MY TRIP TO COLOMBIA

Qué alegría poder compartir en nuestro blog artículos de invitados especiales como Matthew Kors, un turista  que nos cuenta sobre su experiencia en éste gran país Colombia. Disfrutemolo y que este sea un espacio para que reflexionemos y amemos muchísimo más a nuestro país.

I got the joy of traveling to Colombia in 2014 for Christmas and New Years. I came to see my fiancé and meet her family. What a fantastic experience.  Colombia is very different from the United States, but in very good ways.  For example, the people in Colombia were all so very friendly and welcoming.  Everywhere we went I was always made to feel very welcome, everyone made sure I was comfortable and entertained.  

Leidy’s family was so funny and joyous.  And that is the main difference I notice in Colombians versus people from the United States, Colombians know how to enjoy life to the fullest.  People from the United States are mostly friendly and welcoming, but not so much as in Colombia. 

        

My second most favorite thing, after the people in Colombia, was definitely the food.  Food is so fantastic in Colombia.  Everything is so fresh and tastes amazing.  In the United States, most food is shipped so it has been frozen or been stored for a short period of time and preserved.  In Colombia, everything was picked or baked or killed very recent to when I ate it.  The meat was phenomenal, the fruit was like I have never had in my life, and the bread, cookies, and cakes were so tasty.  I miss the food a lot when I am home in the United States.

          

I am so glad I have had the joy to visit Colombia. I am even happier that I will be getting to visit many many more times in the future. Colombia  is an amazing and beautiful country with outstanding people and incredible food.  

Managing Multi Level Groups

Nuestra profesora Laura Castañeda nos escribe un artículo muy interesante. Invitamos a todos a que lo lean y lo compartan. Green light nos llena de mucho conocimiento. Que esperas para publicar.

Always it is a challenge to work with groups, even more when the students have different levels in it. In my experience, the best you can do is to balance the students’ abilities. If there is a shy student, you can pair him/her with an outgoing student who enjoys participating during class.

Also in the class, all topics introduced must be free of judgments. It is necessary to talk about everything without discriminating and making students discuss between them. You shouldn’t try to impose your ideas as a teacher. Besides all the opinions are valid when they are well argued, thus you create an atmosphere of ideas and positive criticism about the most quotidian to deeper situations.

This is a method called the Socratic Method in which you don’t give answers to your students but questions. Sometimes teachers are seen as the answer to everything overall in language classes but what if we leave our students to explore by themselves the language and their own learning, by comparing, questioning and transforming?

http://www.criticalthinking.org

TAKING CARE OF THE DOGS.

Ahora deleitemos con un hermoso articulo de nuestra estudiante de nivel básico de inglés Alejita.
Que hermoso cuando nuestros estudiantes también tienen esa conciencia ciudadana.

My name is Alejandra Merchan. I am 15 years old and I like dogs that are big. For example I would like to have a boxer or a pitbull, because they are strong, docile, powerful and intimidating.    These dogs are discriminated because of their breed, however, they are lovely. They can become a good company, if you treat them like normal dogs

I feel sorry for the dogs on the streets. For this reason I want to form a canine institution where you can adopt these dogs and they can get a home in which they will have affection, love and protection.

I am against people who mistreat dogs; because even if dogs cannot speak, when you hurt them, they feel the same pain as you would feel if someone hurt you.  Similar to humans, dogs deserve respect because they are living things as well.

DOES IT MAKE SENSE?

Ahora disfrutemos de un articulo maravilloso de nuestra directora académica Camila Buitrago. No tengas miedo, y comparte tus experiencias

Writers all around the world share the same fear ´´the white page´´ and that feeling is maybe the same one you faced when your teacher announced our new project: Green Light Spot.

Well, we don´t mean to terrify you, we just want you to discover the incredible knowledge you have very inside of you. We are trying to get your best out. We want that you learn to use your creativity by writing anything that makes you happy.

The white page is there for you, as an unconditional friend just waiting for your inspiration. And guess what? Your writing doesn´t need to make sense, even better if it doesn´t! Literature is full of amazing nonsense novels than invite you to explore other worlds and free your mind. Alice in Wonderland, for example! Think about it, I´m sure you find it interesting.

Dear students, don´t feel afraid of writing. Remember, anything you imagine can exist if you mix letters and put them on a white page. In the case you need help for getting started; I recommend you this website where nonsense random ideas will come to you just with a click. 

http://writingexercises.co.uk/children/story-title-ideas-for-children.php

HOW TO DESTROY THE PLANET IN 4 SIMPLE STEPS!

Este es uno de los mejores artículos que hemos tenido, queremos felicitar a la estudiante Diana Sanchez por tan maravilloso aporte. Forma parte de este blog también y envianos tus escritos :)

When I walk in the street in a sunny day, I see the people in rush.  I would like to sit down in any park over mountains made up of trash, where the children run all around them.

Then, I would like to go for a coffee in a place where nobody says hello or thank you or welcome.  A lovely place of unpolite people.

Water­? Who needs it? Reusing materials? What is that for?

The water in the planet will be there for us always, and reusing is not necessary!

We can buy new staff. It is easier!

IS THIS THE PLANET YOU DREAM ABOUT?

REMEMBER:  INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS AFFECT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY!

Teaching with the heart. By: Teacher Leidy Becerra

With the new technological era, it is important to know that most of the knowledge that students get is not from the classroom. Being a good teacher that motivates students to learn and feel comfortable in that space is not an easy task.

It is relevant to have guides that love what they do, but even more important is that students get even a small percentage of the learning that teachers present in class, which would mean the guidance from the teacher is worth it.

Nowadays, to have knowledge about the English language is very important, not just to communicate our ideas in another language, but also to understand the instructions of many technological machines that surround us. That is why we as teachers need to implement some strategies to make students love English class, especially when they are starting their school life.

Like everybody says, children are the future of our country, and teachers are one of the most important part of our life. If a teacher is a good guide and tutor, the student will feel motivated to learn, and English would become an important part of their life.

JUST DO IT

By Heliana Niño

I do not need to learn English. I have everything solved. I am a lawyer, I am married with an amazing man and we have a beautiful daughter.   In my job, I do not need to know another language. I can say that in my life everything is fine. Thank God.

However, a few months ago, I remembered one my dreams:  to learn English. When I was younger I wanted to speak English fluently.  I wanted to accomplish simple tasks such as: to read a lot of books in original version and forage newspapers or magazines, I wanted travel and to know the world all by myself, whit my eyes! But the time elapsed and wonderful things happened in my life and that dream simply vanished.    

My first reaction to that memory was: “It is so late. I do not have time and do not need it”. But in said to me I felt frustrated. Fortunately he was there, my best friend, my support, my husband. He said to me “you can do it, I know”. A few days ago, I decided do it. His words gave me wings to fly after my dream.

I found the way to English. I met Camila and she brought me to Green Light Institute. I started three weeks ago and retook my English lessons. I know is not easy by will do it with discipline and constancy. Now is the time to face my fears, is the time to turn my dream in reality.

Every day you and I, we make decisions, from the most simple to the most important ones. We have the power of choose. We are free to decide what we want to be and do: you can choose for healthy living, eat in a balance way an exercise or have disorganized life; you can decide which carrier you want to study; to be single or to get married; you can decide believe in God and live in his love or let him behind; you decide to be happy or not; you can decide to pursue your dreams or forget them. The results of all our decisions determine and define us as a person.

What about you? Do you have a dream? It does not matter if is a big or small dream. You can decide turn it in reality. Just do it.