"When one teaches, two learn"
I attended a good number of conferences this spring, online and offline. Like I’ve done previously, I just have to comment on a lot of things I don’t think help the cause of making good teachers. I won’t dwell on those I’ve mentioned before. Read these...
I attend quite a few conferences. The last year many as just a fly on the wall – attending sessions, taking things in …. I’m lucky, I know – able to travel and experience face to face professional development in many times exotic settings. I...
I used to go to conferences often as a presenter. These days, though I still sometimes present, I’m most often on the other side of the podium – an attendee. It’s great and over the last 4 or 5 months in my role as Director...
My last post was about a new way of holding conferences. A new way of professional development given current disruptive technologies and more inclusive practices. Today, I’d like to elaborate on this briefly, to flesh it out and give it some muscle. See my presentation...
Practical Part 2 I just spent a delightful (but tiring!) weekend at the Korea TESOL conference in Seoul. Met so many teachers that I only knew online – it was truly overwhelming. A special thanks to all those who took in my presentations and/or helped...
Last weekend I attended the 16th Annual Korea TESOL International Conference. I also presented and I’d like to publicly and not so quietly, detail the Good, the Bad and the Ugly….. First off, I really appreciate the chance to network at this conference and so...
I just returned from visiting Nicaragua and some schools, universities there. In the more “prosperous” north but the poverty was still very evident everywhere. Even in the schools themselves. This is saying something for I’ve been living in Guatemala the last 6 years – and...
[Finally renewing my blogging. Don’t worry, been blogging A LOT but just not here on my personal blog. You’ll hear about it soon and meet my team, see my posts and musings – starting a TEFL News Magazine. More on that in the coming weeks...
I’ve had some free time these days to rethink my role in education and in particular ELT. So think of this post as the start of my St. Augustinian “Confessions”. English language teaching is great! It’s given me so much and I’ve traveled the world,...
I hope all teachers are enjoying their classes and “back in the saddle”! It’s conference season (today I’m heading to TESOL Panama – if any members are going, please say hello and lets get a coffee and talk shop) and I hope members will share...
50 “Best Practices” For Language Teachers “It’s a funny thing. The more I practice, the luckier I get.” – Arnold Palmer Through practice and experience...
“Every journey begins with a simple thought.” – anonymous A new school year or semester on the horizon can be overwhelming. So much to do, so little time! However, don’t fret. Most can be done during the first crucial week in class – a...
Today, went out for a nice bike ride with “my old man”. He’s almost 70 and he kicked my butt! Truly. I’ll admit I’m not in great shape anymore but watching my dad, “power in” the last 20 k of our ride, me lagging behind...
May 1st has come and gone but how many of us teachers really challenged our students to learn about the place and importance of “the working class” in our teaching? How many of us challenged students to think about how we get the things we...
I’m sitting in the airport in Toronto, heading out to the ISTEK ELT Conference in Istanbul. Looking forward to my presentations there and at other universities in Turkey. I’m especially excited because of the focus / theme of the conference – “Through their eyes: Understanding...
I spent a few contemplative hours this morning going through some of my dozens of notebooks of poetry and philosophy/aphorisms, written over the last 30+ years. As I was reading one, I came across this list of points on “How To Learn English”. I remember...
50 Professional Development Ideas For The New Year There is never a better time than “NOW” to start working on one’s own professional development as a teacher. However, often unless by chance you find yourself in the perfect school with perfect colleagues – it is...
I haven’t written much about language recently but I’m definitely always thinking about it. It is itself a jailer, something I can’t get away from and like the adage goes “I am language”. But been thinking about language as it relates to what we teachers...
[Read part 2 HERE] My university recently hosted the ICE (Imagination / Creativity / Education) Conference. Instead of giving a presentation and being all concerned with that – decided to join many of my student teachers and enjoy a day of attending the workshops and...
I spent a few hours looking at the conference offerings this coming fall. Something I’m used to doing and invigorated by – I’m energized by the pursuit of knowledge and no better place than a conference, a meeting of minds. Yet, this usually vitalizing activity...
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