Welcome! 歡迎!

Reflections from teaching and traveling . . .

Picture of the Week

Picture
Snapshot of my iPad for education--check out the new links for iPad Apps under "For the Teacher" tab

~Announcements~

* Apply for Grants Link Updated

More grants added that teachers can apply for (May 2012)

* Teaching Technology Link Updated

Updated with SCRATCH programming information and iPad Apps (April 2012)

* Teacher Humor Updated

February 2012

* Financial FAQ For Teachers Updated

December 2011

* Teaching Students with Special Needs Link Updated

Please find helpful resources for the educator here

Articles of the Week to Mull Over & Ponder

The Atlantic: What Americans Keep Ignoring About Finland's School Success (Dec. 2011)

Quote from article: "Since the 1980s, the main driver of Finnish education policy has been the idea that every child should have exactly the same opportunity to learn, regardless of family background, income, or geographic location. Education has been seen first and foremost not as a way to produce star performers, but as an instrument to even out social inequality."

Past Articles

Together for Jackson County Kids Blog: Gender Bullying (Dec. 2011)
One teacher's approach to preventing gender bullying...

Quote from article: "My job is not to judge, but to teach, and I can’t teach if the students in my class are distracted or uncomfortable. My job is also about preparing students to be a part of our society, ready to work and play with all kinds of people. I found that teaching about gender stereotypes is another social justice issue that needs to be addressed, like racism or immigrant rights, or protecting the environment."

NYTimes: Programming for children, minus cryptic syntax (Nov. 2011)

NYTimes: Maybe teach them math, science, and chess (Oct. 2011)

NYTimes: The high cost of low teacher salaries (April 2011)

My Teaching Philosophy
(我的教學理念)

A few points:
1) Teaching involves the emotional, social, and intellectual development of the student. Students do not just learn content; they learn how to grow as persons.
2) To me, good teaching is student-centered, permitting the student to work through his or her creative thinking process.
3) The good teacher is always patient and persistent, never giving up on the student. Each student is unique and can succeed step by step, little by little, with the right encouragement and support.
4) Learning happens inside and outside the classroom. Within a structured classroom setting, students learn how to be socially conscious members of society and informed, critical thinkers.
5) The classroom experience ought to be safe, fun, and inspiring.
6) Learning requires making mistakes. Do not be afraid to make mistakes.