Millie's writing talent

There's a student at this school, Amelia Jane Davis-Goodwin (2E), whose talent I have just discovered. In fact, I liked what she showed me so much that I asked for her permission to include it in this blog so all of you can enjoy it.
I also want to encourage those of you who like reading and writing to continue with it, to share it with others, to let us enjoy your talents too.
I'm setting up a page right now so I can post all the pieces of writing you are willing to share with the rest of us. Please, do! Just give them to me and I'll publish them as soon as I can.

So Here's Millie's text:



The seagulls screaming above me.
The heavy, grey rocks looked as if they were about to slide into the leaden sea.
the wind lifted my hair and I felt sudden gusts sting my face.
The spray from the waves hit my face and I could taste the salty water on my lips.
The damp, warm scent of the seaweed rose gently.

ABOUT EASTER

How did Easter get its name?

One belief is that Easter got its name from the Goddess of Spring called Eostre who some people worshipped long before Jesus was born. At that time it was thought that the sun died in winter and was born again in spring when days would lengthen and the sun’s power would return. In Europe, Eostre was honoured as the bringer of spring.

 When and how long is Easter?

Easter Day is always on a Sunday, but the date varies from year to year unlike Christmas which is always on December 25. Many years ago Christians decided that Easter Day should be always be on the Sunday following the first full moon after the first day of Spring on March 21. This means that Easter can be as early as 22 March or as late as 25 April. For this reason Easter is called a movable feast. 

In fact not only is Easter a movable feast but it happens on different dates depending on where in the world you live. In western churches such as in the United Kingdom, Easter was celebrated on April 16, 2006 whereas in Eastern Orthodox churches the date was April 23. The reason for this is that in the west the date is calculated using the Gregorian calendar which is different to the Julian calendar which is used in the east.

For more interesting facts about Easter, as well as customs, activities and recipes, go here

MARCH 22: WORLD WATER DAY

International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.

I know that after the recent floods in Chiclana water is not something we want right now, but remember that  there are lots of people out there in the world who have no clean water: waterborne diseases cause the death of more than 1.5 million children each year.

For  information on what You can do, You can  visit www.worldwaterday2010.info

Poll Results

The results from my last poll (What do you find most difficult about learning English?) are the following:

Of 34 votes:

Grammar 8 (23%)
 
Listening 13 (38%)
 
Reading 6 (17%)
 
Writing 13 (38%)
 
Speaking 7 (20%)
 

So, What's my take on this? Well, I was a bit surprised at the results. I always thought speaking was the most difficult skill (at least, it's the one most people have a problem with at school). I sure have to work hard for you to speak up in class! 

Writing is really useful for communication in a foreign language when you don't speak the language well because you don't really need to use correct grammar and punctuation: Just using basic structures (or no structure at all) and the right words is enough to convey the right idea. Writing to a high standard is really hard though and it is usually the most difficult skill for a native speaker.

I understand about listening, very difficult indeed.

English grammar, on the other hand, can't be easier. How can you even vote for it? Though I must say that being good at grammar doesn't mean you speak English well.

to those who voted, thank you. 

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY!

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by the Irish and Irish at Heart in big cities and small towns alike with parades, "wearing of the green," music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring and games. It’s a time for fun. Some communities even go so far as to dye rivers or streams green!

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig is the Gaelic way of expressing a wish that you have all the blessings of St Patrick's Day and the "luck of the Irish" to go with it. There are many humorous explanations for this expression. One comes from the legend of the 'Little People' of the land, know as leprechauns. Finding or catching a leprechaun (who would then give you gold) was a lucky event that could only take place in Ireland ! The Irish are descendants of great Celtic and Viking fighters and invaders. Their natural fighting skills often ensured survival & hence they became known as the 'lucky' people, a classic case of making your own luck ! But then "The Luck of the Irish" may all be legend. 

Saint Patricks Day Parades Worldwide, Irish Pubs all around the globe, Fun Runs, Irish Associations, Irish Music Festivals, Irish Names, Irish Dancing Schools,Irish Music Irish Roots, Irish Festivals,Scottish Highland Games USA & Canada, as well as, Scottish Pipes & Drum Bands. 

St Patricks Day is for thinking about our Saint as well as a time to think of loved ones across the water.

So, why is it celebrated on March 17th? One theory is that that is the day that St. Patrick died. Since the holiday began in Ireland, it is believed that as the Irish spread out around the world, they took with them their history and celebrations. The biggest observance of all is, of course, in Ireland. With the exception of restaurants and pubs, almost all businesses close on March 17th. Being a religious holiday as well, many Irish attend mass, where March 17th is the traditional day for offering prayers for missionaries worldwide before the serious celebrating begins.

For more information go here.

And here's a good video lesson about St Patrick's Day by JenniferESL :

TWO SONGS CELEBRATING WOMEN

There are many songs celebrating women that I could have chosen for women's day. It was hard to make a decision but finally these are the two songs I've chosen:

You gotta be fortunate
You gotta be lucky now
I was just sitting here
Thinking good and bad
But I'm the kinda woman
That was built to last
They tried erasing me
But they couldn't wipe out my past
To save my child
I'd rather go hungry
I got all of Ethiopia
Inside of me
And my blood flows
Through every man
In this godless land
That delivered me
I've cried so many tears even the blind can see
Chorus:
This is a woman's world.
This is my world.
This is a woman's world
For this man's girl.
There ain't a woman in this world,
Not a woman or a little girl,
That can't deliver love
In a man's world.
I've born and I've bred.
I've cleaned and I've fed.
And for my healing wits
I've been called a witch.
I've crackled in the fire
And been called a liar.
I've died so many times
I'm only just coming to life.
Chorus
My blood flows
Through every man and every child
In this godless land
That delivered me
I cried so many tears even the blind can see
Chorus

Take this pink ribbon off my eyes 
I'm exposed 
And it's no big surprise 
Don't you think I know 
Exactly where I stand 
This world is forcing me 
To hold your hand 
'Cause I'm just a girl, little 'ol me 
Don't let me out of your sight 
I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite 
So don't let me have any rights 

Oh...I've had it up to here! 
The moment that I step outside 
So many reasons 
For me to run and hide 
I can't do the little things I hold so dear 
'Cause it's all those little things 
That I fear 

'Cause I'm just a girl I'd rather not be 
'Cause they won't let me drive 
Late at night I'm just a girl, 
Guess I'm some kind of freak 
'Cause they all sit and stare
With their eyes 

I'm just a girl, 
Take a good look at me 
Just your typical prototype 

Oh...I've had it up to here! 
Oh...am I making myself clear? 
I'm just a girl 
I'm just a girl in the world... 
That's all that you'll let me be! 
I'm just a girl, living in captivity 
Your rule of thumb 
Makes me worry some 

I'm just a girl, what's my destiny? 
What I've succumbed to Is making me numb 
I'm just a girl, my apologies 
What I've become is so burdensome
I'm just a girl, lucky me 
Twiddle-dum there's no comparison 

Oh...I've had it up to! 
Oh...I've had it up to!! 
Oh...I've had it up to here!

WHAT IS FEMINISM TO YOU?

To celebrate International Women's day (March 8) I think we can comment -honestly- what feminism means to us. It goes without saying that both men and women can comment: I don't think you have to be a woman to be a feminist, nor you need to be one to have an opinion about it.

Wikipedia defines feminism as the belief that women should have equal political, social, sexual, intellectual and economic rights to men.

For me feminism equals independence, self-confidence, strength and self-assertion. It is what makes me believe in women as intelligent, capable and valuable human beings. I'm a feminist because I believe in myself and all women and I'm not ashamed to say it; because I want every woman to feel the same way.

And you, what do you think?

i carry your heart with me by ee cummings

So I feel like sharing with you a beautiful poem by an American poet, ee cummings. I know you don't usually read poetry, much less in English, but I think you may like this. Like Emily Dickinson, he wrote simple poems, easy to understand. He experimented with syntax, punctuation and spelling (no, I made no mistakes: He never used capital letters). I really enjoy poets like him, I hope you do too.

So this is it:


i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate, my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

ee cummings