Tag Archives: ESL

No Excuses

Posted on August 11, 2019 by

I have explained before that students sometimes give me gifts. I certainly don’t expect them and I hope I have responded well to them.  I certainly appreciate them and I appreciate that I have made an impression on a student … Continue reading →

Posted in Aspirations, Reflections, Perfection, books, bookstore, conversation, ESL, gifts, presents, recommendations, students, teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Friday’s Two Perfect Moments

Posted on August 3, 2019 by

There were Two Perfect Moments on Friday. The first is that I was given a book by a departing student.  That alone should be considered Today’s Perfect Moment.  However, what was really surprising is that instead of getting someone’s favourite … Continue reading →

Posted in Aspirations, Reflections, Perfection, beer, books, conversation, food, friends, friendship, gifts, presents, reading, restaurant | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Goodbyes

Posted on July 26, 2019 by

I’ve grown a pretty thick skin over the years of watching students say goodbye to me and to one another. It isn’t coldness, but rather a kind of acceptance.  I like my students while they are here, but I know … Continue reading →

Posted in Aspirations, Reflections, Perfection, beer, chocolate, coffee, ESL, gifts, presents, students, teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cobb Salad

Posted on July 18, 2019 by

There’s no time to waste. I need to aim for an economy of words.  Even as I type these sentences, I can feel the doubt creeping in. Today after work, a group of students who were milling around the lounge … Continue reading →

Posted in Aspirations, Reflections, Perfection, beer, ESL, food, food blogging, restaurant, students, teaching, Toronto | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

When You Realize Just How Small the World Can Be

Posted on July 4, 2019 by

I am not sure that this is Today’s Perfect Moment, but it certainly deserves a bit of reflection. I work at a private ESL school in Toronto.  Our clients come from all over the world to study English from 2 … Continue reading →

Posted in Aspirations, Reflections, Perfection, ESL, ethnic food, ethnicity, multiculturalism, students, teaching, travel, travel writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When Height is the Question

Posted on May 29, 2019 by

teaching ESL old school I was late, it was raining, and I didn’t see the ominous puddle in front of the bus shelter. Yeah, some wiseass decided to soak me really good–I know it was a conscious decision because the … Continue reading →

Posted in Aspirations, Reflections, Perfection, bus, ESL, learning, rain, students, teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Thoughts on writing multiple blogs

Posted on May 5, 2019 by

I probably shouldn’t try to write multiple blogs.  Writing one takes energy, but writing three takes more than three times the energy. It leads to the neglecting of either one or two of them. Maybe I have some form of … Continue reading →

Posted in Aspirations, Reflections, Perfection, bicycles, blog, blog posts, blogging, blogposts, cycling, ESL, growing your blog, increasing blog traffic, stamp collecting, stamps, starting a blog, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A Good Kind of Quiet

Posted on May 4, 2019 by

Friday had a weird component to it that only now, upon reflection, I understand as Today’s Perfect Moment. Upon further reflection, I wonder if those are the Most Perfect Moments. I work in a noisy environment. I don’t mean mechanically … Continue reading →

Posted in Aspirations, Reflections, Perfection, co-workers, conversation, ESL, quiet, teaching, work | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

From My Students

Posted on May 2, 2019 by

As an ESL teacher, I am generally good at building rapport with my classes and with individual students. This is especially true when I teach an exam preparation course because the same students are with me for a longer time. … Continue reading →

Posted in Aspirations, Reflections, Perfection, class, ESL, homework, motivation, rapport, students, teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

In the Classroom

Posted on April 16, 2019 by

There was a light cascade of snow to complicate and complement my early morning walk to the bus stop. Its drops were so fine only the light from the streetlamps illuminated it.  Rather than get bogged down in thoughts of … Continue reading →

Posted in adapting, Aspirations, Reflections, Perfection, ESL, lessons, Mondays, students, teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments