Teo-Education.Com

“It’s clear” said the teacher, “That you haven’t studied your geography. What’s your excuse?”

Student: “Well, my dad says the world is changing every day. So I decided to wait until it settles down!”

Teacher: “What can you tell me about the Dead Sea?”

Student: “Dead?, I didn’t even know he was sick!”

Teacher: “What are the small rivers that runs into the Nile?”

Student: “The juve-niles!”

Teacher: “Why is the Mississippi such an unusual river?”

Student: “Because it has four eyes and can’t see!”

Teacher: “What are the Great Plains?”

Student: “747, Concorde and F-16!”

Teacher: “Where is the English Channel?”

Student: “I don’t know, my TV doesn’t pick it up!”

Student: My teacher was mad with me because I don’t know where the Rockies were”

Mother: “Well, next time remember where you put things!”

Teacher: “Why does the statue of liberty stand in New York Harbour?”

Student: “Because it can’t sit down!”

Teacher: “Is Lapland heavily populated?”

Student: ” No, there are not many Lapps to the mile!”

Teacher: “Name an animal that lives in Lapland?”

Student: “A reindeer”

Teacher: “Good, now name another.”

Student: “Another reindeer.”

Source:

http://humor.about.com/od/schooljokes/School_Jokes_and_Education_Jokes,htm

Teacher :  What is the axis of the earth?

Student:  The axis of the earth is an imaginary line which passes from one pole to the other, and on which the earth revolves.

Teacher:  Very good. Now, could you hang clothes on that line?

Student:  Yes, Sir.

Teacher:  Indeed, and what sort of clothes?

Student: Imaginary clothes, Sir.

Source:

http://humor.about.com/od/schooljokes/School_Tokes_and_Education_Jokes.htm

There are various methods of job-hunting but online job hunting is the current most popular one. However, there is a traditional method of job-hunting that can be quite effective for you if you simply follow the steps outlined in this article. This method is called cold-calling the potential employers.

First of all, let’s identify what cold-calling really is. Cold-calling is mostly defined as a telephone call or visit made to someone who is not known or not expecting contact, often in order to sell something. We can safely assume that cold-calling is a proven method of finding employment. Jobs do not come easy and the market is not constantly open, thus you won’t be able to find out about available job openings unless you dig for them. There are some steps or processes which are important when “digging”.

There are 4Cs in the cold-calling process…

1st c : Compiling:

First of all, you need to compile a list of companies that you might be interested in working for. It is good to have a longer list compared to a shorter one because your opportunities increase when you list is longer. You may search for the job opening of the companies in their official websites. You could gather this list of companies by focusing on a specific geographic area, a specific industry, a ranking of the best companies to work for, or any other factors that you think may apply. The most important point in this step is to clarify which company you can approach to maximize your chances of employment.

2nd C :  Collecting:

After listing the potential companies, you need to gather the names of the people who have the authority to offer you a job. How do you do this? You need to call each company’s main number and ask the receptionist or department assistant for the name and title of the recruitment manager in your field of expertise. Ensure that the person you are trying to approach is the right person who really has the power to make decisions. Try to avoid getting the names of the Human Resources manager unless that is the department that you are aiming for because applying through HR will make you “ordinary” like all other candidates. Your first point of contact should be with the hiring manager in your field and it is essential to get a name and title spelled correctly. Many hiring managers are known to throw away letters that are not addressed to them by name.

3rd C : Cover Letter:

With the contacts on hand, you may start writing a dynamic cover letter to the employers in order to create a good first impression. There is always a concern over the cover letter. Always make sure that each letter is individualized by addressing each to a named individual, saying something about the company to indicate that you have done some research or preparation about the company and stating different qualifications for different positions. Always bear in mind that the cover letter is extremely important since it serves as the first contact with the employer. Your cover letter will mirror your personality, attitude and characteristics to the employers. Therefore, writing a good cover letter is crucial. At the end of the cover letter, don’t forget to enclose a clean and complete copy of your resume with each letter you mail.

4th C : Contact:

The last step in the process is contacting the people you wrote to. Unfortunately, this step is the hardest task. You need to get on the phone and contact these busy people to convince them to grant you a job interview. Before you start to call, make sure you are prepared for the interviews because the employers might conduct a short telephone interview as a “test”. Always be persistent even if the potential employer says there are no current vacancies available. Do not be rude or too pushy if the person is unwilling to grant you an interview. Your ultimate goal of cold calling is to get as many interviews with potential employers as possible. Thus, even if the majority of them tell you that there are no current job openings, the person you have contacted can be the intermediary for you to ask for referrals, if other employers have job openings.

Success in cold-calling for employment can be a challenge for those who are weak in their telephone skills as well as negotiation abilities. But, by adhering to the guidelines and advice of the 4Cs, you could very well succeed. However, cold-calling can be accomplished if it is done at the right time (when job openings are available or if employers really need to hire urgently), to the right person (get a direct contact to the person who are in charge of hiring), and at the right place (getting the companies that you are really interested to work in).

Source:

http://www.jobsdb.com.my/MY/EN/V6HTML/jobseeker/125_career.html

The word “networking” can strike terror into the hearts of not only shy job seekers but even the confident ones, and even seasoned entrepreneurs. It conjures up images of wandering round a function room, trying to offload your business card to as many people as you can.

However, networking - when done properly - is one of the most important elements of any effective job search strategy. Consider the facts that almost 80% of jobs openings are never advertised, and around 60% of executive vacancies are filled through networking and referrals.

We usually hate the idea of networking because we think it makes us look pushy, fake or just plain desperate. Relax! Nobody is born knowing how to network. Networking is just another skill that can be learned and can be applied throughout your career.

The following tips can help make the process less painful.

1.)  Start with people you know:

Think you don’t know anybody? Think about the people you socialize or currently work with, and their friends/partners/relatives. Not only is it less daunting to start with people you know, it is more efficient and effective to build on your existing network rather than try to create a completely new one from scratch. If everyone you know in turn knows another 10 people, you potentially have access to hundreds, even thousands of people.

2.)  Do not ask for a job:

The most important thing to remember is that networking is NOT about asking people for a job. It is about asking people for information, advice or assistance on how or whom to contact that will be able to help find you a job. Also, it is as much about asking what you can do for them as what they can do for you.

3. )  Do not assume you are being a pest:

Do not assume you are bothering the people you contact. Before you assume you are going to be a pest if you try to make contact with someone, think twice. In fact, most people will be glad to hear from you.

4. )  Enlist a spokesperson:

It is good to have an intermediary who acts as a go-between for you if you are hesitant to contact someone you do not know. If someone in your network has given you the name of a colleague, ask your contact to call the person first for you to “warn” them that you’ll be calling. Most people are willing to do this.

5.)  Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse:

If you tend to freeze up when meeting someone new, try practising what you are going to say again and again. If you tend to babble when talking on the phone or leaving messages, take some time to plan what you will say before picking up the phone. A written letter or even email of introduction can make the follow-up conversation less nerve-racking if you cannot even get yourself to pick up the phone and make a cold call.

6. )  Be comfortable in your own skin:

Concern about your appearance is a frequent excuse for being reluctant to network, but it need not be. While the “package” you present to others is important, physical attractiveness is not a prerequisite for being a successful networker. If your confidence is undermined by your feelings about your outward appearance, consider fixing what is fixable and learn to make the most of what is not.

7.)  Just do it:

Networking can be difficult, anxiety-provoking and a pain in the neck, but at some point you have to disregard all the excuses, take a deep breath and just do it. Arm yourself with the attitude that there’s nothing to lose, but everything to gain!

Do not expect to become a master networker overnight. It takes time, patience, and practice to get good at networking. Be prepared to take baby steps and do not let yourself be discouraged by minor setbacks. Every contact you make, no matter how minor it seems, could be the one to propel you to the next stage of your career.

Source:

http://www.jobsdb.com.my/MY/EN/V6HTML/jobseeker/129_career.html

Why are people willing to spend thousands on Coach bags, Apple iPods, Motorola handphones, and other such “branded” goods? That is the power of branding. Branded goods are in demand, and people will pay a premium for them, because they carry with them a promise of consistently high quality and value – and keep that promise.

However, branding isn’t just for products anymore. Cultivating your personal career brand – your reputation - can help to make you a more attractive and sought-after employee or job candidate. Explore some key tactics of building your own personal brand to achieve success in your chosen career.

1. )   Maximize your experience:

Your experience and accomplishments form the basis of your brand. Start by taking some time to plan and focus on what you want your brand to be. Then review your past accomplishments and determine how they fit into your personal brand. Find out if there are areas where you need to improve, and take up new and challenging assignments at work – or consider freelancing and consulting - to gain the required experience. Students can pursue internships in related fields.

2. )  Fill in any knowledge gaps:

Education is necessary for success in many careers. You may find that in order to get your brand to where you want it, you need more training or education. Although it may initially make demands on your time and money, education definitely pays off in the long run. Find out if your company provides any benefits that will at least partially pay for you to further your education. Also, seek out opportunities around your company to attend seminars and other career-enhancing training courses.

3.)   Become an expert in your field:

Expertise lends credibility to your career brand. Write articles that showcase your knowledge and contribute to trade journals within your industry as well as the mass media. Volunteer to give presentations and speeches at meetings and conferences to make yourself a familiar face around your company and industry.

As more and more people are turning to the Internet to find information, maintaining a professional blog to publish your writings and presentations online is a good way to build credibility that can extend offline as well.

4.)  Promote yourself:

How have companies like Coca-Cola, McDonalds and Nike built world-class brands that rise above their many competitors? Advertising. You can have the most amazing brand, but if no one knows about it, you won’t get very far. You are your own best promoter, so make the most of yourself.

The most important self-promotion item you have is your resume. Make sure your resume reflects your most current accomplishments, skills and education, as well as any awards and accolades that you’ve earned. Consider creating a Facebook or Myspace to post your resume, mission statement, and achievements online and create an Internet presence for yourself; don’t overlook this valuable opportunity to reach a worldwide audience.

Word of mouth is one of the most important keys to building your personal brand. Maintain good contact with your network of friends, colleagues, clients, and former bosses, and keep them informed of your recent successes. Don’t forget to seek out network-building opportunities as well - join professional associations and reputable online communities to expand your network of contacts.

Also, don’t forget to promote yourself at work by being a star performer. However, never depend solely on your boss to keep track of your accomplishments. Make sure you keep your own records of your achievements and have the up-to-date list ready at every performance review. Also, look out for opportunities throughout the year to remind your boss - and his or her boss(es) - of your successes.

Conclusion:

Once you have built your brand, make sure to keep working on strengthening it. As management guru Tom Peters states in his book The Brand You 50: Or: Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an “Employee” into a Brand That Shouts Distinction, Commitment, and Passion!: “We are the CEOs of our own companies: Me, Inc.” Everyone is a “Me, Inc.” in the making, so you’ll always need to stay ahead of the competition. The stronger you make your brand, the more success you’ll gain in your current and future career.

Source:

http://www.jobsdb.com.my/MY/EN/V6HTML/jobseeker/133_career.html

The teacher noticed that Johnny had been daydreaming for a long time, so she decided to get his attention.

“Johnny,” she said, “If the world is 25,000 miles around and eggs are sixty cents a dozen, how old am I?”

Without hesitation, Johnny answered, “Thirty four.”

The teacher replied, “Well, that’s not far from my actual age. Tell me … how did you guess?”

“Oh, there’s nothing to it,” Johnny said. “My big sister is seventeen and she’s only half-crazy!”

Source:

http://www.ncbuy.com/humor/jokes_view.html?jky=12853

Making learning a happier experience. Also called the “Conscious Competence Matrix” and the “Learning Matrix”

When we find that we don’t know something important, we’re often motivated to learn more. However if we’re blissfully unaware of our ignorance, there’s little we can do about it.

One of the first steps on the journey to acquiring new skills is therefore to be aware of what you don’t know. This discovery can be uncomfortable, as can be the experience of not being very good at what you’re trying to do (as you won’t be, when you first start to learn.)

The Conscious Competence Ladder is a popular and intuitive approach (attributed to many different possible originators) that helps us manage our own emotions during a sometimes dispiriting learning process. More than this, it helps us to be more in touch with the emotions of the people we are teaching, so we can better coach them through the learning process.

Explaining the Model:

According to this approach, consciousness is the first step towards gaining knowledge. To learn new skills and to gain knowledge you need to be conscious of what you do and do not know.

Next, competence is your ability to do things. You may be highly competent in one area, but have no skill in another. Your competence level will depend on the task or job at hand.

The idea is that as you build expertise in a new area, you move from “unconscious incompetence” to “conscious incompetence” and then to “conscious competence”, finally reaching “unconscious competence.” These are explained below, and this “ladder” of learning is shown in figure 1.

Level 1 - Unconscious Incompetence
(You Don’t Know that You Don’t Know)
At this level you are blissfully ignorant: You have a complete lack of knowledge and skills in the subject in question. On top of this, you are unaware of this lack of skill, and your confidence may therefore far exceed your abilities.

Level 2 - Conscious Incompetence
(You Know that You Don’t Know)
At this level you find that there are skills you need to learn, and you may be shocked to discover that there are others who are much more competent than you. As you realize that your ability is limited, your confidence drops. You go through an uncomfortable period as you learn these new skills when others are much more competent and successful than you are.

Level 3 - Conscious Competence
(You Know that You Know)
At this level you acquire the new skills and knowledge. You put your learning into practice and you gain confidence in carrying out the tasks or jobs involved. You are aware of your new skills and work on refining them.

You are still concentrating on the performance of these activities, but as you get ever-more practice and experience, these become increasingly automatic.

Level 4 - Unconscious Competence
(You Don’t Know that You Know - It Just Seems Easy!)
At this level your new skills become habits, and you perform the task without conscious effort and with automatic ease. This is the peak of your confidence and ability.

Using the tool:

The Conscious Competence Ladder helps us in two ways: It gives us reassurance when we need it, and it helps us coach others through a sometimes difficult learning process.

During the Conscious Incompetence phase, we have the reassurance that while things are difficult and frustrating right now, things will get much better in the future. And when we’re at the stage of Unconscious Competence, the model reminds us to value the skills we have so painstakingly acquired.

As an approach to coaching others, it reminds us that people may be moving through these steps as they learn the new skills we’re trying to teach them:

• Unconscious Incompetence: At the beginning of the process, they may be unaware of their own lack of competence, and may need to be made gently aware of how much they need to learn.

• Conscious Incompetence: During this stage, you’ll need to provide plenty of encouragement, tolerate mistakes appropriately, and do what you can to help people improve.
• Conscious Competence: At this stage you need to keep people focused on effective performance of the task, and give plenty of opportunities for them to get practice.
• Unconscious Competence: Although this is the ideal state, you’ll need to make sure that people avoid complacency, and stay abreast of their fields. You may also need to remind people how difficult it was to reach this state, so that they are tolerant with people at the Conscious Incompetence stage!

Source:

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_96.htm

CAN supplements actually slow the ageing process? What if it could? After all, many of the promoters of natural supplements are hitched on the “anti ageing” bandwagon. Many a time, they have been criticised for the lack of evidence behind the “anti-ageing” claims.

All this might change soon. There is quite a breakthrough as far as supplements and natural substances are concerned. It is related to an increasingly important marker of ageing — the telomere length. The new study that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jama) may change perceptions of anti-ageing quite dramatically.

But first, let us get the basics right.

Scientists refer to telomere as a region of repeating DNA at the end of a chromosome. It protects the end of the chromosome from deterioration and breakdown. Its name comes from the Greek words telos which means “end” and “mer’s” which means “part”. Put together, telemore simply means “the end part”.

The process by which a cell divides is called mitosis. Each time mitosis occurs, the telomeres of the dividing cells get just a bit shorter. Once a cell’s telomeres have reached a critically short length, that cell can no longer divide.

As a result, the cell’s structure and function begins to fail. Some cells even die.

There is speculation that omega-3 fatty acids derived from fish can enhance the activity of telomerase (the enzyme that helps maintain telomere length) in healthy tissue while suppressing it in cancer cells.

In laboratory conditions, most human cells can only divide 30 to 50 times before they stop reproducing, At this point, they reach a stage called senescence.

Cells taken from older persons and persons with premature ageing syndromes undergo even fewer divisions before reaching senescence. Scientists know senescence is related to telomere length because adding telomerase, an enzyme that lengthens telomeres, to cells allows them to reproduce indefinitely.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco reveal in the Jan 20, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association that heart disease patients who have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids experience a lower rate of reduction in telomere length over time.

In their introduction to the article, Ramin Farzaneh-Far, MD and colleagues note that “Multiple epidemiologic studies, including several large randomised controlled trials, have demonstrated higher survival rates among individuals with high dietary intake of marine omega-3 fatty acids and established cardiovascular disease.

“On this basis, the American Heart Association recommends increased oily fish intake and the use of omega-3 fatty acid supplements for the primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease.

“The mechanisms underlying this protective effect are poorly understood but are thought to include anti-inflammatory, anti-platelet, antihypertensive, anti-arrhythmic, and triglyceride-lowering effects.”

In their investigation, researchers enrolled 608 men and women. They were recruited from the Heart and Soul Study, which assessed the effect of psychosocial factors on cardiovascular events in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Blood samples obtained upon enrollment between September, 2000 and December, 2002 were analysed for levels of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in addition to other factors.

White blood cell telomere length was measured at the beginning of the study and after five years of follow up.
Patients whose levels of EPA and DHA were among the top 25 per cent of participants had the slowest rate of telomere shortening over the five year period, while those whose levels were lowest had rates that were the fastest. The authors noted that “each 1-standard deviation increase in DHA + EPA levels was associated with a 32 per cent reduction in the odds of telomere shortening”.

In their discussion of the finding, Dr Farzaneh-Far and colleagues remark that several studies had observed cross-sectional associations between longer telomeres and nutritional supplements, including folic acid, multivitamins and vitamins C, D and E, however, these studies lacked longitudinal data on telomere shortening rates.

Because increased oxidative stress has been identified as a factor in telomere shortening and aging, the ability of omega-3 fatty acids to help reduce oxidative stress as previously determined by lower levels of F2-isoprostanes and higher levels of the body’s antioxidant enzymes in response to supplementation could explain the benefit observed in the current research.

Additionally, the authors speculate that omega-3 fatty acids could enhance the activity of telomerase (the enzyme that helps maintain telomere length) in healthy tissue, while suppressing it in cancer cells.

“In this longitudinal study, we observed that baseline levels of marine omega-3 fatty acids were associated with decelerated telomere attrition over five years,” the authors concluded.

“These findings raise the possibility that omega-3 fatty acids may protect against cellular aging in patients with coronary heart disease.”

This study that has found its way to Jama — a journal with high impact factor, will certainly put supplements in a different light. For too long, supplements have been seen as “placebo” or worse still a source of “expensive urine”.

With evidence like this, it would be difficult for even the greatest sceptics to simply dismiss supplements. Clearly, we are see two classes of supplements emerge. One is those that are evidence based and scientifically defensible. The other is the one pushed on “hope and hype.”

Clearly, consumers, prescribers and regulators need to be aware of this as evidence based supplements are valuable “preventive medicine” that can positively impact quality of life and help moderate healthcare costs that are always on the increase.

Datuk Dr Rajen M. is a pharmacist with a doctorate in holistic medicine. Email him at health@po.jari

With evidence like this, it would be difficult for even the greatest sceptics to simply dismiss supplements. Clearly, we are see two classes of supplements emerge. One is those that are evidence based and scientifically defensible. The other is the one pushed on ‘hope and hype’.

Source:

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/48jar/Article/index_html

SOME of the parents of pupils at SK Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, were beside themselves when it was named one of only 20 schools nationwide to be accorded high-performance status. How the children are taking it, however, I am not so sure.

SKBD is a primary school in an upper-middle class, if not affluent, neighbourhood. Most of the pupils come from within the area, although there are many, too, who come from far. The attraction being, it is said, that it is a “very good” school.

Some even go to the extent of describing it as a private school in a public school environment. I know the description is a bit of a stretch since 8-year-old Zuleika goes there.

It used to be that many neighbourhood parents, including prominent politicians, civil servants and businessmen, sent their children to the 20-year-old SKBD, but lately, many have decided against it.

Some cited the ever-changing education policy as a reason for not doing so, though I tend to believe the availability of choices, and money, are contributing factors, too.

There is, after all, a well-known private school half a kilometer away, a prominent Chinese school and several international schools a short drive away.

Incidentally, a large number of parents who could afford private education for their children are sticking to SKBD because they believe in the national school system. But they are getting fewer in number.

SKBD is also one of those schools these days that has a fairly good racial mix. Nevertheless, a thriving Chinese and private education system have affected enrolment of non-Malay pupils.

Just a couple of years ago, half of its student population were non-Malays, but now less. Regardless, based on national standards, it is a rarity.

Parents in the school overwhelmingly want this mix to continue, and are hoping that the high-performance school status would make others in the area give SKBD a re-look.

The school does have its pluses. If you get turned on by academic achievements, based on whispers going around, the school has consistently been “somewhere up there” in the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah nationwide ranking. This we may credit the teaching staff, as well as the extra preparation, in the form of tuition, for example, accorded by parents.

It also has a very strong co-curriculum programme, especially on environment-related issues and in the performing arts. However, it is so-so in sports. It is also one of the few primary schools that has annual elections for the head pupil.

All these largely, though not exclusively, are due to the involvement of parents, which some would describe also as bordering on kiasu-ness.

Parents are involved in many of the school’s non-academic programmes, such as driving the school teams to meets and training, helping pupils with recycling campaigns, or holding fairs and events for fund raising.

Parents also work with the school in getting teachers, trainers and coaches for after-hours programmes, ranging from computer, drama, and sports. Some parents used to be traffic wardens in the morning rush hour.
For the school annual drama club highlight, for example, I am made to understand that parents are heavily involved from buying/making costumes to selling tickets and booking the theatre for the show.

Detractors have complained on why the school, already having an economic leg-up — many of the pupils, for example, have gone abroad for vacations — should be accorded the privilege.

The argument being that the socio-economic background of most of the children’s families would have ensured opportunities made available to them. It would have been a high-performing school, regardless.

But the same argument could be applied, although from a different angle, on why some of the elite residential schools should be accorded the status, too.

Be that as it may, the status offers a relishing prospect of the re-invention of the national school, if not the education system. For now though, much of it is a guessing game. Parents speculate what could and could not be done. There are also enough cynicism that the autonomy promised may not be much, or even allowed.

Can the schools have different sets of uniforms for the children; extend school hours; hire teachers and trainers, including foreigners, as they wish; enrol international students; change the medium of instruction; build swimming pools; have school meals; charge school fees and institute entrance exams?

The uncertainty is worrying, as much as it is exciting.

Please do not use the money for concrete fencing, said one parent. Don’t spend too much money on study tours, said another.

One of the lessons from the SKBD experience, and presumably the other 19 schools, too, is that apart from the teachers, parents are also active.

Hence, the Ministry of Education must allow for greater participation of parents, for example, via boards of governors that are jointly made up of parents and teachers that will look into issues such as the direction of the schools, and how their extra money is to be spent.

The now suddenly-empowered schools should tap into the energy of parents, and get them to collaborate with the teachers.

The 20 schools may be the the tip of the wedge that would spearhead education reform, or if we dare to dream, revolution.

With the status comes riches, well not much when compared with some schools, but more importantly, the responsibility of living up to the expectations, and the hype.

It also offers the opportunity of exciting possibilities.

by Zainul Ariffin.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/05zai-2/Article/index_html

A principal of a small middle school had a problem with a few of the older girls starting to use lipstick. When applying it in the bathroom, they would press their lips to the mirror and leave lip prints.

Before it got out of hand he thought of a way to stop it. He gathered together all the girls who wore lipstick and told them to meet at the ladies room at 3.00 pm.

They gathered that afternoon at the appointed time and found the principal and school custodian waiting for them.

The principal explained that it was becoming a problem for the custodian to clean the mirror every night. He said he felt the ladies did not fully understand just how much of a problem it was and he wanted them to witness how it was to clean it.

The custodian then demonstrated. He took a long-handled brush out of a box, dipped the brush in the nearest toilet, walked over to the mirror and proceeded to remove the lipstick.

It was the last time he had to do so!

Source:

http://www.ncbuy.com/humor/jokes_view.html?jky=11891