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...

Pray for Poland

I express my feelings of sorrow for all the people who died on the plane crash today (Saturday, 10th April) and my sympathy for the Polish people and my Polish friends and collaborators.

Rest in peace!

Week 1: Things started to get into place

I still remember exactly the thrill I felt when I received the official letter stating that I was accepted to this course. Why did I choose this course and not another one? First of all because I like technology, I like being up-to-date to everything surrounding me. Then, I said: "everything is quite brand new for me in this field, why not?". At the same time, I attended many courses on pedagogy, teaching, etc, and I said to myself that it's time I learned something new, something which can become part of my future teaching style.

Then, I was looking forward to the start of the course (honestly, I was counting the days...) And, it finally happened. After reading the "Orientation" tasks, I felt scared: too much information for me, so many things to do - this was my very first thought. I started reading the tasks very carefully, then I started reading what others said and I managed to solve the tasks. I like the idea about expressing our opinions about the "Ground Rules" and I liked that many of my colleagues participated in a constructive way - I had the opportunity of reading some good comments which inspired me for my future actions.

Another thing I really liked was the idea of writing our favorite quotation related to teaching and technology. I read them carefully and I totally agree with most of them. I want to salute here Ruslana's idea of posting some of them on her blog. It was also very nice to have the map with our homes on it. I was looking at it and still wondering ... I couldn't help thinking about teachers 50 years ago or 100 years ago, who didn't have the slightest chance of doing what we can do now. (I am a bit romantic, you see).

Later, the first day of the course came, bringing with it the first great challenge: creating a blog. It was not something brand new for me, but it was different. Once again, I read everything very carefully (instructions, our teacher's recommendations, other blogs...). Then, I created this first blog on education. I learned that it's better to be informed, to read, to get ideas from other people, then to apply everything. I wanted to be original and creative - I am not sure I managed to be, but I know I will improve in the future. At the same time, I learned to pay attention to details - actually, they make the difference.

The most important thing for me is cooperation and sharing. I would like to know your ideas about what I write, I would like to get feedback - especially constructive one, because this is the way I learn better.

Now I consider the educational blog has lots of advantages: both for me and for all those who read it.

Short introduction

I created my first blog, in Romanian, called "Journeys and adventures" about 2 years ago. I was quite proud of it, I really enjoyed writing, but later I gave up (don't ask me why, it just happened). It was easier to read what others wrote instead of writing myself... I really like reading blogs, and I read some of them quite often (most of them are in my native language and on different topics, not education).

Last autumn, more precisely from September to October 2009 I attended the CELTA course at International House - Accademia Britannica, in Rome, Italy. I simply wanted to learn more about teaching. And I did. All my ideas about teaching and learning and assessing changed, or became clearer. I shared part of my knowledge with different Romanian teachers who asked me to create a blog and post there all my experience. But, once again, I did nothing...

Now, it's a challenge for me. I created my first blog on education, I am asked to write regularly... I hope I will be able to do this (no delay, I hope).

Everything seems interesting to me for the time being. I learn new things, I read what you post and I try to improve myself and at the same time I try to share all I know. "Sharing is caring" and "Sharing is one of the best ways to find yourself", as Khang from Vietnam quoted as favorite on Nicenet.

I am sure everything will be fine and we will be able to learn wonderful new things.