10/23/2010
I´ve done quite a bit the past few weeks! Chelsea and I went to another futbol game (in Cattaroja: Situado en la comarca de la Huerta Sur, se encuentra a 8 km de la capital de la Comunidad Valenciana, Valencia). We had a good time with Gaby and the weather was lovely.
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| Cattaroja with Chelsea |
No complaints. Later on that evening, we hosted our very first gathering! Well, I give all the crédit to our Martha Stewart (C. Dixon). It was – in a word – fabulous! It was a nice Group: We had our Haitian, Puerto Rican, Mexican, American, Spanish, Italian mix. I haven´t had that much fun..well, in weeks. =)
There was enough wine to last a few weeks. Talk about variety. Speaking of wine, I can not believe how inexpensive the local wine is here (particularly at Mercadona and Consum, the most popular supermarkets in the area).
It is fantastic. Heaven for you Wine Lovers, out there!
I have also fallen hard for stores dispersed through out the city, referred to as tiendas de los Chinos (discount stores, more or less, that sell EVERYTHING you can imagine at much better prices than you would find at a Corte Ingles (mall) for example. If you decide to visit within the next year, you will irrefutably experience a Chino store with me!
Last week, my good friend (Mely from Panama) returned after one week in EGYPT. You KNOW I would have gone (pity: I have my teaching responsibilities). In any case, she had a great time and came back with plenty of wonderful stories and momentos, which is good enough for me! To my amazement, she even brought me a surprise!
This Ancient stone of Egypt which is said to bring good luck and prosperity. I am wearing it right now actually. Keep an eye out for it in photos, will ya?
So, yes, I have been sick this week (yes, the week in its entirety) with a virus that is apparently going around (I have already learned of four people who have had it this month!). I could not be more thankful for the faculty and staff at work. They are so kind and understanding; I’m really fortunate that they refer to themselves as my “family away from home”.
For future reference: The BEST treatment for the “bug” (Items uncontrollably escaping from the attic and/or the basement) is definitely SLEEP, BOILED POTATOES, SLEEP, THE “JUICE” FROM BOILED RICE, SLEEP, A LOT OF WATER.
I barely made it through my Valencian Class this week. I toughed it out, nevertheless. The instructor is ALWAYS on point with instruction. He is very good: Senyor Josep-Vicent. The entire class is in Valenciano! Joseph actually co-authored the course text. Kind of cool, if you ask me.
I also made it to my meeting with the Fulbright ETA Padrino, Dr. David Nordlund. He is kind of a big deal at the US Consulate here in Valencia; A really sweet man!
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| Dr. Nordlund and I |
I am looking into volunteering at a Catholic hospital or Catholic Charities (¨Caritas¨). Dr. Nordlund knows the director of the center for abused women in Valencia. Sometimes these unfortunate women go to the center with their children. The director is an absolute sweetheart. Would this interest you?
Learning along the way (Things I didn´t learn in school):
I learned that carrying my Camelbak around (well more specifically, DRINKING it) in front of others is disrespectful when talking to others or perhaps when even in the presence of others.
For those of you who have had a Camelbak water bottle, you know that instead of drinking one must kind of bite on the dispenser. Let´s just say that this is unacceptable in Spain. No Camelbaks, please. I guess I have to invest in a new water bottle =).
...There’s more!
According to Teresa, While it is okay to belch in Morocco (sign of good appetite, that one is pleased with the meal), and it is appropriate in Ireland to publicly yawn/stretch one´s arms as if one is tired or waking up – these are NOT okay in Spain. Good to know. “You are young..you still have much to learn”, said the former elementary school Principal (mi jefa, the head of the ESL department at El Barranquet).
Interesting (Guay) info thanks to Teresa (who studied in England for years): The history of the flag of Great Britain. The evolution of it was fascinating to me.
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The end of the day was quite emotional for me (in a good way). I returned to the room to collect my things before the 1 hour commute home and found a present waiting for me! I am officially a teacher at CEIP: El Baranquet. I now have a uniform (robe) that the Teacher’s typically sport in school! (So yes, warm fuzzies. Indubitably).
Interesting Differences between US and Spain (Education)
The past few months, I've been noting several marked differences between schools here relative to those back home (thanks, Mrs. Wysocki, for stimulating this thought process). Let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns with my observations. Please do not forget that I am very much a foreigner in this country. I still have MUCH to learn.
- I find it interesting that there are no written quizzes or tests (did we have quizzes in elementary school?); I feel as if homework and in-class participation are a colossal part of students' grades. Teresa sometimes reminds them that they MUST continuously review in order to prepare for the “big exam” as they say here (as if they were in college). It was kind of strange: I had a flashback – Uconn. Fall 2009. Dr. Cruess. Abnormal Psychology.
- It’s also intriguing how our Students are NEVER in the same seats for more than one week. Teachers change seats and the arrangement of desks every single week! I wonder what the rationale behind this is. Is this specific to my "collegio" (school)? Any ideas?
- Seemingly trivial: I LOVE LOVE LOVE how students clap for one another when they do exceptionally well on an in-class task (when they are rewarded, commended, etc.). I seldom see this in the US classroom: this sense of camaraderie. It is one of the sweetest things I’ve witnessed since I’ve been here.
- This is not necessarily distinct from American schools, but I think it is worth noting. I love how much the faculty/staff value quality over quantity. As a youngster (and even as an adult), I personally I feel we are pushed to produce more, more, more, which may ultimately compromise product quality. Here, students are encouraged to take their time. They will bring in class projects home to complete them and parents are SUPER involved in students’ education (as evidenced by some of the projects submitted to school. A superior “cut out” job I saw the other day showed a degree of dexterity that I argue a 5 year old is not capable of. At least Mom and Dad didn’t do the whole project, as evidenced by the inconsistent coloring patterns). I love all of the hands-on classroom assignments we have students doing here – in ALL subjects.
We have an exceptional staff here at El Barranquet. The kids are lucky. Great teachers --> Happy Students --> High Performance --> Happy School. Possible confounding variable: (The cheerful music that plays in between periods instead of a monotonous bell that rings between periods).
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A great example of how much pride students and faculty take in students’ work was during
Halloween celebration. Their art work and written projects were posted and/or hanging through out the entire school and still are (I should have documented close-ups. You get the picture, I am sure)! I was shocked to find out what a big deal Halloween is in my school!
- A fellow teacher, Chris, perfectly articulates a few marked differences:
“Here in Spain there are three levels of school just like the USA has three levels (elementary, middle, and high school). The levels in Spain are as follows: first there is "colegio" (like an elementary school), later you go to "ESO" (you go there until you are about 16 years old - it's sort of like a middle school combined with the freshman and sophomore years of high school). After completing ESO, you have the choice to go to "Bachillerato" (from 16-18 years of age - it's like the junior and senior years of high school) but you don't have to do Bachillerato. According to Spanish law, students only have to complete ESO…in other words, when they are around 16 years old they can choose whether they want go on to do Bachillerato or finish school with just their diploma from ESO. Pretty much all students choose to continue and finish Bachillerato. Those who finish Bachillerato usually go on to do a college degree; however, less people go to college here than in the USA. Like you said, in the USA it is "expected" that you will go to college after high school... here it kinda depends on what you want to do with your life. What we call "vocational schools" or “technical schools” in the USA are a little more common here in Spain.
- Here I'd say about 50% of students go to a public school and about 50% go to a private school. It just depends on the students/parents. I work in a public school so I don't know much about private schools.
- The school day, at least in secondary school, is typically from about 8:30 AM until 2:30 PM. There is no "lunch" in schools here because it is not typical to eat lunch in Spain until 3:00 or so in the afternoon. So there is no "school cafeteria" like what you know in the USA.... Instead, most schools have a small café and students can go there during a 15 minute break that they get in the middle of the school day to drink a coffee or eat a quick snack. So yes, students go home for lunch and return for the afternoon classes (3-5 PM). Interesting, no?! (This took me a little while to get used to).
- Another very big difference between secondary school here in Spain and secondary school in the USA is that in Spain, (not all) some TEACHERS are the ones who switch classes...not the students. This is how it works for ESL and Arts and Crafts at my school. Imagine being in the same classroom all day long with the same group of students and when the bell rings the teachers come to you instead of you going to the teachers. Students here have no lockers because they stay in the same room all day and the teachers have small offices that they go to when they are not teaching. Since the teachers are all "traveling" teachers and switch rooms constantly, none of them have their own classroom like in the USA.
- Oh yes and The last two years of high school, Bachillerato, are usually specialized according to what you want to study at college (remember, these are the “optional” years). For instance, if you want to study languages in college, you take a Bachillerato curriculum that focuses on Humanities. If you want to be a chemist, you would take a more science-oriented "Bachillerato." In the USA, we study a little bit of everything but here they specialize a little more depending on what they want to do with their life.
...I am sure there is more to come!
Source:
http://www.notesfromspain.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8299
11/3
Teaching is a BLAST, a total delight. I absolutely adore the students. In school I assist in classes de
Angles (English) for most of the day, but at the end of the day I teach my own class: La Plastica. Indeed, this is Arts & Crafts. EVERYTHING IN ENGLISH. This is much harder than I expected; giving step by step instructions and teaching compulsory vocabulary all while maintaining a well behaved class of 25-28 non native English speakers is tough. I currently work with first, second, and sixth grade (sometimes Teresa allows me to teach the 3
rd graders. Kind of a big deal) It is both interesting and challenging modifying my teaching style and level for each class and within each class (Of course, some students are more advanced than others and vice versa), but it is so fantastic! Planning lessons is certainly the most time consuming portion of the week. A few of prep time for each class is pretty normative. I love collaborating with the teachers, too. I am learning a lot of really interesting things along the way, particularly because I have never considered myself a very artistic person. (For example, this week I learned with my students how to draw
Manga Cartoons).
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| Manga Cartoons are surprisingly fun to draw and color! The kids did a PHENOMENAL job with these. |
It is incredible how much vocabulary you can teach the kids via arts and crafts. INCREDIBLE!) They are so helpful and are equally as excited to learn English, which is exciting. I´m working with a really great series, which I would highly recommend for ESL learners in the primary school years: Santillana Drawing and Printing Richmond Publishing. I am also realizing how CRITICAL routines and preparation are in the teaching profession. So commonsensical it is, actually. People usually prefer to know what to expect, yes? People also like fluidity. Hence, the importance of routine and preparation. I love it.
11/4/2010
So last night, I tried something new! I absolutely love Tiger Nuts! I am not a huge fan of Orxata, but the former is certainly my cup of tea!
By the way:
In Spain, it usually refers to orxata de xufa (horchata de chufa), made from tigernuts, water, and sugar.
Originally from Valencia, the idea of making horchata from tigernuts comes from the period of Muslim presence in Valencia (from the 8th to 13th century).
It has a regulating council to ensure the quality of the product and the villages where it can come from, with the Denomination of Origin. The village of Alboraia is well known for the quality of its horchata.
It is served ice cold as a natural refreshment in the summer. Tigernut horchata is also used in place of milk by the lactose intolerant (hello).
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horchata
THE TIGERNUT |
The Tigernut (cyperus sculentus lativum) or 'Chufa' as it is known in Spanish, is not actually a nut, but a small tuber.
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It was first discovered 4000 years ago and comes in several sizes. (FYI: Tigernuts have long been recognised for their health benefits, as they are high in fibre, proteins, and natural sugars.) So delicious!
Today, I was asked to monitor the 2nd grade class while Carmen took a number outside to measure the playground (hands on application of Math lesson. I LOVE IT). The kids are so great! I’m glad I finally had the opportunity to marvel at the students’ work, their projects featuring life at home (Ah, so many photos!). One of our students (9 years old!) created a poster for his classmates, explaining how to make homemade bread!
I am also loving the unintended chance to practice my Valencia (the language). The language is everywhere in this school (the students and staff only teach in Valencia.) The Days, Months and Important Vocabulary are posted through out classrooms, which is GREAT.
A Few words/phrases I’ve picked up at school (and in class):
Hello (informal).
Hola. (OH-lah). For the formal equivalent of "hola" see good morning, good afternoon, good evening, below.
How are you?
Com estàs? (KOH-m ehss-TAHSS?) (informal); Com està? (KOH-m ehss-TAH?) (formal)
Fine, thank you.
Molt bé, gracies.
What is your name?
Com et dius? (informal); Com es diu? (formal)
My name is ______ .
Em dic ______.
Nice to meet you.
Molt de gust.
Please.
Si us plau.
Thank you.
Gràcies. OR Mercès.
You're welcome.
No hi fa res.
Yes.
Sí. (SEE)
No.
No. (NOH)
Excuse me. (getting attention)
Dispensi.
Excuse me. (begging pardon)
Perdoni.
I'm sorry.
Em sap greu.
Goodbye
Adéu.
I can't speak Catalan [well].
No parlo [bé] el català.
Help!
Ajuda! Auxili!
Good morning.
Bon dia.
Good afternoon.
Bona vesprada.
Good night.
Bona nit.
I don't understand.
No ho entenc.
Where is the toilet?
On és el lavabo?
10/29/2010
I left a bit later than I wanted from the house for the airport last night. I am now on my way to Suiza with my Swiss Gear backpack on Swiss Air (unplanned, but kind of cool). I hope Tio is as sweet as he seems!
