Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
13. Love's Story
Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all repaired their boats and left.
Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment. When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help. Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."
Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel, "Vanity, please help me!" "I can't help you Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat." Vanity answered.
Sadness was close by so Love asked for help, "Sadness, let me go with you." "Oh....Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"
Happiness passed by Love too, but he was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her!
Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come Love, I will take you." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder his name. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went his own way.
Love realizing how much he owed the elder and asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who helped me?" "It was Time," Knowledge answered. "Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because, only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."
13. Love's Story
Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all repaired their boats and left.
Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment. When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help. Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."
Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel, "Vanity, please help me!" "I can't help you Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat." Vanity answered.
Sadness was close by so Love asked for help, "Sadness, let me go with you." "Oh....Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"
Happiness passed by Love too, but he was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her!
Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come Love, I will take you." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder his name. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went his own way.
Love realizing how much he owed the elder and asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who helped me?" "It was Time," Knowledge answered. "Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because, only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."
12. A gift to mom
Four brothers left home for college, and they became successful doctors and lawyers and prospered. Some years later, they chatted after having dinner together. They discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother who lived far away in another city.
The first said, "I had a big house built for Mama."
The second said, "I had a hundred thousand dollar theater built in the house."
The third said "I had my Mercedes dealer deliver an SL600 to her."
The fourth said, "You know how Mama loved reading the Bible and you know she can't read anymore because she can't see very well. I met this preacher who told me about a parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took twenty preachers 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000 a year for twenty years to the church, but it was worth it. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot will recite it."
The other brothers were impressed. After the holidays Mom sent out her thank you notes. "She wrote: "Milton, the house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house. Thanks anyway."
"Marvin, I am too old to travel. I stay home, I have my groceries delivered, so I never use the Mercedes. The thought was good. Thanks."
"Michael, you gave me an expensive theater with Dolby sound, it could hold 50 people, but all my friends are dead, I've lost my hearing and I'm nearly blind. I'll never use it. Thank you for the gesture just the same."
"Dearest Melvin, you were the only son to have the good sense to give little thought to your gift. The chicken was delicious. Thank you."
11. A Letter to Dear Dad
A father passing by his teenage daughter's bedroom was astonished to see the bed was nicely made and everything was neat and tidy. Then he saw an envelope propped up prominently on the centre of the pillow. It was addressed "Dad". With the worst premonition, he opened the envelope and read the letter with trembling hands:-
Dear Dad,
It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you, but I'm leaving home. I had to elope with my new boyfriend Randy because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you. I've been finding real passion with Randy and he is so nice to me. I know when you meet him you'll like him too - even with all his piercing, tattoos, and motorcycle clothes. But it's not only the passion Dad, I'm pregnant and Randy said that he wants me to have the kid and that we can be very happy together. Even though Randy is much older than me (anyway, 42 isn't so old these days is it?), and has no money, really these things shouldn't stand in the way of our relationship, don't you agree?
Randy has a great CD collection; he already owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. It's true he has other girlfriends as well but I know he'll be faithful to me in his own way. He wants to have many more children with me and that's now one of my dreams too.
Randy taught me that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone and he'll be growing it for us and we'll trade it with our friends for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want. In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Randy can get better; he sure deserves it!!
Don't worry Dad, I'm 15 years old now and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure we'll be back to visit so you can get to know your grandchildren.
Your loving daughter,
Rosie.
At the bottom of the page were the letters "PTO".
Hands still trembling, her father turned the sheet, and read:
PS:
Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at the neighbour's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than my report card that's in my desk centre drawer. Please sign it and call when it is safe for me to come home.
I love you!
Your loving daughter,
Rosie
*************
10. WE MISS OUT
A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and the boy was the gem of their eyes. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for office so he asked his wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. His wife, preoccupied in the kitchen totally forgot the matter. The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle fascinated by its color and drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages. When the child collapsed the mother hurried him to the hospital, where he died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified how to face her husband. When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just five words.
QUESTIONS:
1. What were the five words?
2. What is the implication of this story?
ANSWER:
The husband just said "I am with you Darling"The husband's totally unexpected reaction is a proactive behavior. The child is dead... He can never be brought back to life. There is no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if only he had taken time to keep the bottle away, this would not have happened. No one is to be blamed. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was consolation and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her.If everyone can look at life with this kind of perspective, there would be much fewer problems in the world. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears. And you will find things are actually not as difficult as you think...
MORAL OF THE STORY:
This story is really worth reading. ......
Sometimes we spend time in asking who is responsible or whom to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know.
By this way we miss out something called L.I.F.E.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
9. Tips for good night's sleep
Erratic bedtimes do not allow for your body to align to the proper circadian rhythms. Mum was right when she set a time we always had to go to sleep as kids. Also, make sure you try to keep the same schedule on weekends too, otherwise the next morning, you’d wake later and feel overly tired.
Sleep only at night
Avoid daytime sleep if possible. Daytime naps steal hours from nighttime slumber. Limit daytime sleep to 20-minute, power naps.
Exercise
It’s actually known to help you sleep better. Your body uses the sleep period to recover its muscles and joints that have been exercised. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise every day can help you sleep, but be sure to exercise in the morning or afternoon. Exercise stimulates the body and aerobic activity before bedtime may make falling asleep more difficult.
Taking a hot shower or bath
Before bed helps bring on sleep because they can relax tense muscles.
Avoid eating just before bed
Avoid eat large meals or spicy foods before bedtime. Give yourself at least 2 hours from when you eat to when you sleep. This allows for digestion to happen (or at least start) well before you go to sleep so your body can rest well during the night, rather than churning away your food.
Avoid caffeine
It keeps you awake and that’s now what you want for a good nights sleep. We all know that.
Read a fiction book
It takes you to a whole new world if you really get into it. And then take some time to ponder over the book as you fall asleep. I find as I read more and more, regardless of the book, I get more tired at night and so find it easier to fall asleep. Different for others?
Have the room slightly cooler
I prefer this to a hot room. I prefer to turn off the heat and allow the coolness to circulate in and out of the windows. If I get cold, I wear warmer clothes. It also saves on the bills as you’re not going to require the heat all night long.
Sleep in silence
I find sleeping with no music or TV on more easy and restful. I guess others are different, but sleep with no distractions is best for a clearer mind.
Avoid alcohol before bedtime
It’s a depressant; although it may make it easier to fall asleep, it causes you to wake up during the night. As alcohol is digested your body goes into withdrawal from the alcohol, causing nighttime awakenings and often nightmares for some people.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
7. “ICT in the teaching of English and Community Development”
Co-authored by:
Mr Mayur Parmar
mayur_vvnagar@yahoo.co.in
Lecturer
H M Patel Institute of English Training & Research
Vallabh Vidyanagar (Gujarat) India
Mr Kaushal Kotadia
kaushalkotadia@gmail.com
www.kaushalkotadia.blogspot.com
www.kotadiakaushal.blogspot.com
www.remediesathand.blogspot.com
Resource Person
H M Patel Career Development Centre
Vallabh Vidyanagar (Gujarat) India
Earlier the phrase information technology popularly known as IT was the buzzword. However, in the recent years IT has incorporated one more letter C in it making itself ICT. The C in ICT has been introduced because it has become obvious that the technology is at least as important as a means of communication as a device for handling information. Being communication tools, computers have an obvious place in language teaching and learning.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is a broad term that covers all information handling tools. It includes a varied set of goods, applications and services that are used to produce, store, process, distribute and exchange information.
They include:
• Traditional ICT: telephone, radio and television
• New ICT: Personal Computers, mobile phones, satellite and wireless
technologies, Internet and the World Wide Web
Increasingly, the demarcations between these media or delivery channels are shaping, as the world becomes more networked - interconnected telephone services, standardized computer hardware, and seamless data transmission services. Today, we are witnessing a new revolution of the 21st century that will shape the knowledge society: “the Digital Revolution”. Driven by the accelerating conference between the internet, broadcast media and ICTs, this revolution indeed affects all aspects of our life – the way we learn, work and communicate with one another as well as the way governments interact with civil society. New opportunities are opening up to those who can make effective use of information technologies, but a large percentage of people are not aware of this digital revolution and opportunities, they don’t have access to those technologies and information which are also not affordable.
Some feel that it is a new threat to the development. At the same time, the digital revolution risks to exclude others from reaping its fruits, thus increasing existing inequalities. This gap between those who have access to ICT and those who lack of it has become well known as the “digital divide”. Digital Divide is the “unequal access to information and communication technologies (ICT) between the information haves and have-nots.” The digital divide reflects, in a large part, other social and economic divides – not only between industrial and developing nations, but also within countries. The divide exists among developed countries and the less developed countries as well as within one country among the urban and rural areas, across people’s ages and levels of education. The divide also exists between those who are literate and illiterate, those who are normal and those who are disabled.Bridging the digital divide has emerged as a key challenge for development – and as the only hope for the marginalized part of the world to benefit from the opportunities offered by the global knowledge economy.
Under the development strategy of developing world, ICT is to address among other topics such as education, knowledge through human development. Poverty reduction and the enhancement of the quality of life for the people are still on the high-priority list and ICTs can play a great role in facilitating and accelerating. ICTs play a great role in this strategy, and in doing so, the issue of “digital divide” must be considered. To bridge the digital divide has become a big challenge facing developing countries. ICT is considered as the major information infrastructure for improving the quality of access and distribution of information for the citizens.
In the past, some widely used approaches to foreign language teaching have assumed strict control of pupils’ behaviour. Textbooks can be used to make pupils act in highly predictable ways such as answering questions about given text, practicing saying and writing specified vocabulary items, responding to pronunciation exercises or grammar tasks in the textbook. The teacher can be fairly certain that few, if any, unexpected language or other challenges will occur. Most uses of ICT do not lend themselves to this kind of teacher control. The Internet is a good example. Millions of texts are available. Teachers can never know when they will have to respond to questions like "What does the word mean? How do we pronounce it? Is it good English? Is it taboo? etc." Once pupils have learned basic ways of obtaining information, they can find out many things for themselves that the teacher may not know much or anything about. Successful use of ICT is inconsistent with complete teacher control of what happens in the language classroom. However, that does not mean that teachers should not guide learners or set them tasks leading to specified solutions, set time limits and so on.
The C in ICT stands for communication. The primary purpose of ICT in foreign language teaching must be to stimulate real communication between pupils (for example, within a class), communication between teachers and their pupils, for example, presentation, comment, advice, explanation, suggestion and instruction. It has an obvious role in furthering communication between learners from different countries who are learning English as a vehicle for international contact and understanding.
Can ICT take a reformative measure in improving teacher competency?
It will not be an exaggeration if one says that the present and the future of education and the society lie on the teachers, and especially the quality of teachers. Not surprisingly, considerable importance has been given to teacher education in all the Five Year Plans and in all the Commissions and Committees on Education in India. The Kothari Education Commission had noted that the fate of India was being shaped in the classrooms, and that the teachers were the most important determinant of this. However, with increasing use of technology and blended learning, the fate today is shaped more outside the classroom, and the definition of a teacher has changed considerably.
In parallel with the development of educational technology itself, use of ICT in teacher education has evolved from the traditional audio-visual method to the present multimedia-based online learning/online professional development.
A New ICT Framework
i) teachers need to be reflective in what they do in the form of teaching and facilitating student learning
ii) the offline community of practice and the networked community of professional community need to be intergrated into a comprehensive framework of continuing professional development.
Some of the important skills associated with reflection included:
Self-awareness: Ability to analyze feelings, especially examining how a situation has affected the individual and how the individual has affected the situation
Synthesis: Ability to integrate new knowledge with previous knowledgeEvaluation: Ability to make judgment about the value of something
It must be underlined that in any sort of ICT intervention in teacher education and/or any ICT-integrated teacher education, reflection needs to play a critical role in contextualizing teacher education practices as also to critically reflect on teacher education as professional discipline and professional practice. The framework given above depicts an integrated and comprehensive online teacher professional development in which culture, professional community, curriculum design, online presence, and individual and collaborative reflection contribute to transformation in professional identify and professional practice.
Information and Knowledge: ICT for Education
Today a large percentage of poor population of the globe lives in the rural areas and ICT could bring a substantial development if ICT could be used appropriately. It is important to consider following factors in mainstreaming ICT into rural development and poverty reduction strategies
· ICTs are a powerful tool for sustainable development, empowerment and poverty reduction.
· ICTs are a component of a broader strategy to sustainable development and should not be seen as a panacea for all development problems.
· ICT encompass a full range of technologies – not only the Internet, but also traditional devices, such as radios or TV, which are the most widely used tools in developing countries.
· The effective use of ICT is not just a question of infrastructure, but also requires an appropriate institutional and regulatory framework and human capacity.
When mainstreaming ICT into rural development and poverty reduction it is important to aim at following:
· To raise standard of living of people
· To ensure the rights of information access through the use of ICT
· To learn from the global knowledge and contribute to it
· To provide more opportunities to people for education, culture and other
Providing access to relevant information
· ICT can help improve the economic and social situation of the poor by enabling people
· to obtain relevant information on market prices, weather conditions, medical assistance, land and political rights as well as welfare or credit schemes
· increase their competitiveness and market access
· train themselves via e-learning, thus making them responsible for their own development.
Facilitating communication and network building
· share knowledge and build networks
· promote their interest and rights more efficiently
· influence more effectively, rapidly and collectively political decisions that affect their lives
· communicate more effectively, thus enhancing intercultural understanding
The initial project indicates that the use of new technologies may enable communities to lean forward what previously have been seen to be necessary stages in the growth of educational provision and the development of a body of knowledge in a community, but only to a limited extent. ICT has already proven to be an ideal vehicle for the distribution of ideas, initiatives and material, directly into areas that are difficult to reach by other means. This project requires testing out and extending the use of ICT in non-formal education and has achieved a measure of success in doing this. However, if the essential spread of knowledge and information is not to be slowed down, low-tech methods of production and delivery must be developed beside their high-tech equivalents. Similarly, the modes and quality both of the material itself and the delivery of it in the regional centres and satellites must illustrate greater variety and adaptation to specific user need. There is currently no differentiation according to need or experience, and this is something that any future development will have to address.
6. “English as a Tool of Empowerment Leading to
Self-Employment”
Co-authored by:
Ms Parul Popat
parulpopat@gmail.com
www.parulpopat.blogspot.com
Head
Department of English
N S Patel Arts College
Anand (Gujarat) India
Mr Kaushal Kotadia
kaushalkotadia@gmail.com
www.kaushalkotadia.blogspot.com
www.kotadiakaushal.blogspot.com
www.remediesathand.blogspot.com
Resource Person
H M Patel Career Development Centre
Vallabh Vidyanagar (Gujarat) India
Designated as the language of communication, English today is spoken and read by the largest number of people in the world. On account of its this feature in particular and others in general English is no doubt preferred by one and all. Available data from all the walks of life support the claim that English has aided people in creating many success stories and is contributing to many lives in earning their bread and butter. The world of 21st century has opened many new vistas for those who have quite a good command over the language.
There is not any iota of doubt of English language being a tool of empowerment. The list of areas where people have done well owing to their expertise in English language is endless. KPO, BPO, competitive exams, translations, writing, web-page writing, education to name a few. The equally heartening thing is that it has also led to self-employment. Nevertheless, the question that arises here is how much knowledge of the stated language is required to empower oneself and to be self-employed. This paper tries to study the role of English in the empowerment of people with its focus on success stories from the field of education confined to Vallabh Vidyanagar and Anand (Gujarat) India.
The title of the paper talks about two things in main viz;
English as a tool of empowerment
English can lead to self-employment
Before going any further, I would like to explicate all the dimensions of the terms employed in the title.
To begin with, at first the title deals with the capacity of English as the tool of empowerment. To be empowered, in simple words, means to have more control over one’s life or the situation one is in. The most common use of the term "empowerment" refers to increasing the power of the low-power group, so that it more nearly equals the power of the high power group.
Empowerment, as it may seem to many today, is nothing more than the most recently popular buzzword thrown in to make sure that old programs get new meanings. However, the reality is quite different. Empowerment is much more than that. Empowerment is a process that challenges our assumptions about the way things are and can be. It challenges our basic assumptions about power, helping, achieving, and succeeding. Empowerment is a process of change.
At the core of the concept of empowerment is the idea of power. The possibility of empowerment depends on two things. First, that power can change and the other that power can expand. Thus, empowerment is a process of change.
As a general definition, however, we suggest that empowerment is a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives. It is a process that fosters power (that is, the capacity to implement) in people, for use in their own lives, their communities, and in their society, by acting on issues that they define as important.
We suggest that three components of our definition are basic to any understanding of empowerment. Empowerment is multi-dimensional, social, and a process. It is multi-dimensional in that it occurs within sociological, psychological, economic, and other dimensions. Empowerment also occurs at various levels, such as individual, group, and community. It is a social activity in a sense that it affects the lives of many in the society. Last but not the least; it is a process as it is a series of things that happen, especially ones that result in natural changes.
Self-employment
The core of the paper is devoted to role of English in creating self-employment. However, before referring to that part let me make the concept of self-employment a bit clear.
Ø Being self-employed simply means being your own Boss. This also means that there is no one looking over your shoulder. Freedom of time, moment, goals and finances everything is left to you.
Ø It means you are own time master. It gives you a flexibility to do whatever you want to do and whenever want to do.
Ø A self-employed person is far away from the problems of job security and fear of unemployment. On the contrary, he may be able to provide job to others.
Ø Self-employment is something that makes one a complete person who can proudly say that he/ she is an entrepreneur who has achieved something.
Ø When you are self-employed, your self-confidence goes through the sky. This factor will help you face most hurdles in life with a less stress.
Ø When self-employed the limitations of earning do not exist. You can earn as much as you want by just stepping up the speed.
Ø Last but not the least; success becomes a commodity, which you can measure with your own yardstick rather than others, which contributes a lot to your personality and the finances through the extra income you earn.
Keeping in mind all the above benefits one questionnaire was prepared for the respondents to analyse the role of English in making them successful entrepreneurs. The present paper is a study of those successful entrepreneurs who have been empowered by the language under discussion. Vallabh Vidyanagar and Anand, being the educational township, I preferred to take into account the field of education in general and various educational institutions and private coaching classes in particular.
Among the educational institutions, three successful women entrepreneurs were selected who have earned a name and fame for themselves. Heart and the soul of the institution that they run, the entrepreneurs are Mrs Maria V Pinto of Pinto’s School, Mrs Alanknanda Parnekar of Nirmal Niketan and Mrs Dhara Shukla of Kids’ Empire. Among the private coaching classes, the names are
Mr Manoj Ray of Bright Tuition Classes, Mr Vipul Shah of Vipul Tuition Classes and Mr Sohin Treya of Vidya Classes.
One questionnaire was designed to learn the role of English Language in the empowerment of the stated people. In addition to the personal as well as professional information of the respondents, the questionnaire also had statements which can help the researcher to learn the attitude and aptitude of the respondents towards the work that they are doing and the factors that led them to venture in the profession in which they are at present.
Glimpses of the successful journeys that have contributed in the process of change.
Mrs Maria V Pinto, Managing Trustee, Pinto’s schools
Featured in the reputed daily ‘The Times of India’ more than once as a successful and inspirational woman entrepreneur, Mrs Maria V Pinto started her journey as a working woman way back in 1983 as an Administrator cum Nursery Teacher with a meager salary of 500/- with Boho Shishu Vihar, the 1st of its kind in Anand.
Encouraged by her daughter to be independent, she started a kindergarten school in 1987 with a bank loan of Rs. 20,000/- in a small rented house with 18 tiny tots. At present, she is moulding the career of almost 400 students studying under her care and supervision. Not only this, she has also generated employment for as many as 40 people. She aspires to start a school for the differently abled children to help them to come into the mainstream of life. When asked the role of English in her empowerment she said
“With today’s pressing need of knowing to speak English fluently, I think our institution has been able to achieve what I have today purely because of my fortune of having some kind of special hold on the English language right from my childhood…”
The feature, which is the most motivating about her success story, is that she has studied up to matriculation only and does not have any formal degree with which many are judged and appointed. Her case proves one thing that you have to have the instinct within you and only degree does not lead you to success.
Mrs Alaknanda Parnekar, Headmistress, Nirmal Niketan Kindergarten
An effort to make her student a better one at Kendriya Vidyalaya was taken otherwise. The complaint lodged against her gave her a feeling that she would not be able to what she wanted to and she straightway decided to withdraw herself from the permanent government job she was doing. Her resignation from the job proved a turning point in her life and motivated her to start her own venture in 1994, today better known as Nirmal Niketan Kindergarten, an English Medium Kinder-Garten School. It is the first of its kind in Vallabh Vidyanagar in the sense that here she started admitting children from 2½ years which was against the mentality of people and so had to make extensive efforts to convince the grand parents. Nevertheless, with her charming personality and absolute command over the English language, she could do that and now she is running Nirmal Niketan Kindergarten successfully with 250 children studying from Nursery to first standard. She confirms that her knowledge of English language has helped her to hold her head high. About the role English in life, this is what she had to say:
“It is essential for everyone to have at least the working knowledge of English and special skills of English language definitely empower an individual in more than one ways.”
Mrs Dhara Shukla of Kids Empire
A lady with a degree of Diploma in Civil Engineering, Mrs Dhara Shukla’s story is a little bit different from the above two in a way that the only reason behind the setting up of Kids Empire was the motto to do social service through language. She did not have even any kind of professional experience either. During the interview, she humbly denied of having any special skills, training or professional experience of any kind when she started her own institution. What she had was the required amount of knowledge of the language. When enquired how she managed without basic requirements she frankly said that apart from the knowledge of the language, her experiences of bringing up her two children helped her a lot. In addition to this, she did a survey for 3 to 3½ years of the field where she wanted serve society through language. As far as the role of English in her life is concerned, she says that it is a tool but depending upon the nature of work, other qualities are also equally important.
All the above three mentioned cases are common as none of the discussed case had any acute financial problem or had problem of survival. They were not the sole breadwinner though their ventures did help their families. The next three cases are completely different as they directly do not teach the language but they do deal with English language in the form of terminology used in their fields. They too in one voice agree that the working knowledge of English language has played a vital role in earning them a respect and recognition for themselves. All these cases are the torchbearers for those who have suffered due to the policy of government or being exploited by self-financed institutions. The only message that their achievements convey is that if you have faith in your abilities then nobody can stop you. Let’s peep into their struggle and have some inspiration.
Mr Manoj Ray of Bright Tuition Classes
A bright student from the beginning Manoj Ray studied in vernacular medium but was always the master of Accounts and Statistics. He knew very well what he could do with his talent. Hence, having worked for BJVM for one year as a lecturer in Commerce and Accountancy, in 1997-98 he started his own classes at his home where the students used to sit on the floor. This venture by him proved to be a great support for his family that was earning his livelihood by supplying tiffins to students. Gradually, his method of teaching and learning increased the strength of the students, which today has crossed the strength of 300. Today, he has his own air-conditioned classes with two teaching faculty whom he is paying more than what our government is paying to lecturers now as Adyapak Sahayaks. A down to earth person, he very humbly says that he cannot speak English that fluently but he knows the terminology of Accounts and Statistics perfectly well. Today, 65% of his students are from English Medium who find no problem with his teaching suggest others to join his classes.
Mr Vipul Shah of Vipul Tuition Classes
If employed immediately after the completion of his masters, how much can a person earn in the teaching field in this scenario? The answer obviously cannot be very encouraging unless he is serving in those institutions that are ready to pay as per UGC norms. Mr Vipul Shah of Vipul Tuition Classes learnt from others experiences, did not try much for any ‘permanent’ job and thought it better to start his own institution. Only three years have passed since he began his classes for commerce students but today he is a proud person with 218 students studying under him and has also generated employment for two more. He too, like others accepts that English has instilled confidence in him and motivated him towards self-employment and has contributed a lot in his success.
Mr Sohin Treya of Vidya Classes
A victim of the Government Policy of Shikshan Sahayak, Mr Sohin started his career as a teaching assistant with the salary of Rs 2000/- only but soon felt that it was too difficult to lead his life and so joined hands with the other teacher like him and jumped in the field of private coaching. Today he too, is earning a handsome amount with the help of his knowledge of the English language by providing coaching to the students from 5th to 12th standards.
Every success story has something new to tell with one thing in common that the English language is a key-factor behind their empowerment and self-employment. The respondents were given few reasons, which might have motivated them for starting their own venture. The importance of the language in empowering people and leading them to self-employment can also be gauged from the table given below:
1. The salary was inadequate. - 33.33%
2. You were desirous of expressing your unique talent. - 83.33%
3. You wished to utilize the special training you had. - 50%
4. You were bored with your previous job. - 16.66%
5. You felt that your career was going nowhere. - 16.66%
6. Your previous job was very stressful. - 16.66%
7. Social status attached with the profession. - 83.33%
8. You saw better prospects in the field of education with English language. - 100%
9. You intended to do Social Service through language. - 83.33%
10.You thought of utilizing the extra time you had. - 16.66%
11.You felt you could do this in a better way. - 16.66%
12. Your family needed financial support. - 66.66%
13.This was a better and a safer way of earning. - 50%
The figures shown in the table clearly prove the role of English in the empowerment of people helping them to be their own boss. More than one factors can be responsible behind the choice of English language but everybody agrees on point that today in the field of education there are better prospects for the people who have an adequate command over the English language and the same can definitely help in the development of the family first and community next.
The results of this empirical research clearly suggest that English proficiency can become a more important determinant of earnings for all the entrepreneurs, especially in the field of education and can easily lead them towards self-employment.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
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Tuesday, August 12, 2008
3. Prevention is better than cure
2. Tips for Better Life
Just like the question, “What is happiness?”, what constitutes a better life is something very subjective and something which we have to search within ourselves. We have to connect with our inner selves in order to know what is meant by a better life for us. To some people, better lives can be to achieve great financial successes or happy families. And to others, better lives could be just having food to eat to fight off hunger, clothes to wear to keep themselves warmth and shelters from the sun and rain. To me, happiness directly link to a better life - when I am happy, naturally it is already considered a better life. And that leads to the question of what is happiness? Happiness is to know what we want in life. We might not always know what happiness to us is. Thus we have to constantly ask ourselves what we want in our lives. Know what we want in our lives and happiness will follow “It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.” - Dale Carnegie
1. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. Buy a DVD Recorder and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, ‘My purpose is to __________ today.’
5. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007!
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives. (Meditation can be a good way to help us to connect to our inner selves.)
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake. “All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.” - T.E. Lawrence
10. Eat more food that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants. 11. Drink green tea and plenty of water.. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear clutters from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime. (Realize that challenges are not here in our lives to stop us but to help us grow!)
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out credit charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires! away.
18. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good. (I remember a quotation from someone that goes, “Life will sometimes deal us bad cards and we have to learn to play to win.”)
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. (Hate is a very negative energy. I remembered reading from someone blog last week and she shared this, “I love to love and I hate to hate.” We must always focus on positive energy.)
20. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
23. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you. (Understand that you and only you are in charge of your life. You may not always be able to choose the situation, but you can choose your reaction to the situation. You have the power to choose.)
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years, will this matter?’
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business. “I will not let what others say about me affect me as long as I know it is not the truth.” - Abraham Lincoln
28. GOD heals almost everything.
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
31. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
32. Envy is a waste of time! . You already have all you need.
33. The best is yet to come.
34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
35. Do the right thing!
36. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!) Hey I’m thinking of ya!
37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.
38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don’t want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.
40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about.
1. HOW CRICKET HAS EVOLVED
The rules, dresses and the duration involving a cricket game have undergone a sea change since the game began. Luckily, just as one version of the game began to bore, another was round the corner to ensure that cricket was alive and kicking. And the best part is that tradition, in the form of Test cricket, co-exists happily with the modern, be it ODIs or T20. Gaurav Gupta takes a look at how various formats of the game came into being from time to time...
ODIs
The first ODI was played in 1971 on the Melbourne Cricket Ground, ironically the same venue on which the first-ever Test was played. The possibility of a result, attacking batsmanship — thanks to the limited version of 50 overs each side, caught on like wildfire — and cricket got a new life. The short duration of games meant a World Cup could be played. The first World Cup was held in 1975. It was a hit, and ODIs soon started outnumbering Tests.
THE PACKER REVOLUTION
In 1977, Australian media moghul Kerry Packer couldn’t get the TV rights for cricket Down Under, so he decided to change the game altogether, floating a rebel series. Out went the traditional whites, in came coloured clothing. Out went cricket under sunlight, and in came cricket under floodlights. Big Boys play under lights, it was said. The red cherry was replaced with a white ball, and sightscreens became black instead of white. Purists scoffed, but fans loved the new, sexed-up version of the sport.
HONG KONG SIXES
Cricket’s six-a-side version was launched in 1992 when the Hongkong Sixes event began. Six players on each side get to play five overs each, with everybody except the wicketkeeper allowed to bowl. Batsmen are supposed to retire once they reach 31, and a team is deemed all out only when the sixth wicket falls. The tournament became so popular over the years that now 10 international teams play in it.
DOUBLE WICKET
The double-wicket version came up in the 1980s and is still popular in many cities and towns in India. A pair gets to bat for eight or ten overs, with roughly four bowlers against them. Six runs are deducted in case a batsman is dismissed. In 1989, a tournament of this kind was played in Chennai, and it involved the West Indies pace bowlers against two good batsmen from each country.
CRICKET MAX
This was a form of cricket invented by former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe. The match consisted of two innings and each side was allowed only 10 overs per innings. A ‘Max’ zone was drawn up in front of the batsman, in which if the ball were hit, it would fetch double the amount of runs. Declaring a free hit off the next ball after a no-ball started with this version. A championship in this version took place between all the first class teams of New Zealand, but Cricket Max, as such, couldn’t catch on worldwide.
TWENTY20
T20 originated in England, in an attempt to win back interest in the game there, and proved an instant hit, thanks to the entire setting of a match resembling one big party, rather than a serious cricket match. Slowly, the fast food version of the game, filled with fours, sixes, and plenty of thrills and frills, spread to other cricket nations. One-dayers had become too predictable, too monotonous, and T20 provided a welcome change, and the idea of treating a cricket match like a film, or a picnic, appealed to everyone. The first T20 World Cup was played in 2007 and India, the country which resisted this format, won.