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venerdì 22 settembre 2017

Autumn







It is Autumn, one  season I like at the beginning, then when days get shorter and cloudy I feel sad because of the falling  of  leaves. I like the colours and the sunny  days which we have now ,but  days can be also gloomy and  our days are  colder, not like in the summer time when I can lie in the sun and enjoy the  sun and its rays.
It is also the  season of colours and I can associate it to the great poet  Keats who wrote his ode To Autumn.

If I had to choose a picture to describe this season , it would be a tree with plenty of  yellow  leaves.  It would be a pumpkin  on a table, reminding me that nature will have to continue its life  cycle also when leaves have fallen and the earth seems to be sleeping under the snow.

giovedì 21 settembre 2017

Peace Day




These days when we feel that the world might risk more wars and we need to remember that only peace can make our world a  better place where we can live together.


lunedì 11 settembre 2017

#9/11


On September 11  2001 I was at home in the sittingroom, it was   3 p.m. in Italy.  I was working at home and teaching German , we were working on some grammar  revision with a student. We turned on the  TV  as the  girl I was  teaching  had told me about the event and we saw  images from New  York and the  Twin Towers which were burning.  I was speechless and   wondered what was going on. I finished my lesson and  couldn' t but  continue  watching what was happening  there.  I was  not aware of the  great  violence which would  destroy the hopes of thousands of  people. 
Today after  16 years such images are still in my  eyes: I am not  American but  I cannot  forget what happened there.  It was the beginning of  a new war which would  change our   lives forever.
Since then we have  experienced violence in squares and streets in different countries and in the name of a religion which is used to spread the ideas of attacks and violence against  women and men that believe in freedom.

I have read articles about what happened and also in Europe we have come to terms with the great conflicts between   some values which belong to the civilized world and the ideas which are carried out by some people  who  follow  the voice of  hatre and  violence.
Today many young  men  are continuing their attacks against  those who  consider enemies. We cannot  forget and as a teacher  I will never forget what was documented online and in the news: innocent people died because  others believed in the power of  destruction and wanted to  kill  other people because of their  religion and  beliefs.



 As an educator involved in teaching the  values of  democracy  and  respect of the others I will use some documents online to teach my students about the beginning of the 21st century: September 11 2001

from  BBC  Radio  4:

Crossing  Continents  " Toxic  Ash"  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b013qz7c

Poetry  can also teach us about  the  feelings of the ones whose  lives  were deeply influenced by what they saw:

Poetry of September 11

Photograph from September 11

This is a poem about the  people who died: it is  read by a laureate poet.
 - Billy Collins is  reading " The Names"


 
 
 
More resources online:
 

 
  
Twitter - reading and  sharing  images and  feelings  
 
  




domenica 10 settembre 2017

# Brexit



Yesterday a lot of people protested in London because they wanted to remain in the  European  Union. It was a huge protest  with thousands of people.

Since  2016 the British Prime  Minister has continued her work that is aimed at leaving  the UE.
However, some people who supported Brexit have changed their minds , some educators and  businessmen living in the  City are afraid of the next steps because  things might change and create more problems . People living in Scotland would also like to choose to part of  the UE. 




 https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2017/mar/29/no-turning-back-theresa-may-statement-article-50-brexit-eu-video-highlights

The European Union has never been loved by the  Britsh  people.  Those who chose to leave thought that European  Laws   and   money spent to support  the  poorest  areas in Europe were not  good for the British.
The issue of immigrants was also one of the main  reasons for  choosing  to leave.

There are a lot of problems in the UK but it is true that  a lot of jobs are not  done by the British  people: immigrants and  other  European  citizens work in fields where no British  man or woman  would work.
Personally  I feel that Britain has always felt  an island  and   British  citizens  do not always  share  a European attitude. They also live in the past, when  Britain had a great Empire. First of all, they are  British   citizens.
In education  Britain has been chosen for the quality of many university courses and for  studying English. Educators and many students  have  visited the UK many times and most of  the tourist industry  relies on people coming to Britain to study and to visit its  famous landmarks.
If they leave  Europe , there will be fewer  students and people who choose to go to Britain to study and work.
The world of  finance is  also  worried. What will London be like once most  institutions have left it?
A city like  London relies on the presence of a cosmopolitan society where people  come and choose to live.

This is an interesting  document which I found online and which I might  use with my students to discuss the  issue of  Brexit.  We love  Britain and  most of  our  students visit it and study  there. The future might be  different. The projects supported by the European Union  will not be able to  finance mobility of  teachers and students.  We will choose  Ireland and other European partners but  it will not be the same. My hope is that  things might change and Britain doesn't  leave Europe.






venerdì 8 settembre 2017

Literacy Day 8th September

Reflecting on  Literacy  Day 

8th  September  2017

I was online tonight and I could follow  some hashtags for  this important event which was  remembered online by Unesco and many educators  .

Why is  Literacy  important?                                                                       



Why are books important for learners?

The reality today ............................... too many  men and women,children and young people  do not have  access to education.


What we do need to do is to underline  the importance of  literacy when talking about the  right to education  for everybody. I cannot but support this important day !