Happy New Year!--An Old Entry Re-posted

Today is New Year's Eve.  Again, the song sung by ABBA "Happy New Year" flashed into my mind.  Here I'd like to post the entry I kept on Life Type system a year ago in which the video of the song was presented.   Just sing along.  This song is 30 years old!

http://www.tiec.tp.edu.tw/lifetype/post/1130/19093

May everyone have a beautiful and happy 2009!

 

Keep Moving Up

The result of the 2nd mock exam came out this moring.  Some students were exhilarated that they had made a great improvement; some were frustrated, dissatisfied with their performance.  What I'd like to tell those who have lost or are about to lose heart is

"This is not the end of the game.  Keep moving up.  Things can go better."

To Losan (羅珊老師)

Dear Losan,

Thank you for visiting my blog, and the sweet words.  You're always generous in encouraging others.  Those who know you love you.

To Sandy (黃馨儀老師)

Dear Sandy,

Thank you for the comments on my two entries. 

I found you a great singer the day we encountered at Lungshan Junior High School.  Besides, the enthusiasm you showed was really impressive.  My intuition told me that you are a born teacher.  Annie spoke highly of you. 

Teaching Vocabulary

When I teach vocabulary, what I like to do most is use the new words to chat with the students and have the students make sentences.  For example, I've finished the discussion of the reading text of Unit 11 "The Cellist of Sarajevo," so what was left for today's class was the vocabulary part. 

"Speaking Passport"--a Way to Get Students to Talk

Last Monday, after my speech at Lungshan Junior High School, I drove Ms. Hsin-yi Huang (黃馨儀老師), a teacher from Blessed Imelda's School (靜修女中), to the MRT station.  In my car, she told me that her school has an English Day every week.  On that day students have to bring their "speaking passport" and went to a teacher to tell him/her the answer to the question the school posed on the previous day, for example, "What did you do last Sunday?" so that they can have their passport stamped.

The Secret to Happiness

"The Secret to Happiness:  Singing some songs when feeling nervous."  This is the title of an article on the front page of today's United Daily News as follows.

http://udn.com/NEWS/NATIONAL/NAT5/4662005.shtml

About Poetry Recitation

Today I told Class 314 why I'd like them to recite the poem "The Road Not Taken" to me individually.  I don't want them to learn English just to pass the tests, be they the mid-terms, the finals, the UEE, or even TOEFL.  

Merry Christmas!

I'm happy that we still sang two Christmas songs in class today.   Seeing students so excited about  Christmas, I cannot but let them sing.  We sang "Happy Xams War Is Over" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."  Most of them preferred the latter because "it's cute," as they told me.  Well, I love the naivety of the kid in the song.  He really believed in Santa Claus and so, when he saw his mom kissing Santa Claus, he thought she was having an affair.  He didn't know the Santa Claus, in fact, was his father. 

Happy Xmas

It is Xmas Eve. Merry Xmas!

Here is a song I'd like to teach students tomorrow but might not have time to. That's why I put the video on my blog for whoever wants to sing it. The title of the song is "Happy Xmas War Is Over," an anti-war song. It was written by John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono.

Unit 11 in our textbook "The Cellist of Sarajevo" is about how the cellist Vedran Smailovic conveyed his outrage over war through music. This song can be used as a supplement.

happy christmas war is over

Advice on How to Prepare for Biology on the SAT

An article on how to prepare for Biology on the SAT.

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=167711

Advice on How to Prepare for Earth Science on the SAT

An article on how to prepare for Earth Science on the SAT.

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=167890

Thank you, Annie (詹麗馨老師)

Dear Annie,

This is a thank-you note to you. Thinking that I might be too tired to cook dinner tonight after going back home from your school, you prepared tonight's dinner and even tomorrow's breakfast and lunch for me:curry beef, curry fried rice, marinated bean curd, stir-fried ground pork, and weet soup. Thank you. After the speech, I drove home with a heart filled with gratitude. You're always like this, ready to take care of people around you. You're an angel.

A Talk on "Teaching English Through Songs" at Lunhshan Junior High School

This afternoon, I was invited by one of my best friends Annie (詹麗馨老師) to give a talk on "Teaching English Through Songs" at her school.

To Someone

The following are the comments from "Someone" on my "Photos of My 2008-2009 Classes" and my response.

Advice on How to Prepare for Chemistry on the SAT

Here is an article on how to prepare for chemistry on the SAT.

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=167627

Please read on if you cannot get linked to the website.

Advice on How to Prepare for Civics on the SAT

An article on how to prepare for civics on the SAT.

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=167510

If you cannot get connected, just read on.

To Varren

Another former student Varren (洪儷珊) also gave her comments on "Photos of My 2008-2009 Classes." Here are her comments and my response.

To Eric

My former student Eric (李鎮宇) left his comments on my "Photos of My 2008-2009 Classes."  The following are his comments and my response.

Photos of My 2008-2009 Classes

These are the three classes I'm teaching now. They are all seniors. Each class is unique.