Sunday, March 12, 2017
The Importance of Field Trips
The title of this blog post is about the importance of field trips, which is pretty high. Field trips are a good way to teach students without using the traditional classroom approach. Students generally(note that I said generally) tend to pay more attention to things on field trips, because they're not that used to being at different places and learning in them other than school. We get ecstatic when we hear that we're having field trips, because it's a chance for us to actually learn AND remember lessons that we usually wouldn't get in school. If field trips were to be stopped, we would stop getting exposure to meaningful learning opportunities outside of school.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
A Cinematic Experience Worthy For All The Awards: Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange is the latest installment in the critically acclaimed Marvel Cinematic Universe, based on the Marvel comic books. It is an amazing show of visual effects and storytelling, and of the best movies in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. It starts off with the extremely wealthy neurosurgeon Stephen Strange(Benedict Cumberbatch). He is a cocky, self centered man who doesn't recognize the effect of his attitude on his coworkers, including his love interest Christine Palmer(Rachel McAdams).
While driving down a road at night, he suffers a car accident in which his hands are practically destroyed. His career as a neurosurgeon is effectively ended, and he spends all of his resources trying to fix himself. He ostracizes himself from the people he knows, and becomes a broken man. He travels across the world in a last ditch effort to save his career and restore him to the man he once was. What follows is a visual masterpiece involving sorcery and the world as we know it.
Within the movie are scenes of pure mastery, too detailed and thought out to be accurately described in this movie review. These sequences are mind bending and colorful, showing a new universe unheard of to man, also exhibiting the countless hours of work in production of the movie. There are reality warping sequences that remind viewers of Inception with a little Harry Potter thrown in. I cannot believe that Dr. Strange did not win an Oscar for its effects, but they were wonderful regardless.
The storytelling of the movie was excellent, but there were some instances in which it was rushed. I could understand having to cut between months of action in-movie, but additional background information could've been provided. However, the transition in the movie from the broken shell of a man to a man that is multiple times better than what he was originally was excellent. The movie truly illustrates how Stephen progressed as a human mentally.
Overall, Dr. Strange is an excellent movie, beautifully thought out and executed. I give it a 9.5/10. I hope that the future films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe live up to the bar set by Dr. Strange.
Monday, February 20, 2017
Actual title is below!
(Something went wrong with the in-post title, so you have to highlight the space in between the 2 lines)
The
I play the alto saxophone, a common instrument in many bands. It wasn't the first choice I had when I decided to join the school band. The trumpet was the instrument I first gravitated towards, because of its simplicity. It wasn't too big, there didn't seem to be a specialized technique to playing it, and it was a main instrument in band. However, when I first tried to play it, I found out there was a technique to play it, and I kid you not, it was blowing a raspberry. I had little success doing it, so I turned to the saxophone.
In 5th grade, when all this was taking place, I was a pretty tiny person. The saxophone, in my opinion, was a modest instrument. In my mind I placed it below the importance of the trumpet but above the flutes and clarinets(Sorry guys!). It had a lot of bells and whistles, which was a little intimidating. I took the chance and chose the saxophone as my instrument. The saxophones in our school band were either available in alto or tenor. The tenor sax seemed a little to big for me at the time, so I chose the alto.
My experience playing the alto sax has been one of great enjoyment. I think this applies to everyone, but at first I felt a wave of intimidation and nervousness. The mechanics of the saxophone, combined with having to get the air through the body, seemed like a real challenge. However, I slowly adjusted to getting better at playing and making the music sound solid. Based on my experience, you should be focused on the music when playing a song, as it reduces distraction and mistakes. On the other hand, you shouldn't be thinking about a song too much when playing, as this can also fill your mind too much. I just look at the notes, and play them without thinking too much. This does result in mistakes sometimes, sadly.
When performing, you do what's described above, but you also have to think about another thing: doubt. When you've been practicing a song for weeks, and you're trying to put everything into not messing up, sometimes you hesitate to play a part or two where there's not many people in the background to support you. There's parts where, if you mess up, it's CLEARLY heard, and parts where if you mess up, no biggie. What we sometimes in Band is each person can take a little break from playing for 2-3 measures, as long with other people with the same part are still playing. This helps us relax for a little bit, but for the person who's still playing, it's all on them to continue the performance. So you shouldn't hesitate to perform during a concert or event, because you can learn from any mistakes you may make.
So that's my lengthy, but personal take on my experience playing music. I hope you enjoyed it, and that you also enjoy the memes below.
The
Squeak
Toot
Blast
Sound Of Music
I play the alto saxophone, a common instrument in many bands. It wasn't the first choice I had when I decided to join the school band. The trumpet was the instrument I first gravitated towards, because of its simplicity. It wasn't too big, there didn't seem to be a specialized technique to playing it, and it was a main instrument in band. However, when I first tried to play it, I found out there was a technique to play it, and I kid you not, it was blowing a raspberry. I had little success doing it, so I turned to the saxophone.
In 5th grade, when all this was taking place, I was a pretty tiny person. The saxophone, in my opinion, was a modest instrument. In my mind I placed it below the importance of the trumpet but above the flutes and clarinets(Sorry guys!). It had a lot of bells and whistles, which was a little intimidating. I took the chance and chose the saxophone as my instrument. The saxophones in our school band were either available in alto or tenor. The tenor sax seemed a little to big for me at the time, so I chose the alto.
My experience playing the alto sax has been one of great enjoyment. I think this applies to everyone, but at first I felt a wave of intimidation and nervousness. The mechanics of the saxophone, combined with having to get the air through the body, seemed like a real challenge. However, I slowly adjusted to getting better at playing and making the music sound solid. Based on my experience, you should be focused on the music when playing a song, as it reduces distraction and mistakes. On the other hand, you shouldn't be thinking about a song too much when playing, as this can also fill your mind too much. I just look at the notes, and play them without thinking too much. This does result in mistakes sometimes, sadly.
When performing, you do what's described above, but you also have to think about another thing: doubt. When you've been practicing a song for weeks, and you're trying to put everything into not messing up, sometimes you hesitate to play a part or two where there's not many people in the background to support you. There's parts where, if you mess up, it's CLEARLY heard, and parts where if you mess up, no biggie. What we sometimes in Band is each person can take a little break from playing for 2-3 measures, as long with other people with the same part are still playing. This helps us relax for a little bit, but for the person who's still playing, it's all on them to continue the performance. So you shouldn't hesitate to perform during a concert or event, because you can learn from any mistakes you may make.
So that's my lengthy, but personal take on my experience playing music. I hope you enjoyed it, and that you also enjoy the memes below.
Sunday, February 5, 2017
If I Were The President
If I were the president I would want to improve the health of Americans, fix strained race relations, and improve school funding. I know these might sound like things anyone might say, but they really are serious issues.
The health of Americans. Over 2 out of every 3 Americans are overweight or obese, and 142,000 preventable deaths happen each year because of obesity. The US has to spend an extra $147,000,000,000 on obesity every year. Statistics show that 3 out of every 4 Americans will be overweight or obese by 2020, which is a pretty serious topic.
I would roll out programs to help Americans either stop their increasing weight and/or lose their weight. Obesity is affecting Americans as young as 8 or 9 years old, and going up into the teens. People in the US are getting judged because of their weight. We need to control our habits, and be aware of ourselves.
Race Relations. Not only race relations, but religious relations are being highly tested right now, with the ban keeping citizens from 7 countries from entering the US. I don't want to give my personal thoughts about the ban itself, but I am slightly concerned that the countries might want to retaliate against the US. Iran had even placed a ban on US visas entering Iran, in response to Trump's ban. They recently lifted their ban because the US ban was lifted, but people in many cities and even countries are opposing the ban.
Some African American relations are also being tested, represented through the Black Lives Matter. And on top of that the border wall to Mexico is being built. Right now the country is in a tight situation concerning race and religion, and I want to fix that.
Last of all is school funding. I know that particularly in Illinois state funding is at a low but I think that overall funding for education should be higher than it is now. Lead tests are being administered at schools across the nation and many of those schools are testing positive for lead. If funding was increased for schools, testing and removal of lead would've been done earlier, and that additional efforts to control lead would be taking place.
I also think that efforts to increase sanitation in schools should be emphasized, so that students can learn in a good environment. Overall, I think efforts to improve schools should be taken upon by the government, and president.
The health of Americans. Over 2 out of every 3 Americans are overweight or obese, and 142,000 preventable deaths happen each year because of obesity. The US has to spend an extra $147,000,000,000 on obesity every year. Statistics show that 3 out of every 4 Americans will be overweight or obese by 2020, which is a pretty serious topic.
I would roll out programs to help Americans either stop their increasing weight and/or lose their weight. Obesity is affecting Americans as young as 8 or 9 years old, and going up into the teens. People in the US are getting judged because of their weight. We need to control our habits, and be aware of ourselves.
Race Relations. Not only race relations, but religious relations are being highly tested right now, with the ban keeping citizens from 7 countries from entering the US. I don't want to give my personal thoughts about the ban itself, but I am slightly concerned that the countries might want to retaliate against the US. Iran had even placed a ban on US visas entering Iran, in response to Trump's ban. They recently lifted their ban because the US ban was lifted, but people in many cities and even countries are opposing the ban.
Some African American relations are also being tested, represented through the Black Lives Matter. And on top of that the border wall to Mexico is being built. Right now the country is in a tight situation concerning race and religion, and I want to fix that.
Last of all is school funding. I know that particularly in Illinois state funding is at a low but I think that overall funding for education should be higher than it is now. Lead tests are being administered at schools across the nation and many of those schools are testing positive for lead. If funding was increased for schools, testing and removal of lead would've been done earlier, and that additional efforts to control lead would be taking place.
I also think that efforts to increase sanitation in schools should be emphasized, so that students can learn in a good environment. Overall, I think efforts to improve schools should be taken upon by the government, and president.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Christmas Gift
Right now we're in the Holidays, where everything is cheery and fun. So far Christmas and New Year's have passed, but there's still the rest of the Winter left for us. I want to take the time to talk about a gift that I wish I had the money to give someone. It's for my dad, and it's called the Samsung Galaxy Gear 3.
It's a smartwatch, which basically means that you can connect it to your phone. On the outside it looks like a normal watch, but the phone-like features are underneath the surface. It costs $349.99, which to some people doesn't really sound like much, but I can explain why I can't get it.
In my house it's an invisible rule that we shouldn't spend a lot of money on gifts. It's not that we're cheap, it's just that the person should appreciate what you got for them, no matter what you spend for the gift. You shouldn't need to spend that much money to make somebody happy.
I want to get it for him because he deserves it. He does so much to care for my family regardless of what it takes. He always wants to make sure that I understand everything and when I don't, he doesn't hesitate to explain it. He will do whatever it takes to help us with all our problems, sometimes even creating step-by-step plans.
He also loves to be in style and he would love the look of the watch. He likes all different types of technology and he would love having a mini phone on his wrist. He also loves watches, so I think he would love it with everything I've said.
It's a smartwatch, which basically means that you can connect it to your phone. On the outside it looks like a normal watch, but the phone-like features are underneath the surface. It costs $349.99, which to some people doesn't really sound like much, but I can explain why I can't get it.
In my house it's an invisible rule that we shouldn't spend a lot of money on gifts. It's not that we're cheap, it's just that the person should appreciate what you got for them, no matter what you spend for the gift. You shouldn't need to spend that much money to make somebody happy.
I want to get it for him because he deserves it. He does so much to care for my family regardless of what it takes. He always wants to make sure that I understand everything and when I don't, he doesn't hesitate to explain it. He will do whatever it takes to help us with all our problems, sometimes even creating step-by-step plans.
He also loves to be in style and he would love the look of the watch. He likes all different types of technology and he would love having a mini phone on his wrist. He also loves watches, so I think he would love it with everything I've said.
Sunday, December 11, 2016
The Origin Of My Name
My name is Manu Deva. There are two parts to that name, and I will explain each of those parts' meaning and how they came to be my name. I'll start with Manu.
In ancient Hinduism, Manu means the first man in humanity. HIs story is similar to those of Noah and Gilgamesh, in which there was a great flood and how he saved humanity. He was warned of the flood by VIshnu, the God of Protection. The Sanskrit word for human means "children of Manu"
In more modern texts Manu is the ruler/creator of the Earth. He is created by Brahma, the God of Creation. There are 14 Manus in 1 Kalpa, which is a very long period of time. Each the Manus has 1 Manvantara, which is their life span (4.32 billion years). At the end of each Manvantara, the world is destroyed and a new Manu is appointed. Curently the 7th Manu, or the Shraddhadeva Manu is ruling over the world.
That is the 1st part, now onto the 2nd. Deva means heavenly divine, and is 1 of the terms for a deity in Hinduism. In very old ancient HInduism, there were supernatural beings called Asuras. Over time they split into good (Deva) and bad (Asura). In modern Hindu culture Deva also means someone who wants to excel above others. Devas can have to do with nature or moral values. Asuras become either a Deva or Asura based on the actions and decisions they make, although there is a little bit of and good and bad in both.
My name is comprised from 2 very holy and divine ideas and stories in Hinduism, and I am proud of that. Deva is easy to explain because it's my parents' last name. They named me Manu because they wanted my name to have a significance, an importance to it. They wanted it to be special, and I love that. I am proud of how I got my name, and I am grateful for what I have learned to understand it. Sometimes, the name doesn't feel like what it means. Not that I see myself as an all powerful being, but sometimes it feels like there's no say in some things, and the name doesn't help that. I can't say anything much about my name, but here's what I will say. It carries a lot of weight, but it also feels like it's invisible. I can't go deep into it, because my name is not common, but I am proud of that.
(2 kalpas equal 1 day and night of Brahma (8.32 billion years). 30 days of Brahma equals ! month(259.2 billion years). 12 months of Brahma equals 1 year of Brahma( 3.1104 trillion years). 50 years of Brahma equal 1 Parārdha. 2 Parārdhas equal 1 Maha-Kalpā which is the lifespan of Brahma ( 311.04 trillion years)
In ancient Hinduism, Manu means the first man in humanity. HIs story is similar to those of Noah and Gilgamesh, in which there was a great flood and how he saved humanity. He was warned of the flood by VIshnu, the God of Protection. The Sanskrit word for human means "children of Manu"
In more modern texts Manu is the ruler/creator of the Earth. He is created by Brahma, the God of Creation. There are 14 Manus in 1 Kalpa, which is a very long period of time. Each the Manus has 1 Manvantara, which is their life span (4.32 billion years). At the end of each Manvantara, the world is destroyed and a new Manu is appointed. Curently the 7th Manu, or the Shraddhadeva Manu is ruling over the world.
That is the 1st part, now onto the 2nd. Deva means heavenly divine, and is 1 of the terms for a deity in Hinduism. In very old ancient HInduism, there were supernatural beings called Asuras. Over time they split into good (Deva) and bad (Asura). In modern Hindu culture Deva also means someone who wants to excel above others. Devas can have to do with nature or moral values. Asuras become either a Deva or Asura based on the actions and decisions they make, although there is a little bit of and good and bad in both.
My name is comprised from 2 very holy and divine ideas and stories in Hinduism, and I am proud of that. Deva is easy to explain because it's my parents' last name. They named me Manu because they wanted my name to have a significance, an importance to it. They wanted it to be special, and I love that. I am proud of how I got my name, and I am grateful for what I have learned to understand it. Sometimes, the name doesn't feel like what it means. Not that I see myself as an all powerful being, but sometimes it feels like there's no say in some things, and the name doesn't help that. I can't say anything much about my name, but here's what I will say. It carries a lot of weight, but it also feels like it's invisible. I can't go deep into it, because my name is not common, but I am proud of that.
(2 kalpas equal 1 day and night of Brahma (8.32 billion years). 30 days of Brahma equals ! month(259.2 billion years). 12 months of Brahma equals 1 year of Brahma( 3.1104 trillion years). 50 years of Brahma equal 1 Parārdha. 2 Parārdhas equal 1 Maha-Kalpā which is the lifespan of Brahma ( 311.04 trillion years)
If I had to work at a school....
If I had to work at a school, I think I would be a math teacher for 8th grade.When I took a multiple intelligence test the outcomes were mostly geared towards logic and reasoning subjects. Out of them I think I would perform the greatest in math. I have this love for wanting to solve and explain equations, no matter how hard they are, and if I had the chance to pass that onto other kids, it would be great.
I also want to provide the kids with a nice, structured understanding of how math works, because that is needed for life later on. If you don't understand how percents work, you will never be able to understand how discounts work and you'll probably be shortchanged on your money. Even if the kids don't want to become a math teacher, if they want to become microbiologists, they'll need to understand how exponents and powers work in order to study how bacteria reproduce. I think that math is a pillar for many professions, and that kids should know how to use it and apply it to situations.
I chose 8th Grade because they are the most mature in understanding of the subject. Although they might not have a background understanding of the subject that is being taught, they have the mind to comprehend and understand it. I wouldn't want to teach high school and up since those require the patience to be able to deal with the subjects being taught, and I don't want to teach 4th and below since sometimes that requires the patience to deal with the kids being taught.
All in all, I think that being a math teacher would be a suitable profession for me, although it is not at the top of my list.
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