Week 16: I'm not going to cry

Week 16
Date: Monday, November 4th to Thursday, November 7th, 2019
Topic: symbols delivery, food sharing, agape, final day ☹️

     Well... Everything, definitely, has an end. Although this was my last week in my practicum process, I felt like it is not. I still have to come the next week to some educative chores, that's a teacher life, and I like it. On Monday I didn't come because it was holiday but, on Thursday, I was with my teacher's group sharing some good moment with food, games, and activities, there was also time for reflection and "thanksgiving" space where students shared their learnings regarding the human and academic. I think these moments allow everyone to know how far we've gone along this semester, and academic year as well, knowing our advances, not only in the academic part but spiritual and human too.

     My teacher and I designed some diplomas too, in order to give them to each student who successfully completed the English course.

     This has been a semester, and also a year, full of emotions and situations in which I'd learned that being a teacher is not only a matter of share knowledge about English or Spanish, grammar or how to write essays, Future Simple or Conditionals, but also a matter of being an advisor, a friend, a human being. A teacher has to be commited with its goals, vocation is really important because you can face any kind of situation that requires social abilities, love, patience, active listening, and tolerance. This year of practicum has opened not only my eyes but my soul, making me really love what I've chosen for my life, helping others and sharing my knowledge, my spirit, my joy, my good attitude against life, my life. I really love being a teacher, being a human being.

Diploma given to each student for completing English course.

This is what my students think about classes.

Activities and games are the key for a great class.

Week 15: end is coming

Week 15
Date: Monday, October 28th to Thursday, October 31st, 2019
Topic: Pre service teachers meeting & vocabulary review activities

     This week was kind of weird, full of feelings. On Monday I went to the third pre service teachers meeting and we did an activity about Multiple Intelligences, nothing new, However, on Thursday, my teacher asked me to prepare some activities for students about the units we have seen through this semester, a lot of vocabulary was on them. I decide to play charades and students really liked the game. One half of the class was about doing an activity that gave a bonus for the final grade of the semester and the other half was about playing the game. Broadly, it was a good day but students knew that my practicum process was getting to its end, so they started sharing some feelings about our experience, me as teacher, they as my students. Moreover, my teacher started giving them the final grades in English, so there was a lot of emotions, tears, smiles, sadness, and joy. 

     A lot of students came to me to ask me about a rising in their grades. Of course, I couldn't do anything and, if I could, I have not had done anything because there was a lot of bonus activities for them and they did not take an advantage of that. Well, I realized that students work on their tasks if one as teacher bring dynamic and funny activities, classes, and topics, morevoer, if one as teacher listen to them and has a lot of energy and enjoyment in every class, they start engaging into their learning process.

Week 14: projects presentations

Week 14
Date: Monday, October 21st to Thursday, October 24th, 2019
Topic: projects presentations

     This week was a kind of different from others, it was full of emotions and feelings. For instance, on Monday, I was with 10°14 group watching the girls presentations about 80's & 90's songs performances. They performed songs by Queen, Michael Jackson, and Survivor, for example. My teacher gave me the chance to grade all the presentations taking into account five criteria items: artist biography, performance, pronunciation, clothing, and poster. All the girls did a really good job, I was plenty of joy and satisfaction. I felt like if I were the teacher with authority, the "real" teacher, if you know what I mean.

     The same activity was done on Thursday with 10°13. However, I must say that I discovered that every single group has its own personality. While 10°14 was more fun, dynamic, active, and full of joy with their songs and performances, 10°13 was less spontaneous, they chose songs more passive and kind of sad I must say. Every student has its own personality which is seen in the group environment. Nonetheless, all the girls from both groups did a great job.

     On Thursday, I also helped with the Spelling Bee Contest final. I didn't like the attitude from one teacher, who wasn't sure about my help with this event, she showed kind of dislike and distant behaviour against me, I think this is normal in some teachers. I am not complaining about this, but this is a situation that one as preservice teacher can find every day. At the end of the contest, I did my best and she noticed it, that's the best attitude, and solution, one as teacher can have.

     With 11°11 group, I was only in the second half of the class because the Spelling Bee contest, and I helped my teacher with some interviews for the final project, the CV simulation, talking and grading the students. One, as teacher, has different roles to play, our help is also needed in every single situation and one must be willing to assist.

Laura performing Sean Paul (Temperature).

Laura performing Toni Braxton (Unbreak my heart)

Week 13: tests and some activities to rest

Week 13
Date: Monday, October 14th to Thursday, October 17th, 2019
Topic: tests and some activities to rest.

     Monday was holiday so we didn't have class. Along the week, students had to face some tests regarding all the subjects they study. Due that, on Thursday, I had to made some accompanying work and I prepared some activities to play after tests, I also checked some workshops and tests. Well, when students from 11°11 ended their tests, they came to English classroom, there were only thirty minutes of class, so I decided to play some activities I had printed before they came. The activity was called Take them away, as the image, and they really enjoyed it. Then, I was checking some others tests while 10°13 students were doing their activities. Finally, I had a special moment with 10°14. One girl came in tears because she had lost her test. Well, I decided to call with her in front of her friends, to show her some comprehension and motivation, I felt worried about her, she started to relax and take her situation easy. Then we played a memory game (Concentrate game) about some topics we'd studied along the semester. They really like it and, at the end, the girl who was crying came to me and thanked me because she felt better and the words I said to her were a kind of salve. It is wonderful when you are more than a teacher that teaches topics and make the knowledge easier for students, when you share your human being with others there is the real meaning of being a teacher.

Activity used with 11°11. From English Puzzles 2 book, by Doug Case.

Week 12: rest for the best (Yes, teachers!)

Week 12
Date: Monday, October 7th to Thursday, October 10th, 2019
Topic: rest week

     Along this week, students had a rest week. No study for them nor teaching for teachers. However, during this week, the school gave some activities for teachers such as dancing, karaoke, videogames, and cooking stages, it was a recreation week. No stress means happy teachers.

Week 11: English Lab

Week 11
Date: Monday, September 30th to Thursday, October 3rd, 2019
Topic: English lab

     On Monday, I stayed with 10°14 at the English Lab. The girls worked on their Projects which consists in chosing a song from a given list of 80s and 90s. They had to listen to the song and write a short biography about the singer or lead singer of the band. Besides that, they have to give a performance by October 21st, wearing customes about their respective singer. That's not all, they also have to design an e-card inviting people to assist to the performance. Students liked this Project, they enjoyed listening to this old-wave but "sticky" songs. Music has an important role in learning a language, students make an unconscious process when listening to the songs and imitating the lyrics (some students look for them). I always learn new words and English structure when listening to music. I think the girls are going to show an excellente performance and the most important aspect is the fact they are going to have fun.

     Sadly, I couldn't go to class on Thursday because I was participating in La Guaca contest carried out at UPB. I had to go and participate in it because I've always wanted to be in this event, and this is my last semester at the university. One, as teacher, has to be involved in another activities, to be part of the community. This is also formation and education.

Week 10: some days you miss some classes.

Week 10
Date: Monday, September 23rd to Thursday, September 26th, 2019
Topic: Introduction to Unit 5 (11°) and Unit 7 (10°)

     Only six weeks left for Practicum to be finished. Incredible how fast this semester has gone. Anyway, along Monday class, I feel my students a little tired. The lesson plan for that class was about Reading skill, I had to work with the student's book and also to follow some criteria for teaching. However, I felt that this was going to be a mess for the girls, so I decided to show them a short video about the topic the Unit 7 was about: Extreme Situations. I asked them for some aspects and characteristics concerning these situations, they participated and the class was saved, at least. However, I've discovered my students do not have a high reading skill and it is difficult to them to understand some words, even the easiest ones. This is a challenge, I've tried to explain them the most I can but time is not the best ally a teacher has in the educative system. It is impossible to me to cover all poblation of students at once, in one class, to explain them carefully. I want my students comprehend what they are doing. Anyway, we did the reading part, but when we started working on it, I found they were bored, when you do not understand what you are doing you are not going to have fun at all.

     Although I could not explain some words to them neither carry out a good strategy for the reading part, I improved a new one in Thursday class with other group (10°13). The outcome was a positive and successful class. I brought the reading in parts, I mean, I printed the text (the same the book proposes) and then cut it in paragraphs, so the text was not in order, the objective was students had to structure the text according their understanding and previous knowledge. From this activity, I discovered that students sometimes just need different activities. Even though they were not able to organize the text, this worked as a previous activity to understand the reading in the text. They asked for unknown words and I showed them the same video I showed in Monday class as well.

     Well, I had my classes with tenth grade along the week. However, I could not work with 11° with Modal Verbs (Unit 5), and this situation pissed me off. I had prepared a great class, with images, flashcards, even I create my own video about songs with modals but students were in a photo session for their grades ceremony. One as teacher, must understand that some days you miss some classes even though you had prepared the best class ever. The worst part is that I think I won't be able to teach this topic because next week they had another activity and the next is rest week and I do not have to come to school. Anyway, I left my material to my cooperative teacher, I explained my objectives with the lesson and she really liked. I think one should not be selfish when teaching.

Week 9: Spelling Bee preparation.

Week 9
Date: Monday, September 16th to Thursday, September 19th, 2019
Topic: Spelling Bee (10°) and Introduction to Unit 5 (11°)

     Spelling Bee contest is coming. We are doing some preparation activities for both tenth and eleventh students in order they to achieve the expected outcomes. Practicing spell can be a tough aspect if one as teacher does not improve methodologies according to students wants and needs. They are teenagers and they easily get boried. So, I implemented a game, kind of broken telephone, in which, after we practices some words, I said one word to a student and she had to say it to her partner in front on she, the last student had to write the word she listened to on the board. There were tow rows of 5 students each. They enjoyed the dynamic and had fun. Also the words they listened were kind of bizarre, they even created words. This outcome allows me to go deeper in some words regarding pronunciation. 

     Another aspect to highlight, is that at the end of each class, a dictation quiz was also made, from it students could get bonus in their grades, I am going to check them later on and see the outcomes. Spelling Bee activity was carried out only with 10°13 and 10°14 because my teacher worked with 11°11 on Wednesday and I do not have practicum this day. However, on Thursday, I made a review about some words and then I did the dictation quiz. After it, I started a new unit, about success- and ambition-related vocabulary and modals, semi-modals, and perfect modals, although I cannot start with grammar, I just introduce the vocabulary topic.

     I must say that this week I had a great challenge. My cooperative teacher had to replace a colleague and she asked me the favor of be in charge of the classes on Thursday. I did not have any problem with this, I was glad about it; students liked my class and they also participated. I felt like a "real teacher", if you know what I mean. 

     From this week, I learned that students really enjoy getting out from monotony and routine, they like trying new and different activities. In terms of teaching, they like their teachers to be active, almost as an actor who plays different roles when students do not understand a topic or word. If the teacher do some mimic (and act), and also uses body language, about words definitions instead of saying it at once, students will be participating in class. Another important aspect is to take into account every student's opinion, they must be part of the class, part of their learning process.

Spelling Bee Contest

Week 8: Semana Bolivariana

Week 8
Date: Monday, September 9th to Thursday, September 12th, 2019
Topic: Semana Bolivariana

     Along this week, some activities were carried out at school. On Monday, I helped with some preparation for students' presentation about Da Vinci. Besides that, I also checked some slides for Spelling Bee contest, with these slides the objective is to prepare students for this competition divided in three training stages before the great day. Unfortunately, I could not come in Tuesday for students presentation because I had class. I'd have liked to be there.

     On Thursday, my cooperative teacher gathered with her students to share some food, this activity is called Group Sharing, in which students bring out different kind of food and share not only food but laughs, conversations, and experiences; it is not only about academic aspects and study, these moments are also important for some scattering, chilling, and avoiding stress.

     During this week, I learned that students do not see teachers as strict and tight persons, they are also ready to share with them and make laugh about different situations, everything depends on teachers. This allows me to think about the breach between teachers and students, because some people believe that teachers should not to be such kind with students. I do not share this thought: if students are happy and they "feel free" in some way, they will feel comfortable and ready to learn with trust in their teachers, which is an important aspect in student - teacher relationship. I have discover that students will pay attention to classes, they also will participate and will share their feelings and thoughts, they will be more receptive. I think this is easy for me because my personality allows me to be kind without being so tight. If teachers were less strict and more comprehensive and happier with their students, I think there will be less rebel students and they will be more participative. Another thing is that teachers must enjoy education, it should be a real vocation not a kind of vacation, because some teachers think teaching is an easy job but it is not.

Week 7: students take a break

Week 7
Date: Monday, September 2^nd  to Thursday, September 5th, 2019
Topic: oral evaluation and Scavenger's hunt game

     Students also learn by gaming, any kind of plays. Moreover, I must say, they feel comfortable in a class, even in an evaluation if the teacher applies some theory as "Affective Filter Hypothesis", by Krashen. In this case, I started on Monday doing an oral evaluation in which I was taking into account aspects such as argumentation, fluency, structure coherence, and pronunciation. At the beginning of the class, my cooperative teacher gave me four students, while she kept the rest od the group, to evaluate. My "band" was flustered, I could smell fear in every student, but when I realized about this situation, I talked to them and I said this exam was going to be easy, like a regular class in which they actively participate and use properly the criteria given for the exam. Well, they changed their mind and immediately I could feel an ease energy, they were fearless and motivated. They participated like in an ordinary conversation (but with regular mistakes in structure). I can conclude that students are more engaged in any kind of formative process if teachers apply correctly some aspects of the theory.

     In spite of this, on Thursday, my teacher prepared along with teacher Álvaro, a game called Scavenger's hunt, it is like "La Guaca" contest played at University (UPB). Students had to solve some riddles, related with Da Vinci, in order to discover places in which they could find answers for their questions sheet (10 questions). Once they solved each question, they returned back to us (Luz Dary and I) to check for their answers, if it was correct they could go for the next questions and so on. At the end of each class (this day I had three classes) everyone finished a little tired because the running day. I discover that students can take a break from notebooks and learn in another way, however, teachers must design properly each activity in order to develop a holistic learning process according to the topics students have learned in class. This week was amazing.

A video worked in class about Leonardo Da Vinci.

Week 6: not tight nor dark but light and spark

Week 6
Date: Monday, August 26th  to Thursday, August 29^nd, 2019
Topic: Conditionals review.

     This week I have done some new activities regarding teaching processes. My teacher and I are still doing some review about conditionals for tenth graders in order to feedback their learning process, moreover we have designed some questions for the next week oral exam about Future Simple tense and sports vocabulary. On Monday, we did a workshop related with Da Vinci with 10°14 in which students had to watch a short video and answer to some questions. This was for listening skill. At the end of the class, we gave a prize for the one who did the activity the best. Students feel motivated when they receive bonuses and presents, they also must understand that their learning process is not based in stimuli but in autonomy, self motivation, discipline, and knowledge for their future; this is something we as teachers must make them realize about. However, I feel students are more engaged and motivated, they want to learn and they are starting to treat me as a "real" teacher, not only as the teacher assistant.

     On Thursday, students were doing some external tests, because of that I was doing accompaniment and observation process, besides some planning for next week in which we are going to visit the laboratory for online exercises and an interactive class. I must say these students are lucky about having such tools for their learning process, however, some of them do not use all the instruments and material we as teachers design for them. I think this is part of the Practicum, to learn about the experiences and having some analysis from them, in which I have discovered that students feel motivated and use these devices and classes I plan in the extent their teachers be not strict and tight. One can be a kind and demanding teacher at the same time and this will give a positive outcome in terms of teaching and classroom management.

Week 5: a productive day

Week 5
Date: Monday, August 19th  to Thursday, August 22^nd, 2019
Topic: Conditionals and Future Tenses.

     We had a holiday at the beggining of the week, so I didn't go to class on Monday. Because of this, I replaced this class on Thursday, so I stayed from 1:00pm to 6:40pm at school. The day started with 11°11, I had to work listening exercises. If I'd had knew this was going to be so hard, I'd paid more attention to Communicative Competence classes. My students are in basic level, but they didn't understand anything about topics they were listening to, nor even simple words. However, when they listened to the audios and read the captions at the same time, the task got a little bit easier for them. I think it is a skill that is tough to develop to them taking into account their previous teachers have used more Spanish than English in classes (this is a fact, they've told me about it).

     As English teachers, I think we need to talk in the target language, but, according to some authors I read in Processes in English Language Acquisition subject, using Spanish turns easier the learning of a second language, it is a tool that motivates and engages students in their learning processes due the trust and confidence they feel. I think I'll implement Spanish as well in my classes from now on and make some analysis about outcomes in students. I must say, that the fact they are in their last year of high school could be a reason about their lack of motivation and low skills; they are anxious about their near future, their graduation; they are tired because they've been studying for so many years. At this point I must say I also felt like that a long time ago when I was in my last year of school.

     In the other hand, I was also teaching in 10°13 and 10°14. With both of them, I worked Conditionals (Zero, First, and Second). I made my planning and it was successful because students were receptive as I was explaining the topic, they participated a lot in class. I brought some songs in English that use Conditionals, then I showed them the lyrics and asked them to identify the types of Conditionals. After this, I made a Rotation activity, that my cooperative teacher taught me, to dynamize the class, it was just great. I wish I had my own groups. If I had mine, I'd implement more strategies, because sometimes, as a preservice teacher, one feel disabled, retained, or limited to apply some activities and methodologies. However, this issue can be easily solved by effectively communicating with the cooperative teacher.

     I really enjoyed this day, even though it was a long one, but I need to get closer to the real educative context for experience.

Week 4: Images, candies, and motivation

Week 4
Date: Monday, August 12th  to Thursday, August 15^th, 2019

     This week was loaded of emotions. It was started a new unit about Conditionals for tenth graders and Future Simple, Future Continuous, and Future Perfect Simple for eleventh graders. I started with some feedback about students' previous knowledge asking them some questions and then doing an exercise about this part of grammar. As I have promised to one group, I brought them a kind of motivation, a candy, they were so grateful and loaded of emotions. I realized that students are sort of "interested", they pay attention to your classes if you are a good teacher, non-strict one, very kind, and calmed. That's my personality, so that I think I get along well with my students. They were very receptive and they also participated a lot in class. Even though I am teaching for a 90 minutes class, two classes a day, I felt comfortable and wishing my next class, next week, to get started.

     Another aspect is related with class material. I've realized that students are more visual and they really like watching videos and images, matching words, verbs, and so, with pictures. I am glad to bring these material and students are motivated in class. This is a great deal for us.

Simple future not as simple

Week 3

Date: Thursday, august 8^th, 2019

Time: from 1:35pm to 3:05pm, from 3:35pm to 5:05pm

     Today I didn’t have class for eleventh graders because they were doing a simulation test for their Pruebas Saber Pro test, so I just used this time for being in the classroom in an observation class and doing some planning. In 10°13 group, I worked the same topic as I did in Monday, however, there were some changes in the methodology and times of the class. For instance, I changed the activity related with creating sentences about Simple Future that I implemented on Monday. The outcomes were notorious in terms of time and interest from students. This group was more receptive and participative than the other group even though students in both groups are in basic level. Although I planned time regarding activities for a 90 minutes class, I ended 20 minutes before the class ended, so I had to work with the workbook. These aspects are important to handle in the practice process.

     Teaching some topics can be tough if you do not have an organized agenda. Because of this, I learned that is always important to establish the sections of a class, the time in which every activity is going to be developed, and having a Plan B if class ends before time. In the agenda is also important to have another activities for students, some games just in case. This is part of the methodology and strategies, when teacher has experience an agenda is not necessary at all.

Week 3: My first day of teaching

Week 3
Date: Monday, August 5^th, 2019

Time: from 1:35pm to 3:05pm

     Currently, we are teaching simple future tense, “will” and “to be going to” for tenth graders, following the guidelines in Close – Up textbook. Today I was with 10°14 group, the agenda was:

• Vocabulary: about parts of the house and the neighborhood as well.
• Pair work: about discussing some advantages and disadvantages of the previous vocabulary.
• Activity: matching words. Simple future tense: will and be going to.
• Activity: comparing two images of houses and describing them. Writing and speaking exercise.

The girls were receptive, participative, and they were engaged with all the activities. However, in the end of the class (every class lasts 90 minutes) they were tired and some of them were also distracted. I think the most important and toughest aspect to bear in mind and to apply for a beginner teacher, is class management; it is hard to keep all students focused. I need to improve this skill. I think every teacher learns new methodologies and practices in the exercise of his/her profession; with a new day teaching comes a new day of learning. My cooperative teacher has told me some aspects to improve, as a feedback, in terms of class management. The greatest moment of this day was when the students told me they understood everything I taught them, and they were grateful because of that.

Attributes

Week 2
Date: Thursday, August 1^st, 2019

Time: from 1:35pm to 3:05pm, from 3:35pm to 5:05pm

     I did an observation process with eleventh graders because they had to solve a simulation test regarding Pruebas Saber Pro. The first half of the class was about this, then my teacher and I, did workshop about this same test. You know, students must be prepared to face their fate with bravery and wise. Then, in tenth grade, we worked the same topic as we did the last monday, but focused on listening exercises. As days go by, I have learnt that creativity is an important attribute teachers must have as we need to design tests, activities, and resources that involve students as the center in their learning process.

Week 2: Feelings about teaching

Week 2

Date: Monday, July 29^th, 2019

Time: from 1:35pm to 5:05pm

     Students are still reviewing types of houses vocabulary, also future tense, so that I prepared a warm-up activity and an end up activity. I feel so comfortable working with this group, they are participative, you can feel the empathy. I brought a wordsearch puzzle where they should find types of houses and then relate the word with its respective image, a kind of matching activity. Then, the teacher taught going to and will forms for future tense and gave some explanation and examples. This kind of observation helped me looking for techniques, methodologies, and strategies for teaching English. This feeling about teaching English is coming alive again, and I really like it. At the end of the class we played a game with types of houses. If students feel happy and enjoy the class, they will learn significatively. If the teacher feels comfortable, feel confident, feel happy and secure, students will learn twice.

Personalities

Week 1

Date: Thursday, July 25^th, 2019

Time: from 1:35pm to 3:05pm, from 3:35pm to 5:05pm.

     Today was one of those days in which you feel anxious because the upcoming events of the day. You know it is going to be perfect, but you also have the feeling you are going to be nervous. Well, I was in both 11°11 and 10°13 groups. The first class started at 1:35pm and ended at 3:05pm. It was with eleventh graders. Once again just a few students, but 25 in this case at the very beginning of the class, because they are currently being prepared to face the upcoming Pruebas Saber Pro 11. So, the first 30 minutes they were doing a simulacrum and then they were splitted in groups according to the level of English of each student. My group was then with 9 students. They received a short class by the teacher. After this, I did my presentation and introduce myself to the group. Even though this group is almost ending its high school cycle, I feel it more timid and shier than the group from Mondays, which is more active, receptive, and participative. Every single group has its own “personality”. Then, I was with 10°13 group. Tenth grades are more confident, risky, motivated. Just 10 students but I was only with 6 students because the other 4 were preparing a presentation because of Día de la Independencia, July 20^th. I’ve learned that every group is different, it has its own personality, which influences the developing of a class.

Week 1: First day at classroom

Week 1

Date: Monday, July 22^nd, 2019

Group: 10° 14

Time: from 3:35pm to 5:05pm
Cooperative teacher: Luz Dary Ramírez Castaño

Preservice teacher: Diego Andrés Barrios Quiroz

     This was the first day of my professional practice. I felt flustered at the beginning of this session, as always. But, as the class was going on, I felt more into it, more comfortable, happier, and motivated. My cooperative teacher is so kind, she has a lot of knowledge and methodology and I know I am going to learn a lot with her. The first half of the class (3:35pm to 4:20pm) consisted in watching a set of videos about types of houses and their parts, asking some question regarding this topic, and solving some exercises from workbook. Then, I did my part. I brought an activity to meet the 10°14 students, it was a bunch of questions in a bag, different kind of them, in order to identify my new students’ level of English. I played a song, then I asked my students to pass the bag. As the song was playing, I paused it. The one with the bag picked a question and answered it. ¡It was terrific! We had a lot of fun. There is a total of 10 students because the other part of the group is in advanced level.

Institutional Educational Project

     UPB school proposes an Institutional Educational Project (or PEI, in Spanish) in which student's holistic assessment embraces each one of the human development dimensions: espiritual, ethical, social, cognitive, corporal, aesthetic, and communicative. This, without ignoring the five types of learning from UNESCO in formation: the being, the knowing, the doing, living together, transforming oneself, and transforming society.

Evaluation in the UPB school

     At UPB school, evaluation is conceived as systematical, permanent, participative, qualitative, and continous process. It is presented through different learning experiences in order to determine students performance levels. Interests, learning paces, and learning strategies are considered. Evaluation is directly linked with formation a human capacities and competences.

Coexistence manual and Coexistence School Committee

Its purpose is to determine the scholar environment establishing the minimum guidelines about how to apply Rutas de Atencion Integrales para la Convivencia Escolar, as well as their protocols in order to avoid and reduce scholar violence and those situations that affect them. UPB manual de Convivencia also promotes human, sexual, and reproductive rights carrying out according to some laws established by Colombian government as Ley 1620 del 15 de marzo de 2013.

The manual de Convivencia also establishes the rights and duties for students, teachers and parents. Some items as hymn, mission, vision, symbols, Integral Pedagogical Model, school objective and competences, and prays, can be found in there. Another important aspects we can find in it, are:

• Uniforms implementation and usage.
• School life.
• School government.
• Services.
• Stimuli.
• Students evaluation and promotion.
• Pedagogical corrective.
• Regular duct.
• Enrollment and pension system.

UPB school Mission and Vision

Mission

     UPB school has as mission the integral formation of persona who are involved in it through culture, evangelization, constant search of the truth in teaching, research, projection of social processes, as well as values reaffirmation fom Christian humanism in order to reach wellness in the society.

Vision

     UPB school has as vision being a catholic institution of educative excelence in terms of integral formation of people along with ethical, scientific, business, and social leadership.

Besides this, UPB school promotes the next values:

• Recognition and respect for each person, without any discrimination,
• Truth and knowledge search,
• Solidarity,
• Justice,
• Honesty,
• Creativity and innovation,
• Loyalty,
• Commitment for country development and peace.

Getting to know the institution

     Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana school (UPB school) is a high quality institution located in Medellín, Colombia. This school offers education services in preschool, basic primary (from grades 1 to 5), and middle school, which is basic secondary (from grades 6 to 9) and mid-secondary (grades 10 and 11) which has curricula integration with university. It is conformed by executives, administrative employees, teachers, students, graduates and support staff.

     If you want to know more about the institution and its mission, vision, PEI, pedagogical principles, or curricula, keep an eye on the next publications.

Presentation

Hello, everyone!

     In this blog, you will find my journal about my practicum process in English, at UPB School, located in Medellín, Colombia. This is not only a blog to store my classes but to reflect about my learning process in teaching where you must play your aces in order to have a successful class. As well, there is an approach to my context, to the place where I am currently enrolled doing what I like the most: teaching, and also learning, not only how to teach but how to being a human.

Welcome and have a nice time.