Rollingh Farm

The Old Greek Systems of Education

adonn — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:58:20 +0000

The Greek Gods were much more down-to-earth and much less awesome than the remote gods of the East. Because they were endowed with human qualities and often represented aspects of the physical world–such as the sun, the moon, and the sea–they were closer to man and to the world he lived in. The Greeks, therefore, could find spiritual satisfaction in the ordinary, everyday world. They could develop a secular life free from the domination of a priesthood that exacted homage to gods remote from everyday life. The goal of education in the Greek city-states was to prepare the child for adult activities as a citizen.
The nature of the city-states varied greatly, and this was also true of the education they considered appropriate. Both daily life and education were very different in Sparta, than in Athens or in the other ancient Greek city-states. With the exception of the Athenians (who thought Athens was the best!), Greeks from other city-states had a grudging admiration for the Spartans. They wouldn’t want to be Spartans, but in times of war, they most certainly wanted Sparta to be on their side. The Spartans were tough, and the ancient Greeks admired strength.

How to Teach Addition

adonn — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:42:41 +0000

Combining groups of physical objects: for many students, this is their most basic experience of adding up. This process normally involves collecting two sets of objects, then counting how many objects there are in total. (For example, by building two towers of cubes, and then counting up every single block.) For many, this method can be too involved, particularly for those students who present attention deficit disorder.
If the child cannot hold their attention for the whole of the activity, blocks will be put awry, towers will end up with additional blocks, blocks will get mixed up, and at the end, the wrong answer is arrived at. The length of the process means that if your child does not master the concept quickly, they are not likely to make progress at all. In addition, it is difficult to extend this process into a calculation that can be approached mentally: for example, try to imagine two large sets of objects in your head, and then count them all up. Even for adults, this is nearly impossible.

Video Games Make Kids Smarter?

adonn — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:30:43 +0000

The presence of violence in video games is well publicized in the news. Games that spew blood and boast shoot-em-up violence make their way to the front of the public’s line of view. It is obvious that some video games are inappropriate for young children. But as a result, some well-meaning parents dismiss video games altogether for their children as something that has nothing to offer.

The fact is that many video games can offer an enriching, even educational experience for children. In today’s high-tech world, it is clear that the more comfortable your child is with technology, the better equipped he or she will be to stay on top of the fast-moving tech world. But what can a parent do to help make gaming an enriching and worthwhile experience?
A survey by AOL and AP found that 40% of parents leave their children alone to play with video games. Of those that do play video games with their children, 30% play with them for less than an hour per week. That means a large majority of parents are not taking part in their children’s interests. Getting involved in what your child is doing in front of a video game can be beneficial.

The Wonderful Lago Coatepeque, El Salvador

adonn — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:12:45 +0000

El Salvador is so small, poor and crime-infested that almost no foreigners visit the country, bar Peace Corps volunteers and Christian missionaries. But those who dare are rewarded with the friendliest encounters and the least tourist-ridden landscapes of Central America. First though, they must overlook the country’s dangerous reputation – unfortunately a deserved one, since the street gangs of El Salvador are among the toughest and most ruthless of the continent.
Nonetheless, ordinary Salvadorans are hard-working, hospitable and congenial people. Despite the widespread poverty and the scars of the devastating 1980′s civil war, they find the faith to carry on, perhaps inspired by the name of their land, “El Salvador” (Spanish for “the Savior”). They are truly the redeeming feature of a country with few real tourist attractions.

On my first weekend there, I escaped San Salvador, its choking traffic, crumbling concrete, barbed-wire fences and armed security guards, to explore Lago Coatepeque, a lake in a volcanic crater a couple of hours away. Ignoring horrified warnings about traveling alone, I hopped onto a bus and started enjoying myself straight away.

Educators Can Stop Bullying

adonn — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:31:22 +0000

Bullying is a form of violence common among children. Bullying can be found in schools,neighborhoods, and homes throughout the United States. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice, bullying is frequently misunderstood by adults as an unavoidable part of growing up and, as a result, often occurs in the presence of adults who fail to do anything about it. The focus of this article is about bullying at school and what can be done about it. Bullying affects a school and students in many ways. Bullying has a negative effect on the social environment of a school and creates an atmosphere of fear among students.
Bullying also reduces students’ abilities to learn. A child who bullies is also more likely to engage in other negative behavior (such as stealing and taking drugs). Up to half of today’s children are victims of school bullying. Parents, educators, and students alike must work together to help stop bullying in their classrooms, playgrounds, and schools. The following strategies can help teachers and administrators to combat bullying in their schools.

What is in Travelling?

adonn — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:37:40 +0000

Travelling tells us about cultures of different people living at different places. It also breaks the monotonous routine of daily lives and fill our lives with new energy. Since time immemorial traveling has been a part and parcel of life. Earlier man use to travel in search of food and shelter now thanks to dedicated effort put together by man traveling has become an art of leisure too. The historical monuments, the showering waterfall, the breathtaking view of sanctuaries the elegant temples stand as personification of beauties which can be unveiled through personal view.
Books give a basic description of all these things but a look at them is an enriching experience of our lives. Travelling tells us about cultures of different people living at different places. It also breaks the monotonous routine of daily lives and fill our lives with new energy. No one can deny the glory of mountains which can be only appreciated on seeing. The variation of topography and climate make for hundreds of destination which can be unveiled through viewing. Last of all when we travel with our families it strengthens the relationship bond which seems to lost its grip in daily stressful life.

Coronary Heart Diseases May Raise if with ECG Abnormalities

adonn — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:31:29 +0000

Electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities are common in older adults. However, performing routine ECG among asymptomatic adults is not supported by current evidence. Considering the higher prevalence of both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and ECG abnormalities in older adults, risk prediction incorporating ECG might be more useful in this group.
To date, few studies have examined the improvement of CVD risk prediction using ECG abnormalities in a population of older adults, and none could adequately adjust the analyses for presence of previous CVD and traditional cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs). In a study to determine whether minor and major ECG abnormalities at the start of the research, as well as developing new ECG abnormalities and persistent ECG abnormalities during follow-up, were linked to new events of CHD, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, Reto Auer, M.D., of the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, and the University of California in San Francisco, and his team recruited 2,192 white and black adults, aged between 70 to 79 years, who had no known cardiovascular disease.

Over 8 years, from 1997/98 to 2006/07, the authors noted adjudicated CHD events and categorized ECG abnormalities that occurred at the start of the study and at 4-years. To predict CHD events, they examined ECG abnormalities that occurred in addition to the traditional risk factors. The study findings demonstrated that 506 or 23% of the 2,192 participants had major ECG abnormalities, whilst 276 or 13% had minor ones.

Adding Vorapaxar

adonn — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:46:35 +0000

Adding Vorapaxar to standard treatment for patients with a medical history of cardiovascular events or disease was found to reduce cardiovascular events, but also increased bleeding significantly, including intracranial hemorrhage. The researchers added that ICH (intracranial hemorrhage) risk was lower for those with no history of stroke.
The trial, called the TRA-2P (Thrombin-Receptor Antagonist in Secondary Prevention of Atherothrombotic Ischemic Events) TIMI 50 study, focused on the safety and efficacy of Vorapaxar, an experimental anti-thrombotic medication. The experimental drug was being tested for acute coronary syndrome chest pain caused by coronary artery disease.
The human study showed that adding Vorapaxar to thienopyridine, aspirin, or both (standard care) considerably reduced the risk of composite cardiovascular death, stroke, heart attack, or urgent coronary revascularization.

Get Amazed with Vertu Signature Cobra

adonn — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:30:22 +0000

The most elite cell phone in the world, the Vertu Signature Cobra has price tag of 310,000 $. It’s designed by French jeweller Boucheron. This magnificent cell phone is studded with 18 carat gold and involves ultra high quality ceramic technology. The most luxurious feature of this cell phone is the cobra on the mobile body. The Cobra feature one pear-cut diamond, one round white diamond, two emerald eyes and 439 rubies. This phone has a ‘cheaper’ version, ruby free, at $115,000.
New in excessively luxurious phones with no apparent added functionality besides blinding people with their sparkly gemstones, is the Vertu Signature Cobra. Crafted by French jeweler, Boucheron, the ritzy phone features one pear-cut diamond, one round white diamond, two emerald eyes, and 439 rubies.

The Soon-to-invent Electrical Clothing

adonn — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:43:41 +0000

One of the future inventions that could greatly impact our lives are nanoribbons.Rubber films developed by engineers at Princeton University could power mobile devices and other electronic devices.
The silicone sheets are embedded with ceramic nanoribbons (piezoelectric ribbons) that generate electricity when flexed, converting mechanical energy to electrical energy.
Materials made of this material, such as shoes, would harvest electrical energy created from walking and power everything from an ipod to a pacemaker. The nanoribbon strips are so narrow that 100 fit side-by-side in a space of a millimeter. The strips are then embedded into clear sheets of silicone rubber to create a chip.
These sheets could be woven into fabric and placed against any moving area on the body to create electricity. For example, a vest made from this material could take advantage of breathing motions to generate energy. Nanoribbons are highly efficient in converting about 80% of mechanical power into electricity.