Self Evaluation of My Academic Year (2009)

My academic year 2009 was very intense. I was doing different academic activities, and other activities related with my profession. I was doing my practice in "Altamira School" and I was doing educational activities with children in this school. Also I was working as an examiner in the SIMCE test. All activities in this year helped me to reaffirm my educational vocation and I could be applying knowledge in the practice with children. The university subjects were a little better for me this year. The subject more useful and importat this year for me was language I, because the writing, reading and reading comprehension are essential for the development of children today.

My career was only theoretical in the last years, but this year it changed in my professional education, because I was news and excellent practical experience with children. That’s very good for me, because the practical skills haven’t been easy for me in this career. I have had different experiences in practice this year and that is very important to improve teaching skills. In the practice I can improve and correct mistakes. so I can be a good teacher in the future.

I could do one language class in my practice this year, my teacher of “Language I” class linked theory with practice, then I could make a good pedagogical practice in “Altamira School”. The teacher preparation in the language area is very important, because we (the teachers) can solve the languaje problems of children today. Languaje is the basis of all knowledge and subjects, then, children shuld have a good education in lenguage, and this is the teachers responsibility. So I’m happy with my university education this year, because I could learn one or the most important subjects for my profession. I want to improve the national results in education, I want to improve the education of language specifically.

My final reflection will continue with the same ideas next year. I will not lose my vocation, the next year is the last of my career, so I want to have all the knowledge and skills in the next year 2010. This year was good for me, because I really loved my career this year, but the gaps in my professional education should disappear the next year, because it will the last year in university. I will have elective classes the next year, and I will complement this with my career in various topics and specialties. The elective class motivate me very much.

Challenges in your Discipline

My discipline is link with social matters tremendously, because we will work with the education of the chilean generations. The education is the discipline more link with social problems, then we can made social solutions from the initial education in this country. The pedagogy need profound changes in Chile, because this discipline have dramatic problems and impotant deficiency in different topics.

The teachers should work with Technology instruments in the class, because it's essential in the actual society and the children need to know this resources in the present. But, the teachers don't can use technology equipment in places or schools with limited resources. Then, only the private schools can have one education with technology equipment for the students; the state help to municipal schools, but this is insufficient, because the inequality about technology resources for students is unfavorable for the future society.

SIMCE

Last tuesday all the chilean children was respond the SIMCE test. This is the second most important test for my country, because the first most important test in Chile is the PSU. The 10th of november was the test of mathematics and social science, and then all chilean children responded one questionnaire about the teachers and education. The 11th of november was the of natural science and languaje, then teachers and parents of children handed a cuentionnaire.

The SIMCE test don't was respond in all Chilean Schools, because the some teachers are in protest now and some students don't have class actually. The result of this SIMCE test will show the "Quality of chilean education", but the bad chilean education is very obvious and the SIMCE test always show the result of social inequality.

Improving your Faculty Facilities

The current situation in my faculty is better than some years before. The computing-rooms have more equipment now, with a lot of modern computers and the space is more expansive in the new computing-rooms; it's good for the students in of "Social Science Faculty". The library in this faculty need improvement, because is very small for all students, Anyway the library don't have the necessary books for my career, it's one enormous problem. The faculty restrooms are very small and the woman-restrooms don't have window, then this place is stinking frequently.

We should take the education books from Philosophy Faculty, and this books can be in the "Social Science Faculty", also the infrastucture of library should have more rooms for the reading. Anyway, the woman-restrooms should have windows for one good ventilation in this place. All this can improve the atmosphere in the faculty, because this give more comfort for the students and teachers.

Lenguaje courses are being "dumbed down"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/oct/20/language-degrees-student-numbers


This report comment about lenguaje couses in the university education. The lenguaje courses and the student numbers are decrease in the present. The proportion of students with lenguajes studies have dropped in european countries, for example in England or EU.

The government is accused, because it give more importance to science, technology and engineering subjects than lenguajes learning; and the universities are accused of betraing the discipline , because this are changing lenguaje courses with translations or interpretations abouth "cultural studies", or with other subjest abouth studies abouth others topics.

The Spanish, Italian and Mandarin courses are loosing them popularity in students, more student also opten for lenguaje couses out to the univertity, in subsidiary courses.

I’m registered to vote from this year, because I believe that it’s very important for increase the national paticipation in the election system. I don’t know my vote now, I need one candidate with new ideas for the social and education problems presents in my country actually. But I will choose Jorge Arrate candidate in my vote for the next presidential election.

The electoral campaings are very few serious. The presidential candidate aren’t intelligent in my opinión, they don’t have clear ideas and I don’t like it. The most important qualities for one president is the credibility and the good intentions for Chile. I don`t like the politician, but If I can been in the government, I had been something for the people with more dangerous problems.

If I had the chance in the government, I’m working in the educational or culture ministry, because I’m studying education and I want to help in one good education for the future.

The 5 principal problems in my country are the inequality, the poor, the public transport, the pollution and the education.

Criminals Laws

I don't think capital punishment is a good solution to reduce criminality, because this is one awful measure. The death isn't solution, Criminality is a big problem in this society, but we shouldn't kill to criminal persons. Realy we shouldn't kill nobody.

The pros in capital punishment are to get rit of more dangerous criminal in the society, but this don't give justice for we. The cons in capitak punishment is very clear; If we kill to dangerous criminal, Then we are criminal like them.

The goverment should take measures more efectives to reduce the criminal society, for example, the goverment can make new educational programs and policy for peolple with economic and social problems. The society is sick and this problem came from the family, from the comunity, from the school, from the job and from the goverment. We should make solutions for all this problems in the society.

The origin of the increasing criminality rates in Santiago is the inequality social in this city. The life is very difficult for people in Santiago, and the poor people have more psycologic, economic and social problems in this city.

What to do/ Where to go in Santiago

You should visit very different places in Santiago, but I recommend for you: the forestal park; Santa Lucía and San Cristobal Hills; Fantasilandia, because this is the best amusing park and OHiggins park. The foreigner tourist should walk around city, you can see the old architecture in the city and the national monument present in Santiago.

The top 5 places in Santiago are:

1. The "Bellas Artes" museum: because it is one very beutiful and interesting museum. You can see differnet painting of Chilean author in this place. The “bellas artes” museum is the best option for art lovers. The cost isn’t very expensive in this place, it’s convenient.

2. The “San Cristobal” hill: is a good and peaceful place, you can walk around the hill and also you can make deport. This is one natural environment in Santiago, and the metropolitan zoo is in the “San Cristobal” hill. Also, you should travel in “teleférico” and “funicular” for the hill. This is a nice and natural place in the city.

3. The amusing park: Fantasilandia is one excelent place in Santiago, because this is one entertaining and stimulate panorama. Fantasilandia is one place for active and energetic people. But, the cost in this amusing park is expensive.

4. The OHiggins park: is one place with very different restaurants of nice food. Also in this park you can see one small lake, in this park you can use one launch

Education

My personal experience in the high school education was good, but this was very difficult for me, because my school had academic excellence, so that school was difficult for all students. The teachers was demanding all the time, but the teachers of mathematics, biology and chemistry gave more academic and excessive work for their students. My favourite subjects was Arts, History and Philosophy, because I love the humanities and Arts, so I devoted a long time for this topics.

My school had technology for all students requests, The students could use one television with DVD for classroom, The teachers could use one microphone for the acustic pollution and the school had two computer classroom, one computer classroom was meant to be English laboratory specifically.

My education in the high school affect my live very much, because my school prepared me for the PSU and for the university studies, so that was positive for my results. But, my education based only in the important test and results, so this wasn't good for my formation.

Transantiago: Before and after

I think that Transantiago system is better than pre-santiago system, because the city is cleaner and quieter now. Santiago center had noise pollution before, but this pollution has dicreased now. The transantiago system is more organized and secure for the people, because they use the Vip card in the bus and then, the assault has dicreased for the bus driver. In my opinion, the pre-santiago system is better than transantiago system in the frequency.

I was very lost in the city with transantiago system started. I didn't understand it and I didn't know its operation, but I could learn very quickly. I like the transantiago in the present, I think this is a good system, but I wait one better frecuency of buses in the future.

Now is requires a greater number of buses in the transportation system, because many people live in Santiago and the buses are very few.Thus, the transantiago be more effective for the city. I think that people are negative, and they don't accommodate the new systems.

A country I would like to visit...

My favourite country to visit is Italy, because this country is the most important artistic and cultural center in the World. Florence is my favourite city in Italy, because this city contains a large number of artistic works: Florence is the “Art Capital”. Besides, I like “The boot” of Italy, the geography is very original. Chile is similar to Italy, because Chile also has a original geography: “our country is seen as a pepper”.

I could eat the best spaghetti in Italy, I love Italian food! My favourite food is Lasagne!. If I could travel to Italy, I could see the Mediterranean Sea, this is a dream for me. I could visit the various museums in Italy, I could see the architecture and I could see the artistic works of Miguel Angel, Leonardo Da Vinci and Dante.

If I could travel to Italy, I could learn more about the World history. I could visit the monuments of Roman civilization; for example: “The Roman Coliseum”.

I wouldn’t like to work, study or live in Italy, because I want to live in my country always and I love the Chilean art. But, I also love the Italian art. I would study art in Italy and I would work in Florence sometime. But, I prefer to live in my country.

First Term : Good and bad points

I studied very different and relevant things in my first term 2009. I studied “Dance”, “English”, “Social Development”, “Teaching Construction”, “Family, school and Community” and “Educational Evaluation”. The classes were different, some teachers were not as good as others for me. My favorite class was dance in the last term, because I learned very much with dance teacher. She made the corporal movement for all the students in the class. I didn’t like English, because I wasn’t a good student for this, English is very difficult for me. The teacher was nice in my last term, but I had one bad teacher in the subject “Teaching Construction”, she wasn’t one relevant teacher for my formation.

I played in the aerobic class in the last term, that was very entertaining for me. I don’t practice other sports in the first term 2009. I played in the computer, I read some magazines, learned to play the guitar, or only slept in my free time, also I went to parties with my friends and with my sister in my free time (when I didn’t have to study for the university).

I was with my niece all Sunday, and she stayed all the day with my family. It was very nice for me, because she is happy all the time. Her name is Josefa, but we call her “Jose”, she is very beautiful: She makes me feel glad in my life in the first term 2009.

::::::::::SEGUNDO SEMESTRE ::::::::::

Write about your blogging experience ...

My experience in the blog was good. I think it's very useful, because I write about personal things and with it, I can practice English. Then, I can practice English in a different way, meaningful and timely, because the blogs are used at present very much.
I had some problems with my blog, because I write slowly in English, then the time the class wasn't enough for me. So, I didn't finish my post at the time of class.
The blog in English are a very good idea. I can correct my mistakes on the blog, I can comment on postings from my other colleagues and also, my colleagues can comment on my post, but we only write about the personal experiences now.

My ideal job...

In my future, I would like to work with children between 4 and 8 years old. I prefer to work in a college, because the children are very small in a garden. The garden is complicated for my, because the educators don't work only in administrative matters.
I want to work in a liberal college, because I don't want to be in a authoritarian and uncomfortable environmet. Also, I want to work in a school for children with social problems ahd economic problems, because they need much support. This is complicated, because the municipal schools are more authoritarian.
I love many areas (psychology, the arts, philosophy and history), then I can complement them in my work. I would be a good teacher for children, for that, I need to be in a liberal college. So, I can use different methodologies and different areas in education.
My ideal job would be in a municipal and liberal college, and with a decent salary.

my favorite subject

I like different subjects. I like to study musical arts, visual arts and dance; but I also like the area of Psychology, Philosophy and History. Now, I will talk about the arts, because it's my most favorite subject.

The arts are very important to my life, because they make very happy for me. I can express my emotions with the different arts. The arts accompany me in the good and bad moments of my life.
I love the musical arts, the visual arts and the dance, but I choose the visual arts, because I am only good for them.
I tried to play the guitar, but I can't. I have also tried to dance, but I'm not good for it. In contrast, for the visual arts I'm a little better.
I love to draw. I also love to paint. For that, I use different techniques, for example: oil paintings, pastel pencils, watercolors, etc.

"Do Schools Kill Creativity"

Ken Robinson discusses about evidences of human creativity in education. Robinson says that "now the creativity is as important as literacy in education". He says very diferent histories about creative children, He thinks that all children are born very creative, but then they lost it.

The Education has responsibility in the creative development, because the teachers can help develop the talents of children; They can learn to make mistakes, they can learn that mistakes are not bad. If they learn this, they can be creative, because the creative people is not afraid to make mistakes.

Actually, the children are punished in the schools, this when they make mistakes and when they are diferent in the class. For example, when the children are very active, they are called hyperactive in the school and they are calmed with drugs . Ken Robinson tells the story of Gillian, a girl that was problematic in school, but then could be an excellent dancer, she was recognized and important in his profession. If Gillian was reassured with drugs, she would have lost the artistic creativity.

We can be careful, because the teachers have the power to develop and also to kill the creativity of children. Then, this is our responsibility as future educators of children.

My future...

I want to live outside of Santiago in the future, because I don't like the pollution and loud noises in this city. I live in a quiet, nice and green place in Santiago, in locations around this city as Buin or Paine. Also, I work as a teacher at a rural school; I teach for children in primary school.

I will study a postgraduate about psychology of the education in university. Then I could do guitar, dance, music, arts, painting courses; I'll use my free time very well.

I want to live single in my house one time, because I want to do many things. Then maybe I will have children, but this isn't clear to me. I don't expect to marry in the future, I want to be happy (single or with a man next to me)... I want to be independent...

The best in my area...

Lev Vigotsky was born in Russia in 1896. He is the most important person in education for my, because he provided very different themes about Psychology for Education and Pedagogy. Vigostky is one very important person in studies and theories about education, linguistics and pedagogy. He works from the dialectical constructivism, then he believed in human relationships and the environment in education.

Vigotsky considered necessary conversations of the children in school, because we must socialize the knowledge to learn. The "Zone of Proximal Development" is the most famous theory for his, because this is remembered by teachers today. This theory says that with help from and for the others persons, we can learn more and very better!!... with this theory I justify the diversity and integration in the classroom.

My Career...

I study Preschool and Primary teaching training at the "Universidad de Chile". I chose this career because it's very important in Chile; The education could change inequality in this country, then I trust in my career.

I like my career, because I have interesting classes and I have very excellent professor. So I like go to the practice; because I can enjoy with the children, they are happy always and they are very amusing always. I love it!!...

This career is in the "Social Sciences Faculty", then I dislike when the other students in this faculty discriminate my career. They think this career isn't social science, then they discriminate my career very much.

I want to study one post graduate about Psicology in the future. I could complement Psicology with Education, this would be very useful for my profession. Also, I want work in one public school in Santiago.

comment on a photograph you like

This is a last year photograph, when we made the "secret friend" and we made many beautiful presents. This was the last day of classes of the past year. We stayed all afternoon in the park of the university; We talked and laughed a lot, we were very happy that day.
My secret friend "Pamela" gave me a box with chocolates, and she had done everything!! it was very nice and very delicious!!. Other partner of course "Javiera" gave me one shirt; and Javiera made this shirt!! it's very beautiful!!
In the photograph isn't all my partners of course, because some couldn't go that day.

My favorite piece of technology

My favorite piece of technology is the digital camera. My mother gave me one digital camera tree years ago approximately, because in that year, I was leaving from the school and I wanted this camera for my graduation; Then I could take very nice pictures that night. I can take very beautiful photos with my digital camera. I can take photos to my friends, my family and my dog in very different places and landscapes. I can save best regards in the pictures of my digital camera and, I can see it in my computer all the time. If I didn't have my digital camera my life would be very boring, because I like the photos and the pictures and I have memories of my life in my camera.

My last vacation...

I went to the Pichilemu in the last summer, in the first week of February specifically. I traveled with all my family (my mum, my dad, my sister and my brother). In Pichilemu we visited the beach "Punta de lobos", where was the championship of surf, so we saw many people of the others countries in all the places of Pichilemu in that weekend.

We walked a lot for Pichilemu's streets and we were watching the crafts in the center of the place. This is one city with many art and interesting things: in the Pichilemu's streets had singers and painters. In this place was very complicated climate, because had very strong wind (on the beach, my body was beaten by very hard sand) and in the night, the climate was very cold with very low temperatures. One day, we went to "Punta de lobos" in the late afternoon, we arrived to the high rocks and all my family waited until than the sun hid in the ocean. That was the most important moment for me!

My best friend...

I met my best friend when she was born, I had only two years old. I could know for she in the visiting hours in the clinic. I don't remember, but my dad told me about it. When we were girls we liked search for different insects in the garden, we liked eat plants of my mum and we quarrel with other children.

I like that she is always with me and when I have been sad she always is funny with me. I like share with she the similar musical tastes, friends in common, entertainment in common and similar views on various topics social and familiars. I don't like when she is aggressive and nasty with my mom, because my mom is nice with her.

We had one adventure in the last summer, in February. We went with our family to the beach and very late at the night my sister and I went to a party with campfire in the beach. When we returned to the hut was too late, we arrived at dawn and then we had to jump the fence to enter the cabin y we had to come to our room by the window (get up one above the other to jump).

I envy very much the hair of my sister, because all her curls are beautiful and very defined. I love her hair. Her face is lights with her hair, make it very beautiful. I Would give for my sister a little peace and quiet sometimes so that your personality is more relaxed and less explosive.

about me...

Hi!! My name is Verónica, but my friends call me "vero" or "veru".

I'm 20 years old and I was born the 1st of august of 1988 in Santiago. I live exactly in "San Bernardo" with all my family: my mum Gladys, my dad Juan, my brother John and my sister Valeria; also I live with my dog "Lucas", it is funny and cute, but in the night Lucas cries very strong and wakes up my family and the neighbors.
I study at the University of Chile the career "Basic and initial education of children" in the faculty of social sciences. In the future I prefer work in basic education, because it's more comfortable for my.