Wednesday, 28 September 2011

Where are your students from?


Vancouver is an amazing city with a mosaic of cultures.

The majority of students entering schools today are from all over the world. It's important to know where our students are coming from to gain a better understanding of their background and traditions in order to help them cope in a new learning environment.
To find out more about their culture, the cohort I am in at UBC has put together presentations of some of the countries our students come from.  Thank you TELL (Teaching English Language Learners) cohort for putting these together.

Cultural Profiles

China

Hong Kong
India
Iran
Pakistan
Philippines
Punjab
Sri Lanka
Vietnam
Columbia - a Prezi presentation
Serbia

Hong Kong

Monday, 26 September 2011

RESP - Registered Education Savings Plan


Today on my Monday morning commute to UBC, I grabbed a copy of the Metronews that's usually being handed out at the train station.  It's always good to know what's going on in the city.  In the metrowork & education section, one article caught my attention and hit close to home.  It was titled, "Tuition keeping students stressed: Poll"   I, as well as many other students can probably empathize with the subject matter.  My tuition for the one year teaching program at UBC is over $13,000.00 and that's not including living expenses.  Vancouver's high cost of living and BC's low wages don't help much either.  Working part- time is difficult and limited to only evening and weekend shifts.  For students who are able to juggle work, school, and still have a personal life, Kudos to you!

http://reader.metronews.ca/digital_launch.aspx?id=b4d5ffbf-55e8-4207-9a22-f645bdd87f06&pnum=20

The article states that according to a 2010 Statistics Canada report, average student debt on graduation is $18,800.  And the total cost of school for students living away from home at a hefty $80,000.  It also says "that more than half - 58 percent - of post secondary students feel anxious or stressed when they think about how they're going to pay their way through school."

Most parents aren't able to cover tuition costs and some students don't qualify for loans.  The article suggests some tips for saving.  A Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) is suggested.  Parents, grandparents, family members can start putting money into childrens' RESP at a young age.  I recommend even starting before your child's born.  Put a set amount aside every month, deposit gifts (monetary) from friends, grandparents into this account so that your child has access to the money to use for his/her post- secondary education.  This would definitely ease students stress levels and allow them to shift their focus onto their schoolwork.

Sunday, 25 September 2011

My Personal Philosophy




I believe…

P- Patience, don’t give up.  Be supportive.  Help students to comprehend and promote understanding by making meaningful connections and providing clear examples.  Try not to take things personally if you receive a negative reaction.  Overcome barriers by setting goals and by having a positive attitude.

A - Appreciate each individual’s uniqueness and differences.  Respect and embrace the different levels of abilities within the class.  Present students with opportunities that allow them to express their creativity.  

S- Social experiences.  Work together with your students to build a classroom community based on trust and respect.  Make sure each student feels included and involved.  Learning is everywhere.  You can learn through social experiences and individually.  Be approachable and in constant communication with your students. 

S- Solutions.  If students have problems whether it’s behavioural or motivational, a teacher should consider various solutions to help students by combining several techniques.  Teachers should also be aware that there may not be a ready solution and ask colleagues and administrators for support.  Experiment, further inquire and utilize strategies.  Teachers are problem solvers, academically and personally.  Make adjustments, accept errors and welcome suggestions.  Develop specific solutions to help students achieve their goals.
I - Inner drive.  Invite students to think critically.  Motivate students to want to learn and you as the teacher should want to learn with your students.  Incite curiousity.  Be enthusiastic when teaching lessons and show students that you want to be there and work with them.  Be prepared and plan lessons accordingly.
O- Open- minded.  Be open to learn.  Allow students to have an opinion and care what they say and contribute to the class.  Broaden their thinking and be flexible, non-biased, and non- judgmental.  Learning outcomes are not always the same.  Recognize that there are different learning styles and adapt you’re your teaching method to fit the constantly changing learning environment of the classroom. 
N- New ways of learning.  Invite exploration, discovery, reflection, and engage students in the classroom.   Foster an inquiring attitude.   Make the effort in educating yourself.  Attend workshops and collaborate with other teachers on what works and what doesn’t.  Modify lessons.  Learning is a life- long process and it is always changing.  Welcome new techniques and strive to always improve your teaching practices and acquired skills.



My personal philosophy is a work in progress.  I believe it will continue to change as I evolve as a teacher and continue to learn and develop new skills, and take on new values and beliefs.

Tuesday, 20 September 2011

Digital Tattoo

Today, I attended a presentation conducted at the auditorium in Scarfe building at UBC.  The presenters discussed our roles as teacher candidates.  We are just a small step away from being teachers, therefore we need to "Think Like a Teacher!"

Several years ago, a student teacher in the United States was denied her teaching certificate for having posted a public image of her on a social networking website.  Here is a link of the story:
http://www.barbarafeldman.com/student-denied-teaching-degree-over-myspace-photo/

Social networking sites are popular amongst friends, acquaintances, co-workers, and family members,  however we do need to take into account that being a teacher places us in the public eye.  Whether you're in a grocery store, on the bus, you need to watch what you say and if you are ranting about your school life, it's better not to do it in public.  We all like gossip, but there is a time and a place for it.  Most importantly, we also need to watch and monitor what we and others post online. Because like a tattoo, once it's posted, it's permanent and is out there and your information could be seen by potential employers looking to hire you!

More information on digital tattoo:
http://www.barbarafeldman.com/student-denied-teaching-degree-over-myspace-photo/
http://collegechoicesforadults.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/have-you-checked-out-your-digital-tattoo/


Here are some sites how anyone is able to search you.
http://www.pipl.com
http://www.spezify.com
http://personas.media.mit.edu/personasWeb.html

Friday, 16 September 2011

the beginning...

Hello!

I'm quite new at this! This is my first blog I've ever made! How exciting!

This blog is dedicated to the world of teaching.  I am a teacher candidate at UBC.  I hope to share my experiences with everyone and hopefully be able to provide some useful tips and resources throughout my journey during my one year program.



Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.
~Roger Miller