WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE CHILEAN EDUCATION?

The education is a very complex system, and point out just one problem is a hard and uncomfortable decision, because there is a real consciousness about the subject.
In general, the main problems with our educational system are three:

1. Teachers without motivation
2. Lack of infrastructure
3. A lower demand level for the students

These three factors are the base of an insufficient educational system, in which the common denominator is the lack of soundness in the educational policy.
Chile’s public education system is supervised by the Ministry of Education but run by the city hall of each small district, but the problem here is that a city hall can’t properly oversee and manage public schools, as a result, districts of poor areas deliver poor education to their students, with a low standard and high number of students per teacher. On the other hand, districts which are well funded and manage a less number of students (private school) result in a better education for children of richer areas.
Other important point is the traditional methodology of education given, which is old and defective, because it gives a great emphasis in the memorization of facts, instead promoting critical thinking, partially due to a cultural emphasis on factual knowledge as the sign of an educated person. Furthermore, the almost equal emphasis and lack of high standards for testing all subjects make it difficult for students to identify what they would like to study in their future.
In general terms, the education system has to worry about the motivation of the teachers, because if they are not satisfied with their jobs, they will not perform in the right way, and as a result the student’s level will not be the required for the Ministry of Education. This is a very important fact because it supposed that we as a teachers have to form the students, which imply the acquisition of values, knowledge and a social commitment, this mean that the emotional state of the teachers would affect the perception of the students about the society.
The teacher, due to carry out many functions, in some way is a kind of significant person for the students, they spend many hours of the week with the students and for that reason they are implied in the behaviour, character and opinion of them.
In my opinion, our future work or labour has a vital importance, as a teacher, we have to make the difference between our students, in terms of what they like, their preferences, their motivation, we have to know how to motivate our students, and try to make our classes more dynamic and interesting, use common and daily material, with all these variables our labour will be more satisfactory and the students really will reach a significant learning.
If the teachers change the education will change, for that reason is very important that the government give more resources to improve the infrastructure, to acquire new and fresh material for the students, which it helps our future labour, and the main goal to reach an equal education in our country.

CHOCOLATE: FRIEND OR FOE?

Chocolate is one of the world’s favourite flavours, which give us the most intensive ambivalent feelings among its proponents.
One of the few foods which truly crosses all frontiers and appeals to people all over the world is chocolate. Originally developed in South America by the Aztecs, chocolate was brought to Europe by he Spanish explorers around 1500 and soon developed into a fashionable and exclusive drink. By the nineteenth century the Swiss has invented milk chocolate and learned how to make the substance into a solid form which could be eaten rather than drunk. Chocolate bars rapidly became a popular snack for European and Americans.
Chocolate derives from the beans of the theobroma cacao or cocoa tree, a sensitive plant; the cocoa tree can only grow in equatorial regions with regular rainfall and consistent temperatures. South America, West Africa and parts of the Far East are the only regions able to support the cocoa tree. The beans are removed from large pods which grow directly on the tree trunk or branches, left to ferment for several days and then dried in the sun. The dried beans are exported to processing plants where the hard shells are taken off and the soft cocoa paste, known as cocoa mass is used as the basic ingredient for all chocolate recipes.
The word “chocolate” is derived from “Xochiquetzal”, the name of the Aztecs goddess of love, and for centuries chocolate had has a reputation as an aphrodisiac. It was the favourite drink of Casanova, and it has always been one of the most popular presents between lovers on Valentine’s Day. In fact chocolate contains the chemical phenylethylamine (PEA), a mood altering substance which can induce a feeling of pleasure and contentment.
Perhaps the most common complaint against chocolate is that is fattening and unhealthy. It is true that chocolate has a high fat and carbohydrate content, but recent research has shown that around 75% of the saturated fat in chocolate is made up of stearic acid, a substance that helps the body to digest and break down carbohydrates, and much of the fat content in chocolate is in a form which can’t be absorbed by the body and it’s therefore expelled in the usual way.
When compare chocolate with other sweet snacks, chocolate is frequently scores well, it contains good levels of calcium, phosphorous, potassium, vitamin A, iron and sodium; all highly desirable and nutritional. Its chemical composition makes it stimulating and energy-giving, and its fat content is no higher then ice-cream or french fries. Of course chocolate will make you fat if is eaten in excess.
With chocolate, as with life in general, the best advice comes from the old proverb: “a little of what you like does you good”.