We're better when we work together
A good friend (and a great teacher) e-mailed me after my last post. “Great links,” she said. “But what’s a PLN?” A good reminder about why I try to avoid acronyms and jargon in my writing. PLN is an acronym for Personal Learning Network. The acronym is relatively new, but the idea is not. Teachers [...]
If you read Stories from the Front Lines of EFL, and thought, “I’d really like to be part of this project, but I’m not sure anyone would be interested in my story” then this post is for you. Answering just a few important questions can give you the confidence to share your thoughts and ideas [...]
Share the post "A 1.5 Million Yen Secret (by Steven Herder)"
In September 2003 I got a phone call from my former primary school teacher offering me a part time job in the old primary school I started my education in. I felt extremely excited! It was my first real job offer and I was supposed to work with teachers who had taught me the alphabet [...]
Share the post "Teaching in a Small Village in Poland (by Anita Kwiatkowska)"
It’s difficult to pinpoint the precise moment when you become a professional in your area. Some will say it’s when you start your degree, others when you finish it still others will say it’s when you start working. Even more people feel that they need years of experience in order to consider themselves a so-called professional. In my [...]
Share the post "When Did I Become a Teacher? (by Conchi Martínez de Tejada)"
Imagine a persistent traveller who suddenly sees an ominous mountain in front of her obstructing her way. Determined to arrive to her destination, she climbs up the steep slope, ignoring the surrounding thorns and other invisible dangers. What is her eventual reward? She has reached the peak right on time to feel the calming effect [...]
Share the post "My Teaching ‘Journey’ in Greece (by Christina Markoulaki)"
“To teach is to touch lives forever.” Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be an English teacher! It was because my mum was my kindergarten teacher. She was so creative, engaging and inspiring that I wanted to be a teacher just like her. I had my own chalkboard at home and [...]
Share the post "Teaching Kindergarteners in Turkey:Enjoying Every Minute of It (by Özge Karaoğlu)"
Committed to learning After 20 years in the EFL classroom, I still learn new things all the time. Certainly, here in Japan, the students are completely different than they were back in 1989; in those days, they all sat up straight, had their hair braided back and always made an effort (or pretended to, anyways) [...]
Share the post "I’ll Show You Mine if You Show Me Yours (by Steven Herder)"
I’ve always believed in the power of people to be able to come together to create something much bigger than any one of them individually. Here is a story about a bunch of teachers (myself and Barbara included) who are coming together to create something new called The International Teacher Development Institute (iTDi). Share the [...]
Share the post "Teacher Development 2.0 (by Steven Herder)"
The way to become a teacher is to be a teacher. It is a truism in education that the way we become good teachers is through experience. The things we learn in certificate programs and grad school help, of course, but it is the act of teaching that gives us the skills we need. [...]
Share the post "Classroom Management: stuff they didn’t mention in teacher training (by Marc Helgesen)"
We’re better when we work together. This isn’t just the tag line for Teaching Village, it’s what I believe. I’m a big fan of teaching degrees and licenses–I have a handful of my own, and value what I gained in the pursuit of them. However, I also believe that great wisdom comes from teacher experience [...]
Share the post "Yes, you can! (write for Teaching Village)"
