I have a class of adult learners of 17. They come from different parts of Asia: Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Korea and Vietnam. They’re mostly intermediate level in their English, both written and oral. The course I teach is called Independent Reading.
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Why Build Character? (and who’s to blame for today’s kids’ behavior?)
“A child’s life is like a piece of paper on which each passerby leaves a mark” (a Chinese proverb). In my years as a teacher, this is one tidbit of wisdom I always keep with me, to guide me on my daily choices, on what to teach, how to teach, and why I should teach [...]
I’ve struggled with this question the past few years that I have been teaching Values to High School kids in an international school in Bangkok. I’ve pored over many books on character education, searched and attended as many professional development events I could find in this part of the world – all in the hopes [...]
How Do I Improve My Character?
As a teacher for many years now, I am no longer focused on questions regarding what topics would I need to teach under the curriculum I have been assigned, or what tools should I be using to deliver the best approach so I can ensure effective teaching strategies. I am not even concerned anymore about [...]
Some useful tips on your first week of school
I look at the first week of school from a ‘make-or-break’ perspective. In a seminar by Hal Urban (author of the best-selling book, “20 Great Lessons in Life”) in Singapore in February this year, I was reminded of how important it is to start the year right the first week of school. What a teacher [...]
Why Use YouTube in the Classroom?
These are but a couple of the hundreds upon hundreds of videos available out there, which teachers could make good use of. What I find about these clips is that they never fail to catch students’ attention. In the beginning of class, when students are dragging their feet into your classroom, looking like they would rather be somewhere else other than in the school, learning, turn to these clips for some inspiration. After a few minutes of being transported into the world youtube, most of the time, they will be ready to listen. By then, you would have gotten their full attention.
