What's up, KL?

Just spent the last 5 days in Kuala Lumpur, the capitol city of Malaysia. The days were busy with a mediocre training session run by the International Baccalaureate Organization (see previous post for a summary). The highlight of the training was that it came along with a Deluxe Single room in a business hotel with great food.

The evenings were spent exploring KL. I got to get to know some of my colleagues better and met some interesting teachers in my workshop. Checked out a Malaysian club, visited some temples, saw the world's largest twin towers and spent one evening with a friend that I have known for 16 years who came to visit. School starts Thursday.

From somewhere in asia

From somewhere in asia

Teachers teaching teachers- Rarely an engaging experience

Professional development is an experience that CAN be very useful for educators. It allows for the acquisition of new thoughts, ideas and ways of thinking about teaching and learning. In my experience, the instructor spends a significant amount of time talking about the importance of "engaging the student". We NEED to meet kids where they are. We NEED to understand what prior knowledge our students are bringing to the table. We NEED to tailor our presentation and curriculum based on student interests. I strongly believe that these are essential to ensure an optimal learning environment for students. I want to deeply help connect the world of mathematics to their own experiences so it feels important, relevant and interesting. However, in every workshop I have attended where the the instructor talks about the NEED to do all of these things, the instructor, who is usually a teacher, does not meet our needs!!!! He talks at us, he asks obvious questions, looking for obvious answers because he wants to move on with the material in the workshop. He comes to the table not willing to understand where we are, what we know and what questions we have. He clearly sees that everyone is falling asleep and just keeps yammering on. This is a big problem particularly in workshops for teachers taught by teachers. One of the ways students learn is by seeing modeling. If instructors want teachers to meet the needs of their students, the instructors need to be demonstrating what that looks like with the teachers they are instructing. GOOD TEACHING IS NOT TALKING!!!! GOOD TEACHING IS FACILITATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

grrr..Asian women don't have HIPS!

My apartment was set up Monday morning and the typhoon stopped so I have been enjoying the city this week. How I have passed my time: Hiking on Monkey Mountain. A monkey jumped on me, hugged my waist and ripped my coffee out of my hands. I was surprisingly very calm and didn't get burned.

Shopping at the night markets. All the clothes in the night market are super cheap and made of synthetic material. They dry very quickly. However it seems it will be absolutely impossible for me to buy pants here. Asian women don't have hips or round bottoms. Tried the department stores also. Bought a scooter. Grey '97 Kymco 125CC. Meeting locals for dinner through Couchsurfing. They have been taking me to awesome restaurants around the city.

Taking the scooter on exploratory adventures. Rode through the mountains, visited the British Consulate for pretty views of the city, stopped by Pier 2, the city's modern art space and enjoyed some interesting exhibits.

Chinese is like TaiChi

This week has been quite eventful. The country has been experiencing a typhoon, which means that I have been going on errands to decorate my apartment/grocery shop in the pouring rain. You think that would make people more conservative drivers but... NOPE!! I am so excited about my new scooter that I want to take it everywhere I go. My baby doll, Sasha Fierce, has over 95,000 miles on her but she has good acceleration. I am becoming accustomed to the rain so much so that I have started feeling like my poncho is my second skin.

I also started taking Mandarin lessons this week. I signed up for 10 hours of private lessons over 5 days. I am experiencing greater comfort with the tones but some sounds are still very difficult to pronounce. I have had some wonderful teachers who have been explaining the symbolism behind some of the characters. very intersting and informative! My teacher today told me that speaking Mandarin is like TaiChi- there is an energy between the tones that gives the sounds/rhythms balance.

Got my Taiwanese Resident card today so I am now an official Taiwanese resident. Otherwise, I have been feeling supremely welcomed by two lovely teachers here, named Ali and Heather, who have gone out of their way to see how I am adjusting and to invite me to hang outs/meals/parties... Heading to the local fish market tonight with Ali to get some dinner and drink with the locals. Clck on the link below to see some photos I have taken while in Taiwan. Not a huge photographer this trip. Sorry. Maybe it is because I live here.

kaohsiung

Most Productive Day Ever!!!!

At 9:30 this morning, I moved into my new apartment. Unpacked in an hour then met a new friend Ali for brunch. Hopped on the back of her scooter and she took me to the city's second hand market. Then She helped me rent a scooter, buy a cell phone and a full face helmet(I don't mess around with safety!).

I feel like a real person now. So happy to be out of that hotel in the boondocks!

Meeting another coworker for hot pot in 10 minutes. Tomorrow will make a trip to Costco for food, bedding and other stuff for my apt.

Miss everyone back home!!

Check out my new apartment!!!

Rent in Taiwan is so cheap. My apartment building has a 24 hour security guard, an outdoor pool and an indoor gym. After my housing stipend, this 2 bedroom only costs me around 230 dollars!!! Woot Woot!

My New Apartment