My reflection on the writing class this semester

This semester we wrote many essays and paragraphs on the writing classes. Writing is not the easiest subject for me. But after this semester, I really know the structure of the essay and I can write everything better than in a first semester.

Firstly, I am quite satisfied that we were able to write essays at home. It helped me to find new words in a dictionary and expand my vocabulary in writing.  Also we corrected each other’s mistakes.  Corrections helped us to memorize where we must be more attentive. Also, we had interesting tasks to do. The most interesting task was to correct an essay about teacher.  I think that if the theme of the writing is interesting you have much more to write.

Secondly, I liked writing in blogs. It was interesting to read other’s works. Writing in blogs is very modern idea and I hope we will continue this tradition next year. Also, I liked when we had an opportunity to correct our essays. Mostly, we learn from mistakes.  Writing on the Internet helped us to correct spastic mistakes :)))

To sum up, I am happy about our classes. In the next semester I would like more advices about my better writing. I would like if someone tell me how could I improve my writing skills.

What does it mean to be a good teacher ?

 

There are many people in the world who want to be teachers. It is very well known profession. But if you are planning to become a teacher you have to think a lot before doing this. It is not so easy to teach in school. You have to feel a passion for teaching. A good teacher is not only a person who has a lot of good qualities such as responsibility or patience, also it is a person who must be well- prepared to lead for the class, and has to know a lot of things about subject, which he is going to teach.

Firstly, a real teacher can become only that person who feels a passion for teaching. It is a person who wants to educate people all his time. If you want to be a perfect teacher you have to love your job. You have to know much information how to work with pupils properly. If you adore your job then you will love everything what is connected with it. It is not hard to work if you like it. Only good teachers love their pupils and behave with them very well. It is the best characteristics of good teacher to love and to take care of his students.

Secondly, all the teachers must have good qualities. They have to be self-confident, curious, and creative. It is qualities which help them to work without difficulties. Teachers who have this type of qualities can be proud of it. Besides, teachers have to be interested in their pupil’s wishes. A communication between teacher and children is very important. Moreover, teachers have to keep in touch with their pupils even after school. It is important to answer questions which pupils want to ask after lessons. If teacher know the answer, children always trust in him. It is good to win pupil’s confidence.

Thirdly, it is not a secret that teachers have to be well-prepared with their subjects. They have to know every detail which is important to explain for the class. Teachers have to know how to make pupils focus on his lesson. Children must make a progress during the every lesson. If people want to be teachers they have to know a lot of things about their subject which they are going to teach. Also, they have to do their best in all lessons. Teachers have to explain everything what pupils are asking. It means that teachers must be always ready to answer.

To sum up, it is known that not everyone can be a teacher. It is really responsible decision. If you are a teacher already, you do not have to forget that teaching requires a lot of things to be done. Real teacher must never forget about his behavior and also must be an example for his pupils. All teachers have to be very intelligent and self-confident. Without these qualities they will not be real teachers.

Did my expectations which I had at the beginning of my studies at this university come true?

     I am studying at Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences. I chose this university because I think that it is very suitable for me to become an educator. During this year of studying English philology I have learned many new things. Some of them are really interesting but also there are difficult subjects.  After this year, I feel that student’s life is harder than life at school.  That is what I have always known.  There are several positive and several negative things about my studies.

     First of all, at the beginning of my studies, I did not realize what exactly I am going to learn. I did not think that English philology has so many subjects. I was amazed. A new subject such as phonetics was new and interesting but also it caused me some problems. It was difficult to start with word’s transcriptions.  Fortunately, during first half-year I have learned so much and now it is much easier for me to understand how to transcribe words rightly. Also, after this year at university, my knowledge about English language really made progress. That is what I was expecting all the time. Now I know many rules of English grammar, and also I know many new concepts. A lot of books with necessary information help me at any time.

     Secondly, when I became a student, I felt that I must be very independent. It was hard to concentrate how everything at the University was happening.  Lectures appeared me too long. It was hard to sit in an audience and listen.  But it is not like now.  Education at the University accustomed me to think about my future. I became more responsible about my own life and my studies, also about my marks. Now I can compare school and university, it is two incompatible places. I am happy about changes which have happened to me.

     Finally, this year at the university was unique. I have learned how to manage my time even how to be in time. During this year, I have read some books in English language. It was also something new to read and to analyze every character, every event. It was interesting to spend my time with book in English. Reading was activity which helped me to improve my vocabulary. Learning English is not so hard if you are interested in. I have found many ways to improve my second language.

     To sum up, I really expected that I will learn much, but I did not expected that it will be so much. Now I understand that English language is all around me. If I want to study well, I have to spend much time learning. I gave a lot of experience in student’s life. I think it is the best thing which I have ever expected.

Cheating in schools

 

     One student looks at his neighbor’s exam paper and quickly copies the answers. Another student finds out the questions on a test before her class takes it and her friends. Still another student sneaks a sheet of paper with formulas written on it into the test room. What about you? Would you be tempted to cheat on an exam if you knew you wouldn’t get caught? According to a recent national survey, 40 percent of American teenagers would cheat under that condition. What is causing this epidemic of cheating in our schools? Most students cheat on tests because they feel pressure to get into a good college, because they want to avoid the hours of studying they need in order to get high grades, or simply because they are not concerned with honesty.

     Firstly, there are many students who fell lazy to study all formulas. They are always trying to find a way to cheat. They write formulas on a small leaflet and hide it somewhere. Nowadays not only leaflets can help them. There are many technologies such as mobile phones.  Of course, it is very easy way for people who are able to use it. However, we cannot see any benefits of using it. People doing this stand in one’s own light. They do not give any knowledge for themselves. This is just a possibility to get a good grade. This people always think only about good results and they are happy about it.

     Secondly, cheating in schools became very popular nowadays. People do not care about their future. They believe that good results bring them luck. They spend their time doing nothing instead of studying something at home. Also, people who have a job, spend much time working. It is hard to study and work at the same time. They choose to earn money instead of expand their knowledge. This choice makes them to search for the solution and they start to cheat. They crib from friends or from the internet. They do not imagine how harmful it could be.

     Thirdly, many students feel pressure to get into a good college and they need to get high grades in exam. They study as much as they can and sometimes it is not enough to get a good result. They need some help during the test. It means that they do not feel bad when they look at friend’s paper and copy the answers. They know that the mission they have to do is only to get a high grade. However, not every person find a way how to cheat. Sometimes there are no possibilities to copy something you do not know. It makes people feel self-critical. They regret that they do not know what to write. Sometimes it helps people to start studying or also there are people who do not care and expect that next time everything will be fine.

     To sum up, cheating is a chance to get a good mark or a grade. People are not afraid to risk it one or more times. It is bad, because people do not make a progress in learning. This problem is quite complicated because we cannot forbid students to do it but we can denounce them. People must understand that learning is not only marks it is also a knowledge which is very useful in everyone’s life.

Euthanasia

Euthanasia is the act of a physician or other third party ending a patient's life in response to severe pain and suffering. People have different opinions about this action to end someone’s life.  Everyone wants to live and be healthy, but sometimes there is no chance to stay alive. We know different reasons why people should pass from life. In most cases euthanasia is carried out because the person who dies asks for it, but there are cases called euthanasia where a person can't make such a request. There are some advantages and disadvantages of euthanasia.

On the one hand, there are some advantages of using euthanasia. Many people ask for euthanasia because of unbearable pain. It is good that our medical technologies found the method to let people die easily and without any pain. Sometimes it is better to not allow ill people to suffer the pain. Euthanasia is a decision for people whom nothing helps. Also people who are commonsense have a right to choose. There are many types of diseases when any medicine can help. People do not want to agonize and always can ask for euthanasia. It is normal for the elderly when they feel that they will die anyhow. They choose to die earlier. What is more, physician uses euthanasia for a coma person. It is good to use this method for people who are in coma for many years but physicians must be sure that person in coma will never wake up. It is good for relatives who do not believe that ill person will ever wake up. Relatives always have much time to think about this decision. Also, euthanasia is known as “easy death”. It means that person do not feel pain so relatives can be calm about it.

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages. Countries, where euthanasia is legal can use it very often. It means that people die unnaturally. Death should be natural. Many people who lost their relative using euthanasia can later feel guilty.  Also, many young ill people can ask to end their life but it is really hard to do it because of youth. Patients who are young have much more possibilities to recuperate than elders. It is bad choice to use euthanasia when they are unsure. In addition, doctors should be allowed to decide whether such treatment is in the patient's interests. It is bad when physician are blamed for it. What is more, euthanasia is a murder. It is very difficult to decide about someone’s life. Everyone has a right to live. Euthanasia is very serious and responsible step. We have to think humanly about everything and never let to die people who want to live.

To sum up, I would like to say that euthanasia has both pluses and minuses. It is good to speed up the inevitable and also save those persons from so much needless suffering. Euthanasia helps people who ask for it but it is hard decision for relatives and physicians. Euthanasia sometimes is a help sometimes it is a murder. It depends on the patient’s condition.

The film review

The film “The Vow” is directed by Michael Sucsy in 2012. I have watched this film recently. It is a great movie about love. Two well-known actors - Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum was the main characters in the story of the film. They acted very well and I liked it. All movies about love are similar, but this one was a little bit different.  A car accident puts Paige (McAdams) in a coma, and when she wakes up with severe memory loss, her husband Leo (Tatum) works to win her heart again. The end of the film was so unpredictable.  It was interesting to see how she behaves and guess what will be next day. In this film every day was very important in lover’s life. Every second can change everything in this story. Hope and belief create a tension of the film. The film shows us how true love can help us to achieve our purposes.  I really enjoyed watching this film and I want to recommend it for everyone.

Foreign Language Assistants

I read an article about young language assistants. It was written that many young people work with organizations as assistants to improve their language skills. Organizations provide opportunities for young people to work as language assistants both in the UK and 14 other countries around the world. The aim of this is that assistants and students would expand their cultural awareness. I think that it is very good idea to help young people to travel and also to let them collaborate with worldwide organization.  It is very useful work for people who are interested in many different languages.