My experience with high school students

My experience with high school students

Last week, we had a pretty good experience and activity in my ESL class . During 3 days we (my classmates and I) worked with high school students and we had a magnificent experience with them.

I think that was one of the best ideas in this semester, because we worked with American students and that helped us to improve our English in all ways.

We did three different activities with them. The first day, we worked on poetry, in my opinion it was pretty cool, because I have never read a poem in English, so it was something different for me. Second day, we did a debate about drinking age in United States, if it should be lower or stay like that. My team was for lowering the drinking age and we won the debate.

And the last day, we did a play about some American short stories. That was fun, because we dressed up with costumes and it was fun to see one of my classmates dressed like a old lady and another classmate wearing a tiara.

In my opinion, this kind of activity is completely working for international students, because they can prove to themselves that they can talk with American speakers.

Even though, the students are in medium level and they did not pass the TOELF test yet, that could help to make something easier for them.

In fact, I think every ESL program should do this kind of activity for their students.

The steel mill

My Class and I went to museum today; it was about a Steel Mill in Pueblo. This Industry represented a big part of history in this city (Pueblo-Colorado), it was one of the biggest steel mill in United States in that time.

This place was really interesting, especially because people from other country worked there, not only American people. They were from Italian to Japanese people. That really surprised me, and for that the city has newspaper in different languages, not only Spanish. And that make me think that this city has Italian influence like my country.

This industry was a big one and dangerous one too. One person died per day. I cannot understand how people take that risk, because it is your life that you are putting in risk. But like they explain that was the work that really hired a lot of people in that time.

I saw pictures about this time, about the workers and their family, and they really looked like they were all the same, something that surprised me more because the workers and their family were from different countries. But the guide told us that the steel mill had a school for kids, women, and they teach them how to be like the same, so that explain me so much.

The Steel was a good place to go today, it is good to know about Pueblo’s History.

Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire is pretty popular name right now; it is making the world think. Slumdog Millionaire is a movie, which earned the Academic Awards this year (2009) and produced to the world a big controversy about poverty porn. Danny Boyle directed this movie that produced to the world a big thing to think about. They showed about a reality in India, about how the poverty really is. Many people think that is not fair to show this kind of things, but without it how will the world know what’s it going on around? How will people know where to help?

Who wants to be a millionaire? It is a famous game all around the world I think, and this kind of game give chance to change life, for Indian people mean the same. For the principal character of this movie it does not mean the same. Dev Patel plays as Jamal Malik, the principal character, who passes for series of thing that show us the culture and poverty in India. It is a terrible but interesting experience that makes you think about all the things that is happening in this country.

In my opinion, the poor zone of India did not surprise me, because I can see that kind of poverty in my country. Something that surprised me it was the fight because of religion, how they could kill people just because it is not part of one religion. That is something that I never see that kind of things. And it is making me think, how many other things is it making more poverty and social problems around the world? This kind of things is the kind that people should know about.

This movie move pieces that could help to persuade people to help, to contribute with solve this situation in world. So, I really think, this kind of movie are not poverty porn, it is just real poverty.

TOEFL

TOEFL

TOEFL, it is the main reason of my being right now. I assumed some person does not even know what TOEFL is. This is a test that foreign/international students need to do, if they want to study in US, where you proof your knowledge about the language (English). So, at end of every semester in ESL, we have to present TOEFL test. I did the last semester, and I did not do so badly. My score was 452 (to pass this exam your score must be over 500). I can remember that day; we have to be in the classroom at 9 am o clock.

I was really nervous; because my thought was that I would not understand anything, but I was wrong. My listening was not too bad; my grammar so-so and reading was really okay.

This year, I have to pass my TOEFL, so I need to put my best to pass it and I think I trust myself a little more about this test. I really think I am going to pass it.

Today, we have a TOELF practice (it was kind of simulation of the real one) and that still make me feel nervous. I think I did well, especially in reading and listening part. It was not to hard this time. I do not know my score yet, but I really want to know soon, it is making me anxious, I really want to know if I have same score or it was highest or lowest.

Whale Rider

Whale Rider

In 2002, Whale Rider was shown in Movie Theater, and then earned a nomination in the Academy Awards. Whale Rider is about the native culture in New Zealand, how change can be so hard sometimes.

It was filmed on the east coast of New Zealand, directed by Niki Caro and based on Witi Ihimeara’s novel and produced by South Pacific Picture. Around the world there are different stories that tell how women introduced themselves to the world. Witi Ihimeara wrote about how a little girl could change her native culture. Keisha Castle-Hughes plays as Paikea, the little girl who changes old ideas. This little girl does a great job as this character, I really enjoy how she acted, it was excellent, and I think everybody could feel her character. Rawari Paratene as Koro, Paikea’s Grandfather. His character in some way was grabbed by the old things, giving drama to Paikea’s existent. Paratene did a good job with his character, making Koro really conserve about his culture. And finally, Vicky Houghton as Nanny Flowers, Paikea’s Grandmother, who believe in Paikea and represent support to her granddaughter. Nanny Flowers was a really good character, in my opinion in every movie have to have a supporting character.

All work was really good. I do not know how they could give us a good whale image, seems so real every image. That’s one of the reasons that made me enjoy Whale Rider. Every dialogue was believable; the cast had a good chemistry. Setting was so beautiful. In my opinion, New Zealand has the most amazing and beautiful sets around the world. If you had seen “The lord of the ring”, you could remember the sceneries of this movie that had film on New Zealand, too. The only thing, I think they should have taken more images about the ocean at night and the moon there, because it could be beautiful images for this movie. Costumes and make up was appropriate, because they seem like native and really natural, and natural is one of the things that characterize native character.

Suitable viewer, in my opinion, could be anyone who is interested about culture, family movies and changing movies. It is not a movie for everyone, but anybody could deny that have a good effect, because I think every character could be feeling for viewers. Also every image was perfect, specially the whale’s scenes, because all whale’s scenes are really real, it does not have many effects.

So, Whale Rider was a good movie for me, I could really feel the movie, and I did not get bored in any moment. It has a big message about the change, about we are not in past, and every woman has the same power as men. That is the principal message about this movie and that means so much, because there are many culture that still believe that women are just tools for home, the only way is to have sons; something really stupid being in 21th century where women are so powerful. In some scenes I got frustrated about the idea that someone still believes that women cannot do the same as men. In fact, it could be because I am a woman, and that make me feel more the movie. Like I wrote before this is not a movie for everyone, but if you are interested to watch it, I think you will enjoy it like me.