May the force be with you, write down your new year's resolutions!

I had so much fun preparing this class for the next year... this piece belongs to another worksheet I created from the scratch. The world of teaching is a vast ground where everything is possible; it's great to try new things with my students. I hope they enjoy it!
Star Wars has been an engaging sphere I just discovered, eventhough it has been there for quite a while. Aaaaanyways, here is this piece. Thanx for reading.

May the force be with you!

New year´s resolutions by Fernanda/ Lain

January 2016 Vocabulary Calendar

Learning a language is not only about grammar and vocabulary but also understanding that a language is about culture; a global culture where we all are linked. This calendar intends to increase our vocabulary range by reading texts which are interesting to us; they don't necessarily have to be long books but texts related to topics we enjoy the most e.g.: A facebook post, a blog entry, an interesting tweet which could be read in your mother tongue or in an English text. In order to learn a foreign language we have to know our own. There is a lot of information out there and a proper reaction is the key.

January 2016 Vocabulary Calenday by Fernanda/Lain

This calendar has three key points for each day:

1. Word of the day in our mother tongue and/or in English. This point is directly linked to the following ones, mainly because this section intends to rise awareness of unknown meanings by connecting them with a context, a meaningful context to you.
2. Article of the day. This is developed by being constant, I would like to share what I do on my own in order to increase my vocabulary. Try to read a random article about a topic you are interested in.
3. Quote of the day. Have you ever read a phrase or quote on FB, twitter or any other social network where you might have saved the image and where you might have forgotten it for good? My friend... it is time to do something else with those words, bring them to life! Write them on your calendar so you can remember its meaning through the days.

I added a TO DO LIST section, it is up to you what you decide to write there. Hopefully it is useful.

Print it in an A3 format by the way.

If you print it, let me know! It would be great to read other's experiences with this format. I shall post February as well when the time comes.

Saying bye 2015!!!

CELTA CUENCA 2015

Graduation Fashion Design 2014, after presenting my thesis/book.

Since I decided to become an English teacher, the way has been full of unexpected challenges. Having my CELTA done in the period I did it was one of the most remarkable aspects of the year, the sensation was at the same level of my graduation day when I got my associates degree in Fashion Design. When I was over my CELTA, I knew it was only the top ob the iceberg.  The path of an English teacher involves many aspects:

• Knowledge of the language.
• Knowledge of teaching techniques. 
• Constant research and updates.
• Finding the right balance between being a people person and a person who inspires respect.
• Make English approachable and fun to students.
• A lot of extra work without being paid for it (lesson planning is not necessary included in the working hours paid, nor extra paperwork such as correcting tests, registering grades).
• Be ready to deal with the system failures. Depending on the place you are working in, you are suppose to fix whatever problem that might come out along the way (e.g. 50 students per classroom, sticking to poorly developed English syllabus with not much flexibility, unknown classroom conditions). Teachers are expected to give results under conditions that people hardly understand.
• Being a psycologist also is a part of the package. One has to be emphatic to what happens in the classroom.
• A lot of things I do not know yet because of my 'limited' experience on the field!

If I knew what teaching was all about at first glance, I probably would have thought it through... in any case, this self discovery has been an interesting process.
There are lots of things to be done, however, I am willing to go through this path wherever it leads. Thanks for joining me!!!

English Teacher in Quito

English teacher advertisement by Fernanda/Lain

ENGLISH TEACHER'S SYMPOSIUM AMBATO - CUE CARDS AND WORKSHEETS

For my English essay!!! I need to register the link, in the following hours I post the rest heheh the paper I am working on has to be sent today before midnight. Still some points to go.

Gothic Martha Stewart: Harry Potter's Acromantulas

This is what I am doing right now!!!! :D what do you think?? Spiders done by my students with the rigtht guidance hehehe for next week's party. There is a decoration contest and my center must win!!!
 

Spiders made of wooden sticks, glue, black cardboard, paint and brushes Nr. 3 and Nr. 12.

 

  

October... my favorite month!!!!

This month will be great indeed!!! I am allowed to have 6 social club activities around Halloween, here are the activities I was thinking of:

- Masters of Horror
Open discussion about reading habits, interesting facts and famous quotes by horror masters (Poe, Lovecraft, among others).

Lesson Focus: Lexis & Speaking.

- Gothic Martha Stewart
It is about time to be as creative as we can! Let's work on an awesome halloween decoration ourselves. 

Lesson Focus: Lexis & Speaking.

- Freaky Friday
What would happen if the life you have is not the one you want? There are million of possibilities, what life would you have chosen instead of yours? Whether you are happy with what you have or not, this one-of-a-lifetime experience will shake you to the bone.

Lesson Focus: Grammar & Writing

- The Witching Hour
In this lesson we will learn more about our magical legacy. Interesting magical customs around the world that even today are followed. A night of spells, finding our roots. 

Lesson Focus: Listening & Writing

- Survival Quest "Zombie Attack"
If the zombie apocalypse was a fact... would you be prepared? In this lesson we will learn useful tips to survive and we will be able to test them.

Lesson Focus: Functional Language &  Speaking

- Welcome to Hogwarts
A two-hour lesson where students will have the closest Harry Potter experience ever (unless they go to Orlando... I cannot fight that lol). We will chose students' houses, there will be the three wizard tourniment, we will look for the 7 Horrorcruxes... 

If you have any other suggestion, let me know. I'm still planning this one.

Lesson Focus: Lexis & Speaking

Well, still trying to organiza info... I want my laptop back!!! Thanx for reading :D

Internet and Memes :3

This social club was done last Wednesday. Quite crowded... but awesome! :D check my students' profiles... I'll create a worksheet as soon as I have my laptop back, it would be great to have these pieces in a proper frame where the info is better kept.

In this class the focus was Lexis & Speaking.

My family tree

This was my first Teaching Practice (TP1) in the CELTA course, after testing some clases with different groups, I modified it in order to fit a one-hour class with beginners.
Lesson Focus: Lexis & Writing.
Number of students: 6

Still working on the final procedure sheet. I shall post it when I feel like doing it lol... thanks for passing by.

Author: Fernanda Moreno/Lain

From Personal Tutor to Certified Teacher :D

Having fun with my students! :D

Social Activity: Marvel vs. DC

Text writen by a student...it made my day!