A year of traveling the world comes to an end and I have to return to a normal working life at some point. Going back to my previous school, KCIS, seems like the most logical step, and, thankfully, they are happy to have me back! So it begins. School year 2017/2018. It warms my heart … Continue reading Mr. Sun Returns!
education philosophy
Day 4 – reading fast and slow
I've had a lot of time to read on my own the past few days. The student leaders have done such a wonderful job there really isn't much for me to do. Today's book is about 嚴長壽's vision for Taiwan. In it he discussed his values and beliefs and detailed the factors that lead to … Continue reading Day 4 – reading fast and slow
Day 3 – innocence and the gentle breeze
Thanks to the wonders of Claritin and maybe my body getting used to this place, I had a good night's sleep. And I'm much more able to absorb and take this place in. As I sit on the side and watch the local kids play basketball, something occurred to me - how easy it … Continue reading Day 3 – innocence and the gentle breeze
Day 2 – mixed blessings / 歲月不饒人
This morning I woke up feeling tired and horrible. My nemesis nasal allergies seem to be winning the battle. Simple Claritin is not enough. Also, as I age, the effect of a bad night's sleep is much more pronounced. I'm aching all over. 腰酸背痛. Having said that, life goes on. I got … Continue reading Day 2 – mixed blessings / 歲月不饒人
The Results Are In! Student Feedback …
One thing I picked up from my teaching practicum is gathering student feedback. I made questionnaires for the students to fill out and that helped me recognize areas to improve on. One major feedback from my very first questionnaire was a quarter of the students felt my Math lessons were too rushed. I adjusted accordingly and it … Continue reading The Results Are In! Student Feedback …
Owning the classroom
4 months later, I feel much more comfortable at Kang Chiao. It's extremely gratifying seeing how I've progressed as a teacher over the past four months, and see the challenges I've overcome. Owning the classroom is so important. As a teacher, classroom is my arena. I set the pace and everything else that goes with it. I am … Continue reading Owning the classroom
Caine’s Arcade
For those of you who have not seen the original Caine's Arcade video, here. My class and I loved it and tried to do one of our own. We had great fun. My favourite is the cardboard foosball game! 1. Funky Foosball 2. Whack-a-mole 3. Whack-a-ball 4. Slapshot
Valentine’s Day
It was a fun week celebrating Valentine's Day with my grade 4 students. It's all sweet and love for them. They have not yet experienced any of the bitter heartaches that may accompany Valentine's; they don't feel the monetary pain of the consumerism-laden Valentine's; they probably haven't felt the frustrating, exhilarating, hormone-induced mixed feelings that accompany … Continue reading Valentine’s Day
Pride Parade 2012 Vancouver – A fantastic fanfare for what is possibly the biggest rights movement of the 21st Century
When I first started the teaching program, I wondered why the profession of teaching is such a "left leaning" profession (on the political spectrum). I particularly wondered about the profession's position on LGBTQ issues. I could not reconcile the stereotypical figure of an elementary school teacher to my impression of the LGBTQ community which is/was portrayed … Continue reading Pride Parade 2012 Vancouver – A fantastic fanfare for what is possibly the biggest rights movement of the 21st Century
♫There was a moose ♪♫
Quick update: i have finished my practicum and received my letter of eligibility for teaching certificate today! I am currently working at KidSafe - a day time program catered to inner city, at-risk student population. I had a great time this afternoon at work. A boy shared this chant with us: "There was a moose, he drank a … Continue reading ♫There was a moose ♪♫