Blind-cars-based actitivy
The teacher, along with the students, should rearrange the desks and chairs and decorate the class so that there are zones standing for different typical urban places like the chemist´s, the restaurant, the doctor or the supermarket, p.e.
Then, the students are divided into pairs. One person must close his eyes and place himself in front of the other. This will be the blind car. His partner will play the driver. He should decide a place to go and give the blind car the appropiate directions (´turn right`, ´turn left`, ´stop`) to get to that place. After some minutes they can swap the roles.
Students can practice how to give directions and how to receive and follow them.
Remember-the-image-based activity
One volunteer stands in front of the rest of the group, which is asked to close their eyes by the leader. The volunteer then moulds herself into a frozen image. The leader tells the group to open their eyes for a couple of seconds, take in the image they see, then write what they think it is and explain to the rest of the group why. After all the students have explained what they saw, the volunteer gives the correct answer.
Forum theatre
In the forum theatre activity all the students have to participate. Some of them will start performing and introducing the plot. Once the story has been set the spectators can become spect-actors, meaning that students who are watching the play can interrupt it at any moment and substitute the actor who was about to talk.
This way the script is flexible and we will foster the improvisation of the students on top of their dramaturgic skills. Themes are various and do not have to be bound to oppression issues. All the students have to take part in the activity.
jueves, 29 de enero de 2015
miércoles, 28 de enero de 2015
AULAS FELICES (III)
I can make it!
Objectives: Learn to face the future with decision and confidence in the capa- own speeds
Development:
Optimism is not just hope for the best for the future, we must also work to get it with the conviction that we will be able to achieve our goals. This activity can put us in a position to boost our self-esteem and confidence in the future. We tell students to imagine themselves in 5, 10 or 15 years, and think of a goal they would like to achieve and that can be achieved within those years (for example: to be a good basketball player, to have a lot of friends, overcome Secondary Schools with good grades, play a musical instrument ...). Then they have to think what they need to do to reach that goal and propose a plan of action.
This exercise will be carried out individually, and each students will be expected to reflect and note down the actions they consider to be necessary to reach the goal. Subsequently, students may share in common their individual reflections. As a final touch, each student can write a slogan, understood as a personal statement of encouragement to achieve this and other future goals; for example: "If I try, I'm can", "No pain, no gain", etcetera.
Objectives: Learn to face the future with decision and confidence in the capa- own speeds
Development:
Optimism is not just hope for the best for the future, we must also work to get it with the conviction that we will be able to achieve our goals. This activity can put us in a position to boost our self-esteem and confidence in the future. We tell students to imagine themselves in 5, 10 or 15 years, and think of a goal they would like to achieve and that can be achieved within those years (for example: to be a good basketball player, to have a lot of friends, overcome Secondary Schools with good grades, play a musical instrument ...). Then they have to think what they need to do to reach that goal and propose a plan of action.
This exercise will be carried out individually, and each students will be expected to reflect and note down the actions they consider to be necessary to reach the goal. Subsequently, students may share in common their individual reflections. As a final touch, each student can write a slogan, understood as a personal statement of encouragement to achieve this and other future goals; for example: "If I try, I'm can", "No pain, no gain", etcetera.
lunes, 26 de enero de 2015
AULAS FELICES (II)
Gratitudes wall
Objetives: to publicly express phrases of gratitude.
Development:
Prior the plan of this activity, the importance of gratitude should have been worked on and it woul be recommendable to do some activities in order to develop the power of gratitude in the students mind. With the present exercise what it is intended is to develop that power so as to foster daily gratitude actions.
We are going to reserve a space in the classroom to allocate a "gratitude wall". We can use a free wall and place there a big piece of wrapping-paper, which can be titled and decorated by the students. Close to the wall, we will put some post-its. The students will be provided with the rule that whatever happens to them to be appreciated they should take a post-it, write a gratitude phrase on it and stick it to the wall. The gratitude can be directed to classmates, parents, teachers, friends, animals...
Resources:
Wrapping-paper. Post-its.
Time:
The wall can be hanged in class during as much time as the teacher and the want. The contributions of the pupils and done punctually, when somebody what to make his/her gratitudes public. Sometimes, it is advisable that the teacher reserves some minutes to read the contributions written in the wall so that they can be commented by the whole class.
AULAS FELICES (I)
Sharing happiness
Objectives: to provide other people with happiness, well-being and happiness
Development:
To provided other people with happiness, well-being and satisfaction constitutes a component of love. In this activity we are going to put into practice how to give happiness to whom surround us. We will start reflecting individually upon which things produce me happiness in what people say to me and also in the way they treat me. Each student writes in a sheet his/her name, a pair of things he/she would like to be said and a phrase that sums up how he/she likes to be treated when somebody interacts with him.
The next step consists in the teacher picking up the notes of each students and re-distribute them randomly, in a way each one gets a sheet written by another person. It is important that noone knows who has received what him/herself has written. We will tell the pupils to find at least one occasion to interact with the person whose sheet has been give to him/her and they have to say something in keeping with what is written in the paper. This way, they should provide their classmate with happiness and satisfaction. A period of a week will be given for this purpose.
When the week is over, we have to revise the compliance of this activity by means of a pooling session where we will set the next questions out:
- Have you all received the "present of the happiness" during this week?
- How have you noticed? (briefly describe the circumstances and how it happened).
How have you felt when receiving it? And when giving it?
Time: at least 40 minutes to reflect, write and redistribute the notes. A half an hour in order to revised what has been done once a week has passed.
Observations: a complementary exercise would consist in apply this strategy outside of the scholar scope, thinking of a relative or friend, identifying what produces him/her joy and doing a concreto action to satisfy him/her. This activity should also be revised in the classroom.
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sábado, 24 de enero de 2015
Interview to a teacher
Margarita Ochoa is an English and Spanish teacher in Instituto San Juan Bosco, Valencia. She has been teaching English since the late 80s.
Is your profession as English teacher vocational and did it simply happen?
Well, I think it´s pretty vocational. I mean, I always had this sort of tendency to help people, to assist them. This is not a show-off if you get what I mean. It´s just that I always liked to help people in their learning, from very little... In Primary School, if a classmate had a problem and I knew the solution to that problem I would try to teach him. I have done this in a way all my life. The biggest difference resides in whether I earn money or not (laughs). But it has always been a sense of teaching.
In all these years have you found a perfect way of teaching English?
Hmm, that´s a difficult question. Let´s just say I don´t believe there is a "perfect way of teaching English" in and of itself. No, I don´t think so. I believe a teacher must try to find the method that suits him best and his students. I mean, a technique or method or whatever that makes him teach as comfortably and efficiently as possible and with which the students can learn the biggest possible amount of knowledge. And being comfortable, as well, obviously. We shouldn´t waste time in thinking about things that, in my opinion, doesn´t exist, like the perfect way to teach English.
But you must have been able to develop techniques that serve you teaching in an efficient way, as you say.
Yes, of course. After so many years you learn and develop your techniques. But you have to commit mistakes. Never think you´re going to get into a classroom for the first time with 20 or 30 students you don´t know staring at you and you´re going to make history, so to say. I mean, you could make history, but in a negative way. Maybe the worst class ever or so (laughs). You have to be humble, be conscious that you have to learn everyday. Don´t think that being called teacher puts you away from learning. You have to be opened to learn. And that affects to the techniques, to your methods. Your first years you will have to assemble information about how you work in a class. After plenty of years you will be in the position of saying you are an efficient teacher. I think I am now, sort of... But it took a lot of time. Too much, actually.
Does it work with all the students?
I wish it did. Nope. No. It doesn´t work with my entire classes. It is a pity but it´s to implement a perfect technique. That´s what perfect means to me: being able to devise a tool that teaches them all in a way that suits them all. My challenge is to approach that perfection, although I am perfectly conscious I will never achieve it. Then, my work is not efficient enough with all my pupils but I think it works with a higher proportion of them if we compare it to my first years.
What would you recommend a newly formed teacher? Just some tips for starting off teaching.
I would advise them to be patient. Patience is very important. No matter if that patience is related to themselves or to the students. You have to patient with the process and face it calmly. Perhaps at first things are not working as you wish, but then is the perfect moment to settle down and reflect. And learn from your mistakes. And find the ways to connect and bind with your students. It´s not easy stuff, but it´s worse if you rush. Another advise would be asking advise. Don´t be embarrassed. Nobody was born with an innate capacity to perform in a profession. Everything is learnt. So, learn. Learn by seeing, by reflecting, by experiencing, but also by asking. Older teachers might have been in your position once. They could help you. Solve your problems. Tell you what you should do and what you definitely shouldn´t do.
Is your profession as English teacher vocational and did it simply happen?
Well, I think it´s pretty vocational. I mean, I always had this sort of tendency to help people, to assist them. This is not a show-off if you get what I mean. It´s just that I always liked to help people in their learning, from very little... In Primary School, if a classmate had a problem and I knew the solution to that problem I would try to teach him. I have done this in a way all my life. The biggest difference resides in whether I earn money or not (laughs). But it has always been a sense of teaching.
In all these years have you found a perfect way of teaching English?
Hmm, that´s a difficult question. Let´s just say I don´t believe there is a "perfect way of teaching English" in and of itself. No, I don´t think so. I believe a teacher must try to find the method that suits him best and his students. I mean, a technique or method or whatever that makes him teach as comfortably and efficiently as possible and with which the students can learn the biggest possible amount of knowledge. And being comfortable, as well, obviously. We shouldn´t waste time in thinking about things that, in my opinion, doesn´t exist, like the perfect way to teach English.
But you must have been able to develop techniques that serve you teaching in an efficient way, as you say.
Yes, of course. After so many years you learn and develop your techniques. But you have to commit mistakes. Never think you´re going to get into a classroom for the first time with 20 or 30 students you don´t know staring at you and you´re going to make history, so to say. I mean, you could make history, but in a negative way. Maybe the worst class ever or so (laughs). You have to be humble, be conscious that you have to learn everyday. Don´t think that being called teacher puts you away from learning. You have to be opened to learn. And that affects to the techniques, to your methods. Your first years you will have to assemble information about how you work in a class. After plenty of years you will be in the position of saying you are an efficient teacher. I think I am now, sort of... But it took a lot of time. Too much, actually.
Does it work with all the students?
I wish it did. Nope. No. It doesn´t work with my entire classes. It is a pity but it´s to implement a perfect technique. That´s what perfect means to me: being able to devise a tool that teaches them all in a way that suits them all. My challenge is to approach that perfection, although I am perfectly conscious I will never achieve it. Then, my work is not efficient enough with all my pupils but I think it works with a higher proportion of them if we compare it to my first years.
What would you recommend a newly formed teacher? Just some tips for starting off teaching.
I would advise them to be patient. Patience is very important. No matter if that patience is related to themselves or to the students. You have to patient with the process and face it calmly. Perhaps at first things are not working as you wish, but then is the perfect moment to settle down and reflect. And learn from your mistakes. And find the ways to connect and bind with your students. It´s not easy stuff, but it´s worse if you rush. Another advise would be asking advise. Don´t be embarrassed. Nobody was born with an innate capacity to perform in a profession. Everything is learnt. So, learn. Learn by seeing, by reflecting, by experiencing, but also by asking. Older teachers might have been in your position once. They could help you. Solve your problems. Tell you what you should do and what you definitely shouldn´t do.
Dvolver movie: GRAMMAR ABUSE
The skit is a metaphor of the weight is given to grammar in current Spanish conception of language teaching. Aliens´ are technologically highly developed and their English is understandable despite his grammar is quite perfectible. Humans would rather reach for a perfect grammar and a perfect communication, but that does not mean them to be evolved.
http://www.dvolver.com/live/movies-1051153
http://www.dvolver.com/live/movies-1051153
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