Friendship

“Friendship is a living thing that lasts only as long as it is nourished with kindness, empathy and understanding.”
( Unknown Author )

Friendship is a gift that two people give to each other. It is not an expected result of meeting but a true and unanticipated gift of enormous potential. True friends form a special connection that will weather any storm. True friends are there even when they are not expected to be present.

Think of your true friends and be grateful for the gifts they bring to your life. Allow your hearts to connect and bring comfort to each other. Expand your world by seeing through their eyes. Give them your love in return for each friend you have is an unearned gift that should be accepted with grace and thankfulness.

Work on some activities

Simpsons Family Quiz, by Vanessa Marruche
Find this and other family exercises in English Exercises .org

Bullying in Chile

“Bullying is an illness and it’s here to stay,” said Chile’s Education Minister Joaquín Lavín, after announcing the first bullying study’s results. The study, which was carried out along with this year’s SIMCE standardized testing system, assessed 225,027 tenth grade students in 2,658 schools.

Taken anonymously, the study consisted of a list of 26 questions. Results revealed 86 percent of students experience insults or teasing “sometimes or almost always.” Furthermore, 71 percent have seen fights in school, 69 percent have witnessed theft, and 50 percent admit bullying and threats in their school.

With regards to the 13,000 students reporting firearm assaults, the Education Minister said the most-affected schools are now a priority.

In order to address this issue, schools will be instructed to assign a teacher to hear cases of bullying and report issues to the ministry of education.

Schools will be given two months to establish a set of school harmony rules. The document will then be sent to the education ministry, having been signed by the principal, a representative of the parents’ board, and a representative of the student board.

A “contract of honor” will also be put in place with parents, encouraging them to talk to their children about bullying and highlight the importance of respect and harmony.

Furthermore, the education ministry will set up a team of psychologists in the most troubled schools in the country to speak with the students individually.

The study also detailed the regions most affected by bullying. The Tarapacá Region in the far north of Chile is at the top of the list, with 34 percent of 10th grade students describing frequent harassment. The Arica-Parinacota and Coquimbo regions follow with 32 percent and 30 percent, respectively.

In contrast, the southern regions have the lower levels of bullying. The Los Ríos Region had the lowest level of frequent bullying with 16 percent, and Araucanía and Maule regions both recorded a level of 17 percent.

Although Chile’s poorest regions showed relatively good results, bullying was highest in public schools (52 percent) in the low socioeconomic group (39 percent) and in the medium-low socioeconomic group (41 percent).

Minister Lavín announced that the government is currently carrying out a study into the relationship between bullying and drug trafficking, a major issue in the far north of the country. A questionnaire on drug sales and consumption will be included in the next SIMCE tests.

SOURCES: EL MERCURIO, LA TERCERA
By Phil Locker ( editor@santiagotimes.clThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
Copyright 2011 – The Santiago Times

There comes a time when you must stand alone.

You must feel confident enough within yourself to follow your own dreams.

You must be willing to make sacrifices.

You must be capable of changing and rearranging your priorities so that your final goal can be achieved.

Sometimes, familiarity and comfort need to be challenged.

There are times when you must take a few extra chances and create your own realities.

Be strong enough to at least try to make your life better.

Be confident enough that you won't settle for a compromise just to get by.

Appreciate yourself by allowing yourself the opportunities to grow, develop, and find your true sense of purpose in this life.

Don't stand in someone else's shadow when it's your sunlight that should lead the way.

Welcome to class!!

Welcome to English class 2011.
It's a pleasure to see you again
and share nice moments with you in class.
I hope you get ready to learn and show
how good you can be at English.
For this purpose you will have
my help along this year as usual.
Receive my welcome and warm regards.
Miss Rose.