Back to Life! The universe speaks...
So yesterday I gave a presentation at a teacher’s conference in Istanbul. The conference is organized every year with the goal of getting teachers teaching teachers! Many schools aim to help students develop into being caring and principled members of society . Relating to this, the goal of my presentation was to highlight the importance of setting authentic tasks for students that engage them ethically and socially. An example that I gave was an activity we did with our third grade primary school pupils last year. The children were asked to design a public park that was “environmentally friendly”. Having designed their park, they had to present their plans at a city planning meeting (a pretend one) to persuade the councilors to develop their park. Now, I had planned this presentation back in June this year and I chose the title “Back to Life, Back to Reality” which is (some of you probably know) the title of a famous track by Soul to Soul (from way back in the 80’s). Lo and behold, you would never guess what I discovered last week. I read an article in a magazine telling me that the leader of Soul to Soul, Jazzie B, was going to DJ at a party in Istanbul on the same day that I was giving my presentation that used his song title!!! Now what do you think were the chances of that happening? I mean, this is Istanbul, twenty years after the song was made famous and the guy turns up in town to DJ on the same day!!!! Well you could have knocked me down with a feather when I read that article! Is that the universe talking to me or what? What do you think about these kinds of coincidences? Do think that they are some kind of sign…? Anyway, it gave me a good little story to tell at the beginning of my presentation and two ladies (Turkish) even sang a few lines of the song for everybody (Turkish people use any excuse to get up and strut their stuff!). I was also able to invite everyone at my seminar to the party – now if that is not an ethical, authentic task then I don’t know what is!
The challenge(s)
1) Read the post before this one (I posted it yesterday!)
2) Find as many phrases or sentences that you can in this post that I use to express “surprise”.
3) What words collocate with “present” and “presentation” in this post. What useful phrases relating to presentations can you find in this post?
4) Share a time that you felt the universe was speaking to you!
5) Look at the pretty pictures below.
Bye 4 now amigos!
Comments
Hi Simon! I wish I could have seen your presentation. I also would like to have heard the two Turkish ladies strut their stuff( Gosh! You have no idea how much I like this expression :-) ). Anyway, I think that the universe sends some kind of sign to us. However, we´re always so busy and concentrate in our own little world that we are most of time unaware to these signs. Now let me try the homework: 1- Yesterday post was read :-); 2- Lo and behold; You could have knocked me down with a feather; 3- "I gave a presentation at a teachers conference in Istanbul"; " they had to present their plans at a city meeting..."; I had planned this presentation back in June this year..."; "... at the beginning of my presentation..."; 4- Oh what a pity. I don´t have any story to share...; 5- Simon, the pictures are lovely. Your little gal is as cute as ever :-). Tchau, tchau meu amigo ;-), Ana Paula.
Hi Simon, the pictures are lovely. Especially the one with your baby. She's really a sweat little girl. I had some difficulty doing the homework. I couldn't do it very well, but here goes what I found: Expressions of surprise: "You could have knocked me down with a feather". words that collocate with present or presentation: to give a presentation. As for a time when I felt the universe was speaking to me, I felt this when I got sick for eating too much. I thought that was a sign for me to be more careful with what I ate. Well that's it. I hope it's not too bad. See you Simon. Bye.
Hi Simon , In my country , many guys say that : "god bless me " when they are in a lucky coincidence . At that moment , they take a look to the sky to hope one more luckiness .Well , it's time to overcome your challenges : - The phrases and sentences that used to express " surprise " : lo and behold , well you could have knocked me down with a feather ... - the words that collocate with "present" and "presentation" : give one presentation , plan one presentation . Some useful phrases : the goal of presentation ,at the beginning of presentation . - Actually , I have never been in this situation . I hope that I will have one to tell you soon . - What's a beautiful girl . I guess she is your river .
Hi Simon, How lovely your daughter is! The sentences you use to express "surprise" are :the guys turns in town to DJ on the same day, what do you think these kinds of coincidences. The words collocate with present and presentation are: gave a presentation, had planned this presentation, to present their plans. The useful phrases relating to presentation are: I had planned this presentation, I was giving my presentation, it gave me a good little story to tell at the beginning of my presentation.
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