" I want to read it first ! "

    One of the main concerns I have as a teacher is getting my reluctant readers motivated. Yesterday though , I had a very pleasant surprise when after reading to my 8th grade students, they got so excited that they fought over who would be the first one to take home my only copy of the book. I was using a story from "Chicken Soup for Soul for teens "  which gave excellent examples of the use of adverbs ( my grammar focus for the day) .

 I guess it goes to prove that if you use your story telling skills , reading aloud to teenagers can be as powerful as it is with younger children.

Classes Cancelled !

There are many times when we complain about our classes being interrupted or cancelled. Of course there is always a good justification : the mandatory fire drill , earthquake drill , code red , code blue ..

    Today I had the most unexpected reason. I was getting ready for my afternoon classes with the first and second graders, when I realized that I needed a puppet to use in my lesson. I opened the closet in my portable and reached inside the plastic container where I keep the animal toys . While tossing the lizards and the spiders around I noticed a wavy locomotion on one of the toys. I stopped for a moment trying to remember when I had bought such a realistic reptile. It was then that I saw its red forked tongue go  in and out of its elongated head. I dropped the talking monkey I was holding in my right hand,  and ran out the door in search of a brave male custodian willing to save me from the cold blooded menace.

Luckly a group of three courageous souls answered my call and after distributing tasks , the headless creature was sent back to the woods.

I am an ESOL teacher with more than 20 years of experience. Teaching is something I have loved to do since I was in high school, when I would sneak out of my chemistry class and go help the second grade teacher teach English to the little ones.

Although I have taught all the way from kindergarten to college, I have to say, fifth grade is my favorite.I really enjoy the challenge of working with the young ones. There is something about being ten years old and not wanting to be treated like a little kid anymore , that triggers their desire to explore and to expand their inquiring minds.

When I'm not teaching, I love to travel, take pictures and learn new languages. I have been to many fascinating places around the world, but always end up longing to spend another Christmas in my beautiful Cali, Colombia.

If you were ever to take a peek at my new years resolution you would find the following:

After loosing 50 pounds .. I will learn to paint like Diego Rivera and make my guitar sound like Paco de Lucia's.