Key2Learning Bangladesh

An innovative approach towards child development

Today's world is an increasingly fast paced one, and the pace is constantly increasing. Every now and then, technological advances and social reforms are changing the world as we know it, and we are already finding it hard to keep up with these changes. The competitive world we are living in is always forcing us to perform at our top limits. Yet, however unfortunate might it seem, it is only the beginning.

The alarming rate at which the world is advancing is constantly on the rise. Even now, we are finding it difficult to keep up with these advances. Then what will happen 5 to 10 years later? The rate of advance would be so extreme, the upcoming generation will face dire consequences if they are not prepared for the challenges they are soon going to face.

Honestly, the basic school education is not enough for our children to prepare for those challenges. Reading about "Pussy the Cat" or "Eddy the Dog" and solving the result of maths like 14X35X67 won't teach a child confidence, communication skills, self-esteem or any other of the greatly vital qualities necessary for his success. Well, of course he might just pick up these positive traits when he "grows up"… but he definitely won't if a solid foundation of child development isn't laid out for those progresses. Our basic school system is only adequate for a child to get a good certificate and an admission to a good college (or university), but it's not good enough, not nearly good enough, for the child's ultimate success.

That's when an innovative and exceptional supplementary education system named Key2Learning comes into the picture. It is a child focused education system, designed to develop concentration, communication skills, self-esteem and self-expression, creativity, logical thinking and responsive interaction of a child.

It was developed in Australia and has enjoyed remarkable successes worldwide, including Australia, USA, England, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Spain and Mexico. Last April, Key2Learning was introduced in Bangladesh. It was developed by internationally renowned education expert Dr Johann DeBeer.

Key2Learning integrates combination of state-of-the-art technologies to transform a traditional classroom into an interactive classroom. In Key2Learning's interactive classroom, children touch a large touch-screen (Cyber Display Station, used instead of a traditional whiteboard) and are able to change words, move images, select, improve, draw, write, design, classify and structure. While doing this, they interact with other students and their teacher, and develop communication skills. Children really enjoy the programs as the lessons are filled with interactive activities, role-plays, group activities and many more entertaining activities. The old proverb 'what we see is what we learn' is a reality at Key2Learning. The interactive system also provides facilities for teachers, which promote active class dynamics and children's participation. Key2Learning is specially designed for young learners between 3-11 years.

Children usually love the learning experiences, only the traditional boring aspects of normal schooling turn their interests away. They learn best when they are focused, when the content makes sense to them and when they can apply their knowledge. Key2Learning's lessons are full of activities that are designed to promote the participation of children. Children are encouraged and guided to take part in the learning process and are rewarded for their participation.

Key2Learing thrives to maximize children's potential. It's an enjoyable education for children designed to make them prepared to challenges they are soon going to face.

For more information:
Key2Learning Bangladesh
Tel: 966 6118, 966 6301
Web:www.key2learning.com.bd
By Niloy

Fahrenheit 9/11 and a few thoughts

Finally had the chance to see the movie making news all over the world, at least that's what I thought when I read about it in Bangladesh. Yet in America it still might fail to open the eyes of the ordinary people, but then as the maker of this film, Michael Moore puts it, "It's not about changing anyone's mind, are you for Bush or against Bush."

Before that, let's see what this $23.9 million making documentary (in its opening weekend) is all about. The film is about, as suggested by the name, September eleventh. It's also about a lot more. It's about the United States, the attitudes of people and the government and it's about all that happens behind the scenes politics never seemed so dirty before.

You can't help but feel angry when you see George W. Bush's secrets being uncovered. Of course you knew this man was lying. But you probably had no idea what he was hiding. The fact is, he has been lying for ages in the interest of his family business and sometimes not even in the interest of his own people.

When the first plane hit the Twin Towers, George W. Bush was in a class room full of children and upon being told the news, just sat there for about seven minutes, dumbstruck, holding a poetry book! Seven minutes! What WAS he thinking? Imagine you were an American for a minute and you have just been attacked by foreigners on your own soil, under your own roof and maybe even in your own back yard and the man you pay to keep you safe just sits around waiting for someone to tell him what to do! Bangladesh, here we come!

When I saw the movie I knew that most of it was true because in Bangladesh, ignorance is unacceptable. Even if you don't read the papers for fear of finding a picture of another dead body hanging from a tree, at least you would have heard it from your parents, teachers, grandma, driver, maid I mean everyone is talking about it. Ordinary Americans are carefully protected from what's happening to the world. Open any newspaper here and you will hardly find half of the political news that comes out in the Rising Stars! American citizens are encouraged to be gullible and ignorant and most don't have a clue as to what is happening in Iraq, believing that their soldiers are there for a noble cause. That's what they've been told. So when the Bush spokesman Dan Bartlett told the press that the movie was "outrageously false" (he admitted that he hadn't seen the movie when he said this), who do you think they'll believe?

I would recommend the movie to everyone who has interest in this subject. Sure its about America but don't we talk about George W. Bush ALL the time? The attack on Iraq will seem even more worthless if you see the film. Apart from the humour there are also a few graphic scenes that make you feel disgusted and angry at the same time. Now arises the question, is the movie really a big propaganda? I have no way of knowing, though it does suggest that President Clinton might have been better at handling a crisis and so on. I'd like to believe it anyway because I happen to biased and prejudiced against one silly Republican.
By the Hitch-hiker

Book Review

The Rainmaker

John Grisham's "The Rainmaker," is the sixth novel to film adaptation of Grisham's novels and is by far one of the more accomplished. The courtroom drama reveals the ordeals of a young lawyer and associate entering the world of money hungry company's scams. Frankly, Mr. Grisham's story is totally overblown.

In layman's terms a "rainmaker" is a legal case that brings in a huge sum of money for the lawyer and the lawyer's client. John Grisham uses this term in The Rainmaker to mark the highest point in the main character's previously troubled life. The story is about a neophyte lawyer, Rudy Baylor, who once dreamed of the good life as a corporate attorney. Now he faces joblessness and bankruptcy. He winds up working at a low-rent law firm when he can find no other job after finishing law school in Memphis.

Through a class called Legal Problems of the Elderly, Rudy meets and befriends a little, old lady named Miss Birdie. He realizes that she is incredibly lonely, so he often goes out of his way to keep her company. Rudy also meets Dot and Buddy Black, another couple from this class, and discovers that they have a son, Donny Ray, suffering from leukemia and who has been wrongfully denied a bone-marrow transplant by his insurance company. But getting this case to court will be like running the high-hurdles with his feet cut off.

For starters, Rudy has no trial experience, and the insurance company has the high-powered Leo Drummond and three or four of his assistants for the defense. Adding to that is the fact that the case, which starts small, somehow mushrooms into a frightening war of nerve and legal skill that could cost Rudy not only his future, but also his life. Even as he is preparing for the trial, Rudy is getting involved in another kind of case. While hunting for clients at a local hospital, he spots a young woman who has been beaten by her husband.

He befriends her, and by the end of the story, he is emotionally involved with her in an effort to get her out of this abusive marriage. The word "rainmaker" characterizes the success of Rudy Baylor's rollercoaster ride through the legal profession. Along this bumpy road, Rudy grows as an individual. Rudy adheres to his beliefs and morals, which relates to the statement that a lawyer must create his own legal style and persona in order to become successful. Because he lives by his beliefs, Rudy Baylor has strong personality traits that make him unique as a person and a lawyer. Rudy Baylor's compassion towards his clients and people in general separates him from the sharks in his profession.

One of the main characters in this story, other than Rudy, is his odd shaped colleague, Deck who is always waiting for tragedies and disasters so they can make some money by representing the injured people for insurance claims. I could not believe this, but lawyers actually wait in hospital cafeterias, wishing and hoping for badly injured patients, so as to get good clients. For them, the better the car accident the more the claim.

This is truly a fantastic book. The plot is somewhat negligible, but then this book is less about a plot. It is more of a humourous narrative unleashed by Mr. Grisham, that will keep you in splits throughout. Of course it has a touch of seriousness, especially during the court-room brawls, but Mr. Grisham seems to have hinted at humour even there! For those readers, who do not like books here there is no shift in perspective, then this book is definitely not recommended. The whole story is completely through the eyes of Rudy Baylor, the main protagonist. This book also has very interesting characters that are colorfully described by the author. It is fast moving and keeps the reader interested at all times until the ending. Frankly, it fell flat there. However, it is worth the read and I totally recommend it.
By Rohini Alamgir