ANCIENT PSYCHE: A BILINGUAL BLOG (ENGLISH AND GREEK) ON PSYCHOPEDAGOGY-PSYCHOHISTORY-PSYCHOARCHAEOLOGY-ARCHAEOTHERAPEUTICS-ARCHAEONATUROPATHY-ARCHAEOCOUNSELING WITH A CLASSICAL, ΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΝΕ/ORTHDOX CHRISTIAN, MEDITERRANEAN, HELLENIC, HELLENIC-AMERICAN, AND AMERICAN EMPHASIS Photo: Athens Square, Astoria, NY (USA)
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Saturday, July 27, 2013
4-year-old genius invited to join MENSA
http://main.aol.com/2013/07/22/4yearold-genius-invited-t_n_3636000.html?1374520090&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl9%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D347393
My personal comment
My personal comment
This girl is very intelligent, indeed. However, I am still not convinced that she
belongs to the 1% or even 2% of the population.
In order for a child to be a genius, it has to possess a distinct skill
in a specific area, such as mathematical/analytical skills, music, art, verbal
skills, and so on. I suspect her IQ is high and slightly in the eighborhood of gifted childre (130 or 140 or slightly higher), but definitely ot above 160. I really doubt her IQ goes up to 180 or reaches multiple scales of intelligence (e.g. 200). In fact, Anala is not a rare phenomeno at all. It's just a smart girl, oe of the many we may everyday. I know people who have gifts such as those
described in the article and who are even geniuses in a particular area and
their IQs were around 130-160. They are
definitely not in MENSA and they live as average people, some of them in
average jobs and some of them, in fact, hate them or they are considered
failure by others or even by themselves.
See, intelligence does not really assure a successful or pleasant
future. Sometimes, it may actually come
with considerable challenges and a high toll to pay, usually in terms of social
interactions , such as friendship (jealousy, feeling you don’t fit in, double
interest conflict, etc.),
intimacy/marriage/family (e.g. divorce, “toxic relationships”, etc.) and
career (e.g. antagonism and competition at the work place). Emotional disturbance and mood disorders
often become present in some cases, and often they may lead to social
isolation, feelings of stagnation and failure and in some extreme, but
frequent, cases, even suicide.
MENSA and its criteria for choosing members are quite
suspicious. To me, it rather seems to be
an elitist group with patterns similar to those of Masonic lodges and
globalization leadership clubs (e.g. Skull and Bones, Builderberg, Bohemian
Grove, etc.). They may help her ascent
easier and faster up the social mobility ladder and in return, they may use her
for fulfilling their politically correct agenda. I truly wonder what future expenses they may
reserve for her, though... People who
aspire to join this type of clubs always pay a price. Their lives and decisions become part and
parcel of those club’s agenda and the clubs’ influence to them and their
environment may be overwhelmingly profound and pervasive.
The girl in the article may have some environmental
challenges to deal with, as well. Her
father seems to be very ignorant and of low taste. Being in the wrong family environment may
eventually prevent her from utilizing her skills in the future and exploring
her full potential. Even now, her future
career goal to become a nurse looks quite influenced by stereotypes for
African-American females. It may rather
reflect her mother's interests or it may indicate identification with her
mother or other females of her family or closest milieu. If she feels the urge to combine her interest
in science and healthcare with altruism and people skills, then why not aim to
careers, such as becoming a medical doctor?
She should rather be facilitated in a way she can finally make her own
informed choices and be authentic and true to herself.
The Secret of Hagia Sophia
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Thursday, July 25, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Beneath Hagia Sofia: a series of videos, including the legendary documentary "Scuba Diving Beneath Hagia Sofia"
DISCLAIMER
No copyright infringements intended. Hellenic Psyche Blog and its owner always give full credit to those who created the videos, took the pictures or wrote the articles that this blog reproduces. Hellenic Psyche Blog and its owner do not own and never claim they own any of the videos, articles, links or pictures found in youtube or other websites are reproduced by this blog from different sources or websites. Credit/Citation: to see owner's name and get a description of a youtube video, click on the youtube icon on the bottom of the video. If it's a link, click on it and you will be transfered to the original owner's website. Image sources are citated in this blog, as well or you ca click o them and get trasferred to their original website.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Αγία Σοφία - Hagia Sophia (Constintinople)
DISCLAIMER
No copyright infringements intended. Hellenic Psyche Blog and its owner always give full credit to those who created the videos, took the pictures or wrote the articles that this blog reproduces. Hellenic Psyche Blog and its owner do not own and never claim they own any of the videos, articles, links or pictures found in youtube or other websites are reproduced by this blog from different sources or websites. Credit/Citation: to see owner's name and get a description of a youtube video, click on the youtube icon on the bottom of the video. If it's a link, click on it and you will be transfered to the original owner's website. Image sources are citated in this blog, as well or you ca click o them and get trasferred to their original website.
Πυργί Πανηγύρι (Δεκαπενταύγουστος): Περάστε έναν αλοισμόνητο Δεκαπενταύγουστο στο πιο ξακουστό και μοναδικό πανηγύρι του Δεκαπενταύγουστου στην Ελλάδα! - Pyrgi, Chios: the great Festival of the Virgin Mary Church on August 15. Have a unforgetable experience from the most unique and famous August 15 Festival (Dormition of Virgin Mary) in Greece!!!
Monday, July 22, 2013
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Il baritone greco Dionisio Sourbis - ο βαρύτονος Διονύσιος Σούρμπης - Greek baritone Dionysiοs Sourbis
Η συαυλία του Διονύση Σούρμπη στο Ληξούρι της Κεφαλλονιάς
Άλλα βίντεο:
Thursday, July 18, 2013
"Tough exams and learning by rote are the keys to success", says Michael Gove, the British Ministry of Education Secretary
Michael Gove Education secretary praises traditional exams as he explains the philosophy behind his shakeup of GCSEs and A-levels". An article on education from the British newspaper "The Guardian". Click here to read the Guardian's article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/nov/14/michael-gove-backs-learning-by-rote
Having finished high school in Greece, I come from a school culture that is pretty similar to what Gove describes as "the key to success"... Although I can get homesick from time to time, I can’t say I miss the rigors of being a student in Greece. On the contrary, I feel very lucky to have attended college in the US and not Europe.
What Gove proposes as a key to the future is actually a very old and rather unsuccessful recipe. Exams in Greece are as tough as anywhere else in the world, and memorization is mandatory. In fact, there is such an emphasis on facts and details –often immaterial – that many students (including myself) find the learning process tedious and sometimes ridiculously excessive. For the average Greek adolescent, life is completely absorbed by countless of hours studying, and attending expensive learning centers. It seems as if all your dreams, talks, activities, thoughts, and feelings are geared toward one single event – the national Greek college entrance examinations. The psychosocial impact on those young souls and their families is often quite detrimental due to the pressure. The effects of the Greek government's educational policy failures have only been countered by private tutoring centers that exist in every neighborhood, even in remotest of areas, though the perennially worsening economic crisis plagues the country.
A teacher-centered memorization-based approach hinders creativity and self-expression. Usually, not only does it not motivate students, but it even discourages them. It's important to be given the opportunity to find your real self and know exactly where you exactly stand. More often than not, students who are (mis)labeled by the system end up discovering hidden talents and abilities that neither they nor their parents or teachers were previously aware of. Yes, competitive exams, some memorization, learning facts with both low and high-level questions, and a combination of both factual and conceptional learning are definitely needed. Neither Gove's traditionalist/authoritarian extreme nor ex-mayor Michael Bloomberg's business-centered/neo-liberal extreme are good.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/nov/14/michael-gove-backs-learning-by-rote
 |
| The British Ministry of Education Secretary Michael Gove Source: The Guardian |
By Alex Colombos, CRC, MA, MPS, MA Ed
NYS Certified Social Studies & Greek Teacher (7-12)
CRCC Certified Counselor
Having finished high school in Greece, I come from a school culture that is pretty similar to what Gove describes as "the key to success"... Although I can get homesick from time to time, I can’t say I miss the rigors of being a student in Greece. On the contrary, I feel very lucky to have attended college in the US and not Europe.
What Gove proposes as a key to the future is actually a very old and rather unsuccessful recipe. Exams in Greece are as tough as anywhere else in the world, and memorization is mandatory. In fact, there is such an emphasis on facts and details –often immaterial – that many students (including myself) find the learning process tedious and sometimes ridiculously excessive. For the average Greek adolescent, life is completely absorbed by countless of hours studying, and attending expensive learning centers. It seems as if all your dreams, talks, activities, thoughts, and feelings are geared toward one single event – the national Greek college entrance examinations. The psychosocial impact on those young souls and their families is often quite detrimental due to the pressure. The effects of the Greek government's educational policy failures have only been countered by private tutoring centers that exist in every neighborhood, even in remotest of areas, though the perennially worsening economic crisis plagues the country.
A teacher-centered memorization-based approach hinders creativity and self-expression. Usually, not only does it not motivate students, but it even discourages them. It's important to be given the opportunity to find your real self and know exactly where you exactly stand. More often than not, students who are (mis)labeled by the system end up discovering hidden talents and abilities that neither they nor their parents or teachers were previously aware of. Yes, competitive exams, some memorization, learning facts with both low and high-level questions, and a combination of both factual and conceptional learning are definitely needed. Neither Gove's traditionalist/authoritarian extreme nor ex-mayor Michael Bloomberg's business-centered/neo-liberal extreme are good.
Self-expression and creativity are more emphasized and far better facilitated here in the US as opposed to Europe. However, things are not rosy here either. Michael Bloomberg's Social Darwinist business-orientated approach is responsible for the downfall of NYC schools. Emphasis on quantity over quality and productivity statistics compromises quality of learning and teaching. Besides, standards and procedures of generating those productivity statistics raise some uncomfortable realizations and concerns on how a teacher's productivity, school's success, and student's progress are measured and quantified, as well as how they are presented to the public. "Productivity," in the business sense, does not work in education and it can be very inhumane for everyone involved. Also, prescriptivist attitudes of administrators toward curriculum and instruction with a strong tendency to standardize everything in education leads to "cookie-cutter" practices that are mechanistic, often very oppressive, and counter-productive for both students and teachers. Exclusive or excessive use of collaborative learning leads to poor classroom management with very little learning. This system transforms the teacher into an instrument of bureaucracy, an impersonal clerk, and a mere "facilitator," instead of a real teacher. It is an unrealistic ultra-liberal theory based on economics and business practices that never flies in the real classroom. It is a complete failure both in terms of academic rigor and classroom management with a catastrophic impact on society.
There is no magic recipe for a successful model of education. Certainly, overcomplicating matters won’t help. Like the old saying goes, "the best solution is the simplest." Giving a second chance to students is far more important than spoon feeding them mere knowledge and coaching them to ace their exams the way you train a dog for the circus in order to show it off. A variety of methods and approaches should be utilized, based on the standards and the agenda of the day's lesson, the needs of the particular class, and each individual student's own needs, abilities, and learning style.
There is no magic recipe for a successful model of education. Certainly, overcomplicating matters won’t help. Like the old saying goes, "the best solution is the simplest." Giving a second chance to students is far more important than spoon feeding them mere knowledge and coaching them to ace their exams the way you train a dog for the circus in order to show it off. A variety of methods and approaches should be utilized, based on the standards and the agenda of the day's lesson, the needs of the particular class, and each individual student's own needs, abilities, and learning style.
Liturgy in Hagia Sophia!!! Hagia Sofia is the Byzantine Orthodox Christian Church of the Holy Wisdom of God in Constantinople. (For us the Greeks, it's still Constantinnople, Asia Mior and not Istanbul, Turkey! Turks even made a whole song "Istanbul is not Constantinople, but they cannot beat history, no matter how militant a propaganda they launch because of their barbaric hatred and aggression). Touching moments in Orthodox Christianity. In 1453, Hagia Sophia, the symbol of Orthodoxy, fell to the Turks. Its melodies stopped for centuries. Until that moment: a Byzantine choir was finally given permission to chant for just a few hours conducted by Head Chanter Panayiotis Kavarnos who later on became "Fr. Nikodemos Kavarnos", as he was ordained a Greek Orthodox Archmandrite (lowest rank of high priest who is a monk, but is appointed to a Parish). It was just in a form of a concert as Turkish government does ot respect human rights and freedom of religion and does not allow Christians to pray inside Hagia Sophia!!!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Monday, July 15, 2013
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