Showing posts with label Vancouver schools. Show all posts
Conquering Conventions
Modern 21st century students have an advantage over their parents from the 1980s. Unlike our folks, we have access to much more advanced forms of technology such as the internet, personal computers, smartphones and digital communication.
Unfortunately, most of us, especially our parents, are left
to wonder about the effects of technology to our generation. Internet
addiction, for example, could be the effect of unmanaged internet use. Instead
of discussing about the negatives, why don’t we list down the positives?
Phone Homework
As of 2014, almost every teenager has an indispensable
resource called a phone. These gadgets are equipped with cameras that can be
used for retaining memories through photos. The texts on a page of a textbook
can also be considered as memories once they are read, absorbed, and
understood.
The question is, which is better? To take 3 photos of the 3
pages for your biology homework, or to bring home a 400 page-Biology textbook?
The answer is obvious. A smartphone can do wonders if used
appropriately. As for notes, I’ll enlighten you on that one later.
Google the word
The average student mainly uses Google to find out if a
workforce strike will affect school, or for Wikipedia links. Meanwhile, on the
wider spectrum, we use Google for references in grammar and words.
Think about a word that outweighs ‘sad’ yet retains the
meaning of sadness. Forlorn, dismal, morose, and the confusing ‘melancholy’ are
just a small fraction of the synonyms I’ve found. This is actually very useful
advice, implement this to your English homework routine if it’s not yet a habit
of yours.
So you’re probably wondering about bringing a laptop to
class? No! As your vocabulary and writing style (more on this later) evolves,
you will rely less on technology, but being a bookworm does not mean you have
to abandon it. So if you’re with a teacher who abhors all forms of technology
from the 21st century, explain the benefit of smartphone
dictionaries/thesauruses for the long run.
All around charmer
So you’re too smart and you think that having a supermodel
body is not necessary. Or you think that Aphrodite can’t be seen as
intelligent, as she is too beautiful for smarts. Well, lucky for you, the fair
compromise would be to listen to lectures while exercising.
But I don’t have Japanese-sensei with me whenever I go for a
jog - of course! In most circumstances you won’t, but you do have, again, a
smartphone! Whenever you think that you can listen to music while exercising,
consider listening to a tutorial, lecture, lesson, etc. An example could be
just listening to French lessons while running on the treadmill.
The advantage here is just way too good to be true, but the
method is feasible. Healthy, cultured, charming~. You could soon be like
Leonardo Da Vinci, a polymath, after some time from double benefits. Two
rewards in one time. Thank you, to whoever makes lectures and the like!
I can listen, why subtitles?
HD TV, HD video, subtitles and
CC/DS. Well, you may not like this one because subtitles are distractive.
However, the mild distraction does have an unconscious advantage. Watching a
Korean drama with English/Korean subtitles won’t make you fluent in Korean or
English.
Subtitles at best, could be a
supplement to language learning. Also, it can provide tacit knowledge in
natural-sounding native communication.
Simply watch films with
subtitles, even if you already have a good grasp with the English language. ESL
people eventually become, or already are, great at English, but they could have
a quaint accent if they speak. But why not just observe native speakers at a
park or school? Because, technology will, for this generation, just be a
supplement to our education, but extensive hands-on experience with a
supplement is the key for the language barrier.
Note taking is outdated
But asking questions and
discussions are not. This is especially true if you’re currently in high
school. In a class of 30, it is most likely that everyone will have different
intellectual abilities. You could be in the “upper” group, while the teacher
caters to those from the average. You lose, unless if you study ahead.
Take a copy of the teacher’s
notes for reference. Study from a different source, perhaps a book or a study
on the internet. Retain useful information and integrate what you’ve learned
from school and from the different source together. Expanding your knowledge on
a single topic can snowball into deep, complete understanding, and sometimes
even uncommon information.
Tactical Reading
The strategy is to read, relate and retain knowledge from
books to support experienced knowledge. However, the twist is to take 4
different categories of books from your local library. Young adult fiction,
non-fiction studies, objective non-fiction, and a genre which piques your
interests.
Young adult fiction is
self-explanatory; typical books that fall under this genre include Hunger
Games, Harry Potter, Mortal Instruments and a whole lot more.
Non-fiction could look dry and
intimidating with their “big” words, but they involve a plethora of theoretical
and practical knowledge. Although textbook-type books often come to mind when
thinking about non-fiction, it is a lot bigger genre than that. Non-fiction
also includes biographies and autobiographies of prominent figures. Try reading
the biographies or, if you’re lucky, the autobiographies of the people that
inspire you!
Lastly, get something else,
consider it the dessert of your 4 course [book] dinner. Anything that will make
you a more interesting person, as well as increasing your overall insight about
anything you’re curious to know about. Could be languages, modern technology,
musical instruments, movies, anything at all that will have you something to
talk about while in school or at a dinner party.
Specialize in One Topic
Earlier I mentioned that you
should expound on some studies. Unfortunately, specializing is taking it to a
whole different level.
Have you heard proverbs about
every person having some kind of talent?
That is true, each person has
innate abilities just being inhibited for reason I am not known of. Until they
have cultivated their abilities, they will remain a “loser.” So if you know enough
about yourself, I’d recommend you to refine your most prominent talent.
This could be musical, academic,
physical, social, technological, lingual and even creative success. This is
also how child prodigies are made, they specialize in one field.
Polymath, a dead term
In basic definition, a polymath
is a person who covers a wide range of expertise. Or simply, someone who is
multi-talented enough in many fields. A modern polymath could be someone who
can cook like a chef, write like an author, paint like an artist, understand
like a psychologist while keeping a healthy social, intellectual and physical
composure.
Wouldn’t you love it if you were
an engineer who has an attractively healthy body, artistic talent, broad knowledge
including languages, and social tact? I would, and you would too if you were
given the option to choose over a polymath engineer or an average, regressing,
waning middle-aged guy.
Luckily, you probably have access
to a smartphone, the internet and a computer which make being a polymath a lot
easier.
So for the sake of simplicity,
you, young student, should integrate technology to your education the “right”
way. Unlike most of your colleagues and classmates, you can actually begin
investing time on yourself for your polymath standards. Just remember to use
technology and improve at the same rate it does. You don’t want to be like your
friend’s grandmother who has not caught up with modern technology. I would like
to remind you to supplement your life with technology, and culture yourself for
modern, evolving society because everyone wants to have good future, but we
want to have the best futures.
- Angelo
Now What?
As summer approaches, another year of school has ended. Some of you are
probably getting ready for a trip somewhere else and enjoy the heat. Some of
you might be starting to wonder what is waiting for you after summer and where
you are heading to and some are still probably looking for signs that will take
you to the right path.
I can still remember the summer I had after my high school graduation.
It was both exciting and scary at the same time. Exciting because I was finally
out of high school and it was the first summer that I finally landed a job.
Scary because I wasn’t really sure what I would be doing after summer. It is
the time where we start to think more about our future and start making ‘adult’
decisions.
What
shall I pursue?
Which
college/university will I apply to?
How
do I sign up for classes?
Will
I make any friends?
How
will I be able to pay for my tuition fee?
How
do I apply for student loans?
Who
will I speak to about my concerns?
Some of you are probably asking the same questions above. It is
overwhelming and it somehow feels like you’ll never get to where you want to be
because of all these processes that you need to take care of before you
actually get there. In other words, it’s like going sky diving and realizing
that you forgot to put on your parachute.
Just kidding. It’s not that scary.
For us immigrants, it might be a completely different process than for those
who were born in this country or have been here a lot longer than when
they started high school. Some of you might have to go to adult school to
complete your credits from high school, some might have to upgrade in order to
take college level classes, some might have to take additional classes for
specific programs that have prerequisites, and some have yet to decide what it
is that they really want to pursue now that high school has ended.
I am not an expert but as an immigrant who has gone through the same
situation, here is a three-step advice that might help you get started and less
scared of what future holds.
1. Make a list.
Make a list of your goals, interests and possible career plan. It
doesn’t have to be an intricate and complete list. A simple, abstract one will
suffice. It can be as simple as putting your interests and checking out the
ones that you are most passionate about and would not actually mind
furthering your knowledge about that specific subject area. It can be a list of
the colleges you wish to attend to. It can also be a list of your simple
everyday ‘to-do’ list. Making a list will help you to look forward for
something and get you inspired to keep going.
2. Research.
I am pretty sure that you are all familiar how internet works and the
great thing about it is that it is more than just social networking sites and a
place to watch cat videos. Everything that you need to know about applying for
college is sitting somewhere around the interwebs. Remember the list I
mentioned earlier? That list will now come in handy. You can start by
searching about a specific interest of yours. For example, I am interested in
Psychology so I searched about the career areas, specializations and pretty
much everything that there is to know about the field. Then, I searched for
colleges that offer the program and then the requirements that I need in order
to get into the program. Yet, here’s another tip, when you do a lot of research
and you gather a lot of information it can be quite overwhelming and when that
happens, I suggest that you take a deep breath and stop searching. Remember the
list? Now is the time to take a pen and paper out and make a list again. This
time, list the questions that you have in mind or just simply write down your
thoughts about the whole research. This will help you map out a plan and
specify the things that need to be done.
3. Email. Call. Make an Appointment.
I know this part is a lot more challenging than the previous ones but
treat this as an experience and a way for you to step up your game and put your
foot forward one step at a time. Most of the colleges and universities offer
assessment and counselling for students who wish to pursue their post-secondary
education in their respective institutions. Talking to someone about your
concerns will be helpful not only to help you get started but to learn and
understand more about the processes with regards to your academic career. If
you are not comfortable going alone, ask your parents or older siblings to help
you out. If that doesn’t work out for you, you can still go back to
researching. This time, do your research in the college’s website. List the
things and questions that you are unable to find answers to and then call,
email, or make an appointment with the school you are interested in going.
I know that the three steps require effort and a lot of thinking. But I
do hope that it will help you get started and figure out where you are heading
or at least, inspire you to not give up just yet. Think of it as one item on the
list that you can cross off in order to get where you want to be. Just take a
deep breath and get on to work because I guarantee you, a year or two from now,
you’ll be surprised how far you are from where you started. And one last thing,
Don’t be scared.
Because nothing is scarier than knowing that you let an opportunity and
a chance passed by without you doing anything to grab and hold on to it. And even if
you are, scared, just know that we’ll be at the sidelines rooting for you.
- Janine
New Beginnings, New Challenges, New Life
 |
| Tim Shields |
Another
year has gone by and each New Year means a new start, a new resolution and
maybe a change in our goals. We often make new resolutions and set new goals such as improving
our attitude to be more sociable, or focusing on and excelling in our studies, or
even just learning something new, something that we have never tried. Moreover, some of you who are reading this might be looking forward to start a new life in another country. And that is
what I am writing about, my new life in Canada.
I
moved to Canada during the summer in 2013. I’m from Sabah, Malaysia and yes,
there are not much people from Sabah in Canada. I’m half Chinese and half Sabah
native, which is quite unique. Anyways, when I moved here I didn’t want to go
outside because it was too cold and I was not used to the weather. I started
out quite rough because I knew no one here, and I couldn’t speak my own
language except for my own family. I had zero knowledge about Canada, all I
knew is they loved maple syrup.
Just kidding!
I spent two
months locked up in my room most of the time and admittedly, there times when I cried because I missed my friends back in Sabah. It was quite challenging to accept the
fact that I'm so far from home.
Despite
all those barriers, I managed to overcome them in no time. My dad and I went to
Vancouver School Board to arrange my school documents. At the Vancouver School
Board, we found out about this event called Newcomer Orientation Week which was
held in August. The event was for students and teens who were new to Canada. There were activities, workshops, and helpful guides for them to have an awesome kick start in
Canada.
To be honest, I
was reluctant at first and I didn’t want to go because I was so shy. But I
forced myself to go and guess what? It was the best decision I’ve made because
it opened my eyes to so many new things. I learned that the government trains students to do volunteer work and helps them grow in terms of socializing with
crowds and boosting their confidence. Even though these students come from
different backgrounds or even different schools, they were still able to
communicate and work together well. It was a huge turning point for me and my
way of thinking. They taught me that we all face difficult challenges but with
perseverance, we could get through it easily, and that there will always be someone
to help you, only if you ask for it.
When
I started school, I felt the same type of homesickness that I did during my
first week of stay here in Canada. I’m currently in grade 11, studying at a
secondary school in East Vancouver. I started in September of 2013 and was
absolutely dumbfounded by the size of the school when I first saw it. To me, it
was huge because my former school in my motherland was small. I looked like a
lost child when I was roaming around the halls, looking for my class. I even
went in the wrong class for 2 weeks! I was very quiet and shy in the beginning.
Thankfully, I managed to make a friend! It took quite a while for me to adjust
in a new environment. I started socializing with more students when I was in
P.E class actually. Students were very friendly to me; they just come up to you
and sparked up a conversation, which was a surprise. And I learned from them, I
started to talk more and more in class and gradually became confident bit by
bit. If you are new student and are struggling to make friends, you have to be
patient and not give up easily. It is hard, but with patience and kindness, you’ll
find the right friends at the right time.
I guess I wrote this because I would like to encourage you to be courageous. Don’t doubt
yourself. Just go for it. Keep yourself busy with volunteer
works, sports, and roaming around Vancouver to appreciate its beauty. Discover new things by joining clubs in school such as
tech club, choir, dance team or even a leadership club. It is all worth it and
plus, it’s free! And if possible, get a summer job because you will gain
experience and learn new things besides earning money. Try to socialize more
too! And you must, MUST, try ice-skating. Even though I fell so many times when I tried it, I still had real fun. You should visit the PNE too and try the ‘Hellavator’. That is all from me
and I hope to write for you again next time!
- Sharon
- Sharon
