Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Another Party at Brody's
October 24, 2007
We started our day with Prof. Rick. Yesterday, we visited his office, located in a house-like office on the university campus. Prof. Rick told us about how his language center was operated and some problems he encountered as the head of the center. It was interesting to listen to him making observations about students especially when he explained about strengths and weaknesses of students from different countries. While listening, I couldn’t help reflecting on my own students in order to find out about their strengths and weaknesses. As for now, I can only think of their weaknesses (I’m such a pessimistic teacher). However, I’ve made a decision that when I’m back in Thailand, I’ll not overlook my students’ strengths so that I can apply teaching methods that are suitable for them.
In Prof. Rick’s class today, we learnt about if-clause and action research. We learnt about two schools of research: quantitative and qualitative research. It’s a pity that we didn’t have much time to talk about it, but I think Prof. Rick may bring it up again tomorrow. After Prof. Rick’s class, we went to Wilson Hall to attend project archaeology discussion. It was a very systematic and well-organized lesson. I liked it a lot, and I think I can apply many strategies to my teaching.
In the evening, I had a chance to observe a writing class. It was interesting, and it surprised me a little bit because most of the students were Asian students. Also, I was amazed and disappointed at the same time. I was amazed when seeing students being very active in the class, but I was disappointed because such classroom atmosphere did not happen in my class very often. I think it might be because of my teaching, classroom setting, students’ personality or any other possible factors that I must investigate in order to encourage my students to be active.
In the evening, we went to Dr. Brody’s house for a dinner party. We had lots of fun: eating, chitchatting, laughing, and washing dishes (It’s fun because it’s the only house chore that I like). After the party, the fun was ended because I had a lot of homework to do. :(
We started our day with Prof. Rick. Yesterday, we visited his office, located in a house-like office on the university campus. Prof. Rick told us about how his language center was operated and some problems he encountered as the head of the center. It was interesting to listen to him making observations about students especially when he explained about strengths and weaknesses of students from different countries. While listening, I couldn’t help reflecting on my own students in order to find out about their strengths and weaknesses. As for now, I can only think of their weaknesses (I’m such a pessimistic teacher). However, I’ve made a decision that when I’m back in Thailand, I’ll not overlook my students’ strengths so that I can apply teaching methods that are suitable for them.
In Prof. Rick’s class today, we learnt about if-clause and action research. We learnt about two schools of research: quantitative and qualitative research. It’s a pity that we didn’t have much time to talk about it, but I think Prof. Rick may bring it up again tomorrow. After Prof. Rick’s class, we went to Wilson Hall to attend project archaeology discussion. It was a very systematic and well-organized lesson. I liked it a lot, and I think I can apply many strategies to my teaching.
In the evening, I had a chance to observe a writing class. It was interesting, and it surprised me a little bit because most of the students were Asian students. Also, I was amazed and disappointed at the same time. I was amazed when seeing students being very active in the class, but I was disappointed because such classroom atmosphere did not happen in my class very often. I think it might be because of my teaching, classroom setting, students’ personality or any other possible factors that I must investigate in order to encourage my students to be active.
In the evening, we went to Dr. Brody’s house for a dinner party. We had lots of fun: eating, chitchatting, laughing, and washing dishes (It’s fun because it’s the only house chore that I like). After the party, the fun was ended because I had a lot of homework to do. :(
Yellowstone #1
October 19 - 21, 2007 (#1)
I just came back from my trip to Yellowstone. It was such a memorable, exciting, and breath-taking trip. I might not be able to write much today because I am still tired and quite sleepy, but I’ll try to write as much as I can.
We left Bozeman in the afternoon to stay overnight at a motel before heading to Yellowstone the next day. That night we had a Thai cuisine party. We ate boiled rice with pork and fish and steamed eggs. Pi Poo (Sawalee) was a good cook. The food was simple Thai dishes, but they were very delicious for us all judging from how much each of us ate that night (from my observation, everybody seemed to be overstuffed). Early next morning, we arrived Yellowstone National Park. As usual, our minds were set on seeing snow, and our most famous topic was whether we would see snow at Yellowstone. Though, Brody and Jess kept assuring us that we would see snow, some of us were skeptical because we had been told that it would snow in Bozeman for many days, but we still hadn’t seen any.
We stopped at a gift shop to buy some souvenirs, then, on our way to a restroom we found….a bison! It was rather unusual to see a bison in such a place. I expected to see one in the wild with its herd, but I didn’t expect it to be right beside the tourist restroom!! Later, we learnt that that bison was sick, so they brought him near the park center so they could take care of him. That’s the first time I had a close look of a bison. He was such an adorable animal (at least for me). He has think fur, big round eyes, and big belly. Also, he seems to be a calm, and peace-loving animal.
After that we went up to see the stone called “the Liberty Hat” (I am not sure if I am right or not) and hot springs. It was great and even greater when we saw something was falling down the sky. Yes! It was snowing. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was the first snow I have ever seen. It was light snow and I couldn’t actually touch it for it would melt before touching my hands. However, we could see it on our jackets, our hair, and our hats. Many of us took lots and lots of photos with our first snow ever.
Then, we went hiking to see different geysers. We were tired but we enjoyed taking photos and most of all we enjoyed playing with snow: throwing snowballs at one another, tasting the snow, and lying down on the snow. We could see a panoramic view of Yellowstone and the waterfall. There, we realized why Yellowstone was called Yellowstone. It’s because….
To be continued…
I just came back from my trip to Yellowstone. It was such a memorable, exciting, and breath-taking trip. I might not be able to write much today because I am still tired and quite sleepy, but I’ll try to write as much as I can.
We left Bozeman in the afternoon to stay overnight at a motel before heading to Yellowstone the next day. That night we had a Thai cuisine party. We ate boiled rice with pork and fish and steamed eggs. Pi Poo (Sawalee) was a good cook. The food was simple Thai dishes, but they were very delicious for us all judging from how much each of us ate that night (from my observation, everybody seemed to be overstuffed). Early next morning, we arrived Yellowstone National Park. As usual, our minds were set on seeing snow, and our most famous topic was whether we would see snow at Yellowstone. Though, Brody and Jess kept assuring us that we would see snow, some of us were skeptical because we had been told that it would snow in Bozeman for many days, but we still hadn’t seen any.
We stopped at a gift shop to buy some souvenirs, then, on our way to a restroom we found….a bison! It was rather unusual to see a bison in such a place. I expected to see one in the wild with its herd, but I didn’t expect it to be right beside the tourist restroom!! Later, we learnt that that bison was sick, so they brought him near the park center so they could take care of him. That’s the first time I had a close look of a bison. He was such an adorable animal (at least for me). He has think fur, big round eyes, and big belly. Also, he seems to be a calm, and peace-loving animal.
After that we went up to see the stone called “the Liberty Hat” (I am not sure if I am right or not) and hot springs. It was great and even greater when we saw something was falling down the sky. Yes! It was snowing. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was the first snow I have ever seen. It was light snow and I couldn’t actually touch it for it would melt before touching my hands. However, we could see it on our jackets, our hair, and our hats. Many of us took lots and lots of photos with our first snow ever.
Then, we went hiking to see different geysers. We were tired but we enjoyed taking photos and most of all we enjoyed playing with snow: throwing snowballs at one another, tasting the snow, and lying down on the snow. We could see a panoramic view of Yellowstone and the waterfall. There, we realized why Yellowstone was called Yellowstone. It’s because….
To be continued…
Yellowstone
October 19-21, 2007 (#2)
The name Yellowstone came from the color of rocks and stone, which is without doubt yellow. At first, we were very excited about the snow. We wanted very much to get out of our van and play with the snow. We desperately wanted Jess to stop the van wherever there was snow in order to take photos. On Saturday while we stopped for the restroom near one of the hiking spots, we had experienced a bit of heavy snow (heavy for me but not for those accustomed to snow). It was so much fun because while we were lining up for the restroom (there was only one room for both men and women), snow started falling down again. At that moment, the snow and the wind blew much more strongly. We were having fun standing amidst heavy snow. We took lots of photos (as usual). The bad thing was that the restroom was very dirty and there was no water! I hope I am never in a situation where I must use such a restroom ever again. On our way back, we could see lots of elk and bison. I was excited (as usual) to see them.
The first day was a bit tiring, but I was happy I could see snow. That night I couldn’t help calling my family to brag about my first experience with snow. On Sunday, we went to see the most famous geyser, Old Faithful. When we arrived, it took a long time before the geyser erupted, so we went hiking to an observation point. On our way, we saw beautiful scenery of snow glittering like diamonds when reflecting with sunlight. Then, Jess told us that there was a herd of bison blocking our path to the observation point. I was very excited as well as scared when I heard that. We kept walking forward until we saw the bison enjoying their food without paying attention to us. Everyone was very quiet while Dr. Brody stepped closer to the bison in order to lead the way, but he finally changed his mind and led us down the hill. He later told me that there were too many bison standing in different directions making it difficult for us to see them in case they attacked us. I took a video of that adventurous moment so that I could remind myself of that moment. We took almost an hour hiking. After that we saw a lot more geysers before we saw the renowned “Old Faithful” erupt. There is nothing much to say except that it was worth waiting for.
And that’s the end of our memorable, exciting, and breath-taking trip to Yellowstone.
The name Yellowstone came from the color of rocks and stone, which is without doubt yellow. At first, we were very excited about the snow. We wanted very much to get out of our van and play with the snow. We desperately wanted Jess to stop the van wherever there was snow in order to take photos. On Saturday while we stopped for the restroom near one of the hiking spots, we had experienced a bit of heavy snow (heavy for me but not for those accustomed to snow). It was so much fun because while we were lining up for the restroom (there was only one room for both men and women), snow started falling down again. At that moment, the snow and the wind blew much more strongly. We were having fun standing amidst heavy snow. We took lots of photos (as usual). The bad thing was that the restroom was very dirty and there was no water! I hope I am never in a situation where I must use such a restroom ever again. On our way back, we could see lots of elk and bison. I was excited (as usual) to see them.
The first day was a bit tiring, but I was happy I could see snow. That night I couldn’t help calling my family to brag about my first experience with snow. On Sunday, we went to see the most famous geyser, Old Faithful. When we arrived, it took a long time before the geyser erupted, so we went hiking to an observation point. On our way, we saw beautiful scenery of snow glittering like diamonds when reflecting with sunlight. Then, Jess told us that there was a herd of bison blocking our path to the observation point. I was very excited as well as scared when I heard that. We kept walking forward until we saw the bison enjoying their food without paying attention to us. Everyone was very quiet while Dr. Brody stepped closer to the bison in order to lead the way, but he finally changed his mind and led us down the hill. He later told me that there were too many bison standing in different directions making it difficult for us to see them in case they attacked us. I took a video of that adventurous moment so that I could remind myself of that moment. We took almost an hour hiking. After that we saw a lot more geysers before we saw the renowned “Old Faithful” erupt. There is nothing much to say except that it was worth waiting for.
And that’s the end of our memorable, exciting, and breath-taking trip to Yellowstone.
One Dollar Shop
October 18, 2007
It was a sleepy day. I woke up early as usual, but I didn’t feel as fresh as any other days. Our schedule for today was to attend the MEA Conference. In this conference, elementary school, middle school, and high school teachers from all over Montana would gather to share their knowledge. It would be a more interesting conference, if we had more time because many of the sessions I would like to attend were in the morning. Also, it would be better, if I had a schedule of all the sessions at least one day earlier so that I could make a list of the sessions I wanted to attend.
At 3.00 pm, we went shopping at “One Dollar Shop.” It was a new experience for me because I had never known that there was this type of shop in the States. Actually, there is this kind of shop in Thailand as well. At that shop, you can buy almost everything at the price of 60 baht (approx. 2 dollars). After shopping, we went to Teacher of the Year reception at Holiday Inn. The overall atmosphere of the reception made me feel so proud of the teaching profession. The participants gave standing ovations to the teacher of the year and the two finalists. I felt that they deserved to receive such an honor. Though, I don’t know who they are, I am certain that they have worked hard enough to be awarded. Ok. I’ve got to go pack up my stuff to be prepared for tomorrow’s trip to Yellow Stone. There is much more to tell. To be continue….
It was a sleepy day. I woke up early as usual, but I didn’t feel as fresh as any other days. Our schedule for today was to attend the MEA Conference. In this conference, elementary school, middle school, and high school teachers from all over Montana would gather to share their knowledge. It would be a more interesting conference, if we had more time because many of the sessions I would like to attend were in the morning. Also, it would be better, if I had a schedule of all the sessions at least one day earlier so that I could make a list of the sessions I wanted to attend.
At 3.00 pm, we went shopping at “One Dollar Shop.” It was a new experience for me because I had never known that there was this type of shop in the States. Actually, there is this kind of shop in Thailand as well. At that shop, you can buy almost everything at the price of 60 baht (approx. 2 dollars). After shopping, we went to Teacher of the Year reception at Holiday Inn. The overall atmosphere of the reception made me feel so proud of the teaching profession. The participants gave standing ovations to the teacher of the year and the two finalists. I felt that they deserved to receive such an honor. Though, I don’t know who they are, I am certain that they have worked hard enough to be awarded. Ok. I’ve got to go pack up my stuff to be prepared for tomorrow’s trip to Yellow Stone. There is much more to tell. To be continue….
Party at Brody's house
October 17, 07
It’s another special day. What was so special about today was the weather. As soon as I woke up, I could sense coldness all over the room. As soon as I stepped outside, the cold wind and droplets of water blew right at me. Oh, mind. How I wanted to go back to my room and tucked myself inside a warm blanket. Anyway, that was only my thought for in reality, I still needed to go to study.
The morning English class went well. To be honest; however, I was a bit distracted because my mind was set at the white icy cotton balls that might fall down from the sky at any time. After Prof. Rick’s class, I went to observe a large psychology class. The class was active and interesting with students participating eagerly. For the afternoon session, we discussed Dr. Jayne Downey’s class that we’d observed this morning. We asked her questions related to active assessment in large classes. I’ve got all of the important points in my notebook. Then, we discussed and did an activity on active assessment in large classes with Dr. Bangart. At 3 pm, we worked on our blogs as usual. It might be like any other day on which everybody was busy working with their own blogs. It was not until someone told us that it was snowing outside. The chaos started right at that moment. Everybody jumped out of their seats, ran towards the windows and looked outside. Some of us including me stretched our hands out to feel the icy drops of water. It didn’t look like snow at all, but yet it wasn’t rain. One of the professors told us that it was called “sleet”. I’ve heard this word before, but this is the first time I’ve actually seen sleet. I was a bit disappointed, but still believe that it will snow soon.
Today’s highlight was in the evening because we had a dinner party at Dr. Brody’s house. The party was great- the house was cosy, the song was sweet, the food was delicious, and everybody was extremely friendly. We had really good time especially me because I had a chance to eat Thai food such as Tom Yam Kung, chicken green curry and fried rice. It was so good to eat something a bit spicy because spicy food helped spiced up my life. Before ending this journal, I’d like to thank the host for tonight’s dinner. Kop Koon Ka.
It’s another special day. What was so special about today was the weather. As soon as I woke up, I could sense coldness all over the room. As soon as I stepped outside, the cold wind and droplets of water blew right at me. Oh, mind. How I wanted to go back to my room and tucked myself inside a warm blanket. Anyway, that was only my thought for in reality, I still needed to go to study.
The morning English class went well. To be honest; however, I was a bit distracted because my mind was set at the white icy cotton balls that might fall down from the sky at any time. After Prof. Rick’s class, I went to observe a large psychology class. The class was active and interesting with students participating eagerly. For the afternoon session, we discussed Dr. Jayne Downey’s class that we’d observed this morning. We asked her questions related to active assessment in large classes. I’ve got all of the important points in my notebook. Then, we discussed and did an activity on active assessment in large classes with Dr. Bangart. At 3 pm, we worked on our blogs as usual. It might be like any other day on which everybody was busy working with their own blogs. It was not until someone told us that it was snowing outside. The chaos started right at that moment. Everybody jumped out of their seats, ran towards the windows and looked outside. Some of us including me stretched our hands out to feel the icy drops of water. It didn’t look like snow at all, but yet it wasn’t rain. One of the professors told us that it was called “sleet”. I’ve heard this word before, but this is the first time I’ve actually seen sleet. I was a bit disappointed, but still believe that it will snow soon.
Today’s highlight was in the evening because we had a dinner party at Dr. Brody’s house. The party was great- the house was cosy, the song was sweet, the food was delicious, and everybody was extremely friendly. We had really good time especially me because I had a chance to eat Thai food such as Tom Yam Kung, chicken green curry and fried rice. It was so good to eat something a bit spicy because spicy food helped spiced up my life. Before ending this journal, I’d like to thank the host for tonight’s dinner. Kop Koon Ka.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
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