Week 2 - Something you may like

Yesterday I watched quite a new interesting video, on education, of course.

Maybe, you would like to see it.

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Week 2 - New ideas, new things to learn, new knowledge

Here I am, in the middle of the second week in this course. A lot to learn, a lot to discover, to read (and to write), but everything is worth doing it.

I have described one of my classes the way it is now - quite a long description, but I wanted to give my fellows a clear idea about those students, about the classroom and the school in general. I like my school and I am very happy as yesterday I got some great news regarding my school: it is the second time my school received the distinction of "European School". The first distinction of this type was obtained in 2007 and it is available till 2010. Now, this distinction is available till 2013. It got this distinction as in my school we developed and initiated many international school projects (as I am the coordinator of these projects, the distinction means even more to me.)

At present, till the end of the week I am away from home (about 450 km, in the middle of the mountains). I am in a little town, named Sinaia (nicknamed The pearl of the Carpathians - our mountains). Well, don't imagine, please that I am here to relax. No way. I was elected to attend a course (organized  by the Ministry of Education in Romania) about developing life-skills for students. Very interesting, quite new, I mean. I found a very interesting thing I want to share with you (I am sure we can take advantage of it at a certain moment) - it's the ITI (Integrated Thematic Instruction) model, initiated by Susanna Kovalik.

In the meantime, I struggle to keep up with the work on this course. I am reading for more detail about the ABCD model, as it is something brand new for me. At the same time, I have already tested some of the search engines suggested and I am amazed.

That's all for now. I will write again as soon as I have a clear image about what I am working on now.

Week 2 - Just the beginning

A new week has just started and my experience with this course goes on. It's a new challenge. Now, as things started to improve, and as I have a clearer idea about what blogging means, I know it will be easier for me. As for the blog, once again I understood that simpler is better. So, I changed the "face" of my blog, I eliminated some gadgets which at first I considered vital!

I have already got used to writing, I have just started to like it. From a simple reader, without posting comments on any blog, I started to express my thoughts on my mates' blogs, I started to like writing. Even if I am that kind of person who considers communication to be vital, I didn't communicate too much. Now, I'd like to think this is past...

So far (I mean yesterday, Monday) I have been reading about the ABCD model. I must admit: at first I had no idea about it, about what it might mean. I thought it's just an initiation, but after reading very carefully, I understood it's more. I felt as if some sort of light entered my tired mind and everything became so clear...

This model is really (but really!) helpful. Once again, I must admit something: I considered the lesson planning a chore and nothing else. They had to be done. I used to imagine all kind of things and make them objectives - well, only for me they could be objectives. Actually they were nothing but ideas about what I imagined students would have to learn.

As I told you, I read in detail about stating objectives, and goals, and students' needs. I haven't finished yet, but once again everything in my mind became so clear...