June 23
Just a few blocks from the elementary school is the public high school, Colegio Nacional Galapagos. I meet the director, Edgar Larrea Naranjo, who has been at the school for twenty-five years, and I meet the head of the English program, Nuria Quinto de Gavilones. I learn that the school is hoping to introduce an international program and would like to add more English instruction. There is a library with computers but they are not yet connected and there is one computer with internet connection in an office.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Public Elementary Schools on Santa Cruz
June 23
Many students pay to attend private schools. However. the public schools educate most of the students. Close to my hotel are two public schools, one an elementary school, the other a high school, Colegio Nacional de Galapagos. I wanted to see what students are doing in their English classes and what technology the schools have.
First, I visited the elementary school. One the way, I passed a group of students out for their run with their teacher. In Oregon, many elementary schools do not have gym anymore because the time is needed to prepare students for state tests. At the school, Escuela San Francisco, I meet the director, Sister Maria Chavez. She tells me that there are 490 students in the school and there is one computer available. We walk past concrete block buildings that box in a paved courtyard. Students wearing brown and white uniform chase each other, kick soccer balls, and eat snacks, sitting on stone steps.
As I enter the English classroom, all the students stand and greet the Directora in unison. I am introduced to them and to the English teacher, a man with glasses and a big smile. He invites me to stay and teach vocabulary with him so I end up teaching three classes with him, helping with pronunciation of vocabulary. The students sit at desks with headphones, but they are not used. Two science lessons are about the planets, and one geography lesson is about the adventures of Federico who travels the world. The students are attentive and eager to learn, although a bit shy to talk individually. It´s time to visit the older students at the Colegio so I say goodbye. The teacher is happy with the students´performance and I am invited back to teach.
Many students pay to attend private schools. However. the public schools educate most of the students. Close to my hotel are two public schools, one an elementary school, the other a high school, Colegio Nacional de Galapagos. I wanted to see what students are doing in their English classes and what technology the schools have.
First, I visited the elementary school. One the way, I passed a group of students out for their run with their teacher. In Oregon, many elementary schools do not have gym anymore because the time is needed to prepare students for state tests. At the school, Escuela San Francisco, I meet the director, Sister Maria Chavez. She tells me that there are 490 students in the school and there is one computer available. We walk past concrete block buildings that box in a paved courtyard. Students wearing brown and white uniform chase each other, kick soccer balls, and eat snacks, sitting on stone steps.
As I enter the English classroom, all the students stand and greet the Directora in unison. I am introduced to them and to the English teacher, a man with glasses and a big smile. He invites me to stay and teach vocabulary with him so I end up teaching three classes with him, helping with pronunciation of vocabulary. The students sit at desks with headphones, but they are not used. Two science lessons are about the planets, and one geography lesson is about the adventures of Federico who travels the world. The students are attentive and eager to learn, although a bit shy to talk individually. It´s time to visit the older students at the Colegio so I say goodbye. The teacher is happy with the students´performance and I am invited back to teach.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Santa Cruz, the Galapagos
Hello Writers!
6/19
I traveled from Portland, Oregon through Houston, Texas to Guayaquil, a city on the coast of Ecuador.
6/20
I arrived about 4:00 am, went to a hotel and slept for two hours, then got up and went to the airport to fly to Baltra in the Galapagos. A bus ride to the dock for a boat ride to Santa Cruz, and a taxi ride brought me to Puerto Ayora. I rented a small apartment at the Casa del Lago with a a huge bottle of drinking water, a refrig in the kitchen and patio with plants that overlooks the pila, the outdoor stone washing tub. There´s just a short walk to the dock and shopping areas. Cyber cafes sit next to restaurants, tour boat offices, and souvenir shops with carved wooden turtles, silver jewelry, and shirts with sharks, tutles, and birds.
6/21-22
The ocean here is the most incredible turquoise. I walked out on the dock and saw a baby hammerhead shark swimming by the pier. The tide was out and red crabs gingerly picked their way from rock to rock by the dock, skirting marine iguanas sunning themselves in groups, clinging to the rock walls of the pier. A trip through town produced a bakery where I bought sweet rolls; a supermarket where I got milk in a small box, coffee--in spite of growing coffee here, everyone seems to drink powdered Nescafe--and sunscreen that is essential in this sun; a vegetable and fruit market where I got red grapes from Chile, an avocado, tomatoes, a ripe pineapple and fresh green peas, shelled for cooking. In the evening, I walked around the town, not needing a coat or shirt. It rains during the night and the sound of the rain on the tile roof wakes me for a little bit. I got caught in the rain at the bakery on Sunday morning and shared a taxi home with a woman and her baby who live across the street. Great luck!!
6/19
I traveled from Portland, Oregon through Houston, Texas to Guayaquil, a city on the coast of Ecuador.
6/20
I arrived about 4:00 am, went to a hotel and slept for two hours, then got up and went to the airport to fly to Baltra in the Galapagos. A bus ride to the dock for a boat ride to Santa Cruz, and a taxi ride brought me to Puerto Ayora. I rented a small apartment at the Casa del Lago with a a huge bottle of drinking water, a refrig in the kitchen and patio with plants that overlooks the pila, the outdoor stone washing tub. There´s just a short walk to the dock and shopping areas. Cyber cafes sit next to restaurants, tour boat offices, and souvenir shops with carved wooden turtles, silver jewelry, and shirts with sharks, tutles, and birds.
6/21-22
The ocean here is the most incredible turquoise. I walked out on the dock and saw a baby hammerhead shark swimming by the pier. The tide was out and red crabs gingerly picked their way from rock to rock by the dock, skirting marine iguanas sunning themselves in groups, clinging to the rock walls of the pier. A trip through town produced a bakery where I bought sweet rolls; a supermarket where I got milk in a small box, coffee--in spite of growing coffee here, everyone seems to drink powdered Nescafe--and sunscreen that is essential in this sun; a vegetable and fruit market where I got red grapes from Chile, an avocado, tomatoes, a ripe pineapple and fresh green peas, shelled for cooking. In the evening, I walked around the town, not needing a coat or shirt. It rains during the night and the sound of the rain on the tile roof wakes me for a little bit. I got caught in the rain at the bakery on Sunday morning and shared a taxi home with a woman and her baby who live across the street. Great luck!!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Check out English/Spanish novelas
Students at Cesar Chavez High School fight, gossip, make friends, drink, and leave babies alone in cars. Take a look at their stories. Choose English or Spanish---or both! Open the door to their world
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The Galapagos--saving a global treasure
Check out this great site for more information about the Galapagos.
Where in the world is Oregon?
Find Oregon on the left side of the United States.What states border Oregon?
What ocean touches Oregon?
What states have you visited?
What ocean touches Oregon?
What states have you visited?
Where in the world are the Galapagos Islands?
Look to the left side of Ecuador. You will see the Galapagos Islands. Find San Cristobal in the close up of the islands. The navy prep school, Liceo Naval, is on San Cristobal.
What is Creative Non-Fiction?
Welcome Writers!
Creative non-fiction uses techniques of fiction such as dialogues, description, real events as narratives, people as characters, and places as settings. You can practice using creative non-fiction in writing journals and essays. Look for how it is used in magazines and blog entries!
Let's get technical!
Welcome Writers!
Here are lessons to teach you how to use Gmail, Blogging and Google Docs
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