Of Halloween, the strange and the unusual

"I, myself, am strange and unusual."

And that was something I identified in myself at a very early age: when I was just a kid, and I watched the movie Beetlejuice for the first time, and I completely fell in love with it! I started dressing as Lidia, and I actually cut my hair like her, a memory that haunts me to this day because it was hideous (I didn't know back then that they have "people" to make her look beautiful; and I didn't have "people"). The movie is great: it is funny, colorful, fast-paced, full of action; Tim Burton at his best!

But that was in the late 80's, early 90's. Movies back then were much, much different than they are today. 

Of getting into the world of Comic Strips

Teaching teens is a great experience; one thing I really appreciate is that they are not yet adults, with formed opinions and preconceptions; but they are old enough to think for themselves.

However, treating teens as adults all the time can be tiring, on me and them. 

So, getting inspiration from the date we are celebrating (today is Children's Day in Brazil, and it happens to be a long weekend) I decided to have a new approach: I encouraged them to get in touch with their childish side!

How did I achieve it? Comic strips!

Of Alice in Educationland

Recently I was asked the following question: if there was a movie about your life, what would the name be?

I didn't even have to think for too long about it! I simply blurted out the name: "Alice in Educationland".

Of midtech, cultural misunderstandings and pronunciation

This week, I had another mishappening: a student said that she had traveled to the US, and while she was there, she went to a dinner party with her husband and some of his friends. During dinner, she decided to tell some stories about her kids, and she didn't understand the look of sheer shock on people when she said her kids were 'terrible'. She told me: "teacher, they are really terrible kids!" 

Of collaborative writing with teens

Recently, I have been working more on collaboration in my classrooms. It is not an easy task with teenagers. They can be so focused on themselves: their future university, their drama, their social life, at times they forget to really learn and get ready for real life, the one that will happen when school is out.

So to bring on collaboration in a motivating and exciting way, I used something which is part of their lives, constantly: their mobile phones.

The objective of the lesson was to write an argumentative essay using statistic facts, developing a compelling argument about living in big cities and the pros and cons of it. 

Boring!

How could I turn the task into something fun, cool, and most importantly, collaborative?

Of the day I f*$% ed up

I believe every teacher has, once or twice in ther lifetime, planned the greatest lesson ever!
That one lesson they believe the students will leave their classroom ecstatic, saying how much they loved the class!

And you plan every detail: what I am teaching, my context, how I am going to deliver it, the exercises, the dynamics, the sitting chart, the deodorant you´ll wear that day, the media used to incentive my students to participate! Everything planned, every detail!

But then...

Of "I am a teacher, and I hate school!"

So, I love studying. No news here, as I am a teacher and most teachers love to study. But here comes the weird part: I hate schools. I mean, I hate going to school! Sounds confusing? 

It is.

I work in a school. I love the environment of a school, the students gathered around, sitting and talking before a class starts, their curious eyes on me while I´m talking to them in the classroom, my classroom walls, all decorated with scenes from Alice in Wonderland - one of my favorite movies ever!

But when it comes to studying, I really hate schools!

Of tired students, comic books and Maker Space

Most of my students are teenagers, in their late teens. In that age when they start worrying about college, adult life and all things boring in life. And they feel so much pressure! From their school, with constant tests and mock tests and extra credits; from their parents, who want them to get into the best school ever in the universe; from their peers, who are trying to get into the same school as them.

So it comes to no surprise when they arrive in my classroom like zombies: barely awake, almost drooling, exhausted! 

And I know how important English is for their life, so I would like them to give me more than they do. How do I achieve that?

Of disorganization, Fruit Loops and free students

This is my studying routine: I like to sit on my bed, listening to music, watching videos, with the TV on, cats messing with my papers while I highlight in the most colorful way possible all my papers! Yes, I know what you´re thinking: disorganized much? Totally! I find organization in my mess!

Somebody once told me that creative minds are disorganized, then I am the Da Vinci of creativity!

My papers, when I am done highlighting and taking footnotes, look like a Fruit Loop bowl: little colorful dots on white.