Keep Calm

With me saying ‘bye bye’ to teaching recently I have had quite a bit of time on my hands. I’ve been catching up on my sleep and I’ve come to realize that my body is quite exhausted. Going to bed early and struggling to get up in the morning even though it is late shows that I have been very sleep deprived and my body needs time to rejuvenate. My naturopath reminded me that it will take time and I shouldn’t expect to bounce back after a few days of unemployment. I’m trying to eat better and working on things around the house. I sorted through most of my basement, the kitchen is fairly clean and laundry is on track. No more baskets sitting around and clothes on the drying rack for days on end. My biggest task will be to tackle our (and I mean ‘my’) bookshelves. The Honey has complained quite often that he feels overwhelmed and suffocated by my books. It is a little extreme and I sympathize with him. I’ve been feeling the same way lately and sadly, half of what I own is for work.

Unlike ESL schools outside Ottawa (and I’m generalizing here), the schools I’ve worked for here have had minimal materials available for teachers to use. There are the core texts and that’s really about it. A few schools have a shelf with some decent material, but it’s rare. Compare to overseas where the teacher’s room would have a wall of bookshelves with resource material for the using and borrowing. Maybe I was spoiled and worked for good schools, but coming back to Ottawa always left something to be desired. Every time I attended a conference, travelled/worked overseas, or ventured to Montreal/Toronto, I would return home with a bag of great books.

But now that I’m not teaching, what to do with them? A friend and I talked about this a few years ago when she left teaching to stay home with her kids. She didn’t want to get rid of them in case she went back to work. They were good materials and resources so she didn’t want to give them away or sell them if she was going to need them again in the future. Now that I have left teaching, temporarily at least, I don’t want to give them away or instantly get rid of them. There are some I have never opened or are resources I know I’ll never use again and they’ve been given to friends who are still teaching and can use them. But the others…? For those who have bought ESL material, they know how expensive it is. While it is less expensive overseas (especially in the UK) because material seems so readily available, the cost still adds up. And at a conference in T.O, I can easily drop a few hundred dollars when the average book costs $60.

 

So in the meantime, while I think of what to do, I’ll be going through my books and decide what to keep and what to pass onto friends. My business plan and research for opening an ESL school is already in a labelled box in the basement. Having been on a shelf since foreign economies took a downturn, I know that I won’t return to that idea. This break won’t take me back to that dream. In this sorting and boxing up, I’ll post on the ESL Life page the material I’ve loved, enjoyed and used throughout my teaching career. I’m quite proud of my collection and ironically, will miss some of the activities.

Any New Year’s Resolutions Left?

In the new year my students and I discussed New Year’s Resolutions and whether in private lessons or groups, there was always a discussion. To my surprise only one student made any. No one else believed in making them.

In our discussions culture came up (was it because they were Quebecers?), as did maturity (they are all from 30-50), or realistic ideas (are making resolutions a dumb idea?). I’ve always been led to make resolutions (or at least one) every year by family, friends, or even their parents. During Christmas holidays there are always a few people who ask ‘What are your resolutions going to be this year?’. I’m not alone and have no idea if it’s an English thing or a North American one. Many a blog listed the writer’s resolutions for the year, some with small or meaningful endeavours while others contained life-changing events. I purposefully avoided it – a rebel with a minute cause.

Most of my students didn’t think change should only be actioned on January 1st. Why not any time of the year? One enrolled in language training in the fall while another took up knitting 2 weeks ago. In November another vowed to do more outdoor activities during the winter. The one student who made a resolution kept it simple. Her one and only resolution was to start reading again because she missed it and getting lost in the plots. Coincidently, another student decided to put herself first, not as a resolution, but because she was tired of putting herself last. Now at the end of February she is quite content and enjoying herself.

One student in my group intrigued us all in telling us about a Haitian custom. They make wishes for the year instead of resolutions. This student made a small list of wishes she would like to come true. If they don’t, it’s no big deal, but if they do, how wonderful it is. She wouldn’t dare share her list for fear of them not coming true (for the same reason birthday wishes are kept secret). Looking around the table many looked lost in thought. Thinking about wishes, maybe?

For the second year in a row I haven’t made resolutions. Like many of my students I make changes if and when I see fit, not solely on January 1st. The one student got me thinking though. I’m too active for a wish list as I can’t sit idly by waiting for something to happen. Instead a made a ‘Would Like List’. It is a list of things to see/do/experiences for this year. There are things that intrigue me and things that I enjoy, and maybe one or two that are a challenge. Like my student, if they don’t happen, no worries, but if they do, fabulous!

Learn what to do with kasza (buckwheat groats) – Kasza is part of Polish food – I wouldn’t say cuisine though. It’s supposed to be healthy so I’ll figure out what to do with it and give it a try.
Cook with quinoa – A cousin introduced this grain to me and I enjoyed it. It’s full of good stuff for your body so I’m going to try and bring it into my diet more.
Make a dent in my family tree – I’ve been interested in my family’s history all my life and the task and paperwork has gone to the wayside in recent years. This year I’d like to try and delve into my granddad’s military history in WWII.
Experiment with sweet potatoes – Like quinoa, I don’t know what to do with sweet potatoes. Since regular potatoes have had to be pushed out I’d like to try and replace them with this orange tuber.
Read more – I enjoy reading and usually have a book in my school bag so I can read during my lunch. I think I should read more at home as I’m spending way too much time in front of the TV this winter.

Make muffins – They’re handy and easy to take with you, plus you can make them healthy.

Tackle my Style at Home recipes – Donna Hay joined the S@H team in 2010 and provides the magazine with great recipes. Every one I’ve tried has been delicious. Now I just need to work my way through the stack in my kitchen.

Breakdown and take fish oil – I need my Omega3s and purchased some oil from my naturopath. But I haven’t taken any. Well, I did twice and it made me gag. She’s given me a few ideas, but I need to move past that oily texture and just do it.
Go Whitewater Rafting – I finally did this last summer after 15 years of putting it off. The summer program I work for is doing it again and I want to go. I love it!
Go ZipLining – This looks like fun, but I’m not fond of being up high. I think I’d enjoy it.

TESL Ontario Conference 2010

Well, the TESL Ontario Conference was well over a month ago now and my bag of books and notes have finally been unpacked (better late than never).

I had taken a few out to use with my students with positive outcomes, and two arrived by courier a month ago and the last one (the one I’ve been dying to receive) arrived a few weeks ago.


The majority of my classes are private and so this One-to-One book looks wonderful. The units are very short (2 pages) and have everything you need.

Of course, supplementing the lessons is a given and you could adjust them for the student’s needs and goals. One of my students is very advanced and I couldn’t wait to try this with him.

While at the conference I saw/participated in some really great workshops. I may have mentioned before, if the session blurb says ‘paper’ or ‘presentation’, I take a pass as that means ‘LECTURE’ and from experience they are really dry and boring. I have yet to attend one that hasn’t been like that. I also take a pass at many publisher sessions. I used to think ‘Oh awesome, a chance for a free book’, but often I was disappointed in the presentation and materials. It ended up being a waste of my time. The title has to be pretty catchy and sound very interesting if I’m going to attend any of those three.


Some advice I have for those wanting to go to conferences: 1) Choose sessions that you will find interesting and benefit from. If work is paying for you to go and they want you to attend a particular session or two, you might as well as it’s their money; 2) Make time for breaks. You’ll need to visit the washroom, grab something to eat or drink, or need a breather; 3) Take something small to eat. Depending on when the session is, you may get the munchies or your tummy begins grumbling. Have something with you that can tie you over and is somewhat healthy. I discourage noisy snacks; it’s disrespectful to the presenter and those around you; 4) Take advantage of the tea breaks and water stations. You’ll need to keep hydrated and possibly need the caffeine, especially for those early morning or late afternoon sessions. And don’t worry about chugging them down quickly; you can take them into the session with you; 5) Didn’t get into the session you wanted? Stand in line at the session door and if there’s room, you’ll get a spot; 6) Talk to those around you. I don’t mean tell them your life story, but chat and talk about the sessions you’ve been to; 7) Take paper and a pen; 8) Wander through the exhibitors and check out the materials. If you’re like me, you’re never sure what to order because you don’t know what the book is really like. This is the perfect opportunity. Even if you don’t buy anything, write down the titles and authors or circle them in the catalogue. Chat to the reps as they may be able to recommend something or help you decide. The materials are usually discounted for the conference and by chatting to the reps, you may be able to obtain the discount if you decide to order a week or so later. An additional bonus of chatting with the reps: If you buy many books, they may be able to give you an even bigger discount (when one rep found out I was paying for my own materials he gave me two books free – so appreciative when they are normally $50 each).


Here’s a run-down of the sessions I attended (I tried to keep it brief). If you’re interested in one of the sessions, contact me and I may be able to send you a copy of my notes or the handout we were given:
Tania Iverson – Success with English for Specific Academic Studies As always, Tania put on a great session. Although it was based on a textbook series, she had loads of practical ideas and points that could be used with any business or technical material.
James McMullan – Developing Focused Non-Comprehension Strategies to Improve Communication I’d never heard the word ‘Muddlygump’ before, and now it’s ingrained in my mind. This was a fun and interactive workshop looking at what your students say to show their lack of understanding and strategies they can use that mimic how native-speakers really speak.
Andrew Taylor – I Can’t Believe I Learned Grammar His energy filled the room as he presented communicative oral tasks and activities to use with students to teach, practice and improve their grammar. While teachers may use communicative tasks in their lessons, not many may use the excitement and energy needed to get their students interested and excited about it. Weeks later, I still picture him Jazz Chanting ‘going to’ sentences while snapping his fingers in keeping time.
Mike Simpson – Websites and Blogs Although I often use websites for my lessons, blogs was a new one. I blog, but don’t often use them with my students. There was a new idea or two here relating to blogs, but I’m not sure if I’ll use them. However, for someone who doesn’t use either one for their lessons or with their students, they are missing a great tool. The possibilities are endless for material, activities, topics and themes, and the dreaded grammar.
Radmila Rakas – Teaching About and Appreciating Nature It was nice to see a thematic workshop showing people that one can use the usual tasks and activities for vocabulary, listening, etc with a specific topic.
Angelica Galante – Reducing Learner’s Language Anxiety This workshop discussed some of the ways anxiety occurs with our students and ways to minimize it in the classroom. It was interesting because many teachers do these things already (I assume), but minimizing anxiety may not be the goal, it’s using the suggestions for communicative practice, skills practice, grammar, etc. I found the connection with this just awesome.
Teresa McGill and Jayne Edmonds – Crucial Lessons Learned in Corporate ESL This workshop was more like a story-sharing moment for the presenters. From an administrative position it may have been great, but from a teaching point of view, not so much. The gist was not to put all your eggs in one basket: if all your contracts are with one company/department and the contract dries up or goes somewhere else, you’re screwed. It seemed like common sense, but maybe that’s because I’ve encountered that situation before at a school I worked for.
Tim Westhead – Picture That! Great Writing Prompts for Students There were great ideas presented (sadly I use them all already so didn’t learn anything new) in using pictures and visuals with your students for writing prompts, advertisements, guiding with headlines and ideas. From experience, these really work well and if your students are hesitant to write, try them out. A word of warning: Tim Westhead likes to make comments about how little teachers are paid, the school should pay for your materials, etc, etc; and if you’re like me and work in the private sector (unlike Tim who worked for a school board), this can be really annoying. I’m sure Tim would be shocked to learn the salary I survive on. So my advice, try to ignore it as the other stuff he says is pretty interesting and helpful.
Marijke Wertheim – Activities for Teaching Listening Strategies I’d heard positive things from a peer about this one – and it was really great. I took so much away with me on using listening material other ways. Tables worked together discussing strategies and ideas, and luckily, there was time for some Q and A at the end. Although I had tried things suggested before (yea me!), I hadn’t realized the benefits and outcome for the students. Here, you’re getting away from the typical textbook listening tasks. You know the ones. They just test your students on the right/wrong answers. Instead you can use them for teaching strategies, use for critical thought, the type of language used, discussion, making predictions beforehand, having students write questions to answer themselves, do note-taking, and analyze language, tone or emotion. However, to do this you have to give the students a very specific purpose (like any of those just listed) and build up to it like you would with any other task.

TESL Ontario Conference 2010

Recently I spent a few days in Toronto for the annual TESL Ontario Conference. It’s a great opportunity for some professional development and spend time with your peers from across the province. The Honey made the trip with me and he hung out doing whatever he wanted while I attended workshops and seminars.

One of the keys to this TESL conference is to register early. If registration opens on the 15th, register on the 15th, and as early as you can. In past years I’ve always left it late and been disappointed with what I experienced so this year I registered by noon. And believe it or not, I still had trouble getting into some. Oh well, a Friday morning to sleep an extra hour or so and have breakfast out with the Honey; can’t complain too much about that.

Whenever we’re in T.O we try to get to Wayne Gretzky’s down on Blue Jay Way. We’ve been doing this since the restaurant opened oh so many years ago and we’ve always enjoyed ourselves. The Honey is an Oiler’s and Gretzky fan, and that’s the only time I saw hockey growing up (Mom: ‘Come on girls! Wayne’s on T.V!’ supporting the boy from next-door Brantford). As a vegetarian I always found something to eat and at Gretzky’s, the pierogies tasted homemade. This was the first time making the trip since going gluten-free.

First things first: The wait staff was very patient and helpful in making decisions and happily asked the kitchen questions if needed. It was very much appreciated; especially after realizing finding something wasn’t going to be easy. My first two choices (I always pick two things because I figure one of them is bound to be safe) were ixnayed – the bison burger (with breadcrumbs) and the Thai chicken stir-fry (flour in the sauce). One of the sympathetic waiters went through the menu with me and I finally reluctantly decided on a salad (It was October; who wants a salad?!) with seared flank steak. It seemed the most filling, substantial, and warmest salad. The salad dressing was out; there was flour in it (again, appreciated the update). The suggested plain-old oil and balsamic vinegar ended up being what the salad needed. With the nice roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, cheese, and steak the lighter dressing allowed me to taste the salad for what it was. I was happy. Like old times at Gretzky’s, we had good service and food and that made the evening enjoyable (the company was good too Honey!). We realized though, our return trips may be for drinks instead since the menu is quite limiting. Drinks at Gretzky’s… that’s still not half-bad.

We stayed at the Renaissance Hotel at the Roger’s Centre and were lucky enough to have a room overlooking the stadium. Thursday night we went to bed after seeing workers putting lines on the field below. We opened up the curtains Friday morning to this:

It was the perfect vantage point to see my first CFL game.

The Honey had picked me up some cider and we ordered some gluten-free pizza from Magic Oven on Jefferson St. It was fabulous. It’s how thin crust pizza should be done!

  

About the conference itself: I attended some great workshops and seminars; met some really nice people, had some good laughs, and of course, picked up some awesome materials. The publishers always attend and it’s a great way to flip through books (textbooks, resource material, audio guides, whatever) and decide what you like and don’t like. You can visit their websites to see what they have in their catalogues, but to hold them and flip through the pages gives you a better idea of what you like and if the material is worth it or not. The reps are pretty helpful too, making suggestions or steering you towards something more practical. Of course, the publisher’s have seminars too, but I find they are always pumping up a certain book, and often it’s not what I’m looking for or need. I’d rather spend my time elsewhere.

Another key to the conference is to take some snacks with you. If you’re going from room to room, there may not be time to grab a bite somewhere or the lines may be too long. And if you’re gluten-free, good luck. I had cinnamon raisin bagels from Natural Pantry in my bag so I ate those whenever the munchies hit. There are water stations throughout the conference and it’s nice to stay hydrated. Always take a drink into the room with you; you never know when you’ll get thirsty and if you leave you might miss something. There’s a tea/coffee service mid-morning so take advantage of it. Having something warm (with or without caffeine) is a nice pick-me-up mid-morning. Also, by day three you may really need that boost.

Since I pay for this conference myself (unlike a friend who receives funding because she teaches LINC) I try and squeeze in as much as possible. This is never recommended because it’s a sure-fire way to tire yourself out. However, I want to get my money’s worth and learn/experience as much as I can. To balance it out I go to seminars that interest me and benefit me and my teaching. If the session blurb says ‘lecture’ or ‘paper’, I take a pass. I find them exhausting. I also take breaks here and there. Often there will be ½ to 1 hour between sessions so I relax in the many chairs throughout the conference or in the hotel lobby. I’ll have a book or magazine to shift my mind to something else. Or I’ll wander through the exhibitors; flipping through the materials relaxes my mind a bit while putting ideas in there. Lastly, if you can’t get into a seminar, don’t fret. Every seminar has a last-minute-line so if there is room, you can get a seat. Sometimes if there are only a few people in the secondary line, they can all be squeezed in. However, don’t use this to get into every seminar as it can be frustrating if you can’t get in.

The weather was nice. You know, the typical warm Toronto; the urban heat island effect under full swing. Even though we would have liked to spend a few more hours out and about, we decided to head back to Ottawa. It was a good thing too because this is what we came home to:

The first snowfall of the season (and it wasn’t pretty on the roads).

Stay tuned to Part 2 where I’ll post some thoughts on the seminars I attended.

A slowdown

My schedule has slowed down a lot in the last two weeks. It was nice at first as I could putter around the house and spend some time outside. But this week, I don’t like it so much. I’d much rather be at work and I’m beginning to get a little bored.

I was a little down the other day, under the weather and feeling a little fed up with the waiting game. Many times it feels like it’s either feast or famine, and right now it’s famine. As much as I love what I do the downside is being between students and just waiting for new ones to register or coordinators with government departments making the arrangements. The upside is I’m not the only ESL teacher that goes through this, but it’s frustrating nonetheless.

Yesterday I got my butt into gear and into the kitchen. It was a miserable day again outside and sometimes I feel so much better when I’m in the kitchen. The honey had requested a banana loaf and there were some apples for an apple cake too. Monday we picked up some ingredients for a tomato pepper soup we enjoy. I had my list so I made a nice cup of mint tea, got a few chocolates to go with it, and off I went.

The recipe for the soup is from Foodland Ontario; I love picking up their little booklets from the produce section. The recipe has been adapted slightly to my cooking style. As much as I love roasted peppers, I can’t be bothered roasting them. I can get them from a jar, but then that defeats the purpose of using fresh (and local) produce. Instead I chop them up and sauté them slowly over low heat; they become nice and sweet and juicy. The same is done with the tomatoes. It may take some time, but while everything is cooking away I can do other things. The end product is delicious. It’s a nice sweet soup with a dash of herbs to complement it.

I goofed a bit when making the apple cake, adding the flour mixture to the wet instead of the other way round. It turned out alright, but I’ll make another attempt another day before posting it. I’ve attempted apple goodies before, never with much success – strudels, pies, tarts. My Polish friend gave me her family recipe to try, and like I said, it turned out alright. It didn’t taste like hers, but then again, it’s been 8 months since I had a bite. We’ll have to wait and see until apple cake #2.

While the loafs and cake were baking I caught sight of a package of Bob’s Red Mill out of the corner of my eye. Some time ago Bob’s Red Mill products were on sale at Metro so I picked up a bunch to try out. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not really into mixes, but for the sake of trying something gluten-free, I’ll give it a shot. It had been sitting on my counter for quite a while so it was as good a time as any. Yesterday’s experiment was their Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix.

All that is needed is ½ cup butter or margarine and 1 egg. Following the instructions carefully (this seemed easy so I was bound to mess it up) I started rolling the dough into balls. The dough seemed really dry and crumbly; nothing like I’d seen before. It was staying in balls though so I kept going.

Twenty minutes later out they came; nice and soft. I’ve heard there’s nothing like fresh cookies from the oven all warm and gooey. Well, they were warm but not gooey. In fact, the cookies were quite dry (I wondered about that while mixing the dough). Hmmm, I think these are a pass. While the experience of having warm freshly baked cookies is nice – and something that doesn’t happen too often in my house – I think I’ll try to find a nice recipe from scratch.

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
6 servings
1 ½ hours
3 large red peppers, chopped into large pieces
3 large tomatoes, chopped into large pieces
5 large cloves of garlic, chopped into large pieces
1 large onion, chopped into large pieces
2 tbs olive oil
½ tsp each dried thyme, rosemary and basil
¼ tsp salt and pepper
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
Sour cream and fresh herbs for garnish
Sauté the peppers over low heat until softened. Add the tomatoes and continue until they soften. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium/medium-low heat. Let simmer for 15 minutes or so. Puree.
I have a hand whizzer so puree-ing it is really easy. If you use a blender, you’ll need to wait until it cools first.

The time has come

Five and a half weeks ago I stood with 14 teachers in an office going over our orientation day. The teachers got their classrooms ready, and then the students arrived. Tomorrow is their last day of class before they have a blast at a talent show and return home to their parents. As the cliché goes: ‘It feels just like yesterday’.

I had some time to myself the other day and took a stroll through the halls and classrooms and this is what I saw.

Tomorrow everything will need to come down. There are painters coming to give the school a fresh coat in time for September. There will be mixed feelings abound. Relief that five weeks of lesson planning and its lessons is finally over. Sadness as a teacher removes the faces and the adjectives that describe them from their door. Happiness as students get ready to see their family and start their college studies. And of course tears, as those same students say goodbye to friendships that helped them survive away from home.

Previous year’s teachers have warned the newcomers that there will be waterworks on Thursday, and it won’t be just the students. The teachers have formed a great team and since many have worked quite closely together, some friendships have been made as well. While no teacher will be sad saying goodbye to the photocopier that tormented us throughout the five week, there will be some realizations Friday morning when teachers first open their eyes and think ‘I don’t need to go to school today’. There will be some relief, then followed by a twinge of sadness. They probably won’t see their students again, and it may be some time before they see their colleagues again.

Last Friday was the last assembly for the program and it was a nice way to finish. One class did a sing-along with a picture presentation on the screen above. Pictures showing the smiles, good times, and experiences that made the program once in a lifetime for them. The second class had a dance routine that got the mood up and the feet shuffling. Tomorrow evening, it will be some of the same, and of course more tears for both sadness and happiness.