Hi guys,

Blog post numero duo (don’t worry my counting in Italian is gonna end today!) is here. Today I am going to talk about and show you my whiteboard. I have never really shared pics of my whiteboard, but I thought I’d share something cause well it’s interesting to share the ‘thought’ process behind what goes on my bard.

My context

I was teaching academic English and the lesson was a writing lesson.

My thought process

Of course I don’t think my whiteboard is perfect nor do I think that you will want to lift it and make it your own, but it makes sense to me and my learners. My white board is often photographed (I will touch upon the whole photograph thing a bit later on).

Let’s take a closer look

You know when you reach the end of a series of sessions which have all been leading up to the writing of a long essay? This is what this board was for. A round up of the things my learners needed to focus on before handing in the first draft of their cause and effect essay. It was, in fact, based on questions and things I had noticed needed to be highlighted. I like using asterisks and smiley/sad faces. I draw boxes, circle things and so on. I do not use colours cause I am colourblind and that does not make sense to me (see what a non colour coordinated whiteboard looks like?).

Setting Homework

Yeap! I make a list of everything my students have to do for homework. This works for me cause I don’t erase it, so it is there the next time I go into class and I get to check it. It works for my students as well cause they take a pic and check their homework (hopefully they do it as well!!).

Camera in the class: Do or don’t?

Well, personally, I don’t mind when my students take a pic of my whiteboard. I do always warn them though. I say,

Just because I am OK with you taking a pic of my whiteboard/ slides, doesn’t mean all the tutors are, so you need to ask for their permission.

I also tell them when they need to write something down. You see, when something is super important, I tell them to take notes and not just a pic. I think they retain it better in their memory. Someone actually told me that. Dunno if it is an urban legend though or true!!

So, there you have it. My whiteboard. I’d love to see yours. As for the #hanachallenge, I am on number 2 (have committed to 15…. let’s see).

Don’t forget to follow my blog (if you aren’t already). ‘Like’ my Facebook page (see sidebar on ways to connect).

Thanks for stopping by!!

Till next time….

Hi guys!!!

A while ago Hana Ticha wrote a blog post about how lots of bloggers were not really blogging that much and we (silent bloggers) kinda took it as a challenge and decided we’d try to blog as much as possible in September.

I set a target of 15 blog posts. Let’s see if I manage to do it.

We named it #thehanachallenge and you (yes, fellow edu blogger) can take part if you wish and try to set a target of as many as possible.

Let me explain my silence

I have actually gone from a rambler to not writing much at all.

I have been busy. I mean really busy. I have too many hobbies and a demanding full time job, so I kinda stopped blogging.

The other thing is that I feel all “blogged out”. I mean, I have kinda shared most of the things I wanted to share. I have written loads of blog posts!!

Blogging was also a way I shared my ideas cause my teaching situation made me feel a bit isolated, but now I go into the staff room and exchange opinions and then it’s out of my system folks!! I never had a proper staff room before. A space to share ideas, talk about our work problems. The past few months I did.

This brings me to my big news. Yup. So, if you have been reading my blog for a while you probably know that

I am in Greece

I teach EAP in the UK during the summer

I teach Business English online

Well, this year was a bit different. My EAP journey started in March and….

I just got a full time job at a UK university!!!

It’s my first full time EAP tutor post. I am so excited and so scared!!! It will be a new chapter in my career as a teacher and quite challenging cause I have never lived in the UK during the winter, I have never been far away from my family for so long and yeah, it’s a new beginning.

So, there’s my life update and blog post numero uno!!!

Till next time….

Jo