Move Fitness and Dance

Cultivate the love of reading to your children

adonn — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:25:43 +0000

How many times have you encountered students who “hated” to read—who apparently had to be forced to read by any of various means of coercion or threat? Have you ever noticed instances where one of those very children had once (at an earlier age) eagerly engaged reading material, driven by a native passion to discover and grow? What are some of the key factors that promote or inhibit a love of reading?
It may seem rewarding to say that a young student read a sophisticated work of literature, but if the student hated the whole process and didn’t understand any of it (as it was over their head), then there truly is no victory worth celebrating. You have to give children books at a level that they can read with success. This doesn’t mean coddling children into reading only simple books. The point is certainly to move them up into higher levels, but to do so by moving them along at an incremental progression that promotes genuine progress.

If you were a weight trainer, would you continually insist that a student lift 200 pounds of weight when he couldn’t even lift 100 pounds? Then, when the student continued to fail and suffer and experience heavy strain at the level of 200 pounds, would you respond by giving them special strategy sessions or coping sessions or…? Clearly, it would be much more effective to move the student to a lower level of weight and to vigorously train them upwards from there.

Education for ADHD Pupils

adonn — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 10:51:48 +0000

Students with ADHD often find it difficult to function in a traditional classroom. Many people believe that medicating these students is the right answer, but the reality is that medication is a decision for each family, and their physician. This is not an issue that can be controlled within the classroom. Beyond medication there are a number of things that will help students with ADHD succeed in school.
ADHD students, may be more than “normal” students, need to have a stimulating curriculum. Having an ADHD diagnosis does not really mean that the child cannot concentrate.
Parents often tell stories of how the child finds an interest and will spend untold hours researching or enjoying that interest. The problem is not that they can’t concentrate; it is that they need to be enticed to concentrate. If the schoolwork is boring, there is no chance of engaging the student. Many children who suffer with attention deficit need curriculum that is made for them, something that moves fast, is colorful, and engaging. A computer based or online curriculum can be a good alternative to more common book based curricula because it allows the student to move at their own pace. Additionally, online course work can be done with headphones on which can limit the amount of outside audio distraction the student has to filter out.

Watching movie in Bangkok

adonn — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 10:03:49 +0000

Suddenly everyone in the dimly lit movie theatre stands up. I follow suit, not wanting to look out of place. Music starts playing and I realize the pictures on the screen are that of the king, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. I’m in Thailand and between the previews and the feature film the royal anthem of the king is played. Everyone is expected to stand and offer tribute. It’s not commonplace, but there are examples of charges being filed against people who refuse to stand.
It may sound severe, but this is nothing like the numerous laws in Singapore. T-shirts mock the number of laws in Singapore, including fines for jaywalking, fines for having chewing gum, fines for smoking in public, etc. The king himself has called for relaxing this “lese majeste” law for defaming the monarchy. In Thailand there’s a universal mutual respect and desire to maintain harmony. Sometimes people call this saving face, but there’s nothing fake about it. The vibe in Bangkok is much more friendly than most other major cities around the world.

Visit the El Nido

adonn — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 09:59:25 +0000

El Nido is a place in Palawan (south western province in the Philippines) that offers a great way to relax without too many people. El Nido is a municipality that is found on the north western tip of Palawan. It is 240 kilometers north-west of Puerto Princesa City, (Palawan’s capital) and 430 kilometers southwest of Manila.
They have the same quality of beaches that can be found in the famous Boracay. El Nido has been declared a protected area because of its geology and diverse wildlife.
The fastest and best way to go to El Nido is from Manila. Try catching a plane flight from the Island Transvoyager Inc. They have daily flights using a Dornier 228 aircraft that is capable to seat 19 people. The travel time from pale is only an hour and thirty minutes. You will land directly at El Nido’s airport.
The trip will be made much effortless because the plane reservations can be made by the resort you choose. After arriving at the airport, you will be met by the resort’s staff. They will then transfer you to a motorized outrigger boat that will take you for a scenic ride going to the resort. It will then take you another 30 to 40 minutes riding the boats to arrive to the resorts itself.

Cooking in Oaxaca, Mexico

adonn — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:27:26 +0000

Grinding roasted tomatillos and chiles in my stone molcajete always reminds me of Oaxaca, the beautiful and tranquil colonial city of Southern Mexico. White cathedrals and hotels encircle quiet shaded zocalos and enormous colorful markets. Famous for intense mole sauces, Oaxaca also has a number of other less known regional specialties, and a focus on fresh and local ingredients that most foodies north of the border would relish.
One of the best ways to experience the food of Oaxaca, besides eating your way through the plentiful restaurant circuit and simple markets stalls, is to take a cooking class. A number of classes are offered around town, and I took mine at Casa de los Sabores (house of flavors), an intimate bed and breakfast run by Pilar Cabrera. Pilar is also head chef at a restaurant in town called run by her husband called La Olla, a charming second floor space overlooking the pedestrian street.
Arriving at Casa de los Sabores after a long flight from Montreal, I was immediately smitten. A large wooden door on an unassuming side street led into a red tiled courtyard with an open ceiling to the sky, shaded only by beautiful climbing plants. A long table dominated the courtyard, off of which sat a large open kitchen, with a brilliant tiled island. Pilar herself greeted me, and we held a long conversation in Spanish that put me immediately at ease with my language skills. Clearly, she was used to non-native Spanish speakers, but our interaction was a confidence boost none the less.

The Beautiful White Sands of Boracay, Philippines

adonn — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 10:29:03 +0000

“THIS time it was going to be different.” I thought to myself on my return to Boracay, arguably one of the best beaches in the world and a source of Philippine pride. Boracay’s fine white sand is so fine it literally would fill the crevices of your toes, the miniscule grains conforming to your sole’s every curve. Its waters were so deep a blue that the sky seemed to shy away in shame.

I first went there on a graduation trip with friends; we spent exorbitantly, falling prey to tourist ploys. It would not happen again; this time, the Philippine travel industry was getting back on its feet and airline travel was getting cheaper by the promotional minute.
We lucked out on our accommodations during a Travel Expo. A quaint resort was offering a rock-bottom price promotion for a 3 day-2 night stay inclusive of airfare. With such a tempting package, my friends and I could not refuse.
On the day of our departure, we bravely rode on one of the smallest planes I had ever seen (seeing its size gave me pause, but there really was no backing out at that point). It was no luxury jet, but it did promise to get us to the island of Caticlan in about 45 minutes. From there, it was only a 5-minute shuttle ride, a 10-minute ferry and another 5- minute shuttle to our tiny resort.

The Jever Land of Germany

adonn — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 10:30:42 +0000

West of Jade Bay at the German North Sea coast, there is Jever Land – a region where locals greet you with a friendly “moin, moin” (good morning) even in the afternoon. The country is crisscrossed by long alleys, drainage ditches, and cycle paths. Sheep, cows, and horses graze on pastures, divided by dikes that were thrown up to wrest land away from the sea. Neat brick houses and churches line streets and canals, and even sidewalks are paved with red bricks. A fresh breeze makes sailboats and yachts gently pitch from side to side in the waterfronts.
Jever, a picturesque place of about fourteen thousand inhabitants, is the perfect starting point for exploring the region of Friesland. The place got a town charter in 1536 and has been the center of this area since the days of yore. Jever Castle with its onion-shaped cap and viewing platform rises 220 feet over the town.
Surrounded by a moat and an English garden, the castle is one of the most beautiful historical monuments in Friesland. Today it houses the local museum with magnificent rooms and chambers, decorated with carved ceilings, red tapestry and fine parquet floorings. The exhibition rooms show medieval paintings, sumptuous clothes of the eighteenth century and collections of Faience, china, and silver.

Choosing a Good Rehab

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 05:54:37 +0000

It has been a question for me on how to choose a drug rehab center for those individuals who really need such establishments for the proper treatment of drug addiction. When I was still a kid, I have seen a lot of drug addicts in our community. How did I know that they were addicts? It was imply because of the way they move. And I got this information from watching police documentations and reports in televisions, and of course from the wide reading experiences in many references. Not to boast, I am an epitome of a good example of a voracious reader and I got that description of myself from the people around me.

When one drug addict was caught during their pot session, a sheriff told him that he will be put in a good rehab center. From that time I kept of wondering what was that place all about. I begun searching and I found out that Florida drug rehab center is a establishment intended for drug addicts who need to get rehabilitated and healed. What aroused my curiosity was the term used: “good rehab center”.

What are the criteria we need in order for us to consider an establishment like this as good? Here are some explanations I got form different sources. A good drug rehab facility will include the following:

Accreditation by the appropriate oversight agencies
Medical/inpatient drug detox
24-hour nursing care on-site
Administrators and staff well-experienced in addiction treatment
Mental health/dual diagnosis treatment programs
Relapse prevention strategies taught to clients
The option of holistic drug treatment

The decision to enter drug rehab can be difficult, but after that decision comes another important one: which one of the thousands of drug rehab centers should you choose? Let us treat this question then a good invitation to all concerned families who have a member who needs particular attention of experts.

Watch “Midnight in Paris” Movie

adonn — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:29:57 +0000

One romantic film has invaded the town. This is entitled Midnight in Paris. When we talk about Paris, the first thing that comes to our mind is the sweet and romantic place.
Midnight in Paris opens with a prologue, shot with a poet’s eye by the great Darius Khondji, that shows off the City of Light from dawn to darkness in images of shimmering loveliness. Pity the actors who have to compete with such an object of desire. Owen Wilson stars as Gil, a Hollywood screenwriter on a return visit to Paris, this time with his fiancee, Inez (Rachel McAdams). “This is where Monet lived and painted,” Gil enthuses. Inez isn’t into water lilies or Gil’s dreams of writing the great American novel like Hemingway and Fitzgerald. She’d rather party with Paul (Michael Sheen), a fake intellectual who thinks he can one-up a Rodin museum tour guide (a playful cameo from France’s First Lady, Carla Bruni).
Midnight in Paris is infused with seductive secrets no review should spoil. But for all the film’s bracing humor and ravishing romance, there are also haunting shadows. That alone makes it a keeper.

An Enjoyable Summer Escapade

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:42:15 +0000

Last Summer, I had just experienced one of the most enjoyable and adventurous escapades. I never thought that I would come to play one of my dream games with my friends – paintballing. I used to watch some military training because I used to stay with my Daddy in a camp when I was still a little boy. My Dad served there as one of the trainers.

Never in my wildest dream that I thought of myself handling paintball guns. When I touched one for the first time, I thought it was very heavy, only to find out that it was not.

Moreover, I have also learned that this is a kind of sport being played by many professionals either in a team, group or plain individual game.