The Eleven Rules for Life

It's an excerpt from the book Dumping Down Our Kids: Why American Children Feel Good about Themselves, but Can’t Read, Write, or Add. by educator Charles Sykes.  It is a list of eleven things you did not learn in school and directed at high school and college grads. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teaching has created a full generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept sets them up for failure in the real world.

RULE 1

Life is not fair - get used to it.

RULE 2

The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish   something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

RULE 3

You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice president with car phone, until you earn both.

RULE 4

If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure.

RULE 5

Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping they called it Opportunity.

RULE 6

If you mess up, it’s not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

RULE 7

Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as     they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest     from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

RULE 8

Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

RULE 9

Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.

RULE 10

Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

RULE 11

Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Have a nice day!

Classroom language

It's very important that you use English as much as possible in our classes. Here is a list of some of the most common phrases used for asking questions in the classroom. Learn the phrases and try to use them often!!

1. Can I go to the toilet, please?
2. Can you spell “...…”, please?
3. What’s the English for “….”?
4. Can you write “…..” for me, please?
5. What does “……..” mean?
6. Can you move aside, please?
7. Sorry, I don’t understand. Can you repeat, please?
8. Sorry, I’m late. May I come in, please?
9. Can you write it on the board, please?
10. May I open the window?
11. I have finished. What should I do next?
12. Can I answer, please?
13. I don’t feel well. Can I go out?
14. May I sit next to……..?
15. When do we get the results?
16. Is this right / wrong?
17. Can you lend me a pen, please?
18. Sorry, I don’t know what to do. Can you explain it again, please?
19. How do you spell “……”?
20. Which page is the text on?
21. Can I close the window, please?
22. Can you turn the lights on, please?
23. Can you check my work?
24. Can you speak more slowly, please?
25. Can I/you pull up the shutters, please?
26. Can I/you let down the shutters, please?
27. Thank you.
28. You’re welcome.
29. Do not chew gum in class.
30. Raise your hand before you speak.

Some tips on learning English

• Study vocabulary and learn new words every day
• Pay attention to the teacher and work in class

• Listen to English songs and try to learn and understand the lyrics, then sing it back

• Watch films in English at least once a month

• Read graded readers, magazines, newspapers in English

• Study at least 30 minutes every day

• Do your homework every day

• Visit an English speaking forum

• Do some minutes listening practice every day

• Read texts aloud, record yourself and play it back later, how does it sound?

• Take an active part in role plays or drama activities

• When you have the opportunity, travel to an English speaking country
• Speak always without fear

Be patient with yourself. Learning any language can be frustrating, but frustration won’t help, so let it go!!

Establishing classroom rules

Let's set some rules to start our school year on the right foot!!

 

CLASSROOM RULES

• Treat others as you would like to be treated.
• Respect other people and their property.
• Laugh with anyone, but laugh at no one.
• Be responsible for your own learning.
• Always have homework and supplies.
• Do not disturb people who are working.
• Pay attention and listen when others are talking.
• Raise your hand to speak.
•  Keep the room clean.
• Mind your Ps and Qs. (P=please, Q= thank you)
• Always do your best!