Showing posts with label self-reflection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-reflection. Show all posts

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Finding balance (paragraph blogging)


Two weeks have passed since my last post.... And I have been working 12 hours a day ever since....
Including weekends. Some people will say ok, no problem, you are a workaholic anyway so you live for these things. And the truth is ... YES I do live for these things. I do love creating things. I do love learning. I could never be away from my students and my students keep making me proud, so I am glad I did not give up on them.
The other side of the truth is though, that nobody could work so much every single day without a real break. Eventually you will break down at some point. And this is bad... for you, for your employer, for your students, for your family.
Doing what I do right now, I have sacrificed a lot of things, which are important to me.
I stopped going to the gym every day. There are days that I can go and I plan to go and I am thinking about it all day, but when the time comes (like yesterday)  I feel so tired that I just stay home and sleep.
I don't see my kid so much... and I miss him and he misses me as well, although when I am around he prefers to be in his room. I know that he feels secure when I am at home though....
I don't do housework any more, which is really good, by the way!!! I think that this has made the family realize that they too have to do something around at home, appreciating what I have been doing for them all these years.
One thing I have noticed, though... I am really calm. It is the first time in years that I feel this way.
I know that I have a lot to do to find balance in my life again, but I am working on it.
I will keep planning and I will keep dreaming....
To be continued....


Sunday, March 2, 2014

A little self-reflection??


I was reading the TDi blog the other day, this time the topic is "the whole" teacher". I always enjoy reading the TDi blogs, this time I decided to write something about it as I lived the subject.
I was particularly  interested in the questionnaire Kate Cory-Wright, although I did left a comment telling how useful I think the particular post was, it did not get approved.
I decided to go through answering the questionnaire though, because I know that it would do me good and help me evaluate myself somehow.
So here it goes:

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1. Do you forgive yourself if a class goes badly?
Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. It depends on the day and on the incident. When something goes wrong, I really think hard about it, I wonder what I should have done, what the reactions might have been. In the end, I try to find ways to correct things. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.
2. Do the majority of your lessons bring you a sense of joy?
Yes, my lessons usually make sense to me and to my students, and yes, they make me happy.

3. Are you adaptable? If an activity goes well and you can see a way to continue with it, are you happy to run with the ball (even though it wasn’t on the lesson plan)? 
Equally, if an activity doesn’t go well, can you adapt it spontaneously/in real time?

I do that all the time, I never stick to the lesson plan, especially if my students produce language. That's why I don't stick to exam books so much. I always have extra activities - games with me in case something goes wrong...
 
4. Do you ever experiment with new ideas?
I always experiment with new ideas, I try new things all the time.  

5. Are you able to let go of total control during your classes?
I am master of that too! LOL! I don't like "military discipline" in my classroom / with my private students as well. I prefer "creative noise. As I mentioned I never stick to the plan, but all of this combined to each other makes perfect sense.

6. Do you “connect” with most of your students? Do you genuinely care for them?
I do connect with my students. Most of them talk to me about their problems and joys. I keep in touch with most of my former students, as well. Some of them come to visit or call me to see how I am doing and this brings a lot of joy. I do care about them, I see them as an extension of my family.
7. Do you ever put yourself in your students’ shoes and reflect on how they feel?
All the time. I can feel the pressure and their fears, that's why I try to talk to them and be close to them 

8. Does an element of the “real you” come across in your lessons?
I think my lesson is all "me", I am not good with other people's rules, I don't do what I am told and this brings conflicts sometimes.  Some trust my decisions and some don't. 

9. Do you feel a passion for teaching and for your subject? Does it show?
I do and I think it does show most of the times
10. Do you take enough care of your health and happiness outside of class?
I exercise regularly and I try to watch what I eat (generally but not lately). If you don't feel good with yourself, how can you expect to make other people confident about themselves??


Well I think this was a real boost to myself!!!
More to come!


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