過敏反應的原因

以下資料節錄自顧小培在信報「康和健」專欄
‘現在好像愈來愈多小孩對食物敏感，不少兒童在小小的年紀，便得到了哮喘。在這方面，現在很多免疫專家，開始接受一個叫衛生假設（Hygiene Hypothesis）的理論。簡單地說，由於家長太注意衛生，小孩子如處在溫室，生活環境中缺乏細菌，因此便帶出食物敏感和哮喘。
　　原來，有一種叫Bacteroides的無害細菌，寄居在大腸內的時候，能夠透過免疫的樹突細胞（Dendritic Cell），幫助第一型的T型輔助細胞（T Helper Cell 1, TH1）增生。這是一個非常重要的影響，否則，小孩的免疫系統中，便會充斥能導致敏感反應的第二型T型輔助細胞（TH2）。
　　有些家長可能會一頭霧水，他們並沒有潔癖，只是保持一般程度的衛生水準而已，但孩子仍有哮喘，為什？原因可能是因為每當孩子不適，醫生動輒開抗生素。於是，寄居在大腸的無害細菌全部被趕盡殺絕，再沒有細菌去刺激TH1細胞。
　　有什麼方法可以叫孩子補充一些「好」的細菌？每天吃一小杯含有活性細菌的乳酪（Yogurt）便可以了。’

Abstract of Professor Sir Paul Nurse's lecture

The Great Ideas of Biology

by

Professor Sir Paul Nurse

Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, 2001

President, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA

Three of the ideas of biology are the gene theory, the theory of evolution by natural selection, and the proposal that the cell is the fundamental unit of all life. When considering the question of what is life these ideas come together, because the special way cells reproduce provides the conditions by which natural selection takes place allowing living organisms to evolve. A fourth idea is that the organization of chemistry within the cell provides explanations for life's phenomena. A new idea is the nature of biological self organization on which living cells and organisms process information and acquire specific forms.

和同學分享閱讀心得

閱讀是學習成功的關鍵，在此我想和同學分享一篇信報專欄作家程逸先生有關閱讀方法的文章，希望同學能夠從中得到一些啟發。

作者程逸在「讀書良法」提出卡耐基有關閱讀的九大原則。我覺得有六項原則值得和同學分享。第一原則是讀者必須有強烈進取心，且要將指導付諸行動去實踐。第二原則是先將每一章略讀然後精讀。第三原則是讀者要時不時停下思考，將書中內容消化及反思。第四原則，要用筆勾畫出書中要點，用紅筆將重要段落及精警片段畫出，以備日後查閱。第五原則，要重讀書內部分內容。第六原則，要將書內指導以行動去實踐，看看其效果如何。假使只是閱讀而無行動，所閱讀之資料不久之後會全部忘記。 第七原則，卡耐基引述他一位聽眾—一位自學成功之財經人物，此位人物每星期一次將過去一個星期與商業朋友、同事及任何人物約會傾談之過程來一次自我檢討，往往發覺犯錯之處不少，於是極力改進，經過數年努力，果然能減少犯錯增進效益，卡耐基亦勸讀者採用此種方法。
最後卡耐基再綜合幾項要點寫出與讀者參考，此是：閱讀每一章至少兩次，一面閱讀一面反思及自問，勾畫出書內重點；每月檢討一次從本書所獲之效益。

同學可實踐以上方法，看效果如何。

The Heart of a Leader

I have read a book on leadership and summerized the key features that a leader should possess.


1. The key to developing people is to catch them doing something right.
2. People who produce good results feel good about themselves.
3. Don’t wait until people do things exactly right before you praise them.
4. Feedback is the breakfast of champions.
5. No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.
6. None of us is as smart as all of us.
7. Things not worth doing are not worth doing well.
8. Success is not forever and failure isn’t fatal.
9. When you stop learning, you stop growing.
10. In life, what you resist persists.
11. Don’t work harder, work smarter.
12. Nine guys may appear to finish last, but usually they are running in a different race.
13. In managing people, it is easier to loosen up than tighten up.
14. Anything worth doing does not have to be done perfectly – at first.
15. Life is all about getting As.
16. If you want to know why your people are not performing well, step up to the mirror and take a peek!
17. If you want your people to be responsible, be responsive to their needs.
18. It’s more important as a manager to be respected than to be popular.
19. People with humility don’t think less of themselves. They just think of themselves less.
20. Never! Never! Never! Never give up! (Churchill)
21. Good thoughts in your head not delivered mean ‘squat’.
22. Take what you do seriously, but yourself lightly.
23. Think big! Act big! Be big!
24. Real communication happens when people feel safe.
25. All good performance starts with clear goals.
26. Without vision, the people perish.
27. If you don’t seek perfection, you can never reach excellence.
28. People without information cannot act responsibly. People with information are compelled to act responsibly.
29. All empowerment exists in the present moment.
30. Never punish a learner.
31. The only job security you have today is your commitment to continuous personal improvement.
32. There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience.
33. It’s surprising how much you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.
34. Positive thinkers get positive results because they are not afraid of problems.
35. Take responsibility for making relationships work.
36. Leadership is not something you do to people. It’s something you do with people.
37. Take time to identify core values. Core values must be communicated.
38. Walk your talk.
39. Knowing where you are going is the first step to getting there.
40. Purpose can never be about achievement. It is much bigger.

How many of the above features do you have? The more of the above features you possess, the more likely you are a step closer to be a great leader.

願景和抱負

我記得上班主任課時，常常問學生一個問題，你們有什麼理想？十年後的你會是怎樣？同學的標準答案通常都是「希望考入大學，將來找一份高薪穩定的工作，賺夠錢退休！」我暫且不談這些人生目標是否太世俗，畢竟追求物質生活上的改善是人類的天性亦都是經濟發展的原動力。但同學有否想過單靠這些目標是否真的能夠成為你奮鬥的原動力？如果社會上各人的目標都只是以個人的利益為依歸，你會喜歡生活在這樣的一個社會嗎？
我想在這裏和同學談熱誠(Passion)，我看過一本書 (The Eight Habit)作者史蒂芬柯維(Stephen Covey)分析歷史上偉人成功的特質，其中一項使我印象較深刻的是熱誠 – 它是一種充滿希望和才智的心聲、一種良知的心聲、一種為公眾利益服務的無限潛力的心聲。這些深藏內心的心聲正是改變未來世界各種組織機構的靈魂。作者提到的熱誠 (Passion)使我想起中文的承擔和抱負。如果年青人沒有承擔，當個人需要前所未有的道德勇氣，靠什麼說服自己？沒有承擔，就會輕易因一點點的困難而放棄；沒有承擔，就會因一點點的失意而崩潰；沒有承擔，就會因一點點的壓力而丟棄原則；沒有承擔，就只會講權利，不講義務；沒有承擔，就只會埋怨社會，而不反思自己的責任。
最後，我想和大家分享以下由哈佛人生哲學一書所節錄的一則名言：
「我們很少有人能成就偉大的事業，但我們大家都能懷偉大的愛心去做一些不起眼的小事。」

和同學談英語學習

上星期和中四同學閒談間，發現他們對用英語學習理、化、生感到沮喪和難於適應，他們普遍對用英語學習的科目有恐懼和抗拒感。對於同學面對的困難我是十分了解，同學一下子由母語教學的環境轉為英語學習的環境所遇到的適應問題不是一時三刻可解決。有些同學選擇逃避，自怨自艾，但這又是否一個積極面對問題的態度呢？為了幫助同學突破英語的學習障礙，特此向同學分享英語的學習心得和介紹一些免費的英語的學習資源。

很多同學都參加市面上的英文補習班並深信補習時數愈長，成積必然愈見進步。但事實又是否如此？很多同學參加補習班都是羊群心理，他們略了學習過程裏最重要的一環，就是主動的參與和知識的運用。如果同學只是當英語為一個學科去學習而缺乏運用，必然事倍工半。

因此我建議同學平日多進行以下的聽、讀、寫訓練，英語水平必有進步。
聆聽方面，同學可以觀看晚間七時三十分的英語新聞報導，如果聽不懂可留意節目的英文字幕。如果都是聽不懂可以把節目錄起，並且反覆再聽，你的聆聽能力定有進步。如果同學家中有寬頻連線，可以多上BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/ 和CNN http://www.cnn.com/ 的網站。同學可以透過這些網站聽到即時的英語新聞廣播。除了新聞外，同學都可以收聽一些關於科學和健康新知。

閱讀方面，同學可以選一本你喜歡的英文書細心閱讀。閱讀時除了解內容外，亦要多留意文法和用法。如果同學想對英語文法和用法有基礎的認識，可參考下列書本 ‘Michael Swan, Practical English Usage, Oxford’ 和 ‘Practical English Grammar, Oxford’ 如果閱讀時發現生字可以上 http://vlc.polyu.edu.hk/ 的網站。此網站的Net Dictionary 和 Concordances 功能對同學了解詞彙的解釋、讀音和用法有很大幫助。

寫作方面，同學可以定期寫網上日記，網上日記有一定的讀者群，所以你有較強的動力完成寫作。

以上介紹的方法是我一的心得，同學要英語進步，不可能只靠一兩天的努力，而是要持之以恒，每天都為自己安排英語的學習經驗，假以時日，你的英語水平必定有長足的進步。

Trip to Grass Island

It was a beautiful Sunday. After the thunderstorm on Saturday, the temperature on Sunday was not too high and I thought it was a nice day for a trip with my family. It was 8:30am in the morning after reaching consensus with my wife on the destination of the trip. We packed our stuff and rushed to the minibus stop and began our fantastic trip to Grass Island. It is a remote island located in the northeast of Hoi Ha Wan in Sai Kung. The local villagers are fishermen and you will expect to see and experience the fishermen's life, now a vanishing heritage that can only be seen in Hong Kong History Museum. It took us one and half hours on bus ride and another thirty minutes boat ride before getting there. Upon getting off the boat at the pier, we followed the trail to the Tin Hau Temple (Goddess worshipped by fishermen). We finnaly reached the top of the island after a fifteen minutes walk along the path leading from the temple. There is a large piece of grassland seldom seen in Hong Kong. You can have a bird's eye view of the rocky shore that is smashed hard by strong wave propelled by the prevailing easterly wind in autumn and winter. I flew kite with my daughter. She was excited to see how the stong wind failed the kite. The kite kept spinning without any tendency to fly aloft. I played hide and seek with my daughter. She enjoyed it very much and kept chasing me on the grassland. While I am chasing my daughter, my wife proposed that we both took off our shoes and let her run barefoot. Why did she have this suggestion? Immediately, I figured it out. A few months ago, we read an article from a local newsaper about a survey on the 'natural experiences of local kids'. The findings showed that quite a large population of kids in Hong Kong never step on grass barefoot. Only a few spend their holiday in the country parks. My wife's suggestion of letting our child run barefoot on the grassland was great. My daughter really enjoyed it and I thought it was a wonderful learning experience to a kid. After spending two hours on Grass Island, we went back to the pier and headed for a return trip.

Something I want to do with my blog

Being a teacher in Hong Kong is never an easy profession. You have endless marking and administrative jobs to do. On top of them you have to squeeze time for your core business - planning lessons, organizing extra-curricular activities, counselling your students and keeping parents informed of their children's performance. Very often I feel guilty of not sparing sufficient time to chat with my students. I strongly believe that person-to-person sharing or some people may call this 'mentoring' is an effective way of conducting value and moral education. After taking a few training sessions in IT in education, I was deeply impressed by what ICT (Information and communication technology) can do in levering the potenial of students and the capability of teachers in learning and teaching. 'Blog' as an asynchronous communication tool, can do teachers a favor on delivering and sharing messages of some sorts of educational value that cannot be easily fitted into our tight schedule. I am planning to use my blog to communicate with my students and share with them my views on some social issues. I like to spend my travel time on reading so I will also make use of the blog as a platform for conducting 'book talk' and hopefully this may help promote habit of reading in my classroom.