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Personality of the year

Mikhail Monko, principal of State Educational Institution Secondary School at the

Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Istanbul, Turkey: Not to know isnt a

shame, but not to learn is

State Educational Institution Secondary School at the Consulate General of the Russian

Federation in Istanbul was founded in 1988 as a branch of Secondary school at the Embassy

of Russia in Ankara, Turkey. In 2007 it was converted into Secondary school but it started its

full existence in 2011 after the complete refurbishment with the active support of the Consulate

General and under the strict control of its principal, a teacher of Physics Mikhail Monko. And

since then the school has been showing good results both in studying and in creative

development of children. To know our hero better we offered him a traditional short interview

-What is your job for you?

- Earlier my job was my life but now I consider it as a means of

subsistence.

-What is your recent achievement?

- Achievements can be different. For instance, when your student

begins to understand something he didnt understand before. Or

when a person was indifferent to Physics but then he becomes

interested in it and even like it. As for me, achievements manifest

themselves in successes. On Friday we are having a concert

devoted to Teachers Day. If it goes well and you do your best

while dancing, this will be one more achievement for me.

-There are successes and disappointments in our life. How

do you overcome failures?

- I find it really hard. I always worry and suffer when something

goes wrong. When I was young, to cope with these feelings was

almost impossible as I used to take everything too close to my

heart. But now I try to understand my defects and accept all of

them treating such situations adequately. I suppose I am a

happy person. Well, luck accompanies me, I guess. But my

horoscope says that to become happy I must work. So my work

is everything for me.

-What feelings would you like to experience?

- I felt different emotions the birth of my child, meeting new

peopleSomebody asked me whether I would like to live my life

again. My answer is no way. I dont want to make the same

mistakes. It may sound strange but pain awakens much stronger

emotions in me than any positive moments of my life.

-Do you like planning your future or do you prefer living the

present moment?

- Speaking about my job, only planning. Some years ago Iplanned my future. But eventually our life has become

unpredictable. If earlier I knew I would get to the shore, now I try

not to drown.

-What kind of people are you interested in?

- I know a lot of people with interesting personalities. Of course, I

advise everyone to develop themselves constantly as it helps you to

meet unusual and versatile people. I find it interesting to dive into

other peoples souls. I have various interests. Speaking about poetry,

I admire Yesenin, Baratynski, Fyodorov, Asadov. They really inspire

me.

- All intellectual people have their favourite aphorism. And you?

- Yes, of course. I have lots of them. In my young years it was The

road is managed by walking. I also really like this one Not to know

isnt a shame, but not to learn is.

Work of a school in the contemporary world demands from every

teacher not only full performance, high ability to work, patience,

pedagogical tact, but also an active life position. Mikhail Monko has

been the principal of this school for the fifth year. During this period

he managed to create such an atmosphere that both teachers and

students feel very comfortable here. A high level of teaching is

combined with the excitement of studying.

For many years of hard work and contribution to the development of

education of Russia Mikhail Monko has been awarded the title of

Honored Worker of initial vocational education. But the main

constituents of his success are a good contact with students and his

ability to find a common language with them, not only at Physics, so

that they could study with diligence and soul. And then one day

somewhere in the street he is approached by a person who seems

unknown to him (but this is a former student who is now grown-up

and maybe famous). And this person starts expressing gratitude for

the knowledge he/she has. This is what counts as the highest

appraisal of teachers work!

Anastasia Oznoyan,

10th

Form


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3

Do you know that

BRITISH SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

SCHOOL SYSTEM

There have been great changes in the educational system in

Great Britain since 1988. A few education acts have been issued

(from 1988 to 1994) to raise standards at all ability levels, to give

parents a wider choice of schools and to make further and higher

education more economically available to large numbers of people.

All children and young people between the age of 5 and 16 must get

full-time education. Over 90 per cent of all school children attend

schools maintained from public funds (state schools). Althoughoverall responsibility rests with central government, most of these

schools are financed and maintained by Local Education Authorities

(LEAs). Education at these schools is free. Every publicly maintained

school has a governing body which includes members appointed by

LEAs, teachers and parents. Besides this state system of education

there are also fee-paying independent schools - private and church

(for about seven per cent of children). Both types of schools are

subject to official inspection. Boys and girls are taught together at

most primary schools and more than 80 per cent of pupils at state

secondary schools attend mixed schools (in Northern Ireland it is

less, in Scotland almost all secondary schools are coeducational).

Most independent schools for younger pupils are mixed but the

majority of private secondary schools are single-sex. The tendency,

however, is towards more mixed education. School uniforms are

worn in most private schools and at many state secondary schools

(especially Grammar schools). Children at some primary schools

wear uniforms too, but parents vote about them. Almost all stateschools are day schools which have classes from Monday to Friday.

The school day usually begins between 8 and 9 a.m. and ends

around 4 p.m. It includes a fairly long morning and afternoon break

and about an hours lunch break. The school year in England and

Wales normally begins in early September and ends in the following

July (Scotland varies a bit). The year is divided into three "terms".

The first term lasts from September till Christmas, the second one

from January till Easter and the last one from April till July. There are

some holidays between terms. Students and pupils have usually six

weeks holidays in summer. The state system of education is divided

into four stages: pre-school and primary education, secondary

education, further education and higher education. PRE-SCHOOL

EDUCATION Pre-school education is provided by nursery schools.In England over one half of three- and four-year olds attend school

and many other children attend pre-school playgroups, mostly

organized by parents. (In Wales more than 70 per cent do so, while

in Northern Ireland only about 15 per cent, but about 45 per cent

start their compulsory schooling at 4). There are not enough state

nursery schools in Britain and people have campaigned for a long

time to get more opened. There are private nurseries but these are

expensive and a lot of families cannot afford them. Children start at 9

a.m. and finish at 3 p.m., they have their lunch at school and usually

a rest in the afternoon. They play, paint, dance and sing and do the

same things that all little children do. They do not have proper

lessons.

PRIMARY EDUCATION

Primary education is provided by primary schools. The working day

begins at 9 a.m. and usually finishes at 3.30 p.m. Compulsory

education begins at 5 (at 4 in Northern Ireland), when children go to

infant schools or departments (5 - 7). The infant school has its own

building and playground and is next to the junior school, with its own

building and playground. So, although you move up into junior school

at 7 you do not have to change completely. There are usually about

35 children in a class and, in the infant school, as well as a teacher,

there is usually a teacher's assistant. Also mothers (and

occasionally, fathers) often go into the Infant Schools to help with

painting, reading and practical lessons. Emphasis in the infant school

is on learning through experience, through drawing, painting, musicalactivities, movement and play. Children learn to read, write a little

and do simple counting. Classrooms are bright and cheerful with

children's work displayed on the walls and books, games and a

computer in each classroom. The children usually sit in groups at

tables and have drawers to keep their work in. At 7 many children

move to junior school or departments, where the work is more

systematic. Children learn English, maths, science and technology,

geography and religious knowledge. A lot of learning is done through

project or topic work, with an emphasis on children finding things out

for themselves. They also learn about the environment and, of

course, do art, music and P.E. Children have the same teacher for

one year and she teaches nearly all of the lessons in the class.

Perhaps another teacher has them once a week for music orphysical training. The government is discussing changing this so that

there are more specialist teachers in the Junior Schools. The

children would then have different teachers for different lessons. The

usual age for transfer from primary school to secondary school is 11

(12 in Scotland).

SECONDARY EDUCATION

At the age of 11 pupils transfer from primary school to secondary

school. About 90 per cent of state secondary school pupils go to

Comprehensive schools. These were introduced in 1960s and the

word "comprehensive" means all-inclusive. Most of these schools

are very large and vary in size, 900 to 1,500 pupils is the most

common. They take children of all abilities and provide a wide rangeof secondary education, both academic and practical, for all or most

of the children in a district within the 11- to 18- age range (12 to 18 in

Scotland). About four per cent of children attend Grammar Schools

which they enter at the age of 11 on the basis of their abilities.

Grammar Schools offer a mainly academic education for the 11 to 18


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4

or 19-year age group. Six per cent of children attend Secondary

Modern Schools which provide a more general education up to the

age of 16, although pupils can stay beyond the minimum leaving

age. At the age of 16 students may leave secondary school and

enter some type of training courses. 65 % of all children leave the

secondary school.

FURTHER EDUCATION

All 16- and 17-years olds are guaranteed a place in full-time

education or training and all suitable qualified people are encouraged

to go into higher education. Almost 65 per cent of young peoplereceive some form of further education (after the age of 16). Further

education is provided both by the top two classes of a

comprehensive and grammar school and by independent six-form

colleges or tertiary colleges. Six-form colleges are schools which

provide academic and non-academic education beyond the GCSE

(General Certificate of Secondary Education), while tertiary colleges

offer a range of full-time and part-time vocational courses as well as

more academic ones. Many students attend college part-time, either

by day or block release from employment or in the evening. When

students leave secondary school at the age of 18, they can enter

either - training courses or universities.

NATIONAL CURRICULUM FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

EDUCATION

In order to raise educational standards, the Government has

introduced the National Curriculum in state schools in England and

Wales and has given school education of 14- to 18-years olds a

more practical basis. The object is to make the education more

relevant to the working environment and to improve skills in science,

technology and modern languages. Pupils in their last year of

compulsory schooling are encouraged to undertake a period of work

experience as part of their education. Previously, many students had

tended to specialize too early, dropping important subjects like

science, technology and foreign languages. The National Curriculum

defines four key stages, and ten statutory subjects:

key stage 1 age 5-7 (infants)key stage 2 age 7-11 (juniors)

key stage 3 age 11-14 (PRE-GCSE)

key stage 4 age 14-16 (preparation for GCSE)

The three "core" subjects are English, mathematics and science and

there are seven other "foundation" subjects - information technology,

history, geography, music, art, physical education and modern

foreign languages (in Wales Welsh is also a core or foundation

subject). All children in key stages 1 to 3 must study the first nine of

these subjects. In key 3 stage they must also study a modern foreign

language (pupils in Wales must also study Welsh). Pupils aged 14 to

16 must currently study the core subjects, technology, a modern

foreign language and physical education plus either history or

geography or short courses in both. Parents must be sent an annualreport on their child's progress at school, including assessment and

examination results. Also not part of the National Curriculum,

religious education for all pupils, and sex education for pupils in the

secondary phase are statutory requirements. All schools must hold

daily collective worship. Parents have the right to withdraw their

children from both religious education and sex education classes,

and from collective worship. The curriculum in Scotland and Northern

Ireland is only slightly different.

QUALIFICATION

The main qualification taken by secondary pupils at around the age

of 16 is the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). If

the results are good pupils can stay on and prepare other two yearsfor A-examination. The General Certificate of Education (GCE)

Advanced (A) level is normally taken after other two years of study in

two or three subjects. GCE A level is currently the main standard for

entrance to higher education and many forms of professional

training. This examination is marked by a board, which is connected

with universities. Three good A levels mean that the student has a

chance to go to university or some other form of higher education.

The Government would like to see more schools offer vocational

qualifications; therefore it has introduced a new type of vocational

qualification - the General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ)

which will provide pupils an alternative to the more traditional GCEs

and A levels. The Scottish system is slightly different.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

About seven per cent of children attend independent or private

schools not funded by the state. These schools charge high tuitionfees of about 4,000 a term for senior boarding pupils, but many offer

scholarships. Independent schools range from small kindergartens to

large day and boarding schools and from new experimental schools

to ancient foundations. Around 550 independent schools for pupils

aged 11 to 19 are commonly known as "public" schools, although

they receive no state funding. Most independent schools for younger

pupils are mixed, but the majority of private secondary schools are

single-sex. Most schools require school uniforms. Public schools

accept pupils at the age of about 13 and Preparatory schools (called

"prep" schools) prepare children for entry to the public schools.

Names of some of the most outstanding public schools together with

the date of their foundation are: Eton (close to Windsor, 1440),

Harrow (London, 1571), Winchester (1382), Rugby (1567),

Shrewsbury (1552), Westminster (London, 1560), St. Paul's (London,

1509, day-school). These schools are very old but there are others

which are even older: St. Peter's (York, 627) and St. Alban's

(Hertfordshire, 948). Most public schools are boarding schools and

they have about 500 pupils but Eton is much larger. Some public

schools are called "Colleges" (Eton College, Winchester College).

Although many independent schools follow the National Curriculum,

their students do not have to pass tests. The quality of individual

schools varies, but very often the most prestigious schools are very

good.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Around 30 per cent of all young people in Britain go into full-time

higher education. Higher education covers all post-school courses

above GCE A level standard. Higher education institutions include

universities, teacher training colleges and other colleges of

technology, art, and profession allied to medicine. Britain has 89

universities, including the Open University, and 70 other HE

institutions. All these institutions enjoy complete academic freedom,

which includes appointing their own staff and deciding which

students to admit, what and how to teach and which degree to

award. British universities can be divided into three groups: Oxford

(1167) and Cambridge (1229) - the oldest and most famous

universities. In Scotland there are St. Andrews (1411), Glasgow

(1451), Aberdeen (1494) and Edinburgh (1583) "Redbrick

universities" which were founded in 19th century - London (1836),

Manchester (1851), Wales (1893). Universities opened in 20thcentury, mostly after 1960 - Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Reading,

Nottingham, Exeter, Sussex, York. There are also new universities in

Scotland such as Strathclyde in Glasgow, Herriot-Watt in Edinburgh,

Dundee and Stirling. There were two waves of opening new

universities after World War II. One in the 1960s when such

universities as Sussex in Brighton, York (both 1963), Warwick in

Coventry, Kent in Canterbury were established. The other wave

came in the 1990s when 39 new universities were created. The

Open University is Britain's main distance-learning institution for

adults (established in 1969). No formal academic qualifications are

required to enroll in undergraduate courses, but the standards of its

degrees and other qualifications are as high as other universities.

Most university courses last between two and four years. Sandwichcourses, which include a period of work experience outside the

institution, can extend the length of the course by up to a year, and

medical and veterinary courses require five or six years. Although

most students take degree courses, some are on sub-degree

courses such as Higher National Diploma (HND) or Diploma in


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Higher Education (Dip HE). Students,

who start to study at university, are called

"undergraduates". Degree titles vary

according to the practice of each

university. A Bachelor's degree (Bachelor

of Arts - B.A., Bachelor of Science -

B.Sc.) is given to students who pass

examinations at the end of three or four

years of study. Bachelors are called

"graduates" and they can study further to

get Master's Degree. The Master's

degree (Master of Arts - M.A., Master of Science - M.Sc.) may be

obtained by attending a postgraduate course or by writing a paper, or

thesis. The degree of Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) is given for a

thesis both in humanities and science (e. g. Ph.D., in Physics,

English, History, etc.). A medical student can either take his

wholetraining in the medical school of a teaching hospital, or

complete his training in hospital after taking a degree. Those who do

not want to study at universities can be trained in some training

courses (in nursing, secretaries, banking, accountancy,

manufacturing or service industry).

STUDENT FINANCES

Over 90 per cent of full-time higher education students are eligible

for non-repayable maintenance and tuition grants from public funds.

Parents contribute to maintenance costs according to income.

Government-funded student loans were introduced in 1990

throughout the UK as a way of sharing student support more fairly

between graduates, parents and the taxpayers.

AMERICAN SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND TYPES OF SCHOOLS

In the U.S.A. there is not a national system of education; it is mainly

the responsibility of the individual states. Although the FederalGovernment often gives money to schools, it exercises very little

control over administration or curriculum. Each of 50 states has its

own school system and every state wants young people to go to

school. The age limits vary 7 to 16 or 6 to 18. Every child gets

minimum 13 years of education regardless to child's race, religion,

sex, learning problems, physical handicap or ability to speak English.

Education is different in various areas of the U.S.A. and there are

usually grades 1-12. All schools are controlled by an elected local

body known as the "school board and by the city and state in which

the school is located. Therefore there is quite a large difference

between schools in different cities and states. The majority of all

schools are public schools, i.e. publicly owned schools, financed by

state or local governments. These schools are free. (Public schools

in the USA never mean private schools as they do in England). Then

there are also private schools which charge high tuition fees and this

is why usually only children from rich families attend these schools.

But nearly all private schools offer scholarships. Only those private

schools which are financed by various religious groups or

organizations are, however, much cheaper. All public schools are

mixed schools (coeducational - for boys and girls), some private or

church schools remain single-sex. School attendance is compulsory

in the United States between 6 and 16 and the system of education

is divided into pre-school and elementary, secondary and higher

education.

SCHOOL YEAR, EVALUATION

Almost all state schools are day-schools which have classes from

Mondays to Fridays. The beginning of the school year varies in each

state from mid-August to mid-September and the school year ends in

May or June. At some schools the school year is usually divided into

three terms - fall, spring and summer - similarly as at British schools,at other schools into quarters. After each term or quarter children get

a report card which informs their parents about their results at

school, and at the end of the school year they get a transcript. Marks

in most US schools are:

A (excellent)

B (superior, above average)

C (satisfactory)

D (passing grade)

E (completely unsatisfactory).

The school day usually starts between 8 and 9

a.m. and ends at around 3 p.m. It includes a

lunch break and sometimes free hours during

the day. School uniforms are worn only atprivate schools.

PRE-SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

Pre-school and elementary education includes nursery schools and

kindergartens which are for children at the age of 4-6. Most of them

are private. Many public schools have kindergartens attached, for the

age group between 5 and 6. These kindergartens do not charge any

money. Compulsory education starts at the age of 6. Both

elementary and secondary education is comprehensive in the U.S.A.

- it means that there is no selection for various types of schools

(every school learns the same subjects). Years are called "Grades"

in the U.S.A. Elementary school lasts between 6 and 11 years of

age. It is from the first till the fifth grade. The children at elementaryschools learn to read, write, and do arithmetic, elementary science,

history, geography, arts and crafts, physical education and music.

The atmosphere at elementary schools is usually friendly. Teachers

keep to the idea that children's happiness and interest are the two

most important things.

SECONDARY EDUCATION

Secondary education is based on the ideal of mass education with

equal opportunity for all. Over 90 per cent of students continue in

school until the age of 18. Secondary education is provided by

Middle Schools (from 11 to 14 years of age - sixth, seventh and

eighth grade) in the areas where they exist, or by High Schools

which are often divided into Junior High School (at the age 11 to 14 -sixth to eighth grade) and Senior High School (at the age of 15 to 18

- ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade). Where the population is

very big, Junior and Senior High schools can be separate

institutions. In large towns or communities there may be a wide

choice of secondary schools. In some places you may have the

opportunity to attend a specialized school, such as a school for

science, a school for the performing arts or a high school for the

navy, or to go to the central high school in the area. If a student

chooses to remain at the central high school, he or she, again, may

have an opportunity to choose among a variety of subjects from

traditional ones such as English, modern languages, mathematics,

science, history, geography, civics, physical education and from

many elective subjects (European history, world political issues,Business education, Foreign languages, Music, Driver education,

Health, Computer skills, home management, Black history). Some

schools may also offer different programs of study; some give an

opportunity to choose a level of academic study which is known as a

"track". The entrance to the most difficult programs or tracks, usually


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6

academic, depends upon what one would like to study in the future

and upon one's marks which are also called in the USA "grades". If

one has high grades and is interested in a certain field of study, one

may enter the higher class, such as advanced biology or physics. On

the other hand it is possible to study all subjects, but the level of

instruction will not be as high. Students should take on average 17

subjects during their studies. Those who want to enter university

should take over 20 subjects. High schools generally organize much

activity outside the classroom; many of them have football,

basketball and baseball teams, an orchestra, a choir or a jazz band,

and various clubs and societies. High schools in the USA are

comprehensive, coeducational secondary schools. The secondary

school system does not include specialized vocational schools as in

the Czech Republic, but some high schools may offer specialized

courses or subjects, such as business, computer science, running a

shop, or music and film appreciation.

QUALIFICATION

The basic school leaving qualification after successful completion of

a broad secondary school curriculum is High School Diploma given

to students (18) by the individual school or local school district. After

passing an examination General Education Diploma (GED) is

awarded but it is very exceptional. There is no national school-

leaving examination in the U.S.A. but there is a national examinationused to help to select students for college or university entrance - the

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) which is taken in English and

Mathematics.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Higher education is extremely competitive and selective. About one

third of high school graduates go on for some "higher education".

The system of higher education consists of following institutions:

A/ THE TWO-YEAR OR COMMUNITY COLLEGES These schools

provide continuing general, vocational and semi-professional

education for people with a High School Diploma. After two years

graduates are awarded Associate of Arts (AA) degree.

B/ VO-TECHS (VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS) Theyoffer vocational and technical education in the courses from 6

months to 2 years. After finishing them people usually take an

employment

C/ UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES Colleges provide

undergraduate education leading to the bachelor's degree while

universities provide both undergraduate and graduate education

leading to the master's and doctor's degrees. Successful applicants

are usually chosen on the basis of their high school transcripts and

recommendation from their high school teachers. But it is not enough

to have a high school diploma and an interview to be admitted to

some universities and colleges.

There are two tests which are used

by universities as standards forcomparison: the Scholastic

Aptitude Test (SAT), which

measures aptitudes in verbal and

mathematical fields and the

American College Testing program

(ACT), which measures skills in

English, mathematics, and the

social and natural sciences.

Foreign applicants must pass the TOEFL test (Test Of English as a

Foreign Language). Most universities and colleges offer courses of 4

years for undergraduates (the first-year student = Freshman, the

second-year = Sophomore, the third-year = Junior, the fourth-year =

Senior). Bachelor's Degree (Bachelor of Arts - B.A., Bachelor of

Science - B.Sc.) is given to students after successful completion of

four years' study. Some universities and post-graduate colleges

award also Master's Degrees usually after other one to three years of

study (Master of Arts - M.A., Master of Science - M.Sc.) and Doctoral

Degrees after two to five years of study. Every university has its own

curriculum. On the average, only about half of the bachelor degree

students complete full four-year courses. Undergraduate students

must select their "major ", the field in which they want to get their

degree, plus a certain number of "electives" or one "minor" subject.

The U.S.A. has both state universities funded by the individual

states, and private universities (25%). The oldest and the most

respected universities are usually private. Harvard, Yale and

Princeton - the best universities - form so-called "Ivy League". Tuition

fees are rather high at American universities, especially at private

ones, and federal loans are not very big. That is why a majority of the

students take on part-time jobs. It is possible to say that within the

US educational system anyone can study anything at any age.

INTERESTING FACTS

Japanese and South Korean kids are the best in the world

at science and maths.

American adults have spent more time than anyone in education .

There are 22 countries where more than half the population

is illiterate. Fifteen of them are inAfrica.

More than half of Indonesia's primary school teachers are under

30years of age .

Teaching salaries in Switzerland start at $US 33,000.

Kids in Mali spend only 2 years in school. More than half of

them start working between the ages of 10 and 14. Central European men dont teach. In Hungary, the Czech

Republic, and Slovakia, over 75 percent of lower secondary

teachers are female.

Longest published word is

Methionylglutaminylarginyltyrosylglutamyl...serine(1909 letters)

Longest word in a major dictionary is

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis(45 letters)

Longest unchallenged nontechnical word is

floccinaucinihilipilification(29 letters)

The shortest word in the English language that contains all five

main vowels is eunoia (6 letters) which means "beautiful thinking"

or denotes a normal mental state.

The most common English nouns found in writing around the

world are 'time', 'person' and 'year'.

The youngest headmaster in the world is Babar Ali at the age of

16, the Raj Govinda school, West Bengal.

The oldest student was Kimani Maruge from Nairobi, who at the

age of 80 studied in the 4th form.

Michael Kearney is the youngest college student, who enrolled at

Santa Rosa Junior College when he was only 6 years, 7 months

old, and the world's youngest university graduate at the age of

ten, receiving abachelor's degree in Major anthropology and

Minor geology/geography from the University of South Alabama.

The longest school year in the world is in Norway. It runs from mid

August to late June.

The first University in the World was Bologna which was founded

in Northern Italy, almost 1000 years ago, in 1088. The biggest school in the world is the Rizal High School in

Caniogan, India, which has over 33,000 students, and the last

known head count was in 2008.

The smallest school in the world is an elementary school near

Sanhe in Southern China that boasts just one solitary pupil and

one 61 year old teacher called Li, who teaches all the core

subjects himself, including maths, Chinese, Korean, History,

Geography and P.E.

The largest university in the world is the Allama Iqbal Open

University in Islamabad (Pakistan) which has a staggering 1.8

million students! Thats the population of the whole of Northern

Ireland.

The longest lesson lasted 54 hours. It was taught by a professorof Biology in Australia, 2003.

The person who studied the longest was Robert Cronin who spent

52 years on his education finishing at the age of 72.Alexander Khublaryan,

8th

Form


7/17

7

What university to choose?

The Times Higher EducationWorld University Rankings powered by Thomson Reuters are the only global university performance tables to judge

world class universities across all of their core missions - teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. The top universities

rankings employ 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons available, which

are trusted by students, academics, university leaders, industry and governments.

Times Higher Education world reputation rankings

2013Rank

2012Rank

2011Rank

Institution Country

1 1 1 Harvard University US

2 2 2 Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology

US

3 3 3 University of Cambridge UK

4 6 6 University of Oxford UK

5 5 4 University of California,Berkeley

US

6 4 5 Stanford University US

7 7 7 Princeton University US8 9 12 University of California,

Los AngelesUS

9 8 8 University of Tokyo Japan

10 10 9 Yale University US

11 11 10 California Institute ofTechnology

US

12 12 13 University of Michigan US

13 15 23 Columbia University US

14 14 15 University of Chicago US

14 13 11 Imperial College London UK

16 16 17 University of Toronto Canada17 16 16 Cornell University US

18 19 22 University of Pennsylvania US

19 18 14 Johns Hopkins University US

20 21 19 University College London UK

20 22 24 Swiss Federal Institute ofTechnology Zrich

Switzerland

22 23 27 National University ofSingapore

Singapore

23 20 18 Kyoto University Japan

24 23 21 University of Illinois at

Urbana Champaign

US

25 29 37 London School ofEconomics and PoliticalScience

UK

26 37 28 Carnegie Mellon US


2013Rank

2012Rank

2011Rank

Institution Country

University

27 32 31 University of Texas atAustin

US

27 28 26 University of Washington US

29 34 51-60 New York University US

30 27 25 University of Wisconsin-Madison

US

31 25 31 University of British

Columbia

Canada

31 33 36 Duke University US

31 25 29 McGill University Canada

34 36 30 University of California,San Diego

US

35 30 35 Tsinghua University China

36 39 42 The University of HongKong

Hong Kong

37 35 40 Northwestern University US

38 41 39 Georgia Institute ofTechnology

US

39 43 45 University of Melbourne Australia40 31 34 University of California,

San FranciscoUS

41 51-60 51-60 Seoul National University Korea,Republic Of

42 44 51-60 Australian NationalUniversity

Australia

42 39 19 University ofMassachusetts

US

44 42 48 Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitt Mnchen

Germany

45 38 43 Peking University China

46 49 45 University of Edinburgh UK47 51-60 61-70 University of Manchester UK

48 44 38 University of California,Davis

US


8/17

8


2013Rank

2012Rank

2011Rank

Institution Country

49 50 51-60 The University of Sydney Australia

50 Lomonosov Moscow StateUniversity

RussianFederation

50 47 47 Purdue University US

51-60 51-60 49 Delft University ofTechnology

Netherlands

51-60 61-70 71-80 cole PolytechniqueFdrale de Lausanne

Switzerland

51-60 91-100 Middle East TechnicalUniversity

Turkey

51-60 47 43 University of Minnesota US

51-60 46 41 University of NorthCarolina at Chapel Hill

US

51-60 51-60 51-60 The Ohio State University US

51-60 51-60 50 Osaka University Japan

51-60 51-60 61-70 Pennsylvania StateUniversity US

51-60 51-60 51-60 University of California,Santa Barbara

US

51-60 61-70 81-90 National Taiwan University Taiwan

61-70 61-70 91-100 The Hong Kong Universityof Science and Technology

Hong Kong

61-70 51-60 51-60 Karolinska Institute Sweden

61-70 61-70 61-70 King's College London UK

61-70 81-90 91-100 Korea Advanced Instituteof Science and Technology

Korea,Republic Of

61-70 81-90 81-90 Leiden University Netherlands

61-70 61-70 University of So Paulo Brazil

61-70 61-70 71-80 University of SouthernCalifornia

US

61-70 61-70 61-70 Technische UniversittMnchen

Germany

61-70 51-60 51-60 Tohoku University Japan

61-70 51-60 51-60 Tokyo Institute ofTechnology

Japan

71-80 61-70 Hebrew University ofJerusalem

Israel

71-80 61-70 71-80 Humboldt-Universitt zuBerlin

Germany


2013Rank

2012Rank

2011Rank

Institution Country

71-80 81-90 81-90 Katholieke UniversiteitLeuven

Belgium

71-80 71-80 71-80 Michigan State University US

71-80 81-90 91-100 Nanyang Technological

University

Singapore

71-80 71-80 Universit Paris-Sorbonne France

71-80 61-70 51-60 University of Pittsburgh US

71-80 71-80 81-90 The University ofQueensland Australia

Australia

71-80 71-80 81-90 Universitt Heidelberg Germany

81-90 71-80 81-90 University of Amsterdam Netherlands

81-90 91-100 61-70 Boston University US

81-90 81-90 Brown University US

81-90 81-90 The Chinese University ofHong Kong

Hong Kong

81-90 91-100 61-70 cole Polytechnique France81-90 81-90 61-70 University of Florida US

81-90 The University of NewSouth Wales

Australia

81-90 91-100 Universit Pierre et MarieCurie

France

81-90 91-100 71-80 Rutgers, The StateUniversity of New Jersey

US

81-90 71-80 71-80 Utrecht University Netherlands

81-90 71-80 71-80 Washington University inSt Louis

US

91-100 91-100 81-90 University of Bristol UK

91-100 Freie Universitt Berlin Germany

91-100 81-90 71-80 Lund University Sweden

91-100 University of Maryland,College Park

US

91-100 Monash University Australia

91-100 91-100 Universit Paris-Sud France

91-100 71-80 81-90 Texas A&M University US

91-100 71-80 61-70 Uppsala University Sweden

91-100 91-100 Wageningen Universityand Research Center

Netherlands

Nobody will deny that education is certainly something very important in todays world. Every person must get very good education to earn

good money and to be a person who uses his/her life to the fullest extent. In the contemporary world it is a highly debatable question where the

most prestigious universities are.

Some people reckon that you can get qualitative higher education only in Europe and in the USA giving the following arguments. Firstly,

they consider that Russian universities are full of corruption and teachers dont worry about pupils knowledge. However, have you ever

wondered why so many world inventions and discoveries have been made by Russian people? Moreover, the vast majority of prominent

scientists working nowadays abroad have finished Russian schools and graduated from universities in Russia. Does it ring a bell? Secondly, it is

widely accepted that all the best on Earth can be obtained only abroad: the best job, the highest salary, the biggest house and also the most

prestigious education. But as a famous Russian writer Alexander Griboyedov said in his comedy Woe from Wit, Well, where is the better

place? A place we dont find ourselves in.

All these arguments seem to me not strong enough to make the same conclusion. I honestly support the opinion that there are many

qualitative universities in Russia and if people really want to get good education they can achieve their goals both in Russia and abroad.Wouldnt

you agree that youd better not follow the general opinion but choose rather a particular university than a country?

Maria Erkhova,

11th

Form


9/17

9

They are so different

but still we love them

Right from the time we embark on our education trip we come

across different types of teachers. Some are friendly, some are strict,

and some are the ones we idolize. Students begin to like teachers

according to their own individual preferences. They even classify

their teachers into different categories, such as Friendly Teachers,

Lenient Teachers, Strict Teachers, Funny Teachers, Ideal Teachers

and Ice-Brakers. All these classifications for teachers are based on

some typical personality traits of the teachers. For example, some

teachers constantly criticize the students, some act like friends,

some are fun to be with and so on. Let us explore them in details.

Friendly Teacher

A friendly teacher, as the very term suggests, acts like a friend for

his/her students. A teacher-friend, in fact, combines both the

guidance of a teacher and the understanding of a friend. We all, at

some point of time, aspire for an understanding teacher. Such a

teacher acts like our friend, philosopher and guide.

Funny Teacher

A funny teacher is like a God-sent to the students. Such a teacher

always wants to see his/her students smile and makes learning a

pleasurable experience. They are not clumsy, as most people think

them to be. Rather, they are witty and bring in humor in the mostsubtle form.

Ideal TeacherAn ideal teacher is the one we respect from our heart. He/she acts

as a guide to the students, while not pushing them too much. Such a

perfect teacher motivates them and boosts their morale. He/she tries

to encourage students and refrains from criticizing them.

Lenient TeacherA lenient teacher is easygoing and takes things as they come.

He/she is not overly finicky about things, such as doing homework on

time or not sitting quietly in the class, etc. Such teachers very well

realize that being strict with a child can only make him/her

withdrawn. However, this does not mean that one can do anything in

the class of a pampering teacher.

Strict Teacher

A strict teacher is very tough on students. He/she always insists on

adhering to the deadlines. Such a teacher dislikes any mistakes or

carelessness on the part of the students. Students have to be extra

cautious under such a teacher. He/she is like a disciplinarian, always

keeping students on their toes.

Ice-Breakers

An ice-breaking teacher aims mainly at creating comfortable

atmosphere at lessons. He/she is an expert in breaking down social

formality and stiffness thus eliminating awkwardness of studentswhen answering. Even if you are very shy, you wont be afraid and

embarrassed of expressing yourself at the lesson of such a teacher

as he/she makes future progress more accessible. It is he/she who

paves the way.

Youre so much more than just a

TEACHER

You are a counselor and psychologist to a problem-filled child,

You are a policeofficer that controls a child gone wild.

You are a travel agent scheduling our trips for the year,

You are a confidant that wipes a crying childs tear.

You are a banker collecting money for a ton of different things,

You are a librarian showing adventures that a storybook brings.

You are a custodian that has to clean certain little messes,

You are a psychic that learns to know all that everybody only

guesses.

You are a photographer keeping pictures of a childs early growth,

When mother and father have gone for the whole day, you become

both.

You are a doctor that detects when a child is feeling sick,

You are a politician that must know the laws and recognize a trick.

You are a party-planner for holidays to celebrate with all,

You are a decorator of a classroom filling every wall.

You are a news reporter updating our nations current events,

You are a detective solving small mysteries and ending all

suspense.You are a clown and comedian that makes the children laugh,

You are a dietitian assuring they have lunch or from yours you give

them half.

When we seem to stray from values, you become a preacher,

But youre proud to have to be these people because

You are a real TEACHER!

Horoscope for Teachers

There are different types of horoscopes in the world. But

nobody has compiled such one for teachers. Weve decided to

correct this mistake.

Aries wont let you bleat at the blackboard. Tauruses are not

severe bulls but kind calves in their hearts. Geminis are lavish with

pairs grumbling What a childish babble? Cancers have very

tenacious pincers and they can keep you at the blackboard for a long

time. Leos roar but give you generous awards. For Virgo your

appearance and diligence are more important than the essence of

your answer. Libras are eager for the justice but their balance may

not be stable enough. Scorpio can sting you suddenly and youll find

a 2 in the school register at once. Saggitariuses shoot their arrows

with reprimands. If you can dodge them, Well done! To butt with

Capricorns is useless A teacher is always right! If you want to

have a dispute with Aquarius, always remember that you can beflooded with questions. And you should be silent if you go to the

bottom at the blackboard as Pisces like silence.


10/1710

Literature Spot

The name of the American writer

Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) is one of the

biggest names in science fiction today.

He is by far one of todays most widely

read authors.

Isaac Asimov was not only a

science fiction master. He was a

professor of biochemistry who received

a lot of awards for his scientific articlescovering a wide range of subjects. As a

popular lecturer and scientists he was

valued highly in the world of science.

Isaac Asimov also wrote stories and

articles on history, literature,

geography and humour.

His book include such classic works as I Robot, Guide to

Science, Before the Golden Age, Lucky Starr and the Pirates of

the Asteroids, The Kingdom of the Sun, The End of Eternity.

Asimovs imagination has remarkable adventures set in the

not-too-distant future adventures that could change from fiction to

fact any day now.

"The Fun They Had" is a science fiction story written by Isaac

Asimov. It first appeared in a children's newspaper in 1951 and was

reprinted in the February 1954 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy

and Science Fiction, as well as the collections Earth Is Room

Enough (1957), 50 Short Science Fiction Tales (1960), and The Best

of Isaac Asimov (1973). Written as a personal favour for a friend,

"The Fun They Had" became more popular than he expected. It is

the most anthologized of all Asimov's stories and has appeared in

many publications outside of the science fiction genre.

THE FUN THEY HAD

Margie even wrote about it that night in her diary. On the page

headed May 17, 2157, she wrote, "Today, Tommy found a real

book!"

It was a very old book. Margie's grandfather once said that

when he was a little boy his grandfather told him that there was a

time when all stories were printed on paper.

They turned the pages, which were yellow and crinkly, and it

was awfully funny to read words that stood still instead of moving the

way they were supposed to--on a screen, you know. And then, when

they turned back to the page before, it had the same words on it that

it had had when they read it the first time.

"Gee," said Tommy, "what a waste. When you're through with

the book, you just throw it away, I guess. Our television screen must

have had a million books on it and it's good for plenty more. I

wouldn't throw it away."

"Same with mine," said Margie. She was eleven and hadn'tseen as many telebooks as Tommy had. He was thirteen. She said,

"Where did you find it?"

"In my house." He pointed without looking, because he was

busy reading. "In the attic." "What's it about?" "School."

Margie was scornful. "School? What's there to write about

school? I hate school."

Margie always hated school, but now she hated it more than ever.

The mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in

geography and she had been doing worse and worse until her

mother had shaken her head sorrowfully and sent for the County

Inspector.

He was a round little man with a red face and a whole box of

tools with dials and wires. He smiled at Margie and gave her anapple, then took the teacher apart. Margie had hoped he wouldn't

know how to put it together again, but he knew how all right, and,

after an hour or so, there it was again, large and black and ugly, with

a big screen on which all the lessons were shown and the questions

were asked. That wasn't so bad. The part Margie hated most was the

slot where she had to put homework and test papers. She always

had to write them out in a punch code they made her learn when she

was six years old, and the mechanical teacher calculated the mark in

no time.

The Inspector had smiled after he was finished and patted

Margie's head. He said to her mother, "It's not the little girl's fault,

Mrs. Jones. I think the geography sector was geared a little too

quick. Those things happen sometimes. I've slowed it up to an

average ten-year level. Actually, the over-all pattern of her progress

is quite satisfactory." And he parted Margie's head again.

Margie was disappointed. She had been hoping they would

take the teacher away altogether. They had once taken Tommy's

teacher away for nearly a month because the history sector had

blanked out completely.

So she said to Tommy, "Why would anyone write about

school?"

Tommy looked at her with very superior eyes. "Because it's

not our kind of school, stupid. This is the old kind of school that they

had hundreds and hundreds of years ago." He added loftily,

pronouncing the word carefully, "Centuriesago."

Margie was hurt. "Well, I don't know what kind of school they

had all that time ago." She read the book over his shoulder for a

while, then said, "Anyway, they had a teacher."

"Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn't a regular teacher. It

was a man." "A man? How could a man be a teacher?" "Well, he just

told the boys and girls things and gave them homework and asked

them questions." "A man isn't smart enough." "Sure he is. My father

knows as much as my teacher." "He can't. A man can't know as

much as a teacher." "He knows almost as much, I bet you."

Margie wasn't prepared to dispute that. She said, "I wouldn't

want a strange man in my house to teach me."

Tommy screamed with laughter. "You don't know much,

Margie. The teachers didn't live in the house. They had a special

building and all the kids went there." "And all the kids learned the

same thing?" "Sure, if they were the same age.""But my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the

mind of each boy and girl it teaches and that each kid has to be

taught differently."

"Just the same they didn't do it that way then. If you don't like

it, you don't have to read the book."


11/1711

"I didn't say I didn't like it," Margie said quickly. She wanted to

read about those funny schools.

They weren't even half-finished when Margie's mother called,

"Margie! School!" Margie looked up. "Not yet, Mamma."

"Now!" said Mrs. Jones. "And it's probably time for Tommy,

too."

Margie said to Tommy, "Can I read the book some more with

you after school?"

"Maybe," he said nonchalantly. He walked away whistling, the

dusty old book tucked beneath his arm.

Margie went into the schoolroom. It was right next to her

bedroom, and the mechanical teacher was on and waiting for her. It

was always on at the same time every day except Saturday and

Sunday, because her mother said little girls learned better if they

learned at regular hours.

The screen was lit up, and it said: "Today's arithmetic lesson

is on the addition of proper fractions. Please insert yesterday's

homework in the proper slot."

Margie did so with a sigh. She was thinking about the old

schools they had when her grandfather's grandfather was a little boy.

All the kids from the whole neighborhood came, laughing and

shouting in the schoolyard, sitting together in the schoolroom, going

home together at the end of the day. They learned the same things,

so they could help one another on the homework and talk about it.

And the teachers were people...The mechanical teacher was flashing on the screen: "When

we add the fractions 1/2 and 1/4..."

Margie was thinking about how the kids must have loved it in

the old days. She was thinking about the fun they had.

IF TEACHERS WERE TREATED LIKE CELEBRITIES!

(A Short Story. 2013 version)

Can you imagine what it would be like if teachers were treated

like actors, athletes, singers, or even reality TV stars? Wow!

Mrs.Smith, Celebrity Teacher!

Mrs.Smith, Mrs.Smith, can I get your autograph? She turned

and smiled brightly at the young woman running towards her.

Mrs.Smith, the young woman gasped, I have been following

your career for years! Im about to start teaching myself, and I would

be honored if you signed my copy of your book.

Are you ready to teach, young lady? she asked as she

scribbled her signature, This is a difficult job.

I know it is, but Ive been reading your books, watching your

videos, and listening to your podcasts, I know Im ready!

Good luck, she said as she handed her the book. Take

care, you have quite a journey ahead of you.

Mrs.Smith and her husband entered the Four Seasons andwere immediately seated at the best table. The maitre d smiled, and

thanked Mrs.Smith, again, for teaching his son when she taught at

Tower Hill.

Anything you need Mr. and Mrs.Smith, just ask.

After dinner, Mr. and Mrs.Smith hopped into their Mercedes

and drove home to their ten bedroom house up in the

hills. They entered their home, and stopped to pick up one of the

cameras left by the crew from MTV Cribs-Teachers.

Time to mark some papers honey, Ill be upstairs in a bit.

She sat down, stared out at the ocean, and began grading.

The phone rang, and her assistant teacher, Marjorie spoke

excitedly.

Mrs. Smith, Oprah wants another interview, shes doinganother special on teachers, its called Teachers are Tenacious!

Shes going to give away prizes to every school where the teachers

in the audience work!

Oh, that Oprah, she is something else! Set it up please,

Marjorie.

She hung up and the phone rung again.

Oh, my gosh, Mrs.Smith, youve been nominated for a

Thackeray! (Named after Sidney Poitiers character in , To Sir, With

Love)

A Thackeray?! Are you kidding? Oh my gosh, Ive always

dreamed! What category?

Best Lesson Taught During an Unannounced Observation.

The Thackerays

As teachers walked down the red carpet,

former students and teachers screamed

their names. Reporters rushed up to

interview each teacher as they strode down

the carpet.

Mrs.Smith, what are you wearing? She

waved, This is not about me, its about all

those kids Ive helped!

And the Winner Is

And the winner of the Best Lesson Taught During an

Unannounced Observation is Mrs.Smith! She ran on the stage,

First Id like to thank God. Next I want to thank all those students

who gave me the opportunity to teach. Id also like to thank my

mentor teacher, Mr.Wilson. He made me the teacher I am today! And

most of all, my Mom and Dad, who gave me the chance to go to

college and become what I am today, a teacher! The applause filled

the room, and everyone stood, chanting Teachers, teachers,

teachers!We know they all dont need a Mercedes, a ten-bedroom

home, to be filmed by MTV, or have an overrated awards show. But

wouldnt it be great if teachers were respected as much as actors,

athletes, singers, and yes, even reality TV stars?

HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION!!!!

SCHOOL AND TEACHERS WITH THE EYES OF OUR

STUDENTS

Teachers profession seems so common to us, but what is it indeed?

What does it mean to be a teacher?

Its not just explaining the material to you and then giving you

enormous homework. Teachers do really hard work not just when

they teach at school but also at home. They have a lot of different

roles at the same time. A teacher should be a psychologist, a

classroom manager, a member of many groups and teams, a

decision-maker, an organizer, an expert in his field and sometimes

even a parent. Some traits of character are essential for a teacher

such as sociability, responsibility, confidence, understanding. Itsalways difficult to teach teens at high school. If something unordinary

happens, you should keep calm and try solve this or that situation. A

good teacher knows how to talk to pupils. And a teacher knows how

to explain new information, a really good teacher can make his

students understand his subjects. Going to school can be boring for

some students, but after leaving school those former students are

thankful to teachers.

What do teachers really mean to us? A teacher is one of the most

important occupations nowadays. Teachers give us a key to a new

world and build future for the next generations.

Julia Ushakova,9th

Form


12/17

12

Teacher's Day

Films

Cinema has touched every aspect of our life including the teacher-student bonding. There are many different shades to a teacher-studentrelationship and it has been beautifully portrayed by films based exclusively on teachers. We really can draw inspiration and feel touched bysome of the most poignant scenes in the famous movies about teachers and students. Directors have attached due importance to this subjectand have treated it with utmost honesty. In short, we can say that the world of cinema has made an enormous contribution, in its own way, to thespecial occasion of Teacher's Day.

Many heartrending films have been made for Teacher's Day. Many of them are even based on real-life events. Such movies showteachers reaching deep inside themselves, touching the core of their lives, in order to touch the life and heart of their students. The movies thatare based on teachers show how important they really are in the society. Teacher's Day films and movies give due appreciation to teachers, fortheir dedication and devotion to the cause of education. These movies have also sometimes depicted a teacher's own journey to find his/her trueself. In this section, we will provide information on some of the most popular movies on Teacher's Day.

Dead Poet's Society"Dead Poets Society" is a film starring Robin Williams, Robert

Sean Leonard, ethan Hawke, Josh Charles, Gale Hansen, DylanKussman, Allelon Ruggiero, and James Waterston. It was released

in the year 1989. In the film, director PeterWeir tells the story of an unconventionalEnglish teacher John Keating at aconservative New England prep school in the1950s. He inspires his students andencourages them with the rallying call "carpe

diem" (seize the day). Poetry and passion, comedy and tragedy arefused into one absolutely marvelous affirmation of independent spiritin Dead Poets Society.

Lean on Me'Lean on Me' is a biographical-drama film written by Michael

Schiffer. It stars Morgan Freeman, Beverly Todd, Alan North andRobert Guillaume. The movie was directed by John G.Avildsen and released in the year 1989. 'Lean on Me'is based on a true story of a New Jersey high schoolprincipal, Joe Clark who attempts to turn around oneof the worst schools in the state in just one year.Confronted by waves of drug related crimes andviolence he takes radical action that borders ondespotism.

Armed with a baseball bat and a bullhorn, he utilizes his Armybackground to face the problem head on.

Mr. Holland's Opus'Mr. Holland's Opus', starring Richard Dreyfuss,Glenne Headly, Jay Thomas, and Olympia Dukakis,falls in the genre of drama films. The movie waswritten by Patrick Sheane Duncan and directed byStephen Herek. It was released in the year 1995, as are-packaged version of the 1966 Disney movie,"Follow Me, Boys!", which featured Fred MacMurray

and Kurt Russell. It is an extraordinary movie about how a job can betransformed into a soul-satisfying vacation.

Teachers"Teachers", as the very name suggests, is a comicdrama based on teachers. The film was released in1984 and starred Nick Nolte, JoBeth Williams, RalphMacchio, and Judd Hirsch. It was written by W.R.McKinney. Arthur Hiller directed this satire at

contemporary urban high schools, examiningdisillusioned teachers who try to regain their idealism.

"Teachers" is the story of a teacher fighting against theadministration to get his students educated.

Dangerous MindsDangerous Minds is an adaptation of Lou Anne Johnson's

autobiographical book, "My Posse Don't Do Homework". The moviedwells on how the protagonist, LouAnne Johnson, a teacher at

Parkmont High School, tries to goad herstudents towards academic studies byresorting to unconventional methods ofteaching. Whenconventional methods fail toreach them, the feisty Ms. Johnson tries theunconventional -- defying the rules and

creating her own curriculum. In the process, she instills a new self-confidence in her students motivating them towards their greatestpotential. Although her radical approach invites the wrath of theschool principal, she succeeds.

Freedom WritersAdaptation of Erin Gruwell's book, The Freedom Writers Diary,

the film Freedom Writers is a touching tale of twenty-three year oldErin Gruwell, who takes up her first job as a teacher at Woodrow

Wilson High School and how she engagesher class, consisting of "at risk" students, inacademics. The movie portrays the courageof a sensitive teacher who makes allattempts to overcome difficulties. This storyfeels real. It is beautifully done. The acting

of Swank, Dempsey and Glenn is professional and believable. Moreimportantly the story highlights our society's challenges in schoolingthe children of poor and one-parent families

Les Choristes (2004)

This film was inspired by the French film A Cage of Nightingales (Lacage aux rossignols), which is based on the truestory of a school in the 1930s called Ker Goat.Their instructors helped children with difficultiesthrough choral singing and innovative teachingmethods. The new teacher Clment Mathieuat aseverely administered boys' boarding school

works to positively affect the students' lives through music. "Thesekids inspire me. I knew someday my music would be played. I'mClement Mathieu, a musician. Every night, I compose for them".

The English TeacherIt stars Julianne Moore as Linda Sinclair. She works in a small

town high school, imparting the values of fine literature to herstudents in the hopes that she reaches at leastone every few years. She may have neverwritten the great sweeping novel, but in hermind, she is on the cusp of living it. Yet, her lifeis a series of been theres and done thats.


13/17

1

Enjoy your English


14/17

2

Quote, unquote

The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushesand leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you w ith a sharp stick

called "truth." ~Dan Rather

In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible andremains so, maybe for twenty years. ~Jacques Barzun

If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all ofwhom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and

were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without

assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine

months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job.

~Donald D. Quinn

The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes, andinspires his listener with the wish to teach himself. ~E dward Bu lwer-

Lytton

One day with a great teacher is better than a thousand days of diligentstudy. Japanese proverb

Those who educate children are more to be honored than parents, for theseones only give life wh ile those ones teach the art of living well. Aristotle

A good teacher is a master of simplification and an enemy of simplism.~Louis A. Berman

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacherdemo nstrates. The great teacher inspires. ~W illiam Arthu r W ard

What the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches. ~KarlMenninger

One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but withgr at itude to th os e w ho to uc he d ou r hu man fe el in gs . The cu rr icul um is so

much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the

gr ow in g pl an t an d fo r th e so ul o f th e ch ild. ~ Car l Ju ng

The average teacher explains complexity; the gifted teacher revealssimplicity. ~ Robert Brault

Who dares to teach must never cease to learn. ~John Cotton D anaA teacher should have maximal authority, and minimal power. ~Thomas

Szaz

The purpose of teaching a child is to enable him to get along without histeacher. ~E lbert Hu bbard

I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think aboutbesides homework. ~Lily Tomlin

Lets smile

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DOGS AND CATS. A dog thinks: Hey,

these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me with a nice warm,

dry house, pet me, and take good care of me... They must be gods! A

cat thinks: Hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me

with a nice warm, dry house, pet me, and take good care of me... I must

be a god!

A police officer came upon a terrible wreck where the driver and

passenger had been killed. As he looked upon the wreckage a littlemonkey came out of the brush and hopped around the crashed car. The

officer looked down at the monkey and said "I wish you could talk." The

monkey looked up at the officer and nodded its head.

"You can understand what I'm saying?" asked the officer. Again, the

monkey shook its head up and down.

"Well, did you see this?" "Yes," motioned the monkey. "What

happened?"

The monkey pretended to have a can in its hand and turned it up by its

mouth.

"They were drinking?" asked the officer.

"Yes."

"What else?"

The monkey pinched its fingers together and held them to its mouth."They were smoking?"

"Yes."

"Now wait, you're saying your owners were drinking and smoking before

they wrecked."

"Yes."

"What were you doing during all this?"

"Driving" motioned the monkey.

One day Mongo is in his back yard digging a hole. His

neighbor, seeing him there, decides to investigate. "What are you

doing?" he asked. Mongo replies, "My goldfish died and I'm

burying it." "That's an awful big hole for a goldfish, isn't it?" asked

the neighbor. Mongo shot back, "That's because he's inside your

cat!'

A robber was robbing a house when he heard a voice.

"Jesus is watching you!" "Who's there?" the robber said. But no

sound was heard. So he kept going and he heard it two more

times when he spotted a parrot. "What's your name," the robber

asked. "Cocodora" said the parrot. "Now, what kind of a fool would

name a bird Cocodora" said the robber. "The same fool who

named the Rottweiler Jesus", said the parrot.

Afat Asadov,

7th

Form

Brains Challenge

Jan Ozmaden,

10th

Form


15/17

DISCOVER THE WORLD

Oxford a city for students

If London is all you've seen

of England, there's much more

waiting for you to discover. Branch

out beyond the borders of the

capital by heading for the

university town of Oxford, only 90

minutes from London by bus or an

hour by train. It is one of the most

famous cities which attracts

students from all over the world. Itis penetrated with the atmosphere

of studying.

You can easily spend a

week in England's "City of

Dreaming Spires," wandering

through the winding medieval streets, touring the famous colleges,

visiting world-renowned museums, boating on the Thames and

Cherwell rivers, relaxing in the colorful gardens, and enjoying the

lively pub culture.

Getting Started

Begin at the Oxford Visitor Information Centre on Broad

Street, where you'll find a wealth of information about the city as well

as a good selection of souvenirs and gifts. Buy a copy of the OxfordVisitors' Guide booklet, which includes a short history of the town, a

map, a brief description of the colleges and their opening times,

suggested Top 10 Things to Do, a self-guided walking tour, and

vignettes of Oxford's most famous characters. Priced at only 1, it's

the best bargain in town.

A fun way to learn more about Oxford is to take one (or more)

of the Official Guided Walking Tours offered by the Visitor

Information Centre. To get your bearings, start with the "University

and City Tour" through the heart of the historic city center. Then

select other theme tours based on your own interests: "Inspector

Morse"; "Literary Tour"; "Gargoyles & Grotesques"; "Religion at

Oxford"; "Science at Oxford"; "Stained Glass"; "Pottering in Harry's

Footsteps"; and many others. All tours last for two hours and cost 6

to 12 per person.

Oxford Colleges

Oxford's claim to fame is its 38 independent colleges that

make up the University of Oxfordand the many famous writers,

artists, scientists, and statesmen (and women) who have graduated

from them. Mostly constructed in honey-colored limestone, the

colleges are located throughout the city, not at one central campus.

The three oldest collegesUniversity College, Balliol, and

Mertondate back to the 13th century. The largest and probably

best known college is Christ

Church, established at the

time of Henry VIII, in 1524.

Today it welcomes 300,000

visitors a year. On certain

evenings during the week,

you can also hear its famous

choir at evensong in the

magnificent chapel, the only

college chapel in the world

designated as a cathedral. You can stroll along the river walk and

through the deer park on the grounds of Magdalen College (15th

century). Founded in 1458 by William Waynflete, this College has

one of the finest groups of late C15th buildings in the country set

within extensive grounds behind high battlemented walls. The

beautifully proportioned bell

tower is one of Oxford's

iconic images welcoming

visitors to the city from the

east and the focus for thecity's traditional May Day

celebrations. One more

college worth visiting is

Keble College (19th

century) - the first

complete college to be built for 250 years. An impressive example of

Gothic Revival by William Butterfield. It was named after a key figure

in the Oxford Movement and intended for the education of poorer

students. Many of the colleges offer guided tours. Check with the

tourist office or the college's porter (at the entrance to each college)

for specific times and prices. For the most popular colleges, it's best

to make reservations in advance. And when the university isn't in

session, you can even stay in the student dormitories instead of at ahotel. Make reservations online at www.oxfordrooms.co.uk.

Magnificent Museums

Oxford is the site of several

world-class museums, none

of which charge an entry fee.

The recently renovated

Ashmolean Museum is the

oldest museum in England,

established in 1683. Today

it's a treasure trove of

beautifully displayed art and

artifacts from ancient times to the 20th century. Whether you're a

connoisseur or just curious, you can easily spend a whole day (oreven longer) viewing the rich variety of exhibits. When your energy

flags, go down to the basement cafe for a pick-me-up coffee or tea

with freshly baked cakes and pastries, or dine upstairs at

the Ashmolean Dining Room, Oxford's only rooftop restaurant.

The Oxford University Museum of Natural History, located in a

handsome neo-Gothic building erected in 1860, houses a superb

collection of zoological, entomological, and geological specimens,

including the best exhibit of

dinosaur skeletons outside

of London. In the rear of this

museum you'll find the

entrance to the eccentric,

eclectic Pitt RiversMuseum, stuffed to the gills

with more than 400,000

objects from all over the

world, displayed

chockablock in old glass-fronted wooden cases. You'll wish the

exhibits were better lighted, but don't despair: just borrow a torch


16/17

TOP 10 ASTONISHING FACTSOxford is celebrated the world over as a prestigious centre of

learning, but here are our top ten astounding facts that you neverknew about this illustrious city.

The bell in the tower of Christ Church Cathedral is called theOld Tom which strikes a unique 101 times at 9.05pm every evening.Originally, this was the curfew time for students in the city and thebell rang to signal their return back to college - things have

obviously changed but the tradition lives on.

The University of Cambridge was actually founded by Oxfordstudents who were fleeing Oxford following riots that erupted in1209 between students and townspeople. Violent confrontations

between townspeople and students have erupted in Oxford atvarious times throughout history. On this occasion, troublebegan following the murder of a local townswoman by students.

Oxford University is the oldest English speaking university in theworld, dating back to the end of the 12th century.

Oxford was once the capital of England during the English

Civil War when Charles I held his court here from 1642, following

his expulsion from London by the Parliamentarian forces lead byOliver Cromwell. Oxford itself supported the Parliamentarian cause,but the University was a strong supporter of the king. From 1642 to1646 King Charles stayed at Christ Church College.

In North Oxford, there are two roads about two miles apart,running parallel to each other, that connect Woodstock Road andBanbury Road. Confusingly, the northernmost road in

Summertown is called South Parade and the southernmost road iscalled North Parade. This is because during the English Civil Warwhen Oxford was being besieged by Oliver Cromwell, North Paraderepresented the King's Northern Front, while South Parade was

Cromwell's Southern Front.

Oxford has more published writers per square mile thananywhere else in the world. Best selling authors with links to Oxfordinclude: Lewis Carroll, JRR Tolkein, CS Lewis, Colin Dexter,Philip Pullman, Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford is also the

home of the world famous OED. The First Edition began publicationin 1884 and it currently provides authoritative definitions of over

500,000 words.

Oxford University has educated 26 British Prime Ministersincluding: Sir Robert Peel, Herbert H Asquith, Clement Attlee,Anthony Eden, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair.

(flashlight) from the museum shop at the entry way and shine it on

whatever display piques your interest. For museum-goers who are

tired of 21st-century "mediated experiences" via computer terminals,

smart phone apps, and holograms, you can step back into the past

at the fascinating Pitt Rivers.

Around Town

There's plenty more to do in Oxford. Wander through the

colorful Botanic Garden, the oldest garden of its kind in England,

founded in 1621. Rent a punt

for an afternoon of rowing on

the Cherwell River, or take atrip on the Thames River,

offered by Oxford River

Cruises. Visit the Bodleian

Library and its majestic

circular reading room,

the Radcliffe Camera, in the

historic city center.

Take a guided tour of Oxford Castle, the remains of medieval

defensive towers and moats, which later became the city's prison. In

its most recent reincarnation, it has been developed for tourism, with

a hotel, restaurant, and several cafes on site.

Opened in 1774, Oxford's venerable Covered Market is one

of the city's most popular tourist attractions. In addition to its fruit,vegetable, meat, fish, and cheese stands, it includes several little

shops selling cooked foods to eat on site or take away, as well as

stores ranging from upscale clothing boutiques to typical souvenir

shops. And colorful open-air markets can be found on Gloucester

Green, in the city center, every week. The Gloucester Green

Market offers foods, flowers,

clothing, and household items

every Wednesday from 9 a.m.

to 5 p.m. The weekly Antiques

and Collectors Fair is held at

the same place on Thursdays

from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with

a Farmers Market there, too,on the first and third Thursdays

of every month, from 9 a.m. to

3 p.m.

Dining Out

All that sightseeing is bound to work up your appetite. Oxford

offers a wide range of eateries to fit every budget, from funky little

food trucks selling takeaway fare from Asia and the Middle East, to

Raymond Blanc's Michelin-

2-star-rated restaurant, Le

Manoir aux Quat' Saisons,

just outside the city in Great

Milton. Local foodies

especially likeBrasserie

Blanc, on Walton Street,

owned by Raymond

Blanc; Jamie's Italian, on

George Street, one of a

chain owned by another

famous chef, Jamie Oliver; Gee's, an Oxford landmark on Banbury

Road; TheOld Parsonage, on Banbury Road; and Magdalen

Arms, a "gastropub" on Iffley Road. Stop by Pieminister inside

Oxford's Covered Market, for a very English meal of freshly made,

double-crust, meat or vegetable pies served with "mash" (mashed

potatoes), "groovy" (gravy) and "minty mushy peas" (just what they

sound like). Oxford has no lack of Asian restaurants, too, from Indian

to Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and "Asian fusion." Popular Asian

eateries include My Sichuan, Shanghai30's, Majliss,Saffron, Chiang Mai Kitchen, and Wagamama.

Pub Scene

Oxford's historic pubs are famous as much for their denizens

as for their beer. You can quaff a pint of British bitter or English ale in

the same spots where Thomas Hardy, Lewis Carroll, J. R. R.

Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Graham Greene, the fictional Detective

Inspector Morse, and many other Oxford luminaries wetted their

whistles. Pubs also serve food, sometimes the best bargains for a

full (and filling) meal in Oxford. Typical dishes include fish-and-chips

(battered-and-fried fish filets with French fried potatoes), Scotch

eggs (hard-boiled eggs surrounded by sausage meat and deep

fried), "Ploughman's Lunch" (t

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