Picture Storytelling

What is going on in this picture?

Retrieved from www.nytimes.com via this link

What's going on in this picture? Look closely at the image above (or the full-size image) and tell us what you see by posting a comment on our class blog. Share your thoughts and ideas with other students. You are also invited to respond to someone else by posting another comment.

Think about these three questions:

• What is going on in this picture? (Note: This image is a photograph. It has not been Photoshopped.)
• What do you see that makes you say that?
• What more can you find?

Use your imagination! You may also be inspired to write a short story for this picture. Please, share it with us here on our class blog!

Note: Adapted from a post at www.nytimes.com

SAVING TIME

          There is an old proverb 'Time is Money'. Actually, time is even more worth than money, because money spent can be earned again, but time wasted can never be restored again. Therefore, maybe there is a better common saying than the previous one and it says 'Time and tide waits for none'. Time just flies away. No one can stop it and it never waits for anyone. Time is precious and priceless for everyone. We should all learn to use our time properly and in a positive way to fulfill some purpose. We should value and respect the importance of time in every single moment of our life. Sometimes it takes just one moment of time to make a difference in your life. For good or for bad. Each and every moment of our life brings a lot of opportunities for us, we just have to use our time in the best way we can and take our chances.

          Good time management is an essential skill for the 21st century. We live in a busy and bustling world where time is very precious. The lists of things to do are becoming longer and longer each day and in order to 'survive' we have to learn to manage our time well. Otherwise, we would find ourselves stretched out between our reponsibilities and possibilities. We have all experienced the feeling that there are simply not enough hours in the day and we just need more time to finish everything we have started/planned for that particular day. But imagine what you would be able to do if you had at least one hour of extra time every day. How would your life be different?

          Actually, the idea of providing an extra hour in daytime is not something new. We do that with Daylight Saving Time. It is the practice of turning clocks forwards one hour in spring, and turning them backwards one hour again in autumn/fall. Daylight Saving Time happens in most countries around the world, but at different times during the year. The main purpose of this practice is to make better use of daylight. As we move our clocks ahead for an hour in spring, we actually move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening, and therefore provide more opportunities to enjoy sunny summer evenings outdoors.

          The idea of Daylight Saving Time was first conceived by Benjamin Franklin in 1784. But this idea was not put into effect until 1916, during World War I in Europe, and America began using the system in 1918. The main rationale for this practice was that it was envisaged as a way to help farmers work in their fields earlier in the day, but that was never proposed or supported by farmers themselves as it did not make their work or life any easier.

There are reasons for and against the practice of Daylight Saving Time. Proponents believe that this practice not only adds more sunlight hours to the standard day, but it also saves money and energy as people don't use as much electricity during daylight hours. Additionally, longer afternoon sunlight hours boost many businesses and recreational activities outdoors and this practice is also thought to reduce traffic accidents as people commute more in daylight than in darkness. On the other hand, opponents  of Daylight Saving Time believe that the main idea of preventing money and energy loss does not stand any more, because we have different ways of heating and cooling nowadays than it was the case when Daylight Saving Time first began, and the lengthy morning darkness during  parts of Daylight Saving Time can actually do more harm than good to some enterprises, like farming.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Daylight Saving Time. You can read more about the rationale and original idea of DST, as well as about its basic misconceptions by following these links:

Rationale and originalidea of Daylight Saving Time

The Greatest Mythsabout Daylight Saving Time

Here are some questions for our online class discussion on this blog:

How important is time in your life?

Do you think that there are enough hours in the day? Why? / Why not?

What would you do with one or even more hours of extra time each day?

What are your tips for good time management?

Do you think that Daylight Saving Time is a good or bad idea?

How does it affect you and your life?

Feel free to share your comments with other classmates here on the blog!

STRESS

          Unfortunately, stress has become an inevitable part of our everyday life. Whether we are neglecting our healthy diet, trying to achieve or take on more than we are able to do, worrying too much about the things we can't control, having difficulties in making decisions or just feeling irritable or anxious about everyday problems at home, work, school, etc., the diagnosis may well be that we all find ourselves falling victims to unmanaged stress.

          There are different kinds of stressors, or causes/resources of stress, e.g. responsibilities, a long list of things to do (or we impose ourselves to do), work, school, family, children, bills, pressure, moving house, marriage/divorce, etc. The list becomes longer and longer every day. These stressors may affect individuals differently, or individuals may respond to them in a different way. Our body immediately reacts when we are stressed out, e.g. we may experience stomach upset and increased heart and breathing rate, our palms may sweat, we are 'fueled by adrenaline' and our body becomes physically ready for 'a threat'. In that way, we become ready for 'the fight or flight response'.

          Unfortunately, a prolonged or unmanaged stressed-out condition can lead to long-term health repercussions. Therefore, an important part of dealing with stress and anxiety is our ability to recognize stress and develop personal strategies for dealing with stress. There are healthy and unhealthy ways of dealing with stress. While the healthy ways (e.g. meditation, exercise, healthy food, time management, asking for help, etc.) may help you to reduce stress and relieve symptoms, the unhealthy ways (e.g. unhealthy food, alcohol, smoking, caffeine, physical violence, bottling up your emotions, etc.) may actually mask the symptoms and causes of stress, and even introduce some new stressors or increase the effects of stress in the future.

It is important to remember that stress is a normal reaction to the demands of life. We should all find out our own best ways to manage stress and decrease its negative effects in our lives. We should think about how we can incorporate healthy stress management into our everyday lives. 

Discuss these questions with your classmates on our blog:

What are the most common situations that make you experience stress in everyday life?

How do you feel when you are stressed out? What are the most common symptoms in your case (e.g. emotional (feelings), physical, mental (thoughts))?

What is/are your way/ways of coping with stress?

Mental Health

Mental health is defined as 'a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community' (WHO). Thus, being 'mentally healthy' means being able to achieve the balanced development of the individual's personality and emotional attitudes which enable him/her to attain the inner feeling of well-beong and to live harmoniously with other people.

The question is how much do we really take care of our mental health. Many of us focus more on our physical health, trying to stay fit while eating proper food and exercising more. But good mental health is very important, too. A healthy body is useless without a healthy mind. Actually, we can say that physical health and mental health are interdependable and they are both very important to us to live a fulfilled and happy life. If you manage to achieve a good balance between the two, you can enjoy your life and manage problems in a better way.

As with physical health, for a healthy mind it is also important to eat right, exercise, get the right number of hours of sleep and keep stress at bay. Nutrition is crucial to keeping both your body and mind healthy. The food we consume directly effects on energy levels and our physical and mental health. A healthy diet with the right amount of calories to ensure a healthy weight and enriched with various essential nutrients, but with very little salt, sugar and fat, can help you feel energized and make your body and mind feel good. There are also various vitamins and minerals to support good health of your mind, e.g. vitamin B12, calcium, folate, iron and omega-3. Regular exercise is also essential to stay fit, both physically and mentally. Exercising on a regular basis and over a long period provides long-term health benefits. Exercise produces hormones known as endorphins, also referred to as 'feel good' hormones, which can help you relieve stress and improve your mood. And finally, the proper number of hours of sleep is essential for good mental health. It enables your body and mind to relax and heal itself before the start of a challenging new day.

Good mental health is necessary to enjoy life as it provides a feeling of well-being and gives us strength to face any odds and live day to day. You should focus on positive things in your life, work on yourself, move your mental boundaries, surround yourself with people who love and support you, and try to find the peace and balance with your inner self.

Think about these questions and share your story with us here on the blog:

1.      What is your recipe of keeping a 'healthy mind'?

2.      How do you cope with everyday stress?

3.      Do you think that talking about mental health issues is a taboo?

PHILANTHROPY

          Philanthropy means giving and sharing of your time, talents or treasures for the common good. It means investing your extra time, your talents – whatever they are (e.g. playing a musical instrument, singing, dancing, painting, or being a good friend, kind or patient, etc.), and your money or belongings for the good of everyone. Philanthropy is a private citizen action for the common good when you give whatever you can in order to help people in the community and, at the same time, you expect nothing in return for your action. It means being unselfish, caring and appreciative of others.

Philanthropy 'etymologically means "love of humanity" in the sense of caring, nourishing, developing and enhancing "what it is to be human" on both the benefactors' (by identifying and exercising their values in giving and volunteering) and beneficiaries' (by benefiting) parts. The most conventional modern definition is "private initiatives, for public good, focusing on quality of life"(on Wikipedia). Philanthropy 'can be broadly defined as love for humankind. It is derived from the Greek words "philos," which means loving and "anthropos," which means humankind' (C. Zimmer on Learningtogive.org). 

A philanthropist is someone who practices philanthropy.

To learn more about the National Philanthropy Day follow this link.

          There are many different forms of philanthropy and a seemingly infinite amount of ways you can demonstrate it. When people think of philanthropy, the most common association they have is donating to a charity or some other non-profit organization that helps people. However, you can practice philanthropy in more ways than that. You can do anything that contributes to the common good (e.g. participating in an organization for homeless or needy people, doing  any form of community service that helps people somehow, volunteering, etc.).There is a large variety of ways you can practice philanthropy in your everyday life. Philanthropy is very important as it improves your character if you know that you can make a difference in people's lives and give them hope and happiness. Philanthropy is not just a good thing to do, it is a virtue of generous people who care about others and the common good.

For our class discussion, think about philanthropy and what it means to you. Do you consider yourself to be a philanthropist? Can you think of something you are capable of doing to help others? Can you identify a list of qualities/characteristics that define a philanthropist? Can you identify local citizens who are contributing to the common good? Can you identify and portray a local philanthropist in your family, neighbourhood, class, etc.? You can use this table (The Philanthropists in My Life) to help you organize your thoughts. Read Aesop's fable 'The Lion and the Mouse' about a character who made a difference by practicing philanthropy although he was small, meek and not so powerful. What lesson(s) does it teach you? Share your thoughts and ideas with your classmates on our class blog.

MULTICULTURALISM

Multiculturalism can be defined as 'the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation' (a definition by Dictionary.com).

'Multiculturalism describes the existence, acceptance, or promotion of multiple cultural traditions within a single jurisdiction, usually considered in terms of the culture associated with an ethnic group. This can happen when a jurisdiction is created or expanded by amalgamating areas with two or more different cultures (e.g. French Canada and English Canada) or through immigration from different jurisdictions around the world (e.g. Australia,United States, United Kingdom, and many other countries)' (a defintion by Wikipedia). America is commonly considered to be a 'melting pot' of cultures, religions, nationalities, beliefs, and the like. Bosnia and Herzegovina is also a country where multiculturalism has a long tradition and is represented by the coexistence of people with different cultural, religious, ethnic or national backgrounds. It is therefore considered to be a multicultural, multiethnic and multiconfessional country. Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina are among a few cities and countries in the world, where multiculturalism is symbolically represented by the Monumento to Multiculturalism by Francesco Perilli.

the Monumento to Multiculturalism in Toronto

the Monumento to Multiculturalism in Sarajevo

         Multiculturalism embraces the concept of diversity which encompasses acceptance and respect.  It means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences. Individuals or groups with different traditions and cultures can enrich society. Multicultural countries enjoy the advantages of the varied cultures, experiences, languages, skills and points of view of their citizens. Multiculturalism means the celebration of individualism and plurality at the same time. Diversity includes differences in gender, age, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic background, education level, and physical ability.  Each element of diversity is a unique and essential component to benefit society at large. Multiculturalism also means the practice of giving equal emphasis to the needs and contributions of all culture groups, especially minority groups which are traditionally underrepresented in a society. Therefore, all society members should engage in acts of multiculturalism while learning to appreciate and celebrate the differences among individuals.

          As multiculturalism is usually associated with the arrival of immigrant communities and their acceptance by the hosting countries, it 'occurs naturally when a society is willing to accept the culture of immigrants (with, ideally, immigrants also willing to accept the culture of the land to which they have come)' (from Wikipedia). Multiculturalism has also brought a number of challenges both on a global scale and in countries which are heterogenious and multiethnic. Some of the challenges are how to accommodate everyone and protect vulnerable groups from discrimination, prejudices, racism, etc., and how to give newcomers a fair treatment. Unfortunately, we are witnesses of migrations on a global scale in today's world, and how those poor people are more than often treated in a bad way.

          Generally speaking, there are two different trends in modern society, reflecting a twofold approach to multicultural policies. Multiculturalism or globalism? On the one hand, there is a tendency to maintain the distinctiveness of different ethnic groups, while on the other, there seems to be an appeal for all groups to assimilate and embrace the national identity, traditions and values of the country they live in. Many countries have developed different policies and strategies to promote multiculturalism. This is visible in education, in the media and other areas which propagate diversity and equal opportunities for all, regardless of background.

'Multicultural education refers to any form of education or teaching that incorporates the histories, texts, values, beliefs, and perspectives of people from different cultural backgrounds. At the classroom level, for example, teachers may modify or incorporate lessons to reflect the cultural diversity of the students in a particular class. In many cases, “culture” is defined in the broadest possible sense, encompassing race, ethnicity, nationality, language, religion, class, gender, sexual orientation, and “exceptionality”—a term applied to students with specialized needs or disabilities' (a definition by the Glossary of Education Reform). For more about multicultural education, you can use these links: School of Education at Johns Hopkins University-The Scope of Multicultural Education and Multicultural Education – EdChange.

The basic goal of multicultural education is to teach and encourage our children to appreciate and understand other cultures as well as their own. Teaching with a multicultural perspective thus promotes the child's sense of the uniqueness of his own culture and also enables the child to accept and embrace the uniqueness of the cultures of others. Teachers can help children eliminate stereotypes about cultures different from their own by presenting materials and activities that enable them to learn about the similarities of all individuals (you may follow these links to find out more about Multicultural Education in Your Classroom and Multicultural Education/Curriculum). Children should learn about how they are different and similar to others in order to appreciate and understand the other and something which is not their own.

Generally speaking, the basic principle of multicultural education is educational equity for all students, removing barriers to educational opportunities and success for all, regardless of their different cultural backgrounds. Teaching multiculturalism is like playing a puzzle game, where every piece is unique and different, but the different pieces fit together into one whole picture when they are all put into their place. Teachers should teach students that every member of our society is unique, with different cultural backgrounds, but we all fit together to form one picture.

For our class discussion on the blog, think about the concept of multiculturalism and how can we benefit most from it? Would it make a difference in our lives in the future? Are there any drawbacks that you can think of as well? Multiculturalism or globalism, which one would prevail? Think about multiculturalism in our country and how it is reflected to our everyday life? How important is multicultural education? How is it different from classical education? How would you teach your students to appreciate and understand those who have different cultural, ethnic or religious backgrounds? ...

Here is the reminder of what we did in class and the materials we used for our class discussion and practice:

Warm-ups: 'Multiculturalism' and 'Multicultural'

Before reading / listening

The Article: Merkel – Multiculturalism 'failed' in Germany

Listening

While reading / listening

Multiculturalism Discussion

Language – Multiple Choice

Homework

TOLERANCE

          Tolerance can be defined as 'willingness to accept feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from your own' (a definition by Merriam-Webster) or as 'a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, beliefs, practices, racial or ethnic origins, etc., differ from one's own' (a definition on Thesaurus.com). Or to put it in a simple way, tolerance is the ability to accept diversity and to live and let other people live. Follow these links to find out more about: the etymology of the word'tolerance' and related terms, and tolerance synonyms and antonyms.

          If you are tolerant, then you are supposed to endure practices that you are not related to or that you do not approve of, and also to demonstrate an objective and fair behavior towards those whose ways of thinking or behaving differ from yours. If you are tolerant, you respect and learn from others, you are willing to value differences, reject stereotypes, bridge cultural gaps and create new bonds with other people. Many researchers have pointed out that the level of tolerance that you have can actually be attributed to the level of happiness and contentment in your life. Nevertheless, some paradoxical questions still emerge, such as – 'are tolerant people happier, or are happier people more tolerant?'

          At the same time, tolerance does not mean accepting all kinds of behavior, especially those which show disrespect for others, i.e. lying, stealing, bullying, being mean, hostile or aggressive towards others,  etc. Behaviors that disrespect or hurt others should not be tolerated. To tolerate actually means to treat others the way you would like to be treated.

          If we want to live a full and healthy life in today's world, which is considered to be a rich blend of different cultures, ethnicities, nationalities, races and religions, then we have to learn to appreciate others and be tolerant to the differences that coexist. Being open to see new things and learn about other people without having negative prejudices about them is a form of tolerance.

          The International Day for Tolerance is on November 16th, established by the UN General Assembly in 1996 and you can read more about it following this link.

"On the International Day of Tolerance, let us recognize the mounting threat posed by those who strive to divide, and let us pledge to forge a path defined by dialogue, social cohesion and mutual understanding."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

          You can also watch a video with portraits from Cambodia, the Netherlands, Spain, France, the United States, and Australia to celebrate the International Day for Tolerance: 'On selected international days the United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC), in partnership with the Good Planet Foundation, share clips from the ‘7 billion Others’ project to communicate the fears, dreams, ordeals, and hopes of citizens from all over world.'

For more about promoting tolerance by UNESCO's Member States and how can intolerance be countered follow this link, and you can also read  The Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.

The part that might be of particular interest for us is Article 4 – Education, which I will quote in its full length here:

Article 4 - Education

4.1 Education is the most effective means of preventing intolerance. The first step in tolerance education is to teach people what their shared rights and freedoms are, so that they may be respected, and to promote the will to protect those of others.

4.2 Education for tolerance should be considered an urgent imperative; that is why it is necessary to promote systematic and rational tolerance teaching methods that will address the cultural, social, economic, political and religious sources of intolerance - major roots of violence and exclusion. Education policies and programmes should contribute to development of understanding, solidarity and tolerance among individuals as well as among ethnic, social, cultural, religious and linguistic groups and nations.

4.3 Education for tolerance should aim at countering influences that lead to fear and exclusion of others, and should help young people to develop capacities for independent judgement, critical thinking and ethical reasoning.

4.4 We pledge to support and implement programmes of social science research and education for tolerance, human rights and non-violence. This means devoting special attention to improving teacher training, curricula, the content of textbooks and lessons, and other educational materials including new educational technologies, with a view to educating caring and responsible citizens open to other cultures, able to appreciate the value of freedom, respectful of human dignity and differences, and able to prevent conflicts or resolve them by non-violent means.

For more about educating for tolerance, you can follow this link. 

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon emphasized the importance of education in the fight against intolerance by saying: 

'We must instill in [children] a respect for diversity before intolerance has a chance to take root, and a sense of vigilance in case it threatens to do so'.

Educators all over the world should teach tolerance and respect for the other and different, while at the same time making attempts to identify and fight against intolerance. There is also a guide for educators – Tolerance: the threshold of peace, published by UNESCO in 1994.

          Speaking about tolerance generally, you should also remember that December 18th is marked as the International Migrants Day, which you can read more about using this link, where you can find this quotation: 'Migration draws increasing attention in the world nowadays. Mixed with elements of unforeseeability, emergency, and complexity, the challenges and difficulties of international migration require enhanced cooperation and collective action among countries and regions. The United Nations is actively playing a catalyst role in this area, with the aim of creating more dialogues and interactions within countries and regions, as well as propelling experience exchange and collaboration opportunities. To mark this year’s International Migrants Day, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is calling on the international community to come together and remember the refugees and migrants who have lost their lives or have disappeared while trying to reach safe harbour after arduous journeys across seas and deserts.'

          For our class discussion on the blog, think about tolerance and our lives, and how does tolerance weave itself throughout our society? Think about how tolerance is used in many different areas of life from a personal to a national perspective. Take a moment to think about your own lifestyle: your behaviors, actions, thoughts, and the environment you live in. Do you think you are a tolerant person? Explain. Do you have any examples of tolerance 'in practice', i.e. of tolerant or maybe intolerant behaviors in your family, among your friends, in your neighborhood or local community, at the faculty/university, in our country, or elsewhere? Share your stories and opinions with your classmates here. As a future teacher, how would you teach your students to be tolerant and respectful of others? What obstacles might you encounter? How would you help them differentiate between tolerable and intolerable behaviors?

You are welcomed to share your attitudes, ideas and thoughts with us.