Do U O me?

Only the teachers listed below have turned in their personal goals for this year. If you haven't, please make sure you do so at your earliest convenience and no later than Friday May 16.

Thank you Pimpa, Carolina, Norita, Omar and Silvia G.

Minutes of Department Meeting May 8

Members present: Silvia Inochea, Omar, Silvia Granado, Norita Grace, Sofía, Cecilia, Alina, Carlos
Excused: Pimpa, Paula

Agenda:
1. News
2. Group progress report
3. Designing Global Studies Comprehensive Tests (Integrales)
4. Project Lola Mora Congress

1. News

• Carlos welcomed Silvia Inochea on board. Silvia will be a substitute teacher in 8th grade until the end of the year.
• Janine left 8th grade to teach the A2 class in 3rd Polimodal.
• Carlos announced he has less hours for coordination now - only 12 - so Department members were asked to let him know whenever they need his help.
• There will be UNT students of Practicum doing their student teaching at SP's only in EGB3. The first student has already started observing Alina's 8th grade.

2. Group progress report

• Omar said the 7th grade team is working very well with this year's group, much better than last year. Students in general have very good reading comprehension skills. The fact that there are only 18 students per group helps immensely.
• Alina said the 8th grade is quite a challenge this year. A group of boys tend to have an attitude, play 'cool' with the teacher, try to mislead the class into wasting time. She said that the team has met and agreed on some guidelines to follow consistently. They will try to form a bond with them differently from other years. She finds the units on bullying and eating habits especially helpful. She is also using the blog to enhance interpersonal relationships.
• Sofía, Norita and Silvia agreed that they're working well in general. Sofía reported that teaching her Language group is a challenge of sorts. A few kids in the group find it extremely hard to grasp the grammar points at FCE level, and, like her teammates, the pace is rather slow. On the other hand, she said that the Global Studies classes are going smoothly. Also, the SSR sessions are much easier to carry out. Students show they are already trained in doing so and less time is wasted to get ready and start reading.
• Silvia said that the 1st Polimodal groups are hard working, and are so far doing well.
• Grace and Cecilia agreed that teaching 2nd Polimodal without the better students who are taking the A2 class poses a different challenge. She says that unlike other years, it's become quite difficult for students to use English in class. Some of them just refuse to do so with each other in class.
• Norita said that at times she feels she has to push her 3rd Polimodal students a lot. They don't seem to be motivated - which by the way is shown in the number of them that have signed up to sit the IB exam.
• Carlos reported that work with the A2 group is going well. The group is highly motivated even though not all of them are quick to do written work. They have a very positive attitude and get easily involved in the reading of the novel and in class discussions.

3. Designing Global Studies Comprehensive Tests (Integrales)

We agreed that the Global Studies Comps would have at least the following four sections:

• Reading comprehension: this could be a passage from a novel or short story read in class, or any other type of text that is thematically related to the literary texts.
• Vocab work: this could include random vocab exercises based on items covered in class, or it could be embedded in the reading comprehension exercises as the IB exams propose.
• Theme related exercise(s): this section could be a chart with theme-episode-comment columns, or any other of the sort.
• Writing section: the topic could be any kind of creative task in which students will need to show their understanding of the literary or journalistic texts.

4. Project Lola Mora Congress

Our school lecturers are working hard selecting and designing the activities they will present in this event. The team includes Omar, Alina, Janine, Adela, and Cecilia. If necessary they will ask for our cooperation in trying out new activities or giving feedback on the experience.

MISSING YOU ALREADY!!!!

TO MY DEAR FRIEND JANINE,
we`ve been together as team mates for more than a decade, I can`t believe you are not around at our "Mosnters inc." in 8th grade!!!!. We`ve been through so many thingssssssssss, I will miss you and your sound advice.
Hey Charlie, hope you treat her well!!!! LOL=)
But I know you love changes and challenges, I know this is a fantastic opportunity for you, and I`m really happy for you. Enjoy it, I know you will make a world of difference. gggggooood 4 u!!!
I dedicate this song to U, take it as a present . when I first listened to it , I knew we would feel identified with it. enjoy it!!!

Anything but ordinary

Sometimes I get so weird

I even freak myself out

I laugh myself to sleep

It's my lullaby

Sometimes I drive so fast

Just to feel the danger

I wanna scream

It makes me feel alive

Is it enough to love?

Is it enough to breathe?

Somebody rip my heart out

And leave me here to bleed

Is it enough to die?

Somebody save my life

I'd rather be anything but ordinary please

To walk within the lines

Would make my life so boring

I want to know that I Have been to the extreme

So knock me off my feet

Come on now give it to me

Anything to make me feel alive

Is it enough to love?

Is it enough to breathe?

Somebody rip my heart out

And leave me here to bleed

Is it enough to die?

Somebody save my life

I'd rather be anything but ordinary please.

I'd rather be anything but ordinary please.

Let down your defences

Use no common sense

If you look you will see that this world is a beautiful

accident, turibulent, succulent opulent permanent,no way

I wanna taste it

Don't wanna waste it away

Sometimes I get so weird

I even freak myself out

I laugh myself to sleep

It's my lullaby

Is it enough? Is it enough?

Is it enough to breathe?

Somebody rip my heart out

And leave me here to bleed

Is it enough to die?

Somebody save my life

I'd rather be anything but ordinary please

Is it enough? Is it enough to die?

Somebody save my life

I'd rather be anything but ordinary please.oh

I'd rather be anything but ordinary please.

by Avril Lavigne

if you feel like watching the video clip and listening to the song, click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mecTS_j43II