Tweets and gaffes confuse Madrid’s education debate

Read about education in Madrid. Does it describe the situation as it is? Do you have another opinion? Is there something important missing?

Tweets and gaffes confuse Madrid’s education debate

Dear NI2 students,

Alessio Rastani - told the BBC the plan "won't work" and that people should be trying to make money from a market crash.

What do you think of this shocking video? Are you flabbergasted as the interviewer herself? Why does he say the governments don't have a say in the crisis? it's Goldman Sachs who does.

A little tribute

Spain's Teachers Protest Contract Changes, Layoffs

Madrid's teachers take to the streets

Protests in Madrid have leaked out to international channels

Informe Semanal: Invertir en educación es invertir en futuro

Here you can find a very good account of what's going on in the Spanish Public School system!

Did you know...?

Sabías eoi

Revisión

Dear NB1 & NI1 students,

I'm afraid it's impossible for me to show you your exams tonight. I'll be in the school tomorrow Wednesday 7th at 16h. Sorry for the inconvenience but I have an important meeting in another school!
Ms Bermejo

Shut up!

Judge by yourselves. This is the letter I received on September 2nd 2011:

We are not lazy!

PEDIMOS A LA PRESIDENTA Y A LA CONSEJERA QUE SE RETRACTEN DE SUS INSULTOS Y MENTIRASActúa ahora

My point of view

Dear students,

Sorry to say that the new course starts badly. 3,000 teachers are missing, they are not going to work in the class this year. We will have to start school without them. How can it be that nothing in the schools will change?

On the other hand, Esperanza Aguirre says we only work 20 hours a week. What not many people know is that we work in theory 37,5 hours a week. I would say even more. In fact, UNESCO says that 1 teaching hour corresponds to 3 working hours:

I'll speak of what I personally do in September. I have to:
- Administer and grade exams of NB1, NB2, NI1, NI2, NA1 and NA2, After having students do the exams it's time to grade, even at the weekends.
- I have to choose and go through the books to teach next year
- I have to prepare syllabuses of the courses I'm teaching next year
- Help organize the library and materials I want to use during the school year
- Read books, magazines, materials that might be of your interest
- Attend school and department meetings

During the year, apart from teaching in class I:

- Go through internet to catch up with the current news to try to incorporate them in class in English
- Update this eblog
- Think of activities that will help you understand and practice language better
- Select the best materials to use in class and to review in the blog
- Do courses in the morning as they are necessary to be updated and they are required by law as well.
- Know about the new technologies to apply in class
- Attend school and department meetings
- Correct compositions
- Attend to your needs and questions in the school of by email
- Evaluate your progress outside the class
- Elaborate exams and tests
- Participate in the school cultural events
- Guide your learning outside the class (opportunities to use English, links, meeting, penpals...)
- Read legislation applied to education

Saying that teachers only work 20 hours is like saying Casillas only works 90 minutes.

I am a firm believer in the opportunity and right of anybody to study languages and progress. And that nobody can take the right to learn away from us. Nobody!

For a public, universal education with freedom of thought!!

For more information:
http://www.soseducacionpublica.es/

La Comunidad de Madrid debe retirar los recortes en educación públicaActúa ahora

For those who would like to support the right to public education, read the demands and sign up if you agree. Isn't there any other means to solve the recession?

For more info, visit:
- Profesorgeohistoria

Schedule for NB1 & NI1 sept exam

Dear all,

This is the schedule for September exam. I hope it's informative enough:

NB1, September 1st
Reading: 16:30 - 17:25
Break (5')
Listening: 17:30- 17:50
Break (5')
Writing: 17:55 - 18:45

Speaking Sept 6th

NI1, September 5th
Reading: 16h- 16:55
Break 5'
Listening: 17h- 17:25
Break 5'
Writing: 17:30 -19h

Speaking Sept 6th

SUMMONS FOR THE SPEAKING EXAM
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH

NI1

17h
Isabel H- Sara V
Luis A - Rafael L
Charo G - EstherN
Carmen G - Teresa B
Victoria A - Inmaculada F
Victoria F - Miguel Ángel A
César B - Miguel Ángel R

18h

Rafael R - María Montoya
Jorge Peña- Fernando Lario
Mario Medina - Pastora Espinosa
M.ª Carmen Ojeda

NB1

16h
Pilar D. - Ana Maria B.
Francisco Javier P- Antonio L - Daniel I
Carlos Delpozo - Manuela B

16:30h

Juan Alberto R - Josefina C

English Summer Courses

Dear all,

As some of you have asked me about summer courses, I believe ACDI may be a nice choice to study some more English in July.

Have a great summer!

Readers

Dear students,

As promised, I'm posting the suggested readers for this summer. You can find them in La Casa del Libro, FNAC, Booksellers, etc.

NB1

- Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (Shakespeare), (B1.1) Blackcat Publishing
- Rob Roy, (Sir Walter Scott) Blackcat Publishing (B1.1)
- Great Mysteries of Our World, Blackcat Publishing (B1.2)

If you haven't read the books I suggested for this year, summer is the perfect season to start:

- This is London with audio cd. Mcmillan
- Princess Diana, A1 Anne Collins. Beginner.
- Washington Square, A1. Henry James. Beginner. Mcmillan

NI1

- Macbeth, (Shakespeare) Black Cat Publishing (B2.1)

The same as for NB1, you can read the books I suggested at the beginning of the year. They are wonderful reads!
- In and Around London. Book + CD. Blackcat Publishing (Vicensvives)
- American Cities. Book+CD (Discovery) . Blackcat Publishing

September Exams

Dear all,

Find the dates for the exams in September.

NI1
Reading, Listening, Writing -> Monday 5th at 16h
Speaking -> Tuesday 6th at 16h

NB1
Reading, Listening, Writing -> Thursday 1st at 16:30
Speaking -> Tuesday 6th at 16h

I hope you have a great summer and try to do something in English.

In Want of Jobs, Protesters take over the Streets

Dear NI1,

I thought you may find it interesting reading about what the New York Times says about Spain today.

Look at the Slide Show and, if you wish, read the article (difficult): An Awakening that keeps them Up All Night about young people in Spain these days.

And how about you? Have you participated in the movement? How? Do you sympathise with them? Why? Why not? Is there any slogan that you liked?

June results

Hi there!

I wanted to tell you that your June results will be ready tomorrow Tuesday 7th and you have the possibility of checking up your exams at 20:30 in our regular classroom.

In the meantime, listen to a nice dialogue about "Small Talk" from Hot English Magazine.

Speaking pairs

Dear NI1,
Find the time assigned on Monday 6th. Take into accound that there may be some changes on the pairs as you'll be tested with other NI1 students from the school. Good luck!

Room 14
16h

Luis A – Sara V

17h
Charo G – Rafael L

18:30

Cristina Martínez – Rubén M (Friday 3rd, 19:30, Selectividad)

Esther N – Jorge R.

Irene O. – Carmen G

19:30

Victoria A - Teresa B

Inma F. - Victoria F

Room 13

16h

Miguel Ángel A - César B

Javier F – Cristina Mediano

Isabel H - Inmaculada M

Cristina N - Beatriz O

20h

Rafael R

Friday 3rd

This is the schedule for the writing part on June 3rd.

NB1 17:30 Room 5
Reading - 17:30 - 18:25
Listening C - 18:30 - 18:50
Writing - 18:55 - 19:45

NI1 16:30 Room 10 (2nd floor)
Reading - 16:30 - 17:25 (Room 12)
Listening C - 17:30 - 17:55
Writing - 18:00 - 19:30