"I am thankful for Dear Ree" -- Class 101

Every now and then I have a moment in the classroom, where the responsibility of my job overwhelms and amazes me. Usually it is triggered by the looks of 25-50 inquisitive little eyes, all eager to hear what I am going to say and how I am going to say it.

I haven't had one of these moments yet in Taiwan, so I guess it has been a long time coming.

I am still not used to how serious the students are. They don't laugh very often, unless of course their crazy foreign English teacher is doing an impression of Lady Gaga or a modified Thriller dance. Their demeanor sometimes makes me wonder if I am impacting them at all.

I see my students twice every week, which I do not think of as a long time. However, that doesn't negate the fact that I have pairs of eyes focused on me...watching every move I make...listening to every word I say - for a solid hour. Still, I feel like there is a lack of connection between us. For starters, I have around 55 kids in each class. I barely remember their names and classes are short, so there isn't much time for the "getting to know you piece". I often feel like they aren't affected by me...at all. It really made me miss the relationships I built with my students back at home. I guess I felt like I was at a standstill while trying to build a relationship with some of these kids. I wondered if some of them even knew my name!

This week I realized that just because they don't always show it...doesn't mean it isn't there.

I had my kids do an activity where they wrote down a list of things that they were thankful for. Of course, I had to have the discussion about being thankful for "special" things versus being thankful for just "things". It all started when one of my students said he was thankful for his computer. I tried to get him to understand that although you may LOVE your computer (who doesn't?), you aren't thankful for it the same way you are thankful for your parents...or your sight...or your freedom. They started to get it, and no longer did it become an activity to just randomly write down any vocabulary word (some kids put things like clock, pencils, pens before this conversation)...but instead it became an activity where they thought of something special in Chinese, and then with a partner figured out what it meant in English.

I then handed out a worksheet where the students filled in what they were thankful for inside leaves. They colored them in and cut them out so we could hang them inside the classroom.

As the students handed them in, I adored their work, and let them know how proud I was of them.

I am thankful for my body.
I am thankful for myself.
I am thankful for my freedom.
I am thankful for Taiwan.
I am thankful for my dreams.
I am thankful for my sight. I am thankful for my hearing.

I also noticed something else. Many of them were thankful for me. They came in...one after the other...after the other.



I was flooded with warmth and pride.

I am so thankful that I have the opportunity and the pleasure to facilitate learning in a room of anxious and motivated students. I am thankful that they respect me, and that they appreciate what I do. I am thankful that I have the chance to learn from them, just as much as they learn from me. I am thankful that even though my time each week may seem limited, that I am still able to build relationships with them regardless of a language barrier. Most of all, I am thankful that I truly love, value, and own the tremendous responsibility of being a teacher.

Three months in, and my students have continued to amaze me. It is moments like these that make me realize how lucky I am to have found my passion.

Have a look at some more of our Thanksgiving Day work!

Never underestimate the power of the hand turkey!

The Subtle Disappearance of the Hand Soap

Heard the alarm. Hit the off button. Got out of bed. Toothbrush. Toothpaste. Face wash. Scrub. Glanced up from the sink.

With bubbles covering the majority of my face, I peeked through an opening and noticed something: my hand soap was almost empty.

This is how it started. This is how I began to notice that time was flying by. First, it was the hand soap. Then, I realized my shampoo and conditioner were on their way out. Finally, it hit me: time was passing, and it wasn't happening slowly.

I sat in the cab on the way to work this morning trying to make sense of where all the time had gone. I couldn't believe I have been here for almost three months!!

Bottom line: time is flying. I don't want my time in Taiwan to fly by, but I suppose it is a good sign. Hence the saying: Time flies when you are having fun!

I couldn't help but think back a few months ago. I was homesick right away. I instantly yearned for my friends, who I hadn't gone a few days without seeing. I missed my family, and I thought I wouldn't be able to survive without the Gnocchi Sorrentino from the Italian restaurant down the block from my apartment in Boston. But...as time passed, it got less and less difficult, and a whole new world opened up right before my eyes.

When I first got here, I found myself shying away from interactions with restaurants that weren't English friendly. I wasn't always willing to exchange a game of charades in the hopes that I would get the meal I wanted; I wasn't always up for eating soup with chopsticks and a weird spoon. (I mean...really?) I wasn't always in the mood for stepping outside of my comfort zone. I was embarrassed that I didn't know any Chinese, to the point that I wouldn't even attempt it. I even had a slight breakdown when the trashman yelled at me in Chinese because I was not putting my trash out properly.

But now, I embrace who I am in the experiences that I encounter. I attempt Chinese, even though I haven't the slightest clue, because I realize how far an attempt goes in this culture. Most Taiwanese people I have tried to converse with apologize that they do not speak English (which I find crazy that THEY are apologizing to ME...I mean, after all it is their country). Either way, I know they understand how I feel. They are willing to play charades with me or sit through a round of "guess what I am drawing". I welcome any opportunity to try something new, and even find normalcy in it. I even consider myself a professional when it comes to separating and putting out my trash. But, I still can't help but wonder - When did this happen?

Just like the subtle disappearance of my hand soap, the slow but apparent transformation of me into this confident, willing, and unafraid ex-pat has occurred. I can't help but realize that after three months of living abroad, so many things have happened, and so many things have changed.

This just may have been the best decision I have made in my life. What a long way I have come from the sleepless nights I spent wondering if my decision to move to Taiwan was the right one.

Well, you can't win the lottery if you don't buy tickets!!

My Home Sweet Home

People keep asking me what my apartment looks like, so I figured I would do a quick post to share.

Many schools often provide housing, which means that you would live on the school's campus. My school does not have on campus housing, so they provide me with a stipend in addition to my salary that is meant to go towards rent to subsidize the cost. In Taipei, there are a number of options you have in terms of living. You can share a large apartment with others, or you can live in a small place alone. I wanted to live alone, and I didn't want to worry about cleaning a big apartment. So, when I arrived to Taipei, my first mission was to find a place to live.

I was eager to find an apartment, and hoped I could do so right away. The agency that was helping me was kind enough to pay for my hotel until I found a place, so it wasn't like I HAD to find a place right away. The first 3 places we saw, I began to get nervous because none of them were anything close to a place I would live. I don't think I am too picky, but the thing with me is that I am definitely a "nester" and need to be 100% happy with my apartment...even if it is small. I also worried about my location. I knew I was in Taipei, but I wanted to find a place that was close to the MRT station (subway) and that also had access to some good western places to eat, along with other things to do. The places I had seen so far, just weren't okay with me! The bathroom was the thing that got me!! Most of the bathrooms I have seen in small apartments in Taiwan have a toilet, and then that area seconds as the shower. No door...no separation.

I know that Taiwan has cockroaches...trust me: I heard about them before I came. BUT I do everything in my power to make sure they stay out of my place. I don't even have a kitchen, and I clean this place non-stop. I also have a weekly spray session to make sure they don't try anything funny! I have seen only 1 cockroach and that was when I first moved in. I think not having food or a kitchen really helps. If there is nothing here for them to have...they won't come!

So my little apartment is very small, but cozy. It has no windows (which I thought would bother me, but it doesn't) but it has bright blue walls - which brightens it up. I have a large bed and a little couch with a coffee table. I have a flat screen TV, free internet, and it is a stone's throw away from the MRT. There is no kitchen, but I have a little fridge if I need it. I also have a kettle to boil water for tea. The bathroom is a regular bathroom with a nice shower! That was kind of the selling point for me! There is a washer right outside the unit, so I am able to use that as well, and then hang my clothes dry. I am really happy with my place, even if it is a glorified dorm room!

THRILLER

It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart

You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes

You're paralyzed...

I found myself singing this song in my head over the weekend while practicing a VERY modified version of the Thriller dance. (If you know me well, you know that I am by no means a dancer.) You see, I have learned that if you want to have fun in class, and you want your students to have fun in class, you CANNOT be shy! In the beginning, this was hard for me, but now I embrace it.

Every time I sit down to write my lesson plan, I think of how I can make each article more engaging. When I saw an article in the magazine on Michael Jackson and the 29th anniversary of Thriller's release, knew I had something to work with!

I began the lesson with a visual hook, so I printed out various pictures from the Thriller video. I put little magnets on the back of them, and right before the bell rang for the start of class, I hung them up. These were the two most popular ones (according to the kids' feedback!)

As soon as the first one went up, the kids looked at it and the buzz began spreading around class. Now, clearly I couldn't understand what they were saying about the pictures because it was all in Chinese, but they were smiling and I could hear: "Michael Jackson" every now and then. When the bell rang, they sat down with excitement and waited to see what I was up to this time.

We continued with the vocabulary from the article, and then read about Thriller and it's 29th anniversary. They got a kick out of knowing that the song was as old as their teacher :). After they answered the comprehension questions, and we finished talking about the article, we moved on to the fun activity: singing and dancing.

First: I gave out a copy of Clozed Thriller Lyrics. Basically, the lyrics were written down for them, and every line they had to listen to the song to fill in the proper word. (i.e. It's close to ____________ and something evil's lurking in the dark)

We listened to the first three verses about 2 times each so they could fill in the blanks. At the end of each verse, they tallied up their points. Then they totaled up their verse points up at the end of the game. Some of the kids got all 20 words, and some only got 6 words right, but we all had fun!

After the clozed activity, we sang it together, and of course I whipped out a small and very modified version of the dance. The kids got a kick out of it for sure. I mean...I was acting like a complete fool in front of them...but that is ok, because they followed suit! :)

Here are some pics from our day!!



Definitely a lesson that I enjoyed, and I am pretty confident the kids enjoyed it as well -- especially the part where I danced for them! :)

A Look at Education Around the World: #1 - FINLAND

Being in a different country sparked my curiosity about education and what it looks like around the world.
I'd love to travel the world, and study each country's education system. What is it exactly that makes or breaks a system? I know people have their theories, and trust me...I have my own, but what is the answer?
Why are the highest performing countries at the top? What are they doing that other countries aren't?
I am going to start looking at different countries and the systems they have in place. I will research and question, and see what differences exist. I mean, after all, Finland, who is considered the top performing country has a VERY different philosophy than Korea, who also ranks very highly. I know there are cultural factors there, but I want to look at other reasons. So, today I begin.
Today I took a look at Finland, who has been at the center of this topic for quite some time now. With high performance scores in comparison to other countries, here is a quick look at the facts...

• When a child is born in Finland, the family receives three books as part of a maternity package. One for the mother to read to the child; one for the father to read to the child; and one for the child. This is believed to foster a culture of reading early on.


• Finland has access to free universal daycare for children between the ages of 8 months and 5 years. (This has been in place since 1990) If a mother decides to stay home and care for her own child, she can receive money to do so, as long as the evironment for her child is considered appropriate (which is regularly checked up on).


• Basic early is fostered under the idea that children learn through playing. They are not "taught" they learn.


• Since the early daycare is free, this "headstart" is not dependent upon socioeconomic class, but rather seen as an opportunity that all children should be afforded.


• Early childhood education is not mandatory in Finland, but everyone uses it (Maybe because it is affordable?)


• Main school starts at age 7 so that kids are not already burnt out from learning when they haven't even started (remember the statement above: they are not taught in basic school...they learn) The idea is that by the time they are 7, they will be ready to learn!


• At main school almost every lesson is taught with an additional teacher in the classroom. This is to support the students that are struggling. Since this is done early on, it prevents studenst from continuing to fall behind. (This would eliminate a student not being able to read in the 6th grade, or a student not being able to complete his timestables when the rest of the class can. Prevention rather than intervention...wow, what an idea? Maybe one day we can figure that out!)


• Regardless of ability in a particular subject, students are kept in the same classroom. There is both a focus on the struggling students and the brightest students.


• The Finnish spend the LEAST amount of time in school in the world.


• There is no disruptive transitional phase between primary and secondary schools, and the teachers follow their kids. One teacher stated how this helped her understand her students and allowed her to act as "their school mother". Basically, the teachers watch them grow up.


• There are no mandated or standardized tests. There are no rankings, comparisons or competitions between students, schools, or regions.


• Homework is minimal.


• Their education system is publicly funded and run by educators (no business people, military leaders or politicians.)

Here are some other things that have significant impact:

• There is a very strong culture of reading and family communication with educators in Finland.


• More on the cultural impact: the learning environment is casual and informal, which may allow for students to deal with less pressure and stress than some of the other top performing countries.


• Teaching is a prestigious career in Finland. They are highly valued, but they are held to very high standards.


• And quite possibly the biggest two: 1) Finland has low levels of immigration, which means that the majority speak Finnish as their native language. This eliminates the struggles that other educational systems face with ELL students. 2) There is not a large disparity between economic classes in Finland, unlike most other countries in the world; and of course, it is obvious that large economical differences are accompanied by learning deficiencies.

Teachers are the single biggest profession in Finland. Of course, I had a burning interest in how the teachers were selected, and why they were so highly valued, well besides the obvious, which sometimes people in the US forget: that they are teaching the future of the country. I mean, I'm just saying...

Here are some facts about teachers in Finland:

• All of the educators are selected from the top 10% of the nations graduates to earn a master's degree in education. So basically, in order to be a teacher, you have to be in the top 10 of your NATIONAL graduating class. (I am pretty sure I wouldn't make the cut to be a teacher in Finland. Imagine that...not making the cut to be a teacher.)


• Here are some hard numbers I found to illustrate this: In 2008, 1,258 undergrads applied for training to become elementary-school teachers. Only 123 were accepted into the 5 year training program. That's 9.8%! And apparently this is typical. *This was taken from Time Magazine's Finlands Education Policy Successes.


• Although this mandated 5 year training is expensive, this helps to create a highly respectable profession that is honored and appreciated in society. In February of last year, the first ever International Summit on Education met in New York. There was an article written in the Washington Post by Linda Darling-Hammond that describes the biggest differences regarding teacher training, specifically focusing on the US, Finland, Singapore, and China. In fact, in order to make teaching in Finland even more attractive (which at this point is hard for me to imagine possible) a salary is given to those teachers who are completing their 5 year training. Most importantly, I believe the key to Finland's teacher training is the selection process. There are many people that want to be teachers, and unfortunately many people choose the teaching career in the US because...well, simply put: they believe "it is easy". Sure, everytime I hear this my blood boils, because I KNOW it is not; but the difference here is that teachers can get away with doing very little. Perhaps making it a little more difficult to "become" a teacher wouldn't hurt.


• Schools get to draw from a pool of these teachers once they finish their 5 year training in education. (All teachers MUST have their Master's, and not in education but in the FIELD THEY WISH TO TEACH. Want to teach Literature? Well, you need a Master's in Literature. Want to teach Math? You will need a Master's in math.) It is almost like an NBA or NFL Draft, but for teachers. Imagine that?

The "Whatever it takes" educational attitude in Finland is surely the reason that they seem to have done a pretty good job in educating their people. In fact, I also read that 45 years ago, Finland's education system was in terrible condition. So they seemed to have gotten their act together in about 40 years. This gives me some hope. Maybe there still is a chance for our education system. Bottom line is: although we have large economic disparity in America, parental and poverty problems are eliminated by schools performing well.

Oh Finland...thank you!