Oktoberfest in Thessaloniki

As many of you know, Oktoberfest in Germany is a celebration of beer. It is a very "famous" event in Munich, but wherever Germans are, the celebration goes on!!


The German school of Thessaloniki has been organizing this event for many years now, with lots of beer, snacks and live music.

This year the weather was wonderful and I convinced my husband to come!

Here's the happy family!

As you can see, a lot of people had the same idea and they actually found a table to sit!!

I invited my best friends to come along. Well, when I told them it would be a German celebration, they were a bit reluctant, but, in the end they actually enjoyed the "Tafel-lieder" (songs you sing sitting at a table drinking beer!)

I also met my students who go to the German school!

It was a very nice evening, although a bit loud! I enjoyed the bands , food and drink! A great initiative of the German school!

Sitting waiting wishing

This is Marianthi listening to the song

I was having a lesson yesterday talking about Continuous tenses and Gerunds and how we use them in a sentence and this song came to my mind. I think it would be a great intro for this .

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Song lyrics:
Now I was sitting waiting wishing
That you believed in superstitions
Then maybe you'd see the signs
But Lord knows that this world is cruel
And I ain't the Lord, no I'm just a fool
Learning loving somebody don't make them love you
Must I always be waiting waiting on you?
Must I always be playing playing your fool?
I sing ya songs I dance a dance
I gave ya friends all a chance
Putting up with them wasn't worth never having you
And maybe you been through this before
But its my first timeSo please ignore
The next few lines cause they're directed at you
I cant always be waiting waiting on you
I cant always be playing playing your fool
I keep playing your partBut its not my scene
Wont this plot not twist?
I've had enough mystery.
Keep building me up, then shooting me down
Well im already downJust wait a minute
Just sitting waitingJust wait a minute
Just sitting waiting
Well if I was in your position
Id put down all my ammunition
I'd wondered why'd it taken me so long
But Lord knows that I'm not you
And If I was I wouldn't be so cruel
Cause waiting on love ain't so easy to do
Must I always be waiting waiting on you?
Must I always be playing playing your fool?
No I cant always be waiting waiting on you
I cant always be playing playing your fool, foool

Lesson plan
Give students the lyrics and play the song
Ask the to find the gerunds (-ing) and then identify the tense
Ask students questions like:
“What are you doing in the evening?”
“Where will you be going this time next week?”
If the student level is above intermediate, you can also discuss the situation in the song.
Why is he feeling the way he does?
What might have happened?

Model airplanes

In my last post I mentioned that both my "men" (husband and sun) wanted to take up a new hobby, so we went shopping yesterday, they were searching for a specific type of plane, a Messerschmitt (I am totaly ignorant of this stuff, I just remember the name because it is German!!). I knew that the whole idea wouldn't work out, but I didn't say much...

So, the pieces are on the table... both Sotiris and Yiannis obsereved them carefully...

Here are the instructions... A bit difficult it seems...

Let's put the pieces together. Here goes the swearing and the cursing... The parts are too small, it didn't glue correctly, etc...

Here is the result... You must be wondering .... where is the rest of it?The inside part?

It is just too difficult!!!

That's the way people throw 45 Euros to garbage...

I hope you have a better luck with your hobby!

Navarinou Street

Originally uploaded by tpapapanayiotou

Enjoying one of my last evening strolls in the city, as from next week I'll have a regular schedule and I won't be able to go out like regular people do!!
Today we went searching for ... model airplanes, it seems that Sotiris wants to start a new hobby or pick up from wher he left it - we found the one he wanted and at the moment he is in the next room cursing because the damn pieces are too small!! Anyway, I 'll have another post about that, if he ever finishes it, that is!!
It's nice to see that people actually enjoy themselves in the evening contrary to my life (housework - kid - teaching - computer!)
I was too shy though to take some "action" pictures, so I took some of the streets instead... not much inspiration lately!

Playmobil family

yiannis
Originally uploaded by tpapapanayiotou

This is Mama Theodora and Yiannis in Playmobil version! I just loved the fact that he put a camera on Playmobil "me"!!

Genpets: idea for a lesson

(For Adult, advanced students!)

Lesson plan:

Give students pictures of the so called Genpets and make them guess what that is.

Then give them the text to read:

Unpackage your Genpet and unpackage a world of possibilities.

Say Hello to the all New Genpets™ from Bio.Genica!The Genpets™ are Pre-Packaged, Bioengineered pets implemented today!
That’s right, Genpets are not toys or robots. They are living, breathing genetic animals.

For the whole text click here!

Students answer questions:

• What did you think of the article?
• Would you buy a Genpet? (why/why not)
• What are the advantages / disadvantages of a "pet" like this one?
• Do you think genetic engineering is beneficial for the human race? In what way?

In the end tell students it was a hoax (explain "hoax")

If there is a computer/internet connection, you can also try this link with various hoaxes:

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/comments/4198/

The discussion could continue with what is real and what not and why does it happen.

Gossip of the day

Working with students who will eventually take an oral exam in a foreign language, made me realize that the exam is really ... boring for kids! The result is that they learn to answer the usual questions but they don't really use the language to communicate. So if the examiner wants to discuss a topic, students find it difficult to express themselves.

In order to overcome this, I started talking with one of my students about her school's news and gossips and I realized that she CAN talk!

So I decided to make it more interesting - we made a video (she took some notes as well).

I think that the results are very satisfying (she makes some mistakes of course, but just the feeling that someone is watching her makes her speak correctly!!)

We will make new videos with the "gossip of the day", so stay with us!!

No more summer

Originally uploaded by tpapapanayiotou

It is getting colder, it has started raining and I am still trying to fix a schedule. I thought it would be easier this year.
When I had to work at a frontesterio, I had to wait for my schedule there and then put everybody whenever I could... Now I have to wait for everybody else's after-school-activities. The good thing is that I don't have to deal with inflexible people!!
PS. the picture is from yesterday's lesson - trying to find the word "neigh" in German!! (wiehern) - I didn't know this word in Greek also (some books are something "else"!!)

Sunday evening

I was at home the whole weekend ... I felt soo tired after Friday's lessons ( I am still weak from the operation, I guess I needed some more time before I went back to full time work)

But today I felt "trapped" at home so I had to go out for a walk even for a little while! So where else could we go? The pedestrian zone of Kalamaria of course!

It was surprisingly crowded today! I remember some years ago, cafes and pubs had to close early on the night of the elections... All we could do, was stay home and watch TV, but there were only these boring result anouncements and the analysis of these results!!!

So, people were gathered near their parties stands waiting patiently for the results.

This will not be needed anymore - I guess it is forgotten from last night's speech...

So, we did some window shopping, bought something to eat (no I won't put another picture of the little cheese pies again!)

And went back home! Yiannis and me say goodbye for now!!

Today's lessons

Today was a full day - It was about time I started with most of my students!!
In the morning we did some videos with the girls, Juna and Artemis- it went really well! I am so happy to work with people who like trying new stuff! Thank you again for your participation girls


My next lesson was with Giorgo and Fotini (German second year) - I just printed out some games for them, it was our first lesson after owr holidays and I guess we needed the review, but why should we always do boring grammar excersises?
So I used the games from the Hueber site for the book "Planet". They have some fantastic games like memory, domino, questions and answers and much more.
It doesn't matter what book you are using, they are just great!

Next lesson with Vasiliki, 9 years old, second year English - we tried the British Council site Craig recommended. Wonderful short videos with stories, especially designed for kids and online but also printed tasks!
This time we revised "weather" and "animals" with the help of Ali and his magic carpet!

My last lesson for today - Aggeliki, taking the FCE exam this May, no time for new stuff today since we had to check the "summer" homework!!

I am so tired but really glad that the school year has started!
I don't have a regular schedule yet, but I love being with the students I chose - and have chosen me (no more school for me, hurray!!!)
Have a wonderful weekend!

student project #2

Since the videos are too big I've put this on a different post. The question is the same : "Do you think you have an unusual personality?"

Student project

This is an experiment with my ECPE students (level C2). I gave them simple questions like the ones I ask my online friends in my yahoo blog. They had to prepare them a bit at home, but not learn the answers by heart. I am going to do this a lot, so they can realize their mistakes and try to avoid them in their oral exam in November.

The question was: "Do you think you have an unusual personality?"

First day at school

old friends
Originally uploaded by tpapapanayiotou

Happy faces everywhere! Everybody met their friends - only the new ones are a bit disoriented!!
We start with a new teacher, some new classmates but unfortunately the kindergarten is going to move in the middle of the year to another building...
Still in shifts (one week morning - one week afternoon)
We'll see how it goes!
Happy new school year to everybody!

Starting with the girls!

First day with the girls today and with my favourite students, I might add!

They had a whole book of excersises to do as summer homework and surprisingly they did!!

I now have to mark about 16 compositions (thanks a lot Artemis!!)

We had a great time talking about Efi Sarri's video and about Juna's eyebrows!!! No seriously now, we did have a lesson as well - I always have a great time with you guys!!

Can't wait for the next lesson tomorrow (with new students!)

Is taking pictures a crime?

My friend teacherdude was brutaly beaten up by MAT (riot squad) just because he was taking pictures of them.
They started hitting him without warning...
I really don't know if it is illegal to take pictures of police during their work. But I am sure that nobody deserves being beaten up unless they are terrorists of some kind!!
They didn't arrest him, they just let him off with a dislocated arm, a broken nose and many cuts and bruises...
You can see him and the pictures he took over here and judge for yourselves!
I wish you a quick recovery...

How to shut noisy kids up!

I couldn't help but post this video!!! Maybe I should start doing that myself in noisy classes?

Back!

I am back from the hospital, in less pain and today I am trying to schedule and plan lessons which will start next week.

I am looking forward to it, actually, after a tough summer!

So here are a few links I found (and was recommended) that I am going to use for my first lessons:

In English (games, stories etc):

http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/kids/

http://funschool.kaboose.com/

http://abcteach.com/

In German:

http://www.martinauer.net/KINDER/

http://www.wdr.de/tv/blaubaer/reisekarte.phtml

http://www.blinde-kuh.de/

Be back soon!

I have to spend a couple of days at the hospital, nothing serious, just a small operation.
Friends and students can reach me on my mobile phone - see you in a few days!

Sunday morning

One of the last chances to go out as a family today, since I am going to the hospital on Tuesday and the week after I am starting work again

Aristotelous street is a very central part of Thessaloniki, with lots of shops, cafes etc.
Today it was packed with tourists. everywhere you turned, you listened to another language!!


Next stop St. Theodora's church, one of my favourites I might add.

A wonderful ceiling painting - I always wanted to take some pictures, but I never got my camera with me!

Our walk ends at "Terkenlis", a famous pastry shop with delicious, mouthwatering desserts!!
Have a great Sunday!

Saturday night

Originally uploaded by tpapapanayiotou

Too hot yesterday, though not many left for the weekend. As the days go by, it seems that the city is getting more and more crowded...