Friday, December 14, 2007

What do You Need to Know About Drugs

DRUGS

Drugs are chemicals that change the way a person's body works. You've probably heard that drugs are bad for you, but what does that mean and why are they bad?

Medicines Are Legal Drugs

If you've ever been sick and had to take medicine, you already know about one kind of drugs. Medicines are legal drugs, meaning doctors are allowed to prescribe them for patients, stores can sell them, and people are allowed to buy them. But it's not legal, or safe, for people to use these medicines any way they want or to buy them from people who are selling them illegally.

Cigarettes and Alcohol

Cigarettes and alcohol are two other kinds of legal drugs. (In the United States, adults 18 and over can buy cigarettes and those 21 and over can buy alcohol.) But smoking and excessive drinking are not healthy for adults and off limits for kids.

Illegal Drugs

When people talk about the "drug problem," they usually mean abusing legal drugs or using illegal drugs, such as marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, LSD, crystal meth and heroin. (Marijuana is generally an illegal drug, but some states allow doctors to prescribe it to adults for certain illnesses.)

Why Are Illegal Drugs Dangerous?

Illegal drugs aren't good for anyone, but they are particularly bad for a kid or teen whose body is still growing. Illegal drugs can damage the brain, heart, and other important organs. Cocaine, for instance, can cause a heart attack - even in a kid or teen.

While using drugs, a person is also less able to do well in school, sports, and other activities. It's often harder to think clearly and make good decisions. People can do dumb or dangerous things that could hurt themselves - or other people - when they use drugs.

Why Do People Use Illegal Drugs?

Sometimes kids and teens try drugs to fit in with a group of friends. Or they might be curious or just bored. A person may use illegal drugs for many reasons, but often because they help the person escape from reality for a while. If a person is sad or upset, a drug can - temporarily - make the person feel better or forget about problems. But this escape lasts only until the drug wears off.

Drugs don't solve problems, of course. And using drugs often causes other problems on top of the problems the person had in the first place. A person who uses drugs can become dependent on them, or addicted. This means that the person's body becomes so accustomed to having this drug that he or she can't function well without it.

Once a person is addicted, it's very hard to stop taking drugs. Stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as vomiting (throwing up), sweating, and tremors (shaking). These sick feelings continue until the person's body gets adjusted to being drug free again.

Can I Tell If Someone Is Using Drugs?

If someone is using drugs, you might notice changes in how the person looks or acts. Here are some of those signs, but it's important to remember that depression or another problem could be causing these changes. A person using drugs may:

lose interest in school
change friends (to hang out with kids who use drugs)
become moody, negative, cranky, or worried all the time
ask to be left alone a lot
have trouble concentrating
sleep a lot (maybe even in class)
get in fights
have red or puffy eyes
lose or gain weight
cough a lot
have a runny nose all of the time

What Can I Do to Help?

If you think someone is using drugs, the best thing to do is to tell an adult that you trust. This could be a parent, other relative, teacher, coach, or school counselor. The person might need professional help to stop using drugs. A grown-up can help the person find the treatment he or she needs to stop using drugs. Another way kids can help kids is by choosing not to try or use drugs. It's a good way for friends to stick together.

Understanding drugs and why they are dangerous is another good step for a kid to take. Below, we've listed some words that may be new to you.

Words to Know

Addiction (say: uh-dik-shun) - A person has an addiction when he or she becomes dependent on or craves a drug all of the time.

Depressant (say: dih-preh-sunt) - A depressant is a drug that slows a person down. Doctors prescribe depressants to help people be less angry, anxious, or tense. Depressants relax muscles and make people feel sleepy, less stressed out, or like their head is stuffed. Some people may use these drugs illegally to slow themselves down and help bring on sleep - especially after using various kinds of stimulants. (See below.)

Hallucinogen (say: huh-loo-sun-uh-jun) - A hallucinogen is a drug, such as LSD, that changes a person's mood and makes him or her see, hear, or think things that aren't really there.

High - A high is the feeling that drug users want to get when they take drugs. There are many types of highs, including a very happy or spacey feeling or a feeling that a person has special powers, such as the ability to fly or to see into the future.

Inhalant (say: in-hay-lunt) - An inhalant, such as glue or gasoline, is sniffed or "huffed" to give the user an immediate rush. Inhalants produce a quick feeling of being drunk - followed by sleepiness, staggering, dizziness, and confusion.

Narcotic (say: nar-kah-tik) - A narcotic dulls the body's senses (leaving a person less aware and alert and feeling carefree) and relieves pain. Narcotics can cause a person to sleep, fall into a stupor, have convulsions, and even slip into a coma. Certain narcotics - such as codeine - are legal if given by doctors to treat pain. Heroin is an illegal narcotic because it is has dangerous side effects and is very addictive.

Stimulant (say: stim-yuh-lunt) - A stimulant speeds up a person's body and brain. Stimulants, such as methamphetamines and cocaine, have the opposite effect of depressants. Usually, stimulants make a person feel high and energized. When the effects of a stimulant wear off, the person will feel tired or sick.

Drugs are chemicals that change the way a person's body works. You've probably heard that drugs are bad for you, but what does that mean and why are they bad?

Medicines Are Legal Drugs

Cigarettes and Alcohol

Illegal Drugs

Why Are Illegal Drugs Dangerous?

Why Do People Use Illegal Drugs?

Can I Tell If Someone Is Using Drugs?

lose interest in school
change friends (to hang out with kids who use drugs)
become moody, negative, cranky, or worried all the time
ask to be left alone a lot
have trouble concentrating
sleep a lot (maybe even in class)
get in fights
have red or puffy eyes
lose or gain weight
cough a lot
have a runny nose all of the time

What Can I Do to Help?

Understanding drugs and why they are dangerous is another good step for a kid to take. Below, we've listed some words that may be new to you.

Words to Know

Addiction (say: uh-dik-shun) - A person has an addiction when he or she becomes dependent on or craves a drug all of the time.

Hallucinogen (say: huh-loo-sun-uh-jun) - A hallucinogen is a drug, such as LSD, that changes a person's mood and makes him or her see, hear, or think things that aren't really there.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

LET'S REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING

Things you can do today to reduce Global Warming

Take Action!

There are many things you can do in your daily life that can have an effect on your
immediate surrounding, and on places as far away as Antarctica. Here is a
list of things that you can do to make a difference.

There are many things you can do today to reduce your own adding to on this
problem!

Tropical Tree Growth Slowed
Other big changes are being monitored in the tropics, too. Data on tree growth,
tropical air temperatures and CO2 readings collected over 16 years indicate
that a warming climate may cause the tropical forests to give off more carbon
dioxide than they take up. This would upset the common belief that tropical forests
are always a counterbalance to carbon, taking huge amounts out of the atmosphere.
The study, by Deborah and David Clark of the La Selva Biological Station in
Costa Rica, and Charles Keeling and Stephen Piper of the Scripps Institution,
reports that rainforest trees grow much more slowly in warmer nighttime
temperatures, which is a hallmark of climate change in the tropics.
Tropical Tree Charles Keeling

Landscaping Your Home for Energy Efficiency
In Winter, by maximizing solar heating while deflecting winds away from your
home; andin Summer by maximizing shading while funneling breezes toward
your home.

Buy a Hybrid Car
The average driver could save 16,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $3,750 per
year driving a hybrid.

Buy a Fuel Efficient Car
Getting a few extra miles per gallon makes a big difference. Save thousands
of lbs. of carbon dioxide and a lot of money per year.

Carpool When You Can
Own a big vehicle? Carpooling with friends and co-workers saves fuel. Save
790 lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year.

Inflate Your Tires
Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Save 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide
and $840 per year.

Change Your Air Filter
Check your car's air filter monthly. Save 800 lbs. of carbon dioxide
and $130 per year.

Reduce Garbage
Buy products with less packaging and recycle paper, plastic and glass.
Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.
Composting helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the number
of trips trucks must make to the landfill as well as the amount of methane
released by our landfills.

Use Recycled Paper
Make sure your printer paper is 100% post consumer recycled paper.
Save 5 lbs. of carbon dioxide per ream of paper.

Buy Minimally Packaged Goods
Less packaging could reduce your garbage by about 10%. Save 1,200
pounds of carbon dioxide and $1,000 per year.

Unplug Un-used Electronics
Even when electronic devices are turned off, they use energy. Save over
1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $150 per year.

Plant a Tree
Trees provide a microclimate and sustained moisture for you. Trees suck up
carbon dioxide and make clean air for us to breath. Save 2,000 lbs. of
carbon dioxide per year.

Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
Replace 3 frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.
Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $60 per year.

Fill the Dishwasher
Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Save 100 lbs. of carbon dioxide
and $40 per year.

Adjust Your Thermostat
Move your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two
degrees in the summer. Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $98 per year.

Check Your Waterheater
Keep your water heater thermostat no higher than 120EF. Save 550 lbs.
of carbon dioxide and $30 per year.

Change the AC Filter
Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended. Save 350 lbs.
of carbon dioxide and $150 per year.

Take Shorter Showers
Showers account for 2/3 of all water heating costs. Save 350 lbs.
of carbon dioxide and $99 per year.

Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
Using less water in the shower means less energy to heat the water.
Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150.

Buy Products Locally
Buy locally and reduce the amount of energy required to drive your
products to your store.

Buy Energy Certificates
Help spur the renewable energy market and cut global warming pollution
by buying wind certificates and green tags.

Insulate Your Water Heater
Keep your water heater insulated could save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide
and $40 per year.

Replace Old Appliances
Inefficient appliances waste energy. Save hundreds of lbs. of carbon dioxide
and hundreds of dollars per year.

Weatherize Your Home
Caulk and weather strip your doorways and windows. Save 1,700 lbs. of
carbon dioxide and $274 per year.

Use a Push Mower
Use your muscles instead of fossil fuels and get some exercise. Save 80 lbs
of carbon dioxide and x $ per year.

Put on a Sweater
Instead of turning up the heat in your home, wear more clothes Save 1,000 lbs.
of carbon dioxide and $250 per year.

Insulate Your Home
Make sure your walls and ceilings are insulated. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide
and $245 per year.

Air Dry Your Clothes
Line-dry your clothes in the spring and summer instead of using the dryer.
Save 700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $75 per year.

Switch to a Tankless Water Heater
Your water will be heated as you use it rather than keeping a tank of hot water.
Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $390 per year.

Switch to Double Pane Windows
Double pane windows keep more heat inside your home so you use less energy.
Save 10,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $436 per year.

Buy Organic Food
The chemicals used in modern agriculture pollute the water supply, and
require energy to produce.

Bring Cloth Bags to the Market
Using your own cloth bag instead of plastic or paper bags reduces waste and
requires no additional energy.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

health sex

Herbal sex pills pose hidden dangers

By JUSTIN PRITCHARD, Associated Press Writer Mon Nov 12, 9:21 PM ET

LOS ANGELES - Many of the pills marketed as safe herbal alternatives to Viagra and other prescription sex medications pose a hidden danger: For men on common heart and blood-pressure drugs, popping one could lead to a stroke, or even death.

"All-natural" products with names like Stamina-RX and Vigor-25 promise an apothecary's delight of rare Asian ingredients, but many work because they contain unregulated versions of the very pharmaceuticals they are supposed to replace.
That dirty secret represents a special danger for the millions of men who take nitrates — drugs prescribed to lower blood pressure and regulate heart disease. When mixed, nitrates and impotency pharmaceuticals can slow blood flow catastrophically, leading to a heart attack or stroke.
An Associated Press investigation shows that spiked herbal impotency pills are emerging as a major public health concern that officials haven't figured out how to track, much less tame.
Emergency rooms and poison control hot lines are starting to log more incidents of the long-ignored phenomenon. Sales of "natural sexual enhancers" are booming — rising to nearly $400 million last year. And dangerous knockoffs abound.
At greatest risk are the estimated 5.5 million American men who take nitrates — generally older and more likely to need help with erectile dysfunction.
The all-natural message can be appealing to such men, warned by their doctors and ubiquitous TV commercials not to take Viagra, Cialis or Levitra.
James Neal-Kababick, director of Oregon-based Flora Research Laboratories, said about 90 percent of the hundreds of samples he has analyzed contained forms of patented pharmaceuticals — some with doses more than twice that of prescription erectile dysfunction medicine. Other testers report similar results, particularly among pills that promise immediate results.
While no deaths have been reported, the AP found records of emergency room visits attributed to all-natural sex pills in Georgia, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Diego and elsewhere.
An elderly man in a retirement community north of Los Angeles took an in-the-mail sample and landed in the hospital for four days. A Michigan man sued the maker of Spontane-ES, blaming it for the stroke he suffered 20 minutes after taking a freebie that was advertised as "extremely safe." Tim Fulmer, a lawyer representing Spontane-ES, said the pill did not contain any pharmaceutical and was not responsible for the stroke.
Mark B. Mycyk, a Chicago emergency room doctor who directs Northwestern University's clinical toxicology research program, said he is seeing increasing numbers of patients who unwittingly took prescription-strength doses of the alternatives, a trend he attributes to ease of purchase on the Internet and the desperation of vulnerable men. He said he wouldn't be surprised if there'd been undetected deaths from bad herbal pills.
Some herbal labels warn off users with heart or blood-pressure problems if they have taken their medicine within six hours; some doctors say 24 hours or more would be safer.
The AP often couldn't determine from records whether incidents reported to tracking systems of the federal Food and Drug Administration and state poison control centers involved mixing herbal alternatives with nitrates.
Some men in their 30s who went to emergency rooms after taking herbal sex pills were presumably otherwise healthy, but they showed the transitory side effects of the active ingredients in regulated impotency pharmaceuticals, such as difficulty seeing clearly or severe headaches, records show.
While public health officials don't know the extent of the problem, they agree that incidents are vastly underreported, with national tracking systems capturing perhaps as little as 1 percent of them. Victims may be embarrassed, and doctors rarely ask about supplements.
Since 2001, sales of supplements marketed as natural sexual enhancers have risen $100 million, to $398 million last year, including herbal mixtures, according to estimates by Nutrition Business Journal. Some legitimate herbal mixtures claim to work gradually over weeks; it's the herbals marketed for immediate trysts that often are the problem.
Tight budgets, weak regulations and other priorities limit the FDA's ability to police the products, often promoted via blasts of e-mail spam and fly-by-night Web sites.
"The Internet poses many enforcement challenges," said Dr. Linda Silvers, who leads an FDA team that targets fraudulent health products sold online. "A Web site can look sophisticated and legitimate, but actually be an illegal operation."
In many cases, the ingredients used to alter herbal pills come from Asia, particularly China, where the sexual enhancers are cooked up in labs at the beginning of a winding supply chain. The FDA has placed pills by two manufacturers in China and one from Malaysia on an import watch list.
Pills like Cialis generally retail at pharmacies for between $13 and $20, while herbals can cost less than $1, up to about $5.
Many health insurance plans provide limited coverage for prescription sex pills, especially for those with health-related difficulties. Few over-the-counter treatments are covered, and herbals aren't likely to be among them, in part because they're classified as foods not pharmaceuticals, said Mohit M. Ghose, spokesman for America's Health Insurance Plans, which represents major health insurers.
Spiked pills have turned up in Thailand, Taiwan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and the United States, according to testing done by Pfizer Inc., the New York-based pharmaceutical giant that developed Viagra. The company said that 69 percent of 3,400 supplements it purchased in China contained sildenafil citrate, the main ingredient in Viagra. Pfizer didn't check for the patented ingredients of its rivals.
Under U.S. law, because such pills are "dietary supplements," they're far less regulated than pharmaceuticals and face few barriers to market. Viagra, by contrast, underwent years of testing before it was publicly available.
While herbal alternatives often contain exact copies of the patented drugs, some makers tweak the molecules to keep the effect of the original pharmaceutical while avoiding the scrutiny of the FDA and outside testing labs.
Federal officials have only recently stepped up investigations and prosecutions, and in any case, the FDA's recall power is limited. Last week, in response to safety concerns about imported toothpaste, dog food and toys, President Bush recommended that the FDA be authorized to order mandatory recalls of dangerous products.
Currently, recalls are voluntary, and even if the agency determines that a product poses a "significant health risk," a firm may refuse to cooperate. Plus, recalled products are widely offered on the Internet and pills are hard to round up.
Before a product called Nasutra was recalled a year ago by its manufacturer, the FDA had received a 30-year-old man's report of a raging headache and an erection that wouldn't go down. Following the recall, a 32-year-old man reported having spontaneous nose bleeds after taking the pill, records show.
E-mails requesting comment from Nasutra LLC, the company that voluntarily recalled the product in September 2006, were not returned. The FDA says the firm is located in Los Angeles; there is no listed phone number in the region.
During the past year, the FDA has orchestrated eight recalls of "herbal" pills that contained the ingredients found in Viagra, Cialis or Levitra, or their unregulated chemical cousins. Many of the firms were based around Los Angeles, their offices ranging from an unsigned door in a grungy hall on the fringe of downtown to a gated complex near Beverly Hills.
One recall involved a pill called Liviro3.
The current owner of the drug's marketing and distributing firm said that after he tried the product, he quit his job at a car dealership and bought the brand name and stock of several thousand pills in 2004 for $450,000. In January, he said, FDA agents seized his stockpile after an agency lab found that Liviro3 contained tadalafil, the main ingredient in Cialis. The man told the AP he'd had no idea the pills were drug-laced.
One prosecution involved V. Vigor Corp., the Long Island-based maker of Vigor-25. While the product was advertised as containing Asian ginseng, lycium fruit and Chinese yam rhizome, FDA testing indicated that the pills contained Viagra.
Company executive Michael Peng had agreed to stop selling Vigor-25 following an FDA agent's visit in late 2004, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. But between then and his arrest in September, at least 4.5 million pills were packaged for distribution, the affidavit said. According to prosecutors, Peng thought he could evade tests simply by switching from the sildenafil citrate he imported from China to Levitra's active ingredient, vardenafil — a shipment of which U.S. Customs intercepted from Thailand.
Peng, who said through his attorney that he was "unaware that there was anything other than natural supplements" in Vigor-25, faces a charge of misbranding — in this instance, claiming that a pharmaceutical is a dietary supplement.
Two other pills, Spontane-ES and Stamina-RX, were made by companies run by Jared Wheat, who's facing federal charges in Atlanta that he peddled knockoff pharmaceuticals cooked in a Central American lab. Prosecutors tried to keep Wheat from posting bail by asserting that he contemplated killing an FDA investigator and bribing a prosecutor.
Fulmer rejected those assertions, which did not lead to charges, saying Wheat is hardworking and nonviolent. Fulmer said Wheat's two businesses are legitimate and continue to be successful.
Wheat was granted bond after pledging approximately $7.5 million in cash and property; he's free under home confinement.
___
Associated Press researcher Julie Reed in New York and Associated Press writer Andrew Bridges in Washington contributed to this report.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Indonesian Food

Indonesian Cuisine

Indonesia consists of some 13,000 islands which stretch from west to east along the equator, from the island of Sumatra, directly south of Thailand, to Irian Jaya, just north of Australia. These islands support the fourth-most populous nation in the world, a population that is 90% Muslim, with hundreds of tribes, subcultures, and languages -- and many long and varied histories. For centuries, these islands have been the center of international trade. Rich, volcanic soil produces an amazing number of fruits and vegetables, the seas yield vast numbers of fish. Spices, however, have been the main source of Indonesia's fame. Nutmeg, clove, and pepper drew traders from India, China, Africa, and the Arab world, and later, European explorers and colonists from the Netherlands, Portugal, and England. From the 8th through the 16th centuries, powerful polities on Java and Sumatra controlled much of what is today the Indonesian Archipelago. But, by the end of the 16th century, steady European colonial expansion left the nation a collection of weak, disconnected fiefdoms, all of which came under direct Dutch control within two centuries. The Republic of Indonesia was declared at the end of the Japanese occupation of Indonesia during World War two. Indonesian cuisine reflects this complex cultural history. Cooking varies greatly by region and combines many different influences. However, most Indonesian food shares the nearly universal food trinity of fish, coconut and chile.

The main meal in Indonesia is usually served at midday. Food which was cooked in the morning is set out all at once. Family members help themselves, serving with a spoon and eating with right hands. There is less family gathering or ceremony of communal eating than in other cultures, but there is communal cooking and a strict hierarchy that determines one's role and comportment at the table. Most meals are built around a cone-shaped pile of the long-grain, highly polished rice that Indonesians prefer. A meal may include a soup, salad, and another main dish. Whatever the meal, it is accompanied by at least one, and often several sambals, spice relishes that are mixed with the food. A light meal might consist of rice, some dried fish and a chile sambal.

Indonesian cooking is rich with coconut milk. Beverages, sauces, soups, and even rice are prepared with it. Traditional spicing builds on a base of coriander, pepper, and garlic. Added to those are turmeric, cassia (the local bark that is quite close in flavor to cinnamon), bay leaf, star anise, ginger, tamarind, galangal, cardamom, lemon grass, scallion, shallots, peanuts, dried anchovies, and prawns. Even ghee finds its way into many recipes. Surprisingly, cloves and nutmeg, flavors at the very heart of the spice trade, play a marginal role, at best, in Indonesian cuisine. They are more commonly used in local medicine.

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The Best School

School WBest High ebsites on the Net by SchoolWorld.com
The best high school websites offer extraordinary communication among teachers, parents, and students. SchoolWorld, formerly known as Logisoft, has been working with school districts since 1990, developing the best high school websites for teachers, schools, and school districts. Our objective was, and is, to create leading edge, user-friendly modules that would improve communications and strengthen the school-home-community network. Our best high school websites are a unique solution to this problem.
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Educational News

Educational News
Sequence of blunders is cited in Office of Education report (The Salt Lake Tribune) (Fri, 02 Nov 2007 07:23:39 GMT)Confusion over data, inadequate quality controls and a lack of urgency are among factors that led to a sequence of blunders at the Utah State Office of Education in recent months, according to a report released Thursday by Utah's top education official.
Capella Education Sets All-Time High (AP via Yahoo! Finance) (Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:54:08 GMT)Shares of Capella Education Co. set an all-time high on Thursday, after higher enrollment lifted the online education company's third-quarter profit and sales above Wall Street expectations.
Strayer Education's third-quarter report card shows higher earnings (bizjournals.com via Yahoo! Finance) (Thu, 01 Nov 2007 19:17:04 GMT)Increased enrollment at its campuses and a 5 percent tuition hike helped push Strayer Education Inc.'s third-quarter earnings up 46 percent, but its fourth-quarter estimates are slightly short of analysts' outlooks.
Student Loan Industry Faces New Rules From Education Dept. (Washington Post) (Thu, 01 Nov 2007 08:44:22 GMT)U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings announced yesterday an overhaul of rules governing the student loan industry, including measures prohibiting lenders from offering schools gifts in exchange for business and a mandate that each university include at least three companies on its preferred lender list.
Education Ministry wants to promote greater interaction and develop closer bonds between the two groups. (Straits Times) (Fri, 02 Nov 2007 07:21:56 GMT)STUDENTS in the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) from nine primary schools will have more opportunity to learn, work and play together with other schoolmates from next year under new initiatives to promote greater interaction between the two groups of pupils.
Craig and Simpson secure funds for Idaho’s hospitals, education and more (The Idaho Statesman) (Fri, 02 Nov 2007 07:20:23 GMT)Washington, D.C. – Idaho Senator Larry Craig and Congressman Mike Simpson have secured funding for several Idaho Health and Education projects. Craig and Simpson are both members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and were appointed as conferees to final negotiations on the bill which concluded today.
Strayer Education Declines on 4Q Outlook (AP via Yahoo! Finance) (Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:22:26 GMT)Shares of Strayer Education Inc. declined on Thursday, after the education company forecast fourth-quarter earnings per share below Wall Street expectations.
Boosting Education For Special Children (Pertubuhan Berita Nasional Malaysia) (Fri, 02 Nov 2007 04:27:05 GMT)KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- Since its establishment on 1 October 1995, the Special Education Department under the Education Ministry has rolled out a number of learning programmes for students with disability or behavioural problems.
Green party leader to temporarily head Education Ministry (Prague Daily Monitor) (Fri, 02 Nov 2007 07:08:59 GMT)Prague, Nov 1 (CTK) - Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek (Civic Democrats, ODS) will ask President Vaclav Klaus on Wednesday to entrust Deputy PM and Green Party (SZ) chairman Martin Bursik with temporarily heading the Education Ministry, Topolanek told journalists Thursday.
Higher education notes (Austin American-Statesman) (Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:56:07 GMT)HIGHER EDUCATION UNIVERSITy of Texas Partnership in South Korea UT and the Gyeonggi Province of South Korea have taken initial steps to collaborate in identifying Korean technology startups and introducing them to the U.S. market. Juan Sanchez, UT vice p

The Best Novels You’ve Never Read

Sixty-one critics reveal their favorite underrated book of the past ten years.

By Katie Charles

Talk to any critic and you’ll hear about a book you must read—often one you were begged to read by some reviewer when it came out, but which quickly slipped off your radar. Such is the plight of critics. Which is why we decided, with the help of the National Book Critics Circle, to ask professional critics (and some other writers) to pick the best under-the-radar book of the past ten years or so. We sought out novels, but a few memoirs popped up. And though we’d never have presumed to forecast the results, we did expect some consensus and certainly one clear winner—a buried genius everyone agreed was primed for a Roberto Bolaño–style resurrection. We were delightfully foiled. These picks were idiosyncratic, contentious (that writer’s underrated? Really?), with no two alike. Until one novelist surged ahead to victory—garnering a whopping two votes.

• IN TRANSLATION• ORIGINAL ENGLISH • MEMOIR

DOMINIONBy Calvin BakerLess jaded than Colson Whitehead, less kitschy than Toni Morrison, Calvin Baker is my favorite contemporary African-American novelist, and Dominion is his best book yet. —Dale Peck

THE LAST SAMURAIBy Helen Dewitt For its playful, steady, angst-attuned intelligence and its utter conceptual exceptionality.—Sven Birkerts

SUZY ZEUS GETS ORGANIZED By Maggie RobbinsA sweet-and-sour novel in verse that very flatteringly assumes the reader is as witty as the writer. — Craig Seligman, Bloomberg News

KALIMANTAANBy C.S. GodshalkA novel about a self-appointed British raja on the island of Borneo, this book changed the way I thought about imperialism, just as Pat Barker’s trilogy changed the way I thought about the First World War. —Alice Truax

Copies sold of David Markson’s last two novels before his new one, according to BookScan: 6,000

SEPHARADBy Antonio Muñoz MolinaA true masterpiece of late-twentieth-century fiction, wrestling with the five centuries of Continental trauma from the Inquisition to the Holocaust in a way that is truly novel (in every sense of that word). —Daniel Mendelsohn

TEXACOBy Patrick ChamoiseauAn epic story that takes in everything from New World slavery to the aftermath of industrialization, fusing the oral traditions of his native Martinique with experimental writing.—Jean Stein

THE DEBT TO PLEASUREBy John LanchesterPure wicked literary pleasure. Well received when published, but not nearly as well read as deserved. Ghostly progenitor: Nabokov’s Pale Fire. —Ron Rosenbaum

THE LAKEBy John McGahernA beautiful, hymnlike epilogue to the life’s work of this Irish master; it should be beloved by everyone who cares about life and literature. —Andrew O’Hagan

DARK BACK OF TIMEBy Javier MaríasA fascinating sample of his unique mixture of myth, autobiography, and satire. —Elaine Showalter

METEOR IN THE MADHOUSEBy Leon ForrestThe posthumous volume of the most overlooked author of the last 30 years. He comments on what must be repressed to conceive history (and genealogy) along racial lines. —Milton Welch

OUT OF SHEER RAGEBy Geoff DyerThe best book about writer’s block someone actually managed to finish writing. —Marco Roth, n+1

BORN TWICEBy Giuseppe PontiggiaThis great [Italian] novel of fatherhood has been woefully underread in the U.S., perhaps because Pontiggia died soon after its publication here. —Janice Harayda, One-Minute Book Reviews

WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARDBy Jincy WillettBeautifully written, seriously intended, very funny books with believable characters are extremely rare, and this is one of those rarities. —Kurt Andersen

ACHILLESBy Elizabeth Cook This is a meditative, intense retelling of the life of Homer’s hero, remarkable for its lush artfulness and the subtle intelligence of its prose. —Meghan O’Rourke, literary editor of Slate

OH PURE AND RADIANT HEARTBy Lydia MilletLargely unsung. Not only did I love reading it (until the very end), but I also found the title resoundingly beautiful. —Helen Schulman

VARIETIES OF EXILE By Mavis GallantCanadian expats look lovingly home in this collection by Mavis Gallant, a kind of Alice Munro for those who got out.—Chris Beha, Bookforum

MORTALSBy Norman RushRush’s second best book (after Mating) is better than almost anyone else’s best book. —Benjamin Kunkel

EXPERIENCEBy Martin AmisThe cleverest and funniest and most moving memoir I’ve ever read, and each time I reread it I’m simply drunk with pleasure.—Jim Holt

GRIEF By Andrew HolleranThis slim but singularly affecting novel put in an appearance to conditional praise last June and, to my knowledge, sank thereafter without a trace. A meditation on personal loss and the loss of erotic/romantic possibilities for aging homosexual men (and by implication aging everyones) it’s bone-spare but plangent with meaning—the kind of novel that would be immediately hailed if it were written by a laconic European writer. —Daphne Merkin

THE MUNCH MANCINI MYSTERY SERIESBy Barbara SeranellaAlthough her books are gritty and tough, Seranella wrote with a humanity and dry wit that transcended the genre.—Mia Geiger

TRANSMISSION By Hari KunzruSleek and jangly, cerebral and humane—a novel about a young Indian software geek and the computer virus that swamps both Bollywood and Silicon Valley. —Dwight Garner, Times Book Review

Page 1

The Best Novels You've Never Read

The Future Canon

A New York Writer’s Catch-22

The Stars of Tomorrow

The Early Word on Summer’s Debut Novels

And the Last Word Goes To...

Wayang

Wayang, culinary installation open Art Summit
A modern Wayang (shadow puppet) performance and an intriguing culinary installation will kick off Art Summit Indonesia (ASI) 2007 on Thursday evening.
"The Wayang troupe from Bali and the La Cellule troupe from France will give us the honor of performing on the first night of the ASI 2007," summit spokesman Yusuf Susilo Hartono said Wednesday.
The opening ceremony will take place at the Graha Bakti Budaya hall, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM).
Deguste, the La Cellule's installation, will entertain the ceremony's guests upon their arrival. Curated by Laurence Dreyfus, Deguste is an esthetic fusion between gastronomy and art.
Hartono refused to reveal the details of Deguste, but he hinted that the installation would involve floating balloons and delicious chocolate.
"It is a savory art work, which will spoil your sight as well as your taste buds," he said.
After Deguste, Trade Minister Maria E Pangestu will officially open the cultural fiesta, accompanied by Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Watjik.
"On Friday, Trade Minister Maria E Pangestu will be a speaker at the ASI 2007 seminar titled Behind the Cultural Industry. That's the reason why ASI 2007 will be opened by a trade minister," Hartono said.
Prominent Indonesian poet and senior journalist Goenawan Mohamad will be the seminar's keynote speaker.
Following the opening ceremony, I Made Sidia, one of Bali's most accomplished shadow puppeteers, will perform Petualangan Tualen (The Adventure of Tualen), a modern adaptation of the epic Hindu story the Ramayana.
Sidia is known for his penchant for incorporating modern elements such as multiple screens, disco lights, projectors and computer-based images to improve the visual appeal of his shows, but it is his daring interpretations of ancient stories that have won him huge audiences in Indonesia and abroad.
"I love giving an old story a contextual frame of modernity. That's why present-day problems and phenomenons, such as economic inequalities and environmental destruction, have became integral parts of my narration," Sidia said.
The month-long cultural festival will feature 14 performances by 13 troupes from 11 countries. It will take place at three venues; TIM, Gedung Kesenian Jakarta and the Goethe Institute.
Among the participants are the Orchestra of Indigenous Instruments and New Technology (Argentine), El Hanager (Egypt), A-Soon Dance Company (Korea), and Ensemble Omega (Germany).
"Ensemble Omega will feature collaborative works from Indonesian and German composers. These works will underline ASI 2007's major theme of To Join Diversity," Hartono said.
ASI is held every three years. Fifteen groups from nine countries participated in the first ASI in 1995. The second one was followed by 15 groups from eight countries, while the third ASI saw 17 groups from ten countries. The fourth ASI in 2004 was participated by 15 performing artists from ten countries and 25 visual artists from six countries.
2007 Art Summit program:
Buffet Flottant, La Cellule Nov. 1 Graha Bakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki
Wayang Listrik (Electric Puppet), I Made Sidia Nov. 1-2 Graha Bakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki
Diez y Diez Danza, Monica Runde, Nov. 6-7 Jakarta Playhouse
Ensemble Omega & Bernd Asmus Mov. 7-8 Goethe Institute
The Arts Fission CO, Angela Liong Nov. 9-10 Teater Studio, Taman Ismail Marzuki
Argentine National Music Council Orchestra of Indigenous Instruments and New Technology Nov. 13-14 Teater Luwes, Taman Ismail Marzuki
Butet Kertarajasa Nov. 13-14 Graha Bakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki
El Hanager, Mohammad Abou El Soud Nov. 14-15 Jakarta Playhouse
Astad Deboo and Manipuri Dance Troupe Nov. 16-17 Teater Luwes, Taman Ismail Marzuki
New Zealand Trio and Jack Body Nov. 19-20 Teater Luwes, Taman Ismail Marzuki
Dorky Park & Constanza Macras Nov. 22-23 Graha Bakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki
Jecko Siompo Nov. 26-27 Teater Studio, Taman Ismail Marzuki
Kobalt Works & Arco Renz Nov. 27-28 Teater Luwes, Taman Ismail Marzuki
A Soon Dance Company Nov. 29-30 Graha Bakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki
Tickets from Rp 20,000 to Rp 100,000 available at ticket booths.
For further information: www.artsummitindonesia.com
Source: The Jakarta Post

INDONESIAN CULTURE

MY CULTURE
Support grows for RI to take lead in Bali
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
Developing and least-developed countries are expecting more money to be raised for climate adaptation programs and that contributions be made mandatory for developed countries during the UN climate conference in Bali in December.
With the negative impacts of climate change being felt most directly by poorer countries, adaptation, which refers to policies and activities to cope with the changing environment, becomes critical for the survival of developing countries, participants of a workshop on adaptation strategies for Asia and Africa agreed here Wednesday.
"Predominantly, the poor of the world depend directly on natural resources through cultivation, herding, collecting or hunting for their livelihoods. Thus, climate change impacts on the natural resource base will have a direct affect on the livelihoods of the poor," Kai Kim Chiang of the Stockholm Environment Institute told participants.
Ainun Nishat, Bangladesh country representative for the World Conservation Union, said the Kyoto Protocol recognized that developed countries had the obligation to support developing countries under the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
"One of the key issues to be debated in Bali is how can we have more funding for adaptation, and whether we should have separate conventions like the Kyoto Protocol for adaptation. In Bali, we probably can't develop the legal framework or draft it, but it can be the starting point where countries agree to push for it," he said.
Mozaharul Alam of the Bangladesh Center for Advanced Studies said that under Kyoto, developed countries supported adaptation funds through a voluntary mechanism.
"Through that voluntary mechanism it is very difficult to predict the adaptation fund and its size. So, most developing nations, including Indonesia, are arguing for mandatory contributions for adaptation programs rather than a voluntary mechanism," he said.
Both hoped that Indonesia could take the lead for developing nations by forming a friends of chair group, including the prominent members of the G-77 and Asian and African countries, in focusing the agenda in Bali on getting adaptation funds agreed to by putting pressure on developed nations.
Indonesia and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) will hold a climate conference in Bali from Dec. 3 to 14.
One of the main tasks for the conference is to begin to formulate a new multilateral agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol, the current global agreement that formalizes efforts to curb pollution which expires in 2012.
Festus Luboyera of South Africa said many countries hoped the new adaptation mechanism could be included in the new protocol.
"Lack of funds continues to be a problem for the implementation of adaptation programs," Luboyera, who works for UNFCCC secretariat, said.
While other participants agreed there was a problem of funding for developing countries, they also pointed out several other problems such as low level of awareness both among the political elite and the grass roots, and difficulties in translating global data and information about climate change to people at the regional and village level.
Yolando Velasco of the UNFCCC secretariat and Annie Roncerel of the UN Institute for Training and Research agreed that climate change must be included in the development strategies of each developing country.
"If you don't include climate change risks into development calculations then development results will be at risk of being destroyed or ruined by negative climate change impacts, and it will cost a lot more than the initial calculation," Roncerel said.
Source: The Jakarta Post

Thursday, November 1, 2007

HORROR INFO

HORROR INFO
‘The horror’: Murder victim No. 1 was schlocky horror movie actress Weatherly Adams. At first producer Stanley Vespucci claimed she was missing, but Nick quickly discovered her body among some mannequins. There was an axe in her back, but that wasn’t what killed her. Among the suspects: Director Zach Putrid, Revulsion Studio owners Mason and Vincent Lafoon, and Weatherly’s former lover who was disfigured in a fog machine accident: Oliver Zarco. Quite a crew.
Send in the suspects: Though Putrid had been having sex with Weatherly, and his skin was under her fingernails, Putrid told Brass that was because she was an “ass scratcher.” Brass also brought in Vincent Lafoon, who on video surveillance appeared to be trying to frame Zarco. Nick and Archie went over the videotape again, however, and discovered that it was Mason Lafoon posing as Archie Lafoon. Confused yet?
Bates Motel, anyone? After almost running out of gas and stopping at a super creepy motel, Ronnie went back to the studio to find her cell phone and discovered Dickie’s body. Then Putrid, who’d been shot, but not fatally, found her. Stanley appeared, ready to shoot both Ronnie and Putrid, when a blonde-wigged figure (who turned out to be Zarco dressed in Weatherly’s old clothes) killed him. At the hospital, Putrid was amazed by the whole experience. Then he offered Ronnie a career in horror films, which she promptly turned down.
A small proposition: Little person Dickie Jones put the moves on Catherine as she looked for clues. “Have you ever had those thighs kissed by a man who’s standing up?” he asked her. But he also seemed to have information he wasn't sharing. It turned out that Weatherly’s death was accidental. She’d fallen onto a metal post and then Stanley and Mason conspired to cover it up and frame Vincent. Dickie tried to shake down Stanley for some cash, so Stanley killed him.
Life before rat-dom Turns out Wendy had a career in horror films before her life as a lab rat. She, Hodges, Ronnie, Sara and Henry watched one of Wendy’s old films. After, Ronnie made a remark about large-breasted women and horror films. Wendy looked down and said, “Mine are kind of medium.” “But perfect,” Hodges felt compelled to add.
Just look at that epiglottis: Super Dave is huge horror movie buff and he wanted Doc Robbins to get in on the fun, so he showed him one of Weatherly’s movies. “You can actually see the transverse view of the trachea,” Robbins said, impressed as he watched a woman’s throat get slit.
Laying the groundwork: Still shaken by her recent brush with death, Sara was a bit stirred by the horror movie. “When they go after the dark-haired girl, she always dies,” she said to Greg. Then she lamented about the how the murder rate keeps going up and nothing they’re doing is slowing the killers down. “I’m sick of having murder shoved in my face every day,” she said. Say goodbye to Sara (in about two weeks).
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The Best Way for Study

Best Way to Study by Clifford Morris
Over the past fifty years, there has been an ever-growing body of qualitative and quantitative research evidence suggesting that we do not study in precisely the same way. While this common sense approach towards studying represents a welcomed message for parents and students, numerous teachers continue to teach a large number of their pupils in similar ways, more often than not, by using traditional teaching styles that might appear to be successful for the teacher but unsuccessful for a large majority of the youngsters seated in front of them. I now believe that this is incorrect teaching -- proof that common sense continues to be not all that common within today's classrooms.
My following commentary attempts to address this key issue, while at the same time, to offer suggestions for possible classroom improvement. If teachers require their students to receive domain-specific information in a way that does not correspond with their dominant learning modalities, to perform under classroom conditions that interfere with their preferred learning, or to demonstrate learning in such a way that fails them to use their more dominant intelligences, then such teachers create within their students forms of artificial stress, reduced motivation, and repressed performance. Along this same line of thinking, there is a considerable body of research evidence suggesting that many special education students who have been formally categorized, for example, as learning disabled (LD) are, in fact, not LD students per se but assessed and taught incorrectly in terms of their dominant learning style. Perhaps a more positive way of describing their LD is that they simply learn differently!
And now, after painting a negative but realistic image of numerous contemporary classrooms ... the good news, and the good news is indeed promising! An efficient classroom teacher will tend to teach in many different ways in order to reach all of her/his students. Teaching something only one way (such as lecturing to one's auditory learning channel) will miss all the students who do not learn best in that manner. Simply put for this web comment, good teaching is teaching through a variety of learning channels. Most students can learn the same content. But how they best receive and then perceive that content is determined largely by their individual learning styles. Simply defined, a student's studying style is the way a student processes, concentrates, internalizes and retain novel and often difficult bits of domain specific content knowledge, usually for testing and examination purposes. And as is the case with how one best learns information, many of the same elements, emotional, environmental, biological, sociological, and physiological must also be taken into account when studying.
Studying Elements
Emotional
Emotional factors which may influence studying are: motivation, responsibility, and persistence. Through identification and modification, bad study habits can be replaced by more productive habits. Knowing your current levels of these emotional factors, and working to positively reshape them can not only enhance your studying potential but change your outlook toward challenging courses.
Environmental
Environmental factors such as sound, temperature, lighting, and physical arrangement can have a significant impact on your ability to study. Although some students enjoy loud background music, many prefer a quiet place to study, clear of distractions. Some students crank up the heating system whereas others seem to prefer a cooler studying environment. Some students prefer a low lighting system around them, while others have all the lights in the house on. Some students enjoy the traditional chair and desk study approach while others seem to be able to study all curled up in the middle of their bed. Paying close attention to these environmental factors and establishing an environment conducive to studying can increase your overall learning.
Biological
In the 1960's, Roger Sperry's Nobel prize winning work suggested that the right and left hand sides of the human brain possessed specialized and different functions: the left being clinical and analytical while the right influenced the more artistic and sensing side of our nature. That is, our left cerebral hemisphere handled, in the main, logical/linear functions and verbal/linguistic skills, and the right half of our brain developed a reputation as the artistic, imaginative, emotional, musical, and holistic side. Today, while that form of cerebral thinking is considered somewhat simplistic, it may have opened up additional avenues to greater exploration into the true nature of cognitive functioning and how all of us acquire, store and employ domain specific knowledge.
That split-brain hypothesis so prevalent at that time represented a challenge to the concept of intellectual quotient (IQ) which, in the main, purported to assess verbal/linguistic and logical/mathematical skills, skills that were once considered to be handled by the left half of the brain. Today, more advanced research suggests that IQ scores actually measure only some of our overall abilities. This fact is evidenced by the realization that good athletes, artists or musicians were once simply (supposedly) talented while those considered good in science and math were considered smart or intelligent. In today's 2007 world, all of them ought to be considered 'intelligent.'
Sociological
Most students are not aware of the sociological factors that positively affect their ability to study effectively. Some prefer studying alone, in pairs, or in teams with adults or any combination thereof. Similarly, some seem to learn best in bright lights while others prefer darker corners. And some seem to learn best while eating or drinking or with loud music on in the background. While it is difficult for a variety of these sociological patters to operate simultaneously within one classroom, their value for efficient learning, especially studying, is of note here. To sum, students benefit from utilizing a variety of different sociological settings, as some serve to enhance initial learning while others act as reinforcement for studying.
Physiological
Physical factors which influence your studying style are those that involve your senses: auditory (ears), visual (eyes), tactile (touch), kinaesthetic (motion), gustatory (taste), and olfactory (smell), the initial three being more predominant. Visual students study best by watching a process, or reading materials. Research suggests that most learning occurs here. Next comes the auditory channel. Here, students study best by listening in class, discussing information in groups, and reciting study notes. Tactile students study best by hands-on activities, manipulating objects or flash cards, working problems or re-typing notes. Kinaesthetic students study best by demonstrating movement in their work, exercising while reading, or walking while reciting their notes. Olfactory students involve their nose to distinguish specific elements. And finally, gustatory students study best by tasting the item under investigation. These latter two factors account for only a minor part of overall learning.
How more auditory learners study
Auditory students tend to learn mainly by hearing classroom information. They seem to learn best through their ears, especially via verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to the words of others. They interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances. When they have pages to read for homework, they need to quietly say the words aloud in order to hear the words as they read. Often, written information has little meaning until it is heard. When they are learning concepts such as phonetic sounds, they need to hear the similarities. For example, they may not realize "ph" sounds just like "f" unless they say the sounds out loud. Reading aloud, going over class notes and talking to oneself about the relevant points is important. Before reading, set a purpose and verbalize it, after finished a task, be sure to summarize out loud what was just read.
These learners often benefit from reading text aloud and using a tape recorder. Taping lectures or notes and playing them back to learn the information can be quite an effective way for an auditory student to understand and remember the information. The speaking of ideas into a tape recorder is like having a conversation with someone. If possible, such learners should talk to their friends about the material. Because auditory learners sometimes encounter problems keeping columns aligned, math computations can be completed on graph paper. The extreme left-hand column in Table 1 below lists alternative strategies for the auditory learner.
How more visual learners study
Visual students learn mainly by 'seeing' the material to be learned, that is, when the material is presented graphically, as in charts, tables, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flip charts, hand-outs, maps, etc. Such students often prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid irrelevant visual obstructions. When in class, visual people should look at the teachers when they are speaking, participate in class discussions and take detailed notes during lectures. Visual learners enjoy watching the teacher's body language and facial expression. This enables them to better comprehend the content of the classroom subject under discussion. When studying, such students tend to study alone in a quiet place and try to transcribe their material on paper. When possible, make designs, drawings, graphs or tables of complex abstract ideas and work alone.
Students who learn visually often have trouble working while having a dialogue, even if the dialogue directly pertains to the subject matter. Any homework they can complete using diagrams, time lines, charts, or graphs will be better remembered. As they read pages for homework, they need to either take written notes or underline important facts and dates in colors. When they are learning such auditory concepts as phonetic sounds, they must see the letters to learn.
How more kinaesthetic-tactual learners study
Of all the types of classroom students, perhaps the kinaesthetic / tactual learners are the most maligned group; they learn best through a hands-on approach. In other words, these are your touchers and feelers; they like to be physically involved as they find it extremely difficult to sit still. They often get out of their desks, pace around the classroom, want to have music or television playing in the background. In short, they are almost constantly finding themselves distracted.
They need to learn keyboarding skills, because these types of learners work well on computers where they can touch the keys as they type. They learn well when they can do things, such as in a lab. They need to actually use their hands and bodies while learning. Kinaesthetic / tactual learners may need to walk around or pace or hop or whatever while reading. When studying for tests, they need to make flash cards to remember important dates and facts. Unfortunately, they often have a hard time in school because they have to sit still and listen to a teacher. They need to learn to take notes in class in order to have something for their hands to do. The two right-hand columns in Box 1 below contain additional alternative strategies for such learners.Summary
Before asking you to identify your more dominant studying style, one comment. All of us use the three above studying modalities but often to different degrees. For instance, I seem to study best visually with a pen or highlighter in my hand, with a secondary studying style of kinaesthetic-tactual. If asked to listen to auditory directions, I may understand the first item or two, but then I am lost, in more ways than one. I have to either write down the directions as I hear them, or visualize the oral directions, often requiring the aid of a map. When listening to lectures, I seem to learn best by taking numerous notes and sketching diagrams depicting the content under investigation.
Studying Styles Inventory
Name: ____________________________________ Date: ______________________
Instructions:
Print out and read over the following three (3) lists of statements. Using a highlighter or pen, circle or/and note the numeral to the left of every statement that you feel that best applies to you, at this point in time of your busy life. As we all differ so markedly in how we acquire and retain knowledge and especially, for this note, how we best study, there are no right or wrong statements, only non applicable comments. You may have as much time as you need to complete the three sections, so read over each studying characteristic carefully and, if it applies to you, note it in your own way before you complete the two remaining sections.
Auditory studying style
1. If I hear someone's name, I remember it easily. 2. Rather than reading a book, I prefer to listen to a tape or someone read the book to me. 3. I can pay attention and remember easier when others read out loud to me. 4. I find that songs and jingles help me to remember things. 5. I use oral explanations and ask students to repeat or paraphrase. 6. I use audio recordings whenever possible. 7. I give oral instructions most of the time. 8. I explore and develop information through class discussions. 9. I remember songs after hearing them only a couple of times. 10. I often read and study by repeating information aloud to myself. 11. When taking a class test or term exam, I am easily distracted by background noise. 12. I like to study for tests by having someone quiz me aloud. 13. I like to talk and listen. 14. I work out my math story problems by talking through them aloud. 15. I participate in class discussions/debates. 16. I make speeches and presentations. 17. I use a tape recorder during lectures instead of taking notes. 18. I read text out aloud. 19. I create musical jingles to aid memorization 20. I create mnemonics to aid memorization 21. I discuss my ideas verbally. 22. I dictate to someone while they write down my thoughts. 23. I use verbal analogies, and story telling to demonstrate my point
Visual studying style
1. I prefer to have a clear view of my subject teachers when they are speaking. In this way, I can see their body language and facial expression. 2. I use color to highlight important points in a textbook or in a handout. 3. I take notes and I ask my teachers to provide handouts. 4. I illustrate my ideas as a picture or brainstorming bubble before writing them down. 5. I write a story and illustrate it. 6. I use multi-media (e.g., computers, videos, and filmstrips). 7. I study in a quiet place away from verbal disturbances. 8. I prefer to read illustrated books. 9. I visualize information as a picture to aid memorization. 10. To see if I have spelled a word correctly, I write it out to see if it looks right. 11. I can remember names if I see them written on name tags. 12. I enjoy reading books, looking at the pictures and using visual materials such as pictures, charts, maps, graphs, etc. 13. Before doing a project, I prefer to read the instructions or look at the illustrations. 14. I take down class notes to help me to remember what the teacher says. 15. I usually write down my assignments to help me to remember its contents. 16. I like to use flash cards to practice vocabulary words. 17. My desk and locker is neatly organized. 18. I am able to sit and watch TV or work on the computer / internet for a long time. 19. I understand things better when I read them than when I listen to them. 20. I prefer being given a list of duties to complete rather than being told. 21. I seem to be able to picture things in my mind easily. 22. I learn best via visual aids (e.g., chalkboard notes, visual illustrations, charts, graphs, concept maps, outlines, graphic organizers). 23. I seem to understand knowledge best via video recordings.
Kinaesthetic-tactual studying style
1. I take frequent study breaks. 2. I move around to learn new things (e.g., read while on an exercise bike, mould a piece of clay to learn a new concept). 3. I enjoy working in a standing position. 4. I chew gum while studying. 5. I use bright colors to highlight reading material. 6. I dress up my work space with posters. 7. I listen to music while I study. 8. I skim through reading material to get a rough idea what it is about before settling down to read it in detail. 9. I emphasize and clarify ideas through gesture, facial expression and dramatization. 10. I enjoy active learning and direct experience and experimentation. 11. I prefer completing tasks which imply physical movement. 12. I prefer doing class assignments that involve project work. 13. It is hard for me to pay attention when I must sit still for the entire class period. 14. I enjoy sports and being active. 15. I count on my fingers or with other objects to do math problems. 16. My favourite classes are those where I can move around a lot. 17. I choose to play outside rather than sit inside and read a book or listen to tapes. 18. I have a hard time staying neat and organized. 19. I am good at skills that require precise movements, for example, walking on a balance beam, serving a volleyball, or playing ping-pong. 20. I prefer to learn a new activity by being shown how to do it rather than by reading about it or listening to a tape about it. 21. I would like to act out stories rather than talk about them. 22. I have a good sense of balance and rhythm.
Summary Instructions
Your three above totals may suggest your possible dominant studying style. That is, if your highest total is visual, you likely study best by SEEING, that is, you tend to remember best by using your eyes for studying. If your highest total is auditory, you likely study best by HEARING. In other words, you remember best by using your ears to study. And, if your highest total is kinaesthetic-tactual, you probably study best by DOING things, that is, you remember best by movement or physical activities that involve many parts of your body, in particular, your hands and feet. Box 1 immediately below outlines just some of the many alternative ways of studying.
Box 1: Some Alternative Ways for Students to Study
Some Auditory Alternatives
Some Visual Alternatives
Some Kinaesthetic Alternatives
Some Tactual Alternatives

tape / CD recordings
advertisements
newspapers
learning circles
speeches
journals / diaries
mock TV shows
crossword puzzles
debates
plays
radio broadcasts
pictures / posters
panel discussions
scripts
videos / DVD's
murals
commentaries
poems
demonstrations
maps / visualizations
discussions
songs
dramatizations
costume making
interviews
stories
role playing
charts / schematas
lectures
letters / reviews
pantomimes
graphs / models
.
editorials
reader theatres
dioramas / games

news stories
field trips
cartoons / puppetry

reports
.
box movies / masks

internet files

coding puzzles

.

photographs / slides

.

mobiles paper items

.

word puzzles

.

Homepage Most recently revised on: Monday, 16 April, 2007
Today: Thursday, November 01, 2007

Friday, December 14, 2007

Medicines Are Legal Drugs

Cigarettes and Alcohol

Illegal Drugs

Why Are Illegal Drugs Dangerous?

Why Do People Use Illegal Drugs?

Can I Tell If Someone Is Using Drugs?

What Can I Do to Help?

Words to Know

Medicines Are Legal Drugs

Cigarettes and Alcohol

Illegal Drugs

Why Are Illegal Drugs Dangerous?

Why Do People Use Illegal Drugs?

Can I Tell If Someone Is Using Drugs?

What Can I Do to Help?

Words to Know

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Herbal sex pills pose hidden dangers

Friday, November 2, 2007

Indonesian Cuisine

Thursday, November 1, 2007

ThE $LidE