A la edad de 95, Stanley Kunitz fue nombrado el primer poeta laureado en Estados Unidos. Aún escribe poemas, aún hace lecturas para público en vivo. Se destaca como un ejemplo inspirador de la habilidad del cerebro para mantenerse vital hasta los últimos años de nuestra vida.

The latest discoveries in neuroscience present a new view of how the brain ages. Overturning decades of dogma, scientists recently discovered that even into our seventies, our brains continue producing new neurons. Scientists no longer hold the longstanding belief that we lose vast numbers of brain cells as we grow older. The normal aging process leaves most mental functions intact, and may even provide the brain with unique advantages that form the basis for wisdom. The aging brain is also far more resilient than was previously believed.

Los últimos descubrimientos en la Neurociencia presentan una nueva visión de como envejece el cerebro. Superando décadas de dogma, los cientificos recientemente han descubierto que aún en los setentas, nuestros cerebros continuan produciendo neuronas. Los científicos ya no avalan la antigua creencia de que perdemos grandes cantidades de celúlas cerebrales cuando envejecemos. En el proceso normal de envejecimiento la mayoria de las funciones cerebrales quedan intactas, y aun mas, quizás provean al cerebro de ventajas únicas que forman la base para la sabiduría. Además el cerebro cuando envejece es mucho mas fuerte de lo que antes se creía.

I would love to know your opinion about this subject, please leave a comment about your experience or someone you know. Thank you for sharing and have a grrrrreat day!!

Tomorrow: How to study.

Me encantaría saber tu opinión acerca de este tema, por favor deja tu comentario acerca de tu experiencia personal o de alguien que tu conozcas. ¡¡Gracias por compartir y que tengas un exceleeeente dia!!

Mañana: Como estudiar.

Sometimes, there are expressions that  in some words can contain a whole idea. I hope you find useful the following ones.

Did you find what you were looking for? Is there another expression or saying you want to know?

Every week there are “Viernes Culturales” in la Casa de la Cultura in Tulum. Everybody is invited.Next Monday we´ll give you a detail report about what happened today! But what I´ve heard it sounds like fun!!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork butt roast with bone
• 2 tablespoons achiote paste
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2/3 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 2 habanero peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 red onions, sliced into rings

Directions

1. Poke holes all over the pork with a fork. Rub achiote paste all over the pork, and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the orange juice, lemon juice, and habanero peppers. Mix in the cumin, paprika, chili powder, coriander, salt and pepper. Place pork in the mixture, cover, and refrigerate overnight, turning two or three times.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Wrap the pork and marinade in aluminum foil or banana leaves that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes. Place into a casserole dish, and cover.
3. Bake for about 2 hours, until the meat falls off the bone. The slower you cook it, the better it is. You could also bake it in a 200 degrees F (95 degrees C) oven for 4 or 5 hours, or in a slow cooker without the foil or leaves.
4. While the pork is cooking, make the sauce. Bring the red wine vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add onions, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender. Pour sauce over pork, and serve with white rice and corn tortillas. Each person can make tacos or fajitas with the pork, the rice and the sauce.

How to Teach or Learn Anything 8 Different Ways

One of the most remarkable features of the theory of multiple intelligences is how it provides eight different potential pathways to learning. If a teacher is having difficulty reaching a student in the more traditional linguistic or logical ways of instruction, the theory of multiple intelligences suggests several other ways in which the material might be presented to facilitate effective learning. Whether you are a kindergarten teacher, a graduate school instructor, or an adult learner seeking better ways of pursuing self-study on any subject of interest, the same basic guidelines apply. Whatever you are teaching or learning, see how you might connect it with

• words (linguistic intelligence)
• numbers or logic (logical-mathematical intelligence)
• pictures (spatial intelligence)
• music (musical intelligence)
• self-reflection (intrapersonal intelligence)
• a physical experience (bodily-kinesthetic intelligence)
• a social experience (interpersonal intelligence), and/or
• an experience in the natural world. (naturalist intelligence)

For example, if you’re teaching or learning about the law of supply and demand in economics, you might read about it (linguistic), study mathematical formulas that express it (logical-mathematical), examine a graphic chart that illustrates the principle (spatial), observe the law in the natural world (naturalist) or in the human world of commerce (interpersonal); examine the law in terms of your own body [e.g. when you supply your body with lots of food, the hunger demand goes down; when there's very little supply, your stomach's demand for food goes way up and you get hungry] (bodily-kinesthetic and intrapersonal); and/or write a song (or find an existing song) that demonstrates the law (perhaps Dylan’s “Too Much of Nothing?”). 

You don’t have to teach or learn something in all eight ways, just see what the possibilities are, and then decide which particular pathways interest you the most, or seem to be the most effective teaching or learning tools. The theory of multiple intelligences is so intriguing because it expands our horizon of available teaching/learning tools beyond the conventional linguistic and logical methods used in most schools (e.g. lecture, textbooks, writing assignments, formulas, etc.). To get started, put the topic of whatever you’re interested in teaching or learning about in the center of a blank sheet of paper, and draw eight straight lines or “spokes” radiating out from this topic. Label each line with a different intelligence. Then start brainstorming ideas for teaching or learning that topic and write down ideas next to each intelligence (this is a spatial-linguistic approach of brainstorming; you might want to do this in other ways as well, using a tape-recorder, having a group brainstorming session, etc.). Have fun!

Inteligencia Naturalista

Se describe como la competencia para percibir las relaciones que existen entre varias especies o grupos de objetos y personas, así como reconocer y establecer si existen distinciones y semejanzas entre ellos.

Los naturalistas suelen ser hábiles para observar, identificar y clasificar a los miembros de un grupo o especie, e incluso para descubrir nuevas especies. Su campo de observación más afín es el mundo natural, donde pueden reconocer flora y fauna, y utilizar productivamente sus habilidades en actividades de caza, ciencias biológicas y conservación de la naturaleza.

Pero puede ser aplicada también en cualquier ámbito de la ciencia y la cultura, porque las características de este tipo de inteligencia se ciñen a las cualidades esperadas en personas que se dedican a la investigación y siguen los pasos propios del método científico.

Características

Exploran ámbitos humanos de la cultura, la ciencia y el mundo de la naturaleza con interés y entusiasmo.
- Aprovechan oportunidades para observar, identificar, interactuar con objetos, plantas o animales y para encargarse de su cuidado.
- Establecen categorías o clasifican objetos según sus características.
- Manifiestan deseos de entender “cómo funcionan las cosas”.
- Reconocen patrones de semejanza o diferencia entre miembros de una misma especie o clases de objetos.
- Abordan el aprendizaje acerca de los ciclos vitales de la flora o fauna y las etapas de producción de objetos fabricados por el hombre.

Las habilidades del pensamiento naturalista pueden ser aplicadas a muchas disciplinas, ya que entre sus capacidades esenciales se incluyen: observación, reflexión, establecimiento de conexiones, clasificación, integración y comunicación de percepciones acerca del mundo natural y humano, y estas habilidades de pensamiento son útiles para cualquier aprendizaje y sobre todo en actividades de investigación.

En el post de mañana seguirè con la descrìpciòn y caracterìsticas de las otras siete clases de inteligencia. ¿con cual te identificas?

• Linguistic intelligence (“word smart”)
• Logical-mathematical intelligence (“number/reasoning smart”)
• Spatial intelligence (“picture smart”)
• Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (“body smart”)
• Musical intelligence (“music smart”)
• Interpersonal intelligence (“people smart”)
• Intrapersonal intelligence (“self smart”)
• Naturalist intelligence (“nature smart”)

Dr. Gardner says that our schools and culture focus most of their attention on linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence. We esteem the highly articulate or logical people of our culture. However, Dr. Gardner says that we should also place equal attention on individuals who show gifts in the other intelligences: the artists, architects, musicians, naturalists, designers, dancers, therapists, entrepreneurs, and others who enrich the world in which we live. Unfortunately, many children who have these gifts don’t receive much reinforcement for them in school. Many of these kids, in fact, end up being labeled “learning disabled,” “ADD (attention deficit disorder,” or simply underachievers, when their unique ways of thinking and learning aren’t addressed by a heavily linguistic or logical-mathematical classroom. The theory of multiple intelligences proposes a major transformation in the way our schools are run. It suggests that teachers be trained to present their lessons in a wide variety of ways using music, cooperative learning, art activities, role play, multimedia, field trips, inner reflection, and much more.

The good news is that the theory of multiple intelligences has grabbed the attention of many educators around the country, and hundreds of schools are currently using its philosophy to redesign the way it educates children. The bad news is that there are thousands of schools still out there that teach in the same old dull way, through dry lectures, and boring worksheets and textbooks. The challenge is to get this information out to many more teachers, school administrators, and others who work with children, so that each child has the opportunity to learn in ways harmonious with their unique minds.

The theory of multiple intelligences also has strong implications for adult learning and development. Many adults find themselves in jobs that do not make optimal use of their most highly developed intelligences (for example, the highly bodily-kinesthetic individual who is stuck in a linguistic or logical desk-job when he or she would be much happier in a job where they could move around, such as a recreational leader, a forest ranger, or physical therapist). The theory of multiple intelligences gives adults a whole new way to look at their lives, examining potentials that they left behind in their childhood (such as a love for art or drama) but now have the opportunity to develop through courses, hobbies, or other programs of self-development.

Next Monday  part 2: “How to Teach or Learn Anything 8 Different Ways”. Have a grrreat weekend!!

• Visual learners
• Auditory learners
• Kinesthetic learners

Visual learnears learn through seeing. They need to see the teacher´s body language and facial expression to fully understand the content of a lesson. Auditory learners learn through listening. They learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say. Kinesthetic (or tactile) learners learn through moving, doing and touching. They learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them. There are many great websites where you can do a free test to know what kind of learner you are. Tomorrow I will write about what is  and what are the types of multiple intelligence.

My name is Lily and I was born and race in Mexico City. Since I was a little girl I felt in love with words, literature and languages. It was my dream to live near the Ocean, and that became a reality when I moved to Cancun 22 years ago. After living there for several years I had the opportunity to live in Akumal, in the Riviera Maya. I then moved to Chemuyil, a cozy, little town close to Tulum. Is in this beautiful town where I´ve lived since 15 years ago, with a pause of a couple of years in Mexico City and Cancun, but I came back to my dear Chemuyil. I´ve been teaching English and Spanish since 1996 and I love it!! I would like to share my knowledge about the use of  Spanish with the people interested in learn it. Also, if I can be of any help regarding where to stay, where to go, good restaurants, tips about how to travel safe, etc. all along the Riviera Maya and Cancun I´ll be more than glad to help you out.