The Spiritual Pen We aim to help people find peace within themselves and question their current lifestyles and current issues in the world. A Monthly Newsletter
Issue 7, 21st February 2014
Wellness Tip
Lavender Life
BRAND NEW!! Article by Thomas M Easley from Speaking Tree on the “Internet Messiah” - Page 6
Advice Column Question: Dear Guru, I have to make a decision. My parents are want me to carry on their tradition of being a wax model artist but I have developed an interest in creating reggae music and wish to live my future creating reggae music. What should I do? - David Answer: Dear David, You are living your own life. Your parents are not living your life. Of course they may have advice for you and influence your decisions however they should not force you into anything. If you were to take up a job that you dislike, you will regret your decision in the future. A job should
Sleep is very important to keep a healthy mind and body. If you are affected by stress and have trouble sleeping, try Lavender. Immerse in a warm bath with a few sprinkles of lavender oil. This wonderful scented herb will surely relieve pain, stress and calm you down for a relaxing night of sleep.
Dear Sam, Believe it or not, a thief can become a saint, It is never too late to change. Firstly, it is important you question yourself. Why did you perform such deeds? Perhaps by answering these give you satisfaction. You should questions your mind may be clearer and explore into what you like, in the you can begin your process of changing. process, discovering yourself and Secondly, it is important you becoming one with your true self. It is understand that it is not easy to change important that you discuss this with your quickly , however step by step by you parents and help them understand will be able to. Start by talking to your why you do not want to be a wax model parents/guardians regarding your issue artist. I wish you all the best in so that they can help you along the way. the future. At first, people may be reluctant to talk to you due to your past deeds however Question: Dear Guru, I’m a bit troubled. as time passes they will realize that All my life I have been bullying kids just you yourself, want to change and those to get my way. However my grades have that are kind hearted will be gone down and nobody wants to help willing to help you and be your friend. me. Is it too late to change the way I live Most importantly, do not give up or not? If so how? - Sam hope during your entire transformation. 1
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OFS does away with traditional learning Overseas Family School, a
teachers, and the Internet
only a place for education,
needed an experience to
Curriculum school, has
there be a teacher speaking
various people from other
concept! And it’s the
face classroom teaching and
the concepts of matrices to
thought it was great that my
well- -known International IB has taken over. No longer will but also a place to meet decided to put aside face to instead plans to deliver the entire curriculum online by 2015. OFS is one of the
to the students, explaining students as the Internet is
there. “ I have only lost my
job, but the students have
student in OFS. “I am
SAT’s will not be available
all their information, and
has decided to switch to
decision of throwing away
from the computer, with no
students concentrate
replacing with automated
constantly telling them to
success or a failure?
at OFS. Online learning
stated on the weekend, midway through the academic year.
OFS will no longer pass knowledge through
student of OFS.
exams such as IGCSE’s and
education from Pre- -K
Board of Directors and
different places, but now
Lizzy McMann, former
meet all these people,” said
remarked James Sparrow, a
1991. It was decided by the
so many people from
get distracted!” commented
The school plans still to
Singapore, authorized by
onwards. It was founded in
daughter was able to meet
Internet, who isn’t bound to
that it is going online, my
many international schools in lost proper education,” IBO and it offers the full IB
cultures and races. “I
understand a certain
high school science teacher
consists of students using a
daughter won’t be able to
enroll students in external
Amy Mallow, a parent of a
SAT’s however material for
computer as a mode to reach shocked to hear that OFS
online. Will the school’s
they will learn everything
online learning. How will
traditional learning and
without having a teacher
learning proves to be a
hands on activities.
Overseas Family School is
seen by many parents as not
pay attention and listen? Like many students, I
- MENON, Smriti
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CLASSROOM
OR DESKTOP?
Ever thought about an imaginary school where a student cannot see his/her teacher or classmates and can only see his/her study guides and assessments? It is extremely alarming to hear Overseas Family School’s declaration of becoming the world’s first IB school to deliver their entire curriculum online by 2015. As the spokeswoman of the spiritual community, I believe that it is an outrageous decision to do away with the traditional system of schooling as we believe that a school is a place of worship. It is a place where individuals learn to respect each other. Though we do acknowledge the fact that the upcoming generations will be highly technologically advanced, it is important to note that coaching students online isn’t going to help them be bold, independent citizens. They will not be able to survive in this competitive world without being confident and strong, all of which cannot be developed online. However, online learning for research for example, could be a better option. English teacher Mr Glover learning how the Demand and Supply curve is drawn and how to learn origami online. Don’t you think he would have a temptation to log in to other websites rather than studying? Will you as a parent believe that what your child is learning is true and not some trash posted on the web? Will you not have a fear that your child is being left in the wrong hands? Our communities and schools can do much better. Although many parents have expressed their great joy in this new innovative form of education, they have turned a blind eye to the fact that they might have to pay a hefty amount for online education. So if you, parents, are willing to pay loads of money on just powerpoint slides and examinations and in wasting 6 and 1/2 hours of your child’s day in front of a
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desktop, you might want to think again. Unlike the futurists, we have to live in the moment and not a fictional life. We must not spread false hopes that technology will help solve the problems faced by mankind today because technology is not the answer to maintain happy and sustainable life. - IYER, Bhaarghavi
The many edges to see in technology “Students increasing dependency on technology in every aspect of their academic lives is a double edged sword” states Richard Glover when questioned about OFS`s recent announcement that it will do away with face to face classroom teaching by becoming the first IB World School to deliver its entire curriculum online by 2015. While such a statement would have brought out the idea of a mixed opinion towards this change, there had had to be reasoning behind this sudden change. While technology has been a part of our everyday living, we should ask ourselves if our dependency in
technology has been an improvement in our lives or a poor investment in our lives. Computer experts believe that technology has been a vital part of the lives of the youth and taking it away might create a big shift in life, while this may sound logical, most business people claim that this technology might just bring about unemployment, which might just be enough to create an negative transition towards life. The main aspect that the issue of OFS`s online curriculum revolves around is the way technology lives out in our lives. The owners of OFS claim that this new scheme might help teachers manage their students and make their jobs and lives easier especially for the learning environment of students. In contrast to the why OFS has made the sudden change on their might just create a sudden impact towards the trustworthy image they have maintained over 20 years. “This new change in the curriculum might just allow OFS to improve for the better of the students” claims Randal Peters who has been in OFS for 20 years. While there are claims that staff should try something new, there are some staff members in OFS who believe that this change might just lead problems for the lives of both students and teachers,“OFS has maintained the trustworthy image for over 20 years and the curriculum change is the last thing you would expect” says Maya Landon who has recently joined OFS as a teacher for just 1 year. Nevertheless OFS is still settling with the teachers if this is the right decision - HABOS, Miguel
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considering that not only the Internet not only provides education, but also is DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD? a source of entertainment. The Internet All of us have learnt through traditional is the largest cause of procrastination ways of teaching with a teacher standing and procrastination is on the rise, in front of us, explaining various affecting 26% of students nowadays. theorems and science laws. Have we not all become successful? Overseas Family Even though online learning is an School, a leading international school interesting way for students to learn, it recently announced its intention to eradicates hands on activities and lab deliver its entire curriculum online by work a vital part of education. “In order 2015. Online learning consists of for a student to grasp an idea, it is students using the computer to access essential they experiment and discuss the curriculum and learning without face- with peers, only then will they truly to-face teaching. Will it prove to be understand it, instead of reading off a beneficial or would it harm the child’s screen” said science teacher Michael capability to learn? Boyle. As technological inventions rise,
ONLINE
LEARNING, A
simplicity dies. In order to invent, you Overseas Family School claims that need to experiment. Does online online learning would save time for learning provide you that space to students. Believe it or not, according to invent? - MENON, Smriti Montgomery College, online courses are more time consuming. In order to converse with the teacher, students are required to type which in fact takes more time than speaking, In addition, traditional classes have a set time in which the teacher talks to you, explaining every concept while the student takes notes, but as online students, reading lecture notes take more time to understand it. OFS believe that online learning is beneficial to students, as it will make them more independent. “It encourages students to make their own decisions, enabling them to be more responsible” said David Lim, principal of OFS. Emma Baker, an academic advisor remarked, “As a academic advisor, I dealt with many students, and I know that students need assistance even up till grade 12. The need someone to guide them right from choosing subjects to a push to try harder in school.” This is something online learning will not provide, unlike traditional learning does – the constant support from all of the people in school. Observers say that the extent of independence given might be foolish
From ink, to pixels Overseas Family School an international IB school in Singapore has just announced their decision to throw away their traditional face to face classroom teaching in order to become the worlds first IB school to deliver their curriculum online by 2015. This initiated a lot of debate around the decision.
to technology for one of the most important parts of our lives, receiving education”. The students will not be able to socialize and interact with each other. Instead they have to learn from a computer. This will not be good for students health as they sure will be distracted and will be spending several hours in a room in front of a computer. Adults wants us to be active and through this decision, this will not be fulfilled. A number of readers may believe that this gives students an opportunity of having more freedom and being even more independent. That this will help them when they enter the adult world of working. We asked an OFS student named Sally, a grade 11 straight- A students about this issue. “I believe that this will increase students freedom, However I think they will misuse this freedom. Younger students starting this online curriculum will struggle and will grow up to lack discipline. Then when entering the adult world, they will have problems with a lot of things. Such as waking up in the morning, handing in assignments on time and having much less freedom than they grew up having. This will guaranteed cause a lot of problems.” Speaking for students, this will not be healthy for our well being nor prepare us for the adult world we will enter after finishing school at OFS. - JOHANNSON, Sophie
Mr. Samuel, a expert in Meditation and Yoga said that “The school is throwing away years and years of tradition that we have built up throughout our lives for technology. This is shocking that they would turn
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The Unknown Life: First online student to graduate Do we know where our decisions where we
10,000 friends in Facebook. However, who McHitachi. Do we really need to rush into
rely on technology lead us to. Imagine a
really is Angie McHitachi? Do we know
a decision and make a sudden change from
school where you never used pen and
what she looks like? Does she know who
face to face curriculum to an online
paper and all of your teachers are sitting
we are as a community? Are her “10,000�
curriculum while it is still developing? Are
in your desk with a keyboard and mouse in
friends in Facebook really her friends?
we bringing the new generation to a whole
front of them like a virtual screen for the
Some questions about her life might be
new academic life that the current
rest of your academic lives. This fearful
safer unanswered.
generation are unaware of? Will online
idea might just be the beginning of technology choosing how we live our lives,
education choose how we live our lives? However hearing Angie McHitachi in a
There are just these choices that life
and believe it or not, technology will impact public seminar at OFS, she spoke about
bestows upon us and these choices we
the lives of the students one way or
how technology and online learning might
make might end up making the decisions
another and might just replace the
just help her generation to a whole new
and choosing how we live our life rather
personal lives we live in with meaningless
level of education and how we as a
than us choosing the way we live in.
virtual lives that we would never live in.
community can benefit our lives. Angie has
Let`s say that there has been a case where online teaching has proven successful in someones academic life and such a person who has had their education solely online exists. Angie McHitachi is said to be the first student to receive an undergraduate degree with information technology with online education being her sole form of education and rumors have it that she has
tried to persuade people and believed that There is so much to say about Angie`s technology might enhance our academic
online life, but little to say about her
lives. However it would seem that during
reality. To consider the path of education
her speech she has become a bit difficult
she has chosen as her life is to take
for most people to understand and does
responsibility for the choices the newer
not seem sociable as some people felt
generation make for their education. The
uneasy about her public speech in OFS.
main question is, would you allow online education to become your academic life?
Before answering the questions, we would need to evaluate the credibility of Angie
- HABOS, Miguel
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Internet Messiah Human evolution has entered new territory with the world wide web becoming ubiquitous in our lives, says THOMAS M EASLEY. The homo sapien is now the e-sapien — and the latter has found a new messiah at a click of the mouse. Upon awakening this morning, and government. It belongs to everyone, and analyze in greater detail the for no discernible reason, my first and no one, and by virtue of its sapient mass of present time. He will thought focused on religion, and existence, the internet has broken f e e d o n v i s i o n a n d m e m o r y why there is more disdain among the the bond of routine social contracts, connectivity stored in all constructs religious, of religions that are not c o n d i t i o n i n g o u r p r e j u d i c e d of matter, and harness integration of their own, than there is of the devil in perception of evolution and God. We individual electric signatures with the any religion. Such scorn seems an are now on the path to a new human, internet’s electric signature. He won’t utter impossibility given that all our more ethereal counterpart…the fear death, nor personal identity religions proclaim by varying degree Electro Sapien or e-sapien.
dissolution and insignificance.
— to be purveyors of God’s love, goodness, devotion, sacrifice, truth, With over seven billion human beings and wisdom. I have no answer for this living today, it is rational to assume d i s c re p a n c y , b u t t h e s u b j e c t that small, pre-Electro Sapien (however unlikely) brought to mind groups or types, directed by the the ubiquitous world wide web — species’ self-organisation, have that raucous, under-construction, begun to break away from the whole. unconstrained international electric To establish who these new electron e i g h b o u r h o o d w h i c h h a s n o types are, and why they will survive religion, no expectation of a to establish the next level of species’ transformative messiah, and no God expansion, involves the discomfort beyond the glory of electric energy.
of disputing or questioning the f u t u re va l i d i t y o f t ra d i t i o n a l
The Beast spins a Web interpretations of human purpose. The internet is a beast, uncivil by
corporal standards, rudely honest in The Electro Sapien its capacity to include any idea the The electro-type, the Electro mind can think of — and any voice, Sapien, will expand conscious access no matter how small, can ring loud in to brain realism, merge — through the internet’s ear. miraculous data crunching — our
insipid linear perception of reality The internet is not a country; it is not with actual multidimensional reality. a b e l i e f s y s t e m ; i t i s n o t a He will abstract linear thinking, see
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