不是所有的“美國學校”都一樣!!

文中的“美國學校”指的是國際學校，也就是所謂的外僑學校，不是位在美國的學校。

很多家長以為，只要有辦法把孩子弄進以英文教學的所謂“美國學校”，好像孩子的前途就有保障了。殊不知如果孩子本身資資不够，再加上父母親没有足够的學識與知識，無法在家中教導孩子一些與學校課程相關的内容，補足學校課堂上老師解說的不足，孩子的學習進度並不會比上一般的普通學校來得好。這是因為這些外僑學校所上的課程，並不是只是用英文上課那麼簡單。學生必須對歐美文化史有一定程度的了解，有一定程度的宏觀世界觀，才有辦法在這些學校的教育制度中拿到好成績。如果只是單單英文程度好，但是没有養成深入思考，邏輯完善，獨立判斷的能力，以及自發閱讀各式各樣的課外讀物的習慣，那這種學生到最後也是無法進入所謂的名校。（如果英文程度好就代表成績一定好的話，那美國境内每一個學生都會講英文，難不成每個人都是哈佛高材生或者大文豪一個?）

 目前在台灣，外僑“美國學校”的課程，基本上分為兩種。一種是以美國某個學區的課程為藍本，使用美國當地學校使用的教材與課本，照着美國特定學區的課程進度走。這種制度的課程内容彈性其實不高，而且非常的填鴨；以國高中的社會科來說，如果要拿好分數，學生必須熟背課本的章節，因為几乎每個星期都有小考，而且所使用的課本内容無法讓人進一步深入思考，再加上有教學進度的考量，老師能够花在每一章節上的時間也不多，教學内容頂多只是走馬看花沾醬油般輕輕帶過，學生無法把知識内化，因為小考都是以有標準答案的選擇題為主，不像使用MYP 制度的國際學校那樣注重没有標準答案的邏輯性思考論述寫作。這種外僑美國學校的英文課上課方式，就跟台灣學校教英文一樣，也是要求學生背一大堆單字，背文法，寫作文，打破一般人對美國學校“自由”風氣的刻板印象。說穿了，就是填鴨百分百，跟台灣體制内學校的教材與教法大同小異，只是不是用中文來填，而是改成用英文來填鴨而已。

另外一種國際學校，則是使用所謂的IB PYP/MYP/DP 教材，課程内容較為自由，花在每一個課程單元的時間較長，教學内容比較紥實深入，比較注重没有標準答案的邏輯性思考論述寫作，也没有每星期一次的標準答案選擇題小考，而是以學期中作業（包括口頭報告，書面報告，短篇論文，多媒體作業，團體作業等形態）的方式來作總結性評量，成績的取得不像一般美式學校那麼填鴨。由於這種制度注重深入的獨立思考與全人教育，没有標準答案，評分標準是根據學生的作業是否有達到每一級分所要求的水準而定，其難度比一般有標準答案的填鴨考試制度要高很多，要拿到頂尖的分數不是一件容易的事，因此許多資質一般般，獨立性也不够高的學生，聞IB DP 而色變：這種制度的國際學校所提供的IB 高中文憑，無法以背標準答案的方式取得高分，每個學生必須對課程内容有真實而深入的理解才能拿到好成績，因此不是每個高中生都可以成功考取的。但是就是因為IB DP文憑非常需要自律性，只適合那些能够妥善安排時間，有獨立自主學習能力的學生，不適合那些處處需要父母親監督的孩子，而讓IB DP 高中文憑成為世界一流大學非常喜愛的入學衡量指標。許多美國一流大學認為，能够在IB DP 中獲得好成績的孩子，代表他們勇於挑戰自己，也比一般的高中生更能够安排時間，在學業與課外活動中取得平衡，因此不少美國大學，如果新生在IB DP Higher Level 科目取得一定水準以上成績，第一年就可以免修不少大學學分(意思就是美國一般高中的科目和IB DP 科目之間的水準差異非常之大).

 這年頭，要進入長春藤等級的學校，競爭要遠比二十年前來得激烈許多。單單只靠SAT/ACT 或者 AP 考高分已經不足以保證其競爭力。但是並不是所有的孩子都適合IP 課程：那些用功，但是不善思考分析,没有獨立判斷能力的學生，最好不要貿然嘗試IB DP, 還是乖乖的死背課本，然後想辦法在標準答案大學入學考試如 SAT中想辦法去填到好一點的分數。

98年11月10日高雄市關懷流浪動物協會，從繁殖場業主手中救下了數以百計的受虐狗，殘忍的繁殖場，將銷售較差的犬種，一率斷水斷食，活活餓死……死掉後全都拖出來，小一點的就打包丟在水溝裡，大一點的就隨手將牠棄置在狗場的一角，任其腐爛….

已經死亡發臭的狗屍體


許多籠子裡的狗狗就連這樣的餿水都沒得吃

This is the news many people have been waiting for. For many years, the Istanbul - Athens - Istanbul route has been dominated by  two companies: Turkey's national carrier, Turkish Airlines, and Greece's national carrier, Olympic Airways. As a result one way fares are often horrendously expensive given that the flight is less than an hour.

前幾天無意中發現,自己辛苦寫的部落格文章被山塞版的旅遊網站剽竊了...

考慮到請個律師做我的法律顧問,可能只能嚇嚇君子,擋不了隔壁的小人;有朋友叫我試試這個方法:

Korres is a very well-known herbal skincare brand in Greece, and has been one of my favourite skincare products brands. Among their numerous facial lotions, creams and gels, the Greek Flora: Mastiha series, have firmly conquered my heart.

I first came across Korres Mastiha skincare products at the Mastiha Shop on the island of Chios.

OK, I am going to write something hugely unpopular again....

The closure of major airports in Bangkok in the past few days have caused more than widespread disruption to travellers from the world over; it also brought to our attention the issue of 'democratic deficiency' and the deep-lying social tensions (along class lines?) in the Kingdom of Smiles.

As someone who spent several years living in South East Asia as a child, I started visiting Thailand since my secondary school days. First it was short weekend trips to the Thai capital with school friends, then longer visits to northern Thailand and the surrounding scenic hills. Because a close buddy of mine from my school days in Singapore came from Thailand, this country has never been quite alien to me. One of my very first impressions of political turmoils in Thailand came in 1985 during one of the military coups. I was surprised by the extreme ease and carefree attitude with which the Thai population go about their daily lives amid the crisis.

The fact that more than 10 military coups have taken place since 1932 underlines how fragile and instable the democratic political system in Thailand is. Without some knowledge of Thai language and local politics, most foreign visitors to Thailand could only skim the surface of this highly complex society without ever coming into contact with the non-tourist  parts of Thailand's social fabric. Underneath all the 'big city, bright lights' of modern urban Thailand, the country is deeply religious, traditional and - most important of all - highly class-conscious. One's perceived social status and class origins remain extremely important to most Thais, which in part explained why Thais with darker skin colours are looked down upon in their own country, because people with fairer complexions (meaning they do not need to labour under the burining sun to make their ends meet) are considered to be socially and financially more superior than those with brown skins. 

Unlike her immediate neighbours, Thailand has never been under communist rule, nor was she colonised by western powers,  Due to her neutrality during the Second World War, the country did not suffer large-scale damage to her infrastructure or socio-economic systems. Yet the problem of rural poverty, illiteracy, income inequality and social divide is just as great, if not more, than some of her less fortunate neighbours in South East Asia. Just take a look at Bangkok's slums and the notorious nightlife spots, where young girls and boys from poverty-ridden provinces such as Issan are available for as little as 100 Bahts (about 2-2.50 Euro), you know something is not right. This is not some war-torn countries in Africa or  Central America on the brink of social collapse we are talking about, but a country that has pried herself for  being never involved in large-scale military conflicts in her modern history. One has got to ask themselves: why is economic hardship and daily struggle to survive still such a major issue in the lives of ordinary working-class Thais?

In recent years, political protests and mass demonstrations have become almost a daily occurence in Thailand, in large part due to the rise to (and fall from) power of the controversial businessman/telecom tycoon turned politician, Thaksin Shinawatra. I will refrain from making any judgements about current situation in the Thai capital, because it is not easy for a casual observer like me to comment on the moral merits or political rights or wrongs of Mr. Thaksin, especially when one gets very little information or insightful analysis in foreign media about political developments in Thailand. Virtually all we read about in the news coverage overseas are about the ongoing corruption allegations against Mr. Thaksin and his political allies.  

I came across the following article in BBC website, which seems to provide views from both pro- and anti-Thaksin camps. Usually I have my reservations when it comes to BBC articles, because some of their foreign correspondents (notably the ones stationed in Beijing) came up with quite a lot of craps, but this one seems quite sincere in his attempt to shed some light on the background to the ongoing political saga in Thailand that puzzled many of us who are not so familiar with Thai politics:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7716033.stm

Here is the full text of the above-mentioned article:

Thai crisis exposes class struggle

For weeks the yellow-shirted protesters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have hogged the limelight in Thailand.

With the backing of powerful military and palace figures, they have helped unseat one prime minister and two members of his cabinet.

The embattled government, led by allies of controversial former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has in vain protested that it was popularly elected less than a year ago.

Now it has started fighting back with a series of mass rallies by its own red-shirted followers.

The enormous commercial success of the film 'Cape No. 7' (海角七號) probably comes as a surprise to many. In little over one month, the film has grossed over an estimated NT$200million (US$6million, about 4.4 million euro) in Taiwan alone (it has not yet been released outside of Taiwan), and is tipped to become the higest grossing film in the history of Taiwanese domestic film industry.

Photo Courtesy of Cape No. 7 Official Blog/劇照來自海角七號官網   http://cape7.pixnet.net/blog/

Copyrights/版權所有: Buena Vista Pictures/果子電影

今年 (2008) 的Westminster Kennel Club 狗展(美國歷史最悠久,最富聲望的狗展),總冠軍是一隻超級可愛的米格魯:他的名字叫 Uno.

Uno 前腿踏在冠軍銀杯中. 這是 Westminster 狗展開辦以來,第一次由米格魯贏得總冠軍. Snoopy 一定會很驕傲的大叫幾聲...