State + Private Schools = The same issues?

People still think that the hardest situations that any teacher could face are possible only in a public school. Drug addiction and delinquency are the main issues for many. It would be sad if some of us are not able to find something wrong in a private school, because nothing is perfect. Most of these schools are very well-organized, structured and controlled. Teachers and students seem to have an almost perfect life. If we think of “posh people” you have that kind of idea, but it is not real. Many of them live with nannies. Unfortunately they are prone to be sexually abused or battered. Other kids try to imitate their parents. Because of that they can become classists, indifferent, manipulative and perfectionists. Now, do you think that someone is saved of having problems?

According to “posh people” I dare to say: “not all that glitters is gold”. For example, I started observing a class in a private school. The problem I had to face was with a student from 4rd grade of elementary school. My first day I met a girl called Catalina. Her strong personality started to freak me out when I realized that she did not have a good relationship with others. She was very nice but vey conflictive at the same time. One day I had to supervise a group activity. They worked doing a beautiful poster. After the teacher put a mark, one boy wanted to keep it. He wanted to give it to his father. He did not get what he wanted because his group agreed that Catalina was going to keep the poster. Both were arguing until he started to cry. Catalina had won the “battle”.

Therefore I talked to Catalina. I asked if she could give the poster to him. She said “no” harshly. The conflict started when she finally hit him. When her classmates stopped her, she came back to her seat, throwing everything that impeded her way. I made the mistake of taking control of the situation. I asked her: “Why did you do that? What is your purpose of hitting your classmates without talking before?” Immediately after she stood up and shouts without controlling herself: “You can’t tell me what I have to do, you can’t!” Personally speaking, I believe that Catalina was trying to imitate her mother’s bad behavior. From her anger she showed me that she is not happy. Something wrong is happening in her life.

One of our missions as educators is to become mediators, trying to make the best decisions for these cases. In Catalina’s case, she become into an aggressive, manipulative and unsympathetic person because of her mother. Generally speaking, “posh people” live in a cold environment, which their kids can have everything, but not happiness. Unfortunately, we see those problems as silly and unimportant. The worst of all, we are not being conscious that nobody can reach happiness with money, you need love too. Poor and rich kids have almost the same problems. The only difference is that wealthy society tends to show off that they have a “perfect life”. I invite you to develop our sensitive side and recognize their problems, in order to help them to live in a healthy community.

Comic Section! (3rd Magazine section)

Hey guys! This time I would like to show you a comic that I did today. Take in mind that is not a representation of what we've read, it's just a joke about a possible ending.

The link: (Because the picture that you're seeing here is just a MINIATURE!)

http://www.toondoo.com/cartoon/1105384

If you have problems... please let me know ASAP!!!!

Teacher QUIZ!

What kind of student you were at school?
The idea is to find out how you were and behave when you were a teenager. This quiz is inspired by a great book called “Dangerous Minds”. Just give it a try! It totally works!

1. What was the style that suited you the most when you were at school?

a) I didn’t dress like an average guy you know, but I just wanted to be different. The more exercise you do, the stronger you become!
b) A messy style! Like dirty clothes, tattoos, like an absent-minded punk-rock star !
c) I was that kind of people who take an advantage of its appearance, but I’m not the person that you think.
d) A scary style! Like shaving half of my black hair and stuff. The idea is that people has to be afraid of me.

2. In terms of psychological profile, you used to be…
a) Very rude! I used to intimidate my classmates with my physical appearance, but I turned into a better person afterwards…
b) A drug addict, you know… I messed up my life being “absent”. Sometimes I was brilliant, or just up in the clouds.
c) I am big trouble in a small package, without f**** sense of humor. I used to do things when nobody is watching me, because I’m f**** quick.
d) Tricky. I enjoyed threatening people. They were always scared but you know that I was just kidding.

3. Your teacher asked you to work in a group, what would you do or react?
a) Ok, but I will be the leader! While you work on this crap, I’m just going to observe. You know…
b) Oops! I don’t know what to answer, because I barely come to classes!
c) F*** you all! I don’t want to work in this s**t with nobody. This activity sucks!
d) I’ve never threatened my classmates! They started discriminating me, I just tried to defend myself.

4. I used to think that…
a) When people make me mad, I usually used my body and rude vocabulary to fight. Nowadays I’m using my broad vocabulary to “kill”. Just kidding!
b) Being a mess is cool! To have fun and take drugs was the easiest escape from my problems. Furthermore, I can change my mind if someone trusts me.
c) I’m always angry. I like to yell at people: F*** you!
d) Nobody understands my sense of humor. I don’t have bad intentions, but the world have treated me badly.

5. According to your family’s background…
a) I’ve never mentioned the story of my life, did I?
b) Sorry, but I’m not here… where am I? Oh! My family… They didn’t trust me until I become a remarkable girl/boy.
c) I know my rights. You can’t force me to talk about my family, right?
d) My parents have a good economic situation, even though they don’t love me. They see me as a “threat”.

6. Do you think this test is going to be useful for your life?
a) Damn… such a good test! At the beginning I wanted to kill you because of your questions, but now I wont… I’ve learnt a lot!
b) I was “high” while I was doing this quiz, but I realize where my north is. I’ve changed my lifestyle, even my clothes! Thank you!
c) “I don’t need no help from nobody!” This quiz really sucks…
d) Nope. This quiz is cursed because I’m a Satanist. You will have seven years of bad luck! Ha ha ha, just kidding!

(*) As you answered all these questions, the next step is to count the total amount of each letter. The majority you did in a specific letter (a, b, c or d) will be your final result. Good Luck!

a) Mostly A’s: You are similar to Troy Jones. He wore a lot of jewelry in his left ear and a thunderbolt across his head. This guy was very rude; furthermore you might inspire fear because of your muscles. You were probably the leader in your classroom! Moreover, you didn’t like to work in class, so you used your strong personality in order to make others do everything. The good thing is that you probably have learnt to feed your brain with knowledge, instead of with your muscles. Congratulations then!

b) Mostly B’s: You are similar to Danny Morton. He wore dirty clothes like a punk rocker. You probably were a bright student but sometimes you got all the answers wrong in a test. I blame the use of illicit drugs as in Danny’s case (we hope that this is not your case!). You also enjoyed making noise in class, in order to distract the whole class! I think you got attendance problems. After all, you found out that you wasted your time being a mess. So keep studying!


c) Mostly C’s: You are similar to Attiba Mack, the most problematic student. OMG, it’s really difficult to talk about you, because you never wanted to receive feedback! In Attiba’s case, he was recognized as someone who made teachers quit school. You probably said: “I don’t need no help from nobody”. I strongly recommend you to receive feedback from those people who really want to help you.

d) Mostly D’s: You are similar to Junior Advani. Such a weird case, huh? He looked like a satanic guy with his appearance. You maybe belonged to an “alternative” urban tribe, so people made false judgments about your person. You probably made jokes, in order to scare people. You can’t pass your life taking advantage of your false appearance! In his case, he blamed his parents because of his bahavior. Instead, his parents blamed Junior’s double standard. Can I trust you? I suggest you to work on your reactions, in order to not confuse people.

My Favorite Painting

It's very hard to chose one piece of are that delighted me the most. I really like art, especially paintings. I consider that my favorite oil painting is called "Road with Cypresses" by Van Gogh.

What surprises me is the way he painted, using a twisting technique. He also was impressionist. That means that he tried to reflect what he sees, especially with landscapes.

When I was sixteen I was looking for a painting because I wanted to do something. I found out “Road with Cypresses” and I thought it was easy to imitate. In those times I felt terribly sad. When I was doing it, I left all my problems behind.

I feel a huge connection with this painting because it has a special meaning in my life. I really love the way the sun is painted. When you really appreciate a piece of art, you have to feel a connection with your feelings at the moment you are looking at it, because artists try to capture what they’re living, or they use art as way or therapy, as in my case.

Autobiography by Fernanda Pozo

I was born on June 16th 1988 in a small and very boring city called Rancagua, where is next to Santiago, Chile. I am the youngest and the only child of four siblings, in which 2 of them belong to my mother. The other couple of siblings belong to my father.

My mother used to work a lot until I was born. She considered that I needed to grow up with the affection of a mother. On the other hand, my father had spent more than thirty years working for Codelco. Nowadays he is considering a retirement. At the age of two, I suffered the “killer bacteria”. I was about to die until my temperature came down. Years later, in 1994 I went to school. Looking back to my childhood there, I remembered that I was sick the whole time.

The Brightside of my childhood was when I used to perform when I was on elementary school. For instance, I danced, sang, recited poetry, participated in intellectual contest, and so forth. All these successful life was split away when I went to a semi private school on 5th grade. Nobody trusted in my artistic virtues. As a consequence, I stopped being a remarkable girl.

During my adolescence I took many courses that I’ve never finished. For example, my parents made me go to a models’ academy. I really loathed being exposed. I promised them to finish the course successfully. Then I played basketball and belonged to the school team at the age of twelve. Then I got bored and I signed for Tae-Kwon Do when I was sixteen. I was there one year until I got sick and tired. Finally, I took an English course at Wall Street Institute in Rancagua. As could everyone can imagine, I went for one year instead of one year and a half.

As time went on, I was getting older. I realized how uninterested I was in terms of responsibility. Up to the age of seventeen I left school. I took the fastest decision of being at Alberto Hurtado University studying English Pedagogy. At first, I wanted to study psychology or Public Relations. My stronger passion for languages made me realize that English was my course to follow.

I hope that from those bad and good experiences I might be a better person. My goal consists in looking for a personal and spiritual perfection, due to the fact that being satisfied with me is the only way to be successful in other fields.

A little bird told me that...

A little bird told me that Language VI students must create a blog, and in my case, I already did it, with some difficulties!

These are the instances in which I can really practice my written English, due to the fact that I've been waiting more than 1 semester to be in a "Language" class, and as time goes by, I unfortunately the "daily English training".

It would be amazing if you enjoy reading me, and I will do my best effort this time.

Warm regards.

Fernanda Pozo