Cả thế giới mê cuồng học tiếng Anh

Một lý giải về hiện tượng cả thế giới đang mê cuồng học tiếng Anh.

A new star rising!

Về một người Mỹ gốc Hàn

Cách đây vài ngày, ông Jim Yong Kim một người Mỹ gốc Hàn được tổng thống Obama đề cử làm chủ tịch mới của World Bank. Theo Business Insider, ông này thực sự là một gã rất "cool", với 10 lý do sau:

1. He raps and dances with college students. 

2. He was the president of his high school class.

3. He was quarterback of his high school football team.

4. He was point guard of his high school basketball team.

5. He invited Conan O'Brien to speak at Dartmouth College's 2011 Commencement.

6. He is a five handicap in golf. President Obama remarked, "I'm a little resentful about that." Dartmouth professor Sydney Finkelstein adds that Kim does "speed golf" on the course at 5 AM before others get there.

7. He was ranked #9 on Fast Company's list of "100 Most Creative People in Business" for his efforts to apply U.S. academic research to health-care programs in the developing world.

8. He immigrated to the United States from Seoul, South Korea, at the age of five.

9. He was awarded a "Genius Grant"—given to 20-40 U.S. citizens annually who "show exceptional merit and promise for continued and enhanced creative work"—by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

10. According to Conan O'Brien, Kim's friends call him "Jim Kim, J to the K, Special K, JK Rowling, the Just Kidding Kimster, and most puzzling, 'Stinky Pete.'"

Và dĩ nhiên không nên quên rằng ông hiện đang là hiệu trưởng của Darthmouth.

Nguồn
Note: JY Kim transfer từ University of Iowa sau năm thứ nhất đến Brown University, sau đó học MD & PhD ở Harvard.

Tucker's report from South Africa (cont.)

Update with photo

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Our Visit to Robben Island

We took a ferry out to Robben Island on Wednesday morning to visit the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 17 years. 

Our tour guide at the prison was a former prisoner during the apartheid era. He walked us through the grounds of the prison and led us into a large room that housed fifty prisoners. He told us about the living conditions in this room and the procedures that the guards used to classify the inmates. 

From this large cell, we walked out into the area that is referred to as Mandela's Garden, which is where inmates were forced to break rocks or sew bags for hours each day. 

This area was the only place that included a picture of the conditions at the prison. In the picture you can see a row of men tied to the ground, spread about four feet apart, hammering rocks, and a second row of men with a pile of bags, working in the hot sun. 

From the garden, we walked down the hall of solitary confinement cells, with a stop at Nelson Mandela's jail cell. Our last stop on the tour was another large cell with rows of benches. We all sat down to hear the story about the release of the prisoners and the negotiations for freedom. 

Our tour guide sent us away with the charge to pass along what we have learned here at Robben Island. 

Next we were given a driving tour around the rest of the island. Before it was a prison, Robben Island was also used as a leper colony. A small stone church is the only building left standing from that part of the Island's history; all the other buildings were burned. 

On the back side of the island, we saw cannons from World War II that were used to shoot down German ships. The driving tour concluded back at the ferry landing, which we boarded for our return to Cape Town.

Pomfret School - Winter Term Grades (cont.)

Activities
STEP Comments, S.T.E.P., Pam Mulcahy

The Sophomore Total Evaluation Plan (STEP) program matches each sophomore with a counselor for a meeting to discuss his or her experience at Pomfret, and to make a plan as to how to take full advantage of his or her remaining time on the hilltop. Joined by the advisor, each student is encouraged to discuss issues both in and out of the classroom. By way of preparation, he or she completes a questionnaire answering such practical questions as, "Do you feel you are reaching your potential as a student?" and completing such statements as, "The thing that you are good at that not many people know about is:" The students' interests and needs often dictate the direction of the conversations, but in any given meeting, typical topics of discussion are study habits, course interests, summer plans, standardized testing, athletics, club and activity offerings, leadership opportunities, the college placement process, possible career avenues, or even hobbies. The following comment is a summary of your son or daughter's STEP meeting. We encourage you to spend a few minutes discussing it with him or her.
An Hoang and his advisor, Phil Madore, met with me on Thursday, January 19th to discuss his work at Pomfret to date and to help him plan for the future. A quick look at An’s grades and testing convinced me that he has made excellent use of his time at Pomfret. His grades are all As in very challenging courses, and his scores on his PSATs place him in the 98th percentile of college bound students. Clearly, An has laid a solid foundation from which to move forward.
To date, An has enjoyed his time at Pomfret School. He enjoys his classes (especially English), his music lessons, the Tuesday night lectures and his participation in the Pontefract staff. To date, he seems to have made good use of the opportunities here. Asked what other programs he would like to get involved in, An stated that he would like to become a prefect.
For classes next year, An would like to take AP English, AP Calculus AB, either AP Chemistry or AP Biology, AP Music Theory and US History. In his senior year, he is hoping to take AP English Literature, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics or Economics, AP European History and maybe an AP Science.
Looking to the future, An thinks he might like to become a doctor, like his mother, or a lawyer. Whatever he chooses to do, I feel confident that he will do it well.

Athletics
Winter Athletics, Drama (W), Chip Lamb
Pomfret Theatre presented WEST SIDE STORY on February 26-28 on the Hard Auditorium stage to some of the biggest audiences in recent memory. The cast and crew of over thirty students performed this classic of the American musical theatre with energy and gusto, providing our community with an event
that lifted our spirits in the last days of the long winter term. Through trust and teamwork, this group of students created a dazzling evening of song and dance that will not be easily forgotten. Their commitment to such a sophisticated and complex show was a sight to behold, and I want to congratulate each
and every one of the cast and crew for his or her accomplishment.
While An may not be known widely throughout our school, he is respected and liked by this cast and crew. He is quick and observant and came to the rescue more than once when someone else forgot what was supposed to be done. I hope he joins us again and continues writing reviews for the school newspaper.

Pomfret School - Winter Term Grades (cont.)

Chorus, Charles Houmard
The Pomfret Chorus is going to Ireland next March, 2013. Many chorus members will also use the spring term to prepare for the Griff Tone auditions. We are predicting five openings, one in each of the five sections of the chorus. All chorus members are encouraged to audition. Singers will be selected based
on stage presence, the ability to blend, sing in tune, learn music quickly and accurately, and their commitment to provide cohesion and stability within the ensemble. Being a member of the chorus has given many singers the advantage of having proven themselves in many of these areas, yet everyone
should keep in mind that the competition is intense.
An holds himself to an exceptionally high standard that, hopefully, will not get in the way of his joy for singing. He has made fine progress with Ms. St. Denis and has become one of the more reliable and quick-learning chorus members. I found his duet with Maddy for Broadway Night to be delightful. It is my hope that An not get discouraged as he finds his way to becoming a singer.

Recital Class, Charles Houmard
In the courses Private Instruction, Recital Class and Recital Performance, students meet once a week for a lesson with a private teacher. During the lesson the teacher assigns homework for the remaining class periods of the week. The cost for private lessons is $495.00 per term, and a minimum of nine lessons must be completed. Failure to attend a lesson for any reason (aside from an infirmary stay due to illness) will lower the student’s grade. Students taking this course are encouraged to join the various music ensembles at Pomfret. Advanced students are encouraged to enroll in Recital Class and Recital Performance during the winter and spring terms. Under these courses the students perform regularly before their peers and work with a private instructor to prepare a recital.
An Hoang’s Private Lesson teacher, Ms. St. Denis reports the following for this term: An continues to grow as a vocalist and musician. I am proud of his progress. He is always prepared for his lessons and applies what he is taught. An gave a beautiful performance at Pomfret's Broadway Night Gala where
he exhibited vast improvement. I look forward to continuing our work this spring.

Social Issues, Anne Miller
This course identifies and examines the many issues faced by adolescents including relationship to self/others, wellness, diet, mental health, sexuality, AIDS, drugs and alcohol. To facilitate our exploration we have drawn upon a bevy of resources from contemporary culture such as film, television, Internet sites, books, magazine and journal articles. In addition to understanding facts about the topic at hand, students are encouraged to think critically and compassionately, and to develop and give voice to their own opinion in preparation for making responsible decisions. Throughout the term, students work at building their own text/resource guide. Journaling, meditation, guided relaxation and/or visualization are introduced in an effort to encourage self-awareness. All written assignments are graded on a ten-point scale. Since midterm, students have concentrated on preparing for their final presentation. Emphasis was placed not only on factual content, but also on original and creative presentation style.
An was not afraid to ask clarifying questions and was always willing to share insights from Vietnamese culture in order to enrich our discussion of adolescent culture. I valued his contributions to our discussions. I was amazed at his ability to identify, grasp and connect the topics we covered.
Although this is not his culture, he consistently produced the most insightful work in the class. For his final project An chose to prepare a presentation on the topic of the effect of media on teens. He approached the process with a thoughtful and creative attitude. I was concerned that the topic might be too broad for a 20-minute presentation but his organizational skills and careful research produced a cohesive and informative result. He added film clips that illustrated racism, violence, teen pregnancy and drug abuse. His handout was an overview in pamphlet form that was rich in illustration and information. For his good work and creative approach he received a 10/10.

Pomfret School - Winter Term Grades (cont.)

English II - Honors, Wallace Rowe
The sophomores have spent a majority of the term working with FRANKENSTEIN. We are currently finishing up MACBETH, which has been a lot of fun, with many dramatic readings in class. In the coming term, we will also be reading A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY, BEOWULF, and GRENDEL in addition to working on grammar. This term has involved much more critical writing, and the focus has been the texts. We have written a major critical essay on each text, but have also done several smaller in-class writings on sections of the books to start the process of textual analysis. These journal entries form the cornerstone
of the critical-writing process. There was also a fun assignment called the Nursery Rhyme where the students chose a nursery rhyme and made the elements the basis for a crime which they then turned into an essay. We also have been doing some practice SAT essays as well. The final project of the term was a “Trail” of Macbeth for the killing of Duncan. Each member of the class was a member of the prosecution or defense and had to present their evidence to the Judge (me) and a final verdict was given. We also continued to do weekly vocabulary work.
An has been a great addition to the class. His grade is a reflection of that. His quiz average is a 100% and the highest in the class. He has struggled a little with his writing. I have been happy to help him with drafts of his essay. The area that is a concern is that An over-writes. He needs to understand that simplicity and focus is the key to a good essay. One good quote as support beats five so-so quotes. When he sees me with a rough draft, I end up crossing out half of it. He then sees me again, and it is much better. An needs to understand that he will be doing timed essays on both the SAT and the AP test. He will not have time to write the way he is doing on his own. Thus I am pushing for the simplicity and getting to the point quickly. He is responding. He had the highest test grade on the Frankenstein and Macbeth tests (93%, 94%). His poetry presentation—a power point one at that--on Smith’s Not Waving But Drowning was excellent and involved the whole class. He really understood the poem. He struggled a little on the Nursery Rhyme crime essay as that was creative, and he missed the creative essay that we worked on in the fall. I look forward to working with An in the coming term. There are some good texts, which I know he will enjoy.

Precalculus Honors, Marshall Eaton

Precalculus Honors is a yearlong course designed to prepare the student for the rigors of a college level, first year course in Calculus. Our focus during the second trimester has been trigonometry and its applications. Starting with the Trigonometric Definitions based upon the Unit Circle, our investigations
covered trigonometric identities, graphing, trigonometric inverse functions, solving triangles and complex numbers.
An continues to do stellar work in this course. He grasps concepts quickly and is able to present his work in a clear and concise manner. He does his work on a regular basis and is active in class discussions. I feel that he is preparing himself for Advanced Placement Calculus next year.

Modern World History since 1750, Jessica Keough

Modern World History tackled a few different projects this winter term. The class embarked on their investigation of World War I by taking an in-depth look at the factors that led to the outbreak of war in 1914. The students participated in a class activity where they needed to represent the desires and needs of
one country as they worked to form alliances. In another class, the students studied the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand and how the event acted as a “spark” igniting all the tensions that had been building. Along with World War I, the students also worked on developing their research skills. The
first parts of project, research, thesis and outline have been completed and the class will come back in the spring to enter the writing phase of the project.
An had an outstanding term in Modern World History. From the start he demonstrated a mastery of the material, earning a 96% on our imperialism test and a perfect 100% on our preliminary NoodleBib project. From there An really chose to challenge himself as he chose the difficult topic of Hitler’s rise to power
as his research paper topic. He found out very quickly that he would have to work quite hard to find the information that would truly make his paper interesting and dynamic. He did not back down from the task at hand, rather he collected many different types of sources like Hitler’s own Mein Kampf, that helped him piece together his story of Hitler. The final elements of the research phase were the thesis paragraph and the paper outline. An earned a 9/10 and a 45/50 respectively on the assignments. He has set himself up nicely for the writing phase of the project that we will begin this spring. An is intelligent, driven, and full of potential. He is a pleasure to teach and I look forward to working with him again this spring!

Chemistry Honors, Donald Gibbs

In the second half of the winter term, Chemistry Honors students continued to examine the concept of limiting reagents by completing a series of labs focusing on the relationship between the coefficients of a balanced equation, the amount of reactants available, and the output of product. Students became experts in gravimetric analysis and molar conversions, and they performed a nifty experiment that used temperature change and graphical techniques to experimentally determine the molar ratios of a balanced equation. Another highlight was the launch of micro rockets powered by the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen gases. In the final month, we tackled solution chemistry, measures of concentration, solubility rules, and precipitation reactions. The 7 Solution Lab and a chemistry Murder Mystery tasked students to design experimental techniques and to apply reasoning skills to identify specific chemical reagents, solution concentrations, and the killer of Miss Scarlet. It was a fun and jam-packet term in Chemistry Honors!
An is the complete student in Chemistry Honors. He is an expert collaborator in lab; he asks patient but probing questions during discussion; and his work products and assessments are first-rate and uncommonly clear and detailed. Of course, all of these winning attributes are made possible by An’s strong daily preparation and by the personal commitment that he makes to submit quality work. I value most his warm smile and his enthusiastic charge up the steep learning curve that accompanies this course. He is well positioned to tackle the demanding material of the spring. Well done, An!

Pomfret School - Winter Term Grades

Thoắt cái học kỳ mùa Đông đã trôi qua. Đạt kết quả cao ở học kỳ đầu (Fall Term) đã khó vì tất cả còn rất mới mẻ nhưng để tiếp tục giữ được điểm cao cũng khó khăn chẳng kém. Vì các môn học ngày càng khó hơn; sức ỳ tâm lý khi đã quen. Chạy nhanh khó nhưng chạy đường dài càng khó hơn.
Rất may là học kỳ này Su vẫn giữ được vị trí, dù có chuệch choạc lúc ban đầu với một điểm B+, mà cũng chính nhờ điểm B+ này giúp Su choàng tỉnh khi ngủ quên trên chiến thắng.

Well done, Su!!!

Còn rất nhiều lớp AP đang chờ phía trước!!!

School Year: 2011 - 2012
Academics
Subjects	Teacher	Mid Winter	Winter
Eng IV: Writing Short Fiction	Brown	A-	A-
English II - Honors	Rowe	B+	A
English II	Ford
Precalculus Honors	Eaton	A	A
Modern World History since 1750	Keough	A	A
BIO: Marine Biology	Gibbs
Chemistry Honors	Gibbs	A	A
ENV: Earth and Environmental	Tucker
Chorus	Hourmard	A	A
Private Instruction - Voice	Hourmard
Recital Class	Hourmard	A	A
Social Issues	Miller	A	A

Winter Comments

Eng IV: Writing Short Fiction, Michelle Brown

In the second half of the term, we turned our attention to short-shorts or flash fiction, working with units of 10, 100, and 250 words. Students were called upon to “kill their darlings” and become aware of using descriptive language for narrative purpose. Students continued to write short exercises and full-length stories towards the culmination of the winter, the portfolio, and practiced reading and presenting their work for recording in a Selected Shorts-style podcast that will be broadcast on Pomfret’s own radio station. We also discussed revision versus editing, and read selections from the Scribner Anthology and National Public Radio.

Blood, sweat, tears…agony. I know the revision and critique process was painful for you, and pain, coincidentally, seems to be the theme that permeates your collection. You will be glad to know that your writerly anguish will not go unrewarded, because the drastic revisions you’ve made to these have improved them considerably. You’ve resisted clichés in plot and character, and the resulting three stories are surprising and strange. “The Pain of a Mother” is the most polished and “complete”; you’ve done good work creating an unreliable narrator. I would reconsider the title, though, which gives up the jig.

And I wonder a little about plausibility (even though we are seeing events through her eyes) – would the child yield so easily? Would the mother act so quickly in taking him? The story could be expanded, and there’s a lot of room for additional scenes in the time between the mother’s discovery of the child and her kidnapping (preparations, strategy, etc.). I might also consider using more imagery in the back-story. Create a single, precise image of the lost child, rather than a collage of familiar child-in-hospital stills, and that section might be more original. “The Pain of a Father” is your most problematic story – and your most ambitious. The way you handle grief here is genuinely fresh, but the reader gets distracted with all the action in the story, some of which doesn’t seem totally necessary or interesting, You’ve tied up a lot of loose ends here; many of the formerly superfluous details now feel essential. Of all the members of the workshop, you’ve done the most with the peer critique, and this ability to be self-critical will serve your writing well. I look forward to seeing you in another class.

Tucker's report from South Africa (cont.)

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Our Second Day with the LEAP Students

Update with Photo

On Monday, we had another day with the hosting club at LEAP. We were happy to see them again. The teenagers fell right into conversation with their hosts. Our plan for the day was to participate in their social development program in Langa where most of the students live. 

The LEAP kids lead the activities with games and songs. We spent some time cleaning up trash from the school yard and then said our goodbyes to the children. At the second school, the young children gathered for singing from the LEAP kids. After some songs and a quick tour from the director, we headed out again to walk through the Township. The teenagers mixed together and asked questions back and forth. Some kids pointed out their houses to us. 

These homes are referred to as shacks by the locals because they are very simple structures made of wood or corrugated metal. They all have electricity, but no running water. There are taps located in central locations at the end of the blocks. Fires are very common in these neighborhoods because they cook with fire or propane stoves, and the electrical wiring often causes sparks. 

Seeing the kids homes gave us a whole new understanding of the value of their education at LEAP. These kids are under extreme pressure from their families because they have been chosen to attend this school. The Pomfret students and I were all moved by our time with them in their own communities.

Tucker's report from South Africa (cont.)

Monday, March 12, 2012

An Outing Day with Linawo Home for Children

On Saturday morning we met up with the 15 children from the Linawo Home for Children at a park in the center of the city. The youngest child, Lebo, is a three-year old with a new cast on her arm; the oldest was a freshman in high school. 

At the park we had a few hours to get to know each other over a snack. Each child chose a buddy from the ten Pomfret students. We lounged in the park for about an hour, talking, playing games, looking at the horse drawn carriage, and chatting.  

Our next stop was the science museum and planetarium show. We enjoyed the children's show at the planetarium with Davy the Dragon who was learning about the night sky. We had only thirty minutes to tour the exhibits in the museum with our buddies.  

We went to the beach for the rest of the afternoon to swim in the tidal pools. There is a pool built into the rocks to give bathers a safe place for swimming out of the rough surf. We spent two hours swimming and sunning ourselves with the children. We packed up and bid our goodbyes to the children until Tuesday.

 

Our outing today was a special treat for the Linawo children. The home doesn't have a van to transport the kids. Volunteer groups like us provide the opportunity for these children to have a special day out of their neighborhood. Now we are at the waterfront for two hours of down time. 

Tonight we are going to see a hip hop dance show with our host Mamas. This is a big surprise for them, so it should be just as much fun watching the Mamas enjoy themselves as it is watching the show.

Homestay in Guguleto

We spent the last three nights with our home stay Mamas in the Township of Guguleto. We were all nervous about our time in the home stay, which was obvious by the polite smiles but otherwise quiet room. 

Joddie and Quynh Anh stayed on my block, but the rest were one or two blocks away. After the other students left we settled into dinner preparation and getting aquatinted with Mama Noks. Nora, Elizabeth and I all stayed together with her. Mama Noks explained to us that she welcomes us into her home as members of her family, not just as guests. 

She made spicy cooked cabbage, pop (a stiff corn meal that has the texture of overcooked cream of wheat) with a beef gravy, and cooked pumpkin. 

We ate with our hands in the traditional South African style. Mama Noks believes that a spoon blocks the flavors of African cooking. She said, "You must place the food directly in your mouth to really taste it."

The Pomfret students looked right at home with their host families on the third night. Kevin and Keith were playing legos with the children in their family; they were so engrossed in building that they wouldn't stop to chat with us on our visit. 

An was singing a song in Xhosa that his host Mama taught him (Phillip doesn't sing, but he enjoyed the concert). Joddie and Quynh Anh were having teenage-girl conversation with the 17-year old daughter in their house. 

Peta and Elise were lounging in their pajamas with their family, watching a movie together. We all felt that we made a connection with these kind women during our stay.

Tucker's report from South Africa (cont.)

Friday, March 9, 2012

A Day at LEAP School of Math and Science

Today we spent the day at the the LEAP School for Math and Science. This school is not a typical Cape Town school because students are selected to come here from less advantaged areas. 

The name refers to the leap that they want the students to make from Township schools to a better education system. There is an emphasis not only on academics but also on improving their lives through what they call "discussions" (more on that later) and community service. 

Our Pomfret students were paired with a student in the Hosting Club, a similar group to our Key Club. We had a brief introduction to the school and to each host in a courtyard on the morning school break. The pairs had time to get acquainted while Oscar, the teacher leader of the Hosting Club, told us about his job as a general studies teacher. He described his role as the teacher who helps to fill the holes in the bottom of the bucket so that the learning will not leak out. He tries to teach basic study skills such as computer skills, geography, and other basic knowledge that we take for granted.

After a casual picnic lunch with our student hosts, we meet for a discussion with them. The discussion is an important part of the Leap experience where the kids learn how to discuss their feelings and engage in conflict resolution. 

We sat in a circle in a classroom. One of the students led us in some deep breathing exercises to help us all get settled and centered for the discussion. 

The Leap students opened up about their time with us and our Pomfret students shared some of their observations from the day. It was wonderful to hear both sides of the story. The next topic for discussion was their community service work that we will participate in on Monday. 

The facilitator explained to us that they are required to do community responsibility work in their own communities. They have to go back to their neighborhoods and find out how they can contribute. One of the students put it this way, "We must always remember where we come from. If we forget where we come from then we will not be able to get anywhere in the future." I was humbled by the wisdom of her statement.

The students headed off for another round of classes after the discussion. Then they will do sports with the seniors. I took this opportunity to visit an internet cafe while the students are in the capable hands of their student hosts. After school today will head out to meet our home stay Mamas.

Tucker's report from South Africa- First day

Thursday, March 8, 2012 8:05 AM (EST)

Landed in Cape Town

We made it! Johara and Mike, our travel agent and enthusiastic host, were waiting for us at the airport. 

I have to admit that as we walked through the terminal I was thinking "What do we do if no one is here to meet us." I must have been thinking it so "loudly" that the kids both said the same thing. After our long journey, we had to brace ourselves for anything. 

When I saw them waiting for us, I ran up to them and gave hugs all around. We took a driving tour around Cape Town on our way to pick up part of the group who hiked up and then back down Table Mountain today. 

Three other kids hiked up and then took the cable car down, and the others took the cable car both ways. Yes, they went to the beach in the morning on this perfectly sunny and warm day. They reported that the water was too cold for swimming. We'll see about that. 

After the hike, we all met up at the hotel for a few hours of down time to shower and nap before dinner. Some kids decided to walk around our block, others are taking it easy in their rooms. 

Mike has mapped out a great plan for us and he has lots of surprises for us during the week, including a concert and something special with our home-stay families. In the morning we go to the Leap School of Math and Science for our first day of community service. 

We also check out of the hotel for our three-night home-stay with local Mamas (their word choice, not mine.) I'm so very happy to be here and on the itinerary. And, don't worry, I will get my shot at hiking up table mountain this weekend with the other two.

Su ở Nam Phi

Để lấp đầy những ngày nghỉ Xuân, bố cho Su tham gia đoàn của trường đi du lịch và làm công tác xã hội ở Nam Phi. Chuyến đi bắt đầu từ March 6 đến March 20.

Khởi đầu, như thường lệ là những trục trặc khủng khiếp, cũng là do không chuẩn bị kỹ càng. 

Tại sân bay New York đến khi làm thủ tục check-in mới phát hiện ra là visa không hợp lệ. Rồi quên I-20! Hậu quả là một ngày điên rồ và một đêm ngủ lại New York.

Rất may là rồi sự việc cũng được giải quyết ổn thỏa. Một kinh nghiệm nhớ đời!

Hình chụp trước khi khởi hành ở JFK Airport.

Vài bức hình của Su ở Pomfret

Thu lượm được vài tấm hình hiếm hoi của Su trên Pomfret School's website. Kỳ này bố sẽ thu lại cái máy Canon đã giao vì để Su giữ vô ích quá.

 Hai học sinh mới lớ ngớ trong nhà ăn.

Haloween lần đầu tiên ở Mỹ, nhìn là biết ngố rừng

 Trong vở nhạc kịch đầu tiên - West Side Story (2/2012)

 A Capella (?) - diễn thấy vụng về quá!

Trong lớp Chemical Honor - 3/2012

Về tài năng

Bạn KHÔNG cần là một thiên tài để trở thành một nhà toán học chuyên nghiệp!

Trong một số trường hợp, một tài năng quá đặc biệt lại có thể không có lợi cho một quá trình phấn đấu lâu dài. Nếu lời giải đến một cách quá dễ dàng, người ta có thể đánh mất sự chăm chỉ, không đặt những câu hỏi mang tính sơ khai, quên đi việc mở rộng những lĩnh vực quan tâm, và những điều này sẽ khiến tài năng bị thui chột. 

Ngoài ra, nếu ai đã quen với những thành công dễ dàng, thì rất khó rèn luyện được tính kiên trì cần thiết để giải quyết những vấn đề thực sự khó. 

Tài năng là quan trọng, nhưng quan trọng hơn là việc rèn luyện, phát triển và duy trì nó !!

Terence Tao - Gíao sư toán tại UCLA Los Angeles từ năm 24 tuổi, giải thưởng Fields 2006

Su's fiction writing practice

Đề bài là viết 1 câu truyện ngắn 500 chữ maximum bắt đầu bằng câu : "The nurse left work at five o'clock"

“The nurse left work at five o’clock”

He wanted to continue typing, but his hands froze on the keyboard. He typed a line, deleted the whole thing and typed another. 

After thirty minutes, the blank page was more intimidating, maybe because there was still nothing but one line: The nurse left work at five o’clock. He stared at the screen, admiring the line’s beauty in many aspects. He didn’t know what to write. Fumbling in the dark, he tried to look for his other stories on the table full of coffee cups, candy wraps and books. 

A few heavy books fell down to the floor, making a big thump. But he didn’t care to pick them up or afraid that the apartment owner would wake up and yell at him, because he had got what he wanted.

“The nurse and the wolf”, “The horrible death of a nurse”, “Nurses are angels”… He muttered the titles as he flipped through the pile of stories. He even reread some of them, engrossed himself in the very fantasy he created.

“Beep, beep, beep” the alarm clock cruelly reminded him that it was 4.am already. Sometimes he just wanted to smash that annoying clock, hoping that when it turns to pieces, the time would stop going.

“F**k!” The man let out a groan and dropped his face onto the table. It was four hours until deadline, and he still hasn’t got a story to submit. He imagined himself lying to his son about how good mashed potatoes and canned beans are for his body, and that meat is the source of all diseases.

His mind was drifting in between the fragile boundary of reality and dream for a while before he could see Emily again. His wife was more beautiful than she ever was. He saw her on the beach with their son, splashing water at each other. He also saw her in the blue uniform, consisting of a dress, a pinafore apron and a cap. His right hand was holding a box of rice and stewed pork for her so she wouldn’t be hungry during her shift in the hospital ….

He shivered. A cold breeze woke him up, leaving a chill on his spine. He closed the window and took a look at his son, who was sleeping soundly and peacefully. Let out a deep sigh, he deleted the only line he had on the page. Every letter deleted was like a stab right at his heart. But finally, he has done it.

He wrote a new story, without the word “nurse” or anything associates to it.

Blog mới - Twin blog

Bố vừa mới tạo thêm một blog mới, anh em sinh đôi của blog này trên wordpress.
Tên của nó cũng là Su Nu Nhat - Ba trong một
Địa chỉ là sununhat.wordpress.com. Link với blog này nằm ở trên cùng cột bên trái.
Blog trên blogspot này sẽ dành riêng cho các việc liên quan đến chuyện học hành của Su.
Còn blog trên wordpress sẽ để ghi chép các sự kiện, thông tin, hình ảnh của gia đình.
Hai blog cũng là sẽ để phòng ngừa nếu có sự cố với blog này thì vẫn còn ở blog kia

Một phương pháp học

Trích dẫn kinh nghiệm học tập của một người Việt thành đạt ở Mỹ.

"Khi cầm cuốn sách lên, nếu là textbook thì đọc mục lục trước, để hiểu đại cương. Đọc đoạn mở đầu và kết luận từng chương, để có idea. VIẾT LẠI ngay, tầm xàm bá láp cũng được. Hình dung ra trong đầu các chương này, SAU KHI VIẾT LẠI ĐỀ CƯƠNG TOÀN QUYỂN SÁCH. Sau cùng mới đọc các chapters, và khi đọc cũng vậy, lướt qua trước, XEM HÌNH, rồi cuối cùng mới đọc chi tiết.

Cho dù không nhớ chi tiết, thì cũng nhớ hình. Vô học y khoa, tôi học bằng hình ảnh là nhiều. 206 cái xương, tôi hình dung ra, vẽ ra, cho dù xấu hoắc. Rồi mới tính đến tên. Sau đó vẽ các bộ phận và/ hoặc các muscles, cũng xấu hoắc thôi, rồi ghi tên, nerves nào innervate muscles nào.

Tôi có thể dạy cả 2 năm đầu chương trình y khoa tại bất cứ lúc nào, ở đâu, chẳng cần phải ôn bài. Do vậy mà thi tốt nghiệp đạt điểm Tối tối ưu hạng. Vì theo lối học ba tôi dạy: nhắm mắt hình dung sự việc, và đây là toàn cơ thể con người. TỔNG THỂ TRƯỚC, như đọc cuốn sách vậy, chi tiết sau, tên sau.

Chứ cầm cuốn human anatomy lên đọc thứ tự từ trang 1 đến trang 2000, thì 20 năm không xong, không hiểu. 

Học ngoại ngữ cũng vậy, tôi không học chi tiết, mà học tổng quát, đọc cho HIỂU, rồi viết lại, đọc lại, viết theo ý mình, ví dụ đọc Notre Dame de Paris, tôi viết lại, mẹ tôi đọc, cầm cây chổi lông gà rượt tôi chạy có cờ.

Vì tôi viết ông cha Claude Frollo bỏ dòng tu lấy cô Esmeralda! 

Và đó là cách làm sao mà 12 tuổi tôi đọc được Notre Dame de Paris, còn viết lại 1 cách rất lâm ly bi đát nữa! 

Ở trường trung học, tôi viết rất nhiều, viết chê bai, viết chúc tụng, v.v... Voltaire, Descartes, Rousseau, v.v... và thế là rành philosophy, sociology, history, hồi nào không hay, do phải đọc sách nhiều mới viết chê, khen họ được. 

GS Pháp không ngại ý tưởng, miễn là tôi viết có lý là được. 1 năm ở Paris, tôi viết có thể đến cả chục ngàn trang, mỗi ngày 50-100 trang. Đa số đáng liệng thùng rác, nhưng qua đó tôi HỌC rất nhiều.

Chứ theo kiểu VN, phải nắn nót, thầy cô trách mắng từng chút từng chút, phải theo "bài văn mẫu", thì suốt đời đa số học sinh chẳng rành cả tiếng Việt, sử Việt!" 

Su's second short fiction story

Undeniable Truth

I hear and see you everywhere… I hear you in the back seat of my car, yelling and laughing and screaming and singing. Your voice is always deafening and annoying. It drowns the engine’s sound and turns my favorite songs into meaningless blabbering. I see you at the dining table with your bold head, refusing to eat broccoli but choosing to mess with the forks and spoon instead. I hear your hurry footsteps at the door, excited to tell me your day, no matter how ordinary and mundane it was. I see you on the blank page that I write every day for a living. I see you alone on the balcony, watching the bright stars. Whenever you asked me to join you, I just wanted to say: “Get real! You make me sick!” But I did not. I was too tired to talk every single time.
Why the f**k won’t you leave me alone?
I got away from you. I swear to god that after several nights woken up soaked in sweat I did not dare think about you. If it were not for Ralph, you would have never been born, and I would have never been your father, at least not in my mind.
…
Ralph and his wife, who go to the same church as I, invited me to stay with them last weekend. After some talking, Ralph and I went out to get some chicken for dinner and also to pick up Julia, one of their daughters. As soon as we entered the supermarket, he did not go to the food section but walked along the cashier stands, and stopped after a few minutes searching for something, or someone.
“That is my older daughter Alicia,” he said and pointed at a cashier girl in uniform like others with the ponytail and big round earrings, “She works very hard to keep this job so she won’t talk to us. She doesn’t want the manager to catch her not focusing”. And so we just stare at the girl working for like five minutes until she turned around. The smile she wore on when talking with her customer quickly turned into a frown when she saw us. Alicia continued working, but the smile has disappeared and she would sometimes look at us stealthily, the what-do-you-want-from-me look. As if we could read each other’s mind, Ralph and I stride big steps to get the chicken and get out of there, without saying anything else. When we returned to the car, he let out a deep sigh and said:
“You know, sometimes I just feel like Alicia just don’t like me as her father. I mean, I love the fact that she is devoted to her work and such, but…” He stopped halfway, like he was choking on something. This made me think of you, the one that I spent bottles of tequila to forget[TA1] . I was glad that you were dead, because you would make me suffer like him when you grow up. I would have to endure that sight, and I would most likely teach you how to respect your dad with my fists. You would cry and say that you hate me, that you wish you were never born or have never had a father like me. Thank god I got rid of those pesky annoyances, just simply because you got blood cancer and could not be cured. You became weaker and weaker every day, until you could only lie on your bed, whispering breaths of air to me and your mom…
Ralph disrupted my flow of memories by start calling his wife. The fact that you, my worst fear, fade out of my mind usually make me relief. But when his wife did not answer after two calls, I wished that she had a car accident and died. That would be something dramatic to write about, I giggled at the idea.
We went to pick Julia up at her aunt’s house the next day. Since Ralph’s house is very far from school, Julia has to stay with her aunt for most of the week, and only comes back home for the weekends. While I was admiring the design of the aunt’s house, which is elegant and luxurious like the houses of dukes in the old times, the annoying dogs kept barking relentlessly. So I kicked them to shut them up. And they did, just like the old saying: “only coward dogs will bark loudly”.
“Dad, please! Mary is having a big party at her house, they have wings and pizza and ice cream cake. Can I go?” Julia asked while we were watching TV. Her tone was high and her eyes were opening wide, making them look like two glittering emeralds. She was looking for one answer only.
“Just a little bit dear” Ralph said “I will drive you there at 7 sharp”
“But… But that is like another two hours of doing nothing!”
“Don’t make me change my mind, Julia. I just want you to stay here so we can have some quality time together.” Ralph said, occasionally glancing at me who was pretending to ignore their conversation. The entire family and I then went for a walk. It was nice to enjoy the fresh air once in a while. Only at these moments could I be free from the stifling atmosphere created by the limiting walls of a house. We said nothing to each other, just indulged ourselves in the beautiful scenery. When we have walked about a mile, Julia stopped walking and started to use her boots to splash the water puddle nearby. Ralph and his wife were in front of us, unaware of Julia. I shook my head, knowing exactly what was going to happen next to this family. On the way back to the house, we met Julia standing with one foot, trying to get something out of her boots.
“Julia, if you can get rid of that attitude, you will be much more successful” Ralph said. I was amazed by how calm he was at that moment.
“Sorry that my boots were stuck in the mud” With a slight smile on her face, Julia answer, her eyes fixed on the road ahead “I thought you guys… would come back for me, but you all just kept walking.”
At that moment I couldn’t help but imagine Julia working at the cashier stand, staring at me. It was that same look, same facial expression. Suddenly I was filled by a feeling of pity for all those parents in the world. They embrace and cherish their children, even when the child is not even born. All the love and caring and time were devoted to the baby, only to see the stubborn attitude and ungratefulness when their kids grow up. When we sit down and ponder, we will certainly realize that parents are like saints, their love is limitless and they don’t ask for anything in return. I felt special. I am one of few fathers who could keep his kid’s kisses and hugs, hand-drawn birthday cards, paintings of our family in crayon forever, before all are replaced with moments of awkward and depressing silence.
That day, I arrived to Ralph’s house just on time. Had I been late for just a couple of seconds, Ralph would have had a hard time of getting all the vomit off the road.[TA2]
Today is one of the days that I have a full bottle of tequila waiting for me on the table when I wake up. The heater was left on too high, and the radio was still playing. With the bottle on my hand, I entered the bedroom. Your mom was sleeping soundly, so different from the woman that stayed up every night to take care for you in hospital. I went to your room, which I had locked and prohibited anyone from going in since you died. I smelled your clothes. Every breath I inhale made you become more vivid: your blue eyes, bold head, gaped teeth that you do not hesitate to show when smiling. My shirt was soaked with sweat.
Panting, I rushed back to the kitchen, smashed the bottle against the wall and started gulping water until I could not take in anymore. I wished I could have a “Julia” or “Alicia” to stare and say that she hates me, that she wishes she has never been born. Ralph is just so damn lucky.
Now I’m screwed. Your voice keeps echoing in my head and it would just not stop, your trembling near-to-whisper voice:
“Momma, Papa, don’t worry about me. I’m just going to go to a happy place where people dance and eat and have fun every day, right mom? Just don’t think about me, knowing that I am perfectly safe.”
Yeah right.

[TA1]Lik!!!
[TA2]confusing

A home-work writing - Kidnapping

Bài tập là viết về một tội phạm mà phải loại bỏ yếu tố phạm tội (tức là làm sao cho nó không sặc mùi phạm tội)

Last week, as I jogged along the deserted road, my T-shirt soaked with sweat, when suddenly...

Oh wait! There is something you need to know.  I lost my child when he was only five years old. He was a bright, handsome kid. God was too cruel, taking him away one month after he had measles. Measles! Can you believe that? He was all I had; he was the glue adhered our small family together. But he was still somewhere in this world, I knew it. 

I knew he cannot just leave me like that. So as I said, I was jogging and thinking about my miserable life when I suddenly I saw… my boy. He was standing there, playing with the soccer ball like he used to, in front of a big red house. 

Although he wore different clothes than the last time I saw him, I could still recognize his smooth white skin and hair like strands of sunlight. I remembered myself bursting into tears, running to him and giving him a big warm hug. 

Although he did not say anything to me and denied his own mother, it was fine. I was a bad momma, who worked all day and did not care for him, so he might hated me. “But I can fix that! As soon as we get home I will bake him cookies the way he liked it and play with him all day,” I thought. So I scooped him up with my arms and started walking back home. Gracious god! What have I done to make him hate me so much? 

He started to cry, yell and punched my chest continuously. Each stroke from his tiny hands was sharp and painful, like a knife stabbing my heart brutally.  After what seemed like eternity, he cried himself to sleep, just as I stopped to rest in a small forest. Having laid him down onto a old, dusty log, I went to the river nearby. The water was fantastic and tasty that day, it tickled my senses and refreshed my mind. I stored some in my water bottle for him too.

But when I came back, he was gone…

My mind stopped working and my arms drooped as if there were no muscles in it. The next thing I know was the surroundings running towards me, and wind blew furiously by my ears. I could not lose him anymore; I would not let my dear child be taken from me again. “Willie, Where are you?” I shouted out loud as I ran through trees and bushes, but only my own echo answered me. 

At that moment it felt like the whole world was collapsing right before my eyes. Tears flew from my eyes and dropped to the ground. Maybe the higher power have heard my prayers and sympathized with me, so I when I looked up from the ground I found him! He was running too, but his little feet did not allow him to go far. “Oh dear Willie, you should have told me you wanted to play hide and seek!” I thought. And I leaped forward, holding him by the arms. I cried, shedding the tears of happiness. And he cried too, maybe he was like me, so happy to find his momma again.