Saturday, November 22, 2008

Aravind Adiga is one of the 17 sexiest men alive!

"The literary world isn't exactly bursting with eye candy -- writers usually win us over with well-chosen words rather than hotness. But Adiga, now 34, scores both ways, an appealing mix of erudite and debonair, with his closely shorn hair and dark, dreamy eyes."

from Salon magazine. Aravind is an old friend of mine from college, and he won the Booker Prize for his first novel The White Tiger. It's really hilarious, although he claims it's not intended to be funny at all.

In other news, this is my classroom:





7 comments:

Gurdonark said...

Winning the Booker Prize would be amazing.

Cool classroom!

Ivan said...

Hello Ms. Vicary,

This is Ivan from Getting to 2000

A while back I asked you about coaching 4-5 graders. You recomended that I get the kids to teach each other and to get the book Winning-Chess-Strategy-for-Kids

We are having great success including a 3rd place finish in our very first tournament.

I haven't started using the book mainly because I am not sure what the best way to do so is. I was windering if you could give some advice.

BTW: I am rated around 1900

Thank you

Elizabeth Vicary said...

Hi Ivan,
There are lots of ways to use that book... do you have a demo board? That's necessary-- get one if you don't.
How do you structure your sessions? One nice way is lesson - worksheet - activity. For example, maybe you teach the first pin lesson from Coakley and then they do the 9problem pin worksheet (or that can be homework) and then they play. Maybe there is a special prize that day for the best use of a pin in a game. Many of the longer lessons-- like castles in the sand-- might take me 3 or 4 classes to finish.

I wrote more about that book and how I use it here: http://main.uschess.org/content/view/7776/381/

But if you are feeling unsure, I would definitely start by photocopying some of the 9 problem worksheets and doing them in class.

Nice job with the blog and the 3rd place win!

From the patzer said...

Is that your 'own' classroom or may you use it so now and then. With other words, do the demoboards always hang up or do you have to clean up after lesson(s) because another teacher can give math or geography or ... in that classroom?

Elizabeth Vicary said...

it's my classroom! no one else uses it!

es_trick said...

What an awesome set up!

Ivan said...

Hello Lizzy, (Not sure what name I should use)

Thanks for the reply.

We have had four classes so far (90 min. each.)

The kids already knew the basics.

Lesson 1: going over notation, special rules etc., play chess

Lesson 2: Went over some basic opening principles, then told them to play a 10 move game with notation and went over the games, bug house

Lesson 3: Introduction to tactics, Game 20, 3 round tournament,

Lesson 4: More tactics, went over tactics using Chess Tactics Server (solved together)

I recently found the pieces to my demonstration board, so I can start using it.

I will follow your advice on how to use the book.

I went through the book and to me the organization of material seemed haphazard.

Instead of going over the material in order, I should pick lessons from different parts of the book.

Maybe I will see you at the Super Nationals.

Ivan