siren... out of focus

when 18% of the world population is illiterate ,
here we rush into another age of mass intelligence.


Rationally speaking, I might be out of focus...^_^

Business is business

When you study the language Chinese, you may be told that never saying no directly to a Chinese, instead, using perhaps/ maybe/ thinking about it later to be polite and respectful for the culture.

Yes, it’s hard to be “business is business”, for in China, business is also with relationships.
In Mandarin, it says, 对事不对人. (dui4 shi4 bu2 dui4 ren2)

Unfortunately, in China, (traditionally) all the business is hard to be only business without personal relationships.
And it makes a perfect sense that for (traditional) Chinese, it's hard to say no, as the rejection of the issue might be taken personal.
So, saying no in a soft way, with "maybe" / "perhaps" / "thinking about it later" is an ambiguous disagreement on the business table in China.

Don't be frustrated by that culture if you are from Europe (traditional), for that's the way of the unique communication in Ancient Asian culture.
It just represents a moderate attitude of saving your face in the public for the sake of achieving harmony while resisting conflict.
So, if there is a direct “no” hitting your face, it may interpret as a death penalty, if the person doesn't know or consider the western way of communication at all.

Adding into that, Chinese turns more into confronting business and person together, especially when it comes into conflict.
If there is neither Love nor Faith nor Respect in the communication, a “death penalty” is very easily to be made.

Thus, can we (Chinese) really confront the issue rather than the person, when there is a disagreement, discouragement, or even an attack?
Can we still remain Loving for those who are trying to destroy, steal or kill?
( -- Absolutely, we can, and we should, for Love Redeems. )

It is funny, before, when people jumped in front of me (I'm Chinese) and showed something disagreeable, I would turn to be "aggressive", which means either I would convince them mine was better for this and that (very preachy), or give an absolutely cold look (typical blessed child). Ironically, I called myself a soul lover, which proved I was just one of those hypocrites.

Reading the Bible, we were commanded to Love.
Reading the Words from Confucius, we were told we would be absolutely "agreeable at the age of 60th".
(-- Bible is a hard core to make a person look old.)

So, all communication based on Love will be a success Communication.
Love, is the Power, shaped well, spiritually and scientifically makes sense, crossing cultures;
Love, is for all the Souls; no matter the soul is with what color or nationality or faith;
Love, is a progress of learning to be gentle and forgiving;
Love, is from an absolute pure heart, with single mind, loving words and gentle open-armed gesture.

Biz is biz, and we'd better not take it personal, if it is with a traditional European.
Biz is biz, and we'd never say no directly to a traditional Chinese, for “perhaps yes” can be a better way to save there face.
When culture is mixed, we'd better be an agreeable Soul Lover.

Biz is hard to be biz in this post modern new age, we'd communicate with Respect and Loving all Souls.

Vog and Chinese Food and Medicine: 清肺

Oh, dear vog, let's read some stuffs from Chinese doctors!
Good luck with fighting vog!

Plus:
http://hawaii.gov/gov/vog

---

This is some ingredients play some interesting roles in clean the lungs in Chinese Medicine:
(Yay, Chinese eat anything and Chinese vegetarian will eat any plants and mushrooms for fun...)
LoL

• white turnip： cough, phlegm, smoker
• lily (put lily into porridge or soup):
• mung:
• water chestnut: clearing away heat (Chinese medicine)
• silver mushroom
• lotus seed
• honey
• refined white sugar
• white gourd
  

---

DON'T eat too spicy, salty or greasy.

---

These are some recipes to make those ingredients tasty (sorry, don't have time to translate, hopefully, Google translate can help ):

a. 雪耳、莲子、百合、排骨汤：
　　原料：雪耳75克，百合100克，排骨500克。
　　做法：将上述选料清洗之后加水一起放入煲内煮沸，煲3小时。
b. 桑百皮、百合、排骨汤：
　　原料：桑百皮50克，百合75克，排骨500克。
　　做法：将上述选料清洗干净后加水，然后一并放进煲内煮沸，煲一个半小时。
c. 润肺银耳羹：
　　原料：银耳5克，冰糖50克。
　　做法：将银耳放入盆内，以温水浸泡30分钟，待其发透后摘去蒂头、拣去杂质；将银耳撕成片状，放入洁净的锅内，加水适量，以武火煮沸后，再用文火煎熬1小时，然后加入冰糖，直至银耳炖烂为止。
d. 润肺豆浆粥：
　　原料：豆浆1000克，糯米100克，白糖适量。
　　做法：将糯米洗净放入锅中，加水适量，武火烧沸后改用文火慢慢熬煮，煮至米粒开花时倒入豆浆，继续熬10分钟，加白糖适量即可。
e. 鸭肉粥：
　　原料：鸭肉150克，糯米250克，料酒、盐少许。
　　做法：先将鸭肉切丁；糯米加水煮粥，然后加入鸭肉、少许料酒和盐，煮至粥熟。
f. 毛肚血汤：
　　原料：鸭血300克，毛肚150克（注意不要加入羊肉，因为羊肉属热，不适宜在气温渐高、天气干燥的春夏之交食用）。
　　配料：黄喉、鳝鱼、午餐肉、黄豆芽、粉丝各100克，重庆火锅底料、泡姜、大蒜、味精、白糖各少许。
　　做法：先将鸭血切成片，放在炒锅中用清水汆一下待用；再放少许清油把姜片、蒜片炒一下，放入重庆火锅底料烧开；汤味熬好后，加入鸭血、毛肚、黄喉、鳝鱼、午餐肉、黄豆芽、粉丝等直至煮熟（注意毛肚不要煮得太老）。
　　提示：俗话说“血能洗肺”。因此，对于这种绵软滑爽又非常便宜的血豆腐，此时不吃更待何时？
g. 火腿冬瓜汤：
　　原料：火腿片，冬瓜片。
　　配料：葱丝，姜丝，虾皮，盐，糖，麻油。
　　做法：锅内放清水煮沸，将冬瓜片及配料下锅煮10分钟后加入火腿片，2分钟后即可出锅；出锅前加入葱花、麻油、盐、糖。
　　提示：此汤清新可口，去燥润肺，适合春夏季节食用。

---

Reference:
http://www.xicn.net/life/health/item/2003-05-16/117642.html

Say No Now, to prevent the oooh nooo!!!" moment

Say No Now, to prevent the oooh nooo!!!" moment

Originally uploaded by ucumari

Slowly learning to say no... in a series of girl-guy stuffs happening in these two weeks.
I "blamed" to the dancing practice, and was told that it is the tests from above.
slowly learning... lol...


Say "No" now, so there won't be a situation of "OOOOOOH NOOOOOOOO!" later.
lol

Here are the series happening in these two weeks. (don't read this block, for self reflection is always a waste of time)
---------------------------
1.
Random Houseless Guy A: hei you look pretty.
The Gal: oh thanks. (naive, i was really willing to listen to someone appreciate my prettiness)
Random Houseless Guy A: can i have your number?
The Gal: okay. (naive, agai)
(ennnn...scared to answer the phone now)

2.
Random Guy B: Hei, just want you to know that you are lucky.
The Gal: Oh, why? ( very protective)
Random Guy B: You are pretty.
The Gal: Oh, thanks. It's the gift from God. (very happy)
Random Guy B: Can i give you my number?
The Gal: no, I am sure won't call you. but you are welcometomychurchonsundayatxxx. (protective)
Random Guy B: en, okay.
(thinking about how to report to her brahs & sistahs to "fix" the guy, while forgetting actually she was the one needs to be fixed: " just say no directly!)"

3
Random Guy C: Hei, you are very beautiful
The Gal: Thanks! (victorious smile)
Random Guy C: Do you wanna hang out sometime?
The Gal: No thanks. I don't do that. Nice meeting you and hope you have a good day. I am running for a meeting. May God bless you in the rest of your day.
(running away. Learned)

-----------------whew, time to be serious. the rest blocks will be useful----------------

As it mentioned above, those must be the tests from above. Should have known how to control the tongue! ~~^_^oOV
Slow learner needs some wisdom from above......


Thus, not only the guy-girl thing, but also the daily life, the friendship, the work and the research.
"No" is very necessary, to protect yourself from distracting, to keep a good pace, and to be focus with higher efficiency.

------------------------------------
So, how do we say this nasty "no", if it is really a rude thing to do?
I found the steps below has been very useful for myself:
=D

OH NO!!!!!!!!!
Originally uploaded by cooperis

1. gently appreciate whatever the situation comes in front of you. Appreciate it loudly and respectfully.
2. Find a common ground, to make a benefit for each other.
4. Decline, respectfully & politely, in a determined way.
5. Keep confident about the decision you made.
6. Don't feel bad or guilty. Pray for the "no" situation.
7. Focus on the "yes" you have been making.

Good luck with practicing this "no" game.
For we don't want to say that "OOOOOOH, NOOOOOOOOO!!!" at the end~~
lol
-------------------------

----------------------------------------

Video - Project Based Learning for Disaster Relief Education

Summer school is fun: life won't get boring if we can squeeze a semester into six weeks. lol
Finally, got over the animated film: it's different from geek work. The essential part is actually at the storyboarding and scripts, other than geek.
Also, Adobe is amazing, but After Effects is such a giant for my laptop. I bedt it will only take half of the time with mac instead of pc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZxMVfT3mps

Ed. Journal -- the last class - homosexuality

From the final presentation, a number of students chose homosexuality as their report topic.
Some are passionate, with tears;
some are logic, with Bible quotes;
some are "none of my bussiness", with some post-modern attitude.

I didn't say anything radical or prorevolutionary, though I really wanted to.
--- it's nothing about change, but love and healng.

Remember the time when someone told me I was a lesbian, for I checked out more girls than he did at the club and never danced with guys.
Remember the time in Shanghai hanging out with my best friend Snew and imagined about our own "orientation".
Remember the time I had the chance to sneak on that community and participate in the "academic" research with friend, and figured out it's not cool to be a gay, it's all about brokeness.

I wish I wasn't ignorant, so I could speak the truth and healing.

Broken hearts, in different ways,
Different inperfection, in the same tone.
As an outsider, it's easy to demonize the otherness,
As an insider, it's easy to be blind or panic.
All are broken,
All need Grace and Love.

Help them....

ED. Journal - Book Rethinking Classroom: video

The article is not very inspired, simplely because the the videos list there are not really attrative if I am a high school student.
I appreciate the video in class about homosexuality in classroom: The producer cut all different injustice moments at film, advertisement, or pubilc speech to show that we are not born with the homophobia but taught so by the media. And we need to rectify the mistake we already made. Video is powerful AND that's why I choose this article to read. And those videos with injustice message are way more interesting than the movies with the justice title, if the target audience is youth. I feel we need to educate the public speaker, the movie stars and the producers about social justice instead of students in the classroom...
En... I got the list of movies I have to watch now. =P

I like the strategies by Bill Bigelow and Linda Christensen.
More importantly...I found the organization Teaching for Change( the organization to transform schools into centers of justice where students learn to read, write and change the world...).
It's so amazing to find out that other people are doing the same thing...
great hope...=)

ED. Journal - group working

There is a saying that "one Chinese is a dragon, two Chinese are moth. " to show how bad Chinese people are at group working.
It's true. Group working is an art and is hard.
In Chinese culture, most of time, a successful group working turns to be a great leadership model. Here is the graphic about group work created by a Chinese German Liu Yang about how different the culture is.

Blue is leadership in Germany and Red represents China.

well...so the problem comes up when we were working as a group:
It's a communication issue...not in the intellectual level, but a mental level: I will ignore the communication if the work can be done by myself without communicating. --- It's bad and I keep reminding myself about that: communicate! people won't know what you are thinking if you don't tell them.

I will suggest the Chinese student union to put the "group working" in the "new student orientation" with a title "Don't be moth if you can be a dragon".

So, from the PAMO project, I learned a lot from group working. It's all about communication and organization and our role and attitude will vary according to the time, place and people in the groups.

It's fun to work in group actually...

"The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."
- Tuesdays With Morrie

ED. Journal - Otherness

Otherness is a fundamental category of human thought.
The class was disposed by Buddha, sculpture, paintings and decorations.
We were asked to choose an object or rather let an object choose me.
Then we were asked to do an exercise in empathy and answer the questions list below:
What is it about this object that drew you to it? List seven adjectives that describe this object. If you were able to enter into a conversation with this object, what three questions would you ask? Now, imagine that you are the object and you are looking at yourself through its eyes. What three questions would you ask yourself? Reflect on this experience. How is it related to multiculturalism? How could you adapt this experience to an elementary or secondary classroom?

I chose the Buddha bronze, since it caught my attention at the beginning. It’s only the head part of a Buddha, sounds scary, but not at all when you really see it.

Ok, that’s all what I got from this Buddha: old, broken, peaceful, calm and scary.

I was thinking about other religions and the conflicts among religions. The other day I got a concept of “Community of Gods” and the proof is in the Genesis 1 in the Bible: “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So, if Gods is a plural + if you trust the Bible, God should be a community. I knew little about Buddhism and I was told that all other religions are evil. In this otherness case, I am facing some so called evil statue and try to communicate with him. (I felt I could start a cult or something crazy...)

Totally awkward.

Anyways, what we were doing was to understand otherness, so for some reason I started commiserating this Buddha statue. So generally, I asked what his name is and where he is from, w hat he is doing in this world. Of course, there wouldn’t be any answers from the statue.

But how good is Christians? Jesus is absolutely perfect, the Bible is awesome, but the Christians are notorious. Probably that’s why we call all other religions are evil: because the follower can’t follow the God’s good will 100%. Or because the followers of Christ have some selfish purpose to achieve while defacing other belief system.

My 3 questions are:
Who are you? Why you are here? Where are you going to?
The buddah bronze of course is not going to answer me, but when I was really asking this buddah bronze, I successfully avoided judging the buddah as I could have done as usual for the other religion.
So instead of saying: oh, that's a buddah, the God of nothingless and compassion and they believe they are from nowhere and going to nowhere, I keep the questions open to him and leave it as a question without pre-judgement...
GREAT!!!

Then, the other exercise bothered me the whole day : “exercise in empathy”.
I will look at myself through the buddah's eyes and ask myself the questions.
So: '
"How mature do you think you are?"
"Wanna be my friend?"

It's way too weird...
I just learned that maturity means the willingness of changing the mental map and chaning the way of old thinking. Sometimes, it's accepting otherness and sometimes it's sacrifice.
En...how mature I am?
... It's hard but I wanna be more mature. ...
En...be his friend?
That's strange...to keep normal...I decide to give up thinking this.


-----------------------------------


For classroom, it's role play:
like role play for African American, role play for Hawaiian, role play for poeple from mushall islands, role play as a minority, role play for all kinds...

=)

It's an easy way to understand the otherness...

Ed Journal - Controversial Issues in Classroom: homosexuality

Interesting class today!
The students in the video are amazing! I was inspirited by the youngest class, by students’ open mind and pure heart. Actually, teaching this controversial issue in American school is necessary, simply because the majority of the society is trying to alienate and demonize homosexuality. I am glad that my home contry doesn't have this homophobias and I felt safe to hang out with gay friends back home simplely because they are nice people and understand more about this ungraceful world. so maybe we just need to tell kids that gays are people and it's not right be be against towards any group of people who are different or wierd.

So if I am told to teach a class/ prepare a curriculum on homosexuality, sympathy and compassion will be the theme, for if the orientation is not human's choices, gays are the minority of minority and they need more grace and love.
1.Brainstorm the words related with gay/homosexuality.
2.Watch the video clips about homophobia: history tragedy, media exaggerating and politic speech, etc.
3.Other related topics: AIDS, social justice, religion comparing, etc, depending on the students’ level.
4. Invite gay couples.

---------------------------
About homosexuality and Christian, I can imagine a Bible scholar will say that how a man is supposed to be and homosexuality is sin.
9 year old students tell us that gay love is love beyond everything.
19 year old students will tell us that homosexuality is nasty.
our own mind is filthy & poluted when we say that's nasty.
But man is not perfect and the world is not Eden. Bible only mentions six times about homosexuality. If we can be homophobia, we should be rich-phobia, for the Bible mentions 60 times about money and possession.

Why not caring more about justice and love, than sin.
--------------------------------


Postscript:
From the final presentation, a number of students chose homosexuality as their report topic.
Some are really passionate, with tears; some are logic, with Bible quotes; some are "none of my bussiness", with the post-modern attitude.
I didn't say anything radical or prorevolutionary --- it's nothing about change, but love and healng.

Broken hearts, in different ways,
Different rebellions, in the same way.
As an outsider, it's easy to "demonize" the otherness,
As an insider, it's easy to be panic and blind.
As in God, nothing but love.

....God help...

ED. Journal - Difference between Germany and China

Blue is Germany while red is China
=)

作者簡介：About the Author:
劉揚（女）1976年生於北京。13歲隨家人遷居德國。
17歲時被德國柏林藝術大學設計系錄取，師從於霍爾格 .馬諦斯，獲碩士及大師班學位。
畢業後曾先後在倫敦、柏林、紐約工作及生活。
零四年在柏林開始自己的設計工作室。
曾任教於荷蘭設計中心、中國中央美術學院設計系、英國格拉斯歌美術學院，
並在國際設計研討會及博覽會講座。
劉揚的作品曾多次在國際設計大賽中獲重要獎項，
作品被國際多家博物館展覽並收藏。

藍色是德國 紅色是中國

Ed. Journal - Identification Map 2

It's interesting that the class we did this mapping activity.
1. I was suprised by the number of Christians in the class.
2. As you listen to others present, their identity maps suggest things that you might add to your own map?
Yes, add the parents and friends under beneath the ID map. Add the *heart* in the center, which means love.
As we know now, if we do ID Map again, it will be different.
3. In class, someone said that everyone seemed “pride” when they were talking about themselves. It’s not pride; it’s the confidence before standing in front the public.
4. The ID Map can be actually a game in classroom: we can talk about the names: what is the students’ name and what name the students wish to have.
5. Class is a community while MCE is about getting to know other people.

Ed. Jornal - Poverty - Houseless shelter

It’s Sunday morning, joined with my resistant assistant and some other people in our building to the women & children’s homeless shelter, serving the breakfast. (So lucky to have a faithful brother as R.A.)
“There are 300 people in this homeless shelter and there are another 500 in the waiting list.” The manager of the shelter told us.
When we got there, people were already lied up out of the shelter. Then we signed up as with a volunteering card, went to the top of the building and started serving the food.
I thought I was prepared, but I overestimated myself.
Thanks for a lady coming to me. She returned the two eggs: "I don't eat egg. Please keep it for other people."

Wake up...houseless people are just people, same like all of us but different in the experiences and opportunities. I came to serve, not to struggle with my own thought.

Though I till can't understand Children in homeless shelter, will keep serving every first Sunday.
Hope there will be some related organization to help those children getting what they deserve.


BTW, their breakfast is really good: 2 eggs, muffin, bread, smash potato, bread, ham...

Ed. Journal - Identification Map 1

Will you become teacher?
I always hesitated to answer that kind question. Teacher’s responsibility is more than parents, for teachers role is n:1 while parents probably are 2:1. In addition, I truly believe that what I am teaching will present who I am. Teaching is not merely planting the knowledge, but also with the personality and characteristics. If I don’t know who I am, I won’t be sure whether I can teach or not.

The ID map is necessary for all teachers, just to know themselves before starting this career. Even though the ID map is always changing, but as we grow up, the ID map will be less important than the beginning.
The ICE berg is quite interesting. Culture is not only what it’s about the river, but more over, most part is under the water, limited by the behavior and product of the people or patterns in people’s life. The hidden part is the shared beliefs, feelings and values of a community of people.


Picture of iceberg. by Ralph Clevenger, 1999

Adapted from Gary Weaver & On line resource

The iceberg won’t remain the same – like the ID map I drew when I was in China is different from the map here. The map I drew the first time came to Hawaii is not the same like the map I drew it now.
I just read an article from Paul Hiebert about the culture shock. It’s quite true. The culture shock is a sense of cultural disorientation in a different society. In time, a person learns to operate in a new society; his level of adjustment rises; and he is acculturated into the new culture (See Figure 2.7, Paul Hiebert, http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert ). In the process, he becomes a bicultural person, who has come to grips with the issues of cultural parochialism and relativism.

(Christianity is supraculture and not a foreign religion – will be discussed in the another entry. It’s an interesting topic)

- All these for one purpose:
1. Know ourselves -> because teaching = telling who you are
2. Be sensitivity for students’ culture background and slow down the judgment.

Technology Lesson Topic and Standards - Liu Liu

Mandarin Class

Performance Objectives

Given access to a computer with Skype, the 2nd year high school language student will interview a mandarin speaker in China and make an oral presentation that follows the checklist

A. Audience: 2nd year high school language student


B. Behavior: interview a mandarin speaker in China and make an oral presentation


C. Condition: given access to a computer with Skype


D. Degree: follows at least 5 items in checklist


(Checklist of the interviewing content: Name, gender, age/grade, educational background, hobbies, family members, future goal, other)

Domain of Learning: Cognitive

HCPS III Standard(s) - Content Area Standard:

1. Standard 1: INTERPERSONAL: Use target language to engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions. - In the class, the students will engage in conversation individually through Skype to a mandarin speaker oversea. They will get to know each other through this online Skype call.

2. Standard 3: PRESENTATIONAL: Present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics. - After the call, the student will give an oral presentation in Mandarin, telling the classmates what she/he knows about this new friend just make though the Skype.

3. Standard 6: Oral Communication: CONVENTIONS AND SKILLS: Apply knowledge of verbal and nonverbal language to communicate effectively in various situations: interpersonal, group, and public for a variety of purposes.


Benchmark LA.K.6.2 Use basic social conventions in greetings, in introductions, and in conversations


Benchmark LA.K.6.3 Ask and respond appropriately to basic questions - This lesson apply the Mandarin communication in interpersonal and public levels.

NETS Standard(s) - Technology Standards:

1. Basic operations and concepts


2. 
   
   
   
   • Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
   
   
   • Students are proficient in the use of technology.
   
   
   
   


3. Social, ethical, and human issues


4. 
   
   
   
   • For the class requires students to communicate with another ethnic group, the students need to understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology.
   
   
   • Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software, including the computer, the headsets and the system.
   
   
   • Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.
   
   
   
   


5. Technology productivity tools


6. 
   
   
   
   • Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
   
   
   • Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.
   
   
   
   


7. Technology communications tools


8. 
   
   
   
   • Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.
   
   
   • Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.
   
   
   
   

References

ISTE NETS, Technology Foundation Standardsfor All Students, Feb 2008, http://cnets.iste.org/students/s_stands.html


Hawaii Content & Performance Standards III, Content Area: Language Arts for Grade/Course: K, Feb 2008, http://standardstoolkit.k12.hi.us/

Technorati : , HCPS III Standard, NETS Standard, less plan, mandarin, performance objectives, skype

Blog Post # 4

Website/blog: Music Mandarin
Link: http://mus-mandarin.blogspot.com/
About:
This blog is created by Robin, a experienced mandarin teacher for elementary school, sharing the teaching materials in Madarin. Information on Chinese culture, and resources, including picture books on China are shared.
The potential readers might include mandarin teachers at elementary schools in English speaking countries. As we know, children are good at aquiring a foreign language, and music is an effective way to maintian attention from the children.
In addition, plenty of interesting resources from the "site link" can be found. Acutally, I explored the "site link" for almost half an hour and added most of them into my "favourate folder". It's the great experience of reading someone's blog!

Ed. Journal - A website about Tolerance

It's acutally the homework in ETEC414.
We were told to find some website about education (in general) and analyze them.
Just like this site in all means. :)

http://www.tolerance.org/

How many of us never have a feeling towards someone or some behavior of “oh, that’s weird”?
None!

The world is the world with diversity but we human is not naturally appreciating this diversity. We have bias towards differences, get worried about the alliances or even worse, hate each other due to the differences. Weirdo = Abnormal by our own ruler
As educators, we feel urged to prepare ourselves and our kids to appreciate this colorful world with diversity.

From the site introduction in Tolerance.org, it is a principal online destination for people interested in dismantling bigotry and creating, in hate's stead, communities that value diversity. Through its online well of resources and ideas, its expanding collection of print materials, its burgeoning outreach efforts, and its downloadable public service announcements, Tolerance.org promotes and supports anti-bias activism in every venue of life.

The site targets on four groups: teacher, parents, teens and kids. As a potential teacher, let’s explore the teacher’s site: (http://www.tolerance.org/teach): it provides educators with educational materials that promote respect for differences and appreciation of diversity in and beyond the classroom. It's interesting to look at the classroom activities to get more ideas about how other expert preparing their curriculums.

Also, the outlook of the website is amazingly mature. Each sub-site can be a integrated site acutually. From the screen shots of each sub-site, we can feel the efforts by the site owner, through the delicated layouts, color themes, structures and contents.

(click the picture to open a window for the sub-sites)
Teachers


Parents


Teens


Kids

Ed. Journal – Interview

(I changed the interviewee after Feb 5; this entry was re-edited two weeks later.)
1. About my interview: FLG MEM. at HI.
All the content I interviewed was mentioned in review paper. One of the comments Prof gave was "brave. " -- didn’t deserve that compliment.

I just realized that I presented a wrong idea in the paper: I tried to pray for her husband to introduce Jesus to her in the paper, but I was wrong. If he would introduce her to Christ, it probably had happened for ages. It's very common that the close relationship won’t help the faith start/growth.

2. Reading Prof Reed’s note is always interesting. I thought Prof. Reed was a Catholic, but now I can feel the post modernism silhouette, with the belief of the supernatural world.(it comes from student’s natural tendency: spying teacher.) :P

3. Comments another student’s interview:
The last one of interviewing a prostitute is quite bizarre…L
Just watched the video Not For Sale

One of the dialogues in the video can still clearly replayed in my head: “I wish I would die when I wake up next day, for I can’t wait for the Hell. It’s better” (I paraphrase here)
The numbers and facts were too sanguinary. It’s hard to believe we are in a civil liberal world.

My church Nightlife recently is planning the Anti-Human trafficking conference and this should be another helpful channel for the conference.
Join this fight:
http://groups.google.com/group/NL-Social-Justice?hl=en

Ed. Journal - Poverty

E class is as interesting as before. Today’s topic is poverty.
We watched the video of Bangladesh Grameen Foundation, and discussed a series of pictures of a weekly grocery shopping in the world.
Just found these two classroom materials on line:
Video is from
Grameen Foundation Website
Photographs by Peter Menzel from the book "Hungry Planet"
This is the picture of Aboubakar family from Chad. They spent only $1.23 for one week on food and Their favorite food is soup with fresh sheept meat.


Poverty is not news for us and it keeps companionship with human after we left Eden. The Grameen foundation is quite successful and to the point - diminish the poverty.
Yes, as we know, NGO is an excellent way to dissolve the global poverty, and open doors for developing countries.
But the root of the poverty is greed. Yes, this material leve of poverty is from the nature of the man.

Still remember the DVD I watched, Another World is Possible Vol. II – Poverty . Our world is a world of economic extremes. "A beautiful harmony of songs and images, teaching and storytelling unveil the tragic realities of our fragile world and incredible hope that another world is possible." It's a good movie. Would like to watch it again to explore more about this "another possible world".

Yes, it's another economic extreme:
The Diamond-covered Mercedes Benz SL550
http://www.partstrain.com/blog/?p=167


This is supposed to be an abundant world, the world of buffet. But this is also a realistic world, the world of worry, greed and hatred.
I am sure Professor Reed's idea is letting us think about teacher's roll and poor people, for all what we present might be the model for the next generation.
Having a loving heart and practising following Jesus are always the best choice.

Ed. Journal – Choose a topic in Hunger of Memory

Ed. Journal – Choose a topic didn’t included in the reflection and reaction paper about “Hunger of Memory” by Rodriguez.
The entry discussed the 1) Relationship between home and school & 2) private v.s. public, relating to my own life and experience.

As we discussed in class, education will undermine the relationship in family while threat members of the family’s authority. For example: Student A’s grandma doesn’t speak English and one day, she was asked to visit school. So now student A plays an interpreter’s role. Teacher should always remember to look at Grandma instead of the interpreter, for the respect and manner. This is the same rule for interviewing with interpreter.

Student Grandma

Teacher

Language is the power code and after Rodriguez grasped the code, he felt ashamed of his family, so as to separate his public life from private life. The tragedy happened because of the malformed society value and the conflict between mainstream and minority. The tragedy is still happening and won’t disappear unless the world is absolutely equal and even. A lot of bilingual immigrants’ children as I know are with the dual memberships – family self and public self. The family self is for the family and parents, while the public self is for the friends, for the school, for the social occasions.

Language 1 <-> concept/thing /shape <-> Language 2

It’s just lucky to be in Hawaii, where all people are minority, all people have accent and all people are proud of their cultures.