15 French Idioms Funny Phrases (+ What They Really Mean)

15 French Idioms Funny Phrases (+ What They Really Mean) Megan L. Just like in English, there are a lot of French idioms and phrases that dont quite translate. Some are fairly easy to figure out (for example, someone who drinks like a hole, is drinking a great deal). Others are less obvious, especially when you are just starting to learn French. Here are some of the strangest French idioms and phrases youre likely to come across in an otherwise normal conversation. 15 French Idioms Funny Phrases 1. Coup de  foudre Only in French is it a good thing to be hit by a strike of lightning it means love at first sight, which is known to have some of the same symptoms, though you can usually tell them apart! 2. Avoir  le  cafard While having a cockroach is certainly not most peoples idea of a good time, this phrase goes a little further than that. It means to be downright depressed. 3. Avoir  une  peur  bleue Some French idioms simply dont make sense. Being ordinarily frightened is just avoir peur, but when you need to express serious pop-quiz-level terror, you have a blue fear in French. 4. Avoir  un  poil  dans  la main To have a hair in ones hand means to be very lazy, as if you do so little with your hands that hair could start growing from the palm. 5. Donner la  langue  au chat If you give your tongue to the cat when presented with a riddle or other tricky question, youve given up and admitted defeat. What the cat does with it then is anybodys guess. 6. Être  sorti  de  lauberge Where English-speakers say out of the woods to mean having handled your problems, French-speakers say out of the inn. Are the inns in France really so bad that the woods are preferable? 7. Faire la  tête Literally to make the head, this phrase means to pout. It can be a slightly cute or affectionate way of asking if someones upset with you. 8. La fin des  haricots When something is the end of the beans, its the equivalent of saying the last straw. Either way, the frustrated person might say the next phrase on this list of French idioms RELATED VIDEO: Must-Know French Slang Words Phrases 9. La  moutarde  me  monte  au  nez Mustard rising to your nose means that youre getting angry, as a result making a face like someone whos just eaten strong mustard. Steam coming out of your ears is optional. 10. Les  carrottes  sont  cuites In English, your goose is cooked when youre done for; in French, its carrots. In either case, you cant take it back now. 11. Les  doigts  dans  le  nez This is one of the funniest phrases on this list of French idioms. If somethings so easy you could do it with your fingers in your nose, you could probably also do it with one hand behind your back, possibly even both at once! 12. Mettre  son grain de  sel Someone who insists on putting in their grain of salt cant let a topic go without offering their opinion, whether its asked for or not. 13. Poser un lapin If youve been left a rabbit, that means youve been stood up for a date or meeting. If it helps, the connection between rabbits and poor date etiquette isnt clear in French either. 14. Sauter  du cog  Ã   lâne Literally to jump from rooster to donkey, this phrase means jumping from topic to an unrelated topic. Cruelty to barn animals is not necessary. 15. More French Idioms and Sayings! Cant get enough? Check out the video below for even more funny French idioms and expressions. Want to learn more French idioms and work on your language learning skills? Taking private lessons with a French tutor is the best way to improve your skills and reach your goals. Study with a tutor in-person or take online lessons. Find your French tutor today! 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

How to Approach Learning Music 3 New Exercises to Try

How to Approach Learning Music 3 New Exercises to Try Suzy S. Whether youre learning Spanish or learning piano, youll find that both are complex  languages with lots of history and unique  jargon. In this guest post, Mike Lowden from Falls Music School  bridges the gap between music and language by explaining just how similar they really are As a music teacher, I spend a good amount of time explaining to my students how learning music should be approached in a similar style to learning a language. Most professional musicians and music teachers consistently refer to “the language of music,” as this is a parallel thats accepted worldwide. Musicians Learn to “Talk” Music Like How Toddlers Learn to Speak How do infants learn to speak their  first words? They listen to what’s around them and do their best to copy it. As they grow older, they learn how to speak full sentences just as theyre taught. As they grow older still, theyre influenced on how to speak by  friends and other social groups (e.g. a group of teenagers repetitively using the same slang) and use all of these different resources to eventually sound like themselves.” People don’t put very much thought into it. Listen to anyone talk; even though there might be  individual nuances, language is actually a culmination of sayings from ones  parent(s), friends, teachers, and other social influences. People learn to talk by blending their social experiences together. Why do you think accents exist in certain regions and someone who moves there might eventually develop an accent? It all depends on whats around you; we humans like to absorb what we hear. Defining Your Musical Influences This is exactly the same process that musicians go through; we listen to players we like and end up emulating their style. If you’re really into B.B. King, you’re going to do your best to play just like him. But maybe later you get into another player, so you learn how they “talk.” Eventually, everything you’ve learned from the music you’ve played goes into your tool belt of  self-expression. There are many artists out there who are known for their own unique style, but all of them had  influences that shaped who they became. Put it into practice: Find a musician you really enjoy and see if you can trace back their musical history, almost like a family tree. If you have trouble tracing the history yourself, you can usually find interviews where they discuss their musical influences. Take note of some of their signature licks or musical tricks and see if they can be traced back. Its fun just to see how far back you can trace! This can be an extremely enlightening exercise. Bonus points if you do this with your own playing. Building Your Vocabulary Having an extended vocabulary is extremely important when you’re trying to express ideas through both your native language and the language of music. “Bad” and “egregious” both essentially mean the same thing, but those two words have different connotations; choosing one over the other can be vital to  expressing a story or idea. Building vocabulary in music is just as important. Not only does it help culminate your overall style, as stated above, but it also can be the difference between a good solo and a great solo. Having a limited vocabulary means you can only say so much in a particular way. The last thing an artist wants is to be limited. While one lick might fit and work well in a part of a song, there might be another thats able to display an emotion even more perfect. Composers and improvisers agonize over these nuances just as much as poets and novelists agonize over their word choices. A musician decides on music ideas just as a poet might decide to say “glorious” rather than “cool.” Put it into practice:  Listen to the same song done by two different artists. Choosing some unexpected covers to compare is a fun idea. See what differences of “vocabulary” they each end up choosing. Often, an artist may choose to express an idea thats exactly the same basically reciting what the artist before them did. If you pay close attention, many artists will choose subtle differences in licks or chord voicings to show how they think the song should be played. Learn both versions and compare! Speaking With the Right Nuances Another thing musicians spend a fair amount of time on is contemplating the “interpretations” of composers. This means that it’s not only important to play the notes correctly, but to express them in a very specific way. Think about it the way we say things in  our spoken language can sometimes be even more important than the words we’re actually saying. If you were speaking to your child and asked him or her  to make their bed very nicely, that might get the job done. If the child  still didn’t make the bed, however, you could repeat those same exact words but say them in a much sterner manner. Its likely that this change in tone will elicit a different response. Similarly, musicians focus on a lot of nuances with their music how to attack each note, how loud or soft to play (dynamics), how to phrase musical ideas, and so on. The list of nuances is almost endless! Understanding the Details This same idea can cross over to styles of music. I had a jazz professor who would consistently tell students who had trouble swinging, “You’re saying the right thing, but you’re speaking French with a Russian accent it ain’t right!” This meant that even though somebody was playing the right notes for it to be considered jazz, the nuances didn’t quite fit with the style, and, therefore, sounded funny. This is exactly why someone who speaks the native tongue of a country can always tell if someone else hasn’t learned it as their first language. Sure, the words are right, but it sounds forced and foreign. It takes a lot of learning and practice to sound natural. A lot of people don’t realize that these subtleties are what make a piece of music so powerful. Put it into practice:  Start actively listening to ways people approach certain musical phrases and try to identify what makes one style different than another. If you’re a musician, try this with your own playing. What are other ways you can interpret the same phrase? Do you have trouble playing a particular style of music even though you can technically play the notes correctly? Look at what nuances you might have to add! The Takeaway These concepts are only the tip of the iceberg! All of the world’s best musicians are great because they have become so fluent in the language of music. If you’re learning music, use these approaches to improve your skills.  If you’re a seasoned pro, you can always improve your musical fluency.  Happy practicing! Guest  Author: Mike Lowden Mike Lowden has been playing the guitar for as long as he can remember, and enjoys playing every type of music that he can get his hands on. Mike has education from the Berklee College of Music, and studied Jazz at the University of Akron. Now the guitar instructor and co-owner of Falls Music School, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, his mission is not only to teach music students at the school, but also through online content. Photo by Nic McPhee 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

3 Secrets to Getting Better at Your Job (While Also Preparing Yourself for the Next Level) - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 3 Secrets to Getting Better at Your Job (While Also Preparing Yourself for the Next Level) - Introvert Whisperer 3 Secrets to Getting Better at Your Job (While Also Preparing Yourself for the Next Level) What the heck are you supposed to do? The job you have now is fine?it pays pretty well, pushes you, and is somewhat enjoyable?but you really want to move up to the next level. Problem is: some of the skills you need to continue honing for your current job won’t necessarily help you get that promotion. And unfortunately, you don’t have enough time to give 100% of your focus to developing skills for both jobs. Is there a way to have the best of both worlds? Luckily, there is:   By being intentional about your professional development schedule.   I learned this the hard way when I found myself in this exact position earlier this year. I wanted to improve my digital marketing skills so I could take on more clients at my agency, but also wanted to dive into the world of data analysis. After nearly 6 months of frustration, I found a formula that allowed me to do both. 3 Secrets to Finding Balance with Your Professional Development 1. Set a strict schedule for learning (either in the morning before work, or late at night). It’s obvious that you need to schedule time for professional development outside of work if you want to reach your goals, but most people miss one really important thing… You have to be strict about what you do during this time. If you don’t know exactly what you’ll be doing and when you’ll be doing it beforehand, you’ll get distracted and overwhelmed. So, it’s important to: Set a strict schedule as far as what you’ll be learning during your professional development time. Example: I’ll spend 30 minutes reading a book on marketing and 30 minutes doing coding exercises. Put your phone away and ignore emails?give 100% of your attention to learning during this time. Build this time into your schedule. Whether you do it every weekday or once a week, put it in your calendar and it will soon become a habit. 2. Focus on developing overlapping skills. Some skills you’ll need for that next-level job will also apply to your current job. Identify and focus on those. Often, these overlapping skills will be broad and include things like: Project management Strategy Business Admin Once you’re confident in these skills, move on to the specific skills you’ll need for the next job. This allows you to approach the expert level with your current job so you can eventually shift the focus of your professional development. 3. Realize that most of your learning will come from experimentation (not reading books or taking courses). A lot of people have a misconception when it comes to learning new skills. They think that in order to acquire new skills, they have to: Go back to school Read books And go to workshops These things are great, but they can only get you so far. The majority of learning and skill development comes from experimentation. “For the things we have to learn before we do them, we learn by doing them.” Aristotle Think about learning how to play a sport, or even how to ride a bike… You can listen to instructions, read books, and even get coaching, but you’ll only get so far before you have to do something. So, how can you apply this to your professional development? I recommend either: Taking on new projects at work that you’re interested in (that require the skill you want to develop). Creating your own project outside of work that allows you to apply the skill you want to learn in a context you love (example: doing a data science project to figure out how to craft the perfect fantasy football team). The process of trial and error is often the best teacher. You Can Have the Best of Both Worlds You don’t have to sacrifice getting better at your current job to prepare yourself for the next step in your career. You can structure your professional development in such a way that allows you to do both at the same time. It’s amazing how much even 30 minutes of learning and experimentation each day can do for your career. Author Bio

4 Classes Most Middle Schoolers Will Take

4 Classes Most Middle Schoolers Will Take During middle school, your child will likely start having more options in their academic schedule. They may get to choose a foreign language, in addition to electives like art, home economics, music, and technology. Their core classes are likely to stay the same, and are usually less flexible than, for example, in high school and college. While there may be some variance depending on the school, there are four classes that your middle schooler can generally expect to takealgebra, language arts, biology, and social studies. It can be beneficial for your student to know what they can expect to learn during their middle school years. Keep reading to learn about the four classes most middle schoolers will take. 1. Algebra Algebra (a branch of mathematics) refers to the use of symbols and is the foundation for many math- and science-based areas of study, including engineering and medicine. In this course, your middle schooler will learn items like the following: Solving for x The FOIL method Your middle schooler may need a graphing calculator, but be sure to check with your childs teacher or school before purchasing one. Note, too, that some middle schools offer pre-algebra in addition to algebra courses. [RELATED: Whats Going On In Your Middle Schoolers Head?] 2. Language arts A middle school language arts course will continue to build on the skills, concepts, and genres your child has already been exposed to in elementary school. Theyll likely learn how to write longer essays, learn how to more deeply analyze a character and sustain a longer argument, and learn how to use resources to support a thesis. Theyll also likely learn how to use citations. Continue to encourage your child to read material they find interesting, like a topic that relates to one of their hobbies or other passions. Graphic novels, podcasts, and audio books at this age are great as well. Reading aloud together is an excellent activity for middle schoolers too. 3. Biology While most elementary schools generally teach science, a lot of middle schools may offer biology as a specific course or have biology as a major unit within a general science class. In a biology unit or course, students will learn more specifically about life and living organismseverything from insects, to plants, to people. Theyll learn about genetics and the human body. Theyll also learn about how living organisms interact with the earth, using and transforming energy. In biology, your middle schooler may also experience their first dissection. [RELATED: 5 Tactics to Encourage Academic Confidence in Your Middle Schooler] 4. Social studies Social studies is a broad term that many people use synonymously with history, but it actually encompasses geography, sociology, civics, anthropology, government, and economics, in addition to history. Expect your child to learn about local, state, national, and international aspects of each of these studies. Social studies assignments are sometimes connected to a community service project or other kind of civic engagement. Discussing the news and current events with your child is a great way to engage with what theyre learning in social studies. [RELATED: How Parents Can Help Students Setand AchieveAcademic Goals] These four courses will help your middle school student practice foundational skills and set them up for success in high school and college. 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.

Free algebra help - Addition and Subtraction

Free algebra help - Addition and Subtraction Addition is a type of arithmetic operation which combines two numbers or terms into a single number or term. Subtraction is just opposite to addition. It is the difference of numbers or terms. The resultant can be either positive or negative. If both the terms are equal then the resultant is zero. If two sides of an equation are equal like a= b, then if we add or subtract the same value on both sides still it will be equal. x = y x + p = y + p x p = y - p 1) Fill in the blank ___- 23 = -17 Answer: 6 2) Add 3x + 5x + 2 and 4x +2x +10 Answer: (3x + 5x + 2) + (4x +2x +10) = (3x + 4x) + (5x+2x) + (2+10) = 7x + 7x +12 3) Simplify (8x + 9x -3) (4x -4x +7) Answer: 8x + 9x -3 - 4x + 4x -7 = (8x - 4x) + (9x +4x) (3 + 7) = 4x + 13x 10 4) Simplify (8x +2x + 1) + (6x - 3x) Answer: 8x + 2x + 1 + 6x - 3x = 8x + 6x + (2x 3x) + 1 = 8x + 6x - x + 1 5) n + 9 = 42, 12 + p = n, Solve for n and p Answer: n + 9 = 42 n = 33 12 + p = 33 P = 21

College Application Resume Tips

College Application Resume Tips If your teen is starting to think about college, its also a good time to work on developing a resume. As Eileen Huntington of the Huntington Learning Center explains, resumes are valuable for many reasons. Teens can use the resume to prepare for college interviews, to share with people writing them letters of recommendation and much more, she says. What should teens include on their resumes? What should be avoided? Huntington offers these tips: Make it brief. Even the most involved, standout high school junior or senior should limit the resume to one front-and-back page. Format well. A resume should be scannable and easy to read. Its important to divide it into sections (separated by headers) and make use of bullets, bolding, and italics where appropriate. Focus on the most important elements. For a high school student, the education section of the resume should be the primary focus, but dont leave out other important content. Heres a possible template: Contact information Name, address, phone number, email address Education section Graduation date, weighted grade point average, and SAT/ACT scores Valuable skills section Software proficiency, foreign languages, etc. Extracurricular activities Any sports, clubs, activities or volunteer work Work experience Any for-pay work experiences, including employer name, job title, responsibilities, and recognition Highlight character traits and work ethic. The purpose of a high school resume is to augment, not repeat, the college application. Thus, teens should highlight their skills, passion, work ethic and leadership skills through the jobs and other activities they list. Highlight accomplishments. Again, it is important for teens to use the resume to showcase their strengths to colleges as well as teachers/mentors writing recommendation letters for them. That means including any achievements, awards or other recognition on the resume (e.g. not just Chess Club, but Chess Club, Four-time district champion, 2016-2019). Show course work not on a high school transcript. That includes any college prep courses, college courses, academic camps or training programs, certifications or similar. Consider a summary section. Some teens might want to include a career summary or a personal summary. This section calls out a teens goals and best traits/assets and can be a great resume addition. Lastly, Huntington shares with parents that the resume helps teens reflect on their high school careers and prepare for the next step in their lives. As teens get closer to college, it is so important that they put their best foot forward and feel confident talking about their strengths and assets, she says. Encourage your teen to invest the time into developing a great resume, as it will help get him or her into professional mode and prepared to show colleges his or her very best. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com.

Compulsory sex education in Schools - Tutor Hunt Blog

Compulsory sex education in Schools Compulsory sex education in Schools Compulsory sex education in SchoolsSchoolsMp`s vote against Compulsory Sex Education in SchoolsAs the Law in Great Britain currently stands all state schools are required to cover the basics of sex education from a biological aspect. This somewhat vague ruling means that state schools have to cover the `biological` aspects of sex education, while omitting the emotional side, or discussing other aspects, such as LGBT issues. Academies and free schools are permitted to opt out of teaching the subject entirely. Last year a cross party group of called for sex education to become more comprehensive - specifically for it to include sex and relationships education (SRE), along with personal social and health education, (PSHE). The MP`s called for sex education to me mandatory in all schools, including academies and free schools, along with the subject focusing more intensely on the emotional side, and asking for SRE to be renamed RSE, a subtle alteration perhaps, but one that puts the relat ionship aspect first.The select committee pushing for this change said that SRE would be beneficial for all children, but was vital for vulnerable groups, such as LGBT children, along with those in care, and children with disabilities. Last week MP`s voted against the bill to to make sex education mandatory in all schools, effectively blocking the widespread teaching of SRE in schools. Within days of this ruling hundreds of people signed a Bernardo`s campaign supporting the introduction of SRE. According to the charity seven out of ten children believe the government should make sex and relationship lessons a mandatory part of the curriculum.Specifically a poll undertaken by Bernardo`s has revealed that `Three quarters (74%) believe all children would be safer if they had age-appropriate classes on the subject.`The voters rejecting the bill consisted of ten conservative MPs, and five Labour MPs. Simon Hoare, the Conservative MP for North Dorset said that `Some form of protection is needed for those who run faith schools, all faiths,` and that `I have little or no doubt that I will receive emails from constituents who happen to read my remarks. They will say that this is all about promotion, and this or that religion thinks that homosexuality-or another element-is not right.`Mr Hoare went on to say that he actually supported the intentions of the clause, but voiced his concern that it was framed `solely in the name of Labour Members of Parliament who all happen to be women.`Labour MP Stella Creasy led the amendment, and it was to her that Mr Hoare explained his reasons for opposing the bill were not simply down to religious sentiment: `We are actively looking at how best to address both the quality of delivery and accessibility to ensure that all children can be supported to develop positive, healthy relationships and to thrive in modern Britain today.`There is no doubt today`s children are growing up in a vastly different world to those of their teachers. The obvious communication and educational benefits of the internet are mitigated by its dark side, where videos depicting all the extremes of sex and violence are little more than a click away. A recent bristol study has found that almost half of 13 to 17 year old girls have received explicit videos and pictures, with two out of five admitting to reciprocating in kind.The head strategist of the NSPCC, Jon Brown, has said: `Children aged 10 to 13 are now the biggest risk group because they are being given more sophisticated phones, without the maturity to handle sexting requests or knowing where a request is coming from.`Sexting has become the `norm` in teenage courtship - and with the overabundance of graphic, and often violent pornography available to anyone wth a smartphone, children may be in in danger of developing a skewed understanding of what is acceptable and normal in a relationship. Teen pregnancy and STD rates in the UK are amongst the highest in Europe. The proposed RSE (rel ationships and sex education) was largely aimed to combat this, to teach children what is acceptable and unacceptable in relationships.Many parents have concerns that if sex education is taught in schools children will lose some of the innocence of childhood - that primary school is entirely too early to raise such adult topics, however infantilised and devoid of graphical details the lessons my be. The fact remains though that children have an insatiable curiosity, and if their questions are not answered by a teacher adhering to a suitable curriculum in a classroom, they may receive their first lessons from a more unsuitable, uncensored medium. 3 years ago0Add a Comment

Why your teaching vacancies matter

Why your teaching vacancies matter As you begin your search for your newest teachers this school year, we encourage you to consider each position individually and ask yourself, “which teacher will make a difference in this position?” Hiring new teachers is no small feat. Each teacher will impact the lives of an entire classroom of learners for a whole year. This means that taking the time to find the perfect teacher is absolutely crucial. But how do you draw the best talent to your teaching positions? Read below for some tips on how to make your vacancies matter. Know that the teacher is interviewing you as well When it comes to interviews, it’s often a two-way street. Teachers interested in international teaching positions are willing to leave their country of origin and familiarity behind for an exciting new teaching adventure. But only if the new position is right for them. This means you have to market the school well in your job description and in the interview. But how do you do this? Teachers want to know that they’re going to work at a school that cares about them and their professional development. Many teachers subscribe to the belief that part of what makes a great teacher is the never-ending desire to learn. When you’re producing your job descriptions, take the time to speak to the professional development opportunities that your school provides, the resources available to new and continuing teachers, and the networking/collaboration opportunities at your school. Use a teacher recruitment service that cares At Teach Away, we live and breathe international education. We’ve helped institutions hire literally thousands of teachers over the last few years. But not just any teachers, we’ve helped schools to find the best teachers. After all, the best teachers produce the brightest students. During recruitment, look to partner with a teacher recruitment agency that understands what makes a great teacher. If you would like to read more about one of our recruitment partnerships, take a look at one of our testimonials.