The Story of Easter and Easter Eggs

The meaning of Easter

There's a bit more to Easter than just chocolate eggs so if you want to help your children learn a little more about the significance of this religious and historical event you can find out more here.

We look at what Easter really means and why it's such an important feature of the Christian calendar, as well as the stories behind some much-loved Easter traditions. You can also read a summary of the Easter Story, find out about Jesus and learn what Easter means to non-Christians, too.

What is Easter?

The Easter festival, the oldest and most important festival in the Christian calendar, culminates in the celebration that is Easter Sunday, which today is a time when most of us get together with our families, share a meal and - of course - eat lots of chocolate! Most people know that it was on this day that Jesus was said to come to life after being crucified, visiting his friends and followers once more, but aside from that our knowledge of Easter can be patchy. Even if you're not a Christian you may be interested to know a little bit more about the Easter story, and the timeline of events that are described in the Christian gospels. Whether you believe in God or not, the Easter story does provide an interesting historical insight into what life was like some 2000 years ago.

At Easter time Christians remember the last week of Jesus' life, or 'Holy Week'. It signals the end of Lent, the traditional time of fasting in the Christian calendar, and starts with:

Palm Sunday

On Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter Sunday) Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish festival of Passover. Many people gathered on the streets to catch a glimpse of Jesus, waving palm branches as he rode by. Because it was Passover, an important celebration, there would have been lots of excitement in the air. For those who believed that Jesus was the Son of God, it was an important moment - they shouted 'Hosanna' which means 'Save us now'.

However, it's important to remember that Jesus was a controversial figure for many sectors of his immediate community and people further afield. Some people, in particular the authorities, were extremely suspicious of his teachings and claims - today they would have regarded him as a bit of a political agitator. So although many people welcomed Jesus as he rode into the city on the back of a donkey (a signal of peace to the assembled crowds) there would have been some in the crowd who were not so sure about him - these same people could certainly have been amongst those shouting for his execution just days later.

Today people remember Palm Sunday by decorating churches with palm branches, and giving palms out to the congregation, in some cases fashioned into the shape of a cross (in remembrance of Jesus dying on a cross).

Maundy Thursday

Jesus understands his time on Earth is nearly over. He gathers his friends and followers (his 12 Disciples, including figures such as the saints John, Matthew, Mark and Simon - the men who went on to describe their experiences with Jesus in the four gospels, which feature in the New Testament of the Bible) together to share a final meal with them - the 'Last Supper'. According to the gospels, Jesus passed round bread (which he told his disciples was 'his body') and wine (his 'blood'); his way of explaining to them that he would soon die. He also told his friends they should love one another - the 'mandate' or command from which the term Maundy is derived. It was on this night that Jesus was later betrayed by Judas. Judas identified Jesus to soldiers working for opposing religious authorities (the 'High Priests') in return for a bag of money - those authorities then passed Jesus over to the Roman soldiers who were to eventually execute him.

The ceremony of eating bread and drinking wine in remembrance of Jesus' life is practised today in Christian churches in the form of the Eucharist or communion.

Good Friday

The Roman soldiers who arrested Jesus took him to Pontius Pilate, who was in charge of the province at the time. On Good Friday, Jesus' fate was sealed - Pilate decided to ask a crowd of people outside whether Jesus should be put to death for making claims about being the son of God. They said he should. The method of his execution was one of the most brutal known to man - death by crucifixion or being nailed to a cross. This is why the cross has such great significance to Christians and is behind the tradition of eating hot cross buns on Good Friday.

The gospels describe some truly harrowing last experiences before Jesus died. He was flogged and whipped many times, and was made to wear a crown of sharp thorns while the soldiers in charge of him taunted him. Exhausted after his various ordeals he was then made to carry his own cross to the spot of his execution, a hill overlooking the city. Here he was nailed to the cross and placed alongside two criminals. A sign was placed above Jesus' cross which read 'The King of the Jews'.

Unfortunately Jesus would have experienced a very slow and agonising death. The Bible tells that one of the criminals next to Jesus repented for his sins before he died and that suddenly, just before Jesus took his last breath, the sky turned black. He was removed from the cross and buried in a tomb.

Christians today often commemorate Good Friday by attending a 'Stations of the Cross' service, where Jesus' last hours on earth are retraced. As Good Friday is seen as a day of mourning, services are very solemn; churches are left unadorned with flowers or similar decorations, and in some churches pictures and statues are covered over.

Easter Sunday

Jesus had told his disciples in advance that he would rise again on the third day after his death. He had been buried in a tomb guarded by an enormous stone so that no one could steal the body. When some women came to visit the grave a couple of days after his death they found that the huge stone had been moved and the tomb was empty. Jesus was seen that day and for several days later, and revisited old friends who realised what had been prophesied had come true - Jesus had indeed risen from the dead.

Easter is, therefore, a time of great celebration for Christians. Churches are sometimes decorated with white lillies, traditional Easter flowers, and the mood is joyful and uplifting.

Easter and other religions

The concept of 'rebirth', an important theme in the Christian Easter celebration, is common to many religions. Other major world religions such as Islam do not observe Easter but it is closely tied to the Jewish festival of Passover, which falls around the same time as Easter. In fact Christianity and Judaism share the same roots; Christianity developed as a part of Judaism and Jesus was a Jew. Furthermore, the Old Testament, the first part of the Christian Bible, is effectively the same book as the Torah, the sacred Jewish scripture.

Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew), like Easter, is celebrated as a time of rebirth and renewal; while Easter celebrates Jesus' resurrection, Passover commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. In fact, as Jesus was a Jew, it's very likely that he and his disciples would have been celebrating the Passover meal on the night of the Last Supper.

Another shared tradition between Christianity and Judaism is the significance of eggs at Easter/Passover - hard-boiled eggs are served at Passover and are used to reinforce the idea of rebirth.

Going back further still into history, there are many elements of the Easter celebration which find their roots in Pagan celebrations. In fact the name Easter is believed to be derived from the pagan name 'Eostre', the name of the Great Mother Goddess of the Saxons in Northern Europe. Today the Spring Equinox (which occurs around the time of Easter) is celebrated by Wiccans, modern-day 'neopagans' - it is one of their most important 'Sabbats' or holy days, and is a time when the fertility of the land and the balance of day and night are celebrated.

The origins of Easter traditions

Most popular Easter traditions have their roots far back in history. For example, the idea of the Easter Bunny is no modern invention - you can go as far back as ancient Anglo-Saxon times to trace its origins. Here are some interesting facts about the popular symbols and activities associated with Easter:

The Easter Bunny

In Anglo-Saxon times the hare was an important symbol of fertility so it played a starring role in the pagan festival of Eostre. In fact Eostre was named after the Saxon goddess of Spring. Legend claims that this mystical goddess found a wounded bird and turned it into a hare so it could survive the winter. When this very same hare found it could lay eggs it made a gift of its eggs to the goddess who had protected him. And so the tradition of the Easter hare, or bunny was born.

Chocolate Easter eggs 

Eggs have been an important fertility symbol for millennia, and they have always been associated with the rebirth of spring. And as eggs are associated with new life early Christians used them as a visual symbol of the resurrection of Jesus. When people first starting giving eggs as offerings and gifts at Easter time they used birds eggs. They were painted bright colours to echo the vibrancy of the colours of spring after the darkness of winter.

In the UK and Europe early Easter eggs took the form of duck, hen or goose eggs. These were later replaced by artificial eggs until eventually, as chocolate became a more widely available foodstuff, the first chocolate eggs began to appear, in the early 1800s. The vogue for exchanging chocolate eggs at Easter quickly spread right across the globe so that by the end of the century chocolate eggs became the ubiquitous Easter offering.

Egg rolling

The tradition of egg rolling on Easter Monday dates back to Anglo-Saxon Germany. Although historians are unsure of the exact significance of egg rolling, it's believed that for the early pagans the activity was seen as a way of bringing new life to the land at springtime. For early Christians, meanwhile, egg rolling could have been a representation of the stone being rolled away from Jesus' tomb.

Hot cross buns

The tradition of eating hot cross buns on Good Friday has its roots even further back than early Christianity. Buns marked with a cross were eaten by the Saxons during their spring celebrations - it's believed that the bun represented the moon and the cross the moon's quarters. Christians continued the tradition but to them the cross symbolises the Jesus' crucifixion.

Simnel cake

The special fruit cake eaten at Easter, known as Simnel cake, is steeped in traditional symbolism. Traditionally the cake has a layer of marzipan on top and is decorated with marzipan balls - these symbolise the disciples, though Judas is left out and only 11 balls are added to the cake.

Coloured eggs

Although chocolate eggs tend to the gift of choice at Easter time today, coloured, decorated eggs have also been an important symbol and gift shared at Easter time. The tradition of colouring and decorating eggs dates back to the Middle Ages when eggs would be painted bright colours to welcome in the new spring. The tradition continued and was adapted by different countries; in Germany, for example, it remains a tradition to paint eggs green and eat them on Maundy Thursday while in Greece and the Balkans eggs are dyed red to symbolise the blood of Christ.

But the most elaborate take on the tradition came from Russia, where in the late 1800s/early 1900s Russian aristocracy commissioned the French jeweller Faberge to create an egg like no other, fashioned from enamel and encrusted with the most dazzling jewels. These incredible Easter gifts are worth millions of pounds today!

Source: 

http://www.netmums.com/activities/spring/easter-fun-games-more/the-meaning-of-easter

Expanding Horizons: New Languages for the Elderly

By Jeff Anderson 

Learning a second-language opens up a whole new world: New ways of thinking, new cultures and new experiences all become possible for second-language learners. These awesome opportunities are especially accessible to retirees, who tend to have more time on their hands for such an undertaking. Retirees also have more opportunity for travel, which is one of the best ways to enjoy second-language skills, and also to improve them. According to a recent study described in the New York Times, bilingualism may also benefit seniors’ mental functioning.

Obstacles for Older Langauge Learners: Old Ideas and Stereotypes

Traditional ideas about how we learn language say that older adults are poor second-language learners. This misconception is based on long-standing theories about language acquisition, and also outdated stereotyping of seniors.

The “critical period hypothesis” of language learning is based on the observation, obvious to any parent, that infants and toddlers acquire language without conscious effort. No “Baby Einstein” videos or language lessons are neccessary. This period, when languages are learned effortlessly, is called the “sensitive period” or “critical period.” Many advocates of the hypothesis further infer that language learning becomes much harder after the first few years of life, and that older adults are poor language learners. Certainly, children in the earliest years and adults learn languages differently. But in fact, elders have some advantages over children in the “critical period.”

In The Older Language Learner, Mary Schleppegrell, an English-as-a-second-language (ESL) expert and professor at the University of Michigan, effectively tackles counterproductive assumptions about the ability of older people to learn a new language:

“Most people assume that ‘the younger the better’ applies in language learning. However, many studies have shown that this is not true…Studies indicate that attaining a working ability to communicate in a new language may actually be easier and more rapid for the adult than for the child…Adults learn differently from children, but no age-related differences in learning ability have been demonstrated for adults of different ages.”

Cruder stereotypes of seniors may be a larger obstacle for elders who are learning a second-language. These widespread stereotypes about senior’s ability to learn are sometimes held by language instructors, as well as by seniors themselves, who internalize them to their own detriment.  While seniors do require adaptions for their poorer sight and hearing, their lesson plans need not be dumbed down.

Success for Senior Language Learners

Seniors throughout the world are proving stereotypes wrong. A recent article from the China Daily describes an increasing number of Chinese elders learning second-languages. The article notes that the trend towards purposeful language learning by seniors in China began before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Older residents of Beijing wanted to be able to be helpful to the influx of foreigners visiting the games. Now that the Beijing Olympics are but a memory, older Chinese continue to study foreign languages, but more-so out of a desire to travel and effectively communicate with locals.

And closer to home, another article from the New York Times outlines the trend of American seniors traveling abroad to engage in language immersion classes, which are based on the idea that the best ways to learn a new language is to surround yourself with people who speak that language. Traveling to a country where the target-language is spoken offers the best immersion learning possibilities. Seniors are visiting places like Italy and Costa Rica for weeks-long language classes and immersion opportunities. These visits involve a mix of class time, normal sight-seeing and hanging out with locals.  But travel isn’t necessary to get started learning a language; Low-cost language classes are available to older people at senior centers, colleges and community centers throughout the U.S.

If you have a success story involving an older language learner, we’d like to hear. Don’t hesitate to comment below.

Source: http://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/new-languages-for-the-elderly/

6 Quotes For The Language Learning Journey

Learning another language is a journey well worth the effort.

When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind.   -Seneca  

Knowing your goals for learning the language will go a long way toward helping you remain committed to mastering the language and provide the direction you’ll need to stay the course. Setting specific targets allows you to craft a better plan that focuses more clearly on getting you to where you want to go.

Take some time to define what you want to be able to do in each area of the language: speaking, listening, reading and writing.  Determine what you think is important in regards to learning about the culture and history of the nation where your language is spoken.

By doing these you can begin to take specific actions to achieve your goals.

As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few.  The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.  -Ralph Waldo Emerson 

There is a lot of talk about what method or program is the best to use to learn another language.  Everyone seems to have a favorite, the one they swear by and to have a select few that receive regular doses of their wrath.

The reality is though that we are each individuals and will all learn in different ways with different methods and programs.  We would do well then to focus on principles.  What are the principles behind effective language learning? 

Here are a few I can think of:

1. We need massive amounts of input.

2.  We need to stick with it over the long haul.

3.  We need to make connections with native speakers.

4.  We need repetition and practice.

Nearly any method or program can help us in part to connect with these principles.

Slow down and remember this: Most things make no difference.  Being busy is a form of laziness – lazy thinking and indiscriminate action.  Being selective – doing less – is the path of the productive.  Focus on the important few and ignore the rest.   -Tim Ferris, The 4-Hour Work Week

I’ve made a practice of trying lots of new activities, ideas, programs and tools for learning languages.  I do this so that I can report honestly about what I like and don’t like about these resources and make well informed suggestions to readers.

In doing all of this experimenting, I have come to find that some activities work better for me than others.  They give me more bang for my buck.  I should then spend more time doing these activities and less time doing less productive activities.

But then I read on another language blog about how important something else is and I think I should add that to what I do.  But why?  It working well for them is no guarantee it will work well for me.  Just because I think handcrafted audio is important doesn’t mean it will be a great activity for every other language learner.

Find what works well for you and stick with it.

A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules.  -Anthony Trollope

This is probably the most important quote on this list for the everyday language learner.  I’ve met very few people who made a conscious decision to quit learning another language.  Most don’t decide to quit, they just fizzle out.  

One week they are going gangbusters, the next week they are loosing momentum and then they find that, unbeknownst to them, they have’t worked at learning their target language in over a month.

Determining to do something – no matter how small – everyday, will do a lot to keep the ball rolling in the right direction and help you reach your goal to master another language.

Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you.  Each man’s life is but a breath.   -Psalm 39:4-5

Life is short.  I have a nine year old and a seven year old and it seems only yesterday they were in diapers.  I am turning 40 this fall.

Where does the time go?

They say the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is TODAY.  If you are waiting for the ideal time to really dive into mastering another language, you aren’t going to find it.

Get started today applying yourself toward the dreams and goals that are important to you.  If learning another language is one of those, now is the time to begin.

It is never too late to be what you might have been.   -George Elliot

So you’ve wasted a few years.  You’ve fritted away golden opportunities.  You’ve cast off a dream in order to live a safe, secure life and now wonder if you made the right choice.  You’ve put off beginning to learn another  language until you have enough money to travel overseas where you can be “immersed.”

So what?

What’s past is past.  You can always begin again and you can always begin right now. Today.

Did you pass up an opportunity to study abroad in college?  Did you miss the chance to sign up for a language class?  Did you chose the secure job rather than the volunteer opportunity overseas?

Source: http://www.everydaylanguagelearner.com

EnglishTeachers - Episode 7 "Good Luck Charmed

EnglishTeachers - Episode 7 "Good Luck Charmed Tom's day off leads to sights of Japan that werealways under his nose and feelings for Jodi that were always under thesurface.

The Adventures of You II - Spoon-feeding

You voltou para a aula com notícias da irmã dele. Na última aula, You perguntou como se dizia "advogado" em inglês, then, eu expliquei para ele que o termo certo depende do país ( USA: attorney/ UK: solicitor/barrister).

- Como eu te falei, teacher, my sister is really getting divorced. Last week, she went to the USA to meet her lawyer... Quero dizer...attorney.

- How do you say " quero dizer"...

- I mean.

... And how do you say " como eu te falei" ?

- Ok, teacher. As I told you, my sister is really getting divorced. Last week, she went to the USA to meet her lawyer...I mean...attorney.

- Wonderful job, You.

- Yes, she told me that pior than getting divorced...how do you say " pior" in English, teacher?

- "Worse ".

- She told me that worse than getting divorced is to confiar in a man again. How do you say " confiar"?

- How can you describe " confiar" in English, You?

- When you believe in somebody?

- Perfect! 

- Can I use " believe in" as " confiar"?

- No, " confiar" é muito mais forte. 

- So, how do you say " confiar"?

- Well, You, this is for me to know and you to find out.

- Sorry? Can you say that again?

- I said that this is for me to know and you to find out - isso quer dizer que eu sei como dizer " confiar" em inglês, você é que tem de descobrir.

- Nossa, teacher. Isso é do mal. O senhor sempre me deu as respostas.

- Eu lhe dei, You, the past tense: I gave you! I won't give you anymore. De agora em diante, se você quiser dizer algo e não souber a palavra, terá que descrevê-la. 

- Mas teacher, tem muita palavra que eu não sei.

- Por isso, você precisa se esforçar para descrevê-la. Sem esforço não há aprendizado, You. Não posso colocar todas as palavras na sua boca. No spoon-feeding anymore.

- Spoon-feeding?

- É quando você ao invés de ensinar a pescar...

- ... You spoon-feeding!

- That's my learner!

- So, how Can I describe something I don't know?

- By saying" how can I say in English when we want to believe in somebody, but this is more than just believing, it is stronger..." Descreve mais, You, fala sobre, dê mais detalhes. Assim, você conseguirá não somente descrever a palavra que você não sabe, como também praticar mais a fala.

- Ok, teacher. I got it. I will do my best to describe the new words. You can believe in me.

- Can I  really TRUST you?

- Ahhh... TRUST...Yes, you can TRUST  me, of course, if you have any problems with me, you can call a barrister or an American attorney and discuss my case in the court.

- Very clever, You. 

- By the way, teacher, how do you say " não gostou, me processa" in English?

- You!!!

How to Fake a Convincing American Accent

Edited by Brigitta M

 
1 - Determine the region you wish toimitate. Knowing the difference between a Texans drawland the southern style of someone from Mississippi or Tennessee can make aworld of difference. Midwestern accents from areas such as Chicago, Illinois,Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and St. Paul, Minnesota vary as well. The New York accentmay be one of the most distinct American accents, and the Bostonian accent isalso well-known.

 

2 -  Learn key phrases from the regionyou wish to imitate. A southernconstant is the word "y'all," which is a contraction of "youall" and used as a plural form of "you." If from Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania, people will say "yinz" or "yunz" whenreferring to "you plural." Massachusetts and some other New EnglandStates use "wicked" to show intensity of action, "That was awicked bad car accident." or "That test was wicked easy."Massachusetts also has the famous Boston accent. One phrase to say in that is,"Park the car at Harvard Yard and get a cup of coffee," but say allthe a's long. So, it would end up sounding like, "Pahk the cah in Hahvehdyahd and get a cup of caffee.".
 
 
 3 - Study films made by independentcompanies that were born and bred in the region you wish to imitate. For example, if you wish to speak with aMississippi accent, find a film that is both located in and produced by acompany based in Mississippi.

 
 4 -  Practice the key words and phrases,taking special care to notice where you place stresses and drop or add letters(for example, Wisconsinites have a tendency to add the letter "t" atthe end of words that end with a double-s, like "acrosst" instead of"across" and Connecticuters tend to either drop the "d" orstress on it less when in the middle of a word like "ranom" insteadof "random")
 
 
5 - If going for a "ValleyGirl" way of speaking (girls), say things such as "like" (as aninterjection), "oh my god", and "a lot." (for example, So I was, like, walking downthe street, and this guy was wearing, like, the weirdest hat, I was like 'Oh mygod' cause, yeah.) Many modern-day teenage and pre-teen girls also speak likethis. Valley Girl speech did not hit America until the 1980s and was copiedstraight from the movies. Elders and adults should not speak like Valley Girlsand prefer not to. Some people find makingthe Valley Girl accent offensive.

6 - When trying to convince people of your American-ess, it's helpful to know the vocabulary of who you're conversing with. Americans say "truck" instead of "lorry," "faucet" instead of "tap," "toilet" or "bathroom" instead of "loo," and so on. Also, use "instead" rather than "rather" (or instead of, I should say), and "soda" instead of "pop." (Although in some parts of America, mainly the North, people have been known to say the latter). In places like western New York, the words are used interchangeably. Also keep in mind the words people use often that aren't used in your home country.

7 - Know that the same word is pronounced differently in different states. In New Jersey (or other atlantic states.) , we say "wudder," unlike the rest of the country, which calls it "wahter." Florida says "wader."
 
 
8 - Keep an eye on region-specific terms. For example, in northeastern Pennsylvania, people drink soda instead of pop and eat hoagies rather than subs. Sites like this Dialect Surveycan be of use.
 

9 - Similarly, most of the country says "co-ffee" but in some areas of New Jersey/New York, they say "caw-ffee."
 
 
10 - In Chicago, instead of saying "Where are you?", we'll say "Where are you at?". Also, people with very strong Chicago accents may hiss their s's, and add s's at the end of store names. Examples: Jewel becomes Jewels, Jewel-Osco because Jewel-Oscos, Walmart becomes Walmarts, Target becomes Targets, etc.

 
11 - In the Midwestern accent, it's typical for people, especially the older generation, to occasionally slip up and say "warsh" for "wash," as in "I warshed (washed) my clothes in the Warshington (Washington) river." They also tend to speak with a very soft southern twang, as in their pronunciation of nothing ("nuthen") and use of "ain't."
 
 
12 - Maryland has accents within their own accent. Watch out of people who think they can do a Baltimore accent. They usually cannot unless they are not trying.
 
13 - Some accents are easier to imitate than others. For example, unless you are a frequent visitor or live in or around the New Orleans area, avoid doing a Cajun accent until you are absolutely positive you have it down cold. Good imitators are few and far between and any variations are quickly spotted as fakes by the natives.

To spoon-feed is not to nurture

By Sarah Cunnane

Increase in students 'puzzled' by independent learning is fuelling crisis, writes Sarah Cunnane

Creating a market in higher education will lead to less independent, "spoon-fed" students, and exacerbate a growing crisis in teaching and learning, a scholar has claimed.

Peter Ovens, senior research fellow at the University of Cumbria, said that around a third of students struggled to learn independently, even after a year at university.

And he warned that the rise in bureaucracy had reduced the time available for developing students. "It's part of the modern world, I realise that, but it does have a distorting effect," he said. "You do what you can for the students, but the impetus is taken away from teaching and learning."

Dr Ovens' research, which was discussed last week at a conference at Nottingham Trent University titled Learning How to Learn in Higher Education, suggests that a growing proportion of students are "puzzled" by the idea of independent learning.

This is because they have often been led through their schooling by their teachers, who he said were focused on "meeting targets and Ofsted requirements".

On his finding that one in three first-year undergraduates struggle to learn independently, he said: "They are not taking control of their learning in the way we would want them to because they still want to be trained like they were at school."

Dr Ovens added that the current generation of students had been assessed "more than any other", and that the problem of dealing with students unused to independent learning was not unique to the UK: "When we talk to colleagues worldwide, they have very similar problems, and they agree that the problems are getting progressively worse year on year."

Current UK reforms focusing on the student experience carried the risk of a "knee-jerk" response that would lead to even greater spoon-feeding of students, Dr Ovens said.

He argued that academics had to respond to these issues by treating students as independent scholars: "Their autonomy is the single biggest value that can be developed; academics should not view students as empty vessels to be filled with knowledge."

If current trends in teaching and learning were not reversed, Dr Ovens said, it would lead to further problems that would have an impact far beyond the students' time in university.

"People will continue to learn and they will continue to get degrees but it will tend to be with a particular attitude towards knowledge and learning," he said.

"And that attitude is to expect things to come to you, to be provided, to be determined by other people. The confidence to use your own knowledge will not be developed."

sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com.

Source: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=418217

Teachers 6

English Teachers - Episode 6 "Dun dun dun!"Mark is forced to choose between money and loyalty when Gova bullies the Be Yes Staff.




http://youtu.be/MDgxHlyoJl4

You Can't Teach An old dog...

Em inglês, costumamos chamar os mais velhos de "Elderly people", não usamos a palavra " old", não só porque old já é por si, ofensiva; mas também porque se compreende que the "elder" é apenas alguém que veio antes, não se trata de um incapaz ou de alguém que vive atolado numa areia movediça de conforto. Se for lhes dado a chance e eles quiserem mesmo aprender, poderão mudar seus "velhos" hábitos. Minha mãe vai fazer sessenta anos, e para onde vai, carrega um livro com ela; é viciada em leitura e um exemplo de alguém a seguir, mas ela não foi sempre assim; somente quanto ela tinha cinqüenta que ela começou a ler por prazer. Before that, ela mal conseguia terminar um livro. Quando vejo essa moçada de vinte e poucos dizendo que odeia leitura ou que dorme após a terceira página de um livro, eu me pergunto: quem é mesmo " old" nesse mundo? Todo mundo pode aprender tudo. Não existe limite de idade para o aprendizado, o que existe são as dificuldades inerentes da falta de hábito. Usually, quando alguém se recusa a fazer algo novo, isso se deve muito mais as características pessoais da pessoa do que a sua idade

English Teachers - Episode 5 "Showdown"

 Tension between the staff and the Roberto reaches a breaking point as he introduces his teaching assistant, Sylvia the sock puppet.

"Old Dogs and New Tricks"

"You can't teach an old dog new tricks." 

How many times have you heard this old saying as an excuse for not trying something new or avoiding a fresh approach?

The expert animal trainers say that a dog of almost any age can learn new tricks. It's the human animal that makes choices regarding when and how much to learn.

I'm constantly amazed at how frequently I hear one of my CEO clients say, "I'm too old to change." 

Nonsense! This is simply an excuse to sidestep the effort required to learn or experiment. 

When you try something new, you often feel uneasy about it, and frequently pull back. The security feels good. You are in your "comfort zone"

Your personal "comfort zone" is where you are comfortable in what you are doing in your job, your life and your experiences. It is when you have no feelings of risk or anxiety. Some call it "being comfortable". You could also call it "a rut".

The downside of always staying in your comfort zone is that it can be very limiting. 

Why is this significant? The past few decades have seen enormous and accelerating changes in technology and social structure, in geopolitics and especially in the organizations in which we work. The pace of change is staggering and daunting. The mass of information available to humankind is doubling every 20 months. 

The world passes us by as we stand still. Complacency, in our fast-paced competitive world, can be fatal to business and severely limit personal and professional growth. If you are not learning, trying new things and growing, your job or business may be deteriorating.

Having a positive attitude toward learning and changing may be one of the most important characteristics of successful people. In my years as a Business Coach, I have observed many successful CEOs and entrepreneurs. With very few exceptions, those who are successful and happy have developed and maintained a positive outlook about change and continuous improvement.

This positive attitude is not accidental. Successful business people know how to create a positive attitude and positive motivation for themselves. They don't just wait for it to happen. They purposely create positive change.

All change implies learning and vice versa. They are inseparable, one impossible without the other. If you learn, you change.

Effective learning must be conscious vs. unconscious, active vs. reactive. It must be something you seek, not just “let it happen”. If learning is not conscious, it can’t be improved. It just becomes “another task” without effective application to the circumstances in your business (and personal) life. 

Learning in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing environment can’t be left to chance. Make a conscious effort to capture your experiences and learn from them or be doomed to repeat your mistakes. Worse yet, you may habitually keep doing those things that are working for you, while your competition is actively seeking new ideas, innovation and growth.

The competitive advantage of the future is your adaptability to learning and change. 

"There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction." - John F Kennedy

How do you learn new tricks and <-- e x p a n d --> your personal comfort zone? 

Before you just throw all caution to the wind, try some simple things. 

** Drive home a different route. 

** Shop at a different grocery store. 

** Order something from the menu that you've never tried before. 

** Sleep on the other side of the bed.

Make a conscious effort to experiment. 

Let yourself feel the adrenaline level rise a bit. Allow your anxiety level to increase. Feel your heart rate and breathing going faster. 

The adrenaline is your body's natural drug that, in moderation, makes you sharp, creative, and quick. It creates the feeling of excitement and exhilaration that comes from trying something new. Recognize that it also can be scary and stressful. Some stress is useful. Too much can be harmful. Some stress provides energy. Too much stress causes distress and can lead to burnout if done to extreme.

Why would you want to give yourself the stress of stepping outside your comfort zone? 

Because that's where growth takes place. 

Just like a muscle gets stronger when you exercise it outside its normal range of use, you get stronger when you get out of your rut. And just like your muscles, once you stretch beyond your current capabilities, you don't ever go back to your original dimensions.

As you try new things, you gain confidence. Confidence makes you feel powerful and good. And when you are confident that you can survive new ideas, you allow yourself to try even more new things.

What's the limit? 

Obviously, you need to be realistic in your risk management. Most successful people think through the possible outcomes of taking a risk. Then they prepare for how they would deal with each potential outcome. Successful people take risks, but they are not foolhardy or stupid.

What are some higher level activities that could add to your personal and professional growth?

Here's my challenge to you. 

Make a list of 50 things that, if you really were successful in doing them, you would be a better person or a better company. Consider a few new tricks such as: 

Give a speech 

Write and publish an article

Start an exercise program

Meditate daily

Teach a class

Feed a homeless person

Volunteer

Climb a mountain

Learn to play a new musical instrument

Sign up for a dance class

Try for that promotion

Then choose one or two that you are willing to do within the next 90 days. Schedule those new activities, then go for it. Afterward, choose one or two more and do it again. 

Make personal and professional growth a lifelong habit. You will not become an old dog as long as you keep learning new tricks.

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About the Author...(for online pubs)

Gary Lockwood is Increasing the Effectiveness and Enhancing the 

Lives of CEOs, business owners and professionals. (951) 739-7444

Email: mailto: Gary@BizSuccess.com Web: http://www.BizSuccess.com