Great Articles: Tales from my jungle 7: Cursed for sexual indiscip...

Great Articles: Tales from my jungle 7: Cursed for sexual indiscip...: Warning: I know woman rights activists may chance on this. I wish to state that the mutual consent of the participants make legal suit inact...

                                                  STUDENTS AND THE SUBJECT OF INTELLIGENCE

The process of imparting knowledge through classroom teaching is not an easy task. Teachers can tell that students are with varying degrees of perception. They can also confirm that while some students comprehend quite quickly and with ease, others need ample time to grasp what they are taught. Some are even more difficult to deal with as they hardly seem to understand what is being taught--no matter how simple it appears. Many a time, teachers are almost fed up and nearly giving up on a student, concluding that he or she may need a miraculous turn-around

                      MAKING A QUICK MOVE AGAINST ANOTHER MASS FAILURE
              
           The alarming rates at which students fail in WAEC, NECO and JAMB-conducted examinations have been blamed on several factors. As usual, the government is always under criticism for its neglect of the pivotal education sector due to the annual abysmally-low budgetary allocation to that sector. Although, majority of us are always quick to castigate the government on national issues such as this, only few critics consider the major players in the middle of the whole drama, that is, the students; as they always almost go unblamed. Though, I do not exonerate the government for its lackadaisical attitude towards the moribund educational system, I do not in anyway

When Are Your Character’s Supernatural Powers “Occult”?

by MIKE DURAN · 

I recently received this letter from a pastor:

I had just read your article “Why Christians Can’t Agree About Christian Fiction” and I thought that it was a great insight into the debate. I am a brand spanking new pastor, and I am already engaged in a divisive discussion with one of my congregants about fiction, particularly the use of “supernaturalism” in fiction. For example, this person believes that when Aslan uses “magic” or does things “supernaturally” like breathing on Mr. Tumnus, and does NOT give glory and honor and credit to Jesus Christ IN THE STORY, that it is occultism, since his power is derived from elsewhere

WHY WRITERS SHOULD ADOPT THE 'WAKING UP EARLY' SYSTEM!

As a glutton for torture (and as a recent parent, which is kind of the same thing), I’ve been taking advantage of early mornings. My kids wake up at 6:30 or so, and I leave for the day-job at 8:00ish — so if I’ve ever dreamed of getting anything done before I leave (ha ha, I said dreamed), I’d better be doing it early.

I often get asked what my best writing times are. Usually I go on for hours — I’m either the best or worst interview you’ve had, if, you know, you’re an interviewer — but that question

10 Great Posts for Writers — 2011

10 Great Posts for Writers — 2011

by MIKE DURAN · 9 COMMENTS

If there’s anything I enjoy more than reading or writing, it’s reading about writing. Here’s 10 writing posts from 2011 that have challenged, informed, angered, inspired, or motivated me. If you have the time, I’d encourage you to follow the links and ponder these helpful posts.

5 Crippling Beliefs That Keep Writers Penniless and Mired in Mediocrity,Jonathan Morrow at CopyBlogger –  The most heinous lie to ever infect the mind of a writer is the belief that your work is all about you. You believe your writing is a form of self-expression, an extension of your mind, a little piece of your soul imbued into the page. To write well, you just need to be authentic, and if the

THE POWER OF YOUR MIND; THINK AHEAD.

 The fact obviously remains indisputable that an effectively planned future if not perfectly, still exhibits great pointers that distinguish a fulfilled life. It is on this note that I wish to speak on this topic; The Power of your Mind, Think Ahead.

  The topic is themed around the fact that the actions we take today would to a very large extent influence the shape of our future. The question now is; how well do you understand the effects of the presence in the shape of your future? How prepared are you to shape your future for good now?

  Over the years, I have come to

MATHEMATICIANS AND THE USE OF ENGLISH

MATHEMATICIANS AND THE USE OF ENGLISH

It is common sight for students and perhaps, lecturers of Mathematics to commit grammatical blunders and cover up their flaws with excuse that ‘afterall, I am a mathematician’. The crux of the matter is that; is studying mathematics or more definitely, being a mathematician an excuse for speaking bad grammar? Before you arrive at a conclusion in a rush, permit me to

MATHEMATICIANS AND THE USE OF ENGLISH

It is common sight for students and perhaps, lecturers of Mathematics to commit grammatical blunders and cover up their flaws with excuse that ‘afterall, I am a mathematician’. The crux of the matter is that; is studying mathematics or more definitely, being a mathematician an excuse for speaking bad grammar? Before you arrive at a conclusion in a rush, permit me to lead you through a series of arguments. I invite you, therefore, to reason along with me.

Mathematics, in simple definition, is the study of numbers, shapes, relations, etc. and their relationship with the natural world. I believe the definition of the subject itself cannot be understood if the discoverers and founders of mathematics had penned it down in wrong english, or have had no basically sound background in the use of english. In this part of the world(speaking of the anglophone world) where mathematics is taught in the English language, it should be noted that the use of english is a criterion for admission into Universities or colleges with at least a pass. It can therefore be concluded that a mathematician had sufficient english classes and subsequently passed the subject at an average level in order to proceed in his line of career.

Moreover, the subject is taught in the English language (speaking still of the Anglophone world) and hence, for the purpose of proper and effective communication, it is expected that a student (ever before he goes into this line of career) must have an acceptable level of proficiency in the language. It, therefore, becomes appalling for a student, at the undergraduate level of tertiary education to speak unacceptably, how much less a lecturer! Mathematicians still write abstracts, theses, papers, etc. and in the presentations of these, improper use of verbs, tenses, etc. are not overlooked just because they are being presented by ‘mathematicians’.

I succinctly recall a lecture on real analysis by an associate professor of mine in my two hundred level days. He said,” It is unacceptable for a mathematician to speak poorly or use wrong tenses simply because he is a mathematician”. The fact remains that the argument of an allowance of wrong usage of the English language is completely unfounded and baseless. A student, an undergraduate, a lecturer in any institution of learning(where English language is the lingua franca) should possess a command of the language and be able to express himself in the same. It is a challenge to upcoming undergraduates of mathematics to debunk the idea of being expected to commit grammatical errors at will and get away with it.

The society needs a breed of fine and refined academicians who can command respect and be held in high esteem in the field of mathematics while possessing a solid foundation in the use of English as a means of inter-personal communication or the teaching of the subject itself.

This is a clarion call to all my mathematician colleagues to go back and pick their ‘brighter English’, “queen’s English” etc. and sharpen their skills and proficiency in the language, otherwise, a first class degree holder in mathematics will be demeaned as soon as he opens his mouth to speak grammatical jargons. Pass the torch; Mathematicians are inexcusable for wrong use of English language. We must speak the language well in and out of the Mathematical domain.