View of My School - Liceo de Zapallar

5pm School is out. Students are served either hot tea or coffee and homemade bread with palta (avacado).

Palta is mashed like guacamole style to which salt and lemon is added. It is the chilean spread for bread. These are all some of my students in the courtyard.

This part of the building is the cafeteria. Picture on the right is 7th & 8th grade classrooms.

My Home

My cozy space where I do my lessons, email, and sleep.

The main entertainment point for my little brothers and their friends. Yeah, play station.

Our family's eating area.

Enjoying one of the few days of sun and warmth on the upstairs deck. Remember we are in winter in this hermisphere.

My little brother Matias (13 yrs old), Alexis (9yrs old), and the neighbors (twins) all hangout downstairs playing with the soccer ball.

Sopaipillo - Homemade Fried Snacks

ALEX is the expert in making Sopaipillo (he is Daiana's hubby). GO GUY!!!

Start with Cisco type sticks of oil, turn the gas stove on and let them heat up as the dough is being prepared. Heat some water.

Ingredients: Salt, flour and warm water.

Next: Add cooked pumpkin to dry mix

Follow by mixing all the ingredients.

Now, Alex really gets the dough going right to the thickness desired for frying.

Last cut to size and fry until golden.

KEY: poke a tiny whole so they don't blout.
Place on paper towel to decrease oil saturation.

Dinner table is set for the feast with Margarita on left, Meche, Daiana, Alex (the one who made the fritters), and Juan Pablo (Margarita's older son). I'm taking the picture but I ate plenty...

English Language Learners (ELLs) in the Liceo

FAMILY TREE visual concept used with vocabulary labels. DIALOGUE to teach language in chunks in a natural conversation.

Dig my two rules mini-posters: Participate and Respect

AGENDA on whiteboard

Family brainstorm using the Simpsons Family as a motivator.


I used the music "We are Family" at the end of the lesson before the ticket to leave. Otherwise, the kids get tooo relaxed if I play music in the beginning. (I already tried that way with this group).

August 25 Wed - here is a picture of some of my 11th grade ELL students after dancing to "We are Family" (by the Sledge Sisters).

The students are learning Family Members vocabulary to which I tied the musical song to this lesson. Got to use many tools for a 90 minute class in a small room!

In a Routine

I have not written much on the blog. I've been adjusting into the various ways of school life and home. An important part of my routine is actually taking a shower before the cold night sets in.

Home life is very appealing because my families' friends come over often. I have met some really nice persons through the daily exchange and have enjoyed the conversations. For instance; Andrea brings little Maite, a witty toddler (2yrs) as close to a 6 year old. Then, there is Meche who is a quiet nurse, a long-time freind of my sister Daiana. Alexis has the twins, also long-time freinds who come over to play soccer. My brother Matias has a few friends that come over to play video soccer. Mom Margarita has many friends that at different times stop by to chit chat. Alex (husband of Daiana) has a handful of friends that stop by to see what's up.

By now, I have my own classroom with many big windows and curtains. The room used to be a storage area, although it is really a Bay window type area converted into a room. The many windows allows my room to be one of the nicest (mainly in warmth) and because it is on a second floor. Also, my classroom is adjacent to the appropriately warm computer lab.

Running To-and-Fro

Aug 6 Friday - Another long day doing errands.

We started at 8:30am going to Papudo with a friend of mom Margarita. In Papudo, we were told we needed to go to La Ligua to do step 2 of my Temporary Residence papers. To La Ligua we went by micro-bus, arrived and walked to the International Police station. Here, two happy persons took care of my paperwork (so cold inside the office!). Then, I was told to take my papers to the town of Quillota for further processing.

My oh my, another town! I decided to go some other day before my 30 days were up.

Mom Margarita and I took a coach bus from La Ligua to Vina del Mar. We needed to purchase the birthday items because my little brother Matias will turn 13 years old on Sunday. However, mom decided to have the party on Saturday. CARRETE!!

Shopping at the mall would be too expensive, we only went there to eat some lunch and because mom wanted me to know where it was, just in case I want to come some day. After lunch we went to the JUMBO and Easy stores (these are a version of Walmart and Home Depot). Hours turned into long hours shopping for groceries, gifts, and other items.

Mom Margarita called a friend, who drives a small station wagon car for a living, so we could go back home with all those packages we had. Marcelo came at about 7pm.
The trip back was comfortable and interesting as we all chatted about things in general. Two hours later we were home again.

As our entire family pitched in to bring the groceries, we were invited by the upstair friend 9sandra) of mom Margarita for some dinner. After a short relaxing time, mom and I went up to Sandra's. I met Luzmari, Ramiro, and of course Sandra. We had such good conversation, ate a scrumptious meal, and had different wines. (Chile is known around the world for its natural processed wines of excellent quality). UMMMMM...

First Days in English Classrooms

Sample first days in the Liceo de Zapallar English classrooms (co-taught):

August 3 (tue)
8:15am - 9:45am 1ero A Medio (20 ninth grade students)
Activity: Fruit/veggie language chunks: Do you like___?
Yes, I like but I prefer____.(example of dialogues)
15 minutes break students/teachers
10 - 11:30am 3ero B Medio (32 11th grade students) Room A-15
Activity: Introduce, Florida, Music, conversational English
15 minutes break students/teachers
11:45am - 1:10pm 3ero A Medio (32 11th grade students) Room A-14
Activity: Intro, Florida, conversational English
1:10 - 2pm LUNCHTIME students & teacher total 50 minutes
2 - 3:30pm 1ero B Medio (28 ninth grade students)
Activity: Intro, conversational English
15 min. break students/teachers
3:45 meet with the Director
4:15 - 6pm meet/greet other teachers/look at English textbooks/materials
English teacher & I decide to present a power point to students in English.
Then prepare a Spanish version for the teacher's meeting this Thursday.
It was a very exciting day for me!

Aug 4 (wed)
8:15am-9:45am 1ero C Medio (14 ninth grade students)
Activity: power point on PR/Florida/Orlando schools
2 hours teaher planning & break
(We planned for Unit 1 Lesson 1 Listening dialogue we typed for next class)
(In teacher's lounge the English teacher & I coordinated how the
flow of this activity would be done.)

11:45am - 1:10pm 2ndo B Medio (34 10th grade students)
Activity: Lesson 1 Listening dialogue/eval also
1:10 - 2pm LUNCHTIME studenst & teachesr 50 minutes)
2 - 3:30pm 4to B Medio (19 twelfth grade students)Advance English group
Activity: I presented my power point in labrm
15 minutes break
3:30pm - 5pm 2ndo A Medio (34 students ALL KINDS OF BEHaVIORS!)
Schools out: (went w/Eng teacher to pharmacy, we talked)

HASTA PRONTO, Ms.Millie in CHILE-Zapallar