What does YOUR wall look like? - A blog challenge

The clock has been ticking much faster lately, hasn't it?

It was just a few minutes ago that I made a comment on a friend's photo on Facebook which I found really interesting and intriguing! Do people really add up Post-it notes and reminders to their walls? Wow! Suddenly, I was not alone!

(@lu_bodeman’s FB page)

And that’s how we decided to kick off the challenge!

This is my wall:

I know… I know… A bit too pink, right? I painted it myself – with a little help from hubby! On the first weekend after we had moved into the new house! This was about a year ago…

In Lu’s challenge she mentions that one’s wall can reveal quite a lot about its owner. Let's see… 

On my wall you will find lots of lists. I am a ‘to-do list’ type of person!

On the top left you will see that I have a list for whatever it is that I lend – from a magazine with a delicious recipe a friend once needed to a microphone for a student to record a ‘voicethread’ assignment. There are also lists for future meetings, post I’d like to write about, grading scales, TTC dates and topics, extra hours I have used at work… Lists!

I am also very positive about things, so I like to stick positive messages or any piece which will cheer me up whenever I’m in need. For now, I have two beautiful pieces: one is a letter a great friend and teacher wrote saying good-bye when going abroad on a huge adventure last year; and the other is a lovely poem a CELTA trainee wrote which is really touchy and sweet!

I like to set goals. On the top of the wall there is an old piece of paper, which I wrote about 5 years ago, with my main goals for the next years. This has helped me to achieve my objectives and not strand too far that I can get lost in the way. Every time I tick one of the items, it’s a party!

Do you think it’s over? Nope! There are some mini-notes which are related to the new words and expressions I come across so that I am always learning something new.

Oh! Yeah! And the 'orange' in the center? Positive words, written by workmates, trainees and tutors!

This is it… For today. As I said, the clock's been ticking much faster... Tomorrow, I’ll have another set of goals, notes, ideas…

What does YOUR wall tell us about you?

Prix. =)

@teacher_prix

Tutors...

October 5 was International Teacher's Day. Last Saturday, in my country, was Teacher's Day. We also had Children's Day three days before, so I was still in the mood for Children's Week and ended up letting Teacher's Day become just a day off. To make up for this, I have decided to post a little something about these great people who have made me grow and become the teacher I am now. The people who have inspired and guided me and whom I turn to whenever I feel I need some kind supporting words. Or just a wake up call... My tutors!

Prix. =)

@teacher_prix

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'Teaching does not cause learning', that's what one of my first tutors used to say. If it was she who coined this motto or if she had borrowed it from someone else, I don't know and won't bother doing any research for now. What I do know is that by guiding me through so that I could make sense of this sentence was the turning point of my career. After those training sessions I was never the same inexperienced, rather naive, trainee anymore. I wouldn't just enroll a training course expecting what my tutors would give me, but how they would guide me so that I could give them my very best. This is another saying I borrowed from another great tutor: 'always guide, never give'. What I find most interesting is that all these great people I have come across come from many different backgrounds and cultures, even from abroad and they share the same passion and have the same sensitivity to their trainees' silliest questions. 'There's no such thing as a stupid question' said another inspiring tutor.

These people have always been there for me somehow. It doesn’t really matter if it was ages ago that I had my first session with that tutor I mentioned in the begining of this piece, or if it was just last week that I attended a webinar with my last tutor – they are always there to help me and guide me a little more. It’s never-ending!

Now, I'm on the other side playing the part these people I've always looked up to have played. Will I ever achieve their level of excellence?

One thing I know... Causing learning or not, the way you have scaffolded my learning has definitely taught me great lessons!

For having guided me through so that I could walk on my own (and allow me to get back to you whenever I get stuck) I thank you!

Happy teacher’s week!