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
education
Token of appreciation
Nothings warms your heart quite like a nicely coloured note at the end of the day. Lately, I've been feeling disheartened about my grade 8s. One class in particular has been especially bad at handing in their projects. I don't blame them really, as they are bombarded with tests, homework and god-knows-what. It's always nice to be … Continue reading Token of appreciation
#GIESummit – time to google it up!
Last weekend I had the privilege of attending a work-sponsored Google Apps for Education workshop on using technology in the classroom. Let me start off by saying this whole work-sponsored PD is new to me and I gotta say I love it! Registration, food, transportation, and accommodation are all reimbursed from a personal PD budget. … Continue reading #GIESummit – time to google it up!
Tears, joy, and the use of Kahoot for learning!
With only 10 weeks left in the school year, I've already started my countdown. After all, this summer presents another major change in my life - I'll be joining/fulfilling my military service obligation in Taiwan. I've applied for the Substitution Service, a governmental program that enlists military-aged men in Taiwan to serve the community in … Continue reading Tears, joy, and the use of Kahoot for learning!
Coursera – What future for education?
Coursera - What future for education? by Dr Clare Brooks, Institute of Education, University of London I'm going to give Coursera a try. Came across this school today and their Masters programs look very promising. This is a taster course to see if distance/online learning is a good fit for me. I'll be blogging about … Continue reading Coursera – What future for education?
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
A new adventure in Taiwan – Kang Chiao Bilingual School
So the 2012/2013 school year came to an end, so was my time at Khalsa School Vancouver. Fast forward a few months, life has taken me to Taipei, Taiwan. Out of the few schools I contacted, I was lucky to be offered a position right away at Kang Chiao Bilingual School. I'll be teaching English Lit … Continue reading A new adventure in Taiwan – Kang Chiao Bilingual School
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
To be political or not to be?
For better or worse, I have become increasingly more political over the past few years. Perhaps it is a sign of aging and maturity, or perhaps it is simply a by-product of social awareness, or perhaps even a direct result of the teacher's program at UBC - I have begun to embrace this new side … Continue reading To be political or not to be?
“That’s so gay”
Today I had my first opportunity to address the term "gay" with my students. I walked by a girl telling another boy "you've got to stop using that term." He is not your typical troublemaker - he is good at listening and participates fully in class. The timing is perfect - I think to myself. It … Continue reading “That’s so gay”