Have a look at this video just sent by teacher Ana Clara Almeida! It did happen in Lisbon (not abroad) on 23rd December...
"TAP Portugal and ANA wished their passengers a Merry Christmas at Lisbon Airport in an unique way! - Official Video."
Enjoy, folks!
About Me
- Teacher Alex
- Portugal
- I am from Coimbra, Portugal, and am currently teaching in a school in Soure, about 30 km away from Coimbra. I have been a teacher of English for over 20 years and have already taught different levels and age groups. After all this time I can say I love working with adult groups because there are no coursebooks and I can create my own resources. I am an avid reader, a blogger and very curious about free tools and their implementation in the classroom.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Santa Claus is coming to... ESMA!!!
Christmas is a time of gathering, of family reunions and, mainly for children, a time for Santa Claus to pay a visit. Last week on 23rd December adult students were invited to bring their own children to school, to spend a different day with them, interacting and playing. What I witnessed was ... wonderful! Wonderful bonds between mums and children and / or teenagers - YES! There is nothing to be ashamed of; a mother is always a mother no matter how old we are!
We started the day going to the movies and around 1pm we were already heading to school for a shared meal - all very tasty homemade food prepared by ANSC 2 mums!!! (Congratulations, ladies, you are wonderful cooks!). Afterwards there were several activities - from reading and performing a story, game playing,... to drawing. The kids were fantastic - really! They behaved so well - no tantrums, no sobs, nothing! All mums were helpful and all looked after everybody's children, even Catarina's eldest son who was always attentive and looking after his twin sisters. It was a great day, in a great atmosphere.
The most exciting moment was yet to come - Santa Claus with gifts for all. You cannot imagine (???) how excited kids were: they cried and jumped for joy when they heard Santa's HOHOHO...
Before showing you the pictures I took, I would like to thank teacher CLAUDIA SOARES - she has really been unique with her professionalism and dedication; teacher JOSÉ MIGUEL MENDONÇA, a perfect Santa Claus, and teacher NATÁLIA COSTA from the schoolboard, who dealt with logistics making this Christmas celebration possible. I cannot forget the mums / ANSC ladies nor the presence of other teachers (teachers Clara Luís, Conceição Aires, Sandrina Tralhão and Sónia Antunes). A huge THANK YOU!!!
Now, be my guests!
We started the day going to the movies and around 1pm we were already heading to school for a shared meal - all very tasty homemade food prepared by ANSC 2 mums!!! (Congratulations, ladies, you are wonderful cooks!). Afterwards there were several activities - from reading and performing a story, game playing,... to drawing. The kids were fantastic - really! They behaved so well - no tantrums, no sobs, nothing! All mums were helpful and all looked after everybody's children, even Catarina's eldest son who was always attentive and looking after his twin sisters. It was a great day, in a great atmosphere.
The most exciting moment was yet to come - Santa Claus with gifts for all. You cannot imagine (???) how excited kids were: they cried and jumped for joy when they heard Santa's HOHOHO...
Before showing you the pictures I took, I would like to thank teacher CLAUDIA SOARES - she has really been unique with her professionalism and dedication; teacher JOSÉ MIGUEL MENDONÇA, a perfect Santa Claus, and teacher NATÁLIA COSTA from the schoolboard, who dealt with logistics making this Christmas celebration possible. I cannot forget the mums / ANSC ladies nor the presence of other teachers (teachers Clara Luís, Conceição Aires, Sandrina Tralhão and Sónia Antunes). A huge THANK YOU!!!
Now, be my guests!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Talking Turkeys
On Christmas Eve, when all are cooking and / or baking, I thought about a poem by one of my favourite English authors, reggae poet Benjamin Zephaniah, but this time I'm also including a brilliant translation by Joana Styliano Costa sent by Fitch O'Connell (British Council, Porto) some time ago.
Talking Turkeys
from "Talking Turkeys"
Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas
Cos' turkeys just wanna hav fun
Turkeys are cool, turkeys are wicked
An every turkey has a Mum.
Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas,
Don't eat it, keep it alive,
It could be yu mate, an not on your plate
Say, Yo! Turkey I'm on your side.
I got lots of friends who are turkeys
An all of dem fear christmas time,
Now the rap-Portuguese version:
Bora ser simpático c'os perus este Natal
Porque a cena dos perus é só desbundar
Os perus são fixes, os perus são demais
E todos eles têm uma Mãe com quem 'tar.
Bora ser simpático c'os perus este Natal
Não os comas, deix'ó peru vivo,
Podias ser tu, pá, em vez de ser pr'a ti
E digam Yo! Peru tou contigo.
Tenho montes d'amigos perus
E todos temem no Natal,
Querem curti-lo mas dizem qu'os humanos
não deixam
E os humanos 'tão passados da cabeça,
É isso mesmo, tenho montes d'amigos perus
E todos têm direito a viver,
Não enjaulados ou geneticamente alterados
Por um qualquer lavrador e a sua mulher.
Do you like this kind of writing? Then have a look at, for example...
http://www.benjaminzephaniah.com/
www.benjaminzephaniah.com/content/biography.php
www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?alpha=Z
http://www.nme.com/artists/benjamin-zephaniah
Again, a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS
Talking Turkeys
from "Talking Turkeys"
Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas
Cos' turkeys just wanna hav fun
Turkeys are cool, turkeys are wicked
An every turkey has a Mum.
Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas,
Don't eat it, keep it alive,
It could be yu mate, an not on your plate
Say, Yo! Turkey I'm on your side.
I got lots of friends who are turkeys
An all of dem fear christmas time,
Dey wanna enjoy it, dey say humans
destroyed it
An humans are out of dere mind,
Yeah, I got lots of friends who are turkeys
Dey all hav a right to a life,
Not to be caged up an genetically made up
By any farmer an his wife.
Bora ser simpático c'os perus este Natal
Porque a cena dos perus é só desbundar
Os perus são fixes, os perus são demais
E todos eles têm uma Mãe com quem 'tar.
Bora ser simpático c'os perus este Natal
Não os comas, deix'ó peru vivo,
Podias ser tu, pá, em vez de ser pr'a ti
E digam Yo! Peru tou contigo.
Tenho montes d'amigos perus
E todos temem no Natal,
Querem curti-lo mas dizem qu'os humanos
não deixam
E os humanos 'tão passados da cabeça,
É isso mesmo, tenho montes d'amigos perus
E todos têm direito a viver,
Não enjaulados ou geneticamente alterados
Por um qualquer lavrador e a sua mulher.
Do you like this kind of writing? Then have a look at, for example...
http://www.benjaminzephaniah.com/
www.benjaminzephaniah.com/content/biography.php
www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?alpha=Z
http://www.nme.com/artists/benjamin-zephaniah
Again, a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS
Monday, December 21, 2009
COP15
I just can't resist posting!!! I told you so... this time to express my disappointment towards the failure of Copenhagen climate deal.
What a frustrating summit without a legally binding treaty! So much expectation, so many speeches and truths (remember Venezualan president Hugo Chavez speaking at the UN climate talks "If the climate was a bank, (the United States) would already have saved it") but no progresses at all. According to many, not because of the USA but because of China...
Here is a clip by Quercus I find quite appropriate:
Ya, just think about it - not later, not in 2010 but RIGHT NOW!
What a frustrating summit without a legally binding treaty! So much expectation, so many speeches and truths (remember Venezualan president Hugo Chavez speaking at the UN climate talks "If the climate was a bank, (the United States) would already have saved it") but no progresses at all. According to many, not because of the USA but because of China...
Here is a clip by Quercus I find quite appropriate:
Ya, just think about it - not later, not in 2010 but RIGHT NOW!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Season's greetings
Dear all,
Christmas is coming and so is the New Year.
After so many months of hard work, time has come for a family break (let's see if I can do it...). I'll be around and in touch with all of you and to the dearest ones ,I'll still send a Christmas card.
Before I leave you today, let me just congratulate my class AE 3 (again, yes)! The "Fabulous Five" (Ana, Conceição, Fátima. Isabel e Olinda) presented their stories in our Christmas celebration last Wednesday, 16th December. What great performances, ladies!!!!
Now, time to wish you a Very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2010!
With all my heart,
(Teacher) Alexandra
Christmas is coming and so is the New Year.
After so many months of hard work, time has come for a family break (let's see if I can do it...). I'll be around and in touch with all of you and to the dearest ones ,I'll still send a Christmas card.
Before I leave you today, let me just congratulate my class AE 3 (again, yes)! The "Fabulous Five" (Ana, Conceição, Fátima. Isabel e Olinda) presented their stories in our Christmas celebration last Wednesday, 16th December. What great performances, ladies!!!!
Now, time to wish you a Very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2010!
With all my heart,
(Teacher) Alexandra
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Christmas lunch with AE1
To keep you in mind, as usual, some photos were taken - this time by myself and Sandra :) Do have a look, ok?
Thank you again, ladies, not only for your kind invitation but also for the joy of being with all of you as well as with teachers Anabela and Clara.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
3D "A Christmas Carol"
Last night off we went to the cinema this time for “A Christmas Carol” which is quite appropriate for this time of the year. This time we had a group of 35 including teachers, students as well as some children and teens. It really became a family movie! Just have a look:
For those who don’t /didn’t know, this immortal tale was written by Charles Dickens and published in 1843. The main character, Ebenezer Scrooge (JIM CARREY) begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk, Bob Cratchit, and at his good-hearted nephew, Fred. On that same Christmas Eve, Scrooge goes back home where he is visited by the ghost of his dead business partner, Joseph Marley, who’s paying the price in the afterlife for his own meanness. Marley thus hopes to help Scrooge avoid a similar fate and tells him that he will be visited by three spirits: the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet-to-Come. They all take Scrooge swooping the streets of Victorian London (as freely as Superman or even like in another timeless story as Peter Pan)on an eye-opening journey revealing truths he’s reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it’s too late – and it’s never too late to change attitudes, don’t you think? Indeed, Scrooges’s changes surprise all as he sends a huge turkey (not a goose!) to the Cratchits’ home, spends Christmas day at his nephew's, raises his employee’s salary and vows to assist his family, including Bob’s crippled son, Tiny Tim. For someone who started this movie saying “Christmas is humbug…when you find yourself a year older and not a penny richer” and finishes with the famous “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year” it means Scrooge has really learned a lesson he will never forget. Who would?
According to David Perdue (http://charlesdickenspage.com/) Charles Dickens has had much more influence on the way we celebrate Christmas than we can imagine. In a time when misery spread around industrial England, Dickens’ Christmas stories, particularly the masterpiece “A Christmas Carol”, enhanced the joy of Christmas as a family feast. As Henry David Thoreau put it “The way you spend Christmas is far more important than how much.”
Quoting Perdue now “Dickens' name had become so synonymous with Christmas that on hearing of his death in 1870 a little costermonger's girl in London asked, "Mr. Dickens dead? Then will Father Christmas die too?"
No, certainly not! The spirit of Christmas has prevailed as it was his wish; himself was the most popular English novelist of the Victorian era, and one of the most popular of all time; as for “A Christmas Carol”, it remains popular, has never been out of print and has often been adapted (this three-dimensional version is only the latest example once even by Disney there is another one, a 24-minute long film from 1983 with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck - as Scrooge, obviously - that you and your kids can’t miss).
Other curious facts (?) about Dickens and his role in the English Literature and storytelling are, for example, the opening of a new Literature themed amusement park in London in the spring of 2007 or, more recently, the world famous Christmas lights on Oxford Street, London, being sponsored by Disney and lit by Jim Carrey on Tuesday, 3 November 2009 on the same night of the world premiere of “A Christmas Carol”. Guess the theme of this year's Christmas lights??? Right: Dickens! If you wish to see London Christmas Lights, please visit
http://golondon.about.com/od/londonpictures/ig/Christmas-Lights-2009/ or
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/oxford-street-christmas-lights-feature-403.html
So, Dickens' book is a parable for all ages motivated by his real social concern; the social inequalities he portrays in many of his most famous books, including “A Christmas Carol”, were based on his bitter experience and dealing with such topics made readers aware that it is never too late to convert greedy, insensitive people into charitable people, real philanthropists (that Victorian England so desperately needed).
As for this Robert Zemeckis production, well, there’s not anything new really – the difference is clearly the technology, not storytelling. The flick remains true to the book but it’s retold now in a good 3D cartoon. Yet, do go to the movies and check it for yourself because I’ve known the story (by heart) for a long time as it is my all time fav Christmas book(and I haven't missed any film version either)! Ya, and there’s something else: should you take the kiddies to this movie??? Well, I´m not so sure... when planning to go, don’t forget it is rated PG which means Parental Guidance for scary sequences and images.
I wouldn't like to finish though without leaving you some (web)suggestions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_dickens (already suggested on Oct 29 when I posted "What the Dickens?" for info on the author as well as on Victorian England)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_carol (info on the tale)
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/achristmascarol/ (for games, videos, pictures, info,...)
http://www.freechristmasclipart.org/dickenscarol.htm (besides the Ebook and other stuff, you can find here the reason why Dickens called it a carol)
http://www.dickensworld.co.uk/ (Dickens World Amusement Park in England inspired by the author's work)
http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/christmas-carol/christmas-carol.html (the different versions of the tale, including the one with Mickey Mouse)
http://www.history.com/content/christmas/the-real-story-of-christmas/a-christmas-carol (history channel has loads of videos and data on Christmas, including on "A Christmas Carol")
...
Other suggestions (for teenagers or adults) include songs such as
"All I want for Christmas" or "Santa Claus is coming to town" by Mariah Carey
"Happy Christmas", John Lennon
"Christmas Time", Brian Adams
"Last Christmas", George Michael
"White Christmas", Bing Crosby
"Do they know it's Christmas", Band Aid
"Santa's depression", Gomo
...
For more advanced learners, why not, for example, ask them to read "The spirit of Christmas" by Vivian Edwards to find similarities between the two stories, ...
Nice reading (or viewing):)))and ADM students: do not forget to bring your 3D glasses into class for better understanding English - Eheheheh!!!
For those who don’t /didn’t know, this immortal tale was written by Charles Dickens and published in 1843. The main character, Ebenezer Scrooge (JIM CARREY) begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk, Bob Cratchit, and at his good-hearted nephew, Fred. On that same Christmas Eve, Scrooge goes back home where he is visited by the ghost of his dead business partner, Joseph Marley, who’s paying the price in the afterlife for his own meanness. Marley thus hopes to help Scrooge avoid a similar fate and tells him that he will be visited by three spirits: the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet-to-Come. They all take Scrooge swooping the streets of Victorian London (as freely as Superman or even like in another timeless story as Peter Pan)on an eye-opening journey revealing truths he’s reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it’s too late – and it’s never too late to change attitudes, don’t you think? Indeed, Scrooges’s changes surprise all as he sends a huge turkey (not a goose!) to the Cratchits’ home, spends Christmas day at his nephew's, raises his employee’s salary and vows to assist his family, including Bob’s crippled son, Tiny Tim. For someone who started this movie saying “Christmas is humbug…when you find yourself a year older and not a penny richer” and finishes with the famous “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year” it means Scrooge has really learned a lesson he will never forget. Who would?
Quoting Perdue now “Dickens' name had become so synonymous with Christmas that on hearing of his death in 1870 a little costermonger's girl in London asked, "Mr. Dickens dead? Then will Father Christmas die too?"
No, certainly not! The spirit of Christmas has prevailed as it was his wish; himself was the most popular English novelist of the Victorian era, and one of the most popular of all time; as for “A Christmas Carol”, it remains popular, has never been out of print and has often been adapted (this three-dimensional version is only the latest example once even by Disney there is another one, a 24-minute long film from 1983 with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck - as Scrooge, obviously - that you and your kids can’t miss).
Other curious facts (?) about Dickens and his role in the English Literature and storytelling are, for example, the opening of a new Literature themed amusement park in London in the spring of 2007 or, more recently, the world famous Christmas lights on Oxford Street, London, being sponsored by Disney and lit by Jim Carrey on Tuesday, 3 November 2009 on the same night of the world premiere of “A Christmas Carol”. Guess the theme of this year's Christmas lights??? Right: Dickens! If you wish to see London Christmas Lights, please visit
http://golondon.about.com/od/londonpictures/ig/Christmas-Lights-2009/ or
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/oxford-street-christmas-lights-feature-403.html
So, Dickens' book is a parable for all ages motivated by his real social concern; the social inequalities he portrays in many of his most famous books, including “A Christmas Carol”, were based on his bitter experience and dealing with such topics made readers aware that it is never too late to convert greedy, insensitive people into charitable people, real philanthropists (that Victorian England so desperately needed).
As for this Robert Zemeckis production, well, there’s not anything new really – the difference is clearly the technology, not storytelling. The flick remains true to the book but it’s retold now in a good 3D cartoon. Yet, do go to the movies and check it for yourself because I’ve known the story (by heart) for a long time as it is my all time fav Christmas book(and I haven't missed any film version either)! Ya, and there’s something else: should you take the kiddies to this movie??? Well, I´m not so sure... when planning to go, don’t forget it is rated PG which means Parental Guidance for scary sequences and images.
I wouldn't like to finish though without leaving you some (web)suggestions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_dickens (already suggested on Oct 29 when I posted "What the Dickens?" for info on the author as well as on Victorian England)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_carol (info on the tale)
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/achristmascarol/ (for games, videos, pictures, info,...)
http://www.freechristmasclipart.org/dickenscarol.htm (besides the Ebook and other stuff, you can find here the reason why Dickens called it a carol)
http://www.dickensworld.co.uk/ (Dickens World Amusement Park in England inspired by the author's work)
http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/christmas-carol/christmas-carol.html (the different versions of the tale, including the one with Mickey Mouse)
http://www.history.com/content/christmas/the-real-story-of-christmas/a-christmas-carol (history channel has loads of videos and data on Christmas, including on "A Christmas Carol")
...
Other suggestions (for teenagers or adults) include songs such as
"All I want for Christmas" or "Santa Claus is coming to town" by Mariah Carey
"Happy Christmas", John Lennon
"Christmas Time", Brian Adams
"Last Christmas", George Michael
"White Christmas", Bing Crosby
"Do they know it's Christmas", Band Aid
"Santa's depression", Gomo
...
For more advanced learners, why not, for example, ask them to read "The spirit of Christmas" by Vivian Edwards to find similarities between the two stories, ...
Nice reading (or viewing):)))and ADM students: do not forget to bring your 3D glasses into class for better understanding English - Eheheheh!!!
Friday, December 4, 2009
"A Christmas Carol"
Hello, everybody!
Nevertheless, we have to keep going and yes, another activity!!!
Now, who the hell is Ebenezer Scrooge???? I'm not going to tell you the story, no way! Just to "sharpen your appetite" either to read this timeless tale or to go to the movies, Scrooge is a Victorian-era miser taken on a journey of self-redemption, due to several mysterious Christmas apparitions.
For now, let's just enjoy the trailer!
Though I know the story, I'm quite thrilled to see the film. What about you?
As you already know, there are some tasks prior to the film as well as for the next classes. Take advantage of the weekend to solve the worksheet on business english (cinema as a company) and beforehand you can also do some research work on Charles Dickens's life and legacy...
So, folks, see you next week, ok?
This blog has been slow on comments... what's the matter? My guess is that you're probably as busy as I am and there are other priorities, correct? Teaching, family, health problems (as it is now the case around here), all get in the way of my blogging (and perhaps of your comments, too).
Nevertheless, we have to keep going and yes, another activity!!!
Christmas is coming and I suggested going to the movies again this time for Disney's "A Christmas Carol", a 2009 film adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1843 story of the same name. This 3D film is written and directed by Robert Zemeckis, and stars Jim Carrey in a multitude of roles, including Ebenezer Scrooge as a young, middle-aged, and old man, and three of the ghosts who haunt Scrooge.
Now, who the hell is Ebenezer Scrooge???? I'm not going to tell you the story, no way! Just to "sharpen your appetite" either to read this timeless tale or to go to the movies, Scrooge is a Victorian-era miser taken on a journey of self-redemption, due to several mysterious Christmas apparitions.For now, let's just enjoy the trailer!
Though I know the story, I'm quite thrilled to see the film. What about you?
As you already know, there are some tasks prior to the film as well as for the next classes. Take advantage of the weekend to solve the worksheet on business english (cinema as a company) and beforehand you can also do some research work on Charles Dickens's life and legacy...
So, folks, see you next week, ok?
The Strongest Link Against AIDS
As part of the activities developed by ESPAÇO J to promote healthy behaviours, on December 2nd our school, Escola 3 / Secundária Fernando Namora (Condeixa) and Escola Secundária de Pombal took part in a competition called "The Strongest Link Against AIDS". The three teams (schools) participated with four students each plus their supporting cheerleaders and all had to do their very best to deserve winning... in the end, Escola 3 / Secundária de Pombal won but ALL proved to be well-aware of what dangerous / risky behaviours were and how to avoid them to become the "strongest link" against HIV / AIDS.Just like in the previous edition, CLUBE ART'E VICIOS joined in and amazed all with their different performances - music, drama,...
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