English writing

meggi
28. apr 2007

Let´s write in English. I would like to improve my English. I have daughter Caroline, she is 7 month old. What will you do during this week-end?

sharlotta
12. apr 2008

I see. The same in my case. The thing is taht studying psychology in external form is impossible. 😒 So we'll meet at graduation ceremony in jun. 😀

lasenka
12. apr 2008

Sharlotta, do you study 😕

sharlotta
12. apr 2008

I had my last state exam in january. I studied european studies and ethics.

lasenka
12. apr 2008

really? I didn´t know, so you have already finished your exams and now waiting for grad. ceremony?

sharlotta
12. apr 2008

Yesss. I should have finished two years ago but...the circumstances.... 😅

sharlotta
12. apr 2008

Laziness mainly...

lasenka
12. apr 2008

😉 ok, my dear, I´m going to study 😖
it was very nice to talk to you 😎

weroni
12. apr 2008

hi girls,

these two days - terrible 😅 yesterday I spent hours looking for some shoes (not succesfull ☹ ) and I was at school, too, in the evening we had a dinner in restaurant - my colleague was celebrating her birthday so she invited us... I arrived home sooooooooo tired and exhausted...
Today? Busy from morning, too. I did some shopping (oh, how I hate shops and roaming from one to another... 😠 )
If only I could buy bread and milk through the net 😝 😀 😀 😀

and what makes me really unfine are those terrible pains in my coxae and now even in all around it 😒
Today when I woke up I thought I wouldn´t get myself from the bed how it was aching 😒

etuska
12. apr 2008

Hi girls,
I was also busy today,shopping and then cooking and then I was so tired I had a nap with my daughter and we slept almost 3 hours 😉

Sharlotta-sometimes I have the same feelings about teaching.And if you are not satisfied it´s the highest time to change your job,otherwise we would hear about another "burn out" syndrome.

Lasenka-hoe about your studies?

annili
12. apr 2008

Hi,

I haven ´t "read" you for ages ... I was finishing my diploma thesis and I did my last exam before state exams ... everything completed successfully

lasenka : I also study in Nitra, CPU(Constantine the Philosopher University) and I am also finishing this year- hopefully But my first exams will be in May / Pedagogy and then English, in August or September I think ... So my graduation ceremony is quite far 😒 but I` ve bought a dress recently - for this occasion 😉

etuska
12. apr 2008

Annili-what was the topic of your diploma thesis?-and what about your plans for future?Do you want to go abroad or work here in Slovakia?

etuska
13. apr 2008

Hi ladies.How was your weekend?

annili
13. apr 2008

hi, etuska ...
My diploma thesis was computer assisted English language teaching ... a little bit technical for a language teacher but I` m so proud I` ve done it. My children were so involved in learning that I was surprised.
And my plans... teaching English at primary or secondary school ... I like it but it` s a horrible job and very bad-paid, too ... probably as a private teacher or I`ll change my job. I really don` t know now. I`m married so I don` t want to go abroad anymore and I would like to have a child but I` ve realised recently that it`s not so easy as I thought 😒
And what about you? I see you´ve got a child. Are you a teacher, too?

stanka7
13. apr 2008

hi,girls.annili my private teacher is content with her job.

weroni
14. apr 2008

annili - that sounds very interesting 🙂 I would have some ideas about that as I use PC and internet a lot when I teach 🙂

annili - what about your teaching plans - I work as a private teacher, too - I´ve got my own company (public limited company) and I employ myself in my own company 🙂 I teach in kindergartens and I travel to some families but most of my students come to me so I teach at home 🙂 that´s great because I will be able to work also during my maternity leave 🙂 at least two students a day and that doesn´t have to be every day 🙂

So if u are interested in my advice - this is sure the better way as it´s well paid (for example my 45-minute lesson costs 200,- SK when it´s at home so that I don´t have to travel, if I travel - plus travel expenses, at kindergartens 300,- or sometimes more than 400,- sk per 30 minutes (depends on the amount of children).
Of course, when I have a little course with more than three people - it´s also more 🙂 so it really isn´t bad 🙂

and do u also translate?

annili
14. apr 2008

hi weroni,
thank you very much for your ideas and advice. Private teacher sounds good to me, too.

I like the way I´ve organized your job and joined with maternity leave. A great inspiration 😉

I don´t translate officially, maybe in the future

And what about teaching in a kindergarten? One of my colleagues also teaches there but she´s a primary teacher. I also teach primary classes although I am a secondary teacher. But it´s always fun. Older students aren´t so creative and spontaneous.

and oh, I wish you good luck on 7 June 😉 You still don´t know the sex - ugly word for a baby - do you ? You´ve chosen interesting names.

weroni
14. apr 2008

annili: 🙂

what about teaching in kindergartens - that´s simply a great job 🙂 I am really mad about kids that was why I started teaching in nursery schools 🙂 it´s very interesting and funny job, even though it´s difficult 🙂 It isn´t as easy as with older students who are able to sit and listen to what u are telling them 🙂
With these kids you still have to invent some games, they need to move a lot as they aren´t able to focus their minds on something for longer than 5 minutes 😉 that´s why our lesson is full of moving, skipping, dancing, running, and these activities are broken by several minutes of sitting 🙂

I could really write a lot about this work - so just for imagination: For example when we are going to learn food and drink - we prepare the little tables like in a shop - then put real or toy food and drink on it, but not many pieces - just few because they can´t get too many new expressions at once.
Then I introduce the food and drink to the children saying "this is bread", or "this is milk". Then I choose one child (who is sitting quietly 😉 😀) and ask him or her "What would you like?" and she or he must answer "I would like some bread". Then I take the bread and give it to the child saying "Here you are". The child must say "thanks" 🙂
Of course, then I am off the game - kids are changing to be seller or customer 🙂

Then there is a "moving while" 😀 we use to play the "statue game" - I tell the kids what they must do, for example "skip", or "touch your shoulders and dance" or "put your right hand on your left knee and turn around" - I must invent the craziest combinations so that they are laughing and happy 🙂 then all of sudden I tell them "stop" and they must stop moving themselves 🙂 I start going around them - and touch them - like trying if they move or not - if they are "real statues" 🙂 they love this game - especially when I touch for example their ribs or knees 😀

then I can say "touch something big and green" 🙂 or "put your toes under your chair" or "touch the pink skirt" 🙂 and they look for the said thing and touch it 🙂

weroni
14. apr 2008

annili - there´s really so much to write about this work 🙂

sometimes we play that one child lies down on the floor and is a "plate" and I order various crazy things and kids bring them to me and then I say on which body part they must put them - and when the lying child is full of toys, food, colours, then we pretend we are eating it all 🙂 we simply must do crazy things - that´s what kids love and when they are able to learn best 🙂

and what about my due date - thanks 🙂 I chose those names with my husband because I don´t like too commong names - I wanted to name my child in different way than most of people. And I was also very interested in the name´s meaning - for example Alex means "defender" and Ester is "star" 🙂 and they both do fit with the surname 🙂

what about u? do u have children?

weroni
15. apr 2008

where´s everybody? 😕

etuska
15. apr 2008

Weroni-I´m here,but won´t be long,have to work ☹

weroni
15. apr 2008

etus: seems you´ve been really busy these days... today I had a very short translation - just an auditor report 🙂 two pages - and it´s strange but it brought me a taste for new translation 😀 usually when I finish some translation I don´t want to see any other for a certain time but this time it was different 🙂 maybe because I am becoming tired of travelling to kindergartens and families and I need a little softer work 🙂

etuska
15. apr 2008

Weroni-yeah,I´ve been busy recently,but still keep visiting this page for entertainment and relax. I also did one -page translation od an abstract today-during my free lesson 😠
And I´m about to finish one document needed for my job application.

To be honest-I´m sick and tired of school,to be concrete-the byrocracy...I also dream about my own language school 🙂 ...but now,I´d rather work in a book shop-honestly

weroni
15. apr 2008

etuska - I know that feeling - when you have too much work then you lose taste for more...sometimes when I had many translations at the same time I wanted to take a spade and go to the garden 😀 yes - when u work too much psychically u need some physic work 😉
but it´s funny with me now - I usually find doing translations more difficult than making crazy things with kids all the day - but now I´m becoming tired of so much moving and transport - and maybe that´s why I´d prefer sitting by the pc and translating 😀 I wonder how long this will last 😀

etuska
15. apr 2008

...you should relax now...But I didn´t myselg when I was pregnant either.In fact I took the most difficult exam of my studies 3 weeks before Michelle was born 🙂

weroni
15. apr 2008

etuska, well, probably it´s really too much for me now - work, school, preparations for our house building, household, preparing for the baby´s arrival...
I planned to work until the half of May but it seems I will just work until the end of this month - I want to enjoy the last month of my pregnancy. And there will also be my school-leaving exams since 19th to 23rd May so I will learn and study some days before it...

etuska
15. apr 2008

...so you have also busy weeks 🙂 Good night Weroni 😵 😵 😵 🙄

weroni
15. apr 2008

good night etus and wish u quick and easy work 🙂

charlinka
16. apr 2008

Hi everybody, I havent been here for a while, you are all good writters, is good to read it. Written part of state examinaton in english will be taken on 7.5., so just in 3 weeks time. I am so nervous, do you remember to passing this exam??? what can I expect?? 😒
I envy everobody of you who can teach kids english. I always wanted to do it, but I am not really patient person, so I am not sure about it. Do you teach even your own kids??? I speak to charlie in czech, but some words I am trying to say in english but I am not sure that wont confuse her.
Have a good day, we have a rainy day so I think we stay at home all day ☹

weroni
16. apr 2008

charlinka are u going to do the State Exam? What kind (basic, general, special?) and where?
I took it at the State Language School in Bratislava - Palisady.

What I remember is this: There was:
- reading comprehension (article with questions about it)
- translation (slovak-english I think)
- composition (we had three topics to select)
- dictation (since this I remember the word "jeopardize") 😀 because I wrote it wrong 😀

well, good luck then 🙂

Charli if u´ve got an opportunity to get the "Slovak spectator" - you can find it on the net - there are many articles that use to be used at hese exams 😉

charlinka
17. apr 2008

Hi weroni, thanks for info. I am going to take it in Nitra, it is the nearest school for me. It"s only basic state exam, but with my grammar I dont know how I will manage it.
Slovak spectator??? I am not sure I know what it is??? but I will have a look on google.
If I had only one word wrong like you, I would be more then happy 😉 I am sure, you will remember jeopardize for ever 😉