Who is God, after all?

Some people believe God is an old fellow which is in heavens watching our every attitude and he will be ready to judge us as soon as we get ‘there’. Others think he is playing dice on our fate and having fun with the events, or that there is no God at all and we are fruit of chance. And you? What do you think?

São Paulo, I love you!

Pinacoteca e Parque da Luz

Jardim Botânico

Sala São Paulo

Estação da Luz

Theatro São Pedro

Parque do Ibirapuera

Sesc Itaquera, Palco da Orquestra Mágica

Parque da Aclimação

Escola de Samba Rosas de Ouro

Avenida Paulista under heavy rain from Estação Consolação

Mercadão do Parque Dom Pedro II

 

São Paulo one of the biggest and most important cities of the world is turning 459 today. Have you ever been to ‘Sampa’? What is your favorite place in the city? I’ve decided to celebrate by posting pics about some places I love to visit.

The history behind the picture

I can still remember when this picture was taken and how tired I was at the end of that day. Pictures always have a history behind them, much more interesting than the developed frame most of times. Working with kids is so physically demanding as it is rewarding, you get exhausted and paradoxically at peace of mind at the same time.  All I wanted in  that particular day was to go home for my well-deserved rest. Even though, some extra work waited for me in the shape of two students. To be honest, I had quite forgotten that a couple of students would be waiting for me in order to make the most important part of the recording of a short movie we were planning for a festival in which our school was enrolled for the second year. Well, one cannot be a teacher and limit oneself to write things on the board and have the students merely to copy them.

When I arrived at the computer room he was already there, exulting happiness for everything was ready for our session. Thiago was explaining me that he and his friend Juliana had already chosen the spot where they would perform and record the movie but she was late. They wanted to use the sports court because of the monocycle, but I was worried because of the illumination and the audio effects in such opened space. However, as all my strenght had been drained from me I kept silent, just listening to his explanations and he was so excited that I didn’t have the heart to disappoint him.

As he spoke my mind would go in and out of tune as a bad radio.I had been approved to study in London and was about to travel in a couple of days, we would have a very short time to finish the whole project, the students didn’t know it yet and all these things came in and out of my mind. I suddenly looked at him and he took the picture. I’ve just had half a second to remove my glasses.

When Juliana finally managed to arrive I sort of recovered part of my senses as if she had drawn both ot us out of a trance. She had been also drained from her strenght and was tired as most evening students always are. Anyway,  the very perspective of giving life to a project of her own was enough to operate a complete change in her countenance. I automatically followed them to the place and suggested some arrangements during the last rehearsal. She gracefully rode the monocycle circling the sports court to finally stop near the goal posts. Then,  she recited a poem entitled ‘Clown’ which is very famous in Brazil . The effect of her voice remained in my head for several days. What a sad life clowns have, for heavens sake!

The result of this and other adventures can be seen at http://vimeo.com/42798263, it is one of my favorite short movies produced by students.  In fact we had just a couple of days to edit and make the subtitles before my departure to London from where I did all burocratic work to send the videos to the festival ‘Creating with purpose’ promoted by Adobe Foundation. If there is one thing I love about my job is the possibility of fostering students’ creative powers together with teaching them some English along the process. That day I went home more than two hours later than I had expected to and I can’t remember the walking, I might have levitated.

London, London

London, London is one of my favorite songs written by Caetano Veloso .Brazil was in a militar dictatorship for 20 years and Caetano was “invited” to leave the country in the late 60’s.

Another video of London, London when he was younger.

As everybody has already noticed now, the world hasn’t finished. So, I will finish this posting with ‘Terra’ (Earth), definitely a celebration of life and surely my favorite one composed by Caetano Veloso.

The Visit

I visited the office of the Secretary of Education Alexandre Schneider this Thursday. There is no secret that the implementation of English language teaching for Ciclo I has always been my passion. I strongly believe in the potential of our children and the ability of  municipal network to offer English language instruction also for small kids. During 2010, we started a dialogue about what was then only a possibility. Now, dream come true. It is rewarding to see how much children enjoy their English lessons and how we are also learning from them. Positive experiences for the whole school community happening in all corners of the city and of course, new challenges for 2013. The Secretary who always follows our work has made ​​a post about one of our video productions on his Facebook page on the net. In the words of Alexandre Schneider:

“Beautiful video about pet adoption, created by two  9 year-old students of EMEF João Pinheiro, São Paulo. The year 2012 marked the implementation of teaching English to students from early elementary school. Today I received the visit of professor Rose Gimenes, from EMEF João Pinheiro school, who is  responsible for this and other activities. She is greatly committed to the implementation of English language for Ciclo I kids. ”

Corinthians STUN Chelsea in Japan

Yokohama, Japan – Paolo Guerrero scored the only goal of the match to give Brazilian club Corinthians a 1-0 victory against Chelsea to win the World Club Cup for the second time in their history. As a totally atypical Brazilian I have to confess that I didn’t watch the match, I never watch any of them. However, my noisy neighbors tell me that it was memorable, with entitled countdown with fireworks since yesterday afternoon. Corinthians supporters are overflowing happiness here. You can read the complete article on http://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/cup-competitions/corinthians-stun-chelsea-in-japan-1.1441868. Congratulations!

No space for a xmas tree? Sure?

 

Here you’ll have some tips on how to create a christmas tree without spending too much, perfect for small spaces http://www.minhacasaminhacara.com.br/arvores-de-natal-para-pequenos-espacos/.

https://www.theamazonismyfriend.org/#/home

We need 1.4 million Brazilians to sign a petition for a new law to stop deforestation in the Amazon. Saving amazon we are saving our own future.

Alice in Wonderland

On this day in 1862, Oxford mathematician Charles Lutwidge Dodgson sent a handwritten manuscript called Alice’s Adventures Under Ground to 10-year-old Alice Liddell as a Christmas present.

Alice in Wonderland has been inspiring beautiful artwork since then. We can find examples of how Alice can influence designers from all parts of the world as the creation of  Mayra Magalhães.

I love this story and one of my favorite passages is when Alice is lost and ask the cat for directions:

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”
“I don’t much care where –”
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

So brilliant, so real. There are other quotations in http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2933712-alice-s-adventures-in-wonderland.

I also found an amazing version of the tale written in Cordel which is a very popular literature in Brazil. You can find more information in http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Symposia/litcordel/bios.html and in case you are studying Portuguese Language I will recommend you the book.

The Green Grass Grew All Around

By my 6 year old student Geovana.