February 2012 Schedule of Classes and Workshops OPEN CLASSES MONDAY Small Group Discussion Funny Thing About English Slang, Solutions & Stuff## Speaking & Listening The American People U.S. History, Government & Law
Reading & Discussing Literature Cross-Cultural Concepts of Beauty & Health TUESDAY Reading Children’s Literature Conversation: New York Life Basic Idioms Grammar in Use Current Affairs: A Discussion Cultural Traditions Listening and Conversation America: Elections & Courts öö Conversation: Media & Culture
Reading & Discussing Literature WEDNESDAY Let’s Talk About It Pronunciation The Real New York Grammar in Context
TIME
LEVEL
INSTRUCTOR
2 1-2 1-2 3 2 3 1
H.I. L.I. H.I./Adv. H.I. H.I./Adv. Adv. Adv.
Edward Spaeth Joe Lamb Terry Phelan Kathy Mele Eileen Julian Leo Gerber Chris Booth
2
H.I./Adv.
Linda Miele
11:00-11:55 AM 11:00-12:25 PM 12:00-12:55 PM 1:30-3:25 PM 2:00-3:25 PM 3:30-4:55 PM 3:30-4:55 PM
1-2 6 1-2 3 2 1-2 3
Int./H.I. Int./H.I. Int./H.I. H.I. H.I./Adv. Int./H.I. H.I.
Shawn Mullin Toni Thomas Phil Marcus Ann Black Max Frankel Luise Palace Susan Martin
5:00-5:55 PM 6:00-7:25 PM 6:30-7:55 PM
3 2 1
Adv. H.I./Adv. Adv.
Jonathan Altschuler Paul Benevich Chris Booth
2 3 1-2 1 2 1-2
Int./H.I. Int./H.I. H.I./Adv. H.I. H.I./Adv. L.I.
Diane Maas Brad Smith Donald Young
11:00-12:25 PM 1:00-1:55 PM 2:00-2:55 PM 2:00-2:55 PM 3:00-4:25 PM 3:00-4:55 PM 6:30-7:55 PM 6:30-7:55 PM
11:00-11:55 AM 11:00-11:55 AM 12:45-1:45 PM 2:00-3:55 PM Tips for Success at Work & Beyond 2:00-3:25 PM Speak Up & Speak Out 4:30-5:25 PM
ROOM
L.I. – Low Intermediate Int. – Intermediate H.I. – High Intermediate Adv. – Advanced
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: ## Slang, Solutions & Stuff will NOT be held on 2/27. öö America: Elections & Courts will NOT be held on 2/7 & 2/14.
Bernadette Levandowski
Ann Collins Joe Lamb
±± New York: Then and Now will NOT be held on 2/2.
International Relations Opera Club THURSDAY Small Group Discussion
6:00-7:55 PM 6:00-7:55 PM
1 3
Adv. Int./H.I.
John Bruschi Roger Lothrop
11:00-12:25 PM
2
H.I.
Edward Spaeth
New York: Then and Now ±± Food, Kitchens and Cooking Grammar in Use Writing ƒƒ
11:00-12:15 PM 12:00-1:55 PM 12:00-1:55 PM 12:30-1:55 PM
3 1 6 2
H.I. H.I. H.I. H.I.
Robin Lynn Petey Eisenberg Ann Black Merle Price
•• Small Group Conversation will NOT be held on 2/9 & 2/16.
Small Group Conversation •• Vocabulary & Pronunciation
2:00-2:55 PM 4:00-4:55 PM 4:00-5:55 PM 6:00-7:25 PM
1-2 2 3 1
L.I./Int. Int. Adv. H.I.
John Uss Ellie Adiel Leo Gerber Carol Dubin
‡‡ Small Group Conversation will NOT be held on 2/10 & 2/17.
6:00-7:25 PM
2
U.S. History, Government & Law
Business-No Big Deal: A Discussion Vocabulary in Use FRIDAY Conversation Pronunciation Practice
12:30-1:55 PM 1:00-1:55 PM
Small Group Conversation ‡‡ 2:00-3:15 PM Essay Writing 2:00-3:25 PM Talking About America 3:30-4:25 PM The American People 4:00-5:25 PM Film Viewing and Discussion 5:00-6:55 PM SATURDAY Speak Easy Small Group Discussion This is New York Communications Skills Grammar This is New York
9:30-10:25 AM 11:00-12:25 PM 11:00-12:25 PM 12:30-1:55 PM 12:30-1:55 PM 1:30-2:55 PM Exploring English Through Music 2:00-3:25 PM 2/1/2012
Int./H.I.
Leslie Haynes
3 1-2
H.I. L.I.
Jo Imeson Joe Lamb
1-2 3 1-2 3 1-2
L.I./Int. H.I. Int. H.I./Adv. Int./H.I.
John Uss John Quinn John Donal Quinn Eileen Julian Michael Chin & Richard Allen
2 2 6 2 3 6 3
Int. H.I. H.I./Adv. Int./H.I. Int./H.I. H.I./Adv. H.I.
Kyeong-sik Song Edward Spaeth Marilyn Stetar Ellen Baird John Quinn Marilyn Stetar Kaveh Sarfehjooy
ƒƒ Writing will NOT be held on 2/2.
CLASS SIZE IS LIMITED TO CHAIRS AVAILABLE!
There is no sign up unless indicated. Sign up sheets are at the Information Desk.
Computer Skills Photoshop Projects Mon., 2/13 & 2/27, 3-5 PM, Computer Lab, Kazuko Uchida Sign up required. Limited to 6. Please sign up for one class only. Learn how to create original greeting cards, Tshirt designs, and other art projects in Photoshop, a leading software program used in advertising, publishing, and other information industries. You will learn how to adjust the color and shape of images, add specific phrases and logos, and how to use other features and functions of Photoshop. Introduction to Excel Tues., 2/14 & Fri., 2/17, 3-5 PM, Computer Lab, Bill Roth Sign up required. Limited to 6. Please attend both sessions. This workshop will include topics such as description and uses of spreadsheet software; key definitions; navigating spreadsheets; and entering text and data. Students will create income and expense spreadsheets, utilizing different formats. They will also create formulas containing relative and absolute references. Learn how to transform spreadsheets into charts, and how to print spreadsheets. Some homework will be assigned. Please bring a flash drive if you have one. Internet Business Workshop Weds., 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29, 3-5 PM, Director’s Office, Jim Marnell Sign up required. Limited to 6. Learn how to develop a website inexpensively, draw visitors to it, and use it to make your business flourish. This workshop covers setting up a site, making it easily found by search engines, and supporting it with smart phone technology.
Career Skills Résumé Writing Workshop Tues., 2/21, 6-7:25 PM, Rm. 3, Alex Aslan
No sign up required. Volunteer Alex Aslan will review tips to help you write a strong résumé. Members are welcome to bring their own résumés for in-class practice. In t erv i ew S k il l s W ork s h op Tues., 2/28, 6-7:25 PM, Rm. 3, Alex Aslan No sign up required. Volunteer Alex Aslan will provide advice and give tips on what you need to know and how to prepare for a job interview.
Academic Skills Math Consultations Thurs., 2/16, 4-6 PM, Conversation Room, Vera Rozenberg Sign up required. Limited to 4. Math instructor Vera Rozenberg offers individual consultations to members and volunteers who need help with math. Vera will review math basics, explain math terminology, and provide challenging practice problems. If you are preparing for the GRE or GMAT exams, or just want to brush up on your math skills, sign up for a consultation with Vera. Vocabulary & Idioms Workshop Fri., 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24, 12-12:55 PM, Rm. 6, Joan Klips Sign up required. Limited to 12. Please attend all sessions. In this workshop, students will be reading dialogues and learning new vocabulary and American idioms as they are used in context.
New York Life Skills New York City History Tues., 2/7 & 2/14, 6-7:25 PM, Rm. 3, Alex Aslan NO sign up required. Come learn about the colorful history of New York and New Yorkers, including Native Americans, Italian explorers, Dutch traders, British conquerors, and American Revolutionaries. We will uncover the reasons why the city changed its name from New Amsterdam to New York, to New Orange, and back again. We
will also discuss how New York became the most populous city and financial hub of the U.S. as well as the “best city in the world!” The Civilian Complaint Review Board – Know Your Rights in Police Encounters Thurs., 2/16, 2-2:55 PM, Rm. 6 The New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), the largest independent police oversight agency in the United States, investigates complaints of police misconduct— from excessive force to offensive language—filed by members of the public against NYPD officers. This presentation will cover a variety of topics including: What kinds of misconduct the CCRB investigates; What civilians’ rights and responsibilities are in a police encounter—how to tell if an officer may have stepped out of bounds; How to file a complaint regarding police misconduct, and much more. There will be a question-and-answer session at the end of the presentation, where members can voice their concerns about community-police relations. Individual Immigration Consultations Thurs., 2/9, 6-7:55 PM, Tao Lin Sign up for a 10-minute appointment. Meet near the Information Desk. Immigration lawyer Tao Lin will answer your immigration questions. Bring all your important documents to the consultation. This is New York Sat., 2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25, 11 AM-12:25 PM & 1:30-2:55 PM, Rm. 6, Marilyn Stetar NO sign up required. Limited to 15. This small group discussion workshop is meant for members with a good command of English and an interest in discussing current issues in the always fascinating city we live in: New York City. Each week we will read one or two short articles about New York City, taken from The New York Times, The New Yorker magazine, and other national publications. We will discuss the content and practice using new and interesting vocabulary.
Social and Cultural Fabric Crafts Workshop Mon., 2/6, 2/13, 2/27, 5:45-7:25 PM, Lounge, Kasumi Ochiumi NO sign up required. Do you like crafts? Do you like to make things? In this hands-on workshop we will make pencil cases, small bags, MetroCard holders, coasters, ornaments, and much more. Fabric is provided, or feel free to bring your own. No experience is necessary. Come make new friends, chat in English, and create something unique. Book Club Thurs., 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23, 3-3:55 PM, Rm. 2 Sign up required. Limited to 20. Please attend all sessions. Join other ICNY members for a weekly discussion of American short stories. Stop by the Information Desk to pick up a copy of the short story the week before each Book Club meeting. Opera Club Wed., 2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 2/29, 6-7:55 PM, Rm. 3, Roger Lothrop NO sign up required. Become familiar with opera as we watch a popular opera, learn about the stories, the composers, and the famous arias. Everyone is welcome to join. New Horizon Club Thurs., 2/16, 6 PM, Lucie This club meets monthly, 6-8 PM, for discussions on various topics and for field trips. Members must have considerable life experience and good English proficiency. If interested, please leave your name and number with Shawn in the Program Office. Lucie will return your call. International Film Forum Fri., 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24, 5-6:55 PM, Rms. 1-2, Richard Allen & Michael Chin NO sign up required. Richard Allen and Michael Chin offer weekly viewing and discussion of films from the United States and from around the world. Practice your English while discussing the genres, works, and notable figures in
international cinema. Everyone is welcome to join.
Trips and Tours *Sign up on the Trips and Tours Board unless otherwise noted. Please cross out your name if you cannot attend! Please wear appropriate clothing for all trips and tours!
Forbes Gallery Museum Sat., 2/11, 1 PM, Lucie Visit this interesting private museum located in the heart of Greenwich Village. See the special exhibitions and the museum’s permanent collection of paintings and jewelry. (The Fabergé collection and the 12,000 toy soldiers have been sold.) Cost: Free. Meet: Outside the Forbes Gallery entrance, 62 Fifth Avenue, corner of West 12th Street. Take the subway to Union Square/14th Street. The tour will be followed by a walk through Greenwich Village, weather permitting. Dinner Trip – Ukrainian East Village Restaurant Wed., 2/29, 6 PM, Mark Gottfried Come to this delicious Ukrainian restaurant in the East Village. Try their delicious pierogis, blintzes, kielbasa, stuffed cabbage, and borscht. Cost: $12 to $14, depending on what you order, plus tax and tip. Meet: At 6 PM in the International Center or go directly to the restaurant at 140 Second Avenue between 8th and 9th Streets (near the corner of 9th Street at the back of the building) at 6:30 PM. The Frick Collection Sun., 3/4, 11 AM, Lucie Visit this unusual private museum containing some of the world’s finest paintings, sculpture, and decorative art, located in the former Parisinspired home of the industrial magnate, Henry Clay Frick. A special Renoir painting will be on display. Cost: Bring your ICNY ID. Pay as you wish. Meet: Outside the museum entrance at 1 East 70th Street, corner of 5th Avenue. Sorry, no children.
ATTENTION MEMBERS! Check our website before you come to the Center! Class cancellations and updates are now posted daily on the Center’s website: www.intlcenter.org Look for the box at the top right side of our home page that says: Today at the Center. Under the monthly calendar you will see a button that says: Click for Class Changes! You will find all cancellations and updates there. You can also follow the Center on Facebook (facebook.com/icnewyork), Twitter (twitter.com/icnewyork), and YouTube (youtube.com/icnewyork). The International Center Member Blog is an online community where our members share their learning experiences at ICNY and the ways in which the Center has enriched their lives in the U.S. The blog serves as a forum for members comfortable with writing in English. Become involved by blogging about your experiences in New York City or by sharing interesting stories about ICNY. You may submit your writing for approval by contacting Jacob Lazarowitz at jlazarowitz@intlcenter.org or Elaine Roberts at eroberts@intlcenter.org. Pictures and videos are also encouraged. Visit www.intlcenter.wordpress.com to read the Center’s blog.
This Month’s English Quiz Trite as a Cliché A cliché is an idea or phrase that has been used so much that it is not effective or does not have any meaning anymore. One of the most common cliché formulas writers use is “(adjective) as a/ an (noun),” for example, “happy as a clam” or “cool as a cucumber.” No one really knows why clams are happy and cucumbers are cool but this is something that is commonly used in the English language. In this month’s quiz you will supply each (adjective) as a/an with a noun from the list below. For example, smart as a whip, which means “intelligent or clever.” a cucumber, rain, an egg, the driven snow, a beet, a rock, pea soup, apple pie, molasses, a fruitcake 1. pure as _________________________________ 2. right as _________________________________ 3. solid as _________________________________ 4. American as _____________________________ 5. cool as _________________________________ 6. nutty as ________________________________ 7. red as __________________________________ 8. slow as _________________________________ 9. thick as _________________________________ 10. bald as ________________________________ Adapted from The Play of Words: Fun and Games for the Language Lovers, by Richard Lederer, Pocket Books, 1990.
Answers to last month’s quiz: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
mud ice pie lightning a daisy gold grass a rock a feather the hills
February Announcements 50 West 23rd Street, 7th Floor New York, NY 10010-5205 Phone: 212-255-9555 Fax: 212-255-0177 Email: icny@intlcenter.org
Mark Your Calendar: ♦ The Center will be closed on Monday, February 20, for Presidents’ Day.
East Asian Food Day Presidents’ Day Wednesday, February 29, 1 to 3 PM in the lounge An opportunity for volunteers and members to taste traditional dishes from Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong and raise money for the Center.
We are looking for members who would like to donate a traditional East Asian dish. All proceeds will benefit the International Center. If you are interested in donating a dish, please see Elaine in the Programs Office or Anna at the Information Desk. Deadline: Friday, February 17, 2012.
ICNY Cultural Presentation featuring
Colombia
Friday, March 2, at 3 PM in the lounge
In February, the United States honors two great American presidents who were born this month: George Washington, on February 22, and Abraham Lincoln, on February 12. The two birthdays are celebrated together on Presidents’ Day, which is observed on the third Monday of the month. This year Presidents’ Day is on February 20.
Members! Are you thinking about going back to college in the U.S.? Come to this special workshop, titled Making Your Foreign Education Count. Representatives from World Education Services (WES), a not-forprofit evaluation service, will discuss how members can utilize their foreign academic credentials in the U.S. They will discuss the evaluation process, how foreign-educated individuals can pursue further education, find employment, and obtain professional licensing or certification in the U.S. Please join us on Tuesday, February 28, from 1 to 2 PM, in Rooms 1 & 2.