My Wholesome Christmas List

As of the 22nd of November, I no longer consider myself part of the country's workforce. I am now a civil engineer by profession but a student by occupation. (Am I making sense?) hehehe...

I have previously posted two lists of stuffs you guys may give me for Christmas. If you are still not decided on what to get me, here is another list to help you. Stuffs on this list are needs, not wants...
  1. Numerical Methods for Mathematics, Science and Engineering by John H. Matthews. 2nd edition (or later)
  2. Applied Hydrology by Chow, Maidment and Mays. McGraw Hill

on teaching (and learning as well)

No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of our knowledge.

The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness.

If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.

The astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of space, but he cannot give you his understanding.

The musician may sing to you of the rhythm which is in all space, but he cannot give you the ear which arrests the rhythm nor the voice that echoes it.

And he who is versed in the science of numbers can tell of the regions of weight and measure, but he cannot conduct you thither.

For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man.

And even as each one of you stands in God's knowledge, so must each one of you be alone in his knowledge of God and in his understanding of the earth.

- Khalil Gibran

The Lord has once again shown me favor and gave me the chance to raise my education up a notch. I have recently become a student pursuing a masters degree in civil engineering in one of the universities in Cebu City.

One of my teachers, the college dean nonetheless, shared to us, not only his extensive knowledge in numerical methods, but also his learnings in life as well. He shared to us what the author Khalil Gibran wrote - the one you read above.

My teacher says and I qoute "I have seen the whole spectrum of teaching, and this is by far the best..." referring to the passage above. He says this is teaching principle.

I will make the same passage a guide to my learning and to my teaching in the future.