A Hearty Poem

Love

It hurts to love someone and not to be loved in return. But what is more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel and then regret it.
Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.
Love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, and the romance in a relationship and find out that you still care for that person.
A sad thing in life is that you meet someone who means a lot to you.
Only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be, and you just have to let go.
When the door of happiness closes, another opens. But often times, we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.
The best kind of friend is the kind of whom you can sit on a
porch and swing with, never say a word, and then
walk away a feeling like it was the best conversation you have ever had.
It is true that we do not know what we have until we lose it,
but it is also true that we do not know what we have been missing until it arrives.
Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that he/she will love you back.
Do not expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in his/her heart.
Never say goodbye if you still want to try. Never give up if you still feel you can go on.
Never say you do not love a person anymore if you cannot let go.
Love comes to those who still hope although he/she has been disappointed,
to those who still believe although they have been betrayed, to those who
still love although they have been hurt before.
It takes only a minute to get crush to someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone. But it takes a lifetime to forget someone.
Do not go for looks, they can deceive. Do not go for wealth, even that fades away.
Go for someone who makes you smile, and that because it takes only a smile to make a dark
day seems to be bright. Hope you find the one who makes you smile.
There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them
from your dreams and hug them for real. Hope you dream of that special someone.
Dream what you want to dream. Go where you want to go.
Be what you want to be. Because you have only one life and only one chance
to do all things you want to do.
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong,
enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you strong.
Always put yourself in other’s shoes.
If you feel that it hurts, it probably hurts the person too.
A causeless word may kindly strife. A cruel word may wreck a life.
A timely word may level stress. A loving word may heal and bless.
The beginning of love is to let those we love just be themselves and not twist them in our
own image. Otherwise, we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.
The happiness of people does not necessarily have the best of everything.
They just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who search, and those who try,
for only they can appreciate the importance of people who touched their lives.
Love begins with a smile, goes with a kiss, and ends with a tear.
The brightest failure will always be based on forgotten past.
You can’t go well in life until you let go of your past failure and heartbreaks.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you is smiling.
Live your life so that when you die, you’re the one smiling,
and everyone around you are crying.

The Essence of Teaching

By Ar Jay Castro Villanueva

What is teaching? It is a way of uncovering pieces of information, concepts, dexterity, and exceptional styles to students. Even if humans have persisted and transformed as species because of their capability to give knowledge, teaching as a profession did not come into sight until relatively recently.

Teaching is the noblest profession. Such statement is commonly heard from the people who sop up the irritating chalk dusts from the four corners of the classroom and from those who burn their midnight oils so as to come up with the first – rate and excellent lecture notes that may edify the young minds of the students. Teachers are considered as the pillars of the society because without them, other professionals will not come into being. They are the unsung connoisseurs that open the doors and windows of éclat. Engineers who cook up the latest technology, nurses who cure our illnesses and astronomers who observe the movements of heavenly bodies will not subsist without the guidance of a TEACHER.

It was not my choice to become a teacher because I thought that I do not have any remarkable finesse in instruction. My first choice in the tertiary level was any engineering course because my numerical adroit father ordered me to do so when one day we have a tete a tete. Such decision was even backed up by my high school friends. Perhaps, due to their strong influence, I did take Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering (BS in ECE) even if I am deeply aware that such course is wrapped with numerous Math subjects.

I am the type of learner who does not like Math. I can still remember those nights when my father and I stay together in our living room and solve those mind boggling mathematical equations and problem sets. If I cannot solve them properly, my father will squeeze my brain cells (figuratively, of course) and utter that he will not give me baon on the next day of schooling. On those times, I imagined that magical creatures like the classic fictional character, Genie (a magical spirit in Arabian folktale that has magical powers and will obey the commands of the person who summons it) should apparate and will gift me with a single wish. Indubitably, my ultimate wish is to remove all the Math subjects being offered in various institutions or taking such subjects should not be one of the requirements that you have to fulfil in order to receive your diploma. If that will happen, I think all the teachers who are handling such will become infuriated. Yes, I really hate Mathematics. I am totally nonchalant with regard to Mathematics because I cannot find any enthusiastic portion of that subject. Whenever we have a departmental exam in Math, I am one of those examinees who will stretch (very painful to the eyes) his/her eyeballs without turning his head just to have a squint on the solutions to problem sets that were written on the examination booklets of my seatmates.

As they (the examiners) always say, bamboozling does not have any space in a testing area. So, I have to do strategic actions to copy the answers of my seatmates so that the examiner will never catch me cheating. This was the main reason why I gave up BS in ECE as my course in college. I thought that I will never attain the summit of Mount Everest (that is how I describe success) if I will always dupe whenever we have a test in Algebra and Trigonometry, the first two Math subjects that should be taken by a freshman engineering student. It was a very tough decision that I made. Since, I have discerned from the very beginning that seeing his son devising electronic gizmos has always been the dream of my father. When my father knew what happened, he scolded me but I explained everything to him very well. Since, he is au courant to entirety, including the trends in college, he understood all my points.

I was totally clueless about the next course that I have to take. Then, my mother suggested that I will just take education. She told me that since Math subjects are not friendly to me, then, why not take a crack at the course that requires self - confidence as well as good oral and written communication – the Bachelor of Arts in English Studies (ABES). Yes, I shifted to the said course and studied at the same university where I took up BS in ECE. The ABES has two major fields – the Communication Arts (Broadcasting) and English as a Second Language (Teaching).

As I mentioned earlier, it was not my personal choice to become a teacher. I believe that I did turn out to be a teacher because of my mother’s sincere prayer to God. She thought that her son will materialize her ambition that did not come into reality. My mother studied in one of the universities in our place with the degree, Bachelor in Secondary Education (BSE). While my father tried to finish Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BS in EE) in the university where my mother took her college degree. Here, they met each other and eventually became “friends”. Such friendship did last which I consider as the primary reason why they did not complete their respective degrees in the tertiary level. Despite that, I am still fortunate because they supported all my undertakings in life. Before, I thought that I will not finish my course on time but because of determination and perseverance, I did graduate last April 2006 in the most prestigious and the grandest university in the North. Right after my graduation, I was hired as an English, Humanities and Literature teacher to the university where I came from. From there, my ordinary life was transformed into something that is really distinctive. I realized that I am no longer a student. I am now a blacksmith that hones and sharpens the minds of the learners. However, instead of using hammer and anvil, I utilize chalkstones and blackboards.

From Monday to Friday, I go to school to teach my somewhat bull – headed (well, everyone is allowed to tell his or her opinion) yet sensible and rational students. They are the reasons why I wake up at 5 in the morning to catch my 7:30 class. They are also the reasons why I receive monthly payments for the non manual works that I do in the academe. Even if sometimes, they give me headaches because they do not observe proper decorum, I still love them because without my students my life as a teacher won’t be complete. I love teaching. I consider it as my vitamin that will give me the strength or extraordinary skill to do things. It is likened to an addictive drug which stimulates my mind and spirit to strive for excellence inside the classroom. For me, teaching does not only mean irritating chalk dusts, mind breaking lecture notes and sagging blackboards. It is a matter of pushing the students closer to their dreams or positive outlooks by inculcating the knowledge and values that they deserve to get. We are considered as the candles which will give light to their pathways as they trace victorious achievements. Without us, their ambitions will become bitter and very uneasy to obtain. Furthermore, I believe that the lessons which I learned in college are not enough to give the proper education that my students are craving for. So, I enrolled in a Graduate School to upgrade the present level of my knowledge and to learn the latest pedagogical trends. Truly, teaching is the noblest profession.

Methods of Paragraph Development

There are several ways in which you can build good, clear paragraphs. This section will discuss three of the most common types of paragraph structure: development by detail, comparison and contrast, and process. Finally, it will suggest that most paragraphs are built of a combination of development strategies.

1. Paragraph Development by Detail

This is the most common and easiest form of paragraph development: you simply expand on a general topic sentence using specific examples or illustrations. Look at the following paragraph (you may have encountered it before):

Work tends to be associated with non-work-specific environments, activities, and schedules. If asked what space is reserved for learning, many students would suggest the classroom, the lab or the library. What about the kitchen? The bedroom? In fact, any room in which a student habitually studies becomes a learning space, or a place associated with thinking. Some people need to engage in sports or other physical activity before they can work successfully. Being sedentary seems to inspire others. Although most classes are scheduled between 8:30 and 22:00, some students do their best work before the sun rises, some after it sets. Some need a less flexible schedule than others, while a very few can sit and not rise until their task is completed. Some students work quickly and efficiently, while others cannot produce anything without much dust and heat.

The topic sentence makes a general claim: that school work tends not to be associated only with school. The rest of the sentences provide various illustrations of this argument. They are organized around the three categories, "environment, activities, and schedules," enumerated in the topic sentence. The details provide the concrete examples which your reader will use to evaluate the credibility of your topic sentence.

2. Paragraph Development by Comparison and Contrast

You should consider developing your paragraph by comparison and contrast when you are describing two or more things which have something, but not everything, in common. You may choose to compare either point by point (X is big, Y is little; X and Y are both purple.) or subject by subject (X is big and purple; Y is small and purple.). Consider, for example, the following paragraph:

Although the interpretation of traffic signals may seem highly standardized, close observation reveals regional variations across this country, distinguishing the East Coast from Central Canada and the West as surely as dominant dialects or political inclinations. In Montreal, a flashing red traffic light instructs drivers to careen even more wildly through intersections heavily populated with pedestrians and oncoming vehicles. In startling contrast, an amber light in Calgary warns drivers to scream to a halt on the off chance that there might be a pedestrian within 500 meters who might consider crossing at some unspecified time within the current day. In my home town in New Brunswick, finally, traffic lights (along with painted lines and posted speed limits) do not apply to tractors, all terrain vehicles, or pickup trucks, which together account for most vehicles on the road. In fact, were any observant Canadian dropped from an alien space vessel at an unspecified intersection anywhere in this vast land, he or she could almost certainly orient him-or-herself according to the surrounding traffic patterns.

This paragraph compares traffic patterns in three areas of Canada. It contrasts the behavior of drivers in the Maritimes, in Montreal, and in Calgary, in order to make a point about how attitudes in various places inform behavior. People in these areas have in common the fact that they all drive; in contrast, they drive differently according to the area in which they live.
It is important to note that the paragraph above considers only one aspect of driving (behavior at traffic lights). If you wanted to consider two or more aspects, you would probably need more than one paragraph.

3. Paragraph Development by Process

Paragraph development by process involves a straightforward step-by-step description. Those of you in the sciences will recognize it as the formula followed in the "method" section of a lab experiment. Process description often follows a chronological sequence:

The first point to establish is the grip of the hand on the rod. This should be about half-way up the cork handle, absolutely firm and solid, but not tense or rigid. All four fingers are curved around the handle, the little finger, third finger and middle finger contributing most of the firmness by pressing the cork solidly into the fleshy part of the palm, near the heel of the hand. The forefinger supports and steadies the grip but supplies its own firmness against the thumb, which should be along the upper side of the handle and somewhere near the top of the grip. (from Roderick Haig-Brown, "Fly Casting")

The topic sentence establishes that the author will use this paragraph to describe the process of establishing the "grip of the hand on the rod," and this is exactly what he does, point by point, with little abstraction.

4. Paragraph Development by Combination

Very often, a single paragraph will contain development by a combination of methods. It may begin with a brief comparison, for example, and move on to provide detailed descriptions of the subjects being compared. A process analysis might include a brief history of the process in question. Many paragraphs include lists of examples:

The broad range of positive characteristics used to define males could be used to define females too, but they are not. At its entry for woman Webster's Third provides a list of "qualities considered distinctive of womanhood": "Gentleness, affection, and domesticity or on the other hand fickleness, superficiality, and folly." Among the "qualities considered distinctive of manhood" listed in the entry for man, no negative attributes detract from the "courage, strength, and vigor" the definers associate with males. According to this dictionary, womanish means "unsuitable to a man or to a strong character of either sex."

This paragraph is a good example of one which combines a comparison and contrast of contemporary notions of "manliness" and "womanliness" with an extended list of examples.

5. Paragraph Development by Explanation

In an explanation paragraph, you need to explain how or why something happens. Very often in social studies class, you will be asked to explore causes and effects of certain events.

Example: Write a paragraph explaining why so many Europeans moved to Canada during the nineteenth century.

The following words can help you to write a good explanation paragraph:

Helper Words:

Cause
because
since
as a result of
is due to


Effect
therefore
thus
consequently
hence
it follows that
if . . . then

Cause

because

Example: People moved to Canada from Europe during the nineteenth century because they had poor living conditions in Europe.

since

Example: Since living conditions in Europe were terrible, many people moved to Canada.

as a result of

Example: People moved to Canada from Europe as a result of poor living conditions in Europe.

is due to / was due to

Example: The large influx of people to Canada was due to economic pressures in Europe.

Effect

therefore

Example: Living conditions in Europe were terrible. Therefore, many people moved to Canada for a better life.

thus

Example: Living conditions in Europe were terrible. Thus, many people moved to Canada for a better life.

consequently

Example: Living conditions were terrible in Europe. Consequently, many people moved to Canada.

hence

Example: Living conditions were terrible in Europe. Hence, many people moved to Canada.

it follows that

Example: Living conditions were terrible in Europe. It follows that many people moved to Canada.

if ... then

Example: If living conditions were better in Europe, then fewer people would have moved to Canada.

6. Paragraph Development by Sequence

In a sequencing paragraph, you are writing to describe a series of events or a process in some sort of order. Usually, this order is based on time.

Example: Write a paragraph outlining how a person becomes the prime minister.

The following words can help you to write a good sequence paragraph.

Helper Words:

Order
first, second, third, etc.
in the beginning
before
then
after
finally
at last
subsequently

Time
recently
previously
afterwards
when
after

Order
first, second, third, etc.

Example: First, you need to become a leader of a political party. Second, you need to win a seat in the House of Commons. Third, your party must have a majority of seats.
in the beginningExample: In the beginning, you need to become a leader of a political party.

before

Example: Before becoming the prime minister, you need to become the leader of a political party.

then

Example: Then, you must win a seat in the House of Commons.

after

Example: After winning a seat in the House of Commons, you must make sure you have a majority of seats.

finally

Example: Finally, after all these steps, you can call yourself the prime minister.

at last

Example: At last, you can call yourself the prime minister.

subsequently

Example: Subsequently, you must make sure you have a majority of seats in the House of Commons.

Time
recently

Example: She was recently elected prime minister.

previously

Example: She is the new prime minister. Previously, she worked as a lawyer in Toronto.

afterwards

Example: She won the party leadership last year. Afterwards, she won the election.

when

Example: When she won the party leadership, she was still working as a lawyer.

after

Example: After winning a seat in the House of Commons, you must make sure you have a majority of seats.

7. Paragraph Development by Sequence

In a description paragraph, you are writing about what a person, place, or thing is like. Sometimes, you may describe where a place is located.

Examples:Write a paragraph describing what a polar bear looks like. Describe where Canada's industry is located.

The following words can help you to write a good description paragraph:

Helper Words:

Properties
size
colour
shape
purpose

Measurement
length
width
mass/weight
speed

Analogy
is like
resembles

Location
in
above
below
beside
near
north/east/south/west

Properties

size

Example: Polar bears are big in size.
colour

Example: Polar bears are usually white in colour.
shape

Example: Polar bears have a special shape.
purpose

Example: The purpose of the polar bear's fur is to keep it warm.

Measurement

length

Example: The length of a polar bear's claws is 20 cm.
width

Example: The width of a polar bear's head is about 50 cm.
mass / weight

Example: Poar bears weigh up to 650 kg.
speed

Example: Polar bears can swim at a speed of 40 km per hour.

Analogy
is like

Example: A polar bear is like other bears in shape.
resembles

Example: A polar bear resembles other bears in shape.

Location
in

Example: Most of Canada's manufacturing is located in Ontario and Quebec.
above

Example: The ceiling is above us.
below

Example: Most of Ontario is below Hudson Bay.
beside

Example: Quebec is located beside Ontario.
near

Example: Many companies are located near Toronto.
north / east / south / west

Example: Ontario is west of Quebec.

8. Paragraph Development by Evaluation

In an evaluation paragraph, you make judgments about people, ideas, and possible actions. You need to make your evaluation based on certain criteria that you develop. In the paragraph, you will state your evaluation or recommendation and then support it by referring to your criteria.

Example: Write a paragraph evaluating whether pesticides should be used on farms.

The following words can help you to write a good evaluation paragraph:

Helper Words

Criteria for Evaluation
good / bad
correct / incorrect
moral / immoral
right / wrong
important / trivial

Recommendation
suggest
recommend
advise
argue

Criteria
good / badExample: The use of pesticides such as DDT is bad for the environment.
correct / incorrectExample: The belief that pesticides must be used is incorrect.
moral / immoralExample: The use of pesticides to control pests is immoral because it harms the environment.
right / wrongExample: It is wrong to use pesticides because they harm the environment.
important / trivialExample: The issue of pesticides is an important one because it affects the environment.

Recommendation
suggest

Example: I suggest that pesticides should not be used to control pests.

recommend

Example: I recommend that pesticides should not be used because they are harmful to the environment.

advise

Example: I would advise farmers not to use pesticides if possible.

argue

Example: I would argue that pesticides should not be used because they harm the environment.

Criteria

good / bad

Example: The use of pesticides such as DDT is bad for the environment.

correct / incorrect

Example: The belief that pesticides must be used is incorrect.

moral / immoral

Example: The use of pesticides to control pests is immoral because it harms the environment.

right / wrong

Example: It is wrong to use pesticides because they harm the environment.

important / trivial

Example: The issue of pesticides is an important one because it affects the environment.

Recommendation

suggest

Example: I suggest that pesticides should not be used to control pests.

recommend

Example: I recommend that pesticides should not be used because they are harmful to the environment.

advise

Example: I would advise farmers not to use pesticides if possible.

argue

Example: I would argue that pesticides should not be used because they harm the environment.

The Elements of a Paragraph

The Elements of a Paragraph

1. Unity – this can be achieved when a writer can establish connection of every sentence in the paragraph to the main idea. It occurs when all the sentences in a paragraph directly support the topic sentence.

Disunity occurs when the writer has an unclear topic sentence. It is also a result of insufficient materials or indefinite purpose.

To achieve unity of thoughts in a paragraph, you may do the following:

1. Link sentences by means of pronouns referring to antecedents in the preceding sentences.
2. Link sentences by repeating key words or ideas from the preceding sentences.
3. Link sentences by using transitional expressions samples of which are given below.

a. Addition: moreover, further, likewise
b. Comparison: similarity, in like manner
c. Contrast: but, yet, however
d. Place: here, beyond, nearby
e. Purpose: to this end, for this purpose
f. Result: hence, therefore, accordingly
g. Summary: to sum up, on the whole, in other words
h. Time: meanwhile, at length, immediately

4. Link sentences by means of parallel structure – that is, by repetition of sentence pattern, phrases or words.

2. Coherence – can be achieved by an orderly arrangement or organization of sentences, and the proper use of connectives or transitional devices. Here are some methods of organizing the ideas in a paragraph:

1. Chronological order – arranging the sentences according to which event happened first or last. The order of ideas is within a time frame.

2. Point of view or spatial order – presents the details of the paragraph in accordance with the nearness or the distance of the subject to or from the writer. Hence, you may begin from
left to right, from near to remote, or vice versa.

The other way of making your sentences hang together is by using transitional devices. These are structures that tie sentences together. The proper use of these devices will help the reader keep track closely of the writer’s flow of thoughts. Some of the transitional devices are: pronouns, repetition of ideas, and connectives showing time, contrast, and cause – effect relationships.

3. Emphasis - can be secured in a paragraph through the principles of proportion (giving more space or sentences to more important ideas); variety (using various sentence structures); and repetition (making expressions for more important ideas appear in the text again and again).

The Nature of Paragraph

PARAGRAPH

Writing paragraphs are in fact the most basic structure in any writing. So understanding how to write effective and intriguing paragraphs can improve your writing greatly. So let's discover how to write a good paragraph.

I. What is a paragraph?

A paragraph is a piece of writing that consists of several sentences. A paragraph should always have complete, correct, and concise sentences. As well it should be easy to read and well organized. The paragraph itself should focus on one subject, theme, or central idea.

II. Parts of a Paragraph

A paragraph should contain some structure and particular parts, which are listed below in relative order:

1. A Topic sentence- motivates the reader to want to read more.

2.The First main point- proves, backs up, or explains the topic sentence.

3.The Second main point- usually provides a reason for the first point made.

4.The Third main point- can help prove the topic sentence or back up the first or second main point of the paragraph.

5.The Conclusion- sums up the main points or ideas and it usually completes the topic.

So just to recap, normally a paragraph starts out with a topic sentence or idea. The topic sentence is followed by the first, second, or third main points and then details are added in between each point in order to explain the idea fully. Once one idea or concept has been described the paragraph is brought to a conclusion by usually summing up the main points or making a transition into the next paragraph. However, for a closer look, let’s work through an example that shows us how to construct a paragraph by using the five elements listed above.

Example

1. The Topic Sentence:

The poodle makes a perfect pet because poodles offer their owners a companionship for life, not to mention that they have a loveable personality.

This could be your topic sentence. It tells the reader that poodles are in fact perfect pets. This may or may not be true and so you would need to provide proofs as to why this could be true. However, it is an interesting statement and catchy because the reader wants to hear why the author thinks so, or what justifies this statement.

2. The First Main Point:

Poodles are sweet, smart, playful, and well mannered and they love to be around people. They are always willing to lend their unquestionable love and loyalty when you need the most and they are yours for life.

This main point talks about the dogs’ personality and their companionship relating to the topic sentence, helping prove that poodles are ideal pets. Although, most likely a reader would need more convincing.

3. The Second Main Point:

Apart from being a happy spirited dog and a great companion, the poodle is small and doesn’t require a lot of room, so they are ideal for apartments or city settings.

This is more convincing now. Most of the people that live in cities or small apartments are looking for a small dog that is suited to their city lifestyle and this sentence proves that these dogs are ideal as pets. However, you still need more proof of this fact because not all of us live in the city.

4. The Third Main Point:

The poodle is suited to most environments and lifestyles; whether it'll be living in the suburbs or downtown, with one person or a couple, or even living with a family and children, the poodle fits right in.

This point backs up the topic sentence that the poodle is the perfect pet because it mentions that this dog will fit into any type of family. This third point helps prove that this breed of dog is suited for most lifestyles and settings.

5. Conclusion:

The poodle is a dog that warms your heart with its character. It becomes a part of your family no matter where you live and it can provide you with love and companionship that you won’t want to do without. In fact, you can’t ask for a better dog.

The conclusion sums up all the other points made and ties all the points nicely together. After reading the paragraph and all its elements as a unit the reader should feel a sense of unity. Often a well written paragraph will feel complete and it will seem natural to stop reading when the paragraph closes. So keep in mind for every great piece of writing there are great paragraphs put together.

Now if you read all the sentences you will see how nicely this paragraph flows together because it contains all the elements of a paragraph. It demonstrates the topic sentence, discusses one main idea (a poodle), and concludes without leaving any loose ends:

The poodle makes a perfect pet because poodles offer their owners a companionship for life, not to mention that they have a loveable personality. Poodles are sweet, smart, playful, and well mannered and they love to be around people. They are always willing to lend their unquestionable love and loyalty when you need the most and they are yours for life. Apart from being a happy spirited dog and a great companion, the poodle is small and doesn’t require a lot of room, so they are ideal for apartments or city settings. The poodle is suited to most environments and lifestyles; whether it be living in the suburbs or downtown, with one person or a couple, or even living with a family and children, the poodle fits right in. The poodle is a dog that warms your heart with its character. It becomes a part of your family no matter where you live and it can provide you with love and companionship that you won’t want to do without. In fact, you can’t ask for a better dog.