cost-effective tuition you can get.Online tutorials come with a lot of the same benefits as face-to-face tutorials but your tutor won't be there in the room with you. While this works fine for academic subjects, these types of tutorials aren't always as effective for hands-on subjects. With fewer travel expenses, though, your tutor can charge less for the tutorials.Finally, group tutorials involve several students and one tutor. You won't get as much one-on-one time with your tutor but you won't pay as much per hour as the cost tutor's time is shared amongst all the students in the tutorial.

4 Financial Aid Tips for Students

4 Financial Aid Tips for Students Navigating financial aid options can be one of the most daunting parts of applying to college. Yet, its often a necessary part of the application process, whether or not you need help paying for college through financial aid. Some financial aid tips for students include understanding how you apply for aid and identifying what kinds of loans are offered, as well as making sure you are educated on all financial aid opportunities available to you. The various financial aid options for students include: Loans - money that must be paid back Scholarships - money that must be earned through some kind of qualifying factor Work-study - access to part-time, on-campus work opportunities Grants - money gifted to you that does not need to be paid back Read on for more detailed financial aid tips for students applying to college: Financial Aid Tip #1: Get all the appropriate information and paperwork Its necessary to complete some paperwork in order to receive financial aid of any type. If you do not complete any financial aid forms, you will not learn whether or not you qualify for aid. Every type of aid has its own qualifying factors, which can include your parents income level, your high school grades, and your standardized test scores. So, even if youre not sure whether you will qualify for financial aid, its important to apply and find out. Financial Aid Tip #2: Look into FAFSA as soon as you can Some of the most well-known and widely available form of financial aid is federal assistance provided by the U.S. government. Students apply for this kind of aid using FAFSA, or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is available online and should be completed with the help of a parent or legal guardian. Completing this form will help determine whether or not you qualify for loans, scholarships, grants, and work-study opportunities. [RELATED: 3 Questions to Ask Your College About Financial Aid] You can start working on and filing your FAFSA, for free, as soon as October 1st each year. Prior to 2016, the initial FAFSA filing date had been January 1st. Take advantage of this new early date and begin filling out your FAFSA as soon as possible. This helps free up your time as the application process progresses, and it helps you determine what kind of aid you qualify for earlyand you can use that information to help shape your college decision. Financial Aid Tip #3: Know the difference between direct subsidized and unsubsidized student loans If you complete a FAFSA, chances are you will qualify for one or two types of federal loans. It is important to know the differences between direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Subsidized loans are loans where the government pays the interest, while they do not pay the interest on unsubsidized loans. In short, taking a subsidized loan means you will only have to pay back the government the exact balance of the loan you took. On the other hand, if you take an unsubsidized loan, you will have to pay back the exact balance of the loan you took as well as any accumulated interest. The longer you take to pay back your unsubsidized loans, the greater your accumulated interest will be. This difference is important to understand before you accept or decline any aid. Financial Aid Tip #4: Talk with your guidance counselor about financial aid opportunities One of the best places to learn more about your financial aid options is through your high schools guidance office. Schedule an appointment to sit down with your counselor and discuss your financial situation and college options with him or her. Your counselor can recommend scholarship opportunities you may wish to check out, as well as scholarships offered by the colleges youre interested in. He or she may also be able to recommend colleges with work-study programs that can make paying for college easier. 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.

Tips for Learning to Read Sheet Music for Guitar

Tips for Learning to Read Sheet Music for Guitar Suzy S. Although it is possible to learn to play guitar without reading sheet music, adding this skill to your arsenal will make you a better musician. Not sure where to start with sheet music on your guitar? Follow music teacher Eric J.s advice and youll be sightreading in no time Learning to read music is important. It increases your understanding of your instrument and makes you more valuable as a musician. Reading music for guitar allows you to collaborate with other instrumentalists in ways most guitar players cant. Even if you have tons of chops or know all about music theory: if you want to wear the Good Guitarist badge with pride you will need to be able read music for your instrument. Heres how to get started. Clear your mind Forget everything you know about your guitar. This is especially important if you already know how to play a little bit. Its even more important if you are already an experienced player. Are you a pretty solid guitarist who knows their chords and licks and can solo over rock and roll songs? If you are, excellent! You can potentially have great success as a music reader because you wont have to learn technique along with reading like most beginners. That being said: Assume you know nothing about guitar from this moment on. Get a good method book A good introductory method book is worth its weight in gold and you can get one at your local music store for about ten dollars. You need material that is graded. That just means a good method book will introduce new concepts in a logical manner and repertoire should increase in complexity gradually without too many sudden leaps in difficulty. The Mel Bay Guitar Method is the tried and true course for the aspiring reader. Its been in print for decades and is wonderfully graded. The Hal Leonard Guitar Method series is also wonderful. It doesnt move quite as fast as the Mel Bay books do, though. If you are already skilled at playing and want a more adult book, Modern Method for Guitar by William Leavitt is a great series. Find a good teacher Once you have your method book you are going to need a guitar teacher to help work through it with you. This is extremely important, even in the beginning stages. Entry level material may throw you some mental curve balls if you are completely new to reading music, and you are going to need a mentor to help guide you through them. A good teacher will be able to keep you focused. Reading is hard and it takes quite a bit of brain power and a good teacher will be able to monitor your tone, technique and rhythm while you focus on navigating the music. Dont just read guitar music This is super important. The method books are great, but in the end they are only that: method books. Most of the material you read in your book will be applicable in the real world but is just a small sliver of what out there. Any music written in the treble clef should do the trick. Start hunting for sheet music. A good web resource is the Petrucci Music Library. Call your local music store and ask them if they have any overstock, damaged or otherwise forgotten about sheet music lying around. Anything will do. Check out garage sales and thrift stores. Dont discriminate. Get as much as you can for as many instruments and in as many styles are you can manage. Stack it up by your music stand so it is always within reach when you practice. Always try to read something every single day Remember that stack of sheet music you put next to your music stand? Pull out one page from it every single day and read the whole page start to finish. Dont pick and choose which tune to play. Play the first page in the pile no matter how difficult it looks. Play the whole page one time and put that page in the bottom of the stack. You need to get your eyes and your brain used to looking at as much of this material as possible. Dont stress on making it sound good. Just read the page and move on. Understand what sightreading is Sightreading is the ability to read sheet music at performance level at full tempo without having to hear the material beforehand. Think of it like reading a book out loud in a school classroom. If you were asked to read a paragraph from a book youve never read before Im guessing youd be able to read it fluently and with some natural grace despite never having read that exact paragraph of text before. That is what sight-reading is, except with music. Reading from your big stack of random music every day will help refine your sightreading ability. Never, ever, ever say I read tabs Not to sound flippant, but this is important. Tablature is a handy tool, especially for beginners. Tablature allows us to have fun on our instrument without actually having to read and that is a good thing, in moderation. However, tablature is not Sheet Music. It has limitations in the way it displays melodic content and has no way to display rhythmic content. For these reasons tablature cannot be sight-read. The faster you get away from looking at it the faster you will become a good reader. Hopefully these tips will help you get started reading sheet music on your guitar. Remember to take it slow and to practice consistently. Reading a little bit throughout the week is sometimes better than cramming four hours of practice in the night before your lesson. If you focus and set goals your reading skills will improve and you will be a much more valuable musician as a result. Eric J. teaches  acoustic guitar, bass guitar, blues guitar and country guitar  in Elgin, IL.  He received his Bachelor of Science from Northern Illinois University.    Eric has been educating students for the past twelve years.  Learn more about Eric J. here! View all Takelessons.com Free Sheet Music Resources. Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by  Richard Tenspeed Heaven