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.