thesisthoughts

Another way I am continuing my professional learning is through my voluntary work as a reviewer of literacy articles for the Broader Middle East and North Africa Literacy Hub. The organization strives to improve basic literacy in those countries and in particular, to increase the number of girls attending primary school frameworks.

I am always interested by the materials I receive and meet a variety of literacy issues in my reading. Although I have been reviewing articles for the past two years, I have no idea how they found me to invite me to be a reviewer for this international project. The connection may be my International Reading Association membership.

p.s – Yet another kind of professional learning – as you can see, I have finally learned to hyperlink… about time. It was one of my goals before going back to school and I’m happy to report that I’ve done it.

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Waiting…waiting…waiting! I’ve had enough of waiting and it’s making me nervous!

What am I waiting for?

• The grade for my thesis – I still have a few weeks to go before I’ll hear any feedback. There is nothing I can do to make the time pass and I certainly can’t do anything at this stage to improve my mark so…I will just have to keep waiting patiently! 
• Narrative article that I sent to journal A – I haven’t heard anything – not even if they received it by email and I sent it off over a month ago. Wait! Maybe I should check if they got it? I don’t know if that isn’t being pushy. I will definitely keep waiting.
• Narrative article that I sent to journal B – I know it was received and read and that it will probably be accepted. Again, I have to wait and see.
• The beginning of the school year – In Israel, schools open on the 1st of September, next Monday. This year I will be working full time at our school (instead of leading PD in other schools two days a week). After school, one day a week, I will teach two PD courses for teachers, both according to the principles discussed in my thesis.

At school it will be a mixed year. I will have many hours in my role as vice principal, about 8 hrs in my role as head of teaching and leader of PD, 8 hours teaching ESL to two grade 6 classes, 2 hours teaching bible studies to grade 6, and 2 hours participating in a digital comics competition which brings together religious and secular pupils as they learn about other cultures and tolerance (last time one of my pupils came second in the final). I will also have 4 hours with groups of stronger pupils in our striving for excellence program. Together we will experiment with blogging – something new to me, our school and Israeli primary schools in general. I have lots of plans and am waiting for it all to begin.

 I still can’t decide if I should keep blogging here or open a new work blog. Let’s WAIT and see.

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