Day In, Day Out

The common idea that success spoils people by making them vain, egoistic and self-complacent, is erroneous; on  the contrary it makes them for most part, humble, tolerant and kind. Failure makes people cruel and bitter  Failure inhibits you in two ways. It inhibits your ability to use the skill you've got, and it inhibits your ability to get better. You underachieve and you are stuck underachieving. (1978, p.58)

How can I go forward when I dont know which way I'm facing Make your priority clear and be prepared to fight for it.

The characteristics of a powerful learner: Curious. Have courage. Good at exploration and investigation. Dare to conduct experiments. Have imagination. The creativity of imagination needs to be yoked to reason and discipline, the ability to think carefully, rigorously and methodically. Sociable. Reflective Guy Claxton, 2010.

Years ago, friends asked me, 'What are you studying now?' And I said, 'TESL.' And they replied, 'OMG. I wont send my children to your school.' We laughed.  Those days, I admitted that they were right. Even I didn't want my children to be taught by me. Uhuk ;) But then,  If now I say that I really wanna open a kindergarten, will you ever send your children to my Casa dei Bambini? Do you believe that I too can be a good educator?

Do you ever feel like the world is being so harsh on you? I do now. I look at myself on the mirror. What have I done wrong? that everything is now upside down? I talk to myself, that failure is one step more to success. But then, Hurm. These days. Are stressful days. I miss home. Dear July, Please come fast.

Aside of collocating 'less is more' with fashion, we should now collocate it with educational system. Finland claims to have the best education system. The system is built on the idea of less can be more. According to the OECD, Finnish children spend the fewest number of hours in the classroom in the developed world. Taken from  here . here I remembered when my class ended at 3pm. It was very ineffective. Teachers were too lazy to teach so they equipped us with exercises. And me as a student, I was so fucked up with the class since I had to sacrifice my evening nap. It resulted me to copy my friends' answer or if it's an objective task, I let my pen to choose whichever it likes. So, I dont see the point of keeping students too long at schools. The fact is so clear that no one is learning.

The world is moving at a tremendous rate. Going no one knows where. We must prepare our children, not for the world of the past. Not for our world. But for their world. The world of the future.  (Dewey, 2008, 05:03) from here

This lady leaves school at young age. Why? She mentions, that it is a result of schooling itself. When I was 12 I was in a Poetry class. In some way I didn't have a clue what a poet is about but it meant stuff to me. It was something. And the teacher said, 'No you are wrong. It's this'. And I just switch off. It is just like if I cant interpret that poem, would it means to me, then there's nothing here for me in this room. So you've just confirmed to me that I'm now leaving the education system. (Battle of the Brain, 2007, 08:03) As teachers, are you now clear with the impact of your verbal response on students? You cant deny them even when they are wrong. You have to find initiatives to make things work. She is self-thought. Her hard works paid when her drawings are sold for thousands pound each. =Taken from here= She's Stella Vein. Declared as one of the most intelligence people in a documentary entitled Battle of the Brain alongside with...

(Montessori, 1936, p.244) This sentence drives me to a really deep thought. I have taken almost twenty two years, but have I become someone who are twenty two years? *agak berbelit disitu* I'm old in age but young at heart. *gulp*

After Holt, I am now fond of Montessori. Sorry classmates if after this the next name you'll get used with is her. Taken from here

When a child is born, all concerns goes to the mother. The mother has suffered so greatly. But has not the child suffered too? The mother needs special care. But does not the child, too, need special care? The mother's room is darkened and silent, for she is worn out. But the child who has just come from a place where not the faintest ray of light, or the faintest sound, could reach him. It is for him, then, that darkness and silence should be prepared. The child has come from absolute rest, and has now, all at once, to exercise his functions. He, therefore, must be tired and exhausted. His exhaustion does not come only from the contrast between opposite environments; He has just endured the exhausting labour of birth by his own efforts. His body was comprassed, as though in a mill, that squeezed it to the point of displacing its bones. He arrives worn out by the immense contrast between absolute rest and the inconceivable effort of birth.  (Montessori, 1...

There are times when you work very hard for something, You believe that your hard work worth a praise, However, when you choose to present it to others, They give you a cynical look, And later condemn you for everything. Relax. Sit back. It's ok to say Yes, I am stupid. But wait. Once, Einstein was declared as stupid. He failed in his university entrance. Same goes to Micheal Jordan, He's not selected to enter his school's basketball team at first. They gain a lot from their failure. They learn from the pain people give them. If you can learn from the hurt, One day, you'll be someone better. Let's learn from Thomas Edison: I am not discouraged because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward. I have not failed. I've just found 10 000 ways that wont work. Many of life's failure are men who not realise how close they were to success when they gave up. Now, I feel like thanking people who criticise me a lot. Do you?   

Teachers require a sound knowledge of ethical and psychological principles: First, because knowledge, besides its indirect values as forming logical habits of mind, is necessary to secure the full use of native skills; Secondly, because it is necessary  in order to attain perfected experience with the least expenditure of time and energy; Thirdly, in order that the educator may not be at mercy of every sort of doctrine and device, but many have his own standard by which to test the many methods and expedients constantly urged upon him, selecting those which stand the test and rejecting those which do not, no matter by what authority or influence they may be supported. (Dewey, 1964, p.202)   

Many people believe that a person is born either smart, average or dumb - and stays that way for life. But new research shows that the brain is more like a muscle - it changes and gets stronger when you use it. And scientists have been able to show just how the brain grows and gets stronger when you learn. (Dweck, 2006, p.213)

I am astonished with this quotation: For people who are just alike me, Who is trying hard to turn failure into a wonderful gift, Reading this book will put you at ease. As then we are able to treasure, That people alike Micheal Jordan and Tiger Woods, Are at one moment, Might feel worst than us.

A friend of mine always reminds me this, So let us pray for this. For one day when people need to describe you, they describe you in the exact way John Bach describes Micheal Jordan, "A genius who constantly wants to upgrade his genius".