Christmas wish

Dear Santa,

In January, I made a to-do list in which I set a number of goals I wanted to achieve by the end of this year. Among other objectives, I wrote “to pass the courses I will be attending this year.”

So far, I’ve done pretty well in most of them. But let’s focus on Language, which is the one that matters here. Throughout the year I’ve researched on some interesting topics; I’ve prepared oral presentations; I’ve studied and absorbed new vocabulary; I’ve created a very original blog to upload all my pieces of art, namely, my writings, which I’ve successfully passed with loads of effort and hours of work; and I’ve worked cooperatively with my classmates –from whom I’ve learned a lot- in the writing and speaking processes. WOW, I’ve done so much! (And I’m so humble)

Well, of course I fell behind with some writing once or twice because I ran out of time -or imagination- but that doesn't make me a bad girl, I suppose. And maybe my pieces are not best-sellers, but I can tell for sure they were the best I could do, and mind you, I think I’ve improved. Have you read my previous writings?

But, Santa, Christmas is coming soon and, as I'm still a girl (the fact that I turned 22 in September does not matter at all, believe me!) I would like you to give me a present, I think I deserve it. This year, I want neither a doll’s house, nor a bike... This time I will only ask you a little favour: I want to pass the written part of my language course. Maybe you can have a word with my language teacher and persuade her, just in case she is doubtful about it.

It is said that you are like God, you’re everywhere and you know every single human being on Earth, so I don’t consider it necessary to tell you who she is... What the heck, you're Father Christmas, I'll make things easier for you because you are quite busy these days: her name starts with “A” and her surname is something like “nalía Kandel.” (Don’t mention it, Claus)

Thanks in advance! I know you will do your best to please me.

Paulita

PS: I do want a Christmas present, too, but we can negotiate that later. See you on Christmas Eve, my friend!

"A Little Bird Told Me" Newspaper

Hi, I'm Troy McClure. You may remember me from such writings as Are you a switcher?, Teaching before graduating: a controversial issue, and Education in crisis: who is to blame? In today’s edition of our section known as True Tales of Argentine Life, I will share with you, my dear readers, a story that depicts one of the aspects of Argentines’ peculiar personality: their fanaticism.

Too Argentine, too fanatical...

This is the story of this handsome but miserable man who was dancing half-drunk at a disco in Flores on a Saturday night when he met this attractive female that drove him totally crazy at first sight. This is the story of Santiago and Mara.

After chatting for a while that night, they exchanged cellphone numbers under the promise of meeting each other the following Sunday. Santiago was thrilled to bits that he had met such a lovely woman since he had been alone for several years when he bumped into her. Mara, on the contrary, had just put an end to a long relationship with dubious prospects, so she did not allow herself to raise false hopes, regardless of how excited she was.

A whole week passed and the so eagerly-awaited date would become real. Santiago woke up that morning, went to the bathroom, looked at himself in the mirror and grinned from ear to ear. Then he made his way to the living room where he flung himself into the sofa and turned on the TV just to come back to Earth with a bump: the most important football match of the semester was being played on that afternoon at the very same time he had agreed to meet the possible love of his life. He could not believe his eyes: San Lorenzo – Huracán, 2pm. His smile immediately vanished. How could he forget about it? San Lorenzo, the reason of his whole life! What would he do now? Like every Argentine, and like every man, he was a football fan as well as a women fan. He was on the horns of a dilemma!

After processing the information for some minutes, he made a decision: he took a deep breath and started to get ready for his date. After all, he did not have tickets for the match, and it would have been almost impossible to get them at the stadium. So off he went. He took a cab to arrive on time and waited for her in the pub they had arranged to meet. Several minutes went by and Mara did not show up. He asked for a beer and started drinking it alone. Some more minutes... half an hour... a whole long hour passed and there was no news about her. Bitterly disappointed, he decided to send her a text message. A minute later, she answered back: “I’m sorry, I completely forgot! :S I had tickets to see the ‘classic’ San Lorenzo-Huracán. I’ll text you back later, I’m in the middle of the match. I know you’ll understand!”

For a moment, he was fuming with anger. He gulped his beer down and stared fixedly at the message for some seconds, until he unexpectedly burst into laughter. Now he knew it: Mara was definitely the woman of his dreams.

PP, Capital Federal, Argentina

Education in crisis: Who is to blame?

It is widely known that the educational system has been undergoing a great crisis lately, being unable to transmit moral values, to form grown-up citizens or to exert any authority. Today’s situation is a consequence of not only outdated teachers and neglected students, but also of a number of variables that have combined thus multiplying the undesirable results by dozens.

On the one hand, it seems that teachers, a vital piece in education, are not skilled enough to cope with students. This might be due to the fact that educators have been taught techniques that are no longer operative in today’s classrooms. Thus, it can be said that they constantly have to resort to other tools that would suit their needs and allow them to teach their students more effectively. Teachers should not be expected to improvise but to be better trained for nowadays’ students and to keep updated.

On the other hand, there are the students, another fundamental piece in this puzzle. Their main problem is that they are not only students, but also children, sons and daughters, and Argentines, and are therefore deeply affected by everything that surrounds them. They are so overwhelmed by external issues that to concentrate on school matters is a really hard task for them to accomplish. What is worse, they lack motivation to study, which is an essential component to enhance the learning process.

However, parents cannot be left out from this list since they constitute the remaining part. They, together with teachers, have a key role in society, namely, to educate their children. Nowadays, parents are so absorbed into their own economic, social and marital conflicts, among others, that little time is left to pay attention to their children’s needs. But far from trusting teachers, most actually describe them as incompetent and hold them accountable for their sons and daughters’ failure at school.

Apart from the above-mentioned variables, there are many others that can be taken into account as a consequence of today’s crisis in education, such as the defects of the school as an institution, the lack of power of heads, the role of the state, the bad administration of money for infrastructure and resources, etc.

To conclude, it should be admitted that the critical situation of the educational system is the result of the irresponsibility of many people. What is crucial to improve in education is that each and every stakeholder should reassess its situation and take responsibility for its share. After all, do we all not want a better education?


Self Corrections & After-writing Reflections

Urban Tribes

Since the year dot different tribes of teenagers have inhabited this country, each of them following a fashion and enjoying a particular music style. Some decades ago they used to go by the name of “chetos”, “rollingas”, “grasas”... But as time went by, those names became old-fashioned, and many others appeared instead. Did you know that nowadays there are more than thirty tribes just in Buenos Aires city? Here I will provide you with the most relevant information about some of the groups you may bump into when touring around.

“Floggers”
They get their nickname from their fanaticism for a type of blog called Fotolog -or flog- which allows them to make a whole bunch of friends and become increasingly popular by posting personal pictures. Cumbio is the most famous exponent of this group. They are very cheerful and so is their clothing: eye-catching T-shirts, squared shirts, tight trousers called chupines, and colourful canvas shoes of a well-known brand. They also share a particular hair style: a wide fringe combed either completely to the left or to the right, covering all their forehead. They dance to the rhythm of dance music in a very peculiar way -as if they were stepping on cockroaches! (see this video)

“Emos”
Called like this because of their characteristic emotionalism: they tend to be vulnerable and depressive. Actually, one of their main and most alarming features is that they hurt themselves, usually in the arms, and exhibit the nasty scars as a sign of internal pain. You can also identify adolescents from this tribe by their excessive make-up with creepy motifs, and by the black clothes they wear, as if in permanent mourning. They let their hair fall on one eye in an attempt to hide themselves from others.

“Cumbieros”
People from this group listen to a music style known as cumbia, hence their name. Since they are quite the opposite of the aforementioned urban tribes, they are bitter rivals. They play the bad guys so if they come across a stereotypical specimen of the enemy tribe, they can immediately start a fight to show they are the bravest -mind you, they believe they are! Members of this group tend to wear caps even at night, huge trainers which they call yantas, football windbreakers and ostentatious watches.

Of course, new groups with slight differences keep on emerging day after day -such as “twitteros” or “facebook-fans”- and God knows what is in store for us! But at least now you are ready to come and visit Argentina with your eyes wide open. Enjoy your stay!


Self Corrections & After-writing Reflections

Teaching before graduating: a controversial issue

It is widely maintained that, before practising, teachers should undergo several years of training after which they get their degree. Nevertheless, the fact that many students who are advanced in their course of studies actually do work as teachers, not only contradicts this view but also shows a moral dilemma. So, is it ethical to teach before graduating?

On the one hand, it is generally held that in order to teach students a subject, regardless of their age or level, proper training and education are essential. Teacher Training College provides teachers-to-be with the necessary tools and knowledge to make informed choices in class, to plan their lessons, to handle difficulties, among other issues. Therefore, from this point of view, teaching before finishing the course of studies is a must, and working before that time should not be even taken into account.

Furthermore, it is a fact that the moment someone graduates -and not before- he/she is considered a professional. The difference between aspirants to teachers and actual teachers is deeply rooted in our culture. This is best illustrated when a job is offered: in comparison, a graduate teacher will most probably have more chances to be chosen and might -in some cases- be better paid than someone who is still studying. So it can be said that professionals have a sort of implicit right over non-graduate students and this can be taken as another reason why it is ethically questionable for the latter to teach.

On the other hand, working as a teacher gives non-graduate students experience that they, otherwise, would not get until the last year of the course of studies. It is in the classroom that teachers develop new tools and make a more realistic judgement about their profession than the one they bring from Teacher Training College. From this point of view, it can be stated that it is not only ethical but also necessary to teach as an advanced student.

Yet another point in favour of the question of teaching before graduating can be mentioned: one’s own talent. Some people are skilled at teaching, some others are good at bonding with students, and, for some employers, whether these kinds of people have finished their course of studies is not as relevant as the inner ability they possess and the passion with which they practise as teachers. It is true that the book is necessary and should not be ignored but it is also said that “The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book.”1

All in all, it may be concluded that despite the fact that educators must be well-prepared before attempting to teach, some variables show how relevant it is to many teachers-to-be to start practising the profession before graduating. From my point of view, both education and working experience are complementary and vital to make a good teacher. So I strongly believe advanced students should not disregard the possibility of teaching, which should not be understood as an ethical dilemma.

1 Author unknown

Self Corrections & After-Writing Reflections

My CV

You can click here to have a look at my CV in LinkedIn, a professional network.

EDAPI

As the Jornada interdepartamental, interinstitucional e interdisciplinaria Edapi was taking place at the JVG once more, we, the Language III group, based our oral task 2 on a topic related to the main theme of this year's event: "Lenguas Nativas y Extranjeras: Pasado, Presente y Futuro". In groups, we researched on a particular aspect of language that caught our attention (my group was formed by Ayelén, Bárbara and me) We decided to make a survey to interview teachers from different contexts, with students of diverse age-groups and levels, to gather a number of answers related to our former question "Are you a switcher?" (you can click here to see it) Then, we analized the results and made a poster with the facts and figures and our conclusions. Finally, the three of us delivered an oral presentation together for our classmates and teacher.

I think all of us did a good job. We were a little bit nervous but the moment we started speaking, we relaxed and enjoy the presentation. We made ourselves clear and put our message across succesfully. It was a great experience and a real collaborative task.

Last but not least... our cultural gift!

The last lesson with Anna, we shared with her a bit of our own culture as Argentines: we made a Power Point Presentation which consisted of pictures each of us included regarding varied aspects of our country. Some of us decided to include food, for instance; others, well-known people, such as writers, singers, football players, etc; some others, awesome places you can't miss when visiting Argentina. All in all, I think we can say we are really proud of being Argentines, regardless of the many comments made about us. And I believe Anna got a good impression and felt comfortable going about intercultural activities and sharing time with us. We certainly did! :)

Boarding Schools

Anna prepared a Power Point Presentation for us to see what boarding schools are like in her country. Through the pictures we learnt they are like huge castles... they are amazing! She told us she lives in one and explained to us how they work, the kind of activities students do there (which are millions!), what their relationship with their parents is like, and what it meant for them to study in that type of schools, among other things.
What really caught our attention was the fact that boys and girls in England leave their home and family to attend school, since they not only study but also live in there. It was shocking for us given that here in Argentina we tend to be much more attached to our parents and friends. No doubt we would find it harder!
Anna also shared with us her own experience in her school years and that helped us get to know her a little bit more. We learnt a lot about education in England and had a great time listening to her anecdotes while going through the presentation with her.

GB captured in photos

Analía shared with us the pictures she took during her stay in England and together with Anna, they explained to us what those pictures meant. By listening to them, we could imagine what those places looked like. It was as if we were travelling there for a while. Through the photos we could also notice how different the landscapes are in Scotland, North of England and South of England. Besides we learnt not only vocabulary related to specific things that appeared on the pictures, but also cultural aspects of Great Britain, many of which we don't find in geography or history books. It was a creative activity and very enjoyable, too!

Are you a switcher?

The aim of this poster is to encourage teachers of English to reflect on one specific aspect of their experience in the classroom, namely, code-switching, which refers to the use of the mother tongue when teaching a foreign language. In order to do so, we will provide figures obtained through a survey on the frequency with which, and the reasons why, teachers of English speak to their students in Spanish.


(Abstract corresponding to a poster made in group for EDAPI's presentation at JVG)


Self-Corrections & After-Writing Reflections

My biodata

Paula M. Poymulle is a third-year student at Instituto Superior del Profesorado Joaquín V. González. She has been a first-grade teacher of English at a private primary school for two years. Her main interests are Phonology and Grammar.


After-writing reflections

Writing is a journey into the unknown

I don't think I can point out the exact day I first wrote a composition in English, but it must have been in my late years of primary school. I remember I quite enjoyed writing at that time, and I still found it appealing during my secondary school years. I used to take pleasure in writing in Spanish as well, though I was not very good at it.

It was when I entered the Teacher Training College in 2007 and attended Language I that I realized facing a writing task had mutated from a pleasant experience into an awfully dreadful one. I encountered difficulties as regards paragraph organisation, punctuation, vocabulary... Many aspects required polishing. Anyway, what I found the hardest was the first step: building the plot of the story. That could take me hours! Therefore, in-class compositions meant hell to me. However, I somehow managed to pass all the writing tasks and the final exam; I believe it was because I did improve throughout the year.

Language II was my next challenge. With the passing of time, I was able to generate interesting ideas more quickly and achieve satisfying results, so I did not suffer from "writing phobia" this time. Anyway, writing in class was still one of my weak points -maybe the weakest. So, although I passed all my compositions with quite good marks, I decided not to sit for the final exam in December and kept on postponing it for a whole year, when I finally passed it.

This year so far I've been through a totally new approach in Language III, that is, process writing: it involves peer- and tutor-feedback instances before handing in a piece of writing to the teacher. It sort of lowers my "writing apprehension", that is, the pressure and the sense of insecurity I usually experience when writing. Besides, readers' comments on your work largely contribute to enriching it. I hope this year's system of writing will boost my confidence and, little by little, lead me towards becoming a more independent writer. A writer who will be able to become aware of the readers' possible expectations and struggle to do the best to fulfil them.


Self-corrections & after-writing reflections

At the Speaker's Corner

I think it was a great idea to recreate a Speaker's Corner situation in class, where we had the possibility to express ourselves and get on our soapbox about the issues that annoy each of us. Besides, I had great fun! After listening to everyone's speeches, I could see that this activity helped us speak fluently (and angrily) without actually realising we were performing a task for which we were going to get a grade. I also noticed that I will need to improve on my fluency and relax a little bit more in the next speaking tasks.

Who I am

On September 19th, 1988, Graciela and Hernán welcomed the birth of their first child: a huge-eyed baby girl whom they decided to call Paula. That’s me! When I was six, my younger sister was born –now a fifteen-year-old teenager who makes the three of us burst out laughing with her everyday adventures. I really enjoy spending time with them although it’s usually very little since we all work, or study -or both!

I’ve studied at the Teacher Training College for four years. Now I’m attending four subjects, all in the evening shift because I really loathe studying early in the morning, and I work in a primary school all afternoon. I teach first graders there: they are so lovable! Taking part in their education, as well as in their childhood, is really gratifying. To me, that is one of the most attractive aspects of this job and the reason why I chose it. Besides, I’m a bit childish and although I pretend to be serious among adults, I usually fail to hide the enthusiastic expression on my face when doing kids stuff. I can’t help it! =)

During my spare time, I love trying new recipes -though I'm not a talented cook but just a beginner (you can click here to see some of my "pieces of art"...how humble!) I also enjoy visiting my little cousin, whom I adore; meeting old friends, or most often, hanging around with my boyfriend. We get on really well and since we take pleasure in similar activities, we are glad to share much of our free time together.

As regards my plans for the near future, I can mention travelling abroad as the most appealing one, but also as the hardest because of financial reasons mainly. I’m looking forward to working for the state next year which is a wonderful opportunity we, English teachers-to-be, have. Meanwhile, I hope I can learn new things and share many good experiences with you all throughout the year.


Self-corrections & after-writing reflections