Teacher's Strike

*I will not put a photo for this! 

I wouldn't know where to start....you know, striking teachers, happy kids, some even teaching themselves.......it third term remember. And the exams are next month for Secondary Schools and Nov for Primary Schools. Talk of the teachers best laid plan.....just as exams are due...poof, strike!

The GoK has been very amateurish in dealing with this issue, from Uhuru insisting there is no cash, Ongeri pleading with teachers to cancel strike and PM, VP failing in their 'mediation' talks. It will be one long holiday for students.

Be that as it may, the quality of education is at the lowest point that it can be. A study by uwezo an NGO dealing with education matters stated that a Std 8 pupil can't understand a Std-2 story..... that and a plethora of other pitiable findings show that we are indeed throwing good money after bad. A complete rethinking of this 844 needs to be done. It's time people accepted that 8-4-4 has done more harm than good to Kenyans. A whole generation is getting lost.......... and for what?

iRest.

What is High School for?

I am a regular reader of the Seth Godin blog. This is a blogger with very thought-provoking ideas and questions. Makes rethink any of the topics he chooses to handle. and example is the following on the use of High Schools and what is supposed to be taught therein:

What's high school for? 

 Perhaps we could endeavour to teach our future the following:

• How to focus intently on a problem until it's solved.
• The benefit of postponing short-term satisfaction in exchange for long-term success.
• How to read critically.
• The power of being able to lead groups of peers without receiving clear delegated authority.
• An understanding of the extraordinary power of the scientific method, in just about any situation or endeavour.
• How to persuasively present ideas in multiple forms, especially in writing and before a group.
• Project management. Self-management and the management of ideas, projects and people.
• Personal finance. Understanding the truth about money and debt and leverage.
• An insatiable desire (and the ability) to learn more. Forever.
• Most of all, the self-reliance that comes from understanding that relentless hard work can be applied to solve problems worth solving.

Sourced from Seth Godin Blog

5 - Reasons Twitter makes one a better person.

 I came across this post while on twitter and it got me thinking. 


Besides these reasons, I think that Twitter plays a big role in connecting people, give tweeps an opportunity to be who they are and follow people they admire. But most of all, its the conversations that take place therein.

It was something I have asked myself a lot recently: Can a Social Media Tool, as powerful as Twitter might be really help you with personal development and make you a better person?
The short answer I concluded: Yes, it most certainly can. Here are 5 reasons that make me think it does:

1.) Everything is public – Being nasty can backlash.
Twitter’s openness is the first and foremost reason I believe it makes as better and nicer people to converse with.
We can develop a manner of appearance where even though it will not happen very often, we are prepared that everyone can see and follow your conversations.
It taught me that being open to no matter what sort of tweet shows up in my stream will bring me to far more places than I ever imagined. Twitter’s openness is a big winner here I think.

2.) Sharing is caring – I mean it
It is a reason some might even classify as childish, yet the ability to share what we found helpful is definitely something that makes me more attentive as a person on Twitter.
Now, that we can even tell everyone who it was that created this great piece of text, video or picture lies at the heart of developing a skill to care for others and their work.

3.) At Twitter no one is in charge – Jump in whenever you want
Well technically there is ;). Yet, what I mean is there is no boundary for you to become part of the Twitter family.
It is something I will never get tired of saying or writing about. A system that allows everyone to be treated as equal individuals is definitely another reason Twitter helps us to learn more about human interaction.
What counts are the conversations and relationships we are building. That’s all.
It’s also interesting to note that unlike FB, where newcomers are starting out with a disadvantage because of the algorithm of status updates this is not existent on Twitter.
No matter how long ago you have joined, there is nothing holding you back from starting conversations right away.

4.) Meet an incredible amount of different people
On Twitter the feeling that the whole world is a village is more prominent than anywhere else. The instantaneousness of the service allows us to meet more people than anywhere else given a short space of time.
More encounters means more opportunities to learn about people and human relations. It’s definitely a winner in making us a better person. The understanding for others can only increase in that way.

5.) There is no right way
The reasons we are on Twitter are so diverse that the question “What is the best way to use Twitter” can happily remain unanswered.
In this way it teaches us a great deal about respect for what others are up to and which goals they might pursuing with using Twitter.
It is another reason that creates a deep connection for me to stay with Twitter for a very long time.


Sourced from: Bufferapp Blog Post 

                                                                                                                                                             Now Watching Dresden Files. 

50 New Rules of Work by Robin Sharma

Am a regular reader of Robin Sharma articles which I find to be very deep and practical. Yesterday I came across this one on 50 New Rules of Work in his blog 

Here they are: 

The 50 New Rules of Work

1. You are not just paid to work. You are paid to be uncomfortable – and to pursue projects that scare you.
2. Take care of your relationships and the money will take care of itself.
3. Lead you first. You can’t help others reach for their highest potential until you’re in the process of reaching for yours.
4. To double your income, triple your rate of learning.
5. While victims condemn change, leaders grow inspired by change.
6. Small daily improvements over time create stunning results.
7. Surround yourself with people courageous enough to speak truthfully about what’s best for your organization and the customers you serve.
8. Don’t fall in love with your press releases.
9. Every moment in front of a customer is a moment of truth (to either show you live by the values you profess – or you don’t).
10. Copying what your competition is doing just leads to being second best.
11. Become obsessed with the user experience such that every touchpoint of doing business with you leaves people speechless. No, breathless.
12. If you’re in business, you’re in show business. The moment you get to work, you’re on stage. Give us the performance of your life.
13. Be a Master of Your Craft. And practice + practice + practice.
14. Get fit like Madonna.
15. Read magazines you don’t usually read. Talk to people who you don’t usually speak to. Go to places you don’t commonly visit. Disrupt your thinking so it stays fresh + hungry + brilliant.
16. Remember that what makes a great business – in part – are the seemingly insignificant details. Obsess over them.
17. Good enough just isn’t good enough.
18. Brilliant things happen when you go the extra mile for every single customer.
19. An addiction to distraction is the death of creative production. Enough said.
20. If you’re not failing regularly, you’re definitely not making much progress.
21. Lift your teammates up versus tear your teammates down. Anyone can be a critic. What takes guts is to see the best in people.
22. Remember that a critic is a dreamer gone scared.
23. Leadership’s no longer about position. Now, it’s about passion. And having an impact through the genius-level work that you do.
24. The bigger the dream, the more important the team.
25. If you’re not thinking for yourself, you’re following – not leading.
26. Work hard. But build an exceptional family life. What’s the point of reaching the mountaintop but getting there alone.
27. The job of the leader is to develop more leaders.
28. The antidote to deep change is daily learning. Investing in your professional and personal development is the smartest investment you can make. Period.
29. Smile. It makes a difference.
30. Say “please” and “thank you”. It makes a difference.
31. Shift from doing mindless toil to doing valuable work.
32. Remember that a job is only just a job if all you see it as is a job.
33. Don’t do your best work for the applause it generates but for the personal pride it delivers.
34. The only standard worth reaching for is BIW (Best in World).
35. In the new world of business, everyone works in Human Resources.
36. In the new world of business, everyone’s part of the leadership team.
37. Words can inspire. And words can destroy. Choose yours well.
38. You become your excuses.
39. You’ll get your game-changing ideas away from the office versus in the middle of work. Make time for solitude. Creativity needs the space to present itself.
40. The people who gossip about others when they are not around are the people who will gossip about you when you’re not around.
41. It could take you 30 years to build a great reputation and 30 seconds of bad judgment to lose it.
42. The client is always watching.
43. The way you do one thing defines the way you’ll do everything. Every act matters.
44. To be radically optimistic isn’t soft. It’s hard. Crankiness is easy.
45. People want to be inspired to pursue a vision. It’s your job to give it to them.
46. Every visionary was initially called crazy.
47. The purpose of work is to help people. The other rewards are inevitable by-products of this singular focus.
48. Remember that the things that get scheduled are the things that get done.
49. Keep promises and be impeccable with your word. People buy more than just your products and services. They invest in your credibility.
50. Lead Without a Title.

This is sure to change the workplace since its quite easy to execute.




Sourced from Robin Sharma blog.

Inspiration.

Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something ~ Henry David Thoreau