FENG SHUI

To my English 2 and Literature 1 students, just go to the archive section and look for the specific piece of information that you want to explore.

To all my Humanities 1 students, the following are concepts about Feng Shui in connection with our discussion on Chinese Architecture. Thank you so much.

Feng Shui - means wind and water
- it is an art and a science
- it is the practice of placement, arrangement and enhancement of space to achieve harmony with the environment.
We are connected to our environment. Our homes and businesses are expressions of who we are.

Functions:

1. Removes obstacles that prevent us from manifesting our dreams.

2. Gives dramatic impact on how we feel.

3. Helps us in manifesting our dreams and desires.

The practice of Feng Shui began in China about 3000 - 5000 years ago. The agricultural community wanted to know the best locations in planting crops, building homes and in honoring the ancestors. the knowledge was kept secret for hundreds of years. Sine then, Feng Shui has withstood the test of time.

Uses of Feng Shui:

1. Analyze a property.
2. Sell a home or a business.

3. Landscape design

4. Community planning

5. Architectural design

Other uses:

1. Change in life goals.

2. Change in family.

3. Change in life cycles.

Simple changes can make a big difference.

Nine Areas of Feng Shui - constituting the bagua.

1. Career and path in life.

2. Knowledge and wisdom.

3. Family ancestors community

4. Wealth, prosperity and abundance.

5. Achievement and reputation

6. Relationships, romance and marriage

7.Children and creativity

8. Friends and travel

9. Health and balance

Goals of Feng Shui

1. to create a harmony

2. to create beauty

3. to create balance

Process of Feng Shui

1. Assess the environment.

2. Identify and remove obstacles.

3. Create natural flow.

4. Energize the environment.

This can be done by:

1. Clearing the space

2. Aranging furniture

3. Color selection

4. Adding enhancements

To start:

1. Desire to transform.

2. Willingness to take action.

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APA METHOD OF CITATION

To all my students in English 2, the following should be downloaded to be discussed on February 16 (Wedenesday). Thank you very much.

AUTHOR DATE METHOD OF CITATION

The following examples are based on the Publication Manual of the APA (2001).

Single Author

1. The year of publication is cited in parenthesis if the author’s name appears in the textual discussion.

Example:

Villanueva (2008) stated that photosynthesis …

2. If the sentence construction does not require the use of the authority’s name, the author’s name and year of publication are cited in parenthesis, separated by a comma.

Example:

Photosynthesis is a process of making food by the use of sunlight (Villanueva, 2008).

3. No further reference is required when both the year and the author’s name are given in the text.

Example:

In 2008, Villanueva noted that photosynthesis is a process of making food through the use of sunlight.

4. When specific information is given, insert the page number.

Example:

The advantages of having an English Language Program are summarized by Villanueva (2008).

Language learning in the communicative environment of the content classroom furthers the goals of language teaching by offering a context for language (p.3).

5. If quotations are used, the following should serve as guidelines in the citation.

Short quotations – three lines or less, with quotation marks, and run into the text.

Quotation marks should be used if the quoted matter is somewhere in the middle of a sentence.

Example:

Photosynthesis which may be defined as the “process of making food through the use of sunlight” (Villanueva, 2008), is a very important biological process.

Quotation marks should also be used if the quotation is at the end of a sentence.

Example:

Photosynthesis is defined as the “process of making food through the use of sunlight” (Villanueva, 2008).

Long quotations – if it is four or more lines, it should be single – spaced and indented. It is written in a new paragraph and no quotation marks are used. The source is given in parenthesis after the final period.

Example:

The data shows that a good number of students use ‘word attack’ in analyzing the unknown word by its root words and affixes. Castro and Villanueva disclosed that:

Examining the internal, morphological features of a word, like prefixes, suffixes, and root words is also one of the techniques that could help a reader infer the meaning of a word (February 19, 2008, p. 3).

Multiple Authors

1. For works with two authors, both names of authors are mentioned every time reference is made in the text. For works with three or more authors, all names are mentioned the first time the reference is made, for subsequent references, only the surname of the first author is mentioned followed by et. al. and the year of publication.

Example:

Castro, Villanueva and Del Tierro (2008) mentioned … (first reference)

Castro et. al. (2008) mentioned …

2. If there is no author in the text citation, use the first two or three words of the entry in the reference list (usually the title).

Example:

In the first group, the students, are found out to be more visual than auditory (Language Studies, 2008, p.9).
Two or more works of the same author are cited in chronological order separated by commas. The suffixes a, b, c etc. are used for works published in the same year.

Example:

Recent studies (Villanueva, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005) show

Recent studies (Villanueva, 2000, 2001a, 2001b, 2003, 2004, 2005) show

3. If many authors are cited at the same point in the text, author’s surnames are arranged alphabetically, separated by semi – colon, and enclosed in one pair of parenthesis if all these authors are cited at the same point in the text.

Example:

Recent studies (Castro, 2000; Del Tierro, 2005; Villanueva, 2007) have shown…

Tools in Gathering Information

To all my students in English 2, the following have to be copied because we will discuss them on Monday (February 16). For the Lit 1 students (BSN 2C), just eye your assignment at the archive section.

Tools in Gathering Information

A. The Questionnaire - the list of planned, written questions related to a particular topic, with space provided for indicating the response to each question, intended for submission to a number of persons for reply.

Types:

1. Structured - asks a question and provides several possible answers.

2. Unstructured - asks questions but no suggested answers are given by the investigator.

Principles to Consider in Constructing Questionnaires

Certain principles can be employed by questionnaire makers to make items more precise.

1. Define or qualify terms that could easily be misinterpreted.

Illustrative example:

What is the value of your house?

2. Be careful in using descriptive adjectives and adverbs that have no agreed upon meaning.

Example:

frequently, occasionally, rarely

3. Be careful of inadequate alternatives.

Illustative example:

Married? Yes_____ No_____

4. Beware of double negatives. Negatives should be underlined for clarity.

Illustrative example:

Federal aid should not be granted to those states in which education is not equal.

5. Avoid double - barreled questions.

Illustrative example:

Do you believe that gifted students should be placed in separate groups for instructional purposes and assigned to special schools?

6. Underline a word if you wish to indicate special emphasis.

7. When asking for ratings or comparisons a point of reference is necessary.

Ilustrative example:

How would you rate this student teacher's classroom teaching?

Superior - Average - Below Average

8. Avoid unwanted assumptions.

Illustrative example:

Are you satisfied with the salary raise that you received last year?

Do you feel that you benefited from the spankings that you received as a child?

9. Phrase questions so that they are appropriate for al respondents.

Illustrative example:

What is your monthly salary?

Some teachers are paid on a nine - month basis, some ten, eleven or even twelve. Therefore, it would be better to construct three questions:

a. Your salary per month? _____

b. Number of months in school term? _____

c. Number of salary payment per year? _____

10. Design questions that will give a complete answer.

Ilustrative example:

Do you read the Manila Times?

A yes or no answer would not reveal much information about reading habits of the respondent. Better construct an additional item, in which the respondent is asked, "If your answer is Yes, kindly check how often and what sections of the Times you read".

11. Provide for the systematic quantification of responses.

Illustrative example:

What are your favorite television programs? Rank in order of preference your first, second, third, fourth and fifth choices.

The items can be tabulated by inverse weightings.

1st choice 5 points

2nd choice 4 points

3rd choice 3 points

4th choice 2 points

5th choice 1 point

12. Consider the possibility of clasifying responses yourself, rather than having the respondent choose categories. If students were asked to classify their father's occupation in one of the following categories, the results might be quite unsatisfactory.

Illustrative example:

Unskilled labor _____

Skilled labor _____

Clerical work _____

Managerial work _____

Profession _____

Proprietorship _____

Characteristics of a Good Questionnaire

1. It deals with a significant topic.

2. It seeks only that information which cannot be obtained from other sources.

3. It is as short as possible.

4. It is attractive in appearance, neatly arranged, and clearly duplicated or printed.

5. Directions are clear and complete.

B. Interview - a data gathering device which, in a sense, is an oral questionnaire.

Preparation for the Interview

The interviewer must make careful preparation for the interview if it is to yield fruitful results. One aspect of this preparation is that the interviewer must have a lear conception of just what he or she needs. The interviewer must clearly outline the best sequence of questions and stimulating comments that will sytematically bring out the desired responses, outline or check list will provide a set plan for the interview, precluding the possibility that the interviewer will fail to get important and need data.

Some "Do's" and "Dont's" for the Interviewer.

To ensure maximum success, the interviewer must have a good bearing and aneat, pleasing personal appearance. In addition, he must conduct himself in ways that characterize proper demeanor.

The following are the Dont's in interviewing.

1. Don't argue.

2. Don't appear erudite or learned.

3. Don't use big words.

4. Don't irritate worn spots.

5. Don't tell inaapropriate stories.

6. Don't talk too much.

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Literature During the Spanish Era (no.2)

To all my students in Lit 1, the following is the continuation of the first handout on Spanish Era. If you want to look for the previous handouts, please go to the archive section.

A. Poetry

To The Virgin Mary

Rizal dedicates this sonnet to the Virgin Mary venerated by all Catholics.

Mary, sweet peace, solace dear

Of pained mortal ! You're the fount

Whence emanates the stream of succour,

That without cease our soil fructifies.

From thy throne, from heaven high,

Kindly hear my sorrowful cry !

And may thy shining veil protect

My voice that rises with rapid flight.

Thou art my Mother, Mary, pure;

Thou'll be the fortress of my life;

Thou'll be my guide on this angry sea.

If ferociously vice pursues me,

If in my pains death harasses me,

Help me, and drive away my woes !
************

Our Mother Tongue

A poem originally in Tagalog written by Rizal when he was only eight years old.

IF truly a people dearly love

The tongue to them by Heaven sent,

They'll surely yearn for liberty

Like a bird above in the firmament.

BECAUSE by its language one can judge

A town, a barrio, and kingdom;

And like any other created thing

Every human being loves his freedom.

ONE who doesn't love his native tongue,

Is worse than putrid fish and beast;

AND like a truly precious thing

It therefore deserves to be cherished.

THE Tagalog language's akin to Latin,

To English, Spanish, angelical tongue;

For God who knows how to look after us

This language He bestowed us upon.

AS others, our language is the same

With alphabet and letters of its own,

It was lost because a storm did destroy

On the lake the bangka 1 in years bygone.

Literature During the Spanish Era (no.1)

To all my students in Lit 1, this is the preliminary handout for our discussion on Literature During the Spanish Era.

Spanish colonization brought about great cultural changes which also greatly altered the content, medium and form of Philippine literature.

The simple and bucolic Filipino lifestyle became moresophisticated through a long period of exposure to the lifestyle of the colonizers. The Spaniards came with the Sword and the Cross; and, to serve the dual purpose of territorial expansion and evangelization, they needed literature to serve these twin purposes and goals.

The content of literature was mostly religious; lives of saints, religious books, prayers, psalms, Marian hymns, the pasyon (the "epic" of Christian life), and the like.

To reach the inhabitants faster and to enhance the evangelization process, the Spaniards needed interpreters and translators. To fill this need, they taught selected inhabitants to speakthe Spanish language; they themselves studies and acquired the native langauges and the indios. They introduced the Roman alphabet and later brought in the printing press (1593). Thus, the medium of literature became tri - lingual; the Castillian langauge, tagalog, and some still in the dialects of various communities. The oral literature could not be erased from the memories of our ancestors; but the Roman alphabet replaced the sylabaries of the natives; and literature began to appear in print.

Ancient literary forms were enriched with the various literay forms patterned after European metrical romances (corrido and awit), "zarzuela" recreational plays (Duplo; moro - moro, juego de prenda) and the "balagtasan".

The opening of the Suez Canal brought prosperity to the Filipinos. Soon the rich and landed sent their sons to study in European schools and brought home libaral ideas of freedom, equality, and a national fervor for independence and national identity.

Literature now assumed the role of catalyst, a tool for the awakening of the Filipino long enslaved and plundered by the "conquistadores".

The writings of Rizal, M.H. del Pilar, F. Baltazar or Balagtas, etc. exposed the abuses of the Spaniards and the colonial mentality and subservience of the Filipino. To the colonial masters, these writings were revolutionary in nature. Only the expurgated copies of Rizal's novels (Noli and Fili) were allowed for limited circulation. Literary medium was bilingual. Most writings were in Spanish and tagalog, their content, bicultural.

Today the literary outputs of our writers stil carry the Filipino's Spanish cultural heritage. Spanish loan words have become part of our vocabulary such as terms like Don/Dona, Senor/Senora, cedula and many more. They often are part of contemporary writing.