Rick Mercer's view of Canada

Classroom Atmosphere

My classmates' picture. Left: Amanda, Suzanne, Fátima, Sharon. Right: Ashley and Kristen.



In my point of view, a proper academic environment (where students can learn and take the most of their studies) has to have some specific characteristics. A creative, relaxed, non-judgmental and prejudiceless ambience will help students to succeed instead of an opposite classroom environment. 

An ideal classroom atmosphere, where students do not feel intimidated by teachers, but, on the other hand, students feel motivated by them, should be an every-day teachers' goal. Teachers should not only help students to learn their subjects, but also motivate them to keep learning after they leave the classroom. A stressful ambience is certainly not a good environment to help students learn and succeed in their endeavours.

Making friends (in your classroom) will also help you to improve your learning performance because you will feel more confident. Also, you will be able to ask your friends questions in case you have doubts, and you need a hand. Additionally, making friends will help you to cope with the insecurity feelings of speaking to your classmates (or teachers during a presentation).

Yes, teachers have a great amount of responsibility for creating the ideal atmosphere for students to learn. However, you (student) should try your best to facilitate teachers' efforts to give you the best classroom ambience. Thank you to my good teachers who facilitated my learning by creating an ideal atmosphere; free of stress or intimidation.

My winter is much warmer in Canada when I..

My winter is much warmer in Canada when I can count on my good Canadian friend Sharon Paris to help me with my Desk Publishing Course. Thank you, Sharon for all the help, all the rides home in winter days. You made my winter in Canada warmer.

My Winter is much warmer in Canada when I...

My winter is much warmer in Canada when I think of friends like my good friend Josie Tremonte, from Niagara College Peer Tutoring office. Josie gave me so many good advices to make my life easier in the College. Thank you, my good Canadian friend Josie!

Winter in Canada

International students when they come from tropical countries to Canada, they usually have a hard time to adapt to the weather. And that is my case, coming from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sometimes, in Rio, we can have +30 C during the winter season, and still go to the beach. It is difficult to get used to the cold weather. Some things you should watch during the winter in Canada:


1. A nice bright sunny day with blue skies is not a synonym for a warm day. On the contrary, most of the time, the sunnier the day the coldest it is. Also, that does not mean that you should pack your stuff to go to the beach or the lake. Back home the sunnier the day the warmest it is. It is not like that in Canada, so dress warm all times, and carry extra clothes with you in your backpack because the weather always surprises you!


2. Never leave home with your hair wet. It seems something obvious, but it is not when you come from a tropical country. Back home, after you have a shower, you leave the house with your hair wet because it will dry in the middle of the way. It will dry even faster if you open up the window of your car and use that "nature blow-drier" - the wind. It is not like that during the winter in Canada. Your hair will get frozen in the middle of the way if you leave the house with your hair wet;


3. Get up at least fifteen minutes earlier than you would do in your home-country because here, in Canada, you will have to put so many layers of clothing that would take you, at least, extra fifteen minutes to get ready to leave the house. On the top of that, you also have to have time to pack your backpack with extra clothing, shoes, food, etc.


4. If you have to go walking to school, buy warm winter boots. Those winter boots usually don't look very fancy (or sexy), so take an extra pair of shoes to use in school, so you don't look like you came from the North Pole.