ESL Weekly Tip #4 - The Element

So there I am walking around Hong Kong for the day and I came across something I truly miss since I live in Changhua, Taiwan - a book store. YES! A book store with ENGLISH books in it. Thank you, England, for taking over this city for so long. I cheerfully run into the book store like a kid running to the Christmas tree. I look through every book they have and find NOTHING.

My reading selection is very picky. I only like certain types of books. They had a lot of great novels, cookbooks, and biographies, but nothing really caught my interest. As I was about to walk out, I found it:

http://astore.amazon.com/monteblog-20/detail/0143116738

The book: The Element by Ken Robinson. There was one copy sitting on the table.

I have seen Ken Robinson talk before. He speaks a lot about the importance of creativity in education, so I decided to take a look. Right away, he captured me. Very early in the book, Robinson says:

"...school systems everywhere inculcate us with a very narrow view of intelligence and capacity and overvalue particular sorts of talent and ability. In doing so, they neglect others that are just as important, and they disregard the relationships between them in sustaining the vitality of our lives and communities." (pg. 13-14)

The question Robinson ultimately poses, especially to teachers, is no easy one to answer. How can we help our children to find their element, which he defines as, "the point in which natural talent meets personal passion." How do we get our students to this point?

As an ESL Teacher, we are often very limited in what we actually can do. This is especially true and felt here in Taiwan, where it is often difficult to come across a job where teaching skills are highly valued. The answer to how we do this is simple:

You, too, must find your element with teaching. If you don't truly love this job, then stay here for a year, enjoy the traveling, and move on to wherever you go to next. Just do not be surprised when you come to me explaining your teaching techniques and I roll my eyes when you say sticky ball games are all you need to know.

If you're truly passionate about teaching, then really take the time to learn how students learn, learn about childhood development, learn about Bloom's Taxonomy and how to apply it to the classroom...I don't care what you study about this. The point is if you love teaching, make teaching your element. Make it the thing that really drives you. From there, start to form your philosophy and framework with which to work.

Once you have that, start going out there and selling this idea to schools. It may take a while, but you'll eventually find a school owner that will agree with you. Once you're in there, make that program the best it can be with the help of your owner. You'll be surprised how much happier you are than the 9-5 "turn to the next page" jobs we are often used to here in Taiwan.