Thanks a lot, Matt!

This Summer that so many of us teachers are spending part of our holidays doing our reports, here it is: Matt Damon rallies teachers at a Save Our Schools Rally near the White House! Damon accompanied his mother, who is a teacher, and thanked those who taught him valuable lessons during his childhood. Listen to him:



On behalf of many other teachers, THANK YOU!
Now, another great video... to tell you the truth, I was saving this one for October but here it goes...



I also thank all my students :)

What was your greatest kiss?

tate.org.uk
The Kiss, Auguste Rodin

According to Answers.com a kiss is...

•  - A caress or touch with the lips
•  - A slight or gentle touch

and to kiss " — to make contact with the lips — is often a sign of friendship or affection. In this respect it is seen as a Western gesture of intimacy and is not, therefore, observed in all cultures."
However, if we talk about the "kiss of life" (no, definitely not the myth of the Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella or Snow White) we all associate with a mouth-to-mouth method of restoring breathing - to save lives - which is a completely different issue.
As you now acknowledge, I'm not kidding when asking about your greatest  kiss... it could be the greatest kiss you ever give or get!
Taking this into account, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) launched a campaign to make people aware of the importance of having every young person leaving school knowing how to save a life. In their own words, "Having Emergency Life Support (ELS) skills should be as important as learning to read and write."
On National Kissing Day have a look at this video published by the BHF:

Nice way to introduce the topic in our schools as well, don't you think? It would be a great contribution for those fighting for ELS skills to be a mandatory part of the National Curriculum...

Anyway, here you'll find more information on ELS and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and for Portuguese teachers of English, the website can also be used as a resource not only to combat heart disease but also smoking, to promote healthy eating habits or physical activity. Check it out!

Students Like You - Part 2

Some months ago I published here about my experience with a superb adult class. From April to July I had another great experience but this time with graduates from Montemor-o-Velho's Town Hall. What was true back in January, is again 100 % valid and with an even larger group. Have a look at some pictures:

This time though there was a challenge that surely boosted the group's commitment and that was a free summer course sponsored by International House Coimbra. Believe me it was a difficult decision to make because all worked hard in class and at home, many always did their homework and extra worksheets and besides all that, all READ at least 1 book! Stella even brought her own (and thick) book in English - no doubt; Raquel, Cátia, Paulo and Catarina read more than one book... the lucky one was Catarina Flórido, who not only read several books but also summarised them. Ah: she didn't miss a single class either!!! So, congrats, Catarina :) and many, many thanks to IH Coimbra for the generous offer.

Hope you can all make good use of what you've just learned and remember: it's never too late to learn or simply refresh your knowledge. Now, an inspirational video / song by EMINEM, one of my favorite rappers. As usual, his lyrics aren't language friendly but, as ddeubel puts it, the chorus ROCKS!!!!

All the best and...don't be afraid! Be daring!

Find more videos like this on EFL CLASSROOM 2.0