Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The International Baccalaureate: A positive way forward

The International Baccalaureate Program Authored by Thomas Jerome Baker "An international education must go well beyond the provision of information and is involved in the development of attitudes and values which transcend barriers of race, class, religion, gender or politics." -International Baccalaureate Organization Subject Guide (1996). It is my authorial belief that any education that does not unite the nations of the world in a common endeavour is a relic of the past century. A common sense of sharing the responsibility, equally, for the welfare of the planet, globally, is needed more than ever today. Finally, I can only say one thing: The IB program is a positive way forward for any education system in crisis, any education system that desires quality, any education system that aspires to excellence, any education system that wishes to educate its citizens in the image of the twenty-first century, rather than the past century... The International Baccalaureate by Thomas Jerome Baker

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Paperback edition: How to Coach a Debate Team

Click this link: How to Coach A Debate Team Authored by Thomas Jerome Baker This book contains all you need to know to successfully coach a debate team. First, you may need to convince your students that debate is a good thing: 1. Debating ability is a valuable skill. 2. Debate utilizes useful English. 3. It is a unique way to teach grammar. 4. It develops critical thinking skills. 5. It introduces global issues. 6. It develops research skills. This book will give you insights into how to coach a successful debate team, and equally important, have a lot of fun while doing it... Click this link: How to Coach A Debate Team

Friday, May 25, 2012

How to Coach a Debate Team

How to Coach A Debate Team [Kindle Edition] This book contains all you need to know to successfully coach a debate team. You may need to convince students that debate is a good idea, though. Here are six reasons: 1. Debating ability is a valuable skill. 2. Debate utilizes useful English. 3. It is a unique way to teach grammar. 4. It develops critical thinking skills. 5. It introduces global issues. 6. It develops research skills. A more powerful reason to coach a debate team is given to us by Dr. Martin Luther King: "“Sooner or later all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace... If this is to be achieved, man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation...” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – 1964 Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Poems & Poetry: Carpe Diem

Poems & Poetry: Our Story [Paperback]
This book is dedicated to my family, and their families, and their families yet to be. On countless occasions I’ve said to them: “One day I will write our story.” This time it is I who again make the promise, “One day, I will write our story”. Like all writers, I have no clue if the promise will ever be kept, yet I must admit, I enjoy writing for you. More importantly, I have the aspiration that you will find things in my writing with which you can identify. Poems & Poetry: Our Story [Paperback] In this way, you my brother, Charlie, and you, my sisters, Linda, Kathy and Bernice, will become heirs to a shared memory of days gone by, days present, and days yet to come. More importantly, the memory will live beyond us, beyond our days, and beyond our time. And that is well as it should be. Thus, this is the reason I write for you. Again, it has been my pleasure to write the treasured and shared memory, poetically, personally, for you. Poems & Poetry: Our Story [Paperback] Amazon Author Page: Thomas Jerome Baker

Monday, May 21, 2012

The Ring of Fire: Solar Eclipse

Amazon Author Page: Thomas Jerome Baker Thomas enjoys writing about a wide variety of topics. Thus far, he has written the following genres: romance, historical fiction, autobiographical, sports history/biography, and English Language Teaching. He has published a total of forty (40) books overall. Solar eclipse: What's that? Firstly, Wikipedia tells us: "Not to be confused with Lunar eclipse." OK. Now what is it? How about a photo? Photo of 1999 total eclipse As seen from the Earth, a Solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. In a total eclipse, the disk of the Sun is fully obscured by the Moon. In partial and annular eclipses only part of the Sun is obscured. If the Moon were in a circular orbit close enough to the Earth and in the same orbital plane, there would be total solar eclipses every single month. However, the Moon's orbit is angled at more than 5 degrees to the earth's orbit around the sun (see ecliptic) so its shadow at new moon often misses the Earth. The Earth's orbit is called the ecliptic plane as the Moon's orbit must cross this plane in order for an eclipse (both solar as well as lunar) to occur. In addition, the Moon's actual orbit is elliptical, often taking it far enough away from the Earth so that its apparent size is not large enough to block the Sun totally. The orbital planes cross each year at a line of nodes resulting in at least two, and up to five, solar eclipses occurring each year; no more than two of which can be total eclipses.[1][2] Total solar eclipses are nevertheless rare at any particular location because totality exists only along a narrow path on the Earth's surface traced by the Moon's shadow or umbra. An eclipse is a natural phenomenon. Nevertheless, in some ancient and modern cultures, solar eclipses have been attributed to supernatural causes or regarded as bad omens. A total solar eclipse can be frightening to people who are unaware of their astronomical explanation, as the Sun seems to disappear during the day and the sky darkens in a matter of minutes. As it is dangerous to look directly at the Sun, observers should use special eye protection or indirect viewing techniques. People referred to as eclipse chasers or umbraphiles will travel to remote locations to observe or witness predicted central solar eclipses.[3][4] Amazon Author Page: Thomas Jerome Baker

2012 Spring & Summer Catalog of Books by Thomas Jerome Baker

2012 Spring & Summer Catalog of Books by Thomas Jerome Baker Posted on May 21, 2012
This catalog of books by Thomas Jerome Baker brings together over 40 books on Amazon, Kindle, and CreateSpace. Take your time to browse, there is something here for everyone. After you read, share your reading experience by writing a review, a comment, or maybe just a smile. I trust your reading will have been pleasant and enjoyable… Amazon Author Page: Thomas Jerome Baker Thomas Baker is the Past-President of TESOL Chile (2010-2011). He is the Head of the English Department at Colegio Internacional SEK in Santiago, Chile. He is the Co-Founder and Co-Organiser of EdCamp Santiago, free, participant-driven, democratic, conversation based professional development for teachers, by teachers. EdCamp Santiago 2012 was held at Universidad Mayor in Santiago. Thomas is also a member of the Advisory Board for the International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL), where he also serves as a reviewer and as the HETL Ambassador for Chile. Thomas enjoys writing about a wide variety of topics. Thus far, he has written the following genres: romance, historical fiction, autobiographical, sports history/biography, and English Language Teaching. He has published a total of thirty nine (39) books overall. The source and inspiration for his writing comes from his family, his wife Gabriela, and his son, Thomas Jerome Baker, Jr.