Posted by Teacher Ria in Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Vintage Update

The other day I was in the elevator with a bunch of college students. There were about four of them who had their iPods on and I couldn’t help but look at their headphones. I chuckled a bit because their headsets were so much like the big old chunky headphones I used to use as a child. While it was reminiscent of the old headsets I used to use, theirs is sooo much nicer. One of them had a set of those black shure headphones that was most like the ones I used to use but the others had really funky designs on their sets. I kinda wish I had my set still so I can re-work the design and update it from the vintage era haha. Seriously, though, I still prefer earphones to these sets because their easier to carry along. I can’t help but wonder, however, if headphones are better for the ears because it doesn’t go straight in to the eardrum. Any ideas?

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Posted by Teacher Ria in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Summer Lovin’!

It’s just about that time of the year again Yey! I suddenly miss the busy-ness of preparing for moving up day and planning for the summer programs in school. I remember having to draft out lists of to-do’s and what-to-pack’s for the summer fun classes we used to have. I miss having to clean out the backpacks for hiking, inflatable pools for swimming, and sand toys for “beach play”.

Now that I’m in the “adult” world, my summer will be filled with research. Boo. I sooo miss summer lovin’.

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Posted by Teacher Ria in Music and Movement | 0 Comments

Music and Movement in Kids Curriculum

One of my fondest memories of preschool teaching was when one of my little kids handed me a CD for circle time. She proudly came in to the classroom waving it in the air saying, “Teacher, Teacher, for you!”. After I thanked her, she says “teacher, please play it during circle time because when you sing, it’s not nice eh!” . OUCH! Haha. While that little incident did make me stop and think about including music and movement in my curriculum, I did not let it deter me from doing so. I realized that the incorporation of music and movement activities in class DOES have a lot of advantages for the kids.

Incorporating music and movement at whatever grade is important. For early childhood classes, introducing simple instruments can be explored. In fact, making such simple instruments can be included in arts activities. For older kids,  more complex instruments can be introduced and for advanced learners, they can even explore the mechanics of such instruments. For example, they can learn about how to change guitar strings, replace drum skins and the like. They can also look into the wiring system of electronic musical instruments and use a seymour duncan jb in order to experiment on how adjusting guitar strings can bring a better balance to the sounds the instrument produces. From there they learn more than just music, but even elements of electronics, engineering and mechanics.

Overall, much as I am not very musically inclined, I do see the value of making music a part of everyday learning.

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Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies, Going Green | 2 Comments

Bid for A Greener Future with WWF

It has been quite a long time since I got myself involved in an advocacy project and so when I was invited to participate in a project that The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) was doing in celebration of its 50 years of conservation, I immediately jumped at the opportunity.

What really motivated me to say yes to this project was Joe, the dog I adopted last year. Raising him made me realize that while he and his brother, Bubba, are quite lucky they live in a home, are fed and are safe, many other animals are not. Not only that, the places that these animals make their homes in are not protected either, all because of what we call “modernization”.  And so I decided that my project this year will be on going green in whatever small way I can.

However, while individual efforts at going green, such as taking steps to choose earth friendly products, recycle, and so on and so forth, are important, we can also be part of a bigger solution by teaming up with organizations that can put together individual efforts into collective action. One such organization is the WWF.

In celebration of its 50th year, the World Wildlife Fund invites us all to bid for a greener future with an online fundraising auction, GREENER AT 50, via Ebay Philippines. Proceeds of the project will benefit the WWF-Philippines’ environmental sustainability projects. Up for grabs in the online auction are limited edition items from celebrities, such as a signed pair of pointe shoes by prima ballerina, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, and other memorabilia from celebrities and personalities including the Philippine Volcanoes Team, Pat Dy, Sara Black, Boy Abunda. You can also get the opportunity to immerse in exclusive WWF sites and discover nature from your own experience!

Check out www.ebay.ph/wwfgreenerat50 to view the items for auction and get ready to start bidding for a greener environment.

This year, let’s all be part of the solution and bid for the future with WWF-Philippines.

Log on to wwf.org.ph to learn more about WWF-Philippines and like them on facebook http://www.facebook.com/WWF-Philippines.

Posted by Teacher Ria in Teaching Resources | 0 Comments

Don’t think twice to learn English

It is easy to discover why English is such an important language. Everyone should know how to speak this tongue, due to its worldwide impact. Let’s analyze some facts about the English language.

English is the 4th most widely spoken native language worldwide. As to its number of speakers, it is the most spoken official language in the whole world. Also, it is the first choice when it comes to international affairs, which may be owed to the fact that it has official status even in countries where it isn’t the main spoken language. In global trade and commerce, English is spoken as the default language as well.

Have you noticed that most of the Internet is in English too? It seems like the language rules the Digital world. Typically, English is the language of newest applications, programs and software in general. Everything is written in English before it is made available in other languages.

When it comes to Education, English has vital importance as well. In universities in Canada, the United States, Great Britain, New Zealand and Singapore, thousands of students come from foreign countries. However, the default language of instruction is…guess? Yes, it’s English. When seeking to learn English Cairns students don’t think twice. They know that this language will open many doors for them in the field of studies. Consider that the majority of the top business and medical schools and advanced-study institutes are situated in the United States and the United Kingdom.

It should come as no surprise that knowledge of English opens job and employment opportunities in many different countries and markets. While studying to learn English Sydney students are aware of how much brushing up their English will do for them. To get job opportunities it is of vital importance to be not only fluent, but also be able to switch the register from formal to informal in order to be able to adapt to any kind of situation in a proper manner.

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