iamsophophile

[iamsophophile]

[iamsophophile]

Importance of Various Literacies

Empower them now! 💙

When we think of literacy, we usually think of the ability to read and write. However, the understanding of literacy that we possess is often curtailed by our educational experiences. Those of us in the field of education know that there are numerous types of literacy, all of which help us navigate life and fully engage in our democratic society. Here are some of the importance of copious literacies.

1. Basic Literacy

📘 Students need literacy in order to engage with the written word in everyday life. Think of how often you use your own reading skills in everyday life. Being able to read and write means being able to keep up with current events, communicate effectively, and understand the issues that are shaping our world.

2. Cultural Literacy

📘 Cultural literacy is about understanding each other and where we come from, as well as where we are going.  Every person has a different culture to them, some connect and some differ.  These differences are important to look at so that we can understand where each other is coming from and respect it.  It is hard to respect things and really accept them if we do not understand them.  We tend to push away and fear the unknown.  This only causes problems for our interactions and our future. 

3. Social Literacy

📘 Social literacy is so crucial in a persons success. The ability to communicate and voice opinions and thoughts, as well as listening to opinions and thoughts of others, is essential in learning. Firmly grasping social cues and norms is extremely beneficial. In literally every single setting of our lives:school, home, work, clubs and activities, interacting with people whether face to face or behind technology, we use our social literacy. We play so many roles everyday and we socially need to understand how to play those roles appropriately.

4. Financial Literacy

📘 When you're financially literate, you're able to allocate your income toward various goals simultaneously—not just to ongoing expenses, but to savings, debt repayment and a rainy day fund too. You can navigate the financial marketplace with self-assurance, and you have the tools to thoroughly research things like loans, credit cards and investment opportunities.

5. Media Literacy

📘 Media literacy helps students become wiser consumers of media as well as responsible producers of their own media. Along those same lines, teaching media literacy helps to foster critical thinking in students. This type of thinking can eventually become second nature, which will help them in many areas as they grow older. The focus is more on strengthening process skills, not content knowledge. In a larger context, media literacy also fosters the skills that help people work together in collaboration because it encourages respectful discourse and builds citizenship skills.  

6. Ecological Literacy

📘 Mother Nature is very important for our future. A major part of our future are our kids. We must teach them ecological literacy so as to make them learn how important it is to take care of the environment. Being introduced to nature from when they are little children will help develop in them a deep love and solicitude for their surrounding environment.

7. Artistic Literacy

📘 Arts literacies help students develop design-thinking, creativity and critical thinking—all skills said to be importantfor the future workforce. Artisticpractices intrinsically involve the reception-production of “signs” in a continuous process of “translation” from one 'language' to another.

8. Critical Literacy

📘 Critical literacy helps us to read texts in deeper, more meaningful ways, by encouraging readers of all ages to become more actively engaged and use their power to construct understanding and not be used by the text to fulfill the intentions of the author.

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"Literacy is the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential.”

— Kofi Annan

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Did I missed any?

Shared it with us! 💙

[iamsophophile]

Wear Your Armor

Preparedness Tips for a Battle called "Disaster"

In the event of a natural disaster, having a preparedness plan can be a critical element in helping secure a safe transition out of danger for you, your loved ones and your property. Preparation is key, but it is also important to stay calm and focused during an emergency. If you are ordered to evacuate, do so. If you are not evacuating, use your time wisely to make preparations.

1. Know what type of disaster to expect.

Each crisis requires somewhat different prep, supplies, and know-how. Find out which disasters your town, state and region are most at risk for and plan accordingly.

Wildfires: High risk in forested areas with little rain.

Earthquakes: They can happen in all states at any time of year.

Floods: The most common natural disaster can hit anywhere, but especially in low-lying areas.

Storms and Typhoons: The East and Gulf coasts are at high risk from June to November.

2. Pack a "go bag."

If you have to leave your home in a hurry, you'll want to have some essentials packed and ready to go. Keep the following supplies in a portable container in the area of your house where you'll take shelter:

Emergency Kit List

Three days' worth of food and water (at least a gallon per family member)

Battery powered (or hand crank) flashlights and radio

Extra batteries

First aid kit

Whistle to signal for help

Trash bags and duct tape, along with dust masks

Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

Manual can opener for food

Regional maps

Cell phone with chargers, inverter, or solar charger

Moist towelettes and any personal sanitation or specific family needs, like pet supplies

3. Make an action plan.

When things get chaotic, you want to make sure that every family member knows what to do. We suggest designating two meeting places (one close by and one a little further away in your neighborhood) and hang a map with the spots marked near your emergency kit.

4. Prepare your Home

If the power goes out and you have time, unplug appliances and electronics and turn off air conditioners, whether you stay or go. This will prevent damage when the electricity surges back on. Leave one lamp on so you'll know when the power's back.

5. Return safely.

Coming home after a major disaster can be daunting. Don't let your family rush back into your home without taking these precautions.

Look for damage outside. Walk around the exterior and check for issues like loose or fallen power cables, damaged gas lines and cracks in the foundation or in beams. If you have trees nearby, carefully assess their stability.Note sounds and odors. If you smell gas or hear a hissing noise, call the fire department and have them come by and inspect the situation before you reenter.

Then check inside. If the power is still out, use a flashlight (not a candle — open flames can burn items or cause gases to ignite) to assess damage.

Inspect appliances. For small appliances like coffee makers and toasters, look closely at the cords for fraying or exposed wires before using them again. Fridges, ranges and washers can be more complicated; call a service company to check the safety of connections and components, then replace anything that’s severely damaged.

Document the damage. It may be hard emotionally, but if you want to file an insurance claim, you’ll need a visual record of all the damage with clear pictures and thorough notes before you clean up.

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📣 Another Vital Tip!

Remember to ask for help. For emergencies in the Philippines, please alert local authorities at the numbers below:

📌National Emergency Hotline in the Philippines : 911.

📌Philippine National Police Hotline: 117 or (02) 8722-0650.

📌Philippine Red Cross: 143 or (02) 8527-8385 to 95.

📌Bureau of Fire Protection: (02) 8426-0219 or (02) 8426-3812.

. . .

It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

- Howard Puff

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Reference: https://www.travelers.com/resources/weather/emergency-preparedness/disaster-preparedness-tips

[iamsophophile]

What Keeps Them Together?

He loves her.

She loves him.

He's a daydreamer.

She's a night thinker.

He likes online games.

She hates them.

She's fond of horrors.

He's more on actions.

He finds memes funny.

She thinks they're too shallow.

He's amazed by the sunrise.

She can't wake up before 8.

She wishes for love letters.

He claims that he is not romantic.

He hates reading.

She likes writing.

She's an extrovert.

He's an introvert.

He hates the things she loves.

She loves the things he hates.

But despite their differences,

they have one similarity:

She loves him.

He loves her.

And acceptance keeps them together.

. . .

[iamsophophile]

Untold Stories of an Effective Teacher

Hey, let me tell you a secret! 💙

You can go through college and finish a teaching course, but that doesn’t mean you know everything about the career you wish to enter. There are some things about teaching that you will only learn when you start practicing, but you can get some useful tips below from a successful teacher:

1. Remember that each student is different.

Lucky are the students who easily grasp the lesson. However, not everyone is lucky that way. Some just really take time to understand that new concept you introduced. Don’t expect all of them to get it at the same time.

2. Talk like you are in a conversation, not execution. 

Make them understand the topic in simple words. You will be a hero to them if you explain huge scientific words in terms that a child can understand. 

3. Relate with the students. See things from their perspective. 

Remember that students do not have as many years in school as you do. Things that are pretty obvious to you may be a huge mystery for them. It would help if you ask a younger relative to answer the tests you create to know if they can answer it properly.

4. Reward them for their hard work, but avoid punishing them for not doing well enough. 

It’s okay to punish them for bad behavior, but punishment for not being the best in class shouldn’t be given. You never know if they are having some issues at home that are stopping them from studying properly—ask them if there’s something bothering them. 

5. It’s not about the grades; it’s about learning.

Learning isn’t just measured by tests. Watch them apply what they have learned. Construct examinations that will see how well they understand the topic and don’t hesitate to go back and teach them again if they don’t get it.

You have to be infinitely patient with students.

📣 Are you an aspiring teacher?

This is the challenge for you:

Go on and teach with great passion and enthusiasm. Lead your students into a straight path.

Always remember that I'm waiting for you to share another story of an effective teacher!

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Also Read: https://armstrongprofessional.com/7-facts-about-teachers-that-might-surprise-you/

[iamsophophile]

How to Bit Procrastination

Stand up and be productive! 💙

Procrastination is the bane of every student’s existence. We know what we should be doing; we just don’t want to do it. It’s easy to put off undesirable assignments until the very last minute, but then we’re forced to pull a stress-induced all-nighter. Here are some tips to crush procrastination and actually get some sleep for once!

1. Get organized

First of all, you can't do any work if you don't know what assignments need to be completed. Invest in a planneror start using the calendar app on your phone. This makes it much easier to keep track of individual assignments and important due dates.

2. Create a timeline/schedule

After you set your goals, create a timeline to complete them. This could be a study schedule for your big exam coming up or it could be mapping out an essay you have to write. Breaking an assignment into small chunks over time makes it much more manageable.

3. Set a deadline

It's important to set a specific date for when you want your goals to be accomplished. If you have an assignment due, aim to have it completed one or two days in advance. That way, if something unexpected happens, you still have extra time to complete it. 

4. Get rid of distractions

It’s important to rid yourself of all potential disruptions before you begin working so you don’t get needlessly sidetracked halfway through your task. Distractions could also be external sources, like annoying siblings. Try listening to classical music or white noise to drown out their constant chatter. Alternatively, you could change study environments all together and head down to the local library or coffee shop, where you can clear your mind and study distraction-free. 

5. Take a break

It's important to take mental breathers from school work every now and then. When your timer goes off, take a 10–30-minute break. Listen to music, take a walk, do some laundry, or scream into a pillow—anything that takes your mind off of work and allows you to relax. 

6. Use incentives

Everyone loves being rewarded. It’s important to give yourself incentives, no matter how small. It could be something as simple as, "If I work on this assignment for an hour, I'll watch an episode of my favorite TV show tonight." It’s easier to pay attention when something is at stake. 

7. Get the hard stuff done first

It is best to complete your most challenging assignments first. That way everything after it seems easier and takes a shorter amount of time. If you keep pushing that English essay back, you’re never going to get it done. It’s best to buckle down and just do it. 

Did you know?

Procrastinators may be paralyzed by fear of making a mistake, a loss of self-worth.

People aren’t inherently lazy when they engage in procrastination. Just ask them. They’ll come up with a dozen distinct reasons for their delay to act. At the heart of the problem of procrastination, at least for some individuals, may be a paralyzing fear of making a mistake and thus suffering a loss of self-worth.

So it is the right time to do your tasks and be productive!

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Related Article: https://psychcentral.com/lib/10-good-and-10-bad-things-about-procrastination/

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[iamsophophile]

Benefits of Indoor Plants

Be a certified Plantita/Plantito! 🌿

Not only do indoor plants enhance the overall appearance of a space, but they've been shown to boost moods, increase creativity, reduce stress, and eliminate air pollutants — making for a healthier, happier you.

Indoor plants don’t just look good – they can make us feel good, too. Studies have shown indoor plants can:

Boost your mood, productivity, concentration and creativity.

Reduce your stress, fatigue, sore throats and colds.

Help clean indoor air by absorbing toxins, increasing humidity & producing oxygen.

Add life to a sterile space, give privacy and reduce noise levels.

Are therapeutic to care for (it’s true when we say Plants Make People Happy).

"Plants give us oxygen for the lungs and the soul."

- Linda Solegato

The Best Indoor Plants for a Healthy Home

Having plants doesn’t have to be hard.  Enjoy all the benefits of having indoor houseplants with this helpful guide and become a plant lady in no time!

1. Snake Plant

The Snake Plant is one of the best indoor plants to have. It is a beautiful plant with such a unique look! Research has shown that the Snake Plant is the most oxygen producing indoor plant, which is a huge benefit. Not only that, but the Snake Plant is great for purifying the air as well. It helps absorb toxins such as carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, and benzene. This plant will thrive in full sun or full shade, and even lack of water.

2. Rubber Plant

The Rubber Plant is a beautiful addition to your home. It has a very attractive foliage, which makes it a great focal point in your home. It’s large leaves act as a magnet to toxins such as bacteria and mold spores, which basically cleans your house for you.

3. Spider Plant

It’s a beautiful hanging plant that is perfect in every way. It’s extremely adaptable to overwatering or under-watering. It can grow in low light, partial sunlight, or bright, indirect sunlight. Some varieties of this little gem actually produce more chlorophyll than most other houseplants which means, more oxygen. There was even one study done which stated that the spider plant eliminated 95 percent of toxic agents from the air.

4. Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a little superhero, to say the least. It’s a beautiful succulent that likes a lot of light. It’s great at absorbing moisture, which makes this the perfect plant for your bathroom. It’s also SUPER easy to keep alive! This super plant releases oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide at night, which makes it a great air purifier. Aloe is also great for burns & skin irritations.

5. ZZ Plant

The ZZ Plant is a beautiful, classic favorite! This plant is stylish, attractive and it’s a cinch to keep alive. It does great in low light, and you only need to water once every two weeks. This majestic plant is specifically good for removing toxins such as benzene, xylene, and toluene, making it a perfect plant for a healthy home.

Indeed, indoor plants have been proven to help your immune system, boost productivity, improve relationships, and even have a positive effect on your mental health! 

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Reference: https://www.jaroflemons.com/best-indoor-plants-for-a-healthy-home/

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[iamsophophile]

Fun Facts about Pinoy Halloween

Here are some stories to tell in the dark!

Filipinos have distinct ways of celebrating various occasions and holidays with great enthusiasm. This heightens the spirit of love, tradition and nationalism. With these, here are some of the unique things that only Filipinos do on Halloween.

Filipinos do not do trick or treating

We do, but it is not the main event. Trick or treats only happen in events but it is usually a taboo tradition in most residences. Filipinos do not really participate in giving candies and chocolates to random kids which saves us from unnecessary spending.

Cemeteries turn into camping grounds

Come October 31, Filipino families start pitching camping tents or even huge ones that you see in parties right beside the grave of their loved ones to prepare for an overnight stay. It's a huge plus if it’s a lawn cemetery because you don't have to worry about hurting your back while looking after the dead.

It is a week-long family reunion

During Halloween, we visit our dead family members and meet the rest of the clan at the cemetery. It then becomes a family gathering wherein we talk and reminisce about the life of the fallen member. It is somewhat our way of honoring their lives.

Halloween is not limited to souls

In the Philippines, Halloween is not only limited to dead souls. We also have Philippine folklore about tikbalang, capri, aswang, manananggal and a lot more!

Never forget to serve food to the dead

Filipinos have the age-old tradition of pag-aatang or offering food to a deceased loved one. It's usually a plate full of their favorite meal which is placed on the grave, in front of the altar, or in front of a photograph of the family member who passed away.

Lighting candles on the doorstep

By 6 p.m. on November 1 and 2, you'd see candles lined up on the doorstep of your house and your even those of your neighbors. It is believed that this guides dead souls towards the light and a brighter road on their journey to the after-life.

Playing with melted candle wax

A whole day in the cemetery can get pretty boring for a child or even for you. So what better way to pass time than gathering all the melted candle wax into small balls?

Did you know?

Filipinos also believe that the souls will come to visit you

We have this notion that if you do not go to the cemetery to visit your dead relatives, they will come to visit you at your house. Nobody wants to stay at home all night long while Halloween specials play on the TV! So for the friendly reminder, go on and visit them.

Moreover, all of these are just some of the unique ways on how Halloween were celebrated by the Filipinos. So comment yours!

Have a great Halloween!

. . .

Also Read: https://holidappy.com/holidays/How-do-Filipinos-Celebrate-the-Halloween

[iamsophophile]

His Agape

He was heaven sent

. . .

He came on our darkest night

Like a white snow glared in the morning light

He helps us to glow like a flower bloom

That illuminates our murkey gloom

The melody of the heavenly dream

Echoing through a saintly gleam

His voice is a ravishing sound of silence

Ascertainment of what is providence

He created everything for us to taste the sweetness of glory

That gratify our spirit with ambrosial spice of divine savory

His wisdom sanctify our mind and added flavor

To the innocent sapience longing for savor

When a plumb journey goes wrong

His muteness bawl, make us strong

He lightens every hefty feel

Touches our heart and make it heal

He tests us with suffering and sorrow

Because He want us to meet our lustrous tomorrow

Teaching us not to set ourselves seems in prison

Because everything happens for a fetching reason

His blessings gave us inspiration

To strive hard and start a new inception

He wakes us in every fulgent morning. 

Flashing beam and reminds a new beginning

When we grasp His nurturance

Wisdom disperse as a fine fragrance

Profound serenity commence to whiff

As the scent of incense spread, we begin to sniff

Felicity is what He want to see in our faces

Liberty indulged in every places

Forget all the throe and flee

Embrace blessedness and worship Him with glee

He guides us with His eternal love

Letting us to live in His creations like dove

All He want for us is to be save

And that's through the sacrifice of the son He gave

. . .

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[iamsophophile]

GENDER EQUALITY: ERADICATING CONTAGIOUS DISPARITY

    Community is not only a league of men, women also serve as a proficient foundation in the drastic progress of a specific society. Since in the beginning, like boys, girls played different roles in molding our society, even history proves that they contributed in the country’s autonomy. However, even in the current time, women experienced several unrighteous acts from numerous people, groups and sectors. Remember, both genders have an opportunity to indulge different lawful rights particularly created for them to attain heathy living. As a young citizens of this nation, deliberating the various rights offered to all and serves as an instrument to empower and bestow nurture, equality, protection and respect for both genders in the most profound manner is monumental.

    In this contemporary world, equality is a pending issue seeking for permanent solution that will cure the sickness of social disparity in terms of rights. According to the Sustainable Development Goals number five, “Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.” Unfortunately, at the present time, United Nations (UN) stressed that 1-5 women and girls between the ages of 15-49 have reported experiencing physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner within a 12 month period and 49 countries currently have no laws protecting women for domestic violence. The aforementioned issue regarding savagery towards women can holistically produce enormous impact in global society. Therefore, inequality became a loud clamor that seeks for action, nowadays.

    The loud clamor of inequality is continuously making noise in our society, however, there are numerous aspects particularly issues or barriers that affects in remedying this issue. The United Nation Human Rights stated that “Gender equality is essential for the achievement of human rights for all. Yet discrimination towards men and women persist in every corner of the globe and new discriminatory law are enacted.” In fact, there are still tremendous inequalities in the labor market in some countries and regions, with women systematically denied equal access to jobs. According to England (2005) in her book entitled "Gender Inequality in Labor Markets: The Role of Motherhood and Segregation," globally, women earn only 77 cents for every dollar that men earn doing the same work. This figure proves that some of the various problems women face in their daily living in health care, education, industry, social relationships and decision making is also a context of gender discrimination.

    This gender demarcation is just a corollary of the cliché ideology of people regarding gender roles in the society. Based on essentialist arguments, they impute distinctive attributes to women, men and the criterion of the social differences between women's and men's statuses, activities, opportunities, and roles prior to these discrepancies which ending up with women inferiority in the community. This statement was supported by Shibley (2000) in her research "Gender Differences in Moral Orientation: A Meta-Analysis" stating that eight out of 10 people thinks that men can should provide for his family and women must stay at home for household purposes.

    These gender-based biases strengthen the advocacy to promote common good, parity and humane atmosphere whatever your gender is. As young advocates, the eagerness to make a change and the strong grasp on what people fighting for is the premier ingredient to win the battle of gender inequality and discrimination. In addition, the momentous thing people can do for the said advocacy is to stand for it no matter what happen. Fighting for what person covets with great enthusiasm is one of the best things people can do not just for themselves but also for the others. And these assumptions endowed in making this advocacy effective and useful in promoting and emphasizing the subject matter.

    To further understand, according to the Council of Europe "Gender equality means an equal visibility, empowerment, responsibility and participation of women and men in all spheres of public and private life. It also means an equal access to and distribution of resources between women and men and valuing them equally." It assuredly stated that participation of both men and women is the completion in a well-defined society. The opportunities offered to men ought to be indulged by women. And this matter may achieve by means of aggregately cooperation and understanding of all constituents. Reducing of men’s role in political and economic fields and setting aside the platitude of gender ideologies in the community can diminish the widespread girls’ inferiority. Gender equality and empowerment of women can also be achieved by using mechanism like establishing such opportunities that the primary subject or targets are women. Moreover, depleting the expectations towards women’s responsibilities and roles that can restrict girls’ abilities to foster their very own skills in different aspects is one of the vital contributions people can do to develop parity in the society.

    Equilibrium is necessary in building a firm relationship within civil society. Furnishing women with equal access to various phases including health care, decent work, education and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel maintainable economies and avail societies and humanity. Nowadays, both men and women composed the completeness of the world and perfectly shaped one society. But today's challenge for different institution and even for the typical inhabitants of the world is to lessen the supremacy of men while nourishing the empowerment of women. Equality ought to be normally offered in various fields of interaction. Grassroots of inequality must be cured before focusing in the stems of problem. Remedies are naturally born by humanity's exertion. And the highest points of pyramidal solutions are to alchemize the idealistic medication into realistic antidote of women's sickness in terms of rights.

WORK CITED

Sustainable Development Goals. (2018, September). Goal 5: Achieve Gender Equality and Empower all Women and Girls. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/gender-equality

United Human Rights. (2010, December). Speak Up Stop Discrimination. https://www.ohchr.org/en/issues/discrimination/pages/discrimination_women.asp