Week 8. And we reach closer to our goals......

This week I learnt that :

Hello Celeste and friends,
This week I wanted to meet the Biggest, Greatest and Strongest Being in the world - God . I wanted to  have a one to one discussion with Him- put all my whys and not fair and air all my grouses
This week I just felt like a player trapped  in a game where the bombs just kept falling and there was no escape.To Pray or not to pray was the question.....

Thank you  Celeste for the support.It came at a very crucial period  .I was in that phase of mind where everything was ceasing to matter. I had reached that wall where everything around me had gone blank- no light, no spark- just confusion and a sense of letting things slip by.Your support gave me the will and determination to go on. When someone is ready to stand up for me , then I considered it a great wrong being done on that person by not making that attempt to rise again. Had the support not come in then, I would have possibly submitted work but the interest and inspiration would have been lost. I would not have been back on my feet feeling optimistic and fighting it out today.

This week was grueling both personally and professionally and at one point everything seemed to be chaotic and yet still, but this was a stillness that was blank, a stillness that one finds at the heart of a storm.

Getting Atyrgul as my partner was another blessing. Reading her draft plan I got  to know about  her problems and the way she was fought back because she wanted to give her best to her students- she did not want them to lose out and so she struggled and took that extra effort, struggling forward undeterred , despite the obstacles. I admired her willpower and persistence- 'the never say die attitude 'and the love and passion of a true teacher.

God does work in wondrous ways and Celeste chose the right partner for me at the right time. However horrible and terrible this week was, I did meet the Big, Great, Strong One in different ways- in Celeste's support, in Atyrgul's determination, in the hope I received from other areas, in the breathing space of this week which gives me time to make alternate arrangments for my pets , in the tears and support, joy and comfort of my neighbours and in so many other ways- small ways that make a big difference  and it is this that brings back the life and spirit in me.

In the midst of all the turmoil ,it was a major relief to complete the draft and upload it .In addition to that I created a blog for my students , a padlet as the base for the blog and in my attempt to create  a wiki created two wikis for the class:


I just couldn't  stop exploring the different technology tools and the online exercises. I tried my hand at the board games too and saved it on my Utterly ,Butterly Delicious.I also created the technology tools so that they could  be used for and by the students.It is also part of my final lesson plan.

Technology tools created:

1) Magical Nines Blog

http://magicalnines.blogspot.in/

I have already posted a message with an inspirational video of Malala for the students and asked them to visit the blog.

2) Padlet :

https://padlet.com/gracesmathias/y943oi55ktmx

I have also  created - My supercalifragilisticexpialidocious padlet for the students, posted the link to my blog and also placed an article on I am a digital citizen by Sandy. This article will brief them on the responsibilities they have to adhere to as a digital citizen.

3) 2 Wikis:
The outcome of experimentation has resulted in two wikis . I have placed the blog link on one of the wiki pages. Lets see where this fumbling and bumbling will finally lead me.Here are the links to my 2 wikis:

https://grace2016.wikispaces.com/space/content

https://inspire2016.wikispaces.com/Magical+Nines+Blog+Roll

Online Exercises:

1) Easy Test Maker: Multiple Choice:

I have created an introductory test for the short story 'My Lost Dollar' by Stephen Leacock .

http://www.classroomclipboard.com/716416/Home/Test/C27F51CF7B09424A8A417B4B42A779F6

Board Games:
I have explored this wonderful site with board games. 

https://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/activate-board-games

For me , this is a real treasure house and I just can't wait to use it.
As we come closer to the end of this journey ,I feel more enriched and empowered and glad and blessed to have Celeste as my tutor and touched so many lives.

As we get ready for the final leg of this journey, we assimilate all that we have learned, sit back and recall the excitement and sense of exhilaration when we learned something new and realize that we have been empowered with the same power to transmit that joy of learning into the lives of our students. As I get ready for the next week and the challenges ahead, I thank one of the greatest teachers of all time who raises me up with His teachings.

I sign off for this week believing that there can be miracles. It's just this  belief that gives hope, however, frail and fragile  this hope might be . As teachers ,we should never give up, however, difficult the path, however, great the challenge- the future of our students reside in our belief in them and in miracles- that's the true magic of being a teacher- just believe- believe in yourselves, believe in your students and believe in yourself and that's when  we will see miracles because that is what we will achieve- with hope, grit and determination- just never give up.because we will achieve only when we believe. 

Pray and Believe ...And we will achieve...... Miracles

Thank you , Celeste for taking my hand and for that assurance that it's not the end till the end.

Thank You.

Everyday is a blessing- a new opportunity, a new vision. Week 7

"In Life, nothing is permanent but change.", said the philosopher Heraclitus . The video is a beautiful and thought provoking one. Finally it is the moments that count the most- moments of happiness, moments of laughter, moments that make a difference. In our race in life ,we tend to forget those moments and when we run to grab them ,they are gone , lost forever. Don't lose the opportunity to catch those moments and leave smiles and laughter that will create memories that can last for a lifetime.This is the life lesson that  I learnt this week. I keep forgetting this lesson and it comes back to me in all its majesty to remind me that it is the small moments of happiness and laughter that are in reality the greatest times in our lives.

.It has been a roller coaster ride full of learning and change. The highlights of this week , for me, in our learning hub ,were as follows:

• Finding a partner
• Padlet 
• How to thrive and not just survive in a one computer classroom by Glori Chaika
• Twenty Ideas for using mobile phones in a Language Classroom by Hayo Reinders
• Robert Godwin- Jones Emerging Technologies : Autonomous Language Learning.

 A New Partnership :
I just feel blessed to have a mentor like Celeste and finding a partner like Atyrgul. I look forward to working with my new partner and learning and growing together.

Padlet:
Padlet was amazing. I enjoyed choosing the look and loved the zing in the words that introduces the padlet. I also enjoyed going through different videos and choosing the ones I wanted to place on my padlet.
The activity of how I would use my padlet in class was invigorating. I felt inspired ,especially with the idea of a treasure hunt and piecing the story together. Instinct tells me that my students will just love it.

How to Thrive and not survive in a one computer Classroom:
First of all, I love the rhythm and sound of ' How to thrive and not survive'

Secondly, I was intrigued by the idea of creating 'stations' and 'multiple activities'.

I found the strategies and activities really wonderful-the clues that could be applied to a varied number of activities was one of the springboards of my treasure hunt idea.

Karen Cole's idea was great- assisting the Principal , thereby reaching out to an entire school and helping them by forecasting the weather ,enabling them to get ready with the right clothing for the next day.

Twenty Ideas for using mobile phones in a Language Classroom by Hayo Reinders.
Now this is one article my students would love to get their hands on and they will definitely bless Hayo Reinders for it because use of  mobile phones are not permitted for students in school . Both students and parents will definitely welcome the use of mobile phones though each will have a different reason.
On reading the article, I definitely saw and believed that if used in the right manner this was a fantastic tool that encouraged autonomous language learning and my students would not only use it very gladly but go around boasting about it.

I loved the idea of clicking photographs and used it in context with the current events taking place in India- the effect of demonetization on the people.
This article was very interesting and helpful.

Robert- Godwin - Jones' article had its own sets of insights with its perceptive insight of changing times, changing needs and the availability of different resources leading to different opportunities and the rise of different developments:

"The dramatic increase in online resources, network services, and educational software, together provide new opportunities for self-directed learning. In the last few years, developments in mobile technology and the explosion in social media use have accelerated the level of interest."

 I agree with the writer that :

"For students mobile devices integrate real-life interests and academic roles. If learner autonomy is about personal choice, then mobile should serve as an ideal enabler. Examples of personal choice in action, that is, case histories of individual learner stories, can be an effective method for exploring how individual choice can work in a variety of circumstances."

"“Critically aware learners” are the ones who will do well in a fast-changing world, in which knowledge is far since being fixed."

The writer reflects my own belief and perceptions of the modern age and the need for a dynamic educational system that will provide the students with both roots and wings.

While researching , I came across this video which I would like to share. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and the class of students in the video did.

While just logging out of my email, I came across this article which can be found :

https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/33263496/frozen-and-traumatised-puppy-covered-in-industrial-glue-and-left-for-dead-by-children/#page1

Pascal is believed to be no older than four-months-old and was left for dead near an industrial estate in Istanbul, Turkey.

By the time his rescuers discovered the young pup, the glue had hardened into a concrete like substance and one of his ears had lost all blood flow.

Pascal was left for dead by a group of children after they dragged him through the mud, covered in industrial glue

The puppy was so traumatised, he could barely move following his mistreatment. 

Pascal required several medical baths to help his terribly infected skin heal

The caretakers at Pascal's medical centre are now seeking donations to help cover his rising medical bills

Videos showing his transformation from malnourished and on the brink of death to a healthy, well-fed puppy has drawn more than a million admirers from across the world, with the rescue centre hoping some donations will be made to help cover his growing medical bills.

“We know his soul will mend in time and the adoptive family will play a major role in this. Our medical team is doing everything for him.”

To help Pascal return to full strength, donations can be made directly to the He’Art of Rescue.

This makes me realize that even if this has happened in Istanbul, it could have happened anywhere. We as educators need to be alert and in leading our students towards the light of intellectual growth and development, let us never forget and always be alert . Let us make it one of our primary goals to ensure that they value all life and that they evolve into better human beings. Let not the light of the spirit ever become dark because then- even if we have great intellectuals we will have no human beings.Let us give them a heart that bleeds for the weak and helpless and a voice that speaks for the voiceless so that no other Pascal should ever have to face such a traumatic fate at the hands of children.

 I look forward to next week- it looks like a huge major mountain for me to climb but I am taking one day at a time and one step at a time. I am leaving you with two inspirational videos-one I liked because the bear cub ... no if I tell you, it will spoil the end . I just felt that it is tragic in life that one animal's  food is another animal's life and as we feel relieved that one lived we forget that the other can die -out of starvation because its life rests on the death of another. So one has to lose when another one wins and even when I felt glad, I also felt sad. I wanted both to win.

Wishing each one of you all the best for your final projects and always remember that ,'When the going gets tough, the tough get going' :

Keep Smiling and reach out for the stars to capture your dreams and make them come alive!!!!

Powerpoint Presentations- Hip Hip Hurrah!!!!!

Hello Celeste and Friends,
Welcome to my world!!!

The above video is an advertisement for the  book,'Strike At Midnight'  What floored me was not only the amazing way it has been done but also that Rella is none other than Cinderella - our very own modern Cinderella - not meek and submissive like the original character but  a woman who is independent,a warrior who will fight her own battles.

I was researching material for my PPT and came across this advertisement. The topic I had selected was also a fairy tale  - it was also a fairy tale revisited- Walt Disney's The Little Mermaid. I was exploring the story line of the movie as a base to build my lesson on the seven important elements of a story. I was focusing on the structure  which is common to all short stories and had deliberately selected a fairy tale re- told as there was scope to look at both the old version as well as the modern one.

Preparing the worksheets was also great as the fairy tale gave scope for a great deal of activity and critical thinking activities too.

I enjoyed preparing the PPT and using some of the techniques we had explored- the Think- Pair and Share activities, the blank slide, the quick thinks, the concept maps and the Minute paper.

I have taught large classes when I first began teaching and so I am aware of the limitations and difficulties that a teacher faces while teaching large classes. That can be challenging but also very fulfilling when you bond and can reach the students.. Moving around and making a conscious effort to know every student and ensure that each has got an opportunity is challenging. Helping students build on each other's answers and discuss and work as a group also helps boost confidence.
I have been thinking about my final project too, toying around with ideas waiting for that special inspiration to strike me and propel me forward.

It has been an enriching experience for me and I really thank Celeste for ensuring that I was at peace otherwise I was in a state of panic, busy decorating the site where the Powerpoints had to be uploaded with my presentation- worried that I could not see it.My apologies for the repetitions- that was panic as everyone else had a view and download button, mine  had a view one which I could not view. All's well That end's well and the PPT can be now viewed

 I enjoyed learning new concepts, techniques and ideas and the highlight of this week, for me,  was preparing the Powerpoint Presentation on my favorite fairy tale - The Little Mermaid.I would like to share a wonderful inspirational message that I found while working on this story

Looking forward to the next week and bidding Adieu to all here with the toe -tapping number from the movie'The Little Mermaid 'titled- Under The Sea-

Best Regards , 

Grace Mathias. 

Mumbai, India.

The excitement rises as the journey opens up new doors and we rise higher.

Hello Friends,
A wonderful thought I learnt and wanted to share :

This week has been a hectic one filled with laughter and fun. On the personal front, visiting Dubai has been an eye opener - a fantastic new world so amazingly different from India. A young country, Dubai is one of the countries that does not depend on oil as its source of income. Its focus is tourism and it reaches out to the world with open arms. In the field of education, as I read in the newspapers, the target was to inculcate a love for reading and learning for life. They were aiming at developing a love and passion for learning and building lifelong learners.

The  momentum in our webskills course seems to be increasing with a lot of focus on PBL ,webquests,alternate assessments and rubrics.

The importance of rubrics was brought to the fore. Rubrics help define, understand and give direction to both the teaching and learning process. It encourages clarity and assists both the teacher and the learner to shape and  modify the process of learning and choose varied tools that will assist in strengthening areas of weaknesses.

Creating  a rubric on Rubistar was another unique and exciting experience.
The sense of moving ahead towards our goal is present while working on our final projects. Where we had defined a problem in week 4 , this week we progressed to choosing one problem and delving on the solution using a web based tool which we had not come across or used before. I found two new sites which I immediately added to my delicious pages.

http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/grammar-vocabulary/grammar-vide...

learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org

For Argumentative essays:

https://www.brainpop.com/games/argumentwars/

www.brainpop.com

Exploring Questgarden is an incredible experience filled with amazing lessons- lessons that use technology so creatively that it is an amazing learning journey. Imagine creating an ABCD book on adjectives, learning about the holy grail and King Arthur, fairy tales and a variety of subjects. Truly fascinating.

While searching for tools to resolve the issue I had defined , I came across a site in Scholastics wherein Ruth Manna had prepared a lesson plan for students of Grade 3-5 on character charts. Drawing inspiration from there, I reworked the plan, adding and modifying it to create a lesson plan that fused adjectives with character sketches- that is Literature and language to create a whole new way of successfully resolving the problems , I had defined in the final project topic of week 4.Currently I am working on Quest garden and hoping to finish it on time .The topic I am working on is close to my heart and titled - Discuss- Animal testing is a necessary evil.

The challenges are numerous but each of us is on a wonderful quest and each challenge helps us grow ,adds new dimensions to our personality as we continue to seek and strive and never give up