Earth Hour

As we got used to the last few years, this year has come the time once again to partecipate in Earth Hour. Our school tries to raise awareness through events and activities throughout the year, having our students and their families participate in this occasion.

Please, celebrate with us on this date 31/03/2012 and let's try to save energy daily from now on.

Groundhog day!

I bet that whenever someone hears the sentence "Groundhog Day!" thinks of Bill Murray smashing the alarm clock while listening to "I Got you Babe".

It's snowing today in Thessaloniki. A perfect day for a Groundhog Day lesson. Perhaps some colleagues would say that I should stick to the usual Exam Practice Tests books and have students wondering and "wandering" over multiple choice questions exercises or reading texts and "translate" them in Greek... Some others would even ask what is Groundhog Day and why should I or any other teacher in Greece teach anything about this day. "Who cares!?" they think....I am fed up with these practices and I believe today is the day when I will finally place the sign ( like the 'No Smoking' ones)I've always wanted on my class door:"No Translation!"

I had never heard of Groundhog Day, until one day a lot of years ago I saw the 1993 Groundhog Day film. So today, I decided to start my Senior classes with segments of the film and other pieces of information so as to introduce the country, town and celebration. Finally, I'll make sure they take a little break from their Facebooking activities and inform me tomorrow what Punxatawney Phil had to communicate on 6 more weeks of winter or not!

Some useful links I'm going to use and very thankful to all the creators:

http://www.groundhog.org/
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2012/01/29/groundhog-day-is-coming-up/
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2012/01/31/groundhog-day-explained/
http://www.elcivics.com/groundhog-day-1.html
http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/1461
http://www.michellehenry.fr/ground.htm
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/holidays/ss/groundhogprint.htm?nl=1
http://www.5minuteenglish.com/feb7.htm
http://www.elcivics.com/esl_powerpoint_lessons.html
http://pittsburgh.about.com/cs/punxsutawney/a/groundhog_day.htm
http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/ground_hog_day_69710.php

1993 Groundhog Day Film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7NHCy13ZLk
http://www.eslnotes.com/movies/pdf/groundhog-day.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bd1hqHrUPU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWmbuKSWLDE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Y1xLKHECQ
http://www.slideshare.net/DavidMainwood/groundhog-day-pt1film-for-efl
http://teflchina.org/teach/general/groundhogDay.htm

Cambridge Examinations dates

You can find all the information for the Spring Cambridge exams of FCE, CAE and CPE here

HAU exam dates

Here you can find all the latest information about the forthcoming examinations of the HAU.

Examination	Date	Exam fees/Registration Period
University of Michigan Upcoming Exam dates
ECCE	May 5, 2012	€ 160 / February 1 - February 29, 2012
ECPE	May 6, 2012	€ 180 / February 1 - February 29, 2012
Hellenic American University
ALCE™	January 14, 2012	€ 150 Οctober 14, 2011 - November 14, 2011
	March 31, 2012	TBA
	June 16, 2012	TBA
	October 20, 2012	TBA
BCCE™	January 14, 2012	€ 90 Οctober 14, 2011 - November 14, 2011
	March 31, 2012	TBA
	June 16, 2012	TBA
	October 20, 2012	TBA
Educational Testing Service
TOEIC®	Examination Schedule	€ 155 At least 5 days before the test administration
TOEFL®Junior™	Examination Schedule	€ 35 At least 5 days before the test administration
Centre for the Greek Language Examinations
Certificate of Attainment in Greek	Levels Α1-Γ2	Examination schedule
Certificate of Attainment in Greek for Professional Purposes	Level A2	Examination schedule
Other Exams
Communicative English Teaching Test (CETT)	Saturday, January 28, 2012	€ 150 At least two weeks before the test administration
	Saturday, July 7, 2012
Μicrosoft Office Specialist	Exams are administered every 15 days	€ 65 At least 5 days before the test administration
ΕCDL	Exams are administered every 15 days	€ 35 At least 5 days before the test administration
ISACA, CISA, CISM	to be announced	to be announced for members. to be announced
	to be announced	to be announced non-members to be announced
(ISC)2	to be announced	to be announced At least 5 working days before the test

Happy New Year

I wish a prosperous, joyous, creative, and most of all, full of health New Year!
Happy New Year!

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
I wish you Health...
So you may enjoy each day in comfort.

I wish you the Love of friends and family...
And Peace within your heart.

I wish you the Beauty of nature...
That you may enjoy the work of God.

I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities...
For those things that really matter in life.

I wish you Generousity so you may share...
All good things that come to you.

I wish you Happiness and Joy...
And Blessings for the New Year.

I wish you the best of everything...
That you so well deserve.

Anonymous.

You'd better watch out!

Through http://www.myspacegraphicsandanimations.org

You'd better watch out!

Christmas is around the corner and although its spirit is not so alive in my country, children seem not to matter at all and decided to celebrate it simply and magically, because they're the only ones they know how to celebrate it as such... Little did I know that my students would remind me this year of a valuable lesson I try to follow in my life, the one of simplicity. Leading a simple life, cherish what you have, and particularly who you have in your life, count your blessings, even when there aren't enough money for "expensive, fancy or trendy" presents-and at times, not even for "classic" Christmas presents-and feel like a king or a queen because you finally started to appreciate and evaluate your life's elements and components.

Like every year, my students and I decided to celebrate Christmas simply and magically, by colouring festive images, watching videos, learning and singing Christmas carols, by performing a Christmas play and especially by learning or remembering old values. Children in Greece are growing up fast nowadays, but fortunately they incorporate that "early dose of wisdom" into their innocence.

My wish for next year is all the best for everyone: health and happiness, with a more optimistic approach of life. There aren't many things left. Let's try to keep our integrity, sense of pride and honesty and help each other the best way and whenever we can.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us here in Greece!


through http://www.allgraphics123.com


Useful links

Worksheets, flashcards, printables and more!
http://busyteacher.org/classroom_activities-vocabulary/holidays_and_celebrations/christmas-worksheets/
http://bogglesworldesl.com/christmas_worksheets.htm
http://www.michellehenry.fr/christmas2.htm
http://bogglesworldesl.com/new_year_worksheets.htm
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/holiday/christmas/xmascoloring.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YYNqvsEyaw&feature=related
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/christmas_printables.htm
http://esolcourses.blogspot.com/2009/12/new-year-worksheets-activities-lessons.html
http://www.mes-english.com/flashcards/christmas.php
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/holiday.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rkP-R240Ys&feature=relmfu
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/christmas_classroom_printables.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8AO6xYcYTs
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/christmas_language_printables.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqDnT2yj3Hw
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Xmas/facts.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXr2FZpzq-0
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/christmas_organisers_to_print.htm
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Xmas/jokes.html
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/christmas/
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Xmas/xmas.html


through http://www.howtogeek.com

Games
http://bogglesworldesl.com/christmasbingo.htm
http://www.ehow.com/way_5471734_christmas-games-play-classroom.html
http://www.marks-english-school.com/games/mes-christmas_01.html
http://www.learn-ict.org.uk/resources/rudolph/rudolph.htm
http://www.akidsmath.com/flashes/mgames/tree.swf


through http://www.christmasbuzz.com


Videos and songs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrYIMmUTFdo&feature=g-all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSW-CepaASI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSW-CepaASI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWv72L4wgCc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DYtrw2mikA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T4WB2zfmps&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQYa2epnTdo&feature=related
http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/free-teachers/index.pl?read=814
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2lginvudbM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx_YhGJYx4w&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dK88Khxdao


credits to http://www.ceramicartspace.com