Acts of Kindness--那年中秋颱風夜…謝謝陌生人伸援, plus Gypsy in My Soul

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/X1/7398176.shtml

那年中秋颱風夜…謝謝陌生人伸援

【聯合報╱王朝源／農（台中市）】

2012.09.30 02:06 am

Thank You All, My Dear Students

Yesterday was Teacher's Day.  This is one of the two chocolates from a student who graduated this year, along with a bookmark and a handwritten card. 

Happy Teacher's Day (Yesterday's Entry)--教師節，看現狀／面對夢周公的學生…

Yesterday evening, I was in Tainan, paying a visit to my father who was hospitalized.  Since I would visit him again today, I stayed in a hotel.

I couldn't get online in the hotel, so I kept my blog on Microsoft Word.  Here it is.

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/X1/7394273.shtml

教師節，看現狀／面對夢周公的學生…

【聯合報╱劉秀芳／教（高雄市）】

2012.09.28 02:54 am

下午第一節下課時，同事氣餒的回到辦公室。因為班上有不少的學生頻夢周公，叫了又睡，醒了又睡，但也因為有課程進度上的壓力，只能專心講自己的課。她很憂心也很洩氣，這樣下去，學生能學到什麼呢？

Believe in the good

Good things happen when you go for [it] them.--Alan Webb

All You Have to Do Is Ask

Randy Pausch's "All You Have to Do Is Ask" simplifies my life.  This morning, I checked Google Maps to plan the route to the lecture hall I'm going to tomorrow afternoon.  The following is what I got:

On the Service Course

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=414517

服務學習課／認真做！他們發光發熱

【聯合晚報╱記者游婉琪╱台北報導】2012/09/24

Gems of Wisdom from Peter F. Drucker

I came across this publication about some great ideas of Peter F. Drucker, the father of modern management, at a convenience store today.  Atttracted by the title, I bought it and have read more than half of it.

The title of a chapter totally contradicts the common assertion that one should work hard to make up for a lack of natural talent.  It says:

「勤能補拙」？ 可能導致你忘了自身長處

This idea is further complemented by the subtitle:

杜拉克認為，「自己會什麼」比「自己不會什麼」來得重要…避免自己長期將資源和時間浪費在枝微末節上。

My Reading--A Collection of Inspiring Articles for Students

This is a 52-page book I made for students who I taught for only one week at the beginning of this semester. It is a collection of inspiring or thought-provoking articles, meant to ignite students' passion for life and people around as well.  Still, there are some articles very worth reading and highly recommended by former students, but not included in the book, such as Randy Pausch's "All You Have to Do is Ask," "Tell the Truth," and "All You Have Is What You Bring with You."   Fortunately, I have the students' email addresses.

Which Comes First, to Study or to Work?--先工作再升學 關中：未嘗不好

http://udn.com/NEWS/LIFE/LIF6/7380552.shtml

先工作再升學 關中：未嘗不好

【聯合報╱記者張錦弘／台北報導】2012.09.22 02:39 am

To Take a Gap Year in Australia

This afternoon, I had a gathering with two 309 students who graduated from NHSH last year.   When they were still in school, we didn't have much time to chat, either because they were occupied with their studies, tests, or socialization or because I was busy dealing with other students.  I'm happy that we finally found time to catch up on what we had missed. 

Happy Gathering with NHSH English Teachers

On Monday, Sept. 17, I had a happy gathering with NHSH English teachers.  Almost everyone came except three. This photo was taken with Pearl's camera.  Pearl (蔡琬渝老師) is the organizer of this gathering.  Thanks to her, we add another beautiful page to our life book.

Stay Happy--台科大校長勉新生：快樂才是關鍵

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=413453

台科大校長勉新生：快樂才是關鍵

2012/09/19

【聯合報╱記者鄭語謙／台北報導】

On Setting a Life Goal for Yourself--威爾剛之父 勉亞大新生立志

http://udn.com/NEWS/NATIONAL/NAT5/7370170.shtml

威爾剛之父 勉亞大新生立志

【聯合報╱記者莊亞築／台中報導】

2012.09.18 02:37 am

Tips on How to Prepare for TOEIC

A former student Jack Chung (莊子賢) got more than 900 on TOEIC and a full score in the listening section.  Another student asked me how to prepare for TOEIC.   So, at my request, Jack shared some tips through the FB private message.  With his permission, I now post his advice in today's entry as follows:

On Working Holiday (2)--打工遊世界 何必死守22K

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/X1/7366247.shtml

打工遊世界 何必死守22K

【聯合報╱蔡翔／金融業（台北市）】

2012.09.16 02:44 am

On Working Holiday--打工2年 我玩遍了澳洲

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/X1/7364766.shtml

遊學打工爭議／打工2年 我玩遍了澳洲

【聯合報╱袁子賢／昆士蘭大學博士生（澳洲昆士蘭州）】

2012.09.15 02:53 am

My comments: I believe Mr. Yuan wrote on "working holiday" instead of "study-work."  The Chinese title is misleading.

Here is information for a "study-work" program found online:

http://www.ecampustours.com/payingforcollege/financialaidandfafsa/whatisworkstudy

Face the Sun, and the Shadow Is Left Behind

Yesterday evening, a former student came to visit me.  We chatted over dinner.  When we came to the topic of the MRT, I told her whenever I saw the enormous crowds at the MRT station, especially Chung-hsiao Fu-hsing, I was really touched.

To Be Creative, Be Happy First--洪蘭：快樂的學生才有創意

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/OPI4/7359842.shtml

洪蘭：快樂的學生才有創意

【聯合報╱洪蘭】

2012.09.13 02:44 am

Stay Healthy, Live Long--人瑞談養生／人瑞劉鏡寰 人生七分飽

Etta, a former student who is studying Chinese medicine in the States now, once told me on the phone that the best person we can turn to for good advice on staying healthy is not the doctor, but the centenarian.  Here is one.

http://mag.udn.com/mag/life/storypage.jsp?f_MAIN_ID=211&f_SUB_ID=3373&f_ART_ID=412123

人瑞談養生／人瑞劉鏡寰 人生七分飽

【聯合報／記者紀文禮／南投縣報導】
2012/09/12

Class 209

A PPT for Past Perfect in "S had V-en...since S V-ed..."

The following is a ppt I made last week to teach the past perfect tense in the sentence "S had V-en...since S V-ed."   Those who still have problems with the pattern can review and think about why the past perfect tense is used in every example sentence.   A review of the present perfect in the similar sentence pattern, as shown in the first slide, can help you have a better grasp of the new pattern.

Get Organized--戴勝益：懂整理，才能在人生大步前行

http://www.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=5029501

戴勝益：懂整理，才能在人生大步前行

2012-01-16天下雜誌         489期      

Sunao: 素直心

"Sunao" is a new word I learned from  Ms. Chien Ching-hui (簡靜惠) at the udn talksI attended this morning.  According to her, it is similar to "open-mindedness," a willingness to experience new things.  Curious about this new term, I surfed the Net and found the following article on Sunao.

http://www.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=5026527

When You Do Something You Really Love...--院長爸爸翁啟惠的教育經

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=411336

院長爸爸翁啟惠的教育經

【聯合晚報／記者林進修／台北報導】2012/09/07

女兒棄建築轉藝術，當起了窮畫家... 翁啟惠引以為傲地說：她現在很快樂，活在希望裡。

A Pictures Paints a Thousand Words--陸童爬峭壁開學 觸動台灣學子

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/X1/7342177.shtml

陸童爬峭壁開學 觸動台灣學子

【聯合報╱涂順振／私立高中校長（屏縣內埔）】

2012.09.05 02:32 am

If You Went to School This Way

What are these children doing?  Sliding for fun or doing extreme sports?  Well, they could take this daily routine as either, but the fact is that they are commuting to school.  Read the excerpt of an RD article to know more about it.  I'm happy that I don't need to do so in daily life.

http://www.readersdigest.co.uk/magazine/readers-digest-main/the-worlds-craziest-commutes

A Talk at the First Encounter about Learning English

This morning, I met Class 215 for the first and also the last time.  Instead of teaching any lesson in the textbook, like what I had done in Class 209 last Friday and this Monday, I gave a talk in English on the importance of learning English and how to learn it.

Information Card

Last Friday, at our first encounter, I had each student in Class 209 fill out an information card for me so that I could get to know them sooner.  The card included their

Synopsis of The Dark Knight Rises

At the following website, you can read the plot synopsis of the movie The Dark Knight Rises.

On Memorization and Learning--背誦是最基本的學習方式

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/OPI4/7332015.shtml

王道還：背誦是最基本的學習方式

【聯合報╱王道還】

2012.08.31 02:25 am