Albany, NY (South Colonie)
Terry Waltz and I did a workshop at South Colonie. Terry did a Chinese lesson and it was fantastic. She used gestures and colors and diacritcal marks to support the tones while teaching a story about Moe and Curly… We even read a story and felt so empowered. For me it was a thrill to see these teachers again. I first met them back in the 1990’s so it was like a blast to the past to see them again!
read moreAFLA (Alaska)
Laurie and I took questions in the morning, then the participants had to leave ASAP because it was starting to snow. We drove back to Anchorage and did some coaching in Starbucks there with Victoria, Betsy, a Spanish teacher, a French teacher, Abby, Laurie, Michele. Then went to Michele’s house for dinner. Later we went up to an outlook and saw some moose. Then flew out on the red-eye after 10 PM.
read moreAFLA (Alaska)
Abby, Laurie Clarq and I presented various topics today. Abby gave a demonstration of a TPRS lesson in a native language. Laurie did some sessions on TPR Storytelling. I did “How to Introduce and Practice Grammar”, “Second Language Acquisition (Acquisition vs. learning)”, and “Classroom Management.” Laurie and I did a bit of coaching, and the Alaska teachers ran coaching sessions into the night. The enthusiasm here is so contagious. Completely overwhelming!
read moreAFLA (Alaska)
We drove to the mountains in Michele Whaley’s van: Abby, Marcia, Art , Michele, Laurie Clarq, and me all in one van! We stopped at Long Rifle Restaurant for lunch. Good food and a beautiful view of the Glacier. Also lots of taxidermy to keep us company while we ate. Glacier View School is the location for the conference. This is a view from the school! The evening keynote was at the lodge where we stayed. It was presented by AEIN, Alaska Educational Innovations Network. It was an awesome presentation on their experiences working together...
read moreLast day in Japan
Well, this is my last day in Japan. Senri and Martha took me on the ferry across the bay to Kumamoto. We went to the castle, climbed up the towers, went to lunch in an Italian restaurant where I had horrible pizza. We walked the arcade and looked at shops. It is so Western feeling, with kids wearing the kind of tank tops that they wear in the US and they just have a more cosmopolitan, cocky attitude. I was amazed to see how much I love the humble farming atmosphere on Shimabara. We went to the handicrafts museum. There are lots of good...
read moreShimabara, Japan
Went to a shop that Martha’s friend owns. She seems to know everybody in the town and they all love her, giving her hugs and effusive friendly greetings I bought tabbi socks and a toy for Nik. Then we went to a clinic and got electrical stimulation, compression boots on legs, water bed massage and then deep massage therapy! Only cost $6. Amazing. I felt so much better afterwards. We had lunch at Martha’s; her mom thinly sliced cabbage and carrots, put kiwi slices on top. Martha made dressing from oil and the juice from her umeboshi plums! We...
read moreShimabara, Japan
After speaking here in the Mt. Unzen Disaster Memorial Museum for three days, today I finally got to visit the museum. It is amazing. They show a really cool movie (like an iMax) that flies over the volcano and shakes and bumps with the explosions. It shows actual helicopter views of the explosion and eruptions from 1990 – 1995. Another show using traditional Japanese theatre techniques showed about the eruption in 1792. Then we drove up to see the sculpture that Senri (Martha’s artist husband) made to commemorate the erupted...
read moreShimabara, Japan
This whole workshop in Japan was fabulous. The Japanese are so incredibly welcoming and dedicated and friendly. I have never felt like this — Lots of the teachers were crying and saying that I had changed their lives. After the workshop, pictures and hugs and thanks went on for like 90 minutes! It was so cool. In the evening, Toako (who hosted me in her house) put on a dinner party for 10 to celebrate! Martha’s mother in law helped Taoko and Taioko make all of the food. Incredible. This photo shows the people who were instrumental in...
read moreShimabara, Japan
Second day was really good! The workshop is much better with a translator. Yuki does a perfect job of translating with emotion and emphasis. It feels like the teachers are very receptive and enthused to learn about acquisition. After the workshop we went to Martha’s school so that I could get email on her Internet. This is a photo of her opening the door to her school.
read moreShimabara, Japan
Martha Nojima is hosting me and has organized a three-day TPR Storytelling workshop here in Japan. Today was the first day of the workshop went great! Huge crowd! Probably one third are English-speaking and the rest are Japanese of varying English ability. Yuki is the most amazing translator. It is very effective to do the workshop with a translator because the pause for translation enables everyone to sort of let the concepts soak in. The group was simply phenomenal. They were enthusiastic and very positive. A woman from the Board of...
read moreShimabara, Japan
Another fabulous breakfast and then went to Martha’s house to use her internet. Drove up the mountain to a hot springs bathing house. REALLY hot but also lots of fun. We ate food from a grocery store along the way. Then back to her school where she had classes. I suggested that she get strict with her rules and have an opening ritual and do the dictionary. While she taught, I went to the disaster museum where the conference hall is. About 55 people are registered! Fumi, Miyomi, and Eji brought me to the museum and I started to fade! I had...
read moreShimabara, Japan
Martha Nojima met me at the Nagasaki Airport last night and brought me to Toako’s beautiful house. Toako’s sister Taiko will be our official cook this week. I was so tired that I took a lovely bath and slept hard. This morning we saw that Taiko is truly an outstanding cook. I would never have imagined all of this food for breakfast! So good and so fresh. Saw a bit of the town. Then went to meet Martha’s mother in law, Matha’s husband and her school. At her school, we walked with two young mothers to visit samurai houses....
read moreSprayberry High School
Today was a TPRS workshop. Teacher from schools all around the Atlanta area came! The workshop went great. I think that teachers from three different schools are going to give TPR Storytelling a try!
read moreSprayberry High School, Marietta, GA
I love coming to this school. They hosted the second annual TPRS Conference (we did not know for sure it would become an annual conference back then.) I spent the day visiting teachers in their classrooms, watching them teach, watching the students learn… So cool! I taught in different classes (two Spanish classes and one French class.) A bunch of us had dinner at Bahama Breeze — Yum!
read moreChicago, NTPRS, Day 5
Everyone was free to attend a variety of sessions today. I went to Tawanna Billingsly’s classroom management session. She is a powerful teacher who definitely means business. It was a thrill to see how she handles a wide variety of challenging situations. What a phenom! I just loved her. The final luncheon was filled with inspiration and tears. In one week we have made so many connections and shared so much that it is emotional to say good bye. This was the 10th annual National TPRS Conference and I have been to every single one of...
read moreChicago, NTPRS, Day 4
Today (Thursday) was the last day of the experienced workshop. It was wonderful because Linda did a sample lesson in Mandarin. Everybody just RAVED about it! Fabulous! Then we did an exercise to teach how to match message, voice, and body posture for maximum impact when teaching. It was cool. Afterwards I had a chai with Bryce. He is a deepthinker and a gifted teacher. I loved hearing what he has been doing and how he is helping the teachers in his area become proficient. Amazing! In the evening we had that traditional Open Mic night. I just...
read moreChicago, NTPRS, Day 3
Today’s workshop focused on grammar. I gave examples in French and Spanish. Coaching was also on grammar. We ended the workshop with tips on how to use vocal variety to enhance lessons. Linda is getting over her jet lag and morning sickness so she can do more tomorrow! In the evening I went out for drinks with the coaches. It was fun to be with them. They have become such an important part of the conference.
read moreChicago, NTPRS, Day 2
Japanese class was terrific! I got to hear Melinda speak tons of Japanese and I got the sound of the language in my ears. The experienced workshop with Linda Li focused on reading. It was really good because she modeled reading in Chinese! Then coaching on reading. We ended by having everyone share a chant, it was such fun! I love this location because there is a mall with a Starbucks! I worked preparing for tomorrow’s workshop outside with a chai! While I did that, Linda found me a dress at the Limited. Cute! In the evening we had ice...
read moreChicago, NTPRS Day 1
This morning I went to a language class: Japanese with Melinda Kawahari. What a cool language! I really want to learn Japanese. In the afternoon Linda Li and I did the experienced workshop. Today’s focus was on how learning beliefs affect how we teach. Today’s coaching was on Personalization with flair.The final topic was how to encourage creativity in students. In the evening I went to dinner at Lou Malnati’s restaurant in Naperville with Mike Miller, Lisa, Barb Watson, Carol Sutton, Donna Tatum-Johns, Katya Paukova, Doug...
read moreIxatpa — Day of the Dolphins!
Today is Saturday and the conference is over. But I went on a field trip with Michel Baker and Scott Benedict: to swim with dolphins! We went to a place that has various offerings for tourists to interact with dolphins. We chose to actually swim with them, pet them, and have them give us a high-speed ride! What a glorious vacation/conference this has been. Thanks a million to Carol Gaab and to her hard-working husband Pat for putting together this incredible opportunity.
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