Monday, October 29, 2012

The 2nd Singapore Math Learning Festival Organized by Galileo

Jeff
Two weeks ago I was able to attend the Galileo Enrichment Learning Program's event Unlocking the Secrets to Singapore Math, the purpose of which is to not only introduce the topic but to give us a preview of the 2nd Singapore Math Learning Festival. I have been hearing about Singapore Math before but that was the first time I actually learned about what is it about.

Singapore Math focuses on developing critical thinking through mastery of foundational skills. It teaches students a systematic way of learning seemingly difficult math concepts through child-friendly terms and relatable experiences. It uses the C-P-A approach.

Singapore Math's C-P-A Approach


Concrete: manipulatives -->; Pictorial: visual models or drawings -->; Abstract: written numbers or symbols 

This complements the K-12 curriculum, as it strengthens key concepts and provides opportunities to apply it in daily activities as well as in other subjects. The K-12 program, launched by DepEd this school year which started with the Grade 7 students and Kinder, is an initiative to give students opportunities to master essential skills and competencies by stretching and extending their learning years to the 12th grade. It focuses on depth rather than on breadth, giving them more time to realize the importance of each concept and connect it to more complex and higher learning.

During the event, I was surprised how Singapore Math makes mathematical concepts easy for young minds to understand.  That is why as a father, I intend to enroll my son in Galileo's enrichment learning program for math to help him have a good foundation in mathematics so that he will enjoy the subject than endure it.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Philippine Azkals' List of 35-Man Squad for the AFF Suzuki Cup 2012

Jeff
It's 20 more days and the time in my raymond weil watch is ticking. Pretty soon the AFF Suzuki Cup 2012 will be starting and the Philippine Azkals, among the other contenders in the tournament, has had the busiest and hopefully the best preparation.



Their goal is to clinch the AFF Suzuki Cup 2012 championship. The Philippine Men's National Football Team has given out its list, the 35-man squad for the AFF Suzuki Cup 2012 to be held in Thailand on November 24-30, 2012. Below is the list (player's surnames are in alphabetical order):

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

The All-In-One PLDT TelPad | Upgrade Your Landline Now!

Jeff
We have been a PLDT landline user for years now and after reading and exploring online about the convenience, benefits and advantages of upgrading to the PLDT Telpad, I am now determined to not only upgrade but to share my 1 of 1,001 reasons to upgrade from a landline to a PLDT Telpad



Primarily, I see the PLDT Telpad as an all-in-one deal. Managing multiple bills especially for internet connection and landline connection, I believe it is a major convenience to have bills consolidated into one. Usually, a household that has a landline subscrpition pays PHP 600++ or a little bit more in one month. If they are subscribed to myDSL they would either pay PHP 990 or P1299 a month for internet connection speeds of up to 384 kbps and up to 1 mbps. Or a household may be subscribed to an account with just purely internet connection at home and that would cost about PHP 999. 

Landline - PHP 600-800
Broadband connection - PHP 999
myDSL - PHP 990 or PHP 1299 (for slow internet connection)

Whatever combo a household has, it would cost them around PHP 1,600-1,800 or almost PHP 2,000 per month. But with the PLDT Telpad, for fast internet connection speed (up to 1.5mbps) a household will only have to pay PHP 1,849 per month. And that comes with an Android tablet or the PLDT Telpad for a one time cost of PHP 2,000 which can also be paid in 6-month installments. This is still cheaper than subscribing to a landline, broadband connection and buying an Android tablet. With PLDT Telpad, you get all-in-one!



Not only is it convenient economically but it is also helpful in managing the bills as well. Usually for telecommunication bills, we check the calls that add on to the standard monthly billed amount. And we have to wait for the bill to arrive before we are able to check the details. But with a Telpad's unique feature which a regular landline does not have, particularly the call history, we can check and see past calls made that are out of the regular or ordinary

And since you would have the internet connection and landline use together, the best way to pay is online which can save you the hassle of traveling and waiting in line in the bank or the payment center.



In addition to that, other members of the family can also enjoy web browsing and multimedia access using the PLDT Telpad which runs on the popular Android OS which gives the whole family access to thousands of free and paid game and educational Android apps. It will not only entertain but educate the whole family - that's truly all-in-one and it's PLDT Telpad. 



The PLDT Telpad's benefits and features are so exciting that they've inspired me to rewrite some lyrics of the song "Kaka" by a 90's band, Yano. I used the Garage Band app to recreated the music. I recorded everything - the guitar, bass guitar, drums, lead vocals, and back up vocals and did it in one night that I slept around 4am to finish it. Click play below and listen to the song or maybe sing along with me! LSS effect guaranteed!


Mag PLDT TELPAD! 
(To the tune of Kaka by Yano) 

Verse 1: 
Sa bahay nila Samuel, landlady'y nahihirapan 
Nagpupumilit magkapera para sa babayaran 
Sa kasamaang palad, mga bills nagkasabay 
Kuryente, at landline dues nanjan na naku patay, eh... 

Verse 2: 
Sumibad siya pakusina kukunin ang landline bill 
Titingnan ang mga tawag ng border na si Samuel 
Pero sorry na lang at ang bill nawawala 
Sana'y may call history para masingil sila 

Chorus: 
Kaya't mag PLDT TELPAD, PLDT TELPAD 
Kung ikaw ay landline user, upgrade to a TELPAD, 'kaw ay winner 
Mag PLDT TELPAD, PLDT TELPAD 
Wala, wala, sayo'y walang mawawala 

Verse 3: 
Palabas s'ya ng bahay punta sa bayad center 
Kahaba haba nga ng pila parang isang disaster 
Ngunit ang di niya alam pdeng mag bayad online 
Iwas trapik, pila, hassle payment ay laging on time. 

Chorus: 
Kaya't mag PLDT TELPAD, PLDT TELPAD 
Kung ikaw ay landline user, upgrade to a TELPAD, 'kaw ay winner 
Mag PLDT TELPAD, PLDT TELPAD 
Wala, wala, sayo'y walang mawawala 

Verse 4: 
Paguwi niya ng bahay ‘la pang handang pagkain 
Bunso niya'y nag online research gabi na'y wala pa din 
Kung PLDT TELPAD sana ang gamit panalo na 
May internet, calls at Android tablet na, saan ka pa?! 

Chorus: 
Kaya't mag PLDT TELPAD, PLDT TELPAD 
Kung ikaw ay landline user, upgrade to a TELPAD, 'kaw ay winner 
Mag PLDT TELPAD, PLDT TELPAD 
Wala, wala, sayo'y walang mawawala

This is my official entry to the PLDT Telpad Blogger's Challenge

Support me by doing the following steps:
1) If you want to upgrade to PLDT Telpad, sign up by voting for my entry and you can get a 16gb Mirco SD Card by voting and signing up online. 
2) View my entry, then click the button that says "I WANNA GET A TELPAD" beside my photo to register and vote. Please don't forget to indicate that you were referred by www.aspacio.net.
3) You can also vote by sharing my entry by clicking the Facebook/Twitter icons found at the right side of the "I WANNA GET A TELPAD" button! You can do this every after 4 hours.




Friday, October 19, 2012

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Figaro's Affordable Lunch Meals

J.
Figaro recently introduced their newest affordable lunch meals: Chicken Currey with Pineapple Chutney and Sweet Pork Katsu. Both are available in all Figaro Coffee outlets daily from 11AM to 2PM. 

Chicken Curry with Pineapple Chutney is a combination of spicy curry, sweet pineapple and snow peas. It comes with 12 oz. lemonade with an option to upgrade for P65 to add the Figaro mushroom soup. Now, I'm especially drawn to curry dishes and this is not an exception. :-)


Figaro's Sweet Pork Katsu is my favorite of the newest lunch meals that they recently introduced. It is made of crusted pork bread crumbs bathed in their special mayo bbq sauce. I will surely go back to have one again very soon!

Figaro's Group deal meals are also worth checking out 

My weekly date nights with my wife is slowly switching to Figaro nights ever since that first bite of their chocolate cake (a must try) that we had for dessert after going around in the mall for hours on end looking for slide hammer puller. And that's more than because of Figaro's good coffee. :-)