How green are you?

Hi all. This is my last post and in this opportunity I will write about a very important issue: The environment and how to care of it.

People can learn about friendly practices, for example, looking at various websites or reading specialized magazines.

I think that is possible to incorporate recycling into my habits, for example, recycling bottles, bags, tetra pack, or separating the trash between organic waste and inorganic waste, and separating plastics, papers, tetra packs and tin.

I like to walk, but I don´t use a bike for transportation because I`m very coward, and I feel lots of nerves when I use a bike in the street with cars together, but I try to walk or use public transport.

I don’t have joined or supported any eco-organizations. I just know Greenpeace. When I was a teenager, I wanted to join to Greenpeace, but I didn’t know how to do it. Later, I forgot this issue, but I always try to take care about the environment and to care the animals.

Yesterday, Paulina and I built a greenhouse on the basis of recycled materials in our practice center. We used bottles to make the posts, big plastic bags recycled from the supermarket for making the lining and recycled pvc pipes to make the structure. I think that is very important to care about the environment and teaching to the new generation how to take care of the planet Earth.

I reduce whenever I can, for example, discarding the remains of the fruits in trees roots and using natural light whenever possible. I reuse the bottles or the yogurt containers and old papers for making toys to my cats and I recycle whenever I can.

Almost daily I see people throwing trash on the street. I think that is very important to improve education in issues about the environment and its cares. Teaching in the schools and making advertising campaigns.

Vacations

Hi all. Considering that this vacation will be brief, I organized my schedule with anticipation. Since September I started to organize events.

The first is to travel with my boyfriend and one of my best friends and her boyfriend to the Papudo´s beach. Then I'd like to go camping in the south, but it’s still not safe.

My plans are walk along Papudo’s beach with my boyfriend, going out dancing, lounging in the square, eat something tasty, swim in the pool and the sea and share with my friends.

The costs are high, but I'm trying to save money. The accommodation is covered, because my boyfriend's family has a beautiful and comfortable apartment in Papudo. Transportation is in the car of my boyfriend, luckily it is an economic car, however, I trust that all of us will help with expenses. We buy the food together. We usually go to a supermarket before leaving, make necessary purchases and split the bill equally. Luckily my boyfriend is very generous and he always helps me with expenses, that’s why it’s a very economical travel for me.

I think that holidays are important because they are the instance to  disconnected from all, to forget the stress and responsibilities, to escape the smog and bustle of Santiago. Unfortunately,  this summer the vacations won’t be so relaxing, because they are shorter than a normal year, but I will try to disconnect and make the most of them! =)

Summary of an article in "The Guardian"

US teachers offered support for climate change lessons

Hi all. Indeed, I didn’t know this newspaper, but while I was reading the columns about educational articles, I found more than one article that called my interest, but the one that motivated me most was this: "U.S. teachers offered support for climate change lessons".

The selected item underlying the importance of training teachers to teach their students about climate change and global warming. It is noted that a statistical study showed that 25% of people in an educational community doubted the existence of climate change.

Currently teachers talk very little about climate change in U.S. schools, and even some teachers have been attacked by teaching classes on global warming. The article notes that there is resistance on the part of many people to take the impacts of global warming and take action, creating an attitude of denial that can be harmful to future generations.

Pedagogical, social and political visions facing this dilemma remain crossed and in the face of the imminent denial of a large number of Citizens Traveling, director of NCSE (The National Centre for Science Education), Eugenie Scott, says that he fears for the coming generations, as if teachers refuse to learn and teach about climate change, future generations will be harmed by ignorance and the lack of preventive measures of this generation.

In conclusion, personally, I think that teachers   and general education must be adapted to social changes and contingencies as striking as it is climate change. The school should not be breeding an educational model that maintains the "status quo" and defends the interests of some sectors of production. The school must be a mechanism of transformation and improvement of society.

Find the article in this link:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jan/13/teachers-support-climate-change-lessons

Movies

Hi all. In this opportunity I will talk about the movies.
I like every kind of movies, for example, romantic movies, scary movies, comedy films and documentary.
I don´t remember a favorite movie in this moment, but I really  like “The Midnight in Paris”, “The King´s Speech”, “The Pianist” and animation movies like “Finding Nemo”, “Wally” and “Up”.

My favorite director is Woody Allen.

My favorite actor is Dik Van Dyke, he is an old actor, but I really like him because, when I watch his movies I remember my childhood. I think that he is very talented and funny. He was work in the movies: “Mary Poppins” and “Night at the museum”

There are very good movies that serve like educational resorces. For students between 14 to 17 years old its possible to use movies like “Les Choristes” or “Dead Poets Society”. With this movies is possible to teach about values and fellowship.

For children between 6 to 10 years old is advisable to use movies like “Dr. Seuss´ Horton hears a Who!” for teaching about the respect and assessment of all kind of lifes.

I think that the role of movies in the society are: entertainment, sometimes educative and to excite people. Besides the movies has an advertising role, because they spread a lot of ideas, concepts and brands.

The last movie that I watched was at the cinema day. In that day, the entry to cinema costs $1000. In 2011 I went to the cinema and I watched 4 movies in one day! I first watched “Blue Valentine”,  then I watched “Winter, the dolphin”, then an action movie that I don´t remember and finally, “Midnight in Paris” with my parents.

A Country I Would Like to Visit

I would like go to Venezuela, because a half of my family live there. I knew Venezuela when I was a girl, I was 4 years old, and I went with my dad, my mom and my brother. What I learned in that trip was that Venezuela is a country with a tropical climate, is very hot and wet. Also I knewits typical music and learned a little of typical dances.  I would like to learn more about Venezuela, the culture, manners and typical foods. I would like to see that beautiful scenery and its paradise islands.

In first place I would like to see my family. Then I’d like to visit a paradise island, like Margarita Island. It would be very nice and entertaining to go to the island with my cousins, my uncle and my aunt.

I would like to visit sightseeing only, because I won´t like to stay a lot of time in Venezuela. I would like, in the future, to live in Canada or any European country. 

Summer Classes

Hi all. My expectations for this semester are to have an interesting and new practical experience. I'm attending to a girls' home and building a project and seminar practice very challenging and motivatingnext to my friend Paulina.

I am taking 7 subjects this semester. My favorite is Philosophy with children. It’s an elective course. The only problem is that the schedule isevery Wednesday afternoon from 14:30 to 17:45. Sometimes I feel so tired at that time that it's hard to be attentiveall the time, but I still enjoy the classes and texts.

Studying in this period of holidays and vacations is complicated. To see my family and friends relaxing and celebrating while I have to do homework and study is discouraging, but my consolation is that this will be a short semester and the last before starting the professional practice.

The other additional difficulty is the sweltering heat, but I try to solve drinking plenty of liquids, and using sunscreen.

My Favorite Place

My favorite place in the city of Santiago is the Padre Hurtado Park (formerly known as Intercomunal Park of La Reina). This park is located between La Reina and Las Condes. Its extension reaches 110 hectares, among which is an artificial lake of 1700 m2, where you can see ducks and fish.

This park is my favorite place because I think it represents a small leak to air pollution in Santiago, noise and stress. It's very relaxing to go to lie on their pastures and watch the lake in the shade of a tree. It is also a very suitable environment for walking pets and spend time with family, as it also has attractions for children.

One of the main reasons why it has become my favorite place is because its near to my house. I can reach it in less than 10 minutes by car or, as another option, take 2 buses that leave me just at the main entrance. All the attractions and the convenience of its location made this year decided to celebrate my birthday there. His quiet ambience made all my friends and family feel very comfortable.

Padre Hurtado’s park is located in Francisco Bilbao street, in the commune of La Reina. It has several attractions. You can ride a bike or cross the park from end to end on a train. It also has a recreational space that has 4 children's pools, playgrounds and extensive green areas. For special days the park organizes events such as “fondas” for national holidays or celebrations with fireworks for Christmas and new year.

The first time I visited it was in my childhood with my father, my mother and my brother. I remember I walked into the lagoon and we went into a kind of pedal boats. My dad bought us ice cream and we boarded on the train.

I recommend this park to all those who want to visit a family atmosphere, clean and quiet, an escape from the stress within the noisy city of Santiago.