My mum found a neat challenge through a friend of a friend's blog, 52 Weeks 52 Verses. She decided to do the challenge and now she is learning a new Bible verse by memory for every week of this year. By the end of the year she'll have 52 new verses memorized! I think that's pretty neat.
She only found the challenge a week or so into the new year so she didn't start right at the start of 2012, but she's making great progress. For her first verse she chose Proverbs 15:1. The next week she picked 2 Corinthians 9:15. (Also, check out some pictures of me she included in that post to celebrate my birthday!) And on her third week she memorized Jeremiah 29:12-13.
To keep up with her memorizing challenge, follow her blog. I already am. Join me and let's see what other wise verses she chooses to memorize in 2012!
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Thursday, February 02, 2012
My sister's so cool!
A few days ago my brother posted this video on my sister's Facebook wall with the comment, "You're probably even more epic." It's a pretty impressive video, but I can attest that Bryn can do the exact same thing. Our family has tested her speaking-backwards ability many times, and Ty and I have taken a few videos (none of which I can find at the moment). She's pretty good. And she taught me the three best backwards-words: lightpost-tsopthgil, Tim Hortons-Snortroh Mit, and Orchard Park-Krap Drahcro (the name of the mall in our town). Sadly, those are the only three backwards words I can remember, other than Nosila, the backwards version of my first name (which, oddly enough, was once a bonus spelling word in my grade seven class - and yes, I did manage to spell it right).
In the ensuing discussion below the video on Facebook, one friend posted this Today Health article, giving more information about the girl featured in the video who can speak backwards and also telling about some other people who have the ability also. The following paragraphs really impressed me:
In the ensuing discussion below the video on Facebook, one friend posted this Today Health article, giving more information about the girl featured in the video who can speak backwards and also telling about some other people who have the ability also. The following paragraphs really impressed me:
[Andrew] Levine, a research professor in philosophy at the University of Maryland at College Park, can speak entire sentences backward, in the four languages he knows (that's English, French, German and Italian, if you're interested) and in languages he's unfamiliar with.
"If this girl is doing it the same way I'm doing it, it's nothing. It's like you're speaking another language," Levine says. "In fact, I think that I am effectively bilingual, in the sense that if you were genuinely bilingual, nothing would be going on in your brain." In other words, Levine doesn't consciously think, "TODAY: Y-A-D-O-T." He's just come to innately understand that TODAY backwards is YADOT, sort of like a person bilingual in Spanish and English knows that the words "today" and "hoy" are different ways of saying the same thing.Wow, that's crazy to me! I just love how cool and interesting and diverse brains are! Here's to all the neat people of this word, and especially to those who can speak backwards. Love your awesomeness, Bryn!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Books, not textbooks
Yesterday I read a Globe and Mail article about a Canadian Spanish War veteran finally being honoured for his role in the conflict. (Wow, I can't believe that only took 73 years!) I really enjoyed the article and reading about Mr. Paivio's experiences during his time in Spain. I always like reading stories about the very interesting lives other people live.
But today, my post isn't about that, although I think it's wonderful this 94 year old man is finally getting some recognition for his service. Reading this story reminded me of something from my childhood. It's about what students don't learn in school (although, remember this is just from my perspective.) I learned lots of really important and valuable information during my 13 years (including kindergarten) of pre-college education. But there was one subject that I was consistently disappointed in. In early elementary school I kept asking my mum when I was going to get to have History class, like I'd read about in many 'old time' books. It sounded so fascinating, and I couldn't wait to dive right in to learning about the past! But I had to start with Social Studies. I kept waiting for that magic time when Social Studies would turn into History. Maybe in grade five, I remember thinking. Hmmm, OK, maybe next year in grade six. But, sadly, that day never came. Not until I was in university. And while I was sitting in Social Studies classes, waiting for History to happen, I missed out on learning about some pretty interesting past events.
It wasn't in a textbook that I first learned about the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). No, it was Chaim Potok's coming-of-age story, "Davita's Harp," about a Jewish-by-birth, later Jewish-by-religion girl. That book touched on many aspects that fascinated - and still fascinate - me. The intriguing life of Hasidic Jews. Certain pieces of artwork, significant historical events in America and around the world during the 20s and 30s, and interesting snatches of creative writing. And, of course, the Spanish Civil War. I had learned about many wars and conflicts in Social Studies, but not once had the Spanish Civil War come up. A mysterious textbook omission eerily similar to the seldom talked about Halifax Explosion. (Wouldn't you know, I learned about that disaster from another young adult book, "Irish Chain." Why, again, isn't history taught by reading historical books?)
I believe that History - or Social Studies, whatever is the preferred term these days - shouldn't be taught by textbooks. No, not at all. It should be taught by historical books, either fiction or nonfiction, that draw the reader in and take hold of them, never letting them forget the fascinating past of this world. If it weren't for reading so many young adult books as a child and teen (and adult), I would have never discovered so many interesting facts about history. Turns out I didn't need History class or Social Studies. I just needed books!
Note: To be perfectly fair, there was one Social Studies textbook that I adored. I had moved to Alberta just in time for grade three. That year our textbook was about a girl who watched the news and found out, completely by accident, that she was able to climb through her TV and into the actual news stories. She explored all of the provinces in Canada that way and I was hooked. Hooked on history. Hooked on learning about my country. Hooked on traveling. Hooked on reading. Hooked on inventing my own crazy stories. In recent years, I've tried to find a copy of that grade three textbook but, with no idea of the title or how to figure out what textbooks the Alberta government approved for grade three in 1993-1994, I've never succeeded. If any of you know how to figure that stuff out or ever saw or used this textbook, I would love to get my hands on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
But today, my post isn't about that, although I think it's wonderful this 94 year old man is finally getting some recognition for his service. Reading this story reminded me of something from my childhood. It's about what students don't learn in school (although, remember this is just from my perspective.) I learned lots of really important and valuable information during my 13 years (including kindergarten) of pre-college education. But there was one subject that I was consistently disappointed in. In early elementary school I kept asking my mum when I was going to get to have History class, like I'd read about in many 'old time' books. It sounded so fascinating, and I couldn't wait to dive right in to learning about the past! But I had to start with Social Studies. I kept waiting for that magic time when Social Studies would turn into History. Maybe in grade five, I remember thinking. Hmmm, OK, maybe next year in grade six. But, sadly, that day never came. Not until I was in university. And while I was sitting in Social Studies classes, waiting for History to happen, I missed out on learning about some pretty interesting past events.
It wasn't in a textbook that I first learned about the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). No, it was Chaim Potok's coming-of-age story, "Davita's Harp," about a Jewish-by-birth, later Jewish-by-religion girl. That book touched on many aspects that fascinated - and still fascinate - me. The intriguing life of Hasidic Jews. Certain pieces of artwork, significant historical events in America and around the world during the 20s and 30s, and interesting snatches of creative writing. And, of course, the Spanish Civil War. I had learned about many wars and conflicts in Social Studies, but not once had the Spanish Civil War come up. A mysterious textbook omission eerily similar to the seldom talked about Halifax Explosion. (Wouldn't you know, I learned about that disaster from another young adult book, "Irish Chain." Why, again, isn't history taught by reading historical books?)
I believe that History - or Social Studies, whatever is the preferred term these days - shouldn't be taught by textbooks. No, not at all. It should be taught by historical books, either fiction or nonfiction, that draw the reader in and take hold of them, never letting them forget the fascinating past of this world. If it weren't for reading so many young adult books as a child and teen (and adult), I would have never discovered so many interesting facts about history. Turns out I didn't need History class or Social Studies. I just needed books!
Note: To be perfectly fair, there was one Social Studies textbook that I adored. I had moved to Alberta just in time for grade three. That year our textbook was about a girl who watched the news and found out, completely by accident, that she was able to climb through her TV and into the actual news stories. She explored all of the provinces in Canada that way and I was hooked. Hooked on history. Hooked on learning about my country. Hooked on traveling. Hooked on reading. Hooked on inventing my own crazy stories. In recent years, I've tried to find a copy of that grade three textbook but, with no idea of the title or how to figure out what textbooks the Alberta government approved for grade three in 1993-1994, I've never succeeded. If any of you know how to figure that stuff out or ever saw or used this textbook, I would love to get my hands on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Mother of the Snowbirds
Wish I could have met this lady. Sounds like Canadians have her to thank for our great Snowbirds squadron! Great tribute to a wonderful-sounding woman.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
The gift of optimism
Learning comes at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected places. The lessons I have learned so far came in a variety of ways. Stories told by my parents, grandparents, pastors, teachers or other adult mentors. Tiny acts of kindness from total strangers. Gifts of love from children. And many other ways as well.
After reading this Globe and Mail column, I am reminded of the many things I've learned through experiences that I might have otherwise passed off as insignificant. May I never cease to learn and grow by watching and interacting with the world around me.
After reading this Globe and Mail column, I am reminded of the many things I've learned through experiences that I might have otherwise passed off as insignificant. May I never cease to learn and grow by watching and interacting with the world around me.
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