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Carolina Coelho, Jenifer Guedes and Joana Pinto 

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Carolina Coelho, Jenifer Guedes and Joana Pinto 

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Dear Diary,

Today, on October 15th 2024, was my first day as a teacher assistant and it was quite the experience.

I arrived at the school at half past seven sharp, because I hate being late, and I always have. If you have something scheduled at eight in the morning, why would you arrive three minutes late? 🤨

Anyways, I met Ms. Gomes at the gate before classes started since I don't know my way around this gigantic school, full of pavilions and stairs. When I arrived to 12.C and G's classroom, there were already students there who stared me down right away. Nevertheless, as always, some people were late.😒 We all came in and sat down, waiting for the teacher to start the class. Meanwhile, I introduced myself to the students and right when I was going to write down my name on the board, I noticed that my favourite pen was missing. 😧 Even though that ruined my mood, I still managed to keep a positive mindset and pull through.

During the class, all the students seemed really engaged with the activities since the teacher is so captivating and approachable (and very very very sassy 🤭). Their task was to create a National Democracy Day and present it to their classmates using any platform they wanted. I thought that was really cool, allowing them to express themselves in any way they wanted. Their response was great and they seemed to really embrace the activity.

After the presentations, I came to the conclusion this was a very advanced class, which was an obvious reflection of committed work and responsibility. However, some presentations standed out more than others maybe because some students aren't used to the way this teacher works. Nonetheless, they still blew me way.

At the end of the day, I really enjoyed my experience with Ms. Gomes' class and I would do it all over again. 😊

Xoxo,

Jonina

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We've arrived at this class to see if it's proper,

English must be taught, once it's very important.

Mastering this skill, the students will be strong and resilient,

Through language and knowledge, we find our fulfillment.

In English class, we've watched The Method play,

The students learn in their own thoughtful way.

In past lessons, human rights we've explored,

Revealing truths that can't be ignored.

They speak of human rights, the value they hold,

The importance of respecting every story told.

Sharing their views enriches the debate,

Fostering growth, shaping a world that’s more great.

Computers are a powerful tool,

If used with respect, they make no one a fool.

Besides the pages of a heavy book,

We search, we learn, and take a deeper look.

A touch of grammar, a gentle refine,

Would elevate the classes, make them shine.

Now and then, let formality be embraced,

To provide a deeper strength to our classroom space.

In the classroom, a guiding light,

A teacher's wisdom shines so bright.

With lessons clear, they pave the way,

Building strong minds day by day.

I'm sure there's more to see, but we must go,

Impressed by all we've learned and how ideas grow.

Human rights are vital, crucial in every lesson,

Guiding our minds and shaping every question.

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Simone Vieira, Matilde Garcia, Luís Guimarães, Gonçalo Azevedo

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Simone Vieira, Matilde Garcia, Luís Guimarães, Gonçalo Azevedo

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Dear diary, today I had the opportunity to assist a teacher giving lessons to her students. It was my third day observing Mrs.Gomes' 12th-grade English class. It was a very interesting and funny lesson, and I was amazed with the energy of the students.

The teacher gave some topics to discuss, and some students talked and collaborated. It is really nice to hear different opinions about the same topic. They were discussing democracy and human rights. In one of the lessons, they worked on the creation of a concept for a “National Democracy Day,” which was, in my opinion, an innovative initiative that stimulated the students to think and research about very important topics of democracy, as each group had a different approach to this theme.

What stood out to me most was the way Mrs. Gomes leads her lessons. I think the way that she leads the lessons is creative and effective, because it stimulates the students to think critically and to speak in english. In my opinion, that’s the most important: to think and speak in english.

However, this method, to give a topic and openly discuss it, also has a weakness, or a flaw, because some students don’t participate much in the lessons. They only participate when they are asked to, for example, to present a work.

All in all, I truly liked to assist and work with Mrs. Gomes, because it was productive and nice. I hope that a new opportunity like this shows up in the future.

Until next time!

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Imagine you're a new teacher's assistant observing the lessons. Instead of a traditional report, write a creative piece that captures your unique perspective on the previous lessons. Write between 300 to 400 words. The poem may be shorter and have about 200 words.

Work in pairs. Write the name of the 2 students in the post.

Guiding Questions:

•What are the strengths and weaknesses of the lessons?

•How do the students engage with the material?

•What is the teacher's style like? Is it effective?

•Are there any recurring themes or patterns in the classroom?

Example Formats for the creative piece:

• Diary

• Poem

• short story

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Dear diary, today I observed an English lesson, it was pretty entertaining to see the lesson from the perspective of a ‘teacher’, even though I was just an assistant.

I thought one of the better aspects of the lesson was the interaction between the teacher, Mrs. Gomes, and the students, which can lead to the improvement of communication and social skills of the students in English and it’s a way for them to share their opinions in the topics approached in the lessons.

Another positive aspects in Mrs. Gomes classes are the presentation that the students make in the same lesson that they have to present, which prevents them from memorising what they have to say, so instead they have to improvise and trust their English skills.

One aspect that’s a little harsh is the fact that the teacher can be a little strict with the time as some times the students don’t have that much control of their arrival at school. Although it is comprehensive if they are always arriving late.

As we said previously, the teacher interacts with the students, and these make the lesson so much better! Some students think she is very ‘explosive’ but that’s what makes the lessons fun and memorable to them and it’s a very good way to call student’s attention. This engagement leads to a more comfortable space and a more familiar connector between the teacher and the students.

The themes talked in the class are very interesting, because while you improve your English you are learning to be a better citizen and build your character.

After the school I went out with my friend and when I got home I listened to this new album that came out, which i was very excited.

That was all that I did today. Overall it was a very good day.

Bye Bye, until to to

morrow.

Alice, Filipe, Ana

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Dear Diary,

I'm writing to let you know that the last few weeks were incredible. I had the perfect opportunity to be Miss Elizabete Gomes, English teacher, assistant observing and helping with the lessons.

In the first week it was all about the students’ oral presentations on some heavy yet essential topics: human rights, citizenship, democracy, and diversity. As the new teaching assistant, I’ve been quietly absorbing everything from the teacher’s methods to the students’ reactions.

Some presentations could have had a better structure. It is clear that some students care about these issues, but have had difficulty delving deeper into the topics.

The last classes were very interactive, the students discussed what it's like to be a citizen and I realized that teenagers are very diverse in terms of their opinions.

They also talk about how human rights can be expressed through different forms such as art, social networks, news, street exhibitions and different media.

The teacher is very energetic and welcoming, which makes the classes more interactive and fluid, creating a good dynamic between the students and the teacher.

There’s a strong focus on discussion, collaboration, and open expression.

Furthermore she is very strict regarding timetables, which I completely agree with. Students have to be responsible to become excellent professionals -even so, there are some who arrive late.

All in all, I'm loving this experience, it's very enriching. My relationship with the teacher is very good, it is incredible to work with someone who shows so much love and affection for what she does. In relation to the students, from the beginning, they have shown themselves to be very respectful, they are always willing to help and work, which makes my work and that of teacher Elisabete much more relaxed, easier and fun.

Dear diary, that was all for today.

See you next time

Lara Rocha and Lara Sousa

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Class Report by Martim Carvalho, Miguel Mendonça and Afonso Sousa

Recently, I have been called to report the quality and aspects of an english class from almeida garrett high school given by elizabete gomes.

They started the year getting to know more about the teacher and how they will work through out the year. There was also an instance where the teacher had to miss some classes because of an erasmus trip, as a result, the students were given freedom to stay at home while also having the responsability to do their assignements with the given instructions. The first topic covered by this class were the human rigths, wich was coincidently covered during the period the teacher was missing. The work consisted of a presentation about human rights in general, with some freedom to even choose some specific rights. During the groups presentations, the teacher sugested that every other student present, watching the presentations, should complete a forms about the presenting group’s performance, ensuring feedback was given and the students had to be focused.

I was really captivated by this activity because I think the teacher handled both missing and being present in class very well, with an assignement for every student to practice their strenght’s and weaknesses in their oral skills. I would like to highlight the idea of making a forms for the students to give feedback about their classmates' work, wich ended up undirectly forcing them to pay attention to the presentations.

During the last week they have also covered the topic of democracy. They started by doing a mentimeter about the topic, wich was useful for them to interact a lot with the class and share their own opinion with their classmates. They ended up doing another presentation aswell, but at this time the instructions given were to create an imaginary National Holiday dedicated to democracy. The students were, once again, free to explore this topic and promote their holiday however they wanted, either with online advertising, public speeches, interactive activities and art expositions, for example.

The teacher did a great job developing the students’ creativity with this week’s topic and activities, besides the previous one, and has shown herself as a capable individual with the proper skills for student development and teaching.

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[17/9/2024]

Dear Diary,

Today was our first day as English teacher's assistants. Elisabete Gomes, the English teacher, introduced the class, telling students about the subject, rules, and topics. She's strict and doesn't tolerate people who are always late, but she cares a lot about the students and the world around her. Plus, she's kind and funny!

[19/9/2024]

Dear Diary,

This lesson, the students started working. They formed groups and began making videos for European Languages Day. It was interesting because they explored languages, diversity, and cultures from all over. The best part is that European Languages Day isn't just about European languages but all languages spoken in Europe! Moreover, the teacher told everyone about next week's Human Rights project.

[24/9/2024]

Dear Diary,

While the teacher was away on a short Erasmus+ trip, the students started their Human Rights work online. They researched what Human Rights are, how they connect to other issues, and why they matter.

[26/9/2024]

Dear Diary,

The students continued their Human Rights work online.

[1/10/2024]

Dear Diary,

Today, everyone returned to class and finished their Human Rights presentations.

[3/10/2024]

Dear Diary,

Today was presentation day! The students shared their Human Rights work with the class. It was really good because we saw amazing connections between these rights and topics like wildfires, women's rights, and children's rights. We also graded each other's presentations to help improve them. It was a great way to build empathy and teamwork.

[8/10/2024]

Dear Diary,

The students finished their presentations today. They were so good! Everyone was undeniably dynamic. The teacher talked about the overall presentations afterwards.

[10/10/2024]

Dear Diary,

Today's class was incredible. We used Mentimeter to link Human Rights and Art. Then we watched a video called "The Box" about children's rights. To top it off, everyone thought about what it means to be a citizen.

[15/10/2024]

Dear Diary,

The citizenship discussion continued today. We talked about inclusion and freedom before jumping into a new project called "National Democracy Day."

[17/10/2024]

Dear Diary,

The pupils continued working on their "National Democracy Day" project today. They needed to create a day to celebrate democracy, plan activities, choose guests to invite, and figure out how to spread the word. After the first 50 minutes, they began presenting their ideas. It was fascinating to see, some of them were remarkably creative!

See you!

Daniel Sardinha and Vasco Pato, 12.°G and C.

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22th October 2024

Dear Diary,

I’m sorry that I haven’t been writing to you lately, but my life has been a rollercoaster.

This new job is really amazing and the opportunity to watch someone else with different teaching methods, it’s very enriching. Miss Gomes is so creative with her assignments that even I ran out of ideas, and you know me…

I have only been here for 5 weeks, and she has already opened my eyes to a whole new world. She made me ask myself things that I never even thought about.

On classes, she doesn’t act like a usual boring teacher, she actually shows her personality and uses irony as a form to catch their attention. I was really stunned at first by her way of communicating with the students, but looking back, I think that’s a surprisingly innovative way of getting the message through their inexperienced and young minds.

In the first lesson, of course, students were a little skeptical, but with time this vanished. Students engage with everyone, and they are actually pretty good. I am certain they feel free to speak their minds without the fear of being judged. They are all very different, but that’s what makes these classes so dynamic.

The activities are fun, three lessons ago she made them a mentimeter and they had to do a lot of activities related to art and their responses would appear on the board so everyone could see it and give their opinion, of course with the teacher's orientation and original questions and examples. My favorite activity was to choose what was their favorite piece of art and what made them choose it.

Last lesson they also talked about “what is a good citizen and what democracy is”. There was a student (I don’t know her name… you know I’m a mess when it comes to remembering students' names) who raised her hand and said that she preferred freedom over rules in some cases. This created a debate in which the whole class discussed what was best: democracy (for me the obvious answer) or anarchy.

The only thing I believe this class would benefit from is improving the participation of some students because there are moments when only some students interact and also everyone must be on time (a very important thing for the teacher).

That’s it for today also Tiago asked me out on a date. AHHHHHHHH

Kisses