I found another interesting way to use the Cyberian realms in the services of learning that makes sense to me. I say makes sense to me because I have found and have had to use some that don’t work, more of which I will post later.
PBwiki hosts more classroom wikis than anyone else in the world, and lets you create a simple, secure wiki in about 60 seconds. Wikis drive engagement and collaboration. A wiki is a live, evolving document – but gives you user tracking and access controls to monitor your wiki at all times.
You can make your wiki public or private or anywhere in between. No matter what, PBwiki keeps your students’ information safe.
Multimedia plugins: Embed video & audio with a few clicks
Tags, RSS, and full page revisions
Student accountability: See who changed what, and automatically reverse any changes
Access controls (Premium feature)
Why PBwiki?
A safe, secure place to collaborate. PBwiki lets you monitor changes to your wiki by email and RSS – and reverse any changes instantly. See our special security features for educators.
Keep students engaged outside of the classroom. As Karen Nelson, an educator from Vacaville, California, told us, “Today I got an email from a student asking for the password so he could add content. An hour later I got the wiki notification that the page had been edited by that student. This student has not completed one assignment outside of class yet this year. How great is that!!”
Body’s Intelligence
Another source of Rickson’s skill is termed as Bodily/Kinesthetic skill. This talent defined by Dr. Howard Gardner in his book Creating Minds (also the author of the bestseller, Multiple Intelligences) is the ability to use many parts of the body to express ideas and feelings and to interpret and invoke effective body language. Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Lance Armstrong and Rickson Gracie would be individuals Dr. Gardner would designate as having extraordinary bodily/kinesthetic ability. I will always remember a seminar Rickson taught in Salt Lake City because Rickson told us over and over that the way we grapple reveals our personality. So, for Rickson, a way of understanding people is not through a verbal conversation but he was able to glean personality types through “rolling.” This information indicates that Rickson’s body, functions as antennae for the brain. And as Gardner states, this knowledge could only be acquired through the body. Bruce Lee may have had this same type of highly refined Bodily/Kinesthetic intelligence. I remember a statement by Dan Inosanto where he spoke about a conversation with Bruce Lee and Bruce said (paraphrasing), “Dan, the secret is in the body.” It is no secret the Bruce Lee was hyperactive and his emphasis on “swimming in the water” and experiencing true reality was foremost for him.
I hear and forget. I see and remember. I do and I understand. The operative word “do” suggests that learning something is not just through passive understanding (reading, conversation, watching others) but also through the physical act of doing.
A noted Brazilian Yoga master, Orlando Cani who has trained numerous Brazilian sports champions (Rickson included), spoke about Rickson’s bodily/kinesthetic intelligence in this way:
“Rickson is special. Rickson Gracie was the best student I had. He was the one to assimilate best the process. He’s a very special fighter. Everything he learns he has a strong ability to assimilate and develop it. He has a clever way to assimilate and protect anything he likes.”
In conclusion, an appropriate quote by Shakespeare states: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” I would assert that Rickson’s path to greatness was that he had a father whose single-mindedness and fanatical attention to detail was passed directly to his son. And when speaking of Rickson Gracie’s extraordinary Jiu-Jitsu skills we might envision that when Rickson is grappling he sees Jiu-Jitsu in a three-dimensional world. This capacity allows him to spar, not only from his viewpoint but also from other viewpoints. Thus, a three-dimensioned view. And finally, Rickson’s supreme body-intelligence enhances his understanding of Jiu-Jitsu and is gained from the body having superb skills of sensitivity, adaptability and kinesthetic perception that are gleaned physiologically rather than cerebrally. This then is the difference between being great and Greatness.
This area has to do with movement and doing. people are generally good at physical activities such as sports or dance and often prefer activities which use movement. People who have this intelligence usually learn better by getting up and moving around. They may enjoy acting or performing, and in general they are good at building and making things. They often learn best by physically doing something, rather than reading or hearing about it. Those with strong bodily-kinesthetic intelligence seem to use what might be termed muscle memory; for example they remember things through their body, rather than through words (verbal memory) or images (visual memory). It requires the skills and dexterity for fine motor movements such as those required for dancing, athletics, surgery, craftmaking, etc. Careers which suit those with this intelligence include athletes, dancers, actors, surgeons, builders, and soldiers.
Interpersonal
This area has to do with interaction with others. People in this category are usually extroverts and are characterized by their sensitivity to others’ moods, feelings, temperaments and motivations, and their ability to cooperate in order to work as part of a group. They communicate effectively and empathize easily with others, and may be either leaders or followers. They typically learn best by working with others and often enjoy discussion and debate.
Careers which suit those with this intelligence include politicians, managers, teachers, social workers and diplomats.
Verbal-Linguistic
Verbal-linguistic intelligence has to do with words, spoken or written. People with verbal-linguistic intelligence display a facility with words and languages. They are typically good at reading, writing, telling stories and memorizing words and dates. They tend to learn best by reading, taking notes, listening to lectures, and via discussion and debate. They are also frequently skilled at explaining, teaching and oration or persuasive speaking. Those with verbal-linguistic intelligence learn foreign languages very easily as they have high verbal memory and recall, and an ability to understand and manipulate syntax and structure.
Careers which suit those with this intelligence include writers, lawyers, philosophers, journalists, politicians and teachers.
Logical-Mathematical
This area has to do with logic, abstractions, inductive and deductive reasoning, and numbers. While it is often assumed that those with this intelligence naturally excel in mathematics, chess, computer programming and other logical or numerical activities, a more accurate definition places emphasis less on traditional mathematical ability and more reasoning capabilities, abstract pattern recognition, scientific thinking and investigation, and the ability to perform complex calculations.
Those who automatically correlate this intelligence with skill in mathematics criticize this intelligence by arguing that logical ability is often more strongly correlated with verbal rather than mathematical ability: for example, in the Graduate Record Examination, a test often used in the United States to decide who will be admitted to graduate school, the old Analytic section correlated more strongly with the Verbal section than the Mathematical. One possibility is that formal, symbolic logic and strict logic games are under the command of mathematical intelligence, while skills such as fallacy hunting, argument construction, etc. are under the command of verbal intelligence.
Careers which suit those with this intelligence include scientists, mathematicians, engineers, doctors and economists.
Naturalistic
This area has to do with nature, nurturing and relating information to one’s natural surroundings. This is the eighth and newest of the intelligences, added to the theory in 1999. This type of intelligence was not part of Gardner’s original theory of Multiple Intelligences. Those with it are said to have greater sensitivity to nature and their place within it, the ability to nurture and grow things, and greater ease in caring for, taming and interacting with animals. They may also be able to discern changes in weather or similar fluctuations in their natural surroundings. They are also good at recognizing and classifying different species. “Naturalists” learn best when the subject involves collecting and analyzing, or is closely related to something prominent in nature; they also don’t enjoy learning unfamiliar or seemingly useless subjects with little or no connections to nature. It is advised that naturalistic learners would learn more through being outside or in a kinesthetic way.
The theory behind this intelligence is often criticized, much like the spiritual or existential intelligence (see below), as it is seen by many as not indicative of an intelligence but rather an interest. However it might have been a more valuable and useful intelligence in prehistoric times when humans lived closer to nature.
Careers which suit those with this intelligence include scientists, naturalists, conservationists, gardeners and farmers.
Intrapersonal
This area has to do with introspective and self-reflective capacities. Those who are strongest in this intelligence are typically introverts and prefer to work alone. They are usually highly self-aware and capable of understanding their own emotions, goals and motivations. They often have an affinity for thought-based pursuits such as philosophy. They learn best when allowed to concentrate on the subject by themselves. There is often a high level of perfectionism associated with this intelligence.
Careers which suit those with this intelligence include philosophers, psychologists, theologians, writers and scientists.
This area has to do with vision and spatial judgment. People with strong visual-spatial intelligence are typically very good at visualizing and mentally manipulating objects. They have a strong visual memory and are often artistically inclined. Those with visual-spatial intelligence also generally have a very good sense of direction and may also have very good hand-eye coordination, although this is normally seen as a characteristic of the bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.
Some critics [4] point out the high correlation between the spatial and mathematical abilities, which seems to disprove the clear separation of the intelligences as Gardner theorized. Since solving a mathematical problem involves reasoningly manipulating symbols and numbers, spatial intelligence is involved in visually changing the reality. A thorough understanding of the two intelligences precludes this criticism, however, as the two intelligences do not precisely conform to the definitions of visual and mathematical abilities. Although they may share certain characteristics, they are easily distinguished by several factors, and there are many with strong logical-mathematical intelligence and weak visual-spatial, and vice versa.[citation needed]
This area has to do with rhythm, music, and hearing. Those who have a high level of musical-rhythmic intelligence display greater sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, tones, and music. They normally have good pitch and may even have absolute pitch, and are able to sing, play musical instruments, and compose music. Since there is a strong auditory component to this intelligence, those who are strongest in it may learn best via lecture. In addition, they will often use songs or rhythms to learn and memorize information, and may work best with music playing in the background.
Careers which suit those with this intelligence include instrumentalists, singers, conductors, disc-jockeys, and composers.
Other intelligences
Other intelligences have been suggested or explored by Gardner and his colleagues, including spiritual, existential and moral intelligence. Gardner excluded spiritual intelligence due to what he perceived as the inability to codify criteria comparable to the other “intelligences”. Existential intelligence (the capacity to raise and reflect on philosophical questions about life, death, and ultimate realities) meets most of the criteria with the exception of identifiable areas of the brain that specialize for this faculty.[5] Moral capacities were excluded because they are normative rather than descriptive.[6]
“That so few now dare to be eccentric marks the chief danger of our time”.
— John Stuart Mill, On Liberty.
A profile emerged with fifteen characteristics that applied to most eccentrics, ranging from the obvious to the trivial. We found that an eccentric may be described in the following ways, more or less in descending order of frequency. ( Quoting from research by Dr. David Weeks)
Characteristics of Eccentrics
Nonconforming
Creative
Strongly motivated by curiosity
Idealistic: wants to make the world a better place and the people in it happier
Happily obsessed with one or more hobbyhorses (usually five or six)
Aware from early childhood that he is different
Intelligent
Opinionated and outspoken, convinced that he is right and that the rest of the world is out of step
Noncompetitive, not in need of reassurance or reinforcement from society Unusual in his eating habits and living arrangements
Not particularly interested in the opinions or company of other people, except in order to persuade them to his – the correct – point of view
Possessed of a mischievous sense of humor
Single
Usually the eldest or an only child
Bad speller
The first five characteristics listed here are the most important and apply to virtually every eccentric. Nonconformity is, of course, the principal defining trait of the breed.
A profile emerged with fifteen characteristics that applied to most eccentrics, ranging from the obvious to the trivial. We found that an eccentric may be described in the following ways, more or less in descending order of frequency. ( Quoting from research by Dr. David Weeks)
Less likely to be addicted to consumer culture than the general population.
Very unlikely to be substance abusers or alcoholics. Dr. David Weeks “fewer than 30 of the more than 1,000 eccentrics he sampled had been substance abusers or alcoholics.”
Nonconformity, extreme curiosity and irreverence for the strictures of culture continually resurface as the most distinguishable eccentric traits, and these are indeed qualities that most of us consider admirable.
They’re permanently non-conforming from a very early age, and there’s a great overlap between eccentric children and gifted children. They develop differently, though.
The eccentrics become very, very creative but they’re motivated primarily by curiosity. They have extreme degrees of curiosity, and they’re very independent-minded.
Their other motivation is fairly idealistic. They want to make the world a better place, and they want to make other people happy.
They have these happy obsessive preoccupations, and a wonderful, unusual sense of humor, and this gives them a significant meaning in life. And they are far healthier than most people because of that.
They have very low stress. They’re not worried about conforming to the rest of society, low stress, high happiness equates with psychological health.
They use their solitude very constructively, and physical health, because of that.
They only visit their doctors perhaps once every eight or nine years, which is about twenty times less than most of us do. (David Weeks)
“Time and again, the eccentrics in our study clearly evinced that shining sense of positivism and buoyant self-confidence that comes from being comfortable in one’s own skin.” Dr. David Weeks
Reason: You may have seen the TV commercials in which drug companies urge people suffering from “social anxiety disorder” or “generalized anxiety disorder” to ask their doctor for a certain brand of pill. These ads reinforce the idea that anxiety and other kinds of psychological problems are medical issues, and they highlight the physician’s role as pharmacological gatekeeper. But they could also be seen as empowering individuals by encouraging them to be assertive with their doctors. On balance, do you see this kind of message as a positive or a negative development?
Szasz: This phenomenon illustrates what I call the creeping therapeutic state. I see it as insidious, especially given the cooperation between the government and the media. This is allowed on television. But advertising Scotch, a legal drink, is not allowed. This subtly undermines the rule of law, the principle that if something is legal, then it’s legal, and if it’s illegal, then it’s illegal. A prescription drug is illegal; pharmacists cannot sell it to you unless you have a prescription. These are illegal drugs, but nobody calls them illegal drugs. So I see this as pernicious, as an example of what F.A. Hayek and Ludwig von Mises talked about–that the opposite of freedom is not brutal tyranny but capriciousness.
Reason: Suppose someone feels depressed, and he finds that when he takes Prozac he feels better. Or suppose he’s anxious, and he finds that he calms down when he takes a Xanax. He can get these pills from his doctor. Is he doing anything wrong by taking these drugs?
Szasz: I don’t think he’s doing anything wrong, except I think he should be able to buy these drugs in the free market so he can compare them to opium, marijuana, or other drugs. There is no competition now between the prescription drugs and the traditional drugs which people took when they felt bad. After all, people have medicated themselves since time immemorial. I suspect that opium in small doses is safer over a long period of time than these complicated organic compounds.
Reason: In recent years, we’re told, this country has been hit by an epidemic of “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.” What are the roots of this epidemic?
Szasz: I would first say that the epidemic doesn’t exist. No one explains where this disease came from, why it didn’t exist 50 years ago. No one is able to diagnose it with objective tests. It’s diagnosed by a teacher complaining or a parent complaining. People are referring to the fact that they don’t like misbehaving children, mainly boys, in the schools. The diagnosis helps tranquilize the parent, tranquilize the school system. It offers them the sense that they are doing something about the problem, that they are dealing with it in a rational, scientific way. It’s a kind of pharmacological magic.
Reason: What do you think the consequences of prescribing Ritalin for all of these kids will be?
Szasz: We may not know all of the medical consequences for another 20 or 30 years. In social terms, it gives the impression to people that behavioral problems are medical and should be handled with drugs; it imposes a certain stigma on the child, possibly on the family. It medicalizes educational and child- rearing problems, and it may cause biological problems in the person taking the drug. I don’t know if the average person on Main Street realizes that if a 30-year-old man has a pocketful of Ritalin, he can go to jail for years. This is called “speed.” And this is what they give as a treatment to schoolchildren when there’s absolutely no laboratory or medical evidence that they are sick.
Reason: Recently we’ve heard Tipper Gore and other people say that health insurers should be forced to cover mental health treatment on the same terms as medical treatment. What do you think the consequences of such “parity” will be?
Szasz: We are talking about a situation where the government is mandating that an ostensibly private insurance company provide coverage for a disease which doesn’t exist. There is so much to say about it, I don’t know where to begin. The people who clamor for this–mainly politicians and psychiatrists–want parity for mental illness, but they don’t want parity for the mental patient, because ordinary patients can reject treatment.
They don’t mean therapy; they mean getting a foot in the door for involuntarily treating people and having these huge bowls of money going into psychiatry and psychiatric drugs. Again, cui bono: Who profits from this? It finally came out that Eli Lilly is a big donor to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, and they have millions of dollars to propagandize their views. The critics don’t have any money to propagandize their views. This is a completely one-sided, government-sponsored movement.
Below is a great blog post that I stumbled upon in my research. I found it to be very inspiring as I continue to struggle with keeping a daily practice. As the title suggests, it touches on the body mind connection, a topic that I hope to expand on very soon. I hope you enjoy this post, and be sure to visit the original source for more.
Almost one year ago, inspired by H.H. Sakya Trizin´s Vajrayogini teachings in Spain, I started to practice yoga on a daily basis, and seeing the results in my body(more flexibility, strength and vitality) the desire to become a yoga teacher-practitioner developed, too. But what surprised me most was the endurance that yoga gives, and the fact that with this endurance, the body can easily stand longer hours of meditation without so many bodily aches and pains, and without feeling one has to move positions so often. The body’s activity is accompanied by the activity of the mind, and as a result I have found that I can bear new, uncomfortable situations in life with more peace and tranquillity. I don’t experience so much mental stress or anxiety because I trust things more and don’t react to them as I used to. This immediate benefit makes me want to get out of bed when it is so cosy and nice in there, and my mind would like to dwell in old habitual thinking patterns of laziness and procrastination. This is another effect of yoga, it has the power to ignite positive energy and enthusiasm in one´s day, while providing a stable platform on which to build new, healthy and positive habits for oneself. I like having yoga practice as my breakfast, as my travel companion everywhere, stretching at a bus stop or at airports. It feels as if a sudden breath of fresh air comes into my mind and makes me appreciate everything and everyone with a new light…it makes mind transformation easier when we can accompany it with the body, and we can become more agile and lighter in the process.It is so joyful to feel no pain in the body and to know, with meditation, that it is, after all, impermanent.
Presented in the form of manga (a comic book for grownups), this is the most succinct course in career counseling I’ve ever seen.
Not what career you should pursue, but *how* you should pursue it. You can read this masterpiece in an hour, but it will take a lifetime to work out the details of those six lessons.
This compact sermon will make the most difference to those just starting out in the workplace.
The six quick lessons [with my comments in brackets] are:
1. There is no plan. [The economy changes too fast for your career to have a plan] 2. Think strengths, not weaknesses. [Find your advantages] 3. It’s not about you. [Serving others serves you best] 4. Persistence trumps talent. [Keep showing up] 5. Make excellent mistakes. [Take risks, but fail forward] 6. Leave an imprint. [Do something that matters]
Each point is given consequential flesh in this engaging story. In my experience these six lessons highlight the skills needed at work better than, say, the bestseller Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. And it is far more fun to read. I’ve bought copies of Bunko for each of my kids and for a few adult friends currently struggling with their path. I’ll probably re-read it myself in a year. — KK
This summer’s math class taught me a lot of things. The main one is that I shouldn’t complain. Complaining only wastes valuable time that could be spent practicing math. Math after all is a large part practicing formulas and making sure you carefully follow all the steps needed in order to solve the problem that you are working on.
Which begs the question, “is there enough time to learn, practice and retain sixteen weeks worth of material in eight weeks time?”
All I have to say is that I will never take a summer class again if I can help it, and that the response, “thats just how summer classes are,” is not a good one and does not make a stupid situation right or good. I am reminded of a saying that was often floated back east in the Carpenters Union . . . When asking how things were going, the reply was often, “Oh you know, trying to pour ten gallons of shit into a five gallon bucket.”
Thats how I feel about the way I was taught math this summer, if you will allow me to be so bold as to call that teaching.
THE SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE.
~*~
Medical information obtained from our website is not intended as a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you have a problem, you should consult a healthcare provider.
~*~
Exercise is not without its risks and may result in injury. To reduce the risk of injury in your case, consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program. The information presented is in no way intended as a substitute for medical consultation, the contributors disclaim any liability from and in connection with this information. As with any exercise program, if at any point during your workout you begin to feel faint, dizzy, or have physical discomfort, you should stop immediately and consult a physician.
~*~
The Site may contain health- or medical-related materials that are sexually explicit. If you find these materials offensive, you may not want to use our Site.
~*~
The use of the Site and the Content is at your own risk.
