Where I Would Like to Live

          If I could live anywhere in the world I would choose Thailand. There are a lot of reasons why I would choose to live there. For one thing, I have good friends named Harrison and Bailey, who have been there and they say a lot of good stuff about it. Their mother was born in Thailand and so they went there on a vacation to visit family.

          Here are some of the reasons why I think I would enjoy living in Thailand so much. I love to swim and Thailand has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. I have heard my friends talk about how much fun they had at Phuket Beach where people were selling all kinds of arts and crafts and food. When I have been visiting my Thai friends’ house, I have been able to try some of the most delicious food. My favourite so far, is the spicy noodles and fresh rolls that their mother, Katune, makes.

          I think the hot, sunny climate in Thailand would be another good reason to live there. If I never had to shovel snow again, I would be very happy. Thailand also appeals to me as a fantastic place to live because I would love to see some of the exotic wildlife that live there. I would really love to take a ride on an elephant through the jungle some day.

          I don’t know if I would want to live in Thailand my whole life because I might miss Canada too much. I know that I would like to try living in a country with a culture and lifestyle that is very different from ours one day and Thailand is the first country I would choose.  

 

don't be late!

I have just finished reading about the Ministry of Education's new policy that will give teachers the right to deduct marks for late assignments. It's the first time that teachers have been able to do this in Ontario since 1999.

Here's what I think about that policy. To put it "short and sweet" – I agree. The reason I feel this way is because I believe that if someone brings their work in late they have not met all of the requirements of the assignment. Allowing some students to hand their work in late means that students who handed theirs in on time aren't getting the recognition they deserve for respecting the teacher's instructions and taking the assignment seriously.

Sometimes a student could have special circumstances (illness or family emergency, for example) that should be considered before the marks are docked for being late. However, if a student's only excuse for being late is that they couldn't get the work done on time, then I think that a deduction in marks for being late is definitely fair.

There a few reasons why I feel this new policy makes sense. In the "real world" people are used to getting penalized for being late all the time. You can't return a rental DVD or BluRay late without being charged late fees. The same consequences take place at the library. They also charge late fees if your book is returned late. Why would any student expect that consequences should not apply when it's something as important as education? The only difference is that at school you have to pay in marks instead of money. So, if you value your marks as much as your money, these consequences will help you remember to get your work done on time and hold on to every mark you get!

finally!

entry one is done