This blog will give information about my activities in the world of teaching English
Sunday, May 4, 2014
My Return (and not as a Jedi)!
One of my biggest personal complaints is that I don't feel creative, ok, I am a teacher, which implies that I have to be very creative most of the days, but what I really mean is that I'm not artistically creative, I don't produce music (which turns out to be my biggest frustration in life), I don't paint (which is weird because most of my family paints, with exhibitions and all that), I stop photographing (I miss the films days, digital photography just doesn't cut it for me), so the only thing left was writing...
I'm not like an expert writing, I won one or two contests back in the day, but I haven't felt like writing for a long time, I have two blogs, this, that I use for teaching purposes as well as some English related topics, and other blog that is more personal, it is written entirely in Spanish, and works as a nice trip through my moods for many years (feel free to get into it, you'll find interesting that from time to time I show some feelings)... I included some writing I did back in emo days, you know, when I had more feelings than now.
I abandoned them because I felt like I didn't have anything to say, not a single thing to share, but lately, a great deal of thing have happened to me, they reignited my desire for writing the things, I have to thank one of my high school students that also made a simple comment about this blog and made me realize that it existed and that it required attention, so, Fernanda Compean, Sir, thank you for the little push I needed to continue writing, and I promise you that my next text I'll say my opinion about the Spider-Man 2 Movie... Because, oh boy, I do have many opinion about it!!
I'm going to need some patience, because my writing is kind of rusty, but I hope it's like riding a bike, they say you never forget it!
This is my fist step, and I,ll keep it for as long as I can...
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
English Day 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Why do mosquitoes bite some people and not others?
Friday, October 19, 2012
Great Expectation
I had forgotten this movie for a long time, until a couple of days ago, that talking about our English day (topic that I will write about in some days) somebody mentioned Charles Dickens and my memory went to that Mexican movie, and I say Mexican movie because it has the style of Afonso Cuaron written all over the story, and of course the photography of the also Mexican, Emmanuel Lubezk.
Activity:
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
If Your Job Sucks, It Might Be Your Fault; Let’s Fix That
The Problem
Step One: Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
- Avoid gossip and water cooler talk. If everyone in your department thinks everything sucks, you're likely to feel the same way, even if you have nothing to gripe about. Try to stay objective when talking to coworkers about workplace issues and office politics, and don't let the gossip get to you. Focus on your work, and doing the best work you can.
- Resist negativity. Avoiding gossip is a good first step, but you can also choose to be part of the solution. Look for the positive and talk it up to coworkers. Make a list of those positive aspects of your job and keep it front and center every day. Perhaps you get to work on something you love, or your job offers you free training, or all the coffee you can drink. Whatever makes you smile about your job, make sure you see and take advantage of it every single day.
- Look for more perks. How many of your job's perks do you make active use of? look hard for them, and take advantage of them as often as possible. Whether it's flexible hours or a casual work environment, turn your job from a place you go every day to an active part of your life that contributes to your wellness beyond your paycheck.
- Learn to cope. Stress will always find you—I've never heard of a job without it. The important thing is to learn how stress affects you and what you can do about it. Take up a hobby, meditate, mentor someone at work—whatever it takes. As you develop those coping mechanisms, you'll be less inclined to pass judgment on your job as a whole. Aggressively seek them out, too: when something bothers you, immediately think about how you can address the stress, even if you can't address the issue.
Step Two: Get Some Perspective: Some Things Suck, but are Those Things Your Job?
Step Three: Work to Live, Don't Live to Work
- Take your vacations. We've warned you against leaving vacation leave on the table, but most of us do it anyway. Taking vacations is one of the best ways to recharge, and besides, you worked for those hours. You deserve them.
- When you're sick, focus on getting better. In a world where we can work from home and stay connected by smartphone, it's important to resist the urge to "work from home" when you're actually ill. When you're sick, your new job is to get better, not do half-assed, bleary-eyed, fever-induced work.
- When you work, be productive. This one is important, because too often we overwork ourselves because we feel like we're not as productive as we should be. Find a productivity method that works for you and stick to it.Take time to review your work so you're never surprised and always in touch with what you're doing and why. Be proactive, don't just let your job be this thing that happens to you five days a week.
- Recognize when you need a break. If that creeping feeling starts to catch up with you, you may be suffering from burnout or otherwise overworked. Identify it, acknowledge it, and take a break before you crash and burn.
- Make small changes. Small changes in your office environment can make a big difference, sometimes more than large ones. A fast new computer, a few plants, a lunch buddy to chat with every day, as better cubicle—go get those things if you can. They may not address your annoyances, but they go a long way towards boosting your mood, and that can help you relax, de-stress, and focus on the positive.
- Bring the things you love to your work. A great way to recharge your passion for your work is to find a way to work a hobby or passion you have into your work. Our own Adam Dachis found a way (see #3) at his old job to bring his love for video production to his job doing customer support.
- Go the f**k home. Make a habit of going home every day at the same time. Even if you have to schedule something after work to force yourself to leave, do it. You need to keep a bright line between your work and the other things you do, if only for your sanity.
(Optional) Step Four: Give Up and Strike It Out on Your Own
Step Five: Take Care Of Yourself
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Top 10 Myths About Introverts

Ok, this is an interesting article about introvert people, it's even more interesting because I can relate to all the things it says.
I guess I'm not shy, just introvert!!
Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
LI 3rd Generation
Ok, here we go again! Another generation is about to leave UANE, this is the 3rd generation of Licenciados en Idiomas (you can see the 1st and 2nd within this blog) this generation challenged me in many different forms, at the end they did it! they are about to graduate and I hope they learned some of the good things the school tried to give them, and I hope they matured enough to learn from their mistakes!
Be brave and take the bull by the horns!!
Atte. Memo
Friday, May 27, 2011
ELASH 2

This test stands for "English Language Assessment System for Hispanics" and it is a new way to evaluate the English level in some universities, this is a link to download the study guide:
http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/self.aspx/TOEFL/Guia^_ELASH^_2.pdf
if you have any problems tweet me: @grojasgordillo
Sunday, May 15, 2011
TOEFL Listening Pre and Post Tests

After some technical difficulties, I'm finally uploading the files that contain the listening of the TOEFL post-test!
Practice! and enjoy!
Download the PRE Test from this link:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=e57ad46b7956f5a2&resid=E57AD46B7956F5A2!127
Download the POST Test from this link:
http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/self.aspx/TOEFL/TOEFL%20Post%20test.rar
Problems? send me a tweet: @grojasgordillo
Atte.
Guillermo A Rojas Gordillo!!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Project Oriented Learning as teaching methodology

The new Education Act stated that outcomes based education (OBE) have to be introduced,
not only in schools, but also on tertiary level. Technikon Northern Gauteng embarked on
Project Oriented Learning (POL) as a teaching methodology for OBE.
Project Oriented Learning is a teaching methodology where a group of learners,
independently, works on a real life problem or question. The problem is analyzed, and
according to the specifications given in the task or assignment, the group works to an
outcome.
POL simultaneously supports important objectives of higher education:
• Acquisition of knowledge, which is retained and usable
• Self-directed learning
• Learning to analyze and solve problems
Working in groups (tutorial groups) occupies a central role in POL. The difference between a
tutorial group and a class or lecture is that a tutorial also offers a platform for learners to
exchange knowledge and ideas. To be able to exchange knowledge, communication has to
take place within the group. Learners are expected to ask questions, give opinions or explain
Metodologia 2 Manual:
http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/view.aspx/2011/POL%20Metodologia%202%202011.docx
Metodologia 1 Manual:
http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/view.aspx/2011/POL%20Meto%201%202011.docx
Friday, December 3, 2010
Balance your life and work



I just read this article and I thought that it would be a good idea to share it, this is in www.lifehacker.com:
It's commonplace to feel we need to find a balance between our work and our lives, but sometimes that just isn't possible. Instead, you may be better off aiming to keep a healthy body and mind.
Many of us feel a bit overwhelmed by work, to the point where we're underperforming in our lives outside of the office. If you fall into this category, you've probably made a few attempts to gain greater balance—and probably failed, too. When we like what we do and get a little obsessed, this isn't necessarily a bad. The problem is, sometimes work can wear us out and balance is harder because we're just too mentally and physically exhausted to maintain it. Psychologist Marcia Reynolds recommends the following:
- Keep your body healthy - Eating healthy and exercising makes any added stress easier to handle. Studies have found that exercise helps to prepare our bodies to handle stressful situations.
- Maintain social bonds - Thought you may feel like you don't have time or don't need help, often times a very brief social encounter is enough to keep you energized and happy. If you have to work, consider working with someone else in the room. Being around people you like, even when you feel that you want to be alone, can often be a big help.
- Regularly notice the world around you - Even if it doesn't feel like it, you have five or ten minutes to go take a walk and appreciate what's around you. When you're in a hurry, don't forget to stop and look around. Actually paying attention to the world around you not only will make a major difference in the little annoyances in life (e.g. almost walking into people, losing/forgetting things, etc.) but it will frequently feel like a breath of fresh air. Appreciate the world around you and you (as well as everyone else) will be better of for it
Reynolds mentions that the best part about these easy suggestions is that you can combine them:
For example, plan on regular walks with family and friends to enjoy them while you absorb the sun and nature. Then if you work into the night to catch up on the emails that came in while you were walking, make sure you get enough sleep so you wake up excited about the work you will do next.
It's worth noting that if your life is being overtaken by a job that you hate, anything you do short of quitting that job is probably not going to help you too much, but devoting a little of your free time towards a balanced mind could certainly help make things a little easier.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Rosseta Stone

The Rosetta Stone is part of an Ancient Egyptian granodiorite stele with engraved text that provided the key to modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs. The inscription records a decree that was issued at Memphis in 196 BCE on behalf of King Ptolemy V. The decree appears in three texts: the upper one is in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, the middle one in Egyptian demotic script, and the lower text in ancient Greek.
Originally displayed within a temple, the stele was probably moved during the early Christian or medieval period, and eventually used as building material in the construction of a fort at the town of Rashid (Rosetta) in the Nile delta. It was rediscovered there in 1799 by a soldier of the French expedition to Egypt. As the first known bilingual text, the Rosetta Stone aroused wide public interest with its potential to decipher the hitherto untranslated ancient Egyptian languages. Lithographic copies and plaster casts began circulating amongst European museums and scholars. Meanwhile, British troops defeated the French in Egypt in 1801, and the original stone came into British possession under the Capitulation of Alexandria. Transported to London, it has been on public display at the British Museum since 1802. It is the most-visited object in the British Museum.
Link to file:
http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/self.aspx/Class%20Files/The%20Rosetta%20Stone.pdf
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Methodology 1

I am teaching this subject called "Metodología de la Enseñanza del Ingles 1" which is giving me the chance to be the guide of possible future teachers, this is a great opportunity to refresh my approach to teaching, the students' fresh ideas and innovative thinking will enrich my experience as a teacher, some of the topics we are going to cover are:
1. Knowing your students.
2. How long does a class last?
3. What topics can be covered in the class?
4. How can students learn and how should teachers teach?
5. Teaching strategies
So, as you can see there are good topics than will be covered and will be better because we are going to use POL
Download Manual and related files:
http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/self.aspx/POL%202009/UANE%20Meto%201.rar
Friday, July 30, 2010
Macmillan Children's Dictionary

By Carolyn Barraclough | Macmillan ELT (2001) | ISBN: 0333953037
PDF | English | 14.1 MB | 96 pages
I know that a lot of teachers are working with kids right know, so, I will share with you this eBook, even if you are not working with children but you want to learn in a graphical way more vocabulary. A greatly illustrated photographic dictionary with over 800 words and pictures. It includes British and American vocabulary and spelling, as well as a range of graded reading, writing and speaking activities.
Enjoy it and send me your comments.
Link:
http://cid-e57ad46b7956f5a2.office.live.com/self.aspx/eBooks/Macmillan%20Children^4s%20Dictionary.pdf
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Organize your classes (pt 1) Technology

The people that know me, know that I love teaching, but I hate paperwork, administrative tasks and non-teaching things in general, but sadly all paperwork comes with the territory, therefore, I have tried to organized my classes to have fewer problems when the administrative work comes, so here are my tips:
1. Use technology, when technology is used properly nothing can go wrong:
a) Plan you classes using a computer and make your own format with all the necessary information required in the class
b) Use USBs and spaces like skydrive or google documents to store important files
c) Scan documents or activities with pictures, drawings or similar characteristics or re-do them if they are only words (using a new and fresh format)
d) If you have some topics or subjects that you use frequently, do a powerpoint presentation and if you don't have a projector the day you will use it, you can easily print it to be handed out.
e) Always innovate, with today's technologies many things can be different, better, improved, just worry a little more to learn new ways.
NOTE: DO NOT forget the rule # 1, BACK UP everything, find a good portable HD, USB or DVDs, but BACK UP CONSTANTLY!! losing your ALL your files is like being in hell, time is money and lost files is like losing time, money and a piece of your mind!!!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Procrastination
I found some very good tips about avoiding procrastination, and the summary is this:
If you want to actually succeed in life, stop relying on your future self to take care of things. Now.
If you’re in debt and want to fix it, start fixing it now.
If you’re overweight, start eating better and exercising now.
If you’re not saving for retirement, set up retirement savings now.
If you want to get household tasks done, do them now.
Don’t find excuses to not do them because you want to do something “fun” today. There will always be something fun to do, which means there will always be a reason to avoid making the hard changes.
If you won’t make the change, your future self certainly won’t, either. By skipping out now, you’re telling your future self that not doing it is just fine.
Are you going to do something today, or are you going to give you and your future self permission to never actually get around to it?
Saturday, May 22, 2010
LI 2nd Generation
Ok, so, another year has passed and the second LI generation is about to graduate, and I have mixed feelings about it, because I'm happy for each one of them, I saw them struggling with UANE, with coordinators, with teachers and among themselves, now they are in the summit of their studies, they are about to become Licenciad@s, but at the same time, I'm sad because they will leave a huge void in the school, I will not see them walking in the school anymore, 4 years in my life are a lot, so they will be missed, and they will always be in my mind and in my heart, cheers my Muchachas and Mr Neto¡¡ Be all you can be, and do all you can do
Atte.
Memo





