Hello! Is there anybody out there?

No, I am not going to write anything about Pink Floyd music (although many of their lyrics might be used in class), but I hope there is someone out there who might be interested in cooperating with me and my students. The thing is, I started up with a new group of students today, and one of the first tasks I gave them was to come up with suggestions on how they were to improve their English skills. I do believe all the "creme de la creme" students have come to my English class this year! They had a lot of interesting ideas on how to work with English, and I am happy to see that they share many of my ideas, too. Blogging was suggested (jippi!!), and I have therefore put out a survey for them to see how many would like to start blogging in English. An other idea I found interesting was getting in contact with students elsewhere, either native English speakers, or EFL learners, who could be our online pen pals. Therefore, I ask, "Is there anybody out there?" Are there any teachers out there who would like to cooperate? Please, leave me a comment or send me an e-mail if your students would like to get in touch with mine, and then we will see what we can work out.


Picture: "Atlas,it's time for your bath"

On the road again

I'm back! It is time for me to go back to school and start teaching again (only for 8 weeks, however), and I must say I have really enjoyed coming back to all my friends and colleagues at school. This first day has been filled with hugs and hellos, but also with information, thoughts and reflections on the school year ahead. I always have plenty of ideas at this time of the year, and I also have ambitions about doing things better, being more organised and more creative than the year before. However, I have been "in the game" for quite a few years now, and have begun to understand that I cannot change dramatically overnight. I guess that my dream is to be one of those teachers who can make an everlasting impression on my students, and change their way of thinking totally - like Professor Keating in Dead Poets Society, or Ms Watson in Mona Lisa Smile. A bit over the top? Probably, but I need to believe that the things that I do in the classroom may be an eyeopener to some of my students, that I actually have something valuable to teach them. At the same time I find it important for me to try out new things, to test new methods of teaching, to teach new groups, courses and topics. Each August therefore represents a new start for me, as it does to many of my students. It is therefore a privilege to start a new school year with a group of first class students. It is a new start for all of us, and I feel lucky to be with them as they start a new chapter in life.



Picture: "Encadré"