Why Teachers Are Still Stressed Trying To Cope With Their Workload

Over the last 18 years of helping people rebalance their health I would have to say that teachers are amongst the poorest in term s of work life balance. After seeing yet another influx of stressed out and run down teachers I spent the last six months doing a lot of research in developing a work life balance guide specifically for teachers. I wanted to find out the real issues that were affecting teachers. In saying that, I was not after some education department political spin. I wanted to hear from the teachers in the front line but I came across more roadblocks than you would find between Israel and the Gaza  strip.

I contacted about 20 schools many times over by phone and email. With the exception of four schools all the people in charge of human resources claimed that they were too busy to offer any assistance. My children’s school was the only school that helped. Three schools said it was against school policy to allow an outside organisation to speak with or survey their teachers with one of the human resource managers saying, “To survey our teachers regarding their work life balance would infer that we have a problem in that area.” I suppose it is easier to sweep it under the carpet, isn’t it?

So I then approached the Education department. They told me that I could fill out a Magna Carta-like application form while at the same time informing me that they only allow access from academics from Government funded Universities. I suppose it is an easier way to maintain the Government line.

I then tried contacting the teachers union who agreed that work life balance is a huge issue for teachers.  They had done some research that showed that 50 % of first year teachers couldn’t see themselves still being a teacher in ten years. The major reason the teachers gave for not wanting to continue teaching was due to difficulty in coping with the workload. They said that it would be ideal for me to come to their next meeting in February where I would be able to get great feedback.

Early in February I hadn’t heard from them so I called them up. The meeting had already happened. The union delegates decided that it wasn’t appropriate because I wasn’t an academic from a University because they get their funding from the Government.  It seems self preservation comes ahead of making a difference for their members. As a result the teaching profession continues to leak talented individuals because they haven’t taught teachers the skills and lifestyle to be able to effectively cope with a demanding workload.

At least the Queensland Teachers College were of some assistance, letting me view a DVD on positive psychology that they send to teachers to help reduce teachers stress.

But work life balance involves a lot more than just positive psychology. It involves communication, exercise, nutrition, injury prevention, effective resting, emotional management, conflict resolution, family and parenting issues and a lot more. Teachers do not have resources on how they can help themselves in these areas. They are left to learn in at the school of hard knocks but the problem is that their education can come at a price. It can cost then their health,  their relationships and  can cost many their careers.

Despite all of that, the majority of teachers, schools, unions and the education department were, if anything obstructive to the development of a guide that helps to improve the work life balance of teachers. They must be happy to have a high proportion of run-down and burnt out workers among their ranks. They may be happier to complain about how burnt out they are than to be actively interested in a solution.

Coping with a large workload requires certain skills that can be learned and lifestyle modification that can also be learned. Ironically though, it seems that teachers may not be that open to learning new approaches.

How To Keep Motivated While Exercising

When we train or exercise by ourselves there is often the tendency or temptation to cut a few corners or not train with the intensity that will give me the best results for effort.

Today rather than going for a run early in the morning I took my son with me to exercise at the local athletics track late this afternoon. There were 8 younger, more athletic and more talented athletes there finishing the final stages of their training. Not wanting to make a fool of myself amongst these athletes and coaches i decided to use their presence to my advantage.

With others watching on i found myself running with a good technique and i managed to maintain a running pace and intensity that gave me a real high and a sense of achievement.
As i drove back i remembered a hilarious and novel way in which one woman also used others around her to keep her motivated during her exercise. Every morning she would run along the main road wearing a shirt that read, “Honk, if I stop running.” Now that’s motivation.

Listen To Your Body

When it was time for me to go on my long run I was feeling less than exuberant. I was feeling a bit low in energy and wasn’t sure if this was because I was in vacation mode or that my body actually needed some more rest. So how do you tell? You listen to your body…

I began my run along the beaches of Surfers Paradise. I wasn’t setting a cracking pace. After twenty minutes of slow jogging you normally feel fine and if anything you feel a lot better in yourself. On this occassion I continued to feel flat and if anything, I felt even more tired. To me, this was my body telling me to slow down rather than trying to push through the discomfort. I then stopped  and walked the beaches focussing on the beautiful climate and scenery and focussed on resting.

With the benefit of the extra days rest I woke the next morning feeling fantastic and went on a really strong and energetic run.

It reinforced the importance of listening to your body. Sometimes you feel flat and tired because you haven’t done any activity and sometimes you feel the same way because you are tired. The solution is to start exercising slowly and if you feel worse stop and make sure you rest.

Thank You America

As I lay there on my couch, my three year old daughter, Erika snuggled herself into my arms where she quickly fell asleep unaware of the much needed change that was taking place over the opposite side of the globe. It was truly a magical moment, laying with my beautiful daughter in my arms witnessing the inspirational speech of President-elect Barack Obama to the people of the United States of America and to all the people round the world.

I don’t know if many Americans have been aware of this but many would be shocked if they truly knew what the rest of the world thought of their country. The harsh truth is to most people outside of America, the USA has been anything but a beacon of hope and a land of freedom and opportunity over the last decade. Most foreigners laugh at the audacity and arrogance at the self-anointed title as the USA being the leading nation of the free world.

 Instead, the USA has been a country derided by most countries it’s for it’s arrogance, intolerance and greed with many of it’s foreign and monetary policies implicated in the escalation of conflicts and the global financial crisis. The United States had lost the respect and credibility of the global community.

The inspiring words of Barack Obama left me convinced that the United States has taken the first steps towards joining the global community rather than trying to impose it’s will on the world. Esher Hicks once said, “The purpose of your life is not to make the world the way that you think it should be. The purpose of your life is to make the owrld around you the way that you think it should be, while also allowing the world to be as others want it.” With the election of  Barack Obama as your new president,the previous American climate of arrogance and fear has been replaced by an America full of humility, hope and peace. This is the kind of America that inspires me and can help bring peace and prosperity to this world.

As a citizen of the world I would like to congratulate the USA on the election of their new president. If the eloquent and genuine speeches of both John McCain and Barack Obama reflect the evolved consciousness of  todays American, then America is certain to thrive in the future. If the Barack Obama’s words of building and mending bridges reflects America’s future foreign policy, then the world is certain to thrive in peace.

After watching these historical moments unfold before my eyes on television I could understand why my daughter was able to rest so comfortably in my arms. To all you citizens of the United States of America i woud like to congratulate you all on your choice of president. I also would like to echo the sentiments of many people from countries outside of America and to say thank you. It is our sincere wish that your new choice of president brings you hope, peace and prosperity.

With Barack Obama soon to lead the USA (instead of George Bush) I think that, like my daughter many of us will be resting easier tonight.

For those who wish to revisit Barack Obama’s tremendous presidential victory speech, here is a complete copy of the speech:

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

Chicago, Illinois

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It’s the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House. And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington – it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn’t do this just to win an election and I know you didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime – two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor’s bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world – our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down – we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security – we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright – tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America – that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America – the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

 

Starting Your Fitness Kick

I had completed a half marathon last year and was surprised how easy the actual race was because I felt full of energy at the end of the race. The race was the easy part; the training program was the hardest part. Just getting those miles under your belt to prepare yourself for the race put so much strain on the muscles and tendons of my legs and feet, not to mention the blisters.

 

The prospect of training for a marathon seemed quite daunting and a potentially painful experience and I think I am allergic to pain. When I seek advice on fitness I only ask people who are fitter than me so I asked my friend Marc Dragan. Marc, a former professional triathlete and three times runner-up in the grueling Hawaiian Ironman triathlon, is now in his early 50s. He is still in superb shape, runs two very successful businesses and maintains a close family unit with his wife.

 

Remembering so many patients exercise programs being derailed through aches and injuries, I asked Marc, “How on earth did you manage to do all this training without your legs screaming under the load?” 

“Throughout my career, the only time you saw me running on a road was during an actual race. I did all of my running training on sand, grass or on a proper athletics track.”

 

Now what kind of training should you do?

 

If you haven’t exercised much before, the important thing is to get into the habit of exercising and not so much what kind of exercise you should do.

 

The key to look for in a training program is variation. You need to train at different intensities, which means that you must puff to varying degrees when exercising. It’s a bit like training different gears in a car. When you use all different gears your body’s engine works a lot more efficiently. This differs from the all or nothing training approaches that are a sure-fire recipe for fatigue, injury and illness.

 

I checked out many websites offering fitness-training programs and in my opinion the training programs that encourage a great variation in intensity are at www.endurancetraining.com.au. Check it out and you can adapt it to suit whatever kind of exercise you like. You can even get personalized training programs supplied to you.

 

 

 

Boosting Your Fitness While Maintaining A Healthy Work Life Balance

With my 40th birthday around the corner I have decided that i will run a marathon non-stop on August 23, 2009. I ran a half marathon just over a year ago and since then I haven’t kept up with my exercise as well as I should.

You may be asking what prompted me to get back into regular exercise again.

There were many factors but, to be honest, the inital reason was vanity. I saw a photo of me with my shirt off off a couple of weeks ago and realised that i had been letting myself start to get out of shape. A bit of ribbing from a couple of friends and relatives about my expanding waistline confirmed that it was time to act.

The second motivating factor was my strong belief that you should practice what you preach. If i didn’t do what I recommended to others, how can i expect others to take action? So I believe that I would be letting a lot of other people down by not being an example.

I realised that i needed to challenge myself to do something that I had never done before but always wanted to do. That’s why i chose to run a marathon. Many of you may think that it is just a vain attempt to hang onto my youth and who knows? You may be right. 

As I went for my first long run this morning along Mooloolalaba beach to officially start my new fitness kick I began to think of additional things that I could do that would keep me motivated. I know that people can do anything if they give themselves a big enough reason to do it.

Beginning my third lap along the beach, I could use my experience to help you. The biggest obstacle in developing a healthy exercise habit is time, or more accurately , the lack of time.  So I thought if I could train for a marathon and write my book, run this website, run my chiropractic business and still enjoy fullfilling times with my wife and three children, I may be able to learn a few more tips and distinctions that could help us all achieve a healthier work life balance and a healthier life.

So i have decided to regularly document my progress and challenges on this blog so we can all learn from my experiences and mistakes.

Each Small Step By Us All Leads To A Giant Leap For Mankindness

On this anniversary of the Sept 11 attack on the World Trade Center
I can still remember exactly where I was on that fateful day. I recall 
my wife sitting on the sofa, hunched forward with her hands in her 
head fighting back the urge to be physically sick. But it was the 
picture of my 13-month-old daughter, Aleisha that would forever 
stay in my mind.
 
Having just learnt to walk, Aleisha was standing about three feet 
from the television. In front of this backdrop of horror images she 
was dancing with unbridled joy and exuberance. It was as if she 
was declaring to the world, “Nothing is going to stop me from 
being happy.”I looked at Aleisha’s beautiful smile and then turned 
to the contrasting image of my wife feeling sickening despair.
 
My mind started racing with deep thought as I tried to process the 
events. “They are both exposed to the same input… but their 
emotional responses were opposite.”I have frequently heard 
of the saying, “You can’t control most events but you can 
control how you interpret them,” and this was a classic 
example.
 
But then I said to myself what many people would say. “Oh, she’s too 
young to really understand.” But then I thought, “Perhaps we’re too 
old to really understand.”
 
So I began to think about different ways to interpret this tragic situation 
in a way that would make a difference.
 
Once I stopped getting caught up in all of the understandable fear 
and hatred some more productive thoughts began to flow. “The plane 
hit the World Trade Center. That’s where the New York Stock 
Exchange is. The stock market is going to drop in a big way. 
I better get onto the Internet to position myself to be able to 
get some shares at bargain prices.”
“How on earth can you think of the stock market when this terrible event 
has just happened?” asked my wife, Angela, shaking her head in disbelief.
 
As I went onto the Internet to change my trades some more 
positive and productive thoughts flowed. I wondered what it 
would be like to be the US president in this time of crisis. I 
also thought that it was a time of incredible opportunity. 
 
What a difference would it make to the world if the president 
had the courage and the strength to reach out to their attackers 
and ask, “What have we done (or haven’t done) that’s caused 
you so much pain that you have turned to such an act of destruction?”
 
Rather than just laying blame and creating further division and 
labelling the perpetrators as part of an axis of evil and we are 
the good guys, I thought it was an ideal time to address the causes 
of global disharmony. And since a lot of this disharmony seems to 
be about (or in the name of) religion I thought to myself, “What would 
Jesus, Buddha or Mohammed do in this situation?”
 
What would they do?
 
I would venture to say that they would extend an olive branch of 
peace. But how could we as individuals make a difference in the 
peacemaking process? The answer to this question came to me 
five minutes later…
 
After doing the necessary changes to my trading website, I 
checked my emails. A friend that I had recently met at a 
conference had forwarded me an email from Neale Donald 
Walsch, the author of the Conversations With God book series. 
Here is an excerpt:
 
“Dear friends around the world…
 
The events of this day cause every thinking person to stop their daily lives, 
whatever is going on in them, and to ponder deeply the larger questions of 
life. We search again for not only the meaning of life, but the purpose of 
our individual and collective experience as we have created it-and we look 
earnestly for ways in which we might recreate ourselves anew as a human 
species, so that we will never treat each other this way again.”
 
The hour has come for us to demonstrate at the highest level our most 
extraordinary thought about Who We Really Are. 
 
There are two possible responses to what has occurred today. The first comes 
from love, the second from fear.
 
If we come from fear we may panic and do things-as individuals and as 
nations-that could only cause further damage. If we come from love we will 
find refuge and strength, even as we provide it to others. 
 
A central teaching of Conversations with God is: What you wish to experience, 
provide for another. 
 
Look to see, now, what it is you wish to experience-in your own life, and in 
the world. Then see if there is another for whom you may be the source of 
that. 
 
If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another. 
 
If you wish to know that you are safe, cause another to know that they are 
safe. 
 
If you wish to better understand seemingly incomprehensible things, help 
another to better understand. 
 
If you wish to heal your own sadness or anger, seek to heal the sadness or 
anger of another.
 
Those others are waiting for you now. They are looking to you for guidance, 
for help, for courage, for strength, for understanding, and for assurance at 
this hour. Most of all, they are looking to you for love.
 
This is the moment of your ministry. This is the time of teaching. What you 
teach at this time, through your every word and action right now, will remain 
as indelible lessons in the hearts and minds of those whose lives you touch, 
both now, and for years to come.
 
We will set the course for tomorrow, today. At this hour. In this moment. 
 
There is much we can do, but there is one thing we cannot do. We cannot 
continue to co-create our lives together on this planet as we have in the 
past. We cannot, except at our peril, ignore the events of this day, or their 
implications. 
 
It is tempting at times like this to give in to rage. Anger is fear 
announced, and rage is anger that is repressed, and then, when it is 
released, that is often misdirected.  Right now, anger is not inappropriate.  
It is, in fact, natural-and can be a blessing.  If we use our anger about 
this day not to pinpoint where the blame falls, but where the cause lies, we 
can lead the way to healing. 
 
Let us seek not to pinpoint blame, but to pinpoint cause.
 
Unless we take this time to look at the cause of our experience, we will 
never remove ourselves from the experiences it creates. Instead, we will 
forever live in fear of retribution from those within the human family who 
feel aggrieved, and, likewise, seek retribution from them.
 
So at this time it is important for us to direct our anger toward the cause 
of our present experience.  And that is not necessarily individuals or groups 
who have attacked others, but, rather, the reasons they have done so.  Unless 
we look at these reasons, we will never be able to eliminate these attacks.” 
 
It took this letter to open my eyes to a whole new definition of personal 
responsibility.I realize that we cannot say that we are responsible only 
for what happens to us as individuals. This letter was an introduction 
and a challenge to start to also accept responsibility for our part in the 
world regardless how small and insignificant that we think that we are.
 
Whether we like to admit it or not the collective actions (or inactions) 
of billions of Westerners has resulted in a sense of hostility and mistrust 
amongst many in the non-Western world. Personally I could not recall 
anything I had done to Muslims to promote antagonism. On the same 
note I could not recall any actions that actually promoted more unity and 
understanding.My inaction was a small part responsible for this build 
up of antipathy.
 

Responsibility means that we are able to respond. If you are part 

of the cause, you are part of the solution. It was time for us to stop 

pointing the finger at others and start looking into the mirror. On 

that day I began to feel truly responsible for the first time. I intended 

to do my insignificant part as a citizen of the world to promote harmony.
 
The opportunity didn’t come until the weekend when on the way to 
the gym, I saw three young Muslims. My heart went out to them. 
“How would they be feeling at this time?”
You could see the fear and hesitancy in their eyes as we crossed 
paths as they tried to avoid eye contact. Recalling some language 
I learnt as an exchange student to Indonesia, I greeted them with 
the traditional Muslim greeting, “Wassalam  allaikum.”
 
Their eyes widened and their chests dropped with relief and surprise. 
And then with a nervous smile, one of the girls turned around and 
replied, “Wallaikum salam.”
 
It was one small step.
 
But a giant leap for mankindness.
 

Stem Cell Update

I have received numerous requests for more information about my friend Amanda Boxtel who has been receiving stem cell therapy in India from Dr. Geeta Schroff.

For more information on Amanda’s story visit www.amandaboxtel.com or visit her blog at www.amandaboxtel.wordpress.com .

You can see photos of Amanda standing and kneeling with assistance on her latest blog at http://amandaboxtel.wordpress.com/photos-amanda-pt-may-2008/