APIBA Newsletter N° 14 - June 2002

Asociación de Profesores de Inglés de Buenos Aires Asociación Civil sin Fines de Lucro Personería Jurídica c.7111 Res. 8524/79 CUIT 30-66211994-2

Newsletter 14 J u n e

From the President

Table o off content contentss • • •

From the President FAAPI 2002 call for papers APIBA auction, book presentations and Extraordinary Assembly • New FAAPI Committee • Letters: books & prices.

• From the Members: My visit to the Mapuches • Office hours • Useful websites • APIBA SIGs update

On this occasion I would like to share with APIBA members an issue that concerns us all and worries myself and the Executive Committee in particular: the levels of participation of members in APIBA activities.

This issue was central to the debate at last year’s AGM, when the general motion from the assembled members was for the Committee to be re-nominated and re-elected. The conclusion of the discussion was that the Association desperately needed greater participation from its members as the only way forward. And it was thus that the Sub-Committees to deal with various areas of activity were formed.

The activities of these Sub-Committees have got off to a rather slow start, and some people have resigned from their positions on them. In other cases, we are confronted with de facto resignations that stem from inaction. This seems to be symptomatic of a more general problem. The situation can be illustrated by means of a few examples: · activities organised by the Association lack the required number of participants to be carried out (see, for example, the course on Evaluation submitted and approved for puntaje by the City of Buenos Aires); · calls for contributions to the Newsletter receive very few responses; · institutionally-relevant events such as the FAAPI AGM do not generate a single response (whether positive or negative!).

New

Rodríguez; Sarmiento 835)

√ THURSDAYS 13.30-16.30 (Lib. KEL; M.T. de Alvear 1369)

U s e f u l We b S i t e s For information on the activities of those sneaky folks at Secretaría de Educación de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, check out www.buenosaires.esc.edu.ar / educacion/Agenda2002/ home.asp The Escuela Normal Superior en Lenguas Vivas “J. F. Kennedy” has launched its new Web site: / w w w. c f . r f f d c . e d u . a r lvkennedy

Cristina Banfi

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√ TUESDAYS 13.30-16.30 (Lib.

We realise that the problems faced by individuals are understandable, and critical in many cases, but we don’t need to explain that we are “all in the same boat” in this respect. To expect a few people to continue with the duties and responsibilities involved and, at the same time, abrogate one’s own, is simply irresponsible behaviour.

Over the past few years I have, with varying degrees of emphasis, remarked on the need for member participation. This is not simply a statement of belief but a necessary requirement for the Association’s survival.

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In yet another effort to befuddle, bedazzle and hoodwink members, here are our new office hours:

The fact is that the lack of participation on the part of the members of APIBA is, to say the least, extremely disappointing. It seems that commitment amounts to passing remarks about “wanting to work for the Association”, but when the time comes to do something about it, people have more pressing concerns.

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Presidente: NORMA BOETSCH DE MORAGA (Salta) institutodeinglesiei@arnet.com.ar, Secretaria: ANA MARÍA PETTINARI (Bahía Blanca) 9torres@infovia.com.ar, Tesorero: DR. MARIO LÓPEZ BARRIOS (Córdoba) lopez@powernet.net.ar, Vocal 1: ALICIA PÉREZ DE PEREYRA (Córdoba) a213perez@yahoo.com.ar, Vocal 2: ALBA LOYO (Río Cuarto) albaloyo@arnet.com.ar, Vocal suplente: NÉLIDA IREBA (Catamarca) fblanco@aden.com.ar, Vocal suplente: FERNANDA IRRAZÁBAL (Salta) irrazabaldoc@hotmail.com, Revisora de Cuentas Titular: JOSEFINA POZZI (San Nicolás) pina@pilots.com.ar, Revisora de C. Suplente: MARTA GURIDI (Concepción del Uruguay) inglestenis@infovia.com.ar

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S C H E D U L E 17 hs. Asamblea Extraordinaria de APIBA (members only) 18 hs. Presentations of

A P I B A S I G s H a n d b o o k , by Analía Kandel, M.A. Thirty Years of Teaching English: A History of A P I B A , 1 9 7 1 - 2 0 0 1 , by Dr. Raymond Day 19 hs. Auction of Cartoons by artists Tabaré, Alfredo Grondona White & Julio Parissi. Auctioneer: Daniel Reznik, M.A. This is a unique opportunity to be part of an auction to be conducted in English. Remember that bidding is an option, but not a must – you can come along for the fun of it!

20 hs. Cocktail party (invitation only, $5) Important: The Presentations and the Auction are open to all and free of charge, but to guarantee a place, we recommend that you pre-register by sending an e-mail to info@apiba.org.ar or by fax on Telefax: (011) 4326-3927 Those members of APIBA attending the presentation will receive both publications free of charge. Other interested individuals will be able to purchase them at a discount price of $10 (both publications)

FAAPI 2002 Annual Conference - call for papers The 2002 FAAPI CONFERENCE, “Curriculum Development: Managing the Change”, will be held in Cordoba, Argentina from September 19 to 21, 2002. The conference will be organized by ACPI (Asociación Cordobesa de Profesores de Inglés). The Conference aims to provide a forum for comparing experiences and sharing ideas.

The Conference will provide an opportunity to consider achievements and new directions on issues such as EFL methodology, schools curricula at the EGB and Polimodal levels, Teacher Education curricula, ESP curricula, International examinations curricula, bilingual education curricula, literature and culture in the EFL curriculum and the place of technology in the EFL curriculum.

FAAPI aims to link and support English Language Teaching professionals in Argentina and the annual conference is its most important event. This three-day event will promote the discussion of theoretical and practical issues related to the development of curricula favouring an integrated, interdisciplinary model.

Renowned specialists in ELT will be giving plenary talks, leading workshops and delivering papers at this most important event. To download the Call for Papers, you should consult the Conference Web site (www.faapi.com.ar/Congresos.htm#03). For further information, please contact the Conference Office: 2002 FAAPI Conference, c/o Lic. Ma. Nieves Díaz Carballo; Av. Colón 951; (5000) Córdoba/Argentina.

Telefax 0351 427 0022; faapi2002@hotmail.com / faapi2002@arnet.com.ar

Extraordinary General Meeting and Annual Dues We are well aware of the difficulties APIBA members face as regards the current economic crisis. It is in the light of this situation that we have been studying possible alternatives to facilitate payment of the annual dues. As you well know, following the Association’s Statutes (Art. 14, inc. c.), it is the Assembled members at the Annual General Meeting in November who set the level and form of payment of the annual dues every year. At the last AGM, the members voted to keep the same level of fees as last year, i.e. $50, with a discounted option of $30 if the dues were paid before April 30th, 2002.

Much has happened since November, and we know that many Members have had considerable difficulty meeting this deadline. For this reason, the Executive Committee have decided to call an Extraordinary General Meeting for June 19th at 5 p.m. before the Presentations & Auction Event (see box on this event).

At this meeting, two proposals will be put before the members: - To extend the deadline for the discount option until June 30th. This means that members can pay their 2002 dues at $30 until that date.

- The second proposal applies to those members who have fallen behind with their dues (Morosos). If a member has not paid their dues in the past few years, to be up to date they now have to pay $180, an amount beyond most people’s means. Therefore, we are proposing that a Moratorium be declared for dues unpaid before 2001. If this proposal is passed, the members in this situation will have to pay $80 to be up to date. This is a compromise solution that allows people to come back to the Association without affecting the acquired rights of those members who have paid their dues regularly.

Should you have other suggestions, please let APIBA know (info@apiba.org.ar) or come and share it at the meeting. We hope all APIBA members can join us at this meeting to resolve these issues.

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Last newsletter saw the first contribution from a member.

Here is the second!

A “live” lesson of life: my visit to the Mapuches While the “cacerolazos”, strikes, bad news and unpaid bills rule our unexpected and hectic lives in the city, the mountains of the Andes give shelter to other people who, just like us, also have to deal with the daily struggles of life: the Mapuches. What is more, these men and women must also face the segregation earned for being “indians”, added up to the shameful indignity of living in “borrowed” parcels of land, once belonging to their ancestors, which were violently seized by the “huinca” (white men) a century ago.

The Mapuches (mapu meaning “land”; che, “people”) living in the community of Chiquilihuin in the south east of Neuquén, Argentina, kindly opened their doors and hearts to us, a group of adolescents who went to visit them as missionaries during the first half of January 2002. Many are the anecdotes I treasure in my soul after my ten-day experience with them, but it would be very selfish of me to keep to myself the invaluable lessons of life I learnt from these “people of the land”.

Hospitality

However poor they might be, inside the mapuches’ houses there is always hot water on the stove and homemade bread waiting to be sliced for the newly-arrived guests. As we share some mate, shyness peels off and the man, head of the family, tells us of the unexpected weather, the lack of tourists willing to buy their produce, the exploitation of the “huinca” at the nearby ranches where many male members of the community earn their living as peons. Meanwhile, the children stroke their cats, chase the clucking chicken, or hide behind their mother’s skirt, as she attentively, but silently, serves the guests.

This picture is faithfully repeated in every house we visit: from the moment we make ourselves visible down the slopes, the doors are opened and handshakes ready to welcome us.

Silence

The continuous babbling and the hectic tumult of our cities are not to be missed in a place where the silence of the mountains is only disrupted by the trills of the birds and the flow of the streams.

Silence also impregnates the mapuches’ daily chores: at the works, women patiently and quietly weave the wool into tapestries, bags, ponchos, which take them weeks or even months to finish. No grumbles are heard when a sheep meant to provide wool dies; no complaints are voiced when the cloth in the loom reveals an error and everything has to be undone.

Men silently walk their cattle up the slope for the veranada: the time of year when sheep, cows and goats are taken to the cordillera to pasture. They know the cruel winter might kill their animals, making the summer effort worthless, but still they carry on feeding these creatures which will supply them with meat, fur and leather to live and sell, if they survive the cold.

“Work is our policy”

No promises and speeches are heard among the members of the community; politics in Chiquilihuin consists of communal effort and work. Women are found in the works, weaving and sewing, selling their products to the occasional tourists, or travelling fifty kilometers to the nearest city to sell their goods to the artisans’ shops where they will probably get paid half the real value of their crafts. Those women who are unskilled in craft making choose to take part in the “Environment Project”, intended to preserve the waters clean and the pasture evergreen. They spend every morning collecting and burning waste, task that might take them months to complete, as each of the seventy houses of the community is surrounded by large plots of land separating one property from the other.

The men who do not own large cattle are hired by the Government to improve the dusty roads up and down the mountains, for the vans, cars, or horsemen to go freely and safely. They are also in charge of opening paths in the wilderness of the michai – hedge-like plant with purple fruit –, making it possible for the children who live far up to be able to reach school in a shorter span of time by using these shortcuts.

Tradition

The Mapuches are peoples of long-established rites and customs, and they are acutely aware that “a nation without memory, is a nation without a future”. Although this is perceived in their distrust for the huinca, who stole their lands in the past, the mapuches also value forgiveness, so once they open their hearts to their visitors,they love and care for them unconditionally.

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News

This year the SIGs got off to a fresh start at their 2002 Opening Meeting which was held at I.E.S. en Lenguas Vivas “Juan R. Fernández” on April 13th. On this occasion all SIG members had the chance to, first, discuss various issues concerning all APIBA SIGs at a general meeting at which useful conclusions were reached, and then each SIG held their first individual meeting where Coordinators were elected and topics to be dealt with during the current academic year were proposed. We are pleased to welcome all 2002 SIG Coordinators and SIG members, and hope API-BA SIGs will continue thriving in their third year of activities.

We would also like to announce that Professional Development SIGs Don Torcuato and Pilar have merged and will from now on continue meeting in Pilar coordinated by APIBA members Gabriela Domínguez and Silvia Caporale. A new Professional Development SIG will soon hold its first meeting in Olavarría coordinated by APIBA members Silvana Riccio de Bottino and Karina Elbey. We would like to encourage other APIBA members living and working in the province of Buenos Aires to contact the SIGs Liaison Officer with proposals to open new SIGs in various districts under APIBA’s jurisdiction.

APIBA members and nonmembers wishing to find out more about APIBA SIGs can contact the SIGs Liaison Officer at apibasigs@apiba.org.ar. Anyone wishing to receive the monthly APIBA SIGs Timetable by email should send a blank message to apibasigs@apiba.org.ar writing “Subscribe” in the subject line.

Finally, we hope to see you all on June 19th at the BAC at 6 p.m. where the SIGs will contribute to APIBA’s 30th anniversary celebrations with the presentation of the APIBA SIGs Handbook, which contains information about the past, present and future of the SIGs project and includes all the materials that have been used to run the SIGs since they were first launched in April 2000.

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Despite the fact that most of the Mapuches are now Catholics or Evangelists, once a year the whole community gathers in a concealed spot to celebrate the rogativa: a four-day experience of prayer and sacrifice directed to Futachao (God), and headed by one of the eldest women. In this ceremony, they plead for good harvests and a fruitful year. This February, the rogativa was specially held to implore an improvement in the social and economic situation of Argentina.

A sudden interest for the Mapuche language is being reborn among the youngest members of the community, once ashamed of their culture. To contribute to this resurgence, Mapuche adults were chosen to teach Mapungdum to the little children at school, thus adding Mapuche autochthonous elements to a syllabus mainly based on a huinca culture. * * * Hospitality, silence, work and tradition are the tools the Mapuches use to fight the daily indifference, exploitation and resignation they live with. The most important lesson I learnt from them, is the fact that however threatening this national crisis might be to our pockets and dreams, it will never succeed in extinguishing the flame of the undying values of perseverance, family support, unshakable faith and generosity.

Under no condition will these buried treasures of the heart be snatched from us. We just have to dig them up. Now only one question remains: Are we ready to get our spades?

M a r i n a N. C a n t a r u Student at ISP “Joaquín V. González”

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The following letter was received by APIBA in response to the letter we sent to publishers and bookshops that appeared in our last Newsletter. Another message was received from Pearson Education but, at the time of publication, no authorisation to publish it had been received by APIBA. De nuestra consideración: Nos dirigimos a Uds. en respuesta a su atenta del pasado mes de febrero, y compartimos la preocupación manifiesta, respecto de la situación que atraviesa nuestro país.

Dado que la casi totalidad de los productos que comercializamos son de origen extranjero, sus precios se ven afectados obviamente por la modificacion del tipo de cambio. En consecuencia hemos tenido que ajustar nuestros precios hasta un 30% cuando nuestra moneda fué devaluada un 150%, aproximadamente.

A pesar de todo, hemos hecho un gran esfuerzo y en el caso de los libros impresos en nuestro país, hemos mantenido todos los precios sin modificaciones a pesar del aumento de costos de los insumos, y en el caso de los importados, hemos ajustado los precios muy por debajo del desfasaje cambiario real.

También quisiéramos hacer referencia a la promulgación de la Ley 25.542, con fecha 8 de Enero del corriente año. Dicha ley tendiente a proteger la actividad librera, prohíbe expresamente la posibilidad de realizar cualquier tipo de descuento sobre los precios de venta al publico de libros en general. En consecuencia, y muy a nuestro pesar, hemos tenido que suspender los descuentos a los docentes que eligen a nuestra empresa para realizar sus compras.

Como en Kel Ediciones hemos tratado siempre y en todo momento de favorecer a nuestras queridas maestras y profesoras, como asi tambien a los padres y alumnos, quienes en conjunto formamos el mundo de la educacion y cultura, hemos implementado un sistema de puntaje con motivo de celebrar nuestros 25 años como empresa argentina.

Entendemos que toda esta situacion atenta directamente contra la capacidad de compra de los docentes y del publico en general, y por obvias razones repercutira en una baja sustancial de ventas de nuestra empresa, siendo muy critico para nosotros tener que asumirlo.

No obstante, pondremos todo nuestro empeño para poder seguir ofreciendo nuestro mejor servicio y atencion a profesores y maestros.

Atentamente, Kathleen Duggan Presidente, Kel Ediciones S.A.

A P I B A

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U p d a t e

The following Sub-Committees were formed at APIBA’s last AGM. If you have suggestions, proposals or want to be part of these Sub-Committees, you can contact the individuals listed below or send a message to info@apiba.org.ar Finance: Graciela Moyano, Alejandra Jorge,Virginia López Grisolía, María Luisa Ghisalberti, Daniel Reznik, Clem Baraldi de Durán. E-mail messages exchanged on possible course of action.

Services to Members: Mónica Cuello, Ana Kuckiewicz, María G. Piqué, Nora Lizenberg, Verónica Storni Fricke, Gabriela Pezzi. E-mail messages exchanged on possible course of action. Main Contact: V. Storni Fricke Ethics: María Isabel Santa, Inés Cambiasso, Silvia Luppi, Marisa Vilaseco, Susana Lezcano de Colombo.

Ideas exchanged on possible basis for a Code of Ethics.

Publications: Verónica Storni Fricke, Claudia Ferradas de Moi, Pablo Toledo. Meeting held Dec. 5th to explore ideas for publications.

Legal Matters: Paula López Cano, Silvia Iummato. Information exchanged on e-mail concerning Art. 39

of the Law of Higher Education.

Data Collection: Patricia Connolly. E-mail messages exchanged on possible course of action.

Institutional Relations: Litty Mora, Cristina Grondona White, Inés Cambiasso, Alicia Perera Communications: Daniela V. Delgado, María Lucrecia Puppo, Ángeles Rodríguez. Meeting held March 1st to exchange ideas and prioritise possible activities.

Resignations: María Cristina Bardeci (Services to Members & Communications), Cristina Grondona White (Communications), Sergio Rodríguez (Data Collection)

Another attack on teaching degrees at Ciudad de Buenos Aires On May 14, teacher unions made presentations at the Education Commission of the Legislatura de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires supporting a current project which would result in another titularización masiva, granting tenure to people without teaching degrees who have been teaching at state schools in the past years. As SUTEBA did at Buenos Aires province, most unions support these attacks on teaching degrees and the Estatuto Docente.

On May 21, APIBA attended another session where CAMYP (Unión Argentina de Maestros y Profesores), together with the heads of Art teacher training institutions, ISP "Joaquín V González" and IES-LV "J R Fernández" spoke against this outrageous measure, presenting the Education commission with the legal, professional and educational arguments that support their opposition – namely, that many concursos have already been announced (and those who have already signed up for them will have wasted almost a full working year if they are called off), that the quality of education will be sacrificd on behalf of granting job stability for people who have not made any efforts to get qualified, and mostly that, once again, legislators overlook the interests of teaching professionals and, moreover, seem to act against them.

APIBA will make a written presentation to City officials and legislators, defending the interests of our members and all students in the educational system - it is them who suffer the most, as the quality of education they will receive at the hands of unqualified "teachers" with tenure will be the main victim if this project turned into a law.

MEMBERSHIP FORM 2002 (Please feel free to make copies) From APIBA Statutes: Artículo 5º.- De los Asociados.- Se establece una sola categoría de socios. Estos deberán poseer título docente en la especialidad, expedido por: a) las Universidades nacionales, provinciales o privadas; b) los Institutos Superiores del Profesorado nacionales, provinciales o privados.- En todos los casos los títulos deberán ser los reconocidos por el Ministerio de Educación de la Nación para la impartición de la asignatura en las escuelas nacionales.- Son requisitos para ser socio de esta Asociación: 1º.- Que la solicitud haya sido aceptada por la Comisión Directiva de la Asociación. 2º.- Que el socio abone regularmente la cuota mensual1 que determina la asamblea.

1 La cuota de APIBA se abona anualmente. Ver monto al pie.

I would like to (re-)apply for membership of the Association of Teachers of English of Buenos Aires

Name:__________________________________________________________________________________ I.D. Number (DNI/LE/LC): _________________________________________________________________ Address:

Street / No: _____________________________________________________________________ Town: _________________________________________________ Post Code: _______________

Telephone Number: ______________________________ Fax Number: ______________________________ E-mail Address: ___________________________________________________________________________ Degree: _______________________ Awarded by: ________________________________ Year: __________ Work at: ______________________________________________ Position: ___________________________ [ ] 1) I am already a Member of APIBA Members need only pay outstanding dues from 1999 to the present as APIBA declared a Moratorium on dues not paid before 1999.

2) I am applying for Membership of APIBA for the first time

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New members have to pay dues for the current year, submit a photocopy of their degree and two passport-sized photographs. These can be submitted by hand to any Executive Committee member or posted to the APIBA office. Remember that this is an initial step and that the application procedure is concluded when all the material is submitted and once the APIBA Committee have accepted the application.

1999 Dues ($50) 2000 Dues ($50) 2001 Dues ($50) 2002 Dues After April 30th ($50) Voluntary Contribution

$______ $______ $______ $______ $______ _________________ TOTAL AMOUNT $______ Send/Bring cash or a cheque to the APIBA Office: M.T. de Alvear 1369 (Kel Ediciones), C1058AAU Buenos Aires. Or deposit total amount at any branch of Banco Francés, account numbers: Cuenta Corriente Especial en $017-041719/2.

By signing below you affirm that you have read APIBA Statutes and agree to be bound by them.

Date: ______________________________ Signature: ______________________________________ IMPORTANT: Please write your full name on your deposit slip and fax it to (011) 4326-3927 with this form.

For information about APIBA: E-mail: info@apiba.org.ar Web: www.apiba.org.ar Tel/fax (011) 4326-3927 (Librería Rodríguez)