The Salt of the Earth...Abdulgader

I remember his first day almost as if it were yesterday. He was quiet and looked rather preoccupied. What struck me most was the level of respect he showed.

I'm not quite sure of when we started growing close, but does it really matter? I think not. As I always say, the only thing we are sure of is the moment right now.

It has been an emotional week, but as I sit here and reflect on my day, my thoughts go to someone who received his certificate today.

Abdulgader Alsharif (Abdul) is undoubtedly one of the FINEST students I have had the pleasure of knowing.

There is an expression which fits him perfectly. He is "the salt of the earth". In other words he is someone who is simple and good. Mash'allah!

One of the reasons why Abdul is very special to me is because in recent months, he has worked very closely with me. In particular, with his writing. His ability to weave stories and characters together really impresses me. I hope he knows how absolutely proud I am of his improvement.

When I know people for as long as I do (in terms of students, especially) it's easy to see their different colours/moods. But it must be said that no matter what, Abdul has always displayed the highest level of respect. As one of his peers said, "You don't find people like Abdul anymore."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

So finally - I would like to wish this special person all the very best as he embarks on his future. Thank you for the privilege of knowing a lovely person like you.

BC0914: Teaching Tip

Pronunciation / Intonation

Pronunciation & intonation are very important elements when learning English. Placing stress on the correct syllable or word in a sentence can drastically change its meaning.

On the right hand side of my whiteboard I have a section for Pronunciation. Here, I write the word, the phonetic spelling as well as the word itself broken up into easy-to-read-and-pronounce chunks.

Eg: "valuable" = "val-yoo-bill"

(Many students are unfamiliar with the IPA, but that's another post altogether. )

I use a different coloured marker and draw a circle over the syllable or word that needs to be emphasized.

I encourage students to do the same when they're reading, especially out loud.

It's my responsibility

I was prepared to teach the unit on "Medicine" with grammar points and listening exercises. I could instantly feel that the energy levels weren't to my satisfaction. Some students sat there, clearly preoccupied. It didn't take long before the energy affected others in the class.

After I set them off on their first speaking activity, I could see that it was going nowhere.

"Do you trust me?" I asked my class.
"Yes, of course," they replied.

"You know that nothing I do with you will be a waste of your time, right?" I asked.
They nodded.

"Please close your books and clear your desk. You only need a piece of paper," I instructed.
They followed my instructions.

And so...using the same picture as I did with my group yesterday, I gave them 10 minutes to write about whatever emotions were evoked when they saw this.

From Google Images

Some students wrote vigorously. Others sat tapping their pencil on the desk. Paper, blank. I refused to believe that their minds were blank, too. If anything, it was the opposite.

I paused next to one of my solemn-looking students. I could see he was battling. We looked at the picture again. Slowly, I could see him opening up and he started to see beyond the surface. It wasn't planned that my students would stand up and present their pieces with the rest of us, but it turned out to be a really good exercise. Some students spoke with a lump in their throat, while others showed a much softer side to themselves.

I sat there in awe. Beaming with pride. When the class was over, they admitted that their hearts felt lighter.

One of my students, Mohi, happened to be in my office just after my class. I shared what happened in my class with him. He noted that I was very sensitive about my students and their feelings.

"How can I not be?" I asked him.

I thought about this further during the day.

How am I possibly meant to teach (anything) when my students sit in front of me looking and feeling listless. With their minds preoccupied, far far away, of course it affects me, their teacher. I may as well not teach anything.

I sometimes need to break through to them before even attempting any kind of activity. Whether I do this by means of a joke or a short piece of music, it is by all means, my responsibility to ensure that they are fully with me during my lesson.

Anyway, just wanted to shared that today...
Hope YOU had a great day!

The Hope...by Mohamed Abogila

The Hope

by Mohamed Abogila (in Libya)

I can do something.

You can do something.

We can do something.

What's going on?

First of all, I would like to say I am from Libya!
Which means I am proud to be Libyan.

I am a person who likes his country very much and I always speak about the real history

What's going on?!
Why?!
We don't have..!
We have to..!

Libya is going down. It's going to hell.
Sorry to say that, but it's the truth.

Why? Simply, this country misses the hope and the hope and the hope.

They give up.
They are impatient.
They are selfish.
They are weak.

Hope to be challenging and
do to have, do to get.

Hope to be patient and take breath and relax without any stress.

Hope to be humble and friends and smile.

Let me tell the world something.

Libya is fire. To burn even you.
You can't touch or do something.

The people are the dark, which means...
You can't see if you want to think to steal or destroy something..

I am like the air.
Free and fresh...
Which means
If there is a problem, I can push it away.
Far away.

Are we ready?
Ready to do...

This word, "do" means a lot.
If you agree, we should do.

I am sure I know we have the ability,
but when are you going to start?
When are you going to feel?
And when are you going to win?

Life is a game and I will win.

Hope to be a strong, powerful hero.

We are here.
Today, but tomorrow...
We don't know.

Where will we be?

This country could be the best and the worst.
About the people, actually.

People can do, feel, make, hurt, decide and hope.

They can make this country.

He loves to show the fire on the ice. How is it?

Libya. Yeah, it's one word, but it means the power.

I've been to many places.
They asked me, "Where are you from?"

I just give a big smile. With myself, I am self-confident and I reply, I am from LIBYA.
I feel like the King in the castle or fire to burn or dry to die.

Libya is not the problem.
The real problem is us.

Any country has bad things, but also - there is a solution.
Always.

It's like a game.
You have to be the winner.
To survive.
To be free.

Like the lion in the jungle.
Strong, smart and organized. 

Am I crazy?
Simply, no...

I am too crazy of loving my country.
It's my morning to the evening...until the night.
It's my blood.

No one can live without blood.
Which means we have to love our country.
To defend from any bad things.

Libya is a country and it will fly, shine, high in the sky.
In the world.
On my paper.
And in our hearts.

Libya.
Libya.
Libya.

The Hopeful...by Abdulgader

From Google Images

by Abdulgader (Libya)

Our life.
Easy. Difficult.
Everything makes us either annoyed or comfortable.

What do I want?
What do I need?

If you are a hard worker, nothing is impossible.
Even small animals works to feed herself
or for her children to grow up being joyful one day.

Start in the morning until late in the evening.
Ants. People. Elephants. Bees
They like to try many difficult things in their lives.

The more you jump, the more you grow.

Don't give your heart to the hopeless.
Keep going to the top.
Nothing is impossible.

Larger than its size...by Marwan

From Google Images

Larger than its size
by Marwan (Libya)

This picture is very expressive (it carries good meaning). It talks about the ant. It's a small animal, but it has incredible activity. It works all the time and does not feel bored.

This picture teaches us how to work without boredom and to face challenging difficulties.

The ant works hard and co-operates with each other to build their castle and storage for food.

The meaning? The ant has a job that is larger than its size.

It still has the power...by Mustafa

From Google Images

It still has the power
by Mustafa (Libya)

The picture appears how the ant is working. How it lives in the desert. On the rocks. Besides the sea, on the beach...and it still has the power until sunset.

It tried to live in hard areas and with multiple difficult interventions, like who can get her food and living facility?

It is an amazing picture and I hope that the human must know how difficult it is to get a good life without hard work.

No pain. No gain.

I won't surrender...by Mohamed

From Google Images

I won't surrender
by Mohamed (Libya)

I can see the ant.
It will try to do something difficult.
With the end of the day, it keeps trying
...and it's tomorrow.

It's a new day.
And I will try again.
So whatever.
I will try again and again.

And I won't surrender.
Never.
Every day is a new start.

If the world doesn't support me,
I can support myself.

When I fail in something,
I try to go to the top.
I will try and I will do.
Finally, I do.

Nothing is impossible.
I am possible.

No pain.
No gain.

Let me go with you...by Mohi

Many know that I can gush about my students. But who can blame me? At the best of times, they produce little pieces of treasure, like the one I'd like to share in this post. I beam with pride and want to share it with as many as I can.

I have a group of students who meet me on a weekly basis. For a set period of time, we all (myself included) write on a given topic / prompt. My purpose is not to improve grammar or "teach" so to speak. I do this because I want my students to see words as I do. I want them to see that words are powerful. If used correctly, they can lift off a page and dance around - evoking all kinds of emotions.

For this particular piece, I gave students the first line, which they would have to continue writing on.
They all did so well, but I'd like to share one in particular today. Very well-written, Mohi!
Enjoy!

-----------------------------------------------------

by Mohidin Amar Esaadi (31/07)
"Darling, it's beautiful...thank you!"

Oh, my dear. You always surprise me. 
Do you believe me? I always wished for this gift, especially from you.

You are so late to arrive at my party. 
It was so boring without you, but now -  I forgive you.

My love, you are inside me...reading my thoughts, my feelings. 
You suspect my reaction to everything.

You have all the keys of the doors to my heart, running inside me like blood.
You are my world. My air. My spirit. 
I'm with you felling love, stability, peacefulness. 
Feeling like I have everything. 

Without you, I'm lost in this world feeling alone and sad. 
Isolated.

What are you doing to me?
Who are you?

Are you breathing like us (people)?
Eating when you're hungry, drinking when you're thirsty?
I don't think so. Maybe you are an angel from the sky. 

Let me go with you...far away from this sad world. 
Maybe to the moon.

That's What Friends Are For

I pride myself on the fact that I share very special relationships with my students that go far beyond textbooks and Grammar. 

When Yahya Zwita, from Libya, opened his heart and told me that his friend, Mohamed (aged 20) committed suicide at the beginning of the month, I knew that I had to be there for this young gentleman. Far from home for the first time in a foreign country with family and friends far away, I instinctively took on the role of his big sister.

During one of our conversations, he told me that he wanted to give a presentation / tribute about his friend. I immediately agreed and said I would help him in any way I could.

For his tribute today, Yahya spoke to a group of about 25 students - all his peers. Voluntarily, he put himself in the spotlight...and spoke. I have always maintained that "Words that come from the heart, enter the heart." This was exactly what happened this afternoon.

I teared as he spoke so fondly about his friend. An hour later, as I drove home, I stopped at the beach and looked out at the vast ocean before me. My thoughts traveled to Lydia Labuschagne, who is at this moment, fighting for her life at a hospital in Jerusalem.

It's not the kind of message anyone expects, but when I learned about Lydia's sudden admission to hospital, I have been in constant contact with friends around the world about this. I first met Lydia when her family moved to East London and Lydia joined my class in Std 1. We were 9 years old.

On my way to work this morning, I had a devotional song playing in my car. I surprised myself when, as I neared work, tears trickled down my cheeks. The song took me back to Johannesburg, a month ago when I was at the final prayer for my uncle, who suddenly passed away.

It always intrigues me why people cry after hearing about death. Is it because one is sad that the person will no longer be around? Will the physical body of the late person be missed or what they stood for and the role they play in others' lives. Do we cry over guilt or regret of not saying certain things to the person who has left us? Is it a matter of "If only..." or "I wish..."?

Death always brings us to a standstill. With our extremely busy lives, we spin around from dawn to dusk, not stopping to acknowledge. To appreciate. To say "thank you".

Blessings can be found in the darkest situations - even amidst news of death. With our friend, Lydia lying in hospital now, I have been talking to school friends after many months. The best part about it is that it feels as though no time has passed. This is the beauty of friendship.

This blog is dedicated not only to Yahya and his friend, Mohamed, but to my school friend, Lydia, who is so dearly loved by one and all who knew her. To say she is a ray of sunshine to many is not an understatement. Together, we hold faith that our prayers will be heard and that Lydia will soon return to her family.

Yahya's tribute ended with this song:

Unleashing a creative spark!

I have a few stories to share about my various "light bulb" moments with students. This usually happens when a certain grammar point is finally grasped or if a certain skill has improved because of advice given by me. 

I recently tried something different. Two of my students, Yank Lai (Taiwan) and Mohamed Abogila (Libya) have been joining me twice a week from 08:00 to write. I, too, have been joining in the writing process. The challenge to get as much out in 20 minutes is something of an adrenaline rush.

There is just one rule: No idea or structure is wrong. Apart from checking obvious grammatical structures, I have emphasized the power of words and the effect it can have on a story.

This morning, Yank and Mohamed blew me away! I simply couldn't believe the caliber of work that was produced in limited time! I am known to gush about my students - especially when they produce something amazing. I have taken their writing success quite personally as it reminds me of MY English teacher in high school who unleashed the creative spark in me! 

Dearest Mrs Felton. AKA - The Legend.

Knowingly or not, she is the one person responsible for making me believe that anything...anything is possible! The sky is not even the limit.

After reading Yank and Mohamed's pieces this morning, I felt compelled to get in touch with "Mrs F" and tell her that over a decade later, she continues to have an effect on my life. I dedicate this to her. I have such deep love and gratitude to you, Mrs Felton!

Please read below for Yank and Mohamed's writing.

Prompt: Write about yourself as a 10-year old child

Looking Back
by Yank Lai (Taiwan)
Level: Upper Intermediate

I am 10 years old. I am enjoying extreme happiness in my life. At least, I have been thinking…

Not only can you often see your parents and close friends. Also, you don’t have any stress at this moment. You can do many things. You can be a dreamer and do everything you can imagine: You can cheat girls, stealthily kiss her and confidently escape. You can fight with your best friends and after half an hour you are playing together again. There are no rules in paradise.

Wait! Don’t forget – you have a charitable grandmother who always gives you what you can imagine. My parents are shouting at me, but I can hide behind my private protector and peek with a smile at my parents.

I would really not like to grow up. I want to try to grasp everything and hope it won’t change.

Prompt: Describe how you would like your life to be in ten years time

My Light
by Mohamed Algantri
Level: Intermediate

Actually, I have many plans in my mind.

Firstly, I would like to be a famous pilot I want to be intelligent, optimistic and self-confident. I will be ecstatic when I have made all my dreams come true. So, I want to work in a massive company and I would like to earn a lot of money in my job. I want to travel all over the world. I want to be like a falcon. I want to fly. I want to feel free. then, I would like to be someone who is hard-working, because my family told me that they want to see me as a famous pilot – lively and reliable.

When I hear something like that, I feel strong. I will fight to get my dream.

After that, I will get married to my princess. We will live in a castle and have two children. I want to live my life as a warm person. I want to be happy. Also, I would like to be a teenager. I will think just about love – play – dream! I want to be an amazing man and a wonderful father for my family. I want to be like fire for my wife and I want her to be like water. 

I love life. I don’t want to think or feel angry. I would like to delete this adjective in my life. I want to say goodbye to my sadness and tears.

I want to die after I would be a father and I want to see my family. Then, I can die after when I was a pilot, with my children, wife and parents.

I will be ambitious all in my life and I will love and think under the earth when I die, so my life, my blood for you…forever.

TEACHING IDEA: Interview warmer

In pairs, interview each other and say 3 interesting things about the person.

Good for first day activity

*Not created by me.

TEACHING IDEA: Express(o) Yourself

On A4 paper, Ss draw coffee cup with steam. On steam, write what they learned in lesson. Swap papers with others

*Not created by me

TEACHING IDEA: Me - the Movie

Individually, Ss list 3 movies everyone must see. Why?

Tell them a famous director wants to make a movie about their life. Ss must choose:
-Director
-Genre
-Settings
-Write 4 scenes which will be included

*Not created by me

TEACHING IDEA: Love Letters

Ss must list 3 things they love
Rank it: Most - least precious
Write a love letter to the item

*Not created by me.

TEACHING IDEA: I'm OK (good + -ing)

Pair ss (A & B)
List things they think they're good at.
"I'm good at playing tennis."
"I'm good at cooking."

A's must tell B's list (B's listen)
B's repeat back.

*Not created by me

TEACHING IDEA: Letters to the Editor

Ask ss if they ever wrote to an editor. If not, why not? What prompted them to write? Was their letter published?

Hand out letters to ss and ask:
-Why did they write? Complain? Share? Vent?
-General mood?
-Who or what made them angry?
-Who or what made them happy?

Pair ss & compare answers

Pick a letter & write a concise report

*Not created by me

TEACHING IDEA: Tabloid Titles

To introduce passive voie, ss must write about their class in tabloid titles.
Tabloid = news that isn't news, but entertainment.

eg: Class is contacted by aliens!
> Reading, writing, speaking and vocab development

*This wasn't created by me

TEACHING IDEA: Lingo Novo

Ss work in pairs
-10mins to invent new language
-greeting, farewell, thank you, please, sorry, why, because, if

*This wasn't created by me

TEACHING IDEA: Lingo Novo

Ss work in pairs
-10mins to invent new language
-greeting, farewell, thank you, please, sorry, why, because, if

*This wasn't created by me