21 Days in Colombia

This being my twenty-first day in Colombia I thought it proper to write about this wonderful country.

The Republic of Colombia is located in the northwest of the continent of South America. It has borders with Panama on the northwest, Venezuela on the east, Peru, Ecuador and Brazil on the South.  The national language of Colombia is Spanis, although in the islands of San Andres, Catalina, and Providencia English, Spanish, and Creole is spoken.

Colombia was colonized by the Spanish in 1499, before then Colombia was an area inhabited by indigenous tribes known as the Kogi, the Tairona, and Muisca.  Colombia won its independence from Spain in 1819, but it’s new government was not very effective and it lost  two important territories, what is presently known as Venezuela and Ecuador.  In 1903 it lost what is present day Panama. The Republic of Colombia has a president that is elected by the people, the current president is Juan Manuel Santos.  The presidential palace is located in the capital of Colombia, known as Bogota.  Colombia has 32 departments (or what we would call states) and each department has a governor and an assembly.

Present day Colombia has a population of approximately 48,000,000 people.  The population is very diverse 86% consider themselves Mestizos (a mix of Europen and Indian) 10.6% black, and 3.4% Amerindian.  When the Spaniards colonized Colombia, the indigenous people suffered and many died. Those that survived are the Tairona, the Kogi, the Wayuu, and the Muisca.

The geography of Colombia is as diverse as its people.  Colombia has six natural regions:  the Amazon rainforest, the Pacific and Coastal mountain ranges, the desert area of La Guajira, and insular areas consisting of islands in the Pacific and Caribbean. Moreover, Colombia has areas that are considered that are considered so geographically diverse that UNESCO has declared them World Heritage sites.  One of these is the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia is one of the most symbolic landscapes of all Colombia The Coffee Cultural Landscape includes parts of the departments of Quindío, Risaralda, Caldas and Valle del Cauca.  The islands of Providence, San Andres and Santa Catalina are a protected marine biosphere due to the variety of marine life found nowhere else on earth.

Colombia has a high biodiversity, with the highest rate of species by area unit worldwide and it has the largest number of endemisms (species that are not found naturally anywhere else) of any country. About 10% of the species of the Earth live in Colombia, including over 1,900 species of bird, more than in Europe and North America combined, Colombia has 10% of the world’s mammals species, 14% of the amphibian species and 18% of the bird species of the world.

While all of these are very positive facts about Colombia, it continues to have a bad image around the world.  Unfortunately, due to the high demand for cocaine by countries such as the United States and the European countries, Colombia was once the largest cocaine producing country in the world.  This lead to severe violence and an estimated 6,000,000 people displaced or lost their homes.  Colombia has come a very long way from its dark past, it still has problems with some factions of the paramilitaries, however, the government and the paramilitaries are engaged in peace talks with a hopeful resolution of peace once and for all.

 

Currency Exchange a math lesson / Cambio de moneda Una lección de matemáticas

Prior to traveling if one is going to another country, it is always good to get some of that country’s currency to have on hand.  Currency, what is that word?  Currency is money in any form in use in a particular country.  Here in the United States we use the U.S. Dollar, in Mexico the currency is the Mexican Peso, in Japan their currency is called the Japanese Yen, and in France their currency is called the Euro. Each country has its own currency that is used in that country unless they have formed a economic union like some countries in Europe which belong to the Euro Zone. Currency can be a funny thing, while those pictures above look like an awful lot of money it really isn’t.  The value of the currency depends upon its strength/health and power.

The currency’s strength and power are based on how good or bad that country’s economy is.  What is an economy? A country’s economy is the way a country manages its money and resources (such as workers and land) to produce, buy, and sell goods and services. Goods are products like cars, computers, or even corn. Services are duties performed by one person for another, such as teaching and transportation. The United States has a free-market economy. That means people can freely buy and trade goods and services. The price of each good or service is determined not by the government but by demand. Demand is a measure of how many people want to buy a particular good or service. In a healthy/strong economy, demand for goods and services if high. Businesses succeed as they work to keep up with that demand. In a weak economy, demand is low and businesses suffer or fail.

So now let’s move back to explaining about why that picture above isn’t an awful lot of money.  So in order to travel to a foreign country one has to exchange one currency for another.  That means that you go to a bank or currency exchange office and ask to exchange U.S. Dollars for that country’s currency.  In this case, the exchange was $160 U.S. Dollars for $376,000 Colombian Pesos.  It seems like a lot of money, but then again one has to look at the exchange rate.  What is an exchange rate? An exchange rate  represents the relative price of two currencies and the exchange rate states how many units of one currency you need to buy one unit of another currency.   So what does all that mean?  It means that when one goes to buy Colombian pesos (COP) using United States Dollars (USD), since the dollar is stronger than the peso you will get what seems like a lot more money.  The exchange rate lists $1.00 USD = $2,612 COP.  But is it really a lot more money, no not at all because you have to see what is the price of goods and services in the currency’s economy.

Here is where the math lesson comes in:  $160 USD x $2,612 COP would really be equal to $418,040 COP.  However, that is not the rate one gets when exchanging money, just like any business the currency exchange or bank exists to make money or a profit.  The amount that I received from exchanging $160 USD into Colombian Pesos was $376,000.  Remember that profit is the money that is left over after a business owner has paid for their operating expenses.  Expenses such as rent, electricity bills, health insurance for its workers, supplies, etc.  So the business has to charge something out of the exchange of money in order to make a profit.  The bank or currency exchange kept $42,040 COP again that seems like an awful lot of money but let’s put it into US Dollars, it is $16.09.  $42,040 COP = $16.09 USD.  It takes $42,040 Colombian Pesos to make only $16.09 US Dollars.  This is where one can see the strength and power of each country’s currency.

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Antes de viajar si uno va a otro país, siempre es bueno tener algo de dinero extranjero del país adonde uno va a viajar, para tener a mano. Moneda, ¿cuál es esa palabra? La moneda es el dinero en cualquier forma en el uso en un país en particular. Aquí en los Estados Unidos se utiliza el dólar, en México la moneda es el peso mexicano, en Japón su moneda se llama al Yen Japonés, y en Francia su moneda se llama el euro. Cada país tiene su propia moneda que se utiliza en ese país a menos que hayan formado una unión económica como algunos países de Europa, que pertenecen a la zona euro.

Moneda puede ser algo divertido, mientras que las imágenes de arriba se ven como una gran cantidad de dinero en realidad no lo es. El valor de la moneda depende de su fuerza / salud.  La fuerza de la moneda y el poder se basan en lo bueno o malo que la economía del país es. ¿Qué es una economía? La economía de un país es la forma en que un país gestiona su dinero y recursos (como los trabajadores y de la tierra) para producir, comprar y vender bienes y servicios. Los bienes son productos como automóviles, computadoras, o incluso el maíz. Los servicios son funciones ejercidas por una persona por otra, como la enseñanza y el transporte. Los Estados Unidos tiene una economía de libre mercado. Eso significa que la gente puede comprar libremente y los bienes y servicios comerciales. El precio de cada bien o servicio se determina no por el gobierno, sino por la demanda. La demanda es una medida de la cantidad de personas que desee comprar un bien o servicio en particular.

En una economía sana o fuerte, la demanda de bienes y servicios si es alta. Las empresas a tener éxito en su trabajo para mantenerse al día con la demanda. En una economía débil, la demanda es baja y las empresas sufren o falle.

Así que ahora vamos a pasar de nuevo a la explicación de por qué esa imagen de arriba no es un montón de dinero. Así que con el fin de viajar a un país extranjero se tiene que intercambiar una divisa por otra. Eso significa que usted va a una oficina de cambio de banco o moneda y pedir para intercambiar dolares para la moneda de ese país. En este caso, el cambio fue de $ 160 dólares por $ 376.000 pesos colombianos. Parece que un montón de dinero, pero por otra parte hay que mirar el tipo de cambio. ¿Cuál es el tipo de cambio? Un tipo de cambio representa el precio relativo de dos monedas y los estados del tipo de cambio el número de unidades de una moneda que necesitan para comprar una unidad de otra moneda. Así que, ¿qué significa todo eso? Esto significa que cuando uno va a comprar pesos colombianos (COP) usando dólares estadounidenses (USD), ya que el dólar es más fuerte que el peso se obtendrá lo que parece ser mucho más dinero. El tipo de cambio se enumeran $ 1,00 USD = $ 2.612 COP. Pero ¿es realmente mucho más dinero, sin nada porque hay que ver lo que es el precio de los bienes y servicios en la economía del país adonde uno va a viajar.  Entonce aunque se parece mucho dinero, depende de cuanto cuestas los bienes y servicios de el país adonde uno va a viajar.

For Room 15 Parents / Para los Padres de Aula 15

I created this web page with my students and parents in mind. We are partners in your child’s educational success and I am committed to seeing that your child reaches his or her full potential.

In this blog, you will find many helpful suggestions. There is a homework help page with suggestions on how you can help your child with their homework to ensure they are successful in school. There is an RSS Feeds link to Ed Week with which features up to date articles on what is going on in education. You will also find a link to the Common Core Standards for your child’s grade level. Finally, I have included links to various interesting and educational sites such as museums and libraries and happenings Los Angeles, because after all, children learn best and remember when the activity is fun filled.

I look forward to working closely with you to help your child have a wonderful educational journey!

Sincerely,

Ms. Harvey

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He creado esta página web con mis alumnos y padres de familia en mente. Somos socios en el éxito educativo de su hijo y estoy comprometido a ver que su hijo alcance su máximo potencial.

En este blog, usted encontrará muchas sugerencias útiles. Hay una página de ayuda con las tareas con sugerencias sobre cómo puede ayudar a su hijo con su tarea para asegurarse de que tienen éxito en la escuela. Hay un RSS Feeds enlace a Ed Semana con la que cuenta con hasta artículos actualizados sobre lo que está pasando en la educación. También encontrará un enlace a los Estándares Básicos Comunes para el nivel de grado de su hijo. Por último, he incluido enlaces a varios sitios interesantes y educativas como museos y bibliotecas y los sucesos de Los Ángeles, porque después de todo, los niños aprenden mejor y recordar cuando la actividad es lleno de diversión.

Espero con interés trabajar estrechamente con usted para ayudar a su hijo un viaje maravilloso educativo!

Atentamente,

Sra Harvey

Our Field Trips / Nuestros Paseos

Field trips serve an important role in a child’s educational journey. Field trips help to reinforce what the students are learning in the classroom. Field trips also gives my students an opportunity to experience a different culture, to learn basic travel skills, to handle money and count their change after a purchase, but most of all it allows my students to get out into the community. During the 2014-2015 academic school year, my students enjoyed 11 field trips, some of these field trips were with our general education classroom partners who were so gracious and invited us along. Here are some memorable moments of my students enjoying their field trips.

Los viajes de campo sirven un papel importante en el viaje educativo de un niño. Los viajes de campo ayudan a reforzar lo que los estudiantes están aprendiendo en el salón de clases. Las excursiones también da a mis alumnos la oportunidad de conocer una cultura diferente, aprender habilidades básicas de viaje, manejar el dinero y contar su cambio después de una compra, pero sobre todo que permite a mis estudiantes a salir a la comunidad. Durante el curso escolar 2014-2015, a mis alumnos disfrutaron de 10 viajes de campo, algunos de estos paseos fueron con las clases de educación general en cual ellos fueron muy graciosos y nos invitaron. Aquí están unos recuerdos de mis alumnos disfrutando de sus paseos.

October – Los Angeles Music Center – My class, along with Mr. Feliciano’s K-2 Special Day, Ms. Johnson’s 2nd grade class, and Mr. Huitzil’s -4th grade class performed the song “Yesterday’s Dream” at the Very Special Arts Festival.

November – Special Olympics – Soccer Match

February –  students traveled to Chinatown to celebrate Chinese New Year and learn about the Chinese culture

March – Special Olympics – Track and Field Day

March – San Juan Capistrano – Learning about California Missions with a mission trip

March – Music Center Performing Arts – Sing and Dance (inclusion class)

April – Topanga Canyon – Hiking in the mountains and learning about nature (inclusion class)

May – San Pedro Harbor trip and boat ride (inclusion class)

May – Los Angeles Science Center

May – Natural History Museum

May – Cabrillo Beach – Fifth Grade Field Trip

OCTOBER – A VERY SPECIAL ARTS FESTIVAL

FEBRUARY – CHINATOWN – CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

MARCH – SPECIAL OLYMPICS – TRACK AND FIELD DAY

MARCH – SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO MISSION VISIT (with the inclusion class)

APRIL – TOPANGA CANYON HIKING AND EXPLORING NATURE (with the inclusion class)

MAY – LOS ANGELES SCIENCE CENTER – ENDEAVOUR SHUTTLE

MAY – WELLS FARGO MUSEUM (with the inclusion class)

MAY – NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

 

International Day – May 2015 / Dia Internacional

Every year the students of San Pedro Street Elementary perform during this week or create a display on a country.  International Day is devoted to our student community learning about other countries and cultures.  In the past the students of room 15 have primarily provided decorations for the auditorium in lieu of a performance.  This year we decided instead to perform a cumbia.  I can remember when I was a kid growing up during the time I spent in Colombia, my class did a Cumbia dance.

According to Wikipedia, Cumbia [ˈkumbja] is a music genre popular throughout Latin America. The Cumbia originated in Colombia’s Caribbean coastal region and Panama, from the musical and cultural fusion of Native Colombians and Native Panamanians, slaves brought from Africa, and the Spanish during colonial times in the old country of Pocabuy, which is located in Colombia’s Momposina Depression and in the northeast of Panama, in the ancient palenques of the Congo nation.  Cumbia began as a courtship dance practiced among the African population, which was later mixed with Amerindian steps and European and African instruments and musical characteristics. Cumbia is very popular in the Andean region and the Southern Cone, and is for example more popular than the salsa in many parts of these regions.

My kids and I had a lot of fun dancing.  We were very grateful to our classroom parent, Paz Lezama who made all the cumbia outfits for the boys and girls, and even provided us with props.  Without her help, this would have indeed been a daunting task as I can barely sew a button on.

***Disclaimer – On the videotape you will hear someone quieting a child, that was not me lol****

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Cada año los estudiantes de San Pedro Street Elementary realizar durante esta semana o crear una pantalla en un país. Día Internacional está dedicada a nuestra comunidad de aprendizaje de los estudiantes acerca de otros países y culturas. En el pasado, los estudiantes de la habitación 15 han proporcionado principalmente decoraciones para el auditorio, en lugar de una actuación. Este año decidimos en vez de realizar una cumbia.  Yo me acuerdo que durante los anos que yo pase en Colombia durante mi infancia tuve que bailar una cumbia en la escuela.

Según Wikipedia, Cumbia [kumbja] es un género de la música popular en toda América Latina. La cumbia se originó en la región costera del Caribe de Colombia y Panamá, de la fusión musical y cultural de los indígenas colombianos y los indígenas panameños, los esclavos traídos de África, y los españoles durante la época colonial en el viejo país de Pocabuy, que se encuentra en Depresión Momposina y de Colombia en el noreste de Panamá, en los antiguos palenques de la nación Congo. Cumbia comenzó como una danza de cortejo practica entre la población africana, que más tarde se mezcló con pasos amerindios y los instrumentos europeos y africanos y las características musicales. La cumbia es muy popular en la región andina y el Cono Sur, y es, por ejemplo, más popular que la salsa en muchas partes de estas regiones.

Mis hijos y yo tuvimos una muy divertido baile, y nos quedamos muy agradecidos a nuestro padre aula, Paz Lezama quien hizo todos los trajes de cumbia para los niños y niñas,  sin su ayuda esto tendría de hecho sido una tarea de enormes proporciones, ya que apenas puedo coser un botón en.

*** Descargo de responsabilidad – En la cinta de vídeo se oye a alguien calmar a un niño, que no era yo lol **

Where in the World is Ms. Harvey? / En que parte del Mundo esta Ms. Harvey?

Join me as I travel to South America for two months.  I will be writing about each country I visit, describing it and posting pictures along the way.  During some of my visits I will be spending time visiting a school and teaching English. Únete a mí como yo viajo a América del Sur por dos meses . Voy a escribir sobre cada país que visito , describiéndolo y publicar fotos en el camino . Durante unas de mis visitas pasaré algún tiempo visitando unas escuelas y la enseñanza de Inglés . Click on the map below to see the countries in South America.

Inside of our classroom / Adentro de nuestra aula

Here is what a typical day in our classroom looks like.  My students were busy working on their ecosystems projects doing research on the internet in order to type their reports.  It is never to early to learn computer literacy skills, and more than just being able to play mine craft or other video games.  While video games have their usefulness and can be great learning tools when the games reinforce academic skills.  Our students in these photographs were busy doing research on the internet on their ecosystem projects.

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Esto es lo que un día típico en nuestra aula se parece. Mis estudiantes estaban ocupados trabajando en sus proyectos de ecosistemas que hace la investigación en el Internet con el fin de escribir sus informes. Nunca es demasiado pronto para aprender habilidades de alfabetización informática, y más que ser capaz de jugar mina artesanal u otros videojuegos. Mientras que los juegos de video tienen su utilidad y pueden ser una gran herramienta de aprendizaje cuando los juegos reforzar habilidades académicas. Nuestros estudiantes en estas fotografías estaban ocupados haciendo investigación en el Internet en sus proyectos de ecosistemas.