The International School Teacher 2.0

While my beautiful wife is more than busy with her “NO Sex in the City” excursion in New York, I have dug a deep technological trench working diligently on our new venture, “The International School Teacher 2.0”. The site is through Ning.com, a social/professional network. It is our hope that TIST 2.0 becomes a widely used resource for international teachers near and far. This is the part where I include the not-so-official official press release. 

This social network was created as a forum for teachers in international schools, and educators interested in teaching abroad to convene and discuss pertinent topics, such as:

- Sharing instructional strategies

- Insights on specific international schools

- Questions and concerns about IB

- Integrating instructional technology, web 2.0

- Cross-curricular and cross-continental projects

- Job fairs and the recruitment process

- Advice about future teaching destinations and cultural adjustment

- Keeping up with old colleagues and making new contacts

We also plan on including a number of in-house resources such as live broadcasted webinars and a podcast.

Notice, you did not read bimonthly, or even biannually regarding the podcast… first things first. Oh, but we have a real cavalcade of international school circuit heavy weights lined up for the podcasts.

Have a look, sign up, reply to posts, and by all means contribute some of your vast knowledge to the site. I think if we get it up and running according to our action plan TIST 2.0 could be a real success.

 

Seminar for Art Educators at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC

Rocio has just completed her weeklong seminar for Art educators at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. She absolutely relished in every minute. I’ll quote directly from Spanish, as it’s cute, “like a piggy in mud”. Needless to say, with her extensive background in Museology, she was in her element. She learned a lot and was able to make some great contacts. She’s now of to Boston and to Keane University to visit some old colleagues.

Cypriot Summer

Its been a while since our last entry. Too long. The absence of writing is indeed relative to the hectic nature of the last few months. I don't want to offend anyone, I can understand that my use of hectic, while living in Cyprus, could be be a bit insensitive, but anyone has taught knows that regardless of local and school climate, the end of the year is indeed hectic. 

Rocio is currently in Ecuador visiting family. I myself am holding down the fort with the assistance of my ever-faithful assistant, Humita. I felt that the prospect of staying at home all summer as being a good chance to get some things accomplished, writing be one of them. Only being my first summer in Cyprus, is it really staying home? I have the beach, endless hours of exercise, and the lovely 100 degree heat to remind me of my Georgia roots.  Humi wishes she had been born a chihuahua. 

I am getting ahead of myself with summer endeavors. First things first. Spring saw us returning to Istanbul and spending time with our dear friend and colleague Chuckles. We are absolutely intrigued with Istanbul. It's history and flavors are addictive. You just keep wanting to return; and we will... perhaps under a contractual situation. 

Roci' s hard work and long hours payed off as the IB Art exhibit was a great success. Accolades were many, as the artist, their parents, and our director were overwhelming pleased. I am very proud of the work she has done in such a small amount of time. Coming in halfway to a two-year programme is not easy, but she dove right in and was able to turn the Art department around full circle. Congratulations Roci!

She is now in Quito, preparing to return to the States where she will be attending a week long symposium in NYC under the auspice of the MET, MOM, and the Whitney. 

I am here fully dedicated to my Mediterranean metamorphosis. Acclimation to a blistering hot summer takes hard work and dedication. Getting up at 7:30 while it's still only 88 degrees, two hour siestas, dinner at 11:00 at night, are all part of my regiment. I'm getting there.  After seven in the evening, one turns their back to the indoors. Television, reading, and everything is done on the terrace. I'm serenaded on a nightly basis by the neighborhood cacophony of clanging dishes and the scraping of silverware as families converse and dine in the open air.