For you that believe in God

I would like that my last post was very special. For this, I will start writing about some years ago. God, using a man's mouth , told me that one day I would cross the country's frontier. I believed and put that words in my heart. But, I confess, I couldn't imagine that I would be here in New York. This was only a dream when I joked with my friends. But our words have power and God can makes everything in our lives.

Now, I'm here. I made new friends and colleagues, improve my vocabulary, knew new places, and so on. 

Of course that everything here wasn't only happiness. We had good and hard days.

Now, our time here is finishing and in our country wait for us our family and friends, but, also, our students. I'm sure that we'll come back to Brazil better than when we arrived here.

Here, I had different feelings according a place that I was visiting. My first visit was in a memorial. I was thrilled. when I heard the water falling down into the pool, I could heard the sound of a lot of crying. I was very sad. My impression was that I was together with victims's families and friends.

In another moments, I was astonished with places that I visited how Central Park, Moma, Public Library, Metropolitan Museum, etc. beyond workshops and english refinement classes. For this reason, It's impossible for me choose only one place or one thing to talk about. Then, I will prepare one class to talk, in short, about each wonderful place that I visited here and about my classes, too. I'll talk to them about the importance of speaking english in a globalized world and I' sure thatthis will be the start of the new way to teach and learn english. 

PDPI program

What I´ve learned at St. John´s University with the PDPI program...It´s not difficult to say, as a Top Banana, I learned about friendship, I knew at St. John´s there are Profissional Professors that understand what the pupil wants. The Professor tries, till the student learn, It´s a good thing. If you do a mistake, no problem, the professor says _ I will help you to improve your English. I´d like to thanks all the professors: Aaron, Ann, Donna, Su, Diana and Pan. Mainly Ann, my language teacher..She is wise. I remember a lesson, the third lesson, and the easiest to do a little book talking about the landmarks in US, I invented the caracter "Little Potato'", the lesson was great. I intend to do this lesson with my students. I think this activity they will develop their creativity with the  use of adjectives more properly. That was wonderful time.

The symbol of NY

When I return to Brazil, I'll share with my students the expectation that I had to know the great symbol of the USA and certainly the greatest symbol of NY.
Unfortunately for me it wasn't possible to see close (I think that tourists should have the right to go up to it, even during periods of reform, because not go through there is a frustrating experience). It's the same when someone visit the Rio de Janeiro and not go until the Monument of Christ the Redeemer or go to Manaus and not go to the Amazon Theater.
I went there twice. First I went to the Statue Liberty Park in New Jersey but the access bridge was banned, another time I went by boat but can't stop it.
I believe that everyone coming to NY wishes to visit the Statue of Liberty.

The 1980's.

The last task for me was the most important activity of all PDPI program. Ann Marie divided the class in four groups three of three and one of four students. She gave each group a decade (60's,70's,80's and 90's) to present the principal facts, songs and movies ocurred in the USA in those time. All students had to explain because the professor was analizing our pronunciation, our posture in front of the class, the correct accent of the words. All groups contributed with value information.It was an informative, interesting,participative and most of the students had the opportunity to show the class all the talents that they had inside them.The other point that the students were evaluated one by one. Everybody had to speak with or without the feeling called:nervous. Congratulations, class!

My feelings about the PDPI Program.

The PDPI program will be unforgettable for me. First, because through it I realized a dream; second, because the classes and workshops we had were very meaningful and helped me to improve the skills of listening, speaking and intonation. After this course, I will be a successful person both in personal and professional life.

I am confident that when I arrive in Brazil I can give more than 60% of classes in English,  my students can  access the weebly to post in the blog, do homework and watch videos. Also, I intend to develop a project focused on student learning because they still cannot communicate in the English language.
Now, I need  to thank the professors  Moski Donna, Ann Marie and Diana Schoolman,  the director Pamela Fairman, the assistant director Sue Peterson, the coordinator Aaron Royer and Miss. Cherry Chen because they are people who deserve our respect and our admiration to.
Thank you all.

Your friend,

Marise Schneider

 

A wonderful sunset!

            Yesterday was a hard day: presentations and class all day. At the end of the day I was so tense that my whole body was aching! Nothing like a good walking! So, I went to High Line! 

          The High Line is a New York City Park maintained and supported by friends of the High Line. It is a beautiful place and I saw the sunset! Amazing! I walked a lot and I could take many pictures there! Unforgettable!

Things that I learned

I don't know how to explain in words how important it was this opportunity in my life, but of course, it has changed my life.

I might add that there were some situations here,  that no words in any language can describe what my eyes have seen or what I have felt. But I know, that I have the power ( after all, I am a teacher) to change my lessons in class using those new information and try to show to my student that they must believe that all knowledge in the world is not enough,  I believe that I'll be a multiplier. A multiplier of all values ​​that I learned here, to try to teach to my students every single thing that I have lived here.

High Line Park

I think that I have a huge connection with the Americans and  henceforth I will create a link full of new ideas in my classroom between American and my students. All things considered, I would like to thank all my university professors for giving me the necessary support for the knowledge acquired.

My last post before going back to BRAZIL!

Hi Everyone!

This last week in Manhattan I have been so busy. I presented my weebly to our advisor Aaron Royer and we also had the presence of Sue Peterson. She went to take a look on our presentations. I was not so worried as I was in Ann Marie final presentation.  I am satisfied with my job. In spite of my voice problems I tried to do my best to improve my pronunciation, listening and speaking skills. I am very happy!

Weebly Presentation

Ann Marie has done a great job with her Brazilian students. She's an excellent professor. I have to confess that at the beginning of our classes I thought she was trying to save my voice because she didn't make me read as I wanted to. But I didn't give up because I'm so talkative and I came here to speak a lot even when I don't understand the subject.lol. She taught us many interesting subjects I'll gonna share with the English teachers from Tocantins State, specially idioms and the suggested activities using games. 

Thanks Ann Marie for making all efforts to help us improving our English using different and creative ways. I'm gonna miss you a lot!

ERC: Final presentation

Today morning we had another different class. I felt like a teen doing a funny activity to review  and practice vocabulary. Be sure I'm gonna share it because all activities like that are so interesting to make students learn better. The workshops were very good specially the one about pronunciation by Joyce Mandell.. Today afternoon we had our last workshop with Diana. She worked a little bit with "American Slang".  I love her way of teaching because she organize her ideas and control the time to make things happen the way she plans. She's an example to many English Teachers who go to the classroom without planning the activities the're gonna do with the students.

Posted by Rosana Morales.

  

Soraya before and after staying in New York City

My last post is specially written to express my thankful words and my best wishes to all you whom now are in my life. My friends, my lovely and best teacher Ann Marie and also the other ones who were with us during our stayin here,Sue, Diana, Cherry, Len, my advisor Aaron Royer, my memories, all my memories...I lived some moments here with you all which I'm sure were some of the best ones in my whole life. My mornings with my friends and with the  sweetest and also the most professional teacher I've already had Ann Marie will be always in my mind. Her classes so well prepared, the strategies, the games, the idiomatic expressions ans the most important, Ann Marie's caring with us...Always so patience, so calm and so competent. I love being here with you...My conversations classes were fantastic cause I talk, talk and talk more without feeling shame os fear  of saying or pronounciating and wrong word...Thank you all, thank you...My friends, my special and different friends  form all the parts of Brazil, thank you a lot for listening to me so talkative all the time, thank you for all. Thank you Rose, Edson, Marcia, Mauricio for listening to my tears during the presentation of The Phantom of the Opera. I'll be back to my home and to my family extremely happy because I had three  dreams of mine which came true here in New York, the first one was to be abroad to listen to the people speaking te language I teach in another country; the second , I met one part of Egypt on MET and it was fantastic to me; the third one was that I could watch The Phantom of the Opera here, at Broadway. Watching to it was a very old dreaming  of mine too...Singing the beginning of one of my favourite songs which is MY WAY I'd like to say to you all...And now the end is near,And so I face the final curtain, My friend, I'll say it clear" that I won't never forget you...You'll be always on my mind with a special place in my heart....Thank you for all...Bunches of hugs and kisses to you and I hope someday meet you again...

High Line

Yesterday we could see one more great American landmark. I always get impressed! How American people create different and wonderful ways to reuse things, places, etc..

High Line was a part of a large rail, built between 1929 and 1934, to lift dangerous freight trains from Manhattan`s streets. By 1980 the trains had stopped running and by 2002 the high line was transformed into a public landscape as unusual and enexpected as it is.

The Brooklyn Bridge!

It's so receptive, beautiful, graceful and elegant. Many people walk, ride a bike, go to work, run, talk with friends across the bridge. It's a nice and a wonderful experience. Go there in the morning and feel the wind alonside your body do not have money to pay and no words to express how good is this feeling. Thanks are given to John Roebling and his family because he made his dreams, to build a bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan, come true.

SIX WEEKS LATER...

This is my last week in New York City. I learnt a lot with my new friends, Professors and Coordinators. My classes were very interesting, and the Professor Donna helped me very much. I believe that I improved my English, I can listen and think better in English.

Some of the workshop was good, but I think that the time worked wasn't enough.

What I will use in my English classes is the Blog and the movel Facebook.

Almost of my students don't like to study English, they think that they don't need to learn another language. I'm always trying to use new strategies, games, songs, differents activities to do the best for them. How I know the teenagers and youngs love to use the internet, I will work with them creating a blog and they will should write on it, and write something about a friend too.

The biggest challenge will be to face or accept the education system. In my State, in my City, we have just one class a week and I have 27 differents classes to work.  The worst problem is, even though my English students don't know anything, even though he hasn't reached the proper note to change the grade, I can't hold him/her at the same grade.
Unfortunately, the English Teachers sometimes want to do a good job but they can't, because they don't have a professional recognition, but I won't give up, I like to teach, I love to be a teacher, and now with this opportunity that I had to stay here, I will do the best for my students.

Thanks Fulbright, Capes and St. John's University. Thanks my family, my husband, my three little daughters that are waiting for me.

MY SPECIAL CLASSES AT ST. JOHNS

                    To talk about the most important class here is very hard to me, because, in my opinion all classes that I had at St. Johns University have been very important. I loved workshops, conversation classes, lab classes and my refinement classes too. But, I can`t fail to mention that specially my refinement classes with Dona were really amazing. I am enchanted with her different method to teach English. Her classes are dynamic, funny and interesting. I`m sure that I improved my knowledge in English. Another class that I consider super important was my LAB classes with  advisor Aaron Royer.He was really attentive and patient with me and my classmates in teaching Weebly Project.It certainly will be very useful for my professional life as teacher. So, I just have to thank a lot all the St. Johns` Professors for this unforgettable experience and congratulate all our PDPI`s Professors.  I go back to Brazil, but I`ll miss everything and everyone!




 

" I celebrate myself" Walt Whitman birthplace.

"I celebrate myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. I loafe and invite my soul " Their words begins "Leaves on the Grass"one the most famous book of American History Literature. And I had a chance to know the birthplace of Walt Whitman considered by several scholarships as the american shakespeare. Whitman was one of precursors of free verse. I was very happy to see many places such as schools, mall, road and a service bus with Walt Whitman's name. It is a undoubted prove that United States,specifically, New York care about their poets.

The Brooklyn Bridge

She looks strong, imposing, but beautiful, kind. Do not care who passes over her. She always patient waits the pedestrians unrol and admire, from the top, the wonderful Manhattan and the River. She is The Bridge.

The most important...

It's impossible to say what was the most important during the last 40 days beeing here in New York City,at St. John's University.First I want to say THANKS for all the people from St. John's,it was an amazing experience and I will take it for the rest of my life.
All the places I visited,all the friends I met here,all the excelent professionals people from St. John's were important,but there's one person that I will take in my heart,who I learned a lot with,our professor Donna Moski,thank you  Donna for make us talk,I loved your classes you are a good exemple how to be an English Teacher...

It's hard to choose something that I most liked or who will make the most difference in my life as a teacher, because everything here was a wonderful learning, however, I woud like to emphasize something that caught my attention in order to diversify my classes and my students become more educated. It was The lesson about how to work the poem and poetry with our students by Diana Schoolman, I loved it in theme, because repeatedly I tried to develop it in my English classes in Brazil but I could not find enough sources of information, and the ideas presented by Diana show me

how easy and attractive can become this class, I believe that my students will enjoy as I do.

Morning Classes and Weebly.

This is our last week here, I`ve been here for 5 weeks and we learnt a lot about The American Culture and American Way of Life. I`ve visited amazing places and I met some nice people over here. I will miss for sure our morning classes and our teacher Ann Marie cause I learnt a lot with her (pronnunciation, idioms,some games), I enjoyed a lot our presentations about different subjects like sports and arts. Some things that I learnt here I wanna try with my students for examples: the games that the teacher did with us , all of them were very nice and enjoyable and the Weebly (thanks Aaron for this) cause you were very patience with everybody. The Weebly is a great tool to use with our students cause they like to do things on a computer and this website in a way to keep in touch with everyone. I think that they will have some fun, so do i.

My English Classes

Teaching or learning? What do you do more?
Teaching is not so easy and nor always is the learning as well. Being here in New York during these last 5 weeks with so many competent professionals gave me on sure; to teach we need to like what we intend to do because when we do this with love it isn't just a job anymore, because we are able to engage people in the learning and teaching process without fears, and shames or what else. The importance is in the fact that to teach firstly, we need to know how to learn too because all the moments in our lives in which we are teaching we are also learning with all those who passing for us during our lives....I've learning a lot since I've arrived here, not only to speak and to write English language in a better or in a accurate way , bu t specially I've been learning how I can be a better person in a better world, trying to be a loyal and a thankful person each day I am able to breath, to open my eyes to see the  beauty of the colored gardens or to smell the different smellings...This is the most important learning to me during my whole life. Learning each day to be a better person to try to change this world in a better place too. I try to do my part every days cause when I pass by I'll sure my job in this place  was really done with my best and so I can feel I was  a good and an honor person too.

'My sweetest teacher  and friends

I won't forget New York at all. My first experience abroad using the language I'd been teaching so long..It was incredible. Having a declaration of love from my "husband" who is not my husband in fact and to be asked for married with him when coming back to Brazil made me so happy too. But the caring and the love from the teacher Ann Marie ans from my friends were a  present to me too.You'll be always in my heart and all the moments I lived here among you all will be with me always in my mind...Having a  so special celebration as that one you did to me with our teacher was amazing and I'm so glad to be here with you all...Thank you teacher Ann Marie, you are very sweet and also a very special person. I won't forget you, your classes, your attention with us, your special way to correct us with our pronunciation and specially this surprise you prepared to me with my friends.I wish you all the best and I hope you find in your life people so special ans meaninful as you were for me... God bless you sweet and lovely teacher.

FAR FROM MY HOME.... FOR 5 WEEKS!!!

If you look carefully for all these pictures, you could imagine or will know just a little

what these 5 weeks in New York meant for me!!! There is only more one…

What I have lived here, what I have seen or done, will be unforgettable…

The things that I haven't had time or money to see (…lol…) no problem…  

 

What I saw and lived was just enough!!!

B.B. King's Show

July 11th
It was a wonderful day for me, because I went to see one of the best show of my life until now.when I was a child my Dad used to sing and play in his guittar beautiful songs, most of these songs were B.B.King'S songs, when he sang  "you are my sunshine",I couldn't hold my tears...It was really very, very important to me...

Visiting National Museum of the American Indian

Last week I felt a little bit sad,because I'd love my Mom here with me.She is  an anthropologist,and she works with the Indian people in Brasil,she is very kind and she works a lot,and fights for the Indians' Rights,then during  my visit I was reading the histories and thinking about her.I'm happy because we still have people fighting like my Mom.
The National Museum of the American Indian–New York, the George Gustav Heye Center, is located within the historic Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House. The museum’s permanent and temporary exhibitions—as well as a range of public programs, including music and dance performances, films, and symposia.

Rhonda Holy Bear (Cheyenne River Lakota), Maternal Journey (detail), 2010. Wood, hide, cloth, paint, glass beads, hair, shell, metal. Photo by Mark Damon, courtesy of the artist

WHAT AMAZING IS LEARNING!

What amazing is to be here learning more and more every day. Knowledge is a treasure that when we acquired, it belongs to us and expands as we share with others. Knowing share knowledge is a noble atitude. Our professor Anne Marie is a very special person, amazing that knows share your knowledges. I am so glad to encounter people like her that contributes a lot to our learning. Your suggested lessons are fantastic! Your role as teacher is really remarkable. We had a significant advancement in our learning and surely we are better prepared and certainly more motivated in sharing what we learned with our students in Brazil.

My classmates are very nice and They are from different states of Brazil. We have been studying together for about five weeks only but we have already felt confident each other. When I saw my professor for the first time I could fell that she was very intelligent and a nice person and I would learn a lot with her. I hope when we come back to Brazil we can make a better job in our classrooms because  we have been learning a lot  about  new methodos and new ways to teach English.

Times Square

It is very exciting to know that we are on 5th avenue!!!!

Times Square is a major commercial intersection and a neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, at the junction of Broadway (now converted into a pedestrian plaza) and 7th Avenue and stretching from West 42 nd Street to West 47 th Streets.

Before going there, I was looking for some information about places in Times Square and I found out a web site where we can see ourselves if we were in Times Square on the internet. So amazing!

Live From NYC's Times Square:

EarthCam takes you on a virtual tour of the most visited spot in New York City: Times Square! Our exclusive webcams feature aerial views of the action below and the world famous street-level camera with audio. Interact with both live streaming views from the HD presets, as well as updating high resolution still images from the MP (megapixel) presets. Be a part of the new FanCam every day at 1 p.m. ET when our GigapixelCam pans Times Square, creating a 1 billion pixel image. The souvenir panorama is available the next day as a keepsake from The Crossroads of the World!

http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/