“Across the Universe” (film 2007)

Across the Universe is a musical that tells a love story, set in the 1960s in the turbulent years of anti war protests, claims for free speech and civil rights and rock and roll.Throughout the film we are told this incredible story between Jude and Lucy by 34 songs written by The Beatles. Most of the characters of the film pay tribute to outstanding figures of the 60s, starting from The Quarry men, the group that was the basis for the fundation of The Beatles, to the characters of Sadi and Jojo that are inspired on Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.

Although I´m not fond of musical films I would like to recomend this one. It´s nice and it´s great how all the songs are linked together to tell the story. Hope you enjoy it!

IZZIE

Differences between a Tornado and a Hurricane

Last week I was dealing with natural disasters in a primary school class and a student asked me the differences between a tornado and a hurricane. I looked at her and revised the information on my mind. Then, I turned down, checked the information stuck on the board, and I answered her. I was totally convinced that I had given her the correct  answer, but then I doubted. When I got home I read the pieces of information I got, and I looked more information up from other sources. So, now I would like to share some of the information I gathered, and I´m sure that I won´t forget those definitions!!

Tornado: It´s a violent , dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with the surface of the earth and a cumulus cloud. It comes from powerful thunderstorms and it is in the form of a condensation funnel, whose narrow end touches the earth and is encircled with a cloud of dust and debris. Tornado winds can reach 300 miles per hour. It can cause damage when it touches down on the ground, covering an area 1 mile wide and 50 miles long.

Hurricane: It is a severe tropical storm, characterised by a large low- pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. It gather energy and heat through contact with warm ocean waters. Evaporation from the seawater increases its power. It rotates in a counter-clockwise direction around an “eye”, and it has winds at 74 miles per hour.

Queen V

You Should Have Seen the Mess

           This story written by Muriel Spark, tells us about a seventeen year-old girl, Lorna, who had an extremely obsession with cleanliness and tidiness because of the way she was brought up by her parents. As she is so obsessed, she criticized every spotless building. It is for that reason that she had changed from school and many jobs several times. As a consequence of her obsession, she had also problems in going out with boys. Although for Lorna cleanliness is the most important thing in the world, other people do not always see things the way she does and thus, she sometimes seems impolite or ridiculous.

          I like this story because it made me think about how dangerous being obsessed with something is and, besides, how it affects in someone´s feelings. Before reading this story, I have never thought about this. The fact that Lorna couldn´t bear being in a place which was not as tidy and clean as she expected or couldn´t go out with a boy who had a dirty car, made me realized that there are many people in the world like her who may suffer a lot and, perhaps, they should be in therapy in order to deal with this difficult situation.   

Bryana

I love Lost

One of my favourites TV series is Lost. This is about a plane that crashed mysteriously on an island. The survivors thought they were the unique inhabitants on the island, but in fact they were not. There were some other residents on the island; they were called “the others” by the survivors of the plane, since none of them were on the Oceanic 815 flight that fell on the island.

The main characters of the story are Charlie, Sam, Hugo, Kim, Lock and Sawyer. There is a constant flashback to their lives before the plane-crash. The Director of the series brilliantly connects the past of the characters with their actual presence on the island and the future outside the island.

In the first fourth seasons the flashbacks show a miserable life in each characters. The director creates a constant mystery on the spectator, because the reasons of the plane crash and the presence of each passenger on that aircraft are unknown to the watcher.

From the fifth season onwards the setting moves to the future. Instead the showing images of the future, the director connects past, with present time, and future, and beside flashbacks the series presents flash-forwards.

Lost is extremely catchy from the very beginning, last year it was presented the last season, so my  piece of advise, if you like suspense and action, turn on your TV and don’t take your eyes off it.

Ignatius Reilly.

“Changes of life” -By Ashish Gutgutia

          

When you change your thinking,

You change your Beliefs...!!

When you change your beliefes,

You change your Expectations...!!

When you change your expectations,

You change your Attitude...!!

When you change your attitude,

You change your Behaviour...!!

When you change your behaviour,

You change your Performance...!!

When you change your performance,

You change your Life.

I’d like to share with you this poem. It is very short but meaningful. I used it as a resourse for some practise classes with eleventh year old kids.. I started the class telling students the poem through pictures that represented the underlined words. While Iwas Saying the poem, I sticked the images on the board and  encouraged them to say it with me. Then, we said the poem using the pictures. After that, I gave them the written version. The title was not written. They had to write an appropriate one for the poem. We worked on that trying to discover What the poem is about, We performed different activities. Students worked on vocabulary. They tried to infer meaning using the pictures. I tried they notice the organisational pattern of the poem, because the main outcome of this activity was to write a new version, or add more changes. We talked about the topic of the whole unit, which was “Time goes by” They  talked about changes they had suffered during their short life, and I wrote their ideas on the blackboard. Using some of those ideas one of the students produced this:

“Changes” – By Ezequiel

When you change your Perfomance,

You change your Personality...!!

When you change your Personality,

You change your Interests...!!

When you change your Interests,

You change your life.

                                                                                                                        Kelro

Does retirement at an early age affect your memory?

A recent study, made on the USA and 12 European countries, has revealed that there is some kind of relation between the age of retirement and the mental agility: the younger people retire from work, the faster memory starts to deteriorate. Though not everyone is yet convinced of the idea of a “mental retirement”, at least some countries have started studying this hypothesis.

The study follows the model of another one made 20 years ago by the National Institute on Aging, in which more than twenty-two thousand people older than fifty years, have been inquired.

One of the tests consisted of remembering a list of ten nouns, and repeating them immediately after they have heard the nouns, and ten minutes later. Results have shown that people from the USA, Denmark and England -where people retire at an older age, between 60 and 65 years old- got the best results. Secondly, there were France and Italy -where the age of retirement is lower-.

The conclusion was that the longer people keep on working and training the mind, the better; work and social relationships go hand in hand with the development of mental abilities.

Diario Clarín- Suplemento “The New York Times”- 23/10/10

IZZIE

What’s on T.V.?

Every day, I come back home after a long working day, hoping to enjoy some minutes with my children and husband before going to bed. Usually, we talk, we have dinner and then we look for something to watch on TV. That's when the question arises: what can we see?. I mean, air channels programming are not suitable for children. At any time of the day, we find fragments of Tinelli’s programme which its content is only suitable for adults. I am not questioning Tinelli’s show, It is transmitted after ten p.m.. So, it is allowed to show that content at that time. But, what about those programmes that are transmitted before 10 p.m.? They show fragments summarising the erotic shows, the conflicts that occurred among its participants, and Ricardo Fort’s life. He is always arguing with someone else, debating unreasonable things, showing us his new girlfriend or his possessions. .. I cannot stand Fort anymore!!!!!. Anyway, Tired of doing zapping, we look for something to see on cable t.v.There are wonderful movies! (that can only be seen if you have that pack). The series are spoken in english with spanish subtitles. Impossible!! they are not a good choice because my family refuse to read !!!!! (It's a long story I will tell another day). After passing all the channels several times, we select a movie , which of course, we had already seen in another occasion.

In my opinion, today air channels do not provide programming for the whole family. In fact, with the exception of news, the main television channels do not provide any programme at all. Everything moves around what happened in Tinelli’s show. As regards cable programming ... I'll have to buy all the packs !!!!!

It seemed to me a good idea to share with you this experience. It does not happen every day, but it is a very frequent issue.I wonder if this kind of things happen to you,too. Bye, Kelro

The Raven

Ok ladies and gentlemen. This time I’m going to talk and express my feelings and opinion on one powerful poem that caught my attention. “The Raven” is one of the most popular and renowded poems written by Edgar Allan Poe’s brilliant mind. To start with, “The Raven” is a narrative poem which language style takes the reader into a supernatural atmosphere full of imagination and musicality. It relates the visit of a strange raven to a man who has lost his lover: Leonor. The bird, static on a Pallas’ bust, instigates the distraugh lover and leads him into a state of madness. The raven constantly repeats the phrase “nevermore” after the man’s ponderings over the raven’s unexpected visit.


It led me into a personal interpretation of this symbolic bird. The raven maybe reflects Poe’s personal inside, making the reader to believe that the man gets some pleasure from focussing on loss and stagnation.

Well, I dare to say this poem is worth to be read and analysed. Click HERE if you want  to have a look at it. See you!

Slavonic

Enoch´s Two Letters by Alan Sillitoe

Enoch´s Two letters is the story of an eight years old boy who was abandoned by his parents on the same day.

Enoch had gone to school at seven o´clock in the morning and didn’t come back until the evening. He spent the whole night on his own in his house, waiting to see his parents the following morning, but that was not possible for him was alone at home again. His parents didn´t come back, so he decided to go to his grandmother house. He took a bus and managed to get to his granny house, since she lived in another town, and he only knew the name of the street. Once he had arrived he told his granny that his parents had gone. She gave him some breakfast and promised him that when she finished cleaning the house they would go and find out what got into his parents. After that, they took a bus and went to Enoch´s house. He couldn´t stay alone so he followed his grandmother steps. She went to every room in the house, but things were right, as they usually were. Finally, they went to the front room and Enoch saw two letters lying on the mat inside the front door.

This short story is about a boy who had been left by his parents on the same day, but it is also a story about relationships. It is difficult to think or even to believe that many parents act in this way. However, nowadays there are lots of children abandoned by their parents or families, with many different reasons in all the cases. 

  QueenV

I have got a vocation for teaching

I do not believe people choose their aims and objectives from one day to another; it is a gradual process by which one person determines his/her future.

Several facts induced me to become an English teacher. Let’s consider the more relevant points that guided me onto my final target.

Firstly, my previous knowledge of the language is decisive, since it would have been impossible for me to become a teacher of English without knowledge of this foreign language.

Secondly, once I started teaching I acquired a taste for schooling. I really enjoy being in contact with children, share with them my knowledge and show them the importance of English language in nowadays’ society.

Ignatius Reilly.

English through drawing

Vocabulary learning sometimes would be boring. But as teacher we can make it funny and interesting. I am going to share an interesting method that helps me a lot. This method is called English through drawing. By drawing students can revise and integrate new vocabulary easily. For example, they can revise animal names, colors, daily activities, parts of body, shapes, vegetables, fruits, food, and toys and so on.

 For instance, we can pick up a blank piece of paper and tell students what page orientation we will use: portrait or landscape layout. Then you can say students to draw their favourite pet, or to draw three pet animals and tree wild animals. After that we can say students to color them .Another funny activity can be to create strange creatures or aliens by mixing up different animals. This method of learning through drawing contributes not only to stimulate student´s creativity, imagination, but enable them to acquire the new vocabulary by using it. In this way, this method applies to one of the principles of CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) learning by doing.

Gocu

“JOY” by Osho

This is a book written by the contemporary mystic Osho whose objective is to “create a new human being” who breaks off ideologies and doctrines that tie him up. He mixes the wisdom of the East with the scientific thinking and technology of the West.

 For Osho, joy means leaving aside every model imposed from the outside to enter one´s inside. Although it´s a hard and long way, the reward is great: your energy will flow and then you  won´t have neither conditionings nor demands. In other words, joy teaches us our own values and our place in the world. Osho helps the reader face each one´s individuality and get free from the social prejudice that limits your life.

It is a good book that invites you reflect upon your own values.

IZZIE

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2010

Have you ever watched this movie? Well, I did when I was a child. I was terrified. I just watched the new version expecting for the same feeling (call me crazy, but that was I wanted). And guess what? It wasn’t the same. I wonder why. Even though the film was ok, it wasn’t the same I felt when I was in my childhood. I guess it was because I used to fear darkness and the idea of being killed in my dreams. I wouldn’t say I don’t have the same fears nowadays, but I’m pretty sure about the effect of the film on me. Anyway, I suggest you watch this film, so you can share what you feel.

Evan

The African Pygmies: An Ancient Civilization Under Siege by Rowan Millar.

This article sets several difficulties that the African Pygmies, who get their name because of their unusually small size, have to go through in their attempt to survive modernization and constant abuse.

They live throughout equatorial Africa under the shelter of the rainforest canopy. Although they still keep their culture, different processes have occurred over the years, which placed them in danger of disappearing.

Deforestation, as a result of modernization and industrialization is a process that affects these tribes directly, since the forest is their habitat, and their lives develop in nature.

Abuse and violence from other Africans has also set these people into peril. Due to their minute size, they are often victims of physical violence as well as sexual abuse.

The Pygmies are thought to constitute one of the most ancient civilizations, but their well being in the future will depend on how people respect them and their customs in present times.

Sunshine.

Source: http://www.suite101.com/content/the-african-pygmies-an-ancient-civilization-under-siege-a238440

Conflic resolution in a classroom

As you probably know, working as a teacher in a difficult and tense environment is hard. As a consequence, some beginner teachers get desperate and they don´t know what to do in front of a problematic situation. As a teacher, we should learn how to deal with those situations, how to control students and ourselves. So, we have to take into account some important points in our daily teaching activity to face up a particular situation in the classroom. Conflict or problematic situations are not so bad if we can handle with them. There are some useful steps to follow.  

1)    Cooling

You should be calmed and relaxed. Students involved in a conflict should calm down too as first step. They should not shout, yell or swear. Ask them to breathe deeply and to step away from each other.

2)    Understanding

Help students to explain what the conflict is. Let them to express their feelings in order. They have to respect each other. The teacher should be a mediator he or she has to listen to students.

3)    Working together / finding solution

Help them to solve the conflict and try to reach a final agreement.

4)    Feeling faces

Asks students to draw circle faces expressing different feelings in order to show how they felt during the conflict

5)    Circle of peace

Draw a circle of peace on the floor with a piece of chalk. Students involved in the conflict should step inside and try to express how they feel about the situation. Then ask students to think of a possible solution.

Gocu

Ave Maria

“WAS this His coming! I had hoped to see
A scene of wondrous glory, as was told
Of some great God who in a rain of gold
Broke open bars and fell on Danae:
Or a dread vision as when Semele
Sickening for love and unappeased desire
Prayed to see God's clear body, and the fire
Caught her white limbs and slew her utterly:
With such glad dreams I sought this holy place,
And now with wondering eyes and heart I stand
Before this supreme mystery of Love:
A kneeling girl with passionless pale face,
An angel with a lily in his hand,
And over both with outstretched wings the Dove. “

In my own opinion, this poem written by Oscar Wilde really reflects the figure and role of Holy Mary. All the pictures he describes and the feelings he shows reminds me of The Angelic Salutation “Hail Mary”. As you know, Wilde is one of the classic poets that you should have in your shelves (and one of my favorites I must say), but particularly this poem causes on me the same effect that the Gregorian Chant “Ave Maria” has on almost all people. It makes me feel melancholic, calm and pure. I invite you to read it and share your thoughts.

Evan

How to Grow Old by Bertrand Russell

Despite the title, this is an interesting essay in which the author gives several suggestions on how “not” to grow old or, what is more suitable, on how to grow old properly.

First, he mentions the influence of one’s ancestors. He explains who his ancestors were; focusing on his maternal grandmother who, after having a difficult life, managed to overcome problems and tried to keep her mind occupied so as not to notice that she was growing old.

Then, as regards health, he does not suggest doing anything besides enjoying what life brings up.

After that, he mentions that psychological well being is kept by directing one’s thoughts to the future, without thinking only about what is part of one’s past life, and also by avoiding “sticking” to youth so as not to become a burden for them.

Last but not least, he suggests the reader not to be afraid of death. He compares one’s existence with the “life” of a river, small at first, then rushing passionately past rocks, until it grows wider and becomes part of the sea. In this way people will notice that life is a cycle and that fear of its end should not take place, since everything will for ever keep starting and finishing for all of us.

Sunshine

Chromotherapy

Also known as Color Therapy, it’s the use of colors to heal and balance people’s energy. I think this is a good alternative method. You can’t deny that colors have different effects on people. When you enter to an orange room, you can feel the warm of the ambient. If you wear something blue, you usually feel calm even depressed. And when you see something white, you feel purity. You may call it cultural value, because you associate color to certain topics (e.g. black is related to death, pink is related to romance).  But if you meditate about this, you’ll realize that the colors you see have an effect on you and nowadays those effects are studied and used to provoke good feeling on people as a therapy.

Evan

New Website for Students With YouTube as a Model

Youtube is a very popular website, where available videos vary from Lady Gaga´s videoclips – which are among the most visited- to scientific and educative videos. But how to find a needle in a haystack? It is not an easy job to get the good stuff. For that reason, someone decided to crate a similar website in which teachers from different Mexican Universities are in charge of selecting the audiovisuals to be uploaded to the site. It is called the Utubersidad (http://utubersidad.com/) and it offers a great variety of academic videos -documentaries, conferences and videos classsified according to the subject matter-

Although the site has recently been introduced in the net, it has more than 7.000 audiovisuals available, and it is mainly oriented to secondary and higer education. Up to now, it has mainly been used by American and Spanish people. In fact, here in Argentina, it was suggested to be used at schools by the Education Ministry (Educ.ar).

“The original idea was to group certain videos for our Maths´ classes. But then, we realizad that materials were too scattered. Trying to find out the materials was frustrating because not all videos had the adequate quality. Then, we classified them and ensure the pedagogic value.” Explained Louis Fok, teacher at the University of California.

Diario Clarín, 18/10/10

It is a great source to take into account to use at schools if possible, or to comment on students so that they have access to reliable information. Besides, visuals tend to be more interesting and enjoyable for them.

IZZIE