tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355760932024-03-07T13:35:28.285-08:00Eyes on IndonesiaAndrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-37067195459652781262010-02-25T08:32:00.000-08:002010-02-25T08:33:45.792-08:00Komodo Island<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSN-9LM-ZjyHK_rnlf7sfVYxLP8JWPdrfC_7ovlSesAFk9UiFRBfriShsRoDRx0UvHp0OsJnpKmQDn2B82ucnq87zTGuQ_euxd2LUM4Krm0j9eJufTcknsxoz75jOdsA7Si5E/s1600-h/komodo+2008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442219981906236306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 179px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 158px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSN-9LM-ZjyHK_rnlf7sfVYxLP8JWPdrfC_7ovlSesAFk9UiFRBfriShsRoDRx0UvHp0OsJnpKmQDn2B82ucnq87zTGuQ_euxd2LUM4Krm0j9eJufTcknsxoz75jOdsA7Si5E/s200/komodo+2008.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidv_H7Drodp6CfFAZsGK-biMF6FC8JsMsxkdv8kCeOBlkOSeQYvQDYYzlI1l5nRfX-OeCuux80XlyY9NPEc6rvKRUWovvIi5ERnl0CS9Lac4tqHlNFT5CFaUCcYSzScUfIlxrS/s1600-h/island.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442219977533092722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidv_H7Drodp6CfFAZsGK-biMF6FC8JsMsxkdv8kCeOBlkOSeQYvQDYYzlI1l5nRfX-OeCuux80XlyY9NPEc6rvKRUWovvIi5ERnl0CS9Lac4tqHlNFT5CFaUCcYSzScUfIlxrS/s200/island.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTWqiapJ9JsIxagScmT1Ku5NvSbgIEn4FcLYue9bnvzlEzJcpIFZs_nP8GtXIm2xvZAlVMkOdCn2Qj89Fexl8wakCLIca76bS53XC4xduskGZbgtr7hD4ufXubYhpsdwKEGyG/s1600-h/dragon.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442219973824428994" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTWqiapJ9JsIxagScmT1Ku5NvSbgIEn4FcLYue9bnvzlEzJcpIFZs_nP8GtXIm2xvZAlVMkOdCn2Qj89Fexl8wakCLIca76bS53XC4xduskGZbgtr7hD4ufXubYhpsdwKEGyG/s200/dragon.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6SbA3SZZIWFTf_qQbf3mN6YyffrfylIugJsVIxUO2CrDY8SYSBaGCaYgqyyVROoLckcg3g9MLELcIDu9uCbtNiRQM8ELvxcgqcf6khkPsDshx15ymxdl-PUim41QHbAm3-AS/s1600-h/anchor2008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442219969288946578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6SbA3SZZIWFTf_qQbf3mN6YyffrfylIugJsVIxUO2CrDY8SYSBaGCaYgqyyVROoLckcg3g9MLELcIDu9uCbtNiRQM8ELvxcgqcf6khkPsDshx15ymxdl-PUim41QHbAm3-AS/s200/anchor2008.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-43363842503967584182010-02-22T16:06:00.000-08:002010-02-22T16:14:12.709-08:00Travels with Tika<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpbgsc9KNK82CElOd0-9CuRHPAaQm39z53OPhU2rAG-NiTZX7A-i9Drd59IWK6W3lysNSjK0S1ACzpTSOcvApcW_LhLHLNqaeBO-PzzNNNmIysxfIeBzTpW5zDNlfbYzmb3pD/s1600-h/Travels+With+Tika+Dec+2009+Weekender+Magazine_Page_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441223872607977938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpbgsc9KNK82CElOd0-9CuRHPAaQm39z53OPhU2rAG-NiTZX7A-i9Drd59IWK6W3lysNSjK0S1ACzpTSOcvApcW_LhLHLNqaeBO-PzzNNNmIysxfIeBzTpW5zDNlfbYzmb3pD/s400/Travels+With+Tika+Dec+2009+Weekender+Magazine_Page_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxnJ2et_MSytOcLr4wptAxUZJiSQrY7GoxwF0nqrjaVZz-WHuvyCKveN0ofG_VQFAsOSQ0WgLHRB6MFNlBxUn_Lino3iVFfmXP9d89smmHMzRwGmb1w2X55anEzQ5pBiUWQK6/s1600-h/Travels+With+Tika+Dec+2009+Weekender+Magazine_Page_2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441223857729278370" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxnJ2et_MSytOcLr4wptAxUZJiSQrY7GoxwF0nqrjaVZz-WHuvyCKveN0ofG_VQFAsOSQ0WgLHRB6MFNlBxUn_Lino3iVFfmXP9d89smmHMzRwGmb1w2X55anEzQ5pBiUWQK6/s400/Travels+With+Tika+Dec+2009+Weekender+Magazine_Page_2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ujew8ZahRWi7crtcX-pUC71HLA62bvxVKxWHZN8d3-Bxgp8EDfLe4O2oROnGGMhsvQ6W5IPehIgu3dYpYkx6QcUjg80I7tEL8YIZPRPmM5_k7F9O_X44h6kRWeNwEBjS0XjG/s1600-h/Travels+With+Tika+Dec+2009+Weekender+Magazine_Page_3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441223847188338498" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ujew8ZahRWi7crtcX-pUC71HLA62bvxVKxWHZN8d3-Bxgp8EDfLe4O2oROnGGMhsvQ6W5IPehIgu3dYpYkx6QcUjg80I7tEL8YIZPRPmM5_k7F9O_X44h6kRWeNwEBjS0XjG/s400/Travels+With+Tika+Dec+2009+Weekender+Magazine_Page_3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-34336482788635191302010-02-22T16:02:00.000-08:002010-02-22T16:17:52.927-08:00A Wild Coast of Adventures: Oregon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vJMfPp31W5xPximNWbDpDpQmfJPRSun1K0_9cHgavPxZ_9HQVeKipRcOttH9JnAS-7ASJrm_b95ATwYjpoawyjM3F9oa5EJm2cgE9XQVhc_PPlDtki_y9zIcOZt6JBxeGF9r/s1600-h/Oregon+Story+A+Greene+Oct+2009[1]_Page_1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441226393351270322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vJMfPp31W5xPximNWbDpDpQmfJPRSun1K0_9cHgavPxZ_9HQVeKipRcOttH9JnAS-7ASJrm_b95ATwYjpoawyjM3F9oa5EJm2cgE9XQVhc_PPlDtki_y9zIcOZt6JBxeGF9r/s400/Oregon+Story+A+Greene+Oct+2009%5B1%5D_Page_1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTvFbisfWyncLNa_r-XkWQ6njEAws1ZRnuqImsgcwQYMMtouCXQEerrZ05i0fU2e4sVK0MgPgHbZ-Cig3eFeRkPNFNKmRhcv4O879WqxLy-cV0HBCoNPIeZz3pGl89klFOhkf/s1600-h/Oregon+Story+A+Greene+Oct+2009[1]_Page_2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441226378321600978" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTvFbisfWyncLNa_r-XkWQ6njEAws1ZRnuqImsgcwQYMMtouCXQEerrZ05i0fU2e4sVK0MgPgHbZ-Cig3eFeRkPNFNKmRhcv4O879WqxLy-cV0HBCoNPIeZz3pGl89klFOhkf/s400/Oregon+Story+A+Greene+Oct+2009%5B1%5D_Page_2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDzbAXbHZ1o7XJqN3UGUDOnZ944J_uiS7swMl9TKnHfE4LS7gi66kpeTa0A2WIu6cwvzeTPiweedtHRGEQUDJ9CLao3gTM7W8-_3LhtPprE04XevnuMS0rvbRkBS5L88rymeZ/s1600-h/Oregon+Story+A+Greene+Oct+2009[1]_Page_3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441226357324000002" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDzbAXbHZ1o7XJqN3UGUDOnZ944J_uiS7swMl9TKnHfE4LS7gi66kpeTa0A2WIu6cwvzeTPiweedtHRGEQUDJ9CLao3gTM7W8-_3LhtPprE04XevnuMS0rvbRkBS5L88rymeZ/s400/Oregon+Story+A+Greene+Oct+2009%5B1%5D_Page_3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy01fSBT7Yj8IR2JfjqJ11po_pfI4YpM3VwanuV1qr2J3PTKoAjCNTXJ-w-ZHngnezEPbuTQdMrnrSiQb_19RPiSnAtpe2zA8u7RSRV3_JZ14UZ6Hey7v7esIRT3TosqQmUzas/s1600-h/Oregon+Story+A+Greene+Oct+2009[1]_Page_4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441226343256377250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy01fSBT7Yj8IR2JfjqJ11po_pfI4YpM3VwanuV1qr2J3PTKoAjCNTXJ-w-ZHngnezEPbuTQdMrnrSiQb_19RPiSnAtpe2zA8u7RSRV3_JZ14UZ6Hey7v7esIRT3TosqQmUzas/s400/Oregon+Story+A+Greene+Oct+2009%5B1%5D_Page_4.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-50812431213492148562009-06-18T12:48:00.000-07:002009-06-18T12:49:20.765-07:00Keeping it activeStill here.Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-69219248611487249602008-01-24T11:05:00.000-08:002008-12-10T17:57:27.645-08:00Photos of Five Corners Two Art Work<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDm8ervaWiPfDkZ-HCX3mRkKmJhbtd2MejDSvM5DP86prSYVuM650UqqpkrUN0VrEsdQ_jfa8FxE_35Eoiv2v-CBw_qUtzwsifOTxozffdVELsq_cYYtZLNS2c3hdHJELD-tkJ/s1600-h/Gwen+Shackleton+Sawa+2006.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDm8ervaWiPfDkZ-HCX3mRkKmJhbtd2MejDSvM5DP86prSYVuM650UqqpkrUN0VrEsdQ_jfa8FxE_35Eoiv2v-CBw_qUtzwsifOTxozffdVELsq_cYYtZLNS2c3hdHJELD-tkJ/s400/Gwen+Shackleton+Sawa+2006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159121631967612050" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVNvzJpsZsK8ne3yLnLzsc-2mUjkySrkE7kqWfpwj4cY8U-KEU-yGU0DsDun5lB89ta06Gi0X5e8_3oLgPRa21YQBz8_TL0gDfG33ZW5Wq7fFhQjXU0LMgIV0rAOCCl-P9Pg6/s1600-h/Jeanie+Merila+ubud+padi_8+2007.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVNvzJpsZsK8ne3yLnLzsc-2mUjkySrkE7kqWfpwj4cY8U-KEU-yGU0DsDun5lB89ta06Gi0X5e8_3oLgPRa21YQBz8_TL0gDfG33ZW5Wq7fFhQjXU0LMgIV0rAOCCl-P9Pg6/s400/Jeanie+Merila+ubud+padi_8+2007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159121640557546658" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDC0XhQjxcYKqvFeKn5bd_zEIHjuSnf2C1Teu3ICG-t2ARNBZCZERxo2yW93sEqoAAGBj0k0fRY9-1SC4Ja6By9PNr4BSnY9vMEH-zxDopYAlu0MsRsBtfCt8Cqb_wVBo9UZF/s1600-h/london+calling+neil+bunting.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDC0XhQjxcYKqvFeKn5bd_zEIHjuSnf2C1Teu3ICG-t2ARNBZCZERxo2yW93sEqoAAGBj0k0fRY9-1SC4Ja6By9PNr4BSnY9vMEH-zxDopYAlu0MsRsBtfCt8Cqb_wVBo9UZF/s400/london+calling+neil+bunting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159121649147481266" border="0" /></a>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-66995457777772337182008-01-24T11:02:00.000-08:002008-01-24T11:05:40.411-08:00Five Corners Two<p><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">On Words </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Five Corners Two</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">By ANDREW GREENE <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><st1:city><st1:place><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:City><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> – With <i style="">OnWords’ </i>recent focus on all things arty and creative, I thought that today would be a wonderful time to invite the readers to an upcoming artists party and exhibition.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The aptly named <i style="">5 Corners 2 </i>is the second annual show for five friends who happen to be Indonesia-based artists.<span style=""> </span>This year the artists, Charles Schuster, Gwen Shackleton, David White, Neil Bunting and Jeanie Merila are displaying approximately 80 pieces showcasing myriad styles, techniques, influences and results at the JW Marriott Hotel in Mega Kuningan from November 22<sup>nd</sup> – 25th.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Schuster, an art teacher at <span class="q">Universitas Bina Nusantara and </span></span><st1:place><st1:placename><span class="q"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Monash</span></span></st1:PlaceName><span class="q"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> </span></span><st1:placetype><span class="q"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">University</span></span></st1:PlaceType></st1:place><span class="q"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">,</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> is displaying work he has finished over the last four years.<span style=""> </span>He writes, “My paintings are about the things I love: the sea, mountains, skin, tree bark, weather and, sometimes, the circus.”<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">I have yet to see any of Schuster’s pieces but am intrigued by the thought of an artist finding the miracle within such commonplace items such as skin and tree bark.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Shackleton, a </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Jakarta</span></st1:PlaceName><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> </span><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">International</span></st1:PlaceName><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">School</span></st1:PlaceType></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> art teacher, says that she is influenced by colour, sentimentalism, and the Gestalt principles of perception.<span style=""> </span>The latter explains how we unconsciously organize visual elements into unified wholes.<span style=""> </span>An example of this occurs when we visualize four Pac-Man type shapes set up so that their mouths appear to delineate a rectangle.<span style=""> </span>Our brains, seeing bits of the rectangle’s edges fill in the blanks giving us the sense of an entire shape that is not actually there.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Shackleton says, “I have no particular style of working, nor do I have a singular focus for subject matter – I paint when I am inspired by what I see, and I never know what, when, where or how that will happen – I merely react.” <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Shackleton’s two meters by one, acrylic on canvas painting, <i style="">Cirebon Sawah, </i>Cirebon Rice Paddy, with its repetition and pattern makes excellent use of the Gestalt principles.<span style=""> </span>More importantly to me, at a more animalistic level, its courageous bands of yellows, purples, greens and blues are simply beautiful.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">She says about the work, “This is the largest work I have done to date and presented a great challenge to me in technique and scale.<span style=""> </span>The colour scheme is complementary in its use of purple and yellow, but is only a slight exaggeration of the original intense hues seen at early evening on the harvested rice paddies of </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">West Java</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">The second </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Jakarta</span></st1:PlaceName><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> </span><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">International</span></st1:PlaceName><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">School</span></st1:PlaceType></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> representative, White has drawn on his experiences in </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Northern Africa</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">, Sub-Saharan Africa and his current life in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> for this year’s <i style="">5 Corners </i>show.<span style=""> </span>A figurative painter, White spent five years in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Egypt</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> and </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Zimbabwe</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> exploring and creating depictions of their respective cultures before moving to Java a few years ago.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">White says that he attempts to avoid the typical "photorealism" that is common to the figurative genre.<span style=""> </span>Instead, the curly-topped artist veers toward interpretation through intense color selections, abstract mixtures, personality of the individual subject and their mystifying surroundings. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span class="st"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">London-native</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> Bunting, now a fortyish-something family man, revisits the influences of his youth with his <i style="">My Punk Paintings 2007</i> collection.<span style=""> </span>The </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Academic</span></st1:PlaceName><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Colleges</span></st1:PlaceType><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> </span><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Group</span></st1:PlaceName><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> </span><st1:placename><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">International</span></st1:PlaceName><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">School</span></st1:PlaceType></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> art teacher says that he is attempting to capture the “raw energy of late seventies ‘New Wave’ music through paint, pins and canvas. The album covers that inspire each image are a leading point into the painting, which, therein, has a life of its own.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The pony-tailed Bunting adds, “It is interesting to me that this imagery and music derived from the </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">UK</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> is so popular with young people of </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> today. My paintings are created with a range of cheap, raw materials which are not usually combined together in paintings. I have used these materials because they seem fitting to a music form which drew its inspiration from urban and industrial living in the 1970s… I have deliberately aimed to subvert and challenge the rules of painting, as punk rock once rebelled against the rules of music.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Another color-enthusiast, Merila, an <span class="q">Art & Design teacher at the </span></span><st1:place><st1:placename><span class="q"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Australian</span></span></st1:PlaceName><span class="q"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span><st1:placename><span class="q"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">International</span></span></st1:PlaceName><span class="q"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span><st1:placetype><span class="q"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">School</span></span></st1:PlaceType></st1:place><span class="q"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">, has done much of her work </span></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">En plein air, </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">that is, in the open air.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Merila </span><span class="q"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">says, </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">“My art is about using colour, light and textures to transform my world. The way light bounces off leaves, sand and sea in the afternoon sun, the broken reflections in water, or the translucent hues and textures on life ten meters below ocean waves. Works are <i>en plein air</i> paintings from </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Bali</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> and </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">Lombok</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> as well as portraits of the undersea world.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">The Exhibition opens on Thursday, November 22 at </span><st1:time minute="0" hour="19"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">7 pm</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">. There is an Artists’ <span class="st">Party</span> on that Friday from </span><st1:time minute="0" hour="19"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">7 pm - 10 pm</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">. The five artists will be on site throughout the weekend until the exhibition closes at </span><st1:time minute="0" hour="15"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">3:00 pm</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"> on Sunday, November 25. <span style=""> </span>For further information please contact David White at 0813 857 00867 or Neil Bunting at 0813 1092 1265.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">See you there,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB">AG<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;" lang="EN-GB">This article was originally published </span><st1:date year="2007" day="18" month="11"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;" lang="EN-GB"><st1:date year="2008" day="11" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="26" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="12" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="16" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="23" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="30" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="30" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="13" month="1"><st1:date year="2008" day="20" month="1">Nov. 18, 2007</st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></span></st1:date><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;" lang="EN-GB"> in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city></i></span><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;" lang="EN-GB"><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place>Jakarta</st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></span></i></st1:place></st1:City><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;" lang="EN-GB"> Post.</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-53067278044511523012008-01-24T11:00:00.000-08:002008-01-24T11:02:31.440-08:00Editing your work: writing tight brings the might<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">On Words<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Editing your work: writing tight brings the might<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">By ANDREW GREENE<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city><st1:place><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:City><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> – To write tight is to write right. As mentioned in <i>OnWords’ </i>last column, omitting unnecessary words is a huge part of the editing process.<span style=""> </span>Today we are going over how to identify and purge lazy openers, prepositional phrases and tedious nouns from your writing.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p></o:p>Lazy openers are those phrases like <i>It is vital that</i> and <i>There are,</i> that all too often open the baggy sentences that we write.<span style=""> </span>Lazy openers are guilty of two sins.<span style=""> </span>First of all, they contain forms of the weak verb <i>to be. </i>While at times we do need to use <i>is, are, was, am </i>and so forth, crisp prose contains them at a minimum.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Their second sin is that the words that make up lazy openers are simply unnecessary.<span style=""> </span>Jump right into the action when writing.<span style=""> </span>These phrases are easily cut from most writing and sentences read much better without them.<span style=""> </span>Consider this example:<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 27pt 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">There is a mindless way to preparing meals which comes hand-in-hand with a mindless way of eating.<span style=""> </span>This mindset is becoming more prevalent day-by-day and continues to bring with it greater and greater consequences.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">By jumping straight to the point and eliminating the lazy openers and weak verbs we have reduced the excerpt by a third, giving us:<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 27pt 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">A mindless way to preparing meals, counterpart to the mindless way of eating, grows more prevalent every day and brings greater and greater consequences. <span style=""> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 27pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 27pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Although more concise and therefore stronger than the original example, you can reduce it even further:<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 27pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 27pt;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Mindless meal preparing, like mindless eating, grows more…<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 27pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Prepositions show relationships of one word to another. Some common prepositions are <i>at, by, for, into, in, on, to, </i>and <i>with. </i>A phrase, a group of words, that begins with a preposition is a prepositional phrase.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 27pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">When editing, examine any sentences that seem to overly rely on prepositions. A good rule of thumb to follow is to avoid listing three or more prepositional phrases in a row.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 27pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The following example displays a number of the indications of excess wordiness that we have been covering:<span style=""> </span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.75in 0.0001pt 27pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The explanation offered by the principal of the school about the purpose for the new reading program in the English Department and the reasons that the teachers are not able to satisfy the wish of the parents by meeting with them this week was published in the newsletter. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 27pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Whew… What an eye full! How many prepositional phrases do you count in that example? What about the main verb? Is it active or passive? Remember from the last <i>OnWords</i> that we should stick with the active voice whenever possible.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Let us edit the passage by going active and reducing its number of prepositional phrases down to one.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.75in 0.0001pt 27pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">In the newsletter, the school principal explained the English Department’s new reading program’s purpose and why the teachers cannot meet the parents, as they had wished, this week.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 27pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">This condensed version is simple enough to be understood in a single reading, which is the goal of the effective writer.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 27pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">One final ill to keep our eyes open for during the editing process is tedious nouns.<span style=""> </span>Words ending with <i>tion, ence, </i>and <i>ment</i> suck the life out of your writing.<span style=""> </span>Look for the weak verbs and tedious nouns that burden this passage:<span style=""> </span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.75in 0.0001pt 27pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The suggestion that Jakarta’s population increases and decreases by a quarter at the start and end of each working day, the fluctuation is because housing costs are too expensive near the city center may be incorrect since the benefits of living in the satellite cities are numerous in a variety of ways relevant to both education prospects and entertainment options.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 27pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Reading your writing aloud is a great way of judging it. Trust your own ear. Try reading the above. It should be hard to get through. Now, read aloud the revision below:<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.75in 0.0001pt 27pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">It is not only the high costs of living in the city center that lead to Jakarta’s population increasing and decreasing by a quarter each working day; people also chose to live in the satellite cities for education and entertainment benefits. <span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Despite being a third shorter than the original, the edited bit provides the same information as the first while being much easier to understand.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">For most type of writing the primary objective is to be understood.<span style=""> </span>By keeping our words as concise and as simple as possible, we are sure to meet this goal.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Happy purging,<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">AG<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.75in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;">This article was originally published </span><st1:date year="2008" day="20" month="1"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;"><st1:date year="2008" day="11" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="26" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="12" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="16" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="23" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="30" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="30" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="13" month="1">Jan. 20, 2008</st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></span></st1:date><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;"> in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city></i></span><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;"><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place>Jakarta</st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></span></i></st1:place></st1:City><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;"> Post.</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-37475054802267185802008-01-24T10:56:00.000-08:002008-01-24T10:59:51.864-08:00Editing your work: the power of verbs<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">OnWords<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Editing your work: the power of verbs <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">By ANDREW GREENE<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city><st1:place><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:City><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> – “Omit needless words,” advise William Strunk and E.B. White in their classic, <i>The Elements of Style.</i><span style=""> </span>Practicing what they speak, their textbook floats in at a mere 105 pages.<span style=""> </span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Deleting words, sentences and entire passages from your writing requires a hard to come by ruthlessness.<span style=""> </span>After all, we, when writing, often become fond of what we have laid down and fall in love with our work.<span style=""> </span>It happens to all of us.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The ability to look at sentences analytically is the key to being able to edit and liven up your own work.<span style=""> </span>In order to do this, you need to understand the building blocks that make up a sentence.<span style=""> </span>Its two main parts are the subject, the sentence’s who or what, and the verb, the sentence’s action or state of being.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Although subjects normally come before verbs as in <i>Mom cooked </i>and<i> The sun rises, </i>it is the verbs that give life to your writing.<span style=""> </span>The grammatical subject of a sentence is often times different than the topic of discussion.<span style=""> </span>Look at this sentence, <i>She likes cereal more than eggs.</i><span style=""> </span>What is the subject?<span style=""> </span>What is the topic under discussion?<span style=""> </span>Are they the same or different?<span style=""> </span>If different, which is more important?<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">By asking these questions you see that the topic of breakfast foods is more important to the sentence than the grammatical subject, <i>she.<span style=""> </span></i><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The use of weak verbs produces limp, lifeless copy, while, conversely, active verbs give writing strength and confidence.<span style=""> </span>Weak verbs are those which do not show action such as <i>seem, be, remain, feel, appear</i> along with passive forms, made up of the verb <i>to be </i>plus a past participle: for example, <i>was stolen </i>and <i>has been bitten.<span style=""> </span></i>The more weak verbs your writing contains, the more tiresome your writing most likely is.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">When rereading and editing your work, look for weak verbs.<span style=""> </span>When you find one, ask yourself what the sentence’s action is and then try to express that action as a verb.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Find the weak verbs in this sentence about expensive restaurants, <i>These more expensive, less popular restaurants, whose lack of success was often the result of how expensive they were, are likely to go bankrupt.<span style=""></span></i><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The verbs of the rambling sentence are all or contain forms of the verb <i>to be</i>.<span style=""> </span>Let us strengthen it by putting the action into verbs where we can.<span style=""> </span>Here we go, <i>Since these restaurants charge more, they are not popular and may go bankrupt.</i></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Although we still have a single form of <i>to be, </i>this example is stronger for two reasons.<span style=""> </span>First, the second sentence is much easier to understand and secondly, it is half the length of the first sentence.<span style=""> </span>Remember, concise writing is powerful writing.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Consider this copy about a fictional project,<br /><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 27pt 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Though the canal ferries will be owned by the neighborhoods that they operate within, they will be operated by members of </span></i><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Jakarta</span></i></st1:place></st1:City><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">’s </span></i><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Venice</span></i></st1:place></st1:City><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> Project Association and partially supported by funds raised by the group.<span style=""> </span>The remainder of the funds is to be provided by the city.<span style=""> </span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The wordiness of this 46-word example results from the many uses of the passive voice.<span style=""> </span>Once you make the verbs active you end up with this tighter 25-word example,<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 27pt 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The neighborhoods will own the canal ferries while </span></i><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Jakarta</span></i></st1:place></st1:City><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">’s </span></i><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Venice</span></i></st1:place></st1:City><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> Project Association will operate them.<span style=""> </span>Both the association and the city will fund the ferries.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.25in; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Now that we have shown that we must always be aware of weak verbs, we need to recognize that all <i>to be </i>forms and all passive verbs do not need to be kicked out of our writing.<span style=""> </span>After all, “<i>To be or not to be, that is the question,” </i>is tough to improve upon.<span style=""> </span>Weak verbs do have their place.<span style=""> </span>We just need to ask ourselves the right questions during the editing process to ensure that they belong in ours.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Happy editing,<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">AG<br /><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;">This article was originally published </span><st1:date year="2008" day="13" month="1"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;"><st1:date year="2008" day="11" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="26" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="12" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="16" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="23" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="30" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="30" month="12">Jan. 13, 2008</st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></span></st1:date><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;"> in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city></i></span><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;"><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place>Jakarta</st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></span></i></st1:place></st1:City><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;"> Post.</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-2696150572510519412008-01-24T10:53:00.000-08:002008-01-24T10:56:47.399-08:00Three Ingredients to Good Writing<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">On Words<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p></o:p>Three Ingredients to Good Writing <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p></o:p>By ANDREW GREENE<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span><st1:city><st1:place><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:City><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> – Writing hurts.<span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><span style=""></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">First of all, ideas are hard to cage elusive creatures.<span style=""> </span>And then once we have been fortunate enough to secure a collection of thoughts to work with, we need to wrestle them into some sort of coherent order all the while deciding which to keep for further development and those of which we need to discard.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Understandably, many never get past this initial prewriting stage.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">This does not need to be the case.<span style=""> </span>The most talented, so-called natural writers schedule regular time to work at the craft.<span style=""> </span>They know that writing is a skill that can be practiced and mastered the same as any other.<span style=""> </span>They treat writing much the same as many of us approach golf, cooking, or any other hobby.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Indonesian residents often face the additional challenge of writing in a second or even a third or a fourth language.<span style=""> </span>This hurdle brings with it its own set of unique difficulties since language is in a large part a manifestation of the thought patterns of native speakers.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Just as rules for eating differ from culture to culture, the rules for writing are different all around the world.<span style=""> </span>When it comes to writing, being conversant in the grammar and the vocabulary of the target language is not enough just as when it comes to dinning it is not enough to bring your hungry Acehnese mother-in-law to Tony Roma’s.<span style=""> </span>In order to write well, we need to understand how these speakers organize and communicate their thoughts and their language.<span style=""> </span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The three main ingredients that determine the organizational patterns of your written English are subject, purpose and audience.<span style=""> </span>Increasing your understanding of these three elements will have you well on your way to becoming an effective writer.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Perhaps the biggest hindrance to writing is not having anything to say, that is, not having a suitable subject.<span style=""> </span>Good writing needs a subject that is neither too general nor too specific.<span style=""> </span>Think about having your school or your workplace for a subject.<span style=""> </span>Both are too large to grip.<span style=""> </span>They must be narrowed down.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The whittling of the former subject may go something like this:<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>My School<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Long Days<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Many Classes<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Limited Free Time<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>45 Minute Lunches<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Not Enough Time for Lunch<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">“Not enough time for lunch” is a subject that most students are interested in and would like to explore further.<span style=""> </span>A strong subject is something that you know or that you want to learn more about.<span style=""> </span>Finding a hook to your interest is a large part of the writing process.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The purpose behind your writing is just as important as your subject.<span style=""> </span>Simply put, you need to know why you are writing.<span style=""> </span>Are you writing to entertain, to inform or to persuade?<span style=""> </span>Most writing will have more than one purpose, such as attempting to entertain while at the same time trying to persuade or inform.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">An activity that you can do to help build your awareness of purpose in writing is to skim through some newspapers and magazines to find articles that entertain, inform, and persuade.<span style=""> </span>Also, you can look for some that have more than a single purpose.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The final ingredient we are exploring today, audience, strongly affects the first two.<span style=""> </span>Whom you are writing to helps you decide upon your subject and your purpose.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">All audiences read your writing with differing expectations.<span style=""> </span>To best be understood and, more importantly, to not be misunderstood it is vital that you keep your audience in mind as you proceed through the writing the process.<span style=""> </span>You probably have incorrectly read between the lines of an email or have had your own emails incorrectly read.<span style=""> </span>As more of our daily communications become less face-to-face and more frequently written, this type of misreading will become more commonplace.<span style=""> </span>By paying attention to your audience you can avoid this error.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">A last exercise to tie your understanding of subject, purpose and audience together is to narrow a subject down from the broad ideas of either your school or your workplace.<span style=""> </span>Once you have discovered a subject like “not enough lunch time” determine a purpose and an audience.<span style=""> </span>Then write a paragraph that meets the demands of your subject, purpose and audience.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">After you have written this paragraph, change the purpose and the audience while keeping the same subject and write a new paragraph.<span style=""> </span>After you have your two paragraphs compare them and see how writing is controlled by these three ingredients.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">If you play with these three basic steps until you are comfortable with them you are sure to make quick progress in your written communication.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Until next column happy writing,<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">AG<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;">This article was originally published </span><st1:date year="2008" day="30" month="12"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;"><st1:date year="2008" day="11" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="26" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="12" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="16" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="23" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="30" month="12">Jan. 6, 2008</st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></span></st1:date><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;"> in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city></i></span><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;"><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place>Jakarta</st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></span></i></st1:place></st1:City><i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;"> Post.</span></i><span style="color: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-13699640687216404432008-01-24T10:50:00.001-08:002008-01-24T11:12:38.370-08:00Technology in the classroom: e-portfolios<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >On Words<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Technology in the classroom: e-portfolios<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >By ANDREW GREENE<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city><st1:place><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > – P<span style="">ortfolios have traditionally been folders that artists, photographers and models proudly toted around town showing off their work.<span style=""> </span>Nowadays, however, portfolios are finding their ways into the lives of more and more of us.<span style=""> </span>In fact, at the international school I last worked all students possessed electronic versions of them.</span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >I never understood the reasons behind their use so I asked two Information Communication Technology teachers to talk to me about e-portfolios.<span style=""> </span>One explained that e-portfolios showcased students’ work.<span style=""> </span>He said that a selection of the students’ work was scanned into or produced upon a hard disk that was then saved to DVDs for the children to take home to their parents.<span style=""> </span>He summarized that, “The only positive to this is that we can save audio and video.”<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >While I understand the need for children and their schools to please parents, this use of e-portfolios did not seem to me to be a true representation of a way technology could best be part of the classroom.<span style=""> </span>Sure, there are some peripheral skills being practiced during this process such as video and audio recording, editing, scanning and saving files, but honestly I expected more.<span style=""> </span>Fortunately, it turns out, there is more.<span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Supposedly, when ancient Egyptian King Thamus was presented with the new technology of writing he worried that it </span><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >would turn out to be a tool of recollection rather than a booster of wisdom.<span style=""> </span>When not completely utilized, e-portfolios run this same risk of becoming merely repositories of past accomplishments.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >But, the good news is that fully-realized e-portfolios are more than that; they are truly tools of learning.<span style=""> </span>They delineate clear learning standards for educational professionals, students, parents, family members and, in certain cases, the public.<span style=""> </span>Educator June Ahn wrote in the <i style="">T.H.E. Journal</i> that e-journals are tools that help teachers with both reflection and feedback.<span style=""> </span>She wrote, “As an assessment tool, e-portfolios provide an economy of scale in terms of efficiency and informational depth… providing ease of access to teachers, students and the general public.”<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Teachers and authors Leah E Wickersham and Sharon M Chambers wrote about this same benefit in the journal <i style="">Education.</i><span style=""> </span>They state that in the past decade the focus in education has shifted “from a teacher-centered instructional environment to a student-centered one.”<span style=""> </span>This has made teachers more accountable to students than ever before and as a result more dependant upon e-portfolios.<span style=""> </span>E-portfolios empower students.<span style=""> </span>They enable us to judge progress and learning objectives against those of other students and institutions.<span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >This work storage and the opening up of the educational ledger are not the only benefits to e-portfolios.<span style=""> </span>Ahn says they also enhance learning by allowing different levels of access to teachers, students and whoever else should be able to review and comment upon work.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >These cleared lines of dialogue bring educational content into context.<span style=""> </span>This concept is key in the ESL classroom.<span style=""> </span>Indonesian students frequently know the English tenses rules without knowing when and why to use them.<span style=""> </span>They have the content, but not the context.<span style=""> </span>Content acquisition is fine for sitting exams, while contextual learning is necessary for living.<span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Wickersham and Chambers continue, “Multiple researchers concur that the best learning, which is retained, occurs in the context of an active learning experience.” <span style=""> </span>E-portfolios brings context to learning by helping with self-reflection while turning the classroom and homework experience into a more dynamic experience by inter-connecting all of the students’ work with what is happening around them.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Just as I am writing this article following years in the classroom, discussions with ICT instructors and the reading of numerous educational journals, all students learn and produce work that has been filtered through their own experiences.<span style=""> </span>When such work is stored online along with links to class material and peer work, students, parents and teachers can look back upon it learning from it in relation to the setting that it was completed in.<span style=""> </span>This helps everyone. <span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >By improving communication within the teacher-student-parent triangle and bringing context to content, e-portfolios are a tech tool that belongs in the classroom.<span style=""> </span>The challenge we face is how to best make use of them.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Happy Holidays,<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >AG<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" >This article was originally published </span><st1:date year="2008" day="30" month="12"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" ><st1:date year="2008" day="11" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="26" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="12" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="16" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="23" month="12">Dec. 30, 2007</st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></span></st1:date><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" > in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city></i></span><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" ><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place>Jakarta</st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></span></i></st1:place></st1:city><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" > Post.</span></i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-24474893405270060022008-01-24T10:47:00.000-08:002008-01-24T11:13:04.094-08:00Studying Online<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >On Words<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Studying Online<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >By ANDREW GREENE<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city><st1:place><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > – Last column we discussed the benefits of following the higher-education pathway overseas.<span style=""> </span>Today, we will explore some reasons as to why we should consider doing this online.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >I have taken online classes with schools in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Britain</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > and the </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >United States</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > for a number of years now and feel that the classes have been a boon to me both professionally and personally.<span style=""> </span>I have also worked with and hired people who have earned qualifications online.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Through the use of the internet and virtual classrooms, I have truly felt that I have been part of these classes.<span style=""> </span>After much reflection and research I have come up with five main reasons a person should consider studying online.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >1.<span style=""> </span>For many, the most important reason for pursuing a degree online is cost.<span style=""> </span>Distance learning saves money on transportation plus room and board at a school.<span style=""> </span>As stated in our last column, these costs can easily add up to (USD) $10,000 per year.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:place><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >University</span></st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > of </span><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Massachusetts</span></st1:placename></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >, Amherst charges around $300 per credit for online undergraduate classes.<span style=""> </span>A full-time student completes 30 credits a year which adds up to $ 9,000.<span style=""> </span>Clearly, you can see that by choosing to stay in </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > while virtually studying overseas you can cut your expenses in half.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >2.<span style=""> </span>My online learning experiences have been vastly different to those of my earlier university years in </span><st1:state><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >California</span></st1:place></st1:state><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >.<span style=""> </span>Back then, the huge majority of us were pretty much the same, in our twenties and from </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Northern California</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Distance learning introduces you to people from all over the world and from all walks of life.<span style=""> </span>Online, I have studied with and learned from peers living on three continents with each possessing unique professional backgrounds and life experiences.<span style=""> </span>An analytical writing class I completed just last week had a Transportation Security Administration inspector, preschool teachers, a computer programmer, a traveler and a metal shop worker for students.<span style=""> </span>They all made for an interesting mixture that made the learning enjoyable and worthwhile.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >3.<span style=""> </span>Although distance learning students are in classes comprised of students from around the globe, they are still able to enjoy the benefits of living at home.<span style=""> </span>They can use these years to learn the family business or help with whatever familial responsibilities need to be covered.<span style=""> </span>Furthermore, by remaining home you do not need to be concerned with the costs and troubles of securing a student visa.<span style=""> </span>Overall, staying put in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > while studying online is a great option for those with full-time jobs or families.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >4. With distance learning, students have constant and immediate access to course materials.<span style=""> </span>The classes I have been in have had bulletin boards, email communications, online content and library access.<span style=""> </span>I have been able to study and review the materials at my convenience.<span style=""> </span>There is no need for me to carry books around, since as long as I have internet access I can study.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Also, when students post their work in the virtual classroom we were able to review and learn from it.<span style=""> </span>There have been many occasions when I was simply amazed, in a positive way, by someone else’s take on a topic.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >In addition to classes that you enroll in, many universities post lectures online free of charge for anyone to learn from.<span style=""> </span>Of course, you will not get class credit for learning this way, but the benefits to learning need not be only pragmatic.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >In the autumn of this year, Stanford University, ranked second best in the world by <i style="">The Economist Magazine, </i>offered the following free seminars: Seminar in Guidance, Navigation and Control, Bioengineering and Biodesign Forum, Law for Computer Science Professionals, Software on Demand, Frontiers in Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Human-Computer Interaction Seminar, Seminar on Computer Systems, Seminar: Topics in International Technology Management and Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Seminar.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:place><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Harvard</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > </span><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >University</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > likewise offers such lectures online.<span style=""> </span>Another way to find free digitalized lessons and lectures is through Apple’s iTunes software.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >5. Distance learning instruction forces students to become fluent in the languages of English and technology.<span style=""> </span><span style="">There is a basic educational tenet that all classes are language classes.<span style=""> </span>I like that idea.<span style=""> </span>After all, math has its own vocabulary and needs, just as the different sciences and other subjects do.<span style=""> </span>I feel that technology should be treated the same.<span style=""> </span>In reality, all classes are technology classes.<span style=""> </span>Online classes enable students to improve their English and technological capabilities no matter where they live.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Whichever direction you decided to follow, local, online or overseas, I wish you success in your educational pursuits.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >AG<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" >This article was originally published </span><st1:date year="2008" day="23" month="12"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" ><st1:date year="2008" day="11" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="26" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="12" month="12"><st1:date year="2008" day="16" month="12">Dec. 23, 2007</st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></span></st1:date><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" > in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city></i></span><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" ><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place>Jakarta</st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></span></i></st1:place></st1:city><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" > Post.</span></i><span style=";font-size:10;color:yellow;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-57891861104685974942008-01-24T10:45:00.000-08:002008-01-24T11:13:21.646-08:00Why Keep Learning<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >On Words<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p></o:p>Why Keep Learning <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p></o:p>By ANDREW GREENE<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p></o:p></span><st1:city><st1:place><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > – It is hard not notice the signs of educational institutions such as Premier Language Service, MIBT, Future and ACG dotted throughout </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >.<span style=""> </span>In </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >, learning is big business.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >And rightfully so, after all, investing in education produces bountiful dividends.<span style=""> </span><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;font-family:Arial;" >Nipissing University of Canada reported in 2001 that a university graduate earned an average of 91% more than someone who possessed only a high school diploma.<span style=""> </span>Over the course of a lifetime this worked out to more than one million Canadian dollars at the then present value.<span style=""> </span>The benefits of a university degree are not merely monetary.<span style=""> </span>Without a degree, you cannot even apply for many of the most rewarding and interesting jobs.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span></strong><b style=""><span style=""> </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >For many Indonesians, a qualification from a local university is not enough.<span style=""> </span>Many prefer to study abroad.<span style=""> </span>According to the </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >’s Australian Embassy’s '<i>Study in </i></span><st1:country-region><st1:place><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Australia</span></i></st1:place></st1:country-region><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >' </span></i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >press release, 16,000 Indonesians study in that country alone.<span style=""> </span>There are numerous reasons why people opt to study overseas.<span style=""> </span>For some, it is frustration with </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >’s educational system.<span style=""> </span>For others, it is a desire for freedom away from home or the wish to make oneself as marketable as possible.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Whatever the reason, it cannot be denied that an overseas education provides many benefits.<span style=""> </span>First of all, the quality and standard of foreign education is, as a whole, of a higher quality than that which is offered in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >.<span style=""> </span>From <i style="">The Economist Magazine’s </i>ranking of the world’s top 20 universities, only one, </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Tokyo</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > </span><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >University</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > at number 14, is not in </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Europe</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > or </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >North America</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >The internationally-recognized qualifications you earn overseas can help you in a number of ways.<span style=""> </span>They open up the entire world as a job market.<span style=""> </span>They add value to your resume.<span style=""> </span>They provide proof that you have been exposed to techniques, skills, perspectives and systems of thinking that you may not experience in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Language is often another deciding factor for people who are considering such a move.<span style=""> </span>More than ever before, people have a need to learn English.<span style=""> </span>It is the language of business and technology.<span style=""> </span>Many international companies and organizations will not consider hiring employees who lack adequate language skills.<span style=""> </span>Without the ability to process English, you are locked out of one-third of all the information on the internet, and a large percentage of the material published on business, medical and technology matters.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >However, the advantages to an overseas degree notwithstanding, there is one prohibitive hurdle to realizing this dream.<span style=""> </span>It is extremely expensive.<span style=""> </span>CNN reported that the average cost of a four-year private college climbed above the (USD) $30,000 mark for the first time last year.<span style=""> </span>For foreign students, who are charged a higher tuition rate, this cost is even higher.<span style=""> </span>In addition to the course fees, students studying abroad also need to figure in travel and living expenses which can add up to more than (USD)$ 10,000 per year.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Fortunately, there are other, less-expensive ways to earn that same high-quality education nowadays.<span style=""> </span>The first option is to complete a portion of the degree in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >.<span style=""> </span>Many overseas-based universities offer foundation programs here.<span style=""> </span>These require students to spend fewer years overseas and help them make an easier transition to international studying styles and norms.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >The second option is online learning.<span style=""> </span>The fact that technology is making the world smaller is bringing traditionally brick-and-mortar classrooms to wherever the students may be.<span style=""> </span><i style="">OnWords’ </i>next column will explore these two ways of reducing the cost of an overseas education along with the qualities and factors to consider while choosing a program.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Until next column,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >AG<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" >This article was originally published </span><st1:date year="2008" day="16" month="12"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" ><st1:date year="2008" day="11" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="26" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="12" month="12">Dec. 16, 2007</st1:date></st1:date></st1:date></span></st1:date><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" > in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city></i></span><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" ><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place>Jakarta</st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></span></i></st1:place></st1:city><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" > Post.</span></i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-12535894595589915052008-01-24T10:40:00.000-08:002008-01-24T11:13:32.945-08:00Learning to Think<p><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >On Words </span></b><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Learning to Think</span></b><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >By ANDREW GREENE <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><st1:city><st1:place><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > – Students are not educated for the past, but rather for the present and the future.<span style=""> </span>This is done by teaching critical thinking skills.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><em><span style="font-style: normal;font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Critical thinking is, as defined by </span></em><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >American psychologist Diane Halpern, <em><span style="font-style: normal;font-family:Arial;" >the ability to use skills and strategies in a purposeful manner, increasing the probability of achieving a desired result.<span style=""> </span>It is this ability, more than any content learning, which students need to bring forward with them into future learning situations both in and out of the classroom.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></em></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Without critical thinking skills, we cannot fully participate within our current time and context. Nowadays, we face new learning challenges faster than ever before.<span style=""> </span>Whether at school, home or our workplace, we constantly must make decisions quickly and correctly.<span style=""> </span>For us, living in </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >, some of the most common problems we encounter have to do with educating our children, staffing our houses and businesses, choosing places to live and re-upping for another contract.<span style=""> </span>Critical thinking helps us make such decisions judicially.<span style=""></span><br /><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:place><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >University</span></st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > of </span><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Massachusetts</span></st1:placename></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > professor Cynthia Suopis likes to demonstrate the difference between standard thinking and critical thinking by giving an analogy of a river running through a town.<span style=""> </span>She says,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><i style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><i style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Imagine standing by the river and then suddenly you see someone in the water, waving their arms, being swept downstream. If you can swim and you are able bodied, you would probably jump into the water and try to save the person. Good for you! That is good thinking and certainly responsive to the person in need. After you save one person, you go back on shore and dry yourself off and you suddenly see another person floating down stream in the same manner. You jump back in and you save that person. This strange occurrence happens again and then it happens again a few days later when you walk by the same spot along the river. A thinker would jump into the water and save the drowning people one by one by one. A critical thinker would do something else. Can you guess?</span></i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><i style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><i style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Yes, a critical thinker would ask, why are these people falling in the river? What is happening upstream?<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><i style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Suopis explains that this story shows that simply reacting is “a very different thing” than using skills and strategies to break problems into parts for analysis.<span style=""> </span>This process slows down the situation enabling you to search for the heart of the problem and ways that can best solve it.<span style=""> </span>Suopis’s explanation reminds me of the way in which top-flight athletes talk about how they see the entire court or field while everyone else moves around them in slow-motion.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Fortunately, anyone can improve his or her critical thinking ability.<span style=""> </span>In their book, <i style="">Writing Analytically</i>, David Rosenwasser and Jill Stephen lay out “five analytical moves” that we may follow in order to strengthen our critical thinking.<span style=""> </span>We will review three of the five moves in today’s column.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >The first move is suspending judgment.<span style=""> </span>The two authors argue that the stopping of judging our world with likes and dislikes, agreement and disagreement is well worth the effort since judgments usually say more about the judge than that which is being judged.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Secondly, Rossenwasser and Stephen suggest that we “define significant parts and how they’re related.” <span style=""> </span>This is the breaking down of a situation into workable pieces.<span style=""> </span>This moving from the general to the specific and tracing the relations between the parts is vital to all critical thinking.<span style=""> </span>We often use this technique in the language classroom when it comes to reading and writing exercises.<span style=""> </span>Once, we can see how a text is organized and figure out how everything is connected, the mystery and the fear are vanquished from the learning process.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Finding patterns and binaries is important for the critical thinker and the authors’ third analytical move.<span style=""> </span><span style=""></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><span style=""></span><o:p></o:p>Patterns represent themes.<span style=""> </span>Does more homework make for better educated students?<span style=""> </span>Does the Trans-Jakarta Busway lessen traffic or make it worse?<span style=""> </span>Are there other correlations we need to find and analyze before we can make a conclusion.<span style=""> </span>A critical thinker explores patterns.<span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Binaries are matched pairs of exact opposites such as open and closed, black and white, home schooling or enrolling in school.<span style=""> </span>Actively searching for these forks in the analytical road is essential since this is from where both sides of arguments are found.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Critical thinking is not a simple process of moving from point A to point B to point C.<span style=""> </span>Sometimes we need to explore the road less traveled before turning back from where we came or, if need be, continuing on.<span style=""> </span>Critical thinkers ponder and revisit all possibilities.<span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Thankfully, Rossenwasser and Stephen do not merely explain these moves.<span style=""> </span>They also provide suggestions for us to follow if we would like to strengthen our critical thinking.<span style=""> </span>We can actively work our critical thinking muscles on poems, speeches, movies, paintings, or anything we can read or observe.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >I tried out the analytical moves on Emily Dickinson’s, <i style="">Because I Could Not Stop for Death. </i>Sure enough, by suspending judgment and searching for the parts that make up the whole, I was able to appreciate the poem in a way that I had never been able to do before with poetry.<span style=""> </span>I hope that you too can find the time to practice the moves.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Happy thinking,<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >AG</span><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:black;" ><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" >This article was originally published </span><st1:date year="2008" day="12" month="12"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" ><st1:date year="2008" day="11" month="11"><st1:date year="2008" day="26" month="11">Dec. 12, 2007</st1:date></st1:date></span></st1:date><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" > in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city></i></span><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" ><st1:city><st1:place><st1:city><st1:place>Jakarta</st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></span></i></st1:place></st1:city><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" > Post.</span></i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:black;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-84332678254136956272008-01-24T10:36:00.000-08:002008-12-10T17:57:28.877-08:00Three Big Answers by ESL’s Biggest Star<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYgUfK-JKoKlVeRfO0-jolFSPHxm-jLxdPqchSWV7jf0Cl0DT6B8KvEDLQcpPb9kYb3Jx7R1Yytm_hg_SAZZXrwZVul5C8HrBTj507SRDpttG4AePEpMcy5fUYXEHUJLFrFtr/s1600-h/O'Donnell+as+Governor+General+Coen.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYgUfK-JKoKlVeRfO0-jolFSPHxm-jLxdPqchSWV7jf0Cl0DT6B8KvEDLQcpPb9kYb3Jx7R1Yytm_hg_SAZZXrwZVul5C8HrBTj507SRDpttG4AePEpMcy5fUYXEHUJLFrFtr/s200/O'Donnell+as+Governor+General+Coen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159115168041831506" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgef3NFMMAfW1UF9hbJDPEC05pb7eqJEnw_1SdVXVpEo4aUcwRVpQu4oWmu-SaMXZsfEpS-hr33c9v97YEIaB_y0R1eZIqUFQbEGO3PRIAW9i33yNbWsAeBuTn-oHVdLWq9ykL0/s1600-h/O'Donnell+in+shooting+at+Bromo.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgef3NFMMAfW1UF9hbJDPEC05pb7eqJEnw_1SdVXVpEo4aUcwRVpQu4oWmu-SaMXZsfEpS-hr33c9v97YEIaB_y0R1eZIqUFQbEGO3PRIAW9i33yNbWsAeBuTn-oHVdLWq9ykL0/s200/O'Donnell+in+shooting+at+Bromo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159115172336798818" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIIte8tyy_JCbpNCL3RtYriKX2ukH1r9snyHRXGk-gg2TKyhU_QHTZh0GxAHLTDrf9AMnIvuz08FT91-v22ZUC9HD11K2YokmDBjiL4UMj4ZzfLp8RxGb_IPt_w8MhoLjkxGEl/s1600-h/O'Donnell+dying.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIIte8tyy_JCbpNCL3RtYriKX2ukH1r9snyHRXGk-gg2TKyhU_QHTZh0GxAHLTDrf9AMnIvuz08FT91-v22ZUC9HD11K2YokmDBjiL4UMj4ZzfLp8RxGb_IPt_w8MhoLjkxGEl/s200/O'Donnell+dying.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159115176631766130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNOGv8upJYsSeqSWi2KrOpp_MdCJ2ooclVSzTKOSrDY_s3ZTybl5s-_BBbj-NUrZJRe_DLO85YejzKB5jsH8WrsZW5ka-LPDH3z8lRa7Zm6pf0H0EO1iHe90B1LYzh9gBLBKb/s1600-h/O'Donnell+as+Jenderal+DeKock.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNOGv8upJYsSeqSWi2KrOpp_MdCJ2ooclVSzTKOSrDY_s3ZTybl5s-_BBbj-NUrZJRe_DLO85YejzKB5jsH8WrsZW5ka-LPDH3z8lRa7Zm6pf0H0EO1iHe90B1LYzh9gBLBKb/s200/O'Donnell+as+Jenderal+DeKock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159115176631766146" border="0" /></a><br /><p><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >On Words </span></b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Three Big Answers by ESL’s Biggest Star</span></b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >By ANDREW GREENE <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:city><st1:place><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > – For educator and thespian Jason O’Donnell, all the classroom truly is a stage.<span style=""> </span>The American, a long-time </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > resident, graces our living room television screens and our children’s English classes.<span style=""> </span>O’Donnell recently took time out of his busy schedule to answer three questions for <i style="">OnWords.</i><span style=""> </span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><i style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >OnWords:</span></i></b><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > What productions have you been a part of in </span></b><st1:country-region><st1:place><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></b></st1:place></st1:country-region><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >?</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >I hosted more than 30 <i style="">Turis Dadakan, </i>Sudden Tourist, prime-time episodes.<span style=""> </span>This has been my favorite shooting gig, since I got to travel all over </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >, stay in luxurious 5-star hotels, and explore this amazing country. All this while inviting a poor, hard-working Indonesian fellow to join me for the trip of a life-time. It was a reality-travel program. We stayed in presidential suites well out of most people's budgets, some upwards of eight million rupiah a night! It did, of course, spoil me immensely.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >On the other hand, I enjoy fiction, though not <i style="">Cinetron</i> so much. I especially like acting in comedies. There's such a challenge in comedy, and it's just a lot of fun to do.<span style=""> </span>I have been a guest star on a variety of shows like, <i style="">Rumpi Talk Show</i>, <i style="">Selebriti, Kontes Dangdut</i> </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><i style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></i></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > and <i style="">Dangdut Mania</i>.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >I really have a passion for acting and have enjoyed the roles I have played on made-for-television films, <i style="">Layar Komedi</i> and various roles for <i style="">Tawa Sutra</i>.<span style=""> </span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >In addition to the acting, I have been a contestant on <i style="">Bule Gila</i>, (Crazy Whitey), Indonesia’s Family Feud game show, and Super Deal 2 Milyar (billion).<span style=""> </span>Non-fiction is easier; I just have to be myself when I'm a host or a contestant on a program.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><i style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >OnWords: </span></i></b><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >How did you get involved in teaching and what do you enjoy the most about it?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Teaching for me is very similar to being onstage, it's all in the performance and delivery. If you can teach and entertain at the same time, it makes it all the more enjoyable, and therefore memorable, for the students. I first started teaching in </span><st1:place><st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Taipei</span></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >, </span><st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Taiwan</span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >.<span style=""> </span>I lived there a couple years attempting to learn Mandarin. Soon, I discovered that teaching English was a lot more rewarding than studying Chinese!</span><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><script> <!-- D(["mb"," \u003cdiv\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family:Arial;color:black\"\>I prefer teaching young people- they're more likely to be as 'gila' as their 'bule gila' teacher. I often like to do dramas and role plays in class, and they're less reticent to just jump up in front of the class and do it. Business classes I find a little too dry and they tend to cramp my style, so my least preferred classes would be those.\u003cbr\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/div\>",1] ); D(["mb","\u003cspan class\u003dq\> \u003cdiv\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family:Arial;color:black\"\>9.\u003cspan\> \u003c/span\>What is your philosophy in life?\u003cspan\> \u003c/span\>The class?\u003cbr\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/div\>\u003c/span\>",1] ); D(["mb"," \u003cdiv\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family:Arial;color:black\"\>I know it may sound cliche, but 'carpe diem', the Latin for 'seize the day' would be closest to my\n philosophy. Live life to its fullest now! don't wait for besok! (That may also explain why I've prepared precious little for tomorrow!)\u003cbr\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/div\>",1] ); D(["mb","\u003cspan class\u003dq\> \u003cdiv\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family:Arial;color:black\"\>10. Are there any Indonesian artists you are fond of?\u003cbr\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/div\>\u003c/span\>",1] ); //--> </script>I love teaching young people.<span style=""> </span>They're more likely to be as <i style="">gila</i>, crazy, as their <i style="">bule gila</i> teacher. I often like to do dramas and role plays in class, and the students are less reticent to just jump up in front of the class and do it. Business classes I find a little too dry so I try to avoid those.<span style=""> </span>Teaching to my strengths is important to me.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >I have been lucky to have an understanding director of studies, Justin Roberts at </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >English</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > </span><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Education</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > </span><st1:placetype><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Center</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >, who has been very accommodating to my turbulent schedule.<span style=""> </span>Last year was <script> <!-- D(["mb"," \u003cdiv\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family:Arial;color:black\"\>Especially last year, when I was shooting 3 to 4 episodes of Turis Dadakan per month, it did affect my classes, and often replacements had to be found at the last minute. My thanks to the DOS of EEC, Justin Roberts, for accommodating my turbulent schedule. Students, for the most part, didn't mind too much- I think they liked the fact that they could see their teacher on tv, if not in the class. I always told them it was homework to tune in (and help ratings at the same time!)\u003cbr\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/div\>",1] ); D(["mb","\u003cspan class\u003dq\> \u003cdiv\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family:Arial;color:black\"\>8.\u003cspan\> \u003c/span\>What type of students/classes/topics\n do you get the most enjoyment out of?\u003cspan\> \u003c/span\>Why?\u003cspan\> \u003c/span\>And then, what type of classes do you not enjoy?\u003cspan\> \u003c/span\>Why?\u003cbr\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/div\>\u003c/span\>",1] ); //--> </script>especially tough, I was shooting three or four episodes of <i style="">Turis Dadakan</i> each month and my classes were affected and cover teachers often had to be found at the last minute. Justin was a great help.<span style=""> </span>Students, for the most part, didn't mind too much. <span style=""> </span>I think they liked the fact that they could see their teacher on TV, if not in the class. I always told them it was homework to tune in and help ratings at the same time!<span style=""><br /></span></span><br /><b style=""><i style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >OnWords: </span></i></b><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Why did you first come to </span></b><st1:country-region><st1:place><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></b></st1:place></st1:country-region><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > and how do you like it?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><script> <!-- D(["mb"," \u003cdiv\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family:Arial;color:black\"\>I basically came as a language refugee from Taiwan. Bahasa Indonesia proved far easier to learn.( It should really be the \n international language, rather than English. But then we'd be out of a job.) I had come to Indonesia first as a tourist and found it amazingly fascinating. And I've always been a fan of islands, and what better a country than Indonesia.\u003cbr\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/div\> \u003cdiv\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family:Arial;color:black\"\>Why Jakarta? Like a durian, it smells & tastes awful at first, then you get used to it, and it pulls you in. It pulls you in such that escape is impossible. And there are alot of negative adjectives that could be used to describe Jakarta, but boring would never be one of them! Never a dull moment.\u003cbr\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/div\>",1] ); D(["mb","\u003cspan class\u003dq\> \u003cdiv\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family:Arial;color:black\"\>12.\u003cspan\> \u003c/span\>Do you teach FT or PT?\u003cspan\> \u003cbr\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/span\>\u003c/div\>\u003c/span\>",1] ); D(["mb"," \u003cdiv\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family:Arial;color:black\"\>\u003cspan\>This year more FT for English teaching, PT shooting. Last year it was the\n reverse situation.\u003cbr\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/span\>\u003c/div\>",1] ); //--> </script>I basically came as a language refugee from </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Taiwan</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >. Indonesian proved far easier to learn.<span style=""> </span>It should really be the international language, rather than English. But then we'd be out of a job. <span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >I had come to </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > first as a tourist and found it intoxicatingly fascinating. And I've always been a fan of islands, and what better a country than </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >It’s a bit cliché, but honestly </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > is like a durian.<span style=""> </span>It smells and tastes awful at first, but then you get used to it, and it pulls you in. It tugs you in such a way that escape is impossible. And there are a ton of negative adjectives that could be used to describe </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >, but boring would never be one of them! <span style=""></span></span><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><i style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >OnWords: </span></i></b><b style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Thank you for your time O’Donnell.<span style=""> </span>I look forward to catching you on the screen in the near future.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Until our next column,<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Cheers,<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >AG<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" >This article was originally published </span><st1:date year="2008" day="26" month="11"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" ><st1:date year="2008" day="11" month="11">Nov. 26, 2007</st1:date></span></st1:date><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" > in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city></i></span><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" ><st1:city><st1:place>Jakarta</st1:place></st1:city></span></i></st1:place></st1:city><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" > Post.</span></i><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-84849038544453241092008-01-24T10:33:00.000-08:002008-12-10T17:57:29.517-08:00Importance of Art<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnrfT0RMEjwGQAoPM323UwhP6JxhIBv522T-ZxBtwASKl5gu9rHHgKp4yDrKlEuUFjJQDEoQOTrNS-olEXvfXmLS0a9XSun3mSXr7FpxXlDF8J6kuAKyePATIz5SgiQmqkB8n/s1600-h/Instructor+with+some+workshop+children.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnrfT0RMEjwGQAoPM323UwhP6JxhIBv522T-ZxBtwASKl5gu9rHHgKp4yDrKlEuUFjJQDEoQOTrNS-olEXvfXmLS0a9XSun3mSXr7FpxXlDF8J6kuAKyePATIz5SgiQmqkB8n/s200/Instructor+with+some+workshop+children.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159122439421463746" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkh2-QEelrG36OZeyOwK0jCGctLi3EPOFBTbYC4ljBwjNmpkKEJTKx8EIcaavnm7lCG1Sr88e-XYAf5FCKQtLr8UCWZoulbNSm0xilyF5urHEn-iM5D5F0jchZ8CwtU6MPHT7/s1600-h/Two+Artists+Working+Together.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkh2-QEelrG36OZeyOwK0jCGctLi3EPOFBTbYC4ljBwjNmpkKEJTKx8EIcaavnm7lCG1Sr88e-XYAf5FCKQtLr8UCWZoulbNSm0xilyF5urHEn-iM5D5F0jchZ8CwtU6MPHT7/s200/Two+Artists+Working+Together.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159122443716431058" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnTF4vZGV6u74nAfzQKAAhLcQ76kebCHOsvlOkfnP18HazgQbSHqDFfCv-dSm7vUhtM02coECpVQKXtEjwZ-8I-jqZoqWK3yYMrFvCNGtY-GRA-yh2Tg1VDCsHmzjiAiq41Ok/s1600-h/Workshop+Gathering.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnTF4vZGV6u74nAfzQKAAhLcQ76kebCHOsvlOkfnP18HazgQbSHqDFfCv-dSm7vUhtM02coECpVQKXtEjwZ-8I-jqZoqWK3yYMrFvCNGtY-GRA-yh2Tg1VDCsHmzjiAiq41Ok/s200/Workshop+Gathering.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159122452306365682" border="0" /></a><br /><p><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >On Words </span></b><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Importance of Art</span></b><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >By ANDREW GREENE </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><st1:city><st1:place><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > – When school budgets are cut, art is often the first class to go.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >The groupthink seems to be that studying art is fine as long as time and other resources allow.<span style=""> </span>Otherwise, it is treated as if it were a disposable subject; something that is at its heart little more than an entertainment that can be guiltlessly thrown away.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >True, most students do not grow up to be professional artists.<span style=""> </span>But then again most do not become mathematicians, authors or scientists either.<span style=""> </span>However, since we understand how the macro skills taught through math, language and science instruction spread into all areas of our lives, those later subjects remain untouchable.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >What we fail to keep in mind is that when we study art we discover new ways of looking.<span style=""> </span>Art opens our eyes. Without fresh perspectives there will be few new ideas in math, science, literature, business or life. A background in art gives us the ability to see the world from different angles.<span style=""> </span>This is a skill that colors all that we do.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >One of the best ways parents can foster their children’s natural love of art is to introduce them to museums and clubs that stimulate their interests. In </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >, we are fortunate to live in close proximity to all sorts of galleries, art clubs and art schools. One such club, profiled in the last <i>OnWords,</i> Jakarta Art Teachers and I, offers art workshops. I was fortunate to be able to discuss one of these workshops with the participants of a recent gathering. </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Consisting of a variety of workshops and instructed by 15 art teachers, the workshop gave students the opportunity to learn from new friends.<span style=""> </span>Teacher Judi Harwin says that although the students started off a little shy they were eager to learn new skills and "were extremely motivated by working alongside students from different schools." <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Participant eleventh-grader Satoshi agrees saying, “It’s a good idea to have this kind of event, because we were able to learn lots of art techniques from different teachers and share our knowledge of art with other students.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Tuktik, another eleventh-grader, was also pleased with her experience.<span style=""> </span>"I’ve learnt new things,” she recalls, “gained new skills, experienced new styles of teaching.<span style=""> </span>It seems to me the world is wider.”<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Art workshops provide students safe places from which to address difficult subjects.<span style=""> </span>Satoshi is especially proud of his work on racism saying, "I did nine paintings of students' faces. It was a bit hard, but it was fun as well… I used black, white and gray for the painting on canvas in a black frame. The idea is to show that if you take the color out people, we are all the same."</span><b><span style="color:yellow;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >An additional beaming participant, tenth-grade student Hana, says about her project, "I wanted to focus on an Indonesian concern. I picked the <i>Bird of Paradise</i> because the bird is only found in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >. I wanted to make the style of my art unique by using spices as a painting material. Spices symbolize </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Indonesia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >. The colors of spices are limited and I struggled hard to find a perfect match for the plumage of the bird. This project has been a real challenge for me as I had never drawn with spices before, and I had to do lots of trial before the final piece." </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Learning from others is one the keys to the success of these workshops.<span style=""> </span>Simon Mortimer, the leader of the workshop's etching work station, says, "The focus was on giving students from different schools the same collective artistic experience, but more importantly, to allow them to have fun experimenting with different media and techniques." <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Harwin agrees adding that she believes that both teachers and students got the chance to grow.<span style=""> </span>She says, "There is a great diversity of international and national teachers, different ages, yet with a common focus… We all have our own individual strengths and weaknesses, so we pick up lots of helpful advice.” </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >For further information about joining an art club or school contact JATI at jati_contact@yahoo.com, </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Mitra</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > </span><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Rahardi</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > </span><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Prana</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > </span><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Art</span></st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > </span><st1:placename><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >School</span></st1:placename></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > at 719-4715 or Kelas Melukis Yudacitra Art Classes at 719-1042.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Until next column,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Happy Creating,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >AG<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" >This article was originally published </span><st1:date year="2008" day="11" month="11"><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" >Nov. 11, 2007</span></st1:date><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" > in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"></st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city></i></span><st1:city><st1:place><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" >Jakarta</span></i></st1:place></st1:city><i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" > Post.</span></i><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-84692033947580842822007-10-27T22:47:00.000-07:002008-12-10T17:57:29.684-08:00Jakarta Art Teachers & I<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfG4StZdLksc3BBcnYFYJTxUD4NFGA2IM8s9ocI7-o6qArV_qOGjpIxz_UYk5-V-yQCxRIOaYCUmxVWguDOpfw93NNrz4ePv_3mAY92zxP9sYJu6zh71V_myNjIXSry8I-Wcwd/s1600-h/JATI+STUDENTS+AND+NEIL+BUNTING.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfG4StZdLksc3BBcnYFYJTxUD4NFGA2IM8s9ocI7-o6qArV_qOGjpIxz_UYk5-V-yQCxRIOaYCUmxVWguDOpfw93NNrz4ePv_3mAY92zxP9sYJu6zh71V_myNjIXSry8I-Wcwd/s320/JATI+STUDENTS+AND+NEIL+BUNTING.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126268926265979858" border="0" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >On Words </span></b><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="style4"><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></b></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="style4"><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > Art Teachers & I</span></b></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >By ANDREW GREENE </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><b><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" > – Picasso famously said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Each day, art teacher Neil Bunting works at solving this problem with his dedication in his international school’s classroom and through the organization he founded, <i style="">Jakarta Art Teachers & I</i>. </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Formed two years ago this November, JATI was, like much in the art world, crafted out of a sense of anxiety and loneliness. </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Bunting, who has lived in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Jakarta</st1:place></st1:city> since 2002, recalls in a written interview, “I first thought of an arts organization in 2004. I felt as an art teacher, and an artist, I was living in a state of cultural disconnectedness and desperately needed to forge links with other schools, teachers and people connected with the arts.” </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >JATI’s inaugural meeting in 2005 was attended by five international-school art teachers. These initial members were enthused by JATI’s dream and spread its message and now around 20 members from thirteen schools take part in each meeting. </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >In addition to the monthly meetings the members are in near daily contact with one another in order to bounce ideas around and share practical information about such things as exhibitions of interest and where to buy art equipment. “The organization has made significant progress during the last two years,” says Bunting. </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Open to all Indonesian schools, JATI promotes the values of expression, individuality, and creativity. Bunting explains that the organization “encourages collaboration and sharing of expertise between art educators, facilitators and anybody who cares passionately about the visual arts” by developing and promoting art through exhibitions, workshops and all kinds of artistic relationships between students and teachers. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Bunting says that it is key to JATI’s vision that local, national and international schools are involved, “This is imperative. The organization is not simply an international school organization. Many of our schools use the International Baccalaureate curriculum. To apply the philosophies of IB we must involve Indonesian schools.<span style=""> </span>This is not just about paying lip service to a school curriculum. This about doing what is right—walking the walk.” </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >“We,” Bunting continues, “are still striving to involve Indonesian schools and the local community more. We want Indonesian art teachers to take a more active role and we are seeking to not make them feel alienated in any way by producing our minutes and agendas and statements in Bahasa and English.” </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Past workshops have featured stations teaching a variety of techniques from book-binding to chocolate moulds and transcriptions in mixed media to printmaking and watercolor painting. </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Both students and teachers are encouraged to stretch, to grow at JATI workshops. The students experience new techniques and ideas while the teachers are able practice team-teaching methods and observe their peers at work. </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >JATI continually strives to create and maintain mutually supportive working environments. Bunting believes its members understand that in order to be creative, the fear of mistakes must be abolished. </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >Bunting says, “Workshops are particularly beneficial for students from less well resourced schools, who, for example, have never had the opportunity to use a printing press or be involved in photographic processes.” </span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >The new year should be fruitful for the club. Bunting and JATI colleague Dave White are hard at work securing a location for JATI’s next exhibition. Showcasing the work of students of all ages from the organization’s 13 schools, Bunting promises the show will be "huge."<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >This next exhibition is just a step. Bunting says, “"JATI will go from strength to strength. There will be more exhibitions, workshops and opportunities for the art community.”</span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:yellow;" >For further information about JATI, visit its website at http://www.neilbunting.com/JATIWEB.html, email the organization at jati_contact@yahoo.com or telephone Neil Bunting at +62 813 10921265.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:red;" >This article was originally published in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Jakarta</st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city> Post.</i></span><span style="color:yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-47261797014688450442007-10-09T05:07:00.000-07:002008-12-10T17:57:29.802-08:00Indian Bagpipes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjj5gk1UI0IrpjGM3zLSRZlFfxyAOClOgxY-ifhq7XpSJyQ6TNn0nzGxNXNtSjrg_UD52NtLe66By2KZxeub9ZldG6caO0K8ofKaIB7oKOPIdfSfNC2NaNh8d-G9FXt6OnxM8/s1600-h/indian+bagpipes.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjj5gk1UI0IrpjGM3zLSRZlFfxyAOClOgxY-ifhq7XpSJyQ6TNn0nzGxNXNtSjrg_UD52NtLe66By2KZxeub9ZldG6caO0K8ofKaIB7oKOPIdfSfNC2NaNh8d-G9FXt6OnxM8/s400/indian+bagpipes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119307701066523618" border="0" /></a>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-35294694679490950832007-10-09T05:06:00.000-07:002008-12-10T17:57:29.968-08:00Samosir Farmer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLqOELTnlHooAU4WiuhDdk7fV2iP8Y3nKWndcixtEY_Cvcy_wV9QXDCTCC2xTnsstY287ZjV0sYYd5MkOlJidaXZMbCZ-nhJ7DVUxNQNIuPXXymH2SeDwGSMADjr2ukTfAWh9/s1600-h/Samosir+Farmer.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLqOELTnlHooAU4WiuhDdk7fV2iP8Y3nKWndcixtEY_Cvcy_wV9QXDCTCC2xTnsstY287ZjV0sYYd5MkOlJidaXZMbCZ-nhJ7DVUxNQNIuPXXymH2SeDwGSMADjr2ukTfAWh9/s400/Samosir+Farmer.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119307516382929874" border="0" /></a>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-42046517922704928432007-10-09T05:04:00.000-07:002008-12-10T17:57:30.112-08:00Outdoor Barbers at Lake Toba<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaejOL18k-hKDys5ZT7PM2MTG4bc7ZYXVxw7X1Kw2uScJ7LZTUWGIGP5wbSfGEjUkA08L8hyduAQXUaTW7WmU-mUUCk_kj7phyphenhyphenBAdnY9XrtZEp_8N5uwDWJmd0vwLW9BQKNvkq/s1600-h/barber+outdoor.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaejOL18k-hKDys5ZT7PM2MTG4bc7ZYXVxw7X1Kw2uScJ7LZTUWGIGP5wbSfGEjUkA08L8hyduAQXUaTW7WmU-mUUCk_kj7phyphenhyphenBAdnY9XrtZEp_8N5uwDWJmd0vwLW9BQKNvkq/s400/barber+outdoor.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119307018166723522" border="0" /></a>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-63865545195213203932007-10-09T04:59:00.000-07:002008-12-10T17:57:30.257-08:00Water Buffalo on Samosir Island<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYxQ7c0VnirURjy2e2U9jrfjeDKExeNGAvVhuUlp7AY1CbV1zcoGPCOIEJO7Km8Kyu9-rPgT-mOCY0TR59_2Mxnc-yxGSDt96U0SG9dQO_93gQEv2qOcAIGE_3tJdyu0nUheJ/s1600-h/Samosir+WB.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYxQ7c0VnirURjy2e2U9jrfjeDKExeNGAvVhuUlp7AY1CbV1zcoGPCOIEJO7Km8Kyu9-rPgT-mOCY0TR59_2Mxnc-yxGSDt96U0SG9dQO_93gQEv2qOcAIGE_3tJdyu0nUheJ/s400/Samosir+WB.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119305768331240354" border="0" /></a>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-71566495933624806212007-10-09T04:55:00.000-07:002008-12-10T17:57:30.565-08:00Tika ready to cross the river at Bukit Lawang<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCb7AnfvTdzculfm-gB9Kv8uLam87X1gbE8MONZO2-W18-gKbN4H1M26_yQgyekxB3KocZ7xaWtR0OhHP0PvG-MYyiL7y33sw_zJJlWcDB9DMjtgWROb_NGzT25kZ9k8mK5i7/s1600-h/CANOE+Bukit+Lawang.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCb7AnfvTdzculfm-gB9Kv8uLam87X1gbE8MONZO2-W18-gKbN4H1M26_yQgyekxB3KocZ7xaWtR0OhHP0PvG-MYyiL7y33sw_zJJlWcDB9DMjtgWROb_NGzT25kZ9k8mK5i7/s400/CANOE+Bukit+Lawang.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119305356014379922" border="0" /></a>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-90951248972040263162007-10-09T04:54:00.000-07:002008-12-10T17:57:30.771-08:00A Batak Girl with her Slingshot<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiCyeksvnQmz1dsQJTB8WX_Fdehyphenhyphenr9Yr8wVw3FGPksRN_R54p6oOEzP3wOdCNcqq67MI8h9setG2j12B1yp4Trwc-A7DSweNdB0xitw0k-CBo9mB4gxPlOgJe4tMux8LUfQW9/s1600-h/A+girl+holding+a+sligshot+stands+outside+her+home+in+Simanindo.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiCyeksvnQmz1dsQJTB8WX_Fdehyphenhyphenr9Yr8wVw3FGPksRN_R54p6oOEzP3wOdCNcqq67MI8h9setG2j12B1yp4Trwc-A7DSweNdB0xitw0k-CBo9mB4gxPlOgJe4tMux8LUfQW9/s400/A+girl+holding+a+sligshot+stands+outside+her+home+in+Simanindo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119304402531640194" border="0" /></a>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-28772243698150520622007-10-09T04:41:00.000-07:002008-12-10T17:57:31.078-08:00A Girl Walking Along the Road from Tuk Tuk<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZl1K60MVxnC0I6xv9o-qymzYZldTmPgxXD8x-LYcyvTVsIhBxzbgJpPcrnk_3WrMa2ZL9IMPE72tgr3unrIFVjP_sx5KVVotxEQzuwC7xQskLyeOad2v1N5n_xBI1QzLDM4a/s1600-h/a+child+walking+the+road+from+Tuk+Tuk.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZl1K60MVxnC0I6xv9o-qymzYZldTmPgxXD8x-LYcyvTVsIhBxzbgJpPcrnk_3WrMa2ZL9IMPE72tgr3unrIFVjP_sx5KVVotxEQzuwC7xQskLyeOad2v1N5n_xBI1QzLDM4a/s400/a+child+walking+the+road+from+Tuk+Tuk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119306571490124722" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncqeQ2xNhkZaSwbdYhdvm08GXoOFhgsVSb21MxgKb6N_WdziQXIGCieMIiO4arx31FGnPNGOYIkeZeEcegxqYFQTnkSPMlX_O_6PImf_2ZZRpgH_Y9zyk7kn49AO2b0eSM6AY/s1600-h/a+child+walking+the+road+from+Tuk+Tuk.jpg"><br /></a>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-69651665938178147872007-10-08T00:59:00.000-07:002007-10-08T01:02:59.333-07:00Public Speaking: Rehearsing and Giving the Speech<b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style="font-style: italic;">OnWords</span><o:p><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><br /></o:p></span></b> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Rehearsing and Giving the Speech</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">By ANDREW GREENE<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:City><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> – The moment has arrived, for today, we rehearse and we give our speech.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">First of all, as we prepare to conquer our oratory fear, we need to remember that the key is in the preparation.<span style=""> </span>It is as coaches preach, “You play as you practice.”<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Confidence in front of your audience comes from complete familiarity with your material.<span style=""> </span>Tentativeness and an over-reliance on notes rob you of your confidence and therefore your credibility.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">As you practice your speech, you need to remember where your signal words are.<span style=""> </span>How did you organize your speech?<span style=""> </span>What are the most important points?<span style=""> </span>Once you understand and are fully acquainted with the skeleton of your speech you will be more capable of presenting it in a natural manner.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Mind-mapping, also called clustering, brainstorming and a whole list of other names, is one effective way of memorizing your speech’s notes due to its visual nature.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">To mind map, you begin by writing your subject in the middle of a blank sheet of paper.<span style=""> </span>You next circle the subject and then write your main ideas radiating out from the circled central-subject.<span style=""> </span>From these main ideas you branch out your supporting details.<span style=""> </span>Once you have finished, you are left with a series of webs that clearly delineate the relationships between the subject, its main ideas and their supporting details.<span style=""> </span>Some people feel that color coding the map by order of importance is of further help.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">After you have memorized your speech using whichever mnemonic techniques you are comfortable with, you will need to rehearse it.<span style=""> </span>At first it is fine for you to practice with your note-cards, but eventually you want to be able to deliver your speech without them, only having them on hand in case of emergency.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">When you begin to practice aloud you may initially feel awkward.<span style=""> </span>After all, for most of us, it is not natural to speak all alone.<span style=""> </span>What you should aim for is the ability to give your presentation in a conversational, normal manner.<span style=""> </span>As you give yourself feedback on your rehearsals, ask yourself if you appear natural.<span style=""> </span>Drill and drill until the speech becomes second nature.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Where are you going to give your speech?<span style=""> </span>Are you going to use any sound or lighting equipment?<span style=""> </span>If so, try to get practice time in the actual venue and with the equipment that you will be using.<span style=""> </span>The time to first hear your own amplified voice is not when you are parting your lips in front of the audience.<span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">When the occasion to give your speech arrives, there are a number of tips for you to keep in mind.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Most importantly, you need to remember that you are ready.<span style=""> </span>You are completely prepared and it is you who knows your material the best.<span style=""> </span>Next, you need to always bear in mind that the audience is there for you.<span style=""> </span>They want to go on your journey with you.<span style=""> </span>They are not looking for faults; they want you to succeed.<span style=""> </span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">You want to speak to friends, not strangers.<span style=""> </span>The international nonprofit organization Toastmasters suggests you greet members of the audience as they arrive.<span style=""> </span>This gives you the chance to “Know your audience” and in turn boosts your credibility.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">During your speech it is helpful for you to look out over the audience and make eye contact with individuals.<span style=""> </span>This calms your nerves and in turn puts your listeners at ease.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">As <i style="">OnWords’</i> final public speaking column comes to a close, I would like to ask you a few questions.<span style=""> </span>What public speakers do you admire?<span style=""> </span>Why do they appeal to you?<span style=""> </span>Is one of their main strengths that they seem to belong on stage?<span style=""> </span>That they are natural speakers?<span style=""> </span>I am guessing your answer to these last two queries is, yes.<span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">What we all need to keep in mind is that when we are observing those gifted speakers, we are witnessing just the tip of a long process that involves writing, editing, and a whole lot of practicing.<span style=""> </span>They have put in the time perfecting this skill so that it does in fact become natural.<span style=""> </span>The good news for all of us is that we too can work at public speaking.<span style=""> </span>We too can transform it into an activity we come to enjoy.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">For information on how to join Toastmasters or on how to even start a chapter within your company or group please contact Kebayoran Toastmasters’ Vice President (membership), Monica Sugiarto, at 062818155119 or queen@sugiarto.famili.com.<span style=""> </span>Toastmasters also has a website, www.toastmasters.org, loaded with public speaking tips and membership information.<span style=""></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Until next column,<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Happy Speaking,<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">AG</span><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;">This article was originally published in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Jakarta</st1:place></st1:City></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city> Post.</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial; color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35576093.post-77302175288968661812007-10-08T00:56:00.000-07:002007-10-08T00:59:34.072-07:00Public Speaking: Clearing the Mud<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">OnWords<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p></o:p>The Speech: Clearing the Mud</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">By ANDREW GREENE<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Jakarta</span></b></st1:place></st1:City><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"> – Now that you have finished your speech’s draft, it is time to tighten it up.<span style=""> </span>You do this by going through your writing and weeding out the clutter.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">During this phase, it is helpful for you to keep in mind that your primary goal is simply to communicate your message.<span style=""> </span>Show no mercy when it comes to editing your speech; it is dangerous to fall in love with your own language skills.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The following points will help you while you edit.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Adjectives deaden.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span>“Show, don’t tell,” is the old axiom.<span style=""> </span>Adjectives, words such as <i style="">pretty, good, best, important</i>, do not tell the listeners much about your subject.<span style=""> </span>They just tell the audience how you feel about the subject.<span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Have you ever asked your kid how school was and all you receive in return is a reply of “good?”<span style=""> </span>Of course you have.<span style=""> </span>All parents have.<span style=""> </span>Why is this common answer so frustrating?<span style=""> </span>Because, what we want to learn are the hows and whys of our children’s days, not just that they are good or bad or awright.<span style=""> </span>Your audience is no different.<span style=""> </span>An over-reliance on adjectives keeps your listeners from going on the thinking journey with you.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Awaken the senses.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span>Can you see, taste, feel what you are trying to say?<span style=""> </span>If you cannot, neither can your listeners.<span style=""> </span>The noun <i style="">happiness</i> is just a word, an abstraction, an idea.<span style=""> </span>It is no stronger than an adjective.<i style=""><span style=""> </span>A warm puppy, coffee served in bed, a phone call from an old friend,</i> those are all concrete ingredients that make up the experience of happiness.<span style=""> </span>By replacing telling words, adjectives and abstractions, with concrete details, that is showing words, your listeners experience your speech.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Public groping is distasteful.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span>When you have got something to say, say it!<span style=""> </span>Do not stand in front of all, reaching for meaning as you try to clarify your position.<span style=""> </span>Phrases such as, “What I’d like to say…” and “What I’m trying to get across today is….” only tell the audience that you do not understand your own message.<span style=""> </span>By having chosen a subject and focus that you believe in, you can avoid these trust-killing phrases and stick with the concrete details audiences thrive in.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Confidence.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span>Before your listeners can believe in you, you must believe in yourself.<span style=""> </span>Saying, “I feel that…” or “In my opinion it’s clear that …” weakens both you and your message.<span style=""> </span>If you do not feel it, do not say it.<span style=""> </span>Your audience understands that what you say is what you believe.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">If you need to share someone else’s thoughts, attribute them to that person so that your own message maintains its integrity.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Which sentence is the strongest from the following four examples?</span><i style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span>The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an underrated band.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span>I believe that the Red Hot Chili Peppers are an underrated band.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span>You need to understand that The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an underrated band.<o:p><br /></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span>He feels The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an underrated band.</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">The first sentence is the most powerful since it is stated as a fact.<span style=""> </span>There is no belief, no feeling, no wiggle room involved in the declaration.<span style=""> </span>When speaking this is the most effective format to follow.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Stop on and ons.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span>Many of my students love to use etc… This is wrong.<span style=""> </span>When you want to give a list, give the list.<span style=""> </span>Then stop that list concisely with your final item.<span style=""> </span>Your listeners do not need to hear “etcetera” or “and so on.”<span style=""> </span>Keep your message clear, by just sticking to your message.<span style=""> </span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Repeat by repeating.</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;"><span style=""> </span>During your introduction and your closing you will wish to restate your thesis.<span style=""> </span>Also, throughout your speech you will need to reinforce your speech’s main ideas and theme.<span style=""> </span>However, it is important for you to do so without muddying your words with things like “Let me reiterate now…” and “Once again, I need to stress…”<span style=""> </span>When you need to restate, do it.<span style=""> </span>Do not ask for permission, do not explain.<span style=""> </span>If your message is clear and strong, your listeners will be smart enough to follow.<span style=""> </span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">In the next <i style="">OnWords</i>, our final installment in the public speaking series, we will go over rehearsal techniques and tips for the actual presentation.<span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Until then,<span style=""> </span><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">Happy editing,<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: yellow;">AG</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;">This article was originally published in <i>The <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Jakarta</st1:place></st1:City></st1:city></st1:place></st1:place></st1:city> Post.</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419582361396916279noreply@blogger.com0