Monday's Briefing From President Peruggi

For Kingsborough faculty and staff who missed Monday's briefing, the video can be found at -

http://www1.kingsborough.edu/Hurricane_Sandy_2012/index.html

Vote and Look Who's Running

Remember to vote today!  If you want to look at who's running (for Congress, Senate, Courts, and the Presidency), go to:

http://vote-ny.org/Election.aspx?State=NY&Election=NY20121106GA

http://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2012/General/Combined_2012_GEN_INT_NoPE.pdf

(For New Yorkers)

For New Yorkers who are displaced by the storm or having trouble getting to your polling place, the governor has issued an order to allow you to vote at ANY voting place in New York.  Spread the word.

Kingsborough Commute

It's the first day back to class at Kingsborough for students and it looks like the Q train is running to Brighton Beach (according to the MTA website at mta.info

As I predicted yesterday, the commute on the first day back is pretty bad.  However, it's not as bad as it could've been if they didn't resume the Q service.  But it's still pretty bad because students (and employees) who usually take the F, N, and other trains that have not yet resume services to Coney Island are getting on the B1 bus earlier on (such as at Bay Parkway) in addition to drivers (without gas because of the gas shortage) also taking the bus.

It doesn't look like they've increased bus services to Kingsborough as I've recommended yesterday in a message at http://cunyenglish.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-potential-commute-nightmare-for.html  but at least the Q is running, I guess.

A Potential Commute Nightmare For Students, Faculty, and Staff

Tomorrow's commute to school could potentially be a nightmare if the B and Q trains do not resume service to Brighton.  In addition to the usual bus commuters, the commuters who normally drive and the train commuters will be trying to cram into the buses at the stations where the train services end (Bay Parkway and 86th Street as of now.)  As a lowly employee, I do not have direct contact with the MTA, but I figured that the President of KCC does.  Below is the message I've sent her.  I've done my part.  Let's see if they listen.

Dear President Peruggi,

How are you?  I hope all is well.  I am one of your employees.

I am not sure if you've got this covered already.  Because the Q and B trains are not currently running, we are looking at a potential commute nightmare for students, faculty, and staff tomorrow.  All the train commuters will be taking the B1 and B49 buses, which is already overcrowded under normal circumstances.  With the added train commuters, it would not only create a nightmare, but also unsafe riding conditions.

I highly recommend that you contact the MTA, as the President of the College, to urge them to increase the number of buses to Kingsborough if they are unable to resume the B and Q trains to Brighton Beach.  Thank you for listening.

Kingborough Announcements - Post Hurricane Sandy

•  Tuesday, November 6, 2012 - All classes resume
• Monday, November 5, 2012, 11 am  - All faculty and staff should attend briefing by college president at PAC (probably regarding damages to the campus and instructions)
• Monday, November 5, 2012, 10am - RWC Tutors should report to RWC by 10am.  There will be briefings lasting until ~2pm.

More ACT Reading Practices

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I've recently posted additional ACT Reading practices at: http://spirfit.org/Academy/actreading

Why I Am Leaving Facebook

Facebook has become part of many people's lives nowadays. However, I was looking through trending topics on Twitter and found a lot of #ReasonsWhyILeftFacebook or #ReasonsWhyIAmLeavingFacebook. Here are the top ten that I found entertaining:

Top Ten #ReasonsWhyIAmLeavingFacebook

1. It reminded me of ancient times, when people were writing on walls and worshipping cats.

2. Too many idiots posting stuff like, "Like this if you like ice-cream! Ignore if you support murdering babies."

3. Twitter

4. I can't deal with reading thoughts that are longer than 140 characters.

5. I want to begin watering crops in real life.

6. My family joined.

7. That awkward moment when someone deletes their comment on Facebook and you look like you're talking to yourself.

8. Images like these:

9. When they switched to timeline they didn't realize that I needed three separate ones [as I have mastered traveling between parallel worlds.]

10. My parents found my Facebook page.




Feel free to find my collection of life lessons, academic lessons, and other types of lessons at:

SpirFit.org

If You Want More Jobs to be Available

If you want the unemployment rate to keep going down (or if you want to make sure the availability of jobs will continue to increase), you need to see this video.

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Click here for Unemployment Statistics Graph

7 Steps in Taking the CATW

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This is my recommended protocol of how you should use the 90 minutes of the CATW.

1. Read, annotate, and write main idea in one sentence. (15 - 20 minutes)

2. Write introductory paragraph.  (5 minutes)

3. Pre-write(list, outline, concept webs, freewriting, flow charts,…) 

         - in getting your ideas down on scrap paper as quickly as possible.  (5 - 10 minutes)

4. Write the body paragraphs.  (25 - 30 minutes)

5. Write the conclusion.  (10 minutes)

6. Revise your thesis/main-focus statement.  (2 minutes)

7. Review, revise, and edit.  (15 minutes)

Note:  The video explaining these seven steps is coming.  I am posting this protocol prematurely due to requests from students.  Also, notice that each step in this protocol requires competency in certain areas.  For example, Step One requires that you are trained and competent in understanding the reading in-depth by annotating.  Step One also requires that you are trained in getting the reading's main message, or main idea, and communicating it in one sentence.  I usually teach or train students to be proficient in the skills required for step one in approximately two hours.

Printable PDF Version 

More CATW lessons and practices

Feel free to follow our SpirFit Facebook group for improving academic and mind training (while incorporating physical and spiritual training) at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpirFit/141881909215772

Feel free to choose the “Subscribe” options on the right side of this page.

CUNY Assessment Test in Writing, CATW, CUNY ACT Writing, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing

Why Some Students Fail the CATW and the ACT Reading (Part 2)

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For CATW practice exams, go to SpirFit.org/Academy/catw 
For CUNY ACT Reading practice exams, go to SpirFit.org/Academy/actreading

Feel free to follow our SpirFit Facebook group for improving academic and mind training (while incorporating physical and spiritual training) at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpirFit/141881909215772

Feel free to choose the “Subscribe” options on the right side of this page.

CUNY CATW Exam, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing, revising, paragraph, ACT Reading,                 CUNY ACT READING EXAM  Kingsborough  Hunter Baruch CCNY Queensborough Brooklyn College BMCC English  KCC  English r Eng r  English 04  Eng 04

Why Some Students Fail the CATW and CUNY ACT Reading (Part 1)

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For CATW practice exams, go to SpirFit.org/Academy/catw 
For ACT Reading practice exams, go to SpirFit.org/Academy/actreading

  

CUNY CATW Exam, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing, revising, paragraph, ACT Reading,                 CUNY ACT READING EXAM  Kingsborough  Hunter Baruch CCNY Queensborough Brooklyn College BMCC English  KCC  English r Eng r  English 04  Eng 04

Day and Days Before CATW, ACT, SAT, GRE, and Other Standardized Exams (Part 2)

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This is part two of the lesson providing simple pointers to improve your performance for standardized exams such as the CATW, ACT, SAT, and GRE.


 


The print-out for this lesson can be found at: http://SpirFit.org/CUNY/Downloads/PointersDayAndDaysBeforeExam.pdf 





If you haven't yet viewed part 1 of this lesson, you can find it at: http://cunyenglish.blogspot.com/2012/08/day-and-days-before-catw-act-sat-and.html



Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.org/Academy and spirfit.org/Academy/catw

TOEFL, ESL exercises, English, grammar, phrase, common expression, CUNY, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, writing exercise, CATW, Departmental Exam Writing, SAT Writing, ACT Writing, ACT Reading, GMAT, GRE, LSAT

Day and Days Before CATW, ACT, SAT, and Other Standardized Exams (Part 1)

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This lesson (part 1) provides simple pointers to improve your performance for standardized exams such as the CATW, ACT, SAT, and GRE.

 


The print-out for this lesson at:
http://SpirFit.org/CUNY/Downloads/PointersDayAndDaysBeforeExam.pdf

Part 2 of this lesson at:
http://cunyenglish.blogspot.com/2012/08/day-and-days-before-catw-act-sat-gre.html

Feel free to view other free lessons at SpirFit.org and spirfit.org/Academy/catw

TOEFL, ESL exercises, English, grammar, phrase, common expression, CUNY, Kingsborough, Hunter, Baruch, CCNY, Queensborough, Brooklyn College, BMCC, CATW, Departmental Exam Writing, SAT Writing, ACT Writing. grammatical error correction, rephrasing, revise, revising. rephrase, ACT Reading, GRE, GMAT

Pointers for the Day and Days Before Standardized Test

This lesson has been updated and can be found at http://cunyenglish.blogspot.com/2012/08/day-and-days-before-catw-act-sat-and.html

Copyright: © 2005, 2011, 2012. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may use this article for free on your web site, blog, or other publication if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links and statement. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.org/Academy and CUNY.SpirFit.com

Using an Article to Improve Reading and Writing

This is a from a meeting in my department where we went over the article "You Can Go Home Again" by Karen Fingerman and discussed how we can use such an article to help students improve both their reading comprehension and writing abilities.  Although the meeting went over one hour, these video lessons are about 10 minutes each (totaling to approximately 30 minutes.)  I only included what I believe to be significant and I added some of my comments and interpretations (such as my simple way of interpreting the paragraph on statistics) not shared in the meeting.

Before proceeding to view the videos, please read the article at least once at:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/opinion/the-parent-trap.html

Video one emphasizes how to get students to really get into each paragraph and how each one plays a specific role (which in some way directly or indirectly supports the main idea.)

Videos two and three presents how a paragraph full of statistics can be deciphered.

A print-out of the stats breakdown of paragraph 7 can be found at http://SpirFit.org/CUNY/Downloads/YouCanGoHomeAgain_P7_Stats.pdf






Video three ends with bringing out the key points (in the last three minutes).

A print-out of the stats breakdown of paragraph 7 can be found at http://SpirFit.org/CUNY/Downloads/YouCanGoHomeAgain_P7_Stats.pdf

For other academic lessons, feel free to go to: http://SpirFit.org/Academy

Improve Reading & Writing by Annotating 1

This video is lesson one on a simple way to annotate for improving reading comprehension and essay writing (about a reading.)

The handout for this lesson can be found at:

http://SpirFit.org/CUNY/Downloads/Annotating1_2_3_4_Printout.pdf 


http://SPIRFIT.ORG/CUNY/Downloads/Annotating1_2_3_4_Printout.doc

A sample of how one annotates an article (to improve reading comprehension and to prepare for summary and essay writing) can be found at:

cuny.SpirFit.com/2011/10/improve-reading-by-annotating-smart.html




More lessons of various concentrations can be found at:

SpirFit.org/Academy

New Layout Design

Do not be alarmed.  I've only changed the layout design of this site/blog.  It is still the same blog.  I thought I'd use a simpler background (and make it more consistent with my other (SpirFit) blogs.  Feel free to let me know what you think.

Film Contest with Cash Reward

If you are a CUNY student and you have a film you want to submit to a contest, here's a film contest by AAARI (Asian American/ Asian Research Institute.  You don't have to be Asian, but you have to be a CUNY student.  First prize for each category is $200.  Runner up would receive $100.  There are three categories and therefore, four prize recipients.

http://www.aaari.info/2012aaff.htm?utm_source=2012+Asian+American+Film+Festival+%282nd+Wave%29&utm_campaign=Constant+Contact&utm_medium=email

Check Your Computer for This Malware

If you've ever encountered major computer problems in the past, you know that they can make your life a living hell.  There's a malware that may cause trouble, the DNS changer malware, that the FBI is telling us to check our computers for.  Simply go to -  http://www.dcwg.org/detect/

For more information, go to http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/november/malware_110911 and http://www.dcwg.org/

The Search for True Love

As someone who helps many students with writing, I enjoy writing for fun and I've started a new blog series "The Search for True Love" at http://stanzo.blogspot.com/2012/03/search-for-true-love-part-1.html

Feel free to read and to email me with your stories or comments.

Set Your Clocks Forward

Remember to set your clocks forward this weekend. You don't want to be an hour late for class on Monday. Unfortunately, we lose an hour.

Stop SOPA and PIPA

SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act) on the surface are supposed to curtail online piracy. Don’t be fooled. Legislations are not always what they seem to be on the surface.

SOPA and PIPA will have an effect (inadvertent or not) in outrageous censorship and hindrance to individuals, businesses, and other organizations. Indirectly, it will have a negative impact on the economy if passed. Is not our economy doing bad enough already?

Let’s stop censorship! Contact you senators to communicate to them your opposition to SOPA and PIPA.

Academic Calendar: Keep an Eye on It

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Looking at the academic calendar is one of the most important things to do at the beginning of every semester. This applies to all students, tutors, faculty, and staff members. Academic calendars can be found at:
Kingsborough Community College Academic Calendar
http://www.kingsborough.edu/sub-registration/office_of_registrar/Pages/academic_calendar.aspx

Baruch College Academic Calendar
http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/registrar/due_dates.htm

BMCC Academic Calendar
http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/calendar/academic_calendar.jsp

City College of New York Academic Calendar
http://www1.ccny.cuny.edu/current/registrar/calendar/


Hunter College Academic Calendar
http://registrar.hunter.cuny.edu/subpages/academic_calendar.shtml

John Jay College Academic Calendar
http://johnjay.jjay.cuny.edu/acalendar/EventList.aspx?fromdate=8/26/2011&todate=12/31/2011&display=Month&view=DateTime


Kingsborough Community College Academic Calendar
http://www.kingsborough.edu/sub-registration/office_of_registrar/Pages/academic_calendar.aspx

Queens College
http://www.qc.cuny.edu/registrar/calendars/Pages/default.aspx  (Click the correct semester under "Important Dates" section.)


I know of a tutor who, when he was still new to the college, did not know about the academic calendar. On one Tuesday that was a Monday schedule (as indicated on the academic calendar), he did not show up for the labs and workshops he was supposed to be teaching that day, because he did not know about the academic calendar and therefore did not know about the schedule change for that specific date.

Keep an eye on the academic calendar throughout the semester. Enter the holidays and the days of schedule-changes (conversion days) into your personal calendars or smartphones. Such a simple action will prevent problems.

For free academic lessons online in various subjects, go to SpirFit.org 

Feel free to follow our SpirFit Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpirFit/141881909215772

Feel free also to choose the “Subscribe” options on the right side of this page.