After completing two modules I thought I would drop in and share some more thoughts on the course.
One thing I have been enjoying the most so far is reading the posts from other course members. The activities/tasks set out in this course are brilliant because they lend themselves to very diverse responses. For example, one of the activities asked that we choose a grade level and a passage from a story/novel and explain the pre-reading and during-reading strategies that we would use to help ELLs (English Language Learners) understand our chosen passage. Not only was there diversity in the grade levels that everyone chose, but there was also a great deal of diversity in the reading materials we chose. Some recognizable authors represented in this activity included: Robert Munsch, Jon Scieszka (The True Story of the Three Little Pigs), Alice Sebold (The Lovely Bones), Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle, and Katherine Paterson (Bridge to Terabithia). These activities give us the freedom to explore different grade levels and subject areas while considering the best way to provide accommodations to our ELLs.
Course instructors continue to post information about the trip and what can be expected. The leader for my group has posted travel advice (tips for being comfortable on the long flight), specifics about dress code for teachers at the school where we will be teaching, and some resources for us to use that he has found successful in the past.
I should also speak about the trip meeting that occurred at the Brock Hamilton Campus a couple weeks back. All those enrolled in the course attended a 9:30-2:00 meeting where we were provided with some more information about the trip, including but not limited to: flight information, cultural differences to anticipate, preparing for the heat, what to wear when we teach, how to incorporate songs into lessons, and information about money (Visa and debit cards, ATMs, and RMB). It was also at this time that we were given back our passports, all equipped with our Chinese VISAS. This was definitely an exciting moment (especially for someone who has not traveled outside of the States and Caribbean).
We also had the opportunity to gather in our teaching groups and meet with our group leaders (some of us will be in Shanghai while others, including myself, will be a 20-minute high-speed train ride outside of Shanghai). While in our groups, we divided all the themes we will be teaching to our students (i.e. sports, travel, occupations, seasons, weather, etc.) amongst ourselves so that we each had one or two days to plan. When we arrive, we will share all of our resources (to ensure consistency amongst the teachers in the school and to cut down on our own planning).
Overall it was an informative meeting. One of the most important pieces of advice I took away from this meeting was that we need to be flexible. We may not know the age group of our students until a day before we begin teaching (this is the definition of being flexible in the teaching world!). The meeting definitely renewed my excitement for the trip and got my wheels turning in terms of how I can prepare for this incredible adventure!
