This Halloween gave me the creeps

I’m probably going to show some ignorance with this post, but then again, there you are, dear readers to correct me if I’m wrong.



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This Halloween I didn’t go out so I basically don’t know what was going on outside while I was stretching myself in bed reading my book.



The day after was the creepy one.

I went out to do some shopping in the morning. The town was particularly quiet. Nothing you wouldn’t expect after a huge party night.

Walking in to the shop I saw an egg smashed on the pavement. Ok, somebody dropped it. Accidents happen. Then there was another one, then one more. A few steps ahead there was an entire box all smashed on the ground.

 Then I stopped and gave my brains a chance to wake up.

- Was this a Halloween trick?

The answer was obvious when I walked further and the image wouldn’t change.

Why was it creepy?

Let’s see, let’s analyze.

Were living / surviving during an economic crisis. People are getting desperate everywhere because they have no money to pay the bills. Unemployment is rising and poverty has knocked so many doors in the past months.

Some families with kids are living on one meal a day and I see the ground painted in eggs?

Yes, that’s what gave me the creeps.

"English Tea Break"

Last June 1st was a very special day at school! Besides being the world's children day, I took the chance to develop a special activity with my students. It was called "The english tea break" . With the help of 2 other teachers, I took the students to the canteen and they baked some scones. While the scones were cooking in the oven and the water was warming up for the tea, I talked about the 5 o'clock tea tradition. The students learned some curiosities such as that it was a Portuguese Princess (Catarina de Bragança) who started this tradition in England.

At 5 o'clock, the tea was served! A bit later came the scones right from the oven. We put some jam on them and then it was the most delicious part of the activity!!! EATING!!!

Ps. It was a hell of a job.. but very worth doing!! Specially when I got back to the classroom and read a message the students' had left for me on the board : "Thank you for today's lesson!" I guess that my stress went all way when I read that!

Father's day - reflexion

I've written about a Father's day activity which I'd developed with the kids.

All along the day, I was thinking about those activities and I think I'm having a problem.

Here in Portugal we celebrate father's day, mother's day Christmas (and a long list of special ocasions) at school. the problem is, what do we do when we are asking the kids to colour a "best dad's certificate" when his/her father doesn't live with him/her or has passed not so long ago?

I'm teaching at the very south of Portugal. There are kids from everywhere in my school. Polish, Bulgarians, Angolans...Many of them come from broken families or have different religious beliefs...

My questions are: Should we protect these students and not celebrate these ocasions ever??

Should we celebrate anyway but have special attention on these lessons? Or should we simply go on like if all the kids have just the same life stories behind them?

Story 2 - What do we say when...

This story is more like a question.

What would you do if you were teaching a 9 year old sweet girl on the exact same day when her father died?

I knew he was very ill since the beginning of the year. But I guess no one is ever prepared for such news..

The girl waited for all her collegues to leave the classroom for the break and came to talk to me..

"Did you know teacher, my father died this morning.."

Facing this, I was almost speachless eventhough I knew I had to say something because she was looking for my comfort.. I talked to her and hugged her.. but still I don't know if I've chosen the right words..

These situations make me so unconfortable, sad...

A teacher should be prepared for this, but honestly I don't think I'll ever learn how to talk right when life seems so wrong...

Story 1 - The pharmacy ticket

Some months ago, there was a very nice episode during one of my classes that I would like to share.

I've always encoraged my students to bring to class anything that has to do with the english lessons. There's this particular class that has taken this activity very seriously and they have new things to show and talk about every lesson.

Some of them have brought all kinds of books; dictionaries, old english course books, picture dictionaries...other students have brought english coins, post cards, a small statue of liberty, games, teddy bears who sing songs in english.. Well you see, everything they can relate to the english lesson, they'll bring. When they can't find anything, they'll write their own papers with vocabulary they've learnt or they'll copy a song and they'll bring it.

One day, there was this kid that really made my lesson unforgetable. He wanted so bad to bring something to class..but he didn't have anything. So he brought me an old pharmacy ticket with a note in english writen on its back. He said to me: " I'm sorry for the paper teacher, but my mother didn't have anyother in the car to give me and I wanted to bring something to the lesson too".

That day I felt that I was really making english count to those kids. I still have the paperand I'll keep it as a memory. The kids are thinking about my lessons when they are at home and when they are on their way to school. Isn't this special?