Teacher, Learner, Supporter - iTDi blog

…Or what are the roles of teachers and what can we do to get better?

I am the one who is going to show you how to learn things. I am the one who is going to guide you while you are attempting to learn. I am the one who is going to provide a cosy environment for you to shine. I am the one who is going to set the limits and make you realise that life comes with responsibilities. I am the one who is going to lend a sympathetic ear when you are in trouble and get you back on track safe and sound. Wonder who I am? I’m your teacher!

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Mentor - Guide- Friend / iTDi blog

In my previous post about feedback, I started off by quoting a dictionary to get an understanding of what feedback is. This time, since “mentor” is an ancient Greek word, I’m confident that I don’t need to refer us to dictionary definitions. I can do the job of explaining quite well myself. 
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There is no failure, only feedback - itdi blog

If we lived according to the dictionary, feedback would be “helpful information or criticism that is given to someone to say what can be done to improve a performance…” In reality, what we do is grade our students’ tests and exercises and point out what was wrong, mark their essays, and write correct answers. That’s what we often call and consider to be feedback. It looks like we use this F-word in a wrong and utterly inappropriate way… Keep reading 

What is failure anyway? iTDi blog

A definition from Cambridge dictionary says:

Failure (noun) – the ​fact of someone or something not ​succeeding.

The ​meeting was a ​complete/​total failure. 

I’m a ​bit of a failure at making (= I cannot make) ​cakes.

I ​feel such a failure (= so ​unsuccessful).

The dictionary does not help me much, though. Trying to find the definition that would be right for me was a complete failure. In my understanding, not meeting a goal does not mean being unsuccessful, it is not the end of the world. It just means that .... continue reading

Tagged again!!! 11 More facts about me!!!

Tagged once again by Pravita Indriati, a dedicated educator form Indonesia!
Being a part of 30 Goals has brought so many interesting people into my life!! I am really thankful for that!!

To Pravita's questions:

1. What place do you really want to be at this moment? Why? I'd love to spend Christmas in New York some time!! I think that's where I would like to be right now!
2. If you were reborn, what do you want to be? Myself!
3.  Where did you travel the furthest? The furthest I have traveled is England.... No time and no money to go further I am afraid!
4. If you have the chance to meet your favorite actor/actress/singer, who would that be and what will the first thing you say to him/her? I don't want to meet anyone particular. They are people like us, only they get more publicity and more money!
5. What is the craziest thing you like to do? an extreme sport. Bungee jumping or paragliding maybe?
6. What fruit do you like most and hate most? Why? Well, I am allergic to most fruit, so I cannot answer to this question!
7. What is your favorite movie of all time? You've got mail with Tom Hanks!!! The ultimate romantic story!
8.  What is the best book you read and recommend?It depends on what type of books you read! I love detective stories, so I'd recommend Sue Grafton's Alphabet series.
   9. What was your favorite childhood experience? Going to our beach house in the summer. We were about 10-15 children "discovering" something new every day!
   10. Appetizer, main course or dessert? I'd say dessert, but all is good!
   11. What is your typical Sunday morning? Sunday morning... Well... Wake up at seven, have coffee and go to my private student for a 2-hour-lesson!! If I don't work, I have breakfast with my family!
   
   Well, Thank you Pravita for the questions!!!

Xmas tag!!! 11 random facts about Christmas!!!

This time by Christina Chorianopoulou!!!
I have met Christina through the 30 Goals challenge and I think she is a wonderful educator! I hope to meet her in person some time soon! Maybe during the TESOL Greece Convention in March?

1. What’s the last thing you do before starting a lesson? Check on my notes and get coffee!!!
2. What’s the most difficult thing you’ve ever had to do? Attend my parents funerals. I don't think there is a worse thing than losing your own ...
3. Do you have a favourite quote? Which?

4. Which is your favourite city? My hometown Thessaloniki. Although I love traveling around other cities, I think my own town has a lot to offer!
5. How do you keep up-to-date with technology? Thank God we've got Shelly to inform us of what's new!
6. Dark or white chocolate? No chocolate at all! I am allergic to it!!!!
7. Who’s your favorite author(s)? I love Herman Hesse! His writing style is unique!
8. Which do you prefer, typing or handwriting? Why? My handwriting is illegible, so I'll go with typing!
9. Have you ever tried an extreme sport? No but I'd love to try bungee jumping one day!
10. What’s your first ever memory from your childhood? Meeting my dad for the first time in the age of 3 (he had been traveling because of his job). For me he was a strange man with a long beard! That's what happens is you have to be away from your kid for so long!!!! But I got used to the beard in no time!!! ha ha!
11. What do you wish for 2014? Health and personal fulfillment

And since it's Christmas today, I thought I should share 11 Xmas facts as well!!

1. Santa Claus in Greece is not St Nick. He is Saint Vasilios and we celebrate his name on January the 1st 
   
2. Children sing carols on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve in the morning! It's a custom that they get money for that (in the past people used to give them sweets and fruits instead)
   
3. Christmas morning mass begins at 6 or in some places at 5 am.
4. Some children also sing Carols before the Epiphany
5. On the Epiphany day, a cross is being thrown into the water, to bless it purify it. A lot of people dive into the frozen sea to get the cross. It is considered good luck if they catch it! 
   
6. Traditional Xmas sweets are Melomakarona and Kourabiedes 
   
7. According to tradition, during the Greek 12 days of Christmas (December 25 to January 6), goblins come out to tease people and eat their food. This tradition is based on the legend that the "waters aren't christened" since Christ has not yet been baptized. The goblins are renowned for their ugliness and their impishness. They are not very intelligent and can't really hurt anybody. It is said that they enter houses through chimneys, and this is the reason people, especially in villages, keep the fireplace lit during the 12 days of Christmas.
   
8.  Christopsomo is the bread that is made on Christmas Eve, which has a cross carved into the top crust before it is baked. On Christmas Day, the head of the household makes the sign of the cross above the loaf of bread, cuts it and gives a piece to each person at the dining table.
   
9.  Vasilopita is a cake that is eaten on New Year's Day. Before the cake is baked, a coin covered in foil is placed in it. The New Year is written on top of the cake with almonds. The person who cuts the cake makes the sign of the cross three times above it and then starts serving the pieces, one to each person, the house, Christ, The Virgin Mary and Saint Vasileios. Whoever has the coin in his piece of cake will have luck for the rest of the year.
   
   
   
   
   
10. The Christmas tree is an imported tradition. Traditionally Greeks would decorate a Christmas boat due to Greece's long marine history.
    
11. Merry Christmas in Greek is "Kala Christoygenna"
    

Take Care everybody and have a wonderful Christmas holiday

11 more facts about me!!!!

Tagged by Ika Chieka Wibowo this time!! I just love doing this!!!
Ika is a wonderful and inspired educator from Indonesia  and I just love reading her posts and finding out about her ideas!

To Ika's questions:

1. What’s your first word to describe LIFE ? Madness! In a good way! Life is crazy and we should enjoy it!
2. What’s your hobby that really makes you ‘crazy’ doing it? Everybody knows that I just love the gym!! Sometimes I get crazy and do silly choreographies with my trainer and it is so much fun! I laugh  A LOT!
3. Where did you go for your last holiday? the last place I went on holiday was a small island called Ammouliani. It is a very picturesque place with wonderful blue sea.
4. Have you ever done ‘something funny’ in public? What’s that? Well, I was at the mall with my nephew a couple of years ago and there was a small step and I didn't see it. So.. I fell wide on the floor with a big bang! Some people laughed, some people screamed! It was very painful for me because I landed on the floor, but I ma sure it looked very funny!
5. Are you allergic from some foods or other things? What’s that? I am allergic to almost everything. I eat very specific foods. this year alone I have been 6 times at the hospital for a cortisone shot!!!
6. What makes you afraid of? I am afraid of everything new. I really hesitate doing new things but in the end I try to overcome my fear and give it a try!
7. What’s the best movie you’ve ever watched? Why? "You've got mail" I just love the dialogues!
8. Who’s your ‘idol’? Why do you like him/her? I admire a lot of people, but I wouldn't call them idols.  I admire people who fight for freedom and education!
9. What colors do you like and why? I love black. I can combine this color with everything!
10. When did you start your life as a teacher? Why do you want to be a teacher? I started teaching in 1992 while still a student. And before that I helped my friends at the university with their exams! I love teaching because I love learning new things and I love passing this knowledge to others!
11. What things you haven’t done in 2013 and you will do in 2014? My dream is to attend a spinning instructor course in 2014. It combines my greatest loves. Movement, music and teaching!

 Well that's it for now!!! Thank you Ika for tagging me! I just love answering to questions!!

11 Random Facts .... sequel

Oh yes, I was tagged again by the lovely Fabiana Casella. 
I met Fabiana through the #30GoalChallenge and she later helped me with my own "On the air project".  I believe she a great educator and a wonderful person and I hope we meet some time soon face to face!

Her questions:

1. What are three adjectives that describe you best? Passionate, energetic, commited

2. Who is someone you admire the most? Why? One of the people I admire the most is my teacher trainer Olha Madylus. Not only is she a very knowledgeable person, but she is also very energetic. She can motivate you do things you have never imagined!

3. What is your favorite color? Why? My favourite color is black!! It goes with everything!

4. Where would you like to spend your dream vacation? My dream vacation would be in New York! I am a city-kid and this is the ultimate city!

5. Are you a good cook? What is your "speciality"? I am a terrible cook!! I am not good at it at all no matter how hard I try!

6. Have you ever met a Hollywood star? Where? How? I have met some Greek actors - singers - models but not a Hollywood one!

7. The Beatles or The Rolling Stones? Tough one! Rolling stones I guess

8. Can you Tango? or better said: Can you dance Tango? I cannot dance at all! Rhythm is not my stuff either!

9. Have you ever eaten some exotic food? I am so allergic that I don't dare to try something new!

10.Do you think you are a connected educator? I think so, although there is a lot of stuff I should learn!

11. If you were ever offered to teach in a foreign country, which one would you choose? Argentina of course! I could practise my Spanish, get to know new hospitable people and learn all about this wonderful country!

11 Random facts

This morning when I woke up, I came across this blog by Vicky Loras - another blog challenge! Not exactly something to do with education, but I think it can be fun to share somethings about you.  I wasn't tagged in this particular blog, but when I looked at my Twitter account, I noticed that dear Shelly Terrell thought it would be a great idea for me to take part! So here I am!

The mission:

1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger(s).
2. Share 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
4. List 11 bloggers.
5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer, and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. Don’t nominate a blogger who has nominated you.

First of all I would like to say that I really admire Shelly for all her energy! I really don't know how she does it... When I met her in Athens in my first TESOL Greece Conference, I knew she was a very enthusiastic person, but still.... how do you manage to keep up girl???

Anyway back to the challenge:

Shelly's questions

1. What is a goal you hope to accomplish from your bucket list?  I hope I will be able to do something more professionally - my own language school or find a job at a school, because I do miss working in a class!
2. What is one goal you hope to accomplish in 2014? I would like to take part in a Spinning instructor course. Not that I want to change jobs, It's just something I LOVE and I want to try it.
3. If you could host a reality TV show, what would it be about? A teacher competition! Something like a day in a teacher's life!!
4. How do you blow off steam? I go to the gym! Fit & Boxe is my madness this period!
5. What is one of your personal theme songs? Sing - My Chemical Romance (great lyrics!)
6. What are you incredibly proud of accomplishing? The fact that people got to know my work is a big accomplishment for me!
7. What was one of your favorite gifts? My iPhone case!! Everybody looks at it! It's so funny!
8. How have you dealt with a past failure? When I fail I just complain, I cry sometimes, I talk about it A LOT and then I guess I get over it!!! Failures do make us better people I think!
9. What is one piece of advice that has helped you throughout life? "don't be emotional" - Not that I always follow it, it just makes me realize that people mind their own business and I shouldn't get too much involved.
10. What was your favorite toy when you were a child? My barbies! I loved dressing them!
11. What’s your favorite piece of art? I just love Degas' Dancers

11 Random facts about me:

1. I cannot drive a car. I think that my visual / spatial intelligence comes to zero.... 
2. I am allergic to almost everything. Last year I have been to hospital at least 6 times for a cortisone shot! I eat only specific foods just for fear
3. I am a dog person. I don't like cats at all! I like looking at them, but I would never have a cat as a pet!
4. I am terrible at cooking. People who eat my food are real heroes.
5. I love being on a plane. I don't know why, I just do!
6. When I am home alone, the TV is always on! I don't watch, I just want the noise.
7. I hate summer because I don't have anything meaningful to do!
8. I hate going to the beach. I really find it boring to lie around and do nothing
9. I am a very kinesthetic person, I have to move all the time or else I become really nervous
10. That's why I always spend 2 hours at the gym every single day
11. I have always wanted to visit Berlin! I think there is no better place to find all about Germany's history!

My questions:

1. How important is music to your life?
2. How much time do you devote in your job?
3. Share a funny thing that happened in class.
4. What does the word "educator" mean in your opinion?
5. If you could learn anything, what would that be?
6. What is your favourite movie?
7. What do you fear the most?
8. If you could live anywhere, where would that be?
9. What is your favourite word?
10. What is your favourite digital app?
11. Do you have any lucky items, objects or traditions?

My turn to tag:

1.  Sophia Mavridi
2. Sylvia Guinan
3. David Kapuler
4. Christina Chorianopoulou
5. Maria Sachpazian
6. Marisa Constantinides
7. Kim Martin
8. Roseli Sera
9. Margarita Kosior
10. Christina Markoulaki
11. Rakesh Bhanot