Blogger Party - teaching

Education, Education, Education?

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 09:33:19 -0500

The United Kingdom government seems to make policy announcements on the hoof without thinking them through. Recently there was an announcement that all primary school children are to have five hours of cultural activity per week. This is all very well and good and cultural activities are very good for children but how are poor hard-pressed teachers to fit this into an over-burdened timetable already beset by government interference.

Gillian Gibbons back home

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:22:43 -0500

Gillian Gibbons, the British teacher who was imprisoned in Sudan because she allowed her school children to name a teddy bear Mohammed has been freed and returned to England. I heard a few sound bites on the BBC radio in which she said how much she likes the Sudanese people, and how nice and friendly they are.

A Simple Message To That One "fake" Metor

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 12:32:17 -0400

Now days they are a lot of “fake” people out in the world, but no one tops the list then that one “fake” mentor. Every now and then two people connect to work with one another - one that is experience and one that it is not. The one that is experience agrees to help the one that it is not so experience and show them the ropes, becoming the mentor. After agreement of one been a mentor, these people (mentors) go out and ignore the inexperience person. Why is this? Why offer some one your help and never return a simple answer? Would it be easier or better to let the person know that you supposed to be mentoring that you are busy but did not forget about them, or tell them that you can not be their mentor. There is no need to go on leading one person that they have help when they really do not. Aren’t you a human being? Aren’t we family in one way or the other? Everyday I here stories about people that does this to them on a daily routine. I honest believe that these “fake” mentors are considered to be one of many groups that are lower then dirt. Remember that you (the mentor) yourself was in the same boat once upon a time, you were in a position where you did not know anything about anything and needed help to put your foot in the door. This is the same as those seeking help, all they are trying to do is put their foot in the door.

The Writing Life

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 10:09:01 -0400

I often wonder what people's writing lives are like. Sometimes it is easy to see from the posts they write, but with others it is not so clear. My own writing life has ups and downs, sometimes I am happy and working efficiently and effectively and at other times I can't seem to write much at all. This applies to all areas of my writing life including blogging and freelancing.

The Popularity Of Teaching ESL and EFL

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 07:02:56 -0400

Teaching English as a second language is popular nowadays in countries where english as a medium of instruction is not being practiced. Countries like Korea, Japan, China, Mexico, and other non-english speaking countries are focusing on improving the english speaking skills of the younger generation in order to be globally competitive. This universal language indeed is necessary if you want to interact more and introduce your country, products and innovation to the global market.

Some thoughts on advertising.

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 15:32:26 -0500

Advertising is everywhere. I remember when I was teaching some years ago, and focusing on literacy and numeracy I tried to explain to my adult students (they were a disadvantaged group – most had left school early), how important the ability to read, and write was in modern society.

I divided the class into two groups and sent them around the neighbourhood in a planned route. One went clockwise and they were asked NOT to READ any signs, or posters etc. The other group had to go anticlockwise and they were asked to NOTE any signs, words, posters and so forth that they saw on the route.

Maine: The Way Life Should … um …

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 18:20:37 -0500

For a number of years, the great American state of Maine sold itself with the slogan “The Way Life Should Be”. It’s changed now, the tourism board’s using “It Must Be Maine”. I wonder if they’ve replaced the signs at the state border crossings yet.

Homeschooling

Sat, 30 Sep 2006 19:27:43 -0400

For the last several months, I have been thinking alot about homeschooling. My oldest son started kindergarden this fall, and when it came time to register him, I had a big debate.

It would be wonderful to be able to teach him at home. But I'm a single parent. I have one child that is one year old. And I work from home. How would I be able to do it.

The more I looked into it, the more I realized how hard it truly would be.

I Teach, You Teach

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 21:07:09 -0400

At long last, something I can talk about. I've done my share of teaching and even did a pilot for taking courses online. These were not the ones mentioned in the release from Capella, but courses in journalism. My students loved the fact that they could access info at any time of day and the extensive handouts made it easy for students who spoke English as a second language.

You're not.... but a Teacher

Fri, 07 Jul 2006 12:13:03 -0400

You're not... but a Teacher"

[i]You're not a sculptor
Who carves shapeless wood
But you carve the character of individual

You're not a doctor
Who cures the sickly
But you cure the lonelines of the human soul

You're not a lawyer
Who defends liars
But you defend hte righteousness

You're not a farmer
Who plants food to feed
But you plant knowledge and moral values

Stupid Plant Tricks: Sensitive Plants and Other Wierdos

Fri, 12 May 2006 07:45:54 -0400

When you make your living teaching others about plants, what they are, where they came from, and the hows and whys of doing research on them, you quickly discover that the first challenge to overcome is that of getting people’s attention. This was hard enough in the days before cell phones, Doom 3, and American Idol. Now? Well, that’s where the Stupid Plant Tricks come in.

Sports Betting teaches a lesson. I love the kids. FREE Picks!!!

Wed, 10 May 2006 11:45:09 -0400

Guys, I really need my spirit uplifted. I thought the under (186.5) in the Cleveland/Detroit game was a good bet and I gave my reasons for thinking this. At the half, the teams had combined for 88 points so I was in good, not great shape. But, after holding the LeBrons to 16 and 20 point quarters in the first half, one of the “best�? defensive teams in the league allowed them to score 31 in the fourth quarter. The bucket that ruined everything for me was scored as time expired when the defensive player of the year decided to stop playing defense. This is the second time in the past few days that the odds were in my favor. And then, all of a sudden, were not.

Three Prescriptions for Male Teachers

Wed, 05 Apr 2006 12:30:52 -0400

1. Pay. We the People in these United States have always made teaching an economically marginal vocation. There was a reason most teaching was done in a church setting, where the community counted on the "calling" to cut their costs, and the Sunday offering plate offered some level of security to the teacher. Secularized teaching naturally attracted the marginalized or subsidized, especially unmarried women still living at home or, as spinsters, with few other career options. Few people with talent now lack more lucrative options. If we desire talented persons as teachers, pay must be competitive with those other options. Especially given the expense, and marginal value, of the formal education we now insist that teachers acquire.

Blogger Party Hobbies & Interests: What are yours?

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 23:35:58 -0500

I've read posts of people who love to read, watch movies, watch TV... but what other kinds of things do Blogger Party members do?

Race cars?

Design Gift Baskets?

Sing?

Draw?

Knit?

Build guitars?

Me personally? I love teaching teenagers (I do this at church), traveling, writing music, and reading anything I can get my hands on. So if I'm not blogging, chances are that's what I'm doing. I wish I had something more exciting to include here, like going on archeological digs or collecting foreign coins... but that's just not me. ;-)

A Ridiculous Day

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 22:29:58 -0500

Yesterday was a ridiculous day. It started when I opened my little roller bag to get out my teaching materials in a middle school classroom (I teach drug prevention) and I discovered that my individual-sized Mott’s applesauce had opened and about a quarter of the cup had spread itself all over my stuff. It turns out that a little applesauce goes a long way. Naturally, the classroom I was in had no paper towels, so I had to wait until it was time to show my video to make the trek to the teacher’s bathroom to get something to clean it up.