So true!

Blogging days

It seems like my blogging days are not over yet.

One my clients needed their students to build a web page so what better way to do it than by using www.blogspot.com!

Re: QR codes

I put some QR codes on my business cards.  The QR code is about 18mm square.  What is far more important is it can be read by a smart phone !

Re: QR codes

This is a QR code "Quick Response code".  They seem to be catching on here in HK.  I made some up from this web site.  If you have a smart phone you can download a free application called QR Droid Private to scan these codes.  I had a chop made up by http://www.applestamp.com.hk/  with my company contact details.  I took an image on MS Word and a pdf file to my local stationery shop and it was made in 24 hrs for 100 kwai.  What's more the chop actually worked.  So I can chop a piece of paper, envelope or such like so it can be scanned by a smart phone.  So there is no need to write things down on paper as it can be scanned straight into the phone.

Pretty clear to me !

"The trouble is, this sort of transfer window... it sort of creates a window where transfers have to be done.”
GARY NEVILLE
Sky Sports 1 With thanks to Private Eye

Crashed computer 8-(

My Acer notebook fell over and needed a new graphics card.  It was out of commission for a few days.  I had to rely on my nasty but dependable netbook.  This certainly did the job but I was pleased to get the Acer back.

I am still trying to survive.  I had to have an audit done, the down side of being a limited company.  Ah well it is only money, company money at that  !

I have had to make recordings for my students and I am pleased with the results.  I used a free download called Audacity and it seems to work quite well.

One of my students has been reading a series of books called "Magic Tree House" by Mary Pope Osborne.  I searched and found this web site that is related to the books.  It is almost ready made for teaching.  This web site is http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading27/revolutionary_war_on_wednesday.htm.  Would be teachers please note !

Origami tie

Here is a video of how to make an origami tie.  An advantage of origami is that no cutting is required. 

Re: You Tube

It seems that some universities are starting to take You Tube seriously.  This was highlighted by an article I spotted in a Kiwi newspaper.  To the uninitiated Kiwi = New Zealand.  The article points out that by exploiting You Tube students are more inclined to turn in their assignments The article is here.  I have heard of students putting a lot more effort into their presentations when it was going to be uploaded to You Tube.

I worked at a school in Wong Tai Sin and the school had an orchestra that used a lot of Chinese instruments, the likes of which I have not seen before.  It is fortunate that schools try and preserve Chinese music in this manner.  I suggested to the principal that she should do a You Tube presentation of the orchestra playing. 

Maybe teachers should exploit this idea to encourage their students to put more work into assignments.

I maintain a collection of potentially useful You Tube clips as I feel they have much use to students of all ages. Some students, particularly younger students do not seem to be motivated by the endless photocopies that learning centres often rely on.  These same students take notice of a suitable You Tube clip.

Re: You Tube clips

A centre mentioned to me that parents do not like You Tube clips.  This is unfortunate as there is a wealth of usable material out there.  Here is a clip I found that children will love!

Re: Gifted students

I have a 6 year old student who started learning English this January.
She appears to be like a native speaker.  Sometimes very young learners can be very gifted indeed.

Useful site

Unfortunately I seem to have to do an awful lot of commuting this is why I find this web site MTR very useful for journey planning.

Sophisticated electronic teaching aids !

I have been using a sophisticated electronic teaching aid, OK well sort of, it is a plastic microphone that used to hold candies, the candies have long since disappeared as I disposed of them...8-).

I normally use this with kindies, however I have been using them with teenagers as well.  Maybe it is the theatrical prop that helps them overcome their shyness.  After speaking the speaker then has the option of selecting the next victim.  This seems to be popular with all, apart from the next victim.

These microphones can be purchased at a candy store for about 5 kwai (OK kwai =HKD).

Re: Web site development

So much for the web site developer.  Half the job was done and the web site is not completed.
So I have engaged another web site developer who, hopefully, will be able to finish off the web site. 
This time I think I will have buttons to provide a translation into traditional Chinese and simplified Chinese.  Some of my clients do not speak much English at all.  I have noticed that having my own private students might not pay as much as the language centres but they are much easier to deal with.

Re: Testing

I conducted a test on Sunday.  A little girl came top of the class.  Two very mischievous boys did surprisingly well and one quiet but somewhat weak student did better than I expected.  The girl revealed to the Chinese staff that the mischievous boys had copied off her, this explained their unexpectedly good performance.  All of the students will get suitably rewarded.  The two naughty boys will get some writing exercises from this web site this web site and the girl and the weaker student will get certificates from this web site.

In all cases the students will get their just rewards.

Re: Google Analytics

I am running another web site that includes a blog, hence not so much activity on this blog.  I opened another gmail account and used a much more sensible name for it.  I also signed up for Google Analytics so I could monitor activity and hits on my web site.  Google Analytics provides a map so I am able to see where I am getting hits for my web site.  I noticed a viewer in Leatherhead, England.  A few days ago I sent an old friend in Leatherhead the address of my web site and Google Analytics managed to pick this one up.  Rather useful, unless of course you live in China !

Re: Wordpress

I started developing a web site using Wordpress.  I found it all a bit confusing at first, after a while I found it to be much the same as this.  I used some of my own photos and some stock photos from this web site http://www.123rf.com/ the toughest part was paying for it all with my credit card.  Sometimes a bit of resizing was needed, however if I can manage it I sure that most people will be able to manage it.  The acid test will be if I get some work as a result of the work I did over Chinese New Year to develop the site.

If the blog was not part of the course requirement I think I would have found it much more difficult to get a handle on Wordpress.  So maybe the good Doctor was right !

Re: Backups

The unfortunate computer users in Australia have found to their cost that storing their backup hard disks next to their computers was not such a good idea.

The flood waters destroyed their computers and their backup copies as well.  There is much to be said for storing backup material in a remote location. Likewise using SkyDrive is also a very good idea.