Saturday, November 30, 2013

#30GoalsChallenge: Goal 27: I disagree!






When I saw this title, I immediately knew what I was going to write about!

There is one thing that I definitely do not agree with.
A great number of my colleagues have been writing posts and articles about the relationship the teacher has to have with their students. Most of you guys support the fact that we, as teachers, should not be friends with our students. That we should be friendly but not have a closer relationship with them. To be there, but have a distance.
In the beginning of my teaching career I tried to be like that, but I always found myself care about my students, I always wanted to learn more about their lives, help them in anyway I could, be a part of their lives and not only in the classroom.
Some years later I started teaching young adults. Of course during the lesson we did the work we were supposed to, but outside the classroom we became friends! Students know how to keep limits, they do!
I cannot separate the roles to tell you the truth. I mean, as an educator, you are not only a teacher. You are a friend, a parent, a counselor, a psychologist, somebody who is there. 
So excuse me if I disagree with most of you in this.

A really short post this time... Keep teaching... Keep being happy!
 

Sunday, November 24, 2013

#30Goals Challenge: Goal 24: Be there and listen!


I was in the middle of a lesson today, where I had to comment on my student's oral performance. I had made my notes with all the mistakes she had made, how she could have said it better and I started talking...
When suddenly I realized that I was just talking and talking without considering how my student felt at the moment.
This moment reminded me of last week's Spinning seminar my instructor kept telling me what I had done wrong, how I should have expressed myself better and how I could enhance my techniques, and everything in a very strict cold way. I remember that I felt really useless, because although I had tried to do my best (I studied, I rehearsed), I still was not perfect. And I got really mad because he pointed out all the negative parts and he didn't actually say if I had done anything right.
My reaction was really bad, I mean I got really disappointed by his comments - I practically yelled at him.
But he LISTENED and next time, his behavior was different, although he did mention all my mistakes, he also praised the things I did right.
This gave me food for thought. As a teacher, I try to tend to my students needs, to LISTEN to them, but I had never really thought about their feelings.
Yes, we yell, maybe sometimes if they are noisy or unruly we make sarcastic remarks, but we, I, have to understand that nobody is perfect.
It is impossible not to make mistakes when you learn something new. Mistakes are a process of learning.
It is our responsibility as educators to listen to what our students have to say - their stories their feelings...
So, whenever I correct you guys (referring to my students) I do it with my best intentions. Because I want you to get better. Because I know you can...
Take care and keep learning!

Saturday, November 23, 2013

#30GoalsChallenge: Goal 26: Let them know you've learned from them!!


Once upon a time, there was this teacher who was lost in the world of the summer holidays, where everybody was lazy. It was a nightmare. She wanted get out of this world, but everyone around her was so happy, so she remained unnoticed.
When suddenly, she came across a small window, it was called 30Goals. And a new world opened up to her....
Every day she found out about something new, every day she met people, exchanged ideas, she had the chance to work on new ideas, she made new friends.
Like Alice in Wonderland, everyday is a new adventure.

I don't know what I would do if I hadn't met you people!
I have learned so much stuff from you.
  • how to use technology
  • how to share my ideas
  • how to listen
  • about new projects
  • how to communicate
and most importantly: Although we are all different people, from different countries, with different mentalities, we share the same passion for teaching, we share the same love for our "kids"
So a big thanks to all of you!!
Don't stop learning!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

#30GoalsEdu: Goal 23: Make the difficult choice


Coming towards to the last goals, it is getting more and more difficult to actually find something to write. This post will not have to do with EFL teaching. It has to do with my feelings and my enthusiasm as a teacher and also how I get to make a difficult choice...
Story goes like this:
A couple of months ago I got to have a dream come true. I was talking to the people in charge at the gym and realizing the love I had, they gave me their permission to instruct my own spin class. I offered to do this voluntarily, because I needed the practice, in order to prepare for the instructing certification exam, which I intend to do this year.
I didn't get in to the official gym schedule, I had to promote my class myself (and with the help of my friend-instructors) and after two months, I got to have my loyal "audience"
Creating the choreography on the bike, choosing my own music, deciding on what to to say is actually something I enjoy very much and in order to make myself better, I also get help by an experienced instructor, kind of a seminar-lesson.
So what is the difficult choice, you will tell me...
Well, although I got permission from the people in charge, nobody actually came to see what I am doing. Yes, people like it, yes, I have a full class, but they people who were supposed to come see me, have not actually done it.
It's not that I actually want to get paid, I don't think that an hour's pay will compensate the work and the time and the effort I make. I just wanted some feedback. Not from my instructor (it's his job). Somebody should actually tell me if they like what I am doing or not. If they want it to continue or not.
And I really feel let down because I am giving all of my energy to do this and nobody actually cares. It's as if they are doing me a favour.
So.... I have decided to quit. And that's the difficult decision I got to make.
It is going to be really hard for me, I am going to miss it because it is something I LOVE.
Next week is going to be my last class. I have not announced it to them yet, it will be a surprise.
Do you think I am doing the right thing?
I'd love to hear your opinion, as teachers, as employees, as employers...


Monday, November 18, 2013

#30GoalsEDU: Goal 22 & 25: Participate in a ne community & be a guest blogger



I discovered SEETA a couple of years ago, but I was never an active member. About a month ago, I took part in a forum discussion about blogging and I met some wonderful educators.
I was asked to be a guest blogger for a week over there, and of course I accepted. Starting today!!!
Unfortunately it is accessible to members only, but it is free to enroll, so why not give it a try?

I have been a guest blogger before, I have written a couple of posts in Greek:

and in English:
A couple of posts for TEFL Jobs world com
 As a guest on Ken Wilson's blog (this was a big surprise!!!!)
Last but not least a couple of interviews:
Have a great week everybody and keep teaching!


Saturday, November 16, 2013

We are on the air at last!!!



Our video is ready at last!
I have to say that having an idea and making it happen are two different things.  Everybody begins with the best intentions! On the way we did find difficulties we had to overcome!
First of all, my students did not have the time to prepare. Learning so much information by heart and actually present them on video took a lot of time and effort and they ended up reading everything instead of just telling them for fear not to forget their lines!
The other big difficulty was the technical part. Nobody know how to actually put the video together. I am completely illiterate where it comes to digital technology and movie making .
Most of classes have their computer whiz, but since I don't work at a class, I had to find somebody from outside to help. I did and he did a wonderful job putting the video together, but I really have to work on this myself and try not to be in this position again. If you have an idea and you want to make it happen badly you just have to push yourself to learn the basics first!!!
I did have a lot of fun preparing the video and I just loved the videos from the other countries! I am sure that it is going to be a wonderful presentation for the TESOL convention, if I get picked!!
Thank you guys for your participation!

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Interview of a math teacher by Afroditi and Nikoleta Tan.



  • How do you think should the students study? 
They should write down everything on a notebook and solve lots and lots of exercises.

  • Do young people love maths?
Some yes and some no, but they are not afraid of it either.

  • How should maths be taught at school?
Students should understand the meaning of each exercise and practice a lot.

  • How should an ideal teacher be?
They should be very patient, gain lots of experience and show their interest and their love to the children

Great idea you girls!!! A big thank you to their math teacher Mara Pipera for her answers!

#30 Goals Challenge: Goal 20: Confront the Issues


When I first discovered the #30 Goals Challenge this summer, I could never imagine in what "adventures" I would get into!!!
Both the Goals and the people I have met make me push myself harder, maybe even to the limits.... They actually make me see what my limits are and try to go beyond them...
It was early summer, when I had the idea for the "we are on the air" project and this idea got bigger and bigger and I found people who were actually willing to take part and started working on it right away.
For me it was a little more difficult, because I do not work at a school, so I had several issues to confront.
  • First of all I had to gather my students as a team. This was really difficult since their age and their language level was not the same. So I had to work separately with each one of them and it took some time.... 
  • Another issue was to actually meet and do the videos. Children nowadays have so many activities and so much homework, it was pretty difficult almost impossible to find time, but in the end we did and to my surprise, they got along just fine and worked together nicely.
  • My most important issue is the creation of the video itself. Although we did shoot the various parts of our town, my student who was supposed to put the pieces together backed out due to homework overload and we don't have technical support. I am practically illiterate when it comes to video and movie making so this is a BIG problem that we have to overcome!!!
  • Even if or when this video is ready, the last and most important issue I have to confront and overcome is the creation of my presentation for the TESOL Greece Convention (and maybe the RSCON) if they accept me. I have presented before but always with my partner in crime, Ms. Maria Theologidou, who was in charge of the Power point, as an expert. I guess I have to push myself again and let's hope I'll succeed!!
Whatever the result is I have to say a big THANK YOU to all the people I have met at the 30 Goals group.
If you want to take part in our little project, you still have time! This is the link to our Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/214550262036597/
and the videos so far:
http://padlet.com/wall/wereontheair (page made by Cristina Silva)

What we have done so far:
 We are on the air! 

Sunday, November 3, 2013

#30 Goals Challenge: Goal 18: Shake Things up!

I don't consider myself a traditional teacher.... I always want to "shake things up" a bit.
I don't know why but I am really restless when it comes to my work and my students. I don't want to just get a book do my lesson and go home.
Being a teacher, an educator, it doesn't matter what subject you teach, is not just a job. You don't only share your knowledge, you are their second parent, their friend, you show them how life is, you don't just teach your subject and leave!
That's why I try to be close to "my kids", do fun stuff together, learn things with them and from them, BE THERE.

Every year we do a project together, the last couple of years we had the valuable company of Ms Maria Theologidou, doing drama and music activities (since Maria is an expert on that field as well)

This year we tried something different. The idea was to get to know our city. The kids had to find information about historical sites around the city and then make a video about it in English.

I let my students do their research on their own and write the texts on their own. I tried not to correct them.
The idea was to share the video with students from other countries as a cultural exchange and present everybody's work at the TESOL GREECE in March.

I really don't know if our videos are good, I haven't processed them, yet.... But....
I have to admit that it was an wonderful experience...
First of all it is amazing how much you can learn about your city when you organize a city walk like we did today.  We visited museums, archeological sites, wandered on the streets, discovered places we had never been before and most of all had some fun and bonded as a team and that's what mattered the most.

So whatever the result of our project will be, if there is going to be any result, today we have definitely shaken things up!


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