Learn English with Teacher Joe

Hi Everybody! I just uploaded a new video to You Tube, showing natural English Rhythm. It may seem funny, but using this kind of rhythm can make your English sound so much better. So, give it a try…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLOBq2WcINY

I often hear people speak of the importance of passion, both in our personal lives and in our work. I found this quote by the French writer and philosopher Denis Diderot:

“Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.” 

(Language notes: “elevate” means “to lift up”; “the soul” means “your spirit”)

When I teach, I try to bring great passion to the classroom. I deeply care about my students’ success, though sometimes they don’t know it. I am fascinated by how people learn and grow. I love it when students can easily do things that they could not do before. It’s a lot of fun to watch students improve!

I used to have great passion for a certain woman, someone I cared about very deeply. Unfortunately, she did not have the same passion for me.  It was a sad, though common, situation, but I guess I learned something from it. It was worth all of the pain if I am a better person now.

What do you have passion for? Do you have passion for a special person in your life? Do you have passion for your work. Or maybe passion for your FUTURE work? What kind of great things could you do in the future?

I am now in China where people really love to eat! And Chinese food is popular all around the world. Recently in one of my classes I asked students what kind of food they liked, besides Chinese food. Many answered Italian or Japanese. Some like Vietnamese or Thai food. Others like French food. Nobody said they like American or English food, however.

 Besides food from your own country, what food do you like the best? Do you have any favorite dish from that country? Cast your vote here and we’ll see which country has the most popular food!

Hi Everybody,

I have been trying something new with my students to help them learn new words. When I write a story, I put explanations, all in simple English, of new words on the side. My students say it is helpful, so maybe it will be helpful for some of you, too. I just “published” part of a story as an ebook (an electronic book), with vocabulary on the side. Please go to http://stores.lulu.com/teacherjoe to check it out. The story is a .pdf file, so you must have Acrobat Reader on your computer in order to read it.  If you don’t have Acrobat Reader, don’t worry. It is free software and very easy to download.

Please let me know what you think. If many people find it useful, I will continue with part two. 

I’ve been sick for the past few months, nothing too serious (I hope!) but the doctors don’t know how to help me. Or maybe they do know how to help me but they don’t know how to tell me in English! This morning I read the quote below and I wonder if it’s true. I probably wouldn’t have accepted it when I was feeling well, but now… It makes sense to me! Think about it - even if you have all the learning in the world, what value is it if you feel sick all the time?  Anyway, here’s the quote:

“Health is worth more than learning.”

~ Thomas Jefferson ~

(Language note: “worth more” means that it is better, that it has more value.)

So, Dear Readers, what do you think? How do you feel when you are sick? Do you feel differently when you are well? I’m eager to read your comments!

When I first started learning French, I wondered whether I should learn lots of words, or if I should learn phrases (combinations of words) instead.  Another possibility is that I could learn whole sentences. Learning sentences seemed too difficult for me as a beginner in French, but as I learned more and more, I realized it was the most useful way for me to learn.

Of course we need to learn words, especially when we first start learning a language. We also need phrases, especially idiomatic phrases , which can help our language sound more natural. But the most important thing is learning whole sentences. If you only learn words or phrases, you may never learn to use whole sentences. On the other hand, if you learn to use sentences, you will also learn words and phrases at the same time.

Read my advice to students on how to learn English and tell me if you agree or not.

 Today’s quote is below. It comes from The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. 

“Brain: an apparatus with which we think we think. “

(Language Note:  An apparatus is any machine or piece of equipment. )

So, do you think we really think? Or do we only think that we think? Or is Bierce wrong to think that we only think that we think? Maybe when we think that we think we think more than when we don’t think that we think! What do you think???

I am always surprised by my students in China! When I ask them to write about which is more important, love or money, they always say money. One hundred percent of the students agree. (These are young students. Maybe older Chinese would disagree.) I wonder, how do you feel about this question? If you could be rich, but had no love, would that be acceptable? If you had love, but were poor, would that be okay? I think I could live without money, but living without love is just too painful. Well, that’s my opinion. What’s yours?

Here’s today’s quote, about time management:

“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent.”   -  Carl Sandburg

Language Notes:  1)  ”coin” in this quote means “money” in general;  2)  “determine” here means “to choose”

I sometimes use my time very well, especially at work. When I teach, I know what I want to do every minute and how I want my students to learn.  My goals are very clear. When I am not working, however, I am not very well focused. I waste a lot of time, especially on weekends. So, I guess I’m wasting money, right? Maybe I should try to plan my time better. Or I could set some specific goals. Another possibility is to wake up earlier, get out of the house, and just do whatever comes to mind - that could help me find things that are both interesting and productive. Well, we’ll see what I do this weekend…

How do you use your time? Do you think you use your time well? How can you use your time more effectively?