Tips For Choosing a Laboratory For Determination of Dissolved Molecules

Tips For Choosing a Laboratory For Determination of Dissolved MoleculesThere are many different types of labs on the market that offer medical deposition definition and deposition analysis. In general, they follow the same format, but some features vary from one company to another. Here are some tips for finding the right lab for your needs.The first thing you will want to do is identify what type of deposition analysis you are doing. There are three basic types, namely: physical, microscopy, and spectral. Physical chemists analyze the composition of a substance using 'physical' methods. They examine, for example, molecules using electron and gamma-ray spectroscopy, while microscopy detects minute structures.When choosing a lab for deposition analysis, choose one that is able to offer a full spectrum analyzer that can test several substances at the same time. It is very important to have an assay method that can handle both mineral acids and inorganic salts. Also, a good laboratory s hould be able to produce a colorimetric assay and two-step assay with high quality chemicals. These are important because a chemical's color will affect the outcome of the analysis, so it is necessary to have the most accurate color reproductions possible.The next thing you will want to look for in a lab is a good colorimetric method. This is important for several reasons. First, the intensity of the color will affect the quality of the interpretation. A darker color will mean more and better analytical data will be generated from the chemical.A good lab will also offer a procedure for determining the specific crystals from their powder. This is the key to giving exact results. After all, a precise colorimetric means the laboratory can account for the effects of changes in solute concentrations, which will in turn be accounted for by changes in the color of the test solution.Finally, a good laboratory should allow you to test solutions on different reagents to analyze any variation in the color results. Since labs usually need to use certain reagents, such as anthers and reagents, these tests may be necessary. A good laboratory allows you to run multiple testing on the same test solution.For many medical industries, deposition analysis is a crucial part of the process. Knowing how to choose the right laboratory for the job will allow you to make good choices when planning the analysis. Remember, you have many options, so choose wisely and you will be confident in your choice of laboratory.

Learn to write in Chinese using calligraphy

Learn to write in Chinese using calligraphy Learn Chinese calligraphy ChaptersAs a traditional art form, is calligraphy a good way to learn how to write in Chinese?Learn to read Chinese via calligraphy - something that’s available to everyone?Use Chinese calligraphy to break down the lettersWhere can you learn Chinese calligraphy in America?Chinese calligraphy, also known as ??, is one of humanity's most ancient art forms. The mastery of strokes, the quality of the brushes, and the emotions they represent have survived millennia and the style has developed its own unique technique.Artists like Ouyang Xun, Wang Xizhi and Ngan Siu-Mui have helped elevate these ‘noble characters’ to their own popular art form which is increasingly drawing admiration from the West.Some people examine each stroke for clues about the artists' emotions and state of mind. Chinese calligraphy is often - but not always - associated with concepts like relaxation, spiritualness, and escape.An integral part of Chinese culture since antiquity, learning the script can be a grea t way for Chinese students to learn how to write in Chinese while leaving their pencil case at home. 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 tutorsAs a traditional art form, is calligraphy a good way to learn how to write in Chinese?What’s the difference between the large seal (dazhuan) and the small seal (xiaozhuan)?Considered a true way of life, a quiet moment for reflection on our presence on this earth, or an ode to human dexterity, calligraphy is a truly ancestral art form†¦The historical artifacts and writings left behind by generations of Chinese, whether from the Xia, Han, or Ming dynasty, all show a high appreciation for the beauty of the Chinese script.Just like calligraphy, writing the Chinese characters requires you to follow a number of rules and to make sure your brushstrokes flow in the right order.Plus, all Chinese writing is calligraphy to a certain extent, but writing with a brush elevates it to an art form. Learning this traditional art form is also a great way to learn to write Mandarin Chinese.Styles of Chinese calligraphyToday, there are six main styles of writing calligraphy, and each style has played an important role in the development of the Hanzi over several millennia.Jia Gu Wen - more than 3000 years old, this style was created during the Shang or Yin dynasties and can be seen on bones (and torture tools) discovered in the last century.Seal writing (also known as zhuanshu) - created during the Zhou dynasty, this writing style c an be seen on bronze sculptures from that period known as jinwen. This style is still in use.Official writing from the palace scribes (lishu) - this style of writing was meant to be simpler and faster, more suitable for administrative use by the empire. This style has many similarities with the modern version of hanzi in use in standard simplified Mandarin today.Regular, normal, or kaishu writing - first appearing during the Han dynasty in the 3rd century AD, this style is elegant, standardized, and uniform. This is the style of calligraphy that is taught in schools in the People’s Republic of ChinaModern ‘typical’ writing, or xingshu - this is a bit like the cursive version of the regular kaishu writing. Also first originating during the Han dynasty, this style is based on the need to increase writing speed.Weed writing, or caoshu - there’s definitely no Chinese calligraphy system with any relation to marijuana - no, this style is meant to be a bit free-er and faster to wri te, so the letters are all joined up. It’s often difficult to read, this style is written without the aid of an imaginary box and has spurred other numerous variations.We’ve also got tips on how to learn the Chinese alphabet…Learn to read Chinese via calligraphy - something that’s available to everyone?What are the six main styles of Chinese calligraphy?Learn calligraphy in the WestCalligraphy is a popular art form in North America and Europe, often praised for its virtues of introspection, relaxation, and the meditative process of writing. Chinese art lovers cannot help but be moved by the beauty of Chinese calligraphy as well.In order to practice calligraphy, learning to speak Mandarin Chinese isn’t required, although people who start studying calligraphy also often sign up for Chinese classes to learn how to speak, understand and write Chinese.Like any art form, calligraphy also requires a certain amount of talent and a dedication to practicing almost daily in order to improve.Look up for Mandarin courses London.The necessary tools for Chinese calligraphyAlthough certainly open to everyone, above all calligraphy requires motivation, as well as the resources to purchase the basic tools for practicing your new hobby.Just like football, singing, or playing an instrument (where you’d need, respectively, a ball, microphone, or guitar) calligraphy is the art of writing, and it requires tools and supplies.So called the ‘four treasures’ in Chinese, here are the key tools for practicing calligraphy:The calligraphy brush: the brush, with its bamboo stem and brush fibers should be chosen for the way it fits in your hand and what you’re hoping to create in the realm of calligraphy. The fibers of the brush generally come from the hair of an animal like a goat or a fox. Make sure that you always reshape it into its pointed form before letting it dry.China soy ink: generally a liquid ink, it’s best to invest in a better quality ink that won’t run as much.Rice paper - There are many different sizes, shapes, and forms available. Follow the advice of your calligraphy teacher when buying, as some versions can absorb too much ink. The yellow paper is only meant for practice.An inkwell or stone: this ancient writing tool will let you get ink onto your brush quickly, just by brushing solid ink with water.Use Chinese calligraphy to break down the lettersYou can spend years learning and perfecting the basics of Chinese writing.Technically speaking, Chinese calligraphy is a good option for people interested in Chinese culture who aren’t quite ready to commit to signing up for Chinese language classes but still want to learn the script…In Chinese, you are generally always writing inside an imaginary box, unless you’re a professional calligrapher making some artistic flourishes.The balance and proportions typical of Chinese characters are necessary to maintain as you write out the Hanzi characters. It’s important to keep their regu lar, geometric, and well-proportioned shape as your brush moves across the paper.Each character is made up of several brushstrokes, which follow and set order and system.Now standardized in China, Chinese calligraphy - just like Chinese characters - is written from left to right as well as horizontally. Learning calligraphy is therefore also a great way to learn how to write Chinese characters, whether you’re learning online, or by hand.However, in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, and in some overseas Chinese populations, the typical directions are sometimes abandoned for tradition, and you may find writing going from:high to lowand from right to left(It’s worth noting that this last point is helpful if you’re planning to try and decipher any ancient Chinese texts).During a typical introduction to calligraphy, the teacher will often ask the student to study the 8 base strokes of the character “yong” and break it down. Another learning method often focuses on learning t he different symbols within a Chinese character and breaking down its meaning in order to natural improve a student’s reading comprehension.You might also like to learn how to write Chinese characters...Where can you learn Chinese calligraphy in America?How should you hold a brush in order to perfect your calligraphy?Whether it’s at rehab centers, schools, or museums, it’s easy to find Chinese calligraphy classes in the United States.Find a Chinese calligraphy class in New YorkThe venerable China Institute on Washington Street in New York offers a wide range of calligraphy and brush painting classes for adults, teens, and children.They generally run several calligraphy classes each semester, offering a range of class times for anyone’s schedule. Classes last for two hours and promise a meditative and calm atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle of New York City. Materials are provided for the first class, with plenty of advice so you can purchase your own supplies before the next session.Each 10 class session promises to get you going, even if you’re a total beginner with no knowledge of Chinese language. But for those who are also interested in speaking and reading Chinese, the center offers a large selection of classes.Take Chinese calligraphy classes in San FranciscoMing’s Chinese Calligraphy is a San Francisco institution, run by Mr. Mak Ming Chan himself, who was born to an artistic family in Guangdong province before moving to Hong Kong in the 1970s to work as a professional artist. He now offers private calligraphy classes located at his studio in Parkside, at the price of £200 for 4 1.5 hour lessons.Learn Chinese calligraphy in BostonThe Fo Guang Buddhist Temple in Boston, located on Concord Ave in Cambridge, offers weekly calligraphy lessons every Saturday afternoons. Classes last for 1.5 hours, and the temple has been an active member of the Cambridge community since the late 90s.Take Chinese calligraphy lessons with a private tutorFo r the most motivated students who want to improve quickly and have already invested in all the supplies they’ll need to learn calligraphy, a private tutor is a good option.Often Chinese natives or art-school graduates from Taiwan, Singapore, or Hong Kong, these tutors can often come straight to your house.There are plenty of tutors to choose from on Superprof.And of course on Superprof, classes average just £25/hour and your first class is free!Discover the best way to learn how to write Hanzi...

Diagram of the Body Online Biology Tutors Tutorpace

Diagram of the Body Online Biology Tutors Tutorpace Human body is made up of different external and internal organs. Head is the region where the brain is located.It is protected by cranium.The brain controls all the functions of the body.The various human external body parts are elbow, knee, finger, nose, lips , foot, ears, hips, chin, shoulder. The internal body parts are grouped into different systems.They are digestive system,Nervous system,respiratory system,excretory system,reproductive system, circulatory system, skeletal system,Muscular system etc. Digestive system: It includes mouth,esophagus,stomach,small intestine,large intestine,rectum and anus. It supplies food to various parts of the body. Nervous system:It consists of the brain and the spinal cord which control and coordinates the various body parts. Respiratory system: It includes the nose, pharynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and the lungs. It helps to supply oxygen and remove CO2 which is formed as a waste product. Excretory system: it consists of a pair of kidneys, ureter, urinary bladder and urethra. They remove the waste materials from the body and maintain the proper ionic balance. Reproductive system: They are of two types-Male and female. Male reproductive system includes a pair of testes, vas deferens, prostate gland, urethra, penis etc. Female reproductive system includes a pair of ovary, oviduct, uterus, cervix and vagina. They help in the production of young ones. Circulatory system; It includes the heart, and the blood vessels. If helps in the transport of gases and supply nutrients to various parts of the body. Skeletal system: It forms the frame work of the body and protects the internal organs Muscular system: It is made up of muscles and they get attached to the bones and help in locomotion.

Where Can You Learn Latin Online

Where Can You Learn Latin Online Websites and Tools for Learning Latin Online ChaptersThe Best Sites for Learning Latin Apps for Learning Latin  Taking Latin Lessons OnlineMuch more difficult than English, French, Spanish or German, Latin is a language with a strong historical, cultural and mythical background.Despite being a ‘dead’ language it is an important tool to help us understand other languages like French and Spanish.Latin even provides the roots for own language, with many English words coming from Latin, reading Latin texts can help expand your vocabulary in your own language!Latin is also the language of institutions in our society like the government, religion and law. By learning Latin you’re not just learning about the past, you’re learning about the present too. The influence of Latin can be seen everywhere in our society and there are many ways to learn.Of course, you can go down the traditional route of learning Latin with grammar classes, vocabulary lists etc., or instead, you could opt for Latin learning 2.0; online courses.Organis ed by professional teachers, these classes give you all the necessary tools to progress your learning. You can even find intensive courses for an express learning!Through Latin expressions, pronunciation exercises and literature, you’ll progress quickly.Learning a language requires constant revision (Source: visualhunt.com)free app, available to Android users, teaches you the basics of Latin grammar.Its complete course will teach you the basics of different tenses and conjugations, all for free! This app is great if you are a beginner or you want to refresh your memory on certain grammar points.Latin Word of the DayAnother free app, this time for iOS users, Latin Word of the Day is a study tool that teaches you, you guessed it, a word a day.This app is great for expanding your vocabulary when you’re just a beginner. Learning just one word a day is easy and much more manageable than learning lists of words at a time. You’ll be fluent in no time!Latin WisdomLatin Wisdom teaches you Latin through common phrases.You’ll be taught tons of famous phrases, quotations and sentences that you may have heard before but never known the meaning (and it’s free!).By the end of the course you’ll be able to translate these phrases and impress your friends with your Latin references!Latin TrainerOne more for the Android users. Latin Trainer is a free app that helps you memorise different Latin words.By the end of the course you’ll be able to translate Latin words to English and you can track your progress through stats on the app so you can see how far you’ve come.The course takes you through steadily rather than bombarding you with lists of words to memorise. Learning a few words at a time is manageable and you’ll build up your vocabulary in no time.Have you thought of taking Latin in school?Taking Latin Lessons OnlineLearning with a friend can help you progress quicker (Source: visualhunt.com)The new trend in language learning in the past couple of years has been exchanging one on one with other people online.People are using social networks to exchange with others or to find conversation classes in their area.Social networks and forums for tips and experiencesFind fellow Latin students to talk to, or even Italian and Spanish speakers. Remember, Latin is the base of these languages so hearing them can help you progress.  With Facebook or language forums you can exchange your Latin lessons, find study tips and just encourage your fellow students!Knowing you’re not alone in learning Latin can provide a huge comfort. You can share your struggles with others or you can talk about why you’re learning Latin. You’ll gain insight from many different people and you might learn something from them!Video ClassesUsed more and more in classrooms, video classes allow you to connect with people not in the room. This support is used a lot in classes and can help you connect with a Latin teacher if you can’t find someone in your area.Learning o ne on one with a teacher, even via video, has many benefits. Unlike in a group class, in a private lesson everything is adapted to your level and your goals. If you find something particularly difficult you can repeat exercises with your tutor until you get it. You can change the lessons depending on your goals to focus more on speaking or on grammar for example.Learning one on one can give you a confidence boost too. Having the time to go over grammar points or pronunciation you’ll be sure that you’ve got it right. You’ll have the freedom to ask any question you want no matter how simple you think it is. Your teacher wants you to succeed and will have the knowledge to help so make the most of your time with them.Check out Superprof to find a Latin teacher near you!Also discover where you can take Latin lessons in London..

Some ways of knowing how to increase your grades with online tutoring

Some ways of knowing how to increase your grades with online tutoring Since a long time the students has been divided into two types. One part is the intelligent part in which the students can easily come across any tough subject and tough topic with ease and the other part is the weak part in which the people are not able to grasp every single topic and thus they fail to acquire good grades in school. Every parent wants to live a better life with their kids doing well at school. They also want themselves to proudly announce their child’s grades in front of every other parent. But in many cases things are not possible. Sometimes it is because of the fact that students are not able to understand what is being taught at school. Sometimes it is because of the fact that the teachers do not pay heed to the students in particular and thus many students miss out various parts. There can be various reasons for it but the result is the factor and no one cares for the reason. Good teachers are needed for better and proper understanding of a subject. A good teacher can show a child its correct path and that can help the child t lead a better future and a much better life style. School is a place where you can learn but today it also has changed its priorities and so they are unable to make a clear view on what school and its priorities are all about. Students are much in problem due to such tensions. Apart from school there is private tutoring as well. A good private tutor also helps in gaining that knowledge which is possible only when you have dedicated teacher.   Professionalism has hit every sector and every sphere of life and private tutoring is also not away from it. The teachers do not want to spend too much time on any particular student and thus the student lacks good guidance. The only way left for a good tutoring course is online tutoring. Online tutoring course is a new as well as an adaptable way through which you can get into the well of knowledge. The online tutoring facilities are slowly gaining a lot of recognition and this is helping them to explore their wings to a certain level. This type of tutoring facility is entirely conducted through the help of internet and as kids of new generation are very much accustomed with good internet usage so they can use it and also utilize the time as well. The online tutoring has been encircled with various types of features that help them to get discriminated from all the other types of tutoring facility. The features are very useful and this is the reason why many students have been getting attached to it. They are really liking and adoring the process and thus investing on it. So for now let u discuss about the various utilities that the online tutoring facility brings for a student. Some features of online tutoring Online tutoring is about how to save your time and energy. When you have time and energy backed up for you then you can concentrate more on any subject and on any topic. Let us now discuss some of the online tutoring facility that can help you to gain some more knowledge on online tutoring. The first feature or facility of online tutoring is that online tutoring institutes have a large number of good and reputed teachers that help a student with any particular tough subject. The institutes make it a point to appoint such teachers who have immense knowledge on a subject and can deliver it to their students as well. The good knowledge helps a student also to know and learn a subject faster. They get to know the easy and better ways through which they can learn faster. The online teachers do not have any time limit and this is also one of the best parts. When you have no limit then you can get help from a teacher whenever you want and this makes your progress even perfect. It is like whenever you are into any doubt or a question arises in your mind, you can find solution to that question instantly and it helps your progress arte to get increased faster. The other facilities that online tutoring provides is that the teachers help the students with their homework. Yes, when you are stuck into any kind of tough homework then online teachers are always there to rescue you out from such a problem.  This saves your time in completing your homework as well as helps you to learn more. Not only are this by there teachers who are present to help you during your projects and various assignments given at your school. This is not possible without the help of a good teacher. The online tutoring facility helps you to get individual teacher for every child who has enrolled them into any of the courses. When you have a teacher by your side all round the clock then you can get support as well. The individual teacher for the individual student can cause great relaxation for any student who is not so intelligent. The main problem with a weak student is that they do not have boldness to come up with their problems in front of all and thus they are out of any teachers’ concentration. Online tutors serve you right with this way as well. Good tutoring facility with TutorPace TutorPace brings to you all the noted facilities above. The teachers are we efficient, the time limitation is no more applicable, each student can come in contact with a single teacher and they can be uplifted with the subject and the various topics of it. After so many facilities, you may be thinking that it will be expensive even. But no to your surprise it is not at all expensive and can be afforded easily by any middle class family. Thus if you need Science Homework Help from TutorPace, you can easily get that.

Bad at Keeping Time 5 Rhythm Exercises for All Musicians [Videos]

Bad at Keeping Time 5 Rhythm Exercises for All Musicians [Videos] Suzy S. Do you struggle with keeping the beat? In this post, music teacher Heather L.  shares six rhythm exercises that all musicians can try Whens the last time that you heard a musician perform live, either at a concert or online, and said to yourself, “Wow, her rhythm sounds really off. But shes a phenomenal musician!” I cant remember, either. Thats because a strong rhythmic sense is essential to being that phenomenal musician we all aspire to be, and we all can be! Its part of what distinguishes an amateur from a pro. Bad at Rhythm? Youre Not Alone The very thing that those pros have is something called an internal sense of rhythm, which you can hone by tapping into your natural sense of a steady pulse. Its like your own built-in metronome! It removes the need to tap your foot or rely on a drummer, or any other external time-keeper, for that matter. Its important to know that “rhythm” and “timing” mean slightly different things. “Rhythm” means the regular succession of strong and weak beats, but “timing” is your ability to keep a beat by yourself, especially within a group. Lots of musicians struggle with both rhythm and timing, often because we choose pieces that are too complex for us at that current point in our musical journeys. So remember your three Ss: Simple, slow, steady. Simple are the pieces that you choose while you work to improve your rhythm, slow is the tempo that you should play the pieces, and steady rhythm is what we aim for! If you struggle with rhythm and timing, your music teacher can help you with specific exercises and pieces to practice. In the meantime, here are the rhythm exercises that I recommend to my own students. 1. Record Yourself Start simply. Choose a song that you know really well (think “Mary Had a Little Lamb”), and then choose a slow tempo. Record yourself playing (or singing, if your instrument is your voice) it alone, without a metronome or any backup. Recording  yourself gives  you  immediate and valuable feedback. Listen to the recording. Are you confident that a stranger could tap to your beat? Are you speeding up or slowing down? Tap or clap along with the recording. Keep  a tally of how many times you got off the beat or hesitated. Dont be discouraged if youre not that steady. Just resolve to improve. Remember, this is just another skill to be learned! 2. March to a Pulse This rhythm exercise might be the most fun all you need to do is perform something physical to a pulse. If you like to dance, then dance along with the beat and if youd rather walk your dog, then go get the leash! Physical movement matched to a pulse is called eurhythmics. This is the idea that music should be learned through  all of the senses, including your kinesthetic  (physical) awareness. Its best to create the pulse using a metronome. If you dont own one, install a metronome app on your smartphone. I have one called The Metronome by Soundbrenner, but you can find lots of them in the App Store or in the Google Play Store. The following video reveals a fascinating class in which eurhythmics  is demonstrated. Notice that the students are creating movements that match rhythms. This is the fundamental idea. Keep watching, and youll see simple walking-to-a-pulse, dancing-to-a-pulse, and even punching-to-a-pulse! 3. Tap and Count Find a recording of your favorite song, and clap your hands together with each count as you listen to it. You can also tap your leg, your guitar or piano, or a table. When you feel comfortable, add counting. Count “one, two, three, four,” or “one, two, three” depending on the time signature. Most songs have the feeling of three or four beats in each measure. Try both and see which one fits. Remember, if it sounds like a waltz, then it probably has three beats per measure, but if it sounds like a march, then it probably has four beats per measure. Check out  a video that demonstrates this exercise here. 4. Practice Subdividing Now that youve counted the basic beat of your song, youre going to subdivide. Learning how to subdivide is the basis of establishing that internal sense of rhythm, and later, just figuring out tough rhythms! Subdivision is the practice of dividing the beats of a song into shorter beats. For instance, if you have a song that is made up of only quarter notes, to subdivide you might count “one, and, two, and, three, and, four, and” instead of “one, two, three, four.” By subdividing, youve stopped guessing how long each beat is. I call it “naming the little baby notes.” The following video visually details this rhythm exercise, but Dan also does a great job explaining it aurally. 5. Be an Apprentice Find a friend, a neighbor, a band, or a great teacher with  TakeLessons whose sense of rhythm and timing you really admire, and then find time to play with them. Theyll probably be flattered that you think of them so highly and be happy to help! Heres a terrific video of jazz piano great Chick Corea explaining his tips for getting better rhythmically, and  this idea of apprenticeship. 6. Play with a Metronome Now, take that song that you recorded before, set the metronome to a slow, steady beat again, and play along. But first, feel yourself settling in, letting your kinesthetic pulse   that internal sense of rhythm   sync with what youre hearing. Watch this video where the metronome is demonstrated on the piano. Even if you dont play the piano, the instructor explains so simply that it will immediately make sense on your guitar, flute, or violin, or even your voice! Its been said that rhythm is not a series of dots, but of circles. As long as you hit the beat really close to the perfect spot, youre okay. In fact, as humans, well never be as exact as a metronome! And thats great, because it creates a groove. Being just a hair behind or ahead of the beat pulls the listener in, and frankly, keeps us from sounding like robots, or some computer program that makes music. It keeps us sounding human. Being human means being imperfect. And thats just perfect. Readers, what other rhythm exercises have helped you improve your skills? Leave a comment and let us know! Heather L. teaches singing, piano, and more in St. Augustine, FL, as well as through online lessons. She is  a graduate of the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. Learn more about Heather here! 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

The Four Stages of Competence Math Edition

The Four Stages of Competence Math Edition We all like to think of ourselves as active participants in our lives. We make decisions from sun-up to sun-down: when to wake up, what to eat for breakfast, what email to answer first, what podcast to listen to on the drive home. However, the uncomfortable truth is that our behavior is more mindless and automatic than we like to think. As Charles Duhigg  noted in his book,  The Power of Habit, somewhere around 40% of what we do each day is dictated by habit. We receive a cue from our environment?for example, we walk into the kitchen and see the coffeemaker?and then the routine of the habit starts. We make coffee, drink it, and experience the “reward” of a warm, delicious beverage?and a hit of caffeine. Thus the habit is reinforced one more time.Often our habits reside very far below the surface of consciousness. The next time you brush your teeth, pay attention to which part of your teeth you brush first. You’ve probably brushed them the same way since you were young. Or think about driving: when was the last time you really thought through the sequence of steps? You most likely turn the car on, put on your seat belt, check mirrors and put the car in reverse with very little thought. All of these routines have become muscle memory, deeply ingrained habits that require little to no conscious attention to execute.Now, let’s consider how habits and unconscious behaviors relate to learning.Most students have had the frustrating experience of being sure that they got a problem correct on a test, only to miss getting credit because of a careless mistake. Often the careless mistake is as simple as not distributing a negative sign correctly or solving for the wrong value. For some students, careless mistakes are pervasive in their work and a real barrier to improving their grade in a class or their SAT score. So what’s happening there?There’s a model in psychology known as the four stages of competence (or the four stages of learning). The four stages are: Unconscious incompetenceConscious incompetenceConscious competenceUnconscious competenceAs we discussed before, much of what we do in our daily lives happens below the level of consciousness. We’ve been driving for years, so we can operate a two-ton SUV hurtling down the highway at 70 mph without too much active thought.When a student’s math work is riddled with careless mistakes, they’re living in the first stage?the world of unconscious incompetence. To sum it up, they don’t know that they’re doing anything wrong, or they don’t know what they don’t know.Our goal as tutors and educators is to move our students through all four stages of competence, hopefully arriving for good at the level of “flow,” or unconscious competence. The million dollar question, however, is how to move from one stage of competence to the next. Let’s explore the stages and how these play out for our tutors and their students.Moving Through the Four Stages of Competence1. Unconscious Inco mpetenceAs we said before, this stage is characterized by unthinking, careless mistakes or an incorrect understanding of a concept that a student assumes they know. The giveaway that a student is in the first stage of competence is surprise at an incorrect answer or a bad test score. The student had no idea they were on the wrong track.2. Conscious IncompetenceA student usually moves into conscious incompetence when prompted by someone else?a parent, teacher,   tutor, or by their own systematic review of their work. At this stage, students are aware of what they’re doing, and they’ve made the important move from “unthinking” to “thinking.” This should be praised! Here’s a typical scenario: a student just got back an algebra test on solving systems of equations, and he received a much lower score than he was anticipating. He reviews his test with his tutor at the next session. The tutor points out that the student failed to correctly multiply equations all the way throu gh by the appropriate constant.The next time a student tries to solve a system of equations, he’s operating at the level of conscious incompetence. Now he knows that he doesn’t know how to do this correctly (or without careless errors), and he might get the problem wrong. Conscious incompetence is a really uncomfortable place to be. No one likes to know that they’re doing a problem wrong! Thus, our goal as math tutors is to not let our students stay here for long. We try to channel our students’ discouragement into productive motivation to get the problem down cold. Which brings us to our next stage…3. Conscious Competence  Okay, this is better. When you work at this level, you’re getting things right. You still have to actively think about how to do a problem or how to avoid a careless mistake, but you have the satisfaction of getting a correct answer and a good test score. So, how does a student move from level 2 to level 3, or from conscious incompetence to conscious competence? After all, this is the jump that makes the big difference in performance and confidence.Unfortunately, I have to be the bearer of bad news here. There’s no magic pill that lets you jump levels. Moving from conscious incompetence to conscious competence takes a great deal of focused practice targeted on your weak areas. It also takes a willingness to relentlessly confront your mistakes, over and over, until you start consistently getting things right. This process hopefully won’t take 10,000 hours, but it does take time.Our math tutors help students move to conscious competence by drawing on their experience to quickly diagnose students’ mistakes. We tailor effective problem sets that get students quickly on the path to competence.4. Unconscious Competence  Finally, we’ve returned to the unconscious level. To recap, this is the level most people operate on when they drive their car, make coffee, or do other routine daily tasks. Unconscious competence?“being in t he zone” or “experiencing flow”?allows you to efficiently and accurately get problems right without too much active thought. For routine math work and standardized tests like the SAT and ACT, this is a great place to be.Cultivating Good HabitsLet’s return to our discussion of habits for a moment. Habits take place on the subconscious level and consist of a cue, routine, and a reward. Fitting habits into the levels of competence model shows us that math habits can be good or bad, competent or incompetent. If your student is struggling with careless mistakes, their goal and their tutor’s goal should be to interrupt the routine of unthinking errors. This can be accomplished by reviewing math work with an eye toward identifying types of problems or behaviors that trigger mistakes. Does the student always miss questions with fractions? Do they miss more questions at the end of a test because they’re rushing to finish? Once we identify those triggers, our tutors can move stude nts through the levels of competence via targeted practice. And once a student is “consciously competent,” we’ll work to build new cues, routines and rewards that lead to the virtuous cycles of good math habits. Good math habits lead to greater success in school and on standardized tests. Even better, good math habits lead to a lifetime of self-confidence in one’s mathematical ability.