This may be a tough question for you, but I’m pretty sure you all have a favourite. Or at least, at times, you do. The options are, of course: children, teenagers and adults; and even our course of studies draws a fundamental difference between the groups. If you ask me, in this one, just like in many other aspects of life, I always prefer learning about something, as well as observing it in action, before jumping to conclusions. And that’s what I’ve done. So now, I can say I’ve made up my mind… partially.
If there’s one thing that’s clear in my head is that the last place on my ranking is indisputably occupied by teenagers. There was one year in which both of the groups I was teaching to were 2nd Adol. I have to admit that I sometimes miss them (just a little bit) and think about what their lives may be like now, but I really don’t want to go back to them. It’s not that they were the most hateful human beings on earth; they were actually pretty nice people to surround yourself with. The problem there was me. I can’t help feeling close to students, and making them feel they can trust me and that we can even be friends. And I’m afraid that that’s a huge mistake to make around adolescents. Once they see you as their friend, you’re no longer the authority within the classroom.
Since last year, I’ve been in front of a group of adults, and let me tell you I’ve never felt more comfortable. I think that the main reason why I immensely enjoy working with them is because, in that context, I see the process of teaching as pure as it can be. I mean, I rack my brains trying to find the best way of making vocabulary memorable for them, and of leaving no doubts as regards a grammar topic. The obstacles are the difficulties the students may encounter when dealing with grammatical points. But that, for me, is natural, is implied in the literal meaning of “teaching”. The pragmatic aspect of the word shows us, teachers, having to ask our students to be quiet, pay attention, do the homework, and so on and so forth. Adults are part of our classes because they want to, or need to. If they don’t fulfill their responsibilities it’s their problem, not mine. So, when I’m teaching English to my adults, I don’t see myself as the authority; I let myself be and become a friend helping other friends to learn.
Children are, IMO, the most challenging students one can be faced with. I’ve also been working with the same group since last year, and I cannot beat the constant fear I have whenever I have to teach a tense. I’m so afraid of making one little mistake that can never be erased. Of course it is incredibly rewarding when I see them producing correct sentences, but I always feel I could have done more. The other negative aspect of teaching them is their misbehavior. But just when I think I can’t take it anymore, they make me laugh. Sometimes I find myself laughing so hard that I can’t even speak to scold them. It’s an amazing feeling.
To conclude, I’d like to share with you two forums (eslHQ, abrsm) I’ve found in which the question in the title is discussed. There are some very interesting opinions. And there was one phrase about children turning into adolescents that, I think, is great:
“Once they turn 13 or so, as the enthusiasm begins to lose out to self-consciousness, my interest begins to wane as well. Plus it's not longer funny if I act like a goof. ”
Thursday 29 July 2010
Tuesday 27 July 2010
General knowledge is the basis (Thank God EGB is gone!)
Throughout the years, we have seen innumerable attempts to improve the educational system. Every time school programmes are about to undergo a certain kind of change, the same question is raised: should students be instructed in a particular area according to what they want to work in, or should they be provided with knowledge about many different aspects of life so as to know a bit of everything? The latest modification carried out in the Argentinean curriculum (2006) restored the old system of primary school followed by secondary school (both compulsory, of course). So, the question is: why are we going back to an old system? And the answer would probably be that the last new idea (3 EGB + polymodal) was a complete failure and a huge educational mistake.
I suffered that EGB system, and for me seeing how many of my school mates dropped out of university on the first year they attended is more than enough to realize that the whole idea was sheer madness. It is incredibly hard for adolescents or young adults to make up their minds on what they want to do for a living. So, if they cannot make a decision at the end of high school, how would they possibly be able to do it at the beginning of it? During the validity of the EGB Law, the school programme forced students to choose one course of studies and then, when attending college, they discovered that was not what they liked. Therefore, they were left with no knowledge to start studying on a different field.
On the other hand, today companies seek people who can be useful in several areas. Job interviews unravel potential employees’ background knowledge and employers treasure those applicants who not only show aptitude for the post but also ability to learn, talk and give opinions about myriads topics of discussion.
To sum up, it is undeniable that at school a student should learn about everything. Then, at the time of making a decision, all the tools ha has been provided with will help him make the wisest choice. And no matter how everything may turn out, all the knowledge he has acquired will never be a burden.
Interesting to site to learn more about: Education in Argentina
I suffered that EGB system, and for me seeing how many of my school mates dropped out of university on the first year they attended is more than enough to realize that the whole idea was sheer madness. It is incredibly hard for adolescents or young adults to make up their minds on what they want to do for a living. So, if they cannot make a decision at the end of high school, how would they possibly be able to do it at the beginning of it? During the validity of the EGB Law, the school programme forced students to choose one course of studies and then, when attending college, they discovered that was not what they liked. Therefore, they were left with no knowledge to start studying on a different field.
On the other hand, today companies seek people who can be useful in several areas. Job interviews unravel potential employees’ background knowledge and employers treasure those applicants who not only show aptitude for the post but also ability to learn, talk and give opinions about myriads topics of discussion.
To sum up, it is undeniable that at school a student should learn about everything. Then, at the time of making a decision, all the tools ha has been provided with will help him make the wisest choice. And no matter how everything may turn out, all the knowledge he has acquired will never be a burden.
Interesting to site to learn more about: Education in Argentina
Thursday 22 July 2010
Salta, my love
During the last winter holidays I visited the gorgeous Salta. Never in my life would I have imagined what I was going to find. Salta is a place where everything is perfect: the places are all beautiful, all the food is delicious, the people –both the locals and the tourists- are incredibly nice and friendly, and the way in which the culture has been kept and is exhibited everywhere is enviable. I would like to go into detail as regards these aspects, because each one of them deserves a paragraph of its own.
As I was there for only four days I didn’t have the chance to visit many places, but the few I did see fascinated me. We went on three excursions: the first one took as to Jujuy, where we visited the amazing village called Purmamarca with its famous hill of seven colours, and, a bit further, the absolutely astonishing “Salinas” – mother nature: you’re a genius! The second one had Cafayate as its final destination, but the real attraction was to way there: the mountains, the colours, the rocks… everything was just breath taking. And the last one was to a small peaceful village called Cachi. The place is incredibly gorgeous and relaxing, and, on our way back we could even enjoy the snow!
As the saying goes “When in Rome, do as Romans do”, so I decided to eat Salta’s typical food, and I strongly recommend you that, if you ever go there, you give everything a try. You just can’t go wrong. Those flavored corn paste wrapped in corn leaves (called “humitas” in Spanish), tamales, desserts with goat cheese, and even those cute animals like lamas and little goats are really delicious, no matter in which way you eat them. And don’t get me started on the empanadas! (BTW, I found that they can be called “turnovers”) I tried one in each place I ate. They were all different and all unbelievably tasty. I don’t think I’ll ever it one at home again.
The inhabitants are as kind as anyone can be. No cab driver will secretly take you on a city tour so as to get more money from you, and no restaurant owner will overcharge you for food just because he has the only place to eat at the top of a hill. They are all eager to help and visibly happy to live in such a place. Tourists are warm and friendly people who make your excursions even better, and striking up a conversation with them is incredibly enriching.
I have to admit that before my trip I had never been much into our folk music, but as soon as I came back I started listening to lots of bands and singers of that genre because, in Salta, I fell in love with it. Everyone there has an amazing voice and sings those songs with such passion that is impossible not to like their performances. At “peñas”, young people ask for guitars and sing along with friends and whoever wants to join them. It is not possible to describe the brilliance of those spontaneous shows.
So, to sum up, my advice for you all is that you visit Salta whenever you have the chance. I know that we all can’t wait to go to Europe or all those places we have in mind, but sometimes visiting our country can also be an unforgettable experience.
I want to dedicate this post to two people I’ve met during my trip, who definitely put the cherry on my cake: Mariana and Ana.
As I was there for only four days I didn’t have the chance to visit many places, but the few I did see fascinated me. We went on three excursions: the first one took as to Jujuy, where we visited the amazing village called Purmamarca with its famous hill of seven colours, and, a bit further, the absolutely astonishing “Salinas” – mother nature: you’re a genius! The second one had Cafayate as its final destination, but the real attraction was to way there: the mountains, the colours, the rocks… everything was just breath taking. And the last one was to a small peaceful village called Cachi. The place is incredibly gorgeous and relaxing, and, on our way back we could even enjoy the snow!
As the saying goes “When in Rome, do as Romans do”, so I decided to eat Salta’s typical food, and I strongly recommend you that, if you ever go there, you give everything a try. You just can’t go wrong. Those flavored corn paste wrapped in corn leaves (called “humitas” in Spanish), tamales, desserts with goat cheese, and even those cute animals like lamas and little goats are really delicious, no matter in which way you eat them. And don’t get me started on the empanadas! (BTW, I found that they can be called “turnovers”) I tried one in each place I ate. They were all different and all unbelievably tasty. I don’t think I’ll ever it one at home again.
The inhabitants are as kind as anyone can be. No cab driver will secretly take you on a city tour so as to get more money from you, and no restaurant owner will overcharge you for food just because he has the only place to eat at the top of a hill. They are all eager to help and visibly happy to live in such a place. Tourists are warm and friendly people who make your excursions even better, and striking up a conversation with them is incredibly enriching.
I have to admit that before my trip I had never been much into our folk music, but as soon as I came back I started listening to lots of bands and singers of that genre because, in Salta, I fell in love with it. Everyone there has an amazing voice and sings those songs with such passion that is impossible not to like their performances. At “peñas”, young people ask for guitars and sing along with friends and whoever wants to join them. It is not possible to describe the brilliance of those spontaneous shows.
So, to sum up, my advice for you all is that you visit Salta whenever you have the chance. I know that we all can’t wait to go to Europe or all those places we have in mind, but sometimes visiting our country can also be an unforgettable experience.
I want to dedicate this post to two people I’ve met during my trip, who definitely put the cherry on my cake: Mariana and Ana.
Friday 2 July 2010
Why Become a Teacher?
I’ve always liked English. I’ve been in contact with the language since I was born. But, to be honest, I had never been completely sure about becoming a teacher. I sort of “inherited” the profession, so there were times in which I felt I was obliged to practise it, and therefore I became reluctant to do it. At the end of secondary school I considered other options: arts, foreign trade, musical therapy (I’m still very interested in this one), etc. But, I don’t know why, when it came the moment to make the final decision, all these different alternatives were out of the picture.
Nowadays, I think teaching is a heck of a job! And it’s even hard for me to understand why is it that not everybody wants to become a teacher. I mean, what’s not to like about it? I was searching the net and I found two great pages.
One of them gives us the top 10 reasons to become a teacher, together with explanations and links to other pages in which we can find useful tips. I would like now to quote such reasons, and talk about some of them in relation to my own experience.
Top 10 reasons to become a teacher:
1. Student Potential
2. Student Successes
3. Teaching a Subject Helps You Learn a Subject
4. Daily Humor
5. Affecting the Future
6. Staying Younger
7. Autonomy in the Classroom
8. Conducive to Family Life
9. Job Security
10. Summers Off
As it’s mentioned in the site, 1 and 2 are closely related. The feeling I get when I see my students have actually understood, learned and applied what I’ve just taught them is indescribable. Brilliant students always put a smile on our face. Slow students are a real challenge, and, at the same time it’s twice as difficult to teach them something, it’s twice as rewarding when they learn it.
Number 4 and 8 are especially true of me. As regards number 4, some weeks ago my adult students were telling me how much they admire (and couldn’t understand) how I’m always in a good mood. No matter what has happened to me before a class, I always enter the classroom smiling. When I have to teach, I forget about everything and I’m just happy. And number 8 is something I would have never believed if I hadn’t experienced it myself. Before teaching children, I was not sure I would ever want to be a mother. However, this is the second year I have the same group of little pseudo-angels-pseudo-demons and I want to take them home! I love them, and I always think about the great persons they can turn into and how great it would be to help a bit more in their upbringing.
The other site I’ve found provides us with a very brief and concise answer to the question "Why become a teacher?", and, of course, is the source where I took the heading from. This page also mentions the downsides of our chosen profession; the incessant struggle to satisfy the constantly changing demands of society. However, reading between the lines, we can see that this only adds to the pride of being a teacher.
Nowadays, I think teaching is a heck of a job! And it’s even hard for me to understand why is it that not everybody wants to become a teacher. I mean, what’s not to like about it? I was searching the net and I found two great pages.
One of them gives us the top 10 reasons to become a teacher, together with explanations and links to other pages in which we can find useful tips. I would like now to quote such reasons, and talk about some of them in relation to my own experience.
Top 10 reasons to become a teacher:
1. Student Potential
2. Student Successes
3. Teaching a Subject Helps You Learn a Subject
4. Daily Humor
5. Affecting the Future
6. Staying Younger
7. Autonomy in the Classroom
8. Conducive to Family Life
9. Job Security
10. Summers Off
As it’s mentioned in the site, 1 and 2 are closely related. The feeling I get when I see my students have actually understood, learned and applied what I’ve just taught them is indescribable. Brilliant students always put a smile on our face. Slow students are a real challenge, and, at the same time it’s twice as difficult to teach them something, it’s twice as rewarding when they learn it.
Number 4 and 8 are especially true of me. As regards number 4, some weeks ago my adult students were telling me how much they admire (and couldn’t understand) how I’m always in a good mood. No matter what has happened to me before a class, I always enter the classroom smiling. When I have to teach, I forget about everything and I’m just happy. And number 8 is something I would have never believed if I hadn’t experienced it myself. Before teaching children, I was not sure I would ever want to be a mother. However, this is the second year I have the same group of little pseudo-angels-pseudo-demons and I want to take them home! I love them, and I always think about the great persons they can turn into and how great it would be to help a bit more in their upbringing.
The other site I’ve found provides us with a very brief and concise answer to the question "Why become a teacher?", and, of course, is the source where I took the heading from. This page also mentions the downsides of our chosen profession; the incessant struggle to satisfy the constantly changing demands of society. However, reading between the lines, we can see that this only adds to the pride of being a teacher.
Thursday 1 July 2010
My Top 5 Concerts
As you may know, I consider music a very important part of me. I feel so passionate about it. I live and breathe music. And the best form of music is live music. Going to concerts is a surreal experience and there are bands and singers that have definitely been born to give you the chills. Unfortunately, there’s no way to put those feelings into words. The most I can do is share with you the 5 concerts that have rocked my world.
Positioned number 5 is Radiohead’s first and only concert in our country. It was last year in the “Campo de Polo Argentino”, which is the reason why this gig isn’t higher in the ranking. I hated having to be standing without even seeing the screens during the majority of their presentation. But when they played “Paranoid Android” they just made my day. There was no need for anything else. My boyfriend lifted me over his shoulders, and it was one of the most magical moments of my life.
Number 4: Fito Páez playing in my second home: El gigante de Arroyito. In December of 2003, there was a party at the stadium to celebrate Rosario Central’s 114th
Anniversary. My football team is one of my biggest (if not THE biggest) loves of my life, and Fito was, back then, among my favourite artists. He sang “Brillante sobre el mic” and sort of adapted the lyrics to the context; the lights were turned off and everybody waved their lighters and… my two passions were perfectly combined. I got shivers down my spine and tears in my eyes.
Place number 3 belongs to “The Police” in their last visit to Argentina, during their reunion tour. Undoubtedly, they hate each other but they are extraordinary musicians. They played all the hits. The sound was perfect and Sting... well, he’s just from another planet: magnificent singer even nearing his 60s, great bassist and too handsome for his age!
Near the top, in number 2, is Damien Rice’s absolutely flawless demonstration of how a charismatic man, his guitar and his beautiful songs are all that’s needed for an excellent show. The concert was just perfect. I even got on the stage to be part of a chorus of like 50 people in “Volcano”, and got the chance to thank him and give him a kiss. If you’ve never listened to him, please do! He’s not only an exquisite Irish composer of love songs, but he’s also a hottie!
And the 1st position is for the concert that ruined my life! It’s Roger Waters in River Plate’s stadium bringing his tour “The Dark Side of the Moon” 3 years ago. Pink Floyd’s front man, bassist and leading composer brought probably the show of the best record in the history of music. Everything there was more than perfect. There should be a word that’s better than “perfect” to be able to describe it. I was speechless and I still am. That concert took a part of me. I’m thankful for having been there, but I’m also regretful cause I know no concert will ever be even near as good as it was.
Positioned number 5 is Radiohead’s first and only concert in our country. It was last year in the “Campo de Polo Argentino”, which is the reason why this gig isn’t higher in the ranking. I hated having to be standing without even seeing the screens during the majority of their presentation. But when they played “Paranoid Android” they just made my day. There was no need for anything else. My boyfriend lifted me over his shoulders, and it was one of the most magical moments of my life.
Number 4: Fito Páez playing in my second home: El gigante de Arroyito. In December of 2003, there was a party at the stadium to celebrate Rosario Central’s 114th
Anniversary. My football team is one of my biggest (if not THE biggest) loves of my life, and Fito was, back then, among my favourite artists. He sang “Brillante sobre el mic” and sort of adapted the lyrics to the context; the lights were turned off and everybody waved their lighters and… my two passions were perfectly combined. I got shivers down my spine and tears in my eyes.
Place number 3 belongs to “The Police” in their last visit to Argentina, during their reunion tour. Undoubtedly, they hate each other but they are extraordinary musicians. They played all the hits. The sound was perfect and Sting... well, he’s just from another planet: magnificent singer even nearing his 60s, great bassist and too handsome for his age!
Near the top, in number 2, is Damien Rice’s absolutely flawless demonstration of how a charismatic man, his guitar and his beautiful songs are all that’s needed for an excellent show. The concert was just perfect. I even got on the stage to be part of a chorus of like 50 people in “Volcano”, and got the chance to thank him and give him a kiss. If you’ve never listened to him, please do! He’s not only an exquisite Irish composer of love songs, but he’s also a hottie!
And the 1st position is for the concert that ruined my life! It’s Roger Waters in River Plate’s stadium bringing his tour “The Dark Side of the Moon” 3 years ago. Pink Floyd’s front man, bassist and leading composer brought probably the show of the best record in the history of music. Everything there was more than perfect. There should be a word that’s better than “perfect” to be able to describe it. I was speechless and I still am. That concert took a part of me. I’m thankful for having been there, but I’m also regretful cause I know no concert will ever be even near as good as it was.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)