About Me

My photo
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.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Meet the super (s)heroes

Paralympic Flag
The eyes of the world will again be on London for the next days for the upcoming Paralympic Games. This 14th editon gathers 4200 athletes from 166 countries and Portugal will be represented by 30 Paralympians competing in 5 sports: athletics, boccia, equestrian, swimming and rowing.
Sorry everyone, but I can't share here a fantastic 90-secong long film, Meet the Superhumans. "Set to the track, Harder Than You Think by hip hop legends, Public Enemy, the film showcases the abilities of some of the leading UK Paralympians, represents some of the unique stories behind the elite athletes, and shows the herculean efforts that have gone into their preparation for the Games." Channel4
Here is the link though - do watch it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKTamH__xuQ 

Have a look now at this video with American  (s)heroes!

All the best for the Portuguese athletes!

Monday, August 27, 2012

CAMBRIDGE, day 12

Now posting from home!!!
Trinity College
I'm back, but couldn't skip posting about my last day in Cambridge, could I?
After a busy morning with classes, activities as well as the emotional farewell ceremony, I headed into town for my last visits and shots:
Trinity College

Trinity College








Pembroke College
Pembroke College
Pembroke College










King's College
King's College
And here is my last dinner at Homerton:


»»Roasted Cod Fillets with leeks and pancetta cream sauce+ sides: chips, peas and courgette. As usual, salad and fresh fruit.



Well, this was it...a fabulous 2-week experience which included colleagues from 16 different nationalities in a gorgeous place with a rich and intense programme with classes, afternoon workshops, sports activities, cultural programme... plenty to choose from and noone can complain of boredom! Even the staff and weather contributed for such a positive and stimulating environment, both professionally and individually. Not everything was perfect, but much certainly depends on each one of us...I prefer to stick to what was really great: the tutor, the group, the place, the visits, the food...
I wouldn't like to finish though without posting one last picture of Homerton as well as a poem by Jim Scrivener that so well reflect life at the campus and the way, I guess, we all felt and feel:


Might you remember this?

Might you remember this?

The old stone colleges? Damp dawns?
The word-full classrooms that you met in?
Comparing notes on wide green lawns?
The grand half-chapeled hall that we ate in?

Did you find how English flowed in you
With just a little more ease?
And unexpected learnings grew
Soaked in the Cambridge breeze?

The buses, river, ancient walls.
The bread. The fish. The chips. The peas.
Showers with sunny intervals
Spanish, Czech, Polish, Japanese.

The pull of ancient histories.
The climbing flowers and the bees.
Quaint medieval sanctuaries.
One slice of ham. One slice of cheese.

And those three, tall, gorgeous trees.

Memory’s an edit.
Whole frames go rotten.
I’ve been around a while;
Trust me, much gets forgotten.

Who knows if these days will stay with you.
Framed. Embossed.
Or if it’s just another something
Soon enough lost.
Back in that other place, your land,
You’ll re-find routines soon enough
And this, no longer close at hand,
Just photo-album story stuff.

Some memories are made of feather.
Some are made of stone.
A hundred ways to get here.
And one hundred ways home.

So…will you remember this?

The old stone colleges? Damp dawns?
The word-full classrooms that you met in?
Comparing notes on wide green lawns?
The grand half-chapeled hall that we ate in?

Did you find how English flowed in you
With just a little more ease?
And unexpected learnings grew
Soaked in the Cambridge breeze?

The buses, river, ancient walls.
The bread. The fish. The chips. The peas.
Showers with sunny intervals
Russian, Italian, Portuguese.

The pull of ancient histories.
The climbing flowers and the bees.
Quaint medieval sanctuaries.
One slice of ham. One slice of cheese.

And the trees.
Jim Scrivener
(With Mr. Scrivener’s kind permission)
I'm sure I will remember all this. Who won't? Who wouldn't?
Thank you all at the campus and again and again to APPI and PROALV for this unique experience.

Friday, August 24, 2012

CAMBRIDGE, days 10+11


After the morning classes, at 2pm there was a most interesting plenary talk by Jim Scrivener, renowned author and Bell’s academic director, on “The Underknown Skills of Classroom Management”. As soon as it finished, I went straight to a museum: The Fitzwilliam Museum.
The Fitzwilliam Museum is one of Europe’s great art museums really worth visiting not only because of the exhibitions it hosts but also for the building itself. This imposing neoclassical building was built in 1848 to house Viscount Fitzwilliam’s art collections and nowadays, besides the permanent collections (Antiquities, Applied Arts, Coins, Paintings, and Manuscripts), it hosts temporary exhibits of international and English art. Admission is free, yes, as in many other British museums, but do go with time and long before 5pm, when they close doors and usher you out!
The main entrance to The Fitzwilliam Museum facing Trumpington Street
I went back to the campus at about 6pm for my dinner


>>The main meal consisted of confit duck leg with plum sauce + sides: rice, sugar snaps, roast butternut and sweet potatoes. The main meals are always served with salad and there is always fresh fruit for dessert.



For the evening, there was another enjoyable musical event: Jazzy Tunes with tutors Chaz Pugliese (guitar) and David A. Hill (piano and harmonica). There was also poetry with David A. Hill and Jim Scrivener! Have a look at our multi-talented tutors:
David A Hill
David A Hill (piano) and Chaz Pugliese (guitar)
David A Hill (harmonica)
On Thursday, from 9am to12.30pm classes with our experienced tutor, Anna Young, and at 2pm a practical session on “What motivates our students” by Chaz Pugliese. After that, well, I confess…I shot up for town to go shopping! My time here is almost up and I want to take some pressies home at least for my kids. Isn’t that fair? They do deserve them.
Anyway, there’s not much I can add right now. I had a great dinner in the dining hall at the campus followed by a relaxed and entertaining Karaoke.


>>Pasta with prawns and courgette linguine + green beans and cauliflower. For dessert I chose an orange.




Friday is my last course day at Bell Teacher Training Campus. Goodbyes are always hard, especially when the working environment has been professionally stimulating yet relaxed and led by a brilliant tutor. Though I love it here, I miss my children terribly and look forward to going home. Nothing lasts forever, but good memories will prevail and technology will definitely play its role in maintaining these new friendships and contacts. 

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