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Lost In Translation

One of my favorite movies to discuss cultural sensitivity in one of the classes I teach is the 2004 Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta Jones  film, The Terminal.  In the movie, a traveler from the conflict laden country Krakozhia is denied entry to the United States, and because his country (in effect) no longer existed, he could not be returned to his native land, thus leaving him stuck at New York’s JFK Terminal. In order to survive, he had to utilize the facilities of the airport and make friends with the people who worked various airport jobs around him, such as the janitors, fast food workers and even the customs officials.

I liked how the film highlighted that we often get so caught up in the way we are taught to think by society and we are limited by that from time to time. In class, I remind my students to not always get lost in translation and to be able to keep an open and more flexible mind about people and things around them.

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Little Miss Fashionista

The other day a dear friend of mine and I were shopping and we passed by the misses clothing section and I could not help but think about having a little girl of my own to dress and doll up Hehe. I’m sure it would be such a blast to go shopping for clothing with her, especially since I am such a shopaholic! What I liked about the store we passed by is that while their selection was more grown-up like compared to clothing I had to wear when I was younger, it wasn’t too mature looking for young girls to pre-teens. In my opinion, it was just the right kind of style for their generation.

Unfortunately for me, I only have a son with four legs to pamper and spoil for now!!!

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The Long Wait is Over! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1) Opens this Week!

By this time, I’m sure Harry Potter fans all over the world are all eagerly awaiting the opening of the latest installment to one of the most beloved tales of our time, Harry Potter. As always, while the film is eagerly anticipated by audiences, critics will undoubtedly point out what the film lacks, especially in comparison to the book, but for viewers like me who truly enjoy the eye-catching spectacle of films, this is something to truly look forward to.

photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” will be released worldwide starting November 18, 2010, and “Part 2” starting July 15, 2011.

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The Downside to Mobile Connections

A few days ago I almost fell off my chair when I got my bill from my mobile subscriber. Um…I have a relatively high budget plan as it is but because of the terrible connection I get from my ISP lately, and the fact that I have gotten so used to going online via mobile, I exceeded my plan a little bit…correction: a lot! Hehe. This got me to thinking about how “dangerous” mobile connections can be. In class, for example, I don’t think I have a single student who does not have one of those mobile phones that has internet capability. Lucky for the students (I guess you can say lucky), the school is wifi-enabled. However, I’m sure many of those who don’t have wifi-capable units will still log on via whatever provider they have.  Not only is this a distraction to their studies (and for us working people, to our work habits!), but it can be a slippery slope to be in, financially that is.

While prepaid options are quite popular for students, I know of some who have those locked-in plans (i.e. T-Mobile cell phone plans or one of those that come with free units,  like those of Sprint mobile phones. Local providers Smart and Globe also give out free phones and packages to subscribers).  In my experience, no matter what you say, it’s difficult to really manage and maintain your spending habits when it comes to mobile telecommunications because one, it is such an essential part of everyday life, and two, it is just way too accessible for all. What I have done, however, to maximize my plans and minimize my expenses is to shift from a regular plan to a consumable one that allows for more flexibility in the way my fees are used (I think this is similar to those Billshrink cell phone plans my sister was messaging me about). Others I know have shifted to the whole Blackberry service thing so they can utilize the BBM feature that (as I understand it) allow you to have unlimited messaging to those with the same service. It does cost a little more though, I think.

While I recognize the value of the whole mobile connection thing, and I honestly don’t see myself becoming less reliant on it to be honest!, I do recognize that there is definitely a downside to this. Again, other than the money thing, it does cause disruption in many ways to our everyday functioning. I guess like any other thing, the key would really to be more aware of it’s pros and cons, and to take things in moderation. Being aware of the downside, for example, will allow us to be more conscious of what we should or should not do.

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When Class Projects go Beyond Just the Classroom Walls

One of the things I always try to push for in whatever I do in my classes, be it in the preschool or college levels, is to make sure that what we do in class doesn’t just end there. I try to make it a point that the kids take something away from whatever assignment, project or task I give them. I think this mindset comes from my personal training as a child, where my mom always made sure that I didn’t just do my work for the sake of doing it. I remember one time I had to do a cross-stitch project for my home economics class and I really jumped through hoops to get it done right. While I could have submitted a haphazard project, what I took from that is the value of working hard at something and not settling for mediocrity. Now that I am a teacher myself, I try to keep that mindset alive and so I try hard to support my students (and former students) in endeavors that further their development as an individual. It is interesting (and very encouraging) how former students I have worked with and have since graduated are now venturing into their own businesses, such as that of a group of students who I worked with in their Directed Research class. While they are very busy in graduate school and in their own teaching careers, they are working hard at a side-line business which they call Frosted Petal and this Christmas season, they will be joining several bazaars where they will be selling the cutest  fashion jewelry …yes, I honestly think they’re really cute! I’ve bought from them already! This is just one of the many examples of when classroom tasks go just beyond a learning experience. I look forward to seeing more of my kids maximize their own potentials in the future…now when my preschoolers are the one’s in this position, errr…I’d feel really, really old, but very, very proud for sure!

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