Halloween, Junior One B

When I entered to my room this morning, half of my students arrived to my classroom. My question is where is my another half of students? I started to ask them, nobody answered me. I started to get angry and I was going to mad at them, at that time, half of my students showed up and walk through the classroom. Nobody saw me or said "Sorry" to me. I was more angry at them.

I opened my class with Halloween topic, I asked them, what can you see in Halloween? two students answered. I started to get angry, I raised my voice, everyone seemed to be quiet. I start to bla bla bla at them. I told them, I am not talking to table or chair, I am talking to people like you.

At that time, they started to answer my question. I had very good Halloween topic and game for them to play, the problem is they get so excited sometimes.

This class is very unique because half of the classes came dressed up with witches' hat, six of them painted their faces, and some of them had scary masks.

I mean the dressing up for Halloween in this class is not mixure of costumes, it is very unique that everyone seemed uniformed with only three topics.

This student made her own costume. I really like her Jack or Lantern and her white crown. She is not very scary, but she is very creative.
This student wore her mask, I did not know who was she until I saw her face. This child is very special in my class. Her English is ok good but she is trying very hard to speak mainly English with me all the time.

This is the group of students who painted their faces or wore a mask.

After I introduced Halloween vocabulary, we played Halloween bingo. The winner got pieces of chocolates. After playing the game and knowing more vocabulary, I asked them to come to trick or treat, so I can give them candy.

Trick or Treat, Junior One A

This morning, I had my junior one A, the advance English class. I made everyone came dressed up something scary. However, this group of students are very lady, so they did not wear something scary. Most of the costumes are very good. They are very creative. Some of them did not have money to buy the outfits, they just made one from the recycle papers. I thought that is very brilliant way of saving parents' money.

First, I introduced them what is Halloween. Some people really like and some of them did not even like. I think this tradition is not very Chinese tradition, it is more western tradition. As an ESL/ EFL teacher, I want my EFL students know what is the meaning of Halloween.

When I was a child, We had Halloween in Ecuador. I really dressed up in very scary thing and we did not go door to door to ask for candies. It is more like costume dance party and everyone chat and enjoyed it.

After introducing them about Halloween, we went for treat or trick. What is trick or treat? this is a very good question for some people who do not know Halloween. According to the phrase finder, trick or treat means: The ultimatum given by children who call on houses to solicit gifts at Hallowe'en. How can EFL student understand this meaning.

I want them to understand more and get into it. We went to trick or treat at Sheng-Kung's library. We are ready to go to the Library for trick or treat. Everyone are so happy, they show smiling faces. This might be the first time for them to have Halloween in their lifetime.

The Dean of library, Lily was welcoming everyone to her place.

Everyone had their best poses for picture taken. Lily prepared a lot of candies for everyone. Also, she chose three best costumes among them and She gave them a piece of chocolate as a price.

These students have their best costumes.

After trick or treat at the library, we decide to trick or treat at James, my co-worker, but first we want to take a group picture. Everyone show their best of everything.

Now, we are ready to go to the office for trick or treat. I made students to line up outside of my office and I went inside and called James. James was ready and he prepared a lot of candies for students.

I am taking a picture with my coworker, James. Everyone are so happy for having a lot of candies.

After all, it was so hot, the ring bells, the class is over. I brought my students to my classroom and I gave everyone candies. I can see from their faces, now, I believe they will know what is Halloween.

Halloween is Here!

What is Halloween? and how it is celebrated in Taiwan? Actually, nobody knows what is Halloween and nobody celebrates here in Taiwan.

When I was in the United States, my son Alan had a great time treat or trick people. I had so much fun dressing him up and go house per house to ask for treat or trick. When Alan was very little, he really enjoyed Halloween, because of this, I want to bring fun into my classroom.

Taiwanese students did not have this kind of holiday, I want them to try to dress up anything they want. This is the only time of the year that they can dress up whatever they want.

I asked my students at the second day of the week to dress up. They really looking forward to do it. They have a lot of time planning what they want to be on that day.

Today, my J1I (Junior One I) students had the celebration of Halloween. Everyone came to my class really prepared. Some of them are ghosts, witches, dracula, vampire, pumpking, spiders, scary Jack and more.

When I saw them coming to my class, I was really excited. They really did a great job doing this kind of things. I am very happy to see their creativities.

I gave them 10 minutes to prepare. Some of them put their make ups and some of them was wearing some other clothings on top of schools' uniform. I really like to see how much they prepare and had fun to do it.

After 10 minutes, I taught them a song. They were singing, "In the Grave Yard" and "Trick or Treat."

Lyrics of Grave Yard

In the graveyard,

In the graveyard

When the moon

Begins to shine

There's a doctor,

Crazy doctor

And his monster,

Frankenstein

Oh, my monster,

Oh, my monster

Oh, my monster,

Frankenstein

You are very,

Very scary

Don't come near me,

Frankenstein

Lyrics of Trick or Treat

Chant:

Trick-or-Treat

Smell my feet

Give me something good to eat

If you don't,

I don't care

I will pull down your underwear

Overall, they had to learn how to say the magic words, so I can give them candy. I also brought them to the school's library and the counseling center for trick or treat.

My students really enjoyed. One of the student wrote me a thank you card. It is also a nice surprise that one of my student, Mirian remembered my birthday. She wrote me a birthday card.

Junior1I Halloween 2008

Today, at 1:15 to 2:05 I have my seventh graders. I meet them twice a week. I meet them Tuesday and Wednesday. I decided to have early Halloween with them.

First we learn the Halloween song, Trick or Treat and The Grave yard. The song or chant was very easy, they can learn it in 5 minutes.

After that Jojo's class, the teacher next to my classroom came to my class for trick or treat. Also, my class went to her classroom for trick or treat. Everyone got sweets. They really enjoyed it.


After trick or treat at our room, we decided to go to the library and the counseling center. When we arrived at the library, the librarian forget that we came to celebrate Halloween. She did not prepare a lot of candies.


We are trick or treat at the counseling center. They really prepared a lot of candies for students. Also, stduent got so excited about it.

Junior Two H, Halloween Celebration

Halloween, can be very special in Taiwan. As before, school did not even celebrate Halloween, but now because of western civilization or influence, a lot of people will get into this custom. Culture is sharing and learning. It is good to share between diferent cultures and learn it.

Now, most schools in Taiwan, specially elementary schools will have Halloween celebrations.

Students made a Sandwich for me

I was in my office doing nothing and a group of students came and gave me what they had made in their cooking class. They made a sandwich. I was so surprised that they made it for me, they remembered me. I am very touched. I was looking inside of the sandwich and it is just egg and cucumber. I did not try the sandwich right away. I ate it at 5:30 P.M. when I finished all my classes. It is was good, even it is simple sandwich, it made from my students' heart for me.

Proud of You

Today, I was teaching the song, Proud of You by Fiona Fun. Everyone like it the song. I made movie maker and Power Point. Everyone enjoyed it. they did not know who is Fiona Fung, until today. Most of my students knows the song but not the singer. I also introduced the country where the singer came from. They know Hong-Kong also.


Lyrics of the song:

Love in your eyes
Sitting silent by my side
Going on Holding hand
Walking through the nights
Hold me up Hold me tight

Lift me up to touch the sky
Teaching me to love with heart
Helping me open my mind

I can fly
I'm proud that I can fly
To give the best of mine
Till the end of the time

Believe me
I can fly
I'm proud that I can fly
To give the best of mine
The heaven in the sky

Stars in the sky
Wishing once upon a time
Give me love
Make me smile
Till the end of life

Hold me up Hold me tight
Lift me up to touch the sky
Teaching me to love with heart
Helping me open my mind

I can fly
I'm proud that I can fly
To give the best of mine
Till the end of the time

Believe me I can fly
I'm proud that I can fly
To give the best of mine
The heaven in the sky

Can't you believe that you light up my way
No matter how that ease my path
I'll never lose my faith
See me fly

I'm proud to fly up high
Show you the best of mine
Till the end of the time
Believe me I can fly
I'm singing in the sky

Show you the best of mine
The heaven in the sky
Nothing can stop me
Spread my wings so wide


Here is the Video Clip

First Oral Test in 2008

This is the first time for seventh graders, new comers to have thier first oral test. Everyone were so nervous, they did not know what are my expectations of the test. They did not know if they can do well or not.

Overall, they did what I told them to do. They have to practice more public speaking or presentation. At least they memorize, they wrote their conversation and they prepare for the test. I am very happy to see their hard work.

I should train them public speaking next time. They can do better for thier second test.