Issue 14th October 2015
Vacation Memories
Comic Strips
Movie Reviews
Students´ Columns
Credits General Director Luis Alberto Ardila
English Head Staff Janet Galindo Porras
Colegio de Bachillerato Patria Design and Layout William Mendoza Salamanca Sergio Gómez
Issue 14 th English Magazine October 2015 Bogota, D.C. - Colombia Stock indesing, desing by Erick Ragas
Editorial Board Janet Galindo Porras Diana Hernández Tobar Marcela Gil Castro Shirley Stand Amelia Barros Milena Múnevar Raúl Borbón Ana Lucia Sánchez Orlando Espitia Carolina Higuera Sergio Gómez
Contents Features Yesteryear Academic Excellence, A continuous concern. Pioneers A Brief History of the English Language
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Ecosystem awareness Environmental Pollution
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Vacation memories Barichara, The Prettiest village in Colombia! Snow Vacations The best city of Colombia La Macarena, Meta Orlando, Florida
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Movie Reviews Cinderella’s Review Jurassic Park’s remake
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Students’ columns Education at home How can music influence our mental status? Bullying The sports in America Thought My Mother My experience in my school How to be a good student
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Take Stand- Comic Series
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Our cover represents the history of the English language through time, cultures and identities. This iconic illustration brings to mind how these lingua franca is part of multicultural perseptions and diversities all around the world.
Contributors Liceo General Serviez: LGS Talents Show 2015 Liceo Francisco Julián Olaya: Rhythmic Gymnastics Liceo Santa Bárabara: The school life`s troubles Liceo Francisco José de Caldas: Spelling Bee Liceo Pichincha Immersion Day
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Other Contributors
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What’s new? What´s new? Consolidates the effort of a group of deeply committed English students and teacher whose unwavering dedication during years has yielded good fruits. The authors, the Advisory Board, the Editorial Committee, and all those involved in the process of editing have made their invaluable contributions to ensure that our magazine has the academic quality which is required to raise higher levels of English proficiency. For this reason, it gives me great pleasure to announce the publication of our first digital magazine “What´s New?” , since technology can enhance learning and make it more fun for students. I certainly believe the selected topics, for this year that concern with video games, description of interesting places for going on Holidays, games, comic strips, movie reviews and others will offer you a meaningful space of groundbreaking ideas. This issue has been particularly drawn to continue strengthening the primary objective of our school, which is to foster students and academic community to reach international English standards. We kindly invite you to contribute to this objective by sending your articles related to English language learning experiences. Sincerely, JANET GALINDO PORRAS English Head Staff / Bachillerato Patria
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Academic Excellence, A continuous concern. “We are what we do on a regular basis. In such a way excellence is not an act but a habit!” Aristotle
Academic excellence at Liceos de Ejército is not only a principal’s and academic staff’s concern, but also a deep concern that holds all academic and administrative team that belong to the general board. Therefore, our institutional missions are to accomplish academic excellence and to obtain outstanding results that allow us to place the school within the best schools in the country. Bearing in mind our mission aforementioned, diverse strategies have been designed that aim to achieve the highest standards issued by the National Department of Education such as the “Indice sintetico de Calidad (ISCE). In addition, it has been decided to implement the “EFQM Excellence Model” in all the pertinent areas of our institution to feed the well-adjusted process of top quality. In such a way, self-assessment procedures have taken place in our regulations to enhance academic and administrative procedures and the like. Similarly, action plans are being implemented by means of crucial strategies such as teacher training and technological resources that optimize the academic environment and the scholastic fostering so that we can bring to pass academic distinction. Just like our institutional mission and vision reads, noticeable efforts taken in previous years have been constantly followed to cause excellence and efficiency. Those outstanding efforts may be described as follows: Outcomes measurement in dif ferent tests, the correct selection of qualified teachers, and optimization of resources as far as technology and bibliographical material is concerned. Therefore, integral education in our students and the stance taken by the school within the most remarkable schools in the country are tangible outcomes of our outstanding efforts. Those accomplishments have come to pass thanks to hard teamwork and deep sense of belonging that everybody continuously expresses by means of personal and professional commitment. Furthermore, it is quite notorious the full-time commitment, will power and tenacity that both teachers and students reveal on an ongoing basis in their daily tasks. Likewise, it is disreputable the professional manner in which the General Direction has implemented diverse and cutting-edge strategies that meaningfully train our new leaders of these new seasons and times . Sincerely, Luis Alberto Ardila Silva General Director Traslated by Sergio Gómez
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Yesteryear
Pioneers Moises Bazan 10B
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By the end of the sixteenth century, Europe –or the old continent as some call itknew it wasn’t all alone in the world. Word came from Spanish sailors that new, daunting and mysterious lands were discovered, far away to the west. Tales were told that this land was filled with riches, silver and gold for those thirsty of wealth, and that this land blossomed with opportunities for the eastern folk. So the great exodus began where the eastern men ventured into this new land conquering indigenous tribes of this New Continent. And with these pioneers, towards the very same heart of south America came, along with numerous other religious missionaries; the Jesuits. They ventured deep into the jungles of this land to find a native population, who knew not the tongue of this strange foreigners. , But despite this they forged an alliance with them. They taught them music, literature, culture. The Spaniards taught them their language and the natives taught them their so-called “Mystic tongue”; Guarani. Together they built forts and cities, monasteries and churches, they spread the word of their Deity among
the others, all across the land, which would later be the “Province of Paraguay”. But times passed and, although the harvest of their work is still present, all of their cities and monasteries faded away with the winds
of change and the violent times of war. Soon after, their great monasteries became nothing more than just deserted, ghost towns. They left us now with the ruins of these cities, known as the “Jesuits ruins”.
Image taken from http://www.emptynesternation.com/Resources/JesuitRuinsParaguay_moo-sb_item18_55_moo1-1p3_.jpg
A marvelous set of structures made of the most rustic bricks and mud, and the sweat and blood of the native “Indios Guaranies�. These wonderful structures, living memories of an ancient time can be found all across the country, spread
in settlements of the ancient Jesuits. These places hold an odd feeling of antiquity, but a vivid one, as if it carried you all the way back to the wild and unforgiving colonial America. The whole place just irradiates a strange beauty,
Image taken from http://www.timetravelturtle.com/2012/02/paraguay-ruins-trinidad-unesco/
a sense of time and how it passes and waits for no one. Truly one of the country most wondrous sights, and one for the bucket list of any passionate traveler
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A Brief History of the English Language Compiled by Orlando Espitia Fonseca from “”Morton W. Bloodfield”.
Language, like other important patterns of human behavior, slowly but constantly evolves from older forms into newer ones. When different groups of people speaking one language become separated by geographical, political, or social barriers, each group gradually develops its own variety of the language, which we call a dialect. In the case of English, we have no written records surviving from earlier than the eighth century A.D., and they do not become common before the tenth and eleventh centuries. But by studying the written records of other languages that clearly show a common ancestry with English Dutch and German.
the tenth century was widely used as the cultural linguistic norm of England. As a Germanic language, Old English had inflectional endings resembling those of modern German. New words were largely formed by compounding and derivation; borrowing from other languages was not frequent, although some Latin and Greek words and a few from other tongues did enter Old English. One cannot understand Old English without special study, yet even the most untutored reader of Modern English can grasp the meaning of some words or phrases. Example in Old English Sum monn him plantode wingeard and betynde hine ond dealt anne seath and getimbrode anne stiepel and gesette hine mid eorthtilium and ferde on eltheodignesse. Here is a fairly literal translation of it: A certain man planted a vineyard for himself and enclosed it (him) and dug a pit and built a tower (steeple) and people (set) it (him) with farmers (earth-tillers and went into a foreign country.
Various kinds of historical evidence indicate that about 1500 years ago three closely related tribes, the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes, dwelt beside each other on During much of King Alfred’s reign, and again early the North Sea shore in what is today northern Gerin the 11th century, England was under invasion by many and southern Denmark. Their language was a Danes and Norwegians or, as they are often called, the variety of West Germanic; and when it began Vikings. The linguistic result of extended Vito show significant differences from the king occupation of parts of the counother West Germanic dialects spoken try was a good deal of exchange around them, we may say that the and assimilation between the It is sufficient merely English language was born. languages of the rival peoples.
to mention the other Old English became a distincSince, however, the two were major dialects of Engtively different language, even still quite closely related Gerthough it continued to bear, manic tongues at this point in lish: Canadian English, as its modern form still bears, their development, this interIrish English, Austramarks of its Germanic ancestry. change produced no striking lian English, Scottish, The chief political events that shift in the history of English, Indian English. tended toward the development despite the introduction of some of Old English as a separate language Scandinavian (Old Norse) words were no doubt the effects of the invasion and, to a lesser extent, grammatical of England by the Angles and the Saxons, which forms. began around the middle of the fifth century. During A much more drastic change was brought about by the next two or three centuries Germanic tribes con-
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quered most of England and parts of Scotland.
the invasion and conquest of England by the Normans from northwestern France in 1066. Originally of Viking
The West Saxon dialect occupies an especially important role in Old English. It is the dialect of most of the documents that have come down to us, and was the basis of a kind of standard language which by
ancestry, the Normans had, by the middle of the 11th century, become Frenchified in language and culture; their language is designated as Norman French a dialect of Old French. The effects of the Norman Conquest
Image taken from http://www.theworldaccordingtoe.com/.a/6a00e3982283618833017ee7d134f597
were profound in the field of language no less than in other fields. So immense were the changes this event brought about that we give a special name to the period of English after they begin to show themselves, from about 1100: we call the language, from then to about 1500, Middle English. The replacement of the Anglo-Saxon upper classes by a French-speaking group led to the disappearance of the standard Old English language. As it lost its cultural linguistic center, English fell back completely onto its various dialects and become a language of peasants and laborers. Middle English had also the influence of Norman French, with its Latin background. Not only did French words come into the English vocabulary in large numbers, but English speech and literary style began to be receptive to borrowings from other languages, particularly Latin. By the later Middle English period, regardless of the many changes in sound and syntax yet to come, the essentials of Modern English had been created through these evolutionary changes and though the mingling of French and English, with an injection of Scandinavian. The resurrection of English, in the 13th and 14th centuries, as the universal language of England once again made a standard dialect inevitable. American English is descended from the variety of English brought over to the colonies in the 17th century. It developed on its own to some extent obviously in the matter of names for new object, peoples, and flora and fauna without ever losing contact with its base in England. The American and British varieties of the language have persisted, and seem in this era of mass communications and easy travel to be getting closer to each other. The fate of a language is closely bound up with the political fate of its speakers, and the world role of the United States in the past 30 years has strengthened the position of American English. It is sufficient merely to mention the other major dialects of English: Canadian English, Irish English, Australian English, Scottish, Indian English. With the establishment of a standard dialect in the late 14th century and the acquisition of an adequate vocabulary in the 16th and 17th centuries, it was left to the 18th and 19th centuries to create adequate grammars and dictionaries, so that by about 1800 English was fully ready to assume the international responsibility that the cultural, scientific, and political importance of England and America was to thrust upon it. English in 1750 was a language of more or less minor importance in the world; by 1850 it was a world language. Since then it has spread all over the globe and is the international language par excellence.
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Ecosystem awareness
Environmental
pollution
Valentina Moreno 11C
Image taken from http://www.reviewhunter1a.com/
‘’Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money’’ The purpose of this report is the best way to find a solution to the problem of pollution. Pollution is the presence in the environment of any chemical, physical or biological agent or a combination of several drugs, in places, forms and concentrations. They are or may be harmful to our health, safety and welfare, or even harmful to plants or animals’ lifes. Similarly, it may prevent the use
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or enjoyment of the property and places of recreation. And what is the role of men in this problem? Simple, men adopt and modify the environment according to their needs, but it is important that men know how to deal with the environment. It is therefore necessary to protect the renewable and nonrenewable resources and to realize that environment sanitation is essential for maintaining healthy life in the
planet.
To do this we need to know some ways to care our planet: we are not using.
are not using it. These four simple tips will make our planet a better and healthier place for our future generations.
Vacation memories
Barichara, the prettiest village in Colombia karen Tarazona 10A
Barichara is located in Santander – Colombia. It is 30 minutes away from San Gil. I go to this village every summer because my grandmother lives there in a very beautiful house with rustic appearance. Barichara is a picturesque village where all the houses look quite similar, all the roads around the site are made of huge stones, so everything looks old and attractive. When I visit Barichara I go to Panache, in this place you can cross the Chicamocha canyon; Guane and Villanueva in which you could visit interesting museums and taste really delicious food
Image taken from http://www.suenosdeantonio.com/
like pepitoria, goat and well done meat. Inside the village you will see the huge and amazing church, the wonderful park with big and old trees, and the spectacular fountain; the different museums, also the great souvenirs. Being the prettiest village in Colombia, all the Colombians and foreigners should go to this place to enjoy its rustic beauty, delicious food and friendly people.
Snow Vacations Jairo Paez 10B
Last December my family and I went to USA. Specifically to Penn State where there’s a snow park in a mountain called “Seven Springs.” I remember that we stayed in a nice and cozy cabin with a chimney, a double bed, and a big yard full of snow. There we made a snowman, angels on the floor, and a crazy snowball war. Next day we went skiing down a high mountain. Although I was so scared, a teacher helped us learn basic movements and meet safe standard. After three fails in a row, I made it, so I felt like a real pro. That was amazing! .
My trip wasn’t all skiing, we also did snowboarding, and we had fun going down a small hill into something similar to floaters. I hope to go back there soon!
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The best city of Colombia Luis Fernando Balandran Oviedo 10C
I was three days in Medellin, the best city of the Republic of Colombia. I was really amazed about how wonderful is this city. It’s incredible how the education of the “paisas” is. Everybody is friendly and sociable. The women in the streets walk with elegant clothes and bright colors, they talk with a glorious accent and when they pronounce a word, it’s like the sky was dropping gold. The women’s skin is like a toasted bread that I usually take in my breakfast. It’s like if the sun hugs their bodies. Also, the subway, their seats, the floor, their stations, are literally clean. Regarding Medellin’s architecture, it is celestial and different; the buildings are full of glasses. In the nights, the city is beautiful; the land is full
Image taken from https://www.medellin.gov.co
of artificial stars and throughout the wind flies away the kisses of couples. One of my favorite places is the Botanic Garden. Also, “Antioquia Museum” with its incredible paintings by the famous painter Fernando Botero which is well-known by the anatomy of his characters.
La Macarena, Meta Juan D Murillo 10B
Image taken from http://www.colombie-passion.com/wp-content/ uploads/2013/06/ca%C3%B1o-cristales-colombie.jpeg d
Image taken from http://www.planetacurioso.com/ wp-content/uploads/2011/03/cano-cristales7.jpg
This exotic place is located at the south-east of the country. It has a very small population and a small urban zone. This is a jungle place, with a very hot and humid weather. The main tourist’s attraction is “Caño Cristales.” That is a beautiful place with waterfalls, lakes, natural pools and a unique plant that changes its color depending of the sun position. It can be green, red, violet, yellow, and if you´re a lucky person, you could see the plants with a very beautiful-blue color. if you want to see all this pretty places and locations, you have to walk 3.1 miles. The food is quite delicious the typical plate it´s Carne a la Llanera: pieces of meat only cooked with salt and coal.
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Orlando, Florida Camilo Calvache 10C
Last holiday, my family and I travelled to the well-know city of Orlando Florida in the United States. We stayed in a cosy apartment near the beach. When we arrived, the weather was warm, but just made the atmosphere more thrilling. Orlando is an amazing city.
It is full of attractive malls, amusement parks, museums, and the environment is always cheerful and entrancing. We didn’t have time to see and do everything. We visited the Disney Parks and enjoyed these interesting and fabolous world. Then, we went to Hard Rock Café Orlando and had a delicious dinner. At the next day, we attended Image taken from http://www.minivacstravel.com/wp-content/ uploads/2014/03/orlando-florida-seaworld-top.jpg
to an exhibition of Young people. Although it looked strange, when the lights were turned off, the walls were painted with bright colors making of this somehow picturesque . We enjoyed every minute of our vacations. Orlando is so fascinating, that I’m planing to go back one day. Image taken from http://visitaorlandoflorida.info/wp-content/ uploads/2015/02/orlando-universal.jpg
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Movie reviews
Cinderella Juliana Castro Rojas P 10E
The story of Cinderella follows the fortunes of young Ella whose merchant father remarries following the tragic death of her mother. Keen to support her loving father. Ella welcomes her new stepmother Lady Tremaine and her daughters Anastasia and Drisella into the family home. But, when Ella’s father suddenly and unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Finally relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella is determined to honor her mother’s dying words and to “have courage and be kind.” She will not give in to despair nor despise those who abuse her. And then there is the dashing stranger she meets in the woods. Unaware that he is really a prince, not merely an employee at the Palace, Ella finally feels she has met a kindred soul. It appears as if her fortunes may be about to change when the Palace sends out an open invitation for all maidens to attend a ball, raising Ella’s hopes of once again encountering the charming “Kit.” Alas, her stepmother forbids her to attend and callously rips apart her dress. But, as in all good fairy tales, help is at hand as a kindly beggar woman steps forward and, armed with a pumpkin and a few mice, changes Cinderella’s life forever.
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Jurassic World 22 years ago, Steven Spielberg showed to the world a new type of movies: Nobody thought about the possibility to see a park with dinosaurs on the big screen, and now, the most anticipated film in 2015 was shown to the public: “Jurassic World”. Like Disney World, but with dinosaurs, this movie exceeded my expectations, and to be honest, it was more than enough after watching the trailer. It´s a worthy sequel to the still remembered franchise Jurassic Park, an excellent plot, excellent quality, and a fascinating surrealism. In sum, it is a film that caught me completely to the point that I can´t wait for the second part.
Image taken from http://static1.squarespace.com/
Trace Effects Video game
Trace Effects is a collaborative English language video game experience for students ages 1216. Learn English and explore American culture through puzzles, games, and adventures in an interactive world. Give a try heading over to: http://traceeffects.state.gov/
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Students Columns
Education at home
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When we talk about humans’ development, one of the most imp or tant and crucial aspects that we own is education. Yet not only schools’ education but also education that we receive at home. Education at home is quite relevant for us since we can acquire our own personality and face diverse issues out home. For instance, we can talk to people in an excellent manner and we help them out in all they might need. But, when can we receive that education? The education at home should start when we are children, given that during childhood our parents can teach us the good manners and ways for living a good life without bad words or hard punishment. When one had or has a poor education at home, a bad life or personality will be the final outcome such as always talking with bad words, lack of forgiveness or harsh behaviors in interpersonal relationships. In conclusion, when we have children, it is necessary to teach them well and with calm punishments due to the fact that we will be the new generation and upcoming future.
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Angie Martinez 9ºE
Bullying
How music influence our mental status Music is the art of sensitivity, logically organized and coherently mixed with sounds and silences by using fundamental principles of melody, harmony and rhythm, by means of the intervention of a complex process of our minds. Music has been part of all known human society. It has a great effect on the brain, in the development of feelings and the reactions that can have people when listening to it. Music is essentially a form of languages that allows people to communicate with each other and share experiences. Nowadays alternative therapies have been created for common medicine which based its method on the music therapy that thought discipline it facilitates and promotes communication, good interpersonal relationships, efficient learning, organization and the like. Heidy Sanchez 7C
Image taken from http://ponderthisawhile.com/
I will tell you the story of a girl called Adele. She was a girl who lived in England. She had many friends but one of them told her that he wanted to know her well, so they started to talk more. One day, the boy told her to send him photos of her naked, and she did it. One day the boy told her that if she didn’t take another photo naked, he would post it on the internet. He finally did it, so all Adele’s friends started to humiliate her and hit her. She could not stand the bullying against her so she changed from school. In there, she could find happiness again, but the boy appeared again showing Adele’s photos so she was humiliated again. She changed from school, and again the boy was behind her. She could not stand the situation anymore, so she tried to kill herself, but her parents saved her. After that, she tried once again to commit suicide by hanging herself with a rope, so she died. It teaches us that social networks are very dangerous and communication with teachers and parent must be there always, anytime, anywhere. Laura Erazo 9C
Image taken from http://www.manmademusic.com/
The sports in North America
Image taken from http://www.bettingbasketball.org/
The most famous sports in North America are: The American football league (NFL), Major League Baseball (MBL), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey league (NHL). The sport in the college is another famous type of American sport. Besides, two of the most famous are the basketball and football. The Americans sports have a very large list of names of players which have a lot of awards thanks to their abilities in their profession. We can list them as follows: Michael Phelps who has got 22 golden medals from swimming in the Olympics. Also, Michael Jordan is another outstanding player who has got 2 Olympics medals and 6 NBA championships. Finally we can list Tom Brady, who won 4 Super Bowls and 3 times was awarded as a MVP player of the NFL. Colombian people don’t appreciate another kind of sport different from the soccer. However, the others sports are very important in the culture of the world because practicing sports is life and health. To live a good life you must practice any sport and eat healthy food. Juan Sebastian Castro 7c
My experience in sixth grade Today, I’m going to talk about all the good aspects in this beautiful and amazing school. My sister told me that this school is the best school that she had ever studied. It is a shame that I have to go, but this little article isn’t just about my amazing experience in the school; this is about the aspects that I like about it. Here is a little list: 1. This school is bigger than my last school. 2. The CPB has many subjects that are absolutely new for me. 3. The teachers are excellent. 4. This school gave me a different point of view of the school life (it has taught me that I need more responsibility and be commit. 5. It gave me a chance to meet new people and get new friends. 6. The CBP is a challenging school that demands high performance. Natalia Villegas Calderón 6d
Thought You´re a good teacher. You teach us with love. Your love is so intense. That has no comparison at all. Liceth Cruz 6D
Mother
Image taken from http://dreamatico.com/
You’re beautiful as a rose, your skin is soft as cotton, your lips are as bright as diamonds. You always understand me in all for that you’re the best in the world. I love you! Laura Daniela Aguilar 6B
My experience in my school My name is Catalina Gil Franco. I am almost 10 years old because my birthday will be in a few days. I lived in Australia for a year and I started in Liceo Patria School in July. So I want to share how my experience has been in this short time. What I like the most are my friends, I feel really happy when I share and play with them. I am kind with my teachers and they are kind with me too. The most difficult part in this new experience has been to learn new things for each subject. It has been a lot of hard work, except for the English class. And the most important part is that I love this school and I am so glad for being here. Catalina Franco L.PATRIA 3b
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How to be a good student? Javier Tellez 11B During the talks with my classmates it has been common questions like: “What do you do to be a good student?” “What do you eat to know a lot?” “How long do you study for in the afternoons?” For these and so many reasons, I write this article with the aim to give the reader some tips to be a better student, I hope it can be a tool for the people who want to learn and have a good time at school. First, pay attention in class; I don´t say you must listen attentively to each word that the teachers tell. Instead I propose that you pay attention only at the explanation that he/she do, especially if that subject is not easy for you. As a result you might certainly understand effortlessly all the topics, but if that does not work well, you can look for the teacher or someone else (if the teacher is not your favorite one) and ask for help. Secondly, I wouldn’t recommend the fraud. Here is important to do a clarification; for me, there are two types of homework, ones that help you to practice a new topic and others that are a waste of time because are only
Image taken from https://timeopinions.files. wordpress.com/2013/03/college.jpg?w=480
bibliographic; and this is the teacher’s work, to give us the theory and our part is to apply it; but sometimes are necessary. With the last type there are just one problem with the copy, the idea is make knowing with different opinions and discuss about differences between homework, if all copy the same work there will be not space for the discuss. The copy with the practice homework is more serious, the idea for these tasks is to make clear a topic for the student and give rise to questions that we can have. If all copy the same work we will have a problem, just the person who does the homework will learn about the topic and the other students won’t participate in class, in addition they can’t answer their questions and in this way they won’t understand the topic and other related topics. Finally, enjoy the knowledge. I know all people don’t like all subjects, but the things you learn in the school are important for the whole life, even if you won’t study something related in the university. Make the school a nice place, not a daily torture, have friends, make jokes, but don’t forget the most important thing, learn and grow as a person; and remember, a good student isn’t the student who have the best grades but the student who really learn.
Image taken from http://cdn2.hubspot.net/ hubfs/360031/body_studying-1.jpg
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Take StandComic Series
“Take Stand- Comic Series”! Comic Strips descended on the English lab like the one colossal expanded-moment class in which students from all grades brawl with biased perceptions, social misunderstandings and unbelievable but erroneous realities that our society entails itself. Students were up there working, sprawled out on their chairs, never giving up about what people might say. They just wanted to win over skeptical audiences, which is to say, they freely enjoyed the balmy moment, not losing momentum, and expressing their nonconformism in a so-called fair and just society. Whereas the big criticizers just grumble about injustice, as far as I can tell, our brilliant pupils stated radiating and lighthearted comic strips that mirror our reality. With the warming race of religion and social clashes, an irreversible outstanding expression was done out of comfy standards. It was done up in style. You are very welcome to our “Take Stand- Comic Series”! Rest assured you will take high fun! Sergio Gomez – English Lab Teacher
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Take Stand- Comic Series
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Take Stand - C
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d - Comic Series
Created By Laura Artunduaga 9D
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Take Stand - C
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d - Comic Series
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Contributors
LGS, Talent Show Last July 24th we had our talent show at school. It was a great time, we were performing during a 4-hour show at the sports court where students performed. Some of them were singing, dancing or acting. The talent show was divided into 3 categories. The first category was category A where pre-school students as well as first and second graders show their talent to everybody. The next category was category B composed by third, fourth and fifth grade. This category had an awesome performance by Maria Del Vasto who sang Diamonds by Rihana. On the other hand, we enjoyed the last category. Category C was enjoyed by high school from sixth to eleventh grade. This category had around 15 performances some of them were great choreographies another were amazing singing and also we could admire talent at school. Finally, I can say this was a great opportunity to do something different with English. By the way, this was a good opportunity to show teachers and classmates what we can do. Sophia Ramirez 11th grade Liceo General Serviez
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Image taken from http://www.stmargaretssec.moe.edu.sg/cos/o.x?c=/
LFJO, Rhythmic Gymnastics Rhythmic Gymnastics is a very demanding but also a very beautiful sport discipline. It teaches me many useful things for my life, my body and my health. Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport discipline that helps us to develop many skills and physical abilities. But what I like most is to learn to work together and strengthen the bonds of friendship and solidarity with my partners. My school, Liceo Francisco Julian Olaya, is known for organizing a Rhythmic Gymnastics Festival every year, in which Liceos del Ejército students can participate, showing a beautiful performance with specific objects as ribbons, ropes or balls. Each team prepares very well its performance because it is a very strong competition where each team displays everything they have learned. My school team always does very well in this Festival because our teachers train us very well and we do the best to match their effort. I also like that my family is so proud of me when it’s time to compete and when I show everything I have learned. Winning makes me happy, of course, but if I don’t win, I feel nice too, because I think that the important thing is to have fun, make friends and learn to work together. I want to invite all the girls in all the schools to participate in this kind of festivals because it is a really exciting experience. Catalina Delgado 5th grade Liceo Francisco Julián Olaya
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LSB, The school life`s troubles “Life is what happens to you while you`re busy making other plans” John Lennon
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Our life is very different, each student has his family, his friends, his habits and his form for seeing life, including problems and bad times which happen in the most unexpected moment. These lives have a meeting point, the time that the students spend in the school due to in this place the students can learn about many academic things whereas learning how they interact with others. In the school you share with all your schoolmates’ similar conditions as having to get up early, eating at specific times, studying for having good grades, among others, and this experiences generate a connection among the students. These are very general things due to everyone is different than one another then as a result each student has his point of view. The viewpoint of students could be so different because some students want to learn and leave the education system without changes, others want to learn but changing the way to do it (making known their point of view), and others hate the school, but they are not guilty, the blame is of the society, the stereotypes that are disseminated in the mass media help to generate this hate but the critic point is the way to live the school life. The ways to see the school life in a general way are two: the first is a positive way, seeing the problems like a game to play (without avoiding the responsibility) and the second one is believing that everything is bad and the only hope is that you will graduate. This problem is caused for two reasons, the first one is the student`s attitude because the disposition is main for seeing the life in a better or in a worse way and if the students don’t have the motivation for doing the things, they won`t be happy doing the things previously mentioned; but the motivation must be own, not generated for others due to it only causes a type of dependency which will never be good. The second reason is the problem with teachers, not because they were bad with the students but due to some students believe that the teachers are less interesting than seeing cows all day; this is a cruel thought and the reasons could be fool but it is an unfortunate fact, some students don’t value their teachers who are the people that educate and if the students have the opportunity and the confidence, more than having a good teacher, they could have a friend. I have to say to these students that you have to look at the bright side, this is the only way for doing all the things in a better way, life is beautiful, you can do all the things that you want to do, for example, you can learn, doing exercise, meeting people and other activities but the school is not a limitation, the only limitation is in your mind, you can decide between believing this lie and being sad and without any hope or on the contrary, you can believe that you are the responsible about your life and you can learn to enjoy the good moments that life offers to you. I have a dream, a future where the students instead of saying “I hate this place… all is bad… I only hope to go out from here fast… I would prefer to stay in any place less than here” said “It`s no worthy wasting my time thinking of the bad things, I prefer to look at the bright side and enjoy the
good moments, I`m who make my decisions and I`ll be happy in this school”, in this moment I know that the students will be well, with less anxiety and less stress. Let yourself look at the bright side of the things and dream…dream so much, you need your imagination for setting your objectives but without wasting your time doing plans without living the moment, live each day as if it were your last day and remember like the writer Stephen Chbosky said in his book “the peaks of being a wallflower”, “life doesn`t stop for anybody”. David Giovanni Costo Rojas 11th grade Liceo Santa Bárabara
LFJC, Spelling Bee In our school LICEO FRANCISCO JOSE DE CALDAS we celebrate an important activity called ENGLISH FESTIVAL. In this activity, we participate in tne SPELLING BEE CONTEST and we invite students from different schools. Schools from Girardot, Fusagasuga and Melgar participate in our activity. The last year 2014, I had the opportunity to participate in the spelling bee. It was an amazing experience because you have to compete with other students of different schools and so you can measure your level of English and learn new words. The contest is organized in rounds, each round has its difficulty level and at the end the first three participants win. Now, I invite you to participate next year in the spelling bee as a way to learn English in a different way. Lina Loaiza 11th grade Liceo Francisco José de Caldas
Image taken from http://es.gsastl.org/spelling-bee-2014/
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LPI, Immersion Day Each school has their own cultural activities, which describe important pieces of the society like ancestral music, dances, languages or even unusual lifestyles. In our case, as part of Liceo Pichincha, we’ve done great activities which include the amazing creativity of every student supported by school members like teachers and parents. One of the most successful activities we’ve done is related to the English language usually called “Talent Show” but this year the “Immersion Day” During The first “Immersion Day” the main playground was used in order to gather everyone: students, teachers, administrative staff and parents. Also, the entrance was available even for the people who are not part of it because we want to show to the world our second home: Liceo Pichincha. A group of performances took place in front of a public conformed by parents, students, teachers and all the people who joined us that day. Some of these represented the Colombian culture in different ways such as typical food, popular music and dialects, using English as the base of the activity. On the other hand, most of the presentations were made in order to illustrate the American and British culture, singing and talking were methods that the “Immersion Day” used to describe these cultures encouraging the oral communication. When the performances finished, the high school grades started to prepare some activities which main objective was to practice English with students in Elementary School in a different way: a more didactic way. And it was here where the creativity and knowledge of all the students were tested through the huge amount of work that was needed for this activity, including the decoration, the didactical teaching and the most important: the effective communication. At the end, the high school students showed that they were able to handle this pressure; getting excellent results with their work, as was seen in all the projects: “The State Fair” “The New York City Tour” and “The Prom Mall” led by 9th, 10th and 11th graders. Alejandro Gómez Cadavid & David Mauricio Muñoz Díaz 10th grade, Liceo Pichincha – Cali
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Other Contributors
LGML, English Department The English department is made of a group of teachers that work with dedication, responsibility and commitment in order to get excellent results in each one of the activities proposed and a meaningful English learning process, in this sense the English team develop an extra-curricular schedule in which we plan activities and projects such as: Easter, Valentine’s Day, English Day, Halloween (Monthly Activities), the magazine, the English gourmet, the puppets show, the Orchard, Epals and TPR and Songs (projects) In these kind of activities everyone is involved from kinder to seniors students and that’s “plus” because they´re not only practicing English but also they are sharing, having fun and being social. We also have an English Training Program for Teachers; this idea was born to give added value to the learning process of the students at the LGML. Teachers from kindergarten to high school are part of the training program. They follow a program where they learn grammar, useful commands for the classroom, general vocabulary and vocabulary related to their area. They select a subject and a topic, and they design a lesson plan, also they prepared recipes and videos to be shown in an oral way, once a month they present their lesson and activities in English. The Project Epals aims to share academic and cultural information about our countries and communities, also encourages formative part manifested generally work together, this helps students to develop own opinions, tolerance, open-mindedness and critical thinking, with these activities LGML students will understand better the style and form of education in the country, as well as the relationships between the school community members anywhere in the world. Activities in groups of high school practice shared decision-making, solidarity and cooperation. The newspaper, (Magazine 2015) is a project that was born in 2013, which has as a purpose let students to imagine and let ideas go on, with this project students have the opportunity to practice the English skills as a way to improve the ability to communicate and express ideas in English, thanks to this project most of the people and the general Liceista´s community have known the abilities that the LGML students have related to academic, sports and social opinions. TPR AND SONG: It is a project based on improving and learning vocabulary through the use of movements and the use of body language. The students listen and repeat the words and use their body to give a special gesture or movement to the word in order to memorize it. So when they listen to the song again they already know the kind of movement or gesture they must do with their body, besides when they read the word they recognize the body language we use to learn the word
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and the word given. Finally, the puppets show is a project which was created as a way to help students in their English learning process, students review vocabulary, grammar and topics studied during the classes. English Department Liceo Gustavo Matamoros Leรณn
L Patria, English Corner The English corner is part of the bilingualism project that teachers of the English department and the students are applying during this year at Liceo Patria. Girls and boys can express their likes and abilities through several activities, which are developed in the classroom as a strategy for acquiring English as a foreign Language. Students are self-motivated when their productions are shown, so we have organized the English corner in each classroom. In these specific places students show different activities that they have done previously. Here we can see pictures as an example of what our students have done and have showed in each classroom. English Department Liceo Patria
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LC, My experience in Vancouver
In regarding to improve the English Teacher level, the General Direction supported some teachers to travel to Vancouver, Canada. This time I had the opportunity to be there for IELTS training, accounting for the Common European Framework to be leveled in. Furthermore from the great training, it was the amazing experience to live for a month in a beautiful and organized city. Plenty of things to do, completed an awesome day of activities such as biking along the beach, lying down on wherever spot you could find in a park near the beach or in the beach itself, as well as hiking amazing mountains with beautiful landscapes on the top of them. Just traveling by sky-train (the main public transportation) was an unique experience thanks to its remarkable engineer master-piece where you go under and above the ground letting you to appreciate the magnificent view of the city in which nature and hand-made creations freely flows to make an amazing scenery. I highly recommend the exchange experience as for learning or improving your English level, not only you will find yourself listening and speaking better as the times go by, but having the opportunity to know another culture plenty of new things to be introduced you. Yazmin RocĂo Santos. English Teacher Liceo Colombia
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LC, My experience in Vancouver
At the beginning nothing is easy because little things like culture, food, places, and even the people are different to Colombia, I think I’m a shy person so I considered a total challenge when I had to talk with strange people and In another language , anyway it was interesting. Vancouver is a multicultural city because there Canadians are living and also you can see communities of asians, arabs ,hindus, europeans and of course latin people, so you can make new friends , and the most curious thing is that those new friends are people different from you, they are of all around the world. With this travel I could see the importance of English, because everyone in my school had different languages, and even so all of them can talk with each other in English. This experience made me a better person, more responsible and stronger because I had to live in a strange city without my parents. During my stay in Canada I missed them, as everything in my country too. Colombia is a really beautiful place but I think learn about other cultures and countries are very important for our lives. I got wonderful memories about Vancouver and maybe someday I could go back, I really recommend you to visit Vancouver, you would never feel bored in that city, you would have fun every day, and you could make different activities all days. Eileen Reyes, 11th grade Liceo Colombia
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CBP, A Great Month in Vancouver This year in the midterm vacation, some teachers from the Army Schools had a great opportunity to study for a month in the beautiful city of Vancouver in Canada. The objective was to take an intensive training course for the IELTS, which is an international exam to certificate on English levels. All this was an initiative from the General Direction of the schools and with the support of the General Luis Alberto Ardila Silva, who has been highly committed with the training and improvement of the English teachers, all this project could be possible. For the first time four teachers from Bogota´s staff were sponsored to take part of this project and in this way this dream came true. The experience of travelling to a foreign English speaking country was absolutely great seen from different points of view. First professionally, because it is necessary that as English teachers we can interact with native people and keep constantly in touch with the language in real contexts, which in my opinion it is the best way to put into practice what we know about the language, improve in vocabulary pronunciation etc, in order to give the best of us to our students. On the other hand, personally I consider it is an experience which really teaches you, because being abroad let you learn not only about the culture of something that as teachers we daily teach, but also and most important, wide your vision of the world about what is happening in the current society. However, what really makes Vancouver special is that it is a multicultural city where you learn in just one place from Canadians, Chinese and Indians, Latin people among others. I was lucky to have an excellent home stay with people who are very friendly, my hosts were from India so, I could also learn a lot from them. The classes taken in the Vancouver English Center were also very productive t o improve all the skills, as well as we shared classes with classmates from all around the world. Vancouver is a charming city which boasts many activities and attractions to keep you entertained throughout your stay. It has interesting things to do and highlighted places for all budgets, just to mention some, I would like to recommend the following places which are all for free. Take a walk into downtown to admire its gorgeous architecture, take a look in the commercial streets like Burrard or Granville, or go at the weekend to one
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of the five beaches around the city. Biking through the beautiful sea wall along Stanley Park, which is one of the biggest parks in Canada and hold magnificent sows in its aquarium. You can also go hiking to the surrounding areas of the city in the mountains and spend a nice afternoon next to a river in the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge, or spend a warm afternoon admiring stunning views and landscapes in the Queen Elizabeth Park. It’s a must to visit the main harbor which is called the Canada place, full of tourist, and cruises ships. You can also go shopping to the nearby island of Grandville or the French neighborhood of Gastown. All in all, I only had good memories from this travel, I feel so grateful for this chance, hoping that this could be also possible for my colleagues. Frankly this experience is something that every person who wants to learn a foreign language should do, maybe a month is not enough to learn as much as you want, but it is something that really worth. Diana Carolina Higuera Villegas English Teacher Colegio de Bachillerato Patria
Two Visions of the Experience in Vancouver-Canada
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The first thing I was thinking when I got in the plane to Canada was ‘’this is gonna be awesome’’ the flight was rather the same feeling as every other time I went on a plane, only this time it was 6 hours long to get to Toronto, from there we had to take another flight to Vancouver which lasted about 4 hours. We arrived there about 1:00 am and then we waited for the people who would take us to the homes that we were going to live in. The next day was when it really started the actual experience. When we got to the VEC (Vancouver English Center) we had to take two tests, one was written and the other one was oral (more like an interview) we had lunch and then we got our assigned class, in order to set us in a right level, exactly where you need to be in to learn something new. Well it wasn’t hard to adapt to the rules or the culture, at least for me anyway, we had activities on Monday, Friday and Saturday, the other days after class we were basically free to do whatever we wanted of course some things were restricted, but we could do mostly everything. The first day I and some friends went on a walk but we ended up lost so we had to walk around, we did not find a way to get back so, we called a taxi to get us close to the VEC. Another activity we had was going to the mall, there I found my old Asian candy called pokky, and since I couldn’t get those here in Colombia I bought about 20 of those. In the second week I was looking for the library and couldn’t find it so, I asked for help and eventually I found it. I spent there every second, I wasn’t doing something just
reading manga my guilty pleasure. From there it was pretty much just attend the class, enjoy the activity and read manga. There was definitely something which enriched my life, and it was the Vancouver experience!! This experience gave me the chance to learn not only a new language, but also to get to know another culture, which is much more organized than ours and the one we have much more to learn from. About my personal improvement it was huge, not only for the new friends I could make, but also for the different funny experiences I lived and the way I could face different events in different stages by my own. Ernesto Camacho y Juan Manuel Alfaro C, 11th grade Colegio de Bachillerato Patria
What does this quote mean to you? Maybe you have heard that learning is an ongoing process but who is in charge of that process? YOU… dear students, you are the ones who are mainly responsable of your own learning. It’s important for you to be aware that your teachers are guides, they open the door of knowledge but you make the choice of learning. In this case, you are learning another language (English) which is considered to be the universal language, the one that is mostly spoken around the world and the one that will open great doors in your future. Needless to say, value each English class you have, value every moment with your teachers and all the efforts they make to teach you a new way of seeing the world because when you learn a language you learn its culture as well and a different perspective of life. Sincerely,
Diana Hernández Tobar English Academic Coordinator Liceos del Ejército
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Whats New? through time Mod quaspic tecusam et quatus eicabores