Pop and rock music

   
                  For some time now, a debate has been going on about whether pop and rock music exert harmful influence on adolescents and whether they should be banned.
                   To begin with, one of the reasons why music is important for young people is that teenagers are trying to explore the new world of adulthood through music. They choose songs whose lyrics can express the problems that they have in their everyday life. Furthermore, music and especially pop and rock music is one of the most famous and accessible to all people. Teenagers see the singers and musicians as the perfect idol, so they become familiar with them. Except from this, most of pop and rock songs convey very positive messages about the world around us and people's mentality, which help them form their identity. Also, listening to pop and rock music helps them become familiar with literature, as many songs of these types of music are based on poetry turned into music.
                    Secondly, another beneficial influence of music is that is an outstanding way to relax. In recent years, young people's lives have been dominated by an increasingly hectic schedule and it has become more and more difficult for them to relax. By listening to music, they are free to relax, they can easily fall asleep and also they can express their feelings because most of songs seem to ease their pain that they may feel because of the identify crisis. Lat but not least, music is worldwide used as the best entertainment. If you go to a cafe or shopping, you will listen to music in the shops so their outing may be more entertaining and interesting.
                     Taking everything into consideration, I firmly believe that music should not be banned and neither the versions of it. Pop and rock songs convey very positive messages that might contribute to making the world a better place. Also, music helps adolescents to form and strengthen their character.

Time capsules

      
                 As the second millennium drew to a close, many people made their own personal time capsules-that is, they put items they believed were typical for their life and times into a waterproof container, which they buried in hopes that it would be found by future generations. But what picture would I want to give future generations? 
                 To begin with, the first item I would include would be a magazine or a newspaper's front pages with major headlines to see the covers of this age and learn about the news and current affairs. People would be very interested in learning about the past historical and sports affairs and awards that worldwide famous people have won.
                  Other items I would include would be an encyclopedia as a reminder of their descent, but as a reminder of the past too. In an encyclopedia you can learn a variety of new things such as the customs and traditions of your country or major historical points that shocked our society. Moreover, another idea is writing a letter in which we can express our opinion about our social life. In this way whoever found the capsule would understand our try for a better future.
                   Taking everything into consideration, I can only hope that future generations will also read everything that people put into these time capsules.

Tolerance notes

 

 

INTERVIEW OF OUR FRENCH EPALS ABOUT PARIS TERRORIST ATTACKS

http://markaki-students.blogspot.gr/2015/11/interview-of-our-french-epals-about.html

WATCHING THE 'FREEDOM WRITERS' ON NATIONAL TOLERANCE DAY

Watching, discussing and reflecting on "Freedom Writers" with my teenage students: The ideal way to celebrate the International Day of Tolerance (16th November), especially in the light of the recent inhumane terrorist attacks.

An outstanding film on the value of tolerance and the difficulty, but also glory, of learning how to co-exist. Proof of the brilliance of proper educators and the extent of difference they can make, one person at a time, one class at a time, in an ever-changing multifarious world.

Related information:

School's slides on tolerance:

http://www.slideshare.net/cm24/national-tolerance-day-a-cpe-lesson

The film on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0463998/

The trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3634888985/

Quotes as a discussion springboard:

Erin Gruwell: Maybe we should talk about art. Tito's got real talent, don't you think? You know something? I saw a picture just like this once, in a museum. Only it wasn't a black man, it was a jewish man. And instead of the big lips he had a really big nose, like a rat's nose. But he wasn't just one particular jewish man. This was a drawing of all jews. And these drawings were put in the newspapers by the most famous gang in history. You think you know all about gangs? You're amateurs. This gang will put you all to shame. And they started out poor and angry and everybody looked down on them. Until one man decided to give them some pride, an identity... and somebody to blame. You take over neighborhoods? That's nothing compared to them. They took over countries. You want to know how? They just wiped out everybody else. Yeah, they wiped out everybody they didn't like and everybody they blamed for their life being hard. And one of the ways they did it was by doing this: see, they print pictures like this in the newspapers, jewish people with big, long noses... blacks with big, fat lips. They'd also published scientific evidence that proved that jews and blacks were the lowest form of human species. Jews and blacks were more like animals. And because they were just like animals it didn't matter if they lived or died. In fact, life would be a whole lot better if they were all dead. That's how a holocaust happens. And that's what you all think of each other.

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Eva: White people wanting respect like they deserve it for free.
Erin Gruwell: I'm a teacher, it doesn't matter what color I am.
Eva: It's all about color, it's about people deciding what you deserve, about people wanting what they don't deserve. About whites thinking they own this world no matter what, you see, I hate white people.
Erin Gruwell: You hate me? You don't even know me.
Eva: I know what you can do. I saw white cops shoot my friend in the back for reaching into his pocket, his pocket! I saw white cops come into my house and take my father away for no REASON except they feel like it! Except because they can! And they can, because they're white. So I HATE white people on sight

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Marcus: I've never had a hero before. But you are my hero.
Miep Gies: Oh, no. No, no, no, young man, no. I am not a hero. No. I did what I had to do, because it was the right thing to do. That is all.

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Marcus: Lady, stop acting like you tryin' to understand our situation, and just do your little babysitting up there.
Erin Gruwell: That's what you think this is?
Marcus: It ain't nothing else. When I look out in the world I don't see nobody that looks like me with their pockets full unless they're rapping a lyrics or dribbling a ball, so what else you got in here for me?
Erin Gruwell: And what if you can't rap a lyric or dribble a ball?
Andre: It ain't this.
Marcus: I know that's right.
Erin Gruwell: And you all think you're gonna make it to graduation like this?
Andre: I made it to HIGH school ain't nobody stop me.
Marcus: Lady I'm lucky if I make it to 18, we in a war! We graduating every day we live because we ain't afraid to die, protecting our own. At least when you die for your own, you die with respect, you die a warrior.

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Erin Gruwell: So when you're dead, you'll get respect, that what you think?
[murmurs of 'yeah' from the class]
Erin Gruwell: You know what's gonna happen when you die? You're gonna rot in the ground, and people are going to go on living, and they're going to forget all about you. And when you ROT, do you think it's gonna matter whether you were an original gangsta? You're dead, and nobody, NOBODY, is gonna want to remember you, because all you left in the world is this.
[holds up Tito's drawing]

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Miep Gies: You are the heroes. You are heroes every day.

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Margaret Campbell: You can't make someone want education.

Public Health Care

One of the sad realities of modern life is that, although contemporary medical advances have occurred, the availability of quality treatment for all members of society has yet to be accomplished. In my country, for instance, public health care already exists, but hardly a day goes by without citizens complaining of its malfunction. Hence, topping my changes' list are where treatment is given and who actually gets it.

The question of who gets quality treatment is probably the greatest problem facing public health care nowadays. More specifically, affluent people are more likely to be registered with a prolific treatment, since doctors of National Health System (NHS) are governed by corruption. That is, local physicians expect patients to leave them an exorbitant amount of money in an envelope. A case in point is that even though parents are offered with health insurance, they opt to hand this envelope over for fear of the ramifications if they do not. It is outrageous that daunted patients are exploited this way. So, to alleviate the situation, governments should inform citizens about their rights to health care and the phenomenon of corruption.

The second problem of our NHS that is crucial we comprehend is the fact that although there are public hospital and a wide variety of clinics, some citizens are not able to take advantage of them, either because they are not in close proximity to them, or since they are inadequately equipped. More specifically, not only is the absence of hospitals in rural areas and islands a serious complaint on the grounds that patients have to travel when they are inflicted with an  immense amount of pain, but also the system's inability to care about diseases is undoubtedly blameworthy. Therefore, fund raising so as to build hospitals in underdeveloped parts of the country and setting up evacuation systems, which will facilitate the patients in remote ares are to be done.      

Taking everything into consideration, there is no doubt in my mind that these problems of our National Health System will exist perpetually unless the government and the doctors take action in order to make public health care a service fairly provided to everyone, since health is always the most important priority.                         

Fame and Public Recognition

Since  the dawn of civilization, some individuals reckon that fame and public recognition are the most primeval and powerful stimuli, especially when they strive to surpass their expectations and achieve something outstanding. Nevertheless, I am inclined to believe that this kind of success is not the most important virtue in life, although it is rewarding for a personal feat.

Albeit the fact that the way media treat famous people indicates that the price of fame has peaked, it is an undisputed fact that being publicly acclaimed for an admirable achievement contributes to elevating a person's self-esteem levels. That is, the elation a person feels when they are hailed as paragons of virtue is priceless, especially when those people have experienced an ordeal. On the contrary, people are generally poor judges and their opinions are quite easily swayed by ostentation; subsequently, people who seek fame and public recognition are vain and quasi proud of their career. So, it is crucial we comprehend that achieving something and being modest about it should be our top priority instead of yielding to fame, which is directly related to being in the limelight and having almost no privacy. 

Moreover, it is a fact of contemporary life that fame is no longer contingent on real and substantial achievement; thus, it has been devalued. A case in point is that fame and public recognition are for a tiny minority, when millions of people living, for instance, in unsanitary urban slums struggle to keep the wolf from the door. So, real heroes who deserve to be paid tributes to are simple people who fight with their own demons. Apart from that, far more satisfying than the transient enthusiasm of an audience, is the more permanent love of a partner and family. More specifically, not only does domestic sphere constitute the most honest means of feeling that true value is really recognized, but it is also the only place where true happiness and mental triumph, which are extremely important virtues, can be attained. 

Taking everything into consideration, there is no doubt in my mind that fame and public acclaim actually disgrace the importance of an achievement and should not be the objectives of people. Only if we endeavor to understand what is really crucial in our lives, will we be able to make the greatest achievement, without involving fame. 

Home Schooling

          There has been a great deal of heated debate about the purpose of home schooling. This alternative method of education is the education of children at home by a parent or a tutor. It's very popular especially in America where 1.7 million families seem to prefer it. However, every coin has two sides and so does home schooling.
         To begin with, there are many benefits of home schooling. Firstly, it focuses on students' educational needs. Parents have the chance to give more emphasis on subjects that their children is not good enough. Without going to school children will not have to deal with bullying or peer pressure. Moreover, students don't need to wake up early. Sleeip is a vital factor in students' lives. If the don't sleep enough, they will be exhausted and ineffective at learning. Also, home schooling strengthens the relationship between children and parents, as they spend quality time together. However, this alternative educational method has significant disadvantages. School is the image of our community and helps students to be more sociable and make more friends. At school children can easily learn how to work in a team and spend a lot of time with other people. By going to school and not spending too much time with parents children learn how to be more independent and more mature. Furthermore, most parents don't have the necessary educational skills in order to teach their students as a professional teacher does or they may not have enough time because of their demanding job. Also, they may lack in control because home schoolers don't see them as teachers, but as parents and therefore, become less obedient. Lat but not least, students may not have pleasant memories with their friends  from school that they can talk about when they are adults.
                  Taking everything into consideration, I believe that the advantages are outweighed by the disadvantages. If I were a parent and had the choice, I would definitely opt for the traditional method of education which is public schools because in my opinion it is the most effective way of learning, taught by professional teachers.

Importance of keeping traditions

Why is it important to keep our own traditions,as well as learn about foreign traditions? 

As far as I am concerned, I firmly believe that tradition is a very significant factor of a country to continiue to exist in the future as it works like a reminder of who we are and what our culture is.. Traditions make up a part of history of each country which describes their residents. Keeping traditions has many positive aspects. First of all people come closer and the gain information about their ancestors and their lifes. What is more people feel secure and they are keen on, on this way of living.Finally it is an significant idea to learn about foreign traditions as well as our country's traditions. Learning about the culture, the way of living, the customs and the history of other lands can be beneficial for you in the future.