Just watched this inspirational talk from TED. Connect...be active....take notice....keep learning....and give!
Monday, 30 August 2010
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
True Words
I felt as if I had to record these words somewhere. As the mother of a non-verbal seven-year-old autistic child, they particularly resonated with me. They came from Alexander McCall Smith's Philosophy Club series, but I forget which book.
Cat had laughed. “I suppose if one wrote down all one’s thoughts through the day it would make very odd reading.”
“It would.” said Isabel. “And one of the reasons why it would make such odd reading is that language would be inadequate to describe our thoughts. We don’t think in words all the time. We don’t engage in one long soliloquy. We don’t mentally say things like: ‘I must go into town today.’ We don’t use those actual words, but we may still make a decision to go into town. Mental acts and mental states don’t require language.”
“So a person who never learnt a language could think in the same way as we do?” Cat sounded doubtful. How could one know one was going into town unless one had the word for going and the word for town?
“Yes,” said Isabel. “A person like that would have mental pictures. He would have feelings. He would have memories of what has happened to him and knowledge of what may happen in the future. The only difference is that he would find difficulty in communicating these, or recording them for that matter.”
Cat had laughed. “I suppose if one wrote down all one’s thoughts through the day it would make very odd reading.”
“It would.” said Isabel. “And one of the reasons why it would make such odd reading is that language would be inadequate to describe our thoughts. We don’t think in words all the time. We don’t engage in one long soliloquy. We don’t mentally say things like: ‘I must go into town today.’ We don’t use those actual words, but we may still make a decision to go into town. Mental acts and mental states don’t require language.”
“So a person who never learnt a language could think in the same way as we do?” Cat sounded doubtful. How could one know one was going into town unless one had the word for going and the word for town?
“Yes,” said Isabel. “A person like that would have mental pictures. He would have feelings. He would have memories of what has happened to him and knowledge of what may happen in the future. The only difference is that he would find difficulty in communicating these, or recording them for that matter.”
Thursday, 27 May 2010
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
Reading on the Bus
I like to look at what other people are reading on the bus. It can sometimes be quite distracting - especially when I just can't quite see what the title is. If I sit in the right position, I can sometimes read paragraphs and guess what the book is. There's a teacher (I know she's a teacher because she read a book called 'Positive Discipline' a few weeks ago) who is working her way through the whole Nora Roberts catalogue. I've never read any Nora Roberts, but I think her books are probably gentle fluff. That tells me something about that particular teacher. Nothing scandalous, nothing sinister. Just ideas.
I have a new favourite author - Alexander McCall Smith. At the moment I'm working through his Sunday Philosophy Club series. It honestly feels as if these books were written for me. They combine a woman in her early forties, philosophy, Edinburgh, and a gentle but compelling storyline. They are perfect. If anyone were to try and spot what I am reading, they would learn a lot about me as a person. But oddly enough, nobody appears to have the slightest interest in what I'm reading on the bus. Guess I should just get on and enjoy my books, like they do.
Sunday, 17 January 2010
The Art of Forgiving
Last week I had a huge lapse of judgment – as a mother, a teacher, a world citizen.
I’m not going to write about it here but let’s just say that it was a daft and irresponsible thing to do, witnessed by several parents and students. As I always do, I had the need to confess and told one or two of my closest colleagues, looking for reassurance. The general feeling was that it was silly, but forgivable.
I wondered if it really was forgivable. After all, I had, in theory, put several students in potential danger. The fact was that they weren’t really in danger – but it was something ill-advised that could have had serious consequences.
If I had been one of those parents, I would have been furious, and lost my trust. I was supposed to be the mature one, the one who had most of the answers, and yet, here I was, behaving like a silly schoolgirl.
This small acts can colour your whole life, at least for a few anxious days. Their impact fades, but then every now and then, you remember, and cringe.
Back to school this morning and behaving extra carefully, aware that reparations needed to be made and bridges built again. The boy who had been with me last week approached me with a cheery smile, as did all the parents, and we smalltalked our way to the schoolgate. I then realized that it had all been forgotten. And if it was forgotten, then it was also forgiven.
Now I just need to forgive myself.
I’m not going to write about it here but let’s just say that it was a daft and irresponsible thing to do, witnessed by several parents and students. As I always do, I had the need to confess and told one or two of my closest colleagues, looking for reassurance. The general feeling was that it was silly, but forgivable.
I wondered if it really was forgivable. After all, I had, in theory, put several students in potential danger. The fact was that they weren’t really in danger – but it was something ill-advised that could have had serious consequences.
If I had been one of those parents, I would have been furious, and lost my trust. I was supposed to be the mature one, the one who had most of the answers, and yet, here I was, behaving like a silly schoolgirl.
This small acts can colour your whole life, at least for a few anxious days. Their impact fades, but then every now and then, you remember, and cringe.
Back to school this morning and behaving extra carefully, aware that reparations needed to be made and bridges built again. The boy who had been with me last week approached me with a cheery smile, as did all the parents, and we smalltalked our way to the schoolgate. I then realized that it had all been forgotten. And if it was forgotten, then it was also forgiven.
Now I just need to forgive myself.
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Pressure
Wailing child in the staffroom, with wrist firmly in teacher's grip. Teacher calling Mummy.
What's up? I asked. The child is one of my best and favourite students and I don't like to see her cry.
It turns out that little Bella (names changed ;) had opened one of her textbooks in the exam, and copied an answer because she couldn't think what it was.
She knew it was wrong, but heck, she's six years old! And the pressure to perform and do well is already on.
I was so tempted to slip a sweetie into her jacket pocket, but I didn't think it would be sending the right message. So I hugged her while the teacher was on the phone and she bawled her eyes out.
What a miserable state of affairs. Soon they'll have kindergarten children doing exams.
What's up? I asked. The child is one of my best and favourite students and I don't like to see her cry.
It turns out that little Bella (names changed ;) had opened one of her textbooks in the exam, and copied an answer because she couldn't think what it was.
She knew it was wrong, but heck, she's six years old! And the pressure to perform and do well is already on.
I was so tempted to slip a sweetie into her jacket pocket, but I didn't think it would be sending the right message. So I hugged her while the teacher was on the phone and she bawled her eyes out.
What a miserable state of affairs. Soon they'll have kindergarten children doing exams.
New School Year
It isn't in theory a new school year. It isn't even a new school term. Here in Hong Kong there are two terms, and one ends on the Friday, and the new one starts on the Monday. Hardly ceremonious.
But it's 2010, and I was hoping for a kind of fresh start. What I find though is that I am as exhausted and fed-up as I was at the end of last year.
My CA is as dopey and devious as ever. I sincerely believe that as soon as my back is turned, she will be back on MSN chatting with her friends. And then when I ask her what she has been doing, she will reel off several things which I know for a fact either a) take ten minutes to do or b) she had finished days before. Not much I can say. I did speak sharply with her just before Christmas, and I don't really want to do it again. It left a sour taste in my mouth and completely ruined my weekend.
So I managed to hold my tongue today very successfully, despite the fact that she managed to have me rooting around searching for something which had been sitting on her desk the whole time.
I don't really want this blog to turn into a general complainfest, but I don't have much good to write at the moment. Roll on the typhoon season! Then it all gets interesting!!
But it's 2010, and I was hoping for a kind of fresh start. What I find though is that I am as exhausted and fed-up as I was at the end of last year.
My CA is as dopey and devious as ever. I sincerely believe that as soon as my back is turned, she will be back on MSN chatting with her friends. And then when I ask her what she has been doing, she will reel off several things which I know for a fact either a) take ten minutes to do or b) she had finished days before. Not much I can say. I did speak sharply with her just before Christmas, and I don't really want to do it again. It left a sour taste in my mouth and completely ruined my weekend.
So I managed to hold my tongue today very successfully, despite the fact that she managed to have me rooting around searching for something which had been sitting on her desk the whole time.
I don't really want this blog to turn into a general complainfest, but I don't have much good to write at the moment. Roll on the typhoon season! Then it all gets interesting!!
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
New Year's Resolution
My New Year's Resolution was simple. I chose just one, one that I was pretty sure that I could keep to. It was - to update this blog on a more regular basis.
Well, it's 12th January and this is my first post of the year, so I'm not doing very well.
Especially as I've really got nothing to say right now.
Well, it's 12th January and this is my first post of the year, so I'm not doing very well.
Especially as I've really got nothing to say right now.
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