THE PRETENDER: a comedy for students aged 12 to 15, $7. (Free Workpack). Eric, who is eighteen, does not like either to study or work but he wants to make big money in a short time. What about becoming a fortune teller? Your teenager students will get trapped into this funny plot full of interesting messages that will help them to develop their critical thinking.

ALL GOOD THINGS

He was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary's School in
Morris, Minn. All 34 of my students were dear to me, but Mark Eklund was one
in a million. Very neat in appearance, but had that happy-to-be-alive attitude
that made even his occasional mischievousness delightful.

Mark talked incessantly. I had to remind him again and again that talking
without permission was not acceptable. What impressed me so much, though,
was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving -
"Thank you for correcting me, Sister!" I didn't know what to make of it at first, but before long I became accustomed to hearing it many times a day.

One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too often,
and then I made a novice-teacher's mistake. I looked at Mark and said, "If you
say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth shut!"

It wasn't ten seconds later when Chuck blurted out, "Mark began talking
again." I hadn't asked any of the students to help me watch Mark, but since
I had stated the punishment in front of the class, I had to act on it.

I remember the scene as if it had occurred this morning. I walked to my
desk, very deliberately opened by drawer and took out a roll of masking tape.
Without saying a word, I proceeded to Mark's desk, tore off two pieces of
tape and made a big X with them over his mouth. I then returned to the front of the room. As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, he winked at me. That did it !! I started laughing. The class cheered as I walked back to Mark's desk, removed the tape, and shrugged my shoulders. His first words were, "Thank you for correcting me, Sister."

At the end of the year, I was asked to teach junior-high math. The years
flew by, and before I knew it Mark was in my classroom again. He was more
handsome than ever and just as polite. Since he had to listen carefully to my
instruction in the "new math," he did not talk as much in ninth grade as he
had in third. One Friday, things just didn't feel right. We had worked hard
on a new concept all week, and I sensed tha the students were frowning,
frustrated with themselves - and edgy with one another. I had to stop this
crankiness before it got out of hand.

So I asked them to list the names of the other students in the room on two
sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then I told them to
think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed me the papers. Charlie smiled. Mark said, "Thank you for teaching me, Sister. Have a good weekend."
That Saturday, I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of
paper, and I listed what everyone else had said about that individual. On
Monday I gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class
was smiling. "Really?" I heard whispered. "I never knew that meant anything to
anyone!" "I didn't know others liked me so much." No one ever mentioned
those papers in class again. I never knew if they discussed them after class or
with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its
purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another again.

That group of students moved on. Several years later, after I returned from
vacation, my parents met me at the airport. As we were driving home, Mother
asked me the usual questions about the trip - the weather, my experiences in
general. There was a lull in the conversation.

Mother gave Dad a side-ways glance and simply says, "Dad?" My father cleared his throat as he usually did before something important. "The Eklunds called last night," he began. "Really?"I said. "I haven't heard from them in years. I wonder how Mark is." Dad responded quietly. "Mark was killed in Vietnam," he said. "The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents would like it if you could attend."
To this day I can still point to the exact spot on I-495 where Dad told me
about Mark. I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. Mark
looked so handsome, so mature. All I could think at that moment was, Mark I
would give all the masking tape in the world if only you would talk to me.

The church was packed with Mark's friends. Chuck's sister sang "The Battle
Hymn of the Republic." Why did it have to rain on the day of the funeral? It
was difficult enough at the graveside.
The pastor said the usual prayers, and the bugler played taps. One by one
those who loved Mark took a last walk by the coffin and sprinkled it with
holy water. I was the last one to bless the coffin. As I stood there, one of the
soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to me. "Were you Mark's math
teacher?" he asked. I nodded as I continued to stare at the coffin. "Mark
talked about you a lot," he said.

After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates headed to Chuck's
farmhouse for lunch. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting
for me. "We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet
out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it."

Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper
that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. I knew
without looking that the papers were the ones on which I had listed all the good
things each of Mark's classmates had said about him.

"Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can see,
Mark treasured it."

Mark's classmates started to gather around us. Charlie smiled rather
sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my
desk at home." Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding
album."
"I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary." Then Vicki, another
classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her
worn and frazzled list to the group. "I carry this with me at all times,"
Vicki said without batting an eyelash. "I think we all saved our lists."

That's when I finally sat down and cried. I cried for Mark and for all his
friends who would never see him again. THE END

Written by: Sister Helen P. Mrosla

The purpose of this letter is to encourage everyone to compliment the people
you love and care about. We often tend to forget the importance of showing
our affections and love. Sometimes the smallest of things, could mean the most
to another. Express your love and caring by telling the people you love and
care for, that they are special and important. Here's the deal: LOVE and know YOU ARE LOVED !

(13) GETTING READY FOR FAAPI 2000 

 

Susana Berutti from ADVICE BOOKSHOP in Santa Fé advicebs@ssdfe.com.ar informs us about ADVICE´s already traditional trip to FAAPI.

This year they are organizing a special charter flight Santa Fé- Comodoro Rivadavia- Santa Fé at special promotional prices. Looking for friendly company and lots of fun on your way to Comodoro ? Join ADVICE friendly staff and these two big SHARERS : Susana and Claudio Berutti.

Additional information ? e-mail Susana or phone the bookshop : 0342- 4533392 or 4552119. 

 

(14) MORE NUNSENSE

Albert Canil, albertc@unete.com from the Suburban Players writes to us :  "Unload the gun...untie the noose...get off that balcony... there is a reason to carry on living ! NUNSENSE will be carrying on one extra week : May 5th, 6th, and 7th at 9:00 p.m. at The Playhouse, Moreno 80. San Isidro." Reservations : 011-4829-9112 or 011-4747- 4470... We will be there !

(15) SEMINAR ON APPROPRIATE PEDAGOGIES

Maria Barberis barberis@marin.edu,ar,a dear SHARER from Marín College invites all SHARERS in the name of her College and in the name of the University of Surrey to a Seminar -Workshop on APPROPRIATE PEDAGOGIES IN A GLOBAL WORLD to be held on the premises of Marin College, Avda del Libertador 17115 , San Isidro. next Monday 8th of May from 17:30 to 20:30 hours.  

The Seminar will focus on the effect of economic globalisation on EFL classroom practice with a special emphasis on the choice of content, teaching materials and pedagogies. It will be conducted by Isobel Rainey M.A. (Wales),teacher-trainer in Englasnd, South America, Italy and the middle East. You can register by phone at 4743-0028 or e-mail Maria Barberis.

(16) HURRY UP !    REGISTRATION CLOSING

Registration for the FIRST CONGRESS ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH organized by Universidad Nacional del Litoral will close on May 5th. So hurry if you do not want to miss this opportunity. The organizers inform us that more thasn 300 people have already renrolled and that very few vacancies are left.

For further information, please phone : 54-342-4571122 (8.00 to 12.00)  or 54-342-45333392 (8.00 to 12:00 and 16:00 to 19:00) e-mail : congress@unl.edu.ar

Preliminary Programme

Plenaries