TedTalks : Shao Lan "Learn to read Chinese.. with ease!" (summary)

Learn to Read Chinese.. With Ease!

By Shao Lan

Growing up in Taiwan as the daughter of a calligrapher, one of her most treasured memories was her mother showing her the beauty, the shape and the form of Chinese characters.

Over the past few years, she has been wondering if she can breaks down the impenetrability as the Great Wall of China, anyone can understand and appreciate the beauty of that sophisticated language. She started thinking about a new, fast method of learning Chinese might be useful.

Since the age of five, she started to learn how to draw every single stroke for each character in the correct sequence. She learned new characters every day during the course of the next 15 years.  A Chinese scholar would understand 20.000 characters. Non-Chinese scholar only need 1.000 to understand the basic literacy. The top 200 will allow the non-Chinese to comprehend 40 percent of basic literature; enough to read road signs, restaurant menus, to understand the basic idea of the web pages or the newspapers.

She started with eight to show how the method works by asking people to open the mouth as wide as possible until it’s square. First, she draws a shape that indicates Person. Second, shape of the fire is a person with two arms on both sides as if yell frantically. That symbol is originally from the shape of the flame. Then, continue with a tree, mountain, sun, and moon. The symbol of the door looks like a pair of saloon doors in the wild west. She calls those eight characters radicals. Those are the building blocks for people to create lots more characters.

There are a number of other shapes that she gave in her speech, they have gone almost 30 characters. By using that method, the first eight radicals will allow people to build 32, the next group of its will build an extra 32. With a very little effort, people will be able to learn a couple hundred characters, which is the same as a Chinese eight year old. Then, they can start to build phrases. For example, the mountain and the fire together as fire mountain, indicates “ a volcano.” And there are others example of phrases that have provided.

Read More

TedTalks : Diana Laufenberg "How to learn? from mistakes" (summary)

How to Learn? From Mistakes

By Diana Laufenberg

Mrs. Laufenberg has been teaching for a long time. In her speech, she told us about her life experience, especially in educational side. She began her speech by telling us how the people got to school a long time ago. Her grandmother used to school in 1931 only to get the information, because that’s where the information lived. Then, turn to her father who traveled to the schoolhouse (Oak Grove) to get the information from the teacher. That’s how people could get the information at that time and they had only memorized it in their mind. The information is getting more accessible in her generation because the information was closer to her. She had a set of encyclopedias at her house where she didn’t waste much time to get the information.

From Wisconsin, she moved to a small town in Kansas where she had an opportunity to teach in a lovely rural Kansas school district. She taught her favorite subject American government. But, not all of the kids in 12th grade enthusias with the subject, so that she changed her tactic in the year two. She put an authentic experince in front of them that allowed them to learn from themselves without telling them what to do and how to do. She posed a problem in front of them, which was to put on an election forum for their own community. They produced flyers which called offices. They done it very well, they also got accolades from the old teachers there.

From Kansas, she moved to Arizona, where she taught in Flagstaff for a number of years with middle school students. Fortunately, she taught more exciting topic of geography. There, her students on 7th and 8th grades produced a little movie that created by themselves which inspired by Paul Rusesabagina who is the gentleman of the movie “Hotel Rwanda” whom they met in one opportunity.

In Pennsylvania, She teaches at the Science Leadership Academy, a partnership school between the Franklin Institute and the school district of Philadelphia. She moved there basically to be part of a learning enviorenment, and she wanted to investigate what was possible when people are willing to let go of some of the paradigms of the past, the lack of information that people had experienced a long time ago and to a moment when they have information surplus.

People have a one-to-one laptop in Philadelphia. The kids are bringing their own laptops  everywhere, they can access the information easily. This is the comfortable thing for teachers to get the information from the students and ease them by giving the tool. So that, teachers have to be comfortable with the idea of allowing kids to fail as part of the learning process. She clarified that the beliefs and educational culture that one right answer can be properly boosted on the average multiple choise test, it is not learning. That is absolutely wrong thing to ask, and to ask them to always have the right answer doesn’t allow them to learn. 

Then, her students produced the info-graphics as a result of a unit that they decided to do at the end of the year to respond the oil spill. She asked to take the examples of the info-graphics that they have on the mass media, they have to take a look the interesting components of it and produce one of it. They were not comfortable to do it because they had never done it before. She gave them a room to do their project. The first visual product that they have produced didn’t disappoint, so they tried to evaluate each of the products. It allowed them to fail, so that they can learn from it and create a better one. It’s a process.

The main point is, if we keep looking at the education as if it’s only coming to school to get the information instead of experiental learning, empowering students’ voice and embracing failure, we miss the mark. It will not working if we still having the educational system that doesn’t value those qualities, because the goal is not with a standardized test or with a culture of one right answer. We know how to do this better and it’s time to do better.  

Read More

A Comment for Cizek's Journal Article " More Unintended Consequences of High-Stakes Testing "

More Unintended Consequences of High-Stakes Testing

This writing aims to give a comment on the journal of Gregory J. Cizek about the unintended consequences of high-stakes testing, volume 20, issue 4. This journal published in 2001.

High-Stakes Test is any test that has major consequences or is the basis of a major decision. This test is a single, defined assessment, has a clear line drawn between those who pass and tho se who fail. This test also has direct consequences for passing or failing.

This  journal article explore the basis of negative sentiments toward and current critiques of high-stakes student testing from within the education profession. In attempt to provide some remedy for this and some balances to the policy debates, it  presents 10 unanticipated consequences that are actually good things that have grown out of the increasing reliance on the test data concerning student performance. Those unintended consequences are Professional Development, Accommodation, Knowledge About Testing, Collection and Use of Information, Educational Options, Accountability Systems, Educator’s Intimacy With Their Disciplines, Quality Of tests, and Increased Student Learning.

Actually, there are so many pragmatic complaints from people or society on high-stakes test. Some of them are disagree and expected that this test is better to be abolished, even some more are agree with this test. I think that this test has many benefits for the participants especially for students. One of the benefits is increased student learning.  Eventhough many assumptions mention that high-stakes test did not bring any alteration, only small effects on student learning, but at least level of student achievement is very risky with the presence of high-stakes test. We tend to see the temporary (short term) effects, such as merely passing exams than the whole (long term) effects for students. On the other side, students who take high-stakes testing program will significantly perform their best, and they are more confident to pass the test because they were having a lot of materials that served to learn before, struggling more intensive to study hard and work hard. They also having more knowledges than students who don’t take this test. We can’t deny that students who take high-stake testing are more potential and competitive with their efforts to achieve their goals. For the score, students who take this test obtain a higher score on other tests. All in all, high-stakes testing can improve students performance.

Read More

How Books Impact Your Life

How Books Impact Your Life

Everybody has their own problems, it could be sad, happy, or any else. Whether their choose to solve it or just let it flow. Talking about book, i think some people may agree with me when i say that book has strong power to man’s life. Believe it or not. Some people admit that books have changed their future. For instance, their bussiness life or something  that effected to their financial. But, i don’t want to tell you about the impact of books to your bussinesses,but i want to tell you about books for simple life, how books will impact your problems. That’s always been the best advice that i’ve received because, it’s true.

According to multiple scientific studies, there are plenty of reasons to always read a book. Reading can solve some of the most basic problems to some of the most difficult. If you’ve been facing some tricky life problems, and no matter how much great advice you’ve received from friends or family doesn’t seem to help, pick up a book. You can find any book that will help you feel better when you’re sick, cure you’re broken heart, or inspire you. Here are 4 life problems that can, and always will be helped by books :

First, books can help heal a broken heart. If you’ve ever suffered from a broken heart, then you know how painful and lonely it is. Reading stories also deal with breakups can be a big help. It shows you that the pain you’ve feeling is natural and relatable. It also shows you that you’re not alone to feel this way. Books tend to motivate, too. Because if you can see a character’s pain or even more painful than yours, it can encourage you to move on as well.

Second, books make you feel less stress. A study done by University of Sussex, found that reading a book even for a few minutes a day, can reduce stress levels up to 68%. That’s pretty insane. Whenever i’m feeling overwhelmed, reading helps me take a step back and feel less stress. Usually, i choose to read a book which offered me a lot of jokes.

Third, books offer valuable life advice. Some authors like J.K. Rowling, Tere Liye, and other authors have given us some of the best life advices, whether it’s through fictional characters or real life experiences.

The last, books teach you how to be grateful and wise person. There are a number of motivational books created by the authors, some of the books are based on the authors’ life experiences. I supposed that, those kind of books are appropriate to read especially for people who grow mature.

All in all, books play important role in our life and each of it has a moral value . If you can’t face your problem alone, you may try to read a book, because books can inspire you like I listed you several points.

Read More

A Sweet Memory From Cotton Candy

Cotton Candy

I remember..

I still remember.

The day when she asked me to walk around in the centre park of the city. We were still a kid in that day.

She acted significantly different as if we would be apart. I had no idea at that time, cause i was a kid.

We went to the park, her parents brought us there, then left us to play anything we want, to give us a times to  play.

I do love cotton candy, but she did not. I remember when she said that, “i hate that kind of candy, its like i eat the mud full with sugar!”

Unbelievable, she hold my hand and carried me to buy two plastics of cotton candy with big size, she picked up the pink one and i the blue one. She told me that she tried to accustomed herself to like cotton candy in order that she didn’t want me to leave her just because she doesn’t like it.

Then i promised to her that i would never ever leave her, cause she is my bestfriend. We laughed together, i was waiting for her to finish her candy, we talked alot while we were sitting on the swing. We talked about our dreams, what would we do after we graduated from elementary school, and at that time we had a plan that we want to choose the same school. It was such a beautiful day, we stayed there till afternoon.

But now, those memories were left behind a long time ago.

The day after we met, she had gone for ever. She left me alone. I still cannot believe it was the last day we met.

A big disaster happened. She passed away.. i was in pain, really painful. She was the first bestfriend of mine. I keep still her promise that we always be bestfriend even she was not here anymore. Those cotton candies are the witnesses of our memories, those sweet cotton candies...  

Read More

TedTalks : Patricia Ryan " Don't Insist on English " (Summary)

Don’t Insist on English !!

by Patricia Ryan

Mrs. Ryan has been living and teaching in the Gulf for over 30 years. She has seen a lot of changes in that time. In her speech, she talks about language loss and the globalization of English. Unfortunately, languages are dying at an unprecedented rate. A language dies every 14 days. Now, English is the undisputed global language at the same time.

The major change that she has seen is how teaching English has morphed from being a mutually beneficial practice to become a massive International business today. No longer just a foreign language on the school curriculum and no longer the sole domain of mother England, it has become a bandwagon for evey English-speaking nation on earth. After that, the latest World University Rangkings, in the universities of the U.K. and the U.S. students who are non-native speaker  have to pass the test if they want to have an English education.

English teachers reject the student who doesn’t speak English. They put a stop sign and stop them in their tracks. However, English teachers are the gatekeepers. Students have to satisfy them first that their English is good enough. It’s pleasant that we have a global language. We need one today more than ever. We no need to end up with 600 languages and the main one being English, we need more than that.

English is not always a must in getting the opportunity of a better life. We can see the influential intelligentsia such as Einstein, he didn’t have to pass an English test. He was considered remedial at school because he was dyslexia. Luckily, there is also no TOEFL test in 1964. But, now millions of students take those tests every year.

Thus, let us not keep them and ourselves in the dark. Let us celebrate diversity. Mind your language. Use it to spread great ideas. 

Read More

TedTalks : Kelly McGonigal "How to Make Stress Your Friend" (Summary)

How to Make Stress Your Friend

by Kelly McGonigal

Kelly McGonigal is a health psychologist, and her mission is to help people be happier and healthier.

The study tracked 30.000 adults in the US for eight years, and they started by asking people about stress that they have experienced and the effect of it. Then, they used public death records to find out who died.

Some bad news first, people who experienced a lot of stress in the previous year had a 43% increased risk of dying, that’s for people who view stress as harmful. But, people who experienced a lot of stress but did not view stress as harmful were no more likely to die. They had the lowest risk of dying, including people who had relatively little stress.

Now the researchers estimated that over the eight years they were tracking death, 182.000 Americans died prematurely, its not from stress, but from the belief that stress is bad for you. That is over 20.000 death a year.  The believing stress is bad for you has the 15th largest cause of death in the US last year, killing more people than skin cancer, HIV/AIDS and homicide.

In a study conducted at Harvard University. Before the test takers went through the social stress test, they were taught to rethink their stress response as helpful.  That pounding heart is preparing them for action. If they are breathing faster, it’s no problem. It’s getting more oxygen to their brain.  And participants who learned to view the stress response as helpful for their performance, well, they were less stressed out, less anxious, more confident. It means that stress can make us healthier when we change our mind about stress.

One of the most under-appreciated aspects of the stress response, and the idea is, stress makes us social.  To know about the side of stress going to make us healthier is refers to oxytocin.  Oxytocin doesn’t only act on our brain, it also acts on our body. One of its main roles in our body is to protect our cardiovascular system from the effect of stress.  It’s a natural anti-inflammatory. It’s also helps our blood vessels stay relaxed during stress. Surprisingly, all of these physical benefits of oxytocin are enhanced by social contact and social support.

Again, stress gives us access to our hearts. The compassionate heart that finds joy and meaning in connecting with others. Our pounding physical heart is working so hard to give  us strength and energy. When we choose to view stress in this way, we are not just getting better at stress, we are actually making a pretty profound statement. We are saying that we can trust ourselves to handle life’s challenges. And we should remember that we don’t have to face them alone, as long as we surrounded ourself among societies. 

Read More