New Beginnings

Whatever you do or dream you can do – begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it. -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Last week began the first week of the Winter 2013 term. With this new term comes new students, new perspectives, a new beginning.

This term I'm teaching Webskills, and last week was the beginning of that course. We have participants from all over the world including Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Lithuania, Maldives, Nepal, Paraguay, Romania, Senegal, Slovakia, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yemen. Having a diverse group to share experiences, collaborate with and learn from is a wonderful opportunity to broaden our perspectives and open our minds. I'm looking forward to building a productive learning community with these participants in the coming weeks.

In addition to beginning the Webskills course last week, I also had the pleasure of beginning the Skype calls with the PALSS (Practical Applications of Listening and Speaking Skills) participants. I have six groups that I conduct calls with each week. The calls are focused on a variety of different weekly topics. It is truly fascinating to be able to connect with people from all over the world, to hear each other's voices, and listen to the diverse experiences and points of view we all have.

My face to face classes begin tomorrow, so I have been busy planning for the first week. I'm leading a team of five instructors, including myself, in teaching Oral Skills 2 in the Intensive English Program (IEP) this term. Our students will be high beginner to low intermediate in proficiency and our goal during the first week will be to build a strong classroom community, so that our students feel comfortable and confident using English. I'm excited to be leading this level and have the opportunity to develop curriculum and guide some newer teachers in sound pedagogical practices, so that our students grow and learn to the best of their abilities.

The new students that will be in the IEP arrived last week. These students have entered a whole new world. They have left their countries, their homes, and families and traveled to the United States to learn English with the hopes of entering an American University. Everything is new for them. They have begun a new chapter in their lives.

I assisted with the Academic Orientation that these students are required to attend. I sat with a group of five new students; two from China, one from Saudi Arabia, one from Japan, and one from Korea. I was there to inform them about education in the United States, tell them what to expect from university life, and more than anything to warmly welcome them.

I love being a part of their new beginning. Making them feel comfortable and answering their questions, witnessing their fear and excitement, it is a real pleasure. I think they are an inspiration and am lucky that I will be teaching these students; these people who are so willing to enter such a huge challenge.

In the midst of a busy week, I managed to get out and enjoy some winter sports. I snowboarded and cross country skied. I feel so fortunate to live in a place that offers me rewarding and challenging work, as well as outdoor activities. Being able to incorporate these activities into my weekly routine keeps me happy and balanced, which are key to success in all aspects of my life.

It is a new year filled with new beginnings. When we are faced with new beginnings, it gives us an opportunity to reflect on how we may have approached similar beginnings in the past and determine how we may do things differently, hopefully, better. There is always excitement and enthusiasm associated with new beginnings for me. There is also a sense of anticipation about the unexpected. I enjoy all the feelings surrounding new beginnings. They are challenging and challenge is a great starting point for growth. I feel positive about all that is happening and all that is in store for the future!