Happy Lunar New Year!

Happy Lunar New Year! Wish you an auspicious year!

Happy Lunar New Year!--"11 things to know about Lunar New Year"--frome CNN

Can you guess what the 11 things are?

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/27/travel/11-things-lny/index.html

11 things to know about Lunar New Year

By Grace Huang, for CNN

January 30, 2014 -- Updated 0048 GMT (0848 HKT)

(CNN) -- It's that time again: Lunar New Year.

Cherry Blossoms, Friendship Blossoms

Yesterday, Jerry, Mei, Jennifer (朱美珍老師), and I went to Yangmingshan to see the cherry blossoms. We spent most of our time in Alley 42, Ping-ching Street (平菁街42巷). In the bright warm sun, all the cherry blossoms competed to bloom. Although this was just the second time I had a gathering with Jerry and Mei, we were already like old friends, chatting and laughing all the way, with our eyes fixed at the breathtaking masterpieces of nature. What a bliss!

"I Have the Right Not to Learn English"

Today at lunch, May, the new friend I met last week, said in her opinion, if students don't think it important to learn a language, then teachers don't need to force them to. This reminded me of a senior student who told me, "I have the right not to learn English," in response when I reminded to study English because he put all his effort only into physics.

 

From Different Angles

I looked at the same tree from different angles, and it is so different! This is true of life.

The photos were taken in the afternoon last Saturday, Jan. 25 at Pihu Park in Neihu.

"Here's what to do about your anxiety"--from CNN

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/24/health/raison-anxiety/index.html

Here's what to do about your anxiety

By Dr. Charles Raison, CNN contributor

January 24, 2014 -- Updated 1814 GMT (0214 HKT)

Racing Against the Clock

Tonight, I was so focused on writing listening exercises for junior high school students that I almost lost track of time and skipped today's entry. Fortunately, at the last minute, I found it and, racing against the clock, put down at least a sentence on today's entry. When we work hard, it always seems time flies faster.

英文作文 閱卷老師：考生「很敢寫」

http://mag.udn.com/mag/edu/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=496256

英文作文 閱卷老師：考生「很敢寫」


【聯合報╱記者陳智華／台北報導】2014/01/24

Let Tests Flip the Classroom--考題太顛覆？ 教學該翻轉了

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/X1/8435099.shtml

考題太顛覆？ 教學該翻轉了

【聯合報╱陳禹齊／高中教師（台南市）】

2014.01.19 04:11 am

The Washback Effects of Tests--學測國文／這回，樂見考試領導教學

Teachers often comfort students who are under great pressure from tests by saying tests are a necessary evil. However, tests don't need to be evil. A well-designed test can have positive washback effects on teaching and learning.

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/X1/8436814.shtml

學測國文／這回，樂見考試領導教學

【聯合報╱范曉雯／高中教師（台北市） 詹嘉芸／高中教師（新北市）】

2014.01.20 04:57 am

UrSchool, a Website to Help Choose Majors--大學生設網路 幫高三生選系

http://mag.udn.com/mag/edu/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=495471

大學生設網路 幫高三生選系

【聯合報╱記者沈育如／台北報導】2014/01/19

Tips for Choosing Your Major--如何選系？過來人這樣說…

http://mag.udn.com/mag/edu/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=495398

如何選系？過來人這樣說…

【聯合晚報╱記者王彩鸝╱台北報導】2014/01/18

Meeting New Friends

(Taken with Jennifer's cellphone)

Today, Jennifer (朱美珍老師) introduced two new friends to me. In fact, they're a sweet couple. They both taught at school before their retirement, Jerry at college in the States, and May in junior high school in Taiwan.

"For Westerners: Downsides of living in Taiwan"--from Taiwan Explorer

The other day, I posted CNN's "10 things Taiwan does better than anywhere else." This morning, I came across online a different view of Taiwan. The author listed "10 most common challengs Westerns might face in Taiwan." Please read it, and think if you agree with what the author said.

http://mykafkaesquelife.blogspot.tw/2014/01/downsides-of-living-in-taiwan-for-foreigners.html?m=1

For Westerners: Downsides of living in Taiwan

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Phubber--A Newly-Coined Word

This morning, I learned a newly-coined word: phubber from the Liberty Times. I used to call this kind of person a "cellphone addict."

http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2014/new/jan/20/today-life3-2.htm?Slots=Life

低頭族phubber

2014-1-20

English Test on 2014 SAT--英文科圓仔又入題 考生直呼親切

The English test on 2013 SAT, which students took today, can be downloaded from CEEC.

http://www.ceec.edu.tw/AbilityExam/AbilityExamPaper/103SAT_Paper/103SAT_PaperIndex.htm

OR

02-103學測英文-定稿

The following are comments in today's United Evening News.

http://mag.udn.com/mag/edu/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=495512

英文科圓仔又入題 考生直呼親切 

【聯合晚報╱記者游婉琪、劉開元、王彩鸝╱連線報導】2014/01/19

On Education--洪蘭／教育，讓我們不再是「it」

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/OPI4/8433445.shtml

洪蘭／教育，讓我們不再是「it」

【聯合報╱洪蘭】

2014.01.18 04:35 am

Another Three Classes

These are the three classes I taught for three weeks from Dec. 30, 2013 to Jan. 17, 2014, substituting for Ms. Yeh, who is on her honeymoon. Although I only taught them for three weeks, I still had the photos taken. We were meant to meet each other, and I cherished the time we spent together, exploring more not only about English but also about life. Nice meeting you!

A sentence in the card from Class 201 ensures me that I did not teach in vain: "謝謝老師! 您讓我感受到滿滿的對英文之熱情!!"



Class 201 (Taken on Jan. 9, 2014)

(Please click to enlarge the photo.)



Class 204 (Taken on Jan. 13, 2014)

 



Class 217 (Taken on Jan. 9, 2014)

She Got a 985 on TOEIC--小六生考多益 差5分滿分

For those who are going to take TOEIC or want to learn English well.

http://mag.udn.com/mag/edu/storypage.jsp?f_MAIN_ID=11&f_SUB_ID=3022&f_ART_ID=494936

小六生考多益 差5分滿分

【聯合報╱記者陳智華／台北報導】2014/01/16

"10 things Taiwan does better than anywhere else"--CNN

Everyone in Taiwan should read this article from CNN. Before reading it, why not make a guess of the 10 things.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/15/travel/10-things-taiwan/index.html

10 things Taiwan does better than anywhere else 

By Tina Hsiao, for CNN

January 15, 2014 -- Updated 0809 GMT (1609 HKT)