Jim's top ten blog response

This is a blog posting I wrote in response to an original article posted on ELT Experiences - Experiences of an English Language Teacher . I thought I`d share it with Luna`s readership, but invite everyone to go read Martin`s original article and other follow ups.

 

Jim George8 September 2012 01:23

Through twitter @ELTExperiences aka Martin asked me if I had a Top Ten - I don't, but here are nine (in no particular order) I find myself paying more attention to than others! Homage to Mick Stout who got me going in the first place.

1. Ana Cristina Pratas blog CristinaSkyBox is not a weird toyshop but her Ed Tech blog home. An awesome Scoop It curator and tireless inspiration on twitter Ana seems be busy 24/7!
2. Former children’s laureate & Youtube star of “Going on a Bear Hunt” Michael Rosen is usually in fine form railing against inane Government/education/school policies. Whether or not you agree with him is besides the point; excellently written and wonderfully argumentative
3. Although not an iPad user myself, I find Around the Corner-MGuhlin  a very good corner to lift & find techno tips
4. Short, unbiased & to the point blog about tech in the classroom, usually the first place to find new sites reviewed  iLearn Technology
5. Nik’s Quick Shout has been a bit quiet lately, but another prolific ‘discoverer’ Scoop It curator
6. Martin Byrne must have a brain the size of a planet; his Free Technology for Teachers is always a wealth a superb new bits & pieces that help get the job done.
7. An inspiring teacher & presenter I actually know personally is Barbara Sakamoto, known to many through her Teaching Village blog which hosts her global network of friends’ contributions shedding light on our classroom challenges!
8. Like Martin, I find Dave Dodgson’s Reflections of a Teacher & Learner an excellent source of calmness & rational reflection, and often find myself wishing “I’d said that”
9. Although commercial, I have found Oxford University Press recently to be serving up a regular serving of high quality postings
10. I am hoping that Personal Reflections of JALT Conferences Past will become an instant classic, as my blogging inspiration Mick Stout asked me to tackle another blog challenge i.e. asking teachers & learners who have attended previous incarnations of Asia’s largest teachers’ conference to share their thoughts…  contributors are so far a bit shy, but very welcome (email me oyajim@gmail.com to get an invitation) and I hope will feature plenty of updates during & after our jamboree Oct 12-15.

Of course Martin’s blog here is on my list, and I have enjoyed following your journey east. Keep going and we’ll see you in Japan sooner or later! Thank you for putting my school’s blog in your original ten Martin. It is very humbling to be in such stellar company – and a massive acknowledgment for our students’ work/bravery in posting online.

Looking forward to seeing this feature mushroom!

Barb Sakamoto presents for OUP Kids` Club

Karl fluffs the audience

I can`t think of a better way to have christened our new premises, than by having Oxford University Press and their Kids` Club Tour present for us on Sunday April 3rd. I am, as always, deeply indebted to OUP for their eternal support and good faith. Luna is a small fish in a very large pond, but we are constantly encouraged by the magnificent efforts of this quietly spoken publisher - which for my money holds most of the EFL/ELT trump cards.

We were originally scheduled to have Setsuko Toyama come and present on their behalf; we can`t blame her daughter for getting engaged, can we?! Thank you Barbara Sakamoto for stepping not only into that breach, but for the second one as well. Two presentations back to back was a champion performance, especially given Karl & I were less than attentive on the PC/projector end of things (sorry Barb!).

Koichi re-introduces himself to Yukari

That OUP would send no less than 26 boxes of materials to back up this event was awesome (if heavy). These guys do not mess about! As well as my good friend Karl, my wife`s first English teacher Koichi supported the presentation, and it was lovely to see him looking so well and professionally on the ball. It is hard to believe he has now been with OUP for a decade since his boss interviewed him in the Suissei Club - oh yes, Koichi is a Matsumoto lad!

Barb knocked the house out with her left-right combo on Sunday; and to a very attentive full house. I am deeply grateful for all our JALT friends for pushing the message and turning up in good numbers; apologies accepted from quite a few with flu. Please take a very good look at http://www.slideshare.net/barbsaka/little-tech-for-big-results

Naomi does art a la Barb

Fortunately, our technological glitches merely enhanced the presentation; if we can over come, so can every teacher! Barb`s presentations included lots of clear, simple and real uses of teacher-friendly (and very student usable) tech in and around our classrooms. I was very glad the likes of Naomi & Simon got involved..world class opportunities do not come knocking at our door everyday! I was even more delighted that mums came to join in as well - well done Michiyo!

Thanks everyone for participating - nice to see some new faces as well as familiar ones. Most especially a thank you to Barb; grace personified even in the rough company of English lads on a Saturday night....very much in control of your stage at Luna. Thank you @barbsaka  You ROCK!

I am sorry this took a while to post everyone - I have been away in Indonesia/Osaka and it has taken me a while to "catch up". Jim