4 Ways to Work Ahead in School

4 Ways to Work Ahead in School Although its tempting to spend winter break and any other bits of downtime you might have throughout the school year relaxing and not worrying about academics, working ahead on some classwork would benefit you in the long-run. This doesnt imply by any means that you need to devote every bit of free time to these activities, but implementing just a few strategies here and there to ensure you are always prepared could put you in a solid position for success later on. Here are a few suggestions: 1. Complete reading assignments in advance Certain instructors prefer that you read about a topic prior to the associated lecture, while others request that you complete such assignments after the topic has been introduced in class. For courses in which you are provided a list of readings in advance, it is advantageous to complete the assignments before the corresponding class. Doing so will allow you to familiarize yourself with the subject, increase your comfort level in lecture, and foresee which aspects of the topic will be most challenging for you. If you have finished the reading beforehand, you will be able to focus your efforts on comprehending the most difficult parts of the topic the day it is examined in class. You will also know which questions you should ask the teacher. Never underestimate the benefits of having extra time to think about these readings. Here are some great tips on how to interpret a reading assignmentthat you may find useful. 2. Re-read and re-write course notes Class notes are often recorded in a frenzied manner. You may find that the notes you wrote during lecture seemed perfectly logical at the time, but outside the context of the lesson, you discover they no longer make sense to you. Your notes may even be illegible because you had insufficient time to jot them down. For these reasons, it is very wise to review class notes the same day you take them. Do not wait until the evening before a test to look them over! By this point, you will have probably forgotten many details of the lectures, and you will not have adequate time to decipher what you recorded. You may also want to take a look at this study tip on how to organize your notes. If necessary, re-write your notes within 24 hours of the class. Copying your notes in a more understandable manner will save you valuable study time later. The other benefit is that you will be reviewing the subject matter during the process of re-writing. When you must study the same topic for your midterm and final, you will be very pleased with yourself for ensuring your notes are simple to understand the first time. 3. Reach out to teachers and take advantage of extra assistance Additional help is perhaps the most underrated form of test preparation. Reviewing for an exam can be overwhelming you dont always realize the bulk of information youve covered. Extra help sessions are frequently held and typically focus on the most important aspects of the topics involved on upcoming tests. These opportunities are a fantastic method to concentrate on the most difficult and/or significant content of a unit. Look at upcoming schedules and determine when and where you will attend one of these gatherings. Your attendance could mean the difference between two whole letter grades on an exam! A teacher wont usually devote a great deal of time to discussing a topic that you will not eventually be tested on, so you should be able to gauge what the assessments will contain. Attending an extra help session is hardly ever an experience that a student regrets. You may even want to consider consulting a tutorto help you as well, or even just sending the teacher an email or atten ding their office hours is a step in the right direction as well. 4. Pose multiple questions Asking questions is a superlative learning style. You should never feel embarrassed about asking for clarification in or outside of class, whether its because you truly dont understand or because you enjoy a subject and wish to discover more about it. Make sure you return to school ready to inquire about any concept you feel necessary! Asking questions demonstrates that you can think critically and have a desire to learn. It also increases your participation grade. While you may not remember every word an instructor utters during lecture, youre very likely to recall the questions that you asked and the answers that you received. Teachers love to see their students speak up and inquire; it encourages other students to participate, and it creates an atmosphere conducive to learning.

Why College Student Debt Is Growing

Why College Student Debt Is Growing There is now more accumulated student loan debt than accumulated credit card debt for the first time in the United States, according to an article in the New York Times. Accumulated student loan debt will likely reach a trillion dollars this year, as more students are enrolling in colleges and borrowing government dollars. However, economists argue that this is actually a good sign and could boost the economy as students pay back loans with interest. They believe that its a healthy investment that will lead to higher earnings, unlike credit card debt, which only hurts consumers budgets, giving them less disposable income to put back into the economy. But, this increase also means that more college graduates will be repaying debts and repaying them longer. In 2008, two-thirds of bachelors recipients graduated with debt, compared to less than half in 1993. In 2010, the average student debt (for those who took out loans) was $24,000. This average has been rising consistently and even faster for students and graduates of for-profit colleges. In 2000, accumulated student debt was slightly under $200 billion and was barely a factor in overall household debt. Many expect student loan debts to increase rapidly in the next few years as tuition at public colleges rises because of tighter state budgets that will likely decrease their college funding. Also, it looks like Pell grants may be cut, which offer the largest amount of financial aid to low-income students. In the coming years, a lot of people will still be paying off their student loans when its time for their kids to go to college, said Mark Kantrowitz, the publisher of FinAid.org and Fastweb.com. Kantrowitz has compiled student debt estimates for federal and private loans. Increased debts could create larger, macro issues as well. People are now taking longer to transition from adolescence to adulthood, as they get married, buy homes and have children later on in life. Larger debts can only slow down this process. Yet, receiving a college degree still yields significantly higher returns even if student debt is incurred. In 2008, full-time employees working year round who had bachelors degrees earned a median of $55,700, which was $21,900 more than the median earnings for just high school graduates. Also, the unemployment rate was significantly lower for college grads. The Obama administration alleviated some of the pressures of student debt in 2009 as it made it easier for low-earning graduates to get out of debt. It created an income-based repayment plan for students that also forgives remaining student debt after 25 years for those who put at least 15 percent of their income toward their debt consistently. Those who work in public service get debt forgiveness after 10 years.

What You Didnt Know about the Health Benefits of Kickboxing

What You Didn’t Know about the Health Benefits of Kickboxing Here’s Why You Should Take Up Kickboxing ChaptersIs Kickboxing Better than Other Sports?So, What are the Health Benefits of Kickboxing?And the Benefits of Kickboxing for Your Mind?Of all sports, there are few that are as high intensity and dynamic as kickboxing.It’s a sport in which you move fast on your feet. It’s a sport in which you use every single part of your body: in striking with your hands and feet â€" and in having to dodge those of your opponent â€" kickboxing is a total body workout. In fact, there are few sports that have such a range of health benefits as kickboxing training.This is a sport that focuses your mind as much as it does your body, helping to develop your concentration as much as to help you burn fat and burn calories. For this reason, it is an absolutely incredible sport that has the power to change your attitudes and outlook on life.Here, we’re going to explore the ways that a simple kickboxing workout can work for you â€" whether that is Muay Thai kickboxing or the classic French and Britis h styles. Because, as you’ll see, the health benefits of kickboxing really are incredible.Now, if you get to the bottom of this article and you are convinced, check out our guides to getting started with kickboxing â€" and to the kickboxing gear you might need to make the most of the sport. AndreyBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KostiaBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LeeBoxing Teacher £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SajBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KaranBoxing Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThomasBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HaileyBoxing Teacher 4.50 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsIs Kickboxing Better than Other Sports?As we said, with its punching, kicking, and sparring, there are very few sports that are as dynam ic as kickboxing. Sure, this doesn’t mean that kick-boxing is better than other sports â€" obviously. But it sure does offer perhaps the best workout, with the most drastic effect on your health and fitness.Yet, the important thing about kickboxing classes is that they are precisely not just a full body workout. Or, rather, they are â€" but only if we consider that our body also includes our mind.Much more so than many aerobic activities â€" from simple running to Zumba, from tennis to swimming â€" kickboxing focuses your emotions, your concentration, and your confidence. And that’s because it is inherently social. In kickboxing, you are engaged in a real, full contact, physical battle â€" and that’s not only going to sharpen your muscle groups but sharpen your mind and your social skills as well.So, let’s dive in â€" and see how you can improve your health through kickboxing.  And once you are finished, check out the different types of kickboxing. Kickboxing is really excellent exerciseSo, What are the Health Benefits of Kickboxing?Whilst it is fundamentally a false distinction, we’re going to divide the benefits of kickboxing into two separate categories: the health benefits for your body and the health benefits for your mind.We say this is fundamentally false for a simple reason: those things that will benefit your body will inevitably benefit your mind too. Your mind and body are â€" of course â€" inextricably linked. And, whilst the majority of us know the excellent feeling that comes with exercise, those of us that don’t should.The greatest benefit of exercise â€" from a kickboxing class to any sort of cardio workout, interval training, or jogging â€" is that it makes you feel great. And it’s this feeling that is responsible for many of the health benefits of sport for your mind.Sitting around at your computer is one thing. But humans were made to move.Find out the biggest names in kickboxing!Shed Calories. Like, Lo ts of Calories.When people think about the health benefits of exercise, they usually think about how many calories they are going to burn. And whilst this approach has its limitations, it gives you a great idea of the amount of physical work you will be doing whilst exercising.Experts say that, when you are doing fitness kickboxing, you can expect to burn, on average, some four to five hundred calories an hour. And this can increase to about nine hundred if you are going particularly hard.Factor in the fact that, after your boxing workout, you will be burning a higher rate of calories throughout the day, you’ll be burning really a lot. Train at kickboxing and see your health improveTone Your Muscles â€" All Over Your Body.Kickboxing uses all parts of your body. Each combination of jab, punch and kick works a different part of your body.Kickboxing is not just about your arms and your legs. Each of your punches will engage muscles in your shoulders and back, whilst every kick will work on your abs and your glutes too.This is why kickboxers look so ripped. And you can tone up and sculpt your muscles too.Improve Your Balance.In 2012, scientists undertook a study into the benefits of kickboxing for people with multiple sclerosis. The results were pretty amazing â€" showing an improved balance across the board.Kickboxing improves your balance for two reasons. Firstly, it builds the muscles in your lower body â€" which, obviously, supports you as you move. But, secondly, it also develops your awareness of your body â€" through footwork and controlled movements â€" which means greater muscular control.Work on Your Cardio.C ardio â€" short for cardiovascular â€" is a type of exercise which develops the strength of your heart and your respiration system. Given that cardio exercise is also that which burns most calories, people think that that calories burned is the measure of effective cardio exercise. It isn’t.A healthy heart and lungs are essential for a healthy body through life â€" cutting the risk of heart disease and respiratory problems.Kickboxing is excellent at getting these organs into shape.Develop Endurance and Stamina.Besides the inherent benefits of a healthy heart, cardio enables the rest of your body to receive the energy, nutrients, and oxygen it needs. When the levels of these are optimal, your stamina â€" your ability to endure physical work for longer â€" is improved dramatically.By developing your cardio, kickboxing allows your body to exercise more, be active for longer, and to be comfortable with that. The health benefits of kickboxing can't be overstatedAnd the Benefits of Kickboxing for Your Mind?So, we’ve discussed the benefits of kickboxing for your physique. Let’s turn now to your mind.Health is not all about the physical. Rather, you’ll find that the healthiest people have the healthiest mind too.Reduce Stress â€" and Release Emotional Tension.Punching and kicking is not just about fat burning or fitness training. No. Rather, the instinctive element of these actions is in the fact of their implicit aggression.These actions relieve stress. Besides the physical, aerobic exercise â€" which is a natural stress relief in itself â€" the aggression that you can channel through kickboxing is unparalleled in pretty much any other sport.Take out the frustration that you feel in life on a punch bag â€" and feel the emotional release.Focus and Concentrate Better.The point about martial arts, however, is not that they are just a string of random punches and strikes. Rather, sports l ike kickboxing require poise, elegance, and precision â€" qualities which require the height of concentration and attention.When kickboxing, then, you will be thinking about your movements; you will be focusing on their accuracy and grace.In this way, you’ll be improving your ability to concentrate in all fields when you are outside of your gym too.Build Your Confidence â€" and Self-Esteem.With good exercise comes a body of which you can proud. And with such a body, your confidence â€" and self-esteem â€" will flourish.This is one of the most important health benefits of kickboxing. Because, by confidence, we do not mean vanity or excessive pride. Rather, confidence comes with the knowledge that you’d be able to defend yourself if required, with the appreciation that you have a new skill, with the sense that you are doing something great for yourself.Give it a try; it feels great.Achieve Goals.Part of this is in your ability to set and to meet goals. By having goals set â€" and by being able to achieve them â€" you get into a really positive feedback loop in which you are feel you are making great progress.Winning a fight in a ring or being able to squat three hundred times â€" all of this will improve your confidence even further as you reach your milestones.Foster New Relationships.In kickboxing, it’s not just about you. Whether you are in a gym class or you are sparring with a partner, kickboxing is primarily social. And there is no better place to make strong relationships than when you are dripping with sweat and beating the hell out of someone.Yes, this is a health benefit. Because great, meaningful social relationships improve your mental health and your overall wellbeing.Improve Your Mental Health.Talking of mental health, this is perhaps the crucial part of this second section. Exercise makes you feel good â€" and it sets the conditions for a really healthy mindset and outlook on life, as well as for healthy thought processes.This can’t be str essed enough!Interested in the rules of kickboxing? We bet you are.

Trust but Confirmation Needed on What You Contribute - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Trust but Confirmation Needed on What You Contribute - Introvert Whisperer Trust but Confirmation Needed on What You Contribute I read something yesterday that still has me thinking.   It was about “confirmation”.   The point was that when you hear a positive thing, you really want to confirm if it’s true or real but for some reason when you hear something bad you assume it’s true.   We’re kind of confusing creatures, don’t you think? It’s the reason why “social proof” has become almost a requirement these days.   Even I have to collect testimonials from people who have used my programs and gained benefit as part of what I do.   We have sites like Yelp to review restaurants, events and businesses and many other sites doing similar things. Because we have the need to confirm or substantiate the claim of goodness. The burden of proof is on you that you do well and that you add value in your job.   Ha!   Never thought of it that way, did you? Granted, all of this is annoying and kind of a pain.   I know for me, on my grumpier days, it kind of insults me because I think of myself as a good, honest person.   I do what I say I’m going to do and I know the good I’ve done but…   I’m sure you’ve probably had the same thing going on in your head at times. I’ve spoken to people who refused to communicate (or self-promote if you want to think of it like that) their results and good work to the boss.   They are almost indignant in the perspective that its part of the managers job to dig around to find out how you perform.   While I can understand why they might think that, its not how us pesky humans work.   To take the position and refuse to move off of it is not going to serve you in the long run.   The burden of proof of how well you do your job, your expertise and your capabilities is yours alone. Confirmation is an ongoing task as well.   That means you are constantly in need of confirming what you contribute as we have a short memory.   This is all part of your personal brand.   It’s what you do consistently but you must do it on an ongoing basis in order for others to maintain a positive belief about you. Letting others, especially the boss, know what and how you are doing, is never a problem. Go to top Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!  Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

GMAT Scores Continue to Rise

GMAT Scores Continue to Rise GMAT MBA Admissions Blog This summer at mba.com, the GMAC released new raw scores to percentile guidance based on nearly 800,000 tests administered from 2014-2017. In the newly released time-period, the average overall score out of 800 has risen by more than 4 points to slightly above 556 from just below 552 for the previous period of 2013-2015. Interestingly, this increase can be almost entirely attributed to improvements in the Quantitative section. For the reporting period ending in 2015, the average GMAT Quantitative raw score was 38.91. In this newly reported data, that score has risen by almost a full ½ point to 39.4. Concurrently, the GMAT Verbal average score improved, too, but only at a factor of about one-tenth that of the quantitative improvement â€" from 26.8 to 26.86. As for the lower priority sections that do not count toward the 800 score, the Integrated Reasoning average held steady across reporting periods at 4.23 and the Analytical Writing Assessment average score improved slightly to 4.44. What Do These Percentiles Mean? Obviously, primarily it means that in aggregate prospective MBA students are much more proficient at the quantitative skills the GMAT purports to test than they are at the tested verbal skills. However, for the individual test taker there are several important ramifications: Prioritize Quant to Start: Since the average MBA candidate does so much better on the quantitative section, and the exam is graded on a curve, it’s critically important to focus on Quantitative instruction and practice while aiming to break the 50 percent mark. Verbal Presents an Opportunity: Conversely, because the average GMAT student fares comparatively poorly on the verbal section, improvements on this section can separate a savvy MBA candidate from the applicant pack. Focus on Verbal for 700+: Because fully 40% of all GMAT test takers get a 46+ raw score on the Quantitative section, and anything above a 51 is exceedingly rare in either section, candidates seeking above a 700 must cultivate additional high-end points by improving performance on Sentence Corrections, Critical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension. Use Your Percentile Score to Study Successfully The GMATPrep software conveniently breaks practice scores down by section. As this score summary clearly shows, not all GMAT 90th percentiles are created equal. No matter what your current score is, remember that raw scores above 51 in the Quantitative section and above 46 in the Verbal are almost statistically impossible due to the adaptive nature of the exam. For this student, that means there is likely only 1 more realistic point of improvement available in the Quant section, but as many as 5-6 points that could still be mined in the Verbal section. The key to GMAT improvement is not only taking as many practice exams as possible, but also using the data from those results to inform how to most effectively allocate your preparation time moving forward. Of course, there are some excellent online GMAT prep options which help you hone in on your weaker areas to more effectively allocate your time. For example, examPal has a system that analyzes the questions you are missing to identify patterns, and then helps you understand how to start approaching the questions differently. Maybe, in time, GMAT students will even focus on the Verbal section enough that we start to see those raw scores even out a bit! About the Author: Stefan Maisnier is the Director of Online Tutoring at MyGuru, and sometimes contemplates the lagging Verbal scores of business school applicants while gazing wistfully at his own Masters of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University.

Learning about English Modal Verbs with Noah The Whale

Learning about English Modal Verbs with Noah The Whale Music fans will know that indie folk music is having a huge revival at the moment thanks to great UK bands like Mumford Sons, Noah The Whale and singers like Laura Marling. After listening to Noah The Whale’s song Five Years Time on my MP3 player a million times and then a million more times on numerous television advertisements, I decided it would be a great way to teach you about Modal Verbs.Modal VerbsModal verbs are particular to Germanic languages. They are auxiliary verbs that give more information about the function of the principal verb following it. However, they do this without participles or infinitives.They generally appear like this in a sentence: Subject + modal verb + principal verb + action.To make things easier, here is a list of modal verbs in their present and (mostly) preterite forms:shall and should must and ought to will and would may and might can and could1. Shall and should Shall is a version of Will. It is more commonly used in British English, but from time to time you might hear it in the U.S. It is generally only used for I and We forms. It generally suggests obligation. It is generally used in the future tense. I shall attend university in the fall. We shall go Maria’s wedding in France.Should refers to an ideal state in the past. In the past, it is followed by the verb to have I should have visited my mother on Sunday. We should have studied for our exams. Should also refers to an ideal state in the future. I really should go visit my mother on Sunday. We should study for our exams.2. Must and ought to Must is another modal verb expressing obligation. It is also used to express expectations and to give orders. We must visit Dad now that he’s ill. You must go to the doctor on Friday to check out that headache.Mostly, ought to is used interchangeably with must: You ought to visit Dad now that he’s ill. You ought to go to the doctor on Friday to check out that headache. 3. Will and would Will can generally be used in the s ame way as shall, but also when there is no sense of obligation involved. I will go to Diana’s house on Tuesday. She will watch television until 3 am if she wants to.Would is slightly more complicated as it can be used in a number of ways: -In a past imperfect sense. I would talk to my mother before bedtime when I lived at home. When looking at something in the future from the past Growing up I knew I would name my daughter Maria. -To be politeI would like that dress in blue please. 4. May and might May is used to express something that could or could not happen and that the speaker/third person is currently thinking about. You will also see that may gives the speaker/third person authority over the action. I may go into town if it doesn’t rain. I may let her borrow my dress if she promises not to ruin it.Might is mostly used interchangeably with may: I might go into town if it doesn’t rain. I might let her borrow my dress if she promises not to ruin it.5. Can and could Can i s one of the most commonly used modal verbs. It suggests that the speaker/third person is able to do something: I can speak Spanish We can go to Peter’s party on Friday if we want. It can reach 30 degrees in summer in Argentina.As the past version of can could is used as follows: I could speak Spanish when I lived in Spain. We could go to Peter’s party every Friday when we wanted to. It could reach 30 degrees in summer in Argentina before global warming. Now it can reach 40 degrees. However, could is also used in a conditional sense: I could go to America if I spoke English. We could take Jenna to the party if she stays with us on Friday. Now listen to the song Five Years Time by Noah The Whale and pick out the modal verbs. We will give you a hint, there are three different uses of modal verbs in the song, though there is one used repeatedly throughout.Click here to listen to/watch the song.Got questions? Email us or ask them in comments below. Sign up for our English classes. Inscribéte para nuestros cursos de inglés. If you found this lesson helpful, feel free to share it on Facebook and Twitter. Rosanna Thanks you Paul to introduce Noah and the whales to me. I would be happier if I could find modal verbs in the song just listening it. I just could find Might some times. But they are so beat , very stonned and happy being drunk.Sun, Sun, Sun Rosanna

Presidents Day - ALOHA Mind Math

Presidents Day Presidents Day is a celebration of both George Washingtons and Abraham Lincolns Birthdays. The Presidents are sorts of gifts that keeps on giving. Though they were born more than 100s of years ago, we all still get the day off around their birthday. With schools closed and hopefully offices, as well, all of us suddenly have a bonus day to do fun stuff with the kids. Fun for kids today is most probably eating out and having a game day with their friends, how many of us have actually put in some thought to know if our kids would know the reason behind having a holiday and celebrating it in true spirits? All said and done, I always wonder what one could do to keep the spirit of the holiday (President’s day) alive and still have fun. Do you face a similar problem? I have come up with a list of activities which will allow you to educate your kid about the reason for getting a holiday, celebrating the holiday and letting them have a high quotient of fun as well. Yeah, History always does not have to be boring and a drag. There are lots of fun ways to get kids thinking about Americas Presidents. Here are few ideas that can help you get started on this day: Teach with fun: Ist always easy to remember short stories and especially the fun ones too. This Presidents’ Day you can share fun facts about The Presidents with your kids Try out your crafting skills: Wall Flags, you and your kids can make the patriotic flag pennant by using a paper grocery bag or probably make a President’s Day powdered wig; you can work with your kids to make a white wig with cotton balls.The result is really cute and I am quiet sure kids would love to dress up as Presidents of the past.There is an endless list of what you can make, take a quick spin around the web as it churns out some really cool and easy ideas of what you and your kids could craft together this Presidents day. Watch a movie: Its a great day to watch a movie that gives you a brief insight into the American history or simply for some to be a proud American. Few suggestions: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”, “Primary Colors , W., J.F.K. and you could add as many as you like to this list. Read out a story: Legends have always been fascinating. Share the story ofGeorge Washingtons Cherry Tree, the humble beginnings of Abraham Lincoln,George Washingtons Teeth, or Looking at Lincoln or the story from Peter Roops bookLets Celebrate Presidents Day. I am going to be trying one of these if not all, we would like to know your plans and how you would spend your holiday this President’s’ Day. Go on and share your stories with us.

Hansuja, age 7 Dee Mahtani, Kumon Instructor

Hansuja, age 7 Dee Mahtani, Kumon Instructor Hansuja, age 7: Dee Mahtani, Kumon Instructor Hansuja is a delightful young girl known for always donning a warm smile. It’s no wonder considering what she has accomplished.   At age seven, she won first place in the Bhagavad Gita local and regional chanting competitions and was invited to attend the national competition. At these competitions, Hansuja chants famous hymns from memory in another language. She used the study skills she acquired at Kumon to learn the passages of Vendantic hymns, which landed her first place in the competition. Hansuja was recently invited to the National Spelling Bee in Tampa, FL.   “Out of 1058 participants in the US only 158 were invited and I was one of them,” says Hansuja. English was Hansuja’s second language when her parents enrolled her in the Kumon Reading Program at age four. In less than a year, she made great strides in her reading ability. Being impressed with the results, her mom also enrolled her in the Kumon Math Program. Now at age seven, not only is Hansuja a Kumon Honor Roll Student, she is also studying above her school grade level in both math and reading. “Hansuja is so fun loving and intelligent. She is very curious and loves to learn. She is independent and focused.   My role is to guide her and help explain and clarify questions,” says Dee Mahtani, her Kumon Instructor.   Hansuja’s mom feels that in many ways Hansuja is more disciplined and this has made her academic life much easier. Now she has more time to pursue her favorite activities. She also studies Carnatic music, classical and traditional Indian dance, and loves to swim. Hansuja would like to be a scientist when she grows up. With the confidence she has gained, there are no limits to what she can do in life. You might also be interested in: Nathan, age 15: Renuka Sadacharan, Instructor With a Passion for STEM, this Kumon Student is Effecting Change Discovering True Potential: An Early Learner’s Journey through Kumon Elizabeth, age 10: Neelam Neotia, Kumon Instructor Hansuja, age 7 Dee Mahtani, Kumon Instructor Hansuja, age 7: Dee Mahtani, Kumon Instructor Hansuja is a delightful young girl known for always donning a warm smile. It’s no wonder considering what she has accomplished.   At age seven, she won first place in the Bhagavad Gita local and regional chanting competitions and was invited to attend the national competition. At these competitions, Hansuja chants famous hymns from memory in another language. She used the study skills she acquired at Kumon to learn the passages of Vendantic hymns, which landed her first place in the competition. Hansuja was recently invited to the National Spelling Bee in Tampa, FL.   “Out of 1058 participants in the US only 158 were invited and I was one of them,” says Hansuja. English was Hansuja’s second language when her parents enrolled her in the Kumon Reading Program at age four. In less than a year, she made great strides in her reading ability. Being impressed with the results, her mom also enrolled her in the Kumon Math Program. Now at age seven, not only is Hansuja a Kumon Honor Roll Student, she is also studying above her school grade level in both math and reading. “Hansuja is so fun loving and intelligent. She is very curious and loves to learn. She is independent and focused.   My role is to guide her and help explain and clarify questions,” says Dee Mahtani, her Kumon Instructor.   Hansuja’s mom feels that in many ways Hansuja is more disciplined and this has made her academic life much easier. Now she has more time to pursue her favorite activities. She also studies Carnatic music, classical and traditional Indian dance, and loves to swim. Hansuja would like to be a scientist when she grows up. With the confidence she has gained, there are no limits to what she can do in life. You might also be interested in: Nathan, age 15: Renuka Sadacharan, Instructor With a Passion for STEM, this Kumon Student is Effecting Change Discovering True Potential: An Early Learner’s Journey through Kumon Elizabeth, age 10: Neelam Neotia, Kumon Instructor