Arte & Caricaturas: Héctor Timerman

Arte & Caricaturas: Héctor Timerman: Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Argentina

bUENÍSIMOOOO;)

To not leave it blank

Here are some notes for you, Tamara, and for all you teachers who are trying to help your students write.

class 1
It started with a diagnostic test, standard issue. But all the students left the writing part blank, as if they had nothing to say about their holidays. Of course, they were just intimidated by the empty lines.

class 2
So you gave these 3rd year students of yours very short topics and guide them to write a couple of sentences only--about their favorite things, music and so on.

3
From this, they got into groups to write a paragraph together about music.

4
Then, again in groups, they wrote about a favorite movie, giving more details this time, describing the plot, characters, etc. And then they had to give an oral presentation on the same.

5
Individually, they had to use the passive voice to construct some sentences, still in the movie topic.

6
This led up to the test, where they had to write about a historically significant movie.

7
Moving away from grammar, they had a free writing, imagining what it would be like to be stuck in child labor.

8
They worked from a short text about a famous woman, filling in biographical data to then write their own paragraph about her.

9
Then they told the story of Mt. Everest. And went home for another holiday.

Or anyway, these are the notes I took from what you were saying. I think you should write about it yourself, or make it into a sweet presentation for next year's symposium. The thing about writing being neglected, even in Spanish, at all levels lower than tertiary, where they suddenly expect you to produce academic writing out of nowhere. How writing is useful for showing reflection, whereas speaking in the moment tends to be very tense, subject to all kinds of peer pressure and stress. And how writing can't be realistically set for homework, at least not right away. And how next year the writing workshop should be one of these seminar-style courses in the IPA, not a full semester, but not quite voluntary, either. Gabriel thought it was a good idea, too, but he's taking off for the New School.

My first translation

This is my first semi-professional translation. Though I did it gratis for my friend, Leonardo Garet, he is a real writer, with books of narrative, poetry, and criticism as well as anthologies published here in Uruguay. He also runs the writing workshop in the Salto public library, where I would go and sit in, until the futbol tournament with the CeRP students took up my Tuesday nights.

Here's his homepage. There are a number of other translations to be found, too.

And now that I've got my foot in the door, remember to send me anything you'd like me to help you with, translations or otherwise.

Good luck with exams!

Writing is SO important!

This recently published article from The New York Times is an inspiring example of teachers pulling together, and also gives good insight into the daily life at one U.S. high school. Enjoy!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/education/28school.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&sq=writing%20teacher&st=cse&scp=4

Cool Language tricks! check them out :D

I'm sorry if the post is too long and unconfortable, but i thought you'd all like these tricks... and this food for thought?

:D

Cheers! :)

Tam

Light at the end

About a month left...

When you want help with your final papers or anything like that, you know who to call!

email me with anything you need me to look at, or to schedule a meeting--
wesley.schantz@fulbrightmail.org

but try not to leave it until the last minute.

Much luck!

quiz!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Can you tell whose is this quote?

I found it particularely interesting (if you are not depressed by it, it is actually quite inspiring) think about it!

Tam