It is amazing to see the

seasons changing, even

though some of us aren’t

looking forward to bad

weather.

Nevertheless, we have to

admit there is beauty in

autumn - all the colours

changing on the trees, the

days turning to nights a bit

faster...

This issue of

Sparkles© also brings

changes. We’ve decided it’

s time to devote more

space to culturally

important

topics and facts most of us

know little about in order

to expand our collective

general knowledge and to

influence our critical

thinking. It might even

help with civic education...

From now on, we will

bring to your attention

biographies of people

whose lives have

somehow changed the

world, starting with the

"Iron Lady". We will also

try to tackle different

issues of significance,

such as Human rights.

But not everything is

changing. As some things

in life are constant, so is

our primary goal to help

you learn and improve

both your English learning

and teaching skills.

So, kids, do try the tips on

taking your English to the

next level. And, dear

colleagues, check out what

makes a highly effective

teacher.

Have a great month, and

don’t forget to have fun

Trick or treating! ▪ M.I.

Did you know? - Margaret Thatcher MARGARET THATCHER (October 13, 1925 - April 8,

2013) was a British politician

who led the United Kingdom's Conservative Party from 1975

to 1990 and served as its first

female Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990. She was the

longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century

and is currently the only

woman to have held the office. A Soviet journalist called her

the "Iron Lady", a nickname

that became associated with her uncompromising and

unwavering politics and

leadership style. As Prime Minister, she implemented

policies that have come to be

known as Thatcherism. ▪ I.P.

“Where there is discord, may

we bring harmony. Where

there is error, may we bring

truth. Where there is doubt,

may we bring faith. And where

there is despair, may we bring

hope.”

Human rights 2

Lady Liberty 4

Telephoning 4

Work on your English 5

Crossword puzzle 6

SŠČ & WTD 7

Habits of highly

effective teachers

8

Inside this issue:

CONTRIBUTORS TO

THIS ISSUE:

Dario Vidić, High School Čazma

Once upon a time in October 1/10/1908 - Henry Ford's Model T, a "universal car" designed for the masses, went on sale for the first time.

1/10/1949 - The People's Republic of China was founded with Mao Zedong as Chairman.

3/10/1990 - After 45 years of Cold War division, East and West Germany were reunited as the Federal Republic of Germany.

4/10/1957 - The Space Age began as the Russians launched the first satellite into orbit.

9/10/1940 - John Lennon, a member of The Beatles, was born in Liverpool, England.

12/10/1492 - After a 33-day voyage, Christopher Columbus made his first landfall in the New World in the Bahamas.

13/10/1884 - Greenwich was established as the universal time from which standard times throughout the world are calculated.

14/10/1964 - Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

21/10/1805 - The Battle of Trafalgar took place between the British Royal Navy and the combined French and Spanish fleets.

24/10/1945 - The United Nations was founded.

28/10/1636 - Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher learning in America, was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

30/10/1938 - The War of the Worlds radio broadcast panicked millions of Americans. Orson Welles dramatized the H.G. Wells story

depicting a Martian invasion of New Jersey.

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

Changes… http://youtu.be/Cj25UpcBDt0

Issue 16/14 October 2014

“Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration

constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and

international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of

territories under their jurisdiction. “

THIS MONTH’S BUZZ

What are human rights? Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible. Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by law, in the forms of treaties, customary international law , general principles and other sources of international law. International human rights law lays down obligations of Governments to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or groups.

Universal and inalienable The principle of universality of human rights is the cornerstone of international human rights law. This principle, as first

emphasized in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948, has been reiterated in numerous international human rights conventions, declarations, and resolutions. The 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights, for example, noted that it is the

duty of States to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms, regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems. All States have ratified at least one, and 80% of States have ratified four or more, of the core human rights treaties,

reflecting consent of States which creates legal obligations for them and giving concrete expression to universality. Some fundamental human rights norms enjoy universal protection by customary international law across all boundaries and civilizations.

Human rights are inalienable. They should not be taken away, except in specific situations and according to due process. For example, the right to liberty may be restricted if a person is found guilty of a crime by a court of law.

Interdependent and indivisible All human rights are indivisible, whether they are civil and political rights, such as the right to life, equality before the law and freedom of expression; economic, social and cultural rights, such as the rights to work, social security and education , or collective rights, such as the rights to development and self-determination, are indivisible, interrelated and interdependent. The improvement of one right facilitates advancement of the others. Likewise, the deprivation of one right adversely affects the others.

Equal and non-discriminatory Non-discrimination is a cross-cutting principle in international human rights law. The principle is present in all the major human

rights treaties and provides the central theme of some of international human rights conventions such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination against Women. The principle applies to everyone in relation to all human rights and freedoms and it prohibits discrimination on the basis of a list of non-exhaustive categories such as sex, race, colour and so on. The principle of non-

discrimination is complemented by the principle of equality, as stated in Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”

Both Rights and Obligations Human rights entail both rights and obligations. States assume obligations and duties under international law to respect, to protect and to fulfil human rights. The obligation to respect means that States must refrain from interfering with or curtailing the enjoyment of human rights. The obligation to protect requires States to protect individuals and groups against human rights abuses. The obligation to fulfil means that States must take positive action to facilitate the enjoyment of basic human rights. At the individual level, while we are entitled our human rights, we should also respect the human rights of others.

BE SURE TO CHECK THESE OUT!

HUMAN RIGHTS

Page 2

The first draft of the Declaration was proposed in September 1948 with

over 50 Member States participating in the final drafting. By its

resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948, the General Assembly,

meeting in Paris, adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

with eight nations abstaining from the vote but none dissenting.

Page 3

THIS MONTH’S BUZZ

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the

UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948, was the result of the

experience of the Second World War. With the end of that war, and the

creation of the United Nations, the international community vowed

never again to allow atrocities like those of that conflict happen

again. World leaders decided to complement the UN Charter with a

road map to guarantee the rights of every individual everywhere. The

document they considered, and which would later become the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, was taken up at the first

session of the General Assembly in 1946. The Assembly reviewed this

draft Declaration on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms and

transmitted it to the Economic and Social Council "for reference to the

Commission on Human Rights for consideration . . . in its preparation

of an international bill of rights." The Commission, at its first session

early in 1947, authorized its members to formulate what it termed "a

preliminary draft International Bill of Human Rights". Later the work

was taken over by a formal drafting committee, consisting of members

of the Commission from eight States, selected with due regard for

geographical distribution.

The Commission on Human Rights was made up of 18 members from

various political, cultural and religious backgrounds. Eleanor

Roosevelt, widow of American President Franklin D. Roosevelt,

chaired the UDHR drafting committee. With her were René Cassin of

France, who composed the first draft of the Declaration, the Committee

Rapporteur Charles Malik of Lebanon, Vice-Chairman Peng Chung

Chang of China, and John Humphrey of Canada, Director of the UN’s

Human Rights Division, who prepared the Declaration’s blueprint. But

Mrs. Roosevelt was recognized as the driving force for the

Declaration’s adoption.

The entire text of the UDHR was composed in less than two years. At a

time when the world was divided into Eastern and Western blocks,

finding a common ground on what should make the essence of the

document proved to be a colossal task.

In 1950, on the second anniversary of the adoption of

the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, students

at the UN International Nursery School in New York viewed a poster of the historic document. After

adopting it on December 10, 1948, the UN General

Assembly had called upon all Member States to

publicize the text of the Declaration and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded

principally in schools and other educational

institutions, without distinction based on the political

status of countries or territories." (UN Photo)

On October 28, 1886 the Statue of Liberty, a monument

symbolising the United States, was dedicated near the

entrance to New York City harbour. The statue was a gift

from the people of France commemorating the French-

American alliance during the American Revolutionary War.

The entire structure stands 92.9 meters tall, representing a

woman wearing a stola, a crown and sandals, trampling a

broken chain, and with a torch in her raised right hand and a

tablet, where the date of the Declaration of Independence

JULY IV MDCCLXXVI is written, in her left hand. The

pedestal contains the words from Emma Lazarus' sonnet,

New Colossus: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled

masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your

teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" The statue welcomes

visitors, immigrants, and returning Americans travelling by

ship. ▪ I.P.

Page 4

OCTOBER TRIVIA

STUDENTS’ CORNER

CHECK IT OUT! Have you heard this? Have you seen this? Have you read this?

Maroon 5 “V”

The fifth studio album by American pop rock band Maroon 5 aptly named “Five”,

was released on August 29, 2014. The

album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 164,000

copies in the first week. The first single “Maps”, was released on June 16 and

immediately peaked on the Top 20 lists

in several countries. On August 22, “Animals” was released, and the video

has shocked anyone with a weaker stomach. “It Was Always You” was

released as the album's promotional

single and has brought us to our knees. It received mixed

reviews, but is

generally liked by Maroon 5’s most

faithful fans. Definitely worth

listening! ▪ M.I.

The Giver

The haunting story centres on Jonas, a young man who lives in a seemingly

perfect community. Yet he is chosen to

learn about the true pain and pleasure of the "real" world and as he begins to

spend time with The Giver, who is the sole keeper of all the community's

memories, Jonas quickly begins to

discover the dark and deadly truths of his community's secret past. With this

newfound power of knowledge, he realizes that the stakes

are higher than

imagined... And if you don't find the plot

intriguing enough, have

a look at the cast - a perfect mix of youth

and experience. ▪ I.P.

David Mitchell, The Bone Clocks

Although published less than a month ago, Mitchell's sixth novel has already

been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2014. It tells a story of a fifteen-

year-old Holly Sykes, who, following a

scalding row with her mother, slams the door on her old life. But Holly is no

typical teenage runaway: a sensitive child once contacted by voices she knew

only as “the radio people,” Holly is a

lightning rod for psychic phenomena. The novel is a

marvellous

combination of elements of a thriller,

horror and fantasy. If you liked the Cloud

Atlas, you'll love this

one. ▪ I.P.

LANGUAGE TITBITS

Page 5

TAKE YOUR ENGLISH TO THE NEXT LEVEL - QUICKLY & EASILY! Have you ever wondered why some of your colleagues seem to master English

without breaking a sweat while you need to study for hours upon end?

Well, most of them do something related to

learning English every day... and it is not doing homework...

Here are five tricks successful language learners do on a daily basis. ▪ I.P.

1. Listening to Music has more

benefits than you're probably aware

of. While putting on some tunes with

lyrics in whatever language you’re

learning, you'll practice your listening

and comprehension skills which

means you'll learn how to understand

what you hear. Also, if you choose

the songs you like, you'll learn them

by heart and sing them, boosting your

speaking abilities.

5. Writing can help you improve your

spelling and grammar and your ability

to use both to clearly communicate

ideas. Of course, it doesn't mean you

have to write lengthy essays (though it

couldn’t hurt!), but taking the time

each day to write a bit will greatly

improve your language skills. It can be

a to-do list, a note to yourself or a few

lines from the song you've heard. All

in all, a simple tweak to your daily

routine to include more language

immersion can help make the process

easier and far more enjoyable.

4. Talking to Yourself may sound

odd and be interpreted as a symptom

of being crazy, but have no worries.

Successful foreign language learners

do this often. One of the most

important components in learning a

language is being able to speak. But if

you’re in a country where this

language is spoken, speaking to

someone isn’t always an option -

talking to yourself is often the only

choice. Whatever you choose to talk to

yourself about, doing it in another

language will take it to another level.

2. Reading the News may sound like

the least interesting thing to do but,

besides boosting your reading

comprehension and learning new

words, you'll also learn something

about the culture which is a big part

of learning a foreign country’s

language. This is important because it

helps you get a deeper understanding

of the language, and not just the

grammar and pronunciation.

3. Watching Films is something you

probably do every day anyway.

Watching a film in a foreign language

is a great way to improve your

listening and comprehension skills. At

first, it'll probably help if you upload

subtitles - but not in your mother

tongue! That way you'll be reading the

lines and listening to them at the same

time. You’ll gain a host of language

learning benefits while sitting on the

couch with a bowl of popcorn.

STUDENTS’ CORNER

Page 6

Do you like doing

crossword puzzles? Here's

the one closely connected to

something happening in

October. Perhaps you’ve

seen it published on our

Facebook page and you

already know the final

solution. If not, enjoy doing

it and don’t forget to post

comments on our post on

https://www.facebook.com/

Sparkles.newsletter. Hint -

there is a final solution, a

phrase made of highlighted

letters. Good luck!

LET'S TRY THIS

CONGRATS TO MARINA TADEJ, 1.C FROM HIGH SCHOOL ČAZMA, WHO WAS THE FIRST TO SEND HER ANSWERS!

The history of high school education in Čazma starts in 1964

even though there was no high

school in the traditional

meaning. Gimnazija Bjelovar

opened a department in Čazma,

with their teachers having

classes in both towns. Such

practice went on until 1978.

Altogether some 250 students

attended classes and received

high school diploma. At the

same time, a large number of

students enrolled at various

vocational programmes and

studied to become car

mechanics, smiths, plumbers,

whitesmiths, machinists etc.

After that, due to changes in the educational system, the

school got a new name (Centar za usmjereno obrazovanje)

and offered programmes related to

traffic, engineering and agriculture

which were now independent from

Bjelovar and functioned as a

proper high school in Čazma. The

biggest problem, due to a number

of students who attended (around

400 per year), was space and

equipment. The new building,

mostly thanks to the headmaster

Željko Kralj, was built in the 1990s

and since 1999/2000 the school has

been located in Livadarska Street.

To commemorate its 50th

anniversary, High school Čazma

made a millennium photography. ▪

I.P.

Page 7

ČAZMA HIGH SCHOOL

NEWS FROM SCHOOLS

World Teachers' Day, held annually in over 100

countries on October 5th since 1994,

commemorates teachers’ organizations

worldwide. Its aim is to mobilize support for

teachers and to ensure that the needs of future

generations will continue to be met by teachers.

According to UNESCO, World Teachers' Day

represents a significant token of the awareness,

understanding and appreciation displayed for the

vital contribution that teachers make to education

and development.

2014 World Teachers' Day is observed under the

motto Invest in the future, invest in teachers.

Celebrations will be taking various forms - while

some countries organize special CPD sessions,

others invite the whole population to take part by

saying thank you to the teachers who have

inspired them and sharing stories of life lessons

they have learnt at school. There will also be

some nonconventional events like a Selfie with

your Teacher Competition and Hug your Teacher

Day.

Teachers do an incredibly important job, many

working in difficult conditions and with limited

resources. Wherever you are on October 5,

whatever you do, take a minute of two of your

time and say a quiet thank you to the very best

teacher that influenced you – almost everyone

will have someone that springs to mind. ▪ I.P.

WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY

The main variable in classroom performance is not students. It’s not parents.

It’s not the principal or the board of education. It is the teacher. The most important factor contributing to student success is the effectiveness of

instruction. It is unreasonable to expect excellence from our students unless we know

what excellence actually looks like. Let’s see what habits highly effective teachers have

that we could all benefit from accepting to achieve excellence as professionals.

Highly effective teachers...

1) take a wider view of student success. Outstanding teachers know that the purpose of school isn’t solely students’ academic

performance but also to do well in life. A practical vision of schooling makes it

difficult to justify students mindlessly learning irrelevant facts, thoughtlessly

completing word searches or robotically memorizing material in a textbook when such

activities have little to do with real-world challenges. Do whatever you can to make sure your lessons have real-life value so your students can take with them something

they actually need.

2) recognize instruction as a performance. At some level, teaching is a sales job, meaning how lessons are “sold” is as important as

the product itself. It doesn’t really matter how hard teachers work and how many

degrees they hold. If instructional delivery is boring, students are unlikely to make

intellectual “purchases” during the lesson. Students are unlikely to learn if not engaged,

so try out different strategies to improve your instructional delivery and, most

importantly, always know what you're talking about.

3) internalize personal accountability. The very best teachers do far more than perform. They internalize lofty performance

standards for themselves. Master teachers focus on what they can always control — their own actions – and feel personally responsible for student learning, and their

mantra of “If they fail, I fail” is simple yet powerful. Whatever the challenge, both

students and teachers will more likely persevere if they feel an increased sense of

personal responsibility and control. Do not be quick to deflect accountability or rationalize inadequacy by focusing on personal efforts rather than on student results.

4) understand student motivation. The fact is that most students are motivated to learn — especially when it comes to

reciting sports statistics, recalling song lyrics or vanquishing foes in video games. Yet they may be disinterested in learning what you are trying to teach them. Excellent

teachers use instructional strategies that overcome such lethargy by focusing on

learning’s essential motivating factors of do-ability and importance. To foster learning,

tasks must be both doable and important. If either factor is absent, little or no effort will be made, no matter how much of the other variable is present. The reason is simple. If

tasks are doable but perceived as unimportant, few people will expend energy on such

“trivial” pursuits. And if assignments are important but not seen as doable, most people

will give up rather than struggle with “impossible” undertakings.

5) are continually focused on instructional improvement. The best teachers have an insatiable appetite both for good student results and for their

own learning. This is so because they realize the more they learn, the more they

recognize their own ignorance. They are driven to continually challenge past practices, try new approaches and always do what is right for kids. They attend in-service

presentations hoping to pick up even one idea leading to improved pedagogy. On the

other hand, weak instructors view staff development much as disruptive students view

substitute teachers. With a smug “You can’t teach me anything” mind-set, these inert educators attend conferences doing crossword puzzles, reading the screens of their

handhelds or grading papers. Schools would be transformed if all educators accepted

full responsibility for instructional results, if new approaches were considered with an

open mind and if decisions were based on their benefit to kids rather than on avoiding difficulty for themselves. Too many working in a profession dedicated to improving the

world for future generations remain in an underperforming past. Continuing to do what

they have always done, they ensure the poor results they have always achieved. ▪ M.I.

HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS

TEACHERS’ CORNER

PERSONAL QUALITIES EVERY

EFFECTIVE TEACHER POSESSES:

EENJOYSNJOYS TTEACHINGEACHING MMAKESAKES AA DDIFFERENCEIFFERENCE

SSPREADSPREADS PPOSITIVITYOSITIVITY GGETSETS PPERSONALERSONAL

GGIVESIVES 100% 100% SSTAYSTAYS OORGANIZEDRGANIZED

IISS OOPENPEN--MMINDEDINDED HHASAS SSTANDARDSTANDARDS

FFINDSINDS IINSPIRATIONNSPIRATION EEMBRACESMBRACES CCHANGEHANGE

CCREATESREATES RREFLECTIONSEFLECTIONS

CPD in ten minutes or less

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/25-things-

successful-teachers-do-differently/

Though this article by Julie DuNeen really fits into a

ten-minute-CPD session (wherever you are - there is a

mobile version J), it will probably make you think

and re-examine some of the things you're doing in the

classroom. Ms DuNeen explains 25 things successful

educators do differently and actually reach their

students. ▪ I.P.

Have you tried...?

Yes, we all know it is 2014 and both students and teachers prefer using technology, but it

doesn't mean some good old-fashioned ways should be forgotten. One way to learn is to

remember things unintentionally, on the go. Classroom posters can be of great use here

because students look at them all the time. Of course, it is not enough just to ask your

students to make them and put them on display. Why not turn it into a project? Think

about different aspects of vocabulary or syntax your students struggle with. Help them

make a poster that deals with the problem but ask them to come up different examples

every week. Idiom of the week poster is just an idea. A vindicated one, though. ▪ I.P.