4° Step to the Top: Possible Solutions II

Until here, everything is ok. I have set the main problems and the possible solutions. I created a plan and I was very detailed in dealing with every aspect. But there is always a "Troll". And which are the trolls for teachers? They are the "unexpected situations".

For me, at least, the trolls are the unexpected situations. I could have planned every detail, but even though, I try to consider every possible scenario, there are always situations that I have never expected. But this time, I have a plan for it too.

1.- I will relax, because I already know that trolls will come, so I don't have choice but accept them as part of life.

2.- Reschedule. I already planned what I will do during the day, but I will consider one or two of them as not so important. So in case I need extra time to deal with those "trolls", I will just use one of those activitites and I will face the trolls.

3.- I will consider in answering the following two questions: Is it really an emergency? (In order words, do I really have to change my schedule, or maybe, I have an extra time to do it?); Is it me the only one who can do it, or is it someone else who can do it? (In order words, if it is my responsibility, or if I can consider in asking help to another person)

4.-If I have the chance to deal with the "troll" immediately, then I will do it immediately. The fastest, the better.

5.-I won't say "yes" immediately, I will say "wait a bit, I need to check my schedule".

3° Step to the Top: Possible solutions I

OK, let's see what I have until now.

I already set the main problems I have as a teacher, and I thought in possible solutions. Now, I tell you what I will do for every one of the solutions.

Even though, I maked it as the 4th point in my list, I took it as the first problem to deal with. Time management is really important if I really want to change some bad vices.

I have noticed that I waste so much time in silly things, that I am always saying I don't have enough time. So I decided to create a schedule. including all I do during the day at work, and now, I added what I plan to do during the week for my personal time.

I have left an entire day to just plan and to prepare material for the next week. In that way, I have time to read, to study, to watch tv and to surf on internet (of course, not for long hours). I have to be strict on this, so I can really use the time wisely. I even left time to deal with possible situations in the future.

Point number 1 is about the Knowledge. Well, I already set time to study everyday, topics related with the English language, and topics elated with teachers and pedagogy. And I am trying to practice a method to memorize called Loci or Memory palace. (I must tell you that until now, even in few days, I have got good results to memorize concepts and vocabulary).

Point number 2 is about Classroom management and order. I am already reading about this to know what I can do at work. In relation with behaviour, I will be more strict in some aspects. I will control the entrance, the uniform, the use of materials, I will stop and guide every bad behaviour, insult or even simple word directed to affect or hurt other person. I will control when students are leaving the classroom and I will create a list of students who will help with the cleanliness of the classroom.

To really be sure that all of these commitments are really done, I will create a list of task to do during the class, that I will check everyday.

In relation with the point number 3, Methodology and materials, I am already creating a new way of working with the youngest students, and in general, with the rest of the students. To do so, I thought in working in groups, creating games and competions, and using internet and social networks to help the students who have problems. In addition, I will give time every week to create material for the classroom.

I hope all these activities will help me and the students to improve our results and enjoy the classes more.

2° step to the top: Problems and solutions

Ok, once I have thought in the aspects I want to correct, I have to be more specific, and at the same time, I must try to find some solutions.

Being more specific and finding solutions, can just start by creating some ideas. Let's see.

In the last post, I wrote down 4 aspectos I want to improve. Now I will be more specific and I will try to give possible solutions (Of course, this is not the final decision, I will evaluate what I will write now and I will fix some points).

1.- Knowledge:

a.-Grammar, vocabulary, expressions.

b.-Pedagogical aspects

2.-Classroom management and order:

a.-Behaviour

b.-Respect

c.-Permission to leave

d.-Cleanliness

3.-Methodology and Materials:

a.-Group work, individual work

b.-Responsibility

c.-Materials for the classroom

4.-Personal time management:

a.-Time for work

b.-Time for home

OK, per every problem, I will think in a possible solution. Let's see again

1a and 1b.- I will find a way to improve my memory and study more (I already found a great way to do so). I will start reading more, (newspapers, magazines, books, etc.)

2a.- I will find the way to reward good behaviour, and I will create a list of few rules for the classroom. In addition, I will have a notebook to write down some repetitive problems.

2b.- I will stop disrespectful behaviour, and I will promote nice atittudes in the classroom.

2c.- I will find a way to control every time a student is asking to go out of the classroom.

2d.- I will invent a form to promote the cleanliness in the classroom.

3a.- I will use group works for the whole semester, so they can help each other, but at the same time, I will use another way so they can evaluate individually.

3b.- I will be very strict about responsibility. But I will find a way, so students have more than one chance, in case they can't come to class or deliver their work.

3c.- Every week, I will create material for the classroom, and material for a page on internet.

4a and 4b.- I will create a schedule, and I will be firm to accomplish it.

If you want to add more ideas, or share your own path, you can do it, leave a comment, and let's all improve together.

1° step to the top: Challenge accepted

Yes, challenge accepted. I said I would make an incredible change in my way of being, and I would improve myself in different ways.

First of all, I must say that I want to be "myself", so don't expect the serious guy of the last year.

Second, if you just read my last post, you will see that I made a deal, that I want to fulfill and that you will be the witnesses of my success (or my failure... I hope not).

I said that I would start with a plan, that I will try to fulfill during the next months, and at the of year, I will evaluate my performance with you. Maybe you can take some lessons from what I will do.

I will start my journey naming the posts as "Steps to the top". So you can check the whole journey finding it with the tags "steps to the top".

The first step is called "challenge accepted". Why? Because I want to really accept the change in my life, and do something more important and productive in many aspects. And to do so, I must admit that I make many mistakes, and I must mend them.

I set a plan to fix my mistakes and find excellence in different aspects, I ordered them in levels of priorities:

1.- Knowledge: As a teacher I must have complete knowledge of what I teach. And I have noticed that I have stopped learning new things or, I just don't know how to do it anymore. And I will consider knowledge as two different aspects of the education; one related with English language, and another one related with the knowledge requiered as a teacher.

2.- Classroom management and order.

3.- Methodology and materials.

4.- Personal time management.

These are the main problems I have. Probably you have different ones.

After setting my priorities, I will create a plan to face them and defeat them. Yeahh!

If you want, you can follow the steps and you can share your experience too. Don't forget to leave your comments, click like.. . wait... it sounds like youtube. hmmm.

Happy birthday Teacher Julian's blog

It is already one year since I started this blog. I never thought it would last so long.

And I just started it because, in someway, I wanted to do something new to express all I had inside.

Honestly, it hasn't been so worthy. I thought that connecting teachers to create a kind of network would be much easier. But after one year, I must say I failed on that point. Nevertheless, I have met awesome people and I have had the chance to interact and receive feedback from parts of the world.

But after one year, I started to think, "then what?"

I thought in giving up, and closing this account. But then I thought it is a bad idea.

I thought what if I continue telling and sharing my experience as a teacher. Yes, but it is the same again.

So I thought in really doing something for me, and of course, to share it with you. I thought in really making a change in my life as a teacher. And I came up with the idea of making a revolution on my own way of teaching, and all the aspects related with my work.

Here is the deal, I must admit in first place, that I am not the best teacher, and I really need to improve in so many ways, After saying this, I show my will to improve and do something to change all my bad aspects.

For that reason, I will create a plan to deal with all my errors and, to have better results in my work and with my students, but at the same time with my life.

So, I will be sharing with you, all the steps I will take to fullfil my goals. To do so, I will use winter vacation to create a plan, then I will use it during the following months, and at the end of the year, I will evaluate my performance. I won't set high or impossible goals, I will just deal with the main problems that are affecting me in my work and life.

I hope this will help me and in some way, help you too.

God of Study

I am always recommending you some good series related with schools.

Well, God of Study is a must to watch. This Korean series is a funny and inspiring drama that you will really enjoy.

A lawyer is determined to help a mediocre school by promising that he will send 5 students to one of the best universities in Korea. Of course, this task won't be easy, especially considering that the rest of the teachers, and even the very students are reluctant to work hard for it.

The 5 students have their own problems at home, but they find in the school the key to overcome their fears and problems. Of course, this lawyer can't do so much without the help of a group of funny and silly teachers who will help him to fullfil his promise.

Apart from laughing with this series, you will get good advices to study and improve your performance at school, especially on how to get good results on tests.

This series shows that hard (and really hard) work and determination will get you wherever you want to go in life.

Check the first episode on youtube.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJz73ZsLHjU

If you want, you can check the complete series in other channels on youtube, or on this page:

http://www.mysoju.com/korean-drama/god-of-study/

Chatting on internet while feeling secure

Probably, you wish your students to have more interaction with the English language. And you wish your students to speak more on internet. The problem is that there must be few places where they can interact with other people in order to improve their English in a secured way.

Now a days, there are thousands of pages where you can chat with other people, but you won't allow your students to do so, mainly, because there are bad people on internet.

What if you have the chance to chat on internet, not with a person, but with a page on internet, kind of robot with artificial intelligence?

Well, then you must check cleverbot is a page where you can write and even talk by microphone (though this feature is not so accurate) and you can have answers in reply.

A good feature of this is that answers may vary with the time, and you can try to create new questions and topics of conversation. You will have lots of fun talking with cleverbot. And yours students too.

They can practice chatting on internet with cleverbot. They won't feel pressured about their grammar, in case they are committing some mistakes. And more important, they won't deal with unpleasent real people.

Again, you must really try to use this page and you will see that it is really funny.

A bad feature can be that the creators of this page mention that cleverbot learns from the answer of the people, so sometimes, some answers could be innapropiate.

Evaluating this blog

It is going to be one year already since I started this blog. At first, it was just a crazy idea about creating something different. I like writing and I thought in sharing my own thoughts about education and about my own experience as a teacher.

I never thought in becoming famous with lots of followers. Although it is not a bad dream, isn't it? But my intention was to create a way to contact other teachers and share information and ideas.

In some way, I think this blog didn't work as the way I wanted. But I understand that every project takes time to rise.

I must be positive, I have known more people from other parts of the world, I have interacted and talked with some great teachers, and I have received many opinions about my blog (although the opinions are not all appearing in the blog itself).

I know it takes a lot of time, and it is pointless to create something that no one will see, at least, to take something from it. And I have been thinking about this since long time already. If it is really necessary to continue writing a blog.

There are good and bad points, if there is even a little way to help someone else through this blog, then the blog must remain.