As inscrições poderão ser feitas presencialmente ou via Correios. No total são 26 vagas a professor adjunto, em regime de 40h semanais.

A remuneração inicial, para o regime de 40 horas semanais e dedicação exclusiva, em nível de professor adjunto, é de R$ 6.496,99. A taxa de inscrição é de R$ 162.

Informações completas nos editais n° 41 e 42/2008 - Concurso Público para Magistério Superior .

Inscrições: de 30 de junho até 29 de julho; taxa: R$ 162; remuneração: R$ 6.496,99;

cargos: professor adjunto (diversas áreas) e vagas: 26
QUIXADÁ - Até 14 de julho, a Unidade de Ensino Descentralizada (UnED) do Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica do Ceará (CEFET-CE), em Quixadá, estará com inscrições abertas para Exame de Seleção e Vestibular nas áreas de Construção Civil, Turismo e Química.
Os interessados deverão se inscrever no Centro Cultural Raquel de Queiroz (Rua José Jucá, 343 - Centro), das 9 às 17 horas.
O Exame de Seleção será voltado para os candidatos que queiram concorrer a 60 vagas dos cursos técnicos de Edificações e Guiamento Regional Especializado em Atrativos Naturais. Boa sorte aos candidatos.

(Jornal de Angola - 03.07.2008 )

Still waking up, Ned shuffled into the bathroom. Slowly, he positioned himself in front of the mirror and tried to remember what he was doing in there. Right, getting ready to go to work. In the distance he could hear a soft beeping sound, rhythmic and mundane. Must have forgot to turn off my alarm, he thought to himself.

Back in his room Ned checked his alarm, but it was quiet and properly set to go off the next morning. In his room there was complete silence, the beeping could not be heard. Strange. Ned set his alarm clock down on the dresser and returned to the bathroom, again trying to remember what he was doing.

Got to get ready to go. While he prepared his toothbrush, he realized he was hearing the beeping again. Where is that coming from? He looked around, moved to the window, put his ear by the vent. Nothing. He could only hear the sound while standing in front of the mirror. Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep... Muffled and faint, it nagged at him while he brushed his teeth, shaved and washed his face.

While he was rinsing his face, his wife wandered in to the bathroom. She went straight for the toilet, but Ned stopped her in front of the mirror.

"Do you hear anything?" he asked her.

"What, dear? Hear what?" She rubbed her eyes and looked at the toilet.

"I don't know, it sounds like an alarm clock or a smoke detector. Do you hear it?"

She listened for a second. "No, I don't hear anything." Breaking free of the conversation she reached for the toilet. "The neighbors' alarm clock is probably just going off. Don't worry about it."

Ned agreed. I don't need to worry about it, it's nothing. The trouble was that it nagged at him and he couldn't help but worry.

All day he thought about the beeping. He wondered where it was coming from, what it meant, if he could do anything to stop it. Finally, just an hour or so before returning home, he quit thinking about the beeping. His attention was instead turned to an important problem that needed resolving before he could leave work. When he finally arrived home his mind was free and he enjoyed the evening at home.

The next morning his alarm clock yanked him out of sleep in the usual, most dreadfully stubborn manner, refusing to be silent until Ned held the reset button down.

This time, however, when he shuffled back into the bathroom to get ready to go to work, he stopped in front of the mirror and froze. There it is again. He stood there, listening. Several minutes went by. The steady beep was almost hypnotizing, and he didn't snap back to reality until his wife made her regular visit to the toilet.

She entered the room and bumped into Ned, who was standing motionless in front of the mirror. Sitting on the toilet, she asked, "Are you alright? What were you doing?"

Slightly startled, he took a moment to gather his thoughts. "I guess I was daydreaming." The truth was that he was daydreaming about where the sound could be coming from.

"It's strange, it looks like you haven't gotten anything done and you need to leave in ten minutes. Are you feeling OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He reached for his toothbrush. Suddenly, he felt the blood rush into his right cheek. He put his hand on it. The whole right half of his face was nearly numb and freezing cold. He looked at his wife. "Do you feel cold at all?"

"No, it's nice. We've got the air conditioner on and I'm pretty warm. Why?"

"Nothing, I'm just feeling a little chilly. I'll put on a sweater." A sweater wouldn't do him any good though, his whole body was warm. The only part of him that was at all cold was his face, only on the right side, and it was almost frozen. He finished his business in the bathroom as quickly as he could, but was still a little late for work.

Sitting at his desk he touched his cheek. It was warm now. He tried to get some work done, but this time he never managed to get his mind off the beeping. All day it was the only thing he could think about. When he got back home, he went straight to the bathroom.

Using his hands, he probed around the area in front of his mirror, trying to find out why his face got so cold. After just a few moments, he found a space small enough to cup in his hands that was colder than the inside of his freezer. He couldn't see it, but it was easy enough to feel. It seemed to be emitting cold air. When he moved his ear closer to the cold spot, he could hear the beeping.

How strange, he thought. He knew just the right person to call though. Ned was still in contact with a friend of his from college. They had taken some general education classes together before parting ways. Ned had studied business and his friend studied physics. They kept in touch over the Internet but had never really had a good reason to talk before now.

Ned went to his computer and wrote a message to his friend explaining the strange place in his bathroom and asking if he would be interested in coming to his house to check it out. In the message he left his phone number and asked him to call immediately.

Ned's friend, Professor Randal E. Thorpe of the Harvard University general physics department, called twenty minutes later and made arrangements to come over in two hours with a few professor buddies from different fields of specialization who would bring equipment and take some readings.

A feeling of satisfaction and relief swept over Ned. The nagging quit. Now it was in more capable hands. Now he didn't have to worry about it so much. It was already getting late, so he decided to use the next couple of hours and take a nap before his friend arrived.

As he approached the bathroom, en route to his bedroom, he felt a chilling but soft breeze rushing down the hall with him. Closer still and he began to hear the beeping, only this time much louder than before. Peering into the bathroom he heard the beeping echoing off every tiled wall. The whole room was covered in an icy layer of frost. He could see inside the toilet that the water in the bowl was frozen solid.

Interesting, but out of his hands. He didn't need to worry about it. He would wait and let the professionals deal with any new developments. He got in his bed, went to sleep and had dreams about penguins and doughnuts.

When the professors arrived, his wife woke him up and had him show them in to the bathroom. Ned had to put slippers and a sweater on because the whole house was cold despite the thermostat being set to the hottest setting.

"This seems much worse than you initially made it seem, Ned." Professor Thorpe was helping one of his colleagues set up some equipment.

"Whatever it is, it is definitely worse now than when I sent for you. It's giving off more cold air and the beeping is louder." Ned surveyed the equipment, wondering what it all did and what they were going to learn about the anomaly in his bathroom. Out of my hands, he reminded himself.

"Well, Ned, if you like you can go back to sleep and we'll let ourselves out when we're finished. I don't know how long it'll take for us to gather the data we'll need, but I don't want you to feel obligated to stay up with us. We'll clean up after ourselves and everything. Don't worry about a thing, and I'll call you tomorrow to tell you what we find out." Professor Thorpe patted Ned on the back and they shook hands.

Ned was glad they would call to tell him what they learned. His curiosity was growing, and so was the cold spot.

When he woke up the next morning he was almost shivering in his bed. He could hear two alarm clocks clearly now, one in his room and one coming from the bathroom. He shut off the alarm clock in his room, then went to check out the bathroom.

Sure enough, the professors were all gone, and so were any signs that they had been there. It sounded like his alarm clock was still going off in the bathroom, but there was no physical clock in there at all.

The water in the tap was frozen, so he really couldn't use the bathroom to get ready for work. He shaved with an electric razor and brushed his teeth in the kitchen. At work, he waited for his friend to call with more information. When no call came at work, he went home in the evening and asked his wife if there had been any calls for him. There had not. He decided to call the professor himself to find out if they had learned anything new.

He went to look for the cordless handset. On his way, he heard it start ringing. Now where did I put it? he asked himself. It sounded like it was in the hallway somewhere. The whole hallway was cold and starting to form a layer of frost on the carpet. I'll have to seal that bathroom off to keep the cold in, he decided. As he passed the bathroom he thought it sounded like the phone was inside. He opened the door, and the ringing got louder, but he couldn't find the phone anywhere. He could hear the phone, but there was no phone inside.

Looking around the rest of the house he eventually found the cordless phone in his bedroom. He could still hear the faint ringing and beeping coming from the bathroom, but his real phone and alarm clock were quiet. For a moment, the ringing stopped. A minute later it started up again. This time it didn't last as long and soon all he could hear was the beeping.

Ned dialed his friend's number and waited. After a few rings the professor answered. Unfortunately, he didn't have any news to share. The data were still being analyzed. There were no firm ideas as to what the thing could be, but he would call as soon as any theories had been formed.

Ned was disappointed. He decided to turn his attention to sealing the bathroom off. He was tired of being so cold all of the time.

Using everything he had available, he set to work. Towels, extra bed sheets, painter's plastic and duct tape went on, layer after layer, until Ned couldn't feel any cold air coming out from the bathroom any more.

An added benefit of the seal was that the beeping was a lot harder to hear through all of the padding. Now it was only a faint sound, as though it were coming from the far end of a neighbor's house.

A few days passed. The seal was working great. Every morning Ned turned his alarm clock off, heard the faint echo of that same alarm as he passed the bathroom on his way to the kitchen to get ready for work, and left his warm home for work. Every evening he got home, used warm water and a wash cloth to bathe, and retired to his warm bed to repeat the whole thing again the next morning. It was good to have his routine back. The only thing missing was that call from his professor friend. He curiosity about the strangeness in his bathroom had not completely left him. Plus, if his friend could figure out what it was, perhaps they could do something about it. He hoped it wasn't getting worse. It seemed to be contained, but there was no way to know for sure.

Then one morning he woke up cold again. He shut his alarm clock off, but the beeping didn't stop. He stepped out of bed and shivers went up his entire body. The floor had frost on it. He checked the seal around the bathroom, but it was intact. The wall next to the door had a big patch of ice on it. Whatever was growing inside the bathroom was beginning to leak out into the hallway.

Ned went to work and called his friend again to tell him about the new development. The professor apologized for taking so long, but some of the data were presenting intriguing problems and they had enlisted additional help from around the country. He promised that as soon as he had any news he would call. Ned picked up two cold weather sleeping bags from the store on the way home.

He got home and found his wife bundled up in a heavy coat, slippers and gloves. The cold was biting and overwhelming. Despite the weather in the house, she had the whole living room completely rearranged, a lot of things still unplugged from being moved. She said she wanted a new look for the house and needed something to do to keep warm. He didn't mind, it looked good. The television was among the unplugged items, but they were tired, he wasn't interested in watching television and they decided to fix it all in the morning.

They set up the sleeping bags under the covers of their bed. They slipped into bed and held each other for additional warmth. Ned was starting to drift off when he remembered that their telephone answering machine was in the living room.

"When you were moving things around out there, did you plug the answering machine back in?" he asked his wife.

"I don't think so, I just moved everything around and left it because I wasn't sure if I would want to move it all around some more or not."

"I've been waiting for the professor to call, and I don't want to miss what he has to say." Ned thought about getting out of bed to plug the answering machine back in. "Do you think I should go plug it in?"

"No, don't worry about it. If he calls tonight we've got a phone right here. We can answer it. I'll make sure I plug it in tomorrow morning. Just go to sleep."

She was right. He drifted off. He slept well that night. He slept so well, that he was not conscious when the anomaly in his bathroom exploded in size, almost instantly freezing the entire house.

In the morning his alarm clock went off just as it did every morning.

As for the professor, he and his colleagues were getting close to a solid theory about Ned's problem. The thing in Ned's bathroom appeared to be a rip of sorts in time and space. It had properties unlike anything any of them had ever observed before in the real world and it was generating a lot of excitement in the scientific community. Professor Thorpe decided to wait a couple more days before calling Ned, but things were definitely looking good.

Back at Ned's house a couple of days later, the phone rang. It rang and rang and rang. Finally, the professor hung up, thought for a minute, and called back one more time.Then it was silent in the house.

Except, of course, for that persistent alarm clock.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep...

Beberapa minggu yang lalu, beta baca berita kalo tamang-tamang di Fakultas MIPA Universitas Pattimura sedang memilih calon Dekan barunya untuk periode 2008-2012. Para kandidat yang memenuhi persyaratan untuk dipilih adalah Prof. Thomy Pentury, Prof. Noke Sohilait, DR Oche Rupilu, dan Oche Pagaya, MS. Pada akhirnya Senat Fakultas MIPA Universitas Pattimura memutuskan Prof. Thomy Pentury terpilih sebagai calon dekan dengan suara terbanyak...

Kemarin, 1 Juli 2008 Rektor UNPATTI melantik Prof.DR. Thomas Pentury, MSi sebagai Dekan Fakultas MIPA yang baru menggantikan Dra. Betty Leuhery, MS yang telah memimpin selama dua periode.

Profil Dekan baru ini memang sangat menarik. Sebagai teman yang sangat dekat, banyak hal yang beta kagumi. Ontua dikukuhkan sebagai Profesor pada tahun 2006, murah senyum, rendah hati (ini yang paling perlu tamang...), dan sudah pasti tidak sombong. Selalu bergaul dengan siapa saja, mulai dari pegawai, dosen muda, mahasiswa, pimpinan UNPATTI, bahkan sampai dengan para birokrat. Inilah sosok pemimpin yang baik...

Bung Tomy, ale su sampe dipuncak...angin kencang lawang e...hati-hati..jaga diri bae-bae..kalo seng tahang, pake salimot tabal, jang cuma kele akang tiap hari Minggu paar pi Gereja..jang iko sama ale pung senior-senior tu..tunjukkan bahwa yang muda juga mampu..bahkan lebih mampu, asalkan diberi kesempatan..Universitas Pattimura menantikan munculnya pemimpin-pemimpin muda seperti ale kedepan.

Congratulation sobat... Tuhan memberkati selalu...

O meu nome é Zélia. Tenho 55 anos. Moro aqui desde 1970. Sou professora, mas muito antes de ser professora eu ensinava, com a idade de 17 anos. Eu morava no Uruguai, tinha de 16 para 17 anos. Aí meu pai veio morar aqui. Eu não gostei no início, porque não tinha ônibus. Tive que parar meus estudos. Depois voltei a a estudar.

Do segundo casal, eu sou a primeira. Nasci assim, com deficiência. Meus outros irmãos nenhum tem problemas físicos, só eu mesmo. Freqüentei escola, estudei, incentivei minha irmã. Ela também se formou. Meus pais eram pioneiros no bairro, porque ele era muito voltado para a comunidade. Ele era agente policial e tinha o posto que minha cunhada era enfermeira e cuidava dos doentes.

Quem me ensinou a escrever foi meu pai. Eu sentava na mesa, me abaixava, escrevia com o lápis na boca. Ele me tirou isso. Começou a pegar minha mão, eu sentava na cadeira e fazia eu botar meus braços sobre a mesa. E uma coisa que eu admirei muito em meu pai (foi dito pelos médicos): ele não ficava mimando.
- Oh, coitadinha, nasceu assim...

Ele agia como agia com os outros. Na hora de reclamar comigo, reclamava igual. Não tinha diferença nenhuma. Então foi por isso - os médicos disseram para ele - que eu me desenvolvi, procurei minha defesa, por mim mesma, porque ele me deu esse espaço.

Quando eu fui para a escola, já fui na 3ª série, no primário. Já fui sabendo ler, escrever e as quatro operações. Comecei a ir para a escola pública. Lá na escola, minha professora me olhava com um olhar igual, não tinha aquela diferença. Só que ela não me deixava no meio da turma, para eu não cair, me deixava sentadinha. Eu, sentadinha, controlava a turma toda. Para brincar de roda, pega-pega, agora, não podia correr.

Comecei a andar com 8 anos. Eu passei a ser Testemunha de Jeová, com a idade de 8 anos, não era batizada. Eu não andava. Fiz uma promessa a meu Pai, que se um dia eu eu andasse, eu ia servir a Ele. Aí, pronto! Eu escolhi ser uma Testemunha de Jeová, onde eu descobri a verdade.

Eu entrei em 1979 e quando foi em 1981 eu me formei. Fiz magistério no Iceia (Instituto Central de Educação Isaías Alves). Eu também estagiei lá no Iceia. A primeira escola que eu trabalhei aqui foi o Adauto Pereira. Do Adauto, me transferi para o Vera Lux, porque era muito distante para mim, por causa da minha deficiência física.

Eu tive muito obstáculo quando fiz o magistério, à noite, inclusive: o transporte. Eu tinha que correr e falar com a professora que não podia assistir a última aula para pegar o ônibus. Tinha que alguém me ajudar a subir, descer. Uma prima minha que estudava em outra sala. A minha maior dificuldade foi, quando eu me formei, ingressar na prefeitura. Porque eles não queriam me aceitar por causa da minha deficiência. Aí eu disse para a junta médica que a minha deficiência estava na minha mão, não na minha cabeça. Não são as minhas mãos que vão educar, o que vai educar o ser humano é a minha inteligência. Mostrei a ele. Se eu não posso ir no quadro, preparo o aluno para ir no quadro. Tenho os meus recursos para educar, chamo um a um junto de mim. Então mostrei que podia.

Eu tenho duas filhas. Uma eu tive mesmo. E a outra é de criação, que eu tomei com 11 meses. E hoje já são moças. Cozinhar? Se facilitar eu cozinho. Agora é um pouco dificultoso. Eu não faço, mas oriento alguém. Uma boa feijoada, ensino a temperar uma galinha, mas agora não precisa, porque tem alguém lá em casa que faz. Eu não tomo banho sozinha. Se eu estiver em pé, se não tiver o apoio da mesa, eu não como sozinha, tem que alguém botar na minha boca. Se eu sentar numa mesa, numa cadeira, eu faço tudo sozinha. Se eu cair, não levanto. Alguém tem que me levantar. Mas, mesmo assim, eu venci.

COMUNIDADE MUITO MARAVILHOSA
Aqui não tinha energia, não tinha água. O povo pegava água na fonte e era de candeeiro a energia. A energia daqui era natural, através de velas. Era uma rua muito calma, tinha mais fazendas, pessoas antigas, pessoas que tinham muito respeito. O bairro era muito tranqüilo naquela época e todos nós, as mocinhas, brincavam de roda, de boneca. Eu dormia lá para 1h a 2h da manhã, assistindo televisão com o povo. Porque quando eu vim para aqui, não tinha televisão. A primeira foi de meu pai. Aí, meu pai, como era uma pessoa muito boa, deixava os filhos e todo mundo assistir televisão.

Isso foi em volta de 1971. Foi quando eu comecei a conhecer a minha comunidade, que era uma comunidade muito maravilhosa mesmo. Era uma tranqüilidade. Era como se fosse um paraíso. Não tinha assalto, dormia de porta aberta. Os vizinhos, quando observavam a porta, às vezes encostava. Então não tinha esse medo como hoje estamos tendo.

ESCOLAS
A primeira escola aqui foi em 1970, o Vera Lux. A minha vida sempre foi para a educação. Gostei sempre de educar e a maioria dos alunos daqui, uns 90% dos moradores aqui, já passaram nas minhas mãos. Aí, quando surgiu a Escola Vera Lux, pronto, melhorou um pouquinho, porque tinha muitas crianças paradas querendo estudar. Eu aproveitava a minha sala e dava minhas aulas (banca) de português e matemática aos alunos.

Depois, foi indo, pela Escola São José, que era uma igreja e agora está desativada, não existe mais. Em 78 ou 76 ou 77, construíram a Escola Adauto Pereira de Souza, que antes era uma fazenda, Rua Santo Antonio. Ali era uma fazenda, aí fizeram uma escola do estado e me contrataram para ser professora de lá. Daí, a história foi indo, fui passando para o Vera Lux e hoje estou aqui na Padre Ugo, a primeira escola do bairro de Jaguaripe. Fui a primeira diretora do bairro de Jaguaripe. Eu sou querida por todos. Inclusive pessoas também que andam fora da lei. Todos eles gostam de mim, porque eu trato todos bem, respeitam muito, me respeitam bastante. Podem usar o que for, as drogas deles, mas não me atingem, não fazem nada. Eu também não sou Cristo para agir com justiça com ninguém. Cada qual faz sua escolha e sofre por ela mesma. Embora foram meus alunos também alguns que escolheram essa triste missão, mas não tenho o que dizer. Todos eles me respeitam muito. No ônibus, me ajudam a subir me ajudam a descer.

MUDANÇAS
Houve algumas mudanças favoráveis, inclusive o transporte. Foi quando começou a ter muitas linhas, não tanto, uma só ou duas, foi quando eu comecei a terminar meu curso, magistério. Em 77 só tinha duas linhas e nessa época eu estava fazendo o 1º grau e o último horário era às 22h. Quem perdesse tinha que vir andando ou dormir na casa de algum parente. Daí, melhorando o transporte, começou a ter o posto médico.

De lá para cá, as coisas foram mudando. Hoje tem farmácia no bairro, tem lojas, tem muitas coisas. Antigamente nós comprávamos em outro bairro, naquele tempo se chamava “Paes Mendonça”. As coisas eram um pouco caras, o bairro era mais caro. Agora não, não adianta sair do bairro para comprar, porque no bairro tem os preços favoráveis, onde nós podemos comprar nossas cestas básicas.

Os hospitais ficaram mais próximos. Quando eram longe, as pessoas que tinham problemas de derrame cerebral, qualquer coisa, morriam no trajeto, porque não dava tempo. Meu pai mesmo eu perdi assim. Ele deu derrame. No trajeto, em Bom Juá, ele faleceu. Agora tem São Rafael, São Bernardo, tem todas as clínicas. Foi uma grande melhoria para a nossa comunidade.

Muitas coisas foram melhorando. Agora, o que eu sinto saudade mesmo, é daquele tempo que a gente andava de porta aberta, brincava com as meninas de roda. Hoje as crianças não têm esse tempo para brincar de roda, as coisas mudaram muito. Hoje, brincar de boneca é coisa natural, “o menino no braço”. A coisa mudou muito, não é como antigamente. As meninas não saíam muito, quando saíam, era sob a responsabilidade dos pais...

RESPEITADO POR TODO MUNDO
Minha família é formada pelo meu pai, que faleceu, meu irmão, que era agente policial que faleceu por problemas de coração. Tem outro irmão também, que é aposentado. Tem outro irmão que também faleceu que era comissário. Trabalhava na 10ª delegacia, de Pau da Lima. As pessoas respeitavam muito meu pai. Se acontecesse qualquer problema, de alguém espancar a esposa, e alguém dizia:
- Vou falar com Seu Cesário.

Pronto, a coisa tomava outro rumo. Tinha que chegar de junto dele, pedir desculpa, que não ia fazer mais isso e tal, porque ele chegava junto com essas coisas erradas. Ele era muito respeitado por todo mundo.

BATIAM NOS PROFESSORES
No Vera Lux, alguns professores desistiram até de ensinar, porque os alunos são revoltados, devido à criação, os pais não tiveram condição financeira e muitos foram parar nas drogas e estão estudando. A escola aberta é para isso mesmo, tem que aceitar a todos. Aí, quando eu dava aula lá à noite e faltava energia, eles jogavam carteiras, batiam em outros professores, jogavam até bomba dentro do sanitário. Mas comigo eles respeitavam. Fechavam a porta e diziam:
- Ó, pró, com a senhora não acontece nada. Pode ficar aqui, quietinha, que ninguém vai fazer nada.

Eles também não deixavam o professor dar aula. Mas, quando chegavam na minha sala, já me conheciam e perguntavam:
- É a professora Zélia?
- Sim, sou eu. Porque você não está em sua sala?
- Ah, porque não quero assistir a aula.

Aí eu explicava que ele estava sendo prejudicado fazendo isso. Qual o futuro que ele ia ter? Aí ele ficava assim pensando.
- Então você vai vir aqui, me ajudar e escrever no quadro.

Às vezes eles iam, escreviam no quadro, e às vezes ele iam embora. Respeitavam. Todos eles me respeitam, não tenho o que dizer de nenhum deles, graças ao bom Deus. Só tenho pena das escolhas que eles fizeram. Quer dizer, não são todos. Alguns hoje são pais de família, outros são formados. Mas aqueles que escolheram o mal caminho, muitos morreram, inclusive até meu sobrinho. Está paraplégico porque ele usa drogas, já roubou muito, é uma tristeza, uma escolha. Eu acho assim: cada um que faz sua escolha tem que ver quais são as conseqüências que virá depois sobre eles.

MISERICÓRDIA DE DEUS
Melhora? Eu vou ser franca: é tipo um paliativo. Pode ter algumas melhoras, mas uma melhora como eu desejo, só mesmo está registrado em Daniel 12:44. É o único que pode estabelecer o reino Dele aqui na Terra, acabar com a doença, com a morte, com o sofrimento da humanidade. Ele pode trazer a paz para todos os viventes. É quando Ele transformar a Terra num belo paraíso e acabar com todo o sofrimento e a violência. É o único que pode fazer isso, mas, fora disso...

Eu não vou desfazer do governo, mas, embora, coitados, eles lutem para conseguir algo, não vão alcançar esse objetivo de acabar com a doença, com a morte. A cada dia que passa aumenta a doença e a violência. Então, nós estamos vivendo aqui pelas misericórdia de Deus e também pela bondade dos governos que estão fazendo alguma coisa, embora não está nas mãos deles.

ENSINAR O POVO
O meu sonho é me aposentar. Hoje, por mais amor que eu tenha, é triste lhe dizer: a educação está um caos! Você ensina uma coisa, educa, mas, adiante, ele não vai levar aquilo que você ensinou com carinho. A própria família - não são todas - não vão ajudar. Então, se hoje eu fosse mais nova, eu sairia da educação, com muita pena, mas faria outra coisa. Porque nós não estamos tendo esse apoio hoje, como eu tive anteriormente, há anos atrás, em 1970, 1968, que os pais chegavam junto na educação dos filhos e hoje não tem mais isso.

Eu tenho 55. Com educação eu tenho 25 anos e 26 em outro, mas ensinando mesmo eu comecei com 17. Se eu contasse, teria 38 anos de ensino. Sempre na região, na minha comunidade querida. Sempre eu digo:
- Eu pretendo não mudar daqui. Prefiro morrer aqui.

Inclusive, comprei até um pedacinho de terra no Cemitério Bosque da Paz, porque eu amo meu bairro, amo meus vizinhos, meu povo. Eu gosto muito deles e por isso que eu, amanhã ou depois, quando me aposentar, vou me dedicar mais ensinar o povo o caminho de Deus. Eu ensino dia de domingo, mas vou mais me dedicar a Ele, para ver se salva alguns deles.

Eu educo o povo da comunidade, ensino, realizo estudo familiar e alguns deles, inclusive alguns usuários de drogas também realizam estudos. Eu explico o motivo dele está ali, que não é da vontade de Deus que as coisas acabam dessa maneira, mas é por escolhas que eles estão fazendo. Embora fico muito triste, por que eles foram meus alunos, mas o que eu posso fazer?

MUITO CARENTES
Hoje eu não vou desistir porque já estou aqui mesmo. Mas mesmo assim eu tenho muito amor, porque quando eu passo uma explicação que eu vejo que eles não entendem, basta eu dar uma olhada, aí eu digo:
- Você não entendeu. Venha no quadro agora escrever. Venha, você tem que aprender.

Eles dizem:
- Pôxa, pró, a senhora pega muito no nosso pé. Não é todo mundo que é assim não.

Estão querendo que eu acompanhe no ginásio, por causa da dedicação que eu tenho, a paciência, porque eu quero que eles aprendam mesmo e enquanto eles não aprenderem, eu não sossego. Eu não ligo em passar o conteúdo não, eu quero que ele aprenda. Para ter uma base na vida deles, um primário bom, para quando chegar no ginásio ele não ficar parado.

Eu ensino a 4ª série do ensino fundamental e só vou passar para 5ª série quem sabe ler e escrever mesmo, senão vai ficar um pouquinho comigo. Eles já estão sabendo disso, já conversei com eles. Eles mesmos fazem a análise deles, dizem:
- Eu não quero passar não, que ainda estou lendo com dificuldade. Eu quero ler bem com a senhora. Eu vou perder mais um ano só para ficar com a senhora.

Conscientizo eles bastante, quando eles não conseguem atingir a meta de passar, eles não ficam com ódio, eles querem continuar mais comigo.
- Eu quero ficar mais com a senhora. Não quero ir embora. Mais adiante não vou achar professora igual à senhora, que explica, tem aquela paciência de explicar. As coisas que eu nunca aprendi com outras professoras eu aprendi com a senhora, as operações todas. Agora mesmo eu pesquisei num livro preposição, não entendi nada, mas com a senhora já sei.

Eu me dedico muito aos meus alunos da noite. Eu amo bastante. Se eu hoje continuasse na educação eu ficaria mais a noite, porque são muito carentes. Tenho aluno com 60 anos, outros com 55, 45, 37, 38, 20 e tem adolescentes também, uns dois ou três adolescentes que estão acompanhando também. Mas não criam problemas na sala de aula não, eles me respeitam bastante. Porque minha aula é assim, quem entendeu o assuntos bem, eu digo assim:
- Agora você vai ensinar ao seu colega o que você aprendeu. Se você não explicar você não vai tirar uma boa nota.

Daí eles chamam os coleguinhas e explicam direitinho. Eu trabalho assim com eles.

SOLIDÁRIAS
Chegaram muitas pessoas aqui na comunidade. De respeito, pessoas direitas, chegaram muitas pessoas boas. Inclusive teve um delegado, que faleceu, que fazia uma festa. Todo mundo gostava da fogueira que ele fazia, a brincadeira agitava a comunidade, não tinha aquela violência que tem hoje. Mas depois, você sabe, foi entrando...

Jaguaripe era uma fazenda. Com aquela chuva de 78, mais ou menos, tiraram as pessoas, morreram. Então vieram muitas pessoas de índole boa e de índole má. Ficaram aqui na comunidade. Por causa disso criou um problema sério. Mesmo assim está dando para viver.

Hoje eu daria ao meu bairro a nota 9. Antigamente eu daria 10. Sem água, sem energia, mas não tinha tanto problema como a gente tem hoje. Eu sinto muita saudade, muita, muita, muita de brincar de roda. Já pensou você ficar até meia noite na rua brincando com as meninas e não ter medo de nada? Qualquer coisa que pegassem seu, traziam em sua porta.
- Olha, que a senhora perdeu.

Minhas vizinhas eram maravilhosas, eram solidárias. Qualquer coisa, se você estivesse doente, elas estavam lá, ajudando, cuidando, fazendo remédio, limpando a casa. Era assim. Hoje não fazem mais assim por causa do tempo, todo mundo tem que trabalhar fora e a vida das pessoas é muito corrida.

Eu mesma acordo 5h30. Chego aqui 8h, saio daqui 5h da tarde. Vou para casa e tomo banho. 7h estou descendo para dar aula. Chego em casa 9h30. O único dia que eu me conheço, sei que eu sou Zélia e sou um ser humano: sábado e o domingo. De segunda a sexta, dedico ao trabalho, com amor.

Entrevista realizada em novembro de 2007

União entrará com R$ 6 bi ao ano para garantir novo piso de professores até 2010

Amanda Cieglinski
Repórter da Agência Brasil

Brasília - Municípios e estados não poderão alegar falta de recursos para o pagamento do piso salarial de R$ 950 para professores da rede pública, aprovado ontem pelo Senado.

A afirmação foi feita hoje (3) pelo ministro da Educação, Fernando Haddad. Segundo ele, a União vai complementar os salários que ainda não atingem o piso com verbas do Fundo da Educação Básica (Fundeb).

O aporte da União, via Fundeb, será de R$ 6 bilhões ao ano, até 2010, prazo para aplicação total do valor do piso. Pelo projeto, que agora vai à sanção presidencial, serão aplicados reajustes anuais, retroativos a janeiro de 2008.

“Nós estamos, por determinação da Constituição, aportando cada vez mais recursos para a educação básica. E foram estudos baseados no Fundeb que deram segurança ao Congresso Nacional de fixar um piso nesse patamar. A complementação da União é a garantia de sustentabilidade do piso”, defendeu Haddad.

Estados e municípios que hoje pagam menos de R$ 950 aos profissionais devem arcar com um terço dessa diferença ainda este ano. O piso nacional vale para professores ativos – professores, diretores e coordenadores pedagógicos – com carga de 40 horas semanais, sendo um terço de atividades extraclasse. Os aposentados também serão beneficiados.

Segundo estimativas do Ministério da Educação, pelo menos 40% dos professores em início de carreira, cerca de 800 mil profissionais, recebem menos do que R$ 950. Haddad espera que o novo teto atraia mais profissionais para a carreira de professor. “A qualidade da educação não se faz sem professor bem formado e bem remunerado. A nossa missão é garantir que a carreira do magistério seja atraente para jovens talentos”, indicou.

O Músico-Professor: caracterização de um docente
Revista Movimento da UFF (2003)

A formação profissional do músico no âmbito das escolas de música alternativas
Anais do XIV Encontro Nacional da ANPPOM (2003)

Saberes e competências no âmbito das escolas de música alternativas
Revista da ABEM n°7 (2002)

Música e seus significados
Café Music (janeiro 2002)

O Músico-Professor: uma investigação sobre sua atividade pedagógica
Anais do XIII Encontro Nacional da ANPPOM (2001)

Rio de Janeiro: tradição em Orquestra de Violões
Revista Violão Intercâmbio n°41 (2000)

Nicanor Teixeira: um músico brasileiro
Revista Violão Intercâmbio n°41 (2000)

O aprendizado da leitura e escrita musical
Café Music (maio 2000)

Nicanor Teixeira
Revista BACKSTAGE n°69 (2000)

Escrita para violão (partes 1 - 5)
Revista BACKSTAGE

Leitura e Escrita Musical
Revista BACKSTAGE n°65 (abril 2000)

A Notação e o Músico Popular
Café Music (fevereiro 2000)

Ligados
Revista BACKSTAGE n°61 (dezembro 1999)

Arpejos
Revista BACKSTAGE n°60 (novembro 1999)

A Mulher Compositora no Cenário Musical Brasileiro dos últimos 50 anos: Uma Análise Estética
XIII SEDEC/Resumos (1999)

Pesquisando o FINALE
Revista BACKSTAGE n°55 (junho 1999)

Escrevendo para Violão Solo
Revista BACKSTAGE n°50 (janeiro 1999)

Compositores, mãos à obra!
Revista BACKSTAGE n°41 (abril 1998)

As Bienais de Música Brasileira Contemporânea
XII SEDEC/Resumos (1998)

Escrita: um tabú na Educação Musical
Revista Plural n°1 - Escola de Música Villa-Lobos /Prêmio Esther Scliar (1998)

Quem assina o projeto é o senador Cristóvam Buarque (PDT-DF).  Ele tentará votar o projeto ainda hoje na Comissão de Educação e no plenário do Senado. Se aprovada, a matéria segue para sanção de Lula e beneficiará de imediato 1,5 milhão de professores.

Também hoje pode ser votado em plenário uma Proposta de Emenda à Constituição (PEC 93/06) que reduz os percentuais de incidência da Desvinculação dos Recursos da União (DRU) no Orçamento da Educação. A proposta é de autoria da senadora Ideli Salvatti (PT-SC).

Em 12 anos, a Educação deixou de ganhar R$ 72 bilhões, segundo dados do Ministério da Educação. Esse dinheiro foi comido pela DRU. Criada no governo Fernando Henrique Cardoso, a DRU é instrumento permite o governo a desvincular 20% de tudo que arrecada para usar como bem entender.

Pela proposta, o percentual de desvinculação será reduzido à metade (10%) em 2009, caindo para 5% em 2010. Em 2011, a Educação estaria, enfim, livre da DRU.

Martin Luther King is the author of the quote above that is my title.  Dr. King lived in a time where racism was alive and rampant.  It was the norm to openly be racist and offensive.  It was looked upon as acceptable to turn German Shepards lose on men, women and small children.  Anything to show that black people didn't belong.  As long as those blacks got the point, most people thought.  But, by the sweat of a few and pain of many, fifty years later those problems and obstacles do not excist for many us.  African Americans do not have to worry about racism nowhere near the way we did forty and fifty years ago.  But, when racism shows its ugly head you can still feel the chill of it down your spine.  

Loyola University New Orleans is a special place.  Truly, there is no other place like it on the globe.  Its an institution that is diverse among races, social-economic standings and beliefs.  The student body is warm and rich.  However, with all of that diversity I still feel unheard.  I feel unrepresented.  I feel discriminated.  I don't feel welcome.  Why?  Because I am unheard.  My voice goes deaf, to the administration Kelvin Brown and people who look like him are a check from the federal government.  "We've met out quota President Bush, where's our check?"  "Look, they can shuck and jive Mr. President, they're GPA's aren't bad either why don't you throw a little more money our way as well."  When I am not taken seriously my blood curls.  To those who are oblivious to what is going on at my University (to whom of which I pay alot of money to) is OPENLY fucking me and the people who look like me over.  At the beginning of the year, plans arose to renovate our Student Center (The Danna Center).  Naturally, campus buzzed.  It buzzed more in the Black Community when we found out that in the plans, the Center for Intercultural Understanding was to be shut off from the public and our faculty member who serves as mentor, counselor and role model was to be removed .  The current design of the CIU (Center for Intercultural Understanding) was glass encased and open for ANY culture to come in and converse, kick it, relax and enjoy themselves.  Its not hard to realize that the only people who used it were BLACK!  The architect comes into Loyola and the first thing he sees are BLACK kids.  He says to himself, "Why is it that the first thing I see when I step into the building Im in charge of renovating are BLACK kids?"  Thus, in his plans he cuts it off from the outside world.  Removing it would cause too much of a problem so he just hides us all.  Meetings then come up.  Black, Latino, Arab and every other culture EXCEPT white meet with the architect along with School Administration in SEPTEMBER!  A group of nearly 100 students POLITELY express our discontent with the changes being made to the CIU because of the real difference it makes in our lives.  And, as you would expect, the school listens.  The architect agrees with us and is shocked with our effort and decides to leave it alone.  GREAT!  Someone listens to us!  So we thought, well come to find out Loyola hasn't changed it's mind and plans are still on schedule, to raze the CIU and erect concrete blocks around it and remove our "campus mom".   When Spring Semester nearing the end, faculty begin to move and/or find out their placements for the fall semester.  Professor Martin, the CIU's faculty member is told she will stay in the CIU and no changes will be made.  But,  six weeks into the summer she gets a memo saying her things are being moved and her office (the CIU) is being razed and renovated.  Students quickly organize.  Meetings are planned with administration, students organize admist the chaos thats fastly approaching.  Mind you, these changed are taking place in the summer becasue the administration KNEW they couldn't pull this off during the school year.  That would be called lying.  And, that doesn't go over well with donors IE people with money!!!  So, the students who look like me plan a sit in to stop the moving of our faculty member and the razing of our office.  School Administration comes down to find an office of over 30 students DURING the summer.  Most of which are in summer class and some even took off work to show their dedication.  The school administration came down and said, WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING!  WE UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THIS OFFICE TO YOU AND WE WILL NOT CHANGE IT!!!!!!!! WE WILL LEAVE PROFESSOR MARTIN IN HERE AS WELL!!!!!  Come to find out Loyola lied again.  Today they sent a demo crew to take Professor Martin's belongings out of her office while she was on vacation in FLORIDA and began razing the CIU.  Talk about hurt!  I really was taken back.  How low is that?  How do you explain what you just did to a group of students who expressed their discontent over and over?  Who went about everything the right way? How?!? It makes me feel like a check.  Like I'm voiceless, like I'm invisible and like I am alive and kicking during the 60's.  How can I be open to growth inside a University that won't be open to me and people who look like me?  There is no excuse Sissy Petty and Father Wiles.  You have failed me as people.  And, now you have awoken a sleeping giant.  We will be heard!

Otherwise known around here as "The Professor" or "Squirtle." Squirtle, because he slightly resembles the Pokémon by the same name. "The Professor" is a nickname that has evolved and stuck ever since the beginning. Originally, he was called Professor Wigglesworth while he was still in my tummy and we hadn't decided on a name for him yet. The only thing we knew about him at that point was he loved to wiggle (and roll, and kick, and punch, etc. etc...). Then when we finally decided on a name for him, we gave him a middle name that begins with X, not really making the connection all of our fellow geeky friends and family did.  They started calling him Professor X (and some still do). Now we just call him Professor, because he teaches my husband and myself something new at least once a week. For instance, cat toys are really baby toys in disguise. Just make sure you take out all the bells and other items that babies find detrimentally delicious. Or the fact that I just need to get used to never shaving my legs completely ever again. I'm in a constant state of hairy leg flux.

Anyway, the young Professor here is the reason for a good deal of what I plan on posting about. But I also plan on posting all of my little crazy craft and food ideas up here, as well, in hopes to entertain the internet masses.

exercer a profissão como se fosse um sacerdócio. Ou seja, como se fosse um padre, sem pretensão de se ganhar dinheiro.

se esforçar ao máximo para complementar a educação dos filhos dos outros.

saber ouvir o sim e o não e decidir pela atitude mais correta.

ouvir coisas boas e ruins e não ficar chateado com isso.

realmente ser pai, mãe, psicólogo, psiquiatra e mestre ao mesmo tempo.

ser paciente, tolerante, amigo e compreensivo.

acatar todo tipo de desaforo, incompreensão e desabafo de pessoas intolerantes e saber conviver com um mísero salário no final do mês, para pagar as despesas da família, sem ao menos ter tempo para ela.

lutar pelo aumento do salário que recebe, quando a política governamental dita normas com objetivo de reduzi-lo.

trabalhar, preparar a aula, se esforçar ao máximo para apresentar a aula que ele mesmo preparou, ouvindo choros e rangidos da criançada, às vezes com fome ou dor de dente.

ser uma pessoa que está sempre pronto para responder dúvidas, esclarecer a realidade do mundo, falar sobre o futuro e o passado, e sempre estar passando seus conhecimentos, e também aprendendo coisas novas, como um aluno sempre atento.

ser um eterno e incansável aluno, sempre com objetivo de aprender, mais e mais, não para mostrar às pessoas que sabe, mas sim para aumentar sua auto-estima e também promover sua auto-realização.

ser paciente com os alunos, persistente, tolerante, estimulador, perguntador, esclarecedor, por mais que esteja com desânimo, devido a problemas que tenha para resolver.

mostrar para o aluno que a potencialidade dele é muito maior do que ele pensa que seja, ainda que descubra que ele não possua nenhuma.

entender que a inteligência é como um esmeril: quando mais passa a burrice sobre ela, mais a burrice se desgasta e se transforma em inteligência.

saber que é válida a frase: “Para se ter sucesso é preciso um por cento de inspiração e noventa e nove por cento de transpiração”.

pedir a Deus, em oração, para que os que decidem pelo seu salário pensem nele na hora de determinar o percentual de aumento anual.

É tudo isso e muito mais.

Boas férias, Senhor Professor!

Assim como também aos seus alunos!

And then I had the random idea to turn the bland research paper into a fictional magazine with graphic and layout design, and where the images pertaining to the text would be on the same page rather than all at the end. I knew I was quick at Photoshop, so I did a mock magazine cover, a table of contents, and a double column layout for the text and images. The use of green was in line with the idea of the "organic" plants that Guimard frequently used in his designs.

And it turns out he liked it a lot, and I got a pretty damn good grade. See the higher resolution version at my deviantART page.

Quando comecei a escrever sobre informática educacional, lá pelos idos de 1998, me lembro que meu primeiro artigo abordava a importância do uso dos computadores como ferramenta de ensino-aprendizagem. Nele, eu tentava mostrar que os computadores e a Internet poderiam ser ferramentas poderosas para pesquisa, aprendizagem, interatividade e autoria.

Na foto ao lado, o professor Suez confronta a velha “papeleta de notas” com a moderna planilha de notas eletrônicas em um projeto de informatização desenvolvido na EE Neuza Maria Nazatto de Carvalho.

De lá para cá muita coisa mudou no mundo da informática e dos computadores. Mas, no âmbito da escola, notamos um descompasso entre o ritmo da evolução tecnológica e o da evolução de nossos processos educacionais. O que, de certa forma, sabemos que não é novidade para ninguém: a escola implementa mudanças de uma forma mais lenta, ainda que, paradoxalmente, seja uma instituição que se propõe a ser um fator gerador de mudanças. É por isso que os professores devem considerar as oficinas de capacitação para o uso pedagógico dos computadores e da Internet como oportunidades valiosas de aprendizagem de novas metodologias e técnicas de ensino-aprendizagem.

Mas só isso não basta. É preciso mais. Já não basta perder o medo do computador. É preciso saber para que ele serve se pretendemos fazer bom uso da máquina. Professores que só usaram computadores para bater papo na Internet, jogar games ou, quando muito, digitar um texto mal formatado no Word, estão deixando de aproveitar a chance de serem verdadeiros “professores digitais”.

Na rede pública de ensino há ainda uma demanda enorme de computadores para equipar centenas de escolas que não dispõem de uma Sala de Informática funcional. Em outras tantas escolas os computadores já estão ultrapassados e não dão mais conta de rodarem sistemas operacionais modernos ou mesmo de lidar com a Internet midiática atual. É preciso suprir essas demandas. As máquinas mudaram, o mundo mudou, embora na maior parte das escolas os professores continuem quase os mesmos. Mas é preciso fazer também, e urgentemente, um “upgrade nos professores” e não apenas nas Salas de Informática. Precisamos de “professores digitais”.

Um professor digital é aquele que possui habilidades para fazer um bom uso do computadores para ele mesmo e, por extensão, é capaz de usá-lo de forma produtiva com seus alunos.

As “habilidades” que listarei a seguir podem ser discutíveis e em número limitado. Arrisco-me, no entanto, a afirmar que quantas mais forem as habilidades possuídas, mais perto se chegará do perfil de um professor digital. Vejamos>

1. Possuir um endereço de e-mail e utilizá-lo pelo menos duas vezes por semana (o ideal seria fazê-lo diariamente);

2. Possuir um blog, um site ou uma página atualizável na Internet onde regularmente se produz, socializa e se confronta seu conhecimento com outras pessoas;

3. Participar ativamente de um ou mais “grupos de discussão”, fórum ou comunidade virtual ligada à sua atividade educacional;

4. Possuir algum programa de troca de mensagens on-line, como o MSN, com, no mínimo, dois colegas de profissão em sua “lista de contatos” e usá-lo para fins profissionais pelo menos uma vez por semana, em média;

5. Assinar algum periódico on-line (mesmo que gratuito) sobre notícias e novidades relacionadas à educação ou à sua disciplina específica, e lê-lo regularmente;

6. Preparar rotineiramente provas, resumos, tabelas, roteiros e materiais didáticos diversos usando um processador de textos (como o Word, por exemplo), uma planilha eletrônica (como o Excel) ou um programa de apresentações multimídia (como o PowerPoint);

7. Fazer pesquisa na Internet regularmente com vistas à preparação de suas aulas (no mínimo) e, preferencialmente, manter um banco de dados de sites úteis para sua disciplina e para a educação em geral. Melhor ainda seria compartilhar esse banco de dados com colegas e alunos;

8. Preparar pelo menos uma aula por bimestre sobre um tema de sua disciplina onde os alunos usarão os computadores e a Sala de Informática de forma produtiva e não apenas para “matar o tempo”;

9. Manter contato com o computador por, pelo menos, uma hora diária, em média;

10. Manter-se atento para as novas possibilidades de uso pedagógico das novas tecnologias que surgem continuamente e tentar implementar novas metodologias em suas aulas.

Note que na lista acima não foi incluída em nenhum item a necessidade de se “possuir um computador”, porque de fato não é preciso possuir algum para ser um professor digital, ou mesmo para incluir-se digitalmente. No entanto, muitos professores que conheço possuem computadores e acesso à Internet, mas não chegam a ter nem três das dez habilidades listadas acima.

As habilidades acima envolvem o “fazer”, o agir, a inclusão efetiva do professor no mundo digital. Nenhuma oficina de capacitação ou curso de computação, por si só, traz nenhuma das habilidades acima, pois todas elas demandam o “uso regular do computador e da Internet”.

Aproveite e faça você mesmo o teste para medir o quanto você se enquadra no perfil do professor digital. Some um ponto para cada item dessa lista que se aplicar a você. Caso você some mais que cinco pontos, já pode se considerar como parte da vanguarda dos professores digitais.

Technique Classes

If you are a dance major it is probably because you like to dance! This is your chance to do so. Typically all dancers in a university program are at minimum required to take a ballet and modern technique class each semester. Chances are, even if you did not have to audition to be accepted into the dance program at your school, you will probably have to take a placement class in which one or more of the faculty decide the class level for which you are best suited. Don't be discouraged if after training since the age of 3, you are still entered into the level one classes - this is quite normal. Even students who transfer from one program are sometimes placed at these entry levels in their new school. This brings me to...

• Tip #1: Trust the faculty's judgment. They want you to succeed. Their years of training, education, and experience should not be discounted. Unless you truly feel they are putting you at risk mentally or physically (in which case, seek higher authority), give their ideas and opinions a chance.

Technique classes are generally worth only one or two credits so that a regular full-time student can take more than one and still maintain a typical full-time credit load (12-15 credits). While there are occasional written assignments or requirements for attending a concert, etc., a high percentage of your grade in a dance class is usually determined by your attendance record. This means you have to show up and be prepared to do the work to get a decent grade in the class. Seems easy enough, right? Well, for students who are perhaps relishing their first taste of freedom from parental supervision, getting to class is sometimes a surprisingly low priority (never mind the condition in which they arrive). Late nights studying, hanging out, partying, internet surfing, etc. with no one to tell you to get to bed, coupled with a 9am ballet class... you get the picture.

• Tip #2: Find a balance. The point is that there are LOTS of things in college life that distract students from their primary purpose (succeeding at getting an education). You don't have to abstain from all of the lovely little distractions. However, accept the responsibility that comes with your newfound freedom and be mature enough to recognize when your schoolwork is suffering (without blaming it on your teachers) and then make lifestyle changes or take steps to correct the problem. In fact, apply this to situations in general... from now on.

Rehearsals

Unlike many of your fellow college students, you will probably find yourself heavily involved in dance activities that don't necessarily earn you credits but, are nonetheless, worth it or even required. Many of these activities will result in performances both formal or informal which, like taking class, has a lot to do with why you bought your ticket for this ride in the first place. Particularly as an underclassmen, you may find yourself auditioning in front of and for upperclassmen who are looking for guinea pigs for their own choreography. At my alma mater for example, there was an entire process dedicated to the auditioning, presenting, adjudicating, and performing of undergraduate works. Once dancers were cast, the student choreographers scheduled rehearsal time (for whenever and wherever space was available - racquetball courts, anyone?) and later presented their work in progress to faculty several times. By the final showing, dances were chosen for a final year-end performance and those that didn't make the cut were offered a slot in less formal performances. I'm sure every university has a slightly different process and a variety of opportunities - faculty concerts, composition (choreography) class projects, off-campus or community outreach efforts. You may not always be cast as a performer. However, there may be other ways you can take part. Although disappointing at first, not being cast in my first college production resulted in one of the most beneficial learning experiences of my student career when I instead stage-managed the performance. Taking a backstage role is a great way to learn about the craft of production and will be of value to you in the future when you create your own choreography, manage a dance company, or run a dance studio.

• Tip #3: Get Involved. It may cut into your social life but these experiences are worth participating in any way that you can. Don't put all your eggs in one basket by skipping the "smaller" stuff and waiting to audition for the "big" show. You may find yourself disappointed and not participating in anything. Likewise, don't limit what you take part in because of self-doubt, insecurities, or even department politics. You may be surprised at what other opportunities your participation yields.
• Tip #4: In all things, be professional. You are preparing for a professional life ahead and, although you may think "it's just college" or "the choreographer's a student too" or "this is a stupid assignment, anyway," remember that reputations have a tendency to follow one around. If you are consistently late, stressed, show up ill-prepared or unable to dance, display attitude, or give less than 100% effort, word will get out among the other students and faculty. And while, the reputation may not always make it beyond your collegiate walls, your lack of experience (because people avoided casting you) will speak for itself on a resume.

More to come! While you wait, check out these great Five Tips for College Freshmen. Look for Park II, coming soon...

The Blue Sky

Chapter 6: The Professor

Terra woke the next morning and, recalling the previous day's events, got ready hurriedly. Knowing her usual sleep schedule, she figured it was probably near noon already, and that she should probably hurry down to the first floor to meet . . . whatever his name was. She did not recall ever being told.

When she stepped out of the door, she realized that she still had no idea where Wolfe was. She hoped nothing bad had happened to him, but continued on to the magical transportation classroom anyway. She descended a few flights of stairs and turned right, as Shinobu had said. She stood outside the door of the classroom and leaned against the wall for about half an hour until the door opened. A student raised an eyebrow at her, and she heard him mutter "why's there been so many random people around here today? Earlier, there was that guy lying on the floor . . ."; but he continued up the stairs. No activity occurred until he came back five minutes later and re-entered the classroom. Ten minutes after that, students filed out of the classroom. Behind them came the professor, whom she recognized immediately.

I can't believe I waited 45 minutes. This world's time system really screws me up.

"Ah, you're on time!" he greeted her cheerily.

"W-where are we going?" Terra stuttered. They began walking towards the front door.

"I know a nice cafe . . . that's all right, isn't it?"

Terra nodded.

"Ah, good, good."

They walked down the steps of the building onto the city's main street. Terra assumed it was the main street, anyway, as it was crammed with people. Carts and carriages passed through the center of the street, with the occasional policeman on horseback. The duo turned onto a smaller side street and entered a small but tightly packed cafe. Terra stood crossed-armed and stared at the menu.

When it came to be their turn in line, the still unnamed professor spoke first.

"I'll have some Earl Gray tea and a ham sandwich and, um--" he turned to Terra.

"Uh, I'll have a café au lait and a turkey sandwich."

The woman behind the counter said it would take them a couple of minutes and gave them a table number. She said their total was 15.32 of whatever currency it was they were using. The professor took out his wallet to pay. Terra had no objections, as she did not actually have any money of her own. Thus far, they had relied on Emily for money to pay for food. How despicable (but necessary) of us.

The two of them sat down at a table. Terra fiddled with a spoon, which she twirled listlessly between her fingers.

"So, I never did get to ask your name," the professor said.

"Hmm? Oh, it's Terra Cooper," Terra replied. She continued to twirl her spoon.

"Ah, yes Miss Cooper. I'm Professor Montague Everett. You may call me whatever you like."

Terra merely nodded in reply.

"So tell me, what world do you come from?" he asked.

"Earth."

"Where about?" he asked, and frowned slightly.

"Um, San Difrangeles, in the state of California, in the United States of America."

"I see."

What could those words possibly mean to you?! Was that a test?

"What's it like there?" he continued.

Terra paused for a moment. "It was a good deal more modern than it is here, and magic is far less commonly heard of or used. Other than that, though, it doesn't really seem to be that different." This place is more like England, though.

"So, what do you know about, er--" a waiter set their food on the table, interrupting the professor. He continued when the waiter was out of earshot. "Trans-universal travel?"

Terra told Professor Everett of her journey thus far, leaving out the boring, superfluous, and irrelevant parts, though she rather would have preferred to write it out.

After they had finished eating, the professor said, "That was very fascinating. Sorry for troubling you."

Terra shrugged. "It's all right. I'll be going now."

As she was beginning to stand, he stopped her.

"Wait, if your idea is approved, could you tell me? When I'm not teaching, I'm usually in the library, or in my classroom."

"All right. Goodbye, for now. Thanks for lunch." Terra bade him farewell. She rose promptly and exited the cafe. She wandered aimlessly around the city for a while until she came back to the school. She headed towards her room, and upon entering sat down to write, but she thought she heard Wolfe's voice coming from the neighboring room, so she got up to investigate.

She knocked on the door of Shinobu and Shigure's room, and heard Shinobu and Wolfe say in unison, "come in!"

Inside, she found Wolfe sitting cross-legged and hunched over on one bed, and Shinobu sitting upright across from him. Shigure sat perched on the windowsill, not seeming to be included in the conversation.

"Where've you been?" Shinobu asked.

"Out."

"Like, where?" Wolfe asked.

Terra recounted the day's events, finishing with, "and where have you been? I haven't seen you since yesterday afternoon."

"Oh, out and about, here and there," Wolfe dodged the question. "Y'know, it seems unlike you to go out with a perfect stranger. I haven't known you long, but you seem too suspicious of others to do something like that."

"I'm only suspicious of suspicious people," Terra replied. She could have sworn she saw Shigure smile faintly at this.

"Eh, fair enough," Wolfe said.

"Anyway," Terra continued, "what have all of you been doing today?"

Shinobu said, "Well, this morning, big brother and I found Wolfe sleeping on the floor in front of your room, so we took him into our room and let him sleep in Shigure's bed."

Wolfe smiled and shrugged. "Forgot my keys. Anyway, we've just been talking. That's pretty much it."

"OK. I'm going to go back to the library for now. Come and tell me if anyone wants to see all of us."

With that, she left the room and proceeded down the hall to the library. There, she searched for the book she had been reading the previous day, but couldn't find it. She did find a suspiciously similarly-titled book, which she sat down at a table and read. However, it wasn't five minutes before a hand planted itself firmly on her shoulder. She frowned and looked over her shoulder. It was Wolfe. Before he said anything, she got up and hurriedly put the book in the 'needs to be shelved' bin.

As soon as they were on their way back, he began talking.

"I was sent to get you, but I guess you already figured that out." He sighed, "He doesn't trust me with his sister for two minutes. Seriously, what does he think I'm gonna do?"

Terra shrugged.

Their conversation continued until they reached the group standing outside their room, which, thankfully, wasn't very long at all. The group was Shinobu, Shigure, and a guard.

The guard led them to the headmaster's office, which was on the fourth floor. They were let into the room, where the headmaster sat at an expensive-looking wooden desk.

"Hello. I'll get to the point. The queen has approved your idea, on the condition that the trans-dimensional portal can be destroyed," he said.

Terra looked towards Shinobu, presuming she was the only one who would know. She was.

"It can, sir," she said in an unusually serious voice.

"Good, good. Well, we've prepared a room here at the academy for you to use. It's small, so inform me whether or not it will be able to fit when you get there." He turned to a woman on his left. "Elizabeth, would you tell the guard where to take them?"

His secretary stepped out of the door and quickly returned.

"You may go. The guard will lead you there."

The four of them filed out of the room and followed the guard down the corridor. He opened the door of a small room, which Wolfe suspected used to be a closet. The guard left the four of them there and returned to his post.

Shinobu took a sheet of paper out of her jacket pocket, which showed a complicated looking circular design.

"Does anyone want to do it? I'm not very neat, so I don't think I'd be very well-suited to the job. You just have to copy this pattern on the floor in white paint. Once you're done, don't step on it, though. I have a can and a brush in my bag. I'll go get it--"

"I'll get it," Shigure interrupted and rushed off.

He really doesn't let her do anything, doesn't he? Wolfe thought. I guess I'll volunteer this time, to keep up appearances.

"I'll--"

"I'll do it," Terra interrupted. "Wait, did you want to?" she asked Wolfe.

"We could do it together?" Wolfe hazarded.

"No, I think it's a one-man job. You can do it."

". . . OK."

Shortly after that, Shigure returned with a bucket of paint and a brush, which he laid on the ground. He and Shinobu and wandered off, as did Terra, leaving Wolfe on his own.

Upon starting, he saw that the room was even smaller than he had guessed it to be, and realised it would take him quite a while to paint such a complex pattern in such a small room. However, he took to the task at hand, and after a few boring hours it was finished.

Wolfe stood up, stretched, and went off to tell the rest of the group.

He headed to the library first, because he was nearly sure of who he'd find there.

As he entered, he immediately saw her, nose in a book. He walked towards her, and placed his hand on her shoulder. Once again, she got up, placed the book in the 'needs to be shelved' bin, and followed him out the door.

"Do you have any idea where the others are?" he asked.

She shrugged.

Why does she answer all questions like this?

"Well, could you find them? I'm tired . . ." Wolfe whined.

She stared at him contemptuously for a moment, but nodded.

Wolfe thanked her hastily and turned to take off. Terra watched as he descended the stairs and wondered vaguely where he was going if he was so tired, but decided she didn't care. It occurred to her that they should probably have stayed together, so that they could all leave together, and that the siblings would probably be in their room anyway, but she didn't particularly want to follow him, so she simply walked down the hall, and knocked on the door of the siblings' room. Going back to the World Between the Worlds (hence called "WBW") could wait. Or they could leave him here, and he could get back on his own. No, that would be mean.

Shinobu answered the door, and said, "Did Wolfe finish? Hey, where is Wolfe?"

"He wandered off again, but he's apparently finished. Said he was tired. We can wait until he gets back to go," Terra replied.

"Oh. OK," Shinobu said. A look of worry briefly crossed her face, but was soon replaced with her usual, cheerful look.

"Anyway, I'll just be in my room. We can all go when he comes back," Terra went to the neighboring room, plopped down on the bed, and began writing in her notebook. Soon enough Wolfe returned. Thankfully, he'd had the sense not to stay out too long.

"You should pack anything you have. We're leaving," Terra informed him.

"Oh, good," he replied, and shoved his belongings into his backpack.

They carried their backpacks to the next room, and told Shinobu they were ready to leave. The siblings carried their bags, and followed them up to the fourth floor. Outside the portal room stood a guard. They told the guard that they were done working, and that they were leaving, and he let them enter the room one-by-one. Each person who stepped in the circle immediately disappeared. When Terra stood on it, she found herself in the same room they'd been in at the inn when they left. She glanced down and realized the floor was covered in a giant portal, like the one they'd just been on. She noticed a man in the room, who looked a good deal like the innkeeper, but who had short, gray-flecked hair.

"Welcome back," he greeted in a decidedly neutral tone. "Here. One of you can fill out this form. Then you can all go back any time." He held out a sheet of paper, which Terra took. The four of them all left the room, and went back to their respective rooms at the inn. Terra sat down at her desk, took out a pencil, and filled out the form. Wolfe sat behind her and said nothing, amazingly, but simply stared. Or, at least, she could have sworn she felt him watching her. Shinobu popped in and said that they could all go get dinner together, so Terra temporarily left her desk in favor of food. Wolfe followed her out the door.

They walked down the road, to a place that sold flat bread with cheese, tomatoes, and other assorted toppings. Wow. Some things really do transcend boundaries.

Once again, it was, if rather cheesy, a perfect ending to a chapter.