manners | TeachingSagittarian

I saw this tweet from @keishawilliams about TweetStats. Curiousity got the better of me, so taking a break from Empressr and MyStudiyo (blog post to follow), I entered my twitter username.

Considering my family and I have just spent 5 days down in Nelson (blog post in progress over here) with the amazing AllanahK – it’s no wonder she’s top of my Replies To (@) list. Ms Cofino – well everyone knows I just LOVE working with this highly motivating and intelligent lady (even have the t-shirt to prove it!!) so NO surprises there. HeyMilly is absolutely gorgeous, witty and funny and I love reading her tweets – I wish I was as full of energy as she is – she’s loving life and taking us along for the ride – Go Girlfriend!!

Here’s the graphic I think is most revealing though – TweetCloud! My top 5 tweets are a reflection of the last 5 days spent in Nelson on our first ever visit to the South Island – thanks, new, time, nz, great !!

But I like the fact that awesome, learning, students, skype, mac, think, need, time & blog feature heavily too.

Most of all, I’m really, really pleased that thanks features the most in the Tweet Cloud! Without such a supportive, inspirational, generous and caring bunch of people in my PLN – my learning journey would be a half-empty glass. Thanks twitter PLN! (And thanks Mum, for teaching me that manners matter!)

Yesterday I struggled. I struggled with a class that I had been asked to speak to in English about New Zealand. This is the second time I have struggled with a class over the past week – both classes of students were about the same age. They were also the same age as my students back in New Zealand – 11 and 12 years old. I found myself wondering why on earth I was doing this, when I could be listening to and practising Español in another class. I thought that handing out the postcards and the calendars with beautiful pictures might make a difference, as would the various NZ$ notes and coins I had with me. But both increased the noise level and “silliness” severely. I contemplated packing up and walking out, but my professionalism and my New Zealand pride would not allow me.

Now, as I reflect on why I struggled with the very age group I love teaching, I try to imagine how interested my students in New Zealand would be with a native Spanish speaker who spoke very little English and arrived in front of their class to speak in Español. As I do that, I begin to understand – but just a little. As an 11 or 12 year old, having a very limited amount of Spanish, I would struggle to understand what the visitor was saying, let alone be able to put together questions to ask them. It would be hard to concentrate for a long time when the words spoken do not make very much sense – (as it is for me when the people around me are speaking very fast in Spanish). BUT is there no value, importance or interest to this age level, for a chance to speak to a native English speaker and find out first hand about another country? Are they not far enough along their own English learning journey to relish the chance to converse with someone who speaks English as a first language? Are they not stakeholders in the conversation? Or is it purely the age?

No matter what the answer/answers, as a teacher, I would be very embarrassed if my students called out or shouted at the visitor all at once, or began to chatter away while the visitor was answering someone’s question. No matter what language you speak, manners, consideration and simple politeness can considerably decrease the divide the lack of language causes in communication – don’t you think? And then I read this ………… http://educatingthedragon.edublogs.org/2008/04/08/the-great-unspoken/

How embarrassed and disappointed I feel. I don´t know what to say. Your thoughts and/or comments would be appreciated.