Sunday 31 July 2011
Farhan's confusion and My lackluster reply
Sir you posted on your wall that in the next 2 months we will have to read the reading items, but if i am correct you also mentioned in class that we have to finish the reading items by the 10 th of August. I am about confused about which deadlines you are giving for which reading items.
Farhan
Farhan,
If someone does not work within the time frame [ideally, it should be 12 to 15 days] - then I have whole 2 months to make this HAPPEN.
But anyway I am just becoming tired of explaining myself - as if I am at fault for asking my student to work for their own sake. It seems that somehow I am creating hostility unknowingly - this feeling should humble me - if nothing else.
Writing REPORTS!
It must have been my fault. Let me explain again. All SAT students are required to read ONLY the following books in Full Text.
1. Heart of Darkness
2. The Stranger (The Outsider)
3. Metamorphosis
4. Sophie's World
5. Moby Dick
6. Great Gatsby
You are NOT supposed to read any other Titles in Full Text.
Q. How do you read and report Cummingsstudyguides?
Ans. You will only read the single page of Analysis-Plot-Characters-Symbolism-Themes-Study Questions. So, EXCEPT for the above 6 (Six) Titles you are NOT supposed to read any TEXT at all.
And then sit down and write down WHATEVER comes to your mind - this is your Reading Report.
If there is STILL further confusion - please mail me immediately. Remember, in the next 2 (two) months I will FORCE you to read these items - and report. NO student will be spared. This is a ritual which is necessary to develop a critical mind. I hope you all understand and WORK Accordingly.
1. Heart of Darkness
2. The Stranger (The Outsider)
3. Metamorphosis
4. Sophie's World
5. Moby Dick
6. Great Gatsby
You are NOT supposed to read any other Titles in Full Text.
Q. How do you read and report Cummingsstudyguides?
Ans. You will only read the single page of Analysis-Plot-Characters-Symbolism-Themes-Study Questions. So, EXCEPT for the above 6 (Six) Titles you are NOT supposed to read any TEXT at all.
And then sit down and write down WHATEVER comes to your mind - this is your Reading Report.
If there is STILL further confusion - please mail me immediately. Remember, in the next 2 (two) months I will FORCE you to read these items - and report. NO student will be spared. This is a ritual which is necessary to develop a critical mind. I hope you all understand and WORK Accordingly.
Saturday 30 July 2011
No Class on Sunday
There will be no class tomorrow to make room for MM students who will attend last day at school before Ramadan.
Instead, we will have class on Tuesday.
Please notify any inconvenience - if any.
Instead, we will have class on Tuesday.
Please notify any inconvenience - if any.
An Indian film with a Roman Theme
One of the finest films that came out of India's Brightest moments - here is the Wiki entry - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahudi
You are all kindly instructed to read the story and compare with Shakespeare's Play Merchant of Venice from Cummingsstudyguides.
You are all kindly instructed to read the story and compare with Shakespeare's Play Merchant of Venice from Cummingsstudyguides.
Multiple Reports on - "The Catcher in the Rye", "Crucible," "A Doll's House", "Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde", "Enemy of the People", "Frankenstein", "Waiting for Godot"
I did some reading items from Cummings.
I read 'The catcher in the rye' by J.D Sallinger.The story reflects the thoughts that young adults(i.e.teenagers of 16/17)like us.The narrator,Holden is rebellious about what life has in offer for him.He flunks from a number of boarding schools.He thinks every one is phony.Here i think he may be right.Being a teenager myself,I feel my peers to feign what they are not which at times is really bothering.We are scared to speak out our hearts and despise them who do so;we have a tendency to regard the different ones as outcast.I see this as our inner weakness,our fear of that person's perception,who sees the things which we most labour to hide.However,we see in the story that holden reads good books which serves to shape his mind.He sees things in a different light.We find him to be fond of his sister Phoebe,his dead brother Allie and his writer brother D.B.When asked,he could not think of anything that pleased him which is pretty much the case with the teenagers.I can say so if I judge by myself.He realizes that everyone should have a chanceto do what they want to.Every teenagers realize this,but when they become adults and are in charge of teenagers,they forget their realization in their teens and are extremely reluctant to give chance.We see that Holden is forced to go to a new boarding school,to his old life pattern yet with his rebel within.
I read 'Crucible' by Arthur Miller.This was a story on one of the themes that interests me a great deal-witchcraft.The story highlights is how a false accusation and the urge to protect the reputation and gain unfair advantage by a few powerful on the society can jeopardize the life of innocent people.We find Parris and Putnam eager to air the rumour of black magic when they will be benefitted yet equally eager to colour the event when they are at stake.This is what we see everywhere.People like Parris and Putnam who are wealthy and clever enough to influence the high officials like the deputy and the judge use their power to save their skin at the expense of others' life.Yet they are so silly to be stimulated in their action by people like Abigail who have no importance yet get the best share of the pie.
I did 'Doll's house' by Ibsen.It was a nice play to read.Nora resembles the females of our society.Our mothers and sisters are ready to do anything for their family,ready to face any hardship.She makes the loan for her husband so that he could recover his good health without troubling her husband.When her husband is made known of the affair,he so readily dismisses of her of all her virtue,going so far as to accuse that she is a 'bad' influence on their children.Not once did he stop to think what forced her wife to make the loan.When he realizes that his prestige is not at risk,he tried to pacify with his wife,saying everything is to be forgot.This is exactly what happens in our society.It's incredible that the picture of a society in 1879 should be so similar to the one of 2011.We can't say we have progressed much except for some NGOs which are only seen when everything is over.In the story,Nora takes a bold step when she decides to leave her husband and the disgrace in which she lived so long.Here,1879 was a more,what should I say?In bangla-Progotishil then 2011.Our women donot,cannot dare to take such a step.Yet in a hundred years' time our progress should have been incomparable.But alas!The real picture is quite contrary to what should have been.If our women dared to take the bold step Nora had taken,we would not have to read about Rumana Manzur and not reading about her torture would have been delightful.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde by Stevenson was another remarkable piece.It very well brings out the evil within us.We are humans and it depends on our conscience to suppress the evil and bring out the good inside us.Yet some unlucky,cursed ones completely overshadow the good within them with the evil inside.The evil has to die but for the evil to be expressed,the goodness needs to be killed first as we see by the disappearance and then the death of Dr.Jekyll.Hyde is killed after Jekyll died.If we knew how to kill Hyde before killing Jekyll,the world would not have been such a merciless place to live.We could have avoided the Hydes like the teacherd mask Parimal in our society.
'Enemy of People' by Ibsen is a situation we are facing since the creation of mankind.For the benefit of a few like the mayor and editor,we are forever ready to go against the good ones like Dr.Thomas whose initial steps,even though seemingly hazardous are good for the society in the long run.The biggest,yet the silliest power,is that of the general people,who can be easily made to wear the coloured glasses to see the colour the powerful ones want them to see,not what they deserve to see.We have a strong inertia to any sort of change.Some foxes encourage this inertia so that they benefit.We are the silly ones who neither get the spa nor the money it brings.We only get the disease of the contaminated spa.May be it happens because whenever we supported any change,we got the worst end of the stick.It is foolishly wise to stick to and suffer fromwhat we have rather than to suffer from something unknown,something of which we do not know what to expect.
'Frankenstein' by M.W.S was similar to 'Dr.Jekyll and Hyde'.Here we see the worst that can happen to any invention.A bit of it can be applied to the ill use of technology.In the story we only see the dark side of the monster but he does show the possibility of improvement as he reads books and learns to speak.If Frankenstein had taken responsibility,we could have obtained a helpful,good natured monster instead of the killing machine.The monster does want to leave in peace,but does not get a chance.Im the same way we created the devastating nuclear bombs and other technologies.Had we taken their responsibility and given proper chance we could have made world a better place but we could not do so.
The meaning of 'Godot' by Samuel Beckett was not very clear to me but I enjoyed reading it.To me,it seemed to convey the meaning that things are not what we see and know them to be.I could be wrong though.
'Rose for Emily' by Faulkner was a good piece of reading.Here we see that if human emotions are not given a proper chance to be expressed,they can result in unpleasant consequences.If Emily had married and loved at the proper age,if she had more freedom,she would not have gone crazy.She would not have killed Barron and decorated a bridal room with a corpse and her hair and lived with it for forty years.Crazy as it may seem to us,to her,logically,it was the only way she could retain her love.Certain people and their action that we find abnormal or unjustified are justified and normal to them.It's just that we've never put ourselves in their shoes,nor did they get a chance to put themselves in our shoes.
This is the longest mail I've ever written you.I was really terrified by your anger and disgust in class today. [Rinat, for this part please kindly refer to the BLOG maintained by Patricia Ivan. Read her post on on ANGER in this link - http://patriciaivan.blogspot.com/2011/07/anger.html]
If possible,do give a briefing of Skinner and Carlyle in class.The items are excessively hard and tiring to understand.
One more request:do comment on my writing style.I detest english writing but I'm working on it.It would be helpful to know the lackings.
By
Rinat.
Thank you Rinat dear - for the post. Please read my anger as an expression of IMPOSING our collective desire on my students. My anger has absolutely no personal face. Thank you for referring to this openly - I am making it public so that everyone begins to respect our MISSION. I will talk about Waiting for Godot in the class. It is a difficult play for a newcomer. But I am sure you will like it.
I read 'The catcher in the rye' by J.D Sallinger.The story reflects the thoughts that young adults(i.e.teenagers of 16/17)like us.The narrator,Holden is rebellious about what life has in offer for him.He flunks from a number of boarding schools.He thinks every one is phony.Here i think he may be right.Being a teenager myself,I feel my peers to feign what they are not which at times is really bothering.We are scared to speak out our hearts and despise them who do so;we have a tendency to regard the different ones as outcast.I see this as our inner weakness,our fear of that person's perception,who sees the things which we most labour to hide.However,we see in the story that holden reads good books which serves to shape his mind.He sees things in a different light.We find him to be fond of his sister Phoebe,his dead brother Allie and his writer brother D.B.When asked,he could not think of anything that pleased him which is pretty much the case with the teenagers.I can say so if I judge by myself.He realizes that everyone should have a chanceto do what they want to.Every teenagers realize this,but when they become adults and are in charge of teenagers,they forget their realization in their teens and are extremely reluctant to give chance.We see that Holden is forced to go to a new boarding school,to his old life pattern yet with his rebel within.
I read 'Crucible' by Arthur Miller.This was a story on one of the themes that interests me a great deal-witchcraft.The story highlights is how a false accusation and the urge to protect the reputation and gain unfair advantage by a few powerful on the society can jeopardize the life of innocent people.We find Parris and Putnam eager to air the rumour of black magic when they will be benefitted yet equally eager to colour the event when they are at stake.This is what we see everywhere.People like Parris and Putnam who are wealthy and clever enough to influence the high officials like the deputy and the judge use their power to save their skin at the expense of others' life.Yet they are so silly to be stimulated in their action by people like Abigail who have no importance yet get the best share of the pie.
I did 'Doll's house' by Ibsen.It was a nice play to read.Nora resembles the females of our society.Our mothers and sisters are ready to do anything for their family,ready to face any hardship.She makes the loan for her husband so that he could recover his good health without troubling her husband.When her husband is made known of the affair,he so readily dismisses of her of all her virtue,going so far as to accuse that she is a 'bad' influence on their children.Not once did he stop to think what forced her wife to make the loan.When he realizes that his prestige is not at risk,he tried to pacify with his wife,saying everything is to be forgot.This is exactly what happens in our society.It's incredible that the picture of a society in 1879 should be so similar to the one of 2011.We can't say we have progressed much except for some NGOs which are only seen when everything is over.In the story,Nora takes a bold step when she decides to leave her husband and the disgrace in which she lived so long.Here,1879 was a more,what should I say?In bangla-Progotishil then 2011.Our women donot,cannot dare to take such a step.Yet in a hundred years' time our progress should have been incomparable.But alas!The real picture is quite contrary to what should have been.If our women dared to take the bold step Nora had taken,we would not have to read about Rumana Manzur and not reading about her torture would have been delightful.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde by Stevenson was another remarkable piece.It very well brings out the evil within us.We are humans and it depends on our conscience to suppress the evil and bring out the good inside us.Yet some unlucky,cursed ones completely overshadow the good within them with the evil inside.The evil has to die but for the evil to be expressed,the goodness needs to be killed first as we see by the disappearance and then the death of Dr.Jekyll.Hyde is killed after Jekyll died.If we knew how to kill Hyde before killing Jekyll,the world would not have been such a merciless place to live.We could have avoided the Hydes like the teacherd mask Parimal in our society.
'Enemy of People' by Ibsen is a situation we are facing since the creation of mankind.For the benefit of a few like the mayor and editor,we are forever ready to go against the good ones like Dr.Thomas whose initial steps,even though seemingly hazardous are good for the society in the long run.The biggest,yet the silliest power,is that of the general people,who can be easily made to wear the coloured glasses to see the colour the powerful ones want them to see,not what they deserve to see.We have a strong inertia to any sort of change.Some foxes encourage this inertia so that they benefit.We are the silly ones who neither get the spa nor the money it brings.We only get the disease of the contaminated spa.May be it happens because whenever we supported any change,we got the worst end of the stick.It is foolishly wise to stick to and suffer fromwhat we have rather than to suffer from something unknown,something of which we do not know what to expect.
'Frankenstein' by M.W.S was similar to 'Dr.Jekyll and Hyde'.Here we see the worst that can happen to any invention.A bit of it can be applied to the ill use of technology.In the story we only see the dark side of the monster but he does show the possibility of improvement as he reads books and learns to speak.If Frankenstein had taken responsibility,we could have obtained a helpful,good natured monster instead of the killing machine.The monster does want to leave in peace,but does not get a chance.Im the same way we created the devastating nuclear bombs and other technologies.Had we taken their responsibility and given proper chance we could have made world a better place but we could not do so.
The meaning of 'Godot' by Samuel Beckett was not very clear to me but I enjoyed reading it.To me,it seemed to convey the meaning that things are not what we see and know them to be.I could be wrong though.
'Rose for Emily' by Faulkner was a good piece of reading.Here we see that if human emotions are not given a proper chance to be expressed,they can result in unpleasant consequences.If Emily had married and loved at the proper age,if she had more freedom,she would not have gone crazy.She would not have killed Barron and decorated a bridal room with a corpse and her hair and lived with it for forty years.Crazy as it may seem to us,to her,logically,it was the only way she could retain her love.Certain people and their action that we find abnormal or unjustified are justified and normal to them.It's just that we've never put ourselves in their shoes,nor did they get a chance to put themselves in our shoes.
This is the longest mail I've ever written you.I was really terrified by your anger and disgust in class today. [Rinat, for this part please kindly refer to the BLOG maintained by Patricia Ivan. Read her post on on ANGER in this link - http://patriciaivan.blogspot.com/2011/07/anger.html]
If possible,do give a briefing of Skinner and Carlyle in class.The items are excessively hard and tiring to understand.
One more request:do comment on my writing style.I detest english writing but I'm working on it.It would be helpful to know the lackings.
By
Rinat.
Thank you Rinat dear - for the post. Please read my anger as an expression of IMPOSING our collective desire on my students. My anger has absolutely no personal face. Thank you for referring to this openly - I am making it public so that everyone begins to respect our MISSION. I will talk about Waiting for Godot in the class. It is a difficult play for a newcomer. But I am sure you will like it.
A fantastic blog maintained by a Psychiatrist
All students are expected to read at least a few minutes from the blog. I will also keep posting other blogs and other websites regularly. http://patriciaivan.blogspot.com/
Children, notice that Anger is not Aggression. That Anger can be used as constructive energy. That aggression can come in sheep's clothes and you MAY not notice it - because aggression can be done without Anger!!
Children, notice that Anger is not Aggression. That Anger can be used as constructive energy. That aggression can come in sheep's clothes and you MAY not notice it - because aggression can be done without Anger!!
Friday 29 July 2011
Of Wishes and Desires
"An eel wants to be a whale when it grows up." - German Proverb
Wishes and desires are not FULFILLMENT of wishes and desires.
Wishes and desires are not FULFILLMENT of wishes and desires.
Tuesday 26 July 2011
A must watch movie and the link - Discussion in the class shall follow
Dear Sir,
Sorry for losing touch in the middle, it has been a busy semester, but it is about to end in 2 weeks. I have not been able to come to Dhaka this summer, maybe I will try again in the winter.
How are you? And how are your SAT classes for this new batch of 2016 (!) going ?
Here is a link to a movie that I had great pain to find, but an even greater degree of pleasure to watch. Alas, no full version exists as you already know.
http://stagevu.com/video/lppvpdssexye
Sorry for losing touch in the middle, it has been a busy semester, but it is about to end in 2 weeks. I have not been able to come to Dhaka this summer, maybe I will try again in the winter.
How are you? And how are your SAT classes for this new batch of 2016 (!) going ?
Here is a link to a movie that I had great pain to find, but an even greater degree of pleasure to watch. Alas, no full version exists as you already know.
http://stagevu.com/video/lppvpdssexye
Again, my apologies for not replying to your last email. Hope all is well.
Safeer Farrukh Siddicky
Georgia Tech '13
Safeer Farrukh Siddicky
Georgia Tech '13
Columbia University Research Papers and Others
A few of the study items including Columbia University research papers are unavailable on the net. Please bring a FLASH-DRIVE in the class tomorrow so that you can take it from my laptop.
However, the 2005 report is available through the following link - other links are here too.
http://www.azouk.com/214476/Columbia-University/open [এই লিঙ্কটা কাট-পেস্ট করতে হবে।]
http://enseignement.typepad.fr/printemps08/files/obrien_historiographical_traditions.pdf
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/laureates/1998/sen-lecture.pdf
http://www.teachit.co.uk/attachments/10281.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1284963/pdf/14964711.pdf
http://www.ericmacknight.com/ibtok/TOK_Guide.pdf
Please check all the links and report me back.
However, the 2005 report is available through the following link - other links are here too.
http://www.azouk.com/214476/Columbia-University/open [এই লিঙ্কটা কাট-পেস্ট করতে হবে।]
http://enseignement.typepad.fr/printemps08/files/obrien_historiographical_traditions.pdf
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/laureates/1998/sen-lecture.pdf
http://www.teachit.co.uk/attachments/10281.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1284963/pdf/14964711.pdf
http://www.ericmacknight.com/ibtok/TOK_Guide.pdf
Please check all the links and report me back.
Monday 25 July 2011
Harvard University Press Link
Here are links for Harvard University Press
Book Catalog: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/order/
BLOG: http://harvardpress.typepad.com/
Visit these two pages and read as much as you can. Report your reading. Those who will fail to read at least for 30 min and write a JUST 20 words report - they are instructed to feel inferior in comparison to others.
Here READ a few pages of HUP book "Idea of Justice" by Amartya Sen: http://www.hup.harvard.edu/resources/educators/pdf/SENIDX.pdf
I also remind that we do not have a class tomorrow - but we DO have class on Wednesday.
Sunday 24 July 2011
A report on Tennis Court Oath
Please find below a tersely-written report on Tennis Court Oath. The report is being posted without any editing.
Sir here’s my report on The Tennis Court Oath….I hope you like it…
The taking of the oath is not only the commencement of the French Revolution but it is that part of history which points out to us the agonizing suppression that class distinction can cause and how it can lead to a bloody massacre….This event could be a lot worse owing to how badly the society was running in literally every aspect: political, economic, and of course social….the Third Estate was insulted by the King as he ordered to lock the doors Menus Plaisirs against them- a blatant attempt to end their demands for a reform (the King had an excuse set up of the royal mourning for later!) but they were not deterred by such an action…..years of negligence of the authority towards their rights and privileges caused them to be united to fight on. So they took the step of writing a constitution and set meetings in the tennis court until their purpose was served, despite royal prohibition…
The constitution highlighted many things amongst voting based on head, not order…..and also freedom of speech and participation in law making…opening a door way to a major and necessary revolution…..
A Mail I Could Not Ignore - but who dare has an answer?
Dear Sir,
How are you?
Hope everything is going alright with the new batch of applicants this year. I will not be applying this year, maybe next year if I don't get chance in medical. Don't want to bother you with my personal problems and am only asking for your opinion on the following issue. Do you think it is better to be oppressed by our families and society or rebel against them for my own freedom or am I too young to go against all the stuffs that's been putting against me?
What is life if I don't have freedom to roam around and see the world around me. Does being a girl keeps me at a disadvantage at all the things people of my age can enjoy and experience? Being inside the cage that I am living at the moment is making life more meaningless than it ever used to be. It would be of some help if you could reply in a few words in response to this unnecessary message of mine in your busy schedule.
Yours sincerely,
How are you?
Hope everything is going alright with the new batch of applicants this year. I will not be applying this year, maybe next year if I don't get chance in medical. Don't want to bother you with my personal problems and am only asking for your opinion on the following issue. Do you think it is better to be oppressed by our families and society or rebel against them for my own freedom or am I too young to go against all the stuffs that's been putting against me?
What is life if I don't have freedom to roam around and see the world around me. Does being a girl keeps me at a disadvantage at all the things people of my age can enjoy and experience? Being inside the cage that I am living at the moment is making life more meaningless than it ever used to be. It would be of some help if you could reply in a few words in response to this unnecessary message of mine in your busy schedule.
Yours sincerely,
Tomorrow SAT II Physics Mock
This is to remind everyone that we will have SAT-II Physics mock on the first hour and THEN we will have regular SAT class.
You should be prepared with either Kaaplan or Princeton Physics book.
You should be prepared with either Kaaplan or Princeton Physics book.
Tomorrow Monday - We hold class & A Good Report
We shall hold class tomorrow. I am requesting everyone to bring our STRESS-BOOK.
Here is another report by Sarah.
Here is another report by Sarah.
My almost rebellious desire to read was holding me hostage as I browsed the website www.hup.harvard.com. I scanned the too-short (no irony intended) list of books available to readers; picking, analysing, tasting each title like a predator on it's nightly prowl choosing its next oblivious victim. There was one topic that instinctively captivated my attention: Nature-- my one true passion. Arching my back, I hunched forward in my chair and without waiting to settle my quickened breaths, clicked as fast as my fingers would allow me to get to the webpage. My excitement was ludicrously alleviated and it took my mother five loud screams to tear me away momentarily from my hypnotic trance and get an explanation for why I was jumping about in my seat like I was having some sort of seizure.
But as quickly as my ardour had climaxed, it melted away when I noticed the prices next to the books. They had to be bought. How radically disappointing. With a childish frown plastered across my face, I began looking at each title in the hope of atleast getting a vague sense of what each book contained. And the way they teased me! The Restless Plant, The Urban Whale, Aglow in the Dark, Nature Wars...I was barely able to swallow the urge to devour them whole.
My mind was swept into a whirl-wind of images I had collected over the years, snapshots of countess documentaries, scenes from a miscellany of animal shows and videos, anything and everything that involved our beautiful Earth. I squinted to scrutinize the front-cover of the books as closely as I could, subsequently opening up a floodgate of remembered images-- the endless life-and-death struggle between a ravenous salt-water crocodile and a hapless, kicking, groaning wildebeast as it tried to escape the ferocious grip of it's killer's razor-lined jaws; the aerial, territorial combat between two harpy eagles as they dive headlong and twirling into the canopy below with talons locked in a deadly duel.
I also read up on American Literature 1700 to 1865, as assigned.
Saturday 23 July 2011
No Class on Sunday
Tomorrow's class has been cancelled due to certain busyness of mine. Please attend class on Monday.
Everyone is REQUESTED/Threatened to send me Reading Reports.
If you do not progress a lot in the next 7 days with regard to Reading Items - you will be in deep trouble over SAT course.
Mamun
Everyone is REQUESTED/Threatened to send me Reading Reports.
If you do not progress a lot in the next 7 days with regard to Reading Items - you will be in deep trouble over SAT course.
Mamun
Friday 22 July 2011
Today's Class and Preparation for Tomorrow
Today, We mostly talked about the AFTERMATH of the First SAT Mock Test. We also noted down the things one is supposed to do Before & During the Test.
Tomorrow Saturday, we shall have full discussion of Essay Writing and shall complete the Top 100 Words List. The Students have been instructed to read the words aloud at home so that they can recognize the Scriptural & Auditory Signature of each word.
Hope to see you all tomorrow.
Tomorrow Saturday, we shall have full discussion of Essay Writing and shall complete the Top 100 Words List. The Students have been instructed to read the words aloud at home so that they can recognize the Scriptural & Auditory Signature of each word.
Hope to see you all tomorrow.
Research Topics for SAT 2011 Students
Tiananmen Squire
Battle of Austerlitz
Stalinist Period – Animal Farm
Cultural Revolution
Punic War
Golden Age of Athens
The Tennis Court Oath
Peloponnesian War
Freud and the Interpretation of Dreams [Oedipus/Electra Complex] – Lacanian School
The Communist Manifesto
The Golden Age of Diplomacy
Tuesday 19 July 2011
Strange Encounter with a Modern-day Caliban
|
Sir I hav started reading American tragedy. Sir der r thousands of words of which meaning I dont know. Now if i consult dictionary for all words it will take me ages to finish reading. What do I do? U told me da reading items are not da serious. We read once and forget it. SO wat do I do if i dont understand stuffs.
Assalamu alaikum sir,
Sir I have started reading American Tragedy from net. Sir I found many unknown words.Without understanding those words I dont understand the whole text. Now sir if i find every meaning in a dictionary it will take a lot of time to finish. But u told that we have to finish reading quickly. Now wat do I do?
XYZ,
Here is my response to your question. If there is any Allah above your head - please stop sending me mails with wrong spellings.
Please - please - please - I will not tolerate it any longer - I am at the end of my patience. You must show this minimum dignity to your teacher! Please XYZ - please!!!
If you fail to show respect and dignified behavior, it does not matter that you earn enormous amount of money or graduate from MIT. Dignity and decorum is the foremost thing you learn from life.
My blessings.
Our Class Timings
This is to all concerned that we will have classes on the following days.
Sun: 8.00 am - 10.30 am
Mon: 8.00 am - 10.30 am
Tuesday: We shall be closed unless you have an appointment
Wed: 8.00 am - 10.30 am
Thu: 8.00 am - 10.30 am
Fri: 8.00 am - 10.30 am
Sat: 8.00 am - 10.30 am
You have to choose 4 classes out of the above six.
Don't forget that we have two mocks on Thursday - one at 8.00 am and the other I have not decided yet.
Do visit the blog everyday for news and information.
Sun: 8.00 am - 10.30 am
Mon: 8.00 am - 10.30 am
Tuesday: We shall be closed unless you have an appointment
Wed: 8.00 am - 10.30 am
Thu: 8.00 am - 10.30 am
Fri: 8.00 am - 10.30 am
Sat: 8.00 am - 10.30 am
You have to choose 4 classes out of the above six.
Don't forget that we have two mocks on Thursday - one at 8.00 am and the other I have not decided yet.
Do visit the blog everyday for news and information.
Monday 18 July 2011
Mail from one of the students this 2012 Class
Dear Sir,
When I sat to write the very first e-mail to you after the first SAT class I attended, I continuously kept on pressing backspace, because whatever I wrote seemed to be of the wrong language. However, when I looked at your blog, I realized that the first draft I wrote was most appropriate, and not the one I sent to you. This made me realize that I can be a little too fussy about things-enough to cause damage at times.
I previously felt that it was lame to pour out all that I felt about the things you referred to in class and thought I should just mail you if I'm stuck anywhere. I am not implying that I have the ability to easily understand all the intricate details about the great works you have referred to in class, but I just didn't feel like there is anything more to ask about them. Reading the blogspot made me realize that it's not only about asking about things I don't understand, it's about refections on the things affecting us related to your class. Just letting you know, yes I am doing SAT practice tests at home, it was kind of embarassing to tell you that I take an awefully long time to get an entire test done-much longer than anyboby else I think. Anyways, that still does not make up for my sins.
I have made my own collegeboard account. I did face certain obstacles during the time, as an additional form came up, which I was not expecting, but those were trivial and easily solved.
My next step was to sit and read throughly through the green booklet, and I have until the section about American Literature. I have read only about Christopher Columbus yesterday, and looked up neocolonialism, where paternalistic neocolonialism struck me. I immediately got reminded of Caliban, about who we frequently talked about in class. I have done this certain play in my english literature class,back in class 8, and we even watched the movie version of it together in school, therefore I was actually looking forward to watching a theatre performance of something which I can personally relate to.
By then, since I had already sat down to look up the references you made in class, the most interesting topic that reached out to me from the lined pages of my diary was humorism. It was quite fascinating to read about a certain branch of medicine (if it can be called that...can it?) that is completely different from what I am familiar with, or have ever read or heard about. I completely missed out the four words which you had mentioned in class, but upon reading about the- they easily left an imprint in my mind. What is even more intriguing, is that philosophy had been used to cure, and since it was carried out untill the 19th century, it must have worked well in most cases. This gave me a whole new perspective to medicine.
Back to my own table to do a SAT practice test. Later I returned to the internet connection in my parent's room to read Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations", the condensed version of course, and hushed anyone trying to talk to me at that time. The reason for my rapt attention is that I could relate to a lot of his philosophies, and have found myself at numerous times, pondering over the things mentioned. As I moved my eyes away from the screen, feeling triumphant about finally finishing the 4100 words, including re-reading certain paragraphs, I looked up at the clock to see it was already midnight. It was time to go to bed, but the words " Ode to a Nightingale" on my diary was calling out to me, daring me to look them up. So I did. But soon enough my eyelids became extremely heavy and I remembered your words-"Go sleep". And that's exactly what I did. See? I do listen to you.
(Author Identity Undisclosed)
Food and Health - words of WISDOM for SAT people
All SAT students are required to follow a healthy life-style and here is a link on some Aiyurvedic wisdom.
http://www.jiva.com/Newsletter/June-2011.htm
Please read this and have your say on the comment box.
Thanks to everyone.
http://www.jiva.com/Newsletter/June-2011.htm
Please read this and have your say on the comment box.
Thanks to everyone.
Sunday 17 July 2011
First Mock for the 2012 class
We will have 2 Mock Sessions on coming Thursday 21 July - there will be 7.45 am session and another at 12.00 pm.
Please bring PENCILS only. I will provide the Essay page.
Please bring EITHER (1) Official SAT Study Guide, or (2) Princeton 11 Tests
I hope we shall enjoy these sessions.
Welcome!!
Please bring PENCILS only. I will provide the Essay page.
Please bring EITHER (1) Official SAT Study Guide, or (2) Princeton 11 Tests
I hope we shall enjoy these sessions.
Welcome!!
Saturday 16 July 2011
A post about Prachyanat Schools 10 Year Anniversary and The Tempest
"It's today, it's today, it's today!' In the demure shell of my oncoming adulthood (I hope) I was caging an enthusiasm that reminded me of George Little in Stuart Little as he dashed across the corridor screaming with joy that the day had finally arrived to bring his new brother home. I had no idea what to expect of the day. But anything new and untouched allures me like light does a moth and the oblivion itself was enticing.
I was up and dressed for the occassion (or so I thought) much sooner than needed. Yanking along my nonchalant younger sister as my only willing companion, I started off towards the Shilpokala Academy. After an annoyingly long ride to the location we were finally there.
Alien! I was completely estranged in this artistic realm and in the back of my mind I kept expecting an alarm to go off somewhere in the building. Everyone around me was a some-one. There was creativity in every corner of that confetti-carpeted lounge. Girls clad in multicoloured sarees, men with heads wrapped in tightly wound fabrics, a circle of smiling students swaying with the rhythm of their tablas and lively Bengali songs...I had never felt so happy being a complete outsider. I was enthralled at having the opportunity to be a spectator of such a stimulating environment.
Oddly enough, somehow I felt at home. Perhaps it was because of the string of oddity itself that emanated in that atmosphere. I have always felt slightly out of place wherever I have gone or been but as I looked around me I realized that there wasn't a single person in that room who was not proud to say they were different. The more I observed them the happier I became.
I was so consumed by this hitherto untasted ambiance and engaged in devouring every second of it that an hour passed without my notice and it was eventually time to make a que for entering the hall. Just when I thought my senses had been satiated, a loud, pulsating drumming began to fill the air and a group of cheerful, clapping young men and women added to the thumping with songs and tambourine playing. What a sight to behold! The first thing that struck me and that left the deepest mark was the avidity and rapture they exuded as they sang and danced with utter bliss. They were doing what they loved. And it showed.
The audience poured into the hall one by one, eager to get the best seats and after finding myself a comfortable spot I sat down. After the three opening speeches and certificate-giving ceremony were over, the moment I had been waiting for was finally here. Down fell the classic red curtains and all went silent in anticipation for the play to commence.
How do I even begin to describe my first theatre experience? Exquisite, superb, unsurpassable, insurmountable? My futile scribbles don't seem to do it any justice. Sitting in the far end of the darkened hall, mystified by the magic of the performers on stage, the one thing I regreted above all was not having a notepad in my tiny clutch. Too many reeling emotions sprung like a wildfire within me as the play proceeded and the whole while I tried desperately to engrave each thrilling sensation in the pages of my mind. There were times when the annoying flash of a friend's camera would awaken me from my sleep-like trance and make me realize that my mouth was actually hanging wide open in an embarrassing neglect of manners. And then ofcourse, the onset of self-reproach: what had I been doing this whole time? How had I managed to lock myself out from such an extraordinary world? Enough! Concentrate on the play!
But even that proved a challenge. Amidst the enchanting, traditionally-inclined background music ebbing in harmonious synchronisation with the actors' lines and the marvelous acting ability of the performers, I found it difficult to prevent myself from simply gaping in awe at everything I saw and heard. But somehow I managed to keep my head in the story and as I watched I picked my favourite actor.
From the very first moment Caliban came on scene, animal-like in his stance and wreathed in rags, I was an immediate fan. His performance was outstanding and he had me captivated entirely in his every word. I was stupefied at the way he moved across the stage as though he were truly a half monster. And that voice! It rang through till the very end of the large hall with a power that superseded that of all the other voices. After every act, the croud was instinctively thrown into a clapping fit. I was not alone in my admiration.
When the last scene had been performed and that final veil of darkness clouded my vision, I felt a mixture of emotions rushing through me: amazement, delight, disappointment and the fiery sting of finality. It was over and as I watched the curtains rise to expose the actors bowing to the audience, I gazed with reverence at the performers. I tried to catch a glimpse of the expression each one wore. Like evidence of their talent. Yes, there it was: pride. My last thought as I left the hall was: I cannot wait to be a part of this again.
Sir, I'm really grateful for this experience. Thankyou so much!
Author
Sarah Iqbal