November 11, 2011
Yes, I don't
October 13, 2011
Have/Don't have
"Does everyone have a partner? ... Heidi, do you have a partner?"
Heidi--this is her English name--smiles, adorably, and kind of pokes into one of the lines.
"Mei you," she jokingly complains.
"Mei you?" I joke back. "Here, here, Senem is your partner."
Half the students in the class speak Mandarin, and they laugh. Even the others--the Turkish women, the Kurdish man, and the women from Iraq and Afghanistan--laugh. Mei you means "don't have." You means "have." The grammar and the pronunciation for these are easy, right? It's strange, I think, that I don't know more Mandarin. Or any Cantonese. So many people speak these languages in Vancouver. It would be nice to be able to make more jokes, to get more laughs.
June 9, 2011
Dear Mary
May 19, 2011
"Fleas"

October 8, 2010
Wiki Friday: Paulo Freire
July 6, 2010
A perfect day
"I wake up and I was so happy – extremely happy – I’ve finally taken all of my exams, by that time my best friend called me and that’s an important for him; he had his first date and he promised to the girl that someone will accompany him – I was this person – so I accepted. While I was talking into the phone, Grandma prepared the breakfast, I took a sit in front of the piscine and took it. Then Brahim arrived, and we went together.
As soon as we arrived Brahim became purple, I know that he has seen the girl. While I was parking my bike he began to ask for million time, What am I supposed to do? During the walk I began to ask myself what I’m going to do alone, but I quickly left my frustration she was with a friend of her – a very beautiful girl. I was charmed and I decided to do something, first, I told her some jokes, after this I had conversation with her, during this conversation I felt like a strange feeling – it was love. Suddenly I asked her if she wanted to be my girlfriend, I didn’t know what I was doing and thank’s god she accepted.
That the best moment of my life. When it was time to leave she gave me her number and we promised to see each other the end of day.
Brahim and I were like dreaming."
June 11, 2010
Soon I won't be a teacher
No more teaching outfits
No more students
No more arriving early
No more markers
No more lesson plans
No more attendance sheets
No more teacher’s books
No more whiteboards
No more “sh…”
No more student conflict
No more behavior problems
No more spelling things like an American
No more having to say, “I’m a Canadan, actually."
No more first day introductions
No more, “Here are the rules.”
May 25, 2010
April 21, 2010
There's a Christian in my class!
March 18, 2010
Best thing about showing Avatar in class
December 4, 2009
Teaching makes me laugh
November 4, 2009
I heart my Intermediate 1 class
July 7, 2009
Women
July 1, 2009
Wonderful Tonight

One of the best things about teaching is making your students do what you want, like listen to Eric Clapton. To my surprise and delight, some of the older ones even sang along. We all joined in for the hugely sappy ending:
June 20, 2009
Teaching makes me laugh
May 6, 2009
Classic
April 28, 2009
montar vs. mostrar

I forgot to share this little gem of embarrassment with you. It's the first day with my morning Level One'ers. I announce the break. Valeria asks where the bathroom is. To show the class I am bilingual-savvy, I answer in Spanish.
Level One

We have an exam today and I'm really excited, because my students are going to pass. They're Level One, which means they aren't confused yet.
April 17, 2009
Imagine

April 15, 2009
Me entiendes?

At my last school in Vancouver, students who asked Comment ca va? or Nasilsiniz? were sent home. Did I agree with the English-only policy? Yes and no. Yes, because it prevented groups of Saudis and Mexicans and so on from lumping together, and pushed them to mix and become friends in English. No, because it tied my hands in class.






