Yes We Can Change!

This was my first year of teaching, so I expected to face some difficulties. Although I knew of many teachers who had special cases in their classrooms, never had I anticipated to experience such a case in mine. One of my students was an aggressive and offensive girl. Her parents were divorced and she didn’t seem to be comfortable with neither of them. As I heard, her step-mother doesn't care about her or her siblings, they even wake up by themselves to school. She has told me several times "I hate my oldest brother”, “my mother doesn't allow me to touch her”, “everyone hates me" and many similar phrases. My journey with her started before I knew about her situation. In my classes, she always used to interrupt my lessons, misbehave and act rudely. I tried to ignore her, until one time when we had a confrontation. I couldn't handle her bad manners anymore. I burst with anger and left the classroom after telling her that I will leave the school. At that moment, she rushed with tears on her face to stop me. I realized then that I really meant a lot to her and that her aim was nothing more than seeking care and attention. Ever since then, you won't believe the changes that have befallen. I considered her to be my friend. I showed her that I really cared for her and wanted her to be one of the best students in my class. She felt that her parents didn't care whether she succeeded or not, so I kept on emphasizing to her how much I believed in her and that I was sure she will actually make it. She started showing progress day after day and only sought after pleasing me. We spent recesses together and worked on improving her personality before accelerating her academic level. I shared with her some stories of my life and she started telling me everything she encountered in her daily life. She really felt relaxed when talking to me. She opened up to me about things she wouldn't normally tell anyone else.
This girl used to fail in every subject in school, but believe it or not, now instead of a grade of 7/20 she's getting 14! This persuading role could be taken by anyone; a parent, a relative, a friend, but I believe it can be most influential by teachers. Inspire and encourage your students to be great people, see the best in them, be their source of guidance, let them learn from you and allow them to realize their own personal growth. Never underestimate your role as a teacher, you might be the hero of someone's life and their leader to success.

If You Have a Sister, You Have Everything!

I really don't know how people get through life without a sister. God gave me two precious sisters. There's no body in this whole world who knows me better than them. 
People come and go, friends change like the weather, but my sisters are always there. They are my forever friends. We share together our childhood memories and grown-up dreams. 
A cup of Nescafe and a chat with them means the world to me. Believe it or not, I still can remember every single word in those conversations. Those cherished moments are saved deep in my memory.
I truly can't express myself when it comes to my sisters; they loved me, protected me and always stood by my side. Although we fight sometimes, scream, argue a lot, but this is also under "sister's love"!
I would like to thank you my sisters for your support and great care. Thanks for being there in the good and bad times without directly judging, thanks for trusting me in the hard times and thanks for being loyal friends. This priceless friendship we made, will never end indeed. 

The Pros and Cons of a Teaching Career

The career you decide to partake, whatever it may be, has its pros and cons undoubtedly like everything else in life.  Although having a career in Education is the path I drew for myself, and despite the overpowering passion that I have for teaching, I still cannot deny that there are some downsides to it. If you were thinking of becoming a teacher, then you should get to know the pros and cons before deciding whether this is the right career for you.

Pros

Probably what first comes to mind when talking about the pros of teaching is the ability to inspire and have an impact on the lives of the leaders of tomorrow. Not to mention that a teacher would be specializing in a subject that he likes most, which would make him even more passionate about the lessons he’s giving. Not only would a teacher influence the lives of his students, sometimes students themselves are a source of inspiration and stimulation for their teacher. Students sometimes become part of a teacher’s extended family and a lot of strong friendly relationships are built between them. For a teacher who does his job with love and honesty, observing the change he makes in the lives of his students, both intellectually and spiritually, is the greatest reward he could get. Nothing is more pleasing to a teacher than witnessing the blossoming of young brilliant minds and souls.

Cons

Passion and the love of teaching is the primary motive for choosing the teaching career. This passion is what diverts their focus from the income potential. The pay teachers get isn’t at all bad, but it is known that teachers do not make millions. The dispute here is whether the income is compatible with the huge amount of effort put into this career. This is another obstacle that teachers usually face. Teaching is one of the most tiring jobs, when the teacher sincerely gives it his all of course. It requires so many skills at different levels of education; being smart and knowing the material is far from enough for being good at this job. It is very demanding. Teachers are most of the times required to work over-time, and even take their work home (exams, assignments, reports, projects… etc.). This is why dedication and patience are important assets of this job. Being an extremely responsible person, and having the ability to get along well with others are also essential requirements for a teaching career.

If one really has what it takes to be a successful teacher, he would appreciate the positives that overweigh the negative aspects of this career. After all, teaching is a highly rewarding career that is not done for the sake of money, but rather a job that could influence lives and actually make an evident difference.

6 Common Misconceptions about Teaching

When it comes to teaching, there is always an associated stigma that makes teaching one of the most misunderstood professions. People sometimes underestimate the hard work and endless efforts exerted by good teachers.

Here are 6 misconceptions about teachers and teaching that are so commonly heard among people.

1. Those who fail to do anything else, teach! 
This is perhaps the most unreasonable thought people might have about teachers. Teachers are actually among the smartest people who not only specialize in a certain subject but also have gained education in teaching methods and certain aspects of psychology as well.

2. Teaching is easy. 
This is a big misconception. Teaching is one of the most challenging jobs. Teachers have to plan their lessons ahead, teach, grade tests and assignments, answer questions, take control of the classroom, solve student’s problems and the list goes on and on. If this does not sound tough enough, imagine when a teacher even works as a private tutor outside of school.

3. A teacher’s day ends by the last school bell. 
On the contrary, rarely does a teacher’s work end by 3 p.m.! Teachers devote so much of their time to their job even at home and on the weekends to grade papers or prepare for the next day.

4. Teachers only teach. 
False! A teacher is not only a teacher. On some days a teacher is also a friend, counselor and a nurse. Teachers are responsible for the learning of students and taking care of them as if they were their own children.

5. If a student doesn’t do well, it’s the teacher’s fault. 
One cannot deny that a teacher is held accountable for a great part of the student’s performance. It is a teacher’s job to motivate and facilitate learning for students. However, without the student’s will and self-motivation to learn, a teacher’s efforts are insignificant. Moreover, a teacher is not solely responsible for a child’s learning. Parents have an essential role of enriching them with the skills that build their personality and provide them with a suitable studying environment at home.

6. Teachers aren’t as good as before. 
This is a highly misconceived idea. Many parents believe that teaching these days is not as good as it used to be and that teachers nowadays are not as dedicated. In contrast, these days it is even tougher to become a teacher with the competition among graduates, especially that higher standards for accepting new teachers are being set.

Cloud Computing

"Cloud Computing" the practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or a personal computer.

This can make your slow computer a fast expensive one suing the cloud and you'll be able to access your information from different devices. This is a beneficial and efficient way to save and store your data in a safe place. No more losing photos or files, no need for backing-up your data, no more software and hardware maintenance overhead and no more need for USB sticks. This can help you in getting faster connections, allows you to save your data on the cloud in a more secure place.
Life becomes easier with this cloud as you can also print from multiple locations and devices using the Cloud Print. Additionally, the cloud can provide you with antivirus that runs on the cloud and is faster than any traditional one, thus you will have less viruses. 

 

Lessons Learned in Life

Life is a long journey that is carried with tons of lessons to teach us. Whether you were at school, in the supermarket, at your friend's house, on the street... there might be something to learn.
Many of us get into problems, spend nights crying, get into a state of depression, but I personally learned that no matter how something hurts or how bad you feel, you must take the decision and stop thinking about everything that brings negativity to you. You should not stay at a hurtful place at all; you must think that each one of us deserves to be appreciated and live happily. Even though we cannot but get into such problems, we must not stop there, that's not the end of the world. Think of your self-worth, "Do I deserve to be crying now? Do I deserve feeling the way I am now? If you wish to be like that presently, then just do nothing and be the victim of your life!

Besides, based on many experiences in my life, I realized that it takes courage to trust someone with your entire heart. I used to trust all people and I never thought of something bad towards anyone, until I faced some problems which made me be more careful and cautious when giving the trust to someone. You might find a few friends to believe in and rely on, but they're kind of rare!That's why start by yourself; try to be honest and congruent with yourself, don't smile to someone you hate from the inside, don't talk about someone you pretend you like...
Add to that, always believe in yourselves, be proud of who you are today and always seek improvement. Be sure that you are a great choice and never try to be someone else. You're good at being yourself. You might not be perfect, but believing in your own self and strengths can help much.
Don't always listen to your heart, sometimes it needs more time to accept what your mind already knows. Try to make a balance between these two concerning everything in your lives.
I personally take every mistake as a way to change and develop. It teaches me a lot and without doing mistakes I might not learn.

The A-Z of Being an Effective Teacher

A- Accept others
B- Build trust relationships
C- be Creative and an excellent Communicator
D- seek Deep understanding
E- Explain Clearly and show Enthusiasm
F- be Fair
G- Guide your students
H- Have a sense of Humor/High expectations
I- Intrinsically motivate students
J- don't Jump to conclusions based on appearances
K- Know their different learning styles
L- Love to teach
M- Manage your time
N- Never give up
O- think Outside the box
P- Prepare your lessons
Q- Quickly respond to problems
R- Respect your students
S- Strive to be better
T- Tolerate differences
U- Understand the content and your students' needs
V- Value your students
W- Work hard
X- X-out any qualities that could lead to failure
Y- be Yourself
Z- Zestfully meet any challenge

How to Turn a Bad Day Into a Better One in 10 Easy Steps

If a bad day got you down, try these steps and cheer up.. :)

1. Listen to a Favorite Song and Sing along
Try to choose a positive song that might change your mood and even get you out of your depression.

2. Take a Shower
It is as if you're showering the negativity. This could be a quick warm shower and try to stand under cold water for 20 minutes which will give energy.

3. Watch a Funny YouTube Video
Instead of watching a depressing movie or listen to a sad song when feeling bad, watch a video or even a comedian movie that can change your bad mood into a better one by laughing and enjoying your time with something nice.

4. Grab a Mug of Something Warm
It could be Nescafe, Hot Chocolate, Green Tea or anything with something you like to eat and sit on a cozy couch. This can calm you down and make you feel relaxed.

5.Give and Get a Hug
This is considered as a kind of energy healing. So when you get cranky, reach out to a close friend or any family member.

6. Practice Deep Breathing
This can reduce your stress. Try to take a few minutes to close your eyes, inhale deeply through your nose for, hold it for two seconds then exhale for another two seconds.

7. Write About What's Bothering You Then Write Something Your are Grateful For
This a beneficial way to release your stress and anxiety. Expressing your feelings by writing as if you're talking to some can make a big deal. I tried it! After that, try to write two things that are grateful to get in the positive energy.

8. Do Some Exercises
Getting up and moving your body can help you feel better and boost your mood. Just try to do some light exercises that don't need much effort.

9. Sign Out of Facebook
Many studies have shown that social media, regardless of its positive side in bringing people together, it can affect them negatively. This may trigger depression because we often compare ourselves to others.

10. Walk Barefoot on Grass
Nature can bring in many positive energy and boost happiness. When you don't feel good, just try to connect to nature and relax. Enjoy your day, sit and rest on the grass and try to read an interesting book...

Self Improvement

People are always searching for ways to improve their selves, their lives and try to solve their own problems. As you're growing up, you get into many situations and lots of experiences that teach you something and improves yourself. As a student and teacher, I was willing and working on making my life better and enhancing my strengths.

• To start, I thought of creating some basic routines for my life in order to reach my goal. I wanted to have a good healthy body to be always refreshed and energetic to work. I started walking everyday for half an hour and I even downloaded a Samsung application that helped me in that.

• Then I decided to get out of my "comfort zone". In the past years, my parents never asked me to do something, neither in house chores nor in anything else that needs effort, so I only focused on my studies and never bothered doing other stuff. I decided to do something different, to work hard, to take responsibilities, and be exposed to a new context. From that point, I chose to become independent and self-regulated. I selected a school that has a very tough system of rules because I am used to breaking them.

• I began using the to-do-list for each day which helped my a lot in managing my time. I used to start my day with a list of tasks which made me always focused on them.

• After that, I decided to use a feedback copybook as I always comment and give feedback on my performances. I also tried to take notes and benefit from people who inspire me.

• Add to that, I decided on quitting a bad habit which is "oversleeping". This was actually hard and I'm still working on it till now.

• At last, I wrote a letter to my future self. I thought of what kind of person I want to be in the future and what qualities and strengths I wish to have.

Having a Friend...

People come and go; move in and out of your life. Some stay there and some just move away. Sometimes you name a person as a "friend" then you realize that he was only a normal person you once met. Nowadays, it is really hard to find a true friend. As you grow up, you meet many new people and forget about the old ones if they didn't mean much to you, but what if you had a true friend? You would impossibly forget a true precious one.
Through out my school and university years, I met some wonderful friends. They never leave me out and they are always there for me no matter what. When they are around, I only need to say one word and they completely understand what I'm telling them whether it was something good or bad. With them, I feel comfortable to show my real self. Sometimes I feel that if anyone reads or listens to our conversations, he/she would consider us insane. Besides, my friends and I share our best stories together. We try to make each other happy and grateful. They uplift my soul when I'm in trouble or feel bad. 
Though we're kinda different in our personalities and preferences, but we share many things in common and the most important of all are the priceless moments of laughter. They make the good times better and the bad ones easier. Honestly, there is nothing worth having other than a true friend. Thus, when you find one, just stay by his side.

Teacher's Day

On this day, I would like to share with you my experience in teaching. To be honest, I never thought of teaching before, this was not on my mind at all and I ended up now teaching English to grade four. Because I was kind of a trouble maker at school, I didn't want to become a teacher so I won't suffer later on. Adding to that, the majority underestimate the great role of a teacher. When I first majored in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, everyone used to tell me, "This is a piece of cake, you don't need to study how to teach!". I would like to tell them "You know nothing". Teaching is the one profession that creates all other professions!

Now, I'm in love with my profession and I wish I can go back in time to appreciate and value every single teacher who once taught me. A teacher affects eternity and I am pretty sure that those teachers had influenced me somewhere. From that point, I started aiming at inspiring people. I want someone to look at me and say, "Because of you, I didn't give up".

“They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even when you don't know it”. This is a quote that really inspired me on this occasion. I believe that a good teacher teaches, a better one models and the best one inspires. This best teacher teaches you from the heart, not from the book. A teacher has the great ability to positively influence others and she knows how to bring out the best in students and this is exactly my goal now.