31.1.09

PEACE

To celebrate the School Day of Non Violence and Peace, the teachers in charge of the "Escuela Espacio de Paz" Project have organized several events, some of which have been conducted in English. The most important one is "The Tree of Good Wishes".
ESO students have written their wishes about peace and they have decorated with them one of the trees in the playgound, as if they were leaves, flowers and fruits. Some of the wishes have been translated into English and made public to everybody when the students booted their computers.
See the pictures below.

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Some of the sentences the students have written are:
- Peace costs much, but it's worth the effort
- Either we all walk together towards peace or we'll never find it
- To be at peace with oneself is the best way to be at peace with others
- The more we sweat in times of peace, the less we bleed in times of war
- It's impossible to shake hands with a closed fist

To conclude, here is one of the songs the students have listened to during the week to protest against wars and call for peace everywhere. The song is called "People are People" by Depeche Mode.




People are people

So why should it be

You and I should get

Along so awfully

People are people

So why should it be

You and I should get

Along so awfully

So we're different colours

And we're different creeds

And different people have different needs

It's obvious you hate me

Though I've done nothing wrong

I've never ever met you so what could I have done

I can't understand

What makes a man

Hate another man

Help me understand

People are people...

Help me understand

Help me understand

Now you're punching

And you're kicking

And you're shouting at me

I'm relying on your common decency

So far it hasn't surfaced

But I'm sure it exists

It just takes a while to travel

From your head to your fists

11.12.08

Thanksgiving American Breakfast



Nuestros ayudantes lingüísticos han querido agasajarnos con un típico desayuno americano para conmemorar la fiesta de Thanksgiving. Hemos tenido que dejar el pavo para otro año, pero la comida presentada ha sido abundante y deliciosa.

Además, nos dirigieron unas sentidas palabras que nos emocionaron a todos. La fiesta hispano-estadounidense se prolongó durante todo el recreo y culminó una semana plena de sensaciones.

28.11.08

When you don't read, imagination disappears


Literacy Foundation: The Gift of Reading - Cinderella

Thanksgiving (2)

Today David and I gave a powerpoint presentation to some of the ESO and Bachillerato students. We explained the historical significance and also how we celebrate thanksgiving today. The students were very excited to learn about the special foods we eat and to see pictures from the parade.
It was very nice to get to talk about a holiday that is so special to David and I and that also shows that we are not only thankful for our material possessions but things like good health, family and friends.
Hopefully, our presentation has sparked a new curiosity in the students and a want to learn more about other cultures.
They certainly teach us as much if not more that we teach them.
David and I both hope to make a lasting impression on the curious and excited students as they have definitely made one on us.

19.11.08

IV Encuentro Regional Formación para el Plurilingüismo


Durante los días 17 y 18 de noviembre se ha celebrado en Granada el IV Encuentro Regional de Formación para el Plurilingüismo, al que han asistido de nuestro Centro Rafael Martínez, como Coordinador del Proyecto Bilingüe y Raúl Ruano, como profesor de Área No Lingüística. El encuentro, organizado por el CEP de Granada, estaba destinado a centros bilingües de Año 0 y en él se han abordado diferentes temas como el Portfolio Europeo de las Lenguas, los Programas Europeos, el Currículo Integrado y Materiales didácticos de áreas no lingüísticas. Todas las ponencias y talleres han sido de gran interés, por lo que el encuentro ha resultado muy productivo y satisfactorio. Además, ha posibilitado acercar al profesorado de diferentes centros de Andalucía. En la foto, con profesorado de otros centros bilingües, IES Tierno Galván de La Rambla e IES Miguel Crespo de Fernán Núñez.

31.10.08

HALLOWEEN



Yesterday, Brittany and I went to the two "first of ESO" classes to give a brief presentation about Halloween. We worked the previous night preparing a hand-carved pumpkin, which in the USA we call a "Jack 'O Lantern," and two posters with Halloween related vocabulary.

When we entered the classrooms, we told the students about various Halloween activities such as, dressing up in scary costumes and masks, trick-or-treating (children going door-to-door asking for candy), pumpkin carving, and decorating the house. We later played a popular song for the children called, "The Monster Mash" and had them look up words in the Spanish-English dictionaries. Each of the students received typical Halloween candy at the end of the class.
At the end of the day we placed a candle inside of the pumpkin and turned off all the lights so the children could see what a traditional Jack 'O Lantern looked like. Needless to say, the children were quite impressed as well as scared!


In case you would like to take a look at the famous "Monster Mash" song, click the link below. Happy Halloween!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhMSMfHQxb4

I was working in the lab late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my monster from his slab began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise

He did the mash
He did the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
He did the mash
It caught on in a flash
He did the mash
He did the monster mash

From my laboratory in the castle east
To the master bedroom where the vampires feast
The ghouls all came from their humble abodes
To get a jolt from my electrodes

They did the mash
They did the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
They did the mash
It caught on in a flash
They did the mash
They did the monster mash

The zombies were having fun
The party had just begun
The guests included Wolf Man
Dracula and his son

The scene was rockin', all were digging the sounds
Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds
The Coffin-Bangers were about to arrive
With their vocal group, "The Crypt-Kicker Five"

They played the mash
They played the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash
They played the mash
It caught on in a flash
They played the mash
They played the monster mash

Out from his coffin, Drac's voice did ring
Seems he was troubled by just one thing
He opened the lid and shook his fist
And said, "Whatever happened to my Transylvania twist?"

It's now the mash
It's now the monster mash
The monster mash
And it's a graveyard smash
It's now the mash
It's caught on in a flash
It's now the mash
It's now the monster mash

Now everything's cool, Drac's a part of the band
And my monster mash is the hit of the land
For you, the living, this mash was meant too
When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you

Then you can mash
Then you can monster mash
The monster mash
And do my graveyard smash
Then you can mash
You'll catch on in a flash
Then you can mash
Then you can monster mash

12.10.08

Our Language Assistants II


Hi. My name is Brittany and I am from Rhode Island. I'm 23 and live at home with my parents. I graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2007 with a BA in Spanish. I am currently scheduled to receive my Master's in Spanish in 2010. In my free time I like to read, watch TV and be with family and friends. I have three sisters and one dog.