Free Online Courses!!!

Hello There Everyone, long time without posting here...

Today I want to share with you two amazing websites that I found. This are Coursera and edX. Both of these sites have one commonality, they both offer FREE online courses to everyone who creates an account with them. 

These courses range from Science to Literature, from Economics to Health, and everything in between. These courses are taught by faculty members from prstigious Universities world wide and although they might not amount to actual credits within those universities, the knowledge learned is yours to keep. Some even give you a type of certificate which proves that you successfully completed the online class. 

Curricular Maps: Important Links

In my previous post I talked about what are the new Curricular Maps and my thoughts on the matter. Here I’m going to give you a set of links for you to read if you would like to learn more about them. To read this post visit THIS LINK.

Let’s start with the actual Circular letter that brings the concept into play. (Most of these links are in Spanish.)

Carta Circular Núm. 2-2010-2011: Planificación del Proceso de Aprendizaje




Aclaración Carta Circular Núm. 2-2010-2011: Planificación del Proceso de Aprendizaje

Curricular Maps
At the moment there are only the curricular maps for the main four basic courses; those are English, Spanish, Math and Science. But the orator at the workshop ensured us that one for Social Studies is in the works.

Standards & Expectations
I’ll update this post as needed when more information is available (or I realize that it is available).

Puerto Rico's New Curricular Maps for Education (Mapas Curriculares)

This trimester I’m taking 5 college courses; yes, I know crazy right? In one of those courses, Teaching Strategies, we study the various ways we can structure our teaching methods effectively.

About a month ago, our professor informed us that the public school’s educational curriculum for the whole of Puerto Rico is being re-structured; effective this past August. Teachers all over Puerto Rico are being given workshops on how the new curriculum works and the materials they need to learn it and begin implementing it, etc. My professor also informed us that she had managed to, along with another professor, bring the workshop to our university for one day so that us –future teachers– can begin getting to know the new structure.

So what is the new curriculum about?

Basically is a form of escalated learning based on skills. Let me explain and take my major as an example. I’m currently doing a Bachelors of Arts Degree in the Teaching of English as a Second (more like foreign) Language at the High School level; or TESL (TEFL) for short.

Idioms

What are idioms?

According to Dictionary.com, an idiom [id-ee-uhm] is:

noun

1. an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, as kick the bucket or hang one's head, or from the general grammatical rules of a language, as the table round for the round table, and that is not a constituent of a larger expression of like characteristics. 
2. a language, dialect, or style of speaking peculiar to a people. 
3. a construction or expression of one language whose parts correspond to elements in another language but whose total structure or meaning is not matched in the same way in the second language. 
4. the peculiar character or genius of a language. 
5. a distinct style or character, in music, art, etc.: the idiom of Bach. 

Basically, idioms are the good ol’ sayings that you hear many times; in Spanish we know them as “refranes.”

Here is a list of some common Spanish idioms and their English equivalent.

Basics of Email Etiquette

Emails, along with texting, IMing and face-timing, have slowly but progressively been anchoring themselves as the standard way for communications for our current and future generations. But just because these forms of communicating can be so informal and open to a “whatever goes” policy doesn’t mean that all situations merit this informal stance. As such, it is always important for every individual to know the basics of how to politely or professionally write or answer an email as not to unwillingly antagonize the recipient.

If you have been dealing with emails for a while, chances are you already know this information, either because you’ve research it or because you’ve been the recipient of bad email etiquette. This simple tutorial is aimed to people that have had limited use of email and want to know the basic concepts.

Email Providers:

There are tons of email providers on the Internet, some of the major companies that offer a free service are Gmail, Yahoo!, Hotmail, and AOL. To use a service from either company you must sign up and create a free account which in turn grants you the email privileges as well as other functionalities. Many sites and organizations also provide their clients or employees with access to a “personal” email accounts. Usually designated for uses related to the company or organizations, they tend to be more limited that their free counterparts. Some of these places include Universities, different types of Work Places and Institutions.

Information Manager Applications:

Two of the most known information manager platforms are Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird. Both can be “match” to your personal email accounts and directly manage the email flow from one convenient place without the need to individually enter each website for those who have more than one email account. Outlook comes as part of the Microsoft Office Suite and aside from managing emails, it can also manage multiple calendars, contacts and tasks. Thunderbird can be downloaded for free from the Mozilla web page and considered as a cross-platform email and news client. Thunderbird can be personalized through add-ons and theme selection.

Parts of the Email:

USDA Internship Webinars

Hello People!

I just received some news through e-mail that I thought it’ll be good to share; you might wanna check your calendars for this one.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be offering some internet seminars – also known as webinars – with the objective to explain the USDA internship and employment programs for summer 2012. The webinars are open to everyone who is:

• Currently enrolled in a College (either in the undergraduate or graduate programs)
• US Citizen or Resident 
• Minimum 16 years old
• 2.00 GPA or higher
• It is open to all majors 

The webinars will take place during November 15, 16 & 17, 2011; between 5:00 - 6:00 pm. If interested you can see the flyer for contact information.

Webinars' Flyer (2nd after the jump):

Well Rounded Classes?

I was reading a news article at Yahoo! News about how a scientist – a well-known skeptic – has discovered that in fact global warming is real and happening. As I’m reading the article, I star wondering about how can I, just one individual, do something to ease my ecological footprint?

When I started my college career, immediately after graduated high school, my major was chemistry; as I took different classes, I turn towards general science with my sights set on environmental science. However, as the semesters went by I realized that my true passion has always been books and eventually switch to TESL major and working to see if I can get a minor in English. Regardless, my background in science is something that always comes up front and center whenever I read news or articles about the environment or other science branches.

I’m aware that I haven’t taken any classes about how to organize or actually give a class yet; I am only about half way through my degree so there are still many classes left for me to take. Still I wonder, given my class subject, how can I create a well-rounded class? How can I create a class that is educational, practical, current, and is not a snooze fest?

This is a subject that, honestly, worries me a little; how can I, as a teacher, create an environment that allows them – the students – to learn, explore and be creative.