Welcome to the "official" start of the school year. Plans for this monthly event:
12 pm
Welcome time during the lunch hour. Very relaxed. A chance to "meet - and - greet". A desire is to have a great start will happen by connecting, building bridges for stronger relationships. We will introduce ourselves and share our thoughts on the questions:
- What are you looking forward to in 2021?
- How can we join you in your professional journey and possibly help?
- What do you wish to contribute to the chapter, or national organization?
1 pm
Guest presenter: Brian Raisbeck
Back to Square One – Reflective Practice in Uncertain Times
Abstract:
2020 was a year without precedent. As educators, we were faced with unexpected challenges that forced many of us to abandon time-honored teaching methods in favor of new, unfamiliar ones that may not have always worked. Thomas S.C. Farrell’s (2016) book on reflective practice, From Trainee to Teacher, takes readers on the journey of three novice ESL teachers as they navigate their first year in the classroom. From the initial “shock”, to having to “sink or swim”, to questioning one’s teacher beliefs, the experiences of these novice teachers contain stark similarities to the experiences of many educators, both new and seasoned, within the past year. Participants will reflect on their classroom experiences in 2020 through the lens of a novice teacher. They will also be given a set of tools, based on Farrell’s reflective practice framework, that they can use to examine their own teaching practice more critically.
Presenter Biography:
Brian Raisbeck has taught EFL in Korea for nearly a decade. He holds an MAT in TESOL from the University of Southern California and an MSc in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition from the University of Oxford. He is also the National Facilitator of the Reflective Practice Special Interest Group (RPSIG) and the Facilitator of the RPSIG’s Seoul group.
2 pm
Open Discussion for 2021 Planning
- Confirm 1-2 presenters/workshops (ideally, one that is academic, theory focused; one with a focus on practical, useful tips and suggestions)
- Formation and participation on committees, special interests
- We desire a conference planning committee for our November Conference
