Singapore is amazing. It is... perhaps... Utopia... yesterday I decided I would wander aimlessly and let fate decide what parts of Singapore I saw. As I walked, I decided it would be fun to look for pollution and dilapidated buildings in the downtown area. I found one building that had obviously had a lot of posters put up and taken down over a few months... and one patch of one building with peeling paint.... for the first half of the day I counted 4 things on the ground that weren't tree leaves and flower petals that had fallen that day... during the latter half it picked up a bit, which I suppose means the streets are cleaned nicely. At one point I saw some dirtiness in the water and thought that I had finally caught Singapore's dirty secret, only to look up and see someone netting out of the water at that very moment...
It's unreal. All the best parts of every city I've ever been to have merged in Singapore... Excellent public transportation that uses it's advertising space to promote earth friendly living instead of ipods and whitening cream. It's clean and beautiful. Every where you turn you see beautiful art installations and amazing architecture. The skyline is breathtaking from every vantage point I've seen it from.
Singapore now ranks with my favorite cities in the world... and is certainly the best of it's kind (although Chiang Mai, San Francisco, and Asheville are very nice for totally different reasons).
So, yesterday I wandered the streets for the morning, including Fort Canning Hill Park. It was beautiful, and had tons of informational plaques to inform me of the history of the place. I spent a good bit of the afternoon in the Asiatic Cultures museum. I probably saw less than half the museum, focusing yesterday on Singapore and the Vietnam special installation. I hope to go back... although time is at a premium. Today, the Art Museum and the national museum have free entry at specified times, so I hope to hit those up.
in the evening I ran into a very nice local who decided to vie me a tour of the Buddhist temple in China town.... A very nice place with 5 stories including a museum and a rooftop orchid garden.
As I said, I'm staying in little India, which last night really lived up to its name. It was absolutely packed with south Indians... Truly, just like being in Channai, only very very clean. I stayed at a place called "Inn Crowd" which has a lot of hip backpackers and free wifi, but everything else about it leave alot to be desired. 12 beds to a dorm room and only one bathroom for the whole place (there are at least 6 dorms). Although the communal area is much better, I've decided to go back to the other place tonight because it had only 6 people per room, you could keep your bags in your room, and the bathrooms were very very nice. It's only $2 more... but no wifi... perhaps I'll come back here for my 3rd night?
Today, as I said, I hope to hit the two museums, hit the merlion statue, and have dinner at the China town night market... which looked great last night but I'd already eaten... I have to say I've been disappointed with the food, so far. I've had Indian food for every meal, and none of it has been very good. Hopefully I'll hit paydirt soon...
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Singapore!
Well, I had my first night out in Singapore (and probably only)... it was pretty successful... and ridiculously expensive... I ordered a drink, and he held up his hand with some gesture, i was in an agreeable mood so i just nodded without thinking.... then he put 2 pitchers on the bar and started pouring booze into them... i was like, whoa... and he said 2 for one... then I got to thinking, "this ain't Thailand... if he's giving me two for one, how much must one cost?" Low and behold, 40 bucks! 30 american or so.... jeeze and crimminy! I ended up just putting one on a table and drinking the other... deciding that being able to walk home was better than making the most of my money.
Otherwise, I danced, chatted and had a good time. I talked to some Cubans and grew increasingly frustrated as my Spanish kept coming out as Thai. Halfway knowing two languages will take some getting used to... Singaporeans are a world apart from Thailand. So far my impression of it is that it is very much like New York City... only that it is very clean and all of the various ethnicities are replaced by asians of different types. Everybody speaks flawless well-educated English, which is an interesting experience after being in Thailand for so long. I'm staying in little India and liking it so far... just checked into a little hostel that seems to have a pretty cool crowd, although it's got some inconvenient rules (I can't bring my bags to my room?) Not sure if I'll stay here, but the free wifi is nice...
Otherwise, I danced, chatted and had a good time. I talked to some Cubans and grew increasingly frustrated as my Spanish kept coming out as Thai. Halfway knowing two languages will take some getting used to... Singaporeans are a world apart from Thailand. So far my impression of it is that it is very much like New York City... only that it is very clean and all of the various ethnicities are replaced by asians of different types. Everybody speaks flawless well-educated English, which is an interesting experience after being in Thailand for so long. I'm staying in little India and liking it so far... just checked into a little hostel that seems to have a pretty cool crowd, although it's got some inconvenient rules (I can't bring my bags to my room?) Not sure if I'll stay here, but the free wifi is nice...
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Songkran and Sarawak
Before leaving Thailand for Borneo, I, Daniel, and soon Trevor, spent a week (or so) in Chiang Mai. I had heard that Chiang Mai is the place to be for Songkran, the Thai New Year... but I had no idea why: Songkran is a water festival where you throw water on passersby to bestow blessings on them for the year to come... Chiang Mai is surrounded by a mote.
When you put these two things together you end up with a city-wide water fight... that lasts for 5 days. It was crazy and you couldn't possibly leave your room without getting absolutely soaked. It's an amazing holiday and we don't have anything that even comes close to being as fun. I spent a couple hours each day just walking around the mote and "soaking up" the blessings. For obvious reasons, I don't have any pictures... which is unfortunate... but it was definitely the most fun I've had at a festival or holiday to date.
As you walk around the mote, usually with some sort of bucket or cup, you get splashed by people who have set up permanently on the mote, by other nomads, and also by people who drive around in trucks. I was basically a water leech, using a cup to steal water from other groups and use it against them. The best part about the holiday was the genuinely happy, light-hearted mischief. When you nailed someone (or when you got nailed if you were in the spirit of things) you smiled and said "thank you" or "happy new year" or "good luck!"
After a 10 hour bus ride, a too short stay in Bangkok, and a few flights, Trevor and I ended up in Borneo. When we first landed in Kuching I have to admit I was a bit disappointed... I expected Borneo to be one of the wildest and least civilized places on earth... Kuching, in reality, is exactly what it would look like if Sarasota colonized a small region in Southeast Asia. It is incredibly clean and beautiful... and the waterfront walk and parks by the river remind me (strangely) of the parks by Sarasota bay... eerie.
Kuching is beautiful and I highly recommend Borneo for anyone who wants to see Southeast Asia from a clean and comfortable place. Surrounding Kuching are 3 major parks. Trevor and I visited two (Bako and Gannung Gading) and I visited the 3rd on my own (Kubah) while Trevor was at his conference.
Bako was amazing. I have never felt so much as though I were truly in a crazy-exotic-tropical-rainforest as in Borneo. While in Bako we saw three types of monkeys, Macaques who lived at the camp area and were incredibly mischievous, Probiscus, the funny looking giant-nosed monkeys, and Silver leaf eating monkeys... they just kind of sat in the trees and ate leaves. Also there, we saw mud skipper fish (walking fish!) and a couple monitor lizards.
Truly, I travel the world looking for exotic places to go swimming, and Borneo has no shortage of them. We skipped the beach at Bako and headed down Tajor trail, which has a waterfall that fills several consecutive pools of amazing beauty. We swam there, had lunch, and visited the beach at the end of the trail before backtracking and swimming in the pools again. It was amazing.
Next was Gannung Gading. The hostel in the park was full so we had to sleep at a hotel in nearby Lundu and travel in both days. On our first day it rained, which brought out alot of the life and let us see things we probably wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. Highlights included the world's smallest squirrel (a bit shorter than your hand, tail and all) and a centipede that had two glowing "eyes" appear on it's rear end when you disturbed it. Also at Gannung Gading was a crystal clear pool and waterfall to swim in, very very nice.
Finally, was Kubah, which I did on my own. Kubah certainly had the nicest hostel, which was more like a summer cottage that you had to share with other travelers. When I first arrived I met Nickolay, the only other person staying there, said my hello's, and then headed off into the forest towards the waterfall for.... you guessed it, swimming. The waterfall was quite beautiful but the pools were quite small, so I only stayed for about an hour before heading back.
At this point I ate a late lunch/early dinner, and took a short nap. When I awoke, I noticed my roommate had a ton of field guides on various reptiles and amphibians of Borneo, so I took the liberty of looking through them while he was away. When he returned I asked if he was a biologist, and yes, he is a Russian Entimologist (bug guy) who, secretly (like all boys who go into biology, I think) wishes he was a herpetologist (reptile guy). In fact, he's been collecting specimens at this park in the hopes of securing a job with an Indian herpetologist this year.
After some discussion he asked me if I wanted to go to the nearest view point to watch the sunset. I'd had relatively little time to hike that day so without much thought I said "sure!" A few minutes into the hike I realized the "nearest view point" was about 40 minutes into the jungle... and 40 minutes into the jungle at sunset, means at least 40 minutes out of the jungle at night.
Various thoughts went through my head, not the least of which was that I was hiking into the woods with a giant Russian man (at least 6 inches on me) that I knew nothing about. I put these fears aside, and hiked on, reaching the vantage point just in time to see an amazing sunset, and a group of 3 hornbills. He was very excited about them, it was the first time in his life he had seen the famous birds.
For the trip back he had plenty of lights, and we stopped every now and then to inspect various flora and fauna. I pointed out to him some of the glowing bugs and the phosphorescent fungus around, and he pointed out to me some reptiles and amphibians including 2 frogs, a gecko eating gecko and... the highlight of the night, a Wagler's pit viper... It was amazing, and beautiful, and he caught it and brought it back to be photographed.
So, not only did I see a pit viper in borneo, I handled it, touched it, and got my picture taken with it... which I am pretty excited about. As soon as I get the pictures sent to me by Nickolay you can expect to see them up, along with the rest.
And that, plus my first leech bites, was Borneo!
When you put these two things together you end up with a city-wide water fight... that lasts for 5 days. It was crazy and you couldn't possibly leave your room without getting absolutely soaked. It's an amazing holiday and we don't have anything that even comes close to being as fun. I spent a couple hours each day just walking around the mote and "soaking up" the blessings. For obvious reasons, I don't have any pictures... which is unfortunate... but it was definitely the most fun I've had at a festival or holiday to date.
As you walk around the mote, usually with some sort of bucket or cup, you get splashed by people who have set up permanently on the mote, by other nomads, and also by people who drive around in trucks. I was basically a water leech, using a cup to steal water from other groups and use it against them. The best part about the holiday was the genuinely happy, light-hearted mischief. When you nailed someone (or when you got nailed if you were in the spirit of things) you smiled and said "thank you" or "happy new year" or "good luck!"
After a 10 hour bus ride, a too short stay in Bangkok, and a few flights, Trevor and I ended up in Borneo. When we first landed in Kuching I have to admit I was a bit disappointed... I expected Borneo to be one of the wildest and least civilized places on earth... Kuching, in reality, is exactly what it would look like if Sarasota colonized a small region in Southeast Asia. It is incredibly clean and beautiful... and the waterfront walk and parks by the river remind me (strangely) of the parks by Sarasota bay... eerie.
Kuching is beautiful and I highly recommend Borneo for anyone who wants to see Southeast Asia from a clean and comfortable place. Surrounding Kuching are 3 major parks. Trevor and I visited two (Bako and Gannung Gading) and I visited the 3rd on my own (Kubah) while Trevor was at his conference.
Bako was amazing. I have never felt so much as though I were truly in a crazy-exotic-tropical-rainforest as in Borneo. While in Bako we saw three types of monkeys, Macaques who lived at the camp area and were incredibly mischievous, Probiscus, the funny looking giant-nosed monkeys, and Silver leaf eating monkeys... they just kind of sat in the trees and ate leaves. Also there, we saw mud skipper fish (walking fish!) and a couple monitor lizards.
Truly, I travel the world looking for exotic places to go swimming, and Borneo has no shortage of them. We skipped the beach at Bako and headed down Tajor trail, which has a waterfall that fills several consecutive pools of amazing beauty. We swam there, had lunch, and visited the beach at the end of the trail before backtracking and swimming in the pools again. It was amazing.
Next was Gannung Gading. The hostel in the park was full so we had to sleep at a hotel in nearby Lundu and travel in both days. On our first day it rained, which brought out alot of the life and let us see things we probably wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. Highlights included the world's smallest squirrel (a bit shorter than your hand, tail and all) and a centipede that had two glowing "eyes" appear on it's rear end when you disturbed it. Also at Gannung Gading was a crystal clear pool and waterfall to swim in, very very nice.
Finally, was Kubah, which I did on my own. Kubah certainly had the nicest hostel, which was more like a summer cottage that you had to share with other travelers. When I first arrived I met Nickolay, the only other person staying there, said my hello's, and then headed off into the forest towards the waterfall for.... you guessed it, swimming. The waterfall was quite beautiful but the pools were quite small, so I only stayed for about an hour before heading back.
At this point I ate a late lunch/early dinner, and took a short nap. When I awoke, I noticed my roommate had a ton of field guides on various reptiles and amphibians of Borneo, so I took the liberty of looking through them while he was away. When he returned I asked if he was a biologist, and yes, he is a Russian Entimologist (bug guy) who, secretly (like all boys who go into biology, I think) wishes he was a herpetologist (reptile guy). In fact, he's been collecting specimens at this park in the hopes of securing a job with an Indian herpetologist this year.
After some discussion he asked me if I wanted to go to the nearest view point to watch the sunset. I'd had relatively little time to hike that day so without much thought I said "sure!" A few minutes into the hike I realized the "nearest view point" was about 40 minutes into the jungle... and 40 minutes into the jungle at sunset, means at least 40 minutes out of the jungle at night.
Various thoughts went through my head, not the least of which was that I was hiking into the woods with a giant Russian man (at least 6 inches on me) that I knew nothing about. I put these fears aside, and hiked on, reaching the vantage point just in time to see an amazing sunset, and a group of 3 hornbills. He was very excited about them, it was the first time in his life he had seen the famous birds.
For the trip back he had plenty of lights, and we stopped every now and then to inspect various flora and fauna. I pointed out to him some of the glowing bugs and the phosphorescent fungus around, and he pointed out to me some reptiles and amphibians including 2 frogs, a gecko eating gecko and... the highlight of the night, a Wagler's pit viper... It was amazing, and beautiful, and he caught it and brought it back to be photographed.
So, not only did I see a pit viper in borneo, I handled it, touched it, and got my picture taken with it... which I am pretty excited about. As soon as I get the pictures sent to me by Nickolay you can expect to see them up, along with the rest.
And that, plus my first leech bites, was Borneo!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Teacher Training, and a big surprise!
Well, I've been trapped in a crazy course for the past month or so. From March 10th through April 4th I was taking the CELTA course, "the" certification for English teachers. It's run by Cambridge University and is the tops, and I can see why. The course was truly amazing. I feel that I learned so much in just the first week, and have really become a better teacher by completing it.
This particular course was run at a small resort just outside of Chiang Mai. The benefits of this were that we were able to focus entirely on the course and not have to worry about any distractions (even food was provided). The downside was that we were very very far away from anything to do. About half-way through the course I realized that on 90% of the days I didn't go more than 100 yards from my front door.
Still, I'm a homebody at heart, so it really didn't bother me too much. The course focused on making teaching student centered. Instead of the teacher being the provider of information, the teacher facilitates students in discovering and practicing the language on their own. The following sequence serves as the core of the method:
1. Elicitation: Use pictures and/or context to "elicit" the target language (whatever you're teaching). Usually, someone in the room will have some vague knowledge of what you're discussing and they will be able to produce it on their own. If not, you can feed it in parts or in whole.
2. Drill: Repeat the language orally
3. CCQ: Concept Checking Questions: ask questions (without using the target language) to make sure they understand.
4. Drill agian
5. Discuss grammar and pronunciation in detail
6. Practice within strict/easy guidelines
7. Freer practice... they make up their own dialog using the language.
To use an example from one of the tutors, "He used to drink champaigne." We discussed a man in prison who was very rich "in the past." He asked us how we could say that, in the past he drank Champagne, but doesn't now. We, of course, said "he used to drink champagne." Then he drilled it, followed by questions: Does he drink champagne now? Did he drink champagne in the past? Did he drink champagne more than once? We went through this with several items (a mansion, champagne, cavier, etc. Then went through "didn't use to" using things from prison, "biff" "bread and water" etc. We drilled and did grammar and pronunciation, and then did practice using the pictures. Everyone had a picture and walked around, when you met someone you would say one of the sentences "He used to live in a mansion" or "he didn't use to know biff."After that activity we talked about our own lives using used to and didn't use to.
It's a really amazing method that shifts the focus away from the teacher and onto the students, who, if done correctly, provide most of the information and do most of the talking. In my graduate program they said things like "Make your teaching student centered" and "Ask questions to lead your students to the answer" but never got told how to do it. Now I know... and it is amazing and it really works.
That's the course in a nut shell. Of the two trainers, one was amazing and the other left a lot to be desired. I really think that being able to watch John teach was worth the whole course in and of itself. The other tutor, in many ways, served as an example of what not to do. Her lessons weren't a total waste of time, but compared to John it was drastically inferior.
I did very well in the course. Halfway through we switched tutors (my group had John upstairs with an intermediate class and the other had Gabby downstairs with the Elementary for teacher practice for the first two weeks, then we switched for the second two weeks). Upstairs I started off very strong... I later found out that John went up to the other student teachers during my lesson and said "It took me 10 years to pick up ICQ's [Instruction checking questions] and this guy picked it up in 3 days." During the feedback for that lesson (which was only my second) John said it was an excellent example for the other students.
Although I hit a few snags after that (I didn't get another "above standard" for a bit) I kept a solid core of great methodology and was able to work on fine tuning the rest. When we switched downstairs my first lesson was methodologically flawless, there was really only one criticism the tutor gave, but it was big enough to deny me an above standard. My lesson "checked all the boxes" but it did it with meaningless, disjointed exercises. I taught everything, but it didn't flow together or create anything meaningful for the students to work with.
The downstairs tutor's feedback was very harsh in general. She pretty much let me have it and knocked me off of my horse, putting what I thought was a perfect lesson way down on the totem pole. At first I was dejected, maybe even a little hopeless. But when I read her comments and realized that that was the only thing she could say bad about it (despite her harshness during feedback) I took heart.
"Pony up" became my mantra for the next two weeks along with "WHEAT" (John had given myself and another student a talk about how we were in the running for an above pass, and told us what 'separates the wheat from the chafe'). My next three (last three) lessons were, if I do say so, phenomenal. I went way out of the box and did an amazing job on two out of the three. For the one that was only standard, the tutor (the harsh one who never says anything positive) came up and told me that my lesson was incredibly ambitious and she thought it was great and didn't want me to think I was being punished for trying something a little more out there.
Here are the 3 lessons, these are all with elementary level adult students:
1. Writing: I had the students brainstorm famous figures from Thai history. Then they had to write about the figure without saying who it was and get the other groups to figure out who they had written about. I led them through brainstorming, fastwriting, revising, all the way up to the final product which was, in general, a rousing success. I was the only student teacher to try a full writing lesson and I did it very well. Above Standard.
2. Reading: I gave the students two sides of a ghost story set at New College's "Old Caples" mansion. One half of the class read about a student who saw a ghost there and the other half read about the security guard who saw a ghost there. The trick was that they had seen each other in the bushes, and they were going to read and discuss and look at clues and try to figure out who the ghost was. I ran into a timing issue and this one didn't go quite so well, although we definitely got through it. Standard
3. Grammar and Listening: This was my grande finale. In this lesson I used realia to discuss countable and uncountable nouns, as well as a/an vs. some/any. I went through a list of objects with the students and had them determine which were countable and uncountable in pairs after giving them an example (a banana, some water). Then we checked it together as a class. I had a countable basket and an uncountable bowl. If they said it was countable, I put it into the basket. If it was uncountable, I poured it into the bowl. If they made a mistake, they realized it immediately as I threatened to pour milk or yogurt or flour in the basket instead of the bowl. I had them do some practice and then went on to listening. For this part I read about Oobleck, a mixture of cornstarch and water that creates something that is neither a solid or a liquid: it can tear and melt, it is hard and soft, etc. They were given the opportunity to listen three times, with different tasks to guide them to understanding the instructions, and finally make Oobleck in groups. It was a blast. Above Standard.
All in all, I got 3 above standards and did some really adventurous lessons. I have been anxiously awaiting my grade all week and finally got an email from John. I got an A! It's a very high honor that only 4% of trainees achieve!!! Admittedly, I worked my behind off, perhaps became a bit obsessed (alternating between "pony up" and "wheat" with gusto), but it paid off in the end. I am so thrilled!
So I now have a major distinction to put on my resume and a full arsenal of great teacher training at my disposal... it was totally worth it.
After the course, I went into a sort of laziness coma. After spending a month of literally working all day every day (a 45 minute break was considered a luxury... i only left the center 4 times in the whole month) I just wanted to chill out and do nothing. Now, There is a major festival coming up in Chiang Mai, and Trevor will be here to celebrate for a couple days before we go off to Malaysia for 10 days!
And finally... I think I'll be back stateside in June. I'm still keeping my ear to the ground for jobs in the big wide world... but a smallish class of students in a well-resourced room sounds great, and is almost a guarantee in the US. So... I'll see everyone soon and keep you posted!
This particular course was run at a small resort just outside of Chiang Mai. The benefits of this were that we were able to focus entirely on the course and not have to worry about any distractions (even food was provided). The downside was that we were very very far away from anything to do. About half-way through the course I realized that on 90% of the days I didn't go more than 100 yards from my front door.
Still, I'm a homebody at heart, so it really didn't bother me too much. The course focused on making teaching student centered. Instead of the teacher being the provider of information, the teacher facilitates students in discovering and practicing the language on their own. The following sequence serves as the core of the method:
1. Elicitation: Use pictures and/or context to "elicit" the target language (whatever you're teaching). Usually, someone in the room will have some vague knowledge of what you're discussing and they will be able to produce it on their own. If not, you can feed it in parts or in whole.
2. Drill: Repeat the language orally
3. CCQ: Concept Checking Questions: ask questions (without using the target language) to make sure they understand.
4. Drill agian
5. Discuss grammar and pronunciation in detail
6. Practice within strict/easy guidelines
7. Freer practice... they make up their own dialog using the language.
To use an example from one of the tutors, "He used to drink champaigne." We discussed a man in prison who was very rich "in the past." He asked us how we could say that, in the past he drank Champagne, but doesn't now. We, of course, said "he used to drink champagne." Then he drilled it, followed by questions: Does he drink champagne now? Did he drink champagne in the past? Did he drink champagne more than once? We went through this with several items (a mansion, champagne, cavier, etc. Then went through "didn't use to" using things from prison, "biff" "bread and water" etc. We drilled and did grammar and pronunciation, and then did practice using the pictures. Everyone had a picture and walked around, when you met someone you would say one of the sentences "He used to live in a mansion" or "he didn't use to know biff."After that activity we talked about our own lives using used to and didn't use to.
It's a really amazing method that shifts the focus away from the teacher and onto the students, who, if done correctly, provide most of the information and do most of the talking. In my graduate program they said things like "Make your teaching student centered" and "Ask questions to lead your students to the answer" but never got told how to do it. Now I know... and it is amazing and it really works.
That's the course in a nut shell. Of the two trainers, one was amazing and the other left a lot to be desired. I really think that being able to watch John teach was worth the whole course in and of itself. The other tutor, in many ways, served as an example of what not to do. Her lessons weren't a total waste of time, but compared to John it was drastically inferior.
I did very well in the course. Halfway through we switched tutors (my group had John upstairs with an intermediate class and the other had Gabby downstairs with the Elementary for teacher practice for the first two weeks, then we switched for the second two weeks). Upstairs I started off very strong... I later found out that John went up to the other student teachers during my lesson and said "It took me 10 years to pick up ICQ's [Instruction checking questions] and this guy picked it up in 3 days." During the feedback for that lesson (which was only my second) John said it was an excellent example for the other students.
Although I hit a few snags after that (I didn't get another "above standard" for a bit) I kept a solid core of great methodology and was able to work on fine tuning the rest. When we switched downstairs my first lesson was methodologically flawless, there was really only one criticism the tutor gave, but it was big enough to deny me an above standard. My lesson "checked all the boxes" but it did it with meaningless, disjointed exercises. I taught everything, but it didn't flow together or create anything meaningful for the students to work with.
The downstairs tutor's feedback was very harsh in general. She pretty much let me have it and knocked me off of my horse, putting what I thought was a perfect lesson way down on the totem pole. At first I was dejected, maybe even a little hopeless. But when I read her comments and realized that that was the only thing she could say bad about it (despite her harshness during feedback) I took heart.
"Pony up" became my mantra for the next two weeks along with "WHEAT" (John had given myself and another student a talk about how we were in the running for an above pass, and told us what 'separates the wheat from the chafe'). My next three (last three) lessons were, if I do say so, phenomenal. I went way out of the box and did an amazing job on two out of the three. For the one that was only standard, the tutor (the harsh one who never says anything positive) came up and told me that my lesson was incredibly ambitious and she thought it was great and didn't want me to think I was being punished for trying something a little more out there.
Here are the 3 lessons, these are all with elementary level adult students:
1. Writing: I had the students brainstorm famous figures from Thai history. Then they had to write about the figure without saying who it was and get the other groups to figure out who they had written about. I led them through brainstorming, fastwriting, revising, all the way up to the final product which was, in general, a rousing success. I was the only student teacher to try a full writing lesson and I did it very well. Above Standard.
2. Reading: I gave the students two sides of a ghost story set at New College's "Old Caples" mansion. One half of the class read about a student who saw a ghost there and the other half read about the security guard who saw a ghost there. The trick was that they had seen each other in the bushes, and they were going to read and discuss and look at clues and try to figure out who the ghost was. I ran into a timing issue and this one didn't go quite so well, although we definitely got through it. Standard
3. Grammar and Listening: This was my grande finale. In this lesson I used realia to discuss countable and uncountable nouns, as well as a/an vs. some/any. I went through a list of objects with the students and had them determine which were countable and uncountable in pairs after giving them an example (a banana, some water). Then we checked it together as a class. I had a countable basket and an uncountable bowl. If they said it was countable, I put it into the basket. If it was uncountable, I poured it into the bowl. If they made a mistake, they realized it immediately as I threatened to pour milk or yogurt or flour in the basket instead of the bowl. I had them do some practice and then went on to listening. For this part I read about Oobleck, a mixture of cornstarch and water that creates something that is neither a solid or a liquid: it can tear and melt, it is hard and soft, etc. They were given the opportunity to listen three times, with different tasks to guide them to understanding the instructions, and finally make Oobleck in groups. It was a blast. Above Standard.
All in all, I got 3 above standards and did some really adventurous lessons. I have been anxiously awaiting my grade all week and finally got an email from John. I got an A! It's a very high honor that only 4% of trainees achieve!!! Admittedly, I worked my behind off, perhaps became a bit obsessed (alternating between "pony up" and "wheat" with gusto), but it paid off in the end. I am so thrilled!
So I now have a major distinction to put on my resume and a full arsenal of great teacher training at my disposal... it was totally worth it.
After the course, I went into a sort of laziness coma. After spending a month of literally working all day every day (a 45 minute break was considered a luxury... i only left the center 4 times in the whole month) I just wanted to chill out and do nothing. Now, There is a major festival coming up in Chiang Mai, and Trevor will be here to celebrate for a couple days before we go off to Malaysia for 10 days!
And finally... I think I'll be back stateside in June. I'm still keeping my ear to the ground for jobs in the big wide world... but a smallish class of students in a well-resourced room sounds great, and is almost a guarantee in the US. So... I'll see everyone soon and keep you posted!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Up for Air...
On March 10th, I began my CELTA course. When I signed up for it, and even in the days leading up to it, I had no idea just how rigorous it would be. It's not necessarily difficult, but the pace is incredible. Just the other day I found myself thinking: "Wow, I have 45 more minutes to work on this lesson plan than I did on the last one!"
They begin teaching you the CELTA method, and on the second day you are expected to start demonstrating it in your lesson plans. After that, you teach every other day, incorporating more and more from the input sessions you've had thus far. Which, essentially means, you get told something on Tuesday, and Wednesday, and on Wednesday night you are expected to teach a lesson using what you've learned. This, of course, is happening while you're attending lessons from 11:30-8:00 at night... giving you about 4 waking hours to assimilate and design lesson plans in.
Alongside, of course, 4 additional assignments.
I've always considered myself a slow and steady sort of person. This course is incredibly different than anything I've ever done before. The pace is almost blinding. But the more time that goes on, the better I get. From the very first input session I knew that this course was worth it, no matter what. John, one of our two trainers, gave a lesson on Hungarian. He never spoke a word of English and taught us all the words for water, tea, coffee, beer, wine, how to introduce ourselves, offer a drink, and accept it or reject it. Having not even glanced at the words again, I can still remember most of them. Sensational.
In many of my methodology classes at USF they mentioned student centered teaching, but I was never presented with a real "how," or even solid suggestions. The CELTA course, and especially John, has it down to a science. His teaching is an art, and I hope to emulate his teaching methods completely. Although we certainly have different styles, his skill is undeniable.
The people I am at the center with are wonderful. It's a wide range of English speakers from all over the world. English, Australian, American, Irish, even an Iranian English teacher. I was worried that I wouldn't have a friend, or someone that I really connected with here, and find that all 12 of the people I am with are great. I couldn't have been luckier.
All in all, I'm doing great. I am learning so much and getting so much practice and great instruction on student centered learning. I'm surrounded by amazing people who are consistently amazed at my teaching skills... which is an incredible ego booster.
I feel healthy, and successful, and accomplished. Sometimes, in positions like these, I tend to take on a leadership role. Here, that's sort of impossible because everything is individual and so fast paced. Instead, what's happening, is that I am excelling at my work tremendously(I was even pointed out as an excellent example to the rest of the students, as John said "It took me 10 years to get ICQ's down, this guy picked it up in 3 days") and while I am excelling I'm supporting and helping those around me.
I've never felt so at peace with my work and my own abilities. I've excelled at things before, but never at something that I saw as so challenging and so worth learning. I'm finding myself more at peace with the people around me, more patient with things that would normally bother me, more accepting and loving and helpful...
This course has been amazing for me.
I upload some pictures later this week or weekend. The course actually takes place at a sort of resort... which is so helpful. I can't imagine taking this course and commuting back and forth and trying to do other things at the same time. It would be impossible.
They begin teaching you the CELTA method, and on the second day you are expected to start demonstrating it in your lesson plans. After that, you teach every other day, incorporating more and more from the input sessions you've had thus far. Which, essentially means, you get told something on Tuesday, and Wednesday, and on Wednesday night you are expected to teach a lesson using what you've learned. This, of course, is happening while you're attending lessons from 11:30-8:00 at night... giving you about 4 waking hours to assimilate and design lesson plans in.
Alongside, of course, 4 additional assignments.
I've always considered myself a slow and steady sort of person. This course is incredibly different than anything I've ever done before. The pace is almost blinding. But the more time that goes on, the better I get. From the very first input session I knew that this course was worth it, no matter what. John, one of our two trainers, gave a lesson on Hungarian. He never spoke a word of English and taught us all the words for water, tea, coffee, beer, wine, how to introduce ourselves, offer a drink, and accept it or reject it. Having not even glanced at the words again, I can still remember most of them. Sensational.
In many of my methodology classes at USF they mentioned student centered teaching, but I was never presented with a real "how," or even solid suggestions. The CELTA course, and especially John, has it down to a science. His teaching is an art, and I hope to emulate his teaching methods completely. Although we certainly have different styles, his skill is undeniable.
The people I am at the center with are wonderful. It's a wide range of English speakers from all over the world. English, Australian, American, Irish, even an Iranian English teacher. I was worried that I wouldn't have a friend, or someone that I really connected with here, and find that all 12 of the people I am with are great. I couldn't have been luckier.
All in all, I'm doing great. I am learning so much and getting so much practice and great instruction on student centered learning. I'm surrounded by amazing people who are consistently amazed at my teaching skills... which is an incredible ego booster.
I feel healthy, and successful, and accomplished. Sometimes, in positions like these, I tend to take on a leadership role. Here, that's sort of impossible because everything is individual and so fast paced. Instead, what's happening, is that I am excelling at my work tremendously(I was even pointed out as an excellent example to the rest of the students, as John said "It took me 10 years to get ICQ's down, this guy picked it up in 3 days") and while I am excelling I'm supporting and helping those around me.
I've never felt so at peace with my work and my own abilities. I've excelled at things before, but never at something that I saw as so challenging and so worth learning. I'm finding myself more at peace with the people around me, more patient with things that would normally bother me, more accepting and loving and helpful...
This course has been amazing for me.
I upload some pictures later this week or weekend. The course actually takes place at a sort of resort... which is so helpful. I can't imagine taking this course and commuting back and forth and trying to do other things at the same time. It would be impossible.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Leaving Nong Chang for a while...
I just enjoyed the last week of the semester. I'm not sure why I enjoyed it so thoroughly. It wasn't at all due to leaving, by the end of the week I was decidedly glad that I will be coming back next semester, if only for a few months.
I had an amazing week though. I loved my kids, even the classes I don't normally love. I found out who my real friends were, or at least which Nong Changers would miss me enough to make a show of it. The week was just great.
First, the kids. It turns out, fourth grade is my favorite again. After many struggles, I finally figured out my job. The truth of the matter is, I am not "The English Teacher,'' I am one step in a long (and horrendously flawed) assembly line of English instruction. My hour a week will not move mountains, will not flood little minds with a sudden realization of past progressive tense (or even the names of body parts), it is one of many hours a week they spend learning English, and, I hope, the one they care about and enjoy the most.
I know this is true of my fourth graders, who have grown to love me in a way that would be suffocating if they weren't under 4 feet tall (literally). When I enter the fourth grade floor it's an explosion of children. I become a great comet of English instruction, with a long tail of children glittering behind me in the distance.
Many attempt a coveted show of manhood: the "Shake Hand stand off," where we shake hands in an attempt to squeeze the other's hand so hard that their knees buckle. A few kids actually get the better of me (thanks to a trick they've passed around about moving their hand in such a way to make my knuckles rub one another, very painful).
The rest simply walk beside me and hold my hand, even the boys, a show of affection far beyond the coolness of American fourth graders. (Indeed, grown men are very affectionate in Thailand and also India, and I have heard the same of the Middle East and Africa.) Those that have completed their shake hand test, or who have failed to score the coveted hand, or arm around the shoulder, simply trail behind me, screaming, poking, and prodding me playfully, sometimes painfully, but always in good humor.
Outside of school, Anno and I had a series of goodbye dinners, all of which were lovely. One was a little telling, however. Anno will not be coming back, and was very much looking forward to having a dinner with Somran and Noom, two of our friends from the office. Both were informed and seemed enthusiastic.... neither showed up. They had their excuses the next day but still, it was disheartening.
Two of my friends were very sad to see me go, however, even for only two months. One, a Dr. who plays basketball with me, was shocked and disappointed (admittedly, I broke the news to them rather late, the day before I left). His English is excellent, he's educated and youngish (probably not too much older than me) and an excellent candidate for a good friend when I return.
Another is "Nes" who runs the new internet shop in town which has quickly become my favorite. He's supposedly working on a degree in communication technology, but mostly he drinks and plays video games. He's invited me to share a beer on several occasions, and I less occasionally agree. Always it's been nice, and he insisted that I stay my last night and drink with him and his friends. I'm not sure if I'll have many opportunities to interact with Nes outside of video games or drinking, two activities I don't hope to spend a lot of time on, but it's nice to be liked.
So, here I am, already in Chiang Mai, waiting for Trevor to come (appallingly late). I don't miss Nong Chang, but I'm happy that I am going back, even if only for a month or two before heading to the states.
Pictures Galore... First, several pictures of my students:
And two of me in Uthai Thani, at the Temple on the hill...
I had an amazing week though. I loved my kids, even the classes I don't normally love. I found out who my real friends were, or at least which Nong Changers would miss me enough to make a show of it. The week was just great.
First, the kids. It turns out, fourth grade is my favorite again. After many struggles, I finally figured out my job. The truth of the matter is, I am not "The English Teacher,'' I am one step in a long (and horrendously flawed) assembly line of English instruction. My hour a week will not move mountains, will not flood little minds with a sudden realization of past progressive tense (or even the names of body parts), it is one of many hours a week they spend learning English, and, I hope, the one they care about and enjoy the most.
I know this is true of my fourth graders, who have grown to love me in a way that would be suffocating if they weren't under 4 feet tall (literally). When I enter the fourth grade floor it's an explosion of children. I become a great comet of English instruction, with a long tail of children glittering behind me in the distance.
Many attempt a coveted show of manhood: the "Shake Hand stand off," where we shake hands in an attempt to squeeze the other's hand so hard that their knees buckle. A few kids actually get the better of me (thanks to a trick they've passed around about moving their hand in such a way to make my knuckles rub one another, very painful).
The rest simply walk beside me and hold my hand, even the boys, a show of affection far beyond the coolness of American fourth graders. (Indeed, grown men are very affectionate in Thailand and also India, and I have heard the same of the Middle East and Africa.) Those that have completed their shake hand test, or who have failed to score the coveted hand, or arm around the shoulder, simply trail behind me, screaming, poking, and prodding me playfully, sometimes painfully, but always in good humor.
Outside of school, Anno and I had a series of goodbye dinners, all of which were lovely. One was a little telling, however. Anno will not be coming back, and was very much looking forward to having a dinner with Somran and Noom, two of our friends from the office. Both were informed and seemed enthusiastic.... neither showed up. They had their excuses the next day but still, it was disheartening.
Two of my friends were very sad to see me go, however, even for only two months. One, a Dr. who plays basketball with me, was shocked and disappointed (admittedly, I broke the news to them rather late, the day before I left). His English is excellent, he's educated and youngish (probably not too much older than me) and an excellent candidate for a good friend when I return.
Another is "Nes" who runs the new internet shop in town which has quickly become my favorite. He's supposedly working on a degree in communication technology, but mostly he drinks and plays video games. He's invited me to share a beer on several occasions, and I less occasionally agree. Always it's been nice, and he insisted that I stay my last night and drink with him and his friends. I'm not sure if I'll have many opportunities to interact with Nes outside of video games or drinking, two activities I don't hope to spend a lot of time on, but it's nice to be liked.
So, here I am, already in Chiang Mai, waiting for Trevor to come (appallingly late). I don't miss Nong Chang, but I'm happy that I am going back, even if only for a month or two before heading to the states.
Pictures Galore... First, several pictures of my students:
And two of me in Uthai Thani, at the Temple on the hill...
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Destroying my faith in Humanity
I didn't mention it in my last post, but my bike was stolen from the school two weeks ago. It was shocking. Stolen? In Nong Chang? But how could this be?
Nonetheless, it was gone and I was hoofing it everywhere. The walks were nice, and I was even able to notice a few new things about Nong Chang. One of which was a bike identical to mine with a new home in front of a mobile phone shop. I noticed this specimen while walking to the Sunday night rehearsal for my Monday night modeling debut.
I was running a little late, so didn't have time to do much about it. I, quite visibly, inspected the little green sticker on the back fender, the light attached to the front wheel, and the strongest evidence, the broken bell installed backwards on the right handle bar (perhaps the only one of it's kind in the world). The man working out front saw me examine these things as our dialogue commenced in my broken Thai:
"My bicycle... who did it?"
the man simply looked exacerbated and pointed downward, as if to say "here"
"who? who?"
pointing here, pointing here
after a minute or so a woman came out, relatively irate, and made it clear that I was to leave. I tried to contact a Thai friend of mine to come and speak on my behalf, but to no avail.
When I got to the rehearsal I explained to my director and fellow teachers what happened. They didn't seem interested at the time, but the next morning my director went with me to get my bicycle back.
I eventually found the shop again, but, alas, no bicycle. He questioned them and apparently they had taken it to get fixed. Somewhere through the course of the conversation I was asked if my bicycle had a basket "like this one" and the director pointed to a new, black basket. "Yes... well, not like that one, but it had a basket."
Eventually we left the scene, with me very much in a state of confusion. Apparently someone stole her bicycle and replaced it with mine (right), and we were going to the shop to see if it was really my bicycle.
When we arrived, I saw the light that I had pointed out the night before sitting in the basket. The bell had been removed, and the sticker on the back fender covered with another sticker. I got emphatic, "Yes! I am sure this is my bicycle! Look what she's having done!" and I explained the three signs of "mineness" that she was having removed.
From there we proceeded to our third destination, to speak to her "cousil." What he meant by cousil I have no idea. Perhaps "cousin" (which can generally mean any relative outside of immediate family) or "council" (but having a lawyer seemed unlikely).
He sat and talked to the "cousil" for a time and the woman showed up seeming very angry and shooting me daggers. Eventually we left to retrieve the bike, only to find the final insult. She was having the old rusty (and bigger and better in my opinion) basket replaced with a brand new black one!
I was shocked when my director paid for the chop job, but I have learned better than to argue with anyone, especially my boss, over his willingness to spend money (trying to get out of paying for it would have lost him terrible face and it was not my place to interfere, it was his money and his bike).
At some point during this process the woman drove up, furious, and began talking to the bike shop owner about me. I'm not sure exactly what was said, but apparently I had wronged her some how in the process of getting my bike back.
Now, whenever I see her in town, she is either on a motorcycle or another bicycle (while I was obviously confined to walking by her theft) and she gives me the nastiest look the human face can muster without being obviously hostel and losing face.
I had noted that a pink (obviously a lady's) bike had appeared near my bike the day it was stolen (though it had been hidden behind cars on that particular day). I thought perhaps this was her bike that she believed stolen. Although this didn't justify her taking my bike, I saw no reason why she shouldn't have her bike back. I attempted to explain, and she became irate, and rude, and shooed me away, unwilling to hear what such a villainous farang would have to say to her.
What shocks me is not that she stole my bike. That was obvious from day one. But that she resented me for getting it back. That she felt that I had wronged her by attempting to retrieve my bicycle from the thief who just happened to be her. It baffles me still, and goes against everything I have violently held onto of my naivete about human nature.
I had convinced myself that everyone does things because they think they are good, and now I have found a woman who is simply a ball of malice and selfishness and refutes everything I held on to.
Perhaps I'll have to rethink politicians now as well...
Nonetheless, it was gone and I was hoofing it everywhere. The walks were nice, and I was even able to notice a few new things about Nong Chang. One of which was a bike identical to mine with a new home in front of a mobile phone shop. I noticed this specimen while walking to the Sunday night rehearsal for my Monday night modeling debut.
I was running a little late, so didn't have time to do much about it. I, quite visibly, inspected the little green sticker on the back fender, the light attached to the front wheel, and the strongest evidence, the broken bell installed backwards on the right handle bar (perhaps the only one of it's kind in the world). The man working out front saw me examine these things as our dialogue commenced in my broken Thai:
"My bicycle... who did it?"
the man simply looked exacerbated and pointed downward, as if to say "here"
"who? who?"
pointing here, pointing here
after a minute or so a woman came out, relatively irate, and made it clear that I was to leave. I tried to contact a Thai friend of mine to come and speak on my behalf, but to no avail.
When I got to the rehearsal I explained to my director and fellow teachers what happened. They didn't seem interested at the time, but the next morning my director went with me to get my bicycle back.
I eventually found the shop again, but, alas, no bicycle. He questioned them and apparently they had taken it to get fixed. Somewhere through the course of the conversation I was asked if my bicycle had a basket "like this one" and the director pointed to a new, black basket. "Yes... well, not like that one, but it had a basket."
Eventually we left the scene, with me very much in a state of confusion. Apparently someone stole her bicycle and replaced it with mine (right), and we were going to the shop to see if it was really my bicycle.
When we arrived, I saw the light that I had pointed out the night before sitting in the basket. The bell had been removed, and the sticker on the back fender covered with another sticker. I got emphatic, "Yes! I am sure this is my bicycle! Look what she's having done!" and I explained the three signs of "mineness" that she was having removed.
From there we proceeded to our third destination, to speak to her "cousil." What he meant by cousil I have no idea. Perhaps "cousin" (which can generally mean any relative outside of immediate family) or "council" (but having a lawyer seemed unlikely).
He sat and talked to the "cousil" for a time and the woman showed up seeming very angry and shooting me daggers. Eventually we left to retrieve the bike, only to find the final insult. She was having the old rusty (and bigger and better in my opinion) basket replaced with a brand new black one!
I was shocked when my director paid for the chop job, but I have learned better than to argue with anyone, especially my boss, over his willingness to spend money (trying to get out of paying for it would have lost him terrible face and it was not my place to interfere, it was his money and his bike).
At some point during this process the woman drove up, furious, and began talking to the bike shop owner about me. I'm not sure exactly what was said, but apparently I had wronged her some how in the process of getting my bike back.
Now, whenever I see her in town, she is either on a motorcycle or another bicycle (while I was obviously confined to walking by her theft) and she gives me the nastiest look the human face can muster without being obviously hostel and losing face.
I had noted that a pink (obviously a lady's) bike had appeared near my bike the day it was stolen (though it had been hidden behind cars on that particular day). I thought perhaps this was her bike that she believed stolen. Although this didn't justify her taking my bike, I saw no reason why she shouldn't have her bike back. I attempted to explain, and she became irate, and rude, and shooed me away, unwilling to hear what such a villainous farang would have to say to her.
What shocks me is not that she stole my bike. That was obvious from day one. But that she resented me for getting it back. That she felt that I had wronged her by attempting to retrieve my bicycle from the thief who just happened to be her. It baffles me still, and goes against everything I have violently held onto of my naivete about human nature.
I had convinced myself that everyone does things because they think they are good, and now I have found a woman who is simply a ball of malice and selfishness and refutes everything I held on to.
Perhaps I'll have to rethink politicians now as well...
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