TO ALL MY ESL STUDENTS and TODAY, to YOU, someone NEW! !

You are all invited to join in and be pro-active! This blog also belongs to you.

Here are some of the ways you can participate:

* COMMENT (even if you make mistakes) C'est pas grave!
You will get better and better! You cannot GO BACK!
PLEASE leave a COMMENT (click on comment at the bottom of post and follow instructions)

* SHARE INFORMATION with your classmates, they will surely appreciate your findings:
New ESL sites, stories, anecdotes, jokes, games ...
* WRITE what's on your mind! How you feel about your learning process.
You are not alone! Group 'therapy'!!!

HAVE a dose of FUN!!!
* LET me KNOW that you are there to encourage... ME TOO (inside joke)!

LISTEN to this INTRODUCTION VIDEO:

NOTE TO THE READER:
- CLICK on Ctrl and +++ to enlarge TEXT
- anything UNDERLINED ia a link to click on



Monday, November 2, 2015

CLASS ACTIVITY- Halloween 2015



HOPE you like the following videos!!!
I have immortalized some of you ;)
 into  some really cool Halloween characters.
Now you can share them with 
 your family and friends.

THANK YOU ALL for participating and
taking the time to prepare, bring to class
and present your choice of Halloween ‘ICONs’,
disguises, toys and paraphernalia
THANKS for the variety and originality!!
Next week there will be some prizes
given in class based on  your efforts! 

I also want to comment on the TREASURE HUNT.
First of all, I appreciate all
of you that took the time
 to really study all that vocabulary. BRAVO!!!
 You were ready for the game and also
to be great and pro-active teammates.
Secondly, I got to observe your teams and
I want to acknowledge your personal effort
to speak ENGLISH  the whole time.
 BRAVO!!! You are really committed
 to the process of immersion!!
Thirdly, I want to apologize
 for some of the MISHAPS 
that occurred during the game, SORRY!!! 
Nevertheless, I think we all worked hard
and also had some great fun !!
By the way, I looooved to hear
 you sing so well ;)
One of you mentioned that
it was a good thing that
 I hadn’t video taped you!!!
NOW!!! WHY  DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT !!???

three cheers : HIP! HIP! HOORRAY!!
to a very successful and fun class activity.
 It was well worth all the hard work!!
 I DO LOVE MY STUDENTS!!!
YOU ARE ALL STARS!!!
NOW ENJOY!!!
  SUZANNE

 

Saturday, May 30, 2015

HOW ABOUT A LITTLE VISIT...?

Hi there!!!
How are you dear students!
It's presently eleven o'clock, Saturday morning and
 I'm at my volunteer 'job' for the summer here up North! YES!!!
I have volunteered for another season at the Internet Café.
One of the advantages it gets me  is to be able to keep in touch
 via email and also to write on my blog.
The message today is about a VISIT!
 
I told you at our last class that I would keep in touch with you
 and share some of my summer's expériences.
Today I'm especially here to tell you about my wonderful
and amazing summer 'spot' and cottage by the lake.
 
 
I have been coming here for the past five years and
 I will return as often as I desire to...
which could be a long long time.
 I don't think that I could esily get bored of this peaceful and
 restful place that Mother Nature has to offer me!

Do you see the heart...!!!
Love being here sooo much!
 
 
SOOOO... if you feel by looking at the pictures
that you want to make it happen,
and feel that you would like to come and spend some time
 with me whether it be for just a day  or a longer stay,
please let me know  and I will send you the document
 I prepared a few years ago on the content
 of a summer immersion and also the way
 to get to the cottage : the itinerary
(for pronunciation, CLICK on the PARROT image) >>>
 
I'll be in Montréal this coming Monday
and I'll send you another message!
See you then!
LOVE to you all,  SUZANNE
 
 

 
 

Monday, March 23, 2015

The feeling of being OVERWHELMED ..


OVERWHELMED/OVERWHELMING
 The word "overwhelmed" is commonly used in English conversations related to learning, studying and life experiences that involved intense experiences.
For example, after a tough day learning English vocabulary,
a student in an advanced ESL class might say:
 
         "I am overwhelmed by the amount of words
          we learned today, I don't think I can possibly
          remember all of them." 

To help you see through all of these feelings, here are a few suggestions to help you come back to the reality of learning!

Re-visit your Priorities:
When your priorities are clear, is much easier to make decisions. Quick and assertive decisions help you feel less overwhelmed because you can laser cut through obstacles and distractions and get to your prioritized ”to do” lists faster and more efficiently. Don’t underestimate this one!

Stick to a Morning Routine:
This is key! Creating a calm morning routine helps so immensely. I’m not always able to do this, however, I have felt amazing results when I put it in practice. It doesn’t need to be a long extended routine, if all you have is 15 minutes that will do it. Tell your family about it, so they will learn to respect that time for you. Some ideas of what you can do: read, listen to some soft music,, drink lemon water, write, go for a walk, exercise or garden. You can even just BREATHE!!

Keep going, GET STARTED!
The secret of how to get things done and not procrastinate or not end up doing something else is to GET STARTED!. When you are ready to sit down to start that project, put yourself in a space where there is no distractions (even though they are still going to show up) when a distraction comes along notice it but consciously be very strong to stay focus on starting your task.

Stay in the moment:
Don’t think about how you won’t be able to finish it, and how you are going to need something else to finish it, just GET STARTED. Once you start is on! Keep observing your thoughts to convince you to stop, don’t engage with them. The perfect analogy/comparison for this is the “getting yourself to the gym” one. Your mind will do all in it’s power to convince you not to go, once you are there you will get it done and the best part is that you’ll never regret you went.

 If you are still here reading along (thanks for staying) and
you would want to try to implement these,
I suggest you start with two of them only and
 keep doing them throughout the month.

If you have other methods you use
when feeling overwhelmed,  please share with us!
I use these methods too because I am
the greatest procrastinator on the earth!! REALLY!!!
SUZANNE

 

Saturday, February 14, 2015

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

 
 
To all of you
exceptional and
 

+ LY students
 
 
Today I would like to share with you
my appreciation and admiration
for your commitment and determination.
But most of all a great big
for making me feel like
I am the best English teacher in the world!!!
 
I love you,
I love teaching
I love teaching English!!!
 
SUZANNE