In the mind of Syrbastyian

Ending Conflict

2012-04-17T01:49:00.001+09:00

Everyone is looking for the answer to mediate and end conflict.

There are think-tanks, politicians, world figures, famous people, psychologist, counsellors, religious figures, etc are all getting on the game of ending conflict.

To some, that is what conflict represents; A Game! To others a way to get into history, build a legacy, or some other personal (selfish) reason.

They are all trying to find the complex secret or system to end or resolve conflict in some way. Though the view of conflict may seem complex, in reality it is not so complex at all.

All conflict starts with a single grievance and then other grievances are added on the original grievance until there reaches the inevitable breaking point i.e. conflict.

Whatever the single grievance may be, it becomes a grievance when "A" believes that "B" has taken an advanced unfairly or unjustly. Whether this is true or not, is a mute point because if "A" believes it to be true then it is true.

All conflicts are the same and size is to most extent irrelevant. From conflict between people to conflict between nations, it is all the same.
Some may argue that the conflict has history but all history is, is a single grievance with multiple grievances added onto it over time (in many cases the original single grievance is lost).
Some would argue the conflicts between nations (size) makes them extremely complex. Well no, even between nations there is always that original single grievances on which multiple grievance get again added on.

At the end of the day it comes down to two people sitting down and having a simple discussion.

So if the answer to ending conflict is simple then why isn't it being used. It is because the first three things needed to end conflict are so hard for parties to do and in most cases refuse to do.

What are these seemingly possible things:

* EMPATHY

* I AM SORRY

* Give up saying: I AM RIGHT, YOU ARE WRONG

I will start with the last one first.

Give Up Saying, "I AM RIGHT, YOU ARE WRONG".

If "A" and "B" or just one of them have this attitude nothing will ever be resolved and most likely it will guarantee more trouble and grievance.

In all conflicts all parties are right and all parties are wrong. Reality means very little even with evidence cause if one of them believe they are right then for them, THEY ARE RIGHT. No amount of convincing or evidence will change this perception.

All parties are Right and all parties are Wrong so discussing these is in short a waste of time and energy.

Also each side has acted, reacted, acted, reacted again and again and again. So both of them are culpable and to blame for the conflict. They equally share responsible and blame because both allow the conflict to grow.

So that is the first step. We are all responsible! We are all to blame! Nobody is RIGHT! No body is WRONG!

Example One: Person "A" attacks you and tries to kill you. You defend yourself and kill person "A". Now you have a conflict with person "A's" family. Person "A's" family want justice for the death of their family member. From your point of view: you are right and they are wrong but from their point of view: they are view and you are wrong. Both points of view are true. So if both sides do not give up I AM RIGHT, YOU ARE WRONG then nothing can be resolved.

EMPATHY

Now this one is tough because it requires you to forget and give up yourself, your personal feelings and your belief of what you perceive as true. It requires you to place yourself in the other's position. To walk in their shoes, to see life as they see it, to feel life as they feel it.

It means to feel their grievance as your grievance. To feel their pain, their suffering as your pain, as your suffering.

The difficulty is in the fact that our emotions (anger, hate, distrust, contempt) make us otherize and, or dehumanized the other party. This leads to thinking that you can not relate to them, they are different, they are the enemy. Both parties are thinking the exact same thing of the each other. In conflict we tend to forget that we are all human, we all share the same DNA, we all laugh, cry and bleed.

Example: Continuing with the scenario of Example One. Place yourself in the family's position and try to feel their loss, pain, anger and frustration at the death of their son, brother, father, husband. Now the family place themselves in your position and feel the fear, desperateness, panic, and desire to live. Also the guilt you may or may not have over taking a life.

By taking the other position we become a step closer and we understand that we are not so different.

I AM SORRY

The hardest of the three and the one where people may even prefer to die before they would say sorry.

Now this "I am sorry" is not apologising for action. It is not apologising to things you believe to be right or just. Using Example One scenario, you are not apologising for the action defending yourself and taking the life of another person in the course of that defence.

This "I AM SORRY" is apologising for the pain, hurt, suffering, loss, frustrations that your actions have caused.

It is NOT admitting or saying you are wrong, it is only saying I am sorry for your pain.

It is saying, I understand your pain, I feel your pain and I am sorry for the pain your are feeling.

It is not a difficult thing but it is the most difficult thing of all because tend to confuse "Sorry" with the admission of guilt, blame or wrongdoing. You can feel you are correct in your action but you can say (be) sorry for the pain cause by your actions.

One would hope that you would come to understand that some of your actions were wrong and apologise for them but again this is note the purpose for this "I AM SORRY".

When we can learn to say sorry for the pain our actions or inactions have directly and indirectly caused we reach a place where true ending or conflict can begin and wisdom to avoid allow a single grievance to escalate into conflict.

Whether its a conflict between lovers, families, societies, social groups, nations, etc by utilising three simple tools "Give up saying: I am right, you are wrong", "Empathy" and "I am sorry" we can bring conflict to an end and stop conflict before it starts.

Thank you

Neville

2012-04-09T00:33:00.001+09:00

Let me introduce to Neville.

A man in his mid 30's, hard working and average intelligence. A mate, a friend, the guy you could share a drink with a the b\pub and have a laugh with. Your average bloke.

This is the Neville the society knew, that most people knew.

Now let me introduce to you the Neville I knew.
My Neville, would come home from work and punch me in the back of the head.
Then he would force me to suck his cock. This was on a good day.

On an average day he would beat me until something bled or broken and then he would rape.
He would tie me up and to something and rape me.

I think he enjoyed it more because I would always fight back. He liked that.

But Neville's favourite thing was to beat me until I was almost unconscious and then put me in the freezer for about an hour. When my body had become ice cold he would rape me. I guess he like the death coldness of my body.

The world does not have to worry about Neville any more. That got taken care of some time back though it did not give the satisfaction that I thought would have.

So why now, why say now. Because it is time. I do not have a special person to share this with. So I may as well share it to to the world.

The point: Things happen, and if bad things happen to you as a child. It is not your fault, you had no power and there was nothing you could have done. So that guilt you feel, that shame you feel, stop it. You have nothing to feel guilty or shame about. You did nothing wrong.

A monster hurt you, a monster stole your childhood. So do not feel bad in any way.
You are great, you survived. You are greater because you did not repeat what was done to you.

We can let the past define our future or we can accept that bad things happen to us and them them go. Letting go is hard but it is what will make you truly free.

Be free those who have suffered monsters and know that you are not alone, others share and know your pain.

This is why now I speak. So maybe my experience and openness with it may help someone who has had the thing same thing happen to them.

Life does get better and some day you will heal.

SOPA and PIPA are bad

2012-01-21T02:51:00.001+09:00

This talk explains clearly why SOPA and PIPA are bad and how it is just one part of a 20 year battle over freedom of expressions, rights and due-process(law)

http://www.ted.com/talks/defend_our_freedom_to_share_or_why_sopa_is_a_bad_idea.html

TESOL Essay TEN

2011-12-12T23:45:00.000+09:00

Essay Ten

Teaching Grammar

By Syrbastyian Vzampfyier

Throughout the history of language learning be it in general education in one’s own native language or in learning a foreign language and, or second language there has a almost total emphasis on teach grammar as a systems of rules and regulations. Yet most people when ask to explain the grammatical rules of their own language struggle to to be able to explain the rule of their own native language.

Foreign language and, or second language learners spend many years learning the grammatical patterns and the grammatical rule of a foreign language and, or second language and yet struggle to apply and use the language actively to communicate effectively. This is especially true of Asian countries which tend to the rote system of learning a language and its grammatical rules.

Grammar is not actually a system of rules but more of a way that people expression their thoughts and intentions in their navigation through human relationships and societies in which they live in. (Pinker, 2007).

This concept of grammar as a way to express ideas, thoughts, opinions, feelings, beliefs, etc is what I believe is missing from most EFL/ESL teaching. The tendency to focus mainly on the rules of the language without explaining or teaching how the grammar expresses a concept of psychological meaning to act or be acted on, I contend, lessens our students’ ability to express their intentions clearly and freely.

Grammar has in the components of psychology, physics, time and space. For example, the grammar of active and passive sentences, an EFL/ESL teacher will teach the grammatical differences of the two types of sentences but without teach or explaining the psychology, physics, time and space of the sentence the students will struggle to learn them and use them correctly.

Let us take a look at this in closer detail. Please read the following sentences.

I. Disneyland closed down because of the earthquake.

II. Disneyland has closed down because of the earthquake.

III. Disneyland was closed down because of the earthquake.

IV. Disneyland got closed down because of the earthquake.

V. Disneyland has been closed down because of the earthquake.

Now if you careful think about the concept of each sentence in term of their meaning and not the grammatical rule you will see that each sentence expresses certain ideas. The grammar is only a means to express the ideas not as a system of language rules to follow.

Sentences I and II show that Disneyland is active and in acting on the earthquake and the sentences show that Disneyland had a choice to either close down or not to close down. The use of “HAS” in sentence (II) show the action of Disneyland was in the recent past and connects to the present. Sentence (I) shows the event started and finished sometime in the past.

Sentence III, IV and V show that the earthquake was the actor and it acted on Disneyland and they also show that Disney had no choice or power to decide whether to close down or not close down. The decision to close down was force onto Disneyland by the power of the earthquake. The “WAS” implies that the event started and finished sometime in the past. “GOT” suggest a similar idea but has a more forceful sense to it and that the event is nearer to the present than “WAS”. “HAS BEEN” implies the event occurred in the recent past and it is not as aggressive as “GOT”.

Though grammar is a formula of rules and regulations that give a structure to sentences, grammars main and I would say only purpose is to express certain ideas and concepts. The teaching of grammar without explaining how the grammar expresses ideas is not helping the student learn and understand the usage of the language they have chosen to study. Furthermore, by focusing on how grammar expresses ideas and concepts reduces the stress that students feel trying to master the grammar rules. This in turns helps students to use the language more openly with little or no fear of breaking some rule. The teacher is not correcting or enforcing a rule but assisting the student to express their ideas and communicate these ideas to the world.

TESOL Essay NINE

2011-12-12T23:43:00.001+09:00

Essay Nine

High Frequency Words

By Syrbastyian Vzampfyier

It is common knowledge amongst EFL/ESL teachers the students of all abilities tend to make the same errors in using the most common words i.e. the high frequency words. Errors with these high frequency words will make the students language seem worse than it really is, plus errors with these high frequency words can and do cause miscommunication and misunderstanding.

Many EFL/ESL instructors try to reinforce the grammatical rules and, or points of the words. Instructors try to teach the students to remember the patterns and rules of the word’s use.

I believe that the grammatical and rule approach may not be the best and only way to assist the students to learn how to use these high frequency words correctly. What I suggest is that EFL/ESL instructors teach the physical attributes and image of the high frequency words.

Let us look at a few of the top 10 high frequency words and bring out their physical characteristics and, or image which will, I believe, help the students not only to use the words correctly but also use them correct in abstract situations or expressing abstract ideas.

“THE, A and TO”

“THE and A”. What is the meaning of these two words, what is their image? “THE” when to think about the word means a thing or an action we know. The speakers and the listen must understand that “THE” refers to something they both know or that the speaker believes the listener knows for example, when someone says “I will meet you at the cafe”, there is an inference that both the speaker and listener understand that “the cafe” is a specific thing in which both parties know and understand. “A” on the other hand is something that the speaker knows but the speaker believes that the listener does not know.

“TO” is like an action and it show movement in a forwards direction and “TO” is aggressive in its forward movement. If you compare these two sentences (“Give Saya the present.” versus “Give the present to Saya.”) and think about the image of both you will realise that “TO” does indeed express forward movement and an aggressive fashion.

These are just a couple of examples of how an EFL/ESL instructor could teach these high frequency words in a way that will help the students to learn and remember how to use these high frequency words.

TESOL Essay EIGHT

2011-12-12T23:39:00.003+09:00

Essay Eight

Mind Mapping

By Syrbastyian Vzampfyier

In an EFL/ESL class mind mapping is a useful tool to help students retain and remember information. Students should be encouraged to use one notebook for mind mapping.

There are two very useful ways in which the students can use mind mapping to enhance their language skills, retain and remember new information. The first is to use their mind mapping notebook as a way to note down the key points of a day’s lesson or second as a way to retain, remember and use vocabulary.

Vocabulary usually does not have a stand-alone quality. Vocabulary needs to be used with other vocabulary and smaller function words to create sentences that have meaning and value for the speaker and listener. This is was mind mapping can be a very powerful tool in language building, sentence creation and developing communication.

How does vocabulary mind mapping work? First the student writes a new word, for example; a noun, in the centre of a page in the mind mapping notebook. Then they make branches coming off the new word. Each branch has a title for example: actions (verbs), adjectives, other connected nouns, places, times, people, synonyms, etc. On each branch the students write words that fit into the branches title and that are connect or associated to the new word in the centre of the mind map.

This helps the student remember the word plus it builds connects to other vocabulary that is need to be able to use the new word in a sentence to express the students ideas. The multiple associations and connection help the student retain the word, its meaning and its use. In addition to this the mind map creates positive feedback back for the students when they review their mind mapping notebooks and see how many words they have written on each page. Furthermore the students can continue adding more connected words to a page. As the mind maps increase in number the students will start to link separate mind maps into categories plus see how the same word or words can be used in different areas and ways.

TESOL Essay SEVEN

2011-12-12T23:38:00.003+09:00

Essay Seven

The Never Ending Story Method

By Syrbastyian Vzampfyier

Activating the brain and getting the mind ready for learning is vital in acquiring new knowledge. In an EFL/ESL class you may find that the students may be tired at some point in the course due to various reasons such as early morning classes, after lunch or long day at work. You may wish to activate the student’s passive knowledge to review or re-enforce previously learnt material. May be you wish to introduce new vocabulary into the lesson. Whichever reason and, or purpose you, as an EFL/ESL instructor, may have the ‘Never Ending Story’ method is a using technique to accomplish the reason and, or purpose for the student (class).

Let’s quickly review how the ‘Never Ending Story’ method works. Basically, one student (A) make a statement or says a word then student (B) repeats what student (A) said and add their own statement or work next student (C) repeats what student (A9 and student (B) said and then adds their own statement or word, etcetera. The point is to build the students retention and indirectly have the students help each other to remember the sequence.

I will now go on to how the ‘Never Ending Story’ can be applied in the class to (A) activate passive knowledge, (B) review previously learnt material or (C) introduce new material.

NOTE: It is most important and beneficial for the students that the EFL/ESL instructor add a physical element to the exercise, for example: have the students use facial expressions, hand or arm movement, and, or body movements. This physical part of the exercise will help the students by activating more areas in the brain, remember the sequence and allow the students to help each other to remember with visual prompts.

Single Word:

This can be used to (A) access the passive-vocabulary stored in the students’ minds, (B) review and re-enforce previously learnt vocabulary or (C) introduce new vocabulary of the lesson you are going to teach that day.

(A) Passive vocabulary access.

(A1) The instructor provides a theme for example: The Beach. The instructor asks the students to think of nouns (while the students are doing the activity the instructor writes down the nouns the students say). The students go around in turn repeating the noun of the previous student(s) and then adding their own noun. Depending on the size of the class, go around 2 or more times.

(A2) The instructor writes all the nouns on the board. Then the instructor asks the students to repeat the same process using adjectives that are connected to the nouns. The students go around in turn repeating the adjective of the previous student(s) and then adding their own adjective. Again the instructor notes down the adjectives used by the students and at the end of the exercise writes the adjectives on the board next to or underneath the respective nouns.

(A3) Repeat the same process for verbs and again for adverbs connected to the verbs. Each time noting down the vocabulary and when that part of the exercise is finished, writing the vocabulary the board.

(B) Review of learnt material.

(B1) The instructor asks the students to open their textbooks and notebooks to a particular lesson or lessons.

(B2) Next, the instructor asks the students read through and review the material of the select lesson(s). And ask if the students have any question about the material.

(B3) As described above, A1 to A3, repeat the same process breaking the material into nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs.

(C1) Again the process is the same, only this time the instructor will write the new material on the board or have the students read through in their textbooks. The instructor will or have the students organise the material into lists of nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs.

(C3) The will either explain any unknown material or have the students explain it to each other.

(C4) Repeat the same process as described above in A1 to A3.

For an extra challenge or for students with a higher ability the instructor can have the students make two word sentences (big wave / surf happily), a short sentence (A big wave / I surf happily), a full short sentence (I happily surf a big wave / I surf a big wave happily), or long complex sentences. They ways to use the ‘Never Ending Story’ method in a lesson are endless and only limited by the instructor’s imagination.

TESOL Essay SIX

2011-12-12T23:37:00.002+09:00

Essay Six

Music and Language Learning

By Syrbastyian Vzampfyier

“No music, No life” a simple saying that expresses many people’s view of the importance of music in their life. For most of human existence rhythmic patterns feet walking, waves, a bird’s song, etc have had some influence the human brain, body, mind and behaviour.

Music affects our emotions, it can make us feel happy, sad, energetic, sleepy, etc. In fact from your own personal experience you have probably used music to help you do some activity be it studying, exercising, house-cleaning and so on. Yet in the classroom many instructors and teachers may ignore music and, or believe that using music in the class has little or no benefit for the students and learning.

Show how music can benefit the students, here a short story about Albert Einstein given by (O’Donnell, 1999) in his piece on “Music and the Brain”:

A little known fact about Albert Einstein is that when he was young he did extremely poor in school. His grade school teachers told his parents to take him out of school because he was “too stupid to learn” and it would be a waste of resources for the school to invest time and energy in his education. His mother did not think that Albert was “stupid”. Instead of following the school’s advice, Albert’s parents bought him a violin. Albert became a good violin player. Music was the key that helped Albert Einstein become one of the smartest people who ever lived. Einstein himself says that the reason he was so smart is because he played the violin. He loved listening to Mozart and Bach the most. A friend of Einstein, G.J. Withrow said that the way Einstein figured out his problems and equations was by improvising in the violin.

Music has a power on human beings. It has been scientifically tested and proven that music can affect our psychology, emotional states and physiology. People exposed to a large amount and a variety of music when they were children, usually, have a more balanced approach to life and able to deal with life difficulties and stresses. Music affects our emotions; it can make us feel happiness, joy, sadness, depression, aggressive and calm. Even our physiology is affect by music. MRI’s of profession musicians show that their prefrontal cortex is more develop than people who do not play an instrument. When we listen to music with a fast rhythm our heart rate and breathing speeds up and when we listen to a slow rhythm our heart rate and breathing slows down for example, classical music from the baroque period causes the heart rate to slow down to the beat of the music.

Not only humans but also animals and plants have been scientifically tested and proven that music can have positive and negative effects on them. When plants are exposed to baroque music or Mozart’s music they grow faster and stronger, but when expose to hard rock or heavy-metal they grow slower and weaker. For animals the same effect is also true for example, chickens will lay more eggs and be less stressed and cow will produce more milk when they exposed to baroque music or Mozart.

Dr. George Lozanov a psychologist in Bulgaria designed a way to teach foreign languages using baroque music which utilises baroques music’s 60 beats per minutes that activities the left and right side of the brain. Students in his programme are able to learn a half a school term in vocabulary and phrases (over 1000) in one day.

Such is the power of music to assist in learning and build pathways in the cortex of the brain. They are many more studies and every day more studies prove the power of music to advance learning.

In the classroom there are many ways in which a teacher or an instructor can use music in their lessons. With all the research, studies and acknowledgement of the power of music it is amazing that teachers, instructors, schools and education in general ignore and do not utilise this powerful tool to benefit the students.

If one truly cares about education and help their students develop the skills for their future then one must use every method available to advance the students learning and music is one powerful tool they teachers can use to benefit the student.

TESOL Essay FIVE

2011-12-12T23:36:00.003+09:00

Essay Five

Kinaesthetic Learning

By Syrbastyian Vzampfyier

Over the past 20 years there has been serious recognition that some people are kinaesthetic learners, i.e. they learn while physically doing something. Their body and mind are engage and the physical activity opens up more pathways in the brain for learning and more importantly retaining what they have learnt.

It is my belief that people are not just kinaesthetic learners or non-kinaesthetic learners, but all people are kinaesthetic learners to some degree. If you consider and think about any skill a person needs to acquire, any job a person needs to do and, or any experience any person has or wants to have; it cannot be gained unless it is done physically.

The physicality in learning is either (A) direct engagement or (B) indirect engagement. By these I mean that with (A) direct engagement; the body and the mind are consciously and directly involved in learning, and (B) indirect engagement; the mind is consciously and directly involved in learning and the body is subconsciously involved.

To give examples of these: (A) direct engagement; when sports people are learning a new technique they will talk, themselves, through the techniques as the perform it. In the military, especially basic training (boot camp), instructors will have the soldiers repeat the instructions (steps) of the drill as they perform the drill. And from your own personal experience, I am sure that you have talk through the steps of acquiring a new skill, especially in a new job, perform it. (B) Indirect engagement; In Japan, when Japanese people do not remember how to write a kanji (Japanese writing character) they will use their index finger to write in the air or on the palm of their hand. Sports people when they are doing image training will move their bodies as if on the course. Also when people are remembering (new) activities they will move their bodies to some degree. In all these examples people move their bodies subconsciously to the actions they are thinking about. Though people are not consciously aware of it, but the movements of their body when trying to learn something new or remembering how to do something helps them to 1. Remember and retain the information, and 2. Retrieve and use the information.

For young EFL/ESL students encouraging and, or introducing kinaesthetic learning is quite easy because it is something they natural do in their usual academic education, but for adult EFL/ESL students it can be somewhat difficult to overcome their reservations i.e. they may feel it is only for children, embarrassing and, or beneath them. Therefore the EFL/ESL instructor may need to open up the adult students to the idea of kinaesthetic learning and make them feel comfortable with it and also to show them that kinaesthetic learning will help them acquire the foreign or second language they wish to use communicate in with other people.

One simple technique to overcome the adult EFL/ESL student’s hesitation to accept kinaesthetic learning is, what I call, observation-persuasion. This is where the students observe their fellow students using their face and body to express themselves and explain how to do something. While the students are observing they begin to notice, realise and understand how physical movement is an essential part of communication. In this observation the student will come to be persuaded and accept kinaesthetic learning.

First, divide the class into two groups: “X” the actors and group “Y” the observers. Then inform group “X” that they will explain to their partner how to do something, first in their native language (L1) and again in the foreign or second language (L2). Group “Y” is then told secretly to watch very carefully the facial movements and body movements of group “X” when group “X” is performing the task in L1 and again in L2. Also group “Y” is asked to decide which task they observed group “X” performing, L1 or L2, did group “X” use more facial movements and body movements.

When the task is finish swap the groups around so the group “X” now becomes group “Y” and group “Y” becomes group “X”. Repeat the process.

Once both groups have performed “X” and “Y” parts, take a quick poll of the class. Ask which task L1 or L2 used more facial movements and body movements. Usually, more often than not, the students will say that task done using L2 used more facial movements and body movements. Then instructor asks the students if facial movements and body movements are important for communication, again, more often than not, the students will state that facial movements and body movements are important for communication. Once the students themselves have stated this the instructor merely confirms the students’ observation.

Lastly the instructor explains to the students that during the course they will be doing some activities, tasks and exercises, which will require the students to use their face and body in some way. Though some of these may seem silly and, or childish they help build learning and most important as the students have stated themselves are needed for full communication especially communication in a foreign language or second language.

This technique is quite simple and requires very little instructor involvement, but the power of the students’ own (self) observations is amazingly persuasive in changing the students’ preconceived ideas of doing physical activities to learn, acquire and use a foreign language or second language.

TESOL Essay FOUR

2011-12-12T23:34:00.001+09:00

Essay Four

Total Physical Response

By Syrbastyian Vzampfyier

Language is physical. When we communicate, we use our body in varying degrees and ways. We change our facial expressions, head and eye moments and positions such as when we are expressing an emotion. We use our arms and shoulders to express, explain and, or add emphasis to what we are saying. We vary our body position and posture for example to show that we are listening and interested, or disinterested.

In this sense the Total Physical Response method is a very useful and practical method that a EFL/ESL instructor to applied in the class to not only assist the student to intuitively understand the meaning of the sample language, but also retain the language through building connections between to brain and body memory.

In the follow outline the basic steps of Total Physical Response, which mainly focuses on EFL/ESL mid-level beginner to lower-level intermediate students, and then show how to adapt and Total Physical response for intermediate to advance students.

STEPS (Mid ability beginner – Lower-ability intermediate):

1. Select a theme for the activity, for example; cooking dinner, then prepare the need and appropriate resource materials, for example; a pot, a knife, a spoon, tongs and items of food.

2. Have the students seated, in a circle is usually best, and as group point to each item as you name it.

3. Say the name, single word or descriptive phrase, of each item at least two times and as you point to them you will perform the action associated with the item, for example; play act that you are cutting, chopping or slicing something as you say the word, “KNIFE”.

4. Choose just one student to point to the items as you name them in random order and perform the appropriate action connected to each item such as peeling, cutting, mixing, stirring, frying, etc. Repeat the words if the students need to hear them again, do not leave any student struggling!

5. Each student comes up to the front of the class and repeats the words and actions. Repeat again, if you feel the students needs it.

6. As a review and to be sure that all the students have got the material, the whole class does the actions associate with each item as you call out the items individually. If you think are ready for a little challenge, try naming two items or add an adverb to the action. For example, cut the tomato slowly (with the knife9, cut the tomato quickly (with the knife).

7. The instructor asks one student to stand up and request another student to do the action. For example: Takako, please tell Mayumi to slice the tomato carefully. Takako repeats the request to Mayumi; (Please) cut the tomato carefully.

8. Now, repeating step seven but this time adding a second request. For example, Mayumi, tell Takako to cut the tomato carefully and stir the soup slowly.

9. Next mix up the order and have one student tell two other students to do different things. The instructor will say, “Yukiko, (please) tell Takako to cut the tomato carefully and Mayumi to stir the soup slowly”. You can follow by, “Please, tell Takako to stop cutting the tomato and Mayumi to stop stirring the soup”. (If you feel the students are ready and are confident enough, have each student play the role of instructor and have them tell the class what to do. You join the class as a student.)

10. Conclude the activity. Now ask the students questions such as; “Who likes to cook?”, “Who doesn’t like to cook?”, “Who cooks every day?”, Who doesn’t cook every day?”, etc.

11. Then ask the students individually or as a group to “point to” or “say the name of” someone who likes to cook or doesn’t like to cook.

12. Finish the lesson by writing the main sentences on the board, for example; ‘cut the tomato’, etc. Make sure you include the adverbs you have used. Ask the students if there is anything they have any questions about vocabulary, grammar, usage, etc. Provide the students with a written copy of all the language in the activity.

Adapted Activity for Intermediate and Advanced Ability Students

STEPS (with reasons for each step):

Step 1. Select a theme and divide it into three to five sub-topics. For example; SHOPPING, sub-topics: Clothes, Food, Cars, etc. Alternatively, you could have three to five different and independent themes. For example: Shopping, The Office, Sports.

Once this is done, choose a minimum of four appropriate resources for each sub-topic or theme: Objects, Pictures, Photographs, flashcards, etc. If possible try to use the real objects whenever you can. Also ensure that visual material is large enough to be seen clearly this especially important for students with sight difficulties. Other materials needed are: A3 size paper or larger (one sheet per sub-topic and, or them for each group {team}, Coloured markers of various colours (at least three different colours per group {team}) and something to attach the sheets to a wall or board (tape, blue tact, magnets, etc).

Reason: Having three to five sub-topics or themes will prove an extra challenge for the students also the various items will create interest in the students and will be visually stimulating. A maximum of five sub-topics or themes is best because it makes it easier to divide the class into groups and, or pairs depending on the size of the class. But more importantly, more than five ‘sub-topics or themes’ would most likely overload the students and may create a negative learning experience.

Step 2.　　Have the students standing in a circle (If possible a room where the tables and chairs can be push to side of the room or removed.) and randomly place the items in the centre of the circle, ensure that each item is not obscured by another item.

(Note: Be aware of cultural differences; some cultures may find placing items, which will be handled, on the floor or sitting of the floor inappropriate or even offensive.)

Reason: This is to increase the physical movement of the students and to start activating their brains.

Step 3. Now have the students look at the items for a minute, then have them walk around the items and view the items from different vantage points. This also ensures that the students see all of the items.

Reason: This helps to stimulate their visual cortex and stimulate their minds. The circular walking pattern is a natural form when humans view (new) objects and organise these in their mind.

Step 4. Now have the students sort the items into different sub-topics and, or themes. Instruct the students to ask each other the name of any of the items that they do not know in L2. (The questions and answers should be done using L2) [L2 = Second or Foreign Language]. Once the sorting is completed have the students confer and confirm with each other that they are satisfied with the results of their sorting. The instructor gives each sub-topic and, or theme a working title, such as “1, 2, 3, etc or A, B, C, etc”.

Reason: Doing this encourages the students to work together and build connection between the students. This is especially important if the students do not know each other.

Step 5. Divide the class into small groups (teams), one group for each of the sub-topics and, or themes. Make sure that each group (team) is a mix of different ability students; this is to encourage complimentary communication, such as higher ability students assisting and, or responding questions from other students with a lesser ability.

Reason: Again, doing this encourages the students to work together and build connection between the students. This is especially important if the students do not know each other.

Step 6. Now hand out the A3 sheets of paper and coloured markers for each group (team), and instruct the groups (teams) to write the name of each item on a separate A3 sheet and then write the headings “Verbs” and “Adverbs”. The placement will be up to the students. If require, demonstrate and show the students what you would like them to do.

Reason: To get their ideas from their minds into the physical world.

Step 7. Next have the students think of as many verbs as they can associated with and, connected to each item in the sub-topic and, or theme that they are working on, then the students write these verbs on their sheet. Next the students repeat the same process but coming up with adverbs for the verbs they have on their list.

Reason: To connect the 2D items into the 3D physical world.

Step 8. After this is done, then tell the groups (teams) 1. To create a (short) story using the items, their actions and the adverbs connected to verbs, and 2. Decide which actions to use in their story because they will perform their story, first, without words (speaking), mime performance. (Assist the students if the need any help.), and second, with words.

Reason: This to connect the items (nouns), their verbs and the adverbs the verbs to make them real.

Step 9. Once the groups (teams) have this is done. Select groups (teams) randomly to perform their story, as a group, in front of the class. While one group is performing their story, the other groups (teams) watch the performance and try to guess the story, actions, adverbs and items.

Reason: To ensure that all members of the class are actively involved in the performance.

Step 10. After one group has finished their performance the other groups (teams) say what they think the story was about also describing the actions, adverbs and items in the story. The performing group tell the class of their guesses are correct or not. Once this is done the group (team) will perform their story again this time with words (speaking).

Reason: Again to ensure total activity of all students and also to encourage class bonding.

Step 11. Any items that any individual student does not know, they ask a member of the group, whose had that item in their story. A member of that group will explain what the item is i.e. its name and perform the action associated with the item.

Reason: This last step is important to encourage students to teach each other and help each other with their EFL/ESL studies.

Though the adaptations is not directly the same as the standard Total Physical Response method, when the students are in their small groups they will using subconsciously to help each other learn the item and their associated verbs and adverbs. Furthermore, there is little instructor involvement and most important the students help and teach each other.

TESOL Essay THREE

2011-12-12T23:33:00.001+09:00

Essay Three

The Advanced Audio-Lingual Method

By Syrbastyian Vzampfyier

How do we acquire language? How do we acquire the ability to communicate: to state our wants, needs and desires? How do we learn how to express our thoughts to affect the world around us?

We acquire language and the ability to communicate and express ourselves through watching, mimicking, and learning through trial and error. As all people do as infants and children.

The Advanced Audio-Lingual method applies the same natural acquisition techniques that people as children use to acquire their native language. From the moment we are born we are observers: we watch everything and as we watch we perceive patterns, we do not completely understand the patterns, but as soon as to recognise a pattern we begin to imitate it. This is how we begin to acquire our native language.

In the following, I will break the Audio-lingual method into parts and match these individual parts to how children acquire their native language.

l The ESL/EFL instructor prepares a simple dialogue: Parents subconsciously prepare their language into simplified forms and structures before they speak to their infants or young children.

l The EFL/ESL instructor either draws a scenario on a board or displays a picture of the scenario: The daily life of the child provides the scenarios also parents use toys to play act stories as well as children’s books, which have the scenarios displayed on the pages.

l The EFL/ESL instructor performs the dialogue, playing both parts and, or roles. When doing this the EFL/ESL instructor uses (accentuated) body language and facial expressions. The students only listen in this stage: As you know, if you have children or have seen, parents accentuate their body language and facial expressions for the child. The body language and facial expressions are clear and direct match the words spoken by the parent. Furthermore, parents will over modulate the vocal tone and stress to give even more clarity to meaning of the words. Like the students in EFL/ESL class, the child mainly listens actively to what the parent is saying.

l The EFL/ESL instructor repeats the entire performance again: Parents will repeat the same phrases and mini dialogues to their child. What parent has not read the same story from a children’s book to their child multiple times. If you observe the child as she/he listens to the parent repeating a sample of language, you will notice that the child begins to mimic the facial expressions and lip movements of the parent. The EFL/ESL student also begin to mimic the EFL/ESL instructor, maybe not as dramatically as a child, you see the student’s facial expressions match the instructor’s facial expressions more or less. In addition, the student’s lips will move as they internally copy what the instructor is repeating a sample of language.

l The students now perform the dialogue as a group or in pairs with each other: Infants and young children talk to themselves. Infants will babble and young children will have mini conversations to themselves. Young children may use a toy, a doll or an imaginary character to practice language they have heard from their parent(s). The child may repeat the same language back to the parent, subconsciously the child is confirming if they have the language correctly.

l When the students are confident with the dialogue they perform the dialogue by themselves in front of the class: As the child becomes more confident in a sample of language they will begin to apply the language more and more. When the child is confident they will begin to initiate the language and use in the language actively, with little or no prompting and, or assistance from the parent. In the same way, this is what the EFL/ESL student does when they perform the dialogues in front of the class.

l The EFL/ESL instructor introduces substitutions for different parts of the sentences in the dialogue. These could be single word substitutions, multiple word and, or full sections of language i.e. gambits: “I would like a cup of coffee” to “I want a cup of coffee”, etc. The instructor prompts the student to start adding their own word or gambit substitutions: Like the EFL/ESL instructor, parents will introduce substitutions into the language they have to using with their child. For young children these substitutions will mainly consist of synonyms and antonyms of adjectives, and numbers with single versus plural noun forms. The child once they learnt the pattern(s) will start adding their own substitutions, like the EFL/ESL student.

l At the end of the audio-lingual exercise the EFL/ESL instructor gives a written copy of the complete dialogue to the student. This copy may be used to review in a following lesson and, or for homework and review for the student on their own: While it is highly unlikely that a parent would give a written copy of the language to their child, the parent will have many interactions, in which the will repeat the same language. Also the children’s book that parents use to read to the child have the language in them, which the parent can use again in further reading sessions or the child by themselves may use to match word-sound and written-word.

Though it is somewhat impossible for older children, teenagers and adults to acquire another language in the same way infants and young children acquire their native language. There are a multitude of techniques and methods that simulate or use natural, instinctive, methods and techniques, which parents use to teach and children use to learn. The Advanced Audio-Lingual method is one such way. It mimics the interactions between a parent and a child. The parent: introduces the language, models it and repeat it. The child: listens to the language, repeats it, practices it and performs it. In the same way the EFL/ESL instructor is the parent and the student is the child.

TESOL Essay TWO

2011-12-12T23:32:00.002+09:00

Essay Two

The Community Language Learning Method

By Syrbastyian Vzampfyier

In many cases, the EFL/ESL instructor tends to dominate the class. Usually this is not a conscious decision but something that naturally occurs with teachers. Teachers have a desire to teach and help their students learn, no matter what the subject being taught may be. Due to this natural desire and wanting to help the students, the teacher may subconsciously dominate the class without realising it.

What can a teacher do to guard against this overly teacher-centred direction, given the fact that it is extremely difficult to be always consciously aware of what one is doing? Specifically for EFL/ESL teachers (but also for all teachers regardless of the subject they teach. I shall explain about this in further detail later in this essay), this is where the Community Language Learning method assists the teacher to be almost 100% student focused and counters the teachers subconscious tendency to dominate the class.

How does the Community Language Learning method do this? Before I go into the detail of how the method assists the teacher to be almost completely student directed, lets’ review what the Community Language Learning method is and the main steps involved in the method.

Community Language Learning method is where the students select all the language (vocabulary) needed for the lesson. They use this self selected language to create a story or describe a situation/event. Furthermore, the students teach each other, explain the definitions and uses of all the vocabulary provided in the lesson. The teacher is mainly there to guide and offer assistance if needed.

THE STEPS:

Firstly, Students close their eyes and listen to a short dialogue, place/event description, a story, etc. The students imagine the scene(s). Next the students open their eyes and take turns describing what they imagined. After this, the students write down all the special words they used to describe what they imagined. When this is done and teacher asks the students to call out they words and the teacher writes the words on the board. The students check the words listed and if they discover a new word, the teacher has the other students to explain the new word to them.

Each student possesses a large amount of information and knowledge in their minds, be it English or any other subject. At best we only use about 5% to 10% of what we know to think and to communicate (Active use/knowledge). The rest of our knowledge is either comprehend and, or understand information we read or hear (Semi-passive), or it is stored knowledge that remains dormant until it gets prompted to some external factor(s) (Passive knowledge). Collectively the students possess a vast amount and array of information and an extensive wealth of knowledge, which no EFL/ESL text book and many text books in general could ever rival.

Each student response to and acts upon the information provided by their fellow students and this sets up feedback loops where students become each other’s teacher and student. This communal approach to learning furthermore builds connections and bonds between the students not only on individual levels but also a group hence a class of students in many ways becomes a community. The process is natural and organic, it harkens back to when people lived in small communal groups such as tribes and clans. This co-operation in the class conforms to what we as people have been doing for most of human existence, which is that each member of a group supports each other to provide a successful environment for the whole group but in turn benefits each individual. We as human beings almost always function best as a group of individuals working together to benefit all.

In conclusion, while we as EFL/ESL teachers wish to help our students as much as we can, when we dominate the class and make teacher-centred, due to our wanting to help our students, we in many cases disadvantage our students. Therefore by relinquishing control and making the lesson(s) mostly student-centred we are benefiting the students. One: we are helping our students to teach themselves and each other. Two: we are building confidence and belief in our students that they can and do have the ability to communicate in the language they are learning, much like a parent who builds the same in their child. And three: we are tapping into and utilising the deep cognitive psychology of communal learning and support that we as human beings have been using for most of our existence and continue to use today

TESOL Essay ONE

2011-12-12T23:30:00.002+09:00

Essay One

The Communicative Approach

By Syrbastyian Vzampfyier

The “Communicative Approach” method is a very effective tool in an EFL/ESL instructor’s repertoire. Due to its simplicity, versatility and adaptability the method allows an instructor to apply the Communicative Approach method at any stage of a lesson, and with all levels and abilities of the students.

Language, be it verbal and, or nonverbal, is the tool we use to communicate and interact with one another. For this very reason the Communicative Approach method is an excellent way for students to start communicating with each other from the very beginning of their foreign or second language experience.

In the following I shall present one way in which the Communicative Approach may be applied with three adaptations.

In general the way presented and the three adaptations could be applied to all levels and abilities, but for the purpose of this essay I shall focus mainly on the beginner EFL/ESL student.

THE SET UP & PREPARATION:

Create a list of biographic questions using simple present, past or future tenses.

If using the simple past, I recommend using the regular verb than using the irregular verb or a combination of the two. It is easier to administer the task and much less confusing for the students. With the simple future select either ‘Going to’ or ‘Will’ for same reason as previously mentioned.

Once the list of questions has been created, make copies for the students to receive at the end of the class or task. Keep one copy and cut the list of questions into strips so that one question is on each strip of paper. These will be use in the class activity.

Ensure that you also have one sheet of blank paper for the students to write the names of the other students they will interview and the answers their questions. Conversely you could pre-design a sheet for the activity and give a copy of this sheet to the students.

In the class have the students randomly select 1 to 5 questions, depending on the number students and, or the time you wish to allocate to the activity. Check the students’ comprehension of the question(s), the students have selected. At this point the use of dictionaries and the students’ first language(s) are fine.

In language appropriate for the students’ abilities; explain and demonstrate (using one of the stronger members of the class) to the students, what they are going to in the activity. Check to ensure that the students have clearly understood the activity and the tasks require of them.

THE ACVITIVITY (Based on a class of six students):

1. Students “A” and “B” will greet each other and shake hands (note: in some cultures, physical contact during a greeting may not be appropriate.), write down each other’s name.

2. Student “A” will ask the question from the strip of paper. Student “B” will answer and the question and ask the same question to student “A”.

3. Using the same above process student “B” will ask their question.

4. Students “A” and “B” write down the answer to each other’s question.

5. Students “A” and “B” thank each other, shake hands again, and use a parting expression, for example: Nice talking with you / See you later / Have a nice day / etc.

Next the students find a new person to interview, and repeat steps one to five. This continues until all the students have interviewed each other.

The instructor will write on the white (black) board and call out one of the students’ name and ask the class, “What did we learn about NAME?” The other students call out what they have discovered about the mentioned student, and the instructor and the students all write down the information gathered about each of the other students.

Finally the instructor tells the class to keep the information gathered in the activity because this information will be used again in the lesson or latter lessons.

Additional Points:

It is best and most natural to have the students out of their seats and moving around to meet, greet and interview each other. To loosely quote Cotton (August 2010), when we meet people for the first time, we are almost standing. Even if we are sitting when we first make visual contact, we always stand up to greet the person we are meeting. Sitting around a table and greeting each other is not only passive learning, it is also for the most part usually unnatural. Though a classroom may be small it is still possible to have the students use their bodies in conjunction with the speaking activity. For example, have the students stand up and put their chairs under their respective tables. The students can turn to each other and greet plus move around the table(s), this will also encourage the use of polite expression such as: excuse me, may I get by, thank you, your welcome, etc.

During the activity the instructor makes themselves available for the students, to assist if needed and answer any questions or quires that the students any have. In addition the instructor should make note of any unnatural language usages and grammatical misuses, but not correct these during the activity. The activity is to be purely student-centred with little or no involvement from the instructor.

At the very end of the Communicative Approach stage the instructor may provide correction to the students or assign the misused language and, or grammar as a homework task. The correction should be done using the global-correction method, as to avoid embarrassing any individual student. Read out the misused language from your notes, sentence by sentence, and have the students correct each sentence in turn. If they are unable then the instructor provides the correction in a sentence form with explanation if needed. Note, always provide errors and correction in a sentence form. The grammar is only a part of the whole, the students need the whole. Think of correction as cooking; all the ingredients (parts) working in conjunction together to create a whole dish (sentence).

ADAPTATIONS:

1.) Provide the students with a list of the WH-question words only and one card with a prompt word such as: Office, Job, Hobby, Colour, etc. Using the Wh-question word and the prompt word, the students create a question for example: ‘Where is your office?’ The procedure is as previously described in THE ACTIVITY section.

2.) The students given one to three prompt words (depending on class size and, or time allocation), and with the prompt word(s) create a question for the other student to answer.

3.) The instructor assigns each student a theme for example: Weekends, At work, In school, New Year’s, etc. The students create questions using the theme, similar to adaptation (2) Where (3) differs is that the students can only the question they create once. With each successive person the student must create a new question.

Though we may designate a particular grammatical point and, or structure for the activity, the purpose of the Communicative Approach is just to do that Communicate.

Students may start using different structures or go off topic, but as long as they are trying to use the 2^nd language to communicate with each other then the goal of the activity is in a large way achieved.

TESOL Introduction

2011-12-12T23:29:00.000+09:00

INTRODUCTION

Language is a fundamental part of human existence, without language life as we know it and experience it, would not have involved. Language is psychology and it is the very core of who we are. Our internal thoughts are directed and expressed in the language we use. Our cultures, traditions and our religions could never have involved and, or developed without language.

In the follow essays I have written about method that one person can use to help another person learn the language that they wish to teach and the other person wishes to learn.

The methods are mainly related to TESOL; Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. The context used is for teaching English as a Foreign and, or Second language.

Though the methods and techniques are related to teaching English, these methods can be applied to all areas of teaching form the arts to the sciences. They are not exclusive to language teaching and learning only.

Each essay has one connected and related theme. This theme is that language is physical. No matter how we choose to express our ideas, thoughts and, or intentions there is always a physical component to the language. This physical side has been with us humans ever since we developed into multi-celled beings.

My TESOL Essays

2011-12-12T23:22:00.004+09:00

Hi everyone,

It has you been a long time since I post last.

I just spent the past year doing my Bachelor's degree in educations.

It was hard and challenging to complete while working 6 six days a week.

I gained weight : ( have to start exercising again with earnest.

I decided to post my 10 essays and the introduction to them on here for the benefit of all.

The introduction and the 10 essays will be a condensed and edited so that will not need to sit through some long academic-bore-read lol 笑.

I hope that you find my essay on 10 different TESOL teaching methods interesting.
Also the methods can be applied for basically any learning.

Please feel free to offer any comments, criticism and, or suggestions.

Syrbastyian

My Twitter Poems 14 - 1, ( 2010 Dec 28th & 29th )

2010-12-29T11:01:00.000+09:00

MTP: 14

朝日光暖かいコーヒータバコ愛楽しく楽しく新年もうちょっと新しいlife

MTP: 13

We strive for peace but still we hurt & kill.
We want peace but still we don't do want needs to be.
Do we want it, are we willing to fight for peace.

MTP: 12

I hurt but the pain will go away.
The memory of it takes longer to fade.
Its my choice to feel this pain.
For through it my nirvana will be gained.

MTP: 11

Could have been a racist, if it wasn't Martin Luther King.
Would have been a racist, if it wasn't for "I have a dream".
It hit at the time, it hit me at 13.

MTP: 10

This hunger it eats at me.
I eat yet it doesn't fill me.
This burns in me, burns me.
It grows, never stops.
The hunger is you , the hunger is me.

MTP: 9

Look at yourself, hold a mirror up.
Do you see yourself or a self lie.
How you treat others may give a clue.
But do you know you?!

MTP: 8

Violence was my parent.
It became my destroyer, my enemy.
It grew to become my friend, my understanding.
Now my savour cause I can but choose not.

MTP: 7

You can hurt me but it'll never be enough.
You can kill me but live again.
You can destroy me but I rise stronger.
I am love eternal.

MTP: 6

There are many in need.
Should I help.
Don't know them, not friends.
If I don't then who am I, what I am.
To give a helping hand.
In this, true humanity.

MTP: 5

Strength, bravery, faith, belief, confidence & trust are the pure qualities needed.
If you choose to give someone the power over you.
The power over you to make you weak.

MTP: 4

In darkness you give me light.
When the fears take me your embrace is my haven.
I'm strong but with you I'm become Hercules.

MTP: 3

I change, evolve.
Improve myself to be better & greater than before.
Now I change again: in small & large ways.
I shall become perfect.

MTP: 2

So it is close to hand.
I am unstoppable in making this true.
My force of will makes it so.

MTP: 1

My dream became a wish.
This wish became a hope,
and the hope is slowly becoming a reality.

R.A. Mashelkar: Breakthrough designs for ultra-low-cost products | Video on TED.com

2010-11-23T13:45:00.000+09:00

Gandhian Engineering " More for Less for More"

R.A. Mashelkar: Breakthrough designs for ultra-low-cost products | Video on TED.com

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

2010-11-23T13:35:00.000+09:00

This is a must see.

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

Saint Paul's (Rikkyo) University 立教大学

2010-08-04T12:14:00.000+09:00

As some of you may know, on Thursdays I taught at Rikkyo University (aka: St Paul's) for a semester. I will be teaching there again starting this October but this time on Monday's and Thursday's.

Rikkyo is a very pretty university and has an English look to it. I recommend it for the visual pleasure of it.

I enjoy the classes I taught there and the students are wonderful. The course theme I selected was to discuss about a company that the students would like to work at someday in the future or they just are interested in a particular company.

At the end of the course each student had to presentation on the information we talked about in class and their research into the company they choose. All of the students amazing well, considering the fact that they had to study and prepare for exams & reports. I am very proud of all of them.

If I were to give an M.V.P. award, it would go to Ryousuke for the amount of research he did and the passion in which he displayed. I sincerely hope that he does try to join the company hr did his presentation on.

My final words to him, and for everyone is: "Nothing is impossible, but not to try must be impossible" and "Just try, the worst they can say is no".

To all the students, I wish the the greatest success in your future endeavours and hopefully we may meet again.

Syrbastyian

(Above, some photographs of some I the students in my classes.)

Fun Run & Octoberfest.

2010-08-03T14:42:00.001+09:00

Hey everyone,

On the 16th of October 2010 Saturday there will be a fun run in Yokohama, Tsuzuki-ward (ku), Kanagawa. It is organized by the the German School in Japan, German German-Japan friendship association with support of the German Embassy.

It is the 150th anniversary of the treaty and friendship between Japan and German plus 106th anniversary of the establishment of the German school in Japan.

I highly commend you come out for a great day.

If the run is not for you, then the German October fest will be just the treat for you.

For more details please check the below links.

http://www.dsty.ac.jp/schule/english

http://www.dsty.ac.jp/schule/news/eu-japan-friendship-run-2010

Atheists OUT OPEN

2010-06-29T19:23:00.000+09:00

Atheists have always been at the forefront of rational thinking and beacons of enlightenment, and now you can share your idealism by being part of the OUT Campaign.

Atheists are far more numerous than most people realize. COME OUT of the closet! You'll feel liberated, and your example will encourage others to COME OUT too. (Don't "out" anybody else, wait for them to OUT themselves when they are ready to do so).

The OUT Campaign allows individuals to let others know they are not alone. It can also be a nice way of opening a conversation and help to demolish the negative stereotypes of atheists. Let the world know that we are not about to go away and that we are not going to allow those that would condemn us to push us into the shadows.

As more and more people join the OUT Campaign, fewer and fewer people will feel intimidated by religion. We can help others understand that atheists come in all shapes, sizes, colours and personalities. We are labourers and professionals. We are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers and grandparents. We are human (we are primates) and we are good friends and good citizens. We are good people who have no need to cling to the supernatural.

It is time to let our voices be heard regarding the intrusion of religion in our schools and politics. Atheists along with millions of others are tired of being bullied by those who would force their own religious agenda down the throats of our children and our respective governments. We need to KEEP OUT the supernatural from our moral principles and public policies.
It is time to step up and...

Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution! | Video on TED.com

2010-06-13T01:42:00.002+09:00

This is a must see. Sir Ken Robinson ideas in education are what education should strive to accomplish.

Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution! | Video on TED.com

Richard Baraniuk on open-source learning | Video on TED.com

2010-06-13T01:30:00.004+09:00

Richard Baraniuk on open-source learning | Video on TED.com

" Education and the PTA, Parents "

2010-06-08T17:04:00.004+09:00

Education and the PTA, Parents:

The people, the systems and how they do more harm than good.

Why am I against the education system, the people in education and the PTA. Actually I am not, I just believe that the systems have failed or don’t work; the people don’t (really) know what to do, can not the see the problems in front of them or don’t try. Parents and the PTA, though they care, only interfere and create more difficulties.

In this I will discuss each, Education System and the PTA - Parents, and explain why I think they have created more bad than good. At the end of each I will then provide possible solutions and, or alternatives.

Note; that I will not go into great detail, for I am sure most people are well aware of the many problems in education and conflicts with the PTA-parents. Furthermore I do not want this to turn into a book or paper; there are many on the subject and most of them are not worth the paper they are printed on. Lastly I am not an expert and gladly so. Experts are the major problem with education because experts are limited by the knowledge of their field, which is base on one or two topics/themes. They can not see or think beyond their specific field and are therefore trapped in the box of their expertise. Plus experts can not be trusted for they have a self-interest in keeping things as they are because if things were to change, their expertise would be no longer needed. In addition, experts do not (more likely can not) deal in randomness – they only deal in bell-curves but life is not a bell-curve, life is random and full of black-swans but that is a topic for another discussion.

My hope is that my words will provide food for thought and as a springboard to actually create solutions and new ideas to elevate education to the next levels not only for the benefit of children and teenagers but also for adults returning education or to further their education.

Let’s start the emotional storm and the part that will get people angered the most: The PTA; namely parents.

Yes I know their intentions are only for good and they just want the best for their children, but this is the point: “They only want the best for THEIR (own) child or children.

Every topic and, or problem discussed by them is only view from the perspective of what is best for their own child. They do not, more likely cannot, see the points in a collective sense, that is what is best for all the children in the school (district). In this the PTA -parents place restrictions on what the teachers and schools are able to do, and greatly interfere with the education of not only their own child but all children.

To illustrate the point: In many countries’ primary (elementary) schools, and to some extent in middle-schools as well, there is a policy of “no winners or losers”, every student must not be made to feel that they have a greater or lesser ability than their fellow students.

Fine you say. Where’s the harm in this? - The harm is in the fact that life is not like this. In life there are winners & losers, haves & have-nots, talented & untalented, and the intelligent & unintelligent. This is dramatically demonstrated quite soon once children enter high school and they learn, with the brute force of a hammer to the head, that life is not equal and definitely not fair. So while parents think they are helping and protecting their own child, they are actually not.

This no winners, no losers philosophy/policy is not only about sport or physical education, though in these areas the idea is just as damaging, it is in all aspects of primary/elementary school education for example:

In lowering the amount of information and work assigned in the classroom.
Giving (too) easy to accomplish homework assignments, setting no homework and, or allowing homework not to be done.
Lowering the passing percentage/grade for classroom administered tests, end-of-term/semester exams, bi-yearly exams and end-of-year/final exams.
By lowering or reducing to zero the amount of (minor) negative experiences, which will benefit the child later in life.

This is only one example of parents good and well meaning intentions that, in the reality of life, do more harm than good. And this is from level-headed parents. “Monster”, “Devil”, “Demon” parents investing all their efforts to protect their children from every negative aspect and wrap the children in protective padding, are the ones who do the greatest damage their children’s (future) life and to a greater or lesser extent their lives of other children as well. The names for these types of parents is justifiable because they high-jack education for the own cause and frighten people away from taking real-world actions that will improve education for all. Actually they should be called terrorist because, like terrorist, their activities paralyze education and their thinking is insanely fanatical.

I do understand their need and desire to only want the best for their children, but this tunnel-vision focus blinds them many many wonderful opportunities to improve education for all, which in turn can only benefit their children.

Finally, the focus points of the PTA / Parents {the actions they the parents would like / want the teachers and schools to take} only are on the immediate and, or short term needs of their children. How short, either only from the year the child is in (e.g. Grade 5) to the time the child will be in that school. Indeed this immediate / short-term focus would be funny, if it did not serious consequences because what they decide is best to do in one moment they will decide it is not the best the next moment. This brings us individualising; parents with two or more children rarely think about the education of their children as a group (unless they are the same age). It is not that they can not think about how education applies to all their children, it is just that they tend to think about how education applies to each child on an individual bases. Unfortunately, and what usually happens is that what they think is best for one child may have negative impacts on the other children and vice versa.

So am I proposing that parents should not be involved in schools and education?

Well no and yes.

In the actual education of their children the PTA / parents should not be involved or have their involvement limited to only a support capacity.

Homework, projects, assignments and extra-curricular studies/activities; in these areas parents are extremely important for the child’s learning as a support mechanism to provide encouragement and as a resource or knowledge-bank for the child.

The actual education and teaching of their children NO!

The only exception is those in home-schooling or in distance-learning. For these situations parents actually have a separate role as teacher. The roles of parent and teacher must be separated as much as possible i.e. when they are a parent, they ARE a parent and when they are a teacher, they ARE a TEACHER. They must try their best to keep the two roles separated; even the language they use must be divided between parent language and teacher language.

Every other non-educational area, parents are a must and their involvement is greatly needed in supporting teachers and the schools. This could something simple like buying a ticket for a school raffle or more significant such as fund-raising to help the school finance educational trips/excursions, building/ground maintenance, buying new/replacement material/equipment, assisting teachers and schools with non-teaching duties, etc.

In these and all other non-teaching/educating roles, duties and activities the involvement of parents is a must for without parents, schools would crumble and could even die. Plus parents provide that essential connection to the community that all schools must have to give a sense of identity, social bonding and togetherness.

What to do – For the children? As I previously stated, parents’ greatest beneficial role for their children is in supporting the children. Once a child has left the school grounds, parents must step up and become an active part of their child's studies. For example, ensuring that homework, assignment and projects are done. They must tie the completion of these to real world remuneration, benefits and bonus rewards: Giving extra pocket-money, a day off from household-chores, more mobile phone/computer game time and, or a special treat for finishing all their tasks of the week/month, etc. Or a decrease in pocket-money, more household-chores, no mobile-phone/ computer games for a week and, or groundings, etc. In these, parents will not only provide positive task-completion focus and motivation for the child to actively further their own education but also advantage their children with invaluable life lessons.

What to do – For the schools? Again as mention before, parents can get involve (and must be involved) in the schools by helping the schools financially or by volunteering to do duties / activities, take on responsibilities to help the schools in many ways large and small.

What they must avoid is dictating or corrupting education and what is taught in the classrooms for their own special wants. Remember, education is about learning/teaching large variety of things, which will expand the child’s knowledge, help to be creative / innovative & think in new ways, and most important give them the necessary skills to deal with and, or succeed in the real (globally-connected / competitive) world.

Education is NOT what the PTA or parents deem appropriate because of some social, culture, economic and, or religious bias / prejudice. These bias of forcing what is deem appropriate (usually by a small but vocal and influential number of PTA-members / parents) or blocking particular subjects has major consequences and by doing so only limits children in acquiring the needed skills for real-world-life. If parents want these other things to be learnt by their children then the parents themselves can teach that in their own homes.

In conclusion, parents’ and the PTA’s tunnel-view of only focusing on the needs of THEIR own children and not all children as a whole coupled with their narrow focus on the immediate to short-term benefits have had negative impacts on education. In addition these, the forcing and, or blocking curriculum changes to meet the PTA / parents limited / shortsighted world views only disadvantages the children in learn the skills to meet real world challenges in their adult-future. This started when the first PTA’s began to get involved in education and has become ever increasingly intrusive, disruptive, corrupting and had dumbing effects on education. While I understand that parents are only trying to their level best to ensure that their children receive the very best education possible. Their demands / requests / wishes on actual education and teachers only results in creating negative affects and damage the very education that all children need.

So this brings us to the end of the first part on Education & the PTA, Parents. In the next part I will discuss the failing education system and the people in the system.

I hope that I have provided some food for thought. Please keep a look out for the next part. I very much look forward to your comments and thoughts.

By Syrbastyian Amaya Vzampfyier

La MUMEI ROU - むめい狼

2010-06-08T15:50:00.004+09:00

La MUMEI ROU - むめい狼,

This a very good restaurant.

The food is wonderful: A mixture and fusion of Japanese and European tastes.

The atmosphere and décor is relaxing and pleasing

They have three seating positions; Open area, wooden booths with a rustic look and at the counter where you can watch the excellent chefs cook and prepare dishes.

I highly recommend this place.

They are located in Tokyo, Nerima-ku, Nerima. It is about 3 minutes from Nerima Station.

The telephone number is: 03 5949 3921

The fax number is: 03 5946 3920

There address is: 1 - 22 - 6 Nerima, Nerima-ku, Tokyo, 176-0001
176-0001 東京都練馬区練馬1丁目22番6号

Check out this website for more info: http://www.ekich.net/project/lunch/mumeirou.html