First Day officially with Endeavour Primary School

SO today, the second day of the July school holidays I got to hang out with some of the staff from Endeavour School which is where I start teaching on the 20th July 2015.

Notes taken from the day Future Focused Education and Learning Environment with Mark Osborne can be viewed here.

The main thing I took away from the day was...

Change readiness occurs when people believe:

• that change is needed
• the proposed change is appropriate for the challenge at hand
• the organisation has the capacity to implement the change

I have to believe I can do it.

So that's exactly what I am going to do... BELIEVE that I can work collaboratively successfully and enjoyably at Endeavour. That I will be a better teacher and person because of the opportunity to develop and grow. Yes I have to say goodbye to some old ways but I can say HELLO to new beginnings and hopefully adapting good practice in to a new setting.

China Adventures

On March 27 2015 I flew out with a team of 3 others to Tianjin, China for 17 days.  I took my iPad, some children's reading books and 3 copies of a picture dictionary.

The team visited two smaller cities / towns then headed to Beijing and after 9 hours of travelling west via plane, bus, bus and feet we ended up in a small remote town.  Our guide Grant and I went for a walk to visit a school he had seen last time in the town which was 2 years ago.

After knocking on the door of the school we were welcomed in to Helen's Education.  Grant shared that I was a teacher and we were visiting the area.  We left them with Grant's contact and one of the picture dictionaries.  Later that day they messaged us and they wanted me to go back the next day to teach the teachers.

Attached are my notes I made that night. Click Here to view

When Grant and I arrived the following day at 11am we were taken into an office to start with because we were a little early, 10.50.  At 11 we went through to the classroom with excited teachers waiting.

I started talking with Maggie and she knew about Hobbiton from the LTR and I quickly found photos on my iPad when I had been to Hobbiton and dressed up.  This caused an instant discussion and shared knowledge.

Then the lesson began...

At the end I asked did they have any questions and they replied they wanted help with their pronunciation.  So I quickly thought I could teach them the "Ants on the Apple" Song I know. So I quickly ruled up and alphabet card...

...like this one...

But it was meant to be like this...

After an hour and a quarter Grant and I were taken through to the Principal's office and offered a consultancy position, given the certificate below and a beautiful China teaset.

It translates as "Helen's Education Training Centre Special Employment.  NZ specialised teacher, Sally, to provide education, materials, coaching / tutoring with education, consulting with teacher work etc.".

So what did I learn...

• that only having my iPad and an English Dictionary allowed me to teach Chinese teachers for over an hour successfully
• I loved it, once I was started and over the initial nerves I felt excited, passionate and that I had knowledge to share
• anything is possible through Him who gives me strength

I am so thankful that I took the opportunity of the Scholarship to do my Post Grad in TESOL.

"Oh, that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain". 

So God granted what he requested.