Visualising Ideas

This week I’m honored to say that you’ll find my post on the exciting iTDi Blog!

Every two weeks a topic is examined from different aspects by six different educators.

Such a treat to be able to participate in this!

I certainly recommend browsing while you are there!

Since I just finished reading Nathan Englander’s excellent collection of short stories (see last Saturday’s post) I was reminded of my mixed feeling about reading one short story after another, particularly by the same author.

I really enjoy reading short stories. One of the many nice things about reading the New Yorker Magazine is getting the weekly short story. There are so many different authors, including short stories translated from many languages. It’s a real treat to get one a week.

However, I sometimes feel that reading an entire collection of short stories by the same author impairs my enjoyment of the stories that appear later in the collection. As varied as the collection may be, the author’s distinctive style, or use of imagery remains and leaves less of an impact on me as I read.

In addition, after a powerful short story, I need a break of a day or two before I can continue reading. In short stories, words are often even more powerful than in novels and I need time to take in what I just read. Or sometimes I almost feel afraid that the next story will dispel a feeling that the previous story has left me with. This rarely happens with novels.

Despite that, there are distinct advantages to reading such a collection during the school year. It is great when you can read a whole story “at one go”, instead of forcing yourself to stop reading in the middle of a chapter because there are things to be done.

Nonetheless, I’m glad that the next book I’m about to read is a full length novel!

Epstein Family photos

Epstein Family Photos

These were taken from our recent trip up North.

The Paeonia Mascula flower only blooms for two weeks a year. We are the southernmost point in the world where it blooms.

Those ARE Cherry Tree blossoms – right here, two hours away from home!

Photo by Gil Epshtein

Since I began giving homework online almost two years ago I have established an email connection with the students.

Homework must be handed in by email. In addition, some of the students write to me when they are absent, agonizing over a test or desperate to know whether I’ve checked their tests already.

I always answer in them in English.

In class we communicate in Hebrew and in Israeli Sign-Language. The students write to me in Hebrew. I know for a fact that they paste my replies into Google Translate and read them in Hebrew.

I still write to them in English.

A student recently asked me point blank if I was aware that everyone reads my letters using Google Translate. When I replied that I was, he wanted to know why I continued writing in English.

I replied that I am an English teacher.

I’m not sure that suffices as an educational rationale for doing something. I certainly can’t supply the students with an explanation for why this is beneficial for them.

I still think it is the right thing to do.

WOW!

and again: WOW!

I find that I need a break of a day or two after reading each story in this collection to get my breath back.

I’ve read the first four stories. Reading them goes quickly and easily but then time is needed to take in what I have just read. Time is needed to understand how Englander has brought me from here to there without me quite realizing it.

So far, the first story “The Twenty-seventh Man is the one that has left the most powerful impression on me.

But there are five more stories I haven’t read.

Haven’t a clue as to where Englander will take me next.

Certainly planning to find out!

***Note from a week later: The story “In this way we are wise” left me gasping for air as much as the “tweenty seventh man” did.

So many amazing ways to tell a story!

Happy Holiday!

As someone who has rarely missed attending the Jerusalem ETAI Summer Conference over the past 26 years, I can certainly say I firmly believe in the benefits of attending conferences.

Photo by Omri Epstein

I still haven’t filled out the speaker proposal form because a question has been bothering me.

Do conferences have to be devoted solely to “input”? One goes from session to session, sets up an attention device and prepares to receive input. That is the pattern. Sometimes there will be more than one speaker, sometimes questions from the audience will be answered but the pattern remains.

Is it possible to have an “output” session?

Perhaps I could suggest a few topics to be voted on before the conference over our teachers’ mailing list. Let’s take “Error Correction” as an example of a topic chosen.

Perhaps there would be a session (or one on each day?) devoted to hashing out a set of Do’s and Don’ts related to that topic that could be posted on the conference site after the conference, as a combined effort teachers output of that particular conference. I think the number would have to be limited – we would have to come up with no more than seven or ten strategies / attitudes that are recommended, and the same number which most certainly are not. If we use this example we would perhaps need to produce a separate document for talking and writing. Short lists will be a useful document to have as an “output”.

In addition, having a limited number will make it more into an interesting discussion or debate. While I would call on everyone to be very polite, accepting everything said (sort of “anything goes” attitude) will not lead to an actual meaningful debate over what is effective or less so. Actually, its adding the element of polite dissent to brainstorming (I posted about this here).

On the other hand, this seems a very risky proposition.

I don’t know if teachers are as interested as I am in debating issues of classroom strategies.

I don’t know if the number of teachers in a session at a time should be limited for such a thing.

I don’t know if I can moderate such a session and keep the discussion on track and civil.

I don’t know if I’m simply trying to recreate the amazing dynamics of an #eltchat at a face to face conference without the help of the marvelous moderators we have there.

Has anyone encountered such a session?

I’ve been encountering mentions of this book for the past few years and had not had the opportunity to read it until now. After finally realizing that this is not a standard “whodunit” murder mystery book I was delighted when a dear friend lent me the book.

I finished the book in five days.

After I read the first five pages I stopped for a minute and studied the very large photo of the author on the inside cover. I was a bit concerned that the book was going to be patronizing – a white man writing about life as a female African in Botswana sees it. But the storytelling is great and the combination of the tales of the heroine’s own life and the cases she solves is fascinating so I forgot about such concerns.  I wanted to read more.

So, when discovering book number two “Tears of the Giraffe” at the library (needed to stock up on books for the holiday!) I broke my own tradition of not reading two books by the same author in a row and began it at once.

It isn’t as good. Besides the fact that I think the author didn’t keep the clever balance between personal stories and stories told through cases, now I’m bothered by the authors patronizing tone. Not regarding Africa, regarding the USA.  He is really trying to “ram down your throat” a message that America is only about a “grab grab” empty consumer culture. I would like to remind him that American television does not represent a huge percent of American people in this HUGE country!

Perhaps I should have stuck to my original rule – never read two books by the same author in a row!

There is a delightful article by Stephen Reilly in the March-April 2012 issue of “Voices” entitled “I remember you”.

Reilly says, regarding adult learners:

“Beginner-lever learners posses a wider and deeper word-base of English than they realize and unearthing this offers them foundations they can build on”.

I heartily agree that “unearthing” these words gives the students a sense of pride that they actually DO know some English and can serve as a “springboard” for learning.

Photo by Omri Epstein

However, when using internationally –known words, the teacher must be constantly alert for cultural interference. When the student’s face lights up and he “crows” “Oh, I know this word”, is that student ascribing the same meaning to that word in English that you are?

In the United Sates, a cottage is a very simple form of dwelling. Something you might have by the lake as a fishing retreat, very modest. In Israel you would hear someone say: “Did you see that awesome cottage he just moved into?! What a place!” Most certainly not a plain, modest, rudimentary abode!

The word  test in Israel refers to the written part of the driving exam. Students are often confused when they encounter the word in texts and try to find a connection to driving. As this meaning seems to be so entrenched I have resorted to placing little signs with the word “test” on the desks during exams. Having the word at the top of the students exam papers had no effect at all.

In fact, the word student itself is a problem. In Israel students are only those who study at university. A sentence describing a first-grade student can be very puzzling!

There are many more examples.

I would like to add a word of caution regarding use of such words as a tool for learning the sounds of the letters. Many words entered the language from English in a somewhat mangled form. How many people properly pronounce the letter “H” in hamburger? Many would swear that is an “ambuger”!

I’m assuming that this phenomenon is true in other countries as well, as it seems logical that it would be.

Can you tell me if my assumption is correct?

I recently read a great post using an example from The Trumpet of the Swan to make an educational point.

I don’t discuss education on Saturdays. The post just reminded me how much I loved this book which I hadn’t thought about in a while.

While I enjoyed all E.B White’s book this one is my favorite. I love the way the story is told.

Perhaps the fact that the swan is a “Special Ed” character who does brillliantly well is part of the book’s appeal for me.

One of those children’s books I refuse to part with. Certainly worth a reread!

When the news is filled with the horrid events in Toulouse, France, it is so heartwarming to see this video.

Lauren Ornstein, an awesome teacher and musician who works with both Jewish and Arab students as an EfL teacher and counselor, is also a Music in Common volunteer in Israel.

This is their latest workshop video “Peace -Shalom – Salaam”, a song written and performed by both Jewish and Arab students. They also participated in video-taping the project.

If you listen carefully you will hear her in the background.