e-portfolios for starters

End of Term 2

End of Term 2 - Hectic week with Evaluations and End of Course Reports, but very happy for some students as they move up to Level 2 - Congratulations! And well done to the others for a fantastic term of learning English!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

mooc

What a week!

We had a fantastic start this week at Glenroy Neigbourhood Learning Centre. My ESL classes completed all the assessments for this Semester (excepting a couple who were absent). Refugee Week was celebrated on 22 June. We had great speeches - heart rending! Thank you to Glenroy Neighbourhood Learning Centre and our manager Neil Klemm for a generous Morning Tea.

Then our class went on an excursion -  Melbourne Aquarium - I had 23 Ss, 2 kids and 2 volunteer tutors - wow - we had a fantastic time!

 And tonight we celebrated The National Volunteer Week 2011 (belated as it was in May) - Kudos to our tutors. They are an inspiration! I was very disappointed as I could not be there personally to congratulate them (damn my vertigo - why did it happen today of all days), but I was there in spirit.

 Photos of the Excursion and Refugee Week 

Back to my other home

When I went to work on Monday 9th May, one of my colleague's said "Welcome Home Manjit"  - Yes I felt like I had retuned home after almost 4 weeks of sick leave. Each and every one asked me how I was going, teachers and students have offered to carry my folders for me - clean the w/b for me - even get me a glass of water!!! Some Ss made a lovely card and gave me a welcome back gift. Simple words like "we missed you" had a lot of meaning for me. And the lessons have been great. The new Ss have been very warm and have settled in very well.
 There are meetings lined up including Validation and Induction as the new AMEP contract kicks in next Semester. Will also have to create Units of Work soon with a settlement focus (which I love doing). So a very busy Term 2. I hope to God that my shoulder heals fast. I would hate to miss all this.

Thank you Reflect and Connect

The assignments for Reflect and Connect have all finished. The results are coming in slowly - *competent* for each assessmnet, the forum posts are now only from the facilitators! I miss the Monday Elluminate sessions, but I'm glad that I've connected with some of the participants on Facebook.What a fantastic course! THANK YOU to the facilitators Junita Lyon and Pauline Wison for introducimg me to a fantastic world of tecnology. I would've never joined Twitter or blogged.

My PLN

"A Brave New World-Wide Web"

My Support Netwok - Reflection

My Support Network

I grew up in a joint family in India so I love people around me. I hate being alone. When I migrated to Australia 8 years ago I felt very lonely initially, but when I started doing my Dip Ed I started making the connections. It was not easy for me to build my social and academic network all over again after having a very close network in India and Africa.

Now at Glenroy Neighbourhood Learning Centre we have a very good support network – like a huge family! So I don’t go to work every day I go to my extended family. Our manager is very supportive and encouraging. AT GNLC Professional Development is given a lot of importance and so I have always participated in various ESL Conferences / Workshops in my 4 ½ years that I have taught here. I also participated in an Action Research Project and met some fantastic teachers.

Outside GNLC too I have strong ties. My family, especially my husband and friends and the broader Indian Community are very important for me. I have made contact with teachers from India and Africa through Face book – so I love the online environment. I am a member of VATME and VicTESOL and other networks – mainly now through the Reflect and Connect Course.