These are my confessions…

Hi, here I am writing about my evolution as a student and also my confessions about it...

Today I am feeling inspired to write a "Learning Journal" and to be completely honest this has been happening since last month that’s why  I am still writing… I need to keep the spirit alive!

As I have told you before, the English classes this year are totally different from last year. This year I changed teachers and we have a different “method” of teaching, we also work much more and the class is more united and calm...

Most of the classes are interesting, but it is hard to keep focus all the time and not talking a little bit with my colleagues. I mean, I think that nobody can remain quiet and focus during 90/80 minutes. It is practically impossible, and I believe that the teacher has to understand it too… Of course, that we must be good students and I am not saying that we have the right to speak during the all class, but 2 minutes won’t kill anyone.

What I am actually trying to do is justifying my behavior during  these last classes because I know that I have talked with my colleagues in times that I shouldn't, but I also do know that I didn't disturb the class 's dynamic ( it was just for a few minutes) and kept focused in the most important times.

I think I never told you about this online experience…

After two years I think that it is time to talk about this online portfolio. I have already discussed a lot of things in my learning journal entries, but I have noticed that I have never talked about my portfolio in a deeper way.

I have to confess that I am not a big fan of portfolios, like everybody else, but I do recognize that they are important not only to develop our writing and organizing skills among others, but also, and in my opinion, and most important of all is for us to see our evolution in English as students.

Two years ago, my English portfolio was done in paper, but this year I was given the opportunity to have an online portfolio, and I took the risk. And I am glad I did it, of course that it also involves hard work but it is much more practical and has a whole new presentation.

I think my blog is easy reading, and at the same time it reflects my interests not only as a student but also as a teenage girl.

I try to write every month at least 6 posts or more( but I know that I have sometimes failed to keep this commitment) sometimes it is very difficult to manage the time because I also have other subjects and works, and because I am such a perfectionist I want every post to be perfect, therefore I take much more time, but the truth is that it's worth the time and I am very glad with my work in this portfolio.

This way, I think that there is nothing left to say about this online portfolio, Only Online Portfolio, I can only expect that you like it.

A kind of a reflection…

I know that we aren’t at the end of the classes, yet, but I would like to do a kind of a “ year’s reflection”.

I have always loved English as a language and as subject, so I have to admit that I have always understood it easily, because I was and I am always searching for more and more.

What I mean is that I am always “thirsty” of knowledge related to American and English culture. And I think that is a good thing. And it’s a shame that this was my last school year with this subject.

About my commitment, I am proud to say that I have been making progress (Even if my marks don’t represented that, I know it!), but I also do know that my behavior in the classes is not the best sometimes.

Once upon a time...

Because the only thing that I can see in front of me is: College. I think that it is time for you to know about my story\history with Mathematics.

Once upon a time Mathematics and I were very happy with each other. Since the first number that she showed to me until the first equation - It was like love at first sight

During my “first cycle” we were like best friends – I loved her and she loved me, I loved studying her and so did she love being studied by me. Our relationship continued until my “second cycle”, our love was growing and growing… And until my 8th grade math was my “study girlfriend”.

However our relationship isn’t like a fairytale, it’s more like a horror story! Sadly I changed schools and I came to ESJGF.  And math’s and I realized that our good relationship had come to an end. I don’t know what went wrong… The only thing that I know is that my grades started to get worse and I didn’t feel motivated I have the impression that changing schools was also a major factor due to the teaching style and the attention given to the different students in classroom…

Still I thought that I could give her a chance so I went into Economy (where mathematics is one of the specific disciplines)… But I was wrong!! Since the tenth grade that I fight against the notes under ten – but it is hard! I´m feeling frustrated because, particularly this year, I spend hours studying although I cannot see the reward of my effort… And there is one exam right in front of me and I’m afraid to fail…

As you can see, I am in bad situation but I hope to get through this and won’t need to stay one more year again at school to do my dear mathematics… She gave me my first heartbreak! L

After all of this, as you can imagine, our relationship will never be the same. I don’t hate her, I just don’t get her.

Updating you!

Our last term of the year and, if everything goes well, of my life!

There are some things that happened during these two weeks - some good and some bad and others that are neither good nor bad…

First the bad news: I got sick in the last Thursday of the last week of the term until the end of the first week of my so desired vacation. During that bad week I couldn’t do anything because I had a fever, was had a nasty cold so that I could not breathe, was sore and with big headaches –in others words, with a flu.

Yet, there are good news. Firstly, the result of my biopsy about the "ball" on my neck finally reached. We were very worried because it was always growing and sometimes hurt. And then Tuesday, March 20, after lunch we finally knew that it was benign and only if doesn’t disappear completely will I need to surgery. What a relief!

In the second place, after several conversations with my mother and sister about the university and going to the Algarve, I decided to apply to the University of Leiria. You must wonder “Why Leiria”? Well, there are few simple reasons:  

*I would stay in my grandparents’ house that is very close to the college;  

*My mother wouldn’t worry so much;  

*It would be cheaper;  

*My “mamie” loves it when I am with her and stay in her house, her words.    

*I would not be alone after a day of classes as I would in the Algarve.                   

I must say that I am not so thrilled with the idea of ​​going to Leiria as I had been with the idea of going to Algarve. But I liked when my “mamie” said that she would give me a home to stay and that she was very happy with the idea and if I wanted I could go right now..

Well, now that you are aware of latest happenings of my life and there are no more things to add I think that I will see you in the nest Learning Journal.

Welcome to the 3rd Term!

P.S:Don't you love the Calvin's philosophy of life?

I wish...

Since I can remember I always went to Algarve in the summer – that is why I love going there- and some six or seven years ago my parents decided to make an investment and buy a house in Albufeira. And now I almost spend one month there which is best than being in Lisbon and doing nothing.

Well, why am I telling this?!  Two years ago I make a big decision: to go study in the Algarve. I want to follow\study Hotel Management – as you already know- so I decided to “join business to pleasure”. I mean, I looooove the Algarve so why not study in the biggest Tourism Region of Portugal? - I think that it makes sense?!

This is my greatest wish and I hope it will come true soon J

What is more important: an object or a life?

I realized with the presentation about "The object that I couldn’t live without" that there  are many things besides my "t-shirt full of memories I couldn’t live without, like: my cell-phone, my bed, my mp4, my pc, my….However, in my point of view, an object is easily replaceable but not so much a person. It’s pure truth that nowadays we give a high value to luxuries objects and that is something that certainly needs to change. Because the most important thing that we have in our whole life are friends and family and we can not give up their company for a few objects. As we learn at Sociology: socialization it is what makes up a Human Being! 

New Year, New Resolutions

About 3 days ago 2012 begun and it turns out the world hasn’t ended yet (as it was supposed!). I still want to know who still takes this myth seriously?!

As we are all still here I think that I have to make my New Year resolutions, wishes or needs for this year…So here are some: have good grades, get into college, take my driving license, travel to a country in Europe, continue /nurture my friendships and, of course, live another year or else I would not chose these resolutions, among many others…

Although I chose all these resolutions for this year I know that the most important are: family and friends. After all, we are all human beings that need to socialize and have someone with to share the good and the bad times with.

Merry Christmas

1st Term

I’m impressed! This term is already ending…( the time flying away – for the first time.)

Which means that is time to evaluate myself. Well, what can I say… About the test, it didn’t go well as I wished, I really study  but it was difficult and different from I was used to. We did a big presentation about “Human Right-Right to life” and I think the group did well and the presentation showed.  What else?! I noticed that I don’t have a good participation but I really have to improve this issue. After all I really love this “class mix"(12º7º and 12º8) and I don’t have any kind of problem in talking :)

Even though we’ll be on a short vacation for Christmas I still will be in touch with English J

I´m going to read my chosen book ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ by Truman Capote. Why?? As one of many activities and project for next term we will be doing the Reading Project. And chose this one…I already started and I am looking forward to know how it ends…

But for to have a king of an idea of the story here is the trailer of the movie: 

My childhood memories…

There are a few memories about my childhood that I still remember as if it was yesterday.

My favorites are with my cousins, of course. Since I was a little girl I always went on holidays with my French cousins. Every single summer they went one or two weeks to my grandmother’s house and so did I.

As you know, we can’t put 4 kids of 5 years old together, and expect them to behave, am I right?! We were always doing stupid things like:  painting the walls, always running around the house playing hide-and-seek, messing around the house…The usual!

But there were two things that we used to: dressing up with old clothes and sheets and playing "house” with old dishes of my grandparents - whose theme was always the family. In other words, we were making fun at everyone. We had so much fun with these two little games. - as you can see on the picture 

This is one of my best childhood memories!! 

Our First project

Last lesson the teacher proposed we make a project whose theme is:  Human Rights - more exactly – the ones that aren’t respect.

My group (Joana P., Beatriz F., Beatriz S. and I) chose the topic about ‘China and Child Labor’. We still haven’t decided the details about what are we going to do. But one thing we are sure:  we will relate the topic to Fair Trade.

New Year… New teacher… Different classmates…

  The school year has already begun (and the last oneJ)

  We started this year by doing vocabulary exercise about problems (at home, in the world, in the country, in the streets, …).

  Regarding the grammar, we revised the phrasal verbs and idioms.

  Beside all of this things Joana and I gave a short presentation about our portfolio so that our new classmates got to know better our work from last year…

    

As you can see the year that began two weeks ago and we have already done a lot of work!!

  As a former student of the teacher Isabel Cochito, I am used to doing a lot of things. So, I must say, I like this rhythm: work, work, work J  

  One aspect that I have/need to get better: Grammar (but I don’t like it L)

12th Grade

taught by:

Clara Teixeira

A different activity

This term and last one, our teacher decided to do a whole term with a only activity – read a book and make a presentation about it – in group.

For you being aware of this activity our group created a Book Portfolio - Online, that is in my portfolio (other section).

I hope you enjoyed! :) 

My future

There is time to start thinking about my future. I want to follow a career in Hotel Management, as I said before… besides I have another dream: live in the Algarve. Why? I must say that I don’t like the capital; this is not my world - too much confusion, too  much noise. I just don’t belong here. So I wonder «Why don’t I go to the Algarve?! »  To study and to live. I just loved this idea… I´m happy there, I´m always there, I know that place like the palm of my hand. But, there is always a ‘but’, my parents… I really understand them. But I have to make a point and so to them. 

Women’s Day

The 007 actor appears in a two-minute video to mark International Women’s Day.

The film is aimed at highlighting inequalities experienced by women around the world.

The voiceover to the video is provided by Judie Dench, who plays Bond's controller M in the spy films.

She asks whether 007, as "someone with such a fondness for women", has ever considered "what it might be like to be one".

The video, created by the photographer and film-maker Sam Taylor Wood, has been made for EQUALS, a partnership of leading charities brought together by Annie Lennox to celebrate the centenary of International Women's Day on Tuesday 8 March

My mark

We already received our tests and unfortunately I had 11, I’m really mad at myself… however I finally had my, so deserved, Band 3. I noticed that I’m better at the sections Use of English, except for the cloze exercise (but I already knew it!). So I can conclude that I have certainly improved some skills, like writing and filling in the gaps.

The test

Last week, we did the ‘big test’ because it took us two full lessons. I really don’t know how well I have done, because I have, mostly, doubts about filling in the gaps and the test was mostly about that, so…I hope don’t have a bad mark at the end. And I really want to reach Band 3, at least. I hate these things…

Our first Task

We already started the project Connecting World. And this was our first task:

We are students from Europe, Portugal, Lisbon, more exactly, Benfica. Our school, Secundária José Gomes Ferreira, realized that it would be interesting, for us, 'Connecting with World'. And here we are: connecting with you!
Our class, 11º8º, is in the Economics area. From 24 students only six of us are participating in this project but we will be the 'intermediaries' of the project in the class, so everybody can participate. And here we are:

'I´m Ana Marta and I'm 17 ,

I love painting and playing tennis' 

'I´m Rita and I'm 16 ,

I love painting, just like Ana Marta,

and I practice Body Vive and Body Balance'

'I´m Carolina and I'm 16 and I´m a 

big supporter of Sporting'

'I´m Joana

and I'm 16 , I like shopping and Theater'

'I´m Mafalda and I'm 16 , I love being

with my friends'

'I´m Ricardo, the only boy in the group.

And I´m 16  and I practice volleyball'

Now that we have introduced ourselves, we would like to know something about you :)

Is school preparing young people for the future?

      Last Thursday we staged a debate about: ‘Is school preparing young people for the future?’. Claudia and I were the writers/secretary which means that we wrote (almost) everything that they said. 

 I must say that this was an interesting debate such the theme. First they said that the school prepares but at the end the opinion was different. After several questions, the experts said that the schools prepare and at the same time they don’t. As everyone agreed, there are subjects that aren’t important for our career but important for our culture/knowledge, like Philosophy or even Geography.

 I agreed with all of the things that the experts said, I must say that at the beginning I didn’t have a formed opinion about this theme. But at the ends my mind was another. After all I have to be sure that everything’s that someone teaches us is a lesson for living.

A silly interview…

 Last lesson, our teacher showed us a ‘silly interview’ by Monthy Phyton.

 This interview was about a man that was at a job interview but the interviewer was out of his mind because he was always asking him to do things that are unusual in a normal interview, like get up and then sit down, make fun of the man’s name, make him pull a face and scorn him.

 At the end, when the man asks if he has the job the ‘boss’ says:’ this job was already taken at several weeks ago.’

 I didn’t like the sketch; after all it was a really silly interview and wasn’t fun at all. And I may say that I don’t like Monty Phyton, being one on the reasons why I didn’t like it. The concept in general didn’t seem to have any meaning and it became annoying.

 There is the interview if you want to see it:

My career

  When we start 10th grade, sometimes we have doubts about which area to follow, After all, our future career will depend on this choice

   I am saying these things, because a couple of classes ago, our teacher gave us a worksheet with some true or false questions. Depending on our answers it gives us the area we are more apt to. The area that best suits our personality and interests.

    When I did, the results indicated ‘arts’ and I must say that is the area that I certainly like the most. However, there is always a ‘but’, this area has geometry as a specific subject and I am bad at ‘theoretical geometry’, and that would be a huge problem. So I picked Economics – I know these things because I did a psycho-technical test at «Modus Humanos». Otherwise, I would have followed Arts!

   Nowadays, I don’t know what career I will follow. On the one hand, they said that I would have success and that I would be good at Hotel management. But, on the other hand, I also like marketing... I have a problem ahead of me and I still don’t know the right answer for me! 

A Changing World, a Jigsaw Puzzle under Construction

    This is exactly what my group is going to do this spring:

“Connecting worlds (...) an online educational proposal which combines classroom activities with networking among students from 6 to 17 years old. The participants belong to different cultural, economic and social realities and attend school centers from all over the world.”     This will be a different activity to do and fun, I think.     I´m looking forward to starting this project, and then I can explain to you what is this really about.

Right Foot

   2nd term is already started. To start the English class with the ’right foot ‘, our teacher decided decided we should play a game called SPACESHIP.

   This game is very intelligent, why? Well, this game, if you want to read the rules click here, is great for developing or improving our abilities. As you can see, to pick the seven persons to go on the spaceship -each of us has to express consistent arguments to convince our colleagues and, at the same time, follow a number of rules: we can’t speak for more than 15 seconds for example.

    I think this wasn´t just a fun game to get started, but also to help us to prepare a debate and improve our skills.

   I must say that I really liked it, because this is a very creative and imaginative game, and good to make more dynamic classes.

Santa Claus says: OH! OH! OH!

Merry    Christmas     &     Happy   New  Year.

My self - assessment

   This term i improved my study skills and i have to revise my reading and writing skills.

   I think that I improved my study skills because, most of all, my online portfolio, as you can see, is always updated: vocabulary, grammar, texts, learning journal. And that is one of way to study and practice.
  
  About my reading and writing skills. This is year i wrote much more than last year, that for sure. However that was not enough to get better, I hope that, on 2nd Term, I will be on band 3/4. And i to write, i wrote texts. learning journal on my own initiative to try to improve. My 
reading skills, i read  a few texts, like French rockers are singing in English and picked out new vocabulary, and listened  the text. But i know that i have to practice more by reading more and see how to spell some words. These are the to skills that i have to improve/revise.

  About my portfolio, I try to update it every week with new vocabulary, grammar, texts... Its appealing, shows who am i. And i try to get better every week. My portfolios include every thing that we do in class. 


  According to this texts, i think that my mark should be 13/14 

My picture-Mouraria

I didn’t go to the study visit. 
However, I had already been there, so I still remember a few things and I can do part of the work, which was to choose a picture and talk about it.

I choose this one because this is the only thing that I perfectly remember. When was there, about 3 years ago, I noticed that the lifestyle was completely different from what we are used to. The people were different: the way they behaved, the language… I couldn’t help noticing that the houses are rundown and they don’t seem to have the minimal conditions for someone to live in.

The field trip

I didn’t go to the field trip ‘The City’. But I can explain.

The day before the field trip my cat underwent emergency surgery … and that night I couldn’t sleep at all. Because I was worried about her, and I have a seriously ‘problem’: I care too much about everything, especially  animals. So I was always checking on her and in middle of the day she went to my bed and lay on it… and she couldn’t sleep because of the pain.

So in the morning, I couldn’t wake up and she was not very well… and I just couldn’t live her in that condition. I hope that the teacher understands the situation. 

"The City"

Next week will  start the project "The City".
As i understand  we are going to explore some parts of Lisbon.By making descriptions, taking photos, answering some questions, doing works related, and other things... 
I´m anxious and curious about this project.

Trick or Treat

Here comes the Halloween... and as the Halloween always comes with the holiday (Monday - 1st November) , we decided go to Algarve for have  break of Lisbon,  school and  work... for relaxing. :)
But how can  relax if  I'm going  have to  study for the Geography test on Thursday?! :(  
Well,  I  hope that i can do the both  ... 
Have a nice Holiday!     

  

My work plan

I have to improve my skills, and to do that I have to practice. So, I have to improve my speaking skills and writing skills. In order to do that I am going to speak more often in English and write texts and put them in my portfolio.

Another presentation...

As my teacher liked my e-portfolio ( that is a good thing!), she suggested that i make a presentation about it... to my class...
And tomorrow is the day...  oh god i´m so nervous!!!
Wish me luck ;)

Back to school...

A new school year has begun and with it there come the “same old things" :
expectations, classes, pressure and , most of all, hard work.

Of course, the good things always remain: spend some quality time with friends,
new" love" and friendships, and also go out.

This will probably be my last school year of English subject, and I have to
confess that it makes me feel sad, because I really enjoy English not only as a
subject but also as a language... but I will also try to continue practising English.
Besides I know that it will be very helpful in my future.

«Os Gémeos»

On September, 15, my class went to see an exhibition at CCB - «Os Gémeos»
It was about graffiti and I really liked it, because it was something
totally different from what I was expecting.
I really like the way  they painted the paintings, because it was
different, and so remarkable. It was surprising and most importantly I was able
to understand the message underlying each painting.