A BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY

The thirteenth issue of Sparkles© is in front of you. Though we are not superstitious, nor afraid it will be an unlucky one, it does come in the month that leaves bitter taste in our mouth - in May, the month when our seniors leave school. After three or four years of living and growing up together, the time has come to say goodbyes. Students face graduation and officially becoming adults while teachers wait for a new generation that will take their place. Not an easy task for anyone. So, among other things, namely Europe Day, the language of flowers and news from schools, in this Sparkles© edition we wrote about things seniors should know and which are not usually taught at school. We'd like to give them a few more pieces of advice before they go - like telling them You’re not a failure if you don’t make

it. You’re a success because you tried. (Susan Jeffers), Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm. (Winston Churchill) and Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. (Albert Einstein). Very soon they will find out that education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten (B.F. Skinner) and realize it is not filling a bucket but lighting a fire (William Butler Yeats). We hope Sparkles© has done its fair share of setting the spark. Finally, not just to all the seniors but to everyone else as well; we hope your dreams take you to the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities and to the most special places your heart has ever known. See you again in June. ▪ I. P.

DID YOU KNOW - MAY DAY

When it comes to a holiday celebrating the economic and social achievements of workers, there are two dates which come to mind, depending which part of the world you live in. The US and Canada celebrate it in September and call it Labor Day. However, in the majority of countries there is an annual holiday celebrated on May 1, and it is popularly known as International Workers' Day. The celebration of International Workers' Day has its origins in the Eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. The 8-hour movement culminated in Chicago, in the strike on May First, 1886, forming by itself a glorious chapter in the fighting history of the American working class. The date is thus chosen to commemorate the event. The holiday has eventually become internationalised and several countries hold multi-day celebrations including parades, shows and other patriotic and labour-oriented events. ▪ I. P.

The Meaning of

Flowers

2

Europe Day 3

Farewell Seionrs 4

Let’s try this 6

News from schools 7

Dealing with

Burnout

8

Inside this issue:

Issue 13/14

May 2014

CONTRIBUTORS

TO THIS ISSUE:

Ivan Lukovečki, cartoon artist Dario Vidić, High School Čazma

Monthly newsletter for and by English learners and teachers

Editors:

Maja Ivanović, prof. Komercijalna i trgovačka škola Bjelovar

Irena Pavlović, prof. mentor Srednja škola Čazma

email: sparkles.newsletter@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sparkles.newsletter

Page 2

ROSES

There is no flower that has been revered

and celebrated as much as rose. Roses are

the definitive symbol of love and

appreciation, coveted through the ages for

their simple beauty and intoxicating

fragrance. There’s no better way to send a

heartfelt message than with the classic rose,

just bear in mind that different colours send

different messages.

Long associated with beauty and perfection,

red roses are a time-honoured way to say

“I love you.” Whatever the occasion, there’s

no better way than a bouquet of red roses

to express your feelings. The pink rose, as a

classic symbol of grace and elegance, is

often given as a token of admiration and

appreciation. White roses are traditionally

associated with marriages and new begin-

nings, but their quiet beauty has also made

them a gesture of remembrance. With their

blazing energy, orange roses are the wild

child of the rose family. Whatever feelings

you might be bubbling over with -

enthusiasm, passion or gratitude - orange

roses will get the message across. Yellow

roses are a traditional symbol of friendship

so when it comes to sending a joyful

message, yellow roses are the best choice.

THIS MONTH’S BUZZ -- THE MEANING OF FLOWERS

May is the one true spring month, with everything in full bloom. This is probably the reason why different cultures have days and even weeks dedicated to flowers all throughout May. As always, we're trying to be up-to-date...

Flowers have a language of their own. They can express every sentiment you can think of and send powerful messages, speaking volumes

instead of you. What is more, as one leading psychologist said flowers are a perfect replica of human life ... planting... growth...bloom... withering.

CARNATIONS

As one of the most popular flowers in

the world, the carnation is widely

appreciated and enjoyed. Carnations

are available in a variety of colours

and are generally symbolic of love and

fascination. Different messages can also

be expressed with the flower’s different

colour varieties. Light red carnations

are often used to convey admiration,

whereas the dark red version expresses

deeper sentiments of love and

affection. White carnations are

associated with purity and luck, and

pink carnations are often given as a

sign of gratitude. Carnations are the

official flower of Mother’s Day and

International Women's Day.

GERBERA DAISIES

Distinguished by their large, beautiful

blooms and wide assortment of vibrant

colours, gerbera daisies have become a

favourite flower choice for expressing

cheerful sentiments. The traditional flower

meanings are beauty and innocence but it

can also mean purity, and cheerfulness.

These large daisy variations come in a

number of vibrant colours and sending them

is the perfect way to brighten someone’s

day.

IRIS FLOWERS

Few other flowers can match the elegant

beauty of the iris. Representing faith,

hope and wisdom, the iris is a flower that

can be used for many different occasions.

While it is most known for its distinctive

blue varieties, the iris can also be found in

other colours and bear additional

meanings as well.

SUNFLOWERS

With their bright yellow petals spreading from their centre,

sunflowers not only resemble the sun, they will also turn to

face the sun as the day progresses. Gifts of radiant

warmth, sunflowers are the happiest of flowers, and their

meanings include loyalty and longevity. No flower can lift

spirits quite like sunflowers can. Bright and cheery, bold yet

comfortable, the sunflower is a warm and caring gift.

TULIPS

With their flower meaning being perfect love,

tulips can impart a sense of grace and

elegance. Still, they are a comfortable flower

choice. They are not too romantic, too big or

too bright; they are just right. They are like a

favourite pair of jeans or your mom’s

fresh-baked cookies in that the meanings of

tulips express genuine cosiness and comfort in

all of the right ways. ▪ I.P.

ORCHIDS

With an exotic appearance, orchids have

come to represent rare and delicate beauty.

Those seeking to make a lasting impression

with a unique flower have found the orchid

to be a perfect choice. Although they are of

the largest flowering plant families, orchids

have always carried an impression of rarity

and have consequently become a sign of

luxury and refined tastes.

"Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a

single plan. It will be built through concrete

achievements which first create a de facto solidarity."

~Robert Schuman~

Page 3 THIS MONTH’S BUZZ -- EUROPE DAY

May 9th – European Union's birthday - Celebrating the creation of the European Union

"World peace cannot be safeguarded without the

making of creative efforts proportionate to the

dangers which threaten it."

~Robert Schuman~

9 May is celebrated in various forms in most member

states of the European Union and EU candidate

countries. The purpose of the day is to teach and

share information about the EU and to speak in

favour of European integration.

Despite a preference for 9 May, with the European

Union's greater visibility, 5 May is still observed by

some Europeans due to the Council's role in seeking to

defend human rights, parliamentary democracy, and

the rule of law. Ukraine, since 2003, celebrates

Europe Day on the third Saturday of May.

Europe Day is celebrated under a different motto

evey year and, every year, the poster that best

captures the idea of the EU is selected to represent

Europe Day. Here are some of the posters from the

previous years.

Europe Day commemorates 9 May 1950, when the

then French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman

presented his proposal on the creation of an

organised Europe, to help maintain peaceful relations

between European countries. This proposal, known as

the 'Schuman declaration', is considered to be the act

that created what is now the European Union.

"We do not need magic to

change the world, we carry

all the power we need inside

ourselves already: we have

the power to imagine better.”

~JK Rowling~

"Share your sparkle

wherever you are."

~Dodinsky~

“Be who you are and say

what you feel, because those

who mind don't matter and

those who matter don't

mind.”

~Dr. Seuss~

"Your time is limited, so

don't waste it living someone

else's life. Don't let the noise

of others' opinions drown

out your own inner voice.

And most important, have

the courage to follow your

heart and intuition."

~Steve Jobs~

“As long as you’re going to be

thinking anyway, think big.”

~Donald Trump~

“Education is an admirable

thing, but it is well to

remember from time to time

that nothing worth knowing

can be taught.”

~Oscar Wilde~

“There are no rules of architecture for a castle in

the clouds.” ~ G. K. Chesterton~

Page 4 STUDENTS’ CORNER

Career Possibilities

Learn as much as you can about career

opportunities in fields you're passionate

about. Try to make a link between your

passion and a position - it will make it

easier to find a job or choose a field to

study.

Overseas Options If you don't feel like studying anymore,

you might wish to put off college in

favour of experiencing a foreign culture

through time spent abroad. Find

information about opportunities to

spend some time abroad.

Choosing Where to Study Of course, when considering going to

university, most students worry about

available majors. However, the school’s

academic reputation in the professional

world is also an important factor to take

into consideration. The same degree from

different universities may be perceived

differently by potential employers.

Financial Obligations One of the things the world of adulthood

brings is managing your finances. High

school graduates should know the ins and

outs of balancing their bank statements,

planning a monthly personal expenses

budget and managing credit card

accounts. Unfortunately, that's not

taught in school, so make sure you learn

it in time.

Adult Accountability Yes, being an adult is great - you are

finally free to do whatever you want.

However, the freedom you'll have after

high school comes with the price of a

greater accountability for your actions.

Think about alcohol abuse, drunk driving,

drug usage and sexual activity. These

temptations are something you'll have to

deal with on your own.

Life Skills Moving away from home means you will

no longer have a parent around to make

your meals or do your laundry. While

academics are important, as seniors you

should also know the basic skills needed

to maintain your personal health and

hygiene.▪ I.P.

Personal Passions Knowing your personal passion helps you

find career paths to which you can happily

devote your entire life. If you still haven't

done this, it’s high time to take a hard

look at your true passions, whether

academic subjects, extracurricular

activities or an outside interest.

With graduation approaching, most high school graduates feel there is

nothing more to life than choosing a university to

attend or finding a job. However, there is more to it... So, here are seven

things seniors should know when planning their future.

A Slap on the Wrist

This idiom refers to a

very mild punishment. To

be slapped on the wrist

doesn’t hurt much; it is

more of a warning and

should be a deterrent

from misbehaving again.

Page 5

Bite Your Tongue!

Gently stick your tongue between your

teeth and try to speak. You can’t say a

word, can you? To bite one’s tongue

means to stay quiet: literally to hold the

tongue still so it can’t make a sound. This

goes along with the next idiom...

Put a Sock in It

The idea behind this is that if you stuffed

a sock in your mouth, you’d be quiet… so

if you tell someone to “put a sock in it”,

you’re telling them to shut up.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

If a couple of dogs had been fighting

and are now sleeping peacefully, it’s best

to just leave them alone. The idea behind

this one is to avoid bringing up old

arguments so they’ll just be argued about

again.

Foam at the Mouth

This idiom describes what a rabid dog

whose mouth is foamy as he jumps

around like crazy and tries to bite peo-

ple does. So, this means to hiss and

snarl in anger.

LANGUAGE TITBITS

To honour Star Wars Day , which is an unofficial holiday for Star Wars fans to

celebrate the franchise's films series, books, and culture on May 4, Sparkles©

would like to recommend the Saga for you to watch, if there are still those

who haven’t seen it.

Star Wars is a film series consisting of two trilogies created by George

Lucas. The first film in the series - Star Wars (or later named Episode IV: A

New Hope) - was originally released in 1977, and became a worldwide pop

culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels - The Empire Strikes Back and

Return of the Jedi - released at three-year intervals. Sixteen years after the

release of the trilogy's final film, the new prequel trilogy of films was

released - Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Episode II: Attack of the Clones

and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The three prequel films were also

released at three-year intervals, with the final film of the trilogy released in

2005. Episode VII: The Ancient Fear is scheduled to be released in 2015.

Starred by many extremely popular actors like Harrison Ford, Ewan

McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Carrie Fisher Keira Knightley,

Samuel L. Jackson and Liam Neeson, the series have gained a cult status and

gathered numerous fans from all over the globe.

The Star Wars Saga is one of the most known SF stories of all time and

references to it can be found everywhere in popular culture - films, series,

books and songs. ▪ M.I.

CHECK IT OUT!

THE STAR WARS SAGA

Page 6 LET'S TRY THIS Good films are almost always inspiring and, just like books, can sometimes change us and get to us more that we thought

is possible. Some of them stay with us forever. Here is a selection of ten film quotes Sparkles finds the most memorable and

most influential. Check out our Facebook polls and tell us what you think.

Harry Potter: “It takes a great deal of bravery to

stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to

stand up to your friends”

Arguably one of the wisest men in film history, Albus

Dumbledore hit the nail on the head; sometimes you

have to stick to what you believe in even if your own

friends think you’re in the wrong.

Casablanca: “Of all the

gin joints, in all the

towns, in all the world,

she walks into mine”

Rick tells the world that

love will find you, no

matter where you are.

Dirty Dancing: “I’m scared of everything. I’m scared of what I saw. I’m

scared of what I did, of who I am…. and most of all, I’m scared of walking

out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel

when I’m with you.”

This epic love story proves that life can throw you through a loop sometimes,

but what doesn’t kill you will always make you stronger. Live for yourself, for

the moment and no matter what, love the way it makes you feel! ▪ I.P.

The Hunger Games: “May the odds be ever

in your favour”

This is a very dramatic statement by which

the people of the districts in The Hunger

Games are wished luck to each other. It

became the motto of a generation since it

really is quite meaningful - who wants to

lose against destiny?

Forrest Gump: “Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates.

You never know what you’re gonna get”

Who could forget Forrest Gump? This film is abundant with inspiring

thoughts and this one has become one of the most notorious ever. The

variety of life might keep us guessing, but it sure is sweet!

Rocky: "Nobody is gonna hit as hard as life, but

it ain’t how hard you can hit. It’s how hard you

can get hit and keep moving forward. It’s how

much you can take, and keep moving forward.

That’s how winning’s done."

Yup, life isn't easy. We have to fight for what we

want every day and accept the fact that we can't

always get it. However, it cannot be an excuse for

quitting.

The Wizard of Oz: “There’s no place like home”

Who can deny the hook line “there’s no place like

home”? This film showed us all that no matter

where you find beauty, love and friendship in the

world, your home will always be your home.

The Dead Poets Society: “Carpe diem. Seize the day,

boys. Make your lives extraordinary”

If ever there was a movie quote to live by, this is it!

Nobody could have said it better: seize the day and

make the most of every moment!

Disney’s The Lion King: “Oh yes, the

past can hurt, but you can either run

from it, or learn from it”

This cartoon is iconic in so many ways,

but its beauty really does lie in the

script. When you can learn something

from a painful situation, it gives it

meaning.

Star Wars: “May the Force be

with you”

The most notorious Star Wars

quote in the galaxy is

poignant, inspiring and just a

little bit charming. If we all

wished each other good will

like this every day, the world

would be a happier place!

Page 7 NEWS FROM SCHOOLS

It doesn't always have to be Čazma...

High school Čazma is the place where BBŽ country

meetings are usually held simply because I (Irena

Pavlović), the teacher trainer responsible for organizing

them, work there. However, if for whatever reason you

and your headmasters feel we should have a meeting

somewhere else, just let me know - I'll gladly accept your

invitation.

The twenty-fourth county meeting that took place during

students' spring break was held in Daruvar. Dinka

Ivanović, the headmaster of School of Economics and

Tourism kindly invited us while Tanja Čarapović, Romana

Gašpar and Anita Ružić - the teachers who work there

made sure that we feel like home. As it most often is the

case, the meeting was useful, informative and fun. Silvije

Devald talked about eTwinning and helped us set up our

profiles. Besides fantastic cakes, Tanja shared a few

ideas on how to use Facebook in the classroom and

Romana presented their latest Comenius project My

heritage, your holiday. I talked about integrating civic

education into EFL classroom and we discussed some of

the problems we come across every day. All in all, a very

nice day and a road trip for some who hadn't been to

Daruvar before. ▪ I.P.

We did it again! - EP elections

After last year's mock elections for the European Parliament which

were recognized as one of the best civic education projects in 2013,

students from High school Čazma once again chose their MEPs.

This year's elections were more thoroughly prepared than the last

ones. In their free time students took part in a couple of workshops to

learn as much as there is to learn about the Europarl, Croatian politi-

cal parties and EP coalitions, as well as characteristics and compe-

tences of quality MEPs. The elections took place on April 28th, and

all four candidates were female: Paula Husnik and Ivana Krištofec

(3rd year technical school) and Lea Matošević and Lucija Piršljin (4th

year grammar school). Each candidate had a team of assistants. The

moderator of the debate was Nives Vinceković, while the elections

committee was composed by Marija Jurina, Nives Pleše and Josipa

Salaj. There were also a few journalists asking tough questions. The

voters were students and teachers and one real MP - professor

Vanja Posavac who came to our school to support the project. Make

sure to visit High school Čazma website to see the photos and find

out who won the elections. ▪ I.P.

The first grade students of Commercial and Trade School Bjelovar

spent their spring break watching films. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Well,

it most definitely is! They had the task of watching an SF film and

preparing a presentation for class. It was all about getting to know

the genre and some of the cult films that belong to it, like Star Wars,

2012, War of the Worlds, E.T, Artificial Intelligence, I, Robot, The

Matrix and so on. We all had a great time watching the films and

seeing students present their work. It was a great opportunity for

them to read, listen to, write and speak English but also to broaden

their horizons culturally and expand their general knowledge. ▪ M.I.

The Worlds of the future - on the Big Screen

Dealing with Burnout

TEACHERS’ CORNER Page 8

It is well known that teaching can be a very stressful job - according to some

statistics, it is in the top ten for the most stressful careers that people can

have. It's easy to see why this is so, but what can be done about it? Instead

of leaving a career that you love, here are a few tips that can help combat

burnout.

1. Take some “me time” each day to do something for yourself. Whatever it

is, all you need is about 30 minutes to an hour to rejuvenate each day.

2. Limit what work you bring home, not every waking moment needs to be

dedicated to your career. Choose a reasonable time to stay after school to

prep, grade or get organized. Whatever you don’t finish, put it off before

or after school the next day.

3. Connect with your fellow teachers and lean on them because they know

what it’s like to be and feel burned out. Take some time to pick their brain

and see what they do to combat teacher burnout.

4. Network with teachers online - many moonlight as bloggers to help out

their fellow teachers and share lessons and ideas. These sites tend to be

positive and motivating and you can vent your problems/ask other readers

for help.

5. Try taking a new professional course, go to a workshop, or find another

way to interact with adults. You are with children all day long and in need

of some adult conversation. Interaction with other adults will help alleviate

some stress.

6. Distance yourself from the negativity, avoiding negative colleagues and

professional events that are going to bring you down. ▪ I.P.

Have you tried...Different methods of error correction

All of us know more than well there are many ways to correct students when

they make a mistake. The most straightforward one is to provide the correct

answer - be the mistake grammatical, lexical, phonological or an answer to an

activity question. However, this may not be the most effective in terms of

potential learning yield. If you are told something, it is very easy to forget it

again. Guiding learners to the correct answer, rather than simply providing it,

increases their cognitive engagement and makes the learning more memorable.

Which method to use for correction depends on several factors but it is useful

to keep this fact in mind.

CPD in 10 minutes or less

David and Ben Crystal made a ten-minute video showing us what English

sounded like as it was pronounced at the time Shakespeare's plays were written

and first performed. Here's the link to the entire article, with video embedded

inside.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/52650/what-shakespeare-plays-originally-

sounded