cannyben

In the rich world globalization had driven the wedge between social classes, while in the poor world, the main divide is between countries: those that adjusted to globalization and, in many areas, prospered and those that adjusted badly and, in many cases, collapsed. Indeed the Third World was never a bloc the way that that the first and second worlds were. But it was united by its opposition to colonialism and dislike for being used as a battlefield of the two then-dominant ideologies. As the Second World collapsed and globalization took off, the latter rationale evaporated, and a few countries, most notably India and China, accelerated their growth rates significantly, enjoying the fruits of freer trade and larger capital flows. And although these two countries adapted well to globalization, there is little doubt that their newfound relative prosperity opened many new fissure lines. Inequality between coastal and inland provinces, as well as between urban and rural areas, skyrocketed...

Historically, the dominant power tends to support globalization as a way to increase the ambit of its influence, expand trade and gain economic advantage, co-opt new citizens and possibly show the advantages. This was the case with the Roman, British and now American-led globalizations. But recently, the rich West - which saw globalization as a prelude to "the end of history" - is having second thoughts. Two fears drive this unease with globalization: The first is a fear of job loss due to competition from low-wage countries. The second is the fear of ethnic and cultural dilution due to increased immigration. The cause of the first fear is a fast reemergence on the world stage of China and India. For students of history, the rise of China and India is not a surprise. The two countries are just recapturing the ground lost during the 19th and most of the 20th century. Before the Industrial Revolution, China's and India's combined output accounted for one half of the wor...

I know a song writer who often gets his hit tunes while he is asleep. His subconscious mind works on the tune while he is asleep. It then comes to him as though he were in a dream. After heaving it in this sort of dream state, he awakens himself and puts the tune down on paper. It is like recording a dream that you want to remember. The utilization of the subconscious in this manner is an integral link in the chain of success. There are thousand approaches to the road that ultimately lead to success, but once the approaches have led you to the proper road, one must travel the “straight” and “narrow” the rest of the way. It is marked along the way with difficulties, and each milestone brings you closer to the goal, and each milestone is charged with a deep and gratifying reward of its own. Eventual success is the sum total of all these rewarding experiences merged into one glorious sensation of achievement. We now have a reasonable and logical question, can each of us do this by ourselv...

We ask our students, “Why do you study”? The immediate replies from the students include: for grades, admissions, ranks, bright future, happy parents. Surprisingly, no one thinks of knowledge. We explain to our students that it is very important to be knowledge-motivated and not grade-motivated. Not that grades are of no importance, but grades follow knowledge. Grades are merely scales by which we measure knowledge. Grades do not constitute knowledge. This distinction is vitally important. There are two negative aspects to grade-motivated learning. One is ego, and the other hostility. We always acclaim the toppers. Our actions boost the child’s ego. A child whose ego is thus inflated refuses to accept failure. Thus, the joy of learning is slaughtered systematically. The second aspect is hostility. Grade-motivated studies make a child hostile. All teachers must have noticed a certain unwillingness among the students to discuss their grades when answer scripts are returned after evaluati...

In the present age, almost everyone is hoping for a change in the system in which a school functions. Education should be such that it meets everyone’s needs. Students, these days, are especially fed up with the education they are receiving. Education consists of three things, where the first is, to teach to observe and know the basic facts that would enable the students in forming judgements; secondly, to train children to think fruitfully and soundly; thirdly, to teach children to use their knowledge and their thought effectively for their own, as well as the common good. When students feel good about where they are, they tend to be more relaxed, creative and open to learning new things. Comfortable desks and appealing classrooms would help improve learning, while a student lounge, large auditorium and cafeteria would aid towards an ideal school. Curriculum and equipment are the major factors that should be considered when creating an ideal school. Unfortunately, most schools today l...

Successful management practices are regularly emulated and imbibed by Educational Institutions which are now functioning like corporate houses and like them are employing standardized methods, standardized application with expectation of uniform products. Education however should not be only product oriented and neither should there be any insistence on a uniform output because we do not produce bottled drinks in our institutions ! Have our educational institutions become like production houses and the students like products, where all that matter is just the scores and not the overall development ? it is an accepted truth today that students differ as individuals and especially as individual learners. Their styles of learning are different; their backgrounds are different, namely, culture, religion, language. They are different in their intelligence. Despite this, a closer look of education reform reveals that almost all changes mainly focus on mechanism of improvement of test scores ...

A young boy was fascinated to see the stirrings of life in a cocoon. The moth inside was struggling to free itself, but the process was slow and tedious. Thinking he would help the moth, he slit the cocoon with his pocketknife, and the insect emerged freely. But it had none of the expected colour, it couldn’t fly, and it soon died. The boy later learned that a moth’s struggle to free itself is a necessary part of its development, and that the process stimulates body fluids that give luster to its wings. Most of us must confess that we find it difficult to endure times of suffering and trial patiently. However, bitter disappointments, painful suffering, and shattering sorrow can be a means of strengthening our character.

We ask our students, “Why do you study”? The immediate replies from the students include: for grades, admissions, ranks, bright future, happy parents. Surprisingly, no one thinks of knowledge. We explain to our students that it is very important to be knowledge-motivated and not grade-motivated. Not that grades are of no importance, but grades follow knowledge. Grades are merely scales by which we measure knowledge. Grades do not constitute knowledge. This distinction is vitally important. There are two negative aspects to grade-motivated learning. One is ego, and the other hostility. We always acclaim the toppers. Our actions boost the child’s ego. A child whose ego is thus inflated refuses to accept failure. Thus, the joy of learning is slaughtered systematically. The second aspect is hostility. Grade-motivated studies make a child hostile. All teachers must have noticed a certain unwillingness among the students to discuss their grades when answer scripts are returned after evaluati...

Successful management practices are regularly emulated and imbibed by Educational Institutions which are now functioning like corporate houses and like them are employing standardized methods, standardized application with expectation of uniform products. Education however should not be only product oriented and neither should there be any insistence on a uniform output because we do not produce bottled drinks in our institutions ! Have our educational institutions become like production houses and the students like products, where all that matter is just the scores and not the overall development ? it is an accepted truth today that students differ as individuals and especially as individual learners. Their styles of learning are different; their backgrounds are different, namely, culture, religion, language. They are different in their intelligence. Despite this, a closer look of education reform reveals that almost all changes mainly focus on mechanism of improvement of test score...

Every new idea, somewhere down the line, will be met with either indifference or skepticism. There is an ingrained reluctance on the part of most people to accept new things. Thomas Edition found a great deal of resistance in having his electric light bulb accepted because he had neither formal education nor scientific reputation. People were being criticized for being able to talk through a hollow wire, as the telephone was called in its early days. These men, these inventors, had something in common and that was a resourcefulness, an ingenuity, and a deep faith in their own ability to reproduce their dream. They had hope and enthusiasm. They had to struggle long and hard but they never considered giving up.

In the olden times, inns/rest houses were available, but were often unsafe and uncomfortable. Travelers had to rely on relations or acquaintances to get a night’s lodging. Our homes are a very private part of our lives; home is where we go when we want to escape some of life’s pressures. We feel safe and secure there. To open our homes to others opens part of ourselves to them. By offering hospitality, we invite others to enjoy the blessings we enjoy. It takes a little work, but it is well worth the effort. In our busy lives, we may think hospitality is too time consuming. But we need to take the time to welcome others to enjoy our food and fellowship. If we do it with joy, we may be surprised by the joy we receive.

I know a song writer who often gets his hit tunes while he is asleep. His subconscious mind works on the tune while he is asleep. It then comes to him as though he were in a dream. After heaving it in this sort of dream state, he awakens himself and puts the tune down on paper. It is like recording a dream that you want to remember. The utilization of the subconscious in this manner is an integral link in the chain of success. There are thousand approaches to the road that ultimately lead to success, but once the approaches have led you to the proper road, one must travel the “straight” and “narrow” the rest of the way. It is marked along the way with difficulties, and each milestone brings you closer to the goal, and each milestone is charged with a deep and gratifying reward of its own. Eventual success is the sum total of all these rewarding experiences merged into one glorious sensation of achievement. We now have a reasonable and logical question, can each of us do this by ourselv...

We ask our students, “Why do you study”? The immediate replies from the students include: for grades, admissions, ranks, bright future, happy parents. Surprisingly, no one thinks of knowledge. We explain to our students that it is very important to be knowledge-motivated and not grade-motivated. Not that grades are of no importance, but grades follow knowledge. Grades are merely scales by which we measure knowledge. Grades do not constitute knowledge. This distinction is vitally important. There are two negative aspects to grade-motivated learning. One is ego, and the other hostility. We always acclaim the toppers. Our actions boost the child’s ego. A child whose ego is thus inflated refuses to accept failure. Thus, the joy of learning is slaughtered systematically. The second aspect is hostility. Grade-motivated studies make a child hostile. All teachers must have noticed a certain unwillingness among the students to discuss their grades when answer scripts are returned after evaluati...

The question, often is asked or wondered: Does the colour of one’s skin or religion, or background affect one’s ability to do a job well or give an indication of one’s level of intelligence or motivation? No, of course it doesn’t. So why are ethnic minority people statistically more likely to be unemployed than their counterparts in general category? Do the above factors really influence one’s employability prospects and, if that really is the case, how can one redress the balance? It’s a long time that it is made in some countries illegal to treat a person less favourably than others on ethnic grounds. Yet there are still significant discrepancies for ethnic groups in the society and in the workplace. According to some research, ethnic minority workers receive less pay than their other counterparts, and are more likely to be unemployed. In essence, people should not be discriminated in the fields of employment, education, training, housing and the provision of goods, facilities and ...

We ask our students, “Why do you study”? The immediate replies from the students include: for grades, admissions, ranks, bright future, happy parents. Surprisingly, no one thinks of knowledge. We explain to our students that it is very important to be knowledge-motivated and not grade-motivated. Not that grades are of no importance, but grades follow knowledge. Grades are merely scales by which we measure knowledge. Grades do not constitute knowledge. This distinction is vitally important. There are two negative aspects to grade-motivated learning. One is ego, and the other hostility. We always acclaim the toppers. Our actions boost the child’s ego. A child whose ego is thus inflated refuses to accept failure. Thus, the joy of learning is slaughtered systematically. The second aspect is hostility. Grade-motivated studies make a child hostile. All teachers must have noticed a certain unwillingness among the students to discuss their grades when answer scripts are returned after evaluati...

Success is rarely accomplished without assistance somewhere along the way. The component elements of society are so interrelated, and so interdependent, that it is difficult to conceive of a situation where the work of one person does not either directly or indirectly affect another. Practice positive thinking every day and engage freely with others in the exchange of thoughts and ideas. The aid that you will receive will be of immense value. Great stimulation will stem from the inspiration of others, and your own particular efforts will be considerably accelerated to the achievement of your purposes.

A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the House, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments,perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot wasashamed of it's own imperfection. And miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causeswater to leak out all the way back to your house. Because ...

In the olden times, inns/rest houses were available, but were often unsafe and uncomfortable. Travelers had to rely on relations or acquaintances to get a night’s lodging. Our homes are a very private part of our lives; home is where we go when we want to escape some of life’s pressures. We feel safe and secure there. To open our homes to others opens part of ourselves to them. By offering hospitality, we invite others to enjoy the blessings we enjoy. It takes a little work, but it is well worth the effort. In our busy lives, we may think hospitality is too time consuming. But we need to take the time to welcome others to enjoy our food and fellowship. If we do it with joy, we may be surprised by the joy we receive.

In the present age, almost everyone is hoping for a change in the system in which a school functions. Education should be such that it meets everyone’s needs. Students, these days, are especially fed up with the education they are receiving. Education consists of three things, where the first is, to teach to observe and know the basic facts that would enable the students in forming judgements; secondly, to train children to think fruitfully and soundly; thirdly, to teach children to use their knowledge and their thought effectively for their own, as well as the common good. When students feel good about where they are, they tend to be more relaxed, creative and open to learning new things. Comfortable desks and appealing classrooms would help improve learning, while a student lounge, large auditorium and cafeteria would aid towards an ideal school. Curriculum and equipment are the major factors that should be considered when creating an ideal school. Unfortunately, most schools today l...

Educational technology includes all educational resources --- men and materials, methods and techniques, means and media in an integrated and systematic manner to optimize learning. Learning not teaching is the crucial task of the educational process. Technology is one component in this process and can help make learning easy and interesting. A large number of schools have gone headlong into computer education --- not really computer-based education --- and usually what this means is learning how to use a computer for different tasks, including mathematical operations (statistics, spreadsheets, geometric modeling) and desktop publishing (bringing out a class magazine or making posters). Computer-based education, on the other hand, implies the use of computers as a means to educate. Lessons are designed using the capacities of the computer to stimulate, organize information, and present materials that are visual, auditory and text-based, all within the same frame. Such computer-based ed...