Mentre vaig fent tasques domèstiques - sí, a tots ens toca fer-ho - aquest matí poso la ràdio i escolto què diu la Sílvia Cóppulo al seu programa El Suplement.

He quedat garratibada.

S'han reunit a la taula una colla d'estudiants universitaris per explicar-nos quines són les seves expectatives de futur, davant la crisi actual. Estudiants d'ADE ( Admnistració i Direcció d'Empreses) i Periodisme/Comunicació, bàsicament.

Quatre apunts a l'engròs del que recordo:

•  P: Quina sortida té la teva carrera? R: Fer un màster
•  Jo, és que tinc les arrels aquí i marxar no ho veig clar. Per acabar de cambrera a un McDonalds a l'estranger...
•  A mí no se'm donen bé els idiomes, o sigui que no em plantejo marxar.
•  Treure's la carrera és fàcil. Costa entrar-hi, però després t'ho treus...

Les meves reflexions:

• Si aquests nois universitaris, que tenen entre 18 i 20 anys, ara no tenen ganes de menjar-se el món: quan ho pensen fer?
• Em sembla perfecte que les teves arrels siguin aquí. I tant! Però si amb 18 anys esperes que es vagin podrint mentre et surt una possible oportunitat, què hi penses fer?
• Si no se't donen bé els idiomes....hauries d'estar estudiant la carrera universitària que estudies?
• Si als teus pares la matrícula de la carrera els costa uns 3000€ + despeses allotjament/manteniment/transport + uns 8000€ que paguen la resta de contribuents per tal que puguis anar a la "Uni"...ha de ser "tan" fàcil treure's una carrera? Quin sistema tenim?

Aquests són comentaris d'universitaris. Per més inri, alguns estudiant ADE !

No m'ho puc creure. Si ens expliquessin que a "Riurelàndia" es munten Universitats per tenir la gent entretenida, a costa dels impostos de molts que treballen i que mai hi van poder anar, que les generacions que en surten ni es plantegen anar a buscar feina on sigui, que hi ha un esperit emprenedor que brilla per la seva absència....segur que ens fariem un fart de riure.

Si et diuen que Riurelàndia està passant al costat d'on visc jo...tinc una ràbia que em fa caure llàgrimes avall.

Perdoneu, cal canviar l'actitud. A la vostra edat, i amb una carrera universitària: agafeu les maletes. Anar a fer de cambrera al McDonalds potser et sembla una bajanada, però jo que he estat vivint a UK i patint tot el que representa treballar fora de casa, sí que sé que això té un valor.

Alerta, perquè ara podria ben ser que per donar-vos una feina  - a més de carrera, màster, postgrau, experiència , 3 idiomes ....- us demanin també que hàgiu viscut i treballat - del que sigui - a l'estranger. 

I llavors, què?

Vaig a prendre un altre cafè, potser resulta que entre planxa i planxa,

fer els llits i posar ordre a l'habitació m'he oblidat de prendre'l i no he entès res...

Avui he enviat aquesta carta per a ser publicada demà en els diaris que vulguin. Ja us diré com ha anat.
De moment, ho vull compartir amb vosaltres.

No sé si hauràs fet o no vaga el 29M. Tenies el dret a triar.
Tant en un cas com en l’altre, la meva opinió: GAME OVER. La festa s’ha acabat, definitivament. Ens agradi o no, ho vulguem acceptar o no.
De veritat creus que algú té “la resposta” a la crisi? Governs de dreta? D’esquerra?Sindicats? Treballadors?Empresaris? Els mercats? Europa?...
Jo crec que no. Comença una partida ara mateix, la teva partida, la que et farà sortir del forat. Tens formació? contactes? passaport? amics? idees? somnis pendents de fer realitat?...No calen diners necessàriament. Al món hi ha lloc per tothom. Pren decisions. Mentre uns parlen n’hi ha que ja estan fent via.
Digue’m capitalista, privilegiada, demagògica, nena-de-papà….el que vulguis. Jo et proposo que facis un reset, si vols recollir comença a llaurar el teu camp per poder sembrar…ara mateix, no esperis més.

Xela Falgueras

PUBLICADA A
La Vanguardia 31-03-2012
El Punt- Avui 02-04-2012

Por qué estudiar pasados los 40 ha sido más fácil para mí.

Hace justo un año estaba preparando intensamente una oposiciones al cuerpo de Profesores de Secundaria para entrar como funcionaria en el Departament d'Ensenyament de la Generalitat de Catalunya. ¡Los resultados fueron excelentes ! 15 mejor nota de entre 130 candidatos presentados...pero no seleccionada por falta de puntos en la fase de concurso.

Pasada ya la fase de "enfermedad" después de 800h de estudio, he llegado a la conclusión que estudiar pasados los 40 es mucho más fácil de lo que se cree.

Cierto es que el cerebro es más modulable en edades tempranas, pero no olvidemos que la determinación y la motivación son claves para obtener resultados brillantes.

Os añado mis conclusiones:

1. Define una estrategia. Estudiar a nivel profesional requiere una estrategia profesional. Decide un horario y un método. Os recomiendo leer este libro antes de empezar: http://metodoprofesional.blogspot.com/

2. No vayas con la técnica de arrastre del temario a estudiar. Tienes que aplicar la técnica de las vueltas completas y acelerar la velocidad en cada vuelta.

3. Utiliza al máximo todos los recursos para estudiar. Piensa en las Inteligencias Múltiples de Gardner. Graba lecciones en tu mp3, invéntate canciones con el texto y retahíllas que tengas que "empollar", hazte dibujos tontos, hazte un panel de fotos para recordar los titulares, etc.

4. Convéncete de que TÚ PUEDES. El cerebro se entrena. Olvídate que "cuando era joven no podía aguantar más de 2 horas sentado"...ahora no eres "tan" joven, ahora SÍ PUEDES.

5. Sobretodo, NO TE OLVIDES DE VIVIR. El mérito de sacar un 9.6 en la fase escrita no es haber estudiado 800 horas, haber leído bien el tema, etc....es haber podido estar con mi familia a lo largo de la preparación de las oposiciones, haber podido realizar una escapada romántica de 3 días con mi marido, acudir a las reuniones de padres en la escuela, charlar con mis amistades...

Just think about it. It's just brilliant !!!

El divendres passat, els mestres comunicaren als nostres fills que aquest any no hi haurà ni colònies ni sortides escolars. Els pares llegim a casa, amb deteniment, la circular que l'escola va donar als nostres fills. Sembla ser que tot és per la jornada intensiva que s'ha eliminat amb el nou calendari escolar. Vaja, sí que comencem bé el curs. Bé, amb un càlcul barroer, sumant els dies de juny són unes 30 hores. No puc creure que per 30 hores l'equip directiu i el claustre prengui aquesta decisió, presentada de forma covarda als alumnes i no donant la cara als pares en una reunió informativa. L'equip directiu i l´escola esperen que els pares recolzem aquesta iniciativa? Que no veuen que la majoria de ciutadans que tenen feina estan en una situació difícil? Que no veuen la quantitat d'alumnes que aquest any no van al menjador escolar? Que no veuen que a l'escola concertada els mestres no tenen ni dret a cridar?


Convido el lector a consultar les taules de retribució dels docents en la web del Departament d'Educació. Sorprès? La feina de mestre és molt dura, però admetem que també hi ha molts privilegis. Parlem clar. Pot ser que el nostre sistema educatiu públic no dóna per més i aquesta és l'última gota que fa vessar el got?

Demaneu que les ràtios dels alumnes baixin a 15-18 per aula; demaneu més suport psicopedagògic; demaneu més sortides i colònies per a ajudar-los a entendre el món on viuen, sense tanta virtualitat; demaneu l'autoritat per premiar els alumnes que s'esforcen i per posar mesures disciplinàries als que repetidament boicotegen la tasca docent; demaneu fer escola de pares, perquè sembla que no saben que tenir fills implica prendre decisions i ser responsables, etcètera. El dia que demaneu tot això, molts pares vindran amb vosaltres davant la Conselleria d'Educació per ajudar-vos en les vostres reivindicacions. Mentrestant, qui tingui nervis que es prengui una til·la.

(publicat el 24 de setembre de 2010 a La Vanguardia)

One of my daugther's and her friend's hands. She took the picture.

I recall the long summers I spent at the seaside when I was just a kid. Sweet memories of past times...
As I see my daughters growing, I do realize how important is for them to build these experiences during the summer. Experiences that will teach them about friendship, new places and new feelings as they get close to their teens.

I've just found this interesting article about children being bored and parents trying to avoid it ( or not?). Comparisons on how things were some decades ago and how parents react nowadays towards this fact are good food for thought.

Let me remark some of the sentences:

The importance of being bored

Parents should wave goodbye to boil-in-the-bag entertainment for their kids and realise boredom can be a force for good.

Things are very different for many of today's children. The notion of quality time implies doing something constructive or worthy rather than parents just letting their children "do their own thing".(...)

Too often have I heard a parent say "I hate the summer holidays". How depressing, to find the company of your children such a chore.(...)


Boredom opens channels. If you're truly, stultifyingly bored and, despite desperate complaints, no one sees fit to alleviate your boredom, then you have to rectify the matter yourself.(...)

Read the complete article on
http://gu.com/p/2tymq

I've recently been to the Louvre in Paris to realize that most of the people just want to see the Gioconda.

As per the rest of the Museum, many people wander around as if they were merely window-shopping....

A team does as well as you and the team think they can.


This idea is known as “the self-fulfilling prophecy”. When you believe the team will perform well, in some strange, magical way they do. And similarly, when you believe they won’t perform well, they don’t.


The self-fulfilling prophecy is also known as the Pygmalion Effect. This comes from a story by Ovid about Pygmalion, a sculptor and prince of Cyprus, who created an ivory statue of his ideal woman. The result which he called Galatea was so beautiful that he immediately fell in love with it. He begged the goddess Aphrodite to breath life into the statue and make her his own. Aphrodite granted Pygmalion his wish, the statue came to life and the couple married and lived happily ever after.

The implication of the Pygmalion effect for leaders and managers is massive. It means that the performance of your team depends less on them than it does on you. The performance you get from people is no more or less than what you expect: which means you must always expect the best. As Goethe said, “Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.”

( from Eric Garner, ManageTrainLearn.com)

Equally, all educators should bear this in mind when dealing with students...

Some more food for thought !

WHY NOT HAVING A BIT OF FUN ?

Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to take part in any flashmob yet.

I think it is a great idea to have fun in a very naive way, and using technologies to get people together

Really interesting video.
Not quite anything else to add.  Just a lot to think about as a teacher....

living under pressure? Close your eyes and dream...

Can anyone imagine how many hours practice this must have required? Discipline ? Self control ?... And yet, it comes out so easily....

(from a class of Philosophy for Children with 4-5 years old children) - Girl with boat by P.Picasso 1938.

Let me reproduce some of my own experiences when presenting this picture to 4-5 years old children:

(teacher) But, have you ever seen a girl with so many colours on the face?
(student) Well, Picasso must have been mistaken when he painted it!


(teacher) what is that round thing on the left?
(student1) it's a driving wheel...
(student 2) no, it can't be! You cannot have a wheel made of straw.
(student 3) it's not straw ! It's metal!
(teacher) ok, how do you know it's metal?
(student 3) because I see it!


I read this conversation from another teacher's experience in Majorca:

(teacher) what do you think about this girl?
(student 1) she looks weird. Maybe she is Italian.
(student 2) well, my uncle has an Italian girlfriend and she doesn't look like this girl
(student 1) well, then. She must be French...

I always get surprised with the thoughts of "these little people".
We should listen more to what they have to say about the "adult" world.

At the beginnig of my teaching job I used to wonder what self image should I give to my students.

Not paying much attention to some of my teacher friend's recommendations ( be tough or they will get on you! ) I struggled to find my own style. I've swung from being very nice to being really nasty, learning to keep my feelings hidden and in difficult situations saying to myself "calm down, do not shout, wait for the group to unwind".

Only when I truly believe in what I'm doing, do I see my students being really motivated. Well, I must say that embarrassement is not one of my problems!


Just try to get into the class wearing a cook apron, with a cake paper tray and two more small aprons for 2 students. Play to be a cook and ask the students to "prepare" a meal for the rest of the class. Practice a small dialogue and see your 7 year-old students taking the activity over from you... add a small song with some key words from the dialogue and voilà! I bet they will not forget this session!


Our children expect the teacher to be closer to them. To play with them. To laugh with them...bottom line: to empathise with them whilst guiding them in their learning process.
And remember, a motivated teacher guarantees a motivated group!

Having sent hundreds of CVs covering the range all my working options ( education, management, admin) I got a telephone call for a teaching position.

The interview and the job offer were straight forward.
Ready for a challenge in challenging times !

and relaxing...have you ever observed their dance in the water?








"seahorse & bubbles"
CosmoCaixa (Barcelona) -Aug 18th 09

Mauritania (Africa)

The desert is sorrounding and sand dunes are engulfing inhabited areas. People have to walk over the dunes to get to the main door. Sand pours through the windows. They prey for the roof not to collapse.

Sooner or later, they will have to abandon the house and look for a new dwelling.

http://www.unep.org/dewa/Africa/publications/aeo-1/253.htm

Senegal (Africa)

The government has built some walls to stop the advancing sea. In some areas the sea is gaining about 80 m of land per year. In average, it takes 2-3 m every year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HsoEGyLZvo

Spain ( Europe)

Unemployment rate is growing and enworsing the domestic debt rate. In many cases, there has been an over borrowing elation for the past few years. Middle class people are now struggling to pay their mortgages after the banks have cut the credit and the financial crisis is getting deeper. As a result, many families are facing potential eviction.

Desperating? Tough life? Silly?

Personally, I find it ridiculous. Whereas in some areas people really struggle for survival, in others they just can't get to terms with the economy collapsing after years of abundance with a complete lack of foresight. Sad, really sad and unfair.

...it always manages to find its way.

(food for thought?)

I recently read that nowadays having a blog is vital to "be someone" and specially if you are trying to either position yourself amongst "the experts" or to get a job.
Fortunately I don't consider myself an expert in any area, so I discard the first option. As per the second one, yes, I am currently trying to get a job, but I am not writing with the hope this will really help.

My intention is just experimenting on how far I can go with this blog. I am intrigued to see if anyone will ever be interested to read and comment on my writings, see if I enjoy the experience and after all, I would like to share some funny anecdotes and facts that I've lived that could be food for thought.
Who knows! I may end up having followers and even becoming "a someone" (?)

Anyway, I already consider myself "a someone". A women in my mid forties, currently living about 35 km from Barcelona and unemployed after our last home move in June '08. Happily married (well, everyone has its ups and downs but as a summary "happily" fits well enough); as any mum, I'm in love with our two daughters ( aged 8 & 10) and I'm trying to find my way in these CHALLENGING TIMES.

I believe the clue to survive in these difficult times is to be positive and prepared to adapt to coming changes. Fortunately, I've been living in 7 different places for the past 15 years, so I would say that I am quite able to adapt to new environments....( I hope!)

Writing in English? Although English is not my mother language, I've been living in the UK for six and a half years and just allow me to add a touch of marketing; this broadens my chances to become someone !

To start with, a nice picture I took some days ago in the Pyrenees area: a butterfly. If you want to just see the beauty in it, that's ok with me. If you want to be philosophical and think what a little catterpillar has to endure to become a butterfly... then, that's fine with me too!
xela falgueras gracia falgueras mª gràcia falgueras