The Same Holds True

I started this blog in December of 2012 to reflect on my experiences as an English language instructor. At the time, I was teaching at the University of Oregon's American English Institute (UO AEI). My instructional duties were divided between teaching international students in the Intensive English Program (IEP) and training English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educators worldwide in the eLearning program.

Working at UO AEI was both challenging and rewarding, as most challenging things are. I was kept quite busy there. In addition to my instructional duties, I served on committees, developed curriculum, led a team of teachers, as well as presented at conferences regularly. During that time, my blog posts were not only reflective of my teaching experiences, but also of how I managed to maintain a balanced life in the midst of it all.

Balance for me is being able to stay as active as possible and adventure as frequently as possible, while I'm working hard to do my best in my job and career. Being active is in my nature, and I've grown to rely on physical activity and adventure to keep me happy, content, and balanced. While I might rely a little too heavily on these things, I figure there are worse things than physical activity and adventure to rely on for happiness.

Because I love activity and adventure, where I live is important. I need to be close to the things I love so I can access them conveniently. This discovery and ultimate desire led me to leave my job at the University of Oregon and move to a place that offered more of the recreation opportunities that I seek.

Three years ago I left my job at UO AEI and moved from Eugene, OR to live in the Hood River, OR area. I started an English language teaching/learning website and began teaching dance classes, as well as working in a local brewery. At that time, my plan was to make money with the website and to eventually work 100% online and continue teaching dance classes; I love to dance. Well, I never made any money off the website, which isn't to say I never will, but I believe that I created the website to serve a different purpose and not the purpose I originally intended. I believe it played a large role in my getting into the doctoral program in which I am currently studying.

In the three years that I've been living in the Hood River area , I've gone through periods where I don't think I could have possibly been happier. Times where I felt overwhelmed with gratitude for all the wonderful things in my life. One of which is an incredibly supportive husband.

I've also had periods of time where I questioned my decisions, where I felt incredibly challenged, scared, and uncertain about the future. This place, like most of its nature, is not an easy place to survive. Scare jobs in my field and high prices make it challenging.

Despite this, I was determined to make life work here, to find a rewarding job and incorporate as much activity and adventure into my life as possible.

Since moving here, I've had an abundance of activity and adventure.  I can fill my days with mountain biking, snowboarding, kiteboarding, kayaking, hiking, stand up paddle boarding, and taking pictures of my beautiful surroundings, all of which I love to do.

I also love to teach. I believe in the power of education to do good. As Nelson Mandela said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

The feelings of fear and uncertainty I had were regarding my future as an educator.  Did leaving my job and moving to my dream location mean giving up teaching altogether? Was I going to find a way to live the balanced life of my dreams? Would I ever teach again? Did I have to choose one over the other?

In the face of these feelings, I kept believing in my dreams. I kept believing that I could have it all. I could live in a place I love and do work I believe in and am passionate about. I still believe that, but I now know that chasing your dreams is not easy. It's hard work. Real hard work. In fact, during the chase you'll want to give up. You'll think you were crazy for ever setting out on such a quest in the first place. But to keep the dream alive, you have to believe. You have to never give up.

I'm now in a doctoral program through the University of South Carolina's online doctorate program. I'm working towards a Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an Educational Technology Concentration. I also started teaching at Columbia Gorge Community College, where I'm instructing in the English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program. I continue to teach dance and to do my activities and adventure as much as possible. My dream is alive and well.

This is it for now. This is where I am. I'm trying not to worry about what I will do after obtaining my doctorate. I'm trying not to feel overwhelmed with how busy my future will be. I'm trying to enjoy the here and now. Be content with what I'm doing. Be proud of myself for following my dreams. I'm trying to stay focused on the dream and trust the rest will fall into place. And remembering that life will continue to teach me lessons. I will continue to be challenged and to learn and grow from these challenges. This much will never change. The same holds true for then, for now, and for the future. We live. We learn. We grow.

Bright Futures

Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you.

Jim Rohn http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_future2.html#trUD6Y6AOMDC4GuU.99

Winter term has begun at University of Oregon's American English Institute. I'm teaching 100% online this term in our eLearning program, where I'll be teaching Building Teaching Skills through the Interactive Web (Webskills), as well as Practical Applications of Listening and Speaking Skills (PALSS). Both are incredibe courses that greatly benefit the participants who take them. Our eLearning program trains educators worldwide in different aspects of English language teaching. The high caliber courses in this program introduce participants to cutting edge research, resources, and tools that they can use to enhance their teaching practices. I always learn a great deal from facilitating these courses and am excited about the upcoming term. It is a great honor to interact and collaborate with teachers across the globe.

I've had numerous other honors recently. I've been contacted about publishing my thesis research, Interaction, Authenticity, and Spoken Corpora: Building Effective Teaching Materials for Adult ELLs. Though I wrote this years ago, it was located by someone from Lambert Academic Publishing. I've been working with my editor to accomplish publishing in the next few weeks. I'll be presenting virtually for the first time for a group of teachers from the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) in Slovenia later this month. I've been invited to present in Guadalajara, Mexico in May. In addition, someone read my tech tip that was published in the ORTESOL Fall 2014 Newsletter  and contacted me today for an interview. The short article focuses on using Blogger.com and Vocaroo in combination to facilitate interaction outside of the classroom. Check it out!

With all of this happening, I feel like I have a bright future ahead. It's a great feeling! I've been working hard and enjoying it every step of the way. It feels good to know, that even though I didn't realize it, I've been paving the way for my future. Sometimes, in the midst of our busy lives, we forget that all of our efforts will pay off, that a greater plan exists for us, that focusing on this and continuing to move forward with a positive attitude will be rewarded. We are responsible for our journey, but we must also trust that everything will work out. When life shows us this, it's a great moment. I'm in that moment, and l love it.

Here's to bright futures for all! May we work hard, play hard, smile often and know that life will put us exactly where we need to be. 

Back in the Saddle

There's a saying in English to describe doing something that you stopped doing for a period of time. That saying is, "back in the saddle". This is how I feel after taking three months off from teaching and returning to it again.

Last year, I was extremely busy with work and planning a wedding. I got married in June and went on a three month honeymoon adventure in the Dominican Republic. My husband and I spent endless days on the beach and in the water, where we were kiteboarding. Kiteboarding is a sport I picked up a few years ago and one that I have grown to love. Learning a new, extreme sport is challenging and this summer I was able to challenge my personal self in ways that I haven't been able to in quite some time. After this experience, I feel refreshed and rejuvenated. I'm ready to enter the classroom again in full force.

This term, I'll be teaching an upper intermediate oral communications course in the University of Oregon's American English Institute's (UO AEI) Intensive English Program. I taught this course a few years ago, but have been creating and teaching a course for lower level learners more recently. I welcome and am excited about this change. I'll also be conducting an online teacher training course, Webskills, offered through the UO AEI's eLearning program. This course is very near and dear to my heart, as I am an advocate for integrating technology into language learning. I get excited about sharing my knowledge on this topic and learning from others. I'll be doing a workshop in a few weeks at MEXTESOL, "ASSURE: successfully integrating technology in language teaching".

With starting a new term, teaching a new class, returning to an online course, and preparing for a conference workshop, I'll be getting back in that saddle and moving full force in no time. Sometimes when we get back in the saddle, we feel nervous, scared, doubtful, or anxious. However, I feel energized. Taking time off this summer and focusing on my personal self is going to make my professional self stronger, better. It's good to keep balance in our lives. Now, I just have to balance myself in that saddle. I know I can!

The Here and Now

“All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, and worth living. Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused.” 
― Martha Graham

I always strive to find a way to connect my personal life with my professional life in my blog posts. At this point, I feel like my professional life is taking over. I've been so busy with work that my personal life is being neglected. Does anyone else feel this way?

I feel frustrated in the midst of this. I want to be challenging my personal self as much as my professional self. I want to be in my kayak, paddling new rivers and pushing my skills. I want to be riding my mountain bike on technical, downhill trails. I want to be carving turns on my snowboard. I want to be gliding over the water on my kiteboard, giant kite overhead, sun shining down on me.

WOW! All of these things I'm focusing on aren't allowing me to focus on the here and now, ultimately preventing me from enjoying it as much as I should! I'm guilty.

My work is incredibly rewarding and very consuming. I'm developing a solid curriculum in Oral Communication Skills 2 and leading my team of teachers to success. Day in and day out, I'm creating engaging materials for us to use. Why do I find myself dreaming of outdoor adventures nonstop? I should be focusing on the present and enjoying it.

In Webskills, my participants from all over the world are excelling. They've created a productive online learning community. It's an honor and pleasure to interact with these talented educators from all over the world. Why do I find myself dreaming of traveling to the far off and distant places where they live? I should focus on the fact that I have the privilege of using the internet to connect globally with teachers from all over the world.

It's in times like these, when my thoughts are in the future and not the present, that I must remind myself of the importance of being here, NOW. I must enjoy these moments. Focus on them. Embrace them. One day soon, I'll be adventuring, and when that time comes, I must enjoy THAT moment.

My life is a blessing. Each and every aspect of it. From my work to my family, to all of the outdoor sports that I so treasure. I'm one lucky gal. I must remember that and enjoy each moment for what IT is.

Isn't this one of life's biggest challenges? Being in the here and now.

We mustn't forget that we are exactly where we should be each and every moment. I pledge to start focusing on the here. Now. Won't you join me?

In Full Swing

“I move like the wind. Don’t hold your breath, because you’ll only slow me down.
”

― Jarod Kintz

In full swing, moving forward in full force, accomplishing many things. This is me. This is my students. This is life right now.

It's amazing how much we can accomplish in such a short time. The term has been in full swing for almost five weeks. The pace at which we've been moving is amazing. Amazingly fast. So fast that when we think back for a moment, it's a wonder how we've achieved so much, but we have.

I think about the students in my Oral Communication Skills class, and how just five short weeks ago, they were hesitant speakers of English. Last Friday, they were having conversations about complex topics, using new vocabulary, supporting each other, and speaking with increased confidence. I've been working hard to make this a reality. One of the biggest contributors to this was the work they did on their recent projects and presentations. I had them plan an adventure trip and present the trip to the class. More details about this project can be found on the Webquest that I created. Check it out and enjoy!

Speaking of projects and language learning, I recently conducted a two hour workshop with teachers on Project Based Learning (PBL), which is a communicative approach to language teaching and learning. I'm an advocate for PBL. It's an approach to teaching that promotes interaction, increases student motivation and learner autonomy, and allows learners to highlight their strengths. To learn more about PBL and the workshop I conducted visit my PPT Presentation.

Participants in my online Webskills course will be learning more about PBL in this upcoming week. I know they were very busy last week, as they've been during all weeks of the course. They've learned about online tools for both speaking/listening and reading/writing skills, written a technology enhanced lesson plan, learned how to write objectives in the ABCD format, created blogs and Delicious pages of their own, all the while working on their action research plan for the final project. I know how accomplished they feel because I get to read about it in their weekly blog updates, where they reflect about all they've been learning in my course and how it applies to their teaching context. How lucky am I that I get to share in all of their achievements?!?!

To say that I've been in full swing, moving in full force, accomplishing many things, feels like an understatement. The last five weeks have been incredible for both myself and my students. Together, we continue to learn. We are in motion, moving forward, and growing with every step along the way.

Change is in the Air

Many new experiences await us as we begin a new term at the American English Institute. With this new term, many changes will take place in our work and our lives. We'll have different schedules and obligations. We'll be meeting new people, who will ultimately impact our lives. We'll face challenges. We'll face moments of glory. We'll get busy, frustrated, tired. More than anything, we'll evolve from the experiences we're about to have. We'll be changed. For the better.

Approaching a new term is always exciting. This term, I'm teaching on online teacher training course through our eLearning program, as well as Oral Communication Skills 2 for our Intensive English Program. These are two courses that I have taught before, and am comfortable teaching and passionate about.

Webskills is a course focused on integrating technology into language teaching. Each time I teach this course, I'm amazed by how much I learn from the participants, who are all educators from all over the world. In ten short weeks of online work together, we will build a collaborative and productive learning community through the use of online tools. Participants will be learning about online tools and using them to enhance their own teaching practices. They will take these tools into their classes using dynamic, interactive activities. Their teaching will change and their learners will to. I'm fortunate enough to be able to share in this experience. I'll get to hear about all the changes that are taking place in classrooms worldwide. It's exhilarating!

Oral Communications Skills 2 (OCS 2) is a high-beginner listening and speaking course for international students striving to enter an American University. Most would like to enter the University of Oregon. This course is near and dear to me because I designed the curriculum. I lead six other teachers, who also teach this level. A couple of major changes are taking places in OCS 2 this term. We are adopting a new textbook, Pathways: Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking, which is a series created by National Geographic and Cengage Learning. I'm very excited to see where this series takes us! Also, I've implemented an extensive listening program into the course. Students are required to listen to a resource of their choice for at least an hour outside of class each week and report about it in a listening log. I'm hoping that this program will help increase students' learner autonomy and contribute to their motivation for listening to English. A lot of the students in OCS 2 just arrived to the United States. They will arrive scared, tired, and unsure of themselves. By the end of the term, they will transform into confident speakers and listeners of English, ready to continue on to the next level and eventually the university.

All of these changes are taking place as the seasons make a change. Summer is rapidly fading and fall is making a grand entrance with cool air and vibrant colors. I feel motivated. I feel ready for these changes and am excited to see where all the new experiences and new people take me!

What's changing for you?

How will these changes impact your life?

New Adventures

It's the start of a new term, and with that comes new students and new adventures. What's particularly new for me this term, is that I am teaching solely online. While I generally have a balance of face-to-face and online instruction, this term I will be connecting with my students only in the virtual world.

The students that I have this term are in the online teacher training courses offered through the University of Oregon's eLearning Program, which I feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of. This program is housed in the Department of Linguistics' American English Institute. I'm instructing "Building Teaching Skills through the Interactive Web" (Webskills), as well as "Practical Applications of Listening and Speaking Skills" (PALSS). Both courses are  top-notch and the participants are enthusiastic about the opportunity to participate in them.

The participants are embarking on a new adventure, being in an online course with other English language teachers from all over the world. Their excitement and dedication to these courses makes my job as facilitator a true pleasure. Being able to connect with educators worldwide is always an opportunity I am ready and willing to sieze.

I'm a passionate learner and learning from and with teachers from around the globe is one of my favorite adventures!

Grateful

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

As I sit here preparing for the presentations that I will be giving next week in Ukraine, having just returned from a week long mountain biking trip to Moab, and upon receiving an invitation to conduct two workshops and a plenary talk in Costa Rica in August, how can I not feel grateful.

This life is filled with opportunity and beauty. When we recognize that, the more that both will come into our lives. Grace us with their presence.

It's the beginning of a new term. Again this term, I will have a balance of face to face and online instruction. I will be leading and teaching Oral Skills 2 again in the Intensive English Program at the American English Institute, University of Oregon. I will also be teaching Practical Applications of Listening and Speaking Skills (PALSS), which is an online course that focuses on simultaneously building participants' speaking and listening skills and also their pedagogical knowledge of teaching these skills. In addition, I am mentoring a colleague in teaching a Project Based Learning (PBL) elective. I take on each of these duties with great pleasure.

The PALSS course has already begun, and I am fortunate to have a diverse group of participants from countries including Brazil, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Latvia, Mexico, Colombia, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Spain, Ecuador, Bahrain, Bolivia, Argentina, Croatia, and Uruguay. I've already begun building our online learning community and have high hopes for a productive term.

My face to face classes begin on Monday, but I will not be there because I will be in Sevastopol presenting at the Ukraine National TESOL conference. This is an opportunity that came to me through one of my online participants in the Webskills course last term. I am fortunate to have two wonderful substitutes filling in for me while I am overseas.

I met with my colleague yesterday regarding the PBL elective, and we had a positive and fruitful meeting. Through my guidance and our collaboration, I feel confident that we will build a strong course.

I work hard and reward myself by playing hard. I recently returned from a mountain biking trip in Moab where I challenged and pushed my physical limits on my bike. It felt so good.

 

Grateful is not strong enough a word to describe how I feel. Fortunate, lucky, blessed. Grateful. I am grateful. This world is good to me.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

“Believe that there's light at the end of the tunnel. Believe that you might be that light for someone else.”~Kobi Yamada

Often times, when we have been through a busy period and are making our way to the end, we will say that we see the light at the end of the tunnel. That time has come. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and so can all of my learners. From my Oral Skills 2 students to the participants in my online courses, it has been a busy 8-9 weeks, and now things are winding down. The light at the end of the tunnel is now within reach.

As I'm nearing the light, I'm feeling great success and happiness, but also a feeling of sadness to be leaving behind such inspiring people. It's truly bittersweet. I have had the immense pleasure to interact with motivated and talented individuals throughout this term. I have learned so much from them and hope that the feeling is mutual. I hope that in some way I have enlightened them, so that they may be the light at the end of someone else's tunnel one day.

My Oral Skills 2 students have accomplished so much. They began the term with little confidence in their speaking abilities and now are able to carry on full length conversations among themselves, and with their native speaking tutors. Working with this level of proficiency is incredibly rewarding. I'm actually able to see progress happen on a day to day basis.

The participants from the PALSS course, who I have weekly Skype conversations with, have also progressed a great deal. These participants are English language teachers from all over the world. They are used to teaching in English, but rarely get the opportunity to express their inner thoughts and feelings in English. I feel so fortunate to share in this experience with them. To hear them freely discuss their personal opinions on real world topics is a pleasure that not many English language professionals get to experience. I am grateful to Skype for making these global connections a reality.

Webskills participants are working on their final projects, which are a culmination of all they have been learning throughout the last 8-9 weeks. They have been busy implementing new technological tools into their teaching practices. I'm sure they are feeling great satisfaction in seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. They sure do deserve it!

In some ways, it feels like our journeys together have lasted a long time and in other ways it seems as if we have only just begun. No matter what, the light is near and we will part ways soon. I hope that when each of them reach that light, they feel proud. They feel accomplished. They are ready to take on new challenges. They are all shining lights in my eyes. Shining lights who are ready to take flight into their next journey.

"For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return." ~ Leonardo da Vinci

Success

To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived—this is to have succeeded.” 
― Bessie Anderson Stanley, 

In this life, we strive to be successful. Being successful means different things for different people. For me, being successful means feeling proud of my accomplishments, learning from my mistakes, and walking away feeling happy. In many ways, happiness equals success for me.

The past couple of weeks were incredibly busy for me. Throughout my life, I've learned how I handle feelings of being busy, feeling like I'm barely holding on. In the past, I've let those feelings take over. I've let them get the best of me. This time, however, I stood strong in the face of those feelings. I focused on the positive, remembered to breathe, and told myself how good it was going to feel when I accomplished all that I was striving for. My affirmations paid off.


My dear colleague and friend, Cevia, and I just returned from our travels to Mexico City. As a reward for our hard work over the past couple of weeks, and to ensure that we immersed ourselves in local history and culture, one of the first things that we did was visit the Teotihuacan pyramids. We arrived in Mexico City at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday morning and by 1:00 p.m. we were standing on top of an ancient pyramid. Though we were tired and the altitude challenged us, we made it to the top of both pyramids, providing a sense of success; our first feeling of accomplishment in our travels to Mexico City. Although, it's safe to say that boarding our plane and arriving in Mexico was a sense of accomplishment in and of itself.

We traveled to Mexico to present at the ANGLO Forum Conference. One of our presentations was a workshop on Project Based Learning (PBL), a method of teaching that engages students in communicative tasks that they work on in small groups in order to complete a final product. Our other presentation was a demonstration of online tools that can be used to increase English language learners' speaking and listening skills. Preparing for these presentations added extra work to our already hectic schedules. However, the extra work and preparation that we put into these presentations paid off. They were a huge success.

In the PBL workshop, we witnessed a room full of engaged participants working together to complete the tasks we had designed. We received positive feedback and gratitude for the experiences we provided.

The "wow" factor that we received for our demonstration of online speaking and listening tools was thrilling. After the presentation was over, we felt like we were walking on clouds. Feeling the admiration and appreciation from experienced professionals in our field was a true honor.

Persevering throughout the last couple of weeks, reminding myself to stay positive and breathe, not letting the feeling of being too busy overwhelm me, all contributed to the success I felt upon finishing both the presentations, networking with professionals in the English language teaching field, and being able to truly enjoy the experience of another culture. Upon returning, I feel happy. I feel successful. And it feels good.

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure ~Oprah Winfrey

With an incredibly busy life, sometimes we need to be reminded to breathe. In preparation for my trip to Mexico City to present at the ANGLO Forum Conference, and attending to the extra work it has added to my already busy schedule, I had to stop myself this morning and remember, just breathe.

I'll leave Wednesday night, and be in Mexico City from Thursday morning to Sunday afternoon. While I am there, presenting, sightseeing, networking, and enjoying my time, I will not forget to breathe.

I will breathe in preparation for safe travels. I will breathe before I present to calm my nerves. I will breathe while I present to relax myself. I will breathe after its all over in celebration of my accomplishments.

Staying Focused and Focusing on the Positive

Staying positive in the midst of an extremely busy schedule, can be challenging. The list of things to do never seems to end. Balancing the work load with things that bring great joy outside of work becomes difficult. Learning to stay focused, and focusing on the positive is what gets us through.

During the past week, my schedule became overwhelming. In addition to everything I have going on, I was observed by one of the senior instructors at the AEI. The process of being observed always effects me. I have confidence in my teaching, but when someone is there to judge me, it is difficult not to place stress on myself, not to expect perfection.

The lesson that I planned for the day I got observed was a bit ambitious, and I knew this going into it. I also knew that the vocabulary activity that I had my students doing was potentially going to be too difficult for them. I went in knowing all of this, but still feeling positive about the lesson.

My predictions were right. The lesson was going beautifully for the first 20 minutes; we first reviewed the topic as a class then my students worked in groups of three discussing questions related to the topic in preparation for a mini-lecture that they were going to listen to. I decided to have the students listen before I went over the vocabulary; after they listened one time, they would work in their small groups to try to discover the meanings of the words together.

Well, the listening was challenging, as was the vocabulary, so my confident students, who had been so engaged during their discussions, quickly became overtaken with looks of anxiety. As oppose to modifying the lesson at that point, I felt like I had to stick to the lesson plan that I had given my observer. My students and I worked through the vocabulary activity together and they listened to the mini-lecture two more times, taking notes on specific information. The lesson wasn't a disaster, but I also didn't conduct it as I would have, if there hadn't been an observer in the room.

After the lesson, I reanalyzed everything that I had done in the lesson a million times, obsessing over it. The following morning I filled out my post observation form and was as candid as possible. I knew that was my opportunity to shed light on the lesson from my perspective and from my perspective it was a positive lesson. Even though there were things that I could have done differently, it was also very obvious the positive rapport that I have with my students and their trust in me as a teacher.

During the follow-up meeting with the observer, I was praised for my insightful and honest post observation write up. The observer and I had a productive meeting, where we discussed the aspects of the lesson that I would have done differently, as well as factors in the lesson that may not have been apparent to an outsider. It was an extremely positive meeting and reminded me of the importance of staying positive. Even when it feels like there isn't anything positive to focus on, if we are patient, the positive aspect of most any situation will become apparent.

Outside of the observation, many other things were happening. There were technology enhanced lesson plans, blogs, discussions, and project steps to grade, Skype calls to make, lessons to plan, lessons to teach, an online discussion to moderate, and meetings to attend and conduct. In the midst of it all, I stayed focused, but more importantly I stayed positive. I knew that if I let my attitude become negative, all the things that I had to do were going to become even more challenging. I pushed through all my tasks and duties knowing that I would complete them, knowing that I would succeed in them, knowing that if I stayed positive, it would make it all a whole lot easier.

I think my positive attitude has paid off. This week I was invited to be the key speaker at the national TESOL conference in Ukraine in April. I am incredibly honored to have this invitation extended to me. The likelihood that I will get funded for the conference is strong. I will stay positive that funding will come through and that I will be flying across the globe in a few short months. I will believe that no matter what the outcome, it will be for the best and lead me to exactly where I need to be.

We are in control of our attitudes. It is our choice to be positive or negative, to have a good day or a bad day, to be happy or sad. I choose happy. I choose positive. They seem like the best choices to me!

Turn your face to the sun, and the shadows will fall behind you ~ Maori Proverb

Flowing

There is no rushing a river. When you go there, you go at the pace of the water and that pace ties you into a flow that is older than life on this planet. Acceptance of that pace, even for a day, changes us, reminds us of other rhythms beyond the sound of our own heartbeats. 
- Jeff Rennicke, River Days: Travels on Western Rivers

We really have no choice but to flow through life, just as a river. Rivers flow gently at times, meandering smoothly downstream. Other times, the river is rough; it flows over rocks, under trees, pounds against the banks. Though the water is rough, it's still flowing downstream. It never stops moving.

Our lives are continually moving forward, just as the river. We have to flow with it. When it flows gently, we have to embrace the tranquility. When it gets rough, we have to pay close attention. Be aware of our surroundings, still flowing, but with caution. It's during these times that we will learn the most.

I went kayaking this weekend. I was once again reminded of the beauty and power of the river. I hadn't been kayaking in over two months. The river I went to is one that I have paddled many times before. Thinking that I knew the run and was fully capable of handling anything that came my way, I paddled with complacency. Though the river gets rough, it's a roughness I know, so I didn't stay as aware as I should have. As a result, I made a mistake. The water challenged me, and it won. I don't like losing, but it makes me reflect. What could I have done differently? Why did I get myself in that position? How can I better handle the situation the next time I'm confronted with it?

It is in these moments, the moments that I am challenged the most, that I find the greatest growth. It is within these moments that I am inspired to do better, to be better.

As we flow through life, there will be times when everything is running smoothly. We mustn't be complacent in these times. The water will get rough, and we must be prepared. We must stay aware, keep our eyes open, pay attention. When times get rough, we have to hold on, keep moving forward, and always remember that we're going to come out stronger, smarter, better. Embrace the challenging times just as much as the tranquil times.

As I move through this term, faced with new challenges, I find comfort in knowing how much stronger I will be for it. In this time of challenge, I am aware. I'm aware that I make mistakes and these mistakes make me better. I won't try to rush this time, but embrace it for what it is. Be in the moment of it, accepting the pace of it, and learning from it everyday.

Balance

“The major work of the world is not done by geniuses. It is done by ordinary people, with balance in their lives, who have learned to work in an extraordinary manner.” 
― Gordon B. Hinckley

The term is now in full swing and I am feeling the effects of it. I've got a heavy load and balancing everything is going to be challenging. I felt challenged all last week. Teaching online, conducting six Skype calls with participants from rural areas of the world, and being responsible for developing curriculum, while leading a team through the process and teaching face to face, keeps me quite busy. I've realized that balance will be key in me surviving this term. In fact, I believe that balance is a key ingredient to surviving life.

Last week in Webskills, participants created objectives according to the ABCD objective model. Writing objectives according to this model can be tedious, and providing feedback can be as well. I always learn so much when providing feedback to my online participants, and a lot of being a facilitator of learning in this capacity is feedback. When I find myself giving feedback to highly qualified teachers, it is a great reminder that teaching is learning; it never ends.

Skype was not cooperating last week. Three out of six calls had good connectivity, which was a shame because the topic was sharing travel adventures, specifically circumstances where we had found ourselves hindered by language or cultural barriers. Moreover, travel adventures where we may have found ourselves in an undesirable situation and mankind had prevailed, leading us to safety and helping resolve the problem.

I told the story of how I ended up having lunch in an old German couple's bedroom.

In short, after a solo adventure to Austria to go kayaking, during the summer that I was in Germany teaching English, I found myself stranded in Innsbruck. My ride had left me, and I had no money. I needed to be back in Germany the following morning to teach. As the reality of my situation became more evident, I began to panic; tears in my eyes, head in my hands, I looked up to see a tall, thin man standing before me. He asked if I was alright. Thrilled to hear the sweet sound of English, I explained my situation to him. Manfred, the gentleman's name, listened intently, and then offered to buy me a train ticket back to Germany under one circumstance. He wanted me to agree to have lunch with his parents, who used to spend every summer in Florida. He wanted to give them the opportunity to reminisce about pastimes and travels with a person who would know of the places they had been. Of course, I agreed to this. When I asked where his parents lived, he explained that the crazy thing was that they lived in the next town over from me in Germany. Two weeks later, I found myself at Manfred's parents house, along with Manfred, for a traditional German lunch. The afternoon began in the living room, where we visited for awhile before lunch was ready. When Manfred's mom announced that it was time for lunch, I thought we would relocate to the dining room. However, we walked down the hallway to the back bedroom, where a table and chairs were set up. There in the bedroom of an old German couple's home, I ate lunch and listened while they shared memories about their time in the U.S.  Their eyes sparkled as they spoke of places and events that they hadn't thought about for many years. It was lovely.

That story is one that I will never forget. Manfred helped me, so I helped his parents by igniting memories that they hadn't thought about in years. What a small world, and a world where good still exists. A world where people are still willing to lend a helping hand.

I wish the Skype calls could have been better, so that all my participants could hear my story and I theirs.

Skpye may not have wanted to perform at a high quality last week, but I experienced a high quality of learning among my oral skills students. They did their first presentations. The topic they presented on was their favorite vacation. Presenting was challenging for them, as I pushed them to speak for 2 minutes, which is a long time for learners of their proficiency. When I gave them the assignment, they were sure that they couldn't do it. After preparation throughout the week, each of them did an excellent job. They made me proud, but more importantly, they made themselves proud. It was a joy to witness.

After a somewhat stressful week, and teaching for two hours on Friday, I had a couple of meetings to attend before finishing work for the week; one I was leading, one I was attending. The meetings were rejuvenating after a long challenging week. My oral skills 2 team were all excited about the presentations their students had done as well, and everyone came to the meeting ready to share ideas and collaborate. They truly are helping me build a stronger curriculum. It is amazing how much effective productivity happens with the right group dynamic. I felt exhilarated leaving that meeting as I headed to a meeting with the Webskills team, where I am fortunate to work with some extremely talented individuals. I found myself learning things I had no idea I was about to learn. By the end of the day on Friday, I didn't feel stressed by all the challenges I had faced, I felt lucky. Lucky to be working with individuals who inspire me; from my students in oral skills, Webskills, and PALSS courses, to the colleagues I collaborate with, I couldn't stay balanced, if it weren't for these individuals.

I also couldn't stay balanced if it weren't for my active lifestyle. I managed to take a couple of nice hikes last week, as well as joining my first Zumba class. I love Zumba. Dancing an hour away with a group of ladies, SO fun!

Walking out of last week and into a new week, I am reminded of how important it is to balance everything. I have to manage my time, ask for help when I need it, and take care of myself both physically and mentally. As long as I stay balanced, I can handle all the challenges that come my way.

Celebrate Diversity

“I know there is strength in the differences between us. I know there is comfort, where we overlap.” 
― Ani DiFranco

After the first week of face to face classes and the second week of online classes, it is ever apparent the benefits that diversity in your learners and the people you work with brings. 

The Webskills participants are quickly forming a productive virtual learning community. This week they've been exploring Noodle Tools, which is a portal of search engines. As we all tend to lean on our good friend, Google, the goal of the week is to find search engines that cater to more specific searches.

Participants have been sharing their experiences and guiding each other through the course material in their online discussion board. The discussion is rich with unique experiences both in the quest for effective search engines and the different kinds of searches that each person is conducting and sharing based on their needs and interests. A great deal has been learned in the search process through sharing and collaborating. It is always amazing to witness the productive communication that occurs in this online platform. In addition to my Webskills participants, I continued my weekly Skpye calls with the PALSS participants. This week we shared information about our childhood, comparing and contrasting how different our lives have been. It is a joy to be able to connect on a world wide scale!

Diversity in my face to face class is going to offer itself to yet another productive learning community. My learners come from a variety of different backgrounds, yet they all share the experience of adjusting to a new culture, living in the United States. They are eager to learn all that they can about the language and the world around them. Last week, we developed a comfortable classroom environment by learning about one another through introductions, interviews, as well as pair and group work. I'm looking forward to watching them learn and grow throughout the next eight weeks.

I realized how valuable it is to have diverse perspectives from the colleagues you work with. I'm leading the Oral Skills 2 team this term, and there needs to be a great deal of work done to the curriculum. I know that it will be a work in progress for many terms to come and that it will need continual revamping in order to stay current with student interests and needs. I feel fortunate to have a talented group of individuals working on my team this term. Through our collaboration, the curriculum will be stronger, in turn, enhancing the education that our students receive. 

There is no doubt that it will be a busy term, but I know that growth is on the horizon. With all of the new students and perspectives, comes an opportunity for me to broaden, to expand my breadth of knowledge and learn from the diversity that surrounds me.

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!

About this Blog

We Live, We Learn is dedicated to reflecting on life as a teacher of English to speakers of other languages. As a teacher in this realm, I have the pleasure of working with students from all over the world. I teach adults in an Intensive English Program (IEP) and train teachers online in a Distance Education (DE) program through the American English Institute, University of Oregon. Balancing face to face and online instruction is both rewarding and challenging.

The students that I teach face to face have moved to the United States and are aspiring to enter an American University. They are living far away from their homes, immersed in a culture that is foreign to them, but is my own. My online students are established teachers in countries all over the world. Technology allows us to connect and learn from one another; we build a virtual learning community together.

In this blog, I reflect on my life as a teacher providing the most up to date information about who my learners are, the kinds of activities we are doing, and what we are collectively learning. I have titled this blog, "We Live, We Learn" because very simply put, that is what we continually do. Happy reading!